I have a serious chef in my house. He's only nine years old, but the boy can cook! When I see a natural motivation like this in one of my children, I make sure there are plenty of opportunities to foster its growth. So...he cooks. Because our goal is to have healthy kids in the kitchen, he cooks healthfully (most of the time.) I allow him to experiment with ingredients as often as I insist that he follows a recipe. I allow him to do as much of the chopping and stove work as he's ready to handle. He's just so darn cute standing on his stool while doing the truly serious work of a real chef. He's been my kitchen helper since he was old enough to sit in a Boppy chair. All that ... Read More
Keepers Christmas Party
I know I gush often about our Keepers At Home Group, but it really is a wonderful thing! Yesterday we took a break from "practical" stuff to party! Each of the girls was asked to prepare a dish and bring the recipe. (We're putting the recipes together in a little booklet for them.) After reading the Christmas story together and snacking on the delicious goodies, each of the moms had prepared a fun game. Besides a rather unfortunate incident with the girls' brothers who were playing outside with stick swords, the day was great fun. Yes, Caleb was involved, but it really was an accident. Hopefully, a bit more ice and a little more time will heal the giant goose egg under the other ... Read More
The Christmas Cookie Mystery
A sneaky little elf switched some of Mrs. Claus' cookie baking ingredients! Christmas science doesn't get much more fun than solving a mystery. The Case of the Christmas Cookie Mystery is a hands-on investigation to determine which powder mixture contains the correct ingredients to Mrs. Clause's cookie recipe. Through simple experiments, your children will observe and note various properties to reveal the correct mixture. You can find the directions and worksheets at The Science Spot. It takes a little time on your part to set up the mystery, but it's worth the effort! Of course, this is a great lesson to get you in the mood for some actual cookie baking. You'll love ... Read More