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Count-Down-To-A-Trip List

10/23/2013

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PictureMe, Emily, my mom, and the twins
Every time I go on a trip, I write a list of things I need to do before I leave. With my mom living in New York and our kids on the West Coast, I have been away a few times this year. We recently returned from Des Moines, where my mom met her two-month-old twin great-grandsons for the first time.   

So why aren’t I more organized? Why do I go through the same agonizing thought process? In my mind, I carefully review what I would like to get done and what absolutely needs to get done before stepping foot out of the house for a week. And it’s the same darn thing every time. But I can't really be too hard on myself. Everything isn’t consistent--we leave at different times, different days and travel by different methods, cars, plane, bus, or train. Here's the best list I could come up with, a count down to leaving. Maybe it will help you, too!

One or more days before:
  • Print boarding pass (if flying)
  • Fill car with gas
  • Wash car
  • Clean out and vacuum car
  • Clean out purse
  • Stop trash pick up
  • Hold the mail 
  • Hold the newspaper
  • Ask a neighbor to water plants, if needed
  • Tell a neighbor our plans
  • Laundry
  • Haircut
  • Clean and organize my desk
  • Financial:
  • Get money from bank
  • Transfer money, if needed
  • Pay bills
  • Decide which credit cards to bring

The day before:
  • Decide what to wear
  • Pack suitcase (if carrying luggage on plane, pack containers 3-oz. or less)
  • Personal grooming (wash and style hair, paint nails, etc.)

Three hours before leaving (or the night before)
  • Run the dishwasher
  • Complete all hand washing of pots and pans, etc.
 
Two hours before leaving:
  • Walk the dog
  • Fill the dog’s water bowl with fresh water
  • Get dog food, harness, leash, treats, ready for the dog walker

An hour before leaving:
  • Take trash out
  • Pack snacks and/or sandwiches

Just before leaving:
  • Turn down the heat OR turn up or off the air conditioner
  • Take the dog out to her pen
  • Turn off the water
  • Say a prayer for a safe return


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Sweet Potato Surprise

10/16/2013

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PictureSweet Potatoes
I used to eat sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving. That was it, but not any more. Some are so sweet, all I add is butter and salt—no brown sugar. A great alternative to the baked white potato (which I love as well) sweet potatoes are good for you and easy to make. Just bake them in the oven for an hour at 400 degrees. Another advantage is they are big enough to share.

Recently, I baked two large sweet potatoes, then split one in half for my husband and me. I placed the second sweet potato in the refrigerator wondering what I would do with it. Rather than simply heating it up and serving it the same way, I decided to make an easy version of candied sweet potatoes using maple syrup. 



PictureBaked Sweet Potato
After slipping off the potato skin, I cut it crosswise into eight sections in a small casserole. Then I poured on pure maple syrup and dotted it with butter. The casserole baked in the oven for 30 minutes. Syrup bubbled around the edges.  Candied maple sweet potatoes turned out to be the perfect side dish—not too sweet, but the perfect complement to our savory turkey meatloaf.

While I’m used to creating new dinners from main dish leftovers, I was surprised I had created an easy, new side dish using a leftover sweet potato. This recipe employs the strategy used in my new cookbook, “Mealtime Magic: Delicious Dinners in Half the Time,” where leftovers create totally new dishes. With intentional planning, one dinner becomes the basis of two additional meals. I’m going to work my magic on vegetables, and I’ll share my results in future blogs. Enjoy!

Candied Maple Sweet Potatoes

2 sweet potatoes
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

The night before: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rinse and gently scrub potatoes. Prick with a fork. Bake sweet potatoes for 1 hour on a cookie sheet (to catch any drippings) or until soft. Cool and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Use a butter knife to slip off sweet potato skins; discard or compost skins. Place potatoes in an 8x8-inch square glass baking dish. Cut each sweet potato into 4 sections. Pour maple syrup over potato sections. Dot with butter or margarine. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until potatoes are heated through and syrup is bubbling around the edges. Yield: 4 servings


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A NEW Old-Fashioned Board Game With a Twist

10/8/2013

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Picture
Being a sore loser when playing a competitive game, I knew I would like cooperative games and wanted to learn more. When playing a cooperative game, everyone wins at that same time. It’s just as much fun as a competitive game, and there are no hurt feelings about losing because no one does!

In January of this year, I began rethinking and revising a board game which I had first written over 20 years ago. An international parenting newsletter, Parent & Preschooler, had published it in 1990. I saved the issue in a folder planning to one day submit it to a game board company. At that time, I had also clipped and saved an article about a cooperative game company called “Animal Town.”

When I was cleaning out my files, I found that long-forgotten game and the article about “Animal Town.” After an internet search, I discovered that Suzanne Lyons of CooperativeGames.com had bought the “Animal Town” company.  I contacted her. Suzanne was interested in helping me rethink and revise my game. We worked together for several months along with a graphic artist, Kelsea Janner Sweet, to create a new and improved “Preschooler in the Kitchen” Game. Yes, this is an old-fashioned board game--not a video game. 

Creating this game was more than just completing another project. Knowing I’m helping others who feel bad when they play competitive games and lose, makes me smile. My game is now available at the CooperativeGames.com website as a download for just $2.99--you print the pages on your computer. 
This cooperative board game teaches young children about healthy food, kitchen skills, and the joys of cooperation. 


Here's a quote from a young mother of three preschoolers:
From Ashley A.:
"We love the game!!! The action cards were great! The kids loved them and it was fun for me to learn what they "knew" and needed more explanation on- they amazed me with their knowledge."

Here’s a link. Please share this with families of preschooler-age children. 
http://shop.cooperativegames.com/Preschooler_In_the_Kitchen_Cooperative_Game_p/5001.htm


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