How To: Raise Hams

“Come on, Tom. It’ll be fun!”, I pleaded. “It’s just you and me. I’ll set up my camera, and you grab your meat, all nine pounds of it.”

Fits of laughter.

“Ok, I’ll take my big cannon and show you who’s boss.” Tom cajoled.

More laughter and innuendo.

The buzz of the evening wore off, but the playful conversation lingered in my head. Was he ready for his close up? Yes, actually he was. While I set up the tripod, he cleared the counter and set up an array of spices and secret ingredients for we were making an instructional video. Not the type Carrie Prejean would record but an honest to goodness How To video for making jerky.

I should call him One Take Tom for he could expound on the subject without missing a beat. It was hard to decide what should fall to the cutting room floor, or be deleted via iMovie. He’s my husband, and I felt a bit guilty omitting recorded episodes of meat grinding, salt sprinkling, and the tearing open of hot pepper packets. But cut I did, and replaced with photos overlaid with text. Even with all the snips, the video runs nearly seven minutes long. I’ll post the YouTube link below for those interested in jerking their meat.

With Mommy and Daddy making videos, it seemed natural when my seven year old asked to record her recipe for a soda drink. She wrote down her ingredients, sending Tom to the store for more Diet Coke. She had plenty of Pepsis which are on hand for guests. Her little sister was her lovely assistant, nodding her head and chiming in at just the right moment. I think my girls had a lot of presence for seven and four. Who else but a child would combine the two powerhouses of cola?

• Coke or Pepsi?
• Carrie Prejean, Donald Trump, or Perez Hilton?
• Behind the camera or in front of it?

Tom’s YouTube debut! How To: Make Elk Jerky

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Homemade Lip Balm

As the holidays approach, I thought it would be fun to create homemade gifts. The kids and I decided on lip balm.

Google led us to The Ponte Vedra Soap Shoppe, Inc. for the whole shebang: recipes, ingredients and containers. We chose Vegan Lip Balm flavored with Lemongrass essential oil.

Round labels were purchased at OnlineLabels.com.

Total cost was $4.74 per gift (16 gifts total). You may be able to cut costs by shopping locally.

This craft project was total teamwork! I melted the wax while the kids mostly sniffed the products. I helped them measure, and they carefully added ingredients to the pot. I poured the balm into the tins, and they sealed and labeled them.

These tins come with shrink-wrap bands that seal around the product when blow-dryer heat is applied. What a nice touch!

Warning: If you’re like me, you might ruin your measuring cup, wooden spoon, and cooking pot. I set mine aside for future waxy projects.

• Will you create homemade holiday gifts?
• Where do you find the best price for craft supplies?
• How do you clean up after creating a waxy gift?

1st Play Date

 
Natalie and Pearl (far right) host their first Play Date.

Natalie (tallest in the photo) hosted her very first play date on Friday. Everything started well. The girls played in the pool while the Mom and I chatted under the trees. Pizza Man showed up, and we all took a break for lunch.

Soon the princess costumes were flying out of the closet, tiaras were donned, and make-up applied. It was all fun and games, but a dark cloud loomed on the horizon.

The second round of pool time didn’t go as smoothly. Tubes weren’t shared, noodles were stolen, and feelings were hurt. I noticed Natalie spending most of her time under water, and when she finally surfaced, she was sobbing. Her friends weren’t listening to her. I bundled her up in a towel and brought her to her room. She was distraught and wanted to be alone. That wasn’t happening though as 3 soaked girlies and a Mom marched into the room. Soon the tears had dried, and the rice krispy treats were being devoured. The Mom and I wandered to the dining room to continue our visit while the girls played in their bedroom.

Enter the storm that would end it all. The screams, the wails… we knew something was going terribly wrong. Do you know what we saw? Can you imagine it? A cute little imp wearing a Viking hat and armed with a bright orange fly swatter. She had envisioned Natalie, Pearl and her own little sister as flies, swatting their now red faces and arms!

What kind of game is that? I’ve heard of cowboys and indians, but flies and swatter?

Yes, the Play Date came to a swift end.

Do you have any experience in the Play Date Arena?
Do they usually end well?

Thanks for reading!