Other Gifts For Kids

Do you struggle during the holiday season to buy the gifts your kids truly want? 

Is your house already "overrun" with "stuff" and you struggle to add more "stuff" to your house?

Do you have friends and family ask what to get your kids and you cannot give a good answer?

Have you considered gifts that aren't necessarily wrapped under the tree yet provide your kids with a fun or educational experience in the coming year? 

Here is a list of gifts that your children may appreciate (or parents) more than the wrapped ones under the tree.  I've provided links that are local to my area (Cleveland, OH), but free feel to research similar ideas in the area you live.

1.  A local zoo membership.
2.  A children's museum membership or history museum membership.
3.  A local botanical gardens membership or science center membership.
4.  A donation to a college fund.  Even if you cannot contribute a lot, if you have one open for your kids others can donate.
5.  A membership to a local recreation center.
6.  A book of the month club.
7.  If you know of an upcoming trip, perhaps offer to buy theme park tickets, airline tickets, etc.
8.  Kiwi Crate - delivers a creative learning box every month.
9.  Local events tickets - sporting events, Circus, theater performance, etc.
10.  Free night of babysitting.

What other creative ideas do you have?

The Big Guy - Santa 2015

Success!  All three kids looking at the camera and smiling at Santa!  Last year we had a crier, this year she was a little hesitant to get too close.  Luckily her brother saved the day and let our Little Miss sit on his lap!

I feel we are entering kind of an "in between" stage with Santa.  My oldest is 9 and quickly I am noticing he is not as excited to take part in some of the Christmas festivities.  On the positive side, he is ALWAYS a good sport, and does as he is asked.  He is an excellent role model for our younger two and he is the perfect oldest child!

I hope you have a good Santa experience too this year!

For those local, we visited Santa at Petitti's Garden Center.  The line was short and you could use your own camera.  Yeah for free and easy!

May God bless you and your family during this Christmas season!

In the "Nick of Time" Santa Pic 2014

You know when you have everything perfectly planned and then it all goes out the window?  Yes that was my weekend.  We had waited until the weekend before Christmas to go visit Santa.  Well Saturday came and my baby came down with the most feared thing in my house.... THE STOMACH BUG.  Well you know how this one goes, Mom went down at 6 pm Sunday night, my 6 year old woke up just before midnight on Sunday and then at 6 am on Monday my oldest was struck! 

Dad was our hero, he took care of us and we were just about convinced ourselves he was spared.  That was just until about 9 pm Monday night.  Luckily he had a quick case of the bug.  By Tuesday night we were all doing well.  As I was laying in bed with my 6 year old, he asked why we hadn't seen Santa yet?  Uggh!!  Why did I wait until the last minute?  Why didn't I think we would all become insanely ill the weekend before Christmas?  Next year I won't procrastinate!

Tuesday night we all went to the mall.  We all waited in line for about an hour.  But finally we got to see the big guy.  Everyone was excited and then this happened, the scream of fear!  Well, kind of describes my weekend, the awful "Christmas Bug of 2014"!

Merry Christmas!

"Let It Go" and "Shake It Off" Through the Holiday Season

Holidays can be a stressful time in any household.  Add in three kids eight and under, and the stressful situations can bubble up instantly!  There is so much to be done between Thanksgiving and December 25th.  The house needs to be decorated, inside and out, cookies need to be baked, Christmas pictures need to be taken, holiday cards need to be sent out, church services need to be attended, presents to buy, food to prepare, concerts to attend, the list goes on and on...  Am I making your head spin yet? 

 

When stress gets the best of you, I find it very helpful to sing and dance your way through it.  You may find it common in my home for me to bust out a song or start dancing in the kitchen.  As I progress along this path of motherhood, I am finding new ways to relieve stress instead of resulting to yelling.  I hate yelling.  I hate when I yell. I ALWAYS regret it after it happens!  So when I am feeling the stresses of the holidays, my two remedies are:

1.  Belt out "Let It Go" at the top of my lungs and maybe add a twirl or a spin in with it!
2.  Break out in "Shake It Off" and let the stresses all shake off your body!

Try it, it works!  Don't get caught up in all the "to do's" of the holiday season, step back and remember why we celebrate December 25th, it is Christmas Day, the day Christ was born!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you and your families.  May you have a very blessed, happy, and healthy 2012!

What to do With the Leftovers?

The feast is over, and if you're like me you have a refrigerator full of leftovers!  This is by far not a bad thing, but a chance to make some wonderful meals for your family!  On our menu today is:

Lunch - Turkey Sandwiches
Dinner - Creamy Turkey Rice Soup (an absolute favorite in our house)

Here are some other great recipes I have found to use up your leftovers:

Pierogi Casserole

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

Turkey Lasagna Soup

Turkey Tetrazzini

Southern Ham and Cheese Pie

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am wishing everyone a healthly, happy, fun Thanksgiving day!  I hope you are able to enjoy the day with friends, family and good food!  I am thankful for the fact that my Mom's is hosting this year because our dishwasher decided to break on Tuesday!  All kidding aside, this year I am especially thankful for:

1.  Good health for my family!

2.  My amazing Father who had lost over 80 pounds!

3.  My loving, supportive, always there for me husband!

4.  My wonderful boys who are my entire world, I could not even imagine life without them!

5.  All the ways God continues to provide for my family in ways that often "sneak" up upon us!

6.  The memory making vacation we got to take to Disney World today, I still cry at the Disney commercials!

7.  Living a life I have always dreamed about, I wouldn't change a thing!

Thanksgiving – My Favorite Holiday

When asked what your favorite holiday is, I am sure most would answer the obvious, Christmas. However, I tend to answer differently; I would say Thanksgiving in an instant. To me Thanksgiving is a holiday that is much more focused on family and brining everyone to celebrate with food, fun, and conversation. Yes the preparation the day before and the day of is hectic for the host and hostess, but once everyone is seated at the table, the atmosphere is relaxed, fun, and an overall great time of the year. No one expects gifts; they just expect good food and spending quality time together.

I love to host Thanksgiving at my house. There is something about the smell of a turkey roasting in the oven all day. Yes the kitchen gets chaotic, but the end result is well worth the effort. Plus, the leftovers stay at home for extra meals worth of Thanksgiving food and fresh turkey sandwiches for lunch for the rest of the weekend. I admit it; I love the turkey sandwiches and will eat them until the turkey is gone!

This year, I will not be hosting Thanksgiving. We will be celebrating at my parent’s house. My Dad’s birthday also falls on Thanksgiving this year, so we are able to celebrate with him on the same day. I am responsible for the appetizers, which I already have some ideas I want to try like these Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels! I will still buy a turkey this year when the prices cannot be beat. We will just roast ours on another day and have our own “mini” Thanksgiving.

We normally eat out Thanksgiving dinner around 2 pm. We spend time going around the table telling something that we are thankful for this year! We then say Grace as a family before digging into our feast. Our feast consists of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing (both inside and outside of the bird), green bean casserole, rolls with turkey shaped butter, and the traditional cranberry sauce (I prefer it right out of the can with the lines on it)! After dinner, the women normally do the dishes and the men watch some football. The kids run off and play. Dessert is served later in the evening and this year it will be birthday cake and ice cream for my Dad! We normally end the evening with some games or a heated competition on the Wii. Whatever is done, we are together as a family and that is all that matters.

I hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving and is able to spend it with family and friends and enjoy a day of great food, conversation, and fun!

Need some Thanksgiving meal ideas?  Check out the post on Family Balance Sheet on 30 Thanksgiving Meal Ideas to Feast On!  She was nice enough to link to one of my recipes!

Happy Memorial Day!

"On this solemn day in which Americans unite in remembrance

 of our country's fallen, we also pray for our military personnel

and their families, our veterans, and all who have lost loved ones. 

As a grateful Nation, we forever carry the selfless sacrifice of our fallen heroes in our hearts,

and we share the task of caring for those they left behind" (source).

Many blessing to you and your family during this Memorial Day.  We are forever thankful to the soldiers who have given their lives for this country to be free and safe!  May God bless their families and allow them peace.  However you chose to celebrate today, I hope that you enjoy the day and that beautiful sunshine will shine down upon you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. This day reminds us to be thankful for everything that God has provided for us, we should make more time throughout the year to count our blessings, which are so plentiful! I pray for the families who are struggling this year and ask that they are granted peace and hope in the months to come! Enjoy your day, your family and friends, and the lovely meal you will share together.

May God continue to bless you and your families!

Christmas Shopping Season

It’s November, and yes time to start Christmas shopping if you haven’t started already! We also have a lot of winter birthdays in our family also, so we are buying birthday gifts normally at the same time! Here are a few ways/rules which I use to tackle the holiday shopping.


1. Determine you total amount to spend on gifts and begin saving 6 months to a year in advance. If not this year, start in January for 2011! It is a lot less stressful not having January bills after the holiday is over!

2. Make a list of who you are buying for, your budget for each person, and potential gift ideas. Once you buy their gift(s) update your list and the amount spent.

3. Slow and Steady and Start Now. I found that mini trips are the best way to shop. Have a list and go and get what is on that list. Frustration sets in when you wander aimlessly around the store trying to find out what to get a person. You also get worn out when you go to store after store after store!

4. Never enter Toys R Us on the weekend or in the month of December! I do mini Toys R Us trips on my lunch hour throughout November! I find it is less crowded and a more pleasant experience. Toys R Us sends out loads of coupons and I utilize them as they come!

5. Utilize Amazon and other online coupons & free shipping offers! Nothing makes a more pleasant shopping experience then never having to leave the comfort of my office chair!

6. Maximize your online savings by using Amazon gift cards earned through Swagbucks and shopping through EBATES first!

7. Use those JCPenney coupons! I have a $10 off a $10 purchase coupon right now sitting on my counter. I will go in and buy 1 or 2 items to get the total right over ten dollars and that’s it. This is the perfect time to buy socks, hair accessories, and tights for stocking stuffers!

Happy Halloween!

"To infinity and beyond..."  My boys are all geared up for Halloween tonight.  They will be going as Buzz Lightyear and Woody!  The high temperature is only suppose to be 49 in our neck of the woods, so hopefully I can bundle my little ones up under their costumes!  Hope you have a wonderful Halloween!  Here are a few safety tips for your trick or treaters tonight:

• Children should always go out trick or treating accompanied by a responsible adult. If you have a group of kids going, the parents should choose two or three of them to go along and keep an eye on things.
• Some towns set a curfew for trick or treating which makes it easier for townsfolk to know who's coming to their door. Make sure and stick to the curfew times and stick to subdivisions and areas with a lot of homes so your kids can get in as much trick or treating as possible in a few hours time.
• Plan a safe route so parents know where their older kids will be at all times. Set a time for their return home. Make sure that your child is old enough and responsible enough to go out by themselves. Make sure that they have a cell phone.
• Let your children know not to cut through back alleys and fields if they are out alone. Make sure they know to stay in populated areas and not to go off the beaten track. Let them know to stay in well lighted areas with lots of people around. Explain to them why it can be dangerous for kids not to do this. If they are going out alone, they are old enough to know what can happen to them in a bad situation and how to stop it from happening.
• Instruct your children not to eat any treats until they bring them home to be examined by you. This way you can check for any problem candy and get the pick of the best stuff.
• Instruct your child to never go into the home of a stranger or get into their car. Explain why this is not a god idea and what to do if someone approaches them and tries to talk to them.
• Make sure your child carries a flashlight, glow stick or has reflective tape on their costume to make them more visible to cars.
• Let them know that they should stay together as a group if going out to Trick or Treat without an adult.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Whether you celebrate this holiday or not, I hope that you have special people in your lives that make you happy every day of your life!  I have a wonderful husband who has given me two absolutely incredible little boys and I love the all so much!  I could have not asked for a better life.  When you have love, it makes the hard times in life a little easier to bear!