No Child Left Inside

Here is something that is near and dear to my heart. I haven’t done a whole lot of outside stuff with the Young Extroverted One (and more recently the Mullethead) since we’ve moved away from the Black Mountain/Montreat, North Carolina area. However, Chattanooga may lend itself to more outdoor fun for me to experience with my kids this summer.

So, check out the link. Find out what you can do with your kids (or neighbors’ kids | with permission of course) outside! Cool video after the jump!

No Child Left Inside: Home Page.

Please join us in this national effort to highlight the importance of environmental education.  As part of the NCLI Days campaign we are urging environmental, education, conservation, and all other interested organizations to work with schools in your community to showcase engaging, environmental education activities.  Use the “No Child Left Inside Days Action Packet” to work with teachers to develop a lesson plan, generate press coverage, and educate Members of Congress about the benefits of outdoor environmental education in your area.


Spring Break Adventures

This is pretty old news but worth writing about.

All of which would have been forgotten if it had not been for my trusty Moleskine Pocket-sized Ruled Notebook. Yay for pens, paper and no short-term memory!

The Young Extroverted One’s spring break was a week later than the Elder Extroverted Holy One’s. So, we had to scramble to line up some ways of childcaring while we were working. Luckily, I was off on Days Three and Four!

Day One: Hanging out with her bud Griffin at Natural Fields Farm. Then over to her grandmother’s house for the night and most of the next day.

Day Two: See above.

Day Three: Off we went to the Nashville Public Library for Story Time. After story time we browsed the stacks for a little while and found some books and a DVD. When we were done there we decided to hit the Mellow Mushroom mainly because I wanted a beer with lunch but also to try to have lunch with EEHO since it was near the divinity school. My cell phone calls were ignored so YEO and I had a lovely lunch.

After a little digestion at home we headed out to Shelby Park and Shelby Bottoms for the YEO to ride her bike. Considering that we’ve never been to Shelby Bottoms we just decided to walk it orI walked it and she rode on my shoulders. It’s pretty nice out there along the Cumberland River. Plus, they’re in the process of building a nature center.

After my lovely, laden walk we hit the new ice cream joint in East Nashville called the Pied Piper Creamery . All I have to say about this place is MMMMMmmmmmm . . . me likey. I think the YEO liked it too.

Day Four: We went to the Nashville Zoo ! Unfortunately, so did everyone else. Beside the crowdedness, which I LOVE, it was very fun and the weather was, in YEO’s words, “AWESOME!” After zoo time we went home waited for EEHO to get home and we took her to the Pied Piper Creamery. Another convert was made that evening.

Day Five: Was spent with the EEHO and they went to the Frist Center for the Visual Arts . I had to go back to work so I can’t report on that trip.

Day Six: Was a Saturday and we had planned a cook-out and general family/dog fun time back out at Natural Fields Farm with the Say crew and a couple of other families. Good food, good beer, creek time, good beer, bratwurst, dogs, ticks, good beer. I’m pretty sure it happened just like that. Really, all that I remember were the bratwurst and the beer and, I believe, nobody got hurt.

No zoo animals or naturally grown foods were harmed during these adventures.

You Call That Snow?

what snow?

This place is a joke.

School are closed. All of the bread and milk are gone from the stores. The home improvement stores are probably all out of snow shovels and other winter/snow related accoutrements. I haven’t checked yet but I’m sure there car accidents all over the place.

Sigh . . . I’m going back to bed. Wake me when winter comes or spring arrives whichever comes first.