HappyMama

A dear friend, her hubby & 2 kiddos are coming to visit us this weekend.  In preparation, I made & froze Mom’s Brownies (also from Sassafras cookbook.)  The pan was cooling on the dining table, and apparently it was too much of a temptation for my 2-year-old.  I found this: 

along with a trail of crumbs leading all the way to his bed, where I found him hiding under his comforter.  Well anyway, here’s the delicious recipe.  Mom used to make these occasionally when we were kids, and freeze a layer of ice-cream between two slices.  They were the best ice cream sandwiches in the world.

• 1 1/4 C butter, melted
• 3/4 C cocoa
• 2 C sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 T vanilla
• 1 1/4 C flour
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/8 t. baking powder

Grease & flour a 10 1/2 x 15 1/2 x 1 inch jelly roll pan.  In a large mixing bowl mix well first 5 ingredients.  Sift together remaining ingredients and add.  Mix until smooth.  Spread evenly in pan, bake 25 min. @ 350.  Cool before cutting, ideally in a place out of the reach of little hands. 

Ashleigh just shared this helpful website:  MontessoriForEveryone.com.  She offers free downloads on Fridays!

A post here regarding a book I’d like to read.  She quotes a list of ideals for the home life of children in the 6-9 age group.  Not that I have kids in that group, but just reading the list makes me want to read the book!  It’s called Children Who Are Not Yet Peaceful by Donna Goertz.

did you see this ebay listing?

What follows are pics of materials for a presentation on the first creation story in Genesis.  It begins with a piece of black felt on which I drew a triquetra - which has been presented previously - with Elmer’s school glue.  (In the beginning was the Word.)

Day 1:

Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4: (stars, sun, moon)

Day 5: (sea animals & birds)

Day 6: (land animals and humans)

The child is also given the Scripture verses written out. 

To emphasise the importance of “reading” this particular story as a 2-part creation, I wrote days 1-3 on one card, days 4-6 on the second, and day 7 on the third.  It is theologically essential, in my mind, to read this story as God laying down 3 spheres on the first 3 days (light, water & sky, land) followed by 3 days where God provides “rulers” of those 3 spheres.

My heart is going out to a family we’ve spent a lot of time with this summer.  They have 3 little kids & the dad is deploying soon for 15 more months in Iraq.  Please offer a prayer for them!  Our neighbor is expecting her first baby in a couple weeks, and her husband is also in Iraq. 

My military friends are teaching me much about courage and hope.

A good article here about the importance of controlling the anger parents face when children are disrespectful or disobedient.  It’s based on the writings of Don Bosco.

While i’ve got my recipes out, here’s another one i made recently called Calico Beans, it’s kindof like thick chili.  Because we don’t use our oven when the AC is on, i put this one in a crock pot and plugged it into the outlet on the porch. 

Open & drain:

• 1 can pork & beans/baked beans
• 1 can [baby] butter beans
• 1 can kidney beans

Brown 1# hamburger with onion, drain.  Fry 6 strips (or more) of bacon, then crumble.  Put everything in the crock pot.  Add:

• 1/2 C ketchup
• 1 t. dry mustard
• 2 t. vinegar
• 3/4 C brown sugar
• 1 t. salt

Or bake @ 350 for 40 min.  We prefer to add the bacon when serving so it doesn’t get soft.  I’ve messed with all of the ingredients, you can’t really go wrong.  Good with corn chips or tortillas.