Apple Crisp

So after picking a ton of fresh apples, I had to make some apple crisp. Here is the recipe that I use. Warning, it makes a TON of the crumble. I love a ton so this recipe is perfect for me. I got the recipe here.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups butter
• 2 quarts peeled, cored and sliced apples

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. Cut butter into mixture until crumbly.
3. Take half of the mixture and pat it into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
4. Cover crumb mixture with apple slices, then sprinkle apple slices with remaining crumb mixture.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 to 50 minutes or until apples are tender.

One thing I noticed is that cooking for this long tends to make the apples more like a chunky sauce (see my picture). It is still good, but the apples are a bit over cooked. I would do it for about 30 minutes and then check it from there to see if the crumble is nice and crisp. 

Applecrest 2011

Every year growing up we always went apple picking at Applecrest in Hampton Falls, NH. I have kept the tradition going and have been taking my kids there every year too. Now I live down the street and tend to go at least once a week in the summer. They have the best homemade maple nut ice cream.

                                      Looking for that perfect tree

                                          Sampling the goods

  
                                Feeding some future socks perhaps?

                   Love this odd looking pumpkin. I couldn't stop touching it. LOL

Cub Scout Bike Rodeo Round Up

This past Saturday Matt's Cub Scout troop gathered to recruit more kids to join Scouts by having a bike rodeo.

We had a Police Officer from out town come and talk to the kids about bike safety. We also had a station set up for bike check-ups and to talk about required gear for biking.

There were also some obstacle courses set up. One was where the kids had to weave in and out of cones to practice control and not speed. Another one was to stay in between two lines that get more narrow as it goes down. Of course Matt had to show off and go super fast while weaving between all the cones. He didn't miss any cones and one parent commented how he must ride his bike a lot. Matt lives on his bike.

Oh and I also got a picture of what looked like a butterfly on crack flying. It ended up being a Praying Mantis. Cool looking guy or girl more than likely. (the guys tend to loose their heads, literally, during mating.)

Happy Birthday Matt

Okay so his birthday was over a week ago now, but I have been busy and have had no time to blog. Anyway, for Matt's birthday I took him out mini golfing. It was a beautiful day. It was at a place near us called Captain's Cove. I even got a hole in one on a par 4! hehe. I took him to lunch at Friendly's (all meals were chosen by the birthday boy) and after we went home where he played video games for the rest of the day while I napped.

Paper that Matt's teacher sent home with him today

Student's should not spend more than ninety minutes per night on homework. The time should be budgeted in the following manner:

Looking for assignment....................................................................15 minutes
Calling a friend for the assignment.....................................................11 minutes
Explaining why the teacher is mean and just does not like children......23 minutes
Going to the bathroom......................................................................8 minutes
Getting a snack.................................................................................10 minutes
Checking the TV Guide.....................................................................7 minutes
Telling parents that the teacher never explained the assignment............6 minutes
Waiting for Mom or Dad to do the assignment....................................10 minutes

Thought it was cute.

First day of school 2011

Yesterday was Matt's first day of fifth grade. He was suppose to go back to school Monday, but it was canceled because of Irene which hit us Sunday. (we lucked out during that storm and the only damage we have is our broken tomato plants and a lone blue bucket in our yard).

We head off to the bus stop 15 minutes before 8. The bus is suppose to pick up the kids at 8. Didn't happen. She was 20 minutes late. Ya I know, it was the first day of school, but honestly she was late every single day last year and even forgot to pick up the kids one day. Many phone calls to the bus company last year didn't help either.

He said that he had a great day, but was not happy with having homework on the first day. I will have to give the teacher a call because from what I have herd through the rumor mill, is that his teacher tends to let the kids do what they want and get away with things. Matt tends to be an instigator and loves to get other kids going. It is part of his disability that he can not control at times. He needs a nice firm teacher who will put a quick stop to his little quirks, so I am afraid this teacher won't do that.

Games for Matt's Birthday Party

Matt's birthday is coming up and after last years hit of having an outside party with a slip n' slide and other outside things, we decided to do it again, but with some new games. The slip n' slide will be there as well as the tug of war (it was funny watching the little kids kick the asses of the big kids last year). We will set up a volley ball/badminton net, have lots of water guns and water balloons for the water balloon toss.

I did a search online for some new ideas for water/wet games to play with the kids. Here are a couple that we will be doing:



Sponge Relay Race

1. Divide the kid into two teams and give each team a sponge.
2. Mark both ends of the course with the rope. Place a bucket filled with water at the start line and an empty bucket at the other end for each team.
3. On the word, “Go!,” the first player on each team must dunk their sponge into the bucket of water, run to the empty bucket at the other end, wring it out, run back to the start and pass the sponge of to the next kid in line.
4. The game continues like this until each kid has completed the course.
5. The team with the most water in their bucket wins.

 For a really hot day have the kids carry the sponge on the head as they race for the bucket at the other end of the course. This can be done with hands or without hands! For the without hands option any kid who drops the sponge has to start over again and re-dunk the sponge.


Water Bucket Brigade

1. Mark both ends of the course with the rope (about 25 feet apart).
2. Divide the kid into two teams and give each kid a bucket.
3. Have each team line up in a straight line from the start line to the finish line.
4. On the word, “Go!,” the player on each team who’s closest to the water source scoops up a bucketful of water, turns to the kid next in line and pours the water into his bucket. Then this player turns and does the same, and so on down the line.
5. Until the last kid pours whatever water is left into the team’s bucket at the finish line.
6. The game continues like this until one team fills their bucket.
7. The first team to fill their bucket wins.

These ideas came from Awesome-Kids-Birthday-Parties.com .