South Shore Mom

Like many working Moms and Dads…..sometimes summer can pass you right by! Not enough vacation time, not enough family time -  not enough money for a big vacation – period.

You sit at your desk – and dream about getting out there….so GO!

Here are a few ideas:

If you can’t afford an all out summer vacation this year…..try day trips. Check out your local library online for museum and zoo passes. These passes are usually first come, first served and are either free or provide a big discount which makes day trips much more affordable.

There are also several great places to visit through the Trustees of the Reservations. All of their sites are  at the peak of beauty right now. You dont have to be a member to enjoy the sites. Some sites, you will have to pay for  – while others are free. Check out the website: http://www.thetrustees.org/

This year, we have turned our backyard into a pool party zone. We found one of those blue pop up pools for $70 on sale this year…..and have really gotten our money’s worth this summer. Now that the 4th of July weekend has passed us – look for clearance sales. They are easy to set up and easy to maintain. We put on some music – let the kids splash around like crazy – and more often than not – we jump right in with them. Our house has been pool party palooza this summer. Staying home, not using the car and having a blast in the pool has actually saved us a lot of money and has created a lot of fun memories (which I will tap into – come January)!

If you feel that you just HAVE to get out of Dodge…..but the idea of high hotel prices has you down…..think about hotels WITH pools…..that are NOT located in super popular tourist destinations. These hotels are usually used for business travelers. You can save 50% or more on these hotel rooms on the weekends…..when business travelers are gone.  Enjoy the pool and a change of scenery without breaking the bank.

So go on…get out!

We had a pact with our son. If you potty train – you will be allowed entry to the IKEA playground. We frequent IKEA – and always showed him the sign that said, “All children must be potty trained. No pullups or diapers”.  He was inspired and it worked.

The IKEA indoor playground – a place where you can drop your child off for 45 minutes to an hour and a half…..and go have dinner and shop in peace. It is free. To gain entry, your child must be at least “this high” – but also below a certain height in a range. The playground has very large glass viewing windows. Safety is of course – a main concern. You fill out a waiver and you are stamped with a number – which must match the child’s number. The doors are on a security system. I once wanted to ask my son a question and was stopped from even leaning over the half wall to get his attention. This actually made me feel good – that they were so on top of things.  The playground has a ball pit, a movie theater, coloring area and lots of room to run around. The staff gives you a restaurant style beeper to carry with you and a slip of paper which has the pick up time listed on it. If there is anything up with your child while you are shopping or eating – they beep you to come pick them up.

I must admit, I stayed by the window for a long time………then kind of stood by the doorway for a long time before I was certain that everything was ok. I ate quickly and shopped quickly – and then just watched the kids play through the window until the beeper went off in my hand. It was still a treat for me.

If you must feed the troops, kids meals range from 99 cents to $1.99. Ice cream cones are a bargain (lower level) for 99 cents. Has anyone else been astounded by the cost of ice cream lately???

The day we went, we happened to come across the IKEA yard sale with a DJ. My son and I sang Abba karaoke and won tickets for Mama Mia the movie. Hooray!

For Christmas this year, my son and I bought my husband a brand new 8 man tent. My husband and I hadn’t been camping together since we were teens. It was nice to day dream about where we would go with the tent – through the winter.  Back when we were teens- I must have had the urge to “nest” because I remember being the “Mom” of our circle of friends and being the one who carefully planned on bringing all the stuff. If anyone needed anything  - they all knew who to ask. 

We had put camping on the calendar and carefully watched the weather all week. We chose Normandy Farms in Foxboro, Mass. We had been there for a visit once before with friends and quite enjoyed it. 

http://www.normandyfarms.com/

This time around -years later –  now having the “nest” we call home…..I wanted to camp as simply as possible and not bring all our junk. We spoke with our dearest neighbors – who are veteran campers…and we got some tips. For breakfast – Pop Tarts and bananas….for sleeping – borrow an AeroBed…..to keep the bugs away – spray Raid’s Yard Guard all around the site. They also let us borrow a few items. 

We were only going overnight as our son is 3 1/2 and we weren’t sure  - as fairly new parents – how this was going to all pan out. We took the 45 minute ride to Foxboro and passed Patriot’s Place. We were tempted to check out Outdoor World…but we were too excited  - and went straight to Normandy Farms. We checked in. It took some time. Check in is anytime after 3 pm. The check in area is located in a lovely lodge. They have a gift shop with homespun type items. They have plenty of camping equipment, a mini grocery area – and lots of toys and games to keep everyone busy. 

The check in person gave us a card that gets you in and out of the camp grounds through the gate 24 hours. A ranger met us at the gate and took us to our camp site. Because our reservations were made so late in the week, we got a “field site”. We had a tree….and the rest of the site was open field (picture a football field with a few trees along the edge). It was fine for the night – but not exactly what we would call “nature”. There was a bathroom very close to our site – which was handy. There was running water in walking distance but not on our site.

It took us a good long while (an hour and a half) to set up the giant tent and get everything settled. At that point – we were hungry for dinner. We had decided to forget the whole “cooking over an open fire” thing – and eat at the Normandy Farms “restaurant”. It was more like a take out window…..but the food was good. My husband and I had fish and chips and my son had a cheeseburger. It was really good not have to contend with a cooler full of food – and a big mess….

After that – we went swimming in the indoor pool. There were also two indoor jacuzzis but they were for adults only. We enjoyed the indoor pool until someone – had a Caddy Shack accident. No….a Baby Ruth was not floating around….someone threw up. It sent everyone screaming and running just like the movie though. Thankfully – Normandy Farms has at least 4 pools. 

Once we had our fill of swimming – we went back to the campsite and started our campfire. We made s’mores and looked around for lightning bugs and marvelled at those who were patient enough to catch some. We looked at the stars and we just enjoyed being together and being unplugged (no phone, no computer – and heck, we didnt even had electricity or running water at our site!) The sun never seemed to fully go down – which made bedtime 10:30 p.m. for all of us. Because we had to electricity the Aero-bed was not an option. We slept on the ground. It was not the best night’s sleep ever. There was a screaming baby on one side of us and a screaming baby behind us. 

We slept in for us. 7 a.m. is sleeping in for us. Pop-tarts and bananas and we were off. I was really missing my coffee right then – but I held it together. We took my son fishing for the first time. Normandy Farms has a small pond and it was really quite enjoyable. The sight of my son and my husband fishing together was memorable. The campground was holding an all you can eat pancake breakfast ($4 p/p) that morning – but we skipped it. We disassembled our camp site and we went home. 

For camping – it came to $55. Normandy Farms is a very family friendly camp ground with GREAT ammenities. The playgrounds were top notch. They even had a veggie and fruit stand in the middle of the camp ground….and so many activities throughout the day for all ages (movies, BINGO, crafts, games and more). PopTarts and various camping sundries….including sleeping bags, a new lantern, batteries, etc….$80. Memorable Caddy Shack experience – free. 

FIREWORKS DISPLAYS

BRAINTREE: Saturday, June 28, 10 pm. High school field.
Braintree Festivities.

WEYMOUTH: Saturday, June 28, dusk. George Lane Beach.
Weymouth Festivities.

SHARON: Thursday, July 3, 9:15 pm. Memorial Park Beach. Sharon Festivities

CANTON: Friday, July 4, 9:30 pm. High school.
(781) 821-5030

OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE: Friday, July 4, dusk.
Old Sturbridge Village Festivities

PLYMOUTH: Friday, July 4, 9 pm. Over waterfront.
Plymouth Festivities

HINGHAM: Saturday, July 5, about 9 p.m. Bathing beach (rain date July 6) Hingham Festivities.

If you haven’t been able to tell – by most of my blogs, our family is artsy-craftsy.

Most recently my son had a major accomplishment and received a gift from his very crafty Grammy  of Crayola 3-D Chalk.

We couldnt wait to break the package open.

The sidewalk chalk is double sided. Making geometric shapes in the opposing colors – and slipping on the special plastic 3D glasses creates an eye popping effect. My husband points out that not only do the glasses work with chalk – but they work with crayons and markers.

We spent a good long time drawing on the driveway until way past bedtime (due to the Solstice)…..passing the glasses back and forth and “oohing” and “aahing”…….

Check it out:

http://www.crayola.com/products/splash/OUTDOOR/3dchalk.cfm

Mamas Move of Norwell, Mass. was founded by businesswoman Julie Ross, a Certified Public Accountant, and Lauren Hendry, a mother of Molly and Reece, and an ACSM certified trainer, master group fitness instructor, and pre/post-natal exercise specialist.  Mamas Move is an eco-friendly center created for moms to get in shape, spend time with their little ones, and meet other new moms.  The venue offers studio prenatal classes, fitness classes, pregnancy, childbirth and parent programming, developmental children’s programs and playgroups, as well as massage and spa treatments complete with babysitting services.  For more information on instructors, classes, location, and services offered, visit www.mamasmove.com.

I will be visiting Mamas Move with my son and to try out a few classes and will report back in July. In the meantime, here is a press release about a recent event put on by the company:

New Moms Train for Upcoming “Mamas’ Olympics”

New South Shore Fitness and Wellness Center “Mamas Move” lets the games begin; founders kick off inaugural charity event that promises fun for the whole family  

Norwell, Mass…Lauren Hendry and Julie Ross, Co-owners of “Mamas Move,” a brand new center for new and expectant and new moms, today announced plans for the first ever “Mamas’ Olympics & Family Fun Day” event, scheduled to take place at Norwell High School on Sunday, June 1st, from 10:30AM until 2:00PM. 

The event is geared towards families, with a special focus on mothers, a group of whom have competed in for the last eight weeks at Hendry’s direction.  The thirty-five participants have had to endure weekly trials, like a two-hour hike through Wampatuck State Park, a putting contest at Harmon Golf in Rockland, climbing the REI Rock Wall in Hingham, and intense circuit training that has included boxing and boot-camp style workouts at the center’s Norwell facility.

 Moms will cap off the two-month “Mom Challenge” with an active roster of events at the “Mamas’ Olympics.”  Some of the contests will include: a jousting ring where mom-athletes go mana-a-mana for points, a “multi-tasking” station requiring moms to plan a weekly family schedule while talking on the phone and attending to daily tasks, a tricky obstacle course with a wet-diaper toss among its hurdles.  Over the course of eight weeks, teammates have had to compete against other MOM teams, accruing points through: event attendance, performance, motivation, weight loss (both inches lost and pounds lost), fitness gains, and challenge events. 

 “These new moms have worked really hard over the last month and a half, and I have not taken it easy on them,” says Hendry.  “Some of them are brand new mothers who wanted to jump start getting the baby weight off, others were looking for a fun way to bond with other women with children, but all of them took it very seriously, and their commitment to the program has been awe-inspiring.”  

Hendry and her business partner, Julie Ross, opened the “Mamas Move” center earlier this spring, a venture they feel will answer the demand for services for new, expectant, and “veteran” moms on the south shore, where nothing like it currently exists.  “We wanted to create an atmosphere where moms could get into shape, meet other moms and share experiences, and get helpful wellness tips on everything from childbirth and breastfeeding, to nutrition and parenting,” says Ross.  “It’s a true ‘one-top shop’ for moms!” The eco-friendly venue was built with many “green” materials, a move the owners said was a priority.  In addition to several training rooms, a massage and spa treatment room, a play area for the kids, and a built-in coffee and tea bar, Mama’s Move also has a retail area that carries a whole host of hard-to-find baby items, including BPA-free bottles, Bella Bands, maternity activewear, and organic kids clothing.

Hendry says the initial response was so great, planning an event for these active moms seemed a natural transition.  The Olympic event is geared toward moms, but promises fun for the whole family:

When:         Sunday, June 1st

                    10:30AM-2:00PM

Schedule:   10:30AM — Mamas’ Olympics- Opening Ceremonies
                   10:45AM — Mamas’ Olympics – Games
                   12:00Noon — Winners Presentation
                   12:30PM — Family Zumba Dance Class
                   1:15PM – Swing Dance Class
                   11:00AM-2:00PM — Festivities for the entire family, including face-

                   painting, bouncy house, kids and family obstacle course, music and more

 Where:       Norwell High School (Front Field)
 
 Mamas Olympics attendees are urged to bring donations of gently used and new children’s items to donate at the event.  All donations will support Cradles to Crayons®: The Giving Factory, which helps raise awareness for needy children in Massachusetts and provides them with clothing, toys, books and more.  

According to Letter Boxing North America, “LETTERBOXING is an intriguing pastime combining navigational skills and rubber stamp artistry in a charming “treasure hunt” style outdoor quest. A wide variety of adventures can be found to suit all ages and experience levels. “

I discovered Letterboxing several years ago. I felt very much like a Goonie.  My pal, Greg and I decided to give it a go. To letter box, you need a rubber stamp, a pen, a compass, a notebook – and some online clues. Since Letterboxing is usually an outdoor event……a backpack would be appropriate…..water, bug spray, sun screen,  a stamp pad, snacks, a first aid kit, possibly a flashlight……and a day without time constraints. Its also important to know HOW to use a compass!

We Letterboxed at World’s End in Hingham. We followed the first online clue and found the first box. The boxes are usually encased in  a waterproof bag. The box should include a notebook, a stamp and another clue to the next box. You stamp your notebook with the letterbox stamp….and you leave a stamp in the letterbox notebook. You can also leave a note. Make sure that you leave the box intact – just the way you found it for the next treasure hunter…..and move on…..While we never found the 5th clue…..it was fun to follow clues 1-4.  I look forward to more Letterboxing Adventures this summer. For more information and for clues in your area…..check out this site:

http://www.letterboxing.org/

Looking for some adventure this summer? Well grab your backpack and replace the batteries in your flashlights…..because I have the place for you……George’s Island.

Your day trip will start out with a ferry ride from one of the many ferry point locations as described on the harbor islands website. We happen to live nearest to the Hingham ferry point. Ferry prices have risen over the past few years. Adult round trip prices will cost you $14, while children 3-11 are $8 and kids under 3 are free.

After a 20 minute ferry ride,  you will arrive at George’s Island. A wonderful adventure awaits – as you get to explore the many hidden and very very dark hallways and rooms of Fort Warren. Again - bring your flashlights! Since there are many stairs and at times they are quite narrow…. folks with diabilities and parents of tots should beware.

If you want to feel even a little more adventurous…..as you face Fort Warren….travel to the right…and you will see wooden staircase that leads into a fort wall. Climb though the fort wall…..and you will discover that you are standing inside the Fort prison! Very exciting.

There are picnic areas at George’s Island, public bathrooms and a small take out lunch spot that serves burgers, hot dogs and the like.

Along with a backpack and flashlight, I would also recommend wearing clothes that you dont mind getting dirty….and bringing:

• sunscreen
• water
• snacks
• a hat
• a ball or frisbee
• small first aid kit for any scrapes, etc.
• an adventurous attitude

http://www.bostonislands.org/events_search.asp

I first learned of the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton when I was in 6th grade. We went on a field trip there. My parents brought me to the MFA many times….but the Craft Museum was a whole new thing to me. We took a work shop on modern dance…and we then had the opportunity to try out in later weeks for the “Fly By Night” dance group. Ok. I didn’t make it. I didn’t try out. I was too shy….but I thought it was really cool. I thought it was especially cool that kids in my class who didn’t know they had any talent….suddenly found they they could really shake their groove things. 

Later as an adult, my husband and I heard about an exhibit at the Fuller Craft Museum by a local archaeologist who had uncovered many interesting artifacts from local digs. The exhibit consisted of many huge armoires with lots of doors and drawers you could open – so in a way, you felt you were uncovering secrets as well. We visited the same exhibit twice. This inspired us to do some digging ourselves one day….at the sight of an old orphanage in Avon….and we found an old horse shoe.  We weren’t uncovering the Arc of the Covenant…and there was no large rolling boulder behind us….but for us,  it was still pretty cool. 

Fuller is open to the public for FREE on Wednesday nights starting at 5pm. The museum is very small. About 30-45 minutes a visit – kind of small. On the website, they offer many hands on adult classes. Taking classes is a great way for Moms and Dads to just do something DIFFERENT…get out of the routine…meet new people and get creative! Many of the classes just meet once. I was looking at the website to see if they had any classes for the tots – but I dont see anything yet. It appears that they do offer at least one class for older kids for the summer. 

Check it out:

http://www.fullercraft.org/home.html

….then you are going to LOVE Lowe’s kid’s workshop. You must go to www.lowes.com to register. The workshop is this Saturday, June 14th at 10:00 am.  The kids will be making their own measuring tape (cooler than it sounds…really). Last time we went to the Lowe’s workshop they told us that they usually give out free Lowe’s vests to the kids……but they were all out.