You gotta act Natural!

Dallas Children's Theater's Teen drama program

Cobb Children's Theater's West Side Story (2002)- that's me in the green t-shirt!

Cobb Children's Theater's Bye Bye Birdie (2001)

I have always been a bit "dramatic". I was the middle sister and in order to be noticed amongst my sisters I usually resorted to humor, dance or performance. My undergraduate degree is in Performing Arts, prior to which I was involved with local children's theater. Those summers were some of the best times I've had on stage.

Working to build sets, learn choreography, lines and meeting new kids from across the county helped me build confidence and got rid of any lingering shyness I had. There are tons of children's theaters and workshops all across the country. From musical theater to improvisation, you and your family can get involved and have some fun with your local children's theater.

The Birmingham Children's Theater (AL) offers workshops for kids as young as 2nd grade up to high school seniors. You can take weekend workshops or weekly classes depending on your schedule. Their curriculum is designed to help build self confidence.

If you are near Charlotte, NC- check out the Children's Theater of Charlotte. They offer parent and child workshops from kids 3 and up. For older children, there are workshops for college auditions, stage combat and improvisation. Perhaps you are not the on-stage type, they also run a 15 show season with something for the whole family to enjoy-like Disney's Aladdin.

The Dallas Children's Theater has a great teen program called Y.A.R.D. Teens can use the medium of theater to address issues that they care about. Through discussion, plays and writing , students can use theater as a method for expression.

In any city, the art of live theater and the freedom of expressing yourself on stage never gets old. Even if you are happier being a participant, take a look at your local children's theater and see what you local talent is up to.

Festivals Galore!

Akron's Annual Soap Box Derby

Check out the Great Falls Balloon Fest

Well, summer is ending. School supplies are tucked in new backpacks and new clothes are waiting to be debuted at school. This was the time of year that my Dad used to take me and my sisters to the annual kite festival in Ohio. Plus, my Aunt worked for the Akron, OH Soap Box Derby, so if we could we would head over to watch the races as the last days of summer drifted away.

However, it's not over yet! There are still some great festivals across the country in August. If you are a Cubs fan, or just around the Chicago area, check out the Wrigleyville Summerfest for good food, live music and funzones for the kids.

In Ehrhardt, SC the annual Scheutzenfest is underway this weekend. There's a live auction, parade, a Scheutsenfest Queen and the main event- a street dance. Grab the family and shake the end of summer blues away in the streets on Ehrhardt. What a great way to spend one of the last weekends of the summer.

Love hot air balloons? Well, Maine's Great Falls Balloon festival is this weekend. Check out the balloon launches, a parade, food and live music. There is someone pretty exciting about seeing so many hot air balloons in the air at one time.

Whatever festivals you get a chance to visit, be sure to enjoy those last few minutes of a great summer. Happy festivalling everyone!

On your Mark, Set, GO!

You can run for a purpose- I raced for a friend's sister and the patients at the Hospice my Mom works for

Get a group together and run or walk as a team! You're looking at Team Fancy Pants

The year I turned 25, I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish throughout the year. One of those things was to run a 5k. My friends and family kinda laughed (I'm not what you would call a "runner"), but to their surprise, I did it! On top of that I did two more.

While I did not get the fastest time nor did my time increase with each race, I had a great time. My Dad has actually said he would run the Marietta Turkey Trot with me next year. Running a 5k can be a great event for the whole family to do together. Keep in mind you don't actually have to run, lots of people choose to walk.

I found a great 5k in the Kansas City, KS area called the Mud & Muck. Not only can you all get out and be active, but you can get a little dirty too! Complete the whole 5k (3.1 miles) or just go for the 1 mile mud part.

In DC, they are doing an "All Feet On Deck" race, complete with a pool party and BBQ waiting at the end of the race.

If you are not too into getting dirty, try finding a race for a good cause. In Savannah, GA, they do an annual 5k to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research. They host tons of 5k, 10k and health walks throughout the year to raise money for local charities, cancer research and even the zoo.

You can search by your area for a race by visiting the Active site. It's a great way to get out of the house, burn some calories as well as some energy. Get your shoes on and head out!

Swimmies

In honor of SHARK WEEK, I thought I'd post about swimming and water safety. As a not-so-great-swimmer ( I failed swimming lessons as a kid), I am the first to admit I am not so comfortable in the water. How about you? Are you a little fish or a timid dog paddler?

In search of local swimming lessons, because you are never too old to learn, I found this great site that allows you to search for lessons in your area. You can look for infant, adult and child classes. Also, you can search for private, group or semi-private lessons.

While you are at the pool, try playing one of these fun pool games. Everyone remembers Marco Polo, right? The person deemed "it" closes their eyes and calls out Marco, the other players respond by yelling polo. "Marco" uses the sounds of their voices to try to find them in the pool!

You could also play Sharks and Minnows (also called Submarines and Battleships). One person is the Shark and all others are the minnows. The minnows must get from one side of the pool to the other without getting tagged by the shark. The last person across without being tagged wins!

Compliments of Kids Health, here are some great tips to ensure and safe and happy summer at the pool, beach or any other large body of water:

• Always have an adult watch you when you are in the pool — even in your own backyard. Never go in the pool if there is no adult around.
• Gates are around pools for a reason — to keep kids away from the water when there isn't a lifeguard or adult around to watch them. Never go through any pool gates when they are closed. Stay safe and stay out!
• Swim with a buddy.
• Walk slowly in the pool area. Don't run.
• Don't push or jump on others. You could accidentally hurt someone or yourself.
• Toys to help you float come in many shapes and sizes (an inner tube, air mattress, or beach ball, for example). Although they are fun and can help you while you learn to swim, what they can't do is save a life. They're toys that can lose air or float away.
• Don't chew gum or eat while you swim — you could choke.

Strike!

Cutest Shoes EVER!

We used 6lb balls, but see what works best for you.

There is something to be said for wearing borrowed shoes. Nowhere else in the world would you think about putting on a strange pair of shoes, only at the BOWLING ALLEY. I recently went bowling for the first time in probably three years, what fun we had.

Here in Savannah, GA AMF Lanes is hosting free bowling for kids under 12 every weeknight from 5-8 pm. You and the family can head over and bowl a few games this summer.

Since it had been a while since I had bowled, my good friend reminded me of the rules and scoring for bowling. For reminders sake:

- A strike is when all ten pins get knocked down in one turn.

- A spare is when all ten pins gets knocked down in both turns.

- A TURKEY is when you get three strikes in a row.

- Each pin is numbered (i.e. the dreaded 7-10 split) 

- You must stay behind the Foul line while bowling.

Kids can easily ask to use gutter guards to help them learn how to aim the ball at the pins. Ask the staff at the bowling alley to set them up for you.

You may even want to try heading to the alley during "Extreme" Bowling. This is when they play fun music, add strobe and neon lights. Kids will love seeing their bowling balls glow as they head down the lane.

Now, let's talk about scoring. I am more than thrilled that scoring is now done digitally at the bowling alleys. However, I thought it was important to know how scoring actually worked. For each strike you get 10 points. After an initial strike, you get 10 points, plus the number of pins you knocked down in the next frame. Whew- I'll be sure to use the digital score board.

Family Olympics

Relay Race- on foot or bike

Who can hula hoop the longest?

My family's annual badmitton tournament

I was fortunate to grow up on a street that had lots of kids. We would spend countless hours playing an endless game of kickball. One summer, we decided to hold a street wide olympics.

What a great idea for the family! Rather than watching a movie, get outside for a family olympics (if you live down south, I would wait until later in the day when it's not as hot). Come up with a list of games or events for your olympics and begin forming teams.

Some game/ event suggestions:

For Small Ones-

Tag 

TV, freeze or any other tag variety.

T-ball

You can get an inexpensive t-ball set at Walmart or even check out thrift stores for great deals on sporting equipment.

Bean Bag toss

Use a beanie baby if you haven't got any bean bags laying around. You can make them by using quilting squares from a fabric store and dried beans or even rice.

Dance Off

Put on some tunes and see who has the moves!

For Medium Ones-

Hopscotch

Make this more challenging by having team members pick up items or change the pattern for varying difficulty level.

4 Square

Create a grid with four squares each 4x4. The name of the game is to bounce the ball from square to square without it bouncing twice in your square or bouncing it out of bounds. You can customize your rules or add parameters to suit your group.

Jump Rope Contest

See how long each team member can jump or challenge everyone to try double dutch.

Obstacle Course

Create your own, or check out Martha Stewart's ideas.

For Big Ones-

Kickball

The rules are the same as baseball, but you kick a ball rather than hitting it.

Bike Relay Race

Set up stopping points along a bike trail or the neighborhood. Be sure to wear helmets and follow the biking rules of the road.

Hula Hoop Contest

You could even get neighbors or other families involved to create a block wide olympics. Each team can create a flag and host an opening ceremony BBQ. Create score cards and keep track of the rankings. 

We all scream for popsicles!

Yum! The Final Product

The banana acts an anchor to hold the straw

All hands on deck- everyone can help

Our ingredients

I will be the first to admit, I love ice cream. Well, ice cream and frozen treats of any kind. I recently saw the ice cream truck in my neighborhood and it brought back tons of memories of running down the street, dollar bill in hand waiting for an ice cold treat in the summer time.

Ice cream and popsicles are full of sugar though. As I have been changing my eating habits, as many are, I am looking for healthier sweet treats. I went home to see my family and decided to make some homemade popsicles with my nephews. I found some great recipes online, but created my own recipe.

My little guys love bananas and strawberries so we made straw-nana pops. It's a really simple recipe that everyone could help with. Here's what we used:

3 bananas
1 carton of strawberries (you could use the ones you picked earlier this summer!)
2 tbs honey
2 c low fat vanilla yogurt
Dixie Cups
Small drinking straws

First, cut up the bananas and strawberries and throw in a blender. Add honey and yogurt and blend. Set out the dixie cups and pour in mixture. Stick a straw in and freeze for about 3 hours. When ready, peel off the dixie cup and enjoy!

My brother-in-law helped out and came up with a great trick. Reserve some banana slices for the bottom of the cups. It helps to anchor the straw and adds some support- plus it looks great when they are done.

Based on what fruits or yogurt flavors your family likes, you can create tons of great homemade, healthy treats this summer.

A Road Trippin' We Will Go

It's summer. Vacation time! If you are anything like my family, you might be driving to your final destination. With airline tickets for an entire family costing a small fortune, driving sometimes makes sense. Maybe you'll be relying on the portable DVD players to entertaintment.

If not, try some of these great road trip games! A long ride in the car doesn't have to be torture- make it fun and possibly educational.

- Mom's Minivan
A great resource for scavenger hunt games. From spotting the tallest building to finding a tractor, everyone can get involved in finding the items on their list. Print out or create lists before you leave. You can up the ante by offering the lunch stop pick to the winner.

- Name that Tune
If you have access to an iPod or even pandora radio (free music website) play a family game of name that tune. Put the iPod on shuffle and call out the names or artists of each song that comes on. The good thing about Pandora is the random factor, you select a station (i.e Disney) and it plays songs from the artist or similar to the artist.

- Story in the Round
As a family, create a story. Begin with a statement or sentence and go around the car and have each person add a sentence. You'll never know how the story ends.

- Digital Camera Safari
Check out examples and the rules of safari.

- Road Book
Each member of the family or traveling party gets to pick a weird or wacky stop along the way. It could be the State Welcome Center for a sample of free Oj (in FL) or the biggest ball of yarn in Texas. When you arrive at the stop, get out the camera and make some memories. Include them in the scrapbook for the trip. Getting there is half the fun!

-Create your own Maze
You can print our crossword puzzles, mad libs and even create mazes for the family to do in the car.

- What would a ____ sound like?
Choose inanimate objects or even pets. Take turns guessing what they would sound like if they could talk. Do you have a valley girl puppy or possibly a fire hydrant from Boston?

Many of these sites have tons of other road trip games and activities for the family. Take your time and enjoy the trip.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

In honor of my nephew, Xavier, this post if going to be about the zoo. Xavier is turning one this week and as a gift, we've gotten him (and his parents) a membership to the Atlanta Zoo.


I don't know about you, but I am a true, blue zoo fan. For awhile I was a traveling recruiter for a college. This job entailed traveling across the country. In every city, if time permitted, I would visit the zoo. I have seen lots of animals and tested many a zoo. Of these zoos, one of my favorites has been the St. Louis Zoo.

Why this zoo? Here are a handful of reasons:

* It's FREE. That's right, I said free.
* It's huge. One of the largest I've ever visited.
* The penguins are friendly- I think I have a new best friend.
* It offers tons of family friendly options.

Each year, the St. Louis Zoo offers camps, classes and programs designed to teach visitors of all ages about the animals. Have a three year old, a seven year old and thirteen year old? Well, they have options. How about a family sleep over at the zoo? Take a night hike around the zoo and see what the animals are up to after dark.

Would you rather be keeper for a day? Sign up to take over the zoo keeper duties. Participants will help feed and care for the animals and see what it takes to run a zoo.

If you are in the Ohio area, check out the Cleveland Metro Park Zoo. This summer they are sponsoring a video competition for families to win admission for ten and a behind-the-scenes tour of the zoo. Get out your video cameras and have fun making a video about how the zoo inspires you.

If you are not sure where your nearest zoo is or what they offer, check out this website for a search. Create lots of new memories with a trip to the zoo!

Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC

From historic costumes to Native American art, Charlotte's Mint Museums (the new Uptown location opens in October) have tons to see during a visit. Their collection includes contemporary artwork, craft and design pieces as well as traditional American artwork. The Mint is completely family friendly. Prior to your visit you can print off a scavenger hunt and search for pieces throughout your visit. As you explore see if you can find all the artwork listed in the hunt- just a hint, you may want to look up!

Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children 4 and up. If this seems a little high for a summer activity, take advantage of the bonus Tuesdays, admission to the Mint Randolph is FREE from 5-9 pm. Outside food and drinks are not permitted in the Mint, but there is a gorgeous grassy area outside to eat and enjoy a picnic lunch!

If hands-on is a little more your style, take part in the Wells Fargo Family Saturdays. You and your family can get down and dirty at the Mint by completing a hands on art project. Come ready to get messy! Throughout the year, the Mint hosts a First Friday celebration full of live music, activities, good times and special film screenings in the lawn.

There are helpful family guides on the website that allow you to plan for your visit and provide great games and activities you can do with your family while at the museum to engage in conversations about the work. Viewing and discussing art doesn't have to involve an art background, talk about what you see and what you liked! Stop on in if you are in Charlotte area!

Blueberries Galore

It is the season for blueberries! The season begins in late May and runs until September, so the getting is good for blueberries. My mouth is currently salivating over the thought of fresh blueberries over ice cream, tucked in pie or even blended in my morning smoothie. I used to loathe blueberries, too tart or tangy for my taste. As I have grown and my taste buds have developed, I am a blueberry maniac! Not only are they insanely good for you, full of antioxidants but they taste great!

Now, when I was a kid growing up in Northern Ohio, my Mom used to take me and my sisters strawberry picking. There was definite grunt work involved, however, the satisfaction of eating the fruit you picked in your ice cream that night made it worth it. I recently found a great website to aid in the search for a local farm that allows picking, Pick Your Own. If blueberries or strawberries aren't your favorite, you can check out when peaches, apples even pumpkins are in season. Take some time to explore the sight, there are tips and tricks to canning your fruit, easy family recipes and tons of other great information for you and the family.

Listed along side the farms (organic farms are listed in green!) are fruit and veggie festivals! What a great way to spend the day, tasting fresh, ripe fruits and their jam counterparts. From Michigan to Wisconsin and back down to Texas, summer is full of Blueberry festivals. In early August, Mossyrock, WA hosts its annual Blueberry festival full of live music, a blueberry pie eating contest and a family fun dog show. Bring the kids, pets and a healthy appetite for a day of fun.

Let's All Go to the Movies!

When I say movies, you say popcorn! Movies . . POPCORN! The first movie that I ever went to see in the movie theater was Beauty and the Beast. I still remember the excitement of carrying my own tub of buttery popcorn and far too large fountain Coca-Cola into the darkened theater and finding a seat to see the newest Disney movie. I can tell you, from that moment on, I was hooked! There's something about watching a movie in a crowded theater surrounded by others watching the very same movie for the first time, collective laughter and sometimes tears.

Now, today it's a little pricier to take the family to the movies than it was back in 1991 when Beauty and the Beast came out. Well AMC Theaters are combating that with their annual Summer Movie Camp. Every Tuesday morning this summer you and the family can enjoy the same magical movie going experience for only $1 a ticket! Participating theaters across the country are showing weekly family friendly movies for your enjoyment.

Show time is at 10:00 am sharp with the doors opening at 9:00 am. As an added incentive, all concession stand proceeds will be going to AMC charities, Variety- The Children's Charity and The Will Rogers Institute. Not only can you enjoy a fun flick, but you can feel good about buying that extra large tub of popcorn!

Upcoming titles include Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa and Hotel for Dogs. The AMC Summer Movie Camp ends on Tuesday, August 10th with a mystery showing. Take a gander at upcoming shows and share the movie going experience on the cheap! Happy viewing.

Marbles Kids Museum, Raleigh, NC

When I think of marbles, I am usually reminded of one favorite movies,"Hook". The beloved character, Toodles, searching for his long lost marbles. Now, it's been awhile since I've seen that movie and I have a new association with marbles. In my research for fun summer activities, I can across a Raleigh staple for families, Marbles Kids Museum.

I am not sure about you, but I love the idea of children's museums. Think about it, a place solely dedicated to developing a strong imaginative sense and empowering children to learn. I may have mentioned that I am the proud aunt to three little boys. In the heat of summer, there is a tendency for these boys to hover on the cusp of boredom. Taking them to an air-conditioned, contained hands on environment is a sure fire way to beat the boredom!

Marbles is designed for kids 10 and under, however, their core values and interactive exhibits can grab the attention of older brothers and sisters as well. Seven themed exhibitions encourage imagination and creativity as well as exploration and environmental responsibility. A new exhibit, MoneyPalooza, teaches visitors about money and frugal decisison (designed for 4th and 5th graders).

If you can't stay too late, be sure to grab your Action Cards before leaving. These cards share fun activities for the whole family based on the core values of Marbles. Plus, take advantage of some of the special events hosted by Marbles like the Target $2 Tuesdays. On the third Tuesday of each month, Target Corp. sponsors an evening at Marbles. You and your whole family get reduced $2 admission to play and explore from 5-8 pm. Once a month, Food Lion sponsors a Garden Gourmet snack. You can make and taste a delicious treat made with fresh, local veggies.

If you find yourself in or around the Raleigh, NC area, be sure to take breather and stop in Marbles Kids Museum. They are open Tuesday to Saturday 9-5 pm and Sunday 12-5 pm.

Christmas in July: Across the Nation!

The smell of fresh baked cookies, a fully decorated christmas tree and snow softly falling outside. The perfect snapshot of Christmas. Well, it would be perfect if you don't live in the South where snow is a myth rivaling Big Foot and the fact that it is currently July. Fear not- you can get your holiday fix at The Sandbox Children's Museum in Hilton Head, SC.

This July, you and the family can take part in ice cold snow cones, cookie decorating (and eating!) while gearing up for the coming holiday season. Kids will be able to meet Santa and fill him in on their mid year naughty or nice status. The added incentive to be able to play in the "snow" is one you can hardly pass up!

If you are in the West Jefferson, NC area, you may already know about their annual Christmas in July festival. For the past 24 years, West Jefferson has been celebrating the season with this festival offering, food, fun and live mountain music all day. The kicker- admission is FREE, thanks to generous sponsors.


If you are in the Paradise, PA area, head over to the second annual Midsummer Yule Festival. Held at the National Christmas Center, visitors are able to taste delicious foods from local vendors or purchase fresh produce from the Farmer's Market. There will be christmas carols, Santa and craft demonstrations all day. Admission to the festival is completely FREE!

Though Christmas is still quite a few months away, you can beat the heat by taking part in a Christmas in July festival near you. I don't know about you all, but it's never too early to break out my Mariah Carey Christmas CD! Happy Holidays!

Book it!

When I was younger, my sister and I participated in the Book it! program through our local library. Call me nerdy, but there was nothing greater than finally earning enough points to get my personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut. Well that feeling of success and pure excitement leads me to today's post. Summer reading isn't just about homework- it can be about much more.

Libraries, book stores and organizations across the country have created summer programs designed to encourage reading in students of all ages. Local libraries host summer reading competitions, live story hours for the little ones and even Nintendo Wii parties. At the Live Oak Public Libraries in Savannah, GA, the Summer Reading Splash has officially begun! Kids ages three and up can take part in hands on art projects and games inspired by books. A teen schedule of events is also available including Twilight Trivia- get your Edward fix at the library!

Not only can you read for fun, but you can read to break a world record! Scholastic Books is sponsoring a challenge for kids everywhere! The more you read, the more minutes you log and the closer they are to breaking the world record! Check here to see if your school is registered!

Finally, Barnes and Noble bookstores are doing their part to encourage reading by offering FREE prizes for kids. You can download a passport on their website and keep track of books read. Once you hit 8, you get to pick out a free book!

This summer when the going gets hot and humid, the hot and humid head into the AC and start reading! Those summer reading lists will get shorter by the day! Summer was always the time when my Dad would let me and my sisters stay up a little later to hear one more chapter. Happy reading!

Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, OH

Are you intimidated by the term "contemporary art?' If you are anything like my family, then you may be nodding your head right now. The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland has made it their mission to introduce you and your family to the world of contemporary art. In an effort to engage guests of all ages, MOCA Cleveland has a variety of programs designed to begin a dialogue about modern art and what makes art to begin with.

During your visit, you can pick an Artypack filled with thought provoking questions, gallery games and activities to help fuel dialogue about the exhibitions. MOCA Cleveland is so intent on introducing new audiences to the world of contemporary art that children under the age of 12 is FREE!

Throughout the year, MOCA Clevelabd sponsors free Family Art Studio nights. In addition to opening receptions, the Family Art Studios provide families the opportunity to enjoy new exhibitions while keeping children engaged with hands on activities. Light fare and beveridges are available for all guests as well.

For more information and to begin your adventure with contemporary art, please visit MOCA Cleveland's site, http://www.mocacleveland.org/index.php

Summer is Here!

Welcome to Family Friendly! All summer long, I will share creative and family friendly events, activities and places with you. No matter how old or young- there's something for everyone in the family to keep busy! Slather on your sunblock and let's hit the road!