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From Lobster Press comes Come on, Mom! It features 75 activities mothers and daughters can do together like making perfume or bread-dough clay to playing radio reporter or playing goofy golf. Each activity includes easy-to-follow instructions and a materials list if supplies are needed. This girls-only guide will create memories that will last. For girls ages 3 to 9 and their moms.

Not to fear, there’s a father/son version, too - Come on, Dad!: 75 Things for Fathers and Sons to Do Together. For boys ages 3 to 9 and their dads, sample activities include Personal Pizzas, Paper Air Force, Time Capsule, Family Story Collection, Math Olympics, Obstacle Race, Recycled City, Personal Place Mats, and Backyard Camp Out.

Not only are these books great for parents, they’ll be helpful for new stepparents, volunteers in big brother/big sister type programs, and babysitters.

I like how these books have their share of pretend play, physical activity, mental activities, and cooking. Speaking of cooking, another great activities to do with your kids on your next camping trip is to make Campfire Pies. Grilling dessert over the campfire? Sounds like wholesome family fun.

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It’s a great time of year to make homemade popsicles. I was inspired by a recipe from Pops!: Icy Treats for Everyone by Krystina Castella that was in last week’s Denver Post:

Grape Pops

Makes eight 6-ounce pops.

Ingredients:

1. 1 1/2   cups seedless red grapes, halved
2. 4 1/2   cups white grape juice

Directions:

1. Divide the grape halves among the pop molds.
2. Pour in the grape juice and insert the sticks. Freeze for at least 6 hours.
3. Remove from the freezer; let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before removing the pops from the molds.

Then I started researching popsicle molds online. Oh. My. Goodness. There are such cool ones out there like the Tovolo Green Shooting Star Pop Molds, the Tovolo Blue Rocket Pop Molds, and the Tovolo Yellow Groovy Pop Molds. They’re only $7.99 each (and eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25 at Amazon).

Healthy, refreshing, and fun - what else could you want? Have a blast with some homemade popsicles!

In a Blue Room by Jim Averbeck is one of my  favorite books of the summer. (Thanks Jim for emailing me and offering a review copy!)

For children ages four to eight, In a Blue Room is the story of a little girl named Alice. She is wide awake and insists on having a blue room before she can fall asleep. Her mama brings her flowers, tea, a quilt, and lullaby bells to help her sleep. While none of these things are blue, they help Alice get ready for bed. Then her mama turns out the light. Magically her darkened room becomes blue as moonlight fills her bedroom with blue light.

There are so many things I love about In a Blue Room. First, the illustrations by Tricia Tusa are gorgeous. I wish my room looked as beautiful as Alice’s bedroom. Then I love Jim’s use of color and the five senses - smell (lilacs and lilywhites), taste (orange tea), touch (a silky-soft and warm quilt), sounds (lullaby bells) and sight (colors and light). Not only is it a beautiful bedtime story that teaches the colors and senses, but it also reminds parents that we have to “set the stage” for good sleep both for our children and ourselves.

Foods that Make You Sleepy

I’ve written at my blog, This Mama Cooks! about foods that can make your children sleepy. In fact, a new study has come out showing that carbs may help you fall asleep faster because they raise tryptophan and serotonin levels.

But now that it’s summer, your child may be having a tough time getting to sleep because they’re too warm. If you don’t have air conditioning, try a cooling shower or bath before bedtime. A drink of ice water or cool milk (tryptophan!) will help, too.

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To go along with my post Have a berrylicious summer with Sylvan Dell Publishing and some berry recipes, here’s another fabulous blackberry recipe to nosh on while you’re reading Blackberry Banquet.

The recipe for Blackberry Cake was submitted by Elsie Cumpton of Worthington, KY to American Profile magazine. She remembers sending this moist cake by mail to her husband when he was stationed in Germany in the US Army back in the ’50s.

It would probably be a great cake to mail to our service people overseas, too. If this is something that appeals to you (it would be a wonderful activity to do with your kids) check out The Soldier’s Angels - Angel Bakers project.

Try baking the cake in the morning with your young early risers when it’s still cool out. If you have kids like my son, Nathan who wakes up at 6 a.m. or earlier, this will keep them busy for awhile. (And I won’t give you a dirty look if you decide to have a small slice for breakfast.)

Later in the day, take a few slices with you on a picnic or a bike trip to the park or beach. I’m guessing it’s so moist that you can eat it with your fingers like sponge cake.

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I got this recipe from Tears’n'Tantrums and I had to share. I’ll be using this for the holiday bake sale at my children’s school. The nice thing about fudge is that it’s hard to screw up, though I’ve managed to do so with the pumpkin pie fudge I made at Thanksgiving. This recipe is much better - lots more detail about how long to boil it, etc.

The nice thing about fudge is that it keeps and travels well. And if you leave the nuts out of it, almost anyone can eat it.

Eggnog Fudge

Ingredients:

1. 1/8 cup butter, chilled
2. 3 cups sugar
3. 1 cup eggnog
4. 6 ounces white chocolate chips
5. 1 1/2 cup mini-marshmallows
6. 1 cup almonds, chopped (or other nut)
7. 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
8. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Line a 9 x 9-inch cake pan with aluminum foil and set aside.
2. Spray the sides of a large saucepan with butter-flavor non-stick spray.
3. Add the eggnog and sugar, and bring to a rolling boil over medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil for two full minutes.
4. Fold in the marshmallows, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring back to a rolling boil for another 6 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. The mixture will start to turn brown, which is normal, but if you see brown flakes in the mixture then turn down the heat a little.
6. Remove from heat and add the butter, chips, and nuts. Stir until thoroughly mixed or until the mixture starts to lose its glossy appearance. Pour into prepared pan.
7. Cool at room temperature. Remove from pan, remove foil, cut into 1-inch squares.

While you’re waiting for the fudge to cool, stop by my Win a Holiday Gift Basket of Children’s Books contest. You have until December 12 at midnight to enter!