Daddy's Gonna Eat Your Fingers

I was packing for my business trip and my three year old daughter was having a wonderful time playing on the bed.

At one point she said, "Daddy, look at this" and stuck out two of her fingers.

Trying to keep her entertained, I reached out and stuck her tiny fingers in my mouth and said, "Daddy's gonna eat your fingers" pretending to eat them.

I went back to packing, looked up again and my daughter was standing on the bed staring at her fingers with a devastated look on her face.

I said, "What's wrong, honey?"

She replied, "What happened to my booger?"

Power Couples

Did you know that eating specific pairings of healthy foods can make them even more nutritious? Some vitamins and mineral feed off of others, letting your child absorb more. Serve up these super combos.Strawberries and Whole Wheat Toast
The vitamin C in strawberries converts the iron in whole-wheat bread to a form that cells can absorb.
Oatmeal and Milk
The magnesium in oats increases the amount of calcium your child gets from the milk by keeping it from binding to fiber and other nutrients.

Olive Oil and Veggies
Spritz spinach, green peppers, squash, and dark greens with olive oil. This healthy fat helps your child absorb the veggies' antioxidants.


Chicken and Carrots
Don't save chicken soup for sick days -- and always include carrots. The zinc in chicken helps the body metabolize the carrots' vitamin A.

**Taken from Parents / October 2008

Fuel for the Daily Adventure

Being a natural in the kitchen and having a drive to eat healthy makes our next speaker a natural fit for our next adventure: healthy snacks!

Lydia Hol will be giving us tips and demonstrating recipes for healthy snacks that our kids will love!

Don't miss the next MOPS:
Friday, November 7
9:30 to 11:15 am.

Autumn Adventure

Autumn Adventure

Friday, October 17

9:30 to 11:15

Come for a fun-filled morning of exciting games, fall crafts, and yummy treats for moms and kids!

If you give a mom a muffin...

If you give a mom a muffin,
she'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll pour herself some.
Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.
She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she will find dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
she'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her
she has to plan supper.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook.
(101 Things To Make With A Pound Of Hamburger.)
The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.
She will look for her checkbook.
The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two-year-old.
While she is changing the two-year-old the phone will ring.
Her five-year-old will answer and hang up.
She'll remember that she wants to phone a friend to come for coffee.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
She will pour herself some.
And chances are, if she has a cup of coffee, her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

Perky Playdough

Here's my tail of the Perky Playdough from MOPS:

I was hoping it would happen like this. I love surprises for Cloe!

Into the fridge it went to "settle" for awhile. So of course, we had to make...

Now we're all set to play!

This playdough kind of scared me at first. We had just handed out 30-some kits to a lot of moms--moms we want to come back, moms we like, moms we care about, moms we want to like us...you know. We wanted this playdough to be COOL! So, I went home and set to making it (maybe this should have been a step taken a few weeks ago...). As we stirred it up, it sort of stayed as this weird gloppy goo mess. Then when we put it in the bag, it started to take on a little firmer texture. Thankfully after cooling in the refrigerator, it works just like playdough!

I think tomorrow we may try *G*R*E*E*N*!

Perky Playdough
1 c. flour
1 T. cream of tartar
1/4 c. salt
1 package Kool-Aid (any flavor)
1 T. vegetable oil
1 c. boiling water
Mix all dry ingredients. Add oil. Pour in boiling water.
Mix thoroughly. Wrap in a plastic bag or place in an
airtight container. Store in refrigerator.

Do you have a Perky Playdough Tale to share? Please post!!!

KIDS EAT FREE!

Celebrate Family Time Together

With family budgets stretched tighter than ever, these restaurants are helping to make it a little easier to bring the family together around the dinner table for fun time!eat free every Wednesday night at Shane's Rib Shack.

MONDAYS
Barattas (South Union) - Kids eat free Sun - Thurs with the purchase of an adult meal.
The Club Car - Kids eat free Mon and Tues from 5 to close with the purchase of an adult meal.
IHOP (Ankeny) - One kid easts free for each adult meal purchased from open to close on Mon.
Jason's Deli - $1.99 kids menu everyday with free ice cream (includes take-out).
Maxie's - Mondays kids eat for $.99 from 4 p.m. to close.
Spaghetti Works - Kids eat free on Mon.

TUESDAYS
B&B - Kids 10 and under eat free on Tues.
Bakers Square - Kids eat free all day Tues with purchase of an adult meal.
Barattas (South Union) - Kids eat free Sun - Thurs with the purchase of an adult meal.
Bennigans - Tues kids eat free with purchase of adult meal, 4 to close.
Carlos O'Kelly's - $2 & $2.50 discount on kids meals for each adult meal purchased.
Champps - Tues 2 kids eat free for each adult meal purchased from 6 - 9.
The Club Car - Kids eat free Mon and Tues from 5 to close with the purchase of an adult meal.
Fazoli's - $.99 kids meals from 5 to 8 every Tues.
Fuddruckers - One free kids meal with the purchase of an adult meal on Tues evenings.
Jason's Deli - $1.99 kids menu everyday with free ice cream (includes take-out).
Hy-Vee (Windsor Heights) - Kids eat for $.99 on Tues.
Hy-Vee (Jordan Creek Parkway) - Kids eat for $.99 with an adult on Tues from 4 to 8.
Kriegers Hometown Sports Grill - Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal all day Tues.
Lonestar Steakhouse - Two kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal all day.
Murphy's Bar & Grill -Tues kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal from 5 to 8.
Perkins -Tues kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal all day.
Pizza Hut - For each paying adult, one child 10 and under eats free at the buffet, 5:30 to 7:30.
Pizza Ranch - For each paying adult, one child 8 and under eats free on Tues evenings.
Trophy's Sports Bar & Grill - Kids eat free on Tues.

WEDNESDAYS
Applebees - Wed is $.99 kids' meals, 4 to close
Barattas (South Union) - Kids eat free Sun - Thurs with the purchase of an adult meal.
IHOP (Douglas Ave.) - One kid eats free for each adult meal purchased from 4 to 10 on Wed.
Jason's Deli - $1.99 kids menu everyday with free ice cream (includes take-out).
McDonalds - All metro locations offer reduced-price Happy Meals (From $1.69 to $2.00 depending on store) on Wed.
Shane's Rib Shack - Kids 10 & under eat free all day with the purchase of an adult meal.

THURSDAYS
Barattas (South Union) - Kids eat free Sun - Thurs with the purchase of an adult meal.
Jason's Deli - $1.99 kids menu everyday with free ice cream (includes take-out).
Mama Lacona's - Thurs kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal.
West End Diner - One kids meal free for each purchase of an adult meal on Thurs evenings

FRIDAYS
Jason's Deli - $1.99 kids menu everyday with free ice cream (includes take-out).

SATURDAYS
Daytona's - Kids eat free all day on Saturday and Sunday.
Jason's Deli - $1.99 kids menu everyday with free ice cream (includes take-out).
Z'Mariks Noodle Cafe - Two kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal all day.

SUNDAYS
Barattas (South Union) - Kids eat free Sun - Thurs with the purchase of an adult meal.
Bostons - Sundays kids meals are $1.99.
Daytona's - Kids eat free all day on Saturday and Sunday.
Fireside Grill (Altoona) - Kids eat free every Sunday.
Jason's Deli - $1.99 kids menu everyday with free ice cream (includes take-out).
Legends - Kids eat free all day on Sunday's with the purchase of an adult meal.
Okoboji Grill - Sundays kids eat free all day with the purchase of an adult meal.
Planet Sub - Sundays kids eat free all day with the purchase of an adult meal.
Qdoba - Free kids meal with purchase of an adult meal on Sundays.
Spaghetti's - Kids eat free all day on Sunday.


My favorite deal: Bandit Burritos on Merle Hay Road in Johnston has a family meal: $18.99 for 2 adult burritos, 2 kids meals, and 4 sodas. This place is locally owned, has the friendliest staff, and their food is amazing! If you like Qdobas or Pancheros, you'll LOVE Bandit Burritos! Try it out!