Recipe: Carrot Applesauce Muffins

We love muffins around here- a super easy, portable snack that sneaks in a few fruits or veggies. Our new tried and true, 6 thumbs-up recipe was adapted from the 100 Days of Real Food blog. The original recipe can be found here.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare one standard muffin pan with spray or papers.

In a bowl combine dry ingredients:

1.5 Cups flour (I use half whole wheat and have all purpose)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt

Mix with a fork.

Then add:

1/2 cup oil (we used softened butter but I think coconut or olive oil would work well)
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbls honey
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 Cup grated carrots

Mix well and scoop into muffin tins. Bake 20-22 minutes until slightly golden around edges.

Welcome Ms. A!

Generation 2!

Splatter Monsters

With regular tempera paint, add water in about a 50:50 ratio. Use the straw/finger method for dripping the paint with straws. Once dry, use a sharpie and googlie eyes to add personality. 

Thank you, Pinterest for the inspiration for this art project. 

Picture of the Day: Sparkle

"Look at my shirt! The sun shines on the sparkles and makes pink 'lectricity!"

Jumping for Joy

But actually just jumping for exercise. How can I say no to this request:
"McJessica, I need to jump. I need exercise today."

Love it!

I can't remember what this little thing is called. Santa brought it to the playroom. But it has three speeds, each with its own music. Speed #2 is known as the "ninja song." The pieces fold away for easy storage- and I love it on unexpected drizzly days, or super hot afternoons when we can't make it outside.

Do-A-Dot

Someone gifted Ms. E a set if these do-a-dot markers. They are fun to use and sort if a novelty. But really and truly are just over priced markers. 

Retiring...

Earth Day

Today we talked Earth friendly. Then we tried something new- painting with blueberries and basil. The children were a little weary, but had fun. And hopefully learned just how much we can do with what the Earth provides for us.

I added a few frozen blueberries to about a teaspoon of water and mashed.  One frozen cube of Dorot basil to another teaspoon of water and mixed until dissolved. 

Ninja Chess

A creative mash-up of good guys vs. bad guys, healers, random movements and constant rule changes. And Mr. C always wins :)

Cocoa Weather

I love a good reason for cocoa. And today we whipped our own fresh whipping cream with the kitchen aid. A good trade off for no park time. 

Painting Spring

Tulips with forks. 

Green Thumbs

Dear Governor Brown, 

Per your encouragement, we aren't watering our lawn. But we will water these Spring beauties. 

Warmly,

The Garden Gang

Paper Shape Castles

We all love the big foam blocks. But after a few squabbles over who had which shapes and colors, I cut out some paper shapes for castle building. Simple, fun and a great way for kids to make a story (this castle protects one good dragon and some special treasure). 

Spring blossoms: painted

Spring blossom trees. 

Daffodils

Trader Joes sells bunches of daffodils for $1.29. We watched them open over just a few hours! Spring in action, literally.

Watercolor Sharpie Art

Children outline a scribble shape in Sharpie (I know, I cringe at the thought of children and Sharpie pens, too.) then fill in each shape with a different water color. This works best in water color paper- Target sells a big bad for $4. 

Number Flip Charts and Fact Families

Cut out enough My Little Pony clip arts to correspond to each flap, glue, and discuss. Numbers are so much more fun with Pinkie Pie and friends.

Raccoon Hearts

The children loved making their raccoon heart art and gobbling up heart shaped quesadillas and chocolate covered strawberries. 

I still love Pinterest's never ending supply of holiday art project ideas. 

Book Review: Penguin In Love by Salina Yoon

Penguin in love is a cute little story about a pair of penguins who knit themselves into friendship. I think we may have used as much string as those penguins who knitted clothing for whales, seals and other arctic animals. The girls wrapped and wrapped their tiny little cardboard hearts with yards of string. Little scissor cuts along the edges helped to keep the string in place. If we ever do this type of art project again, I will definitely pick up some thicker weighted yarn!

Sight Words

Sight words on bracelets, on the chalkboard, and next to the door/shoe spot. The more we see it, the more we practice it!