Brown Sugar Oatmeal Pancakes

We make two kinds of pancakes in this family. We do not buy pancake mix- ever. We have a family sourdough start that has been passed around for many years, and we have these. (I'll have to post the sour dough recipe later.) These are oh so yummy and very filling because of the oatmeal. You can also make them a little healthier by doing half of the flour whole wheat and half white. (I've tried that too, and they are still very good.)

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 T veggie oil
1 cup buttermilk (homemade buttermilk also works)

Mix the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ones. Cook on pancake skillet.




It's a little harder to tell when these are done compared to other pancakes. They do not bubble up quite as much, so you have to get them when they are just first starting to bubble at all. You kind of have to experiment with it.



Mmmmm...golden browny delicious.


-Adapted from Taste of Homes

Transportation Art Project

We did this activity for preschool with our transportation lesson. Russ loved it so much that he wanted to do it again and again.



Russell got to experiment with how things move with paint. All you need is a little washable paint, some toy cars, animals, or anything else that moves from one place to another. It is fun to see the different tire tracks/footprints each thing makes. You could even have your child add their own footprint, if you are motivated enough!






It's just a lot of fun, and not as messy as you might think, as long as you have a bucket or sink of sudsy water all ready for when they get done.

I let Russell wash his own toys with a bucket of soapy water and a toothbrush. He thought it was so cool to take the cars to the "carwash." It may have been his favorite part.

Pouring Practice

Want your children to have good penmanship in school? Your child needs to work on their fine motor skills. Here is one easy and fun activity that will help out.

Pouring Practice




They can pour anything. We are using water here, but I would recommend starting out with something that is not wet such as popcorn kernals or cereal or sand etc. We made quite a little mess, but we had the towels right there for clean up, so it was not a big deal.






It's all a game to the child, especially if they pretend that they are serving beverages to friends.
Try it out with your kid when you are busy cleaning or cooking in the kitchen and need the little one occupied while you work. You can encourage and talk to him as you bustle around.

Kabobs!!!

We tried this kabob recipe with friends the other day, and it was a HUGE hit!! My friend made it for her family the very next week.

Steak and Shrimp Kabobs

1 cup teriyaki sauce
1 can (6 ounces) of pineapple juice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 minced garlic cloves
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 pound boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into one inch peices
1 pound of uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
(We actually just used the jumbo kind that you find already cooked in the bags at the grocery store, but whatever.)
1 pound whole fresh mushrooms
3 large peppers (green, red, yellow, orange, or all 3!) Cut into one inch peices.

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour into a gallon sized plastic bag. Add the beef, shrimp, mushroom, and peppers. Marinate for an hour or so.

Drain the marinade into a saucepan. You can bring this to a rolling boil to cook off the germs from the meat and use it for a dipping sauce.

Thread the meat and veggies onto metal or water-soaked wooden skewers. Grill on medium high for about 4 minutes on each side or until the steak reaches desired doneness.

(6-8 servings)

*Adapted from a recipe found off of TasteofHome.




Before grilling.



After. Yummy with pineapple.

Help your child learn to read!!

For those of you who don't know, I am an elementary school teacher. Well, not right this minute, but I did teach 2nd grade for 3 years before I put my career on hold to rear my children full time. (I do plan on going back some day, by the way.)

Much of second grade is spent learning to read or at least learning to read harder books than you could before. Anyway, I spent A LOT of time working with kids on their reading skills, so I might do a few posts on the importance of reading/school readiness. Please humor me.

I'd like to start off by saying that the NUMBER ONE thing that you can do to prep your child for school/reading is...dum, da da DUUUUUMM... READING OUT LOUD TO THEM!!

That should be pretty self explanitory, right?

BUT, when you read to them, make sure that you take the time to stop and talk about the pictures, ask them questions, have them make predictions, have them retell you the story, point at the words as you read, discuss vocabulary words that they are not familiar with etc. etc. These kinds of activities make the reading time EVEN MORE valuable.

If you read to your child on a regular basis, they will learn to associate reading with the positive feelings of your love for them, and they will be MUCH more likely to ENJOY reading.

Here's the equation:

you reading to kid=kid enjoying books/reading

kid's enjoyment=kid reading individually during free time (practice)

kid's practice=kid becomes a better reader

a good reader=someone who has a headstart in school (and life for that matter)

Now I will get off my high horse for a minute to tell you about some products that have assisted me in helping my 2 year old learn his ABC's and the sounds that the letters make.

LEAP FROG

First, I purchased this. It focuses just on the letters and their sounds.

Maybe a year later I purchased this. They can spell simple words and the toy can assist them in finding the right letter and sounding the word out.

Okay, I don't know why this picture turned out sideways, but these Leap Frop movies are marvelous!!! The letter factory really solidifies the letters and sounds. The word factory explains the vowels and how letters work together to form words.

I'm not huge on TV for small children, but these videos I love. Really try them out. It has helped my little guy so much. I really feel confident that he will be more than prepared to start school in a couple of years.

A good book AND some tips for organizing your time!!

Just so you all know out there, I am OBSESSED with finding new ways to become a more organized and efficient person. I think it is because I am natural PROCRASTINATOR and a more go with the flow kind of gal. Anyway, I did eventually realize that I might not reach my full potential if I don't stop procrastinating and really learn to buckle down and organize my life a little. So there you have it...a disorganized person by nature desperately working to overcome that weakness. (Don't get me wrong, I don't want to be soooo organized that I am uptight and CAN'T just go with the flow when the time calls for it. Spontaneity is a good thing too.)


Sooo...that being said. Last year I read this book:




Most of you are probably familiar with 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Well, I read the teen version of that back in high school. (Which was very good too by the way.)

This book expands on 7 Habits. It talks about how we can be as organized and efficient as we want to be and still get it wrong if we are letting the URGENT things in life crowd out the IMPORTANT things. For example: Playing with my children is very IMPORTANT, but it doesn't have an upcoming deadline, so I often put off playing with them to do something that seems more URGENT, like my laundry for example. (DEADLINE: Before you run out of clean underwear!)

The problem is, if we make it a habit to make time for the urgent rather than the truly important, we will end up with a very unfullfilling life because we will neglect all the things that we really care about the most.

Basically, this book really INSPIRED me. So in response to all the inspiration, I made this on my computer:

It is called my Role Goals Sheet. This little peice of paper helps me to make sure that I am setting and accomplishing goals in all of the important roles that I have in life.

FIRST, think of the important roles that you play in life. (Up to about 7, but less is okay too.) You may combine roles that are similar into one if you want. If you look closely at my sheet, you will see that I combined "family member" and "friend" into one. Examples of roles: spouse, parent, teacher (or other occupation), church service or volunteer...you name it. All the stuff we do in life.

THEN, you must remember to "sharpen the saw." That is a phrase that comes from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Basically it means that if you don't take care of yourself, you won't be a very effective tool to take care of other important things in your life. You need to take care of yourself physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. So, the entire bottom part of my sheet is to set goals to take care of myself so that I can do better in all of my "life roles" that are written at the top.

LASTLY, set your goals. You do not have to set a goal in every role each week. And you may want to set more than one goal under just one role. You decide how much you can handle. ALSO, sometimes a goal can fit under more than one category. For example: If I set a goal to take a walk every day with my son, that can fullfill a goal under the parent role AND it also takes care of ME physically and emotionally to be outside in the fresh air walking and spending time with my kids. Three birds with one stone!!

I fill one of these sheets out each week and then I paper clip it into my planner. (I love planners.) Then I try to schedule a day and time to accomplish each goal, if possible.

I have been doing this for almost a year now. It has taken a while to become a habit, but I have just kept trying, and now it is becoming just part of the routine. I usually fill it out on Sundays. (a worthy Sunday activity, I think) It makes me feel good to know that I try to take some time to really think about my husband and kids and family and church calling and plan something to do each week to strengthen those roles.

Anyway...you should read the book and try it out too!!

Red Pepper Spaghetti Sauce w/ Italian Meatballs

YUM!

Everyone likes spaghetti, right? Well, I got this recipe from a friend who got it from a friend. So I have no idea where it originated from. I adapted it because it originally made 35 servings. It really is yummy and has a distinctly different flavor than other sauces I've had. Everyone I've served it to has said something similar to, "Hey, what's in that sauce? That is REALLY good spaghetti sauce."


Not only that, but I never used to be into the whole meatball thing, but after trying this recipe, I have to say that I prefer meatballs to the whole ground hamburger cooked in with your spaghetti sauce thing. It really separates the flavors so that you can taste the meat and the sauce separately. Plus you can choose how much meat you get.

Ashley's Meatball Musings:

Speaking of meatballs, here are a few ideas. If you do not have the time or energy to make meatballs, you can buy a big pack of already made frozen meatballs at pretty much any store. OR- if you have a big freezer for food storage, a great idea is to maybe double or triple this meatball recipe, cook them, and then freeze them on a cookie sheet afterwards. Once they are frozen solid, scoop them into freezer bags and take them out as you need them.

Anyway, give this one a whirl next time you have a spaghetti night.

Italian Meatballs

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 med. onion
1/2-1 tsp. minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg OR 1/3 cup water (your choice, but I think the egg makes it stick better)


Mix all ingredients. Don't add the egg or water all at once. You may not need it all, and you don't want the meatballs so moist that they fall apart.

Shape into balls. I made mine about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. You may want smaller meatballs, so adjust the baking time as needed.



My meatballs BEFORE baking.


When finished, freeze OR add to sauce and simmer for 20 minutes.

And while the meatballs are baking...


Red Pepper Spaghetti Sauce

1 T olive oil
1 large red pepper
1/2 large onion
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 T basil
2 tsp. oregano
1 jar Ragu sauce (garden combo is good for this)
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/2 cup cream





Saute onions, peppers, and garlic in oil.




Season with oregano and basil. Add Ragu. Add the desired ammount of meatballs and simmer for 20-30 minutes.



Mix in cream at the very end. The sauce will take on a lighter color and creamier texture.

Serves about 8.

Jillian Michaels Workout Videos

Alright, ladies. We all know that it is important to exercise regularly. Easier said than done, huh? Well, I have found that it really helps to have several options to switch around to vary your workouts. One of these is workout videos.

Videos are great during those cold months, or when you just don't quite have the energy to get outside or drive all the way to the gym. I have also found that they are kid friendly. Russ actually does them with me sometimes.

BUT there are A LOT of LAME workout videos out there. This one is not! After using this video regularly, I could really tell that I was stronger and more fit. It also has three 20 minute workouts that address both cardio and strength training, so you can do just 20 minutes if you are in a hurry or do more than one if you REALLY want a workout.



But just so you know, these workouts are not easy. Think pushups and squats until your muscles are screaming. Jillian has some others that I haven't tried yet, but I plan on it because I trust that she is going to push me hard!

Ann Rinaldi Books

Ann Rinaldi writes fantastic historical fiction novels. If you are interested at all in history, give them a try. And if not, you should still give them a try because they might just awaken a new passion. So far I've read two of them, but I plan to read more.




Nine Day Queen is about Lady Jane Grey, a british noble who was pretty much forced and manipulated into becoming the next queen of England after King Henry VII's only son died. Taking the throne only made her life VERY dangerous as she faced the wrath of her cousin, Bloody Mary, who believed that the throne was rightly hers.






Anyone who knows me really well also knows that I am obsessed with the Salem witch trials. This book is written in the perspective of a girl named Susanna who witnesses the Salem witch histeria first hand and knows that it is all a hoax, but doesn't have the courage to face it and tell the truth.

Pride and Prejudice

A Classic. And one of my all-time favorites!



Well, you should know what this book is about if you have seen any of the movies, but reading the book is something EVERYONE should do. I read it when I was about 16 and fell in love with the characters. Elizabeth is just so head-strong and smart and snappy. I love it!

The language is a little different if you are not used to it, so when I first started reading it, I found that I had to reread some of the dialogue a couple of times to figure out what the heck they were talking about, but by the end of the book, I had gotten used to it, and it wasn't a problem anymore.

The 5 Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me by Richard Paul Evans

Non-Fiction:



This book really inspired me to be better with my money. It's all about how to improve your financial situation with little decisions so that you will be monetarily secure and stable, now and in the future- and also able to help others in need.

After reading this book, I honestly felt so positive about the future. I thought, "We can do this! We could even be millionaires!"

It is really a goodie. The suggestions are very doable and smart.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

One of my ALL TIME FAVORITES!!



Now I know that a lot of you have reservations about science fiction, and I completely understand. I can definitely see how science fiction is not for everyone. But I was NEVER a sci-fi gal, but I absolutely loved this book! And everyone that I've suggested it to has loved it as well.

So, overall it is about the planet earth's fight with an alien race that once tried to destroy it. Well, now Earth is plotting a counter strike to eliminate the aliens before they have a chance to attack once again.

But more so, this book is about the little boys that are being trained to be commanders and fighters in this huge world-wide army. Specifically it is about a boy named Ender, perhaps the most brilliant natural-born leader that Earth has to offer, and his training.

It is really hard to describe other than that...it just takes you through Ender's life and what happens to him and his friends in this training camp. But trust me, it is EXCELLENT.

Warning: There are a couple of minor swear words and some of the things these kids go through is disturbing.

Hunger Games by Susan Collins

These books are fabulous!!





Hunger Games is about a brutal and suppressive government that forces a group of teenaged kids to fight to the death in an arena each year as a message to their parents. They pick the group of teens through a lottery-type drawing in which the poorest and most needy kids usually have their names put in more times.

More specifically, this book is about a 16 year old girl named Katniss that enters the hunger games to save her little sister, whose name was drawn out in the lottery.

The story is interesting because even though it is set in the future, the people are so suppressed by their government that it almost seems like the past. The people don't have modern luxeries such as cars or running water because the government keeps them in poverty to retain its power.






Catching Fire is the sequel, and it is about Katniss's continuing fight with the government.

These books have a very different and original plot that I loved. Plus there is romance mingled in with all of the intensity.

Warning: These books do have some violence and are slightly disturbing considering the brutality of the government towards their people, but I didn't think it was too much.

These is my Words by Nancy E. Turner

I recently read this book and thoroughly enjoyed it:





It is a historical fiction, although it is apparently loosely based on a real-life person. It is in diary format, and it an accounting of the life of Sarah Agnes Prine. She is just a young girl at the beginning of the book, and you read as she grows up to be a wife and mother. This book is packed with adventure, romance, sorrow, fear, EVERYTHING. This lady's life was really wild. (Probably because she grew up in the wild, wild west.) The diary format makes it different and interesting too because the character speaks writes with her bad grammar and everything. (As you can see by the title.) I love the main character because on one hand she is very rough and tough out of necessity to survive. But you also see a much softer and more vulnerable side.

Warning: It can be quite sad at times, and there is quite a bit of violence. Nothing out of the ordinary if you were traveling with a wagon company back in the 1800's. It really wasn't enough to bother me, though, so you decide.

P.S. There are a couple of sequels that I haven't checked out yet, but probably will soon.

Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

I read these books about a year ago, and they came highly recommended by several of my friends. Shannon Hale takes little known Grimm's fairy tales and makes them her own. If you like fairy tales and all the magic, romance, and adventure that come with them, then you will probably like these books.

Goose Girl is about a princess named Ani who is betrothed to a man she never met and sent away from home to become a queen of another kingdom. While traveling to her new home, she unveils a plot by those she trusted to get rid of her and take over her new throne. Anyway, this is her story. I thought it was charming and a really easy read. Plus it has a little bit of everything, which I really like in a book. (romance, adventure, drama)

Enna Burning is the sequel to Goose Girl. It is actually about Ani's Friend, Enna, and her battle with her own magical powers that she cannot quite control. It is a little more...intense maybe...than Goose Girl, but I loved it as well.