Have a vegetable hater in the house? Then you need to try roasted carrot coulis. Seriously. If there ever was a recipe that shows off all the glory of healthy veggies (besides a salad), it’s this one. A quick rough chop of sweet carrots, savory red bell peppers, and spicy sweet sliced onion — roasted...
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Being a mom is hard work. Really hard work!! I love my children, but that doesn’t make it easy. As moms our help and support is in constant demand … but you can’t give from an empty cup. (Unless the cup is filled with wine … I kid, I kid!) I’ve learned from experience that...
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Click here to read 20 Lucky Shamrock Crafts for Kids to Make this St. Patrick’s Day on Hands On As We Grow
Make fun shamrock crafts for kids to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!
St. Patrick’s day is full of fun and laughter for adults, lots of green beer, right? St. Patrick’s day is one of the two times a year my small town has a parade. We take it as a sign of spring and it makes us all happy to get outside and enjoy the fresh air.
After such a hard and very cold winter, I can’t help but wait and wait for the day that spring will come. I feel like it will be a really lucky day.
What better way to prepare for that lucky day than with some shamrock crafts for the kids to make?!
P.S. So many of these shamrock crafts for kids to make are from the Hands On As We Grow archives. Some ideas other hands on moms who submit their craftiness. Lots of hands on moms submit their crafty ideas, as well as fun activities, here on Hands On As We Grow.
Plus some are just from my favorite blogs that I couldn’t leave out!
Shamrocks means spring is getting close! There’s so many fun spring crafts for kids to make this time of year!
At any point during 2017, the status on Miura's Facebook page could have listed its status as "In transition."
Miura's calling card had always been forged blades and players' cavity-backs along with high-performance wedges. This helped it to establish a cult-like following with better players, but at times, Miura seemed reticent to deviate from this script, due in part to the exceptionally loyal fan base.
But change was inevitable and frankly, necessary for Miura to retain relevance as other OEM's (Epon, PXG, amongst others) pushed performance boundaries while blurring once rigid category definitions.
The small family business started by Katsuhiro Miura in 1957, acquired a new investor in Howard Milstein and named Hoyt McGarity, CEO of True Spec Golf, as president of its North American operations.
Now as 2018 begins to unfold, consumers are starting to see some tangible evidence of where Miura might be headed and how its reorganization will impact the final product.
This year Miura is primed for three equipment releases, the first being the MC-501 irons ($260/each MAP), which are available 3-PW for right-handed players only. This is Miura's first entirely new iron design (since the 1957 CB series) and aims to prove itself worthy of the self-proclaimed title "The Modern Blade."
Say's McGarity, “Although blade models typically target a specific skill set, Shinei wanted this new model to appeal beyond just the low-handicap player.”
Traditional blade irons offer golfers maximum shot-shaping control by centering mass behind impact coupled with a relatively high CG. With that, the typical opportunity cost of workability is forgiveness. The MC-501 will never be mistaken for a game-improvement club, but engineers have taken several steps to maintain the traditional elements of a muscleback iron while boosting performance on off-center strikes.
With the MC-501, engineers sculpted channels into the muscle of the club, carving out 20 grams of weight, which is repositioned in the sole. The result the longest total blade length of any Miura blade model (which is still quite compact by industry standards) and a lower CG which generally leads to higher launch with lower spin.
The company line seems to suggest this is a cavityback iron in muscleback clothing. I'd say it is more a muscleback and a half. The MC-501 lacks the forgiveness one would expect from a perimeter-weighted cavityback iron on heel/toe misses as well as shots struck high on the face (noticed this particularly in the rough). However, if your miss is generally limited to thin shots, the additional repositioned weight makes an appreciable difference.
In my individual testing, it didn't take long to figure out the MC-501's personality. It's effectively a marginally more forgiving muscleback iron and isn't for the player who struggles to find the center of the face. The Y-grind (Y denotes the grinds creator, Yoshitaka Miura) softens and blunts the leading edge to promote cleaner turf interaction, especially for those with a steeper angle of attack. Because perimeter weighting is virtually nonexistent, manipulating ball flight and trajectory is quite enjoyable, but caveat emptor, the guts of the MC-501 are still that of a muscleback. Slight alternations in face angle and swing plane will produce pronounced changes in ball flight.
Simply, the MC-501 is an iron which will respond best to players who like to work the ball but could benefit from a bit more launch and/or whose primary miss is thin.
I think there's a tendency for the golfing public to get too far out over their skis with irons like the MC-501. Because forgiveness is emphasized and touted as a selling point, some will take this to mean it's a viable option for the majority of golfers. It's not. It's still a niche product, best suited for accomplished players or competitive amateurs.
This is an iron with divisive curb appeal. Some Miura traditionalists won't like it because it doesn't look like the MB-001 or Baby Blade - or any number of classic blade style irons. Others will note the deli-sliced thin topline and still quite compact footprint and see, for lack of a better descriptor, the "X" styled cavity as dynamic and different enough to stand out in a good way. The copper-nickel satin finish is pure, and each head is still forged at Miura's factory in Himeji, Japan from soft S25C carbon steel.
Regardless, it doesn't look entirely like MB's from Miura's past, but it's not supposed to.
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The MC-501 reminds me of an iron which is well over a decade old – Mizuno's MP-32. The purpose of both is relatively similar (muscleback aesthetics and cavityback performance achieved largely by repositioning weight from the cavity to the sole) even if the exact engineering is not. What the MP-32 did for Mizuno was to attract a set of golfers who didn't have the game for the MP-33s or MP-67s but wanted to bag clubs which looked (mostly) like them. Similarly, the MC-501 could pull in a contingent with the game to comfortably play a club like Miura's CB-57 or PP-9003, but want something which, at face value, looks like a muscleback.
Change is as uncomfortable as it is unavoidable. Katsuhiro Miura's two sons (Shinei and Yoshitaka) will continue to play a more significant role in product design and because Miura wants to attract a wider swath of golfers, future releases (this year included) will almost certainly look different than previous ones. Some will laud a more modern and inclusive approach, while others will criticize and decry the moves as evidence Miura is moving an uncomfortable distance from its roots.
It's a challenging position for Miura. There's a tenuous balance to be struck which honors its heritage and history while taking measured steps forward to address existing gaps – namely equipment to draw in higher handicap golfers.
This is the beginning of Miura's redefinition. Do you like what you see?
Ever heard of switchel? It is a fermented beverage that hasn’t seemed to gain the popularity of kombucha … yet (though I suspect it will soon!). It relies on pre-fermented apple cider vinegar and does not have a long fermentation process like kombucha or kefir do, making it a great first drink for anyone new to...
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I know the Olympics are over, but Bridgestone Golf may have just copped the Gold in Synchronized Stealth Marketing.
It was so stealthy that unless you were actually reading Twitter yesterday instead of just doing the scan-and-scroll two-step, you’d have missed it entirely. Most OEMs will at least drop us a postcard or throw us a line for even the smallest update or release, but Bridgestone is seemingly trying to sneak its new driving iron into the marketplace.
And yes, they’re calling it a driving iron instead of the more politically correct utility iron.
Don't look for Bridgestone's Tour B X-HI at retail: you won't find it. The new driving iron is an extremely limited release that’s available only on Bridgestone’s website, and once they’re gone, they’re gone.
Sort of.
“It’s an in-line product in Japan,” says Zack Kupperbusch, Bridgestone’s golf club product manager. “We wanted to bring it in over here in limited quantities to test the popularity. Assuming it sells well we’ll look to bring it in as a full line release in the near future.”
This is Bridgestone’s first release in this growing niche since the J33 Air Muscle; a club Kupperbusch says customers still ask about.
“From working with shaft companies and gauging the market, we feel like the driving iron category is making a comeback. We wanted to get in front and see how well this would be received.”
I doubt a 2018 test market run of a product line that’s been pretty much on everyone else’s radar since 2012 or so qualifies as getting in front of it, but the fact is if you want one, you better hurry.
The Tour B X-HI as currently constituted is available only in a 20-degree model and comes stock with a Golf Pride MCC grip, the KBS Tour Hybrid Prototype shaft and an impressive array of no-upcharge options. And at $189.99 it's a relative bargain in its category - not bad for a product Bridgestone admits is being test marketed.
“We’re being really aggressive with the price,” adds Kupperbusch, “because we want to see how quickly we can sell-through this first batch of inventory. If it sells pretty quickly, then hopefully we can bring more in as a full-line product."
The Japanese versions sell in 18, 20 and 22-degree models. Bridgestone isn’t releasing much information regarding technical details, other than to say it’s hollow-bodied construction that’s thicker all around with a wider sole, like most other driving irons, er, I mean utility irons.
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Given Bridgestone's standing in equipment market share, this type of release makes sense, especially considering the niche: gauge the market's appetite for the particular product at that particular price before making a bigger investment.
The Bridgestone Tour B X-HI is available only on Bridgestone’s website and in extremely limited quantities.
Bridgestone’s business is getting curiouser and curiouser. Weeks ago the company announced a record-setting year in terms of ball volume sales, which was followed by persistent rumors of red ink on the North American bottom line. We’re also hearing about new Tiger-centric marketing initiatives, and no doubt the gang in Covington had to be pleased with Tiger’s performance, and the ever-obsequious coverage by CBS at the Honda over the weekend.
Also, Bridgestone CEO Angel Ilagan has been a vocal proponent of rolling back the ball on the PGA Tour, which seems to be picking up steam with the USGA. A ball manufacturer calling for a dialed-back, standardized tour ball gives the cynics among us plenty of fodder for late night debates.
On the equipment side - a tiny fraction of Bridgestone's overall business - the company is making its premium Tour B metal woods and irons available online after a year of exclusivity with a select network of club fitters. We also hear rumors of an overhaul of the old-ish JGR metal woods and irons offering.
Given the face-plant Bridgestone endured following the J15 release, it's easy to understand limited edition test marketing for new equipment, particularly with something as niche-oriented as a driving iron. 2017 was a busy year for Bridgestone, and it appears 2018 will be as well. The company remains #3 in ball market share and, despite solid performers in virtually every category, it remains on the outside looking in when it comes to equipment.
Balls are where the money is, and Bridgestone will need to be creative to maintain its market position. The company appears to be taking a very conservative, low-risk approach on the equipment side, which - given its history - is a prudent move.
Click here to read Follow-the-String Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Kids on Hands On As We Grow
An indoor scavenger hunt for kids is switched up with a little string and letters.
In an attempt to keep bringing the same fun for my younger kids, we just redid this string indoor scavenger hunt to spell your name with George.
Whether its their name, or finding little gems you’ve hidden along the way, it doesn’t matter. But having them find the letters of their name just adds a little fun learning twist.
To begin, I weaved yarn in and out, under and over, our dining room table and chairs.
I pulled the chairs away from the table toward the edge of the room.
Find 32 scavenger hunt ideas for kids that they’ll love to hunt for!
I started the string at one of the room by tying it to a chair.
Then strung it through the chair backs, legs, table legs, and so on throughout the room.
I weaved it so that George would have to step over chairs, bend and crawl under the table to follow the string.
I have letter foam stickers that I stuck to little pieces of paper. (You could just write letters on paper instead.) I made enough to spell his name.
I clipped those letters onto the string. I put them in order of his name, but he didn’t spell his name as he was going. It was done at the end, so the order doesn’t really matter.
From the starting point of the yarn, George ran his hand along the yarn to find his way through the course.
I guess this is more of an obstacle course than a scavenger hunt. But he searched for the letters of his name as he went through.
That was the main rule I had for the activity, to keep his hand on the string so he’d know where he was at (and not skip over to the string next to it and miss out!).
At the end, he spread out his findings to spell his name!
Here’s his version from a few years ago.
During nap time, I set up this simple ‘follow the string’ indoor scavenger hunt for kids.
I strung yarn around the room (a couple of rooms actually).
Looping it through furniture and toys, creating a tangled mess.
I found this string scavenger hunt idea for outside awhile back from Ready. Set. Read! but recently saw another similar scavenger hunt at Having Fun at Home with ribbons.
Find all sorts of scavenger hunt ideas for kids here.
With clothespins, I pinned stickers and letters to hunt for along the course of the string.
Henry awoke and instantly began climbing through, over and under the strings.
He wasn’t really sure what I had intended with this mess.
Luckily, during a quick potty break, I explained the rules:
Henry continued his climbing over and under each string as he came across it.
Crawling under the table where the string took him.
Finding treasures as he came across them.
In the end, the letters spelled his name (in order, but that didn’t matter since he wouldn’t put them down and they got all jumbled up in his hand).
There were also ‘treasures’ of Bob the Builder stickers.
Henry’s been continually playing with his machine (Bob the Builder) stickers as if they were toys.
Another indoor scavenger hunt for kids to do is search for letters and numbers! It’s great for matching upper and lowercase letters, along with practicing counting. Try it!
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Stress kills. No, really… Even if a person has all the other factors right, high levels of stress can derail health. Unfortunately, just knowing stress is a problem doesn’t fix it. It can even add to it! If you’re like me, the need to reduce stress just adds another item on the “to-do” list. Laundry…...
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Click here to read DIY Family Mailboxes for All Ages on Hands On As We Grow
Let your little one play mail carrier with DIY family mailboxes from Rachel!
My girls love to write notes and draw pictures for others. Having a special place to “mail” their letters makes it easier for everyone.
These DIY family mailboxes are an easy way to get the whole family creating together! They also provide endless opportunities for creating, learning, and connecting.
Check out these other family time ideas!
There are many ways to make DIY family mailboxes. It should be fun and relaxing, so definitely don’t make a trip to the store for supplies.
You can make it work with just about anything. We used those clasping full-size manila envelopes.
You could also use file folders – just staple the sides shut. Two pieces of cardstock or construction paper stapled on three sides would work, too.
Once you have your “mailbox” figured out, collect some items to decorate them and get creating! We used fine-line markers, dot markers, stamps, and stickers.
Make sure each mailbox has the owner’s name on it – other than that, everyone should decorate however they want!
Hannah’s name was added too early in the process and got covered up with her decorating skills. But we still know which one is hers!
You could skip the possible confusion by adding names last or using a white sticker label instead.
I hung our DIY family mailboxes on the inside of the pantry door using some removable adhesive squares.
Now, whenever anyone wants, they can draw a picture or write a note for a family member and slip it in their mailbox.
The girls are having so much fun with our DIY family mailboxes. They love creating mail for others and finding something in their mailbox.
The kids are having so much fun, they don’t even realize how much they are learning!
For Hannah (age 4), we talk about colors and shapes when she is making a picture for someone. She is also starting to get into letters, so we talk about letters while I help her write notes.
Emma (6) practices her handwriting, phonics, and spelling as she writes her notes.
Izzie (8) is obsessed with writing in cursive, so she practices her cursive and spelling with her notes.
So much learning and they don’t even think about it!
I am here today with Dr. Christopher Centeno, MD, who is an international expert and specialist in regenerative medicine. He’s at the forefront of research on using adult stem cells in orthopedics to repair common injuries and provide an alternative to painful and invasive surgery. I’m just starting to learn about the huge potential of...
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Several weeks back, we introduced you to Jacob Sanborn, Fourteen Golf's Wedge Wizard.
Now, you have the chance to help him design a one-of-a-kind custom wedge.
When Jacob picks your design, he'll build one for you and one for MyGolfSpy to give away on social media.
How to enter?
Comment below and tell us what you'd like to see. In X weeks, we'll announce the winner.
