Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program

Here’s a great way to keep your kids learning and growing over the summer months. Barnes and Noble have a great reading program that includes a FREE book once your child completes 8 books. Great deal!

Visit the Barnes and Noble website for more information and to sign up.

Slow Food versus Fast Food

Have you heard about the slow food movement? A lot of people have had enough of junk food and what it seems to be doing to our health and society as a whole. For these reasons, the slow food movement was set up.

The basic ethos of the movement is about getting back to basics when it comes to food. It’s buying in season and local. It’s about supporting our local economy and eating food that’s simple, clean, basic and good for you. It seems we truly have gone full circle and many of us are ready to give up the fast food movement that has dominated our society for decades now and move onto slower, more nourishing nutrition.

If you feel the slow food movement may be something you’d like to join or contribute to, here are a few basic ideas to help get you started:

#1 – Buy local. This is a big emphasis of the slow food movement. By buying foods locally, we support local farming and agriculture. Local foods are also better for the environment as they don’t have to be transported for miles to reach supermarket shelves. Another bonus of buying local foods is that they’re more nutritious. After vegetables and fruits are picked, they slowly start to lose their nutrition content. By eating foods earlier after the picking process you take in more nutrients and vitamins.

#2 – Eat in season. Buying local will mean that you naturally eat what is in season. Many experts believe that we are meant to eat what is in our local environment so that we can survive those conditions. For example, in hot climates the emphasis is on watery fruits and vegetables like strawberries, cucumbers, melons, peppers. These foods contribute to our overall need for more fluid and vitamins needed during hot weather. In colder climates our bodies need filling, stocky foods such as potatoes and other root vegetables.

Eating in season is not only good for your health but also for your pocket book. Eating seasonally allows you to get the best produce without having to pay a fortune for it. Foods that need to be imported cost more because there is a higher cost in acquiring and transporting them. By eating in season you support your body, the environment and local farmers.

#3 – Cook from scratch. This doesn’t mean you have to make difficult, time-consuming meals. In fact, the slow food movement emphasizes the opposite. You can cook delicious, wholesome meals from scratch with very few ingredients. The key is to cook a variety of fresh, seasonal foods without resorting to pre-prepared foods or junk food.

Cooking from scratch is good for your overall health as you avoid many additives and preservatives. It also saves you money. Pre-packaged foods cost on average more than fresh foods. And with only three or four ingredients you can cook a really delicious meal the whole family is sure to enjoy.

#4 – Make food a priority. A big part of the slow food movement is that we can once again make food a priority in our lives. This movement is about connecting with and enjoying our food. It’s also about families taking a little time to spend more time together, around the family table.

While this isn’t always possible in modern times, the idea is that if parents start putting more emphasis on the importance of family meals, children will follow suit. By showing our children that food is meant to be pleasurable and enjoyed rather than gulped down or rushed, we start to show them the basics of good nutrition.

The slow food movement is a sign of progress for many. It shows that as communities we feel the need to connect to our food and each other. Eating fresh foods, supporting our communities and the environment, and coming together around the family table, are positive steps into the future.

Ways to Raise a Good Reader

Reading for children is an important part of their development. By developing their reading skills, your child will become better at spelling, understanding ideas and concepts and develop positive language skills early on.

Reading is also a lot of fun and a great bonding activity for parents and children. But how do you raise a good reader when you’re competing against a host of electronic devices?

Here are a few tips:

#1 – Read daily. Reading little and often is better than leaving large gaps of time between reading. By making reading a daily activity, you cement that reading is important and just a “part of life” in your child’s mind. Set a routine of a short bedtime story or a story after lunch or dinner each day so you don’t forget.

#2 – Visit the library. Many children today have never visited a library outside of school. There are so many other activities and things competing for your child’s attention that the library may be last on their list. But most kids respond positively to an outing at the library. Make visiting the library a regular activity and you’ll children will start to look forward to it.

The library can be a magical place for children and many have activities to help promote reading that are both fun and educational.

#3 – Start a book club. This can easily be done by joining forces with a few other parents. Meet weekly with the children to discuss a new book. This way the children not only see their parents getting involved, but also have the chance to develop grown-up conversational skills at the same time. Discuss the book and then enjoy a few treats; make it fun so that the kids really look forward to it.

#4 – Lead by example. If your kids see you reading from a young age, they may want to do the same thing mommy or daddy are doing. Show your kids that reading is a normal, fun part of life. Tell them about the latest book you’re reading and why you enjoy it. Show them the Sunday newspaper and explain how you learn what’s going on in the world by reading it.

#5 – Read at bedtime. As mentioned above, reading at bedtime is wonderful for both children and parents. It gives parents and kids a few minutes to connect at the end of each day. You can share a story and then discuss a few of the characters. Reading is a great way to unwind and will become a welcomed addition to your bedtime routine.

#6 – Let them choose. Reading tends to become less exciting as children grow. Give your children access to a variety of suitable reading materials to help them realize that reading is fun at any age. Whether it’s comics or “how to” books, by providing fun and informative reading material you’ll keep your child hooked and involved.

Another great option for older kids is to share their reading book with mom and dad. You can each read the same book together a few evenings a week. Your child can read one chapter out loud, then you read another and so on. This not only helps you spend time with your child but you get to enjoy a story together. There are some fantastic teenage mystery and action books that most young adults will really enjoy reading.

While raising a good reader may seem to be a harder job than it once was, it’s not too difficult a task. By exposing your children to books from a young age and creating an enthusiasm for reading, you’ll lead by example and help to raise a good future reader.

How to Make Springtime Pop-Up Cards

You’ve just come back from the store looking for the perfect greeting card. Even if you find one you like, you may not be willing to shell out the amount they’re asking for it. Learn how to make springtime pop-up cards and you’ll be able to give a one-of-a-kind card your intended recipient will love.

To make a springtime flower garden pop-up card, you’ll need the following materials:

* Card stock or construction paper in various colors
* Pencils – drawing and colored or crayons
* Craft glue such as Mod Podge
* A paintbrush
* Scrapbooking paper in pastels or springtime motifs
* A creative mind

Begin by measuring a piece of card stock to size. Measure to the center and fold the card stock on that line. Draw a 1-inch by 1-inch square in the center of the card stock and cut only along the horizontal lines you’ve drawn. Fold out this tab to create the “pop-up.”

Using colored pencils in various shades of green, create the grass for your flower garden. You can make the grass using sweeping lines similar to real grass, or stylized depending upon your artistic skill.

On a separate sheet of stock, draw the flower garden with as many flowers as you’d like. Color the flowers and then cut them out. Use Mod Podge or another craft glue to glue the image onto the tab using a paintbrush to ensure the glue is even and stays on the tab.

If you’d like to make multiple layers of pop-ups, fold the paper in several areas and use the same steps to create the tabs for the pop-up. Then glue a different element of the card on each tab. This will provide a 3-D effect for the recipient.

Use scrapbooking paper to cut out the words “Happy Spring” or another greeting. Glue those onto the card behind the flower garden. You may also want to put butterfly or bee stickers on the page to look like they’re flying around the flowers.

Using a piece of construction paper, create a cover for the card, ensuring the size is a little larger than the card stock. Fold that in half and glue the card stock into the center of the construction paper. This will ensure the recipient won’t notice the hole for the pop-up before they open the card.

Decorate the front of the card with photographs you’ve taken, photos you’ve cut out of a magazine, or drawings you’ve made. Add stickers to decorate the card to create a springtime image. Don’t forget to leave room for a greeting on the front of the card.

Many children and adults enjoy knowing how to make springtime pop-up cards to give to loved ones. Of course, once you get started making pop-up cards, you may decide store-bought cards pale in comparison.

Visit Stampin’ Up! to purchase beautiful scrapbooking paper, rubber stamps, cardstock in more for all your spring (and summer, fall and winter) projects!