FREE Home Depot Workshops!

This is an old picture but I thought I'd post it to show how focused the boys get when working with tools and how much they enjoy building-plus I love the picture!

 Hello! On the first Saturday of every month Home Depot hosts FREE kids workshops to learn how to build things. It should be happening at all locations from 9am to noon. This Saturday its building a Football Goal Post- a great way to kick off football season. Just go to the link and put in your zip code to find the nearest location-and it would probably be a good idea to give them a call to make sure its happening. 

Happy Building!!!

~Stole this pic from the website~

Banana Bread

Mom's Banana Bread Recipe: A Delicious old recipe that you'll love!

All you need:
4 very ripe bananas
1 cup sugar
1 egg
(combine all three)

1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
(sift all 3 dry ingredients into wet ingredients)

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

*Helpful Hint: For Gluten-Free substitute regular flour for Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour*

How to make it:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix in a bowl four mashed and/or well blended bananas with sugar and egg. (I use my potato masher if my bananas aren't super ripe because I can't wait then blend them). In separate bowl mix flour, salt, baking soda. Sift dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix well. Add melted butter, mix. Grease a 5" by 9" bread pan (the little ones are great at helping). Place in oven at 325 for 1 hour.

Enjoy

SLP Tip of the Week: The Mirror

The Mirror:

I'm going to start my tips for you and your kiddos where we started-the mirror. Whether your child has slight speech delay or oral apraxia its your job as mommy to teach them self-awareness of their tongue and that they can use it. Using a mirror helps them to see how they make sounds, to focus, listening skills, and obviously talk. Plus kids are fascinated with seeing themselves.
FYI we started this at almost age 3.

Art 101

Learning About Colors

To start simple we learned about primary colors and how to make secondary colors out of primary colors with tempura paint.

Then we learned about how colors change when adding white and black. Of course the boys picked out blue.

 First we started with five bowls each with one drop of blue paint.

Book Recommendations

Books Are So Much Fun To Read!

Once a week I head to the local library by myself to pick up our weekly readers. Any unit study books we might need. Level reader books for each day of the week for Junior. Books based on our science topic of the week. Picture books for the kids to enjoy. And because I do enjoy some afternoon "down-time" reading maybe a book for me too, usually mine takes me a few weeks to read.

THUS,

Junior has not, I do not kid, put this books down since I brought it home from the library. What a great way to spur on imagination then to look through a book solely based on Legos (this is one of Junior's favorite hobbies right now). Call me old fashioned but I miss the days of just plain old Lego blocksto play and to create an entire story. Now everything comes in sets and since we simply cannot afford to buy every set, except maybe just one for a birthday or Christmas present, this is a great alternative. He can stare at the pictures, then use what we've got to create his own story. AND I tell you what the pretend conversations that go on while he's playing are priceless. So go on check out the book for your little one and let their imaginations soar.
 

FOR THE MOMS AND DADS,

The NDD Book by Dr. William Sears is really revealing! He discusses the idea that our children are so unhealthy that it contributes to nearly ALL aspects, yes, ALL of our child's learning, behavior, and health problems. Instead of kids being diagnosed with ADD, ADHD, depression, anxiety, and a large gamut of other disorders they should instead be diagnosed with NDD- Nutrition Deficit Disorder. I can speak from personal experience because I have a child that has never been Vaccinated and yet suffers from a few disorders associated with autism spectrum disorder. So for those who claim that vaccines are the key to unlocking the secrets of autism I'm here to tell you, ITS NOT THE ONLY FACTOR!!! Because this is a highly debated topic Sears does a great job of gently introducing the idea to parents of what a real healthy diet looks like for your child. For example, here's a list from chapter 11.

Here's a list of seven ways you can prevent NDD:

1. Feed your family grow foods.
2. Reshape your tastes.
3. Begin the day with a brainy breakfast.
4. Raise a grazer.
5. Encourage healthy eating while out and at school.
6. Raise a supermarket savvy shopper.
7. Supplement, if necessary.

The book is full of great tips, information, and encouraging advice! Check it out.

 

Grace to You, Jenna