Theme of the Month: Fall Farm Fun

Now that Cadence is going to preschool two mornings, plus dance class on Mondays, and storytime and sometimes playgroup each week, we don't have as much time at home to do our "theme of the week" activities.  Cadence has adjusted to this schedule very well, but it's taken me some time to figure out how things were going to go.  Anyway, we're going to theme of the month now, instead of theme of the week.  I almost always have more activities for each theme than we get to do anyway.  This month: Fall Farm Fun!

Books: 

Fall Mixed Up by Raczka

 The Cow Loves Cookies by Wilson

Punk Farm by Krosoczka

And if we can find them at our library: Big Chickens by Helakoski, Moo Who? By Palatini, and One Cow Moo Moo! by Bennett (a great participation story)

Music: Sing "Old McDonald Had A Farm" to Piper

Fingerplays: Five Little Farmers and some other farm fingerplays

Art Project: melted crayon stained glass apples and pumpkins (using this method from The Artful Parent)

Field Trips: Visit the farm animals at the county fair (done! we had a great time last Friday!), go apple picking at a local farm (also done!  more pics coming soon!)

Letter Recognition: Practice "spelling" fall and farm words like pig, cow, leaf, farm, barn, etc.  When we do this, I write the words in large, clear letters on a scrap paper and then she uses the letters from her foam alphabet puzzle to match the ones I wrote.  Since this is a more academic activitiy, we usually do a few and then move on when she is ready to do something else - no pressure.

Watch: Barney: Let's Go to the Farm 

Extras: Some printables from here, or here, or here

Linking up to I Can Teach My Child Show and Share Saturday and No Time for Flashcards Link and Learn

County Fair

Friday we went to the county fair.  This was your typical rural county fair, I think.  No rides, lots of livestock.  Here's the photo highlight reel...

Dressed appropriately in cowgirl boots. Piper's were pink.
Want to cheer up every oldtimer at the fair?  Put a baby in pink cowboy boots.

Giant shopping cart.  Support NC agriculture, y'all.

Petting a sheep,

Piper contemplates the pigs. 

Oink, oink.

Cadence said the goats were her favorite.

Piper liked the goats too.  Their ears were soft.

Bunnies!

Racecar.  On display from the local arcade.

I don't know why that pumpkin has a blue ribbon that says "church", but this is the Bible belt.

Cadence spontaneously felt the need to hug this giant pumpkin.

She looks good driving a tractor, huh?

So apparently there are people who collect vintage tractors, like vintage cars.  Who knew?

Cadence loved the fair - she asked to go back today, but I told her we could come back next year.  Piper is usually happy anywhere there's lots of people and things to see.  Wait, she was not a fan of the chickens.  I think their squawking scared her.    I got to eat kettle corn and admission was free, so I was pleased with the whole outing.  

{this moment}

Inspired by SouleMama, {this moment} is a single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Cadence is 4!

An interview with Cadence ~
What do you like about being 4? being a birthday princess...and that's all
What do you like to do at school? be a princess, play on the playground, practicing letters, doing art projects...
What do you like to do with Daddy? Daddy games and play the Wii
What do you like to do with Mommy? I like to do everything - bake, ride in the car cart in Ingles
What do you like to do with Piper? play and play and play
Favorite game?  Hide and Seek
Favorite color?  Pink and Purple
Favorite food? peanut butter and jelly
Favorite book? Cinderella and Ladybug Girl
Favorite toy? new princess Cinderella set
Favorite song? the abc song, Cinderella songs...I like the Backyardigans song we used to hear...I like lots of songs.  Okay?
Favorite show? Dinosaur Train and Pocoyo and Dora and Backyardigans.  That's a lot.  And Frances.
Anything else you want people to know about you? being friends and eat m&m's.

She wanted to open her presents as soon as she woke up.

The big smile is because Cinderella called her to wish her a happy birthday.  (I signed up for a free Disney Enchanted Call.  Then Cadence had a lot of questions about how and why and I had to explain that princesses are very busy and can only call on special occasions.)

Cake!  That's a heart on top in chocolate chips.

the fashion choices get pretty crazy...

when we know we are home all day...

you should have seen my get-up!

{this moment}

Inspired by SouleMama, {this moment} is a single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

First Day (Double Ice Cream Birthday Party!)

Piper's Birthday Cake: Cinnamon Cake with Cream Cheese and Pear Frosting

This cinnamon cake with cream cheese and pear frosting was Piper's birthday cake.  It was very good.  Almost like a coffee cake - it would have been a wonderful breakfast treat.  Really easy too.  I used angry chicken's Friday Cake recipe as our starting point.

Cadence helped me make the batter.  Actually, it felt like all I did was gather the proper ingredients and read the recipe.

 The frosting was an experiment and I'm so glad it turned out well!  All you need is cream cheese and pear preserves.

Into the mixer!

I just whirred up the cream cheese and pear preserves on high speed until the preserves were pretty well incorporated.  If I had chopped up the pear pieces in advance it would have gone faster, but this was less work for me.

When the cake was cool, I just spread on the batter, then sprinkled it with some cinnamon and a bit of brown sugar.  I really liked that this cake was dense, and the cinnamon flavor was lovely.  I also loved that the frosting was not too sweet.  A good birthday cake for a one year old.

Cinnamon Cake
(adapted from angry chicken's Friday Cake recipe)

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix it all up in a bowl and pour into a small round cake pan.  (I think we may have used a glass pie pan - it worked too.)  Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool then frost with...

Cream Cheese and Pear Frosting

• 4 oz. (half a package) cream cheese, softened (I almost always use reduced fat)
• 1/2 cup pear preserves

Whiz the cream cheese and pear preserves in a stand mixer on high speed until pieces are broken up and texture looks good to you.  

I think we'll try this cake again (possibly for Cadence's upcoming b-day).  For her, I'd sub cocoa powder for the whole wheat flour and strawberry jelly for the pear preserves.

 

Here's Piper enjoying her slice.

I think it's safe to say it was a hit, since she's shoving it into her mouth.

Linking up to: A Glimpse Inside's Catch a Glimpse Party, Show Off Your Stuff at Fireflies and Jellybeans, Tatertots and Jello, and live laugh rowe

Piper is one!

 

I feel like I should say this year has zipped by, but it didn't feel that way. I think we really got to enjoy this year, with each season and phase, even though going from one kid to two was much, much harder for me than I expected. Nonetheless, Piper is a great little girl.

So what's Piper like at 1?

She LOVES food. Any food. She will steal it off your plate at any opportunity. When I was planning her birthday dinner I asked Matt what her favorite food was. His reply: "Food." So true. For her birthday we went with macaroni and cheese, mashed sweet potatoes, and peas.

We're going to go ahead and call it for her first word: "Hi." She's been using it in context for a few weeks now. Also uses Dada correctly. She just started saying Mama. (Thanks a lot, kid.)

Her newest trick is giving a high five.  It's super cute.  Wait, no.  Her newest trick is climbing the stairs.  She went all the way up them yesterday, with me following behind her of course.  We're going to have to order one of those baby gate fences to keep her off them because she is so fast!

More pictures of birthday fun stuff to come.  We're throwing a joint birthday ice cream party for both girls this weekend.  And I made a really tasty cake for P's bday - I'll be sharing the recipe soon!