Greening Sam and Avery

Day 186: a break for mommy and daddy...greening style

The girls had to stay home. Regretting it a little bit now, but we decided that the girls were just a little bit too young to spend 5+ hours on a deep sea fishing boat this morning. We left before they were even awake, drove over 30 minutes and then got on a small-ish fishing boat to catch BIG fish in the pacfic ocean. It was AMAZING!

We saw sea lions, pelicans, WHALES, friget birds, coots, big fish of all kinds and lots of other boats. But the seas were "rough" (not so much for us but they would have been for the girls) and it was full sun the whole time. So even though I know both girls would have loved seeing all the wildlife, watching us reel in big fish and being out on the water, I do not think their patience would have lasted the 5+ hours that we were out there.

Next year this will be a must for at least Samantha and if we don't do the deep sea fishing with them we will at least some kind of boat tour of the island so they can see the sea lions and whales.

But here are a few of the moments that we had today!

 

 
 

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The Nitty Gritty!

There is always that debate/balance of having some adult fun and stretching your children's abilities to try and bring them along. Today we chose to have our adult fun.  Part of me had some serious mommy guilt about this but another part of me knew that Sam and Avery would not have lasted as long we the trip was scheduled for, may have gotten sea sick or worse may have fallen in!

But I do believe that it is important to stretch not only the comfort zones of our kids but also of ourselves. If we think we are not quite ready to try something then that may be the perfect time to test it out! You just never know what may be the result. And you also just never know the amount of learning, bonding and enjoyment that may result. Of course there is also the chance that they other will occur...they may just fall in! But then think of the story you would have to share!

And those of you thinking that Sam and Avery did not get their time today they most certainly did. Nana and Aunt Lori kept the girls very active outside today which was great! Long walks, pool time and just outdoor running around is all it took to completely wear out my two little ladies.

Day 182: souvenir making

The plants and flowers around here have just been fascinating us so today I thought of the idea to try and capture some of that to bring home. No we can't collect leaves and petals to bring home but we can find some and do rubbings to bring home. We have done rubbings several times and almost perfected it here. But today it was more about picking out our favorite plants that we didn't know but wanted to remember from the trip.

Sam loved the walk. We took along her little beach bucket and she filled it with fallen leaves and flowers. Then we headed back to the house to do the rubbings. This didn't last quite as long as I thought it would but she still had a good time. Had the rubbings turned out better I was thinking we could keep them to be a part of the photo album along with the pictures of the plants and pictures from the trip.

Just a simple, neat way to remember a small part of the place that we visited.

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The Nitty Gritty!

With older kids I think this would go over really well and could even be turned into post cards to send back to friends and family. It is a way for kids to remember their collections while on vacation but not necessarily have to bring them back home!

A similar idea could be done with using rocks or shells as stamps or painting tools.

Day 181: beach take one

Our first trip to the beach today.  I think I mentioned we had been reading "Ladybug Girl at the Beach" in order to get some courage about the noise and size of waves.  What I learned from that book (yes even parents can learn from children's books!) is that when she is afraid don't force it.  Just being in the sand, playing and exploring will help her to eventually get use to the noise and get up the courage to approach the water.

She did pretty good today putting her toes and hands in the waves but we didn't get any further than that. We did play in the sand and build a few sand creations. Lots more chances to go to the beach and hoping that with each visit the girls will get a little more comfortable with it.

 
 

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Babies at the beach are very hard I am discovering! Sand in a diaper just cannot feel comfortable. Any advice on how to have a baby at the beach? This is a new one for me and I am not feeling prepared. I don't have a sling or any other way to wear her which I think would certainly be one solution (should have thought ahead about that!!). But there must be other tricks that can help us make this enjoyable for Avery. Would love to hear your suggestions.

Also I just wanted to say thanks for stopping by and commenting. I am trying to really limit my computer time while we are away so I am not responding to comments or out there commenting the way I normally do.  But I promise I will be back to my normal busy commenting self when we get back!

Day 180: stop and notice

I just couldn't have the title be stop and smell the flowers, but that is what I wanted to say!

The first day of any vacation in a new place can be overwhelming; especially for little ones that have had their schedules, lives, diets, etc. throw out of whack and are suddenly surrounded by the unfamiliar. Slowing things down, pointing things out and focusing on the little things that are around can help to make an unfamiliar place more quickly become familiar.  What am I talking about? Well, right now we are in Mexico with all of my husband's immediate family, surrounded by people that we love but in a place that is new and unfamiliar to the girls.  Plus, all of the plants and animals are new as well. We have some of the most amazing plants all around us.  I think most people just walk right past them or if they notice they certainly don't stop to take a close look, comment about it to anyone else or stop to ask questions about it.  Today that is exactly what Sam, Avery and I did.

The flowers and plants down here are so different from what we have at home that for the first day I just wanted to make sure that they girls were noticing the colors, shapes and exciting new things that are around us.

 
 
 
 
There are so many questions, comparisons, and exploring that can be done in a new place when it comes to the plants and animals.  Sorry I don't have any pictures of all the amazing birds we have been seeing, my photography skills are just not that good. 

Hope you all have had a great Holiday and are enjoying family time.

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The Nitty Gritty!

This is an any age, any place, anytime kind of activity.  Kids at all ages should be encouraged to look around and see what there is in a new place. Doesn't matter if you know anything about what you are looking at, you can alwasy find something to point out, question or compare.  Plus, if a real interest is discovered then the next step would be to look up answers together.

I wanted to share another idea that I had from our travel day yesterday. As we were on the plane I noticed slightly older kids looking out the window.  The view of the clouds (as it always is on a plane) was amazing. It occurred to me, is there ever a better time to learn about clouds?  Sam didn't really understand what she was looking at out the window so I think she is a bit young but for slightly older kids I can see this being perfect. With some books about clouds and an art activity to be able to draw the clouds that they see the new perspective could be amazing. I can just imagine being able to talk about the view from INSIDE the cloud! So fun. Anyway, I have't tested out this activity but when Sam and Avery are just a bit older I think we most certainly will!

Day 171: making memories outside and in

We had our first of many Christmas celebrations this weekend.  This one took us to a small town in western WI where my husband's family is from. We love visiting this side of the family and always feel so envious of the beauty that they are surrounded by on a daily basis.  We stayed with an aunt and uncle you live on many acres of land looking at this out their living room window.

 
Oh yes a bird feeder that actually has birds! We did so much bird watching over the last two days and Sam loved every minute of it.

 
With bushes and trees close by out their windows we were able to watch as the chickadees, tufted titmouses, cardinals, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, red-bellied woodpeckers, juncos, blue jays and many more all grabbed seeds and then came to the bushes to eat.

Our favorite part was the times when Sam would go yelling up to the window "CHICKADEE!" and be right about the bird that she was looking at and then when it flew away she would say "Oh, it flew away." in her little disappointed voice!

 
It was great to do the kind of indoor birding that I have been longing for at our own house. Sam even got to help Uncle Grant refill the feeders which was a thrill and a proud moment for her.

Another great (green related!) memory that we made this weekend as a visit to the local Wild West town for a horse drawn sleigh ride.

 
 
The girls loved seeing (and hearing) the horses, riding on the sleigh and singing jingle bells while we tried not to freeze! It was colder than we were prepared for (thank you Aunt Cindy for the blankets!).  I don't have any pictures of us actually on the sled during our ride because I was so focused on keeping hands, arms and legs of both girls tucked under blankets that I couldn't get the camera out.

But the ride was great and a memory I will never forget!

It is always amazing to see family, reconnect and visit but being able to spend some time outside, see the beauty of that part of the state and continue to teach my girls makes it even better!

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Just a couple of things I wanted to share tonight. WE HAVE BIRDS! As soon as we got home from our little trip today Sam and I went to the window to check out feeder; the excitement of the birding we had just left made us anxious to check on ours. And what did we see? Two chickadees and a junco! Sam was so excited and screamed CHICKADEE MOM! I was a pretty proud momma. So you can be sure I am going to load up those feeders first thing tomorrow morning with plenty of seed so that hopefully the birds will stick around for a while.

Have you heard about Outdoor Baby Network? It is very similar to other blogging networks with discussions, groups to join and people to become "friends" with BUT this one is all about getting outside with your kids! I am discovering SO many great like minded people it is amazing. And the information that is being shared in the different groups is priceless. I have been pretty active in the camping group and have gained a ton of new tips and tricks to try with the girls. I just know that this network is going to be amazing. So get involved from the beginning! There are giveaways going on right now for new members (and one for old members that can recruit new members!) so if you visit and decide to join be sure to write on my page that you joined based on my invitation! I would love to win the pacsafe family friendly travel bags.

Okay, enough for today. Traveling always makes me exhausted and we will be doing it again in just two days!

Day 146: holiday travel

Headed to my parents for Thanksgiving which means 6-8 hours in the car (depending on how many stops and how much crying we have to deal with!). 

Here are some of the books that will be keeping Sam occupied in the car this afternoon:

In the Snow: Who's Been Here?, by Lindsay Barrett George. Our first winter/snow book! This one is neat for Sam because it talks about animals that she knows and two little kids that are on a winter adventure.  But I think this book is great for older kids too because it is a guessing game about the evidence that certain animals leave behind in the snow. For example when you see freshly cut and gnawed branches on the ground underneath a hemlock tree what animal might have been up in the tree? Have to read the book to find out!! HA!

Bug Safari, by Bob Barner. This one has such bright, colorful pictures that depict all kinds of insects and their tiny little world.  The story is about a boy that takes his bug hunting very seriously and goes on great adventures examining the world of little bugs.  It is totally the wrong season for this book but when I saw it I just couldn't help myself!

ABCs Naturally, by Lynne Smith Diebel and Jann Faust Kalscheur.  A great photographic depiction of the alphabet as it is found in nature!  This is amazing photography.

Growing Vegetable Soup, by Lois Ehlert. A book in true Ehlert fashion.  Amazingly bright pictures that are simple and fun.  Added details in small print that can be read or skipped over.  And great inspiration for growing a garden!

ABC Animal Jamboree, by Giles Andreae. A very fun animal alphabet book.  Sam really likes the crazy pictures on this one. Although i will say that the shark and tiger pictures are a little scary! 

Hope your holiday travels go well.  Enjoy Thanksgiving (if you are celebrating!).

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If you need more inspiration for your holiday travel you should check out these posts -

Day 54 - why stopping at parks may take longer but makes for a much better trip in the end.

Day 74 - how truck stops can be green spaces

Day 41 - more books to keep your little ones happy

 

Day 74: how I wore her out

Does anyone else feel like we are ALWAYS in the car going somewhere or coming home from somewhere? 

I am exhausted and glad to be home but ready to hit the pillow so this will be short.  We drove today back to Madison from my parent's house in St. Louis.  A long drive and it is critical to use the few minutes that we are out of the car at gas stations and rest stops to get some energy out of Sam.  If I can wear her out even a little bit on our stops she is much better about resting and being quiet in the car. 

So today I focused on using rest stops as much as possible, instead of getting off the highway in towns and using gas stations or restaurants for potty stops.  Rest stops always have at least a little bit of green space for running and playing. 

At one rest stop tonight I had to feed Avery but at the same time wanted Sam to run around.  I sat at a picnic table with Avery in a kind of wooded area and told Sam she should hunt for sticks and see how many she could gather.  She ran around the picnic table picking up as many sticks as she could.  She gathered quite a big pile.  Then when she started to get bored with that I told her she should run like a dog, fly like a bird, or swim like a fish as she gathered her sticks.  She loves imitating animals so this was a huge hit.  

I successfully wore her out and she was ready to get back into the car when Avery was done with dinner.  

How do you keep your kids happy in the car on trips?

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Not sure if the highway department (is there such a thing) describes the rest stops anywhere online but some are much better than others.  We have several along the path from Madison to St. Louis that actually have trails that can be hiked, playgrounds, prairie areas and big green spaces.  These are my favorites and I try to plan our stops around these areas. 

Outside time is crucial for us on long car rides. 

Day 59: monthly challenge - i love/hate camping in our backyard

I have only done this once and already have very strong opinions about camping in our backyard. Too bad my strong opinions absolutely go both ways! 

 

I love that Polly could come along with us and be a part of the event, without having to search for dog friendly campgrounds.

 

I hate that the neighbors were on their back porch having their date night dinner while we were running around making lots of noise with our camp-out.

 

I love that we had lots of great, soft green grass for our HUGE tent to sit on.
 

I hate that our other neighbors have three dogs that barked on and off for HOURS after we were in the tent trying to get the kids to settle down.
 

I love that we could take a quick (and easy!) shower after we sat by the fire all night so that we didn't have to get into the sleeping bags stinky and smelly.
 

I hate that the sounds we went to sleep to were traffic noise, planes and police sirens.
 

I love that we could do a trial run for the real thing with the comfort of knowing that if we forgot something it was okay.
 

I hate that at certain points it felt stupid that we were going through all the trouble of making such a mess just to cook and eat outside.
 

I love s'mores!
 

I hate that Sam didn't love s'mores!  She just wanted the chocolate.
 

I love that when Chris's back went into spasm and he could barely move he was able to head inside to grab pain meds.  But I hate that at several times when I wasn't sleeping and neither was Avery I seriously thought about giving up and heading into our beds.

I love that we didn't have to fight Sam when she asked if her babies could come camping too!!!

We woke up this morning uncomfortable and exhausted and yet both Chris and I talked today about how much we CANNOT wait to do it again!  And do it away from home.  And better.  If you have not gone camping because you think it will be more trouble than it is worth with young children YOU ARE WRONG.  The enormous amount of trouble is definitely worth it.

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The Nitty Gritty!

For those that have not gone camping at all with their little ones I would strongly encourage testing it out at home.  We learned things about what to bring and what not to bring that will be very helpful the next time when we venture out of the yard. 

The best advice that I have to give you, keep it simple! We did a very simple meal (hot dogs, baked beans, strawberries and s'mores).  We did simple activities (soccer ball, singing songs and books).  Bring books that you can read over and over and over without getting bored (we brought our HUGE children's bible).  Don't stick to a schedule or a plan for your night, just try your best to go with the flow and let your children dictate when things happen (they will eventually fall asleep!).

The only thing that I would say go over board on is comfort.  Lots of blankets, pillows, and things that make your children feel comfortable when they sleep (we might bring the dolls with us when we camp again just because they make Sam feel so comfortable). 

Day 55: little moments

I am exhausted; physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted.  Watching your family say good bye to their wife/mother/sister/daughter/aunt/niece...really takes its toll.  And doing that while also taking care of two very tired little ones that have no idea why everyone else is crying all the time is also tough.  The visitation, service, luncheon and burial were all beautiful but a lot to handle with the girls in tow. 

Needless to say today I just didn't have the energy (or the time for that matter) to work much into our day in the way of greening.  I am not proud to say that today I came very close to feeling like a failure on this project.  But I have decided to cut myself some slack, so I hope you will too. 

The things that I am going to count as our greening moments for the day are;

1. Sam and I looked at and smelled lots of flowers.

2. Sam and I walked barefoot in the grass.

3. We all watched the amazing and HUGE moon as we were driving home tonight. Sam kept telling us that it was "catching up"! 

But that is it. 

Tomorrow will be better and I am hoping this week to really come up with some good stuff.  PLUS I have two entries to my August Monthly Challenge that I cannot wait to tell you about.  So be on the look out for those too. 

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I got nothin.

Day 54: greening on the go

Have I used that title already? Cause I feel like we are ALWAYS on our way to or from somewhere.  This time we are in Minnesota, but unfortunately it is not for a good reason.  My husband's aunt lost her battle with cancer and we are here to mourn with the family and celebrate her life.  Tracey Louise Hill was an amazing woman and will be greatly missed.

So, today on our way up here we decided to take advantage of some of the AMAZING scenery that you drive through between Wisconsin and Minnesota.  The Upper Mississippi waterway is just teaming with wildlife refuges, dams, state parks and fisheries.  Our original plan did not pan out because Northern LaCrosse does not have much to offer in the way of good, quick food so we pushed on a little further, found some good food and a great park to stop at.  We ate a picnic lunch and then quickly set out on a .1 mile hike (yes even when it is that short we still call it a hike!) to a scenic overlook.  

Sam loved the hike and was constantly stopping to look at things, running ahead or pointing out roots to make sure we didn't trip.

The scenic overlook did not disappoint either!

And as if we had planned it, a Bald Eagle flew in!

This was a great way to spend an hour to break up a five hour drive. 

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The Nitty Gritty!

We pretty much always travel in a time crunch. It is either late at night or we need to be some place at a certain time or we are just too excited about where we are going to really want to take our time in getting there. So typically our potty stops and meal stops are the closest things to the highway and sometimes just pulling over on the off ramp!  But today we decided to try something new.  We had plenty of time for our traveling and even left a bit early just to be sure.  We traveled with a real map in our laps, which we NEVER do, so we could see things like parks and natural areas that might be coming up.  And we made the intentional decision that we were going to take a long break from the car and get outside for a while. 

I would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone that car travels a lot.  Sam loved the break from the car, had a blast at the park and was very calm and cooperative when we got back on the road.  I think it helped us to do something new and different on the road as well.  Plus, I think it is so neat that we found this little spot and shared a memory as a family instead of just wolfing down some Steak N' Shake.