CARROTS!

We all know carrots are good for us, but sometimes it takes some nudging to get children to eat them. Perhaps, planting some carrot seeds and growing your own will entice them a little as well as teaching them about the growth cycle. Nature in action right before their eyes! August is still a good time to plant carrots. I am going to be planting some more and look forward to a continued crop.         

Here are two great books read aloud that also may make carrots more appealing to your children.

The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zsv_vImOr8

Too Many Carrots  by Katy Hudson can be found at this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fW-m3NRxNw

Another way to make carrots more appealing to your children is to serve them with good ranch dressing.

Visit my July 30th post for a great recipe:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/776774985876657148/8602106844791587420

If You Give A Moose a Muffin

Who doesn't love muffins? And, who doesn't love Laura Numeroff's If You Give A.... books?

If You Give A Moose A Muffin is such a cute story that makes children smile and parents nod their heads as we have seen these scenarios play out in our own homes with our own kids. One thing leads to another, and another, and another. 

                                          

If you do not have a copy of this book or just want to listen to someone else read the story, check out this video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBIXvlO_RBs.

Of course, being in the kitchen with your children creates memories they will never forget. It is time spent with their favorite people, it's science, it's math, it's language development, it's following directions, it's recognizing numbers and words as they get older, it's creative, and it is delicious.

This is a yummy, very moist, banana muffin recipe my good friend shared years ago. As a matter of fact, the Day School library is named in memory of her. When I turn on the lights in there every school day, I think of her AND these muffins!

BANANA SOUR CREAM MUFFINS (Originally shared by Barrett Coe Kelly)

¾ cup butter (1 ½ sticks softened) 

1 ½ cup sugar 

2 eggs 

3 ripe bananas

4 T. sour cream

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter. Gradually add sugar. Beat in eggs, thoroughly. Sift together flour, soda, and salt and gradually to the bowl. ( I sometimes just add them directly to the bowl - but sifting is fun for kids.) Mash bananas and beat into mixture. Add sour cream and vanilla and blend. Pour into lined or greased muffin tins, ¾ full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes. Makes 2 dozen large muffins. I quite often make mini muffins or muffin tops so be creative and do what works for your family. Times vary as you change the size and form of what you bake. Enjoy!

For any of you out there who need a gluten free banana muffin recipe, try this one that is a staple in my house. It is actually great with regular all-purpose flour, too!

GLUTEN FREE BANANA MUFFINS 

1 ¼ cups gluten free flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. salt

2 large eggs, room temperature and beaten

⅔ cup sugar

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsp. vanilla

½ cup oil or applesauce

                                                

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line regular muffin tins. 

Whisk together the flour , baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add the eggs, sugar, bananas, vanilla and oil or applesauce, stirring to incorporate between each addition until all ingredients are well combined.

Transfer the batter into the muffin tins. Depending on the size of the muffins, they should bake 25-30 minutes. This makes good mini muffins, too. The time decreases to about 20 minutes, but keep checking. Let cool completely in pan set on a rack. Enjoy!

Join IPC To Worship And Learn

 

WORSHIP. JOIN US FOR WORSHIP AT 11 AM VIA LIVESTREAM Download a bulletin at home here.  The livestream will be available here or through the IPC Facebook page.  Please continue to remember to support the church. Offerings may be submitted online, by mail to 3100 Highland Avenue S. | Birmingham, AL 35205 or through the ShelbyNEXT app.  Let us know you are worshipping with us by filling out this attendance form at the start of worship. FINAL SUMMER ADULT CLASS Click on the link below to view this week's offering for adults: DR. JEFF LEONARD'S CLASS  NOTE: Currently, there are no youth or children's classes. Older classes, including VBS and Bible in 90 Days, can be found on our YouTube channel.

WEBSITE PRAYER LIST LIVESTREAM COVID- 19 Independent Presbyterian Church 3100 Highland Avenue Birmingham, AL 35205

Share this email: Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove™ Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails. View this email online. 3100 Highland Avenue S.  Birmingham, AL | 35205 United States This email was sent to kleaver@ipc-usa.org.  To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.

"Sushi" for Kids

Believe it or not, we actually do have children occasionally bring sushi in their lunches, but we know not all kids have acquired a taste for that yet. I do have a couple of ideas for "sushi" style breakfasts, lunches or snacks that look fun on the plate and are really easy to transport and eat. Many of your children can help with parts of the assembling and would love being in the kitchen with you.

BANANA SUSHI
You will need per child:
1 tortilla
1 banana
2 Tbsp. nut butter of your choice - (for school, remember only Sun Butter!)
                                               
TO ASSEMBLE:
Spread the nut butter all over the tortilla.
Place the banana toward one edge of the tortilla.
Begin rolling the tortilla at the edge closest to the banana until you have a nice, tight roll.
Slice into "sushi" size pieces.
                                                
                                                               Enjoy!
CINNASUSHI
You will need per child:
Bread
Softened butter
Cinnamon
Sugar
                                                 
TO ASSEMBLE:
Remove the crust from each piece of bread.
With a rolling pin, flatten the bread. (if you do not have a rolling pin, use the bottom of a glass.)
Spread the butter evenly onto the bread.
Sprinkle generously with cinnamon and sugar.
                                                 
Tightly roll the pieces of bread.

Now you have two options:
1) Cut the rolls with a serrated knife into sushi size pieces and enjoy OR
2) Saute in some butter for just a few minutes, turning the rolls to be browned a little on all sides. Then cut into sushi size pieces and enjoy.
                                                   
Either of these "sushi" ideas can also be made with ham or turkey and cheese or peanut butter and jelly. Really anything your child would eat that can be rolled and cut and not get too, too messy!

Dots ....Pointillism

Kids love painting with dots and that technique actually has a fancy art name, pointillism. It continues to be an important art genre made started first by Georges Seurat ( Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte), and made famous also by Vincent van Gogh (Starry, Starry Night and Sunflowers), and Paul Signac (Harbour at Marseilles) followed by many other great artists. Viewed from afar, the individual dots in the paintings are not always visible, but the dots are evident when the art is viewed from a closer position. It is an amazing technique and can be fun for kids to try.

Here are a few good kid links to teach your child about the artists and the technique:

How to paint spot-on like Georges Seurat

Paint like Vincent Van Gogh

Scholastic lesson on pointillism

pointillism for kids

Dots can be made with finger tips, q-tips, the end of a dowel, or anything that is the desired size.
The only other supplies you need are paint and paper.    

                                         
Your child can make a picture, re-create Starry, Starry Night or Sunflowers, a bookmark, or a card and it can be of an object or scene or it can just simply be playing with colors. For young children, you may need to draw something lightly with a pencil and instruct them to fill in the drawing with dots.
                                           
Using dots is also a fun way to practice numbers and letters. Either you or your child can write the numbers, then your child can fill in the lines with dots.
                                           
Lastly, I want to share an item the kids and teachers love at the Day School, Do-A-Dots. They look like markers with paint in them and they make dots! We use them for all kinds of art and also for exercises like reinforcing the letters in a child's name. Definitely worth ordering if your child loves                                  
art!
                                         
Enjoy dotting!

Please Join IPC for Worship and Classes

WORSHIP. JOIN US FOR WORSHIP AT 11 AM VIA LIVESTREAM HOLY COMMUNION | RECOGNIZING GRADUATED SENIOR ACOLYTES Download a bulletin at home here.  The livestream will be available here or through the IPC Facebook page.  Please continue to remember to support the church. Offerings may be submitted online, by mail to 3100 Highland Avenue S. | Birmingham, AL 35205 or through the ShelbyNEXT app.  Let us know you are worshipping with us by filling out this attendance form at the start of worship. CONTINUE YOUR FAITH FORMATION WITH DR. JEFF LEONARD Click on the link below to view this week's offerings for adults: DR. JEFF LEONARD'S CLASS  NOTE: Currently, there are no youth or children's classes. Older classes, including VBS and Bible in 90 Days, can be found on our YouTube channel.

WEBSITE PRAYER LIST LIVESTREAM COVID- 19

Independent Presbyterian Church 3100 Highland Avenue Birmingham, AL 35205

Share this email: Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove™ Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails. View this email online. 3100 Highland Avenue S.  Birmingham, AL | 35205 United States This email was sent to kleaver@ipc-usa.org.  To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.

Eat Your Veggies Like Peter Rabbit

I hope you were able to celebrate Beatrix Potter's birthday this week by reading, listening or watching her stories and maybe created some beautiful watercolor artwork.
In honor of Peter Rabbit and his friends, cut up carrot sticks (or buy the bag of baby carrots!) and cucumbers and make some ranch dressing for dipping. Making your own dressing is better for you since it will have no MSG or sugar. And if your child has a dairy allergy, you can use all non-dairy products like I do. Still tastes fabulous! Remember, children are more likely to eat healthy if they see you doing so.

                                                     
Ranch Dressing/Dip Dry Mix
¼ cup dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp dried chives
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried dill weed

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Store in a mason jar until ready to use; shake before measuring out the mix to use.

To make 8 servings of dressing
2 Tbsp ranch dressing mix
½ cup milk
½ cup mayonnaise

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to mix thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 weeks.

To make Ranch Dip
3 Tbsp ranch dressing dry mix
1 16 ounce carton sour cream

Combine well and enjoy.
Kids actually love to dip everything, especially chicken fingers, French fries and pizza in ranch dressing so maybe you can get them to include a few veggies in the dipping fun!