I love cooking meals. I'm not big on baking. But I love cooking a good dinner.  I made this Pork Roast last year for Christmas and it came out really good. I do believe anything with bacon in it is awesome anyway!
Here is a link to the biscuits that I made to go with it: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/muffins/double-cheddar-holiday-biscuits/
AND...these Scalloped Potatoes were awesome also:  http://www.bhg.com/recipe/vegetables/scalloped-russet-and-sweet-potatoes/ 

Have a great Christmas!

Herb-and-Garlic-Crusted Pork Roast

Makes: 6 servingsYield: 6 servings plus leftovers

Prep 25 minsMarinate  overnightRoast 425°F 1 hr  /350 degrees FStand 15 mins

Herb-and-Garlic-Crusted Pork Roast

• 1

ingredients

• 8
  cups cold water
• 1/2
  cup kosher salt
• 1/4
  cup brown sugar
• 1
  center cut, boneless pork loin, approximately 3 to 3-1/2 pounds
• 3
  tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 4
  slices Black Forest bacon or other thick-sliced bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces (uncooked)
• 1
  tablespoon apricot preserves
• 2
  teaspoons finely chopped fresh garlic
• 1
  tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2
  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2
  cups fresh bread crumbs
• 3
  tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2
  teaspoon kosher salt
• 3
  tablespoons butter, melted

directions

1.For brine, in a very large bowl dissolve salt and sugar in 8 cups cold water. Transfer pork to brine, making sure to submerge it fully. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or up to 2 days.

2.Remove loin from brine and blot dry with paper towels. In a nonstick skillet heat oil, then brown roast on all sides, about 10 minutes. Set aside for 5 to 30 minutes to cool slightly.

3.In a food processor puree uncooked bacon to a smooth paste. (This amount of bacon is necessary for blades to process. Use the remaining puree to make appetizers: spread on baguette slices then broil until golden. Serve with Plum Compote.) Transfer half the bacon to a bowl. Stir in apricot preserves, chopped garlic, and 2 teaspoons of the chopped rosemary.

4.Position oven rack in lowest position. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place cooled pork loin on waxed paper. Spread with bacon mixture. In a separate bowl combine the bread crumbs, parsley, remaining rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and the melted butter. Toss well to mix. Press an even layer of the crumb mixture on the roast (except the ends), applying enough pressure for the crumbs to adhere to the bacon layer.

5.Transfer roast to a wire rack in a foil lined baking pan or roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Roast for 45 minutes more or until an instant read thermometer registers 145 degrees F. (If crust begins to brown too deeply, tent roast with foil.) Remove roast from oven, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes in a warm place. Temperature of roast will rise approximately 10 degrees F as it stands.

from the test kitchen

• * If you are not able to find a natural pork roast, skip the brining step.

• ** If you don't let the crumbs stale overnight, spread them in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan and bake, uncovered, in a 300 degrees F oven 10 minutes or until dry, stirring once or twice. Crumbs will continue to dry as they cool.

Menu Planning:

• Increase oven temp to 425 degrees F and when it reaches temp, bake biscuits while roast and potatoes rest. Reserve any unused seasoned bread crumbs and keep on hand in the freezer as a special treat. Serve with plum pudding compote and a dish of Dijon-style mustard on the side. Slices of cold roast pork make a most excellent sandwich or midnight snack, especially with a bit of the compote. Use some of the remaining bacon puree to spread on baguette slices and toast until golden. Serve with cheese and plum pudding compote.

nutrition facts (Herb-and-Garlic-Crusted Pork Roast)

• Servings Per Recipe 6,
 
• cal. (kcal) 412,
 
• Fat, total (g) 23,
 
• chol. (mg) 118,
 
• sat. fat (g) 8,
• carb. (g) 13,
 
• Monosaturated fat (g) 10,
 
• Polyunsaturated fat (g) 3,
 
• fiber (g) 1,
 
• sugar (g) 2,
• pro. (g) 36,
 
• vit. A (IU) 194,
 
• vit. C (mg) 2,
 
• Thiamin (mg) 1,
 
• Riboflavin (mg) 0,
 
• Niacin (mg) 13,
 
• Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 1,
 
• Folate (µg) 16,
 
• Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 1,
 
• sodium (mg) 621,
 
• Potassium (mg) 631,
 
• calcium (mg) 40,
 
• iron (mg) 2,
 
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Cookie Decorating Playdate - 12/18/12

Hey Mamas!  We have a special Christmas themed playdate this Tuesday - decorating Christmas cookies!  We'll be meeting at Kim Mowat's house at 10:00am.   Please bring your own cookies to decorate, but the frosting and decor will be provided.  Don't worry if your little ones are babies or too young to decorate cookies, they will have plenty of toys and things to entertain them.  If you have older kids out of school, please feel free to bring them along!  Kim's address is 1131 Petras St, Erie, CO  80516.  Her phone number is 303-942-0604.  Hope to see you there!

MOPS Christmas Brunch Reminder - 12/11/2012

Just a reminder that this Tuesday is our Christmas Brunch with the theme "Christmas Morning"!  Please come in your PJ's!  We have a lot of fun activities planned, tons of good food and our special guest speaker is Adrian Boykin from the Erie campus.  We will be also collecting cash donations for our amazing Moppets workers that allow us to get away for a few hours.  Hope to see you all Tuesday at 9:00am!

Healthy Holidays!?

Do those two words really belong in the same sentence?

This time of year we are surrounded by decadence. Rich creamy foods. Beautiful Christmas displays. And more rich creamy food.

When it starts getting cold, our bodies naturally crave foods that will keep us warm. That means foods that are more likely to bulk us up. Our bodies have not realized we live in a world of down jackets and central heat. But really, who wants to gain the typical 5-7 pounds of Holiday weight? Not me, thanks.

So how do we avoid the Holiday bulge? 

1. Be picky. Just because it's there doesn't mean you have to eat it. Decide what are your must have treats are for the holidays and mindfully enjoy them in reasonable quantities. If you come across something you don't love, remember you have a choice to pass it by.

2. Remember it is what we eat most of the time that really matters. That once a year Christmas dinner does not have near as much effect as what you are eating day in and day out for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As often as possible, make healthy choices that will support you in feeling your best and having the energy you want to take pleasure in your daily responsibilities.

3. Enjoy downtime. Yes, this might mean those presents are not picture perfect. Or you have store bought cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning instead of homemade. Or you do most of your shopping online in the comfort of your PJ's sipping a warm cup of tea. Make rest a priority, get plenty of sleep and schedule in time for you to do what recharges you.

4. Make healthy movement a priority. Grab that sweet baby and dance your heart out to Christmas classics. Run errands on your bike (it's definitely warm enough this week!). When you are finishing up your shopping, park way out in the lot and power walk to the door. Bonus points for pushing multiple kids in the cart. Go for a run- walking is great too. Try an online yoga class- www.yogatoday.com is my favorite, they have a free class every week! Staying active at this time of year is key to balancing the gluttony of foods that surround us.

5. Don't stress. We all have extra tasks- shopping, cooking, cleaning, packing, driving- that we are responsible for at this time of year. But remembering to keep the stress level down by breathing and passing our burdens on to the Lord can help us turn a sky high stress level into gentle pressure that makes us productive.

Here are three of my favorite healthy recipes that look and taste decadent but are loaded with good for you stuff that won't weigh you down.

One Sweet Appetizer

For easier prep and more flavor, roast the sweet potatoes and heat the beans and spices the day before. Store in the fridge but allow them to come to room temperature before assembling.

3 medium sweet potatoes, sliced into ¼ inch rounds
1.5 Tbsp olive oil
15-oz can black beans or 2 cups cooked black beans
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp cumin
Feta cheese
A few sprigs cilantro

Preheat oven to 375. Using a large mixing bowl, toss sweet potatoes with olive oil and stir well to combine. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Roast for 30 minutes or until soft and lightly brown. Remove from oven. While potatoes are cooling, place black beans in a saucepan with the oregano, chili powder and cumin. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove a few tablespoons of the beans to a colander over the sink and allow to drain. Spread the roasted sweet potato rounds on a tray. Sprinkle each lightly with feta and beans, moving more beans to the colander to drain if necessary. Reserve extra beans for another use. Place a small piece of cilantro on each round and serve.

Pomegranate Kale Salad 

This hearty salad makes a great light lunch. Enjoy with some chicken or a hard-boiled egg for extra staying power. Repurpose the kale stems by adding them to soups.

6 cups curly kale, thick stems removed and discarded
4 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
1 carrot, grated
Seeds from 1 pomegranate~ mine contained a heaping cup
Pinch black pepper
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
¼ cup raw walnuts

In a large bowl, combine kale, lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Mix well to combine. Add carrot, pomegranate seeds, pepper, sunflower seeds and walnuts.  If possible, let sit for 15 minutes to allow flavors to combine. Store in the fridge, where it should keep for 3 days.

Date Oat Bars

Crust/Topping:

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup oats

1/4 tsp sea salt

6 medjool dates, pitted and chopped

3 Tbsp cacao nibs

4 Tbsp + 2 tsp coconut oil
½ tsp vanilla extract

Filling:

16 medjool dates

1 tsp almond extract

4-5 Tbsp water

Using a food processor, grind almonds and oats until a fine crumble forms. Add salt, dates, cacao, coconut oil and vanilla extract. Process until well combined. Grease an 8x8 pan with coconut oil. Press crust ingredients into pan, reserving ½ cup for topping.  

Add filling ingredients to food processor. Process until a paste forms. You will probably have to stop and scrape the mixture down a few times before it really combines. Using a wet spatula, spread filling over crust. Sprinkle topping over filling, pressing down slightly so it will stick.

Chill in fridge overnight or in freezer for an hour before slicing. They might stick- I used a fork to slide them off the glass.

Happy Holidays!

Everyone loves the idea of holidays, surrounded by warmth, love and family togetherness.  For most people, however, the reality looks a little – or a lot – different!  And when in-laws are thrown into the mix it can truly turn into a source of tension, frustration, and disappointment. 

I know many of you have complicated holidays – with family spread all over the country, with demanding in-laws, with divorce or serious dysfunction.  Please know that no one has ‘perfect’ holidays, and that the key for your family may be setting boundaries and being careful about time spent with some family members.  But don’t shortchange your husband’s family simply because they’re not yours, or fail to establish your own traditions. 

Our family is about to experience it’s first set of holidays as ‘the in-laws’.  I love the wisdom I’ve heard from many of you as we embark on this new stage!  But we’ve also had over 30 years experience of dealing with ‘The In-Laws’.  Hopefully these few tips will help make the holidays at least bearable – and maybe actually pleasant!

-Recognize that you and your husband have different holiday expectations and experiences.  Different is NOT bad – it’s just different.  It’s very easy to cling to our family of origin’s way of celebrating various holidays as the ‘right’ way to celebrate.  Holidays are prime times to compromise – you’re not going to create a holiday experience exactly like you had as a child.  Instead, you need to work together to create holidays that honor both of your families of origin, and create traditions for your own family.

Talk – and talk some more – as much in advance as possible.  Talk to your spouse about what is most important to him in celebrating various holidays.  Talk to your in-laws about what means most to them.  Think and pray about what is important for you.  It’s very easy to hold onto every childhood holiday memory and tradition as sacred, but that’s neither real nor reasonable.

Be flexible – and as much as possible, encourage all parties involved to be flexible.   This may mean alternating years visiting family, or deciding to alternate for Thanksgiving, but staying home for Christmas.  It does involve sacrifice – you can not be everywhere at the same time, even if everyone is in the same town.  Live in the moment and enjoy the holidays where you are, with the people there. 

Be sure to build traditions of your own!  This is so important!  Your families of origin will not be there forever, or may change a lot.  Please don’t connect all your traditions and events to them.  Traditions can be added to or changed as the years go by and your children and the family grows and changes. 

My husband and I were fortunate (at least, most of the time it felt that way) that both our families were in the Boulder area the first 9-10 years of our marriage.  We were also fortunate that my husband’s family, with Scandinavian traditions, always celebrated on Christmas Eve, and that my family always celebrated on Christmas Day.  However, once we added our own family traditions, and time together for the 5 of us to have breakfast and open gifts, we felt like we were running the 24-hour Christmas marathon!

Over the years we’ve continued to celebrate Christmas Eve with my husband’s family.  I used to be quite resentful of this time – it precluded us going to Christmas Eve services, and it had some elements that I didn’t appreciate – like dressing up, and wrapping ALL stocking stuffers.  However, as the years have gone by – and the kids have gotten older – we’ve added in attending the Christmas Eve service, and everyone (from 3 different religious denominations) enjoys it.  I now treasure the traditions of my husband’s family, and am so grateful that we made this celebration a priority, especially in my mother-in-law’s final years.  

My side of the family has become very flexible about celebrating Christmas – the key is to be together, whether it’s a few days before Dec. 25^th, or in early January.  We have a meal, presents, and just enjoy time together, with the wide range of ages on this side of the family. 

Our own family Christmas traditions include doing something for a family in need, and having mini cinnamon rolls made with crescent roll dough as a highlight of our Christmas morning breakfast.  Depending on the celebration time for my side of the family, we often go to a special friend’s home on Christmas Day night and play games – a fun tradition!  Friends can be the family you choose, so consider including them in your plans!

Whatever your holidays look like, I pray they are filled with true thanksgiving, joy and peace!  Be flexible, enjoy the moments, and let go of some unreal expectations.  Start a simple new family tradition for your family this year.  And remember – January is coming!

Lisa Gaskins

ADVENT CALENDAR IDEAS!!

Hope everyone enjoyed  making their Advent calendars! It was a fun project to do!  I loved watching everyones personalities come out  while making them- from the precise engineer to the free flowing, non-perfect Artist- each one was different but all reflected their creator ! Below are a few links to ideas you can use for your advent calendars.True story of Christmas- Re-usable advent,
Free Advent Activity Printables, Free Advent printable Verse Cards. Enjoy!
- Kacey

Gobble Gobble

My family is big. We come from an Italian background and probably fit most of the stereotypes you can think of. Not only am I aware of the very hour someone in my family goes into the hospital to give birth, but it is not uncommon for me to text my second cousins. It blows my husband's mind that we have roughly 40 stockings at my grandparents' house at Christmas time and I know the addresses of all those members.

Picture "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" only Italian. 

Of course that's not the only stereotype we fit into. 

Like most Italians, we like to eat........a LOT. 

Spaghetti has accompanied many Thanksgiving meals that I can remember. But, it wasn't the main course. It was more of a side dish, if you will. Just heap it onto the plate next to the mashed potatoes and turkey. Oh! And the turkey? We normally have two. "Just in case." 

The more the merrier! It was never a problem to show up with an unplanned guest at Thanksgiving dinner. It caused a bit of a stir, but the hustle wasn't because an extra guest may cause an inconvenience, it was the fear that we would......wait for it.....run out of food! The horror! 

Needless to say, it was never actually a reality to run out of food at Thanksgiving. And, although we no longer eat at my grandmother's house, my mom has been diligent in carrying on this tradition. Every Wednesday before Thanksgiving is spent ENTIRELY in the kitchen. 8 AM- 8 PM. It's a day of cooking. We make side dish after side dish after side dish. 

Here are a few of our favorites:

Pretzel Salad

2 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pretzels

3/4 cup melted margarine

3 Tblsp sugar

8 oz pkg cream cheese

1/2 scant cup sugar

3 Cups Cool Whip

2 (3 oz pkg strawberry jello)

2 Cups boiling water

2 (10 oz) pkg frozen strawberries

Mix pretzels, margarine and sugar well and press into 9x13 pan. Bake 10 minutes @ 350. Cool. 

Mix sugar and cream cheese. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread over cooled crust. Dissolve jello in boiling water and add frozen strawberries. Pour over top of cream cheese layer and chill. 

Layered Lettuce Salad

1 head lettuce

1 cup celery, diced

4 eggs, hard cooked, sliced

1 (10 oz) pkg frozen peas, uncooked

1/2 cup green pepper diced

1 sweet onion, med diced

4 slices bacon, fried and diced

2 Cups Mayonnaise

2 tblsp sugar

4 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded

Tear the crisp, clean lettuce into small bite size pieces and place in large bowl or 9x13 baking dish. Later rest of ingredients in order given. Add the sugar to the mayonnaise and spread over the top as you would frosting. Top with grated cheese. Cover and refrigerate 8-10 hrs. At serving time, toss and garnish with parsley and additional bacon. 

Cranberry Marshmallow Salad 

(this is a great substitution for the traditional cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving)

1 (12 oz) pkg fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped

2 cups sugar

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, with juice

1 container Cool Whip

2 cups marshmallows

In a large bowl, stir together the pineapple (w/juice), cranberries and sugar. Refrigerate overnight. 

Before serving, stir in the Cool Whip & marshmallows. 

YUM!!!!!

These are just a few of the MANY different dishes we have on our Thanksgiving table. Did any of them seem weird to  you? Maybe. 

Give one a try and see if you have a new favorite!!! 

Happy Turkey Day!

Christmas Gift Ideas That Bless The World

Hey Girls,
Finding cute, thoughtful gifts isn't always easy.  We wanted to pass on a few ideas that are really beautiful and would bless the gift receiver and help change the world.  fashionABLE is a non-profit business that sells scarfs.  What makes these scarfs really special is they are made by African women living in poverty.  Buying scarfs provides these women with jobs.  When you buy the scarf you also get a little note with the story of the woman that made the scarf, which is really neat.  Here is one of their products:

Another company is call Bajalia Trading Company.  They sell jewelry, accessories, art, baskets and other products made by people from worn-torn countries China, India, Afghanistan and Africa.  They are committed to providing fair wages and employment opportunities to places in the world that are economically disadvantaged.  Here is some of their jewelry:

  

Happy Shopping!!!

MOPS Meeting Reminder - 11/13/2012

Hi Ladies!  So, the day after Halloween I was shocked to see that Hobby Lobby was all Christmas-ed out.  I can't believe the holidays are getting so close!  This will be my first year making a turkey for Thanksgiving, so let's hope I don't send anyone home with food poisoning.  So this week's MOPS meeting will helpful for me and lots of fun!

TOPIC:  "Tips for the Holidays".  There is a super cute holiday craft too!

FOOD: Angie's Table - Oatmeal Bar

Hope to see you guys Tuesday!

Robbie's Info

Hi Ladies!
I know a few of you weren't able to come to our last meeting where Robbie Iobst discussed 'The Dance of Peaceful Parenting'.  I know I personally struggle with anxiety and took a lot away from it!  One of the things that stood out most to me is using an imaginary 'lasso' to capture every thought and throw it away.  The enemy wants to kill, still and destroy our faith, courage and relationships, but the One who is in us is greater than he who is in the world, so we just need to learn how to resist the enemy's tactics.

Three Ways to Practice Peaceful Parenting:

1. Practice walking away from being a wallflower of worry
2. Practice waiting on the Lord
3. Practice watching your child dance on their own.

Ways to Contact Robbie:
http://www.robbieiobst.blogspot.com
http://www.robbieiobst.com
robbieiobst@hotmail.com
You can email her if you would like to receive a weekly devotion via email called a Joyvotion.

Halloween Costumes for the Family

As much as I like the silliness of Halloween, I have never really enjoyed the process of choosing a costume. For some reason, the thought of coming up with something fun, unique and not trashy is enough to make me want to stay home snuggled up on the couch in pajamas on the big night.

I seriously cannot recall any of the costumes that I wore growing up, or if I dressed up at all! One time in college, I was invited to a Halloween party and was literally the only person not wearing a costume. Thank goodness it was dark in the house and people were, ahem, distracted enough not to notice. :-) When Stefan and I started dating in 2001, we developed our standard couples costume that we would wear year after year. It was simple, cheap, and actually had a bit of truth attached to it (I’ll save that story for another time, if you don’t already know it). :-)

You might be a redneck if... you meet your wife at a family reunion...

Fast forward a few years. Now that we have kids, Halloween dress-up feels like a requirement, practically a rite of passage in parenthood. And you know, for some reason, I’m finally starting to enjoy the process! I can’t say that I’ve gotten it right every time,

Sebastian wasn't too excited about his little pumpkin costume that first Halloween.

but each year seems to get easier and easier.  

Halloween 2011 with the family on Pearl Street

I think it’s important that our kids see us parents getting in on the excitement of the holidays, so I am actually entertaining the thought of putting together a costume ensemble for the entire family this year. Yikes!

Oh, but where to begin? In true Sheryl fashion, I created a spreadsheet to organize the different categories of group costumes. I’ll spare you those gory details and just give you the fun pictures that served as my inspiration. Be sure to click on each image to enlarge the collage!

Pop Culture. These costumes always impress me the most. As long as you somewhat pay attention to the news, you can pretty easily (and cheaply!) craft a unique costume from this category.

Honey Boo Boo; Olympic Athletes; Tanning Mom

Media. I’m pretty sure that most of our kids watch some form of media throughout the day, and no doubt many of them have favorite movie or tv characters. 

Sesame Street; Phineas & Ferb; Angry Birds

Music. Kids + dancing = guaranteed awesome good time. And if they like to dance, why not let them totally rock out?

Rock on!

Food. We all need to eat, so why not dress up as our favorite treats?

Popcorn; S'mores; BLT Family; M&M's

People and Animals. Preschoolers love learning about the different people who make our world go ‘round, so why not dress up as one?

Burglars; Honeybees; Farmers; ZOMBIES!

 Kids’ Choice. Have you reached the point where your oldest absolutely must dress up in a particular costume? If so, let him/her take the lead and work everyone else’s costume around that.

Let your LEGO or Astronaut fanatics take the lead here.

Superhero. This isn’t just for boys! Really, who doesn’t love wearing tights, a cape and a mask while “flying” around to save the world from evil?

A mishmash of superheroes or streamline things with The Incredibles.

One particular challenge with all of these costumes, especially when planning for the entire family, is figuring out how to keep the cost down. We can shop for costumes at second-hand stores or on Craigslist, swap with friends, or make our own from scratch. My number one goal is to keep it simple so that we’ll have more time to enjoy the fun of it all!

So, what’s the final decision, you ask? With the added challenge of a baby in my belly this Halloween, the choice became obvious after our most recent MOPS meeting. Here's a sneak peak. :-)

Or should I go with SpiderGIRL?? :-)

Thank you, Kacey, for the inspiration!

So, what will you and your family dress up as this year? Please share in the comments!

Delicious Pumpkin Brownies!

If you are anything like me, I'm a huge sucker for anything pumpkin.  The day starbucks breaks out the pumpkin spice lattes is up there with Christmas.  This is my fav pumpkin recipe, so yummy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp cloves
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 sticks butter, slightly melted (i always feel guilty at this part, but if you make them once a year, calories don't count)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup packed pumpkin puree (this is 1 cup, NOT the whole can)
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups white morsels
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix flour, cloves, cinnamon and baking soda in a small bowl.  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars.  Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Mix in white morsels and walnuts.  Bake in greased 9x13 pan for 30-35 min.  Enjoy the deliciousness!  Stephanie

MOPS Meeting Reminder - 10/23/2012

Hey Girls!  Looking forward to another MOPS meeting!  This week:

TOPIC:  "Jumping in the Deep End".  Overcoming Fear and Anxiety

FOOD:  Debbie's Table - Burrito Bar

Hope to see you guys Tuesday!

Playdate at the Pumpkin Patch - 10/16/12

Hey Mamas!  We are going to the Cottonwood Farms Pumpkin Patch just east of Boulder.  We'll meet there at 10:00 am.  Its free and they have animals, a corn maze, hay bale maze, and (of course) pumpkins!  Bring a snack, money if you want to buy a pumpkin, and a camera (lots of great photo ops).  Check out there website here.  The address is 1535 N 75th St. Boulder, CO 80303.  Hope to see you there!

We're Goin' On a Leaf Hunt

I grew up in Southern California where there really isn't seasons.  Okay, there are some changes, in about late December, some of the deciduous (SAT word, oh ya!) trees do change colors, but nothing like Colorado or really any other cooler climate place.  My first REAL season change in Colorado was fall.  I had never experienced a real fall, where leaves actually change in October and the weather cools down instead of warming up which is the usual trend in the Orange County area (granted in Colorado that can be the trend, too).  Who would have thought?  Cool weather and beautiful orange, yellow and red leaves were not just in books.  :) I love fall!

Walking in this new wonderland is one of my favorite things to do with my kids.  We take along a bucket and collect all of these wonderful leaves until our bucket is full.

Then we go home and make some fun leaf crafts with our bounty of colorful leaves. My personal favorite is a handprint tree.  

First gather a 12x18 piece of white or light blue construction paper, some brown paint, regular white glue, a paint brush and your leaves. 

Paint your child's hand and about half of his or her forearm with the brown paint.  This is a great sensory activity and is fun interesting to see if he or she is ticklish or if it has a calming affect. 

Press your child's hand and forearm gently down on the construction paper, making sure his or her finger's are spread apart. 

Now you have a tree trunk.  Take the white glue and the leaves you collected and let your child glue on the leaves to the paper. 

This is a great activity for 2+, but you can still go on a leaf hunt with children younger than that.  After collecting the leaves, dump them into a tub (even a small plastic shoebox will work) and let them crinkle and crunch!  Oh what fun!

Enjoy!

-Allie