Toy Thursday: Brown Paper Sack Puppets

For those who like to pretend, in particular, preschoolers, making puppets can be fun.  Putting on puppet shows and playing interactively with your child is rewarding creativity and encouraging skills.

If you are like me though, I have neither the patience (plus I cannot draw very well) nor the time to make elaborate puppets.

Instead, we find our brown paper lunch sacks, coloring books, scissors and glue. Then we construct our own puppets from there. And it does not have to be hard, one easy way to pretend is to take a favorite book and make the characters of the book to act out the story.

So we find large color sheets of people and animals from coloring books or an online source. I find the coloring pages with large plain pictures work the best. Judah then can color the animal or person as desired. He can practice cutting out the object. We glue the head onto the bottom flap of the bag and line up the body on the side. Other decorations can be added like yarn for hair, objects for props, and eyes for 3-D facial features.

Between making your own puppet and acting out your own story, imagination is endless. And all the while you are having lots of fun making memories with your child! And you will have less stress with this simple play thing and activity.

Food Friday: Crock-Pot Ham and Scalloped Potatoes

Here is great slow-cooker recipe from a family friend. You know one of those comfort foods, especially this cold weekend. I plan on using the leftover Christmas ham from the freezer for this.


Crock-Pot Ham and Scalloped Potatoes

6-8 slices of cubed ham
8-10 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup grated cheddar or American cheese
1 10 ounce can cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup
paprika to taste (optional)

Chunk ham in pieces. Put half of the ham, potatoes, and onions in crock-pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then top with grated cheese. Repeat with remaining half of everything, then add undiluted soup over top. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4 hours. Increase by half for 5 quart cooker.

Tip Tuesday: Muddy Boots in your Car!

Recently we got a new car. Since our Ford Escape was past the 200, 000 mile tune up and the bearings were making sounds we decided to upgrade at the end of the year with a Toyota Highlander. We can actually hear each other talk now. And even though we are still a one car family, at least we can make sure we have a more reliable car.

This car is a Limited hybrid with leather interior. The only bragging I am going to do, however, is put a plug in for my husband who managed to talk the sales guys into taking off almost $5, 000 off this 2007 used gray vehicle.

The only problem to date (knock on wood) with our new car is making the purchase smack dab in the middle of winter. MUD...SAND....SALT....your freshly cleaned car does not always keep so clean then.

Yes, we put the rubber shoe mats down for every seat. And we keep the car clean in between snow falls with wet, slushy streets.

So what is the problem, you ask? MUDDY, SOAKING WET, FILTHY WINTER BOOTS!

We have a 3 1/2 year old with muddy boots that has seemed to grow a little taller to reach the back of the new leather seats. He likes to kick the seat and even though we work on trying not to kick the seat, what little 3 1/2 year old remembers every time. Plus if he gets himself into his own car seat, he cannot manage on his own unless he uses the seat for a step stool.

Sounds all to familiar, right. More than kicking my back as I am driving, I find myself upset about the new leather seats. I know they can be wiped off but still every parent has high hopes that something will last longer than it really will. So I should get over it, right. But we just got it.

So I keep telling my husband to put plastic over the seat. His reply: "And how do you propose I do that (as he complains about getting it to stay or ruining the leather)?"

Well, we have yet to try it but what about those disposable table place mats that you can by at Walmart. The sticky removes easily making a permanent attachment unlikely or leaving marks. The picture would be fun for the kids. The place mat lays flat over the covered surface intended. And you can always replace with limited hassle. I think I might try it.

Make Monday: MLK Day

Liberals...Conservatives....Listen...Read.

I have a dream... that one day, my four little sons will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character, I have a dream, today.

The character that has been handed down by generations, who fought for it by their great-great-great grandfather who fought for the North...for freedom of all men and women.

LIFE, liberty and pursuit of happiness. For all. Born or unborn.

"Now is the time to make justice the reality for ALL of God's children. It would be fatal for the Nation to overlook the urgency of the moment."

"As long as our our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity....we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream."

"We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal"

"Free at last, Free at last, Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"


http://youtu.be/smEqnnklfYs

Toy Thursday: Science Experiment - Constellation Tubes!

Judah and I have been learning about the solar system and planets. More recently we did this "take home science" project to learn about stars and constellation shapes in the sky. This simple lesson has us talking about Cassiopeia and Pegasus. Have fun learning about science!


Materials Needed
Empty paper towel or bath tissue tube
scissors
ballpoint pen or toothpick
tape
black paper

Instructions
Trace a circle around the tube. Make dots of one of the constellation designs (i.e. Big Dipper) from a pattern in a book or online inside the circle. Carefully poke just the tip of the pen or toothpick through each of the dots of the pattern. Place the circle on the pattern face down over one end of the tube. Make sure that the dots are centered. Fold the sides of the pattern down over the sides of the tube and tape them into place. Hold the end of the tube with the pattern on it up to a light source and look through the other end. Do you see your constellation?