Ice cream in a coffee can!

When I was a Preschool teacher I LOVED this project! It took all day, kept the kids entertained and they took turns willingly!
Ice cream in a coffee can!!!!
You will need a small metal (clean) coffee can, a large (clean) coffee can, ice and rock salt. Mix the following ingredients, trying to get the sugar as smooth as possible.
Ingredients
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
2 cups whipping cream or half-and-half
2 teaspoons vanilla

Place this mixture in the small can (you will have enough for several) and put the lid on. Put a gallon baggie around the can (in case it leaks) and place it into the large can. Add ice in the area around the small can, add salt. This will need to be replaced periodically. Put the lid on the large can and duct tape closed. Now roll the can back and forth between the children. Checking the product every 1/2 hour. I do not have an exact time as it has been sometime since I have made this. I do remember that it took quite a while. Good luck and good eats!

New Obsession-Oil Cloth Products!

I took one of my children from the Camp to get a "Girly" gift for her 8th birthday. I decided we should to Tatermash. It gave me an excuse to check it out and my friend Mark was working that day only. I LOVE this store!!! Let me just say the gift is soooooo cute. A black and white paisley print with a HUGE monogrammed letter A in pink. It was the first thing she saw and what she came home with.This mother has turned her garage business into very affordable products. I really hope that she does well. Check out her website http://www.tatermash.com

Free Days

Our family buys a local Zoo pass each year. I think this is money well spent. We can pack a lunch, be at the gates by 9 and be home tired and fulfilled by 12. It is a wonderful place for my little ones to walk freely discovering things as they go. It also gives us a no fail, no cost entertainment when things are tight. I love sharing the Zoo with my children. They have such wonderful things to discover. The special exhibits, the train (Greer's favorite), the Carousel, the Nature Exchange and of course, the monkeys (Chimpanzees). I encourage everyone to support their local Zoo. They only get better if we support them!

In our house we are discovering the Library! The Summer Reading Program offered by the Tulsa Library has been on my To Do List from my early teaching days. As a parent I love nothing more than Monday mornings at the library. (Our librarians might wish that I took my crew of 6 to another library but we like that one it is small.) Each child is recommended to pick out 6 books. This gives a broad selection for reading at nap time. My two nap for close to 3 hours some days and this gives the older four plenty of time to read. I believe there is not better way to escape. Visit your library and let them know you support them.

I live in a city that has two major museums. Each of them offer children's programs. Gilcrease offers free admission on the first Tuesday of each month. They call it TU Tuesday. I hear that the basement holds all kinds of goodies for children to discover. It is still on our To Do List! Philbrook offers a backpack of things to do for older kids. They are free or minimal while you are there. They have activities and information so kids can learn about the mansion and grounds. It too is on our list.

Local Parks. We have made a goal to visit as many city parks as possible this summer. I would like to say we are doing great but so far- only a couple. They are good for free entertainment and our city has incorporated water feature at almost all of them now. Our goal is to visit and make a log of all the things we enjoyed about each one. This will make it easier when we decide to go visit again!

www.Kidsbowlfree.com is a great website! This allows you 2 games per day, all you pay is shoe rental! In our city that is $3.24/child! I can't think of another activity that can be as fun and as inexpensive! The good thing about this activity is one that my 8 year old like to play and my 17 month old likes to try. I encourage you to check the website and sign up if there is a place close to you. It is nation wide.

I have found that because of liabilities, children are not playing games like Red Rover, Freeze Tag, and such at school. We play Hide and Seek inside quite often. I allow the children to hide anywhere that the little ones can hide and get out of on their own. The favorite is a tall wicker laundry basket with a liner and lid! We also play basketball with a mini ball and a square laundry basket. These are free games that do not take much to play and can be played on rainy days or when it is 100* outside.
I hope this helps you and gives you more ideas of how to make it through the summer on a budget! Enjoy the Chaos and remember soon your house will be quite and you won't know what to do!