Category: family

November 1, 2012

Life in a Northern Town Part One

Weekend getaways are the perfect “reset” button, especially when you travel somewhere remote without WiFi. Ok, I just got a new smartphone, so WiFi is a new worldly wonder to me right now.

Our little family of 3 packed up and headed out on Friday, driving north to a city near Crivitz, WI. Let me define remote for you. A good portion of our trip exploring the area involved gravel and dirt roads flanked by endless miles of breathtaking forest. It was beaUTIful! We had been eagerly awaiting the trip, marking “x’s” on the calendar, and it was all so worthwhile.

I can’t get the song “Life in Northern Town” out of my head right about now.

Friday evening was all about investigating our surroundings. Right across the street from our lodge was a small clean lake that would be ideal for swimming in the summer. We found…

Deer tracks along the sandy beach

Mystical-looking mushrooms (what are these???)

Logs for climbing

Fields to chase each other in

Sand craters to play “house” in

Firewood for the pit

Pretty acorns with every step

Peanut photo opportunities

Cool fall colors: moss green and tans

And a cute nearby ice cream parlor called Phat Daddy’s. The Macadamia Nut fudge sundae with fudge sauce and two cherries was belly-achingly-good!

This simple trip turned out to be one of my favorites ever! Just being in the crisp autumn air, surrounded by nature everywhere, not having any to-do list whatsoever and watching my Peanut’s eyes light up at every turn were worth everything.

Check back later in the week for Part Two of our Northern Wisconsin trip.

September 3, 2012

Perseid Picnic

Since we seem to be having a tradition theme going on here, I thought I’d show you another one of our family’s newest traditions, since this is the first year Peanut is old enough to get it.

We decided that our family should definitely have a Perseid Picnic each year. The timing is perfect. Every year, the Perseid meteor shower happens around August 21: right in the middle of summer break. It’s also warm enough to have a nighttime picnic. What better reason to have a nighttime picnic than a magical meteor shower?

I packed up Peanut and his cousin and we headed to the county park. We found a really dark parking lot and shut off all the lights. The fact that it was dark made Peanut feel a little on edge, but we calmly talked about fun things to keep his mind off the dark shadows.

We lined the bed of our truck with two porch chair cushions and snuggled in under a shared blanket.

I’m pretty sure my nephew saw an actual shooting star (by his sudden energetic “there’s one, THERE’S ONE!), but Peanut wasn’t patient, still or unafraid enough to witness one.

The two adventurers had to bring their binoculars and flashlights, even though they’re completely unnecessary for stargazing, because that’s just what little Daniel Boons do, yo! We also had a few midnight snacks: unnecessary also, but part of the fun.

After we I saw about a half dozen meteors, I packed up my two sleepy little fellas and we headed home. A late night Perseid picnic is a good excuse to take off of work the next day, no? We even had a little sleepover to make the night extra memorable. We’ll be back next year, for sure.

August 31, 2012

Summer Fun at the County Fair

Two weekends ago, we bought tickets for the local county fair.

We didn’t realize we’d be riding 90% of the rides with a 4-year-old. But oh, how fun that was!

His favorite ride? The Starship 3000 (aka the Gravitron). You know the one, where the little spaceship-like thing spins really fast and you’re pinned against the wall. This just cracks me up.

He seemed way too small to be riding those fast-whipping rides, but he loooooved them. And because we could all go together, Hubster and I loved it too! We’ll be back next year.

All the pretty lights

Fun House

Weeeeee!

He loved the FFA stables, especially huge-eared bunnies.

August 27, 2012

Summer Book Club

We’re trying to soak up the last bits of sun that this year affords us. We’re not ready to talk about fall and apple cider and cable knits quite yet, even though we love those things too.

We’re still talking about pitching a tent out in the backyard for the night and eating as much watermelon as our bellies can comply with.

We’re also still pitching our “reading tent” in an effort to read more books, limit screen time and enjoy the warm air.

I mean, why would you read on the couch, when you can read inside a special book nook?

If you can’t find us in the house, you might try checking in the backyard. My feet will be sticking out the doors and our library books will be littering the grass. We love starting new traditions.

August 26, 2012

Summertime Secret

Our family has a secret place we like to go in the summer. We only go at night, after it rains, if it’s a weekend. That’s when all the activity happens.

We visited this nearby park by accident one night. We go there a lot, but never at night. What we saw by chance that night was truly amazing! There were frogs jumping around EVERYwhere. They were all over the roadway, the ditches, the parking lots. Not in a gross, biblical-plague kind of way. But in a cool, “let’s get out of the car and check them out” kind of way.

The park right next to the water, so there are meadows to hang out in and plenty of bugs to eat, if you’re a frog. Perfect place! Now, it’s become sort of a summer tradition. If it’s raining on a Friday night, we’re out the door with our MagLites.

These kinds of traditions, arbitrary as they might seem, are so special to my family and me. They’re spontaneous, unconventional and yet oddly thrilling.

“Jump him momma!” The little boy cracks up whenever I make them jump. And our dog doesn’t know what to do with them. He stuck his nose close to one and it jumped, scaring him away. (You’d never guess he’s a pitbull). We cherish these little stories and moments when we’re out investigating well past everyone’s bedtime.

Do you have any sort of random, silly family traditions you can share?

August 4, 2012

Outdoor Movie Night Theme

A certain little boy turned four this week, and to commemorate this milestone, we decided to host an outdoor movie night for him and his tiny friends.

With a sprinkling of inspiration from Pinterest (of course!), we designed the party to be as fun but as low-maintenance and budget-conscious as possible. A few trips to the Dollar Store and we had ‘er made. On the list:

Red/white tissue paper
Alpha stickers
Theater-style candy (Twizzlers, Milk Duds, etc)
Popcorn
Kid-style party favors
Invitations
Red cups
Raffle tickets
Bottled water

To build the “concession stand”, we used a table and red and white tablecloth that we already owned. Then, we used Dollar Store tissue paper to create the background banners. The “Concessions” banner was as simple as cutting out triangles on a fold in the tissue paper, gluing them to a string, and attaching the appropriate letter stickers. The other banners consist of three sheets of tissue paper, folded in half twice and then cut and fringed along the bottom.

All theater-style treats were served in clear glass dishes decorated with red raffle tickets from the Dollar Store. We also wrapped the bottled water in raffle tickets.

We popped many-a-bag of popcorn. I found classic striped popcorn bags at a local party store. Goody bags for all the little guests were assembled with popcorn bags, playing cards, squirt guns and a few other do-dads. Mom made some puppy chow and we ordered a cupcake cake from Walmart. All set!

The movie played on a flatscreen we took from inside our house. This was in lieu of trying to source pricey projection equipment and erect a big white sheet. It worked out just fine. I recommend watching movies outside like this any time! We put out some blankets and seat cusions for comfy theater seating.

Not only did Peanut enjoy his birthday, so did the grownups. Even grandpa.

July 20, 2012

Geocaching Adventure

I’ve always thought that geocaching sounded like a fantastic grown-up version of a treasure hunt. Turns out, it SO is!

A seasoned geocaching friend of mine offered to take Peanut and I out for a geocaching adventure at a local park. We followed her GPS device to a nearby baseball diamond. We may have looked like gawking fans to the outfielders that eyed us with curiosity, but we didn’t care. Nevertheless, we found the cache, magnetized in a crook below one of the towering stadium lights. Yes!

After signing the log and exchanging “treasures” (a fun coin for a pink bead, ha!), we headed to the next spot. The GPS showed a small thicket of trees along the bike path. We searched and searched and climbed and combed, but couldn’t find it. Alas, it was still fun to climb through the trees and stumble upon a small surprise:

We wondered why one lone duck stayed so close to us while we were rummaging around. We didn’t notice this perfect camouflaged nest until we were about to leave. Breathtaking!

I love how geocaching exposes you to little nooks that you might not otherwise explore. It’s a purposeful way to be outside, to go on a family outing. It’s active. It’s great for Peanuts and adults alike. There is such a sense of anticipation for what you’ll find and where you’ll find it. There’s this secret little society that is covertly planting and discovering buried treasures all around the world. It’s exciting!

Now, you’ll be wondering what little trinkets might be hidden all around your city. I know I do!

**Note: you don’t necessarily have to own a GPS device to go geocaching in certain areas. Just go to geocaching.com and use their Google Earth mapping system to pinpoint cache locations. I don’t own a GPS, and I’ve found caches that way!

July 5, 2012

A Thrifting Guide for Mommas on a Budget (Part Two)

Welcome to Part Two of my guide to thrift shopping, filled with tips and tricks to navigate those beautiful, dusty aisles. If you haven’t already, check out Part One.

6. Think unconventionally. I’ve been known to buy large plaid men’s shirts to turn into toddler pants. Women’s nightgowns provide great yardage of satin material (because it can get expensive at the fabric store). Board games missing their pieces are perfect for recycling into wall art or jewelry. Those tacky wreaths can be deconstructed and remade into modern spring door decorations. Items do not need to serve their intended purposes—they can be made to serve yours!

For example, this vintage sewing basket makes a great corral for takeout menus and phone books.

7. Don’t judge the bed by its coverlet. Similarly to the above, you can make almost anything suit your taste with a fresh coat of paint. Don’t dismiss furniture because of a few nicks and scratches or metal baskets because of an ugly shade of pastel. It’s amazing what sandpaper, a half-hour, and a small can of spray paint can do!

8. Schedule the dates. Almost every thrift store has a special sale day of the week or month. Find out when they are and you might enjoy a ½-price discount. You may also benefit from knowing which days the store tends to stock up for fresh pickings. Be prepared to battle for personal space if you go on Saturday mornings.

9. Make sure you have a truck lined up. And make sure said truck actually has working brakes. Ha! This is especially true for rummage saling and flea market shopping. When you buy new patio furniture for $5, you need to find a good way to bring it home that won’t put anyone’s life in jeopardy. But seriously, this is your warning to have proper transportation at the ready when you find an amazing vintage dining room table for $50 that you can’t live without.

10. Iffy items. Now, I know some people who are completely creeped out by thrift stores. I think they think vintage stores are just teeming with all sorts of unsavory things and characters. The truth is, there are lots of everyday people participating in the equivalent of an indoor rummage sale. It’s not taboo anymore! That being said, there are some things you just can’t buy used (underwear, really???), and we all have our limits and that’s ok! Mine are shoes (unless they still have tags), underthings, anything with holes/pills/stains, pillows, and stuffed animals. I especially stay away from things that can’t easily be sanitized or washed.

Thrift shopping isn’t the only way to nab unique deals. Other places to find one-of-a-kind steals: rummage sales, consignment shops, flea markets, antique stores, estate sales, and Etsy Vintage. I have barely bought a single article of clothing for my son for full price at a retail store. I mostly go rummage saling or get clothes from other people I know with boys. It seems illogical to me to spend $20 for an outfit that might be worn three times before it doesn’t fit anymore when I can buy a barely-used outfit for $1. We’ll leave those prices to the boy’s grandmas who like to spoil him, right?

I’m not a natural-born mall shopper, so I too like to buy my clothes on consignment or secondhand. That way, my style isn’t a regurgitated version of everyone else’s. I love the thrill of the unexpected, unusual and extra-special. And I loved these longs long before it became popular to pick through the thrift stores and resell items for a giant upcharge. To me, it’s more about clothing my family in a truly unique style on a shoestring budget. After all, that is exactly what those stores were created for.

I hope you are inspired to hit up the thrift store this weekend. What is your favorite secondhand treasure?

If you’re interested in learning even more, here are some other great vintage shopping articles that I’ve come across:

*An amazing post with sizing tips for vintage clothing
*Elsie also has a great list of thrift shopping tips.
*The Girls with Glasses have an inside-Goodwill video series to guide you through the aisles.
*Great comprehensive mother of all thrifting guide from a professional, Freckle Wonder: Part One, Part Two, and Part Three.

June 11, 2012

Peanut Picnic: Where the Deer Roam

Peanut and I have picked up where we left off in fall with our weekly picnics while Daddy’s in school. Peanut and I returned to the “scene of the crime” as we’ll call it. Just a few days earlier we kinda lost our dog at this very same park after he took off deafly after a couple dozen deer in the clearing. The incident was quite emotionally draining for all of us, but Titus returned happily to us without incident.

In my attempt to keep the incident from traumatizing the Peanut, we returned to the nature trail, just the two of us, to reinstate the place as “safe.” And to enjoy the beauty of the place in a more relaxed circumstance was just what we needed to return favor in the place.

The view was perfection:

Isn’t the crook of the neck the most precious, kissable spot on a Peanut?

Sandhill cranes chillin’ nearby

Check out this huge intricate fungus formation. Wow!

See, we’re quite happy with this nature area again. The boy’s face says it all.

He even brought a few “friends” to share the experience with.

There was certainly a lot to marvel at this time around.

Even Peanut wanted to take some pictures.

This happened to be the day after Mother’s Day. After a whole day dedicated to marvelling at the work of a mother, I saw this beautiful example of parenting in nature. Imagine having to wrangle all of these babies. One momma did lose track of two of her brood. She dropped everything and started squawking to find them. They happily peeped back until they were all rejoined.

This was one of the most peaceful evenings I’ve enjoyed in a long time. I love how taking our dinner outdoors changes the ordinary, everyday into something more remarkable.

May 25, 2012

My Favorite Things Today

Sometimes, it helps amidst all the distractions, to take a step back and admire the small things that make our places special. These are a few of my favorite things today:

This is one of the most charming remnants left behind by the previous occupants of our house. There are size markings up and down the entire length of the kitchen doorway. The previous family was a foster family, so the names and dates span years of family growth. We need to add our own son to this relic soon.

Even though we live in an older home, there weren’t a whole lot of pretty details characteristic of some other older homes. Except this pretty girl. She’s our towel holder inside the door of the bathroom cabinets. I just adore her!

Eating outside on an old vintage sheet, admiring the artwork of a busy little three-year-old: ink drawings up the complete length of both little legs. Yes, we did laugh a little, while we tsk-tsked and enjoyed our meal alfresco.

I have lived in the same city almost all my life and on this side of town for over 6 years. I have passed this tree countless times on family walks and commutes to work on-foot and on-bike. And apparently, I never looked up. Look at all the cute little birds nests filling the crooks and sawed-off crannies of this tree. Maybe the owners felt bad when the city removed the branches from the power lines and compensated the homeless birds, Home Makeover Bird Edition style.

What’s making you happy today?