Sandy update

The day after...

Monday started like most Mondays, with a few exceptions. The governor cancelled all schools so Micah had a day off. I still went to tutor and we had piano earlier that day but still we went. By three o'clock we were all home for the day. It was about that time that the wind was picking up and the rain was getting heavier. We had rain and wind. Imagine that, it was a herdacane (hurricane in Toran) and we had rain and wind. Thankfully we did not have it to bad. We spent the evening carving pumpkins and waiting for the power to go out but it never did, not even so much as a flicker. Movies, pumpkin carving and chocolate chip cookies, that is my idea of riding out a storm. After 3 hours of pumpkin carving the kids went to bed and I followed closely behind them. Tuesday morning we woke up to life as usual, school, orthodontist appointments and the like. Nothing and nobody floated away, at least not from our neighborhood. I will post pictures of the pumpkins later tonight when they are a light and glowing.


Sandy is coming to visit

Thanks to all who have called in preparation of this storm to make sure we are ready. We are as ready as one can be without a bunker. We have spent the last couple of days grocery shopping ( I would like to note that this was regular grocery shopping, we have plenty of stores at home to get through this storm), laundry and dishes catch up, leaf clean up (note that it no longer looks like we have done anything because of the leaves still on the tree or should I say the ground now), putting away all objects that could become a flying missile, cleaning up decks and all sort of other jobs. Today (Monday) we will be cleaning up the house and getting all jobs that require electricity, done. All activities (except school at our house, yes my kids still have school today) have been canceled and we will be home to ride it out over the next two days. The kids are hopeful that trick or treating will continue as scheduled. I will post after the storm with any updates. I hope and pray there will not be any pictures of snow in that update. www.myfoxboston.com for local updates and news.

                 I will leave you with a picture of the proper use of trunk or treat candy.

Tessa's breakfast oatmeal

Random pictures on the phone

Tessa, Kali and Toran helping to cut up a big log in a friends yard.

 

Toran after a sleepover with friends while mom and dad were in New York.

Micah's vest I made for him to wear to cub camp on dress up day.

Kiah made this for her friend Emma's birthday last year.

There was a baby explosion and I made these for two of the little girls. Don't you just love baby shoes?

Tessa's version of Fairytopia on the white board.

What's better than homemade bread?

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE BREAD

This bread was the moistest quick bread I have ever had. I thought it could use a little more chocolate.  Next time I will add mini chips into the mix (which I didn’t have enough of too add this time) and use a darker chocolate bar to melt. I would also add the glaze (left it off this time around). It tasted a little salty; in the future I will use ½ as much salt as called for. This bread would be a great gift for family and friends for the holidays. It makes the perfect chocolaty snack. This is one recipe I will definitely try again.
Enjoy, Kiah.

 

Triple-chocolate quick bread

1 ½ cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips, divided

½ cups butter, softened

2/3 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Glaze:

½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon butter

2 to 3 tablespoons half and half cream

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 1 cup chocolate chips; set aside to cool. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and cooled chocolate; mix well. Add applesauce and vanilla; set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips.

Spoon into four greased 5 3/4in x 3in x 2in loaf pans. Bake at 350* for 35-40minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks.

For glaze, melt chocolate chips and butter in a small heavy saucepan; stir in cream. Remove from the heat; stir in confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and salt. Drizzle over warm breads. Cool completely.

Makes 4 mini loaves.

Taste of Home, January 11, 2012, pg.25 recipe by Karen Grimes of Stephens City, Virginia

The booklist.....

I am frequently asked "Can you recommend a good book for me/my child/my class?". I have also become the "Oh, ask Stefanie, she will know which book to recommend." My favorite is trying to recommend books for boys ages 12 - 16. Do you know how long ago I had a boy aged 12 - 16? It was a long time ago. Well, in an attempt to pull all of my book lists together and make it easier to find and recommend books or authors, I am making a master list of "De Voe Family Favorites". This is by no means a complete list and it will probably change and be added to over the coming days, weeks, months and years.  Here is an attempt to put some of it in one place. And yes we have read all of these, as a matter of fact I'm reading them again with the younger set of kids. As for the appropriate age and/or grade of each book that is up to you the parent. If there is something that you don't feel is appropriate for your kids don't read it. The final decision is yours. Let me know what your favorites/must reads are. Enjoy.

In no particular order:

PICTURE BOOKS/ EASY READERS/FIRST CHAPTER BOOKS
The Story of Babar by Jean de Brunhoff
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
The Jolly Postman by Jan Ahlberg
Paddington Bear by Michael Bond
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
The Very Busy spider by Eric Carle
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
The Very Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle
Bread and Jam for Francis by Russell Hoban
Best Friends for Frances by Russell Hoban
Owl and the Woodpecker by Brian Wildsmith
Miranda's Smile by Thomas Locker
There's a nightmare in my Closet by Mercer Mayer
The story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
Brave Irene by William Steg
Mama, is it summer yet? by Nikki McClure
The old woman and the wave by Shelly Jackson
Mama, Do you love me? Barbara M. Joosse
When I was built by Jennifer Thermes
Priscilla and the hollyhocks by Anne Broyles
Violet the pilot by Steve Breen
Owen by Kevin Henkes
Through moon and stars and night skies by Ann Turner
The funny women  by Arlene Mosel
The purple coat by Amy Hest
From Dawn to Dusk by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
Mrs. Rose's Garden by Elaine Greenstein
Cora Cooks pancit by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore
V is for von Trapp by William Anderson
The Jolly Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
One Morning in Maine by Robert McClosky
Blueberries For Sal by Robert McClosky
Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McClosky
Linnea in Monet's Garden by Christian Bjork
Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel
Cam Jansen by David Adler
Magic Tree house by Mary Pope Osborne (series)
Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Winnie the Pooh by A.A.Milne
Dr. Seuss series
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg
Hansel and Gretel
Jack and the Beanstalk
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
The Little Engine that could
The Little Red Hen
Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
The Princess and the Pea
Rapunzel
Rip Van Winkle
Rumpelstiltskin
Cinderella (not the Disney version look for something with amazing pictures)
Sleeping Beauty (not the Disney version)
Chicken Little

CHAPTER BOOKS
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle
Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder (if you have a son start with Farmer boy)
Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter
The Gift of the Magi by Carol Lynn Pearson
Charlotte's Web by E. B. White
Stuart Little by E. B. White
The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater
The Great Brain by John D Fitzgerald
Homer Price by Rovert McClosky
Henry Huggins books by Beverly Cleary
Henry and Beezus by Beverly Cleary
Ramonia (series) by Beverly Cleary
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
The American Girls Series
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
 Matilda by Roald Dahl
 The B.F.G. by Roald Dahl
 The Witches by Roald Dahl
 Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
Doctor Doolittle by Hugh Lofting
The Black Stallion by Walter Farley
Misty of Chincoteague; King of the Wind by M. King
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
Heidi by Johanna Spry
The Adventures of Tom Swayer and Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Ivanhoe by Walter Scott
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
Little Women; Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott
The Jungle Book
King Arthur and the Round Table by Thomas Malory
A Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
The Moffats by Eleanor Estes
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L'Engle
The Wizard of OZ by Frank L. Baum

The Borrows by by Mary Norton

Bedknob and Broomstick by Mary Norton
The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgkins Burnett
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Real Mermaids Don't Hold Their Breath by Helene Boudreau
The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling
Into the Land of Unicorns by Bruce Coville
Song of the Wanderer by Bruce Coville
A Glory of Unicorns by Bruce Coville
Dark Whispers by Bruce Coville
Goddess Boot Camp by Tera Lynn Childs
The witch of Blackbird pond by Elizabeth G. Speare
The Borrowers by Mary Norton
Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene (original series not the rewrites)
The Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon (original series not the rewrites)
Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls; Best Friends and Drama Queens by Meg Cabot
Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls; The New Girl by Meg Cabot
Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls; Moving Day by Meg Cabot
                                                                                                                                                                                   

Kiah's english assignment

In an attempt to excite Kiah about writing (you can stop chuckling now Jonna) we have decided to take a new approach. She will be choosing a recipe, making that recipe and writing a review of it. I hope that she will gain a few things from this. 1) a vast collection of tasty recipes, 2) a new found confidence in herself that she can do many things well and 3) find joy in writing. I know that is asking a lot of a simple task but if it works I am all for it. I hope I can continue with the weight loss and not have it turn into weight gain. So with out further ado here is Kiah's first public (of sorts) recipe and review.

Root Beer Cupcakes

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

2eggs

2 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup root beer

1-1/2 cups whipped topping

12 root beer barrel candies crushed

 

In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and allspice; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with root beer, beating well after each addition.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350* for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Just before serving, combine whipped topping and crushed candies; frost cupcakes. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yields 1 dozen

This recipe comes from “Taste of home” magazine, fun food August 2010

 

The root beer cupcakes were very good but next time I think I would choose a different brand of root beer. Maybe A&W. I would also change the frosting from whipped topping to a more traditional vanilla butter cream and sprinkle the crushed candies on top instead of mixing them in.  This cupcake tasted very similar to a spice cake. That took us by surprise.

Enjoy, Kiah