Slate Run Living Historical Farm

The other day Barry's wife, Jo, took Sam and D to the Living Historical Farm, to check it out.  If you live near Central Ohio, it's a must see and do.  Not only do you go back in time, but you can see and learn so much.

Here are a few pictures of the boys playing and working around the farm.

Here they are playing with marbles, which they thought was pretty cool, and fun.

Grinding the corn

Cheesing with the horse

Feeding and watering the pigs

These are just a few of the things that you can do there, there is so much more.

This place is really quite cool.  They live completely off the land, well the volunteers do.  What they grow and raise, they eat, (everything)  You can even check out the smokehouse, which is one of my favorites to see because that's where they make their ham.  If you go around lunch time, they are in the farm house making their meal.  It's like a trip back in time.  This place is totally worth seeing and helping out if you ever are in Ohio!

Just check it out here

This picture was taken after their 1 1/2 hike, and they still have a smile on their faces.   There are some really great places to hike and walk in the Ohio Metro Parks.

I'd like to thank Jo for taking the boys, and all the volunteers that help keep the parks up and running.

Have a beautiful weekend friends!!  See you Monday, Steve has a great craft for around the house or a teacher gift!

Crayon Wreath

While browsing the internet I found this adorable idea of making a wreath with crayons.  It's a festive way to get ready for the school year.  I found several different ones and all were made differently.  I decided I would figure it out on my own and do what I wanted.

What you'll need:
1 10" embroidery hoop
3 boxes of crayons
ribbon
hot glue and gun

1st separate the hoops
Cut the inner hoop and make it about 8" roughly, hot glueing it back together
Begin hot glueing the crayons to them both, be sure to put them at a small angle and not straight, they won't go around the hoop right, or look good.

After hot glueing all of the crayons on, I tied the ribbon to the outer hoop tightener and secured it with hot glue.

I added a ribbon I had made, and hung it up.  You could add little things around it with your child's grade or name, some more cute supplies, or just leave it plain.  Whatever you do, make it so that you're happy with it!

Happy Crafting!

Whisky Sour and White Russian

Who could use a drink, or two, or ten?  I know I sure could!  Ever since we've been back from vacation, it's been one thing after another.  I could sure use a break, drink, and a friend or two to share it with.  Anywho, I thought I would share 2 quick and easy drinks that I enjoy once in a while.

Whiskey Sour

1 oz Whiskey                             

Fill with Sour mix

pour over ice and enjoy!

White Russian

1 oz Vodka

1/2 oz Kahlua

1/2 oz 1/2 & 1/2

pour over ice and enjoy!

I hope you have a great day, and have a drink for me!

pics via google images

Magnetic Kids Menu

Back to School is only a couple weeks away for my little guy, and it's his first time going all day. One of my concerns was packing his lunch.  He is such a picky eater, and hot lunches wouldn't fly.  So Steve and I made a cute little Menu board of things he loves, and he'll be able to tell me every week what he wants, hopefully there won't be any arguments or tears.

What you'll need:
Magnetic Paper, you can find it at Walmart, Staples, Office Max.  I bought the small 3 pack, and prayed I didn't mess any up.
Printer and Excel or Pages, whatever your computer might have

We grabbed a bunch of clip art of the foods that D loves and eats for page 1

The next page is just a graph for the week

D will be putting up what he wants each day
1 sandwich or main course
1 fruit
1 snack
1 dessert

So very simple, and pretty cute, if I do say so myself.  It's a great way for the kids to not only pick out what they want for lunch for the week without argument, but also learn food categories, for the most part.

Enjoy, and let me know if you have any cool school ideas.
Have a Happy Humpday!  Love, BJ

Tiella

This is one of my favorite summer recipes to make for the family.  It is pretty healthy, and everyone seems to like it.  I think it's best in the summer with fresh veggies from the garden or farmer's market, but you can get the stuff from the store and it works too.

What you'll need:
2  Zucchini, sliced
2 Yellow Squash, sliced
1 Large Onion, sliced
4 Sweet Bell Peppers, sliced
6 Hot Banana Pepper, Corred and sliced (optional)
5 Pounds Potatoes, peeled and sliced  (3/4 Potatoes is usually plenty)
1/2 Cup fresh Basil, cleaned and chopped rather coarsely
3 Pieces of Chicken, cooked and shredded
Garlic Salt
1-16oz Can of Tomato Sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese

Use a Lasagna Baking Dish

Pour Olive oil in bottom of baking dish
Mix 4 oz of tomato sauce with oil and use 1/3 of basil leaves

Start layering ingredients using potatoes as first layer and repeat with zucchini, onions, peppers, chicken and pour 4 oz of tomato sauce over this first section.  Add a few basil leaves and sprinkle lightly with garlic salt.

Start next section with potatoes and continue through same process as above using all the ingredients with the tomato sauce as the last top ingredient.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese very generously on this top layer.

Cover container and bake at 350 degrees for one hour and fifteen minutes.  Uncover and bake for another ten minutes.

Potatoes should be tender.
Enjoy!

Bowling Pins, Swamp Thing and Clay Pigeons.

Friends and neighbors allow me to gush my joy out on this blog post today. I have spent a glorious day at one of my friends new homes in the Hocking Hills area of Ohio. Not only was it quite the Sunday drive with its picturesque views but it was an entire day filled with good 'ole fashioned fun. The invitation read something like this, bring some guns lots of ammo, beverages, and a chair. I like when my days are spelled out for me, especially when it involves some front porch sitting, shooting and some mud slinging.

 

Getting to these remote localities are usually part of the fun. I had some rough directions and a decent idea that I would get turned around and see some cool stuff. This trip did not disappoint; the directions were as rural as the location and definitely involved a "turn left where the old barn used to be." Eventually I made it to the shindig and shortly after that the festivities began. Gathered in the hills where quite a motley crew of other gun slingers their better halves and some young in's running wild. The shooting involved everything from rim fire rifles and pistols, to a couple of race guns, some sporting shotguns and a smattering of modern sporting rifles, AR 15's.

 

It wasn't long ago that I horse traded for some bowling pins and rapidly realized the exceptional quality of targets these things made. They can absorb the heaviest hitters and keep on going. These little guys were seemingly indestructible as they soaked up round after round of our ammo. The kids loved them because they fell over when they shot them and even the adults loved the reactive targets. During our shooting spree we were blessed to have a clay pigeon thrower and couple of hand held throwers to keep the eager shot gunners busy.

 

To cap the day off, there we embarked on a quick set of trail riding. The rain provided us with plenty of mud and there were enough quads to go around. Once our adventurous needs were satisfied we hosed ourselves off and had a great dinner break with brats, chips and dip, including a corn salsa that I will soon have the recipe to.

 

Mother nature let loose some more downpours and we hung out on the porch and relived the highlights of the day, and planned out our next rendezvous. How much better can life get folks?  A short jaunt out of the city was exactly what I needed.

Barry

The Ultimate Bubbles

While on vacation in New Jersey, we went to a party where a lovely lady made my boys the ultimate bubbles!  They were the biggest bubbles I had ever seen, and not only did my boys love them, the adults had a blast with them too!  Check it out!

 I love the joy on his little face, it puts a smile on mine!

 These are some of the small ones

 we learned how to make bubbles inside of the bubbles

 it's really not that easy to do, Steve was pretty good at it though

Erica showing Baby Diesel how to make the bubbles.  

We all had an amazing time and you are never to old to play with bubbles!  

It does wonders for your spirits!

Have a beautiful weekend!  Love, BJ