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By kcharles, April 5, 2012 10:59 pm

Preparing Children’s Hearts  (Kids Journey to the Cross):   A Sense of the Resurrection

Jesus Storybook Bible (our absolute favorite for kids!) Video:  God’s Wonderful Surprise 

And More Tactile Learning:  Resurrection Gardens 

Empty Tomb Cake:  Edible Learning  or Resurrection Rolls:  Easter Breakfast 

And Now for the Awesome Eerie Bunny and Crying Kid Pictures:  Funniest Pictures Ever 

How are you celebrating Easter with your family?  Have a great Easter, friends! 

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By kcharles, March 17, 2012 11:16 pm

We are always that family that is hanging out the door, one shoe on one shoe off, and eight minutes late. That being said, I am relentlessly on the search for healthy on the go bars for the kids. Getting in the car is the first victory of our day.  These little snack bars run a close second:)

The verdict on these?  We LOVED them.  They are delicious, they are perfect for kids in the kitchen to make, and they have the healthiest ingredients.  You’ve got whole wheat flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, bananas, yogurt, and peanut or almond butter.  And you don’t have oil, sugar, corn syrup, or preservatives.  What could be better? 

I hope you make them and enjoy them:)  And maybe they’ll even help you get out the door too! 

Healthy Banana Oat Snack Bars

Ingredients:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup peanut or almond butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, rice cereal, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon, stirring well to combine. In a second large bowl, combine the banana, honey, yogurt, peanut butter, and vanilla. Stir.

3. Combine the two bowls.   Gently stir in the chocolate chips. Transfer to the prepared pan and flatten down with a spatula.  Bake for 15-18 minutes for soft bars and longer for granola bars. 

Recipe Source:  Eating from the Ground Up 

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By kcharles, March 15, 2012 11:30 pm

Since 3 out of 4 of us were on antibiotics for Valentine’s Day, we didn’t do a whole lot to celebrate.  And one of my fave things about being a mom is celebrating!!!!!!  So, we are doing up St Patrick’s Day big!   Here is our quick list of random fun ideas for kiddos.  My favorite is #10!  Please add your own!!!!

St Patrick’s Day Ideas for Kids:

1.  Color milk green and eat Lucky Charms!
2.  Make Rice Krispy treats green and cutout shamrocks. 
3.  Create leprechaun mischief .  Color the toilet bowl green, have your kids wake up in their siblings’ beds (thanks for the idea, Michelle!), turn things upside down, dress up your pet, etc.

4.  Learn about the life of St Patrick.  (What a biography!)
5.  Enjoy a shamrock shake from McD’s or make a knockoff.
6.  Make Thin Mint Truffles.

7.  Dip ice cream sandwiches in green sprinkles for an easy snack.
8.  Hide gold coins in a sandbox to dig for a pot of gold.
9.  Create Rainbow Fruit Skewers.

10.  Have a Treasure Hunt:  Hide 17 numbered shamrocks.  Have each shamrock correspond with a paper bag of goodies.  (We did this last year for the kids and they LOVED it!)  We bought a couple of small necessary items that the kids needed anyway (socks, underwear, hair elastics),  and the rest we found around the house/pantry – random green goodies like packs of gum, fruit snacks, a can of green beans:), a Thin Mint box, green fruit roll ups, dollar bills, etc.)  Have the kids go on a treasure hunt and then redeem their shamrocks for surprises. 

11.  Paint rainbows and shamrocks on their faces. 
12.  Garnish breakfast with kiwi slices in a shamrock shape.  Garnish dinner with a green pepper slice.
13.  Dress in green from head to toe.

14.  Eat only green – green smoothies, grapes, celery, green apples, kiwi, green eggs, salad… 
15.  Paint nails green. 
16.  Play learning games (we’ll be graphing, playing word bingo, etc.) with rainbow Skittles

17.  Make heart/shamrock stamps out of potatoes.  Play hot potato.  Eat baked potatoes.

18.  Read a book about St Patrick’s Day!  We love:  St Patrick’s Day in the Morning by Eve Bunting, Mary McLean and the St Patrick’s Day Paradeby Steven Kroll, and The Story of St Patrick’s Dayby Patricia Pingry. 

19.  Make Lucky Charm Snack Mix. YUM!!!!!
20.  Use the shamrock to talk about the Trinity of God.

What is your favorite St Patrick’s Day Idea for Kids? 

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By kcharles, February 18, 2012 9:00 am

 I am pumping my kids (and myself) with a steady I.V. of Vitamin C.  We are ready to be healthy again, so please tell me that Orange Julius has some measure of health value?  Even if it doesn’t, this recipe was a good one. 

 The kiddos loved blendering  it all together and slurping it down.  I personally loved the flashback to 7th grade, buying an Orange Julius and an Auntie Anne’s pretzel with my pegged jean friends at the mall:) 

Orange Julius

INGREDIENTS:
6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate, no sugar added
1 cup lowfat or skim milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10-12 ice cubes
orange slices for looks

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all the ingredients except the ice cubes in a blender and process until smooth and frothy. Add the ice cubes and blend until smooth (you can blend to your desired consistency.)

recipe source:  mel’s kitchen cafe

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By kcharles, February 8, 2012 9:25 am

All I’m going to say is that these are awesome.  You have to try them!  I typically do not eat sweet breakfast treats, but I made an exception for one of these.  They looked so good.  (And then I ate another and another!)  So yummy – especially paired with coffee. 

The kids didn’t help me make this recipe because they were snoozing.  But it would be an age appropriate one for sure, which is why I am referencing in the Kids in the Kitchen category.  Nice and easy, quick (20 min start to finish), and delicious to boot.  Let me know if you try them!

Mini Cinnamon Roll Bites

1 can refrigerated biscuits (we used Pillsbury Grands)
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1  1/2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a small bowl; add in brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon. Cut the biscuits into quarters, and drop them into the mixture and place in thirds in well greased muffin pan.

Bake for 10-14 minutes until tops are golden brown.  Mix powdered sugar, vanilla and milk in small bowl until combined. Drizzle over the bites. Serve warm.

adapted from raisingoranges.blogspot.com

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By kcharles, February 6, 2012 9:00 am

I’m still learning how to fix a little girl’s hair.  I am a ponytail kinda girl when I do my hair.  When I don’t do my hair, it’s the old Red Sox hat.  Alas, the little one has been been pouring over hairstyles in books and magazines. 

So this is one of our most recent favorites.  We split Selah’s hair into random segments and created little braids.  Once her hair was completely braided, we bobby pinned it all up and all over the place in every direction.  I wish I had gotten a picture of the back.  It was super cute and fun! 

In any event, we got to take in an awesome college basketball game that day as a family.  Great seats.  Great atmosphere.  Great win.  But what mattered most to Selah was her hair:)  It helps me to remember that it’s the little things.  Always, the little things.

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By kcharles, February 1, 2012 9:04 pm

We’re in the midst of learning about states of matter in Kindergarten.  I can’t think of a more interesting matter experiment than this one – an old recipe from a Teaching Elementary Science class – concocting “Oobleck.” 

Oobleck is hard to classify – it’s a liquid, but much like a solid.  It gets drippy in your hands and then reverts back to a solid state.  I have always loved hearing students make observations about it. 

Beyond the cool problem solving factor, it’s just fun to play with.  It would be a great April Fool’s Day experiment or a good gross one for boys of any age.  Plus, it’s great for fine motor development.  Because Selah loves to immerse her hands in paint, mud, dough, whatever – this stuff was an absolute hit!  Let me know if you try it!

Oobleck Recipe

1 cup of cornstarch
1 cup of baking soda 
1/2 cup of water

Mix ingredients together with your hands.

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By kcharles, January 30, 2012 8:03 am

I’m all for sneaking veggies into our kids just so they get the nutrients they need.  However, I am wanting our kids to grow up to make wise food choices themselves – just because it’s good for them!  And so far, just about all we’re choosing is mac and cheese.

The Pittsburgh Kids of Steel Taste Program (or any program like it)  has been a good place to start for us.  Our kiddos LOVE a good challenge, especially if incentives are involved!  In addition, I’ve found that playing with our food has been beneficial. 

The best thing about it?  It seems to be working!  It totally beats the inevitable dinner table war that ensues over eating vegetables.  Our resident artist loves to create pictures out of her food (flowers, sunshine, hearts). 

And the guy -  when he participates in the vegetable playing – pretty much just plays sports and then eats the bat/hockey stick/basketball/whatever.  But he ate a bell pepper the other night – so I couldn’t be more thrilled! 

How do you get your kids to eat veggies?

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By kcharles, January 26, 2012 11:17 pm

We eat stockpiles of granola bars around this house.  If it looks remotely healthy, I pick up a box to keep on hand.  But it always kinda gives me the creeps that those bars last forever.  Plus, it’s so much cheaper to just make your own.

Now I’m not giving up on store bought granola bars for good.  But, it is so easy to whip up a homemade batch of bars.  This recipe took us 10 minutes.  Plus, it cost us nothing with ingredients on hand.  These energy bars make a great breakfast or snack.  And if your kids don’t need the energy, then maybe you will:)! 

Chewy Energy Bars

2 1/2 cups crisp rice cereal
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine the cereal, oats, and wheat germ.  In a small saucepan, combine the corn syrup, peanut butter, and brown sugar.  Cook over medium heat until peanut butter is melted, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour over cereal and mix well.  Transfer to a greased 9 inch square pan.  Press mix into pan, cool completely, and cut into bars. 

recipe source:  Taste of Home Quick Cooking Annual Recipes 2011

***  By the way, this is another favorite recipe of ours – easily adaptable and delicious!  ***

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By kcharles, January 24, 2012 10:23 pm

I’m working on pulling together Selah’s room so that it looks more cohesive.  I love her Butterfly Art on the wall and am working on some roman shades and another piece of art.  When I saw this lime green checkered lampshade at Goodwill, I snatched it up for $2 change. 

I knew I had an old lamp in the basement and some green spray paint from an earlier project.  So a little spray paint later and ta-daaa!!!!!  A beautiful lamp for my beautiful girl.