Little Elephants: Kids Crafts and Fun Activities

I did it!

I've posted every day for the entire month of November! Wheee!

hrmmm... I really am quite pleased with myself. I left my job of five years in early September and have been home with the kids since then. I've been so fortunate to have this time with them. To have the added benefit of being able to document the things we've been doing as we've gone along has been great for me; it's also lovely to get feedback on- and off-line :-)

The picture above is from my advent-calendar-in-progress. I've got until 6am tomorrow morning to get it all together. I think I can, I think I can...

A gift from Denmark!

How lucky am I? Yesterday's mail included a package from my sister-in-law in Denmark (thanks, Signe!!), totally overflowing with goodies to help us prepare for the holidays.

Along with several craft kits (that I had to wait for the kids to get home from school to dive into), and a shocking assortment of licorice, she also sent two beautiful magazines full (full!) of inspiring crafts, decorations, and recipes.

These picture are all from JULEN 2006 and BoligLiv.

When Daddy was the Sun God

Over breakfast Tomas talked about what his life was like when he was the Sun God.

And he wrote his name for us without even cheating and looking at the website.

We made pyramids out of paper and glue.

M made a bird mask (she didn't want to be a Pharaoh).

And she made this paper doll.

Exploring Egypt

Today we began our journey to Egypt. We figured out where Egypt is, and how to write our names in Hieroglyphics.

World travelers

Starting this week, we are going to take a trip around the world. Of sorts… At dinner tonight Tomas suggested that it might be fun to learn more about other countries, other cultures, through food, fables, traditions, music, crafts… The idea took root and the kids have decided that we should focus one country each week. Each of us (except for the baby) got to choose five countries.  Miss M wrote them all down, cut each one out, and put them in a jar.

On Sunday nights one of us will get to pick a country out of the jar.

Throughout the week we will do small art and craft projects,listen to new music, and read stories.

On Saturday evenings we will prepare a meal from that country.

This evening Miss M picked Egypt.

I'm thinking I might take advantage of my insomnia to do a bit of research during the wee hours....

A walk in the woods

Walking, originally uploaded by VeroC.

After a week cooped up in the house it was time to get out.

>> Follow our adventure.

Mazarine pie

For Thanksgiving I made two Mazarine Pies. One to give to our upstairs neighbor who always graces us with an incredible platter of Ethiopian food on Thanksgiving day, and the other to bring to my sister-in-law's.

The first one made it to its destination without a hitch, the second got a good licking by one of our elderly dogs just before we headed out.

I cried.

Like a baby.

Thanksgiving was obviously ruined.

Maybe it was a blessing in disguise... after cutting out the section that had had the chocolate cleared off, I discovered that my filling was much cakier (if that's not a word, I'm declaring it one) than I'd intended it.

So this morning I tried again, I couldn't start my holiday season without a Mazarine Pie, could I?

This time I made it without the chocolate topping and it rocks. Perfection if I do say so myself. And I do.

You'll need:

• 7 ounces of almond paste
• 8 ounces of butter (chilled)
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/4 cup of flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 dash almond extract
• 1 dash vanilla extract
• 2 puff pastry sheets (I use the frozen kind)

Set out the puff pastry to defrost.
Butter a glass pie pan.
Preheat the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Coarsely grate the almond paste and butter.
Set aside.
In a large bowl stir eggs, sugar, and extracts with a fork.
Again with a fork, mix in the butter, and almond paste.
When combined, add in the flour and baking powder.
Mix until the flour clumps are incorporated -- it's totally ok, desired even, to have butter and almond paste clumps.
Place one pastry sheet in the bottom of the pan.
Pour in the batter.
Lay second sheet over, and shape.
Cut slits to vent.
Lower oven temp to 350 degrees.
Cook for 30-40 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.
I sprinkle a good coat of sugar at this point and put my pie back in the oven until the sugar caramelizes -- about 5 to ten minutes.

Set out to cool so the caramel hardens.

An alternate preparation for chocolate lovers is to bake without the top cover of pastry. After you've allowed your pie to cool, top with melted chocolate and garnish with almonds.

Kids growing up...

We spent Thanksgving with extended family and re-discovered my sister-in-law's family. At the end of the evening we listened to some recorded-at-home tracks; written and performed by her niece. Today I had to post a link to share the work that this young woman is doing.

I first met Ana when she was a little girl. She was lovely then, and now she is lovely and incredibly talented. I'll be first in line to buy her CD!

>> Check out Ana Caravelle's MySpace page to hear her sing.

Gobble! Gobble!

{& a specal thanks to Tomas for the Turkey drawing. I love you}

Garlands of origami and found objects

Somehow, in the midst of my virus-induced delirium yesterday, I managed to get the kids outside for a little bit to work on some garlands. Kitchen string, origami balls, flower pods, and pine cones. Now I just need to decide if they get strung up on a tree or on a wall...