Guest posting: Parenting is a lot like driving

I'm contributing again today over at One Smiley Monkey on how parenting is a lot like driving sometimes. The twists and turns, the unexpected obstacles and problems. Sometimes the road is smooth and the riding fun. Other times it's bumpy and the wind is blowing and there's traffic and road closures.

You can check out the post here. And thanks for stopping by!

Influenster: Try products free & share

Disclaimer: I was given the products in this post free of charge to try and review from Influenster. I was not compensated monetarily and all opinions are completely honest and my own. 

I want to share something I only recently learned about and have so far enjoyed. I first heard about Influenster when I read this post at the blog, A Beautiful Ruckus.

It sounded like so much fun, I had to try it out! And so far, so good.

Here is what I received in my first box of goodies to try and then share on various social media.

 

Whenever I get a box, I will post what was in it and offer a brief review of the items and also remind you about the Influenster program in case you or someone you know wants to sign up.

Before reviewing the products, here's how you can join. Go to this link at Influenster and request an invite. It may take a little time for approval but it is worth the wait.

The basic premise is this:

1. You request an invite and are hopefully approved. 
2. You sign up for a particular themed box (Mine was the MamaVox Box). 
3. The box arrives and you try the products.
4. You go on various social media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest - and post photos of what you received and what you thought, making sure to disclose that you received the items for free. You will also take a post-trial survey that is required to continue participating in the program.
5. As you share on social media, you earn more points at Influenster and qualify for more boxes.

Now on to the products.

belVita Soft Baked Breakfast Biscuits 

 $3.69 (I'm not sure how many come in the package, I only received one)

Brand description: "Baked with hearty whole grains, belVita Soft Baked Breakfast Biscuits are delicious, nutritious and give you satisfying morning energy to start your day off right."

My take: This tasted WONDERFUL. Like a cookie. It was Oats & Chocolate. And it honestly did tide me over for a good long while. However, 1 biscuit has 200 calories, 10g sugars and 7 grams of fat, so you'd want to stick with one. But it also has 5 g of fiber and was really scrumptious.

Dr. Scholl's For Her Comfort Insoles 

$12.49

Brand description: "Uniquely designed to provide all-day comfort. They absorb shock and impact on the heel and help protect the sensitive ball of foot area. Best of all they work great in a variety of shoes, including flats and boots."

My take: For most ladies these would be great. But with my size 9 foot, they were too short. These were the 3/4 length design so you don't have to cut them and they don't crowd your toes, but my foot either sticks out at the heel or the toes. BUT ... where they do lay against my foot, they are very very comfy. I put them in boots and it makes my foot feel supported and cushioned. I just would get a full size one if I were purchasing.

Pond's Luminous Finish BB+ Cream 

$9.99

Brand description: It's not your ordinary BB! With tone perfecting complex, it delivers the instant results you have come to expect from BB creams. Plus the long term benefit of more even toned skin. How? First it delivers a special pigment system designed to blend flawlessly into skin to immediately conceal imperfections. Then, it keeps working to target the source of dark spots on the skin's surface, visibly fading them over time. 

My take: I had to Google "BB cream" just to know what it was. How sad is that? Apparently it's been all the rage since 2011, but I was oblivious. I have to say, it is my favorite-est thing I got in the box. I don't use foundation nor do I like mineral powders. THIS, I like. It's very light and airy. I don't use a whole lot, but it smooths out my skin, serves as concealer too, my blush and powder stays on better and it also has SPF 15. I'm terrible about using sunscreen on a daily basis, so I love that this has it. This is the item I am most likely to purchase again.

Annie's Microwavable Mac and Cheese Cup

$1.69 for single/$3.29 multi-pack

Brand description: "Introducing Annie's microwavable mac & cheese cups with 100 % real cheese! All of the goodness of Annie's mac & cheese and ready in just about two minutes."

My take: I liked it, but hubby didn't. He said there was a funny taste but I'm thinking it was maybe the organic coconut oil. I like Annie's products in general and it tasted like standard mac & cheese, a good quick snack. The cup has 220 calories, 5 g of fat, 2 g fiber and only 3 g sugar. I think it would be great at work or on the run.

State Fair Fun in Kansas

I'm way late in posting this (it was in September!), but wanted to share a few unique things from our Kansas State Fair. Every state offers local traditions, I'm sure, and a I think a Fair day is a great family outing.

This year I went with my Brady and my Mom (Hi Mom!) and man was the place packed! It took us 30 minutes to find a parking spot.

We did all the usual things: rides, games, rode the gondola, got crazy food and viewed several exhibits. New to this year was going to the ice cream shop in the grand stand to get served by Brady's sitter. He was SO excited to see her working there.

And my Mom won 2nd place in her division for a painting of my husband standing by our Jeep in Colorado.

So here are a few photos of the fun you can have at a state fair and a few little unique Kansas things. It's hard to keep from spending too much but I think we stopped at $35 for the day.

That big one was nearly 500 pounds!

Every year there is a butter sculpture at the Fair. They're so beautiful and intricate.

This sculpture was made entirely of iron tools, nuts and bolts. It was amazing. And it was ... er... anatomically correct.

My Mom's winning picture of hubby! How exciting! Congrats, Ma!

He loves this ride.

He told me he was Luke Skywalker firing on the Death Star.

Getting ready for the jumpy deal.

Wheeeee!

 

Small Town Tuesday: Hog roast

This is my weekly installment of Small Town Tuesday. If you have a small-town story (with pictures is even better! ) please send me a message at vash_ii@yahoo.com or on Facebook.

So I mentioned how we had two fundraisers back to back this month and it has been a blast!

First of all, I got to help make noodles for our church's fundraiser, then I got to attend a good old-fashioned hog roast and then I got to actually eat the noodles I made. Yowza! That's a good month.

The best thing about small town fundraisers is raising money for a local cause. Dang, that feels good.

Second is all the people you get to see. I always run into people I know and haven't seen in awhile, or meet someone new (my husband hates that part because he's afraid he'll forget their name, ha!).

Third is all the glorious food. Which is not so good right before the Halloween-Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year's Food Fest that's about to hit! But I enjoyed it anyway.

The hog roast was in the Catholic church's parish hall. Several of the local volunteer firefighters stayed up all night the night before roasting a whole hog. My hubby went down to hang out with them for a little while.

They had heaping pans of wonderful meat, beans, chips, tea and dessert. Does it get any better than that?

So first, here's a picture of what all the money went for. A newly renovated fire truck! Yay! And after that, I just had to share what a Midwest small-town-event parking lot looks like. They are all trucks, LOL!

We need to have a good fire truck. Closest bigger town is 10 miles away!

I count 8 in this photo. Boy we sure do love our trucks here in Kansas!

Thoughts on the "What's your excuse?" photo

I've seen a lot of discussion about Maria Kang's photo and the pros and cons of it, and wanted to share some thoughts. For those who don't know, the super fit mom of 3 posted a photo of herself in a sport bra and shorts with her young children that says, "What's your excuse?"

I'll admit, the caption on the photo gets to me. As a commenter on another blog pointed out to me, I do not know her personally at all so I cannot and should not assume anything about her. I can only say that "What's your excuse?" comes off sounding judgmental to me with the judgement directed at moms in particular.

And the commenter is absolutely right. I should not judge her either. I don't know her story or what prompted her to post what she did.

But here is what I do know: 

1. I personally do not feel "What's your excuse?' is inspirational. Regardless of its intention, I think it sounds accusatory. I think it is likely to make people who may need inspiration the most just shut down and feel defensive. I think what people hear is not "You can get fit too!" they hear "Why don't you look like me?"even if that's not what she meant to portray.

2. I wish she would have had more of a rallying cry, something like "If I can get fit, so can you!" or "A fit mom's tips for anyone to get healthy," or "It's possible to be a mom and get healthy too!" Because she really does seem to have a great success story.

3. Maybe some people haven't thought about fitness in a long time. But maybe for others, they think about it a lot but are struggling with things like:

• Postpartum or other depression.
• A child or spouse with health issues. 
• An unsupportive spouse or marital problems. 
• A dying parent. 
• A special needs child. 
• Crohn's, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, or any number of disorders. 
• Being a single mom. 
• A disability or caring for a loved one with a disability. 

Now, I am NOT saying people who experience these things are not fit or can't become fit, because of course they can and are. But perhaps for some of them (and I was once a new mom with PPD and my physical health took a back seat for awhile) "fit" or someone else's idea of "fit" just isn't on the radar right now. Or maybe they are physically and emotionally drained in a way we cannot imagine.

I just wish she would have considered those people before asking about excuses. 

4. Weight loss and fitness are HARD. I lost 30 pounds twice in my life and it was not easy. What is like for someone who has 100 to lose? Or has health issues I don't have? I don't know. Maybe it's harder for some people than others. Her statement seems to suggest a level playing field and it's just as easy for anyone.

And a person can be perfectly healthy and still not look like her.  How she looks is not the definition of fit or healthy. I think it's different for everyone.

5. I cannot understand why she is surprised at the backlash. She chose to put her statement out in a very public way, a very personal way and on an inflammatory topic.

6. I have to admit, her push has been successful. People all over (myself included, ha!) are talking about her and her message, and about fitness in general. Now the fitness part truly is a good thing. For all I know it will truly motivate somebody looking for a push of one kind or another.

But I wonder if there was an opportunity missed had she chosen to present her message in a different way, a way that seemed more supportive and encouraging, and less judgmental? There's enough guilt and shame in our broken world. Anything that adds to it - intended or not - makes me sad.

I don't know. It seems as though we have a deep division in our society based on body size, fitness and health. I don't know what the answer is but I think her message highlighted it.

What do you think of her photo and message?

Planning for a healthful Thanksgiving

     

This post is a part of the Fantabulous Fall Favorites blog chain put together by a great group of bloggers. The theme this week is Thanksgiving. Be sure to check out all the great ideas shared at the end of this post!

There is a crazy phenomenon in America that I like to call the Three-Month-Long-Halloween-Christmas-Thanksgiving-New-Year Food Fest. I always end up feeling bad at the end of this.

Heaps and heaps of less-than-healthy food for weeks on end. The Halloween candy in our house gets munched on before Halloween, on Halloween, after Halloween. I've taken to freezing some of it. Out of sight, out of mind.

Then the Thanksgiving and Christmas spreads are eaten for a week afterwards, and of course too many appetizers, hors d'oeuvres (I really don't like that word. I had to Google how to spell it) and mixed drinks on New Year's Eve, plus more food New Year's Day. Ugh.

So, my goal this year is to try and keep it on the healthy track. These are the ways I want to do that: 

Be prepared

By this I mean mentally and physically. Be prepared to NOT over-indulge. Use portion control. I want to try some of everything but not LOTS of everything. 

I also plan to eat a good, sturdy, healthy breakfast so I am not completely ravenous and uninhibited when I sit down to eat Thanksgiving dinner. 

Choose ingredients wisely

I think lower calorie or lower fat versions of most things are just fine. I plan to substitute skim milk, fat free cream cheese, fat free cream soups, fat free sour cream, fat free sweetened condensed or evaporated milk, and low-cal cool whip.

In many recipes, you can also scale back the sugar and butter, or substitute things like applesauce or canned pumpkin for oil. If you're making a rice dish, use brown. If you're bringing bread, choose 100% whole wheat. If you're making a dessert, at least have it be a fruit one so you get fiber and nutrients from things like apple, pumpkin, peach or berries. I think that's at least somewhat better than plain cookies or cake.

Brady made this in kindergarten and hauls it out every year at Thanksgiving. Isn't it cute? I want to teach him healthy habits even on holidays.

Mindful dishing

We all know the four-portions-of-the-plate rule: one quarter protein, one quarter carbs, the other half fruits and veggies. I'm going to try and keep this in mind when I fill my plate. 

It will help me fill up and fuel my body. Instead of a plate that's half turkey and half potatoes with a side of dessert, I will try and get a nice bit of protein, a starchy carb like corn, potato, grits or hominy, and the rest fruit and veggie dishes.

Go easy on refined stuff

I may just skip bread altogether this year and just go with the starchy carbs mentioned above.

Cooking method matters too

We typically smoke our meats, whether it is turkey, ham or venison, and I like it WAY better than anything fried. If at all possible, bake, steam, grill or smoke rather than fry.

Wait between firsts and seconds

This will be tough, but I am planning to wait a few minutes between finishing my first plate of food before ever thinking about seconds. I may actually get seconds, but hopefully not as much.

Work it off

I want to make certain Brady and I get some physical activity on a day we've splurged whether it's walking, biking, soccer, sledding, whatever. 

Bring your own healthy food

Just like with the Super Bowl this year, I want to bring healthy dishes myself so I can have more of those and less higher-calorie items.

Beware dessert 

I've been trying to avoid sugar more now anyway, but my problem on a holiday is, I eat dessert at lunch, then another piece at dinner, then another piece for breakfast. NO! I don't want to do that this year. One piece of dessert per day, PERIOD! 

I hope these tips will help me avoid the typical weight gain this time of year and overall health slump. Plus I want to set a good example for Brady about healthy eating and restraint while still enjoying the holidays.

What are some ways you guys aim for healthy holidays? 

Interested in more amazing Thanksgiving ideas? Check out these posts!

Creative K Kids - Printables: Verses About Thankfulness with Activity Ideas  

Called to Be a Mom - Giving Thanks for What We Have  

The Paper Vine - Free Printable Thanksgiving Placemat  

Bee Tree Studios - Thankful for Free Journal Cards

Still want more? Head to our Fantabulous Fall Favorites Pinterest Board!

Seeing Kansas in Kansas & triple anniversaries!

We got a really cool treat a couple weeks back that I just had to share. While celebrating our 2nd anniversary, we went out to see the band Kansas on their 40th anniversary tour in their namesake home state playing during the 100th anniversary of the Kansas State Fair.

How neat is that!

Let me tell you, I have always liked "Dust in the Wind" and "Carry On My Wayward Son" but I didn't realize Kansas could rock it out like that! Here are a few photos in case there are other Kansas fans out there who want to see how the guys are doing these days. And here are links to Dust in the Wind and Carry On My Wayward Son since my videos won't upload:

Carry On My Wayward Son

Dust in the Wind

It was a super fun concert. I hadn't been to a concert in years and it was about time! We loved it!

At 42, we felt quite at home in the crowd. And a nice couple with extra tickets gave us theirs for FREE! 

See the grain elevator in the background? I love that!

The guys during the day.

The guys at night.

The guy on the left is Kerry Livgren, who doesn't usually play with the band (he left in the 80s and still lives in Kansas) but came back out to play Carry On My Wayward Son during the Fair performance.

Super simple homemade lemonade

My boys love lemonade. It's my husband's favorite drink when he's thirsty at night and Brady thinks of it as a nice treat (so do I!).

But I don't want to buy it from the store. Those versions are usually terribly sweet or have food coloring in them. They can also be pricey.

Somewhere along the line, I found a recipe for homemade lemonade that is really really easy (my favorite!).

So refreshing on a summer. day.

You will find this jug perpetually in our frig. I rarely let it run out.

Here's the recipe I use:

Super simple homemade lemonade

It all depends on the size of your container, but I use a 1 gallon jug.

2 cups lemon juice (I just get the 4-cup Great Value brand for under $2)
1.5 cups granulated sugar
Water enough to fill the 1-gallon jug

Just stir it all up and pop it in the frig. I like it because it is very light, more lemon-y than sweet and is only juice, sugar and water. I also love to mix some of this with grape or cranberry juice and stick it in the freezer for awhile until it turns into a slushie. YUMMY!

In honor of Halloween, my droopy pumpkin

Hahahaha! I laugh every time I see this picture from last year. Maybe nobody else will find it as funny as I do, but you see this poor pumpkin was just sort of plain before he sat outside during a hard Kansas freeze.

I forgot to bring him in.

But let me tell you, I loved him SO much more afterwards! He got all droopy and moldy and wrinkly and started sinking into himself. I thought he was just totally creepy and perfect for Halloween.

There are lots of Halloween posts floating around these days and I don't really have a good one, but this I wanted to share. 

Small Town Tuesday: Chicken noodle dinner

This is my weekly installment of Small Town Tuesday. If you have a small-town story (with pictures is even better! ) please send me a message at vash_ii@yahoo.com or on Facebook.

I'm so proud to be involved in a long-running tradition at my church. As part of women's fellowship, every year we make home made, from-scratch noodles for a Sunday chicken noodle fundraiser.

This is the 6th consecutive year, though it was done many years before until there was no one to run it. The super nice lady who runs it now told me the other day, "I asked why we didn't do it anymore and they said no one wanted to head it. But I realized I just needed to delegate."

I've never made my own noodles so this has been an education for me. All the ladies gather for a quick dinner of soup, bread and dessert on a Wednesday night.

We all have different jobs like wrapping napkins and silverware, mixing dough, rolling it, putting it through a flattening press, putting flat pieces on the table to rest, putting them through a second cutting press, then laying the noodles on a table to dry overnight.

Then the noodles have to be bagged and frozen the next day, and the Friday before the dinner they are cooked with chicken - provided by fellowship members - and other women provide mashed potatoes, desserts, bread, pickles and veggies. Still more volunteer the day of the fundraiser dishing out food, serving coffee, tea and water, cutting desserts and cleaning up. 

It's quite a process!

A person could make their own noodles at home and simply press and cut by hand since the amount would be so much smaller. Here's the recipe:

The finished product! YUM!

Homemade noodles

2 eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/3 c. milk

For the fundraiser, we used 11 dozen eggs, 1-1/2 gallons of milk and 50 pounds of flour. It's our main fundraiser and always benefits someone in our community. Last year it went to a fire victim and a missionary.

This year it will help a teenage boy with brain cancer who is the grandson of one church member and great-grandson of another church member (I didn't realize these ladies had a child and grandchild who had married!).

It's a wonderful cause and tradition, and I'm so blessed to be a part of it. The camaraderie and fellowship with these ladies is good for my soul. And look, I even made the town paper (I'm in the middle!). Woot!

We had a lot of fun making the noodles! Can you tell?

First step, mix the dough. This was my job this year!

Next step, dough ball.

Press into flat strips.

Lay them out to rest for awhile.

Cut into noodle strips.

Let them dry overnight.

 

Are we in for a harsh winter?

I heard a few weeks back that the Farmer's Almanac this year is predicting a colder-than-normal winter. Oh boy.

There was the devastating and freakish snowstorm that hit South Dakota the first week of October, dumping a record 4-plus feet of snow.  

And I can tell you we've already had two very unusual snow events in Kansas this year. It snowed in early May, which is pretty rare for us, and now it snowed for several hours this past Friday, October 18. According to this article at the Great Bend Tribune, a Wichita meteorologist called it "definitely an early snowfall."

That means we've technically only had a 4-month break from snow this year and that on the heels of several previous years of mild winters, severe drought and record stretches of 100-plus-degree days.  

Now, it's Kansas, it's the Midwest, and any Midwesterner will tell you, "You don't like the weather? Just wait awhile." It's always changing and unpredictable. But I have an idea we're in for something more this year. There's just an ominous feel to the air.

Here's a quick photo I snapped during my travels Friday. Everyone I've talked to who has lived here a long time was just shocked and caught off guard. I wonder what's in store? Lucky for me it's in God's hands and I can't really do much about it but pray :)

Guest contributing at One Smiley Monkey

I am happy to share that I am now a guest contributor/reviewer at the blog One Smiley Monkey. In a nutshell it features, "the latest green, useful and unique family friendly products and services." There are lots of reviews, giveaways, recipes, parenting, homemaking and health tips. Here is the about page for One Smiley Monkey.

I'll be contributing reviews and posts there each month. I'm stoked!

My first post went up yesterday and it is a review of a Halloween movie. If you have a minute, head on over and check it out! Thanks! 

Corn Maze is once-a-year fun

    

This post is a part of the Fantabulous Fall Favorites blog chain put together by a great group of bloggers. The theme this week is treats. Be sure to check out all the great ideas shared at the end of this post!

Have you ever been through a corn maze? If not, I have to tell you, I think you are really missing something super fun.

Last year was our first year (I never went to one my whole life until age 41!), but I think we will make it an annual tradition. I get to be navigator, ha! It's not exactly like navigating small islands in a Florida bay, but not all that different either so I get that job.

Though my Mom did pretty well when we compared notes throughout the maze (Hi Mom!). It's exciting and fun and unique and even a little spooky. I mean, there you are, walking amongst 8-foot-tall corn stalks with only a map to guide you through twist after turn after dead end. All you can see is corn in every direction.

I thought it was a Midwest phenomenon until I looked at this map. And here's yet another directory. They're all over the country! Maybe there's one near you or somewhere you're traveling.

Corn mazes offer a lot of good things:

1. Fresh air.
2. Family togetherness.
3. Exercise.
4. Map reading skills.
5. Adventure.
6. Learning directions.
7. Goal achievement.
8. Making memories.
9. A family tradition.

They are a special treat available only for a short time each year. Here are some photos of this year's adventure.

Here we go.

Brady's being brave, except it was the wrong way!

This was the view from a small bridge. Corn everywhere!

This is what you see if you look up.

They also had a pumpkin patch, hay ride, pumpkin & corn shooters, games, snacks, etc.

But Brady's favorite (he's the one in orange, how appropriate) was the air-filled jumpy dome. Wheee!

Interested in more amazing Treats ideas? Check out these posts!

The Paper Vine - No Sew Treat Sack  

Life as a Field Trip - I Scream Sundaes and Sorta Spooky Scare-a-thons  

Momma on Wheels - Preschool Halloween Treat Cups  

Gift of Curiosity - Preschool Science: Exploring Candy

Still want more? Head to our Fantabulous Fall Favorites Pinterest Board!

Refigerator cucumber relish

My 2 jars of refrigerator cucumber relish.

Before I say anything at all, you'll need to go to Creative K Kids for this recipe. When I saw it at her blog - a grandmother's recipe no less - and with all my extra cucumbers, I knew I had to try it.

I asked her if she thought it would work for the frig instead of canning and she said once she opened a jar it lasted a long while since it has vinegar in it.

It turned out fantastic and the 2 jars are almost gone already! It is a nice, refreshing addition to any dinner and is glorious on biscuits.

I did the process just exactly the same way, only after cooking on the stove, I put it in clean jars, let it cool and popped it in the frig. 

I halved the recipe since I wasn't canning (As much as hubby liked it I could have made the full batch. He said it reminds him of his grandma who passed away a few years back. Awww.) and because of our personal tastes I left out the curry, hot pepper and mustard seed. I have no doubt those would taste awesome in it, but hubby isn't thrilled about those particular additions :) You know how it goes.

Anyway, Creative K Kids has some of the best recipes, so go on over and check it out. I am also getting ready to make her caramel corn and caramel dip.

The small kindnesses that give me hope

There are days I feel so blessed by kindness and generosity, and I see it all around me. There are other days I feel beat down by insensitivity and callousness, and by what I see on the news. 

This week was one of the former. We were the recipient of four small kind acts and I wanted to share them.

•  A total stranger gave me the giant sunflower head below that she had grown. My son and I will pick off and roast the seeds. And when I told her I garden as well, she gave me a jar of the seeds she's saved from her own garden, things like yard-long beans, banana squash, wax beans and okra, among others.
• Then my husband's uncle gave us a bunch of catfish he'd caught. I breaded and baked the fillets and they were awesome. They fed us for two days.
• Later in the week, a customer left two jars of canned salsa at our office door (we've also gotten zucchini red hots and sand hill plum jam!). 
• Then a lady in town my husband helped out gave him a container full of fresh, hot ham and beans that fed us another two nights. They were fantastic!

Wow. 

Kindness still exists. People are still generous. I'm so grateful to God for that knowledge and for the blessings given to us. May we turn around and do the same for others. 

Gosh, that sunflower is HUGE! I hope I can grow one like that some day.

Small Town Tuesday: Our city park

This is my weekly installment of Small Town Tuesday. If you have a small-town story (with pictures is even better! ) please send me a message at vash_ii@yahoo.com or on Facebook. 

When I lived in Columbia, S.C. - about 500,000 in the metro area - we used to do what I call "park hopping."

If we were super bored, we'd go to 3 parks in a day. Or we'd visit 5 or 6 in a week's time. We even named them all.

There was Baby Swing Park because it had a bunch of baby swings. Sprinkler Park because of the ... you guessed it... sprinkler. We were not creative park namers.

We also liked Dirt Clod Park, Horsey Park, Downtown Park and a few others. And even in Florida, we did park tours. We no longer named them but we had ones on the waterfront, ones outside YMCA's, ones in neighborhoods, one we could walk to in five minutes.

Parks, parks, parks. We love them.

Here in our cozy little Kansas town - population less than 1,000 - there is one park. Oh sure, we sometimes go to parks 10, 20 or 30 miles away, but our main staple park is here.

In a little town, the city park serves many functions. Of course it's where all the kids end up to play especially on summer days, but it's also where the city holds festivals, and residents have family reunions and birthday parties.

It's where I send Brady after church when we "talk forever about boring stuff to everybody."

It is right in the center of town and takes up a whole block. It's full of big tall trees. There is a merry-go-round, a big plastic playground with slides, 2 metal dome-shaped climbing things, 2 sets of swings and a big complex of monkey bars and metal ladders.

There is almost always somebody there and we have had so many good times in that park. It's awesome for exercise. You'll even spot me sometimes climbing around to get in a quick workout.

Here are a few photos of our little city park.

The picnic area is HUGE. You'll often find parents gathered there while kids play.

I love that there are just tons of trees.

Such quaint little benches. The park is of course surrounded only by houses and small streets.

I love these old-timey lamp posts.