Reaping the Rewards (and man are they tasty!)

Mar 31 2010

Posted by Krystal as Kidz In The Kitchen

Many of us bake with our kids. They love it and we grin and bear the mess while we share some special and memorable moments with our children. If you, like me, have ever wondered if it is all worth it; allow me to assure you that it absolutely is. Yesterday after-school Kaia, who’s eleven, made her second ever key lime meringue pie, from scratch. She first attempted this on a whim a couple weeks ago and I’m not sure she knew what she was getting herself into.

The older girls bake and cook frequently with little supervision required so admittedly I was only half paying attention when she asked, “Can you use limes instead of lemons in a lemon meringue pie?”
“Of course.” I replied, “Then it would just be a lime meringue pie.”
About 20 minutes later, the kitchen is covered in bowls, sticky spoons, chunks of lime and she is separating eggs while something thick and greenish is bubbling on the stove when it dawns on me: Oh my God she is making a lemon meringue pie from scratch!

This is a feat that many seasoned bakers would not attempt. I can only recall one or two that my Nanna made and those were very special occasions. Two hours of hand whisking egg whites later the pie is in the oven. “You guys need to get a hand mixer.” I state as I flop onto the couch. The pie (with it’s not so fluffy meringue) was consumed in it’s entirety by six kids and one grown up on a picnic in the park the following afternoon.

Fast forward just over a week and Kaia and I are standing in the kitchen while she is fiddling with the box that contains the hand mixer her Granny has just bought her, “Can I make a key lime pie?”
“If you tidy the kitchen first.” I respond.
And so, experience of one pie under her belt and new tool in the kitchen she attempts it again. This time the filling is smooth and creamy, the meringue is shiny and fluffy as we pile it high on top. The pie is baked and looks amazing. Her mother can hardly believe it. I can hardly believe it. At eleven she has just accomplished for the second time what many would never even attempt. We slice it open, “Ok maybe we could have cooked the filling a little longer,” I say.
“I don’t like it.” says her little brother.
“I’ll eat yours.” says Rhiannon.
“The next one will be even better.” says Kaia.
“You’re amazing dude.” I say scooping meringue onto my fork. “Now go do your dishes.”

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Don’t forget to enter the draw for your chance to win a Norwex Antibac Enviro Cloth. All you have to do is comment or send an e-mail!

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Tuesday Tutorial: Punch Easter Pals

Mar 30 2010

Posted by Guest as Adventures in Parenting, Crafting with Kids

This post is by Dawnica Flatt; Mommy to one, Early Childhood Educator and Stampin’ Up Demonstrator

This week, I again use punches because they are just so versatile, easy to use and great to use various shapes with children. It’s great to encourage children to be creative. I’ve used many of Stampin’Up!’s great punches to make some really cute pals that you too can make because they use pretty common shapes. (Fig 1) shows many the punches that I used. Paper needed is Pink, White , purple and black. For additional ideas that are provided, I used yellow, black, white and orange.

The little rabbit is easy to make with our punches. Here’s what’s needed – all are white except where indicated!

• 2 Scallop ovals for ears.

• 2 Large Ovals out of pink for inside of ears.

• 1 Large Heart for head.

• 1 Circle (1 ¾”) for main body

• 4 Circles (½”) 2 for cheeks, 2 for paws.

• 2 Circles (¼”) – out of black (this is a regular hole punch).

• Small Flower – Boho Blossom Punch used here for tail.

• Small Heart – out of pink. Heart to Heart Punch used here for nose.

1. After you have punched all that you need, start laying out the main part of the bunny. (Fig 2) Before assembling with glue, sponge a bit of pink on the edges of each white peice.

2. Next put the remaining details on the bunny. First add the checks, then nose, ears and ‘tuck’ the tail behind the body. For paws, cut 1/3 off the end. Sponge as well and then add the black detail lines and the whiskers. (Fig 3)

Just like that, it’s that simple!

BASKET:

Here’s an easy to make basket to be used for all those great easter goodies!

1. First take a square peice of paper. Here a 6×6 is used. Score/fold in thirds, then rotate 90 degrees and score again in thirds. Here it is at 2” & 4”.(Fig 4)

2. Next fold on all score lines and cut where indicated in white. (Fig 5).

Cut strip 8 ½” x ¾”. (Fig 6)

3. Next fold the right and left squares over the middle square creating a small triangle at bottom. Then punch holes though all layers and attach handle using a brad. (Fig 7)

Do the same on other side but just glue them together. Attach bunny to this side. There you have a cute little bunny and basket!!! (Fig

I’ve also included pictures of several other pals I created using our many punches and dies. The big chick I saw online and just had to make it. These pals are great to use on cards, put on paper bags or use on candy for a little lunchbox treat!! If you would like info on any of the materials used here, please contact me or visit my website. (Fig 9)

I would also love to get some feedback on the ideas I have provided so far (1) and(2) and types of ideas you would like to see so ANYONE WHO COMMENTS WILL BE ENTERED INTO A DRAW FOR A FREE STAMP CLASS!!!!! I have several classes coming up so check out my website for more details and info about my FREE Open Stamp nights!!

Happy punching and Hoppy Easter!

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Don’t forget to enter the draw for your chance to win a Norwex Antibac Enviro Cloth. All you have to do is comment or send an e-mail!

2 Comments

Crafting with Kids: Easter Ornaments

Mar 30 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Crafting with Kids

The kids and I had a branch to hang our advent calendar on, at Christmas. After Christmas I tossed it outside and have walked past it a number of times thinking that I could use it again. I finally figured out that I should make a Spring tree and so the kids and I made and decorated a bunch of felt and foam Easter/Spring ornaments. We had lots of fun with glitter and fabric paint and made some gorgeous little chicks, tulips and eggs.

We hot-glued some ribbons onto the back and hung them on the tree. Looks cute, eh?

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Don’t forget to enter the draw for your chance to win a Norwex Antibac Enviro Cloth. All you have to do is comment or send an e-mail!

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Kids Can Clean: Norwex

Mar 26 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Giveaways, Kids Can Do It Too, One Parents Perspective, Reviews

I love teaching my kids the bit-by-bit lessons about how to look after themselves, their relationships, their things and their space. Cleaning, however, is a big lesson. We have taught our kids to clean up after themselves, after meals and such. Most of the time they need reminding in order to do so, but there are moments of brilliance. For example, at a recent birthday party my 2.5 year-old daughter was putting away her borrowed costume item and I caught her picking up every single costume that was on the ground and putting them in the bin, too. Sweet!! I feel like, maybe, all my nagging has paid off!

I went to a Norwex party a few months ago, picked up a few things (the laundry detergent and the kitchen scrub cloth) and tried them out at home. I liked them so much that I signed up. Chemical-free cleaning? I felt good about not exposing my kids to any gross chemicals and getting a great clean on my scrub-needing surfaces. Then, I got an antibac enviro cloth and tried it out on a few surfaces. I was in love, it was great! It had just the right amount of abrasiveness to really feel like I could give a good scrub and yet it wiped so well when I just gave a light swipe. I cleaned the counters, the tables, the sink, the backsplash, the stove, the fridge, the floor… then, I gave it to my kids with a spray bottle. I loved that even more! Even better, the kids loved it, too. And, because it was just a cloth and water, I felt no qualms about showing them how to use the products and letting them fly at ‘er! If they pulled out the ever-classic “I want to do it myself!” All right? Go ahead! Seriously, my windows and mirrors had never been cleaner!

I give the kids a spray bottle of water and an enviro cloth or a window cloth and they will scrub, clean, polish and shine every surface… window, mirror, floor, table, counter… you name it. The best part is that it has become a game, somewhat. One of them gets the spray bottle, the other gets the cloth and they have to go around together and find the dirty spots and scrub the dirt out.

If you would like to try out a Norwex Antibac Enviro Cloth, just leave a comment, here, and one lucky reader will get to test their own Norwex Antibac Enviro Cloth (it’s a red one)!

All you have to do to win a red Norwex Antibac Enviro Cloth, is leave me a comment telling me “what is the first thing that you would use your Enviro Cloth to clean?”

If you have more questions about Norwex and their fantastic products, you can also become a fan of my facebook page and ask me your questions. I’ll do my very best to answer them for you.

This giveaway will be open until Thursday, April 1st at 10pm Kamloops-time. It is open to Kamloops residents only. To enter all you have to do is leave a comment or e-mail your answer to elizabeth@kamloopsparents.com. The draw will be done using random.org and the winner will be posted and notified for Friday, April 2nd.

13 Comments

Family Time: Games

Mar 25 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Birthday Party Guide, Family Time, One Parents Perspective, Reviews, What's Going on in Kamloops

My husband and I really enjoy playing games together and with friends. Board games. Some of our favourites are Robo Rally, Settlers of Cataan, Pandemic, Bohnanza and Ticket to Ride. They are a great way to spend an evening with friends, discussing life, kids and just having a good time together. As the kids have grown up watching us play games, they have learned them, too. We love games, and now, they do too.

We have an entire shelf devoted to games that we can play with our kids. There are some that we love and play over and over, then others that I have been known to avoid playing (you know what I mean, right?). Labyrinth is one of the classics that I can play over and over and never tire of. The box says 7 years and up, but my four-year-old understands the strategy and can figure out how to reach his next objective with only a few moves! We’ve had the game since Christmas and I can’t believe the improvement that I have seen in his ability to watch what is happening on the board and decide what to do next. Sometimes, he even shows me something that I am missing! I love it when he says “M-om! You just need to do this to get to the ______. Here, let me help you.”

Labyrinth is “A family game where players move through a series of evolving, challenging mazes that are full of opportunities to think ahead, make decisions, and take action. Players must plan and execute game strategies, develop observation skills, and predict outcomes. With easier and more challenging rules, it’s a perfect game for family night!” (info taken from the Discovery Toys website)

I actually agree with that summary 100%. It’s totally a perfect game for family night (or any old time) and I love that it is teaching my kids to think ahead, really observe changes and make decisions!

If you want to try it out, come on over and we’ll play. Also, if you are interested in purchasing this one for your family to enjoy, just drop a line to your Discovery Toys consultant (or if you don’t have one, I know a couple). As well, this is a great item to have saved in your “emergency birthday gift” stash, if you have one!!

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Are you looking to plan for your weekend with your family?

Check out these great events…

Friday night: Family Literacy Night at Northills Mall

Put out your bag for the Rotary Food Drive

Saturday at the Big Little Science Centre

Saturday: Spring Thing at Michael’s