Staycation

Yes, it's summer time, when all the kids are out of school and families plan to take much needed vacations together! I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Virtuous Consumer, and this is what she had to say:

The green alternative — a “staycation”

It’s the latest buzz word in the green world. With gas prices soaring along with our stress levels regarding climate change, more of us are assessing our impact — with vacations high up on the list.
While I’m a firm believer in the need to take time away from work and just play — and a stay-at-home holiday can sometimes mean more work than your paying job — becoming a tourist in your hometown (or a nearby community) can be the best of both worlds. You remove yourself from evidence of all the nagging jobs that need
doing at home…and you extricate yourself from your desk.
Unplug the cell phone, disable the work e-mail and truly relax. Take in a local museum or art gallery, bike to a farmer’s market and pick up the ingredients for a picnic. Take the kids to an organic farm in the country or a pick-your-own strawberry patch.
Whatever you do, tread lightly…and leave the gas guzzler at home.

While we won't be sitting home all summer (we will be going to Water Country, Story Land and Portsmouth), we won't be doing as much traveling as we have in the past. The great thing about the Lakes Region is that there is so much to do right in our community. There are the beaches, hiking trails, pick-your-own berry farms (we've been twice already), the outlets, playgrounds, friends' houses, the multi-cultural festival in September, free concerts in the park...the list goes on and on. It's my first summer off with my kids and I am going to take full advantage of all there is to do around here!