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Hi, Amped for Campers! Matt is here once again to say HELLO in today's MORNING ANNOUNCEMENT! ...where is he this time? YOU gueSSeD it! Niagra Falls!

YOUR MISSION TODAY FOR THE AMPED FOR CAMP CALL at 2pm:
Come to the screen ready to play CATeGoriES! ...you'll challenge your own quick thinking against your friends on the Zoom screen!

Parents: Help your child join us later on our AMPED FOR CAMP CALL (On Zoom daily at 2pm!) - Link and more information about the CAMP CALL is on the schedule for 2pm if you'd like to look ahead to be best prepared and use this platform safely.

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Oh, we've got something for you alright! find some newspaper and make a pair of shoes! Sounds crazy?? Yes...but you wouldn't believe the amount of fun you'll have - you'll also probably want to wear your masterpiece!

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Less people are buying newspapers now, reading news online......thank goodness those that do, are willing to donate them to schools. In the past they would be used for keeping table clean. But by the end of the summer term they are sculptures, technological constituents and objects of great desire. SHOES

Pixie boots, clown shoes, moccasins, flip flops, moon boots. It seemed the list was endless ( unlike the cellotape)

Teachers dreamed of elegant cocktail parties, and long summer weddings.

Pupils worked together in small groups. The brief was simple - one shoe, to fit a member of the team, must come on and off.

The challenges were endless.

Making newspaper as strong as leather without relying on the tape, folding, joining, crumpling, making laces, buckles, football boot studs, heels, bows and bells. And only using scissors for cutting the tape.

We had to stop the children wearing them home!

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Less people are buying newspapers now, reading news online......thank goodness those that do, are willing to donate them to schools. In the past they would be used for keeping table clean. But by the end of the summer term they are sculptures, technological constituents and objects of great desire.

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Have you ever wondered what it takes to get a baseball field ready? Our friends at New Windsor Recreation show us a behind the scenes glimpse! It's a great skill to learn and appreciate at your next game :)

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Relax for ten minutes and appreciate the beautiful watercolor illustrations as author, Jackie Reynolds (Bee Bee the Clown), reads aloud her uplifting book, Springtime: Refresh Your Soul and Renew Your Spirit. A springtime morning when seen through the eyes of a child transforms birds, flowers, and clouds into a magical circus.

This illustrated
book is available in softcover and on Kindle at
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0875XK3NY.

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Springtime by Jackie Reynolds: An uplifting illustrated audio book

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Explore some new Super Fun Summer Smoothies you can add to your recipe collection this summer!

Nothing is better than the taste of an ice cold smoothie on a hot summer day...as a matter of fact, we're going to make one...PRONTO! Head to the kitchen and give one a try!

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Enjoy classic treats in smoothie form! These four fun drinks are inspired by blueberry muffins, PB&J, mint chip ice cream, and peaches & cream.

Every so often, I get on these mean green daily smoothie kicks that, in all honesty, can get a little TOO green over time. The kick starts with delicious well-balanced smoothies, but as the days go on, I start cutting corners. I add too much liquid so that the blender will blend fast, leaving me with a watery smoothie. And speaking of water, that's what I use when I run out of almond milk. I add ice in the name of "thickness," and I start skipping all ingredients that actually add flavor. What I (we) are left with to drink first thing in the morning is basically a Kale Icy. I know that sounds like it might be good and healthy, but it's really not - we gulp down these leafy drinks and are hungry a few hours later.

But, now that it's summer, I've decided to re-up on my smoothie game - these new recipes are SO delicious, and they're inspired by four of my favorite summer treats: blueberry muffins, peaches & cream, PB&J sandwiches, and mint chip ice cream. In other words - smoothies worth waking up for! For this post, I've teamed up with Whole Foods Market to try out some new plant-based protein powders. Their supplements are often on sale, click here to check out the sales flyer for your local store!

First up: Blueberry Muffin Smoothie

This smoothie is the next-best thing to cake for breakfast! Its muffin-like flavor and thickness come from whole rolled oats. It's naturally sweetened with dates and a pinch of cinnamon. I used Whole Foods Market™ Plant-Based Fit Protein, which makes this a well-balanced breakfast full of plant protein (pea protein, cranberry protein, and hemp seed protein). It also has a little pick-me-up from the green coffee bean and green tea extracts that are in the powder. I snuck a handful of spinach into this smoothie too - it's pretty undetectable.

Peaches & Cream Pecan Smoothie

I love peaches more than any other fruit on the planet, so this is by far my favorite smoothie. When I first made it, I tasted it and said, "this is ice cream!" It works with almond milk or coconut milk, and the pecans make it rich and creamy. The Whole Foods Market™ Plant-Based Fit Protein adds nice vanilla and cinnamon flavor along with its protein boost. I like to make this one really thick and eat it with a spoon. Beyond breakfast, I'll eat this smoothie for dessert any day.

Last week while making these, I basically raided the Whole Foods supplement aisle to test out the protein powders that would best compliment my summer smoothies. In the end, I chose 2 favorites - both are both fantastic plant-based protein options that have great texture and complimentary and/or neutral flavors. Whole Foods Market™ Plant-Based Fit Protein works especially well in the Blueberry Muffin and Peaches & Cream Pecan smoothies. 365 Pea Protein is great in these last 2 smoothies - Strawberry PB&J and Mint Chip - because its flavor is so neutral.

Strawberry PB&J

Berries and peanut butter (or almond butter) is a go-to smoothie combo for me, but I never get sick of it. It always reminds me of a PB&J sandwich, and it always leaves me full until lunch. To thicken this smoothie, I used chia seeds and 365 Everyday Value® Pea Protein. I added a bit of spinach to this one as well - just enough to keep it pink. If you add too much spinach it will turn brown, but it's still delicious.

Mint Chip Smoothies

This smoothie reminds me of summer as a kid because my sister always ordered mint chocolate chip ice cream (I was a cookies & cream girl). To make it creamy, I used coconut milk frozen into ice cubes, dates, and 365 Everyday Value® Pea Protein. Its green color comes from a few handfuls of spinach and a good handful of mint. In lieu of chocolate, cacao nibs make this a healthy breakfast treat.

Want more smoothie ideas? Try this smoothie bowl or this coffee smoothie!

Super Fun Summer Smoothies!

Recipe type: Breakfast, smoothie

1 ½ cups frozen blueberries

3 tablespoons whole rolled oats

3 soft medjool dates

Handful of fresh spinach

½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon Whole Foods Market™ Plant-Based Fit Protein

6 ice cubes

¾ to 1 cup almond milk or light coconut milk, or as needed to blend

optional garnishes: fresh blueberries, oats, crushed almonds

For each smoothie - blend ingredients in a blender. Use the blender's baton (if you have one) to help. Add more almond milk as needed. The key to a thick smoothie is to add enough liquid to move your blender blade, but not too much to make the smoothie thin and watery.

2 peaches, sliced and frozen

2 heaping tablespoons pecans

2 soft medjool dates

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1 to 2 tablespoons Whole Foods Market™ Plant-Based Fit Protein

¼ cup light canned coconut milk, or additional almond milk

¾ to 1 cup almond milk, or as needed to blend

optional garnishes: coconut cream, sliced fresh peaches, crushed pecans

2 cups frozen strawberries, plus 2 fresh strawberries, sliced for garnish

Small handful of fresh spinach

1 tablespoon chia seeds

3 soft medjool dates

2 tablespoons peanut or almond butter

2 to 3 tablespoons 365 Everyday Value® Pea Protein

1¼ cups almond milk, more as needed to blend

optional garnishes: sliced strawberry, drizzle of peanut butter, chia seeds

4 frozen coconut milk ice cubes

1½ cup frozen spinach leaves

¼ cup mint leaves, frozen

3 soft medjool dates

1½ tablespoon cacao nibs

3 tablespoons 365 Everyday Value® Pea Protein

1 to 1½ cup almond milk, or as needed to blend

optional garnishes: coconut cream, mint leaves, cacao nibs

This post was created in partnership with Whole Foods Market. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that keep us cooking!

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Super Fun Summer Smoothies! Recipe - Love and Lemons

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Enjoy classic treats in smoothie form! These four fun drinks are inspired by blueberry muffins, PB&J, mint chip ice cream, and peaches & cream. Every so often, I get on these mean green daily smoothie kicks that, in all honesty, can get a little TOO green over time.

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These daily 2pm AMPED FOR CAMP CALLS will be a quick 'hello' opportunity and encourage your child to share with some Amped for Camp Friends!

YOUR MISSION TODAY:
Come to the screen ready to play CATeGoriES! ...you'll challenge your own quick thinking against your friends on the Zoom screen!

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89827896886?pwd=SjMzeXVLSDl4QlpFS2lKR3pGOE1pQT09

Meeting ID: 898 2789 6886

Parents: in order to be as safe as possible, the password to the Zoom Call is posted in our private AMPED FOR CAMP COMMUNITY Facebook Group found HERE. Please join the group to get the best experience this summer! We always want to make sure children have parent permission before using Zoom and encourage you to hop on with them if possible!

We can't wait to meet you, allow our kids a platform to share, and create our AMPED FOR CAMP COMMUNITY this summer!

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Ask your parent to share some pictures of how AMPED you are on our AMPED FOR CAMP COMMUNITY Facebook Page HERE! Your photos could be featured on a summer slideshow!

We would love to connect our AMPED FOR CAMP families as we dive into a unique summer together.

Thanks for joining us today and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!

No matter WHAT, we are AMPED FOR CAMP!