Happy Thanksgiving!

Why wait until November? Gether your family and friends, roast a turkey, bake a ham, bake up some rolls and pie and you too can have Thanksgiving any time you want it. And if you plan it in the summer you can even do it outside. A GREAT place to hold this meal when you're serving 32 of your favorite people. Of course if you hold your meal in the midwest you'll probably have severe storms and have to have it inside anyway. At least if you planned it for this summer!

Flying By

Our summer is totally flying by so fast. We've played with friends, had picnics and BBQs, seen movies, played games, and of course gone swimming. Thrown into that are trips to camp, parts in plays, birthdays, sleepovers, holidays, and so many other things it's hard believe that we've fit it all in AND that so much time has passed by. The one constant this summer? Crazy weather- from incredible heat and humidity to sunshine and tornadoes all in the same day. It's been crazy and fun.

Who Says?

Who Says that there's no such thing as a free lunch? Not me. I may be land locked with no chance of seeing the ocean, have no fresh fish, Friendly's, or Kimballs. No Old North Bridge, no T, and no Fenway, but our little town has got a lot of things to reccomend it. Family friendly activites that are totally FREE.

We have miles of bike and walking trails, a fabulous nature center, and more parks than any little town needs. (Though to be honest, we have so many parks because our town buys land in flood zones and then builds parks on the land. ) Now this in and of itself is fabulous, but there's more......way more.

We have.... free lunch. Yup it's true. Every Monday-Friday from 11:00 to 1:00 Everyone 1 to 18 can go to our High School and have a free lunch. And not just any crappy little lunch- a huge lunch- full of many choices. There are about 8 sandwich choices and 1 hot item you can choose from plus a plethora of fruits, veggies, and treats, and of course a little carton of milk. So, lunch for my girls may be a smuckers PB&J (with a string cheese) one day, and pizza the next. Adults can buy a lunch for $3.50 and all the kids are free. You don't have to live here to eat free, you just have to show up.

Now I totally miss museum library passes. We'd get a pass to a favorite meseum and either go for a super discounted rate or else for free. That's common all over New England and a great program I wish we had here. Still, to get the passes meant waiting in line and a huge fine if the passes got returned late. Here we don't need a pass to attend our local museum, The Spam Museum, because it's totally free. So if you come out and visit us we'll take you there. You can see how Spam is made, the kids can pretend to make it themselves, and if you're lucky you can try a "Spample". (A chunk of Hot Spam on a pretzel). Now in all honesty I must admit that I always skip the Spample and after almost 8 years in Austin I still don't eat Spam, BUT I love the Spam Museum- and it's totally free.

We have a great library for such a little town. Not only are the books all free, but there are a ton of free library programs as well. Reading programs that earn you prizes and coupons for free food at the fair, but actual shows and science classes all for free. Want to see a magician? Launch a rocket? Touch a shark (totally serious)? All you have to do is show up on the right Wednesday afternoon and you can. It's free, it's fun, and it's a great way to pass the summer.

Now summer isn't summer without some swimming, and you can of course do that for free -or really cheaply, here as well. Here in our little town everyone from 2-12th grade can join our YMCA for $1. This means huge discounts on classes AND free swimming every afternoon from 1-5 p.m. Want to swim outside? No problem, just make sure you go on one of the 5 free swim days at the public pool. My 2 oldest went today and had a blast AND were given free samples of sunscreen.

And if you don't mind spending a little money, we've got some great deals as well. For instance, our park and rec classes are dirt cheap or free. Lily's swimming lessons will be $25 for 2 weeks, 40 minutes of tennis twice a week for 9 weeks is only $18 and comes with a free water bottle, a juggling class with balls you keep is only $10. There are a ton of free classes as well. Weekly cooking/nutrition classes at the free lunch are free, master gardening classes for kids are free (and you get to eat what you grow-and they bring you a free lunch from the lunch program).

So, While I freely admit missing New England, I must admit that I love my little town and all of the free things we get to do here every day. So the next time someone tells you there's no such thing as a free lunch, you'll know they're wrong... atleast during the summer.