I have been in a baking mode. It is really quite scary to think of all the baking that has been happening in my little kitchen. Every time I turn around, I'm washing another bowl or measuring cup to bake. Last week, I made sweet potato muffins. Well, they were suppose to be muffins, but they didn't have enough liquid, so they were sort of like scones. Grammie has devoured them. Then, I made lasagna for dinner at Grammie and Pa's on Friday night. I came home with a clean pan. Grammie loved that as well. This weekend I baked bread, made biscotti, a double batch of cookies, and made calzones.
The bread was for my sandwiches. The biscotti was for a review of a new recipe, but I bowed out of the group and made the treat anyway. It was a pain to make and I'm glad that's not my treat. The peanut butter, chocolate chip cookies are for Grammie. She asks me often if I've brought cookies and when given a store bought one proclaims, "These don't taste as good as Katie's." So, cookies were in order before Spring Break. The calzones turned out to be delicious. I'll definitely be making those again.
Maybe next week I'll make a pie. :-)
Friday, March 25, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Conversations I've had lately
...With the kids at school:
I was working with four students on reading and we talk a lot about vocabulary. One of the words was pigment, so I asked what it meant. Noone knew so I said it meant color. One of the boys looked at me and said, "Miss Black is a pigment." "What?" I replied. He laughed and said, "That was a joke." Well, the joke was on me when I finally got it 15 minutes later.
I was teaching math to a bunch of 4th and 5th graders when I made a comment about what they would be doing later in the day. Six heads looked up from the table and said, "How'd you know that?" I said, "I'm a teacher, that's how." Two of them said, "Are you a mom too?" I said, "No," but after thinking a second I replied, "Would I be a good one?" One boy said, "Oh, yeah!" I guess the requirement for being a mom is knowing what will happen in four hours.
I have two kindergarteners in afternoon that are just adorable. A couple of weeks ago everyone is school was sick, so kids were gone a lot. When one of them was gone, the other one just kept asking for him. He couldn't quite learn without the other person. Then the next day the one who was sick came to school and the other one stayed home. "Where is John?" he asked. I said he was probably home sick. I heard, "You know the one I mean? The one with the blind eye." Right, cause there are so many kids in my group. I couldn't help but laugh. Last week, they were both in group and one called the other by name. The little boy looked at his friend and said, "How do you know my name?" Really?! We've only been in school 112 days. They are so funny.
...with Grammie
I took her peanut butter cookies and the next time I went she had eaten them all and wanted to know if I had brought more. I told her I would make Valentine cookies and asked if she would help me make them. "No, but I will eat them," was her response.
Our school has a program for deaf children, so I am slowly picking up more sign language. I learned the other day that the sign for stubborn in the same as the sign for mule. I was telling Grammie and she thought it was pretty funny. This led her to remember the fact that John bet a friend he could take his mule into the hospital and show it to his newborn twins. He won the bet much to the chagrin of the nurses who were working. Anyway, I told Grammie that I got my stubbornness from her and she agreed. Then I told her I hadn't really had a chance since my other grandmother is German. Grammie agreed. She said that I got double the stubbornness and didn't stand a chance.
I was working with four students on reading and we talk a lot about vocabulary. One of the words was pigment, so I asked what it meant. Noone knew so I said it meant color. One of the boys looked at me and said, "Miss Black is a pigment." "What?" I replied. He laughed and said, "That was a joke." Well, the joke was on me when I finally got it 15 minutes later.
I was teaching math to a bunch of 4th and 5th graders when I made a comment about what they would be doing later in the day. Six heads looked up from the table and said, "How'd you know that?" I said, "I'm a teacher, that's how." Two of them said, "Are you a mom too?" I said, "No," but after thinking a second I replied, "Would I be a good one?" One boy said, "Oh, yeah!" I guess the requirement for being a mom is knowing what will happen in four hours.
I have two kindergarteners in afternoon that are just adorable. A couple of weeks ago everyone is school was sick, so kids were gone a lot. When one of them was gone, the other one just kept asking for him. He couldn't quite learn without the other person. Then the next day the one who was sick came to school and the other one stayed home. "Where is John?" he asked. I said he was probably home sick. I heard, "You know the one I mean? The one with the blind eye." Right, cause there are so many kids in my group. I couldn't help but laugh. Last week, they were both in group and one called the other by name. The little boy looked at his friend and said, "How do you know my name?" Really?! We've only been in school 112 days. They are so funny.
...with Grammie
I took her peanut butter cookies and the next time I went she had eaten them all and wanted to know if I had brought more. I told her I would make Valentine cookies and asked if she would help me make them. "No, but I will eat them," was her response.
Our school has a program for deaf children, so I am slowly picking up more sign language. I learned the other day that the sign for stubborn in the same as the sign for mule. I was telling Grammie and she thought it was pretty funny. This led her to remember the fact that John bet a friend he could take his mule into the hospital and show it to his newborn twins. He won the bet much to the chagrin of the nurses who were working. Anyway, I told Grammie that I got my stubbornness from her and she agreed. Then I told her I hadn't really had a chance since my other grandmother is German. Grammie agreed. She said that I got double the stubbornness and didn't stand a chance.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Desperate...?
Not this much.
I have wanted to take a community ed. class for awhile now. The problem is, I don't want to take one that lasts 8 weeks. Each time classes are offered, I look for something exciting that I might want to take. I found one that is only one night and looked fairly interesting and useful. It is an online dating class. The object of the class is to help a person choose a website, create a profile, and to be careful in the meantime. There is only one problem with this class...it is being offered on Valentine's Day! I mean, really!! There is a possibility of going to the class and meeting someone there, but I think not. This year I will sit at home and enjoy the quiet of my humble abode. Oh wait, I think I did the same thing last year too. :-) At least I'm good at it.
I have wanted to take a community ed. class for awhile now. The problem is, I don't want to take one that lasts 8 weeks. Each time classes are offered, I look for something exciting that I might want to take. I found one that is only one night and looked fairly interesting and useful. It is an online dating class. The object of the class is to help a person choose a website, create a profile, and to be careful in the meantime. There is only one problem with this class...it is being offered on Valentine's Day! I mean, really!! There is a possibility of going to the class and meeting someone there, but I think not. This year I will sit at home and enjoy the quiet of my humble abode. Oh wait, I think I did the same thing last year too. :-) At least I'm good at it.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Ignored??
Do you feel ignored because I haven't written in 2 months? I'm sorry if you do. I was busy making Christmas presents and settling into my new job. The job is going wonderfully well. The people are so kind and loving. For Christmas, most people got handmade gifts, so I will tell you what I did. I made 6 quilts ( 2 were finished when I left CO in August and I made 4 more.) I knitted 7 hats (One was too small, so it's at Grammie's on a stuffed animal, 4 were for siblings and 2 were for my nephews [these were started on 12/19 and finished on 12/31]). I also knitted3 scarves for people. There were some gifts that got bought, but a majority were handmade. (I put together a book for Mom and Dennis' anniversary in Nov. and that took awhile.)
Now that the holidays are over I plan on writing more. You might see more of my food creations or hear more about the kids at school.
Food creations- I have found great recipe for rolls, flatbread, and I made a recipe for pie (I put 3 diff. recipes together for this one).
--I hope to make "Nig Fewtons" soon (see Kindergarten post for story).
--Grammie thought Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Cookies sounded good, so that's what I'll make for my birthday. I asked her about the chocolate cake and the cookies and she thought the cookies sounded "wonderful".
--I plan on making Lasagna for dinner this week.
Now that the holidays are over I plan on writing more. You might see more of my food creations or hear more about the kids at school.
Food creations- I have found great recipe for rolls, flatbread, and I made a recipe for pie (I put 3 diff. recipes together for this one).
--I hope to make "Nig Fewtons" soon (see Kindergarten post for story).
--Grammie thought Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Cookies sounded good, so that's what I'll make for my birthday. I asked her about the chocolate cake and the cookies and she thought the cookies sounded "wonderful".
--I plan on making Lasagna for dinner this week.
Kindergarten
I have been helping with the kindergarten classes. (Our school has an abundance of boys. There are double the boys than girls in almost all of the lower grades.) They are absolutely adorable. They say the funniest things and don't hesitate when they think something. The teacher is amazing with them and it has been fun to see all the lessons. On Thurs. they got to make snow storms. This involved a blue sheet of paper in a tray and then they kids rolled a marble dipped in white paint on the paper. The "snow storms" turned out great. The morning class was told to write their last names on the back of their paper before painting. At lunch time the teacher hung up the projects. I was sitting in the room eating my lunch as the teacher attempted to read the last names. One of the last names was written "bblb". The teacher looked very confused and set that one aside. Then she got to another one and said, "I don't have a child with this last name in my class." As she pick up another paper, she figured it out. The child copies what their neighbor writes, so, this child had written the first letter of their last name and the complete last of the child sitting next to them. Needless to say, the afternoon class wrote their first names on the papers instead of their last names.
Yesterday, I was helping the teacher assess the children for report cards. I was taking them into the hall one at a time and having them read different things. I asked one of the children when his birthday was and he said, "far, far away." Then I asked what his phone number was and he said, "I don't have a phone." (He didn't know his mom's phone #) I took another kid into the hall and asked his phone number. I got "1,2,3." Then I asked for his address and got, "8,9,10" I took one of the refugee boys into the hall. (Now, this little one is hysterical. He can get really mad and shout at you in his broken English. One day he looked at me, shook his finger and said, "That's it! That's it! Stop following me!") I asked him to identify the letters and that went ok. (He doesn't know the names, but he does know most of the sounds.) I then asked him to identify the sounds. By this point he was done working and he started grunting, "uuuuuu, eeeee, ggggggg, iiiiiii, oooooooo, uuuuuuu." You can get the picture. When I went in and told the teacher, she just laughed.
Yesterday, the kids had library and it was runny exceptionally late. Three of us that help out in Reading groups were helping the teacher put sorting trays together for the kids. Keep in mind that one is a Title 1 tutor and then me (special ed. assistant). The two of us were given rhyming cards and asked to put them together and then put a few in each tray for the children. I was having a horrible time finding the 3 cards that went together. Then when we had to count our sets the other gal couldn't count. The teacher loved it. She said it was so fun listening us try to do something the Kindergartners are being asked to do. Later, when the kids came back to class, the teacher was reviewing their "ig" words ie. pig, wig, fig. She had gotten some dried figs at the store and wanted the kids to eat them. She told them the fig tastes sweet and is like a raisin. When she set the tray down in front of me, I just looked at them. They look funky and I wasn't really sure I wanted to try one. I did and really like it. Then the AmeriCorps girl who helps out said to me, "Do you eat Fig Newtons?" I said, "Oh, I love them, but Grammie and I always called them 'Nig Fewtons' so I didn't think about the fig part." She just kind of looked at me funny, but I was serious. Now I know where the crunchy part of the cookie comes from-the fig. Then I remembered I can't have Fig Newtons anymore. Today, I realized I could make my own, so I got online and found a recipe. I will report back when I make them.
I am learning a lot in kindergarten too. Just not the same things the kids are. ☺
Yesterday, I was helping the teacher assess the children for report cards. I was taking them into the hall one at a time and having them read different things. I asked one of the children when his birthday was and he said, "far, far away." Then I asked what his phone number was and he said, "I don't have a phone." (He didn't know his mom's phone #) I took another kid into the hall and asked his phone number. I got "1,2,3." Then I asked for his address and got, "8,9,10" I took one of the refugee boys into the hall. (Now, this little one is hysterical. He can get really mad and shout at you in his broken English. One day he looked at me, shook his finger and said, "That's it! That's it! Stop following me!") I asked him to identify the letters and that went ok. (He doesn't know the names, but he does know most of the sounds.) I then asked him to identify the sounds. By this point he was done working and he started grunting, "uuuuuu, eeeee, ggggggg, iiiiiii, oooooooo, uuuuuuu." You can get the picture. When I went in and told the teacher, she just laughed.
Yesterday, the kids had library and it was runny exceptionally late. Three of us that help out in Reading groups were helping the teacher put sorting trays together for the kids. Keep in mind that one is a Title 1 tutor and then me (special ed. assistant). The two of us were given rhyming cards and asked to put them together and then put a few in each tray for the children. I was having a horrible time finding the 3 cards that went together. Then when we had to count our sets the other gal couldn't count. The teacher loved it. She said it was so fun listening us try to do something the Kindergartners are being asked to do. Later, when the kids came back to class, the teacher was reviewing their "ig" words ie. pig, wig, fig. She had gotten some dried figs at the store and wanted the kids to eat them. She told them the fig tastes sweet and is like a raisin. When she set the tray down in front of me, I just looked at them. They look funky and I wasn't really sure I wanted to try one. I did and really like it. Then the AmeriCorps girl who helps out said to me, "Do you eat Fig Newtons?" I said, "Oh, I love them, but Grammie and I always called them 'Nig Fewtons' so I didn't think about the fig part." She just kind of looked at me funny, but I was serious. Now I know where the crunchy part of the cookie comes from-the fig. Then I remembered I can't have Fig Newtons anymore. Today, I realized I could make my own, so I got online and found a recipe. I will report back when I make them.
I am learning a lot in kindergarten too. Just not the same things the kids are. ☺
Thursday, November 11, 2010
My Backpack
I take a backpack to work for the ease of things. It is easier than carrying my water bottle, purse, lunch bag, and calendar to make plans. I do have to say that my bag is getting full of extra stuff and I wanted to share with you what is in it.
1 Planner
House keys
Car key
1 Acorn (supposed to be for Grammie, now in trash)
Eye drops
Little bottle of Lotion
1 Water cycle Bracelet
Blood work write up for insurance
Brochure for insurance
Bottle of Peppermint oil
Note for a good book (trash)
Comb
Kleenex (in abundance) [from working the election]
1 Small box of Jaw Breaker candy
1 mini pen
Throat Drops
Granola bar
Package of gum
Glasses
Deck of playing cards? ( Never know when you'll need them) :-)
Medicine for headaches
Tylenol
Baggage claim ticket from trip to Denver in Aug. (trash)
Red Ribbon from Red Ribbon week
Dental Floss
School ID badge
Badge for athletic events
1 Box top
1 ticket from the Chicago Cubs game in Aug.
1 headset wire for my phone
Just think, I haven't even touched my purse yet.
1 Planner
House keys
Car key
1 Acorn (supposed to be for Grammie, now in trash)
Eye drops
Little bottle of Lotion
1 Water cycle Bracelet
Blood work write up for insurance
Brochure for insurance
Bottle of Peppermint oil
Note for a good book (trash)
Comb
Kleenex (in abundance) [from working the election]
1 Small box of Jaw Breaker candy
1 mini pen
Throat Drops
Granola bar
Package of gum
Glasses
Deck of playing cards? ( Never know when you'll need them) :-)
Medicine for headaches
Tylenol
Baggage claim ticket from trip to Denver in Aug. (trash)
Red Ribbon from Red Ribbon week
Dental Floss
School ID badge
Badge for athletic events
1 Box top
1 ticket from the Chicago Cubs game in Aug.
1 headset wire for my phone
Just think, I haven't even touched my purse yet.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Recipes
This week I have been looking for some good gluten free recipes online. I would like to do some holiday baking, but it seems a little challenging. I have thought about using a flour blend and substituting it into regular recipes, but who knows how they will turn out. I am so grateful for the internet and the ability to look for things that other people have had the time and money to experiment with.
Here is the list of foods I have found this week that I will be trying in the future:
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Cinnamon Rolls
Dinner Rolls (especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas)
Flatbread
Flour Tortillas (the recipe said that these were quick and easy) [I always have to double the prep time]
Gingersnaps
Herb & Garlic Breadsticks
Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin Cookies
Here is the list of foods I have found this week that I will be trying in the future:
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Cinnamon Rolls
Dinner Rolls (especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas)
Flatbread
Flour Tortillas (the recipe said that these were quick and easy) [I always have to double the prep time]
Gingersnaps
Herb & Garlic Breadsticks
Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin Cookies
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