Saturday, October 17, 2009
nature walk Friday
We enjoyed a hike on our friend Dionne's land this Friday! Every time I visit her property, I am so amazed and in love with everything about it. We saw some very beautiful sights and enjoyed listening to the silence. Even the kids were being so quiet, just listening to the sounds of leaves crunching under their feet and birds singing in the trees.....
apple picking
I was beginning to think that we might not make our usual trip(s) to the apple orchard this Fall. I kept waiting and waiting for the perfect Fall day, but we have had more rain and drizzly weather than in years past. So, I finally settled for a non-rainy, but very muddy and extremely cloudy day. We had a wonderful time. Most of the apples were way up high, but some were low enough for the kids to reach. They had fun running around.
There were lots of cute animals to see! The kids chased baby piglets for about an hour before realizing that catching a baby pig is nearly impossible. We tried bribing them with apples, but they would not even slow down long enough for a picture!!! I did get one of their mama pig and one of a very eager goat.
I'm planning on making atleast a small batch of apple sauce if there are any apples left at the end of the weekend!!! Fresh apples are so delicious!
There were lots of cute animals to see! The kids chased baby piglets for about an hour before realizing that catching a baby pig is nearly impossible. We tried bribing them with apples, but they would not even slow down long enough for a picture!!! I did get one of their mama pig and one of a very eager goat.
I'm planning on making atleast a small batch of apple sauce if there are any apples left at the end of the weekend!!! Fresh apples are so delicious!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
crafty Nova
Nova can stay engaged for a long period of time in any activity that involves scissors. Look at how his little foot is strategically placed over the handles of my pinking shears...
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Monday co-op
We had another rainy, chilly Monday co-op. Nova was feeling really grumpy and clingy, and I was wishing that he would shake that off and have a good time. He did manage to enjoy Circle, but he whined during craft time and during lunch. I am reminding myself daily that he is a three-year-old, that he will not be a three-year-old forever, and (most importantly) he is probably the last three-year-old (of my own) that I have to put up with. So........
After many deep breaths in and out, we gathered on the blankets for Circle. The kids have gotten really comfortable with our opening verses, and they were so cute about crowding around the candle for warmth. Everyone listened quietly as Tanya and Blake told the story of the Giant Turnip.
For our crafty activity, we embroidered felt turnips. Clover had a wonderful time making her turnip! She is very much able to lead herself on most sewing projects. Indigo and Willow fussed a good bit about being too cold for craftiness before running off to play in the rainy woods again. And Nova actually had a few moments of peace working on his project (with lots & lots of help from me).
After lunch, we played for a few minutes before heading for home. My kids were all in the mood for a long afternoon of play, but the weather was just not cooperating. They were really happy when we came home to a warm pot of soup and hot cocoa. Yum!
After many deep breaths in and out, we gathered on the blankets for Circle. The kids have gotten really comfortable with our opening verses, and they were so cute about crowding around the candle for warmth. Everyone listened quietly as Tanya and Blake told the story of the Giant Turnip.
For our crafty activity, we embroidered felt turnips. Clover had a wonderful time making her turnip! She is very much able to lead herself on most sewing projects. Indigo and Willow fussed a good bit about being too cold for craftiness before running off to play in the rainy woods again. And Nova actually had a few moments of peace working on his project (with lots & lots of help from me).
After lunch, we played for a few minutes before heading for home. My kids were all in the mood for a long afternoon of play, but the weather was just not cooperating. They were really happy when we came home to a warm pot of soup and hot cocoa. Yum!
Friday, October 9, 2009
corn maze field trip!
Today, we took a field trip with some friends to a nearby corn maze. We took a hay ride, petted some animals, walked through the maze, and had a picnic! It was so much fun!
Seeing the sweet little goats made me want goats of my own! They walked up and ate some food that the girls were offering through the fence.
We got through the corn maze much more easily this year, too! We were out in about 20 minutes this time. Last year, we were lost for about two hours before a corn maze employee came to our rescue! haha!!!
Doesn't Clover look cute carrying Laurel in the wrap? She is so lucky to have baby-wearing mamas as role models for how mamas behave with their babies.
Seeing the sweet little goats made me want goats of my own! They walked up and ate some food that the girls were offering through the fence.
We got through the corn maze much more easily this year, too! We were out in about 20 minutes this time. Last year, we were lost for about two hours before a corn maze employee came to our rescue! haha!!!
Doesn't Clover look cute carrying Laurel in the wrap? She is so lucky to have baby-wearing mamas as role models for how mamas behave with their babies.
easy, homemade toy
Earlier this week while Clover was busy with main lesson book work, the boys wanted to make paper fans. Willow found out that if you staple both ends of the fan together, it can become a "canoe"! He wanted a passenger for his canoe, so I helped with making a very simple doll.
We took a piece of wool roving, folded it over & slightly twisted the top to make a round-ish head. Then, we took square cloth scraps, tied them around the piece of wool, and tied it off with yarn. The wool and (fairly stiff) piece of cloth helped the doll to stand up in the canoe. Ofcourse, Nova and Indigo wanted a "granny", too, after seeing how much fun Willow was having. Indigo's granny went for a ride in a paper jet, and Nova's mostly stood around watching the other grannies have fun.
When Clover was done with her work, I helped her with a slightly more involved granny. This one had a more defined head and a shawl. The kids played with their grannies and canoes all afternoon! Clover and Willow made tiny paper fans and blankets for their granies, and Clover even made a teeny tiny book called "Knitting for Grannies". They are so cute!
We took a piece of wool roving, folded it over & slightly twisted the top to make a round-ish head. Then, we took square cloth scraps, tied them around the piece of wool, and tied it off with yarn. The wool and (fairly stiff) piece of cloth helped the doll to stand up in the canoe. Ofcourse, Nova and Indigo wanted a "granny", too, after seeing how much fun Willow was having. Indigo's granny went for a ride in a paper jet, and Nova's mostly stood around watching the other grannies have fun.
When Clover was done with her work, I helped her with a slightly more involved granny. This one had a more defined head and a shawl. The kids played with their grannies and canoes all afternoon! Clover and Willow made tiny paper fans and blankets for their granies, and Clover even made a teeny tiny book called "Knitting for Grannies". They are so cute!
Monday, October 5, 2009
a couple of Fall recipes
By popular request (haha!).....
Butternut Squash Muffins
Ingredients
* 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour (or a combination of unbleached and white wheat)
•1 teaspoon sea salt
•1 cup organic sugar
•1 teaspoon baking soda
•1 cup butternut squash (mashed thoroughly)
•1/2 cup neutral oil (like canola)
•2 eggs, Beaten
•1/4 cup milk
•1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
•1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
•1/2 cup (or more!) dark chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Sift together flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda. (or don't sift if you don't have the time or inclination).
3. In a separate bowl combined pumpkin, oil, eggs, milk, and spices.
4. Then, combine with dry ingredients, but do not mix too thoroughly. Stir in chocolate chips (or nuts or cranberries).
5. Pour into a muffin tin. Bake 20-25 minutes or 10-14 for mini muffins until a thin skewer poked in the very center of the muffin comes out clean. Turn out of the pan and let cool on a rack.
*note: to cook a butternut squash, simply slice it in half length wise, put it in a glass baking pan with about an inch of water around it, and bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes to one hour (whenever you can easily poke the squashy part with a fork). this recipe is also delicious with pumpkin puree!!
Molasses Cookies
INGREDIENTS
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup organic sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup organic molasses
• 2 cups unbleached flour (or combination of unbleached white & wheat)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (we use these if we have them, but often we just omit)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1. In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, 1 cup sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the molasses.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger; blend into the molasses mixture. Cover, and chill dough for 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Roll dough into walnut sized balls. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until tops are cracked. Cool on wire racks.
Enjoy!!!!!
Butternut Squash Muffins
Ingredients
* 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour (or a combination of unbleached and white wheat)
•1 teaspoon sea salt
•1 cup organic sugar
•1 teaspoon baking soda
•1 cup butternut squash (mashed thoroughly)
•1/2 cup neutral oil (like canola)
•2 eggs, Beaten
•1/4 cup milk
•1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
•1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
•1/2 cup (or more!) dark chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Sift together flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda. (or don't sift if you don't have the time or inclination).
3. In a separate bowl combined pumpkin, oil, eggs, milk, and spices.
4. Then, combine with dry ingredients, but do not mix too thoroughly. Stir in chocolate chips (or nuts or cranberries).
5. Pour into a muffin tin. Bake 20-25 minutes or 10-14 for mini muffins until a thin skewer poked in the very center of the muffin comes out clean. Turn out of the pan and let cool on a rack.
*note: to cook a butternut squash, simply slice it in half length wise, put it in a glass baking pan with about an inch of water around it, and bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes to one hour (whenever you can easily poke the squashy part with a fork). this recipe is also delicious with pumpkin puree!!
Molasses Cookies
INGREDIENTS
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup organic sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup organic molasses
• 2 cups unbleached flour (or combination of unbleached white & wheat)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (we use these if we have them, but often we just omit)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1. In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, 1 cup sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the molasses.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger; blend into the molasses mixture. Cover, and chill dough for 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Roll dough into walnut sized balls. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until tops are cracked. Cool on wire racks.
Enjoy!!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
