Month: June 2019

100 Parks in 2019

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Last summer I made a passport full of activities to do with the kids. It was a great way to stay busy and keep track of all of the things we wanted to do over the summer. This summer I’m taking it up a notch: we will be visiting 100 parks in 2019.

I started keeping track of parks in the middle of April. Since then we have visited 45 different playgrounds. I have enjoyed exploring areas of town we usually don’t visit. I often get stuck in a rut and we do the same thing over and over, but being in different areas of town has led to fun discoveries (granted, most of the discoveries are lunch places).

Ideally we will finish our quest by the middle of October. I’ll write up a recap when we reach 100 parks, but until then, if you are looking for a playground in the Des Moines area or as a good stop between Des Moines and St. Louis let me know. I’m happy to share my opinion (clearly, as I am a blogger).

Iowa Sheep and Wool Festival

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This morning I picked up Ivy and we headed north to Ames for the Iowa Sheep and Wool Festival. I ogled sheep. I contemplated buying an expensive coffee mug. I considered becoming the type of person who owns a darning egg. I lost all resolve to buy yarn in moderation.

From L to R I bought: Garden Wool & Dye Co. Local Wool worsted dyed with black oak & titanium, 2 skeins of Garden Wool & Dye Co. DK New Merino dyed with indigo and Osage orange, Quirky Fiber Werks BFL in Razzle Berry, Yarn Geek Fibers Galvanizer in Dr. Nancy Grace Roman (Mother of Hubble), Leading Men Fiber Arts Showstopper Mini Skein in Mother Earth, Blue Bird Aplaca Ranch Cormo/Tencel Sport weight yarn, and Blue Bird Alpaca Ranch Fingering Cormo/Mohair/Tencel in pink.

I went crazy with yarn buying. I am now 44 g in the hole on my yarn diet.

I also went overboard with Iowa Sheep and Wool Festival products. I bought a package that included a project bag, sticker, enamel pin, and t shirt. I totally broke my make/thrift/mend resolution by buying a shirt, but it is the only time I’ll break that rule this year.

I’m now going to wind some yarn and look on Ravelry for project ideas, as I have a lot of knitting to do. Do you every go overboard at fiber festivals?

skinnytaste Week 24

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We have been grilling a lot this summer. It is a nice way to prolong the time spent playing in the yard. It’s also a great way to keep the house cool. This week I made Easy Inside Out Turkey Cheeseburgers.

I used ground skinless turkey breast. That meat can be very boring, so I added some Jack Stack BBQ rub in addition to the salt and pepper. I didn’t have American cheese, but I did have four Gouda mini Babybels that were perfect as a substitute. They melted beautifully and were the right size, so I think I’ll always use Babybels instead of American cheese.

These burgers were a tasty healthy option. I’ll be making these again.

WIP Wednesday

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You would think I would make more progress with only one project being worked on. You would be wrong. We’ve been on the go a lot this summer, and I have not had enough time to relax on a park bench while the kids play. Slowly but surely I will finish this sock, and it will be done before pride month is over.

skinnytaste Week 23

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Yesterday I made Asian Chopped Salad with Sesame Soy Vinaigrette. I just had one for lunch, and I am pleased with how they turned out. The only change I made to the recipe was using butter lettuce from our garden instead of the romaine lettuce the recipe calls for. These salads are huge. They are full of my favorite vegetables. I’ll be making them again.

I’m enjoying making salads for the week at once and pulling them out of the fridge for lunch. It is easy to avoid snacking at lunch time if I have a big salad ready and waiting for me to eat. It is much easier for me to make healthy choices if I plan ahead.