TIP OF THE DAY

Put a few slices of oranges and a cinammon stick in boiling water to fill your kitchen with a fresh summer scent.

STORYTIME: The Princess and the Witch -- Part 2

... The red ball did not stop bouncing. The princess walked towards it. She picked up her own ball and simply stared at the bouncing ball, wondering what was making it bounce all by itself. Suddenly, a strange old lady appeared in the distance. She walked directly to the princess. "Do you like my ball?," she said in a hoarse voice, "It´s a magic ball!" The princess did not answer; there was something about the old lady that she did not like. "Go on, take it back to your castle; it´s my gift, to you, little princess." The old lady handed the princess the ball. The princess took the ball and ran back to the castle. She did not look back, she did not turn around to see the old lady again, she did not hear her laughing.... a soft evil laughter.....

(More tomorrow)

DAILY RECIPE: Pistacchio Salmon

1 cup crushed pistacchio nuts
4 salmon filets
salt
butter or margarine

Lightly season salmon filets. Place in a baking dish. Melt butter and spread over fish. Sprinkle crushed pistacchio nuts on each filet, completely covering each one. Bake in 350°F oven for about 25 minutes or until done.

TIP OF THE DAY

When making pancakes try making different designs like 3 circles to form a Mickey Mouse figure or letters to spell out your child´s name. Make breakfast fun!

STORYTIME: The Princess and the Witch -- Part 1

Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived a beautiful princess. She lived in a pink castle next to a large forest. Every afternoon she would run out to play in the forest with her pink ball. She would play and play until it was time for dinner, then she would run back to the castle, eat, and go to bed. Every day was exactly the same.

One day, when she was playing in the forest, her ball bounced far away from her. She ran to get it, but the ball kept on bouncing and bouncing, each time getting farther and farther away from her. Finally, she lost sight of the ball. The princess walked further into the forest, looking for it. When she was just about to give up, she saw it, resting under a tree. But, as she got nearer she saw that there was another ball right next to hers. It was a bright red ball, and it was bouncing on its own....

(More tomorrow)

DAILY RECIPE: Potato Salad

4 potatoes
3 carrots
1 medium sized can of peas
light mayo
salt and pepper
2 hard boiled eggs (optional)

Cook peeled potatoes and carrots until tender, but still firm. Cut potatoes into large cubes, carrots into small ones. In a large bowl mix potatoes, carrots and peas. Stir in 1/2 cup of mayo, more if necessary, and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in a salad bowl, cold. You may decorate with slices of the hard boiled eggs.

TIP OF THE DAY

On index cards, write down different topics and questions such as: Favorite movies, What would you do if you had 3 wishes?, Olympic sports, Favorite vacation spot, What super power would you like to have?, etc. Put them in a box and once a week take one out during dinner and have your family talk about it.

ACTIVITY: Decorating Feelings Cookies (the easy way)

You will need:
1 can prepared white frosting
M & M´s, gummy worms and other candy you may have in the pantry
Graham Crackers

Frost the graham crackers and have your children make different faces on them with the candy, M&M´s for the eyes and gummy worms for mouths. Have them make happy, sad, angry, surprised or excited faces. A great way to talk about their feelings or how they felt when this or that happened, plus they´re fun, easy and delicious.

ARTICLE: Playing with your Baby

Playing is very important throughout your baby´s first year. It stimulates movement, social skills and communication. You can show your baby all there is to learn. Playing is the fun and interesting way to discover the world around him. From birth through preschool stimulate visual development with lights, shadows, colors and toys. Make different faces and copy the faces he/she makes. Copy the sounds your baby makes. Hug your baby to make him feel secure and peaceful. To help with crawling, put him tummy down, without shoes, and then place a toy out of his reach and encourage him to get it. Play all sorts of music for your baby, different kinds for sleep and play. Carry your baby and dance to the rhythm of a song. Move your baby´s arms and legs while listening to a lively song. Most of all, have fun together and do the activities your baby likes best!

ARTICLE: Preventing Choking in Babies and Small Children

Choking occurs when food or a small object get caught in a child´s throat and block respiratory channels. This keeps oxygen from reaching lungs and brain. Choking is very dangerous in babies and small children, especially those under 5. Here are some tips to prevent this:

Avoid giving your child round and solid food without first cutting it up into small pieces. Children tend to swallow these whole, increasing the risk of choking. The following are considered risky choking food:

• hot dogs
• nuts and seeds
• raw vegetables
• raisins
• whole grapes
• hard candy
• meat or cheese chunks
• gum
• chunks of peanut butter

Be careful of small objects around your child or baby. Remember children learn about things by placing them in their mouths. Keep the following household objects out of reach of children:

• balloons
• marbles
• small balls
• coins
• pen or marker tops
• toys with small removable parts

Finally the following tips can help you prevent a choking accident:

• Learn the heimlich maneuver and CPR
• Have children eat at the table and sitting down
• Cut food into small pieces and stress the importance of chewing well
• Be careful of older siblings giving babies small objects to play with
• Check under sofa cushions for coins or other small objects children may find and place in their mouths