We packed our son up this morning to go on our elementary school’s annual 3-day trip to Coloma, reserved especially for 4^th graders. It seems he was just in kindergarten yesterday, and now he gets this rite of passage reserved only for the “big kids” on campus.

I bought him a disposable camera to document all the fun. The concept of film and having to manually thumb the camera to take the next shot was novel to him and made me feel really old!  But it also struck me that the camera is s a perfect symbol for how the next few days will be for him- a step back in time. He gets to pan for gold, bond with his class over bonfires and giggle in their sleeping bags as they camp out- He’ll be completely tech-free for the next few days! And I think it’s great.

How I love living in this region for opportunities like these.

In my 10 years of experience as a stay-at-home mom I’ve been asked quite often how I run a smooth ship and (usually) manage to keep a smile on my face.

Here are my top 5 tips:

1.  Stick to a routine. As much as it’s fun to sometimes throw caution to the wind and do things out of the ordinary, kids and adults alike feel less stress when they consistently know what to expect. As young as infancy, I’ve kept my kids on a routine.
2.  Take care of yourself. Exercise, eat right. Keep date nights with your spouse. I always have smoother days when I do my hair and put a little make-up on, even if it’s just lipgloss and tinted moisturizer. I don’t wear business clothes, but I do try to dress in clothes that flatter.
3.  Get out of the house every day. Even if it’s as simple as going to the grocery store, there should be some sort of activity. It breaks up the day for you and the kids. A change of scene is good, right? Joining a mother’s club was a lifesaver when my kids were babies. There is always someone you’ll connect with and it’s inexpensive, enriching entertainment for both you and your kids. You may very well build relationships that will last long after your kids are grown.
4.  Keep it simple. Don’t get involved in too many activities. I read once that it’s better for your kids if you spend more one on one time with them than it is to volunteer at their school, coach their sports or activities, or sign them up for a bunch of activities. In other words- say NO at least twice for every time you say YES to something else.
5.  Start, or keep, hobbies. Stock up on art supplies. Do some yourself with your kids. I often tell people I have more hobbies now than I did pre-kids. I’ve learned to knit, play the guitar some, and I’m definitely becoming a better cook. Hobbies are a wonderful way to remember the individual you are, who is still learning and loving life, not to mention it’s great role modeling for your kids. We ditched cable when our kids were very young. It can be so easy to get sucked into the “boob tube” when you’re a stay-at-home mom. Ever notice it’s sometimes harder to find something to watch on 500 channels than it is on 20? Better to go read or do one of your hobbies when you get free time instead.

I’d love to know- what else keeps you thriving staying home with young kids?

A friend invited us to her kids’ elementary school this weekend in Cool to see a live Civil War reenactment. Let’s just say, my kids and all the others were entranced. For nearly 30 minutes, soldiers from the North and South battled in authentic uniforms, with real muskets (but not real bullets), and a cannon that shot every few minutes.

The cast never left character. The few, fortunate soldiers on horseback had shields- but most were easy prey, unguarded with nothing except the devotion to their cause. Soldiers fell on the battlefield and a surgeon tended to their wounds on the side. Nurses with bloody aprons assisted.

Afterwards we watched a soldier lying on a table, gritting his teeth while the medical team asked for chloroform before amputating his limb. My son even got some fake blood squirted on his sweatshirt- something I am sure he won't soon forget!

It was amazing for the young people to see what life was like so long ago and even more amazing to see all of the adults so passionately involved in a hobby and equally knowledgeable about a time in our country’s history.

What's a stand out educational experience your family has had together?

How can you get your kids to stop what they're doing right then and there and get them to listen the first time?  I heard another parent give the following advice and I realized it works no matter how old your kids may be...

1) "As soon as you ___, I know you're ready to ___." 

For instance, "As soon as your teeth are brushed, I know you're ready to start the movie." Or for older kids, "As soon as your homework is done and I've checked it, I know you're ready to go to your friend's."

2) "One thing at a time."

Your child wants to hold her library book while she goes to the bathroom.  Or, your older child wants the tv on while you're trying to have a quiet family meal together.

3) "Try that again because____"

You can ask your child to start over, to try again speaking more respectfully to his coach.  Or you can ask her to try taking the trash out again, this time without slamming the door.

Are there any other phrases you'd add to this list?

Today is my youngest child’s 4^th birthday and I think I’ve finally figured out that kids’ birthday celebrations don’t have to be all or nothing. My older kids had big blowouts every year and by the time my 2 younger children came along I’d come to the realization that 2 year-olds don’t remember the piñatas and millions of guests who helped them celebrate.

On the other hand, I did feel bad, though, when my 6-year-old asked what we did when she turned 1 and I showed her a picture of just the 5 of us gathered around her high chair for that memorable first piece of cake. Where were the piñatas and guests like her brothers had, she wanted to know.

So this year I decided to have my youngest daughter’s birthday party on a weekday, tomorrow, at a bounce place and she invited only 4 special friends. Her older 2 siblings will be at school, but 8 and 9-year-old boys really doesn’t need to be jumping in a bounce house with a bunch of 3 and 4-year-old girls anyways, right? And instead of spending $300 on a private party, I paid 1/10 of that to occupy the private room and will just pay for the kids’ public play admission.

I am sure we will both be happy with this compromise.

I just read an article that states meat consumption is steadily decreasing in American households. Whether the cost of meat, protecting the environment or health reasons are the cause of this, people are flocking to food sites like epicurious and searching for meatless recipes. Fish, eggs, and other high protein options like quinoa, tempeh, and tofu are popping up in search queries more than ever.

With all of the info in recent years about how meat gets from the pastures to our bellies, I know our family has been eating less of it. Michael Pollan’s book The Omnivore’s Dilemma was a huge eye opener for me as well as millions of other people. By the end of it, he advocates only eating meat we hunt and then kill ourselves, which, last I heard Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is doing. But who has time for that, or the stomach for it?

Then, since the recent news that fast food chains like McDonald’s have been serving the whole chicken pureed (bones and all) with a little ammonia thrown in to kill bacteria, we haven’t eaten fast food since. I really thought the now infamous picture of pink slime in those pictures was strawberry milkshake mix, not the beginnings of chicken nuggets. Gross!

Anyways, with all of these searches for meatless recipes swirling around the web out there, I’d like to hear some of them. What are your favorite, family friendly meatless recipes?

My 4th grader, who is still 9, and our oldest (so doesn't have the benefit of an older sibling to break in his parents for him) is begging to read The Hunger Games.  I've told him what it's about, and that I think he should wait until he's in middle school.

He insists he is the ONLY one in his class who hasn't read it (which I know probably means a few kids have).  To his credit. I have confirmed several of the other kids have read it, but I also had to give him the EVERYONE IS DOING IT is not a good reason theory.

I read  The Hunger Games over the holidays, not thinking about looking at it throught the lens of a kid, but remember it as a great book, for sure, but also violent and full of emotional parts that are heavy for a little kid.  Am I missing something?  

What do you think?  Would you, or have you. let your kids 10 and under read The Hunger Games?  It was, after all, recently ranked #33 on Scholastic's list of 100 Great Books for Kids.

Thinking of my last, stressed post, made me realize I needed a little Maui to de-stress. Over there, people say they are on “Maui Time,” which is not only 2 hours earlier than it is in California, but it’s also a term for a life that is slower, gentler.

I had no reason to be worried. We were greeted warmly everywhere we went and none of my previous fears came to fruition. Like drivers who shared the road with me were kind (and patient). And if I did get a little lost at times, it turned into an adventure and my two young daughters were champs about it.

The only downside was what I missed back home: my husband called me halfway through the trip from the ER to say my second grader was getting 3 staples in his head after slipping in the bathtub.

Who knows what my son was doing, but I immediately thought of my little sister who slicked up the tub with soap to “ice skate” when we were kids and ended up with 5 stitches in her chin.

It’s another tale of motherhood and the saying “Darned if we do and darned if we don’t.”

My mom is staying in Maui and asked if I'd like to join her for a portion of it.  My sweet husband gave me his blessing; so he'll stay home with our 2 older boys who are in all day school while I take our two little girls.

After the initial, thrilling excitement that we get to go to MAUI, a little bit of nervousness (OK panic) has set in about the travel aspects of it, but I'm playing it down to those who know me so they don't think I'm not grateful for the middle part of the trip, the MAUI, paradise part of it.

I will drive to San Francisco this week with my little ones and stay at an airport hotel to catch an early morning flight. I hope I don't oversleep.  What if the shuttle is late? I've gotten to depend too much on my husband when we travel.  He is up with the birds and takes care of it all.

Since they don't serve meals on planes anymore, will we have enough food for the 5-hour plane ride?  If I do pack something, will it be confiscated? How much liquid again am I able to carry on? Will I have to go through that metal detector that shows me naked? I haven't flown much in the past 10 years, since flying became not-fun-anymore, and not coincidentally that's when we've had all 4 of our children so I’m a bit out of the loop.

Once there, I have to pickup the rental car and drive to the condo.  What if the traffic rules are different there?

On the way home our plane gets into SF at midnight.  Should we stay the night, or should I drive back to Sacramento?

What I really want to know, though, is when did I become such a Nervous Nelly?  I'm the girl who jumped on a plane after college on a buddy pass and flew to Europe by MYSELF before meeting up with friends 3 days later and thought nothing of it.  In fact, to this day, the experience was one of the times I was most proud of my independence and chutzpah!

I am trying to bring that girl out! Until then, ALOHA!!