Search Results for: blog planting a pizza garden a great family project

Fun Ideas for a Spring Staycation this Year

  For some families, spring break is almost here.  Having a week or two off from school is the ultimate idea of fun for many kids, but for moms and dads the seasonal vacation can be dreadful, especially if money is tight. Fortunately, you don’t have to drop thousands of dollars to make your child’s spring break memorable.  With the price of gas hitting record highs, millions of families are opting to stay close to home this season.  The idea of taking a staycation is even more tempting when you consider how much money you can save while still having … Continue reading →

Having Fun at a Farmer’s Market

Now that the weather is warming up, farmers markets are springing up around the country. In warmer climates these massive markets are open year round, but here in the chilly Upper Midwest, outdoor farmers markets are seasonal (and the indoor ones are only held bi-weekly). Their fleeting appearance from May until October is one of the reasons they are so popular in my neck of the woods. Another reason produce-loving residents flock to farmers markets here is that they are just plain fun. When was the last time you took your children to a farmers market? My preschooler loves visiting … Continue reading →

Summer Travel: Botanical Gardens

I am a big fan of botanical gardens. Our local botanical garden is a haven for families and kids looking to grow their own pizza. It is by no means the largest of its kind, but it is a nice resource to have in the relatively small city in which we reside. Visiting the country’s top botanical gardens would require traveling some distance, and that’s exactly what some families do this time of year—-make pilgrimages to the nation’s top botanical gardens. One fairly new botanical garden that is making headlines despite the fact that it less than three years old … Continue reading →

End of the School Year Pizza Party

It may feel like summer has already started but kids around here are still in school for another 10 days. That means I have about a week to help my friend make homemade pizzas for her son’s end of the school year party. Because of budget restraints his teacher was going to nix their annual shindig this year. (With the price of food the way it is these days I don’t blame her.) That was until my pal came up with the brilliant plan to make her own pizzas and celebrate the end of the school year and her son’s … Continue reading →

Save Money—Make Your Own Pizza

I think my jaw is still on the tile floor at my local supermarket. It hit the ground yesterday when I went to grab a frozen pizza from the freezer. My young daughter loves pizza and twice a month she is allowed to indulge in her favorite frozen classic-—thin crust pepperoni and cheese. The brand we buy typically sells for $3.33 a piece or 3 pizzas for $10. I usually grab three pies and we are set for more than a month. But yesterday when I went to replenish my supply I noticed that the neon 3 for $10 sign … Continue reading →

Pizza for Breakfast

My best friend loves eating pizza for breakfast. She always orders a large pie so that she is guaranteed a few extra pieces to munch on the next morning. Frankly, I find the idea of biting into a cold slice of pepperoni, mushroom and black olive pizza (her favorite) rather revolting. Yet she swears the flavor only gets better with age. Still, I can’t stomach the thought of sinking my teeth into hardened cheese and chilled oil clumped on a cardboard crust… first thing in the morning. Which is why on my pal’s 23rd birthday (nearly a decade ago) I … Continue reading →

Pizzas with Pizzazz

Believe it or not this blog was inspired by Valorie’s recent post discussing the pros and cons of playgroups. I (or rather, my daughter) belong to two different playgroups. One in the city we currently live in and one in the city where I used to work. (They are about 30 miles apart from each other.) We typically meet about three times a month. The kids have a ball playing with each other and the moms enjoy swapping anecdotes and war stories. Oh, and did I mention food was involved. Our playgroups have evolved into mini potlucks and on special … Continue reading →

Tasty Travels

If you are a fan of pizza pies then you might consider hopping on the next flight to Naples, Italy. It’s no secret that the city makes some of the finest pizzas in the world, but this weekend chefs there are offering a one-of-kind pie to honor a special visitor. Naples’ world-class pizza makers have invented a pontiff’s pizza in recognition of Pope Benedict XVI one-day visit to the city to celebrate Mass and attend a meeting. Chefs at one of Naples’ most famous restaurants, the bastion of Neapolitan cooking Ciro a Santa Brigida came up with the idea on … Continue reading →

10 Tips For The Beginner Gardener

Summer’s bountiful crops have served as the inspiration for many of my recent blogs. But, today it dawned on me that some of you might not have a garden. Or, perhaps, you really have no desire to grow one. I would hope that this is not the case. But, if it is, consider this blog an attempt to persuade you to think otherwise. Believe me, a few years ago I would have been considered the ultimate reluctant gardener, but once you see (and eat) the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor, I guarantee you will be hooked. If you have … Continue reading →

Tips For Gardening With Children

My toddler daughter and I recently completed a two-day “Kids & Gardens” workshop at our local botanical garden. She had a wonderful time getting her hands (and the rest of her body) dirty digging holes, planting seeds, and harvesting crops along with about a dozen other children her age. Kids, dirt and gardening tools; it may sound like a recipe for disaster, but surprisingly, the activities were very well structured and age appropriate. My daughter left with a burgeoning bean plant and I gained some great pointers on how to get and keep your child interested in the world of … Continue reading →