Kids, Lakes, Loons and Pines

hot chocolate and popcorn

We are currently embracing temperatures hovering around 30 below zero, it might even dip to that lovely -45 zone in the early morning hours.

Temperatures like this favor time indoors, hot chocolate and popcorn.  

In fact, this has become quite a habit during our frequent cold snaps.

Usually, at some point during these cold winter days I will pull out our big blue bowl, fill it with a batch of stovetop popped popcorn and make enough homemade hot chocolate to fill up a set of enamel mugs.

On these cold days the sun always seems to shine producing much solar gain.  That, along with the warmth from our wood stove keeps us all plenty warm indoors. 

If it is going to be too cold to really enjoy being outside, we just might as well be warm and cozy indoors with hot chocolate and popcorn.

Here our go to recipe for hot chocolate:

Perfect Hot Chocolate 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup Cocoa (we use Hershey's or Equal Exchange Baking Cocoa)
• Dash salt
• 1/3 cup hot water
• 4 cups (1 qt.) milk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Miniature marshmallows or sweetened whipped cream (optional)

Directions

1. Stir together sugar, cocoa and salt in medium saucepan; stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Add milk; stirring constantly, heat to serving temperature. Do Not Boil. 

2. Remove from heat; add vanilla. Beat with rotary beater or whisk until foamy. Serve topped with marshmallows or whipped cream, if desired. Five 8-oz. servings.

 

Waldorf inspired Window Star Tutorial

We are pushing though another long and cold winter in Minnesota.  I am feeling the urge to brighten up my home and classroom with a project that I have been doing annually with the children in my life for several years now.

Every February I make Waldorf inspired Window Stars.  Today we made some at home and I am planning on making them with my kindergarten students this week at school.  I thought I would share this tutorial with you so you could try it out yourself.

Traditional Waldorf Window Stars are made with kite paper (colorful wax paper).  I have never splurged on that material to make this project, but instead I have been using brightly colored tissue paper (which is cheaper, but far less durable) to get a similar outcome.  Once they are taped up and displayed in windows, the light shines through brightening up any room.

Here are the instructions:

• Choose eight different colors of paper.  Cut them into squares (ex. 3'' x 3'').

• Lay out one square of paper, fold the paper in half lengthwise and in half once again making a point at the bottom.  This is the most difficult part for young children, but I have found it very possible for children as young as five with some guidance from adults.  When do this step with young children I often make the first fold, then have the kids work to make the point at the bottom.

• Continue this process, folding all 8 pieces of paper into points for the window star.

• The next step is to put your star together.   Start with your first color use a glue stick to add glue to the lower right hand corner.  The next piece will line up against the center fold and proceed to glue the two together.

•  You are now forming your star. Continue on with this process until all eight pieces are used.  When you are making window stars with young kids, you may want to forgo perfection.  I have learned this pretty quickly facilitating this with a full classroom of kindergarteners.  They still look beautiful if they are not perfectly symmetrical, especially when you make more than one to fill a window space.

When you have finished hang your star in a window to add a little brightness and color to your home or classroom.

If you make some of your own.  I would love to hear (or see) how they turned out.

 

 

cultivating habits of gratitude

I am going to start something new.

Every week I am going to try to share some snapshots of my life as a personal refection, as I work to cultivate habits of gratitude in my daily life.

Let's face it, parenting is tough!  Sometimes these highlight reels can keep us going!

I am sharing with you some moments from my week that filled my heart with joy and gratitude.

::a tea party with my favorite five year old, a Valentine birthday girl, quiet moments at home, a very cold - but beautiful hike alone in our backwoods, time at home with the ones I love::

------------------------

I encourage you to do the same! If you are so inspired, leave a comment or a link to your own post sharing something from your own life that you experienced this week(some simple or even extra-ordinary blessings) that you are grateful for.

our Valentine

Celebrating our Valentine birthday girl today with pampering, handicrafts, friendship and love.

I love being her mom.

Happy Valentine's Day!

outside and inside

Minutes of daylight are returning to our northwoods each day.  It seems there is just enough time after school and work to tend to the chickens, light a fire, eat an early supper, then get out back for a little ski or walk before the darkness sets in.  

Lately, our evenings indoors include time spent together, then some time off in our own little corners of our home.  On a typical weeknight we may have three boys wrestling or splashing in a tub, a daughter drawing or singing in her room, the daddy reading a newspaper or book and the mama clicking away at the keyboard or dabbling in one of her handicrafts sipping a cup of tea.

We know as our children get older they will have more and more evening activities drawing them out of our home during these weeknights.  But for now, savoring this time where we are most often all at home, warmed both by the fire and the love that we share.

Chocolate Play Dough

Early in the week one of my parent volunteers dropped off a wonderful batch of chocolate play dough for my kindergarten students to play with for the month of February -along with some silicone cupcake liners, candles, and chocolate boxes for creative play.  (thanks Angie!)  This play dough has been quite a hit, and I must say, I really don't mind the smell of chocolate permitting through my classroom either!

This weekend we made a batch at home too.  Chocolate play dough is great for making pretend chocolate cookies, candies, and of course Playmobil dirt bike tracks!

Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Play Dough

INGREDIENTS

• 5 cups water
• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup Hershey's Natural Unsweetened Baking Cocoa
• 2 1/2 cups salt
• 3 Tablespoons cream of tartar
• 10 Tablespoons vegetable oil

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix water, salt and cream of tartar. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring regularly until mixture is hot. Add oil. Whisk together flour and cocoa in a separate bowl.  Stir in flour mixture a cup at a time, stirring in between each addition. Mix until playdough pulls away from pan and is no longer sticky (pinch it between your fingers to test). Dump dough on counter, let cool a bit, then knead.

Have fun!

::February - The Joy of Reading at Home

 

 

The February issue of Minnesota Parent is on stands and available online now.  

The topic of my School Days column for this issue is focused on ways to share the love of reading at home with your children.

You can find the article through THIS LINK. 

Be sure to check out all of the other great content in the full issue as well!

Don't forget to check out my February giveaway and mother-daughter book review. I will be picking a winner on February 14th.