May 2nd - Brothers and Sisters Day

At times siblings seem more of a nuisance than a gift, but as you get older you realize how incredible it is to have a brother or sister. Whether you are best friend or worst enemies, siblings shape your existence. I have two siblings and fortunately I grew up in a household that encouraged us to love each other, respect each other and depend on each other for comfort and strength. I love my siblings, they are my very best friends and I couldn't’t imagine a life without them. I am happily celebrating my siblings today and honoring them for their amazing ability to love me unconditionally no matter what I do or who I am. Celebrate your sibling today whether you are close or not, siblings are put into our lives for a reason. We learn from our experiences with them, the good and the bad experience teach us important life lessons and for that we should celebrate our brothers and sisters.

Here are a couple of poems to enjoy on Brothers and Sisters day

For Sale By Shel Silverstein

One sister for sale!

One sister for sale!

One crying and spying young sister for sale!

I'm really not kidding,

So who will start the bidding?

Do I hear a dollar?

A nickel?

A penny?

Oh, isn't there, isn't there, isn't there any

One kid who will buy this old sister for sale,

This crying and spying around sister for sale?

Brother for sale, only 50 cents.

Brother for sale, he's not a big expense.

You can hug him, you can bug him,

you can buy or rent.

Brother for sale, only 50 cents.

Would anyone like to buy a slightly used big brother?

Even if you have one now, trade him for another.

He will help you with the chores and he's really clean.

The only problem is sometimes he can be so mean.

Brother for sale, twenty-five cents.

Brother for sale, he's not a big expense.

You can hug him, you can bug him, you can buy or rent.

Brother for sale, twenty-five cents.

If Mom knew we were selling him, we would really get it.

Buy him now; don't wait till June; on approved credit.

Buy him now and we'll tell you what we will do Mister.

We'll throw into the deal our little baby sister.

Brother for sale, only 10 cents...........

He will always pick you up when you take a fall.

And he's good at showing you how to catch a ball.

He always tells these funny jokes and does this crazy dance.

Hey wait, he sounds like a pretty nice guy.

Let's give him one more chance.

Our brother's not for sale, not for any price.

Our brother's not for sale, we guess he will suffice.

We love to hug him, we love to bug him, he's really rather nice.

Our brother's not for sale, not for any price.

Here's To My Sister (Brother)

Here's to my sister (brother)

Remember every day

No matter what I've said

Here's what I'd like to say

I will always love you

Be with you till the end

When no one else is around

I will be your friend

I love my sister (brother)

and I always will

I'm proud to be your brother (sister)

that's how I feel

And someday when we're far away

And the miles keep us apart

I'm gonna whisper I love my sister (brother)

And you'll hear it in your heart.

5 Important tips

for parents to build strong relationship between children.

Teach your children to respect and protect each other.

Never pick favorites, whether you have a favorite child or not, make sure
you always treat them equally.

Never compare children to each other. It is like comparing apples to
oranges. Even if they are the same age, no one likes to be compared to
someone else. We are all individuals.

Always make time for family activities. Whether it is planning an
outing such as going on a nature walk or having a picnic or simply having
dinner together or playing board games. Dedicate at least one
night a week to do things with the entire family. We all need time to
ourselves once in a while, but spending time together builds
relationships.

Always use positive reinforcement to praise children in their efforts to
get along or settle their own disputes.

May 1st - Mother Goose Day

Today is Mother Goose Day. Mother Goose deserves a special day to celebrate the joy she has brought to all the little ones who have spent countless hours chanting her rhymes. Who is Mother Goose? Several stories have circulated about the real mother goose. In Boston they claim Mother Goose was the wife of Isaac Goose and the mother of 16 children. They claims she used to sing song and ditties to children all day. When her husband died she went to live with her oldest daughter who was married to Thomas Fleet a publisher. According to the legend, Thomas noticed how much the children loved the rhymes Mother Goose shared and therefore he published her stories for all the world to enjoy. Although this is the version I prefer, the real Mother Goose was most likely something brought about by publishers to sell books containing folklore rhymes that had been passed down for generations.

To celebrate Mother Goose Day share with your children Mother Goose rhymes you fondly remember from your past.

Here are a few Nursery Rhymes to share with your children.

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater

Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater,

Had a wife and couldn't keep her;

He put her in a pumpkin shell

And there he keep her very well.

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater Activity
On orange construction paper draw and then cut out a pumpkin. Have the children tape the top of the pumpkin only onto a white piece of paper so the pumpkin is a "flap". Then have them draw a picture under the pumpkin "flap" of what they think Peter's wife is doing while she is locked in her pumpkin shell. They can then dictate to you what she is doing while you write it at the bottom.

-from Jeannee' Neville, Oroville, CA, USA; Sept. 12, 2000

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups solid pack plain pumpkin
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups and set aside. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together 2 cups pumpkin puree, vegetable oil and eggs. Stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture until smooth. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

HOT-CROSS BUNS

Hot-cross Buns!

Hot cross Buns!

One a penny, two a penny,

Hot-cross Buns!

Hot-cross Buns!

Hot-cross Buns!

If ye have no daughters,

Give them to your sons.

Use this rhyme as an opportunity to discuss how the value of money has changed over time.

Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
3/4 cup raisins (optional)
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons cold water

ICING:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel
4 teaspoons orange juice

DIRECTIONS:
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, cinnamon and salt. Heat milk and butter until butter is melted. Add to dry ingredients; mix just until moistened. Add eggs; beat until smooth. Stir in raisins and enough flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in a bowl coated with nonstick cooking spray, turning once to coat completely. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 18 pieces; shape each into a ball. Place in two 9-in. round baking pans coated with nonstick cooking spray. Using a sharp knife, cut a cross on top of each roll. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Beat egg yolk and water; brush over the top of the buns. Bake at 375 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Combine icing ingredients in a plastic bag. Seal and knead the bag until all ingredients are well combined. Cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and pipe icing crosses onto the rolls.


THE TARTS

The Queen of Hearts,

She made some tarts,

All on a summer's day;

The Knave of Hearts,

He stole the tarts,

And took them clean away.

The King of Hearts

Called for the tarts,

And beat the Knave full sore;

The Knave of Hearts

Brought back the tarts,

And vowed he'd steal no more.

Musical Tarts!

Have your children or a group of kids sit in a circle. Put six tarts on a paper plate and hand had the plate to one of the children. Turn on some music and have the children pass the plate around the circle. The last one to hold the plate when the music stops is out of the game. Likewise, if a child accidentally drops a tart he is out of the game as well. The child who wins the game is the last one sitting. The prise- the remaining tarts.

The Queen of Hearts Pecan Tarts

Ingredients:

CRUST

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

FILLING
1 egg
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup chopped pecans
Whip Cream (optional)

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter; blend in flour, sugar and salt. Chill for 1 hour. Shape into 1-in. balls; press into the bottom and up the sides of greased mini-muffin tin. For filling, beat the egg in a small mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, butter and vanilla; mix well. Stir in pecans. Bake at 325 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack. Decorate with whip cream if desired.

April 30- National Honesty Day

Truth fears no questions. ~Author Unknown

A lie may take care of the present, but it has no future. ~Author Unknown

Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom. ~Thomas Jefferson

Truth is such a rare thing, it is delightful to tell it. ~Emily Dickinson

In honor of National Honesty Day try being completely honest today. Try not to exaggerate, or tell any lies, not even little white lies. At the end of the day discuss with you family how it felt to be completely honest all day.

To help children truly understand honesty you can ask them these questions.

Is it hard to tell the truth when you are asked if you already had cookies,
knowing that if you answer truthfully yes, you will not get anymore cookies?

How about saying you didn't break something when you did, is that being honest?

What about telling your friend they look great when they have on something noticeably to tight, is that being honest?

Some situations make it hard to tell what is honest.

Is it all right to keep coins found on the ground at school, on a street, or on
the floor in your home?

If your friends ask if you've seen a x-rated movie, but you haven't, are you tempted to say yes so you will look cool?

Use these questions to generate a great conversation with your family about honesty.

To really spice things up, make a batch of Oatmeal Cookies to celebrate Oatmeal Cookie day and invite a few friends or neighbors over to play this interesting game.

Two Truths and a Lie
Get everyone to sit in a circle. Pick a person to go first and then have them tell three statements. The person picked has to tell two true, but maybe surprising statements and one false statement. Everyone else in the circle tries to figure out which statement is false. The person who guesses the correct statement as false can choose to take his turn or pick the next person to take a turn. The game is finished when everyone has had the chance to tell three statements.



Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup raisins, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut or nuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheated oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Next beat in the eggs one at a time and then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir this into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are done. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

April 29 - National Shrimp Scampi Day

In the USA, scampi is another term for shrimp. It is also commonly applied to a dish of shrimp served in a garlic butter and white wine sauce. The original term scampi is a culinary term for lobster. Several varieties of lobsters are known as scampi. When the simple, but delicious scampi recipe appeared in America, cooks started using shrimp instead of lobster because they couldn't always find lobster. This is why Americans consider scampi a shrimp dish not a lobster dish.

A few interesting shrimp facts:

Did you know female shrimp lay 50,000 to 1 million eggs that hatch within 12 days.

There are over 2,000 different species of shrimp worldwide.

You might be surprised to hear there are a small number of freshwater shrimp

Did you know a shrimp can swim backwards very rapidly.

For Dinner tonight make your family a simple meal of Shrimp or Lobster Scampi served over pasta.



Shrimp Scampi over Pasta

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp (about 16 to 24)
1/3 cup butter
2 tablespoons minced garlic
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh if possible
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
Pasta of your choice (for about 8 people)

Directions:
Rinse shrimp and set aside. Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic 1 or 2 minutes or until softened but not browned. Add shrimp, green onions, wine and lemon juice; cook until shrimp are pink and firm, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook. Add chopped parsley and salt and pepper before serving on a bed of pasta.

April 28 – Kiss Your Mate Day

When it comes to our mates, we sometimes get into a routine of kissing. A kiss on the cheek as you leave for work and a peck on the lips before going to sleep. Honor “Kiss Your Mate Day” by breaking out of that routine and give some thought about how you can make your kisses count. If you need a little encouragement listen to this; Dr. Berman America's leading expert in female sexual health says kissing frequency is a direct indicator of happiness. "It turns out that couples who kiss and cuddle regularly are eight times less likely to be stressed and depressed than couples who don't get that," she says. "You have to have a minimum of a 10-second kiss every day."

Do you show less affection to your mate now that you have children because you are worried about showing affection in front of your kids? Carleton Kendrick Ed.M., LCSW, a licensed family therapist suggests kids who see parental displays of some affection -- a kiss, a loving touch, and a warm embrace -- receive valuable lessons in the relationship between love, sex, and sexuality. The most important sexual education for young children centers on love. Even very young children pick up on the good feelings attached to their parents' natural affectionate touches and embraces. So don’t be afraid to hug and kiss in front of your children even if they mutter, “that’s gross,” just remember to take anything more intimate to the bedroom.

There' A Kiss

There's a kiss to say I love you,

There's a kiss to say I care.

There's a kiss to prove our friendship,

There's a kiss for us to share.

There's a kiss to say it's true

But the kiss I love the most,

Is the kiss I get from you.

by Jennifer Hanson


Kiss
Kiss me sweet

kiss when i'm weak

kissing pain away

kissing in the rain today

kissing in the sun tomorrow

kiss your hand

kiss your cheek

kiss you sweet

kiss a kiss

kiss fully

kisses come

kisses go

kisses from you

kisses to my soul.

by Abel Garcia

It’s easy to shower are children with kisses, but lets focus on our mate today. To get the kids involved let them help you make flowers and roses for your significant other.

Hershey's Kiss Roses

What you need:
Hershey's Kiss chocolate candies, any flavor

Plastic wrap (pink or red works the best if you have it)

Floral stems (with at least 1 or 2 leaves)

Green floral tape

What to do:

Place two Hershey's Kisses together, bottom end to bottom end, and hold in place. Next wrap the Kisses with a small square of plastic wrap from top to bottom, creating a rose like shape. Gather the plastic wrap together at the bottom of the rosebud. Then attach the pre-cut floral stem with a leaf or two at the bottom of the rose bud before twisting the plastic wrap completely closed. Wrap the bottom plastic wrap closed with floral tape, going around the stem and pulling it tight all the way down to the end.

Heresy Kiss Flower

What you need:
6 Hershey Kisses
1 Red Pom Pom
Lollipop Stick
Green craft paper
Low temp glue gun

What you do:
Glue 6 Hershey Kisses together to form a flower. Next glue a red Pom Pom to the center of the flower. Then glue the flower to the Stick. Cut out a leaf shape from your green craft paper and glue it to the lollipop stick. It’s that simple.

Today is a very special day to me because not only is it “Kiss your Mate Day,” but it is also my sisters Birthday.

Happy Birthday lil’ sis’!


Happy Birthday Song

You know it doesn't make much sense

There ought to be a law against

Anyone who takes offense

At a day in your celebration

'Cause we all know in our minds

That there ought to be a time

That we can set aside

To show just how much we love you

And I'm sure you will agree

It couldn't fit more perfectly

Than to have a world party on the day you came to be

by Steve Wonder

April 27th - Write an Old Friend Today Day

I miss writing letters. When I was a kid I had several pen pals I kept in touch with through good old snail mail. When email came along, I excitedly obtained my pen pals email addresses and I became enticed with the ease and speed of the Internet. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, the art of writing a letter was lost. Think of the joyful feeling you get when you open your mailbox and amongst the pile of bills pops out a note from a friend. Instead of waiting until the hectic holidays to send out cards, once a month, randomly pick a page out of your address book and send a card or letter to one or more people on that page. The recipient will be thrilled with getting an unexpected note and you will feel good knowing you brightened somebody’s day. Here is a sample letter you can use.

Dear ___________,
It’s funny how time always seems to slip away. I am not the greatest at keeping in touch, but please remember I think of you often and hope that you and your family are doing well. My family is doing great. ___________ is getting so big and _________ impresses me more and more each day with his __________ skills. My days are filled with _________ and _______. I keep very busy, but I would not change it for the world. I sure miss seeing you, I would love to get together sometime. You can reach me at _________. Hope to hear from you soon.
Yours truly,
_____________

Children learn best by watching what you do. When they see you writing letters, they will be intrigued to write letters of thier own. Keep the art of letter writing alive by encouraging your whole family to write a letter to an old friend or relative they haven’t seen in a while.

April 26th - Shuffleboard Day & National Pretzel Day

(To make up for my short post yesterday, I am sharing with you a wealth of great information today.)

Shuffleboard is a popular game that dates back over 500 years. The two most common varieties of shuffleboard are the deck version and the table top version. Both are fun games which can be enjoyed by people of all ages. The object of game is to push disks along a smooth surface into a scoring area. The main difference between the two is in the tabletop version shooting is performed directly with the hand, as opposed to deck version’s use of a long cue stick with a fork on the end to push the disc to the end of the Court. Today you will come across deck shuffleboard on cruise ships and in retirement communities. Tabletop shuffleboard is usually found in bars and pubs. Both games are very fun to play and are beneficial in improving your eye-hand coordination skills.

In the unlikely event that you will be going to the pub with your children or you will be on a cruise in the near future, I suggest trying out this homemade version of tabletop shuffleboard with your family.

Shuffleboard

What you need:
Four or five flat, circular, unbreakable objects (lids from milk jugs or baby food jars, plastic hockey pucks, checkers, and so on)
Ruler

What to do:
1. Sit your child at the edge of a table with four or five flat objects in front of him. (If possible, use similar items rather than a mixture of objects.)
2. Ask your child to slide the objects one at a time toward the opposite end of table without sending them over the edge. Each player gets five slides.
3. How to calculate points: award one point for coming within six inches of the edge, two points for coming within an inch of the edge, three points for touching the edge, and four points for hanging over the edge.
4. If you like, have them play against each other to see who gets the most points.

After a couple high spirited games of shuffleboard, you should reward your efforts with a big soft pretzel or a handful of hard pretzels to celebrate National Pretzel Day. While snacking on pretzels, share with your family the story of the pretzel.

The Pretzel Story

It was only a few weeks before Christmas in 610 A.D. The monastery bakery was preparing for the holidays. Brother Bachman was earnestly kneading bread dough while he watched the village children playing in the snow outside the chapel window. "It's too bad they aren't as interested in coming to church and learning their prayers," he thought.

The growing apathy of the village folks saddened him. "If only there was some way to get them back to the church." Brother Bachman continued to work the dough and ponder his dilemma. As he was finishing up the last loaves of bread, he was suddenly struck with a most original idea. He thoughtfully gathered up the leftover dough and began to form pencil-like strips, which he then twisted into a shape that looked like a child's arms folded in prayer. "Ah! a Pretiola!" he declared, which in Latin meant little reward.

He opened the bakery window and called out to the children. "Come in, come in say your prayers, and I will give you a Pretiola!" It didn't take much convincing. Soon each child had learned a prayer and proudly received a "little reward." Rushing home, the children excitedly told their parents. Word of Brother Bachman's idea soon spread through the village, and children and parents alike visited the chapel to receive a Pretiola.

One child proudly placed his Pretiola on the small church's Christmas tree. Not to be outdone, the others followed. Soon the entire tree was beautifully decorated with this unique symbol of their achievements. The Christmas Prayer Service that year was especially festive and bright. The church was filled with families once again. And as the cheerful voices rose in prayer and song together, Brother Bachman smiled joyfully and thanked the Lord for little rewards.

The Pretiola soon found its way into Germany and Austria. It became a symbol of excellence used to reward worthy accomplishments as the church and youth programs flourished. Through the centuries, Pretiola became known as "Pretzel" as we know it today, and decorating the Christmas tree with Pretzels became a special family tradition that continues because of Brother Bachman's bakery inspiration.

Thanks to Box of Wege Pretzel Company (Hanover, PA) for sharing this story.

Pretzels are a yummy treat, but did you know you can make crafts out of them. You can make a number of things with pretzels such as small wreaths you can hang on the Christmas tree, large wreaths you can hang on the wall, picture frames, garland, etc. Let your creative mind take you away.

Pretzel Wreaths

What you need:
Small Pretzels
Wax paper

Twisty-type pretzels

Plain white craft glue

Ribbon

Cardboard (optional, maybe easier for younger children)

What to do:
Use little pretzels. Glue 1 layer of them in a circle like a wreath. If using cardboard, cut out a circle in the size you would like to make the wreath and glue the pretzels onto the cardboard. Then glue a second layer on top of the first joining the pretzels together over the middle of a pretzel on the first layer. Hang with a ribbon. You can weave ribbon between the holes if you would like.

You can't celebrate National Pretzel Day without making pretzels. There are many great recipes for soft pretzels, but if you are short on time. Try this tasty recipe.

Quick & Easy Soft Pretzels

Ingredients:
2 (16oz) loaves frozen bread dough, thawed
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon water Coarse salt

Directions:
Separate thawed bread into twenty-four 1 1/2" balls. Roll each ball into a rope 14 1/2" long. Design pretzel shapes and put them 1 inch apart on a greased cookie sheet. Let stand for 20 minutes. Combined egg white and water and then brush each pretzel with this combination. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Place a shallow pan containing 1" of boiling water on bottom rack of oven; bake pretzels at 350 degrees on rack above water for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

If you would like something a little sweet and salty, try these popular candy inspired pretzel creations.


Chocolate Carmel Pretzel Treats

Ingredients:
Rolo Candies
Small Pretzels
Pecan Halves

Directions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees and line a cookie sheet with foil. Place pretzels flat on the foil-lined cookie sheet. Place 1 Rolo on each pretzel. Place in oven for 4-5 minutes or until Rolos become soft. Immediately after removing pretzels from oven, place a pecan halve on each Rolo and very lightly press down to spread chocolate/caramel over pretzel. Let stand or place in refrigerator until chocolate/caramel hardens.

Chocolate covered Peanut Butter Pretzels

Ingredients:
Mini pretzels
Mini peanut butter cups
Chocolate chips

Directions:
Unwrap a peanut butter cup. Flatten it with one finger until the top layer of chocolate cracks, and you can see the peanut butter insides oozing out.. Place cracked peanut butter cup on top of a mini pretzel, then place another pretzel on top and press lightly until it sticks. Repeat with more pretzels and candy until you have as many as you like. Melt chocolate in microwave for intervals of 30 seconds until melted. Dip pretzels in melted chocolate and place on wax paper. You have to be gentle because the pretzels might fall apart.. Put in fridge until chocolate has set and is hard.

Pretzel Kisses

Ingredients:
1 bag Pretzels

1 bag Hershey Kisses

1 bag plain M&M's

Directions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place pretzels on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Place a Hershey kiss inside each pretzel. Place in oven for 3-4 minutes until chocolate is soft. Remove and press one M&M into chocolate. Place in fridge until hardened.
Tip: You can vary this with Hershey Hugs or other variety of Kisses if you like.