Stretch Mark Mama

Banana Pancakes

2011-06-02T20:32:00.003-07:00

My husband won't eat a pancake unless I serve it with a side of saliva. I know. I've been tempted to follow through on that request.

So, like a dutiful wife, I have searched the world over to prove ~~him wrong~~ to him that a pancake can be moist. It can.

This recipe is now my go-to pancake recipe that we all happen to like. Well, hubs will never admit to ~~being wrong~~ liking a pancake of any shape or size, but I know better. I do.

The quickest way to make the batter is to blend the wet ingredients in a food processor first, and then mix the dry ingredients in after that. Serve with a side of smugness and satisfaction.

Banana Pancakes

2 ripe bananas

1 egg

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 dash vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon white sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

chocolate chips, optional

In a food processor, blend together the first five ingredients. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the batter and blend to combine. Pour the batter onto the griddle and top with chocolate chips if desired. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides; serve hot. 4 servings.

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More talk about food over at Ann's Food on Fridays!

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Lewis And Clark National Historic Trail: Ecola State Park

2011-05-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

There is something very otherworldly and endearing about the Oregon coast. I love it so much that our family took a second trip there this year, just a couple of months after our last visit. I always try to soak in as much beauty as possible, and to be expected, as much historical trivia as the kidlets can swallow.

As part of my quest to see every stinkin' Lewis and Clark spot in the U-nited States, we made the trek to Ecola State Park. "Ecola" (ekkoli) is the Chinook word for "whale," which is what Lewis and Clark went to find at this site. They had heard it through the grapevine... that some beached whale coulda been thine... blubber blubber, yeah!

Well, the words "beached whale" and "blubber" are enough to get me on the move too.

So. While wintering at Fort Clatsop, Lewis and Clark hiked a team off in search of the "monstrous fish." Sacagawea had begged to walk along; I assume she needed to see something other than the four walls of the room in her fort. Just guessing!

Anyway, the team was just in time to see the whale stripped to its bone, with the local villagers "busily engaged boiling the blubber." However, they were still able to barter for 300 pounds of blubber and a few gallons of oil. From the journal of William Clark:

“Small as this stock is I prise it highly; and thank providence for directing the whale to us; and think him much more kind to us than he was to jonah, having Sent this Monster to be Swallowed by us in Sted of Swallowing of us as jonah’s did.”

A thankful and witty character, that Willy!

We hiked much in the way that Lewis and Clark did, that is if they'd traveled via a classy red minivan. But that didn't stop us from seeing the same views, as Clark described, "the grandest and most pleasing prospects which my eyes ever surveyed, in front of a boundless Ocean.”

I hope you enjoy the pleasing prospects (taken from Indian Beach) as well.

More from the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail: The Salt Works, Cape Disappointment, and Fort Clatsop.

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Lewis And Clark National Historic Trail: Fort Clatsop

2011-05-16T22:25:00.002-07:00

For most of my life, "history" has been very inaccessible to me. I pretty much have to see something to believe it, and in case you need the reminder, I ain't been alive for most of what we call, "history."

You see my dilemma.

And seeing as I don't have a time machine and can't rightly go back and watch history in the making, I have to patch together my knowledge via book after ~~boring~~ book after documentary after book.

So. You can imagine my delight when I stumbled upon Fort Clatsop, a piece of history come alive right before my beady green eyes!

Fort Clatsop was the "home" built by the Lewis and Clark team while they wintered near the Pacific coast. The fort housed twenty-seven enlisted men in three separate quarters. Lewis and Clark shared the captains' quarters, and Sacagawea and fam got a room of their own. It is thought that Clark's slave, York, stayed in the orderly room. That means that 31 men, one woman, an infant, and a dog all shared about 250 square feet of space.

Hell-o!

And did I mention that it rained for 94 of the 106 days they were there?

WELCOME TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, GUYS.

They spent the winter making notes, prepping for the trip back east, and losing their ever-loving minds. Why? Let's take a journal sample from our spelling champ, Clark:

December 31, 1805
"Last night was Cloudy and Some rain, this day prove Cloudy and Showerry are day."

January 1, 1806
"This morning proved cloudy with moderate rain, after a pleasent worm night during which there fell but little rain."

January 2, 1806
"A Cloudy rainey morning after a wet night."

January 3, 1806
"The Sun rose fair this morning for the first time for Six weeks past, the Clouds Soon obscure it from our view, and a Shower of rain Suckceeded."

SUCKceeded, indeed!

My family toured Fort Clatsop right at the time we were studying it at home, which made the whole experience eight bazillion times more exciting. Well, for me, at least. And for you, you know! You get the official tour via pictures. You're welcome.

More from the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail: The Salt Works, Cape Disappointment.

Next stop on the Lewis and Clark trail--a beached whale! Or, the site of where one was. You know. One of those.

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Homeschooling With Small Children Around

2011-05-10T19:29:00.003-07:00

I've not once schooled my kids without having other small kids around. I started schooling when I had a preschooler and a toddler, and then I eventually added an incredibly busy and talkative baby to that mix. My kids are just now nine, seven, and five--and for the most part, I school only the older two boys while the youngest ~~drives us insane~~ delights us with her presence.

I have to admit, this is one of the hardest parts about homeschooling. It's also one of those things that most families have to deal with at some point or another. I'm going to list off a few tricks I've used through the years--and then allow others to chime in at the end.

Tips For Homeschooling With Small Children Around

Use edutainment. Yep. I put that as numero uno. I do my best to play educational DVDs like ones that teach sign language (for babies, too) or immerse my kids in a foreign language. Next after that, I click on the public tv station, and after that, a round of soap operas. Oh, I kid. Anyway, I try to limit this to only when necessary and generally under an hour a day.
Have an older child play with the younger child. This works if you have more than two kids and are trying to school one without the "baby" underfoot. My daughter is more social than a bazillion butterflies combined, so I pay my son a dollar for every half-hour he entertains his sister AWAY FROM MY SIGHT. Win all around!
Let the younger child "write" alongside her siblings. In the past, I've used everything from crayons, pencils, white boards, color wonder, a magna doodle, and an aqua doodle.
Take advantage of nap time(s). I know. This is the worst one yet. And yet, there are some parts of schooling that can't be done unless the wee babe is asleep.
Make "school time" for the older kids "craft time" for the younger ones. Ideas for the different age groups include playing with PlayDoh, cutting with scissors, pasting with a glue stick, paint with water, coloring, and decorating with stickers. You'll notice I didn't include markers. Nope. Nooooo markers.
Give the kid something to eat. This is a tried-and-true trick for kids of all ages. I often give my youngest child a snack while I'm reading to her brothers. During the week, I eat my lunch while I'm prepping everyone else's (take that, enjoyment police!) and then I read to all three kids while their faces are stuffed full of food. I pick things to read that are applicable to everyone--poetry, science, geography.
Pull out the educational toys. The quiet ones, that is. Lacing beads, lacing shapes, blocks, Duplos or Legos, Lincoln logs, wood puzzles, stacking and sorting toys, pattern blocks, and play vegetables. These kinds of things end up on my Christmas wish list every year.
Make room for messy play. Nothing enthralls a young child more than a mess. Scooping and pouring out water, making bubbles in water, playing with sand, and using edible finger paint. I used to let my preschool boys dump beans on the carpet and they'd drive their matchbox cars through that for hours. At least it felt like hours. Or maybe that was just the cleanup. But still, they loved getting out that bin of beans.
Hold the youngest child on your lap. What baby / toddler / preschooler doesn't love to be held by her mom? (Okay, mine. So she sits beside me. And wiggles and rubs my leg raw.) However, there are days my girl will sit and listen quietly to the journals of Lewis and Clark, and why shouldn't she be allowed to listen if she wants to?
Sit on the floor and "play" with the young child while schooling the older. Moms are magnificent at multitasking. There's no reason why you can't stack blocks and dole out spelling words at the same time. The only one who complains is Oma Achin Back. I've also ridden my exercise bike *while* holding a toddler *while* giving out spelling words. See? The options are limitless.

Okay, let's hear from everyone else. How do you keep the little'uns occupied while the big'uns do school?

Disclaimer: No one asked me to promote any of the items linked to above. But if you do click over to amazon and make any purchase, I happen to get a small percentage of the sale. It's how I'm funding my kids' college education. If they choose the public library as their school, that is.

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More tips over at We Are That Family!

Thinking About Homeschooling? Here Are Some Tips.

2011-05-09T22:19:00.003-07:00

I'm just about to finish up my fifth year of homeschooling, and I can say with certainty that this choice has been one of the best I've ever made. I wasn't so sure when I started, and there are particular days I'd like to burn from the books--but still. I feel a great sense of contentment in my daily "job."

That being said, anyone starting out on the homeschooling journey always feels overwhelmed. ALWAYS. And it seems that each spring I get a handful of people who wonder if this crazy thing called "homeschooling" could work for them. This is the shortened version of what I tell them.

Ten Tips For Those Thinking About Homeschooling

Don't obsess about curriculum. Okay, so some things are better than others, and what works for one kid might not work for another, AND YET. At the end of the day, remember that school used to consist of McGuffey Readers and a chalk slate--AND THAT'S IT. There are no magic bullets no matter how deeply you bury yourself in the internet. Just pick something you think is good and go for it.
Find someone similar in personality to you who's a bit further down the homeschooling road. Ask her for advice on curriculum. It helps to talk things over with a human, especially one who approaches the beast in a similar manner as you.
Think like a one-room schoolhouse. You'd be amazed how many subjects can be shared across the age groups. For a while, I attempted to teach US history to one child and world history to another. You know how crazy that made me? More crazy than usual. A few weeks into the school year, I ditched that plan and got everyone on board with the same topic. And much like a one-room schoolhouse, I ask my older kids to read to the youngest one, and to lead her through some basic workbook activities. And that is a lovely, lovely thing.
Make the library your new best friend. Each child should have his own card, and you should get a teacher card too. You know how many items I can put on hold on my teacher card? A WHOLE HECKOFA LOT. (Bliss!)
Build a support network. One or two friends to share the crazy is sufficient. Beyond that, having a larger group to hang out with and do field trips with is ideal.
Know why you want to homeschool and write it down. You'll need this for the harder days. And you'll also be asked this question by friends, family, and strangers alike.
Determine what homeschooling is going to take the place of. You can't spend a good chunk of time schooling your kids without something else having to go. For me, that thing I don't do is keep an immaculate house. I figure I have the rest of my life to scrub and dust, but only a short time to spend with my kids.
Give it two years. It took me that long to get my "school legs." I had no idea what I was doing when I started off, and needed quite a bit of structure and help at first. But then I developed my own opinions (oh, did I!) and my own ways and now the planning and daily execution goes a lot more smoothly. "Daily execution," heh heh heh.
Make a plan, but hold it with an open hand. No matter how sparkly the books or how stately the schedule, nothing ever works in real life as well as it does on paper. Prepare to tweak, tweak, and tweak--and even trash something completely if it simply isn't working.
Realize that no homeschooling mom is a saint. Not one. We are just as lovingly inadequate as the next gal. If you clash with your child in your parenting, you'll likely clash in your teaching. Realize also that where you adore your child in your parenting, you'll also adore your child in your teaching--and have opportunity to do so more often. This is perhaps my favorite thing of homeschooling.

Well, that's all my shriveled mind could come up with. What would you add to the list?

More tips over at We Are That Family!

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Book It Reading Program For Homeschoolers

2011-05-02T22:47:00.001-07:00

I'm reading yet another lighthearted poetry book to the kids these days. I find that we actually enjoy the stuff when we don't have to cut through thirty-eight layers of meaning just to grasp the gist of the poem. Poetry is also a lot better when the subject is food--take for example this small excerpt by David Canzoneri and Bill Martin Jr.:

Let there be pizza on earth,
And let it be eaten by me,
Let there be pizza on earth,
As far as the eye can see...

I love pizza so much I could write a poem about it myself. That's why when I saw that Pizza Hut has a BOOK IT program for homeschoolers, I signed my kids right up. There's nothing more important than ~~gettin' my pizza fix~~ encouraging kids to read. Besides, the whole thing reminds me of the thrill of filling up my BOOK IT button before my older brother could recite the words "MY SISTER REIGNS SUPREME."

Speaking of supreme, that's always my pizza of choice. Hubs and I like to split a large while the kids each get their own (free!) personal pan.

With the homeschool program, the ~~dictator~~ teacher gets to set the rules herself, determining the number of books or pages or hours the kid has to read (per month) in order to earn his coupon. The program runs for six months, October through March, so each eligible child (grades K-6) can earn up to six free personal pan pizzas a year.

Enrollment starts now and runs through September 1st. It's easy to sign up online, and the packet with a year's worth of coupons arrives via mail early fall.

Does anyone else participate in a reading rewards program?

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How To Save Paper At Home

2011-04-12T19:57:00.006-07:00

I have one child who goes through paper like it grows on trees. Paper airplanes, paper villages, paper to scribble on, paper to rip up and shred in every last corner of the house. Paper.

We used to go through at least one ream a month. And at four dollars a ream, that was sorely eating into my Ghirardelli budget for the year. Not to mention wasting a whole bunch of paper.

One day, my boss came up to me, and said Joe are ya busy I said no he said push the button with your left hand! Oops. Wrong day. On a different day, hubs brought home a box of unused letterhead from the office, all headed to the recycling bin because of a misprint. Cha-ching. We now use that paper for nearly every single use of paper around the house. We stock this paper in the printer and keep some strewn around the house for the kids. I now use fewer than ten sheets of clean paper a month. Quite a difference.

Besides the office, where are some other good sources of scrap paper?

More tips over at We Are That Family!

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Got My Poetry Panties In A Wad

2011-04-10T21:55:00.000-07:00

It's National Poetry Month. You know how I know that? Because every single last cotton-pickin' thing on my library's "MUST READ" shelf is currently a poetry book. Big clue.

I'm no poetry buff. My right-brained hubs tells me that reading a poem should evoke a feeling. A feeling other than boredom, I presume.

I start each school year with high hopes, plodding through Poe, butchering Blake, sleeping through Shakespeare. And then spring time comes around and every poem feels like I'M BEING EATEN BY A BOA CONSTRICTOR, AND I DON'T LIKE IT ONE BIT. So, I feel a bit strangled, in other words.

I was glad to see that sitting beside the other cobweb-ridden books was one with Tighty Whitey in the title. I mean, how can that not be a book for all time?

"The Tighty Whitey Spider"
(to the tune of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider")

The tighty whitey spider went down the water slide.
Got a water wedgie halfway down the ride.
Jumped up and screamed and ran around in pain.
Now the tighty whitey spider will not do that again.

What do I think of a poem about underwear? This is it, and nothing more.

(Not a paid review. I'm merely sharing some nonsense.)

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Cheddar-Topped English Muffin Bread

2011-04-07T19:20:00.000-07:00

When I flip past this recipe, my muffin top itself jiggles for joy. And because y'all know the muffin top's connected to the hip fat, and the hip fat's connected to the thigh flab--soon enough every single cell in my body is cheering for carbs.

Hi, my name is Lisa, and I'm a Bread-a-holic.

It's true, and I'm sharing this easy, no-knead recipe so that your cellulite will shout out a cheer or two too.

The batch makes two loaves. One for dinner, and one for ~~bedtime snack~~ broiling or toasting the next day. What. You don't eat a loaf of bread in one day? Okay then. I'll pray for you.

Let your taste buds rejoice in this yeasty and cheesy yumminess.

Cheddar-Topped English Muffin Bread

2 tablespoons cornmeal
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (or packages) yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups warm low-fat milk (120° to 130°)
1/2 cup warm water (120° to 130°)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Coat two 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans with cooking spray; sprinkle with cornmeal and set aside. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking soda. Add milk and water; beat until smooth. Stir in remaining flour (dough will be sticky). Transfer to prepared pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves (12 slices each).

More recipes over at Ann's Food on Fridays!

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Ed Emberley's Picture Pie

2011-04-06T21:06:00.002-07:00

I operate from what you would call, the Left Side of the Brain. As a matter of fact, if you opened up the hood and took a peek, you would indeed find two left sides in my skull. There is no right brain; just two lefts.

By all this I mean to say--I will rationalize your details til the logical and proverbial cows come home, but please, please do not ask me to "be artistic."

*shiver*

Oh, I adore an artsy-fartsy person, don't get me wrong. I married one, for goodness sakes. And I'm thankful that Mr. Right ~~Brain~~ shares his "creating from scratch" love with the kids, as often as time and art supplies allow.

However. I happen to bear the title of "Head Schoolmistress" around here, which means that when "art" is on the schedule, we follow directions. From a book. Thus making every Right Brain in the universe shed one, gargantuan tear.

But it can't be helped. I am who I am.

One of my latest finds has been Ed Emberley's Picture Pie, an art book for Left Brains like me. The book shows how a paper circle can be cut into the different pieces of a pie (1/2, 1/4, 1/8) and then made into animals, or things equally as cute as animals.

Like this:

And here's a tip. If you happen to have a circle cutter in your scrapbooking bag, this is a great way to put it to use.

I recently made my kids do these birdies on a wire for a note I sent in the mail (using colored paper, of course, I am not that lame):

Certain pages in the book show step-by-step instructions, which is great for the younger crowd. Or for the older crowd of analysts and math geeks who never lose track of their keys. Or mistakenly put the dental floss back with the pistachios.

Ah, but where was I. Oh. Good ol' Ed. He also has a similar book called Picture Pie 2, which uses shapes from a square, as well as the perfectly round circle and all its mathematical bliss.

I am not getting reimbursed for this review, but I am getting brownie points for saying kind words about the hubs. Not that I keep track of those points on a spreadsheet or anything. They're purely hypothetical.

What art books for dummies would you recommend?

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Eco-Friendly Drain Cleaner

2011-04-05T19:46:00.003-07:00

I grew up in the 80s, where leg warmers and Aqua Net were all the rage. My big head of hair didn't just impress the boys (I kid!), it made a lasting impression on my Dad as well. I have fond memories of him opening up the walls in our house to rid the poor pipes of the HAIR.

Long, thick, frizzy kind of hair. All in the name of being trendy, Dad.

I'm back to having long hair again, much to my husband's unclogging delight. It's not uncommon for us to pour money down the drain via El Drano, and its ominous gray-black bottle. But lately I've been thinking about the Water System, realizing that What Goes In, Must Come Out.

I'm not exactly sure where all those caustic chemicals go once they're down the drain, or how (if!) they're removed. I plan to teach that to my kids, you know, once I've figured it out for myself.

I like to give the ol' baking soda and vinegar a try, using instructions I found in Vinegar: A Guide to the Many Types and Their Uses Around the Home:

Put 2/3 cup baking soda followed by 1 scant cup vinegar down the drain and leave it for ten minutes. This blend creates a gaseous mixture of carbon dioxide and sodium acetate that will shift anything causing the blockage. Flush clean water through the pipe and your drain should be clear again.

Voila! It works--especially when it's done on a more regular basis.

For more spring-cleaning tips, head over to Works For Me Wednesday.

Or you can check out more tips from my own brain matter, as wobbly and weird as it is.

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Lewis And Clark National Historic Trail: Cape Disappointment

2011-04-03T21:34:00.005-07:00

It's hard to hear of a place called "Cape Disappointment" without immediately wanting to go there. After all, I tend to see life's cup not only as half full, but as half full of rotten milk that's been spilled on the floor. So you see? Cape Disappointment sounds like a downright cheery kind of a place.

It wasn't given the melancholy title by my ~~boyfriends~~ buddies Merry and Willy, though. They simply hiked there on their quest to find the "emence ocian.*"

In actuality, it was Captain John Meares ~~whoda heck is he shutsky up wih dah history!~~ who named the cape. He was sailing up the Pacific in search of the Columbia River, and floated right past it.

"Now doggone it! Where is that river! I see this blasted hunk of land, but no! stupid! river! I feel a sense of, oh what's an appropriately miserable word that will live on through the generations? Oh, yes!"

"DISAPPOINTMENT!!"

HENCE THE NAME.

(Make sure if you reference that quote, you provide a link to my ~~rather demented~~ head.)

Cape Disappointment sits on the Washington side of the Columbia River, right where the river meets the sea. You wanna see a map? I kinda thought so.

You can still hike to the same lookout that Lewis and Clark would have made it to, back in 1805. I'm pretty sure it was Meticulous Meriwether who helped pave a trail just for us.

And who placed some helpful, historical signs.

After the explorers had traveled for eighteen months, do you think they were disappointed at the cape? Allow me to quote from Clark's journal:

"Great joy in camp we are in view of the Ocian, this great Pacific Octean which we been so long anxious to See. And the roreing or noise made by the waves brakeing on the rockey Shores may be heard distictly." [11.7.1805]

"Men appear much Satisfied with their trip beholding with estonishment the high waves dashing against the rocks and this emence ocian.*" [11.18.1805]

Disappointed? HECK NO! They had reached the Ocian! Or the Octean! Or the place where spelling teachers go to die!

I kinda liked standing at the edge of the continent myself.

While we hiked up the cape, Hubs prepped the kids for a complete and utter disappointment. Never has a vacation destination goal been so easily met!

Okay, so their expressions might have been fabricated.

But I'll tell you what is not fake! Nickels! These lovely five-centers were made in 2005, 200 years after Lewis and Clark reached the edge, the very edge! of the continent. The back of the coin shows the view from Cape Disappointment. See?

"Ocean in view! O! The Joy!"

Apparently the US Mint prefers the more standard spelling of "ocean." Which is not disappointing, and honestly, neither was the cape.

Next on the trail: Fort Clatsop.

*A note on the misspellings. Clark himself was known to be a very creative speller. I've also read that the standardization of word spellings wasn't as well-known back in the day.

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Books I'm Hogging From The Library: The April 2, 2011 Edition

2011-04-02T00:17:00.002-07:00

Continuing on the topic of my geezerhood, I still listen to CDs. You remember those, right? They're flat and round, mysteriously loaded with ten or so tunes, half of which you probably don't like?

Those.

I hog CDs from the library, too. Here's what's playing in my van or in my kitchen this week:

Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Concert: Ever since public TV started playing the anniversary concert, I've been in a Miserables mood. I am determined to listen to the soundtrack until I spout nothing but Les Mis lyrics. "I'm going shopping on my own! Cuz I'm the master of the house! Keeper of the zoo!" Stuff like that.

Singin' American Legends: Without fail, music class was my fave-o-rite subject throughout school. And for whatever reason, the song "Froggy Went a Courtin'" was one of those songs that made my pigtails curl with glee. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! This collection also contains The Catchiest Tune Known To Man, "Dog Named Blue," as well as my Dad's signature song, "Old Dan Tucker." See? Legends.

Beethoven Lives Upstairs: Included in the Classical Kids series, this CD is part dramatic reading, part music. Or kinda both put together. It's unique in that the story being told represents true events from Beethoven's life, and the music is all excerpts from his works. It's one of those CDs that can be listened to again and again, while hearing something new each time.

You've Got Mail: I reserved this soundtrack for the sole purpose of listening to it on our trip to the coast. I tell you what--this is perhaps one of the happiest soundtracks I've had a chance to meet. It's guaranteed to make you dance and snap and sing in the driver's seat, and guaranteed to embarrass yourself while doing so. Ask me how I know. "She rocks in the treetop...all day long..."

The Best of Schoolhouse Rock: I've made my kids memorize the Preamble to the Constitution, mostly to exercise their brains. Of course the boys think they're so funny when they say, "Secure the blessings of liberty--to ourselves and our posterior." Oh, hardy har har, and just for punishment, I make them listen to the Schoolhouse Rock folks sing about We The People. Neener neener. However, the song that I remember most from my Saturday morning TV addiction is "I'm Just a Bill." Now there's some good music.

I realize this set of CDs is so telling of who I am--it's a little bit Broadway, a little bit school, and a little bit ~~outdated~~ pop culture. Huh. What's in your player this week?

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Blueberry Bran Muffins

2011-03-31T18:22:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure when my geezerhood began, but I reckon it's in full swing now. Never is it more apparent than at the grocery store, where I sing along with the Muzak. And give tips to the shoppers. And talk in the check-out line.

Yeah, that's me.

It's a rare treat when I get a friendly cashier. Okay, so I'm hard-up for social interaction, I realize, but there it is. In general the conversation is kept to the rainy weather or to whatever drivel is on the tabloids. But every so often, someone feels the need to comment on the stash of stuff in my cart. "You got a lot of kids?" they'll say. Or "Hosting a big party?" Or "Planning a week in the john?"

Just kidding about that last one.

But recently, I sent a big ol' box of All-Bran down the conveyor belt followed by a 16-pack of Quilted Northern. Have you tried that stuff? It is a piece of three-ply heaven sent from above!

Not so much for the All-Bran. I mean, really. I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the cereal and the box it came it. But seein' as I'm old, I bought myself some TEN GRAMS OF FIBER per HALF-CUP serving, fully intending to hide it in some muffins.

And that I did. These blueberry bran muffins are so doggone WHOLESOME and TASTY it will make you forget all about the fiber.

Enjoy your old age. I know I do.

Blueberry Bran Muffins

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cups All-Bran

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/2 cup blueberries

1 apple, cored and shredded

1 ripe banana, mashed

1/2 cup honey or molasses

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper liners. Beat the egg and milk in a bowl, and mix in the bran cereal. Let the mixture stand until the cereal absorbs the liquid, about 5 minutes. Gently mix in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, melted butter, blueberries, shredded apple, mashed banana, and honey, and stir a few times to mix. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Yield: 12 muffins.

More food talk and recipes over at Ann's Food on Fridays!

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How To Organize Support For Someone In Need -- Online!

2011-03-29T18:42:00.002-07:00

When someone has a new baby, an extended illness, or any other crisis that renders them out of commission for a bit--there's usually a slew of people who quote the phrase, "Let me know what I can do to help."

Well, that line is helpful and all to folks who aren't, say, in a crisis. We all know that the first thing we do when things get tough is make up a spreadsheet and click down a phone tree.

Or not.

But there is generally one person who does like to coordinate help for someone in need. And since I happen to be that type of person, SURPRISE, SURPRISE, I've found a trick along the way to make the process a little easier.

Now while coordinating volunteers is a rewarding adventure, repeating the same story and communicating via "reply all" e-mail is not.

That's where the Care Calendar comes in. It's a free, online service that provides a central location for help to be organized. One coordinator (you!) sets up a simple calendar and lists needs as varied as meals, childcare, errands, housework, rides, visits, or yard work. There's a (secure!) place to list contact and other pertinent information about the person in need, as well as space for photos and updates as needed. Once the calendar is set up, it's as simple as notifying the caring volunteers of how they can sign up online to help. Easy peasy.

I've used this website myself to coordinate meals for a new mom, and it saved me quite a bit of time--and yet! The needs were met just the same.

Do you know of other sites for organizing support for someone in need?

For more tips head over to Works For Me Wednesday!

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Lewis And Clark National Historic Trail: The Salt Works

2011-03-28T21:52:00.002-07:00

One thing I've learned about homeschooling is that no trip is simply a trip, it is an educational experience. Or it darn well better be! Otherwise, what's the point? You don't expect me to simply have fun...or relax, do you? Stuff and nonsense.

So when it came to my attention that there were Lewis and Clark sites by the gazillions in and around where I live, I asked myself, "Self? Should we make a special trip to the coast to go see some of those?" And you know what I said in reply?

"YOU BETCHER BUCKSKINS AND SAVE YER MOCCASINS FOR SUNDAY!"

Shouted it, that I did.

So strap up your boots, bloggy readers. We's goin' on a history tour of the Oregon Coast! Highlights will be the Salt Works, Cape Disappointment, and Fort Clatsop. If I'm feeling especially nerdy, I'll throw in some bonus posts after that.

We'll start by getting salt from the Pacific, or as Clark called it, "the emence ocian."

The Salt Works

All right. Here's the bottom line. By the time the Lewis and Clark Crew made their cross-country trip, they were PLUM OUTTA SUPPLIES. And by gum those boys needed some salt! Salt in their shakers! Salt for their meat! And salt to throw over their shoulders to fend off bad luck!

Okay. I might have made that last part up.

So the ocean. It has some salt. And we know that men like fire, and hauling heavy things, and goodness knows they had some time to kill while they whittled away the winter on the Oregon coast.

Enter:

The Salt Cairn. Pronounced like a hick saying "I'm carin' about ya."

Basically it's a pile of rocks and some buckets of water over a fire. See? I am awesome with the history.

Due to the passage of time, the original salt cairn disappeared, but fortunately a replica-esque has been built near the original site. History buffs and those they drag along with them rejoice. I know for a fact that my kids could not have lived knowing there was a salt cairn nearby that they hadn't seen.

Keeping future tourists in mind, Lewis (or Clark, who knows?) made sure to set up a plaque describing the cairn. Or maybe it was the Lions Club in 1955. You know. One of those.

I made my four-year-old pose in front of it. See? She adores a good salt cairn. She also adores a good moisturizing lotion, and could have used some to ease that itch on her back.

I'm guessing by now you are busting to know what's written on that sign. Well, wait no longer!

On January 2, 1806, the salt works was established by the three "salt makers" of the Lewis & Clark Expedition: Joseph Fields, William Bratten and George Gibson, who remained here until February 20, 1806. These men, assisted at times by hunters and packers, were able during this period to tediously extract approximately four bushels of salt by boiling seawater day and night in five metal "kittles."

The Expedition had run out of salt before arrival at their winter camp at Fort Clatsop, 10 miles to the northeast, and it was very necessary for curing meat and preparing for the return trip to civilization.

This actual site was established by a committee of the Oregon Historical Society in 1900, on the testimony of Jenny Michel of Seaside, whose Clatsop Indian father remembered seeing the white men boiling water, and had pointed out this place to her when she was a young girl. She was born in this vicinity about 1816 and died in 1905.

I leave you with a photo of the men in action. A true historical document. (Click to enlarge.)

Next up: Cape Disappointment. You'll not be disappointed. Or maybe you will be. Wait and see.

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Books I'm Hogging From The Library: The March 26, 2011 Edition

2011-03-26T00:01:00.001-07:00

I didn't intend to let months pass between blog posts. Then again, I didn't intend to get pregnant, which led to a miscarriage, which led to surgery, which finally concluded with a big ol' case of postpartum depression. I also didn't foresee my brother having a big ol' seizure which led to a big ol' surgery where a big ol' tumor was removed from his brain. And shortly after that, my Dad had a stroke, and wow, those are just the highlights from the past six months.

So.

I've never been someone to emote all over the blogosphere, and in general, prefer my online self to be helpful and upbeat. Well, as helpful and upbeat as sarcasm can be, ya know. So my plan is to simply blog when I can, and when doing so, rejoice in the relative 'calmness' that allowed that to happen.

I've had so many books I've wanted to tell you about during my latest bloggy absence. As an aside, I often talk about what I've been reading over on my facebook page, so if you "like" me, please ~~circle yes, no, maybe so~~ click on over.

This is what's currently on my shelf.

My Stroke of Insight: Hubs is always listening to this geeky thing and that, and he was the first to mention this book to me. And then lo and behold, my Dad had a stroke, and Jill Bolte Taylor's story was the first to pop up in my mind. Essentially, she's a brain scientist who had a stroke, so her perspective is unique and enlightening. It's not all "sciency," though, as she shares quite a bit about the loving support she had which was so important during recovery. I listen to the audiobook while washing dishes, with the volume turned one notch above "THREE KIDS IN THE HOUSE."

Lark Rise to Candleford: I've caught this show once or twice on my local public TV channel, and have always wanted to watch the series from the start. Well, whoa darlin', I finally got season one in my library-loving hands and I love, love, LURVE it. I've tweeted that it's like the British version of Little House on the Prairie--only better. In this stressful time of my life, the show has been a soothing balm on my nerves. What would also be a soothing balm on my nerves would be having season two on hold and ready for me to pick up lickety-split. But alas, I will ~~moan and groan~~ patiently wait til it arrives.

Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History: I chuckle every time I see this book on my shelf. I guess all my overactive imagination can picture are plants giving epic monologues, climbing tall mountains, or shuttling into space. Nevertheless, just when you thought "plants" + "history" = a walk through a field full of poppies . . . you'd be wrong. And you'd also be surprised! There's more than illegal drugs on the list. Yippee! Go plants!

The Teenage Liberation Handbook: I have no clue how long I'll homeschool my kids, but I gotta tell you--I've tasted enough freedom that I could see us riding the hippie train and alternate-schooling the whole way through. This book is an eye-opener for the teenage years, daring to imagine that there might be something to "school" besides regurgitating for a test. Huh.

American Idol: The Untold Story: This behind-the-scenes book does not include the current season of Idol (um, DUH), which I should mention is a far better season than I've seen in the past, thanks to Nigel Lythgoe and the new batch of judges. But it does include stories about the older, crazier judges, the contestant's typical schedule for the week (schedule! love!), and other things that happen in "reality" on a "reality" show.

And there you have it. Reading anything good this spring?

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Books I'm Hogging From The Library: The December 4, 2010 Edition

2010-12-04T20:15:00.000-08:00

The Well-Educated Mind: I just finished the sister of this book, The Well-Trained Mind, which is geared toward educating kids K-12. The Well-Educated Mind is focused on educating adults. You know the ones--the ones who doodled and dotted their "i's" with hearts during English Literature class.

Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married: I've been with my man exactly half of my life now--met when I was 18, and well, you do the math. But this is one of those books that doesn't make sense until you've been married long enough for it to make sense. So I'll take a wild guess and say that the lovebirds ignore this book and old-timers nod vehemently and say, AMEN, THAT IS RIGHT, AND DID I TELL YOU ABOUT THE SOCKS ON THE FLOOR?!

Rachel Ray's Look and Cook: Reading a cookbook gives me the great satisfaction of finishing a book in five minutes. Because that's the point of reading, right? To get it done and head right back to eating? Oh, I should probably schedule an intervention.

Mental Floss History of the United States: I'm teaching U.S. history in school this year, which means I need every cheat sheet I can get. This book is billed as being "smarter than your old history teacher, funnier than the founding fathers, and more American than Betty Crocker cradling an apple pie." I concur, and I've also got the World History edition collecting dust on my night stand too.

The West Wing, Season 6: My TV show of choice for 2010 has been The West Wing. I missed it when it was on back in the early 2000s--likely 'cause I had just had my first baby and my world HAD DONE FELL APART. I'm currently on the sixth of seven seasons of the show, and it has been one of the best things I've set my eyes upon. Oh, sure, there are waterfalls and glorious sunsets, but the glow of the telly when West Wing is on? Magnificent.

Read anything quickly these days?

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Mint Brownies

2010-12-02T23:12:00.001-08:00

If I had to sit in a room all day with nothing but a pan of brownies, this is the recipe I'd pick. I mean, I'd also need a case of chips so I could switch off between "salty" and "sweet." And while we're adding things to that room--might as well throw in a tall...decaf...cappuccino* and a month's supply of insulin.

Happy holidays. From me and my room.

Mint Brownies

BROWNIE BASE

1 (13"x9") brownie mix (and ingredients listed on back of box)

FILLING:

4 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup refrigerated Irish creme nondairy creamer

1 cup heavy whipping cream

15 mint Andes candies, chopped

ICING:

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons butter

Mint Andes candies, halved, optional

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions, and bake in a greased 13"x9" pan. Cool on a wire rack.

In a small saucepan, melt white chocolate and creamer--stir with a whisk until smooth. Refrigerate for 30-40 minutes or until chilled.

In another small bowl, beat 1 cup cream until soft peaks form; fold into white chocolate mixture. Beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes. Fold in chopped candies. Spread over brownies. Cover and refrigerate.

In a small saucepan, combine bittersweet chocolate and 1 cup cream. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted and smooth; remove from the heat. Stir in butter until melted. Cool to room temperature. Carefully spread over filling. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until icing is set. Cut into bars. Garnish with additional candies if desired. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.

Lots more food talk going on at Ann's Food on Fridays!

Like chocolate and mint and a dessert that rhymes with "wart?" Check out this chocolate mint torte.

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Homemade Scented Playdough

2010-12-02T00:39:00.003-08:00

Each year for Christmas, I try to give a little gift that demonstrates the essence of who I am. And who I am is the Crafty Stretch Mark Mama.

Okay, so that's not true at all. My entire "craft bin" is a small box loaded up with smaller boxes of 24-count crayons. I mean, those babies go on sale every August for twenty-five cents! Twenty! five! cents! I am weak.

I am also frugal, and do get my "craft on" in the kitchen. So when I first saw this recipe for scented playdough, I knew, kneeeew that way down deep in the depths of my ~~crotchety~~ crafty heart that that it was meant to be.

So I made a big ol' batch and decided to color my dough green, scent it with peppermint, and cut into Christmas tree shapes (with a cookie cutter! my word! not by hand!). I then put the little trees in small ziploc bags and added some cute beads for over-the-top fun. Don't even try and stop me. I made at least 30 of these trees from one batch of dough. Thirty cutesy-wootsy little gifts, cha-ching!

Here's the recipe.

Homemade Scented Playdough

2 cups flour*
1 cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups water
food coloring
1 tablespoon peppermint** extract

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and heat on the stove over low to medium heat until the dough becomes thick, making sure to constantly scrape the bottom. When dough becomes too hard to stir, turn out onto a floured surface and knead until playdough consistency. (Don't worry--the white flour blends in with the colored dough.)

*If you're making this dough for someone sensitive to wheat, be sure to use gluten-free flour which can be found in the specialty aisle of your store.

**Other flavors of extract include vanilla, cinnamon, banana, lemon, orange, coconut, almond, raspberry, strawberry, cherry, maple, anise, aaaaanddd... wait for it... rum and brandy. See? You can have your scented playdough and a fake buzz too.

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Music For Thanksgiving Day

2010-11-23T21:31:00.003-08:00

I made ya a mixed tape. It's just a few of the songs that sound like "Thanksgiving" to me. I don't really know what "Thanksgiving" sounds like, well, besides the grunts and groans from overeating.

Regardless, I like my music to be ~~geriatric~~ relaxing, as I have enough chaos in my house already. I don't need any additional noise making me wanna stab my eardrums with a meat fork. Just sayin'.

So here are my Top Ten Songs For Thanksgiving. No one asked me to promote these tunes--and if they did, they wouldn't want to be named. These are my picks! My taste in music! Mine mine mine!

Keep in mind I was forced to watch Lawrence Welk as a child. And the one time I dared to make fun of the show, my mom sent me right to bed. To bed!

So... where was I? Okay, I will mention, as my holiday gift to you, that you can get $3 in free MP3 downloads at Amazon from now through November 29th. See? Happy Thanksgiving.

My Top Ten Songs For Your Thanksgiving Listening Pleasure

Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving Theme
George Winston's Thanksgiving and Woods
We Gather Together: Jazz, Piano, The Least Offensive Vocal Arrangement I Could Find, Piano with someone "doo dooing" in the background, Guitar, Violin
Simple Gifts: Yo-Yo Ma on the cello and Alison Krauss in the clouds, The rendition from the 2009 Presidential Inauguration, Copland, glorious Copland, New York Philharmonic
Straight No Chaser's America the Beautiful
My Country Tis of Thee performed by Crosby and Nash
He's Always Been Faithful by the beloved Sara Groves
Fernando Ortega's performance of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Josh Groban and his incredible rendition of Simon and Garfunkel's America
Over the River and Through the Woods: Vocals which make you feel all skippy inside, Piano

Anything you'd add to this list? Something classy and relevant, perhaps?

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Stretch Mark Mama On Facebook

2010-11-22T22:59:00.001-08:00

It's true. You can now fan me and feed me grapes over on ye olde Book of the Face.

Many times I've wanted to post a quick thought or link on my personal page, but immediately realized it would either bore, annoy, or borenoy (for short, and please pronounce that with a French accent) my Facebook friends. ("Friends.") And then when I considered opening up my personal page to the world wide web, I decided against that plan too, seeing as pictures of my nine-year-old's teeth are not all that interesting to the greater population.

So, I've split my personality in two--which is a good start--and you can interact with me and my "blog persona" over at Facebook.

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PS: Kudos to the hubs who cleaned up my blog design, gave me some snazzy new buttons, and set my Facebook page up for me. Or rather, for the Stretch Mark Mama.

Thanksgiving Books For Children

2010-11-21T23:59:00.002-08:00

I searched through my local bookstore slash library slash book heap at home to pick out some of my favorite Thanksgiving books for kids. I separated the titles into two categories: "for geeks" and "for goofs." I'm guessing you fit into at least one of those.

For Geeks

The Story of Thanksgiving: What's especially endearing about this board book is that it includes the name "Squanto," which at the tender age of giggle-and-a-half, my boys thought was hilarious. No disrespect to dear Squanto, of course.

It's Thanksgiving: There's nothing that makes a holiday gathering more ~~awkward~~ geeky than the reading of some poetry. But this collection of Jack Prelutsky poems is not just understandable but entertaining too. After all, who can resist a poem centered on the traditional Thanksgiving theme--overeating?

Pardon That Turkey: Sure... you can make a Pilgrim hat with one brain lobe tied behind your back, but can you explain how Thanksgiving became a national holiday? Huh? I didn't think so. But this early reader book tells all.

If You Were at the First Thanksgiving: This resource is great for parents and teachers of grade school kids. In Q&A format, the book answers several questions like: "Who was in charge of the cooking?" and "What did the Pilgrims and Indians do after they ate?" If the answer to the first one is "men," then I'm off to proclaim a "traditional Thanksgiving" in my very own household. And as for what they did after dinner, I'm guessing they slipped into a turkey-induced coma and then watched some football on the telly. My facts are a little fuzzy.

Thanksgiving on Thursday: Seeing as history has always been a tough subject for me, I delight that there are books to make it less painful--and even fun--for my kids. Thank you, Magic Tree House. The companion book, Pilgrims, takes the nerd-like fun to a whole new level.

For Goofs

'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving: Such a cute, cute parody of the original Christmas poem. Now while there's not a throwing up of the sash, there is a group of kids who dash to rescue some turkeys and hide them under their coats. And if you think that type of thing is too cute--never fear. There's an axe involved in the story. All is well.

Ten Fat Turkeys: This book is all about counting, and I'm not talking about calories. (Whew!) The story starts with ten turkeys on a fence, and the plot thickens from there. But who can resist a book with the oft' repeated line, "Gobble gobble wibble wobble?" Not silly ol' me!

Amelia Bedelia Talks Turkey: I generally recommend Amelia Bedelia books for ages six and up, as the younger crowd simply doesn't catch why she's funny. That being said, no doubt one of you has a genius kid who giggled at crazy ol' Amelia from the womb. If so, move along, move along, nothing to see on this here blog but a bunch of lame-o jokes and unrefined humor.

I Know and Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie: I don't care who ya are--old ladies who overeat are hilarious. Better yet, this old lady overeats at the Thanksgiving feast. Imagine that! It's a cheery tale for friends and family alike. Okay, so maybe it's not so cheery for an overweight lady nearing the end of her life. So, there's that.

A Plump and Perky Turkey: I'm starting to sense a theme in these here titles, don't ya think? I have no doubt that if the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock today, this book would be a part of their collection.

What would you add to this list?

Disclosure: No one's giving me a free turkey for promoting these books. I just like books. Always have; always will. But if you click on one of those amazon links and make any kind of purchase, I get a non-plump percentage of the sale. It supports my addiction to whipped cream, what can I say?

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Crock Pot Sweet Potato Casserole

2010-11-18T18:25:00.002-08:00

During the holidays, my oven is as stuffed as a turkey on Thanksgiving Day. Except that little analogy does not apply to me, as the thought of sticking my hand inside a turkey and filling it with Something I'd Like To Later Eat grosses me out. But still. "Stuffed."

So to alleviate the traffic jam in the oven, I started cooking my sweet potato casserole in the crock pot as well. "As well?" you ask. Yes. I cook my turkey in a crock pot too. And it is just as fabulous as this here ~~dessert~~ vegetable casserole.

Crock Pot Sweet Potato Casserole

3 cups cold mashed sweet potatoes (plain) (appx. 4 potatoes)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cold butter or margarine

Prior to making this dish, cook the sweet potatoes in a crock pot (with a little water) on HIGH for 4 hours. You can peel the potatoes before or after cooking--doesn't matter.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cooled and mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, milk, butter, eggs, salt and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a greased 5-quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, pecans and flour; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over potato mixture. Cook in crock on HIGH for 3-4 hours. Or, if desired, this recipe can be baked in a 2-quart dish for 45-50 minutes in a 325 degree oven. Yield: 8-10 servings.

Speaking of a stuffed oven...this clip from "The Middle" made me laugh:

Check out my other Thanksgiving Day recipes or head on over to Ann's Food on Fridays.

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Thanksgiving Day Activities For Kids

2010-11-16T19:31:00.006-08:00

I ~~tolerate~~ get into American History and all, but for me--Thanksgiving is about the food. Specifically, making the food in my kid-free kitchen. That's right! That's what I said! Get outta my kitchen, ya ankle-biters!

As you can see, I celebrate this holiday with a grateful and kindhearted spirit. As always.

So to keep the little tykes busy, I like to set them free with some Thanksgiving Day Activities that cost me approximately 22 seconds of time. "Quality time," if you will.

I've listed ten of those activities below, and all they require is an ability to click and press "print." Let me know if I'm going too fast.

Click and print this:

And then while you're cooking or watching the tube (as the Pilgrims would have wanted!) on Thanksgiving Day, have your kids do any number of these with the printout of pumpkins:

Hide and Seek: Cut out and then hide each of the pumpkins in one or two rooms. Then the kids (not the ones who hid the pumpkins, my word, do I have to spell this out?!) get to go seek. If you are feeling especially devious, don't hide the pumpkins and say you did. Hours of fun!
Alphabet Game: On each pumpkin, write one letter of the alphabet. Cut out the squares and have the budding genius of the family put them in order. Google "English alphabet" if you need help with the sequence.
Addition Game: Print out several ~~thousand~~ sheets and cut into squares. Get out a couple of dice (sorry! getting complicated!) and let the kids take turns rolling to see how many pumpkins they earn, based on the total shown on the dice. Example, 3 + 4 = 7 means the kid collects seven of the pumpkins from the stack. Then it's the next person's turn, and play until someone has 100 pumpkins or everyone is crying. Your choice.
Small Banner Craft: Print on colored (or white! white is fine!) paper and have the child (or capable adult) write the letters "HAPPY THANKSGIVING" on the sheet, one letter per pumpkin. Then cut and paste each letter to a strip of paper, preferably in some kind of meaningful order.
Table Decor: This could be for the kids' table, or for The Big Table if you aren't super-squeamish around Amateur Hour Crafts. Simply have the kids color the pumpkins, and use them to decorate your home for the holiday.
Nameplates: Cut out two adjacent pumpkins, and fold at the line. Let the kids write the names of your guests on the pumpkins, and then use them to label the seats at the table. That is, if you get into that sort of anal-retentive thing, which I most certainly do, thank you very much.
Tic Tac Toe: Cut out a 3 x 3 square as the board, and use the other pumpkins as playing pieces. Color or label the individual pieces as desired. I recommend "Xs" and "Os" and you can tell folks--you heard it here first.
Bookmark or Headband Craft: Color and cut the page of pumpkins vertically to make bookmarks, or horizontally to make a headband. If you're feeling the holiday spirit, glue a feather to the back of the headband. Make it a history lesson, people.
Memory Game: Color each of the columns a separate color--preferable with crayon so that the color doesn't seep through. Otherwise--the game is pointless. Then, cut out each of the pumpkins and lay out (color-side down) in a game of "Memory." And if you don't remember how to play the game, well, you need ~~a better memory~~ to look it up, that's all.
Thankfulness List: Some see Thanksgiving as a day to be thankful. Crazy, right? But if you're one of those kind of people, then your kids can write one thing they are thankful for on each of the pumpkins. At the dinner table, read the lists out loud. Of course, screen the lists beforehand, otherwise, there might be too much gratitude going on about gas.

Hopefully these simple ideas help make your Thanksgiving a happy one. For more tips, head over to Works For Me Wednesday!

E-mail me if you want a clean pdf of the pumpkin printout and list of activities!

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