Studio3Music Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Things to do’

Dec
7

Advent Calendar Anticipation

Posted in Bits and Pieces, Family, Things to do

Children love surprises! So when a sheet of colorful cardboard has 24 enticing little doors with a surprise tucked behind each one, what child can resist? Add a piece of yummy candy behind each opening and kids go nuts. No wonder Advent calendars have been around for a couple of centuries.

The celebration of Advent dates back to the 4^th century. Converts to Christianity observed Advent as a season of preparation for baptism. In the Middle Ages, Advent was a time to look forward to the 2^nd coming of Christ. The traditional observance of Advent still celebrated today involves the anticipation of the nativity. By lighting a candle on each of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas day, Christians prepare to celebrate his birth on Christmas day. While many people still celebrate the religious aspects of Advent, the use of Advent calendars has become part of the secular observance of Christmas too.

The earliest Advent calendars probably originated in Germany. German Lutherans in the 19^th century would draw chalk lines on their doors to help children count down the days until Christmas. Lighting 24 candles was another common practice.

The first handmade Advent calendars began in Hamburg, Germany. Soon, a printer in Munich named Gerhard Lang created the standard Advent calendar still recognizable today. He glued 24 little colored pictures to cardboard and then attached another piece of cardboard with 24 matching doors on top. His company, Reichheld Lang Printing Co. marketed 30 designs. In 1930, they were forced to close when cardboard was rationed during WWII.

After the war, Richard Sellmer Verlag of Stuttgart, Germany, began to print the calendars again. Today, this enduring company continues to carry a stock of 1,000 calendars.

Advent calendars come in a variety of styles ranging from inexpensive traditional designs, to more expensive 3D Lego versions and everything in between! Handmade Advent calendars are a popular craft this time of year. Just google “Homemade Advent Calendars” and you’ll find many easy –to-make ideas.

A 1946 newspaper article showed President Eisenhower’s grandchildren gleefully opening up doors on a “Little Town Advent Calendar.” Subsequently, the popularity of these calendars soared in the US. Of course. Advent calendars capture children’s anticipatory nature the world over.

Click on this link for more information on the history of Advent and the Advent calendar.

-posted by Donna Detweiler, who remembers how excited she was each morning to discover what tiny picture of a toy was behind the numbered door on her Advent calendar!

Tags: Donna Detweiler, Holidays, parenting, Things to do

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Nov
17

Marshmallow Magic

Posted in Bits and Pieces, Family, Recipes, Things to do

Squishy, poufy, sugary fun. See a marshmallow through your kids’ eyes, and you’ll know why they are so loved. They are just asking to be squeezed, pul-l-l-l-ed apart, or bounced on the counter top. When popped in the mouth, their chalky texture quickly becomes a slippery, slimy glob of sweetness.

Not all flavors are created equal

Along with marshmallows a’ la carte, roasted marshmallows are a favorite at fall campfires. The classic S’More can’t be beat, but lots of new marshmallow flavors exist. Chocolate, caramel swirl, strawberry and tutti-fruity have hit supermarket shelves, although not all flavors seem to be available all the time. And not all flavors taste good over a fire. When was the last time you enjoyed a hot strawberry? A toasted lemon? Or burnt-around-the-edges lime? To each his own, but caramel or chocolate seems to rest better between two graham crackers and a wedge of chocolate.

Crispy treat heaven

But melt strawberry marshmallows with some butter and crispy rice cereal and let it cool; well, that’s a different story. Strawberry aficionados will have a tough time leaving them alone. Chocoholics have the same trouble with chocolate marshmallow crispy squares, or with white marshmallows squares to which a handful of chocolate chips has been stirred in. Death by Crispy Square would be treats made with both chocolate marshmallows and chocolate chips. What a great way to go!

Fast, flavorful and fun

Since the invention of flavored marshmallows, rice crispy squares are practically gourmet and still fast to make; ten minutes tops If using the microwave. With different flavors and toppings, they can be adapted to any festivity. Orange, red and brown sprinkles for fall. Team colors for a sports party. Red and green sugar for Christmas. Multi-colored sprinkles or M & M’s pressed into the top for birthdays or any occasion.

Easy and popular

Crispy squares have become my number one choice when taking dessert to a potluck or providing a family with dinner. I often put three flavors side-by-side on a cookie sheet: 1/3 chocolate, 1/3 strawberry and 1/3 white with sprinkles. Inexpensive, easy to transport, fun to look at and taste, they always makes a good impression. (Of course all the other parts of the meal I provide are incredibly healthy and nutritious….)

Here’s the recipe:

Generously butter a cookie baking sheet

In a 3 qt. casserole dish or other microwave-safe bowl, melt ¼ cup of butter. Add one package of marshmallows of your choice (regular or minis work fine) and stir so that marshmallows are coated in butter. Return to the oven and microwave until marshmallows are puffy and melted together—2-4 minutes depending on your microwave oven.

Carefully fold in 6 cups of crispy rice cereal. Mixture will be gooey. Stir until cereal and marshmallows are evenly combined. If desired, fold in ½ c. chocolate chips (or more to taste.) Transfer mixture to cookie sheet. Dampen your hands so mixture won’t stick and pat evenly onto cookie sheet. One recipe will fill 1/3 to ½ of a pan depending on how tall you want them. Sprinkle immediately with desired topping. Press topping gently into squares while still warm. Repeat process with next flavor. Press 2^nd flavor onto cookie sheet next to 1^st flavor. Repeat with 3^rd flavor, creating 3 stripes of flavored squares. Cool. Cut into squares.

Mooshy, squooshy, sickeningly-sweet marshmallows bring out the kid in us. So next time you’re at the store, buy a package of your favorite marshmallows, and join your child in old-fashioned marshmallow fun, however you like ‘em best.

-posted by Donna Detweiler, who while blogging today munched a sprinkled crispy square with her coffee. Yum.

We found a gourmet marshmallow review here. They look YUMMY! Think Maple Pecan, and Kona Coffee Crunch. Or even Key Lime Sublime.

Tags: Donna Detweiler, Things to do

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Nov
10

A New Holiday Tradition

Posted in Family, Symphony Concerts, Things to do, Things We Love

Oh, I love Christmas…the beautiful wreaths, the cookies, the carols, the bows ribbons and wrappings, the Yorkshire pudding. I love decorating the Christmas tree, and shopping and rehearsing for Christmas Eve mass, and I love going to mass on Christmas Eve, and singing all the beloved old carols and the new ones, too. I love making my lists of gifts and deciding what to get for my family (except for my husband’s dad – he is so hard to shop for!) And I still wait anxiously to open my own gifts. (Although I may have recently joined the same category as my father-in-law…)

It’s the traditions that make Christmas and any holiday or special event stand out in our memories. Would it be Easter without dyed eggs and chocolate bunnies, or the Fourth of July without hotdogs, apple pie and fireworks, or a wedding without rings? The answer: of course it would, but it might feel kinda funny, especially at first.

But every one of today’s traditions, once upon a time, were new additions to a time honored event. “Joy to the World and “Silent Night” had premiers and were the new kids on the block. They had to worm their way into the hearts of the people and become a tried and true Christmas tradition. So over time the traditions of all our beloved holidays have changed.

I’ve added a new tradition to my Christmas – the family concert at the Symphony. So a part of my Christmas preparations now is writing a script (and it’s all new this year) creating props, (all those are new, too) picking the music, (all new- well, all new old music, I guess is the better way to say that) and writing new music that none of you have ever heard before.

I’ve been deciding what kind of wacky things the Story Fairy will say and do, and wear on her head, it’ll be all new wackiness, but she’ll still be bossy (that’s traditional, after all) figuring out what Stacey and Michael will argue about and who gets to cry (Stacey is so funny when she cries…) crafting a story- yes, it’s all new and working with the arranger (he’s new!) and the illustrator. She stays the same, thankfully! I’ve grown accustomed to her style, and love her work, which will be –don’t be shocked – all new. And we are adding a new twist. We have invited a choir to join us for the story… there will be lots of voices singing out with Christmas and Hanukkah spirit.

Things are starting to move quickly now in our quest toward an all new Holiday Symphony Serenade Show. The illustrations have already been sent to the photographer. The arranger is working on the lullaby this weekend, our first read through was on Sunday, and Michael and I will begin building a very large Menorah in our garage sometime this week. The Story fairy will be welding the Shamash – you just can’t miss that!

If you’re reading this and you feel kinda mystified, then you need to add our concert series to your Holiday Traditions. Your children will love it and you will love it. It’s a great way to spend a Saturday morning. There will be group singing, of course, and a bounce, and some giggles, great harmony, a steady beat and a story and a snuggle. If you now exactly what I’m talking about, get your tickets right here…. ‘cause it’s ALL NEW…..

-posted by Miss Allison, who will see you in the lobby after the show!

Tags: kindermusik, Miss Allison, music, Things to do

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Oct
30

Cornflake Trees and Snowy Owls

Posted in Family, Things to do

Let me introduce to you our youngest blogger, Adrian Owen K. He doesn’t know he’s a celebrity yet, though. He is a Kindermusik rock star, of course! He’s just 7 (almost 8!) years old, and is in his last year of Kindermusik. If my memory serves me right, he’s been with us since babyhood.

Anyway, he asked his momma to send us this poem he’s been reciting (and teaching to his younger brother, Patrick).

“Autumn”, by Thelma Ireland

Cornflake leaves
Beneath the trees,
Are they a breakfast
For the breeze?

I was inspired to find a cornflake craft, and lo and behold – here you go.

Project list
1 piece brown construction paper
1 piece light blue construction paper
pencil
marker
scissors
liquid glue (not a glue stick)
1 small hand and arm (firmly attached to a small child)

On the brown paper, trace around the child’s hand (fingers spread out) and lower arm. Cut out the tracing.
Crumple up the paper to add tree trunk texture, and then smooth the paper out. Your child might be completely horrified that you are doing this to their beautiful hand and arm cutout, so if that becomes a problem, just skip it.
Glue the “tree” to the light blue paper, leaving room to write the poem.
Write the poem on the paper.
Glue cornflake leaves onto the branches and ground.
Now, hang display your child’s creation, and learn the poem together.

Owen also, (and rightly so) asked his momma to include this second cute little ditty.

“Mr. Owl”, by Edna Hamilton

I saw an owl up in a tree,
I looked at him, he looked at me.
I couldn’t tell you of his size,
For all I saw were two big eyes.
As soon as I could make a dash,
Straight home I ran, quick as a flash.

Of course this poem needs a cute craft as well.

Project list
a pinecone (Go take a walk in the park or woods to find one.)
cotton balls
googly eyes
felt
scissors
glue

Stretch or unroll the cotton balls.
Pull the cotton all over the pinecone. (It shouldn’t need any glue.)
From the felt, cut out a triangle for a beak, and round circles for the eyes.
Glue googly eyes on top of the felt circles.
Glue the eyes and beak to your Snowy Owl.
Make an owl family. (Because he’ll be lonely if you don’t.)
Learn the poem together.

Now, have a gallery showing and recitation to adoring fans. Don’t forget to serve dessert!

Thanks, Adrian Owen K.!

-posted by Miss Analiisa, who made her wonderful husband Karl go to the store at 9:30 at night to get cornflakes (which nobody eats around here), so she could make this craft and take pictures for you! Anyone want the rest of the box?

Tags: craft, crafts, Miss Analiisa, preschoolers, Things to do, toddlers

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Oct
26

A Boy and His Fish

Posted in Bits and Pieces, Family, Things to do

With a tug on a line, a surprised fish leaps out of the water without the faintest idea of how his little sacrifice has given my 8 year old Myles one of the greatest days of his life. Since beginning school this year, Myles has been enamored with the idea of fishing for classic northwest fish like salmon and trout. He checked out a book from the local library all about salmon and trout, sharing nuggets of fish facts to any willing listener….even to the man cleaning his catch (but we’ll get to that in a minute).

My husband and I couldn’t resist turning our son’s knowledge into first hand experiences. We loaded up the van and headed out onto highway 2 toward Gold Bar to visit the Wallace Falls Salmon Hatchery. There are other famous hatcheries, too, such as the one in Issaquah, which even sports Salmon Days during the fall. But as we live in Monroe, we decided to visit one more in our backyard.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by fishermen who were loading up their truck with glistening Silvers (a nickname for Coho Salmon). My three children, Myles (age 8), Colin (age 7) and Violette (age 3), all stared in awe at the large fish. Then my oldest declared that those fish would make a great lunch! The fishermen laughed and heartily agreed. Inside the hatchery, a man busy at work separating salmon eggs greeted us. He let the boys hold tiny salmon eggs with little black dots, which are the “eyes” of the developing baby salmons. My boys were in awe and Violette declared they were cute babies.

We finished our time at the hatchery watching the adult salmon swimming and jumping around. My oldest thought it was fun, like watching “Air Jaws” on the Discovery Channel….I am sure watching great white sharks leap from the water would be far more exciting (and terrifying), but in his eight year old mind, watching these salmon leap around was just as good.

We packed back up into the van and then traveled to Woodinville to round out the day visiting Gold Creek Trout Ponds. We kept this part of the trip a surprise, and the look on the boys’ faces when they realized they got to go fishing was a moment I will never forget. The owners gave them bamboo poles, bait, and showed them the ponds where they could catch their dinner!

Each boy caught two fish (around 6-10 inches each). It was a proud moment. Myles brought the bucket to the owner, who cleaned the fish right in front of them…four beautiful rainbow trout. Upon leaving, the man cleaning the fish told us to enjoy our dinner to which Myles replied, “They’ll be extra tasty because they are rainbow!”. I’m sure that fact is not found his library book, but Colin and Violette both agreed that rainbows make everything tastier, even fish.

-posted by Miss Jesikah, who was raised by a professional Bass Fisherman belonging to BassMasters, and fondly remembers her youth fishing whenever she could, catching many dinners for her family from the nearby lake where she grew up in Northern California.