Melted Crayons

The other day I was home with the kids, and I needed something to do with them.  

Sonya was coloring and I noticed our box of crayons looked like this.

So I decided to melt the broken crayons together, to make round rainbow crayons.  

Sonya was really excited to put the crayons in the muffin tin and see how they melted together.  

I put the muffin tin in the oven at 265 degrees for about ten minutes.

Sonya and Teddy liked to watch the "magic" through the oven door.

When the crayons were done melting I threw them in the freezer for about 30 minutes.  After the 30 minutes they popped right out of the muffin tin.  

I should have used a paper liner because I did have to scrape some of the wax off the sides.

Here they are melted.

  The finished product.

I  will say, coloring with the crayons was kind of a bust.  

Sonya had way more fun with the process of making the rainbow crayons, sorting and stacking them different ways. 

I am sure most of your crayons look like mine so this is a fun little activity to pass the time.  

Monday Manifest on Thursday

Things I Have Made From Scratch This Week

1. Golden Beer Bread with flaxseed instead of chia seeds.
2. Three batches of chocolate chip cookies.  The first one did not turn out, the second was amazing, so I had to make a third.
3. These pancakes.  I substituted whole wheat flour and added ground flaxseed.
4. Face Wash. Combine 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp castor oil, and 1/2 tsp sugar.  On a dry face massage in mixture for two minutes.  Next drape a hot washcloth over your entire face for one minute.  Then wipe off the oil with the wash cloth.  That is it.  No toner, no serum, no lotion.  It really feels amazing.
5. Teeth whitener.  Mash up one strawberry with 1 tsp of baking soda.  Brush on your teeth for one to two minutes.  Next rinse and brush your teeth.  Then floss to remove any seeds from your teeth.  Super clean feeling.

Stuck

Along with "Raccoon Tales", I am starting another new series on my blog called "Stuck."  Big baby T is always getting stuck in the most random places.  He is just a baby in an over sized body that he doesn't quite know how to maneuver.  The poor child has also inherited my clumsiness, and my lack of agility.  When I decided to document this strange phenomenon, within two days I had five different instances of Teddy getting stuck.

#1

The cozy coupe

#2

Getting on the tricycle backwards.

#3

The bunk bed ladder and the top bed.

#4

He got his foot stuck while trying to climb out of his high chair.

#5

My personal favorite, getting his thumb stuck in a hole in the door.

Don't worry Teddy was never hurt in any of these photos.  
I bet you can guess there will plenty more "Stuck" posts to come.

I Heart Faces- Photojournalism

The theme on I heart faces is 

photojournalism.

Here is the story of a boy and the annihilation of his corn on the cob.

Love that baby crocodile!!

Click the button above to to see other great entries at I Heart Faces.

Golden Beer Bread

This is one of the best bread recipes I have ever made.  

It was nutty, sweet, and chewy.  Perfect for a jam and cheese sandwich.  

I got it from a healthy living blog I read, click here to check it out.

Here is the recipe:

• 3 cups bread flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp wheat gluten
• 1 12 oz beer at room temperature (I used Budweiser because that is what I had.  Use your favorite beer to get the flavor you want.)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp rapid rise yeast
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
• 1/4 cup chia seeds (optional)

1. If your beer is not at room temp, pour it into a microwave safe dish and microwave for 45 seconds.
2. Toast the wheat germ by tossing it in a skillet over medium high heat for about 1.5 minutes
3. Combine all of your dry ingredients and whisk together.
4. Add the honey and beer.  Mix for 3 minutes on level one speed, then another 3 minutes on level two speed.  Then knead the dough for another two minutes.  ( I mixed with my hand held beater with dough hooks for about two minutes, and then I kneaded the dough another two minutes.)  Here is the link to the actual recipe, READ IT.  He shared a great kneading technique for this bread.
5. Shape dough into a ball.  In a warm spot cover and rise for two hours.  Fold over over after the first hour.
6. Then shape into a loaf and placed in a greased loaf pan.  Rise again for another hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 430 degrees at the 30 minute mark during your rise.
8. Slash the top of your dough;
9. Throw 1 oz of water into the oven to make some stream.
10. Bake for about 30 minutes.

I LOVED this bread, and was very simple.  I should have baked it a little longer maybe 35 minutes in my oven.  Use your best judgement.  

Here is a fresh slice covered in butter.

 I couldn't resist...

Enjoy!!

Yoda is a Cat

One day Josh was flipping around on the TV and he came across one of the Star Wars movies.  Sonya spotted Yoda on the TV, and declared, "He is a cat.  Look at that cat."  That being said, Josh took Sonya to Pudd'nhead Books in Webster last weekend and let her pick out a new book.  

This was the only book she wanted.

   She absolutely loves this book, and has it pretty much memorized.  Phrases like, "B is for Boba Fett.  Boba Fett is a bounty hunter."   
I totally remember watching Star Wars when I was her age, and I loved it, and still do to this day.  So we decided to let Sonya watch the Star Wars: New Hope, not too scary.  I think she watched it every day this week for her rest time.  While she watches the movie she flips through her book, and looks for the characters she sees on the TV.

Here she is showing me Luke.

"L is for Luke.  Luke is a legendary Jedi."

Notice the outfit she is wearing below.  You may think it is just jammies with rain boots, but you are wrong.  This is the Sonya version of a Stormtrooper.  She came up with this look all by herself.  Now she has to wear it every time she watches Star Wars.

  

The best part of Sonya's calling Yoda a cat is the accent she uses when she says cat.  It comes out like, "caayat."  Imagine if you can, Little John as a three year old little girl because she also says "yaayah."
Mama, "Sonya do you want to watch Star Wars?"
Sonya, "Yaayah," while she wears her grill and swirls her pimp juice.

Monday Manifest on Saturday

I honor of Gap Inc.'s Give and Get Friends and Family Weekend, where you save 30% on your entire purchase, I am listing all of the Gap stores I worked at through out all my years with the company.

1. Gap Women's at the Galleria 1998-2000
2. GapBody at Plaza Frontenac 2000-2004
3. GapKids at Plaza Frontenac Spring of 2004 - Fall of 2004
4. Gap at Chesterfield 2004-2005
5. GapKids at The Galleria Summer of 2006 - Fall of 2006

Other random Gap stores where I helped out

1. Gap at Crestwood Mall
2. Gap at Mid Rivers Mall
3. Gap Men's at the Galleria
4. Gap in Champaign IL (store opening)
5. Gap in Carbondale IL (store opening)
6. GapBody on Michigan Ave in Chicago