Christmas at the Farm!

Frying Pan Farm, in northern VA, is worth checking out for the holiday season!  It is a full working farm through the year with lots of animals and equestrian activities, but during the holiday season it is a must see to help celebrate Chrsitmas!  It is a great place to see Santa and there are a lot of cool events to check out during the season!  The great thing is that it is all through Fairfaix County parks and Recs and everything is affordable!

 Write and mail your letter to Santa!

 Wagon rides with Santa!

 Visiting with Santa!

 Christmas farm games and crafts!

 Christmas cookie decorating!

Sea Glass at Crystal Cove

What a great FREE activity! If you are in the Orange County, CA, area every Wednesday you can visit historic Crystal Cove area and you and your children can make a sea glass necklace. The area itself is very cool, you are stepping back in time to the 1940's! And the beach itself is beautiful! My favorite part of visiting this area is going to the restaurant Beachcombers. It is right on the sand with great food and drinks! The Pims cup is amazing! It truly is a unique and wonderful southern CA experience! Check out Crystal Cove!

Give Thanks to the Furry Friends!

I am the leader of my daughter's Daisy troop and at our last meeting we made dog treats for the local animal shelter!  It is great to not forget about your own dog during this holiday season, and while you are making them something special, make an extra batch for the animal shelter.  In this recipe I used Sunflower Seed Butter instead of peanut butter since there are so many people with nut allergies out there!  I have to say that my dog was super excited about trying these and I am sure the pups in the shelter were too!  This is a great activity for kids!   

No Bake Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Prep Time 1 hour, 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour, 15 minutes

Yield 20

Easy peasy 4-ingredient treats that are sure to be your pup's favorite. And you can whip these up in just 15 min!

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 cups old fashioned oats, divded

Instructions

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat pumpkin puree, peanut butter and milk on medium-high until well combined, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually add 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats at low speed, beating just until incorporated.
• Using a small cookie scoop, roll the mixture into 1 1/4-to-1 1/2-inch balls, forming about 20. Dredge balls in remaining 1/2 cup old fashioned oats, pressing to coat.
• Cover and place in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.*

Notes

*These can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Visiting the Reston Zoo

A great petting zoo in the DC area!  It is very hands on with the animals!  It will make a super fun day and worth checking out!

Take a Break, Mom!

Greetings from the weekend!

It is so important as a mom to find time to hang out with girlfriends and take a time out!  It doesn't have to always involve wine or other drinking, but just time to relax and breathe!  Suggestion at least once a month hang out with a friend!  It is so important to have adult conversation and be silly, have fun!  A great little day trip or spot to vacation is the Hotel Del Coronado.  A great place to do a girls weekend, or just get a quick drink and enjoy the beach!  There is plenty of opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere without staying at the resort.  The bottom line is get some girl time in!  I did a quick couple hour stop at the Hotel Del and enjoyed a wonderful ladies weekend recharging my brain and my soul with family and friends!  San Diego is a great place for that!  I had the wonderful pleasure of enjoying a weekend in San Diego with some incredible ladies!  And just remember, like anything else in life, if you are going to do it, do it up right!

Nalls Produce, Alexandria VA

A super cute and FREE pumpkin patch and fall play yard!  Check it out, great fall activity!  Get outside and enjoy the weather!  We are ready for Halloween!

 

Visit Huntley Meadows

An amazing wildlife preserve and nature walk in Northern Virginia.  Huntley Meadows is located in Fairfax County and is on a wetland.  Experience different animals and all kinds of wildlife and get some exercise while doing it with your child!

Tim's Rivershore Restaurant and Crabhouse!

I have said it before and I will say it again, Tim's Rivershore Restaurant and Crabhouse in Dumfries VA is worth checking out!  It is a restaurant, tiki bar, beach, beach game, a taste of summer, right outside of the Washington DC area.  My biggest complaint with the DC area is that the beach is too far.  Now this is not a the crystal waters of the South Pacific, but it is similar to being in Ocean City Maryland.  It is nice for the kids to play in the water with no waves and no strong current and it is a really fun day trip.  You can take your drink to a beautiful chair on the sand and enjoy, while your kids are entertaining themselves!  They usually have live music and it makes it worth the while!  Check it out!

 

Get out on the water!

One of my favorite activities to do with my children is go sailing!  It is a great sport that can stay with your little ones through life and it is a great way to bond!  

 

 

Check out PowderPuffSailing.BlogSpot.com