Modern wonders

Alan loves the Little House story books, and recently we started the Little House in the Big Woods chapter book for a read aloud.  The week before Christmas we read the chapter about Laura's Christmas and checked out the corresponding storybook from the library.

One of the activities the Ingalls girls did was make molasses sugar candy.  

When it snowed here on Christmas Day one of the first things the boys wanted to do was make molasses sugar candy.  

The last day before the snow began to really melt we brought in a couple of panfuls, boiled some brown sugar and molasses and began drizzling.

 As a hands-on project, I guess this was a success.  The boys had fun doing something they had read about.

As far as something edible, it was a waste of brown sugar and molasses!  So far I'm 0 for 2 on Little House projects come-to-life.  (I'll save myself the embarrassment of telling you what happened when we tried to make butter a couple of weeks ago!)

While I usually prefer wholesome, vintage, all-natural, simpler-the-better type stuff, I have to admit this next project was a big success with all of us.

The boys received a rice crispie treat kit for Christmas.

 Daddy mixed the gooey stuff and filled the molds, and then boys (and I!) each decorated one car.

The best news: the molds are reusable, so we can make a rice crispy treat train next Christmas, too!