Fall is here! The leaves are changing color and the air is getting cooler. It’s the perfect time for apple cider, pumpkins and a crash course on hand washing! Why? Hand washing is one of the best defenses against some of the less appealing signs of the season: colds and flu. But how do you get your kids to do it? Here are a few tips to try.

• Talk about it. Kids are more likely to do what you ask when they understand why you are asking them to do it. Explain why hand washing is important. Try reading some books about germs, like The Magic School Bus Inside Ralphie: A Book About Germs or Germs! Germs! Germs!
• Be a good example. Kids learn more from what you do than what you say. Make sure they see you washing your hands any time you’d expect them to.
• Make it easy. A step stool by the sink for smaller children along with easy access to soap and towels will help them get the hand washing thing down.
• Make it fun. Encourage kids to sing a song while they wash, like their ABC’s. Not only does it liven up the activity, it’ll ensure they’re washing long enough to ged rid of the germs. Use soaps that come in cool shapes or scents to make the task all the more appealing.
• Don’t let them forget. Remind children when they need to wash their hands. Consider posting some signs. Let children draw some small pictures of germs to post near the sink to help them remember to wash their hands.
• Apply praise liberally. Thank your children for washing their hands. Be sure to really pile on the praise when they do it without prompting. Compliment them on how clean their hands look. Let them know you are proud of how well they take care of themselves.

October 15, 2010 is Global Hand Washing Day! Check out this hand washing video by the Krazy Kuzins that will be featured on the Global Hand Washing Day website.

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That’s what my 1 year old thought, anyway.  But she’s also scared by band-aids and Elmo. This is actually a really cute craft that my kids made with their 100 year old grandmother when we visited the nursing home.  And you can make it with whatever is laying around your house.

For the mask material, we cut out old cereal boxes in the shape of a pumpkin.  You could also use ice cream or margarine lids, or paper plates.

We then painted it orange.  Or you could color with crayons or markers, or paste on orange construction paper or orange tissue paper.

Cut out eyes (an adult job) and let kids decorate for a nose and mouth: just draw it on or cut and paste paper.

We traced their hands and used it for leaves.  So cute!

Add a popsicle stick for a handle.

Now the kids are ready for Halloween!

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I’m all about “no work” anything. And I’m cheap, too. So this homemade “no work” bread is a winner in my book. For 5 minutes and about 50 cents, you can have a gorgeous loaf of fresh bread. Just make sure you start it the day before you need it, to give the yeast time to work (instead of you!)

Here is what to do:

Mix 4 cups of flour (you can use whole wheat for up to half), 2 teaspoons of salt, and a scant ½ teaspoon of yeast. Stir in 2 cups of warm water (it should feel a little warm to the touch- not too hot or it will kill the yeast). You don’t need to knead the dough. It will be a little shaggy, don’t worry about it. Here is what mine looks like:

Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for about 18 hours for the best result. You will notice little bubbles in the dough, like this:

Get a piece of parchment paper out. Flour up your hands and fold the dough over a couple times. That’s it for kneading. My three year old can do it. Let it rest 15 minutes.

Next you shape the dough into a ball. The dough will be wetter than you are used to. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Let it rise again for about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450. Put a large covered pot (like a soup pot) in the oven while it preheats. This pot part is important- you won’t get nice crunchy crust if you just stick it on a sheet in the oven. I wanted a sandwich loaf, so I stuck my pan in a big oven-safe bowl and put a baking sheet on top for a lid. After a half an hour (you want the pot to get nice and hot), carefully take the pot out and put the dough ball in the pot. Put the lid on and bake it in the oven for 30 minutes. Then take the lid off and bake it for another 20-30 minutes, until browned and sounds hollow on the inside. Note- if it seems to be browning too fast, lower the oven temperature a bit.

Yum. Nothing smells better than fresh baked bread. My kids came running down the stairs at the first whiff. We’ve got another loaf in the works, this one isn’t lasting long…

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If you’re a mom, chances are, you crave sleep like chocolate. Do moms ever really get enough? We’re the first ones up in the morning and the last ones to bed at night. And when someone cries somewhere in between? We’re the ones that come to the rescue.

So, OH! Wants to know:

Tell us more in the comments!

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Precious one,
So small,
So sweet

Dancing in
on angel feet
Straight from Heaven’s
brightest star

What a miracle
you are!

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A New Addition

At 7:44am EST on September 24th, we welcomed a new addition into the My OH! Momma family. Co-founder Leslie Grimmett gave birth to her third daughter, Phoebe – weighing 8 pounds, 3 ounces and measuring 19 inches.

Filed under: OH! Says, PhOH!tos by My OH! Momma
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Did you know this week is National Car Seat Safety Week?

Here are the top ten things you may not have known about child car seats (taken from http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/childpas.htm):

1. Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the U.S. In the U.S. in 2005, there was an average of 4 child deaths and 504 child injuries each day.
2. Many of these deaths can be prevented. Placing children in age- and size-appropriate car seats and booster seats reduces serious and fatal injuries by more than half.
3. Among children under age 5, in 2006, an estimated 425 lives were saved by car and booster seat use.
4. UNTIL AGE 1 and 20 LBS – For the best possible protection keep infants in the back seat, in rear-facing child safety seats, as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of their particular seat. At a minimum, keep infants rear-facing until at least age 1 year and at least 20 pounds.
5. UNTIL AGE 4and 40 LBS – When children outgrow their rear-facing seats (at least age 1 year and at least 20 pounds) they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds).
6. UNTIL AGE 8 OR 4′9″ TALL – Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds), they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until the vehicle seat belts fit properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest (usually at age 8 or when the children are 4′9″ tall).
7. AFTER AGE 8 OR 4′9″ TALL – When children outgrow their booster seats (usually at age 8 or when they are 4′9″ tall), they can use the adult seat belts in the back seat, if they fit properly (lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest).
8. All children ages 12 years and younger should ride in the back seat. Adults should avoid placing children in front of airbags. Putting children in the back seat eliminates the injury risk of deployed front passenger-side airbags and places children in the safest part of the vehicle in the event of a crash.
9. Child restraint systems are often used incorrectly. One study found that 72% of nearly 3,500 observed car and booster seats were misused in a way that could be expected to increase a child’s risk of injury during a crash.
10. The Tuscarawas County Health Department has a fantastic free car seat check! Call today and schedule an appointment.

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The tornadoes that hit Ohio last Thursday hurt at least 13 people, and destroyed dozens of homes and buildings.  Luckily, no deaths were reported.  Do you know how to keep your family safe in an emergency?

September is National Preparedness Month.  So it’s a great time get our families ready for any emergency that might happen. Here’s How:

 You may need to survive on your own for hours, or even days, after an emergency.

Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit:

• Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
• Infant formula and diapers, if needed.

Check out http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/index.html for additional items to consider adding to your kit.

Go online to http://ready.adcouncil.org/beprepared/fep/index.jsp to prepare an online family emergency plan.  You will need to put in contact numbers, a place to meet if you get lost, identifying characteristics of your family, and special needs.  When you are finished you will have printable emergency cards for each family member and a family emergency kit plan.

There are lots of ways disaster can strike.  Tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, winter storms, and chemical threats are just a few of the scary things you need to know how to deal with.  Go to http://www.ready.gov/america/beinformed/index.html and learn how to stay safe.

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My kids love crafts and puzzles. This simple and fun project is the perfect marriage of the two. I especially love a craft that can be put to use like this one. Here’s what you’ll need to make your own puzzle.

Supplies:

• Craft or popsicle sticks (any size)
• Markers
• Tape

Directions:

1. Place the craft sticks side by side on a flat surface and place a piece of tape on one side to hold them together.

2. Flip the sticks over (taped side down) and have your child draw a picture with markers on the sticks.

3. Remove the tape, mix up the sticks and put the puzzle back together!

Some tips:

• If your puzzle is especially challenging, you may want to number the sticks on the back side to help you place them in order.
• Need to make it more challenging? Draw a picture on the other side, too!

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This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to our winner, Christina Blackburn!

We love it when you visit us here at My OH! Momma. And we really love it when you tell us what you think! So, every time you do – whether it’s a review of one of the listings on the OH! Go, OH! Knows or OH! Baby pages or a comment on our blog OH! Says – you’ll be entered for a chance to win a My OH! Momma t-shirt just like the ones you see a very pregnant momma and her young’un wearing in the picture over there (except in your size, of course). The more you talk to us, the more chances you earn to win! So, warm up those fingers and get typing. We want to hear from you!

A few giveaway items to note:

• All comments and reviews will be accepted as entries until October 31st at 11:59 p.m.
• The winner will be selected at random and contacted via e-mail, so be sure to provide a valid address! If the prize is not claimed within a one week period, a new winner will be randomly selected.
• Your e-mail will not be shared. Should you win, the name you provided on your comment and/or review will be shown when we post the results.

Good luck!

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to our winner, Christina Blackburn!

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