What is that and why is it brown?

   There was brown slime at the bottom of the vegetable drawer that should get way more use than it does.
   If the drawer had gotten more use perhaps my husband and I would have ate, or at least noticed, the lettuce and green peppers before they browned and turned into a putrid liquid.  My husband quickly called the "I have a quick gag reflex" card and left me with the Lysol spray and disinfectant wipes.

Mushrooms on green "leaves".

    A few weeks later and the theme in my classroom was a farmer's market.  While at home I looked at the large bundle of mushrooms I had just purchased for a specific dish.  With the only option being to buy a large package at the store, there was no choice but to get more than necessary.
    I realized that the inevitable would happen and I would be stuck with the cleanup. 
    The answer: let the kids paint!  If you have the same problem with extras around the kitchen and short expiration dates, try letting the children at them with their painting shirts on.
    Halved potatoes can become potato bugs on green leaf cutouts. Halved apples can turn into orchards.  The children can even mix and match and create a whole field of possibilities.
    The main point is to allow the children to be as creative as they want to be.  The fact that they will be occupied for more than five minutes is just an added bonus.   

 -#1 Jam Hands Holder