Summer Highlights

Here are a few pictures from a couple of our Real Moms summer park dates, submitted by Jenny McElwain.  If you have similar pictures from our summer events, please email them to me and I will add them to this post.

Boredom Buster- Put Them to Work!

We all loathe the sentiment our kids spout far too easily during the summer, "I'm bored!"  Maybe you've run out of paper for them to cut or new books to capture their attention for more than a minute.  Or maybe the cartoons have been on a little too long.  Whatever the case, I've discovered something that my two and a half year old loves to do, and I get to teach her something valuable in the process, a win, win!  When her older siblings are busy and I just can't be her entertainer, I put her to work... and she loves it.  She especially loves the activity pictured here.  A bucket of water with a drop or two of dish soap and a squeegee is all you need. I tell her I really need her to clean the house walls, that it would really help mommy and make the house look so nice.  She will stay at this activity for an hour if I let her!  Another indoor cleaning task she loves is wiping down the table and chairs with a little bucket with soapy water and a small sponge she can easily squeeze out.  She also loves to help me unload the dishwasher.  Work looks like fun until they think otherwise, so go with it!  Happy boredom busting!  --- Sarah L.

Free 4x6 Printable Scriptures!

A friend of mine shared this website with me, so I thought I'd pass it along. These are adorable 4x6 scripture prints for a girls room. If you use them, please send me a picture of how you display them in your daughter's room so I can share the idea on the blog. A few ideas I had are a collage frame, pinned on a cork board, or hanging on cute clips on a string.

http://www.frenchpressmornings.com/p/encouraging-wednesdays.html?m=1

Summer Passport 2013

Have a great summer sisters!  And we'll see you at our park dates!

Summer Passport: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwLw3q-PedD0R0tHMmdSY3V5SFU/edit?usp=sharing

Packet "Stuck Inside": https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BwLw3q-PedD0eWVlelRiMkUzMnc&usp=sharing

Packet "Jungle Days" https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BwLw3q-PedD0WHRrTUc3Nk96b3c&usp=sharing

Packet "Backyard Campout" https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BwLw3q-PedD0MGpKWUxub09Balk&usp=sharing

Love, The Servant Team

Snow With Sprinkles- By Colleen Reynolds

The kids spent most of the morning making crafts and coloring, but

come mid-morning they were ready for a snack: snow with sprinkles!
Simply scoop some clean snow into a bowl and top with sprinkles.  The
kids think it is a real treat!  We got this idea from Judy Haywood and
now every time is snows we have to get out the sprinkles.   Hope you
have a great day!

Bring the Snow Inside!- By Melinda Crenshaw

For little ones not quite ready to go out in the snow (or moms not up for it), bring the snow inside! Bring a bowl full of snow in the kitchen and let the kids play with bowls, spoons, measuring cups dipping snow.

Two Soups, To Warm You From the Inside Out!- By Sarah Longoria

Sausage, Chickpea, and Potato Soup

*My kids and husband devour this, always wanting seconds and thirds!

• 1 cup dried chickpeas (I use a 14oz can of chickpeas, sometimes two, depends on how much you like chickpeas)
• Salt
• ½ pound fresh Italian Sausage (I use a pound, usually hot)
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced
• 3 garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, peeled and sliced (½ cup)
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 14 ounce can crushed Italian Plum tomatoes (I use a 28 ounce can, and sometimes throw in another 14 oz can of diced tomatoes)
• ¾ pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
• 6 cups chicken broth (I usually use one box, about 4 cups, of Swanson's broth)
• Toasts of Tuscan bread, rubbed with garlic

If you are using dried chickpeas, bring water to a boil in a 4-quart pot and pour it over the chickpeas and 1 tablespoon salt (the salt is very important, helping the peas to soften). Soak overnight. Drain and pour boiling water over them. Cover and cook for 45 minutes or until tender.

Remove the casing of the sausage and crumble the sausage with the rosemary and one garlic clove. Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a 6-quart heavy-bottomed pot and add the sausage with the garlic clove. Sauté for a few minutes, stirring all the while. Transfer the sausage to a plate and discard the garlic.

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in the pot. Add the onion and the last two crushed garlic cloves and the red pepper flakes; stir for 5 minutes occasionally. When the onion turns a rich tawny color, stir in the tomatoes. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring once in a while. Add the chickpeas, potatoes, and the reserved sausage; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Pour the broth in the pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and cook at a gentle boil for 40 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender.

Variation: If desired, mash several potato cubes in the soup to thicken.

Taste and correct seasoning before serving. Place a toast rubbed with garlic in each soup plate; pour the soup over the bread and dribble olive oil on top of the soup.

Serves 6-8

Lentil Soup

*Lentils have many healthy properties, one of which is high iron.  Kids and adults alike need more iron, if you're feeling sluggish, especially during your monthly friend, try this soup!

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 pound lentils (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
• 11 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 4 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2/3 cup dried elbow pasta
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and saute until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer until the juices evaporate a little and the tomatoes break down, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the lentils and mix to coat. Add the broth and stir. Add the thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.