It’s not just any day a new healthy chocolate cereal hits the shelves, at least according to Three Wishes co-founder, Ian Wishingrad. To celebrate the launch of the brand new cocoa flavor, he sought out to make the announcement in style.
Wishingrad reached out to all the living cast members of the 1971 Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory film to try the new cereal––and they got back to him! Peter Ostrum (Charlie Bucket), Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca Salt) and Paris Themmen (Mike Teevee) each did their own taste test, and the video is a must-see for all chocolate fans.
Playing off the concept that the new chocolate cereal is the golden ticket for breakfast, the cast did quite an amazing job flashing back to their chocolate-loving characters! The only missing cast mate was Augustus Gloop, who politely declined.
Three Wishes is calling the newest release “breakfast chocolate,” and as you can guess it turns your milk all chocolatey! The cereal is made from chickpeas, pea protein, tapioca, real cocoa and is wheat, corn, rice, dairy, oats, peanuts, soy and animal product-free. Each serving comes with just three grams of sugar and eight grams of protein.
My oldest daughter came to me crying because her little sister, 5-year-old Jo, got angry and shot her with a bugassalt gun (a handy fly and spider killing tool that shoots table salt like a shotgun—it hurts, trust me). I chanted “calm down” in my mind like some mantra as I angrily stormed downstairs to the bedroom they were supposed to be cleaning. Their only chore. It wasn’t even that messy. They had been “cleaning” for 40 minutes. Jo hadn’t been helping and Liv called her out. Jo shot her foot. Liv was crying and limping around upstairs. You get the picture, right?
This is one of those moments… a hinge moment. A looming decision moment where you can almost see everything freeze in place and your mind would like to evaluate the situation calmly and rationally before you act but your body just dives right in and whatever emotion boiling inside you explodes. Yeah… one of those moments.
I found her in the closet. Pulled up into a ball. I somehow took a deep breath and probed, “Did you shoot your sister?” Emotion spilled out of her in waves of hurt and regret and anger. “I just don’t feel like I fit into this family!” she screamed with heavy sobs. My anger cooled right down to my toes and my heart swelled with empathy. Not sympathy. EMPATHY. You see, several months ago, before I realized I had depression and after an especially bad “go clean your room, 2 hours later it’s still not done mom afternoon” I completely lost it. I screamed, I threw my phone so hard against the wall it shattered, I moved to my closet where I chipped a shelf before I crumpled on the floor in anger and hurt and regret. I felt like I wasn’t good enough for this family. I sobbed heavy sobs. Little Jo found me there. She patted my back and told me it would be OK. She offered me her forgiveness and love and empathy. And here she was, one of my precious babies, hiding in a closet, feeling hurt and lost and alone and regretful—feeling like she didn’t belong, sobbing heavy sobs.
I held her. I sobbed with her, patted her back and reassured her she definitely belonged in this family. I asked her if she remembered when mom got angry and made mistakes and felt like she didn’t belong. I asked her if she remembered who came into the closet to tell me it would be OK. I told her that we would be OK together. I promised her I would help her learn how to control her boiling emotions. I forgave her. I asked her what she should do now. We picked up the pieces. Little Jo apologized to her sister for both shooting her with the salt gun and for not helping clean the bedroom. She then cleaned the bedroom and made the beds. And most impressive of all, she forgave herself.
As I served my little family dinner, I saw little Jo’s tear-stained cheeks lift in a smile at her big sister’s newest joke. I remembered my own mother sobbing on her closet floor as I patted her back and told her it would be OK. I will treasure that memory. It is one of the most precious gifts my mother gave me. And tonight, I gave my little Jo a precious gift. My failure. My tears. My hurt and regret. My love. My forgiveness. My empathy. And we will be OK because we are in this together. We’re teaching each other how to control our boiling emotions. We’re teaching each other to forgive, to pick up the pieces and start again. We are giving each other precious gifts.
So today, I hope you will accept the gift of my admitted failures and give someone else a precious gift. The gift of your own failure, your empathy, tears, forgiveness…and love. We will be OK. Because we are in this together.
Amy is a creator and believes everyone else is too. She strives to be artistic in all areas of life but writing is her passion and her family is her masterpiece. She uses her blog to address the joys and struggles of motherhood and is currently writing her first novel.
Get stuck for an afternoon with an activity that requires one thing: tape! This handy dandy material can lead to all kinds of creative possibilities—which works out great when you need a craft that’s as simple as it is entertaining. Whether your arts and crafts drawer is stocked with duct tape, scotch tape, or colorful washi, scroll down for a few ideas that take tape to the next imaginative level.
1. Simple Leaf Garland
A festive craft and an excuse to for your little explorer to roam the great outdoors? We dig it. This idea from Hands on as We Grow is super simple (just snag your scotch tape!) and a fun way to learn more about nature. It’s adaptable, too–make a festive garland to celebrate autumn, gather up spring flowers, or just see where the wind takes you! Learn more here.
2. Duct Tape Beads
If you’re looking for a craft that will entertain everyone from Big Bro to Little Sis, the Clumsy Crafter (a.k.a. Bobbie Byrd) has you covered. As Bobbie says, this idea is “simple enough for a preschooler to make but interesting enough for elementary and middle school age kids”. That means that the whole crew will love making these sweet duct tape beads. Learn more here.
3. Washi Tape Dominoes
We have to give major props to A Crafty LIVing for this super simple craft that doubles as a learning game. How simple is it? Well, there are 2 steps and 2 supplies. The littles can help make it, and then practice number and color recognition, matching, and more! Learn more here.
4. Homemade Maracas
Ready to make some noise? With leftover plastic Easter eggs, some masking tape, and just a few other around-the-house ingredients, you’ve got the makings for a musical afternoon, courtesy of MADE Everyday. In fact, it’s hard to say which part your little Mozarts will love more–crafting their own maracas or shake-shake-shaking to their own beat. Learn more here.
5. Watercolor Salt Painting
This idea from Holly’s Arts and Crafts Corner is a kid-approved combo of science and art. It gets bonus points for being quick-drying (always a plus with impatient artists!) and an interesting way to learn about the way salt interacts with water. For extra artsy angles, don’t forget the key supply–painter’s tape! Learn more here.
6. Duct Tape Bookmarks
Tiny bookworms rejoice! Theresa’s Mixed Nuts has just the thing to tuck into your favorite read. Made from colorful duct tape, these bookmarks are easy to whip up and practically indestructible, too. Give ’em as gifts, stick them in party bags, or just make sure they’re handy when storytime rolls around. Learn more here.
While we’ve been social distancing, Brookfield Zoo has welcomed some pretty exciting arrivals—two handsome 4-year-old African lions. While Chicago hasn’t been able to welcome these beauties in person just yet, read on to learn how you can be a part of their virtual welcoming committee.
The 4-year-old brothers, Brutus and Titus, were transferred to Brookfield Zoo from Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, UT, on March 17. With the zoo being temporarily closed, they introduced the new arrivals via a Bringing the Zoo to You Facebook Live chat.
After seeing the brothers, kids began sending drawings of the lions and welcome messages to the zoo’s Facebook page. Staff decided to line the windows of the lion’s outdoor habitat with these well-wishes, which caught the eye of Titus.
Brookfield Zoo would like to fill the entire window with artwork and is inviting kids to submit their original masterpieces to the zoo’s Facebook page. They will be printed and added to the window for the lions to enjoy.
Brookfield Zoo’s Bringing the Zoo to You Facebook Live Chats are held on weekdays at 11 a.m. Be sure to join in to visit with your zoo favorites. If you miss one, no worries, you can go back and watch on Facebook or YouTube.
Note: As a non-profit, Brookfield Zoo relies on ticket sales, memberships, education program fees, meeting revenue and donations to operate. These temporary Covid-19-related closures have had a significant impact on the operating budget of all non-profits. Please consider making a donation, purchasing a membership or visiting the zoo in person when restrictions are lifted.
This is a big dill! ALDI has already rolled out Dill Pickle Popcorn and Dill Pickle Hummus. Now they are releasing their latest contribution to the dill pickle trend, Dill Pickle Cashews.
The Southern Grove Dill Pickle Cashews come in 100 calorie packs for easy, on the go snacking.
There’s also a Salt & Pepper variety if dill favoring is not your thing.
Both varieties are on sale now and retail for $2.99.
When the text arrived with the pic of a long-ago acquired recipe for “Cheezy Pretzels” from a former Little Folks School parent, Nicole Bagley, I had two reactions. The first was sheer joy at the memory of Nicole and her beautiful family; her two children, Dylan (now age 17) and Ella (now age 12) had attended the Little Folks School when they were young. And secondly, I laughed out loud at her message which stated that after 13 years—while sheltering in place in Colorado—they were finally getting around to making the pretzels!
At the Little Folks Summer Camp in Washington, DC, it is an annual tradition to hold a “Pretzel and Lemonade Sale” every July. Besides being a favorite activity that everyone in our community looks forward to, it is loaded with learning. The children work hard to measure out ingredients, to mix and knead the pretzel dough, and then to make it into shapes for baking. Children choose a job: welcoming customers, selling tickets, taking orders for pretzels and lemonade, holding signs, or passing out napkins. Our little bakers and entrepreneurs usually earn enough money to fund special treats at the end-of-camp Music and Art Fair!
Mid-day, family members and friends arrive to purchase the refreshments…and even the recipe!
Each year the campers make more and more pretzels, and no matter how many we make, they are always sold out. Not only is it fun to remember this fantastic event, but it is great to be reminded of this delicious and fun recipe, especially while we are staying at home and looking for activities to pass the time.
Remembering the bright spots from the past, and creating new memories, goes a long way to keep us feeling positive.
Maybe you can make a batch of pretzels and along with some fun memories with your children right now!
LITTLE FOLKS SCHOOL CHEEZY PRETZELS
Ingredients:
4 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 package dry yeast
! tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
4-5 cups of flour
1 egg
coarse salt
Directions:
Dissolve yeast and sugar in water. Combine salt, 4 cups of flour, and cheese. Stir in yeast mixture, adding more flour if needed to make a stiff dough. Knead 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth.
For traditional pretzels break off small pieces of dough and shape into a long snake, twisting to make a pretzel shape. It is also fun to makes circles, numbers, letters, etc…
Place pretzels on uncreased pans allowing space between them.
Brush each with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt.
I am a parent and grandparent with over four decades of experience in early childhood education. I share my passion, wisdom and experience, with parents and the people who care for and about children at Little Folks Big Questions, where we're out to answer the questions parents face in today's world.
Craving an ooey, gooey chocolate chip cookie? Disney has been releasing tons of magical recipes as of late, and the newest one is a feast for the senses.
Jack-Jack’s Num Num Cookie Recipe was shared last month via Instagram and in case you missed it, we’ve got it right here! The nine-ingredient recipe will whip up a batch just like the ones you’d find at Disneyland’s Pixar Pier, which will hopefully keep you happy until the parks reopen.
photo: Disney
To make Jack-Jacks’ famous treats, gather chocolate chips, flour, butter, baking soda, sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and brown sugar. Then follow the instructions in Pixar’s Instagram post below!
They’re cute, they’re miniature and they are oh-so delicious! Whoopie pies are the perfect-sized dessert for our little sweet tooth. And these orange-infused Nutella whoopie pies will have our little one begging for these homemade goodies again and again. Plus, this dessert makes for a great gift!
Ingredients for Orange-Infused Nutella Whoopie Pies
Cream filling:
1 orange
5 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 cup caster/ superfine sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup cream cheese
Whoopie pie:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup caster/superfine sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup Nutella
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup skimmed milk
a pinch of salt
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F
2. Make the cream filling. Finely grate the orange zest and squeeze the juice. Melt the butter in a bain-marie or a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Add the sugar, egg, juice, and zest of the orange. Beat continuously until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Beat in the cheese and chill for 1 hour.
3. Make the whoopie pies. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and sugar. Add the egg, Nutella, cocoa powder, and milk. Mix well then add the flour and baking powder mixture.
4. Place 30 small spoonfuls of the mixture on a baking sheet covered with baking parchment. Bake for 10–15 minutes. Remove from the oven, leave to cool on a cooling rack, then sandwich together with the cream filling.
Churros are the ultimate treat. According to the Disney Parks Blog, churros are sold all over the Disney Parks on both coasts and guests consume over 5.5 million per year. Now, you can make them right in your own kitchen.
Here are the ingredients you need:
1 cup of water
3 eggs
4 oz butter
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 ¼ cups flour
Cinnamon/Sugar Mix
1 ½ cup oil
Follow the instructions below:
Combine 1 cup water, 4oz butter, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp cinnamon in a pot over medium heat
Bring pot to a rolling boil
Add 1 ¼ cups flour
Reduce heat to low
Stir vigorously until the mix forms a ball
Remove from heat and let rest for 5-7 min
Add 3 eggs, one at a time, and stir until combined
In a skillet, heat 1 ½ cups of oil to 350o and stir
Spoon rested dough into a piping bag
Squeeze 1-inch strips into hot oil
Fry churro tots until golden
Drain churro tots on a paper towel
Coat in cinnamon/sugar mix
Serve with melted chocolate sauce
Churros can be found all over the Disney Resorts in many fun flavors from the classic cinnamon sugar to sour watermelon. Until you can get to one of the parks, enjoy these delicious treats in the comfort of your home.
Editor’s note: This story is aimed to lower the chemicals you use in everyday life, such as silver polish, laundry softener, etc. but please follow the CDC guidelines for keeping your home and surfaces disinfected and clean to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Everyone loves a clean house, but you don’t always have to use products packed with chemicals to get things to sparkle and . From natural ways to soften your laundry to using lemons to shine your chrome, read on for 12 ways to clean without the chemicals.
1. Use lemon juice to polish all that chrome and stainless steel in your kitchen or bathroom. We like to keep an extra bottle of already juiced lemon on hand for just such a reason, but if you’ve made lemonade and have lemon rinds left, you can actually use the lemon half right on corners.
2. You can also use said lemon rind, juice or a wedge to clean a cutting board. The lemon not only disinfects, it removes trace odors left behind from things like onions and garlic.
Vinegar (White)
3. Mix vinegar to water at a 3 to 1 ration (3 cups vinegar to one cup water) for cleaning windows and mirrors.
4. Use straight vinegar in a spray bottle to combat mildew. Spray offending area and leave for 30 minutes before rinsing with hot water.
5. Next time you’re at the grocery store, grab an extra one-gallon jug of white vinegar for your laundry room. Add a good 20 drops of essential oil, shake, and keep on hand for a fabric softener. Just add a half cup to each load (shake the jug to distribute the oils before each use).
6. Almost every hard-surface floor, from vinyl to hardwood, can be effectively cleaned with a simple water and vinegar solution. One cup vinegar to a half-gallon of hot or warm water should do the trick.
7. Use baking soda with a hint of essential oil, like lavender, sprinkled in to deodorize your carpets. Sprinkle, vacuum up, inhale.
8. DIY your own room freshener without all the toxic chemicals. Just put some baking soda in a cute jar, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil (we love the combo of mint + lavender) put the lid on, and shake. Once you’ve got your baking soda + essential oils distributed, remove the lid and place several holes in it to let the freshening begin!
9. Use a teaspoon of salt to tepid water (not hot or even warm) to clean and disinfect water bottles (and sippy cups). This keeps you from that dreaded soapy water taste and neutralizes any lingering odors in your bottle. You can even soak the lids and sippy attachments in a mild salt solution, just be sure to rinse the heck out of it to flush the salty flavor away. A cotton swab with a salty paste can help get in the nooks and crannies of lids, too.
Oil
10. Cast iron skillet hack: If you properly season your pans, you won’t need to scrub too much but sometimes it happens. (Never, ever use soap and water on a cast iron skillet!) If you have a tricky sticky spot, use coarse salt and a vegetable scrubber dedicated to this purpose with a helping of cooking oil to clean off the gunk. While we recommend seasoning your pans after each use with a helping of cooking oil, try this lazy hack for every once in awhile: wipe your pan clean with a dry cloth and then spray with a cooking spray like Pam before storing.
11. Mix vinegar and oil together to make a furniture polish! Do it a 3 to 1 ration (so 3 tablespoons oil to 1 tablespoon vinegar). Or sub lemon juice for the vinegar. We recommend making this one in small batches (a little goes a long way) and applying with a super soft cloth, not a paper towel.
12. Toothpaste cleans stains and tarnish on any silver surface. If you’ve got a detailed edge on an antique plate, a gentle toothbrush + toothpaste can take the tarnish out of the nook and crannies and is way less harsh than some commercial silver polishes out there (which can actually strip silver plating). Ditto this method for jewelry.
