The change in the weather provides a plethora of opportunities for parents and children to get outside and get active. Turn off the television, leave the cell phones and laptops behind and relish the opportunity to get to work in your garden. With possibilities for the entire family to get involved, gardening with the kids is the perfect way to welcome the spring.

Start at Your Local Gardening Supply or Nursery
A trip to Home Depot or a local nursery won't be wasted. Take stock of what gardening materials you already have and take the opportunity to fill your shed with the necessities. Remember gardening gloves, tools, seeds and plants. Purchase smaller, plastic gardening tools for young children. A bubble mower also works nicely. Let children help pick out the things you'll need, including what they want to plant and watch grow this season.

Plant Seasonal Fruit and Vegetables
Don't just plant flowers, which may not appeal to all of the children in your family. Consider creating a small vegetable garden by growing tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, potatoes, or even corn, depending on your location. Not only is the idea an environmentally and financially sound one, but it may capture the attention of otherwise uninterested gardening participants.

Don't Worry About Getting Dirty or Wet
Make a day or a weekend out in the garden a fun time. Run the sprinkler for the kids to run through, if the weather is nice. Let disinterested toddlers play on the swing set or bring some extra dirt or sand outside for them to play in. If teenagers aren't interested in mowing the lawn or trimming the hedges, suggest water balloon fights when the chores are all done as a way of cleaning up. Don't worry about getting dirty while you are gardening with the kids – and make clean up fun while you're at it.

The decision to get out in the yard and to garden with the kids might mean a mess, but the fun and learning that can accompany the day or the weekend is well worth it.

Today, more and more parents are opting to request No Gifts on their kids’ party invitations. It often doesn’t work out very well, as some people adhere to the guideline while others ignore it altogether and bring a gift. The fact is people want to bring something to a child’s party, as a result, to get around embracing the concept of traditional gifts or no gifts at all; there are creative ideas that offer an in-between the two options:

1. Host a book exchange and organize it in a few different ways:
-Guests bring a wrapped gift and everyone takes one home.
-Some open the books on the spot; others wait until the kids have gone home.
2. Give your child an experience rather than a party. If you allow friends to be invited, let the experience be the celebration, not the stuff.
3. Hold an inexpensive gift exchange (under $10) so that every child receives a gift.
4. Request art supplies and donate them to a shelter.
5. Hobbit Practice - Better to Give than to Receive! Each child receives a gift, although they do not bring one.
6. Request a donation to a great organization like http://www.heifer.org/.
7. Contact a charity that is a favorite and ask for a Wish List, i.e. a list of stuff the organization really needs. As an example, the Humane Society may need leashes, collars, toys, etc. Request guests bring these items in lieu of birthday gifts to donate and make the wishes come true!
8. Whatever donations are brought to the party for a favorite charity, have the birthday child deliver the donations to his chosen charity.

This is a great round-up of ideas that are alternatives to traditional party gifts. Also, keep in mind, if you are concerned about the amount people will spend on a party gift for your child, it is appropriate to write in your invitation, Gifts under $__ would be appreciated. Putting a price limit guideline on the invitation can help to keep gift-giving budget friendly.

Happy Gifting ─ or not!

If you have a basketball hoop (or a nearby court) and a ball, you're pretty much all set for a fun family recreational event. It's important to keep the whole family in shape and basketball gives the whole body a workout. So, gather family and friends (yes, the little ones, too) and host an amateur basketball tournament. Prior skills and knowledge are not necessary. This is all about fitness and fun.

Once you've figured out where and when you're going to play, be sure you've got everyone covered. If there are smaller kids who won't be able to reach the net with the ball, be sure to get a basketball goal they can reach. Children's size basketball hoops are fairly inexpensive. There are various sizes ranging from toddlers up to teens. Don't leave the babies out of the fun. Babies who are capable of playing with toys can be handed a soft basketball toy to play with. Depending on the baby's developmental stage, active play, such as reaching for the toy or crawling toward it can be encouraged.

Now, on to the actual game day. The weather should be nice enough for outdoor play. Be sure you let everyone know to wear the appropriate clothing for game play. Clothing should be loose-fitting, lightweight and moisture-wicking. Basketball shoes should be durable and have optimal shock absorption. Breathability and cushioning also should be factored in. Also, make sure that shoes worn during a basketball game are lightweight. Otherwise, the legs and feet will get tired before game play is done. I'm not saying everyone needs to have the same shoes as the pros, but foot protection is a must.

Once everyone has arrived and is geared up for game play, teams can be created. Be sure to also account for different age groups. Some families may decide to play these basketball games for prizes, while others may wish it to be non-competitive. Either way you will still get the same exercise, so that part is up to your family. The important part is that everyone gets the chance to play. There should be no players left on the sidelines in this one.

There's no denying that times are tough. Families are not only looking for quick and healthy meals to fix, but they're also looking for ways to stretch their dollar. One of the most expensive ingredients you'll buy each week is meat. For those families that want to still serve meat, but maybe stretch it a bit further, they need to look no further than mushrooms. Mushrooms taste meaty and make the perfect addition to several recipes.

Chicken Cutlet and Portobello Sandwiches
Serves 4

4 chicken cutlets, 2 ounces each
4 Portobello mushroom caps, gills removed
Olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
4 slices of pepper jack or provolone cheese
4 Kaiser rolls

1. Season the chicken cutlets and Portobello sandwiches with salt and pepper and sauté in olive oil in two separate skillets.
2. Before removing the mushrooms from the skillet, top with cheese and cover the skillet until the cheese melts.
3. Place the chicken and mushrooms on Kaiser rolls along with your favorite toppings.
4. Serve with baked potato chips or fries.

Saucy Cube Steak with Mushrooms
Serves 4

4 cube steaks, 2 ounces each
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
Olive oil
Sea salt
1 (10 ounce) jar of mushroom or beef gravy
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

1. In a large skillet, cook the cube steak over medium-high heat until well done.
2. In a second large skillet, sauté the mushrooms and onion in olive oil until the mushrooms are softened and the onions are translucent. Season with salt.
3. Combine the vegetables with the steak, add the gravy and pepper and heat through.
4. Serve with brown rice and a small side salad.

These recipes allow you to satisfy your family's craving for meat, but they're also kind to your wallet. The simple truth is you don't have to give up meat. You simply need to look for ways to stretch the meat. Stay tuned for more money saving recipes.

Regardless of which trimester you're in, exercise may be the last thing you want to think about. And no wonder! Between nausea and mood swings, a pregnant woman is usually satisfied if she manages to pop a prenatal vitamin and eat some veggies. But pregnancy is no reason to avoid exercise, in fact, exercise is very important during pregnancy and maintaining a moderate exercise routine can have some significant and surprising benefits.

Everyone knows it's hard to get up and move when you're tired all the time, not to mention the discomfort in your back and feet. But walking or other mild-to-moderate aerobic exercise can actually reduce fatigue and increase blood flow. Increased circulation can mean better moods and fewer aches and pains. Also, it's easier to get into shape after pregnancy if you've maintained a commitment to fitness throughout.

Whether you hit the pavement for a brisk walk or climb on an elliptical machine at the gym, there are a few extra tips to keep in mind. Wear comfortable, supportive athletic shoes to workout in. They will provide your feet with much-needed support during your workout and throughout the day. Also, keep a bottle of water close at hand during your workout. Pregnant women have an increased need for water, and it's easy to get dehydrated during a workout. So, have a healthier and happier pregnancy with a little bit of exercise added to your daily routine.

Tug-of-war has long been a fun, family activity. Turning it into an organized neighborhood event makes it even more entertaining. It's also a great way to fit some family fitness into the schedule. Tug-of-war can exercise all the muscles of the body. This type of game can also help foster teamwork.

It may sound difficult to organize a neighborhood game, but it doesn't have to be. First, decide where to hold the event. It might be at a park or at your home, if your yard is large enough. If you can be prepared for an uncertain number of guests, pass out fliers advertising the event with contact info. If you'd rather limit the event to a certain number of people, pass out invitations to the neighbors of your choice.

To play tug-of-war, divide people into teams, as well as age groups. Be sure you have ropes geared to the age levels. There also can be family teams, but be sure everyone knows to play a gentler version if there are younger kids present.

There should be a line drawn on the ground in chalk. A team stands on either side, with all team members holding the rope. When the game is signaled to start, each team pulls on the rope. The object of the game is to pull all members of the opposing team over the line. Whichever team accomplishes this first is the winner. If there are a large amount of participants, or if people want to play one-on-one, rather than in teams, tournaments can be held. Each winning team or person plays against the next team until there is one last winner.

To make the event more enjoyable, you can make it an all-day thing, with snacks and recreational activities in between. If the event is held at the park, kids can play on the playground, in between competitions. Other good activities for in-between include frisbee, jump rope, and ring toss. If games are going to be in the grass or the dirt, it is suggested that people wear shoes with thicker traction. If they will be on asphalt or concrete, grip is still required, but not as thick.

Every family has a picky eater. They have certain foods they'll eat and that's pretty much it. Not to mention that they also have weird eating habits. For instance, certain colored foods are completely off limits. How do you please these picky eaters? Again, it pays to have kid friendly recipes on hand. This week we'll discuss a couple more kid friendly recipes.

Cheesy Chicken Mac and Broccoli
Serves 4

8 ounces of dry whole wheat macaroni noodles
8 ounces of 2% Velveeta, cut into cubes
½ cup milk
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
8 ounces of chicken boneless, skinless chicken breast, baked and cubed
4 cups of frozen broccoli, boiled, but not cooked to mush

1. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions.
2. Stir in the cheese, milk, and pepper until the cheese is melted.
3. Stir in the chicken and broccoli.
4. Serve with whole wheat rolls and a side salad.

Cheeseburger Pizza Done Light
Serves 4

1 whole wheat pizza crust
1 cup of pizza sauce
8 slices of 2% American cheese
8 ounces of 93% lean ground beef
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
Fresh ground pepper, to taste,
Sea salt, to taste
2 large tomatoes, chopped
Sliced pickles

1. Spread the crust with the pizza sauce and add slices of cheese.
2. Cook the ground beef, green pepper, and onion in a large skillet and season with pepper and salt.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes to the beef and spread onto the pizza crust.
4. Bake according to package directions.
5. Top with sliced pickles and serve.

Kids will always be picky from time to time. When you have recipes like these though, you know that not only will they eat supper, but they'll also be eating something that's healthy. Remember, you can always sneak vegetables into fun meals without kids ever knowing. The next time they ask for kid friendly food, get creative and hide those veggies.

The minute the television is turned on, the whining begins from my two daughters. "Mommy, can I have a snack?" and "Mommy, I'm hungry!" are two household standards. Even if my children have just finished a big meal, they insist that they're hungry again the minute the television is turned on. Without a doubt, my family and I have fallen prey to the television snack food habit. There's nothing wrong with a little TV time, but don't let your kids become couch potatoes at the same time!

Have Rules About Food in the Living Room
One of the easiest ways to keep kids from snacking away while they watch a television show is to have specific rules that you enforce concerning when and where they may snack. Children who know they can only eat at the kitchen table, for instance, won't stuff their faces mindlessly while they watch a show.

Snack First, Show Later
School age children might be content to get home from school and decompress in front of the television with a candy bar or a cupcake. Instead, don't allow snack time and down time to become one and the same. Serve snacks right when children return home from school, do homework and then allow kids to watch a show before dinner. Keeping a schedule like this discourages snacking out of habit.

Watch Interactive Television Shows with Your Children
Watch television shows with your children and select quality programming that asks everyone to get involved. Who can eat while you're shouting out answers to Diego's questions or trying to find the super letters on Super Why? Try Kung Fu Panda or another film that can entertain the entire family. Keeping children active, even while watching television, can keep them from the television snack habit.

Don't let the television snack food habit take over your home - by enforcing rules, schedules and keeping television watching interactive, you can help your children from snacking out of habit while they watch their favorite shows.

Sometimes spending time with family can be as simple as putting a twist on a popular sport or activity. Remaining active is important to the family's health and also is a great way to have some fun together. The relay race is a classic sport that families and athletes have enjoyed for years. Skateboarding also is a family-friendly sport. Mixing the two can add to the fun.

Materials
Open Safe Paved Area
Skateboard
Sidewalk Chalk
Whistle

Preparation
Before the race begins, be sure the family is wearing appropriate footwear. No one should be running (or skateboarding) in sandals or dress shoes. Appropriate active footwear should be lightweight and supportive. Be sure that the traction on the shoes is appropriate for asphalt, as well as skateboard riding.

Other preparations for the race includes gathering the materials. Prepare the race by drawing a start and finish line on the ground with chalk. The start and finish line should be enough distance apart for a good racing area. The actual length may vary depending on your family's endurance levels.

How to Play Skateboard Relay Race
Place a racer at the start line, as well as the finish line. If you have more than two family members, those members should split up evenly and line up behind the other players. The player at the start line should have the skateboard. Blow the whistle to signal the start of the race. The player at the start line skateboards to the player at the finish line. The skateboard, rather than a baton is the hand-off item.

The player at the finish line then rides the skateboard to the start line and the next player in line is handed the skateboard. The race continues until all family members have had a chance to skateboard. This is a non-competitive version. For a competitive version, teams can be created. Game play would be the same, except there would be two or more start and finish lines, depending on the number of players. Whichever team finishes first is the winner.

Those who are too young to skateboard the traditional way, such as younger children, may sit on the skateboard instead of standing.

Warmer weather brings to mind the visions of picnics. Who wouldn't want to escape to a lakeside getaway for the afternoon? Unfortunately, even on the weekend, this isn't always possible for busy families. After all, you have to get the food ready, make the trip, plan activities, etc. But, if you have a simple menu everything else seems to fall into place. This week we'll discuss a picnic menu that takes minutes to prepare.

Tuna and White Bean Salad
Serves 4

2 cans of solid white albacore tuna, drained
1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed
1 small red onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
½ cup of green olives, chopped
¼ pound fresh mozzarella, cubed
½ cup fat-free Italian dressing

1. Toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl and chill until ready to pack your picnic basket.
2. Serve with crusty French bread.

Stone Fruit with Honey Mint Dressing
Serves 4

4 peaches, sliced
4 red plums, sliced
4 black plums, sliced
4 apricots, sliced
½ cup honey
¼ cup lemon juice
½ tablespoon of mint, chopped fine

1. Place the fruit in a sealable bowl and mix the last three ingredients to form a dressing.
2. Top the fruit with the dressing and chili until ready to pack.

Both of these recipes can be made the night before the picnic. All you have to do is freeze a few water bottles and store them in the picnic basket so that they keep your food cold. Don't forget to also pack some juice boxes for the kids and maybe a bottle of sparkling wine for you and your spouse. To make things even easier, pack the salad and fruit in single serve containers. Also, you can hold off on adding the dressing to the fruit to see if your children like it or not.

A picnic doesn't have to be a long, drawn out affair. You can quickly prepare delicious recipes that are healthy and make for wonderful picnic fare.

When it comes to daily living during pregnancy, feet are usually one of the first things to cause discomfort. It only makes sense, after all; pregnancy can cause your feet to swell, and the extra weight of pregnancy takes an increasing toll on them as your bundle of joy grows. So, what can you do to ease the burden your pregnant feet must bear? After two pregnancies, here are a few great tips and tricks for treating your feet right while pregnant.

The best way to start is wearing great shoes. By great shoes, I don't mean stylish, high-heeled or even necessarily expensive. I mean shoes your feet will love - shoes that are cozy or offer great support, especially if you're on your feet a lot. For cold weather, pamper your feet with real, slip-on boots. Sometimes, work attire demands either dress shoes or sneakers. For maternity-smart dress shoes, check out dress shoes specifically designed with comfort and support in mind. If you need sneakers for work or working out, look for comfort and support first and foremost. And, whenever, buying shoes during pregnancy, always try them on your newly pregnant feet. Shoes that are your usual size may feel uncomfortably tight during (and even after) pregnancy.

There are several other ways to keep your feet comfortable during pregnancy. When you don't need to be on your feet, try to keep them elevated as much as possible. This reduces swelling and gives your feet a much needed rest. Also, continue mild to moderate exercise throughout your pregnancy (I was in the gym on my due date. I wasn't worried about being fat - it just relaxed me!). Exercise during pregnancy will make your recovery and weight loss easier after giving birth. Also, if you can afford a regular pedicure during pregnancy, get one - especially during your last trimester. If you follow these easy steps to healthier feet during pregnancy, you can save yourself unnecessary pain and discomfort. And who doesn't want that?

Family story time often creates special memories. To add a unique twist that is sure to create plenty of memorable moments, try doing something unique with story time. Here's a fun way to add a good dose of drama to your family's routine.

Materials Needed
Your Family
A Good Book or Two
Imagination

How to Play
Once you've picked out a good book for active family story time, examine the book for characters. Each family member can choose characters from the story to act out. If there aren't enough characters in the book, members can take turns with characters or choose scenery from the book as their "character." Family members also must take turns being the narrator.

After each parent or child reads aloud each page, the family acts out that scene. There is no need to practice acting out the story beforehand. The improvisational method of doing this adds to the fun. The point of active family story time is not to get the scenes right, but to have fun while enjoying a good book together. Even if there are enough characters for family members, adding scenery and props for the family adds to the fun. For instance, a story could read "Jimmy proudly finished all of his chicken soup while mom and dad looked at him with a smile." If that portion is the contents of one page, the narrator would read that aloud. Two family members could acts as parents smiling at another who is acting like they're eating up a bowl of soup with a big smile on his face.

Another page of the story could read, "Jimmy then went outside to play fetch with his dog, Rover. Rover likes to jump over logs while he chases his ball." One family member could be Jimmy and another could be Rover. For a variation with family members as props, one or more family member could be the log that Rover jumps over to fetch the ball.

It is recommended to try this outdoors or in an open room for the most flexibility in active movement and theatrical stunts.