Tobyn's 30 Day Baking Challenge: Day 3

We were excited to finally try out our new baking tools: a sifter and a donut pan. Tobyn got to sift most of our dry ingredients first.

Then Tobyn mixed together the wet ingredients. 

Finally, we filled our donut pans with our chocolate batter.

After waiting for what seemed like forever, we had twelve delicious donuts cooling.

Once they were cooled and after we'd eaten lunch, we began making our chocolate glaze. Tobyn started by sifting the powdered sugar. 

Next, we simmered butter, milk, honey, and vanilla on the stove.

Finally, we added the baker's chocolate and whisked that together until it was combined. 

We dipped our cooled donuts in the finished glaze and gave them each a liberal sprinkling of chocolate sprinkles.

Zoe's 30 Day Cooking Challenge: Day 3

Zoe chose lasagna for her third cooking choice. She's becoming a pro at cooking ground beef.

She mixed together her cheese mixture.

She seasoned and mixed her red sauce mixture.

Finally, she put together each layer.

She was proud of her completed lasagna and excited for it to be done baking.

Zoe's 30 Day Cooking Challenge: Day 2

Zoe chose spaghetti with a side of spinach as her second cooking project.

She started the water boiling for the pasta and got the ground beef started cooking before starting the spinach.

She is growing quite skilled at cooking ground beef.

The wonder of dumping your first box of pasta into boiling water. Whee!

Zoe's taste test:

Tobyn's 30 Day Baking Challenge: Day 2

Tobyn started by gathering all of the ingredients for his chocolate chip cookies.

Using a special family recipe. 

Tobyn enjoyed unwrapping the butter. 

Tobyn was so kind and patient when his little sister decided she wanted to help too. 

This guy is an egg cracking champion.

Making scoops and getting the dough ready for the oven.

We will all be enjoying the fruits of his labor.

Gideon's 30 Day Science Experiment Challenge: Day 2

  Gideon chose to do a Lego Volcano for his second experiment.

First, he built a volcano out of Legos around a small jar. 

Next, he added baking soda to the jar. 

Then he added food coloring to our vinegar. 

Mix, mix, mix. 

Tobyn's 30 Day Baking Challenge: Day 1

Tobyn chose baking for his 30 day challenge. His initial choice was banana bread, but when I realized I didn't keep my bread pans in our move, it became banana coffee cake. Lesson 1: adaptability. We began by readying our pan and mixing the streusel topping.

Next, Tobyn peeled the bananas for the cake.

Tobyn quite enjoyed getting to mash the bananas. 

After mixing our wet and dry ingredients separately, Tobyn combined them and mixed them together.

Finally, Tobyn topped his cake with our streusel topping and we put it in the oven to wait for the moment of eating.

Finally the cake was done and Tobyn was super excited to try it.

Gideon's 30 Day Science Experiment Challenge: Day 1

Gideon chose to do Science experiments for his 30 day challenge. His first experiment was called "Hopping Corn". We saw what would happen when popping corn was added into the chemical reaction of baking soda and vinegar.

First, Gideon added food coloring to the water for more visual interest.

Next, he added baking soda to the water.

He mixed them together...which took longer than he expected.

Next, Gideon measured two handfuls of popping corn and poured it into the liquid.

Finally, we readied the vinegar to be added to the mixture.

Zoe's 30 Day Cooking Challenge: Day 1

This month we started our 30 day challenges. Zoe chose cooking for hers. Her first cooking challenge was chili. We started by gathering all of our ingredients.

Zoe practiced her can-opening skills.

Zoe learned how to cook ground beef.

Zoe added all of her ingredients and mixed her own chili seasoning. 

The end result was absolutely delicious.