Trisha's Friday Favorites

Summer has officially arrived in the Novotny home – school's out and the non-stop playing with friends, backyard bon fires, vacations, swimming, late night bed times and endless fun have officially begun!

Summer also brings about many favorites for me, so as we continue to enjoy our summer in the Novotny home over the next couple of months, I will share with you some of my Summer Favorites:


My Favorite Kid Product for Traveling :

The Crayola Mess-Free Color Wonder is one item that gets packed into Nate-no’s bag when we travel. Color Wonder markers are clear markers. Once your child colors on the color wonder paper, their creation magically appears before their eyes. This is the perfect mess-free item to take along and keep your children occupied while traveling.

WIN: Share your favorite kid product for traveling by commenting or emailing me at trisha@247moms.com with your email address and you will be entered to win a FREE Crayola Mess-Free Color Wonder Alphabet book. ( Random drawing to be held July 1, 2008)


My Favorite Summer Dessert :



Apple S’mores are one of my favorite summertime treats. As you know, I am a chocoholic and enjoy mixing healthy fruit with it any chance I can.

My recipe for apple s’mores is simple:
1 roasted marshmallow
1 piece of chocolate candy bar (Hershey or Nestle Crunch are my favorites)
2 Slices of Granny Smith apples (thin slice your apple WHOLE)

Roast one marshmallow, place it between two slices of apple along with a piece of chocolate and enjoy!

What is your favorite summer treat? Comment and share it with the 24/7 MOMS.


My Favorite Summer Read:
My favorite summer read is going to be the first 24/7 MOMS Book Club selection: One Tough Mother, by Julie Barnhill.

I am looking forward to reading this book with you and sharing our thoughts as we discover together:
- Saying NO like we mean it
- Learning to stop overanalyzing every tiny detail
- How to enhance the fun factor in our homes
- Communicating truthfully and effectively with our children
- Saving ourselves from the scrapbooking madness. (Val, you can skip this part of the book.)

So, get your book today, and we will begin reading together. (Watch for more details on the blog.)


My Favorite Summer FREEbie:

During the summer I enjoy taking my kids to the movies, especially the FREE ones at Regal theatres. The Free Family Film Festival at Regal theatres is offering 9 weeks of FREE movies for kids and parents each Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:00AM. Seats are first-come, first-served and limited to theater capacity, so get there early for good seats.

For a participating Regal theatre and movie schedules near you, check their web site: http://www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/freefamilyfilm.aspx

Another inexpensive option: AMC Movie Theatres http://www.amctheatres.com/ are offering $1.00 movies on Wednesdays at 10:00am. Check the AMC website for the nearest participating locations and movie schedules.

Favorite Summer Fun :
The Novotnys have become a camping family. Last summer we purchased a travel trailer (RV) and began our new adventures as a camping family. I am looking forward to our first camping adventure of the summer next weekend.

My husband refers to our trailer as the Lucille Ball trailer, as it is enormous in size, and once we fill it with all of our necessities it must weigh 10,000 lbs.! Yes, with a family of 7 there is a lot of stuff to pack, as we like to camp with the comforts of home sweet home.

What is your favorite summer fun? Comment and share it with the 24/7 MOMS


Not-So Favorite Thing:
I thought I would share with you, my 24/7 MOMS friends, that this week has also had a few not-so favorite moments for me as a mom. I suppose you could title this, “My Not-So Favorite Mommy Journeys.” This past week three of my children graduated into new journeys of their lives, and I, the MOM, am still not ready to travel into these journeys. However, it's more like ready-or-not, here we go!

#1 Son graduated from High School. Yes, I am a proud mom of his accomplishments. However, I also look back and think, "Where did the years go?" There is so much more I want to do with him, teach him, tell him and experience with him as a little boy. He did remind me that he is still amongst the living and plans on being part of our family still - WHEW! So, off we go to the journey of Western Washington University.

The Middle Child, Savannah, #2 Daughter officially is a High School Freshman, and ready-or-not, Gig Harbor High is about to be changed forever as she steps foot on her new turf. This mom was not ready to say good bye to her middle school years, her in-between years of childhood and the teenage world. It has been enough to watch her grow from a little girl into a precious young lady. Again, ready-or-not, here we go!

The Baby, Nate-no, said good-bye to his kindergarten teacher and classmates. He is ready to move on to 1st grade. With or without me he is going. No tears in his eyes. My baby is growing up, ready for the new adventures that are ahead. Again, I, the mom, am not ready to journey beyond the kindergarten door with him. However, it's another ready-or-not, here we go!

How much can one mother take in one week?

I know, I know, it's time I suck it up, put on my big girl panties, as they say, and journey with my children into their exciting new adventures. Oh, yes, the places I will go as a mother are not always the places I am ready or want to go, but that is all part of our mommy-hood journey. So, here I go, ready or not.

Share your favorite or not- so favorites of the week with the 24/7 MOMS by leaving a comment.