Archive for the “Family, Friends, Life” Category

Serving Others – Blog Hop Tuesday

you are beautiful movement

Operation Beautiful

Serving others; what a beautiful topic for a blog hop! There have been quite a few movements in the last fifteen or so years that promote serving others both here in the United States and worldwide.

Surely, you have heard about Random Acts of Kindness, or RAK. Back in the mid nineties, this was a very popular movement. RAKs were very contagious, reminiscent of a laughter planted in an audience. All over the globe, people were committing random acts of kindness. In 1995, the RAK foundation emerged.  Today RAK encourages kindness through educators.   Let’s not forget the Pay it Forward movement where author Catherine Ryan Hyde, sparked a movie and a movement.

What is this Post It note all about? On Saturday, I came across another wonderful movement, Operation Beautiful….

March 8, 2010 Posted Under: Family, Friends, Life   Read More

Everyday Indulgences for Women

Easy (and affordable) ways to unwind

Woman Relaxing

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Women across the country are meeting the demands of busy schedules and tightened wallets by setting aside life’s simple pleasures and putting themselves at the bottom of the to-do list. In fact, a new survey commissioned by the makers of Edwards frozen desserts finds more than nine in 10 American women have cut back on indulgences during the past year.
Fifty-nine percent of survey respondents are cutting back on events out with friends and more than one-third (35 percent) are cutting back on even the smallest treats, such as manicures and desserts.

The survey also found that:
-Nearly all (94 percent) American women in the study admit that they don’t indulge or treat themselves as often as they’d like because other people or commitments come first.
-Fifty-six percent of women say they don’t treat themselves as often as they’d like because they can’t afford to.
-Nearly a third (32 percent) of women say they now have less free time for themselves than they did a year ago.

February 11, 2010 Posted Under: Family, Friends, Life, Health & Wellness   Read More

Affordable Wedding Gowns

Wedding planning can be an overwhelming thing, big and small alike. June is the most popular month to be wed, and it is fast approaching.   Being a mother of two sons, I dealt with the “bride vision” from a totally different perspective. My oldest son was in the military when he first married, making it very difficult to plan a traditional wedding.  She had her vision of the perfect wedding and if money were no factor, the girl would not had compromised a thing!  It was very hectic getting everything in order and let me tell you, the internet provided a huge amount of help with funds and finds. Want to know where to found great deals on beautiful wedding gowns, read on…

January 12, 2010 Posted Under: Family, Friends, Life, Free Offers   Read More

General Mills Reduces Sugar – $1 Cereal Coupon

This News Flash arrived in my mail box this morning. I thought my readers may appreciate this healthy information and savings!

General Mills to Further Reduce Sugar in Cereals

Image_of_Cereal_12-9-09_2_

“General Mills announced this week a commitment to further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to children under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving. The company has already been reducing sugar in cereals while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain….

Continue reading to get your $1 OFF coupon and website links.

December 14, 2009 Posted Under: Cooking Tips & Ideas, Family, Friends, Life   Read More

Holiday Giveaway – Tips for getting your kids to bed on time.

The holidays are most definitely exciting, and stressful. This goes for CHILDREN as well as parents; a major point that parents must remember. It’s been a long time since I had to put the children to bed. St. Eve Kids and TwitterMoms have come up with a fun contest. Answer the question, “What are your five tips & tricks for getting your kids to bed on time and getting them to stay in bed?”

My boys are now 22 and 27. Thinking back, I found that the the number one thing that helped the children maintain their regular sleep schedule during the holidays was planning.

  • First, set a realistic schedule for each week in December. Don’t cram everything into one week. Being a Christian, I used Advent as my starting time. Set a time to tell the children about the activities of the week, when they are scheduled, and what you expect from them. Sunday morning was my preference.
  • Secondly, reaffirm the importance of sleep frequently. Interject this topic when discussing the weekly schedule.
  • Third, rearrange bath times or other nightly tasks to accommodate an event that might overlap. This seemed to help with everyone’s stress level.
  • Fourth, Don’t skip the nightly story or game. Whatever your normal bedtime activity is, don’t skip it! If it’s reading, then read even if it’s later than you expected.
  • Fifth, be consistent. If you say the bath has to be done before we go, then make sure that happens. I found that during the holidays, especially the week of, being inconsistent can greatly increase that stress level for both parents and children!

These are the things that worked for me, hope the will be helpful for you too. As I remember it, my boys adjusted to the holiday schedule quite well and got a good night sleep!

About  St. Eve Kids and the contest:

December 2, 2009 Posted Under: Family, Friends, Life, Free Offers   Read More

STOKKE SWEEPSTAKES: Win a FREE Stokke Tripp Trapp Trend Highchair in Pink

Did you ever see these Stokke Tripp Trapp Highchairs? They are awesome. When I first checked them out I thought wow how can this even work out? are they safe?
Features -
* The original award winning highchair
* Adjust to be used when a child is ready to sit on his own (around 6 months) through adulthood
* Seat and footrest are adjustable to the size of your child
* Ergonomically designed to provide stability, comfort and confidence
* Made of cultivated beechwood, providing strong, solid and durable product
* Meets US and international safety standards
* Five-point safety harness
* JPMA certified
* Holds up to 300 Lbs
* 7-year warranty on all wooden components

Now for the best part….

November 20, 2009 Posted Under: Family, Friends, Life, Free Offers   Read More

Family Fun with Gingerbread

Three playful takes on a holiday favorite

Gingerbread Cookie Dough
White Chocolate Kissed Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread Whoopie Pies with Lemon Crème

Gingerbread cookie

Sweet and slightly spicy, the taste of ginger has a way of stirring up fond memories of the holiday season. Imagine the warm aroma of gingerbread, slip back into childhood and remember fun-filled family gatherings in the kitchen. Embrace this classic flavor by baking up a trio of treats this year. With one basic gingerbread dough recipe, three festive cookie variations are just a mixing bowl away. Whether the classic gingerbread man or a fun new interpretation inspired by the introduction of a chocolate “drop,” these flavor-packed treats merit a place in tomorrow’s memories of this holiday season.

Gingerbread inspires whimsical creations for the entire family, and it’s easy to make this favorite sweet the centerpiece of any holiday gathering. The McCormick Kitchens suggest enlisting helpers of all ages to help mix and measure recipe ingredients and lend a hand with the decorating, for a fun holiday activity.

To get started, use the basic dough recipe to roll out a batch of Gingerbread Men. After baking, let the kids help pipe on simple vanilla frosting and decorate with traditional cinnamon candies or raisins. Then, using the same dough recipe, bake up White Chocolate Kissed Gingerbread Cookies, featuring a white chocolate striped “drop” in the center of the ginger cookie. Gingerbread Whoopie Pies with Lemon Crème round out the trio, with marshmallow and lemon cream sandwiched between two ginger cookies.


For more holiday recipe ideas, visit www.McCormick.com.

Gingerbread Cookie Dough

gingerbread men

Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons McCormick® Ground Ginger
  • 1 teaspoon McCormick Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Ground Nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 1 egg

Preparation

  1. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl.
  2. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses and egg; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap.
  3. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
  4. Gingerbread Men Prepare 1 recipe Gingerbread Cookie Dough as directed.
  5. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut into gingerbread men shapes with 5-inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
  6. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate cooled cookies with Colorful Royal Icing or as desired.

Serves
Makes 2 dozen

Notes, Tips & Suggestions
Recipe and decorating ideas can be found at www.McCormick.com.

Preparation Time:
20 minutes

Refrigeration Time:
4 hours

White Chocolate Kissed Gingerbread Cookies

gingerbread cookie

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe Gingerbread Cookie Dough
  • 60 white and milk chocolate swirled kiss-shaped candies

Preparation

  1. Prepare 1 recipe Gingerbread Cookie Dough as directed.
  2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
  3. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies just begin to brown. Immediately press a chocolate candy into
  4. center of each cookie. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Store cookies in airtight container up to 3 days.

Serves
Makes 5 dozen

Gingerbread Whoopie Pies with Lemon Crème

gingerbread pies

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe Gingerbread Cookie Dough
  • 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow cream
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
  • 4 ounces (1/2 package) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon McCormick Pure Lemon Extract
  • 1 cup crushed peppermint candies

Preparation

  1. Prepare 1 recipe Gingerbread Cookie Dough as directed.
  2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
  3. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies just begin to brown. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
  4. Mix marshmallow cream, butter, cream cheese and extract in medium bowl until well blended. To assemble whoopie pies, place about 1 tablespoon filling on the flat side of 1 cookie. Top with a second cookie, pressing gently to spread the filling. Roll sides of whoopie pies in crushed candy. Repeat with remaining cookies. Refrigerate whoopie pies between layers of wax paper in airtight container up to 5 days.

Notes, Tips & Suggestions
Flavor Variations: Whoopie pies can also be rolled in chopped pistachio nuts, toasted sliced almonds or mini chocolate chips.

You can also use the Gingerbread Cookie Dough to prepare Caramel Pecan Gingerbread Thumbprints and Almond Gingerbread Cookies. Visit www.McCormick.com for the recipes.

SOURCE:
McCormick & Company

November 11, 2009 Posted Under: All Recipes, Family, Friends, Life   Read More

How to Raise Life-Long Readers

fathersonreadingHooked on Books

Books open a window to the world, taking readers to other times and other places – introducing them to new thoughts and ideas. Yet reading does much more than expand the imagination, especially for children.
Research shows that exposure to books in early childhood – even in infancy – is critical to future reading development. It’s a building block for early learning experiences, contributing to language development, better grades in school and enhanced productivity in adult life.
In 2007, the National Center for Educational Statistics released its annual “Reading Report,” finding that a staggering 33 percent of all fourth-graders in this country still cannot read at even the basic level. Worse yet, deficient readers run higher risks of failure in personal, professional and social areas.
Even those who do read at grade level face additional challenges. For instance, as children age, research shows that time spent reading decreases. Eighth grade seems to be the tipping point where children stop reading for pleasure due to more homework and competing interests. On average, young people between the ages of 15 and 24 spend almost two hours a day watching TV, but only seven minutes of their daily leisure time reading.
So what can parents and caregivers do to give children a solid reading foundation and help them become life-long readers?
November 6, 2009 Posted Under: Family, Friends, Life   Read More
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