Crafts ... and a mischievous cat

The girls help me with work-related things on occasion. They enjoy crafty-type projects and at 10- and 12-years-old, they can do as good a job as I can now (and sometimes better). So when they offered to make another lollipop tree for the Raising Maine info table at the Bayside event this past weekend, Contest-essa and I took them up on their offer. The girls made the tree on Friday night and woke up the next morning to lollipops all over the rug because our cat Lupus decided to knock out at least half the pops. Apparently lollipops sticking out of styrofoam are like the pipecleaner toys L. made for him -- something to be smacked around, a lot. We should have named Lupus (which means 'wolf' in Latin and is the namesake of a character from the Roman Mysteries book series that the girls like), the "mischievous-good-time-boy" instead. He entertains us a lot with his playfulness but the girls were not so amused with his latest antics. Lupus was duly scolded by the girls but he did not appear to be remorseful. In fact, he jumped around the living room playing with his pipe cleaner toys and sneaking peaks at the girls fixing the tree. He was definitely making a new plan of attack. But the girls put a stop to his plans when they fixed up the tree and immediately put it in to the car. No more fun with lollipops for Lupus. And the tree made it to the event without further incident.

A rainy walk-about on Peaks Island

My girls helped some of their older 4-H friends with a GPS/mapping project on Peaks Island on Sunday. The girls would have preferred to ride their bikes but umbrellas were a necessity to protect the camera and GPS unit so we were left to hike the mileage instead. Luckily we found plenty of interesting things to admire that made walking nearly 6 miles in the steady rain more enjoyable (we had to backtrack a bit to get the waypoints the kids needed). Like the giant maple leaf L. thought made a good umbrella. The random 'parking' of a vacuum cleaner on the side of the road. The detailed natural art we found on a trail through the center of the island (our crew admired the workmanship and mystery of it in the middle of the woods). And the flowers .... oh they were glorious and in full bloom. We also learned some interesting tidbits about the island as well. Like the fact that there are quite a few horses living on the island. (But I don't envy the owners who have to pay to have the horse's hay and grain shipped over on the ferry.) And the 8th Maine Regiment building is a real gem. One of the 4-H families we were with are descendants of the 8th and invited us to eat our lunches (we packed our own) there and tour the building. My girls wanted to stay overnight at the 8th because they wanted to be part of its living history. (It's a lodge with facilities to accommodate overnight guests that is actually reasonably priced - I couldn't find an operational website but you can call 766-5086 for more info.) We hope to return to the island so the kids can finish up the mapping project and then explore more our bikes. The girls have other 4-H projects they're working on but this one has a special appeal, even in the rain. I saved the track we walked Sunday with my GPS unit as a reference for the kids when they get to actually plotting the waypoints on their map. I'll post the final result when the kids are done with everything later this summer. Peaks Island at EveryTrail

Family favorite berry recipe

With strawberry picking season around the corner which is followed by sour cherries then raspberries and blueberries, I thought I'd post one of my family's new favorite berry recipe (we tried it last year after picking a bunch of sour cherries - which is in season about a week after strawberry season starts).  

CHERRY BERRY COBBLER 
Recipe
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons corn starch
3 cups sour cherries (pits removed)
1 cup strawberries (or you can use blueberries)

Add all above ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until it bubbles and thickens then transfer to baking dish.

In a separate bowl, add the following ingredients and mix just until combined.

3 Tablespoons shortening
1 cup flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk

Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the warm cherries and then bake at 400 degrees for about 15-18 minutes. We'd love some new recipes for this year's season if you want to share them with us!

Dance costumes and garbage bags

It's recital week for us at our dance studio and with that comes the craziness of photos and dress rehearsal. Yesterday afternoon, evening and later-evening was spent at the studio for the first of a two-day photo shoot. We don't buy all the photos because to do so would require us to rob a bank and I don't have time to coordinate that right now. But the girls would be really upset to miss being part of each of their class shots so we tough out the long hours to make it work for them. Each of the girls has three costumes and I have another two this year so we needed a crash course on how all the parts of each costume were supposed to be worn. Luckily for us there was a mom at the studio who had this information and got us up to speed just before each photo. But the devil is in the details and keeping track of all those darn little extra costume parts is our biggest challenge every year. Of course there were other moms and girls at the studio with many more costumes than we had so I should not complain about this. But to offer a somewhat lame defense, my girls only perform at recital so they don't have the same kind of organizing practice that the competition team girls do. Unfortunately this year we had detail trouble. We forgot a key piece of one of G.'s costumes. And oh yeah, we forgot to bring bobby pins and hair elastics to make her a bun too. My next lame excuse? I had a busy day at work and made a mad dash to the studio in time for the first group shot so I didn't do a double-check on all the costumes before we threw them in the car. And makeup and hair stuff is not part of my daily life (it's a big day when I get a comb through my hair) so I chronically forget these things for recital pictures. After six years I'd think I could get a handle on this but I miss the makeup/hair boat every year. Thankfully, one of the fabulous moms at the studio made G.'s hair in to a bun in record time (thanks Lynn!) but we weren't sure what to do about the missing costume piece - a black choker neck thingy. Then the studio owner with a lifetime of experience performing and a real knack for being thrifty, came to the rescue. A black garbage bag tie. G. was skeptical but bless her heart, she didn't argue about it. "You won't even be able to tell in the photo. It will blend in with all the others," G. was told. And you know, Ms. Vicky was right! Today we're going to find a ribbon replacement for the neck thingy and make sure we have each costume piece accounted for before dress rehearsal on Friday afternoon, evening, later-evening to maybe midnight. But I know if we fall short of our goal to be better organized, someone at the dance studio will come to our rescue with some ingenious idea.

Playing with money

We've got geocaching travel bugs and Flat Stanley so we're plenty busy tracking and plotting those adventures on the map. But we also, on occasion, track dollar bills. Where's George is website that allows people to track dollar bills that are marked with the website's name. We recently ran across a bill marked with a Where's George stamp so we logged it on the site when we got home. It turned out it was newly registered and traveled to Cumberland all the way from .... Westbrook (we've run in to several bills originating from this city so we know there's a big Where's George fan living there). Most of the money we have logged on the site has been from Maine but we don't always play the game (mostly because cash doesn't seems to hang out long at our house). The girls think the game is fun, especially since they saw the National Treasure movie with its reference to conspiracy theories about the American dollar bill. We found a website - MoneyFactory.gov - that offers up lots of facts about American currency and what each symbol/notation means on the bills as well as the history behind it. The kids were fascinated (and so was I). But tracking dollar bills isn't the only fun we have with currency. L. also collects state quarters. She checks the USMint.gov state quarters program minting schedule periodically so she knows when the next state quarter is coming out (then she tells her grandpa so he can look for them for her). And I admit that it is a bit addictive as I often catch myself looking at quarters to find new ones too. (I had a penny collection as a kid and never did manage to fill up every space with the appropriate penny year. I can't shake the feeling that it should have been complete before I lost track of it. I guess L. is going to reap the benefits of me helping her find these coins so she feels a sense of completion with her collection.) L.'s been collecting the quarters since 2005 (along with the Westward Journal nickel series) and with only three more quarters to go, she's getting a little anxious to complete the collection. Yet at the same time she really doesn't want it to end because she loves it. But she doesn't need to worry. After visiting the Treasury's website recently, we learned about a new penny redesign release program AND a D.C. and US Territories quarter series coming in 2009. Her coin collecting days are far from over. And I guess mine aren't either.

A preview to fair season for 4-Hers

We spent Saturday at the Cumberland Fairgrounds for the 4-H June Jamboree. June Jamboree is like a practice preview for Cumberland County 4-H kids, especially the ones showing animals during fair season. The 4-Hers bring their animals to the fairgrounds and participate in a show like they would during the fair. The adults judge their animals and offer suggestions and tips on how the kids can improve their skills and enjoy the showing experience. The kids who enter projects in the exhibit hall also do all their entry forms/paperwork required at fair time and receive feedback on how how they might improve their projects. It's and educational, low-key day at the fairgrounds for all the 4-Hers. Jamboree also includes workshops and the girls were particularly excited about the horse rescue demonstration (no, we don't own a horse but the kids love them). L. was excited to have been chosen to help pull the metal horse into a trailer at the demo and I heard in great detail how to help an injured horse and neutralize it's 'weapons' (i.e., hooves). Unfortunately, I missed the whole thing because I was prepping the food booth for lunch. Both of the girls' 4-H clubs (their shooting sports and general club) were in charge of the food booth at Jamboree this year. We volunteer every year during the Cumberland Fair to transform ourselves in to short-order cooks for an afternoon. It is not easy work but we always have a good time (and some of the characters who stop by the booth keep things interesting). The Jamboree menu is simpler than fair time with only hot dogs, chips and soda. So when the clubs were looking for volunteers, Fino and I agreed to work the booth for a couple of hours because our kids really wanted to do it. They love working in that food booth. The girls and two of their fellow 4-Hers were responsible for taking orders and handling the cash drawer. They all handled it like pros with little supervision counting money and change. (And later I reflected again on the many practical skills my girls have learned since joining 4-H and how much I appreciate this program.) Fino was in charge of filling the orders and I was responsible for making sure the hot dogs and buns were replenished in the steamer as needed. The girls also had a chance to take a break from the booth for a few minutes and see how they did with their projects in the exhibit hall. They received some positive feedback about their projects and were pleased with their ribbons for the day. L. has new plans on how to present her flower fairies based on feedback from the judges at Jamboree. It should be interesting to see how she's going to work out her 'big plans' in the next couple of weeks. And G. has some more plans of her own with her cow project as well. By the time we got home not only were we tired, we were also hot. After the many pleas to go swimming on the way home, I decided to indulge the girls with a quick dip after dinner at the river. The first fair of the season is less than a month away. The Houlton Fair opens the season on July 3. (You can get the full schedule of fairs here.) We really enjoy fair season - which fair is your favorite?

A Flat Stanley visitor and our busy day

A young friend of ours sent us his Flat Stanley to host in Maine for a couple of weeks for his kindergarten class. The girls were enthusiastic to do it since it's been a while since we've hosted a flat friend. We started exchanging Flat Stanleys as a way to get my reluctant writers interested in journaling a few years ago. We spent several years hosting Flat Stanleys and sent out our own for adventures (he was our first traveler of the continents). During the Flat Stanley exchanges, G. developed a real love for photography and both of the girls decided that writing could be fun (the photos were key in providing the writing prompts they needed when we first started). So even though it's been a while, we reverted back to our former Flat Stanley routine (although our own Flat Stanley did join us in Acadia last weekend) and tucked him in to my backpack so he wouldn't miss all the 'action' of our busy Sunday. Our day began with an early morning trip to the farm so G. could work with her cow Sparkles and do her farm chores. L. and I were charged with taking a photo of Stanley with the cows but it was a little tricky. Whenever we put Flat Stanley near the cows, one of them tried to eat him (which was reminiscent of our experience with the pigs a while back at Wolfe's Neck Farm). But we did manage to get a shot with a cow that was a little less hungry. Then Flat Stanley came with us to photograph the Old Port Festival parade and hang out at the MaineToday booth. It was one of those busy days for us so our afternoon activities moved from the Old Port to a sand pit in Gorham to do some skeet shooting with the girls' 4-H shooting sports club. G. gave the skeet shooting a whirl but the kick of the shotgun was a little stronger than her .22 rifle at the gun club so her shoulder was sore after two rounds. Fino loved it (of course) and hit a couple of clay disks. Then I was my turn and he and the girls made a point to get a couple of photos of me trying to hit the clay disk (emphasize the 'try' part - I'm lucky to hit a non-moving target). By the time we got home from our busy day, slugging out on the couch with a movie was in order. I'm pretty sure Flat Stanley stayed awake for "Her Majesty" before turning in the for the night, which is more than can be said for me.

Bowling fun to play ... and watch

Yesterday our plans to learn to kayak were thwarted by the weather. The rain we could have handled (kayaking is a water sport after all) but the thunder and lightening made it a safety issue. So the girls, and their friends we brought along for that adventure, thought a trip to the bowling alley would be a fun substitute. I haven't been bowling in a very long time but L. and Fino went just a couple of weeks ago to a candle-pin alley (G. and I were in Orono learning about cows at the time) and L. suggested we go there. I had forgotten how much fun bowling can be - both to play as well as watch it. It’s the hopeful body movements that are most amusing. You know, those unconscious movements that have bowlers leaning to one side in hopes the bowling ball rolling down the alley will follow suit. We all did it. And even though I *know* it doesn’t work, I couldn't help it and kept catching myself in the act. Lucky for me none of the girls thought to pick up my camera to capture my hopeful moments.

Sensory Overload

Children with Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SID) do not process touch, sound and movement in their bodies the same way most children do. A SID child's brain can feel bombarded by normal, everyday information and in turn act inappropriately or have a meltdown.

Since summer activities can create changes in the daily routine ­ which is a classic trigger for a meltdown in children with SID ­ parents need to do some extra planning to anticipate their child's needs.

Because SID is different for each child, there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution. But there are a few things you can keep in mind that might make your summer adventure a little more enjoyable for you and your child.

Give your child a heavy backpack to carry: The sensory input of carrying something heavy can help a child with SID calm their over-stimulated bodies. Depending on the age of your child, determine how heavy their pack should be and fill it with towels, clothes and other items unlikely to break if they drop it. And if you present it right, your child will enjoy being mom's helper for the day.

Give bear hugs or back rubs periodically: While out and about, make a point to give your child a few big bear hugs. Squeezing a child with SID tightly can help calm and relax their body. But be sure to tell them it's only a game for mom and dad, not one to play with other kids (you don't want them hugging other kids too hard). A back rub while sitting on a towel can also work just as well. It's the deep pressure that some SID bodies need.

Keep bubbles on hand: This is a fun activity for the beach or park anyway but for a child with SID, blowing bubbles can be a good re-focusing activity.

Play with sand before you go to the beach: For kids with tactile defensiveness, the beach can be a nightmare. Introducing the sensation of sand on skin ­ on both their hands and feet ­ before you take your trip will help you understand what to expect from your child and make a plan to deal with it before you get there. Even if your child has been to the beach and hated the sand, a gradual re-introduction in a small box (hide small toys in it for added incentive) can help de-sensitize your child's reaction to it at home. And if that doesn't work, have them wear a pair of rain boots so they don't have to put their feet in it at all.

Pack extra baby wipes: Even if your child has outgrown diapers, bring along some extra hand wipes. Some children with SID don't like to have dirty, sticky hands and after eating ice cream or other messy snacks, it's helpful to have an extra stash of wipes for clean-up.

Bring baby powder: Being covered in wet sand can be stressful for some kids with SID. The easiest way to 'dry' them off is to generously sprinkle baby powder on their sandy skin and then rub it off. This takes away the wetness as well as the sand (and works especially well between toes and fingers). But be sure to reapply sunscreen if you're planning to continue your outdoor activities.

Introduce sun block/bug spray smells: For a child sensitive to smell, be sure to introduce them to the scent of your current sun block or bug spray before you go out. Going on a day-long trip is not a good time to introduce a new smell.

Pack chewy snacks: Bring a couple of chewy snacks like gum, raisins, licorice, taffy or a bagel for your child to eat throughout the day. Chewing is an important calming sensation for some SID kids.

Bring an extra set of clothes, ­ including footwear: Having at least one change of clothes in tow is a must for a child with tactile defensiveness. Being able to change into clean, soft familiar clothes and dry footwear after a day at the beach will make the ride home a much more pleasant experience for everyone.

Pack a water bottle with pop-up spout: For a child too old for a sippy cup, water bottles with a pop-up spouts are great. The sucking sensation can be calming, especially after a meltdown.

Not all of these tips will work for all SID issues, so choose what you think your child would respond positively to and try it. With a little planning to anticipate situations that trigger meltdowns, you might be able to avoid some of the reactions moms of children with SID know all too well.

If you have a child with SID and are looking for more advice and support from other moms, go www.raisingmaine.com/SID.

Originally published in Raising Maine Magazine, June 2008

Kid Tracks Column: Biking Augusta, Topsham, SoPo

I do not like bike riding on the road with my kids. I find road riding- even short treks with a wide shoulder - to be stressful when the kids are with me. But I really enjoy riding and so do the kids.

Lucky for us, we live in Maine.

There are some great off-the-road trails – not to be confused with mountain biking – around the state that allow families to ride together without the worries of car traffic.

Exploring bike trails has been the highlight of our spring so if you're looking for a riding adventure for your family this summer, we have a few recommendations.

KENNEBEC RIVER RAIL TRAIL, AUGUSTA
This 6.5-mile trail runs through the towns of Augusta, Hallowell, Farmingdale and Gardiner. We started our ride at Capitol City Park in Augusta with plans to ride to Gardiner and back. Parents with younger children can easily track their distance on this well-marked trail to determine an appropriate length for your family's fitness level.

In Hallowell's business district my family opted to walk our bikes because this portion of the trail was on the road. We did some window shopping (the kids loved the animal wood carvings) before resuming our ride on the trail just outside the village. This short walk made for a nice break from the bike seats.

There was a semi-steep hill in Hallowell that my kids climbed fairly easily by managing their gears but kids riding bikes without gears may opt to walk up the short hill instead. At the end of the trail in Gardiner we found a shopping plaza with plenty of bathroom options and a bench in a small grassy area to sit and eat our lunch.

TRAIL: Kennebec River Rail Trail (part of the East Coast Greenway that connects trails from Maine to Florida)
LENGTH: 6.5 miles one way
TERRAIN: Mostly paved with about a half mile of packed gravel between Augusta and Hallowell
TRAIL HEAD: Capitol City Park in Augusta and Hannaford shopping plaza in Gardiner are the main points of entry with plenty of parking but there are many other access points as well.
BATHROOM: There are nearby businesses at both trail heads that have public bathrooms. There are also public bathrooms in downtown Hallowell.
DOG-FRIENDLY: Yes, on a leash
KID RATING: 5 stars (on a scale of 1-the worst to 5-the best).
12-YEAR-OLD: "I liked the bike path because it was smooth. There were not many people on the trail when we were there so it made it really easy for us to ride. I also liked passing by all the pretty shops in Hallowell."
10-YEAR-OLD: "The pavement was easy to ride on and I liked the railroad track crossings. I liked the wooden bridge with the brook under it. I also liked stopping for onion rings at the Hi-Hat Diner, I just wish I got more onion rings!"

ANDROSCOGGIN RIVER BIKE PATH, BRUNSWICK
This bike path in Brunswick is super family-friendly with plenty of scenic picnic spots and convenient (and clean) outhouses near both ends of the trail. A small, older playground at the Cook's Corner end of the trail motivated my kids to ride the full 2.6 miles of this trail when we were still working on our "bike legs" with our first ride of the season.

TRAIL: Androscoggin River Bike Path
LENGTH: 2.6 miles one way
TERRAIN: Paved
TRAIL HEAD: Main trail head is located at the end of Water Street in Brunswick. There is an entrance at the end of Grover Lane (near Cook's Corner) as well as a connection to Topsham via the Coastal Connector Bridge.
BATHROOM: There is an outhouse approximately 1/4 mile from the Water Street trail head and another about 1/2 mile from Cook's Corner.
DOG-FRIENDLY: No
KID RATING: 5 stars
12-YEAR-OLD: "The path is nice and smooth. I liked the roundabout at the playground at the end of the trail."
10-YEAR-OLD: "I liked the roundabout at the playground. It was fun. I liked stopping for a picnic on the trail. I liked the bridge too and going down the hill."

GREENBELT TRAIL, SOUTH PORTLAND
This urban trail required more "stop and go" than other trails we've visited because of the many street crossings. Even though most were in quiet, residential areas with no cars in sight, my husband and I feel it is simply good policy when riding with the kids to stop and look both ways before crossing every street.

There were two major intersections - one at Mill Creek (Broadway and Route 77) and the other on Broadway and Evans Street. We waited for the crosswalk signals (something most around us were not doing) which gave us a nice break from the bike seats.

We found one part of the trail a bit confusing simply because we were unfamiliar with the city. The off-the-road trail ends at Pearl Street with no trail markers to confirm that you follow Chestnut Street (we did spot a small arrow on the road at the end of Pearl Street veering to the left so we knew which way to go). We continued along the road for a short time before we picked up the trail again. Not a big deal, but be aware there is a short section of on-the-road riding on a quiet street.

The diversity of sights along this trail was fun - from a view of the water and lovely backyard gardens (the trail abuts quite a few homes) to the woods and open fields. And Mill Creek Park and Bug Light are great spots for a picnic lunch.

TRAIL: Greenbelt Trail (also part of the East Coast Greenway)
LENGTH: 5.7 miles one way
TERRAIN: Paved
TRAIL HEAD: Bug Light Park, Madison Street (off Broadway) in South Portland
DOG-FRIENDLY: Yes, on a leash
KID RATING: 4 stars
12-YEAR-OLD: "I liked how the pavement was smooth. You could hear a lot of birds on this trail. I liked seeing Bug Light. There were a lot of places where you had to cross the street and I didn't like that too much but it was OK."
10-YEAR-OLD: "I liked this trail because I could see lots of birds, like cranes and seagulls. And the trail was wide so I could bike next to my mom. We got to go and see Bug Light again and I love that lighthouse because I can run to the lighthouse and touch it and look over the edge at the water."

You can find trail maps and photos from these rides on my Kid Tracks blog. My family has more two-wheeling adventures planned so maybe we'll see you out on the trails this summer!

Originally published in Raising Maine Magazine, June 2008