Sometimes the very best things are found in your backyard

Well, not exactly literally, but our backyard does run adjacent to the greenway for Freestone Park. When Andrew was working on Wednesday night I needed something to do with the kids. I didn't really feel like going anywhere with them, but I knew it was necessary for our survival. So we headed out.



Atticus did some work with "sandscript."
Peace Mommy!

Creeley had a pretty intense sand construction session going on.
And as usual, Townsyn was all over the place doing a little bit of everything.


We explored the abandoned shed where the stray cats usually live, only to find that the doors had been boarded up.
So we took a look around to see if we could find any clues as to where the cats might be. We found a panel on the side that looked out of place, and sure enough, the cat dishes were right outside.
And no trip to Freestone Park would be complete without the three boys piling on to the tire swing (and Townsyn falling off).

And, just to show you what we are dealing with this time around, here's a shot of Townsyn refusing to leave. Too bad his protests aren't always silent.
If you haven't been there, you should definitely come visit!

Mmmmm. Pretzels.

This is my first post about food, but since the boys eat ALL DAY LONG, I assure you it will not be my last! Every once in a while I like to change it up a bit, and these soft pretzels are both easy to make and extremely enjoyable to eat (and make minimal mess).

First I throw all the ingredients in my trusty bread machine that I picked up at Goodwill for less than $10. I use whole wheat flour and the pizza dough setting on the bread machine and they turn out super yummy.

After the dough is ready (I think it takes about 2 hours...I started it soon after breakfast), I split it up and placed the dough balls on a slightly floured Pampered Chef pastry mat.
In order to teach our children about the art of imperfection, and to save my time and sanity, I made the pretzels into "sticks" rather than those of the twisty, cool looking variety. I let them rise for about 20 minutes on my getting-seasoned Pampered Chef stoneware.
Then I plopped them into the water concoction a few at a time and flipped them over.
I spooned them out of the pan and put them back on my much-loved-stoneware-that-cooks-everything-evenly-and-beautifully-every-time. I brushed them with egg white and sprinkled sea salt on a few and left the rest plain.
Into my fabulous new convection stove they went.
Half way through they got flipped.
And voila!
Look at that fantastic consistency.
The enticing plate awaits 30 little fingers.
Ah! The sweet smell and sight of doughy success!


And the added bonus was that after this snack there were enough left over for mini pretzel pizzas for dinner! I added tomato sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni and threw them in the oven to heat up. Success again! Try them. You won't be disappointed.

Please note that I am not an employee or stock owner of Pampered Chef. I simply love their products and endorse them because they make for fun cookin'.

Outdoor Hour Challenge #2: Using Your Words

We spent more time at the Riparian this week for our second outdoor hour challenge. The kids are really getting into our "nature hikes." We never quite make it as far as I hope, but there is a distinct beauty (and a lesson in patience) in watching them look at, examine, and touch nearly every. single. thing. It is absolutely lovely to know that they will grow up to appreciate our natural world. I spent so much time out in the woods growing up, and I still hold those memories fondly. Certain smells, sounds, and even sights can take me right back there. I am so glad I can share this love with my children. I apologize in advance for all of the pictures. It being such a beautiful place to photograph, combined with three little boys exclaiming, "Momma, get a picture of this" repeatedly makes for a big upload. Without further ado...

When we walked down toward the lake the first thing we spotted was a lovely blue heron standing in the brush.
As always, the boys enjoy watching the ducks. They especially like to note when different looking ducks are swimming together. How's that for a lesson in diversity?
The ducks flying overhead always make the boys pause. And there is the standing joke that maybe one will poop on Mom's head.
The flowers are spectacular right now.
And we caught a few pollinators along the way. See if you can find the bees in these pictures. They are harder to catch on film than Townsyn.
The boys can never resist the lure of the little orange "berries." I must find out what these are.
The boys also noted that many of the plants appeared "dry, brittle, or dead." We will definitely observe changes in these plants throughout the seasons to see if we can "figure them out."
The highlight of the trip, even trumping the hiding blue heron, was the sightings of many little birds on trees, in the air, on rocks, or in the brush. We will definitely be doing a family bird walk before summer gets here. I'm also thinking of checking out the Birds of Arizona Field Guide or another book to take with us next time.

I'll admit to being the sharp eye that finds the nests usually, but the kids were thrilled with the spotting nonetheless.
Now, on to the assignment:

We sat still and I asked the kids to name 1 thing they heard, 2 things they saw, and 3 things they felt. They added a few extra to the list, but they are quite wordy little dudes.

HEARD
bird tweeting
bird whistling
bird calling "oo-ee"
leaves blowing

SAW
birds flying
flowers
bird nest
hummingbird
heron standing still in plants in the water
yellow tree bark
orange tree branches
pokers

FELT
brittle stems
bumpy leaves
crunchy pods
soft flowers
wind
hard rocks
poking stems

They wanted to go back the next day!