Soul Carving

       I was invited to a Cookie Swap with friends from my neighborhood. It came in the midst of several other party plans, so on the morning of the event, I realized I still had not prepared the requisite 2 dozen treats and recipe to share. I didn't feel like baking and doubted I'd have the time to anyway. And with a house full of children, I didn't want to rush to the store for ingredients. I purused the pantry looking for inspiration. The night before, we had hosted our annual Campbell Christmas Concert and still had lots of snacks left over. I saw two bags of pretzels and wondered if I still had any candy melts stashed away with the cake decorating supplies. Sure enough, I found an unopened bag -- green. I thought I could work some magic with these and the half-eaten package of candy canes. An hour later, I had a festive tray of treats to share, and several children munching happily on a pile of rejects. Sweet success.       ...

       I'm currently enrolled in an online history class. Right now I'm studying the ancient Tang Dynasty of the 6th century AD, and there's a few paragraphs devoted to early Korea. Today, if you tune into any news station, you'll see reports about the ongoing Winter Olympic games in Korea. This sets the stage perfectly for a homeschool unit study on Korea! First stop, the local library.        I actually searched their catalog online first and found some real gems that way. I put them on hold so we could pick them up on our next visit. (This makes a trip to the library with 7 children much more productive!)        The above illustration is from The Korean Cinderella by Shirley Climo and Ruth Heller. It's a feast for the eyes, filled with bold colors and intricate details. In it you'll find examples of traditional clothing and foods, as well as animals and mythical characters. The story introduces some Korean vocabu...

        What to give at the annual Valentine exchange for our homeschooling friends? Why not homemade fortune cookies? The children had a delightful time helping whip up these special treats and choosing the best jokes to tuck inside each crispy shell. With very few ingredients and the use of a blender, the batter takes virtually no time at all to prepare. However, the recipe I followed did suggest letting the batter chill for an hour prior to use. That, plus the watchful intensity and quick flipping and folding required during the baking stage does make for a rather lengthy project. I will admit that at one point, nursing my burnt fingertips and wiping my sweaty brow, I snarled irritably at having to make these "cursed cookies". But in the end,  I was very glad that I did. They are such a fun way to celebrate. They require only 4 common ingredients and are very versatile. Depending on what type of "fortunes" you choose to conceal in them, they can be used for...