“Awww, Mom!” That’s what I hear in chorus when I tell my kids to run outside and play. But if I go with them, they skip out the door.

The problem is I have a short attention span for play. I wish I were a different kind of mom, but I get more satisfaction out of nurturing my children than kicking a ball with them.

I read somewhere that women are most happy when they feel in control of their lives. That would be me. I’m always trying to “get things done.” As my life gets busier with family and work, I’ve become a shameless multi-tasker: I’ll write a thank you note while the pasta is boiling, pick up toys every time I walk through the living room, make a phone call as I pace with a fussy baby. Crossing things off my list has become a stronger pick-me-up than a chunk of Swiss chocolate.

It’s very important to me to encourage imaginative play in nature, but I need something to keep me out there with the kids. So when I was asked to be a state leader for B Kind 2 Earth Day, I decided to think about ways that help parents have fun outside too. Because I can blab to my kids all I want about the benefits of fresh air, but the most powerful message is when they see me enjoying myself outdoors.

So here are my top ten favorite ways to accomplish something under a blue sky (besides working on the laptop on the front porch, which doesn’t count by the way. I tried it.)

1. Invest in an old-fashioned push lawnmower (no engine, no noise) and cut the grass while kids play around you. Because manual lawnmowers are hard to push, you’ll get some good exercise too.

2. Plant some flowers so you’ll be motivated to pull up weeds.

3. Sweep the deck or driveway — even if it doesn’t really need it. Repetitive motions like raking or shoveling trigger the release of feel-good hormones.

4. Collect nature treasures with your kids to decorate the mantel or table centerpiece, such as pinecones, berries, acorns, colorful leaves, wildflowers, moss, interesting branches, pretty stones.

5. Scrub outdoor furniture, or bring out a bucket of soapy water and clean something else that needs it (toys, trash cans, bikes, boots).

6. Start a gardening play swap with a group of friends. Take turns weeding and tending each other’s gardens while the kids play.

7. Put the baby in the front pack, the toddler in the stroller, or strap weights on your ankles and just walk around, get your heart rate up, and drink in the sun and the breeze.

8. Bring out a bag of laundry to fold, a bowl of green beans to snip, or a similar project that requires little concentration.

9. Wash the car.

10. Plant a garden. This is my favorite idea because it connects children and grown-ups in a fun but useful activity. When we go to my parents’ farm, my kids and I love searching for cucumbers, plucking cherry tomatoes, and checking for new green beans. And we get something more out of the activity — dinner!

I admit I still feel a pang of guilt when I beg off another round of Red Light, Green Light. But it’s time to get over that. A few games are fine, but I don’t need to add playmate to the long list of roles modern parents are expected to fill. Hey, I was a kid once too, but I’m allowed to love grown-up play. Or work. If I’m lucky, it’s the same thing.

And what am I going to do to celebrate Earth Day this Friday? Holidays are a perfect time to escape my ordinary self and everyday routine. So I think I’ll lie in the grass with my kids for a change, staring up at the sky and finding creatures in the clouds.

Frugal and green go hand in hand. Of course some eco-friendly solutions can require investments of time and energy, such as replacing appliances, planting a vegetable garden, or getting by with one car. But so many win-win solutions are cheap and easy.

More at Parentables…

Bittersweet is an apt description of how I feel when we pick up and move. The promise of a new adventure is exciting, but it’s heart-breaking to leave a place where you’ve been happy and made friends.

At the end of June, we are moving to Washington, D.C. My husband, Enrico, is done with his various residencies and fellowships in psychiatry, and we are finally ready to settle down. Over the course of our ten-year marriage, we have lived in Enrico’s native Milan, Arlington (VA), New York City, and even Cincinnati where I am from and where we lived for six months while we were transitioning from Italy to the U.S.

Now it is time for us to leave Syracuse, New York. Given that Enrico’s fellowship was only one year long, we knew there was a chance we would be here for a brief time. I remember sharing with you my complicated feelings about how I should approach living, given this knowledge. Would embracing a place and its people make it harder to leave? Would it be worth the energy?

In the end, I ended up jumping in. I wish it was out of courage or some lofty ambition. But after a really lonely August, I realized if I didn’t make friends, I would not only conserve energy, I would make myself miserable!

So I joined Mothers of Preschoolers, East Side Moms, and Holistic Moms (thank you to the wonderful women there who took me in); I met up with the editor of Family Times magazine and was thrilled to find a friend, fellow writer and mentor; I invited my daughters’ friends over and found I clicked with their moms too; and I gathered a little group of women like me and called it Central New York Blogger Mamas.

And the funny thing is, I wish I had done more. Yes, I’ve been busy with writing and our new baby, Luke, but I could have found time to volunteer at the school, have a neighborhood party, explore the downtown, and invite other families over for dinner.

Childhood friend, Karen, commented on my quandary last summer saying, it’s worth it to invest energy into a place and people, because experiences — and friends — stick with you. I agree. And, at the risk of sounding trite, I’ll say it’s better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.

The bittersweet feeling I have now is proof that I have really lived.

Eventually I will write a love song to Syracuse, but for now we’ll cut the violins and turn to more practical thoughts about moving. Below you can find some articles I am writing for Parentables, including one about how my family thinks we’re off our rockers to choose to live in an expensive place like D.C.

I appreciate having you as readers and being able to share these things with you. I hope you’ll accompany me as we make our next, and hopefully final, move. My blog will certainly stay alive because, with the cost of three-bedrooms in the Capital, I’ll need to be as frugal as ever!

All my best,
Amy

There is nothing un-fun about making these cupcakes. Kids love to sort out all the blue eggs and press them into the coconut icing.

My son Mark has an April birthday, and so we’ve gravitated towards an Easter theme. The year before we made these Chick and Egg Easter Cupcakes, but we wanted to try something new.

We found a picture of these robin’s egg cupcakes at Death by Cupcake, and we think they taste as good as they look!

Robin’s Nest Easter Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes

• 1 package of sweetened coconut flakes, toasted
• 72 blue speckled candy eggs (you’ll need 3 bags of Cadbury’s Mini Eggs if you want 3 blue eggs per cupcake)
• 1 batch of Yellow Cupcakes and Butter Cream Icing

If you can’t find pre-toasted coconut flakes, just bake the flakes in a single layer on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees F. Watch carefully, and toss occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until they turn light brown.

Once your cupcakes are baked and frosted, roll the top of the cupcake into the coconut flakes, leaving the very center free. Press three Cadbury eggs into the center, and voila’!

My parents and aunts and uncles think we are nuts. After years of bopping around due to my husband’s medical training, we are finally ready to choose the place where we want to settle down. And we picked one of the most expensive cities in the U.S.: Washington, D.C.

They’re right. We are crazy to choose a place where houses cost four times as much as they do in places like Syracuse, where we live now. I mean, we could get a stately house here in a charming, walkable suburb with excellent schools for $300,000. We can’t even touch a cramped apartment for that amount in Washington.

So why are we doing it? More at Parentables...

More at Parentables…

It’s dizzying to think about, but I’ve moved over ten times in the past 20 years. We currently live in Syracuse for my husband’s medical training and are about to embark on move number 12, to Washington, D.C. But now that we have a gaggle of children, I’m hoping it’s the last time for the next 20 years.

I don’t think it make sense to pay for new boxes when it’s so easy to get used ones, completely free. Here are my top tactics. More at Parentables…

More at Parentables…

Finding the right neighborhood is more important than the perfect house. In the long run, experiences, not things, make people happier. If you don’t have the walkable community and mature trees that you love, then even the most gorgeous granite countertops will lose their luster. Plus you’ll save money (and strife) if you can avoid moving again.  More on Parentables…

More at Parentables…

We’ve just returned from another seven-hour road trip with four kids ranging from nine months to nine years. Car trips can be a surprisingly fun routine-buster, especially if you have all your supplies.

Sure, some oversights can be corrected with a credit card, but who wants to spend money on things you already have? Let this checklist be your guide to a worry-free launch to your next family adventure (and print out the list form at the end).

Navigational Devices

If you’re like us, you’ll need lots of help not getting lost with maps and directions (or a GPS), plus contact info of people and destinations. Also don’t forget your frequent flyer numbers to earn partner points at your hotel, passports if crossing borders, and an EZ Pass so you can sail sleeping angels through toll booths.

Don’t Go Unplugged by Accident

How many times have I forgotten my cell phone or digital camera charger? Ugh, don’t ask. Then there’s the laptop power cord (and a camera cord if you plan on downloading).

Because the Doctor’s Away

Never hurts to bring health insurance cards, prescription medications, pain relievers for adults and children (including a fever reducer with dropper), a thermometer, and chewable Dramamine.

In Case of Emergency

We were thankful to have this stuff when we needed it: lots of wipes, a paper towel roll, trash bags (can also be used for car sickness, God forbid), diapering supplies, and an extra outfit for each person.

For the Suitcase

I’m sure you know how to pack your bags, but here are some things we’ve overlooked before: contact lenses and glasses, make-up, jewelry and hair accessories, slippers, robe and pajamas, and bibs.

In All Kinds of Weather

Depending on the season, you might need jackets or snowsuits, hats and gloves, sun hats, sunscreen, bathing suits, and flip-flops. And because weather is, well, weather, pack something heavier than you think you’ll need and something lighter.

Little People Gear

Do you need sleep aids, such as a favorite blanket or lovey, white noise machine, bedtime stories, nightlight, or sleep sack? I hated it when I had to buy a new baby carrier, so don’t forget your expensive equipment like slings, strollers, and portable cribs.

In-Flight Entertainment

Alas, the era of playing in the “way back” of the station wagon is over. With everyone strapped into seatbelts, parents have to be creative to keep the peace.

If you don’t want your kids to watch non-stop DVDs, bring car-friendly toys like magnetic drawing boards and games, calculators, or stuffed animals.

Another tactic is to periodically dole out new or trip-only toys. We also get a lot of mileage out of music and books on tape. For in-between spaces, car games are perfect: MomsMinivan.com has a ton.

Your Own Dining Car

To discourage too much drinking (and pit stops), we fill bottles and no-spill cups with water only.

Food-wise, we crave healthy snacks on the road (especially if we plan to have meals at fast food joints). Try grapes, baby carrots, sliced apples, bananas, snap peas, granola bars, nuts, crackers. and cheese.

For babies, a teething biscuit and bib can provide 15 minutes of peace, and if you have an older child to help feed, those little melt-in-your mouth snacks are fun too.

Check the Chariot

Check on your car’s oil, tires, fluids, and battery. And don’t forget to pack your tank with gas. If you are so lucky to have a carful of sleeping kids, a pit stop could break the spell.

Nice to Have but Not Necessary

If space allows, I like to bring a cooler of stuff for the hotel, like a ½ gallon of milk and juice, plus some yogurt and apples.

If you’re going to spend time in the room or in restaurants, extra toys and activities are welcome – for kids and parents.

A really nice touch if you can swing it is a hostess gift. Something as simple as a box of chocolates or a tin of cookies will make you feel civilized and your friend feel loved.

Head here for a checklist on making sure your house, life and pets are taken care of while you’re gone, and here is the same packing items in list form to print and cross off:

Family Vacation Packing Checklist

• maps, directions & contact info for people at destination
• frequent flyer numbers
• passports/IDs
• EZ Pass for faster toll roads
• car tune-up, including oil, tires, fluids, and battery check
• chargers for electronics (cell phones, cameras, tablets, laptops)
• health insurance cards
• prescription medications
• pain relievers for adults and children (including a fever reducer with dropper)
• chewable motion sickness tablets
• wet wipes, paper towels, trash bags
• diapering supplies & bibs
• change of travel clothes for each person
• contact lenses and glasses; sunglasses
• make-up, jewelry and hair accessories
• slippers, robe and pajamas
• seasonal outerwear or swimwear (hats & gloves, or sun hats, sunscreen, bathing suits, and flip-flops
• sweaters, sweatshirts, lightweight jackets (for cool nights, unexpected cold weather)
• favorite blankets or loveys, white noise machine
• bedtime stories, nightlight, sleep sacks
• baby gear like carriers, slings, strollers and portable cribs
• travel-friendly toys like magnetic drawing boards and games, calculators, or stuffed animals
• music, DVDs, books on tape, travel game ideas
• no-spill cups with water & non-messy finger food
• Extras: cooler of breakfast food, extra activities for kids like drawing supplies, magazines, hostess gift
• checklist for leaving the house vacant

Getting out the door can be hectic – OK, it is hectic — but I hope this plan will take away some of the worry. Have a great time and — don’t forget the kids!

Have you ever run to the shopping center only to realize that what you needed was waiting quietly in your closet? Or gone in to just get one thing and walked out with ten?

Sure, shopping can be fun. But if you are low on funds or time, like me, or you don’t like to see things wasted, mining your home stores can be surprisingly satisfying. More at Parentables…

More at Parentables…