skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Non Dairy Chocolate Snow Ice Cream
Ingredients:
*8 Cups fresh snow
*1 Cup chocolate soy milk (sub regular milk for vanilla ice cream)
* 1/2 cup sugar (we used Splenda)
*1 teaspoon of vanilla
Directions:
1. Collect 8 cups of snow (place a large bowl outside while it is snowing for the freshest snow)
2. Mix snow chocolate soy milk, sugar/Splenda & vanilla together
3. Enjoy right away! YUM!
My Review:
For those of you who don't know I am on a non-diary diet while Zoey is breast feeding because of a milk protein allergy. When a friend mentioned making snow ice cream with her kids it sparked the idea that I could make a diary free option. I'm super excited and very impressed with the result. Now I have a tasty ice cream option for those "ice cream kind of day". :)
Ethan got a kick out of using snow to make something to eat. When I told him he could take a taste he said, "but it's snow." He liked mixing and pouring more than eating, but then again that's Ethan, not really into eating much of anything. Print this post
Materials:
*Ice tray
*Water
*Food coloring
*Craft sticks or tooth picks
*Foil or Plastic wrap
*Art paper or wrapping paper
*Cookie sheet
Directions:
1. Fill the ice tray with water
2. Place 2-3 drops of of food coloring in each ice hole
3. Cover tray with Plastic wrap or foil
(plastic wrap allows you to see through when poking the sticks in & foil holds the sticks a little better.)
4. Poke craft sticks or tooth picks into each hole
5. Put in freezer
6. Remove when frozen
7. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes so the ice is a little wet
8. Place art paper on cookie sheet (the area is going to get wet)
HINT: If you don't have art paper use the back side of wrapping paper
9. Use colored ice to "paint" a picture
My Review:
I had Ethan do this activity with my Mom while I was out. However, he did ask to do it again a couple days later. In my book activities that are requested a second time are winners! I was pleasantly surprised how the color actually worked very similar to water colors. We put the ice tray back in the freezer so we can do this activity again at the drop of a hat.
Print this post
While shopping this weekend something happened that I just can't shake. I feel like I am suppose to share it, so that others may have the same realization that I had.
If you don't know I gave birth to our daughter via c-section about 10 weeks ago. I suppose being self conscious about what how one looks is just something that comes with being a new Mom (again). However, I allowed my own insecurities to effect another person, which I'm having a hard time forgiving myself for.
While standing in the checkout line I caught the eyes of another women. She smiles and says I like your shirt. In the moment I couldn't even remember what I was wearing but thought to myself, "How nice. Maybe I am starting to look a little better in my clothes again" I polity said, "thank you."
What she said next is what took me by surprise. With kindness she asked "Are you going to have a baby?" I was appalled, enraged, and down right shocked! My mouth went before consulting my brain.
With as much attitude as a hormonal 16 year old girl, I shapely replied, Well actually, no I am not. I HAD a baby." I was ready to follow that with, "That really isn't something you should be asking people." (which may sound fine as you read it, but in my head it was not going to be said kindly.)
Before I could get those words out, as if she never said anything and I never spoke sharply, she asked me, "What's your name?" I felt about two inches tall. At that moment I realized that the lady standing before me was not being rude but likely had some kind of mental slowness. (or whatever the politically correct term is these days.)
I answered her, slightly annoyed bruised ego and all "Rebecca."
She replied, "that's a nice name." Then she asked inquisitively, what's your middle name."
This time I answered with a smile, "Ruth. What's your name?" I needed to salvage this human interaction that had gone south so fast.
Even though I was offended by her words that gave me no right to lash out at her. Every time we open our mouths we have the power to build a person up or to tear them down. I want to make the conscious decision to use my words to empower those around me. Because the old saying, "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me," is SO wrong. It should be, "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will destroy my soul."
Compliments cost nothing to give, but can give a person more pride than a trophy. I think as a whole we are all too stingy with compliments. Even if we are on the tightest budget we can give compliments out like we are rich, because when we are filled with happiness that is when we are truly blessed.
If you made it all the way to the end of my story(congratulations), I hope it blessed your heart and will leave an impression on your mind that will last with you. May God Bless you and in turn may you bless those around you with the kind of kindness that only God can show.
Print this post
Okay, it's true cabin fever is hitting hard after the ice storm and Ethan being sick. We're entertaining ourselves by watching the local wild life eat in our back yard. Here's what we put together today:
Ingredients:
*Peanut Butter
*Graham Crackers
*Granola Bar
*Quick Oats
Directions:
1.Microwave peanut butter for 20-30 seconds to soften for easier mixing.
2.Mix dry ingredients into peanut butter until no more dry ingredients can be added.
3. Pack into pie tin
4. Dump mixture out of pie tin outside.
These were just items that needed to be used in the house. Like I said before, just use what you have on hand. Just when I thought we weren't going to get any visitors we spied the above squirrel. Don't know if the ingredients made a difference as to who was interested in eating or if that's just who was hungry and near by today.
Print this post
I promise you will LOVE this super easy, very yummy low calorie muffin. It is like a moist brownie and surprisingly doesn't taste like pumpkin (one of the ingredients).
Ingredients:
*Chocolate Cake Mix (Devil's Food Cake is what we used)
*1 can Pumpkin puree (about 15 oz)
Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees
*Mix the 2 ingredients together. You really don't need anything else. Just keep mixing.
*Use a medium cookie scoop (or ice cream scoop) to scoop mix into muffin tin.
*Bake 18-22 minutes at 350 degrees
Fun Facts:
By replacing the oil and egg in this cake mix we removed a total of 2400 calories from the mix!!! The pumpkin puree only adds 100 calories total to the mix. Making these muffins weigh in at about 95 calories!!!
This is a Hungry Girl low calorie swap recently featured on Hungry Girl's cooking show on The Cooking Channel.
Print this post
Materials:
*Peanut butter
*Quick Oats
*Cornmeal
*Crackers
*Bread crumbs
*Bird seed
**Use any combination of the above items or anything you think the birds would enjoy. What ever you have on hand. It's not an exact science.
1. Melt peanut butter in microwave for about 20 seconds 2 times. (this makes it easier to stir.)
2. Mix in your other ingredients
3. Pack tightly in a pie pan or whatever you have on hand
4. Turn upside down in yard so your bird treat comesout
5. Watch the birds come like crazy!!!
My Review:
We all enjoyed putting this together. Ethan scooped the bird seed. And Mamaw with the Cat (otherwise known as Andy's Mom) did the stirring. Zoey and I enjoyed watching the birds come. Lots of fun. No real wrong way to do this one.
Print this post
This is actually a Christmas ornament set I got after Christmas for 75%. It came with a paint brush and paint set. I always keep the brushes and paint containers for future use. The containers can be washed and fresh Tempera paint can be added. Their small size helps minimize waste and messes. ;)
I didn't think much would come out of this activity, but get Ethan's painting bug out. However, it turned into a great color mixing activity. Originally I told him not to mix the colors, but I quickly saw his mind going and let him start testing out his color options. It was fun.
You can get similar painting sets at JoAnn's in the $1 area or in the kid's activity area. See where your child's interests lead you with it! :)
Print this post
Materials:
*Mini Marshmallows
*Construction paper
*Maybe a drink of water (You'll see why) :)
Directions:
1. For younger kids draw a picture of a snowflake, snowman or whatever. For older kids they can draw their own pictures and make a design without a drawn outline.
2. Lick the flat part of marshmallows and push onto paper.
My Review:
Ethan really enjoyed this. It is art and playing with food at the same time. :) If you are wondering how there could possibly educational value to this, I will explain. Fine motor skills: holding the small marshmallow and placing it carefully. Eye hand coordination: Getting the marshmallow on the line. Self Awareness: Everyone is different and special just like snowflakes. There is no wrong way to make a snow flake just like there is no wrong way to express yourself through art.
We are thinking of doing this one in the spring with colored marshmallows to make flowers.
Print this post
