Back-to-school sleep tips












Summer Solstice is Here


Today is the longest day of the year meaning it is the Summer Solstice. So let’s celebrate the start of summer with some interesting Summer Solstice facts:

  1. Solstice comes from the latin words sol, meaning sun, and sistere, meaning to come to a stop or stand still.  Today the sun reaches the northernmost position as it can be seen from earth. At this moment, its zenith does not move north or south as during most days of the year, but it stands still above the Tropic of Cancer. It then reverses direction and starts moving south again.
  2. The Summer Solstice happens when the tilt of the earth’s axis is more inclined towards the sun, directly above the Tropic of Cancer.
  3. Depending on the shift of the calendar, the Summer Solstice can occur between June 20th and June 22nd.
  4. It occurs at the same time across the world. Technically, the Summer Solstice occurs the exact instant the sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Cancer. Today that is at 22:34 UTC.
  5. Today the sun rose at 5:39 am and will set at 8:33 pm giving us 14 hours, 53 minutes and 52 seconds of daylight.
  6. Many think that since it is summer in the northern hemisphere, the earth is closest to the sun during the Summer Solstice. But it is the opposite — the earth is technically the farthest from the sun during this time of the year.The Artic Circle will have 24 hours of daylight today.
  7. This will be the first Summer Solstice with a full moon in decades. The full moon — also known as the Strawberry Moon — will coincide with the Summer Solstice. This is the first time these two events have occurred on the same day since 1967 and will not happen again until 2062.

25 Ideas to Kick Your Summer Off Right






  4. Pick berries.


  1. Have a picnic at a park.
  2. Go canoeing at a local lake.
  3. Have a backyard campfire – with s’mores.
  4. Go biking on a trail.


  1. Plant a garden of herbs and veggies.
  3. Visit a museum.


  7. Lace up your skates and go rollerskating.


  8. Make popsicles with your favorite organic juice.
  9. Visit a flea market.

    Screen Shot 2014-06-10 at 11.24.33 AM

  13. Attend an outdoor festival or concert.
  14. Find a local carnival.
  15. Have homemade-pizza night.


  16. Fall into a good book.



Plan A Picnic





1. Edamame






4. Pita Chips with Hummus


5. Homemade Trail Mix (dried fruits and nuts)




7. Shrimp and Lemon Skewers


8. Yogurt


9. Fruit Salad





Spring is in the Air…




1. Read outside on a blanket in the sun

2. Go fishing with your buddies

images-13. Do some spring cleaning to fun music


20893414909de221e35e3b2d0ff7b1fa-15. Fly a kite on the beach

6. Plan a “staycation” with these cool ideas

7. Take pictures of wildflowers

5847087633_598af01050_z-18. Make this delicious “dirt cake”:

6309663259aac1a07cbdb3f4d3e9cf879. Walk barefoot on cool grass

10. Make a fairy garden like this one!



Take Your Summer Vacation from Forgettable to Memorable


  1. Take a Hike

    Bidwell Park - Chico, CA
    Bidwell Park – Chico, CA


  1. Go for a Bike Ride



  1. Visit a Local Farmer’s Market or Street Fair



  1. Plant a Garden


  1. Host a Potluck Dinner



  1. Cool Off



  1. Volunteer


  1. Plan A Mini Vacation

    Fisherman camping at a wilderness lake

