Happy Painting!

We went to get our vehicle's emissions checked.  Surprisingly it was a very quick and awesome experience!  

Until we run completely on solar, hydro and wind power, everyone must do their part to keep the air as safe as possible.  Emissions from the tailpipes of cars, busses and trucks are harmful at high levels to public health and the health of the environment.  For example, some cancers, asthma and other diseases have been linked to prolonged exposure to toxins found in smog.  VOCs, Sulfur oxide, Nitrogen oxide, Carbon Monoxide and Hydrocarbons are all gases and matter tested during your regularly scheduled test.  

Our emissions test site uses Envirotest (http://www.etest.com/clean-screen/).  This test was quick and it measures emissions by Remote Sensing Devices.  Remote Sensing Devices (RSDs) "are specially designed emissions analyzers that are placed roadside to measure specific vehicle emissions using low-intensity infrared and ultraviolet beams" (http://www.etest.com/remote-sensing-device-technology/what-is-rsd/). Pretty cool stuff!

Stay on top of your vehicle's emissions so that you don't accumulate any fines!  To read more about government regulation and cool emissions information, please check out the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website: 
http://www.epa.gov/nvfel/

We visited a farm and had the best time ever! 

Corn maze, activities, petting zoo, sweet treats, cider, kettle corn, pumpkin patch, hay rides! It was an extravaganza!  

The farm and pumpkin patch are great places to spend time as a family! Fall is coming to an end but we really encourage everyone to make this one of their annual family trips!

Here, we walk around the produce section of a Spanish Market picking up produce. We're naming objects we know (recognition). We're relating the unknown objects to things we've experienced before (comparison).  This trip was a great way to encourage  hypothesis, sensory experiences and child guided conversation.

Encourage your child to explore the grocery store. There's so much there!
Pick up items and have them describe those items to you!

What colors?
What smells?
What sounds?
What textures?

These are all great questions that you want your child to consider as they are discovering and cataloging the world around them.

You don't have to travel far to see the awesome culture and beautiful places and people around you.  If you live in a large metropolitan area, look for the rich cultural strongholds, neighborhoods and communities in your metropolis. Many cities have communities with historically rich and culturally dense experiences waiting to be explored.  We went to Chinatown and had a great time eating and shopping and experiencing the wonder around us.

Google your neighborhood/county library and see what fun activities are available for young readers near you!


Check out these fun activities provided by the Association for Library Service to Children (a division of the American Library Association): http://www.ala.org/alsc/issuesadv/kidscampaign/libraryactivities