Bear tales...My Gift

My Gift
Christina Rossetti

What can I give him,
Poor as I am
If I were a shepherd
I would give Him a lamb.
If I were a wise man,
I would do my part.
But what can I give him?
I will give him my heart.

Joke of the week

Q: What does Tarzan sing at Christmas?

A: Jungle Bells!

Christmas Photos

Pictures bring back the greatest memories.

Here are some ideas to help you remember to take photos of those everyday joys of the holidays. 

Dad string the lights, Kids rolling out the cookie dough, Mom wrapping gifts, the family sitting by the fire, playing family games, decorating the tree. 

Keep your camera ready during the holidays to snap pictures of everyone

Family photos in front of the Christmas Tree every year,can record how everyone has grown. Far away family members love to see the updated pictures of your family. 

Include the pets,dress in festive sweaters, or holiday pajamas.....just have fun!

ASL word of the day....Santa Claus

Santa Claus n. The chubby, white bearded man in a red suit.

• (hand follows the shape of Santa Claus's beard) Beginning with the index finger side of the right curved hand held on the chin, palm facing down. bring the hand forward and downward in an arc, ending with the little finger side against the chest, palm facing up

adorn the tree

Take time to adorn your tree with happy memories. 
Each year, pass around plain or glass ornaments and have everyone decorate the outside with paint, glitter, stickers, buttons, paper or any other embellishment you can think of.
Date and sign your creation and you have a handcrafted gem the will bring memories for generations to come.

Bear Tales...Ever very near

Ever Very Near
author unknown

Father, we thank thee for the night
Keep us safe till morning light
As the shepherd in his fold
Keeps his sheep from harm and cold
Bless all friends to us so dear
Father, Mother, and all here'
And may they little children be
Ever very near to Thee.

Joke of the week

Q: What did the gingerbread man put on his bed?

A: a cookie sheet

Home for Christmas Cider

2 Qts. Apple Juice or Cider
1 Qt Cranberry Juice
2 c. Orange Juice
1 t. whole cloves
1 t. whole allspice
1/4 c sugar
Orange slices, 1/2 inch thick
Cinnamon sticks broken

combine all ingredients in a large pan or slow cooker on low heat.
simmer till blended. Garnish with clove studded orange slices

Not only does it taste great it makes the house smell great!

Christmas

Hearts come home for Christmas

Bear Tales...About Christmas

About Christmas
adelaide love

There's so much to love about Christmas!
The story that Mother tells
Of the Star and the Babe in the manger,
The songs and the Christmas bells;

The toys and the wreaths and the candles
The snow and the company,
And oh, when you wake up on Chrismas
The smell of the Christmas tree!

Joke of the week

Q: How can you get four suits for a dollar?

A: Buy a deck of cards!

Sugar Cookies

Time to Bake!!

Sugar Cookies:
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup butter(soften to room temp)

preheat oven 375 degrees  bake 8-10 minutes

In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Cut in butter as for pie crust. Beat eggs; add sugar and beat well. Blend egg mixture into flour mixture. Roll out on floured surface to 1/4 inch thick . Cut with cookie cutters. Lift with spatula and place on un-greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake. Remove at once to cooling racks.
Yield approximately 6 doz depending on cookie size

Treasure

When someone you love becomes a memory

the memory then becomes a treasure

Treasure each moment with the ones you love!

Trim a Tree

There's just something magical 
about a Christmas Tree.

Let the kids set up a small Christmas tree in each of their rooms. Let them each pick how they would like to decorate their own trees such as; homemade ornaments, a princess theme, car theme or whatever they love. Then before bedtime, read a story to them by the cozy light of their tree. What a fun night light for the season!!

asl word of the day...turkey

Turkey n. A large pheasant like North American Bird.

• (represents the action of a turkey's wattle ) With the thumb side of the G hand under the chin, palm and fingers pointing down, wiggle the fingers from side to side with a repeated movement.

Bear Tales...Sammy the Snowman

Sammy Snowman
Ruth Dixon

Funny Sammy Snowman,
     Big and cold and fat,
Here's a pope and here's a cane
     And here's a queer old hat.

Here's a big umbrella
    And some mittens, too
And to keep you nice and warm
    Here's a coat for you.

Boys and girls all like you,
     Birds see you and sing;
Funny Sammy Snowman,
    I hope you last till Spring!

Joke of the week

Q: Why don't seagulls fly by the bay?

A: Because then they'd be "bagels"!

What am I?

Can you guess what am I?

1. I arrived in America from Ireland
2. Sometimes I am sweet
3. People like to butter me up
4. I have eyes, but I cannot see
5. I am a relative of tobacco and  tomatoes 
6. I had a supporting role in Toy Story
7. The average American eats 140 pounds of me each year'
8. In Idaho, I am famous
9. If I'm French, I must be fried

Did you guess? I am a Potato

Game Time

Life's One Happy Game

Unplug the family from the TV and Video games and spend time together playing board, card or dice games.

ASL word of the day....Water

Water n. The transparent, oderless, tasteless liquid that fall for the sky as rain

• (initialized sign) Tap the index finger side of the right W hand, palm facing left, against the chin with a double movement.

Gratitude

Feeling gratitude 

and not expressing it

Is like wrapping a present

and not giving it

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

bear tales...Indian Children

Indian Children Long Ago
nancy byrd turner

Where we play in field and hill,
Running high and low
Other children used to play
Long and long ago.

Little Indians straight and slim
Boys with belt and feather
Little girls with colored beads
Playing all together

Laughing, calling through our yard
(when 'twas field of maize)
Swift and light they used to run,
Back in other days;

Through our garden (once a wood)
In and out again,
Past the house they ran, and back
"Twas a wigwam then

Sometimes when the air is clear,
On a quiet day,
We can almost hear them still
Shouting at their play!

Joke of the week

Q. Why is the tooth fairy so smart?

A. She has a lot of wisdom teeth!

No cook Peanut Butter Candy

 Kids bored? Need something fun for them to make for your Thanksgiving Snacks? Here is a easy recipe that even the kids can make!

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup dry milk (powder)
Mix the above ingredients together well
Then add and knead
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Shape into small balls or bars, and roll them in coconut or decorative candies, such as choclolate or colored sprinkles.
Makes 1/2 pound  (about 20 small balls)

Winter Song

Sing a song of winter
Frost is in the air
Sing a song of winter,
Snowflakes everywhere,
Sing a song of winter
Hear the sleigh bells chime
Can you think of anything
As nice as wintertime?

Joke of the week

Q: What did the dentist say to the marching band?

A: Here's a tuba toothpaste!

Bear Tales...Autumn

Autumn
emily dickinson

The morns are meeker than they were
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry's cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.

The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown,
Lest I should be old-fashioned
I'll put a trinket on.

,

Cookie Cutter Prints

Pour tempera paint on folded paper towels placed in several paper plates. Let the kids dip cookies cutters in to the paint and press them on pieces of construction paper to make prints

Brain Excercise ..the grocery store game

The Grocery Store Game:
After you've made your shopping list, tell your kids all the items that start with a specific letter (for example cheese, carrots, cookies, and cat food).
When you get to the store, ask them to shop for those food without the list.

A Laugh

A Laugh

is a smile that bursts

Tennis anyone?..Balloon Tennis

Balloon Tennis is a fun way to spend some outdoor time or indoor if you have lots of space.

Gather up a balloon, paper plate, Popsicle sticks and duct tape.
Make a "tennis" racket by duct taping the Popsicle sticks to a paper plate. You can use a paint stirrer if you would like to make the handle longer or use 2 Popsicle sticks and tape them together.

Blow up your balloon and you are ready to start. You can make a net by tying string from 2 chairs and hit the balloon over the "net".

This is a really fun game that can be played in groups!!

Asl word of the day ....Sale/Sell

Sell v. to exchange something for payment;
Same sign used for Sale, Retail, Peddle, Merchandise, Distribute

• (The hands seem to hold something out for inspection in order to sell it) Beginning with both flattened O hands held in front of each side of the chest, palm facing down and fingers pointing down, swing the fingertips forward and back by twisting the wrists upward with a double movement.

Joke of the week

Q: Why couldn't the woman buy her husband camouflage pants?

A. She couldn't find them!

Bear Tales...Snowy Morning

Snowy Morning
Frances Frost


Wake up! Hurry! Jump from bed!
Race for the window!
Press your nose against the pane!
No sun! Instead its snowing!
All the white sky blows glitter
across the drifting hill!
Get dressed! Hurry! Run for the shed!
Where's the toboggan? Where's the sled?
Plunge into whiteness, race through sky that dances,
whirls in the dizzy air!
Coast down the lovely morning,
fly with silver stars in your eyes and hair!

Brain Excercise

Did you know we need to exercise our brains? It is easy to do with some of these fun activities that will be posted in the next few weeks.
Many puzzles and thinking games provide the mental equivalent of an afternoon at the gym. Remember that mental exercise does not have to be a chore, just have fun.So lets get started!

Mind flexing fun!

• Observation Challenge:  Sharpen observation skills and recall with this easy to play challenge. To start, place 10 to 20 objects on a tray and cover them with a cloth. Remove the cloth for 60 seconds while everyone tries to commit the objects to memory, then recover the tray and see how many things they can name.

Thanksgiving Coundown

Here is a way to limit the amount of Halloween candy your kids eat. Use what candy you have left for a Thanksgiving countdown. Make a find-a-treat turkey out of construction paper. On one side of each tail feather, write a number for a day of the month. On the other side, write a clue to a hiding place in the house. Every day in November, have your children tear off one feather and find the hiding spot. There, they each discover one piece of candy from their trick-or-treat bags. This makes a fun seasonal hunt!

Remember

We will have these moments 

                                                                                 to remember

Asl word of the day ....Share

.Share n. To use or participate together.  Rebekah and Sariah share the same room.

• (The hand moves back and forth as if to share a portion of something) Move the little finger side of the right open hand, palm facing in, back and forth with a double movement at the base of the index finger of the left open hand, palm facing in

Joke of the week

Q. What is a bear's favorite drink?

A. Coco-Koala!

Button play time

Do you have a "Stash" of Buttons? Here is some great ways to use those buttons as great entertainment for your children.Empty out the button box onto the kitchen table and try these fun activities:

Supplies needed:

• Buttons
• Glue, Yarn, Fabric, Poster Board
• Pie Plate
• Elastic Thread

Button Art: Glue buttons and bits of fabric or yarn onto a poster board to create a textured portrait or landscape
Button Game: Place a pie plate 10 or 15 feet away and see who can pitch the most buttons off the wall and into the pan
Button Jewelry: String elastic thread through the holes of assorted flat buttons. then tie into a loop for a wrist or ankle bracelet
Button Tower: See who can stack the most buttons without toppling the tower

Happy Halloween

Trick or Treat!
Justin the monkey
Jonathan the dinosaur
Kayliegh the witch
Adrian the Lion
Jess the Hula Dancer
Sariah the Doctor
R.J. ...Darth Vader
Bekah the nurse
Austin...Darth Vader
 

Use your imagination

Who needs toys when you have a set of stairs and a sippy cup? Adrian found that with a little imagination you could invent your own game that keeps you busy as well as gives you a good work out.
Go to the top of the stairs and roll your cup down and see how far it goes. If it doesn't make it to the bottom,
slide down on your bottom, pick up the cup and return to the top of the stairs to try again.
We had a great time watching Adrian entertain himself with nothing but his cup and grandma's stairway!

Asl word of the day ....Monkey

Monkey n  a small primate, usually having a long tail
Same sign used for: ape, chimpanzee

• (mime the scratching motion done by monkeys) Beginning at the waist, scratch the fingertips of both curved 5 hands, palm facing in, upward on each side of the body with a double movement.

Jess loves grandma's new monkey!

Bear Tales...Happily Ever After

Happily Ever After
adelaide love

"Happily ever after" are
The merriest sounding words!
The shining brook that travels far
Might sing them, or the birds.

I think of jolly little bells
When I hear Mother say
(The fairy stories that she tells
Always end that way)
     "Happily ever after,
      Happily ever after!

pumpkin smoothies

Jessica and her new monkey friend are waiting for their Pumpkin Smoothies. Its like a pumpkin pie in a glass!

In a blender combine 1/2 cup of canned pumpkin, 3/4 cup of milk or vanilla yogurt, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 2 treaspoons of brown sugar and 4 ice cubes: Puree until smooth

Pour the smootie into small glasses ( as this is really rich) and garnish with whipped topping.
serves 2 or 3

Animal mix up game(answers)

Here are the answers to last Mondays letter mix up game:
Antelope, Leopard, Ferret, Giraffe, Gorilla, Tiger, Lion, Panda, Goat,Otter, Pig, Ape, Deer, Dog
Did you find any others?

pumpkin painting

Here is a fun way to let the kids get creative.
Gather your pumpkins, some acrylic paints, brushes and let them paint away. Fun!! Fun!! Fun!!!

Adrian, Jonathan, Kayleigh and Jessica had a fun time painting their pumpkins!