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Showing posts with label Easter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Easter. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Easter at the Little House in the Woods: West Branch, MI
Yesterday afternoon we returned to reality after our 2nd annual up north Easter trip. The kids had so much fun last year, that they requested we once again spend Easter at Grandpa's cabin. So Friday afternoon we took off, just the 6 of us plus Cleo, and drove north on I-75. The sun was shining in the clear blue sky, the kids were excited, and I instantly became remarkably less crabby as soon as we pulled out of our driveway. While I love to take trips, that last little bit while I'm trying valiantly to make sure everyone pees and we have adequate snacks and pillows and tooth brushes and whatever else we'll need, I tend to get a little nuts. But as soon as we're on the road, it's all good.
We drove straight to the cabin to unload, drop off Cleo, and let the kids run around outside for awhile before we went into town for pizza night at G's Pizza. "Town" is about 10 miles away. The only establishments between the cabin and town are a bar (aptly named "Bar", which we call the B Bar because the florescent "A" and "R" are perpetually burnt out), and a little party store. After dinner we did some grocery shopping and ran into Walmart to rent a couple movies from Red Box. We watched several movies over the weekend, but as best I can remember it was The Adventures of Tin Tin Friday night. After the kids were all sleeping Chris and I watched Young Adult. I dozed a little during Tin Tin, but although I thought the story line was a bit complicated for a movie geared toward kids, it was entertaining and very reminiscent of the Indiana Jones movies. Young Adult was kind of maddening because Charlize Theron's character was so utterly unlikeable. But it was a good movie and I did like it - even if I did want to reach through the television and smack Charlize.
Saturday morning the kids played outside quite a bit until lunch time. Like last year, they were having a great time in the ravine. This year Lucy was brave enough to venture down there (it's pretty far down and very steep going), and they took Mathilda down with them a few times too. They were pretty much just exploring and climbing and crawling through the tunnel that goes under the road to the other side of the ravine, and generally getting really filthy. Friday night we noticed that Mirror, Mirror was playing at the local movie theater, and Lucy had been really wanting to see it. So after we had lunch at the cabin Saturday, we went back to town to see a matinee of this Snow White adaptation. It was a good clean family movie. Chris and I both said we though it would be kind of ...better. I think we were hoping for something more on the level of Enchanted or Tangled. While it didn't quite meet our expectations, it was a fun movie and we all enjoyed it. After the movie we had to go back to the grocery store because we are not far sighted enough to get all our groceries for the weekend in one trip to the store. Knowing that we had a microwave and a stove top to work with back at the cabin (the oven is out of commission), we carefully chose our pre-cooked Easter dinner selections, and whatever else we needed to get us through Monday.
The kids were bugging out for a fire, so we built a fire Saturday night, and cooked hot dogs and marshmallows outside. Then we did sparklers. It was really such a lovely day, all the way around. When we finally went inside for the night, Chris and I had our dinner - veggie burgers and salad. Then we played some cards while the kids did something...which I can't remember at the moment. Maybe they watched a movie? Probably. But what was it? Hmmm. Not sure. My memory has definitely seen better days.
Easter Sunday was a day filled with obscene amounts of candy (gag!! yet...I can't stop eating it...), playing outside, and watching another movie. This time it was Real Steel. I had never even heard of this movie, and didn't hold out much hope for a film about robot boxing. But I was pleasantly surprised - I liked it. Another good, clean family movie. There was a little mild swearing, and at least one fight scene. But all in all, it was family friendly and entertaining for all of us. We ate our Easter dinner, had another bon fire, and took a nice long drive through the woods (not necessarily in that order). Before bed we watched yet another movie - Jack and Jill. Let me emphasize that this was a kids' pick. It's that movie in which Adam Sandler plays the roles of both the main characters. I have to admit it was pretty funny. There was some gross potty humor (which I hate), and some annoying stupid parts. But we laughed a lot, and that's a good thing.Our weekend was restful, fun, outdoorsy (despite the number of movies we watched), and just plain wonderful. We got tons of mileage out of a couple bouncy balls from the grocery store and sticks - which are great for walking, climbing, playing war, and poking at fires. Having no internet and like 3 television channels (which took way too much work to find amongst the score of unavailable channels) is really refreshing. Between blogging, checking my Facebook and my email regularly, and whatever else I do online, I spend way too much time in virtual reality. Getting a break from that was much needed and over due. What I need is the the willpower to do a self-imposed internet cleanse regularly. I'll think about working on that.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Off The Grid - Easter 2011: West Branch, MI
This post was originally published last year, just after Easter.
Chris and I decided it would be fun to spend Easter up north this year, at his dad's hunting cabin. I am embarrassed to say it was the first time we have been there in almost 5 (!) years.
(If you're not a Michigander, and you are by chance wondering what going "up north" means, well it just means going...up...north. We live in southeast Michigan, and the cabin is about 2 and a half hours north up I-75. The term up north is kind of vague, but as far as I'm concerned just means anything about an hour or more north of here.)
Last time we were at the cabin, I was pregnant with Lucy. Bethany was almost 5 and Connor was 3. All these years we've been saying to each other periodically, "we really should get up to the cabin this summer," or let's try to take the kids to the cabin more often," but also sort of in the back of my mind was the thought that there is really nothing to do there. My kids are pretty good at amusing themselves, but somehow the thought of sitting there in a cabin in the woods fighting the stir crazies sounded a little daunting. We had a great time last time we were there, so I'm not sure why I would have these thoughts. Chris and I used to go quite often before we had kids, and always enjoyed ourselves. Sometimes I forget the allure of doing nothing.
So anyway, everyone had a long weekend for the holiday, so we finally made the decision to just go. We can bring our dog, which is awesome because she pretty much loses her mind when she is separated from me, and I hate asking people to come over and take care of her when we're away. The cabin is actually a 2 bedroom mobile home, and it is clean and comfortable and has heat, air conditioning, and a washer and dryer. What it does not have is a television signal, cell phone coverage, or internet access. Good practice for this summer when I plan on banning our kids from t.v. and internet for the whole month of July. Depending on how it goes, maybe I'll throw in August too.
Going to the cabin with big kids turned out to be a wholly different experience. They barely wanted to come inside the entire time we were there. They played Frisbee, took the dog for walks down the dirt road, shot BB guns, and spent lots and lots of time down at the creek (more like a muddy trickle of water), something that Chris and I have never done in the 15 or so years we've been going there. Huh. Go figure, leave it to a couple of (unplugged) kids to discover the most fun thing to do up there. The creek is at the bottom of a rather steep ravine just a few yards from the cabin. The road runs over it, dividing it. So there is a tunnel under the road, going from one side of the creek to the other. Well,Bethany & Connor decided it was just about the best thing ever to climb through that tunnel repeatedly, from one side to the other. That washer and dryer sure came in handy, and I'm happy to report that the only muddy things we brought home with us are Crocs.
There was a rather...ummmm...interesting family staying just across the road from us who tried hard to keep us from sleeping all weekend by running their generator nonstop. (One of them told Chris that the city actually requires them to get a permit in order to put up an electrical pole...I mean, I can't imagine why??) But what they didn't know is that I can sleep through anything, so the joke was on them. And Chris. (sorry Chris) They also had a bunch of kids with them who saw us coming and stuck to us like glue literally until the moment we left. Aside from the fact that Chris told them over and over to go home because we were trying to have some family time darn it and they 100% ignored him, they were mostly pretty nice. There was a little boy about 5 who we later found out had "something wrong with his brain, can't remember what ya call it" (this according to his grandfather) and who knew some very interesting phrases for a child of his age (fingers crossed that one in particular went WAY over our kids' heads). Chris always manages to talk to basically everyone, so he also found out lot of other things, like they come and take water from the pump on his dad's property "all the time" and that they plan on spending the entire summer up there. Big sigh. However, the kids had fun together and that made the weekend all the more great for them. They were so filthy by the time we left, which oddly made me very happy. I was especially proud of Connor's adventurous streak making an appearance, because he tends to be extremely cautious and fearful.
Mathilda was sick, which seems to be the norm every time we go anywhere lately. This time she was up most of the night before Easter, delirious with a fever that felt scary high. She was burning up, but of course I had no thermometer or medicine. I really feared we were going to wind up in the E.R., and I worried all night about whether they are allowed to close hospitals on holidays in podunk towns. After the kids found their Easter baskets in the morning, Chris drove into town and picked up some Tylenol. After Mathilda had some medicine she started to get a bit of an appetite and seemed to be feeling much better, but nonetheless she and I spent most of the day in the cabin cuddling while everyone else played outside. She watched a few DVDs and I read The Help
. Which, by the way, was fantastic.
It was a good idea we had, getting out of town and celebrating Easter up north. I think we'll do it again. The kids were even asking if we could spend Christmas there. We'll see. The Christmas tree is already there, all decorated. I'm pretty sure it never comes down.
Chris and I decided it would be fun to spend Easter up north this year, at his dad's hunting cabin. I am embarrassed to say it was the first time we have been there in almost 5 (!) years.
(If you're not a Michigander, and you are by chance wondering what going "up north" means, well it just means going...up...north. We live in southeast Michigan, and the cabin is about 2 and a half hours north up I-75. The term up north is kind of vague, but as far as I'm concerned just means anything about an hour or more north of here.)
Last time we were at the cabin, I was pregnant with Lucy. Bethany was almost 5 and Connor was 3. All these years we've been saying to each other periodically, "we really should get up to the cabin this summer," or let's try to take the kids to the cabin more often," but also sort of in the back of my mind was the thought that there is really nothing to do there. My kids are pretty good at amusing themselves, but somehow the thought of sitting there in a cabin in the woods fighting the stir crazies sounded a little daunting. We had a great time last time we were there, so I'm not sure why I would have these thoughts. Chris and I used to go quite often before we had kids, and always enjoyed ourselves. Sometimes I forget the allure of doing nothing.
So anyway, everyone had a long weekend for the holiday, so we finally made the decision to just go. We can bring our dog, which is awesome because she pretty much loses her mind when she is separated from me, and I hate asking people to come over and take care of her when we're away. The cabin is actually a 2 bedroom mobile home, and it is clean and comfortable and has heat, air conditioning, and a washer and dryer. What it does not have is a television signal, cell phone coverage, or internet access. Good practice for this summer when I plan on banning our kids from t.v. and internet for the whole month of July. Depending on how it goes, maybe I'll throw in August too.
Going to the cabin with big kids turned out to be a wholly different experience. They barely wanted to come inside the entire time we were there. They played Frisbee, took the dog for walks down the dirt road, shot BB guns, and spent lots and lots of time down at the creek (more like a muddy trickle of water), something that Chris and I have never done in the 15 or so years we've been going there. Huh. Go figure, leave it to a couple of (unplugged) kids to discover the most fun thing to do up there. The creek is at the bottom of a rather steep ravine just a few yards from the cabin. The road runs over it, dividing it. So there is a tunnel under the road, going from one side of the creek to the other. Well,Bethany & Connor decided it was just about the best thing ever to climb through that tunnel repeatedly, from one side to the other. That washer and dryer sure came in handy, and I'm happy to report that the only muddy things we brought home with us are Crocs.
There was a rather...ummmm...interesting family staying just across the road from us who tried hard to keep us from sleeping all weekend by running their generator nonstop. (One of them told Chris that the city actually requires them to get a permit in order to put up an electrical pole...I mean, I can't imagine why??) But what they didn't know is that I can sleep through anything, so the joke was on them. And Chris. (sorry Chris) They also had a bunch of kids with them who saw us coming and stuck to us like glue literally until the moment we left. Aside from the fact that Chris told them over and over to go home because we were trying to have some family time darn it and they 100% ignored him, they were mostly pretty nice. There was a little boy about 5 who we later found out had "something wrong with his brain, can't remember what ya call it" (this according to his grandfather) and who knew some very interesting phrases for a child of his age (fingers crossed that one in particular went WAY over our kids' heads). Chris always manages to talk to basically everyone, so he also found out lot of other things, like they come and take water from the pump on his dad's property "all the time" and that they plan on spending the entire summer up there. Big sigh. However, the kids had fun together and that made the weekend all the more great for them. They were so filthy by the time we left, which oddly made me very happy. I was especially proud of Connor's adventurous streak making an appearance, because he tends to be extremely cautious and fearful.
Mathilda was sick, which seems to be the norm every time we go anywhere lately. This time she was up most of the night before Easter, delirious with a fever that felt scary high. She was burning up, but of course I had no thermometer or medicine. I really feared we were going to wind up in the E.R., and I worried all night about whether they are allowed to close hospitals on holidays in podunk towns. After the kids found their Easter baskets in the morning, Chris drove into town and picked up some Tylenol. After Mathilda had some medicine she started to get a bit of an appetite and seemed to be feeling much better, but nonetheless she and I spent most of the day in the cabin cuddling while everyone else played outside. She watched a few DVDs and I read The Help
. Which, by the way, was fantastic.It was a good idea we had, getting out of town and celebrating Easter up north. I think we'll do it again. The kids were even asking if we could spend Christmas there. We'll see. The Christmas tree is already there, all decorated. I'm pretty sure it never comes down.
 |
| About to enter the tunnel |
 |
| We stopped at Bronner's on the way home |
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Spring Fever: Hocking Hills State Park
This post was originally published in 2010.
Spring Break has come and gone. We are back to the chaos of everyday life. Easter was nice, and the next day we headed south for a couple days. Our destination was Hocking Hills State Park in southeastern Ohio. I had stumbled across a website for this place while on a different site, and when I checked it out I was intrigued. As it turns out, Ohio has been hiding a region of magnificent natural wonders and I never knew about it until now.
Our drive was about five hours and fairly scenic; ie: not 100% on I-75. On the way, I received a phone call from Uncle Kevin, saying he and the boys were going to head down and check the park out too. We rented a cottage right at the State Park. It was basic, but fine. There was a full kitchen, two bedrooms, bathroom with shower, a/c and heat, gas fireplace, television with approximately five channels, and a screened in porch overlooking the woods. Behind the cottages, there was a playground and a sledding hill, which Bethany and Connor enjoyed running down at top speed. Although the cottages were nothing fancy (and had very uncomfortable beds), the location couldn't have been better. The first night, we had a lovely storm that lit up the woods with every flash of lightening. The next morning, Kevin, Mason, Keenan, and their dog, Mimi, met up with us, and we headed a little ways down the road to Old Man's Cave.
We had no idea what to expect. As we started on the rustic trail we quickly entered a realm of surreal beauty. Wow! Old Man's Cave is one of several scenic areas in the state park. Basically, we walked down into a huge gorge, with many caves and waterfalls and trails. The scenery was beyond anything we could have imagined, especially considering we were in Ohio, and I am finding it difficult to put into words. Here are a couple pictures to help convey the beautiful scenery we enjoyed.
Waterfalls and other natural wonders were literally around every corner. There were hollow trees, caves, snakes, frogs, streams, even a natual whirl pool dubbed Devil's Bathtub (one of the very few signs in Old Man's Cave was placed by this dangerous pool, warning that it was nearly impossible to get out of the very deep water; however, it was completely open, with no safety rails anywhere preventing visitors from jumping into the harmless looking water). The weather was hot and summery, with a lovely warm breeze blowing through that kept us comfortable as we hiked. Several times, the kids kicked off their shoes and got right in the water. At one point, as we stood on the bank of a waterfall pool, we suddenly noticed that Connor was on the other side of the waterfall. As we wondered how he managed to get over there, our normally cautious son decided he would simly walk through the water to get back to us. Here he is, right before he stepped out, and into water that was much deeper than he anticipated.
There were some large rocks, they aren't shown in this picture, that he had the presence of mind to grab onto. He only screamed for a minute before he pulled himself out. Whew! Our little boy gave us quite a scare, but we were proud of him for being brave and keeping his head.
One of the most amazing things about this place was that there were very few modern interferences to the natural formations. Other than some basic paths, a few staircases, some minimal handrails, and a few signs, the part of Hocking Hills we saw was left as God made it. We marveled that no one was around to tell us not to go in the water, not to stray from the path, not to climb in the caves, etc. We did quite a bit of hiking, and our kids never complained of tired legs. They couldn't wait to see what they would find next. Chris remarked that Old Man's Cave was more fun than Disney; and I think it was, in its own way. At the end of our trail, there was one last waterfall, which the kids climbed and slid down. They were all soaked and filthy by the time we headed back to the car. It was one of the best days I can remember having with my family in a really long time.
After a few hours exploring Old Man's Cave, we headed back to our cottages for a bit of rest before dinner. Bethany, Connor, and Lucy hung out at Uncle Kevin's, which gave Chris and I a chance to have a short nap with Mathilda. Then all of us headed to dinner at the State Park lodge, which was very close and almost empty. One whole wall was nothing but floor to ceiling windows with spectacular views of the hills and forest. We spent our evening sitting outside by Uncle Kevin's cottage, and walking up and down the little cottage road.
The next day, Connor wanted to visit Rock House, the only true cave in Hocking Hills State Park. He really wanted to see some real bats, which unfortunately (I think?) did not happen. We drove a few miles down the road and started off on our hike. Immediately I could tell that this trail was even more primitive than Old Man's Cave. We were hiking along cliffs with no safety rails. A few times it got pretty harrowing, but our kids listened well, stuck close to the rocky walls, and made it to the cave in one piece. We had to climb up through a rock opening to get into the cave, which was slightly tricky while carrying a baby in the Baby Bjorn (me) and holding a 3-year old's hand (Chris). Hanging out in the cave for a few minutes was a good reward for our hard work, and we had some spectacular views - again with no safety rails, and some very steep cliffs.
The Rock House hike was more grueling and more dangerous, and there was definitely a lot less to see, but it was a cool adventure before we started on our long trip home. Everyone is already talking about our next trip to Hocking Hills! Had we known how amazing it was, we may have scheduled a day or two more, but it was just as well since the weather took a sharp turn for the worse.
A couple days after our return home, the kids and I headed back to the Imagination Station in Toledo with some friends. It was much more crowded than our last visit, but we still had fun at one of our favorite museums.
The last couple days of Spring Break were spent with friends. Saturday night we had dinner at a friend's house, our kids playing together while the adults talked and laughed. I can't help but think again about how fortunate our kids are. Looking back at my own childhood, I wish my mom had had such great friends to hang out wih and go on fun excursions together (even in each other's living rooms and backyards). I, too, am so lucky to have supportive friends who love doing all kinds of things. I love knowing that I can call someone to work out, go for a walk, take the kids to a park, or go to the zoo. I feel blessed, truly blessed.
Sunday afternoon, the moms went to lunch in Greektown for Cathy's birthday. We ate at Pegasus, which was very nice and the food was great. Normally, we go to the New Parthenon, which has great food and service, but Pegasus is prettier by far. After we ate, we went to the bakery for a treat. A trip to Greektown would never feel complete without a trip to the bakery. We took our desserts to the riverfront and ate outside while enjoying the view of the Detroit River. I don't think I've ever been down there, and it was so nice. Lots of people were out, enjoying the beautiful Spring day. There are many benches, and a carousel. I think the riverfront path goes right to Hart Plaza, which I haven't visited since a third grade field trip. We made plans to return with the kids this summer.
Spring is lovely, with its teasing warm days. What I don't love is the wintery weather interspersed with the warm weather. I also don't enjoy the mud, but thus far that hasn't been much of a problem this year. I love that my yard is blooming. One area at a time comes back to life, with green leaves and colorful flowers. Chris has already had to cut the grass twice.The best thing is that there is a Robin's nest right on our back porch, perched on our porch light. There are three beautiful blue eggs in it, and I hope we don't scare away the mama Robin so we can see the babies when they hatch.
Spring Break has come and gone. We are back to the chaos of everyday life. Easter was nice, and the next day we headed south for a couple days. Our destination was Hocking Hills State Park in southeastern Ohio. I had stumbled across a website for this place while on a different site, and when I checked it out I was intrigued. As it turns out, Ohio has been hiding a region of magnificent natural wonders and I never knew about it until now.
Our drive was about five hours and fairly scenic; ie: not 100% on I-75. On the way, I received a phone call from Uncle Kevin, saying he and the boys were going to head down and check the park out too. We rented a cottage right at the State Park. It was basic, but fine. There was a full kitchen, two bedrooms, bathroom with shower, a/c and heat, gas fireplace, television with approximately five channels, and a screened in porch overlooking the woods. Behind the cottages, there was a playground and a sledding hill, which Bethany and Connor enjoyed running down at top speed. Although the cottages were nothing fancy (and had very uncomfortable beds), the location couldn't have been better. The first night, we had a lovely storm that lit up the woods with every flash of lightening. The next morning, Kevin, Mason, Keenan, and their dog, Mimi, met up with us, and we headed a little ways down the road to Old Man's Cave.
We had no idea what to expect. As we started on the rustic trail we quickly entered a realm of surreal beauty. Wow! Old Man's Cave is one of several scenic areas in the state park. Basically, we walked down into a huge gorge, with many caves and waterfalls and trails. The scenery was beyond anything we could have imagined, especially considering we were in Ohio, and I am finding it difficult to put into words. Here are a couple pictures to help convey the beautiful scenery we enjoyed.
One of the most amazing things about this place was that there were very few modern interferences to the natural formations. Other than some basic paths, a few staircases, some minimal handrails, and a few signs, the part of Hocking Hills we saw was left as God made it. We marveled that no one was around to tell us not to go in the water, not to stray from the path, not to climb in the caves, etc. We did quite a bit of hiking, and our kids never complained of tired legs. They couldn't wait to see what they would find next. Chris remarked that Old Man's Cave was more fun than Disney; and I think it was, in its own way. At the end of our trail, there was one last waterfall, which the kids climbed and slid down. They were all soaked and filthy by the time we headed back to the car. It was one of the best days I can remember having with my family in a really long time.
After a few hours exploring Old Man's Cave, we headed back to our cottages for a bit of rest before dinner. Bethany, Connor, and Lucy hung out at Uncle Kevin's, which gave Chris and I a chance to have a short nap with Mathilda. Then all of us headed to dinner at the State Park lodge, which was very close and almost empty. One whole wall was nothing but floor to ceiling windows with spectacular views of the hills and forest. We spent our evening sitting outside by Uncle Kevin's cottage, and walking up and down the little cottage road.
The next day, Connor wanted to visit Rock House, the only true cave in Hocking Hills State Park. He really wanted to see some real bats, which unfortunately (I think?) did not happen. We drove a few miles down the road and started off on our hike. Immediately I could tell that this trail was even more primitive than Old Man's Cave. We were hiking along cliffs with no safety rails. A few times it got pretty harrowing, but our kids listened well, stuck close to the rocky walls, and made it to the cave in one piece. We had to climb up through a rock opening to get into the cave, which was slightly tricky while carrying a baby in the Baby Bjorn (me) and holding a 3-year old's hand (Chris). Hanging out in the cave for a few minutes was a good reward for our hard work, and we had some spectacular views - again with no safety rails, and some very steep cliffs.
A couple days after our return home, the kids and I headed back to the Imagination Station in Toledo with some friends. It was much more crowded than our last visit, but we still had fun at one of our favorite museums.
The last couple days of Spring Break were spent with friends. Saturday night we had dinner at a friend's house, our kids playing together while the adults talked and laughed. I can't help but think again about how fortunate our kids are. Looking back at my own childhood, I wish my mom had had such great friends to hang out wih and go on fun excursions together (even in each other's living rooms and backyards). I, too, am so lucky to have supportive friends who love doing all kinds of things. I love knowing that I can call someone to work out, go for a walk, take the kids to a park, or go to the zoo. I feel blessed, truly blessed.
Sunday afternoon, the moms went to lunch in Greektown for Cathy's birthday. We ate at Pegasus, which was very nice and the food was great. Normally, we go to the New Parthenon, which has great food and service, but Pegasus is prettier by far. After we ate, we went to the bakery for a treat. A trip to Greektown would never feel complete without a trip to the bakery. We took our desserts to the riverfront and ate outside while enjoying the view of the Detroit River. I don't think I've ever been down there, and it was so nice. Lots of people were out, enjoying the beautiful Spring day. There are many benches, and a carousel. I think the riverfront path goes right to Hart Plaza, which I haven't visited since a third grade field trip. We made plans to return with the kids this summer.
Spring is lovely, with its teasing warm days. What I don't love is the wintery weather interspersed with the warm weather. I also don't enjoy the mud, but thus far that hasn't been much of a problem this year. I love that my yard is blooming. One area at a time comes back to life, with green leaves and colorful flowers. Chris has already had to cut the grass twice.The best thing is that there is a Robin's nest right on our back porch, perched on our porch light. There are three beautiful blue eggs in it, and I hope we don't scare away the mama Robin so we can see the babies when they hatch.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Recipes for Fun
I'll admit that I hesitate to let my kids get dirty. It is not always easy for me to let them be free and, well, child-like. So maybe it's my fault that Mattie freaks out if her hands have the slightest speck of dirt on them. I am possibly contributing to her OCD. But I also know that getting dirty is good for them. They have fun getting dirty. So I suck it up and let them get out the Play-Doh or the sidewalk chalk, or dig for worms in the yard. It makes me cringe inside, but I let them do it.
Clorox knows that sometimes kids just need to get messy, so they have a new Recipes for Fun website, and they're sponsoring the Ultimate Mess Party Contest. You can visit the website to get inspiration to let your kids get messy in four different categories: Wacky Science, Arts and Crafts, Kiddie Cooking, and Creative Cooking. And while you're there register and enter to win $10,000 for the an Ultimate Mess Party, or lots of other great prizes like gift cards and coupons for free Clorox products.
Getting messy in the kitchen is always a good time for my kids. One super messy activity they love is making and decorating cut-out cookies. That might not sound very original, but they really make a huge sloppy ordeal out of it. They help with the rolling and cutting of the dough, and when the cookies come out of the oven they go to town! I make frosting out of powdered sugar and milk (I have no specific recipe for this, just pour some powdered sugar in a bowl and stir in milk, a tablespoon or so at a time, until the frosting is a consistency that is easily spreadable), and add food coloring, so that we end up several bowls of different colored frosting to choose from. Plastic knives and tooth picks are used to spread the frosting and add details. The tooth picks are good for creating a marbling effect. We also have a wide array of various sprinkles for the finishing touches. These are traditionally done during the Christmas holiday season, but when I was a kid we also made them at Easter time. So think pastel colors and bunny rabbit cookie cutters.
One other messy but fun Easter tradition we have is decorating Easter eggs. When I was a kid, I used to decorate eggs with my Grandpa, and he was quite particular about those eggs. So particular, in fact, that he actually did most of the decorating. This is a shame, because no one in my family quite knows exactly how he decorated the eggs - but they came out beautifully. I remember coffee cans, a strong vinegar odor, and drops of food coloring. The end result was vibrantly colored marbled eggs. Since I don't know his secret method, we typically just use store kits. Even though we go the simple and easy route, my kids look forward to egg decorating every year.
Whatever the messy project we're working on, I like to protect my table and make clean-up easier by laying down a vinyl tablecloth before the fun begins. I have one with an Easter print on it, to make things a little more festive.
Do you have any messy traditions in your family?
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Clorox Clean-Up Recipes for Fun blogging program, for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on this program, click here and see the Terms link.
Clorox knows that sometimes kids just need to get messy, so they have a new Recipes for Fun website, and they're sponsoring the Ultimate Mess Party Contest. You can visit the website to get inspiration to let your kids get messy in four different categories: Wacky Science, Arts and Crafts, Kiddie Cooking, and Creative Cooking. And while you're there register and enter to win $10,000 for the an Ultimate Mess Party, or lots of other great prizes like gift cards and coupons for free Clorox products.
Getting messy in the kitchen is always a good time for my kids. One super messy activity they love is making and decorating cut-out cookies. That might not sound very original, but they really make a huge sloppy ordeal out of it. They help with the rolling and cutting of the dough, and when the cookies come out of the oven they go to town! I make frosting out of powdered sugar and milk (I have no specific recipe for this, just pour some powdered sugar in a bowl and stir in milk, a tablespoon or so at a time, until the frosting is a consistency that is easily spreadable), and add food coloring, so that we end up several bowls of different colored frosting to choose from. Plastic knives and tooth picks are used to spread the frosting and add details. The tooth picks are good for creating a marbling effect. We also have a wide array of various sprinkles for the finishing touches. These are traditionally done during the Christmas holiday season, but when I was a kid we also made them at Easter time. So think pastel colors and bunny rabbit cookie cutters.
One other messy but fun Easter tradition we have is decorating Easter eggs. When I was a kid, I used to decorate eggs with my Grandpa, and he was quite particular about those eggs. So particular, in fact, that he actually did most of the decorating. This is a shame, because no one in my family quite knows exactly how he decorated the eggs - but they came out beautifully. I remember coffee cans, a strong vinegar odor, and drops of food coloring. The end result was vibrantly colored marbled eggs. Since I don't know his secret method, we typically just use store kits. Even though we go the simple and easy route, my kids look forward to egg decorating every year.
Whatever the messy project we're working on, I like to protect my table and make clean-up easier by laying down a vinyl tablecloth before the fun begins. I have one with an Easter print on it, to make things a little more festive.
Do you have any messy traditions in your family?
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Clorox Clean-Up Recipes for Fun blogging program, for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on this program, click here and see the Terms link.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Neither Here Nor There
We've been having some truly frigid weather, and the temperatures the past couple days in the 30's and 40's are so refreshing. I swear there was a warm breeze. Although there is still snow on the ground, this kind of weather always reminds me of Easter for some reason. Early warm breezes take me back to Easter egg hunts at Salter Park that my Uncle Herb put together for my cousins and I every year. Some years we were shedding our sweaters as we searched for that last egg (with a $5 bill in it!) and other years we were freezing and racing back to the car as soon as we were finished. Back at Aunt Char and Uncle Herb's house, I looked forward to the predictable menu of ham, homemade potato salad and noodle salad, hard boiled eggs, and seven layer Jello. I hate mayonnaise and Miracle Whip (and I'm not sure which she uses), but love my Aunt Char's potato salad and noodle salad. I should really get those recipes from her, even though I have it in my mind that it won't taste the same if she doesn't make it. There were also the little glass dishes full of pastel M&M's, jelly beans, and all sorts of candy goodies for me to grab as I strategically walked by them over and over again because my mom never (ever) had candy in the house and I had to get my fill anytime I could. (Yes I did get candy in my Easter basket. But other than that - never, and especially no candy in accessible little dishes scattered throughout the house.) As much as I loved candy, I think my favorite Easter gift ever was the set of Anne of Green Gables 
books my mom got for me one year. I should get those out for Bethany. I hope she enjoys them as much as I did.
Two years ago my Uncle Herb died, too young and too painfully. Three of my kids knew him, but not nearly well enough. Maybe their lives are better in many ways than my own childhood, but it makes me sad that there are so many things they have missed out on that I had, like Uncle Herb's Easter egg hunts. Like spending day after day with cousins and aunts and my Grandma all summer while my mom worked. I have lots of wonderful memories of those days, even though I'm sure my mom would have rather been with me than at work, and I'm sure there were lots of days I wished I didn't have to wake up early and could have stayed home and played with my friends in the neighborhood. Instead my kids have a mom who is home with them everyday all summer, and I'm so happy for that, and I know they will have their own brand of special memories.
My kids don't have cousins, but they have each other. There are no bored and lonely days around here, like I had as an only child. They have two parents and a level of stability that I never knew until I was an adult. What they've never had is the adventure of leaving everything and everyone they know and getting on a train to Phoenix to start a new life, which my mom and I did when I was 6 years old; of needing to depend upon the kindness of strangers, and having playmates who don't speak the same language. They've also never known the tiresomeness of making new friends with the start of every new school year, which was hard but taught me a lot about relating to others.
I guess I'm kind of rambling, so what's my point? Maybe just that there's more than one way to have a happy family and a happy childhood. Endless ways, in fact. Maybe we worry so much about doing the whole parenting thing "right" when the truth is we make our own "right" that fits our personal lives and families. There's a give and take, and despite our best wishes and efforts we can't have everything and we can't give our children everything.
My kids have to miss out on some things to get other things. They don't have the (relatively) adventurous, rambling life I had as a kid, but they have something different and maybe better. So they are missing some things I took for granted, like friends from different cultures, seeing first hand how people live in different areas, needing to have the skills necessary to meet new people and make new friends on a regular basis, the ability to improvise out of need, a sense of wanderlust. In exchange, they have friends they've known for years. They have their own beds (something I didn't experience until I was in 3rd grade...I shared with my mom, slept on couches, and even used an orange vinyl beanbag chair as a bed for a short time). When I was a kid, I always wanted to be like my friends who had known each other since kindergarten, with brothers and sisters, and two parents, and a regular home. And now my kids have that; they have what I wished I had. I'm grateful. But I also want for them some of what I had.
books my mom got for me one year. I should get those out for Bethany. I hope she enjoys them as much as I did.Two years ago my Uncle Herb died, too young and too painfully. Three of my kids knew him, but not nearly well enough. Maybe their lives are better in many ways than my own childhood, but it makes me sad that there are so many things they have missed out on that I had, like Uncle Herb's Easter egg hunts. Like spending day after day with cousins and aunts and my Grandma all summer while my mom worked. I have lots of wonderful memories of those days, even though I'm sure my mom would have rather been with me than at work, and I'm sure there were lots of days I wished I didn't have to wake up early and could have stayed home and played with my friends in the neighborhood. Instead my kids have a mom who is home with them everyday all summer, and I'm so happy for that, and I know they will have their own brand of special memories.
My kids don't have cousins, but they have each other. There are no bored and lonely days around here, like I had as an only child. They have two parents and a level of stability that I never knew until I was an adult. What they've never had is the adventure of leaving everything and everyone they know and getting on a train to Phoenix to start a new life, which my mom and I did when I was 6 years old; of needing to depend upon the kindness of strangers, and having playmates who don't speak the same language. They've also never known the tiresomeness of making new friends with the start of every new school year, which was hard but taught me a lot about relating to others.
I guess I'm kind of rambling, so what's my point? Maybe just that there's more than one way to have a happy family and a happy childhood. Endless ways, in fact. Maybe we worry so much about doing the whole parenting thing "right" when the truth is we make our own "right" that fits our personal lives and families. There's a give and take, and despite our best wishes and efforts we can't have everything and we can't give our children everything.
My kids have to miss out on some things to get other things. They don't have the (relatively) adventurous, rambling life I had as a kid, but they have something different and maybe better. So they are missing some things I took for granted, like friends from different cultures, seeing first hand how people live in different areas, needing to have the skills necessary to meet new people and make new friends on a regular basis, the ability to improvise out of need, a sense of wanderlust. In exchange, they have friends they've known for years. They have their own beds (something I didn't experience until I was in 3rd grade...I shared with my mom, slept on couches, and even used an orange vinyl beanbag chair as a bed for a short time). When I was a kid, I always wanted to be like my friends who had known each other since kindergarten, with brothers and sisters, and two parents, and a regular home. And now my kids have that; they have what I wished I had. I'm grateful. But I also want for them some of what I had.
*****
I have a lot to be grateful for lately. I've had people, some I don't even know, offer to help me get to the bottom of my health issues. People are generally nice and caring and want to help. The generosity I've been the recipient of has been truly humbling and so sweet and appreciated.
My wonderful preschool co-board members took it upon themselves to decide we would meet at a coffee shop last week, even though the meeting was scheduled to be at my house. They knew I had been sick and maybe didn't need one more thing on my plate.
Lucy went to a super fun birthday party over the weekend for a preschool classmate. Like I've said before, I love preschool. I love the other kids and their families. So Lucy got to ride a horse at the party, which she was very excited about. Which is funny because in the past she has been extremely reluctant to even ride the smallest pony. I guess she is growing up.
My friend Julie's little girl also had a birthday party over the weekend. She is turning 2 this week. All 6 of us went to her party, and since I love Julie and I love her family it was a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon. And the kids loved it all the more because it was held at a restaurant where they were given the opportunity to repeatedly put tokens in a couple of machines in exchange for crappy candy and plastic junk. What could be better?
Today was my working day at preschool, and it was fun being there for the Valentine's Day party. Otherwise Valentine's Day is one of those days that doesn't really mean much to me. Maybe it should, since it's a day for celebrating love. But I think everyday is a day to celebrate love. And Chris and I don't really go for romantic mushy gushy stuff anyhow. But happy Valentine's Day nonetheless; go spread some love.
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