Tag Archives: autumn

Spooky Tree Centerpiece

Spooky_Tree_centerpiece

What You’ll Need:

  • Black Plastic Cauldron
  • Floral/Craft Foam
  • Glass Gems, Rocks, or Stones
  • Halloween Tinsel Garland
  • Plastic Skeleton Garland
  • Twigs from Your Yard
  • Paint & Paint Brush (Optional)
  • Glittery Bat Ornaments
    Easy Step-by-Step Directions:
  1. First, gather a few spooky-looking twigs from your yard.
  2. Place the floral/craft foam in the center of the cauldron and fill the empty space around the foam with glass gems, rocks, or stones. This will anchor your foam and provide stability for your tree.
  3. Stick the twigs from your yard securely into the foam…make sure you push them far into the foam for stability. Arrange twigs into your desired tree shape. If you want to paint your twigs black or another color, do that next. They will be easier to paint standing upright in the foam. Set the tree aside to dry.
  4. Once the twigs are dry,cover the stones at the base of the tree with Halloween tinsel garland, then place the skeleton garland on top of the tinsel and position the skeletons however you wish.
  5. Decorate the tree with more skeletons, Halloween creepy creatures, or handmade glittery bat ornaments.

Witche’s Broom Treat Bag

2012_witch_broom_treat_bags

What You’ll Need:

  • Brown Paper Lunch Bags
  • Scissors
  • Rubber Bands
  • Ribbon, String, or Yarn
  • Sticks (from your yard)
  • Candy

  • Easy Step-by-Step Directions:
  1. Create the broom’s bristles by cutting one of the paper bags in 1⁄2″ strips from the very top (where the bag opens) to the very bottom, stopping at the part of the bag that sits flat on the table top.
  2. Lay the cut paper bag flat on the table.Place the uncut paper bag on top of the cut paper bag, so that the bottoms are sitting exactly on top of one another.
  3. Fill the uncut paper bag about one-quarter full with the candy of your choice.
  4. Put the stick in the middle of the uncut paper bag.
  5. Bring the loose strips of the cut paper bag up and around the sides of the uncut paper bag. Holding both bags tightly against the stick (about half way up) secure with a rubber band.
  6. Tie a piece of string, yarn, or ribbon tightly around the paper bags, concealing the rubber band. Trim excess paper bag.

Use bags as favors/place cards at your next Halloween or Thanksgiving party. Simply print your guests names on cardstock, cut out, and attach to the fronts of the bags!

Top Ten Outdoor Activities for Fall

Top Ten Outdoor Activities for Fall

Summer is over, and in many places the air is turning colder. As the weather changes be sure to take advantage of what the fall season has to offer. Even if you don’t live in a place that sees a lot colorful leaves, there are fun family-friendly ways to get outdoors this fall:

• Go apple picking. Sure, most of us can get apples year-round from the grocery store, but there’s nothing quite like orchard fresh apples, picked straight from the tree during harvest season. That crunchy, tangy, sweet apple flavor is at its peak during this time of year. Many commercial orchards will let you pick your own. It’s not only fun, it’s also a great way to show kids where their food comes from. Get extras for canning applesauce, or making pies. When you’re done, warm up with a delicious mulled cider.

• Go on a nature hike. Bring along a field guide to identify different kinds of trees. Look for wildlife collecting food for winter. Explain to kids how animals are starting to fatten up and grow thick, protective winter coats. Watch for migrating birds.

• Collect fall leaves. Press them into books or preserve them in glycerin (recipe below*). Paste them onto handmade paper to create greeting cards, or glue them between two pieces of wax paper to make an attractive sun catcher. Go lightly on the glue, or substitute crayon shavings to add color; use a warm iron to melt the shavings and hold the paper together.

• Take a hayride. Many farms offer hayrides during the fall. This is a great way to kick back and enjoy nature with smaller kids who may not be up for a long walk.

• Visit the pumpkin patch. Don’t buy your Halloween pumpkin from the grocery store. Go straight to the source. Kids will love wandering around the patch to pick out the perfect pumpkin. Choose a couple of big ones for jack-o-lanterns, and grab a few smaller ones for painting or general household decorations. Smaller pumpkins make great additions to fall centerpieces. Roast the seeds in your oven with a sprinkling of tasty spices, and grab a few to make pumpkin pies.

• Visit a corn maze. Many farms earn extra income for the winter by turning their cornfields into large mazes. Test your directional sense, and get some fresh air in the process. Corn mazes are fun or all ages.

• Stuff a scarecrow. Dig out an old shirt and overalls, and stuff it with leaves until firm. Add a pumpkin head (from your trip to the pumpkin patch) and you’ve got a great fall decoration.

• Fly a kite. The gusty, brisk air makes autumn a great time for flying kites. Buy one from the store, or make your own from two long sticks, strong paper, and string.

• Have a bonfire. Invite some friends over for a backyard bonfire. The chill in the air makes fall the perfect time to sit together by the warmth of a blazing fire with a nice warm mug of cocoa or cider. Be sure to get any necessary permits from your town first.

• Make a leaf pile and jump in!

*Bring a mixture of two parts water to one part glycerin to a boil in a saucepan, and pour the solution into a heat-safe container. Drop in the leaves, and gently submerge them with a wooden spoon. Place the container in a cool, dark place for up to seven days. Remove the leaves when you begin to notice a slight change in their coloring, and blot them dry with a paper towel

Holiday Reminders for Au Pairs and Host Families

With the holiday season just around the corner, it is important to review this little reminder about program rules for holidays and vacations.luggage malias

Holidays

  • Host families are NOT REQUIRED to give au pairs any specific holidays.
  • Each host family will make different arrangements on holidays, some au pairs will be off and others will be required to work.
  • Au pairs should NOT make plans for holidays without checking with your host family FIRST.

Vacation

  • Au pair earns 2 weeks of paid vacation during the course of her year.
  • The host family can pick a week and the au pair can pick a week, if an agreement is not reached.
  • All vacation should be preplanned (at least 4 weeks in advance.)
  • All au pair’s friends and/or family visits/vacations should be pre-approved prior to purchasing a ticket.
  • If an au pair travels with their host family, it should be discussed UP FRONT whether this is the au pair’s vacation or if she is working.
  • If an au pair travels with the host family to work, the host family is required to pay for her transportation, lodging and meals.

Keep these things in mind as you plan your travel and we wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

Important: An au pair MUST have her DS2019 signed PRIOR to her departure from the US. More info. about this can be found on the right side of this page under “Travel Links for Au Pairs.”

National Family Week November 18-24

Families are so busy. Sometimes we may need a reminder to spend time together. Enjoy a meal together, play a board game or a video game tournament, rake the leaves, walk around the block/neighborhood, go to the park… there are a lot of fun things to do- it just takes a little planning!

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Turkey Nut Holder

Turkey Nut Holder Thanksgiving Craft

Total Time Needed:
1 Hour

An egg carton in clever disguise, these individualized cups hold a nutty snack for young gobblers.

Materials
  • Pencil
  • Egg carton
  • Scissors or X-acto knife
  • Tempera paint (brown or yellow)
  • 4-inch pipe cleaner
  • Pushpin (optional)
  • 2 googly eyes
  • Colored feathers (available at craft stores)
  • Glue stick
  • White paper
  • Toothpick
  • Marker
Instructions
  1. Draw a cut line around one of the cups in the egg carton. Then, cut along the line (a parent’s job) and paint the cup.
  2. Fold the pipe cleaner in half and twist the ends together to form a wattle. Push the exposed wire through the top of the turkey’s beak until one third of the pipe cleaner is through the hole. (Tip: Stick a pushpin through the carton first.) To keep the wattle from slipping out, bend down the inserted end.
  3. Glue on the googly eyes and feathers.
  4. To make a name tag flag, cut out a strip of white paper. Cover one side with glue, then place a toothpick in the middle and fold the paper in half so the toothpick is glued inside. When the paper is dry, write on a name, then stick the toothpick through one side of the turkey, and the holder is ready to fill with nuts.

Hurricane Sandy (Frankenstorm) is Coming – Be Prepared.

Do not worry about the hurricane, but it is important to be careful.

• Stay home with your host family during the storm and follow their advice and direction
• Keep your own families at home informed about your location and personal status during/after the storm
• Talk to your host family about any travel plans you or they have for this week and cancel/reschedule

Do not be afraid, but it is good to go over emergency procedures with your host parents.

We may lose electricity during the storm. Sometimes it takes a few days to get the power back on. Please know that you will be safe and that your host parents are prepared for these kind of situations. Stay inside in a hurricane and stay together.

Here is a list of things to have on hand in the event of a natural disaster like a hurricane:
• Food and water
• flashlights and batteries
• a battery operated radio
• charge your cell phones before the storm
• cooler and ice for food to be stored
• hand wipes
• a first aide kit
• activities to occupy the children
I hope the storm isn’t too bad, but if you lose electricity, do not worry, it will come back on. Trust your host parents to know what to do and help anyway you can, especially with the kids!
If you have to evacuate with your host families to another location, you must:
Take your important documents. This includes passport, Form DS-2019, Form I-94, Social Security Card, Financial Records, plane ticket, checks, credit cards, etc.)
Take contact numbers and e-mail address of your community counselor
Take SEVP and Department of State contact information. SEVP email address: SEVIS.Source@dhs.gov.; Department of State e-mail address: Jvisas@state.gov.

Halloween

Jack-o'-Lantern_2003-10-31Ghouls and goblins will take over the night.
But even scary creatures need to be safe and celebrate Halloween right.

Halloween’s greatest hazards aren’t vampires and villains, but falls, costume mishaps and automobile collisions.
The Red Cross wants your family to have a safe Halloween so we’re providing these tips:

The Lucky 13:

1. Map out the route that you plan to roam, so adults are assured you will find your way home!
2. From the bravest of superheroes to the noblest of knights, everyone should remember to bring their flashlights!
3. If you visit a house where a stranger resides, accept treats at the door and, please, don’t go inside.
4. When you get ready to put on your disguise, use face paint instead of masks, which will cover your eyes.
5. Always remember, before you embark, to wear light-colored clothing to be seen in the dark! (And remember to use reflective tape, even on bikes, and brooms and the edges of your cape!)
6. Whether you walk, slither or sneak, do it on the sidewalks and not in the street.
7. As you roam through the neighborhood collecting your treats, please look both ways before crossing the street! (And speaking of streets, the corners are the place for trick or treaters to cross no matter their pace.)
8. Wigs, capes and costumes are flammable attire, so avoid open flames to prevent a fire!
9. Use a glow stick instead of a candle so your jack-o-lantern isn’t a safety gamble!
10. You may fly on a broom or a space ship from Mars, but please be on the lookout for drivers in cars! (Between parked cars is no to hide, be sure that you’re seen whether you’re a clown or a bride.)
11. Monsters and zombies should stay off the lawn, and only visit homes with their porch lights turned on!
12. You may be dressed as a werewolf, a cat or a frog, but be cautious around strange animals, especially dogs.
13. For additional information on how you and your family can be prepared for emergencies on Halloween or on any day of the year, please visit www.RedCross.org

It’s time for Goblins and Ghosts!

Going trick-or-treating?

Below are tips to help make the festivities fun and safe for trick-or-treaters

Alphabet letter S Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
Alphabet letter A Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
Alphabet letter F Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
Alphabet letter E Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.
Alphabet letter H Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. Always WALK and don’t run from house to house.
Alphabet letter A Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.
Alphabet letter L Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
Alphabet letter L Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
Alphabet letter O Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
Alphabet letter W Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
Alphabet letter E Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.
Alphabet letter E Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult.
Alphabet letter N Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

Autumn craft-Foliage Friends!

foliage-friends-halloween-craft-photo-420-FF1006EFCA02

Use your imagination (and some paper, glue, and a pen or pencil) to turn ordinary backyard leaves into a whimsical menagerie.

Materials
  • Autumn leaves from your yard
  • Paper
  • Glue
  • Pencils, pens, or crayons

Instructions
  1. Go outside and see what kinds of animals are hiding in your leaf piles. Below are some possibilities. When you’ve found leaves in your yard whose shapes you like, glue them to pieces of paper and use pencil, pen or crayon to make your creatures complete. To preserve your creations, press them between two books.
  2. Foliage Friends - Step 2 MAPLE:These leaves have three main points and lots of smaller ones; count them as they flutter by.
  3. Foliage Friends - Step 3 ROSE:The rounded shape of this bush’s leaves makes them look a lot like little shields.
  4. Foliage Friends - Step 4 BIRCH: As big and tall as this white-bark tree can get, its leaves are as small and as light as feathers.
  5. Foliage Friends - Step 5 GERANIUM: You might flip your wig if you find one of these wild-looking leaves in your yard.
  6. Foliage Friends - Step 6 BARBERRY:While this plant doesn’t live underwater, its leaves resemble raindrops