Roughin' it

I've been a camper since I can remember. Having a summer birthday meant that many times we were on some kind of family camping trip, so we celebrated with birthday cake in the mountains - my favorite! One of our favorite places was Boulder Mountain where the air is clear and the fishing is good. My dad, even with his big "sausage fingers" knew how to tie every fishing knot in the book with amazing agility. I think he spent most of the time untangling our line or getting a hook out of the trees or someone's clothes. The rule was that we cleaned what we caught - gross, huh? I actually don't remember being too grossed out...more like disgustingly fascinated.

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So, five years ago when my husband and I were asked to participate in a re-enactment of a pioneer trek across the plains (not the actual plains, but eastern Washington), we were excited! We were instant parents ("Ma"and "Pa") to ten kids aged 14 to 18 years old, and not having any children of our own yet, we were a little nervous about what to expect. We'd been married for about 1 1/2 years, and we still agree that it was one of the best experiences we've had together. By the end of the 4-day journey, we were exhausted but filled with gratitude for those who paved the way before us, and filled with the spirit of service, friendship a brief first-hand experience of enduring to the end.

The girls pulling the cart by themselves while the boys were recruited for the Mormon Battalion. This is one of my favorite photos - those girls worked HARD on a hot day and did it by themselves.

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Yes, that would be me milking a goat.

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This IS my very favorite photo. Look at that rugged man of a man!

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It's a little blurry, but it's the only photo I have of us all sitting down at the dinner "table" - the handcart with the wheels taken off and turned over. These are awesome kids!

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We cooked every day and night in our Dutch oven, whether it was beef stew, cornmeal mush (not a favorite, but the kids were so hungry that it didn't have to be that good), oatmeal or a special treat of homemade bread. At home we like to Dutch oven cook even when we're not camping. All we do is use a foil turkey pan so we don't leave a burn spot on the porch from the coals.

Here's the recipe for the bread - the quantities are big because it fills a 12" Dutch oven. I think I remember it lifting the lid off the top as it baked, so we could have reduced it or saved some of the dough for cinnamon rolls or scones the next morning. I hope you'll try it and let me know how it turns out!

Dutch Oven Bread - Pioneer Style

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Put 14 cups of flour in a LARGE mixing bowl and make five wells with your hand. In the middle well pour in 2 packages of yeast and pour lukewarm water over the top so that it will start dissolving. Don't let the yeast run out of the well.

In the remaining wells place the following ingredients:

1 cup shortening

4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups dry powdered milk

4 TB honey

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Mix all together thoroughly. Add water until the dough becomes sticky (dough must be sticky for the ingredients to mix). Knead well, adding flour until the mixture becomes dough-like and smooth. Place in oiled Dutch oven and cover with the lid (also oiled). Set the oven in a warm place for it to rise double.

Start coals in a charcoal chimney, and place the proper number of coals on top and below the oven (Add three to the diameter of the oven for the top and subtract three from the diameter for the bottom. So, for a 12" Dutch oven, place 15 on top and 9 on the bottom. As a general rule, each hot briquette is about 25 degrees).

Allow to cook about 30 minutes. If coals burn out before the bread is done, brush them off and replace with new hot coals. The bread is done when you stick a knife in the center and it comes out clean.

Note: It's easy to burn the bread on the bottom. After 30 minutes, you may find that it needs to cook longer - place more coals on the top, and even take the oven off the bottom coals and let the remainder of the cooking come from the top coals. Check the bread every 10 minutes or so.

Eat warm with homemade butter - Put 1 pint of heavy cream in a jar and start shakin'. This is like a modern churn, and it can take up to 45 minutes for it to solidify and turn to butter. Just pass it around and everyone take a turn. Buttermilk will settle on the top. Just pour it off and enjoy fresh butter.

Trigger Foods

  I grew up camping!  My family did it every summer growing up and I don't remember having to learn to love it...I just did!  We would do some hiking or canoeing and we would always play in some river; trying to cross it's freezing strength in our itty bitty bare feet.  We played and we camped hard.  The dirt never bothered us and the smell of our family coming home probably could have evacuated our neighborhood.

My little Payton two years ago on our Father's Day Weekend Camp Out

My mom was the pro.  She knew how to pack us up and get us there.  She knew all of what we would need and didn't seem to bother bringing the things we could do without.  She would make the most amazing tasting food and we would all learn to do the same.  We love dutch oven cooking.  I love dutch oven cooking (all but having to clean those buggers).  Camping reminds everyone of specific food I'm sure.  It always seems to taste better outdoors  over a fire. When I go camping I think of or have to take:

Hot Chocolate
For the morning time when only I am awake with the birds and it's chilly enough to need a warm hug from my cup.

Mom's Famous Dutch Oven Gooey Rolls

 Oil the dutch oven. Sprinkle one box of cook and serve butterscotch pudding (NON instant) evenly on the bottom of your dutch. Arrange 16-20 frozen rolls over the pudding. Melt 3/4 cup sugar with 1/2 cup butter. Pour over rolls. Let rise overnight. In the morning, bake at 350 degrees (about 8 briquettes on bottom and 12 on top) until golden brown and well...gooey!

BBQ Potato Chips

Which I don't even like unless I'm camping.

The Cheap Vanilla and Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

You know exactly what I'm talking about.

Phase 10

Which I know is not a food, but it's a must have memory and goes perfectly with the next few treats.

Fudge Striped Cookies for Smores

No need for graham crackers and chocolate.

Starbursts That Are To Be Saved Only for Roasting

 Trust me...you will love them as long as you don't let the gooey smoldering hot happiness drip between your bare toes.  That'll ruin your night under the stars for sure.

We are going camping this weekend and thinking about all of this makes me excited and hungry. Are you a camper? What are some of the foods that trigger your memory of camping?

 * which reminds me...I need to find a tent.

Ben & Jerry Make Me Happy!

photo found here

I once heard a story of a family touring Russia which I have, for some reason, never forgotten. While this family was in a large city, they stopped to buy ice cream from a street vendor. They offered to purchase one for the young woman who was their travel guide. She was grateful, but declined the offer because of the high price of the ice cream. The family insisted, and upon further discussion learned that this young woman had never in her life tasted ice cream because her family was simply too poor to spend money on such a luxury. She of course loved the ice cream, and the family loved watching her try it for the first time.

Wow! I can't imagine what life without ice cream would be like. Actually, yes I can, but who wants to imagine a life like that! There have been times when I have actually thought that if I had unlimited amounts of money, I would use it to buy ice cream for everyone--everyone!

That is why I like part of the mission statement for Ben and Jerry's Ice cream in which they state their goal to initiate "innovative ways to improve the quality of life locally, nationally, and internationally."

How did I learn about this fabulous mission statement? Well, a few years ago, while we were in Boston visiting my brother and sister-in-law, we drove up to Vermont to the home of this fabulous ice cream made by Ben and Jerry. While there, we took a tour of the factory, visited the graveyard of deceased flavors, and taste tested one of their latest ice cream creations--American Apple Pie. I don't know if that flavor ever made it to the store shelves, but it sure was tasty!

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photo found here

You can "Do the world a Flavor" and create your own ice cream flavor. And did you know you can even have any of their amazing flavors delivered right to your own home? Yup--just like the Schwann Man, only it's Ben & Jerry's!

There are lots of really cool things about Ben and Jerry's, and if you want to really experience the best of the best--you can even get yourself a Ben & Jerry's ice cream recipe book and make some of your own ice cream. We did, and we loved it! :)

Summer!

Spring, Winter, or Fall, No matter when it is I love my Ice Cream!

Did you know that Consumer Reports tests ice cream? Really, how would you like that job! Awesome! Anyways, they did not test my favorite brand this year, so I am not sure how it would stack up, but in past years it has been in the top. It is the Safeway Select brand. Yummy! My favorite is their Home Style Vanilla. Delicious and creamy! Anyways, back to consumer reports, along with their report on ice cream brands, there was an article on ice cream features; Light, low fat, fat free, slow churned, etc. I found it interesting, so here is the link. Ice Cream Features, Talk the Talk. Oh, and they mention Blue Bunny too. Man, that is some good Ice Cream too. I have yet to find that here in Washington. We ate it all the time in Colorado. Yummy! I also like Snelgrove, sold in Idaho and Utah. Delicious! (Although I just read that Snelgrove ice cream is no longer made as of 2008. Have any of you Utahn's seen it recently?)

Here is the link to Consumer Reports Ice Cream Ratings. They appear in the July issue of Consumer Reports Magazine

What is your favorite brand and flavor of ice cream?

Dad's Favorite

My dad always said one of his very favorite desserts is one his mother, my grandmother, made when he was a kid - Frozen Lemon Pie. It's like rich ice cream resting between two simple layers of crushed vanilla cookies. Since Father's Day is coming up, I thought I'd share his favorite with you. I think my love of lemon comes from him. Oh, and coconut too (think German chocolate cake with Mom's homemade coconut pecan frosting). Thanks, Dad. I wish we lived close enough that I could make this for you. I don't think it would ship too well since it's probably best frozen and not runny and melted in a cardboard box.

Frozen Lemon Pie

*Note - Like many old-fashioned recipes, this one contains uncooked eggs.

3 eggs

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup sugar

5 tablespoons lemon juice

12 vanilla wafers, crushed

Separate the eggs. Beat whites until stiff. Stir in the sugar. Add in egg yolks one at a time while beating constantly. Beat in the lemon juice and then fold in the cream. Mix well. Sprinkle half of the crumbs in the bottom of a buttered pie plate. Pour in the lemon mixture. Spread remaining crumbs over top. Freeze until firm.

Here's another version I've tried with delicious success:

Pink Lemonade Pie

graham cracker crust

1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened

1/2 can (12-ounce size) frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed

1 container (4 ounces) Cool Whip

red food color, if desired

lemon or lime peel, if desired

Mix ice cream, lemonade concentrate, Cool Whip, and a few drops of food color in large bowl. Mound ice cream mixture in crust. Freeze about 4 hours or until firm. Let stand at room temperature a few minutes before cutting. Garnish with lemon peel.

We All Scream For Ice Cream

I would love to meet the genius who thought of ice cream. I have so many memories wrapped up in ice cream, it's impossible to sort them out. It was pretty much a staple in our house growing up ... I don't think we were ever without a carton of Tin Roof Sundae in the freezer.

In my town, we are lucky to have a little locally-owned ice cream shop, where they sell ice cream made right here in the northwest with flavors from lavender (my favorite - it tastes just like a summer day) all the way over to Jack Daniels (which I've never even wanted to try, but it's there for someone!) along with all the usual suspects, only better. We love to go as a family after dance recitals, or on one-on-one dates with our kids.

At home, we've been playing around with making our own, and I have to say it's so worth the effort! Here's the book we've been getting recipes from:

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/

And I just have to tell you about this poem by Jack Prelutsky (seriously, go check out his website, it's really fun - also he's going to be performing in Seattle this summer, hooray!), and how Natalie Merchant made it into a song on her newest album, and it's really really good.

Here's "Bleezer's Ice Cream", and I dare you to read this out loud :)

I am Ebenezer Bleezer,
I run BLEEZER'S ICE CREAM STORE,
there are flavors in my freezer
you have never seen before,
twenty-eight divine creations
too delicious to resist,
why not do yourself a favor,
try the flavors on my list:

COCOA MOCHA MACARONI
TAPIOCA SMOKED BALONEY
CHECKERBERRY CHEDDAR CHEW
CHICKEN CHERRY HONEYDEW
TUTTI-FRUTTI STEWED TOMATO
TUNA TACO BAKED POTATO
LOBSTER LITCHI LIMA BEAN
MOZZARELLA MANGOSTEEN
ALMOND HAM MERINGUE SALAMI
YAM ANCHOVY PRUNE PASTRAMI
SASSAFRAS SOUVLAKI HASH
SUKIYAKI SUCCOTASH
BUTTER BRICKLE PEPPER PICKLE
POMEGRANATE PUMPERNICKEL
PEACH PIMENTO PIZZA PLUM
PEANUT PUMPKIN BUBBLEGUM
BROCCOLI BANANA BLUSTER
CHOCOLATE CHOP SUEY CLUSTER
AVOCADO BRUSSELS SPROUT
PERIWINKLE SAUERKRAUT
COTTON CANDY CARROT CUSTARD
CAULIFLOWER COLA MUSTARD
ONION DUMPLING DOUBLE DIP
TURNIP TRUFFLE TRIPLE FLIP
GARLIC GUMBO GRAVY GUAVA
LENTIL LEMON LIVER LAVA
ORANGE OLIVE BAGEL BEET
WATERMELON WAFFLE WHEAT

I am Ebenezer Bleezer,
I run BLEEZER'S ICE CREAM STORE,
taste a flavor from my freezer,
you will surely ask for more.

What's your favorite flavor? Would you try one of Ebenezer Bleezer's?

At the Top of My List

This week our posts have all been about lists, in one form or another. There are some lists that I seem to write and rewrite--projects I want to do, people I need gifts for, and groceries, always the grocery list! Even if you don't write it down, I imagine that tucked away in your thoughts are the list of things you want to do, or places you want to visit, or people you need to call. 

This is a list my daughter made. She loves to make lists. I think she learned it from me. But not because I consciously set out to teach her this skill. I didn't even realize I had taught it to her until we had a garage sale a few weeks ago; she came and sat by me with her little camping chair next to mine, pen and paper in hand. I had a notebook to write down the appropriate allotment of money earned between my sister and myself. Sophie dutifully began taking notes on each person who came and what they purchased. At one point I looked over and fell in love with her all over again, her legs crossed, her head tilted to see her work, she was so sincere about the task at hand. She looked like a little woman sitting there--she looked like a little me.

And this is when a new list began to form in my head: Things I want my example to teach. I haven't written it down yet, and I think it will be a long list, but this list will begin with honesty, patience, a love of good books, a sense of humor, dedication to being healthy, a love for my family, for the gospel of Jesus Christ, and for the outdoors. Oh yeah, and the value of list making. :)

Among all my tasks to accomplish today, at the top of my list I have written,  "Be a good example." 

What is on your list?

Lists, you want lists, check out this blog.

The Executive Homemaker

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She has an awesome binder with a list of things to put in it with templates. It is all right there, no thought for you, just a bunch of things that would be nice to have. Things like a babysitter binder, life records, important phone numbers, etc. I highly recommend it.

How to find the SHE-lectrician inside you

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you have to know how much I love lists. Remember this post, and this one?


I've been doing a much-needed, top-to-bottom deep clean of my house, and I'm on the last page of my 3-page checklist room by room. Of course, now that the deep clean is about done, it's time to, well, clean the house again. At least now when I clean my house, I'll know that there are no dust bunnies under the bed, the windows are shiny and the nooks and crannies are free from clutter and crud. Boy it feels nice to check see a page full of check marks.

Another running list I have is a prioritization of home improvement projects. Some are large, some are small. Some are cost- and time-prohibitive for the time being, and others are manageable. A while ago I painted my living room the loveliest shade of Winter in Paris, and yesterday I painted our master bedroom a calm and warm Toasted Almond. I didn't like the look of putting the old 80's beige outlets back up, so I decided to replace them all. And why shouldn't I be able to do it myself? So, here's a little how-to if you want to do a little, quick, inexpensive but noticeable upgrade to your home. First a few rules in the form of a list, of course!

Rule #1 - Don't be afraid. Electricity is your friend. But you MUST respect it and do lots of double checking for safety's sake (trust me - it only took me two times of getting a mini-tazer by a light switch before I started double checking).

Rule #2 - Be sure the breaker is turned off for the area you're working on. Even if nothing is turned on or plugged in, there's still juice running to them. In our house, we do this by me flipping breakers in the garage and hubby giving a holler when the lights are out. Which leads to...

Rule #3 - Obvious to all you smart readers, do your work during the day since the lights will be out. It's kind of hard to work on electricity at night.

OK, ready to start?

Here's the before - we're working on a double light switch.

Here's all you need. Replacement switches, cover plate, screwdriver and wire cutter/stripper.

Remove the cover plate with your screwdriver, and take out the screws on the top and bottom of each switch.

Pull it out from the wall so you can access the back of the switch.

It's easiest to just cut the wires where they go into the switch and use your cutters to strip about a 1/2" of the black or white covering off to expose the copper wire, like this:

You have two choices on how you want to attach the wires to the switch. In the photo below, you'll see two sets of a tiny round hole above a slot. You can simply thread your wire in the round hole, and a little metal piece inside holds it secure. There are either indications directly on the switch or else in the directions on the package on where to put the white (neutral) and where to put the black (hot). This is super important, like putting your car jumper cables on the right knobs!

That's they way I've done all of our switches and outlets, but I thought I'd show the other way to connect too. There is a screw on the side for each of the black and white wires. Curve the end of your wire, hook it around the screw, and tighten it with your screwdriver so it's and secure. That's it! The hard part's done, even though that wasn't hard at all, right?



Bundle up all the slack in the wire and stuff it back into the wall. Screw the switches back into place via the same screw holes that are already there. There's a "top" label to make sure you don't install it upside down.


Wallah! You're done! And doesn't that look so much better?


An outlet is done the same way, but there will be a bare copper wire (without black or white covering) that is the grounding wire. Curve it and wrap it around the grounding screw (usually green) as part of the connecting process.

You did it! Replacing 5 outlets and two light switches cost me $16.72, an hour of my time and...

one broken fingernail!

#175: Jeans that fit.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

or, in other words:

When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Once up on a time, I decided to take up a challenge to make and keep a list of 1,000 things for which I am grateful.

That was almost 10 years ago. At first it was easy; I managed to think of 99 specific blessings on that first day. Almost a decade later, I'm only on blessing #187. I add to it here and there, sometimes I duplicate, and I know there are about a billion blessings in my life that I'm not even aware of. I'm still a long way from recognizing a mere 1,000. But I have to tell you, this little list is precious. Sometimes I pick up my list when I want to add to it, sometimes just for fun, and sometimes when I need a tangible reminder of the abundance that surrounds me.

When I take a moment and read over just these few things I'm grateful for, it's definitely overwhelming, from mustard (#148) all the way to my children (#s 100 and 184). And overwhelming gratitude is just about the best feeling ever don't you think? (Oh! That's going to be #188!)

Breaking It Down...Jenni Style

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Having a home of my very own is a huge blessing and I am super grateful for it's ability to keep me and my family dry, safe and warm but enjoying it's beauty and charm can only happen if I am keeping up on the mountains of work that go into creating that pleasant cozy atmosphere.  Having a spotless home while taking care of little people and trying to cook meals, teach lessons, be around for a husband, fulfill callings, be there for neighbors, and find some time for myself can be pretty overwhelming sometimes.  After living here for a year now I believe I am beginning to get the hang of being okay with a little mess and learning to use my time better.

   

I use to be able to clean my entire apartment, top to bottom, in just 3 hours.  Now, I am lucky to get a room done in that time. Especially with kids wanting to be played with and interruptions from the computer.

Tonight I have broken it down for you cute readers.  Here are 3 lists for you to keep on your fridge.Whether you have a minute to do a little something or you have an hour or two, you will be surprised at how little time it can take to keep a semi orderly home.

A minute or less to complete:

Wipe crumbs off the kitchen table 

Water your plants

Empty a few trash cans

Wipe spots off a mirror

Clean a toilet

Sweep off the front porch

Dust a small room

Vacuum a rug

Clean out your kitchen trash can

Put your shoes away

Put a load of laundry in

Make a bed

Put the couch back together

Wipe down the bathroom sink

Open your fridge and remove gross things

Wipe down your counters

Open your blinds

Collect the dirty clothes

Throw out the junk mail

Shake out the welcome mat

Start the dishwasher

Get something on other then your cutest jammies (I add this because sometimes I put this one off)

Clean off a highchair or toddler's chair 

If you have 10-20 minutes you can do something like this:

Clean a bathroom floor

Dust the bookshelves

Wipe the spots on your couch

Unload the dishwasher

Sweep your hard floor surfaces

Clean your microwave

Wash the window above your kitchen sink inside and out

Clean your dripper pans

Get rid of the stuff hanging out in your couch.

Wipe down dining room chairs

Vacuum the stairs

Pick up all the toys

Clean the tub

File your stack of papers that you know you have sitting on your kitchen counter

Load the dishwasher

Go dump all the trash in your car.

Clear off your bathroom counter and wipe down the sink

Fold a load of laundry and put it away

An hour or more:

Spot clean some carpet

Organize a closet

Baseboards

Wash windows inside and out

Organize the pantry

Write up a menu and shoping list for the week

Give your car a nice shine

Weed the front and back yard

Mow the lawn

Deep clean a bedroom

If it's anything like my shower it will take at least an hour

Wipe some walls down

Go through the toy box and put things back together

Clear up everything

Go through everyone's clothing and make a donate pile

Take a bath (that's cleaning right?)

This is obviously not everything that needs to be done around a house but it is a good indication of what you can get done in the time you have.  It may feel choppy and out of order but it keeps me from sitting on the couch and watching something dumb. If I only have a precious 30 minutes to spare I know I have enough time to make the room I am in more enjoyable.  Try it out and let me know how it goes.  Happy cleaning!

Our Favorite...Boynton, Meyer, Berenstain Love

This week had been filled with the sharing of good books! Hooray! I am very excited to get to the library and check out some of the ones that we haven't read at our house yet. So finally, here are a few that we love and which will probably always be included in the stack to read at bedtime. I think I love them the most because I can remember them from my childhood. They are the "oldies but goodies" that might, among so many new favorites, get overlooked. I am also beginning to see the brilliance in how they are written now that my oldest is beginning to read along. The words are simple, the sentence structure is simple, and there is purpose behind each line. All of these things are helping her love to read.

Each Berenstain Bear book has a message that teaches something valuable. There are tons of them, and it is fun to follow the family as they learn and grow together. These are the kind of books that help parents and kids have conversations about things that might be a problem. Having a reliable and trusted storybook character that the child can relate to helps teach correct behavior without using discouraging discipline in the heat of a situation.

Mercer Mayer's Little Critters are so much fun! I love the relationship between the brother and sister and the reality of each situation. Whether it is shopping with their mom or cleaning the bedroom, the characters in these books are true to life and entertaining. However, I wish I could determine what kind of "little critter" they are. Do any of you know?

And finally, I have come to LOVE Sandra Boynton. Her board books are perfect for little people. These are the ones that I started reading to my oldest when she was an infant and we are still reading them together now that she is four. They have cute illustrations and almost always implement some form of humor that the children love--and we do too!

Here is a video of me and my daughter reading one of our favorite books. It is a song--I'm not really sure how the tune is supposed to go, but the way we sing it is the way I have been singing it for years now...


A few more Sandra Boynton books to check out are:

and...

This last one is a silly teaching tool that makes my one-and-a-half-year-old giggle because she can read along as the silly turkey discovers how to dress properly. It teaches colors and is a simple way to involve even the youngest child in the reading process.

What are your "oldie-but-goodie" favorites? What books have you found to be the best teaching tools?

 

We love the Library!

I love the library, it's my favorite place.
Rows of books in every case.
Fat books, thin books,

From wall to wall.

If I read and read, I'll read them all.

So we have been doing children's books this week, but seriously, my list of favorites is very long! How do you choose! So instead of giving you a list, I want to promote using the library.

I LOVE THE LIBRARY!

Growing up, my family did not use the library much, if at all. Seriously. Then I married a guy who loves to read, and who can't pass up free and wholesome family friendly activities. Well almost free, we pay our taxes so we may as well use the services we pay for. Our library system here in King County is AWESOME! There are story times by age group, free concerts for kids, adults, and families, free classes, etc. We love story time. Even if they only read a few stories, songs and rhymes one of the earliest forms of literacy. So seriously, look into your local library, where ever you are.

We go almost every Tuesday night here. My daughter knows that on the days she has "preschool" we go to the library. Last week she was so disappointed when I told her there was no story time due to the library gearing up for there summer programs. Even if there is no story time we go so my daughter can get three new books to check out. It is cheaper then buying them. Especially when it might look really cute, but be a bust in the end. It is a great way to preview books, CD's, movies, etc. We have found some awesome stories at the library. Some that we will be checking out again, or renewed till we could not renew any more. So I guess I do have a list after all, books we have found at the library that we loved.

"I'm Dirty"and "I Stink"
Kate McMullen
These books are just silly.

Un*brella

Scott E Franson

There are no words, just pictures so you make your own story. It is one we will probably buy someday.

"What if instead of an umbrella you had an UN-brella? Imagine that when this unbrella was opened it suddenly made the world around you change in exciting ways. Open up this book to find out how one little girl’s unbrella changes her world." The Foggy Foggy Forest

Nick Sharratt

"What can this be in the foggy, foggy forest?" That's the question on every spread of this clever book, each depicting the black-and-white silhouette of a fairy-tale figure or scene. Readers may take a guess and turn the page to see if they’re right — the answering image appears in full color (often sporting a funny twist). A unicorn playing a horn? An ogre doing yoga? They're just two of the characters lurking in The Foggy, Foggy Forest, a clear winner for curious kids."

So I encourage you all to find your local library and see what they have. They are AWESOME!

Here is the link to ours www.kcls.org

Rhyme-o-Rama

Fairy tales are terrific,

Dr. Seuss stories make us say "yahoo!"

We especially love rhyming books,

And we think you should too!

OK, so we have some favorite books that cleverly tell a story or teach a lesson through verses of rhyme and perfect poetic rhythm. I think it helps pre-readers start to recognize words because they can guess what the rhyming word is at the end of the sentence. Some don't tell a story OR teach a lesson, but they're simply silly and fun with made up words, like this one:

Other favorites ar our house are:

(how to be creative with what you have)

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("Rule number one is don't be disgusting" and when the horse says "botheration!" are favorite parts of this one)

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(Non-veggie-loving kids will have fun with this one.)

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(Sometimes it's the one that's different than all the rest that's the best one in the end.)

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(It's OK to not be able to do everything perfectly.)

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We're always on the lookout for more rhyme-o-rama action. What are some of your favorites?