Parents please note that Blueberry Daycare does not celebrate/observe Halloween.

Happy Fall, Y’all!  Is anyone else a little excited about the upcoming new season?!  Pumpkin patches, apple cider, crisp cool weather, colorful leaves, apple picking, sweet smelling pies, Fall festivals…ohmiword.  There is so much going on!

We are checking out some great books this month!  Here’s a great book that combines apples & alphabets….

Oh joy! I absolutely adore this wonderful & whimsical book – for reasons I could list from A to Z. When that little dog smells that Apple pie Baking in the oven, he sits patiently for it to Cool and most calmly while his little girl owner Dishes it out. Oh yes, he is most Eager for it…Blueberry will be reading this book…Hope you will check it out too!

We are also looking for signs of Autumn…how many Autumn things can you find in this picture of your teacher?

We are also talking about healthy eating & being active.  Using simple language, the kids are going to learn about different food groups and what is important about each one. We will be playing and learning using the following website:

www.nourishinteractive.com/

You see, we are having a lot of fun….the only thing missing is YOU…come join us at Blueberry Daycare!

Check us out in this month’s CLIPPER Magazine!

Did you know that August is national happiness happens month!  Are you saying is this for real?! Why yes it is!

Happiness Happens Month was started to remind people that regardless of the world’s or your personal situation, Happiness still happens! There are three purposes of the month:
1. Recognize and express happiness
2. Listen to others talk about their happiness
3. Don’t rain on other people’s parade!

Blueberry will be doing LOTS of things to spread our HAPPINESS!! Join us!

Blueberry has Olympic Fever …check out our Facebook page for wonderful suggestions compiled from different websites for crafts, activities & ideas!

Summer Reading List! 

Don’t forget to read…check out your local library and ask for the summer reading list!! It’s broken down by age….some great books on the list!

Fairy tale unit:  We are reading fairy tales and learning to use our creativity and imagination.

We are headed to the beach…our beach unit will have your kids making sandcastles, fun crafts and learning about beaches and oceans!

Summer is officially here! Blueberry is feeling patriotic! We are celebrating & learning with lots of activities!

We are making Flag Hand-print T-shirts to wear proudly and other awesome activities!

We’ll be stringing stars with paper & felt!

Here’s a fun & patriotic treat we’ll be making together!

We are also learning about circus & zoo animals this month!  Hope you will join us!

• Dairy Month
• National Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Month
• Zoo and Aquarium Month
• National Candy Month
• Father’s Day

Phew…that’s a lot of things happening in June! With the arrival of June, your child will swing into summer at Blueberry. During this month, your child will have fun and learn while engaging in a variety of theme-related activities and experiences.

We are learning about fruits and vegetables…picking vegetables from our garden, eating yummy fruits, and doing great activities!

One of our favorite themes…June is zoo month, we are doing animal related activities, reading great books about zoo….and yes, visiting a zoo!

Celebrate Father’s Day with great activities to take home to dad or grandpa or uncle!

Check out some activities planned at our daycare for the month of May:

May Poem:

May’s a month of happy sounds,
The hum of buzzing bees,
The chirp of little baby birds
And the song of a gentle breeze.

The grass is green.
Flower blossoms I have seen.
The days are warm.
By evening it cools.
It’s time to find the garden tools.

Organic Gardening

You don’t need a garden in order for your children to have fun with plants. A balcony or even a window ledge is enough space to let your kids grow a few organic plants.

Walking and Exercise

What a great way to exercise & spend time with kids & less time in front of TV & computer…go on a nature walk with the children.  Use a bit of imagination & have kids collect different feathers, colored pebbles, play I Spy (birds, trees, flowers, etc).

Picnics

Lunch outdoor…its just fun! Enough said.

Backyard Scavenger Hunt

Make a list of outdoor items for your children to find. We suggest different leaf colors, outdoor bugs, sightings of birds, butterflies, and flowers. Print off an “official” list for your kids to check off as they find them. For your very little non-readers, try a picture list that they can identify and point too.

Mother’s Day

Forget moms? Never!  Lots of great crafts & activities to bring home to mom!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar
(add little more if you like it sweeter)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon (substitute orange juice
if no lemon)

2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon (substitute1 orange if no lemon) (about 1 tablespoon)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, 1/2 cup of water, sugar and lemon juice. Stir frequently, and bring to a low boil.

2. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water.

3. Slowly stir the corn starch into the blueberries, taking care not to crush the blueberries. Simmer until the homemade blueberry sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon, about 5 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and gently stir in vanilla and lemon zest.

(Picture from www.goodlifeeats.com)

A poem for kids, big and small!

Blueberries! Blueberries!

They bounce in my bowl,

Blue little blueberries,

I love each jolly blue soul.

Blueberries! Blueberries!

Once I see them, I can’t stop.

Into my mouth, they go plop, plop, plop.

Blueberries! Blueberries!

I could eat them all day.

So sweet and so juicy, in a lip-smacking way.

Blueberries! Blueberries!

Glowing in a beautiful bright hue.

I wish I could color all my pictures in blueberry blue.

Blueberries! Blueberries!

My mom has such a great fright,

when she peeks in the kitchen to see such a sight…

Blueberries! Blueberries!

On my fingertips and nose,

I’m covered in blueberries, from my head to my toes.

But mom doesn’t mind, she just giggles from the door,

As one more blueberry blueberry bounces down along the floor.

-Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

•         1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•         3/4 cup white sugar
•         1/2 teaspoon salt
•         2 teaspoons baking powder
•         1/3 cup vegetable oil
•         1 egg
•         1/3 cup milk
•         1 cup fresh blueberries
•         1/2 cup white sugar
•         1/3 cup all-purpose flour
•         1/4 cup butter, cubed
•         1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2.    Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3.    To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
4.    Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 383 | Total Fat: 16.1g | Cholesterol: 43mg

Recipe from:  allrecipes.com
Picture from:  sundaynitedinner.com

TODAY…my husband & I saw first hand what happens when we TRUST in God.

We have been struggling for the past 2 years and facing enormous trials in our life.
But through it all…we prayed and asked God to continue to guide us.
We asked God that he see us through this hard time and bring us through BETTER than where we were before!!!

ALWAYS PUT GOD FIRST…..THANK YOU GOD FOR BRINGING US THROUGH OUR TIME OF PAIN TO THE SEASON OF WELL-BEING!!!!!

I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.