{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
posted on May 22, 2013 by
Imperfect Beauty
If you look closely at a tree you’ll notice its knots and dead branches, just like our bodies. What we learn is that beauty and imperfection go together wonderfully.
Matthew Fox
posted on May 20, 2013 by
Kitchen Stewardship eBook Bundle
Disclosure: Please know that if you make a purchase using a link on this page, I may earn a commission and I am very grateful for your support of this site. Thank you!
I grew up camping. My dad had an ancient canvas tent that took about two hours to construct and weighed 300 pounds. It had a few windows, but once they were zipped up, the internal atmosphere rivaled that of a sauna. It was old, and smelled kind of funny, but I loved that tent because it meant the great outdoors. It meant late nights in front of a campfire eating brats and s’mores. It meant days filled with swimming and fishing and burning to a crisp on the floating dock. It meant a different way of living for a few days that usually promised to be a good time.
We haven’t been camping much these last few years, mainly because neither E nor I had much of an idea of what to do with a baby in the great outdoors. What if he eats dirt (shock!)? What if he falls into a river? What if he crawls away and gets eaten by a bear? What if what if what if?
Despite our misgivings, we decided to bite the bullet last summer so we could give B some good childhood, family camping memories (because I’m sure he’ll always remember that one time he went camping when he was 23 months old 
). Because I had no idea what I was doing, I decided to buy the Family Camping Handbook by Katie Kimball of Kitchen Stewardship. I initially picked it up because she advertised good ideas for “real food” camping options, but this little ebook is actually full of tips to make family camping, especially family camping with littles, an easier and more enjoyable experience. She covers everything from where to source equipment and what type of equipment you need (including splurges), packing lists, and meal plans, to fire safety of all things. If you’re a novice camper or just wanting to get back into camping after having a kid and aren’t sure of where to start, I think this is a great little book to add to your collection.
This week, BundleoftheWeek.com is having a special sale of 5 of Katie Kimball’s books, including the Family Camping Handbook, for $7.40, plus a 50% off code for her newest ebook, Better Than A Box. This deal includes:
- Healthy Snacks To Go ($8.95) – This is actually my very favorite snack book. I make at least one version of the fake Larabar recipes at least once a week and B loves them.
- The Everything Beans Book ($8.95)
- Smart Sweets ($8.95) – I have this one as well and it’s got some great recipes with unrefined sweeteners.
- Is Your Flour Wet? (Free.)
- The Family Camping Handbook ($6.95)
I already have all of these books from previous bundles, but I definitely have a few favorites. I’ve been making at least one version of the fake Larabar recipe (she offers several different flavors) in Healthy Snacks To Go quite often over the last few months (my current favorite is the German chocolate and B’s is the cocoshew). Smart Sweets has some fantastic recipes, including several gluten-free and grain-free options, without refined sweeteners. Better Than A Box, which isn’t included in this bundle but you do get a 50% off coupon for it (bringing it down to $7.48), has some great recipes for gluten-free and grain-free versions of classic recipes (including cream-of-whatever soup knockoffs). She even takes the time to lay out her exact steps for breaking down a classic recipe with questionable ingredients to make it more nourishing and “real food”-friendly.
At $7.40, I think it’s a fantastic deal. But it’s only for a week (thus the name of the bundle program… ), so jump on it before next Monday!
posted on May 18, 2013 by
This Moment and Weekend Links
{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
Here are links around the internets that caught my eye this week for your leisurely weekend.
- Framed origami animals - I think some space will need to be made on B’s wall for the whale….
- Ballooning to view Bagan’s architecture – Wow wow wow. This should probably be added to my “Places to See Before I Die” list.
- Collaborative Art: Making a Masterpiece Together – B and I have done this several times and I love to see what we come up with…especially him.
- feeding the sheep – This is why animals and children go well together.
posted on May 15, 2013 by
Frugal Summer Activities
Despite the fact that the sky spit SNOW on us just two weeks ago, the summer season is nearly here and I am so glad for it. While I love the beauty of winter and the clean feeling of spring (which we didn’t actually have much of around here), I also love the changing of the seasons and I’m already starting to make plans for our three warmest months. I try to find free or at least inexpensively-priced things to do as I like the challenge of finding cheaper summer activities and it always feels good to find a bargain. So here are a few ideas for some frugal summer activities.
1. Culture Passes
Many libraries offer culture passes where you can reserve free tickets to local museums, parks, or similar places. Our local library offers passes to the Firefighters Museum, a doll museum, Dinosaur Ridge (a local dinosaur dig site), a few history museums, the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art, a ride on a trolley, and a quilt museum. All you have to do is reserve the tickets, which you’re able to do even the day of sometimes, print out the pass, and present it when you arrive at the destination.
2. Library Reading Programs
Another service libraries offer is summer reading programs. When I was in elementary school, we had a library within biking distance of my house that had a summer reading program every year. I’d load up my backpack with as many books as I could fit and ride home with it precariously perched on my back, probably more excited than I should’ve been at the prospect of spending my summer inside reading. These days, our library also offers adult reading programs, so both kids and parents can be part of it, often earning prizes for how many books they read. Last year, our library had a contest for a free iPad for those who signed up and logged so many hours of reading.
3. National Forest Campgrounds
In terms of camping, you can’t get much cheaper than National Forests Campgrounds. Modern technology has made this little gem even more convenient and for many campgrounds, you can even make reservations online, allowing you to score prime camping spots without having to leave at the crack of dawn to make sure you arrive before anyone else. You generally won’t find flush toilets and showers, though a few do offer these amenities, but most of them have at least vault toilets and nice and remote locations.
4. National Forests Free Days
National Parks also offer free entrance days. Though not all parks offer this opportunity, there are some big-name ones listed such as Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite, Grand Teton, and Yellowstone. Plan your location well and you could visit two in one day.
5. Discount Movies
Some movie chains offer discounted movie tickets specifically during the summer. Regal Cinemas has a Summer Movie Express program that offers PG and under movies starting at 10 am every Tuesday and Thursday with admission only $1. Cinemark offers Reel Family Time every Monday with tickets only $1 for parties of 3 or more. This is a great way to beat the heat on those sweltering days!
6. Plane Watching
Last summer, we started a tradition of either packing a picnic or picking up food on the way to one of the small local airports in Denver on Sunday afternoons. We found a prime spot near the runway (but not actually on airport property) and climbed into the back of E’s pickup truck with our food to watch planes, including old World War II fighters, land and take off. B enjoys the view and it gives E and I a nice chance to talk. This is not a fast-paced, high-action activity by any means, but it’s a fairly relaxing way to spend a Sunday afternoon with your family.
These are just a few ideas but I’m sure there are more out there!
