My children, like many others I know, are frantically trying to cram as much summer as possible into this weekend. I've dropped off and picked up my two more times than I thought possible - we've had beach parties and sleepovers and shopping trips and even a Wolf Trap concert. And let's not even talk about the hours of video games! I hope I'm not the only mom whose children have to be dragged out of bed during the school year, only to have those same children wake themselves up early all summer long, in order to have more time for fun.

Nevertheless, the new school year is almost here. My house is littered with books and spiral notebooks and new clothes. I noticed enhanced traffic enforcement on Fort Meade yesterday, with electronic signs warning that "School Starts August 25." The big day is definitely upon us.

For many military families, this will be the first day at yet another new school. Moving is part of military life, and this means our beloved children change schools frequently. This is one time of year that students need lots and lots of love at home, because new classrooms and academic challenges can be so nerve-wracking.

For us, there aren't so many worries. That's because, after several years of camping out in Catholic school parking lots, usually before dawn, and trying to figure out how to help my children adapt to new schools, we decided to try homeschooling. That was six years ago and we're still going strong. Still, I know exactly what it's like to be Standard Issue Military Mom, working full time with a deployed husband, calling ahead to schools near the next duty station to see what I'm getting myself into. It's tough duty, I know.

I also worked as a substitute teacher on an overseas military base, teaching students of all ages. I taught kindergarten and 7th grade life science and pre-calculus. I learned a lot about military kids, and I quickly discovered that they're just like everyone else. They want to fit in. The only problem is, they move often enough that "fitting in" is a very frequent challenge.

Changing schools is hard, but there are a few things we, as parents, can do to help our children adjust. First, we can listen. This means active listening, where we ask a few open-ended questions and then truly pay attention to our child's answers. We don't do dishes or send a text message while this happens. Children want to know they come first with us, that we'll truly be open to them when they want to talk. If we start now, when they're teens they'll still want to share their worries with us.

Second, we can get to know each new school - teachers, administrators, counselors and anyone else involved in the lives of our children. It takes time, but it's time well spent. Volunteering is one great way to find out more about a school, but making appointments for conferences can be valuable, too. If a parent is deploying, be sure to discuss this with teachers and counselors.

Third, we can give our children ways to connect. My children are active in Scouting, and we've always been able to find troops for them to join. Scouts, 4-H, church groups and service organizations can help your child not only find common ground with peers but also learn valuable life skills they'll use forever.

Fourth, we can do our homework. We can research new schools and new duty stations before moving time arrives. We can offer children choices about involvement in team sports, on-post youth programs and other extra-curricular activities.

Finally, and most important, we can give our children our time. Quantity does count. Even the busiest active duty parent can set aside time for a meal away from the TV, or for a walk around the neighborhood, or for a half-hour playground visit. Time with our children doesn't ha ... this is an abbreviated post. Read the entire article.

For someone who only flies once or twice a year, I spend a lot of time at local airports. Today I actually made two trips to BWI, one to turn in a rental car and one to drop off my husband.

One of BWI's best-kept secrets is the outstanding USO lounge on the baggage claim level, right before you reach the international part of the terminal. I stopped by there today in order to take advantage of their free wi-fi so I could check my husband in for his return flight on Southwest Airlines. (We're experts at playing the online check-in game at my house. It's a test of skill, believe me.)

I cranked up my laptop and took a look around. Normally, when I'm at the USO lounge, things are pretty quiet, but not today. Counting myself, 13 people were taking advantage of the free wi-fi, and several of them were recharging their laptops. Another 10 - 15 people were watching the news on the big-screen TV. Others were reading newspapers or just relaxing for a few minutes. One gentleman was using one of the USO's computers. A few children were enjoying treats donated by the Girl Scouts and other groups. USO volunteers were checking restrooms, helping servicemembers and doing their best to make everyone feel at home.

I first encountered the USO nearly 20 years ago in Italy, and really came to appreciate their services the first time I visited the Dover Air Force Base AMC terminal. The USO's lounge there included toys, changing tables and a safe space for children to play, just perfect for my active toddler son. Since that time, we've booked hotel rooms, enjoyed free coffee and cookies, asked for local travel information and notified friends of our arrival by email from various USO offices in the U.S. and Europe. Wherever we've been stationed, the USO has been there to offer help and support. In fact, I landed my first freelance writing assignment based partially on the willingness of USO staffers to be interviewed for my proposed article.

If you happen to have a layover at BWI, Dulles or Reagan National Airport and you hold a military ID card, stop by the USO lounge. If you have a long layover, the lounge is a comfortable, friendly place to wait. Whether or not you're carrying a laptop, you can catch up on email and check your flight status. You can even borrow a book to take on your flight.

The USO has been supporting servicemembers and their families around the world since 1941. Dedicated USO volunteers are waiting to help you, whether you're at home here in Maryland or traveling abroad. Before you finalize your travel plans, don't forget to see what the USO has to offer.

Yes, I know it's the Boy Scout motto. I'm married to an Eagle Scout, and my son spent all morning working on the Radio merit badge - he's on the path to Eagle, too. I've borrowed this well-known phrase for a very good reason. Everyone needs an emergency plan.

The last 24 hours have brought this fact home to me in a very personal way. Yesterday I found myself heading out to northern Virginia to see what had become of our friend, Dan, who's a single Air Force retiree. Dan's entire family lives on the West Coast. All of Dan's close friends knew he'd been home sick, but we didn't get worried until Dan stopped answering his phone. "That's not like him," another friend said, and I agreed to go out to check on Dan.

Just as I was turning onto Leesburg Pike, Dan called me. From the hospital. I was so relieved to hear his voice! Turns out he'd called an ambulance when he realized he'd taken a serious turn for the worse, and he'd been admitted to a local hospital. Dan had been unable to call anyone because the hospital phones only worked for local calls and he couldn't use his cell phone inside the hospital complex. He finally realized I have a Virginia area code on my cell phone, so he called me. Dan went home today, I'm happy to report, but I think everyone in our group of military/retiree friends will be talking about emergency plans for our single buddies. They need to know they can call us, 24/7, if they're ill or in crisis.

This morning, I sat down to my laptop only to hear the piercing tones of my smoke alarm. It stopped after a moment, but soon started up again. I started looking for a fire or electrical problem, but found only the usual clutter and cat fur. By this time my children were awake, and, of course, they were frightened. They came right to the front door and I sent them outside. I called 911 and explained the situation as I grabbed my emergency box and joined my children in front of our house.

Of course, as soon as I hung up the telephone, the smoke alarm went quiet. I told the children we'd stay outside anyway, just in case. The firefighters arrived, diagnosed possible dust in my smoke alarms, made helpful suggestions and departed. We were safe, and very relieved.

You may have noticed the phrase "emergency box," and I'd like to tell you about it. I have always kept our important papers - the ones you need all the time, like shot records, not the ones that live in my safe deposit box - in a box or backpack, just in case we ever need to exit quickly. The Air Force put me through evacuation training back in the mid-1980's, when we lived overseas and thought perhaps the Soviets would send missiles our way. We learned to keep all that paperwork in one place so we could grab it and run if evacuation orders ever came. Two decades later, I still have an emergency box, and it was the work of seconds to pick it up and go out my front door.

One final note: I've lived through two hurricanes and one big earthquake. While you're putting that emergency box together, take a look at your pantry and set aside some emergency supplies. FEMA has a great list of things you can do to prepare for a disaster; it's worth taking a look at this informative Web site.

Once you've settled here in Anne Arundel County, you'll discover that family and friends who never visited you in Korea or Kansas are more than happy to stay near our nation's capital. There's so much to see and do, and you're an expert on local attractions, right?

We've been stationed here three times (four tours of duty) so far, and we've taken quite a few people on outings to Annapolis, Baltimore and the District. If you're not sure what options to offer your houseguests, please allow me to suggest some tried-and-true favorites.

• The National Air and Space Museum is on everyone's "must see" list. The museum's staggeringly huge collection of aircraft, spacecraft and memorabilia is justifiably world-famous. (Tip: Once you've been there a couple of times, write up walking directions and suggest that your guests take Metro to the Smithsonian museums - unless, of course, you totally love Air and Space.)



• The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center ("Air and Space Annex") near Dulles Airport is also quite popular with out-of-town visitors. It's a fair distance away, so you'll need to time your visit around rush hour. Parking is $12 (oof) but the museum is free. (Tip: Camera buffs should arrive just as the museum opens to get the best - as in people-free - photos.)



• The National Mall and presidential memorials are also high on most visitors' lists. Everyone wants to climb the steps to the Lincoln Memorial and see the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial; don't forget to point out the newer memorials, such as the FDR Memorial and the World War II Memorial.



• Historic Annapolis and the U.S. Naval Academy are easy to visit in a day. Take a self-guided walking tour of Annapolis' historic sites, break for lunch and stop by the Academy's Visitor Center for a guided tour. (Last tour departs at 3:00 P.M.) Diehard shoppers will enjoy the eclectic mix of stores and galleries between State Circle and the City Dock.



• Baltimore's National Aquarium is, of course, another top attraction. We prefer visiting the Aquarium on weekday mornings; it gets extremely crowded on weekends. Plan ahead and get discount tickets from Annapolis ITT.



• Port Discovery in Baltimore is a great place to take active kids when the weather turns sour. They can play and climb to their hearts' content.



• The Star-Spangled Banner Flag House is a great place to take history buffs. Here you'll learn the history of the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write his famous poem, which became our national anthem. The friendly staff will help you make the most of your visit. Closed Sundays and Mondays. (Tip: Wander over into Little Italy and stop by Vaccaro's for gelato or pastry



• Local parks offer young visitors a chance to run around and blow off steam. My favorites are Kinder Farm Park in Millersville and Downs Park in Pasadena. Aviation buffs will prefer the Thomas A. Dixon Aircraft Observation Area on Dorsey Road near BWI. You'll be amazed at just how many people hang out there to watch and photograph airplanes. (In fact, my husband and son are there with a houseguest as I write this post.)

If you have favorite places to take out-of-town visitors, e-mail me and I'll include them in a future blog post.

My family loves baseball. In fact, my son went to his first Orioles baseball game when he was about four months old, the year Camden Yards opened. We just had to see the Orioles' new home, so we brought our baby along. My daughter's first game was a Norfolk Tides game, at about the same age.

While we enjoy major league baseball, there's a special place in our hearts for our favorite minor league teams. As diehard O's fans, we naturally adopted the Baysox, and we were thrilled when the Tides also became part of the Orioles' farm system. We try to go to several minor league games each season. We love the family-oriented atmosphere, the crazy antics of Bowie Louie, the team's mascot, and the fireworks. Prince George's Stadium is an easy drive from most parts of Anne Arundel County - another plus.

If you're active duty military, the Bowie Baysox offer a $3 discount on general admission tickets and $2 off their upper reserved seating tickets. Parking's free, too, so you can watch an action-packed game without breaking the bank. The O's don't have military pricing for single-game tickets, but if you get a group of 12 active duty folks together, you can get $5 off any available ticket location for any game except Opening Day. Bring your own peanuts and save some money on snacks.

We've enjoyed the Orioles' Military Family Days for several years. You have to purchase tickets through your base ITT office for this event. You'll get a picnic lunch (served family style) at the ballpark - you can bring a drink into the stadium from the picnic area before the game - and there are usually giveaways in the picnic area before the game starts. We've come home with T-shirts, picture frames and more.

Another thing we like to do is stop by ITT offices when we're on vacation and ask about discount baseball tickets. In the Norfolk area, for example, we've saved a few bucks on Tides tickets by going to ITT to buy ticket vouchers, which are redeemable at the Tides' box office. Wherever you go, attending a minor league ball game is a great way to spend an evening.

By the way, the Baysox' Navy Night is August 15. Pick up your free tickets at Naval Station Annapolis ITT or Fort Meade ITR starting August 1.

My daughter is a competitive Irish step dancer. Until now, she has only participated in competitions close to home. Today I found out about a feis (that's an Irish step dance competition) that's a little farther away. I won't be able to make the round trip in a day.

Fortunately, we've discovered a great way to save money when we travel. We stay in military lodging.

I'm sure you've seen those books in your base exchange - the ones about space-available travel and military lodging around the world. You may have seen Web sites that provide links to military lodging - Navy Lodges, Air Force Inns - and to military cottage rental information.

It's worth your time to investigate these lodging options. You can really save a lot of money if you're willing to stay on a military base. That doesn't mean you have to be far away from fun things to do. For example:

• The Navy Lodge at Dam Neck, Virginia Beach, is just a short walk away from the base's private beach.


• The Air Force Inn at Hanscom AFB, Mass., is a five-minute drive from Minute Man National Historical Park, which features Concord Bridge and the road the Redcoats used to flee back to Boston on April 19, 1775, when the American Revolution began.


• The Miramar Inn, at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, is about 15 miles from downtown San Diego.


• Cheatham Annex, in Yorktown, Va., rents cabins just 15 minutes from Colonial Williamsburg, at half the price of a local hotel room.

I've stayed at all of these places, as well as military cottages and lodgings in such places as Germany, Italy, Illinois and West Virginia. Everywhere we've traveled, we've enjoyed good-quality rooms at very reasonable prices.

Of course, the secret's out, so you'll have to plan ahead if you want to reserve a room. If you're taking a last-minute trip, go ahead and call, just in case. We booked a room at Hanscom AFB a week before we arrived, even though we were traveling on a holiday weekend. Cost? $47.

My car broke down yesterday. Unfortunately for me, I was driving it. The temperature light came on and I pulled over right away (can you tell I have cracked an engine block before?). I checked for leaks and added all the water I had on hand to the overflow tank.

We were on the way to drop my daughter off at a friend's home in Annapolis when this happened, so I called and asked them to pick her up. Next, I called AAA and my husband to set up the towing and pickup process. By the time my friend arrived, I had everything set up. She remarked on my calm attitude. "Did you expect this?" she asked.

Well, no. But, all things considered, I was in good shape. It was daylight. My husband was at work, not on five airplanes in one day (that was Wednesday). I didn't have to worry about my daughter. I had two books to read. And, it was Friday, so the NSA Annapolis Auto Skills Shop was open.

If you're in the military or married to the military and you've never visited an Auto Skills Shop (sometimes called an Auto Hobby Shop), you might want to drop by the shops at Annapolis or Fort Meade. Auto Skills Shops are designed to help you fix your own cars. There are service bays, lifts and every tool you can think of. You can look up parts and refer to repair manuals on the office computer. All this is available for a nominal charge.

Best of all, if you're new to do-it-yourself repairs, you don't have to panic. The staff will help you figure out what's wrong with your car and show you how to fix it. They know where to buy parts and how to disassemble and repair all kinds of cars. Before you know it, you'll be back on the road - maybe with a little grease under your nails, but with most of your money still in your wallet where it belongs.

So, what happened to my car? Well, AAA arrived in an amazingly timely fashion. We pulled into the Auto Skills Shop and Jime, the manager, threw up his arms when he saw me - you know, the "What now?" look. He checked my oil and showed me how to rule out the possibility of a blown head gasket. He checked the radiator - completely empty. (Good thing I pulled over!) After filling the radiator, Jime showed me how to check for leaks and make sure the water was circulating properly.

By the time my husband arrived, we were ready to check the thermostat and water pump. Jime has a cool tool that takes the temperature of individual car parts - kind of like an ear thermometer for cars. You use it to make sure no part is overheated and that the thermostat is properly regulating the engine's temperature. All systems were go.

Diagnosis? Steam is escaping through our ancient radiator cap. Total repair cost? Less than $10. Time spent? A couple of hours.

These days, when we're all feeling squeezed by rising prices, repairing your car yourself makes good sense. Your Auto Skills staff is ready to help.

I'm old enough to have spent my after-school hours watching reruns of "The Flintstones" on TV. Every single day. One of my favorite episodes was the one in which Fred and Barney sing a silly-but-catchy song with only two words - "Happy anniversary." Even a brief thought about that episode causes that tune to be stuck in my head for hours.

Today, it's my own anniversary. My 23rd, in fact. It's pretty amazing to think that in that time, my husband and I have survived nine tours of duty (number ten started a couple of months ago), several extended TAD periods, two six-month cruises - one of which turned into an eight-month cruise, two hurricanes, nine moves - you get the idea. And we're still married. To each other, even.

I recently read Meredith Leyva's excellent book, Married to the Military. Although I, personally, didn't need the advice Leyva provides (I am no longer a blushing bride, sad to say), I really appreciate her positive attitude and tell-it-like-it-is style. The book includes a chapter on making military marriages work, and, as you might guess, Leyva stresses open, honest communication between servicemembers and their spouses. I couldn't agree more. I'm sure that one of the main reasons my own marriage has lasted so long is that my husband isn't afraid to tell me that we'll have to move again, or that all the billets his detailer offered him involve going to sea on Big Gray Things. We talk about this stuff. A lot. We plan together and discuss problems so we can find solutions and work-arounds.

Being a military spouse is hard. You don't have much of a say in where you live or how long you'll stay there. Your husband or wife leaves and sometimes can't tell you about destinations and trip lengths. You're left doing all the yardwork, paying the bills and wondering if God will forgive you for parking your kids in front of the TV so you can find the Motrin and get your head to stop hurting.

But military life is also rewarding. You can take your kids to Europe on space-available flights without having to sell a car to pay for the tickets. You can afford your health insurance, too. You make friendships that last a lifetime, and those friends let you sleep on their sofa bed and help you get to the hospital when your husband is halfway around the world. You get to see the country, and the world, on someone else's dime.

Best of all, you find out what you're really capable of. My friend Sherry, who's lived in Italy, Germany and Korea, told me after her first solo trip to Japan, "Now I know I really can survive anywhere." Of course she can - she's had to. Nearly every military spouse you'll meet has handled an amazing array of challenges, and that might explain why many of us are very confident people.

Military life isn't perfect, and military marriages aren't, either. Every relationship takes work, we all know that. The rewards are great, though, and on this anniversary day, I'm thankful for them all.

I've just returned from a family trip to Canada's maritime provinces. We had a great time. One of the most interesting parts of the trip was celebrating Canada Day instead of Independence Day this year. It was fun to see Canadian patriotism at its best - flags were everywhere, and every city we visited had a Canada Day festival of some kind.

Now, of course, we're back home and looking for things to do for the rest of the summer - preferably free or low-cost activities, thanks to $5.00-plus per-gallon Canadian gas prices.

Fortunately, in this area there are plenty of free things to do during the summer. Check out the Hometown Annapolis Events Calendar and you'll see what I mean. This weekend, for example, there are free concerts in Laurel, Linthicum Heights, Crofton, Severna Park and Pasadena.

Next Saturday, Fort Meade hosts an indoor flea market, free and open to the public, from 7:00 A.M to 2:00 P.M. Fort Meade MWR is anticipating 100 vendors for this event. This is PCS season, so you're sure to find some bargain-priced treasures.

All during July, you can visit the Chesapeake Children's Museum in Annapolis for free if you bring either three nonworking CDs or three push-up sports water bottle tops per person.

Don't forget about the Budweiser Here's to the Heroes free ticket deal. Active duty military, drilling reservists and National Guard members are eligible for one free ticket for themselves and up to three dependents for one of the Busch theme parks, including Busch Gardens and Water Country USA in Williamsburg, Virginia and Sesame Place in Pennsylvania. If you happen to be heading north or south this summer, consider a stopover at one of these parks. Don't forget to thank Busch Entertainment for the free tickets. Busch has been running this program for several years now, and it's really a great deal.

You won't run out of free things to do this summer in this part of the world. Your only problem will be choosing which events to attend.