Summer Fun Ideas!

I cannot believe that it is already summer vacation!  Clara just completed her first year of preschool (just two mornings a week) and I am beside myself.  I just don’t know what we’re going to do with all of our new-found time!  I have some good ideas.  We’re going to host an outside art play date a few times a month (more on those art projects to come)!  We’re going to do tons of fun things like swim at our favorite outdoor pool, go camping in California and at Lake Billy Chinook, play at our favorite parks and fountains (remember this post of great places to play in SW PDX?), and of course, have a big rainbow birthday bash for the big girl.

But, what is one to do on a day when there is nothing looming on the horizon and (hopefully) hot boredom is setting in.  For, that, I stumbled upon this brilliant little idea.  I couldn’t/ wouldn’t sew a pouch, but I did find an empty applesauce jar just sitting in the recycling that was perfect.  A little construction paper, markers, and a glue stick… viola!

Then I dug around for some popsicle sticks and used a sharpie to write activities on.  Next time we’re bored, with nothing to do, all we have to do is rummage around in the jar, pull out a popsicle stick and get on with a great time together.  I read them all to Clara as we placed them in the jar.  The only one that didn’t get a “hooray!” was storytime in the backyard.  But, I bet if there were ice cream sandwiches involved a good time could even be had doing that.

I promise that as we do some of these things I will report back on them here.  I also promise that the art projects will show up as well as a chicken and garden update coming soon.  I would go out and take some pictures of the baby chickens in their new digs right now, but its pouring rain.  Wait, isn’t it supposed to be summer?

Peanut Butter Bees

I went to my childhood home on Saturday.  As we were driving up to it, I told Clara that this is where I lived when I was her age.  Her response was, “Oh, okay.”  Then she thought about it a little while and said, “Do you still live there?”  Ummm.  No.  So much for sharing.  The whole Mommy had a life before my existence thing is just mind-boggling to a three-year-old.

Anyway, also the other day, I was paging through a cookbook and found a recipe very similar to a recipe that I used to make in that very same house.  I think I learned it at Girl Scouts.   Or maybe I took them to Girl Scouts.  I know there was something to do with Girl Scouts attached to these.  But, I knew that my girls would just love to eat them, and since I was in reminiscing mode, anyway, today was the perfect day.    The book called for crumbled shredded wheat rather than wheat germ, but that was what I always used, so I switched it.  These are super wholesome and yummy.  They are packed with protein and fiber, not to mention cute.

Peanut Butter Bees

1/2 C.peanut butter

2 T. honey

1/4 C. -non-fat dried milk

2 T. sesame seeds

1/4 C. wheat germ (or crumbled shredded wheat)

Cocoa powder and sliced almonds for garnish

Combine all ingredients except the garnishes in a bowl and stir until completely combined.  Shape into small ovals (about two dozen).  Using a toothpick dipped in cocoa powder, make three stripes on top of each oval.  Stick in to almond “wings” and serve to your favorite kids.  Or eat them all yourself.  They are super good.

A Gift for Grandma

Hopefully Grandma isn’t checking my blog while she’s at the coast this weekend, because Clara really wanted to make her a surprise for our trip to see her at the beach.  When she asked to make something, I knew just the thing.  I saw these awesome little painting projects at Scrumdilly Do and knew that Clara would love it.  I had a piece of canvas that I got in a two pack a while ago for super cheap (like a dollar), some painters tape, and some water colors.  We were set to go.

First, we put tape all over in strips on the canvas.  Clara thought this was just brilliant fun.  She loved that she could tape where ever she wanted.

Then we used the watercolors to paint each of the shapes. Clara made me leave the room after I took this picture because she wanted to do it all by herself.

Then we let it dry while we went to library story time. We love story time! When we got home, we took the tape off. I think we probably should have pressed the tape on a little more securely to get crisper lines, but otherwise, I think it turned out great!