Leader Enterprise - June 2010

Summer's here-It seems to come and go so quickly. The kids are home from school and we'll all be spending more time outside, so I thought I would give you a little help to smooth your days and soothe your family this busy time of year.

I hope you'll give boredom busters a try to help keep the kids busy,and help keep you sane. I trust these things will help inspire you to make the most of time with your kids this summer.

Take the kids to the library. There are a myriad of subjects for them to enjoy. Our local libraries have summer reading programs where a child can interact with a story-teller and earn a reward for reading over the summer months. Don't forget to check out books to bring home. Spending time cuddled up reading together will make memories cherished for a lifetime. We often celebrate our childrens "firsts", but we just never know when our children will outgrow some of their childhood habits, so make every day memorable.

Set up a lemonade stand. This is a great way for kids to learn lessons about being an entrepreneur. You could loan them a few dollars for supplies, or they could use their own allowance to purchase cups, lemons,and ice. It is important for an adult to supervise this project. Invite neighbor kids, and their parents, to take part in this fun activity too.

Plan to take in a matinee once a month. Prices are lower, and it gives you all something to look forward to and plan together.

Build a fort in the living or dining room. If you can't find huge boxes to use,throw a sheet over a table. This certainly was one of my most favorite childhood pastimes. Kids can read, hide from family members or pretend they are camping. If they want to do this outside, set some chairs in a circle and throw a sheet over the top for a hideout.

Give each child a "King or Queen for a Day" honor. Allow them to choose their favorite meal for dinnertime. Give them something small in their favorite color. Maybe their siblings could make them a card and write a sentence about a quality in them that they appreciate. Make it a day about them and they'll treasure it always.

Have them make handmade cards. Whether it's a thank you, or a Father's Day card, it teaches kids to reach out beyond themselves and think of others. Homemade cards can be treasures for many years.

Have a sprinkler day. The family can don their bathing suits and cool off by running through the water sprinkler in your yard. Check out this blog post for instructions to make cute, inexpensive water sponge toys, and get some ideas for fun kid-friendly recipes too.

Last, but not least, spend time in the kitchen with your kids. It's a great way for them to learn about measurements and fractions. There are plenty of teachable moments and you can have fun making special memories while you're making dishes to eat too. Have the kids make simple things to have a picnic outside. They'll love eating their own creations. Just for fun, cut sandwiches into 1/3's or 1/4's, or use a cookie cutter for an unusual shape.

Thinking of picnics, we often have to endure little critters when we're feasting outside. Here are a few ideas for you to toss around to try to get rid of the little summer pesties. These aren't guaranteed, but they are frugal and have worked for me in times past.

If you lay fabric softener dryer sheets near any ants, it will chase them away.

I keep dryer sheets in my pockets when the mosquitoes are bad. Sometimes, I rub in on my arms and legs for an extra "power punch" to repel the pesks. Keep some sheets handy in the car and you'll freshen the car too.

Have stinky tennis shoes laying around the house? Stick a dryer sheet in each shoe overnight and in the morning they will smell much better. For some busy people, this might need to become a habit.

June is an extra busy month for me. I am elated because I was able to send in my cookbook last week for printing. I plan to have it in my hands about Labor Day. I'm also in Relay for Life. We've been busy with fundraisers-the actual walk happens in late June. Please support this awesome program to help many who have been affected by cancer. Our family is honored that our grandson, Caden Baker, has been chosen as Youth Survivor of the Year. Enjoy each day of summer as fall will be here before we know it.

I want to share a couple of easy and frugal recipes for the kids this month. I do hope they'll have fun with them.

HOT DOG ROLLUPS

1-8 oz.pkg.crescent rolls
1-1# pkg.hot dogs

Unroll crescent rolls one at a time;lay hot dog across the wide end. Roll hot dog in crescent roll and place on baking sheet.

Bake according to package directions.Dip in mustard or ketchup and enjoy.
Easy picnic dish or snack.

HOMEMADE PLAYDOH (Requires some adult supervision)

1 c.all purpose flour
1/2 c.salt
2 tsps.cream of tartar
1 c.water-very hot
1 Tb.oil
few drops of food coloring
1/2 tsp.extract(coconut, peppermint, etc), optional

Mix flour, salt and cream of tartar in glass bowl. In small dish, combine wet ingredients, stir by hand into dry.Blend until smooth. If sticky, place in microwave on high for 30 seconds. Work together until blended. Cool; store in sealed bag or container.

More than 1 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed every year in the US.Please make sure the kids(& adults)wear sunscreen when outdoors. Even on hazy days,the UV rays still come through.