Father’s Day

– johanna | June 8th, 2008

Filed under: CREATING MEMORIES

Father’s day is the official day designated to give dad the recognition he deserves. Every year at our house, the kids make a card fashioned with their hand prints. It is sweet to look at the cards from the past few years to see how much the kids have grown both physically and artistically.

What kid does not love a party? Father’s Day is a perfect excuse to pull out the streamers and balloons. If you are planning to show dad how much you love him through food, we have a few menu suggestions that are kid friendly to make.

Create a tasty meal of German Pancakes and sausage links. If dad is not a breakfast person, Navajo Tacos are great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. End the meal with a special treat of ice cream sundaes.

Technorati Tags: , , , ,

| No Comments »

Little Chef

– johanna | June 1st, 2008

Filed under: CREATING MEMORIES

If your toddler is capable of getting into your cabinets, he is old enough to cook. To keep your little ones busy while you are making dinner, let them mimic you by giving them their own pot and spoon and some food to cook at the table or on the floor near you.

Technorati Tags:

| No Comments »

MEMORIAL DAY

– johanna | May 25th, 2008

Filed under: CREATING MEMORIES

Originally called Decoration Day, in honor of the soldiers who fought and died in the Civil War, Memorial Day has since become a day to commemorate Americans who have died fighting in all wars.
The first use of the name “Memorial Day” caught on in 1882. Yet, it was not declared the official name until 1967. Since May of 1971 Memorial Day has been celebrated on the last Monday of the month.

Many observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries and memorials. Every year volunteers place an American flag on each grave in the National Cemetery. Friends and family members gather to continue the tradition of decorating the graves of loved ones. Memorial Day is a great opportunity to discuss with our children the history behind the holiday as well as, the many benefits we enjoy as a result of the ultimate sacrifices of brave men and women who died defending our freedom and liberty.

In addition to honoring the memory of the military, Memorial Day marks one of the longest standing traditions since 1911, the Indy 500. It is also viewed as the beginning of summer and serves as a time for family gatherings, picnics and community celebrations.

You can start your own family traditions to make Memorial Day more than just a three day weekend.

GIVE KIDS A TASK:

– johanna | May 18th, 2008

Filed under: CREATING MEMORIES

 

I do my best to avoid taking my little ones with me to the store. If I do venture out with them in tow, it is always first thing in the morning before they get tired, right after their snack. As a mom, I am glad to see grocery stores catering more toward moms with young kids. The grocery store we go to has car shopping carts to keep kids pre-occupied. When I was growing up, the bakery gave away a free cookie. Yet, there are times they get bored with driving the fire engine and would rather help fill up the cart with whatever goodies catch their eyes, This ultimately ends in my 2-year-old screaming an aria all the way to the car.

After one disastrous trip, I remembered something a great friend once told me. She suggested that I take a picture album and fill it with pictures of my baby, but also include pictures of the foods my baby liked to eat. Then take the album with me when I go to the grocery store and help my son find the items. The next thought I had was, my kids love to help me cook and clean. At home, if they are bored, I give them a task and most of the time they are more than excited to take it on. That got me thinking.

Give the kids a task. The grocery store is a playground for learning. Let them help locate the items on your list. The kids think it is a game and what kid does not like a game of “I Spy”?  My 4-year-old son has started making his own shopping list.

Think numbers and colors, not to mention vocabulary skills. Children can learn valuable math skills when they use the scale to weigh items or count out money at the register. My kids love counting the vegetables and fruits as they put them in the bags. If you have toddlers, help them discover different textures by letting them touch an item. Teach them the name in addition to the shape and color.

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

| No Comments »

PIZZA NIGHT

– johanna | May 4th, 2008

Filed under: CREATING MEMORIES

As a young boy, my mom and Aunts would rave about my grandfather’s pizza. I asked him once how he made his pizza so “good”. He responded in a Mr. Miyagi type pearl of wisdom, “You just have to love pizza”. I took away from that a new understanding and confusion. First, I was amazed to find out that kids are not the only ones that love pizza. But if that were true, why didn’t we have pizza more often?

The real lessons came later. I realized that if you truly love something, then you will give the extra care and attention it deserves. When making pizza, or anything else, you should make it the way you like it.

When I was old enough, I went to the store and bought all the ingredients to make my own first pizza. It was awesome. It was about 4 inches thick, and wiped out my college food budget for the week, but it was the best pizza ever.

Many people love pizza. It is easy and versatile. In addition to being yummy, pizzas are fun to make, which makes it a great activity for the family. Have a house full of the neighbor kids? No problem. Let them make their own personal pizza.

Some people prefer the store bought ready made pizza crust, which is a little pricey, but it is a no fail way to go; while others may reach for the refrigerated pizza dough. Even still, there are those who enjoy making their own pizza crust. Once you determine the type of crust you want to use, the next step is the sauce. Before you reach for the stuff in a jar, try making your own. It is easier than you think. It just takes a little preparation. The great thing about sauce is you can make it the day before. Because like wine and cheese, it tastes better with age. Personally, fresh is best. But if you do not have time to peel and cut tomatoes, or have an herb garden, cans will work.

NOW THE FUN PART:

Once everything is prepared it is time to start the party. Set out the pizza crust, sauce and toppings.
Toppings can include but are not limited to:
Ham, Pineapple, cooked Bacon, cooked Italian Sausage, Pepperoni, sliced Mushrooms, sliced Olives, sliced or chopped Onions, Bell Pepper, cooked Chicken, Sliced Tomatoes, cooked Hamburger, Artichokes, Garlic, Spinach, Lots and Lots of Mozzarella Cheese (shredded or sliced)

Let the kids paint on some olive oil with a basting brush. (A moderator should portion out the olive oil and sauce for each pizza.) Then let the kids decorate their pizza with their favorite toppings.

Life lessons:
I have taught an object lesson at a few of our pizza parties. I would start out with some dessert toppings on the table. Ask the kids if they like chocolate syrup, whipped cream, or cherries. They all say “Yeesss!” and “Yum!”. Then say, “Great, we are going to make pizza today. Do you like chocolate syrup and cherries on your pizza?” The normal response has been “Nooo!” and “Yuk!”. Some of the kids may have been to a restaurant that serves dessert pizza, but we can ignore them. So the question remains, “You mean to tell me you like chocolate syrup and love pizza, but do not like them at the same time?” How can that be?

That reminds me of a saying. There is a time and a place for everything.

”Who likes to play, run and tell funny jokes?” Everyone should be saying, “Me, me, me!” Then I ask, “Are there some times when it is not OK to run, play, and tell funny jokes? Who can give me some examples of places that we should not run, play, and tell funny jokes.” Places like libraries, church, school, museums, and visiting mom or dad at work. Some places it can even be very dangerous to run, jump, and play. Sometimes it is so much fun to laugh, run, play, and tell funny jokes. And sometimes it is not OK to do those things. We can love chocolate syrup and we can love pizza, but we do not have to eat them together. So let’s have some fun and make some pizzas with only our favorite things that we like.

Submitted by my brother Todd.

Technorati Tags: , ,

| No Comments »

CREATING MEMORIES:

– johanna | April 27th, 2008

Filed under: CREATING MEMORIES

Making messes is what kids do best. As a parent, sometimes the last thing you need is another mess to clean up. Yet, we know hands-on activities, such as cooking, helping with the chores, painting, playing with play dough, and coloring, are important to a child’s cognitive and imaginative development. In addition, such activities are great for making memories.

Kids want to be like their parents; therefore, they love to mimic us pushing a lawn mower or cooking in the kitchen. Certainly there are some things little kids cannot help us with until they are older, but allowing them to help sweep, even though they leave a trail behind, empowers them and it creates a memory.

Those memories can be good ones or they can be bad ones. Water spilt, while helping you do the dishes, can be cleaned up. Flour all over you, the dog, and the house can be cleaned up. Give them a well of memories they can look back on. Say to yourself, “This is not a mess; it is a memory.”

Technorati Tags: , , ,

| No Comments »