Miracle

Such a big miracle in such a little boy

A baby fills a place in your heart that you never knew was empty

Welcome Justin Michael

Grandma Nee' with Justin

Twisted Tunes

Aahhhhh...  Music to my ears.

Twisted Tunes Game

Can you guess the real names of these songs? 

Then try singing your favorite using the song's twisted title!

1. Drizzle, Drizzle, Disappear

answer: Rain, Rain, go away

2. Sparkle, Sparkle, Tiny five-pointed figure

answer:

3. Paddle, Paddle. Paddle the ship

    belonging to you
answer:

4. Five Plus One Tiny Quackers
answer:

5. Bring My Being to the Playing Diamond
answer:

6. Joyous Date of Arrival into the World
answer:

7. This Ancient Male
answer:

8. Bleat, Bleat, Dark Wooly Creature
answer:

Have you guessed yet? answers below
1.rain, rain go away, 2.twinkle, twinkle, little star 3. row, row, row your boat 
4. six little ducks 5. take me out to the ball game  6.happy birthday 7. this old man,
8. baa, baa black sheep

How many did you guess right? If you think of some new ones, email me with your twisted tunes to
reneesworkshop@yahoo.com    Thanks for playing

ASL word of the day...Dinosaur

dinosaur n. An extinct reptile: to see the skeleton of a large dinosaur in the museum.

*(Initialized sign showing the long neck typical of some dinosaurs)
Move the right D hand up and back in a arc from the forehead, ending with the hand above the head, palm facing left.

Jonathan and Kayleigh were having fun signing the word Dinosaur that even little Jessica wanted to get into the fun. Here is her version on the word.

DIY Bracelets

I have just returned from CHA (craft and hobby association) Trade Show in California. One of the things that I saw that was HOT right now was the DIY (do it yourself ) Bracelets.

These were made from unfinished wood bracelets, but you could do some of these techniques on a old bracelet that needs some sprucing up. They can be painted, stamped  wrapped in strips of paper, rip old newspaper or colored tissue paper and mod podge on, wrap in yarn or colored DMC  floss, cover in jewels or glitter.The ideas are endless.

Just have fun CREATING something fun to wear.

bear tales...The Creature Brontosaurus

The Creature Brontosaurus
dorothy aldis

Over a hundred million centuries ago
Before the Rocky Mountains raised their heads of snow,
Making hard and nubbly a land that once was swamps,
The creature Brontosaurus went on his ponderous romps

His name means Thunder Reptile
But he couldn't make a sound
As over eighty feet of him went slithering around;
Poor fellow-how upsetting it must have been to not
Be able to express himself when sleepy, cross or hot.

Forty tones of templer whitout a single whimp
You'd think would leave him feeling long and limp.
But he just stamped the harder upon the sandy ground
And made those giant footsteps that scientists have found

Even today we see them planted on old stones
Even today they keep on finding Brontosaurus bones
Which people in museums fit together till
The ancient age old creature
Rears up-bleak and still

In all his mighty body
His brain weight just one pound
So maybe we're not missing much
Not having him around
Perhaps his heart ws big though
Perhaps he shed a tear
For lack of laps to climb into
Or scratchings on the ear.

Dino Truffles

Ingredients
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup of raisins, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons of chopped nuts ...your choice
12 chocolate wafers, crushed with a rolling pin

What to do:
while the cream cheese is getting soft at room temperature, cut the raisins into small bits with your scissors.
(tip: spray blades with cooking spray)
Stir in the cream cheese, honey, raisins, and nuts together with a wooden spoon until well mixed.
Roll the mixture into bite size balls with clean hands.
Roll the balls in the chocolate wafers crumbs.
If they aren't eaten by all your "Archeologists" right away, put in the refrigerator.

Fossil Hunt

Bury several plastic dinosaurs in a large pan of cornmeal or in a sandbox.
Let the kids take turns going on a "fossil hunt"
give the kids spoons to use to dig in the cornmeal or sand. When the "fossil" is discovered, ask the kids to identify it by looking carefully at its characteristics.



Stegosaurus (roofed reptile)
The stegosaurus had large bony plates along its back and a spiked tail. It was 20 feet long and weighed 3,000 pounds or more. It was a plant eater.
Tyrannosaurus (tyrant reptile)
The Tyrannosaurus was the larges meat eater, weighing up to 7 tons. It measured as much as 46 feet from tip of it nose to the end of its tail. it had 60 very sharp teeth.
Apatosaurus (deceptive reptile)
This dinosaur used to be called "brontosaurus. It weighed about 30 tons and stood 15 feet tall at the shoulder. Its long neck allowed it to feed on vegetation that was up high.

Triceratops (three horned face)
The Triceratops had three horns, one on its nose and one over each eye. It also had a shield of bone, called a "frill" around its head. It was a plant eater.

A smile is the light

A smile is a light

in the window of the soul

indicating that the heart

 is at home.

Finger Paint

With a batch of this quick and easy paint, you can turn your kids into artist with newsprint, paper or in the bathtub. Store in an airtight container.





Ingredients:
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 cups cold water
1/4 cup clear dishwashing liquid
Food Coloring (for more vibrant colors, use food color paste)

Mix the sugar and cornstarch in a small pan, then slowly add the water.
Cook over low heat, stirring until the mixture becomes a smooth, almost clear gel
(about 5 minutes)
When the mixture is cool, stir in the dishwashing liquid. Scoop equal amount into several containers and stir in the fool coloring.
Because this paint contains dish soap, it dissolves in water. Perfect for bathtub finger painting.
**Test to be sure bright paints won't leave a residue, most come clean with a powdered cleaner**

ASL word of the day...Firefighter

Firefighter n. A person trained to put our destructive fires: The firefighters arrived too late to save the house. 

*(Represents the raised front of a firefighter's helmet). Bring the back of the right B hand, fingers pointing up and palm facing forward, against the center of the forehead.

Wrapped Candles

 Hope is the candle
that lights the way
through life





Supplies Needed:
1 pillar candle
2 cordinating pieces of fabric
scissors
tacky glue or glue gun
2 buttons



Candle shown is 9" tall...Adjust size of strips to match your candle size

• tear bottom strip 6" X 11"
• wrap around candle and glue
• tear top strip 4" x 11"
• wrap around middle of candle and glue
• Glue the 2 buttons to side of candle
  

Bear Tales...Fires

Tim and Chad wishing they were firemen

               Fires

                        Agnes Louse Dean

The ottoman beside the fire is where I sit and think

The heat make me drowsy, the flames make me blink

I think about the blazing logs which once were stately trees

With all their leaves a-dancing, dancing in the breeze

Green in the summertime, scarlet in the Fall

With stars and snow at Christmas Tide, most beartiful of all

Rocky Road Bars

YUMmmmmm...

CHOCOLATE!

Whats not to like?

Ingredients:
1 chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup butter melted
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup chopped nuts
3 cups miniture marshmallows
1/2 cup candy coated chocolate candies
1/3 cup ready to spread chocolate frosting


Heat oven to 350 degrees
Grease bottom and sides of 9 x 13 x 2  pan
Mix 1/2 the cake mix (dry), butter, water, brown sugar, and eggs in a large bowl with spoon until smooth.
(some dry mix will remain). Stir in remaining cake mix and nuts.
Spread in pan
Bake 20 minutes; sprinkle with marshmallow. 
Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffed and golden
Immediately sprinkle with candies.
Microwave frosting in a microwavable bowl for 15 seconds on high. Drizzle over bars. 
Cool completely (about 1 hour).Cut bars into 6 rows by 4 rows. makes 24 bars.

Paper Whirlybird

Measure and mark a 5 x 11 inch section on a piece of heavy paper, such as card stock or construction paper. Cut out

Mark the center of your paper and cut a 5" slit length wise down the center. Mark edges at end of slit on opposite sides. cut a 1 1/2 inch slit from each edge at the marks

• Fold in the sides below the slits toward the center; they will overlap.
• Tape the two folded edges together
• Decorate top flaps with colored stickers, or color
• Fold the bottom edge up twice (1 inch at a time)
• fasten with paper clips
• Fold one flap toward you and  the other away from you

Throw whirly bird straight up in the air to make it fly downward

Friends find adventure

Together, friends find adventure where others see only routine and find fun in what everyone else thinks is work.

Emma and Renee' in Dallas

Balloon Puppets

Blow up a balloon to the size of a large cantaloupe. Tie on several stands of curled ribbon and knot around the balloon knot. The ribbon will make the hair and then attach a loop of ribbon to slip over the child's hand. Let the kids make faces using, markers, stickers, gummed reinforcement circles and whatever embellishments you can find.
When they are finished, let them wear their balloon puppets on their wrists.

ASL word of the day...Balloon

Balloon n.  An airtight bag that can be inflated, used as a toy or decoration: blowing up balloons for a party. same sign used for expand



* (shows shape of balloon as it expands)
Beginning with the left fingers cupped over the back of the right 5 hand held in front of the mouth, Move the hands apart while opening the fingers, ending with both curved 5 hands near each side of the face, palms facing each other.

Circus Time

Balloons are a natural here. By rubbing the inflated balloons against your clothing for a minute, you will create enough static to make them adhere to the walls.
If there's an artist in your family, make some circus posters.
Anyone can draw a large scale clown face onto a big sheet of butcher paper, with a big gaping mouth. Fasten the clown to a large cardboard box; cut a hole in the box for the clowns mouth. Toss a bean bag in to the clowns mouth.
Have guests be circus perfomers. Write stunts on slips of paper and let each child pick one. Then they take turns doing their stunt.

• Walking a straight line for a tight rope
• Dancing like a clown 
• Walking on all fours,like a trained dog
  
• swing head to imitate an elephant
• roaring like a lion

Have the kids dress like circus performers. Be creative and just have some fun on a rainy or snowy day.

Bear Tales - Balloon

Balloon

ruth dixon

My Daddy bought me a balloon

     From the balloon man in the park

Before the night turned on the moon

     To light the dark

It let me pull it to our hill,

    And I held tight onto the string

And hung it in the sky as still

     As anything

But when some little breezes blew

     it tugged and tugged, so I would know

Just what it wanted me to do

     Then I let go.

And up and up into the sky

     I saw it flying very far

And knew that my balloon would try

     To reach a star.  

Warm Winter S'Mores

After school or playtime, come home to a WARM WINTER S'MORE

•  To 1 serving of Chocolate Flavor Pudding
• add 1/2 crumbled graham cracker 
• and 6 marshmallows. 
• Microwave 30 seconds or until warm
• Stir Gently
• Top with whipped topping. 

YUMMY!!

Balloon- hands free inflation

Here is a fun experiment to do... Blow up a Balloon without blowing into it!

• Pour 4 tablespoons of vinegar into a clean bottle.
• Use a funnel (it can be done with out but is messy) Fill a small balloon with 1 tablespoon baking soda
• Be sure the bulb of the balloon falls to one side as you carefully slip its mouth over the neck of the bottle

Lift the bulb of the balloon to let the baking soda fall into the bottle. The balloon will inflate all by itself.

Why it works:
When baking soda and vinegar come into contact, they form carbon dioxide. This gall fills the bottle and can't escape, so it rushes into the balloon, causing it to inflate.

Come and Play

Snowflakes with fleeting faces

call out "Come and Play"

Catch me on your tongue if you can!"

on this blustery winter's day.

danny george

Pipe Cleaner Penquin

What's winter without penguins?
 When the wind, snow, rain or ice keep the kids inside

gather some pipe cleaners and make a penguin family.

supplies needed:
1 fat black pipe cleaner
1 skinny orange pipe cleaner
a scrap of white pipe cleaner

Make a fat Black Pencil Coil for the body...   

To make a coil: Hold one end against the pencil and wrap the rest evenly around it. Super easy!

Fold the skinny orange pipe cleaner in half and swirl the ends to make feet. Stick it through your coil body. Now bend the beak and the feet.

Bend the vest out of the fat white piece. Then stick it on .Now you are finished. These are easy and fun. Make a few with your friends.

ASL word of the day...Snow

Snow n. v. Ice crystals that fall to earth in the form of soft, white flakes that frequently stick together to form a layer on the ground: A pile of snow covered the car.

• (Represents the movement of snow falling) Beginning with the fingers of both 5 hands, palms facing down, bring the hands slowly down in front of each side of body while wiggling the fingers as the hands move.
  

Crystal Ice Lantern

Here is a Crystal ICE  Lantern anyone can make. It doesn't matter if you live in snow country or not.It is cold as Ice, but will give off a warm glow.

Joni, RJ and Bekah in the glow of an Ice Park

 

To make one you will need:

• Metal Mixing bowl
• Plastic yogurt or pudding container
• Cupful of coins
• Outside Freezing temperatures ( or the inside of a freezer)

Start by pouring a couple of inches of water into your metal bowl
Place it outdoors or in your freezer to freeze
Fill the yogurt or pudding container with coins, then center it on the ice in the bowl
Slowly pour more water into the bowl, so that it nearly reaches the rim of the plastic container
No put it back outside or in your freezer and let it freeze solid.
To remove it from the bowl, run warm water around the outside of the bowl . This should loosen the ice lantern and slide out.
Remove coins from plastic container and then pour in warm water and remove.
Now the Ice Lantern is ready for a votive candle.

Bear Tales - Snowflake Fun

Snowflake Fun

ruth dixon

Flutterfly and Silver Wing

Tinkle Toes and Twink

Came frolicking and rollicking

As quick as any wink

And off their shining silver sleigh

They fluttered in the air

As frosty Fairies always do

And somersaulted there

In a glimmering and shimmering

Of twirly whirly snow,

They tossed some little frosty flakes

On children down below;

And these were fairy valentines,

I really truly think,

From Flutterfly and Silver Wing

and Tinkle Toes and Twink!

Snowman Soup

Here is a fun treat to share with everyone. After a cold day on the sled, have some snowman soup ready for them when they come home. Serve with warm cookies.

Ingredients:
1 individual cocoa mix
3-4 chocolate Kisses
10-15 mini marshmellows
Candy Stir stick (a candy cane works)

Put the cocoa mix into a mug, add hot water, kisses, marshmellows and then stir with your candy stick.

To make into a fun winter gift, package all the ingredients into a mug. Attach this fun poem and share with others

Snowman Soup
A little cup of cocoa
I'm sending your way,
For you to sip and enjoy
On some cold lonely day

As you sip this cocoa
It's warmth will warm your heart
Just like our friendship warmed mine
Right from the very start.

Secret Frost Recipe

Jack Frost's Secret Frost Recipe
stuff you need:

• empty metal can (no label)
• 4 tbsp of salt
• crushed ice
• paper towels

what to do: 

1. Make sure the outside of the can is dry and fill it halfway with crushed ice
2. Add 4 tablespoons of salt
3. Mix and let stand

What happens: 
the ice and salt lower the temperature of the can's surface to below freezing point. The moisture in the air touches the outside of the can freezes, thereby forming frost.

FYI: Every snowflake has its own unique shape and is different that all other snowflakes.
All snowflakes have 6 different sides. To view snowflakes you will need black construction paper or fabric and a magnifying glass. Freeze your viewing surface by placing in your freezer or keeping it outside. If it is snowing, just hold your black surface out to catch a few flakes. Now view them with your magnifying glass.
Wear a scarf over your mouth and nose to avoid melting the flakes with your warm breath.

Friendship begins

Friendship usually begins with two people discovering their similarities, but the relationship is firmly established when they learn to appreciate each other's differences.

Place Keepers...Bookmarks

Reading can be lots of fun- until you lose your page!

These clip-on place keepers come in handy. 

Bead Bangles:

Tie thin cording or a chenille stick  to a paper clip. Sting on beads or charms. Then double knot the loose end to keep the beads from slipping off.

Fuzzy Braid
Bend 3 different colored pipe cleaners (chenille sticks) in half and hook them over one end of a paper clip. Pair up and braid the like colored end and pinch together the bottoms

ASL word of the day...Book

BOOK n. A long work on consecutive sheets of paper bound together between covers:
to read a book on a plane

• (Represents opening a book) Beginning with the palms of both open hands together in front of the chest, fingers angled forward, bring the hands apart at the top while keeping the little fingers together.