let the children play: Don't stress the mess

Nothing to blog today, but saw this on one of my favorite blogs and thought I would spread the mess.

let the children play: Don't stress the mess: The benefits of playing in the mud, the dirt, the water and the sand to a child's health, well being, learning and develop outweigh the ...

Feeling a little Saucy



Ripe Red Strawberries plus

Perfectly Processed Rhubarb (+ powdered sugar) equals

a tart little saucy dish.

This is what we made with our fresh picked strawberries last week.  We picked on Monday and processed on Tuesday.  We notified of this wonderful taste treat from my good friend, Steph.  She found it here:  http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=146841

Here are some pictures of our process.

Washing Berries

Taking the berries for a spin (to dry them off, not needed, but it's super fun.

Moving berries from one bowl to another

Taking the hulls off

Careful Cuts

Waiting for the Rhubarb to thaw (I had put up the barb the week before)

Strawberries, Rhubarb and Powdered sugar all mix up and making friends.

Cooking down

Almost done

Stir it a little more

I blending it a little to make it real smooth and put into cups for three little tasters to try.


(Taste testing shots were not taking because we were all in a saucy coma)

This is good stuff (if sour is your thing). 







Berry Good Time

Over the weekend, I went to one of my dear friends home and had a jam session, a jam-jamboree, a jamtastic time.  We made jam (check out Laci's blog for a little bit more information http://purelace.wordpress.com/. ) Lots of jam (like over 200 containers of various sizes).  It was so much fun. 

I went out early Saturday morning and picked 17 pounds of berries (they were little berries so I did a lot of pickin').  Spent a work days worth of time with some really amazing women making memories and jam.  My kids and the hubs were thrilled with the results.  Me too, but something was missing.

This morning I got to thinking that maybe, just maybe we needed more berries in our lives.  So we headed out to our favorite lambing farm (which doubles as a berry patch) http://www.govinsfarm.com/, to have the children pick some berries to make something with. 

We had a berry good time.  When I picked the 17 pounds mentioned above, I did it all on my own, which I felt was the best way to do required amounts of picking.  Today was about just getting the children out in the field and picking and tasting and breathing in the country.  It was great.  Just what we all needed.  It was the missing link.  A breath of strawberry air. 

Here are a couple of pictures I was able to take of my two and one daycare friend.

Enjoying the hayride to the berry patch



Pickin'

Tasting

Prize worthy

Heading back





The End!

We got Antzy

The back yard is suffering from an ant invasion.  I'm not sure if the ants are planning a take over or if they were brought on by too many crumby picnics (where things fall as they may).  It is could be both.  We were swatting at them like mad yesterday.  The war is now on.  I sprayed (with some organic kid/pet safe stuff) and now in efforts to let the spray do its magic, we are avoiding that area.  The ants may think that they have won.  We will not give up.  We will again create and play in our space again. 

The front yard does not lend itself to carefree play, so Camp Wannahavealotafun packed up coolers, filled water bottles, and loaded up the van and headed of on it's first field trip.  Where did we go?  Fall Creek!  On a trip to Weavers a couple weeks ago, we discovered that Fall Creek has an amazing park.   It was great.  There is a large-ish piece of equipment that allowed for a hour or so of creative play, they have tennis courts, basketball court, ample field space, some shade, volley ball net, digger, and rocking toys, swings, and a very lovely shaded picnic area or two.  Best part?  They have bathrooms that are actually open.  That is (you will find) my biggest beef about parks.  Why have bathrooms if people are not allowed to use them.  Drives me nuts--especially since playgrounds attract children.

We had a lovely little tuna on cracker, strawberries, cucumber kind of a picnic and then played some more.  I think this was an excellent place.  I think we'll return again someday.

Ratings: 1 to 5 rating:  1 being don't bother with this park and 5 being Camp Wannahavealotafun-tastic

S: 4
M: 4
K: 4
P: 10
E: 3
C: Playground!!!

I took pictures with my new phone, however, I do not know how to load them up yet.  I'm sure I'll figure it out before too long.

Welcome Summer. Bring on the fun!

Day number one of Summer VaCa is well on it way.  This morning we brain stormed camp names.  There were a lot of interesting ideas (no idea is a bad idea) but in the end, Camp Wannahavealotafun won out with 6 votes.  The kids were busy making our camp sign and we headed to the park to burn of a little energy.  Two of the 5 are sleeping.  Three of the 5 are chillin'.  Tomorrow we will hopefully lay the ground rules--we did start brainstorming ideas for that, but we came to a stand still--number one rule so far, no whinning (however, they did all say I could wine--but I think I will refrain.) We also need to come up with responsibilities for individuals as well as the group to help make Camp Wannahavalotafun be able to have alotafun and not just be asitbackandletstacydoallthework.  Mayhaps if we get those goal accomplished, we'll also be able to hammer out activity ideas, I may just have to post that list (and look into grants to fund those ideas) 

Here is the "campers" working together on the sign

Work in progress...I'd say they are pretty artistic. 

The Group with their sign all in place

So do you,  Wannahavealotafun?

Welcome Summer.  Bring on the fun.  CampWannahavealotafun is ready for you!

Jaycette Park

This little beauty is nestled right next to Clairmount and State Street. Such a peaceful place for a park--really after a while the noise drifts away. I figured we would not be at this place very long. There is not any "real" playground equipment. The park has a few picnic tables, the city boasts about it's lighting (guess I'll have to go back at night), and there are concrete sculptures that the kids could climb on. Trees to hug a plenty. Really I figured we would run about for a bit, eat our snack and then head out of dodge. Much to my surprise the kids wanted to stay there. And as we were leaving I asked what they thought and the two that can really talk said "it was their favorite park so far" the one who does not yet have a grasp on the English language said "No" when asked if she liked it--which in her case, no sometimes actually means yes and by the way she was running through the park yelling "weeeeeeee" I think this time no was really yes.

The mom point of view was this was nice--it was shaded, perfect for the hot hot hot day we had today. The draw back was the climbing sculptures are mounted on cement--but not to worry if one of your little tike does happen to fall and crack their head open, there is a fire station adjacent to the park. If asked to return to the "sculpture park" again I would say, yes please.

Carson Park Enterance: Birch Picnic Area

We have long called this area "little Carson Park" It is a small playground area just outside of the big park. There is picnic area, access to Half Moon Lake and some trails and places to explore. Port-a-potty for your use are available.

The day we were there, the geese from Canada were a plenty. I have a fear of birds so the park lost points from me. Mart said he didn't find the playground all that exciting, saying it was best suited for ages 3-7 (and for the fearless toddler) The toddler gave the slides big smiles. The 5 1/2 year old was indifferent. Over all a nice little place to play.