Philly kids charge during training.

A couple weeks ago when we went to Philly, we got a little soldier training show from some kids visiting the historic town. Sprinkled throughout the town were Once Upon a Nation signs and benches. These locations offer fun bits of history to kids. . . .

Welcome to Kansas.

Well, people were really loving the Kansas trivia last week, so it's back! For all you Kansas people, this will probably be easier than some weeks, but I have to throw in some tricky ones. I can't have everyone getting 100 percent. Last week's winner was Michele. She knew lots about Garden City. . . .

Someone is pretty excited about seeing the National Archives.

National Archives.

We peeked at the national treasures in the National Archives this weekend. Since we aren't locked up, it's safe to say we didn't try to pull any "National Treasure" moves. There were too many security guards, and we didn't have anyone operating cameras for us. . . .

Paint comes in all shades and tones, but the most important color, for the health and safety of your family, is green. Not green as in lime twist or garden sprout, but the eco-friendly type of green. Nontoxic paint varieties do away with harmful chemicals, while offering up the color your home seeks.

What makes nontoxic paint different boils down to the ingredients. Nontoxic paint can also be labeled low or no-VOC paint. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds. If you have ever use paint, think of the intoxicating smells that fill the room as soon as you open a fresh can of paint. Those are the VOCs. They flow from certain solids and liquids, in this case paint. As paint dries, the hazardous chemicals leech into your indoor air, degrading your home’s air quality. The EPA has found that your indoor levels of organic chemicals can be two to five times higher than the levels outdoors. These raised levels of VOCs have been linked to chronic and acute health issues, including some VOCs that are classified as carcinogens. In the short-term, acute symptoms include headaches and skin rashes. Long-term symptoms include heart, lung and kidney damage. So, it makes sense that you would want to seek out nontoxic paint for your home. No paint color is pretty enough to risk your family’s health on. . . .

After work, we got free Slurpees on free Slurpee day. Overblessified by cold goodness.

Check the date. Yep. It's July 11. What does that mean?! Free Slurpees from 7-Eleven, of course. So, after work, I met Cole at the metro, and we walked to Slurpee land. We slipped in right before the 7 p.m. deadline, but there was no doubt we were in the right place. My shoes gummed against the tile floor as we walked to the end of the line cascading down the aisle. The machines squirted out frozen foam, causing the hordes of teens to giggle as they added to the sticky mess. Then again, Cole found himself in the same sticky situation when he filled his small cup. . . .