Around 1pm, once I get the baby down for a nap and get the other two
watching TV occupied, it's my hour of free time. Yesterday after an exhausting playgroup at my house and me in a foul mood, I decided it was time for me to have something sweet. I had deprived myself too long and wanted, (no,
needed!) to give in to something!
One problem...at that moment we had nothing sweet in the house. For some reason, Christmas memories at my Grandma's flooded my mind and all I could think was *DIVINITY! I haven't had it in years. So, I pulled out my trusty recipe book and went to work. Only while I was working, I realized that this was a strange candy to make in February, so I made the divinity pink and added sprinkles.
I took a bite. Then another. Hmmm. Was I missing something? They taste like marshmallows with a more addicting texture. Not that great.
So I ate two more. And I felt really good about that decision.
But don't worry, folks. I'm back on the dieting band wagon again. Just a small hour of weakness, which I feel was totally necessary.
We called the divinity "Pink Snowballs". Maya and Crew were fans of the stuff, but not Hayden so much. (All he likes at the moment is pizza or spaghetti)
They look so fun and cute. Especially in the homemade take out box I got from
Shabby Princess.
Apparently the Love Bugs like them, too, because this one that Hayden left in the mailbox was completely gone this morning!
We've also been busy with a rather successful impromptu art project and Valentine mailing.
With kids, there are two things you must always have in your house. Construction paper and glue. Oh, and googly eyes. So, those three things and you can get little imaginations going. Mine really gets going with the googly eyes. I pulled out the three items mentioned above during a very hectic playgroup and let my imagination run wild. Here's what we did:
I cut out a heart for each child using a color of their choice. They glued on two large googly eyes. Then I cut out strips of orange for the legs and yellow paper for the arms and had them fold the strips of paper back and forth to make the paper crinkly. Then I cut out smaller hearts in blue for the feet, and pink hearts for the hands. Red mouths, heart noses, and Voila! Heart monsters!
My kids have already requested to make these again today! Success!
*Here's the divinity recipe:
Divinity
Ingredients:
*4 cups sugar
*1 cup light corn syrup
*3/4 cup water
*1/8 tsp. salt
*3 egg whites
*1 tsp. vanilla
*1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional
In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine sugar, corn syrup, water and salt. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Cook on high heat, without stirring, to hard ball stage. (I just do the cold water trick. Drop a small spoonful of mixture in a glass of cold water. It will form a hard ball in the water, when ready) Now is the time to add food coloring if you want to.
While the mixture is cooking, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Continue beating the egg whites while pouring a thin stream of the mixture. Add vanilla. Beat until mixture holds its shape and becomes slightly dull. (it took about 5 minutes) Stir in nuts, if desired. Then spoon onto waxed paper. Let cool and harden a bit.
Maya even matches with her striped shirt!
