The Gucker Family

Math Factors - Keva Style

2011-09-19T14:27:00.001-04:00

A great way to disguise the repetition of memorizing math facts. The structures below represent all the multiples of 5 :) It give another opportunity to visually see the difference in growth resulting from multiplication over addition, and combines it with creative building.

Keva planks are a "super toy" anyway - this was just one more way to incorporate them into learning. Happy multiplication!

--Bill

Keva Source: http://www.amazon.com/MindWare-44156W-KEVA-Contraptions/dp/B002V7YBNC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316456568&sr=8-1
This is the most cost effective way to purchase them. For some reason this set is cheaper per block and comes with the added bonuses.

Stony Brook

2011-07-17T19:18:00.000-04:00

We like to try to make it out to Stony Brook at least each summer.

So we were thrilled to go see the falls, and play in the water again this year.

Maybe one year, we will get the courage to actually camp there!

And this is what my little ones always do..throw rocks. Gotta love those
little boys!

Sitting right in the waterfall. Exhilarating!

See those stairs in the distance? next to the waterfall?
That was the short set of stairs on the hike.
My legs are still a little wobbly...

Tree Fort

2011-07-08T10:00:00.002-04:00

My Kids LOVE going to Grandpa & Grandma's house.

I mean, they just LOVE it!

Grandma always has time to sit down and listen to each of their
stories and watch any trick or thing that the children want to show her.

She even keeps em' loaded with squirt guns and sand boxes
to play in.

Grandpa is a kid at heart, and built this tree fort in the back yard for them...

We were SO excited to see it completed last year.

It was such a joy to build, that once Grandpa realized that the porch
was a little small for kickin' back and relaxing on, he had to make an addition..

So now we have a big porch! Since this picture, Grandpa has finished it
out with planters and a patio table that He and Grandma have breakfast on sometimes.
Thanks Grandma! Thanks Grandpa! You've outdone yourself!
We love you!
~Rachel

Piano

2011-07-06T10:00:00.002-04:00

David just completed his first year of piano lessons.
Bill joined him in lessons halfway through the year.

The end of year recital was very exciting for both of them.
It was SO neat to see them play a duet together!

Thanks Mrs. McGinnis for being such a great teacher!

Trip to the Beach

2011-07-04T23:29:00.000-04:00

There's something special about this picture.

Call me sentimental, and I won't disagree.

My kids grandmother played in this creek as a child.

My husband played in this creek as a child...and I think

it's sweet that my kids play here too.

Oh, the kids couldn't wait to get their feet wet.

Another beautiful sunset on Lake Ontario.

Happy 4th of July!

Seabreeze

2011-07-02T10:00:00.001-04:00

Every year we try to make it out to this place called Seabreeze.
This year, it worked out and boy did the kids have fun!

Matthew thinks he's a big kid, so he was all about the rides.
He liked the boats in particular. He even managed to dip his foot into the water.
I think he rode this like 20 times...

Maggie takin' a cruise with Matthew.

Johnny riding the swings with Maggie...

Bill rode a number of rides with the big kids. This is David, Bill and friends of ours.

Here's Papa with Maggie and Luke on a small rollercoaster.
I think this is the first year that I have gone to the park and not
hopped on a few rides. Maybe next year!

Our Boston Trip

2011-06-30T10:00:00.001-04:00

We recently took a trip to Boston to visit friends.
We had such a great time, that I don't even know which pictures to share, so I've just done one big collage.
Bill and I weren't sure about traveling with the kids, but it turned out to be a ton of fun.
The kids did great, and we got to do quite a few things.
I'm especially thankful to have visited my close friend, Kate and her family.

Angry Birds

2011-06-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

So I'm a little late posting this, but better late than never!
Here's the start of my many layered "Angry Birds" cake for Luke's Birthday.
Boy was he excited about this one! I'd dare to say that his friends were equally excited to eat it!

Happy Birthday Luke! You are growing up so fast!

The Beach

2011-06-27T09:00:00.003-04:00

I'm going somewhere this weekend...

It just happens to be here...to the beach.
OH, I CAN'T WAIT!

The fireworks on the beach will be beautiful.
The lightening bugs will be out...
Do you have plans for the 4th?
I hope so! Enjoy your summer!
~Rachel

Homemade Meatballs are the best!

2011-06-26T22:27:00.000-04:00

I have this wonderful cookbook from MOMYS that caters to large families.
I was able to get permission to share the recipe!
Gotta say, since I've started making these meatballs,
my family has rejected the store bought ones.
They are YUMMY and freeze well.
I like to add some shredded cheddar cheese and sometimes
Parsely and chili powder.
Try em'! I think you'll like em'.

David's First Parkour Class

2011-06-21T08:54:00.000-04:00

David tried learning parkour at a gym right next to my boxing club.
He started learning how to vault obstacles, and the teachers were excellent.
They were very good at presenting new concepts in an orderly way, while still keeping an attitude of fun and play.
I will start with him next class, but wanted to watch him do his first one by himself. It was exciting to see him maturing in his ability to interact with older folks.

Parkour defined: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkour
Our local club: http://www.rochesterparkour.com/

This art of movement lays a foundation for all other sports and physical activity, and he seems to really enjoy it.

--Posted by Bill

Reading to the children

2011-05-16T08:00:00.002-04:00

We had a friend recommend this series called "Classic Starts" to expose the children to classic books.

I've been very happy with them so far.

We found a number of them at the library, and they are a reasonable price on Amazon.

Check em' out!

Gardening

2011-05-09T08:00:00.003-04:00

I sure am looking forward to spring!

I took this picture a few years ago of my hens and chicks plant as it started

to bloom. Each of the buds there opened up. Pretty amazing!

It doesn't do this every year. I wonder if it will this year?

Guess which baby! part 4

2011-05-02T08:00:00.001-04:00

Guess which baby! part 3

2011-04-29T08:00:00.002-04:00

Ok, maybe not a guess. She's too obvious...still cute though.

Guess which baby! part 2

2011-04-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

Who's this?

Guess which baby!

2011-04-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

I just love this game. Can you guess who?

Favorite Snack

2011-04-20T08:00:00.002-04:00

We seem to cycle through snack type foods.
Recently, we've rediscovered granola. YUM!
Here's our recipe:

BEST GRANOLA
4c. rolled oats
3/4c. whole wheat flour
1c. coconut
1c. chopped nuts
1/2c. honey
1/4c. sesame seeds
1/3c. coconut oil
1/2c. water
1tsp. vanilla
1tsp. cinnamon

Mix all together.
Place in a roasting pan or cookie sheet.
Cook for 1 hour in oven @ 350 degrees.
Stir occasionally.
After the mix has cooled, add whatever goodies you like.
I add yogurt covered raisins or pretzels.
Pretzel sticks, mini m&ms or chocolate chips.

~Rachel

Muffins

2011-04-13T08:00:00.001-04:00

Store bought muffins don't even touch these!

I found this recipe several years ago, and don't usually

get a muffin unless I hide it. My kids go nuts over these.

Blueberry Buckle Muffins

~Rachel

Chocolate!

2011-04-06T08:00:00.019-04:00

When we make these brownies around my house, they sure don't last long!

I make sure to stash half of them in the freezer for another time.

Chocolate Lover's Brownies

~Rachel

Homemade Bread

2011-03-30T08:00:00.022-04:00

We use about a loaf of bread a day around here, so learning to make bread has been very beneficial for my family. I'm not a fan of white bread from the grocery store, but this recipe has a great texture and is adaptable for some wheat if preferred. I slice it when completely cooled and put it in the freezer until we need it.
Check out the recipe if you are interested! Classic Sandwich Bread
~Rachel

Another freezer meal!

2011-03-23T08:00:00.006-04:00

Here's a meal (or side) that is a hit every time I've made it.
We like to leave off the bread crumbs and add meat like crispy bacon or
ham... I found this recipe on Martha Stewart's website. It's a keeper.

Macaroni & Cheese serves 12

1 Stick of unsalted real butter
1/2 cup all purp flour
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
5 1/2 cups milk
4 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar
2 cups grated Romano
1 lb Elbow Macaroni Noodles

Grease a 9x13 or 2 square pans.
Start heating water to boil noodles according to package directions.
Heat milk in a pot also to get warm (be careful not to boil or scald.)
While milk is heating, in a large skillet, melt butter and then add flour to make a paste.
Add this paste to milk. Stir with a whisk until it starts to thicken. Could take 10-15 minutes.
Add spices and cheeses. *note: you can interchange cheeses to vary flavor. Be creative.
If you use white cheddar, it give this a smoother texture. The sharper the cheese, the more the
flavor comes out since the noodles tend to swallow up the flavor on mild cheese.
Try extra sharp, guyere, parmesian, gouda.

Drain noodles and pour into prepared pan(s).
Pour cheese mixture over noodles and stir.
This can be served now, or bake for a little bit. You can sprinkle bread crumbs on top before baking.
~Rachel

Freezer Friendly part 2

2011-03-16T08:00:00.003-04:00

Another big hit around my house is homemade Chicken pot pie!

We rarely have leftovers, and it freezes very well!

Chicken Pot Pie

Crust:
2 1/2 cups all purp flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup real butter (not margarine or spread)
1/2 cup ice water
Mix flour and salt. Cut cold butter into pea size chunks.
Mix into flour until crumbly but not till it's grainy.
Add water slowly until dough holds together but a little sticky.
Split into 2 and wrap balls with saran wrap. Refrigerate 30+ minutes.
Gently roll out dough on floured surface with flour on hands. (do not overwork)
Lay it in pie pan and poke holes in it w/ a fork.
Glaze with milk to prevent sogginess.

Pie filling:
2 Tablespoons real butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp margoram
1 cup ckn broth
1/4 cup milk
2 cups cooked & cut up ckn
1 1/2 cup mixed veggies (I use frozen mixed. like corn,peas,grean beans, lima)

In Lg sauce pan, melt butter and add flour to make a paste.
At a medium heat, add broth & milk and stir constantly until desired thickness.
This can take up to 15 minutes. Be patient.
Add veggies and ckn. Pour into crust and cover with other crust. Poke a hole or slit top crust to vent steam.
Bake on a cookie sheet @ 425 for 30-35 minutes.

You can freeze before baking this. Do not thaw before cooking or the crust will get soggy.

If you are cooking it after freezing, be sure to tent it with foil until the last 15 minutes. Cook it

at a lower temp like 350 and add about 20-30 minutes. You will need to check to see if the middle is hot

to determine when it's done.

~Rachel

Freezer Friendly

2011-03-09T08:00:00.003-05:00

I thought I'd share some of the freezer food recipes I use.
I'm always looking for new things to cook that are simple and easy.
I prefer to make most things from scratch.

So here's a VERY good one that a friend of mine gave me a while back:

Cream Baked Chicken

8 boneless chicken breast halves
6 slices of provolone (or other cheese)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pkg Stuffing
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup water

Lay chicken in a 9x13.
Cover chicken with cheese.
Pour soup over it.
Separately, mix stuffing with melted butter & water.
Spread coated stuffing over casserole.

Bake @ 375 for 45-55 minutes.

One of these days, I might get a picture of this up. It's a good one!
~Rachel

Stocking up!

2011-03-07T08:00:00.018-05:00

I'm always trying to simplify and make the house run more efficiently.

So lately, I've been looking at how I shop for groceries and how I cook. What can I do to make these jobs work for me?

After talking with a friend who freezes food regularly, I realized that I need to utilize my freezer more often. Don't get me wrong, I use the freezer all the time, but to have a meal on hand sounds really nice as opposed to pulling out frozen meat to cook. I've been looking through my recipes and deciding what I'd like to start getting into the freezer.

Some of the meals that are in my freezer are: Chicken and Biscuits, Chicken Pot Pie, Tricolor Pasta & Ham Casserole and Chili. What meals do you like to freeze?
~Rachel