Yearly Archives: 2013

FALL ACTIVITIES

IMG_2345When a crisp Fall air invites you outside for a walk, gather some brightly colored leaves. Press them in sheets of newspaper under heavy books for a few weeks. When they have dried they will still have their bright colors and can be glued onto paper.

Make leaf prints by painting one side of a leaf with tempera paint and then pressing it down gently into paper to form the leaf pattern. Make designs for fun, or use large sheets of paper (like tissue paper, brown paper or even newspaper) and save the painted paper to use as gift-wrap.

Place some leaves between pieces of wax paper and iron. This will keep them from crumbling and give the leaves a glossy sheen. You can then glue them onto paper- try adding bits of bark or seeds too.

Try putting leaves between pieces of clear contact paper. You can hang them in the window or use them as place mats.

Fall is apple season. Apples come in many varieties, colors, shapes and sizes. Some are wonderful to munch on, others best when cooked. Regardless of the variety, apple-picking is a fun activity. Please check your local newspaper, especially the Week-end section, to find out about local farms that offer apple-picking and hay rides.

Recipe for applesauce:

Remove the core and quarter the apples. If you leave the peel on during cooking it will give the applesauce a pink color. When the apples are very soft, remove any peel that is left, mash the pulp or put it through a sieve. Add sugar if needed.

Recipe for dried apple rings:

Peel, core and slice as many apples as you like into 1/8 inch rings; Macintosh or golden delicious apples work best. Dip each ring into a mixture of lemon juice and water to help the apples keep their color. Pull a piece of string through the center of each ring and hang in a dry, warm place. They take 1-2 weeks to dry and become chewy.

This makes an easy and nutritious snack!

From one Holiday to an other!

Yesterday we celebrated Columbus day.Today we celebrate Eid Al Adha!

Eid Al Adha is the biggest Muslim Holiday! During this time millions of Muslims travel to Mecca in order to perform Hajj (pilgrimage).

In this country,Muslims celebrate this holiday by going to the Mosque in the morning for prayer and eating a traditional dish made with Lamb: Fatteh .

Fatteh is a layered dish, of rice, toasted pita chips, broth and lamb. Sometimes its topped with yogurt or red sauce (depending on your nationality) and can be made with chicken too.

Here is an easy recipe to follow.Try it out ,it is quite healthy and nutritious too:-)

http://www.katherinemartinelli.com/blog/2013/fatteh-pita-chickpeas-yogurt/

Fatteh-31

Columbus Day Celebration

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Columbus Day, which is observed annually on the second Monday of October, remembers Christopher Columbus’ arrival to the Americas on October 12, 1492.

Americans are often invited to celebrate the anniversary of the discovery of their country with church services and other activities. In some towns and cities, special church services, parades and large events are held. Most celebrations are concentrated around the Italian-American community. The celebrations in New York and San Francisco are particularly noteworthy. In Hawaii Columbus Day is also known as Landing Day or Discoverer’s Day.  Not all parts of the United States celebrate Columbus Day. It is not a public holiday in California, Nevada and Hawaii.

For more information about this holiday go to:  http://www.history.com/topics/columbus-day

For activities for children including arts and crafts, word searches, puzzles and more facts and history go to  http://www.theholidayzone.com/columbus/

Healthy Habits

Keeping a healthy body, mind and spirit= Balance

Get enough sleep

Eat healthily

Exercise regularly

Take some time each day to relax

Rest or slow down when you feel tired

Maintain a balance between work, rest, relaxation and your social life

Go outdoors! Even when it’s cold.  Cold air doesn’t cause illness, staying cooped up inside with the germs usually does it. Plus the sunshine (Vitamin D) is good for you.

Protect yourself and others

Please remember that preventing illness and the spread of disease protects not just you and your

family, but also children who may have serious conditions affecting their ability to fight off infections. Kids who may have asthma, diabetes, heart disease, severe allergies, cystic fibrosis, cancer or other conditions are more vulnerable.

Avoid spreading germs, wash your hands, cover your cough, and stay home if sick

Cover coughs or sneeze with the crook  of your elbow or a tissue-not your hand

Frequent hand washing with soap and warm water will help prevent the spread of influenza, strep throat, stomach viruses, and many other diseases.  Please keep children home from school if they have a respiratory illness, fever, diarrhea or vomiting.

Shower regularly

Avoid contact with people who have cold or flu symptoms

Keep a clean and healthy home environment

Keep frequently touched surface clean(kitchen counters, computer keyboards and computer areas, telephones, doorknobs)

Keep the children’s play area and toys clean

Keep your bedroom dust free as possible.Vacuum regularly and empty your waste basket daily.

Prevent the flu

Did you know the flu virus can knock you out for a week or more? Symptoms include high fever and severe head and muscle aches. Infection can lead to complications like ear and sinus infections, dehydration, and bacterial pneumonia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older should receive a flu vaccine each year.

Where can you get the flu vaccine?

Flu vaccines are available NOW in medical offices, pharmacies and at your County Public Health Division.  You don’t need to have a regular doctor or nurse to get the flu vaccine.

To find flu shots near you go to http://flushot.healthmap.org/ and type in your zip code.whoneedsvaccine_red_600x120

HOST FAMILY DAY AT QUINCY PARK IN ARLINGTON,VA

Kids collecting flag stickers from each country for their passports

Kids collecting flag stickers from each country for their passports

This past Sunday,the Au pair In America clusters of Arlington and Falls Church had their annual picnic with host families and au pairs and what a blast it was.The weather was just perfect to host this event and the location was very central to all of our host families.Here are a few of the many pictures we have from this event.

Our terrific face painters

Our terrific face painters

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SAFE WALKING TIPS

Look all ways before crossing at crosswalks. Keep to the right in the crosswalk.
Avoid crossing between parked cars.
Where there is no sidewalk and it is necessary to walk in the roadway, walk on left side, facing traffic.
Wear or carry retro-reflective material at night to help drivers see you.
Discuss traffic lights – green means go, yellow means wait, red means stop. Cross only at the right time.
Never chase a ball into the street.
Streets are for cars – children should play in the yard or a playground, not in the street.
Learn street signs and what they mean (STOP, crosswalk, etc.).
Never play behind parked cars in the driveway.
Watch carefully whenever walking behind parked cars.

Memorial Day Celebration

Background

Memorial Day started as an event to honor Union soldiers, who had died during the American Civil War. It was inspired by the way people in the Southern states honored their dead. After World War I, it was extended to include all men and women, who died in any war or military action.

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day. The current name for this day did not come into use until after World War II. Decoration Day and then Memorial Day used to be held on May 30, regardless of the day of the week, on which it fell. In 1968, the Uniform Holidays Bill was passed as part of a move to use federal holidays to create three-day weekends. This meant that that, from 1971, Memorial Day holiday has been officially observed on the last Monday in May. However, it took a longer period for all American states to recognize the new date.

What do people do?

It is traditional to fly the flag of the United States at half mast from dawn until noon. Many people visit cemeteries and memorials to honor everyone, who has died, and those, who have died in military service, in particular. In National Cemeteries, volunteers place an American flag on each grave.

Memorial Day has become less of an occasion of remembrance. Many people choose to hold picnics, sports events and family gatherings on this weekend. This day is traditionally seen as the start of the summer season for cultural events. For the fashion conscious, it is seen as acceptable to wear white clothing, particularly shoes from Memorial Day until Labor Day. However, fewer and fewer people follow this rule and many wear white clothing throughout the year.

Public life

Memorial Day is a federal holiday. All non-essential Government offices are closed, as are schools, businesses and other organizations. Most public transit systems do not run on their regular schedule. Many people see Memorial Day weekend as an opportunity to go on a short vacation or visit family or friends. This can cause some congestion on highways and at airports.

For all local activities go to
http://arlington-va.patch.com/articles/memorial-day-concerts-parades-wreath-laying-ceremonies-rolling-thunder-01af28f6?ncid=newsltuspatc00000001

However you choose to observe this holiday, make it a special day to enjoy family and friends.

GROW A PIZZA GARDEN AND BUILD A SCARECROW

Grow a pizza garden: Kids can grow the fresh ingredients for pizza sauce – a couple of tomato plants, one each of basil, rosemary and oregano, plus half a dozen onions (use onion sets, which are small onion bulbs) and one green and one red pepper plant. Buy plants in spring, but don’t transplant into garden until all danger of frost is past. Help kids prepare the soil. For fun, make the bed round or wedge shaped, and edge it with orange or yellow marigolds to resemble crust. At harvest time, buy plain pizza crust or pizza dough, and help kids cook up a sauce using garden fresh ingredients. Top the pizza crust with sauce, diced peppers and the usual pepperoni and cheese. How proud they will be to have grown their own pizza sauce!

Build a scarecrow: Collect adult-sized old clothing – an old plaid shirt, a vest or jacket, a pair of jeans, old gloves (for the hands), and boots or socks (for the feet). Use straw, leaves or rags as stuffing. For a frame, use two pieces of wood, one stake tall enough for the height of clothing with 1 ½ feet extra to pound into ground. Cut the shorter stake the length of the shirt with arms stretched out. Nail the boards in a cross-like form. Stuff pillowcase for the head first and tie up the round part with string, then pull the open-ended pillow fabric over the vertical stake and secure string. For facial features, kids can use waterproof markers, or help them sew on buttons for eyes and nose. Fasten a straw hat with safety pins. Put the shirt onto the frame, do up the buttons and add the stuffing, tying the shirt’s waist so stuffing stays in place. Pin or tie ends of pants and stuff. Use a belt through the loops to attach jeans to the stake and shirt. Use safety pins if necessary. Prop leg ends into boots or stuffed socks, and pin stuffed gloves to ends of the shirt arms. Presto, you have a fun scarecrow decoration for the kids’ garden.

Mother’s Day

happy_mothers_day-300x222Mother’s Day is being celebrated on May 12th all over the United States.

It is an annual holiday that recognizes mothers, motherhood and maternal bonds in general, as well the positive contributions that they make to society. In the United States it is celebrated on the second Sunday in May but in other parts of the world,Mother’s Day is celebrated at various dates.