food pantry

A local food pantry is looking for volunteers tomorrow from noon to four. I am hoping to make this a family affair. I want to go for a couple of hours and show the kids that it is important to help the community. And this is a good and easy way to do so. I think it is something we can do together, even my son with his broken collar bone.

beach clean up

This Saturday at Menard Park in Galveston, there will be a beach clean up day from 9am til noon. Set up starts at 8:30. Cleaning begins at 9. Afterward there will be live music, a barbecue, pictures and cool surf prizes. There will also be a paddle out. Those without surf boards can rent one at Ohanas. The party lasts til 2pm. If my kids were here I would love to go. Maybe they will have beach clean up parties again!

build a sandcastle

As summer is upon us, one of the favorite past-times of many families is a day at the beach. Whether you live near the coast, or just have access to a sand box, building sandcastles together is lots of fun for kids and adults alike. You can find plastic tools to help make the job easier. You can add accessories like seashells, flags, sticks, and cars to make your castle even more fun. Playing in the sand with your kids can make you feel like a kid again!

Destination Dinners

I learned about a great way to incorporate virtual field trips into family night! Destination Dinners are prepackaged boxes which contain spices and recipes for creating meals from other countries. Included in the packages are also some fact sheets about the country which the dinners represent. These meals feed four to six people and start at $25. You can feast on fare from countries like Japan, Korea, Thailand, Lebanon, Israel, Jamaica and even the U.S. This seems like a fun way to spend family night!

archaeological dig

I learned about an opportunity to be a part of one this summer. Located outside of San Antonio at Rancho de las Cabras, Floresville, Texas, there are three FREE dig days being offered! Saturday June 13, Saturday August 29, Saturday October 3 from 8:30 am- 2:00 pm is a great chance to dig for fossils and artifacts! This is sponsored by the UTSA Center for Archaeological Research and the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park at this 18th century Spanish Mission Ranch. There is also a scout day being offered in November. Ages ten and up are allowed, with those sixteen and under requiring adult supervision and one adult per every three children. You need to bring your own lunch and snacks, water and digging tools will be provided.

Call 210-932-1002 ext 223 or e-mail Krystal_Fleeger@nps.gov for more
information and to reserve your spot!

backyard volleyball

We were able to enjoy a rousing game of backyard volleyball this week! Rather than set up a proper net, we just used the swing set as our net and set some "out" boundaries. With older kids, we played the first match kids vs. parents. Next, mother and son vs. father and daughter. Then, girls vs. boys. All in all a great night of family fun. This could work well with preschool and school aged children, just adjust the game to fit your families ages by setting lower nets and smaller courts as needed.

neighborhood pool

Last night we were able to go to our neighborhood pool for a little while. It is a great place for families with kids of any age. There is a kiddie pool for the littlest ones. There are lifeguards on duty. There is a deep end with diving boards. The pool was not crowded and we all enjoyed the time just swimming and playing. It was good to just spend some time enjoying a little safe rough housing and laughter.