2 fun with work ideas

Okay, so work is the focus for us this summer, but it doesn't have to be torture. The more I think about it the more I realize that teaching your children about team work (and just work in general) eliminates trouble with so many issues - sharing, sportsmanship, friendliness, the list goes on.

Saturday we washed the car as a family. So fun and my kids worked so hard! They loved sudsing up their sponges and each having their own special spot to clean. And of course, they loved getting wet. We did it early in the day so it was also very refreshing!

Today we all worked in the garden. Oh my gosh, the ideas that came to my head with this one. My youngest 2 just wanted to play with the hose, which is like UGH. Right? So I set it to a trickle and they were in charge of filling the watering cans. Genius. It took them forever but they did not care at all. And they didn't get soaked. And as an added benefit, they didn't come over with their little sand shovels and dig up all my mulch. Lol. My older 2 wanted to fill things with water too, and I realized it could have easily turned into a lesson on volume and measurements. Maybe next time. But they were very helpful in cleaning up - the sweeping and cleaning of garden tools, etc. No complaints! And the reward was a walk/ride on scooters and in the wagon and a nice big lunch. :)

Who else has been hard at work this summer, and what are your ideas?

Join me in the movement!

I've made a decision. We're not going to have a perfect summer... there will be no regular craft day, library day, activity day, baking day. That's right. I said it. We're not going to have a perfect summer! We're going to get in shape this summer, that's what we're gonna do. I'm gonna be a mean mom. Can you believe it? Me.

We'll be learning to make beds. We'll be learning to make breakfast and lunch for ourselves. We'll be learning to tie our shoes and put together our clothes for the day. We'll be learning to clean up the table after dinner. We'll be learning to fold!


I've got a lot more house to keep now and so I've decided... I'm not going to do it alone!

So there.













(Except I won't be totally mean, because you know that's not really who I am... I just wanted to sound tough and stuff... in fact, we ARE going to the library. This afternoon. We're just not going every week. And I don't feel guilty about it. At all.

Hmph.)

Ah, it's that time of year...

The rigamaroo comes to an end and summer begins. I have a couple fun ideas to help you start it out with a bang. The first is this gift basket I put together for my daughter's teachers. The card tucked into the pocket of the red gingham apron says "Thanks for helping Adriana's 3rd grade year to really "cook"!" And it has all sorts of baking goodies inside: a cherry printed potholder set, a spatula, and of course, the apron. All found in the dollar aisle at Target, my friends!



I also have this great recipe to share with you. I attended a baby shower last weekend and was asked to bring a fruit pizza. Let me tell you, this is the best recipe I have tasted, and it belongs to my sister-in-law.

Crust ingredients:
1 c softened butter
1 c powdered sugar
1/3 c sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 c flour
2 1/2 t baking soda
2 1/2 t cream of tartar
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 t almond extract

Filling ingredients:
16 oz. softened cream cheese (I bought whipped)
1 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
fresh fruit (recommended are peaches, strawberries, kiwi, bananas, mandarin oranges, grapes)

Orange sauce:
1/2 c sugar
1 c orange juice
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 t grated orange peel
1/4 t grated lemon peel
4 t corn starch

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325. Starting with the crust ingredients: cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, almond extract and beat well. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Blend thoroughly. Divide mixture in half. Flour hands and press into lightly greased pizza pans or shallow pie dishes. Bake 12-15 minutes. While that is baking, slice your fruit as desired. On to the sauce: combine ingredients except for peels into a small sauce pan. Heat over medium until thick. Add peels and then let cool. Prepare the filling: whip cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Spread over cooled crusts. Top crusts with fruit, covering well. Pour cooled sauce over the fruit. Enjoy!

Now, I will be on vacation for the next 2 or 3 weeks, whichever strikes my fancy. Lol. So blogging will be minimal (if at all). However, I will be reading and judging entries into Scribbit's Write-away Contest this month. Head on over there and check out this month's topic. I'd love to read what you've got!

Technorati tags: summer,fruit pizza,recipes,teacher gifts

Home Sweet Home

I'm back! And have so many random tidbits to share. We had a great time. Lake Tahoe was beautiful. Just beautiful. Truly the perfect summer spot. We swam in the lake and went hiking. My husband took the older kids river rafting and to Six Flags. I got my day in San Francisco (and saw a bear on the way home *shudder*), where my only goal (and just about the only thing we Bart novices accomplished) was to eat some gnocchi at E'Angelo's (hands down THE BEST Italian restaurant in the country, by the way). I also made my husband stop in Reno on the way home so that I could stock up on good travellin' eats at Trader Joe's (I've never been). It was all just perfection! (And sorry for so many parentheses.)

I learned that 3 days in the car with 4 children will either make or break you. It was tough. I mean, TOUGH. But I managed to make note of some funny things my kids said. And I have to share those, of course. Because if you can't laugh in hindsight at your unruly charming children, the population would be fast dwindling.

Day 1: Jonah keeps saying "This is the best day of my life!" (I should have asked him to remember that for days 2 and 3)

Day 1: While reading "Is there really a human race?", there came a part where mid sentence there was a page turn. Jonah just could not resist finishing it himself and made us all laugh right out loud: "If we don't help each other, we're going to..." (page turn) "JAIL!". Lol. (The word was actually "crash", and it's a cute book by the way, if you're searching.)

Day 2: We're using a restroom at a gas station and I (of course) ended up with both of the older children in my stall. My 5 year old is extremely impulsive and it didn't take him long to fidget the door open to innocent bystanders while I was still, er, "going". To add insult to injury, he says out loud, "Mom, you're STILL pooping?!" Ugh.

Day 2: The DVD they were all watching began to skip and Jonah throws up his hands and says, "That's it!"

Day 3: Jonah (this kid is full of funnies) was getting very restless, and we still had a few hours to go. Every hotel we passed he told us, "We could stay there! Oh oh, we could stay there!" So, in trying to redirect him, I said "Jonah, look at the beautiful clouds!" To which he sourly replied, "They're horrible!"

Day 3: Adriana, giving her father a sideways glance, says to me "Mom, I've got to talk to you in private. Can we have hot chocolate tonight?" (I admit it, I am "the fun parent".)

And I remembered my camera! (But we forgot the stroller. Sigh.)

My muddy buddies


Grandpop says something funny


Being silly with Aunt Emily


The most photogenic cousin


And again


This one's for Morning Glory


Feeling triumphant


Anyone know what these are? Wild geese?


Drewby sneezing (lol)


And discovering stars


The oldest and the youngest


Could they be cuter?


Beach babe


Fun in the sun


Lots of cousins

As much as I enjoyed my time away, it is good to be home. I'll be slowly making my way around to your blogs. Still getting my land legs back. ;)

"I need a vacation" pie

If you've seen the cute little movie Waitress, you get it. What do you think should go in my "I need a vacation" pie? Chocolate? Definitely.

Let's see. Preparation for this family reunion has required:

-portable menu planning (there will be 2.5 days of road travel, so we can't eat anything that is too crumbly, not self contained, or causes constipation)
-a collection of busy, formerly unknown activities
-the laundering of every item of clothing that we own, should anything need to be added to the suitcases at the last minute
-cleanage of the house (I always ask myself why on this one, but who wants their neighbors to think they're pigs? And who wants to walk in the door and be greeted with normal, everyday life so suddenly? No, I want to come home and be fooled into thinking I am happy to be back.)
-the gathering of buckets, towels and an emergency change of clothing for all (in case we have to endure another puke fest)

Our only cost for this little vacation will be:

-a new jar of marjoram (which Drew dumped all over my kitchen this morning while I was on the phone cancelling some appointments)
-5 lbs., at least
-several hours of sleep, as the day usally ends later and beginds earlier when you are travelling
-lots of patience (did I say we will be driving for 2.5 days? THERE AND BACK)
-10 days of blogging
-oh, and about $3,000.00

We will gain:

-funny memories (this year we actually have a stupid human trick to offer in the family talent show)
-a favorable tan
-some great pictures, if I remember my dadgum camera
-some semblance of a "break" (at least, that is what I am told)

Hmmm. Perhaps I will also need an "I need a vacation from my vacation" pie.


P.S. Woman to Woman will not be happening on July 24th. We will resume on August 14th.

Hot bread!

Today my kids and I are making bread for our neighbors. We'll be going on vacation later this week and are having them watch after Isabella (our kitty) and my flowers. Just thought we'd share this easy recipe with you!

We're still in the rising stage...

Combine:

2 c warm water
1/4 c sugar
2-3 T yeast (more in higher altitude)
1 T molasses or honey
2 T - 1/4 c oil
1 T salt (scanty)
1/2 c powdered milk
6 or more c flour

Knead 100 times (this is where the kids come in handy, lol!). Place dough in greased covered bowl in a warm place. Let rise to twice original size. Punch down. Let rise again. Punch down and form 2 loaves. Place loaves in 2 greased bread pans. Let rise. Bake at 425 for 30 mintues. Place foil over top after 10 minutes for a softer crust. Butter tops when done!

Enjoy!

Summer Snacks

Summer play stirs up quite the apetite. If you're looking to spice up snack time, here are some fun ideas for you.

*apples, sliced from top to bottom, core cut out with a small heart shaped cookie cutter
*pretzel rods with a large marshmellow on one end, dipped in PB and rolled in chocolate chips
*rainbow sprinkles over yogurt
*mini bagels, spread with PB and topped with thinly sliced apple slices
*english muffins, topped with tomato sauce, pepperonis and shredded mozarella - broiled
*made-to-order trail mix - favorite cereal, favorite dried fruit, favorite nut, and chocolate/PB/buttersctoch chips
*sushi treats - mold rice krispy treats into thick disc shape, wrap in a fruit roll up and stick a jelly belly in the center
*just about anything on a skewer - fruit, veggies, hotdogs and cheese, chicken and apples

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
We enjoyed our little trip very much... my brother-in-law's wedding. Here are a few pictures of me and my little flower girls.







I have a lot of blog reading to catch up on, so I am sorry if it takes me a while to get to you. Remember, tomorrow is Woman to Woman! We're writing about our favorite quote, so please join us!

Let them eat cake!

Every Monday, my children and I cook or bake together. Yesterday, in our hunt for something yummy, we came across these adorable cupcakes at Family Fun. And I got the idea to take it further by making a cookie sheet cake, with lily pads made of fondant, and these darling little frog eyes poking up all over the water. So today I will share my mother-in-law's delicious sheet cake recipe with you. It's come in handy in many-a-pinch! Then all you need to add to it is some blue icing for the water, fondant or green icing for lily pads, and green gumdrops/white chocolate chips/black decorator's icing for the eyes.

Your kids are sure to enjoy eating cake... just because!

Preheat oven to 400.

INGREDIENTS:
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 stick butter
4 T cocoa
1 c. water
1/2 c. oil
2 eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 t baking soda
1 t vanilla

PROCEDURE:
Combine last 4 ingredients and pour over dry mixture (flour, sugar). Add eggs, buttermilk (dissolve baking soda in 1t or so of the buttermilk first) and vanilla. Mix well and pour into greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING (if you prefer):
1 stick butter, melted
3 T cocoa
6 t milk
1 t vanilla
powdered sugar to spreading consistency

ENJOY!

------------------------------------------------------------------
I will be out of town for the rest of the week... I hope you all have a good one! Morning Glory at Seeds From My Garden will be introducing the next Woman to Woman topic. Visit her for details on Thursday, June 21st!

I am a great, big, sentimental sap! And proud of it...

I am one of those moms that get teary at very unexpected moments... I could simply be telling you about something funny one of my children said, and begin crying.

Jonah had his first swimming lesson on Saturday. I hired a private teacher so that he would be able to concentrate and retain what he learns. It will be important for him to learn good water safety skills as we will be vacationing around a lot of water this summer, and he is one impulsive little boy.

The place where we attend lessons is in a pretty rural area. And we go in the morning. The air was cool. There was a nice breeze and no blazing sun. It was very quiet outside, except for a farmer plowing off in the distance. And my little boy in the water with his instructor.

It is so nice to get a moment to focus exclusively on one of your children. I watched as he tenderly held onto his teacher's shoulders, who was trying to teach him to keep his legs straight back behind him when he kicked.

I realized, as I have time and time again, that he has the most heart warming smile... and eyeleashes that go on for miles. Then there is his cute, wrinkled up little nub nose, which will soon be speckled with freckles from days spent playing outdoors. And it wasn't long before, you guessed it, I was wiping the tears from my eyes. I thank the Lord for these unexpected moments when we are filled with so much love for our children!

You know, there was a time when I did not look forward to the summer months. Up until this summer, I've been mostly pregnant and on some form of bedrest, or caring for a newborn. And stressed. But this summer I am excited to spend quality time with my children, a lot of it one on one. And I think it will be the start of some very fun traditions... weekly baking, art activities, trips to the library, swimming...

Speaking of fun, it is time to announce the winner of my first summer give-away! I am pleased to announce that the custom made magnets will go to Morning Glory from Seeds From My Garden! Congratulations MG! I tell you, she is one lucky woman. She won the virtual chocloates and pedicure last summer for guessing what day Sasha would be born!

Stay tuned for more summer give-aways! You might want to find a way to brush shoulders with MG if you want to win! Lol!

Don't forget to join us for Woman to Woman tomorrow!

Random Book Review

Thursday is our library/reading day. Our library is fairly small. (Small enough that I've memorized where most children's titles are located; they've been in the same spot on the same shelves for 7 years). Most of our library days occur in the summer. I may wander in during the school year, but not with my kids. So today, when I came across some fun new books for them, (and by new I mean not your standard Eric Carle, Margaret Wise Bown or Sandra Boynton) I squeeled for joy. It appears that their collection has expanded considerably since last summer. So, I thought I'd share a couple of my finds with you and inspire you to curl up with your kiddos for some sure-to-delight summer reading.

This first book will tickle any artist's fancy. It's called The Dot, and was written by Peter H. Reynolds. I loved it's empowering message for self doubting children. My daughter never drew typical houses and flowers and trees, or liked coloring books with boundaries, so I could really appreciate this sweet story of a girl who learns to embrace her simple talent:

In fact, I am now really excited to try this book (also by Peter Reynold's):

Not A Box, by Antoinette Portis is a full of ideas for imaginative play. A really cute story about a bunny who thinks outside the box. And its presentation is really fun (a brown cardboard-ish cover). My 5 year old asked if it was a recycled book! Lol!

Have any good, fresh suggestions? Feel free to leave them in your comments. :) As for the Mommy and Me CDs, a lot of those songs are being downloaded off the internet, and are therefore illegal to copy and "sell". I will see how many of them can be downloaded to Best Audio Codes or some other web host and play the mix on my blog for all to enjoy!

How did I get here?

4 kids under the age of 8. One of them behind me playing her own musical composition, for pete's sake. It's much like the routine drive home; sometimes you don't think much about it. Until you've arrived. And then it's "Wait! How did I get here?!"

I am having more and more of these moments. Time is cruel to mothers. It slips away unnoticed when you are immersed in the raising of little people. There are a lot of moments you wish would stand still. Like when Sasha falls asleep at the breast. Hands down the most sacred mommy moment for me.

Time may also seem to drag on forever. There are a lot of moments you wish to fast forward through. Like potty training. Hands down the most loathed mommy duty for me! Regardless of what kind of day you are having, one feeling is constant. And that is that maybe you could make better use of the time.

Summertime is the perfect opportunity for this. All the kids are home from school. There are fewer places to be and things to do. I've come up with some really great ways to spend time with your kids this summer. And I plan to share all of them with you! Hopefully you'll need some fresh ideas... I know I could always use a few more. The nerve of these kids not being satisfied with just an inflatable pool! ;) Sigh. They're growing up.

My first idea to share came to me today as my children and I were listening to The Sundays and dancing. They love music as much as I do. And they love to move. So we have been sampling songs for our very own "Mommy and me" mix CD. I'm really excited about this, because it is music I already love AND it is kid friendly. I don't know about you, but I hate having to screen the radio for my kids every time we get in the car. I end up flipping stations a good majority of the time. Or we just listen to the classical station. But it is nice to have variety. I imagine this will come in real handy for road trips as well.

If you like this idea, I have a few suggestions to get you started:

L-o-v-e, Nat King Cole
Papa Loves Mambo, Perry Como
Shiny Happy People/Stand, REM
Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World, Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole
Anywhere Is, Enya
Upside Down, Jack Johnson
Ants Marching/Every Day, Dave Matthews Band
Thunder, Nuttin But Stringz
Advice For the Young at Heart, Tears for Fears
Hands, Jewel

I think we'll also have fun designing a CD cover... more on that and other kid friendly art projects soon.