happy thanksgiving!

We made our own turkey place cards for the big Thanksgiving dinner held at our home. Sean loves to have his hand traced so I traced it on to black paper (couldn't find the more standard brown for a turkey). This was the turkey's body- really? I then cut out feathers which Sean happily glued on. Names were added and the cards were placed on each napkin along with a Malley's chocolate leaf. My three year old was proud of his contribution to the celebration.

discARTed

The West Woods Nature Center is sponsoring a recycled art exhibit that is displayed indoors throughout the center. Sean was impressed by the musical instruments. Ever since he made a drum out of an empty Quaker Oats box and a kazoo from a toilet paper tube, he has been stashing used items because "we can recycle this and make a musical instrument!" Thank you, Mrs. Pickett for not only encouraging a love of literature but for providing a can't-miss-it Story Time at the Bainbridge Public Library. The integration of reading, dance and art during these story times is so stimulating to Sean and the preschool set.

You don't have to go to the West woods just for discARTed. Go for a hike in the wetlands and forest, picnic in the shelters, ride your horse and search Ansel's Cave. Check out the Green Roof and see if you can identify the plants that have taken root there. Go inside the Nature Center and learn about native species of plants, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. Quiz yourself at the interactive stations. Crawl through a hollow log and play with stuffed animals. Put on a puppet show. Try to identify trees by their bark. Hours can be spent here by people of

all ages. It is certainly a year round destination.

charm school

can you tell me how to get...

Sunny Day
Sweepin' the clouds away
On my way to where the air is sweet

Can you tell me how to get,
How to get to Sesame Street

Come and play
Everything's A-OK
Friendly neighbors there
That's where we meet

Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Sesame Street

It's a magic carpet ride
Every door will open wide
To Happy people like you--
Happy people like
What a beautiful

Sunny Day
Sweepin' the clouds away
On my way to where the air is sweet

Can you tell me how to get,
How to get to Sesame street...
How to get to Sesame Street
How to get to...

Happy 40th Sesame Street!

why is the sky blue?

Sean's first word or rather words were "good girl". I suppose I over emphasized positive reinforcement for Maggie, our Golden Retriever, former spoiled baby of the house. Maybe it was the teacher in me. Maybe peacekeeper.

Fast forward three years and the words are now sentences, paragraphs and questions. A three year old sure is inquisitive. "Why does that dinosaur tail have spikes?" "Why is it getting so dark outside?" "Why are there so many acorns?" Why, why, why.

I miss Wondertime Magazine. You can still access various articles here but they are lumped in with Family Fun. One monthly feature was "Tell Me Why" in which a question was posed, followed by a child's answer, an expert's answer, and then "How to Explain it to Kids". Wondertime was truly unique in understanding kids and inspiring parents.

So, here's a new resource for those questions posed by kids. Whyzz. Questions are found under categories: nature, science, world, human body, animals, serious issues and creativity and imagination. You can comment on an answer, like it, print it, send it to a friend, look up related questions and even experiment.