Fly a Kite

 When I think March, I always think kites. Where I live, March is one of the windiest times of the year. Kite flying is a good spring activity. I get spring fever and am itching to get outdoors, but there's still too much snow in the mountains for hiking or picnicking. It's warming up in the valley's though and getting out and flying kites with the kids is a lot of fun.

 You don't have to buy a fancy kite. The cheap big box store ones will work just fine. It's really about finding a good spot and knowing a few tricks. We have a couple of nice kites, but we also buy the kids cheap ones to crash and get stuck in trees.

 The first thing to do is find a good place to fly. A local park, school yard, or baseball or soccer fields will usually meet the requirements. You want a flat open field. The further away you are from buildings and trees the better. You'll get a smoother wind. Hilly places can also have choppy winds. Beaches are generally the best places to fly kites, but we don't all have the luxury of beach living. Windpowersports.com has a list of great places to fly a kite by state.

 You need to have the right winds to fly your kite. The amount of wind you need can vary by the shape and size of your kite. Newer, lighter kite materials mean less wind is needed. A good rule of thumb is if your kite starts looping and diving uncontrollably, there's too much wind -- if you can't get your kite up, there's not enough wind. The more times you get out and fly your kite, you'll start to be able to recognize when the wind is perfect for you. Keep your kite in the car so you can fly on the fly.

 Running with your kite is not the best way to get it up in the air. In fact, it's the hardest way. The easiest way to get your kite in the air is to fly with a friend. One person holds the kite about 80 feet downwind and lets go when it catches the wind. The person holding the string gives the string a tug when the kite is let go. If you're flying by yourself, stand with your back to the wind and hold up your kite. When it catches a gust let it go and release line slowly as it climbs.

 Some fun variations on plain old kites are line laundry and line climbers. Line laundry is colorful streamers or other fun things attached to the line that wave in the wind. Line climbers are shuttles designed to move up and down the kite line.

 So give in to your spring fever and make the most of the wind. Go fly a kite!

Make it a Habit

I've talked before about switching healthy food for unhealthy ones. We also need to replace sedintary habits with active ones.

We are creatures of habit. When my first child was born I stopped working outside the home. Even though I no longer had a "schedule" I found myself naturally settling into patterns. I ate at the same time, cleaned at the same time, wrote at the same time, and put my daughter down for a nap and watched tv at the same time. Unless I went to visit a friend, it was pretty much the same everyday.

Once we create a healthy habit, doing it requires little effort. It's almost automatic. Here are some healthy habits that can get your family moving.

• Instead of coming straight home from school, have your children play for 20 min on the playground or stop at the park on the way home. If they're bussed send them straight to the yard after their snack.
• End running errands with a stop at the park.
• Take walk after dinner instead of turning on the tv
• Do somthing outdoors or active as a family every weekend. 
• Sign up for a class. (pay for help in developing a habit)
• Make it a habit to go outside with your kids when they go out to play. You can sit and read, sunbathe, or do some gardening. Even if you're not playing with them, your presence tells them this is the best place to be.

Weekend Romps: Snow Games

Just because there's snow in the backyard, doesn't mean you can't use it. My kids definitely get a little stir-crazy in the winter. Here are some fun backyard games to play in the snow.

• Snowman Wars -- This is a combo of steal the flag, and a snowball fight. Each team builds a snowman and the object of the game is to steal the hat off the other team's snowman. If you get hit by a snowball you're in jail.
• Natural Bridges -- Pack snow into snow arches (you may need to use some water to melt out the middle). Roll or kick a ball through the arches for a variation on croquet. If the arches are big enough kids can crawl through for a snow obstacle course.
• Tug the Scarf -- Just like tug the rope, but with a scarf and a softer landing. With your boots stomp a shallow trench in the snow. Divide into two teams and pull on the scarf. One team tries to pull the other over the trench.
• Abominable Snowman tracker -- Give one kid a headstart, then the other kids try to track him. The first one to find the Abominable Snowman is the next one to hide.

Provide some hot chocolate and maybe a space heater on the patio and let your kids enjoy the fresh crisp air.

Substitution!

In sports when a player isn't working, the coach takes him out. We need to do the same thing in our lives. In the book "Switch" I read about a nutritional experiment where families where asked to change one thing in their diets. They were asked to buy skim milk instead of whole milk. That one switch made a big difference. Participants lost weight. Most often, after we've made one healthy switch in our lives, we'll go on to make others. Making healthy substitutions one at a time makes change seem less formidable.

I made the switch to skim milk. It's now just become habit and I never think of buying anything else anymore. Now I've moved on. Bye-Bye white bread. It's nothing but whole grain now.

You can make other healthy substitutions in your day as well. Start taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk or ride with your kids to school.

So pick one thing today you can substitute with something healthier. Once that's become a habit, move on to something else.

Cross Country 101

Cross Country Skiing is a sport the whole family can enjoy and spring is the perfect time to go. There is still plenty of snow in the mountains, but the trails are less crowded and the weather is usually good.

 Anyone can cross country ski. I've seen three year-olds and ninety year-olds on the slope. And it's never too late to be a beginner. When my daughter and I went for the first time last year, she caught on much faster than I did. My biggest problem was stopping without falling. She lapped me on the loop we were skiing. I did catch on eventually though. You can teach an old mom new tricks!

 There are resorts with groomed cross country trails, there are also groomed trails in many national forests. Some public golf courses also allow cross-country skiing in the winter.

 The basic things to remember are keep your knees and ankles bent and keep your weight forward. Stop using the snowplow or pizza method, just don't get your skiis crossed. When you fall down, which for me is inevitable, turn your skis so you’re sideways to the slope, kneel on your skis and using your hands on your thighs stand up one knee first, and then the other.

 To turn yourself on cross-country skis, move each ski a little at a time toward the direction you want to go. You’ll make a “star pattern” in the snow.

 Going forward on cross country skis is the easy part. The boot heel is not attached to the ski, so basically you’re just half step, half sliding forward.

 Cross country skiing is a great activity for kids. It gets them outside enjoying nature, its good exercise, and something the whole family can enjoy.

Choosing the Right Sport

Sports teach kids important qualities like hard work, diligence, cooperation and sportsmanship. I think finding a sport your kids likes can help them become active their whole life. The best way to find what they like, it to let them try different things.

Look at the offerings at your community rec center and sign them up for something. Also ask around to see what their friends are participating in. Do an internet search for kids activities in your area.

One of my children is a peace lover. There's not a bone of aggression in her little body. That's great -- except when you're playing sports. Couple this lack of aggression with so - so eye hand coordination, and sports with balls are not for her. That's how it is with some kids. This doesn't mean they aren't athletic and can't be active. If this is your child, think outside the box and try some sports without balls -- like rock climbing, running, skating, swimming, dance -- if you look around there are more than you think. It can give your kid a boost of confidence and he/she may find something she can get lifelong enjoyment from.

Team sports are good for learning to work together and work hard, but some kids struggle with the team dynamic and coaches and parents can get a little intense sometimes. All kids sports leagues are not alike. City Rec leagues are often less intense than competition leagues, but if you child is really good they may get frustrated with the lack of skill of their team mates.

If your child gets frustrated with team mates in sports like soccer or basketball but you still want the social interaction of being on a team, try tennis, swimming, track, or gymnastics. You're kid is still on team, but the emphasis is more on their individual performance.

Family bike rides are one of our favorites. My kids also ride to and from school, church activities, and friend's houses. It's great for them to have their own form of transportation. One of my daughters put running, swimming and biking together in a kid's triathalon.

Martial arts is a favorite for many families. Besides getting exercise, your kids will learn self control. The cross patterns of martial arts movement have been shown to stimulate brain activity.

All kids are unique, so don't be afraid to try something nontraditional when looking for ways to keep them happy and active.

Snowshoeing

Winter is halfway over and my kids and I are yearning to go outside in the sunshine. The temperature is warmer, but there is some snow on the ground, especially in the canyons. This is perfect snowshoeing weather.

Snowshoeing is a great activity for kids because anyone can do it. It's basically walking with big things on your feet, so it's easy to catch on. Our son went on this first snowshoe hike when he was three years old and had a blast. It's also great for uncoordinated moms who can't ski. (Me).

Snowshoeing is a lot less expensive than skiing. We rent our kids snowshoes at REI for less than $10 a pair. You avoid paying for a lift pass -- your feet do the climbing.

Where do you snowshoe? Go to a local summer hiking trail and snowshoe there. A great place to snowshoe with kids is in campgrounds and picnic areas that are snowed in for the winter. You'll have a nice wide path, there's usually somewhere to park, and if you're lucky there's an open bathroom.

Another good place to snowshoe is on golf courses. You will need to call the golf course before hand and check availability. Many cross-country skiing areas allow snowshoers on their trails as well.

Snowshoeing is a great way to get out in nature in the winter. The scenery is transformed so your favorite summer spots will seem brand new. Trails are also less crowded in the winter and you'll feel a refreshing peacefulness.

My kids love finding big hills to slide down, feet in the air, slick snow pants making the trail.

Make sure everyone has boots, gloves and hats. I usually pack some hot chocolate too. As for any outdoor activity, bring water, a first aid kit, and make sure everyone sticks together.