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| 7:30 AM Rain and slush |
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| 8:00 AM Some Snow |
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| 8:30 AM Snow Play |
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Wordless Wednesday - The Progression of Snow
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Another use for Kid Art
My boys LOVE creating things and I mean LOVE. It's something I encourage and support.
They really like finger paint. We have many sheets covered in either one color or a few mixed together. I take pictures of all, save many but am still left with lots more. So, when it came time to wrap gifts this year, I reached for a big pile of it. Makes for lovely wrapping paper.
They really like finger paint. We have many sheets covered in either one color or a few mixed together. I take pictures of all, save many but am still left with lots more. So, when it came time to wrap gifts this year, I reached for a big pile of it. Makes for lovely wrapping paper.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Christmas Holiday Printables
Christmas hype, you either love it or hate it. I love it. I think I mentioned in one of my Halloween related posts that I get all into it. I can't get enough of it.Pre-kids, I actually did much more in the way of decorating (not little kid safe), parties (adult themed), baking, games and more. While I still do a crap load, the focus has changed. My Christmas village was regifted (takes up tons of place and lots of tiny breakable parts). I managed my office party this year, even had a hotel room alone but didn't really get to sleep in because we had already booked breakfast with Santa the next morning.
So I take my easy extras where I can get them. This year I was lucky enough to review the Holiday Printables from Python http://www.python-printable-games.com/printable-christmas-games.html You might remember these guys from my Halloween Review. I hope you had a chance to try some of theirs out then. The Christmas ones are just as fabulous.
We've managed to use a few of these already and I expect to use many more in this amazing set before the end of the season. The Christmas pack, as the Halloween has printables for all ages and occasions. There are even office games like the Giant Office Race Game (imagine your coworkers on a game board). There are some I've heard of like the left-right game with presents and others that are totally new to me like the great gift grab.
And triva! There is trivia for Christmas Movies (I found some movies here I haven't seen), Trivia for about Reindeer. And our favorite easy kid trivia (What should children not do when Santa Claus is coming to town?). There is even snow trivia, Santa trivia, Christmas books trivia, basically if it's Christmas related, they have a trivia game for it.
I love that they even included a letter from Santa. This is meant to be left beside the cookie plate for the next morning.
First Christmas together? Even that is covered with 2 Newlywed Games for Christmas (okay, so maybe I wont be using those ones this year, but maybe someday).
I think the one I'm most looking forward to is the Christmas Cleanup game. Yeah, that one will work!
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
Friday, December 14, 2012
The Stars of Tomorrow
I thought with all the horror in today's news, people might like a little pick me up.
They were already dressed the part, so I brought up the Village People on my computer and the minute they started watching the video of YMCA they had to try it themselves.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
It makes a difference to this one
Some of you have probably seen the big glaring request to save someone called Serenity and had no idea what it was about. Well, now is your chance to learn.
Serenity is a little girl who just turned 4. She should be running and playing and looking forward to a visit from Ho-Ho soon. But instead, she is in a baby house in Eastern Europe, wasting away. She doesn't know she is waiting for a forever family; she doesn't even know what a family is.
Serenity
Serenity was born with Down Syndrome. That's it, an extra chromosome that in her country marks her as useless, unable to learn, a waste. I don't know what was going on in her parent's mind. Perhaps they loved her, no matter what and wanted to raise her, but were met with the obstacles of family disownment, no money for special care (and trust me the govt wont step up). They would know that she would not be permitted to go to school, could be turned away from even the basic care. Maybe, just maybe, knowing this, they hoped someone else would adopt her. Or maybe her parents bought into the hype that the extra chromosome meant she wasn't worth loving. Whatever the reason, she was left at the baby house.
The baby houses are where abandoned babies, all babies, regardless of their developmental expectations are placed. The baby houses vary, from country to country, region to region and even city to city. In some, the children with challenges are treated the same as those with an average chromosome count. They are played with, taught to walk and talk. In some they are shunned, placed in back rooms only the minimum support required by law. In all, there is not enough funding, not enough resources to give any of the kids what they need to grow and develop. Some of these special needs kids are never taken from their cribs, ever. They are fed formula or broth through a bottle, even at age 4 or 5 because it's too much effort for the one 'nanny' to take 10 out of cribs for feeding by herself.
It sounds sad. It is. But the baby houses, even the bad ones are the good places. Between 5 and 6, they age out. For developmentally average kids, aging out means an orphanage. Not a great place. But they will be fed and cared for. They will go to school and be taught a trade. They will eventually leave. For the kids with Down Syndrome or CP or other things affecting development (physical or mental) aging out means mental institutions. Mental institutions with adults with problems. Mental institutions where they may be tied to their beds to keep them from hurting themselves. Mental institutions that they will leave only when they die.
A few years ago, I stumbled onto Reeces Rainbow. I wrote about it then Counting my Blessings I am happy to say, the three kids I wrote about then have all found families and doing great. I read the blogs of their adoptive families, and while there are struggles, the results are astounding.
Last year, I donated to 3 orphans. I have their ornaments. Sadly, all three of those are still waiting for families.
This year, I wanted to do more than just donate a few bucks. I wanted to advocate to help one of these kids find a family. So I applied to be a Christmas Warrior, someone who would along with trying to raise funds for one child, would get the word out there about all these kids. Maybe someone reading this, a friend of a friend of a friend, would realize that a child they see is one that has been waiting to join their family.
I was allowed to be Serenity's warrior. She is just a bit older than my boys. She's never been held. She's never been tickled. She's never been loved. If she had been born in North America, she would be in a loving home, with a family. Here, there are waiting lists of people looking to adopt babies with Down Syndrome. But she wasn't born here so to be adopted, she needs a family to travel across the world to get her. It's an expensive process, running between 25,000 and 35,000. Families do all they can to raise money. Reeces Rainbow helps by helping raise money too.
Reeces Rainbow is a registered USA charity. Donations are tax deductible. If you donate 35 (or more) to a single child, you will get an amazing ornament sent to you as a reminder that you are making a difference.
The goal is to raise 1000 from the Angel Tree for Serenity before Jan 1. If you can, please help.
Along with donations, I'm part of a Facebook auction. There are many items, going to support many kids in the Angel Tree including the ones I've listed to help move Serenity towards her goal. The opening bids are low and many items have no bids on them. If you want to find the ones specific to Serenity, you can ask, or you can check each out (orphan will be named in the description). Angel Tree Auction just go to the album and click on it.
The Angel Tree works. Since coming up a few weeks ago, 10 kids have already found families willing to adopt them. Those families are early in the process, but this will be their last Christmas without a family.
Here is what it means to be a kid in Canada. Want to help fund a family to make this possible for Serenity?
Serenity
Serenity was born with Down Syndrome. That's it, an extra chromosome that in her country marks her as useless, unable to learn, a waste. I don't know what was going on in her parent's mind. Perhaps they loved her, no matter what and wanted to raise her, but were met with the obstacles of family disownment, no money for special care (and trust me the govt wont step up). They would know that she would not be permitted to go to school, could be turned away from even the basic care. Maybe, just maybe, knowing this, they hoped someone else would adopt her. Or maybe her parents bought into the hype that the extra chromosome meant she wasn't worth loving. Whatever the reason, she was left at the baby house.
The baby houses are where abandoned babies, all babies, regardless of their developmental expectations are placed. The baby houses vary, from country to country, region to region and even city to city. In some, the children with challenges are treated the same as those with an average chromosome count. They are played with, taught to walk and talk. In some they are shunned, placed in back rooms only the minimum support required by law. In all, there is not enough funding, not enough resources to give any of the kids what they need to grow and develop. Some of these special needs kids are never taken from their cribs, ever. They are fed formula or broth through a bottle, even at age 4 or 5 because it's too much effort for the one 'nanny' to take 10 out of cribs for feeding by herself.
It sounds sad. It is. But the baby houses, even the bad ones are the good places. Between 5 and 6, they age out. For developmentally average kids, aging out means an orphanage. Not a great place. But they will be fed and cared for. They will go to school and be taught a trade. They will eventually leave. For the kids with Down Syndrome or CP or other things affecting development (physical or mental) aging out means mental institutions. Mental institutions with adults with problems. Mental institutions where they may be tied to their beds to keep them from hurting themselves. Mental institutions that they will leave only when they die.
A few years ago, I stumbled onto Reeces Rainbow. I wrote about it then Counting my Blessings I am happy to say, the three kids I wrote about then have all found families and doing great. I read the blogs of their adoptive families, and while there are struggles, the results are astounding.
Last year, I donated to 3 orphans. I have their ornaments. Sadly, all three of those are still waiting for families.
This year, I wanted to do more than just donate a few bucks. I wanted to advocate to help one of these kids find a family. So I applied to be a Christmas Warrior, someone who would along with trying to raise funds for one child, would get the word out there about all these kids. Maybe someone reading this, a friend of a friend of a friend, would realize that a child they see is one that has been waiting to join their family.
I was allowed to be Serenity's warrior. She is just a bit older than my boys. She's never been held. She's never been tickled. She's never been loved. If she had been born in North America, she would be in a loving home, with a family. Here, there are waiting lists of people looking to adopt babies with Down Syndrome. But she wasn't born here so to be adopted, she needs a family to travel across the world to get her. It's an expensive process, running between 25,000 and 35,000. Families do all they can to raise money. Reeces Rainbow helps by helping raise money too.
Reeces Rainbow is a registered USA charity. Donations are tax deductible. If you donate 35 (or more) to a single child, you will get an amazing ornament sent to you as a reminder that you are making a difference.
The goal is to raise 1000 from the Angel Tree for Serenity before Jan 1. If you can, please help.
Along with donations, I'm part of a Facebook auction. There are many items, going to support many kids in the Angel Tree including the ones I've listed to help move Serenity towards her goal. The opening bids are low and many items have no bids on them. If you want to find the ones specific to Serenity, you can ask, or you can check each out (orphan will be named in the description). Angel Tree Auction just go to the album and click on it.
The Angel Tree works. Since coming up a few weeks ago, 10 kids have already found families willing to adopt them. Those families are early in the process, but this will be their last Christmas without a family.
Here is what it means to be a kid in Canada. Want to help fund a family to make this possible for Serenity?
Saturday, December 1, 2012
We're being stalked
He's watching our every move. He's reporting back to the big boss. He's starting to create both a sense of calm and a sense of excitement at the same time.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Rings on his Fingers and Bells on his Toes
Well, the rings were made of playdough and the bells were actually around his ankles but.....
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Lovable Labels - Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Mad Dash For Christmas Cash Giveaway Event
Mad Dash For Christmas Cash Giveaway Event
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Sunday, November 11, 2012
Lest We Forget
It is really hard to explain war and death to a pair of 3 year olds who've experience neither. I'm very glad that their lives have not been directly touched by either. But we have Remembrance Day (Veteran's day in the USA) for a reason. We need to remember and honor those who fought for us and because those who don't remember history, learn from it, are doomed to repeat.
Their first couple of years, when they were in strollers and portable, I took them to the services at the closest War Memorial. But they don't have it in them right now to sit through a service and I don't want to disrupt others. So I looked for ways to help them learn and still honor the Day.
They took a great interest in the poppies everyone was wearing, so I started there. I found this book at the library and we read it a few times and talked about it. I tried to explain war in terms 3 year olds could understand. We talked in terms of bullies and groups standing up to them and of course death and honor.
Then we did a craft. I cut squares in contact paper and put a black circle in the middle. Then the boys cut out lots of tiny bits of red tissue paper and put on the contact paper. I put down another piece of contact paper and cut the shape out. We talked about poppies and their meaning while we worked.
I hung one on our door and one in the window. And we talked some more about them.
Today, November 11, we managed, barely a moment of silence at 11:11.
Next year, I will explain more and maybe try to get to a legion in advance of the day to talk to some vets. And we'll read some more and talk some more. Our kids are the future. They will be the ones who work towards peace or go to war. The more we can share now and teach them about the past, the more tools they will have to make the right choices. Lest we forget......
Their first couple of years, when they were in strollers and portable, I took them to the services at the closest War Memorial. But they don't have it in them right now to sit through a service and I don't want to disrupt others. So I looked for ways to help them learn and still honor the Day.
They took a great interest in the poppies everyone was wearing, so I started there. I found this book at the library and we read it a few times and talked about it. I tried to explain war in terms 3 year olds could understand. We talked in terms of bullies and groups standing up to them and of course death and honor.
Then we did a craft. I cut squares in contact paper and put a black circle in the middle. Then the boys cut out lots of tiny bits of red tissue paper and put on the contact paper. I put down another piece of contact paper and cut the shape out. We talked about poppies and their meaning while we worked.
I hung one on our door and one in the window. And we talked some more about them.
Today, November 11, we managed, barely a moment of silence at 11:11.
Next year, I will explain more and maybe try to get to a legion in advance of the day to talk to some vets. And we'll read some more and talk some more. Our kids are the future. They will be the ones who work towards peace or go to war. The more we can share now and teach them about the past, the more tools they will have to make the right choices. Lest we forget......
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Did the Halloween Fairy Come to Your Place?
No idea who that is? Probably not, I made her up and I'm hoping she catches on.
Last year, after a night of Trick or Treating, the boys played with their candy, ate a couple of pieces then went to bed. I took it to work the next day and they never asked about it. I knew that I couldn't count on that every year. Even if they forget, for the next week or so, every other kid and adult will remind them (what did you wear? how much candy did you get etc). Some parents let their kids "buy" something with their candy but my kids just don't get the concept of value or buying things yet. In stepped the Halloween Fairy.
The Halloween Fairy comes at night and takes all the candy you leave and gives you a toy (kinda like the Tooth fairy who gives money for used teeth). And if you're really lucky, she may leave you one or two candies/treats.
This year the Halloween Fairy got the boys remote controlled cars. I tried to find the ones for the younger kids, but in the time I had and the locations I could get to, I couldn't find these. So I took a chance and got them 6+ vehicles. One had to be exchanged right away (factory defect, not kid issue) but otherwise they are doing great with them.
When asked, Nathan will say the Tooth Fairy took his candy. Close enough. There were no fights, arguments or pleading involved.
Some people say just give the kids the candy. Not in my place. I'm not a sugar Nazi, but I like to limit the consumption. Add to it, the chocolate is almost all dairy (a no-no in our place) and everything else is all chemical food coloring. I wish I had a video of it, but Nathan was actually bouncing off the walls (and the bed and the floor and everything else) after on a few pieces of candy. Then he crashed, hard, falling asleep while still talking and goofing off. So candy in our place will remain a treat.
So what happened to the candy? I divided it into 3 piles. One to come to work to share with my coworkers and one that contained my favorites that would either be shared with my coworkers or consumed by me! One to stay home with treats they could be given over a long period of time.
More photos of the Halloween Season will follow in a different post along with our observations around this years understanding of trick or treat.
The Halloween Fairy comes at night and takes all the candy you leave and gives you a toy (kinda like the Tooth fairy who gives money for used teeth). And if you're really lucky, she may leave you one or two candies/treats.
When asked, Nathan will say the Tooth Fairy took his candy. Close enough. There were no fights, arguments or pleading involved.Some people say just give the kids the candy. Not in my place. I'm not a sugar Nazi, but I like to limit the consumption. Add to it, the chocolate is almost all dairy (a no-no in our place) and everything else is all chemical food coloring. I wish I had a video of it, but Nathan was actually bouncing off the walls (and the bed and the floor and everything else) after on a few pieces of candy. Then he crashed, hard, falling asleep while still talking and goofing off. So candy in our place will remain a treat.
So what happened to the candy? I divided it into 3 piles. One to come to work to share with my coworkers and one that contained my favorites that would either be shared with my coworkers or consumed by me! One to stay home with treats they could be given over a long period of time.
More photos of the Halloween Season will follow in a different post along with our observations around this years understanding of trick or treat.
Monday, October 29, 2012
October Vegan Food Swap
I've taken part in a few Vegan Food swaps but am behind on the blog posts about them. I promise I'll get to the first two soon, but since I actually have a chance to do the October one on time, I'm going for it.
In this food swap, put on by MeShell and you can get details here Canadian Vegan Food Swap (with a link to find the USA version for those of you not north of the 49th). Each participant is given someone to send food too. Someone else sends a package to them. The idea is to try to find food your partner would like that they are not likely to have tried or have easy access to.
My sender this time was in the Toronto area and did her best to find foods I was less likely to find in Vancouver, while trying to be kid friendly at the same time. My package came from Lauren at http://www.sweatpotatopies.blogspot.ca/
As with any package that arrives at my place, the boys got involved with the unpacking. (see that sofa that looks like hell, it's 18 months old, yup, that's it, from the Brick, I'm not impressed (I typically keep a cover on it). They just love opening boxes and taking things out, lining them up and then putting them all back in again (and then repeating the process over and over and over). They were more interested in the actual process than the food itself, although once Nathan saw the picture on the Sprinklez, he kept insisting that they were cupcakes and I had to open them to show him they were not.
I've never heard of this company. These disappeared fast. The kids were less fond of the brownie than I thought they would be, but it might have been the gooey texture in the middle that turned them off (which was okay with me as I got to eat it!)
While I've heard of and seen this company, I have yet to try this product. This time of year is perfect for it.
I love granola and am loving the chance to try some new ones. This one is local to Toronto so totally new to me. Nathan will sometimes also eat it, although Corwyn still has some aversion to cold cereal.
These were something I was happy to see, so happy once I opened them. See, I've bought these before and was so disappointed. I really try hard to avoid or at least limit the toxins in food colors, but preschoolers and sprinkles in baking are made for each other. When I bought it box the sprinkles were a monotone grey. Bleh. But this box, the colors were so much more obvious. And while no, these are not like the ones with the toxins for brightness, they are still colorful enough to entice the kids without the damage.
They boys have been begging me to make cupcakes since seeing these, so we'll be doing some up soon.
Overall, this was a fabulous swap thanks to Lauren. I look forward to the next one.
In this food swap, put on by MeShell and you can get details here Canadian Vegan Food Swap (with a link to find the USA version for those of you not north of the 49th). Each participant is given someone to send food too. Someone else sends a package to them. The idea is to try to find food your partner would like that they are not likely to have tried or have easy access to.
My sender this time was in the Toronto area and did her best to find foods I was less likely to find in Vancouver, while trying to be kid friendly at the same time. My package came from Lauren at http://www.sweatpotatopies.blogspot.ca/
2 Gluten Free products from Sweets from the Earth.
Mulling Spice from Simply Organics
Prana Tamari Almonds
These are a total favorite of mine although I suspect with the recent pancreas issues, almonds are off my list now. Happily the boys liked them.
New Moon Kitchen Granola
Confetti Sprinkelz
These were something I was happy to see, so happy once I opened them. See, I've bought these before and was so disappointed. I really try hard to avoid or at least limit the toxins in food colors, but preschoolers and sprinkles in baking are made for each other. When I bought it box the sprinkles were a monotone grey. Bleh. But this box, the colors were so much more obvious. And while no, these are not like the ones with the toxins for brightness, they are still colorful enough to entice the kids without the damage.They boys have been begging me to make cupcakes since seeing these, so we'll be doing some up soon.
Overall, this was a fabulous swap thanks to Lauren. I look forward to the next one.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Baking with Preschoolers - Bean Brownies
Bean Brownies? Yup, they are real, they are good and they are (mostly) preschooler approved.
I found this recipe over at Mealtime Hostage. I found her blog during the race to the Top 25 Canadian Mom blogs (I didn't make it). I was hooked. She is another Canadian mom with twins. Her twins are older and she has a selective eater. This is not a picky eater, this is more, but I will let you read her blog for more info on that. I worry sometimes that my kids may be headed this way as the food list they are willing to eat gets smaller and smaller, but that is a different story for another time.
So Bean Brownies. I liked the recipe enough to want to try it. It was naturally gluten free plus with 3 eggs and a can of black beans they are full of protein. But being me, I couldn't leave well enough alone. I try to avoid excess sugar for the kids, not none, but control it. So the first thing I did was cut the sugar by half a cup. This being new, I didn't want to vary that much so I decided to break out the Krisda. This stevia blend is one that you can substitute measure for measure for sugar, so added half a cup of it. And I love coconut oil making that was my oil of choice, which meant a bit of an extra step to melt it a bit. And I like raw cacao over your everyday processed cocoa.
Our friends Monika and Aias were coming over to help. In advance of 3 preschoolers in my kitchen trying to cook at the same time with no patience, I poured the ingredients into measuring cups in advance. So they would cook a bit faster and cool a bit faster, I also went with the mini-muffin format over the cake pan. This made 24 of these two-bite brownies.
The kids were all quite good at taking turns cracking eggs, running the food processor and stirring.
Although both my kids like to push buttons Corwyn usually gets upset quickly at the volume of the food processor. He takes a small turn then puts his hands over his ears telling me Too loud mommy, too loud! and demanding it be shut off. So to keep him happy (distracted) while Nathan and Aias had a turn at the machine I let him pour all the dry ingredients into the bowl.
Then all three crowded around the bowl to stir. Nathan insisted on helping me pour the wet mixture in, then gave up quickly on the stirring so he could lick the dirt off of each spoon (yes, he called it dirt).
Nathan was very happy to put parchment paper liners in all the mini-muffin tins. He considered it his job and didn't really let anyone help. I've said before how much I love parchment paper liners. It keeps everything from sticking with no oil.
I let them put in some dairy free mini chips for some extra chocolate taste (less than a quarter cup). Then it was time for sprinkles. Sigh. Yes, they are chemical toxins but 3 year olds and sprinkles seem made for each other. They did a fabulous job taking sprinkle turns and you could still see the cupcake brownies. They put sprinkles only one half of them.
Overall, the kids were great waiting for them to cook. Nathan kept running to check but didn't try to take them out of the oven. I tossed one pan into the fridge to cool faster. From making many gluten-free foods over this year, I knew that any baked goods without flour should be totally cool or they will fall apart. But they were no longer hot enough to burn and it was nearing bedtime so I gave in.
They were good. Very good. Nathan ate as many as he could sneak. Aias had one and took some home for later. Corwyn liked the first bite but on the second gave up. I suspect for him it was more about the texture and taste. He will probably eat more tomorrow now that they are totally cooled and set more.
To me, while still a bit warm, I really noticed the stevia after taste, not enough to ruin them at all, they were still good, but I could taste it. But now that they are totally cool, the stevia taste isn't there anymore at all. Yeah!!!
I wish I had more pictures of the kids baking and eating, but it was more fun being in there than watching and taking pictures.
Check out Mealtime Hostage for the recipe in its original form and for a great new blog. Try the brownies for a wonderful snack for the kids chalk full of protein and no gluten.
We will be making these again in the future. Now that I did them once, I will play with them even more, maybe instead of the half cup of stevia blend, I'll try a fruit puree or something.
I found this recipe over at Mealtime Hostage. I found her blog during the race to the Top 25 Canadian Mom blogs (I didn't make it). I was hooked. She is another Canadian mom with twins. Her twins are older and she has a selective eater. This is not a picky eater, this is more, but I will let you read her blog for more info on that. I worry sometimes that my kids may be headed this way as the food list they are willing to eat gets smaller and smaller, but that is a different story for another time.
So Bean Brownies. I liked the recipe enough to want to try it. It was naturally gluten free plus with 3 eggs and a can of black beans they are full of protein. But being me, I couldn't leave well enough alone. I try to avoid excess sugar for the kids, not none, but control it. So the first thing I did was cut the sugar by half a cup. This being new, I didn't want to vary that much so I decided to break out the Krisda. This stevia blend is one that you can substitute measure for measure for sugar, so added half a cup of it. And I love coconut oil making that was my oil of choice, which meant a bit of an extra step to melt it a bit. And I like raw cacao over your everyday processed cocoa.Our friends Monika and Aias were coming over to help. In advance of 3 preschoolers in my kitchen trying to cook at the same time with no patience, I poured the ingredients into measuring cups in advance. So they would cook a bit faster and cool a bit faster, I also went with the mini-muffin format over the cake pan. This made 24 of these two-bite brownies.
The kids were all quite good at taking turns cracking eggs, running the food processor and stirring.
Although both my kids like to push buttons Corwyn usually gets upset quickly at the volume of the food processor. He takes a small turn then puts his hands over his ears telling me Too loud mommy, too loud! and demanding it be shut off. So to keep him happy (distracted) while Nathan and Aias had a turn at the machine I let him pour all the dry ingredients into the bowl.Then all three crowded around the bowl to stir. Nathan insisted on helping me pour the wet mixture in, then gave up quickly on the stirring so he could lick the dirt off of each spoon (yes, he called it dirt).
Nathan was very happy to put parchment paper liners in all the mini-muffin tins. He considered it his job and didn't really let anyone help. I've said before how much I love parchment paper liners. It keeps everything from sticking with no oil.
I let them put in some dairy free mini chips for some extra chocolate taste (less than a quarter cup). Then it was time for sprinkles. Sigh. Yes, they are chemical toxins but 3 year olds and sprinkles seem made for each other. They did a fabulous job taking sprinkle turns and you could still see the cupcake brownies. They put sprinkles only one half of them.
Overall, the kids were great waiting for them to cook. Nathan kept running to check but didn't try to take them out of the oven. I tossed one pan into the fridge to cool faster. From making many gluten-free foods over this year, I knew that any baked goods without flour should be totally cool or they will fall apart. But they were no longer hot enough to burn and it was nearing bedtime so I gave in.
They were good. Very good. Nathan ate as many as he could sneak. Aias had one and took some home for later. Corwyn liked the first bite but on the second gave up. I suspect for him it was more about the texture and taste. He will probably eat more tomorrow now that they are totally cooled and set more.
To me, while still a bit warm, I really noticed the stevia after taste, not enough to ruin them at all, they were still good, but I could taste it. But now that they are totally cool, the stevia taste isn't there anymore at all. Yeah!!!
I wish I had more pictures of the kids baking and eating, but it was more fun being in there than watching and taking pictures.
Check out Mealtime Hostage for the recipe in its original form and for a great new blog. Try the brownies for a wonderful snack for the kids chalk full of protein and no gluten.
We will be making these again in the future. Now that I did them once, I will play with them even more, maybe instead of the half cup of stevia blend, I'll try a fruit puree or something.
Monday, October 15, 2012
How Much is the Doggy in the Window?
Arf Arf.
No, we did not get, nor are we getting a dog. But we did dog sit a couple of weekends ago and the kids loved (most of) it.
Max is a great dog belonging to my friend Monika over at www.aias.ca. He's a large Yorkie who is a great apartment dog and wonderful with kids. He is also very laid back. I picked him up Friday afternoon and he went home Monday evening. He didn't even blink about saying good-bye to his family and walking home with me. He's been to my place a few times to visit and led me almost to my door without any prompting. While there, he treated the place like home, showing none of the anxiety I would have expected. It did take him a bit to get used to the noise in the hallway. He lives in a much smaller building, with almost as many apartments spread out over 6 floors as we have just on my floor in my building. I think he kept hoping the sounds (particularly the kid and stroller sounds) meant his family was back.
Nathan was over the moon. He loves animals, any and all animals. He's like me that way. Corwyn likes them, but not with the same enthusiasm. Both boys love cats and small animals. But with dogs, Corwyn is more reserved. Not Nathan, from the moment Max arrived, he wanted him as a constant companion.
There were some logistics to work out. I live in an apartment. Dogs need to be walked. Kids can not be left alone. Happily Max comes from apartment life which is similar to mine (although there are two adults in his place so one can stay with the child during dog walks). According to Monika, he only needed to go out twice a day. I took advantage of the weather and we went out more frequently. Initially, having him there really helped the boys get ready faster (Hurry, Max really needs to pee!). But as the weekend went on, this took a bit longer and longer, and although they never resisted, just dragged it out more each time.
Corwyn loved helping hold the leash to walk Max. Nathan did too, but wanted to hold it on his own. Unfortunately Max has little to no recall and even if he did, he's not my dog so I wouldn't want to test it. Nathan is easily distracted and would often let go of his hand hold. I was not letting him hold the leash on his own (except once we were inside on the way to the elevator). Nathan took an odd pleasure in taking the poop bag to the garbage. Both boys made the appropriate eewwwww sounds when he pooped.
Nathan wanted Max to sleep with him, but Max didn't want to sleep with Nathan because he is too active until he falls asleep. Max wanted to sleep with Corwyn because Corwyn just lies there, but Corwyn didn't want Max in his bed. In the end, Nathan would fall asleep on the floor next to me (I stay in the bedroom until they fall asleep) and Max would fall asleep in Nathan's bed. (after which I moved Nathan to his bed and Max came with me). It worked.
The harder part came with the before bed pee. While we took him out around 6 or 7 each night, it wouldn't be until 7 or 8 until I could get the boys up and dressed to take him out again. So before I went to sleep, I took him outside for the worlds fastest pee. The boys rarely wake during the evening (although by 3am both are usually in my bed) but I really didn't want them awake and looking for me (Nathan can unlock and open the door). This was a bit of a panic time for me, but we made it through the 3 nights.
Overall, the experience was great. It reaffirmed that we could not get a dog until the boys were old enough to be left alone for the late night walk, or I won the lottery and bought a house with a yard. One night last week, I was in the hallway, just outside my door (partly open) talking with a friend. Nathan woke up and I heard him. In less than 1 minutes he was very worked up because he could not find me (our place is small). One morning, at camp, Corwyn and I went to the bathroom while Nathan was still asleep. He woke up. As we were coming back to our room, I saw Nathan already outside, crying because he couldn't find us. No, I can't leave them, even for a short pee break with a dog.
I know so many people who think all kids should have a dog. While I love dogs, I don't necessarily agree. I think a dog needs to fit into the entire family and the family lifestyle needs to allow for it. As mentioned, I can't leave the kids alone to walk a dog and we don't have a yard to just let one out in, so no dog for now. For other families, they spend little to no time at home. Dogs need companionship. Some need TONS of exercise and that is another time commitment. Some are great at holding in pee, some cant go more than 5 or 6 hours. That said, some families and kids are great with dogs.
A dog is a commitment. I know people who suggest getting a dog to teach a child responsibility. Well, what happens when the child decides he/she doesn't want to walk or feed the dog? Dogs are not tools to be abandoned when the experiment fails. But unfortunately, the shelter is full of dogs like this. And what does that teach the child about having a pet? That they can dispose of them? Commitment. If you plan to get a dog then understand it is a family dog. Know in advance that you as the parent will likely do most of the work. Sure there are some exceptions, but don't plan for those. If you get a dog, make sure it's for the right reasons.
So no dog for us, as least not until they are much older. But I knew that once we were past the potty stage (potties take up space), we might consider a cat. We recently applied and were accepted to adopt a cat from the local orphan cat/kitten rescue. We now need to meet some of the foster cats and find the one that fits with our home. Yes, a cat is also a commitment, but unlike a dog, I wont have to leave the kids alone to take care of it's needs. Both boys like dogs but they LOVE cats. And I think a cat is more suited to Corwyn who doesn't like being jumped on or licked. The cat will be a family cat and of course right now, the responsibility will mostly be mine. But over time they can, if they want take over things like filling the water dish, cleaning the litter box (!!), brushing etc.
And for those who think we're "settling" by getting a cat instead of a dog, here's a shot of Nathan who jumped off his bike to go pet a random kitty we saw. He does this with any and every cat cat we see (luckily he's never tried to pet one of the skunks in our neighborhood). Corwyn has this same reaction to cats (although he will hide from big or hyper dogs). And me, I love cats.
No, we did not get, nor are we getting a dog. But we did dog sit a couple of weekends ago and the kids loved (most of) it.
Max is a great dog belonging to my friend Monika over at www.aias.ca. He's a large Yorkie who is a great apartment dog and wonderful with kids. He is also very laid back. I picked him up Friday afternoon and he went home Monday evening. He didn't even blink about saying good-bye to his family and walking home with me. He's been to my place a few times to visit and led me almost to my door without any prompting. While there, he treated the place like home, showing none of the anxiety I would have expected. It did take him a bit to get used to the noise in the hallway. He lives in a much smaller building, with almost as many apartments spread out over 6 floors as we have just on my floor in my building. I think he kept hoping the sounds (particularly the kid and stroller sounds) meant his family was back.Nathan was over the moon. He loves animals, any and all animals. He's like me that way. Corwyn likes them, but not with the same enthusiasm. Both boys love cats and small animals. But with dogs, Corwyn is more reserved. Not Nathan, from the moment Max arrived, he wanted him as a constant companion.
There were some logistics to work out. I live in an apartment. Dogs need to be walked. Kids can not be left alone. Happily Max comes from apartment life which is similar to mine (although there are two adults in his place so one can stay with the child during dog walks). According to Monika, he only needed to go out twice a day. I took advantage of the weather and we went out more frequently. Initially, having him there really helped the boys get ready faster (Hurry, Max really needs to pee!). But as the weekend went on, this took a bit longer and longer, and although they never resisted, just dragged it out more each time.
Corwyn loved helping hold the leash to walk Max. Nathan did too, but wanted to hold it on his own. Unfortunately Max has little to no recall and even if he did, he's not my dog so I wouldn't want to test it. Nathan is easily distracted and would often let go of his hand hold. I was not letting him hold the leash on his own (except once we were inside on the way to the elevator). Nathan took an odd pleasure in taking the poop bag to the garbage. Both boys made the appropriate eewwwww sounds when he pooped.
Nathan wanted Max to sleep with him, but Max didn't want to sleep with Nathan because he is too active until he falls asleep. Max wanted to sleep with Corwyn because Corwyn just lies there, but Corwyn didn't want Max in his bed. In the end, Nathan would fall asleep on the floor next to me (I stay in the bedroom until they fall asleep) and Max would fall asleep in Nathan's bed. (after which I moved Nathan to his bed and Max came with me). It worked.
The harder part came with the before bed pee. While we took him out around 6 or 7 each night, it wouldn't be until 7 or 8 until I could get the boys up and dressed to take him out again. So before I went to sleep, I took him outside for the worlds fastest pee. The boys rarely wake during the evening (although by 3am both are usually in my bed) but I really didn't want them awake and looking for me (Nathan can unlock and open the door). This was a bit of a panic time for me, but we made it through the 3 nights.
Overall, the experience was great. It reaffirmed that we could not get a dog until the boys were old enough to be left alone for the late night walk, or I won the lottery and bought a house with a yard. One night last week, I was in the hallway, just outside my door (partly open) talking with a friend. Nathan woke up and I heard him. In less than 1 minutes he was very worked up because he could not find me (our place is small). One morning, at camp, Corwyn and I went to the bathroom while Nathan was still asleep. He woke up. As we were coming back to our room, I saw Nathan already outside, crying because he couldn't find us. No, I can't leave them, even for a short pee break with a dog.
I know so many people who think all kids should have a dog. While I love dogs, I don't necessarily agree. I think a dog needs to fit into the entire family and the family lifestyle needs to allow for it. As mentioned, I can't leave the kids alone to walk a dog and we don't have a yard to just let one out in, so no dog for now. For other families, they spend little to no time at home. Dogs need companionship. Some need TONS of exercise and that is another time commitment. Some are great at holding in pee, some cant go more than 5 or 6 hours. That said, some families and kids are great with dogs.
A dog is a commitment. I know people who suggest getting a dog to teach a child responsibility. Well, what happens when the child decides he/she doesn't want to walk or feed the dog? Dogs are not tools to be abandoned when the experiment fails. But unfortunately, the shelter is full of dogs like this. And what does that teach the child about having a pet? That they can dispose of them? Commitment. If you plan to get a dog then understand it is a family dog. Know in advance that you as the parent will likely do most of the work. Sure there are some exceptions, but don't plan for those. If you get a dog, make sure it's for the right reasons.
So no dog for us, as least not until they are much older. But I knew that once we were past the potty stage (potties take up space), we might consider a cat. We recently applied and were accepted to adopt a cat from the local orphan cat/kitten rescue. We now need to meet some of the foster cats and find the one that fits with our home. Yes, a cat is also a commitment, but unlike a dog, I wont have to leave the kids alone to take care of it's needs. Both boys like dogs but they LOVE cats. And I think a cat is more suited to Corwyn who doesn't like being jumped on or licked. The cat will be a family cat and of course right now, the responsibility will mostly be mine. But over time they can, if they want take over things like filling the water dish, cleaning the litter box (!!), brushing etc.
And for those who think we're "settling" by getting a cat instead of a dog, here's a shot of Nathan who jumped off his bike to go pet a random kitty we saw. He does this with any and every cat cat we see (luckily he's never tried to pet one of the skunks in our neighborhood). Corwyn has this same reaction to cats (although he will hide from big or hyper dogs). And me, I love cats.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Freaky Fall #Giveaway: $200 Cash, Gift Cards, Jewelry, and Goodies
Welcome to the Freaky Fall Giveaway!
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| Welcome to the Freaky Fall Giveaway where we have lots of cash, gift cards, jewelry, and other goodies up for grabs! |
Before we get into the prizes and entry form, I'd like to take a moment to thank our wonderful sponsors:
Aaron from Dadblunders made a generous contribution to the prize offerings, and his blog is one of the best parenting blogs around.
Monica's Rants, Raves & Reviews is a blog with a lot of fun things to check out, including giveaways, reviews, and rants, of course.
Intricate Knot is a beautiful spirit with a wonderful blog, and she's also quite the artist.
The beautiful and talented writer, Susan Silver, of Cirquedumot offers advice on blogging, social media, and everything in between.
Larry at Ireview central offers the best reviews for IOS users to choose the best products without wasting money on bad apps.
Becca J. Campbell has a wonderful writer blog called Inspiration for Creation, and her posts truly are informative and inspiring. You'll see a couple of those posts syndicated on this blog, and you will love her books.
A.E. Howard is a Blogger BookFair Awards winner in the Fantasy Category, and her talent is evident in her book ratings.
Emerson Creek Pottery has gorgeous handmade ceramic pottery made in the USA, and all of their products are lead-free.
Thanks to everyone for making it possible to grant one lucky reader a fantastic head-start on holiday season shopping!
Now to the awesome prizes!
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| $200 PayPal Cash |
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| A $25 Amazon giftcard to bring joy to your online shopping experience! |
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| $10 iTunes giftcard |
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| One limited edition Oscar de la Renta Scarf for supporting #LGFB |
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| An Emerson Creek Pottery Onion soup bowl in the pattern of your choosing. I chose the Blue Crab pattern, and I love this piece! |
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| 3 Mid-finger rings from Merlin's Apprentice. |
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| Cute, dainty beads compliment these ear cuffs from Merlin's Apprentice. |
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| A set of small, cute ear-cuffs by Merlin's Apprentice. |
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| Foreign Identity by Becca J. Campbell. Click image for more details. |
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| Not the Norm by Becca J. Campbell. Click image for more details. |
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| Flight of Blue by: Keepers of the Key Chronicles by A.E. Howard. Click image for more details. |
In order to be eligible for any of the above prizes, you must complete all steps of the Rafflecopter entry or be disqualified. I hate to be harsh, but a lot of effort has gone into this giveaway to make it possible to reward a wonderful and faithful reader and supporter of blogs and books. Thanks for entering and continually supporting various communities and organizations!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck and happy winning!
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