I just bought the CD, I've Got a Dinosaur on My Head, by Peter Apel, and we really like listening to it in the car.
"I Once Had a Balloon (But then it Popped)" is a work of genius, because it captures how psychotically attached little kids can be to their balloons, even though balloons aren't around forever. In the song, Peter tuns balloons into a poignant metaphor or mortality, while still being hilarious and also taking time to throw in an extended fart noise. Kudos!
The other songs are fun, and about simple subjects that kids relate too, often performed with silly voices and sounds. It's a great CD for kids!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Bossy Bear
Bossy Bear, by David Horvath, immediately got Calvin's attention. I read it to him once, and he immediately wanted to hear it again. Just like the David Shannon's books, Calvin loves characters who are being naughty. This book captures the kind of brattiness that toddlers can dish out, using language that's fun to say out loud. After hearing it once Calvin was already saying "Bossy Bear" and "gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme!" and "faster!" (I know, it sounds like the books going to warp his personality and turn him into a brat. But, he was already being a total handful today, so at least he can have words for it). Bossy Bear learns that if he bosses everybody around nobody will want to play with him. In the end he learns to make friends with a little turtle.
David Horvath and his wife, Sun-Min Kim, are the creators of those Ugly Dolls that I've seen in so many stores and wondered about.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Albuquerque Children's Museum
Children's museums, in general, are a gift from God. Last week, when we were driving home from Carlsbad it was essential that we stop by the Children's Museum in Albuquerque to break up a long car ride.
Calvin's favorite phrases these days are "Touch it!" and "Want it!" and "Climbind" (which means I want to climb up on that). He's learning by running around and getting into stuff, and this museum was designed to accommodate him.
We started out just following him as he explored. He went into an area where kids could build things with pipes, and he took a pipe and used it as a walking stick for about twenty minutes. He tried to jump into the fountain, but we didn't let him. Then he went outside and climbed a set of stairs. There was a playground outside, and I think he has a real complex about slides. He thinks he's supposed to enjoy them, but he's usually to scared to go down them. So he says "slide! Weee!" and points to the slide, but won't go down.
Eventually we ended up in the tot room, which has a two foot ramp that he used as a slide. It also has a ton of books, boxes of blocks and puzzles, and clear pipes that go from one end of the room to the other. Kids can drop little whiffle balls into the pipes and watch them travel across the room.
It was fun.
Calvin's favorite phrases these days are "Touch it!" and "Want it!" and "Climbind" (which means I want to climb up on that). He's learning by running around and getting into stuff, and this museum was designed to accommodate him.
We started out just following him as he explored. He went into an area where kids could build things with pipes, and he took a pipe and used it as a walking stick for about twenty minutes. He tried to jump into the fountain, but we didn't let him. Then he went outside and climbed a set of stairs. There was a playground outside, and I think he has a real complex about slides. He thinks he's supposed to enjoy them, but he's usually to scared to go down them. So he says "slide! Weee!" and points to the slide, but won't go down.
Eventually we ended up in the tot room, which has a two foot ramp that he used as a slide. It also has a ton of books, boxes of blocks and puzzles, and clear pipes that go from one end of the room to the other. Kids can drop little whiffle balls into the pipes and watch them travel across the room.
It was fun.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Little Art Monkeys
The director of Little Forrest Playschool in Los Alamos has a cool website called Little Art Monkeys. She has a whole bunch of art projects for little kids to do.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
How to Save For College
In 18 years a public college education is estimated to cost over $100,000 and a private college education will be over $200,000!
There are a lot of ways to save up for college: dumping all your one-dollar bills and coins into a savings account, using reusable cotton diapers instead of disposables, buying secondhand clothes and toys and saving half the money that your kids get for birthdays and holidays.
But no matter how many pennies you pinch, you need to invest them wisely. Here are a few ways to do this:
State 529 Savings Plans allow you to invest the money you contribute in a mutual fund or other investment and the growth is tax deferred. When you take the money out you don’t have to pay federal taxes. Each state has their own 529 Plan but you don’t have to choose a college based on the state that you have your 529 Plan in.
Mutual Funds and IRAs can also be effective ways to accumulate money for your child’s future education. The tax-deferred earnings of a Roth IRA can be withdrawn before you are 59 ½ without a tax penalty if it is used for education.
Life Insurance - perhaps you have family members who depend on you for financial support like your children or grandchildren that are attending college, life insurance could be an additional approach if you need protection for a certain number of years.
Al Aglialoro is an agent with Farm Bureau Financial Services. He is opening an office in Los Alamos and can set you up with the investment plan that fits your personal needs. Email him at Al.Aglialoro@fbfs.com.
There are a lot of ways to save up for college: dumping all your one-dollar bills and coins into a savings account, using reusable cotton diapers instead of disposables, buying secondhand clothes and toys and saving half the money that your kids get for birthdays and holidays.
But no matter how many pennies you pinch, you need to invest them wisely. Here are a few ways to do this:
State 529 Savings Plans allow you to invest the money you contribute in a mutual fund or other investment and the growth is tax deferred. When you take the money out you don’t have to pay federal taxes. Each state has their own 529 Plan but you don’t have to choose a college based on the state that you have your 529 Plan in.
Mutual Funds and IRAs can also be effective ways to accumulate money for your child’s future education. The tax-deferred earnings of a Roth IRA can be withdrawn before you are 59 ½ without a tax penalty if it is used for education.
Life Insurance - perhaps you have family members who depend on you for financial support like your children or grandchildren that are attending college, life insurance could be an additional approach if you need protection for a certain number of years.
Al Aglialoro is an agent with Farm Bureau Financial Services. He is opening an office in Los Alamos and can set you up with the investment plan that fits your personal needs. Email him at Al.Aglialoro@fbfs.com.
Eclipse Interrupted!
I bought Eclipse, by Stephanie Meyer earlier this week. This is my favorite book in the series so far. I am totally into the love triangle, and have been plowing through the book.
Then, last night I was only three pages to the end, and Calvin started crying and crying and saying "Boobah!" and I had no choice but to abandon the book and breast feed him until I fell asleep. It was painful.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Twilight and Madagascar
I was just explaining the plot of Twilight to Quinn, and he made a very astute observation. It has almost the exact same plot as Madagascar! One creature has to resist the temptation to eat his best friend.
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