Summer With Grandmother Wren

I'm Afraid Grandmother Is A Bit Near Sighted...

2007-08-23T18:43:00.001-04:00

I've noticed over the past few days that the weather is a bit cooler, a bit less humid, the sky is a clearer blue and the leaves at the tips of some nearby branches have begun to change color. This can only mean one thing - summer will slowly come to a close and autumn will start to ease in.

But, Grandmother...
This blog is called "Summer With Grandmother Wren".
What will happen now that summer is ending?

Grandmother Wren Is Moving To Her New Home. Her new blog is called "At Home With Grandmother Wren" and you can find it Here.There will be a new post on my brand new blog tomorrow and it's going to be a Good One, I promise!

Please Come To My New Home -
change your bookmarks and if you have an email subscription here, please resubscribe using the form you'll find "At Home With Grandmother Wren".

Thank you!

Blog Carnival - Make It From Scratch

2007-08-21T17:56:00.001-04:00

The latest edition of the Make It From Scratch blog carnival is published.
The host site this week is Po Moyemu - In My Opinion. Visit her blog to see all the great entries.
My contribution was my post about our visit to the Farmer's Market and the stuffed peppers that we made. Other entries run the gamut from recipes for gnocchi, cream puffs and how to make your own buttermilk to ideas for safe alternatives for common household products. Lots of craft ideas too - kid's fisherman knit sweater pattern, kid's craft recipes, monogrammed lavender bags and ideas for homeschooling - hands on learning.
This carnival is a lot of fun and a treasure trove of great ideas. Don't miss it!

Happy Birthday, Dear Maya - with love, Daddy and Lisa

2007-08-20T12:35:00.000-04:00

Good evening Karen, Russ, Rachel & precious Maya,

Today we were blessed with gorgeous weather and the free spirit of a beautiful little girl that placed a smile on many people's faces.
Karen & Russ, we missed you today - I would have loved to have you meet my parents along with my brother, sister in law and the cutest nephew ever, Colin. There were many dynamics today and it was comforting to see everyone mingling and getting to know each other. Maya I am sure was overwhelmed with the amount of people there that she was not familiar with. I am glad Rachel came to give Maya that comfort and security she needed with so many "new people".
Thank you Rachel.
Maya and Colin had a splendid time playing with the "big huge bubble making machine", the multicolored parachute, the camping tent, coloring project with markers and the velvet paper. They each colored a circus theme and dinosaurs. Their artwork came out beautiful. Two talented children we have indeed.
Anyways, enjoy the pictures.
Take care! Ken and I will be there on Thursday.
Love,
Lisa

Click Here Visit Maya's Birthday With Daddy Photo Album

Starting Monday With A Smile

2007-08-20T12:22:00.000-04:00

When it was Great Grampy's birthday, Maya wanted to make him a strawberry cake with "all good cream."And so we did.

When it was Great Grammy's birthday, Maya wanted to make her a Sponge Bob cake.
And so we did.

This week it will be my birthday.
Maya told her Mommy that she wants to buy me green olives - enough to share.

Yum.

Five for Friday - Shop From Home For Back To School

2007-08-17T13:00:00.000-04:00

Moms and teachers have loved quality school supplies
from Lillian Vernon for more than 50 years! Shop
personalized pencils, lunch bags, backpacks and more
right now.

Best CHILDRENS Magazines. LOWEST PRICES Online! MAGAZINES.com.

Sierra Club Books for Children. Give your favorite
young reader the gift of nature.

Save 5% on all Science projects, kits and accessories at HobbyTron.com using coupon code: SCIENCE

Find great educational products at Teacher Created Resources

You Can Be a Part of Blogging History.

2007-08-16T13:35:00.000-04:00

"On September 27th, join 1,000s of bloggers around the world in BlogCatalog's Blogging for a Great Cause Challenge. This Blogging Challenge will be:

Bloggers Against Abuse
September 27th, 2007 The Outcome we are after is to be part of the largest group of bloggers to ever blog about an important cause, all on the same day.

So how do you participate?

On Sept. 27th, blog about putting an end to some sort of Abuse (you decide what kind of abuse to blog about).

In the meantime though,

* Spread the word among all the bloggers you know. Perhaps even give them a link to this Discussion. "

I'm in - how about you?

The Farmer's Market

2007-08-15T13:40:00.000-04:00

We have been making an adventure of the Saturday Farmer's Market this summer.
The market is held on the town green - there are animals to visit, honey to taste, home baked cookies to sample and bunches and bunches of vegetables to buy.

This Saturday we arrived in time to watch our favorite farmer unloading her crates of vegetables from the back of her truck.
We chose beets with the greens still attached (washing and then cooking both the greens and the beets was lots of fun). We bought yellow squash and zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers for Grampy and three giant bell peppers to make stuffed peppers for our dinner.

We used the crock pot to cook our stuffed peppers.
Maya used the potato masher to thoroughly blend the ingredients for the stuffing -
a basic meatloaf mixture of:
3 slices of stale bread torn into little pieces and soaked in
3/4 cup of milk combined with one egg
1/4 cup chopped onion
and 3/4 lb. lean ground beef
while I cut the tops off the peppers and cleaned out the insides.

We set the seeds aside on a paper plate to use later on, then stuffed the peppers with the meat mixture.
We poured just enough tomato sauce into the crockpot to cover the bottom of the dish,
put in the stuffed peppers and poured the remainder of the jar of tomato sauce over them.
The peppers stayed in the pot for 6 hours on low heat and then they were done!

While the peppers cooked, we decided to do an art project to remember the fun we had cooking our vegetables from the farmer's market. We got out our paints and painted a couple of sheets of construction paper green, like the peppers.
Once the paint was dry, we drew two large peppers on the green painted paper and cut them out. Then we painted those green peppers with white glue, covering all of the paper peppers. We did that so that the seeds we saved from the insides of our real peppers would stick to the paper. We set the paper peppers aside for the rest of the afternoon to dry. That night we had a super dinner and some new decoration for Grammy's kitchen!

9 Million Toys Recalled - Lead And Other Hazards (it's getting kind of scary...)

2007-08-14T17:50:00.000-04:00

August 2, 2007 - Fisher-Price Recalls Licensed Character Toys Due To Lead Poisoning Hazard
- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firms named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, and other children's toys
Visit This Link for a complete list of toys recalled along with images to help identify any toys you may have.

These links will take to pages of new recalls, this time because of the danger of small magnets, plus one more lead paint recall

Additional Reports of Magnets Detaching from Polly Pocket Play Sets Prompts Expanded Recall by Mattel (August 14, 2007)

Mattel Recalls Doggie Day Care™ Magnetic Toys Due to Magnets Coming Loose (August 14, 2007)

Mattel Recalls Barbie and Tanner™ Magnetic Toys Due to Magnets Coming Loose (August 14, 2007)

Mattel Recalls "Sarge" Die Cast Toy Cars Due To Violation of Lead Safety Standard (August 14, 2007)

Mattel Recalls Batman™ and One Piece™ Magnetic Action Figure Sets Due To Magnets Coming Loose (August 14, 2007)

Summer Knit and Crochet

2007-08-13T14:58:00.000-04:00

It's raining, or maybe it's not, but it's hot and humid and not a good afternoon out of doors. Sometimes Grandmother wants to just sit and knit. Or crochet.
I came across a project today that combines that much needed break from the weather with an idea for giving.

Arkansas Children's Hospital is now conducting it's annual Knitting for Noggins Knit-a-Thon with a goal of 30,000 knit or crochet hats by the end of October.
If you live near the hospital in Arkansas, you can attend the Knit-a-Thon there on October 14th.
Or you may want to host your own Knit-Together with your friends and create hats for the hospital. Go to their website to download a party kit that includes everything you need to host your own Knitting for Noggins party, including a flyer and printable invitation.
And of course, working on hats on your own is the perfect way to spend a summer afternoon.
Visit their website to find guidelines and addresses to send your hats.

Arkansas Children's Hospital, a place of care, love and hope, is a non-profit, private hospital, dedicated to helping children live healthy and productive lives. It is the only pediatric hospital in Arkansas and one of the largest in the country. The staff consists of more than 500 physicians and a 3,500 member support staff. The campus spans 26 city blocks and has a floor space totaling over 1,200,000 square feet. In the last year, the emergency room, outpatient and specialty clinics had more than 250,000 visits from children, not only from Arkansas, but throughout the world. The hospital has many one-of-a-kind pediatric specialists and is licensed for 280 beds.

Arkansas Children's Hospital is a world leader in many areas of care, utilizing leading-edge treatments, state-of-the-art facilities and aggressive research and development.

You'll find a good assortment of free patterns for knit and crochet hats at these sites:

Crystal Palace Yarns

Headhuggers

Five For Friday - It's Raining Again!

2007-08-10T13:52:00.000-04:00

Instead of complaining about the rain (since it seems we're going to be stuck with it anyway), why not choose projects, crafts and activities to Celebrate the Rain ?

Links to five pages of ideas to get you inspired:

Preschool Educations Arts and Crafts for any weather

A to Z Kid's Stuff - Rain

Preschool Express with Jean Warren (my hero!)
The Magic of Rain

For Older Children (grade school) a unit on Weather and Rainbows

Step by Step Childcare has five pages of their own ideas for a rain and umbrella theme including a related books list!

About Grandparents

2007-08-09T11:15:00.000-04:00

My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday.He asked me how old I was, and I told him, "62." He was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, "Did you start at 1?"

************************************************************************************ After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. At last she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, "Who
was THAT?"

*************************************************************************************
A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like: "We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods." The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this in. At last she said, "I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"

*************************************************************************************
My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo while I asked, "No, how are we alike?" "You're both old," he replied.

************************************************************************************
A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word processor. She told him she was writing a story. "What's it about?" he asked. "I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."

************************************************************************************
I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me, and always she was correct. But it was fun for me, so I continued. At last she headed for the door, saying sagely, "Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these yourself!"

************************************************************************************
When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, "It's no use, Grandpa. The mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights."

************************************************************************************
When my grandson asked me how old I was,I teasingly replied,"I'm not sure." "Look in your underwear,Grandma," he advised. "Mine says I'm four to six."

************************************************************************************
A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, "Grandma , guess what? We learned how to make babies today." The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool."That's interesting," she said, "How do you make babies?" "It's simple," replied the girl. "You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'"

************************************************************************************
Children's Logic: "Give me a sentence about a public servant,"said a teacher. The small boy wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant." The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked. Sure," said the young boy confidently. "It means carrying a child."

************************************************************************************
A nursery school teacher was delivering a station wagon full of kids home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties. They use him to keep crowds back, " said one youngster. "No, said another, "he's just for good luck." A third child brought the argument to a close. "They use the dogs", she said
firmly, "to find the fire hydrant."

************************************************************************************

30 Things To Do Before Summer Ends

2007-08-08T14:15:00.000-04:00

From About.com's Guide for Single Parents -

Making the Most of Your Summer
Are you growing tired of hearing, "I'm bored?" I bet there are a lot of things you and the kids had hoped to do this summer. Well, there's still plenty of time!

Print out a copy of this list, talk it over with the kids, and add anything else you want to accomplish before school begins. Then get to it! Make the most of the summer while you can.

And remember, the idea is to have fun! Whatever you don't get to, you can aim for next year.

More Great Ideas for Having Fun Together:

Top 10 Ways to Have Fun with Your Kids this Summer

Renewing Your Passion for Board Games

Frugal Ideas for Keeping the Kids Busy

Ultimate Creativity

2007-08-07T10:27:00.000-04:00

From The Robert Genn Twice Weekly Newsletter

August 7, 2007

Dear Karen,

We all have a tendency to focus on the daily progress and setbacks of our working lives. The balancing of practical matters and creative joy seem so all-involving that our art can become our main reason for living. Not that there's much wrong with this--without dedication it's pretty well impossible to thrive in the game. I've spent a bit of time in these letters trying to express the necessity of study, application and hard work. I've talked interminably of creative commitment. I've also talked about the values of family and significant life-passages. Over the years I've shared the death of my parents and other personal happenings, and I thank you for your patience.

Perhaps not often enough have I mentioned the ultimate and rather excellent form of creativity that's open to most of us. I'm talking about children. None of us asks to be born. We step out innocent to the world's wiles. We require nurture to approach our potential--to be handled before we can handle. Children are soon enough presented with a puzzling world. "Keep me away," said Kahlil Gibran, "from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children."

Carol and I have been blessed with three terrific kids. David, our oldest, is a musician and music producer. James, one of our twins, is a film director. Sara, our other twin, is a painter and singer-songwriter. How this den of artistry and application happened we never quite figured out. Believe me, we're not disappointed there are no lawyers or accountants in our outfit.
But I digress.

This morning at 8:21 David and his wife Tamara produced our first grandchild. Everybody's doing well. The event makes it even more clear, no matter what else might happen during a short stay on the planet, this sort of creation rises above all else in its profundity. This has been a day of wonders. How David was issued with the genes to stand by in green scrubs and cut the umbilical cord we'll never know. The glow of accomplishment and joy on Tamara's face as she held the newborn was more beautiful than any painting or sculpture could ever be. Who knows what these perfect little hands will do--and where these tiny feet will take him. Please welcome Beckett David Nathaniel Genn.

Best regards,

Robert

PS: "Your children are not your children, they are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but are not from you, and though they are with you yet they belong not to you." (Kahlil Gibran)

Esoterica: Art is life and life is art. Offspring may be the greatest art, but they are also like art. They eventually go into the world and make their own way. They flow from some source that we cannot fully know. Like art they require love and work. David and Tamara will know more of this when they check out of the hospital in a couple of days. "Work is love made visible," said Kahlil Gibran. What a work has now become visible.

Current clickback: If you would like to see selected, illustrated responses to the last letter, "I'm not going anywhere," about working in confined spaces, please go to:
http://clicks.robertgenn.com/not-going-anywhere.php
If you would like to comment or add your own opinion, information or observations to this or other letters, please do so. Just click 'reply' on this letter or write
rgenn@saraphina.com

Give the gift of the twice-weekly letters. We are currently snail-mailing a free copy of The Painter's Keys (the book) to current subscribers who go to the URL below and send us the names and email addresses of five or more of their creatively-minded friends. No strings, just a thank-you. We make it easy. We even send your friends a personal letter to let them know the twice-weekly connection is from you.
http://www.painterskeys.com/clickbacks/giftscribe.php

Go joyfully into the world! A Premium Listing in the Painter's Keys Directory is the most effective thing an artist can do to be tastefully and respectably noticed. This listing--really a mini web page--costs $100 per year--and we do all the set-up.
You can find out how well it might work for you at
http://www.painterskeys.com/art-directory.asp

Yes, please go ahead and forward this letter to a friend.

If you think a friend or fellow artist may find value in this material, please feel free to forward it. This does not mean that they will automatically be subscribed to the Twice-Weekly Letter. They have to do it voluntarily and can find out about it by going to http://www.painterskeys.com

In compliance with the welcome legislation on spamming, our
mailing address is: Painter's Keys, 12711 Beckett Rd., Surrey,
B.C., Canada, V4A 2W9.
(c) Copyright 2007 Robert Genn.

Happy Birthday, Maya Rose!

2007-08-06T18:51:00.001-04:00

You Are A Miracle(click here)

see more of Maya's Birthday on my website - click here...

Vacation

2007-07-27T15:04:00.001-04:00

For the next eight days, I will be joining Grampy Russ on his vacation.
I'll be returning on Monday, August 6th, with lots of pictures of Miss Maya's third birthday.
See you then!

Lion Brand Yarn - By Kids For Kids Newsletter - July 2007

2007-07-25T21:35:00.000-04:00

There's a great project in the Lion Brand Yarn's Kid's Newsletter this month -
Natural Dyes from Edible Items
I've used natural dyes for Easter eggs a few time, but never for yarn. (Guess what we'll be doing soon?)
Here's a portion of the newsletter, I know you're going to want to subscribe for yourself!

By Kids, For Kids: July, 2007
Natural Dyes from Edible Items
Creating your own dyes can be a fun and exciting way to personalize projects. This month, we show you how to make all-natural dyes and use them with different cotton and wool yarns.
We used only edible items purchased at our local market, boiling water and (in some cases) salt to make beautiful, all-natural dyes.

After trying our dyes, you will probably want to experiment with other natural food dyes of your own. Start by using fruits or vegetables that stain and experiment! You can mix dye baths to make different colors. You will probably find, as we did, that the colors are all -- surprise -- "earth" tones!

Because this project requires boiling water, adult supervision is required.

If you are not already a subscriber to BK4K, click here! It's free!

Selecting Your Yarn Different fibers absorb dye differently. We found that:
1.The all-wool yarns -- Lion Wool and Fisherman's Wool -- took color much more easily than the cotton yarns;
2.The soft pastel shades of the cotton were very pretty but very subtle -- much like the colors of home-made fresh fruit ice cream;
3.In some cases, the same dye produced one color in the wool yarn and a quite different color in the cotton yarn.
4.There was very little difference between the way the different wool yarns took color, but the Fisherman's wool fluffs up a bit more after handling;
5.There was very little difference between the way the different cotton yarns took color.

Your Equipment
1.Cutting board and knife;
2.Stainless steel or enamel cooking pots;
3.A stove;
4.If you are using beets, a grater;
5.A clock or 1-hour timer;
6.Tongs or spoons for handling yarn in the dye bath. If you plan to do several colors, make sure you have a different utensil for each so you don't accidentally contaminate your dyes;
7.Some place to hang the yarn to dry;
8.If you are making more than one color, index cards or labels to put with the yarn while it is drying so you can remember what is what.
9.Recommended, not required: a notebook to document your work. Use this to take notes about the materials, the process times and the results. Samples of the yarn are helpful, as are pictures. Having this information makes it easier to repeat a particular color.

The Dyes The colors in wool are different from those in cotton, but they are both pretty! (Wool is on the left, Cotton on the right)

Turmeric We found turmeric in the spice section of the market.
Click here for the recipe.

Skins of Yellow Onions We saved and used the skins of a dozen yellow onions to make this beautiful warm brown.
Click here for the recipe.

Grape Juice We used frozen juice and got this beautiful dusty-rose color on the wool and soft lavender on the cotton.
Click here for the recipe.

Beets The pink dye is not colorfast, but it is so pretty in the cotton that we can't resist telling you about it! If you make something out of it and wash the item, you will have to re-dye it after washing.
Click here for the recipe.

They've also included some patterns to use with your newly dyed yarn -

So now you've have some beautiful naturally-dyed yarn, what next? Using just one ball of the natural vanilla and one dyed a bright yellow with the turmeric recipe above, we made this fun retro purse set -- a VERY 60's holder for dark glasses, for a cell-phone and for small change or other little necessities.

Subscribe to the Newsletter Here!

More About Dulcimers

2007-07-24T11:18:00.001-04:00

A History Of The Mountain Dulcimer

Gila Mountain Dulcimers
Comprehensive site includes care of the instrument, dulcimer playing lessons, links
The dulcimer designs on this site are works of art.

In Search Of The Wild Dulcimer –A great page of instructions along with music samples to listen to

From Everything Dulcimer –
A page of articles about kids and dulcimers
a beginner’s page
even a dulcimer chat!

New From Highlights For Children - 10 Fun Indoor Crafts To Beat The Heat

2007-07-22T21:45:00.000-04:00

We're moving into those Dog Days of summer - too hot for the kids to be playing actively out of doors in the heat of the afternoon, but you don't want them sitting around in front of the television either!
Highlights For Children has come out with a great issue this month with ideas for crafts and activities to enjoy while staying cool.

These Magnetic Messages have a lot of creative possibilities.
They offer a fun way to enhance literacy skills along with the opportunity to encourage family communication.
You can't beat that!

I'm liking this Rocking Duck too!
An easy decoration made from paper plates and colored with markers (an older child might enjoy using paints ) a flock of ducks would be a great addition to anyone's summer decor!

But my favorite is the handmade dulcimer.

The Appalachian, or Mountain, dulcimer is a musical instrument
developed in the United States in the 1800s from dulcimers brought to America by European immigrants. Like a guitar, it is made of wood and has a
sound hole for the strings to pass over. The dulcimer can have three or four strings and is played by placing it on your lap and strumming the strings. This version, designed by Jessica Gates is made from a shoebox and rubber bands.
If your child finds that he really enjoys playing the dulcimer (like I do!), you can easily move up to a more advanced, but still inexpensive corrugated cardboard instrument from the company that I purchased my first dulcimer from more than 20 years ago.
Backyard Music.com has premade dulcimers and dulcimer kits and when you're ready you can upgrade once more to a beautiful wooden instrument like I have now!
This is a summer activity that can lead to a lifetime of beautiful musical expression.

Pray For The People Of Iraq

2007-07-20T21:25:00.000-04:00

There are ideas and topics that I have such deep feelings for that I have learned not to discuss them. Perhaps it is cowardly of me, but I have learned that my beliefs and feelings are not always the ones currently popular and because I feel what I feel and believe what I believe from the core of who I am, if I allow myself to be drawn into debate, my heart breaks. I almost passed by this note from Kitty of COPD Support for that reason. I thought it would be another reminder of despair.
This note from Kitty's son is something very different. And I believe that no matter what our political views are, we all stand strong in support of our young people drawn into military conflict. I will honor Christopher's request to pass his message along and I regard it an honor to do so.

Kitty wrote:
this was written by my son, Chris who is currently deployed with the US Army in Iraq and the first mail I saw the morning of July 19, 2007. he is 21 years old. what an honor and Blessing to be able to say I am his mom... please share as you wish...
hugs and prayers,
Kitty

"Pray for the People of Iraq"

Here I sit in my room all alone wondering why we are here in Iraq,
there are so many bad people in this world and it just makes me feel like all we are here for is to try to make the bad people go away.
So much for your beliefs and being able to feel the way you want,
since I have been here I feel like I am in jail, not jail behind bars but jail like my life is on hold, and can't seem to figure out why.
If you ever have felt like you can't do anything about anything back in the states you should join the military and come to Iraq, you will feel like that but seventy times worse.
In ways yes we are making a huge difference and helping almost everyone over here but the thing that is so bad over here are some of the people from here just have their beliefs and as you know people don't just change cause someone tells them that they have to or need to.
People need a reason to change their beliefs and the way they think,
if someone could show a person it is wrong to kill because you are trying to help and build their country back up then it may change the way the people here think.

Now don't get me wrong I don't think that there are all that many bad people here I just think that there were one or two events that changed these people and now cannot trust anyone so it is easier to get rid of the people they don't trust then deal with them.

For many of the people here it probably started years and years ago, before this war and maybe before the last one. But for some of the younger people here I believe there is hope that they will not grow up to hate and there is some hope that they will forgive and reilize that we are not here to kill everyone but help for if we were here to kill everyone we would have done that years ago.

Now all I ask you to do is the next time you are sitting in church and get asked if there is anything you would like to pray for, before you ask to pray for the Service men and women please do me this and pray that there will be some light shown to these young Iraqis and that they will see that we want to help them,
I believe if the people of Iraq see that we are here to help then maybe someday this war will end.

So I ask anyone who reads this to pass it on and lable it pray for the Iraqis.
I believe that if we start trying to teach the younger people here that we are trying to help as well as the older people who will listen we can make a difference,

Yes there will always be killing as there is everywhere and that is another issue but for now lets take this one step at a time.

Thank you for reading this and I hope you repost it,

Christopher W.

"Handy" Back To School Item

2007-07-20T13:03:00.000-04:00

in my email

Karen:

I work for a public relations agency and represent a product called Germ-X(http://www.germx.com). After reading your June 11 post about hand sanitizers, thought I might pass along some news from Germ-X.

As you reported on, hand sanitizers have been a hot topic this year among parents. Reports of children becoming ill from ingesting alcohol-based hand sanitizers emphasize the importance of parental supervision when it comes to children and common household products. When used as directed, hand sanitizers are safe and offer vital health benefits.

The germ-busting stuff really is top-of-mind right now …school supply lists from around the country are asking parents to send kids back to school this fall with a bottle of hand sanitizer. And there’s good reason: Studies have shown a decrease in the average sick time of students who use hand sanitizers as a part of their hand hygiene regimen (see: American Journal of Infection Control).

To effectively kill 99.99 percent of germs, hand sanitizers like Germ-X and Purell contain 62% ethyl alcohol. In fact, The Centers for Disease Control study shows that in lower percentages of alcohol, hand sanitizers are less effective. (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no03/05-0955.htm)

Next month, Germ-X is introducing an alternative to traditional alcohol-based products. Germ-X® Advanced Protection is a new formula that uses active ingredient benzalkonium chloride (the same stuff found in eyewashes and surface cleaners) to kill 99.99 percent of common germs.

Germ-X Advanced Protection may be of interest to those looking for a substitute to alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The foaming hand sanitizer has a light, clean feel and a fresh smell … and, with vitamin E and other moisturizers, it keeps hands soft.

Karen, I’d be happy to send you samples of this new product (it will hits shelves mid-August), and can send additional information. Would you please let me know if this might be of interest? Thanks for your time.

Lauren Brucker
Fleishman-Hillard, Inc. – for Germ-X

I'm very happy to get this news and I'm looking forward to trying this new product -
I'll post again when I've tried it and in the meanwhile, why not watch for it to show up in the store in August?
(If you see it before I do, let me know and I'll pass it along...)

Five For Friday - Great Old Summer Songs To Share With The Grandkids!

2007-07-20T11:50:00.000-04:00

KIDiddles is a fun site with the lyrics to hundreds of kids songs, old and new. Quite a few songs also have midis to accompany them in case you've forgotten the tune.
Here are the links to five old songs that you're sure to remember and the grandkids would love to learn.

In the Good Old Summer TimeTraditional
Written By: Ren Shields
Music By: George Evans

In the good old summer time,
In the good old summer time,
Strolling thro' the shady lanes,
With your baby mine;
You hold her hand and she holds yours,
And that's a very good sign
That she's your tootsey wootsey
In the good old summer time. read the complete lyrics and hear the midi...

Take Me Out to the BallgameWritten By: Jack Norworth & Albert Von Tilzer

Buy me some peanuts
And Crackerjack
I don't care if
I never never get back read the complete lyrics...

Bicycle Built For Two
(Daisy Bell)Written By: Harry Dacre

It won't be a stylish marriage,
I can't afford a carriage
But you'll look sweet upon the seat
Of a bicycle made for two. read the complete lyrics

Rise and Shine(Children of the Lord)
(The Arky Arky Song)
I remember this one from summer camp!

Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Children of the Lord read the complete lyrics here...

Old Dan TuckerWritten By: Daniel Emmett

So, git out the way, Old Dan Tucker
Git out the way, Old Dan Tucker
Git out the way, Old Dan Tucker
You're too late to come to supper. read the complete lyrics here...

I'm Still Your Dad

2007-07-19T20:57:00.000-04:00

I stumbled across an article tonight that connected with thoughts I had while watching our little girl this morning.
The article is at Fatherville.com "Where Real Fathers Write About Fatherhood". The topic is 5 Primary Goals For Divorced Fathers by Ken Canfield

I'm not going to try and write something all nice about how a parents' divorce can be a good thing for a child (it can't) or how it doesn't really affect the way that those parents parent their child (it does). But divorce happens - a great many less-than-perfect things happen in our lives - and it is our responsibility to live up to the challenge the best that we can.

I watched our Miss Maya this morning as I went about my work in the kitchen. She knew that her father was coming to visit today. Maya looks forward to every visit with her Dad.
At 10 AM, right after Dragon Tales, right on schedule, Maya went to sit at the arm of the sofa and watch out the door. It was time for Daddy to come.
I watched her and I was very, very grateful. Her life is less than perfect (everyone's is) but I knew she would not be disappointed in her waiting.
Maya's father does not ever disappoint her or let her down.
She waits for him and, without fail, he comes through the door with a gift or a treat and he begins a day with her that she calls "playing all day long." He provides structure and a familiar routine that comforts and reassures her - they always have pepperoni pizza for lunch, they always walk to the playground, he always goes with her to play in her room.

Maya has been blessed with a Dad who continues to support her emotionally, financially and with his guidance as a parent even though he is no longer married to my daughter, her Mom.
Many, many children of divorced parents do not have this sort of father in their lives.

Maya is fortunate and I am grateful.
Thank you, Ken Henry.
You have given the world a beautiful little girl and you are standing by your child.
You should be very proud.

About Angels...

2007-07-16T22:35:00.000-04:00

I only know the names of two angels. Hark and Harold. Gregory, age 5

Everybody's got it all wrong. Angels don't wear halos anymore. I forget why, but scientists are working on it. Olive, age 9

It's not easy to become an angel! First, you die. Then, you go to heaven, and then there's still the flight training to go through. And then you've got to agree to wear those angel clothes. Matthew, age 9

Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else. Mitchell, age 7

My guardian angel helps me with math, but he's not much good for science. Henry, age 8

Angels don't eat, but they drink milk from Holy Cows!!!Jack, age 6

Angels talk all the way, while they're flying you up to heaven. The main subject is where you went wrong, before you got dead. Daniel, age 9

When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. And when he lets out his breath, somewhere there's a tornado. Reagan, age 10

Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy. If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then, when it gets cold, angels go north for the winter. Sara, age 6

Angels live in cloud houses made by God and His Son, Who's a very good carpenter. Jared, age 8

All angels must be girls, because they gotta wear dresses and boys wouldn't go for that. Antonio, age 9

My angel is my grandma, who died last year. She got a big head start on helping me, while she was still down here on earth. Katelynn, age 9

Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets. And if they don't make the animals get better, they help the child get over it. Vicki, age 8

What I don't get about angels is why, when someone is in love, they shoot arrows at them. Sarah, age 7

Five For Friday - Five More Ideas To Start Your Child's Collection

2007-07-13T08:28:00.000-04:00

Buttons- you can use buttons to make patterns and shapes the same way you can with caps and lids -
there are also lots of button crafts. A quick google search for button craft ideas will show you button picture frames, button mobiles, button ornaments and our favorite, tiny button dolls.
Bookmarks a little harder to find, these are a good challenge for an older child. The local library is likely to have an assortment as give-aways, bookstores have them as give-aways and for sale (they don't cost much). Making your own is a lot of fun. This collections is likely to accelerate an interest in books and reading and that is a Good Thing!
Menus take-out menus, advertising menus that come as inserts in the newspaper, many restaurants will let you have a menu for your collection if you ask them. Ask friends, grandparents and other relatives to pick up menus for you when they dine out.
Pennies finding pennies is a hobby in itself.
"Find a penny, pick it up;
All the day you'll have good luck.
Find a penny, leave it lay;
Bad luck will come to you that day."
or
"I found a penny here today,
just sitting on the ground.
They say that it's a sign that
my Guardian Angel is around.
They toss them down from Heaven
whenever we are down
just to make us smile
and wipe away our frown."
Greeting cards lots of creative possibilities here. Collect an assortment from every holiday. Cut images from the cards to make collages, dioramas, paper dolls or handmade greeting cards. Open them out flat, sew the folds together and make your own book...

My Collection

2007-07-12T14:52:00.000-04:00

The kids have been out of school - what? - two weeks? Have you heard it yet? Yup. That's it..."I'm bored!"
This might be a good time to start a collection. Your kids can learn a lot from making of collection (it doesn't really matter what they're collecting). An early enthusiasm for something now could lead to a lifelong hobby and deciding how to keep, arrange or display things is an artistic exercise in itself.
You may have to help your child to generate ideas about what he would like to collect by making suggestions (otherwise she could fall right into the commercial trap of collecting 'my little ponies').
Here are a few ideas to get you both started:
Candy wrappers, stamps or stickers use them in albums or make colorful posters for the wall
Bottle tops and jar lids collect the tops of all sorts of different kinds of screw-top bottles, jars and tubes. Arrange them in patterns or letter shapes.
Small rocks and pebbles collect pretty shapes or colors. Your child could also paint or use markers on smooth stones to make animals, insects or scenery.
Postcards collect these wherever you find them (you'd be surprised how many are available in your own home town - after all, someone is a tourist there...)Ask your friends and relatives to send them to you. Collect the stamps!
Refrigerator magnets almost everyone is giving these away as a promotion now and a refrigerator makes a very good size display board.
Leaves these are much easier for small children to collect and preserve than flowers. Show them how to press the leaves flat between pieces of paper towel under a pile of books.

Where Are The Germs Hiding At Your House? The Dirty Top Thirty...

2007-07-11T11:13:00.000-04:00

The answers might surprise you. An article found at WebMD lists the
Top Spots for Bacteria at Home
More Bacteria in the Bathtub Than in the Garbage Bin, Study Shows

Researchers visited 35 U.S. homes, swabbing for bacteria in 32 locations in each home.
Here's how those spots ranked, in terms of the average number of bacteria per square inch. Spots with the same average number of bacteria have the same rank.

1. Toilet bowl: 3.2 million bacteria/square inch
2. Kitchen drain: 567,845 bacteria/square inch
3. Sponge or counter-wiping cloth: 134,630 bacteria/square inch
4. Bathtub, near drain: 119,468 bacteria/square inch
5. Kitchen sink, near drain: 17,964 bacteria/square inch
6. Kitchen faucet handle: 13,227 bacteria/square inch
7. Bathroom faucet handle: 6,267 bacteria/square inch
8. Bathroom sink, near drain: 2,733 bacteria/square inch
9. Pet food dish, inside rim: 2,110 bacteria/square inch
10.Kitchen floor, in front of sink: 830 bacteria/square inch
11.Toilet floor, in front of toilet: 764 bacteria/square inch
12.Kitchen countertop: 488 bacteria/square inch
13.Bathroom countertop: 452 bacteria/square inch
14.Garbage bin: 411 bacteria/square inch
15.Dish towel: 408 bacteria/square inch
16.Toy: 345 bacteria/square inch
17.Kitchen tabletop: 344 bacteria/square inch
18.Home office phone or refrigerator door: 319 bacteria/square inch
19.Toilet seat: 295 bacteria/square inch
20.Bathroom light switch: 217 bacteria/square inch
21.Microwave buttons: 214 bacteria/square inch
22.Kitchen chopping board: 194 bacteria/square inch
23.Child-training potty: 191 bacteria/square inch
24.Infant changing mat and infant high chair: 190 bacteria/square inch
25.Kitchen phone: 133 bacteria/square inch
26.Bathroom door's inside handle: 121 bacteria/square inch
27.Toilet's flush handle: 83 bacteria/square inch
28.TV remote control: 70 bacteria/square inch
29.Home office computer keyboard: 64 bacteria/square inch
30.Home office computer mouse: 50 bacteria/square inch

The CDC recommends washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water aren't available.

The FDA recommends mixing 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach into 1 quart of water for a homemade sanitizing solution -- or using a commercial sanitizer -- to help keep kitchen surfaces clean.

Visit WebMD to read the complete article

this morning's Gift

2007-07-10T11:48:00.000-04:00

My blog entry for this morning was already written and waiting in the draft folder to be plugged into place - when this arrived in my email.
The first newsletter I've received from my (free) subscription to the Support4Change Newsletter.
A gift. And I'm paying it forward.
Please - be kind to yourself and subscribe !

To subscribers of the Support4Change Newsletter:

Here is the link to the latest newsletter finished on July 9, 2007

If you need to copy the URL and paste that into your browser, here it is: http://www.support4change.com/general/newsletter/04-Jul-9-07.html
This is what you’ll find inside the newsletter:

· Happy Summer to Paris Hilton—and Everyone Else

· Q-and-A Club Questions: Superlatives – Memorial Day – Fashion, Fame and Fortune – Being “American”

· Today's gratitude: Tree trimmers and power tools

· Ideas worth considering: Vacation take-a-breaks

· Books for children and grandchildren: Meet an enchanting team of author and illustrator

· Books for Adults: Mistakes Were Made (but not by me) and The Know-It-All

· Blog entries you may have missed: On “The Secret” and the use of humor

· Getting a different perspective: Solving problems next to a fishing hole

· Five Articles You May Have Missed: From a safe environment to healing families

Enjoy!!

If you have any questions or comments, use the Contact Us form on the website or send a note to the address below.

Arlene

----------------------------------------------

Arlene Harder, MFT, Founder and Editor
Support4Change.com
arleneharder@support4change.com
2522 Boulder Road
Altadena, CA 91001
626-797-8914

50 Ideas For Filling Your Water Bin (51 if you count Water

2007-07-09T21:24:00.000-04:00

Like much of the country, Connecticut is experiencing a heat wave. We've been playing with the water bin a lot - filling it with ice cubes or water and large blocks of ice "iceburgs". We've added jungle animals and dollhouse people, plastic fish or dinosaurs, small boats. We've given the dolls a bath and washed clothes and dishes.
Other than early morning, it's too hot to play outside. We get bored with water, so I've been pulling out all those old sensory bin ideas and putting them to good use.

The bin doesn't have to be anything fancy - it can range from a container as simple as a shallow dishpan all the way up to a pre-constructed sand and water table

I'm using a clear rubbermaid storage container – one of the shallow ones – about 18” wide, 36” long and 4” high – set on the floor with a plastic tablecloth underneath.
I do want to offer a caution before I get started with the list of fillers –
Young children must be closely supervised when playing in the bin.
The water should be shallow (even then, if the child is younger than three, you must sit beside him while he plays. A young child can fall face first into a very small amount of water and be unable to stand up )
Choose the fillers for the bin according to the age and ability of your child.
If there is any danger of the child putting small objects into her mouth and choking – avoid small objects.

With those less than cheerful images out of the way, Let’s get on with the fun!

50 Fun Fillers
1. Sand
2. Uncooked pasta shapes
3. Rice
4. Pine cones
5. Corn meal
6. Dry cereal
7. Oatmeal
8. Beads
9. Playdoh
10. Feathers
11. Goop
( a mixture of ½ cornstarch, ½ water)
12. Fresh clipped grass
13. Dried peas, beans, lentils
14. Different scraps of cloth
15. Cotton balls
16. Colorful yarn scraps
17. Birdseed
18. Coffee grounds
19. Hay
20. Colored aquarium rocks
21. Bubble wrap
22. Pine shavings
23. Shredded paper
24. Valentines or Christmas cards
25. Potting soil
26. Seashells
27. Instant mashed potato flakes
with or without water
28. Cooked spaghetti
29. Shaving cream
30. Plastic drinking straws
cut to different lengths
31. Knox gelatin
32. Aluminum foil
33. Ice cubes
34. Cornstarch packing peanuts
(not styrofoam)
35. Buttons
36. Magazine pages
37. Plastic Easter grass
38. Frozen peas and carrots
39. Snow
40. Dog biscuit bones
in different sizes and colors
41. Unpopped popcorn
42. Bubbles
43. Dried corn cobs and corn husks
44. Small lengths of curled curling ribbon
45. Dry autumn leaves
46. Sunflower seeds
47. Flower heads and petals
or old potpourri
48. 6” or less lengths of cut
Mardi Gras beads
49. Construction paper scraps
in lots of different colors
50. Clean Mud

Clean Mud Recipe
1 roll white toilet tissue
1 cup soap flakes
1 ½ cups water

Mix soap flakes and water in the bin
until soap is dissolved.
Help your child to tear the toilet tissue
into small pieces and toss them into the bin.
Mix with your hands to make mud –
the more you mix,
the softer and squishier
your mixture will be.

The mud can be stored
in a covered container
in the refrigerator
for reuse.

30 Tools and Toys to Use with Your Bin
1. Scoops
2. Tongs
3. Sieves
4. Pitchers
5. Spoons
6. Ladles
7. Small dinosaurs,
farm and jungle animals,
insects, etc.
8. Toy cars, trucks , tractors
9. Plastic flowers or aquarium plants
10. Squeeze bottles
11. Tub toys, ducks, fish
12. Watering cans
13. Whisks
14. Basters
15. Old fashioned egg beaters
16. Rocks
17. Eyedroppers
18. Children’s scissors
19. Plastic knives
20. Empty plastic jars and bottles with lids
21. Muffin tins
22. Egg cartons
23. Aquarium nets
24. Net sponges
25. Spray bottles
26. Plastic berry baskets
27. Shovels and pails
28. Small pots and pans
29. Foil candy cups
30. Sand molds

Five For Friday

2007-07-06T14:18:00.000-04:00

A Great Deal for Summer Reading!

At The Park

2007-07-05T12:04:00.000-04:00

Fireworks! 4th of July

2007-07-04T10:35:00.000-04:00

Maybe you can't make it to the fireworks this year, or maybe you've already been and you want more?
Here's a list of virtual fireworks - some you have fun creating yourself, others put on the show for you and provide music too!
Enjoy.

Phantom Fireworks
It's easy to create your very own Phantom virtual fireworks show!
Shoot fireworks over beautiful skylines including NYC, Miami, Louisville,
Denver, Cleveland, Paris, France and more.

At this site you can click your mouse repeatedly in random areas for an awesome display of fireworks

Virtual Fireworks on Nova OnlineWatch video clips of fireworks bursting in air

Click on the sky - The faster you click the better the fireworks!
Fireworks images and sounds-Create a fireworks display over Rochester Castle, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, more

Let them put on the show for you – just sit back and enjoy!

a video of the fireworks display in Osaka, Japan -
taken from the roof of a four floor building nearby

Stars and Stripes and the 4th of July - a history of the American Flag in pictures

2007-07-03T12:57:00.000-04:00

American ships in New England waters flew a "Liberty Tree" flag in 1775. It shows a green pine tree on a white background, with the words, "An Appeal to Heaven."

The Continental Navy used this flag, with the warning, "Don't Tread on Me," upon its inception.

The "Betsy Ross" flag. The Flag Resolution did not specify the arrangement of the stars nor the specific proportions of the flag. So many 13-star flags were used, as seen from the next several pictures.

The Guilford Flag.

The Serapis Flag.

At the Battle of Bennington in August 1777 were two famous flags. One, shown here, is called the Bennington Flag or the Fillmore Flag. Nathaniel Fillmore took this flag home from the battlefield. The flag was passed down through generations of Fillmores, including Millard, and today it can be seen at Vermont's Bennington Museum. The other (not pictured) has a green field and a blue canton with 13 gold-painted stars arranged in rows. General John Stark gave his New Hampshire troops a rallying speech that would be the envy of any football coach today. He said, "My men, yonder are the Hessians. They were brought for seven pounds and ten pence a man. Are you worth more? Prove it. Tonight, the American flag floats from yonder hill or Molly Stark sleeps a widow!"

Cowpens Flag. According to some sources, this flag was first used in 1777. It was used by the Third Maryland Regiment. There was no official pattern for how the stars were to be arranged. The flag was carried at the Battle of Cowpens, which took place on January 17, 1781, in South Carolina. The actual flag from that battle hangs in the Maryland State House.

Vermont and Kentucky joined the union in 1791 and 1792. This flag with 15 stars and 15 stripes, was adopted by a Congressional act of 1794. The flag became effective May 1, 1795.

By 1818, the union consisted of 20 states. A Congressional act mandated that the number of stripes be fixed at 13 and that one new star was to be added for each new state, the July 4 following its admission. However, nothing was written about what arrangement the stars should be in. This and the following two flags were all used simultaneously.

Another 1818 flag (see above).

And another 1818 flag (see above). This was called the "Grand Star" flag.

To see examples of later flags, see our Flag Timeline
Starting in 1819, the updated flag becomes legal on the Fourth of July following the date of admission

September 11, 2001 — The Flag from the World Trade towers survives and becomes a symbol of sacrifice in service, loss, and determination

The United States flag today. The 50th star was added on July 4, 1960 for Hawaii, which entered the Union on August 21, 1959

This material is copyright by, and used with permission of, the Independence Hall Association, on the web at ushistory.org.

Celebrate!

2007-07-02T15:01:00.000-04:00

Only a couple of days left before the 4th of July Holiday –
Not really time for anything too elaborate (save those ideas for next year), but here are some good links that you may still find fun and useful.

A Kid’s Heart
has some neat online games – I really like the Patriotic jigsaw puzzles.
Use your mouse to drag the puzzle pieces into the correct places to put the puzzle together.
There are quite a few other games, some word searches and virtual fireworks too!

Family Fun has the directions for these Uncle Sam Ice Cream Cones

and for Fireworks Art (my kids loved this one! Take a hint from a teacher – poke a hole near the top of the straw.
The kids will still be able to blow the paint out to make the project, but they won’t get a mouthful of paint if they forget and suck in instead. And they will forget. Trust me)

A very easy Fireworks “painting” that the littler kids enjoy is done by painting a piece of black construction paper with white glue that has been thinned with a bit of water.
Let the kids shake multi colored glitter onto the wet glue, shake off the excess glitter when the paper is dry.
Sparkly and pretty!

Betty Crocker has this great Stars and Stripes Cake

Please come back tomorrow –
I’ve been given permission to display the Flag Picture Gallery from Ushistory.org.
Beautiful and Fascinating…

Five For Friday - Neat Stuff for Kids ! Under $10 !

2007-06-29T12:28:00.000-04:00

Water Powered Calculator

Tickle Your Fancy With Tickle Bee

Forest Animal Nesting Dolls

Mount Fuji Amazing Garden

Puzzle Alarm Clock

Super Simple Collage Making

2007-06-28T13:11:00.001-04:00

Making a collage is one of the best free form art techniques for artists of any age - preschoolers love it. The choices of items to collage with are limitless. We've used colorful bits of yarn and ribbon; snips of cloth or colored paper; rice and pasta in different shapes; grasses, leaves and small stones gathered from nature walks. We've torn pictures from magazines and newspapers, cut figures from greeting cards, sprinkled glitter and sequins and colored sand.

The trick is getting it all to stick on the paper and stay stuck!

That's where the secret comes in to play...
We use self-adhesive contac - type paper.
A good size square, taped sticky side up to the table works wonderfully.
(Tape it to keep it from sliding around and also to keep the child from picking the paper up and sticking it to itself - and if it's not taped down, the child surely will...)
The self-adhesive paper needs no drying time and will hold material that is heavier (like pasta) without a problem.

This is our collage of yesterday - using snips of foil ribbon, sequins and beads.
Lovely!

Try to Imagine...

2007-06-26T14:02:00.000-04:00

On a day of suffocating heat across Connecticut, perhaps it help just a little bit to imagine ourselves into February?

Keeping Your Cool

2007-06-26T13:57:00.000-04:00

Air conditioning can be a godsend in the humid summer heat, but not all of us are fortunate to have air conditioning in our homes and many of us who do have it have the smaller units that only cool one room.
Running an air conditioner is also a big drain on our resources,both energy and financial!
Depending on what part of the country you live in, many summer days may be hot but managable, without running the AC to cool things off, with just a few tips.
Maybe these tips that I've gathered might help....

1. Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water. Avoid soft drinks and caffeine, these will dehydrate you, as does alcohol

2. Dress for the season when inside your house. Wear shorts and a light shirt. Loose fitting clothes are cooler and more comfortable than tight fitting garments. Go barefoot or wear sandals. Natural fabrics are cooler than synthetics. At night, use light cotton sheets on your bed. Minimize indoor fabrics, as fabric increases interior humidity. This is good in the winter, but bad in the summer. People living without air conditioning should probably opt for no carpet on the floors; during the winter they can lay down area rugs, but roll them up and put them away during the summer.

3. In the summer, shade is your friend. Keep the sun's heat from hitting windows, doors, walls. Install window shades on the outside of your house; indoor curtains are not enough (although they will help). Once the sun hits the glass and window frame, the heat is conducted inside the house, even if you have indoor curtains, so shade them in addition to your curtains.
It is easy and inexpensive to make your own outdoor window shades One idea is to use mylar covered auto sun shades that are about 5' X 2'. They only cost a few dollars at local stores. Duct tape two or three of them together (depending on the size of the window) and hang them on the outside of the windows. Cover that with a white roll up shade, which is mostly for appearance. An inexpensive bamboo roll-up window shade works fine. One or more curtains inside will help, and choose white or another light color (sheets are do-able and cheap, more is better). Don't forget to shade the doors if you don't have a porch. Shade cloth is available and can be used over windows, although it costs more.

The best choice for your wall shade is vegetation. Although it takes many years to grow a tall tree, vines grow in just a few weeks. Morning glories provide plenty of shade plus flowers that are beautiful to look at. Try grape vines on your trellis -not only will you get shade, you?ll also get tasty grapes to eat.

If you have indoor thermal mass, such as concrete or brick floors, a masonry fireplace, etc., make sure it is shaded so it doesn't soak up heat during the day. (The opposite of what you want to do in the winter, of course.)

3. When keeping cool without any air conditioning, the basic rule is: keep the house closed up during the day when it is hot outside, and ventilate it in the evening and at night when it is cooler.
Natural ventilation maintains indoor temperatures close to outdoor temperatures and helps remove heat from your home. But only ventilate during the coolest parts of the day or night, and seal off your house from the hot sun and air during the hottest parts of the day.
The climate you live in determines the best ventilation strategy. In areas with cool nights and very hot days, let the night air in to cool your house. A well-insulated house will gain only 1°F (0.6°C) per hour if the outside temperature is 85° to 90°F (29° to 32°C). By the time the interior heats up, the outside air should be cooler and can be allowed indoors.
In climates with daytime breezes, open windows on the side from where the breeze is coming and on the opposite side of the house. Keep interior doors open to encourage whole-house ventilation. If your location lacks consistent breezes, create them by opening windows at the lowest and highest points in your house.
In hot, humid climates where temperature swings between day and night are small, ventilate when humidity is not excessive.

Ventilating your attic greatly reduces the amount of accumulated heat, which eventually works its way into the main part of your house. Ventilated attics are about 30°F (16°C) cooler than unventilated attics. Properly sized and placed louvers and roof vents help prevent moisture buildup and overheating in your attic.

4. Keep the air moving around inside. Use ceiling fans and rotating fans to create breezes in the house during the day and the night. Moving air can knock ten degrees off of the apparent temperature, so fans can add considerably to indoor comfort. They can also be used in conjunction with conventional air conditioning. With breezes inside, you can set the thermostat temperature higher than would be the case without the fans. Box fans are good for use in windows, but for other indoor uses, they are inefficient and usually noisy, rotary fans are better. Variable speed fans will help you get the right amount of air.

5. Insulation and weatherization help moderate indoor temperatures in the summer too. Minimizing leaks will help you keep your cool inside.

6. Minimize heat buildup inside the house.
Often-overlooked sources of interior heat gain are lights and household appliances, such as ovens, dishwashers, and dryers.
Because most of the energy that incandescent lamps use is given off as heat, use them only when necessary. Take advantage of daylight to illuminate your house. And consider switching to compact fluorescent lamps. These use about 75% less energy than incandescent lamps, and emit 90% less heat for the same amount of light.
Many household appliances generate a lot of heat. When possible, use them in the morning or late evening when you can better tolerate the extra heat. Consider cooking on an outside barbecue grill or use a microwave oven, which does not generate as much heat and uses less energy than a gas or electric range.
Washers, dryers, dishwashers, and water heaters also generate large amounts of heat and humidity. To gain the most benefit, seal off your laundry room and water heater from the rest of the house.
New, energy-efficient appliances generate less heat and use less energy. When it is time to purchase new appliances, make sure they are energy efficient. All refrigerators, dishwashers, and dryers display an EnergyGuide label indicating the annual estimated cost for operating the appliance or a standardized energy efficiency ratio. Also, many manufacturers participate in the voluntary EnergyStar labeling program. Use this label as a sign of energy-efficiency.Compare appliances and buy the most efficient models for your needs.

7. If the heat becomes oppressive, dowse your head, arms, and feet with cool water, or take a cool shower, or (my favorite) go outside and dowse yourself with a water hose. Keep a spray bottle of cool water handy, and give yourself a spritz of cool water every once in a while.

The House Fairy

2007-06-25T11:06:00.001-04:00

I found my house-keeping hero about five years ago when I stumbled upon the home of the Fly Lady. I accepted her invitation to "come on in" and I've been visiting her daily every since. No More Living In CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome)for me!
I suppose to be fair to myself, a part of the credit goes to Fly Lady and her system, but I've also grown old enough and wise enough to realize that a lot of what I regarded as some sort of character defect on my part (dishes in the sink? lint on the rug?)was really an insane attempt to keep order in the universe and a tremendously futile waste of my time.
I still like order, just not enough to obsess over it.
Love that Fly Lady!

This morning I was visiting her home page again. (My family is planning a possible move and I'm going to need some Fly Lady back-up for that one....)While I was there I found something new and I love this too - The House Fairy. The concept was intriguing, I went to her site to take a look - well worth the trip!
Check it out (check out Fly Lady too, if you haven't already)
I'm not affilliated with either of these sites in any way -
I truly am recommending them just because, for me anyway, It Works!

Five For Friday - Super Surfing for Kids

2007-06-22T13:52:00.000-04:00

Played all the games? Told all the stories? Sang all the songs that you know? And the kids are starting to drive you (just a little) crazy?
Give them a turn on the computer with these fun, family safe links- some of them are even educational!(sshhhh)

National Geographic for Kids
I had a great time looking around this site from National Geographic magazine(fascinating article on polar bears....who knew....?) The pictures are fabulous, and there are games, activities, experiments and homework help. I loved it.

Seussville- The Wonderful Dr. Seuss!
Click and play games, print and play activities and the Seussville storymaker.

Marilee's Paper Doll Page
Lots of dolls to print and play, houses and furniture too.
I still love paper dolls!

Funology.com - The Science of Having Fun!
Here’s what they have to say about their great site:
Welcome to Funology.com!
Funology.com is the best place on the Web to find things to do. Not just while you’re sitting at the computer, but anywhere. Things to do by yourself or with your friends, your parents, your pets, anyone. We’ll teach you a million and one ways to make things, explore the world, and discover skills you never knew you had. It’s one place where you’ll never be bored!

Games Kids Play
Hundreds of good old fashioned (non computer!) games and the rules for how to play them. The folks there say that the reason for their site is two-fold:
One- to let you remember some of those old games we used to play and to bring a smile to your face and Two- to try to catalog a fascinating piece of oral tradition and make sure none of these games are ever lost forever.

"Strawberry Cake With All Good Cream"

2007-06-21T19:19:00.000-04:00

We made our first strawberry shortcake together this week - Maya and her Grammy. It was the "strawberry cake with all good cream" that she has wanted ever since she saw it in the April issue of a family magazine.
Another four generation creation - Great Grammy and Great Grampy picked the strawberries for Maya, Grammy and Maya made the shortcake and Mommy, Grampy and Maya "ate it all up."
A summer treasure.

We have more projects planned for our strawberries.

Here is an easy recipe for Strawberry Jam - it's a good one because it makes a small batch - two or three jars of jam.

We will need:
4 cups of strawberries,
rinsed and hulled (stems removed)
and
3 cups of sugar

Crush and mash the strawberries (we use a potato masher )
Mix in the sugar and pour the mixture into a large heavy pan.
Bring it slowly to a boil and continue that slow boil for about 10 minutes. You'll see when the jam starts to "boil down" in the pan - there will be a space of 1/4" or so between the mark on the inside of the pan that the mixture made during the early "high boil" and the level where the jam is boiling now.
That's the time to start testing for the "jellying point"
Dip a metal spoon into the boiling jam, then tilt the spoon until the mixture runs off. Watch the spoon. When the jellying point is reached, the last drops off the spoon will run together and slide off like a jam snowflake. Let the jam cool and pour it into clean jelly jars. Seal and refrigerate.

To see more recipes using strawberries along with some art and craft projects and strawberry fun, please visit Grandmother Wren's Project Page.
While you're there, check out her Summer Pages too!

June Craft Activities from Highlights Kids

2007-06-20T09:25:00.000-04:00

Kids will love working on these fun, free craft projects from HighlightsKids.com. Each craft includes full step-by-step instructions.

Patriotic Treat Holder
This decoration is "tops" as a centerpiece for your July Fourth picnic table.

Color-Wheel Whirligig
Save up your plastic
"to-go" lids and make
a fun and colorful toy

Click Here to see more of this month's Craft Activities from Highlights Kids

Shop for Groceries Online?

2007-06-19T16:15:00.000-04:00

This ad came in an email late last week and caught my eye.
I haven't been to Amazon myself to do any price comparisons with local grocery stores, but with free shipping...
Amazon Grocery offers over 22,000 non-perishable items including some of your favorite brands, shipped to your door, just like any other Amazon.com purchase. We've also recently introduced the Subscribe and Save program which is a great way to save money on items you use routinely. You can sign up for routine convenient delivery of products such as coffee pods, shampoos, laundry detergent or diapers and receive a 15% discount off Amazon's already low prices and free shipping on these items. The 'Subscribe and Save' option sure sounds convenient - combine it with free shipping and 15% off? I'm heading that way for a look!
(I didn't even know Amazon had groceries for sale...
this is very handy for a busy grandmother!)

Graduation Time!

2007-06-18T09:25:00.000-04:00

June is not only the month for honoring Dads and Granddads, it's also the time for celebrating the graduate!
On Sunday we attended a graduation party for my nephew who will be attending Boston University in the fall. We put together a College Survival Kit as our gift to him.
We included
*a sponge - to help him soak up all the knowledge floating his way
*a big puff of cotton - to help cushion his seat during those long hours of study at his desk
*a package of craft foam hand stickers - to remind him that he has many helping hands sticking by him while he's at school
*a roll of lifesavers - we don't want him to drown in all the information
*a small jigsaw puzzle in a box - to give him a place to keep all the pieces together and to remind him that he is an essential part of the puzzle
*a bag of marbles - to replace the few he's bound to lose during his freshman year
*a battery - to keep him going and going and going
*a safety pin - to remind him to be sharp and stay safe
*a toothpick - to prop his eyes open during a boring lecture (this is not to be used during lectures from his parents. During those, he must remain alert and attentive!)
*a guidebook to the city of Boston - so he can find where he's going
and
*a pre-paid transit card to get him there.

We had a lot of fun putting this kit together for Michael and he enjoyed receiving it. A survival kit can be created for any occasion - to see a page of more kits to make along with a long list of creative (but not expensive!) gift giving ideas, please visit my website for my page of Creative Gift Ideas.

Countdown to Father's Day

2007-06-16T17:58:00.001-04:00

There's a little time left to craft a nice last minute gift for Dad -
or maybe you'll find something you'd like to make for next year!

Father's Day at Kindercrafts

From Caterpillar to Butterfly

2007-06-14T14:59:00.000-04:00

We've been walking to the duck pond often in the past few days-

we're trying to find them again-

the caterpillars we found last year.

Until we do - Check out our Monarch Butterfly Project of Summer 2006

Father's Day

2007-06-13T21:29:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow Maya's daddy is coming to celebrate an early Father's Day with Maya.
Today we made a picture of "Maya's Garden" as a gift for him.
We used:
*construction paper - blue, green and white
*foam flower stickers (we happened to have some, we could have just as easily cut flowers from more construction paper)
*glue
*scissors

First we made the butterfly by tracing around each of Maya's feet on the white paper. We made the leaves by tracing around her hands on the green paper. I got busy cutting out the hand/leaves while Maya began to color her butterfly. (We left the footprints uncut on the white paper for easier coloring) When she was done, we cut out each of the footprint/butterfly wings. We drew a caterpillar with back marker on the blue paper and glued the footprint/wings on either side. Then we glued the handprint/leaves onto the paper too. Maya peeled the paper from the foam flower shapes with tremendous determination (and if I was still teaching I would say she was honing her fine motor skills - blah,blah...blah,blah) She showed the same meticulous concern in placing each flower and each circle on the butterfly "just so".

We had fun doing this project. Maya is proud of her work and eager to show Daddy when he comes in the morning. I think her Daddy will treasure the garden of hands, heart and soles of his little girl.

The World of the Small

2007-06-12T13:32:00.000-04:00

We saw a butterfly out in the yard yesterday afternoon.
We followed him and watched him and sat with him for a while as he rested, swaying on a blade of grass.

In this morning's email, I received my twice weekly newsletter from Robert Genn. This time the topic is the art of Miksang. Robert writes:
"The art of Miksang was begun as a meditational tool by Shambhala Buddhists, but it has implications for painters and other creative people. The idea is to find joy and awareness by attending to the minor and seemingly insignificant--the colours, patterns and textures that exist in the close-up world. Miksang is a Tibetan word that means "good eye." Shambhalas think widespread use might lead to more compassionate and enlightened societies."

"These days Buddhist instructors in several countries are handing digital cameras to kids. Children seem to take to it faster than adults, and, according to some, get better results.

"Please visit Robert's Page Here to read the full article and take a look at some of the intricate detail in the photographs.
"Miksang makes for pause, reflection and quiet centering. By increasing awareness one builds a feeling of wonder and kinship with the overlooked. "

"Booze Ooze"

2007-06-11T09:08:00.000-04:00

When I first read the email, I thought "oh, dear - another one of those horrid fear monger tales..." We've all read them - hypodermic needles in gas pump handles, perfume samples that are really ether in disguise (I don't think it would be all that easy for assailants to find liquid ether these days...).

I wandered over to where I always go to check out the truth in these tales - Snopes.com Urban Legends page and well, there it was. With some exaggeration, this tale is true. And I'm afraid I'm as guilty as the next grandma of leaving the hand sanitizer sitting right on the sink next to the soap. I carry a small bottle in my purse for cleaning hands when we're away from home. I never even thought of it being a hazard to our children.

I would still recommend the hand gel for inclusion in every Grammy's arsenal against germs, but from now on, I'll keep it safely out of reach.

Please read the warnings here and put the Purell in a safe place!

100 Field Trip Ideas - Simple, Inexpensive And Close To Home

2007-06-09T12:30:00.000-04:00

By making field trips a part of your summer plans, you are giving your child the opportunity to learn first hand about the world around her – a hands on, real world exploration involving the whole child.
Use the suggestions below as a springboard for trips of your own, adapting the ideas to your neighborhood or region.

Most field trips for children will be more successful if let your destination know ahead of time when you’ll be visiting. I have found that a mailing a brief note works better than making a phone call –almost always someone "in charge" will get back to you and offer a time that is good for you to visit. Remember to bring your camera and a notebook to record your child's ideas and impressions while on your trip. You can add them to your project memory book when you return home.
Make it a safe trip and Have Fun!

1. Grocery Store – make it a "non –shopping" trip this time and spend time in different areas of the store : produce, fish, bakery
2. Pet Store
3. Garden Center
4. Sporting Goods Store
5. State and National Parks
6. Herb Farm
7. Apple Orchard
8. Dairy Farm
9. Library
10. Petting Zoo
11. Art Museum
12. Children’s Museum
13. Aquarium
14. Playgrounds
15. Indoor Playscapes
16. Home Improvement Center
17. Hardware Store – the smaller stores have owners that may be more willing to spend time talking with your child
18. Pharmacy – same here, try to avoid the big "chain’ pharmacies; try to find a small local drugstore if you can
19. Walking Trails
20. Police Station
21. Pizza Shop
22. Nature Centers
23. Video Arcade
24. Movie Theater
25. Nature Reserve
26. Radio Station
27. Ice Skating
28. Roller Skating
29. Swimming
30. Sledding
31. Theme Park
32. Dentist
33. Pumpkin Patch
34. Ice Cream Shop
35. Dairy Farm
36. Planetarium
37. Local Artist’s Studio
38. Ponds, Lakes, Rivers
39. Airport
40. Local Cable TV Station
41. Food Warehouse
42. Hospital
43. Health Club or Gym
44. Bakery
45. Ride a City Bus
46. Recycling Center
47. Veterinarian
48. Fishing
49. Christmas Tree Farm
50. Bank
51. Animal Shelter
52. Car Wash
53. Retirement Community
54. Flea Market
55. Town Hall
56. Post Office
57. Local College or University Campus
58. Strawberry Patch
59. School Bus Lot
60. Elementary School
61. Barber or Hairdresser
62. Bus Station
63. Train Station
64. Bridge
65. Laundromat
66. Road Construction Site
67. Building Site
68. Church
69. School Cafeteria
70. Duck Pond
71. Farmer’s Market
72. Vegetable Garden
73. Flower Garden
74. School or Community Concert
75. Senior Center - many have lunch programs that welcome guests – call ahead for reservations
76. Fishing Pier
77. Marina
78. Jeweler
79. Stable or Horse Farm
80. Office Supply Store
81. Craft Supply Store
82. Craft Consignment Shop
83. Optometrist
84. Nail Salon
85. Tractor/Farm Store
86. Garage/Auto Repair Shop
87. Parking Garage
88. Trucking Company
89. Food Warehouse
90. Computer Store
91. Dog Groomer
92. Cemetery
93. Neighborhood Unlike the one you live in
94. Ethnic Market
95. Garbage Truck
96. Take a Taxi
97. Or the Ferry
98. Row Boat
99. Paddle Boat
100. Your Own Backyard – day/night; wind/rain/sun; camping

Father's Day Crafts

2007-06-08T11:17:00.001-04:00

It's time to get going on those Father's Day gifts!
This page of Father's Day craft ideas from Michael's has everything you need -
from preschool crafts to adult creations.

Frogland

2007-06-07T20:50:00.000-04:00

Baby Frog: Mama, who is smarter- a chicken or a frog?
Mama Frog: We are of course!!
Baby Frog: How do you know?
Mama Frog: Well, who ever heard of Kentucky Fried Frog?

Now that you have your toad house, find out everything there is to know about frogs and toads at Frogland - http://allaboutfrogs.org/There are frog fun and games, frogs in the news, stupid frog jokes, caring for your pet frog or toad, frog coloring pages, even animated Frog TV that you can watch in a small pop-up window.
And yes...even though it's Frogland, there is plenty to see about toads -
just type "toads" in the search engine on the site and look at all the cool stuff you'll find!

A Home for Toad

2007-06-06T14:19:00.000-04:00

-
Toad Village is located in a mossy corner of the yard, tucked into a nook beside the steps to Grampy's workshop in the backroom of the garage.

We spent a morning painting empty coffee cans in colors toads would like - two year old girls have an instinct for this sort of thing
We waited for the next day and the paint to be dry, then went outside to pick just the right spot for toads. We dug into the damp soil for an inch or so and lay the cans down on their sides. Then we filled in around them with the dirt and added a little inside to make the toads feel at home.
There were lots of leftover materials from our fairy house gathering expedition -we glued the pieces of bark, pine needles and cones, dried moss onto the cans using weather resistant glue. All that was left to make the village complete was the toad's pool.
An aluminum pan was stolen from the cupboard and sunk into the soil beside the houses. Rocks were added to the bottom of the pan to hold it in place and we poured in the water. Welcome Home, Toads!

Highlights for Children

2007-06-05T08:07:00.000-04:00

Great Ideas from the Highlights for Children June Newsletter
HighlightsKids.Com

June Fun from Highlights Kids!

Giving

2007-06-04T18:36:00.000-04:00

Thursday is Great Grandmother's birthday. "What kind of cake do you think Great Grammy would like?"
Maya's answer was quick and sure "a Sponge Bob cake!"
Maya is obsessed with Sponge Bob. She calls everyone Sponge Bob. We have to call her Sponge Bob. If we call her Maya, she corrects us. She is Sponge Bob.
We don't know why or where this passion for Sponge Bob developed. She's never seen the TV show. Leaving aside the question of quality children's programming, she's never seen it because she's too young, it's not appropriate for a two year old.
She's in love with the Sponge Bob image.

Our project for today - a Sponge Bob cake for Great Grandmother's birthday.
We walked to the corner store in a misting rain, looking for puddles and rocks to bring home along the way. We chose a cake mix and frosting and some candies that I hoped would somehow transform themselves into Sponge Bob facial features.
We baked the cake. Measuring and mixing and stirring and spilling - the cake was in the oven.
Waiting...
waiting...
waiting...
then waiting some more while the baked cake cooled.

It was time to create Sponge Bob. We tinted the frosting just the right shade of yellow and argued a bit about not picking fingers full of cake from the dish.
The frosting was on and we pronounced it good.
Next came candy eyes and more frosting tinting for the blue centers (Sponge Bob has blue eyes and Maya has an eye for detail) Licorice was bent in the fashion of a Sponge Bob nose and mouth.

I stepped back and watched for Maya's response. We could have gone to the supermarket and bought a Sponge Bob perfectly portrayed in cake. Was that what we should have done? Is she happy with her cake?

"We did it! We made Sponge Bob! We need a candle to blow."
Tired and proud, Maya helped to cover the cake with plastic wrap and watched me put it into the cupboard to bring to Great Grammy tomorrow.
She did not ask for a piece of cake.
Her cake is a gift for Great Grammy.
She will bring it to her house tomorrow.
Then we will eat the cake.

Jean Warren's June Calendar

2007-06-03T17:28:00.000-04:00

In the world of early childhood education, Jean Warren is my hero.
I have many of her books and I visit her website - Preschool Express - often.
Jean creates wonderful calendars for preschool classrooms or for "home schooling" your little one.
Get a copy of her calendar page for June Here and then wander through the rest of her site for more great ideas.

The Beginning

2007-05-31T21:24:00.000-04:00

We began our summer together today - Miss Maya and her Grammy.
It seemed fitting that we begin by making a calendar, both to record and anticipate the wonder filled summer ahead.
Our calendar is made from a large sheet of poster board. Half of it is the traditional calendar part, with little boxes for each of the days of June, July and August.
The other half has big boxes left for pictures to illustrate each month - pictures from magazines or the newspaper, pictures we take with the digital camera and then print, pictures we draw.
The calendar boxes have room for small pictures too. We may want to leave a drawing of a special day.

Beginning tomorrow, and for each day of the summer, we will start our morning together by going out on the deck to see what the weather will be.
We'll come back inside and Maya will color in that day's box with an appropriate color marker - yellow or orange for a bright, sunny day; gray for clouds; blue for rain.
We might add more detail by drawing a melting ice cube if it's very hot, or a kite if the day is windy.

We have already illustrated some special days - Great Grammy's birthday in June and Maya's birthday in August...
A Splendid Summer lies ahead.