We were out of commercially made Play Dough so we made our own:

* 1 cup flour
* 1 cup boiling water
* 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
* 1 1/2 teaspoon oil
* 1/4 cup salt
* assorted food colors

In a stand mixer with a sturdy paddle attachment, mix together the dry ingredients. Then, add boiling water and oil. (You can add a few drops of essential oil at this step, if you wanted to make it smell nice. I added vanilla oil). Mix until until smooth.

If you want to make the dough all one color, add the food coloring.

If you want to create multiple colors, remove dough from mixing bowl. Roll into a log and divide the dough into lumps according to the number of colors you want to make. To avoid getting your hands stained, put each lump into the mixing bowl along with the food coloring. Mix till color is thoroughly worked through the lump of dough.

Place in plastic bag or airtight container when cooled. Will last for a long time.

If you need to mix colors to achieve new colors, here’s a color mixing wheel to help. My children enjoyed watching this step and it was a memorable, tactile lesson on colors.

Let’s just say that there are some toddler-created poop messes that, when you see them, you just know that there is NO WAY to clean them up without getting said fecal matter on your hands… and maybe your favorite jeans.

Today I am thankful for sweet-smelling, deep cleaning hand soap, Arm & Hammer HE laundry soap, and my faithful GE Frontloading washing machine - which is certainly the best tool for the job.

Oh yes, and I’m thankful for my stinky little guy… but I sure hope that he tries a little harder to hit the potty next time! And, if the poor fellow doesn’t, that he’ll remember to call me from the bathroom instead of freaking out and tracking his mess across the oriental rug, down the steps, all the way to the dining room. This way, perhaps the other children won’t have to step in it as they try to be (read fight over) the first to inform me about the event.

I think it’s time to go back and read the “poop mess” referencing, “If You Give a Mom A Cookie”, which is, coincidentally, located in my links

By the way, I did find a remedy for ‘potty talk’ : Make the offending kid HELP with the cleaning the poop mess. They truly just don’t understand the meaning of the words coming out of their mouths without this experience. And, upon the threat of having to clean up the next poop mess - because there will always be a next time - it does cause them to think twice before joking about poop. Oh yeah, and if you’re lucky, they’ll tell the other kids about their horrible experience and suddenly the poop-jokes will disappear… for a little while at least. No worries, though. So long as there are little ones in the house, there will always be the looming threat of “next time”.

This recipe is inspired by the Georgia Pork and Peanut recipe in the Chili Nation cookbook by Jane and Michael Stern.

My Mods: I made some changes to the intensity of the heat and added a few ingredients (beef, cilantro) and changed the way the peanuts are added - I reserved some to be added whole for texture and also added the onions toward the end to keep them al dente.

Flavor: Before I tried this, I was scared it would taste like a Thai peanut sauce with meat chunks over rice! But, not so. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by the delicateness of the peanut flavor. This chili is mildly sweet, like a curry dish, only spiced with cumin instead of curry paste. The heat is intentionally mild, as I tweaked it for my spice-sensitive picky eaters. Heat-lovin’ mommies and daddies might be compelled to add hot sauce to their bowl!

Texture: The ground peanuts make this chili very thick and hearty - more filling than other chili recipes I have tried.

Random fact:It might seem weird to add peanuts to chili, but peanuts are actually a legume… yeah, as in they’re in the “bean family” alongside beans you’d normally expect to see in a chili recipe.

Sarah Joy’s Nutty Chili Recipe

2 lb cubed London broil (1/2 in. cubes)
2 lb cubed pork (1/2 in. cubes)
4 dried chili peppers (about 4 in” in length)
2 14oz cans unseasoned tomato sauce
1 chopped onion (about 1 cup)
2 14oz cans diced tomatoes with juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tbsp canola oil (can use other cooking oils)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 cups chicken broth (or 1 14 oz. can)
2 2/3 cups unsalted, roasted shelled peanuts (save out 2/3 cup)
1 tbsp minced fresh cilantro

steamed short-grained rice
hot sauce
sour cream / plain yogurt
cheddar cheese

Note: This recipe can be halved and frozen for later. This made enough chili for two hearty meals for our family of seven.

1. Place the chilies in a large, heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes, until soft. Then, seed and stem them.
2. Place the prepared chilies, 2 cups peanuts, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce in a food processor. Puree thoroughly.
3. Sauté the onions and set aside
4. Sauté garlic
5. Add the meat to the garlic and sauté some more
6. Add the spices, puree, broth, onions and sugar, remaining 2/3 cup peanuts
7. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes or until thickened and peanuts are softened
8. Add minced fresh cilantro just before serving

Serve over steamed rice.
Top with hot sauce, sour cream (or plain yogurt) and cheddar cheese as desired.

This is a post from my mother in law on the Chester County Homeschoolers message board.
What can I say? It helped me. I was stressing, and it’s only August.
Maybe it’ll help you, too.
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It’s raining here in Coatesville - August and mere 58 degrees!
(Which I love - I’m a cooler-weather kinda girl, my favorite seasons being spring and fall.)

Anyways, being as it’s pouring outside, we’re indoors today and having a “Peter Pan Day”.
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I stole this just-for-laughs story posted below from Moms of Grace. I tried to find the original source but, alas, it’s unattributed and is posted at various websites for moms all over the Internet.

Yesterday, Tom came home to find me with my feet up - just as I should have been. Reading this story today reminded me of how I felt, reading on the couch, as I watched disasters happening all around. Tom certainly did NOT ask what I did all day!

At lunch time, each of my children “helped” by getting out their “own” butter-knives - two each, one for peanut butter and one for jam - and made their own sandwiches. “I made this all by myself!” each child said proudly.

Late at night, before we went to bed, we were ritualistically locking up the house together. When we were locking up the kitchen door and windows, Tom asked, “What’s the deal with all the butter knives in the sink?”

Oh the stories mommies could tell…
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I just wanted to add to my previous post that I know that there are moms and dads out there who have lost control of their temper, who may have even hurt their children, and who are looking for help to break free from this vicious cycle.

A parent (yes, even a Christian parent!) might have had right intentions at first by thinking, “I’m doing the right thing by disciplining my child!” and then they may have gotten too carried away and lost control while discipling - resulting in child abuse.

If you’re reading this, I want you to know that by God’s grace, you can be forgiven and you can change.

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On the Tara Barthel’s discussion board, someone asked about the Young Peacemakers material. I have not used it yet with my children (my mother in law has the YP books - they’re so good that I am considering adding it to next school year’s curriculum). I did have some thoughts on teaching young children about peacemaking:

Foundation first

Make it a point to teach the gospel and peacemaking ideas outside of conflicts, so that children don’t merely associate peacemaking with punishment but rather as part of their world view.

More important than teaching words and behaviors, regularly read stories about Jesus. Who was he? Why did he come here? What does this mean to us? You can ask these questions, and even answer them for children if they are non-verbal. (Great Commission’s First Catechism is a good resource for questions.)

Then, when there are fights and we say, “ask your brother/sister to forgive you” we can also say, “because Jesus forgave you of so much“, because the foundation is in place. They will eventually understand the “why” behind forgiveness.

It’s never to young to start teaching children, even when they are non-verbal. Ways to do this include reading to children and practicing habits with them (saying “I’m sorry, will you please forgive me” as well as asking God to forgive them). For example, if a non-verbal child bites another child, the parent may have to be the ones to be saying the words and praying aloud and modeling this. I see this as almost interceding for them. I can hear my barely-verbal two year old copy all of the word inflections for “I’m sorry, will you please forgive me”, even though to anyone else, it wouldn’t make sense what he was saying.

Along with teaching children about Jesus who is their Savior and who forgave them, it’s important to teach children that it’s not just mommy or daddy that say they have to say they are sorry, seek forgiveness and work out conflict. Teaching that it is ‘God that says this, and not just mommy or daddy’ comes from showing them and helping them memorize pertinent scriptures. Make sure to label sin as sin. Use like terminology with scripture - naming the specific sin - to help understand the correlation between what you’re saying and the Bible. “Handbook of Scriptures to Grow On” by Lois Schmitt and Joyce Price is a book that I often use to help to me when trying to find verses on behaviors (good and bad - put off, put on). It’s out of print, but there are many used copies out there on Amazon, Half.com and abebooks.com .

Discipline

I like to remind my children that they have a choice whether or not they will get into trouble. They can choose to obey or they can choose discipline. This has helped my more visual/spacial thinking children who seem have trouble relating sin with discipline - they just think I’m out to get them, whereas my more analytical thinking children who reason better understand right away.

Depending on the situation, we sometimes do “do-overs” - if someone yells something in frustration, I say, “how about you try that again in a kinder way.” (I WANT THAT TOY NOW! vs. “Can I play with that when you’re done?”) I believe that this has helped to teach them that they never have to be afraid to go back and try again - that when they are sinful that they can be reconciled and do not have to flee. They can have a second shot at the relationship.

Praise good behavior! There is much value in doing this. It also helps to establish a relationship with the children beyond a disciplinary one. It helps them to understand how they SHOULD be behaving as a future reference point.

When I discipline my children, I remind them that I do not WANT to discipline them, but that God says I HAVE to - if I do not, then I will be disobeying God and He will hold me accountable. I used to think that the words were more for me until I heard my four year old encouraging my three year old “not to hurt Micah - because mommy doesn’t want to have to discipline you, but she’ll have to anyway because God says she does.” Lo and behold, he got it and immediately stopped hurting the two year old.

The purpose of discipline is restoration. When my children are disciplined, I remind them that they are restored and forgiven. Parents can make the Four Promises of Forgiveness too:

1. “I will not dwell on this incident.”
2. “I will not bring up this incident again and use it against you.”
3. “I will not talk to others about this incident.”
4. “I will not let this incident stand between us or hinder our personal relationship.”

Seeking forgiveness /reconciliation

The question was asked (paraphrased) : What should a parent do when one child says they are sorry and are forgiven but then forgiving child don’t want to have anything to do with the offending child - such as a hug or kiss?

Part of teaching children to forgive is to help them go through the outward motions of forgiveness. The Four Promises of Forgiveness could be reviewed at that time, especially as a reminder that we need to guard our hearts against bitterness.

Although we can walk our children through requesting/granting forgiveness, it is impossible to make someone’s heart change. A child’s been hurt by another child - they are afraid they’ll be hurt again. Maybe they are still in physical pain from the bite/punch/kick. This is no different with adults, right? If someone lies about us, it’s hard to tell them our hopes and fears. We are afraid to be hurt again. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t do all we can to keep the relationship from being hindered, but there is often a time of heart-healing and growth - both spiritual and relational.

Rather than creating a further discipline issue by forcing them to hug (although you can suggest that it may be a good idea), pray aloud with the children and ask God to strengthen their friendship and work in their hearts to help each other genuinely be reconciled. Sometimes just hearing these words in a prayer will soften little hearts - I know it does mine when someone who has offended me takes time to pray for me! Leave room for the Holy Spirit to work in their hearts, and place your trust in the Lord. We cannot control our children’s hearts. Pray over them throughout the day. Then, the next time they are playing nicely, affirm the relationship by pointing out how much fun they have together and how they love each other no matter what. “Now can you give a hug to your brother/sister?” When they do hurt inevitably hurt each other, remind them of the happy times they have when they are reconciled.

I sat some of my children (ages 5,4,3) down to watch these interviews as well as the video that Amanda made. They have never knowingly observed someone with autism before, and I wanted to teach them so they would have a better understanding.

“Why is she doing that, mom?”

“Because God gifted her in that way - she is more aware than we are of how things taste, feel, sound and smell. She is rattling the paper because she is looking at the flag out her window and thinking of the sound it is making as it flaps in the wind.”

We talked about how God made each of us unique - Thomas is good with numbers and likes adventure games. Tabitha can whistle - but Thomas can’t. She can eat more than mommy can, and yet she’s a little girl! Aiden is very sturdy when he climbs high.

I told them that God has made this woman to be unique, too. Yes, she does things differently than we do. But, she is a person just like we are.

We must never make fun of or hurt someone because they are different from us. To do so is like telling God that His creation is not good enough for us.

Tabitha was sad that people would hurt someone else just because they were different. I told her that if she ever sees someone being hurt or made fun of that she could tell those bullying to stop and to come get an adult if they didn’t.

In effort to save money, I buy the store-brands of pain medication containing Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Ibuprofen (Motrin).

When I called the pediatrician on behalf of one of our daughters this morning, he asked about the dose of Tylenol she was given. I had given her one and one half teaspoons, but it turned out that she should have been given two teaspoons based on her weight.

The problem is that store-brand medicines often label dosage by age and not by weight, so it’s guesswork to figure out how much to give.

As a result, I looked up dosage charts online. The most detailed charts seem to be at www.askdrsears.com.

(I will be printing these and taping them inside my cupboard door. )

To save you the search if you find yourself in the same predicament, I have listed the links are listed below. Both links orient you directly to the charts, but there is also pertinent information above and below the charts that can be read by scrolling up or down:

Ibuprofen Chart
(Found in these and other brands: Motrin, Advil, Pediacare Fever, Children’s ElixSure)

Acetaminophen Chart
(Found in these and other brands: Tylenol, Feverall Suppositories , Tempra, ElixSure IB)