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!