Savvy Family

from Sioux Falls Woman Magazine - June/July 2022

Mental Health

Savvy Summertime Fun

By Jennifer Dumke

Summertime and the Living is Easy.” Ella Fitzgerald sings it best! You can feel it in the air; smell the aroma of fresh cut grass, hear the sounds of children playing and the off-key melodies of ice cream trucks and street musicians. It’s wonderful! Let’s embrace the season and not let today’s generation redefine summer by holing up inside on electronic devices while snacking on junk food. Let’s take a savvy positive approach and implement some of the following tips, tricks, and trends to keep your family happy, and entertained this summer season. V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N: We’re gonna have a ball – Nothing will ever replace the memories of a traditional summer family vacation. It might mean driving long distances making many stops to see landmarks (like the world’s largest ball of yarn), flying to a resort - amusement park- sports venue, or visiting relatives at a reunion. All of the aforementioned make for great vacations – just always keep in mind that half the fun is in the journey rather than the destination. Include every family member in the planning phase. And when you go - be sure to take lots of photos and journal each days’ activities. Vacations are so versatile - they can fit into any savvy budget. Whatever you choose to do - the ultimate goal is the same; make family memories. If a savvy “staycation” is on the agenda this year – Try engaging your family in outdoor activities Yes, even yardwork can be fun! And everyone will enjoy the outcomes. Allow your little ones to help with the work and then have them make small bouquets of fresh blooms if you have a flower garden. For the green thumbs who planted vegetables, get your kiddos to join you when picking them. Who knows, maybe if they play a part in the harvest they will actually eat their veggies? Fairy gardens are extremely cool

” (sans the dirt) and can be as small or large as you wish and placed almost anywhere. However, if you live in South Dakota and if you have delicate pieces, you may want to consider putting the fairy garden in a sheltered area below a deck, under a tree or a place that isn’t exposed to the elements. Summer is synonymous with food – Outdoor activities make you hungry! Involve the entire family in planning menu’s that involve grilling outdoors or making new “no bake” recipes. Although it’s not advised that children be near any type of heating element, they can still have fun observing and helping. Make the foods you love and take the summer fun one step further by eating outside. You don’t need a fancy patio or picnic shelter – a colorful blanket on the grass in your own back yard will make any summer food taste scrumptious. The dog days of summer will eventually arrive – making waterworks of all sorts a savvy summertime activity! If you live in an area that has a swimming pool or and outdoor waterpark, be sure to purchase a season pass so everyone can easily go to play and cool off. No community pool or waterpark close by? A trip to a local store will provide you an endless variety of blow-up pools, slides, and toys to keep the family cool and active with a simple garden hose in your own backyard. Finally, try a little kindness – Be kind to yourself and teach this to your children. You don’t have to be savvy to know that just soaking up the vibes of summer may be the best way to spend quality relaxing family time. Self-kindness is simple; swing in a hammock, pick fresh herbs, read a book, take a walk, gaze at the stars. Doing it together with family makes for the best summertime imaginable. n

CHAPTER 1 HOSTS STAND UP FOR WOMEN VETERANS RETREAT

By Jill Baker, Junior Vice Commander, SDDAV Chapter 1

DAV Arthur H. Muchow Chapter 1 hosted its first annual Stand Up for Women Veterans Wellness Retreat on Saturday, March 26, 2022 in Sioux Falls. More than 50 women veterans and service members attended the one day event at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. Holding true to the purpose of strengthening the leadership, power, and voices of military women, there was free childcare, a healthy lunch buffet, 21 vendor booths, parent/child activities, 4 wellness sessions, a motivational speaker, and a lunch-n-learn. We were honored to host Ashleigh Byrnes, Deputy National Communications Director for DAV National Service and Legislative Headquarters. Ashleigh provided information about the legislative work and efforts DAV is making to be more inclusive of women and other marginalized veteran populations. Thank you to Ashleigh (and her six year old son, Jack), our motivational speaker Lori Byers Walsh, and the speakers who hosted the wellness sessions (representing The Vet Center, VHA, and VBOC). We would also like to thank our event partners for their hard work and dedication to making this retreat a success. We couldn’t have put on this event without the support of our event coordinator, Community Action for Veterans, and event partners whose inkind hours and donations totaled more than $16,000! A hardy thank you to all of you! Keep an eye out for information about the next retreat which will be held in March 2023. Updates will be available on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ SDDAVChp1