Finding our traditions

Our first proper winter scene table with objects collected on our way to and from school this past week.

Can you see our advent calendar??

I do not remember having any really special traditions that marked the winter, from my childhood. Well, that is not true...I was raised in a religious home and now as an adult and a parent I follow my own path and find myself searching for something to bring light into the darkness of coming winter.

My dear friend who always inspires me discussed with me her family ideas of making this time of year more about celebrating the changing of the season and deflecting the attention off of Christmas itself. I want my kids and us to celebrate this together and marvell at how amazing mother nature is.

I second her notion of finding meaning in the natural world around my family and me. So, as December 1st approached I hurried to establish what shall forever onward be our winter tradition.

It is not solely from my dear friend that I found all my inspiration. The idea began weeks ago with a great posting from yoyomama and a template shown from a very great children's artist, Liz Clay of Cici Art Factory. It was a advent calendar full of silly acts that you can print out and hang as you please. I printed out the lovely 24 days and added a few activities to get us doing more as a family.

So far we have 1.written a letter to Santa, 2. collected items for our winter scene and set it up, 3. baked cookies, 4. make sparkly decorations (a little slow on this one) and 5. go for a walk.

The only problem I had was that I didn't copy out what I wrote so each day is a mystery for me...exciting and terrifying at the same time (hence not being as prepared as I should have for day 4).

Child Friendly mini Banana muffins

I have lost the link to the easiest banana muffins, but my search has turned up a general consensus of what ingredients make a very good banana muffin. We have made it so often lately that I have it stuck in my head. I just patiently wait for a few days when my children are not gorging themselves on bananas and then have them whip this up.

I think this is the original, from 'All Recipes', but I have altered it a little. See below for changes.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use wholewheat)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed (3-4 bananas)
3/4 cup white sugar ( I use 1/2c.)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour **crumbly top (I don't use)
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon **crumbly top
1 tablespoon butter ** crumbly top

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers. (We do not need muffin cups as they are so small.)
In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

This recipe includes a crumbly top which I do not think is necessary. I also use less sugar and wholewheat flour and go a little heavy on the bananas.

My four year old can almost make this herself. Even my two year contributes. They spoon out the batter into a mini muffin tray and I think they love this part the best. I have decided to let go of any concerns in terms of the appearance of the little muffins and the mess this creates as the joy on their faces is very rewarding.

Once done, which only takes about 10 minutes in my old oven, the kids just pop them out and gobble them up. They are so much easier to eat than big muffins and so fast to make. As we make so many of them at a time I usually feel pretty generous and others are, more often than not, rewarded by our efforts.