December: No Bake Cookies

Hello Greenthread!

Happy New Year to everyone! We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and have started the year off with new resolutions and new-found energy!

We began the meeting by making the no-bake cookies, which Ms. Cristabel so brilliantly led.

So, the recipe is as follows:

2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup sun butter (sunflower seed butter)
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
3 cups puffed rice cereal (Rice Krispies) *you may need to add more of this to get the right consistency.

















First you melt the chocolate chips at 15 second intervals in the microwave until smooth. Mix between intervals.

Second you stir the sun butter into the melted chocolate.

Third you stir the marshmallows and cereal in. The consistency should not be runny but it should start to take on form and hold together.

Fourth, drop by small spoonfuls onto wax or parchment paper.

Fifth, let the cookies harden in the fridge (1 hr in fridge or 15 minutes in the freezer).

The girls had to work in pairs and they did a great job of taking turns and helping the other one out. It looked so yummy that it was tempting to lick our fingers!!

Once the cookies were in the baking cups, the girls then topped them with peppermint pieces or sparkle sugar -so beautiful :)

This past club meeting the talk was on patience- what an important virtue!! The girls did a great job in giving examples of ways that we practice patience, such as:
-Not interrupting
-Putting yourself last in importance (last in line, last to choose, etc)
-Waiting while others arrive or get things done















Ms. Martha showed them a visual example of the importance of patience with her "Patience Tree". In it, patience is illustrated as the trunk of a big strong tree from which other good qualities and virtues will come if you practice patience.

The eight branches that the girls attached to the tree are:

1. Good Manners: waiting to be served, or to be seen and allowing others who are slower to finish things.
2. Humility: placing yourself last and giving yourself least importance in this way
3. Kindness: Giving of your time for others, not pressuring or hurrying others along, but understanding that they do things in a different way and at a different pace.
4. Friendship: giving your friends the first pick, taking the time to hear them when they have problems.

5. Self-Control: whether you are in traffic, grocery check-out, doctor's office, post office or library, we have to wait in a manner that is pleasant. It often helps to take something to do (read a book, color, pray) so that you are not just watching the clock tick! Also, having the self-control not to get frustrated with yourself -as you tie your shoes, fix your hair, do your homework, etc.
6. Orderliness: taking the time necessary to fold your clothes correctly (not sloppily!), to clean and put things away as best as you can. Doing your homework and handwriting carefully.
7. Responsibility: Setting aside the correct amount of time to get things done the right way. For example, you can't think that it takes 5 minutes to get ready for school when in reality you need 20 minutes. Thinking ahead and preparing ahead for the long wait you may face and being productive during this time.
8. Cheerfulness: In spite of all of the setbacks, time delays and obstacles, we learn through patience that this is when we most need to smile, stay calm and to grow as persons.

When we choose to be patient in these situations instead of losing our cool, we are truly choosing to enrich ourselves in what is most important (remember: this is choosing the bag of gold over the cheap plastic diamond ring). However, when we choose to lose our temper and to become impatient, then we are choosing the plastic diamond ring -worth nothing- over the true treasure of growing in patience.

Finally, remember that if we ask God to help us grow in patience, more than likely, we will find ourselves in difficult situations that will provide a chance to stay calm and understanding!

Then it was time to pack up the cookies in the most gorgeous Chinese Take-Out boxes ever. They were such a sight to behold! Of course, the treats were intended as a gift to give to someone special...

Thanks to the Club Leaders and the Club Helpers who made this past month's activity so great. Also, thanks to Kathy McGarry who came to visit us as a special guest. We hope you will join us soon! Remember that this club's meeting will be on January 25, 2014. We look forward to seeing you then!

-Club Greenthread