My family loves the smell and feel of a live (cut) Christmas Tree. While I love fresh trees too, I dread watering the darn things. Our tree stand never seems to hold enough liquid, so I have to crawl under the branches every day to add water - which always spills on the floor and makes a mess. This year I went on Christmas Tree strike and didn't put up a tree. Not even the small, 4-foot fake tree which lives in our attic. Bah humbug!
However, overcome by Christmas spirit and a super sale price of $1 each, I was inspired to bring additional live plants into the house, decorating the stairs with pots and pots of poinsettias - which also require regular watering....sigh! The first time they needed watering, I moved them to the garage, watered them, wiped them off and replaced them on the stairs. It was laborious. Two days later, they needed watering again. I stood at the foot of the stairs and thought, "Maybe I should just toss them out and get fake poinsettias." Double Bah humbug!
Truthfully, I wasn't ready give up and trash the live Christmas decor. I stared at the pots and contemplated the messy job of watering a staircase full of plants. Then I had an epiphany. The instructions on the orchids I bought recently said to "water once a week with 3 ice cubes." Why not use the same idea for the poinsettias?
Happily, I can report success with the ice cube watering method! Each plant gets 4-5 cubes (about 3 oz water) a couple times a week. No water on the floor. No spills to clean. My young children can even do it for me and I don't worry about them making a mess.
Three cheers for Christmas success: Water with Ice Cubes!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
3 Favorite Christmas Cookies
Every family has certain sweets which appear only at Christmastime. During the rest of the year, we are too busy in the hustle and bustle of daily activities to make special treats. However, the holidays inspire us to find the time to bake and share beloved family cookie traditions.
The Top 3 Favorite Christmas Cookies in our house are: Cinnamon Shortbread, Bourbon Balls, and Brownie Drop Cookies. All 3 recipes are easy to prepare, have a short list of ingredients, and can be frozen for make-ahead convenience. If you don't have a Christmas cookie tradition, try one of these for a great tasting holiday treat!
Cinnamon Shortbread Cookie
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened, room-temperature
1 tsp real vanilla extract
2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
In a large bowl, cream butter and vanilla extract with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Set aside. Stir together flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon in a separate bowl until well mixed. Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter and blend together with mixer. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until it forms a soft dough. With your hands, knead dough into a ball. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Scoop dough by the spoonful onto parchment paper and press flat with your fingers, making a round cookie shape about 0.5 cm high and 5 cm wide (1/4 inch x 2 inches). Bake in 350F oven for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden brown. Remove and cool on wire rack. Makes 2-3 dozen cookies. Can be frozen.
Bourbon Balls (no bake)
1 cup semi-sweet chocoate chips
3 tbs corn syrup or honey
1/2 cup Bourbon whiskey - aka. Jim Beam
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar + extra for rolling
2.5 cups graham cracker crumbs or crushed vanilla wafers
1 cup chopped walnuts
Melt chocolate chips in microwave for 1 minute, stir. Continue to microwave in 20 second intervals until completely melted. Stir in corn syrup. Add vanilla and bourbon, stir and set aside. In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, graham cracker crumbs and walnuts. Pour chocolate mixture over graham crackers and mix thoroughly with a large spoon. Cover and let stand on the counter for 30 minutes to allow mixture to set. Use cookie scoop or large soup spoon to scoop out 1 inch balls. Roll between your hands to form into ball shape. Toss in powdered sugar to coat. Store in airtight containers until ready to eat. Makes 3 dozen balls. Can be frozen.
Brownie Drop Cookies
1 box of your favorite brownie mix (mine is Ghirardelli with walnuts)
1 egg
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup water
Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions. Instead of baking in a pan, drop mix by the heaping tablespoonful onto parchment paper. Leave 2 inches between each cookie. They will spread out while baking. Bake for 9-11 minutes in a 350F oven. Remove while still slightly undercooked. Set parchment on wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will be crisp on the outside and slightly chewy in the center. Makes 3 dozen 3-inch cookies. Store in airtight containers. Can be frozen.
Hope these recipes are helpful for the holidays!
The Top 3 Favorite Christmas Cookies in our house are: Cinnamon Shortbread, Bourbon Balls, and Brownie Drop Cookies. All 3 recipes are easy to prepare, have a short list of ingredients, and can be frozen for make-ahead convenience. If you don't have a Christmas cookie tradition, try one of these for a great tasting holiday treat!
Cinnamon Shortbread Cookie
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened, room-temperature
1 tsp real vanilla extract
2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
In a large bowl, cream butter and vanilla extract with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Set aside. Stir together flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon in a separate bowl until well mixed. Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter and blend together with mixer. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until it forms a soft dough. With your hands, knead dough into a ball. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Scoop dough by the spoonful onto parchment paper and press flat with your fingers, making a round cookie shape about 0.5 cm high and 5 cm wide (1/4 inch x 2 inches). Bake in 350F oven for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden brown. Remove and cool on wire rack. Makes 2-3 dozen cookies. Can be frozen.
Bourbon Balls (no bake)
1 cup semi-sweet chocoate chips
3 tbs corn syrup or honey
1/2 cup Bourbon whiskey - aka. Jim Beam
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar + extra for rolling
2.5 cups graham cracker crumbs or crushed vanilla wafers
1 cup chopped walnuts
Melt chocolate chips in microwave for 1 minute, stir. Continue to microwave in 20 second intervals until completely melted. Stir in corn syrup. Add vanilla and bourbon, stir and set aside. In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, graham cracker crumbs and walnuts. Pour chocolate mixture over graham crackers and mix thoroughly with a large spoon. Cover and let stand on the counter for 30 minutes to allow mixture to set. Use cookie scoop or large soup spoon to scoop out 1 inch balls. Roll between your hands to form into ball shape. Toss in powdered sugar to coat. Store in airtight containers until ready to eat. Makes 3 dozen balls. Can be frozen.
Brownie Drop Cookies
1 box of your favorite brownie mix (mine is Ghirardelli with walnuts)
1 egg
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup water
Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions. Instead of baking in a pan, drop mix by the heaping tablespoonful onto parchment paper. Leave 2 inches between each cookie. They will spread out while baking. Bake for 9-11 minutes in a 350F oven. Remove while still slightly undercooked. Set parchment on wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will be crisp on the outside and slightly chewy in the center. Makes 3 dozen 3-inch cookies. Store in airtight containers. Can be frozen.
Hope these recipes are helpful for the holidays!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Winning the Homework Battle - for Boys
At the start of each school year, I resolve to instill good homework habits in my children. By the time Halloween arrives, homework time resembles a battle more than an educational success. I lecture, cajole, threaten, bribe, and complain while the children drag out their homework so 20 minutes of "work" takes almost 2 hours to complete. By the time it's over, I'm cranky and they are annoyed and uncooperative.
My 9 year old son is a master at extending the time it takes to complete homework. He considers each question thoughtfully and looks at a wall or a window for inspiration. Two minutes later his brain drifts off on a random thought and the problem remains incomplete. Ten minutes later, I realize he is daydreaming and remind him that he needs to "focus" and get his work done so he can go play. He re-reads the problem and slowly begins to write an answer. The end result? A 5-minute worksheet takes 30 mintues to complete, at which point I'm grinding my teeth in frustration.
Learning 20 spelling words presents a huge challenge. He will resist memorizing them until the day before the test and then get C's and D's because he doesn't remember how to spell the words. As a voracious reader and lover of words, I find this behavior especially frustrating. He can't go to school every day with incomplete homework, plus he needs to spend more time learning the assigned vocabulary. Consequently, I get stuck in the role of "nag" in an attempt to get him to finish the work and learn the words.
After consulting the school counselor, my girlfriends, and parenting books, I have tried every motivational tactic suggested. Nothing works. He is indifferent to any "carrot" I offer and unfazed by the "sticks" I use. Having a sweet-spirited, happy-go-lucky boy is a homework nightmare!
Recently, I believe we have finally found a motivational "carrot" for my son. He really likes the on-line multiplayer game LEGO UNIVERSE. I said he could earn playing time by learning his spelling words. One minute per word for the first 10 words he spells correctly, and two minutes for each additional word. Therefore, learning a 20 word list nets him 30 minutes of playing time, and there is an incentive to learn all the words, since the last 10 are worth twice as much as the first 10. Each day he must spell the words on the weekly wordlist in order to earn time on Lego Universe. If he lingers over his other homework, he doesn't have enough time left before dinner to play, the minutes are lost and he has to wait until the next day to re-earn playing time.
I'm happy to say, it's working. I have not had to nag about spelling or any other homework for two weeks. Hallelujah!
Now, I have to find a motivational "carrot" for my 11 year-old daughter...which has thus far eluded me. I'm open to suggestions!
Susan
My 9 year old son is a master at extending the time it takes to complete homework. He considers each question thoughtfully and looks at a wall or a window for inspiration. Two minutes later his brain drifts off on a random thought and the problem remains incomplete. Ten minutes later, I realize he is daydreaming and remind him that he needs to "focus" and get his work done so he can go play. He re-reads the problem and slowly begins to write an answer. The end result? A 5-minute worksheet takes 30 mintues to complete, at which point I'm grinding my teeth in frustration.
Learning 20 spelling words presents a huge challenge. He will resist memorizing them until the day before the test and then get C's and D's because he doesn't remember how to spell the words. As a voracious reader and lover of words, I find this behavior especially frustrating. He can't go to school every day with incomplete homework, plus he needs to spend more time learning the assigned vocabulary. Consequently, I get stuck in the role of "nag" in an attempt to get him to finish the work and learn the words.
After consulting the school counselor, my girlfriends, and parenting books, I have tried every motivational tactic suggested. Nothing works. He is indifferent to any "carrot" I offer and unfazed by the "sticks" I use. Having a sweet-spirited, happy-go-lucky boy is a homework nightmare!
Recently, I believe we have finally found a motivational "carrot" for my son. He really likes the on-line multiplayer game LEGO UNIVERSE. I said he could earn playing time by learning his spelling words. One minute per word for the first 10 words he spells correctly, and two minutes for each additional word. Therefore, learning a 20 word list nets him 30 minutes of playing time, and there is an incentive to learn all the words, since the last 10 are worth twice as much as the first 10. Each day he must spell the words on the weekly wordlist in order to earn time on Lego Universe. If he lingers over his other homework, he doesn't have enough time left before dinner to play, the minutes are lost and he has to wait until the next day to re-earn playing time.
I'm happy to say, it's working. I have not had to nag about spelling or any other homework for two weeks. Hallelujah!
Now, I have to find a motivational "carrot" for my 11 year-old daughter...which has thus far eluded me. I'm open to suggestions!
Susan
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Take the Greed Out of Christmas
After watching a young child display excessive greed while opening his presents, asking over and over again, "What else?" I resolved to instill a sense of gratitude in my own children.
As they enter their pre-teen and teen years, I think my two children have a respect for the generosity of gift-givers and an appreciation for the gifts they receive. One way my husband and I have encouraged a positive attitude toward the largess of Christmas gifts is by adopting St. Nicholas Day traditions in our home.
In European countries, St Nicholas Day is celebrated on Dec 6 when children wake up to gifts of chocolate, oranges and other treats tucked into their shoes. In our house, we fill the shoes with sweets and also fill Christmas stockings with pajamas, Christmas-themed dvds, music, games, and paper products like journals and thank you notes. Everyone, even the the dog, gets a shoe and stocking full of treats and special goodies. It feels like the holiday and Christmas spirit has arrived early! We also take the opportunity to remind the children that St Nicholas was a real person and he was known for his generous gifts, given anonymously, to people who really need them. We talk about the need to give during the holidays, and emphasize having a spirit of gratitude for the gifts you receive.
Hope our experience gives you ideas for your family to take the greed out of Christmas!
More about St. Nicholas and related family activities at: http://www.stnicholascenter.org/
As they enter their pre-teen and teen years, I think my two children have a respect for the generosity of gift-givers and an appreciation for the gifts they receive. One way my husband and I have encouraged a positive attitude toward the largess of Christmas gifts is by adopting St. Nicholas Day traditions in our home.
In European countries, St Nicholas Day is celebrated on Dec 6 when children wake up to gifts of chocolate, oranges and other treats tucked into their shoes. In our house, we fill the shoes with sweets and also fill Christmas stockings with pajamas, Christmas-themed dvds, music, games, and paper products like journals and thank you notes. Everyone, even the the dog, gets a shoe and stocking full of treats and special goodies. It feels like the holiday and Christmas spirit has arrived early! We also take the opportunity to remind the children that St Nicholas was a real person and he was known for his generous gifts, given anonymously, to people who really need them. We talk about the need to give during the holidays, and emphasize having a spirit of gratitude for the gifts you receive.
Hope our experience gives you ideas for your family to take the greed out of Christmas!
More about St. Nicholas and related family activities at: http://www.stnicholascenter.org/
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