Sunday, May 31, 2015

Sunday Photo Round Up- May 31, 2015

Time to share my photos from the three photo challenges I participate in! Let's start with Scavenger Hunt Sunday, shall we.

May 31st
Together, Black and White, Flowers, Glass, Abstract

Together

Not sure why exactly we were banging these bowling pins TOGETHER like swords, but he sure is dangerous with them.

Black and White

This shot of the 3 Harolds was the perfect candidate for a BLACK AND WHITE EDIT

Flowers

These are the FLOWERS in our flower box by the road. It is one of many AROUND TOWN. If you look closely, you can see some in the background.

A tree with lovely pink FLOWERS spotted high up on the rocks on our hike through Rock City Park on our Field Trip. More photos of our trip will be coming soon. It is lovely there.

Glass

Several different GLASS displays in the museum section of Rock City Park. The top photo is a glass cylinder full of glass bottles. The second and third pictures are really featuring the handmade cork bottle stoppers. Finally, I wanted to share these teeny glass animals. I have always loved little knick-knacks like this. Oh, and they in the cabinet behind the glass door.

Abstract

My 3 year old's and my 5 year old's art is usually a bit on the ABSTRACT side

Photo A Day Round Up

I am participating in a few different photo-a-day challenges this year. The photos are being shared daily on Instagram, but I thought it would be nice to include a collage of them here on my blog as well. Here are my collages showing the pictures from May 24-May 30.

The first one is the Photo A Day Challenge from Fat Mum Slim.

The second one is The Bethadilly Challenge (this is where the Scavenger Hunt Sunday prompts have come from so far this year).

The third challenge is new this month. I decided to join in with the Schoolhouse Review Crew's new Instagram challenge. Here are the pictures from May 25- May 30.

Friday, May 29, 2015

Kids and a Mom in the Kitchen #117: Chocolate Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

Time for Kids and a Mom in the Kitchen

(A weekly linky to share what you and your children have created in the kitchen.)

The linky is at the bottom.

Last night I wanted to make something to go with our Oven Omelette for Breakfast for Dinner Thursday. In the past we have had biscuits and such, but I wanted something different. I looked online for muffins containing oatmeal, as I was attempting to make them somewhat healthy. I found a recipe for Chocolate Raisin Oatmeal Muffins over at allrecipes.com (yes, this is my favorite site for recipes). However, I read the reviews and realized they didn't sound as tasty as I was hoping. So, using suggestions from different reviewers I came up with my own recipe.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups plus 2 tbs flour
1 tbs baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 1/4 cup milk, divided
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

We soaked the oats in 1/2 cup of milk while prepping the other ingredients.

While they were soaking, we stirred together the flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder in a small bowl. We then set that aside.

In another bowl, we beat the eggs.

Then we added the remaining milk (3/4 cup) plus the oil and vanilla, then beat it together.

That bowl was set aside.

We added the sugar and salt to the soaked oats.

We stirred them together well.

Then we added the oat mixture to the flour mixture.

We then poured it into the bowl with the eggs, milk, and oil. We stirred well.

Then we added the chocolate chips.

I put a little less than 1/4 cup of batter into the greased muffin tin.

This recipe made 18 regular sized muffins.

We baked in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Smelling the delicious aroma.

Cho-c'late.

(Wondering who will catch the reference.)

Directions:

1- Soak oats in 1/2 cup milk while preparing other ingredients.

2- In a small bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Set aside.

3- In a medium bowl beat the eggs. Then add 3/4 cup milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat well and set aside.

4- Add sugar and salt to the soaked oats, mix well.

5- Add the oat mixture to the flour mixture, mix well.

6- Add the oat/flour mixture into the bowl with the egg mixture. Stir well.

7- Add the chocolate chips. Stir.

8- Scoop a little less than 1/4 cup batter into each compartment of greased muffin tin.

9- Bake in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.

10- Let cool 10 minutes and then remove to plate.

Do you have your children help you in the kitchen? What lessons do they learn? Do you have any kid friendly recipes to share?

I'd love to see your posts, whether you have done something this week or some time in the past. Just link up below. This is a weekly linky.

I am linking up to:

Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Try a New Recipe Tuesday at Home to Four Kiddos
The Gathering Spot at Mamal Diane
Friday Food Frenzy at Close to Home
Fantastic Thursday at Five Little Chefs
Foodie Friends Friday at Robyn'sView
Family Fun Friday at Happy and Blessed Home

And here is my Kids and a Mom in the Kitchen linky

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Throwback Thursday Blog-Style #49: May 28, 2015

Welcome back to...

I know, I know, Throwback Thursday seems to be all about sharing pictures from the past, great memories that mean something to you, that you would like to share with others. At least that is how it appears to me. Throwback Thursday wasn't something I was participating in, and then I came up with an idea.

I thought it would be great fun and a help to my blog to share old content, but not just any old content. Each week I will share an old blog post from a previous year, any year, BUT it has to be from the current week (for example, something I've posted around May 28th, from any previous year) I will go in, edit the post if needed, add a pinnable image if I don't already have one, and share it on Facebook.

Would you like to join in? You do not need to edit your past post in any way, you don't need to create a pinnable image, though it couldn't hurt, in fact it will help your blog traffic to add quality pinnable images to your posts.

Just go into your archives, choose a favorite post from this current week from any previous year, and link it up below.

I will be pinning posts to my appropriate Pinterest boards and will be randomly selecting a Featured Throwback Thursday post to share next week. Just a note, I will be sharing a picture from your post if you are selected as the featured post, but I will link back to your post. I will ALWAYS give credit and link back. By linking up you are giving me permission to use your picture in the post.

Here is my Throwback Thursday post:

Originally posted May 31st, 2013
Kids and a Mom in the Kitchen #44- Helping Out With Breakfast for Dinner Thursday: Breakfast Pizza

Here is this week's randomly selected

Featured Throwback Thursday:

Erica from Be the One shared:

Enhancing a Boxed Curriculum

To participate, link up below. It would be great if you could visit several of the other posts that have linked up. Stop by, comment, and pin images so we can help each other.

If you would like to help spread the news:

Happy Throwback Thursday!

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Wordless Wednesday: May 27th, 2015 (w/linky)- Exploring the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon

A show of hands, who knew there was a Pennsylvania Grand Canyon?

I have been wanting to go for a while, ever since I learned of its existence when going to Animaland years ago with my older children. However, we just never took the time. Last year, Tabitha went with Venture Club, making me want to go all the more. So, when we were given the opportunity to review Apologia's Exploring Creation Field Trip Journal with the Schoolhouse Review Crew, we knew one place we were definitely going.