A Tourist In Your Own Town

I moved to Bay City in 2005 and then to Midland in 2007 and in the 8 years I have lived here I have not taken advantage of all the fun stuff there is to do in the Great Lakes Bay Region. I kept telling myself that I would visit a place sometime but that sometime never came. The idea that a location is always available to me keeps it from being a priority. This year we are making a list of all the things we can do right in our back yard (within a 30 min drive) and when the kids are bored or we want to get "away", we are going to be a tourist right here in the Great Lakes Bay Region.

Our list had a few factors to be considered and should not be your only options for checking out what this great region has to offer. Our consideration had to made on the fact that I would be taking 3 pre-schoolers to many locations by myself. My husband works 3rds shift and so he is asleep from 8am -3pm everyday. The places we would visit have to allow interaction of the environment, somewhat contained environment, and places to rest because walking on such little legs can be difficult. If your children are older, there may be more to add to the list but our list is based on the ages of our children and attention spans.

Midland area:
Dow Gardens -  So much to do and if you go more than twice a season purchase the $10 pass.
Whiting Forest - Part of Dow Gardens but also has forts in the woods!!!
Chippewa Nature Center
Midland City Forest
Captain Dave's Entertainment Center : roller skating and arcade for those rainy days
Dahlia Hill : this is in bloom in August and near our favorite park
Loons Stadium : I can't believe we have never gone to a game!!
Heritage Park : Right off from the rail trail. The boys may not care too much about the old homes so we will also walk the trail.
Lost Pirates Adventure Golf : Putt Putt Golf and Bowling all indoors.
Midland Center For The Arts : The Hall of Ideas and many events year round
Midland Community Center : 2 pools and a splash pad? what else can you ask for in summer fun
Rail Trail : Many parks and things to do off this trail. We walk it every year and love that I don't have to worry about cars for my little men.
Pine Haven Recreation Area : I ran/walked this trail last year and let me tell you those hills will wear those kids out!
Sanford Centennial Museum : again who knows if the boys will like it but they can see a train!!
Sandford Lake : One of the first places I went when I moved here and haven't been back because it was always there. With water I will have to make sure I have someone else with me to keep an eye on the kids. 
Stratford Woods Park : We have heard good things about the shallow lake for swimming. 

 

 

Grossology at the MCFTA

When I was 10 years old my grandfather gave me a book that had plastic vomit on the cover. It was so gross but I had to read it. I read it cover to cover that night and became a fountain of knowledge for all the disgusting (but natural and normal) things our bodies did. Much later, a few more grossology books were written and since I had much younger siblings, at the age of 20, I was learning again about more things our bodies do and what animals did as well. It was amusing to me but not as amusing as it was to my brother at the age of 8.


I had such a love for these books and how they brought a smile on a young kid's face who were learning in such a fun way.  I was very excited when I received my brochure that showed all the 
fun things MCFTA has to offer through the year and this was staring back at me:

It took some time for us to make it and see the exhibit, but we finally made it today. I packed up our 4,3 and 2 year old and headed out. The experience got some mixed reviews. Here are some things to know about this display before you go.

What is the cost?

 The cost is $9 for adults and $6 for children 4 and older. Under 4 is free. This gives you admission to the Grossology exhibit and The Hall of Ideas. If you have been to the MCFTA before December 2012, note that a renovation was done and things have been updated and fixed.

When can we go?
The museum is open
Wed. – Sat. • 10 am – 4 pm
Thurs. • until 8 pm
Sun. • 1 – 5 pm
CLOSED Mon., Tues.& major holidays

On Thursday March 28th Great Lakes Bay Moms is having a family event that will offer reduced pricing. 

 Who is going to enjoy this?
I was sure my boys would love this because they were boys and it was gross. 2 of them did enjoy the interactive play but my 3 year old was frightened by the noise and large animatronic people. When we were there a lot of schools were doing field trips. I would guess the children were ages 7-11 both boys and girls alike enjoyed every inch of the exhibit.

I don't want to discourage any parent from bringing their child to Grossology because I did see some small children having fun but I can also see why my 3 year old was not happy. To him walking through a large mouth, seeing plastic dolls that were 3-4 times his size start moving and having all the noise around him was a sensory over load. If your child has no issues with these things, then I say they will enjoy it because my 2 and 4 year old didn't want to leave.

Is the MCFTA difficult to find?
If you are coming from out of town, Midland can be a bit difficult to navigate in some areas. The Midland Center For The Arts, however is located near freeways and main roads making it pretty easy to find. It also shares a parking lot with Dow Gardens.

What will we do/see?
 There are many interactive displays that show how the human body works. This is done in very silly, fun but educational ways. Some things include going into a digestive track and pretending to be a piece of food on a intestine slide. Climbing on warts, zits, scabs and other skin blemishes. Helping the kidneys out by playing a game where you grab unwanted particles (similar to a Kinect gaming system). Pumping large amounts of soda into a 4 foot head to make them burp and more. Representations of how much urine, mucus and other bodily functions are displayed as well.

Jack's Birth Story

Everyone has their own birth story. Some are picture perfect and some are very trying but most are somewhere in between. If you feel your OBGYN is not the perfect fit don't be afraid to change medical professionals. Great Lakes Bay Moms has compiled a list of OBGYN, Midwives and Doulas for you to choose from. 
 
My first born son's entrance into the world was nothing like I thought it would be. I watched TLC's A Birth Story and I was 14-10 years older than my siblings. I knew that I wouldn't know the exact time he would be coming into this world and that it wouldn't happen quickly. I could only plan as much as I could and wait.

At my 30 week prenatal appointment things started to change. They were noticing my ankles were swelling and protein was being detected in my urine. Since I was overweight before my pregnancy the big concern was always gestational diabetes but this was a new concern. Nothing was said to me at this point, I was just told to get a container from the lab and collect my urine for 3 days for testing. I did and when I went back for my 32nd week appointment the concern was made clear. The doctor informed me that I had pre-eclampsia. I was instructed to look it up online because our time was running short. Lets just say going online to look up any sort of medical advice is not the best thing to do. I was sure I was going to die within the week and started to panic.

We had some non-stress tests scheduled (a monitor is put on your stomach and the baby's heart rate is watched) for the next few weeks. I was at the doctors office 3 times a week from 32 weeks to 35 weeks. Nothing changed much so I was just monitored.

When I arrived to my 36 week appointment I did the normal urine test, blood pressure test and had my weight charted. I couldn't tell what was going on but the nurses and doctors seemed concerned. I was asked to lay on my side and in a short time a nurse would be in to take my blood pressure again. After 2 minutes another doctor, my doctor and a nurse were waiting with a wheel chair. I was informed that there was protein in my urine at high levels and that I was to have the baby that day. The nurse pushed me up to the maternity ward and my husband rushed home to get a bag packed and to inform my family I would not be present at my baby shower scheduled for the next day.

When I was upstairs I was told that my kidneys were shutting down and they needed to induce me. Some sort of medical strip was placed on my cervix to try to thin it and induce labor. For about 3 hours I waited for something, anything to happen. Then I saw a group of doctors in the doorway whispering. My doctor held his head low and seemed to not want to talk to me. After a few minutes he came in and said they had made a mistake. I couldn't be induced that day because I was not considered full term. Now the strip needed to be removed and I was to stay in the hospital for 3 more days to be full term and they would try again. I cried.... I was beside myself and full of anger that I would be taken on such an emotional roller coaster was my first thought. My second thought was to get this man who called himself a doctor as far away from me as possible. Through out the night I was monitored and spoke to many doctors and nurses.

The next morning the OBGYN on staff came in and spoke a bit about what was going on. I explained my side of the story and how I felt. It was mentioned that I could have a c-section because of the stress and obvious health concern of pre-eclampsia. The risks of giving birth and having a c-section were given to me. After some consideration I decided the c-section only put me at risk and trying to wait for a natural birth put two lives at risk. I choose the c-section. The nurse who had been very nice up to this point, decided to make her plea. She explained that she would never have a c-section and that I should at least try the other way first. I declined, I knew that in the end I would need the c-section so I wasn't going to put myself or child through that stress. From that point on the nurse would not speak to me.

I thought this would be the end of it but it was not. After the c-section was offered and I was coming to terms with that, my phone rang. It was the doctor who started this whole mess. He sat on the phone and tried to talk me out of the surgery. He tried every tactic he could think of but I was standing strong in my decision. He then decided to come up to the hospital and talk me out of it in person. It did not work.

Finally at 4 pm, 28 hours after I was admitted,I was being preped for surgery. A sense of relief washed over me when I was sitting outside the operating doors that I knew this was over. I learned that day that not everyone will be on your side but if you are truly at peace with your decision you will come out ahead. I also learned that not everyone will be happy with your decisions but if you feel that is what is best in your heart, then you may have to fight.

Jack was born at 5:18pm in 2008. He was born at 36 weeks and 5 days, making him a premie in the eyes of the doctors. If we waited 2 more days he would have been full term. My swelling went down within 2 days of birth and my protein levels were back to normal within the week. Jack had no side effects from the ordeal.

I forgave everyone for the circumstances that led to each event. I know they were trying their best to protect me and my child. I don't like to share this story only because I don't want anyone to be scared of what could happen to them. My case is unique because I could have stopped the "snowball" many times if I only spoke up. I didn't, I trusted blindly and didn't ask questions or communicate my feelings until the end. 

Both Kate and Jill have also shared their birth stories before. They can be found here:
Kate's Olivia and Adriana
Jill's Spring Blessing

Are 5k races right for me?

If you ever thought of participating in a 5k race but thought that you were too out of shape to do one, I want to be the first to tell you that you can do it.

Last year I decided to participate in the Bay City Saint Patrick's Day 5k. I was sure I would be the last one, people would give the heavy girl dirty looks, spectators would yell insults and so many more things. I signed up as a runner and thought at least I could try to jog a bit. When race day came I noticed I was not alone in my size and everyone was very friendly. I even made a friend by chatting as we were waiting to go. We talked about how we weren't sure we could do this but we were going to try. When we were allowed to go we ran for 30 seconds and then walked. We walked a fast pace and kept talking about different things. There were times I wanted it to be over (around 2 mile mark....) but we kept going. We cheered the runners who were looping around and the streets were lined with spectators who were making everyone feel like a superstar athlete. When I saw the finish line I was determined to at least run over the finish marker. I explained to my new friend we would jog the last block and we really had to push ourselves to make it but did. I was never so happy and proud of myself for finishing something. Sure my legs hurt and all I wanted to do was sit down but I was hooked. My husband and I talked about finding one each month until August. That night I sat down and found a race for each month and registered. I even did a few more when friends would mention them.

So if you are asking if 5k's are right for you, I say yes. I have done them as a way to get out of the house and meet new people. I have done some alone, I have done some as a bonding experience with my siblings and I have done some pushing a double stroller. I don't think you will find a more welcoming group of people than runners/walkers. No one is trying to beat you, they are trying to beat their last time.


A few local races to write on your calendar:
Go The Extra Mile for Conveant Kids - April 14th
Loons Pennant Race - April 20th
Freeland Walleye Fest - April 28th
Midland Dow Run Walk - May 18th
St. Stans June 27th - weather is hot but the homeowners really come out to show support

Everyone is Irish on March 17th!!!!

On March 17th our family becomes as Irish as we can be (even though we are German, Welsh, Hungarian, English and Polish). When Dad is in charge of picking out the clothes we just have one article of green clothing on and it doesn't matter if the rest matches.

 Case in point :

but they are dressed and that is truly what matters. It was one less thing I had to do that day. Besides I am usually in the kitchen early that day getting the corned beef going in the crock pot. We only have this dish one time of year because before I became a mom, I was a cook at a mid-evil style restaurant. Actually I was a waitress, cook, bar tender, hostess, and dishwasher depending on the day. I saw a lot of corned beef and cabbage being served day in and day out so I developed an association to serving and this dish.

The kids are not big fans of the boiled down cabbage and quite frankly, neither am I. So we usually have corned beef with a side of red skin potatoes. This year we are trying to roast the cabbage to see if that makes it taste better. It works for broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and asparagus so it should work for cabbage. Roasted cabbage recipe.

As for the corned beef, well the instructions are on the package but I find just tossing it in the crock and cooking on low for 6-8 hrs does the trick. There is a spice packet that you can add but most of the time I leave it out. I do add about 1 cup of Guinness to the bottom of the crock to add a bit of flavor. As for the rest of the beer, it is cupcake time!!!

 Irish Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:
1	cup Guinness stout
1	cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾	cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
2	cups all-purpose flour
2	cups granulated sugar
1½	teaspoons baking soda
¾	teaspoons salt
2	eggs
⅔	cup sour cream

Directions

1. To Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. Bring the Guinness and butter to a simmer in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl to combine. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined. Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat briefly. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on a rack.

Now for the boys I make a basic vanilla frosting but for the adults I make a Baileys Irish Cream frosting. I make it different because the frosting isn't cooked so the alcohol content is still there, it is minor, but still present.

For the Baileys Frosting: 2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature 5 cups powdered sugar 6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

The Easiest (and cheepest) Microwave Popcorn

In the information world we live in, I sometimes assume what I know everyone else knows. I sometimes don't share my tips and tricks that I find every so handy because I am sure you have already heard it. That is the case with making your own microwave popcorn. We are big popcorn people but I could never eat the standard microwave kind. Something about the taste was too much for me. When I was a kid my parents had an air popper and I liked the plain taste of this grain. I did not want to have a bunch of uni-taskers (appliances that only did one thing) so I just felt I could never have popcorn unless I wanted the rich, chemical filled kind that was set for the microwave OR try my hand at it on the stove.

I am not one for the stove with certain things. I have no idea why but I can't make popcorn, caramel or pancakes on the stove. Well I can if you like them a bit blacken. I have worked YEARS in camp kitchens, restaurant kitchens and of course my own but have never mastered the skill of making those items. Maybe it is a patience thing.

Anywho....A few years ago I found how to make popcorn using a simple paper bag. That's right, the only thing that stood in my way of the awesome movie experience was a lunch sack. I have been making it this way ever since. It is more than a movie going treat too. We use it in place of the sandwich in our kids lunches for a great source of grain. It is a very filling low calorie treat as well. You can add a dusting of cinnamon and sugar for a sweet craving or some garlic salt in place of those potato chips.

If you are asking how? Let me show you.

First, get a paper lunch sack and a bag of unpopped popcorn (costs about 1.20 per bag)

 Then get 1/4 a cup of the popcorn and dump in the bag.

Seal up the bag so there is still room for the popcorn to pop up but the top of the bag isn't touching the top of the microwave. Pop for about 2 minutes. If the bag falls over, take it out and you are done. Once it is on it's side it will start to overcook the popcorn and it will burn.

Enjoy!

 

As I said before I like it plain but most people don't. You can melt butter and pour over the top and then add seasonings OR you can use olive or sunflower oil to get some of that healthy fats into your diet. I have mine in a spray bottle with 1 part oil and 3 parts water but I have seen Pampered Chef and Weight Watchers ones that you just add the oil and the work is done for you.

Love, Pizza and Cookies

This past weekend we had a family date and made some pizza. The chefs were ready at the counter to start making their pie and of course make a mess. We used a pre-made crust I found at the grocery store but we have also made our store own crust using this recipe. Gathering up our sauce, cheese and Italian seasoning we were ready to go. The boys don't like topping so we made a cheese pizza, but if you want you can add any toppings you like. Then we set up an assembly line to make sure every one got a turn. 


Chef Jack added the sauce with some help from Daddy.

                                                  Chef Archer adds the cheese.

Chef Hudson does a little shake shake shake to add the seasoning.










      With a few cut up strawberries and a bread stick, Chef Archer enjoys his handy work.









We also made cookies. Oatmeal raisin cookies are not a big hit in our house because my husband does not like raisins, he will eat dried cranberries though. With Valentines Day coming up; the splash of red is a great holiday inspired treat without too much work. Of course making anything into a heart is fun, you can even make a heart pizza if you make your own dough, I wanted to do something that 3 toddlers could all do at one time. With one heart cookie cutter we were sure to have some fights.

                                                         Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

 makes 2 dozen cookies

1 cup butter, softened 1 cup white sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 3 cups quick cooking oats 1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1.	In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.
2.	Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie with a large fork dipped in sugar.
3.	Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.