Helpful Mom

Kid’s imaginations are so big.  If you just encourage it a little bit they can be or do anything they want to.  Whether it be through dress up, play acting, or building things kids can come up with crazy things.  One day the girls were outside and began saying all their books were flying through the air and they had to catch them.  So went inside and got their butterfly nets so they could “catch” them.  They were hysterical run around the yard catching flying books of all colors.  And they other day we were drawing in the driveway with chalk and they asked me to draw trees, then they wanted them to be apples trees.  So I added apples and Katrina was upset because she couldn’t get the apples off it.  I told her of course she could, just pretend.  Instantly she’s tugging and tugging at this tree saying it’s stuck with honey.  Finally her apple came off and she ran backwards down the driveway.  All it took was that little encouragement and off they went with it.

The greatest combination is kids imaginations and dads.  I think God made dads because they are so good at playing with our kids.  I know sometimes we joke about our husbands being like kids so you should use this to your advantage, God made them like this for a reason.  Did you know research says that dads work different groups of muscles in our babies/toddlers than mothers do?  All that bouncing and throwing them up in the air that we stress over actually helps strengthen their large muscle groups, whereas moms are protective and so are building the smaller muscle groups.  Anyways around here dad always can come up with fun things to do spontaneously, whereas I have to read a book and plan it out ahead of time.   And recently he has begun reading them their Bible stories before bed and then having them act out the stories.  It’s a great way to get them into the story without constantly trying to get them to sit still and listen.  And it helps reinforce the story and can help them remember it.  And once again they are having fun and using those imaginations.

Along the way driving to your destination you should think of the drive as part of the trip.  I know we are trying to get there as quick as possible so we can get out of the car and start the fun.  But we should try to make it part of the fun and enjoy it along the way, make a memory or two.  In order to try and do this and keep our sanity I pack things for even our stops along the way.  We try to stop every hour and a half to two hours to get gas, food, potty break, and most important let the kids run around.

If you are stopped at a basic rest stop there are simple ways to have fun.  I keep chalk, bubbles, and punching balloons in my glove box at all times.  (You never know when your car might break down with kids in the car)  All these items are small and portable.  Kids love to draw and if you can get them to play hop scotch, or act out a story.  My girls love to act out Jonah, by drawing a boat, a whale, dry land, and Ninevah, then jump from the boat to the whale, to dry land, to Ninevah, and over and over again.  It’s a simple way to teach them Bible stories and use their imaginations while stretching those legs, just use your imagination.  Bubbles, who doesn’t like bubbles?  Kids love to blow them, kids looove to chase them and try to catch them.  I even keep a small bottle in my purse for those moments in a long line when you need a distraction.  And punching balloons can be blown up, played with, deflated, re-blown up, etc.  I’ve also packed jump ropes and very basic kites.

When plotting our route I will also look for parks we could stop and take a short hike.  Once we stopped and took a 20 minute hike into a park to see a pair of beautiful waterfalls.  And I will also check out McDonalds website to search for where the ones with play areas are along our path.  That way we can plan on stopping at those spots for lunch or dinner and let the kids run free.  Usually we’ll eat our meal while the kids play, and then when it’s time to leave we’ll go buy the kids their meals and let them eat in the car.

We’ve all done it at some point wheither it was an hour and a half trip or a three day drive and have had to deal with the pinned in kids that have a case of the squirmies.  In an effort to entertain the kids along the way we have tried various strategies.  One is that while in the car I have prepacked goody bags for each hour of the drive.  In it will be various things, usually one small toy, a craft, and a snack or treat.  I will label them with the child’s name so that the toy will age appropriate, and number them so that the kids are getting the same things at the same times, and so that if the bags have things that build on each other they will get them in the right order.  Most toys come from either the dollar store, clearance sales after holidays, party favors from the party store, or things I pick up at garage sales and sock away for trips.  Things like small etch a sketchs I got after Easter because they are egg shaped, kids don’t care it’s new toy on a looong trip.  Craft things can be found at Michaels, Joanns, and AC Moore for a $1 or less that will have pictures to color, markers, and stickers all in one easy to pack package.  Or make necklaces or sticker books, or just a sheet of stickers in each bag to stretch them out.  And window clings are fun if they can reach the windows.

In addition to that I take a box books with us that they haven’t read in a while, although you may have to dole them out yourself, the first time we did this we put in on the seat between them but they kept fighting because they both wanted the same books since they were “new to them”.  Library books sales are a great way to get new books for a trip.  Go the last day of their sales when they have their bag sale where you typically pay $1-3 a bag you can fill full of books.  I did this with the idea that if we needed to leave them at our destination it wouldn’t be a big deal since I only paid $2 for them.  And I also pack a box of bigger toys they’ve never played with before.  Things like magnetic scenes with people with clothes you can dress them in, like paperdolls but magnetic.  Or I found a flannel board with a zipper bag full of dolls, clothes and wigs to play with.  Also paint with water books, with prewet Q-tips in a zipper bag, extra sticker books, coloring books, and clip boards to make it easier to color and draw in the car.  I’ve also found books that are like the old Where’s Waldo books but are made for preschoolers so they are easier and have pictures of the various items to look for, they are called “Look and Find” and come in all kinds of characters from Princesses to Cars.  And of we finally got the new standard, portable DVD players for the car which work wonders.  These we usually stash away until we have been on the road for a couple hours, usually after the first pit stop.  That way we’ve gotten to the point where the excitement has worn off a bit and they are just beginning to get bored.

Libraries can be a great resource for road trips.  You can borrow DVDS that your kids haven’t seen before, and you are allowed up to 25! on the monroe county system, usually there is a limit of 4 or 5 per library though.  You can check them out for a week and they cost $1 a day in late fees.  Also I know that the Penfield library has leappad books in quantity that you can check out, with no quantity limits.  And of course you can take lots of books with you, which you can ask to have an extended due date for up to six weeks from check out date.  They also have audio books for kids and adults which you can borrow.

Other ideas is signing up for blockbuster or netflick and take those dvds with you, no late fees here and you can stick them in the mail while you are out so you don’t have to worry about where that video went.  If you have  blockbuster ones you can trade them in at a local store for other movies.  Or you can check out Red Box dvds.  They rent movies for $1 a day, you can keep them as long as you like they just keep charging you $1 for every 24 hours.  Around Rochester they are just inside Wegmans, they are a big vending machine which accepts credit cards and you can pick from a large selection of the newest videos.  When we were in vacation they had them in McDonalds restaurants in Houston.

I just read that Disney World is going to offer a free ticket to you if you visit on your birthday during 2009.  It has to be on your birthday and you have to bring an ID that shows your date of birth.  You can check out more details at Disney.  This offer is valid for either park in Florida or California, so if you were thinking about a visit to Disney with your kids next year this could a great deal.

Amazon.com is offering $20 off a purchase of $49 or more of Kelloggs products.  If you combine that with their super saver FREE shipping it is a fantastic deal.  We used to do this with our diapers when they offered this kind of deal on Pampers or Luvs.  I always wondered what the poor UPS man thought when he’d deliver 3 or 4 boxes of 150+ct diapers.  That combined with our crazy assortment of strollers he must have thought we had at least triplets!  Anyways back to the topic at hand, they have over 400 items included in this offer.  To check it out click here.

WeePeats Children’s Consignment Event at the Dome Arena on Calkins Rd in Henrietta.  September 27 & 28 $3 admission, ages 18 & up.  They sell anything and everything for kids! Saturday from 9am-6pm and Sunday is 50% off sale from 10am-2pm.  Quality, like-new kids stuff at 70% off retail.  Toys, baby equipment, books, DVDs, clothes-newborn~junior sizes.  If you find their ad in the Shopping Bag and bring it with you you’ll receive  $1 off admission.

And the Ronald McDonald House Charities annual garage sale is in October.  This is the biggest sale in our area hands down!  I stumbled across it a number of years ago and now eagerly look forward to it each fall.  This year it will be in the former Dick’s Sporting goods store across from Walmart in Henrietta, and they will fill that whole place up completely!  I will donate stuff so I can get tickets to their Donors on sale on Wednesday night from 6-8pm, there will be people in a line wrapping the building, it looks like the morning after Thanksgiving! Then I go back Saturday morning for the 50% off sale to scope out what is left before going out to wait for the $5 bag sale that starts at 12:30pm.  I used to go with my family when I was pregnant and my mom and I would fill bags and my dad would take them to pay for them.  It was a crazy family event.  I pick up kids clothes and shoes and store them in boxes marked by sizes in our shed for the future.  Toys, of course, books, craft supplies, videos, if you want it they have it, and of course those things you didn’t know you were looking for ;P

When is this great sale you ask?  The donor sale is October 22 from 6-8pm, Thursday Oct 23 10am-8pm, Friday is 20% off from 10am-6pm, Saturday from 10am-12:30pm is 50% and they close and reopen for the $5 bag sale from 1-3pm.(the bags are BIG ones)  They do accept credit cards if the purchase is above $20.  If you are interested in donating check their website for dates and times.  In return you will receive 2 tickets to the donor sale.

Bank of America is offering free admission to over 70 museums on the first weekend of every month all year long with your Bank of America card.  It runs through April 2009.  Wheither you are lucky enough to live in one of these cities or you are planning on vacationing in one it’s a great deal worth taking advantage of.

I have changed the way I cook since having kids.  I was fortunate enough to have a lady speak at my MOPS group a couple years ago and it was simple, practical, but revolutionary for me.  Some it I had done before having kids but had stopped in that fogged haze called breast feeding.  But after hearing her share I realized how much I needed to do these simple steps because too often I stood staring at the freezer wondering what lump of meat I should thaw for dinner that night and then what do I do with it.

So to begin with I made a list of all the dishes both my husband and I like to eat, and I don’t mind cooking.  Then I began making a monthly schedule of what we would make for dinner each night.  This helps in a couple ways, I know exactly what to thaw for dinner that night and what I need to do with it.  And it helps with grocery shopping because I can use it to make my list and not be stuck in that situation where I’m making something and realize I’m missing that important ingredient.  I now keep a calendar on the front of the fridge with our meals on it and I keep a copy in my coupon file so I have it at the store with me in case I need to reference it.  I would make Saturdays experiment night to try out those recipes I’d torn out of a magazine and that way if it turned out to be more work than it looked like my husband would be able to wrangle the kids while I’m cooking, or if it turned out gross I could quickly whip something else up.  And Sunday nights is breakfast foods night, it’s not fair that my husband gets to just sit around all day and I have to cook, so in an effort to be relaxed on the weekend I serve either eggs, waffles, pancakes, or french toast.  Quick, easy, and everyone likes it.  And since I never make breakfast it’s the only time we’d get those great comfort foods.

Meal planning can also save you money because you won’t buy random things thinking you’ll use it one day and then dig through your fridge and find things you have to throw out.  And it saves lots of time.  Tonight I was working on what she calls Plannedovers.  Instead of leftovers you plan on making more than you need and freeze extra meals for the future.  Like this evening I made 4xs the empanada filling I need for this week, so I will have what I need for this week and 3 more for future weeks.  It saves time because I only have to cook it once, in one pan, only clean once, and those future weeks all I have to do is thaw it and reheat.  So now with all our favorite stews, chili, lasagna, etc I make 4xs what I need to save time and energy.  There’s no greater feeling than pulling a meal out in the morning and know all you have to do is thaw and reheat your evening meal.

I also do this with our favorite marinade recipes, since you already have the ingredients out already I will make multiples and freeze them for when I need them.  I mix them up in slideloc bags, write what they are on the bag and any directions like bake for 30min at 350.  Then that morning I can pull the correct bag out, pop my frozen chicken in the bag, and leave it on the counter to thaw.  Throughout the day I will flip the bag around to make sure all sides are well marinated, then I will line my cookie sheet with foil and bake with easy clean up.  If you tend to forget to thaw in the rush in the morning you could pull your foods the night before and thaw them in the fridge, that way it’s one less thing to think about in the morning.

I tend to do quick easy meals that take less than 30mins from start to finish.  I like the frozen Tyson chicken breasts that I can get at Sams or BJs, the are the right size and all I have to do is pop them in my marinade bag and thaw.  Chicken can be one of the easiest meals I make because I pop it in the oven for 30-40min or grill it.  And microwave potatoes or bake biscuits, bagged salad with toppings of our choosing and bam dinners done.  I can go about other things and come back for the last 10min to put the salad and potatoes together and set out dishes.

While I was at Strong’s Museum of Play on Friday with the girls I remembered an idea a friend had suggested for an indoor sandbox for in the winter, and pretty soon I was scribbling down ideas on a flier so I wouldn’t forget the various ideas by the time I have to sit and write.  If you have never been to Strong’s they have two “sandboxes” that instead of sand have these tiny plastic pellet things.  They do sell them in the gift shop if you like, but for a fraction of the cost you can pick up a big bag or two of rice which you can put in a kiddie pool or in one of those plastic boxes that have a lid and can slide under a bed for storage.  Of course there will be the stray grain of rice or two ;P  but the time they’ll spend playing with it will make up for the simple vacuuming afterwards.  Or you can buy dried beans like our preschool does for variety of color and shapes.  And remember unlike a sandbox the rice won’t coat your kid.  Also dried beans are great for making mosaic type pictures, just glue them on your paper in designs or make pictures out of them.

I always find it funny how much fun my girls find it to cut paper.  I was reminded of this while watching Mikayla at the crown making station just cutting piece after piece of curling ribbon.  Katrina used to sit in my lap with a piece of paper and just cut it to tiny pieces.  I would hold it for her while she cut it.  It was good practice for her and since I was sitting with her she wouldn’t get hurt and the mess was limited.  If you let them cut up curling ribbon you can then save it for future art projects too.  And that reminds me that you should save that colored tissue paper that comes in your gift bags.  There are all kids of projects you can make out of them.  One of the easiest is to cut them up and let your kids glue them on paper.  Or they can scrunch them up into balls and glue them onto paper into shapes.

And of course everywhere you turn at Strong’s there is the opportunity to dress up as something.  I have found that one of the best things for toddlers and preschoolers to dress up with is hats.  Especially when they are toddlers and most dress up clothes are way to long for them.  So I would pick up crazy hats, shirts, gloves, scarves, and lots of necklaces and bracelets.  You can find great scarves at the end of winter on clearance.  Thrift stores and garage sales are great for finding hats and jewelry for very inexpensive.  Last year I was able to pick up a Bob the Builder, Larryboy, and bunny costume at a garage sale bag sale, where I was able to shove as much stuff as I wanted in a bag for $5.  At first I had looked at them and thought I didn’t need them because the girls wouldn’t want to be those for halloween, but after thinking about it I remembered that we needed boy costumes too because when their friends come over they can’t all be princesses.  And of course halloween costumes make great dress up clothes, make sure to check out the clearance racks after halloween for great deals.  Buy them big so they will be able to fit them for a few years to get the most for your money.  Another friend told me she would buy old velvet skirts for her boys to make capes for superhereos, she would just cut the one seam and then they can clip them on and off they go to save the day.  Kids just love to dress up, once you start thinking about it I’m sure you’ll come up with all kinds of great ideas.  And remember kids are only kids once, I’ve been know to take bunnies to the grocery store.  You may feel silly but the kids love it and everyone thinks it’s cute, and if your kids are happy then you are happy everybody wins.

Well while I’m already recommending you sign up for memberships in the vein of saving money I’ll tell you about this deal that I received in the mail yesterday.  The Rochester Museum and Science Center is offering if you sign up by the end of January 2009 you can save $10 on your membership(new ones only)  and if you are already a member you can sign up to have your yearly membership automatically renewed by credit card and they will take 10% off the annual fee.  That would mean that if you are a new member signing up for a family membership you will only pay $69 for the year which will allow your and your husband and ALL your kids in for free unlimited admissions to the Museum and Science Center, all the Giant-screen films, Strasenburgh Planetarium star shows, Cummings Nature Center, and over 250 other science museums.  Also you will receive a $5 discount on all RMSC adult and youth classes and 10% off all purchases at the gift shop.  And part of your membership may be tax deductible.

When you compare that to admission prices of $9 for adults and $7 for kids 3-18 yrs old.  You can see how after only 2 visits you will break even, or if you were going to add a planetarium show to that perhaps in one vist depending on how many of you there are.

My kids love going to the Science Center.  There are lots of fun hands on activities for kids of all ages to play with wheither they like science or not.  It’s a great way to sneak in a little learning while having fun and getting out of the house, and it’s a great refuge in the winter weather.  A couple of the kids favorite things to do there is the water and sand table.  It’s this raised metal table just full of sand and sand toys with various spickets to run water through it so you can create rivers and moats and ponds to your hearts content.  And they have these water proof type vests for the kids to put on over their clothes, and there is a handwashing station right there to clean up when you are finished.  Katrina loves the climbing structure they have which goes up from the first floor up to a second floor loft where they can play and then come down the stairs to where you are waiting.  I personally don’t like the way they can be out of your sight even though I know there is no other way out for them and the room at the top has a clear glass wall so you can see in, but you can’t see in the stairwell unless you are in there waiting, but with two kids… And one of their other favorites and mine is the dinosuar dig.  It is supposed to be a replication of what a real dig would be like.  The kids have to wear goggles(they look hysterical which is why I love it) and they are given brushes to discover bones buried in dirt(looks like kitty litter).  The girls love it and is definitely their favorite thing to do since they both love dinosuars.  (I recommend wearing sneakers because with sandals the kids keep wanting me to empty the rocks out over and over and over)  We usually only go for 1-1 1/2 hrs and we rarely make it off the first floor because they love playing with the things there so much!  There is a lot more to discover upstairs too.  We have made it to the Mezzanine level which has a great room for those of the younger set.  The room has all kids of hands on exhibits about electricity but also has an area dedicated to KNex which you can build with and purchase your creation if you wish when you are finished or you can just put it all back if you like.  That way you can play with KNex without having to purchase them for home, or see if your kids like them enough to buy for home or not ;P  Or if your kids are younger like mine they have giant sized tinker toys and various other building toys to place with.