This & That

Sometimes…well it’s honestly most times…I need to be reminded that I do accomplish quite a bit during the week.  I like lists and being able to cross an item off.  It’s satisfying to see a job through to completion.  And then there are those weeks where it’s just a good thing we all survived Monday…or Tuesday!

I’ve been trying to help Greg register for the ACT for the last couple days.  It wouldn’t let us register and I finally figured out why. Duh!  The site where ‘he’ wants to take the test doesn’t offer the test on the ‘date’ he wants.  Sheesh…at least it’s figured out.  He’ll have to drive a little farther to a test site.

Today has been one of those days where I want to duct tape at least three kids to their seats so that I don’t have to run off to find them (or in my case, yell up the stairs because I don’t have the energy to go up two flights…AGAIN!).  Focus, focus.

Apparently at snack time, which I’ve really tried to eliminate (due to the above reason!), Zeke decided his snack would be cookie dough.  Angelina told me he started tossing ingredients into a small bowl and then proceeded to eat it himself.  He mixed it with a WIRE WHISK!!  I only know this because he didn’t wash the whisk and it was sitting on the counter, full of cookies dough, when we all came up for dinner.  Other evidence was flour all over the floor and counter.  Ugh.  My brother and I used to do this with my mom’s spices in either a brown sugar or powdered sugar ‘base’.  We would then dare each other to eat the concoctions.  I often wonder if she figured out where her supplies went.

Eric is gone all week, again.  Last week it was for work, this week it’s for fun.  He went snowmobiling (can’t remember where, but East of ND) with a couple relatives and friends.  My brother, Collin, likes winter as much as I do and plans a snowmobile trip every year.  I actually encourage Eric to go.

Snow Day Boredom?

When the day looks like this outside the kitchen window .... this mom tries to employ her creative genes to keep the kiddos busy. Schoolwork first, then on to crafts and playtime.

Zeke (above), now 6 years old, practicing hand-writing.

Dash finds a spot to read his gospel passage. This wouldn't be my first choice for comfort in reading, but it works for him, I guess.

Angelina practicing piano. Notice the bare feet - and to think it's -2 degrees plus a nasty wind chill outside!

Graham, and the other kids, enjoy the colored rice. This time, I added a variety of different magnets and metal objects that he can find. It's messy - completely out of my comfort zone! - but his entertainment is key to sanity on snow days. I made the rice a couple years ago. It started out in four separate colors - red, blue, green and yellow. One day it was mixed together; which does make for easier storage.

Colored Rice

Ingredients Needed:
1 cup uncooked rice for each color (I used Minute Rice, which is less expensive)
3 to 4 drops of each bottle food coloring (I used the liquid coloring in squeeze drop bottles, but also read that the paste colors can be used if you prefer brighter colors)
1 tsp. rubbing alcohol per color

To color the rice: In a quart sized jar, add the dry rice and 1 tsp. rubbing alcohol. Cover and shake to coat. Drop on the food coloring, mixing/shaking between drops. Keep adding drops until you get the desired color. Pour the colored rice onto a cookie sheet that has been covered in foil or waxed paper. Let dry in a warm airy place (out of the reach of kids and pets). The drying takes about 1 hour.

Repeat the steps to make additional colors of rice. I store our rice in glass jars, but ziploc bags would work just as well. While the colored rice is non-toxic, I wouldn't recommend eating it!

IDEAS: mosaics, hidden magnets, scoop and pour with spoons and funnels,