1. Make Laundry Part Of Your Routine. Throw a load in whenever you happen to walk past the washer.  Switch it to the dryer the next time you are in the area.  And then fold it all when you get a chance to sit down and watch your favorite Tivo-ed TV show.
2. Divide And Conquer. Delegate your loads to different days of the week.  You can follow a schedule similar to linens and towels on Monday, dark clothes on Tuesday, and lights on Friday.  Or you can wash a different person’s clothes each day.  A nice bonus to scheduling what to wash when is that you don’t have to think about laundry on the other days of the week.
3. Make It A Family Chore. I know that your five year-old can’t work the washer, but he can sort colors from whites.  Buy sectioned hampers for each bedroom in the house and have everyone divide their clothes accordingly.  Slightly older kids (of reading age) can take their laundry prep chores a step further.   Post a friendly list of reminders on their hamper such as turn clothes right side out, check your pockets and leave stained items out so that I can pre-treat them.
4. Choose The Right Setting. For the washer, consider using shorter cycles.  The light setting is significantly quicker and is optimal for clothes that have been worn just once or twice and aren’t stained.  For the dryer, wash a load, immediately toss it in the dryer, and repeat.  Once the machine is warmed up, subsequent loads will dry faster.  Start with lightweight clothing and end with heavier items, like towels, which won’t be damaged by the heat that builds up in a hot dryer drum.  Also, don’t over- or underload the dryer.  Try to fill it up about halfway for maximum efficiency.
5. Fold It Right The First Time. When folding clothes, consider the space where you’ll be putting them.  If your drawers are long, fold clothes into rectangles to take advantage of that.  If they’re short, fold clothes in squares so they don’t get scrunched up.  Take this into consideration for your linens and towels and the shelf space you have for them as well.

Ingredients:

• About 3 pounds corned beef brisket
• 1  7-oz. pkg. mixed dried fruit
• 1/2  cup dried cranberries
• 2  Tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca
• 1/2  cup orange juice
• 1/2  cup water
• 1  Tbsp. mild-flavored molasses
• 1/4  tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8  tsp. ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Trim the fat from your meat.  If necessary, cut meat to fit into a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker.  Place meat in the cooker.  You can toss the seasoning packet if it comes with one.
2. Cut any large pieces of mixed dried fruit into quarters.  Sprinkle mixed dried fruit, dried cranberries, and tapioca over meat in cooker.  In a small bowl, combine orange juice, water, molasses, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Pour over the mixture in the cooker.
3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.
4. Remove meat from cooker.  Thinly slice the corned beef across the grain.  Arrange meat slices on a serving platter.  Spoon fruit mixture over meat.  Makes 6 servings.

1. Let kids help. Decide what you are going to put in their lunch.  For example one fruit, one veggie, one treat and a drink.  Fill a bowl with different fruits, one with different veggies, etc.  Then when you have to pack lunches let your kids pick which fruit, which veggie, etc that they want.  This ensures that they will eat their choice and it will make lunch packing go faster with all of the extra hands.
2. Make a chart. Make columns on a dry erase board for each food group.  Have kids fill in their favorites for each group.  Then make a deal that you can pack their lunch with anything that is on that board and they will eat it.  You may even discover some ideas from your kids that you might not have thought of yourself.
3. Make a theme. Bust a rut by packing lunches with a theme.  You can pack all things that are all round, square, green, orange, etc.  Or you can pack a cowboy lunch with BBQ fare or a circus lunch complete with kettle corn.
4. Get Crafty. Stick Con-Tact paper on the inside lid of a lunch box and, voila!, you have an instant dry erase board.  You can write messages, jokes or interesting facts for them to read to fellow classmates.  You can even include a dry erase marker and draw up a game of tic-tac-toe or hang-man for them to play.
5. Give Sandwiches A Face Lift. If your child has a habit of ignoring your sandwiches, try this quick fix.  Pull out your cookie cutters and cut their sandwich into fun shapes, making them instantly more appetizing to little peepers.

Materials:

• Large piece of cardboard
• Razor cutter or scissors
• A shoebox with a lid
• Craft glue
• Green paint
• Stickers, pre-made rainbows and other decoration
• Gold paint and/or glitter
• sticks, craft sticks or wooden skewers cut to these lengths, (2) 6-inch pieces and (8) 1-inch pieces
• small pot or container
• Shiny coins, jewelry, treasure or even Lucky Charms cereal
• Small pillow(s) or soft fabric to line the inside of your box

Instructions:

1. Cut a large shamrock shape out of the cardboard.  Make sure that it is big enough to house your shoebox with at least a 3-inch buffer all the way around.
2. Put shoebox lid in place on top of the shoebox.  Draw a 2×2 inch square on the lid next to the front edge.  Cut 3 sides of the square, leaving one edge in tact.
3. Center your hat or shoebox in the middle of the shamrock cutout.  Glue it down to the cardboard.
4. Paint shamrock, shoebox and lid green.  Decorate with gold paint, glitter, stickers and other decorations.
5. Fill your pot or container with coins, treasure, Lucky Charms or other goodies.  Reserve a few goodies to use as bait.  Place your pot on top of the shoebox lid.  Glue it in place if you are going to be moving your trap around.
6. Glue sticks or skewers together to assemble a ladder.  Lean the ladder against the shoebox, making sure that the top of the ladder lines up with the trap door.  Glue the top the ladder to the shoebox and the bottom of the ladder to your shamrock cut out.
7. Glue down a trail of goodies or coins that lead to your pot.
8. When a leprechaun follows your trail to the goody pot, he will climb up the ladder and fall through the trap door when he reaches the top!  Be sure to put something soft inside to cushion his fall.

Sleep is a vital part of everyone’s health, no matter your age, but many of us do not get the recommended amount.  Lack of sleep can effect mood, immune function, productivity, and attentiveness.  Experts recommend:

• Adults receive 7-9 hours per night

• Toddlers receive 12-14 hours per night

• School aged children receive 10-12 hours per night

• Teens receive 8.5-9.5 hours per night

Experts also say that equally important as the number of hours of sleep is sticking to a sleep schedule, or routine, to ensure that the quality of sleep is as restful as possible.  Inevitably, springing an hour ahead will throw a wrench in your family’s sleep routine.

If you are worried how Daylight Saving Time will effect your family, or it your family is a pack of walking zombies every morning all year round, here are some ways to make the morning a little easier on everyone.

Stick to your regular schedule. Thankfully, the time change occurs on the weekend, so take advantage.  Let the little one’s sleep in an hour later than normal to make up the difference instead of trying to get them to go to bed an hour early.  It is easier to make up the hour once already asleep, instead of trying to get the kids to go to sleep when they aren’t yet tired.

Get up immediately. Put your alarm clock on the other side of the room, so when it goes off, you have to get up to turn it off.  Experts agree that using the snooze button can leave you more tired than if you got up immediately.  Everyone goes through sleep cycles throughout the night, and to reach the most restful part of sleep takes about an hour.  Waking up again before you have reached it will leave you more tired than if you never went back to sleep at all.  Under the same logic, when you wake up children, make sure they get up- don’t give wake up warnings.  This will ensure they are alert all day long.

Everyone needs a bed time- even you. There’s that sleep schedule again.  Your body is a big fan of routine.  It might take a little getting used to, but getting to bed at the same time every night will let your body know what to expect, and it will begin to shut down automatically.

Turn off the electronics. Blue light, which is given off by the screens of electronics, has been shown to stimulate the brain and interfere with sleep.  Two hours before bed, have the kids turn off the TV and video games to help them unwind.  That goes for your laptop, too.  Engage in relaxing activities, like reading, listening to music or completing crossword puzzles.

Limit caffeine. Hopefully your kids aren’t guzzling coffee before bed, but caffeine can have a longer lasting effect than most realize, which can make falling asleep difficult and deep sleep harder to achieve.  Caffeine has a half life of 3-5 hours (it takes your body that long to eliminate half) but the remaining can last for 8-14 hours.  For adults, coffee and tea should be limited to morning only, and for kids, caffeinated sodas should avoided as much as possible.  Chocolate has less caffeine than most people think, and the link between sugar and hyperactivity is still under debate, but these should be given to children sparingly anyway, because of their lack of nutritional value.

Prepare for the morning. Rushing around is never a good way to start the day.  Make sure the kids have their clothes picked out, homework done, and backpacks packed and ready to go before they go to bed.  Make sure lunches are packed, coffee pot is ready and breakfast is planned and ready to throw together.  The less stress, the better the tone for the day.

By implementing these ideas, and streamlining your entire family’s sleep routine, your mornings will cease to be the stressful chaos you are so used to and set a peaceful, positive tone for everyone’s day.  With less screaming, yelling and pot banging, you may actually have some time to eat breakfast together, and, you know, talk.

1. Grocery Stores. Thoroughly clean shopping cart handles and seat belt buckles when you enter the store.  Most stores have cleaning wipes at their entrance, but if yours doesn’t, don’t touch the rails or bring your own because carts are crawling with germs.  Customers may sneeze, wipe their noses, then touch the cart handles.  They’re also contaminated by children’s dirty hands and by leaky meat packages you toss into your cart.  Poultry and beef can contain bacterial bombs such as salmonella and E. coli.  About 70%-80% of shopping carts tested nationwide had E. coli on them.
2. Playgrounds. Playgrounds are a germ’s paradise because kids touch everything they see and their mouth and nose interchangeably.  The largest threat is from fecal bacteria from bird poop and diaper-wearing tots on playground equipment.  The most offending gear is swings, slides and monkey bars.  Be sure to wash hands thoroughly or use hand sanitizer after returning from playground, using the bathroom and changing diapers.
3. The Mall. Can’t keep your hands off of those escalator handles?  Your not alone.  That is why it is one of the germiest places in the building along with the kids’ play area.  The easiest fix is to just not touch the rails or let your kids play in the fun center.  But that’s no fun!  If you happen to brush the rails or if you cave and let your kids romp around in the land o’ germs just be sure to wash up or use sanitizer when your done.
4. Restaurants. Be weary of tabletops and highchairs.  The contaminating agent is not food, usually or even other people.  It is usually the rags that are used to “clean” the surfaces.  When busboys wipe down a table or chairs, their dirty rags may be spreading a small film of E. coli.  They should put disinfectant on the rag after each use, but studies show that the same cloth are sometimes used on more than a dozen tables before it is disinfected.  The easiest way to deal with these germs is to use you own sanitary wipes to clean the tabletop and high chair when you’re seated.
5. Libraries. Libraries appear to be tidy, sterile places, but they can be crawling with germs.  Why so filthy?  Lots of people shuffle through and peruse books, log on to computers and touch counter-tops with little sterilization afterwards.  The worst places to touch are counter-tops and books.  Again, go ahead and indulge.  Just be sure to wash or sanitize hands when you leave.

• Mix equal parts of bleach and water to make a cleaning solution for mildew, hard water residue and rust stains on the tub, shower curtain, shower door and around the toilet and sink.
• Use undiluted bleach to kill weeds, moss and algae in your yard.
• Mix 1 part bleach and 3 parts water to use for kitchen cleaning solution.  It is great for killing germs in the sink and on the countertop and stove.
• Add a few drops of bleach to each gallon of water you put in your humidifier to prevent bacteria from growing.
• Add a capful of bleach plus one sugar cube in the water of your flower vase to help cut flowers last longer.
• Rub bleach on your white porcelain items,  let sit for ½ hour, then rinse them off and towel dry to give them a pristine shine.
• Brighten your glassware by adding 1 teaspoon of bleach in your warm soapy water.  Let them sit for 15 minutes and then wash as usual.
• Clean plastic lawn furniture by mixing equal parts of bleach and water in a spraying bottle.  Spray them thoroughly and rinse.  You can also use this mixture to rejuvenate a wooden fence.  Wash away that gray look by simply spraying this directly onto wood.
• Remove lingering smells from coolers and other closed containers by wiping or spraying them with a mixture of one part bleach and 3 parts water.
• Cure poison ivy by wiping a small amount of bleach over the affected area to dry it up.  Be sure to rinse well before wearing colored clothes so that you don’t stain them.
• Clean smelly feet by mixing 1 part of bleach with 3 part of hot water, soak for 10 minutes, and dry with a hair dryer.
• Get sore throat relief by mixing 2-3 drops of bleach with a 16 oz of warm water.  Gargle and spit until the glass is empty.

Ingredients:

For each teacup, you’ll need:

• Cup-style wafer ice cream cone
• Round sugar or shortbread cookie
• Decorator’s icing
• 2 gummy rings candies
• Assorted candies or snacks to fill the teacup

Directions:

1. Use a serrated knife to carefully cut the cup portion of the ice cream cone from the handle (this is an adult’s job).  Discard the handle and set the cup aside for now.
2. Place a gummy ring candy on the center of the cookie, using decorator’s icing to “glue” it in place.
3. Set the ice cream cone cup on top of the gummy ring.  Again, using a thin line of decorator’s icing to hold the cone in place.
4. For a teacup handle, slice the second gummy ring in half.   Gently press the cut ends of one of the candy halves against the cone to stick the handle in place.  You can use some more decorator’s icing ti hold it in place if needed.
5. Fill the cup with a few candies or other snacks, and it’s teatime!

The Scouts have been bringing boys together and show them things to survive not only in the wilderness but in life.  They have many traditions on policies that go back to the beginning of the organization, but it is many of these traditions that have led to a steady decline in membership over the past decade. I feel they need to accept some changes that will attract more members but keep the foundations that have made the Boy Scouts a proud and noble group to help boys down the path towards manhood.

1. Religion – Part of the Scout Oath is “…to do my duty to God…”  The Scouts believe that a young man needs some sort of Supreme Being in his life to be right. This closed minded view leaves many families who do not practice a religion out of the Scouts. Don’t change the Oath or anything but don’t refuse advancement to boys who do not practice a specific faith.
2. Uniform – The uniform is an integral part of being a Boy Scout.  It is meant to make you part of a group like the any of the armed services.  But the Scout uniform is outdated.  They still don’t make shorts that go past mid-thigh and the neckerchiefs are a pain in the butt.  The Army and other services have had their uniforms evolve, why don’t the Scouts?  Make them more comfortable and wearable and boys may not be as embarrassed about wearing them.
3. Gender- Yes, I know it is the “Boy Scouts” but it’s been called that since before women had the right to vote let alone since they started being professional athletes and community leaders.  Girls want to camp and do things the Boy Scouts do but many times their local Girl Scout troop does not ofter these activities.  They are left to believe that girls just aren’t supposed to do them.  Opening the Boy Scouts up to girls would greatly increase the effectiveness of Scouting because it teaches that their are not specific boy activities and specific girl activities.  Anyone can do whatever they want and enjoy them in a group.

These suggestions would bring about major changes to the Boy Scouts of America but the changes would be for the better.  They could help bring better membership numbers along with teaching a bigger group of America’s youth how to be better citizens and a positive aspect to their communities.

Let me know what you think and if you have any changes of your own.  Or share a story about your days in the Scouts (Boys or Girls).

Ingredients:

• 1 5-ounce can of light or albacore chunk tuna
• 2 teaspoons of fat free mayo
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 bread and butter pickle slices, chopped well
• 2 teaspoons diced onion
• 1 slice whole grain bread
• 1 tablespoon raw, unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1 ounce shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees or broiler to low-med.
2. Drain tuna and spoon fish into a bowl.  Mix tuna and mayo together well.  Stir in Worcestershire sauce, pickles and onion.
3. Spoon mixture evenly onto slice of bread.
4. Sprinkle sunflower seeds over the tuna mixture.  Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of that.
5. Cook under the broiler for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly browned.
6. Cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

1-Lion Book/Magazine Holder

Have a roaring good time making this cute and handy box with your kids.  This is a great way to contain smaller books on a large bookshelf or wall shelf.

Piggy Bank

Teach your child creativity and the value of a dollar with one fun craft.  You can wrap the box and lid together to ensure that the savings stay in there or you can wrap them separately for easy access and counting.

Puppet Theater

Let your kids role play for hours with this homemade theater box.  They can make puppets of their favorite characters or even themselves using photographs.

Play Mailbox

Kids love to get mail.  Make this little box and slip all of you junk mail in there like a real mailman.  Maybe once in a while you can even slip a sweet note int there.

Practice Shoe

This is a great craft to help your child practice their shoe tying skills.  It is easier for little hands to practice bigger, more handy laces.

(Image via Steve Polyak)

During the snowpocalypse here in east Texas just before Valentine’s day, I collected about 22 cups of snow and put them in the freezer. Hey, it’s the most snow that has fallen in the area since I moved here in 1987. I wanted to save it for as long as I could! My family wasn’t the only one enjoying (or surviving, depending on your perspective) the snow. As it turns out 49 of the 50 states had snow on Friday, February 12. Hawaii decided not to join in the fun, understandably.

Just when we thought March would bring a thaw, more crazy winter weather, including snow, is being predicted for much of the United States. I guess since it’s supposedly going to snow here in Texas tomorrow, I can use some of that snow I gathered for remembrance. Set out a couple of large bowls to gather the main ingredient (if it’s not already in your freezer) while you watch Americans own the Olympic podium, then have your own dish of sweet victory.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon snow (16 cups)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups milk

Directions

1. Gather snow and place in a large, clean bowl.
2. Stir in sugar and vanilla to taste.
3. Stir in just enough milk for the desired consistency.
4. Serve at once or freeze until later.

February 23 is National Banana Bread Day! Bananas may well be one of the world’s best health foods, aiding the body with everything from anemia and blood pressure to ulcers and warts. It’s even one of the first foods we feed our babies, and a go-to fruit for sick kids.

So it’s a given that we need to eat our bananas, but what to do when the kids (and Mom for that matter) are tired of eating straight bananas? Make banana bread! It’s fast; it’s easy, and there’s no kneading, floury mess to deal with – perfect! Most people think of banana nut bread when they hear banana bread, but I’m one of those weird people that actually prefer my banana bread without nuts. The sugar content of most recipes is also concerning. This is the recipe I’ve developed that lowers sugar content, eliminates nuts (perfect for those with allergies) and oil, and includes whole wheat. It turns out an incredibly moist loaf that will most likely not last 24 hours. Cold or hot, with or without butter, everyone in the family will love it!

Ingredients

• 1 cup unbleached flour
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbs baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup natural, unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs or egg substitute equivalent
• 1 cup bananas

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Grease 9 x 5 loaf pan
3. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt thoroughly
4. Mix sugar, applesauce, and eggs together until light and fluffy
5. Mix in bananas
6. Add dry ingredients
7. Stir just until smooth
8. Pour into prepared pan
9. Bake until firmly set when lightly touched in center top, 50-60 minutes (bread may crack across top)
10. Cool on rack
11. Remove from pan after 10 minutes

You are busy.  Between working, taking care of your kids,and managing a household, you have very little time for yourself, let alone time to volunteer.  However, volunteering at your child’s school is an important and necessary step in parenting.  Rather than viewing volunteering at your child’s school as just another thing to add to your already-full plate, view it as an investment.

Educational research shows that parents who volunteer typically have students with high achievement and a positive attitude toward school.  Higher achievement and a healthy attitude toward school are definitely worth a few hours of your time each month.

Parents may not know where to begin when it comes to volunteering.  Typically, schools do a good job communicating ways parents can help at school.  However, if your child’s school is not openly advertising volunteer opportunities, contact your child’s teacher.  I don’t know an elementary or high-school teacher who wouldn’t love to have a parent in to help on certain days.

In the event you cannot take off work, there are ways to volunteer outside of the school day.  Perhaps a teacher could use help organizing a field trip or creating a letter regarding an upcoming fundraising opportunity.  If you are unable to help during the school day, inform a teacher or administrator that you are willing to help in more unconventional ways.

If giving up a few hours mid-day is impossible, consider volunteering at the start or end of your child’s school day.  Anyone who has gone through the pick-up or drop-off chaos at an elementary school knows it’s actually a well-orchestrated dance.  Ensuring a smooth pick up or drop off requires extra eyes to ensure student safety.  Even volunteering for fifteen minutes at the end of each school day will show your child that you see school is important.

Instilling in your child that his or her schooling is important to you – so much so that you volunteer your own time – will pay off in the future too.  High schools typically do not have as many volunteer opportunities for parents.  However, showing your child that it was important from childhood will carry them through high school.  Do not underestimate your power to instill a basic belief in childhood that will last through adulthood.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dry roasted salted peanuts
• 1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds or other chopped nuts
• 2 cups raisins, or other chopped dried fruit
• 2 cups rolled or instant oats
• 2 cups toasted rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies
• 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ, (optional)
• 1/2 cup creamy or crunchy natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Coat an 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine peanuts, sunflower seeds (or other nuts), raisins (or other dried fruit), oats, rice cereal and wheat germ (if using) in a large bowl.
3. Combine peanut butter, brown sugar and honey in a large microwaveable bowl.  Microwave on High until bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes.  Add vanilla and stir until blended.  Pour the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until coated.
4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan.  Press down firmly. (It helps to coat your fingers with cooking spray first.)  Let stand for about 1 hour to harden.  Cut into bars.

Image Courtesy of Sunset.com

Choosing children’s books to read can seem like an easy task, especially when the person you are reading them too has little if any literary taste.  However, these recently-published books promise to be entertaining for both you and your young, aspiring literary analyst.

1.  On The Night You Were Born – Nancy Tillman (ages 4-8). This book is a lovely boost of self-esteem for your little one.  As a parent, you are the one who can instill a healthy sense of self in your child and this book helps.  News of your child’s birth travels the animal-laden pages of this book, and the animals dance and sing with jubilation.  ”Because there had never been anyone like you…ever in the world.  When the polar bears heard, they danced until dawn.”  Lines like these celebrate the life of your child, leaving both you and your young one feeling unique and loved by the universe.

2. Happy Easter Mouse – Laura Numeroff (ages 6-9). This book is a great way to get ready for the upcoming Easter holiday.  As you read, your child will practice counting skills while trying to figure out who is leaving Easter eggs all over Mouse’s house.  Although it may not be the most entertaining read for you, it’s a great read before decorating eggs with your child.  Your young one can have fun on Easter as he or she runs around the house just like Mouse trying to find eggs.

3.  Disney: Alice in Wonderland – based on the motion picture directed by Tim Burton – T.t. Sutherland (ages 9-12). This hardcover book is an excellent way to get your young reader excited about reading.  After reading the book with your child, take a trip to the theater to see the movie, out March 5.  Even an informal talk about which was better and why can develop your child’s skills in analysis.  Although your child is bound to love Tim Burton’s 3-D version better than the book, it’s still a worthwhile activity.  The hardcover book will be a keepsake regardless.

4.  Cupcake – Charise Mericle Harper (ages 4-8). This book tells the story of a plain vanilla cupcake and his feelings of inadequacy next to his more flavorful friends. It’s a simple story, but the reason I chose this book is because it’s an easy read before spending time cooking with your child.  Your child will be excited to spend time cooking with you, trying to make a plain cupcake extraordinary.  In addition to developing reading skills, you and your child can spend time bonding in the kitchen. The teachable opportunity in basic measurement skills is just an added bonus.

5.  Sesame Beginnings: Tummies! - Sarah Albee (ages baby-preschool). What can I say, I’m a sucker for Elmo.  This book is all about tummies and what newborns do with them – crawl, giggle, fill them with food.  It also includes a poetic ode to the belly button – always an entertaining body part.  And the best part?  A touch and feel belly in the back of the book!

The third Monday in February (that’s today!) represents President’s Day: a day set aside to remember two of the greatest presidents to ever serve our nation, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  Here are some fun ways to teach your kids that President’s Day is more than just a free day off of school, but also an opportunity to honor these two valiant men and all of our other presidents for their contribution to our way of life.

1. Find Washington and Lincoln quotes and read them to your kids.  Discuss what they mean and why they said them.  This will give your kids insight into the kind of people they were.
2. Show them pictures of Mt. Rushmore and the Lincoln Monument.  Ask children to choose their favorite president and propose a new monument that is dedicated to that president.  Then have them explain why they’ve chosen the individual they’re honoring and how the monument will represent that president.
3. Show kids different coins and dollars.  Discuss who is on each one and why.
4. Help kids make fun president related crafts, like a log cabin made out of pretzels.  Then discuss how these crafts relate to the president they are about.
5. Have kids brainstorm about what they would do if they were president.  Have them write it out and keep it as a patriotic keepsake.

Food:

• Make heart shaped pizza
• Host a tea party
• Cookie or rice crispy treat conversation hearts
• Strawberry or raspberry parfaits
• Chocolate covered strawberries
• Stained glass candy
• Cherry 7-Up floats

Decorations:

• Hang construction paper conversation hearts and from the ceiling with yarn.
• Cover tables with white tablecloths and spread rose petals on top.
• Use a Valentine card tree as a centerpiece.
• Scatter battery powered votives for a kid friendly ”candlelight” backdrop
• Fill clear dishes or jars with Valentine candies like conversation hearts and cinnamon bears
• Dress up stuffed animals with red and pink clothes or ribbon and set them throughout room.

Activities:

• Have kids make homemade valentines for Dad, siblings or grandparents.
• Play Cupid’s Surprise by having kids play musical chair of sort where instead of trying to find a seat they unwrap festive gifts.
• See who can build the highest tower of conversation hearts in a given time.  To even the playing field, give younger kids the large hearts.
• Have kids make a favor spinner.  Similar to the hug coupons often given out at V-day, this spinner let’s kids spin to get a special privilege.
• Play matchmaker.  Have kids call out the second half to famous couples (ie: Mickey and Minnie).  Or you can do a “memory” style game where you write the individuals’ names from each couple on index cards and have kids try to match them up.
• Play Catch My Heart beanbag toss.

Valentine’s Day

1. Cupid’s Heart- This adorable heart-shaped card has a straw arrow going through it.  Classmates can open it up to read your child’s heartfelt message.
2. Hanging Heart Mobile- This valentine doubles as a design accent.  If you are a room mom, you could hang these on the wall or chalkboard as a decoration and the kids can grab them when the party starts.  After the party, students can hang this in their bedroom and think of your cool kid every time they see it.
3. Love Bug- Most Valentine stuff caters to girls.  These are great because they are valentines that little boy can get into.  Who knows more about bugs than little boys?
4. Love Scroll-Kids will feel like they are passing around mystic secrets with these fun scroll valentines.
5. Lollipop Flower- These valentines are sweeter than roses.  And they include a hidden treat.

“When?”

“Tomorrow.  I have a project about Abraham Lincoln due.”

Deep breath. There are laws that prohibit you from wringing your child’s neck for not telling you this sooner.  The project was assigned three weeks ago and he decided to tell you the night before?!  As a parent, you cannot let your child fail, so you know that tonight you will become an expert in Abraham Lincoln’s life while you work for hours with your child to create the poster board that should look like it took weeks to complete.

This is an all-too familiar scenario that can be avoided.  Follow these tips to avoid the last-minute homework crunch.

1.  Use the agenda book. Most schools provide a handbook complete with a daily calendar for this very purpose – for your child to write homework on its pages.  However, many students do not use the agenda book and many parents never check it.  Get your child in the habit of writing down homework each day.  Ask to see the agenda book when your child gets home.  If the pages are empty and all you hear is “I don’t have any homework,”  ask your child’s teachers to initial by the subject they teach so you know there are no pending projects or homework.

2.  Make contact. Calling a teacher to explain that you don’t trust your child to tell you whether he or she has work to do can be intimidating.  However, as a former teacher, I sincerely appreciated when a parent told me they wanted to check up on their child.  It was just good parenting.  Call or email your child’s teachers and find out what work is due.  Many schools and teachers have classroom Web sites where they post information regarding upcoming projects.  Make it part of your daily routing to check these information sources so you can avoid the last-minute emergency.

3.  Establish a routine. I was a successful student because every day when I got home I set up shop at my kitchen table and started my homework.  I did all of my homework immediately upon coming home so I could have the evening to relax.  My dad looked over my work and we had dinner.  This was an ingrained part of my routine from elementary through to college.  If your child does his or her homework in the same place and at the same time, it establishes a basic routing for you and your child.  You can easily monitor what is being done and ask questions about what is happening at school.  Just be sure your child has a quiet place to work for at least 30 minutes a day.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chilled heavy cream
• 4 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 7 oz bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
• lightly sweetened whipped cream
• fresh raspberries

Directions:

1. Heat 3/4 cup cream in a 1-quart heavy saucepan until hot.  Whisk together yolks, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a metal bowl until combined well, then add hot cream in a slow stream, whisking until combined.  Transfer mixture to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until it registers 160 degrees F on thermometer.  Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in vanilla.
2. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring frequently.  Whisk custard into chocolate until smooth, then cool.
3. Beat remaining 1 1/4 cups cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks.  Whisk one fourth of cream into chocolate custard to lighten, then fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly.
4. Spoon mousse into 8 (6-ounce) stemmed glasses or ramekins and chill, covered, at least 6 hours.  Let stand at room temperature about 20 minutes and garnish with whipped cream and raspberries before serving.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.

Parents would love to give their kids a nice little gift as a token of their appreciation, but those darn toys are always so expensive.

Let KidGlue help.

We’re giving away a $25 Toys ‘R’ Us Gift Card that’s good both online and at the store. Perfect to cut into the cost of that video game, pick up that perfect doll or put something special aside for a later day.

Here are a few ways to enter:

• Leave a comment telling us your kid’s favorite toy
  
• Follow Kidglue.com on Twitter
• Tweet this giveaway on your own Twitter
• Link back to this giveaway on your blog
• Become a fan of Kidglue.com on Facebook

The more you enter, the more chances you have to win!

Note: Please use a valid e-mail address.  Open to US and Canadian residents only.

The lucky winner will be chosen randomly. Giveaway ends Wednesday February 17, 2010. Winner will be reached by email, and announced on the blog 2/17/10.

Good luck!

1. Exfoliating Body Scrub

   

   To treat and prevent dry skin, combine 1/2 cup oatmeal, 2 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of milk powder, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of Epsom salts, several drops of lavender oil and 3 tablespoons of honey.  Mix it into a paste.  If it is too thick, add whole milk until it has the consistency of sour cream.  Scrub your face and body with the mixture in the shower 2 times a week to keep skin soft and smooth.

2. Herbal Steam Facial

   

   To clean your pores, place 1/3 cup dried lavender blossoms and 1/3 cup dried calendula blossoms in a teapot.  Pour 2 cups of boiling water over the herbs.  Steep for about 10 minutes.  Set up a large porcelain or ceramic bowl where you can sit with your head hanging over it.  Alternatively you can use a sink basin with a chair pulled up to it.  When water is finished steeping, pour it into the bowl or basin.  Add 4 to 5 drops geranium essential oil to the water.  Hang your head over the water and cover your head and shoulders with a towel to create a steam tent.  Steam face and neck for 3-5 minutes.  Splash your face with lukewarm water and pat dry with a towel.  Follow up with a short facial massage.  Moisten finger tips with a light moisturizer or essential oil and massage using inward circles.  Feel free to experiment withe herbs and oils that compliment your skin type.

3. Deep Cleansing Fruit Mask

   

   Chop 1 carrot, 1/2 peach, and 1/2 cucumber into small pieces.  Place in food processor along with 6 ounces of plain yogurt and mix into a paste.  Don’t worry if it’s a little runny.  Apply and let sit on the skin for 10 minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water.

4. Natural Manicure

   

   To strengthen nails and soften hands try this treatment.  1.) Use small nail scissors to trim any ragged nail edges.  Do not cut cuticles though.  2.) Soak hands in warm whole milk for several minutes to remove dead skin cells and soften cuticles.  3.) Using an angle-tipped nail stick, gently push the cuticles back toward the base of the nail.  4.) Using a nail file, shape nails into squares with rounded corners, which makes them more resistant to cracks and tears. To avoid misshapen or split nails, file in one direction only — no sawing back and forth.  5.) Using a smooth-surfaced buffing block buff the entire surface of nails to a shine using a side-to-side motion.  6.) Rub hands with warm almond oil, avocado oil, or light olive oil or apply an oil-rich hand and nail cream.  Pay particular attention to the nail and cuticle areas.

5. Foot Mask

   

   To soften and warm up cold feet try this invigorating orange spice foot mask.  1.) Combine 1/2 cup whole oats (ground to a powder in the food processor), 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 4 tablespoons warm water, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger and 4 drops sweet orange essential oil and stir until blended into a thick paste.  2.) Prepare two warm, wet washcloths or hand towels, either by wetting them and placing them in the microwave for one to two minutes or by soaking them in hot (not boiling) water.  Wring out excess water and set aside.  3.) Sitting with your feet in the tub or a large basin, use your hands to spread a thick layer of the mask over each foot, covering them completely up to the ankles. After wiping hands clean, wrap each foot in one of the washcloths to seal in the moisture from the mask. Sit back and relax for 10 to 15 minutes.  4.) To remove the mask, carefully lift off the washcloths and rinse your feet thoroughly using warm water.  Pat dry with a towel.

Kids are generally stubborn and picky eaters.  This can be a rough combo, especially because kids need a balanced, healthy diet in order to grow up strong, develop properly, and provide their little brains with the energy they need to focus all day long.

If you have a picky eater, you know veggies are probably highest on the “Yuck List.” Plunking down a plate full of familiar leafy greens in front of your child at dinner is asking for trouble.

There are a few ways you can get your kids to eat their veggies (and a few more if you don’t have any qualms with being sneaky.)

Try new things. Kids know broccoli, peas and carrots but there are a ton of interesting and deliciously different tasting vegetables out there.  Artichokes are a fun little project where kids can peel the leaves and dip them into different sauces.  Sweet potatoes are great sources of vitamins, and their sweet taste appeal to kids.  Cut them into fries, bake them in the oven and serve with ketchup.  Edamame in the shell can be a fun finger food for kids, and Jicama is a crunchy, juicy veggie with a sweet taste.  Encourage them to try new tastes and when they find something they like, make it a regular side dish or snack.

Dress them up. Seasoning can go a long way. Butter, salt and sugar should be used sparingly, but there are tons of other ways to jazz up your veggies.  Try different healthy dips like peanut butter and low fat yogurt (yes, even for veggies) and use fresh and dried spices, like oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, paprika, curry powder and other flavorful add ons like garlic, balsamic vinegar, low fat salad dressings and ginger.

Hide them. Mixing veggies into regular dishes is a sneaky, yet effective way to get the vitamins and minerals into your kid’s bodies, tantrum free.  Add pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!!) to pancakes, oatmeal and muffins for a blast of vitamins and sweet taste.  Cauliflower can easily be mashed up into mashed potatoes, and no one will be the wiser.  Top your kid’s favorites with as many veggies as you can.  Peppers, onions, mushrooms and zucchini are great additions to pizzas, sandwiches, and scrambled eggs.  Mince veggies to add to hamburger patties, spaghetti sauces, meatballs, and chili.

The last thing you want to do is make the veggies unhealthy in order to get your kids to eat them.  Drenching them in butter, coating them in salt or smothering them in cheese is going to counter act the good stuff in the veggies.  Find a healthy way for your kids to enjoy vegetables and encourage them along the way.  Find out what works and stick with it.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds total), scrubbed and patted dry
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika, plus more for garnish
• 4 slices turkey bacon
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 scallion, sliced, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  On a rimmed baking sheet, rub sweet potatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Bake until tender, about 40-45 minutes.  Let potatoes cool on baking sheet (keep oven on).
2. Halve sweet potatoes lengthwise and scoop out 1/3 cup flesh from each half into a medium bowl.  Add buttermilk and paprika to bowl.  Mash until smooth and season with salt and pepper.  Stuff sweet-potato skins with filling.  (To store, refrigerate, up to 2 days.)
3. Arrange sweet-potato skins on sheet and bake until lightly browned around edges, about 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook turkey bacon in a skillet over medium until crisp, 5 to 8 minutes.  Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate and crumble or chop. Stir together sour cream and 2 tablespoons water and drizzle over sweet-potato skins.  Garnish with bacon, paprika, and scallion; cut in half to serve.

(Image Courtesy of Google Images and Zestycook.com)