Have you seen the MakeDo tools to build stuff out of cardboard? They're worth checking out, especially if you want kids to develop their creative side and develop STEM skills.

MakeDo cardboard building tools are so awesome. I am ridiculously, unreasonably excited about these. So great for encouraging creativity and developing STEM skills as well as self-reliance in building your own forts and toys!

I haven't blogged in forever, but was writing an Amazon post today and really wanted to put this info all in one spot because I absolutely adore MakeDo! Love, love, love it!

MakeDo is a company that produces a couple simple tools and fasteners to better build things out of cardboard. You can buy a kit from the company; I chose to purchase these tools/screws separately:
• MakeDo blue plastic screws (2 different sizes, depending on the thickness of the cardboard you're fastening together),
• Grey screwdrivers (they fit into the bolt-style top of screws and hold them really well to fasten then), and
• Black cutting/punch tools (plastic saw part isn't great-- but the punch on the opposite side is helpful to put holes in cardboard to insert screws).

For some reason, I have been over-the-top excited about these products. I guess because I loved building forts so much as a kid, and because this allows kids to make so many of their own toys out of boxes, which already fascinate children.

My daughter keeps boxes and just breaks them down at the seams, flattens them, and stores them behind a dresser. Kind of a nice way to get more use out of the cardboard before it's recycled. (Plus you can always tape boxes back together and use them later for shipping, if they aren't used to build toys). The blue plastic perfectly complements the color of cardboard on its own, or kids can paint or decorate the cardboard, even use the turquoise-blue screws for decorative accents, then unscrew them and use them again later.

I made a kit of these components to give my almost-5 grandson, who is having a great time getting creative with his Makedo kit.

For the kit, I gave him:
• 1 each of the above tools,
• a heaping helping of both sizes screws,
• a mini Stanley measuring tape, which kids LOVE for some reason (from Home Depot)
• (my son 3D-printed these) a few hinges and corner brackets which hold the screws to allow moving parts and stabilize corners (the company gives links to these instructions but you will need to modify to 3D print),
• (2) 1.2-cup Rubbermaid Blox storage containers for the screws (from Meijer),
• some already cut pieces of cardboard, including some packaging that already had round shapes cut into it, and
• a plastic toolbox to hold the tools/screws/containers.

In addition, I bought 2 Canary box cutters (from FoodVacBags seller on eBay--one of the few places to order and not have to wait for it to ship from Japan). These are retractable for easy storage and cut fairly well--I gave one to my daughter and kept one, but as an attentive parent, she could probably let my grandson help use it. From what I can tell, this cutter works about as well as anything to cut cardboard. I also treated myself to a very high quality Dahle Vantage paper cutter, which cuts chipboard beautifully. (I did not pay anywhere near what this Amazon seller is asking, lol.)

Next up, I'd like to get my grandson some nice BioColor paint, 2-color paint cups and a paint cup caddy, paintbrushes, and no-tip water pots, some heavy-duty punches for lighter cardboard and color cardstock, and maybe this book too.

For myself--NOT for children--I'd also like to try some cardboard scissors or spring-loaded cutters by Fiskars or Titan.

I'm so happy that my grandson loves this, that I am assembling a mini-kit as a treasure hunt prize for the 5-year-old son of one of our company's employees, whom we all adore. As the organizer of Michigan's ROBO-CON Festival of Robotics and STEM Learning, I'm considering setting up a cardboard building station for the 2017 event, which is why I bought more than one of each tool.

I would like to note that I was NOT PAID, RECEIVED NO DISCOUNT OR FREE ITEM, and was NOT COMPENSATED in any way for this post. I just happen to think this is amazing stuff and believe a lot of kids would have a blast with this.  : )  Hopefully others will find this helpful and find this product as intriguing as I do.

Girls and their flip-flops: A reading project

I posted a do-it-yourself flip-flop project on my guest teaching blog, showing alphabet-beaded flip-flops we made with my nieces during a series of fun "Cousin Camp" days to work on reading skills.

The project turned out pretty well, although I also learned what NOT to do in the process. Click here for directions and more info.

David's tostadas: Awesome and economical

David made the most amazing tostadas last night.

He's a fantastic cook, but I have to admit I wasn't super excited when he proposed a dinner of corn tortillas, refried beans and eggs. Trust me, it's light years better than it sounds!

David also grilled some scrumptious lemon chicken. The table was a virtual smorgasbord of savory taste bites and south-of-the-border condiments, but when all was said and done, the tostadas were best exactly how he prepared them, without any chicken, bells or whistles.

Here's the recipe:

• 1 large medium-hot pepper
• 1 package prepared corn tostadas or corn tortillas
• 1 can organic refried black beans with jalapenos
• 1 batch Spanish rice, homemade or combine mix with one can diced tomatoes and chiles/jalapenos/habaneros
• Cheese (colby/jack/cheddar if you want to melt it, or queso fresco)
• 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced (buy one that's slightly soft, cutting/pitting demo here)
• Eggs
• Water
• Fresh cilantro, washed and lightly chopped

These are prepared individually; the number of tortillas and eggs needed will be based on the number of people served. Two per person would be very filling, especially if you have side dishes. Hint: The easiest way to make these is to roast the peppers when the grill's already fired up for another meal, and cook the Spanish rice ahead of time.

Tortilla/tostada: If using corn tortillas, pan fry in hot oil until crisp and drain on paper towels; set aside.

Rice: Prepare the Spanish rice. If using a bagged or boxed mix, reduce the amount of water and add the can of tomatoes. Set aside.

Hot pepper (David used Cubanelles): Split the hot pepper lengthwise, and remove stem and seeds. Grill on hot grill until blackened

and slightly soft inside. You could probably also blacken it in a hot cast iron pan with a very small amount of oil. Cool and slice, leaving the skin intact.

Poached egg: In your smallest pan, bring water to a rapid boil. Crack an egg into the water and boil for a minute. Remove from heat, cover and let set about 3 minutes; it should be bright white outside, and the bright yellow of the yolk should fade until it's barely yellow. Personally I think it's better if the yolk is a little runny.

Assembly: 

• During the 2-3 minute egg wait, quickly stir up the refried black beans and spread on the tostadas/tortillas. 
• Top with Spanish rice and cheese; microwave if desired. 
• Top with the chopped blackened pepper. 
• Remove poached egg from water with a slotted spoon; let any water run back into the pan, then place egg on the tostado.
• Surround egg with avocado slices.
• Top with fresh cilantro. 
• That's it--enjoy!

A gift that rocks: Michigan State trivet

To say that David is a Michigan State fan would be a gross understatement. He's not merely a fan; the guy bleeds green. 

While I graduated from the University of Michigan, I certainly understand his loyalty. After all, David is a State alum, just like his father before him, who graduated from MSU when it was still Michigan State College. His kids are dyed-in-the-wool Spartans; both recently graduated from State.

Since David frequently cooks, I knew he would love this river rock trivet in his favorite MSU theme, the block S. Turns out his kids were wowed by it too, so much so that I think I'll need to make more for them someday.

The river rock trivet is an adaptation of several projects I saw on Pinterest. It turned out better than I expected, although it was challenging to keep the rocks the same height. This is important so a hot dish doesn't slide off the stones!

To make the project, you'll need:

• A pattern: I found the block S pattern online and pasted the picture into a Word file to print out.
• Felt: I used forest green for the S, with sheets of heather gray for the backing.
• Good fabric scissors.
• Other scissors for the cardboard and pattern.
• Cardboard: Use thin sheets, the kind that gives some stability to packaged items such as curtains. I glued two together to get the desired thickness.
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks: For gluing the felt together.
• River rocks: I used several bags from Dollar Tree, plus ones David and I have collected over the years (you'll need lots, since you have to sort through them to find flatter ones of similar height).
• E-6000 glue: For gluing rocks to the felt.
• Cotton swabs: I used these for the E-6000 glue.
• Rubber gloves to wear while applying the glue.
• A large foil tray or something to hold the project (be sure it's something sturdy you won't regret getting glue on!).

1. Gather the materials and wash the rocks in a sink of soapy water, allowing them to dry on an old dish towel.

2. Cut out pattern. It should be big enough to work as a trivet to hold a pan out of the oven.

3. The cardboard serves as a stiffener for the bottom layers of felt. Cut out cardboard sheets in the desired shape. You may want to create a pattern for this too.

4. Hot-glue cardboard sheets together to create a thin, sturdy surface.

5. The felt background sheets need to be about 1/4-inch bigger on all sides than the cardboard sheets they'll be hot-glued to. You can either cut the felt pieces using the same pattern as the cardboard, or hot-glue the sheets of felt to the cardboard and carefully trim felt (either way, cut the felt 1/4 inch bigger on all sides).

6. Cut out the top layer of felt in the block S or your design pattern. Center it on the background felt. You may want to make a chalk line on all sides.

7. Hot-glue the top felt shape onto the background felt.

8. Place the felt layers onto the foil tray. Grab all of your river rocks and get comfortable.

9. Sort through the rocks, finding pieces that fit the shape of your pattern. You probably want to vary the colors, sizes, and angles a bit for interest. Frequently check that the rocks are level by setting a casserole dish on top. If it teeters, you'll need to replace a rock or two. Expect this to take a while. I kept my project on the coffee table for a couple of days and kept returning to it.

10. Once you're happy with the rock placement and are sure they're level enough to support pots, pans, and casserole dishes, you're ready to glue. Before you get started, read the E-6000 glue label and take any  necessary precautions. 

11. Carefully move the foil tray with the felt, rocks, glue, gloves and cotton swabs to a well-ventilated spot (preferably outside!) and open up your tube of glue.

12. With gloves on, put a little glue on a swab, carefully pick up one rock at a time and glue it to the felt shape.

13. When all the rocks are attached, allow them to dry in a well-ventilated spot.

14. Check that all the rocks are firmly attached. Start by tipping the trivet slightly. If they stay stuck, tip it upside down and shake it a bit, re-gluing any rocks which come undone.

15. If you notice any visible glue, try to carefully scrape it off with a knife.

16. If you like, you can glue a few cork tabs on the bottom, although I didn't find this necessary.

17. Let it dry indoors for a few more days before using.

Note: Be sure to read the E-6000 glue label.This glue worked very well for the project, but gave off strong fumes! Avoid getting it on your skin. If I had it to do over, I would have done this project on a nice summer day, when I could work outdoors. Since I was making this in Michigan shortly before Christmas, I worked inside but waited until a day when it wasn't snowing, went as fast as I could, then took it outside to air out and dry a bit. 

My dad, he's a character...

At 94, my dad is probably the biggest character you'll ever meet. People 'round here know him as Tex, the sassy, rarin' to go guy with a coffee takeout cup in hand.

Age has barely slow him down, which isn't always a good thing. He's fairly fearless, which means within the past decade, he's been way up on the roof of their tall old barn. I've seen him at 2 in the morning on a tractor, farming the fields behind my house. Scares the skittles out of me at times.

He's still a skilled driver, although people don't realize when he "takes his half out of the middle" of the road, that's just an eccentricity he picked up when his family had early-model cars with wooden spokes, on trails through the sagebrush so primitive you had to stop in the middle of the road to open gates.

My grandfather, a German-Russian immigrant who died before I was born, was one of the first farmers in Texas to use tractors. My dad grew up learning mechanical skills from the hired men who were around.

He's been a cowboy ─ could rope and tie a calf in 5-and-a-half seconds ─ and his family still owns a rodeo supply company in Texas, which supplied the equipment in the 1994 movie "8 Seconds."

Over the years, I've learned hundreds of his stories. How he flew a plane over a nudist camp, how he was named for the banker in town who sponsored education for the immigrants in the area, how the Dust Bowl made him want to move north, how he ran from the women people wanted to fix him up with ─ until he finally settled down in his 40s and married my mom, 16 years his junior.

My dad is a major extrovert who craves social contact. And boy, is he a talker. For Father's Day this year, my brother, mom and kids put our heads together to remember some of his choicest phrases, such as "under the haystack, fast asleep," "meaner than a barrel of snakes," "straighten up and fly right," "son of a Bisquick eater," and "squealin' like a pig under a gate."

Names of some of his favorite things were added: Grand Ole Opry, Paul Harvey, cowboy boots, the panhandle of Texas, a "spot of Sanka," cornbread without any sugar. We also took phrases from his history he's shared and songs we've all heard him sing, as well as the German prayer we grew up hearing, "Komm Herr Jesus…Heilig Gott alle zeit, Amen," and his German counting rhyme, "Eins, zwei, drei, vier, the papa drinks the buttermilch, the mama drinks the bier." The toughest part was figuring out the correct spelling for the German words.

The more we talked, texted and messaged, the more we started remembering all the funny things my dad has said over the years. It actually turned out to be a lot of fun. Interested in doing a similar project? Here are the steps I followed:

1. I put together a Word file of his sayings, found a picture I wanted to use, got rid of distracting background features, sharpened the picture, then found a website that would convert the words to a picture. This was a bit challenging to find; since I'd seen similar projects all over Pinterest I figured it was no big deal, but turns out that site no longer worked.
2. I finally found a good site to use: http://www.text-image.com/convert/. After uploading the photo, I pasted the text from my Word file into the "Character" line and chose "sequence." I chose the largest font size, indicated I wanted it to be in color, and selected my browser. Finding the right background color took some work, I tried lots of different color codes from this chart, but you can Google "color code chart" to find one in a different format (it worked better for me if I typed in the color code without the space in the middle). Play around with the "extra contrast" setting to see which you prefer.
3. I took a screenshot, saved it as a .jpg and pasted it into a Word file to tinker with it some more. For my PC, I just use my keyboard (control + print screen) and paste it into my Paint program. When I used to use a Mac, it was a different process; if you're not familiar with how to do this, just Google "how to take a screenshot" plus either PC, Mac, or the name of any other device you're using.
4. Once you save it as a photo and have pasted it into Word, try the different options under "Format" to add a border. If you like, you can add the original photo like I did, formatting it to complement the picture. With my photo, the original picture also served to cover the dark silhouette of my niece, which looked odd in the text picture.
5. I saved this in both Word and XPS versions (click on the .pdf option to do this), loaded it onto my flash drive and took it to Staples to have it printed on glossy paper. Staples was able to open the XPS file and print it on 11-x-17-inch pape. I cut off the bottom 3 inches to fit an 11-by-14-inch photo frame. They will cut it for you, but it costs an extra dollar. Because I cut off the bottom 3 inches myself, I spent only $2. For older eyes that don't work so well, it's a little challenging to read the text on the printout. Along with framing the print as a gift, I also e-mailed it to family members so they could zoom in and see the words better. Note: My copy is better than the one here, since I intentionally reduced the size for this blog.

I'd encourage you to try this project. Until we started putting our heads together to think of my dad's choice sayings, we had no idea how many of them were based on historical events associated with his childhood. When I started comparing notes with others, I found some of his sayings were similar to those of their parents (or grandparents). Some things he said were based on popular songs of my dad's era, or were common among immigrants who came from the same region.

Although this projects took only a few days to complete ─ including the brainstorming ─ we learned more about my dad's history and grew a little closer in the process. I hope you have as much fun as we did!

Fruits & veggies: Why say 'healthy' instead of 'delicious' ?

         

I've started Pinning every delicious fruit and vegetable recipe I can get my hands on.  Got a yummy, healthy recipe to share? 

Why does it feel so challenging to eat more fruits and vegetables, especially since I enjoy this kind of food? Or maybe I should say I enjoy it if it doesn't involve mushy, oversalted canned vegetables, recipes with a dozen ingredients or ones which cook away all the flavor. And why do I refer to fruit and veggie recipes as healthy instead of delicious, as if eating good food is a chore?
       
I've long loved to cook but learned a lot from my beau David, who has a knack for whipping up fresh, healthy food that's savory and succulent. It doesn't cost an arm and a leg to fix either.It's amazing to watch him breeze through a grocery store, spend about 25 bucks, and come out with a week's worth of groceries plus a mental menu for the week. Granted, he's usually cooking for just 1 or 2 people, but still...
       
This time of year, for example, David cooks 1 or 2 whole artichokes in an old Pyrex casserole dish, adds a tiny bit of water, covers them with plastic wrap that gets poked with a few holes, and microwaves them. He cooks them 3-4 minutes at a time, lets them steam a couple minutes, then repeats the process if the leaves aren't yet tender enough to scrape (you draw the leaves between your teeth and discard the rest). Sometimes you need to repeat the microwave/rest cycle once or twice.When they're tender and the little water left in the pan is slightly green, they're done. He melts a little butter, adds olive oil, lemon juice and a little garlic salt for dipping. Soooooo fantastically good. His daughter ─ now 20-something and a skinny little thing ─ can eat two by herself. For six people at Easter, he cooked four.
     
Another favorite is grilled baby zucchini, split lengthwise, brushed with olive oil and garlic salt (or a little minced garlic). It's amazing that something so simple can taste so delicious. He pan-fries halved Brussels sprouts in a small amount of olive oil and fresh garlic, until they're caramelized. Before eating them this way, I'd only tried the boiled-and-buttered Brussels sprouts and didn't care for them, but I could eat a whole cast iron panful of the caramelized sprouts. This recipe works pretty well with the frozen ones too.
     
We all know there are lots of good reasons to eat healthy fruits and vegetables (and exercise too). These foods shrink our waistlines, help us feel better and ward off colds as well as more serious diseases. Research published by the National Institutes of Health even suggests benefits for people with asthma Personally I have extra motivation to live a more healthy lifestyle. My mother, who has diabetes and neuropathy, has had a wound on her foot for several years that just won't heal. Her poor feet have been so gigantic she hasn't been able to walk well and can't find shoes which fit. As a formerly independent lady who once traveled the country, being homebound was unbelievably difficult for her. After all the help she has required from the family, none of us want to follow the same path and are working to be healthier.
   
So my springtime resolution (since I skipped the traditional New Year's vows) is to enjoy more fruits and vegetables. No, I'm not measuring out daily portions or anything, but I'm roughly aiming for yummy fruits and veggies to make up about 1/2 to 2/3 of my food; the rest of my diet ideally is meat, eggs, dairy, grains and starches such as potatoes and rice. OK, plus maybe a little chocolate.
   
I'm putting together a Pinterest board with mostly quick, simple recipes using primarily fresh, frozen or fermented produce, nuts, legumes, herbs, olives and olive oil, and sometimes grains such as quinoa. (While I love cheese and pasta, those recipes are going on my Summer Eats board). This fruit and veggie board is my go-to inspiration when I'm trying to figure out something sumptuous that's worth eating!
     
If you have a few favorite healthy and delicious recipes, please add a comment and a link. It doesn't have to be a long recipe ─ even flavor combinations are fine, since we're more likely to eat good stuff if we actually get around to preparing it. Let's share the inspiration!

More pie-baking tips plus David's birthday dinner menu

The nice thing about writing a blog is you can refer back to your old posts.

Today I'm baking another cherry pie for David's birthday dinner. I don't bake pies often ─ in fact, it's been two years. Lucky for me, my recipe and tips were all archived in one handy post, complete with my friend Kimmer's advice for preventing sogginess in the bottom crust.

Today's pie-baking attempt was a big success, since I finally figured out how to keep the crust edges from burning. I own a couple of different kinds of pie shields, but it seemed they always weighed down the fluted edge. The aluminum one also seemed to make the browning worse, since it never fit my pans correctly and directed more heat to the edge.

While mulling this problem it occurred to me to use an old sheet of foil with a smaller hole cut in the middle, and place it flat on the pie.

I've read before to use foil around the edge, but had always cut it into strips and tried to wrap the fluted edges, which never worked. Maybe this is what I was supposed to do in the first place!


It worked beautifully. I removed it the last 15 minutes and brushed on an egg white that was beaten with a little lemon juice, then sprinkled a tiny bit of sugar around the edges and on the middle, just enough to add a little sparkle.

From now on, this will be my go-to method for pie crusts. And should it be a few more years before I bake a pie again, I'll have this blog post to refer to.

David's Birthday Menu

Bacon Bloody Marys and Bell's Oberon Ale
Lava (chopped jalapeno peppers, green olives and olive oil) with a bread baguette, pistachios
Strawberry-feta salad with strawberry-balsamic reduction
Hazelnut crusted salmon with wild rice pilaf
Carrots with lemon and walnuts
Cherry pie and vanilla ice cream

Colorado: This one's for you, Kimmer!

OK, I haven't blogged in months. In my defense, life gets crazy busy sometimes, and 2011 has been the uber craziest. But my friend Kimmer and I were just talking about a trip to Colorado, and the blog seemed the easiest way to dedicate photos and links to the topic. So, Kimmer, this blog post is for you!

In 2009, we took an amazing trip to visit my son in Denver, which included mountain hiking, seeing the Garden of the Gods and a glimpse at Pike's Peak from Colorado Springs, a side excursion to an old arcade, a bus trip to Colorado's gold-covered capitol building, and a tour of a working gold mine.

We traveled via Amtrak's California Zephyr, reported to be the most scenic route in America. While the segment from Chicago to Colorado was mostly a look at lots of scenic cornfields, the part of the trip that ends in California is both a little scary and amazing, I'm told.

My youngest loved traveling by train, because you can move around, you can buy breakfast sandwiches on the snack car, and because there's an outlet for video games or other devices. It seemed like the trip from Chicago to Denver took about 20 hours. The coach seats recline during lights-out hours, but it's a little tough on the behind. If you have the moolah, I'd spring for the sleeper car with its own restroom. (Hint: If you're a coffee fiend taking the train, I'd recommend packing a small coffeepot. Since sleeping in coach isn't easy, we were up long before the snack car opened at 7 a.m..) 

We rolled into Denver's Union Station, a beautiful retro building with old-fashioned oversized wood benches. I just learned the station is not currently operational. According to the Denver Destination Experts, as of February 2011, Amtrak moved to a temporary station at 1800 21st Street, due to construction, a move expected to last about three years. Here's a link for updates. 

                         

Colorado is a beautiful, mountainous desert region with a rich role in U.S. history. It's known for a focus on healthy lifestyles, and is home to lots of free or inexpensive recreational opportunities. The weather is a bit warmer than I'm used to in Michigan, but the low humidity generally meant good hair days! Although my son's apartment at the time wasn't in a ritzy part of town, we felt pretty comfortable walking to the local park and King Soopers grocery store while he was working.

Our first car trip was to Red Rocks Amphitheatre, renowned for being "the only naturally-occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheatre in the world," a big draw for many performers who take the stage there. Unfortunately, there were no concerts going on during our visit, but it was still open.

               

                     

While in the area, we took the opportunity to go hiking. I was keeping a sharp eye out for snakes, but what we ended up seeing was a deer ─ a mule deer, I think.

                                                                            

There were only a few challenging parts of the hike. Good thing, since I wasn't used to the altitude.

               

               

It's hard to capture how high up we are unless you notice how tiny the cars are in the photo, or that the flash of metal you see is actually the top of a building.

                 
I look like a major lush, but I'm really just holding the bottle of hard cider we'd taken to Colorado as a gift to my son. Once up on the rock, I found it a little more difficult to get down and had to scooch down on my behind.

             

      

Both Red Rocks and Garden of the Gods, which is in Colorado Springs, were places I visited as a teenager. It was raining the afternoon we got to Garden of the Gods, which I understand nearly always happens for a little while each afternoon.

 

                                                             
Garden of the Gods is a huge area with lots of quirky natural rock formations; with some, it's hard to understand how they've kept from toppling for all these years. From what I've read, the park is supposed to remain free of any admission charges, although they do have a gift shop and other things that they charge for.

                                                    

We didn't see any wild animals here, although we saw signs of them. It's actually a pretty easy hike, since the path through much of the areas we went had very gradual slopes. From Garden of the Gods, you can get a glimpse at Pike's Peak, which is literally a high point of any trip to the Rocky Mountains. You can go up Pike's Peak via a cog railway, although we didn't because we were short on both time and cash.

After Garden of the Gods, we went to Manitou Springs for a while to play at an old arcade. This town, which is nestled at the foot of Pike's Peak, was cool, but kind of a tourist trap. If you go there, be very vigilant about looking for parking signs. We parked in a lot during a rainstorm and came back to the car to find we'd gotten a ticket for parking there. Turns out the sign announcing it was a paid lot was plastered really high on a pole. Schmucks.We were also hit up by some really aggressive panhandlers from California, who got right in our faces to beg for money. Since young son wasn't feeling well, his brother asked them to give him some space. They slinked away, calling us "mainstream." Funny, that was the first I'd ever thought of myself as mainstream!

My youngest and I explored downtown Denver on our own while we were in town, including a tour of the Capitol Building. It's beautiful, but be warned, it's not air-conditioned, except for the governor's office. Make sure to go on the optional tour to see the inside of the dome. After touring the capitol in Denver, I realized I needed to take my son to see Michigan's capitol building in Lansing, where we noticed lots of similarities. Turns out both buildings were designed by the same architect.      

                                                      

Just taking a bus was a bit of an adventure, since we don't have a lot of public transportation in our part of Michigan. We messed up our transfer but there was no hurry, and our bus driver was a sweetheart. We ended up getting our own private tour of the city, and learned about the Cinderella Mall, now razed but once an enormous shopping complex. I could be wrong, but I thought our driver said the mall was built over an abandoned mine and began sinking, although online references only mention "structural" problems.

While most of our Colorado trip perfectly suited our budget, Hidee Gold Mine in Central City was a worthwhile splurge. It cost around $50 for the three of us, but we got to chip gold ore from a vein that runs through the working mine.

                                                                 
If you go, make sure to wear closed-toe shoes that are comfy enough for hoofin' it through the mine. It goes without saying that with all the hiking you'll do in Colorado, you'll want to take some kind of bag to protect the contents of your luggage from your dirty shoes. I still have dirt from the mine on my camera bag.

My video of chipping gold ore from a vein in Hidee Gold Mine, a small working mine in Central City, Colorado.

There's so much more to Colorado than we were able to see on this trip. If you can get in, the Denver Mint tour would be interesting. There's also a Denver Mint Robbery Tour, which sounds like a fun scavenger hunt. The state offers fly-fishing, whitewater rafting, mountain biking and camping in warmer months and of course, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and snowmobiling in the winter. I won't include those links, Kimmer, since I know you're considering a summer trip. There are all kinds of eats, beverages and festivals too.

Since the state is pretty huge, there's plenty more to explore. Someday, I'd love to see Mesa Verde, a whole city built into the rocks of southwest Colorado by ancient cliff-dwelling people. I'm also jonesin' to try out the natural hot springs that Colorado has to offer.

Colorado is an awesome vacation destination. This trip down memory lane has me stoked to go again!

Friendship baskets

Do you remember the Solo coffee cup inserts that were sold in the 70s?

I remember turning these into Easter baskets for my parents as a kid.

Easter has great significance for me. It is, of course, a milestone holiday in my Christian faith that symbolizes the resurrection of Christ. It's also a time to remember family and friends.

I've always felt people should be able to share in the celebration, regardless of age. One year, I decided kids shouldn't be the only ones to get Easter baskets. But kids have few resources, or at least that was true for the kids I knew. I bought a little candy with my allowance, colored some eggs and then scoured the house in search of something to use for baskets.

I don't actually recall my parents drinking from the Solo cups but they were in our cupboard, so I snagged them, punched some holes in the sides to add pipe cleaner-handles, filled them with Easter grass and candy, then snuck out of bed early Easter morning to add the hard-boiled eggs and surprise my parents with them.

Playing Easter bunny has always been tons of fun. When my older kids were little, certain candies became an annual tradition. Somehow, the list of favorites grew each year until the piles of candy lasted nearly 'til Halloween. OK, so maybe I'm exaggerating, but no child needs that much candy.

The solution: share! As winter turned to spring, it became another tradition to search out nifty baskets or  to deliver Easter goodies to our friends who lived alone (Hint: always take a whiff of natural-material baskets before buying, since they often have a musty smell). We would find pretty ways to wrap them, sometimes add flowers and get a kick out of making a friend's day when the basket was dropped off.
Sometimes we made mini baskets too. I've seen some beautiful cupcake wrappers in the stores that would be perfect for minis. The ones at left are by Wilton, which I often see in larger grocery retailers as well as places such as JoAnn Fabric and Craft Stores. If you're looking for ideas for Easter basket cupcakes, check out this link: http://www.bakerella.com/eye-candy/.

Because none of my close friends live alone anymore, they eventually became immersed in their own family traditions; sadly, the basket deliveries came to an end. My older children now live out of state and most years I send them a small Easter basket so they can celebrate the holiday in their own apartments. Not so this year, since the fam will be getting together for a late, "Fake Easter" celebration that our friend Lauren has dubbed "Feaster."

It's too late this year, but next year, I'm thinking of assembling a few baskets for children staying in homeless shelters. I remember an elementary school where students did this. It was so touching how much it meant to the little ones, even though they didn't realize other kids were play the role of Easter bunny helpers.

Thinking about the strawberry bear book the other day brought to mind another Easter tradition when my kids were young, the story of "The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes," by Dubose Heyward and Marjorie Flack.

The bunny, who is parenting a large family of bunnies on her own, gathers her well-mannered children to see the jack rabbits compete to become the next Easter bunny and finds herself being considered for the job. But to do so, her children have to pitch in while she's trekking around the world bringing joy to little ones. It's always heart warming to see well-behaved children who pitch in; this book is no exception. I read this as a child and always aspired to have a family this close, and thank the good Lord, I've been pretty blessed. Read this book, I think you'll love it too. If you can't find it close to home, it's sold on www.amazon.com.

I hope you have a very happy Easter. We'd love to hear about your own family traditions, so please feel free to share!

Of mice and strawberries

Maybe I'm trying to hurry spring along by focusing on all things strawberry-related, but I doubt anyone in the northern U.S. would blame me. It's been so chilly this year that I fear we'll never get a true taste of spring.

Although I only get a few small strawberries each year, I love when Michigan-grown strawberries hit our grocery stores. One of our favorite ways to serve them is with a cream cheese dip. I scribbled the recipe down after seeing it on a TV talk show years ago, when my daughter was just a baby. For the Strawberry Dip, unwrap a 3-ounce block of cream cheese and microwave it 20-30 seconds in a medium-sized bowl until it's soft and easy to whip with a fork. Add 2 large spoonsful of marshmallow creme; stir it together. Squeeze a teaspoon or so of fresh lime juice over the mixture and stir it in. Refrigerate a couple of hours and serve with fresh strawberries.

Strawberries are also tasty between layers of angel food cake with whipped cream, along with kiwi slices. One recipe idea that would never have occurred to me was for this strawberry pasta salad. Since my classmate Celia introduced me to this site, I'm eager to try it.

Last summer, strawberries and mice were the focus during one day of the 10-session "Cousin Camp" my son and I organized for my nieces. Because our camp was all about having fun while ramping up reading skills, our theme that day was mice. That day's books included one of my forever favorites, "The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and THE BIG HUNGRY BEAR" by Don and Audrey Wood.

 

           If you haven't read this book with your children, you're missing out! There's lots of opportunities to use different voices and just enough mystery to keep a little one enthralled. OK, maybe you don't have to be so little ─ it's pretty obvious I'm a fan. Then again, I absolutely love children's literature.

With some sliced almonds, a little melted chocolate and some red shoestring licorice for tails, we were able to turn red, ripe strawberries into little mice the day we read this book. My creative nieces decide to top wedges of Swiss cheese with the melted chocolate too. 

 The strawberry mice were so much fun to make, and perfectly complemented our book selection that day. If you'd like to make your own, here's more information on creating the strawberry mice. Enjoy!

Easter recipes wanted!

This hardly qualifies as a blog post. It's more like shameless begging for your favorite yummy, easy, pork-free main dish recipes. If they are inexpensive and healthy, so much the better.

 In defense of my begging, let me just say this is finals week at school and I've been swamped. Plus the son and I are battling a nasty cold. But I still need recipes for a small crowd, since this year we're combining the family Easter gathering with a small celebration after my graduation (yes, after returning twice to college I am finally, officially graduating!). Having switched computers this year, my normal pre-party computer search for past menus is turning up nothing, nada, zilch. So I'm desperate for recommendations.

The pork-free main dish requirement is out of respect for my sister-in-law, who is Seventh-Day Adventist. Although I'd love nothing more than one of the mouthwatering spiral-sliced hams that are on sale this week, that won't be on the Easter table, at least not for a main dish. Our main dishes also steer clear of shellfish, organ meat and cloven-hoofed critters of any kind.

All this adds up to me asking you to lend your tried-and-true recipes to a sista in need. So can you lend a hand?

Guys in grass skirts

        It's April 3 and my snow has not only refused to disappear but there are big fat flaky flurries here in Michigan, with hail incessantly hammering the windows. So maybe this is a good day to reminisce about the better-late-than-never Disney trip we took a couple of years ago.

        I always regretted not taking the whole fam to Disney World, so even though some of my kids were grown and out of state, we converged at Palm View Villa, part of the Terra Verde Resort in Kissimmee, Florida. It took lots of research and digging through online tax records for my inner skeptic to feel confident the place existed. I'm glad we went the private villa route, though, because it was easily the most wonderful, relaxing part of the vacation. If life's complexities hadn't gotten in the way, no doubt we'd have been back for more.

        The beautiful Villa became the site for a double surprise party celebrating the birthdays of both David and my son-in-law. In keeping with the lush Florida landscape, we packed up ingredients for a portable luau (minus pig and hula dancers), FedEx'd it to the Villa, and hid everything in my daughter's closet, since her hubby wasn't arriving for a few days.

         A surprise party takes plenty of planning; finding theme items that don't hog much packing space is another matter. We found fabric flower leis at Dollar Tree and tropical napkins and plates at the local party store, plus drink coasters, tropical plastic hurricane glasses, folding paper lanterns and grass skirts through Oriental Trading Company, where I'd previously purchased luau glow cups for a glow-in-the-dark party (that's a story for another time). I also found acrylic margarita glasses on Amazon.com. Turned out the Villa already had nice shatterproof drinkware, but the other goodies really set the mood.
        We'd downloaded a summery playlist with Bob Marley, the Beach Boys, some Jimmy Buffett, Toad the Wet Sprocket (my old favorite) and tunes such as "Hawaii Five-O," "Wipeout" and the Jose Cuervo tune. We also took a small portable speaker to plug into the MP3 player, just in case we needed it (we didn't).

    
        The plan was for David and my daughter to zip over to Orlando Airport to pick up her hubby. So we had just minutes to decorate and get the food ready. A green plastic tablecover was thrown over the breakfast table, with grass skirts taped to it. Leis were flung on everything, including a poolside inflatable whale. We wrapped another tablecover around a bowl, cinched it with a lei and dumped in ice to chill the bevvies, then draped a clean tropical towel over the sofa for some added color.

 
        Fruit and pineapple spears were skewered and arranged in a split pineapple and set out, along with barbecued mini sausages and other quick snacks to go with the take-out chicken we bought. My older son split an angel food cake and filled and topped it with whipped cream and fresh fruit, then circled it with a lei. When the guys pulled into the drive, we dimmed the lights and flipped on the music.
        Were they surprised? Absolutely. Especially when they found out they'd be putting on the grass skirts. But hey, when the guests of honor double as entertainment, I say it's win-win.

           Ah, vacations. They have the power to magically take you away. It's hard to leave, but on a day like today, it's nice to have the memories.