Thursday and Friday we decorated for prom. I really didn't want to not have school those two days but in order to help it was necessary. I reminded myself that after these two days, we weren't going to have prom committee meetings after this week -- so it made it a little easier. Of course there were lessons learned during those two days and the rewards that were reaped were priceless.
Prom was such a special time. It began with dinner at a Bennihana type restaurant. Party of 18! Some were parents, some had dates, some didn't. It didn't matter. Everyone had a nice time and the food was fabulous and everyone looked beautiful and handsome.
Next was prom itself. What a wonderful memory filled night for my whole family. My dear husband and I learned to dance via the dance instructor and Little Miss Muffett and Little Boy Blue were dance partners for a time during the lessons. Later my dear husband and LMM danced. I wished I would have seen it but I was attending to one of my duties in the kitchen. There were pictures galore. There were pictures, punch, and a King and Queen.
Afterward, everyone (almost) went bowling. The girls looked just beautiful in their sportier clothes with all the curls and updo hairstyles. Yes, some girls even bowled in their formal dresses. They bowled until it was time to shut the doors. At the end, another mom and I passed by the security guard, he complimented our group on how well behaved everyone was. There were 12 lanes. I agree, the children were very well behaved but still had tons of fun.
Anyone that wonders if homeschooled children miss out, my answer remains the same as it has always been - they only miss the junk that no one needs. Yes, this was a homeschool prom and it was a blast. Realizing that not everyone dances and not all children may be allowed to attend the prom, it was still okay because they were able to attend the bowling festivities.
Cherish the special time and moments with your children. They grow up so fast.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Living Gluten-Free
I just made this Banana Crunch Cake from Gluten Free is Life. It was moist and delicious. She said it was a coffee cake but it would be just as good without the oatmeal crumble topping IMHO. It was not grainy -- it seriously took me back to my gluten days. It was full bodied and had a crumb just like a cake. It only called for oat flour -- no mixing or multiple flours and no guar or xanthan gum! It was easy and yummy!
It still amazes me how the gluten free products I try just keep getting better and better. I have learned a few things in the past year. 1.) The pre-made items are okay but can range from food grade cardboard to good but grainy. 2.) Some of the best brownies I have had were from a gf mix. Mixes are better than already made gluten-free products. 3.) The best gluten-free products that don't taste gluten free are the ones made from scratch.
I think I may be dreaming of this banana cake tonight. I am glad I did make it tonight (and sample it), with Little Miss Muffet's help (she helped sample it, also), because this means breakfast is made for in the morning.
Gluten-free living is getting easier. This past weekend we went on a scout camp out. It was rainy and cold! We were so glad our troop was in charge of cooking, that meant we could help out in the kitchen in exchange for beds in cabins and buildings. The first morning all those campers filed in looking forward to that warm liquid to help warm them up, whether it be hot chocolate or coffee. There were murmurs of the coldness and dampness and hopefulness it would warm up. My room was blazing hot, probably 90 degrees. It was absolutely stifling. I didn't dare complain because I was so glad to be warm and not sleep on rocks and have a bathroom literally three footsteps away from where I laid my head.
Working and helping out in the kitchen was fun. My entire family lent a helping hand with each meal in some capacity. One neat thing about helping with the food was access to the menu before hand -- also there was the boon of making sure there was not any cross contamination. Knowing the head cook helped so much because he kept our food needs in mind. I forgot we were having spaghetti, so really it only helps when one remembers things they shouldn't forget. We talked about what LMM and I would eat for dinner that night. We were hoping there would be a left over hamburger patty from lunch for each of us.
It's neat how things work out. We were both able to eat spaghetti!! Another camper also had Celiac. Her mom had made an entire package of gf pasta noodles. When she dropped them off in the kitchen ahead of time, I was able to introduce myself and I was able to glean some neat ideas from her. Her family has been gluten free for 8 1/2 years! She told me of an Asian market in town where I will be able to buy stir-fry to go and flours/noodles much cheaper than at the health food store. Yippee! She offered to share the noodles with us also. Usually, I would have thanked her but said no-thank-you. Not that afternoon, the noodles were good, they were not any noodles I had bought before. They were good, I just seemed to have required a lot of sauce with the noodles. I hope I can one day repay the kind act. Maybe I will make this banana cake and wrap up a couple of slices for her dear daughter.
The gluten free life just keeps getting better and better.
It still amazes me how the gluten free products I try just keep getting better and better. I have learned a few things in the past year. 1.) The pre-made items are okay but can range from food grade cardboard to good but grainy. 2.) Some of the best brownies I have had were from a gf mix. Mixes are better than already made gluten-free products. 3.) The best gluten-free products that don't taste gluten free are the ones made from scratch.
I think I may be dreaming of this banana cake tonight. I am glad I did make it tonight (and sample it), with Little Miss Muffet's help (she helped sample it, also), because this means breakfast is made for in the morning.
Gluten-free living is getting easier. This past weekend we went on a scout camp out. It was rainy and cold! We were so glad our troop was in charge of cooking, that meant we could help out in the kitchen in exchange for beds in cabins and buildings. The first morning all those campers filed in looking forward to that warm liquid to help warm them up, whether it be hot chocolate or coffee. There were murmurs of the coldness and dampness and hopefulness it would warm up. My room was blazing hot, probably 90 degrees. It was absolutely stifling. I didn't dare complain because I was so glad to be warm and not sleep on rocks and have a bathroom literally three footsteps away from where I laid my head.
Working and helping out in the kitchen was fun. My entire family lent a helping hand with each meal in some capacity. One neat thing about helping with the food was access to the menu before hand -- also there was the boon of making sure there was not any cross contamination. Knowing the head cook helped so much because he kept our food needs in mind. I forgot we were having spaghetti, so really it only helps when one remembers things they shouldn't forget. We talked about what LMM and I would eat for dinner that night. We were hoping there would be a left over hamburger patty from lunch for each of us.
It's neat how things work out. We were both able to eat spaghetti!! Another camper also had Celiac. Her mom had made an entire package of gf pasta noodles. When she dropped them off in the kitchen ahead of time, I was able to introduce myself and I was able to glean some neat ideas from her. Her family has been gluten free for 8 1/2 years! She told me of an Asian market in town where I will be able to buy stir-fry to go and flours/noodles much cheaper than at the health food store. Yippee! She offered to share the noodles with us also. Usually, I would have thanked her but said no-thank-you. Not that afternoon, the noodles were good, they were not any noodles I had bought before. They were good, I just seemed to have required a lot of sauce with the noodles. I hope I can one day repay the kind act. Maybe I will make this banana cake and wrap up a couple of slices for her dear daughter.
The gluten free life just keeps getting better and better.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Reading books
I love homeschooling! One of the neat things to me is all of the books we read; the read-alouds, the historical books, the living books, the free reading books, it's wonderful. I search used book stores, the Friends of the Library in our neighboring town, eBay, and last but certainly not least, PaperBackSwap for the wonderful books that fill our many bookshelves. These are in addition to new books from bookstores and curriculum companies.
Sometimes we end up with multiple copies of the same book. Mainly it happens when we visit the Friends of the Library during the 50% and 75% off sales. We can seriously buy $325 of books for only $25. We love those kind of deals! When we end up shopping off list and getting some books that we think look good, sometimes they are already sitting on our bookshelves waiting to be read. But at prices like that, it's okay to have duplicates. Besides, I can always list them on PaperBackSwap if I want.
One book with multiple copies is The Giver by Lois Lowery. One was from PaperBackSwap and the other came from a lot of books from eBay. This worked out well because both of my children can read the same book at the same time. I love their conversations when they refer a book to the other. During one's reading, the other will ask if they have read a certain part yet or where they are in the book. It's wonderful to hear them compare notes and their favorite portions of the books.
Today was the day they started the same book on the same day. I think there is a little sibling competition to see who finishes first but much more than that, they are both enamored with the book. Little Miss Muffet was actually stirring the vegetables at supper tonight while reading. Little Boy Blue went to the hardware store with my dear husband tonight and was able to read a few pages. I'm not sure if he was bumping his way down the aisles turning pages or if he just used the map light en route.
The day the book arrived (the first book) I read it that day. I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it was thought provoking. Both of my children have both made the exact same statement about The Giver without knowing knowing the other one said it also. They both finished the book today (the day they began reading it). LMM said it was thought provoking and gripping and went on to say; "What if we were limited and didn't have choices. What if we couldn't see color or hear music...". LBB said it was thought provoking and even a thriller. He felt the last 30-40 pages were the most suspenseful. In the back of the book there are questions for discussion, we will utilize those tomorrow.
Sometimes we end up with multiple copies of the same book. Mainly it happens when we visit the Friends of the Library during the 50% and 75% off sales. We can seriously buy $325 of books for only $25. We love those kind of deals! When we end up shopping off list and getting some books that we think look good, sometimes they are already sitting on our bookshelves waiting to be read. But at prices like that, it's okay to have duplicates. Besides, I can always list them on PaperBackSwap if I want.
One book with multiple copies is The Giver by Lois Lowery. One was from PaperBackSwap and the other came from a lot of books from eBay. This worked out well because both of my children can read the same book at the same time. I love their conversations when they refer a book to the other. During one's reading, the other will ask if they have read a certain part yet or where they are in the book. It's wonderful to hear them compare notes and their favorite portions of the books.
Today was the day they started the same book on the same day. I think there is a little sibling competition to see who finishes first but much more than that, they are both enamored with the book. Little Miss Muffet was actually stirring the vegetables at supper tonight while reading. Little Boy Blue went to the hardware store with my dear husband tonight and was able to read a few pages. I'm not sure if he was bumping his way down the aisles turning pages or if he just used the map light en route.
The day the book arrived (the first book) I read it that day. I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it was thought provoking. Both of my children have both made the exact same statement about The Giver without knowing knowing the other one said it also. They both finished the book today (the day they began reading it). LMM said it was thought provoking and gripping and went on to say; "What if we were limited and didn't have choices. What if we couldn't see color or hear music...". LBB said it was thought provoking and even a thriller. He felt the last 30-40 pages were the most suspenseful. In the back of the book there are questions for discussion, we will utilize those tomorrow.
What's for supper...?
For some reason I didn't make out a menu for this week but I've had fun trying new recipes. So far I've made my grandmother's Chop Suey -- delicious! Then I made cabbage rolls, a black bean soup (I'm still searching for that special black bean soup recipe). I also made sandwiches, pimento cheese sandwiches. I used Paula Deen's recipe of which she credits her son. It contained cream cheese, grated cheddar, grated onion and I used roasted red peppers that I diced. It was delicious, we much prefer the cheddar to Velveeta. That brings us to dinner tonight.
I had some tilapia. Hmmm, what to make... so I searched and came up with this Spanish Moroccan Tilapia from allrecipes.com. We placed the tilapia and the Moroccan vegetables and broth atop some De Boles multi grain gluten-free spaghetti style pasta. Next time I would serve this on top of some brown rice, but we've had rice several times this week. The pasta was different, it was made with rice, quinoa, and amaranth. It was kind of crunchy on the inside but looked done on the outside. I cooked it for the recommended time. It was fine and made the dish not so soft.
It smelled wonderful when it was cooking and we all enjoyed it. It is definitely a keeper. I don't know if I will put it in rotation but it's great for those nights when you want something different. It was easy to make, there was a lot of dicing of vegetables but very easy to prepare. I did not add the garbanzo beans because I did not have them on hand. For the two red bell peppers I substituted mini sweet peppers. They are yellow, orange and red and added some really pretty color to the mixture. I used all the kalamata olives I had on hand, probably twelve or so. I diced them pretty small. The purplish-black flecks added a nice contrast visually to the dish.
The dish was a hit and the pictures don't do it justice. I was going to also include a picture when the tilapia was cooking but it was not visually appealing, it was just white globs on top of red. It tastes much better than the pictures look.
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