Author Archives: Lissa Eaton

It’s national sugar cookie day!

Sugar cookies are perfect for cutting out shapes with cookie cutters. Do it the easy way during the hot summer and purchase ready made dough in the freezer or refrigerator section of the grocery store.

Recipe:

  • Cream 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter with 2/3 cup sugar.
  • Beat in 1 egg.
  • Add 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
  • Chill 3-4 hours before rolling.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Spread a little flour on the counter to keep dough from sticking.
  • Roll 1/4 inch thick and cut into shapes using cookie cutters or a glass. Place on cookie sheet.
  • Bake 8-10 minutes or until slightly browned.
  • Allow to cool before eating.

photo by http://flickr.com/people/22334306@N02

Go to a Drive In Movie Tonight!

Related image

A blast from the past! Authentic 1950’s drive-in movie theater. Bring the entire family, including pets, for an evening of fun at the country’s only non-profit, community-owned drive-in movie theater.

Pack a picnic and a frisbee for some quality family time before the show starts.

Open tonight! Open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night, April-October.

In Lexington (Rockbridge County) Virginia located on Route 11, four miles north of town.

Use exit 55 from I-64; use exit 195 from I-95.

http://www.hullsdrivein.com/

 

 

Celebrate the Statue of Liberty today!

Statue of Liberty 7.jpg

The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the people of France in 1885 to recognize the French-American

cooperation during the American Revolution (War of Independence against Britain in 1776).

It stands 93 meters (305 feet) high in New York Harbor.

The seven rays on her crown represent the seven continents and seven seas of the world.

Look at a map with the children and find the seven continents and the seven seas.

Why do you think New York Harbor was chosen for the statue?

Click here for more history of the statue.

Do you and the children know where their families lived before they moved to the United States?

Ask your host parents to tell you about their family history. Explore the history with the children.

Make a family tree or find a book about the country where their family once lived.

Visit a zoo or aquarium this month!

Zoo and Aquarium Month

Visit your local zoo or aquarium or set up a pretend zoo with play animals and blocks. Invite the host parents to visit your pretend zoo. Read One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish or If I Ran the Zoo, both by Dr. Seuss. Encourage the children to make up their own animals and draw them. Think of all the animal sounds you can and play a game guessing what animal you are. You may find that the same animal says one thing in America and something quite different in your own country!

Find out more about the National Zoo at  http://nationalzoo.si.edu/

Meet an au pair

 

Image may contain: one or more people, people sitting, baby, child, outdoor and closeup

I had a wonderful time in America, it was the best decision I made in my life and I gained a lot as a person!

I had THE best family and they are like my second family now.  I visit them for holidays when I can and we share our news with each other often.  I miss the kids and I try to send a gift for their birthdays and call them on the phone…

I met a lot of nice people in the USA and made 2 really good friends who I know I will stay friends with forever (I am even going to be a bridesmaid for one of them).

One of my motivations to do the program was to improve my English and this worked as I now have a job in France where I talk English everyday!

Discovering the USA was amazing too – I miss a lot of places there.  This program gave me way more than I expected so thank you!

Joy

Merry Christmas!

Every family and culture has their own Christmas traditions. Try some of these ideas with the children:

Art Activities

  • On a BIG piece of paper draw a fireplace and a mantle. Make a paper stocking (two halves stapled together) decorate with glue and glitter, write the children’s names on them and “hang” them on your fireplace mural. Use catalogs to cut out toys to put in the stockings.
  • Cut out a tree from green construction paper. Decorate your tree with colored ornaments, glue and glitter. Pieces of ribbon or wrapping paper.

Books to Read

  • Cranberry Christmas by Wende and Harry Devlin
  • It’s Really Christmas by Lillian Hoban
  • The Christmas Doll by Wendy Parker
  • ABC Christmas by Ida DeLage
  • Santa Claus Forever by Carolyn Haywood
  • A Forest Christmas by Mayling Mack Holm
  • The Christmas Party by Adrienne Adams

A Fingerplay for Fun

Five Little Bells

    • Five little bells hanging in a row
    • (Hold up 5 fingers)
    • The first one said, “Ring me slow.”
    • (Move thumb slowly)
    • The second one said, “Ring me fast.”
    • (Wiggle index finger)
    • The third one said, “Ring me last.”
    • (Move middle finger)
    • The fourth one said, “I’m like a chime.”
    • (Move ring finger.)
    • And the fifth one said, “Ring us all. It’s Christmastime!”
    (Wiggle all 5 fingers)

 

Meet an au pair!

Image may contain: 2 people, people smiling, tree, outdoor, water and closeup

This is what Paola wrote on her flight home after a year as an au pair:

“A year ago when I arrived in the USA, everything was so strange, so different, I never thought I would get used to it that fast, I never thought time was going to go by that fast.

So many things were in my head, so many plans and things to do in one year, which I thought was not enough, now I know that it was more than enough.

I had time to get to know my host family and think of them as my own family. Time to meet people, friends that are now like my family, friends that I know I’ll see again and that I’ll never forget. Vacation time, Orlando with my real family, the best trip with them. The cruise with my new sister, the best trip I’ve ever been on. Time to party like I’ve never partied before. Time to study, to shop, to make small trips.

Being in another country makes you learn about other cultures and traditions, but this program made me meet so many people from so many different countries and let me learn a bit about their culture and traditions.

During this year I changed a lot. I improved my English, I grew up as a person, now I think before I talk or act, I’m more responsible, I help others more than I used to, I appreciate everything I have, I love my family even more because you never know when you’re going to lose them. I smile a lot, and I think the most important thing is that I live my life as much as I can.

My year is over and even though I knew this was coming I can’t believe that day is here…

Just like when I came here, I have a lot of things going round in my head, will I see all the people I met here again and will my host kids remember me in years to come?

I have made some plans for my future, but this time I’m not going to worry so much about that, I’m just going to let destiny work – I’m going to work really hard to get what I want and to achieve all my goals.

A year with no regrets, a year I’ll never forget…

Paola, Au Pair in Altanta, Georgia.”