Use the library!

Children enjoy reading Sandra Boynton at the library

Previously I posted about saving money on books by borrowing instead of buying those books that will only be read once. (We still have plenty that are read repeatedly!) Another great resource at the library is programs! Despite living in one of the poorest counties in our state, the library still manages to provide numerous play times, story times and even a Lego club! All free! Today we are participating in a baby story time. It's a great opportunity for the kids (and moms) to socialize, and for everyone to foster a love of literature.

Money Saver: Send Yourself Flowers!

I love fresh flowers, but my husband doesn't buy them weekly! In order to keep my vases filled for next to nothing I grow several good cutting flowers on the side of my house. In the spring there are tulips and hyacinths. In the summer I have a butterfly bush, tea rose bush, and gladiolas. Next year I hope to add sunflowers. So beautiful, and practically free!

Get Creative With Food!

I can't take credit for this one!  This was a breakfast my mom made for my daughter during a recent visit.  It also happened to be her birthday (thus the candle).  Sausage eye brows, strawberry and blueberry eyes, banana bread muffin nose, banana lips around bacon teeth.  Yum!  Sure, its got the same nutrition as if the food was simply put on the plate, but this way it solicited giggles from all!

Money Saver: Local Farmers Market

I love our local farmers' market. So many varieties of locally grown fruits and vegetables at super low prices! This day I got 18 ears sweet corn, 1 qt green beans, 1 pt blackberries, 1 qt blueberries, and 18 small cucumbers all for $15.

Yummy Easy Shrimp Pesto

This recipe was so easy and so healthy! (And so yummy!)

The pesto can be frozen for later use...because the recipe makes plenty!

Cara's Pesto

Ingredients:

4 cups loosely packed basil leaves
2 cloves garlic

3/4 cup olive oil

1 cup walnuts (or pine nuts)

4 T lemon juice

2 t salt

5 oz grated parmigiana cheese

Mix together in food processor until smooth.

To serve my dish I cooked whole wheat pasta and added pesto to it until it was coated.  Then I topped it with peas, mushrooms, and shrimp I had sauteed in olive oil and red pepper flakes.  Yum!

And knowing that my basil was grown locally in a hydroponics system makes it more exciting! (Dible Diversified Agriculture)

Cookie cutters

Can you tell its a bunny?

Cookie cutters can be easily used to cut out sandwiches to make lunchtime fun! This bunny rabbit isn't my best example, but you get the point. This week at daycamp my daughter has also had sandwiches shaped like a frog and Darth Vador!

Testing

I'm testing a new mobile post that will hopefully allow me to post more! Here is a photo of our fun and FREE field trip. We went around town and around the house looking for animals. The kids in the pic are staring at a spider. Then, we classified the animals the children recorded in their notebooks. That spider was an arthropod!