Kids
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Family: Enjoy a Leprechaun Hunt on St. Patrick’s Day
Create Your Own Leprechaun Hunt: St. Patrick’s Day is a fun day to celebrate all things green which includes leprechauns. Last year my daughter’s pre-school teacher had used washable green paint and put little footprints around the classroom. When the kids arrived at school, they couldn’t believe that a little leprechaun had visited their school during the night. She explained that he was a bit naughty as he messed the room up – turning over chairs, leaving some papers on the floor, footprints on the floor – but he also left some gold chocolate coins for them. This year we plan to do a Leprechaun Hunt in our neighborhood and…
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Cherry Almond Granola (or Baked Muesli)
A Mom’s Quest for a Healthy Breakfast: On my quest to better health for my family, I have tried to stop buying boxed cereals. Good bye Raisin Bran, Honey Bunches, and Cheerios. You served us well for the past 11 years. Sure, you’re convenient, but now that I’m older and wiser I’ve come to the realization that I can do better. Let’s face it…you’re processed. And what about all that sugar? It would be great if my kids liked steel-cut oatmeal, but I missed that boat. It’s hard to convert a kid that has been brought up on the sweet instant kind. So what else is there to serve…
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Disney Brave Storybook App Review and Giveaway
Disney’s Brave movie received an Academy Award for “Best Animated Film” last week. I had a chance to review Disney Publishing’s two Brave apps, “Brave: Storybook Deluxe” and “Brave Interactive Comic,” (both rated 4 stars on iTunes!) that features the original characters, storyline, and new activities for kids. Brave: Storybook Deluxe The Brave: Storybook Delux app for the iPhone or iPad contains a complete retelling of the film for children ages 5 and up, following Merida through a courageous voyage to defy an age-old tradition and forge her own destiny. The app features beautiful art, character voices, dynamic animation, and surprising interactive elements. My daughter and I had a blast playing the different games they offered such…
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Relationships: What Mark Did You Make?
Teaching Values: Checking in with your kids each day is a great way to help them remember their values and to focus on the type of person that they want to be. And a great question to ask each night is, “What mark did you make today?” You see, every time you are with someone you leave a mark – either a “gold heart” or a “grungy mark” depending on how you treated them. The Golden Rule: When I was a young girl, my Dad loved to talk about the Golden Rule – “to treat others as I would want to be treated”. The Golden Rule was really about…
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Photography Tips: Capturing the Moments
Capturing the Moments with Photography By Becky Lew, Photographer As a photographer, I wanted to provide some tips to help you capture the moments that make up your life. Following are some things that I have found to be helpful in taking photographs. Create an Adventure: Make it an adventure – you can even sketch out the idea, or make a pinterest board!. This family wanted a circus theme. The mom bought the girls outfits on etsy and brought costumes, top hats, and fun props to go along with their theme. They came ready to play. They wanted to ride the carousel and dance together. It was darling and as you…
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Great Wolf Lodge: Fun for Everyone
The Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, Ontario: We recently surprised the kids with a two-night stay at Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, Ontario. This indoor water park boasts over 100,000 square feet of water-packed fun, including scream-worthy slides for risk takers—not for the faint of heart!—and zero-depth entry areas for wee ones. Outside the water park, there are plenty of activities to keep everyone busy until nightfall. Our visit to this immense 84-degree indoor water park was the second for us in five years. I was a little worried that the lodge and all of its amenities might look a little tired or appear a bit rundown.…
