Keeping Your Child Active During the Summer

Once school is out for the summer, children don’t get as much play time. Sure, they might get to the park once in a while, but it isn’t a daily activity like playing in the schoolyard. Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to ensure that your child gets enough exercise when school is on hiatus.

Summer Camps

There are a number of different summer camps in Battle Creek MI that meet this purpose. These camps are aimed at not only keeping your children active, but also educating them in the process. There are a few different types of camps available, so have a look around to see what you can find.

Play Dates

Setting up a few play dates with your child’s friends works wonders because it allows them to get some exercise. If you are seriously committed to the cause, you can take turns hosting the event and allowing the other parents some time away.

Daycare

Even if you are a stay at home parent, putting your child in daycare for a few hours per week could be beneficial. Not only does it allow the child to interact with other kids, but it can also get him outside more often than he would at home.

Halloween plans

As of right now, I’m not sure what I may be doing for Halloween. Usually by now, I’ve got my costume planned and candy has been bought, since the kids around my house usually don’t go out on actually Halloween night. Since it falls on a Monday this year and it’s a school night, they will be coming around on Saturday. I just hope it’s not cold and raining like it has been for the past few years. Sure spoils the kid’s fun.

Beautiful Sunday

Finally! A weekend with decent weather. This was the first Sunday with weather that let us get outside and enjoy ourselves without it being too hot or ruined by late afternoon thunderstorms. This summer has been unbelievably hot. Although it did get close to 90 degrees again today, with the clouds blocking the sun and a little breeze, it did not seem so hot.

We took advantage and went outside as much as possible. We even took a drive over to the lake and fed some ducks and geese a few pieces of stale bread that we had brought with us.

Guess I never thought about that before

Even though I grew up in a family of musicians, my own personal “hands-on” experience has been limited to childhood piano lessons. I used to watch my other family members play their instruments, and I enjoyed singing and dancing to the music that they played. I never really payed a lot of attention to the logistics of tuning any of their instruments. I guess that is why I was mildly surprised when Chuck was telling me that he was teaching Jack how to tune a drum set this weekend. I never really ever thought about having to tune up a drum!

Stink Bugs

Maybe you’ve heard of “stink bugs” but I have never heard of these nasty creatures until just today.

We were sitting out on the patio chatting and I felt something brush against my toes. I looked down and there was a funny looking, flat bug – about the size of my fingernail. I didn’t know if it would bite or sting, so I knocked it onto the ground and stepped on it.

Big mistake! OMG! That nasty bug stinks BAD when you smash it. I don’t know what you are supposed to do to kills these nasty bugs without smashing them and stinking up the place. But there has GOT to be a way!

Planning Your Final Arrangements

It’s not something any of us want to think about, but it’s an important conversation we must have. Many people do nothing to prepare for the time when their final arrangements must be made, adding a burden on to their already grieving and stressed family. Everyone should sit down with a lawyer and write out their will. In it you can spell out your final wishes for your estate and your final arrangements. To make things even easier for those you leave behind, you should look into prepaying for your arrangements. Most funeral homes offer pre-paid plans that include a plot, service and everything else needed to lay you to rest.

If you’re not sure you want a big funeral and burial, or just can’t afford the expense, consider cremation. Companies like Clevelend Cremation provide high quality services with dignity, respect and empathy. They will even provide a customized memorial service, with special options for religious requirements and veterans. Cremation is less expensive than traditional burials, and families that move often like being able to take their loved ones with them. You can even chose the exact type of urn you’d like. So don’t put off this important conversation any longer, plan your final arrangements and give yourself and your loved ones peace of mind.

Less is More

Chatting with a musician friend, they gave me a little insight into how to play the melody and not over-arrange a song.

“I had a band leader tell us once they did not hire to get paid by the note but by the song. Stuck with me ever since. Less is more.”

Camera Shopping

My cousin posted on Facebook that she wants to buy a new pocket camera. She asked an open question about which brands are best, which models she would want, and the biggest challenge, she wants to keep the purchase price below $200.

I told her that I love my camera. It’s a Sony and it takes great photos with almost everything automatic. The battery lasts a long time, the memory stick holds a ton of photos, the zoom is 7x, and it has a huge display screen.

But she bought a cheap Canon. I guess you just can’t help some people.

Repair the credenza

I don’t know how the drawer guides on two of the drawers on the credenza in our dining room managed to get mangled and torn off. Yesterday I was looking for a new book of checks in the drawer where I keep the old check registers and books of checks and deposit slips, and the drawer came crashing down onto the floor. I was lucky it didn’t hit my foot! I found the mangled drawer guide inside the drawer. I don’t know who put it there, or when it was put there, but I was quite annoyed that nobody told me that it was broken so I could arrange to repair it! I hate when things like that happen!

County Fair

Last week was the end of the big Williamson County Fair and this week is the start of the huge Wilson County Fair. I thought about going to the Williamson County Fair, but to be honest, it was way too hot for me to want to go stand in long lines and be surrounded by thousands of sweaty smelly people.

This weekend is much cooler and I’m planning on going all day tomorrow. If I bring my church bulletin with me I can save $2.00 off the admission price!