Frankly, I think I've spoiled my family for the store bought-overly sweet-milk chocolate. I melt my own dark and semi sweet blend. And in case you're wondering, brand does matter. I will not use anything but Ghirardelli. I've tried, in the interest of economy, but there is a difference in taste. I also do all my melting in a metal bowl in a warm but off oven or in an uncovered crockpot. I tried to speed the process in a microwave at times and always ended up with a tightened inedible glob. 
Here is a simple recipe you can do with your kids:
You'll need: Whole toasted and unsalted almonds
Chocolate chips or chocolate baking bars (broken into pieces)
Cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli sweet ground chocolate, but you could use any sweetened or unsweetened cocoa according to taste)
Melt 1/2 cup of your favorite chocolate in a bowl. I use a warm oven, but you can also melt in an uncovered crockpot or a baby food warmer. The container you are melting in should be warm, but not hot to the touch. The important thing here is to avoid any moisture being introduced during the process because it makes the chocolate tighten (see above). While it is melting, pour 1/4 cup of cocoa into a plastic container that has an airtight lid. When the chocolate is smooth and glossy, stir in about 1 cup of almonds (I'm guessing the 2:1 ratio, it might be 3:1, but who complains about having leftover melted chocolate?). Spoon the coated almonds into the cocoa container, shut the lid tight and hand it to the kids to shake to their hearts content! The harder they shake, the better the cocoa powder will coat the pieces. Store in a cool place.
Of course, you can use any substitution you want for coating as long as it won't bruise. Leftover chocolate can be used to dip strawberries, cookies, pretzels or fingers.
It happened. The final triop has passed away. 
She had spent a lot of time on her back the past few days, so I wasn't entirely surprised. It is kind of weird to see it lying there. The other triops were cannibalized, so we never had a chance to examine the remains. And of course, it happened when Marina is out with friends for the morning at the Museum of Natural History, so I have to leave it alone until she comes home. At least it lived a long and happy life (for a triop). Considering the first time we did triops we never got past the magnifying glass stage of life, it was pretty impressive to have these critters for two and a half months and finish with a triop that was a whopping 2 1/4 inches long! (For those of you on the metric system, about 6 cm) She kept growing through her entire life, so I guess we can almost measure her age by her length. We will try to see if we can save the eggs according to instructions on the triops.com website. We'll keep everyone posted if we succeed on raising a second generation.
Until then, anyone want some shrimp for Thanksgiving? 
Update: I just told Sierra. Her response: Oh no...did she eat herself?
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
I've found that one of the greatest examples of God's creativity is the leaf. Consider the leaf. Not only does it spend all summer feeding the tree, it also offers shade and puts oxygen back into the air. It filters pollutants. It slows the wind. As summer wanes it puts out a brilliant display of color before detaching and floating gracefully to earth. But does its usefulness end there? No!! Because that leaf is its tree's fertilizer! Left in place, it gives nutrients back to the soil, keeps down weeds, and provides food, warmth and shelter for the tree, plants and critters during the cold winter months. All of this in a leaf!
Every Autumn our suburban neighborhood is inundated with the noise and smell of leafblowers and huge piles form along the road, sometimes falling into the road. Every person around us has gardeners that they pay to get rid of all the leaves in their yards. And here I am, armed with my rake, moving leaves only from the open areas, transferring piles into compost bins, under shrubs and into a heavily treed area at the back of our yard. Every Spring little flags spring up out of the lawns in front of the neighbors homes: "Danger! Herbicides have been applied!" "Warning! Fertilizer application!" I shake my head. If only they would use what God has provided! And guess what happens to the leaves they get rid of? A truck comes and takes them to a town park where they are mulched and composted. By composting my own, I've just saved myself several car trips to get back my own leaves! For me, a neat and tidy yard isn't natural. I prefer my organic garden to a yard I'm afraid to have my kids walk barefoot through.
To learn more about trees and their contribution to our world, check this Arbor Day Foundation kid's site. Carly's Kids Corner in particular has a lot of games to teach kids about trees, the rainforest, and the creatures who need them.
And if I've provided one person with a good reason not to bag leaves this Fall, my work is done! 
If anyone has a really good play dough recipe (obviously, I don't) let me know and I'll post it with one of the upcoming comic segments. Get it to me this week and it can be listed with one of the play dough strips!
We love writing poetry. I was so disappointed to have to cancel my Family Poetry Night last Thursday because I was sick, so I decided to use my blog to release some of my family's creative energy.
We'll start with mine, cause I'm the mom:
Wait! Wait! by Cristina No Thing is Nothing by Marina
Just one more thing before I go No thing is nothing
And we'll be out the door! Especially you.
Let me put that dish away You know you are here
And sweep the kitchen floor! Just like everyone else.
I see some toys just strewn about No thing is nothing
And couldn't you just guess? Or it wouldn't exist.
The cat ran out, the mail just came Even myths are something
My hair's a frizzy mess! If they exist in our hearts.
Just one more thing, some bills to pay, No thing is nothing
Alas! We're out of stamps. It just hasn't been found yet.
I'd better write that on my list
And please turn off the lamps.
Is it cold? Please grab some coats.
Where's the baby's shoe?
I know you really want to leave
But there's so much to do!
Look, we have ten minutes spare
I'll stop at the store.
I just need some eggs and milk
And we'll be out the door!
Though while I'm here I might as well
Pick up food for dinner
And fruit and snacks, a lottery card
Since I might be a winner!
Now, of course, the only line
Is a twenty person wait.
Do you notice that this only happens
When I'm running late?
My Dad is Playing a Game by Chase
My dad is playing a computer game,
He will not even talk;
No matter how I tell him,
He will not try to stop.
I say, "Stop and go outside and run a pace!"
But he won't look at my face.
Soon I tell him to get off,
Then he shouts, "Oh no! I lost!"
Now I'm not his boss,
But I told him to get off.
He asks, "One more time." He plays the game.
Same result. So then I say,
"Go get the bikes then we will play outside today."
He says OK.
He gets the bikes. Soon he rushes in and says
"Come out so we can play outside!"
And I say nothing, because...
Now I am playing a computer game!
For all who are wondering, I'm feeling a little better, but I did have to cancel my family poetry night.
Oh well, maybe I'll post a few of our poems here when I feel better.
For now, I will be dosing myself with tea and my sure fire remedy of a teaspoon of honey with garlic chopped into it (YUM!).
Enjoy this comic installment. Next week: Play dough!
Here is a thought I had this morning:
I should not concern myself with teaching my children.
Whatever I do, they will learn.
Instead, I should focus on teaching myself:
How I view the world.
How I view myself.
How I view my faith.
Whatever I do, they will learn.
I think Dusty (our 3 y.o. cat) has finally adapted to the kittens. The other day she was laying on a rug mat with a kitten on either side, looking for all the world like Cleopatra with her attendants. Merlin and Guru took turns licking her cheek and paws. Later that night, we were settled in bed with the kittens at our feet when Dusty called out in her high trill, "Mrow?" Both kittens got up to rush to her side! I wish someone would come that fast when I call.
It was a beautiful sunny day today. We went to nature class and the kids worked on clay using Native American methods. Last week they had gathered the clay along the banks of the park. This week they gathered oyster shells, rocks and gravel that they pounded into powder with rocks and mixed it into the clay along with sand. This will help strengthen the clay when it's baked. Then they got to play with their clay, modelling it into bowls, plates, sculptures, anything they wanted. Now our park ranger is going to figure out how to fire them. Fun! I'll post pictures when I get a chance. Busy, busy, busy lately!
Still can't get Jess' features consistent. Aargh!
We just watched Singing in the Rain Sunday night. I was using it to reinforce some work we did on the roaring twenties. This movie never gets old for me! Sierra danced all over the living room during it and I was ready to get up and join her. It also helped to give the kids some modern references (that's Princess Leia's mom!). I try not to sing along, since I want to give the kids a chance to here the music for themselves, but certain songs come on and I just can't help it! Make em Laugh is one of my all time favorite comedic dance routines. Having done juggling and clowning, I'm amazed on so many levels by Donald O'Connor's performance! And who doesn't want to dance after watching one of the best in the business?
And on top of having a great time watching this movie, I get to point out the flapper dresses, burlesque and vaudeville theatres, silent films and talkies, studio contracts and legal issues. "Whaddaya think, I'm dumb or somethin'?" This is stealth teaching at it's finest!
Here is a very cool shot of the underside of one of the triops. Chase, the man with the steady hand, took the picture. Believe me, I tried several times to get a picture and had no such luck. They move too much and I have no patience.
She is about an inch long here. We know this is a girl because she gets egg sacs on the sides of her body. Also, we only have two girls left. They ate the male when we misplaced their food.
Calling all future comic strip writers!!! I was checking Lynn Johnston's "For Better or For Worse" site because I missed an episode and I found a real treasure! She has a complete play by play of her creative process. This was so much fun, like taking a factory tour in the artist's house. I wish she had had this when I was first penning Home Spun and wanted a guide for the process. I love how she does everything with a cup of coffee at her side, that is so me. (Maybe coffee=creativity? Voltaire would probably agree.)
For Better or For Worse site
The Making of a Comic Strip page
Thought for the day: The amount of sleep required by the average person is just five minutes more.--anon.
