Our Thought Smog

Spring Break!!!

So, yeah, it was Spring Break. Before the break, I had lofty ideas about taking the kids to the Bronx Zoo and going to a museum and a bunch of other outings that were going to be well-planned, memorable, and awesome. Money is tight, so I was really going to have to plan (Bronx Zoo is free on Wednesdays, by the way), but I was determined to do it. But then... I didn't. I didn't go through with any of it, actually. The good news is that Spring Break was memorable and awesome. The kids had a blast everyday, and I didn't have to go to all the trouble of planning or spend any money. The truth is, my kids don't need lavish Spring break trips or events or outings to keep themselves happy (thank goodness!). They were thrilled to just stay up late, sleep in, play together all day, and do things like write letters, make crackers, run in the sprinklers, color in coloring books, have dance parties, watch movies, go to the library, and even do homework. It was glorious, and I was thrilled to let them play and not teach them that having fun always has to equal going out and spending money. 

 

One of the things the girls and I did venture out to do this week was go to Topstone Park with a lady and her kids that we met at the library story times. It was really nice. We packed a picnic, went on a 1.5 mile hike, and played at the small playground there. The kids all got along really well, and the weather was beautiful. I was excited to go check it our because it's still free (like many other things right now) as we are still "off season", but that will all end in a couple of weeks. 

Another activity that kept us busy this week has been clearing an area in our backyard for a playground. This process starts with Adam clearing a section of weeds during his morning workout. Later on the girls and I go to the wood chip pile in the brush, fill up a bucket, and bring it over to the clearing. We also look around for rocks to be a border and a buffer between the grass and the wood chips. I love that we are working together as a family on a project that they will use, appreciate, and be proud of. They have worked hard on it. They have also been really helpful in collecting sticks around the yard (there were tons of them) to be burned. And with helping get our garden started. It is so fun to be outside working together! By the way, our garden is a bunch of pots on our balcony. We decided not to fight the animals here and just play it safe by keeping the garden out of their reach. Pots and dirt were easier and cheaper to get than clearing a section of grass, fencing it, and starting from there.

Okay, I've decided that this is the week for honesty. I'm talking about the ticks and bugs out here. You have the right to know... I've been talking this place up quite a bit, because it is awesome, but it's not all sunshine and bliss. The reality is this: I can’t express how many times we have been warned about the ticks out here from a ton of different people. I have talked to the girls about how to do tick checks, and we have checked them every night and before baths. I have tried to not stress about it, and the kids have been playing outside and such, but then when we went to the YMCA for a family swim a couple of days ago, we found bright pink dots on all three girls on their upper necks, right by the hair line. Yikes. I didn’t see a tick or a ring around the spot (sign of a tick bite), but still, what is it?? It’s been a few days, I’ve asked a few people and looked online, but I still have no idea. They are not painful for the girls or anything, but I am uneasy about the whole thing. At this point they are fine, and they weren't ticks, but araaarg.  Do I douse them in chemical-ridden, deet-filled bug repellent every time they go outside? Is there a natural repellent to ticks that I don’t know about? Ugh. It all gives me anxiety. 

Now, for those of you you are coming to visit, we are figuring it all out so you don't have to stress about ticks to the same degree as I have. You spray the kids on their ankles and back of neck when they go out to play, then do a thorough tick check before bed. That's it. So far, so good, eh? 

Back to pleasantries: We are enjoying getting to know the good people of Redding. This morning we had some neighbors over for a brunch. We made a variety of foods - most of them containing wheat, only to find that the guy is gluten intolerant (doh!). He hadn't eaten anything yet, and he was hungry. He a lot of fruit. We couldn't even give him the cup of coffee that he asked for. I think we made a great first impression! (Ahem) It turns out that this guy is a writer for NBC and he once rode his bike across the US. While doing so he met Ezra Taft Benson, the LDS prophet in Utah who told him that he was brave, but perhaps not very wise for doing it. They are a really great family, and we hope they will give us another chance!

We have also gotten to know the people who lived in this house before us. They are fabulous and very kind and generous. They have helped us out quite a bit with so many things. We had dinner at their place the other night, and our kids played well together. We may even inherit a cat from them that has been hanging around their property. I'm a wimp, but I'm scared to have a pet.

This week we successfully made Wheat Thin-like crackers from scratch! This was thanks to Amy Choate's recipe. They were really good!

Wheat Crackers

2 cups whole wheat flour (best if it's sprouted and dried first - but not necessary), and kamut or spelt is s good option as well)
1 T honey (or brown sugar)
1 t salt
3/4 cup milk (almond, rice, or regular)
1 T melted butter (better yet, sesame oil or coconut oil)
optional: add dried basil, thyme, parsley, etc. to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Mix ingredients together. Take half of the dough and roll flat - as thin as possible. Then place rolled dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Use a pizza cutter or knife to gently cut the excess dough off of the edge of the pan. Use a brush to put a thin layer of butter or oil onto the dough, then sprinkle lightly with salt. Finish by rolling the pizza cutter along the dough to make small squares, then bake for about 15 minutes (until the the crackers around the edges are browning). Then do the same with the other half of the dough. *You can also use small cookie cutters to make fun shapes, or cut triangles, etc.


We hope to get back to our old tradition of adding a new recipe to each blog post ... in case you too like to eat healthy food (aka: bark and mulch!).