Well, today was an interesting day. After getting 98% on my tests at school, I thought going to the DMV would be a good thing to get my CDIP license, but I have to wait for my SSN card to arrive before they will allow me to take the test. That is unfortunate, that I need an ID without a photo to prove my SSN even though I have a US government ID with my SSN ID on it. Talk about weird, but I guess I will have to wait before I can drive. I need an ID without my picture in order to move forward. Shame that the US government is not trusted by Homeland Security these days. Maybe the Nazi's were correct, you must know someone in order to move forward, the rest of the government is not to be trusted, especially if they were prior military. Shame really, they should be the ones you trust, but, heh, 9/11 really distorted everyone here in America I guess.

Found this in today's USA paper: "Utah: Eagle Mountain — The Utah Department of Transportation is testing a new type of snow fencing along in western Utah County along State Route 73 about 40 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. UDOT said that if the fencing better controls snowdrift, it could be used elsewhere in the county." - This will be nice if it works as snowdrift is very dangerous on the road.

Interesting, the e-Edition for the USA newspaper is $9.99/month if you subscribe to the web edition but if you want the Nook or Kindle edition then it is $11.99/month. I think I will stick to the web edition, the only difference that I can see is that the Kindle/Nook editions have no ads and are black and white while the web edition is an image of the actual paper. Not sure if I can save the web edition for offline viewing though, still need to check that out.

Note: I started Roadmasters yesterday as Monday was a holiday. They are good in the fact that they are focusing on the actual skills you need, as well as the regulations. I think this is the best reason for going there vice elsewhere, extra practice behind the wheel. Also, they are certified to give the practical portion of the CDL tests, which is definitely a time saver.

Finally started my first day at Roadmasters Drivers School. Still trying to get my teaching credentials, but there are some CDL teaching positions that pay well and I need a CDL-A with HazMat endorsement in order to get the job. I love to teach and that type of job would be great. The pay is great too (e.g. $52,000/year). I am still going to finish my social work and education degrees, but I think I will go after this CDL Instructor/Trainer first. At least this will increase my resume listings that is directly linked to teaching, and will improve my chances of getting on at Salt Lake Community College as a CDL instructor. I am still open to any trainer position with any trucking company too, but this should get me closer to what I am after the quickest.

This Boy's Life - Family & Parenting - Your Life - MSN Lifestyle

This Boy's Life - Family & Parenting - Your Life - MSN Lifestyle:

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This is an excellent article about one family's experience with ADHD. We can relate as we have two such kids. One we have been able to help and direct fairly well but the younger still requires a lot of work. Being 5 and ADHD is definitely an interesting combination.

Amazon Prime Service

Just signed up to try out Amazon's Instant Video (Prime) service.  I have 30-days free trial and I can watch this via my PC or via my Blue Ray player. Haven't found an app yet for android but I am still looking for. It should be pretty good service for me to watch while I am on the road. I will also have Comcast TV and On Demand that I can watch via my PC, so I don't think I will need to obtain any films for viewing on the road, but you never know. 

HTC EVO View 4G™

HTC EVO View 4G™: Feast your eyes on the HTC EVO View 4G - the first tablet powered by Android™ 2.3 (Gingerbread) on the Sprint 3G/4G network. The EVO View 4G pla...

This may be the route I take as I am looking at going with Sprint. However, I may have to wait until after I save up the money and start off with a smartphone and use my existing MacBook. But, my laptop is old and will need to be replaced in the near future. I like the Mac laptops, but they are expensive and I might be able to install the new OS X Lion onto a newer laptop that is running Windows 7 in a virtual environment or dual boot. That would make it the best of both worlds. Still looking into the laptop thing though, but I think I will need a laptop, a tablet, and a smartphone to do what I need to do.

Hot Tablets for the Holidays

Hot Tablets for the Holidays

Has good review of tablets and it was interesting to note that Amazon's Kindle Fire only lets you use the Apps via Amazon's site and not the general Android Marketplace. I may have to rethink the tablet purchase thing.

Why we do not put metal in a microwave oven...

I found this video on YouTube and it does a pretty good job of showing you why you should not put metal in a microwave over. Look at the sparks generated as the microwaves interact with the aluminum foil of the JiffyPop popcorn container.

Keepers of the Internet face their greatest challenges ever - CNN.com

Keepers of the Internet face their greatest challenges ever - CNN.com:

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I like the fact that they are looking at interplanetary internet options, as that will become the next major hurdle. We must be able to communicate over vast distances and we need to be able to do so reliably as we continue our exploration of space. It will also help speed things up here at home too as a result, and that is definitely a boon.

The future of war: Far-out battle tech - CNN.com

The future of war: Far-out battle tech - CNN.com:

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Although no one wants war, the best part about DARPA is that the technology bleeds over into the civilian sector. Many of these technologies will spark innovation as they are adapted to non-military uses. The plan is great in that it may revolutionize transportation, especially in metropolitan areas where land is scarce for the building of runways.

Driving drowsy as dangerous as driving drunk, studies show – - CNN.com Blogs

Driving drowsy as dangerous as driving drunk, studies show – - CNN.com Blogs:

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In addition to drowsy driving, I would add distracted driving - both interfere with you being able to stay abreast of your situation (e.g. situational awareness) and can lead to accidents and/or death. It is best to get sufficient rest before you drive. As I will be a truck driver, this will be a major concern and I can get sufficient sleep as well as make my destinations. Just remember, you cannot do an all nighter and expect a single night's sleep to restore you back to normal. It usually takes me three days to recover from a single late night, and it gets worse the older I get. Found that getting a regular nights sleep every night keeps me more alert and I feel less stressed out during the day.

Feed America's hungry (and their pets), says nonprofit group - CNN.com

Feed America's hungry (and their pets), says nonprofit group - CNN.com:

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Animals are family too. We have two dogs (Luna and Gidget) and two cats (Shadow and Phantom) and when we are stressed, they seem to always know when we need loving too, and they give it unconditionally. They help keep me sane when things are crazy. In seeing other families and their pets, I have noticed the same type of relationship, the pets have become a part of the family. Therefore, when a family is in need, so too are their pets, and we need to help those pets as well as the people. Things are tough in our family right now but I am returning to work as a truck driver so that I will have money to feed my family and to be able to keep a roof over our heads. While on the road I will be trying to complete my degree in education and in social work. With both of these degrees I should be able to get work in almost any geographic location. I still want a farm and would like to be able to have my own business being run from there where I can have kids and others come in, learn a trade, become a part of our family, and then to go out into the world and succeed. A little getting back to Earth I think can be very therapeutic, but it does take money to get started. Well, here is to a new year, may it be prosperous and filled with joy.

Scientist creates lifelike cells out of metal | MNN - Mother Nature Network http://ping.fm/OonK4

Scientist creates lifelike cells out of metal | MNN - Mother Nature Network

Scientist creates lifelike cells out of metal | MNN - Mother Nature Network:

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This is an excellent first step. If we can learn how to create functional cells, we may have the first step towards an organic technology that will permit us to do things like making self regenerating space craft for space exploration or self healing domes on other planets that do not have Earth-like atmospheres. It would also be nice if we could figure out how to create a self renewal energy cell where you could feed it material froms space or on other planets that are common place to produce energy that we need to survive. Of course, it will also be one step further in understanding life. The Supreme Architect of the Universe made many things, but I am willing to bet that Carbon-based life forms are not the only form of life in existence. Goes to truly show the vast scale of our creator and the infinite diversity in infinite combinations that make life really fascinating. Now, if we could create peace and prosperity for all then we will have made a vast step forward.

New Blog Dream non-Apple Laptop System - Was looking for a laptop system that I would be able to use as a power hous... http://ow.ly/1gmkVJ

Boy badly burned while trying to build fire for marshmallows

Boy badly burned while trying to build fire for marshmallows

This is interesting and sad to hear about. First, you do not use a gasoline can to start a fire with. Second, a small fire works better than a large one if you want to melt marshmallows or you could use a microwave to do it. We were going to light a Yule fire last night, but the boys were not listening well enough for me to do this. Therefore, we post poned the annual Yule Fire until tonight. If the boys behave, then we will have this family tradition tonight. Now, to build a safe fire, you do not need gasoline, but you do need some kindling, and a match works just fine for lighting this. You can also obtain a small fire-starter (which is a mini fire log) at your local supermarket to start the fire. I've used this and it works very well indeed. Hopefully the boy learns from his mistake and heals quickly. Burns are never fun. I just pray that it does NOT get infected.

FLDS exodus prompts call for 'foster homes'

FLDS exodus prompts call for 'foster homes'

These kids need our help. As a foster parent, I can honestly say that helping kids in need has been a real blessing. We have learned a lot from the kids in our care and while we are seeking to adopt the ones in our current care, we will continue to offer foster care for as many kids as we can help. They deserve so much more than we can humbly provide, but we do the best we can with what we have. Our doors are always open to all of our kids, and that is the bottom line - we will always consider all of the kids that have come through our home as part of our family, for now and always. May you all have a Merry Christmas, Happy Yule and Happy New Year!

3-year-old girl dies after brother shoots BB gun

3-year-old girl dies after brother shoots BB gun

Incidents such as this only goes to prove that people do NOT understand that any gun is NOT a toy, and this includes BB and Pellet guns. You should never, ever, point a gun at someone - not even in jest as tragedies such as this constantly occurs because we have not instilled this simple fact in the minds of our youth. As long as we think that it is cute for people to pretend to harm others with pretend guns, bombs, etc, this type of incident will just continue. We need to instill safety and the proper respect for weapons of all kinds in our youth and society in general. Guns are beautiful tools, but they are a two-edged sword - they can benefit us or they can harm us depending upon how they are used. We need to be sure that we instill this distinction in our youth; and a good hunter safety course coupled with this type of distinction is a good start. Why not redirect them from playing with guns into something more creative, like building and exploring things in their environment? Anyone up for a little kitchen chemistry - like making cookies?

Mormons told to reference church by formal name

Mormons told to reference church by formal name:

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Although understandable, this only goes to show how prevalent ignorance is in the populace. Encouraging the use of the formal name will help, but NOT by itself. They need to educate the populace about ALL faiths, as it is only through knowledge that the viel of ignorance can be lifted. People need to realize that there are many faiths and that all of them have splinter groups that break off when they disagree with the main body. This is normal and has happened throughout history all over the world. However, only education will resolve the problem, but it has to be done properly. The populace is currently ignorant of its own society, let alone its place in the world. People need to learn and understand all belief systems on the planet if we wish to dispel ignorance and improve communications and relationships with others on our planet. We are all a single race, and whatever you call the Supreme Deity, we are all interconnected and ignorance is the enemy of us all. Promote education and always strive to learn something new every day. Then we can prevail against ignorance and become better people.

Police arrest two suspected of stealing Christmas presents; another at large

Police arrest two suspected of stealing Christmas presents; another at large

It is a shame that the current economic times has caused people to resort to crime of this sort. My family has been strapped for cash due to loss of a job, but that is still no reason to go out and steal from others. In this specific case, the perpetrator alleges needing the money to make a car payment, maybe he should let the car be repossessed and they should start taking public transportation. If the job was a typical layoff and not a result of the person being fired for something they did wrong, then they should apply for unemployment insurance. Also, they can donate plasma twice a week to earn some extra cash too, so it isn't so hopeless that they have to target another families Christmas gifts being mailed to them. I think these suspects have forgotten or never new the real meaning of Christmas/Yule/and other Winter Festivals for this time of year.

Court ruling declares a fetus a minor child in wrongful death lawsuits

Court ruling declares a fetus a minor child in wrongful death lawsuits

This is a good ruling in that NOW if a woman looses a child due to violence (e.g. a perpetrator punching the woman in the abdomen while pregnant) that results in the child being lost, then the perpetrator can now be held accountable. While this is a good move, work still needs to be done to be sure that it doesn't turn into a law that discriminates against women that have spontaneous abortions, which the woman has no control over. Now comes the hard part, enforcing this going forward and ensuring that no improper precedents are set.

Jesus' Birthday 22Dec2011

Yesterday Jesus turned a whopping five (5) years old.  As usual the day started off with three boys bouncing all around and playing (Jason our grandson was here). They all were playing camping or something like that in Juan's room. They had blankets setup like tents and they seem to be having fun. Unlike other mornings, it took them until almost 10 am before they decided that they were hungry enough to come to the kitchen table for breakfast. There, at Jesus's request, they had AppleJacks cereal for breakfast. Afterwards, they played a lot, until Colleen got up and they became hungry again. We fed them bagels with peanut butter and jelly (another of Jesus's favorites) and then they played some more while I took a phone call from Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.  Afterwards, we all got bundled up to go out. We first stopped and got pizza for dinner (again a favorite of Jesus) and ate that while out on our trip. Then we went over to an Education store where we were able to get a gift for Jesus. We got him a Magnetic Match Ring game, which he loved playing with at HeadStart and with his therapist.   After this we went over to Gardner Village to see the elves, pick up a treat for their Xmas stocking, and to have Jesus pick up his gift with the money he received from Grandma/Grandpa Hughes. Jesus picked up a musical top, which kept him entranced.  After this, as it was getting late, we returned home.

I was able to give Colleen her lump of coal (coal shaped bubble gum), and I was able to locate the life savers story books to give to the boys. After this, as I was tuckered out and needed more sleep, we all went to bed.  All in all, it was a good day, but we all were very tired as we didn't get much sleep the night before.

On a side note, I was able to plant the Happy Holiday's beans that I got for Colleen. Can't wait for it to come up, as the message will be displayed on the sides of the bean as it moves up the plant's stalk.  The boys were too excited to participate in the ritual, but I did it anyway. Now all I need is a couple of more plants to plant the Good Luck and Hope beans.

I have pictures, but these will have to wait until I can get them uploaded to the computer so that I can post them here in this blog.

NPR : Calls for more Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse

NPR : National Public Radio:

'via Blog this'

This story brings up an interesting point, making more laws will not solve the problem (as results in 18 states are mixed). Also, someone has to pay for the investigations, which will mean more taxes and even false reports will cause undue harm to the families investigated. The simple act of reporting someone for possible child abuse or pedophilia, even if proven false, is enough to ruins someones life. There are documented cases of people that were good teachers that were let go simply because of a report of possible activity, even though the investigation proved the allegation to be false. The stigma still hurts people. What we need is for people to quit being apathetic when they see this type of activity and to actually do something about it. We do not need the laws to do this, we need to educate people on how to properly detect this and then how to report it. If this is done, we should get better results. However, this too will cost money, but it is an excellent niche market for someone to start up a nonprofit business to educate and assist people in this area.

2011 Crossroads Youth Service Christmas Party

Hello All,

Last night we had the annual Christmas party for Crossroads Youth Services, the proctor agency that we are currently using to help us in assisting children in states care. The party was held at:

Trafalga Fun Center

1320 North 300 West, Lehi, Utah 84043 | 801.766.4386

Here is a Google map of the location for this place.

View Larger Map

We all had fun here and we all won prizes. Additionally, Jesus and Juan received presents from Crossroads and received some additional shirts and stocking hats.  We all ate pizza, which surprisingly was pretty good.  we received a lot of help and gifts to wrap up for the boys, so we will have more stuff to put under the tree for Christmas Day, provided neither boy tries to sneak in and get these. At the moment, Jesus is trying to cajole these out of us.  He hasn't succeeded yet, but he is trying.  Before leaving Trafalga we let the boys play some of the games there, and each of them won enough tickets to get some prizes. Unfortunately, they were getting tired and they were getting cranky by the time we left, especially Jesus. I swear that boy doesn't think before he speaks, and when he is mad, his choice of words leaves much to be desired. In any case, they were having fun here, but I think in the future I would want them to come earlier in the day so that they are a bit more rested.

After leaving Trafalga we drove down to South Jordan to pick up Jason, our grandson, to bring him back home. He went with his Dad for a Xmas activity with his grandmother (I believe). From here we returned home and put the kids to bed.  I made some popcorn and started to watch the Polar Express, but was too tired myself, so after 20 minutes I went to bed.

All in all, it was a nice end to the day. As soon as I get the pictures off of my phone, which is being problematic at the moment, I will go ahead and get the pictures put in this blog or in the Flickr photostream.  Until then, have a Happy Holiday!

SPARK - Mentoring kids to help them stay in school and see how education is applied

This is an excellent video to watch. It shows that the current dropout rate in the United States is 28%, but with the SPARK program this rate drops to a mere 2%.  Mentorship provides the means of showing kids how their education is applied.  Of course, by changing how you teach and providing content for the knowledge would definitely help a lot too.

Just like adults, kids are always asking what is in it for them? Why is this important? If you can provide the kids with the actual application of the knowledge, then you make the learning personal and it can get them involved.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

K-12 Going Virtual - & is available in Utah

The following is good information about virtual education for K-12.  The education can be just as good, if not better, but you will need to include life skills in the virtual environment and you MUST have parental involvement. Additionally, there should be regular checkups between child and teacher and notices to parents if the child doesn't log into the virtual environment to work on schoolwork.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Technology as an aide to learning

Here is an example of how technology can aid in the learning environment.  You will note that there is still one on one assistance and the whiteboard is still in use as well.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Technology, by itself, doesn't make for better education, old fashion teaching does.

Was watching the following video and I find it very interesting to note that they have almost 100% graduation rate. However, the education does cost more, and it doesn't use technology, but old school learning known as the Waldorf Method. It incorporates the application of knowledge and not just how to look something up online. Here is the video for you to view.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

QR-Code Generator

QR-Code Generator

This is a great utility for creating QR Codes, whether it be for a URL, text, SMS, or other information.

Education World: Christmas Around the World Lessons and Activities

Education World: Christmas Around the World Lessons and Activities

This is a good website for lesson plans regarding the holidays.

Phone shopping for nationwide coverage

So far, after searching all of the cell phone carriers, the best is still Sprint, with respect to cost for use. It is a shame though that their unlimited data only applies to cell phones and not to their tablets too. Means I have to use a smartphone to do my video conferencing but to use the whiteboard I will have to have a WiFi service so that I can do this service alongside using the phone.  Here is a copy of what I am proposing to get, it should cost me a bit less if the Sprint guys are correct in that Werner Enterprises offers a discount on these services.


Click here to view plan. This is in my Google Docs and is viewable online, it is in pdf format.

Found a free Whiteboard tool for collaboration

Found the following whiteboarding program, which is free, and interfaces with Skype so I can use these together for collaboration and to help my kids with their homework, even while I am on the road. The tool is Scriblar and is found at scribblar.com. Here is a basic intro video of this service.

108th Anniversary of Wright Brothers 1st flight

Today is the anniversary of the Wright Brothers first flight which lasted 12 seconds.  Here is a clip of that event.

HTC EVO™ 4G

HTC EVO™ 4G: That's right. The phone that captivated international trade show CTIA is here, and we've packed it full of features! A large vibrant 4.3 inch screen, ...

For the cost, this looks like a good phone. I would love the new Galaxy phone, but that is twice the cost of this one, but otherwise this looks like a good deal. Of course, the 3D model would be great, but like the Galaxy, it is double the cost. I will have to wait and see if I can get the 3D phone later as HD is moving into the 3D range, and the dual 5 MP cameras are nice, at least from all the reviews that I can find.

Eclipse - more Christmas Songs

Here is another song that we heard at the Eclipse concert.



Click here to view more postings on their YouTube account.

Eclipse Concert @ The Grande Theatre

On Thursday Debbi invited Colleen and I to a concert featuring Eclipse at the Grande Theatre at the South City Salt Lake Community College campus.  This was her Christmas gift to us and it was a divine one. This acappella group is local, and we never heard them before, but they were fabulous. They do have some of their stuff on YouTube and I am including a few of them below so that you can hear them.

To learn more about this group visit www.eclipsesingers.com

Bountiful Baskets - to pick up fruit/vegetables

This morning, at 6:30 a.m., Colleen, Thumper, Jesus and Juan all went to the Utah State Fairgrounds to pick up our order via Bountiful Baskets. It was a great deal, we god some potatoes, celery, avocados, bananas, grapes, corn on the cob,  grapefruit, a turnip, lettuce, and pears. It was a good deal for only $15 for the order.  It was cold this morning, but it was a nice family activity.

To learn more about Bountiful Baskets, please visit bountifulbaskets.org.  This is a volunteer coop and it can really help stretch your money when getting food, but you need to volunteer and this is an area that most people have a problem with, or so it seems. The more hands you have the faster things move.  We have been using it for awhile and I strongly encourage others to use it, as it is a great way to stretch those food dollars and it helps our local farmers to boot.

Drawing of Thumper by Jesus and Thumper

The following is a picture that Jesus and Thumper did while at Head Start. Jesus wrote his name and the basic body. Thumper added the hair, clothes and coffee mug.  It was a fun project that we worked on together.

Water Cycle by Juan - December 2011

This is the artwork that Juan did to describe the water cycle. He did a pretty good job, and I like the presentation that he did. The first image is the front and it opens up down the middle. The second image is the back and when you open up the paper you get the third image.

Art pieces from Juan - December 16, 2011

Here are some art pieces that Juan brought home.  For a nine (9) year old, he is very artistic. He made the first drawing from some items on a table and the second is an apple.  He is definitely talented.

Class A CDL Drivers Job in Salt Lake City 84170, Utah US

Class A CDL Drivers Job in Salt Lake City 84170, Utah US

This is a local job that I am evaluating, it would allow me to be home a lot, but not sure if 160 hours driving history is enough for them or if they want more hours. I have emailed them so I am awaiting for a reply from them.

~Thumper

Science Projects You Can Do With Your Kids

Citizen Science Projects - Best Citizen Science Projects For Kids - The Daily Green:

The above website has a lot of good information to instill an appreciation of science with your kids. It is also good in helping parents build that bond with them as well. It is also inexpensive, which is helpful in these times and economy.

Spiritualism and Love Music

This is a nice meditation piece, with a good beat. The only words I hear are spiritualism and love, which are good messages. Found this while searching YouTube and I enjoyed the music so I thought I would share it with all of you here.<p>
<iframe width="350" height="267" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lss5ilvWLJY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

New Blog UtahFutures.org - Report on Possible Occupation Matches http://ow.ly/1gbcCx

New Blog Doppleganger Affairs -- issue to watch for as it could mean problems http://ow.ly/1g9WsB

Juan's Dental Visit

Juan was being brave yesterday. Had to have three teeth fixed (cavities filled). He was very brave as he had to have a lot of shots to numb things up and it was in an area that normally doesn't numb up too well. He had teeth on both sides of his mouth, so he was having fun trying not to bite himself, needless to say he wasn't too successful on this part but there was no peep out of him during the whole processes. You would know he was stressed only if you listened to his breathing, otherwise he seemed cool as a cucumber.  With luck he won't need this kind of work again.

Shortbread Cookies kids can help make

Parenting Tips & Tricks for Christmas No. #1 – Cookies with Love

Here’s Tips & Tricks for Christmas No.1 – Cookies with Love.

It’s difficult to make something for someone as a gift and not feel the love – when it’s made by a child, it’s difficult not to feel the immense pride also!  I found this recipe online awhile back, but can't remember where I found it, but I made the cookies and they were divine and thought that I would share them here with everyone else, as everyone likes shortbread cookies and they are an easy cookie to make.

At a time of year when it’s all about giving and not receiving (but both is nice). Take time to wonder that giving a bit of yourself is ‘worth much more’ than the ring of cash registers and branded packaging.

Not only will these cookies taste divine (so melt in the mouth), the packaging is all up to you!  Box them, bag them, pretty tins complete them.  You will get a worthy smile from the recipient and although you will have saved a pretty penny – I’ll bet you will have earned much talk in your efforts to produce something ‘just a little bit different’.

This cookie recipe is easy enough for children to make, but good enough for everyone to eat.

My advice for the packaging is to use cellophane to line your boxes and tins for a really effective look (it also stops the cookies marking the bag/box as they contain butter). This is available from craft shops, florists and you might even get some down at popular supermarkets.

You could also put a few cookies in cellophane bags – these are most definitely available in supermarkets and also in craft shops in various sizes. Finish with curly ribbons and a home-made tag for a personal touch.

Ingredients:

• 6oz (150g) plain flour
• 4oz (100g) unsalted butter
• 2oz (50g) caster sugar

**To make the cookies more personal and fun to make, look at and eat you could add any one of the following to the mix after all of the above have been added and mixed. If you are experimenting and combining flavours, remember to reduce the amounts:

• Chocolate chips 2oz (50g)
• Coconut 2oz (50g)
• Raisins 2oz (50g)
• Chopped nuts 2oz (50g)
• Sugar strands 1oz (25g)
• Cocoa powder 1oz (25g)
• Peanut butter 1 tablespoon
• Cinnamon 1 teaspoon
• Sweeties (press into cookies before baking)
• Almond essence (add a few drops & stick whole almond on top before baking)

Tools:

• Fork to press cookies
• Bowl to mix
• 2 x baking sheets, lined with greaseproof paper
• Cooling rack
• Fingers for mixing  )

Method:

1. Set the oven 170 C/325 F.
2. Put all of the main ingredients (flour, butter, sugar) into the bowl and mix, rubbing between your thumbs and fingertips to blend.
3. **Add the additional flavours (if using) now.
4. When mix looks a bit like breadcrumbs, squeeze together to make a ball of dough.
5. Divide the ball into two (one for each large baking tray) and then pinch off smaller balls of dough and roll them into the size of a ping pong ball.
6. Place the balls onto the baking sheet, leaving room for them to spread and press down each one with the back of a fork (about 5mm high).
7. Bake for 15-20 mins (I do it for 17 mins) and then remove from oven, leave for 10 mins and then transfer to a rack to cool.

If you want to make shapes instead of simple rounds:

1. Flour the surface you are working on
2. Place the ball of dough on surface
3. Roll out using rolling pin (about 5mm thick)
4. Use cutters to make shapes
5. Reform the dough into a ball and repeat

To make iced cookies:

There are lots of designs available – google ‘iced Christmas cookies’. The basic way of preparing the icing is still the same though.

1. Mix 3 tablespoons of sieved icing (powdered) sugar with 3 teaspoons of water and mix to a smooth paste.
2. If adding colour, use a cocktail stick and apply a little at a time mixing thoroughly.
3. Apply icing mix to cooked and cooled cookies and allow mix to spread over cookie.
4. Add sprinkles (optional) and allow to set before eating.

Dealing With Stress In Children

This is just a short bulleted set of lists for dealing with stress in children.  Additional information can be obtained from your family doctor or from a variety of online sources.

Events that could cause stress in children:

• Death of a loved one
• Divorce
• Illness or hospitalization
• Moving/vacations
• Bullying from other children
• New baby
• Parent losing job
• New child care arrangements
• Fighting with peers or siblings.

Ways that children might react when they are stressed:

• Change in normal behavior
• Mood swings
• Temper tantrums
• More aggressive
• Clinging behaviors to people or objects
• Withdrawal
• Appetite changes
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Wetting or soiling
• Stomachaches or headaches

What children need when they are feeling stress:

• Normal routines
• Favorite rituals
• A peaceful environment
• Ample time with calm and loving reassuring adults
• Verbal assurance that they will be okay
• Physical hugs and snuggling
• Security blanket or "lovey."

Activities that relieve stress:

• Physical touch
• Clay or play dough
• Drawing or painting
• Soothing music
• Water play
• Talking to someone who cares
• Time with pets
• Familiar foods at meal times
• Children's literature, familiar stories and books
• Physical activity with few rules or structure. Running, chasing.

When do I keep my child home from school?

How can parents protect their children from getting sick?


First and foremost, get them vaccinated! In addition to getting vaccinated, including washing your hands often; covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough; avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth; and avoiding close contact with people who are sick.

Always keep your child home if...

• Runny nose: Thick or constant nasal drainage and if the drainage is not clear.
• Fever: Temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher for infants 6 months or younger and 101 degrees F for all other children. A child should be fever-free for 24 hours (without medicine) before returning to school.
• Bad Cough/Cold Symptoms: Coughing spreads infection; a cough that keeps your child up at night means he'll be tired the next day.
• Diarrhea or Vomiting: Keep child home for 24 hours after the last episode.
• Sore Throat/Mouth Sores: Minor sore throats are usually not a problem, but keep your child home if it is severe and possible contact a doctor.
• Earache: The child should see a doctor.
• Infected Eyes: Exclusion of 24 hours after treatment from doctor.
• Rash: A rash that is spreading. Check with your doctor to determine whether the rash is contagious before sending your child to school.

Additional information can be found by going to: http://www.pediatricsnow.com/