The bell has rung, supplies have been brought home - school is out for the summertime here!  Each year at this time, we wish our teacher farewell and start making plans for the next couple of months, days filled with playdates and activities and evenings filled with family and sleepovers.

It is a time of reflection; a time to look at where we’ve been for the past nine months.  Where did we start?  Where are we now?  And, where do we want to be in August when the whole process starts over again?

It is also a time of celebration in our house.  It means we spend more time together as a family.  We set a new routine each day (or no routine as the case may be!).  We stay up a little later in the evenings and sleep in a little later in the mornings.  With the passing of each school year, we mark the occasion with a recognition of sorts.

Tonight will be a special dinner for our family.  This year, we are opting to cook out on the grill and eat on the patio.  Tomorrow, we will head to our local pottery-painting place where my boys will each paint an ice cream sundae dish for the summer.  We will either take in a matinee or rent a favorite movie and watch it over popcorn and lemonade.  We will welcome Summertime with open arms and a hope of great possibilities.

Summer is here.  Welcome!

Stringing beads, lace up cards, even picking up cereal - these are all wonderful ways to help your child develop fine motor skills and strengthen hand muscles.  In turn, these skills will aid your child in learning to write and even cut with scissors.  Providing ample opportunities for your child to practice is important during the Toddler Years.

1. Necklaces!  Give your child a piece of yarn (tape the end to keep it from fraying) or a shoelace and let him or her create some fun and festive jewelry.  Children can string a variety of pasta (and it can be colored as well - simply mix 1/4 c rubbing alcohol or vinegar with food coloring in a baggie, add pasta to be dyed, shake and let dry on wax paper!) to create patterns and designs.  Or provide them with other household items to string: keychains, old keys, large buttons, big beads, and even construction paper “donuts” (circles with a hole punch in the middle) are great for stringing as well.  For coordinating bracelets, use chenille stems or pipe cleaners to string items.  Twist around wrist to fasten.
2. Lace up cards.  Several companies provide lace up cards to work on the ‘in and out’ motion of simple sewing.  You can also create your own.  Mount a picture from a magazine on a piece of sturdy paperboard, posterboard or even cardboard.  Once dry, punch holes around the outside.  Provide a shoelace for “sewing” and let the fun begin!  Younger children may need a knot in one end of the lace to keep from pulling it through.
3. Starburst.  Take a paper plate, punch holes around the outside edge, and give your child a piece of string.  Lace around and across the plate, creating a multitude of patterns and designs.  For even more fun, punch a hole in the middle of the plate as well - can you make a sun?  A star?  What other shapes can you make?  Use different yarn colors as well for another design element.
4. Snack time!  Give your child an activity to do during snack time.  Give him or her a bowl of their favorite snack for lacing, such as pretzels and/or cereals - anything with a hole in it.  Using a piece of string or dental floss, let your child create an edible necklace.  Or, use it as a way of sharing snacks with nature - create a garland to hang in a tree for the birds!

My boys love to eat - just one look at them and you can tell!  While getting them to eat isn’t a problem, though, getting them to eat the things I want can be.  Here are some fun ways to spruce up mealtime for your kids!

1. Say goodbye to the standard triangle-cut sandwich.  We use cookie cutters and cut shapes out of our sandwiches, but then leave the shapes in the bread.  My kids love taking their sandwich puzzle apart and gobbling up the pieces!  For even more fun, use two different types of bread.  If using shapes such as circles, stars or other symmetrical shapes, simply flip the cut piece over and reinsert into the bread.  Voila!  A two-tone puzzle!
2. Who says milk has to be white?  My kids love purple milk.  Take 1/4 cup of grape juice and add it to a cup of milk.  Stir together and enjoy!  It is a great low-fat, low-calorie alternative to a smoothie.  Try other combinations, too, such as cherry and even orange!
3. Share with nature!  When we have popcorn or even corn-puffed cereal for a snack, I help my kids string some of it on a thread to hang from a tree.  The birds in our back yard love the treat, and I know my kids are not hogging all the popcorn!
4. Put it on a stick.  Use pretzel sticks to stab yummy snacks such as marshmallows, melons and bananas.  Everything is completely edible and there’s no risk of a little one poking themselves with a skewer.

What are your favorite snack ideas?  Leave a comment and let us know!

Are you looking for something different to try on your annual trek to the beach this year?  Want to find a new venue in that sleepy town you love to visit each summer?  Try some of these out on your next vacation, and perhaps these will spark new ideas as well! 

• Sometimes, the weather simply doesn’t cooperate with us when we go on vacation (okay, a lot of the time).  So, we’re always on the hunt for a local library.  Libraries are great places to hang out and read, check out local programs, and even find out about other activities in town.
• While my kids love to hit the souvenir shops at the beach, our favorite places when visiting somewhere out of town are more local shops.  My kids love to explore new stores, even grocery stores!  It is a great way to get out and see something new, even if it is “just a grocery store”!
• Look for local parks.  We have many visitors in our hometown who come here simply for our amazing parks department.  Not everyone is blessed to have such a system, but most places do have playgrounds and other places to let off some steam and just “be”.  See if there is an elementary school with a playground nearby as well (be sure school isn’t in session, though!).
• If you are going to a major attraction, consider matching clothing or hats for the family, even if it is simply the same color.  Make sure it is something easily spotted (like red, yellow or orange) and that everyone is aware of it!  Keeping up with younger kids in a large area is stressful enough - make them easy to spot and track down!  And, try to hit big amusement areas as early as possible.  The earlier you get started, the more you will get to see and enjoy.  Our favorite plan is to play hard early and enjoy a late lunch.  Then, while my 3 year old naps, my older son enjoys the pool and activities around our hotel or camp area.  We finish off the day with dinner and more fun activities.
• Purchase a local newspaper to find out about farmer’s markets, craft or hobby shows, and any other local activities that might be of interest.  These are events that will probably be lots of fun, but they might not be easily publicized for those other than the “locals”.  Our town has a great bike shop - yes, bike shop!  It is a wonderful place to go in and browse with all of the interesting configuations for bicycling.  It is one of the most popular stores in town.

What are some of your favorite tips to find new things to do in your favorite vacation spot?  Leave a comment and let us know!

1. Manhattan Group Recalls Infant Rattles Due to Choking Hazard

2. Master Toys & Novelties Inc. Recalls Little Rider Toys Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

3. Douglas Co. Recalls Children’s Blankets Due to Strangulation Hazard

4. West Music Recalls Shaker Guiro Instruments Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

5. Disney Store Recalls Tinker Bell Wands Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

6. Sure Grip Paint Brushes Recalled by Early Childhood Resources Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

7. Floppy Friends Horse Toys Recalled by Toy Investments Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

We tend to spend a great deal of time on the road during the summer, whether it is on our bikes or in the car.  Being prepared for all this travel, across town or long distances, is a slightly different approach from the rest of the year.

SUNSCREEN!  My kids spend the majority of their summer outside the house, so sunscreen is a given each day.  Try to remember to apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside.  If you are bike riding, this is especially important because you might not realize just how much sun you’re getting as you pedal around town.  Follow the instructions on the bottle and lather up as necessary.  Sunscreen isn’t a seasonal item; while the sun might not be as intense in the winter as it is in the summer, sunscreen should be used year-round.

GET GERMS UNDER CONTROL!  I always carry a disposable box of wipes in my car, especially in the summer months.  No one wants to eat ice cream after playing in the sandbox at the park, and when a place to wash up isn’t readily available, I can always count on the wipes to do the trick.  They are great for cleaning up spills in the car, too!

BE PREPARED FOR STORMY WEATHER!  I have a small bag in my trunk with my “essentials” for bad weather: umbrella, a disposable rain parka, bottled water, and “dry” snacks, such as pretzels and crackers.  In addition to things for bad weather, I also carry a towel, a spare change of clothes for the boys, and a first aid kit.  As much running and playing as we do during the summer, we make sure we are prepared for whatever comes our way!

We’re hitting the road this summer, making the rounds to the grandparents and other relatives along the way.  It will be just my boys and me as my husband will be toiling away at his desk job.  Which means, it will be Me versus Them in the loooooooong car ride to Grandma’s house.  I’m going into this challenge armed and ready!

If you will be road-tripping this summer with your family, take a look at some of these great tips to make it a bit more bearable for everyone.  And, if you have any of your own to add, please leave a comment and let us know!

• Pack smart.  While consolidating space in my sedan is important, I do pack an extra bag of just the essentials - a change of clothes for everyone, perhaps a bathing suit, our toothbrushes, anything we might need for just a night.  Then, instead of having to trudge our huge everyone-packed-in-one-bag suitcase around, I simply pull out the smaller bag if we need to make an overnight stop.  In our larger suitcase, I do manage to pack all of our belongings together.  The key is to “layer”…place each item in an outfit in a pile, then pack backwards through your vacation.  That way, the items on top are the things you’ll need once you reach your destination, and each day following that should be the next on top.  This eliminates “the dig and throw” method that my boys usually have!
• Since I do drive a mid-size sedan, indoor space is at a premium (we downsized from a mega-SUV last year).  To eliminate in-car clutter, my boys are both issued a backpack the day before we leave.  They are allowed to bring whatever will fit in the backpack, and nothing else.  If they want a special blanket or stuffed animal, it has to fit into the backpack.  If a certain toy is important enough to make the journey, it has to fit into the backpack.  Want a snack on the road?  It has to fit into the backpack!  That way, my boys only bring the things they REALLY want, and it elminates a lot of the “extras” we used to bring but never touched.
• On the longest leg of our journey, I try to provide something new for the boys.  While a small toy (like a little car) is okay, I try to find something different than what they are accustomed to: for my older son, this might be a word find book and a new cool pen.  For my toddler, perhaps a small spiral notebook and crayons (or if I am really adventurous, I stock up on “party favor” toys and use those).  They get to take a break from the other stuff they brought, and I get a break from the “are we there yet” chants - hopefully.

What are some life-saving tips you have for travelling with kids?  Let us know!

Memorial Day around our house typically involves one of the following events: cookout, traveling (usually from a grandparents’ house), swimming, fishing or visiting.  Sometimes, it includes all of these.  Those are the best Memorial Days.

Being a day set aside to remember those who have given their lives for the freedom of our country, Memorial Day holds a special place in my family’s circle.  I have several relatives who have served - uncles, cousins, aunts - and family members who are now gone but were an integral part of different events in history, such as my grandfathers and even further back from that.

After writing about creating a family tree last week, I found an alternative to my idea that is a wonderful way to honor our family on Memorial Day.  Create a photo collage family tree!  Instead of simply writing names and birthdates upon leaves of the tree, add photos of each family member.  It is a wonderful gift to give to a family member, and it is also a super way to keep your younger children in touch with relatives who might not be close by.  The poster can be laminated to protect it from fingers and spills.  This would also be an excellent project to do as a family (especially if the weather turns yucky and you are desperately looking for some indoor fun with the kids!).

Make Memorial Day a time to focus on your family…where you’ve been and where you’re going.