Super Easy Dairy Free Popsicles!

On Friday my son was BEGGING me for ice cream. We've been trying to eliminate dairy from his diet over the past 2 weeks due to some behavior issues that we're trying to take care of, so ice cream was obviously out of the question. I was racking my brain to figure out something fun for him... to no avail. Then I had an epiphany - Chocolate Almond Milk! Here is our creation - they're delicious!

Banana and Dark Chocolate Dairy Free Popsicles:
2 c. Dark Chocolate Almond Milk
1 ripe banana

Blend until smooth and pour into popsicle molds or small dixie cups (with popsicle sticks). Freeze for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight. Enjoy!

Bloging for Books book review: 'The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari' by Donita K. Paul and Evangeline Denmark

Publishers' Description: 
Padraig the dragon and his best friend, Roger the turtle are determined to spend the whole night outside. As brave explorers at the base of Mount Sillymanborrow, the boys use their imaginations to have fun while munching on crunchy baked bugs and toasting s’mores over their campfire. But when the sky gets dark and the sounds of strange animals fill the forest outside their tent, their safari gets scary. This adventure is just what the boys need to discover that the dark might be frightening, but their friendship is stronger than fear.

This is the third book by Donita K. Paul that I've read, and I still love her. This book is a cute little follow up to the previous children's book about Padraig and Roger - 'The Dragon and the Turtle'.

In this story, Padraig and Roger decide to go on safari to Mount Sillymanborrow. During their expedition, they discover wild animals and eat bugs and S'mores while battling their fear of the dark. While they exchange stories over the campfire, Roger does his best to calm Padraig's fears and encourage him to stay all night outside under the stars. Because of Roger's friendship, the two manage to brave the wilds all the way until morning.

I thought this story was a nice one - as did my (almost) 4 year old son - but I did find it a tad long. I suppose this is really because my child is younger and I suspect that it will cease being an issue in another year or two. I also found the British English a little distracting. I didn't notice it being used in the first book, so I was surprised that it was so prevalent in this one. I don't necessarily dislike it, it just took some getting used to. The illustrations are absolutely lovely - just like the first book.

All in all, great book - I'd rate it 4/5. I'd estimate the age range around 5-9, though it's perfectly readable for younger kids. You can pick it up on Amazon for under $10 - I say that's a good price for a kids book like this one.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Blogging for Books book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Just to Let You Know I'm Still Alive

I've had to deal with some things in my normal 'real-world' life lately, and thus I've been unable to blog. I've got a backlog of books that I'll be bringing you reviews on over the next couple of weeks.  I also have decided that I am going to be posting more about our Gluten Free eating habits and recipes and about our homeschooling adventure. In fact, I've just finished selecting my son's Kindergarten curriculum which we *should* be starting in August.

Sit tight - I'm coming back!

Book Review: 'ABC is for Circus' by Patrick Hruby

Copyright: © Patrick Hruby 2010/Courtesy of www.ammobooks.com

Publishers' Book Description:
ABC IS FOR CIRCUS celebrates the colorful and festive world
of the circus through each letter of the alphabet. Young children
will enjoy memorizing letters and words like A is for Acrobats,
B is for Big Top, and C is for Calliope in this imaginative chunky
board book.
 
ABC IS FOR CIRCUS is an awesome addition to AMMO Books' artistcentric line of ABC books and is sure to delight an audience of children and adults alike.

'A' is for apple, 'B' is for ball, 'C' is for cat, blah, blah, blah... Most of us with children have a board book or two that sound very similar to that, right? I know I do - and I avoid reading them like the plague. This book? It's not like that. This book took some imagination. This book took more than 45 minutes looking for free-use clip art to put together. This book is original. This book... is magic.

I have a 3 year old son (he says he's not 3 - he's almost 4!) that has been a book lover since he was 6 months old and a 15 month old daughter that I can't, for the life of me, get to care at all about them. Until, that is, I got this one.

The day after 'ABC is for Circus' came in the mail, I sat down on the floor and pulled my daughter into my lap. She's a girl on the move, so she immediately tried to push me away and get back to whatever she thought was important at the time. I showed her the book - and she sat down and stared. 

By the time we got to 'C is for Calliope', she was hooked. We stopped on every page for a minute or so while she touched all of the shapes and colors with her chubby little fingers. I've never seen her that quiet for that long.

Then we came to the letter 'F'.  'F is for Fireworks'. People, she jumped out of my lap and started clapping when she saw the page. Seriously - you can't make that up.
 
Every page seemed to be better than the last. Every page a new buffet of color. More shapes, more imagination, more excitement.

She sang 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' when we got to 'N is for Nightime'. She roared at the Tiger. She called the weightlifter 'Daddy' (heehee). And when we were done? When we were done she picked up the book, carried it to her room, and sat on her floor to look at it again.  That, for me, says it all.

If you know someone with children from birth to 5 and need a gift idea - get this book. If you are a parent that is bored to tears with the furry kitty cats and the unoriginal fluff - get this book. If you have an appreciation for kids books with modern illustrations and lots of color - get this book. You can get it on Amazon, or from AMMO Books. I promise you'll love it.

About the Author/Artist:
Los Angeles-based illustrator Patrick Hruby grew up in a log cabin within an Idaho forest. As a young boy he
dreamt of running away to join the circus and become a trapeze artist. Eventually, however, he grew up to
study math and physics before attending the renowned Art Center College of Design and pursuing a career
as an illustrator. His interest in the geometry of nature is central to his work.

Influenced by artists and designers such as Charley Harper, Paul Rand, and Mary Blair, Hruby has gone on
to develop his own stunning and modern aesthetic. Hruby’s clients include The New York Times Magazine,
Playboy Jazz Festival, Varsity Pictures, and Brand New School. CMYK Magazine recently named him one of their Top 100 New Creatives

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, AMMO Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”