Progressive Pioneer

The Friday Make and Do

Amy@ProgressivePioneer — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 05:10:00 -0700

I'm feeling spring in the air, how about you? Seems like the perfect weather for... seed bombs! Heart-shaped, of course. I've always wanted a walkway lined with lavender bushes. Here's a how-to for propagating lavender plants from cuttings. It would take another couple years to have a properly lined walk, but it's a great start! I definitely need this 25 minute pencil skirt (and some curves to go with it! I have no junk in the trunk. True story.) I'm kind of geeking about making your own apple cider vinegar mother! Scroll through and you can see pictures of it,...

How to Have a Family Date

Amy@ProgressivePioneer — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:44:12 -0700

Clay and I took the kids to Vertical Diner for a family date. We were a little nervous about how it would all go down, but it was such a blast. We're already planning our next outing. Here are eight things we'll be keeping in mind to make it go smoothly and be as fun and enjoyable as possible for everyone (parents and kids!). Length: Keep it short. We probably wouldn't take our kids to a full length meal out; their attention spans couldn't hold up that long. We ordered appetizers and dessert (and had them bring them at the...

Behind the Scenes

Amy@ProgressivePioneer — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:53:38 -0700

Last weekend I was making this dessert that I anticipated turning out all fabulous and impressive. As I mounded up the rich concoction of ground roasted almonds, fluffy egg whites and spices I was already patting myself on the back, "This is definitely going to be blog-worthy." I got out the camera and snapped a few shots. And then five minutes later I peeked in the oven to find this... Just thought you might enjoy seeing that not everything around here is blog worthy:) Have a great week! PS It still tasted decent, though not quite as amazing as I'd...

The Saturday Make and Do

Amy@ProgressivePioneer — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:40:47 -0700

Oops, sorry about that! I've been too busy making and doing to actually write about making and doing! Clay's family is in town and we've been to a historic farm, the library, made cookies, are making kites and planning more fun for tomorrow! How fun and cheerful is this sewn paper garland? I love it! The end of winter is definitely in sight, but I'm still on the lookout for indoor activities to keep my kiddos from climbing the walls. I love this idea, it's right up Sam's alley (remember his spider web?) and she's got some other fun ideas...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Amy@ProgressivePioneer — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:19:22 -0700

Just popping in to say, Happy Valentine's Day! The kids got a few treats this morning: some pink and red pipe cleaners (they are craft supply addicts!), a slinky, a jump rope and a little dustpan and broom (they love it, I swear!). I thought I'd share these sweet vintage valentines I've gotten from Clay over the years. The mix CD below was from when we were dating, of course:) I still love listening to the mixes he made me. And rereading his love letters; those were a big part of how he won me over. He writes the best...

Valentine Elves

Amy@ProgressivePioneer — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:38:00 -0700

The kids and I spent MANY hours addressing and decorating our Valentine postcards. Most of them made it to the mailbox in time. It was really fun to have Sam be more involved this year and add his own "greetings." It's amazing how many people move, split up, die or otherwise manage to change addresses throughout the year. It's a crazy scavenger hunt to try and round up all the current addresses, but I'm glad for the exercise; it helps me keep up with people that we might otherwise lose touch with. I love thinking about all the people (100+!)...