Hi Mamma

Room Spritzer for Spring

2020-03-26T06:29:00.000-07:00

Local Young Living Rally in Indianapolis

2019-10-19T11:55:00.001-07:00

On Friday, November 1^st, our Young Living community will be gathering for an evening of fun, coffee, swap stories, oil up and learn!

Why Rally on a Friday night?
We are pretty positive that hanging out with our Young Living Indianapolis community is a great way to start your weekend. At a Live Your Passion Rally you can plan on using some oils that will remind you why Young Living is the world leader in essential oils. The theme of the evening is Winter Wellness. Which will help remind us of what we need to think of as it really does start to get a little chillier.

At the evening rally there will be information about ….

The new product release (we will learn more about the new promotions and products). I must admit my favorite is the Christmas Blend Thieves hand pump soap!
Learn and discuss about Winter Wellness and how we can incorporate it into our daily lives. This can be challenging just due to things that we can pick up when we go to work, shopping, at school, at college and friends and families homes.
Zyto or iTovi scans will be available.
A coffee bar with homemade essential oil syrups, Ningxia Red and other drinks

Doors open at 6 pm with presentations beginning promptly at 7pm. Presentations will end at 9 pm and event will wrap up around 9:30pm.

Take advantage of early bird pricing by purchasing your $10 tickets by October 25th. Starting October 26th tickets will be $15 per person in advance or $20 at the door. No Refunds. You can reserve your ticket by clicking here.

Recycling Old Markers = Homemade Watercolors

2019-05-25T13:48:00.001-07:00

My preschool art class shared with me this week that the project we just completed was their most favorite project of all times. I just chuckled but in all honesty it was a project that they spent the most time on in weeks. It was so much fun to watch their faces glow in what started as a science project and turned into an art project.

Last week, when we were coloring with our markers, the students noticed that the markers were slowly loosing ink and that they needed to be thrown away. I mentioned to them that if they found a marker that had no ink, just place it in the empty box and we will do a science project. Over the course of the day the markers grew in number.

Each of the preschool students volunteered to take a certain color of marker and place it in a cup or jar. They each poured water over their specific color of marker. Afterwards we notice in the green and blue marker jar (Ocean Blue) that the color was coming out of the tip of markers and into the water. It was easier to see in just that it was in a glass jar, as the other colors did the same thing in their white cups. We continued to let the markers sit overnight and see how much stronger in color they became the next morning when they came into school.

Art Project

Take white glue in a bottle and move it around your page forming shapes or just squiggle lines around your paper. Next sprinkle salt on top of the glue, let it sit for just a moment and then shake the excess salt off of your paper.

Then you will take your homemade watercolor and gently "paint" the salt and watch the watercolors spread across the glue/salt mixture. The students really have a lot of fun watching the paint move. When I say "paint" really what is taking place is that we gently place the tip of our paint brush on top of the glue/salt mixture and it does all of the spreading. You really do not use brush strokes.

Knitting Wash Cloths

2019-01-12T10:05:00.000-08:00

There is a big debate (or belief) of whether global warming is taking place on Earth. Different theories and beliefs are out there as to why things are happening. With that being said, my husband and I believe that it is important in our home to take care of our Earth...recycle, be resourceful - not wasteful, if you can use cloth over paper in cleaning, and cloth napkins over a paper towel/paper napkins (please do so).

One handmade item that is always being made in our home are 100% cotton wash clothes. They are great for the home and make excellent gifts for others, when you need that little something to take over to a friend.

Below are two DIY videos that have been a huge resource for me in "relearning" to knit wash clothes. Back middle/high school, my mom taught me to knit when we would go on vacation to our family cabin in Canada. In the evenings, her and I would breakout the knitting needles and yarn. Then when I started the workforce it kind of slipped by just due to having to work late and getting ready for the next day. When my daughters were in 3rd and 5th grade, a knitting club at their school started and they would bring home their knitting projects, so of course we all started knitting (which has been fun). The only issue I had was remembering how to cast on and off.

To this very day, I have my cheat sheet that I keep with my pottery knitting container and needles that remind me of my knitting steps. It has not been until recently, that I have been making larger wash cloths and do not start decreasing until I have between 50-54 loops on my knitting needle.

Knit 4
Knit 2, yarn over, knit to the end

To decrease the wash cloth
Knit 1, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 2 together and knit to the end

Happy Knitting.

Join us in creating artwork/coloring pages for Partners with Ethiopia

2019-01-03T06:15:00.003-08:00

Over the past several years, our family has gathered 1,987 coloring and art pages for children in two different towns in Ethiopia. The goal of the coloring pages is for the children is to know that there are families/children who care about them and to know that we are always thinking of them.

Children of all ages (and adults too) have helped us gather these coloring pages which we are so grateful for their help. It has been wonderful to learn more about our contributors when my daughters have opened the mail. The have learned of stories of children who are in a preschool class who would sit down once a week and color a page. A teenager, who had a spa night party with her girlfriends and they colored several pages and then had their nails done, and a Women’s Bible Study group who made it their yearly project to color pages and write inspirational messages on the front and back of the pages. We could not have done it without these groups.

Partners With Ethiopia is a NFP, who works with a partner organization in Ethiopia, called FOVC (Friends of Orphans and Vulnerable Children). They do all the fundraising and deliver the services such as a hot meal, tutoring, hygiene training, medical care, etc. The kids that are going to be receiving the little surprises (the coloring pages) do not necessarily live in orphanages but could be living with a relative, some have lost one parent and are with the living parent, and some actually live with both parents, but the situation is so dire that they need help.

If this is something that you are interested in joining in on the fun, please feel free to email me at michelle@himamma.com, and or visit our 2 Sisters with a Mission Facebook page.

What the project entails

What you create is really up to you. It can be a coloring book page, a personal drawing that you have drawn, it can be done with watercolor, paint, markers, crayons...the only requirement is that the artwork is close to the size of an 8.50 X 11 sheet of paper.

On the front or even on the back write a message…something as simple as “we love you”, “we believe it you”. It can be a verse, a poem…something to let the children know that you care. We ask that everyone write only their first name on their artwork.

The deadline for the artwork this year will be February 20th.

Pecan or Walnut Pie WITHOUT Corn Syrup

2018-11-21T15:37:00.000-08:00

One of our family favorites is pecan and/or walnut pie. It does not matter which raw nut, it is always a family favorite. We try our best to stay away from anything that has corn syrup in it.

Pecan and/or Walnut Pie

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
1/4 cup unbleached flour
2 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons milk
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vinegar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups pecans, whole (or even walnuts)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll out the pastry and place it in a greased 9" pie plate.

Melt the butter and set it aside to cool.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt.

Add the milk and eggs and beat well. Stir in the vinegar and vanilla

Pour the mixture into the crust and bake for 45 minutes. When the pie is done, the top will be puffed up.

Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing to your family and friends.

Peppermint Mocha

2018-08-04T07:33:00.003-07:00

2 cups milk – 2%, coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk
2 cups brewed coffee
2 T. cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar (this could be adjusted/reduced to taste or not included at all)
1 to 2 drops Peppermint Vitality essential oil – we tend to like it a little stronger in flavor

Directions
In a small saucepan, heat the milk and whisk it as it starts to bubble. Pour in the brewed coffee.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and sugar.

Whisk in the cocoa-sugar mixture into the milk-coffee mixture, until creamy mocha forms.

Pour into your coffee mug and add one drop of Peppermint Vitality essential oil, taste and stir.

Yum!

2018-07-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

Science…we love it. Many times when we have gone past the floral area at the grocery store and smell the roses and browse the array of different colored of daisies and carnations, my daughters have an ongoing speculation to see if the dyed flowers are a "true" color or a "dyed" color, even though they are going to be in 6th and 9th grade, it is a tradition that has never stopped.

Over the past several years, I have taught Junior Kindergarten, this past year we did a fun flower dying experiment that I thought the students might enjoy. They were a group of students who loved to participate and observe different experiments to see what would happen. We would then document our findings in their science binder that we worked on all year long.

Our flower dying experiment was over a course of several days. We started out using older daisies that we had purchased later the week before at home, and I brought them in for the experiment. We trimmed the bottom of the flower stems and placed them in the colored water glasses. The older flowers did not dye as well as we had hoped, but we knew that might be the case going into the experiment. A few days later we purchased new flowers and this time they did much better and the color was obvious and vibrant.

One question the students had asked was, "how soon do you think we will see the color in the petals?" Within two hours, it was amazing to see the colors showing in the white petals. By the next morning, the flowers were fully dyed and in a brilliant shades of yellow, blue, red and green.

We even wondered if certain colors would dye the petals quicker than others. It seemed to us, the blue and the green food coloring dyed the white petals the fastest. I know in the printing world, that when you print with blue ink, it takes longer to dry than any other color just due to the pigment. It doesn't relate to the experiment but it is an interesting fact that makes you think about inks/coloring in general.

What kind of flowers can you use?

White carnations

White daisies

White roses

White carnations

White mums

The Experiment!

First place water in the bottom of your jars or glasses. Fill them so that they do not tip over. A nice solid glass.

Next drop in food coloring until you get a nice, rich color. You can even add to the experiment by color mixing your primary colors, or even other colors that are in the food coloring box. Then mix your desired coloring in the jar so that it has dissolved.

Take your flowers and at the bottom of the stem, cut at an angle.

Remove the leaves that are near the bottom to keep them from sitting in your water.

Place your flowers in the jars.

Remember, the longer you keep your flowers in the dye the darker they will become.

Coconut Oil Lotion Bars with Essential Oil Blends

2018-01-06T13:44:00.001-08:00

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Coconut oil lotion bars are one of our favorite DIY projects that my daughters love to make. We change our oil blends with each recipe made so that we all have a mix of "flavors". Below is the basic "core" recipe that we use.

Ingredients

1 part coconut oil
1 part pure beeswax
10 drops (or strength to your liking) essential oil - we tend to like our blends a little stronger than most.

Heat the coconut oil and beeswax together in a saucepan over low eat. We like to purchase beeswax that are in the small pellets. Otherwise if you do purchase the solid beeswax you can break it up into smaller pieces. It will take a while for the beeswax to melt.

Once the beeswax and coconut oil has are melted, take the pan off the heat and set a to add your essential oils.

Pour the melted mixture into the lotion bar molds.

Let them sit until they are cooled. We typically wait overnight and sit them on the kitchen counter top and then wrap them in individual wax paper sheets for easy storage. You can also place them in the refrigerator if you want them to get solid quicker.

_____________________

Ideas for Essential Oil Blends:

Peppermint + Orange
Citrus Fresh
Thieves + Lemon
Lemon + Lime
Peace and Calming
Rose and Sandalwood
Lavender and German Chamomile
Jasmine and Patchouli
Lavender + Geranium + Tea tree
Jasmine + Patchouli + Sweet Orange
Cedarwood + Patchouli + Vetiver
Ylang ylang + Lemon
Peppermint + Lemon + Lavender

YL Summer Rally

2017-07-07T19:56:00.001-07:00

My daughter and I are excited to be a vendor at the YL Rally where we will have 100% wool dryer balls for your laundry! YL attendees can click the image of the wool dryer balls on the right hand side of this article, to take you directly to our Etsy store. We offer 14 different color varieties.

Many times people will ask…What are the benefits of using dryer balls? Below we wanted to share with you a few highlights of the benefits of these 100% wool wonders.

• Hand felted and 100% natural
• No chemicals
• Fragrance free – great for people with sensitive skin or allergies
• Reduces drying time, and saves money on electricity
• Decreases wrinkles, and softens clothes
• Reusable
• Saves money by eliminating the purchase

How to Use Wool Dryer Balls
Use three at a time to absorb moisture, rotate clothes, and provide better air circulation. They will pill, but that means that they are working. Store them in a
well-ventilated container.

Do Wool Dryer Balls Work in all Types of Dryers?
Yes, but the size of the laundry load, model and make of the machine will determine their efficiency. A newer machine will have better efficiency but you can reduce drying time by at least 30%, even with an older machine.

How Can I Recharge my Dryer Balls?
You can recharge your dryer balls by washing them in hot water on a gentle cycle and then dry on high heat. This will regenerate the wool and give the dryer balls a fresh recharge.

Can I add Essential Oils?

Yes, add a few drops of essential oils to help scent your clothes. It is normally recommended 4-5 balls for small loads and 5-6 balls for larger loads. Splash a few drops of essential oils onto your wool dryer balls. Let the essential oil soak into the dryer balls for 10-20 minutes before you use them. The more the oils are absorbed into the dryer balls before use, the more slowly they will be dispersed in the dryer, and slower is better!

Always Art Studio

2017-07-06T14:32:00.001-07:00

Summer Art Classes

Always Art classes will be resuming on Tuesday, July 11 from 12:45-2:00 p.m., at the Soho Coffee & Cafe Meeting Room in Carmel.

In September, we will be resuming new hours for art classes. More details will be shared soon.

Thank you for your support.

Refreshing Citrus Infused Water

2017-07-01T13:11:00.004-07:00

A few weekends ago, my oldest daughter and I were working on a special project for Sole Hope. It was such a nice day that we decided to sit out on the deck, underneath the umbrella and enjoy the breeze, as well as enjoy a refreshing drink while cutting blue jeans to make uppers (the sides of shoes). It was so good that we wanted to share it with you.

Refreshing Citrus Infused Water
1 lemon sliced
1 lime sliced
Handful of sliced strawberries
2 drops of Lemon Vitality
2 drops of Lime Vitality
Fresh mint
Muddle the mint in your glass pitcher and fill halfway with ice. Add lemons, limes, strawberries and essential oils and stir.

Enjoy!
* Other EOs that you could incorporate into your water is Peppermint, Citrus Fresh, Orange and Lavender.

Do You Love to Draw, Color?

2016-12-23T08:21:00.000-08:00

Help us in reaching the goal of drawing/coloring 500 pictures for Partners with Ethiopia.

What you can create is really up to you. You can color a picture, draw, watercolor, paint…anything you want on an 8.50X11 paper. Then on the front or even on the back write a message…something as simple as “we love you”, “we believe it you”. It can be a verse, a poem…something to let the children know that you care. We ask that everyone write only their first name on the artwork.

Partners With Ethiopia, works with a partner organization in Ethiopia, called FOVC (Friends of Orphans and Vulnerable Children). They do all the fundraising and deliver the services such as a hot meal, tutoring, hygiene training, medical care, etc. Currently they have sponsorship programs in two different villages about 4 hours apart.

The kids that are going to be receiving the little surprises do not necessarily live in orphanages but could be living with a relative, some have lost one parent and are with the living parent, and some actually live with both parents, but the situation is so dire that they need help.

Help us in reaching the goal of drawing 500 pictures!

Please mail your drawing/coloring artwork to the following address:
Vackar Insurance
c/o 2 Sisters with a Mission
P.O. Box 102
Carmel, IN 46082.

Join in on the fun and learn more by clicking on their Facebook page @2Sisterswithamission

Essential Oil Shower Bombs

2016-02-07T08:02:00.001-08:00

We have made shower bombs for when we are not feeling our best, a slight cold may be coming on, and a cough or just a refreshing scent for when taking a shower. Our theory is the simpler the process the better when making the shower bombs.

The essential oils that we use to make our homemade shower bombs are solely Young Living essential oils because of their Seed to Seal Process. Granted, I know that there are other companies that are out there. It is just our personal preference.

Shower Bombs

1 cup of baking soda

1 Tablespoon of cornstarch

1/3 cup water

15 drops of your desired essential oil

Cupcake liners

Place the paper liners in cupcake pan. Mix the baking soda, cornstarch and water in a porcelain dish. The mixture should be putty like. Fill the liners 1/2 full. Let them sit and cure overnight OR bake at 350 F for 15 minutes and let cool.

After the discs have dried or cooled, add 15 drops of your essential oil to the top of the discs. One thing that we have started to do is not to add the essential oils on top of the baking soda mixture until we know what we are wanting to use them for. That way we do not have multiple containers in our home but one, and then can customize to what we are needing to use them for.

Store in a sealed container with the liners wrapped around the mixture. When you use the shower bombs peel the paper liner off of the baking soda mixture, and place at the bottom of the shower where they will dissolve after time.

There are several essential oils for your shower bombs that you can use. Below are a few ideas for you:

Orange Essential Oi
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil
Lemongrass Essential Oil
Eucalyptus/Peppermint/Lemon Essential Oils (this is a combination of oils put together)
Orange/Lime Essential Oils (this is a combination of oils put together)
Peppermint Essential Oil
Lemon Essential Oil

Organic Corn and Red Pepper Salad

2014-05-28T04:14:00.001-07:00

Grilling out is one of our favorite weekend festivities. Over the holiday weekend we made a new recipe of organic corn and red pepper salad. It will definitely be a keeper in terms of taking to a picnic potluck. It is a great side kick when grilling hamburgers, brats, chicken and/or hot dogs.

Organic Corn and Red Pepper Salad

4 T. extra virgin olive oil

4 T. fresh lime juice (roughly 4 organic limes)

4 T. minced fresh cilantro

Lime zest from the 4 limes

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. chili powder

4 cups corn (cooked or grilled)

2 red peppers, diced

Dice your red peppers and combined with the cooked corn in a bowl.

Next in a separate bowl, mix the olive oil, lime juice/zest, cilantro, pepper, salt, and chili powder. Then pour over the corn/red pepper mixture and mix well.

It is ready to serve.

Backyard + Deck

2014-03-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

This weekend we went to the flower and patio show at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. My husband and I have been "dream" planning for our backyard and thinking of some additional ideas that we could do to make our deck and back porch more private (we live on a corner 1-acre piece of property). We just love our neighborhood. Our neighbors are wonderful and when you drive down the street, especially during spring, summer and fall, you just feel like you are in a park like setting. But yet each year we search for that one additional idea that we could add to our property to make it a more entertaining focused for when family and friends come over for a cookout.

One idea we found was a wooden privacy screen. It is not actually a screen but slats of wood that you could grow flowers upward, vegetables and what drew my husband even more to it was hops (he is a home brewer).

There were so many design ideas that local landscape architects and companies created that we just wish money was no object. But as most of know...budget is key.

In the meantime of dream planning we can across some of the most beautiful flowers. Spring fever set in full force even more last night...and just waiting for this Thursday to arrive, because now we can officially call it Spring!

Apple Crumb Pie

2013-11-27T07:43:00.001-08:00

We love getting ready for Thanksgiving, the aroma of the food cooking in the kitchen, pies being baked, everyone working together and helping, and just all around conversation at the kitchen table.

Earlier I had mentioned that we would share our family favorite of Apple Crumb Pie, time has slipped away from me to quickly and I just realized I had not shared with you. The girls and I worked together in baking this pie for a neighbor of ours a few days ago.

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

Apple Crumb Pie

Crumb Topping
1/2 cup + 2 T flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon (we sometimes add a little more but we like a strong cinnamon flavor)
1 stick - cold butter (sliced/cubed)

Filling
7-8 medium sized apples
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
3 T. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preheat the oven 450F. Toss lemon juice on the apples so that they do not turn brown. Mix in the remaining ingredients of the filling into the bowl of the apples. Pour the apple mixture into your pastry crust.

Crumb topping: In a separate bowl from the apple filling, combine all the dry ingredients together and stick of butter. Before adding the stick of butter, cut it into several slices so that when you place it in the bowl you will be able to gently "mash" the butter into the dry ingredients.

Next, spread the crumb mixture on top of the apple filling. Spread evenly.

Bake for 15 minutes at 450F and then reduce to 350F for 45 minutes.

When done remove from the oven and cool.

Duck Tape Crafts

2013-11-14T19:44:00.001-08:00

The new "big" thing in our home is duck tape! Alex received a birthday surprise at our family birthday celebration. It was a bag full of duck tape, not just the silver kind we grew up with but the duck tape that is in various colors and patterns. You can go down any of the department store/craft aisles and find different styles of duck tape patterns.

This summer on vacation, the girls learned how to make duck tape wallets and key chains which was a great deal of fun when sitting out on the porch (and as a car activity) enjoying the lake view on a cool afternoon.

My interest peaked as I thought to myself, I should look on Pinterest to see if there are any additional ideas that might be fun to create with duck tape. Little did I realize all the different things that kids (and adults) can make. A new world opened once I started really looking and researching it. But doesn't that seem like most things anymore?

The girls and I created a Pinterest board of various duck tape project ideas that we liked, so please come over and browse our board of ideas.

We would love to hear from you too, in the comment section below, of the various things that you have created with duck tape.

Kids Sewing: Making Fun Pillowcases

2013-10-27T19:24:00.000-07:00

Making pillowcases is a lot of fun both for adults and kids because there are so many different variations that you can do to make each pillowcase different. Since the beginning of the year, the girls have been learning to sew. We have worked on various projects but our favorite has been sewing pillowcases.

The pattern I am going to share with you today is a basic, one-piece fabric version. It has worked the best for us because it is simple and easy to follow. We will also be working on future pillowcases that will be a little more difficult, such as using two pieces of fabric, working with ruffles, etc., but for the girls’ current skill level, this works great.

To learn more on how to sew a one-piece fabric pillow, please join me over at Sew Mama Sew, where we will walk you through the stages of making a fun pillowcase.

Ollie...Our Super Wonder Dog!

2013-10-06T20:12:00.000-07:00

I just could not resist sharing this photograph. Ollie...he is just one of the most patient dogs in the world. The girls dress him up in all different costumes and it does not matter if it is a ballerina tutu, a baseball hat and scarf, or a swimsuit. You name it and he is wagging his tail!

We are so thankful that we adopted him. This little puppy had a rough start, but we will never forget the first night we brought him into our home. He was so lovey, wanted to be held in your arms and just cuddle. Now this 80 lb lovey still wants to sit in your lap...but we would not change it for the world.

Happy 2nd Birthday Ollie!

30 Fun Outdoor Crafts/Games for Kids + PBS Parents Ebook Launched

2013-09-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

PBS Parents have launched a new ebook of 30 crafts/games that families can do outside. Our children love to play outside and the ebook shares a variety of activities that can be selected for that adventure of the day.

In fact, you could select a craft a day for 30 days all from the ebook in helping you plan. One summer my oldest daughter wanted to do such a task. She loves to craft, do art and just all around create. My youngest was a baby and still napped in the afternoons. While my youngest was taking her nap, my oldest and I would craft. Every day for the summer we crafted and created something new. It was a little challenging at times trying to think of something new, why not for sure but I must say in all honestly we had a lot of fun, and it was something that she looked forward to every day. In fact some days she even created the craft!

Each of the 30 crafts/games are created by moms. For example, you can learn how to make a jump rope out of plastic bags, homemade chalk, silly putty, wreaths for every occasion and so much more.

The great thing about the ebook...all dollars go back to PBS to help support programming. I encourage to you to click the links below and learn more about the ebook and help support the PBS community.

Parents Site

Amazon

iTunes

Kids Cooking Club: Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

2013-06-30T20:03:00.001-07:00

If you asked our family what is your favorite ice cream? There would be a small list of favorites that would fit on one hand....mint chocolate chip, cinnamon, raspberry chocolate chip and vanilla. My husband and I are picky when it comes to ice cream or really any type food. We are a firm believer in not adding artificial flavors, colors, preservatives and dyes.

We have been tweaking this family favorite recipe of mint chocolate chip ice cream. It is a recipe that literally infuses the mint herb into the milk/cream mixture for an hour. It does not have the artificial taste or color that many store bought ice creams have today. This recipe has your taste buds pick up the true essence of the herb. It has a much stronger and refreshing taste in the ice cream.

Originally we started growing mint on the ends of our home. We have a lemon mint on one side and then a "plain" mint (if that is what you might call it) on the opposite side. It started out as a way to deter ants in entering our home via the electrical outlets. In addition to planting geraniums in our flower beds which we read the mint and geranium plants help in deterring the little creatures. The mint garden in return has spread along the width of our home and has provided a wonderful addition to our kitchen.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
4 cups of whole milk
1 1/2 cup sugar
8 cups heavy cream
2 cups fresh mint leaves (rinse the leaves, remove the leaves from the stem and keep whole)
5 egg yolks
Your desired amount of chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

The mint just placed into the milk/cream
mixture to infuse into the liquid.

In a medium/large sauce pan warm the milk, sugar and 4 cups of cream. Once the milk mixture has reached 170F remove from the heat, add the 2 cups of fresh mint leaves into the milk/cream mixture, cover and set aside for 1 hour to infuse the flavor of the mint in the mixture. If you want a stronger flavor of mint to the liquid I would add an additional 30 minutes of infusion.

After an hour, press down with a spatula/potato masher, etc., the mint into the pot to extract as much mint flavor and color as possible. It will not turn the bright green, as you see in the stores. Once you feel the flavor of the mint has been extracted discard the mint.

Pour the remaining heavy cream (4 cups) into the large bowl. Rewarm the milk/cream mixture.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the 5 egg yolks, then slowly pour the eggs into the milk/cream mixture. This will then form the custard. Cook the custard, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. The temperature of the custard should go no higher than 170F.

Allow the custard to cool.

There are one of two ways that you can freeze your ice cream/custard. You can refrigerate the ice cream/custard into a freezer proof container and freeze overnight. Or you can pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and the follow the directions from the manufacturer of the maker in making your ice cream.

While the mixture is freezing, after an hour or two pour your chocolate chips/chocolate chunks into your lightly frozen custard, and mix around. By waiting an hour or two, it helps the chocolate not to sink to the bottom of the container.

Kids in the Garden - Outdoor Living Spaces

2013-05-17T06:30:00.002-07:00

Over 2,000 youth in our county 4H program will be coming together mid-July. As the final weeks of 4H will be just around the corner, my oldest has been working on a plan for her gardening project for the third grade division.

We have been talking about they type of flowers and veggies that we want to grow in our backyard and around the house. Ultimately our goal is to have yard where we have a variety of produce and herbs that blend naturally into our landscape.

This year we began a project of converting the backyard drain spouts to run into rain barrels, where the water is used for our plants. Over the course of the last few years, we have begun to notice the rain water hydrates the plants so much better than the running tap water that comes out of our faucets through the city.

We came across some gardening ideas/tips that looked very intriguing both on my end as mom, and second helping the girls learn to garden. It was just the "ump" I needed to help share how gardening can be fun at all ages, and bring some excitement to the kids in seeing how you can work to grow produce for your table, have flowers for your kitchen, herbs to help you stay healthy and add flavor to your meals.

Below are a few websites that we enjoyed reading that helped us in creating/planning a garden with the girls. In addition, please join me on our Hi Mamma Pinterest page where we have "pinned" other ideas for families in the garden. Absolutely love it because it is amazing to see what other gardeners have done in their yards/patios to help beautify their outdoor living space.

The Top 10 Crops for Children
11 Ways to Make Gardening Extra Fun for Kids
Fairy Herb Garden
Why You Should Always Grow a Wild Card : Gardening with Kids
27 Garden Markers
20 Reasons Why it's Great to Get Gardening
Edible Garden – Part 2
Seasonal Produce Posters

Do you and your family garden? If so, we would love to hear from you what you are planning on gardening this year. Do you grow your veggies upward (like cucumbers) on a fence or trellis? One thing we have thought about is growing our lettuce right underneath our cucumbers (kind of like forming a tent of cucumbers) so that the lettuce (underneath the cucumbers) does not get "burned" since it likes cooler weather.

Voting is Open! Join Us in the EtsyMom Team Spring 2013 Color Palette Challenge

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Several of our talented EtsyMom team members have joined in on a little team fun and have created new items based off the Berry Brights color palette. I think these colors are just so bright and cheer myself that it just makes me naturally smile when I see them, and of course makes my mouth water when I see the strawberries.

One of these lucky moms will win a prize basket based on the number of votes/likes they receive. So join in on the fun and help them out by "liking" your favorite or favorites on the EtsyMom Facebook page, if you have more than one.

Voting will end at midnight on Saturday May 4.

In addition, if you would like to see other color palette ideas be sure to click on the Berry Brights photograph (to your left) and it will take to you a world of additional color palettes that truly set the mood like "Citrus Color", "Ladybug Brights", etc. It has opened my eyes in terms of mixing colors together.

This summer, my daughter is participating in 4H for the first time, and will be entering a project in the Home Environment program where she is to create an interior design layout for a bedroom. She has enjoyed going to the home supply stores and looking at paint colors and carpet selections. When she saw the various color palette selections a world of ideas began to unfold in terms of mixing colors together for her project. I think it will do the same for you as well.

We would love for you to share with us on Hi Mamma what is your favorite color palette after looking at the selections!

Kids Cooking Club: Banana Bread

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One oldie but goodie recipe is banana bread. It seems like you just can not go wrong in what you add to the recipe to give it a little more ump. Of course the ultimate favorite part of the recipe is smashing the bananas, but no matter, this is the ultimate quick bread the girls really enjoy.

In terms of nuts we rotate based upon what we have in the freezer. The girls really enjoy the almonds where my husband likes the walnuts. As you can see below, we have raisins added as an ingredient but in all honesty, sometimes we just double up the nuts and not place raisins in the batter, and add some crushed flax seed into the mixing bowl.

Banana Bread
1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup sugar (you can add any of the different sugars that you like, just remember to change the amount based upon the desired sweetness)
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans)
1 cup raisins
1 cup = roughly 3 mashed bananas

Grease you bread pan so that it does not stick to the pan when removing the bread after baking.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, oil and eggs together into the mixing bowl. Add the mashed bananas. Lastly fold into the batter the nuts and raisins (if desired).

Bake at 350 F for 1 hour. After baking let the bread rest for 10 minutes before removing from pan and serving (if you like it warm).