Do you bake with your children?

Something about fall always triggers in me the desire to bake. I don't care what, cupcakes, cookies, breed. Baking can be a great introduction of children into the kitchen. Most recipes are measure, stir, bake, which is well within their abilities. When my son was little he enjoyed making white bread with me. He love to knead the dough. Alas when you are little and knead like a crazy man, accidents do happen. Like the time he kneaded so hard his pants slipped to his ankles reveling he had put his undies on backwards. We all had a good giggle that day and now have a memory to carry with us.

The point is, it may take a little more time to get things done, but the fun you can have with your child in the kitchen is well worth the it (and yeah the extra mess too.) Not to mention you are teaching them skills they will use later in life, like how to follow directions. They get to practice math by measuring. And yes indeed there is science in the whole process, like explaining how yeast works. So the next time you head into the kitchen to bake, even if it is a box mix, take the children along and create some memories of your own!

Fall printables from Nick Jr

I don't know about your children, but mine do enjoy watching some of the shows on Nick Jr. I have found two great printable packs from Nick Jr. that I am sure my oldest will enjoy. The first is the Autumn Activity Pack. It is full of fun, with lots of engaging activities. The second one if the Fall Coloring Pack. With this pack of printables children can release their inner artist. Both are good way to keep the little ones busy while you try to get dinner ready or maybe just have five minutes to yourself!

Fall means Harvest Festivals!

Around these parts, Fall means Harvest Festivals. We go every year to the annual Harvest Festival at the Calhoun County Fairgrounds in Marshall, MI. This free event on Oct. 13th runs from 10am to 5pm. We of course have to take a wagon ride and wander around visiting all the booths. There are also competitions for the best homemade chili, meatloaf, pumpkin pie and fruit pit. And this year they say there are going to be horse pulls and chuck wagon races! I'm excited!! If you don't leave nearby, don't fear, I am sure with a little googling you can find a Harvest Festival near you!

Spider pumpkin candle holder

Looking for some Halloween decorations that will not break the bank? Well then I have a great decoration craft idea for you! This cute spider pumpkin candle holder!!! It is so easy to make and since I had everything but the mini pumpkin on hand, my total out of pocket cost was 35 cents!

Materials
Mini Pumpkin
Orange pipe cleaners
Wiggle eyes
Glue
Tea candle

Simply "carve" out the pumpkin like you would a large one.  Take four orange pipe cleaners and cut them in half to make the eight legs. Twist four pipe cleaners together to make 2 bunches of legs. Next glue on the wiggle eyes. I put the candle in so it was snug and then placed the legs wedged between the candle and the pumpkin and wallah, the cutest darn tea candle holder ever!

I love how cute they are and the fact you can make so many and not go broke. They really do add a festive feeling to any room. This is a wonderful craft we will do year after year. How about you? Feel like making a spider pumpkin infestation in your house?

Stained Glass Leaf Craft

If your children are anything like mine, during the fall they pick up all the beautiful colored leaves and ATTEMPT to bring them into the house. I say attempt because around here, I have had to put a stop to bringing large numbers of real leaves into the house. They get left around and dry out. Then the dog, cat, or baby finds one and tries to eat it. Just over all a messy headache.

So what is a mama to do when the young long for beautiful fall leaves? Craft some! This simple project really does add a touch of color and fun to a room. So let's get started......

 

I did allow one leaf in to use as a template (and yes the baby did try to eat it.) We cut leaves out of fall colored construction paper. Next we folded them in half and cut out the centers to give us a picture frame effect.


We used clear contact paper, put the frame on it and then filled the "frame" in with torn tissue paper. Once the tissue paper was in, we put a second piece of contact paper on the back to seal it in. The we simply cut around the shape and hung with tape in a window! This craft is so easy even little kids can put the tissue paper on. And they really are beautiful when the sun shines through!! Why not make a few for around your house.


 

Fall Photo Frame from your local paint department

When was the last time you cruised your paint department at your local home improvement store? Well we have been looking for a color for our living room and while we were there I noticed all the amazing (FREE) fall colored paint chips. And then I saw the bucket of paint can stir sticks (FREE.) And of course my mind went totally into craft mode!

So here is what I came up with.... A Fall Photo Frame made out of paint stir sticks and leaves cut out of paint chips. Simply glue the four sticks to make the frame. Next, run outside and pick up a few fallen leaves to use as a template. I drew the leaves on the back of the chips. Simple cute out the leaves and glue them around the frame.

I may be a little bias, but I think that our oldest son made a beautiful frame! I put it over one of our photos that was hanging on the wall and it added such a nice bright touch to the room. So the next time your at a home improvement store, stock up on paint department "freebies" so you to can make one of these beautiful festive frames!

"Eaten Apple" craft

Today is Johnny Appleseed's 238th birthday! So who is Johnny Appleseed? Well, Jonathan Chapman, born on this date in 1774 in Massachusetts. He was an American pioneer and missionary. As a frontiersman, he became a legend while still alive as he traveled to the frontiers of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, planting apple nurseries as he went.

To honor his hard work and the wonderfully yummy apple, why not make your own "eaten apple" craft. All you need is a paper plate, crayons, and either a brown pipe cleaner or a real stick. Simply bend the paper plate in half and cut out the crescent shape. Heep the cut away parts to use as leaves.

Color your apple. Don't forget to make your seeds! Next tape or glue the leaves and stem on. Your done. Simple, cute and a reminder of the man who helped make apples a big part of our nation!

Apple Crisp - A fall favorite

When the are turns crisp, you know it is time to make some Apple Crisp! I know there are a million and one ways to make it and everyone claims theirs is the best. I clam nothing! This is just the way I do it and the way our family has come to enjoy the great fall snack.

My family recipe.....

1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

Combine and add to the desired amount of peeled, cored, sliced apples, coating them well. Place apples in backing pan.


1 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 Cup Flour
3/4 Cup Butter

Milk
Powder sugar

Combine into a crumbly dough. Crumble or pinch off pieces and place over the top of the apples. Bake at 350 degrees for around 30 to 45 minutes. After the crisp cools, combine milk and powder sugar in a bowl to make as much or as little glaze to drizzle over the top.

Now you could eat it right away and we always have a piece but I love it even more after it has been refrigerated. Let me just say, this is so addictive that I had to pack my son some in his school lunch today! He loves it that much. So why not whip some up and enjoy one of our family fall traditions. I promise, it's good!



This recipe was shared on

 

Apple head carving for kids

As some of you may know, I am a contributing blogger on Farm Chick Chit Chat. September's theme over there is Apples. And while baking pies can be fun for some children, I was racking my brain to find something a little more kid and male child friendly for my son. And that's when it hit me!

 

 

All summer long he wanted to whittle. Well of course at six, I am not about to give him a pocket knife unsupervised so he found other ways, like using a nail. So I thought, why not "whittle" (carve) an apple! All a child needs is an apple, a butter knife, and some imagination. For our project we did a "shrunken head."

 

I peeled the skin off one side of the apple and it was ready to go. Once the face was on all we had to do was wait for it to shrink up.

 

Now fair warning, if forgotten, the head will continue to decay. Which is kind of cool looking and a great opportunity to talk about such things. But if your like me, and completely lost track of the head due to outstanding circumstances, you could be in for a fuzzy surprise when the head is later located! So keep an eye on where your children take their apple carving!

 

 

It's time to fall into fall!!!

Think back to your childhood.....do you remember how much fun it was to jump in a big pile of leaves?  Well guess what, it is still that much fun and best of all this activity is free. Okay, so there is a little yard work involved.  Our son was so excited yesterday when he got to jump in the first pile of the season and can't wait for the bigger piles that are to come.

So get out your rakes and prepare to fall into fall!

Fall means baked apples, yum!

Ingredients

• 2 larger baking apples, such as golden delicious
• 1 tbsp margarine/butter
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans (optional)
• 1 tbsp raisins (optional as my hubby hates cooked raisins)
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Pinch of allspice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Core the apples, or slice in half and de-core/de-seed that way.
3. Mix the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice and chopped nuts together in a small bowl
4. Toss in the raisins.
5. Stuff the mixture into the apple sockets and bake for about 30 minutes.

Sail away into fall

How stinking cute are these little fall boats!

Materials

• Walnut shell (we have a black walnut tree in our backyard, but you can also buy them at a store)
• Leaf
• Twig
• Clay

Instructions

For each, you'll need a half of a walnut shell.

Thread a leaf onto a twig for a mast and a sail.

Secure the mast to the inside of the shell with a small ball of clay