FREE Family Summer Fun 2013 - Twin Cities and Beyond

It's that time of year again! There are so many things to do in our beautiful city over the summer and so many of them are FREE! I need a place to keep track of them all, and a blog post seemed like the natural place to write it all down and SHARE it, too!!

First and foremost, we headed out to our first Movie in the Park last night! We saw E.T.! So fun to see an old classic on the big screen! There are movies in the park EVERY night in Minneapolis. The inflatable mobile screen makes an appearance at a different park each night. Bring your picnic blankets and/or lawn chairs, snacks, drinks, and bug repellent! We tend to go early to appreciate the playgrounds, pools, splash pads or large fields for flying kites! Lots of kids come in pajamas with their pillows for an easy transition to bed once the movie is over.Check out the schedule here:

Minneapolis Movies in the Park 2013

If the movie of the night isn't your thing or it's too late at night for your kiddos, check out the Music in the Park schedule. Music happens every night at the Lake Harriet Band Shell (7:30PM), Mondays at Nicollet Island (7PM), Tuesdays at Father Hennepin Bluffs (7PM), Wednesday-Friday at Minnehaha Falls (7PM), and Tuesdays & Thursdays at Bryant Square (6:30PM):

Minneapolis Music in the Park 2013

Thursday nights you can head on over to see the Twin Cities River Rats waterski show! Find your seat on the banks of the Mississippi right off West River Road just south of Broadway Avenue. Most shows begin at 7pm. Concessions are usually available. Don't forget your camera! We like to go several times over the summer to watch the performance get better and better over the season:

Twin Cities River Rats

Like to DANCE with your music? Attend one of the Nine Nights of Music at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul - Tuesdays, July 2nd-August 27th. Dance instruction by the Tapestry Folkdance Center begins at 6:30pm. Concerts are from 7-8:30pm. Each night features a different culture and style of music:

Nine Nights of Music

Ordway's Summer Dance Series also offers free dance lessons and live music at Rice Park in St. Paul on Thursdays beginning this week: June 13th-July 25th. Lessons at 5:30pm, Music at 7:15pm. This series has indoor venues in case of rain. Check out the website:

Ordway's Summer Dance Series

Cromulent Shakespeare Company presents free performances of Romeo and Juliet in various parks around Minneapolis and St. Paul every weekend in June. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7pm. Sunday shows are at 2pm:

Shakespeare in the Park

Open Eye Theatre's Driveway Tour offers puppet shows at parks throughout the city (and surrounding suburbs) all summer long. Performance times range from 10am-7pm. They are offering FOUR different shows this summer! Check it out:

Driveway Tour - Puppet Shows

As the summer winds down, Como Park and Conservatory offers free music, lawn games, bounce house & climbing wall on Wednesday nights - August - mid-September from 6-9pm. A number of other free special events are happening at Como Park. Check out the full schedule here:

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory Special Events

Is it raining or too hot to be outside? Check out:

Minneapolis Institute of Art (always free) or
Walker Art Center (free every Thursday night from 5-9pm and first Saturdays from 10am-3pm)

I like to look through the schedules and mark the movies & concerts we might like to see on my calendar. Then I know what's available if we happen to have free time that night.

Have a GREAT summer!

Thousand Word Thursday

I ran across this photo the other day of Mane & Mango pretending to camp in the dining room, roasting wooden marshmallows over a paper fire when Mane was about 3 years old...

Thousand Word Thursday

I made this hat for Mane. After months of making hats for Team Yarn...making hats as therapy for my anxiety...therapy for grief, I made this hat for joy. For spring. For Mane. For the daughter who will always be a picture of myself, of my mother, of herself and the joy she brings to me. I am thankful today for her companionship, for her growing maturity, for her sense of self and self-motivation, for her spirit and her sense of style. I love you, dear one. Happy Spring!

Epiphany - Three Kings Day

We totally missed Three Kings Day here at The Midnight Cafe! So, we'll be celebrating tonight, a day late.

Three Kings Day wraps up the 12 Days of Christmas and celebrates the Wise Men, who followed the star and came to see Jesus. Significantly, the wise men were Gentiles. So, Three Kings Day is a celebration of the Messiah coming to both Jews and Gentiles, for the salvation of the whole world.

So, tonight, we will light three candles, including one scented with frankincense, to represent the three wise men (though we know there may have been more), read the story of the wise men from the Bible, and listen to the song We Three Kings. 

There are many, many ways to celebrate Epiphany. I just heard yesterday of a family that invites all their friends to bring their Christmas trees and have a huge bonfire on Epiphany. It is a tradition for many families to take down their tree and Christmas decor on this day. Some surprise their children with a few small gifts under the tree that are revealed once the tree is lifted from its stand.

Three Kings Day is commonly celebrated in Hispanic traditions with a King Cake, which hides a figure of the baby Jesus. This represents the flight of the child Messiah from King Herod. The person who finds the figure is supposed to invite everyone to their home for a party on February 2nd, 40 days after Christmas, and serve tamales and atole.

Three Kings Day is a great day for making star crafts with the kiddos:

http://annekata.com/2010/11/tutorial-super-simple-paper-stars/

 

http://www.thecraftycrow.net/2011/05/paper-bead-stars.html

Jesse Tree 2012 - The Fourth Week

The fourth week of Advent begins with the lighting of the fourth candle, the candle for love. This is the week we celebrate the arrival of Love. God is love. Emmanuel, God with us...Love with us.

This is also a short week, since Christmas is on Tuesday! Here's what we are planning for our week:

Sunday, December 23rd, 2012
Tonight's reading is about the angels coming to the shepherds and the shepherds visiting Jesus. 
  
Possible Readings:
The Children's Illustrated Bible (Hastings) - The Shepherd's Visit

Ann Voskamp's Advent Devotional - Day 27

Alternate Reading:
The Jesse Tree (McCaughrean) - Angels
 
Symbols:
Angel and Shepherd's Staff or Sheep 


Monday, December 24th, 2012
The final reading is about the Wise Men.
 
Possible Readings:
The Children's Illustrated Bible (Hastings) - The Wise Men

Alternate Reading:
The Jesse Tree (McCaughrean) - The Brightest Star
Symbol:
Star


Tuesday, December 25th, 2012
There are no readings specified for Christmas Day. But, you may choose to read the story of the birth of Jesus one more time. Maybe you have a special book set aside for this, or maybe you want to read directly from scripture. We like to light all 4 candles and the center candle when we get up in the morning...before going to the grandparents house and starting our festivities for the day.

Merry Christmas!

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 See other posts about the Jesse Tree and Advent by clicking the label "Jesse Tree" or "Advent" at the bottom of this post.
 

Photo Highlights from Chanukah

Gluten Free Sweet Potato Latkes - Try them with Beets!

These were the best! So delicious! My family raved and raved (and ate and ate). Eaten alongside the homemade applesauce from this summer, they were the perfect Chanukah meal!

Gluten Free Sweet Potato Latkes

3 Large Shredded Sweet Potatoes (this made about 6 cups - maybe more)
6 eggs (enough to get everything moist because the eggs hold it all together)
1 cup Bob's Red Mill gluten free all purpose flour (or GF flour of your choice)
1t. salt

Mix it all together. Fry in 1/4-1/2 inch of coconut oil! If you keep to a medium/low heat coconut oil does not burn or smoke and the latkes get crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. 

We ate them with applesauce and slices of sharp white cheddar cheese. Enjoy!

Edited to Add: These are also quite tasty with half beets & half sweet potatoes!