Why Summer Boredom Rocks

Remember those last two weeks of school, where you laid around the house complaining about how BORED you were? Remember how much you annoyed your mother, your babysitter because there was NOTHING TO DO?

I worry today's kids don't have that problem.

Even in the summer, I'm shocked about how overscheduled some of my kids' friends are. Summer should be about taking life a bit easier and reveling in the slowness. 

On top of that, kids don't have the 12-week summer vacations we were treated to when we were kids. That down time is why we were bored. Not because we ran out of things to do, but because we just needed to be stretched a bit.

Here's our little secret: Summer boredom rocks.

Being bored in the summer means you might be open to new activities. Like visiting a farm just because or working on a home improvement project with mom or  trying a new craft you wouldn't dream of normally.

Being bored in the summer means you're open to new friendships. Suddenly the neighbor's sibling isn't an annoyance; he's a playmate.

Being bored in the summer means you find out that your brother or sister isn't so bad after all, and you make caves and tents indoors for "sleepovers."

Being bored in the summer means you begin thinking outside the box. Like finding ways to brighten your life with a little face paint. On your feet.

Being bored in the summer is why I didn't do a babysitter this year; instead I did a series of camps. But I purposely decided that rather than force that last week before school - when local camps were closed and the daily drive to a camp would be 45 minutes each way - that I would enlist some friends to babysit for a few days. So the kids can be bored. Together.

Frankly, there's nothing wrong with being bored. Let the brain cells bubble up and come up with a creative way to spend the day!

An InLinkz Link-up

Down on the Farm: Exploring Diselrath Farms

Co-op farms in Indianapolis: I had no idea these were actively being done. But I was pleasantly surprised to learn about Diselrath Farms on the Indianapolis south side.

Tucked inside the 465 loop, Diselrath offers both co-op farming and a farm store open on Saturdays. Members pay a small fee (about $5 per week) and work three hours a week for a share of produce or discount on meats such as chicken or pork.

On this Saturday morning, the Diselraths opened their farm to several local bloggers and "Future Farmers."

The children - from toddlers through pre-teens - loved the opportunity to learn about what goes into the farm, from a simple lesson on crop rotation to what it takes to raise chickens and harvest eggs.

Sarah Diselrath showed the Future Farmers about how they rotate crops each year. If you look closely, these are all the rows of tomatoes, but those furthest to the left were the rows that weren't quite in last year's pig pen! (Hence the power of compost.)

Checking out the baby animals was a highlight for the kids, though this little goat didn't get nearly as much love as the baby chicks.

The kids went to hunt for eggs as well. I think the biggest excitement of the morning was the children stumbling on a hen trying to lay an egg - though I think their shouts of surprise stopped her in action.

There is something to be said about growing your own food. Too many kids are complacent and think their green beans come from a can you get from a store; munching on a green bean freshly picked (as in seconds) is an entirely different experience. Future farmers feeding the future bacon really helps kids connect the dots about where our food comes from.

Summer is for slowing down

Where did the summer go?

As our school inches closer to the balanced calendar, we parents are finding that question to be more urgent than ever: Where did the summer go?

While we can't lengthen our calendar, we can lengthen our days: simply, by slowing down. Unplug and just soak in all that's around us.

Summer shouldn't be about families racing from competition to competition.

Summer should be about splashing in the pool and playing at the park.

Summer shouldn't be about cramming every experience in while you can.

Summer should be about enjoying the moment and realizing it's OK to say when it's enough.

We are just two weeks from our first day of school. And we plan to enjoy it. At our pace.

If it means the kids are too tired after camp to play at the park when I get home, that's OK.

If it means my 6-year-old just wants to decompress with his John Deere trucks or Legos, that' OK.

If it means my fourth grader tucks away with a book or her art supplies, that's OK.

Because at the end of the day, we - kids included - just need to slow down.

How do you slow down in the summer?

An InLinkz Link-up

Letterboxing Love: Clue into this old-fashioned outdoor activity

Get a clue. Take a hike. And discover letterboxing on a sunny summer afternoon.

What is Letterboxing?

Letterboxing is kind of a live-version Clue. (Think geo-caching without the technology.)This English game date backs to the 1800s but came to North America only recently, boosted in part by an article in Smithsonian magazine.

I love this description tucked inside a letterbox in a local park:

"Letterboxing is an intriguing past time combining artistic ability with delightful "treasure hunts" in beautiful, scenic places. Participants seek out hidden letterboxes by following clues, and then recording their discovery in their personal journal with the help of a rubber stamp that's part of the letterbox. In addition, letterboxers have their own personal stamps that they use to stamp into the letterbox's logbook."

Brownie Girl Scout letterboxing badge

I first learned about letterboxing when I was a Brownie leader and stumbled on a Letterboxing Badge. My first instinct was "What the heck is letterboxing?" And I'll admit to being hesitant when my co-leader suggested we explore the badge.

As I'm the type of Girl Scout leader who tests everything out before she inflicts it on her scout troop, I did some digging and took my children on a letterboxing hunt in one of our local parks.

I had researched clues online for a couple of locations that were within one park, and printed them off for our reference. Some were very much a treasure-hunt kind of feel (Take 10 steps north, then 350 steps west along the trail.)

Other clues included QR codes posted online or narratives that were much more descriptive in nature, like this one:

There once were some ponies who were great friends. They used to all live close together but one pony moved far away. Due to distance and busy schedules, the ponies don't get to see each other very often. Sadly, the Ponies only get to spend one weekend each year together on Mackinac Island where they frolic and play all around the island gathering letterboxes near and faaarrrrr. Whew, their pony legs get tired walking around and have you ever seen a pony ride a bike?? Now there's a site! :) This summer, two Michigan ponies decided to road-trip down to "Indy" to see thier far off friend. The Ponies spent one whole day letterboxing in Crown Hill Cemetary there. (The third largest non-government cemetary in the country and home to some wonderful letterboxes.) Any time spent together is great, letterboxing together is amazing. Well, before they knew it, it was time for the Michigan ponies to head north again but before they left..... They decided to leave a box near their far-away friend to remind them of the great time they had together. Constructed in 2000, Independence Park is the 13.5 acre home to Indiana's first all-accessible playground area for persons with disabilities. The ponies loved the idea that at this park everyone can play together! (And take time out to find their box!)

From the Parking area, follow the paved path East until you come to the Welcome area. (A sign is posted noting it as such.) Going straight in from the path as far as you can, check behind the shrub just to your left. The Ponies left some math for you to do!

What we discovered - when we were able to find the letterbox (there were admittedly a few duds) were stamps and a log book for past visitors to mark their trail. My daughter took her ink pad and made a copy of the stamp in the letterbox in her letterboxing journal.

For kids who normally take long hikes at a set pace, it was definitely a different feel but made for an enjoyable and unique family afternoon!

Ready to get started on a letterboxing adventure? What you need:

• Time.
• Clues. Two sites to check out letterboxing locations in your city are http://letterboxing.org and http://www.atlasquest.com/boxes/directory/us/. 
• A rubber stamp.
• A small notebook or journal to mark where you've been along the way!

An InLinkz Link-up

Feeling hot, hot, hot: Enjoying the great indoors

I am not normally the type of parent who says to their children, "Stay indoors." But high heat and humidity can be a recipe for disaster.

As I write this post, I'm sitting in a hotel in St. Louis, where the forecasted temperature is 96 - with a projected heat index of 110. Nevermind that I usually begin wilting when the temperatures approach 90.

So what can you do when the kids when the weathermen and health professionals profess that it's a good day to stay inside to avoid heat illnesses?

At the City Museum in St. Louis

Here are some of the ways we survive extreme temps and inject a little fun into our days:

1. Family game day. I think we all have board games that too often collect dust; hot-weather days are a great opportunity to turn on a fan, pop some popcorn, drink some lemonade and have some fun interactions and memories. I don't care if your child is too young according to the rules. Let them take part on their terms - even if it's just being on your team and picking up the cards.
2. Hit the museums. I know, many museums may charge $10, $20 or more, and for a larger family that quickly adds up. But when the temperature rises, consider enjoying the air conditioning and learning something new at a local museum. Find the quirky free-admission ones too for a new experience. 
3. Hold a sprinkler party in the evening. Once the temperature cools somewhat, toss the kids outside in the sprinkler to burn off some energy and cool off.
4. Keep a boredom binder on hand. What? Nothing to do? There's math worksheets, Cars and Greek mythology worksheets, Girl Scout badge activities and more at their fingertips.
5. Inject a little mystery. We've been having "Super Surprise Saturdays" lately. The surprise may be as simple as getting ice cream, attending a summer library program or seeing a free movie preview but it's the anticipation that makes a difference.
6. Embrace book day. Take a morning (or afternoon) to lounge in your pjs with your favorite book. That goes for mom and ad too.
7. Have the kids cook. Let them prepare sandwiches, fruit salads, fruit soups or other meals that don't require long time in front of the stove or with the oven on. Even better, let them choose what they're cooking!
8. Embrace the popsicle. Whether you buy them or make them, the cold, dripping goodness is a treat on a hot summer day.
9. Have a pool in your tub. More than once I've run cool water in our bath and let the kids "swim" in it in their swimsuits.
10. Dig out those art supplies and leftover school supplies. Tell them they aren't allowed to watch TV or play a game until they've created something.
11. Build a fort, even if it means tearing up your couch cushions.

What are your favorite ways to entertain your kids during hot summer days (and nights?) Leave a comment below or link up your post in our #summerfamilyfunparty linky.

An InLinkz Link-up

Mineral Sunscreen: Reviewing Block Island Organics

Summer camp was approaching, which meant the dreaded question: What should my child wear?

Not clothing, mind you. Sunscreen.

As I've become more and more conscious of what we put in and on our bodies, I realized that one area we haven't truly touched in our family is the kind of sunscreens we put on our bodies. Frankly, I relied mostly on price.

Recently, I had the chance to review a mineral suncare brand called Block Island Organics. They are introducing a line of sunscreen products for babies, children and adults, and I was excited to try it for our week at Girl Scout camp. 

Block Island Organics sunscreens are promoted as being non-toxic and mineral-based (zinc and titanium), as opposed to chemical based, and include a zinc-only Baby SPF 30, an SPF 15, SPF 30 and SPF 40 product.  I also appreciated the products are non-comedogenic, vegan formulated, paraben-free, phthalate free, nano particle free, artificial fragrance free, non-eye irritating, not tested on animals, made in the United States and highly rated by the Environmental Working Group.

The kids and I tested the sunscreen through sweat, swimming and sun. It didn't have the greasy feeling a number of sunscreens do, and while if we weren't careful in rubbing it in we were a bit whitish, we didn't come home with a sunburn.

While it was a bit more than what I've typically paid for sunscreens in the past, Block Island Organics gave me the freedom from worry about whether my children would be sunburnt and about what I was putting on their skin.

Summer fun on crutches #summerfamilyfunparty

Last Wednesday I got the call from camp that no mom wants to hear: An ambulance was coming for my daughter, who couldn't move her leg after a fall at camp.

This comes just days after my dear husband wound up in a sling after moving his arm just right (or wrong) while playing with our son.

And then this weekend my friend posts her photo of date night with hubby gone horribly wrong when she fell:

So summer fun - which usually looks like pools, long hikes and bike rides - has suddenly taken a significant turn.

Injuries happen. Life happens. But as a parent, how can you keep your summer from evolving into weeks in front of the television or computer when your child is hurt?

A little creativity is what counts.

Does being on crutches mean my daughter can't enjoy summer day camp? Hardly. The day after her knee strain, she was on the way to the zoo. I checked online, and wheelchairs were available. The kids fought over who would push her that day, and she had a blast.

When we go on our summer vacation and hit the St. Louis Zoo and other St. Louis attractions, we'll take the same tactic. Renting a wheelchair for your injured child - even if there is a fee - allows your child to still enjoy most of the experience, and it prevents them from overuse injuries and tiredness as a result.

Bring out the forgotten gifts and toys. As going up and down the stairs is a one-time-a-day activity right now, I've had a chance to take advantage of this "special time" and go through her room. I've found several arts and crafts activities and kits from Christmas and birthday gifts that I'm bringing out to help her pass the time.

Rethink your summer child care options if and when you can. The day I got the call about the ambulance, I was planning to drop off camp fees for tae kwon do camp. Obviously that's out. So I've been creative in filling in the last of the empty weeks for child care, including finding Vacation Bible Schools in the morning - an opportunity to meet new kids - and hiring a high school student to watch them in the afternoon. That being said, I have no concerns about sending her to the camps she's already scheduled for; it's just a matter of her being able to balance rest time too.

Rethink their socialization ideas. Play dates at the park, needless to say, are going to be limited the next few weeks. Instead, we changed her Harry Potter sleepover party (for which she was actively planning things like broom races!) to a low-key party at the local frozen yogurt shop. We'll probably have movie dates with buddies rather than invite them to the pool as she heals.

Check out the summer reading program. Even if you don't have a bookworm, encourage your child to explore new ideas through the library's summer reading program. Many times the local library offers programs for children and teens, and they are all wheelchair-accessible per the ADA. Encourage your budding reader with prizes for reading a certain number of minutes. (Our library offered haunted house passes!) And I'm not above a little healthy competition among siblings either. You could also encourage your child to read on a certain theme with a family outing tied to it if they reach the goal. (Space junkies could go to the planetarium, etc.)

Explore new ideas. Buy a science kit. Look up projects on Pinterest. Teach your kids to bake cookies. Earn a Scout badge. Take advantage of this time and the usual summer boredom to try a new activity.

Don't forget the well kids. It's not their fault their sibling is injured. Prevent resentment by allowing them special times to do the things they enjoy. Taking my first-grader on a bike ride, just the two of us, was just what was needed to turn his attitude about his sister's situation around.

What are your favorite indoor summer survival tactics? Join our Link-Up here.

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5 Ways to Save Money on Summer Child Care and Camps

Summer vacation is already in full swing for our school, and with it brings the parental panic of what to do with the kids.

If you've ever priced out summer child care or summer camp, be prepared for sticker shock. I've found day camps as costly as $400 a week - per kid. Even tougher is my soon-to-be first grader isn't quite old enough for some of the local camp options. And I felt strongly enough that I didn't want to try to find a babysitter after losing three sitters for spring break who had committed and then backed out.

What's a working parent to do?

Here are a few ways we saved money on summer camps and summer child care:

1) Shop around. While the YMCA spring break camp close to home was $165 a week, we found another YMCA camp that was a 20-minute drive for a mere $100 a week. Multiply it by multiple kids, and throw in a carpool, and suddenly that deal looks even sweeter. And yes, I'm planning to take advantage of the summer drive for a week or so this summer, too, since that Y is in a district with a longer summer calendar than our local kids.

2) Volunteer. If you're blessed with patience and some extra vacation time, why not volunteer to offset the costs of a camp experience? This will be my third summer volunteering as a leader at Girl Scout camp, and by doing so - I send my daughter to Girl Scout camp for FREE, and my son goes to "little brother camp" for a mere $25. A steal.

3) Make a trade. There are a few weeks that, rather than spending hundreds on a camp experience, I am trading with a few of my stay-at-home friends. I take the kids to a Vacation Bible School in the morning and take care of the lunches, and they will watch the kids in the afternoon. Instant playdates for them, day care for me, without a summer-long commitment for either.

4) If you're patient, wait for a deal on Groupon, Deal Chicken or Living Social. My kids are going to a Pacers basketball camp for half the cost this summer. Groupon and like deals make camps affordable - particularly if the camp isn't quite a "full day" and you either have to take time off or pay for the "extended care."

5) Take advantage of wierd work schedules. My husband works retail hours, so on those weeks when our school isn't in session but the rest of the world is, my husband is planning to request days off during the week/trade so he works on weekends instead. The kids will hang out with Dad part-time, and I'll fill in the gaps with vacation time.

Also, we make a point of having a weekly budget for camp fees. If we went short one week we could justify spending a bit more on a camp we knew our children would love (i.e. tae kwon do camp) because we were still under our budget for the summer.

What works for you in lowering your summer day care options without sacrificing quality?

Surviving sunburn with our essential oils

Easter Sunday, the kids played baseball. And gardened. And visited two neighbors. And jumped on their trampolines.

All without sun protection.

Did I mention the tank top?

My daughter returned home near bedtime, beet-red shoulders. In pain already. I felt terrible, but the damage had already happened.  I'm grateful that I could do more than say "You should have..." though.

Luckily I still had a bottle of sunburn blend I had made up last summer. We've been rubbing it on her shoulders and back a few times a day, and the pain and redness has really made a difference. (We did add some lavender essential oil, which helps soothe burns, along with the mix of coconut oil and tea tree oil.) But the pain quickly subsided, and the redness will as well.


Looking for a resource for essential oils? You can shop my doTERRA affiliate online. Send me an email at goinggreenmama at gmail if you'd like to learn how you can save 25% off your orders.

Beating Sunburn Naturally

Photo from Google Image

A sunburn was not what I counted on during a cloudy, cool week at summer camp. But yes, my little guy came home with red, sore shoulders one afternoon.

I was blessed to find a quick home remedy within my "medicine cabinet:" a blend of coconut oil and melaleuca essential oil (otherwise known as tea tree oil). After rubbing it into my son's shoulders a few times a day, his redness was quickly relieved.

The good news is it wasn't a fluke. The bad news is I got to test it out a few weeks later.

After a day at the lake with a friend, my daughter noticed what she called a "rash" on the back of her legs and any other area she neglected to put sunscreen. After nearly eight years, she had her first sunburn. And it was a painful one at that. As we were at home rather than at camp, we had a larger arsenal of essential oils to tap into (good because it gave a break from the complaints about the smell of melaleuca oil!) We primarily used melaleuca and lavender essential oils and coconut oil to help spread it. I went quite liberally with the essential oils, and the redness was gone by morning. The soreness in a day or two.

Needless to say, I have a bottle of "sunburn blend" mixed up and ready for our next outdoor adventure!

What is your favorite natural home remedy for sunburn and other summer maladies?

Quick homemade ice cream

Hand-cranked ice cream made by my mother-in-law is one of my favorite memories of summer. But, being a diabetic and aiming to reduce clutter in my home, I don't have the desire to buy and store an ice cream maker for the occasional summer treat for my kids.

Instead, I stumbled on a simple recipe for homemade ice cream that's portion-controlled and quick to make! The kids loved the process, and in 10 minutes - just a few quick songs on our playlist - they had a cool treat on a hot summer day.

Easy vanilla ice cream
1/2 c. half and half or whipping cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. sugar
Put in a small plastic bag and seal.

In a gallon bag, add 6 tbsp. ice cream salt or kosher salt, then fill halfway with ice. Add the small baggie; seal the large bag. Shake 10 minutes for a soft-serve consistency.

Chinese Red Noodle Beans: A Great Find!

Purple beans, yellow beans, grean beans. Now we're happily adding red to our mix.

After last year's happy discovery of asparagus beans (which strangely enough the wasps happily hung out at all season), we opted for another variety of long beans this summer: the Chinese Red Noodle Bean. An heirloom variety, the red long beans easily grew more than 18 inches long, and the vines taller than myself.

The red noodle beans took little more than bamboo poles to climb and water to grow - no extra care or skill required - are still producing in this heat when other plants - my purple bush beans included - aren't.

I found this interesting tip from rareseeds.com: Harvest by thickness not by length, but take caution not to wait so long that the seeds bulge, which means the beans are too fibrous.

If you're looking for ideas to try these with, most recommend a stirfry, often with garlic or chilis, or try this recipe for glazed long beans from the Food Network.

Harvesting Hermie

We made a suprising discovery when I came back from our trip.

Upon checking our garden for peas to harvest, we found a friend or two. Nestled on our carrot leaves were two caterpillars.

"It's Hermie! It's HEERRRMIEEEE!" screeched my 3 year old. "Sissy, it's HERRRMRIIIEEE!!!"

Luckily the kids had gotten bug boxes for Easter, which meant my food containers weren't at stake this season. So we rustled up some carrot leaves, gathered the two caterpillars and brought them inside.

Those poor things are lucky to be alive.

In the last few days, they've been dropped. Bounced around by the kids at day care. Nearly starved to death as some of the leaves withered when we forgot to take the box home.

Still this morning, after replacing with fresh carrot leaves, I checked on the caterpillars a bit later. The larger of the two had managed to move the door and escape to the box's handle.

Maybe we should rename our Hermie Houdini.

Staycation or not: Finding age-appropriate activities that won't break the bank

Recently we had the challenge of planning a trip to visit my sister and her family, nine hours away. That is, nine hours of uninterrupted driving. Factor in a family, and you know it's a much longer journey than that.

Planning that kind of road trip poses unique challenges. What are good things for the kids to do to burn off energy? What is age-appropriate? What will let them have some fun without breaking the bank?


Here's what worked for me:

• Local chamber/state travel websites. Often they included agritourism information, so if we wanted to stop at a u-pick stand or farm along the way, we could. (A great way to work in a snack or meal too, without having to hit fast food or make another peanut butter sandwich.)



• Scout council websites. We were able to find several age-appropriate activities by checking out the scout council websites that covered our travel route, and searching for her age group. Ideas ranged from museums to horseback riding. I felt it was far more efficient than the tourism websites.



• State/national park sites. I contacted one national park site by email to clarify about a program's approrpiateness, and I received a response within a few hours. They were extremely helpful, and enjoying our national and state parks, no matter how obscure, is a great reminder of God's creation!



• Local parenting blogs. Often they have tips about great options (often free) and resources in the area (great parks, etc.)



• On the road, don't overlook rest stops, which have green spaces. Bring along a ball or something to work off some energy.

What works for you with travel planning?

Good dirty fun

(Or how we turned Camp Mom upside down)

This week was filled with great intentions. A week without daycare meant a much-deserved and even more-delayed week off with my children. Considering the last time I took more than few days off work was maternity leave with my 3 1/2 year old, even a week at home felt like a treat.

I had great intentions. Accumulated a stack of activity ideas, with themes even (not type A or anything), planned for play dates and managed to draft a menu for the week.

Only that sometimes life doesn't go as planned. A crazy campout, two sick family members, delayed playdates and obscenely hot (90-degree) weather for this time of year meant that the best plans were put to rest. As in, sometimes, you just rest.

And other days you make up for it.

We've dug in our garden. Weeded, dug up my Thai beans that were sprouting (thanks...), hunted down bugs and worms for our bug boxes.

We've maxed out our library card and have cranked out summer reading program points reading about insects, volcanoes (go figure), dinosaurs and fiction.

We've made pathetic attempts at recreating another blogger's ladybug cookies (note to self, next time just use your grandmother's sugar cookie recipe rather than an unknown as the cookie base), made yogurt parfaits using leftovers from the camping trip, sneaked marshmallows and stayed up too late.

We've played at the state park, spending hours at the playground, picking daisies (despite mommy's admonitions), watched the horses and coated ourselves in dirt in the process.

Sometime, our summer fun might include a trip or 10 to our pool, a visit to the zoo, a weekend to grandma's or other traditional fun. But for now, we'll settle for our uneventful, but good, dirty fun.