Puppets Make puppets out of socks, paper bags, felt, cloth, or popsicle sticks. Make a stage and tell stories. Get out video camera and capture your child's brilliance!

Musical Instruments Whether your musical instruments are home-made with a comb and wax paper or store bought, making music is a wonderful way to spend day. Teach your child that music can be made from anything, from an old oatmeal container, to scratching two pieces of sandpaper together. Go on a walk and just listen to sounds of world -- music is everywhere in our lives.

Dress-up Clothes Get out old prom dresses, big hats, shirts and ties, old Halloween costumes (or buy extra pieces after Halloween for year-round fun!). Bring out a box of costumes and watch shows with your children as stars. Keep a camera handy to capture fun. Also, keep an eye on pets. Cats don't always appreciate wearing a sombrero. Trust me, I have scars to prove it!

Doll-houses There is nothing more fun than watching your child make up stories as family members move around in a doll house. Plus, if it is a wooden dollhouse, there is added benefit of decorating it with some wallpaper scraps and carpet remnants! Your dollhouse could be a family heirloom if you put enough love into it.

In Kitchen Kids love to play Kitchen, whether it is mixing air, or getting to play with food. Give your child a great time by giving them safe kitchen utensils to play with in bathtub. Mixing, pouring, and scooping bubbles and water entertains my children long enough for them to look pruny. Or for a fun alternative, give them puffed rice cereal and some bowls and utensils on kitchen floor. Just plan to vacuum afterwards as there'll be quite a wonderful mess!

I wasn’t real sure what he was talking about. “Puny?” I asked.

“Yeah. Cough a little. I have a plan.”

I figured he was my dad, so I didn’t question him. I proceeded to cough, then I faked a sneeze that was pretty realistic. After that, Ed Jr. leaned over and whispered something to my mom. Then, he looked over at me and muttered,

“Keep lookin’ puny til we get out to car. Let’s go.”

With that, we all got up and left. On his way out, Ed Jr. informed usher that, “...the boy is catchin‘ cold, I gotta take him home and doctor on him.” With that, we all escaped Reverend Kraut, mosquitoes, and that damp, hot air.

We all rushed home and took cold baths. Ed Jr. finished his right after I did, and walked in kitchen. I was already there, looking for a snack. Ed Jr. walked right up to me, and said something that was pretty profound,

“Son, revivals are good, but this was just too damn long. Four straight nights of Reverend Kraut. You’re gonna find when you get older that there are lots of good things in world - preachin’, religion, good fried chicken, and more. But remember this - anything, no matter how good it is, can be bad when you get too much of it. That’s what happened tonight, I’ve had too much religion for one evening, and my system is out of balance.”

I asked, “Dad, how do you get it back in balance?”

“Son, I think visitin’ Homer Chambliss’ store tomorrow evening will do that. An hour there, and I‘ll feel like myself again.”

I came away from that understanding what Ed Jr. meant. We’re all meant to have some balance in our lives, and you can get too much of anything, even real good things. Maybe that’s why I still think about those old revivals now - lessons learned there were powerful, although you really paid a price for having learned them...