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Menu Plan Monday: Preparing for the Holidays

October 3, 2011 By 4 Comments

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Wow… October 1st!  It is time to start making extra meals and time declutter things around the house.  Seriously, October is a super busy month for us.  It is when I plan my Holiday gift guide, when I start cooking extras, when I get the bulk of my Christmas shopping finished if it isn’t already done, and when I start cleaning out the “too small” winter clothes, etc.

What about you?

Be sure to print out your coupons this week!  Remember, you should be able to print them twice.

 

Ok, on to my menu plan for this week:

Monday:  Won’t be home until late – maybe Hot Dogs?

Tuesday: Manwich Meatloaf, Potatoes and Cheese (make two meatloaves)

Wednesday:  Loaded Chicken Breasts, Spanish Rice, Broccoli

Thursday: BBQ Pork Ribs, Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

Friday: Leftovers

Don’t forget to visit Org Junkie for Hundreds more menu plans and before heading to the grocery store… Print coupons for your favorite brands and save at Coupons.com.

–Hmm, looks like I need to get some more recipes typed up for y’all.

Filed Under: Meals / Menus Tagged With: , , ,

Holidays, Visitors & Teens: Tips for Talking to Your Teens to Defuse Potential Explosions

November 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Happy Thanksgiving!  Be sure to take a moment to read this great guest post by Mary Jo Rapini, MEd, LPC

The holidays are right around the corner, so now is the time to stress-proof your teen by talking with them about any potential friction areas. Read the following holiday tips to help you and your teens overcome the stress!

The holidays can be the best times of the year. You get to see Grandma and Grandpa, mom and dad, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews and old friends. You’ll be sharing dinner, talking about the old days, and decorating cookies; it sounds like a greeting card. It s going to be wonderful, and you are excited to have everyone at your house. That is, until you tell your teen and they scrunch their face up and say, “Oh no, not Aunt June and Uncle Bob. Do I have to give my room up again?” You dread telling your teen because of the expected reaction from them about giving up their room.

Small children might find it exciting to leave their rooms and sleep in a different place in the house, but asking a teen to give up their “safe” spot, is usually a whole different situation.

Remember, the holidays can be stressful for everyone in the family for different reasons. Teens are often stressed about buying their friends gifts, being away from their friends, the lack of structure, and seeing family that they have not seen for a while. Having extended family around also makes Mom and Dad act differently. Teens may notice Mom and Dad acting more frazzled. Retreating to their own room is one way teens relax, but if you will be cutting off that escape, it is wise to help them prepare ahead of time.

Gentle holiday tips to make help your teen feel less stressed during the crazy holiday season:

1.    Teenagers need privacy and feel resentful if they are moved hastily. Begin planning for company one month prior to their arrival. Ask the teen what should be off limits for the guests. Certain books, magazines, and letters can be stored in a private place. A reading light, books, or journals should be moved to wherever your teen will be sleeping. Teens may feel shy around company they haven’t seen for sometime, or they may be self-conscious regarding their changing body. Relocating your teen to a space with a door and lock is optimal.  Make a pact with your teen; tell them that visiting time is important, but they may retreat to their own space after spending x-amount of time with the relatives.

2.    Parents get busy with company and festivities. They often forget that their teen may become anxious or depressed guestwithout their friends and regular school structure. If you have extra time, ask your teen to get up early with you to go for coffee before anyone else wakes up. This makes your teen feel special and also helps them realize that your time together is still important. It is a time you can explain some of your relatives to your teens, and don’t forget to listen to your teen’s insight about the relatives. When teens understand family dynamics, they are more forgiving and helpful.  Tell your teen that you really need their help to make this a special holiday. Teens want to please their parents. When you ask for help, you are basically telling them, “I trust you, and I want to show my family what a great child I have.”

3.    Lastly, before your company comes, sit down with your children and write three to five expectations you have for them (kids cannot read your mind). This is a good time to delegate chores so everyone has a job to contribute. Suggest to your children that when everyone leaves happy, you will have time to celebrate them (the children). Allow each child to invite one or two friends over for a Thanksgiving or holiday sleepover. This helps each child celebrate with their parents and family, knowing the same respect will be given for them to celebrate with their friends.

Your children won’t remember who ate too much or what the dessert was each holiday. What they will remember is how you made them feel special. They will remember the little things you did to try and make it the best holiday. I have had teens tell me that their parents made room dividers out of cardboard boxes so they could have privacy or that their parents were sensitive to Aunt Jo’s snoring not being too close to them. No teen wants to give up their room, but they will if they know Mom and Dad love them and appreciate their cooperation.

Mary Jo Rapini, MEd, LPC, is a licensed psychotherapist and co-author with Janine J. Sherman, of Start Talking: A Girl’s Guide for You and Your Mom About Health, Sex or Whatever. Read more about the book at www.StartTalkingBook.com and more about Rapini at www.maryjorapini.com.

LusterForever.com – Cool silver charms and leather bracelets design! Totally awesome sterling silver bracelets.

Filed Under: Guest Blogger, Holidays / Seasons, Parenting Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

14 Ways to have a Fresh and Festive Holiday

November 18, 2010 By 2 Comments

Are you ready for the upcoming Festive Holidays?  By this time next week, most people will have completed their Thanksgiving feasts and be thinking about Christmas. Can you believe that?  Here are my top 14 tips to help you get your home Fresh, Festive, and ready for the Holidays.

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Some of my tips take more time than others and you will even find a few freshness cheats!  I have three small boys and a husband that coaches two sports, I am entitled to cheats. ;-)

  1. Fall Cleaning – Yes, cleaning!  The best way to get your house fresh is to clean it from top to bottom.  We have already started this process!  Get it all: from cleaning the draperies and windows all the way down to shampooing your carpet.
  2. Put smells in the entire house – (here is one of my cheats) Chances are it is time to change out the a/c vent filters… when you replace the nasty ones with fresh ones, add a fresh dryer sheet to them.  Every time the heater or air conditioner kicks on, it will send that wonderful smell through the house!  You can even take an old one from the dryer and add a few drops of your favorite holiday oil or vanilla extract, then put them in.  :-)
  3. Another “smell good” cheat – Expecting company?  Fake that fresh baked cookie smell by putting a little vanilla extract on a cotton ball and sticking it in the microwave for a few seconds.  Grab the steaming cotton ball out of the microwave with a pair of tongs and walk around the common areas.  Trust me, it works. LOL!
  4. Final “smell good” cheat – Put some vanilla extract on a cotton ball and dab it to the light bulbs in your home.  Or just spray some air freshener straight on them.  When you turn the lights on (and the bulb heats up) it will cause the smell to permeat the room.
  5. Start Baking – Nothing gets the holiday juices flowing better than starting on the Holiday Baking and Candy Making!  Not only do you have goodies for visitors that just drop by, but it makes your house smell oh so yummy!
  6. Candles – Ok, so it is probably a cheat, but I just love the smell of candles.  We have them in so many places in the house.  As the seasons change, the scents change.  In the Fall we have apple pie, pumpin pie, and harvest scents.  Then, at Christmas we go with evergreen, holiday cookie, and mulberry smells. Plus, with the new Wooden Wick candles from Febreeze, it is like having a little tiny fireplace anywhere in your home!
  7. Potpourri – Set some pretty red and green bowls around the house full of holiday scented potpourri.  Plus, you can add in some of those tiny presents and holiday balls to really dress it up!
  8. Real Christmas Tree – When I was young, my grandparents owned a Christmas Tree Farm.  I really miss the smell of a fresh Virginia Pine at Christmas time.  It really smells wonderful for the entire Christmas season.
  9. Involve the kids – Give them some arts and crafts supplies and let them go to town making decorations for the house and tree.  You just might be surprised at what your little kiddos can come up with!  Be sure to have plenty of goodies on hand for them to really get creative: beads, pipe cleaners, paper, glue, crayons, wiggle eyes, etc!
  10. Go overboard – There is no better time of the year to be able to get away with “too much of a good thing”.  Fill your house (every room, nook, and cranny) with the Holiday Spirit.  I even have Christmas in my bathrooms!  Of course, by the time Christmas is over, we are sick of it but it is so nice!
  11. Change your normal menu – Lead up to the holidays with some fun menu plans!  Look up traditional Christmas recipes for other countries and you can even learn something while you are at it.
  12. Make a day of it – If you don’t have one, now is the perfect time to set a family tradition!  We have a tree decorating night!  The entire family gets involved, the radio goes on Christmas music, popcorn gets popped, hot chocolate get made, and we settle down to decorate the tree.  It is such a fun, relaxing way to kick off Christmas!
  13. Make the last day of school special – It is a fight at our house, but every year I talk my husband into letting everyone open a small stocking present that first night of the Holidays.  To me it is such a fun way to kick off winter vacation and to give everyone a hint of what is to come. :-)
  14. Give Back – No matter how you do it, Christmas is the Season of Giving.  If your budget is so small it is non-existant, spend an hour visiting with people at the local old folks home.  It doesn’t cost you anything!  Even if you can only do a few dollars, give it to someone who doesn’t have it!

Here’s a treat for you:  Curl up with Snuggle®, the Ultimate in Snuggly Softness®! Get a $1.00 Snuggle® coupon and enjoy the scent of Blue Sparkle® Ultra that lasts for 14 days of freshness!

DISCLAIMER:  I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Snuggle blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Filed Under: Holidays / Seasons, Homemaking / Housekeeping Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Holiday Gift Guide: Adults 18 and Up (women)

November 12, 2010 By 2 Comments

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I have a plea for you this Holiday Season:  Please, take a few dollars or a couple toys and donate to Toys for Tots or The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree.  There are thousands of kids each year that have zip under the Christmas Tree because their parents can’t afford it.  Brighten a child’s life this holiday season!  Our family adopts a local child from the Angel Tree each year, but when I got a plea from a reader asking me if there was a way to post on my site about a family that she knows (this morning… while I was writing a holiday gift guide!) it reminded me that I have the perfect outlet for getting the word out about the importance of GIVING during Christmas. :-)   Don’t go out to eat this week, cut back on your cell phone minutes, give up smoking, whatever your extras are… give it up for a bit if you need to and donate that money to help someone less fortunate than you. :-) <stepping down from my soap box now>

Through the month of November, you will find my top picks for the season’s hottest and most unique gifts.

Photographic Life (giveaway)

The Photographic Life: Photo Tips for Moms,” a new website developed to help moms (and dads) take better photos of their kids. Mary Phillips, a busy Texas mother and professional photographer, has launched a new business, and made it easier for moms (and dads) to take better photos of their kids, no matter what type of camera equipment they have, and it can all be done in the comfort of their own home, at their own speed.

Membership costs are just $1 trial membership, and after that a very affordable $6 per month (or a special deal of $60 a year), and a portion of the membership fees benefits two non-profit children’s charities, The Tiny Sparrow Foundation and Wipe Out Kids’ Cancers.  This is an awesome addition to my holiday gift guide!

DivaGirl Game

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DivaGirl is not just a card game; it’s an event party!
Dress up in your favorite Diva wear and get ready for an evening of fun, food and gifts!

Each card in this game shows something every Diva loves-
Champagne, diamonds, facials, red lipstick, tropical vacations and more!

So ladies, get out your boas, marabou slippers, tiaras and lounging pajamas and get ready for a fun girlfriend night.

Azuri Reversible Pashmina Shawl (giveaway)

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This timeless and finely woven Reversible Pashmina Shawl will keep you warm and looking incredibly stylish whatever the occasion. The natural sheen of the silk gives the Pashmina Shawl a lustrous finish while also providing warmth and softness. This expertly woven Pashmina Shawl, crafted with only the finest Pashmina & Silk, can be used year-round, day and night, while traveling and at home, formal events and casual outings, as a wrap, shawl and scarf – simply an amazingly versatile, must-have item. 55% Pashmina 45% Silk. 72″ length x 22″ width. Fringed ends.

Pomega 5 Facial Bars

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Luxurious and organic soap that not only smells good but also improves skin makes a great gift and wont break the bank! Pomega5 Bulgarian Rose Moisturizing Beauty Bar is a nourishing, smoothing and exfoliating cleansing bar that is perfectly suited for dry, sensitive, and/or mature skin.

Contains anti-inflammatory pomegranate seed oil, calming red clover flowers, soothing lavender oil, the soothing essential oils of rosewood and vanilla, and extra virgin olive oil to hydrate and repair.

VB Cosmetics Abrione Chakra Masque Tube

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The chakra system has been used for thousands of years as an integral part of holistic healing. The word chakra signifies one of seven energy centers in the body, corresponding to the seven main nerve centers which emanate from the spinal column. Each of the seven main chakras reflects essential aspects of consciousness and governs our lives, loves, learning and spiritual awakening. Energize your mind, body and spirit with VB Cosmetic’s refreshing line of Abrioné Chakra Masques.

Each contains enough for two chakra masques. The Cell Enhancer contains enough for 2-3 applications.

Leslie Tyler Cosmetics Lip Gloss (giveaway)

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Leslie Tyler Fink, is a well-known Houston socialite and star of the upcoming show Leslie & The Journey to True Love, as well as the next housewives reality show. (I tried to find out if that was a Bravo production, but her publicist wouldn’t tell me. Boo.) Leslie also has her own lip gloss line from Leslie Tyler Cosmetics, which has been worn on celebs like Taylor Swift, Jennifer Love Hewitt, LeeAnn Rhymes, Julianna Hough, and more.

*DISCLAIMER:  I had over 400 submissions to the Holiday Gift Guides and what you will see throughout the month of November are my top picks based on customer service, quality, uniqueness, and value for your buck.  If they are kid toys then they also have to be kid-approved by my children and nieces!  Any opinions stated are strictly my own!  No money changed hands, although the items were sent to me to help facilitate my reviews.*

Filed Under: Beauty / Spa, Fashion / Style, Fitness, Giveaways, Holidays / Seasons, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Holiday Gift Guides: Teens 13 to 17 (male)

November 4, 2010 By 1 Comment

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Why are teenage boys so hard to buy for?  I have so few submissions for the teenage boys Holiday Gift Guides that I only had 2 winners. :-(   Maybe next year it will be better? LOL!  Through the month of November, you will find my top picks for the season’s hottest and most unique gifts for teens.  Note: in the more information part of each product be sure to look carefully as you just might find a link to a giveaway!

I’m A Shareholder Kit (giveaway)

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I’m A Shareholder grabs teens’ attention and keeps them involved. Extremely effective on a standalone basis, it’s power as a learning tool is magnified when coupled with true ownership of a fun company.

Each mailing from THEIR company becomes a learning opportunity, whether it’s an Annual Report, a dividend check, or an invitation to the Shareholders meeting. I’m A Shareholder guides the reader through the whole experience in a fun and engaging way!

Mom Says: Alright homeschooling moms, this should be right up your alley!  When I was young my mom gave my brother and me a share to Disney.  It was so neat getting our little penny check every so often.  That one single share has grown and split through the years and is now 6 shares!

S2H REPLAY (giveaway)

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Switch2Health has developed a popular gadget ideal for gifting- the S2H REPLAY.  This is a unique activity tracker that records and rewards physical activity.  For every 60 minutes of activity, users earn a special reward code that they upload to http://www.s2h.com for points.  Your Teens can earn and accumulate these points towards free Nintendo Wiis, Apple iPod Nanos and iTunes, DVDs, movie tickets, gift cards and more!

*DISCLAIMER:  I had over 400 submissions to the Holiday Gift Guides and what you will see throughout the month of November are my top picks based on customer service, quality, uniqueness, and value for your buck.  If they are kid toys then they also have to be kid-approved by my children and nieces!  Any opinions stated are strictly my own!  No money changed hands, although the items were sent to me to help facilitate my reviews.*

Filed Under: Fitness, Giveaways, Holidays / Seasons, Homeschooling, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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