You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread man!

On Friday, I told the kids the story of the gingerbread man. After the story, I gave them pictures of the gingerbread man to paint. The paint was chocolate pudding, so the kids went crazy for that! Especially Morgan, she had chocolate pudding from head to toe!!

Yucky Muddy Rainy Day

It was cool, muddy, rainy and yucky yesterday and today. I finally couldn't take having us all crowded in the house. The kids really had to get their energy out... So, outside we went. It was muddy in the spots that have no grass (thanks to the dog), but the kids just stayed in the grass. They took turns "4-Wheeling" through the grass. It was time to go back inside when I got my foot run over for the FOURTH time!!!

Raising a Philanthropic Child

Jaden (my 4 year old) and I have been sitting at the computer watching all of the Childen International You Tube videos. Jaden never ceases to amaze me. We have been sitting here for about an hour, and watching the videos has led to discussions. Some of those discussions went like this:
Jaden~ Why doesn't that girl have shoes on?
When I went on to explain she questions, "Does Henry and Katherine and the other kids have shoes?" I told her that I wasn't sure, but it was a possibility that they did not. Her simple reply, "Then let's send them shoes"
The same conversation went on for the sink, water, toilet, house, clothes, dishes, bed, etc (you get the idea). Her response always was, "Well, then let's send them some!"
I got to these 2 Wrold Vision videos (links below). They are very moving, and informational. I had sponsored with them before, but I have had a much better experience with Children International, so I wouldn't go back to them. However, the information they give holds true for both organizations. Anyway, after we got through watching the 2 World Vision videos, Jaden asked why they were sad. I said, "Because they are hungry and dying." She said, "Well, let's go there and help them. Come on mom!!!" I told her that we couldn't go right now... She asked "Why not?" I replied, "Because it costs a lot of money to go there." That wasn't a good answer for her, of course. Her response was, "Mom, Do you have ANY money? because I have $1. So, let's go!!"
By the way, the music in the one video is by Mercy Me, and can be found on the album "Almost There"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utsOBE6iFj8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_2GAEzJL6I

And for those of you who want more information about the HIV/AIDS crisis specifically:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEqi4jcUA2I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYLWWVh8_ic

Jaden's first Jigsaw puzzle- 25 pieces

Madagascar Escape 2 Africa

Jaden, Morgan and I went to see Madagascar Escape to Africa today. The theater was packed. We got there to see one showtime, but we wound up catching the next show time because it was already too crowded (they said that there were 51 seats left, but there weren't any two seats together, let alone 3!) So, unfortunately, for te next showtime, we had to get in our seats early. Which meant that 15 minutes into the actual movie, and the girls were already ready to go! Some how with a lot of wiggling, talking, and even some crying (thankfully the crying happened at the sad parts of the movie, so no one expected a tantrum!) we made it to the end of the movie. The animals are so cute and cuddly that it makes you want to reach in the screen and pet them! LOL!!! It was a great movie~ if you plan to go this weekend, get a seat early.

http://www.madagascar-themovie.com/teaser.html
"All of the loveable characters are back – Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo, King Julien, Maurice and the penguins – in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. They find themselves in the wildest place of all – the vast plains of Africa – where our zoo-raised crew encounter species of their own kind for the very first time. While discovering their roots, they quickly find the differences between the concrete jungle and the heart of Africa. Despite long-lost relatives, romantic rivals and scheming hunters, Africa seems like a great place...but is it better than their Central Park home?" (from the Madagacar web-site)

Remember Me?

My latest great read is a Sophie Kinsella book. I liked her shopaholic series... I didn't care too much for the "Shopaholic & Sister" book, so I wasn't sure if I wanted to tackle this one. The story line sounded good, so I gave it a try. It had me hooked! It is a book that I didn't want to put down... I got so caught up in the memories that she lost, and tying to figure out what was real and what wasn't. Here is the synopsis from Publisher's Weekly:
Shopaholic powerhouse Kinsella delights again with her latest, a winning if unoriginal tale of amnesia striking an ambitious shrew and changing her life for the better. After taking a nasty bump on the head, Lexi Smart awakens in a hospital convinced that it's 2004 and that she's just missed her father's funeral. It's actually three years later, and she no longer has crooked teeth, frizzy hair and a loser boyfriend. Initially wowed by what she's become—a gorgeous, cut-throat businesswoman—Lexi soon finds herself attempting to figure out how it happened. As her personality change and lost memory threaten her job, Lexi tries to dredge up some chemistry with her handsome albeit priggish husband, Eric, though the effort is unnecessary with Eric's colleague Jon, who tells Lexi that she was about to leave Eric for him. Amnesia tales may be old hat, but Kinsella keeps things fresh and frothy with workplace politicking, romantic intrigue and a vibrant (though sometimes caricatured) cast. Though the happy ending won't come as a surprise, readers will be rooting for Lexi all along.

Face Painting

I made some face paint for the kids today. The recipe I used is:

1 part shortening

2 parts cornstarch

a few drops of food coloring

I put a multi-colored heart on Jaden's face to match the hearts that she had on her outfit. Camille got a flower, and she wanted me to make it brown... So, it is kind of hard to see, but that is probably a good thing because I am NOT an artist. The other 2 girls wanted hearts like Jaden's. The face paint recipe with cold cream is probably better, but I used what I had on hand. They had fund looking in the mirror and showing off the designs for about 30 minutes... And then, most of them were all rubbed off. Oh well...

Halloween Candy

She has a candy bracelet on her wrist and a sucker in her hand

Eating her candy bracelet

Jaden is holding up her half eaten tootsie roll.

Still trying to get a piece off of her candy bracelet

Yesterday, the girls picked out 3 pieces of candy out of their Halloween bags to eat. Jaden picked out a tootsie roll, nerds, and a Hershey's kiss. Morgan picked a tootsie roll, candy bracelet, and a sucker. I am trying to consciously allow them to eat 2 or 3 pieces a day. They are not used to eating candy, and so it is hard to remember. I just threw out last year's Halloween candy yesterday. Last year, Jaden probably ate about 20% of her candy, and it took her all year to do so. It's not that they don't want to eat it, but I only let them eat at the most 3 a day, and then, we all just forget that it's there.

Enjoying the oudoors

Book Recommendation~ Letter to my Daughter

Though I stay busy throughout the week, you will rarely see me without a book (not in my hand, but I mean that I will always be in the middle of reading one. The book lays next to the bed for when I get a free moment). I read about 15 minutes before I go to sleep (sometimes longer depending on how caught up in the book I am). Before I finish a book, I have several more lined up, so that I won't be without a good distraction. I finished this book a month ago, and I was entranced. The book has short stories (2 to 4 pages long) of experiences in Maya Angelou's life. I couldn't believe some of the stuff that she did. We are all human, and I understand that... However, she always seems so poised, proper, and not one to offend anyone. She shows you that she is human and makes human mistakes just like the rest of us... Most of the stories had some humor in them, and it left me with a better appreciation of the generation gap. Even though there is a gap in age, she was once 34 (just like I am). All of us in this world are really not THAT different, regardless of our age. We have fears, struggles, and what we are going through now, someone before us has already been through! This is definitely a must read!
http://www.amazon.com/Letter-My-Daughter-Maya-Angelou/dp/1400066123/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225721469&sr=8-1

Halloween in Mexico~Janitzio, Michoacan

I wish I had gotten more pictures of the cute little kids in Janitzio, but this is all I've got. I was there Oct 31, 1999 until November 1, 1999 (so, I got to see the Halloween and Day of the Dead rituals which I posted earlier). Anyway, If you are in the state of Michoacan in Mexico, you have to get on a boat to travel to the small island of Janitzio. It is the cutest place you have ever seen, but around the time of Halloween, it gets VERY busy and touristy. The people there make money that day as a tourist attraction, so everyone goes all out to sell things. The island is a mountain, so as you walk the streets, you are walking up and down the mountain. It is a lot of exercise and the mountain air is very refreshing. Along the trek, people are selling Day of the Dead items like food, souvenirs, etc. Plus, everyone who lives there (practically) makes hot cider to sell. So, you buy the cider and walk. By the time you run out, there is already someone els to sell you another glass. The best part was the kids walking around with jack-o-lanterns. The jack-o-lanterns have lit candles in them, and they trick or treat with them... Not only is the jack-o-lantern their "flashlight" to see their way through the darkness, it is also their "bag" for holding their goodies. Here is the biggest surprise that you might not guess... They don't trick or treat for candy. They want pesos. You drop the pesos into their jack-o-lanterns, and you can easily be out several thousand pesos by the time you leave the island. Kids are everywhere!!! Now you know why the kids are smiling so hard in the pictures. Trick or Treat!

Trick or Treat 2008

We spent the whole day celebrating Halloween yesterday. During the day, I had punch for the kids that had ice cubes with gummi worms frozen inside. We had a trick or treat scavenger hunt with candy (in small ziploc bags) hidden throughout the yard and house. We made masks that I printed from www.nickjr.com Jaden was a Hippo; Morgan a Elephant; Gabby a Lion; Camille a Tiger; and Danny a Hampster (Nathan who is only 10 months old didn't make a mask). They, also, colored a witch and a haunted house.

When the day care kids left, we rushed to get Jaden and Morgan dressed up to go trick or treating at the mall (just like we did last year http://ilovemykids08.blogspot.com/2007/11/halloween.html ). Morgan was more coherent about what was going on, but when she got her first sucker, that is all she wanted. She continued to follow Jaden going shop to shop while she sucked her sucker. She is so tiny and cute in her cat costume... She got most of the attention from the people there. I think people just like seeing the really young kids dressed up more than they like seeing the older kids (even though Jaden is only 4, she didn't get as much "awwww, look how cute" as Morgan did). I made sure to dote on Jaden, so that she wouldn't feel left out. Stay tuned for my 2 upcoming posts... Halloween in Mexico and New Year gifts to my sponsored children's familes.