Ta-da! The punk from Punxsutawney saw his shadow this morning. Where does that leave us? With six more weeks of Winter, of course. This should come as no surprise since March 20 is the actual first day of spring, so really- it's going to be almost seven more weeks until spring. It's the same every year. I still love Punxsutawney Phil + his taciturn predictions.
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Right about now your home may slowly be turning into a zoo. So embrace it by charging an entrance fee, allowing visitors to see your little monkeys hanging from the curtain rods- or tame the wild beasts in your household by create your own menagerie.
Click 'Read More' to get the play-by-play... ↓↓↓ Baby, it's cold outside = the understatement of the century! Where does that leave you when the kids are begging to play outside when the temperature hits 15 below?
Take the doldrums outta winter and go camping. Although my daughter loved it, I Do Not enjoy sleeping in subzero temps- AT ALL- so, we settled on indoor camping this time. But wait- There's More! Click 'Read More' to get the play-by-play... ↓↓↓ There are a ton of ways to make s'more cupcakes. Just look online- the finished product looks gorgeous and is probably beyond delicious. Since the weather was frigid and blustery, I just used what was in the pantry to create the cupcakes pictured above. This is a really easy recipe that I used for our 'indoor campout' and, while it is not gourmet, the results are still tasty.
Ingredients: Box of Devil's Food or Chocolate Cake Mix Graham Crackers Marshmallows Frosting [pre-made or homemade] Prepare mix and bake according to box. Spread frosting onto cupcakes. Toast a marshmallow by holding it near the heating element of the stove- use a fork or skewer to avoid burns. Top each cupcake with a graham cracker and a marshmallow. Serve to little campers. Nobody 'round these parts likes bananas- myself included, but everyone loves banana bread. This is the best recipe and is a healthy treat for the dreaded elementary school 'snack day.' Ingredients: 3 ripe bananas [or whatever amount is sitting around in the kitchen] 1/4 cup applesauce- any flavor, mango-peach is awesome 1/3 cup melted butter 3/4 cups of sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cups flour 1 egg Pinch of salt Dash of cinnamon + allspice Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix bananas and butter into mixing bowl with sugar, egg, applesauce and vanilla. Kids can help with this. Use handheld beaters or a spoon to blend ingredients. Add baking soda, salt + spices. Add flour a little at a time, constantly stirring. Pour into a 4x8" loaf pan or muffin tins. Bake the loaf for 50 minutes to an hour and muffins for 20-25 minutes. Serve with a pat of unsalted butter or cream cheese. *RockStar Tip* Throw some figurines or decorations onto muffins before hauling them to the classroom- the kids will instantly think they taste better. The glow-in-the-dark wildlife silhouettes we chose came in a super inexpensive package. [there were also dinosaurs] Later, we used the extras to create a zoo adventure in the sandbox.
Santa Claus is coming to town, which means the Wayne County Lightfest is in full swing! Take a journey down Hines Drive and peer out the windows of your car as you pass by holiday-themed decorations depicting snowmen, reindeer and larger-than-life toys. The four-mile drive features over 45 scenes in a dazzling array of colors.
This spectacular seasonal route offers children and adults a great opportunity to create a family tradition. Turn on the heat full blast, listen to some Christmas classics and create memories that will last long after the ornaments are boxed up and placed back in the attic. For some added enjoyment, celebrate at home with hot chocolate, marshmallows and a candy cane, or a batch of favorite cookies! With spring around the corner but not quite here yet, Spring Fever might be setting in. A beyond fun way to combat boredom is to take a trip that simulates being outside- on The Monorail! It feels like you are outdoors, but everyone will stay cozy and warm- even during this everlasting icy-cold and snowy weather. What isn't awesome about the People Mover? Kids love it. It is usually empty so there is plenty of room to stretch without being packed in like sardines- in direct contrast to the L around Union Square. A stellar view of the city surrounds you. It's cool to be able to see Detroit from a different angle, above pedestrians, flying with the seagulls, eye level with rooftops. Imaginations run wild, creating stories about being a giant or being an explorer about to discover a new place. Killer things about the monorail include getting the kids outta the house, even in the depths of winter, or when it's blustery and raining. The fare is unbelievable too, it's 75 cents per person for an unlimited* ride. Our personal record is five loops. If time or patience allows, plan a day trip & get out to explore. The best stops are: -Renaissance for Wheelhouse Detroit bicycle rentals -Cadillac for ice skating at Campus Martius Park -Broadway for Puppet Art Detroit Theatre Keep an eye open for an awesome breakdown of stops in a future post. Until then, take a ride- the city awaits. *Unlimited until you exit, then it's 75 cents again, & totally worth it!
Snow is falling like powdered sugar from the sky! Later they will be sledding, full-speed down the steep hill. Snowmen with carrot noses, arms made from tree branches, with pebbles for buttons will dot the front yards throughout the neighborhood. But now it's breakfast time- the perfect chance to make a snowy day treat of Snowflake Pancakes. Get outside with your measuring cup and fill it with freshly fallen snow. This will most likely become a highly anticipated Snow Day favorite! Ingredients: 1 cup freshly fallen snow 1 cup water Pancake mix Powdered sugar Basically, replace half of the water you would regularly use with snow. Make the pancake mix the same way as usual, just adding the snow to the mix at the end. The pancakes pictured above resemble actual snowflakes because I poured the batter into a cookie-cutter in the pan. Whether you make them circular or snowflake-shaped, the finished result is the same- really fluffy pancakes that will have the kids asking for more. Dust with powdered sugar to finish.
Cupid arrived with his bow + arrow, stinging everyone with his love potion. Celebrate this lovey-dovey day with a tea party with your sweetie-pies. Get as involved or simple as you want, kids will be happy either way! Start with a kid-friendly tea, like a caffeine free fruit sampler, then everyone can choose their favorite flavor. Bring some water to a rolling boil & transfer to the teapot. Add some goodies like finger sandwiches shaped with a heart cookie cutter to create a cool design in the bread. Serve teatime classics like English cucumber sandwiches with sliced tomatoes, or egg salad for a mid-day luncheon, or sweets like cupcakes or cookies for an afternoon tea. Include special touches for a memorable time. Heart-shaped sugar cubes, tinted to match your true love's heart, are easy to make. Kids have fun putting the cube into their tea and watching it change colors in the cup. Blow up balloons and scatter them around. Grab some markers and decorate them with designs or draw faces on them. Later, they are great for some safe indoor play. Find some stashed-away linens and throw them on the table for a decorative touch. Turn on favorite music to set the mood. Wear a vintage stole, fancy hats, a crown, or dress up in jewelry and dresses to create everlasting memories. To Make Sugar Cubes:
-Sugar -Water -Food Coloring -A Candy Mold Place sugar in small bowl, add water a few drops at a time, stirring with each addition. Then add some food coloring and mix until the desired shade is achieved. Use too much liquid, the sugar will disintegrate, use too little & sugar will not form into the mold properly. The sugar should be slightly damp, definitely not wet. Basically- use your best judgment, Then pack some sugar into the molds & leave until dry, about an hour. Pop out the shaped sugar cubes & enjoy during the tea party! Who's gonna run this town tonight, your kid, of course! Have a ton of boxes sitting around, remnants from the holiday season? Put them to good use and create a "Cardboard Box Town." This project is especially welcome in the midst of winter- when the weather is frosty and the kids are inside more often. This activity comes in handy for snow days and rainy days in the spring and allows them to use their imaginations and put their artistic skills to use. Ingredients: Large Cardboard Boxes Crayons or Markers Grab empty boxes. Place markers, crayons, and whatever else you can think of- and have the kids get to work designing their own town. Hours of fun, first drawing and coloring, and then playing!
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Monkey Tales™Monkey Tales™ is an evolving collection of things to make, places to go + more. All images and content ©Monkeys & Mayhem. Please Note: None of these activities, field trips or events are sponsored. This is just stuff we do + places we go irl.
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Read "The Story of Buntings" to discover what buntings are and what they mean to our family!
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