Holidays Posts

Mix together in a large bowl:

6 qt. popped corn                           

3-4 c. marshmallows

2 c. pecans or walnuts                   

1/2 c. gummed drops

     In a saucepan, mix together and stir while bringing to a boil:

1 C. butter                                        

1/2 C. corn syrup

1 1/2 c. sugar

Boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and then add 1 tsp vanilla. Wait until cooled a little, and then pour over popcorn mixture. Cool on cookie sheet sprayed with vegetable oil. Caution: do not over-stir.

·         Snacks: Pack plenty of snacks that are easily passed around and eaten in the car or plane. With pre-sliced apples and baby carrots, there is no need to just eat junk food either. You might want to purchase special treats that the kids have never had before. Make sure to pack paper towels and hand wipes.

1 cup chopped cooked chicken

½ cup diced red bell pepper

¼ cup snipped fresh basil leaves

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided

½ cup (2 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 egg white, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

 

 

 This is a finished Bistro Twist

My favorite day to go shopping is on "Black Friday", the day after Thanksgiving. I can usually get all of my Christmas shopping done on this day. I love the excitement that you can feel in the air and of course the fantastic deals. Nothing can clear your head better than standing outside in the cold winter air at 4 AM waiting for the doors to open. If you are thinking about shopping on this day here are a few tips to help you survive Black Friday.

• Make your gift list and review your holiday budget. If you want more information on creating a holiday budget look here.
• On Thanksgiving day, while the men are watching football, lay out all of the ads that came in the paper. If you don't get delivery you can pick up the paper at any gas station or grocery store.
• Search for the best deals on the gifts you want and circle them or better yet, write it down and list the price and what store it's at.
• Make a plan. Determine what store you want to go to first paying attention to the times they open.
• I highly recommend getting a group together to go shopping. Divide and conquer. Have one person stand in the checkout line while the others do the shopping. Assign one person to go to electronics, another to toys, and another to clothing, etc.
• Carry as little with you as possible. Take an ID and one credit card and a little cash and just put it your front pocket. The last thing you want is having your wallet stolen or misplacing your purse.
• Be prepared to wait in long lines. That's why I recommend having someone wait in line while another does the shopping. Last year the line at Kohls was 2 hours long when my sister and I finally got in line. We didn't want to wait so we stashed our goodies under a table and came back an hour later when the lines were less.
• Wal-mart price matches so if they carry a item that is advertised for less at another store and you don't want to drive all over to get your gifts, just take in the ad with the price and they will honor it.
• Most Wal-mart stores are open 24 hours so you can get there in plenty of time. However, the sale items are wrapped in paper or plastic until the designated time. So, I go around and gather my price match items and then position myself by the pallet that has my number one item on it and wait.
• Never ever leave your cart unattended. I made the mistake of turning my back on my cart for a minute and when I turned around I realized someone had taken one of the items out that was sold out. My daughter did not get her Cinderella Barbie that year.
• Please be courteous of others and use good manners.
• Have fun!

I will not be shopping on Black Friday this year because my husband is working that morning so please go out and seize the day for me. If you have any other tips please share them.

I know what you are thinking, it’s still November, why are you talking about Christmas lights. Well, I'm talking about Christmas lights because most people put up their holiday lights the day after Thanksgiving and if you have your lights all boxed up I suggest getting them out now and making sure they all work. Untangle those wires and check every bulb. Should you come across any shorted lines, missing bulbs, broken bulbs, or just want more lights (I personally think you can never have too many) then save some gas and do your shopping at The Christmas Light Source. I recently got some of the multi colored ice cube shaped LED Christmas lights for my son’s room. I got tired of the white plug in night light and wanted something a little more fun. The great things about these lights are:

• They don't get hot to the touch like the incandescent ones so I don't have to worry about my children burning their little fingers.
• They are also energy efficient so if I forget to unplug them (which happens often) they don't use up a ton of energy.
• I also love how they have a hard plastic covering that won't shatter when, not if, they get stepped on.

Now, what do you do with your broken and old Christmas lights? You recycle them of course and The Christmas Light Source can help you do this. Recycling through the Christmas Light Source doesn't only help out the environment; it helps put books in the hands of children in need and saves you 10% on your next purchase. You can read about their Christmas light recycling program here.

Step 1: Create a budget book. Add lined paper, dividers, and a zipper pocket (pens and pencil pouch) to a 3 ring binder. The paper is for taking notes and keeping track of things. The dividers are to separate lists or budget years. The zipper pocket is to hold all of your receipts.

 

Step 2: List Expenses. Make a list of each person you need to buy a gift for. This includes family, friends, teachers, and co-workers. Don't forget to make a list of other holiday expenses like: greeting cards, gift wrap, decorations, baking supplies for cookie trays etc.

 

Step 3: Set Limits. Evaluate what you spent last year or estimate what you spent last year and determine where you need to cut back and where you need a little more. Maybe you went way overboard with the cookie trays but needed a little more money for gifts. Make adjustments where necessary and then place an amount on everything. For example, $5 for teacher gifts, $10 per co-worker, $20 per extended family member, $50 for decorations. Maybe this year you can cut back on the number of cards you send out and send e-cards instead. Many people throw away the cards after the season anyway.

 The most important thing is to do what is best for you. Don't compare your budget to someone else’s because everyone has different ideas and needs. Once you have your budget set make sure you keep track of everything you spend. You may go over on something but under on others. Make adjustments where necessary. Follow through with your budget to make sure there are no surprises come January.

• Have children carry a flashlight so they can see in the dark
• Put reflective clothing or a glowstick on your child so people can see them.
• Remind them to walk and not run. Costumes can sometimes hinder their ability to move and running will only cause more problems.
• Remind them to stay on sidewalks.
• Have them only approach houses that are lit.
• Know where child predators and sex offenders live by looking it up online and avoid those areas.
• Take your child instead of having them go alone.
• Don't let them eat candy until after you have inspected it.
• Remove any candy that is not age appropriate like jaw breakers for young children.
• Instruct them not to eat any candy that is not wrapped.

Don't forget about your pets during the Halloween fun and festivities. I found this video about keeping pets safe on Halloween.  Aside from the helpful advice you get to see cute pets dressed up.

I am one who tires of hearing I want candy..... All day every day until it is gone. So, here is what I do.

I make sure my kids eat a healthy, normal dinner before they head out. While we trick or treat they can eat 2 pieces of candy (that I inspect first). Once we get home they get to go through their candy and share with mom and dad (my favorite part). If it is a school night they may eat a few more pieces and then it is off to bed. When it is not a school night, like this year, I let them eat to their hearts (and stomachs) content. The next day whatever is left gets put into a big bucket and the candy is then used as rewards for various things. I potty trained my son with his Halloween candy as the reward. I put the candy out of site with the hope of out of site out of mind. Sometimes there is enough candy leftover for Christmas stockings.

It is ultimately up to you the parent to decide how much and when your children get to eat their candy. There is one big thing you should do though to eliminate any whining and complaining about the rules you impose. Lay down the rules and make sure each child understands before they even head out the door.

What do you do with all of the candy? Do you let your children eat it whenever or do you ration it out?

And don't forget to turn off your porch light if you are not handing out candy, not home, or out of candy. This will keep trick-or-treaters from ringing your doorbell all night.