Parenting Corner

The kids decided that they wanted to grow their own garden this summer, so we chose some containers and planted a bunch of seeds.  Not all of our produce survived the two weeks while we were away on vacation, but our tomatoes did grow.  

The kids faithfully watered their plants every day, and fertilized them every 2 weeks.  Now the tomatoes are ripening, and the kids are so excited.  How fun to grow our own "organic" vegetables!

We went to the Cornfest at Graue Mill yesterday--the kids had lots of fun.  It was a beautiful day--perfect for being outside.  

First, we hiked in the woods a bit.  When we got hungry, we had hot dogs and Uncle Bub's BBQ pork sandwiches for lunch, then the kids tried to walk on wooden stilts, did a scavenger hunt, and had a sack race.  Afterwards, the kids got to make a birdhouse with wood, nails, a hammer, and some paint.

It was a great day for being outside, and I'm glad the kids got a chance to make something special with their own two hands.

The Willowbrook Wildlife Center is a rehab and educational center run by the Forest Preserve of DuPage, IL.  Injured animals are brought in for care and treatment until they can be released back into the wild.  There's an animal nursery in the Visitor Center, as well as outreach programs for the community.

Inside the facility, we saw a collection of birds' nests and animal bones, as well as live animals, such as owls, bluejays, a bluebird, a robin, cardinals, doves, goldfinches, juncos, woodpeckers, herons, an oriole, warblers, snakes, turtles, fish, mice, squirrels, and rabbits.

Outside, there were hawks, eagles, a peregrine falcon, vultures, raccoons, foxes, a woodchuck, a bobcat, and more owls, as well as a koi pond and a butterfly garden.

This is a wonderful place to take the kids to learn about wildlife in the area.  $1 donation per visit is suggested.  It was well worth the trip.  I enjoyed seeing the way different kinds of birds built their nests.  & This was the first time I'd ever seen a Baltimore oriole.  And now, I also know what they mean when they say "when doves cry."

Our trip to Philly ended at Longwood Gardens, a beautiful place to walk and see many varieties of plants and flowers.  We saw roses, peonies, lilies, bananas, bamboo, Bonsai, and much more.  The outdoor waterlily display is nothing short of amazing with its giant hybrid water-platters, which can grow up to 6-foot diameter leaves.  They even have a children's garden with sculputures, fountains, and a Drooling Dragon.  The kids also loved running around the treehouse.  Definitely worth a visit!

If your child is into being green, consider this essay contest for kids from Team Energy Star, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) program teaching kids about energy efficiency. 

Kids submit an essay to share their story about developing an idea for their families to save energy and how it worked.  Then, they have an opportunity to win prizes such as the Lorax DVD or LG Electronics (TVs, computer monitors, smart phones, or mouse scanners).  Details at the Big Green Purse Blog.  Deadline is Sept 17, 2012.