Today’s economic times have put stress on many families financially and emotionally.  Does struggling and solving problems together bring families closer together? 
 Are there activities they can do that don’t cost a great deal of money?
My husband and I grew up in homes where struggling and working together on farms was a normal part of our childhood.  However, many happy memories have resulted.
We went through periods of difficulties when our daughter was growing up, but learned to enjoy many simple pleasures with love and laughter.  Now in our multigenerational household, we find solace in working together.
What can families do?

Pitch in with …read more

Making Christmas gifts with your children can be a fun family project and one that creates happy memories, too.
It’s not too early to start these projects so you’ll have plenty of time and won’t be rushed in December.
When my daughter was small, we were involved in many types of crafts and often made gifts for our holiday giving.  (Grandparents, especially, express appreciation for these items…whether they’re really useful or not!)
What types of items can you and your youngsters create? This all depends on the age of the children.

Woven and patchwork potholders
Collages with family events throughout the year
Shadowboxes containing momentos from trips
Placemats …read more

When was the last time you played with your kids? I’m not talking watching from afar as they dove into a tank full of balls.
I’m talking jumping rope along with them, playing tag in the park, bonding over a video game. Sometimes we get so wrapped up with our daily chores and workload that we forget to have fun. Moreso, we forget to have fun with the kids.
Playtime doesn’t have to be complicated. Playtime is very simple for children. It’s all about good old fun. Grab your bathing suits, turn on the sprinkler and run around. Climb a tree with …read more

We’ve finally hit the month of October, which many look at as the month of all things Halloween but some know it is more about the changing of the seasons and colors, fun and outdoor adventures. So what can a family do for fun in the month of October?
You mean besides haunted houses, trick-or-treating and going on hay rides? Take the family down to do an old fashioned corn maze, these have been known to be a ton of fun and something everyone will probably enjoy. But you may want to make sure the little ones stay with you.
Here’s a …read more

Who says family fun should be expensive? A trip to the amusement park can cost a lot, especially for a big family. Dinner at a restaurant? Just as painful on the pocket. Watching movies? Enjoyable, but also quite pricey. Fun can be found right at home, and you can all enjoy it together as a family.
1. Play video games together. Is it Mommy and Daddy versus the kids, or do kids pair up with a parent each? Whether they’re arcade games or role-playing games, there’s always a way to enjoy virtual fun together.
2. Watch old family videos. Dig up those …read more

Vacationing in San Diego is one of those quintessential California experiences.  The weather, the beach, the proximity to Mexico, and all of it seen in countless movies (Top Gun, Almost Famous, Flight of the Intruder) and on television (Gomer Pyle, Simon & Simon, That 80’s Show).
So what is there to do in this second largest city in California?
Here are some ideas, in no particular order:

San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park – Animal lovers will love both of these locations.  The zoo is in Balboa Park and the animal park is a short drive away in Escondido.
Balboa Park – Not …read more

You may have thought that discounts were tough to come by in a spot as popular as the Walt Disney World, but the Holiday Inn Main Gate East is offering Twitter and Facebook fans an exclusive offer of buy one night, get one night FREE.
The Holiday Inn Main Gate is located 3 miles from the main entrance to the Walt Disney World Theme Parks.  With it’s kids play FREE, stay FREE, and eat FREE, it’s a budget friendly family option in a frequently expensive vacation destination.  The hotel has newly renovated rooms that include kids suites featuring a bunk bed, …read more

I love to attend outdoor food festivals. The combination of good food and community is hard to beat. September  is a great month for festivals because the weather is a bit cooler and all the fresh food is in season.  Here are a few  regional Food Festivals that I found throughout the US.

*Millersport Sweet Corn Festival
Where: Millersport, Ohio
When: September 2-5, 2009
Activities: Corn Eating contests, Tractor Pulls, dancing, and performances by acts including John Conlee and Tracy Lawerence
For more information, vist the Millersport Sweet Corn Festival website.
*Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off
Where: Sparks, Nevada
When: September 2-7, 2009
Activities: Rib Cook-off, Rib Eating …read more

Fans of all things Disney will soon have a new museum to check out – The Walt Disney Family Museum, set to open October 1st, 2009 in San Francisco.  The museum will be contained in three historic buildings in the Presidio, a former barracks, a former gymnasium, and a former storage facility.  These buildings will include 10 galleries dedicated to chronicling the life of Walt Disney.
The story of Disney will evolve from the drawings of his youth, to the founding of his first company (Laugh-
O-GramFilms), to the birth of Mickey Mouse, to the opening of Disneyland.  Along the way, you’ll …read more

Today we have a guest post from Jenni Ingersoll.
If a king was coming to visit my house, I am sure I would be in a whirlwind of preparations.  Such is the case of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.  After months of construction, reconstruction and improvements the world’s largest children’s museum is set for the arrival of the king – King Tut that is.
A new exhibit, Tutankhamum: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs will open at The Children’s Museum on June 27th and run through October 25th, 2009.  Over 130 treasures from the tomb of the “Boy King” and other …read more