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Marybeth
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| Posted: July 10 2005 at 12:16pm | IP Logged
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We have been convicted to really spend Sunday as a day of rest and family time. When I was working it was a day of prep for my classroom and trying to catch up on the week's housework. I really want my ds to have a better understanding and realization of the sabbath. We love taking the time each week to really be together and not work on various projects or do errands.
We now need some ideas for cheap family fun. It seems like everything we find to do in our area is so much $$$$. Now, with my dh going to be out of a job we need to cut back on expenses and try to live a bit more simply.
Any ideas?? TIA! Hope you are all having a relaxing and refreshing day!
Marybeth
PS Of course, today being Sunday I should be with my family instead of on the computer! Dh is working on a quick project b/c out of town company is coming soon!
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tovlo4801
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| Posted: July 10 2005 at 1:42pm | IP Logged
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Play board games together. Go swimming at a public beach, or play at a public park. Take nature walks together as a family. Watch family movies together. Play backyard games (catch, frisbee, croquet, etc.). Read (or listen to) a book together. Barbeque or get-together with another family. Go bike riding, or roller-blading, or cross-country skiing. Rent a paddle boat or a canoe for the afternoon. Visit a really nice bookstore together. Actually there are probably a number of types of stores that would be fun to visit. There is an outdoor store in our area that has a climbing wall in it for free.
Is there a historical society in your area? We have one here in Minnesota that has a great free museum and several locations around the state that are free or very inexpensive to visit.
Check and see what might be available at libraries in your area. A library system nearby us checks out day family passes to a local Children's museum (free). They also have great free programs for the public - book readings by the author, travel presentations, childrens programs, etc. I just saw yesterday a local library is playing movies on the side of their building certain evenings for the public to enjoy for free. I thought that would be a really nice evening out. The historical society that I mentioned puts on a free concert of local music on their lawn some evenings in the summer.
Check out your department of natural resources. Ours has a calander of events that is just chock full of things to do in our state.
Local universities will often have fun things going on that are inexpensive or free.
Another option is to find an events calendar online for your area on the internet. Just google "events calendar (your state)". I was just looking through one for our local area yesterday to find fun inexpensive things to do in our city. I found free concerts and theatre performances. There is a raptor center in our area that is always putting on free presentations. Especially in the summer you can usually find all kinds of festivals to attend. There are art festivals and city celebrations all over the place!
If there is a civic center in your area they often have themed fairs on weekends that are open to the public. My brother is notoriously cheap and he invited us to go to a health & fitness fair a while back. It's mostly booths of people wanting to sell things, but they all are giving free demonstrations and services that you can have fun with. We got free massages, healthy food samples, and creative toy demonstrations. We truly had a fun day. A local events calander would show you where many of these things are.
I just thought about your local diocesean newspaper. Ours has a calander of events and there are often inexpensive performances at Catholic schools or festivals to go to.
I hope others have some additional suggestions. I decided long ago that I needed Sunday not to be errand catch-up day. Our Sunday is now mostly just rest at it's laziest.  We run all week long and for us it's nice to just sit and veg on Sunday. I've been thinking that we need to at least somewhat regularly take advantage of Sunday for family activities. Thanks for making me think of all sorts of things to do!
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Kelly
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| Posted: July 12 2005 at 8:48pm | IP Logged
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Read the exerpt from the book, "Through the Year with the Von Trapp Family", entitled "The Week without a Sunday". They sell it exerpted at Emmanuel Books (or read it in the Von Trapp book, great book!). It really changed the way I thought about Sundays. That, and my elderly aunt, who admonished me when she found out I paid bills on Sunday, saying that that was the hardest work of all!
Even tho my way of thinking of the Sabbath has changed, we have always made Sunday our family day, a holdover from my growing up when my mother always insisted that Sundays were for the family. We don't typically play at other people's houses that day, or go out singly, but usually do SOMETHING as a family. First Mass, then perhaps bagels together, then perhaps a Family Activity like hiking around our farm, going to the beach, visiting the botanical gardens or art museum, or just going out on the boat with our cousins. Sometimes we just take a walk in the park. I try not to keep Sunday supper simple but delicious: steaks on the grill ( a real treat)...or freshly-ground wheat pancakes with berries and whipped cream (yes, for supper...). When I was growing up, we all used to chafe at the "restrictions" of Sunday, but now I REALLY enjoy it as a Day of Rest and a time to be together.
Kelly in FL
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Kelly
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| Posted: July 12 2005 at 8:50pm | IP Logged
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Oops, that's "I try TO keep Sunday supper simple..."
Kelly in FL
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ALmom
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| Posted: July 12 2005 at 10:46pm | IP Logged
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We always have a big breakfast/brunch after church. Pancakes, omelets, biscuits, bacon and sausage and OJ with the meal. It is the only day of the week that we have these foods.
We go to the park as a family - or to the walking trail through the creek (Our dc always end up in the creek but we start out catching minows or skipping rocks or feeding the fish) or bike riding as a family.
We pray a family rosary for the intentions of the holy father as a family. This takes us a very long time because everyone has to pick out the rosary they want to use and we frequently get interrupted by our 2 yo antics and have to re-collect our thoughts again after a good laugh.
My dh had us all acting out one of the readings from Mass - all of us taking on roles. We need to get back to this.
We lounge around reading good books, playing scrabble, taking a nap (mom and dad's favorite - not generally the children's). If it is a feast day - we may gather around the piano and sing. (not the ds favorite)or we do that activity that the dc have been wanting to do for a while that our busyness never allowed us to get to - like driving out to an open field so the boys can launch their model rockets, etc. We sometimes set up the kiddie pool or sprinkler. We may go on a drive through the countryside, or visit a shrine or historic church. If we do this, we generally combine it with a trip to the zoo in the same area. We rarely spend any money on Sunday, but have a great time. We also like to get together with other families and grill out from time to time. (This is not getting together with individual friends - but inviting an elderly/single adult or the priest over or a family that interacts with our family as a whole unit) Whatever we do, we do it all together as a family - except the napping which is mom and dad while children read, play or otherwise occupy themselves for an hour.
It is a favorite day to have roast and potatoes and carrots in the crock pot. I generally do the dishes instead of asking the children and they generally make most of the breakfast with dh.
We have some Sundays that our oldest dd has orchestra concerts and we do go to these (they are free here) and make it something more to look forward to for the younger ds by going out to eat afterwards at a buffett that has deserts. We bring the elderly widowed lady that does not drive which gives her an outing and us a wealth of interaction with someone who spent her childhood in Siberia (her Polish family was taken by the Russians to Siberia when they occupied half of Poland in WWII then escaped after the war - ended up in France before finally arriving in the U.S.) There are also band concerts in the park in the summer and we take a picnic dinner to these and come and go as interest prevails - being outdoors the littlest tend to have fun dancing in the grass.
We try to avoid stores and excessive busy things. (Our family is more inclined to the slower pace and like Sundays for this). If we have a museum pass, we may do that on rainy days, or we may watch a movie- but we've also been known to all go playing in the rain - trying our hand at diverting the water in the gutter or getting the bike tires to spray up muddy water like a sprinkler. It is one of the few days in the week that we do watch videos. We may check them out early in the week in anticipation of Sunday - and then make pop-corn and let everyone eat pop-corn sitting in the living room. We do have the fortune of living in an area that does not get excessively cold. If there is any snow the whole city shuts down and we, of course, take advantage of that and sled, etc. (garbage can lids and other make-shift items make reasonable sleds here). Somewhere else, indoor activities may be more important.
Kelly, we also read the pamphlet from the Von Trapps - and it helped us make changes in our Sundays. We periodically pull it out and read it as a family and elicit suggestions from the children for things that they would like to do to make Sundays special and we try to incorporate these ideas little by little.
Janet
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Kelly
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| Posted: July 12 2005 at 11:24pm | IP Logged
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Janet, that Von Trapp chapter really IS thought-provoking, isn't it? I think I misled you all on the title, though. I believe it is entitled "The LAND without a Sunday".
Kelly in FL
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Cheryl
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| Posted: July 12 2005 at 11:53pm | IP Logged
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These are great ideas everyone!!!
Whenever I look at the Emmanuel books catalog I want to get the Von Trapp booklet, but I've never ordered anything from there yet.
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Cheryl
Wife to Bob ('97)
Mom to Matthew 13, Joseph 11, Sarah 10, Rachel 6, Hannah almost 4 and Mary 1
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Marybeth
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| Posted: July 13 2005 at 8:49pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for akk the suggestions thus far! I hope they keep coming so we can stay busy.
Marybeth 
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Becky Parker
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This is such a timely post for me. DH and I were just discussing this last week. We have a nephew who is really struggling and doesn't seem to have any relationship with his parents. We were talking about how to avoid this sort of thing when our dc reach adolescence. Spending Sunday just doing fun things was one of the things we came up with - sort of family bonding time. We're hoping to go hiking and canoeing more often on Sundays. We have one little problem though...my husband just loves Sunday afternoon football games and, as long as I have known him has always watched them. So I'm not sure what we're going to do when football season comes. I wish I could change this about him, but then, he works so hard all the time I feel like if he wants to watch a football game one day a week I should let him. Maybe we should make the football game our family thing for that period of time...doesn't appeal to me but I'm not sure what else to do.
Becky
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Marybeth
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Ah, the "football widow" situation...I know it well.
My dh loves college football so there are many weekend afternoons that he and ds watch the games. They wrestle and etc. while they watch. I love seeing them spend time together, and ds has learned all about football. I usually read my book or organize photos, but we are in the same room. This way I am not forced to watch the whole game. 
Dh will tell me to look and see certain replays, and I cheer when there is a touchdown or great play.
I grew up in a sports loving family so I am use to these types of afternoons.
Marybeth
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JennGM
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| Posted: July 14 2005 at 10:06am | IP Logged
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Cheryl wrote:
| Whenever I look at the Emmanuel books catalog I want to get the Von Trapp booklet, but I've never ordered anything from there yet. |
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The original book text Around the Year with the Trapp Family is available here online. You'll have to scroll down to find that chapter, but it's good reading.
Although I like to support Emmanuel Books, I would recommend buying the whole book in used form. Bookfinder.com has several copies starting at $15.00, which is a good deal.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Erica Sanchez
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To take the Sunday rest and all a lit bit further.....
It occurred to me several years ago that while I knew I didn't want to work on Sundays, I should try to avoid doing things that would cause someone else to work. For example, going out to eat or to the movies. Is this extreme? I know there are exceptions - my dad was a fireman for 35 years and my good friend is a labor and delivery nurse - great exceptions.
There are many great suggestions that wouldn't require someone else working. It would be great if our country could get back to the Sunday rest (stores closed, etc.), but that seem doubtful! I read somewhere that doing household chores (like laundry) on Sunday seems like it will make the week more peaceful, it never does! I probably read that on this board!
Needing to follow the Sunday rest a little more consistently myself......
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Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
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ourladyslilac
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| Posted: July 15 2005 at 1:38am | IP Logged
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Erica Sanchez wrote:
.....
I should try to avoid doing things that would cause someone else to work. For example, going out to eat or to the movies. Is this extreme? ...... |
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Not extreme, just being mindful of others. We do the same. We tell the kids that we avoid causing anyone else to work on Sunday so thaat the waitress or cashier or movie ticket-taker can spend time with their family and God.
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tovlo4801
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Erica Sanchez wrote:
To take the Sunday rest and all a lit bit further.....
It occurred to me several years ago that while I knew I didn't want to work on Sundays, I should try to avoid doing things that would cause someone else to work. For example, going out to eat or to the movies. Is this extreme? |
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Erica,
No it's not at all. I've been feeling bad about some of my suggestions in my original post. I got on a streak of thinking up fun, inexpensive things to do with the family and kind of forgot the question was originally about Sunday. We actually try very hard not to make anyone work on Sunday. I think it's a small step toward moving things back to the way Sunday should be. Thank you for mentioning this.
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Erica Sanchez
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Don't feel bad! I loved your suggestions, Richelle! There really are so many good things to do for free or very inexpensively and your list reminded me of them! Soon to be living on somewhat of a budget, so I'll print these posts for ideas/reminders!
God bless!
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Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
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Kelly
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I agree, the idea is for everyone to be able to be home with their families. We really try to avoid commerical activities like going to the store or the theatres on Sunday, but find it a harder struggle to stay away from eating establishments if we want to have a hassle-free family dinner out Sunday night. Still, we keep making baby steps in that direction. I know it's justifying things, but since Jewish people don't celebrate the Sabbath on Sunday, we kinda wondered if patronizing Jewish establishments on Sunday wasn't "ok"?
Still fine-tuning the Sabbath! Kelly in FL
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Marybeth
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I'm looking forward to reading Around the Year with the Trapp Family. Thanks for giving the link to it on-line.
We plan to attend Mass and then head into Chicago this Sunday. My dh and I are both looking forward to this outing. We just love the summer months!!!
God bless,
Marybeth
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Erica Sanchez
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| Posted: July 16 2005 at 12:34am | IP Logged
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Kelly,
The Jewish faith kept popping into my head as I was reading and responding to this thread - funny!
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Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Keeping Sundays Holy
