Toddler Bedtimes

Last week we hit a frustration point involving a 3 year old boy and his bedtime routine.  We have an established bedtime routine but we were finding ourselves at wits end with his putting his foot down (literally) and refusing to take baths or get ready for bed.  Deciding we weren't going to continue down this path every night I did a little research and came up with this:

A laminated pictorial version of our bedtime schedule.  We gave a set start time of 7:00 PM (this gets the little one in bed by 7:30 and the 3 year old in bed by 8:00).  We put in some items that allow Clark to feel he is part of the decision making process.  We also put warnings back in play (we had done this earlier and relaxed our standards - not good).

So, 5 minute warning that bed time routine is coming; 5 minutes to pick up toys (and beat the timer); take off clothes; bath (only 3 times a week for Clark); brush teeth; potty; put on jammies and secure teddies; then Grant gets his book time while Clark gets time for himself (could be a little extra playtime, a little TV, talking over his day, etc); prayers, hugs & kisses; reading time with Clark; bed.

I didn't think this little change would make a difference (in essence it's the same routine just put in a visual form) - but, the last 3 nights we have had NO arguments!  When things seem they might be going downhill we tell Clark to show us where we are on the bedtime chart that hangs in the hallway outside the bathroom and between the bedrooms - and then we're good to go again!  In fact, he has gone from not wanting to do bath time to jumping right in.

I think a lot of this has to do with cabin fever, too.  Not being able to exercise outside isn't doing any of us any good.

Sorry - this may seem a weird post but I wanted to document when we started this so when I have to figure out a new plan I'll know about how long we can go before we need to switch things up again :)

Ah - cute little kiddos!

I found a fun photo editing site today - Picnik - it was lots of fun working on some photos.  Suddenly, my house is very quiet so I better go check it out!  Thanks for stopping by!

FNSI Coming Up & Some Finished Projects

This Friday, January 21st is the first Friday Night Sew In (FSNI) for 2011!  After the boys are in bed I'm heading for the sewing room.  I have a number of projects piling up.  If you want to join in click the button on the right hand side of my blog and join the fun Friday!  And FYI: it doesn't have to be sewing - if you have some beading, craft or scrap booking projects those count too!

This past Friday I finished off some projects for the Iowa FFA Alumni Conference.  They hold both a live and silent auction to generate funds for the year.  My husband so kindly asked me to make a few things I couldn't say no.  Ended up donating 2 purses, 2 large pillows, and 1 small pillow.

Purse 1:  Made out of the exact same corduroy used to make the FFA Jackets.  Yes, ordered directly from National FFA.  This is very stiff corduroy - it stands on its own (really, I'm not making that up).  Makes me very happy grandma's machine handles it with no problems.  The other key being a good sharp needle that is good for denim.

Two 16 x 16" corduroy pillows.

Purse #2 - Just a fun one - I have a second one just like it sitting in my sewing room waiting to be finished (I think it will be pretty for February).

And finally my small 8 x 8" pillow that went on the Silent Auction (the others were all on live auction).

All told my items brought over $110.00 in sales.  Not too bad.  The big pillows went for no less than $25.00 each!  I had a hard time believing that - but they are rather one of a kind.  My dad put a 30" wreath on the auction too and it brought a nice price.

We ended up bringing home a cute little rocking chair for the boys.  I've been to many auctions but never have I purchased something without intending too.  Somehow while my husband and I were talking in the back he "bought" the chair.  He knows the rules - no talking with your hands at an auction!  Oh well, it was cute and the boys love it!  Grant especially - he's fascinated with chairs his size.  And as I was in line to pay my father-in-law beat me to the table and paid for it - so many thanks to grandpa for our little chair!

Test Kitchen Thursday - A Tutorial

Today I'm bringing you a tutorial on how to prep your boards for display at the ISF.  Now I know other fairs may have different rules and requirements but this works very well for the ISF specifications (and is what the judges want to see).  If you read to the very bottom there will be a cinnamon roll prize for you!

This pertains to exhibiting breads (yeast & quick), yeast rolls and muffins.  Sorry, I meant to do this before the 2010 ISF but ran out of time so now you'll have it well in advance of the 2011 ISF.

Materials Needed:

• Cardboard (start saving now - I like heavy corrugated cardboard or take the backs of old notepads, etc.)  If your cardboard isn't thick enough double or triple the layers.
• OR - Foam board (I started using foam board this year - it was marvelous, but, it is more expensive).
• Freezer Paper (not wax or parchment)
• Tape (good old fashioned masking tape)
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Pan

Using your pan as a guide mark a line on your foam core or cardboard.  If you will be using different pan sizes make some for each pan size.  It is very important that there is only 1" or less of the cardboard "plate" showing when you set your baked product on it.  So give yourself some extra space but not much.

Once the boards are cut you can wrap them with the freezer paper.  Question:  must I do this if I use white cardboard or foam core?  Answer: YES!  This provides a beautiful finishing touch.

Make sure the shiny or slippery side of the freezer paper is to the outside.  Make sure your masking tape is good and sticky since it won't like the slippery side.  No matter what type of bread/baked good you make there will be grease.  If you put the baked goods on the shiny side of the freezer paper the grease won't soak in and leave stains.  This will help your breads show much better!  Trust me - judges specifically ask for this!

See - all wrapped up nice and tight in a pretty little package.   Ready for some yummy baked goods!

And since I can't leave without letting you have a recipe how about links to the 2010 and 2009 ISF Champions Tone's Cinnamon Rolls:

2009:  Nancy Johnson of Story City, Iowa
2010:  Janice Nostrom of Humboldt, Iowa

{Hint:  when exhibiting cinnamon rolls make them large and put 4 in an 8" square pan.  Take your best pan of four.}


If you have any questions on exhibiting foods let me know - I'd love to help you find an answer and am always willing to give little tips and tricks that I have learned along the way!

WiP Wednesday {Works in Progress}

New Projects:
Corduroy purse for charity auction: COMPLETED! (still have to iron on the emblem but I don't have them yet). 

Good thing my grandma's old Bernina is used to working on heavy denim because this commercial grade corduroy ran through the machine with no problems - hurray!  

On-Going Projects:
Layer Cake Quilt Along - now 3 blocks behind

Tips and Tricks Quilt Along with Cricket Studios - Block 1 {done}

Birdie Stitches Block of the Month (BOM) at Little Miss Shabby - Block 1 {pieced, ready to embroider}

Items in Wait (Did nothing with this week):
That Girl That Quilt Along - still hanging on my design wall; hit a road block
30's Reproduction Block Quilt - ready to piece
Brown Bag Quilt - fabric selected; design drawn up (now to get brave and cut)

Completed Tops Awaiting Quilting:
Clark's Dinosaur Quilt
Grant's Cowboy Quilt

This week's stats:

New projects - 1

Completed projects - 1

Currently in progress - 8 

LEGO Time

Many thanks to Aunt Em who gifted Clark some Star Wars LEGO's for Christmas!  This yielded hours of fun this past weekend!

Look at the boys hanging on every word, patiently waiting for instructions from daddy.

What great and amazing things did I accomplish while the boys were busy with LEGO play?  Absolutely nothing :(  Unfortunately baby #3 has plans of its own and right now that is to make me sick and very tired.  How does something the size of peanut bring a full grown woman to her knees?  I never felt this horrible with the other two so I'm not sure what's in store.  Luckily it should start getting better now that I'm moving into month 3 (I hope).

Luckily the new Murray McMurray Hatchery catalog came this weekend!  I have made my spring poultry selection already.  Need to save up money to purchase my required 15 head of turkeys (aack - $10.00 a piece).  I'm looking at 2 different breeds.  Definitely the Narragansett and I think some Royal Palms (but I may change my mind for some Blue Slate).  As much as I would like more water fowl that may have to wait another year since I would like to order a new incubator this year.  One with big windows so the boys can watch the hatching.

I know there are probably cheaper hatcheries out there but I have had nothing but excellent product from Murray McMurray and they have a huge selection of rare breeds.  I believe in being a grower of rare breeds in order to help keep them from falling into non existence.  Plus, some of the older or rarer breeds are actually much better than the more commercial breeds.  My turkens (chickens with naked necks) produce even in the dead of winter and are hardy little girls as are my little barred rocks.  The best is when they cross and I have barred turkens - so cute!

Now to go through all the beautiful garden catalogs piling up in my catalog basket.

Test Kitchen Thursday - Lemon Dream Cheesecake

Lemon Dream Cheesecake

Also known as my DH's Birthday Cake!

Please don't let cheesecakes scare you - they are really quite simple (they scared me at first).  Plus, if you want a recipe that won't crack this one is it - never once had a crack on top.  

This is my husband's favorite cheesecake (sorry, but in honor of his birthday I must tell a story).  He loves this particular recipe so much he refuses to eat commercial cheesecake anymore - even really good cheesecake.  I started making cheesecakes for him when we first started dating.  I asked him what his traditional birthday cake was (thinking how easy a nice little layer cake would be).  His answer was his aunt's cheesecake.  I took this to mean a home baked over the top cheesecake (snicker).  So, scared out of my mind to make a cheesecake but completely determined to make it for my sweetie I purchased all the ingredients and made the New York style cheesecake on the graham cracker crumb box.  It was delicious and oh how my boyfriend raved about the cheesecake (he totally ignored the little crack across the top - carefully covered with cherry pie filling).  I thought he was just being nice because how could I compare to his aunt (who I was told was a tremendous cook)?  Years and a few birthday cheesecakes later I found out his aunt's cheesecake was the Jello box mix with cherry pie filling (no offense to Jello - I love Jello but really that's not a baked cheesecake).  Obviously I didn't have to try as hard to impress as I thought and he probably proposed just for my cheesecake skills :)

OK - on with the recipe (sidenote - this is an ISF 2nd Place Overall Cheesecake Division winner circa 2008 - so others think it's pretty good too):

Tips and tricks can be found below.

  

Makes 12 servings

Crust:

1 ½ C  finely ground shortbread cookies (or vanilla wafers)

2 T       white sugar

2 T       unsalted butter, melted

¼ t       lemon extract

Filling:

1 ¼ lb  cream cheese, softened

¾ C     white sugar

1 C      sour cream

3 T       all-purpose flour

3          eggs

½ C     lemon juice

1 t        vanilla extract

Garnish:

½ pint  heavy whipping cream

2 T       confectioner’s sugar

½ t       vanilla extract

Crust:

In food processor combine cookie crumbs, sugar, butter and lemon extract.  Mix well.  Pat the mixture into the bottom and ¾ inch up the side of a buttered 9” springform pan.

Bake the crust in a 375 degree F oven for 8 minutes.

Transfer pan to a rack and cool.

Filling:

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth, beat in the eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition.  Beat in the sour cream, flour, lemon juice and vanilla.  Beat until the mixture is smooth – do not over beat.

Pour the filling over the crust.  Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, reduce the temperature to 250 degrees F and bake for 50 to 55 minutes longer, or until center is barely set.  Let the cheesecake cool in the oven with door slightly cracked.  Move to a rack to cool thoroughly then cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.  Remove side of pan and place in covered cake stand and return to refrigerator.  Best eaten 24 hours after baking.

Garnish with homemade whipped topping. 

Combine whipping cream and sugar in mixing bowl.  Whip to soft peak stage.  Add vanilla, then continue to whip until stiff peaks form.  Do not overbeat.

When building the crust it really helps to crush and blend everything in a food processor.  Than evenly spread in your pan.

Carefully take a glass with a nice bottom rim and smooth bottom and sides.  Even out the sides and run your finger across the top to get a nice even (height) crust all the way around.

Pour the batter in.  The beating of the batter is where you will make or break the cheesecake.  At the beginning when beating sugar and cream cheese - whip it good to get it smooth.  When adding eggs beat well (until smooth) after each addition.  If you don't have the nice scraper attachment on your mixer be sure to scrape the bowl down each time.

On the final addition of ingredients - DO NOT overbeat - just beat until combined then stop!

I don't get a dime to say this but I can't stress enough good vanilla and PURE extracts of any kind are key to wonderful taste!  I'm pretty frugal but one place I splurge on my baking supplies are the extracts and flavorings.

The key to the color of this cheesecake are the eggs.  Because I use my own chicken eggs produced by my lovely girls I have a very yellow cheesecake.  If you make it with regular store bought eggs it will be almost white.  So if you like the lemon yellow color for your lemon cheesecake use eggs from your own hens or a local grower.

Couldn't resist this last photo of Grant asking where the goop went.  Poor little guy this is one product that won't be eaten for an entire day.  It is good to let a cheesecake rest - minimum of 12 hours I try to bake a day or more in advance of eating.  

Please note - this is my own original recipe so share the site with friends but please link to my blog.

New Plans for 2011!

I apologize to those of you looking for Test Kitchen Thursday.  I promise to post my Lemon Dream Cheesecake recipe tomorrow.

My post tonight comes with an announcement - God will be blessing our family with another little baby!  We are very excited!  Today Alan and I traveled to Iowa City for our 7 week ultrasound and found little peanut healthy with a nice strong heart rate.  Even though the blood work a few weeks ago said pregnant I have a hard time really showing excitement until I see that first ultrasound and see all is well.  Since finding out we were pregnant my prayer has been the same each day (more a mantra really) and has been the same for each child -- please Lord let the child be happy and healthy.

We told Clark and Grant the news tonight.  Grant, of course, is too young to understand and Clark replied, "there's no baby in your tummy, mommy!"  It may take awhile for him to get used to the idea of a baby growing in mommy.  He adamantly refused to believe he had once been in mommy's tummy.  From a 3-year old's standpoint I can see how this may be a disturbing thought.

My plans for the 2011 ISF will probably need revamped now.  The baby's due date is August 26th but it is possible baby will arrive the second week of the ISF.  I think 2011 will focus on sewing projects and canned goods with some Creative Arts and Heritage thrown in.  But the baking for this year will have to be scaled back to very little if any at all.  You may also see my sewing begin to focus more on baby items :)  Of course, the overall tiredness is not helping me accomplish much of anything right now.

This doesn't mean I'll stop in my encouragement for those of you planning for your fairs this coming year.  I'm always here to champion you in your fair entry pursuits!

WiP Wednesday {Works in Progress}

With a new start to a new year I decided I needed some accountability with some of the projects I have going.  At least if I keep a tally each week it may remind me I don't need anything else on my sewing plate.  Some of these are projects that would be great to finish for the Iowa State Fair and others will be longer (more like 2012 or later).

So I've decided to follow and link up with:

New Projects:
Tips and Tricks Quilt Along with Cricket Studios - Block 1 {done}
Actually - since I already had the material cut I decided to do two!  I'm thinking of doing a rainbow quilt.  So scraps from each color of the rainbow per block.  Next time Carrie posts I'll have my orange scraps ready.

Birdie Stitches Block of the Month (BOM) at Little Miss Shabby - Block 1 {pieced, ready to embroider}
I'm using the Jelly Roll my guys bought for me on my birthday.  I love the colors.  Let's hope my embroidery skills do it justice.

On-Going Projects:
Layer Cake Quilt Along - finished 1 block this week (still 2 blocks behind)

Items in Wait (Did nothing with this week):
That Girl That Quilt Along - still hanging on my design wall; hit a road block and so it sits until I figure out the next step
30's Reproduction Block Quilt - ready to piece
Brown Bag Quilt - fabric selected; design drawn up (now to get brave and cut)

Completed Tops Awaiting Quilting:
Clark's Dinosaur Quilt
Grant's Cowboy Quilt

This week's stats:

New projects - 2

Completed projects - 0

Currently in progress - 8 

Now to work on my blog and update my buttons for new projects!  


Not that I will probably get much accomplished on this list this week.  My husband has asked me to make some items for a charity auction in mid-January.  Currently I am thinking I might make a couple bags (if I find some pretty blue and gold fabric), a blue corduroy pillow, and possibly a basket filled with 2010 ISF Blue Ribbon recipes.  Yes, that should make for happy Iowa FFA Alumni.  But we'll see how much I can actually accomplish.  You know - because little projects like this one today keep me on my toes:

The boys and I made a snowman for grandma's birthday today (Happy Birthday Mom!).  The letter of the month both at Preschool and at home is S - so lots of snowmen, snowflakes, snow in general.  I found the cute snowman tutorial at Crafts & Sutch.  He was so fun to make!

Clark enjoyed painting the spool for his hat and picking out just the right black buttons!

I wish there were more classes (in sewing and in creative arts) at the ISF for recycled projects - really, it's such a great way to make something and there are so many unique ideas.  But I digress.  

As we were working on grandma's snowman I thought this would make a great Project Compassion gift for church shut-ins next winter.  If I can find some congregation members with sweaters to donate it would be a super cute inexpensive gift.  I'm always on the hunt for inexpensive, easy crafts that would make people smile.  Plus, the confirmand or Sunday School students could easily help put it together.  Hmm - need to keep this project in mind.

Wondering what happened to sleeve #2 - we plan to take the second sleeve and make one for our house too!

New York, New York

The weekend before Christmas my mom, sister in law and a friend of my sister drove to Kansas City together to fly to Washington D.C. to meet my sister in order to all drive up (and meet another friend of hers) to New York City.  It was a fabulous adventure!  This was actually my third trip to NYC.  The first time was with my husband in December of 2001 for our 5 year anniversary.  The second time was in the summer with my husband and his father (on a baseball tour).  Personally I like the winter trips best.

This trip can be summarized in a visit to famous TV show locations.

First on the agenda some Georgetown cupcakes.  They were delicious!  And they were taping.

Mom and I in the big city.  Seriously, I feel like such a country mouse in the big city.

I couldn't resist photos of large novelty lights and ornaments.

The view from our hotel was absolutely amazing!  My sister does such a great job finding the best places.

OK - the second day silly me forgot to put her battery back in the camera.  Charged it and everything - got mom's back in and left mine on the desk in the hotel room.  I did take some great pictures with mom's camera but haven't had a chance to download them onto my computer.

Anyway - the whole reason for the trip was to go wedding dress shopping with my sister!  Yes, we went to Kleinfeld's (Say Yes to the Dress on TLC) and yes, they were taping.  Yes, my sister said yes to the dress (not on TV - we weren't one of the families taped).  All I have to say is the people were really nice.  Randy made mom's day (week) by giving her a compliment!  It was lots of fun.

After dress shopping we went to the Nutcracker Ballet.  So amazing!  Before we started the Christmas Tree Farm we would do a girls trip to the Nutcracker in Ames but we haven't done that in a very long time.  

On the last day of the trip my sister pampered me and took us all to MOOD (of Project Runway fame - one of my favorites)!  I thought for sure everyone would be waiting on me to make my choices.  So HARD to decide - I've never been in a store with so much fabric (and trims and notions).  But I picked the two fabrics below and a couple pretty trims.  Not sure for what yet but the fabric called to me from the vast shelves of yardage.

And to my surprise everyone was bitten by the fabric bug (I was in fact the first to make my selections and check out).  My sister even found some gorgeous fabric (again, not sure what she'll do with it but it called to her).

Finally - this really horrible photo is of Carlo's Bakery (Cake Boss fame).  We thought about stopping (it was on our way home) but the line went down the block and across the street.  We can at least say we did a drive by!

Mission accomplished - my sister found a stunning dress and we had a great girls' weekend in the big city!  

Did I mention the cheese danishes?  No.  Yes, I ate lots of cheese danishes - I'm hoping the miles worth of walking took the calories away.  Seriously, I would travel to NYC just for the cheese danishes :)  

The Time Capsule

Happy New Year!

OK - confession, our New Year has not begun so swiftly.  Things involving electrical fires (bye bye well house and pressure tank; hello - manually hauling water to livestock from the house until Spring), flooding (including flooding with live wires in the water), pink eye (Grant should no longer be contagious tomorrow), cracked windshield, no internet service (new router now good to go), etc have all occurred in the last few days.  On the bright side I figure things can only get better from here.  I hope pray this is the case.

Anyway - thought I'd share a fun activity we started with the boys last year and now it is officially a tradition (2 years in a row counts as tradition right?) - the time capsule:

This was so much fun!  I pulled out the 2009 time capsule and the boys and I looked through the pictures, drawings and favorites for that year.  Than we searched our archive folders and pulled out favorites from 2010.

Artwork, photos, first haircut trimmings, stamps from our Christmas card envelopes, etc.

Also, some programs from important events this past year.

Pull out a can from the recycling/craft bin, some aluminum foil, markers and paint sample chips.  We always end up picking up a couple paint samples when we go to stores that have them.  We use them for lots of crafts throughout the year.

For this activity we write down favorite things (toys, movies, food) and prices of things like milk and fuel.  See my little helper's hand?

Don't forget the large basket of stickers.  This is the boys' favorite part.

Grant enjoyed decorating the outside with lots of animal stickers :)

Clark was more into the letter and number stickers.

Now we have a time capsule to open next January.  It's fun to see how things have changed even in just one short year.  Not sure what I'll do with all these capsules someday but they sure are fun.