My guys went skiing yesterday and my role in getting them out the door for these ski trips is to pack them lots and lots of food. Yesterday's big bag o' food contained: apples, Zing bars, banana blueberry muffins, egg salad, cookies & power balls. Powerballs you ask? Yes, powerballs -- you should make them the next time you're looking for a delicious, easily portable, pretty healthy, protein-packed snack for your family.
Powerballs - makes 10
(you can find so many versions of these online, this is my latest incarnation)
1 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. honey
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/3 c. raisins
1/3 c. cocoa nibs
1/2 c. shredded unsweetened coconut
Mix ingredients 1-5 together in a bowl until well combined. With wet hands, form into ten walnut-sized balls and roll in shredded coconut. Let them firm up in fridge for at least 2 hours before eating.
And, if you want to read you children a good book while you're waiting for those powerballs to be ready, I recommend The Apple-Pip Princess by Jane Ray -- great story, beautiful illustrations and a nice medium length. Yes, I have boys and I read them princess stories, and if you have boys I think you should, too!
Monday, February 3, 2014
Thursday, January 30, 2014
One Small, Doable Change
After several years of incorporating the ideals of Simplicity Parenting (SP) into my family life -- being instructed by them and seeing the way they went hand-in-hand with the parenting wisdom I had been learning at the feet (literally, while she walked around the room doing her magic, I would sit on the floor with my children) of my mentor at my childrens' Waldorf School -- last summer I decided to become a Simplicity Parenting Coach.
During the training, I learned about an idea which is one of the keys to teaching SP classes: the small, doable change. For it is one thing to have lofty and sweeping ideas about how one is going to change one's family rhythm, schedule and environment and quite another (more realistic) thing to have a specific thing you plan to change-- to identify a place of struggle, imagine how you would like it to be and finding a concrete way to transform the current reality into that imagined place.
As I was training to teach people about small, doable changes, it seemed only fair that I try the process out firsthand. The source of dissatisfaction I identified was the daily conflict over what I would make my boys for breakfast -- I would come into the kitchen with a few ideas and would ask the boys which one they would like; inevitably, they would choose different things and then whichever food I decided to make would be a source of upset for the "loser". One of them would be upset, I would feel frustrated and breakfast time would be colored by this daily morning drama.
The culprits here? Giving too many choices and Mama not being in charge! In the "Rhythms" chapter of Simplicity Parenting, Kim Payne recommends a dinner schedule, such as Mondays are chicken, Tuesdays are beans, and so on. This is also how Waldorf early childhood teachers structure their snacks; for a long time, in our home, Monday was "Rice Day", Tuesday was "Bread Day" and Wednesday was "Millet Day." So, in learning from these sources, the small doable change I came home from my training with was to implement a breakfast schedule.
During the training, I learned about an idea which is one of the keys to teaching SP classes: the small, doable change. For it is one thing to have lofty and sweeping ideas about how one is going to change one's family rhythm, schedule and environment and quite another (more realistic) thing to have a specific thing you plan to change-- to identify a place of struggle, imagine how you would like it to be and finding a concrete way to transform the current reality into that imagined place.
As I was training to teach people about small, doable changes, it seemed only fair that I try the process out firsthand. The source of dissatisfaction I identified was the daily conflict over what I would make my boys for breakfast -- I would come into the kitchen with a few ideas and would ask the boys which one they would like; inevitably, they would choose different things and then whichever food I decided to make would be a source of upset for the "loser". One of them would be upset, I would feel frustrated and breakfast time would be colored by this daily morning drama.
The culprits here? Giving too many choices and Mama not being in charge! In the "Rhythms" chapter of Simplicity Parenting, Kim Payne recommends a dinner schedule, such as Mondays are chicken, Tuesdays are beans, and so on. This is also how Waldorf early childhood teachers structure their snacks; for a long time, in our home, Monday was "Rice Day", Tuesday was "Bread Day" and Wednesday was "Millet Day." So, in learning from these sources, the small doable change I came home from my training with was to implement a breakfast schedule.
Yes, I procrastinated; I don't think I actually introduced this schedule for two weeks after I came home. And, predictably, I was met with resistance when I first introduced this idea -- and I totally got it, because I, too, had had the same resistance (isn't is "boring" to have an eating schedule? what if we just don't "feel like" eating X on this particular morning? where's the fun?). But, I toed the line: "I hear that you don't like oatmeal, but it's Monday and that's what we have." And now, five months in, this small piece of paper with the colorful writing has completely eliminated the daily breakfast conflict and transformed the tone of our mornings. I won't say that we don't have other conflicts that happen sometimes in the mornings (let's keep it real - this is family life with young children), but the daily one over what we would eat is gone, and breakfast, on the whole, is much more enjoyable.
This change was: simple, small, doable and, also, completely powerful. It has had many ripple effects: more politeness at the table, my boys learning how to cook each breakfast because they watch me do it week after week the same way, less complaining about food at other meals and knowing that what mama says, mama means. This experience sold me on the idea of the small, doable change and I have been making more and more of them ever since.
Interested in Simplicity Parenting? "like" my SP page on Facebook, Handmade Parenting.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Next Stop: Rural America
Leaving here and heading East (and back in time about 40 years), we have been entering the world so beautifully captured by Mary Azarian's woodcuts. I admit that, in general, I am more focussed on story than on image when reading books with my boys. I will forgive illustrations I don't love if the story is great, but not the other way round. So, it is notable when I love the art in a picture book as much as I love the story. Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel was one of those notable books for me -- a wonderful book that tells the story of a young immigrant who chose to bring a most practical item with her to the New World. The book tells the story of Miss Bridie's life through the various ways she uses her shovel. As I read it, I thought to myself - who made these woodcuts? why is this person not more well-known?. Well, it turns out that Mary Azarian is well known (in fact, she has won a Caldecott Medal); she just hadn't been known by me.
I quickly logged onto our library website and ordered up some more books that Azarian has illustrated. The only one that's come in yet is Snowflake Bentley, which, like Miss Bridie, impresses me both in it's story and it's artwork. The book tells the story of Wilson Bentley as he grows up in rural Vermont fascinated with snowflakes. The book, which has informative sidebars that we skipped as we read the story the first-time through and then went back to read afterwards, chronicles Bentley's attempts to capture the beauty of snowflakes, in drawings at first and then with a special camera eventually leading him to become the foremost expert on "snow crystals". A wonderful winter story.
Treat yourself and you children and discover the beauty of Mary Azarian's woodcuts, and the wonderful stories that go along with her illustrations.
I quickly logged onto our library website and ordered up some more books that Azarian has illustrated. The only one that's come in yet is Snowflake Bentley, which, like Miss Bridie, impresses me both in it's story and it's artwork. The book tells the story of Wilson Bentley as he grows up in rural Vermont fascinated with snowflakes. The book, which has informative sidebars that we skipped as we read the story the first-time through and then went back to read afterwards, chronicles Bentley's attempts to capture the beauty of snowflakes, in drawings at first and then with a special camera eventually leading him to become the foremost expert on "snow crystals". A wonderful winter story.
Treat yourself and you children and discover the beauty of Mary Azarian's woodcuts, and the wonderful stories that go along with her illustrations.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Real Stories
We've read some good books lately; books about real people in the West. They were fun and interesting reads and I'm looking for more like them.
The Camping Trip that Changed America tells about a Yosemite trip that Teddy Roosevelt took with John Muir. This trip ultimately led to Roosevelt's establishment of the National Park system. With great illustrations of natural beauty and an interesting, but little known, American story, my boys (5 and 9) both enjoyed this book, as did I.
Home on the Range: John A. Lomax and His Cowboy Songs tells the story of John Lomax, who grew up in Texas surrounded by the songs of cowboys. These songs took root in his heart and as a young adult, encouraged by a professor, he travelled around the West and got cowboys (and cowgirls) to sing their songs for him, so he could compile them. Again, a really interesting and little-known story that captures a population that isn't often featured in children's books. I also loved the idea that anything that makes your heart sing can become your life's work.
What have you read this Winter break that you've enjoyed?
The Camping Trip that Changed America tells about a Yosemite trip that Teddy Roosevelt took with John Muir. This trip ultimately led to Roosevelt's establishment of the National Park system. With great illustrations of natural beauty and an interesting, but little known, American story, my boys (5 and 9) both enjoyed this book, as did I.
Home on the Range: John A. Lomax and His Cowboy Songs tells the story of John Lomax, who grew up in Texas surrounded by the songs of cowboys. These songs took root in his heart and as a young adult, encouraged by a professor, he travelled around the West and got cowboys (and cowgirls) to sing their songs for him, so he could compile them. Again, a really interesting and little-known story that captures a population that isn't often featured in children's books. I also loved the idea that anything that makes your heart sing can become your life's work.
What have you read this Winter break that you've enjoyed?
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Baked Goods, G-F Style
In my ongoing kitchen adventures with gluten-free baking, I have had a few hits lately (and, for some reason, a lot of misses). You don't need to know the details of the misses, but you most definitely want to know about the hits!
I made this pumpkin pie, along with the crust that is linked to in the ingredient list. The crust and the pie were SO GOOD! Seriously, delicious. The bit of crunch that the cornmeal gave to the crust was just perfect with the creaminess of the pumpkin pie. I slathered the top of the pie with homemade whipped cream (unsweetened, just a few drops of vanilla) and, of course, that just added to the perfection.
I'm pretty sure I've blogged about these almond butter cookies before, but they are so good that I'll do it again. Make these and your people will be happy. If you prefer peanut butter, these are super easy (few ingredients, one bowl) and are also really good. I add chocolate chips, but I add chocolate chips to everything…even popcorn.
Finally, I'll leave you with these chocolate chip cookies. They are great, but I recommend making them smaller than the recipe says - the texture is better that way.
I made this pumpkin pie, along with the crust that is linked to in the ingredient list. The crust and the pie were SO GOOD! Seriously, delicious. The bit of crunch that the cornmeal gave to the crust was just perfect with the creaminess of the pumpkin pie. I slathered the top of the pie with homemade whipped cream (unsweetened, just a few drops of vanilla) and, of course, that just added to the perfection.
I'm pretty sure I've blogged about these almond butter cookies before, but they are so good that I'll do it again. Make these and your people will be happy. If you prefer peanut butter, these are super easy (few ingredients, one bowl) and are also really good. I add chocolate chips, but I add chocolate chips to everything…even popcorn.
Finally, I'll leave you with these chocolate chip cookies. They are great, but I recommend making them smaller than the recipe says - the texture is better that way.
Friday, November 29, 2013
Post-Thanksgivukah Joy
What a fun Thanksgivukah we had! My nine year old commented, "It seems like Chanukah is getting more popular this year!" I see what he meant-- having Chanukah so far away from Christmas, and the historic nature of the convergence of Thanksgiving and Chanukah, both seem like they have brought about much more of a general awareness of Chanukah, which is just great.
Our local toystore handed out little boxes filled with gelt & dreidels; many neighbors have wished us Happy Chanukah for the first time, and it just kind of felt like Chanukah was "in the air".
We went, for the first time, the to lighting of the Chabad menorah in downtown Portland. Chabad sure knows how to throw a party--the event was festive, full of kid-oriented activities and Chanukah treats.
What made the first and second nights of Chanukah the most special, though, was having my parents here with us. I was so conscious of being the generation in the middle these past few days, and how thankful I felt to be sandwiched--by my aging parents on the one end and my growing children on the other. What a gift; what riches, to be in the middle, and feel the love flowing back and forth and through.
Happy Thanksgiving & Happy Chanukah!
Our local toystore handed out little boxes filled with gelt & dreidels; many neighbors have wished us Happy Chanukah for the first time, and it just kind of felt like Chanukah was "in the air".
We went, for the first time, the to lighting of the Chabad menorah in downtown Portland. Chabad sure knows how to throw a party--the event was festive, full of kid-oriented activities and Chanukah treats.
What made the first and second nights of Chanukah the most special, though, was having my parents here with us. I was so conscious of being the generation in the middle these past few days, and how thankful I felt to be sandwiched--by my aging parents on the one end and my growing children on the other. What a gift; what riches, to be in the middle, and feel the love flowing back and forth and through.
Happy Thanksgiving & Happy Chanukah!
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Recently Tasty
I've been lucky to eat (and drink!) many tasty things lately. If you are lucky enough to live in Portland, then you can go eat (and drink!) these tasty things, too. Go on--they're really good!
- Orzat at either/or in Sellwood. Made from lime, orange blossom water, sugar and ground almonds, this drink is the absolute perfect blend of citrus & sweet to quench your thirst on a hot summer day.
- Dinner at Abby's Table. My friend Andrea and I went to the SE Indian dinner last night and it was delicious, especially the black-eyed pea stew and the frozen chai lassi for dessert. Everything is always gluten, dairy and soy-free and you can see the menus here. You do sit at a communal table so you may be wanting to feeling a little more social than A. and I were last night, that was the only downfall...
- My daily treat is an iced mint and green chai at Tea Chai Te in the red caboose. Get it "Sellwood Style": with honey, no sugar and a mix of hemp and rice milks. Spicy, minty & refreshing.
- The salted chocolate popsicle at Cultured Caveman. Sweetened with just a little local honey.
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