Seattle Mom Blogs

I thought with the beginning of the school year quickly approaching, now would be a good time to re-visit a back-to-school post from days past, originally published October, 2008.

Every morning it is the same old routine around here.� I get up way earlier than I�d really like to, make the excruciating decision between getting my caffeine fix from half a pot of coffee or go the quicker route of grabbing an icy cold Diet Coke from the fridge, and get on with the business of packing lunches for my school-bound children.

Once I read about a mother who organizes her pantry with special bins, each containing a type of food to put in a child�s lunchbox.� I am not that mother.

First, my pantry is much too small for over-sized totes filled only with enough snacky items for a week�s worth of lunches and even if it were � I think I could come up with about a thousand other items (cough, Pepperidge Farm Cookies, cough, cough) to fill my shelves.� Second, I am just not that organized.� Did I mention that I have a small pantry?

Instead, I look in the general area (and I use the term �area� loosely, as sometimes the �areas� of my non-organized pantry blend into one another, making them completely indistinguishable from each other) of the carbohydrate section and decide on a bread with which to make the sandwiches for the day.� White or wheat?� White or wheat?� These are tough decisions.

Then, I rest for a minute and drink my caffeine.

After I am a little more alert, I check the deli drawer for fresh meat and decide whether today will be a turkey and havarti day or a peanut butter and jelly day.� You just never know in my house.� When the sandwiches are made, it is time to check the fruit situation (and no, fruit snacks � even the really, really good ones, don�t count).

This could go one of two ways.� Either a fresh fruit item, like a banana or cut up apple, will make its way to the lunchboxes or something resembling real fruit, like a fruit cup, will be the choice of the day.� I know, it is a highly complex form of decision making that only the inside of my head can determine and is greatly influenced by how quickly that aforementioned caffeine has made its way into my bloodstream.

On to the �extras� part of the lunch building task � and this is even more complex, don�t say I didn�t warn you!

Granola bars, fruit leathers, crackers, popcorn, nuts, pretzels . . . how does one choose?� �I like to close my eyes and grab the first two items that my hand lands on.

I told you it was complex.

After adding a dairy item, like yogurt or a string cheese, the lunches are almost complete. . .

Drinks!

I forgot drinks!� I race down to the refrigerator in the garage, where we keep all the beverages. �I make yet another difficult choice between water, apple juice or the sports drink du jour � in today�s case, Gatorade, which is an excellent choice as long as my sons do not suck their entire mouths into the spout while drinking it thus giving themselves a semi-permanent blue stain around their lips for the remainder of the school day.� This is especially fun when it is picture day.

Add a napkin, a cold pack and zip it up.� Voila!� Lunch is done, and it only took me 10 minutes!� 10 minutes that I could have spent sleeping, but there are no lengths to a mother�s love and the need to pack a nutritious lunch for her offspring, each and every day.

Now, let�s just hope they eat what I packed and do not trade their entire lunch for one Ding Dong.

�

What are your time saving tips for packing lunches for school-aged children?� Do you have a system, or do you just wing it like I do?� I�d love to hear your strategy!� And if you�re the mother with the bins, I don�t even want to hear about it, okay? ��(said with a smile because secretly I�m totally jealous of those bins)

Carrie can be found hanging out at her personal blog Stop Screaming I’m Driving! where she is kept busy wrangling three kids, one goofy Aussie, and her very own firefighter. She can be bribed with lattes and offers to do her laundry. Please send column suggestions to carrieb at seattle mom blogs dot com.

 My boys are just over 18 months apart, although you probably wouldn’t guess that now – looking at them – because my 11 year-old stands approximately 3 inches (maybe more) over his 13 year-old brother.  But trust me, they are close in age.  Which basically boils down to the fact that during their “toddler” years, I was one busy mom.   My house was never quiet, there were always little dirty footprints somewhere, and the constant buzz of toy cars crashing into one another never ceased.  NEVER CEASED.  Looking back, I have no idea how I survived.  I wasn’t even a big coffee drinker back then.

This weekend, we had a 4 year-old boy in our house.  Lucky for me, he adores my older boys (and Katie too) so I knew that he wouldn’t be following me around asking me to play Hot Wheels with him, but I knew that there would be a few things I’d have to do to prepare for his visit.  First, I’d have to clear the decks of anything a 4 year-old might trip over because HE NEVER STOPS RUNNING.  And second, I’d have to bring down the arsenal of toy vehicles (pick a vehicle, any vehicle, and I bet we have it in our toy car bucket) for him to play with.  But I knew that at some point, he’d tire of running and driving his cars all over the place and I needed something more…

Which is where the Handy Manny comes in.

I kid you not, after running nonstop for almost 3 hours (and my twitter page can attest to this @kidsinthecity) I thought nothing would slow him down.  Not even the “breakfast for dinner” meal that I was cooking.  But Handy Manny came to my rescue. 

Now, I may have mentioned before my aversion to children’s programming that annoys the spots off a giraffe (a’hem), and the same holds true with the Handy Manny series.  I do not find one single thing about Handy manny annoying.  In fact, I kind of like Manny’s voice – it’s soothing, and agreeable, kind of like Anthony Bourdain after a really long day…

I digress.

Handy Manny’s newest DVD, “Handy Manny:  Big Race,” is a lifesaver, even for parents with very busy little boys and girls.  When I declared, “Time for a movie, and guess what?  It’s about race cars!”  The battle was over.  The running stopped,  quiet returned, and one very special 4 year-old’s eyes grew big with excitement as he watched the cars Vroom Vroom on the screen, clutching his “Mater” car the entire time, of course.

Seattle Mom Blogs has FIVE copies of “Handy Manny:  Big Race” to give away to our readers.  Please comment and leave a working email address at the bottom of this post by midnight on Tuesday, May 11th, for your chance to win.  Winners will be notified via email following a random draw and the DVD will be shipped, new in package, to your front door (or address of choice, within reason).

Edited: The giveaway has been extended to May 15th! Please comment for your chance to win or help spread the word! Thank you!

Comments are NOW CLOSED.  Thank you for entering.  Winners will be notified by email. 

Carrie Blankenship is the author of the blog Stop Screaming I’m Driving, where she attempts to tell her story of motherhood. She likes long walks in the park, dancing in the rain, and can be bribed to do just about anyting with a vanilla latte, extra foam. Contact her with column suggestions or just say “hi” at carrieb[at]seattlemomblogs.com. Or, blankenship.carrie[at]yahoo.com.

When choosing what children’s entertainment to allow into our home, I’ve always relied on two very important criteria. 1) That said children’s entertainment not make me want to poke forks into my eyeballs upon listening to it. Hence, the absence of any and all episodes of “Caillou” or cds containing “Caillou” content because seriously? Does a child get any more annoying than that? And, 2) That said children’s entertainment be somewhat positive. I don’t mean that we have to be all “Veggie Tales” all the time, but when it comes to young children and the entertainment I want them to connect to, I’d kind of prefer if it be somewhat uplifting. No violence – but for the occasional SPLAT! on “Bugs Bunny” cartoons, which are exempt because they are classics.

Winnie the Pooh certainly always passes the test. A classic. A good, kind-hearted bear with good, kind-hearted friends. No super annoying voices…you get the picture. Although my daughter is just about finished with her first year of kindergarten, I’m happy that she still clings to the little girl stuff – babies, cups w/lids (saving me tons of money on Resolve for the carpet), bubble gum flavored Lip Smackers, crayons, Goldfish crackers and preschool programming, like “My Friends Tigger and Pooh.”

In fact, she loved the newest DVD, “My Friends Tigger and Pooh: Super Duper Super Sleuths,” so much she asked to watch it every day of our Spring Break. Which was nice, because if you weren’t lucky enough to be on the first plane out of the Pacific Northwest to a more tropical (and less rainy) part of the world, you know all too well how much rain we had. To put it simply, we were spoiled with it! So, the gift of having a brand new DVD to watch was especially appreciated (thank you Disney folk) and the added bonus? The “Super Duper Super Sleuths” movie encourages healthy eating! It was a win-win situation.

In other words, this DVD saved our Spring Break. Although aimed at the preschool audience, my 6 year old loved it and I even caught her older brothers, aged 11 and 13, sitting through the entire, full-length adventure (but don’t tell them I told you, they would die). And from the kitchen, where I spent a lot of time rearranging my pantry, I heard no annoying voices, no name-calling, and no bad language – from my kids or the DVD. It was a Spring Break miracle!

Seattle Mom Blogs has FIVE brand new “My Friends Tigger and Pooh: Super Duper Super Sleuths” to give away to FIVE lucky readers. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post, telling us what your favorite form of family entertainment during our soggy Seattle Springs is, and you could win! All entries must be recieved by Tuesday, April 20th. Winner will be selected by random draw and notified via email.

Good luck!

*Comments are now closed.  Our five lucky winners will be contacted by email.  Thanks everyone!

Carrie Blankenship is the author of the blog Stop Screaming I’m Driving, where she attempts to tell her story of motherhood. She likes long walks in the park, dancing in the rain, and can be bribed to do just about anyting with a vanilla latte, extra foam. Contact her with column suggestions or just say “hi” at carrieb[at]seattlemomblogs.com. Or, blankenship.carrie[at]yahoo.com.

Just as I was typing out the title for this here little rant of mine, I realized how truly ironic it is that “fundraiser” contains the word “fun,” because really, there is nothing “fun” about using kids to peddle your goods, no matter how you look at it.

And peddling is what it is.

How many times a year do your school-aged, publicly instructed children come home with big, over-sized, glossy catalogs full of over-priced, tacky and generally useless items to sell to their friends and family? I’ve got three kids – thankfully the oldest is in middle school, where they don’t participate in so much blatant use of cute kids to sell crap, probably because the kids are old enough to catch on to the marketing ploys of the “fundraiser” companies. But between my 2 younger children, we get bombarded with full-color catalogs and requests to buy “at least 3 items” so that my children can participate in a “special” assembly at school where they will see “dazzling” tricks performed by a BMX superstar twice a year. If the puppy dog eyes from my kindergartner aren’t enough to kill a person (please, please spend at least $50 so that I can get a razzle dazzle super bouncy ball) than my son’s requests to earn enough “points” to win an XBOX 360 are sure to do you in.

Don’t even get me started on the magazine sales pitches.

It’s not that I’m not all for raising additional funds for our schools, because I am. My kids attend the same elementary school that I did as a child and many of the same teachers I had are in our school district. I have emotional ties to our school district in more ways than one and I want to see our schools get the best possible equipment and programs as they can congruent with offering our kids the best education they can. Doesn’t everyone want basically the same thing? But what I have a real problem with is the way in which fundraising is done. Obviously. These companies have got their thumb on our fundraising dollars like nobody’s business. They are big corporations with big ideas and marketing people who know what it takes to sell, mainly…kids. They know that no loving grandparent is going to pass up the opportunity to purchase a dozen caramel-filled chocolate bunnies from their 6 year old grandson for the low, low price of $19.99. They know this.

My question is, why do we let them use our kids?

The return on the fundraisers done by the big, national companies is not much. I can’t remember the exact numbers but when I sat in on my first PTA meeting a million years ago when my 13 year old was a kindergartner, I was shocked. Why are we allowing these companies into our schools? I asked. The response was that it was the only way to generate additional money for the school.

My reaction was to just write a check to the PTA and call it good.

I just don’t understand why we can’t shift our focus from these huge companies who are getting most of the profits from our kids’ hardwork and adorable faces to a more local, more direct means of generating funds for our schools. We have pizza nights sponsored by a local pizza place in which $2 from each pizza ordered is given directly to our school. In this case, the local businessman benefits and so do our kids – and there are no wasteful glossy catalogs to put in the landfill. We also have an Education Foundation set up to do just that, provide funds for education. The problem is, with all the requests and demands put upon parents from these outside sources, they feel like there is nothing else to give to these worthwhile, LOCAL means of creating extras for our school kids.

And so, we find ourselves stuck under the thumbs of big business once again, in a way we never ever intended. While our local PTAs try to grow money on trees and work endless hours giving to our schools, it is the schools, the kids and the community who are left holding the empty basket in the end. With nothing but a fancy schmancy assembly and a razzle dazzle super bouncy ball to show for it.

Carrie Blankenship is the author of the blog Stop Screaming I’m Driving, where she attempts to tell her story of motherhood. She likes long walks in the park, dancing in the rain, and can be bribed to do just about anyting with a vanilla latte, extra foam. Contact her with column suggestions or just say “hi” at carrieb[at]seattlemomblogs.com. Or, blankenship.carrie[at]yahoo.com.

The first time I ever pondered the idea of letting one of my kids stay home alone…I nearly drove myself crazy with worry.  What if they burn the house down?  What if they hurt themselves?  What if they open the door to a stranger?  What if ?  What if?  What if?

So many what ifs!

My older children are both boys, with two completely different personalities.  One is fearless, the other is cautious.  One is adventurous, the other is less so.  One is a risk taker, the other is a rule follower.  They are both smart, sweet and caring – but one was definitely more ready than the other (based on personality alone) to tackle the job of being home without a parent.

I remember babysitting in the 5th and 6th grade…so I can’t understand why it was so hard for me to go through this milestone with my oldest.  Clearly, he was ready.  Heck, the kid could construct a water tight dwelling out of sticks and leaves in the middle of a field and cook his own macaroni and cheese – surely being home alone was not that big of a deal!  But still, it was hard (on me).   So, we took it step by step.

First, I would run down to the market (about a mile from our house) to pick up some milk or run to the post office to buy stamps – something that would not take more than 15 minutes to complete.  I learned right away that no, leaving him in charge of his brother and sister, was not going to be an option – so I would take the the other two with me.  And, just as I thought, that worked fine.  After doing this for a few months, we moved onto larger stretches of time.  Eventually, I could go to the grocery store without worrying and pulling my hair out thinking about whether or not he was going to be okay.  He proved himself every single time, and it was going well.  Now, since he gets out of school a full hour and a half before his brother does, if I’m out running errands and don’t make it home by the time he does, he will call me on my cell.  Right on the dot.  The phone will ring, I look down to see it’s coming from “HOME,” and I tell him when to expect me, see if he’s okay, ask him how his day was and basically make sure all is well.

This is what is working for us, right now.

My 5th grader still doesn’t want to be left home alone, and that’s fine.  He still takes the dog into the garage with him for Pete’s sake, so we’ll let him tell us when he’s ready.  But I think the main thing to remember, when thinking about leaving your kids home alone for the first time, is that each child is different.

It’s important to go over your “house” rules, talk about what they would do in different scenarios (for example, what to say when they answer the phone – a good thing to say if a caller asks for a parent who isn’t home is “she can’t come to the phone right now, can I take a message?”), and go over your expectations while listening to any concerns they might have about being home alone.  You will most likely be able to tell when it’s the right time by the clues your child gives you.  Listen to them, trust your instincts, and most of all – let them try by attempting small trips – or even by taking a walk around the neighborhood (your cell phone at the ready) while they stay home and “mind the fort,” so to speak.

They might surprise you.  They might be ready and they might not – either is okay.

But once they are ready, you can do a big ‘ol happy dance because that is one less person following you around the grocery store asking for bubble gum!

Carrie Blankenship is the author of the blog Stop Screaming I’m Driving, where she attempts to tell her story of motherhood. She likes long walks in the park, dancing in the rain, and can be bribed to do just about anyting with a vanilla latte, extra foam. Contact her with column suggestions or just say “hi” at carrieb[at]seattlemomblogs.com. Or, blankenship.carrie[at]yahoo.com.

Long before I started having children of my own to expose me to the wonderful world of kids music (think Barney here, and don’t run for the hills screaming and holding your head), I was really into music. I blame the great folks of Sesame Street for drilling that “sugar beet” song into my head and other catchy tunes. I remember spending countless hours huddled over my record player, lining up the needle just right to hear my favorite song again and again. And then came the musical “Annie,” which I completely and utterly lost my mind to. My grandparents took me to Seattle to see the live show. I wandered up to the orchestra pit and peered over the edge…finding out where all that music really came from. I hoped, deep down inside, that because I too had red hair, that people would mistake me for the actress in the movie and ask for my autograph…

Well, that never happened.

But, a love for live performance was born. It went nicely with my love of music and to this day I never turn down the offer to see a great band, singer or live show.

Seems I’m passing this along to my kids, which, despite my inability to help them with their math homework, makes me feel like I’m not messing up too bad in the parenting department, on a good day.

Well, let me tell you – not all childrens music is created equal. Not to sound negative, but I’ve had about all the Wiggles, Barney and Chipmunks that I can take – even on a really, really good day. And I struggle to find childrens music that we can all enjoy and appreciate (without the whole bleeding ears thing going on). It isn’t easy. But when I heard The Imagination Movers for the first time, I thought hey, these guys aren’t too shabby.  When their show held my daughter’s attention for more than 2 minutes so I could actually take a shower alone, I was ready to pledge my undying love to each one of those men in the blue suits on the Disney Channel. No kidding.

And now, after talking to Rich Collins, proud “mover” and father of five (yes five) on the phone, my status in my daughter’s eyes has risen to an all time high. I fear the day when I’ll have to top it because I know that day probably doesn’t exist. I’ve never spoken to a real, live childrens programming celebrity before and I didn’t know what to expect. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. Rich was polite, funny, smart and hey – he likes music even more than I do! He told me the story about how he and the other “movers” got started – they were all friends who enjoyed messing around with and listening to music and found themselves at that place where kids start happening and life starts happening (you know, when you’re done with your 20’s) and their group and concept was born. He told me how they had their first “musical performance” at a friend’s wedding shower, where they sang their own version of “Jack and Diane,” which immediately brought me back to a moment in my own childhood when my mom wouldn’t let me listen to that song because of the whole “got his hands between her knees” lyric.  But I didn’t mention that to Rich.

I asked what kind of movers the Imagination Movers were, because Katie really wanted to know.

“We move our minds, using our imaginations to solve problems,” Rich said, “encouraging kids to think, move around and figure things out.”

What other response would you expect from a father of five that tells Warehouse Mouse stories to his 3 year old daughter Sophie on a nightly basis?

The Movers music stems from a variety of genres and Rich explained how each member, Scott, Dave, and Smitty, contribute to the groups songs.  “We are just normal guys who love music,” he stated.  But “normal” is hardly what the Movers are.  When you listen to their latest cd, “For Those About to Hop,” you notice right away that this isn’t just any old kids music and these aren’t just your run-of-the-mill childrens performers.  The fresh beats and funky rhythms jump out from songs that are just the right length for kids, not too long and not too short.  Perfect dancing around the kitchen music, if you ask me.  I was a bit skeptical that they wouldn’t live up to the description that they draw some influence from bands like the Beastie Boys and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but I was more than surprised.  This is music that we can all listen to, move around to, and even groove to in the car – which is where a lot of our time is spent.

The Imagination Movers are coming to Seattle on December 12th.  They are playing 2 shows at The Moore – click HERE for details and ticket pricing information.

And this is your lucky day!  I have generously been given 5 cds to giveaway.  The lucky winners will receive a copy of the Imagination Movers latest (and most awesome) release, “For Those About to Hop,” which will both thrill and delight any young fans you may have in your home and would make a terrific stocking stuffer.  Just leave a comment here and the winners will be randomly chosen by 12pm, Pacific time, December 12th – just in time to see the show.  Please either include your contact information (ie a working email address) in your comment or make sure it’s accessible via your profile.

Carrie Blankenship can be found most days wading through motherhood, fueld by vanilla lattes with extra foam, at her blog Stop Screaming I’m Driving.  She can also be found dancing around with her kindergartner at the Imagination Movers  concert this Saturday, December 12th.

Ryan Molenkamp and nephew McRae

Of course I wouldn’t be saying this strictly because one of the artists just so happens to be my super talented brother, Ryan Molenkamp.  Oh, who am I fooling?  Of course I am.  Well, at least a little bit.

Wednesday night the husband, the kids, and I got a sneek peek at Vermillion’s upcoming show titled “We Built This to Leave,” which includes work from three amazing artists - Trevor Johnson, Sharon Arnold and Ryan Molenkamp.  Located in the bustling neighborhood of Capitol Hill, Vermillion is easy to find and accessible, even for country bumpkins like myself.  In fact, it was so accessible that my kids had a hard time prying themselves away from the gallery, the peole, and most especially, the street poles covered in advertising, which they found supremely interesting.  Wyatt will tell you that he also really liked the pay phone booth with the missing phone!  And McRae enjoyed the window plastered in Van’s stickers – he thought that was the coolest thing…well, besides the art hanging inside the gallery.  Katie will tell you she enjoyed the Pellegrino, which she guzzled like a sailor on shore leave.

Back to the art.

The gallery describes the work as:

“This show speaks to the obsessive creator in all of us. From our youngest memory of playing with blocks to the daily compartmentalization of our lives we are always building, organizing, and making something new. Each artist in this show explores what we are all so busy building, why we are compelled to do so, how those creations impact the environment, and what becomes of the left over materials.”

While standing there gawking looking at Trevor’s “cloud” installation, a mighty form you can see protruding as if from the wall itself upon entering the space, I knew this was the perfect show to bring the kids to.  Any parent who has ever purchased their child anything larger than a matchbox car will tell you that toys, among other things we consume like televisions and computers and leaf blowers, come with a ridiculous amount of packaging.  I have found my living room, on more than one Christmas morning, mostly unrecognizable under all the styrofoam that encased their gifts.  I have also, on more than one Christmas morning, advised my kids that yes, they could play with the styrofoam for 1 or 2 days…but no more because my goodness it makes a lot of little styrofoam babies in the form of tiny pieces all over the house!  And then off to the recycler we go…until the next birthday or holiday.  And this tradition repeats itself over and over again until by the time my children have reached the age of twenty, I hate to think of all the packaging that has made it’s way to a landfill simply because of my 3 kids.

Trevor gets that.  He gets the packaging and consumption part, and he gets the kid part.  His pieces are moving and whimsical, but they also have a message.  And my kids loved them!  Although I stood like a hawk over them to make sure they did not touch the artwork, viewing the pieces was something we all enjoyed.

Speaking of not touching the artwork…Sharon Arnold blew that all to pieces.  And I mean that in the nicest possible way.  Since we were there for a “sneek peek,” the gallery was not too crowded, which was nice.  When Sharon approached my kids and asked them if they “wanted to touch her artwork” I nearly fainted.  Touch the artwork?  Are you kidding?  But an assured smile and nod from her and the next thing I knew she had my daughter’s hand and was leading her, with the boys following, over to one of her pieces, a fascinating and familiar installation that looked like toilet paper rolls…except much prettier.

Sharon’s pieces are a feat in meticulousness, you can tell that by looking at them.  When I asked her how long it took to create each individual roll for her most fascinating (in my opinion) installation, she said “30 to 40 hours per roll.”  If memory serves me right, and you never know about that these days, there were twelve rolls comprising the piece.  That, in itself,  blows me away.  Her pieces all evoke some sort of mischief in my inner child.  The temptation to pull on those rolls, like a toddler left unattended in the bathroom while mommy paints her toenails, is powerful.  And that is just what she asked my kids to do!  “Go ahead,” she urged them, “Give it a yank.  A good pull.”  They looked at her.  They looked at me.  I nodded and away they went, silly, giddy smiles on their faces – amazed at what they were actually doing.

Sharon Arnold sharing her work with children

And this, is what art is all about.

I’m not certain if everyone will be invited to pull on Sharon’s pieces, but it sure was a cool experience for my kids and they’ll never forget it.

As for Ryan’s work, I’m really at a loss as to what to say without sounding biased since he is my one and only brother (whom I teased unrelentingly in our childhood and will forever be apologizing for that- and I will always thank him for letting me tie his wagon to the back of my Big Wheel and tow him around our patio with impressive speed…without a single injury – I’m sure these experiences translate themselves into his painting in some way or another), but his work is so interesting it hurts.  I’ve watched his talent grow and grow and grow and only get stronger with each piece he unveils.  They are small, they are large, they are in the middle too – in size.  They are intricate, they are surprising, they are unique – in form.  When I ask him if a certain painting is of a landscape from our hometown he answers, “It could be,” with his trademark raised eyebrow (a trait only the males in our bloodline inherit).  His pieces have a message too.  They speak about the impact of people on the environment with their contrasts of the man-made and the…not.  The urban sprawl and the way it makes it’s mark upon the landscape are familiar themes that run through many of his pieces.  But what I think I love most about his work is that it is unlike any I’ve ever seen, and he doesn’t argue with you if you say you see a floating lily pad (even if it is not, indeed, a floating lily pad at all and you were just saying that to see what his reaction was).

Ryan’s work is grand and it is intelligent.  My favorite pieces are those with a lot of color, but the black and whites hold just as much impact.  And I could be completely swayed because we share the same DNA, but I think this is his best show to date, even though he wouldn’t invite you to touch his artwork, like his lovely co-artist would.

All in all, “We Built This to Leave” is an eclectic blend of 3 different viewpoints on basically the same thing, our world.  The show is a great one to bring kids to as it can spark not only their creative spirit, which seems to remain right beneath if not plastered all over the surfaces of our children, but a good conversation about how humans affect the environment.  The show opens tonight, November 6th, and runs through November 29th.

Carrie Blankenship is the author of the blog Stop Screaming I’m Driving, where she attempts to tell her story of motherhood, as only she can.  She likes long walks in the park, dancing in the rain, and can be bribed to do just about anyting for a vanilla latte, extra foam.  Contact her with column suggestions or just say “hi” at carrieb[at]seattlemomblogs.com.  Or, blankenship.carrie[at]yahoo.com.

By now, we (and I think I can speak for many) are sick, sick, sick and tired of hearing the phrase “economic downturn.”  In fact, I read in Newsweek (I believe) that the phrase alone had been used something like 2,500 times in print journalism since the new year.  Enough to drive a person crazy, right?  Right!  And like I’ve said to my dad on several occasions, if people only listen to the bad news about the economy in our country, the entire population will be dependent on anti-depressants (not that there is anything wrong with using them if one needs to) by the end of 2009.

In short, it is depressing.  Even for a “glass half full” kind of girl like me.

But am I going to let that stop my family from having a super summer?  No way!

Instead of wallowing in the recession, we are going to amp it up this summer using a little thing called…our imaginations.  You heard it right here folks, our imaginations!  Funny that something which is a big part of what separates us from the apes (I hope) is the one thing that can get us through these stressful, jaw-clenching, nerve-wracking months of economic uncertainty.  Better yet even?  It is one hundred percent, without a doubt, completely free.  Yes, free.  Four letters pieced together to form a word that is pleasing to everyone.  Like peace and love and baby.  And mama.

There are a ton of cheap, easy and most of all, fun things to do with your families this summer and here are just a few ideas:

• Check out the free summer concerts at the local parks.  Simply log onto your areas parks and recreation websites and check out the free activities they have lined up for the summer.  Most of them have family-friendly concerts, crafts and even activities to entertain kids of all ages.
• Expand your horizons.  Head to the mountains and hike one of the numerous marked trails with your kids.  Favorites of ours include The Iron Goat Trail, Wallace Falls and Big Four Ice Caves.
• Bring the inside OUT.  While camping over Memorial Day Weekend, we did something we had never done before.  We brought our dinky little camping TV outside and watched a movie sitting in our camping chairs, huddled under several blanketed layers and noshing on popcorn just like at the movie theater…except under the stars, and free, and really, really a lot cooler than sitting in a movie theater.
• Ride the ferries.  Yes, you may need to save a few pennies for these trips, but much less if you are a “walk on” passenger vs. taking a car on board.  Ride the ferry to the other side, and spend the day on foot, exploring the local scene on the other side of the water.  Pack a picnic, take your time.
• Day camps.  Instead of sending their children to expensive over-night camps, many parents are choosing from the variety of day camps offered by their local school districts and communities.  These programs are a blessing and provide just the distraction both parents and children are looking for to break up the monotony of those endless summer days.
• The festivals!  Summer is the time for festivals in nearly every city around The Sound.  Find out which ones are close to home and head on over.  Parades are free, fun and the kids will undoubtedly love all the free candy thrown their way.  It’s a win-win situation.
• Don’t forget the beaches.  Our area is lucky to have a variety of beaches for just about every type of person.  We have ocean beaches, with miles of smooth sand in every direction (perfect for wave jumping!).  We have rock beaches with tide pools teeming with aquatic life and we have lakes, providing a non-salt water option.
• Lastly, the zoo.  Having a membership to The Woodland Park Zoo is the best value for a family, no matter what the economy is doing.  If a family of five visits the zoo only twice in a year, they would have paid for a membership.  Seems pretty simple to me.  Additionally, when you have a membership, you don’t feel pressured or obligated to see every single exhibit every single time you go.  You can take more time at your favorite stops and really observe the animals (or the people, whatever floats your boat) without feeling like you need to “get your money’s worth.”  Zoo membership = freedom.

But most of all…enjoy.  With a little resourcefulness, a little creative thinking, and a lot of imagination, this could be your family’s best summer ever!

Carrie can be found pulling her hair out on her personal blog Stop Screaming I’m Driving! She takes offers of free babysitting and lattes very seriously.  You can reach her at carrieb[at]seattlemomblogs.com or blankenship.carrie[at]yahoo.com.   She will also be appearing as a guest on “The Conversation,” airing on local NPR radio KUOW 94.9 on June 23rd between 12:20 – 12:40 PST talking about how to have a fun summer…despite the “economic downturn.”

But we all know that these things do not exist. At least not yet. And so we read and we talk. We communicate with other parents and we pay attention to educators. We learn and we share.

Somewhere in between all of that, we are able (hopefully) to fill our parenting tool boxes with the necessary items (tricks, bribes, threats) that will help us parent our children the way we think is best without inflicting too much harm on them or society at large. We cross our fingers a million times and pray that we’re doing the right thing before calling it a day and collapsing on a bed not made entirely of mommy guilt and worry only to awake rested just enough to get up the next day and do it all over again.

Sound familiar?

However, as much as I like to think I’m one step ahead of the game, I’m not. And there is nothing like asking and reminding and reminding again my 10 year old to please not leave his backpack on the bench in the living room for the one millionth time to bring me right back to reality. A parenting reality I’d rather not face because it suggests, rather, SHOUTS, “Hey lady, yer doing’ it wrong!”

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had this, and similar other, conversation with my child. He is 10 YEARS OLD for goodness sakes! He should understand that we have a routine, we have a system, we have a plan. One which has not changed in the many years he’s been coming home with a backpack. A simple, easy to follow routine which consists of the following:

1. Come home from school.
2. Say “Hi mom, I’m home.”
3. Take off backpack and empty important papers into mom’s hands and/or on her desk.
4. HANG backpack up on one of the 6 hooks in the laundry room placed there specifically for this purpose (ok, who knows why those hooks were placed here, as the previous owner put them up, but they’re there, either way, and that’s what we use them for).

Instead, this is what happens:

1. Come home from school.
2. Throw backpack on bench.
3. Run past mom to see what brother is up to.
4. Hit the pantry, gotta have a snack.
5. Leave it there for days, perhaps with a lunchbox inside which needed to be emptied but who cares? There is a new episode of Sponge Bob that needs to be watched!

Admittedly, my tools are all gone. I have tried and tried and tried and just short of taking away his backpack until he can get the hang of things (no pun intended), which would border on child abuse, I am left empty-handed, not a trick in sight.

So I guess I’ll have to resort to something else. I’ll have to take away Sponge Bob or something he cares about for x amount of days until he breaks the bad habit.

And then, I’ll work with him on the concept of getting the dirty socks into the hamper. His future wife will thank me for that.

Carrie can be found most days at Stop Screaming I’m Driving where she chronicles her life as mother to three active children, wife of one busy fire fighter, constant doer of laundry, and picker upper of Legos. She takes offers of free babysitting and bribes of lattes (vanilla, extra foam) very seriously. Feel free to reach her at carrieb[at]seattlemomblogs[dot]com.

Unfortunately I don’t have that pregnant belly to blame for my lack of equilibrium these days…

Anyway, if you’re a Northwest parent not experiencing a bit of cabin fever, this post is not for you!  This post is for those of you who have a little or a lot of snow and don’t know what to do about it.  Rather, don’t know how you’re going to make it until 2009 with children starting winter breaks early and Starbucks closing much earlier than they are supposed to.  The nerve.

I am so not kidding.  I ventured out this evening to stock up on my holiday appetizer supplies before another big freeze and 2 of the 4 Starbucks in my town were closed!  I don’t know about the other two stores, maybe they were open, but I wasn’t going to put my family in danger to find out…not even for a gingerbread latte.

So if you’re like me, latteless, frazzled, feeling cooped up and getting a generous dose of children, maybe these tips will be helpful.  Maybe not, but you can’t say I didn’t try.

A Mom’s Guide to Surviving the Winter Weather:

• Yes, it’s cold outside.  Tip #1 involves a little work on your part which will reap great rewards later.  It involves doing laundry.  That’s right, laundry.  Make sure your dryer is empty while the kiddos are out playing in the snow.  That way, when they come in, you can incorporate what I like to call the “peel and dump” system.  Each child peels off his/her snow clothing and dumps it into the empty dryer.  After all children have done this, press start and dry the snow clothes.  Ta-da!  Warm, cozy and, most importantly, dry clothes to put back on after a break inside!
• Tip #2 is to actually go out in the snow with your kids, at least twice a day.  I know, I know, it is much easier to watch them with your hands wrapped around a mug of vodka hot cider from the living room window.  But if you go outside, move around a bit, breathe the crisp air, you will feel much better.  You might even get a tiny dose of Vitamin D from the sliver of sunlight coming through the snow clouds.
• Tip #3 involves games, any kind of games.  Put your patient hat on and play some games with your children.  You have nowhere to go and nothing to do anyway, so why not take advantage of this down time and engage with you kids.  I don’t care if you’re playing Guitar Hero or Scrabble, the point is to play.  Have fun.
• Tip #4 is to relax.  Yes, there are very few days left before Christmas.  Yes, you probably did not check everything off your “to do” list before the snow storm hit, it’s okay.  Give yourself a break – you have the perfect excuse to not overdo it this year, besides the horrible economy.
• Tip #5:  snuggle.  Give extra hugs to your kids and, if you can stand it, your spouse.  What you will get back in return will surprise you.
• Tip #6 is to walk.  Don’t just stay confined to your yard or neighborhood.  Take this opportunity to walk further (but be safe about it) around your neighborhood than you normally do.  Talk to neighbors (as long as they aren’t crazy) you might not get the opportunity to talk to during the rest of the year because of your busy schedule.  Say hello to passersby.  Smile a little extra.  Take the kids with you and show them that you are all a part of the larger community.
• Tip #7 is to give.  People spend a lot of time and effort tracking down the perfect charity to give to. Why not take this opportunity to give as locally as you can?  Locate the giving tree in your nearest supermarket, ask store owners if they have a local charity they give to, call your local food bank and ask them what kinds of foods they need the most.  Give what you can, it’ll make you feel good.
• Tip #8 is to be prepared.  If you must travel, make sure you have plenty of supplies in case you get stuck on 1-90 somewhere between Seattle and Spokane.  Never mind, I hear most of the streets are closed in Spokane, so I’d avoid going there all together.  But in the off chance that your grandmother lives there and you cannot avoid it, bring water, snacks, blankets, boots, outerwear, hats, traction helpers (like sand of kitty litter) for your tires should you get stuck, a shovel, flashlight and anything else you can fit in your car with you.  You can never prepare too much and a very wise person once said, “An ounce of preparation is worth it’s weight in gold.”  Believe it.
• Speaking of believe, tip #9 is to do just that.  Believe.  This time of year is a magical time whether you are celebrating the religious significance of the season or just celebrating your own way.  It all counts.  Take the time to tell the stories, make the cookies, decorate the house and make the wishes, for this is really what it is all about.  Whatever your family’s traditions are, do them.  Celebrate your blessings and look forward to a new year . . . hopefully with a little less rock salt and a little more Starbucks (it is the Northwest, coffee capitol, USA).

And if these tips don’t work, there’s always schnapps cocoa!  But most of all, know that you are not alone, we are all in this parenting boat together!  Happy Holidays!

Carrie can be found most days at Stop Screaming I’m Driving where she chronicles her life as mother to three active children, wife of one busy fire fighter, constant doer of laundry, and picker upper of Legos. She takes offers of free babysitting and bribes of lattes (vanilla, extra foam) very seriously. Feel free to reach her at carrieb[at]seattlemomblogs[dot]com.