Fresh Raspberries

We have been enjoying raspberries freshly picked from our yard!
Yumm!

We put the raspberries in an even layer on a cookies sheet to freeze, then transfer them to freezer bags for later.

Today we made raspberry smoothies.

We used:

1/4 - 1/3 c. frozen raspberries
1/3 frozen banana**
1 Tbs. sugar
1 c. water
1/4 c. vanilla yogurt

Put in blender and blend until smooth.
Enjoy!

** Banana is a great natural sweetener. When our bananas get too ripe we peel them, break into thirds, put in freezer baggies, and freeze for later use.



I put this recipe on The Recipe Box too.

Batter Blaster with Bash and "Z"

Cheese!....I mean....Pancakes!!!





We finally got around to making our Batter Blaster.

It was neat. The Batter Blaster came out sort of swirly like whipped cream, but thicker like pancake mix and quickly settled down flat like a normal pancake.



The pancakes tasted OK, but were not as fluffy as I like.

The following day we were frying taco shells. The kids said they tasted like elephant ears and asked to put cinnamon sugar on them. That gave me the idea that if I deep fried the Batter Blaster it would really be like the elephant ears at the county fair.

I was right! When I sprayed the Batter Blaster in a swirly pattern and fried it in the hot oil and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, the results were delicious! Yum!

Bashin and "Z" battling for the Batter Blaster.

Bashin spraying Batter Blaster.

Bash cooking

"Z" spraying Batter Blaster.

"Z" spraying Batter Blaster.

Bash sampling the batter....just kidding. Jessica warned us not to eat it raw.

"Z" cooking

a pancake

"Bash gives them a thumbs up.

"Z" eating

See food!

Deep fried Batter Blaster tastes like elephant ears! Just add cinnamon sugar.

NCIS, TV, Movies, and Learning?

Bash and I enjoy watching NCIS. In the show, Tony DiNozzo often uses things he has seen in movies as references to real life experiences. Ziva David often teases him about this and states that she prefers reading over movies.

In one episode, Tony figures out that Ziva has been watching movies. He finds a movie list she got from the library or somewhere. Her explanation was that she was watching these movies to help her better learn about and understand American colloquialisms. If I remember right it was a list of 100 movies every person should see.

I have two reasons for sharing this observation.

1. I am considering picking out a list of 100 must see movies and watching them. That should be fun and interesting.

and

2. I think TV and movies are great learning tools. My boyz and I often find that things we learned from television broaden our knowledge of the world around us and how things work. TV also exposes us to things we may never be exposed to any other way, which allows us to pursue an interest we may not have had without the TV.

This episode of NCIS revealed another positive aspect of TV and movies. TV and movies help us understand how certain terminology, phrases and jokes came to be and give deeper meaning to the things we hear and read. TV and movies broaden our cultural knowledge and our brain knowledge.




Disclaimer: I think that TV and movies are great tools, but, I do not believe that sitting in front of the TV and never experiencing life is good either. No single activity should be the only thing a person does. Every person should enjoy a variety of activities for a well balanced life.

Sophia's Saponata Trunk Show TODAY!!!

Don't forget!

Today, Saturday, July 25, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

with Vintage Bella and The Queen of Re.

Go visit at 8399 Miller Road, Swartz Creek.




If you have to miss it you can get your goodies and learn more at:
Sicilian Sophia's Saponata's blog
and
Sophia's Saponata's Etsy store

Today Is Learn Nothing Day- Can You Learn Nothing Today?

Since it is Learn Nothing Day and the goal is to learn absolutely nothing all day I will be avoiding the computer and TV and books. I wonder if I will even be able to get out of bed without learning something....


What is Learn Nothing Day?
Here's the deal:

Unschoolers need a holiday.
When people ask if they homeschool in the summer, they say yes. When people ask when they have a break from learning, they say never.

This has gone on for a long time now.

July 24 is Learn Nothing Day—a vacation for unschoolers.

Learn Nothing Day is void in Utah, and people in Utah will know why.
Special dispensation for Utah unschoolers: Learn Nothing could be celebrated in Utah on July 25.



Quotes from previous Learn Nothing Day:

"I just can't learn nothing, it's impossible, even with my old, feeble brain. I turned on the computer and was assaulted with all sorts of information. Imagine how hard it will be for the girls with their sharp, shiny new brains."
-Flo Gascon


"I just love Learn Nothing Day! My 5 year old said to me today, 'Mom is that possible.... to have a day where we don't learn something?' ;) "
-side note from Vickie Harkness



For more information on Learn Nothing Day go to
http://sandradodd.com/learnnothingday/2008

Did you learn nothing today?