Summertime!

I am so glad to finally be getting back to a more normal course of activity. I have enjoyed the down time and the time spent with family but it is good to have things starting to return to our schedules. Today marked the okay to open for playgrounds, museums, zoos, theaters, and a few other things in our area. Next week it is amusement parks and casinos. Some of the plans released seem a bit weird and some make me wonder if the experience is worth the hassle. I assume that those things will begin to relax in due time and until then, I am just glad for the steps that we are making.

Summer baseball has started and it feels about 95% normal. The bleachers are closed, which seems like an odd set up because I find that it leaves less space for parents to be spread out but heard that they were closed to allow the players a space in which to spread out when their team is in the dugout. The umpires (at the games we have been at) are calling balls and strikes from behind the pitcher and the field umpire stands behind 1st only (rather than moving to a more centralized field position once runners are on). One game though, our home plate umpire was behind the pitcher calling balls and strikes but the field umpire was behind the catcher, set up to better make the calls at home and foul balls. Makes you kind of wonder why he could be back there for that but that the home plate umpire can't set up there to calls balls and strikes. From what I understand, the decisions have been made on a per league/per tournament basis so we may see variations. In fact, the one umpire showed up with the intent to stand behind the catcher at another game and was told that he couldn't because the coaches didn't want for him to get in trouble.

It is nice to have restaurants open again. In some, you simply don't see that they have changed things because they moved and removed tables. Sure the servers are wearing masks and there are little things (including signs) that are different but they feel mostly normal. We went to Chili's this weekend after baseball though and there it felt obvious - every other table is marked with blue tape, the ketchup is brought out in little cups with lids, the water glasses can't be refilled so they bring you a new one each time. We went because we had a gift card and honestly, we wanted to make sure to use our gift card...there have been some restaurants where all of the local locations have closed - not sure whether it was because of the pandemic or if that was the proverbial straw. The service was excellent, the food was delicious and the portions good, and it was nice to enjoy a meal out with the whole family. This next weekend we are in a tournament and we will likely enjoy a meal out with the team...that will definitely be a unique experience.

The swimming pool opened for lap swimming this week. They are limiting us to 75 minutes in the facility/60 minutes in the pool - I'm not sure how much they are monitoring / enforcing but it seems everyone is complying. I was on target to complete the 100 mile challenge back in March and am hoping even with the shortened swim time that I will be able to complete it in June. Swimming time feels normal to me, just me back and forth in the pool alone with my thoughts and the occasional greeting of a fellow swimmer that I haven't seen in 12 weeks. My body definitely was tired and achy after returning to a workout that I hadn't done in so long and I was slower for sure. I am starting to pick up my pace a bit and hope to have it back up to where I was by the end of next week. Seeing the Camp kids playing in the rec pool and then the runners outside as I leave, certainly feels more like normal.

I have continued my daily walk but fitting them in is a bit more tricky now that I am also trying to swim 4-5 times per week. I am up to 89 days of completing at least a 30 minute walk with my typical walk now being up to 55 minutes. It was crazy warm here yesterday and today it was the humidity that was the challenge, I decided to walk before I swam, which meant walking in my glasses instead of my contacts. It worked okay but the glasses do steam up with the high humidity and me walking.

I start my new job next week. Having half of my time unemployed be during the pandemic has been interesting. One of my friends asked me today if I felt like a kid on the last week of summer vacation. I said yes, actually I do. I have developed a new routine (second one if you consider the pre- and during pandemic routines) that will be hard to move away from. I got a lot done that was on my to do list but feel I have so much more that I had hoped to accomplish during my time off. With everyone being home, the motivation and schedule seemed to be in my way. I have a few more things that I will tackle this week and the other things can simply wait. There wasn't a great urgency to getting them done just things on my list.

How is your summer starting? Are things opening up near you? Have you been out? What was your experience?

Growing Your Own Food

When it comes to freshness, there is nothing better than eating a tomato fresh from the garden. Something about the warmth of freshly picked tomato, just really makes the flavor burst in your mouth. I think that this is probably my key driver in planting a garden. There is no other way to experience this taste explosion (although, I had fried green tomatoes for the first time last night and aside from the added fat and calories of breading and frying, they did deliver on that warm tomato, burst of flavor that I love about fresh picked tomatoes.)

Every spring, the kids and I head out and pick up vegetable plants. We never start from seeds, although I suppose that we could. We plant many of the same vegetables each year, but sometimes we throw in a few new things. The kids really enjoy helping me prep and plant the garden, and they love to eat the vegetables that we plant. The same kids that complain about tomatoes in dishes, will eat them fresh from the vine - go figure! Gardens can expand the food experience for children. There is something about growing your own vegetables in a garden that leads kids to want to eat those vegetables.

This year, we have a few new vegetables and a few that we haven't planted in a while. We have 3 cherry/grape tomato plants, 3 regular tomato plants, 40 - 50 onions, 3 bell pepper plants (red and yellow), 2 hot peppers, 1 eggplant, 1 cucumber (I like to plant them in pairs, but there was only one left) and Romaine lettuce. Lettuce is a new adventure for me. We will see how that one turns out.
(anyone know what's going on with this onion? I've never seen this before - should I cut this off?)

It is a small garden, but with the options I had for putting in a garden, it is really the best we could do. Someday, I would like to have a larger one. I want to have a row of strawberries, maybe some potato plants, and maybe even some puhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifmpkins. For now, we enjoy what we grow and pick up the other stuff at local farmer's markets.

Watching a garden grow is a great lesson in life cycle for children. They get to see the seeds sprout and start to grow (well, if you use seeds, that is). They get to see the fruits/vegetables develop and watch them grow and ripen. They get to pick the fruits/vegetables when they are ripe and experience fresh, homegrown vegetables. They get to see the plants die off as the frost hits and watch us turn them under to fertilize the ground. They learn about how it takes water and sunshine for a garden to grow.

A garden is a great learning opportunity for children and a frugal way to enjoy fresh produce in the summer, and beyond if you can/freeze the vegetables. This works for my family.

This post shared at Works For Me Wednesday.

Summer Reading Programs

It is so hard to believe, but my son's school only has three more days until summer break. One of the challenges of summer break is trying to make sure that the kids don't get too far from what they have learned, but also making sure that they are kids and can enjoy their break.

From my experience, reading is a great way to keep your children's minds active in the summer. It doesn't have to be just them reading books, you can make it interesting and more of a learning experience by mixing it up. Read chapter books together with your kids and discuss them. Not only does this allow you time to bond, but it helps your kids develop reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. Have your child read a book and then 'retell' you the story in their own words. This can help to ensure that they are reading and comprehending the story and not just seeing the words. Read books that are set somewhere local and then, take a field trip to the area and see if you can find familiar landmarks from the books.

We have found that reading time is a great 'down' time for kids. An opportunity to have some quiet time, alone time and to spend some time out of the sun. With a library in most communities, a wide array of books is readily accessible to suit any interest and reading level.

As we do every summer, we are planning to take the kids to the library and sign them up for the summer reading program. It is a nice program and rewards them for reading and checking in on their progress. They get little things, like choosing a prize out of a treasure chest, getting stickers and bookmarks and at the end of the summer, a free book. The prizes aren't big, but they are incentive enough for the kids to want to read.

Signing up for reading programs can help to provide added incentive to kids to read. In addition to library reading programs, there are a number of retailers and other groups who also offer summer reading programs with benefits:

Barnes and Noble: Read 8 books and turn in the form to receive one free book from the available list. Turn in completed sheets from now to September 6th.

Borders: Read 10 books and earn a free book (select titles). Turn in form between June 1 - September 5.

Half-Priced Books: Read 600 minutes or more and turn in the completed reading log at Half Price Books to receive $5 Back-to-School Bucks. Turn in the reading log between July 25 – August 7.

Summer Break with Book It: Read 5 books and mail in a form for a chance to win a Summer Break Prize Pack. Sweepstakes begins 6/15/11 and ends 8/15/11.

Scholastic Summer Challenge: Children can log their reading minutes for a chance to be one of three potential winners of a Klutz book prize pack. Log minutes from May 15, 2011 to June 4, 2011.

This post shared at Works for Me Wednesday.

Spicy Cajun Chicken Pasta

As I am sure I have mentioned before, in the summertime I love grilling out. I also love to use fresh vegetables (especially those from my own garden!). One of our many favorite recipes that we make in the summer (and year round really) is Spicy Cajun Chicken Pasta - which despite it's name isn't too spicy. My 6 year old will eat it. I think it is a knock off of a dish that they serve (or at least used to serve) at Friday's.

Spicy Cajun Chicken Pasta
2 Tbsp Butter
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 c chicken stock
salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
12 oz fettuccine (or any pasta really)
2 tsp fresh parsley

Melt 2 tbsp butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the bell peppers, onions and garlic in butter for 8 to 10 minutes. Prepare another pan over medium heat with the olive oil. Add the chicken and cook, stirring for 5 to 7 minutes. Add chicken to your vegetables. Add the tomato, chicken stock, 1/4tsp salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, white pepper and thyme. Continue to simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. In the meantime, prepare the pasta. Drain noodles, add 2 tbsp butter (optional) and toss. Serve, topped with the parsley.

Now for my modifications:

I used 1 tsp of corn starch added to 2 tbsp white wine (give or take) and use to thicken the sauce.

I prefer to grill my chicken. This week I grilled it the night before and used the Lawry's Tuscan Sun Dried Tomato marinade on the chicken (you can learn more here about the new Lawry's marinade flavors and enter to win some)

I also like to add additional peppers when I add the broth (crispier, fresher flavor) and my husband suggested that next time I make it I should add some fresh, diced tomatoes right at the end, again to enhance the fresh and pop factor.

In the summertime, using vegetables from my garden and grilling out works for me.

Summer Reading Programs

Every summer as a child, we participated in the summer reading program at the local library. I remember reading lots of books and filling in log sheets. There were prizes for making regular progress and a prize at the end of the summer based on how many books were read. I remember getting coupons for an ice cream cone or french fries from McDonald's, but I don't remember much more about the program. What I do know is that I still have a love of reading that I certainly feel was fed by regular reading as a child.

Reading is a great way to keep your children's minds active in the summer. Read chapter books together with your kids and discuss them. Not only does this allow you time to bond, but it helps develop reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. Read books that are set somewhere local and take a field trip to the area and see if you can find familiar landmarks from the books. Have your child read a book and then 'retell' you the story in their own words.

Reading time is a great 'down' time for kids. An opportunity to have some alone time and spend some time out of the sun. With a library in most communities, a wide array of books is readily accessible to suit any interest and reading level.

Signing up for reading programs can help to provide added incentive to kids to read. My kids are signed up for the library reading program where we live. The program is similar to the programs I did as a child, with prizes for continued progress. In addition to library reading programs, there are a number of retailers who also offer summer reading programs with benefits:

Barnes and Noble

At Barnes and Noble, keep track of your reading on their reading journal. Read 8 books, and share what part you liked best, and receive a free book from a select list. Also, be entered to win an autographed Percy Jackson novel. The program is open to children grades 1 - 6 and is valid from 5/26 - 9/7/09.

Borders

Participate in Borders summer reading challenge and when you read 8 books, chose a select item at 50% off or more, item price is reduced to $4.99. Program is open to kids 12 and under and runs through 8/31/09.

Half Price Books

Half Price Books Feed Your Brain summer reading program offers children, ages 12 and under, a $3 Half Price Books Shopping Card each week that they spend at least 15 minutes reading. Program runs through 7/31/09.

Reading is a frugal way to entertain the kids this summer, with the added benefit of being educational. Check out Frugal Fridays for more frugal ideas.

Planning a Visit to a Theme Park

One place that has been a part of my summers for as long as I can remember is the amusement park. This year we are planning to spend a day with the family at Sesame Place.

As the name might suggest, Sesame Place is based on the show Sesame Street. It is considered an ideal first theme park experience for children who are two to seven years of age. My kids are definitely in the target age group, but it won't be their "first" theme park experience. The kids have been to the indoor water parks a number of times and we typically make a trip to Cedar Point each year.

My kids don't watch Sesame Street itself, but Elmo was an early favorite with both of my kids and they recognize all of the characters from storybooks. All I have to do is say "Elmo's World" to my daughter and she breaks out in the theme song. Last fall, we had the opportunity to have breakfast with Elmo. It was held at a local Science Center in conjunction with a Sesame Street The Body exhibit. When we were sitting at our table, Elmo was very exciting, but as soon as we made the walk to the front of the room to get pictures, she was no longer interested in seeing Elmo. It should be interesting to see how she responds to meeting the characters of Sesame Street when we visit Sesame Place.

Having been a mom for a few years now, I know only to expect the unexpected in an outing. As such, I want to make sure that we are prepared for the visit, so that we can all enjoy our day. Based on my experience, here are my thoughts on planning a trip with kids to a theme park.

• Plan your day, but don't over plan. With young children, it is important to be flexible and pay attention to their response. If they aren't enjoying an activity or seem overly stimulated, move on. We tend to plan things from the overarching perspective and then, let the details happen. For Sesame Place, you can visit their website to learn more about their rides, shows, dining experiences and more. Pick out the things that you definitely would like to do, especially those that have limited performance times so that you can make sure to catch those events. Some things, like dining with the characters, might require advanced reservation to confirm a seat, so planning ahead for this type of event can be very important. Beyond the 'must do' list, get an idea of the other activities that you would like to do.

• Consider what you will need for the various activities you have planned. Some parks have water attractions - some where you get a little wet and others where you are swimming. Make sure you have the gear, a change of clothes in case you get too wet and/or a swimsuit for the water activities. Don't forget a towel. As you plan your day, consider the right time of day for water activities. Look into locker rentals, changing rooms and the like at the theme park. We tend to leave the added gear in the car and plan a walk to the car as part of our day. Time this with snack time and you get a bonus unwind period for the kids as you sit at your car and munch on a snack.

• If your children are young, bring a stroller or wagon or plan to rent a stroller at the theme park. Even if your children normally would walk, if they are younger, they are likely to get worn out walking around the theme park. Plus, it is easier to keep an eye on them if they are in a stroller. Again, you might want to check and see if you can reserve these ahead of time, especially if you are looking for a double stroller.

• If your children are still napping, have a game plan in place so that they can get their rest and recharge. If you are staying local, have your hand stamped for readmission and head to the hotel for a mid-day break. If you aren't staying local, plan to park yourself in a shaded area and allow them to unwind at the very least. Young kids can become quickly overwhelmed and tired, so taking a break can make the whole family's experience better. Everyone will be more refreshed heading into the second part of the day.

• If you are a nursing mom, find out about the accommodations they offer to nursing moms. Some will let you use their first aid stations, others have special mother's rooms available.

• Find out the policy on picnic lunches and beverages. Many parks provide a picnic grove that you can use for eating a picnic lunch - many are outside of the park, adjacent to the parking lots. Packing a lunch can save you some money and provide a healthy alternative to the concessions offered at the park. Many parks will also provide complimentary water at the concession stands. Again, look into this policy. Chances are, even if they don't offer it at concession stands, water fountains will be available. Water is a better hydrator than the standard sugary drinks.

• As a mom, I like to be prepared for anything which usually means bringing a lot of stuff. When it comes to a theme park, my advice is leave it in the car (or rent a locker). It is great to have that sweatshirt in case it is cold or an extra pair of pants if there is an accident or the kids get wet on a ride, but toting all of the "just in case" around, can be burdensome. Consider that on many rides, you can't take bags on with you - you will have to leave it in a bin at the loading point for the ride or with your stroller.

• Pictures! Pictures! Pictures! Capture your memories on film, so that you can look back and relive those memories with your kids, but make sure that you get out from behind the lens to enjoy the moments live.

In looking into Sesame Place, I found some great tips about preparing your young child for a trip to a theme park. I was glad to see that many of them are in line with what has worked for me.

One tip that was new to me was the recommendation that when your child meets the characters, have them ask the characters "yes" and "no" questions. That way, the child can interact with the character who can answer their questions by shaking their heads. Also, be willing to spend some time, like my daughter at Breakfast with Elmo last year, the kids might be very excited to meet a character, but will not be comfortable approaching them right away. Give them some time, sometimes, sharing space with the character will build some comfort. If your kids aren't comfortable up close, then don't go too close. You don't want to ruin the child's day or your day by forcing the issue and upsetting the child. There is always the next time.

For more tips and tricks that work, check out Works for Me Wednesday.

Cheap and Free Summer Movies

Cinemark
Cinemark is having their Summer Movie Clubhouse again this summer.

•10 Weeks Of Fun Films For Kids•
•A Different Movie Every Week•
•Weekday Mornings This Summer•

Each show is $1. All of the movies selected are G or PG Movies. You can purchase a pass in advance for the whole season for $5 (50cents/movie).

Find a list of participating locations here. It appears that the movie selection and day of the week varies by location. Locally, the shows will be played on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Regal

Regal Free Family Film Festival will be held this summer on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10 am. The series runs for 9 weeks. You can find a list of participating locations and movies here.

AMC

AMC Summer Movie Camp will be held this summer on Wednesday mornings at 10 am. Cost for the shows are $1 each. You can find a list of participating locations here. In addition to reduced admission, AMC is offering AMC KidsPack™ for $3, your child can have a kids' size drink, popcorn and snack (for $1 you can upgrade to a regular candy).

National Amusements

National Amusements presents BookWorm Wednesdays this summer - Free Kid Movies and Great Prizes. Kids can get free admission to a children's movie with a book report. Accompanying parents and children under 6 are admitted for free, no need for a book report. For more details, the movie schedule and a list of participating locations, head here.

I submitted this to Frugal Friday.

Treasure Hunts

When I was a child, during the summer, we would be home each day with a babysitter. I have to give them a lot of credit, they did a good job keeping us entertained each day. One of my favorite activities from my childhood summers were treasure hunts.

The way that we do treasure hunts is as follows:

Write out each clue. We keep ours pretty vague - only providing enough detail that with some thinking the child could figure out where the next clue was. After all, your goal is to fill the time with the activity. Make the clues too simple and they will be done in no time.

Distribute the clues. Place each clue at the location before. You can leave a small treat at the clue to keep them going.

At the final location, leave the treasure. Want your treasure to be something that you can't leave at that location - leave a picture - whether of an ice cream cone or of the local park. The treasure is yours to decide and can vary every time.

Hand the children the clue to find the first location and let them go.

You can decide how long you want the hunt to be by the number of locations that you have along your path. Treasure hunts can be done all inside on rainy days or inside and outside on a sunny day. The best part is that each hunt is different and can provide hours of entertainment to an otherwise bored brood.

For more boredom busters, check out Works For Me Wednesday Mom "I'm Bored" Summer Editionat We Are THAT Family.

Finally Summer

As the school year winds down and Memorial Day has come and gone, it is finally summertime. Summertime is always a very busy time for our family. Not only do we have the kid's activities - swim lessons, soccer, and t-ball, but we also try to make plenty of time for special events - baseball games, zoos, movies, bowling and more. Some are tradition, some are one time adventures.

Come back over the next few weeks as I share about summer adventures that you and your family might enjoy...

Cheap or Free Summer Kids Movies
Planning Trips to a Theme Park
Treasure Hunts
Planning a Road Trip
Baseball Games
Bowling

...and more.