Homemade PlayDough Have Fun!

KIDS PEANUT BUTTER PLAYDOUGH

Alternative to Peanut Butter Playdough (Edible)
This is good for kids who want the peanut butter playdough but are allergic to milk found in other peanut butter playdough recipes.
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp honey
• ½ cup flour
Mix all together.

Peanut Butter
Powdered MilkHoney(a bit of flour for consistency)
1 cup. peanut butter
2/3-1 cup. nonfat dry milk
2 tbsp. honey
Mix ingredients. Add enough powdered milk to make playdough dry enough to handle. Shape into balls. Add raisins to make a face. Or stir in chow mein noodles and make a bird's nest. Or stir in Cheerios or chocolate chips for fun. Eat and enjoy!

Oatmeal Play Dough
Step 1Mix 1 cup of flour with 2 cups of oatmeal.
Step 2Add 1 cup of water to the mix and stir until the dough is pliable.
Step 3Put more flour into the mixture if it is too thin or more water if it is too thick.
Step 4Allow the mixture to dry. This dough can be painted once it hardens and dries.

"Play Dough" Not Edible
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup water
Mix well until it forms a ball. Knead add food coloring if desired. If sticky add some flour and if to dry add a small amount of water.

Cinnamon Dough
1 Cup Applesauce
1 Cup Cinnamon
Mix well if sticky add more cinnamon if to dry add more apple sauce ...knead well. Cut with cookie cutters to make ornaments let air dry. These may be painted.

Jello Playdough (Nonedible)
• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup salt
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp cooking oil
• 1-3,1/2 oz. pkg unsweetened jello

Mix all ingredients together in a medium sized saucepan and cook over medium heat. Stir constantly until consistency of mashed potatoes. Let cool and knead with floured hands until dry. Allow the dough to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container or plastic bag.

My son with Autism

I wasn't to sure if I wanted to share my story but as I google Autism I realize that Autism affects about 1 in every 150 children. I felt that I was the only one with an Autism child, but I'm not alone. I was so unaware of Autism, I didn't know anything. What was normal and what wasn't. When My son Mauricio Jr. was born he was born healthy a boy. When he turned two years old I got concerned about him not speaking. The only word he could say is Spongebob. He started to enjoy spinning the wheels of toy cars, lining things, pulling me by my hand when he wanted something, and temper tantrums. My doctor told me he should be able to say a lot more. I was recommended to an early intervention program. The first visit I was told they had concerns but they couldn't give me an answer. The second visit they diagnosed him with Autism, I cried because I couldn't believe it. He is my only son and all this time I thought he was normal just had a delay on speaking. I end up finding out it was more than that, they told me he has no motor skills, no social skills, and no communication skills. Autism is a life long disorder and It's scary. My advice for mothers are if you feel something is not normal talk to your doctor as son as posible. They can diagnose Autism as early as18 months old, and there is help. I don't know what to expect or how my son's future going to be but with love and help he will be fine.

Michael Jackson Tribute Poem: Our Inspirational Song

As an artist Michael Jackson inspired me in so many ways, through the passion he had for his art, through the perfection with which he performed his art and most of all through his inspirational songs and messages. Like millions of Michael Jackson fans around the world I am saddened by the death of Michael Jackson, but I console myself with the fact that he will forever live on in his music. This is a poem tribute to Michael Jackson and his inspirational life and songs.



Michael Jackson
Poster
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Our Inspirational Song: A Michael Jackson Tribute Poem
By Injete Chesoni

You lit up the world with your dancing feet
And your sparkling glove
Now that you are gone
You light up our hearts with your un-dying love
Conveyed to us in your inspirational songs
Embraced by your music
We are Not Alone

It matters not if we are
Black or White
Our dreams can forever take flight
Soaring in inspiration
We can Heal the World
Spurred along by your inspiring words

When we look at the Man in the Mirror
We can believe that if we Keep the Faith
Our mission will be clearer
So let us join together and sing
One Earth Song
To help Heal this World
Before we are gone.
Thank-you Michael Jackson
For being our inspirational song.

To All Michael Jackson Fans: Never ever stop dreaming and to paraphrase Michael Jackson, "Live your life Dancing the Dream." "Let us dream of tomorrow where we can truly love from the soul, and know love as the ultimate truth at the heart of all creation." (Inspiring Message from Dream, Michael Jackson poster).


Michael Jackson: Dream
Art Print
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My Best Inspirational Songs By Michael Jackson:
Heal the world
Man in the mirror
Black or White
You Are Not Alone
Earth Song
Keep the Faith

Michael Jackson MP3 Downloads and Songs at Amazon.com

Living with Autism

Living with Autism

People with autism have challenges in the areas of communication, socialization and restricted/repetitive behaviors. A few examples:
Communication
Development of language is significantly delayed
Some do not develop spoken language
Experience difficulty with both expressive and receptive language
Difficulty initiating or sustaining conversations
Robotic, formal speech
Repetitive use of language
Difficulty with the pragmatic use of language
Socialization
Difficulty developing peer relationships
Difficulty with give and take of social interactions
Lack of spontaneous sharing of enjoyment
Impairments in use and understanding of body language to regulate social interaction
May not be motivated by social reciprocity or shared give-and-take
Restricted/Repetitive Behavior
Preoccupations atypical in intensity or focus
Inflexibility related to routines and rituals
Stereotyped movements
Preoccupations with parts of objects
Impairments in symbolic play

What Exactly is Autism?

What Exactly is Autism?

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or autism is a developmental disability considered the result of a neurological condition affecting normal brain function, development and social interactions. Children and adults with autism find it difficult or impossible to relate to other people in a meaningful way and may show restrictive and/or repetitive patterns of behavior or body movements. While great strides are being made, there is no known cause, or a known singular effective treatment for autism.

There are five developmental disorders that fall under the Autism Spectrum Disorder umbrella and are defined by challenges in three areas: social skills, communication, and behaviors and/or interests.

Autistic Disorder occurs in males four times more than females and involves moderate to severe impairments in communication, socialization and behavior.

Autism signs.

Not speak as well as his or her peers?
Have poor eye contact?
Not respond selectively to his or her name?
Act as if he or she is in his or her own world?
Seem to “tune others out?”
Not have a social smile?
Seem unable to tell you what he or she wants, preferring to lead you by the hand or get desired objects on his or her own, even at risk of danger?
Have difficulty following simple commands?
Not bring things to you simply to “show” you?
Not point to interesting objects to direct your attention to objects or events of interest?
Have unusually long and severe temper tantrums?
Have repetitive, odd, or stereotypic behaviors?
Show an unusual attachment to inanimate objects, especially hard ones (e.g., flashlight or a chain vs. teddy bear or blanket)?
Prefer to play alone?
Demonstrate an inability to play with toys in the typical way?
Not engage in pretend play (if older than age 2)?

Environment Poem: On Water Conservation

Water Drop Image Courtesy of:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Water_drop_001.jpg

Now The Taps Are Dry
(An Environment Poem by Maureen Injete Chesoni)

She told us to plant trees,
and we paid her no heed
And now the taps are dry.
They released
a water rationing schedule today
A water conservation measure
they say,
Because the taps are dry.

We should have rationed our greed
And paid her heed
When she told us not to cut down forest trees
But we did not see the wisdom of her pleas
And now the taps are dry.

We thought that the price of food was high,
Until we had to choose what to buy,
Food or the liquid of life?
Yesterday I had to explain to my daughter,
that the choice was between food and water,
Now that our taps are dry.

Who would have thought
That the day would come,
When we would stand under God’s glorious sun
And buy water by the gallon.
We cannot say that we did not see it coming,
Because she gave us ample warning
That soon the day would be dawning,
When we would wake up one morning
And find that our taps were dry.

So now we are taking conservation measures,
A little too late
We are reclaiming our treasures,
That were squandered and plundered
To suit the whims of a few.
We lacked forethought,
And we should have fought,
Just as she taught,
To protect the liquid of life.
We should have been as far-sighted as she,
Who told us not to cut down trees,
Then perhaps today we would not be crying
Over the fact that our taps are drying.

Design and Buy Your Own Environmental t-shirts and Environment Posters
If you are passionate about environmental conservation or just want to get your message across consider designing your own environmental t-shirts and environment posters at Zazzle.com. If you are not much of an artist you can buy environmental t-shirts and posters designed by others.

Conserve Water t-shirt by holiday_tshirts
Design a Custom Shirt with www.Zazzle.com

Conservation Books and The Inspiration For This Poem
This poem was inspired by the current water shortage crisis been experienced in Kenya. There is nothing like personal experience to drive a point home. My taps have literally been running dry for the past two weeks. The "She" alluded to in this poem is the 2004, Nobel Peace Prize Winner Wangari Maathai who is a native of Kenya. She dedicated her life to educating Kenyans on the importance of planting trees and was often persecuted for her efforts to save forests. You can read about Wangari Maathai and her conservation efforts in her memoir Unbowed. If you are committed to taking action you can read more about how to conserve water here.

Remembering My Father's Favorite Inspirational Poems

I was writing a blog post on grieving and in the course of my writing I remembered my late father. He loved books, poetry and quotes and I remembered two of his favorite inspirational poems, If by Rudyard Kipling and Don't Quit by an unknown author. They are both wise and inspiring poems so I would like to share them in this blog post.

If, Kipling, Rudyard
Art Print
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IF (Inspirational Poem by Rudyard Kipling)

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Don't Quit Art Print
Chiu, T. C.
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DON'T QUIT (Inspirational Poem, Author Unknown)

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

- Author unknown

10 Ways You Can Exercise At Home Without Any Equipment

Walking – If the weather is nice, it’s wonderful to get outside and enjoy the scenery around you while you exercise. However, if the weather has other ideas, you can just as easily get an effective walking workout at home. If you have a flight of stairs, go up and down them a few times. (You could even grab a load of laundry as you’re going that way anyway!) This will help to tone up your legs, while getting some low impact aerobic exercise as well. If you don’t have any stairs available, just walk around the house a few times – it may not be very exciting, but it will do the job!

Jumping Jacks – These are always fun, as they bring back memories of being a kid! Who hasn’t done jumping jacks for fun as a child? Well, surprise – they are also great cardio exercises, and good for warming up, too.

Pushups – These are probably not the most favorite exercise of many people, but while they can be hard to do, you can find easier ways to do them. You don’t need to pretend you’re “Rocky”, and do them with one hand; just do what works for you. Do them on your knees, instead of keeping your legs straight. Or, do them standing up against a wall. You will be building up arm strength and working out muscles in your chest area.

Leg Lifts – These are great for building up strength and muscles in your legs. If you find it hard to do the exercises with your legs straight, try bending them slightly.

Crunches – The best exercise for building up and strengthening abdominal muscles. When you’re just getting started, don’t worry about getting your head all the way up. So long as you’re going up until you feel the stretching of the muscles, you will see some benefit.

Jogging In Place – Jogging is a great exercise for your heart. You can jog in place at home while watching TV or listening to music. The only equipment you will require is a good pair of shoes, to eliminate any stress to your legs.

Squats – These are wonderful exercises for your legs and buttocks. You can even just try these by sitting and standing up again from a regular chair, if you’re finding them to be too difficult. As long as you’re able to do a few repetitions, you will be providing some benefit to your body.

Light Weight Lifting – No, you don’t need to go out and buy expensive weights for this! Just use whatever you can find in your house. Start out with something lighter, such as a can of peas, and work yourself up to heavier items. You can use milk jugs, laundry detergent bottles or even water jugs.

Dancing – Dancing is a wonderful exercise, which is great for your heart. Not only that, but it can lift your spirits as well, and give your overall feeling a boost.

Step Exercises – Using the steps in your home, you can do repetitions which will tone your leg muscles.

Beachside Baby Pool

CRAFT MATERIALS:
Small inflatable wading pool
Umbrella
Toys

1. Set a small inflatable wading pool under an umbrella and fill it with toys and ocean water. Little ones will still get the full beach experience -- in wave-free miniature -- and older siblings can busy themselves fetching buckets of brine.

Ocean Craft

BOTTLE 'EM

This mini ocean made major waves with our kid testers, who loved to send the shells, sand, and water tossing and tumbling. The project starts with a clean plastic bottle (ours is an 18-ounce beverage container). Pour in 1/4 cup of sand and add a handful of small shells (we used ten). Mix a drop of green and a drop of blue food coloring into 6 cups of water, then use the tinted water to fill the bottle halfway. Add a pinch of silver glitter. Fill the rest of the bottle with mineral or baby oil, leaving as little air space at the top as possible. Run a line of hot glue around the inside of the bottle cap, then quickly screw on the cap to create a spill-proof seal.

Who needs a babysitter! So Cute!!!!

Michael Jackson Memorial Service

Michael Jackson Memorial Service
MICHAEL JACKSON FUNERAL
Details about the Michael Jackson Funeral:

Michael Jackson will be privately buried July 7th at Forest Lawn Cemetery at 8 am.
The public memorial ceremony to follow will be:
Date: July 7, 2009Time: 10:00 am

Place: Staples Center

Watch Michael Jackson's memorial service on 1PM ET - 10 AM PT Live

CNN.com

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Fox News

Death Is An Exit

Death has been all over the news lately. A number of famous people have died recently including Michael Jackson and Farah Fawcett. One news story in particular caught my eye. A retired, married football player was found shot to death beside his girlfriend. Whenever, someone dies I think of those that they left behind. There is a famous saying that death is only sad for those left behind. When I read the story about the slain football player my heart went out to his wife. How does a wife simultaneously deal with the death of her husband and his infidelity? It is my hope that this particular woman will find a peaceful way to deal with the tragedy that has befallen her."When the body sinks into death, the essence of man is revealed. Man is a knot, a web, a mesh into which relationships are tied. Only those relationships matter…………" - Death Quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. All of the news stories about death inspired me to post a poem I wrote a few years ago titled, "Death Is An Exit". I wrote this poem soon after the death of my sister who died at the relatively young age of thirty-five so this is a sad death poem. With the passage of time I have found I am able to write more inspiring poems about death to uplift those who are grieving. You can read some inspirational death poems here and inspirational death quotes at this link. I also wrote a memorial poem for my father which you can read at the link.

Red Roses on Black: Art by Injete

Death Is An Exit

(Grieving Death Poem by Injete Chesoni)

Death is an exit,
a departure from life.
A goodbye forever,
the dimming of a light.
To console ourselves we say,
that death is temporary
a fleeting state,
And that at some other time,
in some other place,
We WILL meet again.
However we know

that you will no longer 

pass through our door,

You have gone to a place 

where we can't see you anymore,

Until the day that we cross over

through death's door.

Happy 4th Of July 2009