A Cereal I Won't Buy Again

I usually stick to the cereals I know.  Chex.  Cheerios.  Raisin Bran. Grape Nuts.  Sometimes Frosted Mini Wheats, only because it has so much fiber.  We eat cereal twice a week, so we don't go through much.  And I only buy cereal at Costco because I don't want to stop at two stores with five kids just to save a buck or two.

This last trip I bought:

Kellogg's Crunchy Nut.  I don't know why.   Was I in a hurry?  Did it look nice in its box?  Is it because I live in a house full of Crunchy Nuts?  While the boys were eating this morning, they started giggling.  Well, what else is new?  They always giggle while they eat.  But this time it was because:

It's Morning Somewhere.  Can you see it there at the bottom of the box?  By that scanner thingy?  That scanner is called a data matrix.  If you scan it with your mobile phone, you can go to a webpage.  I did not look the page up, but I googled it and found someone's blog about how lame it was.  But the boys thought that it was funny because one would say, "It's morning somewhere!" and the other would turn his head quickly and say in his best Patrick, "Where?" Also?

The nutrition information is on the bottom of the box.  You can't read what you are eating until the box is gone.  Maybe so you don't spit the cereal back into the bowl mid bite when you find out you are eating sugar AND high fructose corn syrup AND honey.  I should have bought Lucky Charms!

The nerdy scientist in me want to see how many servings of sugar I was feeding my kids.  So I pulled out my handy-dandy scale of science (which also came in handy for weighing our Pinewood Derby cars).  That bowl is our Thomas the Train toddler bowl.  See how tiny it is?  And it isn't even filled up all the way?  I must have fed my boys six or seven servings of cereal this morning based on that!  And with 26 grams of carbohydrates (11 grams sugar and no fiber) per serving, yes, I think they have had enough for the day.

What do you think?

In Which D Begins Training

I've been mulling over a few things here.  I overhear snippets of my boys' conversations.  I watch adults respond to my children's behavior.  I notice that we are way more strict than the "normal" people.

When S won the Pinewood Derby he just stood there and smiled.  I asked him later why he didn't jump up and down and shout, "I won!"  He told me it was because he didn't want to be "prideful" and a "sore winner."  Last night, at our Cub Scout pack meeting, the cubmaster made a comment about how S probably didn't even know he won.  Like he was too spaced out to notice that he was the one holding the trophy.  Yes, S is spacey.  But he isn't that bad.  I was happy to recount my conversation with S for the cubmaster and yes, I was being "prideful" about my son's behavior.  And I could just see that look in his eye...that  You have got to be kidding me.  You think you are so perfect.  You make me sick.  Goody two-shoe.  You are screwing your kids up by keeping them home.  Wait until they get in the "real" world... look.  I know that look.  I feel that vibe from other people too.

"I don't want to keep my hands out of the dishwasher!  It will take you months to train me to obey!"

This morning I heard IJ ask S if he had any friends that are nice to him "all the time instead of just some of the time."  The people they listed don't live here, they live in our old home town.

I also heard from a parent of a friend of IJ's that IJ told his friend that he wouldn't keep money he found on the ground because taking money that doesn't belong to you is stealing, even if you don't know who owns the money.  The parent acted like that was weird and IJ had some crazy notion about honesty.

"All that training wore me out.  I was ready for a nap anyway."

Today D wouldn't keep his hands out of the dishwasher while I loaded dirty dishes.  I followed the same routine I've used for years to teach my kids to stay out of the dishwasher when I'm putting dirty dishes in.  Teach? Train? Really, what is the difference? Is it really that bad to train your kids to listen and obey?  Obey the first time?  That there are consequences to actions?  And the consequences aren't always rewards (like the Cub Scout who sassed the leader until he was assigned a job to keep him busy and out of trouble-the job was running the microphone and being the star of the show)?  Is it really wrong of us (M and I) to have standards and want our children to act decently?  And to want the main influences in their lives to also behave decently?  Adults and children alike?  And people who cannot behave themselves, especially adults, really shouldn't be the main influence for our children?  Really, is that bad?

Sweet Little Hands

It isn't like we want to keep them completely cut off from the rest of the world and not give them the important "life lessons" they would learn from kids in the school yard.  We do send them to Cub Scouts.  But one would think that the people in Scouts would also be "trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent." (The Scout Law) or at least trying to be.  Instead, we are finding that the scouts-at least here- are not really that.  They are more like the rest of the "normal" people out there.

There was a man at the Pinewood Derby who complained to me about the temperature of his coffee.  This guy claims to be an Eagle Scout.  He was insulting and rude.  I kept listening to his rant, waiting for the punch line.  This guy couldn't possibly be serious.  But he was.  The nice part of me almost apologized and offered to help him find a hot cup of coffee.  But the tired-of-people part of me took over and said, "Why are you telling me this?  Did you want ME to make you a new cup?" with an obnoxious look on my face.  This knocked him off guard.  Maybe he is used to people cowing to his bullying (I've seen how he treats his stepson).  "Well, you ARE part of the committee that put this together!" he said.  "Actually, I am not.  I am not wearing a uniform.  I am holding a baby on my hip.  And I am here as a parent.  But I can show you who is the coffee maker."  Turns out the coffee wasn't done brewing.  The light hadn't turned green yet.

"Those were crocodile tears, by the way."

So yes.  I am training my children.  And teaching them that they will struggle everyday with people of all ages wherever they go.  Because not all people were well trained.  Or even trained at all.

Pinewood Derby

I guess today was just S's day.  From the moment he woke up this morning, M noticed that S was in a Zone of Good. 

Losers from past years

We've never won the Pinewood Derby.  Every year we agonize over not spending enough time researching designs or putting loving touches on the cars.  We wait until the last minute and feel so guilty when our cars don't even cross the finish line.  Like IJ's Tiger year.  We are just so busy!

 Before racing, watch SpongeBob SquarePants

 Last year wasn't as bad as 2009.  But we still lost-and S placed way down the list!  But this year... I can't believe it!!!  We actually placed!!!  S placed FIRST PLACE and E also placed FIRST for the sibling division!!!  We had some issues with getting IJ's wheels in yesterday, so we were a disappointed that his car didn't race as well.  But he was a good sport about having his siblings take both first place trophies.

After racing, watch SpongeBob SquarePants

I bet everyone wants to know our racing secrets, right?  Special tricks, engineered designs, internet research?  NOPE!  Here is S's car:

There is nothing outwardly special about this car.  It just won.  Can you see why we are so amazed?  We didn't finish sanding it, there is only one coat of paint and no shiny sealant, the extra weight was salvaged off his loser car from last year, and M drove a couple nails because we were still a bit short on weight.  There were many other cars that looked way cooler at the race and many dads who spent money on fancy designs and professional assistance (they placed 2nd and 3rd).  I guess it all came down to straight axles and wheels.  Both S and E had boring straight cars because we had no time to shape them.  When the cars are shaped, it is harder to align the wheels.

I have no pictures because I didn't bring my camera, but my friend did and she will send some to me:)

Baseball Season: Opening Day

After $185 for sign-up fees, $20 for baseball pants, $31 for pictures, the need to buy matching orange belts (because orange is their accessory color), and a baseball schedule from hell...

...we have finally played our first game... S played pitcher... I mean the kid that stands next to the real pitcher...

IJ played right field...

S hit the first ball pitched to him (because our coach didn't pitch...she can't...the other team's coach pitched the whole game)...

...and IJ also had some awesome hits.  So my problems with their coach aside, the boys are off to a great year in baseball.  They look great, especially in their uniforms!  Fabulous, in fact.  GO TIGERS!

She's Halfway Done! and other funny stories

I am so proud of my little girl!  Today she reached Lesson 50 in Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons!  I promised I would take her out for ice cream when she got this far.

 But she is further than she thinks.  She can already read.  I know, because I caught her reading Book 1 in the I Can Read It! series from Sonlight Curriculum two nights ago.  When she was supposed to be going to bed!

S, one of E's favorite teachers, is so proud of her.  He taught her how to count by 2's, frontwards and backwards, all the way to 12.  So the other day when I wanted to teach her, there was nothing for me to do but teach them how to play "sums of 10s" memory.

 Say, "I can read!"

"No, I can read!"

We've also been catching up on some Story of the World reading.  We are on Volume 3: Early Modern Times in our home school, but IJ likes to re-read the other volumes we've already covered.  A side story- which is always fun, right?- I took the boys to the dentist (why is it always the dentist?) a few days ago.  IJ brought Volume 2: The Middle Ages with him so he could read it in the waiting room.  His hygienist came out and called his name.  IJ sighed, marked the page in his book, and slowly stood up.  She said, "Oh, what are you reading?"  IJ sighed again and answered in a very bored voice, "The Story of the World, Middle Ages."  She was impressed and said, "That is a huge book for a boy who is only 8 years old!"  IJ only sighed again, like she was the dummy for questioning his intelligence.  Which is one of the reasons why I love these books.  They are so packed with information, but easy to read and enjoy just for fun.  I've learned more about history in these books than I did in 13 years in the public school system and the five years of college afterward!

Today we read about the French Revolution, Catherine the Great, and Eli Whitney.  The book describes in gory detail the beheading of Louis XVI with the guillotine.  I mentioned I would like to get a guillotine for the chickens.  In the following picture you can see S and E processing what is a guillotine? and use it on the chickens? and F saying,

"Buy a guillotine!  Buy a guillotine!"

Last Day of Winter

I think I just had the best last day of winter, ever!  Any last day of winter is good, but this one is the best!  Enjoy some pics from my wonderful day!

First, I took D and F out for a walk in the sunshine.  D had never walked outside on his own feet until today!

 Getting ready to kick the rooster!

 Sniffing the daffodils!

 Discovering purple flowers in the grass!

Boys in overalls, crawling away fast!

 Crawling after their sister!

 Purple princess!

 Soaking up Vitamin D.

 Today was the first time I realized that F was no longer a toddler, but a little girl...sigh...

Then, because M was planting his 200 baby trees, I invited my friend and her son over to help.  The boys worked on their World Conservation award for Cub Scouts by helping with the planting, and the girls sewed (we learned how to sew zippers and started to tailor-I mean "upcycle" a dress to a skirt) and chatted.  Until we went outside...

And harvested nettles for dinner!

After my friend left, I went out to find my husband who was still planting his baby trees.

I tagged along, taking random pictures of nature (we saw a coyote this morning!)...

...and chickens

And then I cooked the nettles for dinner and the kids ate them without complaining!  What a great day!

Dutch Babies

Another good use for buckets: BABY TRAP

My hens have picked up the pace with egg laying now that the days seem longer.  Yesterday, we got 21 eggs from 27 hens.  It's time to sell again!  And eat large quantities of eggs!  The kids' favorite is Dutch Babies.  I've also seen these called Puffy Oven Pancakes and Mountains, but I like Dutch Babies better.  They are so easy to make and so versatile!

All you do is melt butter in a pan, pie plate, or oven-proof skillet in a 425 degree oven.  Then you put equal amounts of egg, milk, and flour in the blender, blend, pour into the melted butter, and bake until puffy and as brown as you like it.  For my growing kids, I make three 9 X 13 pans worth.  That is about 12-15 eggs (one large egg is supposed to equal 1/4 cup), 3 cups of milk, and three cups of flour.  The BEST part is the topping.

Not quite done yet

We used to pour maple syrup on everything.  But then the whole high fructose corn syrup thing happened and someone (who shall remain nameless-Grandad) insisted that we buy 100% pure maple syrup and that he would pay for it.  I cannot stand paying so much for something that is used only because it is sweet.  Plus, I know exposure is how tastes are formed.  So it makes sense to me to make my own toppings and warp my children's minds just a little bit more.  I've gone this far, why not go all the way?

Tonight I made blueberry syrup.  I know, boring.  You can buy that in a bottle.  Yeah? Well, that stuff is gross!  My syrup is yummy!  And for the record, I don't follow any recipes and I've never had any formal training (unless you count Good Eats DVDs).  So results can vary from meal to meal.  Tonight I got lucky.  I added several cups of frozen blueberries to a pan, added a trickle of water and about 1/3 cup of sugar.  I simmered the blueberries until they were all liquidy and gave 'em a taste.  It was okay, but obviously needed something.  So I though of blueberry sweets...blueberry pie...what is in a blueberry pie?  Lemon juice!  The acid balances out the sweet of the sugar.  But I'm out of lemon juice.  I needed an acid...so I used cream of tartar.  Just a tiny bit.  And then I added some cinnamon, stirred well, and brought the whole mess to a boil.  To thicken, I swirled some cornstarch (arrowroot powder also works for this) in some cold water and then poured it into the boiling syrup.  I stirred, brought it back up to a boil, boiled for one minute to get rid of any starchy taste, and then it was done!  My kitchen smelled like Christmas!

She likes it!  But then again, she isn't that hard to please!

I've used this basic method to make raspberry syrup, Very Berry syrup, mango syrup, and apple/cinnamon syrup.  My kids have not missed their maple syrup at all.  And I've found it doesn't take any extra time at all because I'm standing in the kitchen anyway.  And I can mix it with yogurt for D.  AND pour it in the porridge tomorrow morning.  If there is any left.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Now that my kids are getting older, they are enjoying holiday traditions more and more.  The first thing out of S's mouth this morning was, "Happy St. Patrick's Daaaaay!!!!!"  This is his favorite holiday because you get to pinch people and it's all about green, his favorite color.  I made sure I had green on my pjs before I went to bed last night so no one could pinch me before I had my coffee.  Someone asked, "You aren't going to make that yucky meat are you?"  Heck, No!  Corned beef is... BLEH!  Too salty.  I made it last year and no one liked it but M.  This is what I made instead:

I mixed green food coloring with butter and made grilled cheese sandwich, cut hearts with a cookie cutter, and made shamrocks on the plate.  Then I sneakily dropped food coloring into glasses and casually asked if the kids wanted milk or Talking Rain.

I just noticed E is wearing the same dress she wore last year.  She's grown so much it is more like a tunic now!  Anyway, as I poured the clear drink into their cups, it magically turned green before their eyes!  Oooooh, magic!  The boys quickly caught on.  I can't fool them as well as I used to!

Off we go to roller skating followed by swim lessons!

My Pantry

I'm a blog junkie, and one of my favorite large-family blogs posted an informational piece on how to set up a pantry for bulk buying.  "Well," I thought to myself, "Why am I wasting my time reading this? I could write my own!"  So I am.  Not that anyone cares about how I set up my pantry... except for me!  But I keep hearing, "How do you do it all?" about my life in general with having five kids (really, five kids isn't that many) and homeschooling and activities etc, etc, etc.  Bulk buying and a well-organized pantry is one of the ways I do it.  Whatever it is. 

Above is the left side of my pantry, top and bottom shelves not showing.  Yes, you see an entire flat of strawberry jam with two jars already gone.  Above the jam is twelve packages of organic fettuccine from Azure Standard and every kind of pasta Costco carries. 

Above is the right side of my pantry, top and bottom shelves not showing.  It is hard to get a decent picture of the inside because the door is so small and there are so many shelves!  I try to keep my shelves organized similar to how shelves at the grocery store are organized.  That way if I want to know if I have any olives, I just have to look by the pickles or fancy vinegars.  If I'm looking for olive oil, I check the baking section.

I bought a ton of these plastic storage containers at Costco a year or so ago.  The beans are on the left and the nuts/seeds are on the right.  When a container is emptied, I refill it from the buckets that I keep under the shelves:

Um, yeah, I do have 75 pounds of rice.  I admit it.  Sigh... I also keep rice in those plastic containers from Costco.  I have one for white, one for brown, and one for basmati.  I mentioned in my previous post that I bulk buy a lot of my dry goods from Azure Standard. One of my favorite items is Rolled 9-Grain Flakes from Montana Milling.  The ingredients are: Hard Red Wheat, Oat Groats, Triticale Berries, Rye Berries, Dehulled Barley, Soft White Wheat, Spelt Berries, Hard White Wheat, and Flax.

F helps me move oatmeal to a bucket, 1/2 cup at a time.

That is some pretty awesome stuff, no?  All those whole grains?  Wowza!  Imagine one of those little Bob's Red Mill bags of multigrain hot cereal at the grocery.  I just looked one up on Amazon.com and a one pound bag of 5 grain cereal was $7.49.  It costs about as much as a hot meal from McDonalds, but so much healthier.  And really, $7.49 isn't that much for a meal for a family.  BUT...

...I got 50 pounds for only $22.95.  Actually, I bought two 50 pound bags, so I filled five entire buckets with 100 pounds of food for the price of two pizzas at Roundtable Pizza.  Now, let's do some math.  If 1 lb of Bob's = $7.49, 100 lbs would be $7.49 times 100 = $749.00!  Compared to $45.90?  Why wouldn't you buy in bulk after that?  (And by the way, Azure Standard has that same BRM 5 grain cereal for much, much cheaper.)

So, after we move all the cereals, grains, etc into the buckets that buying in bulk paid for, I print off a dated label (label maker also paid for by bulk buying), and make sure my handy plastic containers in the kitchen cupboard are full...

Ooo! Mis-labeled food!  It should say 9 Grain Flake, not 10!

And then we have hot "porridge" for breakfast, at least twice a week!  I was telling some lady somewhere that my kids were complaining about having to have eggs for breakfast again and how one whined, "Can't we have porridge instead?"  I was mystified why the lady was laughing until I realized porridge is traditionally boring, lumpy, nasty, and gross.  But not this porridge.

Nine of my 26 buckets

Important things to remember about food storage is date things so you know how old they are, use proper storage containers (I use food grade buckets with Gamma lids), use what you store, and check your food for spoilage, insect damage, etc.  No brainers there!  Well, break time is over and off I go to fill the rest of the buckets!