9/19/13

Quietness and Cookies


It has been a beautiful September and I've been enjoying it thoroughly...trying to appreciate the open windows, and brilliant sun and blue sky.  Taking stroller walks and bike rides with Janey and turning my head from the dead squirrel road kill in the street-the crazy squirrels who need to stock up before winter and get a little too daring-at least one a day around here seems to take it too far.  (I hit one in my car last week and it always makes me feel just awful and shivery.)

Like the squirrels, we all know what's ahead but I am trying hard to not let that cross my mind even for a moment.  Let's pretend it is going to be September till about May, then start over.  Geez, that would be perfect wouldn't it?

Today I am making these for an after school snack.  They are our second favorite after chocolate chip.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Mix together in bowl:
1 cup softened butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda


Roll or scoop into balls, and mash down lightly in a criss cross pattern with a fork dipped in granulated sugar.
Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375.

9/12/13

Organizing Kid's Keepsakes

I've been asked many times over the years how I organize my kid's keepsakes, school papers and art work. I have a little system that works well for me.

When something comes into my house that I know I, or the kids, want to keep, I put it in one of two places.

If it is something that I know I want to include in their scrapbooks I put it immediately into a box-this box is easily accessible (right next to the kitchen), and on top of the armoire that holds my kids scrapbooks.


The box has six clear folders in it for each child.


When it is time to assemble my kid's scrapbooks for the year (I usually do this when I have a burst of energy at the end of the year), I get out each of their folders and decided what I am going to include in the book. (You can read about how I scrapbook here.)


If the keepsake, paper, artwork is too big-or not 'scrapbook-able', I have big plastic bins that I keep up in a closet in a bedroom.  This is where I throw the fancy art work, special t-shirts or clothes, baby keepsakes, special little toys or books, school journals or notebooks, trophies, medals, postcards-I think a few of the boys might have a cast or two in there-lots of special mementos.  I just bought really heavy duty bins for the attic since Abbey's and Isaac's and Matt's were full-I emptied out their closet bin and filled up their heavy duty attic bins.  

I am careful about what I choose to keep.  With older kids, they let me know what they want to put in their bins, but I try to keep in mind what they would love to see in 10, 20, 30 years.   



I also hang special art work on the walls:



(I love that I have a red superman cape hanging on my coat rack.)

I save special t-shirts in their bins over the years so that at high school graduation I can have a quilt like this made from Jane.  She also makes quilts from baby clothes.    Here is Isaac's-he chose which 12 shirts he wanted to include.  



9/10/13

Banana Muffins

When I have too-ripe bananas I usually:
1. freeze them for smoothies
2. make banana bread with them
3. or make these very-low-sugar banana muffins.

I was in the mood for muffins, but I couldn't use the no-sugar recipe because I was out of sour cream, so I tried a new recipe.

These were good.  I cut down the sugar from the original recipe, hoping my bananas were sweet enough and they were.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large ripe bananas
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup butter melted

Mix together and pour into greased muffin tins.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
(Yield : 12.)

9/6/13

Winner

The winner for the Third Day Naturals give away is:
Here's my little comment! :) I have chronically dry dishwater hands too, it's the worst.

Congratulations Sarah!  Email me and I will make sure you get your gift card.