Anything Can Happen: Bugs and Spiders

Speaking yesterday of worries.... It is all over the news that due to our warmer than usual winter we are in for a record bug-season.  Oh goodie.  Stop my feet from dancing.  Arrrggghhh.

Now, I am not afraid of spiders. They don't intimidate me [at least not like miller moths do]. But neither am I excited about finding them everywhere and in more frequency or numbers than usual.  I am not by nature a violent person.  If I see a spider outside, I figure I am in their world and I go my merry way.  BUT, inside is MY world and I tend to take a different tact.

That is why I found the poster below amusing. . . .
Spiders... consider yourself warned!

Image credit and thanks to: dedbugs.com, vi.sualize.us [via Ruxandra Soare]

Anything Can Happen: Quick Laugh

Just a quick shameful* chuckle for this Friday:

*After I laughed I felt a little guilty!

Image credit and thanks to: www.jokeroo.com

Anything Can Happen.... Mother's Day Reality

I think this kind of says it all....

Keep your feet firmly planted in reality when you measure your life against Hallmark!
Hope your Mother's Day was happy!


Image from my Pinterest "Gotta Laugh" board.

Anything Can Happen: Fridge Locks

Ok, admit it. How many of you have wished for an easily lockable refrigerator?  I can think of two reasons that have echoed through my experiences:

1- When my munchkins were younger I was often especially desperate.  Children in foster care often have food issues and will graze at any time of night or day.  Even when they know that fresh raspberries have a season roughly two nanoseconds long and that I will knock down old ladies that get between me and a box of freshly picked raspberries.... they still will reach in, snitch all but three berries [left to taunt me I am convinced!] and then profess no knowledge of whoooo could posssssibly have done it!

2- When the numbers on the scales become rude and obnoxious, I sometimes think that having to open a combination lock might help me resist that temptation to snack on something evil.  Research says that if you can delay acting on a food impulse/temptation for 60 seconds, the impulse passes.  [I am not at all sure that I believe it, but someone no doubt spent thousands of dollars researching it.]

Soooo ... the idea below caught my eye online. It is from an interesting website that often has funny, also often vaguely rude, ideas.  So I am not going to link to it but will credit it below if you want to see it for yourself.  But here is their idea.... ready for some inventor out there to make money creating and marketing!  If you can't read it click here for a larger more text readable view.

Better yet..... make a real one and let me know... I will be your first customer!!

Image credit and thanks to: stealourideas.tumblr.com,
                        [light bulb image from newscientist.com]

Anything Can Happen: Crazy Vegetables!

Often on Friday I find some crazy photo or silly caper to post.  This Friday I chose something that some might consider crazy, but others might think brilliant.

Do you have trouble getting your child to eat peas or some other vegetable?  In keeping with our Friday theme I offer you something different than the usual techniques. If you can let go for a little bit and be a little crazy, this trick is almost guaranteed to get your kids to try them once in a while. This idea comes from a fellow foster parent friend of mine who also has years of experience in early childhood schools and day care.  With thanks and kudos to "Mr. Bobby" here it is:

Some Friday "Anything Can Happen Night" prepare the green peas as a side vegetable for dinner.  Act really excited about it!  Tell them you remember hearing that  "x" [peas, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, whatever] is one of the really cool vegetables that you get to eat a special way. Explain that most vegetables kids have to start right out easting with a spoon or fork. But with "x" the first four [or five or six, you choose] times that you eat it you have to eat it a special way.  They will probably look at you like your are crazy, but when they ask "How?" go into demonstration mode [Remember it's Anything Can Happen night!]. Put just a few "X"s on your plate.

Make a show of putting down your fork and putting your hands behind your back.  Then...lean over your plate [with hands still behind your back] and eat yours off the plate using just your mouth, lips, and tongue to catch the veggies in your mouth!   Now they will REALLY look like you are crazy, but chances are as they see you do it, they won't be able to resist trying themselves.  Be sure you have only given them a few, as its really fun when you hear them ask for a few more so they can try again to "catch" them with no hands!

Usually once a child tries a new vegetable several times, nature takes over and they get to like the  vegetable.  Then you can explain that they are now old enough to eat them the grownup way and move on. 

I don't have any kiddos young enough for this trick right now, but dozens of parents have found this trick to work and swear by it as a "Never Fail" strategy.  Works great on peas, brussel sprouts, broccoli, etc. Give it a try and let me know how it works for you!

Image credits and thanks to:  mnn.com, fisher-pricestoreindia.blogspot.com, womansday.com, jeanninejersey.blogspot.com

Focus on Fostering: Fostering Blogs I Love

I enjoy reading other blogs and particularly some of the ones by other foster parents.  Sunday I about fell off my chair laughing over her post about ways to know you are a foster parent.  I HAD to email her and ask if I could like to her site for you and share part of that post!


I think my two favorites were:

***You know every pediatrician and specialist in your area that takes Medicaid, whether or not they are accepting new patients, their estimated waiting time for appointments, and the first names of all of their nurses and front office staff.


***You know you're going to be in the restroom longer than 30 seconds, and you bring your monthly paperwork with you so you don't waste valuable time just sitting there.

And though I have never dared be this bold I had to laugh at this one:


***You're intentionally vague when questioned about your children by random strangers simply because you get a good chuckle out of watching them squirm.  "Is he your first?"  "No.  He's my 12th."  or  "Does she (your child of a very obviously different race) look like her father?"  "I don't really know.  I never saw him."  ;-)


You can see why I wanted to share  this blog post of hers with you!  We all need to laugh at some of the challenges once in a while. Check out much more of her blog at  "I Must Be Trippin'" especially if, like me and like her, you are a single foster parent. Poke around at some of her past posts and maybe, sign up to follow her blog too!


I am thinking of choosing one Tuesday a month to feature another foster parenting blog. What do you think?


Image credits and thanks to: zazzle.com, affm.net

Anything Can Happen: Crazy Views

Quick way to have some fun with your kids:

Visit a novelty store and try these to liven things up, start the giggles, and give your kids a fun and funky different "view" of the world...

1- Simulate the view a fly gets of the world by donning a pair of fly-eye glasses. 
Take turns wearing them while you eat dinner.  Almost as much fun for the person looking at someone wearing them as for the person who is actually wearing them. [under $10[

2. Reverse binoculars. Take an inexpensive pair of binoculars and try looking through them backwards. It makes everything seem VERY far away and makes walking, co-ordinating, much harder.  Try these while playing bowling on a Wii or PlayStation to watch your scores plummet.

3. 3-D or Snowflake glasses.  These glasses mimic special effect photo lens. They can turn a spot of light into a snowflake, a prism, a repeated pattern and more. Available places like Cracker Barrel restaurant gift stores or other novelty stores, these are usually cardboard glasses with insets that make the world seem filled with rainbows, snowflakes etc. depending on the insert.  [under $2]

Later:
Use this as a teaching moment after the giggling stops...
 ---Talk about how hard it is to imagine another person's viewpoint.
 ---Talk about how hard it is to describe something if you see it so differently from the other person.

Image credits and thanks to:  alibaba.com 

Anything Can Happen: YOYO dinner

All of us have had nights we didn't feel like cooking!
Whether you don't feel good, are sick, or the opposite... that it has been too beautiful a day to be in the kitchen, or that you are making huge headway on a project you are still knee deep in.... We all have times we don't feel like fixing the meal.

Turn it into fun!

In my house it was "Make Your Own Dinner" nights.  But at a recent parent training with other foster parents I heard of a MUCH more fun name for the night... one that sounds way more cool to your kids...

YOYO  night.

Not Yo-Yos as in the toys... YO YO as in:

You're On  Your  Own

Give it a try at your house... [make sure you have sandwich makings, salad stuff, or leftovers on hand for such an occasion, too!]

Anything Can Happen: Valentine Food Foolishness

A cautionary tale.....

Years ago I decided in one crazy moment to do something especially silly for Valentine's Day to surprise my kids.  I decided to make an all red meal.  Red Velvet Cake was the obvious dessert choice.  

 Red jello salad in a heart shaped molds for a salad was equally easy. Here are plain ones... you can get fancier as you wish.

The main course proved more challenging. I chose ham.

I arranged the slices in heart shapes on each plate.

For veggies I cooked beets [which I knew my children might not eat] and sliced tomatoes [which I knew they liked]. Being particularly inspired I also cut both the beets and the tomatoes with a heart-shaped cookie cutter and arranged them on a plate.. truly heart-ful!

Unfortunately I went one step farther... one step too many.  I added red food coloring to make the mashed potatoes fit the red theme.  Do not try that... it plays tricks with the mind that are transmitted to the taste buds with less than wonderful results.  More than 25 years later, I still am occasionally mocked and berated for that valentine's dinner run amok.  So cut the tomatoes, or beets, make heart shaped salads or red velvet cakes to your heart's content.  Just don't mess with the mashed potatoes!


Image credits: makecakeidea.net, pinehillschool.org, 4littlefergusons.wordpress.com

Anything Can Happen: Whatcha doin'???

Just kidding..... If none of you were at your computers, I would have fewer blog visitors.  Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you will share it with others!

Anything Can Happen: Remember Hand Shadows?

Did you ever make hand shadows on the wall?  I did.  Winter's early evenings are a great opportunity to teach your children this old time fun. Who knows? You might even rediscover it yourself in the process!

Flying birds are the easiest, but there is a whole world of figures to explore: dogs [see the how-to diagram at right], boys, elephants, rabbits, and many many more.


Click here for a blog with pictures like the one above that will teach you how to help your kids make 5 different hand shadow shapes.

Click here for Henry Bursill's  Hand Shadows To Be Thrown Upon The Wall. Here you can choose from a variety of formats, even slideshow! The free text & illustration version is also available from the Guttenberg project and can be downloaded if you click here.

Google on YouTube for "hand shadows" and you will find a video of Louis Armstrong and friends singing "It's a Wonderful World" with a super sweet baby hand sequence, even a German car commercial based on multiple hands shadows.  And last, but far from least, even if you don't speak the language you can be amazed by the hand shadows in this clip from India's Got Talent tv show.

Go forth and shadow....

Image credits: earlychildcare.wordpress.com

Anything Can Happen: Crazy Great "Swim"

Next time your kids whine that "There's nothing to dooooo," share this.  All over the coast of Maine this is the season for crazy.  Crazy but great.  All kinds of wonderful, worthy organizations raise hundreds and thousands of dollars counting on crazy to win over common sense.  All ages are welcomed to share in a "Polar Bear Dip" .... racing in the middle of winter into freezing cold Maine water clad in bathing suits and accompanied by wild shrieks and screams as water touches skin. More sensible people offer money pledges to encourage this madness and to raise money for cause X or Y.

Next time you go for a dip at your local indoor swimming pool [or those of you who live in southern climes, when you go into the ocean] and complain that the water is too cold at 65 degrees.... think of the crazy, zany, dedicated ones who dove and splashed into the waters of Portland's Casco Bay this January... into water that is around 34 degrees!! Try that Michael Phelps!

Holidays 101: #28-Predictions for 2012

So far as I know, none of us owns a fully-functioning crystal with which to look into our future.  Even so, the grocery store tabloids are screaming with front-page predictions about almost everyone and nearly everything that could possibly happen in 2012. While I don't encourage children to read the tabloids, it is sometimes fun to use a New Year's Eve to both teach about the untrustworthiness of tabloid journalism [for older kids] and create some family entertainment for this new year AND the next new year's eve.  Here is how it works...........

--Explain about predictions if your children are young.  If they are older maybe grab a typical tabloid to show the range and sometimes silliness of predictions.

--Ask each member of the family to make some predictions for the New Year 2012 and then sign their name to their list.  [Help younger kids by acting as their secretary.]
      +++ include possible accomplishments, activities, and some silly things for fun too!

-- Explain that you will save these lists until next New Year's Eve when you will reopen them and see if anyone got some predictions right! [Maybe stick in a $10 bill for the person who has the most predictions correct??] 

--Make a family ceremony of sealing the predictions in an envelope and marking it "Do NOT open until December 31, 2011" before placing it in a location for safe-keeping. Mark your calendar [paper or digital] to remind you a few days before next New Year's Eve to dig out the envelope and place it in full view, ready for the grand reveal!

Note: Maybe even save those tabloid predictions to see who does better?


Image credit: e-forwards.com, blog.mediatrust.com

Quick Takes: New Halloween Traditions

Halloween seems to be getting bigger and bigger every year.  Gone seem to be the days of simple costumes, trick or treats, and UNICEF boxes.  It you are looking for a Halloween tradition to begin or switch to, here are three that have gained popularity lately... some even as community or charity fund raisers.

Costume Sale-  Get together with a group of parents, or friends and hold a Halloween costume sale early or mid-October.  Publicize it to the local elementary schools and parent groups.  Maybe talk to a local theater group about donating some of their costume department's cast offs. Perhaps to gain publicity [and new fans?] their makeup people would come and do an afternoon clinic on Halloween makeup ideas?  Over my parenting years I have gahtered not one but FIVE tubs of costumes and costume ingredients for any number of ages and interest. No longer needing them, they will be going to my local church's October rummage sale to start a "Halloween Room" of goodies.

Trunk or Treat- A new approach to trick or treating, some neighborhoods or communities are creating safe zones by lining the local school or church parking lot with parked cars.  The cars [or even just the trunks and hatchbacks] are decorated to the nines.  Children go from trunk to trunk trick or treating with no busy roads to cross in the dark, no stranger's homes, etc.  And with a parent at each trunk and the cars forming a makeshift "neighborhood block" even the youngest children can enjoy this twist on traditional trick or treating.  Perhaps the older teens in the area can sponsor a cider or doughnut table too? For decorating ideas try googling "trunk or treat" images and be inspired!

Halloween Scarecrows- Hold a scarecrow decorating contest in town. Charge a minimal amount for the two cross stakes and challenge families and businesses or organizations to decorate and post their themed scarecrow out front for two weeks. Have clear rules about gore or violence.Hold a judging and award prizes or certificates in categories. This makes a great addition to a fall festival or Halloween week and offers the chance to move beyond doorbell ringing and candy for those who want.

Note: As you can see our October Quick Takes this year will all focus on Halloween ideas for Food, Costumes, Teens and Families. We will go back to our usual Quick Take offerings in November.

Image credits:  carouseltheatre.wordpress.com, greaterphiladelphiagardens.org, tipjunkiue.com

Anything Can Happen: Parent Sticker Charts

Have you ever used sticker charts with your kids?

Have you chosen a behavior you want to encourage or discourage and awarded stickers each time, leading to an earned reward?

Try this for a fun Anything Can Happen day...


Let your kids make a sticker chart for you!



Take a typical chart like the one at left and switch roles. Let them pick a behavior or yours the kids want to encourage or discourage. Decide the reward, Give them the stickers and POST the chart. Take it in good spirit.. [Remember how little choice THEY have in choosing targeted behaviors and incentives]. Have some fun with it. Make it a day or a weekend or... if you are really daring... a week.

Let us know how it goes! Above are some examples of kid charts you can adapt depending on your children's ages.

Image credits: writers.inpictou.info,itsamomsworld.com

Quick Takes: Just a chuckle

Ok, there is no meaningful hint, no philosophical value to today's post... just a chuckle. I am not taking a stand or taking sides or making a point today... just enjoying the chuckle.

Image credit: obscureinternet.com

Anything Can Happen: M&M Cakes

My youngest birth daughter is getting married soon and I was looking for unusual wedding cake pictures to send her as a joke.

When I say this M & M cake it occured to me what fun it might be for young kids to decorate a plain white frosted sheet cake with M&Ms.

Think of the fun they could have making pictures, rainbows, flowers, or even spelling out a word.

Celebrate the end of summer or the first week of school or Labor Day or whatever excuse you want.  Have some fun with it.

Send me photos if you can?

Image credit: bitrebels.com

Anything Can Happen: Shopping for Weddings

My youngest daughter is getting married this fall and so I have been doing some dress shopping for the event.  Actually the events because it is a weekend of activities that she and her fiance have planned.  Having shopped for the weddings of 5 daughters you would think I would be accustomed to it, but I still find it frustrating, depressing, and overwhelming.  This is well known by my family who have recently taken to escorting me on shopping trips to provide moral support [and fashion direction???].  They are actually very helpful and make the trips far more pleasant.

Anyway.... after seeing this on line I realize that it could be much much worse.

Consider this bride and groom.
Not only did they dress in Alice and Wonderland garb...

Their wedding party and many of the guests did as well....

Imagine trying to find a Queen of Hearts costume or Cheshire Cat costume in the size you want?

Or how about Shrek??

So, I guess I won't be complaining!!!!!

Image credits: metro.co.uk, bridezilla.blogspot.com

Quick Takes: Stop Fights with Humor

Since I talked some this week about playdates... here is a unique [some might even say bizarre] way of settling disagreements between friends or siblings.  I find that humor is a wonderful way to diffuse anger.  The tough part is finding a way to work humor into that angst ridden atmosphere.  


Here is a way to settle an argument that actually has giggle potential, sometimes even gales of laughter... The next time two are arguing...say over who gets "X" or who goes first or whatever the disgreement du jour is.  All you need to do is have two oranges of relatively equal size on hand at all times to settle the argument and shift the mood. Here are the rules:

Battle of the Oranges:
Each warrior is armed with a tablespoon on which an orange is placed. The hold the spoon with one arm/hand and put the other arm/hand behind their back. At the "go" signal, each will try to knock the opponent's orange off the spoon. But... they can only do it by using only the hand which holds the spoon and orange. The winner is the one left with their orange on the spoon!

Give it a try... My kids used to ask for best two out of three, but by three they were usually giggling and laughing, the original difference not forgotten, but no longer as important as conquering the orange challenge. 

Image credits: freefoto.com,mifzgoesstudy.blogspot.com, smoothharold.com

Quick Takes: Weather Rock

This is for all your kids who have NO interest in science.... 

1. Have them search around and find an absolutely, truly fine rock.  
2. Place the rock outside in a special place of honor.
3. Help them chose ideas from the list below to fit your region.
4. Print them on "Direction Sheets."  
5. Post your directions.  
Aaaabra  cadaaaa   bra.....
               * * *
            *         *  
<-<- P O O F ->->  
            *         * 
                  *         
You have just made and installed an authentic...
 "Maine Weather Rock" ! !   


Enjoy!  :-)




Weather Rock Directions

Rock dry – fair
Rock wet – rainy
Rock swaying – windy
Rock with shadow – sunny
Rock with no shadow -- cloudy
Rock dusty --dust storm 



Rock white – frost or snow
Rock bouncing – earthquake
Rock under water – flood
Rock flashing - lightning
Rock missing - tornado

Rock cold - winter
Rock wet, mossy or grassy- spring
Rock hot - summer
Rock covered by colored leaves - fall


Image credits: merricherri.blogspot.com, free-wallpapers-free.com, scomotle.org