Two Words: Family Picnic

The Scenery

Little Snacker

Happy Girl

Mom's Boys

Tiny Shells

Petting Ponies

Andrew's Mama

Smelling Flowers

"Lellow Flower"

Happy Family

With Grandma

Peek-A-Boo Baby

The Lake

Lake Gazers

My Girls

"Baby...Big"

Feeding Fish

Hungry Minnows

Watching Fishies

Holding Hands

Arin's Treasure

Empty Shells

Juggling Shells

Balance Beams

Gate Jumper

Back Rider

Loving Grandma

Adventure Seekers

Mountain Climbing

Helping Conquer

Did It!

Four Succeeders

Up High

Rock Slider

Trying Again

Picture Posing

Lost Bet

Armadillo Watching

Bye, Bye!

Linked to: Two Words

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares

I love to make a sweet treat for my family for the Sabbath.  Sometimes I make a dessert for after dinner on Friday night and sometimes I make muffins or quick breads for breakfast on Saturday.  This week, I made dessert.

This week, I was given some pumpkins.  The first one, I used the boiling method that I talked about here.  After taking the encouragement of Carmen and Michelle, I roasted the second pumpkin, using the method that Carmen talks about here.  Roasting the pumpkin took a longer cook time before being ready to puree, but it was so much less hands-on time and also such an easy process that this will most likely be my method from now on!  Thanks Michelle and Carmen for the encouragement!

With the fresh pumpkin puree, I made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares. The only changes that I made to the recipe were to use fresh pumpkin in place of the canned pumpkin and freshly milled soft white wheat flour in place of the all purpose flour.  Although they are for dessert tonight, I had to sneak a taste of one (hey, it was a new recipe!).  Pumpkin and chocolate together sounds like a strange combination to me, but these squares are so good!  Super moist and the flavors compliment each other more than I could have imagined.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2.With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

3.Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

4.Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into 24 squares.

This post is linked to: Preparation Day (click the link to participate or to see how others are preparing for the Sabbath)

Two Words: Park Fun

Tunnel Hiding

Where's Ella?

Rope Climber

Hammock Swing

Higher, Higher!

Music Maker

Holding Tight

Mountain Climber

Giggly Girls

Ella Bella

Sand Sculpting

Sister Bonding

I'll Catch

Belly Slider

Vine Walker

"Not Scared"

Silly Slide

Having Fun!

Linked to: Two Words



Acorns

We have been slowly continuing our fall themed activites.  This week, Arin learned more about acorns.  She thought they were just nuts and was not aware that they were actually seeds that would eventually sprout and grow into trees, if not eaten first.

We read:
 Dot and Jabber and the Great Acorn Mystery by Ellen Stoll Walsh
From Acorn to Oak Tree by Jan Kottke

Arin's favorite activity was our stick tic-tac-toe board with acorn playing pieces.  We have been on several nature walks in the past few weeks.  During one of them, we collected sticks that were about the same size.  Once home, I hot glued them together to form the tic-tac-toe board.  Then, to add a splash of color, I tied yarn around the sticks where they were joined together.  We have two types of oak trees growing near our house, so we were able to gather two types of acorns as playing pieces.  If we would have only had one type of acorn, we would have used the caps as the second type of playing piece.

I also gave Arin a set of oak tree life cycle cards, which she put in order.  As she was putting them in order, she named the life cycle stage that was on the each of the cards.

The last activity was an acorn addition math file folder game.  Arin played this when she was younger and I was surprised that see said she remembered it. 

Other acorn activities that Arin has done can be found here.

This is linked to Preschool Corner (&5k too!).

A Shark Ate Mommy

I am not sure if I should be delighted that I got the starring role or be disturbed by this story.

A couple of days ago, Arin drew this picture and brought it to me.

Arin: This is a picture of you, Mommy.  You are at the beach.  A wave crashed over you (notice the blue scribble marks over the person).  You were swimming in the ocean and you did not camouflage in, so a shark came and ate you. 

Me: A shark ate me?

Arin: Yes, a shark ate you.  Some fish camouflage in, so sharks do not eat them, but it ate you.

Me: What happened to me after the shark ate me?

Arin:  You were in the shark's belly and then he spit you out, but then another shark came and he ate you.  Then, he spit you out too.  There were only two sharks.  Aren't you happy to be at the beach?

Me: No, not if I am going to be eaten!

Arin:  Well, it's just because you fed the sharks, that's why they ate you.  They thought you were food!

Two Words: Lazy Weekend

Pancake Makers

Playing Mario...

...with Daddy!

Bible Stories

Baby Snuggling

Letter Practice

Afternoon Walk

Nature Collectors

Reading Together

I Spy!

This post is linked to Two Words.  To read more Two Word posts or to participate, click the link!