Keeping Busy

First off, thanks for all the "happy" comments. It felt like a room full of friends - which was very nice indeed. A few of you emailed me in private as well - so nice, and when I can put my thankful reply into words I promise to write back.

I have been keeping busy and thinking happy (or grateful and thankful) thoughts a lot. I've been getting outside EVERY FREEZING day - not always to "exercise", but at least to bike or walk or even play outside in the snow (that's good for burning at least a thousand calories, right?!) And even had a "girls" night out! I appreciate the fact that this is still a HUGE transition time, and yes, I'm coming away from having several visits with family and then the slap in the face that all family are so stinkin' far away. So, baby steps.

Now, to what I really sat down to write about.

I started this school year with just a toddler at home and so, I was a bit over-zealous in my signing up to volunteer. Once upon a time I thought I would be a great PTO/PTA/or whatever-they-call-it-at-your-school Mom. Somehow I had the preconceived notion that there would be parents and teachers working together to help the children who are being educated in the school. I didn't realize it was all about fundraising. I'm NOT all about the fundraising by any means. Our school here though has about a kajillion committees with a half million volunteers (it seems) but amazingly I still got suckered in. I wanted to get to know the school and the teachers, and I was basiclaly a free woman with just a two year old - so why not be a supermom in the schools? So I joined a few committees with minimal obligations, and told the teachers I would be in every Tuesday morning (rotating between the three classes).

Then I started homeschooling the kindergartner and completely forgot about everything I had signed up for (except for the Tuesday mornings). I love that my kids see me in their class, I love seeing them in their classes and being up-to-date on what they are learning, how they are doing and seeing how they interact with their classmates and teachers as well. So far, they love having me there too - so it's a win/win situation for everyone involved.

Then the emails and phone calls started pouring in. And I had to re-evaluate my involvement. Not only were the committee chairs of the ones I signed up for begging me for help, but apparently because I was in the school the teachers (or somebody there) were passing my name on as a willing and able individual. Thanks to years of Mr. Man's prodding, I am now quite experienced in the art of saying "NO." And it's even easier in an email.

But when the call came reminding me that I had signed up at the first grade orientation to be the "party planner" I just couldn't say no. It was an in-class assignment, and who doesn't like planning a good party. When I saw the list of parents willing to help at the party and with supplies, it was a cincher. I basically wrote out a "plan" (which is so up my alley) and passed it on to another Mom and she made all the calls to get everyone involved. My part is to man one of the "stations" during the party and provide a small activity; everything else is delegated. Since I have hours of experience making graham cracker houses, I decided we would decorate haunted houses. The kids are each bringing in a bag of candy or other decorations and I'm bringing in the plates, houses and icing.

A breeze. For those of you who need ideas for class parties or even for home family use, I decided I would show a small step-by-step. This is not a showcase by any means, it's way too simple for that, and it's also such a cool thing to see sugar change like this that I couldn't resist. It took me about an hour to make 21 (far from perfect) houses and I only suffered three minor burns in the process.

Step One: Break up all your graham crackers into squares (some come pre-packaged like this) but try not to break too many itty bitty pieces off - those can't be used. Stack your squares into piles of six for however many houses you are making. (No, we will not use that half zucchini for this recipe... I don't even think the Deceptively Delicious diva could find a way to sneak it in.) Notice my plate full of "broken" crackers. Even after years of experience. So buy more crackers than you think you'll need.

Step Two: Put some sugar in a pot. I used about a cup and a half to make 21. You can always make more, but it really sucks trying to get leftover sugar off your pot bottom when you're done... so start small.
Step Three: Have spoon ready. Turn on the heat and get ready to see some sugar crystals. (Medium High is best, and you really do want to be stirring the whole time.) First the sugar gets all shiny and sparkly and then it starts to ball up.
Step Four: Keep stirring. When it starts getting liquidy and golden in colour, turn the heat down just a tad. You don't want to let it boil (I don't actually know this for a fact, but I have never let mine boil!)

Isn't it pretty? Looks just like honey (except it has less calories than honey - true fact!)
Step Five: Start double dipping your crackers. Can't actually take pictures of this process because you have to be super fast so that your houses will stick and because the sugar hardens quickly. I dip in each side - two crackers at a time, form one house corner and then the next two sides and finally the roof. If your sugar is getting too dark (which means it's hardening) you can heat it up a bit (on the lowest temp you have) and stir. By the end of your house building, it will start to look like this: (isn't that neat?!)
My final houses were dark and crusy but still sticking - and the sugar was getting stringy. It looks like the haunted houses have spider webs on them!!! (They are easy to remove by hand.)
So pretty. And edible. And they don't have to be perfect because they won't be perfect until a child covers them in way too much icing and candy!
Ta-da! My favourite is the one with the side caving out - totally spooky!
Small note: I am basically in love with THIS BLOG. She often puts into words so many of my beliefs about motherhood, but with a loveliness that is beyond me. You should seriously read this post and this post and this post and those are just in the last month - there are oh so many others. I digress, yet I have a point. THIS POST on school volunteering will, if you are anything like myself, have you nodding, laughing and remembering. It will also have you saying "no" more often. (Even though she would totally knock me for being the top Mom of the Halloween party, I still adore this post!)