Louder than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism

Leslie highly recommends this to mothers, (and fathers, too). A smart, powerful story of the importance of following your gut instinct, no matter how "crazy" people say you are. If you are someone who is on the fence about vaccinating, or someone whose child has had several round of antibiotics, there are invaluable resources and research to help you.

Trail of Crumbs

If you enjoy food and travel, you'll love this book/cookbook by Kim Sunee'. After college, she travels Europe, is the girlfriend of a famous French businessman, and learns everything there is to know about French cuisine. Did I mention she grew up in New Orleans, and was adopted in South Korea? An intriguing life story . . .

http://www.kimsunee.com/

Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies

We recently baked Snickerdoodles with the children. They loved the name and the cookies! Below is the recipe, courtesy of Betty Crocker.

1 cup soft shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2-3/4 cups sifted flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Coating

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, combine thoroughly the shortening, sugar and eggs. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Chill dough in refrigerator for at least an hour. While dough is chilling, mix together sugar and cinnamon for coating, set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Once dough has chilled, roll dough into balls the size of a small walnut. Roll dough balls in sugar and cinnamon coating. Place dough balls 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in oven until lightly browned but still soft. Remove cookies from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.

Yields approximately 5 dozen cookies

Leander Summer Reading Program

The Leander Library Summer Reading Program will begin 6/16 and ends 8/1 with a party and square dance. Weekly summer events include:

Summer Movie Mondays at 3

Dangerous Club for Boys (girls welcome!) Wednesdays at 3

Daring Club for Girls (boys welcome!) Thursdays at 3

Cedar Park Summer Reading Program

The City of Cedar Park reading program for children ages 0-11 kicks off 6/9 and ends 8/9. There is a special program for teens ages 12-17. Weekly library activities include:

Mondays @ 2:30 pm - Family movies
Tuesdays @ 10:30 am and 11:15 am - Special performers for toddlers/pre-schoolers
Thursdays @ 2:00 pm and 3:15 pm - Special performers for elementary-school aged children

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in August

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus will be in town August 20-24. Half price tickets ($7.50-$12.50) are available for opening night. You can save 20% off all tickets if you order before 5/30. The shows are at the Frank Erwin Center.

On Goodwill

A little boy named "Wil" attends our school, and he loves each and every one of his things. As part of a conversation about recycling, we discussed giving away excess "stuff" to people who need it or to Goodwill. Wil began to look very pale, very nervous, and he shouted out, "Well, I don't even know that 'Will'".

Pink and Blue Cheese Dressing

Our dad loves blue cheese, and so, we love blue cheese. We love blue cheese crumbled on a steak. We love blue cheese dressing and wings. Most especially, we love this dressing. When our dad was in school at WVU, he lived with the Sheen family. Our recipe is based on Eleanor Sheen's recipe.

Pink and Blue Cheese Dressing

1/2 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 oz crumbled blue cheese
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
juice of 1 lemon
6 drop (or more) Tabasco
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients gently in a bowl. Chill and enjoy.

Note: Great with spicy buffalo wings or make a wedge salad, as we did. Start with a wedge of iceberg, top with dressing, diced tomato, and crumbled bacon if you wish. Feel free to make the dressing spicier with Tabasco or cayenne, and extra horseradish would be lovely.

Healthier Paints (by Leslie)

RecentlyI decided to try some of the new paint that contain no VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in the paint or the dyes. The paint worked great, and there truly was no smell! At about $12 more per gallon, this is a green choice that does not pack a huge financial punch!

I chose "Organic Garden" from the Freshaire Choice collection sold exclusively at Home Depot. There are 66 natural colors to choose from, and several finishes. I was pleased with the eggshell finish for the downstairs powder room.

If you call the number on their website, you can even receive 3 free samples in the mail!

http://freshairechoice.com/

Perfect Caesar Salad Dressing

Leslie's kids love to make this dressing, and the whole family loves to eat it! This is great topped with grilled chicken, or accompanying an Italian dish.

Caesar Salad Dressing

In the bottom of a large mixing bowl or salad bowl, whisk together:
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 T anchovy paste--sold in a tube
1/2 tsp salt
juice of 1 lemon
a few grinds black pepper

Slowly whisk in approximately 1/2 cup olive oil or vegetable oil. We recommend a light olive oil rather than extra virgin olive oil, which can be a bit bitter in this recipe.

Add in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese--freshly grated or the good 'ole grated stuff in the green can.

Check dressing for seasoning and adjust according to your taste--possibly more lemon or pepper is needed.

Top the prepared dressing with two sliced hearts of Romaine--we like to buy organic Romaine hearts as much as possible. Toss just before serving. Top with homemade croutons (sort of like diced garlic bread) if you wish.

Cedar Rock Railroad at Williamson County Regional Park

If you have a kid who loves trains, or if you are looking for affordable family fun, try the Cedar Rock Railroad at Williamson Country Regional Park. The train was handmade by conductor Ken Knowles and his wife. The train circles the park, and even goes through a tunnel! Ken punches tickets before the ride, much to the children's delight. We recently met families from our preschool for a train ride, and the kids talked about it for days afterward!

Southwest Williamson County Regional Park is located off of 1431 and Sam Bass. The railroad is operational from 10-6 on Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting. Children under 1 are free, for everyone else, the fee is $2.50. The park has great amenities, but in particular, it has a playscape, lots of room to roam, bathrooms, and lots of sidewalks that are great for riding trikes or scooters. You may be fortunate to see horses in the fields surrounding the houses just across the street from the park.

http://www.cedarrockrailroad.com/
http://www.hillcountrynews.com/articles/2005/02/01/news/news06.txt
http://www.wilco.org/CountyDepartments/ParksandRecreation/SouthwestWilliamsonCountyRegionalPark/tabid/556/Default.aspx

Recycled Wine Bottle Soap Dispenser

We think Martha Stewart may have been our inspiration for this soap dispenser about ten years ago. Simply clean a wine bottle, and soak to remove the label, if you wish. Add liquid dish detergent, and top with a pour spout. Pour spouts are easy to find at Target and other retailers for a couple of dollars (http://www.barsupplies.com/tapered-metal-pourer-p-290.html). Leslie used a Texas wine bottle in this example. You actually use less detergent pouring with a pour spout!

Broccoli Yum Yum....a Good Earth Day School Favorite

This was a popular dish that made the circuit at every church dinner when we were growing up. Courtesy of our long-time neighbor, Patti Grose, this is a cheese lover's favorite and the children at The Good Earth Day School love it!

Broccoli Yum-Yum

2 boxes chopped broccoli, thawed [3-4 cups fresh, chopped]
1 cup cream of mushroom soup
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Topping
1 1/2 cups crushed Goldfish or Cheez-It crackers
4 Tbsp. butter, cubed

Preheat oven to 350°F Mix together cream of mushroom soup, eggs, mayo, cheese, salt, pepper and cheese. Fold in broccoli. Place in a buttered casserole dish. Evenly sprinkle crushed crackers over top of casserole. Placed cubed butter over crackers. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Let casserole sit for five minutes before serving.

Goodwill

We never fail to find great clothes for the kids, awesome books, games, and wooden toys.

When we talked about recycling recently in our preschool, including giving away extra toys that you don't use to Goodwill, a boy named "Wil" replied, "Well, I don't know that Will".

http://www.austingoodwill.org/

Appalachian Girls' Taco Salad Before We Knew Better

Back when we were Girl Scouts, and we had an end-of-the-year family picnic, Janie's classmate Serena whooed our beenie-wearing, sash and flash laden hearts with this taco salad, the likes of which we had never tasted before. Until the early 1990s, we thought Mexican food consisted of Taco Bell, Chi Chi's, and Old El Paso taco kits. It's all good, we'll still eat it and love it depending on where we are and who's cookin'. Kids love this stuff!

Taco Salad (Courtesy Serena Wotring)

2 lbs. ground beef (You may choose to use ground turkey or chicken breast)
l pkg. taco seasoning
1 head of lettuce, chopped
3 tomatoes, diced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 can pinto beans, drained
2 cups cheddar cheese
1/2-3/4 small bottle catalina dressing
1 bag Doritos or Fritos

Brown meat, drain, then add taco seasoning, following pkg. instructions for liquid - cool the taco meat. Toss together all vegetables, cheese, meat, 1/2 bag of doritos or Fritos, and dressing. Crush remainder of chips and sprinkle over top of salad at the last minute.

Note: We highly recommend original, nacho cheese Doritos.

Potato Chip Chicken

Our minister's wife when we were growing up, Corile Wilhelm, was a retired school teacher and the daughter of a restauranteur. She never wasted anything, especially at the church camp she and her husband Berlin ran for all of us each summer. Her recipe for "Potato Chip Chicken" as we came to call it, never failed to please anyone when our mom made it for our family and company alike. Janie still requests this for her birthday meal each year.

Potato Chip Chicken (Courtesy Corile Wilhelm)

1 3# chicken cut-up or chicken breasts
1/2 cup buttter, melted
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 garlic clove, or a little garlic powder
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup potato chips, crushed very fine
1 cup corn flake crumbs

Remove skin from chicken, wash and pat dry. Melt butter, add seasonings to all the crumbs. Mix well. Dip chicken into butter or margarine, then roll through crumbs until well coated. Bake on a foil lined cookie sheet at 350 degrees for one hour. No need to turn chicken while it is baking. If using all breast meat, chicken will take less baking time.

Note: This makes a great chicken sandwich when cold. You can also slice chicken breast into nugget-size pieces and coat for wonderful nuggets. A flavor variation would be to use barbecue potato chips, or maybe something spicy like jalapeno cheddar or chiptole barbecue if this isn't for kids!

A New Sidedish--Baked Cheese Grits

We had these recently for Sunday dinner alongside roast beef, rich brown gravy, and a green salad. They were heavenly! We couldn't help but think some nice additions would be: roasted poblanos, chipotles, bits of crispy country ham, blue cheese, or smoke spanish-style chorizo.

Baked Cheese Grits

4 cups milk
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking grits
10 T (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (Emeril's seasoning works great)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
3 large eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 2 quart baking dish. In a large heavy saucepan, bring milk and water to a boil. Add the grits and stir from time to time, simmer until grits are done, 2 to 5 mins. Remove pan from heat and add the remaining ingredients. Pour into the buttered dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until top is lightly browned. Serve hot.

Note: These reheat nicely in microwave if leftover.

Special Fruit Salad

This is a jazzed up, refreshing fruit salad, perfect for a weekend brunch or holiday dessert.

Quick Salad (courtesy The Dominion Post)
1 small box tapioca pudding
1 small box vanilla pudding (cook type)
1 small can mandarin oranges
1 large can chunk pineapple in its own juice
2 bananas, sliced

Remove juices from oranges and pineapple. Add enough water to these juices to make 3 cups. Mix the juice/water mixture with the puddings over medium heat in saucepan until the mixture becomes thick, stirring frequently. Remove mixture from heat, waiting until mixture becomes lukewarm. Combine mixture with oranges, pineapple and bananas in a medium bowl. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Serves 4-6.

Sassy Sauce (Chocolate Sauce)

Southern Living is known for its great recipes, and this is one that has been popular in our family for years. Somewhere along the line we started calling it "Sassy Sauce" in honor of our mom. "Sassy" is surprisingly one of the names we have nicknamed our mom. The grandchildren have added their own: Mee, Mamie, Emaw, and Emay. But, as Leslie's four year old recently shared with her new teacher, don't EVER call her "Granny".

Great over ice cream, this sauce can cast an evil spell and make you do things you shouldn't. Like eat a spoonful straight from the fridge when it has a fudge-like consistency. Or, as a couple of the men in our family did, coat an orginial glazed Krispy Kreme doughnut in it late at night.

A pint of this could be one of the best gifts you bestow upon another human being.

Chocolate Sauce for Ice Cream

1/2 Cup butter
4 1 oz squares unsweetened chocolate or 5 T unsweetened cocoa
3 Cups sugar
1 13 oz can evaporated milk
1/2 tsp salt

Melt butter and chocolate in top of double-boiler, stir in remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat stirring until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth--do not boil or the sauce will crystallize. Serve warm over ice cream. Yield 4 Cups.

Chicken Nuggets

This recipe was a family favorite for tailgating at WVU football games. It is courtesy The Dominion Post. These nuggets are great hot, cold, or in between!

4 boneless skinned chicken breasts
1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 T salt
1 T basil
1/2 cup butter or margarine

Cut chicken breasts into 1 1/2 inch squares. Combine cheese and other dry ingredients. Dip chicken in melted butter then in crumbs. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Aunt Sarah's Crispy Tilapia w/ Special Tomato Sauce

Our parents returned from a trip to Aunt Sarah's house with this wonderful recipe. It'll make a fish lover out of anyone, and it's easy!

Aunt Sarah's Crispy Tilapia w/ Special Tomato Sauce

1 1/2 lb tilapia cut into 4 oz portions or into fingers approx 1 1/2 in x 3 in (gourmet fish sticks, anyone?)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup dijon mustard
panko bread crumbs
olive oil

Mix the mayonnaise and dijon mustard together. Lightly salt and pepper fish on both sides. Spread both sides of fish with mayo/mustard mix, then roll in panko crumbs (japanese bread crumbs) and fry quickly in a hot skillet with a small amount of olive oil. Set fish aside on a paper towel lined plate.

Special Tomato Sauce:
3/4 stick of butter
4 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 Tsp. minced garlic
a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
splash of white wine
2 Tabl. capers

Melt butter, add garlic, lemon and white wine. Add tomatoes, capers, cook and reduce the liquid until not runny. Note: This sauce is very good tossed with cooked bow tie pasta and chicken that has been sauteed in butter and browned. Sprinkle with your favorite grated Italian cheese.

To serve: Top a piece of crispy fish with the Special Tomato Sauce at the table just before eating! Enjoy

Mexican Meatloaf

This was a favorite of ours growing up, and, it's really healthy, too.

Mexican Meatloaf (Courtesy Weight Watchers)

1T plus 1 tsp oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green and red peppers (sweet peppers)
2 cloves of garlic or 1 Teas. powdered garlic
1 packet instant beef broth and seasoning mix or 1 teaspoon granulated beef bouillion
16 ozs ground round
4 ozs cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream substitute
2 T chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2-1 tsp chili powder
dash of black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 9 inch skillet heat oil over medium heat: add onions, peppers, garlic, and broth mix. Saute until onions are translucent. In a medium mixing bowl combine sauteed vegetables with remaining ingredients. Shape mixture into a loaf and place in an 8x8 inch baking pan. Bake until browned, about 45 minutes. Serves 4 people.

Notes: After 30 minutes, you can remove the meatloaf and baste the top with a little ketchup. Then return to oven for remainder of baking time.

War by Leslie

Last night at dinner, my girls asked about war again. My husband and I have delicately explained "war" on several occasions when the children have asked. They aren't allowed to watch violent images on TV or in movies, so I would assume most of their notion of "war" is an image they have created in their minds. War, no matter how we carry on in our daily lives, does seep into even the lives of children. For my seven year old daughter, that was through a project that a friend presented yesterday at school. I don't want to completely shelter my children, but I don't want them to worry about things out of their control.



Wow--questions such as this can really take you back. Here's what my husband and I have shared with our children, maybe it will help you:



1. Sometimes people or countries fight when they can't reach a solution. It is always better to find a solution by talking with each other, just as you do with your friends and siblings.

2. You are safe. There is no war in our country right now.

3. Soldiers have an important job--to keep us safe. They also have to be away from their spouses and children for long periods of time. Imagine how much you would miss daddy or I if we had to be gone for six months or a year? We should be thankful that soldiers keep us safe and sacrifice time with their families for us.

4. (And, in response to my seven year old daughter's questions about babies and children getting hurt in wars, and adults crying) People get hurt in a war who aren't part of the war. It is a very sad thing, and when countries or people decide to fight in a war, they are also making a choice that affects innocent children, older people, and people who don't want to fight.



War . . . our country has been at war in Iraq since 3/20/03. No matter your views, I did reveal some of my feelings to my girls last night. I told them that I know mothers don't like war, ever. I don't think mothers, the people who worry about details like whether you chewed up your vitamin and have clean ears, can ever be OK with their kids being in a war. To all the mothers who have lost someone in the Iraq War, and on either side, I am sorry for your pain. I am selfishly sorry that I don't know if I could bare the pain that you have. I would have done anything to prevent "war" for your child.

Aurelia's Spanish Chorizo in "Penne Espanola"

This delicious spanish style chorizo was served as a sample at Central Market recently. Smokey and delicious--our kids ages 2, 4, and 8 loved it as much as the adults. We enjoyed some of ours as an appetizer with manchego cheese, then used the remaining chorizo in a pasta dish similar to this for the preschool, recipe courtesy Aurelia's Spanish Chorizo . . .

Penne Espanola
1/2 lb penne pasta
2 T olive oil
1 medium onion (coarsely chopped)
2 sweet red bell peppers (coarsely chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 package Aurelia's Spanish style chorizo (thinly sliced)
1 t sweet smoked Spanish paprika
1 28 oz can Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes (diced)
6-8 oz grated mozzarella

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, keep warm.
Heat olive oil in large skillet. Cook onion and bell pepper on medium heat until soft--about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add chorizo, paprika, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Fold in pasta.
Top with grated mozzarella cheese. Simmer for a few minutes to let the cheese start to melt. Serves 6. Serve with a baguette, and tossed salad.

Leslie and Janie modifications: We used 1 lb penne, 3 T olive oil, and 3 cloves garlic. We added about 1 cup of milk when we added the chorizo, paprika, and tomatoes. We also added about 2 cups of shredded grilled chicken, as we only used 1 link (1/3 package) chorizo. Instead of mozzarella cheese, we used finely diced manchego cheese. Delicious!

Tried and True Smoothies for Kids (Parents, Too)

Mornings are busy! We all feel so much better if we start the day with a healthy breakfast, and studies show that kids who eat breakfast are ready to learn. These smoothies are always pleasers at our preschool. Add toast or graham crackers to round out breakfast. Some ideas for add-ins: juice, ground flax seed, protein powder, and sweeten with Splenda for mom and dad.

Banana Shake
Yield: 2 servings
1 banana, chopped
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
Splash of vanilla or dash of cinnamon
Squeeze of honey, if desired

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You can also add a little extra peanut butter to the banana shake for additional protein.

Berry-Yogurt Smoothie
Yield: 2 servings
1/2 cup berries [use any variety you like or a mix of berries]
1 cup vanilla yogurt
Dash of cinnamon
Sugar, to taste


Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. We use frozen mixed berries when fresh are not readily available or in season.

The Best Fabric Softener Ever

The reason that our laundry isn't soft when we skip fabric softener or dryer sheets is actually because all of the soap residue hasn't been removed during the washer rinse cycle. We've found that the best fabric softener is actually vinegar! That's right--white vinegar.

Simply add about 1/4 -1/2 cup white vinegar to a Downy ball, or to the softener opening in your washer. You'll find that your clothes, especially towels, will come out of the dryer feeling fluffy. Don't worry--your clothes won't smell like vinegar! Vinegar is a healthy green alternative to fabric softeners that are full of chemicals and perfumes. When purchased by the gallon at under $2, vinegar is also economical!

The Sassy Pea

If you are in need of a custom gift basket, our friend Tina can ship one anywhere, or deliver locally. Check out her site, and her "Sassy Pea". . .

http://www.thesassypea.com/

Meeting the Fundamental Needs of Young Children

by Leslie

As parents, we are sometimes bombarded by messages that our children will not “measure up” in some way when they enter kindergarten. Will they be reading? Will software make them brighter? Why isn’t my child reciting the planets and adding with a calculator like her cousin? I share your concerns for all of our children, and sometimes get caught up in the pressure myself! I receive glossy marketing materials from state of the art preschools. Should I run out and enroll my kids in the summer spaceploration camp with 100 other kids? What do young children really need and want? I take a breath and remember what I have learned from children, as someone whose career has involved observing and teaching them. I have learned that above all else, for high-level learning to occur, children need to be in a relaxed environment surrounded by materials and curriculum that are open-ended and real, and they need to really matter to the adults and children in their lives. Perhaps the greatest challenge we face is actually slowing down and preserving the wonder of childhood.

Environment
I look back with the most fondness to my years spent connected to smaller schools. Not unlike the children I worked with, larger schools with bright fluorescent lights and a couple hundred children completely overwhelmed me—even in “orderly” schools. Prior to opening The Good Earth Day School, my daughters were students wherever I worked, and I always noted their visceral response to classrooms where the walls were covered with a million pictures, letters, and bulletin boards with loud designs. Those same classrooms could be structured or not, but put more than 10—12 children in any early childhood classroom, no matter the quality of the teaching, and it does suggest “party” to a small child.

I always encourage adults to consider how they feel during professional development workshops. How does it feel to sit arm to arm in a brightly lit conference room with other adults for hours, waiting for the instructor to announce that it is break time? Imagine that you are a three year old child, waffling between the maturity of a toddler and of a “big kid” preschooler. Imagine a nervous system not as mature as yours spending an 8—10 hour day in close proximity to 20-24 other children. Could you keep it together in such a large group several days, or every day of the work week?

Materials and Curriculum
Now, imagine what you enjoyed as a child. What could you do forever? Wash dishes or toys, make mud pies, color, or build towers with blocks? Children ages three to five really want to mimic adult activities, and quite frankly, most schools find it easier to do things for children rather than make time for children to be part of the messy, gooey process. You don’t usually prepare any of the food you eat—it just appears. Sticks and mud are the enemy—and don’t even ask if you can divert from the school-wide schedule. Our weekly rhythm of painting, drawing, baking, crafting, and cleaning allows for those critical hands-on experiences. Besides these routine experiences, we follow both the interests of the children and what is occurring in their environment. For instance, studying insects and spiders as they emerge in the spring is real. Studying bears for a week may not have much relevance to a young city kid who has no real contact with a bear!

Open-ended materials allow for experimentation and creativity. The child must use his/her body and mind to drive the wooden car, make the dinosaur figurine roar, or to cook felt pancakes in a miniature pan. A long silk scarf becomes a tent, and a belt becomes a leash (around the belly) of your friend, “Puppy Boy”. Toys that make noises or have predictable outcomes are usually left behind for the simpler things, anyway. Outdoor time is critical to gross motor development—children need to have connections with the “wild” around us, for they themselves are wild without it! In large schools, there are so many classrooms to coordinate, and outdoor time is usually severely limited.

Creating a School Family
Unfortunately, in the field of early childhood education, staffing is perhaps the greatest challenge—burnout rates are high, salaries are often low, and training can take a very long time to translate to practice. Turnover can be the undoing of an otherwise great program. Children really need to be known and understood, and constantly changing adult faces throughout the day or over time is not comfortable to children. Where staff are constantly changing, enrollment is never settled. Friends coming and going constantly is also unsettling to children, and makes a teacher’s job very difficult.

In most schools, preschool children are artificially grouped with children the same age, with little opportunity to mix with infants, toddlers, or school age children. This grouping misses a wonderful opportunity for mentoring. Children enjoy helping a younger friend and learning from an older friend. Families are a great resource to children because there is a mix of young and old—so much behavior to observe and integrate! Both experiences build confidence and are stimulating to a young child.

A Curricular Model
My personal beliefs aside, I feel that the Lifeways North America organization best aligns the economic and cultural need of families for childcare with the developmental needs of young children. If your child can’t be with you, what they really want is something like you. Somewhere to explore freely. Somewhere to experiment with their thoughts and ideas. Somewhere to dabble in the routine of “big kid” school with the freedom to be a little guy. Please take some time to review the articles “What do children need above all things?” and “Basic Practices in the Care of Young Children” They best describe the curriculum we seek to provide the children in our care.

Leslie's Perfect Morning at Central Market

When you have children, it's easy to forget to go to your favorite places amid birthday parties, Chuck E. Cheese nights, and trips to the park. On Saturday, after a light breakfast of Gorilla Munch, I stood at a crossroads. Head to an indoor jumping place, OR load my three children (ages 2, 4, and 8) and my two year old nephew in my screamin' blue Kia van, and head to Central Market to regain footing after a busy week? In choosing the latter destination, I knew I could enjoy samples of "stinky cheese", dip bread into extra virgin olive oil, and pick up a pack of sushi to enjoy in the cafe without anyone asking for a bite! This was in sharp contrast to having to leave my socks on, drink Gatorade from a machine, and eat peanut M&Ms. To Central Market we go . . .

When I was single and later newly married, Central Market was where you could buy a teaspoon of a new spice to try in a recipe without investing in a whole bottle. A place to try new meats and cheeses, and ingredients from around the world, then return to your non-descript and unworldly apartment. Later, as a personal chef in town, it was where I shopped for clients' weekly groceries and the ingredients for meals to be prepared and frozen. When Janie moved to Austin, she worked in Central Market's bakery department bagging challah and slicing loaves for eager customers.

Then, we moved to suburbia and Central Market was but a delectable memory . . .

Here are recommendations for a lovely Saturday morning at Central Market on North Lamar in Austin with the kids (www.centralmarket.com).

• Before leaving home, make sure everyone goes potty, and has on comfortable clothes and shoes.
• Arrive at the store before it's hopping--by 9 or 9:30 should work. The parking lot will be filling up, but maybe you can find a space close to the family parking section that features a covered cart awning. If you have more than one child, we highly recommend a cart with a big green plastic modification and seat belts for two on its front. Don't forget a modest diaper bag with changes of clothes, diapers, wipes, etc. Wipes are important if you have to clean up messy hands from food samples!
• Buckle any children under age four into the cart.
• Enter the store and make a stop at the customer service register on the right. Pick out some balloons and tie them to the cart or to each child's wrist.
• Proceed through the doors to the produce department and feed the pig immediately on the right. Place a quarter in the pink piggy bank, and each child can choose a piece of fruit as you start your adventure.
• If you are in an educational mode, show the children exotic fruits and vegetables, or varieties of those they are familiar with. Let any unbuckled child load items into the produce bags, i.e. "please get four carrots", then let them punch in the product codes on the scale. If you aren't in education mode, just gather a few appealing things you can't get at your own local store, and proceed. Do not let unbuckled children hang from the suspended produce scales, or eat the crushed ice that is nestled around the veggies.
• In the seafood and meat departments, be sure to check out the crabs, lobster, and on the day we were there, the live crawfish. I picked up some "Fantasy Rolls" in the sushi department.
• Be very, very careful as you make the turn right out of the Seafood/Meat departments. You are about to pass near the hazardous, glass, wine aisles. Unless a bottle grabs your eye on the end displays, or the kids are completely quiet and calm with their hands in the cart, do not go down these aisles. You are asking for trouble.
• Head on to the bulk section on the right. Scoop and weigh anything that catches your eye, and make sure any child walking does not lick the scoops, or try to push his/her arm up the chutes in the bin. Here is a real mom trick for any bulk section. Since you don't want to steal anything and since the kids want to taste, let the kids pick out something they want to try. This snack should get you to through the rest of the shopping trip. Go ahead and scoop out a serving of the bulk snack item each kiddo picks out, then weigh/price it. There--snacking without stealing, and in an individual serving bag. Be sure to save the bag(s) for the checkout aisle when the snack has been consumed.
• Proceed to the health and beauty department. If you like, go to the beauty bar (like a salad bar, full of facial masks and such), and give the kids a sticker for their shirt. These are actually labels for product that say things like "mint julep mask", but who cares?
• Head on to the general grocery items--canned and jarred items, bagged snack foods, baking items, oils. There are usually a couple of samples here. Note the frozen foods section to the right, and just ahead, the glorious, and stinky cheese department. Nectar of the gods . . . manna from heaven. Try some gritty Parmesano-Reggiano cheese, some manchego, whatever the poison of the day. The kids may hold their noses, who cares?
• Make a left out of the cheese department, salivate over the Le Creuset cookware and other beautiful kitchen gadgets to your left. Move on through the dairy department.
• Head to the bakery. There are usually a few great samples, but you can also watch the bakers working and weighing dough. Load a beautiful bread into a brown paper bag, and maybe pick up some warm fresh flour tortillas.
• Pass through the deli, and if you plan to try something new from this department, be sure to ask for a sample.
• Next will be the olive bar, salsas, sauces, and prepared foods. Try the Love Dip or perhaps the Mango Salsa; your tasted buds will thank you. This is a great place to pick up a little pesto rather than buying all of the ingredients to make your own since a little goes a long way.
• Pick up some beautiful flowers for home in the floral department, and maybe a dark chocolate bar for outside.
• Proceed to the checkout.
• Push your cart, and your items out the door, and head into the cafe to the left. Don't give up your cart yet--no need to wrangle the kids just yet. If you need to do a bathroom break, there is a bathroom just inside the cafe.
• Pick up all of the latest free local publications, including Central Market foodie literature. Place in your grocery bag.
• Order lunch at the cafe, and just to the corner of the cafe cashiers, there is a coffee bar if you so choose. The kid portions are very generous, and the kids have snacked all through the store. On the day I went, for four kids I ordered the grilled cheese and fries and the chicken tenders and fresh fruit. Both came with huge drinks that the kids shared. Pick up your drinks, and wheel down the ramp to left side of the cafe.
• Pick a table and unload everyone to wait for your food pager to go off. Tie balloons to the paper shopping bag handles. Take the cart quickly back up the ramp, past the cafe cashiers, and leave cart just outside the entrance to the cafe. Note: While eating outside seems lovely, the day I went was windy and I didn't need to chase napkins. Additionally, the kids find it hard to eat when they keep focusing on the giant playscape and the kids already on it!
• Eat, enjoy sushi, don't let anyone be excused until everyone is done and your table is cleared.
• Proceed outside to play on the playscape. There are lots of kids, so it takes true monitoring to stay on top of where everyone is. I find this is not the time to sit and read a book or the latest issue of "The Chronicle" (http://www.austinchronicle.com/). Save that for home when the kids are napping.
• Play for 30 minutes or so since you don't want any perishables you purchased to spoil, then take the kids to ring the large bell on the deck by the parking lot.
• Head to the potty in the cafe for a potty break and/or diaper changes.
• Load up in the car, and see the drowsy eyes in your rearview. Tune your radio to KGSR, 107.1, and enjoy the ride home. If anyone is available at home, alert them that you may need help carrying the bodies of sleeping children.

Sorting the Unending Laundry

After trying many ways to sort dirty laundry without covering the entire pantry/laundry room floor, we stumbled on this easily modified system from IKEA. These pieces are part of the "Antonius" series (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/range/10364/11468/). Ours sits adjacent to our LG washer and dryer, and makes use of otherwise wasted vertical space. These bins, when full, hold an extra large load of laundry. They slide in and out easily for sorting and unloading.

The recipe for our organizer configuration, with part numbers and price:

One silver frame 700.200.23 $9.99

One silver frame 901.200.22 $6.99

5 Drawers, transparent 13 gallon 301.012.34 $10 each

Hanger, 6 knobs 400.584.47 $3

Project Total: $69.98

The labels, made with a Brother label maker, on each of our five bins:


1. Whites
2. Black
3. Colors
4. Pink and Red
5. Khaki, Gray, Denim

Can't Fail French Bread

As part of our preschool curriculum, we bake bread most Wednesdays with the children. We aren't great bread bakers, and it was a wonderful surprise to finally find a recipe last year that can't fail--despite the hands of two adults and some twelve children! At the end of the day, we send each child home with a round loaf or baguette in a brown paper bag. Most of the time, we understand the bread doesn't make it home!

Our recipe is a modified version of the original recipe called "Friend Annie's No-Knead French Bread" and is courtesy of The Gooseberry Patch book entitled For Bees & Me. www.gooseberrypatch.com Thanks to Pioneer Woman (http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/) for inspiring our picture directions!

Ingredients

1 package dry rapid rise yeast

1 T sugar

2 cups warm water

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in water.

Add the salt, then the flour, and mix well with hands.

Dough will be soft and sticky. Cover with a clean kitchen towel.

Allow dough to rise in mixing bowl until it doubles in bulk.

Punch the dough down and let rise a second time until double. Grease two cookie sheets with olive oil--you may find that you can use just one sheet.

Divide dough in two, knead lightly, but only if you wish, on a flour-dusted surface.

Shape into two rounds or two baguettes. Place each loaf on a pan.

Turn oven on to 350 degrees. Place trays of bread in the cold oven. Allow to bake until browned on top and bottom, and until the loaves sound hollow when tapped with your fist--approximately 30 minutes. Cool. Store in plastic bag or brown paper bag. Note that your loaves will be much larger--these loaves are the result of dividing the bread into six parts.

This bread is best used the same day for sandwiches, garlic bread, or sliced and topped with butter or peanut butter and jelly. If the bread is a day or two old, it is great:

• processed in a food processor to make fresh bread crumbs


• cut into cubes and tossed with a cinnamony French toast custard, poured into a buttered baking pan, and baked off--French toast casserole! Serve with warm syrup and berries.


• cut into cubes and tossed with fresh basil and tomatoes, sliced red onions, julienne salami, diced fresh mozzarella cheese, and a homemade vinaigrette (panzanella)