Tag: early childhood

Finding Comfort in the Familiar…Days 61 and 62

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Our weekend was filled with the familiar and this brought me comfort as we continue to navigate an unfamiliar world filled with uncertainty.

Trivia Night- The Mid-West is known for holding trivia nights, a fun way for organizations to raise funds and an enjoyable night out with friends. This year, several trivia nights in our area were rescheduled due to COVID-19. We participated in our first virtual trivia night on Saturday when we gathered with friends, virtually, and answered questions as a team. Although there were fewer questions and we didn’t get any of Debbie’s yummy chocolate chip cookies, debating on answers felt familiar and there were snacks, drinks, laughs and a whole lot of fun! 

Church– Although we miss our Zion Lutheran Church family, worshiping together in front of our TV on a Sunday morning is becoming comfortably familiar. When we return to regular worship I’m going to miss these lazy Sundays where we sleep in, eat brunch (sometimes from Donut King) and snuggle together in the family room listening to the word of God, praising Him in song and remembering our many blessings.

I find joy in the music we sing every Sunday. Last week the hymns during worship were all familiar and comforting. CLICK HERE to listen. From the opening hymn, “From All That Dwell Below the Skies,” to the hymn of the day, “At the Lambs High Feast We Sing,” to the sermon hymn, “Christ is Our Cornerstone,” to the closing hymn, “I Know That My Redeemer Lives,” all were wonderfully familiar. In fact, I can’t remember a time in my life that any were unfamiliar. These are the hymns from my childhood. They bring comfort and healing and have always been part of me.

Family Dinner- We ended our weekend with a big Sunday dinner. COVID-19 has my family of three preparing meals together and eating them every night around our kitchen table. Tonight we enjoyed homemade smoked sausage (leftover from Zion’s sausage supper), mashed potatoes, sauerkraut and green beans. The menu was familiar and took me back to my childhood as this was one of my grandmother’s favorite meals. She prepared it often with sausages bought at a wurstmarkt. The meal also warmed me with more recent memories of our church’s annual Sausage Supper, held a mere three months ago, in February. Although the day felt ordinary at the time, I would give anything to return to that moment. A morning spent worshiping with my family of three in our physical church building, a non-social distanced sausage meal enjoyed with my parents and then serving sauerkraut next to dear members of my church family. There were no masks and plenty of hugs!

 

 

 

 

Endings, New Beginnings and Butterfly Blessings…Day 60

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Today was the last day of school. The final week brought many endings: the final chapel with Gary the Puppet, the last preschool blog post and the final virtual circle time with her teacher. As I clicked out of the Zoom meeting, an all too familiar thing to do these days, I wondered if her kindergarten year would begin the way her last year of preschool ended… with virtual learning? As the 2019-2020 school year comes to a close, it’s too early to know what awaits us for next year. One thing is certain, there will be changes. COVID-19 has assured us of that.

The last virtual preschool class was a fun dance party!

As we say goodbye to another school year, in a few days, my daughter’s teacher, Mrs. Stanglein, will release the butterflies the class has been observing virtually. Our world has changed over the past few months but we have adapted. It hasn’t been easy, but we have fought. We continue to be filled with uncertainty but with prayer, love and support, from our family, friends and from Zion Lutheran Church and School, we can make it through any storm. As my daughter and I read the last page of the book, Where Butterflies Grow, by Joanne Ryder, the words on the page spoke to me. Although written for the butterflies, it easily could have been written about my daughter, or any child in the world who finds themselves graduating or advancing to the next stage in their educational career. I leave you with what I like to call the butterfly blessing…

“You have grown and changed and your world has grown too. Now it’s time to fly to new places, time to look for others like yourself- bright flyers in the sun. Fly, butterfly. Good-bye.”

My daughter is standing next to a Zion Lutheran School graduation sign that proudly stands in our neighbor’s yard. Signs like these appeared in yards across our country. After a prekindergarten-8th grade education at Zion Lutheran, he is graduating. My heart goes out to the middle school, high school and college graduates who spent the best weeks of the school year at home, engaging in virtual classes and will experience a virtual graduation.

 

 

Hands-on Butterfly Fun…Days 58 and 59

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Our classroom butterflies have emerged from their chrysalis‘ this week so we spent a few days celebrating with some butterfly fun! When I was a teacher, the last months of the school year were always my favorite because my students were comfortable with me and the classroom and they had grown academically, allowing for our class to engage in some exciting projects. Experiencing these butterfly activities with my daughter took me back to those days in the classroom.

Butterfly Books– On a rainy day this week my daughter and I snuggled together and read butterfly books. We enjoyed Where Does the Butterfly Go When it Rains? by May Garelick and the book prompted some on-line research to find the answer. We also enjoyed reading Where Butterflies Grow by Joanne Ryder and Waiting For Wings  by Louis Ehlert. I found a website called , The Butterfly Lady, that describes many wonderful butterfly books to share with your little one. We read several on the list. CLICK HERE to view the list. The Scholastic Learn At Home resources are fantastic! CLICK HERE to view the one on butterflies!

Butterfly Snack– This is a snack I enjoyed making with my kindergarten students at our butterfly release party. Back then you could “cook” at school and it was rare to find a student with a peanut allergy. My daughter and I improvised and used cream cheese spread instead of peanut butter and veggie straws instead of chow mein noodles. CLICK HERE for a copy of the recipe and a few additional butterfly resources.

Colorful Butterflies– We used coffee filters, washable markers, a pipe cleaner and a clothespin to create colorful butterflies! First we decorated the coffee filters with the washable markers. Then we folded the coffee filters in half and then in half a second time. We dipped the tip in a cup of water and watched as the water was absorbed by the coffee filter and spread the colors across the filter creating a colorful masterpiece! When the filter was dry, we gathered it in the center to create two wings, clipped it with a clothespin and added a pipe cleaner antennae! CLICK HERE for directions to a similar project.

Butterfly Party– You can’t have a party without some party favors and a colorful costume. My daughter used her fairy wings and put them on so she would look like a butterfly. Then she acted like a butterfly by sipping sweet nectar with her proboscis. A proboscis is a butterfly’s skinny straw like mouth. It curls its proboscis, or tongue, up like the party blowout shown here and when it gets ready to sip some sweet nectar it unfolds its proboscis and sips the nectar like we would use a straw. We simulated this by drinking orange juice with a straw and decorating party blowouts to look like a butterfly; uncurling the butterfly’s proboscis by blowing into the party favor.

Unicorns, a Bowling Ball and Bri Reads…Day 57

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Last week was the 27th annual auction at my daughters school, Zion Lutheran. On-line this year due to COVID-19, my family of three walked away with some interesting items! My daughter was thrilled with the Unicorn Basket we won. Filled with a variety of unicorn themed books and a delightful stuffed unicorn, the basket is a little girl’s dream. My husband is looking forward to his winning item, “Pop Corn For a Year,” from a local specialty pop corn shop. And what did the Noteworthy Mommy end up with…a hot pink bowling ball! It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting but I was the only one who bid on it. Now all I need is a case and a pair of bowling shoes and I will look like a professional bowler! Notice how I said I would “look like,” not “play like,” a professional! In all seriousness, even though it had to be virtual this year, the auction was a lot of fun. The bidding resulted in over $42,000 raised for our amazing school and a possible new hobby for the Noteworthy Mommy!

Unicorns have been coveted for centuries by little girls all over the world, even a tomboy like me loved them as a child. I remember the unicorn fad in the 80’s. I had unicorns on my sweater, unicorns on my stickers and unicorns on my Trapper Keeper! Unicorns have been around forever and have only gained in popularity over the years.

Unicorn Cookies– My husband discovered that Nestle made “unicorn chips.” We followed the cookie recipe on the back of the bag. The result, similar to chocolate chip cookies, was colorful and super sweet!

Unicorn Books– There are many wonderful books about unicorns and our favorites are Thelma the Unicorn and the sequel, The Return of Thelma the Unicorn by Aaron Blabey. CLICK HERE to listen to Blabey read his book. We also love the book, Unicorn (And Horse) by David Miles. These engaging books teach children to learn to love who they are. Some days we feel like unicorns and want to wear a little sparkle and some days we prefer to be plain like a horse. It’s our differences that make us unique!

Bri Reads– While in isolation we discovered Bri and her animated story telling! Bri is an educator, actor and dynamic storyteller that my daughter simply adores. Some of her videos are on YouTube, but I encourage you to go to her webpage at www.brireads.com and sign up to gain free access to her entire library. Along with professional readings of favorite children’s books, she has original songs and drawing lessons! One of our favorite videos is Unicorn (And Horse) by David Miles. Since it’s release, just a week ago, my daughter has asked to watch it every night before bed. If you like unicorns you have to watch! CLICK HERE I want to thank Bri for bringing us sunshine on some of our darkest days in quarantine.

A Social Distancing Mother’s Day Weekend…Days 54 and 55

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I never imagined a time where we would have to social distance from one another to stay safe and well. A time when my extended family would find ourselves unable to gather around the dining room table to enjoy good food, fellowship and hugs! This Mother’s Day weekend looked a bit different, but it was filled with love and happy surprises and I can’t think of anything better than that!

I am blessed to have the sweetest, most supportive mother in the world! She taught me the faith, loves me and has never tried to change me. She continues to be my biggest cheerleader!

Three generations enjoying the backyard fried chicken picnic, with all the fixings, we had for my mother on Saturday. My daughter bought pink daises for her Nana.

Visiting Maw Maw on Mother’s Day and delivering her an afternoon tea.

I want to remember all of the mothers in my life, past and present, who helped raise and nurture me, who inspire me, teach me and support me. The women who make me a better person and through their unconditional love, have taught me how to be a good mother to my daughter.

My daughter looking at the pictures of the important mothers in our lives, both past and present. My dad made an outdoor display for our outdoor Mother’s Day celebration

 

I also want to recognize all the mOTHERS in our lives. Women who are not mothers in the traditional sense but are strong, beautiful role models for me and for my daughter. My daughter is blessed to have two amazing women she lovingly calls “aunt” and “auntie” and although they are not part of our family tree, they are our family and we love them so very much!

I know Mother’s Day isn’t a joyous day for everyone. For some there is great sorrow and loss. Others feel an emptiness as they yearn to become a mother and many are fighting a battle with infertility. I understand, I have been there and have experienced the pain.

Mother’s Day Tea Cups– When I taught kindergarten I had my students cut and color this paper tea cup for their mothers. A single tea bag was placed inside. My daughter created some special tea cups for her grandmothers.

Mother’s Day S’mores– We enjoyed a s’mores bar at our outdoor Mother’s Day picnic for my mother. My husband built a fire (he is an Eagle Scout) and we roasted marshmallows! Look at the variety of menu choices!

Mother’s Day Tea– A local tea shop, The London Tea Room, offered a special carry out Mother’s Day Tea, for two, with sweet and savory goodies to make for a proper afternoon tea. Complete with Laura Ashley tea cups, plates, tea pot and cloth napkins, we knew this would be a wonderful gift for my mother-in-law! As an avid tea lover, she is responsible for my love of tea parties. My in-laws have enjoyed several trips to London and planned to return this summer. Unfortunately, COVID 19 cancelled their trip. A huge thank you to The London Tea Room for bringing a taste of London to Missouri!

Tea for Two– My daughter and I enjoyed a mother/daughter tea after a virtual church service filled with beautiful Easter hymns. Our table was set with my butterfly meadow tea set and a variety of delectable delights. My little one discovered a new found love for scones and lemon curd. While we dined and talked of future tea parties after the virus, my mini me explained, “This is delightful!” This Noteworthy Mommy couldn’t agree more!

 

 

 

 

“If I Were a Butterfly”…Days 52 and 53

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We ended our school week with two days of discovering insects and learning about the life cycle of the butterfly. The weather was sunny, windy and cool, so we spent time playing on the play set in our backyard, flying a kite and going on scooter rides. On Friday, we spread our wings and “Lived Generously” by putting some used books on our front porch to share with neighbors and by sneaking out of the house to deliver surprises to the dedicated teachers in my daughter’s life.

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The Butterfly Song, (If I Were a Butterfly)– When I was in college I taught kindergarten Sunday School at my church. My class loved singing  The Butterfly Song and requested it when we went to music class with Mrs. Becker. Some twenty-seven years later, I have found memories of singing the song and remember all of the motions Mrs. Becker taught us. I was thrilled when my daughter’s teacher sang it with her class during virtual circle time this month. I have taught my daughter all three verses but you can leave out some of them to make the song shorter. CLICK HERE to listen to the song and CLICK HERE to go to the official The Butterfly Song website.

THE BUTTERFLY SONG
(If I Were a Butterfly)
Words and Music by Brian M. Howard
If I were a butterfly
I’d thank you Lord for giving me wings
If I were a robin in a tree
I’d thank you Lord that I could sing
If I were a fish in the sea
I’d wiggle my tail and I’d giggle with glee
But I just thank you Father for making me, meCHORUS
For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile
You gave me Jesus and you made me your child
And I just thank you Father for making me, me

The Very Hungry Caterpillar– Perhaps the most beloved children’s book in my collection, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle, turned 51 years old this year! I first shared the book with my daughter when she was a few days old, so when it came to studying caterpillars and butterflies, we just had to read it multiple times! We also enjoyed watching Eric Carle’s 1993 animated short, based on the book. When I taught kindergarten I used to show it to my students. (on VHS tape) CLICK HERE to watch the film. We enjoyed making some caterpillar art by dipping a cup in paint and adding additional detail with markers.

We also made a caterpillar out of a paper towel tube and fed him the corresponding colored tiles while retelling the story. We used the cards from this webiste in our retelling and added dice and a color spinner to invent our own math game!

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Butterfly Symmetry Art– After folding a piece of construction paper in half and cutting out a caterpillar shape, we decorated it to look like a caterpillar, opened it up and it unveiled a butterfly! We talked about symmetry and painted on one side of the wings, folding the paper in half to discover upon opening it back up, that the other side looked exactly the same! My daughter really enjoyed this activity so we made some extras to give to her Nana and Maw Maw for Mother’s Day. CLICK HERE to view a demonstration.

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From “Caterpillar to Butterfly” and a Pop-Up Flower Shop…Day 51

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During the seven years l taught kindergarten, one of my favorite things to do with my class was to order Painted Lady caterpillars from Insect Lore. My students and I enjoyed watching these teeny, tiny caterpillars grow and change; first into a chrysalis’ and then transform themselves into beautiful butterflies! It amazes me that the entire metamorphosis took a mere 3 to 4 weeks!

The caterpillars in my daughter’s classroom have all changed into chrysalises and her teacher placed them into the butterfly net. The caterpillar cam has been turned off, for now, as the metamorphosis begins. While we wait, my daughter and I continued our study of butterflies with some exciting activities. Our day ended with back yard play and an impromptu pop up flower shop in the backyard.

A Butterfly Garden– After completing the Scholastic Learn From Home module “From Caterpillar to Butterfly,” we went outside and planted some wildflowers that are supposed to attract butterflies. My daughter loves the dirt and is looking forward to watering her flowers everyday.

“The Very Hungry Caterpillar Yoga”– There are extensive benefits of doing yoga with children! Yoga improves their physical, mental, emotional and social health. From helping to balance energy levels and calming the nervous system, to building sensory awareness, flexibility and balance, yoga is simply amazing! My daughter needs to develop these skills so doing activities like yoga do not come naturally and it’s difficult to get her to do it without a fight! Her teacher recommended Cosmic Yoga, engaging story based yoga for kids presented by storyteller, Jaime Amor. My daughter was resistant at firs, but after awhile, to my great surprise, she began to request Cosmic Yoga! Amor has created yoga stories for just about any theme you can think of. From “The Wizard of Oz,” to “Star Wars,” to “Frozen,” everyone will find something they like! CLICK HERE to do “Very Hungry Caterpillar” yoga.

Pattern Block Creations– We used pattern blocks to create caterpillars and then we made symmetrical butterflies. We also played a symmetry game found here. Young children have a strong intuitive sense of symmetry. Research shows that knowing symmetry helps us learn things like graphing, understanding negative numbers and how to simplify complex information.

Pop-Up Flower Shop– Being an only child my daughter effectively plays independently and benefits greatly from child-directed, free play opportunities. One of her favorite places to play, during the quarantine, is in our backyard. Today she created an impromptu flower shop after gathering wildflowers in the field behind our house. She got plastic containers out of her water play toys and used them as vases. She used her toy phone to talk to customers and solicited me as her number one customer! I gladly joined in and helped direct her imaginative play. I asked the following questions…How much do the flowers cost? What is the name of her shop? Can she created mixed bouquets? I provided paper and crayons and encouraged her to create a menu for her shop, listing the prices for her various creations. By guiding her play, I was able to introduce new vocabulary and incorporate literacy skills in a fun, engaging way. CLICK HERE to read a short article about the benefits of adult guidance in play (or learning).

Teacher Appreciation Week and a Magical Metamorphosis…Day 49

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This week is Teacher Appreciation Week and I want to personally thank all of the amazing teachers in my life (past and present) who give of themselves each and every day. With the onset of COVID-19, teachers around the world found themselves learning new technologies and brainstorming ways to best meet the needs of their students while they entered the world of virtual learning. I applaud all of them for their tenacity and grit during this time of uncertainty. The Zoom chats, weekly lesson plans and daily blog posts from my daughter’s preschool teacher, Mrs. Stanglein, is the familiar that is keeping us grounded during this time of isolation.

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Dedication to Mrs. Stanglein (Preschool Teacher), Mrs. Washburn (Preschool Aide) and Mrs. Haun (Zion’s Early Childhood Director)- I have a graduate degree in early childhood education and when my husband and I began looking at preschools for our daughter, I was worried we would never find an early childhood program, or a teacher, that met my rigorous standards. I prayed for guidance and God led us to Zion Lutheran School.Stanglein

Mrs. Stanglein, you are the perfect teacher for our little one. Over the past two years you have encouraged our little girl’s creativity, inspired her budding literacy skills and ignited in her, an everlasting love for nature, discovery and investigation. And you accomplished all of this while providing a safe, developmentally appropriate, Christ-centered environment. When we first met I knew you wouldn’t be intimidated by my high-standards and could “hold your own” with this Noteworthy Mommy! And I have learned from you, especially during this time of “home schooling” and virtual learning. Thank you for reminding me of the importance of play (free and guided), providing resources to help with my daughter’s propriproceptive development and always reminding us of Jesus’ love.

Washburn

Mrs. Washburn, your quiet demeanor and warm smile makes me feel comfortable leaving my little one in your care. You provide the children with assistance and support, so they can be successful at school. Thank you for treating your students as they are your own and teaching them about God through your love and compassion

Haun

Mrs. Haun, I never dreamed of finding an early childhood center that was officially trained on The Project Approach! As I walk through Zion’s early childhood wing, your leadership and extensive knowledge on how young children learn is being demonstrated in every single classroom. Thank you for the extraordinary work you do to provide training, materials and overall support for teachers, staff, children and their parents. I benefited greatly from the parenting classes your provided during the Sunday School hour.

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My daughter with Mrs. Haun, Mrs, Washburn and Mrs. Stanglein, when Fred Bird came to surprise her at school!

From Caterpillar to Butterfly– On April 22, Mrs. Haun delivered Painted Lady caterpillars to all of her early childhood teachers. We have been tracking their progress from caterpillar to chrysalis through daily blog posts and a live caterpillar cam! My daughter has been documenting the changes in a butterfly journal.  CLICK HERE to download the Butterfly Journal. Whether it be the amazing changes a caterpillar experiences as it turns into a butterfly or the growth my little girl has shown during her preschool years, both are amazing metamorphosis’ created by God’s careful hands.

butterflyjournal1caterpillar collage

 

I Am Jesus’ Little Lamb…Good Shepherd Sunday on Day 48

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This Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Easter, is known as Good Shepherd Sunday. The name derives from the Gospel reading for the day, taken from the tenth chapter of John. CLICK HERE to view our worship service and make sure you watch the sermon!

I recommend listening to his moving words but here are some notes I took from Pastor Rouland’s sermon. He asks us to remember what it feels like to be lost and challenges us to think of the voices in our lives that drown out the clear voice of our Good Shepherd, Jesus. Pastor Rouland made me question, am I always being spiritually safe? Are there times in my life where I rely on myself to be safe, where I have created paths that are straight and safe and fail to listen to Jesus, the One who calls me by name? By spending time reading His word, singing His word and putting myself in places where I will hear Jesus, I will gain the spiritual safety I so yearn. Pastor Rouland reminds me that Jesus is here to carry me, to bear my burdens, to lead me home. Listen to the voice of our Good Shepherd, Jesus.

The Lord is My Shepherd- After reading Psalm 23 from my daughter’s Beginners Bible, we made a little lamb with cotton ball fleece to remind us that we are Jesus’ little lambs.

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During this time of uncertainty we shouldn’t be afraid because Jesus, our Sheperd, is there to guide us, provide for us and love us, through good days and during dark times. We sang the Lutheran hymn, “I Am Jesus’ Little Lamb” while we worked together. CLICK HERE to listen to a recording sung by children.

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I got the lamb template from the blog www.startsateight.com. CLICK HERE to download the lamb template.

Symphony No 3 (fourth movement) by James Barnes– In January 2017, the Saint Louis Wind Symphony closed their performance at the Missouri Music Educators Association’s annual conference by playing the last movement of Barnes’s dynamic Symphony No 3. I play third clarinet in the SLWS and the piece, although challenging to play, is emotionally moving. The Third Symphony was commissioned by the United States Air Force Band in Washington, D.C. Barnes, the composer, was told the piece needed to be a major work for wind band but was given no other parameters. Barnes began writing Symphony No 3 at a very tragic time in his life, shortly after his baby daughter Natalie died. The program notes state… The fourth movement (finale) represents a rebirth of spirit, a reconciliation for us all. The second theme of the last movement is based on the old Lutheran children’s hymn, “I Am Jesus’ Little Lamb.” The hymn was sung at Natalie’s funeral and was the closing hymn my congregation sang on Good Shepherd Sunday.

CLICK HERE to hear the United States Air Force Band in Washington, D.C. play the finale from Symphony No 3 by James Barnes.

I Am Jesus’ Little Lamb– While my family of three sang the closing hymn, “I Am Jesus’ Little Lamb,”‘my daughter declared, “I wish you were still a child. Then I wouldn’t be born yet and I wouldn’t be here for the virus.” Then she went off and began to play. Deep thoughts for a five year old and a reminder that our children are continuing to process their new normal… a time of virtual church, virtual school and physical time away from extended family and friends. Although it’s OK to be afraid, upset and lost during this time, I want my daughter to find comfort in Jesus. To know that Jesus, her Good Shepherd, is here to carry her through this difficult time.

The painting, “The Good Shepherd,” by artist, Richard Hook. Hook created a lot of art for Concordia Publishing House. This painting, or one similar to it, is what Pastor Rouland refers to in his sermon.

May Day Music, Derby Day and My Old Kentucky Home…Day 47

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As I turn a new page on my calendar, I am greeted with blank spaces glaring back at me. May is supposed to be filled with activity, celebration, endings and new beginnings. But this year anticipated events like the Kentucky Derby, spring concerts, proms and graduations, have been erased, crossed out, rescheduled or cancelled. To stay safe we continue to practice social distancing and our social calendars remain unoccupied and empty. The extra time is providing our family of three some unique ways to celebrate the beginning of May.

May Day Music- For over twenty years my husband and I have been members of the Northwinds Concert Band. And on the first Saturday in May you will find us playing a spring concert at the Florissant Civic Center during the city’s Valley of Flowers celebration. But this year the band won’t “play on” as our season came to an abrupt end due to COVID 19. I miss performing. I miss coming together on a Tuesday night and creating music. And most of all I miss my musical family; a group of extraordinary people who have been there for me throughout my adult life. My family of three enjoyed reliving some of our past concerts by listening to recordings and watching a video of a past Northwinds concert.

The Kentucky Derby- Today, the first Saturday in May, was supposed to be the 146th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Also known as the “Run For the Roses” and as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,” because of COVID 19, the three year old thoroughbreds will race on September 5 instead.

In honor of the Kentucky Derby my family of three dressed in our University of Kentucky gear (I’ve grown accustomed to the dress up days during virtual learning) and listened to Kentucky’s state song, My Old Kentucky Home performed by college musicians from thirteen colleges and universities across the state. CLICK HERE to listen.

We didn’t have the ingredients to make some Kentucky Derby staples like mint juleps or derby pie, but we did prepare Kentucky Hot Browns for dinner. The Hot Brown Sandwich is an open faced sandwich made with chicken or turkey, bacon, tomato and covered in a rich creamy Mornay sauce. Created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, KY in the 1920’s, the sandwich has become synonymous with the state of Kentucky and southern cuisine. CLICK HERE for the recipe from the Brown Hotel. The recipe below is from my mother-in-law and is the one I used. We made accommodations based on what we had on hand and used a hamburger bun for the bread and grilled chicken breast for the meat. I paired my Hot Brown with a Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale. Aged in bourbon barrels and brewed in Lexington, it is my favorite Kentucky brew!

After dinner my daughter held her own Kentucky Derby, racing around the house on Peaches the Pony. And even though we were unable to view real ponies on TV, we ended our day watching ponies, “My Little Pony” on Netflix!

My Old Kentucky Home– My daughter and husband gathered around the computer and participated in another weekly family meeting with three generations of his family in attendance. This week ten states were represented and the second generation shared memories about the family’s “Old Kentucky Home,” located on a farm in rural Kentucky. “Oh, the sun shines bright on my old Kentucky home.”