Pages

Friday, September 28, 2012

TASTY VEGGIES...REALLY!!!!

Hola mis amigos!

I've recovered completely from "zit take over 2012" and Krumbs and I are making some new resolutions.  I know, I know, I always say I'm going to be healthy, healthy, healthy...and then ice cream, candy or some other tantalizing treat jumps out of my hand and into my mouth!  We know foods don't actually cause pimples, but we do believe that being healthy can only help us! 

Krumbs and I visited the  Livestrong website and read an article for tips on how to eat for healthy skin and guess what we found out? According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, eating fruits and vegetables that have vitamin A may help reduce acne!  That made us super happy because Krumbs and I have a favorite vegetable that is filled, filled, filled with vitamin A--CARROTS!!!

We love CARROT SOUPCarrot Soup is our favorite cold weather soup and it is full of healthy yumminess.  Would you like to try it?  I'll post the recipe down below...but remember...get an adult's permission and help whenever you use knives, microwaves or blenders!

Carrot Soup

2 carrots chopped up                                                       1 cup vegetable broth
1 tsp. milk                                                                         salt and pepper

1. Put the chopped carrots and the vegetable broth in a microwave safe bowl.
2. Microwave on high for eight minutes (or until the carrots are soft)
3. Pour soft carrots and veggie broth into a blender.  (CAREFUL: GET AN ADULT TO HELP--IT WILL BE HOT!!!)
4. Blend until smooth.
5. Pour into a bowl.
6.  Mix in milk and add a little salt and pepper.  YUM!  YUM!  YUM!  YUM!


Krumbs pointed out our recipe for carrot soup is perfect for Carmen Oliver's article on the Cafe.  The article is called "The Veggie Club" and it tells about vegetarians--people who don't eat meat.  The article was interesting.  Did you know there are four different kinds of vegetarian?  There are Lacto-ovo vegetarians, lacto vegetarians, ovo vegetarians and vegans.  (Who knew?)  There are also "semi-vegetarians".  "Semi-vegetarians" eat mostly plant foods,but occasionally, they decide to have meat.  (That's Me, I think!)  Wow! 

Have you ever tried a vegetarian diet?  Krumbs and I have a friend who is a vegetarian.  We've eaten over her house and can't really notice a difference!  We've had bean and cheese burritos, nachos with salsa, beans and rice and cheese souffle...tasty foods and from the foods we ate, I know which kind of vegetarian diet her family follows!  Read "The Veggie Club" by Carmen Oliver and see if you can figure it out too!

See you soon!  Enjoy the soup!

Monday, September 24, 2012

SOMETIMES IT TAKES AN ERUPTION TO GET A REDUCTION

Well Friends, here's the big news from the weekend:

My volcanic zit has erupted!
 
Gross Alert: The passage you are about to read is gross. Skip to the next paragraph if you are easily grossed out.  I know it's hard to believe but it is true!  On Saturday afternoon, I just couldn't take it for one more second.  I dragged Krumbs into the bathroom and stood, staring at that white-headed monster in the mirror...and it stared right back at me!  Refusing to be intimidated, I took an acne wipe pad and started wiping around the seething volcanic mass.  Just as I reached the mouth of the volcano~it exploded!  Whitish-yellow pus shot between my fingers and splashed onto the mirror.  Krumbs and I stood with our mouths hanging open, just staring at the huge blob of gunk that had exploded from my zit and now covered my mirror-UGH!!!  It was impossible to believe all that disgusting pus had fit inside my volcanic zit.  I mean, the zit was huge, but it didn't look big enough to hold all that grossness!
 
 
After cleaning the mirror, I took another look at my nose.  Post-eruption, it didn't look so bad.  There was no huge volcano-looking mass taking over my face.  It was still a little red, with a nice little scab...but there was no white in sight so it looked more like a bug bite or cut than a disgusting exploding blob.  Krumbs and I breathed a sigh of relief.  It took an eruption to get a reduction in the size of my nose volcano, but at least it's smaller now! 
 
Once that drama was over, Krumbs had time to show me an amazing trick ~he made pepper dance!  I know it sounds too strange to be true, but it is absolutely true.  He was reading about water's surface tension in an article called Sticky Rabbit Ears by Debora Giese.  The article talks about  surface tension on water and how it works.  You can float pepper flakes on the top of a cup or bowl of water because the surface tension holds the pepper flakes up and you can make the pepper flakes dance by dipping a fork in dish soap and touching the top of the water.  The dish soap separates the molecules and the pepper flakes move around the water...like dancers dancing!!!  Check out the article and try the experiments.  You can entertain your friends just like Krumbs entertained me!
 
Did you do something amazing this weekend?  (I know that there aren't a lot of things as amazing as the eruption of a honkingly huge, volcanic zit, but not everyone can have that joy-double ugh!)  Share your news by joining Klub Krumbs
 
Until next time...Krumbs and I say "Adios" to you... (and my zit)!


Friday, September 21, 2012

IT'S ALIVE...AND TAKING OVER MY FACE!

I woke up this morning, looked in the mirror and let out a scream that made Krumbs race into the bathroom faster than you can say, "Completely Not Cool".  The problem?  The problem?  The problem...is a gigantic, titanic, growth that is taking over the tip of my nose!  What is it?  It is a zit, otherwise known as a pimple, a volcano, a juicer, a disaster...but this is no ordinary zit.  This is "SUPER ZIT!!!!!!!!!!!"

Picture having a volcano growing on the tip of your nose.  It is a seething, angry, bright red volcano that could erupt at any moment.  (Let me tell you, the lava that shoots from this zit is going to hurt someone!!!)  Picture a juicer so large that it will soon take over my whole face...it's alive, I tell you...alive and growing!!!!!!

I wanted to crawl back in bed and hide, but somehow I knew mom wouldn't buy my zit's "face takeover" as a reason to stay home from school.  So...what's a girl to do?????  Krumbs said it wasn't so bad (but I noticed he cringed and looked away...almost afraid of the zit's red radiance).  My mom said everyone gets them.  They last seven to ten days and everyone survives them (so much for staying home).  SEVEN TO TEN DAYS?!?!  REALLY?!?!

Okay, fine.  Here's a drawing of my fiercely friendly volcano.  Take a look and then you can be the judge:
 
I know, right?  It is really, really bad! (Even Krumbs looks at it with sheer horror.)  Going to school today will be my most embarrassing moment of the year...I just know it.  How do you deal with a big zit you can't hide?  Do you joke about it the way I am in this post?  Usually, that's what I do when I'm embarrassed...I just joke about it right away.

Krumbs suggested I visit the Cafe and read about our readers' most embarrassing moments.  He says I'll feel better when I see that other kids get embarrassed about things too, even things they can't control (like a huge, honking, volcanic zit)!  I did check it out...and it gave me the courage to at least go to school with my head held high.  If you feel like reading some embarrassing moments or if you'd like to share an embarrassing moment of your own, click here.

Hopefully, my volcanic zit will have erupted and quietly disappeared by the time we meet again.  (I, for one, certainly hope it will be gone soon!)  Take care and check back soon!

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EARTH!!!

L’shanah tovah...in English this means "the good year".  No, "L'shanah tovah" is not a new Spanish term I've learned in Spanish class.  "L'shanah tovah"  is Hebrew and it is spoken often on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.  Krumbs and I had a great time on Monday taking part in our friend Hannah's Rosh Hashanah services.

We learned that Rosh Hashanah is a very important holiday for Jewish people all over the world.  My friend describes it as the earth's birthday.  We went to her house to celebrate the new year and the earth's birthday and boy, did we have great food!  We ate matzah ball soup and then we had apple slices dipped in honey (for a sweet new year) and had challah, a kind of yellow, sweet bread-yum!!  After the soup and apples, Hannah's mom served us baked chicken and brisket and kugel (a noodle pudding) and potatoes and grape juice with lots and lots of sweets for dessert.

Have you ever tried apples and honey?  It is an easy, healthy, incredibly sweet snack.  Krumbs and I ate about twelve slices on Monday...mmm,mmm,mmm!  Here's the recipe:
  1. Slice and core an apple.
  2. Pour honey in a small cup or bowl.
  3. Dip the apple slices in the honey.
  4. Enjoy!!!
I told you it was easy...but I promise you'll love it!  (Krumbs and I certainly do...we've already made it twice since Monday!)

Did you have a day off for the Jewish Holiday?  We did.  That's why we spent Monday at Hannah's house.  What did you do on your day off?  Tell us about it!

We also visited the Cafe to see what's new.  We found a recipe for "Super Simple Sorbet" by Joy Delgado and we made it.  We had frozen blueberries in the freezer and frozen strawberries, so our sorbet was a beautiful berry sorbet...made with honey!  (Krumbs and I have been big on honey lately-first the apples, then the sorbet...but it really does taste great!)

Krumbs and I wish everyone "L'shanah tovah"--the good year.  Happy Birthday, Earth!

Friday, September 14, 2012

DESPITE "BACK TO SCHOOL SCARIES" THE VERDICT IS IN!

Well, we're ending week two of school and Krumbs and I decided....
We Like School This Year! 
 I guess that really isn't shocking news, but at the end of summer it's really hard to tell how you're going to feel about a new school year.  Think about it...you spend long, lazy days sleeping late, hanging out with friends, chasing chipmunks, and eating ice cream.  You do this for about six weeks and it just feels good.  There are no tests, no deadlines, no homework (except for maybe a dreaded summer packet), and no real time lines for anything.  So you bob along, enjoying yourself and "chillaxing" all day, every day until the one fateful day when the adults in your life break through your hazy ice cream joy and say, "Hey, school starts soon!"
 
WHAT!?!? WHAT!?!? Faster than you can say, "Debes de estar bromeando" ("You've got to be kidding" in Spanish, my new learning language) your long, lazy days screech to a halt and you are jolted, headfirst into "Back to School Scaries".  "Back to School Scaries" are all the horrible things I've shared over the past few weeks--school supply shopping, clothes shopping, getting up a little earlier every day and going to bed a little earlier every night and the horrible, horrible knowledge that life as you know it will soon change.  The "Back to School Scaries" mean saying good by to to the lazy, lovely life you've lived for six weeks and saying hello to what could be tremendous stress. 
 
 
Thankfully, this year I do not have tremendous stress and I've made a big discovery about myself.  For me, "The Back to School Scaries" are not about me not wanting to go back to school.  The "Back to School Scaries" are about me not wanting things to change.  I like when things stay the same.  I like to know what to expect and I like to have my routines (even if my routines are all about sleeping late and being lazy).  See, it doesn't take long to get used to any routine and then it's scary to change it.
 

I've held back on giving a verdict on school this year because I wanted to give myself a chance to get used to a new routine.  I figured once I was comfortable in my classes, used to my new teacher, making new friends and getting used to having deadlines, homework and responsibilities again, I'd be able to seriously judge whether or not I was happy to be back...and I am!!!
 
How do you feel about school this year?  Do you agree that sometimes "Back to School Scaries" are more about "Back to School Changes"?  Visit Imagination Cafe and join Klub Krumbs.  You'll be able to use the open mic to talk to other kids about the things that bother you...like the "Back to School Scaries"...or anything else!
 
Adios!  I hope you are having a great school year!  Check back soon for more from Cookie and Krumbs!!
 


Wednesday, September 12, 2012

I LEARNED SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BLOW YOU AWAY!!

Hola!

You're going to be blown away by the topic we're studying in my language arts class.  We're studying idioms as a way to "spice up" our writing and our speech.  Have you ever heard of idioms? 

An idiom is a group of words that say one thing, but mean something else.  I used an idiom when I wrote that you would be blown away by idioms.  If you're "blown away" by something, it means that something shocked you so much you almost couldn't believe it.  I was blown away by how much fun I can have with idioms!

Krumbs and I were talking about idioms and how much I love them.  He didn't want to kick up a stink (cause trouble) but he found a whole article of idioms on the Cafe website!  These idioms were special though because they all related to insects.  The article, by Kathleen Bookbinder is called "Insect Idioms" and it is just "the bee's knees".  (If something is "the bee's knees", it is really special and different.)  Krumbs thought he should be "the apple of my eye" for finding this article and he is one of the most important friends I have, so I guess he is the "apple of my eye".

The "dog days of summer"are gone (the hottest days of summer) and I am having a great school year so far.  I'm learning cool things every day and even getting up in the morning isn't as bad as I thought.  I think my favorite things about school are language arts and Spanish. What about you? Do you have a favorite class or subject this year?  Have you learned something new that just "blows you away"?

Que tengas un dia magnifico!!  (Have a great day!!!) Check back with us soon!!

Monday, September 10, 2012

Hola, mi nombre es Cookie!

 
Buenos días mis amigos!
 
 
Can you believe it?  Krumbs and I are learning Spanish!  Well, I'm learning Spanish in school this year and Krumbs is learning Spanish because I'm learning Spanish--see, it all works!  Teaching Spanish in my grade is something new in my school district and my class and my "cool and creative teacher" is leading the way!!!
 
"HOLA, MI AMIGA!" my teacher said with a smile.  I gave her a wave and then looked at my friends for a clue to what had happened to my teacher.  They smiled back at me and I sat down.  That's when I noticed the sweet, spicy smell wafting through my classroom.  It smelled like-could it be? CHOCOLATE...some kind of spicy, sweet chocolate.  My mouth watered with anticipation.  No doubt, my teacher had my full attention! 
 
"Boys and Girls, this year we will begin a study of Spanish," she said with a smile.  "We will learn the Spanish alphabet, vocabulary words, numbers, colors, and how to greet one another. If you work hard and learn with me, you have the chance to sample some tasty treats from Spanish-speaking countries!"
 
Our first lesson was on the Spanish alphabet.  We learned the coolest version of the Spanish ABC Song!  It was a chant and it moved really fast.  I had to listen to it about twenty times before I could actually sing it with the video (and I still kind of mess it up sometimes, but I'm practicing).   Click Here if you would like to hear the Spanish Alphabet Song.
 
Are you wondering about our "tasty treat"?  We listened very carefully.  We worked very hard.  We sang and sang and sang.  Our reward for the effort was fantastic!  We had Mexican Hot Chocolate-mmm, mmm, mmm!  Check out the recipe for this sweet, spicy, terrific taste sensation below, but ASK AN ADULT FOR HELP BEFORE TURNING ON THE STOVE:
 
Mexican Hot Chocolate
 
1/2 cup boiling water             1 packet hot chocolate mix                 1 tsp. chocolate syrup
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon     1 tiny pinch of chili powder                1/2 cup milk
 
Mix hot chocolate mix, chocolate syrup, ground cinnamon and chili powder into the boiling water.
 
Mix until the powders dissolve.
 
Pour in the milk and stir it up.
 
Pour the Mexican Hot Chocolate into a cup and enjoy!
 
HELPFUL HINT:
The chili powder can be really spicy so make sure you only add a teeny-tiny pinch at first!
 
I hope you like the recipe!  Krumbs and I savored it while we checked out Laura Aldir-Hernandez's article "Spanish Tips That Work" on the Cafe.  She gives great tips on how to learn Spanish...check it out!
 
Are you learning something completely new this year?  How do you feel about it?  Do you like learning new things or does learning something new give you that shaky feeling in your gut?  (We admit it~having some Mexican Hot Chocolate melted all our shaky feelings right away!)
 
Check back with us soon!  Hasta la vista!
 

Thursday, September 6, 2012

THOSE FIRST FEW DAYS

Well, Krumbs and I have survived the first two days.  In our school district that means we only (!?!) have 180 more days until we reach the end of another school year.  I guess the most important question to answer right now is...

How were the first two days?
 
Well, because I like to make things simple right from the start, I'll define my first two days of school in two words:  PRETTY COOL. I have pretty cool teachers~I only switch for two subjects this year so I only had to worry about having two pretty cool teachers.  My main teacher is so good.  I kind of panicked because she sent home a supply list that said we could only have plain, white folders and plain, light colored notebooks~no designs at all.  REALLY?!?!  It was a crime against creativity, I tell you...except that my teacher had a super surprise waiting.  Our activity on the first day was to use her HUGE selection of markers (fat, thin, highlighter, neon, classic, wavy, straight and stamp markers) to design our own folders and notebooks and then choose the one that best described us to share with the class.  If I know one thing it is that
there won't be any crimes against creativity in that class-WOO HOO!!!!!!!
 
I haven't had a lot of homework either, but I'm sure I will soon. I love, love, love reading, so I don't care that we have to read every night.  I'd do that anyway!  We've had some math sheets that are a review of last year...I can handle that too.  As a matter of fact, thanks to Krumbs, I am ready to face homework for the whole year.  Krumbs set me up with Susan Sundwall's article on the Cafe called "Homework Haven".  As soon as I started to read it, I remembered reading it last year.  We set to work gathering our stuff and creating the perfect homework haven...and it really works...Homework?  Bring it on, because this girl is READY!!!

How is your first week going?  Are you having a good year?  Tell us about it at Klub Krumbs and check back soon for an update of the FIRST, FEW DAYS!

 

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

3..2..1..KICK OFF: SUMMER VACATION IS OVER!


Woe is me...Woe is me...School is here and I'm no longer free!
 
 
After weeks of counting down, days of school supply shopping, clothes shopping, and super snack shopping, I am actually-wait for it- EXCITED to start school today.  It really feels like the right time and I think it will be a good year. 
 
 
The Top 5 Reasons School Starting Is A Good Thing
 
  1. Krumbs loves our new routine-he snored his way through my alarm, my shower and my hair dryer.  (Unfair? Yes, but dogs don't "do" school)
  2. Three of my best friends are in my classes-COOL, COOL, COOL!!
  3. "One to one computing"-they want every kid to have a laptop...and to use it--all day, every day!!
  4. The start of school means the start of....FALL SPORTS!
  5. I get to see my friends all day, every day.
 
Krumbs and I knew we needed to prepare for the new year, but WHAT TO DO? WHAT TO DO? We started with a little visit to the Cafe for some hints and clues.  We found a great article called "Five Ways to Start the School Year off Right" and the things the author said really made sense.  Krumbs and I decided to follow the five steps.  First, we organized our stuff.  We labeled folders, organized paper, set up notebooks and cleaned out my backpack.  (UGH!  We found a baggie with half a jelly sandwich from last year's last day lunch.  It was black and green and WHOA...what a smell wafted from the moldy, plastic edges!  It was gone fastr than you can say "GARBAGE!")  I pledged to follow the other steps too...talking to my teachers, making sure I leave enough time for homework, joining a new club or activity and finding time to hang out and have fun.  (Krumbs and I like the last suggestion the best, don't you?)
 
 
What did you do to get ready for school?  How do you feel about starting school?  Are you feeling sad, glad, mad or none of these feelings at all?  Klub Krumbs is the place to talk about it...join us! Let us know about your first day, first week, or first month of school.
 

Okay...it is time for the bus!  Wish me luck because Krumbs can't...He's still snoring on my bed.  Have a great day everyone.