Camping With Kids - Beyond the Essentials

You've pored over the camping checklists and packed all the necessities - but what about the fun? Here is my list to keep kids happy and active on the road and on the campground.

Bikes - If you bring no other activity you must bring bikes or scooters. I once saw kids "riding the loop" for over two hours. Make friends and ride the loop. Watch out for cars and don't forget the helmets!

Mad Libs - Great for the car ride and hanging at the site. Younger kids? Adults or older children can do the writing and reading.

Large, soft disc flyer - Frisbee is fun but getting hit in the nose by a plastic frisbee is not. Younger kids have a hard time with traditional frisbees but almost anyone can handle the big floppy flyers that are out now. Some models even fold up if you're short on space.

Track Ball - Easier and more fun than just plain catch. Family of four or more - buy extra rackets (and a few extra balls as they will get lost). Everyone loves that zip noise - it just screams camping. We also bring a soccer or kick ball as it's easy to start up a game with neighboring kids.

Cards & Games - An assortment of games is always good to have on hand - especially for rain and/or in the car. Some favorites: Blink, Uno, Jenga, Mancala and Rush Hour.

Art Supply Bag/Journal - Artist in the family? Pack a large ziplock with paper, small markers or crayons and scissors. A journal is also a great thing to pack for older kids - helps to keep that writing going in the summer!

Books - Always plan on a little tent time (rain or just a need to relax) - books are a great way to wind down. Pack some new and some old favorites. Trivia or informational books are good too - Guinness Book of World Records, Gross Facts or books about the nature and wildlife in the area where you will be camping.

Snacks - Make sure to pack lots of snacks - especially if you'll be hiking. There's nothing worse than a whiny kid on a beautiful hike. Low blood sugar = unhappy kid. Snacks are the answer. Pre-pack bags of trail mix, dried fruit, crackers, etc.

S'mores - Camping isn't camping without s'mores! Don't forget the sticks.

Now get out there!

Eat Your Greens

I've finally found a way to get Monkey to eat greens without complaint! I'm not promising this will work for you - but it's worth a shot. I first made these tacos without adding greens and they were a hit.  Another day I decided to make them again and I happened to have a huge amount of rainbow chard arrive in the CSA (Consumer Supported Agriculture) box (or "the food box" as Monkey likes to call it). So I decided to grab some of that, chop it really fine (I'm talking super fine - like I used to for spinach eggs back in the day). I threw it in and hoped for the best . . . the verdict? "These are even better mom!" The next time I tried kale and held my breath - success! So now I add even more of whatever hefty green I have on hand! So far it's worked every time (and he even knows they're in there now). He always brags about how he's getting so many nutrients as he scarfs his tacos (such a kiss ass). So now you can try it - but if you have a picky eater like mine and want to start small try it w/out the greens - then next time add a little and then if it's working for you - a lot!

I used to dice even smaller than this (when I was being sneaky)

Turkey, Chard and Potato Tacos

All of the following measurements are extremely arbitrary! So feel free to play around with the amounts.

1-2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion - chopped
1-2 garlic cloves diced
2-3 small potatoes (I've used yellow fingerling, baking, purple and new - they've all been good). Peeled and cut into one inch cubes.
1lb ground turkey (or a bit more)
taco seasoning of your choice
1 bunch of swiss chard, rainbow chard, kale or greens of your choice (you could try spinach but I like a heftier green) diced very small.
Small corn tortillas (18-20 or more)
toothpicks
Oil to crisp tacos (I use canola since it won't smoke like olive oil at higher temps)

1) In a skillet, saute the onion in the olive oil for a couple of minutes, add the garlic and then the potato. You want to cook until the potatoes are tender. Sometimes I add a little water and put the lid on to steam it a bit (this also reduces the chance of the potatoes sticking to the pan).

2) When the potatoes are almost tender - add in the chopped greens. Cook until tender and turn off heat.

3) Simultaneously, in a separate pan, brown your turkey. Drain fat if it's too fatty but you usually won't have to. Season with taco seasoning. I like to put on my seasoning, add about a 1/4 cup of water and let simmer. You can use a packet or make your own.

4) Once the turkey is browned - add the potato mixture and mash with a potato masher. You want it all to mush together. This helps keep the taco filling together and insures your greens are all incorporated.

5) The next bit is a bit of an assembly line. You'll want to have a pan for your tortillas, the taco mixture and a pan with oil (on medium or med/high) to crisp your tacos. Just a small layer of oil is good.

6) Warm your tortillas - you'll want to make sure they harden a bit so you can fill the tacos and keep them shut with a toothpick w/out it ripping through.

7) Fill each tortilla with about 2-3 tablespoons of filling, fold in half and secure with a toothpick.

8) Place filled tacos in the hot oil to crisp the bottom - then lay on a plate lined with paper towels. I let them brown for a couple of minutes. I usually put them in the oil, then go back and get the newly warmed set of three tortillas - fill them and remove the crisped tacos - repeat, repeat, repeat.

Serve with salsa, sour cream and avocado - or whatever else you'd like!

Summer Reading

I've signed up Monkey for the summer reading program at the Seattle Library every year - even those years he couldn't walk or talk. It's a great program. Your child reads (or you read to your child) at least 10 books and you get a free paperback book AND a family pass to the Burke Museum. You can even sign up online! So do it now - now!

So we've done it every year and Monkey loved going to the library, getting the stickers, seeing his name on the wall, choosing a free book and the museum visit. But this year is especially exciting (mostly for me) because Monkey can start reading books on his own! We are going to head down to the library tomorrow after school to sign up. I'm giddy with anticipation.

I also heard about some other summer reading programs which I've yet to check out. So I'll link them here so YOU can. Then I googled and found some more. So let me know how it goes!

Barnes & Noble Summer Reading
Pottery Barn Summer Reading Challenge
Scholastic Summer Challenge
Half Price Books Feed Your Brain Summer Reading Program
Old Spaghetti Factory - Reading Can Be Magical

Wishing you were a kid again to cash in on all this action? Seattle Library has an adult reading program too - for every three books you read and comment on you get entered to win a Kindle.

Get reading!

North Cascades Highway

Diablo Lake Overlook

Before Monkey arrived on the scene Mr. Monkey and I spent many vacations in the Methow Valley - but always in winter. The Methow has one of the largest cross-country trail systems in North America (and great snow-shoeing too). The only drawback is that Highway 20 closes for the season. So we've always taken the long way around - missing the very best part of the scenic highway. After many years of talking about it, we finally decided to do it! And we brought along a six-year-old who is no fan of riding in the car for long periods of time. Crazy? Well, yes . . . but I had a plan to minimize whining - and it worked.

We were only going for a short time but we packed the car full of activities, layers and snacks to combat any situation we might encounter. I really wanted to camp but was unsure if we would be able to find a spot on a busy holiday weekend (plus, Mr. Monkey is still not entirely thrilled with my need to camp). So to preserve our marriage and reduce stress, we decided to book a room in Winthrop. Besides, I'm not a fan of camping for one night as I feel like all I'm doing is unpacking, setting up, taking down and re-packing gear. I would recommend staying more than one night anyway (it is a long drive) but my husband was adamant that he wanted to spend at least one day at home for the long weekend - and it all worked out since the main point of the trip was the drive.

Here's how we broke it up and survived enjoyed the drive!

First stop - Marblemount
We left mid-morning and drove with minimal stops (one potty break) to Marblemount (about two hours from Seattle). We ate at the Eatery Inn. Do not do this unless you love slow (but pleasant) service and mediocre food. We passed the Burger Barn in Darrington and we would have stopped there if we'd known what we were in for - how could it be worse? But Monkey had his new-found love (a hot dog) so he was happy as a clam. If you know of any other places to try along this route do let me know! After we ate we looked for rabbits around the grounds but didn't spy any, so we ambled across the street to visit the Wildwood Chapel (teensy church) where Monkey practiced his "speeches" at the pulpit. There is also a marked trail to the river which we decided to pass up as we were going on to Newhalem (about 20 minutes away) and had a hike planned there.  If I were to do it again I think we'd pack a picnic and follow that sign down to the river.

Second stop - Newhalem (milepost 120)
The first place we visited was the North Cascades Visitor Center. I highly recommend this stop. The rangers are very friendly, there's a great 3-D map of the cascades (lots of buttons to push that light up each marked peak, valley and river), a nice area with some exhibits for you and your kids to explore and some easy hikes right out the back door. The best part is you can pick up a Jr. Ranger booklet and your child can get started earning a patch right away. Monkey was able to get his badge and patch within 30 minutes. Normally we'd complete this at a leisurely pace while camping - but since we weren't sure if we'd be back later this summer he decided to complete it while we were there. You can also download the booklet and become a "web ranger" if you're unable to visit the park. Find out more about the Jr. Ranger program here. Monkey is already asking when he can earn his next patch. So next we'll visit the Klondike Gold Rush National Park in Pioneer Square and hopefully hit another National Park this summer.

Trail notes.

Taking the pledge.

Third stop - Ladder Creek Falls/Gorge Powerhouse (also in Newhalem)
Cross the pedestrian suspension bridge and walk up behind the Gorge powerhouse to view the falls. Monkey loved it. He said gleefully, "this is the best day of my whole Kindergarten life!" I'd say that's pretty high praise. Falls are always a good destination and even better when the walk is short. Add in a suspension bridge, steep stairs, blue butterflies, a snake, a peek at the turbines in the powerhouse and zig-zaggy trails - the kid was in heaven.

After that we decided it was getting late enough that we should cut our stops short and head to Winthrop. The drive was insanely beautiful! Jagged, snowy spires jutting above the tree-covered hills. Teal lakes sparkling in the sun and yet more waterfalls all along the route. So the adults were fine - but the kid was a little more challenged after he got bored with spotting waterfalls. So I created a travel bingo game on the fly and we played a few travel games (I'm Xavier, carrying a load of x-rays and I'm going to Xanadu). He even did a little meditation - but I will admit there was a wee bit of whining. Thank goodness for dried mango - it's chewy and it's almost impossible to whine while chomping - almost.

Day 2 - On the road again

First Stop - Shafer Museum

The next morning we checked out the outdoor Shafer museum just across from our motel. Make sure to have some cash on hand when you visit as they run on donations. $2 minimum is suggested. Wander among all the old mining equipment and historic buildings to get a taste of Winthrop history. 

Second Stop - Falls Creek Trail

Before we left the Methow we stopped at the Falls Creek Trail. Yet another falls and an easy, accessible trail - only about 1/4 mile so perfect for a quick stop to get the wiggles out.

Third Stop - Happy Creek Forest Walk (milepost 134.5)

We stopped for a picnic lunch at Happy Creek. This is a newly rebuilt, short (are you seeing a theme?),  accessible boardwalk/gravel trail that goes through some old growth forest and past a creek that lives up to its name. We had originally planned to eat at the Diablo Lake Overlook but didn't want to backtrack and we were too hungry to wait. 

Fourth Stop - Diablo Lake Overlook (milepost 132)

What is there to say - it's spectacular! There's no reason not to stop. Seriously, you need to stop!

Fifth Stop - Diablo Dam (milepost 127)

We saw a sign and decided to follow it - so we got to drive across the Diablo Dam. It was pretty surreal to be up so high. Mr. Monkey was pretty freaked out with the wind and the narrowness of the dam we were driving across. I thought it was awesome! We parked at the far end and got out. Mr. Monkey was not comfortable with us walking across but I went a little ways out. Next time I'm walking across!

Sixth Stop - Cascadian Farms Roadside Stand (Rockport, WA)

This was our last stop before the final push home. In addition to some organic snacks, frozen berries and such they have ice cream and big fields to run around in (and some nice interpretive signs about organic farming - but Monkey was really into running laps around a newly plowed field).

All in all it was a fun (albeit short) trip. Here are some survival tips if you choose to go:

1) Pack snacks - lots and lots of snacks. If you think ahead you can wash fruit and such before you go.  If not, you can wash grapes with your water bottle water like we did. Bring snack cups (or just cups) and portion out some fruit and snacks so you don't have to stop and pull it all out. 

2) Pack activities. Monkey has a small backpack and I put his travel-size markers in there with a notepad and a sketchbook. He's starting to get into writing so he wrote a few stories. I also used it to make some travel bingo boards. That can be an activity too (the making of the board prior to play - everyone in the car can give suggestions of what to put in each square). I also recommend Think Fun's Rush Hour Jr.. It's a great game and perfect for travel. I packed a few other games as well and put them all in a shoe box. Monkey used the lid as a small desk for games and snacks.

3) Map out your trip and try to have some sort of stop each hour or so. This trip was all about the journey and in order to make it fun for all we really tried to plan out some fun stops throughout the drive. But know that sometimes you just have to press on - and prepare your kiddos for that reality :) Have fun!

Wordless Wednesday

Boredom Buster #1

Have you ever had one of those days when it's raining, or perhaps your child is home sick but not sick enough to nap the day away? You can't watch movies all day. Well, you can, (and we have) but here's an easy activity to break up the day a bit. Marshmallow and toothpick building.

Here's what you need:

mini marshmallows
toothpicks
imagination


It's well past hot cocoa season so hopefully you still have a stale, open bag of mini marshmallows languishing in the deep recesses of the cupboard (or full-size) and if not, it's a very cheap addition to the craft closet. Set out some marshmallows in a container, some toothpicks and go to town. Your only limit is your imagination and gravity. Monkey even got the markers out and colored some of the toothpicks to make a campfire. He made a robot with missiles (of course), some buildings and a campfire. It helped us both survive our sick day (we were both sick). What will you make?

Pinterest Challenge

Ahhh Pinterest. How I love you. You provide inspiration, relaxation (time wasting) and a place to store ideas. I love perusing pins and pinning. As with all art, sometimes it is all about the process and not the product! Yet, other times I need to remember to stop the pinning and start the doing. Luckily,  Sycamore Stirrings reminded (and inspired) me last week with her Pinterest Challenge.

I've made a few things over the past few months - enough so that I created an "I Made This" board to keep up the doing and to keep me honest. It makes me feel good to move a pin every once in a while to this board! Now, thanks to Sycamore Stirrings, I can move a few more.

Last week I didn't do any crafts but I did try some new recipes. I made these vegan meatballs, this quinoa salad (trying to get more quinoa in our diet but the kid is not having it) and these green cake muffins (Monkey's friend loved them but Monkey not so much). Sometime in the near future I hope to make this homework holder (which I planned to make months ago - but maybe I'll make it before school starts next year!) and this wall art project (I bought the letter for it months ago). I refuse to beat myself up about it - but I hope I will continue chipping away at pins from time to time. I've even thought of hosting a "Pinterest Party" where friends can get together and bring a pin they'd like to start on. We can spread out on the dining table and get to work. If I ever get it off the ground I'll be sure to let you know!

Monkey, spaghetti and "meat" balls

PSA

I long for the days when PSA was just a random, non-threatening string of letters. An acronym that could have stood for anything and certainly had no bearing on my life. But ever since spring 2005 Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) has been anything but non-threatening.

You might be lucky and wondering, "What the heck is PSA?" Well, short story is that it's the stuff that prostates give off - and it's measurable. So if your number is rising it means that prostate cells are growing. And if it's rising they are growing fast. And generally, that means prostate cancer. In addition, if you've had your prostate removed - technically your PSA should be untraceable since you shouldn't have any prostate cells to produce PSA. So if you have a traceable PSA and it goes up over time - you've got prostate cells growing somewhere in your body. Sucks, right? So when you're diagnosed and have had treatment you go in every so often to find out your number. So that's PSA in a nutshell.

So in Mr. Monkey's case it's been rising the past few months (he's had his prostate removed, radiated and been treated with hormones) and so have the hours of my awake time. So I fill that time with other, less threatening acronyms - fb, dvr, sois (staring off into space). Although my favorite pastime is denial and avoidance. After all, it's how I deal with housework and other unwanted things. May as well use the same coping mechanism for cancer. But I did do some vacuuming today - so next week I will begin researching new treatment options for the next phase.

So wish us luck - and hopefully we'll have a new path mapped out soon (as well as a clean kitchen) but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Read This

If you do one thing today - read this post. It's awesome. Just plain awesome. So drop what you're doing and read this. You won't be sorry.

The first foray into the forest - overnight!

I've really wanted to take Monkey camping for a while but last year it just wasn't in the cards (and before that I was not up for the challenge of camping with a toddler or baby). All along my husband has thought that I was insane. So with Mr. Monkey out of the equation, I planned a mom's camp out with an experienced friend (thank God for her!)

We smashed the kids into her car and then shoved in all the gear. We were only going for two nights but I'm pretty sure we could have survived weeks in that car if a disaster had hit. We stayed at Moran State Park which I would highly recommend for kid camping! We were at the North End campground which doesn't afford a lot of privacy but it's very close to the wonderful Cascade Lake day-use area (swimming area, playground and boat rentals) and easy hiking trails. We hiked, explored the campsite, roasted marshmallows for s'mores, swam in the lake and kayaked. We really packed it all in. Monkey LOVED it and was so sad that we had to leave. We will do it again - but maybe in two cars!

Takeaways

1) If you don't have a lot of gear - tag-a-long with a friend who does! My camping guru had a camp stove and everything else I don't have or would have forgotten.

2) Start small (close to home/civilization so you can bail if necessary and not too many nights for your first time). You WILL be exhausted!

3) Bring wipes! A roll of paper towels doesn't hurt either.

4) Pack some of those wipes and some ziplocks on long hikes - let's just say we had a bathroom emergency about two miles away from camp . . .

5) Even if the weather feels like summer (which unfortunately this year it hasn't) bring some warm layers as it's colder in the trees and after the sun goes down. It's tough to sleep when you are freezing.

6) Have fun and get dirty. Realize that your back will probably hurt and you won't get much sleep but it's all worth it!

Right Now - March

Wow, I can't believe it's March already. Monkey will be starting Kindergarten this year and I've been going on school tours. All this rumination on starting school has made me really conscious that time is speeding by (again) so I sat down to think about our Summer plans and such today. I thought I should probably calm the heck down and just live in the present for a bit so here goes:

Right Now . . .

Watching . . . Ponyo (delightful) with the kiddo and Dexter (disturbingly delightful) with the husband after Monkey is asleep

Making . . . lists of activities for the Summer

Smelling . . . freshly popped popcorn (it's movie night tonight and Monkey insists on it)

Reading . . . just finished The Stone Diaries and next up is some pulp fiction (Darkside) the last in my stack of free books

Planning . . . the next book exchange party (this time adding clothing and kid's books to the exchange madness)

Listening . . . to my Pandora Mumford & Sons radio station - LOVE those guys!

Missing . . . lazy days with Monkey and friends in San Diego

Coveting . . . a vacation without Monkey!

and you? Where are you right now? I'm off to watch Ponyo again!

FareStart Rocks

You have a few hours left for 2010 donations and FareStart is a wonderful cause. Check out this video for an overview. And if you're not in a place to donate - do check out the Thursday night guest chef dinners - great food, great price, great cause!

LIVESTRONG Challenge

I haven't been posting much lately (who knows if anyone is even reading this . . .) but I thought I'd let you know about a cause that's pretty important to me and that's the LIVESTRONG foundation.

My husband Mark is an avid cyclist and way back in our pre-marriage days we took a trip to France in 1999. We looked at some castles, drank a lot of wine, met some cool French peeps but mainly we watched cyclists whizzing by. That's right, we were lucky enough to follow the Tour the first year Lance won! It was pretty exciting. We started out in the mountain stages (which frankly were the best to watch because you can watch them coming up the hill for a while and not just whizzing by in a split second). The col du Tourmalet in the French Pyrenees was my absolute favorite. We camped out on a great spot overlooking some switchbacks. We got some good swag pre-race on that stage too. It was a really fun trip and really exciting to see the Lance momentum build as we followed along to Paris.

In 2005 (4 months before our son was born) Mark was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was 44. Two weeks after I gave birth he had surgery to remove his prostate. Needless to say it was a stressful time for all of us. He's been fighting the disease ever since and on June 20th he will ride 100 miles in the LIVESTRONG Challenge (he did it last year too - don't worry, he was insane like that prior to the diagnosis). I will be attempting 45 miles - and if you know me that's a lot!

Last year Logan wore LIVESTRONG bracelets constantly - and insisted on calling them his rings. So this year we formed the team "Logan's Rings". It's not too late to join! If you're in Seattle consider doing the run or walk (no fundraising minimum) or heck, cycle with us ($250 minimum). Join us!

Food Revolution

Not sure if you've been watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution but I am. I admit, it's a bit contrived since Jamie is always "biting off more than he can chew" and then amazingly gets it done by the end of each episode - but I don't care how they do it as long as it gets people talking about the state of food in our schools. My jaw DROPPED when I saw the head of the school lunch program have them bring out the fries because there weren't enough vegetables in the healthy stir fry Jamie was serving - what??

Anyhoo, I'll be watching to see what happens next and hoping for change in our own community. Sign the petition here to show your support of the revolution.

Paper Dragons

Everybody's talking about "How to Train Your Dragon" these days and I've been considering taking Monkey to see it (not in 3D) but am waiting for the full report from a friend. He's never been to a movie theatre (since the mom & me movies he slept through) so I'm a little apprehensive. But all that aside I saw these free printable dragons on HP's creative studio and thought I'd share. I haven't made them yet. I am working on making invites for my parent's 40th anniversary party - so I am surfing while waiting for my sloooow printer. But I wanted to share because frankly - by the time I make them I will forget to post! So if you do make them let me know how they turn out!

Right Now - Tail End of March

It's been so long since I've posted so I thought I'd at least jump on this meme I found over at Sycamore Stirrings. I had just about enough time to type it in before returning to the post-vaca laundry mountain.

Watching: Attempting to empty the DVR so I can finally watch "The Hurt Locker" on demand one of these nights.

Smelling: rosemary and sage - huge bushes that I grew from grocery store herbs that are in glorious bloom. I can't pass by without rubbing my hands over them.

Enjoying: Getting back to the daily routine after 10 days in California.

Reading: Michael Pollan's The Botany of Desire (just started it after finishing I Thought My Father Was God and Other True Tales from NPR's National Story Project).

Making: Just finished putting together the little treats Monkey will pass out at his half-birthday celebration at preschool tomorrow (recycling these cups and filling them with dinosaurs).

Wondering: If I will ever get through my backlog of email.

Hoping: Monkey will sleep in his own bed ALL NIGHT tonight.

Thinking: About my parent's upcoming anniversary and how I really need to get cracking!

Remembering: Fun times with family and friends in Cali.

Coveting: A real vacation - without Monkey!

Retro Recipes From Weight Watchers

I had to share this hilarious collection of Weight Watcher's recipe cards circa 1974. I am afraid of every single dish. I love the commentary - especially regarding the props in the photos. Check it out for yourself at candyboots.

Coffee Filter Butterflies

This isn't an original craft by any means but it was a lot of fun so I thought I'd share. It all started when I was scheduled to be the project parent for preschool a few weeks ago. Monkey had regaled us with stories of how one day he and his friends were butterflies at school and they "migrated" to the gym and back. He thought it was pretty cool so I decided we'd make butterflies on my day that week. Google never lets me down - so Phase I of the Coffee Filter Butterfly project was implemented. But one day of butterflies wasn't enough for Monkey. He decided he wanted a "whole bunch" and that we needed to hang them in his room. So I got some supplies and we set to work. This time it was serious. He was determined to make an entire "army" of butterflies.

Besides being a super cute end product the "getting there" portion of this craft is rife with learning possibilities (and just plain fun).

So here's what you'll need to make them the way we did at home (school was a different story):

1) Coffee filters

2) Food coloring (food coloring stains clothes and skin so be prepared for you and your kiddos to have colorful fingers for a few days). You could also do this project with liquid watercolor (less mess) but I didn't have any on hand.

3) Spray bottle with water (Tip: get a small one in the travel section so it's easy to handle for small hands - notice the behemoth bottle Monkey is using)

4) pipe cleaners

The cool thing about coffee filters is that they're absorbent so it's fun to see how the color bleeds. We experimented with wetting before and after the color was applied. Wetting the filter first and then dropping on the colors is the most spectacular so I'd save that for last. Here's how we did it.

(Wetting after)
1) Spread out a few coffee filters (you can do one at a time but we were making an "army" so ended up stacking about 5 at a time) - you'll need to thoroughly wet to get color on all the filters in the stack

2) Drip colors onto filters (we also experimented using daubers which was fun but not as dramatic or as satisfying as dripping the colors)

3) Spray with water and watch bleed (you'll need to wet through if you are making more than one at a time)

(Wetting first)
1) Spread out a few coffee filters

2) Spray filters with water - completely wet or partially wet to see how the color reacts differently

3) Drip colors onto filters


Monkey really liked wetting first and dripping after. It was definitely the most dramatic reaction as the colors bleed immediately and give a great batik effect. The natural progression of this project led to a discussion on how colors mix and a slight introduction to primary/secondary colors. I think you could really go crazy with that with an older child. Monkey really likes to make brown more than anything.

4) Set filters aside to dry. (We let them dry in their stacks and separated after they were dry so they wouldn't rip - Monkey loves the spray bottle so they were saturated).


5) Now you just need to twist a pipe cleaner around the center and create the antennae. You can either accordion-fold and twist the pipe cleaner in the middle or I found scrunching by hand was easier and faster. Then fluff the wings a bit. I was also informed that butterflies have FOUR wings so after that we made a bunch with four wings. All you need to do for that is stack two scrunched filters and tie together with the pipe cleaner. Then flatten out the wings.

We hung our finished butterflies with fishing line. Cheap and easy room decor - watch out Martha!

The Benefits of Lazy Gardening

I used to be so neat and tidy in the garden (at least in spurts). Now it's pretty much teensy spurts of work and long stretches of watching the weeds being fruitful and multiplying. But during the last spate of dry weather Monkey and I ventured out into the garden to bring order to chaos (me to weed and Monkey to jump around, dig, "help" and generally instill that there will always be chaos).

Usually, by this time of year, I would have cut down the dried stalks of windflower. But they're still there - standing tall and crackly and having completely gone to seed. They're pretty interesting really, tall stalks covered in cotton balls (which is originally why I'd kept them so long so Monkey could see how they change) but by now it was just because life had been marching on without a thought to the garden. That was all about to change. The sun was out, I was armed with clippers and a bucket and I was getting down to business. I need to cut them down before the tulips start pushing through and I can't get to them anymore without causing more harm than good.

But as I started to clip I heard a buzz and saw green in my peripheral vision. And there was an Anna's hummingbird collecting fuzz for its nest! I whispered to Logan to slowly come over and we got to watch as it hovered and collected a good sized ball. Wow! So the stalks remain. We were lucky enough to watch another collection today which is why I remembered that I wanted to share the benefits of lazy gardening with you. Unfortunately, I haven't had the camera nearby when the visitors buzz in so you'll have to make do with the pictures of the neglected (thank goodness) windflower stalks.

If you're interested in gardening with kids you might want also want to read this.

Haiti

I'm sure you've been inundated with images of the devastation in Haiti and calls for help. If you haven't decided how you can contribute I thought I'd pass along some information on a great organization - The Mona Foundation The Mona foundation has projects all over the world and focuses on education.

The work of the Mona Foundation is inspired by the example of Mona, a 16-year-old high school girl who was devoted to service to humanity and who was executed in 1983 because she was a Bahá'í. Mona was a beautiful and popular girl in her high school, and her teachers and friends cried when she was expelled from school because she was of a minority Faith during the revolution in Iran.

Mona loved children and in addition to teaching children Sunday classes, she volunteered twice a week in an orphanage from the age of 12 to age 15. Mona's mother relates that the only time she saw Mona cry in prison was when she talked about “her children” at the orphanage.

The full story can be read in the book Olya's Story. She said a prayer for unity and prosperity of mankind before she was hung.

100% of all designated Funds and 97% of all funds given to the General Fund has been a policy of Mona Foundation since inception. Consider giving to their Haiti Disaster and Reconstruction Fund.

Many of us don't have a lot of disposable income at our fingertips but every little bit counts. The Red Cross has a program where you can text "GIVE" to "2HELP" (24357) to donate $5.00 to Red Cross which will show up on your wireless bill. It all adds up.