A Day of Opposites!

That sums up the day well.  I could quit there, but blogging would be no fun then and I've taken pictures too!  Earlier this morning I prepped some blueberries for something ~ maybe muffins or donuts.  Doesn't this look yummy, even before it's sat for awhile.

Love the colors that berries leave behind, on my cutting board.

Would be nice to find a way to save the color and have the board be clean.

So, the total opposite would be spending a portion of the day, taking

over the dining room table, to organize our quicken accounts.

NOT FUN!! At least I made coffee before getting started.

Well, when I started this post about eight hours ago, I had several opposites to write about.  Now that I have finally gotten the second photo to load, I've lost all recollection of what those were.  Oh well!

Saturday morning baking . . .

. . . . a blog post a few days late.  A few weeks ago, I went by Kohl's because I had $30 Kohl's cash I wanted to use before it REALLY expired (I was one day after the expiration date, called them and I could still use it! Ya me!!).  We really didn't need clothes, bedding, or kitchen stuff, so I looked for a few things that I'd seen before or the boys had asked about.  So, for $28.52 of their money I walked away with a slip and slide for the boys and a Baby Cakes Donut Maker.  This past Saturday was the third time we've used it and it has turned out to be a neat little gadget (although I am glad I didn't pay full price or use my own money).

We didn't get photo's of putting the dough into the machine or before they are taken out, but here's a look at the after product:

 I would take the donuts out of the maker and put them onto a cooling rack on a

cookie sheet.  I kept several warm in the oven until most of the batter was used.

Then I'd dunk in melted butter, roll in cinnamon/sugar, and put on platter.

 Don't they look yummy?

 Just a few left.  If you overfill the donut area, you get

the flat "rims" around the edge.  Instructions say to use two table spoons.

Yeah right, one is way better and you get more donuts and less wasted

batter.

 A certain Thing Two thought they would be regular sized

donuts.  Nope, mini donuts that you get to eat 6 or 7 instead of

being good and only eating 1 or 2.

Yes, Thing One likes them too!

Nice thing about all of this is that it is a small appliance and we actually had room to store it off of the counter top.  Not sure what the next flavor will be, but it will be used a few more times.

The wall and the dilemma!

Finally decided to pull everything off of one wall and patch the nail holes.  Why?  Because I really want to be able to have a school wall and that was the easiest one to use! {by the way, patching a wall goes quickly w/little or no humidity and really little holes!!!}  Besides, if I wanted a lot of wall space, I'd have to get rid of a lot of book cases and books ~ eeeekk!

So the dilemma is this (and not accounting for the triangular part of the wall that is open to the steps), there is a light switch just about dead center on the wall width wise and about 4 feet off the ground (whatever the standard height is for light switches).  It makes hanging a decent sized cork board, maps, white board, chalk board or whatever, next to impossible.  Well if I want just one or two of those things, it might not be so bad.  If I considered buying smaller maps, it might not be such a big deal, which is a possibility as well.  Hhhmm! Maybe it is time to go over to Rainbow Resources and see what they have.

Traveling into the . . . .

world of Narnia began today.    We have read through the first two chapters and have been introduced to the Pevensie children, gotten a hint of Edmund's temperament, and been transported to Narnia. 

I was pleasantly surprised that both boys remembered how the lamp post found it's way into Narnia. 

Although Mr. Tumnus was working for the White Witch and had orders to turn in any Son of Adam or Daughter of Eve, his and Lucy's first meeting is one of my favorites.   Having tea, by fireside, seems so cozy when it's been winter for a long time (and no Christmas)! 

Summer School Days

Begin tomorrow!  Think it is safe to say that I am looking forward to getting back to school more than the boys are.  We've decided to work through the remaining Narnia books.  Last summer, we traveled to London and into Narnia while reading "The Magician's Nephew".  Now, about a year later, we pick up with "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" (LWW) and will finish the series sometime during the fall.

Fun things to do for LWW: tea party, make Turkish Delight, hope to find instant snow at a teacher store, learn about WWII.

See you on the other side of the wardrobe!

Rug deodorizer

I have been playing around with the proportions for making my own rug deodorizer because I don't care for the ones off shelf.  These seem to give me a head ache because of their smell.

So today, I made some more and thought I'd measure out what I use, in case anyone else cares to use it.  If you do try it, let me know what you think. 

Here it is:

• 1 cup each:  baking soda, Borax, and corn starch
• 1/2 T whole cloves
• 1/4 t ground clove
• 1 T ground cinnamon
• 1/8 t nutmeg

Directions: 

• sift all together to blend and get lumps out
• shake to blend smells
• if you can wait to use, the spices distribute better
• shake before using

This quantity fit well in a cleaned out, standard sized, Pringle's can.  I used a canning funnel, which also fit nicely on top of can.  I plan to later punch holes in top of can.

If you are wondering why I added Borax, it's because it is a natural flea repellent when sprinkled on rugs or cloth furniture and vacuumed about an hour later.  As we have a cat and dog AND it is flea season, it seems like a wise idea.

Narnia

In just a few short days (9, but who is counting) we'll be beginning our first summer session of school.

A few days ago, I asked our boys what they'd like to do for a literature based unit study.  As we had done "Magicians Nephew" last summer, I gave the boys a choice; either reading "The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe" (LWW) or working through the remaining books in the series (and getting back to FIAR afterward).  It was a resounding, "Finish the series!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  They were very excited about it.  After diving into the web and all thing Narnia, I admit, I am getting excited too. 

There is a lot if prepackaged unit studies, a lot of free unit studies, and a lot of tie in information as well.  So far, I've read through four chapters in LWW for vocabulary, tie in activities, and discussion questions.  I have tie ins to WWII, tea party, air raid shelters, and scripture.

I am looking forward to this part of school!

June

June sure came in yesterday like the hazy, hot, and humid summers Northern Virginia can be known for.  The air was thick and sticky.  Just a yucky kind of day.

Today, one word sums it up best ~ aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!  It's started out cool and clear.  We may still have our A/C on later, but it's still bound to be better than yesterday. 

Now back to cleaning and straightening.