Healthy Habit Thursday: THE VITAMIN BAND

Posted on April 21, 2011 by viviankirkfield

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THE VITAMIN BAND

Is it a pill?

Is it a collection of musical instruments?

Is it a bracelet?

The answer to the above questions is NO!

The Vitamin Band is actually a unique children’s book by author and PhD. Olena Burda Lassen.

Ms. Lassen has developed a simple yet innovative technique that helps young children learn to play the piano while they learn about healthy eating and have lots of fun at the same time!

What could be better than that!

I met this amazing woman at a book fair and book signing a couple of weeks ago. Her book cover (a piano keyboard) was so engaging, I had to pick up the book and flip through it. And, once I had it in my hands, I knew I had to buy a copy to give to my two 5½ year old twin grandchildren. The book is so appealing and such a great resource, I plan on purchasing another copy to keep on my library shelves for reference.

Her website is a magical place and you will find information about how you can purchase the book, as well as free fun-filled activities for your children. You’ll also find her schedule of upcoming appearances and events. Each event is sure to provide an entertaining and educationally enriching time for your children.

The book is perfection itself…printed on eco-friendly paper using soy-based inks, this is a treasure you will cherish and utilize for many years to come.

Please stop by tomorrow for Follow-Me-Fridays: Where’s Miss Vivian. I visited the children at Trailblazer School this morning and I want to tell you all about it.

Also, don’t forget, the Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Blog Hop and Giveaway is going on right now until April 25^th and you can enter and win a FREE copy of my book, Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking. Just click on the above link and it will take you to the post that explains how to enter! Good luck, everyone!

Quotable Timeless Tuesday: Earth Day 2011…Explore Our National Parks…FOR FREE

Posted on April 19, 2011 by viviankirkfield

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“O beautiful, for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain.

For purple mountains majesties,

Above the fruited plain.

America, America, God shed His grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.”

This poem was written by Katherine Lee Bates, a thirty-three year old English professor. In 1893, Bates took a train trip to Colorado Springs to teach a summer course at Colorado College. What she saw on her trip, especially the view of the Great Plains from the top of Pikes Peak, inspired her to write the poem which was published two years later to commemorate the 4^th of July. The poem was set to music in 1892 by Samuel Ward who wrote the melody while on a ferryboat ride from Coney Island to New York City. He had no paper to write on and was afraid he would forget it, so he asked a fellow passenger for his shirt cuff.

Earth Day 2011 is quickly approaching (April 22) and what better way to spend it than to explore one of our National Parks.

Do you live close to one of them?

We do…Rocky Mountain National Park…is only a 2½ hour drive from us. We’ve been there many times…to hike, to fly-fish and to look at the abundant flora and fauna with wonder and awe. It is a wonderful place for children!

One of the fantastic bloggers I have recently connected with did a great post on the National Parks and she lists the days that you can get in FOR FREE! Check it out at http://nrhatch.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/national-parks-week-free-admission/

Tomorrow is the start of the Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Blog Event…please stop by….and wish me luck…I hope I post it correctly. 🙂

Make-A-Meal Monday: Holiday Treats for Easter and Passover

Posted on April 18, 2011 by viviankirkfield

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Right now, we are in the middle of two important week-long religious celebrations…for Christians, there is Easter which is next Sunday, but the entire week has significance as yesterday was Palm Sunday and Thursday is Maundy Thursday and Friday is Good Friday. For those of the Jewish faith, there is Passover, which starts tonight with the first Seder and continues for an entire week. For more detailed information about either of these holidays, you can go to http://www.infoplease.com/spot/easter.html.

I thought it would be fun to see if I could find a recipe from my book for parents of preschoolers that would be appropriate for each of these important celebrations. When you invite your child to help with food preparation, you help build their self-esteem. It is also a wonderful way to teach young children about holidays and traditions that are important for your family.

CHILD-FRIENDLY NOODLE APPLE CASSEROLE

Here is a really simple recipe that is similar to Noodle Kugel, a delicious treat enjoyed by many during Passover week.

You will need: 4 cups cooked wide noodles, 2 eggs, ¼ cup honey, ½ tsp cinnamon, 1 cup grated apple, ½ cup raisins, 1 Tb margarine or butter, a large bowl and a 2-quart greased casserole dish.

1. In a large bowl, combine eggs, honey and cinnamon and beat well.

2. Stir in apples, raisins, noodles and butter.

3. Pour into a greased casserole dish, cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

4. Be careful when you pull away the aluminum foil…there may be a lot of steam!

5. Makes 4 lunch-size servings or many more side dish, snack or dessert servings.

CHILD-FRIENDLY HOT CROSS BUNS

This simple recipe forgoes yeast and uses muffin tins…so easy and delicious; you’ll want to enjoy it all during the year, not just at Easter.

You will need: For the buns: ½ cup orange juice, ¾ cup seedless golden raisins, 2 cups flour, 1 Tb baking powder, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ cup milk, 1/3 cup canola oil, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, zest of 1 orange, 3 mixing bowls and a 12-cup greased muffin tin. For the icing: 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, 1 Tb orange juice.

1. Combine orange juice and raisins in a micro-wave safe bowl and micro-wave on high for 1 minute.

2. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon.

3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together milk, oil, eggs, vanilla and orange zest.

4. Add the milk mixture and the raisin mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just moistened.

5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean and dry.

6. Remove the muffin tin from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before placing the muffins on a rack to cool completely.

7. When the muffins are completely cool, prepare the icing (in a small bowl, mix confectioner’s sugar and 1 Tb orange juice until smooth) and drizzle on top of each muffin to form a cross.

Please stop by tomorrow…and don’t forget that THE HOPPY EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA GIVEAWAY BLOG HOP starts here on Wednesday…and at over 200 other blogs. You will be able to enter to win a copy of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking and then hop over to the other blogs to enter their giveaways.