Trains, Trains, and More Trains

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Rail Division has a great website for special train rides scheduled around North Carolina. See http://www.bytrain.org/ for trips on Thomas the Tank, Disney's A Christmas Carol Train Ride, and rides to Carolina Panthers football games. The fall schedule is currently posted and it looks like they might have a Santa Train ride in early December. The website also has other interesting information about the rail system in North Carolina as well as games and activities for children.

Moms - Read This!

In "Inside Out Girl, a type-A single mom, Rachel Berman, transforms into a totally different person after becoming the guardian of a learning-disabled girl. Olivia and Rachel have a special relationship with grows as Rachel realizes that being perfect has nothing to do with being perfect. "Inside Out Girl" was created by Tish Cohen and published by Harper Perennial. $14

"My One Hundred Adventures" - Book for Tweens

In this book written by National Award-winning author, Polly Horvath, a young girl has some experiences that she could only have imagined. She takes a ride in a hot-air balloon and meets and offbeat new friend. A great coming of age novel that can be enjoyed by kids aged 8 to 12. Published by Schwartz & Wade/Random House. $17

Yucky Website for Kids

Have your kids ever asked questions about "barfing", "pooping", or "burping"? Do you have kids that are interested in worms and roaches? If so, send them to Yucky Discovery -
http://yucky.discovery.com/flash/

This website answers the grossest questions - questions that parents can't or don't want to answer. As part of Kids Discovery, the website is interactive with games, videos, quizzes, and even interviews with experts. Great for children 8 and older.

School Starts in the Triangle

Wow - school started in Wake County this week. Although the Triangle area has more year-round schools than many other areas in the country, it was still an exciting week in this area. More buses in the neighborhoods, nervous children waiting at bus stops with brand new clothes, and busy teachers and school administrators eagerly awaiting their new students. The beginning of a new school year is exciting. I know for me personally, this year is especially exciting because my daughter is starting kindergarten. Tomorrow she is taking her first bus ride to school and spending the day in classroom with 20 or so children her age. I'm happy yet sad. I'm happy because she is happy. She will be in school with 6 other kindergarten students who all live in our neighborhood and who swim at the same community pool. Two of the children will be in the same tap and ballet class as her so she will have opportunities to spend time outside of school with her friends. I'm looking forward to a great year.

My step-son started high school this year. This is an exciting time for him too. He is on the JV Football team at his school and his first game is tomorrow night. He has been practicing all summer long and looking forward to his first real high school game. I talked to him about his classes and after his first day, I believe he is ready for a good year academically. Let's hope so!

My step-daughter is in 8th grade and based on her conversations, she loves the classes she is taking but isn't so excited about the homework. I guess that isn't unusual. She generally does well in school but she doesn't participate in many activities so I'm working on encouraging her to try something new this year.

My 4 year old son will also be trying something new this year. On Monday he will be attending a transitional kindergarten. His new class will be made of only 9 children who all have birthdays that are just past the kindergarten cut-off date. I spent a lot of time researching schools for him and the school that we chose together is the best option. Although he will miss his friends from his current preschool, many of whom are starting kindergarten this week, he is excited about taking on a more aggressive curriculum. He loves to learn and has shown a great interest in reading and math.

All in all we had a great summer. We have two more weekends at the pool and Labor Day will mark the official end of the season. Even with the extra week of summer this year, it just didn't seem like it was long enough.

Growing Up in New Hampshire - Early Years

I grew up in New Hampshire. I have been in North Carolina for almost 15 years now so I consider North Carolina my home but I want to share some of the experiences that I had growing up in the Northeast. I will do this in a series of short posts that will serve as both education for those of you who are interested in New Hampshire and for my own documentation of some of my childhood experiences.

I'm going to start with the early part of my life. I was born in a city called Dover and I lived there for the first five years of my life. I am the first of three children (I have two younger brothers). My mother was a nurse and my father a schoolteacher. We lived in an apartment building that had a couple of other apartments. I don't remember much about it except that all of the kids were older than me so I had to sit around all day and wait for them to get out of school. I wanted to go to school too so my mother signed me up for a nursery school when I was very young. I loved it.

Although I don't remember much about those first five years, I know I was happy. I had two great parents, two baby brothers and several friends. I even had both sets of grandparents in my life. They lived about an hour away from us but they came to visit us and we went to visit them often. My grandfather on my mother's side would come to stay with us once in a while and during his visits, he would take me out for a ride in the car and say we were going to get lost. I believed he was really lost for many years until I was in my teens and my mother said that he was never lost and knew every road in the state of New Hampshire. Oh well, it was fun thinking we were lost and I did get to see some places that I would never had seen without him.

When I was five my parents purchased their first house and we moved to Somersworth. I will talk about life in Somersworth next time.

Summertime is Here!!!

Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, the pools are open, and school is just about out for this year. It's summertime!!! Time to take a vacation with your family, visit relatives, relax and not worry about homework, and enjoy the great weather we have in North Carolina. I don't know about you but I love summer. I love the long daylight hours, the sunshine, and the sounds of children playing outside. I especially love spending time at our community pool.

I didn't have a community pool when I was growing up. My friend had a neighbor who had a pool and we were allowed to swim there when the owners were home. Eventually my parents bought a small above ground pool and we had a great time swimming in that. It was in our backyard, our friends came over, and it was not only a place to swim but a social activity and gathering place for all of the children in the neighborhood. Now many many years later, the community pool serves the same purpose for us as well as our children. We all love being at the pool. We know that whenever we go there will be somebody there to sit with and talk to. It brings people out of their houses and provides us with an opportunity to catch up with neighbors who we pass by for the other nine months when the pool is not open.

I'm looking forward to a short vacation at the beginning of the summer, swim meets, camping, cookouts, and summer parties. I love summer and the only thing I don't look forward to is the end of summer.

Kindergarten Open House

We attended the kindergarten open house tonight. The school administration and PTA did a very nice job of making the incoming kindergarten students and their families comfortable. Upon arrival, we were immediately greeted by a friendly teacher who took time to speak with every child. The registration process was simple and there were plenty of people around to answer questions and provide information. After we signed in and collected some information we were directed to the multi-purpose room which is where we stayed through the presentation. After the first few minutes of the presentation, the incoming kindergartners were broken into two groups and led to the classrooms where they participated in activities with the teachers.

The presentation was extremely informative. We met the teachers and we learned about the staggered entry process that Wake County uses for kindergarten students. They presented information about transportation, lunches, and the day in the life of a kindergartner. After the presentation, we were asked to go to the two classrooms to see what our children had been doing. All of the children were having fun. Some were looking at the class pets – hermit crabs, some were playing in the various centers, and some were sitting at the desks. All in all it was a great evening. As we were walking out, our daughter wanted to know exactly when kindergarten started because she was ready to go. I’m excited for her but I don’t know if I’m quite ready for her to be in regular school.

Spring Cleaning and Organizing

I guess by now most of you have either started thinking about spring cleaning or have actually started the process. I’ve done a little of both. I went through the winter clothes to get rid of the items that won’t fit next year, I’ve given away some toys that are no longer used, and I’ve “thought” about tackling the closets. In my house, with 4 kids, it seems like I am always performing “spring cleaning”. I have a corner at the end of a hallway where I store all of the items that I need to get rid of. As soon as I remove the items and take them to various charities or give them to friends and neighbors, the corner is full of “stuff” again. As I go through bedrooms, closets, utility room and the shed, I continue to find unused items that somebody else may need or want. Sometimes I don’t even know where the stuff came from.

I’ve learned through reading various magazine articles and information that people posted on blogs and such that there are some good ideas for cleaning out areas of your home where things seem to collect. The following is a tip that I have tried and I like the best.

First, you tackle one area or room at a time. Generally there is some areas in your home where “things” seem to collect -- a desk, the kitchen, the dining room table, a closet, etc. It’s best to start with one area so you can complete the process before moving on to another area. You will need three fairly large plastic bins labeled – 1) KEEP, 2) GIVE TO CHARITY, and 3) PUT AWAY.

Second, start in the area you have chosen and put every item into one of the three bins. The items you put in the KEEP bin should only be those items you plan to keep in the area you are cleaning. These should be items that you use on a regular basis. The items that you place in the PUT AWAY bin should be items that you need to keep but you don’t use them regularly. Items that are placed in the CHARITY bin are those that you don’t need and never plan to use again. These can also be items that you have not used in several months.

Lastly, for the items you put in the CHARITY bin, take those and put them in a plastic trash bag or boxes and immediately put them in your car to deliver to your favorite charity organization. Next, go through the items you placed in the PUT AWAY bin and neatly pack them in places where you can access them when they are needed. Make sure you don’t pack up items that you will need in the future in a box and place it in an attack under items. This will defeat your purpose and you may end up purchasing similar items unnecessarily. Take all of the items in the KEEP bin and put them back in the location where you will need them. Some may go back in the are you are cleaning while others may need to be put back in other rooms.

If you follow this simple process for every area that needs to be organized or clean, you will accomplish what you set out to do and it the end result is very satisfying.

Carolina Kids Expo Canceled

Back on April 29th in my post called "Triangle Events in May" I talked about the Carolina Kids Expo, a great event that is held every year at the State Fairgrounds. While updating my Events Calendar on www.trianglemomnetwork.com, I went back to the Carolina Kids Expo website and found that they updated the website with the following message, "The Carolina Kids Expo will not be held in 2009. Check back to find out what's happening in 2010!". I called the telephone number listed on the website and the message just said that the event is cancelled for this year. I sent an email to the maketing firm in charge of the event but have not heard back yet. This was to be the 8th year of the event and I was looking forward to attending. I've been to the event for the past three years and my children and I have always enjoyed it. I don't want to make any assumptions but I'm guessing that the economy impacted the decision to cancel the event for the year. The event depends on businesses and government agencies to set up booths, give away prizes and marketing items, and have people spend two days working at the event. With so many businesses struggling, I imagine it was difficult to get enough vendor booths to make the event worth the effort. I'm disappointed but I understand that everyone has to cut back and make decisions that is best for their businesses and families. Hopefully things will turn around and the event will be on in 2010.

A Vacation Close to Home

Many people are going to skip going on vacation this summer due to the economy, increasing expenses, and threat of job loss. It is definitely not easy to plan a vacation away from home where you will spend money on travel, food, lodging, and activities. But, many sources say that going on vacation is good for your health and promotes quality family time so skipping your annual vacation may actually be bad for you and your family. Rather than totally eliminating the idea of a vacation this year you should consider other options such as day trips or short overnight trips to places that you can drive to.

I remember one year when I was a kid, we didn't have money to go on a vacation. Most of our vacations were camping trips to campgrounds that were fairly close to home but this one year, my parents determined that even a camping trip would not fit into the budget. So instead, we all took a week off from work and camp and took day trips. One day we took a picnic and went to the lake. On another day, we visited a farm where we milked cows, bailed hay, and even picked some vegetables from a huge garden. On one of the days we each (I have two brothers) invited a couple of friends over to play backyard games like tag, wiffle ball, and hide and seek. That was my favorite day. We even spent several hours of one day visiting people in a nursing home. My mother worked in a nursing home at the time so she was able to set up a time for us to go to sing and tell stories with the elderly people. We had fun and the elderly people had even more fun.

The week doesn't sound like much but it was one of the most memorable weeks of my childhood. We spent time as a family, learned new things, met new people and spent very little money. Times are different now and kids expect fancy vacations to resorts and amusement parks but I'm sure if planned out, a week of day trips will appeal to most children.

"Mompreneurs"

There was a great article in the Work & Money section of the Sunday, May 10, 2009 edition of the News & Observer. The article was on the front page of this section and the title was "Moms who make it work". They used the term "Mompreneur" to describe moms who invent something that they see a need for then start a business by selling the product or service. This trend has been increasing over the past couple of years as more and more moms decide to leave the corporate world of travel, late evening conference calls, and long and demanding hours in the office. Starting a business is a great way to work a schedule that better suits a parent's need to be there for their children. When a parent can work from home, be there when children get out of school, and be available to transport children to and from activities -- it is the best of both worlds -- that is, working and staying home.

But, sometimes it's not all good. As I read through the article I saw that one mother was so successful that she actually works longer hours than when she was in the corporate world. And of course, there is the chance of failure. You may think your idea is great but if it is not marketable or you are unable to find sellers, you may find yourself creating debt but no income. One person in the article mentioned that it is wise to have a set amount in which you and your spouse agree is the most you can affort to spend on the start up of a new business. Once you have spent your budget, evaluate the situation before making decisions to spend more money.

I like the idea of "Mompreneurs". I read the magazine, Working Mother as soon as it hits my mailbox. There are thousands of success stories about women who start businesses and are very successful There are also stories of failures but anyone in business will tell you that sometimes past failures in business create future successes. You just need to be able to learn from your mistakes.

Poison Ivy, Oak, or Sumac

I don't know about your back yards but ours seems to be full of poison ivy this year. A couple of weeks ago I was pulling weeks and by the next morning my arms were covered in red bumps. By the end of the week I was miserable. I had poison ivy for the first time last year but it wasn't bad. In fact I didn't even know I had it until I went to the doctor for an annual exam and the doctor told me a I had poison ivy. This time it was so bad that by the fifth day I had to go to the Minute Clinic because I wasn't even sleeping at night. Apparently, poison ivy actually gets into your blood stream so it isn't just a condition on your skin. Now it seems like I can't get rid of it. It has been several weeks and although it looked like it was gone for a while, it came back again.

I did some research on poison ivy, oak, and sumac after I visited the nurse on duty at the Minute Clinic. It seems that the plants actually have to touch you and the reaction comes from an oil (uroshiol) on the plant. The poison can be passed on from pets who walk through poison ivy plants but it can not be passed on from human to human. And, the myth that it spreads when you scratch is actually not true. The places in which you have poison ivy is actually where the plant touched your skin. Again, it is actually in your blood stream so it can take several days to several weeks before it is no longer visible. You can read more about it on www.webmd.com which is a considered a reliable source for health information.

I was told by both a doctor and the nurse at the Minute Clinic that the actual diagnosis is Contact Dermatitus. Most poison ivy, oak, or sumac rashes can be treated successfully at home. Initial treatment consists of washing the area with water immediately after contact with the plants. To relieve symptoms, use wet compresses and take cool baths. Nonprescription antihistamines and calamine lotion also may help relieve symptoms. Moderate or severe cases of the rash may require treatment by a doctor, who may prescribe corticosteroid pills, creams, ointments, or shots (injections).

After this most recent reaction, my opinion is that you should learn about what the poisonous plants look like and STAY AWAY. Not everybody has a an allergic reaction to the plant but you don't want to find out if the hard way if you are one of the unlucky ones who is allergic.

Oak Park Pool

Another one of my commitments other than work and family is my position as the interim president of Oak Park Pool and Tennis Club. Our family became members of this great pool, which happens to be very close to our home, just last year. At the same time, I "volunteered" to take on the Membership Director board position to help the president recruit new members. It went well. I put out a Money Savers coupon which allowed families to try out the pool during opening weekend which was Memorial Day weekend - we have the same coupon this year just in case your interested. We were able to gain enough new members to cover the members we lost due to children growing up and moving out of the house. Now this year, I took on the interim president position while we find a president. Nobody wants this position as it is a lot of work with no pay. It is a true volunteer position and is much more political than I would have ever expected. This is a community pool with just over 100 family memberships but there are people who have been members for years and are very passionate about the history of the pool. Anyway, I took the position to help get the pool open this year. I am lucky to have a few supportive board members who have taken on additional responsibility to help me. I don't mind the work and I'm learning a lot about the political process and the importance of upholding old traditions. There are a few people who may not be happy with some of the decisions that we had to make but the volunteers are working very hard and doing the best they can with the resources that we have. I will come back to this topic again as I want to spend some time talking about the importance of the pool in our community and how people from outside of the neighborhood may enjoy the friendliness of the pool and members.

Schools in Wake County

I had a conversation with somebody this evening about schools. She has a daughter who like our daughter, is entering Kindergarten in the fall. I asked her where she would be going to school and after telling me that she had applied for several magnet schools and her designated Year Round school, she didn't get into any of them and will be attending her base school. She sounded somewhat disappointed about the school so I asked which school it was. It happened to be the same school as our daughter is registered for. After hearing that and finding out that we actually live in the neighborhood, she seemed happier. It definitely made a difference that her daughter would know somebody from the neighborhood who could ride the bus with her. Both of the kids have been talking about taking the bus to school and are very excited about it.

Because she seemed disappointed at first, I told her that I missed the deadlines for applying for magnet schools and I figured that our base school would be as good as we make it out to be. By being close to the school we would have more opportunity to visit the school and be involved in our children's education. She said that her husband was very excited at the thought of being close to the school as he intended to be there to help out in the classroom as much as he could.

A parent can spend so much time being concerned about the school their child is attending that they don't consider that it is the parent's who can make any school great. This particular school may not look like one of the best schools on paper but I have several friends and neighbors with children in this school and they are very happy. It is all what you make it out to be. We are in Wake County and most of the schools are good. The not so good ones can improve and if you look at the history of all the schools, you can see that many not so good schools have become great over time. My belief is that as parents we need to be supportive of our children and do what we can to help the teachers and administrative staffs in our schools. We don't necessarily need great schools, we need great students and that is up to the PARENTS.

Triangle Events in May

I was looking around to find family-friendly events scheduled in May for the Triangle area. I found a couple of good ones that I want to share. On May 16th and 17th, Artsplosure - The Raleigh Arts Festival will be filling the Raleigh downtown streets with food, art, music, and plenty of people. This is a great event for the whole family. Also on that same weekend, the 8th annual Carolina Kids Expo will be held at the State Fairgrounds. If you have younger children, this is an event you shouldn't miss. I've been to this event every year for the past three years and my children always have a good time. It's also a great opportunity to learn about all the different products and services that are offered around the Triangle.

The Got To Be NC Festival is being held on May 29th and 30th at the State Fairgrounds. I have never attended this event but if you take a look at their webpage (http://www.ncagfest.com/), it looks like a lot of fun. Free parking, free admission, food, rides, and shows. It looks like a mini version of the state fair. Check it out!

The Clear Channel Health & Wellness Expo will be held at the State Fairgrounds on May 30th and 31st. I have attended this event for the past two years and found the information to be educational for adults and children of all ages. I'm guessing that with this event and the Got To Be NC Festival going on during the same weekend in the same location, it would be hard to attend this and skip the carnival - especially if your kids spot the rides.

Please check out the Events Calendar on www.trianglemomnetwork.com for links to these events and upcoming June events.

Bedtime and Naps

It seems like some people have no problems getting their children to go to sleep at night. Others dread bedtime because it can be so unpredictable. We were in the "others" group. It's not because we didn't have a routine because we have had the same routine for years. Some nights are so easy - we don't have to say anything and pajamas are on, teeth are brushed, and everyone is ready for bed. The other nights were dreadful. We put the kids to bed, one would come out to get water, the other would come out to use the bathroom, then one of them would come out to tell a story. This went on for an hour or more. It was frustrating but it was difficult say "you can't use the bathroom" or "we don't want to hear your story". So we had to determine what was causing this on some nights and why other nights were easy and come up with a solution.

We identified the problem. Neither of our preschoolers take naps at home but they are required to at least lay on their cots until everyone is asleep at preschool. Sometimes they may fall asleep which means they get an extra 2 hours of sleep in the afternoon. By bedtime they just weren't tired yet but I need that time from 8:30 to 11:00 to do things around the house, call family, catch up on bills, and relax so I want them to go to sleep. Once they go to sleep, they both sleep well and get at least 10 hours of sleep at night. So that combined with the 2 in the afternoon is over the 11 hours of recommended sleep for children their age.

So we now ask them if they slept at school and we plan our evenings around their answer. If they slept at school, we allow them to quietly look at books in their room for 20 minutes. If they can do it without being loud or fighting with each other then they get to stay up and I can still get my things done. It seems to work most nights but we do still have those occasional nights when they just don't want to go to sleep.

Triangle Mom Network

Another new endeavor I am working on is Triangle Mom Network or www.trianglemomnetwork.com. I am building a networking community for women in the Triangle area. The site contains a link to the Triangle Mom Network forum where members can start new topics of discussion, continue already started topics, or just look around and read what others have to say. It is a great to get to know other area women and find out what people are talking about. Other plans for the website are to build in a social networking tool, recruit locally owned businesses and women-owned businesses to advertise their products and services, and provide information on things that matter pertaining to women, families, and children.

If you have ideas for Triangle Mom Network, want to make comments, know of something missing for this area that we can add, or just want to talk, please log on to www.trianglemomnetwork.com and submit your comments. You can also send an email to info@trianglemomnetwork. Thank you for reading and come back again.

Lack of Sleep - Ear Infections

Last night was rough in our house. Our 4 year old son had an ear infection and was up pretty much all night long. He started complaining about his ear hurting on Friday which I probably should have paid more attention to considering he rarely complains and does not have a history of being sick. On Saturday, he seemed uncomfortable at times but at other times he was a typical 4 year old boy, very busy and all over the place. He doesn't take naps but fell asleep late in the afternoon and continued to complain about his ear hurting. I was hoping to get through the weekend so we could set an appointment with his regular doctor so we gave him Tylenol (he was running a low grade fever) and that seemed to work for about 3 hours or so.

He went to bed at his regular time (around 8:30) and was up the first time at about 11:00. We got him back to bed fairly quickly and he went back to sleep for about 2 hours. This went on for the entire night. I slept in 2 hour increments in between running up and down stairs getting water, Tylenol, or just sitting with him while he went back to sleep. By early morning I had already determined that we would need to visit the Urgent Care Clinic as soon as we could get there.

We went to a clinic near Rex Hospital that is open on Sunday. They were very efficient and the staff was extremely nice. The Physician Assistant (PAC) that we saw was great with children. He explained what the American Association for Pediatrics says about treating ear infections and offered me choices. We were in and out in an hour. It was a great experience considering some of the horror stories I have heard from others about "off hours" doctor visits.

By the time I am writing this at 10:00 pm, all is good and our son is sleeping peacefully.

Working Moms

It's amazing how much a working Mom can accomplish in a week. It surprises me every day of how much I can accomplish and how much my friends who work outside of the home and have children get done each day. Yesterday is a good example of a day that when I step back and think about it, I don't know how it all gets done. After leaving my house with my two preschoolers, dropping them off at preschool, working a very long day, and getting back to the preschool, I was told (at 5:00 pm) that it is possible my 4 year old has an infection and can not come back to school without a doctor's note. I probably didn't have the best reaction (because it turns out that he did have an infection) but I was not happy about the fact that the afternoon teacher pulled out a note from her pocket that was written by the morning teacher. The morning teacher leaves at 1:00 so I was a little confused as to why I was being told at 5:00 pm - after the doctor's office is closed - that I need a doctor's appointment before my son can go back to school. I left because I was there early to take my daughter to dance class and I needed to beat the traffic to get her to the studio by 5:30.

I dropped my daughter off and decided to go to the Minute Clinic. I figured if it was an infection that my son had then surely the nurse at the Minute Clinic would know what it is and get him on the antibiotic that he needed. So we had 45 minutes before I had to pick up my daughter and CVS is right up the road. We walked in, no wait, got right in, and sure enough, he has an infection. They send the prescription to the pharmacy and we can pick it up right after we pick up my daughter. 6:15 - we get to the studio just in time to hear the announcements regarding the upcoming recital. Now back to the pharmacy - perfect - they have a drive thru. We get the prescription within 10 minutes then head to the grocery store.

We picked up what we needed for a couple of nights, take all of our stuff home and have sandwiches for dinner. It's way to late to start cooking something and my husband and two step-children aren't home from baseball yet. It's almost 8:00 (bedtime for the preschoolers) and I need to make lunches and they really need baths tonight. So I get one started on a batch, I make the lunches, change the water and put another kid in the bathtub. Finally, it's over. I read a quick book, tuck them in, clean the kitchen, put a load of laundry in, feed the guinea pig, take out the garbage, and I can finally sit down and relax. Actually, I don't really relax because I left some work unfinished and I have to work for an hour to prepare for some meetings the next day.

Now I can relax. But it's time for bed so I just go to bed and try to sleep for 6-7 hours so I can do it all over again.

Triangle Business Network

Wow, I didn't realize it has been so long since I posted. I guess between work, children, after school activities, housework, and all the other things that come along with parenthood - time just got a way from me. I spent the past week working on a new networking community in which I'm hoping to be able to promote at the beginning of June. It is called Triangle Business Network or www.trianglebiznetwork.com. Please feel free to check it out. Although, I do have it published, it needs some work but I'm getting there.

Basically, the site is intended to be a networking tool for the business owners, entrepreneurs, future business owners, and even customers of local businesses in the Triangle area of North Carolina. I call it a networking tool because eventually I intend to organize social events, meetings, and even training sessions for the members. The internet will be a tool along with actual face-to-face social gatherings.

I believe there are a lot of small or family owned businesses out there who would prefer to purchase products and services from other small or family owned businesses. This community is an opportunity to put buyers and sellers of products and services from the local area together. It also gives entrepreneurs and business owners opportunities to learn from each other and share information about current events and the local business climate.

I hope you have a chance to look at the new website. Feel free to send comments to info@trianglebiznetwork.com or comment here.

Summer Camp Registration

Summer camp registration starts as early as this week. It is difficult to plan for an entire summer at the beginning of March. There is so much to think about - grandparents, vacations, swim teams, church camps, friends, etc. Every year we go through the same planning routine. My husband has two teenage children from a previous marriage so we have to work her schedule into our overall schedule. We have two preschoolers, one of which can start attending regular day camp while the other is only eligible for half day camps. The two preschoolers will be on the swim team this year which will go from the beginning of June through the end of July. Between both families and all the activities, it is amazing that we generally end up with a schedule that works for everyone.

For this year, we started by asking the grandparents which weeks they want to have the kids. We figure the grandparents should get first choice as time with the older generations is so important in our children's lives. Then we look at the schedules for church camps and other specialty camps that the kids have attended in the past. This year a sports camp was added for one week so we had to take that into consideration. After those 4-5 weeks are scheduled, we look at what day camps are available based on the children's ages, location of camps and hours they are available. Both my husband and I, as well as the older's kid's mother all work full-time so we need camp for most days through the summer. This year, the YMCA is the best choice for day camp as they offer a program for teenagers and the cost is reasonable considering the other options.

We haven't made any decisions for the younger kids yet. They both attend a very good Montessori preschool that is open through the summer. As of now, it looks like they will both attend their camp just to keep things easy. More on this as we get closer to the summer.

Daylight Savings Time

Daylight savings time is always an interesting day. You lose an hour of your day. On a day with bad weather, this is ok because the shorter your day, the better. But, on a day like today, its a little disappointing. It was nice to have a longer day but when the weather is so beautiful, you kind of wish it would last longer. We took advantage of the beautiful weather today. We visited a friend who had a child who is just a few months older than our oldest child. They cooked out on the grill, the children played outside for hours and we were able to sit around and talk. It was one of those days that you look forward to after a long winter. After a day of playing in the sun, the kids went to bed at their regular time even though it was one hour earlier than the day before. All in all, it was a good day. Now we have to prepare for another week of preschool, work, and extra-curricular activities. It should be a good week.

From Snow to Summer in Less than a Week

Wow - today was hot!! Over 80 degrees in Raleigh, North Carolina, just 5 days after we had our second snow. On Monday, kids in Wake County didn't have school due to snow and by Saturday we were wearing shorts and t-shirts while basking in the sun. It was a great day. After spending the entire weekend stuck inside due to torrential downpours all day on Saturday and Sunday, it felt great to be outside today. We ran some errands - the errands that we didn't do last weekend due to the rain. We went to the Farmer's Market to buy some fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables and we spent several hours cleaning up our backyard. We even grilled hamburgers as our official start to "grillin' season". Our preschoolers love any day that is not a school day. While we were working on raking leaves in on big hill in he backyard, they found some old baby ride-on toys and were taking them down the hill at warp speed. It looked like a lot of fun, although it had the potential of being somewhat dangerous. Anyway, that's all I have for today. Due to the great weather, I'm beat.

Kindergarten Registration for 2009-2010 School Year

I registered my daughter for kindergarten today. She is 5 years old and missed the 2008-2009 cutoff by 11 days so she was fortunate in that she got to spend an extra year in preschool. I think that will benefit her. She is attending a Montessori preschool and over the last year has gained strong social skills as well as basic kindergarten academics. She loves school and is looking forward to attending kindergarten in the fall. I am happy but sad. I'm happy that my daughter is excited and will thrive in her new environment but I am sad because my baby is going to "real" school. She wants to ride on the school bus and because of our work schedules and ability to work from home, she could do so but I can't bring myself to letting a 5 year old get on a school bus and go to school all by herself. I'm afraid I would have to wait for the bus then I would get into my car, follow the bus, and wait for her to get off and walk into the school. Next year our 4 year old will start kindergarten and I would be willing to let the both of them get on the bus and go to school together - maybe?? I don't know, this is a big decision that I can't make right now. I have a few months to think about it and right now, I just want to look forward to spring and enjoy a fun summer at our community pool.

Going Out To Eat

We go out to eat way too much. It's not that I don't like cooking and I do a lot of cooking and meal preparation but there are days that by the time I get home from work, I just don't feel like cooking and cleaning. There are a lot of reasons why going out to eat isn't good for our families. First off, restaurants are expensive. For what a family of four pays to eat in a restaurant, they could eat 3 square meals a day for two to three days. Second, portions are way too large in restaurants. Some restaurants market themselves as serving the "largest", the "most", etc. and we just don't need that much food at one meal. Third, it is difficult to eat healthy when dining out. It's not that most restaurants don't offer a couple of healthy choices, it's just difficult to choose something healthy when there are so many delicious unhealthy options.

The greatest benefit to going out to dinner is that the whole family can sit down, be served a meal and not worry about cleaning up. It allows for good conversation, a chance to learn about everyone's day, and relaxation.

Overall, the benefits probably don't outweigh the downsides to eating out but if we can follow a few simple guidelines, we can reduce the negative impact of eating out and enjoy the benefits. Some ideas that we practice include: order water rather than soft drink, share meals, substitute french fries for steamed vegetables, salads, or a baked potato, and take leftovers home to eat as another meal. Ordering water rather than soft drinks will decrease your tab by over $7.00 for a family of 4. Water is better for you and if you have small children, it is much better to have water spill on you than something sticky and sweet. Sharing meals cuts the portions down to a more reasonable amount of food and substituting french fries with vegetables speaks for itself. French fries can be used a "treat" for families who eat out more often. Another benefit of using these guidelines help families with younger children learn to make healthier choices and develop better eating habits for their adult life.

Childcare Choices

Our youngest children are 4 and 5 years old. Since the 5 year old was born, we have tried several types of childcare and I have visited at least 30 different childcare facilities in Raleigh and Cary, North Carolina. I'm not an expert but I do have some knowledge of the types of facilities as well as the state rating system. When visiting the various childcare centers, I make a point to ask a lot of questions and to really understand what a day is like for a child. I also observe the children who are in the facility and I pay particular attention to the interactions between the teachers and children. I ask to visit all of the classrooms rather than just the classes my children would be in because I like to get a feel for the different environments. Each type of childcare situation has pros and cons and I believe it is up to parents to determine what works best for them and their children based on what is important to them.

Options for newborns and toddlers include: nannies, home childcare centers, small daycare centers, and large daycare centers. Most of the programs in the Raleigh area only offer full-time childcare for the younger children because of the lower teacher to child ratios and the demand for daycare for these ages. For part-time, a nanny or babysitter will generally work with families individually and in some situations, nanny-sharing is a good way to keep a good nanny employed for more hours while spending less money. The larger day care centers very rarely offer part-time care and because of their schedules, it usually works out better for the child to be in the facility full-time for the consistency. Again, a parent's choice should be based on the location of the facility, the hours they are open, the general feel of the administration and care-givers, the atmosphere, the condition of toys and playground equipment, the rules, the curriculum (if it is a school), the food (if they serve food), the size of the rooms, needs of the child, and the star rating that the state assigns. See this website for additional state information:

http://ncchildcare.dhhs.state.nc.us/general/home.asp

Once children are older toddlers to preschool aged, preschool is another option. Preschool can be part-time or full-time and there are many options including: churches, Montessori, public (if a child is "at-risk" or has special needs), bi-lingual, and various others. Preschools can be accredited by different educational organizations and they are required to have the same state licenses as childcare or daycare centers. Information can be found on state licensing of preschools at the website listed above.

There is no right or wrong answer to your childcare needs. We had some situations that worked out very well, while others didn't work at all. Some decisions were based on particular needs of our children while others were based on finding just the "right" people to care for our children. Although, we have had ups and downs with our childcare situations over the years, we don't regret the decisions that we made and both children are thriving at a very good preschool which they both enjoy attending.

What to Pack for Lunch

Our two preschoolers have to take their lunch to school every day. The school has a very strict policy that does not allow the children to come to school with soft drinks, salty snacks, cookies, cakes, or any other "junk" food. I like the policy. I like the fact that I wouldn't pack any of that stuff in my kids' lunches and at the same time, the child next to them won't be eating that stuff. So my children will be starting off life with eating healthy lunches which will hopefully help them to make healthy choices as they grow older and have more control over what they eat. The strict rule states that lunches must include 2-3 fruits and vegetables, a dairy or soy product, and a protein. It sounds easy but it actually requires a fair amount of planning and work. I spend about 2 hours on Sunday afternoons cutting up various fruits and vegetables and putting them into containers (we rarely use plastic bags as the waste is not good for the environment). I also purchase yogurt in large containers and put small servings into containers. I cut up cheese, turkey, chicken, and ham for protein and also put small portions into various containers. So the kids don't have to eat the same things every day, I mix and match the various containers and every other day send a different type of sandwich or wrap. With the Sunday preparation and the time I spend each evening putting it all together along with a drink (generally milk or water), I spend about 4-5 hours per week making lunches. I think the time and effort is worth knowing that my kids and the other kids who they attend school with are all eating nutritious meals that will help them keep active and learn. I should also mention that the school has a refrigerator to put the lunches into each morning so it is easy to pack a lunch knowing it will stay cold. Next year, the older of the two will start kindergarten and I will have to re-think my lunchbox strategy to include healthy foods that do not require refrigeration.

Winter is Here

Here we are in sunny North Carolina, it is the beginning of March and most of the children in this state had the day off to enjoy a fresh blanket of cold, white SNOW. Yes, we got snow for the second time this winter. Not a lot of snow but enough to take a few runs down a steep slope and build a decent snowman. Of course the kids were happy -- a three day weekend and a chance to use those "new" sleds they got three winters ago. Unfortunately, there is a downside to the excitement experienced from the fluffy white stuff - the make-up days for the missed school days from this storm and a previous storm are on SPRING BREAK. So, spring break is now two days shorter than was originally scheduled. Some parents aren't happy as they have plans to travel while others are very happy because it is two less days to try and find things to keep the kids entertained. School systems in North Carolina struggle every year when they have to deal with inclement weather. They could build some snow days into the schedule like they do in the Northern States but it is rare that these days will get used, making it difficult for parents to plan summers (camp, childcare, etc.). Or they can do what they are doing and try to make up the days using pre-scheduled holidays and vacation days. Either way, everybody won't be happy and the law states that each child is required 180 days of education per school year. The important thing to remember is that weather is completely out of our control and if we experience these days through our children, they will be more enjoyable and who knows, we all might learn something new from NOT being in school.

Teenagers - How do they spend their time?

I am new to blogging and I'm sure nobody has seen or is even looking for my blogs but I want to throw a question out there. What do your teenagers do on the weekends? I have two step-children, one is 12 and in 7th grade and the other is 13 and in the 8th grade. They come to our house every other weekend plus some days during the week and although, we are busy with dinner, showers, homework, etc. on the weeknights, we struggle with the weekends. If they are lucky enough to have not had their cell phones taken by their mother, they sit around and text people all day and night. If they don't have their phones, they sit around and do nothing. Neither of them seem to have any interests, they don't go over to friend's houses and they don't invite friend's to our house. I should mention that their other house is not far and many of the middle school aged kids in our neighborhood attend their school. With two preschoolers too, it is difficult to always be out trying to find things to do that will appeal to all age groups. Plus, it is somewhat stressful to feel like we "need" to entertain everyone all weekend long. So, I ask again, what do your kids do? Are there places where middle school aged kids go? When I was that age, we went rollerskating, ice skating, bowling, to the movies, and to the mall. Is it just our kids or do kids just not hang out together anymore? I'll take any suggestions, comments, or recommendations.

Rainy Days

Well, today was one of those days. Cold, wet, lazy, and long. It started drizzling on Friday afternoon and by the time we woke up on Saturday it was raining hard and the temperature was falling. Four kids ranging in age from 4 to 13, too cold and wet to go outside and nothing planned after a long week at work. What to do? We started the day by making a huge batch of blueberry pancakes with warm maple syrup - real maple syrup (from Vermont) - the kind that comes from maple trees and not factories. The pancakes were good but now it is only 8:30 am!!! We pulled out the big box of arts and craft supplies and started making "things". We drew funny pictures, cut photos from magazines, glued scraps to paper, and let our imaginations run wild. Wow -- lunchtime already. After some grilled cheese sandwiches and grapes we went back to work. Ten minutes in, the telephone rings and it is the neighbor asking if some of the kids can go to the movies. We sent two to the movies and two stayed home due to some poor behavior during the week. We have about 2 hours to get some things done around the house. In no time, we move the furniture around in the den, do a couple loads of laundry, change some sheets on the bed, and I head to the grocery store. I got home, everyone was there. We sat down for a big dinner (that had been cooking in the crockpot all afternoon) and before we knew it, it was time for the kids to go to their rooms to watch a movie. A treat they only experience on weekends. Ahhh, the day is over and we made it through. Now we have another rainy day to look forward to but now I have time to do some planning.