How Do You Say "Tortoise" in Russian?

Three months ago we became the proud owners of a Russian Tortoise, who we named Darwin. We thought the name was appropriate since Charles Darwin brought a tortoise back from his trip to the Galapagos Islands.

After doing research, I determined that Darwin was in fact a male, not a female as we had been told. He appeared healthy and was very active the minute we put him in his new enclosure.

Seeing pictures of that first enclosure we put him in, it looks so small and pathetic. But, coming from where he'd been living, it was a huge improvement.

Exploring

1st enclosure - very basic

1st enclosure - a few improvements

2nd enclosure - with platform

2nd enclosure - without platform

more improvements

And more improvements - current look of enclosure. I moved the lamps closer together to increase the temperature on that end. One is a heat/UV-B lamp and the other is just a ceramic heat emitter.
I've been working on making the humidity higher on this end. Added more plants, some moss, rocks and a hygrometer.

My husband built the larger enclosure for Darwin and we were very happy with how it turned out. I liked the idea of the platform for both feeding purposes and extra exercise. It just didn't work out. Once we removed the platform, Darwin seemed much happier.

I am not an expert on these wonderful creatures, but I have tried to do as much research as possible to find how best to keep Darwin happy and healthy. I think I'm definitely on my way to becoming a herpetoculturist! Besides books, I have relied heavily on two websites:

Tortoise Forum and Russian Tortoise

Darwin has turned out to have such a wonderful personality. We have all enjoyed having him be a member of our family. I'm looking forward to creating some sort of outdoor space for him once the weather warms up. However, my next project is to grow some food for Darwin myself. I have ordered the seeds and will embark on that journey soon. And, once we finally own a home, I hope to make a permanent outdoor structure for him.

Oh - and how do you say tortoise in Russian? Well, I could only find the word for turtle -- черепаха (chiе-reh-pa-kha).
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A New Curriculum

After much research, I purchased a new curriculum that was a better fit for our family. Geography Matters has put out a new series called Trail Guide to Learning. Only the first book, Paths of Exploration, is currently available. The next one should be ready this summer and then a new book each year.

I am really excited about this series because it combines many of our favorites into an easy to follow program. The Trail Guide to Learning series uses a unit study approach to teach all of the subjects (except math) with living books as the core "textbooks." Paths of Exploration is strong in geography and history, two of our most loved topics.

Check out their website for more information.

* I am currently working on the first unit study for my series Will Travel by Book Across the United States. (To get an idea of what the unit study will be like, you can check out Will Travel by Book Across Australia.) I hope to have it up on the site within the next month. Which state will be first? Stay tuned...

Recipe Discussion Board

My friend DawnMaree and I have started a discussion board to share recipes. All of the recipes I have posted here can be found over there. We hope to create a place to discuss food and cooking tips. I hope you will stop by, take a look, and then join!

Give Me That Recipe!

How Does This Work Again?

It has been so long since I posted an entry on my blog, I almost forgot how to do it. My apologies for not writing something sooner. Do I have an excuse? Well, not really. I could say that we've been enjoying having Chuck home and spending time together as a family. While that is indeed true, the bottom line is I just was lazy about writing.

Let me give a quick update on what has gone on the past two months:

♦ We became the proud owners of a Russian Tortoise, who we named Darwin.

♦ My husband returned home to us on November 6th from a five month long school down in Florida.

♦ My parents came to visit for a week.

♦ We have been hosting an elf named Drew who visited us last year and has been getting into lots of mischief.

♦ Preparations have been underway for Chuck's six month deployment.

I hope to become more regular in my updates once again as things start to calm down after the holidays. Look for upcoming posts about our tortoise and the new curriculum we're going to begin using.

Happy Holidays to all of you -- may peace, joy, and love be with you throughout the new year. ♥

Road Trip Tips

One of my all time favorite travel quotes is by St. Augustine. It goes, "The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." There is so much out there to see and experience. As parents, one of the best educational advantages we can give our children is to expose them to as many different places as possible.

Many people think they can't travel because it's too expensive. While traveling to exotic places can break the bank, there are alternatives. One of my favorite types of travel is - The Road Trip. How many of us remember long drives in the car with our families growing up? It seems that as airfare has decreased in price and gasoline has gone up, the road trips from our childhood are a thing of the past. Road trips allow children to actually see the world around them. It is such a different experience to drive through a state then it is to simply fly over. Spending hours in the car together can tighten those family bonds.

When our family was living in Australia and our children were very young, we took a long road trip from Alice Springs to Kangaroo Island (below Adelaide). I know all of you will go find those two places on your trusty atlases. It was a long drive. We broke it up by overnighting in Coober Pedy - a crazy "underground" town. (Trivia: Coober Pedy was featured on an episode of The Amazing Race and is where the movie Mad Max was filmed.) I'm not sure that my husband enjoyed the driving part of our trip as much as I did, but it was definitely an experience that we will never forget. We drove for hours and hours through the Outback, saw a wild dingo, emus, kangaroos, wedge-tailed eagles, and camels.

At that time in our lives, I much preferred to drive places. Our youngest son was a difficult baby and plane rides were not enjoyable for us or anyone else on the plane. When you take a road trip, no one is giving you dirty looks because your children are crying or kicking their seat. You can stop whenever you want or need to. The trip goes at your own pace.

Coober Pedy, Northern Territory

Adelaide, Southern Australia

My idea of an inexpensive way to travel with kids is to pick a destination you have never been before. Maybe it's located in your own state, or maybe you want to travel a couple of states away. Do some research and find a great campground. Pack up the car, start your road trip, and enjoy exploring.

In the weeks leading up to your travels, read Road Trip by Roger Eschbacher to your kids to help build anticipation. You want them to be excited about the upcoming trip and to view it as an adventure. Show them a map and the route you plan to take. Encourage them to keep a journal and to write or draw pictures of what they encounter along the way.

Here are a few of my Road Trip Tips:

1) Leave early


I know some people like to drive through the night while their children sleep. We tried that once when Sully was little. It did not go well. I don't know about you, but I can't get comfortable enough in a car to sleep for very long. We find it is a much better option to get up and on the road early. By leaving our house by 4:00 a.m., we are able to avoid rush hour traffic. It also allows us to arrive at our destination earlier in the day.


If you choose to follow this plan, I strongly suggest putting your children to bed in comfy clothes that aren't pajamas. Have them sleep in sweat pants and a t-shirt. This makes it much easier the next morning when you wake them up early. They can head to the vehicle without having to change clothes.



2) Bring along lots of fun activities

Our van has a DVD player built in and that in itself has made for fairly quiet road trips. The older two boys also have Gameboys that they bring along. Those items along with a CD player or iPod and some books to read are all our family needs to have a successful road trip.

Let's say you do not own a DVD player or gaming system, or just choose to take a road trip without those items. There are many other (probably better) ways to pass the time!

On one trip, I prepared special activity boxes to be handed out every hour or two. I used some plastic containers and filled them with various items. Each one had a snack and a "new" item to play with. The new items can be purchased at yard sales, thrift stores, or dollar stores. You don't need to spend lots of money. Something as simple as a matchbox car, a special new pen to draw with, or some stickers can keep a child occupied for some time.

Another inexpensive idea is to print out activities to bring along.

• You can get lots of great free printables at Mom's Minivan.

• Get a free downloadable fall themed travel activity book at Rad Road Trips.

• Free Travel Activity Book

There are also numerous travel related activities to purchase. Here are just a few:

• Coast-to-Coast Games

• Everything Kids' Travel Activity Book

• Kids Travel: A Backseat Survival Kit

• Miles of Smiles: 101 Great Car Games and Activities

• Rubberneckers: Everyone's Favorite Travel Game

• Ultimate Sticker Puzzles: License Plates Across the States

Borrowing books on CD from library is another great way to pass the time. Our family just finished listening to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. Now that we've finished, we'll watch the movie to help tie everything together.


3) Take breaks every two hours

Remembering to stop for breaks is never a problem in our family as I always need to use the restroom! It's important to let the kids get out, stretch their legs, and maybe even run off some energy. Packing a picnic lunch for the drive and stopping at a rest area can be a wonderful way to take a break from the car.

4) Pack a separate overnight bag

If we are traveling somewhere and need to stay in a hotel overnight along the way, I pack a separate overnight bag. I put a change of clothes for everyone and toiletries in a small duffel bag. This way we don't have to carry the entire suitcase into the hotel with us.

To save on space, I rarely pack pajamas for the kids when we travel. Every night they get a bath/shower and put on clean underwear and a t-shirt. The next morning they just put on their pants and away we go.

5) Remember it's the voyage, not the destination

I know it can be difficult to just let go and take time to stop and enjoy the surroundings. Depending on where we're heading, my focus can sometimes be on just arriving at our destination. But, it's important to remember that much of the fun comes from the journey.

Take time before you leave to research some fun things to see along your route. Look up some boxes ahead of time and do some letterboxing. Maybe you'll see a sign for something interesting and decide to take a detour. Some of the best memories can be made by allowing yourselves to get lost in the trip.

One of my dreams is to take six to eight weeks and travel around the United States with my little family and see all of the amazing sights that I have missed out on. I hope this post encourages your family to take a road trip. I'd love to hear about your adventures and any tips you have to share.

This post is linked to Thirsty Thursdays at Five J's and Frugal Fridays at Life as Mom.

Roasted "Buttersquash" Ravioli w/ Sage Cream Sauce

*This is a re-post. I thought it was an appropriate "autumn" meal. You could always replace the squash with pumpkin.*

I love butternut squash, or "buttersquash" as Connor calls it. Usually I pop it in the oven, bake until it's soft and tender, and scoop out the sweet, savory goodness. Being the only member of the family who eats this gorgeous vegetable, I decided to make a special dish for myself.

Have you ever had a moment of greatness, when you were so impressed with yourself - only to be put back in your rightful place within a matter of moments?

That was me about ten minutes ago.

I'm getting ahead of myself. Earlier in the day, I was trying to decide what to do with my "buttersquash" and came up with what I considered a fantastic idea - Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli w/ Sage Cream Sauce! I thought to myself, "I'll make up a recipe as I go and if it comes out halfway decent, I can post it on my blog!"

Excitedly, I began peeling and dicing my squash, stopping to toss in some chopped onion, olive oil, the juice from one orange, salt, pepper, and pumpkin pie spice. I know - I know. Crazy! But, when I went searching through my cabinet, I realized I was out of nutmeg - the typical partner for squash. Daring to be unique, since this was my own creation afterall, I picked up the pumpkin pie spice, checked the ingredients, and decided to throw caution to the wind!

What emerged from the oven 50 minutes later was a picture of beauty.



Don't you just love that golden orange color? I wish I could have shared the aroma that encompassed my kitchen as I lifted the dish from the oven.

After letting the roasted squash cool, (and tasting a morsel of course), I used my food processor to create a light and fluffy mixture of squash, cream, and a bit of melted butter.

Oh - did I forget to mention that this is most definitely not a diet friendly meal?

After finishing that exhausting task, I put the fragrant squash mousse into the refrigerator and went about my day.

I imagine it can be quite frustrating for those who are simply interested in a clear cut recipe to read my blog. In my world, food is something to be discussed, shared, photographed, savored, and so on. It would be very difficult for me to put down the ABCs of a recipe because that's not how I cook. When I am making something, I might look to recipes as a guide, but I always change things up and add my own touches. And in the case of this "buttersquash" invention, there is a whole story to unravel along the way.

As the day progressed and dinner time drew near, I got out my "recipe" for Pennsylvania Dutch Ham Pot Pie. I made my pasta dough the same way I make it for the pot pie. After rolling out some of the dough, I brushed the top with an egg wash and placed some spoonfuls of squash in a (not so straight) row.





The ravioli got boiled for just a few minutes. While that was taking place, I made my cream sauce. Onions sauteed in some margarine, a couple splashes of wine, and then it was time for the glorious cream.



A bit of sage, some parmesan cheese, a dash of salt and pepper, and the sauce was complete and ready to accompany my little pillows of slightly sweet, yet savory "buttersquash."

Then came that critical moment when my tongue got to be the judge of this original cuisine. The result was a triumphant, "Oh my gosh this is sooooooo good! I can't believe I came up with this on my own! I should write a cookbook!"



Oh yeah. There was a point to this story, wasn't there?

I was all excited to share this wonderful creation on my blog and basking in the glory of a fantastic meal, when I happened to do a search on google for butternut squash ravioli. Do you know how many recipes are already out there for butternut squash ravioli with some sort of sage sauce? Go type it in and check for yourself. I'll wait.

See what I mean? My excitement over this - what I considered to be a - unique meal was quickly thwarted by the realization that I had made nothing new. Such a meal had been recreated many times before this traveler's moment of brilliance.

In an attempt to salvage some of my dignity, I decided to at least come up with an original name for my dish. I bet you won't find any other recipes for "buttersquash" ravioli. Go ahead and check. I'll wait.

Check out Life as Mom for Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Adding Another Pet to the Family

Sully and Owen recently finished reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume. Almost immediately, Sully made a request. "Mama, can we get a turtle for a pet?" Those who have read the book will be aware that Dribble, the turtle, plays a major part in the story. I said I would have to think about it.

We already have a cat, Oreo. I would love to have another kitten, but our development charges pet fees. Adding another cat or dog would also increase our rent. So, finding an alternative has been on mind.

I have spent the past few days researching turtles and tortoises. My head was spinning with all of the information I had encountered. I wanted to be sure that if we got one, it would be the right reptile for our family. There is a lot more to caring for these special creatures than most would expect.

After deciding that an aquatic turtle would be too much work for our family (our one attempt at maintaining an aquarium did not go well), we have decided to go with a Russian Tortoise. We will be spending the next couple of weeks doing more research on our desired species of chelonian and getting his/her new home all ready.

As with any pet your family is considering adopting, do your research before purchasing a turtle or tortoise. There are lots of wonderful websites out there full of information on these reptiles, such as the Turtle Forum and the Tortoise Forum.

We will continue to update as we begin our adventures in herpetology. Our first step will be doing a unit study on turtles/tortoises. Stay tuned!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

This treat is a fun, fall version of the popular moon pies, or whoopie pies as we called them growing up. They are so delicious - they never last long in our house.

~ Pumpkin Whoopie Pies ~

1 1/2 sticks butter (1 stick melted, 1/2 stick softened)

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup white flour

2/3 cup wheat flour

4 ounces fat free cream cheese, chilled

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together the melted butter and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add in the eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Gently fold in the flour.

Drop 12 generous mounds of batter, spaced evenly, onto each baking sheet (two greased baking sheets). Bake at 350 until springy to the touch, about 10 minutes. Place on a cooling rack.

Using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter with the cream cheese. Add the confectioners' sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; mix on low speed until blended, then beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Spread the flat side of 12 cooled cakes with the cream cheese frosting. Top each with another cake.

Check out Life as Mom for Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Cheeseburger Soup

Now that at least two of my boys have become more accepting of eating soup, I plan to do more experimenting with this simple, yet satisfying food. Cheeseburger Soup is inexpensive, easy to make, and will undoubtedly become a family favorite.

~ Cheeseburger Soup ~

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter/margarine

1 onion, chopped

3 - 4 carrots, peeled and diced

1 pound ground beef

4 potatoes, peeled and diced

1/4 cup flour

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

3 bay leaves

1 1/2 cups milk

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion and carrots and saute for a minute. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Stir in the potatoes and the flour. Cook for a few minutes. Stir in the spices. Slowly add the broth, stirring at the same time. Add the worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Pour in the milk and bring to a boil. Add the cheese and simmer until melted.

Check out Life as Mom for the Ultimate Recipe Swap.

How to Make Felted Dolls

While living in Australia a few years back, I joined a group that made crafts as fundraisers for a local school. They provided me with the supplies and the knowledge and I learned a valuable skill while working for a good cause. My favorite thing that I learned to make were felted dolls.

I have tried to find directions online to make these wonderful dolls, but have never even found mention of them. Felting itself is a fairly common craft, but using this technique to make dolls doesn't seem to be as well known. I decided I would try my best to write tutorial.

The items you will need:

♦ felting needle
♦ wool of various colors
♦ pipe cleaners
♦ a thick piece of foam
♦ scissors

The first thing to do is cut your pipe cleaners into the desired lengths. I will show two different techniques - one uses a separate torso piece (better for adult dolls) and the other just twists two pieces together for legs and arms (better for child dolls). You can also use either technique to do both adult and child dolls.

As you can see, you are just twisting the pipe cleaners around one another and bending a bit to get the right shape.

Then take a piece of wool and tie a loose knot in the middle. This knot will be the head. (I have 3 different shades that I use for the bodies - one is dark, one medium, and one a light beige.)

Place the wool so the knot is above the top of the pipe cleaner body.

Then it just becomes a process of taking small amounts of the wool and wrapping it around the arms, legs, and torso. Also, cross the wool around the torso like an "X" so that there are no gaps in the shoulder area.

This is what it looks like after the wool is all wrapped.

The next step is the needling. The crafting group gave me a piece of large foam to use as a backdrop to protect myself or a surface from the needle. It wasn't purchased somewhere - just a piece that someone's husband had lying around. I'm not sure where you could find something similar.

Be aware that felting needles are VERY sharp!

Needling is simply poking the needle into the wool repeatedly. This firms up the wool. You continue needling all parts of the doll, front and back, until the body feels firm.

You can see the difference in the doll after just a few minutes of needling.

Here is the other technique I mentioned before - using just two pieces of pipe cleaner and no extra part as a torso. The torso will form on its own with the wrapping of the wool.

Again, notice the difference in the wool after the needling.

To add hair to a doll, take a piece of the desired color (this will be a girl, obviously - boys are done the same way - just use a much shorter piece of wool and needle all of it).

Needle the top part of the "hair" onto the head. I like to make a ponytail or pigtails for the girls.

Then I braid the wool and use a small amount of wool as ties.

To make clothes for the dolls, take some colored wool and wrap it around the body. Then needle it until it's firm.

Once you have the clothes completed, you will probably need to do some more needling to make sure everything is good and firm and shaped nicely. You can continue needling to make a slimmer torso, or a more defined neck. I know the first few times I made a doll, I would think I was finished, but my instructor told I had a lot more needling to do.

Dresses and skirts can also be made from felting, using a water and soap technique to tighten the wool. This makes for a garment that is separate from the body. I will try to get instructions for that up in the near future.

These instructions are a very basic guide to explain the process behind these dolls. Be as creative as you want! Feel free to post any questions you might have and I will try and answer as best I can.