Blanket Forts!

Ugh. Another drab day. It's a great day to curl up in a cozy spot to read or nap or daydream about green grass and warm sunshine. Here is a collection of the ultimate cozy spots - blanket forts. Just add blankets, pillows and twinkle lights.

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Party Decorations that Pop!

Well, it's a very drab morning here. Cloudy with melting snow mixed with mud. Yuck. I think we need a good shot of colour today and maybe throw in a little party atmosphere. Here are some super fun (and easy!) alternatives to crepe paper streamers.

tissue paper pom poms, string globes, cupcake liner garland, vellum mobile, yarn pom poms,
felt circles garland

National Popcorn Day!

Well, it's finally here, the day we've all been waiting for - National Popcorn Day! What? You didn't know? Well, someone isn't doing their job.  Good thing I'm here to help you celebrate this momentous occasion with some recipes to shake things up in the ol' popper.

Parmesan Chive Popcorn

4 cups popped popcorn
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup fresh chives
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Salt & pepper

Melt the butter. Grind pepper into the butter, chop the chives and sprinkle on the top of the popcorn along with the grated cheese. Drizzle the butter mixture over the popcorn, then salt.

Apple-Cinnamon Popcorn

2 cups chopped dried apples
10 cups popped popcorn
2 cups pecan halves
4 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 250 degrees F. Place apples in a large shallow baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven and stir in popcorn and nuts.

In a small bowl combine remaining ingredients. Drizzle butter mixture over popcorn mixture, stirring well. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Pour onto wax paper to cool. Store in airtight container.

Candy Bar Popcorn
4 cups popped popcorn
1 king size candy bar (Snickers, Skor, Oh Henry, etc.)

Cut the candy bar into 1/2 inch pieces. Spread the popped corn onto a microwave-safe platter. Top with candy bar pieces. Heat on full power in the microwave at 30 second intervals, or until candy is melted.

Get Bent-O

Today's post is on bento boxes and jazzing up a packed lunch. 

 

"O-bento' is what the Japanese call a packed meal, usually lunch. Bento boxes have internal dividers, and sometimes several stacked layers, so different kinds of food sit in their own little compartments. The goal is to make the whole package as attractive as possible - from considering the colour combinations of the food and presenting and garnishing it as neatly and artfully as you can, to co-ordinating the box, chopsticks and wrapper, and any other items like paper napkins, knife and fork or spoon, drink flask or thermos." (http://www.airandangels.com)

Bentos are great for using up odds and ends of leftovers. They are meant to be visually appealing so as to encourage healthy eating. I've attempted making such lunches for my son, but it turns out looking sad and it gets all messed up when he dumps his backpack upside down. I read that if the container is packed full enough, it helps to keep it from mixing up. I've included some inspiration of relatively simple boxes and some resources for finding bento supplies and an interesting article on "Genders, Obentos and the State of Japan".

fish, bears, phineas, flower, simple, bunny, cow

You can start by using supplies you might have on hand; cookie cutters, cupcake/muffin liners, cocktail picks or paper scrapbook embellishments to add some interest. If you think bento might be your thing, here are some links to some great bento sites. Many have links to suppliers.

http://kidbentos.com

http://lunchinabox.net

http://aibento.net

http://justbento.com

"Genders, Obentos and the State of Japan"

If you make bentos or plan on trying it, send pictures to info(at)quintefamily(dot)com!!

Don't Sit on the Baby & Other Babysitting Tips for Tweens

Babysitting is often one of the first jobs teens or preteens will have. Whether it is caring for younger siblings, neighborhood children, friends or acquaintances it is important for them to be prepared before taking on such a big responsibility. Depending on the individual, and the ages and needs of the child(ren) to be cared for, kids may be ready to begin babysitting from about the age of eleven.

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It is also important for parents to help prepare their teens and preteens to become dependable, trustworthy, and cautious caregivers. So here are some helpful tips:

• Babysitters should only take jobs they know they can handle. If you're not comfortable looking after newborns or kids with special needs, don't take that job. Wait for the next opportunity to come along.

• Parents of babysitters should know where they will be, how you can contact them, what time they will be home and plan how they'll get to and from jobs safely.

• If they don’t have their own cell phone, they should learn where the phones in the house are and have the numbers posted for emergencies. Be sure to know the family’s name and address. Know where to get help from a trusted neighbor or adult family member. Babysitters can always call their own parents if they have any questions.

• Make sure all doors and windows are locked. Never unlock the door to strangers.Do not give out information over the phone.

• Ask the parents about any food allergies, rules for snacks and meals, bedtime, playing outside, etc. Check with parents to find out what the rules are, then follow them. Not only will this help keep things consistent for the kids, you'll gain their respect and trust.

• Make sure you know where the children are and what they are doing at all times. Always stay with young children. Your first priority in babysitting is to keep kids safe. Being a good babysitter means knowing how to handle different types of real emergencies.

• Babysitters make their job easier when they know how to keep children busy and entertained and parents love babysitters who help kids have fun and learn - but still reinforce the rules. Ask kids about their favorite toys. Carry a suitcase or a plastic tub with safe toys, games to play, crayons and coloring books, puzzles, and books to read to the children. Be prepared with some simple surprises, fun ideas and interesting crafts. The kids will love it and will stay close and be easier to keep out of trouble. Try some outdoor games that may be new to the children or maybe a scavenger hunt, hide and seek or tag. 

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Upcoming babysitter courses in the Quinte area:

Babysitter Course (Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre)

This course is designed for students 11-13 yrs who would like to become more confident in areas of emergency procedures, fire and first aid safety and care of infants and toddlers and how to keep children busy. Students will receive a manual and upon successful completion a wallet card and certificate. Students are asked to bring with them, a pen, lunch, beverages and a doll or teddy bear for diapering.

11-13 years

January 21 9:00am -5:00pm Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre

February 18 9:00am -5:00pm Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre

March 13 9:00am -5:00pm Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre

March 15 9:00am -5:00pm Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre

Cost: $45

Babysitter Course (YMCA)

The Canadian Red Cross Babysitter’s Course is designed for youth 11 years and up who want to become a babysitter or may already be one. The Babysitter Course covers responsibilities of a babysitter, safety tips for children of all ages, basic childcare skills and what to do in case of an emergency.

11 years & up

Next course March 3 9:00am – 5:00pm Belleville YMCA

Cost: YMCA members $40 Non-members $50

Prints Charming

Today, I've found some inspiration for easy, diy, family keepsakes featuring hand prints and thumbprints.

hand prints on canvas

I like the idea of including the hand prints of the entire family. 

hand print tree

paper cut out hand prints

framed handprints

Thumbprint trees are very popular alternatives for guestbooks at weddings and baby showers, and I like the idea of using them as family trees as well.

thumbprint family tree

Air-dry clay or a polymer clay like Sculpey make easy and darling pendants with thumbprints. If you have two children, combine each of their thumbprints to form a heart. Many sellers on Etsy can create custom thumbprint pendants in fine silver, as well.

diy clay thumbprint pendant

custom silver thumbprint pendant

Decorations Banned on Buses

 "And they're hanging their stockings!" He snarled with a sneer. "Tomorrow is Christmas. It's practically here!"

~ How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Most of you are probably aware of the decision of the Tri-Board Student Transportation Services to ban Christmas decorations inside or outside their buses. See article here. 

Belleville City Councillor Jodie Jenkins received a letter from a concerned citizen regarding the ban. He has kindly allowed me to repost it on the blog today. The author's name has been removed.

"Councillor Jenkins,

Christmas in Canada is now largely a cultural and not a religious celebration. It is true that it's origins are clearly religious in nature, but it has grown to encompass an enormous amount of cultural elements which have nothing to do with the religious origin of the holiday, but have become synonymous with Canadian culture. Christmas trees, turkey dinners, mistletoe, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus and stockings hung over the fireplace, are not religious in origin but have developed as part of our Canadian culture, and as such represent no threat to the religious beliefs and practices of the many divergent cultures that make up Canada. I can understand curtailing the practice of displaying religious symbols on public property over the holidays (I understand it, although I don't agree with it) but I believe that the move to curtail the display of cultural elements in public places is absurd and constitutes a further erosion of Canadian culture.

The cultural celebration of Christmas is as much a part of being Canadian, as BBQ's in the summer and hockey in the winter. It is in no way a threat to the faith of immigrants to Canada, it is simply part of the culture in the country to which they chose to immigrate, a part of culture for which we should not apologize, nor strive to curtail, for anyone. Christmas in Canada is enjoyed by the vast majority of its citizens, religious and non-religious alike, since statistics would seem to indicate that less than 5% of Canadians attend religious services through out the week, then it would seem that the majority of those celebrating Christmas do so as a Canadian cultural celebration and not a religious one.

If on the other hand the issue is one of bus driver visibility and displaying things on the inside or outside of the windows could compromise the safety of the passengers, then how is the driver dressing for the holidays or the attachment of a bow on the front of the bus compromise passenger safety? Obviously it does not.

Since this issue has not been raised over the display of the trappings surrounding Halloween or Canada day, two other cultural celebrations in Canada and since Halloween too has a religious origin dating back to the celebrations of the Druids, yet today for most Canadians is simply a time for children to play dress-up and collect candy, why is the celebration of Christmas for most in Canada any different? And whist being targeted?

Christmas is a religious holiday for many but for the majority of Canadians it is a beautiful cultural celebration of family, love, joy and peace and as such constitutes a threat to no one.

Let's not unnecessarily sacrifice another part of who we are as Canadians in an empty attempt not to offend anyone. Let's proudly continue to embrace the traditions of the majority of Canadians and stop apologizing for who we are."