Owly Animated Short and Free Comic Book Day

-Image from wallpaper download on spriteanimation.com-

I raved about the graphic novel series Owly by Andy Runton last September.  Last night we read Owly • A Time to Be Brave again (we own this book but have read other Owly volumes from our library) requested by my 3¾ yr. old.  He didn't want me to stop after a few pages so we read it all the way through in 45 minutes.

I visited AndyRunton.com after getting Owly happy and discovered I had missed a really cute thing last year.  In late July '09 Owly's first animated short was debuted!  Any kid will love watching it!  It's so adorable and really short (1½ min.)!  After I watched the short I downloaded a free Owly desktop wallpaper like the image pictured above.  Too cute! 

Free Comic Book Day is the first Saturday in May!  There may be a chance you could get a free Owly and Friends Comic at a participating store near you!

Readeo and LMNO Peas

Readeo and LMNO Peas = Sharing a BookChat™ about round little veggies.

• The book LMNO Peas by Keith Baker is featured on the kid {media} spread in this month's Parenting Early Years magazine.  I often "judge a book by it's cover" and the illustrations on LMNO Peas is cute and fun!  After reading the little description it was on my to-read list!  It's brand new though so it isn't at my library.  Good things are worth waiting for.  Lucky for me I didn't have to wait too long because Readeo stepped in!

I found Readeo thanks to a review on ABC and 123.  I skipped on over immediately after reading the review because digital books are fun!  The first thing I noticed was that LMNO Peas was the Book of the Month and free for anyone to read!  That made my day!  I signed up as a guest and my son and I read LMNO Peas and loved it!  Little green peas being alphabet words-- astronauts, gigglers, parachuters, and volunteers!  There's a cute LITTLE ladybug on every page too!  It's only free to Readeo guests in April! 

• Readeo is a unique concept that helps people who are far away from each other to connect with video and share a book together!  BookChat™ allows you to "See, Hear, and Read" with a loved one!!  Now that's pure happiness for many: grandparents and grandkids, a military parent and kids, and any other person who wants to read to a child but has miles in-between them.

We are fortunate to live close to all our family.  I'm working on getting some close family and faraway friends to BookChat with us for fun!  Although Readeo's purpose is to connect with BookChat they also have a Read Solo feature.  For the last few days my kids and I have enjoyed reading digital books on Readeo.  The only problem I've had is with small text on a few books.  You can't zoom in or change the book size so I had to squint to read them.  My computer screen may be small compared to most.  (From a Readeo e-mail in July: "books and video in your BookChats now expand to appear as large as your screen will allow"!!)  Readeo is simple to figure out and I like the clean and uncluttered look of the site.

How to Read Solo: Sign in and click 'Read' in the top right by the blue book.  Minimize the page that pops up and click on 'Library' to browse the books.  When the cursor is over a book it shows a description and gives three options.  Click on 'Read' and restore the Read Solo page to read it!

You need to experience Readeo for yourself!  Readeo is kind enough to offer my readers a code for a free month trial!  Hooray for Readeo!!  Use code lovereadeowhen signing up for a whole month of free BookChatting or just reading digital books together!  Then be sure to come back later in May for some BIG Readeo happiness along with my experience with BookChat™!!

*I planned on letting my readers know about Readeo before I was offered a free 2 month trial and a code for my readers in exchange for a review.  The free product had no influence at all on my opinions.I think Readeo is fantastic!!

RECIPE: Elephant Monkey Choco-Delight Shake

Now that you bought Nesquik to make a Spring Bubble Kit you need a yummy recipe that uses Nesquik powder!  I posted the original Elephant Monkey Choco-Delight Shake recipe on my Girlfriends' Recipe Collection blog.

The following recipe has been revised.  I use vanilla ice cream with Nesquik powder instead of chocolate ice cream and I make a larger amount.  My kids go 'bananas' when I make this for an afternoon snack.

ElePhAnt MoNkeY ChocO-DeliGHt ShAKe

recipe adapted from original

1½ to 2 bananas- sliced/frozen

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

¼ cup Nesquik powder

3 to 4 scoops vanilla ice cream

2 to 2½ cups milk

Blend all together.  Makes about 4 cups.

'Over Easy' Egg Fun!

colored chalk picture by my daughter-- age 7

Spring Centerpiece • Elle is for Love via Mod Podge Rocks

Tiny Spring Baskets • Quince and Quire  via The Crafty Crow

Sticker Stencils • Family Fun 

Egg Shell Art • Make and Takes

 

Easter Grass • Rosy ~ Posy via Parenting.com blog

Easy Plastic Egg Shakers • idea from Nancy Stewart

• fill 'em up with anything little and hot glue closed •

Make a Spring Bubbles Kit

Playing outside in the spring with bubbles is the best and taking them with you to the park is fun!  What kid doesn't love bubbles?  I made a spring bubbles kit that will travel well and has all the necessities for a great time blowing bubbles!  I REUSED a 21.8 oz. Nesquik container to make the kit (6½" tall) and our bubbles and blower fit perfect.

* supplies: container, Mod Podge, patterned paper, wide ribbon (½" to 1"), 2 brads

* cut your patterned paper- mine were 1½" and 1" strips

* apply Mod Podge in small sections and smooth paper strips down

* when the container is covered apply a thin layer of Mod Podge on top of strips and allow to dry

* cut a 2½" piece of wide cloth ribbon, fold ends under a ½", make a slit with a craft knife, push brad through

* cut a small slit in both sides of container with knife and attach your ribbon strap

in the bubbles kit: the best bubbles (or make good homemade bubbles), bubble blowers, a few small bubbles (less spilling-- find them at party stores or Walmart) for kids and any friends that come around at the park, a baggie of wipes (for the clean-freak momma like me!)

A spring adventure or exploring kit would also be fun (binoculars, magnifying glass, top, mini frisbee, bouncy ball, etc.)!!  An 'outside fun kit' would make a unique kid birthday gift!! ☺

* featured on:
                    Weekend Roundup @ One Pretty Thing
* linked to: 
                    Mod Podge Mania @ This is the Year...
                    Whatever Goes Wednesday @ Someday Crafts
                    Creative Cats @ Poppies at Play
                    Spring has Sprung @ It's FUN to Craft 
                    Craft Concoction Friday @ That's So Cuegly! 
                    Weekend Wrap Up Party @ Tatertots & Jello
                    Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design 
                    Making the World Cuter Monday
                    Made by You Monday @ SkipTo My Lou 
                    Earth Day Craft Challenge @ Make and Takes

Tumblebug Races

I saved this fun tumblebug craft from my May '07 Family Fun Magazine and we made them last week.  Look how cute these bugs are- a little wiped out too from so much racing!  They weren't difficult to craft.  I used hot glue to save time.  The sides don't match up perfectly to the body but the bugs still tumble fast and fun!  Family Fun used foam core for a ramp.  I cut some white wall board insulation and glued black fun foam to the sides.  Our race ramp will last the lifetime of our tumblebugs!  My kids love having tumblebug races.  Go to Family Fun for the tumblebug instructions!



Are you having fun with any bug crafts or anything else that has to do with spring??  I'm having a 'buggy for spring' link-up party on the first day of spring, March 20th, and it will be open for a month!!  Come join the fun and find some good ideas too!

Indoor Olympics- Beanbag Toss and Bowling

Watching parts of the Olympics has been fun for my kids.  Their favorite events are figure skating and bobsled.  We created our own easy indoor Olympic fun yesterday and kept track of scores so we could 'medal' too!

Beanbag Toss 

REUSE an ice cream bucket for your beanbag target.

beanbags- Make and Takes shows an easy way to make little felt bean bags and I have beanbag links on my Let the Games Begin! post.

Mini Bottle Bowling

 REUSE water bottles or fruit juice bottles to have mini bowling fun!

POM Wonderful- Sugar Cookie Frosting

.....continued from Fall in Love with POM Wonderful.  

 Isn't this sugar cookie frosting color just gorgeous?  It wasn't achieved with food coloring-- nope!  I used P♥M Wonderful 100% juice.  I added it mostly for the color but the SMALL hint of pomegranate taste is yummy too!  Share the love during February by giving heart cookies to neighbors or friends!

POM Wonderful Sugar Cookie Frosting

2 ¾ cups powdered sugar

4 Tbsp. softened butter

4 Tbsp. POM Wonderful juice

1 Tbsp. milk

Mix and heat a little in microwave if needed.  Frost some yummy sugar cookies!  Frosting will glaze over making the cookies easy to store in a container.  Keep unused frosting covered in fridge and warm up to soften when needed to frost cookies.

Print the recipe for the soft sugar cookies pictured.  It's the only recipe I use.

♥ See all POM Love ideas! ♥

POM Wonderful- 'Sweet' Drink

.....continued from Fall in Love with POM Wonderful. 

Simple and sweet, make a dinner even lovelier with P♥M Wonderful heart ice cubes in Sprite!  And in the February 2010 issue of Parents they made a 'Love Potion' with pomegranate juice heart ice cubes in a tangy fruit smoothie.  There are  many 'sweet' drink possibilities when you use pomegranate juice!

Stick Card Puzzles

This post is similar to my Stick Puzzle post.  I found the original idea on makingfriends.com.  You REUSE a greeting card front to make a card puzzle for a holiday or just for fun.  I used my own paper creation and made a Valentine card puzzle to give to my kids at breakfast.  This would be a fun idea for a kid birthday card too.  I used Mod Podge instead of tacky glue and I covered the top of the card as well.  If you make your own card be sure to use stamp pads or markers that won't smear when you put the Mod Podge on.

Instructions: Tape the back of the big woodsie sticks, cut card to size, paint a thin layer of mod podge on the sticks where the card will be, place card on top and smooth down really good (important- let this step dry first with a book on top of it to keep it flat), mod podge top of card and smooth down well, let dry a little and then place heavy objects on sides of sticks while drying so it doesn't curl (I used my metal crafting tool tin so it wouldn't stick to any mod podge), dry for a long time (overnight is best), untape sticks, use another stick as your guide to cut card with exacto knife very slowly and carefully

Stick Card Puzzle Gallery:

▬ linked to Fireflies and Jellybeans Strut Your Stuff Party ▬

POM Wonderful- Jello Jigglers

.....continued from Fall in Love with POM Wonderful.  
♥ This recipe is full of healthy juice and love for the kids.  And it tastes so yummy!
A fun activity and after-school snack for the month of February. ♥

POM-Strawberry Jello Jigglers  
adapted from Jigglin' Juicy Juice Snacks

♥ makes 6 thicker good-sized jello hearts ♥

1 cup P♥M Wonderful

½ cup water

2 (3 oz. each) packages or 1 (6 oz.) package strawberry gelatin

Boil POM and water.  Remove from heat and stir gelatin in completely.

Pour in 2 quart casserole dish.  Refrigerate for 2-3 hours until set.
Run bottom of pan under hot water for 10 or so seconds.  Cut jello with
heart shape cookie cutter. Remove hearts with flat spatula.  Eat!!

♥ You could also double the recipe, use a different flavor gelatin, and use a different pan size!

*Linked to The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap 2/18/10

Bookworm Beginnings-- Penguins

I checked out a large stack of penguin books in January.  I think penguins are adorable and a must read for winter!  We had fun reading all of them and choosing our favorites.

Augustine by Mélanie Watt

-Image from amazon.ca- 

This book has bold colors and kid-like drawings.  Little Augustine doesn't want to move away to the North Pole far from all her friends and family in the South Pole.  She is very artistic and expresses herself through art.  Every 2 page spread looks like this:

 

I really hope that Augustine can be found on your library shelves!!  I will be adding it to our bookshelf!

Second Pick-

Turtle's Penguin Day by Valeri Gorbachev

   -Image from amazon.com-

This was my son's favorite and we read it 3 times in a row one night!  We loved Turtle's imagination.  His dad read him a penguin bedtime story and the next day he was all about penguins!  He 'dressed' like one for school and the whole class joined in on the fun!  Silly and superb!  It even has extra penguin facts at the end of the book!

The rest of our picks can be found on past posts with the penguin label!  Happy penguin waddling!

                                                   

** Last year we read Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers.
We loved the sweet story and simple drawings.  It's right up there with our top pick!  Silly Eagle Books has a great post about this book and two fun snow/ice activities to go along with it! 

-Image from penguin.com-

S is for Snowman

A winter tradition we have is to make a SNOWMAN!  Our snow was wet enough to pack earlier in the week and my daughter happily made a snowman with only a little help from me. We have a wooden kit with a long carrot nose perfect for a larger snowman.  This smaller snowman has a nose like Pinocchio!

A snowman looks great no matter what you choose to build him with! Here's two more of our silly snowman pics:

Three fun kits:

▬ Buy a Snowman Building Kit from Bronner's
▬ Make a Snowman on the Go kit from Make and Takes

▬ Make a Snowman Kit from Make It Do

You can have fun indoors too with snowman stuff!

○ Frosty and Friends craft on Parents

○ Frosty the Snowpuddle treat from Gourmet Mom on-the-Go

○ Snowman on a Stick snack on Family Fun

○ Smiling Snowman Cake on Family Fun

○ Snowman Cake Pops from Bakerella

○ Once There Was a Snowman song with Music from LDS.org
○ one, two, and three online Build a Snowman activities on akidsheart.com

Stick Puzzles

I babysat a lot as a teenager and had a fun bag that the kids enjoyed.  In my bag was videos, puzzles, treats, books and games.  My senior year of high school I was a preschool teacher and more good things were added to my fun bag like file folder games and popsicle stick puzzles.  My little sis was my artist back then and did the cute elmo and worm puzzle. Stick puzzles are a simple and fun craft!

•Tape, number/add a symbol, draw/color, untape/stick in labeled baggie•

I like big Woodsie craft sticks for these puzzles much better than popsicle sticks. My daughter's the artist of this robot puzzle.  She sometimes 'cheats' when putting the puzzles together by looking at the numbers on the back.  The numbers/symbols are also good to keep track of which sticks belong where if you get more than one puzzle out at a time.

▬ linked to Kiddos Create and Friday's Showcase ▬

Reuse a Box for Organizing

I have an organizing fetish and like to think 'outside the box' for cheap ways to do it!  I hold on to a good cardboard box for a while before I recycle it just in case I come up with an idea. 

Three ways I've reused a box to organize:

I was tired of straightening my son's coloring books on his big bookshelf so I found a solution with a diaper wipe box. I covered it with foam from the dollar store and let my little dude paint on two sides.  I'm happy with the results.






My crafty area can get pretty messy.  Baby/toddler shoe boxes hold little things like glue and embellishments perfectly.  I keep the decorated boxes on top of my scrapbook compartments.  Find some cheap patterned papers and go to town!




My head goes nuts when toys don't have a place!  When we lived in a 2 bedroom apartment I had to organize my kids small bedroom/playroom so I felt calm while in the room.  Cheap card stock along with packing tape was how I covered some good boxes for toys.


I also like to get rid of things while organizing.  This week's resolution for the Happiness Challenge was to toss and organize.  It was way too easy for me and I already had it on my big list so I tackled my storage room piles!  Gretchin says, "For most people, outer order contributes to inner calm."  Yep, it really does!

▬ Linked to Works For Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family