Adopting Samson

Do you have a pet that is part of your family?  This is our story of how Samson came

to be a part of our family.

We took the kids to a Heritage Day festival in the town I grew up in.  A local non-profit animal shelter was there with a tent set up for people to learn about adopting animals, and they even brought along two extended stay dogs.  We immediately fell in love with one named Dodger that looked like a pit bull/dalmatian mix.  He was listed as a pit mix because there are no papers listing whether he is or is not full breed.  We filled out the paperwork right then and there, and we impatiently waited for them to call back.  Okay, we didn’t wait – we called them.  Repeatedly.  Dodger was renamed Samson to fit in with our family (most of our children have biblical names), and he has definitely become part of our family!

           

Because we did adopt a pit bull, I want to point out that many of the reasons they get a bad name are because of the owners and not the breed.  They are only aggressive toward everyone if you make them that way.  Our pit is a big baby, a bed hog, and loves to cuddle.  Their aggression is a natural instinct that exists in all of nature – the fight or flight response.  This is mostly in response to other dogs.  Our pit loves other animals, even cats.  When they are raised in a loving household, they are like any other dog.  Our kids LOVE playing with Samson.  He plays inside with them, cuddles up to watch TV, runs outside with them, and snuggles up at bedtime.  The girls say that it is like having another little brother around.  He is gentle and sweet.  He loves belly scratches and car rides.  He even knows commands and gives hugs!

          

Samson was adopted from a no-kill, non-profit animal shelter.  The employees are paid very little and do the job for the love of the animals.  Volunteers are very important, as well as fundraisers and donations.  If you are interested in volunteering at your local animal shelter, please contact them.  Some allow children under 16 to volunteer when accompanied by an adult.  If you are wishing to donate to your local shelter, here is a list of items they could use:

DOGS:

Dog Food (especially grain free)

Dog Treats (brands made in the USA are best)

Dog Toys (Kongs and Nylabones – all sizes)

Martingale Dog Collars (all sizes)

Easy-Walk Harnesses (all sizes)

Flea Treatment (Frontline Plus, Advantage, K9 Advantix – all sizes)

CATS:

Scoopable Cat Litter

Large Covered Litter Boxes

Cat Food

Cat Beds

Flea Treatment (Revolution, Frontline Plus, Advantage)

GENERAL SHELTER NEEDS:

Cleaning Supplies (Accel Cleaner, Clorox Bleach, Dawn Dish Soap, Laundry Detergent (high efficiency preferred), Dryer Sheets)

Brooms, New Mops, and Squeegees

Blankets, Towels, and Washable Rugs

Garbage Bags

Copier Paper (white and colored)

Gift Cards (Pet Supply Stores, Home Depot, Local Stores, etc)

Check to see if they have an Amazon Wish List

SPOTLIGHT ON STRAYHAVEN

Strayhaven is the animal shelter we adopted Samson from.  The staff was very friendly and very thorough in checking our application and references.  Our dog had been returned several times, so they had us do a two week home visit with him to be sure he was a good fit for our family.  He is a GREAT fit for our family!!  We just love him!

Here is a little Q & A with the manager at Strayhaven to help explain more about how shelters work.

How old do you have to be to volunteer? How old do you have to be to volunteer if a parent comes with you?

We welcome volunteers of all ages, but if a child is under 15 years old, the child must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Can volunteer hours count toward community service hours for a student?

For community service that fulfills an education requirement, we consider the time as volunteer hours, but it does count toward the student’s community service. Court-ordered community service is a separate program.

What kind of jobs do volunteers do?

Volunteers mostly walk dogs or socialize with cats. It helps so much. The pets who are most comfortable meeting people find homes faster than the shy pets. Volunteers also brush the dogs and cats, help with cleaning or landscaping, and more. 

Do all shelters microchip?  Do they do that in the shelter or does the vet do it?

Microchipping is not mandated by state law, so not every shelter uses microchips.  In other states, many shelters prefer tattoos as a form of permanent identification. Shelter workers can inject microchips, but in most instances, the vet does it. Microchips do not hurt the animal except the initial pinch at the time of injection. We have reunited pets with their owners thanks to microchips, and while it is not a fail-safe system, it sure doesn’t hurt. Please note that microchips must be registered, and the information kept up to date, to be effective. Many breeders or other shelters leave the registration up to the adopter, and when the pet goes missing, the unregistered microchip is useless without the adopter’s contact information.

Do the fees for the dog license vary by county and/or state?  I know there are yearly or lifetime fees.

Dog license fees vary by state. There are discounts for senior citizens and for animals who are spayed/neutered. In Pennsylvania, a dog who is microchipped or tattooed qualifies for a lifetime license. The one-time fee will cover the dog for life, provided that the dog continues to live in the state of Pennsylvania. (Other states have their own license laws.) The regular or one-year dog license must be renewed every calendar year, in January. Strayhaven provides applications for regular and/or lifetime licenses at the time of adoption.

How many of the dogs go through the C.A.R.E. program?  I know is says 6 at a time for 8 weeks, but I am wondering if it tends to be about half of the dogs, most of them, only a small amount, extended stay, or…?

Six dogs attend an 8-week training program. Twelve highly-screened inmates, 2 per dog, work with our trainer to teach the dogs the skills that they will need to succeed in their new homes. Every dog is crate-trained, receives some basic obedience training, and learns some tricks to impress their future families. The inmate handlers also address the needs of the individual dogs. For example, the handlers have worked with dogs who jump on people, dogs who put their mouths on everything, and even dogs with more difficult behavioral problems such as separation anxiety or submissive urination. Eight weeks isn’t long enough to work miracles, but the dogs definitely benefit from the extra attention.

Most of the dogs who enter the program are rowdy, young dogs. We have trained senior dogs or extended stay dogs, but most of the training candidates are dogs under 3 years old, most of which have great temperaments but little to no training. Many times, these are the cute puppies who have been abandoned or surrendered after they grow up and become too much responsibility for their unprepared owners. The good news is that the training helps these dogs become more adoptable, and we have a high adoption rate for our graduates. Right now we only have two CARE graduates still available for adoption. (We have adoption applications in for both of these dogs now. Nothing is official yet, but we’re hoping these two dogs find new homes soon.)

How would companies who are interested in doing fundraisers go about setting them up with you?  What are things that they would need to know before considering getting involved?

We receive support from some local companies already. Tractor Supply and Walmart already donate food, treats, and other supplies to the shelter. We have also received support from newspapers such as the Record Argus and the Herald, and a number of local companies have participated in annual fundraisers such as the Casino Trip in the spring and the Bark Crawl in the fall. Companies who are interested in getting involved with Strayhaven fundraisers must be willing to work with our active volunteer board of directors, who oversee fundraising efforts for the shelter. 

What is the shortest time you have had an animal in the shelter?  And the longest time?

We usually hold animals for at least 7 days. That provides any owners time to recover a stray, and it gives shelter workers the time to get to know the animals. I’m sure there have been exceptions to this rule, but typically 7 days is the minimum length of an animal’s stay. As for the longest stay, I know of one dog who stayed at the shelter for 5 years before being adopted out. Our former office mascot, a cat named Sinbad, was adopted and returned three times during his 14-year stay at the shelter, but he finally found his forever home last year. His adopter stops by with donations from time to time, and she loves him so, so much.

On average, how long are animals usually in there?  I know it varies…

The length of an pet’s stay at the shelter varies so much that we’ve never figured out an average. I think most dogs are adopted out in less than three months, but I haven’t kept track well enough to say more than that.Small breed dogs are adopted out the fastest. Dogs who are seniors, black in color, or pit bull mixes tend to stay longer. On average, cats stay longer than dogs, though kittens have an easier time finding homes.

Approximately how many animals come in each month?  How many are cats and how many are dogs?

We tend to get a trickle of cats in even when our cat intake is closed. We didn’t have space for any of them, but we took in 4 kittens this month, 2 of which were sick. We usually take in anywhere from 1-15 dogs in a month, but the number varies wildly throughout the year. At one point this past winter, we only had 7 dogs in the kennel, but we had the kennel back up to near-full capacity within a month. 

How many of those get adopted?

Again, there is so much variation that I hate to figure out an average. I will say the 95% or more of our animals are adopted out. Because we are a no-kill shelter, we do not euthanize for time or space. Unfortunately, we still lose some animals to illness such as cancer or kidney failure. 

How does a non-profit shelter work?

I can’t speak for other non-profit shelters, since every animal shelter is different. Strayhaven is a privately run company, headed by an active volunteer board of directors and run by a small paid staff. We raise money through fundraisers, grants, and, of course, adoption fees, but we depend the most on the generosity of the community. Donations are our lifeblood, and every bit helps.

Is there anything else that you think is important to add?

The only other thing I might add is that people shouldn’t view animal shelters as “doggie jail.” Many people have this vision of a dog warden as this cartoon bad guy and the shelter as a filthy, sad place where strays languish. Having worked at the shelter, let me say that is hardly the case. Personally, I see the dog warden as a hero for transporting so many strays to shelters where the dogs can receive medical treatment and be placed in homes. As far as the animal shelters go, there is a lot of love that goes on behind kennel doors. Shelter workers are paid poverty wages, so they certainly don’t do the job for the money. They do the work because they love the animals. I tell people that I fall in love with every dog and cat who walks through the door– and when the adopters see how much I love a particular dog, it helps the adopter see how special the animal can be, too.

 

 

If YOU are thinking about getting a dog or cat, I hope you will consider rescuing an animal from a shelter and giving him or her a forever home.

Home Remedy for Congestion Relief

I heard about about a bizarre home remedy one day and decided to give it a try when I was very sick!! I was surprised to find out that it actually worked very well.

When you are congested, simply placing Vicks VapoRub on your feet can help relieve it.  I do this before bed, and it helps me to breathe better while I sleep.  It can also be done for kids.  Many people put socks on to hold the Vicks onto the feet and prevent it from smearing into the bedding.  It also helps keep the smell under control if you are not a big fan.  I, however, cannot stand socks and love the smell of Vicks.

How does this work?  It only takes 26 seconds for chemicals and other things that touch your body to enter your blood stream.  The ingredients that are used as decongestants start at your feet, using the vitaflex points to move throughout your body.  Vitaflex is an important part of reflexology, which is often used with natural remedies.  There are reflex points on the feet, hands, face, and ears.  The feet are most often used.

                                                                                        

I also used it under my nose.  I only used it on the feet for my kiddos, though, and massaged it in.

Have you tried this interesting trick when you are stuffed up?  How did it work for you?

Pepperoni Rolls Made from Homemade Amish Bread

If you love Amish bread, check out this twist for making pepperoni rolls out of an Amish bread recipe!

On Sunday, we posted the recipe for Amish bread. You can view the recipe and results here: https://sunbeamsandheartstrings.wordpress.com/2015/07/26/homemade-amish-bread/

I usually make it into pepperoni rolls for a delicious lunch. Check out the recipe and give it a try!

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups warm water
2/3 cup white sugar
1 ½ Tbs active dry yeast
1 ½ tsp salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flour
60 pepperoni slices
8 oz Mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, then stir in the yeast.
2  Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.
3. Mix salt and oil into the yeast.
4. Mix in flour, one cup at a time.
5. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth.
6. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl, turning dough to coat

7. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth.
8. Allow the dough to rise until doubled in bulk, about one hour.

9. Punch dough down.  Knead for a few minutes, and divide into 15 chunks.
10. Lay one dough chunk out flat and knead into a round, thick, pizza dough.
11. Top with 4 slices of pepperoni (more if desired) and Mozzarella cheese. I did 3 this time, because I made a double batch and only had one pack of pepperoni.

          
12. Pull all the edges into the middle and pinch together well.

13. Flip the roll over and place into a 13×9″ pan.

14. Repeat with all the dough chunks, making 3 rolls by 5 rolls in the pan.

15. Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
16. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

          

You can do other twists, as well. I have done ham and swiss before. We love to dip our pepperoni rolls in pizza or spaghetti sauce – yum!

Disney Recipe on a Budget

I know everyone has those last minute parties & BBQ’s where you need to bring a side dish with items you already have in your pantry. Well, you are in luck! This recipe is not only easy but also delicious! You can whip this up in minutes! It just needs to be in the fridge for at least an hour.

I’m talking about the amazing Grey Stuff recipe! You can eat the grey stuff at Walt Disney World in the Magic Kingdom at the Be Our Guest Restaurant in FantasyLand. I honestly prefer the homemade version to the “real thing.”

Ingredients:

3.4 oz Instant Vanilla Pudding

1.5 cups of 2% or whole milk 

15 Oreos 

1 tub (8 oz) of Cool Whip 

2 T of chocolate instant pudding

• add candy pearl sprinkles if desired

Step 1- Mix the milk & Vanilla pudding mix together well & put in the fridge for 5-10 minutes so it has time to set.

Step 2- While your pudding is in the fridge, crush Oreos in a food processor/blender until it turns into dust.

          

** Quick tip – I have to crush the Oreos in 2 batches for the right consistency.

Step 3-  Add Oreo dust to vanilla pudding & mix well.

Step 4-  Add Cool Whip & fold in until well mixed.

Step 5- Add the chocolate instant pudding to mixture.

Step 6- Let chill for at least one hour.

You can either pipe this out all pretty with a frosting bag & tip or just serve in a large bowl. This is really easy for a backyard BBQ. It normally doesn’t last more than 10 minutes. 😉

If you make this, please post pics on my Facebook page!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Yohoyohobloggerslifeformeblogspotcom/399050306822131

Bon Appetit!

Kate

  Hello! My name is Kate & I’m a past Disney cast member. I have a blog talking about my past experiences as a Disney College Program cast member as well as a large library of easy Disney Recipes that you can make at home.  You can find me at: www.yohoyohobloggerslifeforme.blogspot.com

DIY Car Shelf

We get many compliments on our one-of-a-kind car shelf!  Our boys love being able to find their favorite cars quickly, and it makes for a super easy clean-up.  I thought I would share the directions for how YOU can make it, too!

SUPPLIES:

2 sheets 3/8″ drywall (4’x8′)

Box of 2″ drywall screws

Cordless Drill

Level or Piece or 2×4

Box Knife

Pencil

DIRECTIONS:

*When cutting drywall, use a level (or 2×4) and a pencil to make the lines where you need them.  Cut the lines with a box knife.  Flip the drywall over and score the backside to cut it apart.

1. Using a box knife, cut 1 foot off of the first sheet of drywall so that it is now 3′ by 8′ with a leftover piece of 1′ by 8′.  The 3′ by 8′ is now your base for the car garage.  Set it aside until it is time to build the whole unit.

2. Take your 1′ by 8′ piece and cut it into 2″ by 3′ strips with the box knife using a level or 2×4 to make them straight and even.  This should make 12 shelves.  You will have 2′ by 1′ leftover.  You will not use this.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the second sheet of drywall.  You will now have 24 shelves.  Our shelf unit has 43 shelves.

4. With the 3′ by 8′ sheet of drywall, cut the remaining 19 shelves.

5. You are now ready to build the shelving unit.  Lay the 3′ side of the base that you set aside in step 1 against something such as a  table.  Make sure the finished side is facing out.  This gives you space to screw the shelves to the base.  You will want to put it together in the same room and near where you are placing the shelving unit, because it will be heavy once you are done building it.

6. Starting at the bottom, make the first shelf level with the bottom of the drywall.  Be sure the finished side is facing up.  Screw it into the drywall at n angle from behind in about 6 places, including near the edges (but not sticking out).

7.  Each shelf will be 1 1/2″ apart.  This is where a 2×4 comes in really handy.  You can use the side of a 2×4 to not only measure the space between shelves but also to make the shelves level if you cut it to 3′ instead of 4′.  Continue making the shelves as you did in step 6 until you have used all of the strips.

8. Very carefully pick up the shelving unit.  Pivot it until it is facing out from the wall.  When you are about three feet from the wall, place the top against the ceiling first, then immediately push the bottom against the wall.  Immediately put 2 screws into the middle of the shelving unit, about 1′ from each side.  That will secure it to the wall while you finish.

9.  Coming in 1′ from each side, put screws in starting near the ceiling, and secure every 1′ down until you reach the bottom.  We used a recess in our wall and did not need screws for it.

10. Add cars.

Bonus: Hang helicopters, airplanes, blimps, and spaceships from the ceiling using thumbtacks and fishing line.

ALTERNATIVE:

Using 1 sheet of drywall instead of 2, cut the 4′ by 8′ drywall sheet in half.  Use one half as the base and the other half to cut 24 shelves.  You will have 1 shelf leftover.  Follow the same directions as above.  Hang on a wall where desired.

Homemade Amish Bread

 

Amish women are well known for their cooking abilities. I LOVE homemade Amish bread. Here is a tried and true Amish bread Recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups warm water
2/3 cup white sugar
1 ½ Tbs active dry yeast
1 ½ tsp salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flourDIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, then stir in the yeast.
2  Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.

3. Mix salt and oil into the yeast.
4. Mix in  flour, one cup at a time.
5. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth.
6. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl, turning dough to coat.

7. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth.
8. Allow the dough to rise until doubled in bulk, about one hour.

9. Punch dough down.  Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half.
10. Shape the dough into loaves, and place into two well-oiled 9×5 loaf pans.

11. Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
12. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

          

                                    

Stay tuned for Wednesday’s post as we make something else absolutely delicious from this recipe!

Toddler Craft and Snack

Finding projects to do with toddlers is not always easy, especially with 1 and 2 year olds.  This is one that I do with my kiddos starting about age 1.  It it GREAT for hand-eye coordination and doubles as a snack!  Whip this up before going to the store, and it will occupy your little ones for a bit so you can focus on your shopping with a little less shouting.

NECKLACE

SUPPLIES:

28″ of yarn (you want it to be long enough to fit over the child’s head once the cereal is on.  This is the size I used for my 4 year old)

Scissors

Tape

Fruity Cheerios or other cereal

Bowl

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the cereal into a bowl.

2. Place tape onto each end of the yarn (like the end of a shoe string has the hard part on it).  This makes it easier for the child to put the cereal on the yarn.

3. Hold one end while your child strings the cereal onto the other end.  My daughter wanted me to put cereal on one end while she did the other.  This way, we did the project together.

4. Tie the necklace.  I tie it in a knot then tie it twice more.

BRACELET

SUPPLIES:

Pipe cleaner

bowl

Fruity Cheerios or other cereal

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the cereal into a bowl.

2. Bend one end of the pipe cleaner up so the cereal does not fall off.

3. Guide your child to put the cereal onto the pipe cleaner.

     

4.  Leave about 1″ on the end of each side.  Twist the ends together by overlapping when you are finished, then move the cereal over those ends.

     

TIPS

*My kids like all different kinds of Cheerios for this.  Anything that has a hole in the center will work.

*This is also great for older kids who have trouble with hand/eye coordination or dexterity.  I use it for my 8 year old who has ADHD and developmental delays to help with her dexterity.  She loves that it doubles as a treat!

*My son eats a lot more cereal than he puts on the pipe cleaner.  He is 19 months old.  But I still love that there is at least one project that we can do together!

KIDS MODE – A Smart Phone Option

It is hard to believe that smart phones are over 20 years old. It is even harder to believe that after 20 years, it’s still a very bad idea to let your kid play with your phone.  Of course, you have to worry about the phone breaking, but you also have to worry about what they delete or move, who they might call, what text they might read, or whether they just bought a $700 TV you were dreaming about on Amazon.  Children and cell phones are a reality that parents will fear until the end of time… or is it? For the past three years, since I have owned a cell phone, I have downloaded hundreds of “kid friendly” apps; learning apps, play apps, apps that claim to make the phone child proof – payed apps and free apps alike.  Nothing has compared to what Samsung devices with the more recent operating systems have started coming with.  Today, you will hear Andrew’s (Sarah’s husband) take on Kids Mode and why they use it for their family.

Enter Samsung Kids Mode

Kids mode is everything I have ever wanted in a kid friendly app.  The only complaints I did have about it were fixed in the update.  Kids mode works like a second operating system on the phone.  You control every aspect of what your kids can play or do while making sure they cannot buy things. That’s right, all those tricky little links and purchase options are disabled by the good people at Samsung.

Let’s start with Parental Controls at the bottom right of the home screen.  On kids mode, you have two icons. To the far right is the EXIT icon, which will prompt you for a PIN to exit.  No PIN,  no leaving.  It is that simple.  You will notice on the Close Kids Mode screen on the top right is an emergency dialer icon.  As far as I know, it will only let you dial 911.  Honestly, I haven’t checked it. Tap the HOME button, and the next icon to the left is the PARENTAL CONTROLS. Once again, it will prompt for a PIN.

At the main screen for PARENTAL CONTROLS, you can see the total time your children have played with the app, as well as the most frequently used apps. This is a great way to get a quick look at what your kids are doing when you’re not hanging over their shoulders.  Real quick, lets talk about all that we can control.

Profile – For the house with multiple children, you can set up a profile with different options for each child.  The selected profile will appear above the alligator (swipe to the left from the home screen) to the right in the form of the selected picture.

Parental Control Menu – requires a password to access so the kids cant change whatever they want.  I change mine every couple months so the kids don’t memorize the pattern.

          

Daily Playtime Limit – This will prevent the children from playing any more than you said they could.  Once time is up, they have to bring the phone to you to give them more or decide it’s time to interact with real people again.  The time can be changed in each profile separately.

Contacts – This is a new feature in kids mode that showed up with one of the last updates.  If you swipe the home screen on kids mode to the right, it will open up an option to dial parent approved numbers with one touch.  Initially, I was very excited by this concept.  Then my 3 year olds called their grandmother 15 times while she was at work.  So it will be a while before my children use this feature.  But for the concerned parent of an older child, this option will allow them emergency contacts at the swipe of a screen and touch of a button.

          

Applications – This option allows you to select and deselect applications your children are allowed to use.  So once you download the apps you wan,t you go into PARENTAL CONTROLS, choose APPS, hit the PLUS SIGN, and pick what your kids are allowed to play.  Please remember that nothing, I repeat NOTHING, will let the kids out of kids mode without signing out with a password.  So those nifty apps with the banners that you can find free… totally usable.  You still want to check out every app you download for the kids to make sure you can use it and it is not a garbage app.  Remember that most of these apps are designed to have you right next to the child, coaching them along.  You have a tool, not a babysitter.

Media – This option allows you to choose what photos and videos your kids can look at.  I make sure that our trips to the fair and other special events are always included.         It seems kind of silly, but our kids love watching a video of me making bacon dipper pancakes.  Just make sure you know what they are looking at.  If you don’t want your kids looking at your photo gallery to begin with, please don’t just select ALL for the kids media section. They will also be able to copy, paste, and doodle on the picture they put in to the drawing app.  Really, it is just super nifty

Music – The ability to add tracks from your music selection.  This is also a new feature from the last few updates.  There are definitely ups and downs to this feature.  On the upside, it is very easy to add songs.  While the song is playing, your child can choose from an assortment of instruments on the screen and play along with the song.  The down side: you can’t start a song and pick a different activity.  They can only listen or listen and play along.  Also, if your music has foul language in it, don’t be surprised if your kids start using it.  Please keep it classy.

Sticker Charts – Sticker charts are new as well.  This allows you to set up reward charts.  When the child does something that provides them with a “sticker,” you go into PARENTAL CONTROLS, pick STICKER CHARTS, and tap on the next number in line.  Then, when the kids get the device back and they swipe to the left, they will see a treasure chest above the alligator to the left.

     

Kids Store – Kids store came in the first major update and is my least favorite feature/control option.  The kids store is an app off the home page that comes standard with the kids mode app.  You cannot remove it.  I know, I tried.  Anyway, this is the parent version of the kids store they can access on the app. This allows you to see what they decided they wanted and put on the wishlist.  It is not possible for the kids to download anything from the store, but they can definitely add as many apps to the wishlist as they want.  The Kid store does not have a ton of apps.  In fact, it has one of the smallest collections of kids apps I have come across.  The store is very easy to navigate, and you can search the apps by age rating or types of apps.  A lot of the apps are in-app purchase.  If it says book, you better believe your paying for each story.  I usually don’t even open this app and continue to search for the best kids games and learning tools on the Google Play Store or Amazon App Store.

Settings – Kids mode has very few actual settings, as most everything is controlled by parental controls. However, there are a few very important features:

*Block back key – reduces risk your kids will accidentally back out of a game or teaching app and cause some level of really loud complaint. This is especially good for the really little ones.

*Change PIN – Like I said, I change mine regularly so the kids don’t memorize the actions if not the numbers.

*Storage Location – Every picture your child draws can be saved.  Use this option to save to the phone or the external storage device.  I use the SD card.   My kids draw a lot of pictures.

*Check For Updates – I have yet to see kids mode update on it’s own or tell me it needed an update, so I check it every couple of months

So that’s all the stuff we can change in the grown up section.  Now we can talk about the main app itself. The home screen is interactive.  The background (which cannot be changed) is a beach scene with the clouds floating by.  As it gets later in the day, the sun starts to set.  At night, there are a moon and stars instead of the sun.  If you tap on the beach scene, you get little animations.

7 apps come stock with kids mode:

• Camera
• Sound Recorder
• Drawing 
• Music Player
• Media Player
• Photo Gallery
• Kids Store

These are all very self explanatory, but I will remind you two things. 1) Music, media, and apps can only be used if you add them. 2) Change your device storage if you can. Kids take a lot of pictures and videos as well as make a ton of drawings.

Swipe to the left from the home screen and you get the alligator and clock. The alligator is interactive. When you see him thinking of a new outfit, tap the thought bubble.  You can choose an assortment of alternate costume selections, including color of the alligator and outfits.  My youngest played with this feature the most before he started getting the hang of the apps themselves.

          

The clock displays the correct time according to the internal clock. Also on this screen, you will see the sticker chart icon (treasure chest) and the picture of the selected profile.

For the most part, anything else after this is user based.  Download approved apps and add them, then they will be presented as a “Present.”  The kids tap the new present, and it turns into an APP.  The Home screen can hold thirty apps, but you have to scroll up to see them all.

I have a few final things to add about this app.

SD Card – If you remove your SD Card, there is a good chance you will have to add the media, photos, music, and apps back onto kids mode, but only if they were on external storage to begin with.

Power of Paid Apps – Our goal is to spend as little money as possible.  With that said, you get what you pay for with apps. So every once in a while, buy an app that will benefit your child.  Or use the sticker chart to make a goal for a good app for the kids to play with.

Recommended APPS

This part is easy for me to do, and I believe I will be reviewing some of these apps in the future, but here is a quick list of the best free apps i have found for kids.

• Duplo Anything- Duplo has a great series of easy kids games.  I believe there are four or five option,  but i can honestly say I haven’t found one the kids don’t like.
• Toca Kitchen 1 and 2 – If you have the Amazon Appstore, keep an eye out for the Paid TOCA games.  They are all fun and amazing, but even the free ones keep up a good par.
• YouTube Kids- Imagine YouTube with nothing offensive.  That pretty much sums up this app.  Easy to navigate and filled with kid friendly videos.  I even searched for offensive stuff and it won’t come up.  I can write a pretty hearty review of this app, so i will save it for another time

Quick side note to parents: Watch your WIFI and Data connections, especially with YouTube Kids. It only takes a few hours of YouTube to burn through a month’s worth of data.

Finally, the Biggest issue with this app is it is only available on Samsung Devices. Honestly, I would recommend this option over any kids tablet unless it was a Samsung. Unfortunately, the app does not prevent your child from spiking the phone off the pavement, but you never have to worry about your kids messing with any of your personal information or settings.

Repelling Ants Naturally

Previously,  we did a post on naturally repelling pesky mosquitos.  I feel it’s only fair that I also share my tips on how to remove and repel ants from your house and yard. This year has not been nearly as bad for us with ants in the house.  Our yard, on the other hand, is a different story. They are EVERYWHERE; in our sidewalk cracks, all throughout our grass, I even found ant hills in my tire garden and in the tire stacks themselves. Wherever your ant problem is, these tips are sure to help!

VINEGAR
Mix 1 part White or apple cider vinegar and 1 part water in a spray bottle.  Spray it at any ant entry point in your house.  Make sure you spray the areas you suspect as the ants’ travel paths as well. Vinegar has such a strong scent that the ants strongly dislike it.  Therefore, it  repels them from the areas where it is sprayed.  Just spray and let dry.  To use vinegar to remove ants in your yard, pour 1 quart of white vinegar right into the ant nests.  Since their bodies cannot tolerate low-pH acidic conditions, the acid in the vinegar will kill the ants on contact.

FOOD GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH
Boric acid can be dangerous, even fatal to children if ingested, so I don’t use it. Instead, I use Diatomaceous Earth.  It is an odorless, non-staining off-white talc-like powder that is made up of the fossilized remains of marine phytoplankton.  When it comes in contact with a bug that has an exoskeleton like ants, it ruins their waxy coating and dries out there insides.  But it doesn’t hurt mammals at all.  In fact, we can actually eat it (it is rich in silica, which is great for your nails and hair.  It is also thought to help clean out heavy metals, bacteria and much more!).  To use indoors, just sprinkle a fine dusting on entry points and high traffic ant trails.  To use outdoors, sprinkle around high traffic areas and the nests.  You can even mix it into the soil in your yard and garden as a preventive option.

MINT
The smell of mint disrupts the ability to smell any food sources in the area.  As a result, the the ants will go in search of food elsewhere.  If you drink mint tea, save the used teabags, because they are perfect for deterring ants.  Just place them at any entry points in your home.  You can also use mint essential oil (place a couple drops on a cottonball) or dried mint leaves crushed into a powder.  To use these methods outside, again place along high traffic ant trails or by nests.  To defend your home or yard, you can also grow mint plants, such as peppermint or spearmint to keep ants out of the area.

CUCUMBER
This wonderfully cool salad vegetable is not just great to eat; it’s also great for repelling ants.  Cucumbers contain a compound called trans-2-nonenal that repels insects.  This particular compound has been used in some insecticides.  I have heard the more bitter the cucumber, the better it is at repelling, but I have never had a problem with any that I have used.  I prefer to just use the peels from cucumbers, that way we get to save the best part for us (plus going with the bitter cucumber theory, the peel is the most bitter part).  Just rub the inside of the peel down along ant trails in your home and leave a piece of peel by entryways.  You may need to replace them once they dry all the way out. Outside, you can do the same thing or, what I like to do, place a small slice of cucumber over the hole of each ant nest (I do this when I have a cucumber we didn’t eat fast enough and has started to turn bad).

BABY POWDER
Yes, you heard me correctly. the same stuff you sprinkle in your bundle of love’s diaper to keep their bottom nice and soft is also a great way to keep out those pesky invaders.  Here’s how it works…  Ants don’t breath like we do.  They take in air through their exoskeleton.  Baby powder sprinkled or blown at an ant blocks and clogs all their exoskeleton pores that they breath from, causing the ant to suffocate and die. To use, sprinkle some around ant entrances to your house.  They won’t cross the powder line and any that try will die.  I have also sprinkled some around ant hills, and it kills any that touch it.

OTHER THINGS THAT WORK GREAT:
*Pour a pot of boiling water over any ant hills you have in your yard.  This works great at getting rid of the whole nest.
*Ants won’t cross lines of chalk the same way as baby powder.  This also makes for a cool experiment for kids if there is a bunch of ants on the sidewalk – drawing lines around them to see the ants switch directions.
*Powdered sugar mixed with baking soda – They eat it for the sugar and explode inside just like your child’s science volcanoes.

Crostinis

Last year, for my son’s first birthday party I was scrambling around trying to make up one more food item to serve.  It had to be quick, easy, and finger food style.  Looking around the kitchen, I found I had a baguette that needed to be used.  Originally, I thought of making some sort of Bruschetta, but I didn’t have any tomatoes or the normal stuff to put on it. So I threw some seasonings and other ingredients together.  What came out of it has become a household favorite and has been a huge hit at all the get togethers I have made it for.

INGREDIENTS:
Baguette
3/4 cup Olive oil
1/2 tsp Basil
1/4 tsp Rosemary
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 Garlic salt
1 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese (shredded or slices)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to broil at 500° (or Hi if you only have a Hi/Lo setting).
2. Slice the baguette into thin slices (a little 1/2″ thick).
3. Lay all the slices out flat on a greased baking sheet and set aside.
4. Pour the olive oil into a bowl and mix in all of the herbs. I prefer to use fresh herbs from my garden.  I just chop them up realyl fine and mix in the same as dried herbs.
5. Using a teaspoon, spoon the mixture over each baguette slice, spreading it out so that it covers the whole piece of bread. Stir your oil mixture frequently to make sure nothing settles to the bottom.  This way, you have the same flavor over each slice of bread.
6. Once each piece of baguette is covered in the oil/herb mixture, top it with Mozzarella.  If using sliced cheese, I would say use 1/4″ slice on each piece.  If using shredded cheese, sprinkle it on so each piece of bread is covered.
7. Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil for 3-5 minutes. Keep a very careful eye on them, because they will burn very easily if left under the broiler for too long.

It’s as easy as that!  Take them out of the oven, put them on a serving plate ,and VIOLA – a semi fancy, extremely tasty, little appetizer.  These are my husband’s favorite.  They are so quick and easy to make.  I hope you enjoy them just as much as we do!