tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13013071372898935122024-02-18T17:56:40.571-08:00Joyful MommiesIdeas, Activities, and InspirationJoyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-20618580620761498712011-07-22T21:19:00.000-07:002011-07-22T21:19:26.068-07:00Bead Bugs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttpLG9pokOfyUkqd2yTP_rfODySbWc5cS3fx88RZ0PhiKc7UGKDcUpucJ4FyWMXa4Y5ZbV2d6kTkI6uF-ItCllhd0mlVk7QHm6tNglSe2BTzdkGAg1Sx7pmLsafDvMv0aVZ_MhYoS5rM/s1600/bead+bugs+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttpLG9pokOfyUkqd2yTP_rfODySbWc5cS3fx88RZ0PhiKc7UGKDcUpucJ4FyWMXa4Y5ZbV2d6kTkI6uF-ItCllhd0mlVk7QHm6tNglSe2BTzdkGAg1Sx7pmLsafDvMv0aVZ_MhYoS5rM/s320/bead+bugs+004.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">This is a fun little craft project to enjoy with your munchkin on a rainy summer day (which we’ve had an abundance of this summer). These little bead bugs are cute and quite impressive looking, and are a fun fine motor challenge.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">You will need – </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Styrofoam craft balls</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Pipe cleaners</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Beads with large holes</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Googley eyes (optional)</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Cut pipe cleaners in thirds, and twist one end of the pipe cleaner into a small loop (to prevent beads from sliding off of the end). Show your child how to thread the beads onto the pipe cleaner (supervise little ones so they don’t mouth the beads). When your child has added several beads, help them poke the straight end of the pipe cleaner into the Styrofoam ball, then bend the pipe cleaner slightly in the middle to create a “bug leg”. Continue adding legs, and use two smaller pipe cleaner sections to create antennae. Finish your bead bug by gluing on googley eyes, or by simply drawing eyes on the Styrofoam using a ball point pen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a great little project for beginning beaders, as it is much easier to thread beads onto a pipe cleaner than onto a string.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Helpful Hints:</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">If you don’t have beads or would prefer not to use them, cut drinking straws into short sections and thread these onto the pipe cleaner instead.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">If your child isn’t quite ready for this fine motor challenge, try this very simple threading activity: Cut the egg cups out of a cardboard egg carton, and punch a large hole into the bottom of each egg cup. Loop and twist one end of a pipe cleaner to prevent “beads” from slipping off, and help your child practice threading egg cup beads onto the pipe cleaner. A great introduction to this tricky concept!</span></div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-70806437469803686122011-07-13T23:46:00.000-07:002011-07-13T23:46:08.271-07:00Smoothie Popsicles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Ah, summer. There is nothing else quite like it. And though our summer has been incredibly busy this year (hence my negligence in posting!), it has also been lovely. What could be more wonderful than sitting in the sun out on the back deck with your munchkin? Well, perhaps sitting in the sun out on the back deck with your munchkin and popsicle!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">As the mommy of a typically picky toddler, I’m always looking for ways of getting healthy food into that cute little belly. This summer, smoothie popsicles have been the answer. Every time I make a smoothie for my daughter, I double the ingredients and pour whatever is left over into a popsicle mould. My little princess gobbles them up as though they were candy…and yet they’re very healthy and nutritious (shhh – don’t tell her that).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">To make your own smoothie popsicle, simply blend together…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Yogurt (go for the plain, unsweetened kind – <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it’s healthier, and your kids won’t notice the difference)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Whatever fresh or frozen fruit you have on hand</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Pour well blended smoothie into popsicle moulds (available at most dollar stores) and freeze. Then simply serve and enjoy!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Helpful Hints:</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">This is a great way of using up slightly over-ripe fruit, or making use of yogurt that has almost reached its expiry date.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Be sure to make a few extra popsicles – mommies and daddies will love them too!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-4652549672390559952011-06-07T15:31:00.000-07:002011-06-07T15:31:16.911-07:00Play Clay<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Here’s a fun and different twist on traditional playdough. This clay has an interesting consistency, almost like stretchy plastic. And like all really <a href="http://joyful-mommies.blogspot.com/p/recipes.html">great kids craft recipes</a>, it is safe for little ones as it is entirely edible (but tastes awful!). To add this recipe to your joyful mommy repertoire, you will need…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">1 cup corn starch</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">2 cups baking soda</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">1 ½ cups cold water</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Few drops food colouring</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Combine ingredients in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Transfer clay into dish, cover with a damp cloth and allow to cool. When mixture has cooled, knead until it becomes stretchable. Then have fun creating and exploring together with your child!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Helpful Hints:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Play clay dries out quickly, so store clay that you are not using in an airtight container with a lid.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Use a little bit of water to join pieces of clay together.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Play clay is sticky! Wax paper taped securely to the table surface makes clay a little easier to work with.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Happy clay playing, everyone!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-8953900655199822992011-06-05T21:32:00.000-07:002011-06-05T21:32:23.068-07:00Bug Box<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwfLLJol3eLddecWTZ63mOMciWZMabwMvjfV2dWul-kjqQSHIPfl1zynB_mIFcTz1FontdDCAvEnpldy0KkCAmkNxhR4-K47s3VUKN8p0s05XPTL8VNvblug1ZbaEnEn6bFWvplg3UU8/s1600/May+2011+2+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwfLLJol3eLddecWTZ63mOMciWZMabwMvjfV2dWul-kjqQSHIPfl1zynB_mIFcTz1FontdDCAvEnpldy0KkCAmkNxhR4-K47s3VUKN8p0s05XPTL8VNvblug1ZbaEnEn6bFWvplg3UU8/s320/May+2011+2+016.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">In the midst of life’s craziness, what could be better that some moments of joyful simplicity with our little ones? The pace of life in our household has been quite frantic the past several weeks (hence my utter negligence in posting!). But no matter how harried the pace, we make an effort to savor un-rushed moments with our munchkin every day. One of the best of those moments happened a couple of weeks ago, as my hubby, my munchkin and I literally sat in the dirt together and created our very own “bug box”. It was one of those joyfully simple moments that I cherish. It cost us not a penny. And my daughter’s eyes were wide with wonder…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><strong>To create your own bug box, you will need…</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em>An empty clear plastic container with a lid (large salad containers work particularly well)</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em>Masking tape</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em>A small shovel </em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em>Garden gloves (optional)</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em>A garden space suitable for bug hunting!</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Punch some small air holes in the lid of your plastic container. Then simply sit with your child and dig in the dirt! Talk about all of the amazing things you discover together – bugs, rocks, grass, twigs, leaves, dirt – the options are endless! Sprinkle a little dirt at the bottom of your bug box, then collect items to create your bug habitat – some sticks and rocks for variety, and some leaves and greenery for your bugs to eat. Hunt for bugs to live in your bug box – worms, beetles, snails – whatever you are able to find. Take your time and enjoy the hunt! When you are finished, securely tape the lid to your bug box so that your child can explore it from every angle without the worry of bugs and dirt spilling everywhere.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Helpful Hints:</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Scatter only a small amount of dirt at the bottom of the box. If you use too much dirt, the bugs will hide in it and your child won’t be able to see them.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Add water to your bug box (daily if you plan to keep it for a while), as bugs get thirsty too. </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Slugs shouldn’t be kept overnight as they tend to dry out (lesson learned in my own childhood!). Snails are fantastic as they creep along the sides of the box and are very interesting to watch.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">This is a fabulous activity for promoting language development , as little ones will be fascinated and there are endless topics to talk about together! And the memories you build are the kind that last for a lifetime. Happy bug hunting, joyful mommies!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-62847012455046201862011-05-14T15:56:00.000-07:002011-05-14T15:56:38.461-07:00Cheerful Choo Choo Birthday Cakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8uyWDHbj1ex6ayEJQj-QYBozPWoiZosUavWZ_l778YNcRndt0-ifKy2-koaMW3JReR0eaOkwCu6BXBP3fdBCT2-ZQQ5kCus-8_bDqHNVD7adkW3l6b1DyOoZsKnHG4EtbgakuwMqEFs/s1600/March+2011+-+Owen%2527s+3rd+Birthday+045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8uyWDHbj1ex6ayEJQj-QYBozPWoiZosUavWZ_l778YNcRndt0-ifKy2-koaMW3JReR0eaOkwCu6BXBP3fdBCT2-ZQQ5kCus-8_bDqHNVD7adkW3l6b1DyOoZsKnHG4EtbgakuwMqEFs/s320/March+2011+-+Owen%2527s+3rd+Birthday+045.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">A very special birthday cake for a very special little boy. We baked and decorated FIVE of these train-themed birthday cakes, complete with licorice rope train tracks, rock candy landscaping, and cheerful choo choos emerging from tunnels. Decorating five of these was no small feat – but absolutely worth the effort when we saw the end result. We know one little three-year-old was smiling…</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJ4Szf0ejrUS3toGRBorlQy4PvGAuINJoQ164YkMpSkcSmdjrARmxX9a5jPYausmY4Mpp_xr15CY6b5zCqvzGXhIVhlX9HlDFKyinD-jgb1qgQKclGSZYaJ9QkcadvgvS6jNDlKNw1V0/s1600/March+2011+-+Owen%2527s+3rd+Birthday+3+050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJ4Szf0ejrUS3toGRBorlQy4PvGAuINJoQ164YkMpSkcSmdjrARmxX9a5jPYausmY4Mpp_xr15CY6b5zCqvzGXhIVhlX9HlDFKyinD-jgb1qgQKclGSZYaJ9QkcadvgvS6jNDlKNw1V0/s320/March+2011+-+Owen%2527s+3rd+Birthday+3+050.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">These cakes would be perfect for a “Thomas the Tank Engine” birthday party, but we used “The Little Engine That Could” trains instead – just as adorable but a lot less expensive (particularly since we made five of them). To make your own train and tunnel cakes, just use a large round cake for the bottom layer. We used our “Barbie dress” cake pan to make the tunnel, but you could simply build the tunnel out of layers of cake baked in a regular pan. The simply ice your cake using green for grass, blue for a pond and waterfall, grey for your mountain, and black for the opening to the tunnel (a trip to the cake decorating store is a must – professional quality gel colouring makes your icing colours so much more vibrant). Then simply trim the edges of your cake with rock candy, build your train tracks with licorice rope, and finish off with a cheerful-looking train and perhaps a plastic tree or two. Perfect for any train-loving girl or boy (and have you ever met a preschooler who doesn’t love trains?).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSoQP803px45KzmEs7v8Owhc6XxyFwPu7bVduSml_pjwgTzQi-MKdpTSTOvBU0MXkb_WeNDIpvGLFlhXuNQ6cEdZuKxY8q5qCEsS0qLoycpd0QCMAkX2zcu6PNHnWDuKDds814khF28c/s1600/March+2011+-+Owen%2527s+3rd+Birthday+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSoQP803px45KzmEs7v8Owhc6XxyFwPu7bVduSml_pjwgTzQi-MKdpTSTOvBU0MXkb_WeNDIpvGLFlhXuNQ6cEdZuKxY8q5qCEsS0qLoycpd0QCMAkX2zcu6PNHnWDuKDds814khF28c/s320/March+2011+-+Owen%2527s+3rd+Birthday+033.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">These cakes were a labour of love for us, and we were so happy with the result. We hope they bring smiles to your family as well…</span></div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-30079852794109842382011-04-15T16:59:00.000-07:002011-04-15T16:59:25.596-07:00Endlessly Entertaining Easter Eggs<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzifEz9gm7RudZ8C1aWoB20lWPEYeXEf20eUJ9rMOGOGNtSKwvIy4mGwI3V3B8logbR0V-gJyxdDVZie_yyDjvXg1TlR3F2w3wo8HA9aEw4-WLlcaZRt2VPNI4f4FQtKHaHQpjibqwJrg/s1600/678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzifEz9gm7RudZ8C1aWoB20lWPEYeXEf20eUJ9rMOGOGNtSKwvIy4mGwI3V3B8logbR0V-gJyxdDVZie_yyDjvXg1TlR3F2w3wo8HA9aEw4-WLlcaZRt2VPNI4f4FQtKHaHQpjibqwJrg/s320/678.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">While Easter basket fillers are still available in stores, I thought I’d pass along this fun activity suggestion that can be used any time of year. This twist on the traditional Easter egg hunt is a fabulous activity for promoting fine motor skills, language learning and sensory exploration with your little one. Simply find a large container and fill it with multicoloured Easter basket hay (you’ll find packages of this thinly shredded paper or plastic anywhere Easter baskets are sold). Then use an assortment of plastic Easter eggs (also usually available in bulk packages in the Easter basket aisle) and hide them in the hay. Throw in a few clean sandbox toys, such as buckets, rakes, and shovels, and you’ll be surprised how long your kids will be thoroughly entertained! (Be sure to supervise <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>little ones, as you don’t want them trying to eat the hay or mouth the eggs).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">As with all great play activities, there are endless variations you can make to this game…</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Pulling the plastic Easter Eggs apart and putting them back together (tricky!) is a fantastic way for kids to strengthen fine motor skills.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Try hiding little toys and other objects inside of the Easter eggs for a great language building game. Little ones will be fascinated as you pull toys out of the eggs and tell them the names of the things you find. Beginning talkers will delight in telling you what they’ve discovered. And older kids will love the challenge of trying to guess what’s inside the egg before they open it.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">When your munchkins grow tired of playing in the hay, throw in a fun sensory twist. Try hiding Easter eggs in a container full of uncooked rice, cornmeal, puffed wheat, or even some fabulously fun and slimy goop (<a href="http://joyful-mommies.blogspot.com/2010/10/great-gobs-of-goop.html">click here for goop recipe</a>). Happy Easter egg hunting, everyone!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><br />
</div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-72161036872330210282011-04-03T15:09:00.000-07:002011-04-03T15:12:54.274-07:00Earth-Friendly Spring Flowers<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">My hubby and I married young, and as ours was the first wedding among our circle of friends, we were blessed with an abundance of wedding showers – seven, to be exact. And it was at those wedding showers that I first earned my reputation as a tissue paper hoarder. As a general rule, I detest wastefulness, and couldn’t bear the thought of piles and piles of perfectly good gift wrap and tissue paper simply being thrown away. So my guests were forced to sit patiently as I carefully unwrapped each gift, painstakingly sorting and folding every salvageable morsel of gift wrap.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">By the time my daughter arrived ten years later, my friends and family were well aware of my gift wrap salvaging obsession. And at each of my three baby showers, a paper-folding assistant quickly materialized by my side. There have been a few giggles at my expense. But I remain proud of my meticulously folded gift wrap stash, which over the years has saved me considerable money while keeping all of that unnecessary waste out of the landfill.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Now that my daughter is an expert gift-unwrapper, there is nothing at all meticulous remaining about my stash. Tissue paper is crumpled. Gift wrap is shredded. But all is not lost! I recently separated out all of the truly mangled bits, and put them in a large box in our craft supply cupboard. There are endless craft projects just screaming to be made. But we started with a simple one, perfect for spring…</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPG_icqDtx8xdGqM2dbRoIUhUq1e5FtNTM6ukmdh1bV0lFnGlbnI5ff6RREict4KNzGCjkTcPObtRfOVSNSQERTwe2p-Isb2tVo_s4Q_C4foOhwUIODevmLkzgMe9v9shVvw37nNpemuc/s1600/October+2010+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPG_icqDtx8xdGqM2dbRoIUhUq1e5FtNTM6ukmdh1bV0lFnGlbnI5ff6RREict4KNzGCjkTcPObtRfOVSNSQERTwe2p-Isb2tVo_s4Q_C4foOhwUIODevmLkzgMe9v9shVvw37nNpemuc/s320/October+2010+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em>You will need:</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em>Construction paper</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em>OR for an environmentally friendly twist, reuse backs of printer paper or empty cardboard packaging</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em>Tissue paper in bright colours (used, of course – the more crumpled the better!)</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em>Crayons or felts</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em>Twigs</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em><a href="http://joyful-mommies.blogspot.com/2010/10/sticky-without-icky.html">Non-toxic craft glue</a></em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Tissue paper flowers are so easy to make that even the tiniest of tots can do it. We drew on leaves and stems with crayon, but for a fun and authentic touch, go for a walk and collect some real twigs to use as your flower stems (collecting the twigs will likely be the most fun part of this activity!). If you are attempting this craft with a toddler, or just don’t want your child exposed to all of the chemicals in craft glue, try using my <a href="http://joyful-mommies.blogspot.com/2010/10/sticky-without-icky.html">incredible edible craft glue recipe</a> – it really works! Be sure to sit down with your child and join in on the fun of this super simple, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly spring craft activity. Enjoy!</span></div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-68707202505767539472011-03-29T20:44:00.000-07:002011-03-29T20:44:25.851-07:00Healthy Honey Muffins<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">As a follow up to my last post on the <a href="http://joyful-mommies.blogspot.com/2011/03/pythons-and-sweet-treats.html">ickyness of refined sugar</a> for mommies, daddies and kidlets alike, I wanted to follow up with at least one of the yummier “ick-free” recipes I’ve discovered. This basic muffin recipe is healthy and delicious, and there are endless variations you can use to keep things interesting…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><strong>Healthy Honey Muffins</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em>You will need…</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">2 cups whole wheat flour</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">3 ½ teaspoons baking powder</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">½ teaspoon salt</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">1 beaten egg</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">¾ cup milk</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">½ cup liquid honey</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine (or substitute 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce for lower fat muffins)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Create a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, combine wet ingredients in a medium bowl, and pour wet ingredients into the well. Stir until just combined (do not over stir). Fill greased muffin tin cups two thirds full, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">There are endless variations that work with this recipe. Use your creativity, or throw in roughly ½ cup of one of the following…</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Raisins</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Finely chopped apple sprinkled with cinnamon</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Finely chopped pear sprinkled with nutmeg</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Fresh or frozen blueberries</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Fresh or frozen raspberries</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Fresh or frozen cranberries</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em>Helpful Hint:</em> If you don’t already own a mini-muffin tin, they are a must-have in any home with children. Kids are fascinated by all things miniature, and you’ll waste less food as the portion size is more appropriate. I pop a few mini-muffins into a ziplock bag in my purse – a convenient, healthy little snack for kids when you are out and about. Enjoy!</span></div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-31672084059152653892011-03-25T16:26:00.000-07:002011-03-25T16:26:21.940-07:00Pythons and Sweet Treats<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">This morning my munchkin and I went on a little outing to our local wildlife park. And as the early spring weather proved rainy and cold, we spent much of our time exploring the delightfully warm reptile pavilion. We happened to time our arrival perfectly to attend the reptile show, the highlight of which was a large python that the children were given the opportunity to touch. Now, I’ve never been one to run away screaming at the sight of a spider or even to harbor any real fear of snakes. But when the zookeeper approached with that big, slithery python, my stomach did a couple of nervous little somersaults, and my first instinct was to take a step back. But holding my daughter in my arms, I watched as she turned to me for reassurance, and forced myself to stand there and smile. And much to my surprise, my teeny tiny little two-year-old then confidently reached out and patted the snake, saying, “Hello python. It’s very nice to meet you!”</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwD7HOOhZw0GelIcogXjH1f2KxB-HU_qbzTI-RtYfwbUCJzhmTAuBxAIsGAFGMj0-LA1cpKeBKqdvfIyBrPOeFQu45vNGCQ5lp6nApRaOqDnvPorWlDBE-WuplZ9hKmF45jvRADeXMFY/s1600/march+2011+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwD7HOOhZw0GelIcogXjH1f2KxB-HU_qbzTI-RtYfwbUCJzhmTAuBxAIsGAFGMj0-LA1cpKeBKqdvfIyBrPOeFQu45vNGCQ5lp6nApRaOqDnvPorWlDBE-WuplZ9hKmF45jvRADeXMFY/s320/march+2011+014.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmm...Sweet Treats!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Delightful story, but what on earth does it have to do with sweet treats, you might ask. Actually, more than you might think. Watching my toddler confidently patting a python, I was reminded of how very responsible we are for setting the tone for our children. Instinctively, they look to us for guidance, and rely on us to help them as they form their outlook on the world. What a gigantic responsibility that puts on us as parents! And while they still look to us, how important it is that we not squander the opportunity!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Several months ago, my hubby became quite ill and we now observe a very strict new diet in our home. One of the things we’ve eliminated from the menu is all refined sugar – initially a seemingly insurmountable task, as I am a self-proclaimed sugar fanatic. But as the months have progressed, I’ve begun to miss sugar less and less. And when I sneak a little “treat” from time to time, I end up feeling so dreadfully ill that I often regret my choice. It is amazing the negative effect that sugar has on our bodies – an effect that often can only be really noticed when we stop pumping our bodies constantly full of junk.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">It has been a powerful wake-up call for me. If refined sugar has that sort of effect on my body, imagine what it must do to the body and mind of my tiny, still developing child. I have no intention of entirely banning her for life from every sugary snack. But I am making an even-more-conscious-than-ever effort to redefine the meaning of “treat” in our household. Cutting down on sugar doesn’t mean depriving your sweet tooth. The world is full of naturally sweet, healthy options that don’t contain any refined sugar, and will leave mommies, daddies, and little ones feeling so much better about themselves. Here are a few <a href="http://joyful-mommies.blogspot.com/search/label/Snack%20Recipes">yummy ideas</a> to replace those sugary snacks…</span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Try baking with maple syrup or honey rather than white or brown sugar (brown is just as processed and just as bad for you, contrary to popular belief). </span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To use honey in place of sugar, use 7/8 cup for every cup of sugar, and reduce the liquid in the recipe by 3 tablespoons. To use maple syrup in place of sugar, use 3/4 cup of maple syrup for every cup of sugar, decreasing the total amount of liquid in the recipe by 3 tablespoons. These substitutions work particularly well when baking muffins, loaves, and hearty cookies (such as healthy oatmeal raisin cookies).</span></div></li>
</ul><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Give your traditional peanut butter and jam sandwiches a healthy makeover. Replace peanut butter with almond butter with no sugar added, and replace jam with thinly sliced bananas or apples, or a little pasteurized honey.</span></div></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Say goodbye to Aunt Jemima and switch to pure maple syrup when indulging in a pancake breakfast. Switch to whole wheat flour and throw some fresh blueberries into the batter, and pancakes become a healthy, wholesome meal!</span></div></li>
</ul><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">If your child is a juice junkie, think about investing in a juicer and making your own healthy juices at home. Store bought juices are often full of sugar and artificial flavours and colours, and even the “healthier” juice options are really devoid of most of their nutritional value by the time they hit your child’s juice cup.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Don’t forget the <a href="http://joyful-mommies.blogspot.com/2011/01/pomegranates.html">best sweet treat</a> of all – lots of healthy fresh or frozen fruit. With the money you’ll save when skipping the snack food aisle, you’ll have lots of room in the family budget for more vitamin-packed fruits and veggies!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Happy healthy snacking, Joyful Mommies and tots! And stay tuned for some of my favourite “no-junk” treat recipes….</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-82367131849083704762011-03-24T16:35:00.000-07:002011-03-24T16:35:36.546-07:00Spring Toy Cleaning 101<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Spring is finally here, and as the brightness of the sun begins to illuminate the grunginess of your child’s toy box, perhaps it’s time to consider a little spring toy cleaning. After working for a decade in the field of early intervention and spending what seemed to be a sizable portion of that time cleaning and disinfecting toys used as part of my work with families, toy cleaning has become, surprisingly even to me, a bit of an area of expertise. As such, there are few things that bother me more now than really dirty, grimy toys…and yet they get that way soooo easily! </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://funtimebirdy.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/spring-cleaning-x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="http://funtimebirdy.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/spring-cleaning-x400.jpg" width="190" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Toy cleaning actually isn’t as straightforward as it seems, and knowing what you are doing can make this potentially very big task much simpler. So before you begin tackling a little spring toy cleaning, here are a few helpful toy cleaning tips to get you started…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Remember that not all toys are created equally, and not all toys should be cleaned in the same way!!! Generally speaking, toys can be divided into three cleaning categories:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">SUBMERGABLE TOYS – Most plastic toys, excluding battery operated toys or toys with small holes in which water can become trapped, can be submerged in water. These are the easiest toys to clean, and can be scrubbed down with dish soap and hot water, thoroughly rinsed and allowed to air dry. If you are worried about really disinfecting toys, using a mild bleach solution is most effective. And if you are looking for an easy way out, many of the studier plastic toys (i.e. nesting cups, plastic links, teething rings, etc.) can be washed safely on the top rack of the dishwasher.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">WIPE DOWN TOYS – Many toys should NOT be submerged in water as this may result in damage to the toy. Toys in this category include battery operated and electronic toys, toys with small holes in which water could become trapped, toys with stickers or paper labels, books, some wooden toys, and puzzles. To clean wipe down toys, wipe toys thoroughly with a damp soapy cloth, then again with a clean damp cloth OR use a dry antibacterial cloth OR wipe down with a cloth dampened in mild bleach solution, allowing to air dry.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">CLOTH TOYS – Most cloth toys, including stuffed animals, cloth baby toys, and doll clothes can be easily washed with a mild, baby safe detergent in the gentle cycle of your washing machine. If cloth toys are handmade, delicate, or of great sentimental value, hand washing in warm water using a gentle hand washing detergent is a better option. Allow toys to dry inside on a drying rack or outside on a clothesline. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Before returning clean toys to their rightful place, be sure to thoroughly wipe down the toy box or storage unit. And rather than just dumping all of the toys back into toy chaos, take the opportunity to <a href="http://joyful-mommies.blogspot.com/2010/09/in-celebration-of-toy-rotation.html">purge, organize, and rotate your child's toys</a> – it will save your sanity while at the same time creating a better learning environment for your child.</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">And just a few more HELPFUL HINTS:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">To get into grimy, hard to reach spaces while cleaning your child’s toys, try using an old toothbrush. If that doesn’t do the trick, use the tip of a wooden kebab stick (available at most grocery stores) to dig into all those dirty little crevices. </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">For a natural and environmentally friendly cleaning solution, try scrubbing your child’s toys using just a dish brush, water, and a sprinkle of baking powder – a great, non-toxic cleanser.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">To eliminate germs from a hard-to-wash stuffed toy, simply wrap the toy in a plastic bag and pop into the freezer overnight.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 18pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Happy toy cleaning, joyful mommies!!!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-1784168249068305162011-03-17T23:14:00.000-07:002011-03-17T23:14:17.018-07:00Dinosaur Princess Cupcake Tower<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Today was cake baking day at our house, as we prepare to assemble FIVE choo choo train birthday cakes, complete with tracks, tunnels, and mountains, for a very special upcoming birthday. And as the sweet smell of confetti cake wafts through my kitchen, I am reminded of the fact that I haven’t yet posted anything about our last birthday cake adventure…The successful creation of our sparkly, dinosaur birthday cake cupcake tower! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8qRzMofKp0gLQiZnxBfeahO5GBff6kmg5JF6PSASNpBp8w2cnm2YAN5a1BJGiIFsFp88CCBRWfOk4F57VHGis4Wn4RAyBJzyyolwX2eiYkhOyT2vLGiHXYT0dRWf08ElaNgw3YtpCfM/s1600/December+2010+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8qRzMofKp0gLQiZnxBfeahO5GBff6kmg5JF6PSASNpBp8w2cnm2YAN5a1BJGiIFsFp88CCBRWfOk4F57VHGis4Wn4RAyBJzyyolwX2eiYkhOyT2vLGiHXYT0dRWf08ElaNgw3YtpCfM/s400/December+2010+040.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">We threw a dinosaur-themed birthday party for our two-year old daughter this year (little girls love dinosaurs too!), but still wanted her cake to have that girly, princess touch. We based the theme of the cake on four brightly coloured, polka-dotted, wind-up dinosaurs that we found in a quaint little toy store featuring hard to find and retro-inspired toys. We followed that discovery up with a trip to the cake decorating store (an absolute MUST if you want to find easy ways of making your cake a stand out). We used brightly-coloured icing, coordinating polka-dot cupcake liners, some pre-made sugar flowers, and the ultimate secret weapon for any truly magical birthday cake fit for a princess – sparkle sugar! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Although cupcakes are more work than they may initially appear (it takes longer to ice multiple cupcakes than just one large cake), when arranged on a cupcake tower (which can be rented, but are fairly inexpensive to buy) they really do look impressive. We chose to make the top layer of the tower a small, individual cake, which allowed us room for a little dinosaur scene and that all important birthday candle. This cake was probably the easiest and least labour-intensive of any we’ve made over the past several years, but still had the wow factor we always try to go for. Hope you’re inspired…</span></div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-81520388786633432982011-03-15T16:15:00.000-07:002011-03-15T16:15:46.654-07:00All Things Green<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">It started with just a simple gift – five little plastic bracelets, made of clear tubing filled with water and green sparkles, purchased at the dollar store for 50 cents apiece. Thirteen years ago this St. Patrick’s Day, I was caring for five little girls under the age of six. On my way to their house, I saw the green bracelets while shopping at a dollar store, and picked them up on a whim. The girls, of course, were thrilled with the gift, and became quite suddenly convinced that St. Patrick’s Day must be something very special. And never one to pass up on a little child-like wonder, I determined that it would be. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.free-slideshow.com/stock-photos/rain_drops/rain-drops-on-green-leaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" q6="true" src="http://www.free-slideshow.com/stock-photos/rain_drops/rain-drops-on-green-leaves.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">So I made up a story about a land in which princesses wore magical sparkle bracelets. And about how those magical bracelets could turn the whole world green. And while the wonder of the story still danced in their eyes, I bundled all of the girls up into coats and boots, and very ceremoniously placed the bracelets on their arms. We headed out the door for a walk, two six-year-olds and two four-year-olds holding hands, and one toddler in my arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And within moments the older ones were shouting, “Look! We turned the grass green! And the trees green! And the leaves!” They were so entertained that we walked longer and farther than we ever had together, all of the older girls completely absorbed in the game, and the littlest one thoroughly entertained by the excitement of it all. At the end of that magical St. Patrick’s Day walk, one of the four years olds leaned back and smiled in satisfaction, “I never knew there was so much green in the whole wide world! I think this day is wonderful!” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">And it was.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">This year, I’m planning to take a little colour walk with my own munchkin on St. Patrick’s Day, and to look for all things green. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to find any magical green sparkle bracelets at the dollar store today. But if not, any little gift will do. A dollar store ring, a treasure bucket, a pair of mittens or a little green hat…Kids can find wonder in anything. And that’s the most magical thing of all…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-12505787855249509422011-03-08T16:46:00.000-08:002011-04-03T15:13:55.992-07:00Make-Your-Own Memory<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">When I was a little girl, my sister and I had a game called “Baby Animal Memory”. It was just a set of little cardboard squares, pale blue on one side with sweet little cartoon drawings of animals on the other. The object of the game was to turn all of the cards face down, turning up two at a time and using your memory to find matching pairs of baby animals. We loved that game and played with it for hours. The baby bunnies were my favourite, and I can remember what they looked like even now. Thinking of that makes me smile. I love those kinds of memories.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">A set of “Memory” cards is the perfect, portable activity for keeping kids entertained on the go. I keep a little set of homemade Memory cards in a ziplock baggie in my purse, pulling them out on occasions when we need to happily occupy some time, such as while sitting in a doctor’s waiting room or waiting for our meal at a restaurant. Of course, “Memory” in a classic sense is a fairly challenging game. But there are endless variations that will help keep even the tiniest kidlets entertained…</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Babies will enjoy looking at the pictures, and listening as you tell them the names of the pictures (a great way to build language skills)</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Toddlers – give your child one picture, and ask them to find one that is the “same” from three or four pictures arranged face up in front of them. As they catch on to the concept, try seeing if they can find a match when there are more cards to choose from.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Bigger kids – Play the traditional way, with cards face down. The older the child, the more cards you can put out to choose from. A fun challenge even for mom and dad!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Any age – Have your child line up several of the cards in a row in front of you. Then tell your child a story based on the pictures in the order they’ve arranged them. Or if your child is older, have them tell you the story.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">And why go out and buy a Memory game when making your own is not only easy and budget-friendly, but also makes a fun craft activity to share with your child! To make your own Memory game…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">You will need…</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Sturdy paper such as cardstock – should be dark in colour so pictures don’t show through</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Two sets of the same pictures – i.e. two identical catalogues, magazines, or flyers</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Scissors</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Glue</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Begin by cutting out a set of evenly sized squares from the paper (as many as you think you’ll need). Remember that the cards need to look identical on the back side, so be sure to choose plain paper. Then choose a set of matching pictures to cut out. The pictures can be of anything you think your child will be interested in – animals, vehicles (magazines are good sources), toys, household items (catalogues are good sources), food, articles of clothing (flyers are good sources), or even of familiar people and places (simply develop doubles of some of your favourite family photos). If your child is older, have them help you cut out the pictures. Or if they are younger, have them help you glue the pictures to the paper squares. Allow to dry and you have your very own homemade Memory game, sure to help you make lots of happy memories with your little ones!</span></div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-13195243639774536922011-03-03T20:57:00.000-08:002011-03-08T16:50:47.620-08:00Lovely Leaf Painting<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">My munchkin and I attended one of our favourite playgroups this morning, and she had even more fun than usual thanks to the fantastic art activity we had the opportunity to participate in. It was one of those oh-my-goodness-this-is-so-simple-I-can’t-believe-I’ve-never-thought-of-it moments for me, so just in case you haven’t thought of it either, I’ll pass it along to you…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">You will need:</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Washable, non-toxic paint (any colour)</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Large, shallow dish for paint (a disposable lasagna pan would work well)</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Large pieces of paper</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Assortment of small branches and twigs with leaves attached</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAk-PuPvqv7Lcb2FX6v6XXam82u_nspYVBx_Gj9ROlkt0Vyyg8EApQfmgyieq3iEAykVTgjsfTT5B_3vDg4f8CovnM-Y81jZlGYmBiZlgf8nlTgWPT01F2x2RKSTo1KqWnMGVE4fJxzE/s1600/February+2011+zoo+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAk-PuPvqv7Lcb2FX6v6XXam82u_nspYVBx_Gj9ROlkt0Vyyg8EApQfmgyieq3iEAykVTgjsfTT5B_3vDg4f8CovnM-Y81jZlGYmBiZlgf8nlTgWPT01F2x2RKSTo1KqWnMGVE4fJxzE/s320/February+2011+zoo+016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Simply put a shallow layer of paint at the bottom of the container, then show your little one how to dip the twigs, leaves and branches and use them to create a work of art on the paper. Gathering twigs and branches together may well be the very best part of this activity, so bundle up and head out for a walk. As spring approaches, leaf hunting walks could become an entertaining and ever-changing part of your week!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Helpful Hints:</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">This is a messy activity by nature, so depending on the set up of your art area (and on your tolerance for mess!) you may want to take steps to <a href="http://joyful-mommies.blogspot.com/2010/11/no-stress-mess-sequel.html">protect your table</a> from becoming part of the masterpiece.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">To prevent art paper from sliding around, try taping the paper to the table with a little bit of masking tape. You’ll reduce the amount of mess while at the same time reducing the frustration level of very tiny artists.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">This is a lovely multisensory experience for kids! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to promote your child's language development by talking about the colour of the paints and the leaves, the look of the patterns created by different kinds of leaves, the feel of the twigs, and the smell of freshly picked branches. Happy creating!</span></div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-52879432230636465252011-02-24T14:50:00.000-08:002011-02-24T14:58:53.318-08:00All-By-Myself Buns<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">This is one of those great two-for-the-price-of-one deals: a super fun activity to engage your little one, and a yummy, nutritious snack idea all rolled into one. I love this activity/recipe because it requires almost no prep work, makes very little mess, and is actually very healthy. My daughter LOVES making her own goodie-stuffed buns, and gobbles them up when they are finished baking (and my munchkin is generally more of a picker than a gobbler!). She’s taken to calling them “All-By-Myself-Buns”, a name that has stuck around our house. Hope you and your munchkins enjoy the idea too!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">You will need…</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Bun dough - any of the following will work...</span></i></div><ul><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Pillsbury-type refrigerated bun or biscuit dough</span></i></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Store-bought freezer bun dough (preferably whole wheat), defrosted</span></i></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Homemade whole wheat bun dough (actually very quick and easy if you use a breadmaker)</span></i></div></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Filling – use the following ideas or make up your own..</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Peanut or almond butter and jam</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Cream cheese with mashed bananas or berries (have your child help you mash the fruit and combine with the cream cheese) </span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Cheddar or mozzarella (cut into small cubes)</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Other filling of your choice</span></i></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDHaah13hicZTd_KR_23Qr6i0eFUlJLvx83IpLJhaIybgVOqNSc3Ixi_6tqbvhSf3pnXfQwVemGbfXW4RzhZYJQx_ZRF7RgNWbwWQMJVjsJlVoFr3dFllVQMJfX1PAU528PHJ6C8PYPE/s1600/February+2011+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDHaah13hicZTd_KR_23Qr6i0eFUlJLvx83IpLJhaIybgVOqNSc3Ixi_6tqbvhSf3pnXfQwVemGbfXW4RzhZYJQx_ZRF7RgNWbwWQMJVjsJlVoFr3dFllVQMJfX1PAU528PHJ6C8PYPE/s320/February+2011+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying a cream cheese and blueberry bun</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Give your child a ball of dough and show them how to pat it out into a flat pancake shape on a greased pan. Next, show them how to arrange or spread your chosen topping in the centre of the dough. Then step in to help, folding the corners of the dough into the centre, pinching shut, and placing pinched side down on the baking sheet. Bake according to directions for the dough you are using, allow to cool, and enjoy!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-21339371709358484752011-02-21T15:41:00.000-08:002011-03-17T16:04:12.999-07:00Adventures in Grocery Shopping - Part 2<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Today was grocery shopping day, and I am pleased to report that for the first time in a long while, my secretly-observe-other-mommies-grocery-shopping experiment (to read more <a href="http://joyful-mommies.blogspot.com/2011/02/adventures-in-grocery-shopping-part-1.html">click here</a>) revealed something truly wonderful. A mom with three little ones was circuiting the store in the opposite direction that I was, so I had the privilege of passing her in almost every aisle. And I say privilege because it truly was. Her cart was overflowing with groceries that almost obscured a smiling little boy, roughly two or three years of age, inside of the cart. A baby about twelve months old sat buckled into the seat. And a little girl of about four or five walked beside the buggy. This mom had her hands full, no doubt about it. And watching her shop was a thing of beauty.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Each time I passed her in an aisle, she was happily chatting with her three children. Asking them questions. Listening to their answers. She was so animated in her conversation with them that it was no wonder her little ones were captivated – even the passersby were. At one point I watched her acting unabashedly silly, her three little ones giggling away as she all the while continued to fill her cart. It was clear that she was in the midst of a monumental juggling act, yet she was the picture of grace under pressure. Her interaction with her cart full of kiddies was so lovely to watch that I meant to say something to her about it (recognition for a job well done is something moms don’t get nearly as often as they should), but she eluded me in the checkout aisle.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">I was so happy to observe lovely, engaging shopping mom today. Because as I’ve conducted this little experiment on my own over the past few months, I’ve observed other approaches far more often, as I’m guessing you may have too. A sprinkling of nagging. A smattering of scolding. A whole lot of rushing and hurrying. And many well-intentioned, busy moms, trying their best to get their shopping done, paying more attention to the items on their list than to the munchkins in their carts. Until, of course, those munchkins start wailing, or running away, or toppling a tidy display (things that bored munchkins do very, very well). And then a return to the nagging and the scolding.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Now don’t get me wrong, I totally get it. On days when I am tired or rushed or otherwise not at my best, the last place I want to be is at the grocery store. And it can be tempting to just rush on through, eyes on the checkout aisle. But one thing is true without fail – When I am not at my best, grocery shopping doesn’t go as smoothly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Our little ones look to US for cues about how to act and how to feel about the situations they encounter. They bring their own unique style and approach to it all (more on that next time), but we are the ones who set the tone. Every aspect of parenting is a dance between a big parent and a tiny little dance partner (or a whole cart-full of dance partners, for those who are so blessed). Grocery shopping is no different. My daughter brings her feisty little personality, her stage of development (totally and wholeheartedly TWO), her little body bursting with energy, her mood of the day, and many more things to the dance. So if I am to lead well, I had better be prepared, and suit up in my very best dancing shoes (even on days when I’d rather be in fuzzy slippers). When I go into any interaction – grocery shopping included – at my best, I provide her with the best opportunity to do her best. And isn’t that what joyful mommyhood is all about?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">So here’s your next challenge: The next time you head out the door to go grocery shopping, try a quick little mommy-check. Take a few deep breaths. Relax. Determine that you will have FUN with your child while shopping. And determine that you will devote more attention (negative attention such as nagging and scolding does not count) to the munchkin in your cart than to the items on your list. I try to think of grocery shopping as a fun morning out with my little one, putting myself in the same mindset as I would when attending playgroup or a fun parent and tot activity. As with almost anything in mommyhood, attitude makes a HUGE difference, and sometimes all it takes is a little reminder to get back on the right track.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Of course, attitude is only the beginning, so hang in there for more in this little series. Still to come:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Your Unique Munchkin</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"> - What your child brings to the equation, and how to adapt according to your child’s unique style.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Grocery Shopping Tool Kit</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"> - Tried and tested tips for making every grocery trip better!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">HELP!!!</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"> – How to change patterns that aren’t working.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Smiles in Every Aisle</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"> – Grocery store games and activities.</span></div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-89335896077153119562011-02-16T14:57:00.000-08:002011-02-16T14:57:17.666-08:00Perfect Puffy Paint<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My daughter and I used this super fun, sparkly puff paint to decorate our Valentine’s cards this year. And while I intended to post this recipe before Valentine’s day, alas it did not happen. But this craft activity need not be Valentine-specific, and can be enjoyed any time of the year. Like all craft recipes that I love, this puffy paint is easy to make and entirely safe and edible (they’ll taste it once but never again) for little ones.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs69nESIR1-J91ej6mK013ArXJOwVSQh1v61imEOJTwj6kXLLMDNUfHtsocWzZsi6hAOcSJ-St6e_nz2LFrBXquLXLtXrSsIz4rfn5LRji6s0R9nrxeTfeFa6pFKqZAPAA8d97Dj1vZhw/s1600/February+2011+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs69nESIR1-J91ej6mK013ArXJOwVSQh1v61imEOJTwj6kXLLMDNUfHtsocWzZsi6hAOcSJ-St6e_nz2LFrBXquLXLtXrSsIz4rfn5LRji6s0R9nrxeTfeFa6pFKqZAPAA8d97Dj1vZhw/s320/February+2011+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puffy Salt Paint</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">¾ cup salt</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">½ cup white flour</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">½ cup water</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Food colouring</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Combine salt, flour and water in a mixing bowl, adding food colouring until paint reaches your desired colour. Spoon paint into a clean plastic squeeze bottle, then show your little artist how to squeeze puff paint onto paper to create a puffy masterpiece. The salt makes the puff paint look sparkly when it dries.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Helpful Hints:</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Empty ketchup and mustard bottles work well for this project, and leftover paint can be stored in the fridge for future projects. Just be sure to label the bottles with a felt marker (lesson learned the hard way!).</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This paint is quite thick, and works particularly well on sturdier paper such as cardstock or cardboard. Try raiding your recycling bin and cutting up old cereal or cracker boxes for use as inexpensive art supplies.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Allow paint to dry overnight. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Happy puff painting!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyR_xc-FcxmVcuHUDdUTVXqx-w4jJBL_I7QxfxNCPaGZSJ4WGzZT14a5MdJHSnHkUYFHZ7PlLruh4yUEiPbF3EtRSDAcvO7Kgworsb-6_6-DaakR855WDYTflpLTDJdipl3TWBbk4IxU8/s1600/February+2011+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyR_xc-FcxmVcuHUDdUTVXqx-w4jJBL_I7QxfxNCPaGZSJ4WGzZT14a5MdJHSnHkUYFHZ7PlLruh4yUEiPbF3EtRSDAcvO7Kgworsb-6_6-DaakR855WDYTflpLTDJdipl3TWBbk4IxU8/s320/February+2011+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><br />
</div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-18805121692776959242011-02-06T16:14:00.000-08:002011-03-17T16:04:55.148-07:00Adventures in Grocery Shopping - Part 1<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Ah, grocery shopping. The mere thought strikes fear and dread in the hearts of parents everywhere. Working with hundreds of families over the years, it was a topic I was asked about again and again. It wasn’t exactly my area of expertise. But helping parents cope with challenges, and helping them discover ways of enriching daily routines to promote their child’s development was. So I spent a surprising amount of time throughout the course of my career discussing, problem solving, and strategizing with parents around the “issue” of grocery shopping with kids. And over time, with the help of parents and their feedback, I developed a little “grocery shopping bag of tricks”.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/50327626.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=E41C9FE5C4AA0A14139E2DD3ACDD66532E6BA103B31EC40915263277C43A88A8B01E70F2B3269972" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/50327626.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=E41C9FE5C4AA0A14139E2DD3ACDD66532E6BA103B31EC40915263277C43A88A8B01E70F2B3269972" width="206" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Now the mommy of a two year old, I’ve been pleased to discover for myself (sigh of relief) that those tricks really do work. And while grocery shopping isn’t the easiest part of my week, it is often one of the most fun parts, for both my daughter and myself (honestly – I’m not kidding!). And while we’re having fun in the grocery store, my daughter is having one of the richest learning experiences I could hope for her to have.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"></span><a href="http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/50327625.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=E41C9FE5C4AA0A14139E2DD3ACDD6653763F133DDB0DC0BC2933E72B951AA7F0B01E70F2B3269972" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="248" src="http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/50327625.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=E41C9FE5C4AA0A14139E2DD3ACDD6653763F133DDB0DC0BC2933E72B951AA7F0B01E70F2B3269972" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Now by this point, many of you are (justifiably) rolling your eyes. Grocery shopping with little ones is TOUGH. I totally get it. And I agree. BUT – and here’s the important point – it can always get better. Of the many families I worked with on this issue over the years, there wasn’t one I can recall who was not able to make some improvement to this necessary family routine. It may never end up being the best part of your week. But it doesn’t have to be the worst.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/50327627.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=E41C9FE5C4AA0A14139E2DD3ACDD66533F78EF76801D03BEC82277F462B691EBB01E70F2B3269972" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/50327627.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=E41C9FE5C4AA0A14139E2DD3ACDD66533F78EF76801D03BEC82277F462B691EBB01E70F2B3269972" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">So because this is a big topic, I plan to chat about it in several parts – kind of a continuing series on the joys and pitfalls awaiting you up and down the aisles. But as I leave you waiting in breathless anticipation, a little homework assignment for you…</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/82495745.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=B5384F3B2A5A9842EA52C71B6FFFB881A6E1CA38E18B082240E5E1F94A075DF1E30A760B0D811297" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="215" src="http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/82495745.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=B5384F3B2A5A9842EA52C71B6FFFB881A6E1CA38E18B082240E5E1F94A075DF1E30A760B0D811297" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">The next time you go grocery shopping, pay attention to the parents you see shopping with their little ones. Watch (but subtly – the last thing a harried parent needs is a gawking stranger on top of everything else!) to see how they are engaging and interacting with their child. Listen (subtly!) to their conversations. Observe their body language. If you were a little person strapped against your will into their cold metal cart, would you be captivated by the experience they were sharing with you? Enchanted by the sound of their voice? Fascinated by the rich and colourful world they were helping you to explore? Hmmmm….</span></div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-30427144380781406492011-01-31T15:37:00.000-08:002011-01-31T15:37:40.745-08:00Pomegranates!!!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Like any mommy of a somewhat picky, tends-to-eat-like-a-little-bird toddler, I am always looking for new, healthy snack ideas. And this particular super food has become such a smash hit in our household that I simply had to share the “idea” with you…</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sbsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/pomegranate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="http://www.sbsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/pomegranate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">I share this only because unlike other fruits and veggies, the lovely pomegranate does not seem to be a fruit that most mommies (including myself, for a while) consider trying with little ones (I mentioned the idea at playgroup the other day and the other moms looked at me like I was cuckoo!). I’ve happily discovered, though, that it about as close to the perfect snack food a mommy could hope to find. SUPER healthy, delicious, fun, and convenient. My daughter loves the brightly coloured, bite-sized little seeds, and gobbles them up as though they were candy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">If you don’t eat pomegranates regularly, getting at those shiny little gems inside can be a bit of a challenge. So here are a few tricks to try…</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">As with any fruit, be sure to wash the outer peel before cutting into it with a knife. I just use a little baking soda (a totally safe, natural cleanser) and scrub with a brush under warm water.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">To avoid wasting seeds, don’t cut right into the pomegranate. Rather, use a sharp knife to divide the pomegranate in quarters, cutting just through the peel but not into the centre of the fruit. Then simply break the pomegranate into pieces along the cut lines.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">To get at all those yummy little seeds, submerge the pomegranate in a bowl of cold water. The water will prevent pomegranate juice from spraying all over your walls (those tiny little seeds are juicy and can really make a mess!). As an added plus, the white pith will separate from the seeds and float to the top of the water.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">And the best news about the juicy, delicious pomegranate? Mommies can dive into their little ones’ snack food and gobble it up by the handful without even the tiniest bit of guilt. Enjoy!</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-28483282106779366622011-01-20T14:43:00.000-08:002011-01-21T21:25:41.353-08:00Wrapping Tube Racers<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Ok, so Christmas is well past, and if you are a very organized mommy, all of your empty wrapping paper tubes may have already found their way into the recycle bin. But if you are like me – mostly organized, most of the time – you may still have a few kicking around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tubes or no tubes, your kids will LOVE this activity, so keep it in mind for the future…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Working for a decade in the field of early intervention, the single best toy I ever discovered was a clear plastic tube with a set of balls inside of it. Those ball tubes were like gold in my office – consultants and therapists stealthily hid them under desks and guarded them with their lives – and for good reason. Kids LOVED them, and they could be used to promote almost any learning goal we were trying to help the family attain. When the ball tubes stopped being made, my colleagues scoured ebay and second hand stores to find just one more treasured tube. And yet, the professionally agreed upon single-best-toy-ever-made is only as far as your next empty tube of gift wrap!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">To recreate this fantastic toy at home, collect several small balls (ping pong balls, golf balls, and small bouncy balls all work well - just be sure to supervise babies and toddlers), and spend time with your child putting balls into the wrapping paper tube and watching them roll out of the other end. Sounds simple. But the learning benefits of this activity are literally endless. Here are just a few ideas to get you started…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em>Babies and Toddlers…</em></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Use a shorter tube (i.e. paper towel or toilet paper roll) and show your baby how the ball goes in one side and rolls out the other. Promotes learning in the areas of cause and effect and object permanence (the understanding that the ball still exists even when your child can no longer see it).</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Encourage your child to practice dropping the ball into the tube. Promotes fine motor development, purposeful release of objects, relational play (learning to use objects together in different ways, such as putting one object inside of another) and shape matching (matching a round ball to a round hole).</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Sit on either end of the tube and take turns rolling the ball back and forth. Teaches turn taking and cooperative play.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Use simple, repetitive language to describe your play. For example, say “ready, set, GO!” each time you release the ball, then pause and wait for your child to say “go” – a great activity to promote language and communication skills.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><em>Older Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Big Kids…</em></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Swap the balls for small toy cars and use two tubes rather than one to have “races” with your child. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A fabulously fun activity that promotes togetherness. Great for promoting cooperative play (playing together rather than alongside) with friends or siblings.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Introduce concepts such as fast and slow, forward and backwards, stop and go. Not only is this great for language learning, but your child will challenge their gross motor and fine motor skills trying to control the speed and direction of the car inside of the tube.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 18pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Helpful Hint:</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 18pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">We have a long piece of plastic tubing (left over from the construction of our house) that we now use as a permanent “ball tube” in the basement. It never gets crushed like a paper tube eventually will, and it is my daughter’s absolute favourite toy!</span></div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-4481941516846912862011-01-06T14:11:00.000-08:002011-01-13T20:06:08.847-08:00The Joy of Less<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">I love rotating my daughter’s toys, and find it a wonderful way to make the most of the toys we have while at the same time <a href="http://joyful-mommies.blogspot.com/2010/09/in-celebration-of-toy-rotation.html">minimizing toy chaos</a> in our home. But last month, rather than rotating, I chose to just simplify. Christmas was coming. And a big birthday party the week before Christmas. So I knew that an abundance of new toys were likely to find their way into our toy box. Intending to just create some space in anticipation, I put away at least half of the toys I had out for my daughter to play with. Standing back to survey my work, I began to have second thoughts. I am a firm believer that less can be more when it comes to toys. I rotate toys frequently, but at any given time only a small percentage of the toys we actually own are out in the toy box. So following my pre-Christmas toy purge, the toy box looked pretty empty. Slightly worried, I told my husband that I’d bring some toys back up from the basement in the morning.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Well, morning arrived. And my little princess took one look at her only-half-full-toy-box…and literally jumped for joy. Suddenly able to SEE every toy in the box, she happily sorted through and thoughtfully chose her toys. For days afterwards, she played more contentedly than I think I’ve ever seen her play. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Now Christmas has passed and the toy box is overflowing once again. And while my munchkin is delighted with all of her new toys (as am I – I am such a toy fanatic), we are bordering on sensory overload once again. So today is toy sorting day, and most of the toys will be put away, to be brought back into the rotation in weeks to come.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Did you know…</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Too many toys can be distracting for young children, taking away from their ability to focus on an activity. Fewer toys and a less cluttered environment allow kids the opportunity to really attend to and concentrate on a task, while at the same time encouraging more creativity with and in depth exploration of the toys available to them.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">The less a toy does (i.e. the less flashing lights, music, etc.) the more your child is required to do, generally speaking making <a href="http://joyful-mommies.blogspot.com/search/label/Homemade%20Toys">SIMPLE TOYS</a> more beneficial for learning than fancy “bells and whistles” toys.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Creating a good storage system makes toy rotation much easier. Many stores put storage bins on sale in January, so now is a great time to revamp your toy storage system!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Thinning out your toy supply can be a great lesson in sharing. Have your child choose a few toys to pass along to a friend, or to donate to a program that helps kids in need.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmA842Ke0RycwvTh5ALNLPZalJCCPJ_8wCNX8gwkuQP2AM0MKQ1GOafMzIe1tpe6MjObwQIaUTGPRZQfM_cj-oxigBzsJXDrlTr-bQV7uwWIstKcaaEA9AjGu71Io6PW4pk0CXTSLAb0/s1600/Smarties+Button.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmA842Ke0RycwvTh5ALNLPZalJCCPJ_8wCNX8gwkuQP2AM0MKQ1GOafMzIe1tpe6MjObwQIaUTGPRZQfM_cj-oxigBzsJXDrlTr-bQV7uwWIstKcaaEA9AjGu71Io6PW4pk0CXTSLAb0/s1600/Smarties+Button.png" /></a></div></div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-49475236126469563122011-01-04T16:35:00.000-08:002011-01-04T16:35:35.651-08:00Life As Usual<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Life as usual…It’s the joy of January! After two months of chaos in our household – all of November with my husband in hospital, and all of December with him recovering at home (not to mention our daughter’s second birthday and dinosaur birthday bash, Christmas, New Year’s, and all the accompanying busyness of the holidays) – life is finally back to normal. I have never before been a fan of January. But this year, I am relishing it as though it were June…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Anyone who has ever studied child development knows the importance of routine. Routine brings order, consistency, and predictability to the life of a child, helping them to make sense of their world. But even more importantly, the predictability of a consistent routine helps little people feel safe and secure in a big and busy world. Never have I seen that demonstrated more clearly than the past couple of days in our home.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">After two months of unavoidable chaos, our return to normalcy these past few days has been met with nothing short of jubilation by my just-turned-two-year-old. Playing happily, eating heartily, sleeping (and even napping – it feels like a miracle!) soundly, the value of a routine is written all over her little smiling face.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">And it is written on mine. I am a firm believer in the importance of a routine for mommies, too. For me, it is the key to not only my sanity, but also to ensuring we are making the most of each and every precious moment. Show me a mom who is “bored” at any point of her day, and I’ll show you a mommy who hasn’t yet developed a great routine. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTi-IJJKsVIU2EPOlN1o_V6jvsHgXTOXanXwNIiG7OaxGmO4Pug7-XOySiOXhYD6VE-ahX-W0uNj_kMY3m6heuJ1CV3v8fsPhiyF_9_SDx0Zpys_ZjuZtJMojov4oU6p6xLC5yjW3pHk/s1600/December+2010+096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTi-IJJKsVIU2EPOlN1o_V6jvsHgXTOXanXwNIiG7OaxGmO4Pug7-XOySiOXhYD6VE-ahX-W0uNj_kMY3m6heuJ1CV3v8fsPhiyF_9_SDx0Zpys_ZjuZtJMojov4oU6p6xLC5yjW3pHk/s200/December+2010+096.JPG" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Joy of Order...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">And what better time than the New Year to improve a little on your routine! Now is the perfect time to find new activities to enjoy with your little one, or to discover some new ways of <a href="http://joyful-mommies.blogspot.com/2010/11/getting-connected.html">getting connected</a> in your community. And while you’re at it, why not sit down and actually think through your daily routine…What’s working? What’s not? And how are you going to change it? Being a truly joyful mommy is all about being intentional – thinking through how you are parenting, and how you will make the most of this most precious and important time in your life and your child’s. Could there be a better New Year's resolution to make? Wishing you all a truly JOYFUL 2011…</span></div></div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-38861842683040240172010-12-20T20:21:00.000-08:002010-12-20T20:21:17.733-08:00Dots of Fun<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">I love the idea of adding a homemade touch to every gift I give, and homemade gift wrap is such an easy way to do that. It’s a wonderful pre-Christmas activity to share with children of almost any age. But this particular twist works even for the tiniest of Santa’s little helpers…</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Bingo Dabber Gift Wrap</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">You will need…</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Plain brown parcel post wrap</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Bingo dabbers in your choice of colours</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Simply unroll the brown paper across a table, and show your child how to make polka dots (or for older kids, how to make polka dot patterns or pictures) using the bingo dabber. Even very young babies and toddlers can grasp a dabber and tap it on the paper (my daughter has been creating bingo dabbber art projects since roughly ten months of age). The brightly coloured polka dots result in surprisingly stylish looking gift wrap. And because it is quick and easy, you can easily create a fun and colourful roll of gift wrap in ten minutes or less!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ejHMsp1bvrp1S4ZN1Ao1xRT7BV2kZwXRA2NUTU6dtkg50_l1gV17MPXfdVeOLuGW1CqaV6HEnIeWexir4TtRlB6FpnRdDtXsFrjNgOIQgf6j3TXNkecJ4tieEK0v9H3_Ao01ltxoung/s1600/December+2010+2+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ejHMsp1bvrp1S4ZN1Ao1xRT7BV2kZwXRA2NUTU6dtkg50_l1gV17MPXfdVeOLuGW1CqaV6HEnIeWexir4TtRlB6FpnRdDtXsFrjNgOIQgf6j3TXNkecJ4tieEK0v9H3_Ao01ltxoung/s320/December+2010+2+003.JPG" width="213" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Helpful Hints:</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Plan ahead and buy coordinating ribbons and bingo dabbers. The fancier the ribbons and bows, the more impressive your gift wrap will look.</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">This is a fabulous fine motor activity for little ones at the pre-drawing stage. Just be sure to supervise closely so babies don’t mouth the dabbers.</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">This is also a great activity for preschoolers and school aged kids. For a fun challenge, show preschoolers how to create pictures using dots. Or draw out a pattern for your school aged child and have them replicate it using dots on the paper.</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Bingo dabbers don’t generally contain washable ink, so be sure to throw an art apron on your child and use the table-saving <a href="http://joyful-mommies.blogspot.com/2010/11/no-stress-mess-sequel.html">"no stress mess"</a> strategy.</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Have fun, and Merry Christmas!!!!!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-88594516662424792612010-12-19T19:50:00.000-08:002011-01-09T20:02:31.943-08:00Baked Clay Christmas Ornaments<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So it’s less than a week until Christmas, and unless you are among the super-prepared “I was finished all my shopping in July” few, this will likely be a busy week. But there is no better time than Christmas to slow down for a little while and just enjoy the moment with your little one. This baked clay recipe is perfect for making Christmas ornaments, but can be used for a fun craft activity any time of the year. My daughter (who turned two this weekend!) LOVED playing with this clay and using cookie cutters to cut out shapes. The following day, we painted our homemade ornaments and they look (while very homemade) wonderfully cheery and festive…</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Baked Clay Recipe</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4 cups flour</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup salt</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 cups water</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tablespoons vegetable oil</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and knead until smooth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Form dough into shapes or roll and cut using cookie cutters. Bake at 300 degrees for approximately one hour, or until dough appears dry throughout. Happy creating!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_b2Zhi2d3MmweDDFllo4VM_NYd3ttXLW_oLO3VdFJ1WW97VF2lXLQolPHPpnBqKuJBY1udSaQZH-xQR9q6P5DSR_1z20rAizWTpSNyBdiAuwCcj-mhmfOBase4nsvXoQbUBP5D9yc3n4/s1600/November+2010+126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_b2Zhi2d3MmweDDFllo4VM_NYd3ttXLW_oLO3VdFJ1WW97VF2lXLQolPHPpnBqKuJBY1udSaQZH-xQR9q6P5DSR_1z20rAizWTpSNyBdiAuwCcj-mhmfOBase4nsvXoQbUBP5D9yc3n4/s320/November+2010+126.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very Merry Clay Making</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Helpful Hints:</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thick dough takes much longer to bake than thin dough. For best results, roll or press dough thinly before shaping.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To make Christmas ornaments, use the end of a drinking straw to punch a hole at the top of the ornament. Once baked, thread a colourful ribbon through the hole and tie into a bow (be sure to double knot).</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Handmade ornaments make great gifts for grandparents, or can be added to gifts for teachers or babysitters. Be sure to write your child’s name and the year on the back of the ornament.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Homemade ornaments also make cute, creative gift tags. Simply paint the gift recipient’s name on the front of the ornament, or write it on using a colourful sharpie.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBF2sXCiJLeCUhleN5qMEC7ZoNcSjlR-n9Ie37jNJFWgBwa1yAz67wYco8GuRn1BmguO97jD6whBlw7Jd6V0asxEtmmybfN0iYFOr5TBs0iQQLBj97z6f4hifbtDYQAdnkv4xEhWLDYCI/s1600/November+2010+134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBF2sXCiJLeCUhleN5qMEC7ZoNcSjlR-n9Ie37jNJFWgBwa1yAz67wYco8GuRn1BmguO97jD6whBlw7Jd6V0asxEtmmybfN0iYFOr5TBs0iQQLBj97z6f4hifbtDYQAdnkv4xEhWLDYCI/s320/November+2010+134.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmassy Crafting</td></tr>
</tbody></table> </div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301307137289893512.post-18356004166819364332010-12-05T22:31:00.000-08:002011-03-17T16:51:55.257-07:00Tropical Luau Cake and Pancreatitis<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">One month ago tonight, I was in my kitchen attempting to make a festive, tropical-themed birthday cake. It had been a chaotic day, and I had run out of time to even visit the cake decorating store. So I ransacked my cake decorating box, and made my very best effort at cake decorating in a pinch. Simultaneously, my poor husband was at various intervals writhing in pain on the family room floor. With each attack, I asked the same question – “Should I be taking you to the hospital?” And with each question, the same answer – “I’m fine honey. It’s just gas.” Choosing to believe him, I decorated on.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">The following morning, tropical luau cake casting a colourful glow inside of my refrigerator, I drove my now obviously ill husband to the emergency room of our local hospital. What he had explained away as gas turned out to be something much more serious – a case of acute pancreatitis caused when gallstones completely blocked both his liver and pancreas. One month in hospital, one surgery, and a pretty rough road later, my wonderful husband is finally HOME. And boy, are we ever glad to have him back...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">So in celebration of my hubby being home and on the road to recovery, a couple of lessons learned:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">When your husband is in sick or in pain, always assume that his illness or injury is significantly WORSE than he is letting on. It seems that men hate doctors and hospitals, and avoid them whatever the cost. My dear hubby sat at home while his pancreas began literally digesting itself, not wanting to be “that guy” who went to the hospital with gas pain. Down the hall from him on the hospital ward was a man about my husband’s age. He almost died of a ruptured appendix, and told his wife it was “probably indigestion”. Next time, I’ll err on the side of caution.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">With a little creativity and a few basic supplies on hand, you can throw together a fun and festive birthday cake even in the midst of chaos. I WISH I had never made this cake. Wish I had taken my hubby to the ER instead. But the cake was made, and taken to the party in my absence. And it, apparently, was a hit. So here’s the recipe, for you to make under what I hope will be much better circumstances…</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Easiest Ever Pineapple Coconut Cake</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">I box golden cake mix, plus required ingredients </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2hyphenhyphena88DiNK5EMMKGtgUvwWAFIHD9jTdv5W3N4LktNHoAUcJt1KM6k6-9KzYL1hKU4n-79VILgQc2l-PQSy6f4fvwH4hCvXqlmgf-FBNGZizdUbg3n32lv4kvxbKmsanOzSy7RC2g9pA/s1600/November+2010+063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2hyphenhyphena88DiNK5EMMKGtgUvwWAFIHD9jTdv5W3N4LktNHoAUcJt1KM6k6-9KzYL1hKU4n-79VILgQc2l-PQSy6f4fvwH4hCvXqlmgf-FBNGZizdUbg3n32lv4kvxbKmsanOzSy7RC2g9pA/s320/November+2010+063.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">1 cup crushed pineapple</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">1 cup flaked coconut</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Prepare cake mix according to package directions, then fold in pineapple and coconut. Bake according to package directions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The result is a wonderfully moist, very tropical-tasting cake that takes almost no effort to make. A large bottom layer can be used to create the "ocean" and a smaller top layer to form a "tropical island". Decorate with any tropical-themed items you have on hand. I used some plastic palm trees and sharks and a couple of drink umbrellas, and encircled the cake plate with a couple of dollar store leis. What could be simpler!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Oh – and one more lesson “learned” (never forgotten, just refreshed). Oh my goodness, do I ever love my husband. In my totally unbiased opinion, he’s the best husband and daddy on earth. Is it ever wonderful to have him home! Welcome home, honey. We love you!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Joyful Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16503394414987446049noreply@blogger.com8