Easy Summer Snack - Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt Sandwich: Tutorial

Or, How-To Eat 2 Cookies in 1 Setting Without Feeling Too Guilty! : )

Now that we have settled back down to our Summer Schooling schedule and we are prepared to feed our brains this summer, it begins to make little tummies grumble . . . okay, big tummies too.  We wanted to whip up some chocolate chip cookies (a Mac family fav) but I wanted the kids to have some chillier snacks for the hot afternoons.  Thus, we created the Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt Sandwich.  Just a quick twist on an old favorite.

Ingredients:  

• Your favorite cookie - homemade is best, but any ole' cookie will do!
• Your favorite Greek Yogurt: We use The Greek gods' Greek Yogurt: Vanilla Honey 

1.  Bake cookies and allow them to cool on wire rack completely.  Or if your super smart, just take them out of your store-bought package . . . genius!

2.  Add 1- 2 Tablespoons of Greek yogurt, depending on the size of the cookie.

3.  Add your a second cookie by sandwiching it on top of the yogurt.

4.  Place a FULL cookie sheet of sandwiches in the freezer until yogurt is frozen to preferred consistency, or wrap individually with clear plastic wrap if you want to eat later . . . but really, why would you want to do that???

5.  Take pictures of your Happy Homeschoolers enjoying their summer treat.

(Please note:  Happy Homeschooler #3, aka the Scout, is not pictured here due to the fact he had already CONSUMED cookie sandwich in question BEFORE pictures were taken.  Boys!?!)

HERE ARE A FEW MORE CHILLY TREATS FROM MY PIN BOARD:

• Mini Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizza
• Frozen Yogurt Banana Pops
• Frozen Yogurt Bites

Many blessings for a safe, fun and healthy summer break!

Happy Homeschooling!

The Joyful Socks Mom

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What To Do When You Feel Like My O.J. Jug Looks!

This is my orange juice container.  I requested mass quantities of orange juice recently, as it seems to be what my body craves when I am feeling unwell.  My sweet, wonderful, fabulous husband was happy to oblige.  As it appears though, there was some kind of MAJOR mishap between the store and my kitchen.


This afternoon, after receiving unwelcome results from the doctor (no worries folks, I'm good.  Scout's honor), I immediately reached for a refreshing glass of orange juice mixed with aloe vera.  As I perched the container onto the cabinet, I had a revelation. . . 

"I feel like my orange juice jug looks."

These are the things that pop into my head.  I know, it's a scary trap to get caught in . . . my silly little mind!

We have all had these moments, these days, these years. . . giving into the way you "feel" is never the way to go.  At these moments where life's troubles seem to be trampling over your heart, what is it you do?  Where do you turn?  Join me as I journey back to God's will from the deep recesses of how I "feel"!

1.  Give Him worship!  It is what we were made for. . . 

". . . Worship Adonai your God, and serve only Him." Matthew 4:10 (JNT)

Stop focusing on the things you cannot do.  Worship is something that you can do, always, regardless of how you "FEEL".

2.  Thankfulness is the place to be and stay.

" Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and enter into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name."  Psalm 100:4 (NKJV)

Thankfulness is the cure for the heart issues that arise out of focusing on feelings.  It is a fact, and NOT as painful as you would think when you are just ready to let go and give it to God!

3.  Repeat after me!

"Thank you God!  Thank you that you trust me to go through this.  Thank you that you are always with me."

4.  Finish your glass of orange juice and put the sorry looking jug back in the fridge.

"For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." 2 Corinthians 4:16 (NKJV)

Thanks for journeying with me ladies! (((Hugs)))

The Joyful Socks Mom

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How To Teach Your Children First Aid That Instills Responsibility

We love tray learning for all the around-the-house training that the Bug needs.  I was cleaning out my old Cub Scout box the other day and realized that she is about the same age and has had no formal first-aid instruction.  Bad scout leader!  


Teaching first-aid to a child is important for many reasons.  Proper first-aid is important, obviously, in case of an emergency.  Safety is important to teach, and teaching first-aid helps reinforce safety procedures around the house.  First-aid instruction also helps create a sense of responsibility in a child and challenges them to be responsible for themselves and others.


Before you start creating your learning tray, you should carefully consider your child's developmental stage.  I am obviously not going to teach full CPR to my eight year old daughter.  She would not be ready to handle herself in that type of emergency . . . I'll give her credit for being a bit tougher than I probably think she is, though.  You will want to choose first aid training with a couple of other essentials in mind for your own student before beginning:


1.  Age appropriate first-aid skills
2.  Ability to handle emergency situations
3.  Child's learning style
4.  Need for challenging instruction


My child needs to develop in her auditory skills and needs help in following verbal instruction.  Give her something to read or allow her to write it down, no problem, but tell her . . . forget it!  This is why I typically only provide verbal instructions when giving her a learning tray, and not written instructions.  She needs no stretching or discipline in the area of reading or writing, FOR REAL!  The trick is actually how to keep her nose OUT of a book. She needs challenging in the area of verbal instruction . . . it is seriously in one ear and out the other.  You can, however; write instruction cards or directions for your child to work more independently with the learning tray.


Here is the First-Aid Tray we prepared:

Materials needed:
Bandages (various sizes)
Triple Antibiotic Ointment
Antiseptic Wipe
Burn Cream
Sting Relief Product
Cotton Swabs
Instant Cold Pack
Rubber Gloves 


Lesson Steps for First-Aid Tray:


1.  Discuss the "Be Courageous" discipline of First-Aid from the BSA Cub Scout handbooks - Be Strong. Be Calm.  Be Clear. Be Careful.  This opens up great discussion about the importance of being brave in times of need or emergency.  I had the Bug document the 4 steps of "Being Courageous" and then we discussed each step and it's importance.

2.  Discuss basic first-aid in regards to self-care.  You will not want to encourage first-aid application on anyone other than family, until a later date.  (5th or 6th grade is more developmentally appropriate for this type of instruction.)  Here we discussed what to do in the case of a scratch on your own finger.  

{I used a red pen to make a "scratch" on the Bug's finger.}

{Then we reviewed the steps to applying first-aid on herself beginning with washing the wound. . . looks like her hands needed some washing anyhow.}

{I then allowed the Bug to choose the appropriately sized bandage and apply it to her finger.}

3.  Review steps you would like the child to take for each first-aid procedure and item to be used.  Example:  When someone else is bleeding and it cannot be stopped you would . . . "Go get mommy or daddy to help."  Then you could add extra steps like, "Yes, and you could also get a gauze or the first-aid kit for mom or dad to use."  Now, review all the items in the first-aid kit, specifying which can be used by the child and which items are only to be used with an adults supervision.

{The Bug is reviewing the instructions on the Instant Cold Pack}

The Squeaker had a nice little boo-boo that the Bug was allowed to practice first-aid on.  She really enjoyed using the gloves and "doctoring-up" big sister.

4.  Discuss location of first-aid kits in your home and when to use them.


5.  Review and Discuss emergency phone numbers.  This is a great lesson in alphabetical order.  I had the Bug look up all the numbers in the phone book and list them to post on the refrigerator. 

Happy Homeschooling!

The Joyful Socks Mom     

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