Tag Archives: Family Activity

“We Love and Appreciate You!” Birthday Book

“We Love and Appreciate You!” Birthday Book

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This last week was my birthday and my family presented me with a Birthday Book filled with notes of love and appreciation from my family and friends. This is something I have put together for a number of people in … Continue reading →

Couple Time or Family Time at the Farmer’s Market

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Want to connect as you do something good for the environment and healthy for your body. Doing something that is simple, easy and meaningful. GO LOCAL with your marketing. 

It is that time of year when the FARMERS MARKETS are in full swing. If this is an activity you have not participated in before, you may want to consider giving it a try. The Tulsa area has several farmer’s markets that sell fresh produce from local farms. Some of these farms grow organic foods. Knowing where your food comes from and building a relationship with some of these farmers is pretty cool.  In addition most of them have local art and handmade products. It is a fun community event where people are there to promote local and to choose products that are good for our environment and more healthy for our bodies. And you will save money!

NOTE: If you take CHILDREN to the market, consider their age and how much walking they can do. For little ones a stroller or wagon can be very helpful. Of course, as with any marketing it is best to go when you are not tired. This especially applies for children.  Consider limiting your time to what your child or children can comfortable manage to keep it a positive experience. Letting your children help pick out your veggies can be fun and educational and allow them to be part of the process. You might expand this activity to a family or parent / child cooking time, using your fresh veggies you purchased at the farmers market. 

There are a variety of times these markets are open. I have listed the main markets in the Tulsa area below. The OK Food and Farm Alliance also has a listing of all of OK Farmer’s Markets. So if you are not in one of the Tulsa area towns listed, check out the OK Food and Farm Alliance website okfarmand food.org  

TULSA – TUESDAY

DOWNTOWN TULSA FARMERS MARKET

10:30 am – 2:00 pm, year-round     3rd and Boston

TULSA- WEDNESDAY

BROOKSIDE FARMERS MARKET

8:00 am – 12:00 pm. May thru October

Food Pyramid parking lot, 39th and Peoria

WINTER MARKET (see details for details)

www.cherrystreetfarmersmarket.com

OWASSO – WEDNESDAY

OWASSO FARMERS MARKET

8:00 am – 12:00 pm, April 29 thru October

TULSA – THURSDAY

PEARL FARMERS MARKET

4:00 pm – 7:00 pm, April 18 thru September 26

East end of Centennial Park, 6th and Peoria

www.PearlFarmersMarket.org

TULSA – THURSDAY

WESTSIDE FARMERS MARKET

7:00 am – 11:00 am , April 6 thru October

On 15th Street, just east of Peoria

www.redforkmainstreet.org

TULSA – SATURDAY

CHERRY ST. FARMERS MARKET

7:00 am – 11:00 am, April 6 thru October

On 11th Street just each of Peoria

www.cherrrystreetfarmersmarket.com

BROKEN ARROW – SATURDAY

BROKEN ARROW FARMERS MARKET

8:00 am – 12:00 pm , April 20 thro September 7

418 Main St.

JENKS – SATURDAY

JENKS FARMERS MARKET

9:00 am – 1:00 pm, April 27 thru October 5

Green Acres Market, 117 S. 7th St.

angier@greenacres.com

OWASSO – SUNDAY

OWASSO FARMERS MARKET

8:99 am-12:00 pm , April 29 – October

YMCA Parking Lot, 8300 N. Owasso Expressway

WINTER MARKET

9:00 am – 11:00 am, every other Saturday all winter

TULSA – SUNDAY

Guthrie Green Sunday Market

10:00 am – 4:00 pm, April 7 thru October 27

North Boston and 111 E. Brady St. in The Brady Arts District

www.guthriegreen.com

Hope you enjoy your time  “going local” and becoming a bit of a foodie. Your partner or family will enjoy this fresh open air environment and the healthy connection of good food and good times. 

Cooking Together as a Couple or Family – The Perfect Activity for Fun and Connection

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couple-cooking-at-home

Cooking together can be an incredibly fun and connecting activity for couples and families.  Yes at times cooking can feel like it is a chore if we are tired and overloaded; especially, if we are doing it by our lonesome with no one helping. But together it can lighten this activity, infusing energy and time to talk and interact, something we all could use a bit more of. That said, if you are in an incredibly bad mood or need to be by your self, you may want to wait as some patience and tolerance is part of cooking together.

Cooking as a couple and cooking as a family will have some different dynamics. Cooking as a family with children requires more plan ahead and time alloted.  Cooking as a couple (if no children are involved) can be down right romantic and can be a bit more spontaneous. Just remember you may have different ideas on how to make something. Accepting this and avoiding being rigid as to how something should be made will help to keep it positive.

Here are some considerations in planning and cooking together as a couple or as a family. 

  • Including a planning piece can help to alleviate frustration and disappointment. Of course, at times everyone cooking together may need to be more spontaneous. But if possible, planning what you want and having the needed ingredients can sure make it a more smooth process.  Planning might include:
  1. What is on the menu? Choosing to plan this together can gain more cooperation and encourage a more team approach. This would of course be the most helpful if this is done before you do grocery shopping. Incorporating some things that each person likes can go toward a more satisfying meal for everyone. 
  2. If this is a family activity, are the dishes planned ones that have parts that the younger children can help with?  For example: tearing lettuce leaves, stirring a batter, throwing in specific ingredients, etc. 
  • Patience, tolerance and non perfectionism are some of the main ingredients for cooking as a family. Children are children and they will need to help according to their skill level. The process here is so much more important than the product. RELAXING and EMBRACING the MESS is part of it. 
  • Making sure there is enough time is important as children will slow the process.
  • Having a small healthy snack or appetizer before you start cooking may keep everyone more pleasant and patient.
  • If little ones are involved having a place set up that is safe for their involvement is important.
  • ENCOURAGING and PRAISING each other makes the process so much sweeter, whether it is as a couple or as a family. 
  • Planning a themed meal can be fun. For example: Mexican, Italian, etc or a Tea Party or a Backyard Picnic.


Note: As this is Memorial Day Weekend, you could plan a meal that honors a family member that is no longer with you, who has passed on. For example: Grandpa John’s grilled corn or Grandma Sue’s apple pie.  The idea here would be to include some dishes that the person was famous for making or a dish that they loved, etc.  This would encourage conversation and a time of remembering of our loved ones and their contributions to our food traditions. 

Happy Cooking!!!

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