Five Little Christmas Cookies

Cut five cookies shapes from felt (and then put them on a flannel board) or cut them from card stock and use them as cards. Cut one each of white, green, yellow, brown, and red. Pick Christmas shapes for this time of the year. Other times cut different cookie shape and drop the Christmas word from the story so it just reads; five little cookies.  As you and the kids recite the poem below. let the children take turns removing the colored cookies.

Jayde is ready  to play!!

Five little Christmas cookies

With frosting galore,

Mother ate the white one

And then there were four

Four little Christmas cookies

Two and two, you see

Father ate the green one.,

And then there were three

Three little Christmas cookies, 

But before I knew.

Sister ate the yellow one,

And then there were two

Two little cookies,

Oh, what fun.

Brother ate the brown one,

And then there was one

One little Christmas cookie,

Watch me run.

I ate the red one,

And then there were none. 

adapted traditional

Turn of seasons

Thanksgiving is the holiday of peace,

the celebration of work and the simple life

a true folk-festival that speaks the poetry  of the turn of seasons

the beauty of seedtime and harvest,

the ripe product of the year- and the deep, deep connection of all these things with God.

Ray Stannard Barker

Popcorn Garland

Christmas Symbol: The TREE:
Evergreen~ The second color of Christmas shows everlasting life. The needles point Heavenward~

One of the traditions we had when my children were growing up is a small santa tree. We would put out a 3' tree and have them decorate it. Santa would deliver a small treat/gift each day from December 1 to Christmasday. It was usually a piece of candy, small toy. crayons, coloring book, though I think candy was their favorite.
Jonathan and Kayleigh make popcorn and cranberry garland to decorate our Santa Tree.

This is a simple craft and fun to do. You will need plain popped popcorn, a dull needle, button thread or dental floss. If you want some color and an old time look add fresh cranberries.

Thread your needle with 2-3 feet lengths of thread and then tie a double knot to hold on popcorn. Thread a kernal of popcorn and for added color use fresh cranberries. Jonathan liked the cranberries the best, so he did mostly those. Let the kids use their creativity. There is no right or wrong way to do these garlands.  

What smells better than freshly popped popcorn? UMmmmm! While you string there is nothing so fun as eating it !!. Jessica was not interested in anything but the eating part of this project.

WOW! that was easy, and now we are ready to start our tree decorating. What to do with the garland after Christmas is over? Hang them outside in your trees and give your neighborhood birds a treat!

ASL word of the day...Thanksgiving

Jonathan and Kayleigh demonstrate thanksgiving

Thanksgiving n. A national holiday of the United States and Canada set aside for giving thanks to God:

Thanksgiving is celebrated in November in the United States.

(The hands takes gratitude from the mouth and presents it to another) Using both hands palms facing up, from the mouth forward, double arch, and down with hands ending with the palms angled up in front of the chest.

Another version is done like the word turkey:

Beginning with the right G hand in front of the nose, palm facing left, bring the hand downward in an arc with double movement, bringing the hand forward in front of the chest each time.

Thanksgiving Tradition

One of my favorite Thanksgiving Tradition was to take our family up to Georgetown California where my parents had 5 acres of beautiful forest land. One year we woke up to a huge snow storm. The kids were in heaven. San Jose doesn't get snow, WOW!!! what a treat this was.

So everyone put on their sweatshirts, coats, hats, gloves and whatever we could find to keep us warm.

The boys pulled out the sleds and now we are ready to PLAY!!

Slide down the hill to the gold mine !

of course, when you reach the bottom you still need to climb back up to the top where we started.

Even Mom and Dad had a great time!

Live in the moment and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering.

Bear Tales- Thanksgiving is coming

Thanksgiving is Coming

Elsie Melchert Fowler

Thanksgiving is coming, I wonder if I will get a big piece of brown pumpkin pie?

Perhaps I'll have a sweet juicy mince pie instead, and a big bowl of raisins and fat apples red.

"Do you have my plum pudding" my grandma will say;
she always makes pudding for Thanksgiving Day.

But first I'll see turkey, breast up, on a platter,
I wonder if this year he's bigger and fatter?

When asked if I'd rather have dark meat or white
I'll say, "Some of both," for that's being polite!

Next potatoes, all mashed up with gravy on top,
I'll eat every bit of it up till I stop,

And after I've eaten my dinner, why then
my grandma will pass the plum pudding again!

Pumpkin Soup

Once we arrived to America, everyone ate soup. It was Hot, filling and could be made with anything.

Start up the fire, fill your large kettle and hang on the back of your fireplace.
Simmer for several days giving your house a most fragrant aroma. Soup gets better the more days you cook it.

Do you remember this old rhyme?
Pease porridge hot
Pease porridge cold
Pease porridge in the pot
Nine days old

Porridge in former times actually meant "Thick Soup"

We took these pictures of Jordan, Grandma and Grandpa  in Jamestown and Williamsburg Virginia.


Pumpkin soup from an old  cookbook of 1700's recipes

2 cups of pumpkin meat (or 1 lb can)
3 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Put pumpkin in a saucepan over a low flame. Stir in milk. Do not let it boil. Add salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Serve hot .
I made mine in my slow cooker on low and then when in began to simmer I turned it down to warm till we were ready to eat. I also put 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1 teaspoon nutmeg for a more spiced flavor. I found the recipe was mild in taste. I think I will make a batch to serve a few hours before Thanksgiving dinner.

Turkey Day Flag Football

After everyone has passed out from eating too much turkey...


Now's the time to get them off the couch and head outside for a game of Flag Football

Next send someone to find the REAL FOOTBALL and make them leave the Video Game behind. 

***Okay Chad put down the Madden game!

Gather everyone outside  to be on a team or just to be the
spectators!

Cheer n. 1. to shout encouragement, support, or appreciation, especially to people who are performing or competing. 

Turkey Day Flag Football
In this version you can foster team spirit with personalized football flags.
 These are Easy to Make and stop disputes about who tagged them and where it happened.
Tho opposing player just tugs off a ribbon and throws it down to mark the spot

How to make  Football Flags

• Measure a length of 1 1/2-inch-wide ribbon to fit each player's waist and attach adhesive backed velcro closures to each end
• Make 2 0r 3 flags for each belt by cutting 12 inch length of ribbon. Let each player decorate his or her own flag belt with fabric markers
• Affix a bit of adhesive backed velcro to one end of each falg and the belt, then press the flags in place
  

share your family christmas traditions

I would love to have everyone email me at reneesworkshop@yahoo.com with your own families traditions for the holidays. Send along a picture! This is such a fun time to share each others stories. Do you have a craft project, or recipe you would like to share? This blog is for families and I hope everyone is enjoying the ideas, recipes, stories and crafts. Take a minute and share with us yours. Thanks!!!

Give Thanks

He who thanks but with the lips Thanks but in part;

The Full, the true Thanksgiving

Comes from the heart.

J. A. Shedd

We are Thankful for FAMILY, Friends and Freedom!!

Tim and Joni, Rebekah, R.J. Sariah and Austen

Grandma Donna and Jordan

Jake, Steph, Jonathan, Jessica, Chad, Chris, Kayleigh, Heather, Katie, Shane, Renee', Adrian, Doug, Jordan and JoDee

We may not have it all together, 

but together we have it all!

Tea Towel Stars

It's only a little more than 4 weeks until Christmas. Time is just flying by so  I thought I would share the meaning of some of the symbols that we use at Christmas . That way when you do the craft project you can talk with the kids about the symbol and what it represents.

If you look for stars this time of the year 

you will need to dress really warm like Kayliegh!

THE STAR: A heavenly sign of prophecy fulfilled long ages ago...

The shining hope of mankind. 

Tea Towel Ornaments:

You will need tea towel, fiberfill, 12" ribbon, needle, pearl cotton or floss, straight pin and a piece of paper for your pattern ( if you would like a copy of this pattern (with heart and star), email me from my website and I will be happy to send you one)

• Find an old tea towel (or new) and cut into 5 inch squares
• Place pieces wrong sides together
• Draw a star or heart on a 5 inch piece of paper for pattern
• Cut out your ornament 
• Using pearl cotton or floss hand sew 1/2" from edge of  ornament
• Leave an opening for stuffing and stuff with fiberfill
• Finish hand sewing around edge and finish off
• Fold ribbon in half and tack to top of ornament 
• you can use a straight pin and separate the threads around the edges to make fringe. 

ASL word of the day...Pumpkin

R.J. and Kayleigh demonstate the sign for Pumpkin

Pumpkin n. A large, round, edible, orange-colored fruit, the shell of which is traditionally carved into a

jack o lantern: to carve a pumpkin at Halloween

same sign used for : melon

* (Represents testing a pumpkin's ripeness by thumping it)   With a double movement, flick the middle finger of the right 8 hand, palm facing down, off the back of the left S hand, palm facing down, bouncing the right hand up slightly each time.

Lavender Sachet Tarts

Now the time to start thinking of small gifts that you can make and have on hand to give a friend, co-worker, neighbor or family. These little sachets are quick and easy to make.

• Using (2) 5" pieces of fabric, cut into circles. I use pinking shears to cut them out.
• With wrong sides together, gather stitch together  around the edges, leaving 1/2 to 1" from the edge. 
• 1" from the beginning stitch, stop and stuff with lavender and fiber fill. 
• Finish the the last stitch and gather up the fabric, so it looks like a tart.
  
• Knot and fasthen off.

You can embellish with beads, rhinestones or buttons to give it a more fun look.

FYI: The scent of Lavender has been shown to slash joint pain, lowers anxiety and heart rate. It's main compound, linalool, blocks a stress neurotransmitter in the brain, relaxing constricted blood vessels and numbing pain receptors.Put a few drops of lavender oil on a cottonball to sniff, or add to bath water.

Bear Tales-Indian Children Long Ago

Indian Children Long Ago

nancy byrd turner

Where we play in field and hill,

Running high and low,

Other children used to play,

Long and long ago.

Little Indians straight and slim,

Boys with belt and feather,

Little girls with colored beads,

Playing all together.

Laughing, calling, through our yard

(when 'twas field of maize)

Swift and light they used to run,

Back in other days;

Through our garden (once a wood)

In and out again,

Past the house they ran, and back

'Twas a wigwam then.

Sometimes when the air is clear,

On a quiet day,

We can almost hear them still, 

Shouting at their play!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love eating these pumpkin cookies! It doesn't matter what time of year it is, But they are a favorite for the Holiday Season. These are great made as sugar free.
I find it hard to buy cookies I can eat, that are made healthy. Just remember the
(  ) are for the diabetic version.

Jessica is helping grandma get everything ready to start. Sariah, RJ and Bekah are having fun putting the cookies onto the baking sheet. Can you smell them now?

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 small can pumpkin

1 cup white sugar (splenda)

1/2 cup vegtable oil (canola)
1 egg
2 cups flour (whole wheat flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon  salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 bag chocolate chips 

Directions:
Combine pumpkin, sugar, oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
Add vanilla and chocolate chips.
Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheep and bake at 350 degrees F. for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown.

Fall Leaves

 One of the funnest activities to do in the fall is to rack up all the leaves into a really large pile...


Jonathan thought it was more fun to use Grandpa's really big golf club!

Now it's time to JUMP! 

 Jonathan jumped in, and thought it was so much fun,
he had to do it again.

FYI:
Fall leaves don't really change color in the fall. Rather, as daylight decreases, cells at the base of the leaves swell, cutting off the flow of fresh water and causing chlorophyll (which makes leaves look green)
to disappear. Other pigment that have been there all along, such as red and orange, become visible.

HUGS

Deb and I are Forever Friends!

You are never too big or too old for a Hug!




                                                           Jordan and Jodee in California

Happiness can happen when you least expect it!

Jonathan loves to be HUGGED
by the HOOOGY MONSTER!!
(to see a HOOOGY visit my website, 
they are my newest creation)

Turkey Pictures

At the start of this project, Jonathan and Kayleigh went outside to collect their fall leaves for the project.
We gathered glue, white card stock or paper, different colored paper, colored pencils,  and because I couldn't find googley eyes, we used rhinestones instead.

Kayleigh decided she wanted to a HAND turkey first.Of course, Jonathan wanted to do the same thing. 

Here is the HAND TURKEY, that the kids still love to do. Just trace around their hands,  make their thumb into  the turkeys head and add eyes, wattle and feet. Let the kids color the fingers different colors to represent the feathers.

Now we were ready to make our glued turkey picture.

• Cut out your paper feathers. If you don't have colored paper, just color some with crayons, markers or colored pencils.
• Cut out a long heart shape from brown paper or a brown paper bag
• Glue the paper feathers into a semi-circle onto your white paper.
  
• At the base of those we added a layer of the leaves we had collected. 
• Turn heart upside down to make his body and layer in the middle of the leaves. 
• cut out a beak and wattle from colored paper and glue to heart
• Add your googley eyes or rhinestones above beak
• draw feet if you desire.

Crafting is a great activity for your kids. It allows them to use their brains in a creative way. The next time boredom strikes, un-plug them from their games and TV watching and let them create. My Saturday craft projects will not require much money or planning, but they will make the memories of a lifetime.
Join me every Saturday for quick and easy kids crafts.

ASL word of the day...Turkey

Bekah  demonstrates:                     

turkey n.  A large, pheasantlike North American bird:

The turkey has a wattle, a fleshy lobe hanging down the throat.

(represents the action of a turkey wattle)

With the thumb side of the right G hand under the chin,

palm and fingers pointing down, wiggle the fingers from side to side with a repeated movement.

Pumpkin Pins

What I make with my Hands,

I give with my Heart.

The season of thankfulness, acts of kindness and gift giving is upon us. Handmade gifts are appreciated by all because they do come from the heart. These pumpkin pins are quick and easy to make. Or if you don't want to use them for a pin, tie some ribbon around a pillar candle and then hot glue the pumpkin to the ribbon to dress them up for your autumn decor'

For each pin, layer cotton batting between the wrong sides of two 4" squares of pumpkin-colored fabric.
On a piece of paper draw a pumpkin shape. leaving a small opening at top of the pumpkin to fit a small twig for the stem, sew along the lines of your pattern. ( this can be hand or machine sewn)
Carefully tear away the paper. Use pinking shears to cut out the shape just outside the outer sewn lines. Hot glue the stem between the fabric layers, then glue a jewelry pin back to the pumpkin or glue to candle.
For the leaves, cut a 1/2' x 4 " strip from a green fabric. Tie in a knot around the stick.

HONOR

An HONOR to know such a HERO


This Nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.
                                                         

Thank you to all the Veterans who have served our Country to keep us Safe! God bless you!
 Pictures are of Tim Barber and Shane Barber on their Tour of Duty in Iraq.