Things to Do Editor - Kandy Derden

Open. Closed. Up. Down. Light. Dark. Does anybody see a pattern here? I do. Several, in fact. I’ll give you a little hint: I’m not focusing on the opposites listed above. No, I’m referring to our household window shades. They are a never-ending source of disagreement. Before going any farther, allow me to clarify something: disagreement does not mean conflict or strife. My husband is sensitive to bright light while I am now at the age where I need really good light to see whatever I’m doing. Therefore, I have a habit of raising the window shades and when I’m not looking, he puts them back down. He constantly reminds me how they also provide extra insulation and therefore make the temperature more comfortable and the utility bill a bit less. While I understand and agree with his reasoning, it is still nice to start my day with the symbolic process of facing those closed shades and opening them in order to seize the day! We live directly across the street from a city park. Anytime we look out the front windows, we see well-maintained spaces for an assortment of activities. There is a baseball field, volleyball court, artwork, a memorial monument, tennis courts, playground, rose garden, a lagoon for fishing, a historic child-sized train ride, a swimming pool complete with water slide plus multiple shelter houses for picnics. Picnic? Did someone say picnic? Sandwiches? Cookout? Fried chicken? Salad? Lemonade? What’s your favorite picnic food? A few years ago, I wrote about a recipe which was a huge hit at a picnic. No, I don’t plan to include it here because I found one which is easier, faster, not as messy, has more eye appeal and is more versatile. KIDDIE CRUNCH MIX 1 c. plain or frosted animal crackers 1 c. bear-shaped crackers (teddy grahams) 1 c. mini pretzels 1 c. salted peanuts 1 c. M & M’s 1 c. yogurt or chocolate covered raisins Combine and store in an airtight container. What could be simpler? There’s no syrup to cook and drizzle. There’s no melting involved and therefore no cooling and wait time. Just snacking at its finest while on the go.

I always look for recipes which are easily adapted to suit your family’s needs or taste. This one doesn’t disappoint. The little bear crackers come in a variety of flavors, but if you don’t care for those, add goldfish crackers instead. Cashews or almonds (among others) can easily be substituted or added to the peanuts.

Now, let’s talk about M & M’s. This time of year, the pastel-colored ones would be perfect to give that spring feeling to your outing. Go ahead, poke around in your kid’s Easter basket. You know they had some in there somewhere. If not, regular colors work too. Skittles are quite colorful and are a bit neater to eat. As for the raisins, go wild! Try dried cherries, or craisins which are available in a variety of flavors. Oyster crackers are easy for small hands and if you plan to eat it right away, popcorn could even be added along with some caramel bits. So whip up a batch, toss some in a zipper bag and get out there. It’s great for taking on road trips or it makes great trail mix. Take your kiddos out for an adventure, starting with your local parks. They are beautiful this time of year, whether close up or through the window. That is, if the shades are open.