Kid's Crafts: Snowmen

Here are some adorable snowmen to make. This project is for older
children. Younger children can assist with making these cute
decorations. There are several options on how to create or
decorate your snowmen. Read through all the options then decide
which pattern you want to make and the materials you will need.

~Sock Snowman~

Polyfil or 2" Styrofoam egg
White kid sock
3" paper towel or toilet paper tube
White acrylic paint
Rice
Craft Glue


Cut paper towel tube into 3" lengths. Be careful not
to crush. Paint tube white. Let dry.

Form polyfil into a circle the size of a ping pong
ball. Glue to top of tube or glue Styrofoam egg
to the top.

Pull child sock down over the tube. Place 1/2 cup of
rice into the tube.

With button thread and needle, stitch end of sock close.
Stuff excess fabric in the tube.

Decorate snowman face (see below). Make a hat
(optional) as described below.

Finish your project.


~Optional Sock Snowman~

Cut paper towel tube into 3" lengths. Be careful not
to crush. Paint tube white. Let dry.

Create head for snowman as described for glove snowman,
but make smaller. Decorate face (see below) and glue to
top of the tube.

Place rice in the tube and pull sock over tube with open end
at the top. Pull cuff over bottom of face.

OR~

Glue Styrofoam egg to top of tube and pull sock over the top
of the egg and stitch top close.

Make a hat as below.

Finish project as described below.



~Glove snowman~

Polyfil
Knit Glove
Rice
Muslin
Craft Glue

Fill fingers-except thumb- with rice. Fold to the
back. Tack the the thumb part of the glove to the
front-in a position to hold something.

Fill glove with polyfil.

Cut piece of muslin big enough to cover ping pong ball.
Use running stitch along edge of circle stitch close.
Stuff before tying off thread.

Decorate the face and make a cap (see below).

Finish project as described below.


*Decorate face:

Blush
Paint Brush
Acrylic paint or fabric markers:
Orange, Black

Paint eyes on the face about half-way
down with black paint. Draw an orange
triangle for the nose. Dot on a smile
for the mouth or just draw a smile.
Dip a q-tip into blush. Rub most of the
color off then dot the blush to top of
mouth on both sides.

OR

2 6mm black beads
tiny red or orange pompom
craft glue

Glue black beads about half way down the
front of the face to make the eyes. Glue
pompom on for nose or make a toothpick
nose.

Optional nose:

toothpick
orange paint or marker
craft glue

Color the tip of a toothpick orange. Cut off
excess. Let dry. Poke a hole in the face where
the toothpick is to go. Glue toothpick in the
hole.




*Make a cap
(optional for first sock snowman)

Piece of ribbed knit or fleece fabric-
2 x 2 1/2"
Embroidery or button hole thread to match
Tiny piece of greenery

Stitch the fabric using 1/4" seam allowance
widthwise to make a tube.

Fold up the bottom of the fabric to make a
brim.

Glue to the top of your snowman's head. Gather
excess fabric at the top of cap and make a knot
using the matching thread. Leave 1/2" tails at
either end of knot. If using fleece you can
fringe the excess fabric after knotting it off.
Glue on piece of greenery to front brim-optional.

OR

Colored baby or small child sock
Matching pompom 3/4"

Turn sock inside out. 4" down from the top of the
sock sew gathering stitches. Knot thread. Clip off
excess sock. Turn right side out. Turn a 1" brim
up at the bottom of the sock. Glue to top of the
head. Glue a pompom to the top or cut 6 2" pieces of
yarn and stitch through the top of the hat. Pull yarn
half way through leaving a 1" tail on either side of the
stitch.




*Finish Project

Small broom or shovel (opt for sock)
Heart wooden shape (opt for sock)
Plaid or homespun fabric-
1/2" x double the height of snowman.
Black wood marker, large sharpie
or acrylic paint
Tan fabric or acrylic paint (opt)
2 1/2" twigs (opt)
1/2" buttons (opt)

All snowmen-(optional)
Dry brush tan paint along the bottom of
the snowman.

Glove snowman-(optional for sock snowmen)
Paint heart shape wood piece black. Let dry.
Glue base of snowman to piece. Should look
like shoes sticking out of the bottom.

Glove snowman-
Create an opening between the thumb part of the
glove and the body. Glue small broom or shovel in
the opening. (appears as if snowman is holding the
object with his arm.) Glue object with shovel or
mop head up. Trim with tiny bit of holly if desired.

Sock Snowman- twig arms (optional)
Poke holes in the body of the snowman and glue twigs
on for arms. If desired can have snowman hold tiny
broom or shovel.

Buttons- (optional for all)
Glue buttons to the front body of the snowman or can
draw on black "coal" buttons with marker.

Scarf-all snowmen
Tear a piece of narrow fabric for the snowman's scarf.
Tie around the neck of your snowman. Trim off excess
fabric.

The Day The Zoo Came To Visit

By: James D.D. Smith, Ph.D
Illustrated by: Stina Brown
ISBN: 0-9731142-0-7
Xenopus Books
PO Box 84114
Canada Post, Market Mall, 3625
Shaganappi Trail N.W. Calgary
Alberta, Canada T3A 0C0
403-547-0633
xenopus@shaw.ca
http://members.shaw.ca/xenopus/

Price: $12.95

The Day The Zoo Came To Visit reminds me of a book I relished as a
young child, though the name of that book now escapes me. So when
this book was delivered to my doorstep, I couldn't help but rush to
read it.

To my delight it was everything I expected it to be and more. The
book is beautifully illustrated with realistic looking animals, all
proportioned to their correct sizes. The story is cute, comical, and
easy to read.

But what makes this book unique is that is has a real educational
value. Not only do children get to practice reading rhymes, they
learn the alphabet as each animal is introduced in alphabetical order
and each letter of that alphabet is bolded for emphasis. There's even
a game of hide-n-seek where children are encouraged to find lemmings,
which have been strategically hidden throughout the book. And
finally, Mr. Smith includes a few questions to ask your child to make
the book more interactive.

Finally, the ending touches on having good manners. The children had
tried everything to get the animals to leave, but they just wouldn't
go. Until the children learned to say, "please"—that is.

If you're looking for a colorful book that engages the interest of
young children, while introducing them to the love of reading, and
still has educational value, you'll want to get your hands on a copy
of The Day The Zoo Came To Visit, today.

Courtesy of Alyice Edrich, editor of The Dabbling Mum.com; where BUSY
parents find advice, balance, inspiration, and how-to e-books.

Wacky Races The Complete Series

Warner Home Video
ASIN: B0002MFGDW
Producer: Hanna-Barbera
Starring:
Dick Dastardly, Penelope Pitstop, the Slag Brothers, the Gruesome
Twosome, Prof. Pat Pending, Sergeant Blast and Private Meekly, Ant
Hill Mob, Lazy Luke and Blubber Bear, Rufus Ruffcut and Sawtooth the
Beaver, the Belle of the Brickyard, and Peter Perfect.

Price: $34.99 for a 3 Disc set

The Wacky Races are simple, no frills cartoons filled with clean
comical relief. You won't find high tech video technology, but you
will find clean humor and a few laughs as Dick Dastardly tries ever-
so-hard to win the races with schemes that always backfire. And you
can't help but find yourself giggling every time his dog, Muttley,
snickers because Dastardly's scheme has once again backfired.

The storyline remains the same in every episode. The same contestants
compete against each other in a race to the finish line—a race where
anything goes. There's no real plot and no storyline; just a group
of racers doing whatever in takes to win the race.

Perhaps it's the nostalgia of a childhood long gone, or perhaps it's
the joy of watching my own child giggle and find joy in a cartoon I
once enjoyed as a child. Whatever the reason, you'll want to take a
step back in time and watch the Wacky Races.


Alyice Edrich is the editor of The Dabbling Mum.com–where BUSY
parents find balance (http://thedabblingmum.com). She is also the
author of several work-from-home e-books, including one that allows
parents to earn $50 in two hours without joining an MLM or home party
business.

A Child's Thanksgiving Tree

By Amanda Formaro

Just mentioning the word "Thanksgiving" often conjures up memories for
many. Traditions are relived and new ones are born on this
joyous family holiday. Why not start a new one with your children with
this fun and simple activity.

To make your own Thanksgiving Tree you will need the following:

Materials

sheet of white poster board
pencil
tempera paint, markers or crayons
construction paper in red, yellow, green and orange
markers
scissors
glue or tape
glitter glue (optional)

Variation: This project can also be easily adapted to a cork board
(see photo) by simply using colored push pins to match the leaves.
Use brown construction paper to make the tree trunk.

You may draw the tree trunk freehand or print out our template
by clicking here:

http://www.thefamilycorner.com/family/
leisure/thankstree.shtml

At the top of the posterboard, entitle your tree "Smith Kids
Thanksgiving Tree", inserting your family surname in the title.

With a pencil on poster board, draw a basic tree with a branch
for each child in the family. If you only have 1-2 children, it might
be fun to include two or three branches for each child.

Using tempera paint, markers, or crayons color the tree trunk brown.
On red, orange, green and yellow construction paper, trace 10 copies
of each child's hand. Cut out and give each child their "leaves".

Each child writes one thing that they are thankful for on each leaf
(grown ups can help if needed!). You may decorate the leaves with
glitter glue if you like. Next, tape or glue the leaves onto their
designated branches.

This makes a great activity to keep kids happy during a large family
gathering. Hint: Make the base ahead of time for quick start up.

Hang up the Thanksgiving Tree where the whole family can see it.
Makes a great conversation piece! Later, after dinner, have the
children present their tree to the family gathered around. Each
child tells what they are thankful for and why.

For added fun, make additional posterboard bases up ahead of
time so that the rest of the family can add their leaves as well.
Have supplies at the ready!

Amanda Formaro is the entrepreneurial mother of four children.
She is also the owner of FamilyCorner.com Magazine at
http://familycorner.com
where you will find recipes, crafts, family activities, parenting
advice, home & garden, and plenty more. Be sure to visit
the bustling message board community to make some new friends!

Tantalizing Turkey

by Chris Sadler - 1001Recipes2Send.com

You too can make a spectacular turkey dinner!

TT has what you need to help you at every step. You even get
carving directions with graphics, guidance about the best way
to thaw, stuff and roast your turkey, recipes and more. See
what's inside.

Get answers to your most pressing turkey questions about how
leftover turkey can be stored properly and what do you need to do
to a turkey just before roasting it. Pick up invaluable Turkey
Tips about Thermometer Placement and even how do you will know
when the turkey is done. Learn about thawing your turkey using
both the refrigerator and the cold water methods.

Not sure how to "Get Stuffed" the right way? Never fear, follow
the Tantalizing Turkey's simple guidelines and you are on your
way! You even get complete details (with approximate cooking
times) for the Open Pan Method of roasting your turkey.

Once your turkey is roasted to perfection, don't mess up the meal
with poor carving, follow the easy to understand carving
instructions (complete with diagrams).

The turkey however is only one part of the presentation. Don't
miss out on the mouth watering Turkey Apple Stuffing recipe and
complete details on how to make Turkey Gravy with drippings or
without. The recipes continue with ideas for dealing with the
leftovers (the best part). Lots of ideas for you to use up the
remains of your bird and enjoy dessert with this recipe for Handy
Turkey Cookies (which doesn't actually contain turkey but who
cares it tastes great)!

Handy Turkey Cookies

(NAPSA) - A Thanksgiving feast is not complete without dessert.
And such a sweet ending can be a terrific way for youngsters to
join in the preparation. Decorating these simple, "handy" cookies
can be a light, tasty way to top a scrumptious meal-with some
help from the little ones.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies

For the dough:

* 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

For the decorations:

* 1 cup prepared vanilla frosting (from a 16 oz. can)
* Assorted colored sugars
* Mini chocolate chips
* Candy corn
* Red fruit leather

Special aids:

* Hand-shaped template or cookie cutter
* Small resealable plastic bag
* Scissors

Making the cookies:

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium speed,
beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg and
beat for 1 minute longer. Beat in vanilla just until
incorporated.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and cream of tartar.
Using a wooden spoon, stir butter mixture, one-third at a time,
into flour mixture until blended. (The mixture will be crumbly.)

Gather dough into a ball; flatten into a disk and wrap in plastic
wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly spray 2 baking sheets with
vegetable cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface, roll out
dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Using a template made by cutting
out a tracing of your hand or a hand-shaped cookie cutter, cut
out cookies.

Transfer cutouts, 2 inches apart, to the prepared baking sheets.
Reroll scraps for additional cookies. Bake until lightly browned
around the edges, 8-10 minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool
completely.

Decorating the cookies:

Spoon frosting into a resealable plastic bag; snip off 1 corner.
Pipe a feather design onto each finger.

Sprinkle "feathers" with colored sugar. Pipe a dot for the "eye"
on each thumb. Place a mini chocolate chip on each frosting
"eye." Cut a candy corn for each nose and attach to thumb with a
little frosting.

Using scissors, cut the fruit leather on its backing paper into
2-inch pieces; cut out "wattles."

Remove paper from fruit leather. Using a dab of frosting, attach
"wattles" to thumbs. Let stand until frosting is set, about 1
hour.

Pick up your copy of the Tantalizing Turkey eBook today at:
http://www.1001Recipes2Send.com/eBook/tt/

-*-*-*-*-*-*
About the Author:
Chris Sadler is Owner and WebAdmin of The 1001Recipes2Send.com
Recipes Database. Become a member to recieve the weekly
newsletter alert: http://www.1001Recipes2Send.com
Download FREE eBooks at: http://www.1001Recipes2Send.com/Free

The Polar Express: Catch the Next Train

By Jeff Westover

They say there are four stages you go through in life: you believe in
Santa, you don't believe in Santa, you believe in Santa again, and
you look like Santa. Funny though that may be, there is an element of
truth in the ageless conflict we all face when it comes to devotion
to Santa Claus.

The Polar Express examines that conflict in the heart of a little boy
and it does it in style. From the opening moments of the movie the
viewer feasts on stunning visual images, outrageous sound effects and
a stirring score. It's too bad they had to mess all that up with a
story line that veered too far from the original children's book and
too far into what is sure to be a best selling video game. By the
time the movie ends you are not quite sure if the kid believes in
Santa or not -- and you're not convinced that you should believe in
him any more either.

Robert Zemekis, who brought us such favorites as Back to the Future
and Forrest Gump, tells this story with typical Hollywood bravado.
There are fantastic clashes, brushes with death, scores of extras,
glorious choirs and dazzling special effects. But lost on the makers
of this film was this pertinent detail: it is a simple story. Any
parent who has shared the book with a child knows that the appeal
came from the message -- and the artwork -- in the book. The movie
gave us the artwork but it lost the story and the message it carries
somewhere in a cloud of pixel-dust.

The story centers around a nameless little boy fighting belief in The
Big Guy. As he drifts off to sleep on Christmas Eve he is awakened by
the arrival of The Polar Express, a train on its way to the North
Pole carrying a cast of non-believers to see what happens there on
Christmas Eve. The boy hops on board and begins a Christmas adventure
where the magic fades with each passing mile. By the time we see the
North Pole, the magic of Santa and the message of giving is reduced
once again by Hollywood's shallow interpretation of who Santa Claus
is and how he works.

The North Pole ends up being a dark place populated by mostly empty-
headed, smart-alecky elves blindly devoted to an imposing and even
threatening figure in Santa. Mr. Claus talks his way out of these
cold perceptions, of course. But the overall package is one the
little boy and, ultimately, the audience has a hard time swallowing.

Those who know the book know the moral of the story. But those who
see the movie have to endure a series of heartless scenes that do
little to develop the depth of the boy's conflict or just what needs
to be done to resolve it. Instead, you find yourself hoping the
journey will just hurry up and end.

Tom Hanks, who helped to produce the project, inexplicably plays six
different roles: the boy, the narrator, the father, the hobo, the
conductor and Santa Claus (although in Santa's role he sounds like
he's on a serious dose of Valium). I love Tom Hanks and see just
about everything he does. But how much Tom Hanks does a movie need?
Was this a move of budgetary necessity or merely a device to stroke
the ego? I doubt it was either. Regardless of the real reason, the
gimmick leaves one wondering which new character will sound like Tom
Hanks with another goofy accent. It proved to be an unnecessary
distraction.

Unlike other abysmal holiday failures of recent years (How the Grinch
Stole Christmas, Elf, The Santa Clause II, and Jingle All the Way),
The Polar Express is a revered story and has enough polish to make it
watchable. Just lower your expectations. It is not the perennial
holiday classic the studios are touting it to be.

© 2004 by Jeff Westover

Jeff Westover is a freelance writer and father of seven from Salt
Lake City, Utah. He is the managing editor of My Merry Christmas.com,
where folks have been making merry online for more than a decade. He
writes about holidays, families, parenting, home schooling and
photography for a variety of publications both online and offline.
Please visit http://mymerrychristmas.com for more articles like this
one.

Clay Pot Turkey

By Amanda Formaro
Family Corner

This little turkey is quite simple to make. The cost is minimal and he
makes
a great table decoration or hostess gift for Thanksgiving dinner!

You will need

1- 1 1/2" diameter wooden ball
1- 2 1/4" diameter clay pot
3 or 4 feathers
small bowtie or 6 inch length of ribbon
green button
6 inch length of jute or raffia
white craft or hot glue
black finetip marker
small and large paintbrushes
acrylic paints in brown, tan, mustard yellow, red, and rose
clear coat spray

What you do

Body
Place newspaper down on work surface. Turn clay pot over and glue
wooden ball to bottom of pot. When glue is dry, use large paint brush
to paint entire the outside of the clay pot and the entire wooden ball
with brown paint. Let dry and apply a second coat. When dry, use large
paint brush to fleck on spots of tan paint for effect. This does not
have
to be perfect! Using small paint brush, paint on feet and beak, use the
photo as a guide if needed.

Head
Use small paintbrush to paint on the gobbler in red. Dab large
paintbrush
or stencil dotter in rose paint. Dab onto newspaper or paper towel
until all
excess paint is removed. Gently dab onto "cheeks" of turkey's face.
With
the black finetip marker, drawn on eyes and dot nostrils onto beak.
Spray
entire surface with clear coat.

Finishing Touches
Glue miniature bow tie in place, or fashion a simple bow out of ribbon
and glue in place. Trim excess to suit your tastes. Tie a piece of jute
or
raffia through the holes of the green button. Tie a bow and trim
excess.
Glue button to the body below the bowtie. Glue feathers to the back so
that they stick up above the back of the turkey's head.

Amanda Formaro is the entrepreneurial mother of four children.
She is also the owner of FamilyCorner.com Magazine at
http://familycorner.com
where you will find recipes, crafts, family activities, parenting
advice, home & garden, and plenty more. Be sure to visit
the bustling message board community to make some new friends!

Night Song Book Review

Night Song
A Story of Sacrifice
By Tricia Goyer
ISBN: 0-8024-1555-5
Moody Publishers

By N. Edrich

Not one for romance stories, I wasn't sure I wanted to read this
book. But my wife insisted that I would enjoy the book and enjoy it
I did! I was immediately drawn into the life of the characters and
found myself wanting to know more about Jakub, Evie, and Nick.

Night Song not only explores love, but it shares how we change the
lives of those around us by just being a part of life and relying on
the Lord. In my opinion, Tricia Goyer did a great job of showing us
what it must have been like for the participants of World War II, how
they felt as they went from a privileged lifestyle to being engulfed
in a brutal and ugly war with the Nazis almost overnight, and how
love can survive even the roughest of times.


N. Edrich is an occasional reviewer for The Dabbling Mum.com–where
BUSY parents find balance (http://thedabblingmum.com).

Review: Dora The Explorer Music CD

Dora The Explorer

Created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh & Eric Weiner

Nick Records

http://nickjr.com

ASIN: B0002XL27K

Price: $12.98


Dora The Explorer is a fun, high energy music CD for children! In
fact, the music is so upbeat parents can't help but dance around the
room with their children. The mixture of Spanish and English songs is
well-balanced, has nice transitions, and helps make this a great CD
for reinforcing language skills—whether a child speaks Spanish and is
learning English or vice versa.


Alyice Edrich is the editor of The Dabbling Mum.com–where BUSY
parents find balance (http://thedabblingmum.com). She is also the
author of several work-from-home e-books, including one that allows
parents to earn $50 in two hours without joining an MLM or home party
business.

Review:Mommy, I Can't Sleep!

Music Therapy For All Ages
Carol Cartledge and Tina Dutcher
11919 Hemlock Ave.
Hesperia, CA 92345
http://www.catentertainment.net
info@catentertainment.net
Price: $14.95

Is your child having trouble sleeping? Wish you could get a good
night's sleep? Tried every "sleepy time" musical CD on the market,
and they just aren't working? Than you'll want to give Mommy, I Can't
Sleep! a try. This gentle, soothing musical CD may just save your
sanity!

Instead of singing lullabies to your child, which often cause a child
to want to get up and dance around, or at least sing in bed, the
creators of Mommy, I Can't Sleep! use gentle musical tones mixed with
the soothing, relaxing sounds of nature. This combination of music
and nature gently guides your child into a natural sleep state. I
highly recommend it for infants, toddlers, and even that snoring
husband.

Alyice Edrich is the editor of The Dabbling Mum.com–where BUSY
parents find balance (http://thedabblingmum.com). She is also the
author of several work-from-home e-books, including one that allows
parents to earn $50 in two hours without joining an MLM or home party
business.

Video Review:Justice League: The Brave and The Bold Volume 4

Warner Home Videos
ASIN: B0002MFGE6
Price: $19.97

Warner Brothers does it again. They've brought back the classics:
Wonder Woman, Batman, and Flash, and revitalized the characters with
new powers and new story lines. It's the age old saga: good versus
evil, but with a twist. There's no longer a "lone superhero"
fighting to save the world. These superheroes join forces and rely on
each other's talents to get the job done.

My 13-year-old son observed a very valuable life lesson while
watching his favorite character Flash, "Teamwork and patience is
important. Every time Flash gets in a hurry, trouble happens. But
when he slows down and listens, he gets the job done." My 9-year-old
daughter learned that it's okay to be different. She learned that
differences can work together for a common good and make life far
more interesting.

The special features section was fun to watch, as an adult, it's
always interesting to see what goes into the makings of a cartoon and
what the cartoonists where thinking when they developed certain
scenes and/or characters.

Alyice Edrich is the editor of The Dabbling Mum.com–where BUSY
parents find balance (http://thedabblingmum.com). She is also the
author of several work-from-home e-books, including one that allows
parents to earn $50 in two hours without joining an MLM or home party
business.

Video Review:What's New Scooby Doo?

Halloween Boos and Clues Vol. 3
Warner Home Videos
ASIN: B00029NMS6
Price: $19.97

Ever wonder why so many old shows and cartoons are making their
debuts on the big screen and coming back on DVD? The simple answer
is: the classics are just better. While we have advanced greatly in
technology, modern shows leave little to be desired when it comes
to "family entertainment."

Scooby Doo and the Mystery Inc gang are finding their way back into
the hearts of young children because they provide clean fun. What's
New Scooby Doo? Halloween Boos and Clues is the perfect example of a
great Halloween flick geared towards families. There's no bloody
mess. No one dies. And your children go to bed giggling instead of
waking up in the middle of the night afraid of the dark. In the
words of my nine year old, Scooby Doo fan, "they're just classic!"

This video also comes with extensive footage and a little historical
tour of Universal Studio's back lot—where children get to see what's
behind the curtains, so-to-speak.



Alyice Edrich is the editor of The Dabbling Mum.com–where BUSY
parents find balance (http://thedabblingmum.com). She is also the
author of several work-from-home e-books, including one that allows
parents to earn $50 in two hours without joining an MLM or home party
business.

Video Reviews-Real Wheels: Land, Sea, & Air Adventures

Studio: Warner Home Videos
ASIN: B00027JYF8
Retail: $14.97

Children love adventure. Watch a toddler for more than five minutes
and you can't help but giggle as they find new and exciting things to
explore. In Real Wheels: Land, Sea, and Air Adventures, toddlers get
to curbs their appetites for adventure and satisfy their curiosity in
a safe environment.

The film is fast paced, doesn't dig too deep into areas toddler won't
understand or have the patience for, and is essentially the perfect
stocking stuffer!


Race cars, stock cars, motorcycles, motocross bikes, and space
ships! What little boy wouldn't find himself in heaven with a film
showcasing all these fast paced, high adventure "big boy" toys!

My little girl is infatuated with race cars. While you can blame it
on Van Diesel, this film is a much healthier choice for children with
appetites for the fast and the furious!

This film reminds me of a documentary geared towards the minds of
young children. While the film does discuss elements of history,
safety, mechanics, and design, it's not boring. There's a little
skit by Dave, the narrator, and his side-kick, Becky, there's lots of
fast-paced action scenes, and even a lesson at the end of each
segment!

If you're looking for the perfect for your toddler, I'd highly
recommend Real Wheels: High Speed Adventures.


Alyice Edrich is the editor of The Dabbling Mum.com–where BUSY
parents find balance (http://thedabblingmum.com). She is also the
author of several work-from-home e-books, including one that allows
parents to earn $50 in two hours without joining an MLM or home party
business.

TV Critic Reviews… "Higglytown Heroes"

by Kristin Johnson

As aunt of a preschooler and an aspiring voiceover actress (I knew
all those hours of watching Bugs Bunny would come in handy), I know
all the kids' shows as well as every kids' DVD out there. My TV
Critic column will be a regular family-fare guide to Kids' TV.

In my opinion, there's no better way celebrities can recoup their
outrageous salaries than entertaining and sometimes educating kids.
And They Might Be Giants get the "cooler than Elvis" vote for singing
the theme song to one of Playhouse Disney's newest hits, "Higglytown
Heroes."

For those of you not familiar with all things Higgly (an adjective
used as much as "Smurfy" but not, thank Higgles, as a verb), the
series centers on a small town and four tots named Eubie, Kip, and
siblings Wayne and Twinkle. Think "South Park" with better art and
no foul mouths. The strongest language is, "Aw, pickles," usually
uttered by Twinkle (pinker than Trista Rehn Sutter!) after her
fanciful ideas for solving the kids' dilemmas get gently punctured by
Fran, a friendly squirrel voiced by Edie McClurg.

In each two-episode half-hour show, the Higgly Kids experience
common, innocent childhood events such as finding a caterpillar,
hosting a television party for the Happy Hairy Higgly Monster
Primetime Special, losing a tooth, Kip's Grandpa locked in the
bathroom, or caring for an unhappy bird. The kids try to solve their
problems, guided by Fran who is the voice of reason, helped by their
loving families and the ever-enthusiastic oddly Bill and Ted-ish
Pizza Guy…plus someone special. Then comes the inevitable song…

"Someone special, who could it be?
This job's too big for you and me.
We need some help!
But never fear-o,
It looks like a job for a…Higglytown Hero!
A Higglytown Hero!"

Some of the heroes are natural choices, especially after September
11: Police Woman, Firefighter, etc. But how many of us think of
sanitation workers, electricians, plumbers, gardeners, mail carriers
(voiced by Kathie Lee Gifford) and farmers as heroes? Or a telephone
operator (voiced by Cyndi Lauper)? Although the heroes have
celebrity voices, the Higgly Kids discover that the real stars all
around them are the people who solve problems every day.

Some of the dilemmas get a little ridiculous from an adult
perspective. For example, when Kip climbs a tree to save a beloved
neighborhood cat and her kittens, his friends help him. Why, when he
gets stuck, can't they help him back down? Ahem…when was the last
time you tripped and panicked? You need help in your own life every
day without thinking about it.

The beauty of "Higglytown Heroes" is that it celebrates working
together, "having fun together," and the Higgly Kids as well as their
families never take for granted the Heroes in their lives. The
Electrician (Lance Bass) gets invited to share in the "Higgly
Monsters" TV party after repairing the circuitry for Kip's house.
The Fire Fighter (Donald Faison) who gets Kip out of the tree shares
in a birthday party for the neighborhood cat. How many of us go out
of our way to thank the people who make our lives easier? Sometimes
we forget to see them as people with needs and feelings.

We even forget to see our own families as heroes. Kip's Grandmama
(voice of Betty White) knits the kids sweaters. Kip's Mom acts like
the soul of `50s domesticity, but gets rewarded when Kip and his
friends make her a get-well card. Wayne's Mom shows the kids a
caterpillar and drives them to the beach.

Interestingly, Higgly families aren't always nuclear families,
something Disney portrays as normal without calling attention to it.
Kip's family is the closest, with twin sisters, a baby sister, a mom
and dad (who operates a hot dog cart), and two grandparents who
either live in Kip's large house or visit constantly. Twinkle and
Wayne's mom seems to be a single parent (although all are African-
American, no one has screamed racism yet), and Eubie is apparently
being raised by his Southern-accented Aunt Millie and Uncle Zooter,
with visits from his Southern-accented Grandpop (a farmer).

In many ways, Higglytown is idealized. No one really seems to worry
about jobs, money or status. People go to the library, and a
Librarian is a Higglytown Hero! The kids "work real hard" and take
responsibility (gasp) by thinking up ways to help themselves and
their families, and in each episode there are little moral lessons
and advice (take care of your pets, don't use too much electricity,
make someone smile) to show the kids how they can grow up to be…
Higglytown Heroes!

Cynics and naysayers will deride this as kiddie pablum. I call it a
refreshing dose of reality and a tribute to the heroes all around
us. The Disney animators are Higglytown Heroes for creating this
show.

Kristin Johnson is co-author of the "highly recommended" Midwest Book
Review pick, Christmas Cookies Are For Giving: Stories, Recipes and
Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts (ISBN: 0-9723473-9-9). A
downloadable media kit is available at our Web site,
www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com, or e-mail the publisher
(info@tyrpublishing.com) to receive a printed media kit and sample
copy of the book. More articles available at
http://www.bakingchristmascookies.com