b.collen, Author at FamilyCrossings Blog

Tricks and Treats With Halloween Sweets

B-O-O Brownie Pops
Halloween Goldfish Munch
Happy Haunted House

(Family Features) – The bewitching season is here! Gather the goblins, conjure up some creative costumes and prepare scary, scrumptious sweets for a great ghostly gathering.

Making these frighteningly fabulous party treats together is a perfect way for mom and the kids to share some spooktacular fun.

Cast a spell right from the start with a Happy Haunted House. Begin with a ready-to-decorate Halloween Cookie House Kit available at craft and hobby stores. The house is pre-assembled; just decorate and enjoy!
Sweetly smiling Goldfish Grahams do double duty as both roofing “tiles” and a wholesome snack (they’re made with whole grains, without artificial preservatives). Kids can affix the Goldfish crackers to the roof after it’s been iced (and enjoy snacking on them as they work), making sure to give equal representation to each flavor: cinnamon, honey and chocolate. The sparkling blue piping gel moat and pond need to be stocked with Goldfish, too. Complete the decorating with green coconut grass, a candy corn fence plus the icings and the candies that come with the kit.
B-O-O Pops are easy … nothing sinister here! Use a brownie mix for convenience and bake in the Brownie Pop Silicone Mold to ensure perfect pops. The kids can insert the lollipop sticks, then dip pops into the colorful Candy Melts. Decorating sprinkles and sugars add the finishing flourish.
Halloween Goldfish Munch is a snappy party snack or a tantalizing take-away for ghoulish guests. Kids can mix the Goldfish crackers (graham and pretzel flavors), with nuts and dried fruits while Mom melts the Spooky Green Candy for drizzling.

Add favorite beverages and let the spookalicious party begin!

For additional information about Goldfish Grahams, recipes and nutrition information, visit www.pepperidgefarm.com.

Find more ways to bake, decorate and celebrate, or order the Halloween Cookie House Kit at www.wilton.com.

B-O-O Brownie Pops

Ingredients

1 package (about 16 ounces) brownie mix (8 x 8-inch size)
Egg, water and oil to prepare mix
48 lollipop sticks
Wilton Orange, Spooky Green and Light Cocoa Candy Melts
Wilton Spider Mix, Hallow Pumpkin Mix, Halloween Nonpareil Sprinkles, and Orange, Black and Lavender Sugars, as desired

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray brownie pop mold with vegetable pan spray; place on cookie sheet.
Prepare brownie mix following package directions. Spoon batter into prepared brownie pop mold, filling cavities 2/3 full. Bake 15 minutes. Remove mold from oven; insert lollipop sticks. Return to oven and continue baking 10 to 15 minutes or until brownies test done. Cool brownies in mold on cooling grid 20 minutes; remove from mold and cool completely.
Melt each color candy following package instructions. Dip cooled pops into melted candy, covering completely. While the candy is still soft, sprinkle with or dip pops into sprinkles and sugars. Place on parchment paper to set.

Serves
Makes 48 pops

Notes, Tips & Suggestions

Note: If desired, bake brownies completely without inserting stick. After brownies have cooled, dip lollipop sticks into melted candy and insert into either end of brownie. Let set before decorating.

Halloween Goldfish Munch

Ingredients

3 packages (6.6 ounces each) Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon, Chocolate or Honey Goldfish Grahams (or any combination)
1 package (8 ounces) Pepperidge Farm Pretzel Goldfish Snack Crackers
1 can (10 ounces) salted mixed nuts
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup golden raisins
2 packages (10 ounces each) Wilton
Spooky Green Candy Melts

Preparation

In large bowl, combine crackers, nuts, apricots and raisins; divide between 2 large cookie pans.
Melt candy following package directions; drizzle over snack mixture. Refrigerate until firm.
Break apart and store in airtight container until ready to serve.

Serves
Makes about 14 cups treat mix

Happy Haunted House

Ingredients

Wilton Halloween Cookie House Kit
10 x 14-inch cake board
Cornstarch
Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon, Chocolate and Honey Goldfish Grahams
Wilton Piping Gel
Wilton Royal Blue and Kelly Green Icing Colors
Flaked coconut
Candy corn

Preparation

Prepare icing mixes following instructions. Attach house to cake board.
Outline door with black icing; attach candy dots. Outline door window in black icing; fill in with orange icing and smooth with finger dipped in cornstarch.
Outline windows with black icing; add orange icing accents. Attach candy dot window sills.
Spatula ice roof; attach crackers to roof with dots of icing. Decorate house eaves with jelly beans attached with dots of icing. Add orange outline to roof peaks; attach candy dots.
Tint portion of piping gel blue; spatula blue gel “moat” and “pond” on cake board; arrange crackers in the water. Brush clear piping gel onto open areas of cake board; sprinkle with green-tinted coconut. Arrange candy corn around house with dots of icing.

Gadget Gift Guide 2009

(Family Features) – Not sure what to get the gadget-lover in your life? This quick gadget guide will give you the scoop on what to look for so you can spread some holiday cheer.

E-book Reader

What it is: A small, portable device that lets you download entire books, newspapers and magazines in digital format. Made to mimic ink and paper publications, you can read with ease any time, anywhere. You’ll find a range of prices and services with Sony Reader, Amazon Kindle, Cool-er, iRex iLiad and Bookeen Cybook.

What to look for: Long battery life and an easy to read screen. The reader should be easy to carry and must be readable even in bright sunlight. Note that some e-readers must download materials by being connected to a computer, while others can do it wirelessly. Think about loading a few of the recipient’s must-read books onto the reader as an added surprise.

Who to buy it for: Travelers, gadget-lovers, busy book lovers.

Cell Phone Signal Booster

What it is: A small electronic device that reduces dropped calls and improves cell phone signal by capturing the stronger signal from the outside and amplifying the signal indoors. According to the zBoost “State of the Cell Signal” survey, 70 percent of cell phone owners experience problems with cell phone service, including dropped calls, poor signal reception or dead zones in their homes. A signal booster, like zBoost, can make those problems a thing of the past, as well as increase signal and speed of aircards, EDGE and 3G technology.

What to look for: Make sure the signal booster meets the needs of the intended user. Think about:

How much mobility will they need – will they be working at their desk or within a larger area?
How many phones or devices need signal boosting, one or several?
Where does the reception need to be improved, indoors or in a vehicle? The zBoost-ONE PCS, for example, is a the industry’s first one piece cell phone signal booster. It works with PCS carriers like Sprint or Metro PCS. Place the unit in the window, plug it in and enjoy all of the voice and data functionality on a PCS phone up to 1200 square feet.
For more cell phone signal booster options, visit www.wi-ex.com.

Who to buy it for: Road warriors, home office workers, rural or urban dwellers.

Bluetooth Headset

What it is: A wireless headset that lets you talk on the phone hands-free. You can find headsets from $20 and up.

What to look for:

Make sure the headset runs the same version of Bluetooth that the user’s phone does.
If they wear glasses, look at in-ear headsets rather than those that go over the ears – glasses and a headset can get cumbersome.
For extra clarity, consider a headset with a boom microphone – one that extends from the headset toward the mouth.
Headsets with good noise cancellation can make conversing in busy, noisy areas a lot easier.

Who to buy it for: Phone fanatics, road warriors.

Pocket Camcorder

What it is: A pocket-sized digital video recorder that can go anywhere, making it easy to record events and special moments. Video is usually very easy to download to computers and the Web. Camcorders such as Flip from Pure Digital, Kodak’s Zx1 and Creative’s Vado are affordable options.

What to look for:

Resolution – Digital camcorders come in standard definition and high definition (HD). Standard definition offers video quality fine for viewing on a computer or a non-HD TV, and will usually cost less than HD. High definition produces wide-screen video suitable for viewing on an HD TV.
Think about how the recipient will be using it and then consider options such as image stabilization, audio recording and photo features, which let it be used like a digital camera.

Who to buy it for: Proud parents, college students, travelers.

Something for Everyone on Your List

Mobile Mom

Upgrade mom’s cell phone to a smart phone to help her manage family life with ease. If a smart phone isn’t in the budget, but she still needs a way to connect while on the move, look into a personal mobile email device, such as a Peek Pronto, that lets her text and send emails from anywhere.

Digital Dad

Forget socks and ties. Get him something that will help him stay in touch while at work, on the road, at the ball field or at home – a zBoost cell phone signal booster will let him get calls, texts, emails and pictures no matter where he is.

Road Warrior

Know someone who’s on the road all the time? Make their drive easier with a GPS, more pleasant with a satellite radio subscription or safer with hands-free phone accessories.

Gadget Chick

According to the recent “Women & Digital Life” study conducted by the Solutions Research Group, when women were asked if technology was a “guy thing” – an overwhelming 77 percent replied that it was not! Get your gadget girl a netbook, pocket camcorder or an e-book reader to keep her geared up and on the go.

SOURCE:
zBoost

Everyday Family Indulgences

Easy (and affordable) ways to unwind

(Family Features) – Women across the country are meeting the demands of busy schedules and tightened wallets by setting aside life’s simple pleasures and putting themselves at the bottom of the to-do list.

In fact, a new survey commissioned by the makers of Edwards frozen desserts finds more than nine in 10 American women have cut back on indulgences during the past year.

Fifty-nine percent of survey respondents are cutting back on events out with friends and more than one-third (35 percent) are cutting back on even the smallest treats, such as manicures and desserts.

The survey also found that:

Nearly all (94 percent) American women in the study admit that they don’t indulge or treat themselves as often as they’d like because other people or commitments come first.
Fifty-six percent of women say they don’t treat themselves as often as they’d like because they can’t afford to.
Nearly a third (32 percent) of women say they now have less free time for themselves than they did a year ago.

Small rewards offer sweet peace of mind

Heather Reider and Mary Goulet, founders of MomsTown.com and hosts of MomsTown Radio, know a thing or two about the challenges of juggling a family and career while making the time to treat themselves.

“Self-pampering may seem like the last thing on your mind these days, but treating yourself to something special is so critical to relieving the stress of every day life,” says Reider.

“A personal treat does not have to break the bank and can be as simple as an at-home facial or sneaking a dessert in at the end of the day,” adds Goulet.

Reider and Goulet share these tips and strategies for effortless and affordable ways to celebrate everyday indulgences.

The silent treatment

In today’s age of technology, the silent treatment is imperative to maintain sanity. Home phones, cell phones, email, instant messaging, pagers, not to mention the multiple ways you get pinged when you turn on the computer, can all be overwhelming. Get serious about your silent treatment and power off the technology. Turn off the ringer on all phones, shut down the computer, and turn off the television and the radio. Now it’s time for a 15 to 30 minute scheduled time out because you deserve a little peace and quiet.

Bring nature indoors

A great way to nurture yourself is to bring nature indoors. You can do this simply by cultivating a container garden. This could be a window box, urn, basket or round fish bowl. For a fabulous display of nature indoors use a Bonsai plant, an orchid, a robust green plant, herbs or layer two different kinds of tulips. This is especially good for chilly winter months as floral aromas and popping colors can brighten a dark day.

The flip side

Pamper yourself by flipping to the right side of your brain. Engaging in art and creative pursuits fires-up the right side of your brain, which is the side of the brain that savors freedom. The left side of your brain is good when you need to pay the bills or figure out your kids’ 5th grade math problem. Spend a little time painting, drawing, making jewelry or knitting. You deserve to play on the flip side.

Back to basics

It’s hard to do but it is important to put yourself at the top of the to-do list every once in a while. Simple indulgences, like an Edwards Singles Á La Modes dessert, are a quick and easy way to treat yourself to something sweet, as well as fill your kitchen with a delicious home-baked aroma.

Essential essence

Treat yourself to the power of fragrance. Aromatherapy sachets placed in drawers are a sensational way to feel good without having to do or spend much at all. If you’re looking for an energizing scent try citrus, peppermint or bergamot. To take the stress down a few notches choose lavender, chamomile, sandalwood or ylang-ylang. You deserve to tickle your nose.

Budding beauty

Invest in four to six bud vases or use any vase that’s lying around your house. Go to your local farmer’s market or grocery store and buy a bouquet of flowers. When you get home, break the flower bunch apart into single stems and place the flowers in the bud vases. Distribute these vases around the house in the rooms you visit most frequently. Place one by the kitchen sink, the vanity in your bathroom, on your nightstand, in the powder room and in your kids’ bedrooms. You’ll be amazed at how your kids will appreciate the gesture. Then when you walk around your home you’ll be greeted with flowers wherever you go. And you did it with just one bouquet.

Hit your funny bone

When it comes to our emotions it’s really hard to multi-task. It’s nearly impossible to be sad and exuberant in the same exact moment. You deserve to laugh so choose more moments to get a giggle in your day. Read something funny or rent a funny movie.

While life is full of stressful moments, the benefits of taking time to rejuvenate and unwind really can make a difference.

For more information on Edwards Singles Á La Modes desserts, visit EdwardsBaking.com.

Keeping Kids Safe Online

(Family Features) – For anyone with children or teenagers in the house, it’s no surprise that being online is the in thing to do. According to research studies conducted by The Nielson Company, approximately 16 million U.S. children ages two to 11 are active online. This shows an 18 percent increase over the past five years, while the overall Internet population only increased usage by 10 percent. Furthermore, the amount of time children spend online is 63 percent higher than just five years ago.

One problem that falls under the umbrella of Internet safety that children may face when they’re online, is cyberbullying. A cyberbully is a minor who uses the Internet, phone or other digital device to post hurtful messages or images to another minor.

Parry Aftab, executive director of the charity that runs StopCyberbullying.org says, “They do it by posing as each other, stealing or misusing their passwords, stealing points in online games. They call each other names, or send offensive messages to their friends while impersonating them. They even take embarrassing pictures of others and post them online.”

Cyberbullying affects children as young as seven and up through high school. According to a yearlong survey of students in the U.S. and Canada conducted by Aftab, results showed that:

Cyberbullying starts as early as third grade, peaks in fourth grade and again in seventh and eighth grade.
75 percent of teens reported cyberbullying someone else and 85 percent of students reported they had been targeted at least once in the past year.

When kids are still in grammar school, the direct attacks usually consist of making fun of each other and testing limits. In middle school, cyberbullies attack classmates’ reputations and it can escalate from there as children move into high school.

What Can Parents Do?

Aftab recommends open communication between parents and children. “Encourage discussions about what they enjoy online,” she says. “This way you can direct your children to safe sites that fit their interests and it helps your children know you want an active role in their life.”

It’s important to make sure that your children feel comfortable coming to you with questions. This should apply to all situations including the computer. If your children feel they can trust you, they are more likely to come to you with tough problems and questions. A survey by WiredSafety found that only 5 percent of middle schoolers would tell their parents if they were cyberbullied, and that they have identified more than 50 different reasons not to tell their parents.

If your child is the victim of cyberbullying, the most important thing parents can do, says Aftab, is to give them a hug. “Tell them you love them and how sorry you are that they were hurt. Let them know that the cyberbully is not the boss of them. And promise not to overreact and take away the technology or call the school, the other parents or the media and make things worse.”

The most important thing parents can do to protect children is to monitor computer and Internet usage. “Knowing you are watching, kids are less likely to put themselves in risky situations and you can safely oversee negative or dangerous behaviors,” says Aftab.

What Should Kids Do?

As part of its online community at buildabearville.com, Build-A-Bear Workshop promotes safety tips for kids that can be applied to any online experience.

Stop, Block and Tell

If someone is cyberbullying or trying to get personal information, Stop talking to them, Block them from talking to you and Tell a trusted adult.

Aftab also says, “To help them keep a healthy perspective they should ‘Take 5’ when something or someone upsets them online. That means they should do something they love offline for five minutes to help calm down and not do anything they will regret.”

Password Protection

Passwords should be easy to remember, hard to guess. If your kids have to write it down, it’s too hard to remember. If it’s a pet’s name, their middle name, their favorite sports team, etc., it’s too easy to guess. Sit down with your kids and talk about ideas for a password, and remember a combination of numbers and letters is always best.
Don’t allow kids to give out their password to others. 85 percent of elementary school students and 70 percent of teens polled said they shared their password with at least one friend. That’s one friend too many!
Friends can be cyberbullies too, signing onto your child’s account, impersonating them and possibly embarrassing them. They can also change your child’s password, locking them out of their account.

For more cybersafety tips, visit WiredSafety.org or WiredKids.org. For a fun and safe place for kids to play online, visit buildabearville.com.

Get Involved

Build-A-Bear Workshop encourages kids and adults to get involved in making the Internet a safer place. Build-A-Bearville recently became one of the first to earn the Socially Safe Kids Seal, reserved for the sites whose moderators and game designers have all been trained on Internet safety and cyberbullying.

In addition to having suggested tips and resources for parents and kids available at buildabearville.com, the company has also incorporated the importance of safe play into their online play experience. Citizens of Build-A-Bearville are encouraged to take an Online Safety Quiz to receive a special hat for their avatar. They are also reminded of online safety tips in the Bearville Times, the site’s weekly newspaper.

Build-A-Bear Workshop also recognizes kids for being good citizens in the online world. Their Jr. CyBearGuide program allows qualified kid citizens of Build-A-Bearville to act as guides by answering questions, providing information and even giving tours. If you or your child is interested in becoming a Jr. CyBearGuide member, visit Bear University in Build-A-Bearville. Click the paw under the big Jr. CyBearGuide blue star to learn more about the program.

Online Safety Guidelines for Parents

Parry Aftab of WiredKids.org has additional tips to help keep kids safe online.

Personal information stays personal. While this is an important rule for children it’s also an important rule for parents. Giving information on your family and your children to the wrong person can be dangerous.
Make sure your child doesn’t spend all of his or her time on the computer. Other kids, not computers, should be their best friends and companions.
Remember to monitor their compliance with safety rules, especially when it comes to the amount of time children spend on the computer.
Warn them that people may not be what they seem to be. The Internet provides a cover for people to put on whatever personas they desire.

FamilyCrossings Fall Updates Are Now Online

Here is the short list of updates for fall 2009

The Family Home Page

* Your Family Home Page now supports “Drag and Drop”. Each family member can re-arrange the blocks of content on the home page. Content areas can even be hidden.

Using this new feature is easy, just click on a block and while holding down the mouse drag the block to its new location. To delete a block click the header and then click the red X. Made a mistake? Use the Quick Links area to find the “Reset Default” button.

Family Videos

* FamilyCrossings.com now has a new section for sharing videos. This area functions very much like YouTube.com. You can upload video files in the following formats .wmv, .avi, .mov, .qt, .mpeg, .mpg, .mp4, .flv. File uploads should be NOT be larger than 75 MB. When the file has completed the upload process our software will automatically convert it into a Flash file and the original video clip will be deleted to save you storage space. Please remember to keep the original file on your computer. Don’t forget to add Crossings that contain search words and geo tags. The three most recent videos will be displayed on your home page.

Photo Galleries

* We added the ability to re-order the sequence in which photos appear in a gallery. Click on “Edit Gallery” and then drag the image into the new order. Select “Save” when you are finished.

* The “Edit Gallery” area includes Photo Album Covers controls that allow you decide which photo to use as an anchor image when viewing all the albums.

News Digest

* We also added a weekly email News Digest to your family website. Every week FamilyCrossings.com will send an email to your family letting them know about upcoming events, birthdays and see links to new content that was recently added. As an Administrator for your family you will need to log in, click on Administration, click on the link “Site News Digest”, check the box enable to enable this new feature for your family. By default all your family members will then have the News Digest delivered to their registered email address. Each family member can option out of this feature by clicking on “My Settings” and de-selecting Yes, I want to receive the weekly E-mail Digest of Your Family Site news.

Family History

Family Histories are made out of stories and tales about people, places, and events related to the members of immediate family members and our ancestors. Family stories casually chatted about at the dinner table, or related at family gatherings can provide great insights into a family’s hostory. The memorable stories of our lives and of others in our family take on special importance because they are true, even if everyone tells different versions of the same event. Stories like these are family heirlooms held online and in the mind forever heart.

Taking an Interview

FamilyCrossings have a preset interview process where each family member can contribute stories about their lives to share with other family members.
Birth Information, Childhood, School Experiences, Jobs, Romance and Marriage, Raising a Family, Personal Accomplishments, Entertainment and Hobbies, Holiday Traditions

Getting Started with Family History

The first step to collecting family stories is to become a good listener. Good listeners encourage great storytelling. When a speaker feels that the listener is interested, he or she is more inspired to communicate generously. A good listener gives full attention to the teller, does not interrupt or contradict the facts of a story as it is being told, and offers the teller encouragement with an interested facial expression and body stance. When a teller feels encouraged by an interested listener, there is joy in the telling. Let everyone know that they can include that fabulous story in FamilyCrossings.com

Interviewing Elders

An effective way to hear family stories is to ask questions. Family stories can be collected by interviewing a family elder. Make a mental or written list of topics that might generate some interest from other family members to ask the elder.

Questions about:

People, places, events, objects, important transitions, work, or travel can be story starters. Although short-term memory may sometimes be limited in the oldest of relatives, long-term memory may be very much intact. We need to help the teller journey back in time to retrieve these treasures.

Add Your Story

Start the Interview process right now! Take a moment to add your own history! Lead by example.

Summer Picnics with FamilyCrossings.com

Summer vacation…the kids can’t wait for it to start—and parents dread its arrival. The first couple of weeks seem to take care of themselves, but after that, you may be faced with your kids looking at you with that “What can we do now, Mom?” look on their faces. At that first look, be ready: go on a picnic!

picnic_basket
Picnics are easy—and you don’t even have to go anywhere! A couple of beach towels thrown down on the grass in the backyard is as far as you have to go. Of course, if there is a local park handy, you can load up a couple of bike baskets and take your picnic there, don’t forget the picnic blanket. You can be a little bolder, and pack up the kids in the morning and set out for a half-day road adventure and go find someplace to picnic. No matter where you decide to picnic, make it fun, make it an adventure—and your kids will look forward to doing it again…and again!

Looking for Something to Do? Go On a Picnic!
Summer vacation…the kids can’t wait for it to start—and parents dread its arrival. The first couple of weeks seem to take care of themselves, but after that, you may be faced with your kids looking at you with that “What can we do now, Mom?” look on their faces. At that first look, be ready: go on a picnic!

Picnics are easy—and you don’t even have to go anywhere! A couple of beach towels thrown down on the grass in the backyard is as far as you have to go. Of course, if there is a local park handy, you can load up a couple of bike baskets and take your picnic there, don’t forget the picnic blanket. You can be a little bolder, and pack up the kids in the morning and set out for a half-day road adventure and go find someplace to picnic.

No matter where you decide to picnic, make it fun, make it an adventure—and your kids will look forward to doing it again…and again!

Keep Quick Picnic-Ready Snacks on Hand

You don’t have to preplan a picnic lunch, and you don’t have to make a special trip to the market if you keep a few of these things on hand:

• Peanut Butter and Jelly (the “old standby”)

• Pre-packaged lunch meats and cheeses (if left sealed, a package can sit in your frig for a week or more before you’ll need to use it)

• A package of hot dog buns in the freezer (they thaw out quickly and make easy-to-hold sandwiches)

• Single-serving-sized fruit cups, applesauce, pudding (I keep several in the frig, chilled and ready to go)

• Individual-sized bags/containers of chips, crackers, and cookies (keep a few hidden from the kids so that you always have a couple to throw in the picnic bag)

• 1-liter bottles of water and packets of drink mix like Kool-Aid or Crystal Lite

• Small bottles/jars of mustard, mayo, catsup, and relish (whatever you normally put on a sandwich)

This list just gets you started. Based on what you know your kids like and are willing to eat (without a fuss), you can also keep cans of tuna or chicken, containers of yogurt, blocks of cheese (for cheese and crackers), fresh fruits, granola bars, etc.

Next time you are in the market, take a moment to look at shelf items and think about how/whether those items could serve as the basis for an easy picnic lunch (or even breakfast or dinner!).

Think creatively! “Lunch” could be chocolate frosting smeared on graham crackers—it doesn’t necessarily have to be a nutritious meal, just a fun meal! (My mom’s favorite “surprise” picnic lunch was strawberry shortcake, and lots of it—although I do recognize that it took a little planning on her part.)

Have the Picnic Basics Ready
Regardless of what you’re going to throw together for lunch, you’re probably going to need a few picnic basics. If you have a picnic bag packed and ready to go, then actually going on a picnic, even if only as far as the backyard, means that all you have to do is pack the food.

In a sturdy canvas bag, plastic milk crate, or actual picnic basket, keep items such as the following supplies on hand:
• Paper plates and bowls, plastic utensils
• Napkins (or a roll of paper towels)
• Pre-moistened towelettes (wet wipes)
• Sharp knife, pair of scissors, can opener, bottle opener
• Salt and pepper
• Disposable towels (Handi-Wipes are great!)
• Sunscreen and bug spray
• Pencil and paper
• Travel-sized games, deck of cards, etc.

Items like paper plates and plastic utensils are self-explanatory, but the paper and pencil might just be the handiest thing you pack. As you go on your first few picnics, make a note of anything that you wished you’d had/meant to pack. You can accumulate items as you go. Do yourself a favor and buy the items specifically to leave in the picnic bag (and get accustomed to putting them right back into the picnic bag after you wash them).

You can also develop a short checklist of things that you need to remember to pack. Print the list and keep handy (this is especially helpful when you have to remember to get items out of the frig, or take medications, etc.). That way, if you are packing in a hurry for a spontaneous “Let’s go on a picnic, Mom!” day, you can grab the list and use it to help you remember to pack the needed items.

You can use an old blanket, a couple of beach towels, or my preferred picnic spread: an old mattress pad! I trimmed away the gauzy material and elastic that holds the pad to the mattress and left the nicely quilted pad itself. Another idea is to go to a place where you can rent moving trucks and buy a furniture pad/blanket—this makes a great picnic or beach blanket.

Using either the mattress pad or the furniture pad also makes it easier to shake out sand and brush off dirt. Both hold up well to multiple washings.

Plan Picnic Activities

There’s nothing wrong with just tossing a few snacks in a bag and heading out to the backyard just to have lunch! Everything tastes better when you eat it outside. However, you can make your impromptu picnic more enjoyable (and even educational) if you plan a few picnic activities. Why not keep your kids amused with Picnic Bingo?

Plan a “Shoestring Adventure”

If you’ll have the time to plan ahead and go on a one-day road adventure, think of someplace local and keep it a secret! You can even blindfold your passengers so they are surprised even if you only go to the local park!

Have fun this summer—get outside and enjoy spending a little time with your kids!

Be sure to use the calendar feature at Family Crossings.com

Grandma is online!!

Being a good grandparent is not something that one has to learn how to do. It comes from within. A bond between grandparent and grandchild is a special one that must be nurtured if it is to grow properly. Of course, there are many great things that can be done in order to maintain that bond. Grandparents will find that they often have to make it a point to get involved with grandchildren when it comes to things they are interested in doing. This can be overwhelming if you feel that the age difference makes this difficult. There are many great aspects of being a grandparent. From sharing interests to being a reliable source of comfort, grandparents play a large role in a child’s life.

It’s a good idea to organize a weekly get together online with your grandkids. Quality time together is seriously underrated these days. Make it a point to do something together, an activity you can both share. Set up a “virtual play date” online via play a friendly game or have dinner together while you catch up on recent events that your family members have posted. A designated time and date together will also help young kids to have an appreciation for their grandparents, something that is essential for kids to grow up with proper values.

Of course, there are many great things that can be done in order to maintain that bond. Grandparents will find that they often have to make it a point to get involved with grandchildren when it comes to things they are interested in doing.

This can be overwhelming if you feel that the age difference makes this difficult.

There are many great aspects of being a grandparent. From sharing interests to being a reliable source of comfort, grandparents play a large role in a child’s life.

It’s a good idea to organize a weekly get together online with your grandkids.

Quality time together is seriously underrated these days. Make it a point to do something together, an activity you can both share. Set up a “virtual play date” online via play a friendly game or have dinner together while you catch up on recent events that your family members have posted.

A designated time and date together will also help young kids to have an appreciation for their grandparents, something that is essential for kids to grow up with proper values. Even your teen grandchildren NEED you! With FamilyCrossings.com you can bond with your teenager! They are online anyway, why not share stories via the web of your childhood? Upload photos of when you were their age.

Share a live chat, and play an interactive game with your grandchild!

Why? Games are great to play together. It allows you to be interactive with your grandchildren rather than simply trying to make small talk.

Other interactive things that are great are movies or even a visit to a museum or other interesting type of event. Learning together eliminates restrictions imposed by the age difference.

When you are both learning something new together, the fun you have is increased.

Doing something special together is essential for building that bond with your grandchildren. Attending church together can be really special for the family that places importance in this. By building your values together, they will learn from you as they are learning to respect you.

As your relationship builds and your virtual dates become more routine, why not build your family tree? This is also an option at FamilyCrossings! try it for FREE today!

Family and Social Media

While several years passed, Boomers began exploring the various “Search” options on the net and learned that nearly anything they wanted to know was available on some website or another.

The internet was always thought to be the exclusive domain of the young. Then, the older age groups discovered that e-mailing family and friends was easier and more cost effective than sending a fax or using “snail mail”. While several years passed, Boomers began exploring the various “Search” options on the net and learned that nearly anything they wanted to know was available on some website or another.

Then came Social Media. Once again, the older group considered it to be a tool for the younger generation. After all, didn’t they already have a hard time keeping up with the activities of their existing friends and family?

Sites like FaceBook and MySpace began appearing in news headlines pointing out potential dangers when teen-agers had unsupervised access to the internet. That caught the attention of the parents who began signing up to the Social networking sites in record numbers. They wanted to know what their kids were posting for the world to see.

As they were keeping an eye on their kids, the Boomers discovered other like-minded people on the sites and began “friending” each other. Some sought advice while others shared experiences. Raising teen-agers was a daunting task and knowing you were not alone and didn’t have all the answers, fueled these relationships. Raising children was not the only issue the Boomers were experiencing.

Many had aging parents, health issues, financial or career difficulties. Finding other Boomers with whom to share the burden, made coping a little easier. Some of these “friends” who had never met face to face became real friends over time. Some of them eventually ended up meeting and continuing the relationship for years.

Although privacy was always held dear to most people brought up before the 70’s, this new style networking is quickly catching on. Women in particular enjoy the connections they establish with other women.

They don’t necessarily develop the same inter-action with their family or existing friends because their interests might differ. As Baby-Boomer women age, they tend to have more time to pursue hobbies that eluded them during their child rearing years. Social networking helps them discover new interests or take up those left behind before life became too busy. The CURE? Social media for your family at FamilyCrossings.com