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Kids in the Wilderness: Fall Activities |
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Elizaray
outspoken
680 Posts
Elizaray
680 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2007 : 09:35:53 AM
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What are you all doing for fall activities with your kiddos?
Do you pick out pumpkins and carve them? Do you have them help decorate the yard for fall? Rake leaves and jump in them?
I love the scents and flavors of fall. Putting on a jacket is so much fun when you know you aren't going to get overheated outside playing!
One of the most memorable things my mom did when I was younger was to come to class with me around Thanksgiving and help us cook a traditional thanksgiving turkey. It was so much fun!
Halloween is right around the corner too! Do you dress up and go trick or treating with your kids? Do you have any fun fall traditions?
My baby is still pretty young- not quite 6 months old yet so she won't remember this- but I still want to start "collecting" traditions now. Like watching the Charlie Brown movies and such.
What do you think?
Elizaray |
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blueberries in alaska
outstepping
109 Posts
Jo
hillsides of the Chugach
AK
USA
109 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2007 : 11:23:43 PM
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I'm currently losing my mind, mending a broken dog in the basement. Everyone is out hiking, it's GORGEOUS outside, crisp, the trails are calling me......
Fall is my favorite time of year!! I love halloween and I love having a Thanksgiving dinner and collecting all the odd souls without families around!
check out my little blog, photos of broken dog and fall in Fairbanks..... how are you guys??? jo http://web.mac.com/thomja/
oops---- I just realized this is Kids in the wilderness (do I count)?
there's no place like home....
http://web.mac.com/thomja
http://homepage.mac.com/thomja/PhotoAlbum22.html |
Edited by - blueberries in alaska on Sep 16 2007 11:24:45 PM |
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Mountain Girl
outrigged
237 Posts
JoAnn
Colville
WA
USA
237 Posts |
Posted - Sep 17 2007 : 08:53:35 AM
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Jo, I guess we're all kids at heart or I least hope so once you start thinking otherwise you are old. Sorry to hear about Bella. Our first dog got hit by a snowmachine and had a lovely bright pink cast on her leg for a while. I love your salmon sculpture in your garden. The garden is beautifl. Those long daylight hours certainly make the flowers bloom. JoAnn |
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Sep 17 2007 : 2:26:54 PM
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What are you all doing for fall activities with your kiddos? We're putting them to work - gathering loose hay in the fields for compost. It's incredible how well they respond to hard labor They really do get so happy, just like we do, when they do something constructive outside.
Do you pick out pumpkins and carve them? Yes - you'll have so much fun with this in years to come, Elizaray! I still carve them, but the girls love to draw the faces on first & paint them afterward. We made yard "wigs" for the pumpkins last year!
Do you have them help decorate the yard for fall? We made a plywood witch a couple of years ago that we dress up in Goodwill clothes, & we sacrificed our one white sheet for a ghost (the black marker face is really funny when it's on the bed). This year, we plan on stringing up the ghost (with a vollyball head under the sheet) so that we can move it from the porch out to a tree in the yard & back again. Spooky!
Rake leaves and jump in them? NO RAKING - always hated it. It just always seemed such silly, futile work. Now that we live in the country, we don't have to think about it - yea!
I love the scents and flavors of fall. Putting on a jacket is so much fun when you know you aren't going to get overheated outside playing! YES! It's getting down in the upper 40s at night lately, and the mornings are chilly. I broke out my old cozy brown sweater. I love this time of year.
One of the most memorable things my mom did when I was younger was to come to class with me around Thanksgiving and help us cook a traditional thanksgiving turkey. It was so much fun! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I insist on family coming to our house because I want to cook all that scrumptious food (with the kids' help). Hope I can find a naturally-raised turkey someplace around here...
Halloween is right around the corner too! Do you dress up and go trick or treating with your kids? Yep - last year the girls were Pocahontas and a cowgirl! This year we get to trick-or-treat in our new hometown, which should be fun. We usually do a little candy binge then send the rest with Chris to take to work. I don't want the kids eating a ton, and I can't control myself with chocolate in the house!
My baby is still pretty young- not quite 6 months old yet so she won't remember this- but I still want to start "collecting" traditions now. Like watching the Charlie Brown movies and such. Charlie Brown, definitely! The Great Pumpkin, Thanksgiving & Christmas specials are holiday favorites at our house. I know this is premature, but a wonderful holiday film is "The Snowman." It's simple & beautiful.
Yes, Jo - dogs are kids too!!!
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2007 : 08:10:50 AM
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How to Make A Scarecrow by Katina Mooneyham
"Scarecrows aren't just for scaring crows anymore. They can be a lot of fun, putting some accent on the garden and scaring off crows. That’s a lot for a little scarecrow.
Kids will love to come up with ideas on how to build the right scarecrow for them. It can be as simple as a hat on a pole with a few articles of clothing or an elaborate scarecrow complete with a face, head, hair, hat and even legs and feet!"
Learn more at http://www.gardenandhearth.com/LittleGardeners/Scarecrows.htm
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Oct 26 2007 : 9:41:05 PM
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The chill of fall and the beaming full moon lured us out for a night walk tonight. Wispy fog was lying low in the valleys, and all was lit up so brightly we squelched the flashlights. Heard coyotes & restrained the dogs from chasing some unidentified skitterer in the creekbed. Magnificent!
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
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Theresa
outthinking
4 Posts
Theresa
Northern Nevada
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - Oct 27 2007 : 12:28:35 PM
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I think October is our favorite month!
On the 31st we carve our pumpkins. Make caramel apples. I make a stew and spice hot apple cider. My home smells so yummy. My kiddos are still young but...We pass out candy to the "little, little" ones that come to the door. We tell them how cute they are or scarry, or give us there best impression of whatever they have dressed up as. We dress up, I am the "pumpkin princess" It's a chance for that inner 5 year old to come out and play. I think my boys want to be scientists this year. That is how we "celebrate" on the 31st.
We always try to go to Apple Hill for apples. http://www.applehill.com/
And we also head out to Lattin Farms for pumpkins http://www.lattinfarms.com/
And Alpine County to see the trees changing colors in all their glory. http://www.alpinecountyca.gov/ |
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Mountain Girl
outrigged
237 Posts
JoAnn
Colville
WA
USA
237 Posts |
Posted - Oct 29 2007 : 08:08:11 AM
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Those are lovely traditions Theresa. Your children will always remember them. There might be a time in their teen years that they may grumble about doing them but after they're adults they will bring back fond memories. JoAnn |
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Oct 29 2007 : 4:16:47 PM
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The kids & I are going to try to make our own caramel apples from scratch next week. Will let you know how they turn out!
In the meantime, we started on our pumpkins - the girls drew the faces & scooped out seeds, so now I've got to get carving!
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
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Theresa
outthinking
4 Posts
Theresa
Northern Nevada
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - Oct 29 2007 : 6:55:05 PM
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Yes let me know about the caramel apples, maybe even share the recipe...I went for caramel today and was tough out of luck. Not sure what I am going to do.
Theresa |
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Oct 29 2007 : 8:55:40 PM
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I'm going to try this recipe (from scratch), Theresa. I'll keep track of any variations I make. Let me know if you try it first!
Homemade Caramel Apple Recipe
8 apples, any variety 1 cup chopped peanuts or other nut of your choice 1 cup heavy cream, divided 3/4 cup light corn syrup 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Wash and completely dry the apples. Insert a stick into the stem end of each. Line a 9-by-9-inch or 7-by-11-inch baking pan with foil. Place the chopped nuts into the lined pan. Fit a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a candy thermometer. Over high heat, cook 3/4 cup of the cream, the corn syrup, butter, and sugar to 280 degrees F (firm ball); at this point the syrup will be golden. Remove from the heat and carefully swirl in the remaining 1/4 cup of cream and the vanilla. Use caution; this is very hot and it may splatter. While the caramel is hot, dip and turn the apples into the caramel to coat and let the excess drip off. Dip the bottoms into the chopped nuts. Arrange the apples on a nonstick or waxed paper-lined cookie sheet and let cool.
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
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marybeth
outstepping
146 Posts
Marybeth
Washington
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Nov 04 2007 : 10:38:53 PM
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You guys with little ones just bring back memories for me because my little ones are all grown up. Living out in the country gave those kids so many fun things to do. Like on Hallowe'en, if it was not raining, they would put costumes on their ponies/horses and out they would go. Pretend trick or treat because we lived in the country and not too many houses around. Flash lights and ponies. Cute visual. Walking on the trails at midnight with the full moon to guide us, looking and identifying the tracks we find, watching the 3 coyotes following us knowing they were only following us. To my husband I was just one of the kids and I revelled in that. I truely miss those days so you all with young ones take advantage of them while you can. Encourage them to believe in the great outdoors and above all ENJOY! MB
Being outside is being |
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2007 : 11:26:21 AM
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I hear you, MB. These days are precious. Thanks so much for sharing the memory of your little "goblins" and their ponies. I can just see them!
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
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Kids in the Wilderness: Fall Activities |
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