Tips for enjoying the zoo during the winter:

• Bundle up-remember to cover those little ears and hands
• Take a picnic-pack some delicious soup or hot chocolate in a thermos
• Take it slow-sit on a bench in the sunshine and talk about what the animals are doing, you could even have your child draw pictures of what they observe
• Keep it light-don’t try to see all the animals, ask your child to choose 2 animals-remember you aren’t loosing money-it’s free!

"Giraffe" by Annabelle, age 3.

"Zebra" by Annabelle, age 3

Lyrics:

I’m a little acorn, short and round.

In autumn I fall to the cold, hard ground.

Along comes Mr. Squirrel and takes me back

And saves me for a winter snack.

Repeat.

Happy Singing!

Lyrics:

Fuzzy caterpillar, wiggled up a tree.

He wiggled long, he wiggled short,

He wiggled right at me.

Put him in a little box,

“Don’t go away,” I said.

But when I looked into that box

He’s a butterfly instead.

Oh, I could never make one,

Even if I tried.

For only God in heaven

Can make a butterfly.

Verse 2

Wiggly little tadpole

Swimming in a lake

He wiggle long, he wiggled short,

He wiggled like a snake.

Put him in a little jar.

“Don’t go away,” I said.

But when I looked into that jar

He’s a hopping frog instead.

Oh, I could never make one.

Even if I tried.

The hopping from was made by God

Just like the butterfly.

Happy Singing!

Here’s a recipe that my kids love and I think yours will too.

Pinwheels

Pinwheels

Ingredients:

• Medium sized tortilla
• Lunch meat
• Cream cheese
• Dill weed
• Spinach
• Cucumber

Directions:

1. Spread cream cheese over the whole surface of the tortilla. Sprinkle dill weed over cream cheese.
2. Place lunch meat down the center of the tortilla, over lapping a little. (I use chicken and sometimes I put sliced cheese as well.)
3. Place spinach over the lunch meat then the cucumber.
4. Roll tortilla tightly and press firmly until it stays in rolled shape.
5. Cut into 1/2 inch slices and serve.

This is a great recipe to change up. You can use pizza sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni to make it a pizza pinwheel. I use regular flour tortillas but you can use any kind of tortilla.

I’d love to share any of your recipes. Please share. Happy eating!

Happy Singing!

Click on the links below to go straight to their Amazon pages.

I noticed that Dino-Hockey is available but Dino-Football is not. Keep your eyes open for that one.

To learn more about Lisa Wheeler and check out her other books go to her website.

To learn more about illustrator Barry Gott check out his website.

Happy reading!

Waiting "patiently" for the show to start.

Some of you may remember a review I did in June on a fabulous DVD/CD box set, Gustafer Yellowgold’s Infinity Sock. It was such a treat to discover this amazing show. Finding something that I enjoy as much as the kids can be hard but look no further.

Just weeks after my review, I was strolling down the hallway of my local library, if you’re a regular you know that we frequent the library… a lot, when I saw a poster for a children’s music festival. Any event I can take my kids to is much welcomed. I was not merely excited about the entertainment but when I learned it was FREE I was truly please.

So after this great news you’d think what else could there be that could make this event perfect? You guessed it, Gustafer was coming! We talked about Gustafer everyday till the concert. Watching and rewatching the Infinity Sock and checking out clips from the other DVDs on the website.

The Big Day

The day of the concert arrived. I rounded up my posse, consisting of: my daughter and son, and good friend and Gustafer fan, Courtney Cantrell,  and we headed for the library. We were the first ones there, of coarse. I always like to be early. While we waited we purchased our cute little Gustafer dolls and talked with Morgan Taylor, the creator, illustrator, song writer, and performer behind Gustafer Yellowgold.

When the show started, the lights dimmed and the spotlight hit Morgan complete with guitar and mic. As he sang, a projector flashed scenes from Gustafer’s life. Morgan mixed songs from the other Gustafer DVDs.

• GUSTAFER YELLOWGOLD’S WIDE WILD WORLD
• GUSTAFER YELLOWGOLD’S ‘HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN YELLOW?’
• GUSTAFER YELLOWGOLD’S MELLOW FEVER
• GUSTAFER YELLOWGOLD’S INFINITY SOCK

Fond Memories

We had such a great time listening to the soft rock of Gustafer’s life. Morgan interacted with the kids and made them feel like they were part of the show. Annabelle, my 4 year old, talked about the show for days after, “Remember when Gustafer smashed that cake? That was my favorite.” The kids still sleep with their Gustafer dolls. I plan on taking the dolls with us on vacation so we can add pictures to Gustafer’s fan photo gallery.

two Gustafers

Thanks Gustafer and Morgan. We hope to see you next summer!

Save your money!

When it comes to feeding a growing family what can I do to save money? The economy is affecting all of us. My family is growing but my grocery budget isn’t. How can I feed a growing family when I have to spend money on diapers and wipes and baby food?

Prices at the grocery store are going up. I remember when I could get a gallon of milk for $1.99! That was cheap; now it’s $2.75 or more depending on where you shop. I guess you can always be sure that prices of groceries will continue to increase (not really comforting to know but we do).

Feeding a family of 4 or more on just $80 a week is difficult but not impossible. That’s what I’ve got to work with and to make it work I have to be conscious of every penny. So, how do I handle it?

• Coupons
• Shop the ads
• Make a weekly menu
• And make a shopping list

Coupons

Cut out coupons! I know what you’re thinking, “Coupons aren’t worth my time.” I’m here to tell you that when I seriously use coupons I can save $20 or more on my grocery bill a week. That’s increasing my budget to $100 a week. Wow!

I get the Sunday paper for $1.50 but I also get some coupons from friends and on the internet for free. Many people go dumpster diving to get free coupons too. If you look for coupons in dumpsters I recommend you look in the dumpster before you reach in or get in and that you stick to the dumpsters designated for recycled papers.

Some of you may think that the time you spend on the coupons plus the money spent on the newspaper may not be worth it in savings. Let’s do some math. (Bear with me!) The paper ends up costing about $78 per year. If I save $20 a week using coupons that’s $1,040 a year. I think that more than makes up for the time and effort. But you have to decide that for yourself.

After cutting out coupons, I organize them in a binder: snacks with snacks, dairy with dairy, proteins, shampoo etc. If you want to go a step further, to save even more, look through the weekly grocery ads. If they have something on sale and you have a coupon for it, SCORE! I look at my coupons and the sales and make my menu and my shopping list. I like to make my shopping list on the backs of recycled envelopes, I tuck the coupons inside and they are ready for the check out.

In order to get the best deals you may have to go to more than one grocery store. For instance, I find that Homeland is great for coupons, they double up to $2, but kind of high for regular prices. And I really like Aldi because their everyday prices are so low but they don’t have everything I need. My other store is Walmart. Unfortunately, I always spend too much there because I always find something else I have to have.

Advertisements

I already mentioned this briefly, but shop the ads. There is a reason why you can get hotdogs for $1 during the summer. Buy lots and freeze them. Especially if you have a coupon, you may get them for nearly nothing.

For example, if I have a coupon for Hormel pork tenderloin for $1 off and Homeland is running a sale for $5.99, I can get the tenderloin for $3.99. That’s a good deal. I will put it on my menu for the week and add it to the shopping list. If I have more than one coupon and a little extra money in the budget, I can buy more than one and put it away in the freezer for when I need it.

Menus and Shopping lists

Getting a weekly menu together used to take hours. I hated doing it. I felt pressure to make every meal gourmet. I searched through recipe books looking for something new and interesting to make but also something my picky family would eat. I finally decided to make a list of all the different foods my family members enjoy. Within the list I made several categories: main dish, side dishes, breads, breakfast dishes, deserts, snacks, party foods, and more. And when I do find something new I can add it to the list.

So I have my coupons and my ads and my meal idea lists. Like  the example I listed above, I am able to make a menu and a list at the same time. Keep that list handy in the kitchen so you don’t forget what you planned on making that week. You could even put it on the fridge so the family will know, too.

If you are dedicated to using these tips you can save much more than $20 a week. Places like CVS and Walgreens give their customers cash back if they buy certain products. There are also many websites where you can find more information on how to use coupons. Here are are a few you may find helpful.

• Coupon Queen
• Money Saving Queen
• Smart Source
• Or just google coupons and it will come up with lots of sites

All of this preparation does take time and energy. But after you’ve done it a few times it becomes second nature and you can do it without too much effort. If you have any pieces of couponing wisdom please leave a comment.

Happy Saving!

Activities to keep you cool

The summer heat keeps us all trapped inside air conditioned homes. But our kids need to be active, physically and mentally. How can I keep my kids from turning into couch potatoes till the heat lets up?

Bring the outside in

Bring the outside in

Kids need to run around and get out some energy. How can they when it’s nearly 100 degrees outside? If you have a good sized living room, move all of your furniture to the walls, this allows for a large empty area for kids to play. Set aside some time to do exercises or play outdoor games.

• Bring in their slide or basket ball goal, your kids will be delighted to have their outdoor toys in.
• Put on a blind fold and play hide and seek or Marco Polo.
• Build a huge fort and have a picnic lunch.
• Blow bubbles in the bath.
• Go on an indoor photo walk. Take pics of interesting things-close up or at strange angles.
• Grow an inside garden. Don’t forget to get a book at the library and learn all you can about your plants.

Water play

There are tons of ways to play with water beside swimming or playing in a sprinkler. You may have heard of these fancy things called a water table just get out a large tub and fill it halfway with water.

• Bring out some large spoons and let the kids fill up cups. (This activity will help hone hand-eye coordination.)
• Give them a scrubber and some non-breakable dishes to “wash”.
• Fill up your kitchen sink and let them pretend to be you!

Visit museums

Many museums have exhibits created especially for kids with activities to stimulate their minds. Check out your local museums and any you may visit while on vacation. Here are some museums in Oklahoma that offer discounts during the summer:

• Oklahoma City Zoo-$1 Wednesdays: admission for $1, select rides and attractions for $1 and select food items for $1. A great deal! (July and August)
• National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum-dress up as a cowboy or girl and visit old Prosperity Junction.
• Oklahoma City Museum of Art-inspire your little one’s creative expression.
• Science Museum of Oklahoma-there is so much to see and do you’ll have make another visit to see it all.
• Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum-tons of great indoor and outdoor activities!

Check out the Library

There are always free stuff for kids to do at the local library.

• Reading program offers prizes for # of books or pages read.
• Concerts
• Story time captures their imagination and gives you some quiet time

Old Standards

• Crafts and other creative outlets lets your kid use his imagination. (See my article about making a craft treasure box.)
• Indoor play areas at restaurants or shopping malls lets them play inside where it’s cool.
• Puzzles and games challenge their developing minds and encourages a little competition.
• A dance party in your living room with loud, up-beat music will get their hearts pumping. (Don’t forget to dress in your best dance clothes.)
• Cover the walls with butcher paper and let your kids go crazy with markers or paint if you’re feeling lucky! (Make sure your kiddo knows not to color on the wall without paper up.)
• Get a book from the library and learn something new together. How about tying knots?

I can go on and on about all the activities you can do inside. I actually have to physically stop myself so this article doesn’t go on too long. (Too late for that!) If you have any ideas I haven’t mentioned please leave a comment. I am always searching for new ways to keep my kids happy and cool during the hot, hot summer.

Gustafer Yellowgold's Infinity Sock

Today I’m here to talk to you about Gustafer Yellowgold’s Infinity Sock.

Some of you are asking, “What is a Gustafer Yellowgold? And why does his sock go on forever?” Gustafer Yellowgold is a singer, performer, and storyteller.

But that’s not all! Gustafer Yellowgold came down to Earth one day in a Sunpod. He and his friend Forrest Applecrumbie built Gustafer a wonderful house in Minnesota. The house is made from pieces of Gustafer’s Sunpod. Gustafer resides in Minnesota with his wonderful pet, Slim. Slim is an eel who enjoys wearing… socks!

Infinity Sock: The Story

Slim is always wearing Gustafer’s socks. Though he doesn’t have need for any socks, Gustafer has many and he leaves them all over the house because he knows Slim will come by and put them on. Wearing socks seems to be Slim’s favorite thing to do. He’s always trying on different kinds.

While washing all the socks one day, Gustafer spies one he missed. His investigation takes him on a wild journey through his garden, over the hills, in the lake, up through the trees, into the sky, and beyond. Gustafer discovers that he cannot find the toe of the sock, the sock continues for infinity. Can a sock continue for infinity?

Gustafer Yellowgold’s Infinity Sock will take you with Gustafer on his fascinating journey. You’ll visit a bee rock band, spy on a Snake Prom, and eventually end up in Wisconsin. Join Gustafer on this incredible journey.

The 2 Disc Set

Gustafer Yellowgold’s Infinity Sock is now available in a two-disc set. My daughter (age 4) and I (I won’t tell you how old I am so don’t ask) had a great time watching the DVD and singing along. Gustafer and his friend, Forrest Applecrumbie, are wonderful characters. We will watch it many times over.

After we watched the DVD a few times, we listened to the audio CD. Every few lines my daughter would shout, “Hey, that was the part where Gustafer got his head stuck in a bee hive!” (yes that does happen) or something along those lines. I love how the music and lyrics can help her remember so clearly the illustrations from the DVD.

The Website

The first thing I did after watching the DVD, was get online at GustaferYellowgold.com. The site is full of great things for kids or parents to do.

• Explore Gustafer’s extraordinary home
• Check out how you can see a Gustafer show live
• Watch Videos and look at photos of Gustafer and his friends
• Listen to music from the Infinity Sock and other Gustafer DVDs
• Play awesome Gustafer games
• And more

Where else can you find Gustafer Yellowgold?

This is an excellent question. Gustafer’s latest DVD or CD can be purchased in a number of places.

• The official Gustafer Yellowgold website
• Amazon
• iTunes
• YouTube
• Or you can add Gustafer to your kid’s music station on Pandora

However you decide to check out Gustafer, I know you will enjoy it as much as we do. The story, the characters and the illustrations are truly a work of art!