Do you have a system for keeping track of cups in your house?

Without fail, at least a couple times a week you can hear the joyful sibling rivalry over who had which color cup that day.  Our kids typically have one cup throughout the day for water.  They can drink as much water as they would like as long as they are not taking a new cup each time.  However as the day goes on it is easy to forget which child started the day with the blue cup.

By the end of the day (usually around low-blood sugar time), you can hear my 3 1/2 year old shouting, “I had the blue cup.”  This is then reciprocated with an even louder reply from my  7 year old, “You had it yesterday!!!”  This can go on for a good 10 minutes if not broken up.

I realize I could get out the masking tape each day and label the cups.  But this seems like a waste of tape.  Therefore I was pleasantly surprised to see an idea in a magazine that will relieve the cup chaos at our house.

Idea of the Day:

Use rubber bands for labeling cups.

What you will need:

- permanent marker

- wide, flat rubber bands

What to do:

1.  Write each child’s name on a rubber band.

2.  Place the rubber band around the child’s cup.

3.  Reuse the rubber band each day.

This idea was found in the March 2010 issue of Parents magazine.

Are you dreaming of warm weather?

As the snow is starting to melt, it feels like shorts and flip flop season is right around the corner.  In Minnesota, shorts and flip flops usually start appearing when the temperature hits 50 degrees.

I realize I should be transitioning from winter to spring.  However I saw an idea for making a sandy beach art project and I couldn’t wait until June to let the kids try it out.

Idea of the Day:

Make a sandy beach art project.

What you will need:

- white glue

- small bowl

- newspaper

- paintbrush

- piece of cardboard (a cereal box or gift box works well)

- salt - sea salt or kosher salt

- pasta shells

What to do:

1.  Pour glue into a bowl and dilute it with a few drops of water.

2.  Working over the newspaper, brush the glue onto the cardboard.

3.  Sprinkle salt onto the cardboard.

4.  Shake off excess.

5.  Glue pasta shells onto cardboard.

To add color:

1.  Add a few drops of food coloring to the salt for colored sand.

2.  After gluing shells, use tempera paints to paint shells.

Other ideas:

- Go to a craft store and buy shells, starfish and sand dollars to add to the project.

- Find plastic crabs, frogs, turtles, etc. to add animals.

This idea was in the book called The Little Hands Art Book by Judy Press.

Friday’s Discussion Topic:

Do you have a favorite and/or least favorite Dr. Seuss book?

I would have to say that one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books to read to my children is The Eye Book. It is such a fun and easy book that always gives my kids the giggles.  I think it is because of the “pink underpants” line.

In terms of a Seuss book with a deeper meaning, I am a big fan of Oh, The Places You’ll Go.

As with any author, there are some of his/her books that are not as great.  I would have to say that I do not enjoy Wacky Wednesday.  For awhile I actually hid the book in the closet so my son would not choose that one.

I don’t mind reading it during the day, but my son would always pick that one right before bed.  This is not a book you can simply read and call it a night.  Oh no, you have to find on each page what is wrong.  This is fine for the first five to ten pages.  Once you are on page eighteen and trying to find eighteen things that are wacky, it is not as fun.

Now it is your turn to share…

What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book?

Do you have a least favorite Dr. Seuss book?

Did your Dr. Seuss birthday cupcakes look like this?

Mine did not.  I am happy to say we did take the time to make cupcakes for Dr. Seuss’s birthday.  However, after I saw this picture from Beau Coup Cupcakes, I thought ours looked rather pathetic.  Oh well, it is the thought that counts.  Plus baking with kids is always fun.

Yes I am the type of mom that lets my children lick the spoon with batter and/or cookie dough on it.  It grosses my husband out.  Knock on wood, no one has ever been sick from the raw eggs, so we continue to do it.

Besides decorating cupcakes, I found a few other Dr. Seuss food and snack ideas to make during our week long Dr. Seuss extravaganza.

Idea of the Day:

Make Dr. Seuss themed food.

Green Eggs and Ham

1.  Scramble the eggs.

2.  Add a couple of drops of blue food coloring.

3.  For the ham, simply brush it with a few drops of green food coloring.

Cat in The Hat Snack

1.  Put a Ritz cracker on a plate.

2.  Spread a little bit of vanilla frosting on the cracker.

3.  Place a red gummy lifesaver on the frosting.

4.  Add a little more frosting.

5.  Place a white or clear gummy lifesaver.

6.  Continue adding the frosting (simply as glue) and the red and white gummy lifesavers to complete the hat.

Wiggly Fish

1.  Read, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.

2.  Make several different colors of Jello according to the directions.

3.  Pour each flavor into a shallow pan.

4.  Use a fish shaped cookie cutter to cut the Jello into fish shapes.

5.  Optional: add small pieces of fruit to the Jello mixture before it cools.

Pink Ink for The Yink

In the story, One Fish, Two Fish, the Yink loves to drink pink ink.

1.  Add strawberries to milk and blend them in the blender.

2.  If needed, add red food coloring to make it more pink.

Cat in the Hat Pancakes

For a healthier Cat in the Hat food (the Ritz cracker one does not sound appealing to me), try this idea…

1.  Make pancakes.

2.  Get out some whip cream and strawberries.

3.  Let the kids build their own hat by stacking the pancakes, whip cream and strawberries.

Schlopp Sundaes

1.  Read, The Thinks You Can Think.

2.  Make ice cream sundaes called Schlopp.

3.  Let the kids put the cherry on top!

Have you read Bartholomew and the Oobleck?

I used to think I was familiar with most of the books written by Dr. Seuss.  However as I began to research ideas for Dr. Seuss week, I realized there are so many Dr. Seuss titles that I have not read.  I had never even heard of Bartholomew and the Oobleck.

Bartholomew and the Oobleck was written in 1949.  This book follows the adventures of a young boy named Bartholomew.  Bartholomew must save his kingdom from a sticky substance called oobleck.

This is a great book to use for creating a lesson that incorporates both children’s literature and science.

Idea of the Day:

Read Bartholomew and the Oobleck and make oobleck.

What you need:

- the book Bartholomew and the Oobleck

- 2 cups cornstarch

- 1 cup water

- green food coloring

- wax paper or a cookie sheet

What to do:

1.  Mix cornstarch, water and green food coloring

2.  Put oobleck on wax paper or a cookie sheet.

3.  Let your children play with the mixture.

4.  For older children, discuss liquid versus solid.