Vacation-in-place

One of the things that always takes me by surprise is how excited others are about the Twin Cities, where I live. I had tended to take the area for granted, in part, because it is no fun to even travel around the area during the long bouts of nasty weather. And, of course, most of these excited newbies visit during the halcyon summer months. But I gradually learned a valuable lesson; one that in this time of dreadful gas prices, seems valuable to share -- that we can learn a great deal about the town we live in by digging in during our free time, researching and experiencing some of the places and events that visitors brag about. In my case, it is a simple thing -- studying the Mississippi River, with its locks and bridges, and its different ports in Minneapolis and St. Paul, that are the focus of attention this year. We have followed the flooding events, viewed the herd of barges moored along the river from South St Paul all the way down to Winona, where they stayed until the flood waters farther down had receded. There is a great deal to learn and experience, and at very little cost -- especially considering that day trips frequently take us to that area. So dig in and look around and discover the gems for you and your family to experience without spending much in gas.

Some Simple Food Ideas

When I posted my first post I came quickly to the realization that discussing money with people I don't even know does not come easily. However, considering the fact that I've spent such a good deal of time trying to make sense of it and make it work for me, I do consider myself to have experience. But talking about food comes easy. So here goes.

The point of my family's Potato January is to use whatever you have and hunker down with it when you reach a period of time when all you want to do is survive it. In my case, we had a bag of potatoes -- good nutrition, and something we still enjoy. Put together whatever combinations of food you happen to have on hand -- even if they don't seem to go together. You might be surprised at the interesting flavor combinations. Peanut butter can be a good and inexpensive staple -- a 'Healthy Elvis' sandwich of toasted bread, peanut butter and sliced banana makes a good lunch that will stay with you for a few hours.

Learning how to shop for my children was a tricky thing. We didn't even have pre-sweetened cereal except on their birthdays. As a result, they have great teeth and no cavities. However, I received my share of complaints during the interim. We also ate yogurt sundaes instead of ice cream -- vanilla yogurt with toppings of oats, nuts, seeds, raisens and whatever fruit we might have. That provided a fun dessert that had some nutrition.

It can be difficult to rework your children's demands and wishes when it comes to preparing food for them. Cutting out junk food (on our budget, it just wasn't feasible most of the time) and substituting fruit and veggies, cheese and nuts, can be tricky, but rewarding when your children have lots of energy, stay a healthy weight, and don't have mood swings triggered by sweets and chocolate.