Giveaway!

So, I'm trying something. I guess the tie-in with my girlies is that they like nail polish, too. I love the Nail Network, and she is having a giveaway. Click here for info! And good luck!

Bragging time...

Maggie did a science experiment on her gerbils. Pics to come. Here is the article from The Reminder. Her friends did an awesome job, too!

http://www.remindernews.com/article/2012/11/15/inquiring-minds-show-their-stuff-at-lebanon-science-fair

Inquiring minds show their stuff at Lebanon science fair

By Melanie Savage - Staff Writer
Lebanon - posted Fri., Nov. 16, 2012

Abigael Bell speaks to a visitor about her project, which involved the use of household substances to break down poison ivy oils. Photos by Melanie Savage.

Ever forget to pack a swim diaper for a day at the water park? The modern disposable diaper can hold a whole lot of fluid. But which brand is the most absorbent? This is the question that Lebanon Elementary School fourth-grader Rylan Colbourne Grant set out to answer for this year’s fall science fair at his school. Judging by a photo included with his display, his scientific method included hanging a number of sodden diapers from a dowel suspended above the countertop in his kitchen. “I wanted to see which one would leak first,” he explained. Turns out, he found that Luvs were the most absorbent.

Colbourne Grant was among 34 fourth-graders sharing their scientific discoveries with parents, friends and siblings at the school the afternoon of Nov. 14. Typically, animals prompted a fair number of queries. Such was the case for Adam Martell, who set out to answer the question: Which is the most venomous snake in the world? His display included a video, displayed on his mom’s iPhone, of himself catching a harmless blacksnake. Martell informed his visitors that there are two varieties of venomous snake in Connecticut – the timber rattlesnake and the copperhead. “I actually got to help tag a rattlesnake once,” he said. “I’ve been interested in snakes since I was about 3.” Martell said that his interest was piqued by watching “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin on television. So which snake is the most venomous? There are two that are tied for that distinction, according to Martell – the Australian eastern brown snake and the Belcher’s sea snake.

Maggie King was inspired by a less deadly, more cuddly creature. Her gerbils, Squiggles and Wriggles, like to run around the family’s house in their rodent exercise balls. King wondered whether her pets would be deterred if their balls were opaque rather than translucent. So she covered a ball with a coat of red paint to eliminate visibility. The results were surprising. “I thought they’d run faster in a clear ball, but they didn’t,” said King. Both Squiggles and Wriggles seemed to run faster and farther in the ball with the reduced visibility. “I was surprised,” said King.

Nick Longworthy was also inspired by his pets. Eastern painted turtles Speedy and Snappy have been members of the Longworthy household for five years or so. The fourth-grader got to wondering which type of food his pets preferred. When allowed free choice between krill, shrimp and Repto Sticks, the reptiles exhibited their individual preferences. Turns out Speedy is a sucker for Repto Sticks. Snappy, on the other hand, “really likes krill,” said Longworthy.

39 Things Every Mom Should Know

I tore this out of the September 2009 issue of Parents magazine. At the time, I had an 18-month old making the house crazy, and a 6-year-old keeping it sweet. It's all still relevant!

1. You never have to go to obnoxious kid-themed restaurants. Ever. I wish someone had told me that.

2. Don't make birthday parties a huge deal.

3. Do your chores while kids are awake. Using up naptime to wash dishes or clean the bathroom is truly soul-crushing. (That said, I did indeed to dishes during every single nap. But now they can play together while I tidy up!)

4. Put Band-Aids on everything your kids want you to. Why not?

5. If the kids are awake, bit the bullet and be awake yourself. You'll waste so many hours trying futilely to extend early-morning snoozes that it's not worth it. If you are sick, pregnant, or it's the middle of the night, ignore this advice.

6. Just throw away the poopy underwear.

7. Don't beat yourself up if you have to use a bribe.

8. Teach your kids not to pee outside unless you're camping--you'll be glad you did. But if other people's kids do it, don't judge the parents too harshly--it's all about karma. (If you're in the midst of potty training, all bets are off. You've gotta do what you've gotta do.)

9. Buy cheap shoes when kids are little. Feet grow faster than you think.

10. Don't forget about board games. You'll suffer through way too much Chutes and Ladders and Candy Land, but Connect Four and Battleship aren't half bad. And Clue rocks. 

11. Embrace their quirks.

12. Know this: that stain won't come out. And it's ok. (The sooner you accept this, the better.)

13. At some point it will be February. Things will seem bleak. You will think about vitamins, glasses, more exercise, more sleep, more chores, less TV, more rules, fewer rules, and organic food. Just wait. Things will get better when the snow melts. Know that it will happen again at the end of summer, right before school starts. It's the circle of life, baby.

14. Always get boys' haircuts at barber shops instead of hair salons.

15. Answer this question: What is the worst thing that can happen if your kids sleep in their clothes?

16. Never stifle a generous inclination.

17. Try to like what they like. It kind of sucks when it's Bob the Builder, but the payoff will come when they discover Lemony Snicket.

18. Teach them to pump on the swings ASAP.

19. If your child falls asleep occasionally without brushing her teeth, don't wake her; baby teeth do eventually fall out.

20. I know you are supposed to use natural consequences to punish bad behavior, but sometimes it's hard to think of natural consequences  In these cases try threatening your kids with clipping their toenails or some other activity they dread. I've had great success with this one, but you must find your own.

21. Get used to the word zerrissenheit. It means a state of disjointedness, and it's the new normal for most of us. At least you can feel fancy because it's German.

22. Buy kids deoderant before they need it.

23. Teach their children to make their own breakfast--and allow enough time so they can do it without pressure.

24. I can't stress this enough: use duvet covers on your comforters and forget about a top sheet. Not only will you thank me for this advice, but your kids will thank me as well when they are learning to make their beds. 

25. Remember clogging lessons are not in the best interest of the child.

26. Don't administer a punishment that hurts you more than it does them.

27. Always pack wipes. If your kids go somewhere without you, send along wipes. It's like having a mom with them.

28. Do not allow the word "wienies" in your home. 

29. Dress your little girls like, well, little girls.

30. Make sure your kids know how they like their eggs and burgers cooked. You don't want them to feel stress when ordering at a diner.

31. It's fine to brag about yourself to your kids.

I would add 31a. Arrange for your kids to overhear you brag about them.

32. Buy quaint wooden toys and hand-knit stuffed animals, but don't expect your kids to play with them. 

33. Just say "no" to any toy or doll that comes with packets that have to be mixed with water.

34. Teach them to like cool music. Why suffer through The Wiggles when you could be enjoying Wilco or counting along with Feist?

35. Don't buy the most expensive school-picutre package. It's a waste of money. (But do get at least the class picture and some wallets. There's just something about that "school picture look" that will call you back to their school years once they've passed. Plus you can embarrass their high school friends with Kindergarten photos.)

36. Give out awards for actual achievements.

37. You're never too old to dress up and decorate your house for Halloween. And it's more fun for everyone if you are into it. It also entitles you to more candy. 

38. If the school year, new babysitter, or karate class gets off to a rocky start, don't totally stress out about it. Instead, think of the improvement that can be made by the end of the year.

39. Independence is a wonderful thing  For everyone. So is together time. Make sure you have a healthy dose of both.

Thanks so much to Kacy Faulconer!

Hurricane Pie (Crustless pumpkin pie)

So, we are going to try to make crustless pumpkin pie today, before Sandy takes away our power. (We do have a gas stove, but I'm not sure how to get it lit w/o power. It seems that throwing a match indiscriminately down to the bottom of the oven might not be the best method.) I have ONE crust in the fridge, and a 29 oz. can makes TWO pies. If you google "pumpkin pie no crust" you get lots of hits. Here was one with pretty favorable reviews.

photo courtesy of Maggie, when she was 7

NO CRUST PUMPKIN PIE
3 eggs 1 c. sugar 1 c. milk 4 tbsp. flour 1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin 1/2 tsp. salt 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spices This will make its own crust. Pour in pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Very good. Serve with whipped cream.

Thanks to Cooks.com!

Cast Iron Pancakes

I used to use this recipe a lot, but in the world of Pinterest, apps for cookbooks, and digital everything, this clipping got relegated to a large binder of unvisited clippings. However, I did recently visit it, and rediscovered the fun of a cast iron pancakes! Recipe is courtesy of Real Simple. They say there are more recipes for cast iron pans at www.realsimple.com/pan.

German Pancake

3 large eggs (I only had 2, so added 1 T ground flax and 3 T water)
1/2 cup AP flour
1/2 cup milk (whole is preferred, but I had 1%)
1/4 t salt (an Ella-sized pinch and a Mommy-sized pinch)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 T butter

Heat oven to 400. Let 4-year-old break "okes" of the eggs in bowl. Add flour, stir. Add milk, stir, Vanilla, too. I added sugar because I was pretty sure they'd appreciate it--about 2 teaspoons. Put butter in cast-iron pan (mine was about 10"; RS said to use a "large" one). Melt. Add pancake mix. Cook 15 minutes. Slather with jam or maple syrup or Nutella or PB... get crazy.

Pics to come. :-)

Search for Homemade Ice Cream

I was searching for ice cream recipes for M's Little House On the Prairie 9th birthday party. We had the old fashioned crank machine (which the daddies nicely churned!) and just needed a good recipe! I looked at so many (including the one that came with the machine in 1950) that I started mixing them up. Below is one that had no picture attached, so I couldn't pin it. It seems worth referring to, at least. 


Low-fat French Vanilla Ice Cream
There's nothing better to top off a meal than a big bowl of homemade ice cream. If you've made your own ice cream before you know the ingredients: whole eggs, whole milk and cream. Those ingredients add up to lots of fat. So I've remade a recipe for French vanilla ice cream. It's smooth and creamy like the original, and while it's low in fat it's anything but low in flavor. 

Be sure to use vanilla flavoring instead of real vanilla.
Real vanilla extract contains alcohol
which sometimes keeps the 
ice cream from freezing. 
Dress up your homemade
ice cream with fresh fruits
or prepared topping.
Just make sure to check the 
ingredient label to for fat and calorie information.

Ingredients:
2 cups skim milk 
1 cup sugar 
4 eggs, beaten 
2 cups evaporated skim milk 
1 1/2 tbsp. vanilla flavoring 
Preparation:
Combine milk, sugar and eggs in large saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats spoon (160 degrees), about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. 
Stir in evaporated milk and vanilla flavoring. Chill. 

Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturers directions. Makes about 2 quarts. 

...so enjoy!
http://community.cookinglight.com/archive/index.php/t-863.html

Corn bread

So, Ella and I made white chili, green monster muffins, and this corn bread the other day. It's a great way to spend time together! This is Mark Bittman's recipe. If you have an iPad or iPhone (or iSomething I guess), the app is well worth the $9.99. Or buy the book!

Corn Bread
By Mark Bittman
From the How to Cook Everything^® app

Introduction:

Corn bread is unlike any other bread, with a deep corn flavor and slightly crunchy texture; few recipes deliver so much for so little work. The main recipe represents corn bread at its most traditional and most basic (some might call it slightly Spartan). For more intensely flavored renditions, see the variations here and the suggestions in 13 Additions To Virtually Any Quick Bread, Muffins, Biscuits, or Scones.

Ingredients:

• 1¼ cups buttermilk, milk (mixed with 1 tablespoon white vinegar if you want; see Step 1), or yogurt, plus more if needed
• 2 tablespoons butter, extra virgin olive oil, lard, or bacon drippings
• 1½ cups medium‐grind cornmeal
• ½ cup all‐purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar, or more if you like sweet corn bread
• 1 egg

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. If you want to make sour milk (approximating buttermilk), warm the milk gently to take the chill off—1 minute in the microwave is sufficient—and add the vinegar. Let it rest while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. Put the fat or oil in an 8‐inch ovenproof skillet or square metal baking pan over medium heat; heat until good and hot, about 2 minutes, then turn off the heat. Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the egg into the buttermilk. Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients just enough to combine; if it seems too dry, add another 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top if necessary, and put in the oven.
3. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the sides have pulled away from the pan; a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean. Serve hot or warm.