Winter wreath craft for kids
Younger children love to learn while completing hands-on activities. As a homeschool mom, I have seen this time and time again. If you have a preschool or kindergarten age child, it is a good idea to go over the seasons with them by making a wreath. Previously, I wrote about how to create a fall wreath. Today, I'll explain how you can help your child make a wreath that represents the winter.
You will need the following items to make your homemade winter wreath:
- Paper plate
- Construction paper
- Paints
- Scissors
- Glue
Follow these steps to create your homemade winter wreath:
Step 1:
Cut the center out of a paper plate. The remaining ring will resemble a wreath. This will serve as the base of your winter wreath. Make sure younger children are using preschool scissors, which are less sharp and less likely to cause an injury.
Step 2:
Ask the kids what items they would need to dress in during the winter. They should respond with boots, a heavy coat, a hat, a scarf and some gloves.
Step 3:
Glue the circles in various places around the wreath.
Step 4:
Now ask the kids what else reminds them of winter. They might say snow, snowflakes, snowmen, hot chocolate, Christmas, a fireplace with stockings on it, Santa Clause, and even tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Give the kids time to draw these things on circles cut from construction paper. Glue them to the wreath. You may have to overlap some of the pictures.
Step 5:
Add a little red bow to the top of the wreath and then hang it somewhere in your house to remember the lesson about winter.
Homemade hot chocolate
It is about this time of year that my girls start begging me for hot chocolate. They don't want the packets either. They want hot chocolate made from scratch. It really only takes a few extra minutes to make a delicious cup of hot chocolate from scratch, so most of the time I can stop what I'm doing and whip up a pot. I should warn you before I give out our recipe that no one in your family will ever want the packet hot chocolate again.
You will need the following ingredients to make homemade hot chocolate:
- Cocoa
- Sugar
- 2% milk
- Half & Half
- Vanilla
- Mini-marshmallows
- Cinnamon
- Candy canes
Follow these instructions to make the homemade hot chocolate:
Step 1:
Pour 2 1/2 cups of 2% milk and ½ cup of half & half in a medium sized pot.
Step 2:
Add 3 Tbsp. of cocoa, and 6 Tbsp. of sugar to the pot and bring to a boil. Stir the ingredients continually.
Step 3:
Pour in 1 tsp. of vanilla and remove the hot chocolate from the heat.
Step 4:
Separate the hot chocolate into three cups. You can adjust the recipe if you have more than three people in your family.
Step 5:
Top the cups of hot chocolate with mini-marshmallows. Sprinkle cinnamon on top and hang a candy cane off to the side with the rod sticking in the hot chocolate.
Step 6:
Serve hot.
Tip: Some people like to ditch the marshmallows and use whipped cream instead. This is just a personal preference. We like the marshmallows because they begin to melt and taste great in the hot chocolate.
LeRoy Gresham & his Civil War diary
I’ve read my old diaries and journals from high school and before and there was nothing to suggest that I would continue trying to write and nothing of the sort of writing that appears in “The Daily Record,” which is the journal of a teenager during the Civil War. “The Daily Record” is now being featured in the Library of Congress as part of a larger exhibit dedicated to the Civil War.
As described in THIS, the teenager LeRoy Gresham was a naturalist, had an excellent grasp of descriptive ideas, but was a “partisan southerner” who was also a racist.
LeRoy Gresham died the same year that the Civil War ended. All of the events of the Civil War and of his smaller life are recorded as they happened are much more easily understood given the context of time. It’s hard to determine whether or not his family was wealthy from the article I read, but he did have a valet that he came to care about. Of course, the valet was actually a slave.
When LeRoy Gresham learned that the Civil War had ended, there was no CNN to let him know that the war had ended. He did not know that General Lee had surrendered until several days after the war ended. Neither did he know that President Lincoln, who Gresham referred to derogatory remarks in his journal, had died.
LeRoy Gresham’s Civil War journal also contained a great deal of sadness about the war. He wrote about the funerals and deaths of people in the town of Macon as the South lost the war.
It’s amazingly lucky that the Library of Congress still has LeRoy Gresham’s journal, which is seemingly a well-written personal account and perspective of what it is like to be living in the midst of a war in our own country. I wonder if the digital imprints and impressions will survive as long as the physical journals that once were used for historians to gain impressions and understandings once did.
And as for the quality of the writer’s written material, it appears to have been exceptionally strong and creative from an early age. The writer’s quotes within the journal sound much similar to Mark Twain’s writing, who must have been an influence to the young writer.
Five reasons I am sick and tired of money
Money seems to be the be all and end all these days. Here are five reasons why I think otherwise:
1. Greed
“Anything/anything/anything for money,” Michael Jackson once sang. Too true: I loathe and despise how big business and politicians run wild with it at the expense of the little person. Have a small business deep in debt? The local government can’t help you because of whatever nonsensical reason they have. But if you own a professional sports team and want a new stadium? “Well now, come right in and get all the money you want!” the politicians say, even if your team is the hapless, hopeless, and sleaze-ridden Minnesota Vikings.
Going back to big business and money, I know from personal experience that they don’t care a whoop about the needs of its rank and file. For years I labored at Cub Foods with my wages frozen due to being demoted to an “entry level” position without my yes or no after not making the grade in a more profitable position as a store associate working in produce. The reason they froze them: since I was switched from produce to the ”entry level” position known as “clean team,” I was therefore “over scale” wage-wise. Finally, the labor union got it untangled. When I left Cub, however, everyone was working under a wage freeze thanks to a new union contract that was voted on in 2010. The “little people” just can’t win.
2. Low supply in high demand
“The harder I work/the faster my money goes,” Elvis sang. That goes without saying: prices keep going up and up these days while the bulk of the people out there can scarcely keep up with them what with jobs being scarce, wages frozen or cut, etc.
3. It limits you and your dreams
When you live on a shoestring budget, you can only dream of taking a trip, or that expensive car or other consumer good you’d like to have but can’t afford due to your living on the poverty line. To say nothing of how it limits you from pursuing your life’s ambitions because you are stuck out harvesting crops of money instead.
4. Having no money leads to chaos
Due to a reason to be listed next, during my childhood and teenage years I endured having the power turned off multiple times, having the gas cut, and the garbage service suspended. Then when I was twenty-one my family became utterly destitute and homeless and all because of lack of money.
5. It Is a favorite tool of manipulation
However, all the times lack of money lead to the calamities listed in reason #4 was not because we could not find work or anything like that, but because my family was under the thumb of my father, a selfish, petty bully who used money to control his tortured brood day in and day out. The way he chiefly did it was by not having an honest job but instead living off of his rich father, a man who liked to play petty games with money in order to control his son. Reflecting on what his demon seed offspring did to his family, I’d say he is a chip off the old block. Quite frankly, people like them can take their money and eat it for all I care
Free sample of Airborne
Airborne is currently giving away free samples on Facebook. All you have to do is “Like” their page and then request the samples. Up for grabs is a sample of Airborne Plus Energy, Airborne Hot Soothing Mix, Airborne Chewables and Airborne Effervescent.
Each household is allowed to request the four samples just once. You must also be over the age of 18. The Facebook page says you can expect the free samples to arrive in 6 to 8 weeks, which is the standard amount of time for freebies.
After you click “Like” you will be able to click the bright purple button that says “Get 4 FREE Samples!” Then click “Go to app” and fill out your first name, last name, e-mail address, date of birth, gender, shipping address and two questions. There are two boxes at the end of the form that you can either leave checked, or uncheck them. I tend to uncheck them unless it is a company I purchase from regularly. When you are all done, click “Submit.”
You can easily share this freebie with your friends. The "Thank You" page that pops up has this option available. It is such a good freebie that I plan on sharing it. Who doesn't want extra protection from coming down with a nasty cold that can make you miss school or work.
I will say that I have taken Airborne in the past and it didn't taste bad or anything so most people shouldn't have any problem with it. I didn't get sick while I was taking it, but I can't vouch for how well it works if you are already experiencing cold symptoms. Worth a try though when you're getting the product for free!
Free Redbox game rental
I love Redbox because it is not only convenient, but also extremely affordable. The only thing cheaper than Redbox is renting videos from your local library. Redbox charges $1 per day for movie and game rentals. Game systems supported by Redbox include the Wii, PS3 and the Xbox.
Currently, Redbox is honoring a code that will allow you one free game rental anytime between now and the end of the year. All you have to do to get the free game rental is use your cell phone to text the code RENT to 727272.
Redbox will then return you a text that will contain a code you can use at any Redbox location to get the game free. You may even want to sign up for the Redbox Text Club to get even more freebies down the road. I have to pay extra for the texts I send, so I don't use this method, but it works great for individuals who have texts included in their cell phone plan.
It also pays to sign up for Redbox e-mails. The first time I did this I got a code for a free movie rental. I've gotten lots of other great deals since then. Just don't forget to confirm your e-mail after you sign up.
If you aren't sure where the nearest Redbox is, use the “Locations” tab on the Redbox homepage. They are commonly placed in busy supermarkets. We have them at both Acme and ShopRite. It is easy for me to grab a DVD at the end of my grocery trip. I love this because companies like Netflix don't have current movies, but Redbox does.
Walmart leaks Black Friday ad
I just found out that Walmart officially leaked their Black Friday ad. I was surprised to discover that they are actually opening at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving night! Maybe this is a strategy to reduce the amount of crowds that gather at 4 and 5 in the morning.
Black Friday usually produces a few big sales that you just don't want to miss out on. To view Walmart's Black Friday ad all you need to do is head to their homepage. Next, scroll down and look to the left of your screen. You'll see a block that says “Black Friday ad is here.”
Click on that block and it will take you to the Black Friday ad. This ad is 45 pages long so be prepared with a notepad and a pencil so you can jot down the products you want to pick-up. Don't wait until the day of the sale to go through the flyer.
You'll find such deals as an iPad 2 for $399 (I paid almost $200 more for mine). You can also see an HP Laptop for $279, an Xbox 360 Skylanders Bundle for $149, a Nintendo DSi XL for $99, DVDs for $1.96, kids pajamas for $4, and a hand mixer, mini-chopper and a mini crock pot for $3.88.
I suggest making your list for each store as the flyers come out. Then plan on which stores you'll attack and in what order. The order may be based on location, or time of sale. This will help to make your experience a more pleasant one. I know the crowds can be a bit crazy at times. Don't forget to be polite and don't trample anyone. Life is more important than getting a good deal!
Scared to lose weight
My sister-in-law and I have been working together for a long time to change our lifestyles and lose weight. It's been a yo-yo, like most weight loss endeavors are, but I'm proud to say that in the past year, I've made several big changes in how I treat myself and my body.
After 13 years of smoking, I've been cigarette free for almost five months. This is a record for me, barring during pregnancy. I'm immensely proud of this, and really feel like I've kicked it for good.
And, before this year, I led a consciously sedentary lifestyle. I sat at my computer or in front of the boob tube, and even snapped sarcastic jokes at those who enjoyed exercise. I'm not proud of it and can freely admit now that I was miserable. This year, however, I've taken up Zumba, which has worked wonders for my self-esteem as well as my health. It feels good to exercise, and I never thought I'd say that.
The biggest stumbling block on my quest for change came after watching a YouTube video. I often turned to YouTube for inspiration, because it felt good to see others who had turned their lives around and lost massive amounts of weight like I need to.
The thing about this particular success video that made it different was the brave woman on the screen was showing the lasting effects of what she'd done to her body by carrying as much weight as I do, and it wasn't just a few stretch marks. It was skin. Pounds and pounds of excess skin. She, like me, couldn't afford the surgeries it would take to remove the sagging skin around her waist and on her arms and thighs. It was shocking.
Since then, I've had an extremely hard time getting motivated to lose the weight. I know that my overall health and happiness would increase by losing the extra pounds, saggy skin or not. But, it's so scary to be realistic about losing that much weight and carrying around that reminder for the rest of my life. I'm trying really hard to get my head straight and get back on track, but it's hard. I'm scared to see what I've done to my own body.
Reading Pile: 11/10/12
Shadowman #1- I really like Patrick Zircher, and I feel like he's really refined his style as of late. Justin Jordan's script was well paced and fun, and as an introduction issue goes I felt it was pretty solid. B+
Detective Comic #14- I'm still enjoying Layman's plot and scripting, plus I'm incredibly impressed by Fabok's art. Also, I'm really enjoying how Layman is scripting both the main and back-up story and utilizing the back-up to flesh out the details of the main. Worth jumping on, this looks to be a fun run. A-
Before Watchmen: Moloch #1- Despite my reservations and complaints about Before Watchmen (and Straczynski), I am a sucker for a good story told from the villain's perspective. Eduardo Risso's artwork does a great job of conveying the personality and emotions of the character, so as a first issue I enjoyed the overall presentation. As with my previous complaints, there is nothing here that is necessary so I have a hard time recommending people spend $3.99 on these suckers. B
DC Comics: The Sequential Art of Amanda Conner HC- This is a bit of an odd package because it has material from all over the place and with numerous characters and writers, so the only unifying factor is Amanda Conners’ artwork. Considering that’s the point though, if you’re into her artwork then is this a good package. It’s not a complete collection though, which is I suppose is ok since I don’t believe they ever claimed it was. Considering they do give you a hefty and dense amount of reading in a nice hard cover package at $29.99, asking for more would mean a much bigger bump in price. Still, I would have hoped they would make a series of these collections, and also include her numerous covers for DC over the years. They do give you a chunk of covers in the back, but they shrink them down and shove four of them on one page. That always bugs me in art books as it comes off as cheap. Considering someone thought that a certain image was good enough to be used to sell an entire comic at one point, it should be reprinted in a larger format. Despite all of my little nit-picky complaints, I still feel this is a good package especially considering some of the material has not been reprinted in a long time (if at all).Just be prepared for a lot of cliffhanger endings as they pick some key stories that continued in other books with different art. B+
On the List: Driving really fast!
Every one of us has seen it in numerous commercials. There’s a car (usually the one that the commercial is trying to sell) and it’s racing at top speed down some twisting highway in the middle of an amazing mountain or hill landscape.
The car cruises effortlessly along, taking the turns as if there were a professional at the wheel (and make no mistake, there is). Meanwhile, at the bottom of the picture is a bit of fine print that says something to the effect of “This was done on a closed road by a professional. Do not try this on your own.”
I say, screw that warning ad. Before I go, I want a fast car and I want to take it on the best curvy (but not crazy curvy) road I can find. If I need to put up false roadblocks to keep people off my race track while I’m doing it, then I most certainly will. Better yet, I’ll take my super-fast vehicle for a ride along the Autobahn. That’s one of the coolest roads ever.
I’ve always had a fear of cars, or at least riding in them as opposed to driving them. I think it has something to do with the lack of control. As a result of this, I’ve always been a very cautious driver. Twenty miles over the speed limit is about as fast as I’ll take it, and then only as long as the wind isn’t kicking up too bad. So to finally break from that pattern and just push a very fast car to the brink would be the ultimate rush.
Sure, I might wipe out and end up as a dull red smear across the asphalt, but it would be worth it. As much as it would be safer to hire a professional to drive and just go along for the ride, it’s not the same. To be able to hurtle down the highway with nothing more than your own wits and skills to keep you from crashing - that’s the sort of thing that living life is about. Pure adrenaline and your life on the line in pursuit of a unique and intense experience.
Will I ever get to this part of my bucket list? Probably not. I’m way too much of a chicken to do something like this unless I could afford many months of training. Despite my love of the rush, I’ve still got too many things to do before I go out. Maybe when I’m 70 or 80 I’ll see things a bit differently though. I can always hope.