“At home” vacations. . . .

Funny thing happened this summer, a multitude of farming responsibilities piled up and prohibited us from going on vacation!!

1. Despite flooding earlier this year, we are now in a drought here and the irrigation system must be run and babysat. . . . .
2. We have a grain bin getting built and although the company who is building it is quite capable, they need my husband’s help. . . . .
3. We have our second irrigation system going up that should have been up by now but delays by the contractor have changed all that. . . . .
4. Recent chin injury on my #3 kid has reduced his behavior to where he was 1 1/2 years ago.  Outbursts, inappropriate behavior, etc.  He’s not quite capable at this point to sit in a van for hours and then be expected to go to restaurants and visit relatives too.  That’s alot to ask right now.

So, I promised the boys we would do an at home vacation!  An at home vacation is a vacation that do in your back yard or within close proximity to your home.  It’s less expensive for those of you out of work or cutting back for other reasons and it’s doable for a country mom like me who doesn’t travel very far from home with 3 boys and not their father. . . . lol  If you need to plan one, think about the things in your community that are “touristy”.  Things that maybe you have never been to or things that you went once when you were a kid yourself but have never been back.  Pretend you are from another state and coming to your home town for vacation- what would you do as a tourist here?  Below is my list of “warm fuzzies” to get your mind thinking. . . . I know this is late in the summer season but, hey, this is when we go on vacation!

1. Put up a tent in the backyard and let the kids play out there.
2. Build a campfire in the backyard and cook a few meals on it.
3. Go for a hike in the woods- if you don’t own property, get permission from someone who does- make sure to follow their rules and enjoy yourself!
4. Go wading in a river or stream.
5. Go swimming at a local lake or pool.
6. Take a picnic lunch and spend a few hours at the kid’s favorite park or playground
7. Locate an animal rescue or zoo in your area and go visit
8. Take the kids to the animal shelter and volunteer to pet/play with the animals for a few hours.
9. Are there any museums or historical sites in your area?  Find their open hours and go there for a visit- nothing like learning about your local history!
10. Most libraries have special activities in the summer- check that out!
11. State and county owned parks departments have wonderful parks with walking trails, educational buildings, and special programs going on all the time.
12. Is there a water park or water slide in your vicinity?
13. Go to the local farmers marke our “U Pick” place and enjoy!
14. Is there a children’s hospital near you?  See if you and your kids can go and read stories to the children.
15. Locate all the different churches and find out when their Vacation Bible School programs are- send the kids and enjoy yourself while they’re gone!
16. Go to the movies.
17. If there happens to be a Cabela’s store near you- go there and check out all the cool stuff!
18. Invite all the neighborhood kids to meet you at the park or even invite them and their parents over for a cookout!
19. Play soccer, baseball, frisbee, wiffle ball, etc in the back yard.
20. Spend some time with the dog, teaching him new tricks.

Anybody else got some other ideas for at home vacations?  Let your creativity run wild!!!

4-H Livestock Auction

I’m assuming that all or most 4-H organizations have an auction at the end of the fair or sometime.  My understanding of this is that businesses and families in the community purchase the animals from the kids at the auction.  A portion of that sale price goes back to the 4-H organization and the rest goes to the kid who showed the animal at the fair. 

This year, I noticed an increasing trend.  Buyers are spreading out their money!  Multiple buyers will go together and buy multiple animals.  This spreads out their buying power and benefits more kids.  I’m wondering if it doesn’t increase the total revenue of the auction some too. 

I like this concept a lot!

Our 4-H organization’s tradition is that the kids thank the buyers with some kind of gift.  Some thank the actual person who is at the auction doing the bidding and others thank the organization that person represented at a later date.  We do both in our family.  I provide bottled water and/or chocolate for the boys to deliver immediately to the actual person/s who won the auction and then later we make up some homemade goodies to thank the entire organization or business.  We try to find out approximately how many employees and make the gift appropriately sized for each business.

To give you some ideas for your own thank you gift-

Homemade cookies

Fudge

Bread

Cinnamon Rolls

Tea Bags and Individual packets of instant coffee /cappucino

Candy

Gift Certificates to a local bakery/restaurant

Don’t forget to include a thank you note that is signed by the kid him/herself!  When they are in high school, they are capable of writing the note themselves as well!

Kids can and will help

I woke up this morning to the sound of someone else’s very loud radio alarm and a sinus headache.  How do you teach alarm clock etiquette to children???  I’ve made this deal with them that they can get up w/ their alarm clock at 6:30 if they want (I wake kids at 7)- IF they get completely ready for school before playing or watching TV.  For a while, it was just #2 kid and that creature of habit was doing really well (except for the alarm clock- he can’t get the volume adjusted to loud enough to wake him but not loud enough to wake everyone else).  #1 gets half ready.  #3 does nothing until he gets in trouble. 

I’ve been meaning to share something that I started last week that is working out really well.  Quite a while ago, I made 3 chore lists for the boys that we rotate between them.  A week or so ago, I ordered the Brat Factor (Pam and Peggy Young) 3×5 card download at www.bratfactor.com .  I knew better than to print all the cards and think I would do them all.  Instead, I made a to-do list from the card system for the bathrooms and the laundry room and taped them inside the medicine cabinets and laundry shoot doors.  These are now part of the boy’s daily chore list (along with feeding animals, etc)  Every day of the week has a different chore.  Some of them Pam and Peggy recommend be done daily but since many of them were not done at all before, I made them weekly chores- adapted it to fit out life (we tolerate more dirt than others apparently- lol).  It’s working out quite well!!  Most chores are obvious that they are done- I see the start of clean surfaces after the boys work!!!  I need to get them to put their cleaning supplies back better but otherwise I am very proud of them!!

Sidebar- the boys chores (they are 10,8,6-well, just turned 7) come with these rules attached to them: 

1. We eat supper when the work is done – or we go to their activity when the work is done, whichever comes first.
2. They get paid, but only when they know they did the chores and ask to be paid.  It’s not mom’s job to pay them if they don’t come to her.  They then decide whether to keep the money or put it in the vacation fund piggy bank (a larger than a  shoe box box with a slot in it- when it’s full we can take a special vacation!)

 

Anyway, my point being- maybe I need to make morning routine lists for them so they can get themselves ready the same way they do their chores.

Here’s an example of one of  the boys’ chore lists:

1. Feed and water dog
2. Dump little garbage cans into big one, tie it shut, put in fresh bag.
3. Pick up any garbage and dirty dishes in living room.
4. Do upstairs bathroom chore
5. Spend 15 min. on a 4-H project of your choice

I gave them step by step instructions at first to help them know they were getting the jobs done right.   The bathroom  and laundry room chore lists have step by step instructions because these chores are new to them.  Here’s an example of one but without all the detailed instructions:

• Monday- bathtub
• Tuesday-sink
• Wednesday-toilet
• Thursday- tub/shower walls
• Friday- mirror
• Saturday-floor
• Sunday-shelf/window sill 

I guess I’ll get back with you when I have a morning routine list made up.  For more tips like this try www.shesintouch.com or www.flylady.net or the Brat Factor site I mentioned earlier

Another thing learned living with boys

In Cub Scouts, my middle kid learned how to carve bars of soap. He did a project for CS and then did a second one for a report in school. There is a lot of “wasted” soap when one is done with such a project so his group leader suggested that they use the shavings in the bathtub.

Flash forward : He came home from a sleep over very tired and grouchy. I told him to go take a long bath to calm down and offered a motivation of being able to use his soap shavings. While the tub was filling, I told him to wash his hair in the running water so he wouldn’t have to dip his head into the tub later. Well, he didn’t want to. So he washed his hair in the tub water. The same tub water that had very cheap soap shavings dissolved throughout it and a nice scum of perfumey “crud” floating on top.

Have you ever dipped your arm into really yucking dishwater and lifted it out to discover all the grease had clung to your arm hair? Well, that is what happened to his head hair!!! He had so much soap scum in his hair that it was stiff!!!!! We rinsed and rinsed and it just stayed and stayed. I called a beautician friend and asked her what I could try before paying for a Malibu treatment (build up removal stuff). She suggested baking soda and shampoo mixed together or anything acidic. We joked about turning his head into one large volcano by mixing the baking soda with vinegar or lemon juice. I asked him what he wanted to do and he agreed to try baking soda and shampoo first. I was a little leary that my cheap shampoo would not work so I mixed equal amounts of baking soda with Shaklee’s Basic H (those who don’t know this product, it’s an all purpose, all natural cleaner that is safe for use as a bath gel if needed). Basic H is highly concentrated but I used if full strength anyway with the baking soda. The first try it worked like magic!!!! I got huge lather with the combo of the 2 products and his  hair looked beautiful!!! Not dull like little boys who hate to shampoo’s hair usually looks like- shiny, healthy and squeeky clean! Impressive!

Those of you in the same boat as me, tuck this into your memory banks until you need it!!

For more information on Shaklee products go to www.shaklee.net

In a Flash they’ll be grown

This morning, I got to hold my 6 1/2 y.o’s hand as we walked downstairs for breakfast together. Last night, I got to talk to my 8 y.o. about whether or not he was ready for sleep-over camp this summer.  Late last night, I got to hug my 10 y.0. after a hard day at wrestling practice.

My “devils during the day” and “angels while they’re sleeping” have moments of pure joy.  The time I have left to teach them all they need to know before they go off into the big big world is nearly over -more than half over for my 10 y.o. and almost half over for the others.

All the older women in my life told me this time would be gone in a flash and I didn’t used to believe them.  I used to feel like it was all a dream and in reality I was just these kid’s babysitter and their parents would be home to be pick them up at any minute. 

I believe them today.  I believed them yesterday when I watched my son get hurt on the wrestling mat and I watched him quickly turn those hot tears into anger and self-esteem so no one would see him cry.  I believed them last weekend when my painfully shy 6 y.o. showed his mom where he had to go for that last heat of his Pinewood Derby Race and I watched him overcome the overwhelming desire to run back to me and instead stand with the others and wait his turn for the race.  I believed them a week ago when I received notice that my 8 y.o. with test anxiety was successful in completing the state mandated test without the help of the school counselor. 

Life is good.  Time is flying.  My life is one prayer after another. . . . .

Take a look at your devil angels tonight when they’re sleeping.  Look long and hard and put that image in your body’s hard drive and have it encrypted so no one can remove it from your brain.   Remind your kids that there is NOTHING they can do to make you stop loving them.

More Christmas Fun!!

I love the idea of sneaking to put Christmas ribbon around all the stuffed animal’s necks! My sons (ages 8,6,4) are animal lovers and oh what joy they will have to know all the stuffed animals were included in Christmas! I will add this to my new plan/fun I have decided on this year. My plan is to put three gift bags under the tree with each boy’s name on one. These bags will not hold a gift, but will hold clues as to where their gifts are hidden! The boys will be oh so disappointed when they see only one bag each and then when they see that it only contains paper, well! I just hope I’m awake to see their faces! I will be having a hay day watching the boys this Christmas morning! -

Please visit our website at www.thebratfactor.com.

Ideas on Gift Giving at School

Because of the economic recession, our area of the state has one of the highest unemployment rates around.  Factories are doing lay-offs and some plants are even closing.  Our school has decided to do their part to help families feeling the pinch of less income.  This year there will be no gift exchange between the kids and many of the teachers are insisting that they receive no gifts.  One teacher said that the children who are unable to give her a gift feel bad and feel like she will not like them as much as the others.  (which is not true at all in case you wondered- lol).

Anyway, I buy gifts for teachers and other adult helpers in my kid’s lives throughout the year when I find things on clearance racks.  So when I got the note saying “please no gifts”, I had to get creative in order for the teacher to accept the gift I had been collecting for her for nearly 6 months (sticker and stamping set for grading schoolwork).   

I decided that I would make this gift from the whole class rather than just from my kid.  So, I spoke to the music teacher to see if she could help.  The plan:  the music teacher will receive a large envelope from my kid (his regular teacher will think nothing of my son delivering a package to someone else for his mom- lol).  Inside is a computer generated card I made for my son’s teacher and a letter to the kids explaining what surprise awaits their teacher- if they can keep a secret!  The music teacher is going to have each child sign the card and return the large envelope to my son to bring back to home to me!  I will then wrap up the surprise and figure out a way to “drop it off” by their classroom w/o being seen sometime before Christmas break!  This is soooo exciting- I love doing surprises!

If you have not yet purchased a gift for your children’s teachers or other significant adults, here are some ideas that I have heard that teachers enjoy and some I’ve done in the past:

1. basic supplies for the kids (pencils, crayons, paper)
2. game for the classroom (does not have to be educational- the kids need activities for during inside recess too)
3. storybook for the classroom
4. stickers and stamping set for grading papers (this years!)
5. homemade drink mixes
6. homemade cookies
7. ornament with child’s picture on it
8. ornament made by the child
9. over-sized card with all the student’s names on it
10. thank you card
11. a letter praising their teaching ability with specific examples of what is working well for you and your child and send a copy of it to the principal or superintendant
12. gift card or certificate to a teacher store or bookstore
13. An essay or drawing from the child of what they like about the teacher
14. a monetary donation to a non-profit organization in honor of the teacher
15. ask if there is a specific need in their classroom and do your best to fill that need or help with it in any way you can

What ways have you thanked the other adults in your kid’s lives?  I’d love to hear your ideas!

A side note:  last year, one of my kid’s teachers had a death in her family and she had a really  hard time with it.  She was gone for 2 weeks or more.  My SIL (sister in-law) and I both thought that something from the kids might help her to feel a little more like coming back to school.  My SIL brought in a roll of butcher paper and markers and wrote in really large letters, “Welcome Back Mrs. Smith” and had the kids add their own special greetings to the butcher paper.  The substitute and my SIL then hung it up above the board so it would be the first thing she saw when she came back to school.  I took a regular poster board and folded it in half.  I used post it note letters and wrote “Hands are like Hugs” on the front.  The inside message was “This is our hug to you” and had the children trace their hands anywhere they wanted on the card.  My son and his cousin then brought that with them to the funeral home when we went for the visitation.  Their teacher was thrilled and took it right up close to the casket and propped it up for everyone to see. 

Don’t be afraid to thank those people in your life and your children’s lives for the work they do!  There is nothing nicer than knowing you are appreciated, well, except maybe the fun of giving the appreciation!

First Corinthians 13 for Christmas

A friend emailed this forward to me last Christmas. It’s a great reminder of what truly is important!! Enjoy and remember!!

FIRST CORINTHIANS 13
CHRISTMAS VERSION
(paraphrased)

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls,
but do not show love to my family,
I’m just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies,
preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime,
but do not show love to my family,
I’m just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home
and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family,
It profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes,
attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir’s cantata,
but do not focus on Christ,
I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost,
golf clubs will rust…
But giving the gift of love will endure.
You can give without loving
but you cannot love without giving.
Merry Christmas!

#4 How do you handle busy activity days?

Here’s what I have been doing on my crazy schedule days.  Right now, we have practice for something 3 days a week.  One practice is from 5-6 so we do the pizza thing after practice.  I have the dough out rising while we’re gone and throw it all together as soon as we walk back in the door.  And this is all we have.  Pizza and drink.  No extras or sides.  2 days,  practice is from 6-7:30 and so I make sandwiches.  The sandwiches are made whenever I get to that “switch gears” mode (transition from one task to focus on getting things around and ready for the evening acitivities).  Some evenings I get to switch gears when the boys get home from school and have time for hamburgers or hot sandwiches.  I make them at that moment and wrap everyones in foil. On evenings when we are running behind or just don’t have time, we have cold sandwiches (lunchmeat, PBJ, etc) wrapped in a napkin.  That’s all we have- a sandwich and a drink.  Why do I wrap everything up?  So, if time runs short, we can grab our sandwich and eat it on our way out the door or in the car on the way there.

 

Crock pot meals don’t work for me when we have away from home activities because it’s not portable – unless you want the kids eating stew or chili in the car- lol!!!

 

If you are feeling guilty about the lack of nutrition- one, teach your kids to enjoy lettuce on their sandwich (start with one thin, little piece and work your way up).  Or when you get home after the busy evening, pass out some carrot sticks or a piece of fruit with a glass of milk as an unwind from the day treat.  There’s no reason the meal can’t be spread out into phases.  You don’t have to eat each meal balanced.  You could have Protein for breakfast, fruit and veggies for lunch, and Carbs for supper and it would still balance out for the 24 hour period. 

 

One day a week is game day.  Luckily, nothing starts until 2:00 and that gives me time to prepare a decent meal and prepare for the activity of the day.  Sometimes, we do not get back home until close to 6 and so we either take sandwiches with us or I plan for a quickie meal when we get back home (grilled cheese, ramen noodles, etc).  6 seems pretty early to arrive back home but think about it:  animals have not been fed, the kids may have homework to finish, they have been in the car or away for some time and need to unwind, etc.  Before you know it, it’s time for bed and supper’s not ready yet!

 

Back to the guilt thing- My busy season is in the fall- it is temporary.  Other people have certain busy days that are the same day of the week all year round.  But it’s only for a season!  For 6-8 weeks my kids eat on the run 3 days a week!  That’s only 24 meals out of 365 suppers!!!!  Even if it’s a year round busy day- that’s only 52 meals out of 365.  If you multiply by 3 meals a day- there are actually 1095 meals total for a year!!!

 

Here are some ideas and things to spy in the store on clearance/sale to keep on hand.

1. cheese sticks (a cheese stick and a banana is very portable)
2. dried fruit
3. nuts
4. granola bar (high calories but will tide you over)
5. lunchables (on clearance ONLY- i bought the double sized ones the other day for a dollar each and they were still good for 2 weeks!-)
6. ham and pepperoni (both stay fresh longer than other lunch meats- and can be used for a variety of things if you end up not needing them for supper on the go)
7. hamburg/pork burger patties, frozen (kept frozen with double wax papers in between, they can be popped apart easily and grilled or broiled in under 10 min. from frozen)
8. hamburger buns (buy on sale, freeze, thaw in 10-15 sec. in micro)
9. peanut butter and jelly (can be made ahead and frozen- they thaw in minutes and are really yummy slightly frozen!)
10. juice bags/boxes or invest in good reusable water bottles and teach the kids not to chew on the sports bottle lid (once chewed on, they leak) Keep some filled in the fridge at all times.
11. bottled water- Meijer Spring Water is excellent and about 50% less than other brands.  Keep some in the fridge at all times but teach kids not to help themselves.  Only for supper on the go days.  The faucet is for everyday.
12. Keep apples and bananas and grapes around all the time
13. Keep baby carrots around all the time
14. Keep 2 sizes of ziploc bags around- snack size and sandwich size- use the snack size to pre-package your nuts, dried fruit, grapes, etc so they are ready to go at a moments notice
15. lunch boxes- they have them on clearance at Meijer right now-makes easier carrying for the kids to do it themselves and works as a temporary garbage can for the wrappers and things
16. 6-pack sized soft-sided cooler- will hold drinks and sandwiches for a family
17. re-usable freezer packs
18. tote bag for each activity (watch garage sales for these if you don’t have enough) We have: large bag for soccer (holds ball, cleats, socks, shirt, shin guards, and room for water bottle) bag for football (holds ball, mouth guard, first aid kit, shirt, and room for water bottle) bag for drink duty ( holds the gallon cooler, 2 quart cooler, and plastic cups), and I will be making a cub scout bag shortly (will hold 3 neckerchiefs, 3 slides, 3 books, patches that need put on, etc- their shirts will have to be kept on hangers to keep them nice I suppose)

I hope you found this helpful!  Give yourself some credit!!!  And remember- if you’re late to something, you’re just late- that’s all.  It happens!  No one died, No one went “mad”- you’re just late. . .. . . If you have to do something last minute , just do it and make do.  Remember that the kids are capable of doing a lot of things themselves. When you are in a hurry would be a perfect time for them to show you!  If you’re driving back to home to get ready for an activity, talk to the kids while you’re driving about what they need to do the moment you walk in the door. 

Cold and Flu Season

With all the recent hype about over the counter cold relievers not working for young children, I thought it might be helpful to mention some old fashioned remedies that seem to help.  Let’s start with what a cold, cough, and flu actually are: I read this once and hopefully I have remembered correctly.  A cold is a gradual onset viral problem.  That can include chills, fever, coughing, congestion, runny nose, tired etc.  A cough is just that- a cough.  Typically a symptom of a cold but sometimes exhibits itself with no other symptoms.  The flu has sudden onset and can include symptoms of a cold but may also include intestinal symptoms like vomitting, diarrhea, gas, nausea, etc.  These are all viruses and can not be treated with antibiotics.  Antibiotics treat bacterial infections.

Why is it then that doctors prescribe antibiotics for these illnesses?  Sometimes doctors prescribe them simply because you want them.  Why then do you get better after taking some of the antibiotic?  Because the disease has run its course and it just happens to coincide with your use of antibiotics.  Sometimes they prescribe them because the illness has drug on for close to a week and they want to make sure it has not turned into a bacterial infection.  They are “covering their butts”, so to speak or covering all the basis.  Sometimes they can tell from your symptoms that you have acquired a bacterial infection along with your virus. 

Just from being a mom, I don’t have any medical training so this is NOT medical advice,  here are the symptoms and signs that you or your child might have a bacterial infection and need to see a doctor.

• Green snot, boogers, discharge- whatever you want to call it.  If the stuff coming out of your nose or being coughed up is green, you probably need to see a doctor.
• Ear pain- not to be confused with the feeling that they are plugged.  However, children cannot tell the difference.  Little babies who cannot talk will rub their ear constantly, tug on it, cry a lot, scream when the ear is touched (sometimes)
• High fever- For children, their temperature can go quite high when their body is fighting a virus.  Even up to 103 with none of the other symptoms in my list could mean their body is just doing its job.  If they have high fever and it scares you, call your doctor.  Adults, anything over 101 is probably a sign of needing to see the doctor.  Adults bodies handle viruses differently than children and high fevers are in the “need to see the doctor” realm at a much lower range.
• Severe headache in the front of the head or in the face- could be signs of a sinus infection.  If a hot shower does not help and moving around makes it feel like your face is going to fall right off your head and it has lasted for several days, call the doctor.  Dark circles under the eyes or puffiness in the face sometimes occurs with this sinus pain.
• Symptoms of Croup in children-Croup almost always occurs at night.  Children with croup bark like a seal.  It’s a little more high pitched than the bronchitis-like bark that we hear more often.  Their breathing sounds raspy like they can’t get enough air.  They may complain that it hurts in their throat and chest area but differently than the “I have a sore throat” complaints.  Croup also causes “chest retraction”.  Normal breathing in children, the stomach portion of their body naturally puffs outward when they inhale.  When a child has croup, it does the opposite.  The stomach sucks way in and the rib area puffs out a little as the lungs try to suck in air that won’t come in very easily.  Children with severe croup may have a gray tinge to their skin or their lips may be blue.  If the gray tinge or blue lips is present, this is an emergency.  If there skin and lips are normal color, you can try something.  Take the child outside into the cool night air.  If you are concerned about the cold temperatures, wrap them up but leave their face out so the cold, moist night air can get into their lungs.  If their barking does not subside, you can also turn the shower on hot and let it run while your child sits in the bathroom (not in the hot shower, silly) for 10 min. or so.  As soon as you turn the shower off, take the child immediately outside.  This sort of shocks the bronchial tubes and sometimes works better than just going outside.

Anyway, back to the home remedies for cold and flu season:

1. Hot beverages- with children, make them warm, not hot.
2. No dairy- dairy increases mucus/snot
3. Chicken soup- really!  Studies show that something in chicken soup really does work but they don’t know what it is. . ..
4. Vicks Vapor Rub- rub on chest, back, or even feet to thin mucus. 
5. Hot Shower- in childern, make it warm but a shower will have more ongoing steam than a bath.  Then wrap up really warm and take a nap.
6. Sleep sitting closer to upright position to reduce coughing.  Sleep with 2 pillows or in your recliner.  With infants, place a folded blanket underneath their crib mattress on one end.  Do not put it in with the infant but between the mattress and springy part.
7. Rest