Thursday, July 31, 2014

First Friday Downtown Lakeland

First Friday, August 1st  6-9pm
Back to School
Sponsored by Mid Florida Bank
 
Bring the family downtown for a great evening of fun.  There will be live music on the corner of Pine and Kentucky by our own Hank and Paul.  We will also have a balloon artist from Twisted Art in front of our store. And as always there will be plenty of juice and cookies as well as wine and cheese.  There will be lots of other activities on tap throughout downtown.
ALSO:
In the spirit of Back to School Brooke Pottery will be giving every teacher who comes by between 6 and 9pm with a school ID a coupon for 25% off of any one item.  The coupon can be used anytime.  (Coupon is not valid for special orders, lay-aways, or sale items.)

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Summer Play Days at Disney Stores

Summer Play Days - Join us for the kickoff to receive a FREE LANYARD and a button on Monday, June 2nd at 2pm - Additional events take place every day from June 3rd to Sept 1st

Summer Play Days

You're invited to Summer Play Days at Disney Store! Store events include Art of Animation, Trivia, Story Time and Showtime. Stop by every week and receive a character button*. Events take place every day from June 3rd to Sept 1st.
*Participation required for free character button. While supplies last. See a Cast Member for event schedule and details.
 http://www.disneystore.com/disney-store-locator/mn/1001278/
 http://www.disneystore.com/summer-play-days/mn/1012902/

Home Depot Kids Building workshop

Build a Mini-Crate Pencil Holder

  • Come learn how to build a mini-crate pencil holder
  • FREE hands-on workshops; designed for children ages 5 - 12
  • All kid get to keep their craft, receive a FREE certificate of achievement, a Workshop Apron, and a commemorative pin while supplies last.
  • Children must be present at the store to participate in the workshop and receive the kit, apron and pin.
  • Kids Workshop activities are scheduled on a first come/first served basis. Please do not arrive before 9:00 a.m.
  • Thank you for registering online to help us better plan our craft kit quantities needed.
  •  http://workshops.homedepot.com/workshops/kids-workshops



Dates:
  • Sat, Aug 2, 2014
Time:
  • 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Learn to Kayak

LEARN TO KAYAK - ACA SMART START YOUR KAYAK
Lake Louisa State Park
Date: August 2, 2014, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Description:
Spend the day learning to kayak with a child in your life.  Join American Canoe Association trained instructors as they teach you the basics of kayaking and take you on a paddling tour of the shoreline of Dixie Lake.
Kayak rental available.  Children under the age of 8 must be in a tandem with an adult.  Children in single kayaks must be accompanied by an adult in another kayak.  One participating adult per two participating children.
A Ranger will partake and also talk to you about the natural and cultural resources present at Lake Louisa State Park.
Class is limited to 15 students.
Participation Requirements
Fees: $35(plus tax) per kayak and park entrance fee
Contact: Contact park for more information.
Directions: Lake Louisa State Park is located on US 27, seven (7) miles south of State Road 50.

 http://www.floridastateparks.org/lakelouisa/events.cfm?viewevent=12223#12223

Mulberry Library August Calendar

Mulberry Library August 2014 Calendar of Events

Micheline Salon Spa Back to School Cut-A-Thon

Micheline Salon Spa will conduct the annual Back To School Cut-A-Thon on Sunday, August 10! Proceeds will benefit Heartland For Children, our local community-based care agency helping disadvantaged children of Polk, Highland and Hardee Counties. Heartland For Children promotes the prevention of child abuse and oversees the provision of services for children who have been abused and/or neglected.

 Call 644-0102 for more info.
http://www.michelinesalonspa.com/

Micheline SalonSpa
5035 South Lakeland Drive
Lakeland, Florida 33813

Chocolate Pretzel Cookies

 Chocolate Pretzel Cookies
If you have kids, you most likely have pretzels as a snack item in your pantry and probably all the other baking ingredients for this recipe. These are very easy and quick to put together. All my boys like to help out in the kitchen but one especially likes to bake so this was our treat today. They are so yummy; a little sweet and salty at the same time!

Ingredients

A Family Circle recipe, from the December 2013 issue
1 cup all purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup roughly chopped mini pretzels, plus 30
whole pretzels for garnish

Directions

Heat oven to 350 deg. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar for 2 minutes, until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until just combined. Pour in flour mixture and beat on low until just combined. Carefully fold in chocolate chips and chopped pretzels. Drop TBSPfuls of batter on baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Press down lightly to flatten. Gently press a whole pretzel on top of each cookie. Bake at 350 deg for about 11 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely









The dough after we added chocolate chips.


Crushed pretzels for the cookie dough and the whole mini twists for the top of the cookie.

The cookie dough after the chocolate chips and chopped pretzels were added.

Before baking.

Cooling on the rack. These won't last long!!!!




Sunday, July 20, 2014

Local events for Kids Week of July 20

Local events for kids Week of July 20
  • Michaels;  Passport to Imagination Come Craft  every Mon-Weds-Fri, 10am until noon, $2 per workshop, ages 5-12 years old
  • Cobb, Free Summer Kids Movies, July 22,23,24 at 10 am, doors open at 9:30 am; This week showing Despicable Me 2 and Babe
  • Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse, July 22 at 9:30 am showing Walking with Dinosaurs , $1 per movie or $5 for all ten movies if bought in advance
  • Mulberry Library; Pop Rock Balloon for Elementary, Tuesday, 7/22 at 11am, for Preschool with storytime, Pop rocks balloon on Wednesday, 7/23 at 10:30 am and for Teens and Tweens on Thursday, 7/24 at 1 pm with Pop Rocks Balloon and Friday, July 25 is Movie Day at 1 pm showing Muppets Most Wanted
  • Bartow Library; July 23rd at 10:30 am, Ninth Period Shows presents "Pop, Bang, Wow!" The Amazing Science of Magic and Thursday July 24th from 3-4 pm pm Lego Fun for 9-12 year olds, July 26th, Saturday; 10-11 am Paws to Read-Read aloud to guide dogs and receive a free book.
  • Lakeland Library Summer Program at Lake Mirror Center * Last Library Summer Show at the Lake Mirror Center this Summer is  July 25th at 10 am; Australian Music with "Didgeridoo Down Under"
  • Larry R. Jackson Library Summer Program at Simpson Park Community Center *Last Library Summer Show at the Simpson Park Center this summer is  July 24th at 10:30 am Professor NoseAlot (clown Show) and Water Ventures (water exhibit)
  • Auburndale Public Library at the library:  Wednesday, July 23, 10 am Children's programs It's alive,  Thursday, July 24 at 10:30 am Splish! Splash! and at 5:30 pm Tweens and teens- Science Mix
  • Winter Haven Library: Tuesday, July 22 at 10:30 am- Experiment-Float your boat and Thursday, July 24th at 10:30 am-Experiment: Mentos and Coke and Friday, July, 25th at 10:30 am Craft: Candy architecture; Registration required at whplyouth.eventbrite.com

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Mulberry Library events this week

Upcoming events: 
Tuesday 7/15 ~ Elementary Program @ 11 ~ Melting Paint
Wednesday 7/16 ~ Magic Act @ 1 ~ Pre-registration required see our Facebook page for details
Thursday 7/17 ~ Teen/Tween Time @ 1 ~ Dr. Who Time Warp Melt
Friday 7/18 ~ Adult Program Book Chat @11
Friday 7/18 ~ Movie Day @ 1 ~ Rio 2
Mulberry Public Library
103 E Canal St
Mulberry, Florida 33860
(863)425-3246

Monday, July 7, 2014

Frugal, Family Fun this weekend

Frugal, Family Fun this weekend

I can't believe we are already past the 4th of July festivities and school will be here before we know it. How are you all doing with your summer "to do list"?  We have so much more we still want to do, I wish I could slow down time and keep having fun all summer. 
I wanted to share some fun easy activities and recipes we did while we had company over the 4th of July weekend.

Here are a couple of fun, festive food and drink ideas to use at your next Patriotic party.

The kids thought these patriotic drinks were really fun. I froze red and blue Powerade into ice cube trays and then we added the colorful and flavorful ice cubes to either Sprite or Ginger Ale.


Sweet and Salty Sparklers or as my friend called them "Unhealthy Ants on a Log."  Mine did not turn out quite as pretty as the magazine picture but they were so yummy and as you can see by the hands in the picture they were disappeared quickly.
Flag Fruit Kabobs; my version turned out pretty good compared to the magazine picture. So easy just use; blueberries, mini marshmallows and raspberries on bamboo skewers.
And of course, you have to have a flag cake on the 4th of July!!!

We thought it would be fun to do a science experiment for an "explosion" during the 4th of July festivities so we did  Mentos in Diet Soda and it was a Blast!! The first picture we added 4 Mentos and the second picture we added 8 Mentos. 

Last but not least, here are a few pictures from our Fireworks fun in our driveway.









 

Local events for kids Week of July 6

Local events for kids Week of July 6
  • Michaels; Passport to Imagination Come Craft  every Mon-Weds-Fri, 10am until noon, $2 per workshop, ages 5-12 years old
  • Cobb, Free Summer Kids Movies, July 8-9-10 at 10 am, doors open at 9:30 am; This week showing The Smurfs 2 and Sponge Bob Square Pants Movie
  • Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse, July 8 at 9:30 am showing Despicable Me 2 , $1 per movie or $5 for all ten movies if bought in advance
  • Mulberry Library; Make you own bubbles for Elementary, Tuesday, 7/8 at 11am, for Preschool with storytime, make your own bubbles on Wednesday, 7/9 at 10:30 am and for Teens and Tweens on Thursday, 7/10 at 1 pm with Make your own bouncy balls
  • Bartow Library; July 9th at 10:30 am, Storytime with Connie Trama for stories, songs, puppets and lots of audience participation and Thursday July 10th from 3-4:30 pm pm Popcorn and picture show; "Mr. Peabody" for 9-12 year olds, July 10th at 3:30 pm for Teens: Egg Drop Challenge, "Can your creation protect an egg when dropped off a building?"
  • Lakeland Library Summer Program at Lake Mirror Center  July 11th at 10 am; Linda Chancey and Miss Connie in "Sing and Tell"
  • Larry R. Jackson Library Summer Program at Simpson Park Community Center  July 10th at 10:30 am Gatorland (Live Animals)
  • Auburndale Public Library At the Auburndale Civic Center, Tuesday, July 8 at 2pm Mad Science Fire and Ice show
  • Auburndale Public Library at the library:  Wednesday, July 9, 10 am Children's programs- Science and the arts,  Thursday, July 10 at 10:30 am Preschool-Animals all around and at 5:30 pm Tweens and teens- Fun with Food
  • Winter Haven Library: Tuesday, July 8 at 10:30 am- Experiment-Lava Lamp and Thursday, July 10th at 10:30 am-Experiment-Slime; Registration required at whplyouth.eventbrite.com

Mulberry Public Library Summer events



Mulberry Public Library events