1. His stovepipe top hat served as more than just a signature look: He used to stash his important documents there.
2. He loved animals and had a cat named Tabby and a dog named Fido. He loved his cat so much that she ate dinner at the White House table.
3. He was born on Feb. 12, 1809, in a one-room log cabin in Kentucky (So in a way, he brought you Lincoln Logs, too).
4. At 21, he left home and canoed from Macon County, Illinois to New Salem, Illinois.
5. Lincoln’s favorite food was fruit.
6. A fun fact about Abraham Lincoln is that he was a wrestler. Over 12 years, he only lost one match out of 300.
7. Abraham Lincoln is the only U.S. president to ever hold a patent. He invented an inflatable bellows system to help boats navigate in shallow waters.
8. Abraham Lincoln supported the right of women to vote and said so as early as 1836. Women did not gain the right to vote officially until 1920!
9. Lincoln lost five separate elections before he became President of the U.S. (Never, ever, ever give up!)
10. Apparently, he did not like being called Abe and preferred people to call him Abraham.
11. Lincoln was the first president to be born outside the original 13 colonies.
12. Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, held séances in the White House.
13. At 6’4,” he was the tallest president.
14. Abraham Lincoln never slept in the Lincoln bedroom.
15. On the night of his assassination, General Ulysses S. Grant had been invited to attend the play with Lincoln but declined because his wife did not like Mary Lincoln.
Contact your state elections office or just ask a friendly poll worker about rules and limitations on bringing your children along with you to the voting booth
Election Day is almost here and…well, maybe you have a preschooler, toddler, or newborn in tow. Now what? Um, go ahead and bring your kid with you to vote! Yep, that’s right. Take your pint-sized politician (in the future sense, of course) into the booth.
Many parents wonder if they’re legally allowed to bring their children with them into the voting booth. Even though this civic duty is a highly private one, the government allows minor children to accompany their voting parents in every state. That said, some states have their own laws setting maximum ages for kids who can come into the voting booth.
Don’t worry, your kindergarten kiddo can still go with you. States that do have age restrictions have set limits that are well into the teenage years. But keep in mind that each state has different rules, so ask questions and be prepared. In Virginia, for example, only children 15 years old and younger are allowed in the booths, according to NBC News. The same goes for Connecticut. But in California and other states, parents can bring along any minor under the age of 18.
If you’re not sure what the legal maximum age for a child accompanying a parent into a voting booth is, just ask. Call your state’s elections office before you go, or just ask the helpful friendly faces at your local polling place when you arrive. Go in knowing that every. single. state. in the country allows parents to bring their minor children into the voting booth with them, so if a poll worker turns you and your child away, remind them of their state’s laws not only dictating voting booth rules, but also voter suppression.
Along with age restrictions, some states also have total child maximums. Depending on your state, the law may limit the number of kids you bring into the booth to one or two. Again, always ask ahead of time. If you have three kids and your state only allows two, consider setting up an Election Day babysitting collective in your community or bring a friend with you to vote.
Okay, so what happens if your toddler throws a tantrum while you’re waiting in line to vote? Disrupting the voting process is a no-no. If your child’s not-so-pleasant behavior is impeding others from voting, distracting them, or causing problems for the other voters, polling place helpers could ask you to leave. Hey, you can go back to vote later on—after the babysitter comes.
So here’s the big question, “Why should you bring your kids with you to vote?” Taking your kids into the voting booth gives them a chance to see democracy in action and encourages them to think critically about what’s in the news. According to a study by the University of Chicago, nearly half of young people aged 15 to 25 get news at least once a week from family and friends via Twitter or Facebook. And it can be difficult to tell fact from fiction. One of the study’s conclusions is: “Youth must learn how to judge the credibility of online information and how to find divergent views on varied issues.”
There’s no reason to wait until they’re 18 (and of legal voting age) to start talking about their civic rights and responsibilities. Going into the voting booth with mom or dad makes our country’s political process concrete and tangible for them, helping your young child to better understand it.
There you go—kids plus voting is a win-win situation. Happy voting!
Raising our kids in this day and age isn’t always easy, and what we say, both to our kids and to one another, really matters. Unintentional hurtful communication is a reality, but with time and a greater understanding of one another’s experiences, we can learn to communicate with sensitivity—especially when it comes to dismantling racism and promoting social justice in our communities. After polling members of a diverse social justice parenting network, we’re sharing 10 racist words and phrases that should be avoided as we try to manifest a more inclusive and fair society.
How this can be hurtful: Because we live in a society where people are targeted or denied opportunities because of the color of their skin, it can be insensitive to people of color’s experiences of injustice to make this kind of statement. Saying you don’t see color could be interpreted to mean that you are not aware of, or concerned by, the systemic bias that maintains disproportionate vulnerability for people of color in American society.
More importantly, as a society, we are striving for equity, not assimilation. Being different is not inherently negative; this is a false and divisive worldview. Just as in natural ecology, diversity makes our communities more resilient. We need to acknowledge that we do see differences in skin color but need to be careful not to consciously or unconsciously ascribe negative meaning to the colors that we see.
How to better align our language with our intentions: Perhaps a more thoughtful alternative would be: “I try not to judge people by their skin color.” This is a solid approach because it signals that you are actively engaged in a process of learning and growth.
Referring to an Asian or Asian American person as “oriental.”
How this can be hurtful: As a term previously used to dehumanize people, “oriental” is a word that can evoke a racist history and make people feel disenfranchised. To understand this, we have to appreciate the origin and historical usage. Scholars, like Erika Lee, have noted that the word “oriental” was tied to anti-Asian sentiment, violence, and xenophobic legislation (such as lynching and the Chinese Exclusion Act) in the 19th and 20th centuries. In 2016, President Obama had the word “oriental” stricken from federal law.
How to better align our language with our intentions: “She looked to me like she could be of Asian descent.” This acknowledges the limitations in our ability to accurately determine anyone’s race but is a geographically and politically relevant attempt to describe someone.
How this can be hurtful: This is a challenging statement because it compounds a denial of our existential need for growth with the myth of racial homogeneity. In general, there is always room to grow in our sensitivity and awareness; there is never a time that we should articulate our social position as so perfect that we are above reproach or education.
Also, since your friendship with that person of color is probably not predicated on the sole premise of dismantling systemic racism, it is illogical to leverage that relationship in a conversation about racism. You don’t want to exploit and undermine your authentic friendships simply to justify an unwillingness to hear how your words or actions made someone else feel.
How to better align our language with our intentions: Be vulnerable enough to admit that you had not intended to be racist, but there are sometimes disconnections between our intentions and our actions. A more effective statement could be: “I have never been made aware that these actions/this language could be racist or hurtful.”
Calling an Indigenous person an "Indian."
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How this can be hurtful: There is such a complex history and narrative with Indigenous Americans who are caught between dehumanizing exoticism and the false perceptions of exploiting government “hand-outs.” Any kind of explicit language, comments or questions reflecting either of these points of view can be problematic. However, it can also be subtly disempowering to call people by a name given to them by their colonizers, rather than using the names that they call themselves.
According to a 1997 survey of Native American college and high school students, reported in Native Americas, more than 96% identified themselves with their specific indigenous nation, and only a little more than half of these youths identified themselves as American citizens. While most of us are not going to be able to discern between indigenous ethnic groups, we should be able to perceive the difference between a person descended from India (an Indian) and a Native person.*
How to better align our language with our intentions: “He is Indigenous” or “he is Native” are better options. Using this language at least acknowledges the connection between indigenous heritage and the land that comprises the United States of America.
*It is worth noting that native is a term that can be used pejoratively, but generically it means “first.”
“You are not really like other Mexican people” or “You don’t even seem Asian to us” or “You are not Black-Black.”
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How this can be hurtful: Statements like these are making an exception of an individual within a racial group. These are especially hurtful because they are full of tangled racist nuances. In a single sentence like this, you are making several simultaneous assertions that you probably don’t intend:
You are expressing a biased or narrow view of a racial group.
You are saying that you accept this individual on the contingency that they do not align their behavior too closely with the stereotypes of their actual racial group.
You are attempting to establish yourself as the arbiter of someone else’s racial identity.
You are disenfranchising this person from the racial group to which they belong, leaving them without any true social “safe place.”
The person of color on the receiving end of this statement is stuck between a rock and a hard place. The options are either: (1) to reject this offer to assimilate and risk confrontation and fall out in real time or (2) to accept this contingent social proposition and cooperate in systemic racism by reinforcing stereotypes and validating narrow worldviews.
How to better align our language with our intentions: A better approach would be: “I feel like we have a lot in common.” This signals that you are prioritizing the things that unite you over the things that divide you, which is a step towards humanity.
There are also phrases used daily that can be problematic. Here are some common expressions with racist origins:
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Gyped/Jipped: This term originated as a racially derogatory word for the nomadic Romani people who have been the target of unfounded accusations of theft.
Grandfathered In: This expression was introduced into our vernacular with the passing of the 15th Amendment. Once Black people were granted the right to vote, several states created prerequisites for voting. The “grandfather clause” exempted white people (who were lineal descendants of people who were allowed to vote before the federal legislation) from having to pass literacy tests or pay poll taxes to qualify to vote.
Moron: This word was submitted by eugenicist Henry Goddard to describe people of inferior genetic characteristics. In 1913, he and his staff classified 40% of Hungarians, Jews, and Italian immigrants as “moronic” and had them deported.
Long Time, No See: This expression is pidgin English, and it was originally used to mock the way Native Americans and/or Chinese people spoke English.
Peanut Gallery: This is a classist and arguably racist reference to describe the least expensive seating in theaters, which were often occupied by Black theater-goers.
Each year, we take a moment to pause and give our appreciation to the women of the world who have made waves in life as we know it. Women all across the globe have risen to face challenges, opened their mouths to speak about equality and change, and emblazoned their nature of being an inspiring force. Portland has had numerous of its own citizens create lasting impressions on our society and culture, so this Women’s History Month, teach your children about the women who helped shape our city into the modern day wonder it is today. Take some time and spread a little knowledge amongst your family with the following female pioneers.
Remember Ramona Quimby? I sure do. The genius story-teller behind this widely successful series grew up in Portland, Oregon and has scattered her books with pieces of the city. Whether or not you’ve walked down Klickitat or Tillamook street, live in the Grant Park neighborhood, or even attended Beverly Cleary School, it is well worth your while to spend an afternoon exploring! Grab a copy of Ramona Quimby and herd the kids to Grant Park for an afternoon spent living in the imagined reality of Ramona by Beverly herself. Don't forget to visit the statue of Ramona Quimby while in Grant Park.
Lucille Beck
Lucille (Lou) Beck was born in Portland, Oregon in 1925 and lived out the extent of her life in this wonderful city. After graduating from Stanford in 1947, she moved back to Portland and established a life with a husband and four children. On top of her duties as a parent and an active member of PTA, Lou fell into an interest in community service and the stars aligned. With help from her partner-in-crime, Jean Siddall, they lobbied the public and political support to induct Tryon Creek Nature Preserve as Oregon’s first urban state park! They established a board of people to be involved in park programming, known then and today as Friends of Tryon Creek, and Lou remained involved in oversight of the park for 35 years. Subsequently, she was asked to join the State Parks Commission and will go down in history as the first woman to serve in such a role. Honoring Lou this month is best done by honoring Portland’s parks, so take your children out to Tryon Creek and spend the afternoon appreciating her dedication to preserving such a beautiful space.
Born in Missouri, Hattie Redmond and her family moved to Oregon in 1886 on a sponsorship from a white family. She and her siblings attended Portland Colored School in southwest Portland, and as she got older, she began accompanying her father, Reuben, to meetings for the Portland Colored Immigration Society where he was secretary. This fueled Hattie’s inclination to advocate for black women’s right to vote. Beginning in the early 1900s, Hattie held suffrage meetings in her southwest neighborhood and eventually became president of the Colored Women’s Equal Suffrage Association, a pivotal piece of the Black Civil Rights movement. Did you vote this year? You can thank Hattie: she and her counterparts were instrumental in the passing of Oregon Measure 1, the Women’s Suffrage Amendment, in 1912. You may visit her grave at the Lone Fir Cemetery in SE Portland.
Tawna Sanchez is nothing short of a pioneer: her position in the Oregon legislature is preceded by only one other Native American, and Tawna is the first to represent the city of Portland. Her work as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives centers on human rights issues, targeting child welfare and foster care systems. She founded Healing Circles, a nationally recognized program whose mission stands to prevent and disrupt domestic violence situations. Tawna is a force doing great work on behalf of Portland’s children. And she walks the talk, too – Tawna Sanchez has raised eighteen foster children!
Mercedes Deiz grew up poor, the eldest of 10 children. While working during the day, she attended law school in the evenings, becoming the first Black woman admitted to the Oregon Bar, as well as the first Black woman to serve as a district court judge, and the first to be elected as a county circuit court judge. Mrs. Deiz served 22 years as a Multnomah County judge and was well known in the Albina Neighborhood for her civic action in the Urban League of Portland and the NAACP Portland.
Leah Hing was the first Chinese American woman to earn her pilot's license, later becoming an instrument mechanic during World War II at the Portland Air Base.
Ms. Hing was a lifelong resident of the Ladd's Addition neighborhood. Ms. Hing served as president of the Portland Chinese Girls' Club and founded the Portland Chinese Girls' Orchestra, as well as serving as the general manager of the Chung Wah Hoopers, Portland’s female basketball team. She also played the saxophone and performed internationally as part of The Honorable Wu's Vaudeville Troupe.
Ms. Hing is shown in a mural of female Oregon aviators at the Portland International Airport, and her first plane is on display in the Pearson Air Museum.
Being involved in the community is second nature for this history-paving woman. Gretchen served in the Oregon House of Representatives from 1977-1982, the Multnomah County Commission from 1985-1991, and on the Portland City Council from 1991-1998. She was always knee-deep in the going-ons of the city she called home. Further, Kafoury helped found the Oregon division of the National Organization for Women in 1970, as well as the Oregon Women’s Political Caucus in 1971. She spent her entire professional career advocating for the rights of women in the state of Oregon, and in 1999 joined Portland State University’s (PSU) faculty teaching courses regarding community development and houselessness. Accomplished enough? Not for Gretchen – she received her Masters in Public Administration from PSU in 2008.
Gretchen Kafoury Commons, a nine-story apartment community, is located downtown near Portland State University. Gretchen Kafoury is also part of the Women Making History mural, located on the exterior of the building at 2335 North Clark Avenue.
Beatrice Morrow Cannady was the co-founder and vice president of the Portland chapter of the NAACP. Mrs. Cannady was also editor and owner of The Advocate, a Portland-based newspaper that reported on issues relating to racial minorities in the 1920s and 30s. Mrs. Cannady worked to remove racist, exclusionary language from Oregon's constitution and advocated for the passage of civil rights bills. Mrs. Cannady attended Northwestern College of Law and became the first Black woman to graduate from law school in Oregon and the first Black woman to practice law in Oregon.
The Beatrice Morrow apartment building, named after Beatrice Morrow Cannady can be found on NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd in the Eliot neighborhood.
Does your child want to be a police officer? So did Aurora (Lola) Baldwin. She pushed back on convention and challenged gender norms by becoming America’s first female police officer on April 1st, 1908. She commanded space within the Portland Vice Commission, Portland’s Domestic Relations Court, and was named a Special Agent of the state. Her entire career was motivated by her ambition to provide equal treatment for women, in the force or behind bars. When she retired from her law enforcement duties in 1922, she continued to participate on the Oregon Board of Parole and the National Board of Prisons and Prison Labor. Want to be a police officer? Follow Lola’s lead and do whatever it takes!
Mary Gysin Leonard immigrated alone from Switzerland to Portland in her twenties. She studied law and passed the bar exam, however, the Oregon Supreme Court denied her application to the Oregon Bar because she was a woman. Mrs. Leonard persevered, and, after 10+ years of petitioning and legislative action, was finally admitted to the Oregon Bar in 1886. She was a successful attorney in Portland for decades, offering free legal advice women to help them be successful, too.
Kim "Rocket Mean" Stegeman is the founder and Executive Director of the Rose City Rollers, a women's flat track roller derby league and 501(c)3 non-profit. The Rose City Rollers has trained thousands of skaters from around the world and hosted hundreds of skating competitions. Rose City Rollers has over 400 members participating in recreational programs, and adult and junior skating programs with skaters ranging in age from 7 to 60 years old. Rose City's all-star travel team has won the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Championships four times. Rose City Rollers continues to train athletes, host events, and offer pop-up roller skating activities throughout Portland.
Vera Katz
Does power always have to be masculine? Vera Katz thought not, as one of her go-to slogans was “feminization of power”. And boy, did she mean it! As dominating force of the feminist movement in Oregon, she excelled through the ranks of the state legislature, elected first in 1972 and serving as mayor of Portland from 1993-2005. She was one of two women in the nation to hold the position of speaker for the Oregon House of Representatives, but was the first female to be elected presiding officer in the state of Oregon. Vera used her massive intellect and zeal for connecting with the community to push agendas for gun control and rights of minority groups. She advocated for women and gay rights, and urged progressive urban planning in the city of Oregon. Vera was instrumental in Oregon’s history; she is survived by her son Jesse Katz.
For the fifth straight year, Target is honoring veterans with its annual Military Appreciation Discount, and this year its better than ever!
From Oct. 31 through Nov. 13, the retailer is offering a 10 percent discount off two purchases (some exclusions apply) for eligible services members. In order to qualify, guests will need to register at Target.com and once they are deemed eligible, they will be issued a two-time use Target Circle offer to use in-store and online. photo: Courtesy of Target
Guests can also add a veteran or military family status to their Target Circle profile, which makes them eligible for bonus offers and vote on where Target’s community giving funds will go through the end of 2021.
Mama Knows Best: Mama Cozzi’s Pizza Kitchen Take and Bake Deli Pizza*
Little Fan Favorite: Happy Farms String Cheese*
Sip & Celebrate: PurAqua Belle Vie Sparkling Flavored Water*
Dinner Delight: Fresh Family Pack Chicken Breasts
Keeping it Fresh: Strawberries* *Denotes repeat winner
It’s no secret that ALDI shoppers are big fans of the store’s low prices and wide selection of high-quality foods. More than 360,000 shoppers have voted over the last three years.
The Mama Cozzi’s Pizza line earned its own category this year, after being the overall fan favorite in 2020. And it’s still a winner: The brand’s Kitchen Take and Bake Deli Pizza was a top vote-getter this year, with more than 45,000 votes.
Among kid favorites, three-time champion Happy Farms String Cheese earned more than 50% of the votes in its category this year, winning by a landslide.
You’ll find these winners by looking for a blue heart-shaped logo on store shelves and on the ALDI website. Learn more about the 2021 Fan Favorites here.
This year has been unprecedented. And we can all agree that we are living in historic times. From global pandemics to social justice reform, to mental health awareness, to technological innovations, our society is shifting in fundamental ways. Many of us are spending more time at home and enjoying more interaction with our children. What better time to engage with them on topics that will certainly remain issues as they mature into adults?
I am no political expert, nor fluent in public policy. However, I vote, knowing that my vote will count for much in the upcoming election. I am a mother, I am involved in my community, and I am a citizen of the United States. For these reasons, I have begun to think about how to engage with my children (ages 5-12) about the upcoming election in helpful and constructive ways.
1. Sign up to vote and take them along. The reminders to register to vote have been almost as prevalent as the ads reminding us to complete the 2020 Census. And I am delighted that we have received so many reminders about both. Voting is the only means at everyone’s disposal to engage in the process of democracy. The right to vote is a right fought for by millions across the centuries and protected by our Constitution. Tell your kids that you are signing up to vote, show them how the process works, and then take them to the polls on election day. If you are voting by mail-in ballot (which is completely safe) or absentee, show your children the ballot, explain how you are filling it out, and allow them to ask questions. Being required to answer my children’s questions about why I was voting a certain way forced me to really examine my candidate choices.
2. Make sure they meet people who are NOT like them. Much has been already been said about the “echo chamber” effect of social media and in our culture at large. The best way to counter this phenomenon for both you and your children is to cultivate acquaintances who are not like you. Maybe they live in a different part of town? Maybe they go to church, or don’t? Maybe they don’t look like you at all? Not only are you teaching your children that everyone has a unique perspective, but also that we are all citizens of the same country. Our similarities often outweigh our differences.
3. Volunteer. Volunteering on a campaign or at the polls or at a homeless shelter or at a food bank are all ways to get to know people in your community and to be involved in their stories.
4. Read, read, read. Read a real newspaper with your kids, a print version is preferable. Holding physical pages in your hands lends weight to the news and opinions that you read. Read local newspapers to your kids so they begin to understand the issues facing you and them and their neighbors. Often, world issues like peace in the Middle East and global warming seem too difficult to tackle until you realize that change starts small. The car manufacturer in town switching more production to electric vehicles or the local power company’s pledge to put in more solar panels help you and your children realize that choices we make at the local level can have a big collective impact.
5. Watch the debates and discuss. Yes, the first one was about as enjoyable and relaxing as a root canal, but debates (or reading a candidate’s platform on their page) are an excellent way to grasp the positions of each candidate and to see them contrasted with each other. Ask your children questions about what they notice—what do they see? Which candidate is more poised and confident? What positions and policies do they hear? (These may sound like “That guy talks a lot about the police.”) Who is more well-spoken? Then ask them what they think is important? What should our elected officials be doing while in office? You may learn a lot from your kids—I have.
6. Encourage them to run for office one day…maybe by running yourself. A few years ago, one of my friends astounded me by declaring that she ran for an elected position. I had no idea she had done that. She wanted to see certain changes in her neighboring town and decided to do something about it. She did not win, but she has a much deeper understanding of the political process than I do, simply because she took the time to campaign. And she did this while working a full-time job. What’s holding you back? Is a school board position open? What about a city council seat? Even better, start with the PTA at your child’s school. Then when your daughter says she wants to be the first female President, she’ll have an idea of what it takes.
7. Stay positive. It seems impossible to do these days. So many parts of our nation are broken, so many people are hurting. Their pain is real and should not be ignored. But don’t give up, and teach your children to never give up as well. Change takes a long time. You and I may never live to see it; our children may not either. But kindness, compassion, and courage will always win the day.
Scientist by training, lover of books and writing and learning by nature. Wife to a talented husband, mom of three children. Proud to call the Rocket City home (Huntsville, Alabama). Pursuing my love of creative writing by writing about everything from school buses to the latest in pandemic schooling.
Listen up, home bakers! Two of America’s most iconic and beloved brands will come together in one extra fun line of new products when the Funfetti OREO hits grocery shelves in February. Bringing America’s Favorite Cookie into the baking aisle, each of the five new products feature real OREO cookie pieces for a delicious OREO baking experience.
The new Funfetti OREO baking line-up includes:
Funfetti Vanilla Premium Cake Mix with OREO Cookie Pieces. The cake mix is vanilla creme flavored to give an OREO creme flavor, with OREO cookie pieces included within the mix.
Funfetti Chocolate Premium Cake Mix with OREO Cookie Pieces. The cake mix is a dark cocoa flavor, with OREO cookie pieces included within the mix.
Funfetti Vanilla Flavored Frosting with OREO Cookie Pieces
Funfetti Premium Brownie Mix with OREO Cookie Pieces included in a separate pouch for final decoration
Funfetti Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix with OREO Cookie Pieces included in the mix
“Funfetti fans have been adding OREO cookies to their baked creations for years, and we’re thrilled that we can celebrate those baking mashups with this new portfolio of products,” said Dan Anglemyer, COO of Hometown Food Company. “Funfetti is a celebration of fun, surprise moments and continues to grow in popularity as families spend more time baking together at home. Whether you’re biting into a cupcake with colorful sprinkles or enjoying real OREO cookie pieces on top of a brownie, Funfetti creates delicious, fun moments for the whole family – and we’re excited that Funfetti and OREO will help make more.”
To help celebrate its biggest collaboration ever, Funfetti is hosting a digital baking competition that will be judged by a famous baking duo – Duff Goldman, host of Kids Baking Championship and other Food Network shows and owner of Charm City Cakes, and Matthew Merril, TikTok baking star and former contestant on Kids Baking Championship. Contestants will create their most unique baked goods using the new Funfetti OREO collection, and the winner will receive a one-year supply of Funfetti products or $500 in cash, have their winning recipe featured on PillsburyBaking.com and be able to host an Instagram Live baking demo on @pillsburybaking.
Now through Jan. 26, home bakers have a chance to show off their skills for a chance to be entered in the digital competition. Simply pick your favorite baking partner, submit photos of yourselves and the favorite creation you’ve baked, along with a short description explaining why you and your partner are the perfect pair to bake for Duff and Matthew. Pillsbury Baking will select 10 semifinalist duos, who will be posted on Pillsbury Baking’s website for the public to vote. The three duos who receive the most votes will participate in the digital baking contest in February, and the winner will be announced in March. More details and rules for entry can be found at PillsburyBaking.com.
Funfetti OREO will be available nationwide in February retailing from $1.30 to $4.00. For more information or more baking inspiration, visit PillsburyBaking.com or visit @PillsburyBaking on Facebook and Instagram.
Dictionary Day is the perfect excuse to dust off your Webster’s (you still have those, right?) and learn a few things. We’ve got five easy-to-medium dictionary-based games that can be easily adapted for little literati of all ages. Read on to get the word.
Choose six to ten words your kid may not know. For each word, write out four possible definitions and have them vote on which one they think is the real definition. For little ones, keep it simple with one or two-word definitions and don't forget to add in at least one very silly one! For older kids, choose more difficult words and throw in a couple of “realistic” sounding definitions.
Put that ABC song to the test with a simple word search. Teach dictionary use with starter words, like CAT, BALL or BUG. Give them one letter at a time to help them locate the word. Example: CAT. Have them look up the C, then the A, finally the T until they find it. They'll see the alphabet within the alphabet on every page.
Pictionary, light. Flip through the pages of a dictionary, and have your littles place their finger on a word at random. Work together or on your own to draw the word you’ve landed on (let's hope you get castle and not existentialism.).
Pictionary, advanced. You’ll need at least four players for this one. Using a dictionary, one member of the team chooses a word at random (see flip method above). Their next task is to draw the word they picked, hoping their team member guesses it (Not unlike the board game by the same name.). Teams take turns, and each member alternates drawing. You can up the ante by adding a time limit to the drawing.
Variation: If the drawing team’s mate doesn’t guess, the opposing team gets one guess at it.
Variation 2: You'll need five people. Have one person be the random word generator. They can either write or show the word to the player whose drawing. This role is best played by mom or dad.
Fake It Up
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Have the kiddos make a word up and then explain or write the definition out to you. Example: decision-ing. What a four-year-old says when he is trying to decide between two equally fun ideas (ice cream vs. cake, bath vs. shower, etc.).
The holiday season usually means an above average consumption of special treats, and a recent study by Zinnia has figured out which sweets are the most popular by state.
The career site used Google Trends to search over 40 classics and determined which treat was searched for the most in each state. They found some interesting results!
All in all, 20 states prefer cake, 12 love candy, 10 need their cookies and nine states vote cheesecake as their top treat. Other notable treats include cinnamon rolls, vegan Christmas cookies, yule logs and yes––even fruitcake.
Zinnia also let a few liquids slip through, including egg nog and hot chocolate. You can get a more detailed view of the report at Zinnia.
