Parenting Children

We love books in our house, I have so many I have no place to contain them all anymore. My kids have lots of books too but I don’t mind. I would rather buy them books then toys. My kids also love going to story time at our local library and our Pottery Barn Kids and it gets us out of the house.
I have compiled a list of books for your kids of all ages and their parents to enjoy during this holiday season. If you have already finished your Christmas shopping, or don’t need any more books in your house, then take them out from the library for your whole family to enjoy.

We Three Kings. Buy this book for the illustrations alone! First written in 1857, We Three Kings is one of the best Christmas carols as it tells of the wise men’s journey to visit the manger in Bethlehem.

The Christmas Story. This is the story of Christ’s birth from the bible. Again, this book has beautiful illustrations.

Olive the Other Reindeer. It really is a cute story complete with pop ups, pull tabs and scratch and sniff.

A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree. From Amazon “Feeling sad because no one chooses it as a Christmas tree, a bedraggled forest pine discovers the importance of being appreciated all year long.” A great story for kids to hear.

The Tale of The Firebird
This book is based on three popular Russian fairy tales. The artwork is stunning. This book is great for preschoolers to adults.

What are your family’s favorite Christmas or holiday books?

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Part one was safe gift ideas for girls, and now we have some boy themed ideas. All of these are safe toys that are lead free and most are made in the USA.

Have a train lover on your hands? Why not take a stroll down memory lane and get these trolleys you may remember from Mister Roger’s Neighborhood. They can also be personalized!

If you have someone at home that loves to build or loves blocks this log cabin set would be perfect. When built, this 120 piece Woodlinks set is large enough to play with your toy animals or farm gear.

My son loves all superheroes but Spiderman is his favorite. Here is a Spiderman game for kids seven and up. Battle between good and evil!

This is a starter remote control dinosaur for your dino lovers three and up. Just press the button and talk into the remote to hear your T-Rex speak, or use the controls to make T-Rex spin and move. This is a must have for $19.99!

Do you need decorating ideas for your boy’s room? This is a racetrack for any age to enjoy. It comes with toy cars to race on it. Play with your toy cars on it or just build a room theme, this is so original.

Have you heard of Zome toys? Make buildings or spheres as big as your imagination. I think I would love these.

We got this marshmallow shooter for our 12 year old nephew for his birthday and he loved it. It shoots over 30 feet, is safe but should still be used outdoors. It holds up to 20 marshmallows for rapid fire shooting. I have to say it was hard to pry away from my big kid (my husband). It is reasonably priced at $23.00.

What are your favorite picks for the boys on your holiday list this year?

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My kids are just getting into playing games on the computer. They loved the Thanksgiving and Halloween printouts and games I found for them. It surprised even me, how may things there are for them to do online, since they are only four. Here are some things I have found that I know my kids love, we love and I know you will love too.

Go check out the Northpole for fun stories and activites. While you are there send a letter to Santa.

Whether you are baking Christmas cookies, putting up the tree or doing your homework play some Christmas music. This site has a ton of free streaming Christmas music stations.

This web site has all the answers to question you may have about Christmas traditions. It has Christmas tree facts, the history of mistletoe and Mrs. Claus or find out about Christmas traditions around the world.

If you are looking for some Christmas games to keep your kids occupied while you wrap gifts, try this site or this one.

Go elf yourself! Turn yourself and up to three other people into elves that sing and dance and is truly addicting. Call in and get your voice elfed too! This is so funny, we did our whole family and sent it to all of our family.

Lastly, get some Christmas jokes for your parties this year, track where Santa is on Christmas Eve, get the real lyrics to the carols you have been singing and do some crafts with your kids.

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Are you looking for Christmas crafts for do with your kids? I know I am always looking for arts & craft activities to do with my kids during this season. Maybe you just want a new way to decorate your tree? Here are some ideas both you and your kids can do even if the weather outside is frightful.

Make edible ornaments. Buy cookies that have a cutout center. Tie with 18 inch pieces of ribbon. Fold ribbon in half, pull looped end through the cookie, thread loose ends through the loop and tie. You can make cookies just for this, or decorate store bought ones.

Add some fun to your tree. Buy different color parasols in a gift or dollar store. You know, the kind that come in fruity drinks. Clip them all over your tree with mini clothespins.

Add some fun to your indoor decorations. Buy a styrofoam wreath and two white (or any color you want) boa at your local craft sore. Use craft glue to stick the end of the boa onto the wreath. Wrap the boa around the wreath form and glue the other end. Repeat with the second boa. This looks like a feather wreath I have seen being sold in stores for $19.99!

Let your kids make their own ball ornaments. Buy plain colored ball ornaments in various sizes and colored glitter at your local craft store. Using glue make any pattern you want on the balls and then sprinkle your glitter onto them over a plastic container to catch all the extra glitter. Cover the whole ball with glitter, let your kids do their name and date or make cool patterns. This is a great keepsake and fun to make.

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I don’t know any parents or grandparents that are not concerned about toy safety this holiday season. It is on all of our minds and with over 80% of our toys being made in China, I can see why. You have to be careful of small parts, age requirements, lead paint and now GHB in our toys? During the month of December I will be reviewing and bring your ideas for kids this holiday season that are safe for both kids and babies.
Today I have ideas for the girls on your list.

My daughter loves watching me get ready for the day. She is fascinated with everything on my vanity and loves everything girly. Why not this wooden makeup playset for the little diva on your list? Made in Germany, this set includes a comb, 1 spray, 1 mirror, 1 lipstick, 1 roll-on deodorant, 1 hair dryer and 6 hair-curlers.

Little girls would love these Mary Jane rain boots. Perfect for slush, rain or a sunny day, these are adorable and affordable at $27.00.

A pram for your little one will be her best gift. It has rubber wheels, removable blue flowered fluffy cushions, blanket and a adjustable handle to grow with your child. This is pricey at $144.00 but can be a family heirloom.

I also recommend books for older girls, games for school age children and there is always stories on cds for kids.

Coming soon, safe gifts for boys this season!

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What kids aren’t fascinated by some of life’s little pleasures. I learned this early on when my children were obsessed with stickers. They still are actually, just not as much. They first became introduced to stickers when my mom would send them in holiday cards. Then they were offered some in doctors office and Whole Foods grocery store. Next they noticed them in stores by the checkout. They were enthralled. They wore them all over their clothing and all over their body. Many found their way stuck into the inside of my dryer.
When they went to school they received them as a reward for learning a new skill or for good behavior. That is when the stickers came off their body and onto ours. My husband and I needed to be adorned with them daily as well.

My kids also love cardboard boxes. I remember my Dad bringing home a large box for my sister and I. He cut out little windows and a door and it was our own clubhouse. We even have pictures of my sister napping in the box. Recently we bought the kids new car seats and they played with the boxes they came in for two days straight. They pretended to be dogs, kids with a house and Dora and Diego with a hideaway.

So do you need to buy expensive plastic toys for your kids? I know most of us will but we should remember not to throw out the box it came in. After that toys gets boring it will be the box that will hold his attention!

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Lets talk about decorating for the holidays with some easy decorations that you can do with your kids. Everyone loves garland, and you can make different garlands for your tree or home easily. If you have older kids they can do this with little to no supervision.

Everyone knows about making easy garland with red or green construction paper or fabric. You just cut strips of colored paper or fabric, loop them and staple or glue the ends together to make a paper chain. Try this with different colored papers for parties.

If you want something different to do with this idea, how about making it with candy dots? cut same size strips of dots and then tape them together. They will make the tree colorful and edible!

I remember making popcorn garland for my friend’s Christmas tree when I was a teenager. It took forever and I had many holes in my finger when I was done. What about using mini marshmallows and/or cranberries instead? It will look great and much easier for little hands to thread. If your child is too little to use a needle, you thread each piece and let the kids push it down the string!

You can always make a beaded garland. Use old beads from around your house or broken items, or buy some cheap ones at the craft store. Again, thread them into to fishing twine or thread and have the kids string them on. This would look great by twinkling lights or candles.

Do you have any holiday craft ideas that you do with your kids? Feel free to share them in the comments.

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When I came across The Dangerous Book for Boys I loved it but I wondered what happened to the girl’s book? Well Andi Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz have taken care of that, they wrote The Daring Book for Girls a companion book of sorts to the Dangerous Book for Boys.

When I first received this book I was taken by how nice looking it was, with a old fashion feel and look to it. It was gorgeous. As I read the book I became more in love, and the memories of my own childhood flooded back. Memories that maybe would have been lost, came right back to me and I wanted to share them with my daughter. Things every child of any age or adult should know how to do, like how to make a tree swing, the names of women inventors and how to build a campfire fill the pages. It is 278 pages filled with interesting facts, how tos and fun.

This book is not just for the tomboy, it has girly things to learn like how to press flowers and what games to play at a slumber party. It comes along with practical uses for the future like how to negotiate a salary and how to change a tire. I really wish I had this book when I was younger but I am glad my daughter has it so she and my son can have old fashioned, everyday fun.

With the holidays right around the corner, I think I just found my new go to item for all the girls on my list!

< em>Remember, today is the last day to enter my contest for one of two Christmas lullabye cds!

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It is coming up on that holiday season and with so many toy and baby gear recalls I am really at a loss when it comes to gifts for my kids. Of course everything on their list is made in China and I am sure will come up as poisonous to kids in a couple of months. This season I am looking to buy more arts and crafts stuff for my kids and the one thing I will never complain about buying them: books. I love books and have since I was a child, I hope I am passing that down to my children. here are three books I reviewed that is perfect this holiday season:

Olive the Other Reindeer Deluxe Edition (ages 4-8 $13.99) This tenth anniversary edition of Olive and her big reindeer dreams is my new favorite Christmas book. It is beautifully illustrated with lift the flaps, scratch and sniff and pop ups. It is so lovely and my children and I have read it at least 3 times a day since we received it!

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Junior Edition (ages 9-12 $9.99) Help a tween out with this book! It offers kid friendly step by step instructions on things like how to ace a spelling test without spell check, how to survive a school dance and how to survive being grounded. This book made me laugh and I wish I had this when I was a tween. This is my new go to book for my nieces and nephews!

Squiggles, A Really Giant Coloring Book (all ages $12.89) This was on my wish list for awhile before I actually received it. I originally wanted it for me but ended up giving it to my kids (I’ll have to get another for myself). Fun illustrations that are not finished allow the artist to finish the picture using their imagination. Color, paint or draw the colors won’t bleed through these thick pages. Keep the book and you have a keepsake of your child’s (or your) artwork forever. If you like this book (you will!) they have others to chose from.

What books do you like for kids this holiday season?

Don’t forget to enter my contest for a Christmas cd!

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Thanksgiving is next week? Wow, that snuck up on me. If Thanksgiving is next week that means Christmas is right around the corner. With Christmas decorations, music and commercials going up right after Halloween, Thanksgiving gets lost and that is a shame because it is a great holiday and you and your kids can make crafts for your home or for gifts for your guests. Here are some ideas for things to do at home for thanksgiving.

This site has a ton of Thanksgiving print outs for kids of all ages.

Make this thankful turkey craft.

Kids love to help in the kitchen, what about making these popcorn balls ahead of time with your kids. They get to make dessert and you get to have an afternoon of fun with your kids.
Caramel Popcorn Balls

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups unpopped popcorn
1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions

1. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a 4 quart saucepan, and heat over high heat. When oil is hot, add 1/2 cup of popping corn. Keep pan moving constantly. When corn stops popping, remove from heat. Place popped corn in oven to keep warm. Repeat until all corn has been popped. Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan with a candy thermometer inserted, combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Stir well and bring to boiling over medium heat. Stir in condensed milk; simmer, stirring constantly, until thermometer reads 238 degrees F (114 degrees C). Stir in vanilla.
3. Pour caramel over popped corn and stir to coat. Butter hands lightly; shape popcorn into balls about 3 1/2 inches in diameter.

Remember to enter the contest to win one of two Christmas cds. This contests ends tomorrow night!

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This is my favorite Thanksgiving craft for kids. All you will need is a few sheets of colored construction paper, ribbon or thread and branches from a tree.
Collect some small branches from around your neighborhood that will fit into one of your vases.

Next cut out of help you children cut out leaves from the construction paper big enough to write on, about 5 inches.

Have your children write what they are thankful for on each leaf.
Then punch a hole in the leaf and string ribbon through.

Hang on the branch.

This will make a great centerpiece for Thanksgiving dinner and I am sure all of their relatives will love to see how thankful your children are. Then you can save each leaf set for next year and add onto it, or save it in a dated bag and keep in a memory box.

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We are always looking for things to do with the kids that eat up some of the monotony of the day. Especially during the week when I am in the only one who is with them all day. They LOVE arts & crafts and can do an art project for hours. I try and only do projects that I want to keep not something that they spend time on and I throw it away 12 hours later, or something that is not functional. Here are some craft ideas for kids three and up:

Decoupage buckets or pails.
- Cut out illustrations from a damaged or favorite book or magazine like Highlights. Or maybe cut out handprints of your kids.
- Glue stick them on to the pail like a collage.
- Once pail is covered, brush on a few layers of modge podge
- Once dry, add your favorite pom-pom trim or ribbon
- Use this to house a gift for a grandparent. Use it to collect treasures you find outside or at the beach. What about delivering cookies or treats to a neighbor in it?

Make Crayon “Muffins”
Don’t you hate the broken or small crayons you always seem to have with the new perfect crayons? Don’t throw them away make color “muffins”

-Peel the papers off broken crayon pieces and place no more then three different colors in each cup of a mini muffin tray.
-Place in a preheated oven at 300 degrees for a few minutes and then cool.
-Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Then pop them out of the tray and you have new (to you) crayons and they are perfect shape for little hands.

Have fun!

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Halloween is today. If that catches you of guard, that may mean you are a procrastinator. I understand, holidays can sneak up on you. I have some last minute costume ideas and fun games and things to do with your kids before it is time to go out and collect all that candy.

Do it yourself last minute costume ideas:

Tourist: Get a hat, sunglasses and hang a camera around your neck

Cookie: Dress in all brown and pin felt colored circles all over to look like M&Ms

Mummy: wrap your self in toilet paper. Enough said!

Athlete: dress up in a old jersey or uniform. Bring along a ball.

If all else fails call up family members, or neighbors and ask if they have a costume that you can borrow.

How about you make masks of everyone in your family and then trade them. Be your husband or daughter for Halloween and have them be you or their brother. This could be fun all year long!

This is a great site for simulating a pumpkin carving. It kept my kids fascinated for hours. Here is another one that is better for older kids.
Ben and Jerry’s has not only recipes and crafts ideas but also print outs and games.

Remember to go over safety tips with your kids and be safe out there!
What is your favorite last minute costume idea?

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Halloween is one holiday that we prepare for but creeps up on me. The kids get wishy washy about their costumes, although this year we are doing pretty well and both kids have their costumes already. It also has been so warm here in NJ that I haven’t been in the fall/Halloween mood. Today it is finally cool and I am officially going to start doing some Halloween crafts with the kids.
I have listed some ideas here for you to do with your children to prepare for this fun season.
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Do you have a ton of apples around your house from apple picking like I do? Make caramel apples with your kids, they taste better then store bought and it is a fun thing to do with kids. Here is what you need and how to do it:

Ingredients:
4 very firm apples
2 tablespoons water
bag of caramels
4 popsicle sticks

Instructions:
-Remove stems of apples and push sticks into the apple where the stem used to be.

-Put caramels and water in a bowl and microwave at 30 second intervals until melted. Stir occasionally.

-When caramels are all melted, dip apples into the mixture and twist letting the extra caramel fall back into the bowl

-Place on greased baking sheet and cool in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

*you can also dip apples into toppings like coconut, chocolate chips, nuts or crushed candy bars. Just roll warm caramel apples in topping then place in baking sheet to cool.

I may just do this with my kids today!

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