Fun and Funny Stuff to do with Kids

1. Celebrate silly holidays
   Make the most of April Fools', with spirited — but never mean-spirited — jokes your children and you can play with one another. There are scores of other silly days to celebrate, including National Tell a Joke Day (August 16), Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19), Bathtub Party Day (December 5), National Chocolate Covered Anything Day (December 16), Fruitcake Toss Day (January 3), Backward Day (January 31), National Goof-Off Day (March 22), and Dance Like a Chicken Day (May 14).
   
2. Sing, sing, sing
   Fussing babies usually light up with an animated round of "Old MacDonald," funny voices and all. The more animated and ridiculous you are, the better. Singing takes the edge off for older children too. "Instead of saying, 'march, march, march' to bed, which would just stress me out, we sing," says mother of three Diana Ballou. "I can get the girls from bath to bed in 15 minutes just by singing 'Follow the Yellow Brick Road.' And we're laughing our pants off all the way there."
   
3. Share funny stories
   At dinnertime, tell your child anything silly you've seen during the day — a ridiculous street sign, something you overheard in the elevator. This is a great way to teach them about the fine art of conversation and help them see the light side of life.
   
4. Create funny traditions and rituals
   "Every Christmas Eve, we let the children open their silly present," says Christina Tynan-Wood, who gave her 11-year-old son, Cole, an inveterate ketchup lover, a giant bottle of it a couple of years ago.
   
5. Watch funny movies
   "Give some of the modern Disney DVDs a rest and break out the classics like Abbot and Costello or the Three Stooges," says Momfidence author Paula Spencer. "Something with a lot of slapstick that isn't about laughing at someone's expense."
   
6. Create a fun center
   "Have a funny corner in the house," says laugh psychologist Paul McGhee. "It's great to put up a bulletin board with funny articles from the newspaper."
   
7. Read funny books
   To get your newborn grinning and giggling, read 97 Ways to Make a Baby Laugh by Jack Moore. For toddlers, read them anything by Sandra Boynton, who has a superb sense of the ridiculous. Preschoolers love the Dumb Bunnies books by Dav Pilkey. For older kids, try the Bunnicula books by James Howe, knock-knock joke books, and those all-time favorites, elephant joke books.

No more monkeys... Doctor says: Don't call me up anymore

James Singing in his Deep Voice: Bumpin' Along - Jul 30 2011

Lucy in Hollywood Sprinklers - WET DOG! ha!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L49ctSbWRPI

Cute Phrases

Life with James makes our hearts swell with joy and happiness. We are so blessed.

James is talking up a storm and bringing his own version of humor and kindness to us.

Some things he says:

In the morning, he calls for us to get him from his crib "Come M'Here Daddy! Come M'Here Mommy!"

We saw the easter bunny yesterday, and on the way home, 5 hours later, he apparently had absorbed it and talked about the "Easter Bunny!" for 10 minutes!

Oatmeal Chocolate Sea Salt Cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Sea Salt Cookies (Makes 4-5 Dozen)

1 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened
1 Cup Brown Sugar (light or dark)
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Large Eggs
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
3 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
1 9 oz Bag Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Sea Salt Flakes (I use Maldon Sea Salt)

** Do NOT use iodized salt on top of the cookies.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using a standing or hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy, about 4 minutes ( I know 4 minutes seems like a long time, but it makes all the difference).
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
4. Stir the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl.
5. Slowly add the flour to the butter/sugar mixture until combined.
6. Stir in oats and chocolate chips mixing well until combined.
7. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment or silpat lined cookie sheet.*
8. Press down each cookie and top with a few flakes of sea salt.
9. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Cool and serve.

* You can also bake them in silicone individual muffin tins as I did in the picture for 18-20 minutes.
** After step #8, place sheet tray in the freezer for several hours, remove cookies to labeled zipper bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake according to directions in step #9.

Snow in Whoville at the Grinchmas Universal Studios

Playing in Whoville snow at Grinchmas - Universal Studios

Merry Christmas!

Scarlet Snowflakes Christmas

Personalize the christmas season with Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Fall 2010 - 10K Race