Something About Parenting - How and Why'stag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-13472222008-10-09T22:55:09-07:00Answers to parenting questions by Mike F LeonenTypePadFavorite books for children (so far this October)tag:typepad.com,2003:post-567975292008-10-09T22:55:09-07:002008-10-09T22:55:09-07:00Here are my favorite books for children this October, in no particular order and with no particular reason (except that my kids and I agree that we love them): Bravery Soup by Maryann Cocca-Leffler Let's Be Thankful by P.K. Hallinan...Mike<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><blockquote>
<p><strong><font size="3">Here are my</font></strong> favorite books for children this October, in no particular order and with no particular reason (except that my kids and I agree that we love them):</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0807508705?ie=UTF8&tag=somethingabou-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0807508705">Bravery Soup by Maryann Cocca-Leffler</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=somethingabou-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0807508705" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px;" width="1"></img>
</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/082496585X?ie=UTF8&tag=somethingabou-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=082496585X">Let's Be Thankful by P.K. Hallinan</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=somethingabou-20&l=as2&o=1&a=082496585X" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1"></img>
</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0945354657?ie=UTF8&tag=somethingabou-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0945354657">I Want Your Moo by Marcella Bakur Weiner & Jill Neimark</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=somethingabou-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0945354657" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1"></img>
</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/155798476X?ie=UTF8&tag=somethingabou-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=155798476X">Proud of Our Feelings by Lindsay Leghorn</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=somethingabou-20&l=as2&o=1&a=155798476X" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1"></img>
</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618238557?ie=UTF8&tag=somethingabou-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0618238557">Courage by Bernard Waber</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=somethingabou-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0618238557" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1"></img>
</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/140272375X?ie=UTF8&tag=somethingabou-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=140272375X">Swim, Little Wombat, Swim by Charles Fuge</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=somethingabou-20&l=as2&o=1&a=140272375X" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1"></img>
</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142408255?ie=UTF8&tag=somethingabou-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0142408255">If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=somethingabou-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0142408255" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1"></img>
</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061215155?ie=UTF8&tag=somethingabou-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0061215155">Yes We Can! by Sam Mcbratney</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=somethingabou-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0061215155" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1"></img>
</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0394831306?ie=UTF8&tag=somethingabou-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0394831306">Because a Little Bug Went Ka-Choo! by Rosetta Stone</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=somethingabou-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0394831306" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1"></img>
</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0152167323?ie=UTF8&tag=somethingabou-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0152167323">Shiver Me Letters: A Pirate ABC by June Sobel</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=somethingabou-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0152167323" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1"></img>
</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>How about you?</strong> Any favorites so far? </p>
<p>Please visit my parenting blog, <a href="http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/">Something About Parenting</a>. </p><br><br>
<p><span style="font-size: 0.6em;">►</span> <span style="color: #660000;">Need Photoshop work on your family photos?</span> <a href="mailto:mike@mikeleonen.com">Send me an email</a><br><span style="font-size: 0.6em;">►</span> <span style="color: #660000;">Recommended for Toddlers</span> <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=I/Ipdtw6v48&offerid=135071.10000957&type=3&subid=0">LeapFrog Tag Books</a><img border="0" height="1" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=I/Ipdtw6v48&bids=135071.10000957&type=3&subid=0" width="1"></img> </p></div>
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</div>http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/how_and_whys/2008/10/favorite-books-for-children-so-far-this-october.htmlHelping kids learn left from righttag:typepad.com,2003:post-398380362007-10-05T15:05:09-07:002007-10-05T15:05:09-07:00My 4-year old loves to navigate when I drive the family van. But he sometimes gets confused with his left and right. So I try to help him. I drive. My wife sits in the front passenger seat. My 4-year...Mike<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><strong>My 4-year old</strong></span> loves to navigate when I drive the family van. But he sometimes gets confused with his left and right. </p>
<p>So I try to help him. </p>
<p>I drive. My wife sits in the front passenger seat. My 4-year old sits behind me while my 2-year old sits behind my wife. </p>
<p>“Daddy is on the left,” I tell my 4-year old. “Mommy is always right.” </p></blockquote><br><p><strong>Do you have a tip</strong> or question about parenting? Let me know. I might not be able to answer it, but other parents will. </p>
<p>Also, please visit my parenting blog, <a href="http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/">Something About Parenting</a>. </p><br><br><p><span style="font-size: 0.6em;">►</span> <span style="color: #660000;">Looking for gift ideas this holiday season?</span> <a href="http://www.mikeleonen.com/">Visit my photo blog</a><br><span style="font-size: 0.6em;">►</span> <span style="color: #660000;">Recommended for Toddlers</span> <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=I/Ipdtw6v48&offerid=117710.2327085&type=2&subid=0" target="_blank">Kid-Tough(tm) Digital Camera</a><img height="1" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=I/Ipdtw6v48&bids=117710&type=2&subid=0" width="1" border="0"></img></p></div>
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</div>http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/how_and_whys/2007/10/helping-kids-le.htmlSans Rival, anyone?tag:typepad.com,2003:post-398398222007-10-05T13:00:00-07:002007-10-05T13:00:00-07:00Overwhelmed With Joy is sponsoring the second edition of her Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style. Here’s one of my favorite desserts—Sans Rival (also known as Napoleon Layered Cake). Wafers 5 egg whites 1 cup sugar 11/2 cup chopped cashew nuts (unsalted)...Mike<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><strong>Overwhelmed With Joy</strong></span> is sponsoring the second edition of her Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style. Here’s one of my favorite desserts—Sans Rival (also known as Napoleon Layered Cake).</p>
<p><strong>Wafers</strong></p>
<p>5 egg whites<br>1 cup sugar<br>11/2 cup chopped cashew nuts (unsalted)<br>½ teaspoon vanilla</p>
<ol><li>Preheat oven to 350 F.</li>
<li>Grease and flour three 18 x 15 inch cookie sheet. Do so heavily.</li>
<li>On a separate bowl, beat egg whites until thick. </li>
<li>Add sugar gradually and continue beating.</li>
<li>Mix in chopped cashews and vanilla.</li>
<li>Spread mix in cookie sheets.</li>
<li>Bake for 20 minutes.</li>
<li>After baking, place resulting wafers in a flat surface and let it cool off. You should have three layers of wafers.</li>
<li>Prepare filling.</li></ol>
<p><strong>Filling</strong></p>
<p>¼ cup water<br>2/3 cup sugar<br>5 egg yolks<br>1 cup butter<br>½ cup chopped cashew nuts</p>
<ol><li>Boil water and sugar until if forms a syrup.</li>
<li>On a separate bowl, beat egg yolks until thick. </li>
<li>Add syrup to the mixture and continue beating.</li>
<li>Place the mixture inside the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.</li>
<li>Cream butter and blend into cold egg yolk.</li>
<li>Spread mixture in-between the wafers.</li>
<li>Add chopped cashew nuts on top.</li>
<li>Freeze and serve chilled.</li></ol></blockquote><p>If you have a question, please note that I have eaten tons of sans rival but have yet to bake one. I share this recipe with the hope that someone will read it, bake a sans rival and send me a slice.</p>
<p>Please visit my parenting blog, <a href="http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/">Something About Parenting</a>. </p><br><br><p><span style="font-size: 0.6em;">►</span> <span style="color: #660000;">Looking for gift ideas this holiday season?</span> <a href="http://www.mikeleonen.com/">Visit my photo blog</a><br><span style="font-size: 0.6em;">►</span> <span style="color: #660000;">Recommended for Toddlers</span> <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=I/Ipdtw6v48&offerid=117710.2327085&type=2&subid=0" target="_blank">Kid-Tough(tm) Digital Camera</a><img height="1" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=I/Ipdtw6v48&bids=117710&type=2&subid=0" width="1" border="0"></img></p></div>
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</div>http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/how_and_whys/2007/10/sans-rival-anyo.htmlChoosing a watermelontag:typepad.com,2003:post-361207122007-07-04T16:34:09-07:002007-07-04T16:34:09-07:00My 4-year old loves watermelons. Unfortunately, I seem to pick the unripe one each time I buy one. So, I searched for information about how to pick a ripe and tasty watermelon. Here’s what I found out: To pick a...Mike<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><strong>My 4-year old</strong></span> loves watermelons. Unfortunately, I seem to pick the unripe one each time I buy one. So, I searched for information about how to pick a ripe and tasty watermelon. </p>
<p>Here’s what I found out: </p>
<ul><li><p>To pick a ripe and tasty watermelon, do what grandmothers do—tap it. If it sounds hallow, the watermelon is ripe. If not, forget about it. </p></li>
<li><p>If the watermelon looks good, it must be good. A ripe and tasty watermelon is symmetrical. It should not be bruised or gashed. Neither should it have soft or shriveled spots. </p></li></ul>
<p>TIP: What to do with a slightly unripe watermelon? Place it in a paper bag with an apple. Store it at room temperature. The apple releases ethylene gas, which helps encourage the ripening process. </p>
<p>Have a question about parenting? Let me know. I might not be able to answer it, but other parents will. </p></blockquote></div>
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</div>http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/how_and_whys/2007/07/choosing-a-wate.html