On Vacation

To: Family-friend readers:

My family will be on vacation for the next week and a half. I won't be posting to my blog during this time.

Renee Kirchner

Make the Most of Family Meal Time

Summer is a great time to reconnect with family. Use this slow-paced time of year to rediscover family mealtime. Children, both young and old, can benefit from time spent at the family dinner table. Family meals can improve relationships between parents and kids, provide a feeling of safety and security, and improve your children's social development. Here are a few tips for making the most of your family mealtime together.

What to Expect

* Don't set your expectations too high. Family mealtimes give parents and kids a chance to discuss the events of their day together. Try not to focus on who is cleaning their plate and put more of the emphasis on being together and sharing stories.

* If you set a routine of eating together for five or more days a week, your kids will come to expect it. If they are used to eating at separate times or worse, eating in front of the TV every night, it may take some time to make family mealtime a habit.

* Try to eat together as often as possible but realize that older children have many activities that might prevent them from joining your family at mealtime. Try to be flexible and work around their schedules.

Mealtime Problems

* What if your kids don't want to eat what you are serving? Do not become a "short order cook". Make sure that you have some familiar foods like biscuits and jelly or a fruit salad if you are preparing a new entree. Kids won't starve if they can find something they like to eat at the table.

* What should you do if your child says they are not hungry? Ask them to join your family at the table. Maybe they could just have a glass of milk and join in the conversation at the dinner table. This will let them know that family dinner time is about more than eating.

What Can We Talk About?

* The most obvious topic is to discuss what happened during everyone's day. Did your kids have a good day in school? How was work? Does anyone have a funny story to tell?

* You could discuss what you want to do for the rest of the evening or the next day.

* Your family could talk about current events or the latest books they have read.

* Parents can pass down stories about their childhood. Talk about family traditions and memories.

FATHERS: BEFORE AND AFTER KIDS

Happy Father's Day to all of you wonderful fathers out there. Celebrate your special day by relaxing and spending time with your families. I have written a list of activities that you may have enjoyed before you were a father and those that you might enjoy now.

Before Kids

Playing 18 holes of golf

Spending a romantic evening with your wife

Shopping for a new sports car

Grilling nice steaks on the grill

Taking an exotic vacation with your wife

Climbing the corporate ladder

After Kids

Playing putt-putt golf

Spending an evening playing board games with your kids

Shopping for a new toy car for your son

Grilling hot dogs on the grill

Taking a trip to Disneyland with your family

Climbing the ladder for the high dive at the pool

Garden Party

Celebrate a summer birthday with a garden party. This party may be held inside or out but it is best if some of the activities can be done outside. Have your guests dress in casual clothes so they can get messy.

Invitations

You will need white and yellow construction paper, glue and some markers. Fold a piece of the white paper in half. Cut a flower out of the white paper being careful to leave two of the petals joined together. Cut out a yellow circle and glue in the center of your flower. Open the flower to write the invitation inside. Be sure to include your own name, date, address and R.S.V.P. and phone number inside the invitation.

Decorations

Decorate the table with a flowered tablecloth. Use a tin watering can as a vase and place cut flowers in it for your centerpiece. Set new, clean garden tools on the table to use as serving spoons for sunflower seeds or for the fruit salad.

Seed Packet Napkin Rings

You will need cardboard tubes, construction paper, scissors, glue and packets of seeds. Cut a 2-inch section from a cardboard tube. Cover the section with construction paper. Glue one seed packet onto each napkin ring. Insert the napkins into the napkin rings and lay one at each place setting.

Menu

Serve Garden Pizzas with fruit salad and sunflower seeds. For the grand finale, serve "Sunshine Punch" and Dirty Cupcakes.

Garden Pizzas

Use refrigerated pizza dough to make individual pizzas. Let children create their own pizza. Supply them with tomato sauce, mozzerella cheese, and an assortment of veggies such as mushrooms, onions, and green peppers. Some of your party guests may prefer plain cheese pizza.

Fruit Salad

Mix together strawberries, cantaloupe, banana slices, or any other favorite fruit.

Sunchine Punch
Mix 2 liters of orange soda with one pint of vanilla ice cream.

Dirty Cup Cakes

Bake cupcakes using your favorite cake mix. Frost the cupcakes with chocolate icing. Crumble crushed oreo cookies on top to make the cakes look dirty. Place gummy worms or gummy bugs on top for decoration.

Place a bowl of sunflower seeds or toasted pumpkin seeds in the center of the table as a snack for children.

Activities

Pin the Bee on the Flower

Using a poster size sheet of white construction paper, draw a large flower. Hang the poster up on a door or a wall before the party. Make a small bee out of construction paper for each of the children. Place a piece of tape on each of the bees. Have children line up one at a time, blindfold them and ask them to pin the bee on the flower. Give prizes to the children who get their bee in the correct place.

Decorate Terra Cotta Pots

Buy a 4" terra cotta pot for each of the children. Supply the children with paint, stickers, ribbons and glue and have them each decorate a pot. They will be able to take these home as party favors later.

Planting Flower Seeds

Let the little gardeners plant flower seeds in their terra cotta pots. Have garden tools, dirt, flower seeds and a watering can available for them. Let them get messy since the invitation asked them to wear old clothes. If you have a small plot of dirt in the backyard let them plant a flower garden.

Bean Bag Toss

Place dried beans into snack size zipper baggies to make beanbags. Use two large empty coffee cans as targets. Line the children up in two teams. Give each team five beanbags. The children on each team will take turns tossing the beanbags into the coffee cans. They each get five tosses. The team that gets the most beanbags into the target wins. Give out prizes to the winning team.

Favors

Guests can take home the flower seed packets from their napkin rings as well as the terra cotta pots they decorated. Other ideas are gummy worms, flower stickers, and gardening gloves.

Summer Safety Tips

Summer means a break from your everyday routine. Kids are outside enjoying the sun and the water. Summer is also the time of year when more injuries occur. Make sure you keep your family safe this summer while they're having fun. Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind:

Water Safety

* Never leave young children alone in a swimming pool. They should be supervised at all times.

* Enroll your children in swimming lessons at a young age. You will have less to worry about when you are around water if they know how to swim well.

* Stop swimming at the first sign of bad weather. Don't stay in a pool if you have seen a flash of lightning, even if it is in the distance.

* Make sure everyone, children and adults, wear a life vest when riding on a boat. If the boat stalls in the middle of the lake, even the best swimmer would have trouble making it to shore.

Sun Safety

* Don't go outside when the sun is the strongest, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

* You need to apply at least one ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to your body at least 30 minutes before you go outside. Don't skimp on sunscreen and don't try to stretch the amount you get out of each bottle.

* Sunlight can damage your eyes, so don't forget to wear sunglasses that will protect you against UV light.

Bike Safety

* The best tip for staying safe on a bike is to wear a bicycle helmet.

* Tires should be properly inflated. Pinch the tires at least once a week and fill them with air when they get low. Bike accidents are more likely when riding on improperly inflated tires.

* Teach your children the rules of the road. They need to understand that they must follow traffic signs just like a car.

* Don't ever let your children ride with someone on their handlebars or the back of their bike seat.

Car Trip Safety

* Make sure that you learn how to properly adjust and install your children's car seats. All children ages 12 and under should ride in the back seat of the car.

* Always travel with a supply of food and water in the car, especially if traveling long distances through sparsely populated areas. You never know when the car might break down and you will have to go for help or wait for help.

* Make sure car tires are properly inflated before beginning a long trip. You should also check the condition of the spare tire and make sure you have tools for changing a tire before you leave the house.

Have a happy and safe summer!!

Art Exercises Using Lines

Artists use lines to show movement in their paintings and drawings. Straight, slanted lines seem to march across the page. Long, curvy lines dance across the page. Some lines are short, some are long, some are straight and some are wavy. Different lines create different moods. Artists create patterns by repeating lines, shapes, or colors in their artwork. Here are some art terms you should know:

Line - Lines can take many forms such as straight, curvy, vertical, horizontal, and diagonal. Artists use lines to show movement and motion.

Shape - A shape is formed when a line joins itself. A shape may be geometric such as a triangle, square, or circle. A shape may also be organic such as shapes found in nature like rocks or leaves.

Pattern - Artists create a pattern by repeating a line, shape, or color over and over again.

Rhythm - Artists create visual rhythm by repeating art elements and creating patterns.

Art Exercises using Lines

1. Draw or paint lines to music. Change the tempo of the music to change the rhythm of the painting.

2. Use crayons to draw stars and moons like in Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night painting. Repeat shapes. Add swirls to the picture. Paint over the crayoned sky with black paint (crayon resistant paint).

3. Line paintings - Dip yarn or string in paint and use it to paint a picture by dragging the yarn across the paper to make interesting patterns.

Art Books to Read with Kids

1. Art Lesson by Tommie de Paola

2. Art by Patrick McDonnell

3. The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Can You Find It Outside? by Jessica Schulte

THE BEST FAMILY MOVIES

My family loves to watch movies, especially during the summer months when the pace of our life is slower. If you're like most families, you go to the latest releases section of the movie store and look there. Why not watch some movies with your family that you might have forgotten about? I have compiled a list of G and PG movies that my family has really enjoyed and I think yours will too. Here is my list of our top ten family movies:

1. Where the Red Fern Grows

Rating: G
Time: 98 minutes
Synopsis:

You had better get the tissues handy because this movie will make you cry. Set during the Great Depression, Billy is a young boy from the Ozarks. He wants some hunting dogs more than anything in the world. His family can't afford to buy Billy dogs, so he works and saves his money for two years to buy some red-bone coon hounds. Billy's grandfather is one of the biggest influences in his life and helps him make his dream come true. This movie has adventure, action, drama and ultimately tradgedy. The ending is one of the best I have ever seen. It is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

2. A Christmas Story

Rating: PG
Time: 96 minutes

Synopsis:

This Christmas classic about an Indiana family is set in the 1940's. Nine-year old Ralphie desperately wants a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. His mother, his teacher, and even Santa tell him that he'll "shoot his eye out" if he gets the gun. He begins an all out campaign until Christmas day to convince Santa and his parents that the gun is safe. This movie is filled with hilarious family scenes including one where Ralphie has to wear a bunny suit and another scene with turkey stealing dogs from next door. Don't wait until next Christmas to rent this movie. It's too good to wait that long.

3. Ice Age

Rating: PG
Time: 81 minutes

Synopsis:

Of all the animated movies I have watched with my kids, this is my favorite. During an ice age migration a friendship forms between an unlikely trio of animals. Manny the wooly mammoth, Sid the sloth, and Diego the tiger work together to rescue a baby and return him to his tribe. The story centers around their journey and the adventures they have along the way. Prepare to laugh yourself silly.

4. The Sandlot

Rating: PG
Time: 101 minutes

Synopsis:

This story of a boy's first summer in a new town is set in the 1960's. Scotty Smalls, a dorky fifth grader, is worried that his summer will be a bust. Luckily he lives near the coolest member of a neighborhood gang. Scotty learns how to play baseball and makes tons of friends in the process. They play ball on an old sandlot that backs up to a house with a huge, monstrous dog. This fun and warmhearted movie will have you remembering the simple pleasures of being a kid in the summertime. It is a winner for the whole family.


5. Holes

Rating: PG
Time: 114 minutes

Synopsis:

Stanley Yelnats has been sent to a Texas juevenile detention camp called Camp Greenlake for stealing a pair of tennis shoes. Every day Stanley is required to dig a hole that is five feet wide and five feet deep with a shovel. The warden tells him that this exercise is to develop his character, but is that the real reason all of the boys are digging holes? This movie was made from a novel by the same name by Louis Sachar. I enjoyed the interesting subplots that tied the present with the past. Everyone in your family will enjoy this original story with a picture perfect ending.

6. Daddy Day Care

Rating: PG
Time: 85 minutes

Synopsis:

This is one of Eddie Murphy's funniest family movies. He plays Charlie, a father and ad executive who loses his job. He and his friend Phil decide to open a day care center when they have trouble finding quality day care for their kids. Although parents are reluctant at first to leave their kids with two dads, they soon have a booming business. There are many hilarious scenes between the dads and the kids, including a classic bathroom scene, a wrestling match between two vegetables, and sugar induced chaos. No matter how many times I watch this movie with my kids, they always laugh, even when they know what is coming next.

7. Finding Nemo

Rating: G
Time: 100 minutes

Synopsis:

Marlin, an overprotective father, is on a quest to find his young son Nemo, a clownfish, when he wanders too far from home and is captured. Marlin has many exciting adventures along the way and makes interesting new friends. He meets up with Dory, a blue tang fish with a memory problem. The voice talents in this animated movie are a big part of what makes it great. Marlin is voiced by Albert Brooks and Dory is voiced by Ellen DeGeneres. She is hilarious as Dory and the perfect free spirit complement to Marlin's uptight personality. Your family will love this film!

8. Home Alone

Rating: PG
Time: 103 minutes

Synopsis:

Kevin, a young 8 year old boy, finds himself home alone at Christmas time when his family travels to France for vacation. At first he is very happy to have the house to himself, but then he realizes he misses his family. The main part of the plot is when Kevin discovers that burglars are hitting houses in his suburban Chicago neighborhood. He decides that he needs to defend his home against two bungling burglars. He sets traps in every area of his house including broken glass ornaments by the living room window, a nail gun by the kitchen door, and heavy paint cans suspended from the ceiling. This movie is an action-packed film that is great to watch any time of the year.

9. The Indian in the Cupboard

Rating: PG
Time: 95 minutes

Synopsis:

This is one of the more original movies I have ever seen. Omri receives a very special gift for his ninth birthday. The magical wooden cupboard he receives can transform plastic toys into living, breathing animals and people. Omri first puts a toy Iroquois Indian into the cupboard and Little Bear comes out. Of course Omri wants to find out what would happen if he brought a cowboy to life. Then we watch the fireworks as the cowboy and the Indian discover each other. This terrific family movie teaches important lessons as it entertains.

10. Back to the Future

Rating: PG
Time: 109 minutes

Synopsis:

This time travel movie centers around the premise of being able to travel back in time and change future events. Marty McFly, a teenager in 1985, travels back in time using a time machine invented by Doc Brown. He gets sent back to 1955 where he runs into his mother and father when they were his age. He prevents them from meeting and then he has to set the world straight again before he can return to the future. Christopher Lloyd is great as Doc Brown. The whole family will enjoy this comedy by Universal studios.

SWIM MEET

Brand new swimsuit
Goggles tight
Water is still.
Sun is bright.

Starter's gun sounds.
Dive right in.
Adrenaline rush,
Who will win?

Legs are kicking,
Arms pull through.
Stealing glances,
They are too.

Crowd is cheering,
I can't hear.
Water's splashing,
In my ear.

Flip turn push off,
always fun,
passing swimmers,
I have won!

HISTORICAL STORY STARTERS

Try imagining yourself living during a different time period. Use the writing prompts to write a story with a historical perspective.



1. (Dust Bowl: Oklahoma) Today the dust blew so hard our fields looked like sand dunes. Ma and pa say we might have to move to California like all the other families. I don’t want to leave.

2. (Pioneer) Pa is loading the wagon again. He keeps searching for wide open spaces. I like living by other families, but he seems restless. “Where is Kansas?” I ask him.

3. (Civil Rights Movement) “Daddy says a man named Martin Luther King is coming over for dinner. He wants to talk about black and white children going to our elementary school together. I think it’s a great idea.”

4. (Mayflower – Pilgrims) It has taken months to cross the ocean. I never want to see water again. I can’t wait to get to America, the land of plenty.

5. (Oklahoma Land Rush) Pa told me that when the starter gun sounds we can race for our free land. I still can’t believe the land is free. Ma told me to lay down in the wagon because we’re going to be moving very fast. What an exciting adventure this will be.

6. (Civil War) Today I had to hide in the root cellar because we saw union soldiers crossing the land on our plantation. I hope nothing happens to Ma while Pa is away at the war.

7. (Women’s Liberation) My mom got a job today. I’m not sure how I feel about that. There have been a lot of changes in my house since she marched for Women’s Liberation.

8. (Gold Rush) Daddy says he will send for us when he strikes it rich in California. I wish I could go with him right now.

Interview with Children's Writers Jan Peck and David Davis

I posted a teriffic interview with children's writers Jan Peck and David Davis at the Lieurance Group blog. If you have young children you will want to read the interview and find some great picture book titles to read to your kids. Check it out here!

SUMMER BOREDOM BUSTERS

Summer has just started, but all across the country mothers are already hearing the dreaded phrase, "I'm bored! There's nothing to do." Don't panic. You can help your kids entertain themselves with a little creativity. I have compiled a list of ten summer boredom busters. Most of these activities cost little or no money and most of them do not require hours of your time. Once you get your children to think creatively, they will be able to come up with many ways to entertain themselves.

1. ARTS AND CRAFTS CENTER

Set up an arts and craft center on your dining room table. You only use the table for Thanksgiving and Christmas anyway. You will be amazed at what your children can create with a few simple supplies. Set out construction paper, scissors, crayons, glue sticks, craft sticks, cotton balls, markers, and glitter. If you have an arts and crafts book handy, put that on the table too. One idea will act as a springboard for many more. My daughter can entertain herself all day with an arts and crafts center.

2. TAKE A LISTENING WALK

I do this activity with my students at school and they just love it. First we read The Listening Walk by Paul Showers. The story is about a little boy who goes on a walk and hears all kinds of interesting things. Tell your children that they are going on a listening walk. They will not be able to talk during your walk. Instead they must listen to all the sounds they hear around them. When you get back from the walk see who can list the most sounds that they heard. Did everyone hear the same sounds? The results might surprise you.

3. PET SITTING

Your family could offer to pet sit for a neighbor. Take your children with you to the neighbor's house and ask them to help you. If you are taking care of a dog, your kids could feed the dog, take him on a walk, and brush him. If you are pet sitting a cat, your kids could help change the litter box and play with the cat. This activity is great during the summer months when your family is less busy. Your neighbor will appreciate your help and your kids can learn about responsibility.

4. MAKE A MOVIE

Does your family own a camcorder? If so, you can keep your kids occupied for days by letting them make their own movie. Ask them to write a script and hand out parts to everyone in the family or to some of their friends. They will need to learn their lines and make props. Once they film their movie they could sell tickets and have a screening at your house. You can pop some popcorn for your guests to eat while they watch the show.

5. BREAK A WORLD RECORD

When I was a kid I always thought it would be great to break a world record. My goal was to be in the Guinness Book of World Records for something. Get your kids a copy of the book from the library and have them flip through it until they find a record they think they can break. Maybe they could blow the largest bubble with bubblegum or jump rope the longest. You get the idea. This could occupy your children for many hours.

6. GROW A GARDEN

Give your children a small plot of land to grow a garden this summer. For a small amount of money you could buy them flower or vegetable seeds and let them test their green thumb. They can borrow your gardening tools or you could get them a small trowel and a gardening gloves. Just imagine how satisfied they will be when their flowers bloom or they can serve their vegetables at the dinner table one evening. They may develop a life long love of gardening.

7. CHILDREN'S YARD SALE

Have you noticed a lot of clutter in your children's bedrooms? Do they have way too many toys that they've outgrown? Let them host a yard sale in your front yard. Your kids can sort through their clothes and toys and mark them for sale. Give them a few tables and chairs and maybe some clothing line to string across two trees. They can set up a lemonade stand to quench the thirst of shoppers.

8. MAKE ERRANDS MORE FUN

Every day can't be a party. You have errands to run and household chores that need to be tended to. Make your everyday errands more fun by turning them into a game. When you go to the grocery store you can give older kids a list and see who is the first to bring back everything on their list. If you're running errands in the car have children play the alphabet game. Ask them to find all of the letters of the alphabet on signs before you get back to the house. The one who finds the most letters gets a prize.

9. TAKE A DAY TRIP

Once in a while you need to get out of the house. Take a day trip with your kids. If you live in the suburbs, go to the city. You could visit a science museum and have a picnic at a city park. An outing to the city zoo would be popular with older and younger kids. If you're feeling really adventurous you could travel to a small town that you've never visited. Find a local town that has an interesting draw like a lake, a wildlife preserve, an aviation museum or something that your kids would be interested in.

10. CAMPING IN THE BACK YARD

You don't have to travel far to get back to nature. It can be found as close as your back door. Plan a camping trip in your backyard one evening. Start with a cookout on the grill complete with roasted marshmallows. You and your family can sing campfire songs, tell stories, and look at the stars. If your family is not the camping type, you could probably borrow a tent from a neighbor who camps. Roll out the sleeping bags and spend an evening under the stars. Kids love anything out of the ordinary and this definitely qualifies as out of the ordinary.

MOMS: MAKE BETTER USE OF YOUR TIME AND GET YOUR LIFE BACK

Worrying

Let’s face it, moms worry a lot about everything. We worry that our kids will get hurt; we worry that they won’t make friends. We worry that our kids aren’t eating enough; we worry that they are eating too much. We waste a lot of time and energy worrying about every area of our kids’ lives. You can’t control everything that happens to your kids, so stop worrying. Try to focus your energy on things you have control over rather than things you can’t control. You can provide a safe, comfortable environment and you can show interest in their schoolwork, their friends, and their hobbies. These are the jobs of a good mother. You can’t always protect them from bad things, like cut knees or hurt feelings. It’s part of growing up and they will learn and grow from it.

Waiting

Mothers spend an enormous amount of time waiting on their children. We wait in the carpool lane at school; we wait in the doctor’s office waiting room. We wait for them to finish their homework; we wait for them to pick up their clothes. Instead of just waiting in the car with nothing to do, we could be more productive. Bring along a novel to read or bills that need to be paid. I wrote an entire novel waiting outside my daughter’s preschool class one year. I could have driven home and wasted more time, but instead I chose to sit down at a table in the lobby and work on my novel. I had two hours twice a week of uninterrupted work. People stared at me, but I didn't care. I had a completed novel to show for it.

Cleaning up Clutter

A life with kids is a life filled with clutter. It is amazing how much stuff can accumulate over the years. Their clutter seems to spill out of their bedrooms into the hallway and down the stairs. If you are still picking up after your children, stop it right now. Children, as small as three or four, are capable of helping around the house. They can carry their toys and clothes back to their bedrooms. The earlier you start teaching them to be responsible for their own mess, the better off you will both be.

Entertaining your Children

At the first sign of boredom, children will call out to their mother, “There’s nothing to do. I’m bored.” Most mothers jump into action by rattling off suggestions of fun activities. I am so guilty of this one. I hate to see my kids bored. I don’t know why. Before you jump to their rescue, let them struggle a bit. Most kids are very creative and will think of something to do on their own. Try not to stifle their creativity as long as they’re not doing anything dangerous. Some of the world’s greatest minds were probably bored as kids and had to entertain themselves.

Never Saying No

Most mothers hate to say no to anyone for any reason. The PTA chairperson calls because she needs someone to help at the fundraiser. You don’t really have time for it, but you’re afraid to say no. Your child’s teacher needs more chaperones for the field trip. You have to schedule a babysitter for your youngest, but you don’t want to let the teacher down. Why? Mothers will become overscheduled and frustrated if they don’t learn to say no at least part of the time. If you are a stay-at-home mother people tend to take advantage of your time even more. Just because you don’t work at an office from 9 – 5 doesn’t mean that you don’t have responsibilities and time commitments. It’s ok to say no once in a while. Think of all the time you will save.

WHY DO WE HAVE TO MOVE?

Summer time is prime moving time for families. Many families save big cross country moves until summer so their kids won't miss any school. One parent may have already started working in another city or state, but they commute back and forth every week until it is time for the big move.

My family has moved three times in the last two years and I moved all the time as a kid, so I consider myself a moving expert. Whether you are planning your first move or your tenth, it will go more smoothly with some advance planning. I have put together a moving check-list by month to keep you from forgetting important information.

Two Months Before Move

* You don't need to fill the moving van with items you don't need anymore. Clean out your old house by having a garage sale and donating items that don't sell to a charity.

* Call your friends and family and schedule time with them before you move. Put the dates on a calendar. Your life will get crazy and you want to make time to see everyone before you move.

* Meet with several moving companies and obtain estimates. Ask for references from previous clients before choosing a moving company.

* If you are packing yourself you need to start collecting boxes for the move. You always need more than you think. You will also need plenty of packing tape.

* Buy a special notebook or binder to keep all of the important move information. You can keep phone number of realtors, moving companies, utilities, schools, etc. in one handy location.

One Month Before Move

* Begin gathering all of the school and medical records you need for your family. The schools in your new town will need records from the previous school. Gather records from doctors and dentists to take to your new doctors. It is much easier to get them now, than to try to get them later. Don't forget to get pet records from your veterinarian.

* Fill out a change of address card at the post office. Send postcards to friends and relatives announcing your new address.

* Tell the following businesses about your new address:
Banks
Credit card companies
Utilities
Cable TV
Magazines or newspapers you subscribe to
Employer (to forward last paycheck)

* Start packing basements or little used areas of your house such as the attic or the garage.

* Set up bank accounts in your new city.

One Week Before the Move

* Make any special arrangements for the day of the move for your children or your pets. While the boxes are being loaded onto the moving van you may want pets and very small children to stay with relatives or a babysitter for the day. The house will be wide open, the air will be off and there will be a lot of noise and confusion. Once my cat was bubblewrapped inside a sofa during a moving day. It took a long time to figure out where she was.

* Get valuables out of your safe deposit box. Keep them with you during the move. Have the money from your existing bank accounts wired to your new accounts. It may take another week or two for all of your checks to clear so you can close out old accounts.

* Set up a date to turn off your old utilities and turn on the utilities at the new house. Don't forget to subscribe to the paper in your new town if you read a paper every morning. If you have been a good utility customer you should be able to get your deposits back.

* Start using up the food in the refrigerator so there won't be much left on the day of the move. Defrost your freezer and clean out the refrigerator.

Day of the Move

* Have a box of items that need to come off the moving truck first. This box will contain cleaning supplies, brooms, dustpans, etc. You will probably need to clean up some of the rooms in your new house before the boxes are unloaded.

* Double check every closet, cupboard, and room before you lock up the house and leave.

* Tip your movers before they leave in the moving van. Moving is hard work and they deserve it.

SWINGING

I'm swinging to the clouds
I'm swinging to the sun.
Pump my legs back and forth,
Swinging is such fun.

With the wind in my hair,
I feel totally free.
There is no place on earth,
I would rather be.