Easter Egg Bird's Nests: Kidz In The Kitchen

Mar 24 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Kidz In The Kitchen

Are you looking for some tasty and easy Easter treats to make with your kids? Why not try these no-bake Easter Egg Bird’s Nests?

1/2 c milk

1/2 c margarine

2 c white sugar

6 Tbsp cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

1 c coconut

3 c rolled oats

1) Measure out and melt the milk and margarine in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat.

2) Add the sugar and the cocoa and stir, bringing to a simmer. Remove it from the heat and then add the vanilla.

3) Measure and mix the coconut and the rolled oats.

4) Add the warm cocoa mixture to the dry and stir until mixed through.

5) Drop the dough in a ball onto parchment (or wax) paper and shape into nests by spreading the centre to the sides. Let them sit and cool, until set.

6) Add your Easter treats (I used Jelly Belly Jelly Beans because they are my favourite), serve and enjoy!

*If you are going to be saving these for any length of time, they need to be kept flat as they can get quite crumbly and fall apart.

A Special thank you to “Big Chef” Shannon who helped my “Little Chefs” and I prepare this recipe.

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All Spaced Out: Crafting With Kids

Mar 23 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Crafting with Kids, Parenting Resources

In case you haven’t heard, there will be the first-ever KamloopsParents.Com event tonight!

We’ll be checking out the observatory at TRU. Space is limited so please do RSVP to elizabeth@kamloopsparents.com. There are a few family spaces left.

6:30-6:40 – meet in room IB 1019 of the International Building (see map)
6:40-7:15 – multimedia presentation on the Moon and Mars
7:15-8:00 – go upstairs from tour of facilities and view the sky

We should be wrapped up at around 8am, as there is another group following us into the observatory.

A big thanks goes out to Colin Taylor, at TRU, who is preparing and presenting for us, this evening!

The inspiration of this event was my four-year-old, whose favourite book is the Atlas and peruses the space page and regales us with fun facts whenever he feels like it. ”Saturn is the sixth planet and it has rings made of rocks and ice.” Awesome.

In the spacey way, we have prepared a number of crafts that have helped to my crew get excited for this event and that would be fun to do with your kids, whether or not you will be attending the Astronomy Night!

We used all our bowls and traced them, in approximate sizes to create a solar system on our living room ceiling…

It was determined that in order to be able to see all the planets and the Sun, we would have to lay on our floor and pretend it was the Moon. So that’s what we did. The planets were up there for over a month until just recently when we added the final touch and moved them all to his bedroom ceiling.

For the final touch… we rolled up some thick paper (you could easily use a paper towel roll or a toilet paper roll) and added accents to make a rocket. Then hung it from the ceiling below the solar system (which you can’t see in the picture, unfortunately).

So, KamloopsParents, get spaced out and I hope to see you, tonight!

***Don’t forget to enter the giveaway from Delish Naturals! And you can e-mail your entries to elizabeth@kamloopsparents.com, if you are having trouble logging in!***

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A Bloomin' Garden Party!

Mar 22 2010

Posted by Guest as Adventures in Parenting, Birthday Party Guide, Parenting Resources

A Wild About Party Packs spring-time idea

By Candace of Wild About Party Packs

The sun is shining and the bulbs are blooming. Do you have a child ready for a birthday this Spring? Are you tired of planning the usual party with whatever is “in” at the moment?

Why not plan a green thumb birthday party to help welcome the warmer weather and help celebrate them being one year older. This party idea can be a wonderful experience for the children: different from the current trend and letting them get a little (or a lot) dirty and have some hands-on fun exploring Mother Nature.

Here are some unique and creative ideas for a garden party:

Invitations:

For garden party invitations, buy seed packets from the garden store. Write the party details in permanent marker on the backs or staple on a card with the party details. Enclose packets in envelopes and mail or hand deliver to the invited gardeners.

As a variation, hand deliver an apple to each guest in a small box. Write the garden birthday party details on a card and tie it to the stem. Include a recipe for baked apples.

Decorations:

Of course a garden would be the ideal setting but relying on the spring weather can sometimes be a challenge. Why not bring the outdoors in… A checkered table cloth and a vase of fresh flowers make for a springtime centerpiece.

Make fun flower place settings for each child: Fill a mini terracotta pot with green jelly beans and a silk daisy and write the child’s name on with permanent craft pens.

Decorate the house with real flowers, silk flowers, tissue paper bouquets, flower pots, vegetables, nests, birds, and bird houses.

Food and Snacks:

Fruits & Veggies: Serve a variety of cut-up fruits and vegetables skewered together on sticks. Offer fruit and veggie dips on the side.

Ants on a Log: Fill 5″ celery stalks with peanut butter or spreadable cheese. Add raisins on top for “ants.”

Critter Crunch: Mix pretzel sticks, yogurt covered raisins, animals crackers, etc. in bowls or plastic baggies.

Bug juice or nectar: apricot juice mixed with 7-up

Games and Activities:

Pin the Bee on the flower

Watering can water relay

Decorate a flower pot

Bug Hunt

And of course plant your own flower or seeds. Provide a terracotta/plastic pot, soil, large spoons or trowel s and a flower or packet of seeds for each child. Marigolds work well because they are hardy and easy to care for.
PARTY FAVORS:

Fill small watering cans or flower pots with a packet of seeds, kids gardening gloves, gummy worms or a grow your own herb garden kit.

Do you love this party idea but don’t have the time…check out Wild About Party Packs!

www.wildaboutpartypacks.com

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway from Delish Naturals! And you can e-mail your entries to elizabeth@kamloopsparents.com, if you are having trouble logging in!

Also, are you seeing stars after your fun-filled family weekend? Do you want to? Bring the family and come and check out the TRU Observatory. We’ll meet at IB1019 at 6:30pm for a short talk, a look at some space images and then a tour of the observatory. I’ll be there with my pre-schoolers, who are you going to bring?

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More than just a "Yum Bum": Delish Naturals Review

Mar 19 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting

Recently (like really really recently), I got to test out the Yum Bum Butter from Delish Naturals.

What’s the first thing I did when I got it? Why, open the can and take a whiff, of course. And “Delish” is right. The “LoveSpell” fragrance smells so good I wasn’t sure I wanted to put it on my baby’s bum. But, I did. And, I am glad that I did. Smooth, not gucky, no greasy residue and no greasy white fingers!!

I also put it on… his head.!? Yes, you read that right. Krystal, from Delish told me that her yum bum butter was good for “eczema, psoriasis, cradle cap, any cracked skin, chapping and burns” so I thought… hey, let’s give it a whirl on Sawyer’s cradle cap. I tried applying it for two days and- wow – it has really made a difference. While it was very noticeable and flaky before, it’s gotten way better after only three or four applications!

It’s also been great as a diaper cream. Any little redness has cleared up entirely so I’ve been using it after all my diaper changes. It’s easy to apply and it just melts right onto their skin with body heat. Because of that fantastic trait, I’ve even used it to give my kidlets a soothing leg rub. Sigh… delish!

Krystal has given me a $15 gift card to give away to one lucky KamloopsParents reader. All you have to do is leave a comment and you will have one entry into the draw.

For another entry, you can go become a fan of the Delish Naturals page on facebook and let us know that you are a fan.

For another entry, go check out the facebook page and tell us another product that Delish Naturals carries.

For a fourth entry (wow, look at all these options) you can go to the shop on Hyena Cart and find out one of her available fragrances and then leave a comment here with what you find.

Lastly, for two entries (and this one is a doozy), you can swing by the Kamloops Children’s Expo and leave your name and e-mail address at the Delish Naturals table and I will enter you into this draw from there! In addition, at the Expo, Krystal will be offering a one-time discount of 15% off your purchase. Now’s the time to get Delish!

*Don’t forget that you can e-mail your comments to elizabeth@kamloopsparents.com*

The draw will close at 10pm on Thursday, March 25th and the winner will be posted here and notified by e-mail. This draw is open to any KamloopsParents readers.

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Thoughts on Down Time

Mar 18 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, One Parents Perspective

Since having my third child I have discovered something essential to my day: “Quiet Time”.

Every day after lunch, my daughter goes to her room for her nap, my son goes to his room to read books and I try to get the baby down for a nap, too. This, occasionally, results in a little bit of time to myself. Sometimes I get to use that time to clean up the mess from lunch, or go on the computer for a bit, but usually it results in quality one-on-one time with one of the kids. If the baby does go down for a nap, I’ll get to hang out with my four-year-old for a bit… just us, or if he is agreeably reading in his room for a while I will get to really connect and play with my baby while my two-year-old sleeps.

Having that time with just one kid, or none that need my immediate attention, has really given me the ability to clear my head and feel like I have had a chance to regroup after a full morning of play, mess, reading, more play and more mess… all the while trying to accomplish something from my to-do list, as well.

The other advantage I have found is that my oldest son has really grown in his interest to spend time reading by himself. Often, after he has spent some time reading in his room, he will come out with book in hand and we will get to read it together.

When the kids wake up and finish their quiet time I feel recharged and more patient and ready to plan something fun for us to do together.

What’s your secret?

***

A reminder that you can find the Spring Mother Goose Program Schedule (as well as lots of other local playgroups) available here.

Lastly, we’ve started a new directory of great local parks and playgrounds. It is a work in progress and we need your help, too. Check it out and get out into the community to check out the park nearest you, take a picture and then e-mail me your picture and your review, as well as the park address.