Prepositions through the day

Walked by,
stood amid,
dusted along,
vacuumed up,
wiped down,
found beneath,
placed above,
looked into,
scoured through,
emptied out,
loaded in,
swept under,
glossed over,
collected from,
brought to,
thought beyond,
worked until,
tuckered out.
What’s for dinner besides?

 

Be the moon.

Be the moon. Just be.
With craters, crevasses, shadows, just be.

God is the light. He provides the light.
We try to turn to reflect just right, to hide the holes — not trusting God to shine over it all, as if God needs our help!
And how often does trying to tilt a bit this way or that – maybe while trying to hide one of the craters – end up spinning the entire thing off kilter?

Just be the moon.
Trust God to do the work.
Sit still. Don’t try to hide.
And just see how the moon will shine at its appointed time.

 

Fast, healthy, and tasty pizza snacks

This popular snack is a hit with kids and one you will be happy to serve anytime! See tips at the bottom for festive Spiderman Pizzas or for adding more vegetables.

Quick Pizza

Ingredients:

• whole-wheat English muffins
• provolone slices (or other cheese – provolone are handy, since they are round)
• puréed carrots (baby food or home made – I freeze purée in ice cube trays)
• plain tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce

Method:

1. Use toaster oven, or preheat full-sized oven to 400F.
2. Lay desired number of English muffins on tray.
3. Spread with puréed carrots.
4. Cover with tomato sauce.
   This is a good place to introduce a small amount of seasoning. Your child can help you, as you add “herb confetti” to your pizza. Sprinkle very lightly with thyme, basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning.
5. Lay provolone slice on top. Bake 4-7 min, or until cheese is melted.
6. Increase the adventure and introduce a spoon of pesto, fresh basil, mushrooms, or broccoli.
   Place vegetable on sauce, below cheese. Chop very finely for more finicky eaters.
   Pesto is a surprising favorite with many kids. Pesto is salty, from cheese, and high in fats, including “good” fats from olive oil and nuts, which are very appealing. Plus, pesto brings the nutritional benefits of fresh basil, olive oil, and nuts.

For fun, draw a “spiderman web” with additional tomato sauce on top of the cheese in a squirt bottle (ketchup bottle or similar).

* Health notes: expand your child’s palate and introduce healthy seasonings such as herbs and garlic. Many herbs add anti-oxidants and other health benefits, plus reduce the need for salt. Also, purchased spaghetti sauces  often contain lots of salt plus sugar or corn syrup. Avoid having your children acquire a taste for sugar in everything. Other big culprits: bread, “kid” yogurts, prepared sauces & mixes, and most beverages besides water and plain milk.

 

 

First fingerpaints: fun & safe painting for little hands!

I loved introducing my son to self expression through art. This is one of my favorite art projects for very young toddlers.

Important note: this activity can make two things confusing for your child:

1. “Don’t play with your food.” That’s exactly what this activity amounts to, so try to set it up differently than mealtime. Use a paint shirt, not a meal-time bib. Change the location of the highchair…maybe even try this outside!

2. “Don’t eat art supplies.” Call it “yogurt squiggles” or “yogurt frosting” - anything to avoid calling it “painting”, since we can eat yogurt, but we shouldn’t eat paint.

Supplies:

1. Plain yogurt in 2 or 3 small unbreakable bowls
2. Food colors  (use baby-food carrots, mashed beets, mashed blueberries, etc., if you are very concerned about any dyes)
3. Freezer paper (has waxy finish underneath) & masking tape
4. Smock or other clothing protection (shirtless works on a warm day!)
5. Optional: old shower curtain or sheet for under the highchair

Get ready:

1. Mix several tablespoons of yogurt with coloring to make 2 or 3 color choices.
2. Tape the freezer paper to the tray.
3. Once everything is ready, add a properly suited up toddler.

Go:

Give simple directions, and have few rules.

Good rule: except if you are outside, yogurt-paint should stay on the paper. If it gets dumped on the floor, squiggle time is over, and your child will be learning a simple lesson about how to follow directions and respect those around them. It isn’t a failed attempt, it is just another good learning opportunity. “We all make mistakes, so then we fix it and try again later.” The rule will be easier to follow the next day you try.

Bad rules: Don’t direct what kinds of lines they make, whether they rub the paper to shreds or not, mixing colors, etc.

A child learns many things through safely designed experiments. Playful exploration helps them understand cause and effect, and also helps them express themselves through a visual design. Anything they try on their paper is an interesting and worthwhile experiment.

Ideas:

1. Spoon practice. Have your child practice pouring a small spoon of yogurt on the paper.
2. Names of the colors. You can ask the child to repeat the names of the colors, if they are interested. Over time, you can ask them to point out a color when you name it.
3. Mix colors. Use a sing-song chant (“red and blue make purple” or “yellow and blue make green” or “red and yellow make orange”) if your colors combine well. Your child will likely not remember color combinations until school aged, but you are sowing seeds in your child’s mind.
4. Demonstrate making lines across the paper with your finger, and explain that you are drawing lines. Your toddler might try to copy you, or might have his own ideas.
5. Demonstrate making a circle, say “Circle” and let your toddler try making a circle…if she feels like it!
6. Try having your child “paint emotions” –
   “What do you think happy painting looks like?”
   “…silly…”
   “…sad…”
   “…loving…”
   “…angry…”
7. Ask your child to describe a painting (“tell me about your picture” instead of “what did you draw?”). For a special memory in years to come, make notes on the back of it later, along with a date!

I hope you have fun with this activity!

 

A prayer for those marked by 9/11

I woke up last year on 9/11, and called to mind immediately the many lives marked by 9/11, and the many still reviewing each “last” from that awful day.

The last hug or hand-hold, the last morning routine with someone, the last ordinary moments that are now tightly held, periodically dusted off, and reviewed in hope of  finding some new detail.

I wrote down my prayer last year, and have re-visited it since. When I feel my arms aren’t long enough to do all that needs doing, I remember that they are long enough to pray.  I have seen answered prayers; I assure you that God is still here. So here is my prayer this year. I hope you will add your own voice.

Lord Almighty, God of Creation,

As you promise, hear my prayer to you for the families and the friends of each person lost eight years ago on that terrible day. Rain on them grace, as they lie awake recalling the last hours. Open their hearts to the real and certain truth that you walked beside each soul, that you were with each dying person, that you will not leave us.

Where lack of money and unanswered need has bound people to unproductive and unhappy lives after their 9/11 losses, raise up workers with eyes that see and ears that hear to meet those needs and remove what binds. Look with favor on the work of our hands.

Where over-abundant money has resulted in strife and torn families, where people try to bind deep wounds with money, things, alcohol, or any false bandage, open their hearts to see blessings and to recognize healing truth. Teach their hearts to know the joy of choosing to love and choosing to give.

In a world with terrorists such as these, with other horrors across the globe, please guide the decisions of those who govern. Let them not compound evil with evil, but instead guide them to govern in truth, that people’s lives may be protected and preserved to seek you and know you.

Stir up a consuming love for you in all who know you, that they will passionately work out your plan and grow in love for your creation. Encourage all who love you to seek justice, to encourage the oppressed, to defend the cause of the fatherless, and plead the cause of the widow. Let our faith be a living faith, practiced in an abundance of good works, for a world lost in so much darkness.

Let us then love you with all our heart, and all our soul, and all our mind, and all our strength.

Let us then each love our neighbor as ourself.

 

Making air travel with children a great adventure

I traveled coast-to-coast frequently in the U.S. when my son was young, since family is far away. Most of the travel was just the two of us, meeting up with Dad at our destination. I’ve also spent many plane hours entertaining other small row-mates.

Over the years I’ve collected my own ideas, plus happily borrowed great ideas from others. They help reduce stress & hassle, making travel a fun adventure, filled with many great memories.

Air Travel Basics

1. Your attitude becomes your child’s attitude.
   Even routine travel can be fun when you look for interesting things. Airport art, unusual floor tiles, funny backpacks, newspaper origami, or a shared vanilla-flavored milk at the coffee stand can all provide inspiration to pause, breathe, and enjoy your family and the world through a child’s fresh perspective.
2. Be prepared to carry everything.. and everyone.. on your own.
   If people help you, you will have a good reason for extra cheerfulness. If no one helps, you’ll still have the confidence that you can manage. Simple expectations are easy to meet, so keep your expectations very simple.
3. Know your count.
   Know how many pieces you should be carrying, so nothing is left behind as you dash off the bus, plane, or taxi (e.g., 4 items – car seat, roller bag, carry-on, plus baby sling).
4. Dress for Success.
   You will be reaching, stooping, carrying, lifting, taking of shoes, taking off belts & jewelry, all in close quarters, possibly for much longer than you think. Temperatues? Who knows! Airplane blankets? Maybe, maybe not.Think about running, airport bathrooms while tracking children and luggage, airplane bathrooms…
   I’m not saying you have to wear a moo-moo with socks (bare feet through security? eeewwww!!!) and ankle-strap clogs (easy off, AND good for an emergency sprint)…BUT, a successful and happy trip may require a loose interpretation of fashion necessities.
5. Equipment check.
   Try everything out in advance so you know you can carry it readily, and so you have time to figure out a back-up, if necessary. Overkill? Only if you are at your most chipper when scrambling madly. Even if you are great at making do and last-minute scrambles, children change the equation. See item #1!
   Possibilities:

• Slings for carrying children, even walking children.They go through security quickly, up airplane stairs, and hold little ones out of trouble in the bathroom.

• Car seat for young children – buy an airplane seat and bring a car seat, if at all possible. Your child will be more easily entertained in place – he already knows how to travel in a car seat. When traveling alone, with a flight attendant’s or seatmate’s brief help, you can use the bathroom while your child sleeps. (Hooray!) And in the event of turbulence (or your own sleep), your child will be secure. Check out FAA guidelines for specifics. http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/

  The FAA website recommends printing out their guidelines and carrying them with you. I recommend carrying two copies, and I keep them each in a plastic zipper bag with my other key travel documents. Why 2? If someone decides to “go show So-n-so” your copy, you still have a backup. Airplane seatbelts are designed to secure children over 40 lbs. The other benefit to having a carseat on board is knowing it will not be damaged in the cargo hold – and not all damage is visible.

• The Right Bag.
  Roller bags:  Manage everything on wheels, including a car seat. Just flip it over the roller bag and attach with a laptop-case strap. On the other hand, you can’t easily access anything inside during the flight. Plus, you may need to gate check it. checked. They can also be difficult to hoist overhead without clobbering other passengers and while managing a small child, so be honest about your strength. I found an 18″ bag that fit under the seat in front on every plane except small commuters.
  Backpacks: as long as it isn’t huge, this is the easiest hands-free choice for moving fast, stowing easily, and dealing with bathrooms. The downside can be the weight.
  Your standard diaper bag: think carefully about whether this is a good trip choice or not. You want to minimize the number of things you are carrying, and your diaper bag may be too limited in its usefulness. On the other hand, it may be perfectly suited to take on the extra duties of carry-on.
  Handbag:  Again, minimize the number of carry-on pieces. Consider stowing an empty handbag with your luggage. Keep essentials tucked in a small bag that slips into a readily-accessible location of your main carry-on bag, or possibly in your sling.
• Warmth. A one-piece hooded suit with feet for babies means no drafts, and no lost hats or socks. Older children will want a sweatshirt. All children will likely want a blanket of some sort. Don’t depend on the plane to have blankets or pillows, clean or otherwise. Socks make planes comfortable and traveling through security lines fungus-free. (again, eeewwwwww.)
• Zipped mesh bags. I like these for key travel items. You can put it in the seat pocket in front of you, keep key snacks, play, and wipes in site and handy, and also keep it all together for easy departure. It prevents leaving things behind. During the flight, every item is either in use, or in the mesh bag. An inexpensive laundry bag works fine, or go find something a little more glamorous.
• Wipes & small hand sanitizer. I leave some wipes plain, and put another set of wipes in a plastic bag with some alcohol for cleaning airplane trays, etc.
  Perhaps you’ve heard people talk about getting sick on planes from re-circulated air. Air circulation and cleaning is well regulated, so exposure to illness comes mostly from hand-to-face contact. Many people + many germs. You know the solution: keep hands off of your face, and clean hands before eating. If you’ve got special health concerns or you don’t immunize your children, talk to your doctor beforehand about appropriate choices. For everyone else, eat healthy, drink plenty of water, and have a great trip.
• Labels. Have your name and cell number on every item – if it gets left behind, you might get it back.
• Food and diapers for at least 24 hours, regardless of scheduled trip length.
  Feed & water the zoo animals regularly, and everyone will be happy!
  Water!!  Bring a small, empty bottle through security, or purchase one as soon as you have passed through. Refill whenever you can. You may not have time between flights and there isn’t always service on the plane (turbulence, tarmac, and take-off) . With a thirsty child, this could be a really long time.  Bring some individually measured packets of a powdered drink mix, if that makes sense for your family.
  Food!! Don’t rely on airport shops or plane food. It may be the wrong food, even if you specially ordered food, or you may not have time to stop. Use little containers that keep thing from being crushed. Cereal, apples, and oranges travel well. Dried fruit or dried fruit leather (the kind that is all fruit – big sugar doses and red dye are not your friend on a plane!) can be a hit. Pick a number of different choices for variety. We like the foil packets of seasoned tuna, also. Use small sugar-y treats if needed for rescue or reward. Just make it easy to pull out one without displaying your whole cache! Having the basics reduces stress, and might just be a lifesaver.
• Medicine. Bring bandages with built-in antibiotic.  Pack, as necessary: tylenol chewables or drops (a medicine cup is too messy for travel); allergy meds; throat/cough drops, chapstick.
• Something to do. Consider non-electronic items. Electronics are heavy, have pieces, need recharging, and get left behind. Be prepared for hours with several books, “go fish” cards, paper, and a few crayons or pencils, especially if you are willing to participate. If you lose a few crayons, who cares?  (But, markers and pens are messy and caps get lost.) Masking tape becomes stickers. Let your very little one pull tape off of her socks, her pants legs, etc. A few years older, and tape becomes a fishing game with a small tape ball on the end of a pencil and some scraps of napkin. Brush up on every song and rhyme you can think of for “special secrets” on-flight, or for gleeful singing in an airport corner while waiting. Better behavior, better attentiveness, and better memories are bonuses from enjoying simple entertainment with your family.
• Cash for emergency. Being stranded at an airport that is about to close with no hotel shuttle available is a bad time to look for an ATM because the cabby won’t take Visa. No, $25 isn’t enough. I divide cash in different places so I don’t have to pull it all out at once.
• Spare clothes roll for you and for children. If the child needs spare clothes, there’s a good change you will too. When you find yourself coated in mess, happiness is quickly recovered with ready-to-go clean clothing, rolled up with diaper/ relevant undergarments, wipes, and plastic bag (for the dirty items). Items rolled up with a plastic bag (I rubberband it together) can be snatched quickly from a bag for an emergency bathroom trip, and then old items can be stored in the bag.
• Keep critical items handy. ID, small bills for tips, phone, and key numbers on paper should all be in an easily accessible – but secure – location. Use a small notebook, a zipper plastic bag, or a wallet card for phone numbers, email & land addresses, and confirmation numbers in case you can’t use your phone. I carry phone & fax numbers for pharmacy, doctors, and nearby friends/family.
• Flexibility. Again, your attitude becomes your child’s attitude. If you keep choosing to make it work and find positives, your child will learn the same things, and you will both be happier. You can prepare well, even perfectly, and adventures will still happen. But, let them be just that: an unexpected adventure & a good story, instead of a wrench in the works.

  The husband of a very dear lady I know carefully grabbed a suitcase and put it in the car. Later, he brought it to the hotel room. Alas, he never noticed how light it was. With a beautiful smile and genuine laughter, she picked up some wardrobe basics and make-up from the local discounter, and enjoyed her child’s college graduation weekend with grace. What’s more, this dear person always paid careful attention to dressing well and having just the right cosmetics. Nonetheless, when she needed to be flexible, she set a marvelous example.

Booking travel.

• Avoid rush hour – Monday mornings, Thursday afternoons & evenings, and Fridays are rush-hour for business travelers. Traveling with children at these times is harder, and harder still if you don’t travel regularly.
  Find shorter lines with less rush on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.
• Travel early in the morning. Delays in the system build up over the day.
• Longer lay-overs. Consider flights with lay-overs of at least 1 ½ hours. If all goes well, you will have time for bathroom, walking, and for your luggage to transfer with you. (You can generally be certain that if you are running in an airport, your luggage will not meet you later on.)

Other (sometimes) handy items

• Sunscreen, if a specific brand is important
• Nightlight for destination
• Child safety things. Outlet caps, plastic adjustable cabinet locks, door-handle covers, as appropriate
• Disposable changing pads (incontinence pads for people or doggies work well for this. They are a sad waste, but they will give you more options for adequately clean changing.)
• Zipper plastic bags. Store left-overs at the hotel, collect shells, corral small parts…endless uses.

 

How to make a child’s art smock in a snap

Make this in a snap, AND make it inexpensively, of course!

I noticed a sweet little friend had managed to paint her clothing at school the other day, and remember this handy project.

NOTE: This smock provides adequate protection for many budding artists, but because it is fabric, a big enough spill can soak through.

If you are especially concerned, add additional protection with water-repellant spray once you are done.

MATERIALS:

• Sewing machine and thread
• Scissors, sharp enough for fabric. Pinking shears – with a zig-zag edge – are best, because they slow unraveling.
• Straight pins
• Long-sleeved shirt, about 2 sizes larger than the child. Arm length doesn’t matter, but it should be large enough to fit over clothing easily without dragging on the floor. Buying a shirt for this project? Look for a thick fabric such as oxford cloth.
• Elastic for wrists.
  How much? Measure around wrist (comfortably – not too snug) and use that amount, plus 1″ to sew ends together. Purchase 1/2″  width or use any width you have at home.
• Large safety pin for threading elastic.
• Fancier touches: Approx. 1 yd ribbon to cut in half and use to tie in back, cinching it in a bit.

1. Cut cuffs off of the shirt.
2. Sew a zigzig or other finishing stitch over the raw sleeve edges to prevent unraveling.
3. Turn shirt and sleeves inside out.
4. Make a casing (tunnel for the elastic) by folding sleeve up 1 ½ ” (or width of elastic + 1″).
   Pin casing.
   Repeat for other sleeve.
   The raw edge of the casing should be pinned against the inside of the sleeve.
5. Sew seam ½” from raw edge, but not completely around. Leave an opening of approximately 1 ½” for threading elastic.
6. Measure and cut elastic.
   Attach a safety pin to the end of the elastic.
7. *** Hold firmly to the unpinned end of the elastic so it does not slip into the casing.***
8. Then, begin working the safety pin portion through the opening into the casing (tunnel), threading the elastic into the casing. This is the same thing you do if you replace a string in athletic pants or a hooded sweatshirt.
9. Once the elastic is threaded through the casing, pin the elastic ends together with 1 or 2 straight pins.
   This is where you use that extra 1″ of elastic.
10. Pull the elastic away from the fabric, and sew the elastic together so it is now a complete wristband.
    Use several zigzag stitches back and forth across the overlapping elastic, or sew a small square on the overlapped elastic.
11. Repeat steps 4-10 for the second sleeve, and you are done!
    —— Optional:
12. To add tie ribbons, have child try the shirt on and locate child’s waist. Pin the end of one ribbon at waist height in back, about halfway between the left side seam and the middle of the back.
    Repeat on the right side with the second ribbon.
13. Sew the pinned ribbon with zigzag stitches over approximately 1″ of ribbon.
    Finish the unattached edge of each ribbon so it doesn’t unravel. Use clear nail polish, or fold it over for a tiny hem and sew it.

 

reFrame

A thousand reasons to be thankful,

100 reasons to forget thankfulness.

 

A thousand reasons to look to the sun,

10 reasons to stuck in the clouds.

 

A thousand reasons to revel in a forest,

5 reasons to curse a rocky scramble.

 

Every good reason to look up at the brilliant moon,

be wonderously dizzy with the sparkle of the stars,

and wait for sunrise to dance over the horizon.

 

Delightful Pumpkin Soup

More soup to enjoy! I think I’m anticipating autumn after enjoying several cool (75F) mornings…of course, it might just be the porch full of swishing oak leaves lending an autumn feel.

Add fresh bread and a romaine salad with strawberries for a colorful dinner that straddles summer and autumn.

Sauté ~5 minutes:

• 1 chopped med onion
• 1 chopped carrot
• 1 chopped celery

Add:

• 1 t curry powder
• ½ t ginger (or some freshly grated)
• 15 oz can pumpkin
• 16 oz broth

Bring to low boil, let simmer 20 min. For smooth texture, purée in blender or with hand blender.

Salt & pepper to taste. Swirl in 8 oz sour cream or plain yogurt & serve.

Lots of happy vegetables!

 

Back to school – and school lunches

The first week of school always feels to me like a collage – new books, paperwork, school supplies, new friends, old routines, new routines… a little of everything all scattered across the week.

My thoughts have followed the same line, a little of everything scattered across the week. Which means my efforts have been on enjoying all the news, while trying to instill some order.

I dusted off the dinner grid, which made meal planning for the first week back was easy. The family make their picks and – - Sha-zAMM – - dinners were all planned.

Even though it is still hotter than blazes here, soup was one of the picks.  I pulled out the carrot soup recipe and made a double batch. Good thing! It is easy, accommodates many diets, child-friendly, healthy, and a hit whenever I serve it. How many menu items can say that?! Left-overs would have been nice for lunch, had they made it past the midnight snack!

Lunches have been a breeze, too, thanks to freezing sandwiches. Hopefully you aren’t gasping in horror at the food faux-pas.  It thaws perfectly by lunch, and the deli items are still cold. (Here, there’s a good chance an icepack alone won’t keep them cold.)  Better still, it means less effort at 6:10 a.m.

Whenever I’m at the school for lunch, I see so many lunches traded off or thrown out untouched. So, I ask questions like, “what did you want more of in your lunch?” or “what did you have too much of?” to help me figure out what will be eaten, not wasted.

We’ve got many current fruit and vegetable favorites, but it took time to get there.

Go on a Produce Quest. Explore the produce department and have your child try one new vegetable or fruit each week. Maybe ignore the price and purchase just a small portion to try. The point is to learn that you can find new favorites by trying new things…even if you aren’t going to buy a $5 melon every week!

We skip the individual packages, since it means more waste, more cost, and more processed food. Getting some fruit ready in the morning for lunches can help get more fruit in everyone’s breakfast, as well. And, who says pea pods are just for lunch?!

• Blanched frozen baby sweet corn or baby peas. They sit with boiling water briefly, and then are enjoyed cold. They’ve been a hit since kindergarten!
• Edamame – because food you can play with is fun
• Cherry or grape tomatoes
• Carrots, celery,cucumbers
• Pear or apple slices – add lemon juice to keep them looking fresh
• Oranges or grapefruit- sliced so kids can make funny faces, of course
• Grapes, berries, cherries
• Cantaloupe, mango, or watermelon
• Clementines
• Raisins, “dried plums” (prunes), dried apricots, dried mango

You may be very surprised at what becomes the newest hit! Cycle back, too. I just got a request for marinated & baked tofu after not wanting any for several years.

I am excited about the new year and with this little bit of organization, I know we’re off to a smooth start.