Patience

Thought:
Patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!
(Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Continue in Patience,” Ensign, May 2010, 56–59.)

Song:
“Pioneer Children Sang as they Walked,” Children’s Songbook, p. 214.
Scripture:
For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.
(Mosiah 3:19)

Lesson:
Ask your family members if they have ever heard the phrases “hold your horses” or “keep your shirt on.” Ask, What quality is being requested by those phrases? (Patience.)
Have family members read Romans 5:1–5 and look for what Paul taught about patience. Ask:
• How can we have “peace with God”? • What did Paul say helps us learn patience? • Whom should we learn to rely on when faced with tribulation? • What blessing comes to us through the Holy Ghost? Read the following by Elder Neal A. Maxwell: “Patience is tied very closely to faith in our
Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than his. Either way we are questioning the reality of God’s omniscience [knowledge].” (Ensign, Oct. 1980, 28.)
Ask: • How can we show our faith in Heavenly Father? • Why is it important to recognize that God knows what is best for us? • How might this knowledge help us get through trials? Testify to your family that patience is one way we come to be more Christlike. Remind
your family that patience gives us the hope that Christ’s Atonement will save us.

Story:
Louise Lake
One afternoon following the start of physical therapy treatment, I was resting in bed. As the sky darkened, there was a warm heavy spring rain. That day, defying the drench of the downpour, a robin came and stood for a moment or two outside my window ledge. The amazing thing was that he was singing his song while the water pelted on him. My eyes drank in this sight. It was like a gift, a new promise of life to me. The rain and darkened skies no longer made it a dreary day.
In those hospital days I saw, as well as was the recipient of, considerate attention, patience, and forbearance. This place became my home. I like to think that nurses, doctors, and other patients felt the same way. . .
One afternoon a pretty brunette nurse said she was planning marriage following her graduation. I asked about her wedding plans. In those days hats were a "must" in fashion, a kind of special frosting for any wedding. I at once took a leap in the light.
"Could I make your 'going-away' wedding hat?" I asked.
She hesitated. I knew she was wondering
(1) what will it look like? and
(2) where can you find the needed muscle power in your fingers and hands?
Quickly I assured her (I was also assuring myself) that in my pre-paralysis years I had attended millinery classes while living in Portland, Oregon. Techniques in making beautiful hats, as well as the styles in high fashion, were part of my stock in trade.
She breathed with relief and said, "I would love that."
Knowing her bridal colors, we combed the yellow pages of the telephone directory for a wholesale millinery outlet. Then I clumsily wrote out a list of materials and she set out to buy them.
Soon I was surrounded with needles, thread, buckram, trimmings, and all the other sewing sprawl. It was good that there were several weeks before the appointed day.
The adventure of hat making began. I struggled with the needle to make the stitches neat and strong. The weakness of my fingers and hands was more in focus. Though it was an exhausting task, the chapeau began to take form. I tired quickly and therefore rested frequently. None of us had realized what solid therapy this self-induced pressure would bring. Then one day it dawned on me that the muscles in my fingers and hands were definitely gaining strength and they could get stronger still!
It was President Heber J. Grant, that great master spirit in the building of the Church, who so beautifully taught this truth from Ralph Waldo Emerson: "That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself has changed, but that our power to do is increased."
When the hat, which was by now a hospital conversation piece, was completed, there was wild enthusiasm among the nurses. A line on the right had formed, as each girl took her turn to have a favorite hat made. It took unlimited patience, but the working hours passed quickly. At times the room looked like the backroom of a millinery shop, and three large dresser drawers were full of hat supplies. The nurses and I kept it a secret that I was working for them. The doors would quickly open and close and a nurse would remove her white cap to try on her hat before the mirror. Whenever a supervisor or someone from the administration chanced to be around, the girl would scamper out of there like a chaff in the wind.
During the remainder of the time in the hospital I made fifteen hats. The girls looked tré chic! And the energy investment had paid off for me—not in dollars, for I naturally wouldn't accept money, but in the development of human resources. I was incredibly enriched. I hope many of those nurses have become happy grandmothers by now.

Activity:
Instruct the family that on the word go you are going to start measuring one minute by the clock. They should also try to measure one minute, but without the clock. (Hint: While the time is running, talk to the family and ask them questions. It will make it hard for them to count in their heads when they have to think about what you are saying.)
When they think one minute is up they are to say “Stop.” When the first person says “Stop,” you look at the clock. If they are on time within ten seconds either way, they receive two points. If they are within five seconds they receive five points. If the guess was exactly right, they receive ten points.
Play for five rounds.
Ask what was difficult in this activity. One of the hardest things to do is to wait. Discuss as a family times we have to wait. One time we have to wait is when we pray to Heavenly Father. We have a hard time being quiet and waiting for Heavenly Father to answer us.

Refreshment
Hot Spinach Dip
1 package (10 ounces) frozen creamed spinach, thawed
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese 1⁄4 cupmayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
9 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Mix all ingredients except half the Parmesan cheese. Spread in 9x9-inch pan, and sprinkle other half of Parmesan on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve with chips or crackers.

Modesty

5 tips for successful Family Home Evenings
2. Prioritize. Make Family Home Evening a priority; learn to say no to other activities.
3. Involvement. Involve everyone in the family; help little children take part.
4. Commitment. Be committed and be consistent. Set a designated time and stick to it. Holding Family Home Evening on a weekly basis takes dedication and planning on the part of all family members.
5. Relax and enjoy it. The most important thing your children will remember is the spirit they feel in your family home evenings and activities. Be sure the atmosphere is one of love, understanding, and enjoyment.

Thought:
With all my heart I urge you not to look to contemporary culture for your role models and mentors. Please look to your faithful mothers for a pattern to follow. Model yourselves after them, not after celebrities whose standards are not the Lord’s standards and whose values may not reflect an eternal perspective.
(M. Russell Ballard, “Mothers and Daughters,” Ensign, May 2010, 18–21.) Song:
“The Lord Gave Me a Temple,” Children’s Songbook, p. 153.

Scripture:
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
(1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

Story:
A group of choir students from American Fork, Utah, were traveling in New York City. On Sunday morning many of the students walked through the hotel lobby to board the bus that would take them to a local ward for Church services. A young woman was sitting in the lobby wearing a modest dress. She approached the group.
“Are you LDS?” she asked. When the students responded that they were, she smiled. “Are you going to church?” Again they answered, “Yes.” The young woman explained that she was from another state and was traveling with her school sports team. She was the only member of the Church on her team. That morning she had prayed she would be able to find some way to attend church. She had gone down to the lobby to wait. When the group of LDS youth walked in, she knew her prayer had been answered.

Object Lesson
After you have shared the above story, discuss with your family the following questions:
How did this young woman know that the students she saw were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Was it how they were dressed? How do people throughout the world know that the young men and women they see are Mormon missionaries? What do our clothes say about us?
Have the family look through several contemporary magazines. Find pictures of
models and try to describe what their clothes are saying about each one. Many of the models in these types of magazines are dressed immodestly. What messages are we sending when we dress immodestly? Possible messages include: “I don’t respect my body as a sacred gift from Heavenly Father.” “I don’t know what the prophet has said about modesty or I don’t care.” “I want you to notice my body first before anything else.”
Point out that the person dressing immodestly isn’t bad; they just haven’t been taught about the importance of modesty or don’t understand what their clothes are saying about them. Dressing immodestly can also make other people feel uncomfortable and embarrassed. When someone dresses immodestly, it is hard to notice anything but the person’s clothes.

Activity:
Have the family imagine they are in a foreign country and want to meet other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They can’t speak the language, so how could they dress to let others know that they are Mormons? Send each family member to his or her bedroom to change clothes and then stage a fashion show.
The fashion show is even more fun if you hang a piece of fabric across the entrance into the family room and let each “model” enter the room by pushing aside the curtain. Try to guess what identifying articles of clothing family members are wearing. Is someone modeling a CTR ring or a Young Women medallion or an angel Moroni tie tack? Is everyone modest? Are we trying to represent the Church and the Savior as we get dressed every day?

Refreshment:
1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup finely chopped pecans 1⁄2 cup margarine, softened 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 1 8-ounce tub Cool Whip®, thawed and divided 1 6-ounce package instant chocolate pudding 1 6-ounce package instant vanilla pudding 3 cups milk, divided
Chocolate Cream Crunch
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make crust by combining flour, pecans, and margarine in a small bowl. Press into bottom of 9x13-inch pan. Bake 20 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.
Blend cream cheese and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Fold in 1 cup of the Cool Whip. Blend well and spread over cooled crust. Chill. Combine instant chocolate pudding and 1 1⁄2 cups milk. Mix until smooth. Pour over cream cheese layer. Chill. Pudding will thicken in refrigerator. Repeat with instant vanilla pudding. Chill. Frost with remaining Cool Whip. Cut into 4- inch squares and serve.
Makes 28 squares.

Clues for Quick Cash

Because of the current economic climate, it's easy to think that there is no way to add to your wealth without getting a full or part-time job outside of your home. But, believe it or not, there are still some relatively easy ways for you and your family to earn extra cash in these difficult times, and many of them you can do from the comfort of your own home.

Sell your wares online. Do you like to make jewelry or sew? Do you paint or do crafts in your free time? There are plenty of online stores, like etsy.com, where you can sell your homemade products. All you need is a valid email address to join. If you are a photographer, in addition to selling your photos on Etsy, there are stock photography websites that will buy your photos. Try fotalia.com, dreamstime.com, shutterstock.com, and bigstockphoto.com.

Pick up extra hours. If you do have a job outside of your home, find out if your company has any overtime or part-time positions that you could pick up after hours or even do from home. If you work shifts, make sure to let your co-workers know that you are interested in picking up extra hours and would be willing to sub for them.

Offer your services to local businesses. If you enjoy bookbinding, go to local stationary stores or boutiques and see if they will sell your products in their store. If you sew or quilt, make yourself known to local fabric and quilting stores as someone willing to do custom jobs from home or at the store. If you're really a master with a sewing machine, you can make prom dresses, wedding dresses, or do alterations. If you don't have a special skill, offer cleaning services.

Reap profits from your garden. You can plant seeds in the winter and transplant the seedlings into individual pea pots when they are several inches tall, or just sell some of your harvested produce at your local farmer's market in the spring, summer, and fall.

Use eBay and Craigslist. Find old furniture and belongings that you no longer need or use and, before you give them away, identify what you can sell online. Make sure you to include a picture of your product and an honest description of its wear and tear.

Become a mystery shopper. Why not get paid to go to the mall or out to eat? Volition.com has a database of legitimate mystery shopping companies, as reported by actual mystery shoppers. Look through their database and make a list of companies that you would like to work for and then apply. It's as simple as that.

Become a substitute teacher. You can earn up to $250 substituting, depending on your area. Check local schools'requirements for substitutes, and remember to look at private schools. Indeed.com is a good database that lists positions and requirements for substitute teachers all over the U.S.

Tutor or teach music lessons. If you are really good at math or English or have a particular musical talent, you can earn money. Advertise where parents are likely to look: at schools, the library, at grocery stores, and in the newspaper.

Offer genealogical services. Lots of people are interested in doing their family history—in and out of the Church—but just don't have the time to do it. With tutoring and databases readily available, use your resources and help someone discover their family's story.

Teach a language. Put your mission tongue to use; many people need to learn foreign languages for a variety of reasons, and many prefer to do it conversationally than learning by bits and pieces. If you don't know a foreign language, advertise English assistance in your local newspaper. Plenty of foreigners want to improve their English as well.

Become a census taker for the 2010 Census. The U.S. government needs thousands of people to help them update address lists and conduct interviews with people in your community. While most positions require a valid driver's license and use of a vehicle, you will be reimbursed for authorized mileage and other related expenses. Just call 1.866.861.2010 or visit the website at census.gov/2010censusjobs/howtoapply.php for more information.

Get paid to take surveys. Sign up with a paid survey site and complete a member profile. The site will send you an e-mail any time they have a survey that matches your profile. Legitimate survey sites do not require a fee, so make sure that they don't charge you to join the database. Once you have completed the survey (expect to spend about fifteen to twenty minutes per survey), you will be compensated with cash, points that can be redeemed for prizes, sweepstakes entries, or, in some instances, new products to try. Reputable sites include pineconeresearch.com, panelbase.net (a UK company), and americanconsumeropinion.com (rated very well, although they provide fewer opportunities).

Go through this list of suggestions and see what works for your lifestyle. (Be sure to check out the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act currently under consideration before marketing children's products.)


If you try something and it doesn't work, try something else and see what happens. There are countless opportunities to make money, if you are only willing to put forth some extra effort.

Vote for Dinner!

With the presidential elections just around the corner, here is a great way to teach your kids about the democratic process while creating a meal that everyone can enjoy.
Dinners got out of control a while back. I thought with all the Tupperware around, I could easily let everyone pick their own vegetable, side dish, or fruit, or just save the rest for later in the week. My reasoning was that if everyone had what they wanted, at least they would eat it.

But the requests started coming in for separate main dishes. I justified potatoes, pasta, and even grilled chicken as separate or combinable entrees and sides, using up even more space in the fridge with the leftovers.I was working harder than necessary, the food bill was going up, and we were actually wasting more leftovers than we were using. And the kids were getting used to having their way a little too much.

Then on evening while my husband and I were discussing the heated presidential primaries, the kids said they wanted to vote, too. We explained they'd have to wait a few more years, and noting their disappointment, I tried to think of another way they could participate in a voting experience.

The next day when I was cleaning out another ten Tupperware containers, the light bulb came on, and I instantly knew what the kids could vote on. Dinner would no longer be made-to-order for everyone. Instead, each family member would nominate a "candidate" for each part of the meal--entree, side dish, vegetable, fruit, drink, and dessert. Each of the four kids got to pick one item for each category.

I printed off ballots with pictures next to each item (for the two younger kids), and each child made one poster for one of their chosen items and spent the next three days campaigning for that item. The night before the elections, each child privately filled out a ballot and slipped it in a taped-up shoe box with a slit on top.

The next day I surprised them with the results at dinner and we talked about what everyone had voted for. The kids realized that if one person had voted another way, dinner would have been a little different.

We had this activity again, on the "American Idol" finale night, and we plant to have an extra special dinner vote on the night of November 4 to coincide with the presidential elections.

My Great Idea: The Money Jar

At first I blamed my eyesight when images on our computer monitor seemed fuzzy. However, when my kids and husband complained about the blurriness, I knew that the problem was our years-old monitor. Our computer was used heavily on a daily basis for work, study, and relaxation. My exasperated impulse was to grab the charge card and order a new monitor online.

Then I paused. I considered our financial balancing act with past medical bills, kids in college, two broken cars, and a son's mission only a few months away. I visualized the debt-logged credit card bill, precariously near its limit. I heard the voices of church leaders repeatedly admonishing us to get out of debt. Yet, a new monitor wasn't a frivolous item; it would benefit our family in practical ways. I felt so trapped--the cycle of debt seemed endless.

Suddenly I remembered a phrase from a book I was reading, "Every household, no matter the circumstances wastes a certain amount of money each and every month, and that is the money you will use to get out of debt." (_Debt-free on Any Income_, by Lyle and Tracy Shamo, Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, 2004, p. 27)

My heart lightened as I thought, "How much wasted money would it take to buy a new computer monitor?"

I excitedly told the family my great idea: We would put a jar on the kitchen table and everyone could contribute spare change or a few dollars towards a new computer monitor. To actually save up to buy something was, unfortunately, a new concept in our home.

We covered a jar with plain paper. We attached a photo from an advertisement of the type of computer monitor we were saving for, including its price. We wrote the starting date on the jar's paper cover. The project was begun by dropping in coins found in the clothes dryer, and change snatched from the car's cup holder.

At dinner we would all try to guess how much was in the jar. That was a great weekly reminder of our goal, and it was fun to see whose guess was the closest. The new money amount would be written on the outside of the jar, so it was easy to track our progress. As the jar filled, its contents were taken to the bank and changed into cash, which was hidden to remove the temptation to use it.

My habits were altered as I refrained from impulse buying at the store, thinking of the new monitor, and I found myself purposely rounding up payments at the checkout so I could stuff the extra money into the jar. My husband regularly emptied his pocket change into the jar.

Two and a half months went by; a new school year was approaching. To my surprise, I saw that in all the back-to-school store ads that computer monitors were on sale! We actually had enough money in our jar to afford one at the current sale price. Coins were changed into bills, and we literally paid cash for our new flat-screen monitor.

Today, our old, glass jar is on the table sporting a new paper wrapper, heavy with cash towards our next goal. Thanks to a blurry computer monitor our family now has a clearer vision of what financial independence looks like.

Family Etiquette Dinner

Plan a nice, sit-down dinner for your family and make sure everyone participates in the preparation; include rolls, salad, appetizers, a main course, and dessert. Set the table with nice plates, glasses, and silverware if you have them (food dishes are set to the left of a setting; glasses to the right), and instruct your children in common eating etiquette. Some things may seem basic, but remember: your kids probably don't know them! Some habits include:

Unfold (don't shake) your napkin when you sit down, and use it for wiping your mouth and fingers (licking is only acceptable when you are eating meat off the bone, as in ribs).

Work from the outside in with your silverware; the shorter forks are for salads and appetizers, the longer for the main dish. Utensils shouldn't touch the table after use.

Place butter and a roll on your individual plate. Break off bite-sized pieces of the roll and butter them individually; don't butter the whole roll at one time.

Ask for things to be passed to you if you can't reach; stretching over the table is considered bad etiquette.

If you get a bad bite of something (such as gristle from meat or an undetected garlic clove), put the napkin to your mouth and discreetly spit it into the napkin. Don't forget it's there!

Leaving some food leftover is acceptable, but you shouldn't make your plate look like you licked it clean!

If you have to leave during the meal, place your napkin on your chair to signify you will be returning. When finished with the meal, place the napkin folded on the place setting; put your knife and fork together and set to about 4 o'clock on your plate.

You might think some of these traditions are silly, but at the very least your etiquette night will be a fun, cultural experience your family can enjoy together. Your children can also thank you in the future when they know how to behave in circumstances where etiquette is expected!

21 Things to Do before Summer Ends

Even if money is tight, there are still plenty of ways to have an exciting summer. In fact, the best summer memories are often made up of small, simple pleasures. When the heat's on, don't sweat the big stuff. Take time to sip lemonade, read a good book, and enjoy the beauty of nature. At LDS Living, we've looked, asked, and researched the top twenty-one things to do before summer ends.



1. Take a Hike



Being outdoors is like owning a pet - there's just something healthy about it. It feels great to get back to nature, so while the weather is nice, why not explore some of the wonderful parks, trails, and reserves near your home? Bring a magnifying glass and pair of binoculars for a closer look at insects, birds, and other wildlife.



2. Read a Biography



Books are an easy vacation you can fit under your arm. They are distractions our tired brains love, and there are few things as gripping as a good biography. Many people throughout history have lived lives of achievement and inspiration. So bring a blanket and find some shady trees - they were made for reading good books.



3. Make Real Lemonade



Summer just doesn't seem like summer until you've had a nice cool glass of real lemonade. Try this recipe:



Peel three fat lemons. Cut them into smaller pieces. Drop the pieces into a blender with 1-1/2 cups of sugar and 1-1/2 cups of water. Use the blender to chop until coarse, then strain into a pitcher. Add ice cubes. Adjust as needed.



4. Host a Neighborhood Block Party



Summer is always a season of change, meaning at least one new family will move into the neighborhood. So why not host a potluck block party and give everyone a chance to get to know one another better? You can oftentimes obtain a special permit from your city that allows you to block off the street.



5. Go on a Field Trip



Remember the time you were reading about the art museum that wasn't far from your home? Summer is the perfect time to explore all that your community has to offer. How about visiting an aquarium, aviary, or zoo? Or try your state capitol building.



6. Sleep Outside



Most of us have fallen asleep outdoors a few times in our lives, or at least slept with the window open. Brigham Young once said that summers were meant for sleeping outdoors, and that the fresh air does the mind good. So take a trip back to your school days and enjoy sleeping under the stars.



7. Go to a "Dive-in" Movie



Sometimes you need to take a break from the sticky summer night heat. One great way to spend a summer evening is cooling off while watching a good movie. Many water parks show movies on giant screens while people relax in the pool. Can't find any in your area? Opt for a matinee. A nice cold soda and a dark, cool theater can provide a much-needed break from the hot summer sun.



8. Take a Dip



Studies show that 86 percent of all the swimming you'll do in your life is completed before you're twenty years old. And most of that was done in the summer. Make this the summer of swim. Visit the community pool, or better yet, take a trip to the ocean or a nearby lake. You can do some beachcombing or fishing while you're there!



9. Have a Yard Sale



Yard sales are a great way to get organized and cleaned up before the school year starts. Get your kids involved and let them earn some money. They may not want to give away some of their toys, but they might be interested in selling them. Have a yard sale - and don't forget to sell some of that good lemonade.



10. Eat Homemade Ice Cream at Sunset



Making ice cream is one of the crowning events of any summer - eating it while watching a beautiful sunset makes it even more special. This event needs to be planned and executed as though your summer depends on it. Go all out - get berries, cones, and whipped cream to dress up simpler flavors, which are easier to make and tend to turn out better than complicated flavors. Make it a fun time you'll always remember.



11. Attend a Concert in the Park



Many cities host a series of free concerts during the summer months, often with a wide variety of music from Celtic to bluegrass to classical. So grab a blanket or a lawn chair, pack a picnic, and sit back and enjoy!



12. Go Horseback Riding



Most people don't have the chance to ride horses very often, so saddle up and go on a mini adventure. Even if you're not an experienced rider, there are many businesses that can accommodate beginners. This will be great for kids, too, who tend to enjoy close contact with animals.



13. Visit an Amusement Park



If horseback riding isn't your style, you can always opt for a horse on carousel. Most amusement parks have something for everyone to enjoy. Even if you'd rather not take a spin on the roller coaster, there is sure to be dancing, singing, or some kind of entertainment for you to enjoy.



14. Attend a Festival



During the summer months, festivals are everywhere. So grab the kids and spend the day learning about the food, crafts, history, music, and dance of another culture. From Greek to Scottish to Polynesian, you're sure to find a great cultural event to attend. Check your local paper for dates and details.



15. Shop at a Farmers' Market



Local farmers' markets are overflowing with fresh, delicious fruits and vegetables. In summer, you're sure to find perfectly ripened tomatoes, sugar-sweet corn, and delicious watermelon. Go to localharvest.org or farmersmarket.com to find a farmers' market near you.



16. Pick Fresh Fruit



You can also enjoy the bounty of summer by going to the farm yourself to gather juicy strawberries or plump blueberries right from the field. Later in the season, try picking peaches or apples from a local orchard. Check pickyourown.org to see if there is a kid-friendly farm in your area.



17. Clean Up a Park



With the kids out of school, it is often hard to keep them busy with productive, meaningful projects. So grab some gloves, some garbage bags, and a rake and head to your neighborhood park. After you finish cleaning up, let the kids spend some time at the park to enjoy the fruits of their labor.



18. Build a Fort



Kids love to have a special place of their own. Let them drape sheets and blankets over some tables, chairs, and piles of couch cushions for a few days, or round up some scrap lumber and cardboard boxes for the perfect outdoor escape.



19. Attend a State or County Fair



A great event for the whole family, local fairs usually have carnival rides, games, food, entertainment, competitions, crafts, and displays. It's the perfect way to celebrate your local culture.



20. Go Stargazing



Warm summer nights are perfect for stargazing. You can make it as simple as admiring the stars in the night sky, or, with a little planning, you can catch meteor showers, locate constellations, and even find out when other planets will be visible. Find a secluded area near your house that has less light pollution so you can enjoy the full glory of the night sky. Go to stardate.org for lots of tips and a weekly calendar of celestial events.



21. Complete a Triathlon



Races are popular and common in the summer, and the days are long enough to give you ample time to prepare. Find a "sprint" triathlon, a form of triathlon that typically includes shorter, more achievable distances for novice racers. Your whole family can participate in the training, making it a summer of health. It can also bring you closer together as you all work towards a common goal! If you can't race, find out how you can assist with one.