Archive for January, 2009
Weekends are pretty busy around here. On Saturday we have music and on Sunday we have skiing. Both end right before lunch and Fuss and Bug need a wee snack before heading home for the meal. Friday nights have become muffin nights. I make a batch of muffins which we take to our activities to munch on. They both get involved from deciding what sort to make, to actually pour and mixing the ingredients. Not to say there isn’t some arguing over who gets to do what, but it’s mostly fun and the muffins to get made in the end. This week, it was pumpkin chocolate chip muffins:
The recipe is from a homeschooling friend of mine. They are denser and have more sugar than I like, but the kids enjoy them!
Here’s the recipe:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
4 eggs
1 15oz tin of pumpkin
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup oil
1 cup chocolate chips (I dont use quite this much as Fuss doesn’t like chocolate - go figure)
Mix dry ingredients except for chocolate chips. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients. Stir wet into dry until just moistened. (I find this batter really stiff until properly incorporated.) Stir in chocolate chips. Put into 2 dozen well-greased muffin cups. Bake at 400F 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Enjoying the journey, Amanda
January 23rd, 2009
Wow! We’re talking -20, which for a Florida girl, is a bit much. Not only is it cold, but it’s really snowy. Here are some shots of the back yard.
A winter wonderland that would be perfect for all sorts of snow activities, if it were not so cold!
That shows just how much has fallen in the past day or so. When it’s this cold and there is this much snow (on top of my car), we don’t go out. It could get me down, however I have things like this around the house.
That’s my beautiful chocolate orchid in bloom. It’s not only gorgeous it smells absolutely divine. Plus, there are new buds on the stalk.
This plant will definitely get me through the darker days of winter.
Another warming sight in my home is Fuss and Bug at cozy play.
They can play this game for hours - they just love it. I’ve posted about it before here http://plattdiscoverycottage.com/blog/2007/10/03/bug-books/
So, for now we are staying warm and enjoying each other’s very close company. I hope you are cozy too.
Enjoying the journey, Amanda
January 19th, 2009
Chapin, that is!
As much as I hate to admit it, my father and I have a lot in common. We wont get into that now, however when I was very young and living across the country from him, he made me a tape of some of his favourite music. Several of the songs stuck with me becoming my favourites, one being particularly presient.
‘Flowers Are Red’ is such an anthem for homeschooling. It’s about a little boy who goes to school and is chastised for colouring when and how he wishes. He’s told by his crabby teacher:
“Flowers are red young man, and green leaves are green. There’s no need to see flowers any other way than the way they always have been seen.”
‘And the little boy said’:
‘There are so many colours in the rainbow. So many colours in the morning sun. There are so many colours in the flowers and I see every one.’
He goes on to be emotionally beaten into submission by the rigid system.
He eventually moves and starts a different school where the teacher is the complete opposite of what’s he’s known and he’s free to paint as he wishes. Unfortunately, it’s too late as he’s been indoctrinated. He repeats to his new teacher what his old teacher told him about the assigned colours.
Even since I can remember this song makes me so sad, and even teary. I now know why. It’s so easy to crush a small child’s spirit.
I’ve made “Flowers are red” the Platt Discovery Cottage anthem. It’s message is one of the main reasons I homeschool.
Enjoying the very colourful journey, Amanda
January 16th, 2009
I had every intention of changing our seasonal table for December 1. However, the holidays were fast approaching, Uncle Karl was coming for a jam-packed 5 days of festivities, and it just didn’t happen. Better late than never. Here it is!
Enjoying the journey, Amanda
January 9th, 2009
