Summer

Name: S’More in a Mug - Single Serve Dessert
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 8 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 1/4 cup flour; 3 tbsp white sugar; 1/4 tsp baking powder; 1 tbsp cocoa; 1/4 cup milk; 2 tbsp oil; 3 tbsp mini marshmallows; 1/2 tsp vanilla; 3 tbsp chocolate chips; 1 graham cracker, broken up

S’More in a Mug – Single Serve Dessert

by Ashley Mullen

This recipe today is because sometimes, especially as a parent just trying to make it through summer you just a sweet treat, a dessert that you don’t have to share with the little people that control your life, a single serve dessert. This S’More cake is perfect!

This is easier than making a fire and them making S’mores, plus its a lot more feeling. I tend to feel off after eating an actual s’more or two, but with this single serve cake, I don’t get that feeling.

S’More in a Mug – Single Serve Dessert

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I want to first off say there are two ways to cook these, one way is quick and simple: microwave. The other way is the oven. I have used both methods… loving how quickly it cooks in the microwave, but now being a microwave-less household I use our oven.

What you need:

1/4 cup flour
3 tbsp white sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp cocoa
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp oil
3 tbsp mini marshmallows
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp chocolate chips

How to make S’More in a Mug:

Get a microwave or oven safe mug or, I like to use, ramekins.

Mix together the ingredients for the cake batter not the s’more ingredients. Once the batter is mix fold in the graham cracker, chocolate chips and marshmallows.

In the microwave for 30 seconds or until a toothpick comes out clean. If 30 seconds doesn’t do it, put it back in for 10 seconds and recheck.

Bake in oven at 350 for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

So delicious! At the end of a tiring day, take a minute to make yourself an easy one serving dessert that you don’t have to share with anyone. Perfect right?

S’More in a Mug - Single Serve Dessert

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 cup flour
3 tbsp white sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp cocoa
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp oil
3 tbsp mini marshmallows
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp chocolate chips
1 graham cracker, broken up

Instructions

Mix together the ingredients for the cake batter not the s'more ingredients. Once the batter is mix fold in the graham cracker, chocolate chips and marshmallows.
In the microwave for 30 seconds or until a toothpick comes out clean. If 30 seconds doesn’t do it, put it back in for 10 seconds and recheck.
OR
Bake in oven at 350 for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g

Kids in the Kitchen – Teddy Bear Picnic

by Ashley Mullen

GO have some fun today. Start off in the kitchen this morning, or another morning, but end up outside somewhere having a fun teddy bear picnic. Or a super hero, action figure picnic, we’re not going picky about it. Just have fun.

Kids in the Kitchen – Teddy Bear Picnic

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The point of this idea, was to have fun with your kids, and what you are making. Hop into the kitchen and make something simple, as simple as a couple peanut butter and jam sandwiches. There is very little skill needed to make a sandwich after all.

Some of our favorite picnic foods are:

sandwiches
cookies
squares or brownies
rice krispie treats
salad
hot dogs

These are all easily carried out to the backyard, or to a picnic park without much trouble. These are also great for making with your kids, or having your children make themselves. My kids love to make their own sandwiches and do so much days for lunch.

Add an extra element of fun:

use teddy bear shaped cookie cutters to cut your sandwiches, cookies, or brownies

have a bowl of Teddy Grahams, and don’t forget some Gummy Bears!

read Going On A Bear Hunt

Do you remember the Teddy Bear Picnic song from your childhood? I do. Grab your child’s favorite Teddy Bears or another other toy in general and head outside for a picnic. Click on the picture to a PDF printable of the full song!

Kids in my Kitchen: teddy bear picnic Song

20 Outside Activities & Games for Kids

by Ashley Mullen

Summer months are here baby and I am soaking up the heat for the next few months to make up for the freezing cold of a Saskatchewan winter. My kids love to be outside, and while I am not the biggest outdoor fan I encourage them to get to out, as well as find things for them to do outside, out of the normal.

We start out our summer with a Summer Bucket List and go from there. Some blanks need to get filled in of course, but here are 20 ideas for some outside activities and games for outside summer fun with your kids.

20 Outside Activities & Games for Kids

DIY Flower Stamped Rocks

Ice and Water Sensory Play Ideas for Summer

DIY Sidewalk Chalk

I hope that all the kids have a great, and safe summer vacation!

How do you keep your kids busy, and entertained outside in the summer?

Taking Homeschool Outside this Spring and Summer

by Ashley Mullen

Homeschooling changes quicker than the seasons change, but it also changes with the seasons here. Now that spring is here, we homeschool outside for the most part. For example, once winter hits and the ice rink is frozen, we get our school work done fast so we can head there. Now that the warmer temperature are here, well, things have changed again. These are some of our outdoor homeschool ideas that we enjoy during the warmer months.

Taking Homeschool Outside this Spring and Summer

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The weather is warm, the sun is shining bright, and who wants to be inside on such a nice day? Not me, and definitely not my children. There is nothing that says you have to be stuck inside in order to be homeschooling and or learning.

Reading Outside this Spring and Summer

Grab some books and a blanket and read. Either quietly to their/yourself, or out loud. These could be pleasure reading or reading textbooks for upcoming work.

Get creative on where you read, change it up. We recently started laying and sitting on the trampoline which is really comfortable. We also just received a lovely platform swing that is going to make a great reading spot.

Science Outside this Spring and Summer

Take science outside. Whether you are setting up a table and doing a science experiment outside or grabbing a magnifying glass and exploring your backyard. Take an up close look at some bugs or leaves, or even dirt.

Garden Outside this Spring and Summer

Planting and growing a garden is an amazing opportunity to learn. There is the plant life cycle to learn about, photosynthesis, the importance of bees, and so much more! Even at 5 my kids were understanding how plants grew, what they needed and why.

Plus, you get a delicious, healthy snack. It is a great way to encourage your children to eat healthy too.

Nature Study Outside this Spring and Summer

Under nature study there are a lot of things you can do, that is going to be fun and educational.

Photography.

Nature journal.

Science again.

Do you take your homeschool outside once the weather turns warmer?

Beating the Heat with Young Kids

by Ashley Mullen

Last summer was a hot one! And I’m sure this one will be no different, being as we live in the prairies. Instead of wasting wishes, I’m finding ways for beating the heat with our kids. Having fun, staying cool, and enjoying the summer weather… before the cold of winter hits.

Last year we were living in a rented house, with no air conditioner and a living room without opening windows. Add in 38°C temperatures and we were HOT! The girls were old enough to understand that there really wasn’t much Momma and Dadda could do about the heat, but poor Gauge didn’t understand, he just knew it was hot, and everyone was getting cranky (from a lack of sleep and being over heated).

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Beating the Heat with Young Kids

Get wet!

Water guns are a great way to cool down
Puddle jumping. Yes, jump in a puddle, young kids love it, the key to this one is getting wet
Water balloon fight (sponges take the place of water balloons nicely)
Plastic bowls of water for young ones to splash in

Ice

I give ice a category all on its own because it’s different than water.

Toys frozen in ice blocks
juice or apple sauce ice pops to snack on
Ice cubes in the pool – make them extra special by added food coloring

Things to Make

Ice cream in a bag
Make ice chalk to melted drawing fun
Ice pops – let your kids choose some fruit to freeze in molds

Ways We Cool Down:

kiddie pool in the back yard
sprinkler (even this Momma will run through it)
freezies – what summer is complete without them?
cool baths before bed
trips to the public wadding pool
eating cool/cold meals – salad almost everyday with our supper

This year we do have AC but we’re still spending lots of time outside. Hot weather started early in May this year. We have been spending time outside in the shade of trees on blankets for quiet reading time, for drawing, etc.

Summer

S’More in a Mug – Single Serve Dessert