Making Christmas Memories

One thing we love to do on Christmas Eve is go through the local coffee hut, turn on our Christmas music and drive around looking at the Christmas lights. It's such a simple tradition but our children look forward to it every year. From the time they were just little ones drinking cocoa we have oohed and awed over the lights together.

Another simple tradition we have is baking cookies. These are the famous Spritz cookies everyone we know talks about. A perfect shortbread sugar cookie that we decorate and pass out to all our neighbors and friends. We always bake a plate full of goodies, tie a ribbon around it and ring the doorbell. It's a simple gesture but one that gets our children in the Christmas spirit of giving.

Creating your own family traditions should not be tedious and overwhelming for anyone. Even if it's having a family game night complete with popcorn, Christmas music and finishing it off with a Christmas movie, creating an ongoing tradition will make the best memories for you and your children.

History of Thanksgiving for Kids

I think one thing we miss nowadays is teaching our children the history behind the holiday we celebrate. Thanksgiving is one of those holidays.
Below I have included several links to websites I think are great for kids and parents who want to explore the true reason we remember on Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving - History. Com




What is Thanksgiving all about?

The First Thanksgiving

National Geographic Thanksgiving for Kids

Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids

What to do on a Fall Day

It's easy, It's free and It will Build lasting Memories~

Grab some rakes, a few great friends and a picnic lunch. Don't forget the hot cocoa. Taking an afternoon break down at the local park during fall is a wonderful way to spend a crisp fall afternoon.
Our local park leaves the leaves down for several weeks before they remove them just so families can come down and jump in the piles. The crisp air, and smell of dried maple leaves with come with lasting memories.
Don't forget your camera, you will want to get these printed for sure.

Harvest Chili

What is better on a cool fall day then a warm bowl of soup backed with all the flavors of fall. This is one of our families favorite fall dishes.



Harvest Chili

1 c onion chopped
1 c yellow bell pepper chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
2 15oz cans of black beans - rinsed
2 pounds chicken breasts, chopped
1 16oz can pure pumpkin
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
3 cups of chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low.

Recommended Side Dish - Crusty Garlic Bread and Apple Crisp

Shopping List
You will need, bell pepper, black beans, chicken, pumpkin, diced tomatoes, prepared crusty garlic bread and ingredients for apple crisp. You should have the other ingredients on hand.

Not sure about that secret ingredient? Pumpkin has such a mild flavor with is balanced beautifully in this chili. My children never even notice and its a great way to get some vitamin packed into this meal.

BBQ Short Ribs

Yes you can still enjoy ribs without even touching the Barbeque. This is a family favorite and we always fill our crock pot to the rim with ribs.

BBQ Short Ribs

8 Tbls Flour
3 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
10 pounds of beef short ribs (less if you do not think you will eat leftovers)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 onions sliced
1 bottle favorite BBQ sauce
1 Tbls liquid smoke

Usually we cut up the short ribs into 3 rib portions. Drudge them with the flour mixture. Add oil to the bottom of the crock pot and place ribs inside. Top with sliced onions. Take the bbq sauce and mix the liquid smoke into it. Pour on top of ribs and onions and cook on low 6-8 hours.

When you remove the spare ribs, use a little flour and water mixture, less then 1 Tbls each and thicken the sauce. Serve with ribs.

Serve With - Potato Salad or Potato wedges and Salad

Shopping List:
10 lbs Short Ribs
2 onions
BBQ Sauce

You should have flour, salt, pepper, olive oil and liquid smoke on hand. If not add these to your list.

Enjoy a summer favorite on a busy weeknight!

Pizza!

Pizza in the Crockpot? Really? Oh yeah! It really is "almost" all in the crockpot. Ah yes, there is a little catch.

Here we are going to make all the topping for the pizza let it simmer and cook all day in the crock pot and then top our pre-made or home made pizza crust with it, top with cheese and pop it in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Not really a bad deal now is it?

Pizza

1 pound of ground beef
1 onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 pkg of pepperoni chopped
1 pkg of mushrooms (I like fresh, but canned is fine)
1 jar of pizza sauce

2 pizza crusts - home made or pre-made
2 cups of shredded cheese, mozzarella or a mixture

Combine all ingredients in the crock pot except cheese and crusts. Cover and cook on low 4 hours.

When you are ready for dinner, take out the crusts and top each with 2-3 scoops of sauce. Top with cheese and bake for 10-12 minutes. Dinner is served!

Serve with - A Yummy Green Salad

Shopping List -
1 lb Ground beef
1 pkg of shredded cheese
1 pkg pepperoni
1 pkg mushrooms
1 green pepper
1 jar of pizza sauce
2 pre-made pizza crusts (if you are not making your own)

You should already have onions on hand.

Lemon Chicken

It doesn't get a whole easier to feed your family a healthy dinner then this fantastic recipe.
Today it's all about Chicken~

I love to use a whole chicken because then I know we have at least three meals. Dinner, Lunch and a wonderful soup for another day. When you know you have a busy week ahead this one is a dinner winner!

Lemon Chicken


1 4-5 pound whole chicken
2 Lemons
Fresh Oregano

Yes, that is it! Put the chicken into the crock pot, slice lemons and place all around the chicken. Add 4 cups of water and lay the fresh oregano on top. Cook on medium or low for 8 hours. When you're ready to serve just cut off some wonderful white breast meat and season with salt and pepper if you like.

Serve With - Garlic Bread and a Green Salad

Shopping List:

4-5 pound chicken
2 lemons
fresh oregano
garlic bread
bagged salad
tomato
cucumber

It's a simple delicious dinner that will have you prepared for chicken sandwiches for lunch the next day and already made chicken broth just waiting for you to de-bone the rest of chicken and add some veggies for a warm homemade chicken soup. 3 for 1, not bad!

Island Pork Chops

Today's recipe features a tropic get-a-way during your busy week.

Island Pork Chops

6 pork chops
1 cup of apple juice
1/2 cup of soy sauce
1 T. Oregano
1 can of pineapple crushed
2 roma tomatoes diced
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Place pork chops in the bottom of your slow cooker and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low 8 hours. After you remove the pork chops, take the remaining sauce and thicken with corn starch.

Serve With - Rice and Corn on the Cob

Shopping List:
6 pork chops
apple juice
crushed pineapple
2 roma tomatoes
flaked coconut
corn on the cob

You should have rice, soy sauce, oregano and corn starch on hand but add those to your shopping list if you need to.

Pork Flautas

This is one of our family favorites. We love Mexican food, and this simple dish not only can be cooked in the crock pot, but makes you look like a gourmet cook too.

Come back daily for the recipe, side dishes and a shopping list.

Pork Flautas

1 lb pork roast tenderloin
2 stalks celery (sliced)
1 can (4oz) green chilis (optional if you don't like heat)
1 can of Rotel tomatoes or Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 can (16 oz) of prepared chili - any flavor

Mix all ingredients into the crock pot and cook on low 6-7 hours. When done fill flour tortillas as you would a burrito.

Serve with: Guacamole dip, salsa and shredded cabbage

Shopping List :
Pork roast
green chilies
rotel tomatoes
chili
flour tortillas
guacamole
salsa
cabbage

You should have onion already, but if not add it to your shopping list too.

Hope you enjoy this yummy simple after a hard day meal.

Sausage and Black Beans

We will be featuring a fantastic crock pot recipe every day for thirty days to help you start off your fall schedule. Your family will enjoy a nice hot meal after a long day.

Come back daily for the recipe, side dishes and a shopping list.

Today's Crock Pot meal features the Kielbasa sausage. Adding black beans not only gives your meal a healthy edge but compliments the sausage beautifully.

3 (15oz) Cans of Black Beans - rinsed
1 Kielbasa sausage - sliced
1 Onion - chopped
4 sticks of celery - chopped
3 cloves of garlic - minced
1 (13oz) can of stewed tomatoes
1 (15oz) can of corn
2 Tbs - fresh oregano, or 2 tsp dried
1 cup of water

Mix all ingredients together and put in the slow cooker for 8 hours on low.

About an 30 minutes before you are ready to eat put the rice on to cook and steam the green beans.

Serve with Brown Rice and Fresh Green Beans

Shopping List :
3 cans black beans
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can corn
1 onion
4 stalks of celery
1 Kielbasa sausage
1 pound Fresh Green beans

You should have garlic, oregano and rice already in your cupboards but if not add those to your list too.

Getting the New School Year Off to a Good Start

Preparing myself and my children for the new upcoming school year I began searching for ideas that I could implement that would make the transition from summer to school easier. I ran across a website from the NASP  sums up the different things we can do as parents to help the transition to be smooth.

Below is a portion of the article. Click on the link at the end to continue to their website and read more.

Back-to-School Transitions: Tips for Parents

By Ted Feinberg, EdD, NCSP, & Katherine C. Cowan
National Association of School Psychologists

Getting a new school year off to a good start can influence children’s attitude, confidence, and performance both socially and academically. The transition from August to September can be difficult for both children and parents. Even children who are eager to return to class must adjust to the greater levels of activity, structure, and, for some, pressures associated with school life.
The degree of adjustment depends on the child, but parents can help their children (and the rest of the family) manage the increased pace of life by planning ahead, being realistic, and maintaining a positive attitude. Here are a few suggestions to help ease the transition and promote a successful school experience.

Before School Starts

Good physical and mental health. Be sure your child is in good physical and mental health. Schedule doctor and dental checkups early. Discuss any concerns you have over your child’s emotional or psychological development with your pediatrician. Your doctor can help determine if your concerns are normal, age-appropriate issues or require further assessment. Your child will benefit if you can identify and begin addressing a potential issue before school starts. Schools appreciate the efforts of parents to remedy problems as soon as they are recognized.
Review all of the information. Review the material sent by the school as soon as it arrives. These packets include important information about your child’s teacher, room number, school supply requirements, sign ups for after-school sports and activities, school calendar dates, bus transportation, health and emergency forms, and volunteer opportunities.
Mark your calendar. Make a note of important dates, especially back-to-school nights. This is especially important if you have children in more than one school and need to juggle obligations. Arrange for a babysitter now, if necessary.
Make copies. Make copies of all your child’s health and emergency information for reference. Health forms are typically good for more than a year and can be used again for camps, extracurricular activities, and the following school year.
Buy school supplies early. Try to get the supplies as early as possible and fill the backpacks a week or two before school starts. Older children can help do this, but make sure they use a checklist that you can review. Some teachers require specific supplies, so save receipts for items that you may need to return later.
Re-establish the bedtime and mealtime routines. Plan to re-establish the bedtime and mealtime routines (especially breakfast) at least 1 week before school starts. Prepare your child for this change by talking with your child about the benefits of school routines in terms of not becoming over tired or overwhelmed by school work and activities. Include pre-bedtime reading and household chores if these were suspended during the summer.
Turn off the TV. Encourage your child to play quiet games, do puzzles, flash cards, color, or read as early morning activities instead of watching television. This will help ease your child into the learning process and school routine. If possible, maintain this practice throughout the school year. Television is distracting for many children, and your child will arrive at school better prepared to learn each morning if he or she has engaged in less passive activities.
Visit school with your child. If your child is young or in a new school, visit the school with your child. Meeting the teacher, locating their classroom, locker, lunchroom, etc., will help ease pre-school anxieties and also allow your child to ask questions about the new environment. Call ahead to make sure the teachers will be available to introduce themselves to your child.
Minimize clothes shopping woes. Buy only the essentials. Summer clothes are usually fine during the early fall, but be sure to have at least one pair of sturdy shoes. Check with your school to confirm dress code guidelines. Common concerns include extremely short skirts and shorts, low rise pants, bare midriffs, spaghetti strap or halter tops, exposed undergarments, and clothing that have antisocial messages.
Designate and clear a place to do homework. Older children should have the option of studying in their room or a quiet area of the house. Younger children usually need an area set aside in the family room or kitchen to facilitate adult monitoring, supervision, and encouragement.
Select a spot to keep backpacks and lunch boxes. Designate a spot for your children to place their school belongings as well as a place to put important notices and information sent home for you to see. Explain that emptying their backpack each evening is part of their responsibility, even for young children.
Freeze a few easy dinners. It will be much easier on you if you have dinner prepared so that meal preparation will not add to household tensions during the first week of school.

The First Week

Clear your own schedule. To the extent possible, postpone business trips, volunteer meetings, and extra projects. You want to be free to help your child acclimate to the school routine and overcome the confusion or anxiety that many children experience at the start of a new school year. To Read More Click Here

Back To School - Shaving Time off The Morning Rush

Here are a few tips from seasoned moms that can help you shave a few minutes here and there off that morning routine and build in a few quality minutes with your children.

1. Pack your lunches the night before - put all shelf stable fruit and snacks out on the counter. Make sure all the sandwich ingredients are put together in the fridge and you will be ready to get those lunches all prepared

2. Know what your children are wearing for the week. Spend Sunday afternoon making sure everyone has all the clothes they need washed and set aside for school each day.

3. Have a hanging basket for each child's school work and back pack. This gives you a quick glance to see if anything is needing to be done.

4. Stay calm! A calm mom in the morning helps to keep tempers down and allow frustrations to be worked out in a reasonable manner.

5. If you love to cook, have breakfast ready. If you don't, it won't kill them to have cereal, fruit and toast. Simple and easy it will keep your kids blood sugar up and give them a great start to their day.

Back To School - The Day Before

As you're gearing up for that first day back to school remember to allot some extra time in your schedule so there is no rushing that first week. Even though our kids have only been off a few weeks, it doesn't take long to get out of that morning routine. By waking the children 20 minutes early you can keep a small window of time that can handle the little meltdowns or spilled milk.
Kids no matter what grade or how long they have been going to the same school, all get the back to school jitters. Help calm them by keeping your morning routine stress free and take the extra time to talk, listen to music, and get them excited for their first day.

Back To School Sales

Back to School sales are starting already. With less then three weeks before school arrives you and your children are sure to be preparing.
When picking up the great deals for your own family why not stock up on a few that you can bless your child's teacher with. Many times teachers buy from their own pocket the little things a class room needs. Not all children can bring in the required class supplies and not all parents take the time to find the lists and shop with their children. By picking up a few of those 20 cent scissors or 10 cent crayons you can bless your child's classroom and get the year started off on the right foot.

Coupon Mom on Cutting your Grocery Bill in Half

Coupon Mom

It can save you bucks, but just how do you do it? Coupon Mom goes on CBS and shows just how she does it. Check out her free website HERE

My Favorite Whole Foods Baby Food Products

Having twins I had some favorites that helped me to make my own baby food that was wholesome and much cheaper then the store bought jars. While I used a simple food processor when making my children's food they now have the baby magic bullet, which I think would just be a great baby gift for anyone. Below are my top favorite products. All of them can be found on Amazon.com.


These two products are perfect for storing smaller amounts of pre made baby food in the freezer. One cooked squash can make at least 20 portions for a younger baby and at least 8 good portions for a toddler.

 

Vital Baby Press 'n' Pop Mini Freezer Pots,... by Vital Baby

Fresh N Freeze 2 oz. Reusable Baby Food Contain... by One Step Ahead

These fresh food feeders were a favorite when my twins were teething. I would freeze sliced strawberries or peaces inside the mesh netting and just screw on the top when I handed them over. They loved chewing on them and the cold felt good on their gums. I was happy because I didn't need to worry about them breaking off chunks that could choke them.

 

Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder 2 Pack ,Colors May Vary by Munchkin

While it's easy to just cook up all veggies until soft so that they will be smooth, this recipe book gives you great ideas for veggie combos as well as good fruit combos. 

Cooking for Baby: Wholesome, Homemade,... by Lisa recipes by Barnes

We used this for at least a year with our children. Everything we ate we just ground up for them. Until my children had a good set of teeth I always made sure their food was as safe as possible to avoid any accidental choking.

KidCo Baby Steps Food Mill, with Carrying Case , 1 food... by KidCo

Mumi&Bubi Solids Starter Kit Premium Baby Food Freez... by Mumi&Bubi

While any blender will do, this one is just simply adorable and comes with freezer trays for baby food as well as a simple cookbook.

Magic Baby Bullet - As Seen on Tv by BABY BULLET 

Never leave a baby unattended while eating! 

Help for Reluctant Readers

Do you have a reader who is reluctant to read? A beginning reader who loves to practice, or maybe not? Here is a little trick to get your struggling reader to spend more time reading. Have your child read to a pet. Dogs are great listeners. If you've ever had a bad day you know what I'm talking about. The beauty of dogs is that they love to be with you and doing whatever you're doing.
Having your child read to a dog helps them practice reading without any interruptions. And dogs just have this unique ability to look like they understand what your saying too.
In many after school programs they bring in dogs to sit with children as they read. Dogs help to bring down the anxiety for struggling readers and provide great pillows to lay on as the child practices reading.
If you have a struggling reader have them sit down and read aloud to the dog. Chances are they will love doing it and get the much needed practice they need to become a strong reader.
Online you will also find some great websites like Starfall that are free and interactive. Fun animations help kids learn their phonograms and sight words while practicing reading.

Enjoying the Simple Things

 A recent trip out of town landed us at the local King Kone. Boy were we in for a surprise. The cones were double fisters piled high with vanilla ice cream.
It's interesting to me that this has always been the one stop my husband wants to make whenever we visit this town. From what we remember it had been years and are kids had no memory of stopping here to enjoy a King Kone. A simple stop, very cheap ice cream cones, and it's all the kids and my husband talked about for the rest of our trip.
It has taught me one thing, we should spend more time enjoying the simple things around us, the wonder and awe of a massive too big to eat ice cream cone, or the simple beauty of a garden or local farmers market.
With money tight for most American families, making a day trip to a local town and visiting their park, their farmers market, or their little ice cream stand can make just as many wonderful memories for your children as a trip to Disneyland.

Simple Summer Lunch

Lately the kids and I have fallen in love with these simple open faced sandwiches. I love using the tomatos from our home grown plants and making homemade bagels. YUM!

It's really quite simple, and yet even guests would be awed to be served this with a side of fruit.

All that is needed is one avocado for every two people and some vine ripened tomatoes from the garden. Mash the avocado with a few drops of time. This helps it to stay nice and green. Spread on your home made bagel, or favorite thick crusty bread. Slice the tomato and place on top. Salt and pepper to taste and your done! Yes it's that simple and so so so good. Not to mention your not using any artificial ingredients or bad for you foods. The only warning I can give is that these can become very addictive lunches, so stock up!

4th of July Safety

We love to celebrate the 4th of July. Warm summer evenings spent outside with friends. Food from fabulous barbecues and staying up late to watch the fireworks. What could be better?

Every year however, there are terrible tradegies that could be avoided. 8,600 to be exact on July 4th 2010. Kids favorite sparklers burn at 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. That is a serious burn. Not to damper our celebratory spirit, but we are playing with fire and hot fire at that. Caution should be heeded for the safety of our children and our neighbors.

Here are a few safety tips to remember that will make your 4th July safe and fun.

1. An adult should always light fireworks. This adult should be responsible, sober and use proper safety gear like glasses.
2. If you light a firework but it does not seem to work, do not try to relight it. This is very dangerous. Fireworks are not 100% reliable and sometimes they can do the unexpected.
3. Have a source of water, ie a hose, near by. Fireworks are unpredicitable and water and lots of it should be available to douse them if needed.
4 .Have a bucket of water to soak all used fireworks in. Some fireworks can still be hot after 15-20 minutes. Never put fireworks that have just been used in a garbage can.
5.  If your child does do sparklers, make sure they are wearing shoes and not flip flops. Most burns happen on the feet, so this gives you one extra layer of protection.
6. After your fireworks are done, clean up. Store used fireworks in your bucket of water, wash off the street or sidewalk with a hose and put away all your lighters. It never hurts to go a little overboard on safety.

One last thing I would like to add. Every year before we leave for the huge community fire work display, we turn our sprinklers on. Not only will this water out anything we missed, but it protects us from the neighbors fireworks too. Every year people shoot off illegal fireworks in our neighborhood and every year we are concerned our house will be hit by one of these stray roman candles. Having wet grass, and yes sometimes the roof, gives us that extra layer of precaution on a night that we all love to celebrate.

Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July

Fishing With Dad

 Summer time in our household means going down to the river and fishing with dad. Of course, when doing anything by a fast moving river, extra caution is needed. Hoping rocks to get to the best fishing spot is not uncommon and dad likes to get out there and look up and down the river for the good spots.

 Once dad has checked out the best spots for each child, depending on their age, he gets them set up with their own poles and tackle.

 Our youngest get the safest spot, near the river. Finding a calm spot in the water right before and right after fast moving water is a favorite hang out for fish.

This year Jeff taught our youngest how to fly fish. No more tricking her into sitting in one spot with a fake worm on her pole. She has watched the bigger kids and knows how to do it right.

 The water does move very swiftly in the river, and while this part of the river is not catch and release, most of the fish caught go right back into the river.

 Dad on the other hand spends most of his time fixing the flies, unsnagging the lures from rocks, trees and whatever is in the river that seems to snag them. Luckily for him I didn't come on this fishing trip. I'm worse then the kids. Usually I snag them all behind me on trees and bushes and never make them into the water. When I do, I'm very good at snagging logs. Surprisingly I have never found a fish in the trees.
Thankfully my husband loves seeing the kids happily fishing.

 Fishing is not expensive, unless you're into the big boys. A little pole can be bought at Wal-mart or a garage sale for under 20.00. Flies tend to run more, but if your local river allows live bait, worms are the way to go.

 The wild life down at the river is always on the move and is waiting to snag your catch away from you. Usually we see otters. They are such a curious little animal and will follow you up and down the river all day.

This otter turned out to be a beaver. My husband is sure he has never seen one on this stretch of the river before. He was not a bit scared of the kids or my husband. We are a bit unsure if he was just friendly or defending his territory. I thought maybe he was tired of waiting for them to lure in a fish and decided to come out and wait for one himself.

Taking your kids on a simple little fishing trip down to your local river is one way to spend the hot summer evenings. It builds wonderful memories that they will have forever, even if there is no catches. Our oldest daughter did catch 4 but she released them all.

Top Ten Foods You Should buy Organic

Picture courtesy of FoxNews

This latest headline caught my eye, "Apples Receive Top Honor on Dirty Dozen". Interestingly enough the apple tops the list of foods that should buy Organic. Why? Can't you just wash them and peel them?
Here is an excerpt from the article:

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit consumer advocacy group, recently released their annual “Dirty Dozen” list of pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables. 

This year, for the first time, apples ascend to the top of the list as the most chemically-contaminated produce.

Everyone understands that a healthy diet is one that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables. But some produce contains more pesticide residue than others and limiting that exposure is vitally important.

Using government data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the EWG tested more than 700 apples and found pesticides on 98 percent of those sampled. Even after washing, 92 percent of the apples tested had two or more pesticide residues detected. You can’t wash away pesticides in the fruit. The fruit’s structure has been compromised, so even if you peel an apple or wash it, the pesticides are in the cellular structure because they have been grown in a poison environment.

“We think what’s happening to apples is more pesticides and fungicides are being applied after the harvest so the fruit can have a longer shelf life,” Sonya Lunder, EWG senior analyst told USA Today.

It got me thinking that is for sure. There are just some foods you should purchase organic and at least from a farmers market. Here is their top 10 list of foods you should consider purchasing organic. 

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines (imported)
7. Grapes (imported)
8. Sweet bell peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries (domestic)

If you have a limited budget, and who doesn't in these economic times, try and set aside enough money to at least get these foods from your Organic section at the supermarket, or better yet from your local organic farmer's market. Focus your budget on the top 5 products, and fill in where you can on the remaining items. 

Having apples on the top surprised me. I had always heard that if you can peel the fruit you will be fine, looks like in this case "they" were wrong. Does this surprise you?

Tarp Soccer-A summer Sport

Summer’s here. Whatever that means to you—sunshine, a break, or just a lot of fun—you know at one point or another, there’s that part of the summer where you feel dead tired and completely bored. You must admit that those are the times you wish you had something to do, especially if you’ve got whiny kids—you have my sympathy. I have a remedy that will at least engulf a few hours of you day. You are going to make a tarp soccer field!

All You Need:

·         A tarp

·         A few bottles of baby soap (so your kid’s eyes don’t get hurt.

·         Some water, from a constant source (preferably), like a hose

·         A ball, like a soccer ball or volleyball

·         Somebody to play with it

Now I understand if you’ve already figured out what you’re supposed to do, but I will go in depth anyways…

1.      Take tarp, lay it out on a flat and soft area—a patch of grass will do great, just make sure to clear away any big rocks that could hurt somebody when they slide.

2.      Get the tarp slightly wet.

3.      Dump baby soap from top to bottom, but save some for later, you’ll need to add some soap every once and a while,

4.      Add more water, and let your kids go for it!

5.      Repeat the process of adding more soap and water when needed.

6.      You can add a sprinkler by the edge of the tarp for extra fun, or just spray the kids with the hose.

7.      Mainly, just have fun with it!

You will be able to find baby soap and tarps nearly anywhere. This year we made a tarp soccer field for my brother’s party, they played soccer, raced, wrested, and played tag. You can have fun on these tarps by yourself or with friends. This is a great summer activity for parties, family reunions, or just for family fun. Please enjoy tarp soccer! 

 

Fun at the Grower's Market

The food you eat has a lot to do with where you live. No, not the type of food—but the freshness! Most people like fresh food; food that tastes like life, and looks like joy. Everyone has had that perfect strawberry or that perfect tomato at least once, but where can one indulge in the best of foods all times of the year? A grower’s market!

Whether yours is called a grower’s, farmer’s, or crafter’s market, it’s a place where the whole family can enjoy themselves. These markets are home to the local family owned farms and businesses, the food is great, the prices are fantastic, and it’s a great place to get away for an hour or two.

At a grower’s markets you’ll find the freshest fruits and vegetables for very good prices, pre-planted trees and bushes, and handcrafted –crafts (such as jewelry or candles), but that’s not all, you will also find the occasional juggler, musician, and thespian playing in the streets. There are plenty of different foods for lunch, or just a snack. Often, you’ll find great deals on a healthy delicious meal that has been made just a few hours before.

Silly Zak's is a local company that services those of us that are gluten free with tasty pastries.

One of the most important things to do (if you are shopping around for fruits and vegetables) is get there early! The best picks of the day will be gone if you dawdle. No fear though! If you miss the better picks that week, there is always the next.

At a grower’s market, one with meet plenty of interesting people, the whole experience is very personal. These people are locals, but they want you to buy from them, so they are business people. Don’t let sweet words ruin your chance for the best possible pick! My suggestion is if you have product that you know you will be returning for, the first time you go, get the product from several venders, this will give you variety, and an opportunity to know you preferred vender. When in doubt, follow the crowd, there is probably a reason that guy on the corner hasn’t sold a tomato yet. Just remember, not all farms are created equal!    

HGTV - 10 Themed Bedrooms for Kids

What could be more fun then a room full of legos? How about a room decorated with lego boards so that you can build all your own decor? This fun themed room as seen on HGTV's website is just one of the fun themes they have come up with. Your imagination is the limit as you decorate, play and create.

Picture Courtesy of HGTV

While this room may be the most unique, they also have a very cute Cowboys and Indians themed room as well as the cutest princess themed room I've seen in a long time.

Interactive Reward Chart for Kids

Picture Courtesy of My Reward Board. Com

My Reward Board is fun and interactive and a huge motivator for children. I have had this program for years installed on every computer in our house. I've had three kids using it continuously for several years. My teens have learned consistency in chores from the time there were 6 and my now 9 year old still loves using it.

This simple interactive chore chart not only applauds when they do their chores, but they earn token dollars that they can spend on already approved activities or rewards that mom and dad program in. They can spend them all each week, or save up for that big reward that keeps spinning around.

You can try it free for 15 days, what is not to like about that, but it is only 19.95 once and forever. Use it for all your kiddos!

There is no compensation for my recommendation, It is honestly just one of our favorite things we have used ourselves for years.

Making Cloth Diapers

My children are all out of diapers and the only think I remember about cloth diapers was they looked difficult to fold, pin and they leaked.
Recently I spend some time with a few friends who have newborns on up still in diapers. I offered to change one of the little ones and was instantly frozen with fear of how to change it. Laughter roared from the other room as I stuttered for help.
I see why they were laughing, the diaper was simple. Instead of throwing it away I placed it in a bucket. Done!

These same friends informed me as I oohed and awed over this amazing diaper that they made them by hand. Wow! What a great idea.

Dianna's Journal

So, here I am looking up how it was done and came across a fantastic blog that showed step by step how these little creations take form. Dianna's Journal shows each step in creating the pattern and your own diapers.
Of course if you don't want to go to the effort of creating them yourself, you can head over to Etsy and find some wonderful handmade ones for purchase.

Summer Sun Safety

Summer is just around the corner, I promise! Here in the northwest it may seem like winter/spring will never be over. I call it winter spring, because it truly is a mixture of snow and rain here.
However, its not to early to start thinking of fun in the sun. With that comes the thought of protecting our children and ourselves from the powerful affects of the sun on our skin.
Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Use Sunscreen Correctly - Most people use way to little sunscreen. To cover your face and arms you need at least 2 tablespoons. Have bear legs, you need at least 2 more. If you are going to be out in the sun for more then two hours, you will need to reapply. Swimming, re-apply every hour. If you do not use enough sunscreen, that SPF 30 you just applied sparingly will only be near SPF 10.  Number 1 rule, slather it on nice and thick!

2. Protect your head and face with a broad rim hat. Stylish and cool these hats will for sure make a statement and remind others of the importance of their skin too.

3. Many kids can wear SPF enhanced swim wear. Remember though that after 10 washings there is no more protection left then a regular shirt. Rinse and air dry as often as possible to protect the SPF rating. Don't skimp  on cute bathing suits and bikinis. Go for the shorts and t-shirts. You kids are more important then a full body tan.

4. Keep hydrated! Even if your playing in the water, or feel like your not sweating, you are loosing plenty of water out of your body. Keep hydrated with pure clean fresh water. Stay away from sodas and high sugar drinks that will just speed up the dehydration.

Enjoy your Summer!

The Language Rich Home

Unless you've been living without TV, the internet or a library, you know the importance of reading to your child at a very young age. Here is something interesting you may not know. While simply reading to your child is beneficial, it does not necessarily make a great reader.
Recently I was reading a book by Ruth Beechick entitled The Language Wars. She describes a language rich environment as one where the parent and child interacts with the books they are reading. Looking at the pictures together and talking about what is happening in the picture. Maybe there is more going on in the picture then the story has said. Maybe you've read the book so many times you can stop mid sentence and your child can finish it. A child that can sit down and "read" you the story through their memory is developing necessary language skills and abilities to assist in decoding words.

Another important thing to remember when your child does begin reading is that it is okay if they spend a few years building fluency. Reading books that are easy will help them build confidence and flunecy. A child who is pushed to read at or above grade level will many times only get through a couple of pages. However a child who is allowed to choose easy readers and encouraged to read a lot of them can devour 20 pages or more in a sitting.
If you have a struggling reader this is a great book to lay out the facts. Bring joy back to reading. Enjoy the books. Read to your child. Discuss the books. Let your child read to you.
Need help taking that first step? Summer is approaching fast, check out your local library for their summer reading programs. Many offer prizes, free books and all the encouragement you and your child need to explore a world of learning.