It’s a kid’s favorite words in the English language…and yet it strikes fear in the hearts of parents. SNOW DAY. While having a day to lounge around and play in the snow can be fun for a while, cabin fever can quickly set in! So here is a quick list of fun (and EASY) ideas for your family to keep your days stuck inside a little less whiny and a lot more entertaining!
(View my segment on this topic on the Better Kansas City show at the bottom of this post!)
1. Make Snow Ice Cream – Mix snow, vanilla and sugar to taste, then add milk to desired consistency. You can also add food coloring, sprinkles or other toppings for an extra special treat!
2. Create A Snow Day Game – Take activities/chores and draw up a game board! Once kids have completed the game, have prizes at the ready. This idea came from my friend (and fellow Kansas City Moms Blog contributor) Helen, who’s husband created the game after 4+ snow days off school! You can learn more about it via Helen’s blog!
3. New Classics Movie Marathon – Make popcorn and pull out some classic flicks to share from your childhood. Some ideas include: Hook, Back to the Future, Pollyanna, Babe, Mrs. Doubtfire, the original Star Wars…
4. Make a DIY Light Fort or Tunnel – Take a large old box, punch holes in the top with a screwdriver, and then stick Christmas lights through the holes. You can set up an entire box, or cut a box top so you can use the lights in any kind of fort made in your home!
5. Film Your Own Movies Using an iPad/iPhone and iMovie – This is a great way for older and younger children to work together…you can assign roles such as director and actors. Create a live action film, or do stop motion video using Legos or stuffed animals. Add music, make a movie trailer and put it all together to present to the whole family in a fancy premiere!
Better Kansas City Segment – Winter Activities to Keep Everyone Busy
http://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Light-Fort.jpg15001000Meganhttp://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Crazy_Banans_Logo_WebsiteBanner.pngMegan2016-01-27 06:00:562016-01-29 13:29:15Beating the Winter Blues : Family Activities for When You're Snowed In
Raising a young girl these days is no picnic, you guys. I love my Lucy something fierce, but there are so many challenges, especially as we inch closer and closer to the preteen years. Actually, in my opinion, we are already there! My girl will be ten in a few short months, and we’ve begun the conversations about changes in her body and mind over the next few years. It’s honestly a scary time…I remember so many formative things that happened to me over the years between 4th and 8th grade, and I’m not sure how to navigate it all as a parent on the other side of the story.
That’s why I was so excited when ivivva contacted me and invited Lucy and I to participate in their 2016 Sweat Ride. ivivva is a company that is inspired by active girls. They design beautiful athletic wear and provide experiences that connect girls through movement. ivivva (which was created by lululemon) encourages girls to be adventurous, compassionate and brave, and promotes community support to help girls reach their goals.
The team from ivivva Kansas City took 70+ girls on a bus tour of several fitness locations around Kansas City. The girls started at Fusion Fitness in Mission Farms, where they took a 30 minute cardio class to get their blood pumping.
We then hopped on the bus, where the music was blasting and the girls had a ball. DJ James Barr from Raise the Barr provided some high energy tunes to get the girls excited, and the entire bus participated in a fun game of “Would You Rather…” I was so impressed with this giving group of young ladies. When asked “would you rather…be a famous athlete or cure cancer?” the overwhelming answer (which could probably be heard outside the bus due to the force with which it was pronounced!) was to cure cancer.
The girls then headed into Pure Barre in Overland Park, where they participated in a full body barre workout. Many of the young ladies were dancers, and definitely were in their element at this beautiful studio. The low impact strength and stretching exercises were a hit among the crowd.
The crew hopped back on the bus, and in between sharing their fun on social media, the girls chatted about their lives. There were soccer players, dancers, basketball stars, artists and gymnasts, all excited to be spending the morning with their friends. Ages ranged from 10 to 14, and the group was lively as we headed to the last stop.
At our final destination, Yoga Six, the girls were escorted into a hot yoga room, where the emphasis was on breath and relaxation. After a morning of workouts, the girls were pretty excited to stretch out! The hot yoga room also felt pretty fantastic compared to the 15 degree Kansas City day outside! After all the high energy fun and chatter on the bus, it was really awesome to see the girls dig into the yoga practice and just be themselves.
After yoga, we all sat in a circle and talked about setting goals for the new year. The ivivva team led the girls in a goal setting exercise, where they took a big goal and broke it down in to a manageable and measurable goal for the next few months. While some of the goals focused on athletics, like scoring more goals this season in soccer, others focused on life lessons, like working toward gaining more confidence or being there for friends. My Lucy, who started ice skating a few months ago and just loves it, decided to work toward passing her next ice skating levels by the end of this class session.
I was so inspired by this fun, active day with such a lovely group of young ladies. The best part was watching how the girls supported and lifted each other up, encouraging their old and new friends as they worked together. When you’re a young girl, learning how to be connected and raise your sisters up is a life skill that will not only benefit you, but the world around you as you grow up. I am so grateful I was able to be a witness to it!
This post was sponsored by ivivva, but all throughts and options are my own. ivivva sparks and connects a global community of brave, compassionate and adventurous girls – to get involved, support each other and impact the world around them in their own unique way. Learn more and sign up for future community events at ivivva.com! Group photo by Vanessa Calcara.
Remember when it was 70 degrees and the trees were all different colors and we could wear light shirts without giant winter coats? Ahhh, the good old days! I have been reminiscing about my busy season last fall, and looking at these beautiful images of the Reetz family is making me want to find a time machine and head back. I was so excited when Kim contacted me about doing a session in the historic River Market district of Kansas City. While I adore big fields and rural backdrops, I love mixing in urban textures as well, and the River Market is the perfect place to do both!
Shoots with young children can always be a bit challenging, but the biggest tip I give parents is just to go with the flow. In my opinion, it’s a total game of chance whether you’ll get a toddler or preschooler to sit still long enough to take a posed photo, so I try to encourage families to play and I capture the moments as they do. This was a shoot where I was so glad both parents were extremely laid back, kind and ready to try anything. We all worked together as a team to get these gorgeous images, and I’m glad we did!
One other tip I like to give families is to make sure and encourage the older child just as much as the littler ones. Sometimes (and I’m totally guilty of this myself!) we get so caught up in getting our more active kid on camera, since they are harder to capture, that we forget to praise the older child. It’s hard having to sit still while your little sister runs all over the place! But again, this family totally blew me away. One of my favorite moments from this session was when they encouraged their adorable little guy to show me all of his ninja moves…this boy has skills! And it gave me some of my absolute favorite moments caught on camera!
I cannot WAIT until the weather starts warming up and the green begins to pop up all around town. The River Market is simply gorgeous in the spring, so if you’re interested in booking a session, send me at note at megan@crazybananas.com!
http://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/2016-01-22_0002.jpg534800Meganhttp://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Crazy_Banans_Logo_WebsiteBanner.pngMegan2016-01-22 10:17:282016-01-22 10:17:28Family Photo Session : The Reetz Family
Beating the Winter Blues : Family Activities for When You’re Snowed In
/0 Comments/in Parenting, Videos /by MeganIt’s a kid’s favorite words in the English language…and yet it strikes fear in the hearts of parents. SNOW DAY. While having a day to lounge around and play in the snow can be fun for a while, cabin fever can quickly set in! So here is a quick list of fun (and EASY) ideas for your family to keep your days stuck inside a little less whiny and a lot more entertaining!
(View my segment on this topic on the Better Kansas City show at the bottom of this post!)
1. Make Snow Ice Cream – Mix snow, vanilla and sugar to taste, then add milk to desired consistency. You can also add food coloring, sprinkles or other toppings for an extra special treat!
2. Create A Snow Day Game – Take activities/chores and draw up a game board! Once kids have completed the game, have prizes at the ready. This idea came from my friend (and fellow Kansas City Moms Blog contributor) Helen, who’s husband created the game after 4+ snow days off school! You can learn more about it via Helen’s blog!
3. New Classics Movie Marathon – Make popcorn and pull out some classic flicks to share from your childhood. Some ideas include: Hook, Back to the Future, Pollyanna, Babe, Mrs. Doubtfire, the original Star Wars…
4. Make a DIY Light Fort or Tunnel – Take a large old box, punch holes in the top with a screwdriver, and then stick Christmas lights through the holes. You can set up an entire box, or cut a box top so you can use the lights in any kind of fort made in your home!
5. Film Your Own Movies Using an iPad/iPhone and iMovie – This is a great way for older and younger children to work together…you can assign roles such as director and actors. Create a live action film, or do stop motion video using Legos or stuffed animals. Add music, make a movie trailer and put it all together to present to the whole family in a fancy premiere!
Better Kansas City Segment – Winter Activities to Keep Everyone Busy
ivivva Sweat Ride 2016
/0 Comments/in Happiness, Lucy, Parenting /by MeganRaising a young girl these days is no picnic, you guys. I love my Lucy something fierce, but there are so many challenges, especially as we inch closer and closer to the preteen years. Actually, in my opinion, we are already there! My girl will be ten in a few short months, and we’ve begun the conversations about changes in her body and mind over the next few years. It’s honestly a scary time…I remember so many formative things that happened to me over the years between 4th and 8th grade, and I’m not sure how to navigate it all as a parent on the other side of the story.
That’s why I was so excited when ivivva contacted me and invited Lucy and I to participate in their 2016 Sweat Ride. ivivva is a company that is inspired by active girls. They design beautiful athletic wear and provide experiences that connect girls through movement. ivivva (which was created by lululemon) encourages girls to be adventurous, compassionate and brave, and promotes community support to help girls reach their goals.
The team from ivivva Kansas City took 70+ girls on a bus tour of several fitness locations around Kansas City. The girls started at Fusion Fitness in Mission Farms, where they took a 30 minute cardio class to get their blood pumping.
We then hopped on the bus, where the music was blasting and the girls had a ball. DJ James Barr from Raise the Barr provided some high energy tunes to get the girls excited, and the entire bus participated in a fun game of “Would You Rather…” I was so impressed with this giving group of young ladies. When asked “would you rather…be a famous athlete or cure cancer?” the overwhelming answer (which could probably be heard outside the bus due to the force with which it was pronounced!) was to cure cancer.
The girls then headed into Pure Barre in Overland Park, where they participated in a full body barre workout. Many of the young ladies were dancers, and definitely were in their element at this beautiful studio. The low impact strength and stretching exercises were a hit among the crowd.
The crew hopped back on the bus, and in between sharing their fun on social media, the girls chatted about their lives. There were soccer players, dancers, basketball stars, artists and gymnasts, all excited to be spending the morning with their friends. Ages ranged from 10 to 14, and the group was lively as we headed to the last stop.
At our final destination, Yoga Six, the girls were escorted into a hot yoga room, where the emphasis was on breath and relaxation. After a morning of workouts, the girls were pretty excited to stretch out! The hot yoga room also felt pretty fantastic compared to the 15 degree Kansas City day outside! After all the high energy fun and chatter on the bus, it was really awesome to see the girls dig into the yoga practice and just be themselves.
After yoga, we all sat in a circle and talked about setting goals for the new year. The ivivva team led the girls in a goal setting exercise, where they took a big goal and broke it down in to a manageable and measurable goal for the next few months. While some of the goals focused on athletics, like scoring more goals this season in soccer, others focused on life lessons, like working toward gaining more confidence or being there for friends. My Lucy, who started ice skating a few months ago and just loves it, decided to work toward passing her next ice skating levels by the end of this class session.
I was so inspired by this fun, active day with such a lovely group of young ladies. The best part was watching how the girls supported and lifted each other up, encouraging their old and new friends as they worked together. When you’re a young girl, learning how to be connected and raise your sisters up is a life skill that will not only benefit you, but the world around you as you grow up. I am so grateful I was able to be a witness to it!
This post was sponsored by ivivva, but all throughts and options are my own. ivivva sparks and connects a global community of brave, compassionate and adventurous girls – to get involved, support each other and impact the world around them in their own unique way. Learn more and sign up for future community events at ivivva.com! Group photo by Vanessa Calcara.
Family Photo Session : The Reetz Family
/0 Comments/in Crazybananas Photography /by MeganRemember when it was 70 degrees and the trees were all different colors and we could wear light shirts without giant winter coats? Ahhh, the good old days! I have been reminiscing about my busy season last fall, and looking at these beautiful images of the Reetz family is making me want to find a time machine and head back. I was so excited when Kim contacted me about doing a session in the historic River Market district of Kansas City. While I adore big fields and rural backdrops, I love mixing in urban textures as well, and the River Market is the perfect place to do both!
Shoots with young children can always be a bit challenging, but the biggest tip I give parents is just to go with the flow. In my opinion, it’s a total game of chance whether you’ll get a toddler or preschooler to sit still long enough to take a posed photo, so I try to encourage families to play and I capture the moments as they do. This was a shoot where I was so glad both parents were extremely laid back, kind and ready to try anything. We all worked together as a team to get these gorgeous images, and I’m glad we did!
One other tip I like to give families is to make sure and encourage the older child just as much as the littler ones. Sometimes (and I’m totally guilty of this myself!) we get so caught up in getting our more active kid on camera, since they are harder to capture, that we forget to praise the older child. It’s hard having to sit still while your little sister runs all over the place! But again, this family totally blew me away. One of my favorite moments from this session was when they encouraged their adorable little guy to show me all of his ninja moves…this boy has skills! And it gave me some of my absolute favorite moments caught on camera!
I cannot WAIT until the weather starts warming up and the green begins to pop up all around town. The River Market is simply gorgeous in the spring, so if you’re interested in booking a session, send me at note at megan@crazybananas.com!