Summertime

School's out for summer! I can almost smell the spf 50, backyard swimming pool, and garden fresh green beans sizzling in a buttery iron skillet! It's time for water fun and free time! I'm dedicating this summer to "enjoying the summer".


Below I've compiled a list of local summer activities I'm aware of. Obviously it does not include EVERYTHING, but I hope it's a start for most of us. If you know of anything else in our neighborhood (or nearby) please leave a comment with the info. I'd love this post to be a summer staple for local families to denounce the children's, "I'm bored" squall.


Water Fun:
http://www.quilliancenter.org/

http://www.thebulletin.com/archives/2003/may/waterworld.htm

http://www.schlitterbahn.com/gal/



Eateries:

http://www.kingwoodhumblekidseatfree.com/



Activities:

http://www.amctheatres.com/smc/movies.html

http://local.yahoo.com/details?id=19054784

http://www.themudpie.com/index.htm
http://www.themudpie.com/Storytime.htm

Shanks http://www.shankzgolf.com/ (balladium is a blast!)

Library activities http://www.hcpl.net/calendar.php



Culture:

http://www.adplayers.org/CT_home.html

http://www.mainstreettheater.com/

http://www.centrestage.org/index.html



Local Harvest:

Moorehead's http://www.sayblueberry.com/

http://www.localharvest.org/search.jsp?map=1&lat=30.052800&lon=-95.220720&scale=9&ty=-1&nm=&zip=77339


http://www.localharvest.org/search.jsp?map=1&lat=29.770633&lon=-95.414819&scale=9&ty=-1&nm=&zip=77299


Summer Camps:

YMCAhttp://66.162.125.52/lakehoustondaycamp.pdf

Discovery College http://kingwood.lonestar.edu/27083/

From Scratch

We've been in the kitchen a lot lately, and here are some new recipes I'd like to try.

My mint is trying to take over my yard, but this recipe ought to tame that herb!

Homemade Mint Ice cream from Blue Yonder.

1. First, take a bunch of mint leaves, I don't know, half a cup or so, and put them in a bowl with a cup of sugar.
2. Use the back of a spoon to grind them up into the sugar.
3. Pour in two cups of heavy cream and a cup of whole milk, and stir until the sugar dissolves.
4. Let that sit in the fridge for a couple of hours (or overnight if you like it really minty).
5. Strain the leaves out of the mixture, and then pour it in 13X 9 (ish) pan (glass or ceramic is best - anything that will give it enough room to spread out) and cover with plastic wrap.
6. Put it in the freezer.
7. Every hour or so, take it out and scrape/mix it with a fork. This will keep it from becoming one solid mass. This freezing part should take 3-4 hours.
8. Voila, ice cream!
   *A variation could be to add in chocolate chips.

We recently made these homemade Lara Bars, easy to make, and yum to eat! Here's another variation of the recipe. Make a big batch. Throw one in your bag with an apple and you have yourself a meal. When you are having a "mobile" day, never drive through for french fries again, keep a stash of these handy and offer your starving over-transported kids one of these. So healthy and tasty too.

My two worlds have collided! You know I love Amy Butler for her whimsical fabric and chic patterns. But did you know she also wrote a book about Jams & Jellies? OH YES SHE DID. I haven't done the jams or jellies, but I intend too. However, I did try the recipe for Sharon's Cream Biscuits. OMG!

2 cups AP flour

1 tsp salt

1 TBS baking powder

2 tsp sugar

1 cup plus 2 TBS heavy cream

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 425. Mix flour, salt, bp, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the cream to the dry ingredients and mix. Gather the dough together and knead for 1 additional minute. Pat the dough into a 1/2" square and cut into 12 biscuits. Place biscuits on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush the tops with melted butter. Bake 15-17 minutes or until light golden brown.

Jed's Sewing Camp

Hello local seamstresses:

Summer is almost here, and that means sewing camp is right around the corner.

• When: July 14-17, 9:30am - 1:30pm


• Who: ages 10 & up


• What: Jed's Sewing Camp, Reg. $65 + supply list

This year we will be making this Built by Wendy peasant top.

Like last year, I will limit the class to 6-8 students. If there is enough interest I will open a second session. Likewise, if these times do not work for you and you are interested still let me know and we can hopefully fill up a second class. To register please email lil_mustard@hotmail.com . I will send you the registration form and the supply list. I can gladly answer any questions about camp, purchasing a sewing machine, where to buy the pattern and fabric, and measuring for the proper size pattern. Please feel free to contact me.

Can't wait to see you there. You girls will 'rock' the peasant top!
Hurry and sign up,Sarah

Check out camp from last year, when we rocked the three tiered skirts!

Happy Birthday To Me

(These cupcakes were from Sprinkles.)

I enjoyed a belated birthday "girls weekend".

It was perfect. I basically pretended to live my best friend's single life with her for a weekend in Dallas. :) We saw movies, went shopping, ate at local eateries, and spent a morning kayaking.

We also saw the best movies! Angelika is my new favorite movie theater. I saw Helen Hunt's Then She Found Me, and Ben Stein's Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. They were both wonderful. One's a "tear-jerker" and one's a major "thinker".

Thanks, Jennie. Now back to reality. ;)

Bounty

"The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none." ~Deut 28:12

The first fruits of our labor. They may appear modest, but this excites me so much because I know it's only the beginning.
These days everything is enhanced around here, even an ordinary cup of tomato soup gets some added pizzaz!

Congrats, Megan

Here's a diaper bag for Megan. I hope she likes it! It's designed to perfection (in my humble opinion). I've enjoyed using the Amy Butler Nappy Bag pattern, and adding my own twists. I added a key hook, and an extra pocket inside, as well as including a changing pad.

This bag SHOULD be big enough for a new baby boy, and his 2 big brother's stuff plus mom's goodies, but we'll see????

Is there a newbie in town who could use one of these? This custom bag will retail for $50. Simply convo with me and put in your request, or order through my etsy shoppe. For the perfect baby shower gift fill it with a onesie and burp cloth, a special offer for only $65.

Reusable Shopping Bag

Inspired by my previous post, I'm sure, I've been toying with the idea of making reusable shopping bags. I've been figuring out the details, and trying to bring something new to the market. My intent is to offer something charming and delightful to carry, as well as help alleviate the needless accumulation of plastic bags received at the grocery store. Although my design is still in progress, check out these crafty alternatives for "reusing" your plastic bags.

(photo by gooseflesh)

Life's A Beach

I'm back, and boy was it refreshing. I had a blast with all my old friends, and made some new ones too.

Traveling with twelve moms is as easy as it gets. Everything is taken care of, and everyone is relieved to be handling normal tasks without hearing any whining or abrupt interruptions due to emergency bodily functions. One thing I must caution you about when vacationing with twelve moms, is...do NOT I repeat do NOT let them go shopping. I think I still smell plastic melting.

Consumerism at it's finest! I was pretty good, but I did make a few new purchases! ;)