Take the Hallmark Get Carded Challenge

Do you open your mailbox every day hoping to see something good in there? Do you feel a little letdown when all you get is junk mail and a bill or two? I sure do! I hope that the mail will bring me something wonderful! And some days it does. I particularly get excited when I get a handwritten note from someone.

Well, it's time to share a little joy. I heard about the Hallmark Get Carded Challenge and decided I wanted in.

The challenge is simple: Send 7 cards in 7 days to 7 special people in your life.

Hallmark sent me a package of cards for the challenge. I've always considered Hallmark cards to be the best of the best. The selection I received had some fun musical cards, some great kids cards that made my kids burst out laughing, and my favorite, the textured cards. Then came the hard part: selecting who to send these beautiful cards to. I have so many people in my life that I want to send a handwritten card to!

For the seven cards, I chose a couple people with birthdays (so much nicer to get a real card than just a note on Facebook!), friends with a new baby, a sick neighbor, a neighbor who shared some produce with us, and a couple long distance friends.

It was so fulfilling to write cards that I decided I'm going to do the challenge a second time, and I invite you to do it with me! To make it a little easier on your pocketbook, Hallmark is offering 30% off their cards with the code BLOG30 from Hallmark.com.

Hallmark also agreed to let me share a packet of cards with one lucky reader. You can enter below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Let me know in the comments or on the Desert Survivor Facebook page if you'll be doing the challenge and how it's going for you!

Eating My Way up Right Fork Canyon, Ruby Mountains, Nevada

 Back in July (it sounds so long ago now!) we took a family trip to the Ruby Mountains near Elko, Nevada for some camping and mountain country. The Ruby Mountains receive the most precipitation of all the interior Great Basin ranges, about 40 inches a year at the higher elevations. That's quite a change from the six to seven inches we get on our desert ranch!

I'm a little behind blogging about the trip, but am finally getting to it. I'm going to start with the last day first--I got up and went for an early morning trail run. Of course I had managed to forget my running shoes, but I had some trusty sandals. I put some bandaids in my pocket (it's not the first time I've forgotten my running shoes, and I didn't want to get a blister!), and grabbed my camera and a water bottle. Then I was off.

The trail for the Right Fork Canyon (a tributary to the majestic Lamoille Canyon) starts at a cattleguard and sign by what is now called the Lions Camp (previously Boy Scout Camp and Lamoille Camp). I followed the road to its end, passing a lodge with the smell of bacon coming out of it, some tents, and some cabins. Then I followed a little marked trail to the edge of a slow-moving creek due to the presence of some beaver dams.

The trail was narrow but easily followable, and I made good time. It had rained the night before and some parts were quite muddy, and the vegetation was damp. I was glad I had on running shorts. Before long, the trail entered thicker brush. It was still easy to follow, but I got wetter.

I wasn't sure how far I was going to go, but planned a turnaround time in about 30 minutes. I figured that would give me enough time to see some of the canyon, but not too long to leave my family.

As I was closing in on that 30 minutes, I came out of the brush onto some wonderful rock. Hurray! The canyon beckoned me ahead. I so much wanted to see what else was up there. I decided to go just five minutes more.

 Except the trail got really narrow and eventually disappeared in an aspen grove! I didn't have the time to thoroughly scout it out, so I decided that was a good sign that it was time to turn around. And once I got back out to the big, flat rock place, I again had to stop to take some photos.

 I wandered over to the stream to look at a little waterfall. Then I decided I had better get going, so I took off running fast across the rock, and the next thing I knew I had landed hard on my side and ankle. Dang it. After a quick assessment I decided I was okay to continue. I was bleeding and bruised, but I could still move. Plus, I hadn't seen anyone else on the trail and I didn't know how I would get word to anyone if I was injured. (Note to self: maybe it would be a good idea to carry matches for a trail run in order to make a signal and/or warming fire if needed.) I wasn't all that far up the canyon and in fact could see the camp buildings, but I knew no one could see me.

So I gingerly started making my way back down the trail. And that's when I saw something that made me forget all my aches and pains:

 Thimbleberries! On the way up I had only seen the white ones, but on the way down I found luscious red ones, ripe and wonderful. They are related to raspberries, but even larger and sweeter.

 Then I saw what looked like blueberries. These aren't the sweet kind found in the Midwest and Alaska (and I'm sure other locales), this is a western version that grows on alkaline soil called Serviceberry. I picked some and ate them. They aren't very sweet, but they're okay.

 I saw these white berries, but they looked suspicious, and I wasn't sure what they were, so I didn't touch them.

 I also saw these alluring red berries, but they're baneberry and very poisonous. You really do need to know your berries before you eat them or you could be in a lot of trouble!

Not all red berries are bad. These currants were prime for the picking and delicious! I spent so much time eating my way back down the trail that my downhill return trip was only one minute faster than my uphill jog. It was worth it though, and I look forward to returning again. If you'd like to eat your way along the trail, late July is an ideal time.

Eight Goals for Making the School Year a Great One

Are you ready for the school year? Desert Boy has been in school for over a week, and I still don't feel quite ready!

Thinking about the school year ahead made me realize that this may be a really good time to make some goals as a parent. Writing them down makes me feel more accountable (which is why I shared my New Year's Resolutions and check in on them periodically.)

Here are some of our goals. I hope you'll leave yours in the comments, as we're still new to this school business, with Desert Boy only in first grade, and it's so helpful to find out what works for other people.

Goals for making the school year a great one

1. Get homework done right away. Desert Boy brings homework home Monday through Thursday, and if we don't get to it right away, it gets forgotten. Like last night. Then he scrambled to get it done this morning while he was waking up and trying to eat his breakfast and telling me what he wanted in his lunch. It wasn't pretty. So we are working to do better. Organization means happier students and parents!

2. Healthy food = healthy mind. Some of the most common artificial food colorings have been shown to cause hyperactivity in kids. Caramel coloring may cause cancer. Too much sugar can cause diabetes and other problems. Yet huge food companies entice us with their advertising to buy their unhealthy but attractively packaged products. This year I'm fighting back, trying to pack as healthy of lunches as possible. Homemade soups (check out the ingredients on Campbell's soups and you may be surprised to find MSG a regular ingredient, as well as caramel coloring!), healthy leftovers from dinner the night before, peanut butter and homemade jam sweetened with juice or honey, lots of fruits and veggies, popcorn, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, healthy muffins (which can be frozen), and frozen smoothies are making their way into the lunchbox. My son is delighted. We've found some reusable Bugsella sandwich/snack holders to cut back on plastic bags, use silicon popsicle and cupcake holders, and try to limit the trash that each lunch creates. Basically it's going old-school--not so different from when I was a kid! Hopefully all this good food will mean that he will keep up a healthy energy level during school.

3. Outside time everyday. Kids spend most of their time indoors at school, and even with outside recess time, they need some more outside time. Sometimes I have to demand that my children go outside because they've gotten enthralled with some game (or often the computer--see next goal!). Once they're outside, magic happens, every time. They find something to do. Suddenly sticks and rocks take on a whole new face, and they're being creative. Outside times equal rejuvenation of the body, mind, and spirit, and more willingness to learn once they're back in the classroom.

4. Limit screen time. I never realized how hard it would be to pull my kids away from the computer and TV screen. We rarely watch TV, but even so, the combined time of being in front a screen is amazing. We've just instituted a new system. Desert Boy can earn a token worth 15 minutes of screen time for doing various chores. Simple ones like straightening his room, vacuuming or sweeping a room, or emptying the dishwasher are worth one token. More complex ones are worth more. He can earn as many tokens as he wants in a day, but can only redeem up to four per day. He's grumbled occasionally, but overall it's been a win-win. The house is slightly cleaner, and his time is reduced on the computer. We'll have to see if this system works for the long term. Having him learn to take more responsibility and manage his time should be invaluable lessons as he continues in school.

5. Homeschool. I don't homeschool in the traditional sense. I enjoy working part-time outside the house, and I really don't feel like I have the patience or education to give my children the quality of education they receive at the local public school. However, I do homeschool after school and on the weekends. We are always looking for ways to reinforce what Desert Boy learns at school and to enhance his learning on subjects outside the curriculum. (Check out our science experiment series!) We especially try to take advantage of special programs, concerts, and trips.

One of our fun science experiments--this one stuck in our
memories due to the potential mess factor!

6. Spend at least two hours a month in the classroom. Throughout Desert Boy's kindergarten year, I had this same goal, and it was amazing how much I learned about class dynamics and how kids learn by spending a little time in the classroom each month. I would like to spend even more time, but the teacher assured me that even this limited contribution was really appreciated. My son got really excited when it was one of my days to come visit the school, and that helped him like it even better.

7. Be encouraging. It's amazing how a few kind words, a smile, or a hug can improve someone's day. We can make our kids feel better after a tough day at school, show them by being a role model that sometimes it takes awhile to learn a hard concept, and encourage them to do their best.

8. Savor the moment. Do you take a first-day of school photo and then wonder how the kids have grown so much in the last year? Sometimes it can be hard to slow down and just live in the moment. I know I struggle with it almost daily. However, that's one of the most rewarding challenges. Kids are having little "ah-ha" moments every day, when something suddenly makes sense and they understand another little part of the world. Being there for that or hearing about it on the day it happened is something you don't want to miss.

What else helps you have a great school year?

Guest Post at Money Saving Mom

I have a guest blog post on Money Saving Mom today with some Money-Saving Camping Tips. Hope you have a chance to check it out! We're getting to my favorite time of year to camp, and I'm looking forward to spending a few more nights under the stars.

Hot Feet

(This post is sponsored by Reef. The writing is all my own; and I freely admit that I wear flip flops almost every day of the year!)

I've lived in the desert for over twelve years now, and like the plants and animals that live here, I've had to make some adaptations to how I survive. This is a harsh environment, with a dry and windy climate, hot summers, cold winters, and plenty of prickly things that aren't fun to step on. In order to make it liveable, I need more chapstick, more lotion, more sunscreen, and shoes that let my feet breathe!

While I wear hiking boots all day at work, the first thing I do when I get home is take them off. Then I slip on my sandals or flip flops for the rest of the day. (I might go barefoot for a little while in the house, but my delicate feet (ha!) need some extra protection outside. And we do try to go outside everyday to enjoy the fresh air and great views and to keep the kids active.

I have to admit that I don't have just one pair of flip flops and sandals. How many do you have? I have several pairs. I'm not sure if I want to admit just how many! I might not be Imelda Marcos, but my shoe shelf is overflowing. After all, sandals and flip flops come in various colors, with different embellishments, assorted heel heights (check out the Reef Krystal Star Wedding flip flops), and with footbeds that vary from totally flat to some that make you feel like you're walking on a cloud (such as the Reef Dreams Prints).

Flip flops are pretty much my go-to shoes. They are so comfortable and durable. In fact, it's a little sad in winter when I have to put them away in my closet! Of course, that just makes me think about a vacation to the beach where I can put those flip flops back on, enjoy the salty air and breeze on my face. And if I'm totally honest, I still wear the flip flops around the house in winter.

The kids are getting an early start appreciating flip flops. I don't think they care so much about letting their feet breathe, they just want to find the shoe they can get on the fastest to get out the door! (Not having to tie shoe laces makes them extra appealing.)

The desert environment makes me especially appreciate flip flops, but I'd be wearing them wherever I lived. I don't think I'll every be without a pair of flip flops. In fact, after looking at the Reef website, I'm already dreaming about my next pair. So what's on your feet right now?