Nursery Singing Time

I am the music leader for the primary (children's group) at our church.  That means every Sunday you will find me doing all kinds of crazy things to help the children learn the gospel through music.  A few months ago, my primary president asked if I could also go into the nursery (children 18 mos to 3 years) and teach them as well.  I was more than willing as my daughter is in that class and I know how much she loves music.  I will admit that I was apprehensive because is seemed a bit overwhelming to add that to my already busy schedule.  So of course I turned to the internet for help.  I took most of my ideas from here and here then modified them for my situation.  Here's what I do....

Science!

This spider built a web right outside our kitchen window this morning.  So for science today we observed it catching and consuming bugs.  Awesome.

Number Three

I just heard from a friend today that she is expecting! So exciting! Her story is very similar to mine, and it got me thinking and remembering the path it's been to get our family where it is today. Two boys, two years apart. Three years later I lost one at 12 weeks, and when I finally got pregnant after trying for three more years I was so afraid I would lose that one as well. I had so many ultrasounds just to make sure she was fine. It wasn't until the first trimester was over that I finally felt safe enough to admit to myself that I really was pregnant without making 'just in case' plans. It was probably my hardest pregnancy. But we got her here safely, and I'm so happy to have her! All of them! Truly, my cup runneth over.


Feeling blessed...

Blueberry Nectarine Freezer Jam

It's blueberry season!  I never really appreciated how good blueberries are until we moved to NJ.  The blueberries I buy here are FRESH!  Unlike the blueberries you get in UT that have been shipped across the country, probably from NJ.  And you can't beat it when they go on sale 6 pints for $7.  So what do I do with all those blueberries, other than eating them like popcorn?  Homemade jam, of course!  My favorite is the blueberry butter recipe from my Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, but today I thought I'd try an easy freezer jam recipe that caught my eye from the same book.  One tip, measure the fruit after crushing/chopping.  Happy preserving!

Blueberry Nectarine Freezer Jam
1 cup crushed blueberries
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 pouch (1.59 oz) freezer jam pectin
3 cups finely chopped pitted peeled nectarines
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice

1.  In a glass pie plate, heat blueberries in a microwave oven on high, stopping the microwave several times to stir and crush the berries, until the mixture reaches a boil, about 2 minutes.
2.  In a medium bowl, combine sugar and pectin, stirring until well blended.  Add blueberries, nectarines and lemon zest and juice.  Stir for 3 minutes.
3.  Ladle jam into plastic or glass freezer jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Apply lids tightly.  Let jam stand at room temperature until thickened, about 30 minutes.  Serve immediately, if desired.  For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 1 year.

Aren't they beautiful?

Happy Easter

"In our hour of deepest sorrow, we can receive profound peace from the words of the angel that first Easter morning: “He is not here: for he is risen.”"  - Thomas S. Monson

Cookies

My younger ds made chocolate chip cookies today!

I've put together some "adult skills" courses for the boys, and the first one is baking.  In a nutshell, they learn to bake several things independently and when they 'graduate' they throw a party for their friends and serve some of their favorites.  (There's also meal preparation, grocery shopping, and home maintenance classes, but that's another post.) 

Anyway, he choose to make the cookies for his first lesson so I told him that it was the very first recipe I learned how to make from my mom.  He thought about that a bit then said maybe he could teach it to his kids and did grandma learn it from her mom?  I didn't know the answer to that.  But I'm excited that he's excited about baking/cooking.

Making the cookies with him and then having creamed egg on toast for dinner got me thinking about learning to cook as a child.  Those two recipes are the oldest of the handful I can make from memory.  What I like to cook has changed a lot since then, but I'll never forget my first lessons.  I feel very fortunate to have had a mother who took the time to teach me.  Oh, and those first chocolate chip cookies are still the best.

What about you?  What was the first thing you learned to cook/bake?  What recipes can you cook from memory?  Who taught you?

April Fools

We've always had a little too much fun with April Fools' Day at out house.  We've mixed up cereal bags, made meatloaf 'cake' and 'cupcakes', candy veggies, and traded beds in the middle of the night.  Here's what we did this year!

For breakfast, this sliced banana prank.

In the afternoon, the Amazing Origami Rock Craft.

And for the grand finale, a crazy, mixed-up dinner.  I think this one may become a tradition.

Now you know who the April Fools are!  Are you one too?