Spring Break Activities for Kids

Spring Break is coming up, April 14-18. I am flying my sister, Kat, out from Arizona to spend the week with my kids and I. Since I will be the entertainer, I have put together some of the activities we will be doing during the week. Who says you can't be on vacation in your own city....
The Lehi Legacy Center features an inside pool perfect for small children. And is also very entertaining for kids of all ages, even grandparents.

Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Ut has beautiful gardens the kids can run around, it has a Farm Country with lots of farm animals that you can feed along with a pony ride. It also has a Dinosaur Museum and Movie Theater.

Discovery Park (Malila Park) in Pleasant Grove, Ut is a fun way to get out have a picinic and sit back while the kids enjoy climbing and running around wooden sculptures.

Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City is a fun activity that will keep the attention of your children for several hours.

The Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy, Ut. This place is a definite crowd pleaser. There are several activities to do and plenty of things to see.

We will also be taking a trip to Temple Square in Salt Lake City. The flowers are beautiful this time of year. Don't forget your camera.

Aprons

Check out this website http://www.epicureanstyle.com/index.php for the cutest aprons I have ever seen. Now you can cook and clean in style.

Mongolian Beef

I know, I always post recipes. It's just that I love food so much! :) I especially love Chinese food but I hate the cost and the distance of Chinese take-out. I was excited to find this recipe last night and it was delicious.

1 teaspoon sesame seeds (I left them out b/c I didn't have any)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound beef round steak, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 bunch green onions, cut into 2 inch pieces

1. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast sesame seeds for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the seeds begin to turn golden brown; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and minced garlic. Stir in beef strips. Let stand for at least 10 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together water, 2 tablepoons soy sauce, 2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, sugar, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes; set aside.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Cook and stir beef in hot oil for 1 minutes; remove, and set aside. Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in the same pan. Saute carrots and white part of green onions for 2 minutes. Stir in green parts of the green onion, and saute for 1 minute. Stir in sesame seed mixture and beef. Cook and stir until sauce boils and thickens.

Potty Training Queen

So, I don't want to brag, but there is some reason that children respond to me when it comes time for them to potty train. I have potty trained well over 30 kids. My (3) boys have been potty trained by age two and some think that is insane. So, I'm here to post about how to make your lives easier when it comes to potty training.
1. Teach them how to pull on and off their underwear. (very important skill for them to learn)
2. Always set your child on the toliet backwards(facing the wall). They will not be as afraid of falling in or off the toliet.
3. Myth Busted- Your child IS ready to potty train when you are willing to put forth the time and effort it will take.
4. Never get mad over an accident, they will happen, even at age five. Keep encouraging.
5. Watch your child closely, especially when they are playing. You can see it in their faces and movements when they have to use the bathroom. (usually they will be playing and will stop, just for a second because the urge just hit them).
6. Usually when you ask a child to use the bathroom, they will not. Don't fret, watch the clock and take them in there a few minutes later.
7. If you notice the URGE in their face to use the bathroom, tell them, but don't make them go because you just scared the pee back! Take them a few minutes later (or you will have an accident.)
8. Show them how it is done. They copy everything else we do, why not this.
9. There is no need for a little potty. You can get a step stool so they can climb up themselves onto the toliet.
10. Pooing on the toliet will be harder to control. Most children you can tell when they need to go. If your child is 2 1/2 and under, watch carefully the red face, noises. Try to catch them in the act. You may scare it back in but now you know they have to go. 2 1/2 and older, also watch carefully, they will hide whenever they need to go. Whether it be just around the corner or behind a chair. They are old enough to know what they are doing and it now embaresses them.

If you are still having trouble, leave a question in comments and I'll fill you in to more of BrookesMusings.

Movies

We love Netflix. It is definitely in my top ten list right now. Since we don't watch television and we rarely get out for a date, we've enjoyed getting DVDs delivered right to our mailbox. (This is actually not an advertisement for Netflix.) I thought I would include a list of some of the movies that we have enjoyed recently (in no particular order). They are [mostly] clean movies. We've especially enjoyed watching foreign and independent films. Add a few to your list and enjoy.

Vitus
Children of Heaven
Mother Theresa
One Night with the King (story of Queen Esther)
Sweet Land
Flyboys
The Fastest Indian in the World
The Ultimate Gift
Gracie
The Last Sin Eater
On a Clear Day
The Snow Walker
Amazing Grace
Merry Christmas
Dear Frankie
I am David
Raise the Red Lantern
Millions
Saving Sarah Cain
The King of Masks

Yay for swimsuits!

My friend told me about a brand of modest swimming suits that she sells called Modbe. They have a website where you can check them out. http://www.modbeclothing.com/
I guess if anyone is interested you can order them online, or she does parties where you can actually try them on first to make sure they fit just perfect! Just let me know!

Salmon

We were so excited to go to the grocery store (Smith's) and discover a sale on fresh salmon filets. Salmon is one of our family's favorite meals--even my picky 6 year old loves it.

Here is our favorite recipe for salmon. We discovered it in a BHG grilling cook book but we usually end up broiling it.

Caramelized Salmon with Citrus Salsa

Rub:
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix ingredients together

1. Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. Place fish, skin side down, in a baking dish (I line it with tin foil and poke a few holes for the juices to run out).
2. Sprinkle rub evenly over the fish and rub in with your fingers. Cover and marinate for 8 to 12 hours. (We never leave it to marinate.)
3. Broil on high for 12-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
4. To serve, cut fish into serving-size peices, cutting to but not through the skin. Carefully separate the fish from the skin. Serve with salsa.

The salsa is good, but we don't make it every time.

Salsa:
1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
2 oranges, peeled, sectioned, and coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped pineapple, drained
2 tablespoons cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped.

We love this meal with rice and vegetables. It's yummy and disappears quickly.

Politics

We talk politics a lot at our house. Anyone who knows my husband can testify that this is true. We loved living in New Hampshire and participating in the 2000 Primary. But this year, Mitt Romney's campaign for the Republican nomination has really intensified the political conversation in our home.

My six year old son has been listening to the almost constant commentary and over the past few months he has asked several questions about the process and Mitt Romney. I took him with me to vote last Tuesday in the Utah Primary. He was bored standing in a really long line but I wanted him to see the real process and not just the parties and conventions that he has been seeing in the news.

Yesterday, we heard the news that Mitt Romney (our favorite candidate) had suspended his campaign. When I told my six year old, he got a sad look on his face and asked, "Why did he give up?" I'm sure there are dozens of reasons-- some of which will make sense to the grown-ups--but how do you answer that question for a kid?

So, a few questions for discussion: Assuming that you were as excited as we were, were we excited about Romney because his political views most closely aligned with our own, or because of our shared religion? In your opinion, what are the main reasons that Romney did not do as well as hoped in the primaries? Is there another candidate that you can get excited about or at least be willing to vote for? Should Romney consider running again in four years?

Quick Quiche

We love breakfast for dinner. It's one of the only meals that everyone in the house enjoys. I'm always looking for new ways to serve eggs and bacon. We found a recipe for a crustless quiche and we've adapted it to make it our own. It's quick, easy and yummy! Enjoy.

Quick Quiche

8 slices of bacon
4 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk

1. Cook, drain and crumle bacon. Set aside
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan.
3. Line bottom of pie plate with cheese and crumbled bacon. Combine eggs, better, onion, salt, flour and milk; whisk together until smooth; pour into pie pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, until set. Serve hot or cold.

Homemade Playdough

This recipe is the BEST! I've tried many playdough recipes and this one is almost the same consistency as the real thing. And it's definitely more convenient and fun to make your own (it also doesn't bother me so much when the colors get mixed!), and the kids enjoy helping. I know that I found this somewhere online, but I can't remember where!

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose white flour
1 tbs. oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar
Food coloring

Directions:
1. Combine the ingredients in a pot and mix well(if you want more than one color you can leave out the food coloring on this step and add it when you knead the dough.....or, I personally like to do 1/4 of the recipe for each color, it is easier to add color while it's still wet rather than kneading it in... either way!)

2. Stir constantly over medium heat. The mixture will stay liquid at first and then, all of a sudden, it will come together into a mass. Keep stirring until all the dough comes together. Remove from heat immediately.

3. Turn the dough out onto the counter. When it is cool enough to handle, knead it for a few minutes.

4. Once it has a nice, silky texture, your play dough is ready to use. Store in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator. Will save up to 4 wks.

Carseat and potty training...

I am just curious what you may have done to potty train your kids.... What realy works? My son will be three in March and has gone on the potty many times, but won't commit to it every time. :) Also, at what point do you move your child from a forward facing car seat to a booster? Just curious! :) Any comments would be helpful. --- Jen Johnson

Welcome!

The other night I couldn't sleep. The kids were all sleeping and I really should have been taking advantage of the rare chance to get some good sleep for myself. Unfortunately all these crazy ideas kept popping into my head. One of the ideas, was to open this blog to additional authors and create a sort of community for moms--a place to share the crazy things that happen to us because we have children. I hope it can also be a place where we can share great recipes; ideas for places to go or things to do with our kids; books and movies that we love; etc. I look forward to hearing from you!

Thanksgiving Dinner

I cooked the entire Thanksgiving dinner this year (except for the pies--thanks, Marie Callendar). We had an extremely traditional menu: turkey, stuffed with carrots and onions; mashed potatoes and gravy; Awesome Sausage Stuffing (not as big a hit with my husband's family as it was with mine last year); green bean casserole; layered raspberry Jell-o; crescent rolls; corn; sweet potatoes (oops! should have had yams); cranberry sauce and creme brulee. Overall, it was a successful Thanksgiving dinner.

Pumpkin Cookies

Yesterday, I actually took one of the pumpkins off the front porch; cut it up; baked it; and then turned it into puree in the blender. I baked a batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Yum.

Totally impressed with myself.

Sheets and Shoes

My six year old son threw up in his bed last night. This event is definitely one of the special joys for a mom. We seem to have had more than our share recently. This undesirable situation was made worse because the only twin size sheet that I could find at three in the morning was pink. My son completely freaked out at the prospect of sleeping on a pink sheet. It took me another ten minutes to calm him down and convince him that he could actually sleep for the rest of the night on a pink sheet. I'm not sure he was convinced. I think he gave up out of sheer exhaustion.

My son's tantrum about the sheet wasn't just because it was pink. (Although, what boy/man really wants to sleep on a pink sheet?) He was really upset because it was different. He's pretty particular about his bed. He's been sleeping with the same style of navy blue jersey sheet purchased only at JCPenney since he moved out of the crib and got a big boy bed. He found something that he liked--it was familiar--and he didn't want anyone to mess with it.

It's not exactly his fault. He comes by it honestly. Take his shoes, for example. When I bought him his first pair of shoes as a one year old, I got him a pair of blue/gray/orange Sketchers. They were comfortable, cute, versatile and they held up well to the messy play of a toddler. So, when he grew out of them, I bought him another pair in the next size. And when he grew out of those, I bought him another pair. A few years later, when the store informed me that that style was being discontinued, I bought three pairs in the next three sizes. (So glad to discover that they really didn't discontinue that style and my two year old son now wears the same ones.) Now, my son has out grown his shoes and it's time to go buy him new ones. He no longer fits into the little-boy shoe sizes. We're going to have to consider a different style. This makes me nervous. Because really, when you find a good thing, why change?

Smarty Pants

At dinner last night, we were discussing how smart our kids are. We talked about how our two year old is learning his letters and numbers and his colors and shapes. We mentioned how our four year old is learning to read.

My six year old son interrupted. "And I can already read and most six year olds are just learning to read. We are a smart family." He paused, then continued. "At least the kids are."

Um, thanks.

Picky Eater Loves Chicken

My oldest son used to eat anything until he turned three. Since then, he has become the world's pickiest eater and keeps getting worse. Because our family eats dinner together at the table nearly every night I am always looking for meals that we all will eat and enjoy. Here is one of our favorite recipes. The results are better than any resteraunt style chicken fingers, with a little kick.

Fried Chicken Fingers

2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs (smashed)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
8-10 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
1 cup oil for frying, or as needed
Directions:
1. In a shallow dish, mix together the dry ingredients. In a separate dish, whisk together the milk and egg.
2. Heat the oil in an electric skillet set to 350 degrees. Dip the chicken into the egg and milk, then dredge in the dry ingredients until evenly coated.
3. Fry chicken in the hot oil for about 5 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from the oil and serve.

My son eats the chicken fingers with ketchup. The rest of us enjoy them with mashed potatoes and gravy.

Chicken Milk Gravy

2 cups of milk
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix dry ingredients together in bowl.
2. Heat milk in a heavy sauce pan over medium heat and add chicken bouillon. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. Heat to a near boil.
3. Whisk in dry ingredients to thicken gravy.

Whiney Ears

This morning as I was fixing breakfast for my children, my four year old daughter's mouth was moving but I couldn't hear a word she was saying. I couldn't figure out what was wrong and then suddenly I remembered.

"I'm sorry, darling. I forgot to renew the subscription for my whiney ears. I can't hear any whiney voices any more," I told her. She looked at me like I was crazy. Her lips kept moving and her brow was furrowed but still I couldn't hear anything. It was lovely.

About five minutes later, she came to me and in a very pleasant voice asked "May I have some Frosted Flakes and milk please?" I heard every word.

"Wow! You used a really nice voice. I could actually hear and understand you. Thank you," I said.

My husband, observing the situation, thought this was wonderful. "Be careful," I told him, "my subscription for complaining ears runs out next week."