Four for the 4th

1. Oh hey it’s Saturday? And you’re in the park? You think it is the 4th of July? Nope, I couldn’t resist.

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2. Well, now. Have you seen this?

It’s a violin. No, wait, it’s a baseball bat. No, wait, it’s … it’s ridiculously cool!

Oh I miss the National Symphony Orchestra! Thanks!

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3. PES provides the fireworks:

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4. Hi, Mom! Happy birthday!

Roller Babies

Do you remember the Evian babies ad from a few years ago? The one where they’re swimming in the pool?

Cute, yes?

This ad is much much cuter (oh the boombox!) , and you really need to have that song stuck in your head.*

(I know I know: drink regular tap water, not bottled water. Will do.)

*The short commercial version, of course. If you know the original 14 min 37 sec version, oh my…. But okay: kindly cover little ears before you start singing.

That Zoom Cup Game

If I can sit still for about 20 minutes, I’m finally going to learn this game. How hard can it be?

If you need the how-to explanation, read below the video. But maybe easier: just find some kids, let them watch and figure it out, and they’ll teach you.

[Huge Zoom thanks!]

The how-to:

This game is for 3 or more players. (The more, the better.)

This is a game of accuracy. If you make the wrong move, you’re out. The last person playing is the winner.

1. First take your cup and turn it upside down.
2. Clap twice and tap the cup 3 times on the top.
3. Now clap again and pick up your cup and move it to the right.
4. You clap, pick up the cup upside down, so when you pick it up, it’s upright.
5. Tap the top of it with your left hand, put it down.
6. Pick it up with your left hand, put your right hand down, and cross your left arm over your right to put the cup back on the table.

So the whole thing is:

1. Clap, clap, tap, tap, tap.
2. Clap, move, right.
3. Clap, turn, touch, touch, change, pat, over.

One more time just to see if you’ve got it:

1. Clap clap tap tap tap,
2. Clap… move… right.
3. Clap, turn, touch, touch, change, pat, over.

Off you go!

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

My sister often made oatmeal raisin cookies when we were kids. Did I make them? I don’t remember!

Look what I found on the bottom of my 4.08 Kg (9 pounds) box o’ oatmeal! (Yes, we’ve had this lots-of-oatmeal conversation before.)

It’s a big recipe, so set aside a few for yourself to nibble on, then share the rest among all the friendly people you know.

• 1/2 pound margarine or butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
• 3 cups Quaker® Oats, uncooked
• 1 cup raisins

1. Heat Oven to 350*F.

2. Beat together margarine and sugars until creamy.

3. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.

4. Add combined flour, baking soda, connamon and salt: mix well.

5. drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

7. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

8. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.

Makes about 48 cookies.

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Variations:

a) add nuts and/or chocolate chips instead of the raisins

b) fun vegan version

c) replace the 2 eggs with 1 small banana and 2 tablespoons of applesauce

Balloon Bean Bags

These balloon bean bags are showing up everywhere!

I first saw them on Flipflops and Applesauce. Bookmark her blog!

We’re going to make these! You should, too!

Okay, no more exclamation marks!

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Materials

• 3 round balloons (any size is okay, but use the same size for each balloon)
• rice, beans or lentils for filling
• scissors
• funnel (make one if you can’t find one)

Directions

1. Stretch the first balloon: inflate it halfway, hold it closed for 30 seconds (sing the ABCs slowly), then let the air out.

2. Put a funnel in the balloon’s neck, then carefully pour in ¾ cup of filling. You might need a pencil or single chopstick to help push the filling in.

3. When the balloon is round, cut off the lip and fold the rest over.

4. Cut off the neck of a second balloon and stretch it over the first balloon.

5. Take your 3rd balloon, cut off the neck, and fold it over the first 2 balloons.

6. That completes one bean bag. Repeat Steps 1-5 to make more.

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This version shows helpful step-by-step photos.

Maybe this is where the idea started?

When is your birthday?

Remember this: When you say your date of birth in American English, usually you can give just the numbers. Month, day and the last two digits of the year. For example, April 15, 1956 can be said as 4/15/56.

Got it?

Okay, now grab an abacus and use your own birthday to solve this little math problem. (Don’t panic. Numbers are your good friends, too.)

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1. Write down the number of the month you were born.
2. Multiply by 4.
3. Add 13.
4. Multiply by 25.
5. Subtract 200.
6. Add the day of the month you were born.
7. Multiply by 2.
8. Subtract 40.
9. Multiply by 50.
10. Add the last two digits of the year you were born.
11. Subtract 10,500.
12. The answer will be your birth date!

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Did anyone else watch Zoom as a kid?

Dangling Door Decor

In summer when it’s hot, I like to remove doors, open windows in the evening and let fresh air circulate through the home. We’re still in the rainy season now, which means we have plenty of inside time to make these cheap but nifty hanging decorations for all the doors.

All the doors in the home! Yes!

Oh wait. Not the bathroom and shower doors.

Watch the video!

From the fine folks at Family Fun.