Have you done something fun with your family this week? Kelly over at Happy Whimsical Hearts and I are collecting fun family activities each week so we can all be inspired to have more quality family time. Please share yours below.
This week we went to visit my parents at Cape Cod. Steve had the two cats in his car and I had Hazel and lots of stuff in mine. We left Thursday. Hazel was so excited because her only first cousin visits my parents from North Carolina every July, and she does not get to see him very much. Even though her cousin is ten, they play so well together and really love each other. I love watching them play together. Thursday afternoon Steve took both kids to the beach for a swim while I helped my mother with dinner.
Friday morning my mother and I left for Connecticut (a three-hour car drive). One of my first cousin's got married at Foxwoods Resort. Apparently they both love gambling so they thought a casino setting was perfect and they thought Friday, the 13th was perfect since it was the same date as their first date. Since we were going to splurge and spend the night at a luxury hotel, we decided to go for massages before the wedding. It was wonderful.
Before the wedding we did some quick shopping for gifts to bring back for the kids. I got Hazel a great Native American drum. Foxwoods is run by the Pequot Tribe. (I have to admit I have a huge fascination with Native American culture and history, so if you would like to learn more about the Pequot history check this out.)
The wedding was at Lake of the Isles which is also run by the Pequot Tribe. The ceremony itself was on the deck by the lake. It was beautiful!! Plus the couple really put a lot of themselves in the ceremony as well as the reception. It was so unique and fun. It was fun to catch up with my cousins and aunts and uncles as well. We do not see my mother's side of the family all that much. My mother is one of five children and each of them has at least two children--almost all who are married and with children now. The reception was in the clubhouse ballroom. The food was excellent and I danced a bit with my cousins--plus we all had fun with the photobooth and costumes.
Saturday my mother and I ate earlier than the family brunch and headed back to the Cape so I could enjoy my family vacation. Hazel had gotten to hang out with her three favorite males in the world--her Daddy, her Pop and her cousin. She had a great time.
My father's zucchini is starting to be ripe so on Sunday Hazel and I made Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins. Her cousin was going to help us, but he slept in that day and we gave up waiting for him to get up. We used a recipe from my mother's cookbook--The Classic Zucchini Cookbook by Nancy C. Ralston, Marynor Jordan, and Andrea Chesman. (She has made several recipes from this book and has loved all of them.) Dinner for Saturday also came from this book.
We of course changed the recipe a bit. The original recipe is very similar to this one. We mixed two cups of whole wheat flour, one tablespoon baking powder, a quarter teaspoon salt, a teaspoon cinnamon, and half of a cup of oatmeal.
Then we beat two eggs, three-quarters of a cup of non-fat milk, one third of a cup of olive oil, and a quarter of a cup of honey together. Then we added grated zucchini and raisins. I added much more than one cup of zucchini since my mother had a lot to use up. She had a large one that she had used in the pesto pasta salad the night before but she only had used half of it so I used the other half. I would guess it was close if not more than two cups. This was too much!!
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| Fluffy wanted to help too! |
Then we scooped them into the muffin pan. Hazel wanted to do most of the scooping. It was a bit messy, but she had fun. Then we baked them at 300 for at least 25 minutes and with the extra zucchini we should have baked them even longer. They were good but a bit too mushy in the center.
Then we cooled them in the pan for ten minutes except my mother turned the timer off on us since she thought it was for the oven which was already off. Oh, well. Then we enjoyed them warm. Again they were tasty, but a bit too mushy.
We brought home some more zucchini so maybe we will try again or we will try zucchini bread.
Steve left Sunday morning, but my sister came that morning. Hazel was so excited to see her aunt. She actually was in tears this morning about having to come home. She didn't want to leave all her extended family she doesn't get to see enough. We had a fun time last night going to Provincetown and having dinner at our favorite restaurant, Napi's. If you are ever in P-town, you really should check it out. If you are seated before 6, ask for the Early Bird Specials. The food is excellent and it is such a unique place to eat.
Now it is your turn to share how your family has spent some quality time lately.
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Ok, now for our PARTY!! Please share your FUN Family Times!!
