We’re all guilty of it — buying kids too much. You mean to go to the store for toilet paper and come back with an $8 pack of Charmins and $28 in plastic. 

How to break these kids, both in habit and spirit, I wondered? I decided this would be the summer of saving, earning and playing with free things.

Saving was first up. There were many scenes over non-purchased toys. But I stood my ground, even in the face of the “but it’s only a dollar” dollar

We might appear to be all about this health nut thing, what with our flamboyant editorials on biking. But really, our love affair is with sugar. All this biking is only to make way for sugar intake.

As an ode to our Health issue, we’d like to admit to you our addictions. While Kerry is prone to the chocolate binge, Kandy has become addicted to the unusual and rarely seen "Frosting Affair."

Peanut butter frosting is her weakness. She will make tiny

What's a night at The Homestead in Glen Arbor like? Howzabout PERFECT!

First off, when my hubby and I  mentioned climbing the Sleeping Bear Dunes, the kids (ages 4 and 6) said, "What are DUNES?" We have failed them miserably. Miserably.

So, off we went. Bonus, we were there on a fee-free weekend! Then we did the scenic drive. OMG, if you haven't done this, you've gotta do it and stop and the 2nd pullout for sure with the Lake Michigan overlook.

Playing outside can be a real boon for moms. It can be your way to get something done under the guise of a game. This is a fine line. Be careful not to scare them off by throwing a bag of grass seed on their backs too quickly. Make them earn this privilege. It’s all about presentation. If they sniff out work, they’ll be on their bikes and forcing you to watch so that they don’t kill themselves on the road. Wait to reveal it for the work it is

I find myself in one of four moods when putting my 4- and 6-year-old sons down to bed at night:

1) Philosophical. This comes at the most inconvenient moments. Usually when their father has insisted we all get to bed early to ensure him a good morning’s hunt on opening day. I can’t help myself. I get the bug to talk about life’s big questions. The children respond with high spirits.

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Too cold:  This is when the children fall asleep on the way home in a blizzard. The children at first enjoy this hysterical pursuit of trying to find the edge of the road without going off it. But before long the general malaise of watching objectless white all around them, along with me blasting the heater at blister-inducing temps, will make them fall asleep.

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It happens one of two ways:

Too soon: They fall asleep as you are backing out of the garage en route to the mall. This can happen at any time, 9 a.m., 2 p.m., midnight. However it never happens on a four-hour trip to another state. My advice is to press on. If you start letting them dictate your schedule now, you’ll never go anywhere again.

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Although dressing rooms are armed with security cameras, they prove to be an excellent place to completely lose your mind for a moment while shopping with children. I find that cornering my children in a cubicle with a growl and bared teeth gives me a lurch of satisfaction not found anywhere else.

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