National French Toast Day

Yummy....Today is National French Toast Day! We hope you will make your favorite delicious french toast recipe today along with us. 


We found a great list of a few other Breakfast Holidays and wanted to share it with you...

The 16 Breakfast Holidays
By Mr Breakfast

Click on the Read More to continue...

Crafty Christmas Advents with kids!

Its time to make our annual Christmas Advent Calendar with the kids. We have gathered many advent calendar "know how's" to help inspire you to create your own family traditions.  Here is a quick history of the Christmas Advent Calendar and a poem from About.com -

December 1st 'til Christmas is the longest time of the year.
Seems as if old Santa never will appear.
How many more days 'til Christmas? It may be hard to count,
But this little gift of candy will tell you the exact amount.
Untie a piece of candy each day when Sandman casts his spell
And Christmas will be here by the time you ring the bell. 

Here is a sneak peak -

Click on the "Read More" to continue to all the inspiration

Gobble! Gobble!

Thanksgiving Treats

Thanksgiving Treats!

turkey cookies
Craftberry Bush


gumdrop turkey
Design.Wash.Rinse.Repeat...


mini fruit pies
The Comfort of Cooking
via Edible Crafts


paper bag popcorn turkey
One Charming Party


mini pumpkin pies
One Charming Party


apple cider cups
Gimme Some Oven
via Edible Crafts


chocolate turkey pretzel sticks
The Seattle Smiths


ginger leaves cookies
Imagine Childhood


pumpkin pie milkshake
Chasing Cheerios


turkey favor
Oopsey Daisy


turkey bread

Celebrating Thanksgiving with kids and FREEBIE's !

Activities for Thanksgiving Day

We have created several scavenger hunts and trivia questions that will inspire everyone old and young to truly spend Thanksgiving together.   Just click on each link below the pictures to download the printable PDF's.  These printable activities will add that little extra to your day as well as create an even more festive and possibly even hilarious time.

Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt 

Thanksgiving Trivia #1

Thanksgiving Trivia #1 Answers

Thanksgiving Trivia #2

Thanksgiving Trivia #2 Answers

Teaching your Kids to be Thankful

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to teach your kids about being thankful. Here are some ideas to teach your children how to appreciate the blessings in their lives.

Giving Thanks Placemats
The goal of this craft is to create a collage filled with drawings and pictures of all the things your children are thankful for. Cut photos from magazines, or print some photos from your computer. Older children can write captions under the photos or draw their own. Be sure to put the child’s name and the year on it.

If you make this collage from two standard letter size pieces of construction paper taped side-by-side, you can take the completed collage to a copy shop when you’re done and have it laminated. It then becomes a placemat that you can use every Thanksgiving for years to come.

Thankful Paper Chain
Another way to remind your children of their blessings is to create a paper chain. This is similar to a regular paper chain – where you cut strips of paper and connect them together as loops, but there’s one difference. You write on the strips of paper before you connect them. Write the things you are thankful for with your children. For instance, “Grandma plays games with me” or “My teacher is nice.” The fun part of this activity is to make the chain as long as possible – showing all your blessings. If you’d like to keep this up during Christmas, just use green and white paper.

Thanksgiving Tree
This is another take on the idea above and works really well if you have several kids in the family. Get each child to trace their hand on yellow, red, or brown construction paper. Cut out the hand shapes and write (or have the child write) what they are thankful for on the hand shape. Cut a tree trunk shape out of brown construction paper. Glue it on a large piece of poster board. Let the kids add their hand shapes as leaves above the tree trunk, turning it into a beautiful fall colored tree.

Thankful Book
This idea is similar to the others, except it’s more of a keepsake. Purchase a photo album or scrapbook kit and make a “blessings” theme. Add photos of loved ones, including stories about why they are special to you. Also, include pages of your favorite foods, favorite stories, favorite movies and all the other things that make you happy. Any time your kids feel down, you can open your blessing book to see all the reasons you have to be happy – and thankful for the blessings in your life.

About Thanksgiving for kids!

On the fourth Thursday of November, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, a national holiday honoring the early settlers and their harvest feast known as the first Thanksgiving.

Native Americans
Long before settlers came to the east coast of the United States, the area was inhabited by many Native American tribes. The area surrounding the site of the first Thanksgiving, now known as southeastern Massachusetts and eastern Rhode Island had been the home of the Wampanoag people for over 12,000 years, and had been visited by other European settlers before the arrival of the Mayflower. The native people knew the land well and had fished, hunted, and harvested for thousands of generations.

The Settlers
The people who comprised the Plymouth Colony were a group of English Protestants who wanted to break away from the Church of England. These ‘separatists’ initially moved to Holland and after 12 years of financial problems, they received funding from English merchants to sail across the Atlantic to settle in a ‘New World.' A ship full of 101 men, women and children spent 66 days traveling the Atlantic Ocean, intending to land where New York City is now located. Due to the windy conditions, the group had to cut their trip short and settle on what is now called Cape Cod.

Settling and Exploring
The Puritans knew that winter was coming and decided to gather provisions. They took anything they could find, including Wampanoag supplies. The Wampanoag kept a close watch on them and thought they were a disrespectful bunch for stealing all their goods.

One day, the settlers had a visit from Samoset, a leader from the Abenaki people, who brought Tisquantum (better known as Squanto) with him. Squanto was a Wampanoag man who had experience with other settlers and knew English. Squanto helped the settlers grow corn and use fish to fertilize their fields. After several meetings, a formal agreement was made between the English and the native people and they joined together to protect each other from other tribes in March of 1621.

The Celebration
One day that fall, four settlers were sent to hunt for food for a harvest celebration. The Wampanoag people heard their gunshots and alerted their leader, Massasoit, who thought the English might be preparing for war. Massasoit visited the English settlement with 90 of his men to see if the war rumor was true. Soon after their visit, the Native Americans realized the gunshots were harmless and that the English were only hunting for the harvest celebration. Massasoit sent some of his own men to hunt deer for the feast and for three days, the English and native men, women and children ate together. The meal consisted of deer, corn, shellfish, and roasted meat, far from today's traditional Thanksgiving feast.

They played ball games, sang, and danced. The attendees may have eaten both turkey and pumpkin, but those foods weren't the main part of their meal. Much of what most modern Americans eat on Thanksgiving was not available in 1621.

Although prayers and thanks were probably offered at the 1621 harvest gathering, the first recorded religious Thanksgiving Day in Plymouth happened two years later in 1623. On this occasion, the colonists gave thanks to God for rain after a two-month drought. It was not until centuries later that the 1621 harvest gathering would be incorrectly referred to as the first Thanksgiving.

The Myths
Believe it or not, the settlers didn't have silver buckles on their shoes. Nor did they wear somber, black clothing. Their attire was actually bright and cheerful. Many portrayals of this harvest celebration also show the Native Americans wearing woven blankets on their shoulders and large, feathered headdresses, which is not true. To top it off, the Englishmen didn’t even call themselves Pilgrims.

Modern Thanksgiving
In the 19th century, the modern Thanksgiving holiday started to take shape. In 1846, Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of a magazine called Godley’s Lady’s Book, campaigned for an annual national thanksgiving holiday after a passage about the harvest gathering of 1621 was discovered and incorrectly labeled as the first Thanksgiving.

It wasn't until 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln declared two national Thanksgivings; one in August to commemorate the Battle of Gettysburg and the other in November to give thanks for "general blessings."

Native Americans and Thanksgiving
The peace between the Native Americans and settlers lasted for only a generation. The Wampanoag people do not share in the popular reverence for the traditional New England Thanksgiving. For them, the holiday is a reminder of betrayal and bloodshed. Since 1970, many native people have gathered at the statue of Massasoit in Plymouth, Massachusetts each Thanksgiving Day and hold a vigil to remember their ancestors and the strength of the Wampanoag people.

Text adapted from 1621 A New Look at Thanksgiving by Catherine O'Neill Grace and Margaret M. Bruchac with Plimoth Plantation, 2001, National Geographic Society

Here is a video on the History of Thanksgiving from the The History Channel:




Here is cool video on the Mayflower:
http://www.history.com/videos/deconstructed-mayflower

President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address 147 years ago today!

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address as he dedicated a national cemetery at the site of the Civil War battlefield in Pennsylvania.

A short film of the "Gettysburg Address" performed by Jeff Daniels set with various pictures representing the Civil War, Gettysburg, and America.

 

Happy 82nd birthday, Mickey Mouse!

The Walt Disney Company celebrates November 18th as Mickey Mouse's birthday because it signifies the release date of the landmark toon "Steamboat Willie." Directed by Walt Disney, it was released in 1928 and its title is a parody of the Buster Keaton film "Steamboat Bill Jr."
Truth be told, Mickey was on celluloid prior to 'Steamboat.' Mouse House geeks will tell you that he earlier appeared in the silent tune "Plane Crazy" on May 15, 1928. The flagship "Steamboat Willie" was his first cartoon with sound.

His most famous screen appearance came perhaps with "Fantasia," the classic 1940 Disney film. His role as The Sorcerer's Apprentice was set to the symphonic poem of the same name by Paul Dukas and perhaps the most famous segment of the film.

On November 18, 1978, on his 50th birthday, Mickey became the first cartoon character to have a star on the Hollywood's Walk of Fame. Look for it at 6925 Hollywood Blvd.

Disney recently has announced plans to revamp Mickey in order to bring the animated character back into the forefront and to make him more conscious with today's kids. Expect Mickey to be a tad more mischievous as evidenced in the upcoming Wii video game "Epic Mickey," due in stores Nov. 30.

(above information is from nj.com)

Indian Corn Necklaces

We made Indian Corn Necklaces for Thanksgiving!!  We used a Dremel to drill holes in each kernel and then added a few plastic colored beads here and there....Love it!   We have seen on the internet that you can sorta do the same but add dried pumpkin seeds too!

Thanksgiving FREEBIES!

We have found a few FREE Thanksgiving Labels for you to use during your Thanksgiving Day Feast!

 

1. Bottle Labels from Hostess with the Mostess – Click HERE to download from Fun and Facts website

2. Table Place Cards (or Buffet Labels) from Hostess with the Mostess - – Click HERE to download from Fun and Facts website

3. Square Favor Tags from Hostess with the Mostess - – Click HERE to download from Fun and Facts website

4. Gift Tags by Good Gravy - Click HERE to download from Fun and Facts website

5.  Cupcake Toppers (or Round Favor Tags) from Hostess with the Mostess - – Click HERE to download from Fun and Facts website

6. Vintage Tags by Suzee Que’s – Click HERE to download from World Label

7. Decorative Embellishments from Hostess with the Mostess  – Click HERE to download from Fun and Facts website

8. Give Thanks Labels and Blank Labels from Beth Proudfoot – Click HERE and HERE to download from Fun and Facts website

9. Party Labels from Life Events - Click HERE to download from Fun and Facts website

10. Owl Festive Tags by Sweet Craft Cakes – Click HERE to download from Fun and Facts website

11.  Drink Tags (these wrap around the stems of cocktail or wine glasses) from Hostess with the Mostess  – Click HERE to download from Fun and Facts website

12. Lunch Sack Messages from Crafts & Sutch - Click HERE to download from Fun and Facts website

and some more....

http://www.funandfactswithkids.com/thanksgiving/Happy-Thanksgiving-FREE-Printables-by-Bird-Crafts-Parties.pdf

National Homemade Bread Day

Just in time for the holidays this national day is the perfect time to start up a recipe for friendship bread. You will not actually be able to eat this bread on this day but you can start it and then pass along the starters to your friends.  This is delicious bread that we love.  We have only ever gotten starter dough so we are anxious to try beginning this on our own.  This is a fun and very giving recipe to make.  So, get out your kitchen supplies and begin your own batch of friendship bread.  Your friends will certainly appreciate the efforts you put forth and the final product is always a very yummy treat.

Enjoy.

Ingredients

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 3 cups white sugar, divided
• 3 cups milk

Directions

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Leave loosely covered at room temperature.
2. On days 2 thru 4; stir starter with a spoon. Day 5; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Days 6 thru 9; stir only.
3. Day 10; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Remove 1 cup to make your first bread, give 2 cups to friends along with this recipe, and your favorite Amish Bread recipe. Store the remaining 1 cup starter in a container in the refrigerator, or begin the 10 day process over again (beginning with step 2).

Notes:

• Once you have made the starter, you will consider it Day One, and thus ignore step 1 in this recipe and proceed with step 2. You can also freeze this starter in 1 cup measures for later use. Frozen starter will take at least 3 hours at room temperature to thaw before using.

Robert Louis Stevenson

1st Meteor Shower ever recorded Nov 12th, 1799 with kids!

Again, here are fun and facts with kids we are going to do a creative activity on stars.  We love to use the days we study stars and comets to create a special event for the children. 

     Andrew Ellicott Douglass, an early American astronomer born in Vermont, witnesses the Leonids meteor shower from a ship off the Florida Keys. Douglass, who later became an assistant to the famous astronomer Percival Lowell, wrote in his journal that the "whole heaven appeared as if illuminated with sky rockets, flying in an infinity of directions, and I was in constant expectation of some of them falling on the vessel. They continued until put out by the light of the sun after day break." Douglass' journal entry is the first known record of a meteor shower in North America.
     The Leonids meteor shower is an annual event that is greatly enhanced every 33 years or so by the appearance of the comet Tempel-Tuttle. When the comet returns, the Leonids can produce rates of up to several thousand meteors per hour that can light up the sky on a clear night. Douglass witnessed one such manifestation of the Leonids shower, and the subsequent return of the comet Tempel-Tuttle in 1833 is credited as inspiring the first organized study of meteor astronomy." (This knowledge is from www.history.com)

Tonight we are going to teach the kids all about comets and how they burn up in the atmosphere and what a "Shooting Star" truly is.  Due to the time of year and the Leonides we are hopefully going to be lucky enough to spot a few tonight.  Before we venture outside we will review some of the constellations with the kids that they could see this time of year in our neck of the woods. We will go outside when it is dark and watch the sky.  We will be looking for familiar constellations as we have done before and we will be truly hoping to see a "shooting star".  When our outside activities are over we will be going inside to have warm peanuts that we will have heated in the oven, fruit smoothies for a fun drink and we will sit down and have a special movie night.  These nights with the children are always truly fun.

All about Owl's with kids!

Due to the time change and night time coming so much earlier we thought we would teach the kids about nocturnal animals.  We were all very inspired by Owls…..we did some research and found a ton of arts and crafts the kids could do and thought we would share them with you.

This great website will provide you with so much education about Owls.  You can learn about the different types and even listen to their unique sounds.  

http://www.owlpages.com/

We found this free Owl Calendar from "My Owl Barn"  You simply select your 12 favorite owl photos and then print!  You can also find many other Owl related crafts. 

Instructions:
Visit her site HERE and then select the month from the drop down below each art work and hit "Download Calendar" button at the bottom of the page. You'll be prompted to download or open the PDF file. Make sure you choose to download it. Once you have the file, you can open it using Adobe Acrobat Reader and print it.

Crafts Supplies for Owl Pencil Holder (from Better Homes and Gardens)

What you'll need:

• Tracing paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Pinking shears
• Felt in dark purple, light purple, pink, and turquoise
• White embroidery floss
• Two 1/2-inch purple buttons
• Mesh pencil holder

Download the free sewing patterns, click HERE.

1.       Trace the patterns; cut out. Use the patterns to cut felt shapes; use pinking shears to cut the circles and inner wings.

2.       Use three plies of floss and blanket stitches to outline the bottom section of the owl body and the head. Place the wings on the body and blanket-stitch outer edges together. Place the head on the body; add the circles, working running stitches around the circles.

3.       Sew buttons to the right-hand half of both circles.

4.       Tack the owl to the pencil holder at the outer wings.This owl embellishment would also be cute on a tote, t-shirt or an album cover.

Veterans Day!

Due to the abundance of Veterans in our family, our utmost respect and gratitude for all veterans and our general patriotic nature, Veterans Day is a special day here at fun and facts with kids.  The eleventh day of the eleventh month every year we make sure we take a moment to honor all our veterans for their service to our Country.
Thank You and Happy Veterans Day!!!

For more information and the history of veterans day as well as activities for kids please visit the site….

http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp

Maybe you can take advantage of these Veterans Day Specials:


Veterans Day 2010 sales and freebies are preview to the Black Friday ads to come. Military members and veterans with ID can score big with Veterans Day 2010 sales, deals and freebies. If you served America, check out some of the outstanding Veterans Day 2010 discounts and freebies from Friendly's, Chili's, Dollar General, Lowes, Home Depot and more.

Veterans Day 2010 Freebies at Friendly's

Past and present military service members can receive a free kids meal with the purchase of an adult entree on November 11, 2010. Simply print this Friendly's coupon to score a free meal for a kid with an adult veteran or military member purchasing a meal on Veterans Day.

Veterans Day 2010 Free Meal at Chili's

Celebrate Veterans Day 2010 with a free meal at Chili's. Participating Chili's locations are offering six tasty free meal options for veterans and military members with ID on November 11, 2010. Beverage and gratuity are not included.

Veterans Day 2010 Discount at Dollar General

Active-duty military members, national guard and veterans and their immediate families score a 10 percent discount on all purchases made at Dollar General on November 11, 2010. This makes deals at the dollar store look even better!

Veterans Day 2010 Discount at Red Roof Hotels

Military work is tough and a vacation is well-deserved. If you mention your military status over the phone, veterans get a 15 percent discount at participating Red Roof hotels for November. Veterans booking online can use the coupon code 606310. Military members must present ID to get this great discount offer.

Veterans Day 2010 Discounts on Bed Sets and More

Veterans can sleep a bit more easily with discounts and free shipping on bed sets at Sleep Number. Enjoy special discounts for veterans until November 14, 2010. Nothing is more rejuvenating than a good night's sleep.

Veterans Day 2010 Discounts All Year at Lowe's and The Home Depot

Veterans are acknowledged all year round at Lowe's and The Home Depot. Show military ID at checkout to score a 10 percent discount at these popular home improvement store all year. A 10 percent discount can really add up for those doing several home projects!

More Veterans Day 2010 Freebies

Veterans Day 2010 Freebies from Applebee's, Outback Steakhouse, Hooters, National Parks, Sam's Club and More

Veterans Day 2010 freebies are a way to thank the military service people and their families. Veterans Day 2010 freebies are offered from leading restaurants and retailers including Applebee's, Outback Steakhouse, Hooters, Brides Across America and more. Score Veterans Day 2010 freebies as part of the benefits earned for being in the military. Most offers require a veterans card or other related proof of military service.

Veterans Day 2010 Freebies at Outback Steakhouse, Applebee's and Uno Chicago Grill

Active duty military members and veterans get a free Bloomin' Onion and choice of a non-alcoholic beverage at Outback Steakhouse. This delicious combination is yummy way to celebrate Veterans Day 2010.

Applebee's has a sweet offer with veterans and active-duty military members eating free. There are seven tasty entries to choose from. To score free food at Applebee's, military members and veterans show their a DD214 form, U.S. Uniform Services ID Card, self-photo wearing a military uniform or wearing the uniform for the meal, organization card from the VFW or American Legion or current leave and earnings statement. Just grab some proof and start chowing down!

Uno Chicago Grill offers a free individual pizza or entree with the purchase of one of equal or greater value. The offer is good for all veterans and active-duty military with similar ID criteria as Applebees.

More Veterans Day 2010 Freebies to Eat at Golden Corral and Hooters

There's nothing more satisfying than grazing a dinner buffet. It tastes even better when it's free for veterans, active duty, reserve and National Guard members at Golden Corral. On Monday, November 15, 2010 (note it's not on November 11) the free buffet for military is served from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Hooters is serving up a free meal with their signature style to veterans and active-duty military members with ID. Participating Hooters locations are serving the free meal with the purchase of a beverage. The offer is dine-in only, which most are sure to enjoy anyway. This discount can't be combined with others and has a value of up to $8.50.

Veterans Day 2010 Freebies at Bed and Breakfasts

A night away is an excellent reward for veterans and military members. Select Bed and Breakfasts are offering a free night to veterans the day before Veterans Day 2010 on November 10. While many of the Bed and Breakfasts are full already, there is still time to score a free mini-vacation.

Free Cane for Veterans Day 2010 at Sam's Club

Walking assistance and balancing help are crucial for some veterans. Participating Sam's Clubs are offering free canes on Veterans Day 2010 from November 10 to November 12. Veteran recipient does not have to be a Sam's Club member. They are giving away to total of 36,000 canes for the”Hugo Salutes Our Veterans” program.

Veterans Day 2010 Freebies for Military Wives

There are also benefits for military wives on Veterans Day 2010. One of them is a free wedding dress for military wives at select locations of Brides Across America. Brides of all shapes can get a fabulous dress in a range of sizes from 4 to 22. The wedding dresses are donated by designers with retail prices of $500 to around $3,000.

Veterans Day Freebies 2010 For Outings

Outings are another great way to reward veterans and military members. At Knott's Berry Farm, admission to veterans or active duty military personnel plus a guest is free. This outstanding offer is good through November 24, 2010 so there is still plenty of time. Veterans can purchase up to six additional tickets for $15 each with ID and the eligible military member present.

Everyone can get into National Parks for free on Veterans Day, November 11, 2010. With over 390 parks in 49 states, there is sure to be a National Park nearby.

For a limited time, score Veterans Day 2010 freebies to help make ends meet and celebrate the service of someone special.

 While many are scoping early Black Friday 2010 sales, these Veterans Day 2010 sales cater specifically to veterans and military members and their families.

Thanksgiving Crafts with kids!

Here are a few Turkey Crafts we found...

Cereal Turkey's by My Plum Pudding

Crochet Turkey by Bittersweet click HERE for pattern

Gobbler HERE

Crafts by Amanda

Light bulb Turkey

Glove Turkey

Gourd and Tissue Paper Turkey from All You

PomPom Turkey pattern HERE by All You

Turkey Bouquet by Parents

Chocolate Tree Cupcakes!

We wanted to share this adorable Chocolate Tree with everyone..... 

Chocolate Tree Tutorial

Step One -  Melt Your Chocolate and Get it Ready to Pipe

Step Two - Pipe Your Tree Trunk on Parchment Paper

Just outline your tree trunk and fill it in.  Don’t worry about things being perfect or completely smooth.  tree trunks have texture.  Just make sure your trunk isn’t really thin because you will break your trees if you skimp on the chocolate love.

Step Three - Pipe Your Squiggles

Step Four - Sprinkle those leaves on!

Step Five - Let Harden and Place

pictures from Crazy Delicious Foods

Happy Diwali - Festival of Lights

Diwali (Dipavali, Divali or Deepawali), also known as 'the festival of lights', is an Indian festival that brings a series of festivals with it. The people of all age groups and classes celebrate Diwali throughout India with equal zeal and enthusiasm. They put on new clothes and participate in the various activities that are related to Diwali celebrations. Diwali falls on the day of 'Amavasyaa' usually in the month of October or November. On this day, people light tiny diyas (earthen lamps) to illuminate their homes with bright light and create lovely designs all around their home with colorful rangoli art.

Fall Leaf Inspirations with kids!

Some of the trees still have leaves that are falling down all around us.  We have been inspired to make leaf pictures.  The Crafty Crow made this adorable bird.

OR this turkey from "Light in the Box"

We also have this leaf pattern from Martha Stewart that we trace on felt or scrapbook paper and make leaf garland for the dining room.

Look at this cute Kirigami Fall Decoration and you can get step-by-step directions HERE