List o' fun--Stratford Ecological Center

Stratford Ecolgocial Center is a non-profit educational "farm" located in Delaware, Ohio.

They have many different activities, camps and events going on year round.  

Little Man and I have gone too "Story Time on the Farm" for the past two summers.

It takes place once a month and costs $5 a family.

First, they read a story.  

Generally this is about something that they are going to do/learn that day-seeds, fruits, vegetables, etc.

Then they do an activity.  They also explore the farm.  They have organic fruits and vegetables growing.

They also have animals--chickens, goats, sheep, cats (yuck!), and pigs.

It's not one of my most favorite places to go, but it is a good little activity when there is nothing else going on.  Plus, Little Man loves it.  He's all about the animals! :)

You can check out the other things they offer here.

Oh how I love thee... (13)

...let me count the ways.

I love that Michael makes me laugh.  He and I don't have the same sense of humor, but we can still laugh at and with each other.  He cracks me up.  I also love that he finds me funny.  Laughter is good medicine for the soul... and for marriage!  :)  We aren't short on laughs around here!  I appreciate that we can have a serious conversation one minute, and laugh until we cry the next.  Michael is the king of freaking hilarious one liners.  If you pay attention, you may just be blessed to hear one.  He's too much of a gentleman to fight for air space though, so you may miss it! 

How Many Christians Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb?

I got a kick out of this and thought you might too...

Charismatic: Only one. Hands already in the air.

Pentecostals: Ten. One to change the bulb and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.

Presbyterians: None. Lights will go off and on at predestined times.

Roman Catholic: None. Candles only.

Baptists: At least 15. One to change the light bulb and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad.

Episcopalians: Three. One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks and one to talk about how much better the old bulb was.

Mormons: Five. One man to change the bulb and four wives to tell him how to do it.

Unitarians: We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, that is fine. You are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions including incandescent, fluorescent, three-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence.

Methodists: Undetermined. Whether your light bulb is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb or tulip bulb. A church-wide lighting service is planned for Sunday. Bring a bulb of your choice and a covered dish.
 
Nazarene: Six. One woman to replace the bulb while five men review the church lighting policy.

Lutherans: None. Lutherans don’t believe in change.

Amish: What’s a light bulb?

10 Foods That Look Like the Body Parts They are Good For

I ran across this somewhere on the internet.  I believe it was from a Woman's Day article.  I find it completely fascinating.  It's foods that resemble the body part they are good for.

1. Carrot: Eye

Slice a carrot in half crosswise and it's easy to see that the veggie resembles an eye—look closely and you'll even notice a pattern of radiating lines that mimic the pupil and iris. And the old wives’ tale is true: Munching on carrots will actually promote healthy eyes. "Carrots are filled with vitamins and antioxidants, like beta-carotene, that decrease the chance of macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in older people," says Sasson Moulavi, MD, medical director of Smart for Life Weight Management Centers in Boca Raton, Florida. Photos by iStockphoto

2. Walnut: Brain

The folds and wrinkles of a walnut bring to mind another human organ: the brain. The shape of the nut even approximates the body part, looking like it has left and right hemispheres. And it's no surprise walnuts are nicknamed "brain food"—according to Lisa Avellino, dietitian for Focus28 Diet, "they have a very high content of omega-3 fatty acids, which help support brain function." Photos by iStockphoto

3. Celery: Bone

Long, lean stalks of celery look just like bones—and they're good for them, too. "Celery is a great source of silicon, which is part of the molecular structure that gives bones their strength," says Dr. Moulavi. Another funny bone coincidence: "Bones are 23 percent sodium, and so is celery," reports Avellino. Photos by iStockphoto

4. Avocados: Uterus

The lightbulb shape of an avocado looks like a uterus, and it supports reproductive health as well. "Avocados are a good source of folic acid," says Elizabeth Somer, registered dietician and author of Eat Your Way to Happiness. "Folate has been found to reduce the risk for cervical dysplasia, which is a precancerous condition." Photos by iStockphoto and Shutterstock

5. Clams: Testicles

Studies have offered evidence that clams, which bear a resemblance to testicles, are actually good for the male sex organs. "Research from the Netherlands has suggested that supplementing your diet with folic acid and zinc—both of which clams are high in––can have a significant effect on improving semen quality in men," says Dr. Moulavi. Photos by Shutterstock and 3D Clinic


6. Grapefruit: Breast

The similarity between round citrus fruits––like lemons and grapefruit––and breasts may be more than coincidental. "Grapefruit contains substances called limonoids, which have been shown to inhibit the development of cancer in lab animals and in human breast cells," says Dr. Moulavi. Photos by iStockphoto and 3D4Medical.com

7. Tomato: Heart

Slice open a tomato and you'll notice the red veggie has multiple chambers that resemble the structure of a heart. "Studies have found that because of the lycopene in tomatoes, there is a reduced risk for heart disease in men and women who eat them," says Somer. And, she adds, if you mix them with a little fat, like olive oil or avocado, it will boost your body's lycopene absorption nearly tenfold. Photos by iStockphoto and 3D Clinic

8. Red Wine: Blood

Red wine, which is rich in antioxidants and polyphenols, including powerful resveratrol, looks like blood. "When you drink it, you're really loading up on the healthy stuff that protects against destructive things in the blood, like LDL cholesterol, which can cause heart disease," says Somer. "There's also a blood-thinning compound in red wine, so it reduces blood clots, which are associated with stroke and heart disease." Photos by iStockphoto


9. Ginger: Stomach

Anyone who's ever reached for a glass of ginger ale when they’ve had a stomachache knows about the antinausea effects of ginger. So it's fitting that the herb somewhat resembles the digestive organ. According to Dr. Moulavi, "gingerol, which is the ingredient responsible for ginger's pungent scent and taste, is listed in the USDA database of phytochemicals as having the ability to prevent nausea and vomiting." Photos by iStockphoto


10. Sweet Potatoes: Pancreas

The oblong sweet potato bears a strong resemblance to the pancreas, and also promotes healthy function in the organ. "Sweet potatoes are high in beta-carotene, which is a potent antioxidant that protects all tissues of the body, including the pancreas, from damage associated with cancer or aging," says Somer. Photos by Shutterstock

I mean, does that just not put you in a state of awe?  No offense to any of my readers, but when I see things like this, I am just reminded of the amazing God I serve.  It's hard for me to wrap my mind around someone not believe we are created by God when the details of our creation are so intricate.  Coincidence?  Um... I think not.  I hope you found this just as interesting as I did.

Happy Grandparent's Day!

Happy Grandparent's Day to all you grandparents out there.  I'm not sure there are many that read my blog, but for the few who do--have a great day! :)

Little Man and I made a gift for his grandparents (Nana and Papa).  To check out what we've made the last two years, go here.  This year we (he) decorated coffee mugs and made a jar of tea with personalized tags.

We started with this kit from Jo Ann's.

It was $10.  Of course, if I would have been on top of things and had my 40% off coupon it would have been cheaper.  Anyway, it came with two mugs and six markers.  Unfortunately, 3 out of the 6 markers were completely dried out.  I tried running the tip under water to see if I could bring it back to life, but no such luck.  That was sort of a bummer.  There are many other kits out there like this, so I would maybe consider buying a different brand.

Here's how they turned out.

The colors didn't show up quite like I was expecting.  Again, slightly disappointed.

But... I already got word that Nana and Papa LOVED them, so I guess it's alright.

Then we took a $3 jar from Target and some glitter glue and went to decorating.

The jar painted...

Next we made personalized tags for the tea.

I was thinking that the tea was going to come with little strings on them and a small tag.  Then I was going to build around that tag.  Unfortunately this is what happened...

Tea

Packets

Open it up... NO STRINGS!

Who knew tea bags could come without string?!?  So I had to improvise with some tape and ribbon. All that to say, if you plan on doing this craft, you may want to buy a different brand of tea.

I printed a few pictures of Little Man to use, I wrote "I love Nana" and "I love Papa" on a few and then I had Little Man color a paper for the rest of the tags.

I bought a few pieces of double sided scrapbook paper to use.  I

t's important to get the double sided kind so both sides are decorative.

Then Little Man used my scrapbook punches and cut out circles.  He loved using that little tool!

Next, it was time to tape!

First, we taped the ribbon to the tea bag (yeah, not sure if it can actually go in hot water now, but whatever...)

Then glued a small scalloped circle on top of a big scrapbook circle with the ribbon in the middle.

Here are the final tea bags

and

(All 6 have pictures, but I didn't want to have to blur them all out.  

Plus, you can see that each side has a decorative color to it by using the double sided paper.)

I also wrote the flavor on the back of each tag since I took them out of their package.

Cute!

The final product

Remembering...

Remembering 9/11 today...

I am proud to be an American.  

I appreciate all the people who serve our country and are willing to lay down their lives for those of others.

Turbo Snake

This post is brought to you by my dear husband Michael.  OK.  He's not writing this post, but he suggested I post about it. :)

We have a little drainage problem.  For whatever reason, our sinks and tub get backed up often.  We've been using drano and/or bleach to get them clear.  (And by "we", I definitely mean Michael).  We heard good things about Turbo Snake and when we saw it at our grocery store, we went ahead and picked it up.

Michael used it for the first time last night and was very happy with it.  He pulled out all sorts of gunk.

 It is only about $10 and can be reused, so it will be much cheaper than pouring a whole bottle of bleach down every month and a half and hoping it works.  So if you have some clogged up drains, we are recommending the Turbo Snake! :)