Archive for ‘Em’s posts’

What are you planning for Memorial Day?

By Em, 15 May, 2011, No Comment

It’s that time of the year again. Kids are free from school, snowcones are starting to melt into your carpet and mud footprints now run down the end of your drive. So what are you planning for the first holiday of the summer?

Why not teach your children what Memorial Day is really all about. It’ s not just a weekend to go to the lake.

So what is Memorial Day about anyway?

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 30 in 2011). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. soldiers who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union and Confederate soldiers following the American Civil War, it was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars. It begun as a ritual of remembrance and reconciliation after the Civil War, by the early 20th century, Memorial Day was an occasion for more general expressions of memory, as ordinary people visited the graves of their deceased relatives, whether they had served in the military or not. (Wikipedia)

Please take time to remember a special loved one and those who fight or have fought for this great nation on this special holiday.

Here are some things that you can do with your kids to help teach them what Memorial Day is about:

Take your family to a War or Infantry Museum.

Go visit a War Memorial.

Take in a Memorial Day Parade.

Make an American Flag craft.

Send a Soldier a care package.

These types of activities can spark great conversation about what Memorial Day is really all about.

Enjoy your upcoming holiday!

Coconut Cream Pie with Pineapple

By Em, 14 May, 2011, No Comment

I want to try this!

Ingredients

Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour, divided
3 tablespoons ice water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
Cooking spray
Filling:
1 (8 1/4-ounce) can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez)
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut, toasted

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.
To prepare crust, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine 1/4 cup flour and water; stir with a whisk until well-blended.
Combine 3/4 cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl; cut in shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add slurry; mix with a fork until flour mixture is moist.
Press mixture gently into a 4-inch circle on heavy-duty plastic wrap, and cover with additional plastic wrap. Roll dough, still covered, into a 12-inch circle. Freeze for 10 minutes.
Remove 1 sheet of plastic wrap, and fit the dough into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap. Fold edges under, and flute. Line the dough with a piece of foil, and arrange pie weights or dried beans on foil. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until the edge is lightly browned. Remove pie weights and foil; cool crust on a wire rack.
To prepare filling, drain pineapple in a colander, and spoon into the prepared crust. Combine 3/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a saucepan, and stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook for 1 minute, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add about 1/3 cup hot custard to beaten eggs; stir constantly with a whisk. Return egg mixture to pan. Cook for 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove mixture from heat; stir in cream of coconut and extracts. Spoon mixture into the prepared crust. Cover surface of filling with plastic wrap; chill until set (about 2 hours).
Remove plastic wrap, and spread whipped topping evenly over filling. Sprinkle with coconut.

Cooking Light
JULY 2000

iPhone 5 Release (Guest Post by: J. Sample)

By Em, 13 May, 2011, No Comment

The iPhone 5 is rumored to be released around June or July however some speculators believe that Apple might not release the iPhone 5 until early 2012. Could Apple be breaking away from their normal release date of previous iDevices?

Some of the key changes speculated for the new iPhone 5 release include:

Music Locker which provides the ability to store your music and transmit wirelessly to your iPhone 5 without the need of a computer.

Apples MobileMe services which provides every iDevice holder access to Apple’s cloud email, calendar, and storage device is rumored to be free rather than requiring an annually fee of $99.99.

Based off of the release of the iPad2, the A5 dual-core processor should be a major change in the iPhone 5 boosting its speed.

Could iPhone 5 become your wallet? This concept is at the top of iPhone application development. It is said that Apple is going to add near-field communications (NFC) chips to the iPhone 5. This will allow you to simply swipe your iPhone in front of a receptor to pay for your purchases. There would be no bar code or dongles, it would just happen wirelessly and automatically once you approve the sale.

The iPhone 5 is said to be thinner than the previously released versions with a glass back piece. It is also said to have face recognition which would bring a whole new light to the security of the device. Many users love the face time, video chat, feature of the iPhone 4, however it is only usable through Wi-Fi. This however will change with the release of the iPhone 5, providing Face Time through the 3g and 4g service.

Though it might not be as important as some of the other updates and added features of the iPhone, users will be able to add custom SMS tones to your contacts. It is also said to have an indicator light that will light up when you have new SMS messages. Users will also be able to add these custom tones to each individual email account that they have set up on the device. Another small upgrade which users have seen with each new release is an extended battery life. Users on the 3g networks will be pleased to see a 14 hour talk time while those on 4g will see a 7 hour talk time when it comes to the battery life on the iPhone 5.

With the release of the iPhone 5 users will be able to have a phone, a compass, a game machine, a wallet, a video and still camera, a pocket calculator, a pedometer, as well as their car keys all while being able to also check their mail, text messages, and social networking sites and showing the flight attendant their airplane boarding pass.

J. Sample is a writer, blogger, and a tech-savvy iPhone supporter!

Summer-Ready with Kids Clothing: (Guest Post by Kate Hyder)

By Em, 12 May, 2011, No Comment

With summer break on the horizon, kids will invariably start feeling antsy and restless at the prospect of endless free time. As a parent, you may share the same sentiments, except they are probably coupled by the anxiety of finding ways to keep the kids occupied and, of course, making sure their wardrobe is up to par.

Some parents may or may not consider their kids clothing a priority during season changes, but these are often the ones scrambling at department stores for whatever is left of the early-summer sale. Keeping a cache of summer kids clothing is a smart move because it saves time during the sudden transition from the last bell to the beginning of their first summer activity. It also keep clothes organized and separated so that shorts don’t mix with sweaters, and tank tops apart from corduroy pants.

Fortunately, kids clothing is much smaller and thus more manageable than adult clothes, and, a lot of times, it’s cuter too. More than anything, summer kids clothing needs to be practical. After all, this is the time when kids move about freely and engage in a number of activities that will likely bring on stains, rips and tears, so clothes need to be flexible as well as easy to wash.

Practicality in kids clothing practically screams for plenty of cotton and linen. Luckily, many kids clothing designers understand that kids clothing is still the responsibility of the parents, which is why it’s not hard finding T-shirts and shorts in a variety of shapes, colors and materials that are easy to mix and match and won’t shrink or bleed in the wash.

Here are some tips on shopping for the kids clothing in the summer:

• Look for breathable materials – Kids need plenty of air for their skin to breathe, which is why cotton and linen are the best materials. Not only can tops and bottoms both be made from cotton, it is also highly affordable. Cotton is also easy to wash, which saves time from doing multiple loads of laundry.

• Don’t overspend. – As any older parents will tell you, kids grow up unimaginably fast, outgrowing last season’s wardrobe at the blink of an eye. As such, overspending on kids clothing (for any season, not just summer) may not be the most cost-effective move in the long run. There are plenty of stores that carry kids clothing at moderate prices so you can get what you need without spending a fortune.

• Stock up on basics and occasional patterns – Pants in jeans, khaki, black and white should comprise a basic set that should match with the majority of tops in kids clothing. Girls can also keep the same set in skirts. It is also good idea to keep plenty of T-shirts in plain and neutral colors to easily mix-and-match outfits, but don’t forget to throw in the occasional patterned or stitched design to spice it up!

• Get quality shoes and sandals. Many parents overlook the quality of shoes when shopping for kids clothing. As kids learn to walk and then progress to running everywhere, it becomes vital to keep a solid pair of shoes on your kids’ feet, whether it’s sneakers or padded sandals. Keep in mind that quality does not necessarily mean expensive!

Spongeables Giveaway Winner

By Em, 11 May, 2011, 2 Comments

Your Winner (confirmed)

Author: Tracy

Comment:Subscribe to your feeds

You won a full size Spongeable and a travel size spongeable.

Perfect Sandwich from Contain This: (Review)

By Em, 11 May, 2011, No Comment

Let me just say this thing is neat! Perfect Sandwich is an innovative wet-dry solution designed to solve the age old problem of the soggy sandwich. By separating wet ingredients such as meats; lettuce; tomatoes etc. in a sealed, watertight compartment and away from the bread until mealtime, you get a Perfect Sandwich every time.

I love BLT’s and this neat sandwich container makes sure my bacon stays crisp and my veggies don’t wilt. With the built in chill compartment my lettuce will stay fresh and the sandwich is as if you were pulling out the ingredients straight out of the fridge. I can also see using this for other things such as salad. You could separate croutons or dressing until you are ready to add it. I will be using this a lot since I take my lunch to work often.

Perfect Sandwich is the only product on the market that offers the wet/dry benefits of a reusable container. I love that it doubles as a mini cooler for times when you don’t need to separate your food. It is a brilliant concept. Plus, you can use it safely in the microwave, freezer and dishwasher. Also, It is super durable so if Graysen happens to through it across the room my sandwich will still be intact. I think it is the “Otter-box of lunch containers”.

Do it! Buy one and you will be one happy sandwich eater!

World Lupus Awareness Day

By Em, 10 May, 2011, No Comment

What do you know about Lupus?

Here are some facts:

It is believed that 5 million people throughout the world have a form of lupus.
Lupus strikes mostly women of childbearing age (15-44). However, men, children, and teenagers develop lupus, too.
Women of color are 2-3 times more likely to develop lupus.
People of all races and ethnic groups can develop lupus.
More than 16,000 new cases of lupus are reported annually across the country.

What is Lupus?

Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years. In lupus, something goes wrong with your immune system, which is the part of the body that fights off viruses, bacteria, and germs (“foreign invaders,” like the flu). Normally our immune system produces proteins called antibodies that protect the body from these invaders. Autoimmune means your immune system cannot tell the difference between these foreign invaders and your body’s healthy tissues (“auto” means “self”) and creates autoantibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue. These autoantibodies cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body.

The most common symptoms of lupus are:

extreme fatigue (tiredness)
headaches
painful or swollen joints
fever
anemia (low numbers of red blood cells or hemoglobin, or low total blood volume)
swelling (edema) in feet, legs, hands, and/or around eyes
pain in chest on deep breathing (pleurisy)
butterfly-shaped rash across cheeks and nose
sun- or light-sensitivity (photosensitivity)
hair loss
abnormal blood clotting
fingers turning white and/or blue when cold (Raynaud’s phenomenon)
mouth or nose ulcers