Disney FamilyFun understands that the evening meal can be the best part of a family’s day — and the busiest. That’s why they have created the special collector’s issue, Dinnertime!. newsstands on Tuesday, May 4.
Filled with over 98 easy recipes, these pages gather the best dinner ideas from our 19 years of publication. Every recipe is family-tested and approved. Dinnertime!makes family meals simple and stress-free with chapters offering specific solutions to common dinner dilemmas, including:
· Cheap eats: savory $$ savers
· 30-minute meals
· Picky eater pleasers
· Break out of your rut: rethinking old faves
· Dishes that teach kids cooking skills
And because family meals aren’t just about the food, Dinnertime! also serves up a generous helping of fun: conversation starter games, dinner-hour crafts, fun at the table, and more!
FREE SUMMER FUN: This could be the best summer yet. Fun, Free Apple Camp where kids learn how to make great stuff on a mac.
Nothing beats Apple Camp when it comes to a fun summer activity for your kids. In free workshops at the Apple Store, kids learn how to do cool stuff on a Mac using iLife and iWork applications.
They’ll make a movie, compose a song, create a photo book, and learn how to present everything to an audience. When Camp is over, they’ll bring home a DVD of the projects they made, along with skills and ideas to create even more.
Click here to be notified when registration begins
Deal Of The Day - One of my favorite magazines that I have been reading for over 10 years is Family Fun. It is full of great ideas, recipes and articles on creating Family Fun in your home.
You can get a 1 year subscription to Family Fun for $4.69
Healthy Dinner Choice With Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice
The BIG question I think just about every mom has is : How Do I get my kids to eat healthy? One solution I have found is cooking with Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain White Rice, it looks and tastes like white rice but has the benefits of whole grains with the added benefit of being simple to prepare.
New Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice is the first and only whole grain rice that looks and taste like white rice. The new product provides moms with a secret weapon to incorporate whole grains at dinner. Available in your local grocery store July 2010
Here is one yummy meal that is simple to prepare and kid approved.
can mandarin oranges (6.1 oz.), reserve half the syrup
1/4
cup soy sauce
2
Tbsp. oil
Instructions
1. Prepare rice according to package directions. 2. Add oil to large sauté pan and heat over medium high heat. 3. Add chicken, broccoli and soy sauce to pan and stir-fry until chicken is cooked. 4. Add mandarin oranges with half the syrup. Cook another 2 minutes or until sauce thickens. 5. Serve stir-fry mixture over rice.
Stop by Uncle Ben's website for MORE yummy and healthy recipes your kids will love.
More Choices: Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice is available in 6 plain and flavored varieties: - Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice Long Grain. - Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice Broccoli Cheddar - Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice Chicken - Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice Taco Style - Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice Sweet Tomato - Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice Garden Vegtable
SAVE $ - Click here to get a money saving coupon for Uncle Ben's rice
“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Uncle Ben’s and received samples to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”
WIN: 24/7 MOMS , Mrs. Paul’s and Van de Kamp’s are giving away 4 coupons to one mom for Free frozen seafood items ( each coupon is good for one box maximum vlue $6.99)Click here to enter.
1 can (12 ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
Directions
In a saucepan, bring 1 cup water and sugar to a boil, stirring frequently. Boil for 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in orange juice concentrate, lemon juice and remaining water. Transfer to a freezer-proof bowl. Cover and freeze until firm.
Remove from the freezer. Beat until blended. Beat in cream. Cover and return to freezer. Remove from the freezer 20 minutes before serving. Yield: 10-12 servings.
What is your favorite Sweet Summer recipe to make?
My Kids love to create and with summer ahead of us and plenty of days for our kids to create and get crafty I have created a list of the 24 must haves for summer crafting time
Trisha's 24 Must Have Craft Supplies:
Sidewalk Chalk
Paint Brushes
Paint
Google eyes
Popsicle Sticks
Pipe Cleaners
Glue dots
Dye cut shapes/ Foam shapes
Glue Sticks
Scotch Tape
Scissors
Pom poms
Felt
Tacky Glue
Crayons
Markers
Colored pencils
Hole puncher
Stapler
Stickers
Glitter Glue
stamps
buttons
Construction paper
TIPS:
- Inventory your supplies, make a list of what you need and shop before summer begins.
- Create a Summer craft kit filled with my 24 must haves for a special end of the school year gift?
- Take your kids with you to pick up supplies giving them a budget that they can spend.
6 Keep it organized the mess and the fun - organizing kids craft supplies
Where is my glue? Where are my crayons? Who used all the scotch tape? are those familiar questions you hear from your children when they want to create and can't find their supplies?
Take a few minute and create an organized system for your child's craft supplies with one of our 6 keep it organized ideas and enjoy a summer of creative fun with no mad searches for misplaced items. This will also help your children to clean up their messes with ease.
6 Keep it organized - the mess and the fun
#1 Dollar store baskets with handles
Purchase simple and fun baskets at your local dollar store to organize your kids craft supplies in
#2 Shoe organizer
Purchase a hanging shoe organizer with lots of pockets to store your childs craft supplies in. You can then hang this over their bedroom or closet door or your office door for quick access and easy cleanup.
# 3 Jars
Use various sizes of jars to sort, store and organize your kids art supplies. You can then display these on a shelf for easy access.
# 4 Cleaning caddy
Use a household cleaning caddy to store and organize your child's craft supplies. They can easily tote this around the house as well as keep their things organized.
# 5 Big paint bucket with tool holder over it
Use a large empty and clean paint bucket along with a purchased tool holder that is designed to attach to paint buckets. You can find thees at your local hardware stores. You can then place the larger items such as paper into the center of the bucket and then store all the craft items such as crayons, scissors and glue in the outside pockets. This is a fun craft organization system for boys as well and is easily stored in a closet.
# 6 Small drawers
A simple desk top craft organizer is a set of plastic drawers. These come in a variety of sizes depending on the amount of supplies you want to organize and store.
# 7 Re-use able bag for recyclable items
Use a re-use able bag to collect the recyclable supplies in. Your kids can then create trash into treasures.
Here are some "thrifty" summer travel tips - whether you're taking a week-long vacation this summer, doing a "staycation" around your area, or just going on several day excursions throughout the summer.
Do Your Research- Start planning as soon as you can, whether it be for a short weekend trip or a week-long trip. The sooner you start planning, the more opportunities you'll find for discounts.
1. Resources to use when researching the city or area you'll be visiting
Chamber of Commerce - Visit their website or call the Chamber of Commerce directly
Convention & Visitor Bureau's website(just google "Dallas Convention & Visitor's Bureau" for example). Great resource for general information, kid-friendly activities, coupons/deals & more
Facebook Pages- Try the "Discover" pages. Ex: Discover Atlanta, Discover New York; or "365 Things to do in Seattle"(or you name the town). You'll find not only the popular sights to see, but also readers will provide their favorite off-the-beaten path places to visit.
2. Make list of top places to visit
Wish List - Once you've done your research, then come up with your wish list of sights to see, sporting events, restaurants, parks, beaches, etc
Make this a family affair- get your kids involved in the planning & deciding what they'd like to do on vacation.
3. Look for Discounts
Buy an Entertainment Book- Currently $15 with FREE shipping. You'll find discounts for hotel, car rental, airlines, Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupons for restaurants, sporting events, museums/children's museums, zoos, aquariums, science centers
CityPass.com- They offer 5-6 top sightseeing sights in a package deal which is up to 50% off admission prices. Valid for 9 days (14 days in Southern CA). Decide whether this would be a good deal for your family or not - how many of the places were you wanting to go to? Or is it a better deal to look for individual discounts?
Websites- Check out the specific websites for the attractions, sporting events, museums, hotels, & more. May have web-only specialsorspecial discount/free days(ex: Museums often offer a FREE day 1 day or night/month. Also, sign up for E-Newslettersto be notified of special promotions, discounts & more.
Follow the businesses/attractions on Facebook & Twitter - often post one-day deals or specials for their fans
Sign up for the daily emails for group-buying sites . These sites offer 1 Day deals with 50-90% off discounts for restaurants, sightseeing tours, memberships to zoos, aquariums, hotel discounts & more
Here are a few of the top group buying sites:
Tippr
Groupon
Living Social
Reciprocal Membership Programs at museums, zoos, science centers -If you have an annual membership to your local museum, zoo,science center - check to see if they are part of a Reciprocal Membership program where you can get FREE admission to zoos, aquariums & more around the country. Go on the website or call them to find out.
Military Discounts - Blue Star Museum Program- Free admission for active-duty military & their families to over 600 museums nationwide this summer (Memorial Day-Labor Day 2010); Also, make sure to ask about military discounts anywhere you go.
National Park Pass- America the Beautiful annual pass- $80 for up to 4 adults & kids 16 & under are free. Good deal if you'll be going to a number of parks throughout this year.
Free / Inexpensive Places to go with your Kids on Vacation:
Find out about local festivals & fairs - free entertainment, lots of food options, games/activities for kids
City, County or State Parks- Find ones near rivers, lakes, ocean beaches. Check for free events going on while you're there - nature walks, guided hikes, etc
Family-friendly hikes- Check with your Chamber of Commerce or the National Park or National Forest offices
Go to the waterfront, beach, walking the boardwalk
Ways to Save Money on Food:
Save $$ on food to save up for a few special meals or put the money you save towards more fun attractions & events!
Cooler in the car - Bring a big cooler if traveling by car. Pack a portable backpack cooler or get a styrofoam cooler if traveling by air to your destination. Bring lunch meat, peanut butter & jelly, bread, cheese sticks, fruit, juice boxes. Don't forget wipes & napkins!
Water - Bring packs of water for road trips (cheaper than stopping at convenience stores). Or bring reusable water bottles by car or air & fill up throughout the day
Stop at rest stops versus convenience stores- means less impulse-buying!
Choose hotels with free breakfast or eat breakfast in your room. Bring cereal & buy milk at the store-use with paper cups. Or bring instant oatmeal & use the coffee pot for water.
Switch & have sandwiches for a picnic dinner at the park- then make lunch your bigger meal out (less expensive than dinner)
Ways to Save Money on Lodging:
Use travel sites such as Travelocity, Hotwire, Kayak, & Priceline
Hotel Website - Go to the specific hotel's website & look for web-only special & sign up for their newsletter. Also, follow on Facebook & Twitter
Ebates & Shop At Home - Book your hotel (& airfare) thru Ebates or Shop At Home to get cash-back on your purchases
Camp to save the most money on lodging & food
KOA campgrounds- tent & RV camping, cabins, lodges. Often offer pools, playgrounds, planned activities for kids. Check out the the KOA websiteunder the "Hot Deals" section. And consider the Rewards card for $24/yr - earn points towards free stays.
How to Grow A Creative Child (for the Planet's Sake) My contention is that creativity is now as important as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status. -Sir Ken Robinson
Cultivating a creative child is oddly similar to gardening. You heartily prepare your soil, sprinkle some seeds, choose your tools, tend with love, and cross your fingers for a bountiful harvest. The difference lies in the fact that for many, a backyard garden is a labor of love. Oh, if that could only be the case for creativity.
We must support creativity. Not only for its own sake, but for the sake of our increasingly complex world struggling under the weight of disease, war, poverty, hunger and vanishing
resources. We can expect the worlds population of approximately 6 billion to become 12 billion by 2054 if the current rate of growth continues. Every ounce of innovation, problem-solving, and divergent thinking will be required to bear this load.
The one right answer approach (think: children spending the day shading ovals with number 2 pencils) is not sufficient to tackle these grave, global issues. One May 10, 2010, The New York Times proclaimed The Battle Against Aids is Failing, while an estimated 3.9 million gallons of oil has spewed into the Gulf since the April 20 explosion. We need citizens with big ideas here.
About Clementine Art Think Outside the Box, Color Outside the Lines Clementine Art was founded in 2008 by Diana Mercer, a former teacher with over 20 years of experience in the field of education, arts education, and child development. Diana created Clementine Art to encourage open-ended art explorations for children. The process of creating art is a powerful developmental tool for children, and Clementine Art products encourage children to dream, imagine, experiment, create, problem-solve, and above all, express themselves. Explains Diana: Real art is about creating. Early childhood educators know that the process of creating art is just as important to a childs development as the outcome. I wanted to create products that not only engaged children in an open-ended creative process, but that could also become an everyday part of a healthy and creative lifestyle. Clementine Art produces professional quality, naturally non-toxic art supplies for children using only the purest ingredients. Clementine Art uses ingredients from the earth and our products are colored with vegetable, plant and mineral pigments instead of artificial dyes, providing an innovative solution to chemically laden, artificially colored art supplies.
SHOP: You can purchase Clementine art supplies by clicking here
The creation of 24/7 MOMS came out of Trisha Novotny’s passion to Inspire, Equip and Connect MOMS in all stages of mothering. Currently surviving 5 kids from elementary to college, Trisha understands the life and needs of a MOM. Trisha and her husband Steve, reside in Gig Harbor, Washington with their five children: Stephen (19), Shelby (17), Savannah (15), Caleb (9) and Nate-no (7). Connect with Trisha at trisha@247moms.com
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