Cookies Yummy!

Looking Inward

So character lesson for mom? not Sharon?  Could it be?  Maybe the events of the last two days were meant for me to develop some qualities that are seriously lacking?  Being a role model is definitely the most direct and influential part of our children's life and I think that is reflecting itself clearly to me this year.   My 12 year old daughter is teaching me huge on humility, obedience and peace.  As she is growing into a young adult she is exhibiting personality qualities that we started teaching her when she was 7.  As I am awoken this morning by my infant hacking gunk up from his chest at about 5 am, after being up every 2 hours, or so, from him teething and wanting to nurse, I decide that he coughs much less if I am standing.  Good morning world.  His coughing does not subside so we shower in hopes the steam clears him up a little.  He seems to be coughing less and ready to get out.  So I let him run around the room while I am lotioning and dressing etc.  He decides to play under the sink.  No I'm not supposed to let the baby play under the sink but there's nothing under there, except maybe that Listerine bottle he just knocked over.  No biggie it's closed....or is it?  I turn my back only to hear glug glub glug glub and the Listerine is pouring out onto the carpet. As I am stomping it up with a towel (my bath towel) Tobias decides to empty my drawer and spread my Q-tips and flossers out.  OK just relax I"ll get those in a minute.  Than I hear the sound of air excaping his little behind, but it's not just air.  Poop is now pooring out of his behind onto the carpet so I grab another towel and try and catch his "stuff" from hitting the carpet anymore.  He gets upset as I am wiping his leg and I have to carry him in a "eww please don't touch me or fling anything on me" hold.  As I lay him on yet another towel to change him, I open the wipes box and the wipes are all dried out.  I command him to stay still (ever tried to command a 9.5mth old) as I reach for more wipes.  Luckily he held and I cleaned and OH Goodness, where are the diapers.  Oh there they are under that pile of laundry that we barely missed with the Listerine.  Diaper on.  Now I have to restomp the Listerine as Tobias fusses because he doesn't feel good. 
What is important in life?  Patience, Peace, Self Control.  With the events of my supermarket experience, and this morning and other small things (another family funeral), that po(o)pped into my schedule and before 6 am this morning I think I need to remember what I prayed for recently.  I don't think the Universe is against me or the stars are out of aline or evolution is trying to make me decide survival or not.  I choose God who is probably working on me so my kids future can be Joyful and Hopeful. He's definitely answering someones prayer and I better be paying attention or the Universe will definitely make my life difficult if I let it control me. 
As best as I can remember from the movie "Pretty Woman",(yes, it's been that long since I've been able to stay awake or get through an entire move), "I choose Who, I choose when, I choose.....Well you get the picture.  Blessings for all those moms out there that think today is going to last forever.  You will look back someday and realize it really wasn't that much time and wish it would of lasted a little more.  So enjoy today, even the Listerine spills, poopy carpets and the insensitive supermarket experiences.  Laugh Love Live  Three areas in my life that definitely need focus.

Color Cut Character

I love Bob Books.  Beginner reading books.  They are short with only one short vowel sound throughout the whole book.  No plurals or silent e's in there to confuse a beginner reader.  Only problem is I can't find my set!  So Sharon is reading out of a reader set that uses plurals.  To make it harder I think I'm dealing with a possible dyslexia issue.  She picks up letters from other parts of the page and she reads the words backwards. I have to cover up the "s" at the end of the plural word and all the other words on the page.  Today's book was a little longer and she was having trouble with her "t's" and "p's".  Very frustrating for her :(.  She did do a character lesson on using night time to rest.  The mission was to color a picture and than to reconstruct it into a puzzle.  Her assignment was to read a bedtime story.  I only thought my first was strong willed and had struggling learning tendencies...my Sharon is a storm of challenges. But if she takes after her namesake she will prevail and prevail with excellence. 

FALL FUN FOOD

This fall is beautiful!  I love the dazzling color changes.  My home sits surrounded by cottonwood, elm, mulberry, black walnut, willow and other trees that are changing in stages.  Sharon's cookies are loved by Shoshana the most.  They do have nuts and raisins in them so not for everyone.  But the fact they don't have sugar doesn't affect the taste.  Shoshana has been crocheting a purse for her BFF for about a month and has finished.  It turned out really good.  I'm very proud of her for sticking with it, even when I would take out rows that didn't quite match.  Abigail is doing a unit study on a novel and made raspberry preserves for one of the projects.  Raspberries are only $1.25 a pint at City Market right now (4 pints for the price of one) so I think we may go back tomorrow and stock up.  Abigail loved it and wants to make more.  I planted 5 raspberry bushes this summer and hope that the 3 that look healthy produce a little next year.  Thanks to Chef Sharon for sharing her blog space.  We have paper pumpkins and homemade wreaths next.  Stay tuned.

APPLESAUCE COOKIES

We cooked!  We didn't video it though.  It seems by the time I get ready to video we're out of time.  Today I just said Sharon let's make cookies.  I mentioned that at 10am this morning and we started at 5pm this evening and made the dough while the pizzas were cookin'.  We made applesauce cookies.  No sugar.  They were sweetened by honey and had raisins and nuts in them.  A perfect fall cookie!!  Sharon measured all the ingredients and even cracked the eggs "perfectly".  I always tell her what the measurements are and than show her how to find the correct measuring spoon or cup.  Tonight it was 1/2.  How many pieces do you have when you cut something in half?  She says "2".  So I show her the 1/2 on the teaspoon,"see it has a two on the bottom and 1 on the top, so that's 1/2 tsp.  How many 1/2's to make 1 tsp Sharon, was the next question? "1" she says.  OK it'll take time and repetition.  She also made the pancakes this morning.  She oiled the grill, mixed the dough, poored the cake and flipped them.  She made all of us angel shaped pancakes.  What a girl!  Now I will work on taking a picture with my web cam of the yummy cookies.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Last month we added two teenage girls to our family for the school year, therefore my time to blog has gone from 3 x a week goal, to once a week, to hopefully once a month.  I'm tired but here.  Today we accomplished so much in Sharon's academics because I decided to focus a little.  Our character mission today was, "to tell a family member you love them".  Sharon colored a heart with the words I Love You on it.  She than cut it out and cut a heart into 6 puzzle pieces.  She put the pieces in the envelope and wrote the name of the one she wanted to give it to.  Well, she decided to write Abigail and Shoshana (her sisters) and than put it on Shoshana's pillow.  She was so excited that 30 minutes later she asked if they had found it.  They didn't find it until late tonight after Sharon was in bed.  She told me that she wanted to make sure they both saw it, so one of them didn't think she didn't love them too.  Awwww.  Just when you think they'll never get along, at least I know they love each other, and love conquers all, right?  

Hinds Feet to High Places

So, try and explain an analogy to a 6 year old.  It is hilarious.  We are reading a book about how getting through tough times in life and developing hind's feet to climb above the sorrow and suffering to high places.  I tried and tried to explain to Sharon that we really didn't get deer feet.  Deer feet are very good at climbing tough mountain terrain and therefore it's an analogy to how we can develop hinds feet like deer to manage through the tough times in life to reach the top of the mountain or rise above the hard things in life.  She kept asking me "so, am I going to have deer feet?" or " so God gives us deer feet to climb mountains?".  She'll be happy to continue waking up every morning without deer feet.  Silly girl.

CHARACTER

Wash The Dishes Even If It's Not Your Turn. This was the character lesson for Tuesday.  Not Sharon's favorite.  She loves to help and actually loves to do chores.  For some reason doing the dishes was not so fun.  She did it though and did it without being asked.  She asked her sister if she could do the kitchen dishes for her and her sister said " no that's OK I'll do it"  NOT!  Sister didn't have any problem escaping the kitchen duties.  Sharon also received her next passport in the mail.  It was from Egypt.  The program sent her an miniature excavation kit.  She got to hammer away at a plaster pyramid to reveal an Egyptian treasure, an Egyptian queen.  So fun.  If anyone loves other cultures and people, Little Passports is really great for ages 4-8 and possibly even up to 10.   Well off to mop, direct dusting, check school and chase my baby boy :)

PEACHES

We did it! Another cooking show.  We went to an orchard and picked peaches!  The orchard is by a creek that the kids waded in and played.  We had a picnic on the shore by the water.  It was so peaceful and super fun! We also were able to pick vegetables, grapes and raspberries.  Sharon mentions we were going to make bread too.  We did make the bread but not until 8:30 at night and I was not in the form to backstage a show.  The Zucchini bread was delicious however and I would share the recipe if anyone needed it.  Happy Harvest!

and Camping?

We went camping over labor day weekend and it was a blast!  Sharon played capture the flag and made new friends with the families we were with.  Just when I think our life is ho hum drum I realize how much I haven't blogged about what we've done.  Camping, Scarecrows and Character!  The scarecrow in the picture was made by Sharon and my husband and I have about jumped out of our wits walking on the deck thinking there's someone there.  We have three scarecrows made by my daughters and every time we walk out the door we have to check ourselves into realizing there's no one there.  We also went to a local orchard and picked peaches and vegetables.  It's located right next to  a creek and the kids got to play in the water, picnic by the creek and pick wonderful fruit and veggies.  I've already made salsa out of the peppers and tomatoes and applesauce.  Today we are going to freeze peaches and make zucchini bread so STAY TUNED a cooking show is on it's way.  Sharon also has been doing well on her school.  She really like to trace. So while she was watching her big sister complete her school on the computer I had her trace numbers.   So much to do, so much to play, so much to learn................so little time to blog.

CRAFT

Today Sharon asked to make a gift for Abigail for her next birthday (December). Sharon loves presents and loves it when others get presents. She loves to watch people open presents.  My previous blog talked about her disappointment when the bride at a wedding never opened her gifts, Sharon was baffled!  Today we took a plain bracelet and hot glued ribbon, felt shaped, cotton puffs, sequins and such on it for a gift for sister.  I managed the hot glue gun but she was able to decide on everything else.  We'll have to wait for December to see Abigail's reaction to it!  But I bet it'll be good.

Labor Day and Shoes

What is up with not wanting to wear shoes?  Sharon will wear sandals but no tennis shoes or boots?  I took her to a foot doctor to check her toes(which do bend inward) and the warts/blisters on her feet.  He doesn't seem to think there is any problem?  But we went camping for 4 days and she wore open toed sandals the entire time.  Even at night when it was freezing?  She was supposed to start soccer today and wouldn't put tennis shoes on so we didn't go. However, she did make up the money lost by cleaning up the upstairs.  I'm not sure I can get a refund but I did cancel before first practice, so I am hoping.  I'm going to have to put her in sports that don't require shoes ie. gymnastics and swimming.  My poor kiddos. Everyone else starts their kids at 3 in all the activities and sports.  Mine are starting at age 10 and around there.  Today Abigail started gymnastics and is in a class with 7 yr olds and under because it's beginning!! and there are no beginning junior high classes.  She felt soooo weird.  I empathized and than told her to buckle down and learn fast and move up quick to a class with older students. I am having a very challenging week with two of my kiddos.  Sometimes it's really difficult to know what to say and when and how to say it to help them through. 

Today

I just got a Play doh cookie and mmmmm it was good!  Sharon received play doh and a rolling pin in her birthday goodies and is using them to cook up some (inedible) treats for us.  What a great way to practice her rolling dough and possible career opportunity - restaurant owner?!

ME LIKE COOKIES!!

Cooking?

Yes! Chef Sharon is cooking.  She made chocolate fudge brownies which she called Surprise Muffins, this morning.  She added her own ingredient, hence the surprise, and made her own recipe. Her official birthday was today.  6 years old!  She received her own cooking spoons, cups, spatula, muffin tins and bamboo cutting board for her birthday.  She was so excited that she asked from 7pm after the party until bed and first thing in morning if she could make muffins.  So we had "muffins" for breakfast courtesy of tenacious Chef Sharon. She also received a Chef hat which you will see sooooon.  Every birthday, dad takes the birthday girl out for dinner and possibly a movie.  Tonight Sharon and dad went to see the "Smurfs".  Afterwords, they went to McDonald's and she got a Chef Smurf from her happy meal! She was sparkling with joy, happiness and satisfaction.   If you ever watch a young girl walk she doesn't really just walk.  It's usually a couple skips and hops and possibly a jump before she gets to her destination.  I want to capture that natural joy they have in their beings.  I think I'll trying skipping and hopping with my walk today.
"How can there be too many children? That's like saying there are too many flowers."  Mother Theresa

SUCCESS

I almost forgot the picture!  My father-in-law did get this one though, whew!  The cake, however, that Sharon helped decorate was taken with a camera that had no camera card (welcome to my world), so we'll stick with a pinata craft and cake craft next time :). Two days is not quite long enough to make a pinata.  Sharon and I started this pinata Friday night with two balloons. We paper mached the tops of both of them and when the first layer dried we put them together to make a round sun.  The sun rays were cut out of cardboard and papermached on the next day.  I added the candy before the glue was dry and it was difficult to dry the glue that closed the halves together.  Sunday party day one side was still wet!  I had fan and sun on it all morning.  I didn't start the crepe paper until 10:30 and finished at 12:30, just in time for a 2:00 party.  I would suggest allowing 3 days for a homemade pinata.  It took the hits.  Everyone got a hit and it broke slowly. Success for all the kids and for Sharon's and my first paper mache!

Ooey Gooey

Yeah it's craft day!  Sharon is celebrating her 6th birthday on Sunday and requested a pinata.  So, we couldn't just go buy one, we had to experience paper mache.  She wanted a unicorn but I wasn't up to shaping a unicorn pinata in two days.   I gave her the choice of a beach ball or sun.  A sun it is.  We paper mached two balloons, because who can find  round balloons?  They're all  oval.  We will put put the two non round ends together tomorrow and will have a round sun.  We added sun rays with triangle cardboard and paper mached them on each balloon.  Dry overnight.  One important thing to remember about the glue is to add the flour and little bits of water first.  I added too much water and than the flour and I have enough glue to complete 3 pinatas. Check back tomorrow for pictures of our pinata made by our 6 year old. 
We also made it to the lake this afternoon.  Our raft only had one leak in it on the floor and was float worthy. lol  With a finale of a 5 part puppet show by Shoshana and Sharon, it was a worthy day, even with sand, flour and lake water in every crack and corner.

Sleepy eyes

Driving to Montrose (30 minutes from home) Sharon let us know that her eyes felt like "sleepy eyes" like when we drive to Gunnison (90 minutes from home). 

Our Character lesson today was Worry and what to do with it.  So Sharon colored a color by word picture of a jar.  The jar shape had the words mom and dad in each section and the outer border of the jar was other short vowel words: red, a, dog, fish etc.  The instructions were to color all the mom and dad words yellow and the other words purple.  This illuminated a yellow jar. Now we used a small coffee can but any small container or jar will do.  I washed and saved a box full of containers to use in projects like these.  Sharon wrote the words "Worries Jar" cut it out and taped it on the container.  She than asked mom and dad to write a worry and place it in the jar.  She is to pray for those worries with mom and dad. After a week the worries can be taken out of the jar and Sharon will see how God took care of the worries.  (Dad was writing his worry in a complete sentence and Sharon says "Dad, you don't have to use the whole entire paper." Love it!)

Tomorrow is craft day and its a fun one.  Talk to you tomorrow.

Please?

Kids demand things.  My Sharon does anyhow.  She says "get me some juice", "go get my towel", "open the door", "read me a book".  Never "please".  Our last character lesson was on saying the word "please".  If you haven't picked up on the theme of our character lessons - they are focused on in the home.  We will eventually venture out to our neighborhood and than our community.  Today in the car Sharon demanded the radio be turned up, "turn up the radio, I can't hear it".  In fact she said that about 3 times in a row.  I reminded her of the word we were to be practicing and walah, she started saying please after all her wants, which were many.  Our craft today was simple coloring.  If you watch the natural progression of children they will eventually color in the lines on their own.  Sharon colored a full picture and in the lines.  Well maybe a little peer pressure has played it's part over the last couple years and watching older siblings color, but no formal instruction.  Today was a day of massage therapy and chiropractic care for the adults.  Oh and we aren't camping this week but next so let's post a cooking show this week!!

Just Do It...

Well I did.  I decided to start a blog and post Sharon's cooking love into a show.  I knew it wouldn't be perfect and I knew I would have a few glitches.  BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS.  I used a program that had better sound than the first show and it is now trapped in media impressions for Kodak.  I can't seem to convert it to wvm or even use the upload to YouTube feature.  I have been working on this far too long.  Time to put another one out there and skip arc software, not user friendly for me.  Today was right up there on the top of my to do list - NOT.  I spent two hours in Home Depot with 4 small children.  We did get materials to build a baby gate that will match the banister and new shower head for the upstairs shower. When I look at all that wood and see all those latches I don't really see anything, LOL.  Did find some flashlights for a birthday gift that Shoshana was going to today, however.  Good thing we found them at Home Depot because we had no time to go anywhere else.  Hoping to go camping this week or next, we'll see.  Part of that trip was to visit Granpa.  Turns out he has no running water at the moment.  The laughter bellows in my gut as I think of no bathroom with 3 girls, me and a 7 month old.  Sometimes though, you just have To Do It!

SCHOOL IS IN

Today everyone completed their school work.  Summer flexibility ends when the weather starts cooling off.  I noticed about a week ago the cooler weather.  Sharon completed another Character mission.  She traced letters that spelled out "Say Please".  Mission is to be loving with our words.  Her special word today was "Please".  She has just reached the age that she can trace the letters on the lines really well.  She also read today, a little more of a struggle but excited to read some words to dad.  Her question of the day was, "what does wondering mean"?  She sang the song from tangled " I'll brush brush, brush my hair and always be wondering wondering wondering........"  Oh not wandering but wondering.  It took me a minute to figure the word she was asking about.  Well she'll be 6 yrs old next week and is my joy.  I found a picture of me when I was 6 yrs old.  We look alike, but not.  Well we put 100% into parenting today and I am tired.  So final thought for today is something I've heard this week from two leaders in the community:  DO SOMETHING; DO GOOD. 

TIME FLIES.....

......when you're having fun!  We have had a Fun Fun week.  We visited friends, and family.  On Wednesday we left for Denver to see family and friends.  The favorite activity in Denver that my kids always ask to do is the Apex.  This is a recreation center that costs around as much as the admission to our local pool but far more fun.  It's a mini water park in our opinion.  2 slides, floating log crossing, current pool, little kid pool complete with fountains slides, tunnels.  Mom's favorite part is the warm pool that allows little ones to enter after catching a chill.  That same afternoon we were introduced to the most awesome park I have ever been to.  This is the old fair grounds in Loveland.  The turned it into a park with a splash pad, toddler playground (under a gazebo), big kids playground (with equipment that was all new to us), and a river that they set up with an area to wade your feet in or take a dip.  WAY COOL!  We ended the week back in Delta visiting great granny and poppa.  What a priviledge to live so close to them.  Sharon has recorded yet another cooking show!!  Where are they you say?  Stay tuned so you don't miss their post!  Speaking of cooking, tonight we used our new toy, The Baby Bullet.  I purchased this to make Tobias, my 7 month old, baby food. We started by grinding brown rice and blending bananas.  I now have 6 servings in the freezer.  He shuddered at his first taste but tried a few more before becoming more interested in banging the spoon on the table than the food itself.  He's also extending his bed time so dad is in trying to put him to sleep so I can blog. 

Here I AM

So where's the cooking show?  I know it should be posted, hang in there with me while I organize my time to keep this going with new posts.  Still haven't been able to work with my slow computer to finish the show.  We had Grandpa and Best Friend come into town on same day plus attended a funeral.  So, the last two days have been full, full, full.  Going to visit family the next 3 days so this week is pretty much a vacation from the C,C, C.  But don't give up! There will be more and more consistent as summer ends and school regimen begins.  I have high hopes for next week!

Work In Progress

Today's blog is more about the blog than the chef.  We have recorded another cooking show and I fixed the sound.  I used a different recording device.  Unfortunately the camera automtically opens another movie maker program.  I have tried inside and out how to save it to the program I like but to no avail.  So, why not just use the one that holds the show.  Sure, however, it is not being cooperative.  I know, I know, it's not the computer it's the aptitude of the user and the compatability of the computer.  In this case both are low on the scale.   On another note:  We did attend a wedding today.  At every party Sharon can't wait for the presents! She asks the graduate, bride, birthday person when are they going to open the presents! Well the bride never did open the presents before we left and Sharon was quite disappointed.  She wanted to see her open the tea kettle we got her.  My girls looked so pretty and Tobias was very good at the wedding.  We drove HWY 65 over Grand Mesa on the way home. It was beautiful!  Hoping to be on a motorcycle one day driving over that with Josh.  My oldest girls is in Denver with a friend.  We miss her.  She is terribly homesick for Tobias.  You'd think it was her baby if you talked to her.  Well enough chit chat time to figure out the movie program.  Have a Great Weekend.

Craft and Play

After a long night and early morning I figured out how to change the format of the movie and uploaded to YouTube and Blogger.  Sharon has done a much more personal and hands on show with her cousin and cooking but I think spontaneity versus staging it was a little different feeling.  Hang in there with me while I figure out the technical side of everything.  (if anyone is familiar with adsense?give me a line.  I have the account but not able to see my ads)
Today we decided to try out paint!!  Sharon learned her primary colors and mixed colors to make orange and purple.  We stamped with a potato, cucumber, onion and carrot.  At first she was so confused on why we had food with the paint but once she put it all together 3 pictures came out of it.  A sunset, a lot of happy faces and colors, colors, colors.  We than played sleepover and I got to attend her imaginary ballet class.  Oh, and taste her cotten candy lipgloss.  Well I told you I wasn't very crafty so that was the just of today's craft - but it's a great craft to do with your 4-5 year old. Easy to set up and easy to clean up.

Trial Cooking Show

After preparation of the kitchen, putting baby down for a nap and finding our best aprons we were ready to cook.  Chef Sharon decided to cook her favorite chili for her first show.  We still our making New Year's Shakes but that will be next time.  We had a few glitches with the mic and Sharon's voice sounds distorted through some of the process.  If you would like the complete recipie, email me for the details.  Sharon at first became nervous in front of the camera, so I made it really easy on her and let her talk while I did the stove preparations.  Chef Sharon has made this dish before almost completely by herself.  I'll have to say having lean meat so there's no fat to drain is the way to go.  Chef Sharon was in such a fabulous mood after the show she asked me to give her a reading lesson.  Wow! Yeah for Chef Sharon who read Eat and Seat today.  Very difficult with that silent "a".  If we listen to our young ones they will ask to learn.  When they ask to learn we must capture those moments for those are the easiest times of teaching.  Now to tackle posting the video - wish me luck. 

Well it's a bust.  Midnight and apparently Blogger and YouTube and Facebook won't upload movie maker videos. 

Hug Me

Today was going to be our first cooking show but park play and grocery shopping prevailed.
We did manage to read out loud as well as sound out 8 new words and do a character project.  This is easy and you can work with your child for 30 minutes and finish two great learning activities.  The reading consisted of words like: am, sat, ram, at, rat, mat, see, me, rat.  After trying to push Sharon to read at age 4 I backed off because of her resistance.  After introducing it every now and than and never getting an enthusiastic response I let her tell me when she was ready.  She started asking what words said and was able to tell me sounds of letters with new interest.  So we're off and reading.  I'm hoping to unpack my "Bob Books" which are great beginner readers for the first 3 levels of learning to read.
Today's character lesson:  Make 4 hearts with a thick outline.  Write one of the following words on each one:  Give Your Parents Hugs.  Let your child color the hearts and cut them out.  Punch a hole in the tip of each one and fasten with a broad fastener (or in our house a twisty tie).  They now have a fan of their new mission of character.  Sharon loved this mission and I received many hugs today.

Just You and Me Little Bear

My life is consumed with teaching my four children to live life with success measured by their service and pursuing their talents and interests.  My youngest girl, Sharon, favorite book when she was 4 was,. "Little Bear".  It had a repetitive chorus of , "Just You and Me Little Bear" that the mother would say.  I started saying "Just You and Me, Me and You" to Sharon when we did things together.  Well she has grown to love cooking!  So, we have decided to give her a cooking show on YouTube.  I will let you know when the first show is aired.  We've already decided on New Years Eve Shakes for the first recipe.  That is the short on why I have started this blog.  If you are interested in teaching your 4-7 year olds cooking, crafts or character I will be blogging on all of these areas.  We will air the cooking part on YouTube and give details on the days we decide to pursue the other interests.  Quite frankly, I am not the best craft lady, however, when you're working with young ages, it's all forgiven.  I love the character activities we do.  They are related to service. Service in the home, in the community and in the neighborhood.  The last one we did was to dust for mom.  Sharon did a great job!  My other children also have great interest, flying, oil painting, veterinarian school, nursing and sports.  My life is full and I pray I can fill their lives with their hearts desires!