You all know who makes this community hum, right? It's the ones who show up consistently, ask thoughtful questions, and spark conversations that keep us all thinking and growing. I want to give a great big thank you to @Paulette Ng for bringing creative energy and genuine connection to every thread. @Jen Staniforth who brings two decades of expertise and warmth that lifts everyone around her. @Sandy Chong shows up with curiosity and courage as a fellow baker. @Chanie Twersky creates space for real, meaningful dialogue and play. @Anna Murrietta brings wisdom from years of big-picture thinking and her grandparenting experience. @Brenda Chilstrom generously shares her expertise with such care. @Auli Takala bridges worlds and brings perspective from across the globe. And @Lyndal P shows up consistently to add thoughtfulness to our conversations. If you've been reading along, I invite you to jump in with a comment and join the magic.

Take a minute and swing with your kid. Those meetings can wait.

I’m writing this a little after 5:00 am on Saturday morning. The house is quiet, the tea is brewing, and while we are in different locales, I know @Sandy Chong and I are lining up ingredients and getting ready to bake. Today, @Henry Hunter has chosen Monkey Bread for our bake. I’m going classic sweet but he’s also provided four savory options. Have you ever had monkey bread? I used to make it for the kids- simple fast- yummy. A couple cans of biscuit dough, sugar, cinnamon, gooey yumminess. Today, I learn how to make it from scratch. The recipe looks pretty easy and is ideal for kids helping in the kitchen. I’m using this recipe: https://recipepantry.app/recipes/monkey-bread If you get adventurous and try it come on and share your results here. If you’re a curious baker, Henry is doing a recorded recipe session that you can use at home and then on Wednesday August 19, he’s doing a live session. Check the calendar for the time. Image from Pampered Chef. I can’t find my Bundt pan so I may use a cast iron skillet or loaf pan. Have you ever had monkey bread?

Welcome to Connected Through Play, we're so glad you're here! You've joined us at a great time, just before the Unplug & Play summit which starts on August 16. Let me introduce our new members, @Betsy Moll is a Long Covid coach bringing strategies for living fully rather than watching life pass by, and she's expecting a grandkid soon, perfect timing to explore play together. @Jenny Rader-Bakos is a plant-based chef and founder of Rooted & Wild, bringing sourdough passion and a genuine love for getting kids' hands in real food, her local granddaughter is already a fruit-and-veggie champion at 13 months! @Andrew Brooks teaches nutrition and metabolic reset through the Spirited Food Method and has a 14-year-old daughter who's his play partner. He and Jenny share a passion for using food as connection, and both will spark great energy around the dinner table as a teaching tool. @Ian Kirit is an RN with 30+ years of expertise in nursing informatics and leadership, now looking for play ideas for three kids (14, 11, and 6). His healthcare lens will bring fresh perspective to keeping families healthy and connected. @Elizabeth Raum is an author of nonfiction and novels for curious kids, speaking at the Unplug and Play event. Her readers are her "children in life," and she's bringing literary magic to our community. @Betsy Carey finds her greatest pleasure in sourdough and has three grandkids (13, 9, and 8) to share it with, I know she'll connect beautifully with the bread and baking crew here. @Lacey Capshaw is a Certified Baby-Led Sleep and Well-being Specialist helping families deepen connections and find joy in parenting, with a homeschooled child hungry for more connection points. She'll find a natural ally in @Jen Staniforth, a Paediatric Sleep Specialist who runs The Baby Sleep Skool.

One more trip to the fridge before we leave the kitchen and explore other themes in the summit. I am beyond thrilled that @Henry Hunter said yes to speaking at the summit. For those of you who have been here awhile, you've probably gotten used to my "On Saturday We Bake" posts, all due to the weekly bake along in his Crust and Crumb community. I'm honored that he is bringing us Bread as Science, a pre-recorded session that turns bread making into something families can explore together. Then, on Wednesday, August 19, from 12:00–12:45 PM CDT, he will join us live for an AMA. Bring your bread questions. Bring your science questions. Bring the story of the loaf that refused to rise. @Elliott Robertson will close our Culinary experiences with Playing in the Kitchen on Saturday, August 22, from 1:30–2:30 PM CDT. He also has the honor of being the final speaker of the event. Let's be sure to show up and cheer him on! I love that phrase: playing in the kitchen. It changes the goal. We aren’t chasing a perfect loaf, a flawless meal, or children who follow every direction. We’re experimenting, noticing, tasting, laughing, and figuring things out together. Elliott was one of the very first people to say, "Yes" when I posted about the summit several months ago. I have a feeling you're going to want to be there for his session on Saturday. Which of the six culinary sessions has you most intrigued?