Earth Day Activities and Ideas for the Kids

Happy Earth Day!

It doesn't take a lot to teach your children to embrace Earth Day and celebrate it. With these strange weather patterns, obvious air pollution, and most of our everyday activities wreaking havoc on the only planet we can call home, we better teach our children how to take better care of our Earth!

Here's some quick and easy things you can do this afternoon with your kids to celebrate Earth Day and teach them a little something about giving back to the only planet we have:

• Take your children out in the yard/neighborhood and pick up trash and rake old leaves into bags - a little neighborhood clean-up.
• Plant something in the yard - you know that plants are great for the air that we breath (and our air is a big part of our Earth). You can plant some pretty spring flowers or go all out and plant a tree.
• Gather up all of those cans and bottles that have been collecting around the house and take the children to the recycle center to return them.

Or, you can check out some teacher resources for Earth Day activities here:

• Scholastic
• Teacher's Guide
• Huffington Post (2009)

Whichever way you decide to share Earth Day with your children, just be sure to remind them that we are in charge of taking care of the Earth - and it's the only one we're going to get!

Valentine's Day Crafts Fit for the Kids

It hardly seems possible that Valentine's Day is right around the corner, but it's true. As the world prepares to explode in reds, pinks, and hearts, you can have fun with your kids and save money by making homemade crafts for the holiday. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Heart-shaped soaps

Soap making is a fun and easy project that you can do at home in just a couple hours. Visit your local craft store for supplies, including soap cubes, molds, and essential oil (optional) to give soap a boost of aromatherapy. Consider including charms (such as small toys) that will come free as soap gets used. You can also add a drop or two of food coloring to make solid-color bars of soap or swirly designs. A toothpick (and patience) is especially helpful for the latter. Melt soap cubes in the microwave, pour into molds, and add fragrance, color and/or toys, and let set. Ease the soaps free once they've cooled and wrap in colorful tissue paper and ribbon for the sweethearts in your life.

Love bug

No, not Herbie! Love bugs are another easy craft. You'll need items you probably already have around the house:

·         Empty toilet paper rolls

·         Glue or Scotch tape (double-sided especially comes in handy)

·         Scissors

·         Markers (crayons, colored pencils, Sharpies, paints, etc.)

·         Construction/colored paper/scrapbook paper

Wrap the roll in the paper of your choice. Experiment with colors. You can try seasonally-appropriate pinks and reds, but consider making love bugs in lime green, blue, or white paper that you decorate before gluing to the roll. Cut out hearts that are around the size of a 3" x 5" card. (You just want them to be a bit bigger than the toilet paper roll.) Turned sideways and glued together, the hearts will form wings. Decorate however you'd like, whether your love bug sports a little glitter, a hand-drawn face, or something else meaningful to you. Finish by making antennae from pipe cleaners. Glue on and you have a simple and adorable craft that kids will enjoy making.

Valentine's Day cards

This standard craft can be made interesting and new if you get creative with your designs. In addition to gluing construction paper hearts on cardstock, try your hand at 3-D designs. You can shape hearts and borders from pipe cleaners and affix them to the front of the card. The same goes with candy hearts (just be careful that little kids understand the hearts shouldn't be eaten after glue is applied), small charms, or photos of yourselves with loved ones. Try cutting shapes from aluminum foil to make cards shiny and reflective without busting your crafting budget. Whatever you create, have fun!

Making Valentine's Day crafts with kids is a lot of fun and a great excuse to get messy for a couple hours. Get out the art supplies and enjoy some heart-shaped cookies while you spend the afternoon creating.

Holly is a wife and stay-at-home mother who blogs on behalf of Sears and other brands she uses and trusts. Her kids love using microwaves to overinflate Peeps and crafts that would otherwise explode if she wasn't standing nearby.

Create a Christmas Book of Memories

There’s something so magical about Christmas. It brings us together to share precious times as a family. So why is it that we become so busy during the holiday season trying to create the perfect holiday that we often forget to hold on to those memories? Creating a family Christmas Memory Book is the perfect way to step back and remember those special times over and over.

Photo Album Meets Scrap Book.

Think of your Christmas Memory Book as part photo album, part scrap book. What can you put in a Christmas Memory Book? Just about anything you want. Photos and videos are, of course, a good place to start. Include photos of your family decorating the house, trimming the tree, hanging stockings, wrapping presents, baking holiday goodies, even attending various Christmas programs. And don’t forget to have the camera or camcorder ready for carolers!

Take Good Notes!

Journaling is another natural feature of a memory book. If you send out an annual family Christmas newsletter, be sure to include a copy in your album. But you can also keep a journal of the highlights of your holiday season. What did your family members do that was unique or important this year? What gifts did you make? What outside Christmas activities did you participate in? What special gifts did you enjoy this year? You could ask each family member to write a page about their favorite parts of Christmas this year, and then include these articles in the album. You might be surprised at what they remember best.

From Ribbon to Mistletoe.

Beyond photos and journaling, you can make your family memory book uniquely yours by including wrapping paper swatches, pieces of ribbon, Christmas cards, tickets and programs from Christmas events, pictures drawn by your children, even dried Mistletoe pressed between the pages. Did you bake Christmas cookies this year? Include a copy of your recipe. How about the Christmas stories you shared together? Add a list.

Wants & Wishes.

Another fun tradition is to keep a family wish list. It might include presents that people want, but it could include some interesting non-tangible items as well. At the end of the season, put the list in your memory album. Looking back over the list in future years will give you a snapshot of things that were important to your family at that time. You could also invite family members to make a list of what they are thankful for.

Straight from the Heart.

A Christmas memory book doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Some stores sell bound Christmas albums ready to go, but a simple three-ring binder with acid-free paper and protective sleeves can hold nearly anything you might want to include. Better yet, it’s versatile, so you can put in whatever fits you and your family. You could keep several years in one binder and use tabbed dividers to separate each year. Or, you could prepare a binder for each year. You can also create digital albums on the computer. Imagine the look on your grown children’s faces in a few years when you give them their own copies of the family Christmas memory album on DVD!

If you enjoy working with photos and crafts, you may have the beginnings of a home business. Many people are neither good on the computer or with scrap books, but they’d enjoy owning a memory book or giving one as a gift.

Having the right logo can make all the difference in the world. Avery Petersen, a small business consultant, helps his clients find the best logo designs at affordable prices. Logomojo.com has proven to be the best option time after time. Click here to find out how you can get your own designs that fit in your budget.

Personalized Santa Phone Calls

If pictures of Santa in your living room are not enough for you, you can also have Santa call your children with a personalized message! Simply click here!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

We did it with our kids and it was a blast!

Seven Super-Simple and Very Speedy Sweet Santa Treats

Who has time to bake? Who has the privilege of not baking? These super-simple recipes make holiday baking about as quick and simple as it can be.

This collection of seven Santa favorites focuses on speedy, simple preparation and sweet results. Designed for maximum impact with minimal effort, these recipes will not help you work your way onto a Bravo reality show, but they do have just enough “wow factor” to satisfy Christmas-spirited kids, pacify nit-picking mothers-in-law, and inspire the one affirmation you want most—a hearty “Ho, ho, ho!” from the big man himself.

The women who pioneered these recipes openly confess, “All measures are approximate, because I have made these things so often my instinct and intuition substitute for measuring cups and spoons.” In fact, the women say these formulae and procedures are not recipes any more; they have become reflexes. They also admit they rely on commercial chefs’ stock-in trade: presentation is everything. If it looks delicious, it is delicious.

• Two easy “mousse” pies—These pie recipes are so easy and so deceptive it really feels like cheating, but they have proven absolutely 100% failure proof, making the unsuspecting believe you are a pastry genius. The originators of this recipe base believe “the difference between pudding and ‘mousse’ comes from whipping cream, egg whites, vanilla, and attitude.” In fact, they stress attitude. They prepare regular old instant chocolate pudding with whipped egg whites, two teaspoons of vanilla, and heavy whipping cream, aggressively whipping it until it peaks, and then styling it into pre-made Oreo-cookie or graham cracker pie crusts. The secret to Santa satisfaction: applying the whipped cream with a pastry bag, delicately fashioning little whipped cream flowers around the pies’ edges and at their centers.

• Super-easy “sweet potato” pie—From the same “keepin’-it-real housewives” who brought you the mousse pies, a variation on the basic formula with a distinctly seasonal flavor. Pour one can of pre-cooked yams and the syrup into a mixing bowl, adding a cup of brown sugar, two teaspoons of vanilla and a generous dose of pumpkin pie spice. Use a potato masher to pre-mix the ingredients; then, add whipped whites from two eggs. Slowly mix-in heavy whipping cream, beating the mix until it achieves the consistency of mousse. Style into a pre-made graham cracker pie crust and garnish with homemade whipped cream florets. Lightly sprinkle with nutmeg—more for looks than flavor.

• Fruit-filled crepes—Lighten-up and sweeten standard Bisquick pancake recipe with egg-whites whipped until they peak like meringue, confectioner’s sugar to sweeten the mix, extra milk to thin the batter, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla to add flavor; add a teaspoon of baking powder to maximize the “puff.” Cook as usual, and then roll-wrap each crepe around a generous portion of your favorite pie filling; an ice cream scoop works well for proper and uniform portioning. Garnish with your signature homemade whipped cream and appropriately colored sprinkles.

• The Tole House Holiday Upgrade—These simple adjustments to the time-honored Nestle tole house recipe take the drudgework out of preparing cookies in volume—as in cookie exchanges, contributions to the middle school bake sale, or baking for a crowd. You probably know the tole house cookie recipe by heart; for the holidays, go ahead and add the nuts. If you’re feeling really festive, add red and green M&Ms. Mix-in a little chocolate syrup to make the batter extra moist, and then bake the mix according to the “bar style” instructions on the Nestle chocolate chip wrapper, using a well-greased 10x15 Pyrex baking dish so that the bar is slightly thinner than the Nestle instructions suggest. When the cookies have cooled, carefully cut them into 1” x 1” squares, and decorate each square with red-dyed cream cheese frosting—the standard pastry-bag floret we know and love. Add sprinkles as needed. Wrap and deliver.

• Pumpkin bread—Every family has its favorite recipes for the standard assortment of sweet breads—banana, zucchini, and pumpkin. If you have them, of course, remember them and use them. This pumpkin bread recipe, however, may lay the foundation for a family’s new traditions, because it is wonderfully simple and blissfully inexpensive. In one bowl, mix pumpkin pie filling, raisins or currants, oil, sugar, molasses, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the basic baking ingredients--flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Combine the contents of your two bowls and mix thoroughly; then, pour the mix into a properly greased loaf pan, and bake for an hour. This version of the recipe deserves passage from young mothers to young daughters. For details on this recipe, and for more super-simple versions of old favorites, look here.

• Double-layer pumpkin cheesecake— The appeal in this recipe originates in its clever deception: It looks as if it must require sophisticated skills, because the pie is, after all, layered. “How do you do that?” people wonder. You prepare the basic cheesecake recipe, using one cup of your standard mix as the bottom layer. Then, you mix the rest with pumpkin pie filling, and the usual flavorings, spreading the mixture on top of the cheesecake foundation. Voila. For full ingredients and instructions, look here.

• Grandma’s by-far-the-best carrot-cake cupcakes—As the best, most honest food writers attest, the real appeal in carrot cake is the cream-cheese frosting. Grandma hid her special secret in an obvious place: She added maple syrup to her standard cream cheese frosting, and applied “the taste of Christmas” to her carrot cupcakes in little flowers, so that the sweetness would not overwhelm the cake’s more subtle flavor. Her other secret was more carefully hidden. Grandma understood that, unless she kept her cakes moist, they would crumble to pieces as they came out of the cupcake pans. Therefore, she included a full 1 1/3 cups of canola oil in her batter, and she grated the carrots as fine as possible to distribute their natural moisture. The formula was perfect. For more great recipes like this one, look here.

One very important footnote: Santa enjoys practically any sweet treat when you serve it with his favorite “anti-freeze” egg nog…wink, wink.



Event planner Sylvia Carlton loves to embellish her themes with desserts from fabulous designers like Heather Barranco of Dreamcakes, a standout artist in the niche New York specialty cakes business.


Photo credits: choco cream pie by janineomg/flickr; Sweet Potato Pie by TheHungryDudes/flickr; Chocolate Chip Bars by Heather Kennedy/flickr; The Grand Central Baking Book Pumpkin Bread by Mike McCune/flickr; Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake by Gausshawn/allrecipes; Carrot cupcakes by joyosity/flickr

Ten Easy Ways to Decorate Your Home for Christmas

Tangled lights, clumsy cold fingers, and wobbling ladders are a dangerous way to decorate your home. Avoid the stress by decorating from the ground up with bright colors, natural products, and creative uses for those old strings of lights.

Ice Luminaries

This is a fun and inexpensive project the whole family can do together. Use different sized containers, food coloring, fall leaves, or evergreen boughs to create unique, environmentally-friendly ice blocks that can be lit with either candles or C9 LED lights. You can find instructions here



Porch Christmas Tree
If you have an artificial tree you aren't using indoors, set it on a porch. Decorate it with simple, colorful ornaments from a dollar store and light it up! Or, if you want less clean up, decorate it with shredded paper tinsel and strings of popcorn and berries that the squirrels and birds will haul away for you.

Tall Topiaries
A simple metal framework wrapped in lights, creates visual lift without having to take lights to the roof. Just make sure the base is weighted enough to keep them upright in the wind.

Bird Bath Bundles
Pile festive balls, evergreen trimmings and ribbon into an artful decoration for you unused summer birdbath. Run lights out to it to create a bright spot in the middle of your yard with very little fuss.


Wreaths on Windows

If you can access your outside frames from the inside, hanging wreathes over your windows will add a classy holiday touch to your exterior without having to climb a ladder. You can even buy pre-lit and decorated wreathes at santasquarters.com for quick and easy decorations year after year.









Garlanded Entrances

With only a stepstool or sturdy chair, you can hang swaged and lit evergreen garlands over the entrance to your home that will give your guests a warm greeting. Look for over-sized Christmas balls or bows to accent the corners, too. (pic url=http://www.mylifetime.com/files/imagecache/photo_gallery_featured/files/images/hc-395x298-windowbox.jpg)




Evergreen Window Boxes
Use holiday picks arranged in blocks of foam to fill seasonally empty porch railing planters and window boxes with festive cheer.


Ribbon-Wrapped Porch Columns
If you happen to have white porch columns, you can create an easy candy-cane look by wrapping the supports with a wide red ribbon. Even if your columns aren’t white, you can still wrap them in ribbon, garland or lights for easy holiday cheer.


Indoor Lighted Window Décor
Place simple electric candles in every window for a traditional warm look, or create a more animated scene by hanging lighted Christmas characters like the ones found at santasquarters.com.

Yard Decorations
Create a storybook scene in your own front yard with statues and lawn ornaments. You can choose from resin nativity scenes, classic characters made of lighted plastic, or wicker reindeer from the import store. Whichever you choose, they’re bound to make a statement.

With a little imagination and creativity, it is possible to create a unique look for your home’s exterior that will take your breath away without taking your feet off the ground.





Santa's Quarters is author Annie Sullivan's favorite place to shop for her office decorations. They have an online store with large selections of commercial grade wreaths, toppers, ball ornaments and artificial trees. 





Photo credits: Ice Luminary by rengber/flickr; wreathadd by Aunt Owwee/flickr; Happy Furry Friday from Charleydog by byrdiegyrl/flickr

Christmas Clothing for Children: The Tea Collection

OMG! Have you ever heard of the Tea Collection? Today, I discovered this little online store for children's clothing. If you're looking for some adorable, sugar-and-spice clothing for your kids for the holidays...I have found the place! And, your kids will be cuter than the other children at the Christmas table with their little Tea get-ups!

What I like the most is the wardrobe sets. Check it out! Color-coordinated, mix-and-match sets for your girl:

Or your boy:

Pajamas, sweaters, hoodies, outerwear, shoes, accessories....you name it! And, everything is super-cute!

They also have a great "Read, Play, Create" section with books, games and little people dish sets to choose from. 

I didn't even put the images of the cutest outfits that they have on their site, because I wanted to leave it up to you to head on over and check them out!

I Love Deals!

You will also get 15% off a $100 order and free shipping for order over $150 all of the time, so if you were to decide that you wanted to order one of the mix-and-match, already assembled wardrobes of theirs, you can put the little code on the top right hand side of their homepage (FIESTAFUN) and get that 15% off!

Happy shopping!

6 Best Organic Toys for Older Toddlers

Buying gifts for the older toddlers and young school aged children in the family is exciting. They are old enough to truly enjoy their gifts, and get so excited over them. I love seeing their little eyes widen as they unwrap packages.

Older toddlers can be rough on toys though, so I always try to buy very sturdy things that can stand up to a young child’s play. I also give organic toys as gifts. I do that for several reasons. One, in case a child has allergies like I do to the dyes and chemicals in plastics and other materials used in making mass-production commercial toys, but also because they’re just generally healthier and better for the planet.

The Dangers of Common Chemicals

I carry that theme into my own life as well. In fact, my quest for natural products stemmed from my desire to find a natural remedy for hay fever. Once I learned about the dangers of many of the common chemicals used in over-the-counter medicines, I couldn’t help but be interested in the other dangers that lurked on store shelves of every kind.

As a writer, you might say I’m naturally inquisitive anyway. I also have a work-related tendency toward investigative research. Soon my husband and girls were on board, and now the whole family is actively interested in a more organic lifestyle; even my parents who live next door. It’s never too late to start living healthier.

A quote from Buddha says “to keep the body in good health is a duty; otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” I try to keep that in my mind as I think about the things I buy and use, and especially in those things I give to others.

My favorite gifts to give older toddlers are these:

·         Balance boards

·         Paints

·         Crafts

·         Puzzles

·         Kitchens for little girls

·         Memory and counting toys

Of all of the above gifts, my favorites are the ones that are not only fun, but also have some form of educational benefits. I love the memory and counting types of toys, but building blocks are great because they teach young children to use their motor skills and be creative all at the same time.

I like the balancing boards because they give youngsters exercise while developing their balance. Paints and crafts are fun, and let children be creative and develop their artistic sides. There’s a lot to be said for just fun though. Whatever I get, I look for natural dyes, and organic materials. Luckily those types of toys are much easier to find now than there were even a few years ago.

Pitfalls of Toxic Toys

Many people are discovering the dangers of the chemicals present in the products both from the actual materials and from the processing used to turn them into various items. The dangers aren’t just from the toys when they’re new either. Non-organic plastics and wood toys coated with finishes and paints release harmful toxins for years.

By giving gifts that are safer and healthier, I feel like I’m helping the next generation avoid having to deal with some of the problems I’ve had to deal with. I’m glad that there are allergic rhinitis natural remedies that I can take for my problems, but I’d rather not have to deal with them at all.

Some allergy problems can’t be avoided, like pollen and dust, they just have to be dealt with. However, a lot of health issues, and allergies are a result of the things we surround ourselves with every day. I prefer to get rid of those things, and deal with allergies and illness as little as possible.

About the Author:

Melissa Cameron is a freelance writer who lives with her husband and two children in Austin, Texas. Her parents live next door, and her large extended family gives her plenty of material for her career as a freelance writer. She spends her working hours researching better ways of living, and dealing with health issues like finding the best natural remedy for hay fever, along with parenting and budget-conscious shopping. Another of her passions is local history, and the great state of Texas provides many storylines with which to delight her readers.

3 Tips for Taking the Stress out of Thanksgiving

The holidays can be a stressful time for everyone, but especially for children. Busy parents, a hectic and disjointed schedule, and time off from structured school activities all add up to an unhappy child. What can you do to help?  Well, here are three tips on taking some of the stress out of Thanksgiving

1. Make it fun- Holidays are supposed to be fun, but often they’re just stressful. Bring the fun back. Have craft times, cooking times, and play times. Don’t get caught up in the holiday rush and forget what it is all about. Teach children the origins of the holidays, have puppet shows or plays, and sing classic songs.     
2. Set a schedule- Kids love structure. They need it. They need to know when to wake up and when to go to sleep. They need to know what they are going to do each day. Structure gives them security. During the holidays, however, school is out and their schedule is thrown for a loop. Help them by setting up a schedule of your own. As best you can, make sure they have a set time for activities, just like they do at school. This will give them a sense of security and stability during a hectic time. Don’t try and do too much, either. Having a schedule doesn’t mean planning every minute of the day.  
3. Relax and remain calm- The most important thing to keep children stress-free is to be stress-free yourself. Remember to take time to relax. Take a break from the mad rush and just enjoy a cup of hot cocoa. Even when people around you are going crazy, remain an oasis of peace and tranquility. Remaining calm is your best defense against stress. And if you are calm, the kids will be calm too. Holidays are all about relaxing with family, so don’t forget to do that.

There are many things that are stressful about the holidays, but do not let them get to you. Fight back and regain your peace. Don’t forget what holidays are all about- togetherness and love. You can make a difference and give children happy memories of the holidays as they grow up and have families of their own. 

Author Bio

Nancy Parker was a professional nanny and she loves to write about wide range of subjects like health, Parenting, Child Care, Babysitting, nanny background check tips etc. You can reach her @ nancy.parker015 @ gmail.com.

Healthy Eating, Healthy Kids – Even During the Holidays

As a parent, there’s almost nothing harder than watching your kids get sick during the holiday months, yet it happens all too frequently. There are so many factors working against them, not the least of which, certainly, is a weather environment that’s cold and dry and perfectly ideal for the flu virus to remain stable and airborne longer than normal.

However, one of the largest factors that we don’t even often consider is our children’s eating habits during these months. While we may be on top our game for 10 months out of the year in ensuring that our children are eating healthy nutritious meals and snacks, when November and December hit, (immediately following the October 31st candy overload), we tend to dramatically slacken our tabs on healthy eating. Between the lack of time available on our own part to the school parties, extra baking at home and general overload of sweets, we can unknowingly sabotage our own children’s’ healthy eating. And, really, just how much can we resist those big eyes light up at the site of a giant candy cane anyway?

Why?

We can resist for lots of reasons! Most importantly: poor eating can lead to a compromised immune system by leaving our children lacking essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals that their bodies need to fight off incoming diseases. Combine that with a season that has more activity and more excitement than normal, both of which can wipe kids out and leave them already lacking normal energy, and you get a recipe for disaster. A healthy diet rather suddenly replaced by one focused on more “fast-prep” foods likely lacking in nutritional value and topped with regular high doses of sugar can mean sugar crashes, irritability and even poor focus at school. (Sometimes poor report card results during the holidays can be attributed more to poor nutrition and lacking sleep schedules than “too excited.”)

What to Do?

There are many things you can do to help you help your children during the holiday season when it comes to their eating and the connection to their health. Here are some easy tips to give you some starting points for inspiration!

Prepare Yourself

Probably the biggest step in all of this is to prepare yourself physically and mentally. You’re likely going to need to be prepared that it’s going to take extra effort to make normal healthy meals and snacks happen during these chaotic months With all the extra flurry of activity during your normal day-to-day hours, you may need to get up earlier, stay up later or cut a few extra activities in order to do the shopping and take care of the preparation that you need to. You’ll also need to prepare yourself for your children’s reactions which are likely not going to be particularly happy in the beginning. Depending upon the age of your kids, I’d say it’s safe to assume they’re going to want to partake of all the extra cookies and candy and mugs of hot cocoa that their friends are or that is normal at your house during the holiday season. And, while you by no means, have to cut it all out, even cutting some can seem like the world’s end to a child who can’t understand the big picture quite yet.

Create a Game Plan, Now

Once you’re prepared mentally and physically for a little extra work and a little extra convincing, go one step further and put a plan into place. This might involve back up treats you can whip out when you’d rather your kids did not eat that bag of Christmas candy that just came home from school. Have these already on hand! It’ll smooth out the switch instantly. Know what your explanation is going to be. If your kids are going to question why there won’t be Christmas cookies every day like last year, have your reason(s) ready. Never blow them off with a “because I said so,” or they’ll be likely to feel as though they’re being disciplined, rather than understanding you’re trying to help them. Before the madness of the season hits, make some good solid nutritious dinners and lunch options you can toss in the freezer now to pull out on late nights packed full of Christmas ballet performances and school band recitals.


Become the Creative Substitute Queen!

Treats during the holiday seasons may typically involve high levels of butter and sugar, but you just have to remember that that is not the definition of “treats.” That’s the definition of “sweets.” You can find ways to “treat” your children to extra fun snacks or after dinner delights or party favors at the kindergarten Christmas party that are not simply sugar. This is where you get to become the queen of what I like to call “creative substitution!” Make cookies, but use honey instead of sugar, use applesauce instead of butter, use raisins instead of chocolate chips. Come up with festive fruit snacks. Dip bananas in semi-sweet chocolate and then sprinkle with peppermint sprinkles for dessert instead of a bowl of peppermint ice cream. For a sweet splurge, make rice crispy treats, but use the brown rice option from your local health food store, skip the butter and instead just use marshmallows and vanilla. Make them festive with red and green food coloring. The options are limitless and your creativity can take you and your holiday treats as far as you can imagine!


Stay Strong!

It likely won’t be easy, but it will be worth it! While you may have a momentarily upset child on your hands in those moments when it’s a “no” to a Christmas cookie and “yes” to a bowl of oranges, you will also be much more likely to have a happy, healthy, focused child all the rest of the time. So stick to your plan, carry it out and reap the benefits of not only knowing you’re doing everything in your power to keep your children happy and healthy now, you’re also preparing them for navigating healthy holiday eating as an adult with all the right tools and habits that will last a lifetime!

Freelancer Jocelyn writes most frequently about green living and healthy family life. If she’s not writing about healthy practical eating tips, you’ll find her at work writing about saving energy with energy efficient infra red heaters.

The Best Children's Christmas Albums

The holiday season brings with its multitude of other joys a special treat: sharing and enjoying favorite Christmas music with your children. Family traditions are born from listening sessions and singalongs with the children, and memories will be made that you'll cherish for years. Whether the music is sacred or secular, traditional or in current styles, you'll find something that will add to the festivities and make the little ones smile. To get your tradition started, here are the 5 best Christmas albums for children.

1. A Melancholy Mood for Christmas

As soon as you press play on the Vince Guaraldi Trio's A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack, you'll recognize the music. Originally recorded for a Charlie Brown Christmas TV special, Guaraldi added his own inimitable takes on originals and classics alike. There was magic in the air in the studio for these recordings, as the piano trio created a festive yet slightly melancholy mood piece. Your children will enjoy this music, especially at bedtime when tired eyes are beginning to close.

2. A Folk-Rock Classic

When John Denver appeared on a Muppets TV special in 1979, he was a popular singer in the folk-rock genre. His singing and playing on traditional tunes and the sometimes zany original collaborations with some of the best-loved Muppet characters make A Christmas Together one of the best Christmas albums for family listening sessions.

3. An Acquired Taste, But Very Tasty

Everyone loves the Chipmunks - well, almost everyone. The cartoon characters with sped-up voices became a hit in the 60s with their very own TV show, and singing was their forte. If you like it you probably love it, and kids usually think it's wonderful stuff. On The Chipmunks - Christmas with the Chipmunks, the lads apply their unique style to 20 classics of the season, and there is nothing else like it.

4. Everyone Loves Raffi Too

Raffi is of course well-known to parents and children for his upbeat and folk-flavored albums of original songs for children. He has become a spokesman for the children's welfare movement and has lent his voice to many child-related causes. On Raffi's Christmas Album he performs original songs and some more off-beat classics in his own style. This CD is sure to raise the level of holiday cheer in the listening room at Christmas.

5. Classic Caroling at its Best

On this one CD - Holiday Singalong with Mitch - you will find the best-loved and most well-known Christmas carols of all time. Performed with Mitch Miller's chorus of clear-toned and bright voices (his very own Gang, as he called them), listening to them with your children is a great way for them to learn the classics, and you'll all be singing along with the Gang in no time.





Okay, now everyone sing! One of the greatest ways to start a family tradition is to have Christmas singalongs with your children and the whole family. These albums of holiday artistry will start you off singing.

Mary Thomas is the mother of four, and loves the music of the holidays most of all. She uses this Christmas music site as a great source of lyrics for all the best Christmas songs, from hymns to children's favorites.

Say Cheese: 4 Traits of Fantastic Holiday Card Photos

Why oh why does it take an entire day of fussing, fighting, squirming, crying, and threatening just to get one holiday-card-acceptable photo?  It’s one of life’s great mysteries.  The great Christmas Card portrait conundrum!  Although we are fairly certain you cannot irradiate this annual pain in the keister completely, there are certain common traits every fantastic family photograh shares; and  lucky you, we’re gonna’ lay ‘em out here for your next go-round!

1. Schedule the photo shoot when kids are at their happiest. It sounds like common sense, but how many times have you acquiesced to a photographer or studio’s schedule when you’ve known in the back of your head that the kiddos would be too (tired)(hungry)(cranky) to follow directions?  You are either the photographer & the subject (in which case you can control all aspects of the timing) or you’re the customer; which means you’re paying for a service and can advise the studio of your availability.  If they won’t accommodate you, find another photographer.  There are plenty of businesses willing to accommodate your requests, especially in a difficult economy.  Schedule the session when the kids are awake, happy, well fed, not rushed, and bring something to keep them busy during down time.

2.  When it comes to the setting, think outside the box.  The background is not the most important subject of your photo, the people being photographed are so keep your location simple. Many cities have beautiful parks and natural settings, but don’t forget about your backyard.  Other fun settings are school playgrounds, the beach, front porches, old buildings, fences, and even on your master bed – keep it simple, comfortable; let everyone play around and get goofy. Let the setting take second-chair and let the photographer capture those unplanned moments that often make the best cards.

3.  It’s not Fashion Week, it’s a Holiday Card.  Keep your clothing uncomplicated. The best holiday and Christmas card photos have the subjects coordinating, but not matchy-matching.  If everyone is wearing white shirts and jeans for example the viewer sees a sea of denim  and not your faces.  You get lost in your clothes, and that often detracts from a fantastic photo  On the flip side; avoid patterns. It’s okay if one family member has a simple stripe or a basic design, but too many intricate patterns will again detract from your faces.  And, when possible, go casual. Especially if you have little ones.  People enjoy looking at photos where family looks relaxed, and like they enjoy the simple act of  just being together.  Casual does not mean sloppy.  Brushed hair and teeth, washed hands and faces, and clean, unwrinkled attire are important – but leave the tacky-sweaters and matching dresses & suits back in 1980, for all of our sakes.  And, unless you want to pick a fight intentionally, asking your family to sit still more than a minute at a time in ugly, itchy, or uncomfortable outfits is just plain wrong.

4.  Closer, closer, closer.  We know you think you’re close enough, but do like the photogs do and get closer than you think.  If you’re using a photographer or photo studio, please make sure to make this wish known to them, so that they will know you’ve done your homework!  If you’re going to take the photos yourself with a timer, or when it’s just the kids (and this can’t be emphasized enough) - get much, much closer to faces than you think you should.  Faces are what you really want to see – so get right up there.  The beauty of digital photography is that you can edit, retake, retouch, and experiment in all sorts of ways.  If you’re doing it yourself, you should start a tradition of having fun taking that family memento each year.  And if you’re hiring someone; sit back, get comfortable, and  keep light-hearted.

 

Family photos are no easy task!  We’d love to hear your secret tips and tools to get awesome pictures.  Feel free to comment with you best tip or comment below!

Author Bio:  J.J. Morgan is a freelance writer for Parchment, a custom stationery boutique and online store catering to celebrity clientele since 1968.

Family Halloween Group Costume Ideas

Halloween is one of the most fun and exciting times of the year for most children. There's no need for parents to miss out on the joy that comes with planning the perfect Halloween costume and getting all dressed up. In fact, a themed group costume that you can each play a roll in is a great activity for the whole family.

Themed Costume Ideas:

Dress everyone in black and be the Addams Family. Bald babies or little boys with crew cuts make adorable Uncle Fester's! Fill a rubber glove with air, water, sand or rice. Tie it shut and then stick it in the slit of a tissue box to be Thing.

Be a family of performers! Mom, dad and kids can all dress as a musician from their favorite type of music. Dad may dress as an 80's head banger, while mom grabs a flowing skirt and guitar for a folk rock look. Kids may dress as pop stars or hip hop artists.

Go as a picnic! Decorate the baby's stroller as a basket and add a red and white plaid "blanket" to represent the tablecloth. Family members can dress as hot dogs, ketchup, mustard, corn on the cob and watermelon. Dress the baby or your pooch as an ant.

Another costume theme involving dogs, is "The Wizard of Oz". Your dog (or a stuffed stand in) can be Toto. Other family members can be Dorothy, the Tin Man, Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion and the witch. Small children or babies can be Munchkins. If you don't have enough family members for all the roles, chose your favorite characters.


Where to Buy Your Costumes:


Most department stores carry Halloween costumes for both adults and children, but the selection is often limited, particularly in adult sizes. Finding coordinating costumes at your average big box type store will be a challenge. Stores that specialize in Halloween costumes usually begin popping up in September. These stores frequently lease space in empty storefronts for the Halloween season. You will have better luck finding theme costumes for your family at one of these specialty costume stores, but they are often very expensive.

You will probably find the most variety and best value on Halloween costumes by searching online. There are many discount costume shops to chose from online. You can even try Ebay to see if you can score gently used costumes for a great deal. Many websites offer coupon codes, discounts and free shipping. A simple web search using a term such as "Halloween costume coupon codes" will provide you with some options. Websites like www.fatwallet.com will notify you of deals and may even provide you with cash back on your purchases.

Largest Firework Display EVER

For those of you who love the fireworks like I do...




Happy Fourth of July, everyone!

Our Family's Fourth of July: Making Memories and Keeping it Safe

I'm a huge fan of holidays - and extremely sentimental about family traditions and creating memories. My children are a bit let down about the fact that New York doesn't allow you to shoot off your own fireworks like South Carolina does. So, this year we will again go see the fireworks (we were in New York last year, too, but in South Carolina/North Carolina the three years prior). We had too much fun shooting fireworks in our yard while we lived in the south...but, I can say that there were some very close calls that were scary. One firework shot right past me, wayyyyy too close for comfort! (I actually felt the "air blast" from it)

I am sure that they will ask the question again, "Can we do our own fireworks?" about five hundred more times before the weekend is over...and the answer won't change, but I bet we'll get our hands on some of those "poppers" and some sparklers...I think those are legal. :)

With all that said, I'm hoping that everyone has a SAFE and happy Fourth of July. And, speaking of safety, I'm going to put my little two cents in...

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports:


"There were reports of three fireworks-related deaths and an estimated 8,600 hospital emergency room treated injuries in 2010. In 2009, CPSC had reports of two deaths and an estimated 8,800 injuries. In 2008, CPSC had reports of seven deaths and an estimated 7,000 injuries."

Many of these injury statistics include children!

If you live in a state where fireworks are legal, please be careful around the children! Yes, fireworks are "cool" and intriguing, but as we all know, they are also dangerous! Keep a close eye on the children and be sure to keep the kids at a good distance away from where you are shooting the fireworks. Additionally, be sure that you are shooting away from the people who are watching.

Do not. Do not. Do not re-light a firework!

Sparklers can be dangerous, too. Did you know that fireworks "burn at temperatures of about 2000 degrees"? (According to the CPSC). Please do not let your kids do sparklers alone!

However fun it may be, it's not smart to shoot off fireworks from a glass or metal container. Ever heard of shrapnel? I hope that creates a visual for you...

Keep a container or bucket of water nearby, just in case you need it. It's better to be safe than sorry, right?

Know what types of fireworks you are shooting and how they work. Do they shoot straight up? Sideways? In circles? Then, you can plan on clearing the area that it will shoot in and avoid trees, wires, etc. In the same breath, don't expect every firework to react the way it is supposed to. We have had many-a firework do things that we never expected! Be prepared for anything!

Finally, don't let your kids shoot fireworks by themselves and ask your children who they will be with and where they will be going if they are not going to be with you on the Fourth of July. If they are planning to "do" fireworks with friends, be sure to check if there will be an adult with them...better yet, tell your kids to bring the fireworks and their friends to you...then you can ensure their safety. :)

Please have a safe and happy Fourth of July, enjoy your family and make some good memories! We plan to cook out on the BBQ, play in the backyard, head out to a pretty fireworks display, celebrate summer and make our own memories!

How do you plan to make memories this Fourth of July???

Party Games for a Great 4th of July

Guest blog post by Nicole Rodgers

Independence Day is a wonderful opportunity to gather friends and family together for a wonderful summer party. The beginning of July provides a great backdrop for grilling, picnics, fireworks, camping and a celebration of our wonderful nation. If you are planning an Independence Day party, be sure to include activities including games that are fun for all ages in attendance. Games that are played at 4th of July parties vary as much as the people playing them do, so if you are looking for different games and activities to play at a 4th of July party read on to get inspired.

When planning activities for your party, be mindful of the ages of your guests. If children are going to be present, make sure to come up with lots of ideas to keep them entertained too. Providing a variety of activities including sit down activities as well as physical activities will keep guests of all ages appropriately engaged.

Some sit down games appropriate for after meals or when guests need a break are word games. If creative make a holiday inspired word search or crossword puzzle from scratch and make enough copies for everyone to enjoy. If creating your own is not an option, many word searches and crosswords are available for purchase. For children, there are numerous teacher resource sites and stores that will have word games available.

An active game for children is red, white and blue tag. Each participant is given one poker chip, or other colored token, of red, white or blue. After this everyone is turned loose to try and tag each other. Whenever tagged, players must give up their tokens. The game ends when someone collects all three colors.

A twist of a classic sit down can easily make it holiday themed. Adults and children both will find this fast paced thinking game entertaining. Participants sit in a circle, the first player names an item that is red, the next player white and the third player blue. Play continues in this manner with each person only having five seconds to name an item of the right color. Naming an item of the wrong color, repeating an item or taking to long eliminates players. The game is over when one person is left in the game.

No summer party would be complete without standard backyard games. If space permits, set up horseshoes, ring toss, a volleyball net or corn hole set. What could be more American than a little friendly competition? Adults and children can participate in these games and small tournaments can easily be incorporated.

A wonderful finish to a brilliant 4th of July party is gathering everyone in attendance for a fireworks celebration. If setting your own off, pool fireworks from guests to have an even larger display. Older children can be involved in firework fun to by playing with sparklers and smokers. As always, extreme care should be used around fireworks and children should never light anything. If going to public display, relax and enjoy the show while thinking about what our freedom means to you.

Nicole Rodgers has been blogging for three years; she is currently setting up the details for her own 4th of July party. She is having her whole family dress up in American themed t shirts and she can’t wait to bake her mother’s famous blueberry, strawberry and vanilla American flag cake.

Thanks, Nicole, for yet another great guest blog post! Sounds like you're going to have a wonderful 4th of July! 


Readers: what do you do to make your 4th of July special with your family?

Delicious Easter Recipes For You and the Kids -Yum Yum!

With spring fast approaching, Easter is nearly here.  One of the most popular holidays is Easter and part of the reason why this holiday (and most others) is so much fun is the food associated with it.  If you are planning an Easter dinner with your friends or family this year, here are some awesome hints for some yummy Easter recipes.

Maple Syrup Ham and Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows

One of the most desired types of food to eat at Easter is ham and you can sweeten up the flavor of ham by adding some tasty maple syrup.  While your store purchased maple syrup should work, try to purchase maple syrup that is 100% pure and not made with corn syrup.  Adding pure maple syrup will add a sweet, delicious taste that your friends and family will love.

You can simply complement your maple syrup ham with some yummy sweet potatoes smothered in minature marshmallows.  Sweet potatoes should be your maple syrup ham’s best friend.  For an extra treat, add minature marshmallows and you will definetly get some smiles from children and adults alike.

Easter Bunny Cookies

While chocolate bunnies are pivotal to Easter, cookies can also be a desired treat.  Just like Christmas cookies are fun to make and tasty to eat, so can Easter bunny cookies.  Most grocers, discount stores and craft retailers sell Easter Bunny cookie cutters to make your favorite chocolate chip or sugar cookie into some fun Easter bunny shapes.

Easter Egg Cup Cakes

Easter Egg Cup Cakes are a fun way to add excitement to the holiday’s for your little ones.  Easter Egg Cupcakes are an easy and fun way to bring color to any Easter dinner dessert.  Instead of using cup cake holders, try to use small waffle cones instead to hold your cup cake mixture.  Once baked, add coloring, sprinkles, candy, etc. to your creation.

Easter Bunny Carrot Cake


Easter bunny carrot cake is a great way to add color and fun for the whole family.  What goes better with bunny rabbits than carrots and a yummy carrot cake goes with an Easter meal.  You can easily purchase a carrot cake and decorate the top by hand.  Many people create their own icing adding food coloring to color the carrot cake to look like an Easter egg.

Easter Cocktails

For those adults that prefer to top off their dinner with a delicious alcoholic beverage, there are many flavorful cocktails that compliment the atmosphere of an Easter meal.  For example, certain liquors come in several colors such as grenadine for crimson, blue Curacao for blue and mixing clear liquor with various fruit juices for multi colored Easter drinks. For those that crave a cocktail without the alcohol, it’s simple to add color to your dinner with a variety of fresh fruit smoothies, just by adding fresh fruit with cream or milk.  Some people even add some yogurt to the mix.

Holidays,


If these recipe ideas don't make your tummy growl for Easter dinner, I don't know what will!

Visit Kid Approved Meals for more fun ideas! Happy Easter!