Family Memories

Keeping a journal has always been a goal of mine, but usually lasts no more than a day. Recently, I discovered I could keep track of what is happening with our family by placing a family memory book (aka notebook) on the dining room table. By its side some writing supplies. Learn more about how to do this at your house click here Family Memory Book. ItsGood2Know!

Ugh...fruit flies

Incredibly sweet and juicy fruits and vegetables is one reason I love summer. However, the fruit flies that sometimes arrive with my ripening fruit drive me mad! This year, though, I have stopped those fruit flies in their tracks. All you need, once you see fruit flies, is to set out a glass with balsamic vinegar in the bottom. Then form a cone with paper to place inside. The fruit flies will smell the balsamic and head down the cone. They are quite cleaver enough to know how to come back out. Your family can watch them fly around and in a couple of days they will all be collected and dead. Good-bye fruit flies, hello peaches, plums and melon! ItsGood2Know!

Apple Camp

Did you know Apple stores offer FREE programs for kids? Right now, I am blogging from the store while my son participates in an Apple Camp on creating presentations. From the sounds of laughter, it is fun and by the end he'll have created a new project. I plan to check out their year-round programs for kids and might try something myself, too! Who knows, maybe I'll become an Apple guru! Free Apple camp -- now that is Good2Know!

Knot Ready to Knit

Here's a quick little craft acitivty for kids which was always a favorite of mine. Now I know it worked my fine motor skills, too. All you need is some cardstock or heavy paper, yarn and white glue. Draw a shape, animal or initial large enough to fill the paper. Now use your fingertip to shmear glue across the shape. Using the yarn ball, wind the yarn around the shape until the entire space is filled. Whalla! You have texture art!

Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere

When I wrote my Summer Survival Tips article I had just bought gigantic bubble tubes for the kids. We still enjoy bubbles even at 9 and 6. I mean, who doesn't. Then, last week we went to the New San Diego Children's Museum for the first time. On their upstairs balcony they had a large bubble space complete with homemade wands made of pipecleaners! What a nifty idea! Huge bubbles (I'll add a photo soon)! Here is a link to my piece on bubbles that includes other ideas on how to use no cost materials from home to produce great COLORFUL bubbles. Here is a recipe to make your own bubble mix: 2/3 cup Joy dishwashing soap, 1 gallon water and 2 to 3 tablespoons of glycerin which is sold at the pharmacy -- I tend to think a solution made fresh makes better bubbles. Hint: I watched the 'bubble guy" at the musuem. He was so relaxed and I honestly think that's why his bubbles were so incredible. So, be ONE with the BUBBLES! ItsGood2Know!

Crayon cupcakes!

Crayon cupcakes are the perfect way to use up odds and ends crayons you have laying around. Check out this link to my crayon cupcake recipe on the Raising Arizona Kids website. My friend Jaime has already made 7 dozen for her classroom! They are Good2Know!

Write On!

Gel boards are super fun! Remember your etch-a-sketch or first magna doodle? How fun were those to use? Now, kids and their grown-ups can draw, write and have fun on gel boards by Imaginetics. I first saw these at a conference a few months ago and bought two. My children have fun with them at home and in the car. ItsGood2Know!

Keepin' It Cool

Headed to the store and want to keep things chilled in the cooler? Need extra ice to keep the cooler chilled for the BBQ? Here's a quick Good2Know fact I shared with my friend Bethany today: McDonald's sells ice for 97 cents a bag. You can run through the drive-through and go! In the Arizona heat, that is Good2Know!

What We Read in Book Club

Just thought I would post a few titles we read in our book club this past year. Today, my post on the Raising Arizona Kids website talks about book clubs. With today's technology like Skype, a book club can happen between friends in far off places! Our 2nd through 4th grade club read:

Dexter the Tough by Haddix

The Tale of Despereaux by Dicamillo

Clementine's Letter by Pennypacker

Rules by Lord

Gooney Bird is So Absurd by Lowery

All of these great titles can be found in my shop! I am now reading new titles for this year's club.

Do you have a great book for our book club which now goes through grade 5? Leave the title in the comments section below!

Traveling with Kids: by air

Traveling with children can seem daunting! With these tips, many of which come from Good2Know readers, you can travel with ease.

Before you Go!: Organization is a must for traveling with children happily. I modified the Disney World Ultimate Packing checklist which you can download to fit your travel plans. There are many others online that you might enjoy. My mother taught me to call 1-888-428-1888 for fraud prevention on all of my credit cards prior to travel. This way your credit card company knows where you are and where charges should be coming from while you are away. I've learned to pack my children's clothing by outfit. I place each complete outfit in a large zip top bag. If you have any special needs, including food allergies, and are flying be sure to check with the airline prior to booking your flight.

Air Travel: If your heading out-of-town by plane, be sure to pack lollipops to help prevent ear pain. Our kids are currently loving Yummy Earth lollipops which are delicious, contain none of the BIG 8 allergens and no GMOs, food coloring or corn syrup! If your child is too young for pops, try the Baby Safe Feeder. You can place ice cubes into the net bag and baby can enjoy safely this cold treat which is also great for teething. Just be sure they wear a bib. We are quite cautious on airplanes due to food allergies, but I think our precautions can make any family's trip safer, healthier and cleaner. First, we wipe everything down with Clorex wipes in a travel pack. You'd be amazed a the dirt that shows up on the wipe. We cover our seats with Plane Sheets. We cover our tray tables with Table Topper disposable place mats. It may sound like a lot of preparation, but I am positive it prevents illness and makes for a cleanlier flight. Of course, we bring on lots of snacks and age appropriate games, toys and DVD's. Since my kids were young, I have either bought new flight activities or borrowed something from friends.

More Good2Know travel ideas to come soon like how to make it through a long trip by car!

Is it or Isn't it Organic?

Fish protein in apples to increase shelf-life? Yuck!

I wrote about this last year, but thought it was important to share again! Once I read about fish in my apples, I knew I needed to be better educated on produce identification. Here it is simplified:

Look at the Product Look Up Code (PLU) on the produce sticker.

4 digit numbers are NOT organic.

A 9 in front of the numbers means it IS organic.

A 8 in front of the numbers means genetically modified. Be careful what you eat!

If you cannot make the switch to organic for everything, at least be aware of which foods have the largest amount of pesticides. For example, peaches, strawberries, bell peppers and celery. Then you can make better decisions about what you eat. Now that is Good2Know!

BIG Idea: New Uses for Old Games and Toys

I love to find multiple uses for games and toys. Last week, my daughter and I were looking for something to do. She wanted to play something and I secretly wanted her to use her "school skills." Soon, her brother joined in, too. We took our Memory game (ours is by DK and has photos of real objects.) We determined we would categorize the cards into only 3 piles. The challenge was on - what categories should we do? The kids decided living creatures, things and vehicles. They began to sort predicting how many would end up in each pile. Once done, my future first grader counted by twos to determine how many really were in each pile. She then recorded each on paper. Her brother determined he wanted to organize the cards somehow (okay, I confess - I asked how could they be organized) and he decided to alphabetize them. Each child worked on a pile, quietly singing the ABC's under their breath. An easy task for big brother, my daughter used those "school skills" and both had fun with an old game they rarely play anymore as packaged. Try thinking outside the box with the toys on your shelf.
ItsGood2Know!

My Raising Arizona Kids Article Featured on AZ 12 News

Here is a link to the interview I did with 12 News about my article in Raising Arizona Kids.



Link to Video

Corny

My friend Simon and his family came for a BBQ before the Arizona summer heat hit. We had a great time enjoying great friends, weather and food. Simon couldn't get over my Butter Boy! He's a little guy who helps apply butter to your corn cob. So, I thought I would include a shout out to corn lovers everywhere! Simon, you can buy your own Butter Boy in the ItsGood2Know shop under kitchen. Everyone else can find them there, too. Why not be a little corny? ItsGood2Know!

BIG idea: Seeing Stars

What child doesn't like staying up late? Summer, with no school the following day, can be the perfect time for some star gazing. Visit sites like Windows to the Universe or check out a book such as Wishing on a Star: Constellation Stories and Stargazing Activities for Kids (Acitvities for Kids) by Fran Lee.

Simple Dessert a Kid Can Make...ItsGood2Know

Ummm...ice cream! I have pictures eating these Ice Cream Pies from my 17th birthday. I think I made 3 different ones and they were each yummy. On holiday weekends or all summer, ice cream pies are a tasty treat. I made one today with my 9 year old son who has become a real ace in the kitchen. All you need is 1.5 containers of your favorite flavor ice cream, a pre-made graham cracker crust pie shell and your favorite toppings.

Let the ice cream sit on your counter to soften. Take the plastic off the shell and carefully plop the ice cream into the shell using the softest parts first. If you wish, add some chocolate syrup or caramel along the way. With a spatula, gently form the ice cream to fit into the shell mounding towards the center. Once done, you might be a bit sticky, add the syrups or sprinkles as you wish. Cover with the plastic top and return to the freezer for a minimum of 2 hours. Enjoy!

One More Story

One More Story is a website that I think everyone with a child under 8 should know about. One More Story allows families to find wonderful children's literature in an online format. Once logged in, children see page after page of beautifully illustrated children's picture books on shelves. They click on a book and it is read aloud to them while they see the pages turn and view the original illustrations. For children who read, they can choose to turn off the readers voice and read the book themselves. Stuck on a word? Click it and the professional actor reading the book will tell you the word. Try it out - there is a special through July 15th.

While I certainly advocate parents and children holding and sharing books together, sometimes this isn't possible. Rather than TV, children can enjoy a good book! Let's spread the passion for good books to our kids. OneMoreStory.com it is Good2Know!

July 4th Celebration

Celebrate our nation and our freedom with a neighborhood freedom parade! When I was younger, I spent many Fourth of July's in Fond du Lac, WI. There we would join in the reservation's parade. Our family, never one to sit idly on the sidelines, literally joined in. We donned large cardboard costumes wrapped around us and decorated like a firecracker complete with pipe cleaners coming out of our heads. My parents wore their Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam costumes, respectively. Each year, no matter our theme, we won best in the parade!

Not quite ready for a parade this year? Why not take the family on a walk and celebrate your freedom to go anywhere! Decorate your yard with mini American flags, download patriotic tunes to play (and sing) all day, make flag cookies or decorate t-shirts with your favorite American symbols or freedoms! It's important before we head to a BBQ or fireworks show to remember what we're celebrating and why it's great to live in the USA!

Explore Your Inner Architect

You will not believe the newest blocks from Lego! It's great architecture that you create yourself. We are currently building the Sears Tower, but you can find the Empire State Building, John Hancock Center and if you are really into it, why not try the Taj Mahal! Check them out in the ItsGood2Know shop under the Toys and Games category!

Best Summer Reads that are Good2Know!

We can't stop reading and thought you might like to know what we love!

Just Published - Strawberry Hill by Ann Hoberman (will be a 2009-2010 book club book)

Always a Favorite - Great Picture Books

Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin

Old Turtle by Douglas Wood

Read Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young by Jack Prelutsky

My Daughter's Top 5 - for grades K-2

Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo

Ramona series by Beverly Cleary

Gooney Bird Green by Lois Lowry

All of a Kind Family by Sidney Taylor

I'll Read to You, You Read to Me by Ann Hoberman

My son's Top 5 - for grades 2-6

Hank Zipzer series by Henry Winkler (that's right, the Fonz)

Robert and the Weird and Wacky Facts by Barbara Seuling

I Put a Spell on You by Adam Selzer

The Lemonade Club by Patricia Polacco

Rules by Cynthia Lord

Hot Teen Reads

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass

Double Helix by Nancy Werlin

hostage by Willo Davis Roberts

Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

You can find all of these books in the ItsGood2Know shop which is on the top right corner of this blog!