What's in a pun?

Let's take a look at some defintions of  what a pun is.....

Most authorities agree on this:

"Pun (puhn):

the humorous use of a word or phrase so as to emphasize or suggest its different meanings or applications, or the use of words that are alike or nearly alike in sound but different in meaning; a play on words."

 

             What I found amusing and punny was this definition from a British Dictionary:

"the use of words or phrases to exploit ambiguities and innuendoes in their meaning, usually for humorous effect; a play on words. An example is: "Ben Battle was a soldier bold, And used to war's alarms: But a cannonball took off his legs, So he laid down his arms." (Thomas Hood)"

 

From Wikipedia:

"The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play that suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect."

 

We find that once we get the ball rolling using puns in almost every sentence that we cannot stop! 

 

Like pointing to a chemistry set on Valentine's day and saying "we've got great chemistry together!"

Claiming that a Pirate's favorite place to eat lunch is ARRRRRRR- BY's

 

Here's some other examples that will wither make you laugh , shake your head, or just plain groan!

 

People say that as a child, William Shakespeare was very playful. -Sgt Snorkel

 

Of all the philosophers, Descartes can carry the most things.

 

Resale means to go yachting again. Joseph Leff

The salesman claimed the shoes were made from alligator, but I knew it was a crock. Larry Levin

 

Have you read the book about hands? It's a real page turner. Drew

 

I wasn't originally going to get a brain transplant, but then I changed my mind. Colin Thomas

So you see, we could go on and on and on, but now it's your chance to make up a few of your own.

To see the chemistry set we mentioned visit Durango Toy Depot!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LifeHacks for everyone to use!

What is a Life Hack?

Life hacks are little ways to make our lives easier. These low-budget tips and trick can help you organize and de-clutter space; prolong and preserve your products; or teach you something (e.g., tie a full Windsor) that you simply did not know before.

Recycle Kitty Litter plastic jugs into watering cans by drilling small holes in the lid and one in the handle for air. These can be used by kids and grown ups for watering the garden or for bathtub play. It's a good idea to wash the jug out before use.....

Tie a small knot in the cord of your right ear bud, this way, you'll always know which is which....

At your next BBQ, put condiments like ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, onions, and pickles in the cups of a cupcake tin for serving. There will be fewer dishes to do and everything will look really yummy!

Use a clothes basket in the bathtub to keep the toys within reach of your toddler. 

Set the child in the basket too!

Add a lint roller to your craft room for easy clean up of glitter and scraps of paper!

Place dry tea bags in smelly gym shoes , gym shoes, or lockers to absorb the smell.

Use a hand can opener to open pesky blister packs so you don't cut yourself.

Store stickers on a sheet of waxed paper to use over and over again!

Place an unused dryer sheet in your car and it will freshen your car instead of buying fancy car fresheners. You can also stash a couple in the kids closets, lockers, gym bags and drawers.

 
 

How to Whittle

What does Whittle mean?????

...carve (an object) from wood by repeatedly cutting 

small slices from it.

Whittling is an activity that can be enjoyed by most anyone all you need is a very sharp knife and some wood. The wood can be a fallen branch of any size, a chuck of craft wood, or even a fire log.
It helps if you have a rough idea in your head of what you would like to create but sometimes, spontaneity and accidental art works just fine too.

Whittling is carving but taking little slices off of the wood off at a time. Remember to work slowly and make small cuts so you don't take off too much wood at one time.

Choose your wood and prepare it by taking the bark off if necessary. You may even want to select a piece of wood that does not contain sap or is still soft and green.

The knife one would choose should have a very sharp blade and should be comfortable to handle for long periods of time. Either a kitchen knife, a hobby knife, or a jackknife are suitable for your whittlin' project. Good knife skills are important before attempting to whittle any project!

Learn how to sharpen your knife and take nicks out of the blade. There are several tools available for knife sharpening including the stones on the back of most electric can openers. Other tools would be a hand held sharpener which looks like this:

 and is held in one hand as you run the knife blade through the sharpening stones. Other types would include a rounded knife steel, or a flat sharpening stone in which you would run the knife blade over at an angle with some oil for a smoother edge.

Remember these safety tips!
Never run with your open knife in your hand!

Store the knife out of the reach of small children.
 Hold the knife firmly and always cut ayaw from your body and hands!

Slice with the knife, don't try to saw with as the knife may slip.

If you cut yourself, seek help immediately and wash the would under cold running water!

Now you are ready to begin your project! Start slowly and take small pieces of wood off your "stick"
by making short light strokes with our knife. Clean of the bark and begin to form your masterpiece!

With practice, you'll soon see what an amazing hobby this is creating animals, 

whistles, and even slingshots!

www.durangotoydepot.com 

Why it's important to Play!

10 Reasons why play is important!

1. Play lays the foundation for literacy. This is an authoritative voice! When children play, the learn and practice making sounds, try out new words and exercise their storytelling ability with their friends and family! See what happens when you hand a child a puppet!
2. Play is learning. Play nurtures development. Watch the stages of play from shaking a rattle, to peek-a-boo to hide and seek. Play is something you can do by yourself, with other kids, or with adults.
3. Play encourages adults to communicate with the children in their lives. Grown Ups support play by giving children the opportunity to play, by knowing when not to intervene, and by knowing when to intervene.
4. Play gives children the chance to be spontaneous. You may think your child should be rolling the truck on the ground but that doesn’t mean that truck is not equally useful as a stacking toy. Or that the blocks can't float!
5. Play gives children choice.Deciding what to play with or deciding who to play with are big choices!
6. Play gives children space. To test a new move, to set their own limits!
7. Play gives adults the chance to learn how to play again. One of the most challenging parts of play is putting yourself in it!
8. Play allows adults to learn their child’s body language. Knowing when to step in to play is an important role for grown ups!
9. Play teaches social skills. Learning to communicate, learning to cooperate, learning strategies, and learning sportsmanship!
10. Play is fun. We're the Instigators of Fun and you can be too! Check this out! Instigators of Fun!

To the Moon Alice!

"To the Moon Alice!" Back in the day.....

Now we have Estes rockets to launch in hopes of reaching the clouds! Or even the moon!

Here's a little model rocket history...

"In the late 50's much of the world was captivated by the Space Race which was lead by the United States and Soviet Russia. As Russia launched the Sputnik satellite many amateurs rocketeers began to become interested in the hobby of model rocketry. Unfortunately, many people soon found out using homemade explosives with metals can be a deadly mix.
Along came G. Harry Stine and Orville Carisle, who founded the first model rocket company Model Missiles Incorporated in 1957. The company was unable to mass produce rocket engines, so they did what anyone would do, before the Internet, consulted a phone book. The first listing, in the Denver area, for fireworks was a family business called Estes. Vernon Estes, the son of the fireworks owner, took it upon himself to create a way to mass produce rocket engines. He later created a machine named "Mabel" which allowed workers to create a rocket engine in 5.5 seconds while only using compressed air. Later Model Missiles Inc. went out of business, leaving a large market for someone to conquer, that man was Vernon Estes.
Throughout the years Estes model rockets have continued to put out new and unique designs of many styles of model rockets. Estes helped create the Skill Level rating of rockets which helps rocket builders determine how difficult it is to assemble a certain rocket. Vernon Estes also helped the National Association of Rocketry create the Model Rocketry Safety Code which is a safety guideline for all rocketeers.
Mr. Estes has had an incredibly large impact on the model rocket world and continues to influence model rocketry. Over the years Estes model rockets have provided countless bulk items to schools and youth groups to continue the expansion of space travel. The impacts of Estes' decisions and business ventures have forever re-shaped the hobby of model rocketry."
http://www.321rockets.com

Help your kids cook!

From Pickles to Pancakes, 

your kids can enjoy creating some culinary delights with a little supervision from you! My 2 friends (who are sisters in 2nd and 3rd grade) started a website/ blog because they so enjoy spending time cooking and eating!

You can check it out here: https://helpyourkidscook.wordpress.com/

Here's what I mean,
"We are two kids who like recipes and cooking, and we want to help other kids out in the world learn to cook and to make their own recipes!
We suggest that if you are reading this site, you should get and use the book “Little Cooks” that has fun and easy recipes to make with your kids. "

Parents, grandparents, and kids cooking together in the kitchen, sharing family recipes and secrets passed from one generation to the next is a treasure to those who participate. In my kitchen I have recipe cards from my Mom, my Grandma, and the woman who lived across the street from us when I was growing up. I understand how difficult it is to spend time in the kitchen cooking with kids now but it's an experience that keeps on giving! There are both short and long term payoffs!

Some of the short-term benefits include:

• Encouraging kids to try healthy foods.
• Kids feel like they are accomplishing something and contributing to the family.
• Kids are more likely to sit down to a family meal when they helped prepare it.
• Parents get to spend quality time with their kids.
• Kids aren't spending time in front of the TV or computer while they're cooking.
• Kids generally aren't eating junk food when they're cooking a meal at home.
• Teachable moments about hand washing, kitchen safety, and food safety are ever present.

Long term benefits include:

• Learning to cook is a skill your children can use for the rest of their lives.
• Kids who learn to eat well may be more likely to eat healthfully as adults.
• Positive cooking experiences can help build self-confidence
• Kids can learn where their food comes from

To get some ideas for pretend cooking check out http://durangotoydepot.com/

Ever suffer from a creative block?

Sitting in front of the computer or with a pen in hand and nothing seems to be stirring?

Under a deadline perhaps?

Have a nagging feeling to create something but can't seem to get that feeling out?

Here's some tips.....

WALK AWAY!

That's right, walk away! Put your pen down, push your chair back from the desk, and take a walk outdoors. Change your environment for a few minutes, get outside and stretch your legs, your arms, and your brain. Fill your senses with fresh air!

MOVE YOUR BODY!

Twirl, dance, run, or even try some yoga poses, as long as it’s keeping your mind off of the task at hand. I usually walk away and go do something else for a minute or two. The hard part for me is remembering what I was doing before I went to stretch!

SWITCH UP YOUR ROUTINE!

 Change up your morning routine, instead of having coffee, showering & getting dressed, jump right into your project with both feet! Sometimes, a change in routine can give you a creative boost or even a head start! Leave the last sentence you were working on unfinished so that you pick up hwere you left off....

WEAR SOMEONE ELSE'S SHOES!

Feeling stuck? Uninspired? Ask yourself, "how would Michelangelo tackle this project?" OR "what's the best advice from Albert Einstein?" Imaging will spark the creative flow once again!

SET SOME CRAZY RULES! 

Try to think in terms opposite of what you usually hear! For instance, reward yourself when you get up to stretch or walk (which is a win-win) use a sticker reward system or keep track of time spent away from your work! Get the Crazy Aaron's thinking putty out and play for a couple minutes between pages and tasks. (Check out Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty here: Creative thinking putty

GET YOUR REST! 

Above all else, sleep is a very important factor here! Ever heard the term, "let's sleep on it?"

A Harvard researcher found that if you sleep on new ideas, there's a good chance you are more likely to make connections between distantly related points. If you're on a streak, there's nothing wrong with burning the midnight oil once in a while, but don't neglect regular restful if you want to keep that streak going .