Hatfield Hyundai

• Road Trip Checklist
• From Fun in the Sun to Is Your Homework Done?
• Holiday Envy
• Football Flavor

 

August 2010 Newsletter

Road Trip Checklist

August; the last true month of summer. For many of us it's the last chance to get in a vacation before the warmth of summer is replaced by the cooler days of autumn. Whether you are heading to the beach, the mountains or taking a camping trip, it's a chance to do something fun with the family before school starts up again.

If you are planning on hitting the road for your late summer vacation, it is a good idea to make sure your vehicle is in good working order. Nothing ruins a road trip faster than a broken down car, and the last place you want to be is stranded hours from home without a way to get back. Here are a few simple tips to help make sure your car will be in great shape throughout the trip and get you and your family home safely. 

The best piece of advice is to take your vehicle to a certified mechanic a couple weeks before the trip for a thorough inspection. A good mechanic will catch problems that you never realized were there.

Get an oil change. Nothing keeps an engine running longer than regular oil replacement, and if you are planning a long road trip a fresh oil change can be essential. In fact make sure all your fluids are in order. Other fluids include: power steering fluid, brake fluid, antifreeze and windshield wiper fluid.

Have your battery checked to make sure it is still in good shape. Batteries can last anywhere from 2-5 years, so if yours is a few years old it might be a good idea to get a new one.

Check and fill all tires with air, including your spare tire if you have one. Check the wear and tear and make sure the tires don't need to be replaced.

Have a four-wheel break check done. In addition to checking the brake fluid we covered earlier, you want to have the brake pads checked for wear and tear.

   Pack an emergency kit that includes:

• Jumper cables
• Tire sealer-inflator can like Fix-A-Flat
• Tire pressure gauge
• Tool kit with screwdrivers, pliers, a set of most common sockets and a flashlight
• Flares or an emergency stop sign
• Extra fluids (i.e. oil, wiper fluid, antifreeze, etc.)
• First Aid kit

Having your vehicle thoroughly checked before a big trip is one of the best ways to make sure your trip goes off without a hitch. Of course regular vehicle maintenance is always essential, but a more extensive inspection before a long trip can be crucial. So get your vehicle checked out, pack up the family, hit the road and enjoy your vacation. You've earned it.

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From Fun in the Sun to Is Your Homework Done?

 It's that time of year again - time to go back to school. The kids have been running free all summer, sleeping in late and spending hours with their friends. Now, it's time to send them back to the classroom, armed with new school supplies and ready to learn. For both parents and children, however, the transition can be a struggle. Here are some tips to make the first day run smoothly.

 
Before school starts    

        
• Establish routines.
            Ease children into a school-year routine by enforcing an earlier bedtime during the last two weeks of summer. Start getting them up around the time they will need to wake for school. Also, plan meals to coincide with the school-day schedule.
              
           
     
• Turn off the TV.
        Encourage children to read, color, play games or do puzzles instead of watching television. These activities will prepare them to engage in the learning process at school.
       
  
        
• Visit the school.
            Visit the school with children to meet teachers, locate classrooms and ease worries, especially if they are starting at a new school.
       
  
• Ease their nerves.
    Remind your children that they are not the only ones who feel uneasy about the first day of school. Teachers know that students are anxious and will make an extra effort to make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible (American Academy of Pediatrics).
   
  
• Use the buddy system.
    Find another child in the neighborhood with whom they can walk to school or ride on the bus (American Academy of Pediatrics).
   
   
• Gather papers.
    Call schools before registration to find out what documents they require. Look for them ahead of time to avoid frantic searches.
   
  
• Shop smart.
    Take inventory of children's school supplies and clothing. Donate or discard outgrown or worn-out clothing to make room for the new. Then, make a list of what you need to buy. Take advantage of back-to-school sales to save money.
   
  
• Practice backpack safety.
    Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back. Tell children to place heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of the student's body weight (American Academy of Pediatrics).
   
  
• Be positive.
    Point out the positive aspects of starting school: It will be fun. They will see old friends and meet new ones. Refresh their memory about previous years (American Academy of Pediatrics).
  
    

The first week

• Be prepared.
    Lay out clothing and pack lunches the night before. This will minimize chaos and stress in the morning.
   
  
• Don't skip breakfast.
    Make sure your children eat a healthy breakfast in the morning. According to KidsHealth, children who skip breakfast are less able to learn in school and are more likely to have a higher body mass index (BMI).
   
  
• Make sure they get adequate sleep.
    According to the Federal Citizen Information Center, children between the ages of 6 and 9 need about 10 hours of sleep a night. Preteens need a little over 9 hours. Avoid giving children caffeine less than six hours before bed time, and establish an after-dinner routine to calm them down.
   
  
• Clear your schedule.
    Make sure you will be available during the first week to help children adjust to the new schedule and to talk about their feelings and experiences.
  

With these tips and tools, you should be ready to guide your child through the transition. If, however, your child exhibits extreme or prolonged negative reactions to the start of school, it might indicate a specific learning or psychological problem. Consider contacting your child's teachers or school psychologist for support and suggestions.

  Take care to not over-interpret behaviors, though. Children display a variety of different behaviors, especially during transition periods. Often, time and coping strategies can remedy the issue.

    So zip up their backpacks and send them on their way. When the school bell rings, they will be eager and prepared for the year ahead.    

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Holiday Envy

The holiday hoopla of Independence Day is over and Labor Day isn't until early September. Yep it's August. The 8th month of our calendar year, August was named in honor the Roman Emperor Augustus in 8 BC.

In the US there are no major holidays in the month of August. Every other month of the year has at least one national or cultural holiday. Why are there no major holidays in August? A Google search of that very question shed little light on the matter.

However there are some rather obscure holidays throughout August. Here is a list of some of the more unusual holidays that fall this month.

August 1, 2010 is . . . . . International Friendship Day

International Friendship Day was started in 1935 as a way to honor friends throughout the world. The day was further strengthened in 1997 when Winnie the Pooh was named the World's Ambassador of Friendship.

August 4, 2010 is . . . . . Twins Day Festival

Twins Days is a festival for biological twins which has taken place every summer since 1976 in Twinsburg, Ohio. It is the largest annual gathering of twins in the world. Triplets, quadruplets and other multiples are also welcome.

August 8, 2010is . . . . . Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbor's Porch Night

"Due to the overzealous planting of zucchini, citizens are asked to drop off baskets of the squash on neighbors' doorsteps."
 - Tom Roy, holiday creatorEnough said.

August 11, 2010 is . . . . Presidential Joke Day

Originated on August 11, 1984 when then President Ronald Reagan jokingly said into what he thought was a turned off microphone, "My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you I just signed legislation which outlaws Russia forever. The bombing begins in five minutes". The microphone was in fact on and his feed was streaming live.

August 13, 2010 is . . . . Blame Someone Else Day

Don't look at me. I'm not the one who came up with this article.  

August 25, 2010 is . . . . Kiss-And-Make-Up Day

This is a day to get over any fights, resolve disagreements, reconcile, kiss, make up and get back to normal. Definitely the most cheerful day on our list.These are a just a few samples of some of the obscure holidays that occur in August. While they may not be the biggest or brightest, they are certainly unique.

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Football Flavor

 Football season is almost here. It's time to break out the jersey, stock up the cooler, clean up the grill and spend the next slew of weekends supporting your favorite team.

Tailgating is American pastime like none other. Old friends who may have scattered all around the country will still make it back together a few times a year to cheer the old alma mater. For many it's a tradition to look forward to all year long.

Of course, a tailgate isn't a tailgate without good food. With that said, here are a few delicious, easy to make dishes that will be sure to take your tailgate from good to great.

Chili

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 large onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 lb ground beef
• 3 heaping tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili flakes (or to taste)
• 1 cinnamon stick (or 1 tsp ground cinnamon)
• 1 28 oz can tomatoes
• 2 19 oz cans kidney beans
• 1 bottle beer
• 1 5 oz can tomato paste
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated (for garnish)

Equipment: One large soup pot.

Directions: Finely chop the onions and garlic, and fry them in oil over medium heat until translucent. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Stir in chili powder, cumin, chili flakes, and cinnamon, and cook until they start to give off a nice aroma. Add beer, tomatoes, tomato paste, and kidney beans, and season well with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced to a nice thick sauce (60 to 90 minutes). Serve hot on a bed of rice or with crusty rolls to mop up. Offer chopped onion, grated cheddar cheese and hot sauce as garnish.

Time: Preparation time: 20 minutes. Cooking time: 90 to 120 minutes.

How to eat it: Serve chili in a large bowl or in the cooking pot at the table; guests can take their own individual bowls and add hot sauce, onions or cheese as they desire.

Serves: Four as a main meal; six to eight as a side dish.

Potato salad

Ingredients:

• 3 lb potatoes (red or white, skins left on)
• 1 or 2 cup(s) mayonnaise (to taste)
• 1 red onion, finely sliced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 small handful mini dill pickles, roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment: One large pot for boiling the potatoes, one large bowl for mixing and serving the salad.

Directions: Dice potatoes and boil in a pot of salted water until tender yet firm. Drain and rinse under cold water and leave to dry. In your mixing bowl, combine potatoes, mayonnaise, celery, onions, and pickles, and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Variations: To give the salad a lift, try mixing two or three tablespoons of pesto in with the mayonnaise. For additional flavor, you may want to add two or three chopped hard-boiled eggs. And if your guests like it hot, a seeded, sliced jalapeno pepper can really heat things up.

Time: Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 10 to 15 minutes.

How to eat it: Keep the potato salad covered and chilled in the fridge until it's time to serve it. Offer it in a large dish and guests can help themselves.

Serves: Six as a side dish.

Chicken wings

Ingredients:

• 4 lb chicken wings, uncooked
• Hot BBQ sauce
• Mild BBQ sauce
• Honey garlic BBQ sauce
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Blue cheese dressing or sour cream (for dipping)

Equipment: One large baking sheet and three serving dishes for discarded bones.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray baking sheet with non-stick spray. Divide wings into three piles and coat each group in one flavor of sauce. Spread the coated chicken wings across the baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes or until the meat is white throughout.

Time: Preparation time: 20 minutes. Cooking time: 30 minutes.

How to eat it: Arrange wings in serving dishes according to sauce flavor. Offer your guests plenty of napkins and paper towels to clean up, and provide bowls for your guests to dispose of their bones. Serve with sour cream or blue cheese dressing for a bit of a flare.

Serves: Serves eight, if you assume that each guest will eat a half-pound of wings.

Source:  AskMen.com