Arts and Craft: Moving picture Book

Make a moving picture book.
This is something I did many times as a child. The easiest way to make a quick picture book is to get a small notepad. Near bottom of each page make a stick figure. Change the position of stick figure on each page slightly. Have the figure run, flip, jump or dance. After making about thirty pictures, quickly flip through bottom of notepad, using your thumb. Figure will look its moving. Now that your child knows how this works they can make more elaborate moving picture books.

How to get white liquid paper or nail polish out of carpet.

To get out white liquid paper or nail polish out of carpet.
If you have a special rug let a professional deal with it. But if the rug is old or not so very special you can try this. (Make sure you have a colorfast rug. Try first in tiny corner so you don't ruin rug.) Blot a small amount of nail polish remover (with acetone) on white liquid paper or nail polish. Blot afterwards with water. Blot dry. This has worked for me.

Book Review: Brownie Groundhog and February Fox

“Brownie Groundhog and February Fox,” by Susan Blackaby. Pictures by Carmen Seqouia. Though the pictures match the simplistic story I didn’t really like this book. Sure the groundhog was cute, but she ties up the fox. Sure a fox shouldn’t want to eat a nice groundhog, but I happen to like foxes. So I was upset when the fox was sad he was left being tied up to a tree. Yes, the groundhog untied the fox, but by that time I wasn’t too keen on the book. On the up side, I liked that the book used words like grousing. This teaches kids words they might not have heard of before.

Movie Review: The Secret Garden

Movie Review: The Secret Garden. Based on the book by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Family film. Rated G. The movie starts off with Mary, a spoiled English girl, living in India with her parents. An earthquake erupts and both her parents are killed. Orphaned now Mary is shipped off to England to live with her emotionally distant uncle and complaining cousin. Though they all live in a big mansion Mary isn't happy with her situation. She meets a new friend and together with her wheelchair bound cousin, they tend a secret garden on the mansion's grounds. This garden awakens feeling in her uncle and he learns to be a better father. Sweet film. Little girls should like it.

Fun Family Activity

Kids getting bored this summer?
This is a creative idea. Get out some old magazines. Have your kids cut out lots of words from them. Then have the kids put the words in a bowl. Have the kids reach in the bowl and take out words using them to make up sentences and stories. Use the words again for new stories. Parents can join in this fun too!

Dog Days of Summer- Dog Tip

Can you lift your dog by yourself and carry them to your car? What if you had to do this in an emergency? If you can't do this all alone, talk to your veterinarian about what to do in case this occurs. Ask if they have a pet ambulance or special van, or use a pet ambulance service. If not ask for a recommendation of a Vet in case of such an emergency. Some taxis will allow dogs in their car, call ahead now to find one. Be prepared. It's nice to have a neighbor that would help you out in such an emergency, but if they aren't home have a backup plan.

Movie Review: Whale Rider

Whale Rider. Drama. Rated PG-13. Twins are born. One dies. The other one lives. The twin who survives is a girl who's born in a patriarchal society. Her tribe believes only males should rule, becoming a whale rider. The movie is about the struggles of a twelve-year-old girl who is a descendant of the ruling whale rider. She shows her grandfather and her community she has what it takes to rule. Good plot. Moving movie.

Book Review: The Boss Baby

“The Boss Baby,” by Marla Frazee. This picture book is amazingly funny! I highly recommend it for parents to be, and parents of babies. Little kids will like it too. The book is about a baby who from the moment he firsts comes to live with his parents he is the Boss. His parents are his staff who cater to his every whim. He even has staff meetings with them. Pacifiers Way Up for this book.

Car Game for Kids- Make Drives Go Faster

Car game to keep bored children occupied, or use for kids who get bored on hikes:
This game will help with children’s memory.
Start with something like this, “I went on a walk.”
Child has to say this line and add something like, “I wore some shoes.”
Next child builds on this saying, “I went on a walk. I wore some shoes. And I took some water.”
Either go to next person or go back to first person.
“I went on a walk. I wore some shoes. And I took some water. I lost my cap.”
Continue adding lines until someone gets mixed up and can't remember story.

Tip for dirty cloth car seats

Are your cloth car seats dirty from juice spills, muddy shoes, peanut butter smudges and smelly yucky stuff? Here’s what I did. I mixed a little ammonia with water. I dabbed the mixture on a cloth and rubbed the dirty areas clean. Pat dry with clean cloth afterwards. Do a test spot first! Leave doors and windows open in car for ventilation while you clean. Ammonia smells! For quick drying use a blow drier on dampish areas.

Movie Review: Overboard

Movie Title: Overboard. Comedy. Rated PG. A perfect summer movie. A spoiled rich woman, Joanna (Goldie Hawn), who treats everyone unkindly, has a carpenter, Dean (Kirk Russell), build a closet for her on her yacht. While sailing one day she falls off the yacht. Because she's not a very nice wife, her husband doesn't bother looking for her. However, the carpenter finds her. Joanna has amnesia and doesn't know who she is. Since she wasn't very nice to him, Dean takes advantage of the situation. He tells her she's his wife. Joanna, who doesn't know the first thing about cooking or cleaning, has to cook, clean and take care of Dean's unruly kids. It's pretty funny. Check it out. Kids eight and older should like it.

Help for Ant Invasion

1) Do you get ants in your dog's food dish? If so, then get a bowl bigger than your dog's food dish. Fill this bowl with a few of inches of water. Put food dish inside bowl of water. The ants don't like going over water to get to dog food.

2) Do you have trouble with ants on your counter? This trick has worked for me. Make a thin circle of salt around where you see the ants coming in. The ants don't like crossing through salt.

Read the back of your over the counter medicine

Here is tip I got from a pharmacist. Make sure you look at any over-the-counter medicine and RX medicine for possible side effects. Then if your child has a side effect you’ll know what it is from. Also, if your child has had one of side effects before you can discuss this with the doctor before giving the medicine. Also, see how old your child needs to be to take the medicine and what dosage they should have. Many over-the-counter medicines are not for children two-years-old and younger.

Movie Review: Crocodile Dundee

Movie Title: Crocodile Dundee. Comedy. Rated PG-13. Note the PG-13, it's not for young kids. Has scary crocodile scene and risqué humor. I saw this movie when it first came out and again maybe six years later, and lately. When it came out I thought the movie was cute. When I watched it again for this review I saw it was somewhat outdated and a tad slow moving (I actually had to restrain myself from cleaning a spot in the rug so I could give the movie my full attention since I was going to review it). Some movies can be outdated and still be a classic; this is not one of them. Also, maybe I've been spoiled by watching Animal Planet. Seeing a movie where the hero saves someone from a fake looking Croc doesn't do much for me now. However, the premise of the movie is solid. A rugged Australian outdoorsman who has never been to a big city goes to New York City.

The story starts off with pretty New York City journalist, Sue, going to the Australian outback to interview a safari business owner, Mick (Paul Hogan). He supposedly had a dangerous encounter with a giant crocodile in the wild, but lived to tell the tale. After following Mick to the river where the tale in happened, Sue convinces him to come to New York. This is where the movie is supposed to rise on the funny meter. A country boy adapting to a big city. The movie has its moments but I wouldn't tell people they should see it. When it first came out I did. But like I already wrote it’s dated. I wouldn't cross it off your movie rental list if it's already there. You might like it. I know I did almost twenty years ago.

How to Keep Spiders out of your House

I've done this to keep spiders from coming in through window cracks. Clean outside of the window, plus all around it, including the ledge, with soap and water. Dry areas with old shirt/rag. Next spray a wax dust cleaner on ledge and all around window. I was told this tip by someone who said spiders don't like slippery services. This does help for whatever reason.

Ice Cream Pie Recipe

This ice cream pie recipe is as easy to make as 1, 2, 3, 4. Kids love this tasty dessert and they can help make it!
What you need: Small package of chocolate cookies with cream centers; ice cream of your choice; chocolate syrup; half a stick of real butter (1/2 a cup); can of whipped cream (or a bag of it with a roseate tip); pie pan; mixing bowl; two spoons; heavy duty freezer bag; rolling pin; toothpicks; cherries (optional); sprinkles (optional); and aluminum foil.

What to do:
1- Put cookies in heavy duty freezer bag. (You want to make enough crumbs to fill bottom of pie pan one inch thick.) Seal freezer bag. Roll over it with rolling pin again and again. Add butter. Mix together with spoon. Now fill bottom of pie pan with crumbs. Next place whole cookies straight up all around edge of pan. This is nice for serving purposes because each person can have a slice of pie as big as one or one and half cookie edges.

2- Put ice cream in mixing bowl and let ice cream soften. (Do NOT mix by using a regular mixing bowl because the consistency will not come out right.) Keep hitting middle of ice cream in bowl with a hard wooden spoon to soften it. The edges will melt. Do not use this liquid. Put it in a cup and place in freezer or let your child drink it. When ice cream is soft enough put in pie pan and smooth over nicely. Your child can make funny designs in ice cream with a toothpick. Or they can sprinkle candy sprinkles on pie.

Or
3- Using the whipped cream make small quick dots all around edge of pie. Make one dot in direct middle of pie. If you know how to use a bag of whipped cream create small rosettes all around pie pan. Place one rose in middle.

4- In the dot/rose in the middle of pie place a cherry (ones with stems are nice). Drizzle chocolate syrup in an overlapping O pattern, from mid cherry to edge of whipped cream dots. Go all around pie. When done place cherries in each and every whipped cream dot/rosette. To keep ice cream pie nice looking until you eat it, put toothpicks in pie and cover with aluminum foil. Toothpicks make sure foil does not mess up ice cream pie. Place ice cream pie in freezer until ready to eat. Enjoy!

4th of July Arts and Crafts: Lincoln Penny House

Good Luck Lincoln Penny House.
What you need- 2 brown pieces of construction paper, crayons, scissors, stapler, glue and a penny.
Draw the frame of a house on one construction paper. Cut it out. Trace cut out on other construction paper. Cut this house out as well. Draw a door and windows on one house. Cut door so you can open it when it is laid on top of other brown paper (cut door on three sides). Cut windows the same way. Put plain house under house with door and windows. Staple papers together on edges. Underneath the cut out door glue a penny on it. For underneath window flaps draw a dog or children. Or draw a lantern or a candle under window flap. Child can also draw a US flag on front of house.