Blog

13 04

Playdough fun for everyone

2020-12-16T16:26:21-05:00April 13th, 2020|

Hi Parents!

I hope this letter finds you all well.  If you are like me, you are running out of ideas to keep your child engaged while staying in.  I thought I would share some ideas that can re-fresh some things that you have in the house already.

I had shared a playdough recipe with you in the first letter I sent (don’t worry, I am attaching it to this one as well!), and I thought I would send some fresh ideas for playing with that.  Kids always love playdough, even the big ones!  When playing with the playdough add some beads, small toys, straws, toothpicks, etc. to the area. Your child can use these things to decorate their creations. There are several bug themed mats attached to this letter.  Each mat can be printed and put in a sleeve protector or, if you have a laminator at home, laminated. The playdough mats are fun because the child can create his/her own “new” bug or create one that they have seen before. It is a great way to build vocabulary and talk about different experiences that you have had with bugs.  You can also go on a bug hunt when you are out for a walk or in the yard (with proper social distancing please!).

Another fun way to play with the bug theme and get some much-needed energy out is to play “Bug Crawl”.  When the name of a bug is called the child tries to “walk” like that bug.  Don’t make yourself crazy with being sure whatever you call out is actually an insect…it’s ok to use spider and worm.  Get creative with your kids and play along! butterfly, legs, play,  snail, web

Looking forward to next week, save your egg cartons!  I have a really neat art project I am going to share with you.

Be on the look out for some announcements about interactive sessions with me over the next few weeks!  I am very excited about what we are going to do!

In the meantime, be safe, stay at home, remain calm, and try to enjoy this time with your child. You will never get it back again.

Becky

 

9 04

Work out of the day-Tammy

2020-12-16T16:05:36-05:00April 9th, 2020|

Our third workout of the day on YouTube is now available. Join our group exercise instructor, Tammy as she leads you through four different block workouts. No equipment needed.

Tammy’s class is about 50 minutes long. Join her workout here

8 04

Workout of the Day-Terry

2020-12-16T15:53:44-05:00April 8th, 2020|

Our second workout of the day on YouTube is now available. Join our group exercise instructor, Terry as he leads you through a yoga workout. The only equipment you need is a chair/sofa & a pillow to use for props.

Terry’s class is about an hour long.  Join his workout here

 

 

 

6 04

Recipe of the Day

2020-12-16T15:52:00-05:00April 6th, 2020|

Smokey and Spicy Cauliflower Tacos: A yummy taco full of flavor.
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 head cauliflower cut into small pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic unpeeled
  • 1 Tbsp butter melted
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • Salt and pepper
  • 8 tortillas
  • 1 cup cheese grated
  • 1/2 cup salsa

Instructions:

  • Turn the oven to 400 °F.
  • In a medium-sized roasting pan, arrange the cauliflower pieces and the unpeeled cloves of garlic. Pour the butter over the cauliflower and then sprinkle the spices over top. Use your hands to thoroughly coat the cauliflower with butter and spices.
  • Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how crispy you like the florets. Squeeze the roasted garlic throughout and trash the skins.
  • On medium high heat warm up the tortillas one or two at a time until light brown spots appear on both sides and they are pliable and just a little bit crispy.
  • Place two to three tortillas on each plate and fill with a generous serving of cauliflower. Sprinkle the grated cheese over top and drizzle with salsa or sauce of your choice.

Special thanks to Leanne Brown for this recipe! For more delicious budget-friendly recipes and a free PDF of her cookbook, Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day, please visit www.leannebrown.com .

FTC Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored

6 04

Mindfulness-Gratitude

2020-12-16T16:26:37-05:00April 6th, 2020|

Moments of gratitude. To build in time daily for positive recognition, decorate a jar or box and invite all members of the household to write down moments they are grateful for throughout the day. At scheduled or random intervals, choose one or more to read out loud. What are you grateful for today?

3 04

Recipe of the Day

2020-12-16T15:50:10-05:00April 3rd, 2020|

Roasted Veggies on Toast
Servings: 4

Ingredients for vegetables:

  • 3 cups summer squash
  • 1 cup leeks
  • 2 tbsps. olive oil or butter
  • salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for toast:

  • 4 slices bread
  • 2 tbsps. olive oil or butter
  • Grated romano or parmesan cheese
  • fried egg as topping (optional)
Instructions for vegetables:
  • Set the oven to 400 °F.
  • Clean and chop your vegetables. Generally, I prefer to leave the skin on for the following reasons: skin tastes nice and gets crispy; there’s a lot of nutrition in the skin; peeling is slow! Just be sure to wash the vegetables thoroughly.
  • Chop vegetables. It’s up to you how you want to chop your vegetables. Many are nice roasted whole—they will be crispy and salty on the outside and bursting with fluffy, starchy goodness inside. The general rule is that the smaller you chop things, the faster they cook, so try to keep everything about the same size so nothing cooks faster than anything else.
  • Dump your vegetables into a roasting pan. Drizzle everything with olive oil or melted butter—about 2 tablespoons per medium-sized roasting pan. Season generously with salt and pepper and add any other extras from the list at right. Use your hands to coat the vegetables thoroughly with the oil and spices.
  • Pop the pan into the oven for one hour or longer, but check on the vegetables after 45 minutes. Test them by poking them with a knife. If it meets no resistance, they’re finished; if not, let them cook longer. Don’t worry: it’s not much of a problem if you overcook them. Unlike vegetables overcooked through boiling or steaming, overcooked roasted vegetables may dry out a bit, but still retain their shape and flavor.
  • After you pull the vegetables out of the oven, push them around with a spatula to free them from the pan.
Instructions for toast:
  • Melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a small pan on medium heat.
  • Place the two slices of bread in the pan and let them cook for about 2 minutes, then lift them with a spatula to check whether they’re golden brown underneath. When they are, flip ’em over.
  • Add the rest of the butter to the pan to make sure the second side of the toast becomes just as golden as the first.
  • Sprinkle the top of the bread with salt and pepper.
  • Once the second side is golden, set the bread on a plate and add vegetables when they are ready.
  • Sprinkle with the grated cheese.
Special thanks to Leanne Brown for this recipe! For more delicious budget-friendly recipes and a free PDF of her cookbook, Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day, please visit www.leannebrown.com
FTC Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored
2 04

Recipe of the day

2020-12-16T15:49:54-05:00April 2nd, 2020|


Chocolate Zucchini Muffins: A hidden vegetable
Servings: 24
Ingredients:
  • 2 cups zucchini grated
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups oats
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon (optional)
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions:
  • Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
  • Cut off the round end of the zucchini (which is a little tough), but keep the stem to use as a handhold. Shred the zucchini with a box grater, stopping when you get to the stem.
  • Butter or oil 24 muffin tins, or just line them with muffin cups.
  • Measure the dry ingredients (flour, oats, cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt) into a medium bowl.
  • Mix the zucchini, eggs and yogurt in a larger bowl. Add the dry ingredients, then mix until everything is just combined. Add the chocolate chips if you’re using them, then stir once.
  • With a spoon, dollop the batter into the muffin tins until each cup is 3/4 full and bake for 20 minutes.
  • Pull the muffins out and poke with a toothpick or knife. If it comes out wet, bake the muffins for 5 more minutes. Let the muffins cool in their tins for 20 to 30 minutes, then eat them warm!
Special thanks to Leanne Brown for this recipe! For more delicious budget-friendly recipes and a free PDF of her cookbook, Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day, please visit www.leannebrown.com
FTC Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored.
2 04

READ TOGETHER

2020-12-16T16:17:10-05:00April 2nd, 2020|

Set time aside for reading. You can read the same book together, independently, or with the support of free online storytelling. This website here features celebrity storytellers that are known and loved.

1 04

Recipe of the day

2020-12-16T15:50:40-05:00April 1st, 2020|

Veggies can be boring when you’re eating the same thing meal after meal. Try these fun spin on veggies. Cornbread Crusted Vegetables: Like fries but so much better.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
  • 1/4 lb green beans, stems cut off
  • 1/4 lb bell peppers (variety of colors cut into thin strips)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions:
  • Set the oven to 450 °F.
  • Remove stems from green beans and cut bell peppers into thin strips (dispose of seeds).
  • Set up your breading station! On one plate, spread out the flour. Crack both eggs into a bowl, add the milk and beat lightly with a fork. On another plate, spread the cornmeal, salt, black pepper, paprika and garlic powder and mix them up with your fingers.
  • Spread a small amount of oil or butter across a baking sheet.
  • A few at a time, take the green beans and bell pepper strips and dredge them in the flour. Next, transfer the flour-covered beans to the egg mixture. Cover the beans and bell peppers lightly with egg mixture, being careful to shake off any excess egg. Then transfer to the cornmeal mixture and coat them evenly.
  • Carefully spread the crusted green beans and bell peppers onto the baking sheet. Repeat until you’ve done them all. If you run out of any of the three mixtures, just mix up a bit more.
  • Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden and crispy. Enjoy hot with your favorite dipping sauce!
Special thanks to Leanne Brown for this recipe! For more delicious budget-friendly recipes and a free PDF of her cookbook, Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day, please visit www.leannebrown.com
FTC Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored.

Contact Us

60 N. Ben Franklin Road
Indiana, PA 15701
724.463.9622 YMCA Phone
724.463.7622 Mack Park Pool Phone
724.465.2656 Fax

Hours of Operation

Monday – Thursday:
5:20 am –9:30 pm
*pool closes at 9:15 pm

Friday:
5:20 am – 8:00 pm
*pool closes at 7:45 pm

Saturday:
7:15 am – 6:00 pm
*pool closes at 5:30 pm

Sunday:
11:30 am – 4:00 pm
*pool opens at 12:00 pm and closes at 3:30 pm

*Please see the facility hours page for holiday hours*