She "makes" like me

One of the most interesting and challenging parts of being a mom is figuring our kids out.  What makes them tick?  Are they extroverted or introverted? Enjoy a challenge or frightened by it?  Do they like a lot of interaction or do they require more down time?  Is help appreciated by them or do they like to do it themselves?  One thing that I have really come to realize in the last year is that they are definitely all different from each other, and also from me!  As they get older, their own little quirks and personality traits are really starting to shine through.  I am learning to appreciate them- to be thankful for our differences. We definitely have a broad spectrum of likes and dislikes between our three girls, and it certainly makes life more interesting. 

One similarity that I love about Hannah and myself...she "makes" like me.  A flurry of creating in hyper-speed.  No time for picking up as you go, that can be done later.  I don't freak out when I see messes like this (she was cutting and gluing hair for the paper doll she was working on) because I know she is in "the mode."

I am grateful for the understanding I am given (sometimes in very tiny amounts) to see my children for who they are, and to honor and respect that.

Bendy Bread

Now that Hannah is in school she is very much "activity oriented".  She is so used to going from one project to the next while she is there, that she has come to expect that same type of entertainment at home.  "I'm bored" has become one of her favorite sayings around here.  I tried to explain to her that Mommy doesn't always have to have the ideas, that it is fun to try and think of things to play by yourself too.  I love Hannah and as much as I would also love to spend the ENTIRE day playing dolls or doing puzzles with her, there are other things that I have to get done.  Not so sure that she got it, because in the next breath she asked if we could bake something.  I remembered a recipe I had found for bread that you play with before you bake it!  I changed it from the original version, so I guess that makes it okay to share.

Bendy Bread:

1 C unbleached white flour

1 C + 1T of whole wheat pastry flour (regular w.wheat flour is too heavy, we used Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour)

2 t baking powder

2 T sugar

1/4 t sea salt

1 egg

1/2- 3/4 C milk- to obtain dough like consistency

1/4 c vegetable oil

Topping:

1/4 C brown sugar

1 t cinnamon

2-3 T melted butter

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the wet ingredients separately.

Add the wet to the dry and mix until combined, you may need to add more milk or more flour in order to achieve a doughy consistency.

Flour the table (and the floor, and your shirt, and your pants :) Knead the dough until it is more firm and elastic (a minute or two).

   

Divide the dough evenly between your participants. Perfectly even.  Let them mish, mash, squish, squash, roll and shape the dough into the desired forms.  (keep in mind the baking time of a big blob.  I had to send Hannah back to the drawing board a few times.)

Combine the topping ingredients. Sprinkle onto the shapes (which should be on a greased cookie sheet.  I used "Pam with Flour".)

Bake at 350 for 15-20min depending on the size and shape of your dough.  Try and wait patiently as the yummy smell oozes from the oven.

Cool and enjoy with a glass of milk.  (This was a person that Hannah made...she let out and evil laugh as she bit its head off)

And my thankful thought of the day goes out to my friend who gladly came to my rescue around 11:30 am when I had run out of ideas (and energy) to keep Hannah occupied.  She brought her girls over to play and we enjoyed some coffee together.

School tomorrow :)

I am a "real" crafter!

I know I said that Thanksgiving deserves more laud. I will get there (keep reading), but please allow me one tiny Christmas forethought.

These lovely little roll-ups are a more grown-up version of this.  I am making them as Christmas gifts for all of my nieces and nephews.  It was my first attempt and something patchwork-y. 

   

Now that I have invested the time in selecting all the colored fabrics and laying them out in the correct order...making more should be a breeze. Emma helped me decide which order they should be arranged in.  I should have done the cutting for all of them at once.  The choosing and cutting is what took the longest. But, I was so excited to finish one...that I couldn't help but forge ahead. 

The pattern is found in this book.  The instructions for every project in this book seem to be very well written.  Clearly they would have to be simple for me to understand them.  I did, however, have to make one phone call my "expert carpenter" Brother for a little measuring help (he was kind enough not to make fun of me when I asked him how many little marks past 1/2 inch line on the ruler equalled 5/8 inch.) I also purchased a walking foot for my machine. I felt very "official" using it...like I was a "real" crafter- no longer a wannabe.  So helpful! It makes a big difference when sewing layers. I am glad I did, because after the Christmas making and giving is done...I think there is a quilt in my future.

So the week is off and running.  My kids went to school today- whereas I think that public schools had the day off.  Emma's class went to an assisted living facility and sang Psalms for some of the residents, giving special honor to the Veterans who were present. Over our cereal this morning, we spent some time talking about what a Veteran is, and why they are worthy of honor.  I wanted my children to understand the great, great sacrifices that courageous individuals have made for their own personal freedom.  I think about Carl's grandmother who was pregnant when her husband left for the Korean war.  By the time her husband (Carl's Grandfather) returned home, their daughter was already 18 months old.  This type of reality is so far from mine.  I cannot even imagine what that would've been like.  Needless to say, I am thankful for those who have gone so far as to give their lives in their service to our country.