A Memory Game with Photos

I loved this memory game idea from Crafty Moms blog using the Kodak Photo Gallery. Memory is a popular game with preschoolers. You can buy them in stores, but the cards are usually small and cartoon related. One of the best ways to improve memory with children is to use objects that are real to them. By making a memory game with pictures of things in their life, they will probably be ultra successful at this game. Short term memory building is so important to learning!

All you do to create this lovely game is to print doubles of pictures from around your home or your family. You can either print them dark or patterned card stock (that way they cannot see through the paper) or glue them to card stock. You can even laminate them for extra durability or cover them with clear contact paper. Determine the amount you want- most preschoolers can start with 7 different pictures, and build up to more if desired (especially is you have older children). That is it! What a cute idea! It would also be a great gift idea for any child in your life- or for grandparents to play with their grandchildren at their home.

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Dental Emergencies Solved!

I was very amazed to find out about a new product that can help with dental emergencies within 60 minutes of the emergency happening! One time, I lost a filling, I think mostly due to dentist error. It happened just a few weeks after the filling was done. Over the weekend, it feel out! When I called that dentist on Monday, they could not fit me in until the following day. I was almost positive that this was his fault and on top of that, he would not even take me to repair the filling. If you have ever lost a filling, you know the pain it can cause, especially if something gets near the tooth. Drinking became a major ordeal for those three days.

Now, there is a product that could have made my life much more pleasant by providing a temporary dental repair. Dentemp OS is a dental repair material that is available at drug stores nation wide. It is FDA Approved as an Over-the-Counter Dental Cement. It is a first aid product for fillings and loose caps. It comes in a multi-use resealable vial that can provide up to 6 applications. And you will not believe the price!

These are some of the benefits of using Dentemp OS:

• Provides fast, temporary relief of pain and discomfort.
• Just remove it from its plastic vial and it's ready to use. No Mess! No Mixing! Several applications in each vial.
• Replaces lost fillings and may be used to temporarily cement loose crowns.
• You can eat on it within 30 minutes of setting.
• All products have been tested and fully comply with FDA Regulations for Oral Care.

Next time, I will know- don't suffer through the pain and discomfort- go to your local drugstore and buy Dentemp OS. What a great discovery!

Cooking With Your Kids This Thanksgiving

Cooking With Your Kids This Thanksgiving
by Peg Baron

Thanksgiving can be a little stressful when you have company coming and you have to cook the whole meal. Sure the company is bringing a pie and will help with the dishes and clean up, but you've got a whole lot of work ahead of you when you wake up on that special Thursday morning. Don't despair and stress - rally the troops!

If you're reading this, you've probably got one or two or more children running around that house don't you? Put them to work and give them all jobs. Just don't mention the words "work" or "job". Kids like to be helpful, especially when they see how much you appreciate it. Let them help!

First off, you need to have a plan. Take some time before Thursday morning to plot everything out. Of course you know what you want to prepare and serve - you do the same thing every year, don't you? So that's the easy part. Really look at each recipe and see what's involved. You could probably do it in your sleep, but your kids can't. Assign a recipe to each child, depending on their skill level. You may even want to find an easier version of the recipe. Go over the steps with your child and explain how it's all going to work. Do kind of a foodless dress rehearsal with them.

If the child is too young to do a whole recipe, just give them certain tasks in a recipe and have them help you. Little ones can melt butter in the microwave, mash the potatoes, wash the vegetables, toss the salad, and put the marshmallows on the sweet potato casserole.

This is one meal where everything seems to happen at the same time. To help prevent this, the kids can mash the potatoes ahead and keep them warm in the crockpot, ditto with the sweet potato casserole and veggies. If you don't have a way to keep them warm, time them to come out before the mad rush, put a lid on them and wrap them in several towels. They can stay quite warm that way. The salad can definitely be made earlier in the day or even the night before.

Try to schedule the prep time so there aren't too many people walking around the kitchen with sharp knives at once.

What about the pies? Kids love to make the pies! Go with the pre-made pie crusts if their pastry skills aren't quite up to snuff. Maybe they could pick the pies they want this year and shake tradition up a bit. I'm sure a Chocolate Dream pie is a tradition in someone's home even if it isn't (yet) in yours.

Keep one step ahead of total chaos by having someone wash the dirty dishes that are accumulating. Perhaps those who are watching football on TV could lend a hand! Not only will there be fewer dishes to do at the end, but it leaves lots more room for the cooks to prepare the grand feast.

If you give it some thought and plan ahead of time, this Thanksgiving could be a lot easier on you and a heck of a lot more fun for the whole family. Have a good attitude and lots of patience and just enjoy yourself. Your kitchen will be filled with those you love, and that's something to be thankful for.


Peggy is the editor of the popular Cookin' Kids Newsletter. Interesting themes, fun facts, silly clip art, easy recipes, kid jokes, cooking terms, and safety tips make this newsletter a hit with kids! Learn more about it at http://cookinkids.com/Newsletter

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Give the Gift of Highlights Magazine

When I was a child, I loved going to the doctor's office and look at the Highlights Magazine. I loved those "same and different" games, the hidden pictures (my favorite!), the cute comics, and the articles about all things children love. Highlights is still available and is a great gift choice for all the children in your life. They are offering some great specials for the holidays, so you may want to consider it. You can also save up to $20 using the coupon code SAVE.

With your purchase, you can get a FREE Hidden Pictures Calendar with your Highlights Magazine Subscription!

Save up to $20 on your next order at Highlights. Offer ends November 23rd.



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Book Review 1: Using Alphabet Books For Preschoolers

I have recently launched my website as a Stallholder for Barefoot Books. I joined Barefoot Books because of the wonderful collection of books, CD's, puzzles, and other related items. The illustrations are beautiful! The content is superb! I know you will love these books as much as I have.

My first book review is Alligator Alphabet. It is available as a board book or as a hardcover. I love alphabet books because they are a natural way for children to understand first letter sounds. The reason this book is so wonderful is that is not only has the uppercase letters, as most alphabet books have, but it also has the lowercase letters. It also has a story that goes along with it, not just a letter by letter book with pictures.

This book will be a wonderful addition to your child's library. A child can never have too many books! Beginning young with age appropriate titles and materials will encourage your child to love reading and to enjoy books. If you are interested in purchasing this book or any of the collection, check out my Barefoot Books website.


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Developing a Sense of Self

Allowing your child to be what they want to be is important when they a young. We want our children to be free to express themselves, appropriately, and to discover and explore. This helps them develop their own idea of who they are. By allowing them to be silly, laugh, dress up, get dirty, and have fun, they can feel safe to be their own person. We do not want to make little clones that are the "perfect child." We want them to learn to respect, to obey, and to use their brains, but we also want them to develop the sense that they have choices- good and bad, have some say in what they do, and have consequences if they make a wrong choice. We want them to be able to think through a problem without someone saving them. We want them to eventually be independent!

Think about this when you are guiding or directing your child. Maybe, ask them for their opinion!

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A Hamilton Beach Mixer for Holiday Baking

The Hamilton Beach® Eclectrics® Mixer is the perfect addition for all your holiday baking. Baking is such a wonderful part of the fall and winter holidays. Whether you are making cookies, fresh bread or pie crusts, baking with a stand up mixer makes life so much more simpler!

One of my favorite holiday recipes is a favorite from my grandmother. Refrigerator Rolls were a standard each Thanksgiving in my grandmother's home. They are a simple bread to make and possible to do correctly even if you have never made bread before. You can use the whole batch or store them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, using only what you need.

To add these to your holiday meal, follow these directions:

4 cups milk
1/2 c shortening melted
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 pkg yeast, dissolved in 1/4 c lukewarm water
flour (1 4 pound bag)

Scald milk, melt shortening. Mix together with sugar and let cool (very important). After it cools, make yeast mix. Add to cooled mixture. Gradually add 3-4 pounds of flour to form batter. Mix thoroughly with a mixer after each addition of flour. Put into greased bowl and let rise double. Punch down. Store in large covered bowl in refrigerator. Pull off desired amount. Form into rolls and let rise double (about 1 hour) on a greased pan. Bake for approximately 10 min. at 350.

The best part about using the Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer for this recipe is the 400 watts of power. That means that this blender can stand up to tough jobs like bread dough- powerful enough for 4 1 pound loaves of bread. Using the mixer after each addition of flour helps to ensure the flour is distributed evening and that you do not use too much flour. Using a hand held mixer is very labor intensive and using the mixer will overheat before you finish. Using your hands to mix is a messy option. A stand up mixer is the perfect option since you can easily raise and lower the beater bars and adjust the speed as needed for flour (never start too high!).

The great part about the Hamilton Beach® Mixer is the great colors that are available- apple, pineapple, sugar, ultra marine, sterling, and licorice.