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Archive for August, 2009

Boy’s First Trip to The Minnesota State Fair

August 31st, 2009

Minnesota State Fair

Real Dad Blog Version: This new dad took my 10-month-old son to get fat at the Minnesota State Fair.

Ever since I was a boy I have been going to the Great Minnesota Get Together better know as the Minnesota State Fair. I remember my parents taking me there, eating as many corn dogs I could and riding rides to my hearts content at the Mighty Midway. I have probably only missed five or six state fairs throughout my life. I love the people watching, the food and just walking around the fairgrounds. These memories I want to past down to my kids. My wife has agreed to join me on this venture since she loves the fair too.

Rylan and Jack, Friends at the Minnesota State Fair

Every year and every future year, I want to go to the Minnesota State Fair with my family. I am going to instill this yearly trip to my kids. It will be an annual thing we do. We took Rylan to his first Minnesota State Fair yesterday. Being only ten-months-old he had his first taste of a corn dog and a chocolate Dairy Barn Milkshake. These are the two things I get every year at the fair. A milkshake is probably not the best thing to give to your 10 month old but he sure loved the thing. That is one of those things I will not tell the doctor at his 1-year-old doctor appointment.

Going around in style at the Minnesota State Fair

Even though Rylan will not remember a thing about going to his first Minnesota State Fair, I will have the memory of sharing one of my favorite things in the world with him, going to the Minnesota State Fair. I hope someday my love the State Fair will be passed to Rylan and our future kids. I am excited for them to remember their trips.

I just hope that by the time my kids get into their 20’s and 30’s, every single thing at the fair, is not required to be on stick. I can’t believe that almost everything is made on a stick. When I first started going to the fair it was still just the corn dog and pronto pup.

Time for me to start running off all those calories I ate yesterday. Since being a dad I honestly cannot eat like a 17 year old anymore.

A little side fact about the Minnesota State Fair: It has the largest daily attendance of any the states fairs. Texas has the most per fair, but Minnesota has the most people per day. 1.6 million people visit in the 10 days it is open.

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Mom’s Garden Dad’s Work – How to Freeze Tomatoes

August 29th, 2009

How to Freeze Tomatoes - A Dad's Journey

Real Dad Blog Version: Built a garden for Melissa. Of course, I was put to work. Squeezing tomatoes can be fun.

For Melissa’s Mother’s Day present, I built her a garden. It was a lot of fun, hands-on activity putting it together. The boy in me loves to get dirty. In the garden we planted carrots, onions, a variety of peppers, green beans, and tomatoes. We pick many of our vegetables and freeze them winter use.

Peeling Tomatoes after Boiling Tomatoes

When I built her this garden I said that you have to do all the work on it. I knew that was not going to happen. I am now the certified get the spider out of here so I can pick the green beans guy and the king of putting dirt back of the onions when the rain washes the dirt away. I actually do not mind working on the garden, but complaining about it makes the story better.

With the cooler than normal weather in Minnesota, the tomatoes are finally starting to ripen. Melissa started a collection of tomatoes on the counter to freeze when she had some time. Of course, that time never came. Guess who got stuck freezing the tomatoes. Yep, you got it, this dad. The real story is that she was doing something parenting related and she asked me to do it. I, of course, never froze tomatoes. I got to get dirty so I decided to do it.

How do you freeze tomatoes?

Wives: Grow, weed, and pick tomatoes (Simple step)
Leave the tomatoes on the counter for your husband to freeze
Boil the tomatoes for 30 seconds
Put them directly into an ice bath
Peel the skin off. This is fun, easy and you will get dirty
Cut the tomatoes in half
Squeeze the juice out of the tomatoes and get out most of the seeds
Put the squeezed tomatoes in the freezer bag
Your wife will put the tomatoes in the freezer for later use

Dad Blog Squeezing Tomatoes before Freezing

I am excited to make pizza sauce and tomato sauce out of the frozen tomatoes this winter. So dads, if you want to get dirty with your kids, freeze tomatoes. I would have had Rylan squeeze tomatoes with me but it was his bedtime. Since I am losing the title of the master of the remote, I am now gaining the title King Squeeze Tomato. I just hope that I do not get the term of endearment King Squeeze.

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