Tending the Eclectic Kinder-Garden

Mincemeat stars, mini-cranberry bread muffins and coffee…

and

cooler temperatures. I’m sure the “cold” won’t deter the holiday shoppers today, and my husband and I are even braving the mob in an attempt to replace the Christmas tree the last set of movers “misplaced” somewhere between Kansas and Texas. I’ve already purchased some holiday trees from Target along with some birchbark ornaments and decor, but until we have the tree up (not until December 1), I have some time to pack away the harvest decor, do a good winter cleaning around the house, and get our annual holiday letter typed up and printed for our Christmas cards.

This year I discovered the best way to prevent the fridge from being stuffed to the brim with leftovers from turkey dinner: invite five soldiers away from home over for dinner and set the twenty-five-pound turkey with all of the fixin’s in the middle of the table between them. The meal was delicious, the company was good, and I even managed to add “new mixer” to my Christmas wish list after my husband broke ours making REAL smashed potatoes. To think, several of our guests, including my husband, were deployed overseas this time last year. “Thankful” is just the beginning of the description of emotions the kids and I have been feeling since June.

One of our dinner guests was a soldier from Singapore. He’d never had pumpkin pie, so I was very pleased that I made the pie myself, cinnamon crust and all (sorry Mrs. Stouffer) for his first experience.

We’re off to Lowe’s. Enjoy a turkey sandwich for us, will you?

Tags: home decor, military life, Thanksgiving

Oh, the winter holiday season is almost upon us! Baking, singing, decorating, spending time with friends and families, treasure hunting, gift giving, traveling… it’s all good!

The National Association for the Education of Young Children offers a descriptive article regarding Good Toys for Children, and I know that NOT too many of you will be surprised to find that in fact, the newest whirlie gig-light up-digital bells a- ringing-cartoon character toys AREN’T the most developmentally appropriate, stimulating, or safe choices when it comes to purchasing toys for babies, toddlers, preschool or kindergarten aged kiddos. Keep NAEYC’s guidelines and suggestions in mind when you’re out shopping for youngsters on your gift list.

If the gift of time is more your cup of tea, then perhaps cooking or baking with young family members, friends, or students would be fun! I found some Kwanzaa recipes here and some Hanukkah recipes over at Food Network , several of which I’m eagerly anticipating trying in my own kitchen this year.

Making graham cracker “gingerbread” houses with my kids is an annual tradition (one I will miss sharing with students this year) I still need to schedule, but the basic supplies are: empty/clean/dry milk cartons, graham crackers, paper plates, IN-EDIBLE royal icing (recipe here), coconut, cookies, cereal, hard candies, licorice ropes, and if you’re feeling really adventurous, upside-down ice cream cones frosted with green or white frosting for Christmas tree landscaping around your graham cracker construction!

Just in case you think I’m rushing, remember Thanksgiving is right around the corner! In addition to making placemats, cards, and other artwork by hand , please consider “adopting” a member of our Armed Forces for Thanksgiving dinner. Being a military family member, I am proud to say that our family will be sharing our hospitality and gratitude with three soldiers who are away from home this year. If all of the “geographical bachelors and bachelorettes” have already been adopted by members of your community, please remember those soldiers serving overseas. Any Soldier is a site that can help you decide what to send and when to send it, and trust me, care packages are so greatly appreciated by those friends and family serving so far away from home.

Happy Veterans’ Day!

Tags: Hannukah, kindergarten, Kwanzaa, military life, Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is this month, and my family and I will enjoy the traditional turkey dinner with most, if not all of the trimmings. A loaf of the cranberry bread from “Cranberry Thanksgiving” will be baked as will mincemeat star cookies (thank you Better Homes and Gardens “Cookies and Candies,” Meredith Press, 1966):

MINCEMEAT STAR COOKIES

1 1/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
4 cups sifted all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
Mincemeat filling

Thoroughly cream shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in peel. Sift together dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Divide dough in half; chill. On lightly floured surface, roll each half to 1/8 inch thick. Cut with 2 3/4 inch round cutter (Mom and I have always used the mouth/rim of a drinking glass as a cutter). Cut small star (make an “x” ) in centers of half of the cookies. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of the mincemeat filling on each plain cookie. Top with the “x” cookie, press the edges of the top and bottom cookies together with a fork to seal. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for twelve minutes.

The toddler and I will read:

and the soundtrack for the month (how 80’s am I? I suppose I should get with the times and refer to it as a “playlist”) will include George Winston’s “Thanksgiving.”

To round out our family’s Thanksgiving traditions, we’ll watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as we cook in the kitchen, and throughout the rest of the day will enjoy

and .

I LOVE this time of year!

It’s November now, requiring some home decor swift-o change-o! *Away* go the witches, jack-o-lanterns, skeletons, and bats, and out come the turkeys, cornucopias, Indians, Pilgrims, and maize! Same autumn leaf color scheme, so the transition was a quick one.

The epergne with a “prim” turkey, glass pumpkin ornament, multi-leaf garland, autumn candy, Vera Bradley “Chocolat” placemats, and Shannon’s handcrafted leaves:

The game table next to the front door with a Klipper Kanvas Pilgrim banner, maize, wood “tole” characters, and bear figurines. I kept the pumpkins from Halloween and added a large wooden turkey character to the basket of leaves:

The vignette transitioning between the dining room and kitchen:

The dining room table centerpiece, with resin turkey candlesticks, a crafty cornucopia with maize and glass ornaments, and the Indian bear figurines:

The vignette over the kitchen sink includes one of Shannon’s “harvest witches,” some popcorn and maize in a glass vase and wooden tole blocks spelling out “Give Thanks:”

And finally, the wreath on the door:

Gobble gobble gobble!