Happy Birthday Nannie!

The kids and I (and Nannie) made a yummy chocolate birthday cake for Nannie.  Kids had a blast stirring and measuring and hiding peanut butter M&Ms deep into the cake batter.  Nate spent the ENTIRE afternoon asking if it was time to eat cake yet and mean mommy kept making him wait until after dinner.  At one point he excitedly exclaimed, "time to cut the cake, I'll get my chainsaw!"  (not sure what that says about my baking abilities...)

Basic Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 cups flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup milk

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beating until smooth after each addition.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 13 X 9 inch baking pan. Bake at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake tests done. Cool.

We added a whipped cream and oreo cookie topping.  Delish.

Making Coconut Macaroons with Nannie

My mom fell into the habit of bringing cookies for the kids each time she visits.  Now, she is greeted at the door with shouts of "Nannie Cookies! Nannie Cookies".  This time however, Nannie decided to bring the ingredients and make the Nannie cookies here.  Kitchen helpers thought that was a fine idea.

Measure 3 cups of coconut



Add 1 can of sweetened condensed milk



Get every drip!



Stir.



Taste test!

 Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:

• 3 cups shredded coconut
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation:

Generously grease baking sheets. Combine all ingredients; stir until well blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls, 1 inch apart, on prepared baking sheets. Press down with the back of spoon to even thickness. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes, or until macaroons are golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from baking sheet.

If Life Gives you Mushy Bananas, Make MUFFINS (and add some chocolate!)

We always seem to have very ripe bananas sitting around.  We always buy bananas but none of us love them so they sit until they are brown and then I make muffins.

I've found this to be the simplest and tastiest recipe for yummy banana muffins.  I always add chocolate chips (kids call them chocolate muffins).

Banana Muffins (makes 12 muffins)
3 or 4 Large bananas, mashed
1/2 cup white sugar
1 slightly beaten egg
1/3 cup melted margarine or butter (I use a mixture of melted butter and applesauce to equal 1/3 cup)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour

Mix the mashed banana, sugar, egg and butter/applesauce together. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. Mix wet and dry ingredients all together! Pour into greased muffin tins, and bake in 350 degrees F oven for approximately 20 minutes.




Best little helper EVER!



ready yet?



Worth the wait!


ps.  Check out the rest of her blog Cat Can Cook - I plan to try out the eggnog cookies and cranberry muffins in the next few weeks.

Making Gingerbread Cookies

My husband LOVES gingerbread cookies.  Every year he makes dozens and dozens of these cookies.  This year, the kiddos got involved.

YUM!

Putting up the Tree

I went out for an hour this morning and came home to find my wonderful husband putting up the Christmas tree with the kids! 



What is tree decorating without a tantrum or two?!

So nice to come home to!

Kitchen Helper

Nate's favorite activity right now is "washing dishes".  He will stand at my sink and pour water in and out of various containers for 45 min. to an hour.  On one hand I love it - he's in one place, learning  whatever he needs to learn and clearly enjoying himself.  On the other hand, I find it SUPER stressful - water EVERYWHERE!  I'm trying to look at it as an opportunity to mop my floor (3x per day!) but I secretly (and sometimes not so secretly) cringe whenever he goes near the sink!  This too shall pass.

Someday I'll be showing him these photos and reminding him how much he LIKES to wash dishes!

Kitchen "Helper"

I've been very reluctant to let my kids help in the kitchen with anything.  Really, they are still pretty little.  I've tried to let them help with mixing muffins, however, I end up with flour everywhere and kids sticking their faces in the batter and I just find it all very stressful and not enjoyable and therefore I kill the joy of it in my kids.  blah.

Lately, I've been having lots of conflict with Adrianna always wanting to be in the kitchen.  Usually she wants to be snacking.  Constantly.  It drives me CRAZY. 

Yesterday I decided that if she wants to be in the kitchen so desperately, I would put her to work!  She washed all the potatoes for dinner.  She "made" the green beans (got the beans out of the freezer, put them in the pot and put water in the pot).  She washed the dishes (minus the knives).  It actually was helpful.  And enjoyable.  And I really do need to lighten up a bit!

While dinner was cooking, we made up a joint story.  She wanted me to tell her a story, so I began but I made her fill in the blanks and create the story with me.  It actually worked out pretty well. 

Friday Five

I babysit on Fridays.  A full day of 5 kids 6 and under.  I realize that this is the daily reality for some families - wow - but not for me!!  I am exhausted by the end of the day - and usually by the fighting and irritability of my own two kids rather than the additional three!  Overall though, I do feel that it is a good experience for both groups of kids - like a super extended play date.

1.  Before the extra kids arrived, we spent our Bible time reading about Noah in our Bible book. 

2.  After the kids arrived and were getting a bit bored, we spent some time doing a craft.  Gluing faces on a pumpkin to make our own "jack-o-lanterns".  We are not big into Halloween (actually, I am trying desperately to redeem the holiday rather than avoid it).  So, we did the gluing craft - Adrianna made two pumpkins and Nate even got involved and COVERED his paper with glue!  He's one messy kid!

Here's the template I used:  Halloween Pumpkin Craft

3.  Lunch time spurred a lengthy and involved discussion over healthy and unhealthy food.  Each kid gave examples of protein, fats (good and bad), junk food, healthy food (ie: vegetables, fruit - listing a HUGE list of each!).  It's these impromptu discussions that makes me really start to believe in "unschooling".  Randomly, without any planning on my part, they just GOT it and I had a on-the-spot lesson on health and nutrition with all ears open.  Wow.

4.  Fun book times.  Adrianna introduced the older two "guests" to her new favorite book - Richard Scarry's "Things that Go".  All three older kids had a GREAT time trying to find Goldbug as well as following the story of Officer Flossy and Dingo Dog.  What a wonderful book!

We also read If I Ran the Zoo by Dr. Seuss.  While I found it long and wordy, the kids loved the imaginative characters and at the end got involved in naming their own imaginary animals.  It would be a great follow up to get them to draw and name their own imaginary animal.

5.  Of course, the day also consisted of plenty of time outside - usually fighting over the wagon.  And, unfortunately, again - too much TV.  By far my biggest struggle is getting the kids away from that thing!

New Game

I attempted to play a game with both kids.  Anna loved it and Nate loved the idea of being included but was distracted by throwing the pieces around.  Anna and I will try again while Nate's napping!

Old MacDonald Lotto



Life Skills - taking turns, following rules, good sport

Developing memory.