Outdoor Movie Nights

Let's talk teens! Let's talk about fun stuff to do and a great reason to host those fun activities!

As some of you may know, when summer starts we put up our outdoor movie screen and start hosting movie nights all the way through October.

This has become a much loved activity and we really enjoy hosting the events. Some nights we have family movies, some nights are for teens and adults, and a couple of times we have shown scary movies.

Here's is what we have built, in case any of you are considering building an outdoor theater too.

 The movie screen is a 10 foot x 20 foot tarp that we purchased from Creative Shelters. It's sturdy and works very well. We have it mounted to our back deck, although you could build a frame or even find blow up screens online.

Here's a close up of the metal poles(frame) and such that Devin uses to mount and hang the tarp.

 This is our projector that we bought from Best Buy. I have seen them at Costco too. This one is a mid range as far as price goes. The bulbs or lamps are expensive when they burn out and need replacing. For all you men out there, my husband actually has one wall in the basement dedicated to using this projector . He plays Halo and watches his movies on the huge wall. It's a man's (and teenager's) dream.

 My husband uses this cart to keep the projector on and he sits next to it during the movie.

These speakers are new to us this year. We had smaller speakers last year, but these are nicer and if you watch a movie like Jurassic Park....well, you need some loud sound! :-)

 I always mix up lemonade and put it in the large, orange cooler. In the blue cooler I have ice water. I know that the lemonade mix has some sugar in it, but it's much less than soda plus it's a nice treat for the kids.

 I buy my popcorn supplies at Sam's Club. These paper bags are not expensive and they are a perfect size. Popcorn kernels can also be bought in 50 pound bags there. If you are a large family it's a great deal for a loved snack. In addition, you can grind them up in your wheat grinder to make corn meal.

 This is my popper that my sister bought as a family gift for us one Christmas. It really was a fantastic gift and we have used this popper a ton!  I have seen them online for a reasonable price.

 I always bath my youngest kids and get them in pajamas before guests arrive. They usually go to bed just about the time the movie starts or shortly after.

Guests bring chairs and blankets, and I always pull out my quilts and make pallets on the grass for the kids.

Another new item this year is the giant jenga game my husband built. We call it Danger Jenga.

It's not a game for the little ones, but the teens and the adults love it!

We start a movie just at dusk for the little kids, and it's usually an episode of Scooby-Doo.

Friends always arrive with snacks to share and extra blankets, and we always have a great time! The teens always have a great time too.
As a parent, I want my kids to enjoy themselves and socialize with their friends but I also want it to be in a safe and family friendly environment. I always told myself that when we had teens we would be the house where they could hang out with friends and that is what we accomplish with movie nights.
In fact it has turned into a  fun night for the entire family and our friends. It's also more relaxing than going to a regular theater because the little kids can run around and catch lightening bugs, which happens to me Zeb's favorite activity!

This past Friday we let a friend (a teen) pick out the movie and so we watched "Batman Begins." It was fantastic! On the list of other movies to watch this summer are the rest of the Bourne Trilogy movies, The Princess Bride, the Three Stooges,  and perhaps Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

So far the summer has been fabulous and the movies nights with friends and family have been outstanding!
What activities does your family like to enjoy together?

*****************

Only a couple more days left to vote! Circle of Moms Top 25 Mom of Teens has been a contest I have been honored to participate. Please hop over and give me a vote!

********************

I have to share a recipe real quickly that I made tonight. It uses up some of that zucchini that is growing by the pounds this time of year!

These are Zucchini Tots. I found it on Pinterest and just decided to give them a try. They were really easy and delicious. Here is the recipe.


**************

Finally, I had a reader email me a link to his latest article which is about attachment parenting. He included a link to my last blog post in the sidebar. Check it out! I am actually in an article which includes the beautiful Angelina Jolie! How cool is that:-)

****************

Wednesday we talk about a four letter word! See you then!

Dr. Sears and Dr. Fuhrman

I wasn't going to voice my opinion, but I just can't help myself:-)
Who was shocked by the recent TIME magazine cover? I was shocked, and I practice attachment parenting and extended breastfeeding. I have yet to decide if TIME magazine used that photo as a shock factor or to divide mothers and women.
At any rate, Dr. Sears has always been a person who offers great insight into the practice of attachment parenting. I know some of you will roll your eyes at the mere thought of having a baby hanging on you and sleeping in your bed past a few weeks. (So why did you you have kids, anyway?)
After having seven "attached" kids, I can promise you that it is worth it! Looking back I can also say that it was time well spent and truly a short length of time when compared to mine and my child's entire life span.

                       *Indiana, 2 years old*

I have noticed too as the children grow that they mimic many of my actions and behaviors, for better or worse. I think at some point all of my children "nursed" a doll or stuffed animal. How wonderful that they are learning  a natural way to care and nourish "babies."

     * Me and Indiana (15 months)

Children who are raised with attachment parenting grow up have lots of self confidence, and it also instills compassion and nurturing skills within them.

    *Quinn (4 yrs), Devin, Me with a sleeping Indiana (2), and Journee (6) .

If you are still carrying your baby around in the car seat then I must absolutely exclaim that not only are you creating more work for yourself, but your child is missing out on tons of stimulation and learning and comforting! Do yourself and your baby a favor and invest in a sling! There are many on the market, and although it might take a little time to adjust, it's well worth it! Also, don't believe the lie that babies past 6 months old are too big for attachment carriers, as most will hold toddlers up to 25 pounds!

All of this is to say that Dr. Sears wrote a statement about the TIME piece and I thought someone might like to read it. Hey, he's fabulous and he's has done so much for attachment parents like myself.

********************

Now let's move on to Dr. Joel Fuhrman.
In case you need an introduction, Dr. Fuhrman is a doctor and author and his books are fantastic. The two books I have and really like are "Eat To Live" and "Disease Proof Your Child."

His main focus is on a  healthy, raw based diet that has very little meat or dairy. He's a health freak and that's cool. I have always liked him because what he preaches is very true and he has patients who can verify that his methods work and make people healthy.

Here's where I get slightly peeved. There has been a ban in New York City of trans fats and salt. You can't get them when you eat out, but now the Mayor is banning large sugary drinks. When will it stop? Where is the line drawn?
Sadly, Dr. Fuhrman is all for the sugary drink ban and has the audacity to suggest maybe a dairy drink ban (such as milkshakes or coffee that contains lots of cream)!

As an American I find this "nanny state" type of attitude condescending and insulting. Last I checked it was still a free country and what I choose to put in my body is my choice. I know Fuhrman has an issue with milk, but has he considered that raw milk is much healthier? Why not use his energy to help combat the heavy FDA and Big Ag regulations so that local farmers and producers can provide healthy, local foods to their neighbors. Perhaps he could help Big Brother lift the ridiculous ban on selling raw milk, oh wait! Big Gov doesn't think we can make those types of food decisions on our own, hence the nanny state.

Dr. Fuhrman loves to brag that he has never consumed an entire soda! I say "big whoop!"

I wish he and all of the other totalitarian freaks in New York and elsewhere would crack open a history book and consider all of the sacrifices made so that we have the freedoms to choose to live in pursuit of happiness. Eventually, people must also take responsibility for their own actions. It is not the role of government to decide what we eat and do not eat.

Needless to say, Dr. Fuhrman dropped to the bottom of my list of people I think are worth listening to for dietary advice. His job is to present the advice and encourage others to make a decision on their own, not to force his beliefs on others.

********************

Tonight is movie night here at My Barefoot Farm.
I let the teenagers pick the movie, so we will sprawl out in lawn chairs and watch "Batman Begins."

I will happily pop some popcorn (New York wants to ban the sizes of popcorn containers at movies too), make some lemonade and sit back and enjoy the summer evening with family and friends.
The teens love these movie nights and we love to provide a fun and safe environment for them to hang out and socialize.

Speaking of teens.....
I am still hanging on to the number 2 spot on Circle of Moms Top Mom of Teens contest. Will you please jump over there and give me a vote?
While you are there, give vote for Baker's Dozen. She is in the top spot and I would like to see her stay there. I have been following her for a few years and hands down she is a great mom.
In fact, if your teens like the Hunger Games books you should read about the Hunger Game Party her teens threw! Looks like it was a fun time.

Monday I will blog with no ranting! :-)
Have a great weekend!

   * My oldest, Journee (16) and my youngest, Fletcher (21 months)....both raised attached, both happy, both confident and both are loving siblings!

Why My Teens Do Not Date

                                  *My sixteen year old, Journee*

It's a controversial subject, that is for sure. Teens and dating are common place in today's society. It's a right of passage, a step towards adulthood, an important part of growing up and socializing, right?
Or maybe not.

When I tell people outside my most immediate social circle that we do not allow dating, I get strange looks and sometime a challenge to our way of parenting.
I have been told that not allowing the kids date undermines their self confidence, robs them of the socialization process, neglects their ability to experience life and that they are going to date anyway....behind my back.

I suppose there are some teens who sneak out of the house and disobey their parent's rules about dating, but I suspect those families have disciplinary issues that are far beyond the house rule of no dating.
I can honestly say that my teens know that they will not be dating and they are OK with it. They understand the reasons why and they are not sneaking out of the house at night. The rules have been consistent and started when they were very young. Boyfriends and girlfriends and those little relationships that 5 year olds strike up have never been allowed. It's not cute. It's not age appropriate, and it sets the stage of the thinking that boys and girls cannot be friends but should be  a couple.

Here is the general rule in a nutshell and the reason for it:
We date primarily so that we can find the type of person we might wish to marry.
We marry so that we can raise a family, have children.
If you are not ready to have children then you are not ready to marry. If you are not ready to marry, then there is no reason to date.

It's that simple. There are no ways around it with group dates, etc. Having friends with the same beliefs makes it even better. It's normal and accepted. It is also gaining in trend, especially among home school families.

To the people who have accepted dating as a right of passage for all teens, I usually must chime in with more details. Perhaps their kids would never accept this simple rule because "everyone at school is dating!"
This alone should show a parent how strong peer pressure can be for their teens, and yet parents are still blindly accepting the lie that teens should be allowed to date, and the magic age seems to be 16.

1. Dating requires maturity. It is an important stage in life, but it comes with hormones and emotions and decisions that are constantly being brought to the surface. Teens are not equipped. I don't care how mature they are or how good they are in school, they are not mature enough to handle these situations like an adult. Yes, I know there are people who met in high school and are still together after 20+ years, but they are the exception.

2. Dating as a teen does not help as far as picking a future spouse. In fact, dating as a teen only reinforces the idea of if it doesn't work out, break it off. There is a lot of drama amongst teens who date because of the breaking up and getting back together scenarios that occur. You do not have to be a genius to see that this is not improving relationships or marriages later in life. The extremely high divorce rate in the country is proof!

3. Teens who date tend to allow dating to impede other activities in their lives that are far more important for their age. Education is one such activity that tends to get the short end of the stick. Many people like to argue that dating was  a large part of their high school years and many of their memories were made by dating. My response is, "Exactly!!!"  Call me old fashioned, but education and life skills  and work ethic are far more important for a teen than a boyfriend/ girlfriend.

4. There are laws that limit who can drive, vote and drink. Sure a teen can drive, but they cannot vote or drink alcohol. A romantic relationship can have just a drastic effect on a teen's young life, and yet parents allow it freely as if it were a human right. I say no! Dating is an adult activity because it can have very adult consequences. I happen to also think my daughters are extremely precious blessings that have been given to me to raise and care for. I refuse to allow them to waste their important teen years battling the turmoil and roller coaster drama that accompanies teen dating. When they are ready to date, they will be ready and mature and confident in their choices. Until that time, they have friends that are boys and girls. They are truly friends, with no pressures of "relationships."

                             *My niece and my daughter Quinn, both 14. Always having fun(without boyfriends)*

A friend stated that her husband told one of their teen boys that they couldn't date until they could offer a girl something more than just his good looks and charms.

I agree. I agree because I want more than just good looks and charm for my daughters and I also want my sons to provide more as well.

It's really simple.
 Really.

**** I was honored to be nominated in the Circle of Moms Top 25 Mom of Teens! I would love it if you would hop over there and give me a vote. You can vote once a day and voting ends June 20th! Thanks!

VOTE HERE!!!!!