Does your little one always want to help you in the Kitchen? Does he eat more (or more variety) if he helps you to cook? Then you might want to check out Young Chef's Academy in Gahanna.
Last week my moms' group had a cooking class at Young Chef's Academy. Our group had a private, 1.5 hour time slot. We dropped the kids off and went to lunch. While we were gone the children made pizza. Sounds simple, right? No. Well, sort of.
At Young Chef's Academy the children learn to cook mostly from scratch (I say mostly because they have been known to use a mix or two). We chose a pizza class because we had younger children attending. For this class they made pizza dough from scratch. All the kids were fascinated by the bubbling, blooming yeast. Then, they were each able to mix the dough. After that it rose while they talked about cooking and colored paper chef's hats. Then, it was time to roll out the pizza, top it, and bake it. Afterward the children were able to enjoy their creation. It was a hit! None of the pizza was left! Monkey even asked for more!
We have been to Young Chef's Academy twice. Each time my son has absolutely enjoyed himself. I only wish there was one closer to us because he would love to take a weekly class.
Young Chef's Academy has classes and camps for children ages 3+. They also offer birthday parties and field trips for groups (school, Scouts, moms' groups, etc.). This is not one of the cheaper things I post about, but it is fun. The cost for the private class was $14 per child. Weekly classes are $79 with a three month minimum and a $49 registration fee.
Showing posts with label moms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label moms. Show all posts
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
BRRRR!! It Is Cold Outside!
Has anyone noticed the temperature lately? It seems to be dropping rapidly and it seems winter is here to stay. Did you know that in the past week there was snow in all states except Florida? I wonder about Hawaii. I can't imagine they had snow so maybe it was just in the Lower 48 and Alaska. Regardless, it is cold!!!
Why am I mentioning this? You may think I am being silly. It is winter after all and it is supposed to be cold in winter, right? Well, I am using this as an opportunity to talk about car seats. Specifically, winter coats and after market products like the JJ Cole Bundle Me. These items are very hazardous when it comes to car seats. Why? Well, read on!
Many parents buy the JJ Cole Bundle Me because they want to keep their precious infants warm during the cold months. Many parents assume that since it is sold in stores that it is safe. It isn't. The Bundle Me goes between your baby and the harness of the infant carrier. This alters the way the harness fits your baby. You may think the straps are tight enough, but in reality they are not. In a crash that Bundle Me will compress. That compression can be enough to loosen the straps so your little darling becomes a missile. No parent wants that.
Plus, as an after market product it will void your car seat's warranty. You may be thinking who cares about a warranty. Well, you will if your baby is injured. If your baby is injured in a crash and you use an aftermarket product then you cannot sue the car seat manufacturer. The product could not do its job properly due to the aftermarket product.
You may now be scratching your head wondering what you should do to keep Junior warm. A puffy, thick coat perhaps? No. An infant or child in any type of car seat should never wear a coat in the car. It, too, interferes with the function of the harness and can compress in a crash launching your child out of the seat.
So, what should you do? Well, there are a few safe options. For an infant carrier try a shower cap style cover This style cover goes over the whole seat and does not interfere with the harness. Some examples are the Jeep Infant Carrier Cover on Amazon for $19.99, Baby's World Cover on Amazon fr $19.99, and the Kidopotamus CozyUp Carrier Cover on Amazon for $19.46. All three are pictured below.
Now, if your child is no longer in a carrier you may want to check out the Car Seat Poncho . Your child can wear it both in and out of the car. Prices, sizes, and colors vary.
Another option is to have your child wear a coat to the car and have him remove it in the car. Then, strap him in without the coat. Once he is strapped in put his coat on him backwards.
Lastly, you can do what I do. We use a plain old blanket in the car. We call it our Car Blanket. When Monkey gets in the car he immediately removes his coat. I strap him in and cover him with the blanket. He has never complained. None of us wear coats in the car and it warms up pretty quickly with the heater.
I hope these tips help you out this winter. Part of the reason I have this blog is to keep babies and children safe. I feel the best way to do this is through education. It is not to berate someone who doesn't know any better. Once you have the knowledge you have the power! Good luck and stay warm!!
Why am I mentioning this? You may think I am being silly. It is winter after all and it is supposed to be cold in winter, right? Well, I am using this as an opportunity to talk about car seats. Specifically, winter coats and after market products like the JJ Cole Bundle Me. These items are very hazardous when it comes to car seats. Why? Well, read on!
Many parents buy the JJ Cole Bundle Me because they want to keep their precious infants warm during the cold months. Many parents assume that since it is sold in stores that it is safe. It isn't. The Bundle Me goes between your baby and the harness of the infant carrier. This alters the way the harness fits your baby. You may think the straps are tight enough, but in reality they are not. In a crash that Bundle Me will compress. That compression can be enough to loosen the straps so your little darling becomes a missile. No parent wants that.
Plus, as an after market product it will void your car seat's warranty. You may be thinking who cares about a warranty. Well, you will if your baby is injured. If your baby is injured in a crash and you use an aftermarket product then you cannot sue the car seat manufacturer. The product could not do its job properly due to the aftermarket product.
You may now be scratching your head wondering what you should do to keep Junior warm. A puffy, thick coat perhaps? No. An infant or child in any type of car seat should never wear a coat in the car. It, too, interferes with the function of the harness and can compress in a crash launching your child out of the seat.
So, what should you do? Well, there are a few safe options. For an infant carrier try a shower cap style cover This style cover goes over the whole seat and does not interfere with the harness. Some examples are the Jeep Infant Carrier Cover on Amazon for $19.99, Baby's World Cover on Amazon fr $19.99, and the Kidopotamus CozyUp Carrier Cover on Amazon for $19.46. All three are pictured below.
Now, if your child is no longer in a carrier you may want to check out the Car Seat Poncho . Your child can wear it both in and out of the car. Prices, sizes, and colors vary.
Another option is to have your child wear a coat to the car and have him remove it in the car. Then, strap him in without the coat. Once he is strapped in put his coat on him backwards.
Lastly, you can do what I do. We use a plain old blanket in the car. We call it our Car Blanket. When Monkey gets in the car he immediately removes his coat. I strap him in and cover him with the blanket. He has never complained. None of us wear coats in the car and it warms up pretty quickly with the heater.
I hope these tips help you out this winter. Part of the reason I have this blog is to keep babies and children safe. I feel the best way to do this is through education. It is not to berate someone who doesn't know any better. Once you have the knowledge you have the power! Good luck and stay warm!!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Tie Dyeing; a creative way to spend a day.
Last summer I thought it would be fun to tie dye shirts. I hadn't done it since high school, but for some reason thought it would be fun. I suggested it to the other moms and they all agreed. So, last August (or maybe it was September) we gathered at my house to tie dye.
It was a busy, loud, windy, hot day here in Ohio. So, not exactly conducive for tie dyeing, but we did it anyway. We had about 10-12 moms and tons of kids show up. We had lots of dye and didn't run out until almost the end. Due to the wind and lack of space some shirts ended up different colors than intended and some didn't soak up enough dye because they dried out. All in all though everyone had fun.
Fast forward to this year. In May we had our monthly meeting and planned our June calendar. Again, tie dyeing was brought it. The weather is finally nicer and we can get outside to do things so it came up. We planned for a date in June to tie dye. Again, I offered my home, but this year I had stipulations. Due to the chaos last year I decided that we should have no more than 10-12 warm bodies at a time. All agreed.
Yesterday was the day to tie dye. At 9:30a I began setting up tables. This year I decided that the garage would be a better venue so we could stay out of the sun and/or rain. So, three tables were set up and covered with plastic garbage bags. By this time other moms had arrived so they were helping set up. Since the dye is most potent in the first 45 min it seemed smart to fold all of the items to be dyed and then start dyeing. This is what we did. It was kind of an assembly line. We all helped each other out. There is no wrong way to tie dye, but there are some really neat folds. Check out this site: Folding techniques
Once all of the items were folded, twisted, and banded I went to mix dye. Mixing the dye actually sounds more daunting than it is. All you do is dump the baggie of dye into the plastic bottle, add water to the fill line, screw on the top, and shake. Very easy. So, out to the garage to dye.
Each person chose their first item. The item was placed on top of a plastic grocery bag. Then the dyeing began. I started with mine as an example and as I was talking about the color wheel I messed up! I am not sure how it will turn out. I wanted a spiral with yellow, lime, and turquoise, but I messed up the placement of the colors (i.e. the lime wedges aren't across from each other). After the demo the others began to dye.
Monkey was set on a camo shirt. I bought him a cotton thermal tee from Dharma Trading Company. We crumpled his and put it on the bag. He squirted brown, green, and black all over the tee. Once finished we flipped the plastic bag over the tee and put it into the garage to steep (maybe cure is a better word) for 24 hrs.
Everyone else did the same. We did spiral shirts, bulls eye shirts, bandannas, socks, headbands, and more. So far so good. No real mess and everyone is getting a chance to dye. The first session ended around 11:45. The next session was scheduled to begin at noon. They were all late.
It is now 1 o'clock. Everyone is here. One mom had a dead car battery and had to wait for her husband to come jump her car, but now we are all here. Since the morning went well with folding first and then dyeing that is what we proceeded to do. This time we ran out of rubber bands and had to use acrylic yarn instead. Once folding was complete I mixed dye.
This time we ran out of dye. I used a different, smaller kit (meaning fewer colors) because it was cheaper. We ran out of red and blue. I felt awful!! I wanted everyone to have the colors they had chosen and a couple had to do without. Everyone made do and I think they were happy with the items.
Around 2:30 I decided I needed to eat. All I had eaten was a bowl of cereal and a banana at 8:30. I was hungry. So, the adults took a break and the kids played outside. While inside we noticed that the box of dye had more rubber bands. Doh!! Never even thought to look in that box. I thought I had brought out all of the rubber bands.
A little bit later another mom came with shirts to dye. She used the excess dye and her boys didn't care about the colors. At 3:15 or so all dyeing was complete. Everyone had dyed everything they had wanted to dye. We still had pink, purple, and a little green left. I hated to see it go to waste so I called another mom in our group who lives down the street. She came up and her daughter used the last bits of the dye (pink and purple are her favorite colors so it worked out well).
All the dye is gone. All of the shirts are packed up. Now it is time to clean up. That didn't take long. Clean up is easy for tie dyeing. You just trash all the used gloves, plastic coverings, and paper towels. The dye bottles just have to be rinsed. All was clean in about 10 min.
Did we have fun? Yes. Would we do it again? Yes. There has already been talk about doing it next summer. Plus, the kids really enjoy wearing shirts they've made. Once I untie and wash the shirts I'll post some pictures. I am hoping they turn out well, but as one mom said there is no wrong way to tie dye. They are in the wash now. Total cost was about $6 each for the dye plus the cost of shirts. So, all in all it isn't an overly expensive activity.
Tips for tie dyeing:
1. Have a smaller group (8-12)
2. Do it outside
3. Wear clothing you don't ever want to wear again
4. Make sure you have enough dye (we use the Tulip kits from Michael's)
5. Cover your workspace
6. Wear gloves unless you want tie dyed hands
7. Use only cotton or natural fabrics
8. Let items cure for 24 hrs for brighter colors
9. Have other activities or a play structure for the kids when they aren't dyeing
10. Have fun!!
It was a busy, loud, windy, hot day here in Ohio. So, not exactly conducive for tie dyeing, but we did it anyway. We had about 10-12 moms and tons of kids show up. We had lots of dye and didn't run out until almost the end. Due to the wind and lack of space some shirts ended up different colors than intended and some didn't soak up enough dye because they dried out. All in all though everyone had fun.
Fast forward to this year. In May we had our monthly meeting and planned our June calendar. Again, tie dyeing was brought it. The weather is finally nicer and we can get outside to do things so it came up. We planned for a date in June to tie dye. Again, I offered my home, but this year I had stipulations. Due to the chaos last year I decided that we should have no more than 10-12 warm bodies at a time. All agreed.
Yesterday was the day to tie dye. At 9:30a I began setting up tables. This year I decided that the garage would be a better venue so we could stay out of the sun and/or rain. So, three tables were set up and covered with plastic garbage bags. By this time other moms had arrived so they were helping set up. Since the dye is most potent in the first 45 min it seemed smart to fold all of the items to be dyed and then start dyeing. This is what we did. It was kind of an assembly line. We all helped each other out. There is no wrong way to tie dye, but there are some really neat folds. Check out this site: Folding techniques
Once all of the items were folded, twisted, and banded I went to mix dye. Mixing the dye actually sounds more daunting than it is. All you do is dump the baggie of dye into the plastic bottle, add water to the fill line, screw on the top, and shake. Very easy. So, out to the garage to dye.
Each person chose their first item. The item was placed on top of a plastic grocery bag. Then the dyeing began. I started with mine as an example and as I was talking about the color wheel I messed up! I am not sure how it will turn out. I wanted a spiral with yellow, lime, and turquoise, but I messed up the placement of the colors (i.e. the lime wedges aren't across from each other). After the demo the others began to dye.
Monkey was set on a camo shirt. I bought him a cotton thermal tee from Dharma Trading Company. We crumpled his and put it on the bag. He squirted brown, green, and black all over the tee. Once finished we flipped the plastic bag over the tee and put it into the garage to steep (maybe cure is a better word) for 24 hrs.
Everyone else did the same. We did spiral shirts, bulls eye shirts, bandannas, socks, headbands, and more. So far so good. No real mess and everyone is getting a chance to dye. The first session ended around 11:45. The next session was scheduled to begin at noon. They were all late.
It is now 1 o'clock. Everyone is here. One mom had a dead car battery and had to wait for her husband to come jump her car, but now we are all here. Since the morning went well with folding first and then dyeing that is what we proceeded to do. This time we ran out of rubber bands and had to use acrylic yarn instead. Once folding was complete I mixed dye.
This time we ran out of dye. I used a different, smaller kit (meaning fewer colors) because it was cheaper. We ran out of red and blue. I felt awful!! I wanted everyone to have the colors they had chosen and a couple had to do without. Everyone made do and I think they were happy with the items.
Around 2:30 I decided I needed to eat. All I had eaten was a bowl of cereal and a banana at 8:30. I was hungry. So, the adults took a break and the kids played outside. While inside we noticed that the box of dye had more rubber bands. Doh!! Never even thought to look in that box. I thought I had brought out all of the rubber bands.
A little bit later another mom came with shirts to dye. She used the excess dye and her boys didn't care about the colors. At 3:15 or so all dyeing was complete. Everyone had dyed everything they had wanted to dye. We still had pink, purple, and a little green left. I hated to see it go to waste so I called another mom in our group who lives down the street. She came up and her daughter used the last bits of the dye (pink and purple are her favorite colors so it worked out well).
All the dye is gone. All of the shirts are packed up. Now it is time to clean up. That didn't take long. Clean up is easy for tie dyeing. You just trash all the used gloves, plastic coverings, and paper towels. The dye bottles just have to be rinsed. All was clean in about 10 min.
Did we have fun? Yes. Would we do it again? Yes. There has already been talk about doing it next summer. Plus, the kids really enjoy wearing shirts they've made. Once I untie and wash the shirts I'll post some pictures. I am hoping they turn out well, but as one mom said there is no wrong way to tie dye. They are in the wash now. Total cost was about $6 each for the dye plus the cost of shirts. So, all in all it isn't an overly expensive activity.
Tips for tie dyeing:
1. Have a smaller group (8-12)
2. Do it outside
3. Wear clothing you don't ever want to wear again
4. Make sure you have enough dye (we use the Tulip kits from Michael's)
5. Cover your workspace
6. Wear gloves unless you want tie dyed hands
7. Use only cotton or natural fabrics
8. Let items cure for 24 hrs for brighter colors
9. Have other activities or a play structure for the kids when they aren't dyeing
10. Have fun!!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Fun, inepensive, or free things to do in Central Ohio #4--Lollipops Concerts
For my fourth installment of fun things to do in Central Ohio I am going to talk about the Lollipops Concerts. These are held in Powell, OH each summer. They are free concerts featuring children's bands.
Our moms' group went to one last summer. It was the first time any of us had been and I wasn't sure what to expect. The band scheduled to play was Thaddeus Rex. I had never heard of this band, but then my children's music is limited to Kindermusik and Veggie Tales.
We were told it would be crowded and they were right! It was very crowded and I am glad we got there early. Upon entering the amphitheatre each child was given a Dum Dum lollipop. I am assuming this is how the concert series got its name.
All of the moms met up (aren't cell phones wonderful?) and spread blankets out before the show began. The kids ran around while we waited for the show to begin. Once it began the kids were interested in the stage. There was this giant green dinosaur that came onto the stage along with a man with a guitar. The man sang and the dinosaur danced. The kids thought it was great and they all began dancing. The children were invited to dance near the stage and many did.
The music was rather entertaining. Yes, it was kids' music, but it also had some funny comments and undertones for adults. It wasn't all sing songy like Row, Row, Your Boat, and Mary Had a Little Lamb, etc. They were original songs.
The concert lasted about an hour. Afterward the band stayed behind to sell CDs and chat with the kids.
This year the day of the week has changed. The concerts are now on Mondays and there are only three this summer. Concerts begin promptly at 10:30. Here is a link to the site: Lollipops Concerts
I highly suggest getting there at least an hour early. Parking is free. Once you get there mark out your territory as the space fills up quickly. Bring along sunscreen as there is no shade what-so-ever. If you plan to stay after the concert and hang out at the Splash Pad (I will blog about this later) bring a swimsuit or at least a towel for your little ones.
The performer I'd most love to see at a Lollipops Concert is Barenaked Ladies. My son would love to hear them sing the Snacktime CD. Although, I am 99% sure they would never even entertain coming because they are too popular and successful, but one can dream, right?
Our moms' group went to one last summer. It was the first time any of us had been and I wasn't sure what to expect. The band scheduled to play was Thaddeus Rex. I had never heard of this band, but then my children's music is limited to Kindermusik and Veggie Tales.
We were told it would be crowded and they were right! It was very crowded and I am glad we got there early. Upon entering the amphitheatre each child was given a Dum Dum lollipop. I am assuming this is how the concert series got its name.
All of the moms met up (aren't cell phones wonderful?) and spread blankets out before the show began. The kids ran around while we waited for the show to begin. Once it began the kids were interested in the stage. There was this giant green dinosaur that came onto the stage along with a man with a guitar. The man sang and the dinosaur danced. The kids thought it was great and they all began dancing. The children were invited to dance near the stage and many did.
The music was rather entertaining. Yes, it was kids' music, but it also had some funny comments and undertones for adults. It wasn't all sing songy like Row, Row, Your Boat, and Mary Had a Little Lamb, etc. They were original songs.
The concert lasted about an hour. Afterward the band stayed behind to sell CDs and chat with the kids.
This year the day of the week has changed. The concerts are now on Mondays and there are only three this summer. Concerts begin promptly at 10:30. Here is a link to the site: Lollipops Concerts
I highly suggest getting there at least an hour early. Parking is free. Once you get there mark out your territory as the space fills up quickly. Bring along sunscreen as there is no shade what-so-ever. If you plan to stay after the concert and hang out at the Splash Pad (I will blog about this later) bring a swimsuit or at least a towel for your little ones.
The performer I'd most love to see at a Lollipops Concert is Barenaked Ladies. My son would love to hear them sing the Snacktime CD. Although, I am 99% sure they would never even entertain coming because they are too popular and successful, but one can dream, right?
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Boy, is it hot!!!
This morning four moms in our group ran a 5K. My husband and another mom's boyfriend also ran. It was the Stomp Out Stigma one at OSU to raise awareness about mental health issues. Boy, was it hot!
We thought we would be fine with an 11a start time. I mean we do live in Ohio and it is only mid-May so it shouldn't be too hot, right? I mean it has been cool all week so why should it suddenly be warm on Sunday, right? WRONG!! It was hot! It was about 78 when the race began and it is supposed to get up to 86.
This was a small race around Fred Beekman park in Upper Arlington. Small races are good because you don't have to jockey around people for the first mile or so.
At 11a the air horn was blown and we all began. Quickly everyone spaced out so that was good. I ran with my friend, Jenny, for about the first mile and then she pulled ahead. We were happy for the breeze and wished for clouds.
So, about 50-70 of us are running. The first time around the track it isn't too bad and the baseball parents only give us passing glances. I finish the first mile at 8:40. Not too bad if I can keep up the pace.
The second time around the track it starts to feel hotter and I see fewer and fewer people. I am keeping an okay pace or so I think. I am keeping the same distance between myself and Jenny. She runs faster than I do so I think I am good. I finished the second mile at 18:40 into the race. Damn! That means I slowed down two whole minutes during the second mile. I need to try and pick it up for the third, but it is looking unlikely.
All right, I am now on the third mile. Boy, is it hot! All I can think about it how hot it is and how the breeze really isn't cool at all. I start to slow down a bit and this shirtless, middle aged man with a paunch begins to pass me!! AGH!! I cannot let this happen! So, I pick it up a bit. Now, I am halfway into the third mile. I am now approaching the baseball parents. This time around I am getting the "you are nuts" looks from them. In some ways I agree. It is hot, there are no clouds, and just a barely a breeze. Plus, who really runs in the late morning anyway?
Okay, so now I am counting down. I have less than half a mile left. It can't be more than 5 min, right? I mean even if I am slow half a mile shouldn't take more than that. I am hot! I am sweaty and I am breathing heavy.
Now, a quarter mile left. I catch up to Jenny. She says something about picking up the pace and counting to ten. I didn't catch all of it because my iPod is blaring. It is playing "Help I'm Alive" and it seems appropriate especially the line about "my heart keeps beating like a hammer." Yeah, mine is beating. Jenny picks it up and finishes ahead of me. I couldn't muster up anymore energy.
I finish at 29:00 even. That isn't a good time at all. It is hot so maybe that factors into it. I need to get back on track and run faster. I say this at the end of every race, but it never seems to happen. I just never have the time to make it to the gym to run. I need to work on it. Maybe one day I will and maybe one day I will get to an 8 min mile consistently.
My husband and Jenny's boyfriend finished long before us. Jenny's boyfriend won for our age group (well, for the males). All is well. Another mom finished a minute or two behind. Our fourth mom finished a little after that. We were all happy! The race was over! Time to go home and shower!
We thought we would be fine with an 11a start time. I mean we do live in Ohio and it is only mid-May so it shouldn't be too hot, right? I mean it has been cool all week so why should it suddenly be warm on Sunday, right? WRONG!! It was hot! It was about 78 when the race began and it is supposed to get up to 86.
This was a small race around Fred Beekman park in Upper Arlington. Small races are good because you don't have to jockey around people for the first mile or so.
At 11a the air horn was blown and we all began. Quickly everyone spaced out so that was good. I ran with my friend, Jenny, for about the first mile and then she pulled ahead. We were happy for the breeze and wished for clouds.
So, about 50-70 of us are running. The first time around the track it isn't too bad and the baseball parents only give us passing glances. I finish the first mile at 8:40. Not too bad if I can keep up the pace.
The second time around the track it starts to feel hotter and I see fewer and fewer people. I am keeping an okay pace or so I think. I am keeping the same distance between myself and Jenny. She runs faster than I do so I think I am good. I finished the second mile at 18:40 into the race. Damn! That means I slowed down two whole minutes during the second mile. I need to try and pick it up for the third, but it is looking unlikely.
All right, I am now on the third mile. Boy, is it hot! All I can think about it how hot it is and how the breeze really isn't cool at all. I start to slow down a bit and this shirtless, middle aged man with a paunch begins to pass me!! AGH!! I cannot let this happen! So, I pick it up a bit. Now, I am halfway into the third mile. I am now approaching the baseball parents. This time around I am getting the "you are nuts" looks from them. In some ways I agree. It is hot, there are no clouds, and just a barely a breeze. Plus, who really runs in the late morning anyway?
Okay, so now I am counting down. I have less than half a mile left. It can't be more than 5 min, right? I mean even if I am slow half a mile shouldn't take more than that. I am hot! I am sweaty and I am breathing heavy.
Now, a quarter mile left. I catch up to Jenny. She says something about picking up the pace and counting to ten. I didn't catch all of it because my iPod is blaring. It is playing "Help I'm Alive" and it seems appropriate especially the line about "my heart keeps beating like a hammer." Yeah, mine is beating. Jenny picks it up and finishes ahead of me. I couldn't muster up anymore energy.
I finish at 29:00 even. That isn't a good time at all. It is hot so maybe that factors into it. I need to get back on track and run faster. I say this at the end of every race, but it never seems to happen. I just never have the time to make it to the gym to run. I need to work on it. Maybe one day I will and maybe one day I will get to an 8 min mile consistently.
My husband and Jenny's boyfriend finished long before us. Jenny's boyfriend won for our age group (well, for the males). All is well. Another mom finished a minute or two behind. Our fourth mom finished a little after that. We were all happy! The race was over! Time to go home and shower!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Fun, inexpensive, or free things to do in Central Ohio #2
Sorry about yesterday. We spent the day at the zoo and then I had a raging headache and went to bed early. This is what I had planned for yesterday's post:
Swisher Creek Alpaca Farm located in Blacklick, OH www.alpacanation.com/swishercreekfarm.asp
614-939-1872 or swishercreekfarm@aol.com Tours are free, but you need to call/email to schedule one.
This is a small alpaca farm owned by Judy and Pete Klein. I met them at our local farmer's market a few years ago and contacted them about a tour. Our moms' group went last fall for an up close and personal tour. Blacklick is about an hour away from Columbus.
We arrived at the farm about mid-morning for a private tour. We had about 10 kids with us. Judy meet us at the shop behind their house to begin the tour. She began by telling us about their farm and the alpacas. We then walked down the road to the alpacas. Judy let us all go into the alpaca pen. This was the first time all of us had been inside one. The kids loved it! There were alpacas of all sizes and colors, although I think the caramel colored ones are the prettiest. The alpacas were skittish at first, but then their curiosity got the better of them and they walked up to the children. The children were able to pet some of them and to hear the sounds that they make.
After we left the pen Judy answered any of the questions that we had. We walked back up the road to the barn and went into the shop.
In the shop Judy has fiber from her alpacas for sale. We found some very unique Christmas ornaments in the shop. Monkey fell in love with a miniature alpaca toy and it had to come home. Judy also has knit items for sale in the shop as well as yarn and roving. I am a knitter and loved looking at and feeling the fiber. If you have never felt alpaca fiber it is very soft, softer than mohair. Alpaca fiber is also very warm.
The total tour takes less than one hour. Their only request is that tour goers stop in the gift shop to have a look.
Swisher Creek Alpaca Farm located in Blacklick, OH www.alpacanation.com/swishercreekfarm.asp
614-939-1872 or swishercreekfarm@aol.com Tours are free, but you need to call/email to schedule one.
This is a small alpaca farm owned by Judy and Pete Klein. I met them at our local farmer's market a few years ago and contacted them about a tour. Our moms' group went last fall for an up close and personal tour. Blacklick is about an hour away from Columbus.
We arrived at the farm about mid-morning for a private tour. We had about 10 kids with us. Judy meet us at the shop behind their house to begin the tour. She began by telling us about their farm and the alpacas. We then walked down the road to the alpacas. Judy let us all go into the alpaca pen. This was the first time all of us had been inside one. The kids loved it! There were alpacas of all sizes and colors, although I think the caramel colored ones are the prettiest. The alpacas were skittish at first, but then their curiosity got the better of them and they walked up to the children. The children were able to pet some of them and to hear the sounds that they make.
After we left the pen Judy answered any of the questions that we had. We walked back up the road to the barn and went into the shop.
In the shop Judy has fiber from her alpacas for sale. We found some very unique Christmas ornaments in the shop. Monkey fell in love with a miniature alpaca toy and it had to come home. Judy also has knit items for sale in the shop as well as yarn and roving. I am a knitter and loved looking at and feeling the fiber. If you have never felt alpaca fiber it is very soft, softer than mohair. Alpaca fiber is also very warm.
The total tour takes less than one hour. Their only request is that tour goers stop in the gift shop to have a look.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Hello All!!
This is my first time blogging. Yea!! Wish me luck!
My name is Amy and I am a SAHM to my five year old son. I am a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) and I love researching about car seats!! My son also enjoys trying them out for me. In addition to being a CPST I am also an RN. I find that both are helpful when speaking to other moms about seats.
As I mentioned I am a SAHM and I help run/coordinate a moms' group in my small town. It is great! We have kids in the group of almost every age, moms too! The kids have playmates and the moms have support from other moms. Some of the moms work and others are at home full time. We get together several times a week for play dates, lunch, moms' night out, field trips, and many other things. The sky is the limit for us!
Anyway, I've started this blog to talk about my son, our moms' group, and, of course, about child safety and car seats. Hopefully I will get a following! More soon!
My name is Amy and I am a SAHM to my five year old son. I am a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) and I love researching about car seats!! My son also enjoys trying them out for me. In addition to being a CPST I am also an RN. I find that both are helpful when speaking to other moms about seats.
As I mentioned I am a SAHM and I help run/coordinate a moms' group in my small town. It is great! We have kids in the group of almost every age, moms too! The kids have playmates and the moms have support from other moms. Some of the moms work and others are at home full time. We get together several times a week for play dates, lunch, moms' night out, field trips, and many other things. The sky is the limit for us!
Anyway, I've started this blog to talk about my son, our moms' group, and, of course, about child safety and car seats. Hopefully I will get a following! More soon!
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