Sneak Peek - Creating Together Journal

Contest!Page 48

™creating

Journal

Your Activity Source

November/December 2013Online

Crafts • Recipes • Music • Calendars • Parties • Puzzles • Trivia

www.creatingtogetherjournal.com

3 More Like Home

4 November Trivia

6 December Trivia

8 Food Crafts

12 Holiday Special

18 Just for Fun

20 Simple Gifts

21 Easy and Inexpensive Crafts

24 Parties

26 Bulletin Boards

28 Nov/Dec Calendars

32 Music and Media

33 From the Experts

36 Jar Art and Patterns

37 Growing Mind

38 Make Together Recipes

40 Holiday Patterns

42 Puzzles and Games

46 Holiday Clip Art

47 Cartoons

In This Issue:

together

A Note to the Activity DirectorThe holidays are here and it is a busy time for Activity Professionals everywhere. This time of year offers all kinds of opportunities for activities to do with families as they come

to visit. Ask family members to come and help make cookies or create a Christmas craft. Invite them to come and sing Christmas carols and string popcorn. Whatever the fun, make it special by asking others to come and join in! Happy Holidays to you all!

Just for You!

Educational Accountability Grid Look for this symbol beside activities in the magazine. The colors shown in the grid indicate what goals are met with the activity.

Personal Fulfillment—Improves self-esteem, memory, and self-awareness through repetitive thinking, music, art, and creative thinking activities and games.

Working in a Group—Takes focus off of the individual to concentrate on working in a groupor for a purpose.

Hand-Eye Coordination—Physically helps the individual attain strength and improvescoordination.

More Like Home—Establishes a link to home—past and present—that provides comfort and security.

Memory—Relates to past experiences that connect to the present.

New Knowledge or Information—Provides new information or newly related concepts.

www.creatingtogetherjournal.c0m • ©2013 • Creating Together Journal Online • November/December 2013 • 2

Editor: Carol Field DahlstromArt Director: Lyne NeymeyerFulfillment Director: Marcia DahlstromSenior Writer: Carol McGarveyContributing Writers: Carol Dahlstrom, Elizabeth

Burnley, Dr. Angela Lamson, Nikki Carrion, Dr. Michael Dahlstrom

Copy Editing: Elizabeth BurnleyProofreading: Liz DahlstromTechnical Assistant: Judy BaileySocial Networking Manager: Marcia DahlstromWebmaster: Leigha BitzCustomer Service: Judy BaileyPhotography: Dean Tanner Primary Image and Jay Wilde

PhotographyLocation and Props: Roger DahlstromRecipe Testing: Ardith Field, Barbara Hoover

Issue 6: Volume 5 ISSN 1938-1212 Copyright © Creating Together Inc. 2013 All Rights Reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher. Materials may be reproduced for use in the facility ordering the subscription. All other reprinting must be approved by Creating Together Journal. For information, or to order a subscription, call 515 720 7055. Or write to CTJ, P.O. Box, 847, Ankeny, Iowa, 50021.

While all of the information has been checked and tested, human error can occur. Creating Together Inc. cannot be held responsible for any loss or injury associated with the making of any project, recipe, or information in this journal.Creating Together Inc. strives to provide high quality products and information that will make life happier and more productive. Please write or e-mail us with your comments, questions, and suggestions, or to inquire about purchasing a subscription at [email protected].

Projects, ideas, and activities are designed to be used by Activity Professionals and other professionals within the residence. While some activities give modifications for various abilities, each activity must be modified to fit the needs of the individual. The consultation of a medical professional or other applicable authority should be included when necessary in any program.


Make it More Like HomeIdeas at a glance for November and DecemberWhat a wonderful time of year it is! Take this opportunity

to make your facility more like home as this special

holiday season approaches.

Our MissionWe at Creating Together Journal believe in the importance of dignity and the creative spirit of every person, regardless of age or affliction. We strive to make each person feel at home in his or her surroundings and have an overall sense of wellness and peace. We encourage a love of life, independence, and individuality. We strive to make the relationships between Activity Directors and residents rewarding and fulfilling by providing quality projects and ideas.

Good things do come in small packages and so do little Christmas trees. No room for a big tree? Decorate a little one and set it on a table.

Indian corn tied with a pretty bow says that fall is here. Put the easy display on the door or on a table for a quick decoration.

Winter dishes add such a touch of fun to the season. You need not have enough to serve on—just set them out and enjoy the pretty patterns.

Set out pretty towels that reflect the season. It is an inexpensive and easy way to perk up every room for the winter months ahead.

Fall colors can show up inside and outside. Add a candle to a pretty outdoor lantern for a fall welcome to the facility.

Red and white are colors that remind us that Christmas is near. Fill bowls or colanders with red and white ornaments to make the season bright.


1st The U.S. Weather Service was established on this date in 1870. Just think how many Super Doppler changes it has seen in that time. It’s also All Saints Day, or Day of the Dead in Mexico. It’s to honor those who don’t have special feast days. People honor the dead with humor, not with mourning.

2nd It’s the anniversary (1920) of the first scheduled radio broadcast. Station KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, reported the results of the presidential election. By 1922 there were about 400 licensed stations in the country. Do you listen to a radio often?

Activity: Take time out to listen to the radio. Gather the residents together and see if you can find something other than talk radio or music to listen to. If not, settle for that!

3rd Daylight Savings Time ends today. Fall back. Public television, a staple for many of us, debuted on this date in 1969. It’s also National Sandwich Day, which honors the birthday of John Montague, Fourth Earl of Sandwich, born in 1718. Supposedly, he concocted the sandwich as a time-saving meal.

Activity: Set out a table with lots of breads, spreads, meats, veggies, and cheeses and then make your favorite sandwich and celebrate.

4th We’re grateful that in 1939, air conditioning was first offered in cars. Packard offered it as an option for $274. Now it’s standard, and we are happy campers.

5th Guy Fawkes Day In 1605, when King James I, a Protestant, began persecuting Catholics in Great Britain, the Gunpowder Conspirators, took action against him and planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Their plot was discovered on Nov. 5. The English celebrate with big fireworks displays.

6th Are you a basketball fan? Then tip your hat to Dr. James Naismith, both on this day in 1861. Do you watch morning TV? “Good Morning America” premiered on this date in 1975.

7th Chocolate with Almonds Day A reason to party if there ever was one, don’t you think? It’s also the day in 1874 that the elephant became the symbol of the Republican Party.

Activity: Discuss the political parties of today and take a vote who prefers what. Don’t forget it is okay to be Independent!

8th Have you ever had an X-ray? Likely, the answer is yes. If so, you are part of an ongoing procedure since 1895, when physicist Wilhelm Conrad Roengen discovered X-rays and launched a new medical technology. While they had been around before, he was credited with the discovery and won the Nobel Prize.

9th Holocaust beginning On this date in 1938, Kristallnacht, or Crystal Night, took place in Germany, when mobs destroyed Jewish shops and homes. Fires burned synagogues, torahs and prayer books. More than 30,000 Jews were arrested and taken prisoner.

10th If you have children and grandchildren, you likely know about the charms of “Sesame Street,” which began airing on this date in 1969. From Bert and Ernie, Big Bird and all their friends, children learned about numbers, letters and friendship.

Activity: No matter what the age, “Sesame Street” is a wonderful program to watch. So gather everyone together first thing in the morning to watch the gang and have some fun!

11th Veterans Day Originally called Armistice Day, this holiday was first marked in 1921. In 1954, President Eisenhower changed the name to honor those who served in all wars. The time and day was chosen, because fighting in World War I ceased on November 11 at the 11th minute of the 11th hour.

Activity: Dedicate a bulletin board to honor all of the veterans at the facility. Put up the names and what war they served in. If they have other military items to share, set up a table for a display to showcase these items.

12th Chicken Soup for the Soul Day Remember the series of books with this name? This day was created as “a celebration of who you are, where you’ve been, where you’re going, and who you will be thankful to when you get there.”

Activity: Locate these great books and share some of the stories.

13th On this date in 1982, the moving Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C.

Activity: The story of the creation of this amazing memorial is worth sharing. Look up the history of this memorial and share with the residents.

November Holiday Trivia Fun For Every Day of the Month

Quick Read

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Holiday Special


Christmas—Did you Know?It’s so easy to get caught up in all the hoopla of Christmas that we sometimes overlook the details. How much do you know?

When to the 12 Days of Christmas take place, before or after the holiday?That would be after. This is an often misunderstood part of the liturgical church year. The 12 days run from December 26 to Epiphany on January 6. Epiphany is the time the Wise Men or Magi arrived to present gifts to Baby Jesus. Calendars and festivals changed over time, so that’s why there’s confusion. In some situations, the song about the 12 days is considered to be a crutch to help children learn of their faith. For example, “two turtle doves” might refer to the Old and New Testaments. “Three French Hens” might mean the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and love. “Four calling birds” could refer to the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Also, “eight maids a-milking” might signify the eight Beatitudes, and “eleven pipers piping” may refer to the eleven faithful apostles.

Clement C. Moore in 1823 wrote “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” which showcased a number of icons associated with Christmas and Santa’s visit. Read about where they originated:Reindeer—from the north, probably Finland. Santa needs

a mode of transportation.Chimney—from England. Santa comes secretly. If he can’t

get in the door, this is the next best way.Giving gifts—from St. Nicholas, a gift giver, and the Wise

Men, who brought gifts.North Pole—reflects the winter festival, and it seemed a

good place for Santa to live.

Santa’s hat—from the miters of bishops.Hanging stockings—they were hung by the chimney to

dry, so became a good place to place small gifts.Holly—from Christ’s crown of thorns.Red, green, and white Christmas colors—green from

evergreen trees; red from holly berries and bishops’ miters and capes, and white from the light of the star over the stable.

Cookies and milk for Santa—from western Germany.Santa’s rotund shape—see cookies and milk above.

What does mistletoe stand for?It symbolizes peace and eternal life. Yes, you should kiss someone you meet under the mistletoe.

We call it Christmas. What about in other countries?Germany—WeihnachtenEngland—Christmas, Noel, YuleSweden—JulFinland—JouluSpain—La NatividadFrance—NoelItaly—Il Natale

What is a Christmas carol?It is a song reflecting religious joy. Early songs were in Latin, and later, songs by famous composers, such as Mendelssohn and Handel, were adapted for holiday use. “Silent Night” was written by an Austrian priest, Joseph Mohr, and composed by church organist Franz Gruber in 1818.

Can you name Santa’s reindeer?Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and, of course, Rudolph.

Activity: Make a gingerbread house garland to place on your Christmas tree or just to hang above doors or on windows. It is made using brown paper with tissue behind the windows. To simplify, just color in the doors and windows—the cutting and opening is the fun part. Full instructions and patterns are on page 40.

Easy and Inexpensive Crafts


Clever Cone TrimWhat you need for 1 cone:

• Small piece of medium-weight paper about 7x7 inches square

• Scissors

• Crafts glue

• Paper punch

• Clothespin

• Small piece of ribbon How to make the project:1 Copy the pattern, below.2 Draw around the pattern onto the medium-

weight paper. Cut out.3 Roll the paper into a cone shape. 4 Spread a line of glue where the paper overlaps

to hold position of cone. Hold together with the clothespin. Allow to dry a few minutes. Remove clothespin.

5 Use a paper punch to make a hole on each side of the cone.

6 Tie a knot on one side of the ribbon. Thread it through one of the holes. Tie a knot on the other side of the ribbon. Fill the cone with candy, ornaments, or other goodies.

Making it Easy:

J

$

$_

Approximate cost per person: 10¢

Sources for materials used in the project: • Scrapbook or medium-weight paper can be found at discount stores, scrapbooking, and craft stores. Crafts glue can be found at crafts and discount stores.

Possible uses for the project: • Use as an ornament, a door decoration, or a table favor.

Options for simplifying the craft: • Have the cone shapes cut before the activity begins.

Take it to the next level: • Before rolling the cone into a shape, write messages on the cone using a permanent marker or pen.

A simple cone

shape can become

a pretty ornament,

a candy holder, or a

simple gift to give.

All you need is a

little paper, glue, and

a scrap of ribbon.

Message Paper ChainUse the scraps of paper that you have left over from making the Clever Cone Trim to make a paper chain. Cut a strip of paper about 4 inches long and 1 inch wide. Use a dot of glue to connect the two ends. Note: Use a clothespin to hold the paper together while drying. Make multiples of these paper circles. Then use strips to combinethe circles. Add letter stickers to spell a message if desired.

AddaProject

Daylight Savings Time Ends Election Day

Veteran’s Day

Autumn Begins

4 53

11 1210

18 1917

25 2624

Sunday Monday TuesdayHere are some suggestions for specific activities for each week of the month. Write these ideas on the days of the calendar that work best for you.

Week One• Celebrate the harvest

season by serving fall treats such as apple crisp or pumpkin pie. For a pumpkin soup recipe, see page 24.

Week Two• Learn about some of the

toys of the last century on pages 18—19. Then set up a table with some vintage toys. Ask families to bring in some favorites.

• Read Angela Lamson’s article about the lonely continent of Antarctica. See page 33.

Week Three• Read about Veteran’s Day

on page 17. Then honor those that have served by putting their names and pictures on a bulletin board.

• Read Elizabeth Burnley’s article about vitamin B-6 on page 35. Then make the cheesy potato recipe for a wholesome treat!

Week Four• Get ready for Thanksgiving

by making the Turkey Treats on page 21.

Week Five• Learn about actress Natalie

Wood on page 32 and then take the quiz about her life.

November 2013 Calendar

November 2013



Fitness

Healthy Nutrition=Immediate Physical Effects— Nikki Carrion, MSFitness

After 6 weeks: Your blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels are substantially improved, and if it was needed you’ve most likely lost a substantial amount of weight.

After 12 weeks: By this time your numbers (e.g. cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, triglycerides, glucose and insulin) will have begun to, if not completely, normalized.

After 6 months: You feel great by now…healthier than ever! “Why?” You’re consuming, and retaining, the vitamins and minerals essential for your body to operate at an optimal level. You’ve reduced your sugar intake over this period, and insulin production has normalized. Your energy levels have increased dramatically as you are now completed the detoxification process. You’re probably a healthy weigh by now, and your goal is to be a conscious eater and to maintain good health moving forward by making healthy lifestyle choices.

Along with the idea of detoxification comes a cleansed palate. The result of a clean palate is reduction in those cravings you used to have for sweets and junk food. You may be surprised that you don’t even miss them! If, on the other hand, you do…these types of foods can now be reintroduced in moderation. The key is moderation and monitoring your numbers. Until next time, be healthy…be happy!

Happy Holidays! Previously, we touched on the topic of how good nutrition affects health. A key element of good nutrition is the virtual elimination

of simple sugars found in sodas, candy, cake, cookies and the like. With that said…let’s take a look at what one expert says about the rather immediate effects of such good nutrition on your body:

After 15 minutes: The body is said to be most active first thing in the morning. Therefore, breakfast is critical. If it consists of whole grains, lean protein (e.g. egg whites) and fresh fruit you are energized…physically & mentally after just one meal. “BREAK”…”FAST” = breaking the fast just experienced during sleep. Break the fast in an effort to jumpstart your metabolism first thing in the morning.

After 3 hours: Your artery linings begin to expand more and to increase the flow of blood to your body’s tissues and organs.

After 6 hours: The HDL (good cholesterol) in your blood perks up and begins to unload LDLs (bad cholesterol) from your blood stream. Think of LDLs as delivery trucks…making deposits of cholesterol, while HDLs are like garbage men sweeping up the LDLs and delivering them to your liver to be broke down and processed.

After 12 hours: Your body begins to BURN FAT because you have eliminated sugar! As long as sugars are coming in…you’re liver has to work incessantly to break it down

AND the fat hangs around because your body is busy breaking down all that sugar. Sugar ALWAYS comes first! When you eat sugary items realize you are actually putting your fat metabolism on lock down.

After 16 hours: Your body wants to be a healthy weight, so if you’re carrying a few extra pounds…your liver will begin the process needed to shed them. As a bonus, you’re very likely to get a better night’s sleep too.

After 24 hours: If you were carrying a few extra pounds around…you’ve probably already dropped 1-2 as your body has started the process of eliminating excess water and toxins from your system.

After 3 days: As you continue your journey, losing weight if needed, your numbers (e.g. blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar) also begin to travel in a healthy direction.

After 1 week: Your bowels are likely to be in better working order, your cholesterol panel is likely to have significantly improved already. If you have a goal of weight loss…expect your weight to be down as much as 5 pounds.

After 2 weeks: If you have been diagnosed with hypertension, you can expect to have healthy drops by now. If you were carrying extra weight, depending on how much, you’re likely to have dropped more weight by now.

After 1 month: By now your LDLs have fallen up to 30% - a drop similar to what is seen using cholesterol-lowering drugs, and your liver is not having to filter junk from your blood stream as you are no longer eating and/or craving junk!

The body is said to be most active first thing in the morning.

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