Tools not Toys, again...

Two years ago I posted this post about some wisdom from my dad, "Give kids tools not toys" never imagining that two years later I would have two granddaughters of my own who are now getting old enough to play. Elinor is nearly 11 months and Allison is 8 months.

They love rattles and stacking cups, but I was looking for something more. Something that could help them develop their fine motor coordination and mathematical reasoning. I am really happy with Wee WEDgits.
These things are fun for babies, chewable and interesting for adults too. I like that Wee WEDGiTS are made from non-toxic, phthalate free poly-vinyl material so I don't have to worry about the girls slobbering and chewing on them, and also that they fit with regular WEDGiTS so they can be used for a long time. 


Bob and I were amazed last week when we were stacking the WEDgits into a pyramid and Elinor put the last piece in. They are neat because they don't fall over easy and you can stack them so many ways. This is the kind of tool the helps to develop mathematical reasoning, sorting abilities, color recognition and fine motor coordination, all through play. 


This is a great tool for kids of all ages. My sister just bought some of the regular WEDgits for her 3 1/2 year old granddaughter and they have both been having a lot of fun with them. 

Another tool that I love is the Teddy Bear Mix and Match Game.  This game has the cutest heavy cardboard bears ever. There are pairs mountain climbing bears, alpine bears, ice cream cone eating bears, baby bears and more. This game can be played by non-readers and is like a concentration game. All bears are put face down and players take turn turning over two bears to try to get a match. If your bears match you take them, if not you turn them over and the next player gets a turn. I am sorry to say that when I used to play it with my nephew Issac [when he was 4 and then 5 years old] he won more games than I did. 


The bears can also be used as templates to trace around  and then the child can color them the way they want to. I always thought I would trace around to make a template to make cookie bears and maybe I will when Allison and Elinor get older. Then they can decorate them any way they want.  This is a great tool to develop memory and observation techniques--also a good way to talk about jobs people have or what different clothes mean. These bears are just so cute, you can't help but want to play with them.

Another game which is wonderful for pre-arithmetic skills, spacial reasoning and more is Mighty Mind. This is good for kids at least 3-4 and up.  


There are 32 plastic tiles and carefully sequenced cards which take children from just finding the correct tile and placing it on the card, to having a complicated outline that them must fill in with the tiles. Fun for all ages. 


Mighty Minds says it this way:

• Faster than a speeding puzzler. Able to leap into challenging puzzles in a single bound. That kid has a Mighty Mind!
• MightyMind develops creativity & helps children understand visual/spatial relationships.
• A great confidence builder in a fun, purposeful format.
• 32 colorful, easy to handle, durable plastic design tiles with 30 tangram-like design cards.
• Smarter kids. Great Fun. Mighty Minds.

This is a great tool for kids to use alone, or one that you can use together. It can encourage team work among siblings. My kids had a wooden set when they were young and it was a lot of fun, and educational too.

These are just a few of the tools that I think are awesome for preschool-elementary age children. The WEDgits are my vote for the best baby toy in a long time because they are soft, chewy, stackable, colorful and fun for kids, parents and grandparents.

Take care,
Jill

I am an embarassment to my culture--or something like that

I continue reading "The Language Police" and it makes me madder and madder.

There is a lot to make anyone mad about what textbook and standardized test makers  have to go through to sell their products. At first I was mad at them for deleting everything worthwhile out of their products, but then as I read more they do it because there are so many pressure and special interest groups that will put up such a stink if their interests are not taken into account.

 In a reading or social studies textbook, for example, there have to be the same amount of female and male characters. Same amount of men to women, same amount of boy animals to girl animals. If there is an nanny goat, there better be a male animal to balance the book out.

No African American can be shown as an athlete; no Asian person as a cook, no older person with glasses, apron, cane or anything that makes them seem old [I think gray hair is OK :)-even fishing and baking cookies is out!], no woman can wear an apron or be cooking or caring for children...and so it goes. The reason? This is stereotyping and is insulting to the group you are stereotyping.

What?  [So, this is how I am an embarrassment--and maybe you are too.]

I think it is insulting to act like I am somehow an embarrassment to society because I care for children, cook a meal or wear glasses?? I mean isn't it really wrong to NOT show people doing things they actually do? I don't think all Asians shown should be cooking, or all African Americans should be athletes--any more than I think that all women should be shown as caring for children or baking cookies.

But none! Really!

As a woman who loves being a homemaker and who is a glasses-wearing, cooking-baking grandma, I resent the idea that showing a woman in that capacity is demeaning.  In my opinion it is demeaning to me  if you leave out anyone at all that looks traditional or is doing something that many people actually do.

I am still reading this book, but it makes me glad my kids got to read and have read to them, REAL BOOKS. Books that show people how they are--in all capacities.

Oh, and I forgot to say that grade school readers and standardized tests have to have questions that are location neutral. What I mean is that something can't be happening in the desert, or near the ocean or on a mountain or somewhere where it snows. The reason? Children who don't live in those places won't understand what those places are like and will somehow feel bad that they don't live by the beach  or have snow, or whatever!!

So, we have watered down stories about a non-traditional person anywhere doing something. Wow, how educational is that? I think about The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. We didn't have to have snow to understand how cold and depressing the Long Winter was. We didn't have to experience hunger to understand how hungry the whole town was. If you take away the location and the actual things people do [Ma cooked and took care of the girls, Pa took care of the animals and went to get fuel to burn--my how horrible for my children to see people doing these traditional chores!] what are you left with? Where is the educational value of books?

It makes me sad for students and for us as a culture.

Take care,
Jill

My Other Language Police posts:
See post 1 here
See post 2 here.  
See Post 3 here.

The Language Police...

I am just beginning to read this book by Diane Ravitch. The subtitle is "How Pressure Groups Restrict what Students Learn." So far, it is unbelievable. She is explaining how  sensitivity reviewers decide what is included in text books, standardized tests and all sorts of educational materials that are used in public schools.

Oh, my--it is shocking. For example, a passage for 4th graders to read having to do with the history and use of peanuts.

It describes peanuts as legumes, in the same family as peas and beans. It says they are nutritious, and they were first cultivated by South American Indians, especially the Incas. It explains how the Spanish Explorers conquered the Incas, and Portuguese explorers defeated many Brazilian tribes. Then the peanut was shipped to Europe for cultivation. It goes on to tell how African slaves planted and developed peanut crops and then goes on to tell about George Washington Carver and his peanut work and discoveries.

Although the passages were suitable for the age group and historically accurate, the  bias and sensitivity reviewers oppose the passage for three reasons:

• A 4th grade student who was allergic to peanuts might be distracted by the statement that peanuts are nutritional and which does not mention the danger of peanuts to those who are allergic.
• Using the term African slave --it is not considered appropriate. The term should be "enslaved African"
• The passage that says that the Spanish and Portuguese defeated Brazilian tribes. They did not question the accuracy, but thought it might hurt someone's feelings.

Can you believe it? If these types of things have to be removed to make the readings without bias against any group, what is left? How can history be learned?

As I continue to read this book I will make further postings. It is clear to me that regardless of how your children are educated they need to be exposed to many, many types of literature where they can learn history from a variety of perspectives. When I was reading this chapter I couldn't help think of Sonlight's Intro to American History 1. See information below. Most of these books I love myself.

If you want your children to think critically  then please expose them to great literature, read together as a family and talk about what you read. Who wants kids who don't value the nutrition of the peanut because some are allergic? That is just plain nuts!

More later,
Jill

See post 1 here
See post 2 here.  
See Post 3 here.
[See what is in the Sonlight Core package--incredible treasure and a way to protect your kids from the bias and sensitivity reviewers.]

Discover key elements of American history from before the Spanish conquistadors through the 1850s, with a special emphasis on U.S. social history. You may wish to use this program, with modification, as the basis for teaching more than one child in 1st* through 6th grades.

Curriculum Overview:

Sonlight^® Core 3 introduces you and your children to the diverse peoples of the United States-those who lived in the Americas before Europeans came, as well as those who came after. It covers the time period from before Christ to about 1850. You will marvel at the way in which all of these peoples shaped our nation's history, and how the land itself shaped the people.
You'll begin your expedition with archeological information coming from hundreds of years before Christ then continuing with some of the significant peoples and civilizations that flourished in the Americas while Europe was in the midst of its "Dark Ages." You'll find out about those civilizations' grisly and cruel religions, as well as their beliefs that parallel the Gospel of Christ.
Of course, you'll accompany Columbus on his famous voyage across the Atlantic. You'll be present as the Spanish conquistadors subdue and ultimately rule and oppress the peoples they find in the land. You'll also watch as English connivers twist the Spaniards' record for their (the Englishmen's) own ends.

You'll find out how and why the Atlantic Ocean served as a highway that linked the Virginia colony to England while, at the same time, it severed the New England colonies from their "mother." You'll learn about the "charity colony" (now a state) that certain wealthy men from England started in order to provide a second chance for London's poorest slum dwellers. You'll discover which state was founded on the loot of smugglers and pirates, and which state (then a colony) was founded by men who believed the Bible taught them never to offer military or police protection when their citizens were attacked.

You'll be there during the American Revolution, watch as the Constitution is written, meet George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and others. You'll accompany Adoniram Judson on his trip to Burma (Myanmar) in the early 1800s, and watch, amazed, as the incomparable Nathaniel Bowditch, a self-taught man, revolutionizes the international sea transportation industry! You'll come to know and appreciate statesmen like Ben Franklin; the explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark; inventors like Robert Fulton and Eli Whitney; plus dozens of other unforgettable characters — each one brought to life through a compelling biography or historical novel.

Truly, Sonlight^® Core 3 offers you the opportunity of a lifetime to enter into our nation's history and enjoy it "live, as it happened."

Besides the more academic and subject-oriented books like former Librarian of Congress Daniel Boorstin's Landmark History of the American People and John Holzmann's Incans, Aztecs & Mayans, you and your children will enjoy engrossing titles like Esther Forbes' Newbery Award-winning Johnny Tremain and Marguerite Henry's Newbery Honor book Justin Morgan Had a Horse.

The Top Seven Reasons to Homeschool...

Through the years I have been asked and  nearly interrogated with the question...

"Why do you homeschool?" or "Why would a person want to homeschool?"

So, this year I decided to have a shiny laminated post card made telling the top reasons to homeschool. I came up with seven great reasons, worked with a veteran graphic artist and we put together this card that you can proudly display on your fridge or carry in your purse.

 It conveys seven great reasons to homeschool and is a high quality card that is  laminated on both sides so it will stay nice for a long time.

If you would like one, just let me know. Send me your name and address and I will be glad to put one in the mail for you.

Take care,
Jill

Closets...

I am finally old enough to let you in on a secret...I have never really had my own closet--at least not for 96% of my life. And, now that I am finally getting one I know exactly what I want.

Until I was fifteen I shared a room with one or both of my sisters. Actually, until my older sister went to college  when I was 13, we  had always shared a double bed. My younger sister slept on a daybed in the same room and we all shared a rather boring closet in that small room. When my older sister went off to college, my younger sister moved into the bed with me and the day bed became a couch. We still shared the closet.

When I went off to college in 1974 there were three girls crammed in a tiny dorm room designed for two. Michigan State was overcrowded and so were we. They rebated me something like $60 for the inconvenience, and let me tell you that wasn't much even then. Three teen girls shared a closet that was about 3 feet wide and had two shelves. We had two desks, a set of bunk-beds and a tacky old couch that served as a bed for one of us. We were jammed packed but still thrilled to be on our own.

A year later Bob and I married. We moved into a 10 x 48 mobile home that was so small we had to lay on the bed to open the drawers of the built in dresser. We had a small closet that we shared. I suppose it seemed large after sharing that 3 foot one in college, but I can't remember. We didn't spend much time in that trailer because Bob drove 50 miles [each way] to his job so he could support us and put me through school, and I drove 50 miles a day in the opposite direction to to go college. He had the worst of it because the sun was in his eyes coming and going. I will always be thankful for his dedication. He never complained and he kept his promise to my dad that he would put me through the remaining three years of college.

There was a three year period when I had my own closet, when we moved to a new  house when I was in 10th grade. It was a pretty average closet--4 or 5 feet long, one shelf and bi-fold doors that came un-hooked if you looked  at them sideways. I still remember my wedding dress hanging from the top of that closet  waiting for the big day--but I digress.

Home after home led to varying closets that Bob and I shared. I have had wire racks in closets that hit me in the back every time I tried to walk by them to get to where I needed to be. I had a cedar closet once that was kind of a walk in, but it was so narrow I could never get back to the end of it and even if I did, the light didn't shine there anyway. It was this closet we hid Christmas presents in and it was in this closet that Cris and Dusty, in childhood greed, raced to find hidden presents and ruined Christmas for Chad who didn't understand why Mom and Dad would hide presents in their closet. Chad learned about Santa because of that closet. We didn't find out till about 20 years later, but it still makes me mad.

I have looked at those multi-thousand dollar closet systems at the Container Store that will make you drool, but then really, who wants to spend thousands of dollars so your shoes will have a little drawer of their own? Really kind of a space waster in so many ways and you need a big closet to start with.

But, with the building of our cottage I got my very own closet. The closet of my dreams, you might say. Simple, but practical. So, I am going to share my perfect closet with you.

First, it has NO bi-fold doors. See the two doors, they open up so that there are no dark corners in my closet and they don't come out too far into the room, which is nice.

It has no wire racks, no drawers, no ugly door knobs, and is very space saving. Notice the Polish Pottery handles on my doors. I ordered these special from an importer. I love Polish Pottery.
 

What I want a closet for is to hold my clothes, shoes and some stuff on a shelf--maybe a bin of socks, or out of season sweaters, etc. Notice the nice smooth rod, not those wire things that only allow 3 hangers in a section. They drive me crazy. Notice the nice wooden shelf that is not wire, so things will not fall through. I painted everything white so it would reflect the light and not have dark corners.  I plan to put some clear tubs up there for any out of season clothes or personal items.

I know that baskets are all the rage in closets--ones that pull out. But really, can you see what is in them? I will use clear totes so I can see exactly what is in each one-no guessing.

Notice the blue pegs on the wall. I have those on both sides. These are perfect for hanging up the clothes I have just taken off but want to wear tomorrow--like jeans, or a sweater, or my nightgown. Also great for hang up my purse so I can find it.

 Bob and I put a whole rail of pegs 12" from the floor. These are my Shaker Shoe Pegs. I can hang 8 pairs of shoes on the pegs without taking any floor space. This closet is in a cottage, after all, so it is only 4 feet long, but it is wonderful to me. My shoes are not hanging in this photo because the pegs were just put up and the glue needed to dry.

  So, there you have it. My low-tech perfect closet. No doors to derail, no wire shelves for things to fall through or to inhibit free hanger movement, great pegs for shoes, clothes and plenty of shelf space to organize whatever I want.

Yes, I am finally old enough to design and appreciate my own closet. Bob's closet is similar, but a bit smaller, no shoe pegs [he thinks I am a bit peg crazy], only one wall with wall pegs and he has a trap door in his that serves as a laundry chute to the laundry room below. Don''t tell him, but I got the better deal.

Take care,
Jill

Cincinnati Homeschool Convention--The Best Convention Around...

This convention was awesome last year and this year promises to be bigger and better. It is affordable and has top quality speakers and a truly inspirational teen program. If you are anywhere within a day's drive, you might want to try it out.







 Last year I talked to people who had come from The Philippines, Colorado, New York, Texas and more! It is truly a destination convention.

I will be in the Sonlight Booth-come by and say hi!

Jill

Caulking-a Fool Proof Method...

As you may or may not know, we have been in the process of building a get-away/retirement cottage for over a year. We had to change builders and do quite a bit of the finishing up ourselves. I am here to tell you, when building a house, a LOT of caulking needs to be done.

Now, I am not good at caulking, but when my daughter,  Kari came home at Thanksgiving on her break from her year in Americorps, she was a caulking expert. I was sure I was past help, but you are never too old to learn, right? So, the child became the teacher, and I the student.

Either Kari is an awesome teacher or I am a wonderful student, or maybe a bit of both, but I am now a most excellent caulker, just like my daughter. And, because this is a blog about learning, I am going to teach you how to caulk right now. For the record, I am a caulking maniac now and I caulked the octagon window in our cathedral ceiling, 10+ feet high, several windows, over a few doors where the drywall was short of the trim, behind sinks and Kari and I even attached a marble backsplash to the basement bath vanity with these same techniques.

So,  here goes...
The first, absolute most important step, is you have to get a caulking sponge.  Do not get any old sponge. Go to Lowes or Home Depot and go to the section that has ceramic tile and ask for a caulking sponge. They look like this:

Pretty humble, huh? But this is THE secret to caulking. It only costs about $2.00, so get yourself this sponge.

Now, get some caulk and a good gun. I never realized why the more expensive caulk gun is better than the cheapie model. Make sure it has a long poker-type thing attached and an open hole in the handle. You will need the right type of caulk. I copied the types below from the Lowes website. You may also want to ask for help from someone at the store. The caulk is usually near the paint in a big box store.

Types of Caulk

There are many types of caulks and sealers available. Each type is formulated for a particular purpose. You need to know what is best for different situations. Several different types are listed below with their purpose and typical characteristics. When shopping, always refer to the product packaging.

    * Painter's caulk: Inexpensive latex caulk is often used by painters to plug holes and cracks prior to painting. It can also be used to provide a smooth joint in a corner where textured materials meet. This allows the painter to paint a very straight line in the corner when using contrasting paint colors.

    * Acrylic latex: Paintable, acrylic fortified caulk can be used for both interior and exterior applications and it cleans up easily with water.

    * Siliconized latex: Very durable, latex caulk with silicone is available in different colors and cleans up with water.

    * 100% silicone: Silicone caulk is great for non-porous substances. It is the best choice for sealing ceramic tile, glass and metal surfaces, but is less appropriate for porous surfaces like wood and masonry. Silicone caulk remains flexible and is impervious to water. It cannot be painted and must be cleaned up with solvent. It also has a sharp odor when curing. It requires adequate ventilation and is usually available in either clear or white.

    * Tub and tile: Acrylic sealant gives a flexible, watertight seal. It is mildew resistant with water cleanup.

    * 100% silicone kitchen and bath sealant: This has the same characteristics as plain 100% silicone sealant.

    * Gutter and foundation sealant (Butyl Rubber): This can be used on metal, wood or concrete and is appropriate for use in areas that experience extreme temperature variations. It is often used on metal flashing and around skylights and requires solvent for clean-up.

    * Roof repair caulk: This is a convenient butyl rubber/asphalt formulation for sealing flashing, roofing, skylights, etc. It cleans up with mineral spirits.

    * Adhesive caulk: Used as an adhesive during the installation of sinks, countertops, etc, adhesive caulk dries harder than other caulks, but is less flexible.

    * Concrete and mortar repair: This caulk retains some elasticity to remain in cracks in mortar and concrete and cleans up with water.
----------------------------------------
OK, now take your caulk and put the tip, just a tiny bit of it, into the hole in the handle of the gun at an angle. Pull trigger and a little blade will cut the tip off at that angle. You want a small hole, too big and you get a mess. Now, straighten that metal straight pin-like thing out and poke it through your hole to break the inner seal and let the caulk flow out. Pull back the spring-handle thing and put your caulk in the gun, tip first. Now pull  the trigger a couple of times till the caulk comes out.

If you have a small job, you can get the caulk in the tube--like toothpaste--and just cut a small bit [on an angle] off the end and you are good to go. This will kill your hand if you have to do too much so use a tube and gun if you have a lot to do.

Now, put too much caulk in a line along the edge you want to seal. It doesn't matter if you make a mess. Just put it on thick. When you get one edge done, go back and drag your finger [may need to be a bit wet] along the line of caulk, wiping the excess on your pants. Oh, wait, did I actually say that? Wipe the excess on a rag, or on some paper or just sort of fling into an old box or trash bin.

Now this is usually where the directions stop, and your caulk job looks like a 3rd grader did it. Ugh! This is where your miracle sponge comes in. Wet and ring-out the sponge. Now lay one long edge along your messy caulk and drag it slowly along the edge. You will notice the sponge is rounded so that it leaves a nice concave edge in the caulk as you drag it along. It should look awesome now, but if you need to put a bit more caulk and drag it again, do it! When you are satisfied with your edge. Rinse and ring your sponge and you are good to go for the next edge.

I totally LOVE how this works and looks. Not tricky, no big goops, no jerks where you stop and start, just a nice clean edge.

My bathroom at home has old nasty caulk and as soon as I can get some time I am going to scrape all the old caulk off and re-do it. I bet my old bathroom will look practically new.

Let me know if you try this. I have no idea why the caulking sponge is such a hidden treasure and no idea why they tuck it out of the way in the tile section and don't  have any in the caulking section,  but many thanks to Kari for introducing me to this tool that makes this amateur look professional. My assumption is, if you need to re-grout you use this same method and the same type of sponge and get great results as well.

Happy caulking,
Jill

Fun on the Farm with Grandma and Grandpa...

Waiting for Grandma.

Chad and Molly went to the last UK home football game which means we got to spend some quality time with our 4th month old granddaughter Allison. We had some chores to do out at the farm so Allison have her first farm visit and seemed to enjoy herself. We have a Jeep all terrain stroller so she took a nice tour of the farm and eventually took her nap in the stroller while I sealed the grout in our soon-to-be-completed cottage.

Getting final operating instructions

She seem a bit small to run the tractor--you think?

I don't know Grandpa, I think I am too little.

Sitting on a stump in front of the cabin. The stump is for the fire ring.

Sitting on KY Limestone. Grandpa carried all those rocks up there today.

We were both ready for a nap when we got back home.

Christmas School Ideas...

CHRISTMAS SCHOOL:

I started in 1990 the week after Thanksgiving! This was not a good time, but we were desperate. [To see why, go here]. At any rate Christmas and all its activities was looming.
I was so stressed out--I mean really! Ugh! School, decorating, shopping, cards, school, shipping presents--oh, my--I mean I was totally stressed out.

So, the next year I got smart. I planned for Christmas. We did no formal school for the two weeks before our Christmas break [for late middle/high school kids I did have them keep up with their math]. I had the kids help with cleaning, baking and addressing the Christmas cards. I had them help with wrapping presents, deliver goodies to neighbors and everything else there was to do. It was part of the school day.

In addition, I read great Christmas Classics--I read the Best Christmas Pageant Ever  annually for 20 straight years. Several years I read the original Christmas Carol by Dickens aloud and then we watched the Mickey's Christmas Carol Cartoon. Christmas was fun and not stressful. The difference--I planned for Christmas, made it part of school and included the children as much as possible. The work got done and we were not stressed out at all.

So, my advice: Plan for the times you will be stressed and incorporate your children as much as possible.f

More later,
Jill

Jolly Gingerbread Men...

In the next few weeks I want to give a few ideas for how to make the holidays less stressful if you are a homeschooling parent. I call it Christmas School. The first year I homeschooled I had a 7th grader and 4 and 1 year old at home and a 3rd and 5th grader still at the local elementary school. I was totally stressed at Christmas trying to get it all done. [Whatever that means.]

At any rate, the next  year I got smart and planned for Thanksgiving and Christmas and made the preparations part of school and not in addition to school. One part of this is having the children help with the baking and making the Christmas cards.

For years our children each did some sort of art work or wrote a poem and then I put it all together and got it printed. Then they helped fold, stuff and put labels on the envelopes. There are lot of skills involved in this and it made getting ready for Christmas a fun, family event.

We also made caramel corn and Scrabble [our version of Chex Mix] to give away, plus baked a couple of types of cookies. Though I didn't have the recipe for Jolly Gingerbread back then, I want to share it with you. As you can see in this photo [taken after the kids were mostly grown up] I arranged the cookies, took photos and made this the front of our Christmas card. Another year, we put holes in the top of the dough before baking [cutting out a hole with a drinking straw works great] and we hung them on the Christmas tree. That along with some strung cranberries and popcorn gave our tree an old fashioned look.

I will give some more hints in the coming week or two, but for now, here is the recipe for THE BEST gingerbread cookies I have ever eaten. I thank my old homeschooling mom friend, Cheryl, for this recipe.

This simple recipe is really THE best gingerbread man recipe I have ever tasted. They can be decorated, but we eat them plain. The buttery goodness of these cookies are wonderful. I always make a double batch for a total of about 100. They don’t last long and make terrific gifts.

JOLLY GINGERBREAD MEN

These are the best gingerbread men I have ever eaten

Thoroughly cream together:

1/2 C butter

1/2 C shortening

1 C white sugar

1/2 C brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 C light molasses

Mix the following together and then stir into the butter mixture:

3 1/2 C flour

2 t baking soda

2 t cinnamon

1 t ginger

1/2 t ground cloves

Mix till all is blended and chill.  Roll out cookies to desired thickness , cut with a cookie cutter and bake at 375° for 7-9 minutes.  After you get the dough  mixed up it may still look pretty dry, but just take it in your hands and work it into a ball. I use a 3” gingerbread (tin) cookie cutter and this make about 50 cookies.

As a tip, it is easier if you dampen your counter and lay a plain cotton (not terry cloth) dish towel on the dampened counter.  Sprinkle the towel with a couple of tablespoons of flour  and  then put 1/3 of the dough (rolled in a ball) on the towel.  Flatten it slightly with your hand, sprinkle it with flour and roll out like a pie crust on the towel.  If it gets sticky, sprinkle with a bit more flour.  After rolling and cutting out all the cookies, shake the towel off outside and  throw in the dirty clothes hamper.  

Take care,

Jill