ARTICLE: Summer Vacation on a Budget

Summer vacation has started and with the global economy as it is, it´s probably not the best time to have to entertain your kids 24/7! If day camps, summer camps or long trips are not in your budget this year, there are still great ways to have fun. Here are some tips:

• Plan your grocery shopping. Even though you´re not making school lunches, your children will want to snack throughout the day. Plan ahead for this so your groceries last for the entire week and you don´t have to make last minute trips to the store which will cost you more.
• Plan both indoor and outdoor activities. If it´s a sunny day try going outside in your bathing suits and playing with the sprinkler while you water the lawn. Plan a puppet show, movie night or a special craft for a rainy day.
• Have your children write down the things they wish they could do this summer. Then, study the list together and circle the things you CAN do, like going to the movies, the park or the zoo. Schedule them on a calendar and count down the days until you do them. (Great idea for building anticipation)
• Try to have one day trip in the summer. Pick a Saturday or Sunday and visit a nearby attraction or place of interest. Make it a one-day road trip and pack snacks for the car, special music and even some car games like I SPY or CAR COLORS.

STORYTIME: The Blue Dolphin -- Part 3

... The dolphin stared at the upcoming ship and splashed waiting for the little girl and her friends to appear. But when the ship got near, he realized it wasn´t the same one. The ship stopped near the blue dolphin. He wondered if other children were on this ship. Maybe they wanted to see him splash and swim too. He started his little show.... but no one came out to look. Suddenly he heard a loud crackling noise. A big white net was slowly coming down from the ship, it was going to land right over him!!! The dolphin tried to swim away, but it was too late. He was trapped in the net...

(More tomorrow)

DAILY RECIPE: Potato Chip Chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts, cut in half
salt and pepper
2 tbsp. margarine
1 small bag of potato chips

Season chicken breasts and spread margarine on them. Put potato chips in a plastic bag and crush. Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and cover with crushed chips. Place in oven (350°F) for about 45 minutes, covered.

TIP OF THE DAY

Keep small toys like legos or small dolls, plastic animals or action figures in ziploc bags inside a big toy box. They will be easy to find and they will all be stored together.

STORYTIME: The Blue Dolphin -- Part 2

... The dolphin could not believe what he saw. The little girl looked so kind smiling at him. He jumped and jumped so the little girl would smile, and she did. Soon, other children started to gather around the little girl. Other boys and girls waved at the dolphin. He continued to jump and swirl in the water. The laughed, clapped and cheered. Oh, how he was loving this! The big ship started to move faster. The blue dolphin tried, but he could not keep up with it. He held his head above the water and watched the ship sail away with the smiling boys and girls.

The next day, the dolphin kept thinking about the smiling children. He would love to see them again, so he could jump and swim to hear them clap. He looked for the ship all day long, but it didn´t appear. He did this the next day, too, and the next, and the next, but there was no sign of the ship. Finally he gave up and returned to his swimming and playing. A few weeks later, in the middle of his morning swim, the blue dolphin heard a familiar sound... TOOOOOOOT! He jumped out of the water, and in the distance he saw it.... a big beautiful ship sailing right at him....

(More tomorrow)

DAILY RECIPE: Fetuccini Alfredo

1 medium sized package of fetuccini pasta
1 stick butter
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper
2/3 cup parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Melt butter in a large pan. Add cream, stir well. Add milk, salt and pepper. Finally add the cheese and cook over very low heat. Pour over pasta and serve immediately.

TIP OF THE DAY

Do you ever say: remember when my child did this or that? Try to get video of your child at least once a month. This way you´ll capture his looks, voice and milestones.

STORYTIME: The Blue Dolphin -- Part 1

Deep in the middle of the ocean there lived a beautiful blue dolphin. He loved to swim and play with other dolphins and he was happy all day long. One day, as he was swimming through the clear ocean water, he heard a strange noise he had never heard before. TOOOOOOT, went the sound, TOOOOOOOT! The dolphin put his head above the water to see where the commotion was coming from. He couldn´t believe what he saw! A great big white ship was sailing through the water; his friends had told him about ships but he had never seen a real one before. It was beautiful! The dolphin started to swim alongside the ship, catching a glimpse of it every time he jumped out of the water. He saw the white sides. He saw small little flags above it. He saw perfectly round windows. And then he saw the strangest creature he had ever seen.... a little girl, smiling and waving at him.....

(Part 2 tomorrow)

TIP OF THE DAY

During the summer time it´s not uncommon to find your children glued to the tv during their favorite shows. Make them more active by challenging them to do a special exercise during each commercial break. You can try a dance, jumping jacks or marching around the room.

DAILY RECIPE: Chicken Tostadas

1 cup shredded chicken
1/2 cup refried beans
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 sliced tomato
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
10 tostada shells

Spread beans on each tostada. Put chicken on top of each one. Add lettuce and tomato. Sprinkle cheese and serve immediately so they don´t become soggy. Great for a hot day!