Snow Days

Although the snow day that I am writing about occurred last week, school was again cancelled today for snow. Trying to entertain my children with something hands-on and creative in this techie world is certainly a challenge for a parent. Last week our schools were closed for a number of days on a count of the snow and record breaking cold weather, which left us with allot of down time.  Lucky for us my sister and her family had decided to come down from Boston to visit. 

Thankfully we live in an area with great trails to hike and the cousins had an awesome snowy adventure in the woods, but since the temperatures were so low, in the single digits, being outside for too long was a bad idea. 

With 4 children under 12 years old cooped up in the house we wanted something besides the wii and iPads to entertain them.  After searching the web I came across this super cool home made Play Dough recipe that I found on www.momswhothink.com and decided to give it a go. For a little extra kick, I added some Young Living essential oils to the mix to get the holistic benefits of aromatherapy. The kids loved it, it smelled amazing and it provided a few hours of unplugged entertainment. Well, not completely unplugged as while they were kneading and sculpting the yummy smelling dough to their hearts content, they were rocking out to the Red Hot Chili Peppers full catalogue on Rhapsody. Great fun was had by all and I recommend this project for any parents that find themselves in a similar situation.

Here is the recipe below:

Playdough Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Food coloring by drops

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a pan and stir.  Cook over low heat, stirring until a ball forms.

2. Add food coloring and mix thoroughly until desired color.

3. Cool on foil. Store in covered container.

The only thing that I altered from the recipe was the use of whole wheat flour instead of white flour.  I made two servings of the recipe to make the four dough balls pictured below.

I placed Young Living Essential oils in each dough ball, 3-4 drops of Peace and Calming, Lavender, and Peppermint but only added 2 drops of Lemongrass because it is so strong. 

Peace & Calming® is a gentle, fragrant blend. When diffused, it helps calm tensions and uplift the spirit, promoting relaxation and a deep sense of peace.

Lemongrass has a light, fresh, citrus aroma with earthy undertones. Refreshing, rejuvenating, stimulating, and balancing, it inspires and improves mental clarity. 

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) has a fresh, sweet, floral, herbaceous aroma that is soothing and refreshing. Because it is the most versatile of all essential oils, no home should be without it. 

Peppermint has a strong, clean, fresh, minty aroma which helps improve concentration and alertness.

If you are interested in ordering or learning more about Young Living Essential Oils visit my direct site http://yl.pe/vtp and receive my Essential oils newsletter

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