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This Past Week I…

…went on a field trip to a pumpkin patch with Peanut and kept my three little Kindergarten charges safe and in line:) Took a legitimate nap afterward.
…carved pumpkins and roasted pumpkin seeds (I share with no one) with my family. Dremels are the best way to carve pumpkins ever!
…hosted my weekly Bible study in my home, after burning my nostrils with bleach and bathroom cleaner.
…dreamed of all the people we could have over for dinner now because our house is clean! Any takers?
…took Peanut on a Starbucks coffee/hot chocolate date because he was such a big helper with the cleaning. He cleaned the windows and did the dishes without being asked, without even the remote suggestion that he should help! Such a sweet boy.
…enjoyed my very first Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. Why have I waited so long? Must.find.recipe to make this at home myself. Perhaps this one…
…had a cookout at a family friend’s house, complete with backyard S’mores.
…had a huge family lunch with family that were visiting from Texas.
…acquired a brand-new roof in just one day. We had some serious issues that literally kept me up at night. *Sigh of relief.
…pushed through weeks 9 and 10 of the LiveFit Trainer.
…completed one entire portion of an e-book I’m hoping to launch in the near future.
…finished up a freelance writing job and a pro bono writing job that I took on.
…soaked up some really amazing content until I started to feel overwhelmed with inspiration!
…acquired some supplies for a brand-new fitness DIY project that I’ll be sharing soon on here. Giddy, giddy!
…received a body fat caliper I ordered in the mail. I’m totally geeking out on this nerdy fitness tool.

How have you been involved in your week?

How to Turn Travel Into a Learning Opportunity

No kid wants to go on a trip thinking they’re going to be schooled, right? I mean, c’mon, vacation means vacation from school right? Sure, but that doesn’t mean you can’t sneak a little bit of education in here and there. It’s so beneficial for those emerging brains to have such special opportunities to expand and develop. Our family went on several trips this year that were barely out of state, but our son’s teacher told us how lucky that makes our son. Trips expand their vocabularies, senses of geography, world experiences, and so much more than I’m even aware of. Hey, and we weren’t even trying!

I do, however, make a concerted effort to explain things to Peanut whenever he shows interest. When I started thinking about how our trips were great learning opportunities, I saw the lessons everywhere. I hope you too can use some of these tips for turning your next family trip into a learning experience extraordinaire!

1. Gym/Health Class

We did so much walking on our Mackinac Island trip, it’s incredible. The terrain was pretty varied too, so we had to huff and puff up and run down some steep hills. Peanut even went on a “run” with me one morning down a paved trail in Mackinaw City. Without even trying to, we are giving Peanut some Health education that is going to last his whole life. I’ve said it before on here, but Peanut will never have to seek out fitness later in life because we’ve always made it a natural part of life from the get-go. I think taking walking tours of the cities you visit is one of the best ways to turn a trip into health education. Or go swimming in your hotel’s pool, scout out local trails, rent kayaks, or participate in other active things. And if you like to pack your own food like we do, get your kids used to healthy foods.

Me and Peanut’s running route
Pretty Rainbow of Rental kayaks

2. Geography

Every trip ever is a great Geography lesson. Get out those maps and plot those points. By talking about the Great Lakes in Mackinaw City and looking at maps for The Museum of Science and Industry, we were helping our Peanut get a gauge for his world. Peanut already is showing some strong spatial intelligence–when he was two, he would point out places in different cities that we had only been to once! Since this is an advantage for him, I think the best thing we can do is build upon that skill. Use topography maps when you’re hiking and have your kids try to help you navigate your driving routes. Take a geocaching trip and let your kids help with the coordinates–there are caches everywhere! If you’re flying, get out those atlases and explain the trip to your children. Explain the geological aspects of the location while you’re at it. Limestone bluffs? It’s worth a chat.

3. Nature Studies

On our field trip last year, we had quite the tour guide for nature studies. We found owl pellets and bones and downed trees and all kinds of fantastic natural occurrences. In Mackinaw City, Peanut and I had a good chat about the structure and function of anthills. We are an outdoorsy kind of family anyhow (if you couldn’t tell), so we get excited to teach about birds, leaves, weather, food chains and on and on.

Giant hollow tree

Fungus
Wild turkey vulture
Amazing display of the life cycle of a butterfly at the Butterfly Museum

Just take a walk through a local nature preserve–or even a park! Go without any sort of agenda and you’re guaranteed to find teaching opportunities out there if you’re looking. Explain how turtles live, look at animal prints in the dirt, point out animal trails in the brush, and try to identify butterflies. Almost anything you can think of is a prime opportunity for teaching. If you don’t know much about those types of things, look them up! I had to do a little research on anthills before I could effectively explain them too.

duck eggs
A perfect nest found at a park near our house

Deer tracks near Crivitz

4. History

Almost everywhere you travel, you’ll find historical sites or markers that present great learning opportunities. We visited Heritage Village and several lighthouses near Mackinaw City. Just explaining the history of the lighthouses and one-room schoolhouses to Peanut was so thrilling. I vividly remember visiting my first one-room schoolhouse as a child, so I know that these types of experiences can have a lasting effect.

Morse Code Chart

Mackinac Island Memorial
Lighthouse Museum
Wigwam

5. Math

A kindergarten’s sense of math is much different than an 8th graders, however I think there are opportunities everywhere to teach them both. Peanut’s math involves shapes and counting. We play counting games when we’re in the car for long rides. We try to find every number from 1 to 9 on all the different signs we pass. We count deer we see in pastures, we try to find A/B patterns in artwork, we try to discuss time and things like that. An older child would learn well from trying to help the family organize a trip budget, estimate restaurant bills to the closest dollar, determine expected trip miles, or keep tabs on their own spending money.


Look at all those shapes to identify and things to count!

6. Cultural Studies

We had a really good time reading through the book about how people live on Mackinac Island year-round and how they get materials to build anything on the island. No vehicles are allowed on the island, so we learned that their garbage collection and delivery services are even done via horse and carriage. Many places you travel have opportunities to study different cultures, past or present, if you just pay attention. Sometimes the food offered where you are is an opportunity for cultural expansion. I mean, we learned all about mining culture when we were introduced to pasties.

7. Science

Some science is incorporated into the other subjects listed above. We had a few experiences this summer that were specifically science-related, such as at the Museum of Science and Industry. Their interactive family center is beyond adequate for a science lesson or 600! We explored weather, fires, gravity, light reflection, the color spectrum and human biology (dissecting eyeballs!!!) among so many other things. We also have EAA museum passes where we can explore easy physics principles and airplane dynamics. Just exploring the weather, water tides, moon phases, and animal habitats can expand your kids’ universes by the second. I fully intend for our annual Perseid picnic to get more and more in depth with astronomy as is appropriate for Peanut’s age.

Static Electricity
Full moon over a low tide
Insect museum
Sea Otter Habitat
8. Music
I just couldn’t resist this mini $20 guitar on our trip to Door County this spring. The kid gave me the most heart wrenching little doe eyes. Well, I put down a $20 and called it a great learning experience. He played us his own made-up songs around the campfire, which was perfect. Although he’s a little young to get the hang of playing the six-string yet (I tried!), we still bang out tunes, memorize verses and tap out rhythms with the best of them. In Kindergarten, the kids are learning the whole ta-ta-tee-tee-ta rhythm in music class. We can easily supplement his education at home or on the road by tapping out rhythms on our laps, learning a new Elvis song, or playing his Vacation Bible School CD over and over again, complete with all the hand gestures.
Wow, even just writing this post has gotten me excited! I hadn’t even thought of all these potential learning experiences until I started writing about them. I can’t wait to see what our next trip holds. We’re planning a short weekend getaway for Hubster’s birthday in November and I’m dreaming up a Wisconsin bird scavenger hunt in my head. I think Peanut will be thrilled to learn the names of some of his favorite birdies (and so will his mom:). 
I really love how all of these “lessons” are unlike those units in school that you just knew you would never use again in real life. These are real-life lessons that will carry on long throughout your children’s lives. Whether you’re hanging out in your own backyard or hightailing it across the country, think about ways you can turn your trips into learning experiences for your children. You might just learn a thing or two too yourself! And the lasting memories are beyond value!
What are some of the ways that you sneak a little teaching into your travels?

How to Turn Travel Into a Learning Opportunity

No kid wants to go on a trip thinking they’re going to be schooled, right? I mean, c’mon, vacation means vacation from school right? Sure, but that doesn’t mean you can’t sneak a little bit of education in here and there. It’s so beneficial for those emerging brains to have such special opportunities to expand and develop. Our family went on several trips this year that were barely out of state, but our son’s teacher told us how lucky that makes our son. Trips expand their vocabularies, senses of geography, world experiences, and so much more than I’m even aware of. Hey, and we weren’t even trying!

I do, however, make a concerted effort to explain things to Peanut whenever he shows interest. When I started thinking about how our trips were great learning opportunities, I saw the lessons everywhere. I hope you too can use some of these tips for turning your next family trip into a learning experience extraordinaire!

1. Gym/Health Class

We did so much walking on our Mackinac Island trip, it’s incredible. The terrain was pretty varied too, so we had to huff and puff up and run down some steep hills. Peanut even went on a “run” with me one morning down a paved trail in Mackinaw City. Without even trying to, we are giving Peanut some Health education that is going to last his whole life. I’ve said it before on here, but Peanut will never have to seek out fitness later in life because we’ve always made it a natural part of life from the get-go. I think taking walking tours of the cities you visit is one of the best ways to turn a trip into health education. Or go swimming in your hotel’s pool, scout out local trails, rent kayaks, or participate in other active things. And if you like to pack your own food like we do, get your kids used to healthy foods.

Me and Peanut’s running route
Pretty Rainbow of Rental kayaks

2. Geography

Every trip ever is a great Geography lesson. Get out those maps and plot those points. By talking about the Great Lakes in Mackinaw City and looking at maps for The Museum of Science and Industry, we were helping our Peanut get a gauge for his world. Peanut already is showing some strong spatial intelligence–when he was two, he would point out places in different cities that we had only been to once! Since this is an advantage for him, I think the best thing we can do is build upon that skill. Use topography maps when you’re hiking and have your kids try to help you navigate your driving routes. Take a geocaching trip and let your kids help with the coordinates–there are caches everywhere! If you’re flying, get out those atlases and explain the trip to your children. Explain the geological aspects of the location while you’re at it. Limestone bluffs? It’s worth a chat.

3. Nature Studies

On our field trip last year, we had quite the tour guide for nature studies. We found owl pellets and bones and downed trees and all kinds of fantastic natural occurrences. In Mackinaw City, Peanut and I had a good chat about the structure and function of anthills. We are an outdoorsy kind of family anyhow (if you couldn’t tell), so we get excited to teach about birds, leaves, weather, food chains and on and on.

Giant hollow tree

Fungus
Wild turkey vulture
Amazing display of the life cycle of a butterfly at the Butterfly Museum

Just take a walk through a local nature preserve–or even a park! Go without any sort of agenda and you’re guaranteed to find teaching opportunities out there if you’re looking. Explain how turtles live, look at animal prints in the dirt, point out animal trails in the brush, and try to identify butterflies. Almost anything you can think of is a prime opportunity for teaching. If you don’t know much about those types of things, look them up! I had to do a little research on anthills before I could effectively explain them too.

duck eggs
A perfect nest found at a park near our house

Deer tracks near Crivitz

4. History

Almost everywhere you travel, you’ll find historical sites or markers that present great learning opportunities. We visited Heritage Village and several lighthouses near Mackinaw City. Just explaining the history of the lighthouses and one-room schoolhouses to Peanut was so thrilling. I vividly remember visiting my first one-room schoolhouse as a child, so I know that these types of experiences can have a lasting effect.

Morse Code Chart

Mackinac Island Memorial
Lighthouse Museum
Wigwam

5. Math

A kindergarten’s sense of math is much different than an 8th graders, however I think there are opportunities everywhere to teach them both. Peanut’s math involves shapes and counting. We play counting games when we’re in the car for long rides. We try to find every number from 1 to 9 on all the different signs we pass. We count deer we see in pastures, we try to find A/B patterns in artwork, we try to discuss time and things like that. An older child would learn well from trying to help the family organize a trip budget, estimate restaurant bills to the closest dollar, determine expected trip miles, or keep tabs on their own spending money.


Look at all those shapes to identify and things to count!

6. Cultural Studies

We had a really good time reading through the book about how people live on Mackinac Island year-round and how they get materials to build anything on the island. No vehicles are allowed on the island, so we learned that their garbage collection and delivery services are even done via horse and carriage. Many places you travel have opportunities to study different cultures, past or present, if you just pay attention. Sometimes the food offered where you are is an opportunity for cultural expansion. I mean, we learned all about mining culture when we were introduced to pasties.

7. Science

Some science is incorporated into the other subjects listed above. We had a few experiences this summer that were specifically science-related, such as at the Museum of Science and Industry. Their interactive family center is beyond adequate for a science lesson or 600! We explored weather, fires, gravity, light reflection, the color spectrum and human biology (dissecting eyeballs!!!) among so many other things. We also have EAA museum passes where we can explore easy physics principles and airplane dynamics. Just exploring the weather, water tides, moon phases, and animal habitats can expand your kids’ universes by the second. I fully intend for our annual Perseid picnic to get more and more in depth with astronomy as is appropriate for Peanut’s age.

Static Electricity
Full moon over a low tide
Insect museum
Sea Otter Habitat
8. Music
I just couldn’t resist this mini $20 guitar on our trip to Door County this spring. The kid gave me the most heart wrenching little doe eyes. Well, I put down a $20 and called it a great learning experience. He played us his own made-up songs around the campfire, which was perfect. Although he’s a little young to get the hang of playing the six-string yet (I tried!), we still bang out tunes, memorize verses and tap out rhythms with the best of them. In Kindergarten, the kids are learning the whole ta-ta-tee-tee-ta rhythm in music class. We can easily supplement his education at home or on the road by tapping out rhythms on our laps, learning a new Elvis song, or playing his Vacation Bible School CD over and over again, complete with all the hand gestures.
Wow, even just writing this post has gotten me excited! I hadn’t even thought of all these potential learning experiences until I started writing about them. I can’t wait to see what our next trip holds. We’re planning a short weekend getaway for Hubster’s birthday in November and I’m dreaming up a Wisconsin bird scavenger hunt in my head. I think Peanut will be thrilled to learn the names of some of his favorite birdies (and so will his mom:). 
I really love how all of these “lessons” are unlike those units in school that you just knew you would never use again in real life. These are real-life lessons that will carry on long throughout your children’s lives. Whether you’re hanging out in your own backyard or hightailing it across the country, think about ways you can turn your trips into learning experiences for your children. You might just learn a thing or two too yourself! And the lasting memories are beyond value!
What are some of the ways that you sneak a little teaching into your travels?

My Second Ever Quilt

I never thought I wanted to tackle a quilt. However, after my first experience, I started gathering supplies for two more quilts before I was even finished binding up the first one.

This second ever quilt of mine is made with a vintage flower theme, mostly pinks and greens. I chose a fleece blanket for the lining instead of batting due to cost. I actually paid less for an actual fleece blanket than for as much batting as I would’ve needed, and I figured it would be really warm. See, Hubster doesn’t mind the pinks as long as the blanket is warm. Win-win, people!

The backside is a queen-sized bed sheet I found at the thrift store.

The quilted side is made with squares of fabric mostly from the clearance section at JoAnn’s and Walmart, cuz that’s how I roll.

Quilt top/fleece blanket/bed sheet
My grandma, the very person who taught me to sew, was very tickled when she saw my project one night when she came over for dinner. I just told her to not look so closely at the seams. I’m a total mess when it comes to sewing perfectly straight and all professional-like.
Peanut’s quilt is up next. His will be much more masculine, with fabric from several men’s 3XL flannel shirts and remnants I found at the thrift store. The back will be a cuddly soft deer-themed fleece blanket that he just fell in love with. It’s maybe a little too country for my taste, but it’s not my tastes that matter when it comes to him.

While I was all motivated and stuff to sew, I also whipped up some other projects that I’ve been thinking about for awhile. You see, Peanut has two Build A Bear animals that needed some more wardrobe items to choose from, particularly pajamas. So, I found a few tutorials online and took Peanut to the fabric store to pick out his own fabric. He liked the sailor anchor theme for the pajamas and the checkered racing fleece for the sleeping bags.

Tiger and Mr. Fluffy

There’s even a cutout for the tails! Be careful with the
tutorial though. The way you’ll be sewing the shorts isn’t 
quite what one might expect.

Roll-up sleeping bags, aren’t these the cutest?

Sometimes I just really get on a roll with my sewing. I mentioned before that my Environment, particularly my home, is one of my biggest priorities in life (after God, family, that sort of thing). Home is the most important place on earth. I strive to do things that improve upon the comfort, serenity and security we feel at home. I tell ya, that quilt of mine is sure doing a number on my love for our bedroom. I just smile every day when I see it. Next up, I’ve been working on framing some pictures for behind our bed and DIY-ing a new jewelry shelf. You’ll see…

What projects have you been working lately?

My Second Ever Quilt

I never thought I wanted to tackle a quilt. However, after my first experience, I started gathering supplies for two more quilts before I was even finished binding up the first one.

This second ever quilt of mine is made with a vintage flower theme, mostly pinks and greens. I chose a fleece blanket for the lining instead of batting due to cost. I actually paid less for an actual fleece blanket than for as much batting as I would’ve needed, and I figured it would be really warm. See, Hubster doesn’t mind the pinks as long as the blanket is warm. Win-win, people!

The backside is a queen-sized bed sheet I found at the thrift store.

The quilted side is made with squares of fabric mostly from the clearance section at JoAnn’s and Walmart, cuz that’s how I roll.

Quilt top/fleece blanket/bed sheet
My grandma, the very person who taught me to sew, was very tickled when she saw my project one night when she came over for dinner. I just told her to not look so closely at the seams. I’m a total mess when it comes to sewing perfectly straight and all professional-like.
Peanut’s quilt is up next. His will be much more masculine, with fabric from several men’s 3XL flannel shirts and remnants I found at the thrift store. The back will be a cuddly soft deer-themed fleece blanket that he just fell in love with. It’s maybe a little too country for my taste, but it’s not my tastes that matter when it comes to him.

While I was all motivated and stuff to sew, I also whipped up some other projects that I’ve been thinking about for awhile. You see, Peanut has two Build A Bear animals that needed some more wardrobe items to choose from, particularly pajamas. So, I found a few tutorials online and took Peanut to the fabric store to pick out his own fabric. He liked the sailor anchor theme for the pajamas and the checkered racing fleece for the sleeping bags.

Tiger and Mr. Fluffy

There’s even a cutout for the tails! Be careful with the
tutorial though. The way you’ll be sewing the shorts isn’t 
quite what one might expect.

Roll-up sleeping bags, aren’t these the cutest?

Sometimes I just really get on a roll with my sewing. I mentioned before that my Environment, particularly my home, is one of my biggest priorities in life (after God, family, that sort of thing). Home is the most important place on earth. I strive to do things that improve upon the comfort, serenity and security we feel at home. I tell ya, that quilt of mine is sure doing a number on my love for our bedroom. I just smile every day when I see it. Next up, I’ve been working on framing some pictures for behind our bed and DIY-ing a new jewelry shelf. You’ll see…

What projects have you been working lately?

Better Than Gold

Last night, as I pulled into the driveway, Hubster was pushing our bikes through the gate to go get air in the tires. He didn’t tell me where we were going, he just loaded our bikes into the truck and whisked us away.

Hey, who am I to argue with a man who suddenly wants to do something active and spend some family time together doing it? Not me! I just kept wishing I knew where we were going. All those to-do lists I was talking about were bubbling around in my brain. Not that I didn’t want to go…I just wanted to know where and for how long…Ok, I admit, I just wanted to be in control a little bit.

We pulled into one of Hubster’s local hunting haunts and unloaded the bikes. The pretty nature trail leading out of the driveway was gravel. The sky was a threatening gray. But what an amazing ride! In the first stretch, we were greeted by dozens of frogs jumping across the trail. I even saw a snake slither into the marshy grass at one point!

A little farther down, we rode out onto a breaker wall. I didn’t realize that the wall was even there, let alone that it did a huge loop through the lake and ended back at the parking lot. Amazing! We took a bike ride along this fabulous breaker wall, watching the sea gulls, ducks and carp do their thang. We even stopped at the pass-through gate for boats and watched the fish for awhile.

Once we got back to the truck, it finally started raining. As we were leaving, Peanut said “there’s a deer!” He was pointing at a statue in someone’s front yard. In the very next yard, I shouted out “no, there’s a deer!” A real deer! One that was moving! We had a good little chuckle at that little coincidence.

I just marvel sometimes at how a simple little trip like this could turn into a full memorable event. We took one simple weeknight, a night that we easily could have dedicated to vegging in front of the tube or cleaning yet another mess and we tried something different. And it didn’t cost anything. And it was so perfect.

I mean, we saw dozens of frogs, a snake, hundreds of ducks and other birds, jumping fish, wild turkeys and a deer. And we biked through the middle of a lake. All in one little weeknight. Wow!

Seriously, some things really are better than gold.


Beautiful views

And learning opportunities. We went on a little bone hunt
and talked about what animals they might be from.
Obvs this one is from a crawfish

A little island. Hubster says it holds an aviary hatchery.

Make me a promise, and do something a little bit different tonight.
What are your favorite on-a-whim memories?

Better Than Gold

Last night, as I pulled into the driveway, Hubster was pushing our bikes through the gate to go get air in the tires. He didn’t tell me where we were going, he just loaded our bikes into the truck and whisked us away.

Hey, who am I to argue with a man who suddenly wants to do something active and spend some family time together doing it? Not me! I just kept wishing I knew where we were going. All those to-do lists I was talking about were bubbling around in my brain. Not that I didn’t want to go…I just wanted to know where and for how long…Ok, I admit, I just wanted to be in control a little bit.

We pulled into one of Hubster’s local hunting haunts and unloaded the bikes. The pretty nature trail leading out of the driveway was gravel. The sky was a threatening gray. But what an amazing ride! In the first stretch, we were greeted by dozens of frogs jumping across the trail. I even saw a snake slither into the marshy grass at one point!

A little farther down, we rode out onto a breaker wall. I didn’t realize that the wall was even there, let alone that it did a huge loop through the lake and ended back at the parking lot. Amazing! We took a bike ride along this fabulous breaker wall, watching the sea gulls, ducks and carp do their thang. We even stopped at the pass-through gate for boats and watched the fish for awhile.

Once we got back to the truck, it finally started raining. As we were leaving, Peanut said “there’s a deer!” He was pointing at a statue in someone’s front yard. In the very next yard, I shouted out “no, there’s a deer!” A real deer! One that was moving! We had a good little chuckle at that little coincidence.

I just marvel sometimes at how a simple little trip like this could turn into a full memorable event. We took one simple weeknight, a night that we easily could have dedicated to vegging in front of the tube or cleaning yet another mess and we tried something different. And it didn’t cost anything. And it was so perfect.

I mean, we saw dozens of frogs, a snake, hundreds of ducks and other birds, jumping fish, wild turkeys and a deer. And we biked through the middle of a lake. All in one little weeknight. Wow!

Seriously, some things really are better than gold.


Beautiful views

And learning opportunities. We went on a little bone hunt
and talked about what animals they might be from.
Obvs this one is from a crawfish

A little island. Hubster says it holds an aviary hatchery.

Make me a promise, and do something a little bit different tonight.
What are your favorite on-a-whim memories?

Lately I’ve Been…

  • Sewing Build-A-Bear accessories for my Peanut’s stuffed animals. Those clothes get expensive and I found the perfect DIY projects online.
  • Fixing a workout bra that I somehow melted in the dryer. Didn’t even know that the fabric store carried bra hooks until I went looking for fabric for the above project. All I had to do was cut down the strap to the right size, burn the raw edges down with a lighter and sew the new piece on. So glad to have saved that one, since it fit really well. I’m mighty proud of my re-purposing skills on this one.
  • Re-seaming a thrift store T-shirt I found in college that I still like and has been sitting with pins in it for like 7 years. Ha!
  • Thrifting some necessary household items like 16″ x 20″ frames and some supplies for a jewelry storage makeover I plan on doing.
  • Spray-painting that thrifted shelving unit for my jewelry. I believe the wooden shelf I bought was once a spoon holder for collectors. Oh, you just wait and see what I did to it. I even went to the hardware store all by myself to DIY this one.
  • Hanging a collage wall in my dining room. I see these art displays in all my favorite home tours and decided to tackle one all by myself. It turned out sooo cute. I found this adorable $.50 vintage 3D picture that totally makes the wall. I’ll be sharing pictures soon.
  • Trying to keep my house from turning into a bachelor pad/frat house. Roomie just bought a beer brewing kid and a Soda Stream to add to my already cluttered counter space. Thinking of reworking the space a bit. This stuff doesn’t blend well with my vintage-chic aesthetic, as you might imagine.
  • Putting together bags of stuff to take to the thrift store. It feels good to get rid of more than we’re bringing in sometimes, especially when things start accumulating beyond my comfort level.
  • Registering for an EIN number with the IRS. I am now a registered business owner!
  • Eating soup alone at home while Hubster, Peanut and my Daddy-O go hunting. I’m really relishing this time alone.
  • Cleaning (finally!) one of the dreaded spots in my home. We have some high windows that accumulate spiders and webs and dust and ick. Whenever I clean it, I feel like the whole house is somehow much cleaner.
  • Making my bed with the brand-new quilt that I sewed. Can’t wait to share pictures of it on here soon. Just looking at it makes me happy.
  • Starting a new e-book project that I hope to launch on here in a few months. It’s in the baby stages right now, so I don’t want to share too much.
  • Buying tickets to the Sports and Fitness Expo being held in my town this weekend. Can’t wait!
  • Trying so hard to figure out how to connect my camcorder to my computer. I have a new cord on its way after a Radio Shack one didn’t work. I really want to add some workout videos for y’all. I may have to bite the bullet and buy a new, more laptop-compatible camcorder.
  • Dreaming up another trip “up-north” in October or November. I want to make this a regular tradition if we can swing it and Hubster can successfully get off of work. We stayed in Crivitz last year.
  • Writing up a job posting for the open pastoral position at my church. Since one of the committee members knew I was a writer, he thought I’d be the perfect person for the job. I like to help where I can.
  • Adjusting to having a child in all-day Kindergarten. Paying for hot lunches, meeting teachers, already dealing with bullying, packing snacks, collecting Box Tops, etc etc etc. I already get up at 5:30 to work out, run, and get ready, but we’ve somehow been running late anyway. This school thing is like a whole new world for me. However, I just love looking through the Scholastic Books order forms with him. I get all giddy like I did in school when those pamphlets come out. My wallet is never more open than it is for a Peanut who gets excited about reading and learning.

I think Chalene’s book was just the kick in the back end I needed to make myself even more productive than a Type-A person like me already is. I can’t believe all the things I’ve checked off my to-do list already. I use Wunderlist on my phone and it’s a true lifesaver and life improver, plus just seeing all the check marks I’ve accumulated already makes me happy. I have my to-dos broken down into “Today,” “This Week,” and “Soon.” Every day I try to do one thing to tackle one aspect of my priority list. For example, my home environment is one of my priorities. Therefore, many of the above listed items are helping make my environment more desirable from cleaning to small space makeovers. Another goal is setting up more of a solid personal training side business, so I am planning on networking at the Sports and Fitness Expo I signed up for and I finally signed up for an official EIN number (so simple to do, it’s pathetic). I’m taking steps each day to make this dream more of a reality. It’s really quite simple once you break it down into steps.

There’s something about fall that makes me feel like nesting. The little bit of chill in the air outside makes me want the inside to be the most cozy place my family could ever enjoy. Listening to the sound of Feist and blowing trees while tackling all these projects is just making my heart swell. I’ve decided that fall is officially my favorite season.

What have you been up to?

Lately I’ve Been…

  • Sewing Build-A-Bear accessories for my Peanut’s stuffed animals. Those clothes get expensive and I found the perfect DIY projects online.
  • Fixing a workout bra that I somehow melted in the dryer. Didn’t even know that the fabric store carried bra hooks until I went looking for fabric for the above project. All I had to do was cut down the strap to the right size, burn the raw edges down with a lighter and sew the new piece on. So glad to have saved that one, since it fit really well. I’m mighty proud of my re-purposing skills on this one.
  • Re-seaming a thrift store T-shirt I found in college that I still like and has been sitting with pins in it for like 7 years. Ha!
  • Thrifting some necessary household items like 16″ x 20″ frames and some supplies for a jewelry storage makeover I plan on doing.
  • Spray-painting that thrifted shelving unit for my jewelry. I believe the wooden shelf I bought was once a spoon holder for collectors. Oh, you just wait and see what I did to it. I even went to the hardware store all by myself to DIY this one.
  • Hanging a collage wall in my dining room. I see these art displays in all my favorite home tours and decided to tackle one all by myself. It turned out sooo cute. I found this adorable $.50 vintage 3D picture that totally makes the wall. I’ll be sharing pictures soon.
  • Trying to keep my house from turning into a bachelor pad/frat house. Roomie just bought a beer brewing kid and a Soda Stream to add to my already cluttered counter space. Thinking of reworking the space a bit. This stuff doesn’t blend well with my vintage-chic aesthetic, as you might imagine.
  • Putting together bags of stuff to take to the thrift store. It feels good to get rid of more than we’re bringing in sometimes, especially when things start accumulating beyond my comfort level.
  • Registering for an EIN number with the IRS. I am now a registered business owner!
  • Eating soup alone at home while Hubster, Peanut and my Daddy-O go hunting. I’m really relishing this time alone.
  • Cleaning (finally!) one of the dreaded spots in my home. We have some high windows that accumulate spiders and webs and dust and ick. Whenever I clean it, I feel like the whole house is somehow much cleaner.
  • Making my bed with the brand-new quilt that I sewed. Can’t wait to share pictures of it on here soon. Just looking at it makes me happy.
  • Starting a new e-book project that I hope to launch on here in a few months. It’s in the baby stages right now, so I don’t want to share too much.
  • Buying tickets to the Sports and Fitness Expo being held in my town this weekend. Can’t wait!
  • Trying so hard to figure out how to connect my camcorder to my computer. I have a new cord on its way after a Radio Shack one didn’t work. I really want to add some workout videos for y’all. I may have to bite the bullet and buy a new, more laptop-compatible camcorder.
  • Dreaming up another trip “up-north” in October or November. I want to make this a regular tradition if we can swing it and Hubster can successfully get off of work. We stayed in Crivitz last year.
  • Writing up a job posting for the open pastoral position at my church. Since one of the committee members knew I was a writer, he thought I’d be the perfect person for the job. I like to help where I can.
  • Adjusting to having a child in all-day Kindergarten. Paying for hot lunches, meeting teachers, already dealing with bullying, packing snacks, collecting Box Tops, etc etc etc. I already get up at 5:30 to work out, run, and get ready, but we’ve somehow been running late anyway. This school thing is like a whole new world for me. However, I just love looking through the Scholastic Books order forms with him. I get all giddy like I did in school when those pamphlets come out. My wallet is never more open than it is for a Peanut who gets excited about reading and learning.

I think Chalene’s book was just the kick in the back end I needed to make myself even more productive than a Type-A person like me already is. I can’t believe all the things I’ve checked off my to-do list already. I use Wunderlist on my phone and it’s a true lifesaver and life improver, plus just seeing all the check marks I’ve accumulated already makes me happy. I have my to-dos broken down into “Today,” “This Week,” and “Soon.” Every day I try to do one thing to tackle one aspect of my priority list. For example, my home environment is one of my priorities. Therefore, many of the above listed items are helping make my environment more desirable from cleaning to small space makeovers. Another goal is setting up more of a solid personal training side business, so I am planning on networking at the Sports and Fitness Expo I signed up for and I finally signed up for an official EIN number (so simple to do, it’s pathetic). I’m taking steps each day to make this dream more of a reality. It’s really quite simple once you break it down into steps.

There’s something about fall that makes me feel like nesting. The little bit of chill in the air outside makes me want the inside to be the most cozy place my family could ever enjoy. Listening to the sound of Feist and blowing trees while tackling all these projects is just making my heart swell. I’ve decided that fall is officially my favorite season.

What have you been up to?

How to Stay Fit on Vacation

Our family has taken several trips this past summer, including one that was an entire week long. Like almost every trip I take, I never put my health and fitness on vacation. No, it’s not because I’m crazy; it’s because it makes me a better, healthier person. Keeping up my running habit not only energizes me for a day of sightseeing, it also keeps me centered and happy.

How to Stay Fit and Active on Vacation
1. Bring a few supplies: and by supplies, I mean as simple as sneakers, workout clothes, a jump rope and resistance tubing. I don’t want you to haul all your dumbbells and fancy schmancy equipment along. Keep it simple and packable. If you’re bringing resistance tubing, you’ll want to find some easy resistance workouts that you can do anywhere. For cardio, a good pair of running shoes and/or a $1 jump rope is all you need to get in a good sweat session. You can even add 1 minute of jump roping between each resistance tube move to knock strength and cardio out at the same time.
2. Get up early: and by early, I mean earlier than 10am. No need to get up at 5am like you do at home (unless you want to), but earlier than your travel companions. Then, sneak in a workout before you even get started with your day. It will be much easier to tackle if you get it out of the way first. You won’t want to go for a run after a long day of sightseeing. Knock it out right away and feel that great feeling all day!
3. Scout out the trails, running routes and hotel equipment. Although hotel equipment can be pretty unpredictable (every treadmill is “out of order”), it can be a great option when it’s storming or cold outside. Many hotels nowadays have a workout room at your disposal. Do some research beforehand to find out what’s available and check customer comments about the conditions of the equipment. Even if you don’t have equipment at your disposal, you can always run outside. Use the user-created running routes on Map My Run to see where the locals are kicking up dust. Or check out American Trails to locate nature trails in your vicinity. I found a running trail when we were staying in Port Washington that now is part of one of my most cherished memories ever. I saw two deer and shared the magic of lightning bugs with my son for the first time ever. It was beautiful.
4. Build active activities into your itinerary. Obviously, Mackinac Island is navigable by foot, bike or horse only. We did a ton of walking out of necessity, just like on our Crivitz trip last year where we walked miles of trails to see all the waterfalls. But we also like to kayak, hike, swim, snorkel, and so many other active things. We naturally build many of these things into our vacation days. Take a walking tour, rent a bike, take para-sailing lessons, swim in the local lakes, just get out there! Vacations should naturally have an element of fitness to them already, so take advantage.
5. Eat out only once or twice. In a previous post, I discussed travelling on a budget. One way our family does that is by bringing or buying most of our food from local grocery stores. Not only do we save cash this way, but we also save our waistlines. It is much healthier to eat this way. Yes, splurge while you’re away from home, but only a few times, not for every single meal. Keep healthy snacks like bananas, trail mix and dry cereal with you everywhere you go so you’re less likely to binge when you’re suddenly stricken by severe hunger between meals.
6. Use what you have: in the Resources section below, I offer a link to a hotel room workout. It’s possible to get a sufficient workout in with only a chair, a wall, a stick and/or your body weight. Put together or search for a workout before you leave that involves the “equipment” that you have available to you. There is no shortage of workouts tailored to these types of conditions.
7. Borrow your kid’s portable DVD player: Peanut has a DVD player that I used in Chicago to do the Tracy Anderson workout that I picked up there. All I needed to work out was a chair! This is one super portable way to bring your home fitness DVD collection to good use out on the road. If you’re lucky enough to have a DVD player in your hotel room or cabin, you could trim even more from your luggage. If you’re bringing your laptop and it can play videos, you have yet another option.
Taking in sites on-foot is one of the best ways to navigate your destination. When you run through local parts of town, you will see parts of the city that you never would’ve noticed in a car. In Mackinaw City, I found some neat footpaths, took in gorgeous sunrises and learned the layout of the land much better during my runs. The trail below is one such path that I discovered while running. The city workers use it to get to their day jobs, but it made for such an amazing scenic running route. Peanut even went for a “run” with me on this trail. We had to stop a lot to track chipmunks;) Another beautiful memory.
It’s hard to resist views like this on a run (Lake Huron, Mackinaw City):
I hope that these tips have made it easier for you to fit in fitness out on the road. It definitely is more than possible! Once you can find ways to eliminate the excuses for exercising, you can stay fit for life.
A few resources:
  1. I did this killer workout on YouTube while staying in Mackinaw City, MI. We brought our Google Nexus tablet and had free Wifi, so it worked out pretty swell. You could just do a search for “hotel room workouts,” and get thousands of hits like this.
  2. I always use the Runkeeper app to track my outdoor runs, including time, pace and distance.
  3. I also use the Spotify app while I’m running to listen to tunes, if I’m not surrounded by the lovely sound of waves and birds.
  4. Rubber tubing routines abound on the internet if you do some searching, like this great do-anwhere routine. I also like this Chady Dunmore one from a recent issue of Fitness RX. If the bodybuilders are using it, then it must be good, right?