Fun Friday- Return of the Muffins, Week Two

Welcome back friends to our second week of muffins!  I wish you could pull up a chair and join us for a few in person.  Today's recipe is one of my daughter's favorites.  We eat a lot of apples around here, so this one is perfect!  I am pretty sure that this recipe came from a Taste of Home Magazine many years ago.  Just so you know, we grind our own wheat, so anytime a recipe of mine calls for flour we are using soft white wheat.  Yummy!

print the recipe here!

 

Apple Cream Cheese Muffins

 

3 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup diced, peeled apples

1/2 cup bran flakes

 

Mix together cream cheese, sugar, milk, eggs, butter lemon juice and vanilla until smooth.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

Stir into cream cheese mixture until moist.  Fold in apples and bran flakes.

Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. 

Bale at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

TOS CREW Review Dig It Games

Many of you know by now that I have given up keeping the iPad away from kids.  I tried.  It did not last.  Let's face it, there are just too many good apps out there to not share with the kids.  And honestly, they love using them.  That is why I said Yes, please! to reviewing Mayan Mysteries from Dig-It Games.  Well, that and the fact that we are enthralled by anything remotely related to Central America. 

       
 

Mayan Mysteries iPad app, intended for children grades 5th-9th, is a Mayan Adventure that uses the platform of a fun game to teach reading comprehension, geography, science, and math skills as well as the history of the Maya people.  While trying to solve a mystery about looters, your kids will solve riddles, look for clues, visit ancient Maya sites and learn a lot of history along the way.  The game provides over 12 hours of play and can be used by one player at a time.  Each time you stop play  your place will automatically be saved or if you wish you can begin a new game.

 

The game begins with an introduction of the characters who go to Central America to help solve the mystery of unknown looters and what they are looking for.  Your child goes through various screens that supply information about different aspects of the Maya people, to include art, language, math, customs, and more and then take a short quiz on the information just read.  Questions answered correctly get you more points and move you ahead of the looters, ones answered incorrectly allow the looters to catch up with you.  At different points in the game there are challenges presented where you solve puzzles and riddles.

 

There is no violence or graphic images in Mayan Mysteries, but the subjects of war and sacrifices are mention in some detail.  If this bothers you, I would advise you to look carefully at this program.  Personally speaking, this gave our family an opportunity to talk about our past and how war has affected people throughout the centuries as well as compare the histories of different cultures. 

What we did and what we thought-

We played the game, of course!  As with most downloads, this one is quick and easy to install.  I had my 11 year old start first since he is right in the suggested age range. We did find that, like many other games we have downloaded, you have to feel your way around a little to know what to do.  That really would be my only complaint, but again, we seem to find this with most games we have used on the iPad.  It can be a bit frustrating at times, but you know kids - they are quick learners.  Because my son likes history, a lot, this game was a good fit for him.  Of course, the mystery part did not hurt either!  Who doesn't like a mystery? 

One of the neatest features...there is a button you can hit to have the information read to you!  Genius!  Not only is that a bonus for any struggling readers you may have, but it is also a great way to reach your auditory learners like my son.  Have him read something and he will eventually remember it...read it to him and it is sealed in his memory instantly!

 

I also love the fact that a world renowned expert in the Maya culture was consulted for this program!  Because we have an adopted child from Guatemala with Maya roots, it is important to us that we learn accurate information about his birth country and ancestors.  While he was too young to play this game, he did enjoy watching his siblings play and it allowed us to open conversations about his heritage.  He always seems drawn to games as well as books that have pictures of people that look like him and I eagerly await the day that he is old enough to play Mayan Mysteries himself.  As for his siblings, I think it gave them some extra insight and respect for their brother and the culture in which he was born into and spent 21 months of his life in. 

Small spoiler - when you finish the game you do not have the mystery solved.  I know, a little frustrating for my son especially, but it does set the stage for a second adventure which we hope is coming soon!

 

  Mayan Mysteries is an easy download for $9.99, or you can purchase an online subscription for $21.99.

       

 

TOS CREW Review- PreScripts from Classical Conversations

How's your handwriting?  Better yet, how is your child's handwriting?  Let me just say right up front, some of my children have better handwriting than others.  Some of us, not naming names, need a little practice.

Yea for PreScripts from Classical Conversations.  Yes, THAT Classical Conversations.  The one that you hear so many great things about!  Classical Conversations Communities are known for their parent directed classes across the United States that model the classical learning style.

Our purpose is to lead the home-centered education movement by equipping parents and students with the classical tools of learning needed to discover the order and beauty of God’s creation and to inspire others to do the same. (from the website)

Offering four levels of writing and art lessons, Classical Conversations has taken handwriting to a new level by combining writing practice, art lessons and history all together.  We had the opportunity to review the third level- Cursive Sentences and Art Lessons (ages 7-12) with my 11 year old son. You know, the nameless one who needs a little extra practice.  This level focuses on Medieval to Modern World History for all of its copywork. 

The 144 page spiral bound book alternates from a short paragraph to repeat twice, lessons A and B, and a brief art lesson.  After every three written activities there is a review writing practice with all three passages put together, thus reviewing not only handwriting but the history notes as well.   Each copywork section is written in a light gray scale so it can be easily traced and then there is a lined area for your child's work.  Each art lesson is introduced on one page and then has a blank page for your child to work in.  No extra paper needed!  Techniques at this level include- using a grid, pattern, architectural styles, elements of composition, depth, drawing a human figure, design a flying machine, manuscript illuminations, point of view, the rule of thirds, shadows, blending, profiles and more! If your child completes one page a day, they should be able to complete one book in a year.

How we used this product-
This program is an easy one to use daily.  While my son could have easily used the higher level of this product, I felt that more bulky paragraphs would overwhelm him.  Each day I would have him copy the text, saving the second copywork for the next day.  He would then proceed to the art lesson, and so on.  Pretty straightforward!

What we thought-
Admittedly, copywork is not my son's favorite thing to do, but he does LOVE history, so at least the information he was copying was interesting to him.  Trust me, that helps.  He was also not thrilled about having to copy the same thing twice but oh well.  As I told him repeatedly, sometimes hard works pays off.  Luckily for him, he also likes art so knowing that a new art lesson would soon be up helped keep him motivated.  These are not your average little art lessons.  They are challenging but fun!  It was fun to see him challenged with more advanced techniques.  His favorite so far is shading. I love that all of the lessons, writing and art included are able to be done directly in the workbook with no additional paper needed.  Contained is always good in my book!

If you are looking for a handwriting program with a slightly different twist than normal, and far less boring, I would highly recommend PreScripts!  It is a great resource at a good price!

PreScripts can be purchased for $12.99.

Other levels available include PreScripts Cursive Letter and Coloring (ages 3-7), PreScripts Cursive Words and Drawing (ages 5-10). and PreScripts Cursive Passages and Illuminations (ages 9- high school).
IMPORTANT DATES:

 

   

Fun Friday- Return of the Muffins

Everyone loves muffins, right?  Or at least food.  :)  After posting about our Friday Muffins a few months ago, I got a lot of comments about people missing our muffins.  So for fun, I am running another month of Fun Friday Muffins.  Up first, Peanut Butter Oat Muffins.  My apologies to those that have peanut allergies, but my kiddos LOVE peanut butter so this is a favorite in our house.  Hope you enjoy!

 

click here for a printable recipe card!

Peanut Butter Oat Muffins

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup quick cooking oats

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

dash of cinnamon

1 egg

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Combine dry ingredients in one bowl.

Whisk wet ingredients until smooth.

Stir dry ingredients into wet until just moist.

Fill greased muffin cup cups 3/4 full.

Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes.
Enjoy!

Lessons from the Legos

I am gonna just assume you have read about our past few days and start right in.  If you are dazed and confused (join me in my closet) then you may want to go back and read that post.

Otherwise moving on!

You know, I have been pretty proud of myself.  That, of course, was my first mistake!  I am by nature a worrier.  I used to tell friends that I did not need to stop because I was just so good at it.  God has been working on me through the past few years and I have made baby steps in the right direction.  So, I was proud of myself for minimal stressing through this move and not one tear shed.

Yep, again, my first mistake.

Then, THE day came.  And do you want to know what started it all?

LEGOS!
These legos-

See them all in a pile?  They use to be about 15 sets that were perfectly put together.  By my 11 year old., of course, not me.  But this is what they looked like when they arrived.  And you know what?  I actually talked pleaded with the packer about these sets...to take care of them, they were fragile, they were important to my son, yada yada yada.  I think the part he heard was yada yada yada.  Needless to say, my son lost it.  Big time.

Many hours were invested in the building. I get it.
Didn't the packers care about anything?  Doesn't seem like it at this particular moment.
Next time we are taking them all in the car.  um, no.

And truly, at first I felt horrible.  I felt his pain.  I have unpacked my fair share of broken things.  I tried to sympathize.  I imagined how one of the girls might have reacted if their beloved dolls were broken when they were younger.  But, because we all are tired, displaced and running on fumes, the emotional scene just went on and on and on.  And on.

And then the tears came.  Mine.

Because, you see, after I felt bad I got mad.  And not just at my son.  At myself.

Because it. is. all. just. stuff!

And it is so not important.  Somewhere along the way we seem to have lost sight of what is important and it breaks my heart.  It makes me feel guilty.  It makes me feel like a failure as a parent. It makes me ashamed.  And it should. 

And so this is what I told my son.  And myself-

We have a friend whose son went into the hospital for a quick surgery and came out four weeks later.

We have a friends whose husbands have just been deployed for a year.
We have friends who struggle to keep their type 1 diabetes kiddos alive daily.

We have friends whose marriages are surviving only by the grace of God.

We have friends who are struggling to pay their bills.

Do you think a pile of Legos really matters?

Or broken dishes?

Or a favorite broken lamp?

When did we get to be so petty?  When did we forget that people are so much more important than stuff?

I do not want to be that kind of family. I do not want to be that kind of friend.  When people walk into my house I want them to see a family that cares about them.  I do not want them to see the stuff we have accumulated.  It is worth repeating, I want them to see a family that cares about them.

And so if that means letting go of things to get back to basics that is what we will do.  That is what we ARE doing.  Piece by piece and box by box.  Stuff is going out. 

Is it easy?  Nope.  I like to decorate.  I like cute stuff.  But it is weighing us down.  Literally and emotionally and I refuse to let stuff take over our home and our hearts. 

So when you see empty drawers and empty shelves, know that where there used to be stuff, there is now more room for you. 

Because this family is making changes.  May God get the glory!

Blessings,
Michele