Easy Bake Bash

One day each Winter Break, little girls and Easy Bake ovens descend on our house, for my daughter's annual Easy Bake Bash! 

We set up tables and run extention cords as they mix, taste and cook some interesting little cakes, cookies and other concoctions.  The girls who have ovens bring theirs, or they bring some of the little refill packages.  It's not exclusive to Easy Bake, and some of the girls bring the knock offs you can find at the toy stores, it's all welcome and in the spirit of encouraging cooking! 

My daughter started these get togethers when she was about 7, a year after she received her oven from her grandmother.  Now that she is eleven, and knows her way around our kitchen, she also makes cookies in my oven and the girls enjoy decorating them, too. 

As she gets older, I can see her outgrowing the oven in the near future, but she still invites younger girls to come to her bash, and I have hopes that the tradition will continue.  My five year old son thinks the oven is great, and since he loves to cook, he will probably be inviting his friends over next year, too.  Hasbro has definitely seen that baking is not just for little girls, and recently announced plans for a gender neutral oven out next year, following a thirteen year old girl's petition to the company.   

The little refills are expensive, but what I love about them for younger children is that they don't require a raw egg.  However, homemade Easy Bake oven recipes can be made using either store bought cake mixes and water, or you can make your own for children on a sugar, dairy, egg or gluten restricted diet. 

 My Mommy Tips:

• Have a project ready for the kids while things are cooking, such as sugar cookies to decorate.  The candy necklace kits they can string together are fun, too! 

Keep Having Fun in the Texas Sun!

Michelle

10 ways to be nice to others

In the wake of the awful incidents in Conneticut last Friday, I think that many of us are doing some reevaluating of our lives and our priorities. 

And we are hugging our children more.

I know that when I take my kids to school, I will look at their teachers in a different way.  Not just because of the heartache I know we all share, but because I realize that they are not just their teachers anymore, they are their protectors. 

These heroes, these victims of Sandy Hook brought us as a nation closer together, we all cried together. 

I ask myself, how can we honor them?  What can we do to make their lives matter?  How can their senseless death change the world for the better? 

How do we make the world better?  One act at a time. 

We all think, "Well, if I had more money, I would do more."  But the truth is that the NICEST things you can do for someone cost nothing.  Here's my list of ten things you can do this season (or anytime) to be nice to someone, and in return, make yourself feel better, too. 

1.  Give up that much sought after, up close and near the door parking space to the car behind you. 

2.  Go ahead and hold the door for the people behind you, even if it means you have to wait behind them in line. 

3.  Say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" or "Good Tuesday" to someone. 

4.  If you are walking and see some trash, pick it up.  But don't scold the person in front of you for dropping it. 

5.  Put out a bowl of clean water for the birds.  They get thirsty, too.

6.  On your way into the grocery store, take in a loose shopping cart someone forgot to put in the corral. 

7.  Practice patience and restraint.  Don't post your complaints on facebook, but your blessings and best wishes instead.  

8.  Wave at your neighbor.  Offer to pick up their newspaper, mail etc. if they are going to be out of town. 

9.  Offer to babysit for someone so they can finish their shopping, or just get a break.   

10.  Stop by to visit with someone on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day that might otherwise be alone.  Take them a plate from your dinner, or better yet, invite them to join you. 

 

 With each and every simple gesture, we will mend and we will be stronger. 

Keep Having Fun in the Texas Sun!

Michelle

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

I was thrilled to find some chestnuts at our local grocery store today.  I bought a pound and brought them home, humming all the way....."chestnuts roasting on an open fire". 



My favorite way to roast chestnuts is on a camp fire, like we use to roast Chinquapins when we could find them growing wild in East Texas during the fall.  It's getting harder to find them now.  Another favorite is just laying them on the hearth in front of a big, roaring fire on a cool evening. 

Since we weren't going camping, I planned to get out our little charcoal grill, and roast them on it. 
Unfortunantly, my "open fire" was cancelled due to our recent burn ban. 

Luckily, chestnuts can easily be cooked in the oven, too! 

Oven Roasted Chestnuts

Items Needed:

1 lb. chestnuts
pairing knife

Step One: 
Fill a bowl with water and place all your chestnuts in the bowl.  Remove any that are floating, as they are probably moldy.  Good nuts should sink.   

Step Two:
Take each nut and score an X across the round side of the nut.  This will allow steam to escape as they cook. 

Step Three:

Place X side up on a cookie sheet and put in the oven at 300 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until the shell begins to peel away and the meat turns golden. 

Step Four:
Remove and as soon as they are cool enough to touch, peel off the shell and thin coating underneath. 
Enjoy!


Chestnut and Chinquapin trees are native to Southeast United States, and can be grown in most parts of Texas.  They make a terrific tree, providing food for your family and local wildlife.  I haven't been able to find a Texas grower, but when I do, I will update this post.  In the meantime, there are plenty of other growers that ship to Texas.  Check out http://www.tytyga.com/Nut-Trees-s/1826.htm

Boot Camp

 
I'm excited to tell you about my new collaboration with the City of Arlington Parks and Recreation as a Naturally Fun Blogger! I'm getting the chance to have fun, and to tell you all about the classes and camps they offer.

But I have a confession...

When it comes to an exercise classes, well, I'm something of a newbie.

So, the instructors get free laughs at my expense! 
Lots of free laughs!




Boot Camp at Hugh Smith Recreation Center was my first class...

Robin, the instructor, barely chuckled at me as she led me through our warm ups. 
We ran up and down the gym
We worked with weights. 
We did lunges.
We hopped.
I sweated. 
I ached a little. 
But it was a good ache. 
We stretched.
She encouraged me.
I pushed myself,
and wanted to laugh
when she said we were warmed up and ready to get started!
But it was great!

And when we finished, although I considered napping on the gym floor, instead I picked up my five year old who had been busy playing in their child care room.
We went to play at Bob Cooke Park, located behind the center,
before rewarding myself with a yummy sub from nearby Dino's Subs.

Everyone told me I would feel sore the next day, but I felt great! A little pull in my stomach from the work we did on the abdominals, but not bad at all. Robin does a terrific job of stretching you before and after, and I really think that made a big difference!

Boot Camp is offered at Hugh Smith Recreation Center on Mon. Wed. and Fri at 9:30am.  Childcare is available during the class.  The class is designed for all fitness levels (even mine). 
Robin has been an instructor for seven years, and also teaches the Pilates and Yoga class. 

You can purchase a Fitness Plus Membership, which gives you unlimited Fitness Plus Classes and access to the weight room for $30/month.  You must also have an annual membership card.  The cost to join is $20/year for Arlington residents, and $40/year for non-residents, like me.

If you are vacationing in Arlington (or just want to check it out), you can purchase an $8/day Fitness Guest Pass. 

Keep Having Fun in the Texas Sun!

Michelle

Mainstay Farm, Cleburne

"What do you mean, I'm annoying?"  I reply to my daughter as we are walking into Mainstay Farm, a Christmas tree farm in Cleburne, for a day of hay climbing, fresh air and sunshine.  A beautiful combination on a December day in Texas. 

"Because", she begins as she collapses next to me after a half hour of bouncing with her brothers on the sunken air trampoline, "you make us do so many chores before we get to go GO anywhere.  It's not fair!"   

Ahhhh..... the chore complaint.  We have had it many times.  As she is only 11, I'm sure there will be many more encores of it to come over the years. 

But Mainstay Farm seems the perfect place to revisit this conversation.

As we bump along on the tractor pulled trailer, exasperated, she defends herself.  "I've asked my friends. They don't have to do ANYWHERE near as many chores as me.  It's like I'm...... Cinderella." 

"Cinderella!"  I retort, pulling out my credit card to pay for the items she is holding in her hands from their cute little gift shop, the Haymarket.  "Don't you think you are being a little ....... dramatic?" 

"If your friends have fewer chores, then it's because they probably don't have as many pets, since caring for them is the majority of your chores"  I know I have made a point here.  Who else has 4 dogs, a cat, a bird and a turtle?  Her silence tells me I am winning. 

"Responsibilities are important", I explain.  Probably not helping myself out of the "annoying" category.  "They keep you on the right track.  They help you from getting lost." 

Walking along the rows of planted Christmas trees, I continue, "Responsibilities help you to grow up tall and straight, strong from bad people and things that would misdirect you." 

"It's important to have fun, but you have to earn it, too.  Take this treehouse for example, it's alot of fun, but someone had to work hard to pay for it, build it and maintain it. 

A good work ethic helps you to stay focused on what is important.  Not to let little things fill up your life, getting in the way of what you really care about.  Responsibilities keep you .... humble." And with hearing that word, either because she understands or she has a flashback of when we sat together reading Charlotte's Web when she was younger, she smiles at me, a sincere, knowing smile. 

Confident that in one lovely, golden afternoon I have set her on her way to fullfilling a life of mature decisions and positive consequences. I take her hand and we walk together toward the setting sun, to gather up the boys and head home, resplendent in her new outlook on life. 

When another mother comes walking up to me, holding my five year old by the hand.  "Is this your little boy?" she demands.  "He's gathered up all the little rubber ducks from the duck races, and ran off and hid them.  No body has been able to play, he won't tell us where they are, and we didn't know who was watching him!  You should be more R-E-S-P-O-N-S-I-B-L-E!" 

Mainstay Farms is located in Cleburne, and a perfect destination for birthday parties, family reunions, field trips and their annual Family Pumpkin Days and Christmas trees. 

My Mommy Tips:

• Wear comfortable, closed toed shoes - there are alotta places to walk!
• Try the old fashioned Boylan's Birch Beer (kinda like root beer) at The Fillin' Station, Mainstay Farm's snack stand, which also offers yummy apple chips and funnel cake! 

Keep Having Fun in the Texas Sun!

Michelle

Texas Best Sweet Potato 3.14

Do you know what makes me happy? 

Well, lots of things make me happy..... puppies and blue skies and clean beaches, tall trees and rainy days and .... and just lots! 

But what I'm talking about is the current Sweet Potato Revolution we are experiencing. 

It's a quiet revolution, but it's gaining speed.  Have you noticed? 

Restaurants are preparing the "other" orange root veggie in new and exciting ways.  Sweet Potato Chips, spicy and sweet, fries, mashed, even in stews.  And I like them All.  You better believe it! 

Why shouldn't I?  Sweet Potatoes are historically a Southern food, and Texas grows a bunch, and really good ones!

But my favorite will always be the Sweet Potato Pie. 

There is something about the way the SP blends so well with heavy cream, and settles into a pie shell with such grace.  A true lady.  And while baking a pie is as easy as.. well.... pie, I thought I would share with you a list of some of my favorite Texas Sweet Potato Pies. 

House of Pies - Houston

Ahh, the pies I have eaten at this Houston institution, and some crazy times I have eaten them!  Open 24 hours a day, because you never know when the craving will call!  I've never had a bad one, but their Sweet Potato pie ranks high as...pie. 
The bad news is that they don't ship out their pies, so you must visit one of their two locations in Houston to experience it for yourself! 

Hoover's Cooking - Austin

It's hard to save room for dessert, because the food is so good, but isn't that why they make those little To-Go boxes.  Or just buy a whole pie and eat it in the car, cause you gotta have snacks for a road trip, and since when isn't pie a snack?
In the new Austin food tradition, Hoover's also has a food truck, Hoover's Soular Foods Trailer.  I'm not sure if the SP pie can be found on wheels, but I'm plan to find out! 


Mamaw's Fried Pies - Whitehouse

In the quiet little East Texas town of Whitehouse, the Sweet Potato Revolution is alive and well.  Mamaw's Fried Pies takes their yummy sweet potato filling, mixes it with sugar and spice (and everything nice) and wraps in up in a flaky blanket of dough, frying them to perfection.  Pie Purist or not, these are wonderful!  Grab some on your way out to a day fishing or camping on nearby Lake Tyler,   The only downside, the Sweet Potato is only available when in season. Ugh.  Double Ugh. 

 

Earl Abel's - San Antonio

Earl Abel's in San Antonio has combined two Texas favorites for their Sweet Potato Pecan pies!  How crazy is that?  I have a problem appreciating pecans, but my husband claims Earl Abel's is the best! 


I know..... there should be more. 

And at much as I hate to admit it, I haven't tried them all.  Not yet, anyway. 

But if I left out your favorite, please let me know about it. 

And if you want to be in on the cutting edge of food revolutions, try adding some young sweet potato greens in a salad.  Their slightly sweet tang spices up your tired old lettuce.  What an amazing plant!

Keep Having Fun in the Texas Sun!

Michelle

math at Cedar Ridge Preserve, Dallas

I'm all about hands on teaching with my children,

and I love this activity we did with my five year old

 during a hike at Cedar Ridge Preserve in Dallas. 

It started with a bright metal "1" at the trail head. 

 

Nearby, I spotted a black caterpillar, of which there are many in this area.  

My son picked it up, and we counted one caterpillar and took their picture next to the number one....

And our hike evolved into a math activity.....

What I love about it is that at each number on the trail,

we searched for items unique to the area of that number. 

He found these three pieces of bark with holes in them, from perhaps an insect or maybe a woodpecker before the bark fell from the nearby tree.  We took time to visually locate the tree, and talked about what we thought might have made the holes.  Of course, his suggestion was zombie ninjas...  but it's still a great way to make those connection to nature.   

These are little acorns caps, surrounded by fallen oak leaves. 

We found these old shells under a nearby walnut tree. 

He found these six sticks, and we sang the rhyme..... "This old man, he played 6, he played knick knack on my sticks."   I know, but it's important that the activity is child led. 

Juniper trees are found throughout Cedar Ridge preserve.

We collected these Juniper berries from around number 7. 

I love his dirty little hands!

And acorns from around Number 8.

 

I love the little snail shells we found for Number 9. 

They weren't in the rocks, but in a patch of thick mulch nearby. 
 

 

Not sure what kind of leaves these were, which is okay, as long as you remind yourself

 and your little one of the Poison Ivy rule;

Leaves of Three, let them be.....

Number 11 was my absolute favorite, Possumhaw Berries,

because we were walking along the Possumhaw trail!  

The Possumhaw is a deciduous holly, which means it loses it's leaves each year,

and is left with nothing but these attractive red berries. 

Watch your little ones, because they are mildly poisonous to humans if consumed,

but a winter staples to wild birds. 

They also make a wonderful, native addition to your landscaping!

Oak Leaves

 

Sticks from a Juniper tree

We found many little fossils hidden in the limestone.   

 

and 15 beautiful reminders that it is Fall in Texas! 

 

 We even snuck in a little Language Arts lesson, too! 

My little Leo loves to write his name. 

 

Cedar Ridge Preserve, referred to as "one of the best kept secrets in Dallas" by one of my facebook followers, is maintained by Audubon Dallas, and has over 600 acres, and numerous trails for hikers, runners and nature enthusiast. 

Keep Having Fun in the Texas Sun!

Michelle