Sewing With My Child: Eco-friendly and Fun Project to Do Together

Sewing with kids can be a fun and eco-friendly project! Good thing my daughter made me do it!

My daughter is five and the other day she came home from school with two holes in her tights. One hole was across her hole knee. Oh well, I thought. She said, "Mama, you have to sew these up for me." I said, "Or get a new pair." I thought the big hole was pretty big and it wouldn't really look cute with all the stitches that would show through her tights. "Sew it up," she replied. Her mind was made up. I still wasn't so sure.

I threw them in the wash and dryer and when they came out they had shrunk down in size like tights do and the holes also appeared a little smaller. I still thought about tossing them but then I thought well, it couldn't hurt to try and at least she could see how sewing works. I called her to see if she wanted to help and she was very excited to help sew. I let her pick the thread and she picked a bright pink for the big hole. I showed her how to thread the needle and she watched me. I showed her how to pull the thread even and try a knot since we wanted a double stitch for strength and she watched. I showed her how to pinch the hole in the middle to keep it lined up while you sew and I did the first couple stitches. Then I let her take over the stitching while I held my hand inside the tights so she wouldn't stitch through to the other side and kept the hole pinched. She did a great job. Every once in a while I would have to tell her to pull the needle back out because she was stitching too low or too high or missing the other side of the hole but she sewing until we ran out of thread half way across the hole.

Then she threaded the needle this time and I tied it off. I realized before we started again that while I was trying to keep all the stitching on the inside by sewing while it was inside out, my daughter was actually excited about the stitching and like the pink color! So we switched and she did the second half of the hole with the stitching on the outside. She was very pleased with the results and asked me if I could stitches that would show that shaped a heart. Well sure, I could. So I got out my embroidery thread and sewed a heart on for her. She watched the process. She loved it so much so wanted a flower. So this time I showed her how and she sowed the center of the flower all by herself. I finished it off with the petals. Then she stitched up the last hole.

All in all, I was impressed that we had saved her tights, made an eco-friendly move, and really had a good time together. I felt proud to have taught her such a useful lesson and proud of her for teaching me a lesson too! That is my little wonder! I love that she gave me a fresh view of things. My grandmother would be proud of me for stitching up those tights. She stitched up many things for me and I told my daughter how she used to make me all kinds of things. Maybe that will be our next project when my daughter gets a little older- sewing doll's clothes. She loves learning how to do things and the best part is that I don't have to be perfect when I teach her. I can learn with her!

Happy sewing! If you want to sew with your child but have not done so before, a great place to start is sewing buttons on. Sierra and I had tried this when she was about four and she loved that too. When I was in a Montessori kindergarten, I still remember that they had a station where you could chose different squares of fabric to sew and buttons and they helped you sew them on. It was tons of fun and they let you bring them home and you could make a pillow out of them with your mom. It really gives a great sense of accomplishment. After all, I still remember it fondly!

If you liked this family activity, you might also enjoy, How to Make Rolled Paper Beads, A Fun Kids Craft.

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Top 10 Places to Find FREE Images Online

This is a guest post by Tanya of Blogelina as part of her Blog Tour. Check out her blog and find out how you can win $100 by following the Blogelina blog tour!

Whether you’re a blogger, a website designer, a homeschooling mom, a crafter – you name it - having access to great images can make your life easier and even more fun! If you aren’t a graphic designer, finding quality images to use can become expensive quickly.

What are some uses for online images?
- Easily create your own teaching materials for your children
- Add interest to your blog posts
- Find images to decorate your family newsletters or cards
- Make your to-do lists a little more fun to look at
- Keep the list going – tell us your ideas in the comments below!

Because different people have different needs, you will find sources for both free photos and free clipart images in the list below.

10 Free Image Sources

Microsoft Images – I was surprised and excited to come across this resource recently. In my searches for free image resources, most of them only provide photos. Microsoft Images gives you access to both photos and illustrations.

Flickr Creative Commons – If you search to find the resource a lot of people are using to get their free images, you’ll probably find them talking about the Flickr Creative
Commons. Here you’ll find thousands of images to use as long as you are using them for
personal use only or you’re willing to credit the image creator with their work.

Stock Exchange – With a database of almost 400,000 free images, you’re probably going to be able to find what you’re looking for at this site. One of the most popular free image sites, it’s easy to navigate and organize what you find.

WikiMedia Commons – Here you will not only find free images to use but free videos, free sounds, and other forms of free media.

Every Stock Photo – If you become a member of this site (membership is free), you will be able to rate, tag, collect and comment on photos. This feature will help you save a lot of time as you’ll be able to easily return to photos that you find but want to save for possible future use.

FreeImages.co – Based out of the UK, this site not only offers an index of free images, they also offer free ideas and tips for using your images.

PicFindr – This site allows you to search several stock image and photo community sites simultaneously. Your search results are broken down into categories based on which sites they came from. A few of the sites displayed may charge for their images but the results return many free images, as well.

Open Clipart Library – If you prefer to use clipart images over photos, this site offers a large library of illustrations. The site is easy to navigate and the download process is very simple.

Burning Well – The library of free images here is made up of images donated from photographers all over the world. You can easily search for photos by keyword, by category, or by popular choices.

Free Digital Photos – Here you can download images for free at their basic level. What I like about this site is that, if you find an image that you particularly like and might want to use for larger projects, you can easily purchase the larger version for a reasonable fee.

You may also like to read my Green Scrapbooking Tips.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe- Baking with My Kids

My kids and I love to bake together. It is a fun project for all of us and I love that they get exposure to how things work in the kitchen. Yesterday, we made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins together. Yummy!

We had a small ornamental pumpkin that was had a little spot that was beginning to rot. So I cut out the tiny rotten spot, cut it in half, and let the kids scrap out the seeds. Then I scraped out the remaining strings that are always more challenging and just require a little more muscle. I baked it for about an hour until soft. Let cool and then peel and puree. We did this part the day before muffin making so that it would be already but you could also just use canned pumpkin if you prefer!

We used a recipe I got from Beyond The Moon Cookbook. I made a few modifications to suit my taste. Feel free to do the same!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe:

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
3/4 cup milk

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cup unbleaced white flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder

2 ounces chocolate chips
2 ounces white chocolate chips
we didn't have any pecans on hand but I would've thrown in 1/2 cup if we did

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin tin (I used coconut oil for this.)

We beat all the wet ingredients together, then added the dry slowly (which I had already mixed together in a separate bowl). Fold in nuts and chocolate.


Spooned into muffin cups and cooked for about 20 minutes.


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins make a great seasonal holiday treat to share!


You may also like to read Cranberry Orange Quick Bread Recipe.

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Kids Playing in the Dirt and Mud

We spent the morning at the Nature Center. Again. They love that place. Today we spent lots of time at the dirt playground watching our kids playing in the mud. I don't know the official name but that is what we call it! They love making dirt pies, dirt gardens, and dirt volcanoes. I love seeing them pretend and have fun with "mother earth"!



I am thankful that we have that great muddy resource for our kids nearby. I remember that I loved playing in the mud too when I was little. In fact, I have one vivid memory of making a really amazing series of interconnecting dirt tunnels so that our imaginary boats could sail around my friend's backyard. We were so proud when we showed her mom. Her mom was not so proud that we dug up her backyard. So again what a great resource to have. Then we can wash the kids down at the water pump and get in the car and go home to our mostly mud-free yard!

You may also like to read about our Smoky Mountain Camping Vacation with Kids.

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Cranberry Orange Quick Bread Recipe

This cranberry orange quick bread recipe is by guest blogger, Kelly Noble. She is the Relationship Manager for Foodservicewarehouse.com, a foodservice equipment and supply provider thatalso specializes in industry education. She has been an avid wine drinker and home cook for over 8 years and writes the Wine & Dine Blog which focuses on recipes, food trends and favorite wines.


Autumn is officially here which to me means baking season is now in full swing! To kick off my favorite of the cooking seasons I will be sharing with you a recipe that my mom and I used to bake together when I was a little girl, Cranberry Orange bread. This quick bread is both delicious and festive. The perfect gift or keep it and have a tasty homemade breakfast with some tea or coffee.

Cranberry Orange Bread Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup orange juice
Zest from 1 orange
2 Tablespoons melted butter
2 Tablespoons hot water
1 cup chopped cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and sugar and set aside. In a medium bowl mix beaten egg with orange juice, orange zest, butter and hot water. Be sure to pour the hot water in slowly as you mix so you do not cook the eggs. Fold the flour mixture with the egg mixture until well blended. DO NOT BEAT. Gently fold in cranberries and nuts. Spoon into a greased 9”x6” bread pan or greased muffin cups. Bake at 325 degrees for 60 minutes for the loaf and 30-35 minutes for the muffins; test center with a toothpick before removing. Allow the bread to cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan.

Nice, simple and yummy, your cranberry orange quick bread is ready to enjoy!

If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy Cranberry White Chocolate Biscotti Recipe.

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What My Daughter is Learning in Kindergarten

My daughter is getting used to kindergarten now. At first she would say, "I like it but why do I have to go everyday?" It was quite an adjustment from attending preschool one day a week for three hours. Yesterday (a Saturday) she said, "I want to go to school today." I asked why and she said she missed Ms. DeLise. Now, what could make a mother happier than to know her daughter loves school and she loves her teacher?

So what is she learning in kindergarten? My worry was that she already knew most everything she would learn in kindergarten. She knows her letters and numbers, basic addition, some sight words, so what could she really learn? But my fears have subsided because she is actually learning a lot. To begin with, they have gym, and music, and art, all of which I think are great for her. She also learns all the basics of following the rules and interacting with kids. Plus, I get a report each week of the things they have learned. She has learned some shapes that I never taught her such as a trapezoid, and hexagon. She brings home these paper books she makes and she has circled all her sight words in the story and she likes to read them to me (sometimes with my help). She loves to follow the rules and gets a smile face every day on her behavior chart.

When I pick her up each day, I ask how school was and she says "Good." She doesn't really expand on it that much but I ask lots of questions and usually when we get home I learn more from little stories she tells me or we act it out. I am the student and she is the teacher and it is so cute to see school from her eyes. "Pupils, pupils, one, two, three, all eyes on me," she says. "I am looking for a line leader," she says, surveying her pretend class. We line up and she says, "Time for specials" as she leads me down the hall. "Ok," she instructs me to still against the wall and tells me we will play quiet mouse while we wait. Then in pretend art class she sings, "Get your feet out of your seat, do-dah, do dah, get your seat out of your seat so you can have a safe and happy day," before instructing me in the proper way to draw a person. She loves acting it out and telling me what to do! She shows me how they graph the weather and how to do push ups. It is great fun for me to see what she does at school. So next time you want to know what your child is learning in kindergarten, ask them to act it out!

You may also like to read about her First Day of Kindergarten.

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Including Sign Language in Early Childhood Curriculum

This is a guest post. I did not do signing with my babies but some of my friends did it was fun to watch them signing for food or more before they could even speak!

Not only does early childhood education in signing give pre-verbal youngsters a way to communicate, it can also strengthen the parent-child bond – in addition to giving children a solid foundation for learning a skill that will serve them well in the future. The evidence suggests that the best time to start learning ASL is before a child can even walk – and the implications for facilitating the parent-child relationship are amazing.

Signing Before Toddlers Can Speak

A great deal of research has clearly demonstrated that the early years – ages 2 to five – are the best time to educate children in different modes of communication and language. This goes beyond the spoken word (though it is an optimal time for children to learn a second language); many young children have an aptitude for signing as well.

This is not as odd as you may think. As you know, many indigenous peoples around the world, including American Indian nations, have used sign language for centuries to facilitate communication with other tribes with whom they do not share a language. Some paleontologists and anthropologists theorize that Neanderthals – who apparently lacked the vocal mechanism to produce many spoken words – depended a great deal upon hand gestures to communicate.


In fact, recent research suggests that sign language is innate. An article published in the Boulder Daily Camera in 2003 presented strong evidence that babies as young as six months old communicate with their hands:

"...by 6 to 7 months, babies can remember a sign. At eight months, children can begin to imitate gestures and sign single words. By 24 months, children
can sign compound words and full sentences. They say sign language reduces
frustration in young children by giving them a means to express themselves
before they know how to talk." (Glarion, 2003)

The author also cites study funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development demonstrating that young children who are taught sign language at an early age actually develop better verbal skills as they get older. The ability to sign has also helped parents in communicating with autistic children; one parent reports that "using sign language allowed her to communicate with her [autistic] son and minimized his frustration...[he now] has an advanced vocabulary and excels in math, spelling and music" (Glarion, 2003).

Not only does early childhood education in signing give pre-verbal youngsters a way to communicate, the implications for facilitating the parent-child
relationship are amazing.

Co-written by Emily Patterson and Kathleen Thomas
Emily and Kathleen are Communications Coordinators for the Zionsville educational day care facility, a member of the AdvancED® accredited family of Primrose Schools (located in 16 states throughout the U.S.) and part of the network of Indiana educational day care preschools delivering the progressive, early childhood Balanced Learning® curriculum.

If you have small children you may also like to read Teaching Kids Proper Tooth Care.

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Autumn Gardening

This is a guest post. I think gardening is a great way to go green and grow your own organic vegetables. It is also fun for me and my kids love to help dig, plant, water, and pick! Of course, flowers make a beautiful addition to any yard. Start out with a small patch and add to it each year!

Autumn Gardening Tips

After all the bloom and activity of the spring and summer, autumn is a moment of calm in the garden. If you’re lucky, the first few weeks of autumn will be an Indian summer making it a pleasant time to potter in the garden and get everything sorted ready for a winter rest. This article guides you through some of the main areas of autumn garden care enabling you to prepare your garden for a healthy fruitful spring.

Fall Gardening Tips-

If you have a green house, early autumn is the time to use it to house plants which are vulnerable to frost and the winter cold. If you do not have a green house, then a conservatory or utility room are suitable alternatives.

Autumn is a good time for clearing and tidying the garden. If you continue to dead head your bedding plants and perennials you can prolong their flowering further into autumn. As it is a great time of year for planting spring bulbs, autumn is a good time to consider whether you want to make rearrangements or changes in the garden. If you want to make major changes, you could dig up some lawn to make a new bed for spring bulbs, or tackle that part of the garden which has never been a success and plant some bulbs there. In terms of landscaping, autumn is also a good time to lay new lawn; however, this is only advisable if the soil is relatively dry and not too wet.

If you have tall and long reaching plants, autumn is the time to reinforce their support to ensure they can survive the strong winds of autumn and winter. This may require more than just a single support, so it could be worth considering investing in some sturdy supports such as ring or maypole structures.

It’s great to get garden maintenance over and done with in the autumn. Clear out gutters and water butts in preparation for heavy rainfalls. If you have canes or nets you required in summer but no longer need in autumn, take them down, clean and store them. Sharpen tools and fix ladders, sheds, or other equipment in preparation for their heavy use in the spring and summer months.

Clear and collect falling leaves throughout the autumn as these are great to add to your compost. Try to avoid burning or trashing any of your autumn garden waste and instead compost as much as you can.

Grant performs Garden design in Surrey. He loves to give advice on gardening throughout the seasons for beginners or even experts.

If you can't grow everything, you may also like to read Why Buying Local Food is Important and Go Green with Essential Oils.

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5 Simple Ways to Make Your Marriage Last

This is a guest post by Liberty Kontranowski.

Somewhere between the flurry of excitement surrounding your engagement and the
Hokey Pokey at your reception, someone failed to tell you how hard marriage actually can be.

So how do you avoid the trap that is boredom during marriage? And if you’ve already
fallen into it, how do you get out? Here, 5 Tips for Making Your Marriage Last (and for
re-igniting a slow-burning spark):

1 . Laugh together – Not only is laughter the best medicine (don’t you just love
clichés?), it is also a bonding mechanism. When you and your partner share a
laugh, you’re sharing a moment of realization: both of you agree that the same
thing is funny. This might be the first time you agreed on anything in months, so
enjoy the moment. Moving forward, make sure to giggle along when your hubby
snickers over something or be diligent about creating opportunities to share a
good guffaw (watching home movies of your Aunt Thelma shaking her groove
thang at your wedding reception or catching a show at a local comedy club, for
example).

2 . Text your way to Flirtsville – Sometimes it’s hard for couples to reconnect after
a little “time off” in the bedroom. If you’re raring to get things rolling again, but
the thought of hand-holding and other one-time displays of affection would now
feel out of place, start small. Instead of texting your bestie about your fab new
fish recipe, text a little something naughty (or nice) to your hubby. Didn’t get a
reaction the first time around? No worries, he probably just blew it off as a one-
time thing. Try again. In fact, keep trying until he either jumps on board or tells
you to stop (and we seriously doubt he’d do that!)

3 . Get a life – Let’s be truthful. After many years of marriage, conversation (if you
can work any in between the demands of kids and work, that is) can be a little
dull. If you can’t think of anything to say to your spouse that doesn’t have to do
with household obligations or your children, it’s time to get a life. Try talking
about something you can both relate to, but that shows you have interests outside
of your home life together. It’s always fun to get to know someone, so take that
cue and get to know a side of your hubby you’ve never really explored…and let
him do the same for you!

4 . Watch the tube – Sure, there’s all kinds of chatter these days about how
technology is ruining marriages and families, but let’s face it, when you sit down
to watch a show with your husband, you are both present and engaged in the same
activity at the same time. Bonus: you’ll have something to talk about after the
show is done…and you might even share a laugh. So make a date to tune in to an
awesome show and enjoy the “side-effects” of a little escapism.

5 . Celebrate your marriage – There is a certain day each year carved out just for
you two to celebrate your union….it’s called your anniversary. Remember? While
many couples forgo any amount of hoopla surrounding the day, be sure to take
the time to actually celebrate what you’ve accomplished together. Select a great
card, then add your own sentiments. Compliment him on all the positive attributes
that keeps you lusting after him. Tell him how much you appreciate what he’s
done for you/your family/the dog he rescued from certain death. Tell him what
he means to you and how your life is positively affected by his presence. Most of
all, remind him that he’s special, and we think that he’ll be so touched, you can
expect the same kind of treatment next year.

Marriage might not be cake, but it sure can be a brownie. Take time and make the
effort to stay connected (or reconnect) with your spouse and reap the rewards of a
solid and long-lasting marriage.

Liberty Kontranowski is a freelance writer, providing high quality content to Viamedic.com, a US located online pharmacy, selling only FDA approved medications and providing comprehensive research, such as the Skin Resource Center.

I remember long before I was married, I asked my grandmother who recently had her 60th anniversary what the secret tip was. She told me that sometimes, it isn't always easy, that sometimes "marriage is work." I think all marriages hit rough patches and when I have one, I remember to work though it. It is worth it after all!

Thrifty Jinxy shared her best tip-"(I have been married a little over 8 years.) Learn when it is better to just agree to disagree rather than to argue. There are certain issues/circumstances where you and your husband may never see eye to eye. You can choose to either keep revisiting the same issue over and over again and continue to argue, or you can accept the fact that you each have your own opinion and may never convince the other to change their mind, so it is better to be respectful of each other’s view and live in harmony, rather than to argue."

What's your best marriage tip?

You may also like to read Fun Family Time Activities.

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Five of My Favorite Family Time Ideas

Family time is fun time! There are so many great ways to spend time together as a family but here are a few of our favorites family activities.

1. Read a book.
Sometimes it is many, many books. Sometimes it is the same book over and over. Sometimes it is a chapter from a big book we are reading together. Reading never gets old. Plus it is relaxing for my husband and I when we may feel low on energy to keep up with them.

2. Family sport.
We love to play soccer and football or just plain wrestle. They love being active. Sometimes I just referee and sometimes we all get involved.

3. Trip to the park.
My kids always love the playground whether it is in my backyard or the big huge neighborhood Red Caboose playground. We almost always play tag while we are there!

4. Trip to the Nature Center.
We love to go exploring together hiking the trails and checking out the creek and pond for critters! We have spent countless hours doing this.

5. Game Time.
My kids are just getting old enough to enjoy playing games all together and this is something I look forward to doing more and more! They love memory, Uno, Zimmbos, and Guess Who. Game time is a great after dinner activity.

So many ways to have fun with kids! Crafts and pretend games just missed my list but they are right up there too. What is your favorite fun way to spend family time?

You may also like to read Kids Playing in the Dirt and Mud.

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Teaching Kids How to Take Proper Care of Their Teeth

Guest post that I hope is useful to everyone. I know that this is really an important thing to focus on. When I was little, my mom didn't follow up on me every night so I just didn't do it. Then I had four cavities at once! Of course, reducing sugar intake is also helpful!


Few kids know how to properly take care of their teeth, and
fewer actually enjoy it. Here are some strategies to help make
taking care of your kids’ teeth educational and fun!

Build a routine

A routine for caring for your children’s teeth can start when
they’re babies, by wiping down their gums with a clean cloth
after feedings. As they grow into toddlers and teeth appear,
exchange the cloth for small toothbrushes to use twice daily.

As toddlers grow into preschoolers and beyond, you’ve already
established that brushing their teeth is part of your family’s
everyday routine. Make sure that your children brush their
teeth twice a day, preferably in the morning and evening, and
that they practice flossing in between teeth. As your kids grow
older, schedule visits to the dentist twice a year for regular
cleanings and checkups.

Explain Why

Kids need to know that taking care of their teeth is important,
and that there are long-term consequences if they don’t. My
boys – ages eight and five – love to hear about how when they
eat, bacteria come out to play on their teeth, building plaque
that turns to acid. It’s the acid that eats away at their teeth,
rotting them and making them fall out. My kids imagine that
they’re superheroes, fighting plaque with all their might! This
explanation might work for your kids too, but if it doesn’t,
find one that helps explain why taking care of their teeth is
important.

Let Your Child Choose

It’s fun to have a variety of products for kids to choose from

when it comes to taking care of their teeth. Have two or three
toothbrushes available, and allow your child to choose which
toothbrush they want to use when it’s time to brush their teeth.

Other kid-friendly products to consider include plastic cups
for rinsing, different colors of floss, and a variety of
toothpaste flavors. Let your child put the toothpaste on the
brush (emphasizing that the toothpaste should be the size of a
pea), and then have your child choose who starts brushing his/
her teeth first if you’re taking turns.

Take Turns

I would love it if my children could brush their teeth on their
own...but they can't. They’re not able to reach those tight
spaces where plaque has their parties, and kids don't take the
time necessary to properly brush their teeth.

One way that works well for my kids is if I brush their teeth
for fifteen seconds, and then they have a turn. After taking
turns brushing a couple of times, we take turns flossing their
teeth. This helps train them in the proper ways to take care of
their teeth for years to come!



Kelly Wilson is a mom, freelance writer, and expert in frugal living who visits her General Dentist in La Center, Washington twice a year and consequently has excellent teeth.

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First Day of Kindergarten

Can't believe Sierra started Kindergarten this morning. I was very excited for her as I am sure she will love it. I had a little bit of apprehension as all parents must on the big day. She seemed mostly excited about her first day of kindergarten but she also had a few concerns.

"You'll love it!" I told her.

"We'll see," she replied.

So we arrived at her school this morning and steered through the masses of parents and children into her classroom. It is set up very nicely and her teacher seems very sweet. It is her first year out of Vanderbilt and I think she will be great.


We found Sierra's locker and her desk with her name tag. She met the teacher and was a little shy but she seemed pretty comfortable. In the mean time, Leo made himself at home at one of the extra desk and started sorting the dinosaur manipulatives.



When I asked Sierra if she was ready for me to leave, she said yes and gave me a hug goodbye. When I told Leo it was time to leave, he said he wasn't ready yet! So we stayed a few more minutes and then when we left he spotted the playground and he broke that in too! Finally, we headed for home and Leo did not want to leave without Sierra.

"We have to get Sierra," he said. We will, Leo, and from what I hear it will take about 45 minutes in the pick up line today!!

You may also like to read about Healthy School Lunch Ideas and Good Science Books for Kindergarten Kids.

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Healthy School Lunches For Kids

Guest post by Kelly Wilson, an editor for Teaching Resource Center. Since my daughter is starting kindergarten this year, I was very interested to read her tips and ideas for packing school lunches.

Healthy School Lunches For Kids

Your kids’ school lunches don’t have to revolve around peanut- butter sandwiches. Here are easy ways to help your kids pack school lunches that they will enjoy!

Provide Lunch Guidelines

"My two boys have packed their own lunches since they were in kindergarten."

It has helped greatly with teaching them responsibility, good eating habits, and managing their time in the morning.

This doesn’t mean that I don’t pay attention to what’s in their lunch boxes. I like to provide a loose structure that allows them to make several choices regarding what they pack. Each day, they know they need to have at least one salty, a bread, a dairy and a sweet in their lunches, and possibly two items from each category for more variety. Before they head out the door, I do a quick check.


Easy to Transport Lunch Foods
One of the tricks to getting kids to pack healthy choices is that foods must be easy to transport. I have a bunch of small containers with lids in a low drawer that they can grab for hummus or peanut butter. To help them remember to bring them back, I pay them a small amount – like a penny or nickel – per returned container each day for the first few weeks of school and again in January. This helps get my kids in the habit of
bringing the containers back.

There are also healthy pre-packaged food choices, like fruit leathers, string cheese and crackers. If you don’t like the idea of putting those packages into your local landfill, turn the packages over to an organization like Terracycle - they upcycle this kind of packaging into products that we can use every day. Turn your kids’ school on to this idea by starting your own brigade!

What About the Cafeteria Food?

Since my kids pack their lunches most of the time, they love the lunches served in the cafeteria. I set aside enough money each month to allow my kids to purchase a school cafeteria lunch once per week. They choose which day they eat cafeteria lunch, and they really look forward to it as a special treat. Plus, they still pack healthy snacks.


Highly Nutritious Food Options
These are foods that I like to have available. They are easy to pack back and forth, and provide a wide variety of choices.

Nutritious Dairy Group Foods
Dairy items provide kids with necessary nutrients as well as being filling snacks. Some of these include:
String Cheese
Yogurt packaged in tubes - Gogurt has a all-natural
alternative, and you can also make and package your own
Cubed and cream cheese and crackers or fruit


Nutritious Bread Food Choices
Whole-wheat bread options are filling and work well for school
lunches. Foods included in the bread group are:
• Bagels (with cream cheese or hummus)
• Pita bread
• Whole wheat crackers
• Sandwiches made from whole wheat slices of bread
• Pretzels or pita chips

Nutritious Salty Snacks
There are salty snacks that are higher in protein, requiring
smaller portion sizes to satisfy the desire to snack. Some of
these saltier options include:
Pretzels
Beef Jerky
Low-Fat Pepperoni (usually a turkey variety)
Pistachios
Sunflower Seeds
Puffed Rice products
Pita Chips or Carrots and Hummus

Nutritious Sweet Snacks
It's surprising how satisfying these more nutritious choices can
be when we have a desire for something sweet. These sweet snacks include:
Fresh Fruit - Blueberries, Strawberries, Bananas, Apples,
Grapes, and other budget-friendly fruit that's in season
Dried Fruit - Mango, Raisins, Apples and Fruit Leather
Dense, Multi-Grain Granola or Granola Bars (Kashi is a
great brand).

Healthy Lunch Beverage Options
I like to give my kids the option of buying milk at school
or packing 100% juice products. Water is also a great choice!

Kelly Wilson is an editor for Teaching Resource Center, aTeacher Store providing
families and classrooms with inexpensive Teaching Materials for over 25 years.


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Our Smoky Mountain Campling Vacation With Kids

We're back from our vacation in the Smoky Mountains. We loved it so much last year that we went again!

We started out by heading up through Townsend where we stopped at IGA and loaded up our cooler. We then went to a very important stop for me- the Snowball Stand! I always stop for a Snowball at least once on our trip! (For those of you who don't know, a snowball is kind of like a snowcone only 300 times better because the ice is soft and fine and there are way more flavors.) This Snowball Stand operates from a little trailer that is always parked outside River Rat Tubing. I got half pina colada and half peach and it was yummy as always. Then we continued on up to our campsite in Elkmont.


We love Elkmont Campground because it is so beautiful and it is located right along the river so there is plenty of water fun right next to your campsite. It is also pretty well shaded and has bathrooms pretty close to all sites. We spent the first day tubing in the river, catching minnows, and socializing with the neighboring campers from Mississippi.

The next day we headed on up to hike Clingman's Dome. It was really nice! I highly recommend it. It was an easy half mile hike up to the top and you get a full 360 of beautiful views from the top. The trail is paved so great for kids and nice and wide. Then we headed back down to Sugarlands for a picnic and to catch a ranger talk about salamanders. We went back to the campground for napping and tubing and cooking out. Another nice leisurely day gone!




Oh! I forgot to mention our bear spotting! We spotted a black bear silently moving through some freshly emptied campsites! I felt very fortunate but Sierra was not so convinced and wanted to hide in the tent until I could assure her it was gone. Leo was up for viewing safely from a distance with us!


We visited Gatlinburg for our adventurous day. We got to the Gatlinburg Ripley's Aquarium right as it opened at 9:00am and it was super nice. It was a bit pricey for adults but kids were cheap and it was worth it. We went through the shark lagoon tunnel twice the kids loved it so much. After that we did little site seeing on the main street and then went back to the campground for more tubing and napping! For dinner we headed back to Gatlinburg for some really yummy food at the Smoky Mountain Brewery. We also decided to splurge on mini-golf and a hall of mirrors. If you have never done a hall of mirrors before, I suggest you try it. It was totally fun and really an unusual experience. They let us go back through it for free two extra times!


The next morning we loaded up and headed out. Another fun trip to the Smoky Mountains, gone in a flash!

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Weekend Festivities: Insects of The Night Festival and Summer Saturdays at Ellington Agricultural Center

Our Nature Center hosted a lovely Insects of the Night Festival last night. It was fun for the kids. Lots of stations for them to visit to learn more about insects, fun crafts to do, puppet shows, and a night hike!



This morning we checked out Summer Saturdays of July at the Ellington Agricultural Center. Today it was all about horses!


My son looked so happy up there on that huge horse- just so satisfied with life. Pure enjoyment!
We also really enjoyed looking at the old buildings and farm artifacts from the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was interesting to show the kids how people used to live so simply in one room log cabins and travel in covered wagons.


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Take Me Out to The Ball Game! A Fun Time for the Whole Family

The Nashville Sounds lost to the New Orleans Zephyrs, 4-3, in front of 6,373 fans on Friday night at historic Greer Stadium in the second game of a three-game series- and we saw the whole thing! What a fun time! I totally suggest this as a great, fun family outing.

It didn't matter that the Sounds lost, and not just because I am from New Orleans too, but because the whole experience was so fun! They do a great job at keeping the kids and mildly interested sports fans (like myself) entertained! They had some fun throwing out coupons to the crowd, singing songs, and involving people from the crowds in various games for prizes during the breaks. The players threw out balls on occasion and of course, the concession men entertained with their various calls! We all loved it. My husband even caught a baseball!

Then when the game was over, the fun continued! We stayed for the fabulous firework show and then my kids got to run the bases! Sierra wanted to do it again! I wish I had remembered to whip out the camera for that but I was so caught up watching that I didn't think of it until too late!




So...
Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd;
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.

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