Spark of Love this Week: Dragonfly, Quotes, Tomatoes, Butterfly, Room, and Certification

This dragonfly.

Because Skylar caught it.  We let it go once we were done exploring it.

These quotes and sayings. 

Because it's fun to find little inspirational quotes in random places.  The fun of these sayings and quotes is how they brightened my day a little.

This tomato container.

Because I realized, after the tomatoes were gone I could use this little container for something wonderful later .

This little butterfly.

Because he fluttered about my office with such grace, I just had to share his beauty on SNORTH.

My son's room.

Because I have learned that a child's room doesn't have to be perfect, nor does it have to be spotless.  Let's face it, one day all of this will be missed.

Random Photo This Week:

Jeff's certification for his Firefighter I training.  

Eco-Tip:  Take time to learn about life when we didn't depend on electronics, electricity, self-serve, or even fast food.  Find out what life was like without all of this and then start to appreciate what you do have.  Life made more simple is the best way to life green.  For this and other tips on living a greener lifestyle visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

    

Chocolate Cranberry Chip Cookies

These cookies are super delicious and perfect for holidays coming!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 3/4 cup organic butter, softened

• 3/4 cup organic sugar, granulated

• 3/4 cup firmly, packed brown sugar

• 2 organic eggs

• 1 tsp. real vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup hot water

• 1/2 cup bran cereal

• 1 cup organic dried cranberries

• 1 (8oz.) pkg. semi-sweet, organic chocolate chips

• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°.  In a medium bowl stir together the dry ingredients and set aside.  In a large bowl mix together the wet ingredients.  Mix the dry ingredients with the wet stirring constantly and let rest 5 minutes.

Drop on a cookie sheet in rounded teaspoons, that's been covered with parchment paper.  Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.  Cool on wire rack and serve warm or store in an air-tight container.

Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.

Eco-Tip:  Instead of reaching for a Styrofoam cup or paper cup, reach for a mug instead.  There is over 25 billion Styrofoam cups thrown into landfills yearly and over 400,000 paper cups.[1]  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

    

Road Trip: Mid-America Science Museum in Arkansas

After walking through downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas the night before and spending the night in Caddo Valley we all decided the following morning to head over to the Mid-America Science Museum located at 500 Mid America Blvd. directly in Hot Springs.  I remember going to this museum as a kid and it seemed to be a huge place with tons of things to do.  Going there as an adult and taking my own son brought back a lot of childhood memories and we all had great time, for sure!

The time that we were there, the museum was doing a shipwreck and pirate display.

There was information about pirates posted everywhere.  

We took a shipwreck voyage in a simulator.

It was pretty bumpy......but interesting.

Sound waves vibrating water.

The hurricane south of Arkansas had brought a lot of wind and rain the day we went to the museum.  It was pretty wet the whole day.

Skylar got to pretend he was a building support structure.

How gravity works.

Flash shadows.

Skylar and Will.

 

This setup was a mess.  We got stuck, sweaty, and lost, but it was hilarious at times while we were all in there.  It was so comical watching my brother climb through the tunnels, haha.

This is what it looked like from the miniature model.  We climbed through all of it!

Will climbing through the tunnels.

Skylar leaving me behind, ha!

Skylar wasn't sure if he should cross the bridge.  We had to climb through without any shoes on too.

Determining Will's weight.  We ran out of bags.  HA!

Taking a leap of faith and drinking out of the toilet water fountain.  

The sign states:  "This exhibit challenges your mind to separate what you believe this common bathroom object is normally used for from what it is here:  A drinking fountain."

Melted glass.

The Tesla Coil:  Copper electrode sphere that ultimately produces lightning with sphere, spark, coil, and power supply.  It was created and invented by Nikola Tesla in 1892.  The one at Mid-America Science Museum is the 'World's Most Powerful Conical Tesla Coil' and is registered with the Guinness World Record.

Weight verses arm strength.

Marble run.  Skylar really liked this one.

Experiencing Hurricane-force winds.

Sailing the SS Republic.

Operating a robot retrieval arm to pick up sunken treasure.

Creating a tornado with your own strength.

Gold and doubloons recovered from the wreck of the SS Republic.

  

Skylar checking out the Koi.

Huge mason bee hive.

Trying to defy gravity with a marble.

What a fun and educational day!

Eco-Tip:  Turn off lights in rooms that you or someone else isn't using.  Why have a light on when there is nothing to see in the room.  If you must have some sort of light showing in a room, invest in a small watt night light.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.