How to improve your singing voice

Are you afraid to sing? Try apple cider vinegar and honey and warm water in the morning - it will improve your vocal chords, truly! 2 TBSP vinegar, 2 TBSP honey, and 1/2 cup of warm water - tastes good and works like a charm!

Keep your children happy in the car with music

Going on a road trip this summer with your children? Don't forget to take your favorite music with you. Before you starti hearing "Are we there yet?" just put in your cd or i-pod and play some broadway tunes, your Musikgarten CD, or whatever music you and your family enjoy together. If you are singing along with the CD, you will soon discover that your children will sing along too. Find a song that you ALL like, then turn off the CD and see if everyone can sing the song without the CD help. Have a contest to see who can sing all the words from memory! With music, you'll arrive at your destination happy, with a lot fewer sibling arguments.

Paris Creperie to go far for

A fabulous find of a restaurant in Paris, thanks to our budget tourbook - the Breizh Creperie - in the 3eme arrondissement, in the neighborhood called Le Marais - every dish was exquisite and very reasonable - finally, something that didn't hurt our wallets too much, and every bite was delicieux. Once I find the metro stop and address, I'll let you know.

Want a Better Marriage?

Does it feel like your marriage is on the rocks? Check out this website - Chris Siggins has it together - http://www.rockmyfamily.com/

Pack your suitcase easily

Use a packing list and check off your items as you pack.
I've been using one for years and it's cut my packing time in half, maybe more. With this method, I can even pack over several days when I find 15 min. here, 10 min. there.
There are so many websites with packing lists - I have created one that works for me over the past 15 years. Here is one website: http://www.independenttraveler.com/packing/

Recipe for Duck Breasts from Williams Sonoma

I had such fabulous duck in Paris and in Chartres - now I want to learn how to prepare this myself...check out this duck recipe from Williams Sonoma http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/recipedetail.cfm?objectid=6CDF2E07-48ED-47FA-B5AF14BA3CC57AD1

Can Loud Music Hurt Your Ears?

Find out if loud music can hurt your ears
http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/rock_music.html

One Week in Paris, France - Part One

A week in Paris, Part one

Money – if we paid 10 euros for a meal, that meant about $14 US – per person of course. 10 euros for a "plat du jour" would be a really good find – appetizer, entrée, drink, and dessert. Most places were from 16 to 19 euros for a "plat du jour" or "prix fixe."

You will need euros the minute you land in France, so have about:

40 – shuttle from airport to hotel or to the Etoile for two people

12 – lunch (for one)

12 – dinner (for one)

10 – tips

5 – internet café unless your hotel guarantees you internet access

5 – metro tickets

Total for first day: 84 or 85 Euros – so just make it an even 100 euros (buy these before you leave) (85 euros translates to about $118 US) Here in the U.S., it can take about 3 business days for your bank to obtain your paper euros, so plan ahead.

Actually, add 20 euros if there are two of you who would like to eat (and who doesn’t?).

The ATM machines in airports often charge a hefty transaction fee for the exchange.

If you arrive on a Sunday, as we did, be prepared to find very few places open, sigh.

Bank of America is a good choice, because they are a partner of BNP ParisBas. As far as I know, when you withdraw euros from one of their ATM machines (and they are all over the place), they charge you a 1% transaction fee - but I'll confirm that and update with a future blog. We were allowed to withdraw 400 euros daily from the ATM. Yes, there is a limit as to how much you can take out. Maybe your limit will be higher than ours. The one we used the most was the BNP on the Champs Elysee near the George V Metro stop.

There were many places that took Mastercard and VISA but not American Express cards. Watch out – you will probably be paying extra fees for using your credit card to pay for purchases, meals, or hotels, and the cashier is not about to disclose any of that to you as a general rule.


Bon Voyage!

Go to Fodors for free travel answers

If you want some great, up-to-date travel advice, sign up for the forum on www.fodors.com

It's free - just post your question and you'll probably get some good answers within hours.

Going overseas? Buy an international calling card - cheap!

How to Choose Movie Rentals Kids can Watch too

Do you want to know exactly what's in the movie, in other words, the language, the violence, and other negative elements?
Before you add something to your queue or go to Blockbuster, visit this site:

www.kids-in-mind.com

Movie ratings that actually work. I must admit, I have a hard time reading the "violent scenes" they include but this site will tell you EXACTLY what you can expect in each movie! I like to know what profanity I will encounter, and this site always tells me what I need to know.

Other good sites to check are:

www.dove.org
and
www.crosswalk.com (click on movies)

Another site would be that of Michael Medved for some good reviews - I think!:

www.michaelmedved.townhall.com

Go Green for Life with Green Smoothies

I have just finished reading Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko www.rawfamily.com
It has totally changed my attitude toward diet and nutrition.
I now have a Vitamix blender, and consume green smoothies daily. I can already see the difference in my hair and nails after just one week. My sugar cravings has lessened and I have more energy. I never thought I would eat kale or dandelion greens, but here I am loving it!

Use honey and fruit with your green smoothies, and your children will love them too. So much calcium, potassium, and all the good stuff your body needs! Yum.

Flying overseas this summer?

If you go to Europe this summer, be aware that vendors will now add on a 3% charge to your bill when you use your credit cards like VISA www.fodors.com

Also, if you plan to wear a mask on the plane, make sure it is at least N95 particulate to be effective. Check with the cdc website before you pack...

http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/

A great game to play with children on a plane is Monopoly (or so many others) on your laptop -

http://www.boardgamecentral.com/games/monopoly.html

The Magic of Musikgarten - just one example

Tom, age 18 months, joined my youngest class just 4 weeks ago. I'm told he does not talk much at all yet, only some isolated words. I was also told he is extremely shy. On his first visit, he stayed outside in the hall and pretty much cried for 30 minutes. His second class, he did not cry, but he stood by the door, facing the door the whole time. His third class he came with his grandma June and sat next to her, but did not participate, he observed - no crying this time. Today, his fourth class, as we sang "Baa baa black sheep," he began to clap. For 3 songs after that one, he continued to clap in time with the rhythm. At one point, he went over to 1 yr old Heather and handed her an egg shaker. After using our scarves for "Peek a boo," he came and neatly put his scarf in my scarf bag. When we sang "Coming 'round the mountain," he distinctly sang "Toot, toot" when we did, as well as some other words that we adults did not fully understand. June's eyes filled up with tears of joy, as did mine. What a moment! This is just one example of why I LOVE Musikgarten. When we sing and dance to the right kind of music, we are speaking their language and magic moments really do happen. - Susan

One Finger Touch

When our son was 2, naturally he wanted to touch everything in sight. His dad, Curt, did not want to stifle his curiosity, but he also wanted to protect Curtis and delicate items from a dangerous consequence. He told Curtis he could touch ANYTHING with just one finger, lightly, but that he would need special permission to touch anything with more than just one finger. When Curtis would get close to a breakable item, reaching out his little hand to grab it, Dad would remind him in his deep voice, "one finger touch, Curtis." After about 8 times of this exercise, Curtis got it. In stores, in the houses of friends, in our house, everywhere, Curtis would touch something (not fire) with one finger, and no harm came to the object, nor to our 2 year old. Of course use your common sense here - we did not let him get near a fan, fire, danger, etc. But the one finger touch solved a multitude of challenges!

Make Some Fun Musical Instruments

CHIMES

ruler or stick
washers
nail polish
string
metal mixing spoon
fishing line filament

Hang the washers from the ruler or stick with pieces of string by wrapping the string around the ruler or stick and securing. Strike the washers with the mixing spoon to play. And if possible, hang the stick using two hooks and some fishing line.

Note: You can make this craft colorful by painting the washers first with different color nail polishes, such as blue,red, gold, etc. Parents please supervise this part of the activity.

Matracas

Use two wooden blocks of the same size. Attach sandpaper to one side of each block with glue or tacks. Children can rub the blocks together in time with the music.

Early Music Training Can Mean Higher Income

Recently, a broad poll found that 88% of all post-graduate students in college and 83% of all people earning $150,000 or more had extensive music training. The most ideal age for effective musical instruction is from 6 months to 6 years old. Learning music is similar to second language acquisition, therefore it makes sense that the younger the age, the easier this is to accomplish.

Inspire Your Child to Compose and Create

We can inspire our children to compose and to create through music, whether it's on a piano, with a set of pots and pans, a recorder, or any simple instrument! Songs have a beginning, a middle, and an end. So do stories, so do term papers, business presentations, good speeches, the list goes on and on. Sing your favorite songs together, then ask your child to compose the drum accompaniment to go with the song - even if all you have are pots and pans.

Stay with your Musikgarten or music and movement class and progress through the sequential curriculum for as long as you can. A recent extensive poll found that 88% of all post-graduate students in college and 83% of all people earning $150,000 or more had in-depth music training. Their leadership skills began very early with the first music classes. These inspired in them the love of composing, new ideas, the ability to write about them, and to inspire others to perform those ideas.

Make Your Own Drum

This easy-to-make instrument provides even the youngest musicians with a wonderfully rich and resonant sound.
CRAFT MATERIALS:
Large, cylindrical oatmeal container
Craft knife
Tyvek (what no-rip envelopes are made of; available at your local post office or at office supply stores)
Markers
Duct Tape
Heavy-duty wrapping paper or one of your child's drawings

Time needed: Under 1 Hour
1. Remove the lid from a large, cylindrical oatmeal container. Cut out the bottom with a craft knife.

2. Cut a piece of Tyvek (what no-rip envelopes are made of; available at your local post office or at office supply stores) into a circle that's 4 inches wider than the mouth of the oatmeal carton. (For instance, if your container measures 5 inches across, the Tyvek should be 9 inches.) Don't worry about making the circle perfectly round; we traced the carton onto our envelope, then cut around it, keeping our scissors roughly 2 inches from that line.

3. If you like, have your child decorate the Tyvek with markers while you cut eight 2-inch lengths of packing or duct tape. Now tape the Tyvek over the mouth of the container. To get it as taut as possible, adhere 2 pieces of tape directly opposite each other after pulling the Tyvek tight between them. Continue in the same way around the container, until all 8 strips are applied in pairs (you'll need to gather the material slightly as you go). Finally, cut one last, longer piece of tape and wrap it all the way around the edge of the Tyvek.

4. Jazz up the drum by decorating it with heavy-duty wrapping paper or one of your child's drawings, held in place with packing tape or colorful duct tape.

To add to the fun: Make a few more in different sizes so your child can have a complete drum set.

Thanks to FamilyFun.com

Rhythmic potential

Children need a lot of movement activity to fulfill their rhythmic potential. Movement and dance promote and nurture the following:

* Beat competency - the ability to keep a steady beat to music that is generated from an outside source
* Discrimination between music that moves in duple and triple meters (2/4 and 3/4)
* Instrumental readiness - it is often helpful, though not necessary, to have children walk, skip, or hop before attempting to make related sounds on a drum or rhythm sticks
* The ability to recognize a specific rhythm pattern - children often need to clap or tap a rhythm such as "du-de du," before they can recognize that pattern aurally

Source: National Musikgarten

Rain Sticks from Mailing Tubes

Your and your child can enjoy the sound of a gentle rainfall with this sound-alike “rain” instrument. You can create a noisy, kid-safe maze for falling grain with just a mailing tube and aluminum foil, and this gives toddlers plenty of crafting opportunities to "do it myself."
CRAFT MATERIALS:
16-1/2- by 6-inch piece of clear Con-Tact paper (optional)
Small pieces of colored tissue paper (torn or cut) (optional)
15- by 1-1.2-inch mailing tube (available for $1.50 at Staples)
2-1/2-foot length of aluminum foil
Broom
1/3 cup of rice
2 tablespoons of un-popped corn
Hot glue

Time needed: About 2 to 3 Hours (but oh, it’s worth it)

1. To decorate -peel the backing off the Con-Tact paper. Let your child decorate the sticky side with tissue paper. (Alternatively, have her paint the tube, then cover it with the Con-Tact paper.) Wrap the paper around the tube and tuck the extra length inside the ends (for ease, cut small slits around the overhang before folding it in).

2. Crush the foil lengthwise into a long cylinder, then wrap it around the handle of a broom to form a coil. (it will look like a long lock of curled hair, sort of) Slide the coil off the handle, stretch it until it's slightly longer than the tube, then push it into the tube. Use hot glue or masking tape to secure the ends of the foil inside the tube, about 1/4 inch from each opening.

3. Hot-glue a cap to one end of the tube, then help your child pour the rice and corn into the other end (a funnel or small pitcher works well). Hot-glue the other cap in place. Now turn upside down to hear the rainfall. And turn upside down again, and again!

Thanks to FamilyFun.com for this!

Portable Behavior Kit for Parents

Time out is a good method to modify and shape your toddler's behavior. Once a child can walk and stand, having a time out as a consequence for willful disobedience is an effective way to help your child learn self control, and to recognize you as their God-given authority. A child psychologist suggested to me that I use a kitchen towel for this. At age 18 months, my son had to stand on the towel for 1.5 minutes during the time out. At age 2, 2 min. Age 3, 3 min., and so on. The last time he stood on a towel as a consequence was when he was 6 years old.

I kept a towel with me at all times. It worked in the grocery store, the parking lot at church, even at Epcot center. He was a strong-willed child, and by age 3, my husband and I had pretty much won the battle of the wills, thanks to this technique and to the towel! We did not discipline in anger, only in love, firmly, and often with tears in our eyes. Today, at age 23, my son is one of the happiest, most organized and motivated guys I've ever known. Self disciplined, generous, and joyful. Hey, we made lots of mistakes as parents, and I mean a lot. But with God's help, we did some things right.

Create your own "bottled" musical scale

Remember when you were a child and you had fun blowing across the top of a half empty coke bottle to hear the rich sound it would make? As for what tone it was, you probably didn't know, at least I didn't. Well, no longer. Now, experts have determined just how much water you need in eight 20-ounce pop bottles to create a major scale. Tape numbers to each bottle, 1 through 8 (or use different-colored stickers), and compose. Try "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"?

THE MAJOR SCALE
Do -- 7 ounces
Re -- 9 1/2 ounces
Mi -- 12 1/2 ounces
Fa -- 14 ounces
Sol -- 16 1/2 ounces
La -- 17 1/2 ounces
Ti -- 18 1/2 ounces
Do -- 19 ounces

ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT
11123
32345
888555333111
54321

TIP: Try using a piece of flexible plastic tubing. Rather than try to move your mouth from bottle to bottle, hold one end of the tube in your mouth and move the other end from bottle to bottle. (Source: DisneyFamily.com)

Teaching a child to wait

In many songs and activities, there are moments when a child will wait naturally, especially in the Musikgarten program. One example is the song, "Well you walk and you walk and you walk and you....STOP!" This same delayed pause pattern shows up in many of the songs as well, like "My Little Rooster."
Here are some simple daily activities you can add to stretch those moments of anticipation. With infants it might include playing little movement and touch 'games' like lifting them way up and then back down into your arms, or circling your finger around and then landing gently on their nose. Do things that bring joy, not tears. Later, they might be more willing to put on their shoes if it means they will get to take a ride or a walk. They will love it if you bake cookies. You may hear your child say, "It's so HARD to wait for cookies to get done!" If you hear that, rejoice. You are giving your toddler a priceless opportunity to practice waiting. - Miss Susan

Teaching Rhythm

Babies love to bounce and rock, that's probably no surprise.
Pick some of your favorite, upbeat songs, sit on your couch, and put your baby or toddler on your knees. Play the song and then bounce your knees up and down to the beat of the music, holding your child securely around his or her waist so they feel secure. Sometimes, lift them a bit higher than your knees for fun. Sing along with the song, and your child will imitate you eventually. Baby can face you or not, depending on the child. It's fun to see their happy expression as you both experience this activity.
:)
Susan