Addy's Fruit Parfaits

Saturday morning we walked over to the "Purple Park" by the Mamie Doud Library.  Healthy Learning Paths was hosting the 2011 Children's Wellness Adventure.  Addy especially enjoyed the bike rodeo.  Elena enjoyed the hula hoops and I enjoyed the back massage I got at the Chiropractor's booth.

Addy rides through a obstacle course, following street signs.  Broomfield Police Officer was on hand to guide and teach.

Elena tries hula hooping.  She heard it is good exercise, but she needs her Bammer to show her how it's done.

Other booths included the Kiwansis, Rotary, CASA, a family mental health practioner, Higgy's Ice Cream (one of our new favs).  Each booth had something for the kids to do and lots of information for the adults too.  The event was listed for $5 a family but when I registered I was told I didn't have to pay.  The girls each got t-shirts and some nice healthy breakfast type snacks.
Maybe next year Terra and I will have a Green Bee booth!
At one of the booths Addy got to make a yogurt parfait.  Here is the recipe in her words:
You get bananas and granola.  And then some blueberries, raspberries, and peaches and some strawberries and then you cut them.  Put some chopped fruit in a cup.  Then you put the yogurt on first and then the granola.  Then you put some more chopped fruit on top of the yogurt and granola.

Sweet things

We have been having a good week hosting Molly's sister Kelly. She is walking across the United States and has stopped here to visit and gear up for the trek across the Rockies. We picked her up from Boulder on Tuesday.

Wednesday, seeking adventure and an escape from the heat we headed to Hammond's Candy Factory in Denver. It was only a 15 minute drive from here and the free tour included and nice size free sample. Addy has been asking how lollipops are made so it was a timely trip to answer her questions. We were able to watch hot sugar being poured onto the cooling tables and workers wrapping candy on to the sticks for lollipops. They make beautiful hard candy as well as their own caramels and chocolates. I liked the Mitchell Candy which is a handmade marshmallow wrapped in caramel.

I think we could have been happy with our samples but we did a little shopping too.

As a regular practice we try not to eat much candy. Lately I have been enjoying homemade granola as a healthy yet sweet snack. Both girls can help with the mixing and pouring parts of this recipe. This recipe came from my mom but I change it every time based on what I have on hand.

3 1/2 cups oatmeal
1/2 wheat germ
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 T cinnamon
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

Mix dry ingredients together in a 9x13 in metal pan. Drizzle with oil and honey. Bake at 375
for 45 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes until toasty and golden brown. Stir in dried fruit while still warm. Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. We enjoy it over plain yogurt with fresh fruit.

Earthquakes

We didn't feel the earthquake Monday night.  But it was one of those this to shall pass nights, where I'm exhausted but morning can't come soon enough.  The girls went to bed just fine and I stayed up watching a little Intervention on A&E.  Around 9:30 I shut everything off and went to bed. At 1:30 I awoke to the voice of the BBC playing on the computer, that I had turned off.  Do you think the earthquake shook it on?  Then at three o'clock I'm poked awake out of a deep sleep by Addy asking me the time.  I snap at her and she goes back to bed.  I stay awake feeling guilty for snapping at her.  By four I'm asleep again but she's back poking me and wondering if it is time to get up.  I let her get in bed with me, then I lay awake pondering how I can get her to stop this nonsense.  At 5 Elena wakes up to nurse.  I didn't even try to fall asleep again.

Not our best night. Naps were pretty sweet though.

I did figure out away to help Addy though.  She now has two clocks beside her bed.  One that sings her to sleep and turns yellow when we set it for daytime.  It is analog and hard for her to read at this point.  The other little clock is digital and I've taught her that if the first number is a 5 she may get up and quietly get in bed with us. If the first number is a 6 she can get up, also at 6 her analog clock turns yellow.  Any other number she should be asleep and not get out of bed.  This morning she lasted until 5:30 before getting in bed with me.

Playing Peek a boo vs. Blogging

I was going to blog . . . but playing peek-a-boo with a warm snuggling baby won.

 A quick visual of what I did manage to get done before the snuggle woke up.

Mise en place for Chimichurri

Roasted corn, sliced off the cob, sauteed with butter and sweet onion.

cilantro, parsley, tomatillo, tomato and Serrano pepper to add to sauteed corn

On the menu for the night: skirt steak with chimichurri, sauteed corn, fresh bread, and lots of baby kisses.