One week from today we will be in leftover mode! It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is upon us. This time of year can simply be overwhelming. Most women are maxed out on the stress of over-extended lives throughout the year, and then we add the holidays. Whew!!
Truthfully, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days. A day to celebrate with loved ones those things for which we are thankful. I spent some time with a group of friends this morning and we laughed about how it isn’t always bliss to get extended family together. Opinions and attitudes come to the surface and ruffle feathers . . . and I’m not talking about the turkey! Read entire post
For
Faith
Family
Friends
Freedoms
Food and
Fortune…
We give God thanks!
image from country living
It’s that time of year when guests appear and we want to make them feel warmly welcomed. If you’re lucky enough to have a full guest suite to pamper them, that’s wonderful (they may not leave), but many of us have guest rooms that serve many functions (office, nursery, exercise), or, no guest room at all, just space to open- up or blow-up a bed (love those ). Whatever you use as guest space, Read entire post
Are you expecting overnight guests this holiday season? We are enthusiastically anticipating the first visit of a grandchild. It has been years since we have had a little one in the house, and I have realized that my house is anything but toddler proof!
I started preparing last week by looking into the things that need to be done to make our home safe. The following is a list of tips I found at Parents.com:
- Conduct a quick childproofing review. Are stairs blocked? Are medicines, cleaning products, and breakables out of reach? Are electrical cords safely put away? Are sockets filled with safety plugs? Are windows closed at the bottom? Is access to decks and balconies restricted? Look around and correct or at least be on heightened alert for potential dangers. Read entire post
We just got back from a quick Florida vacation with our two kids (ages 4 and 8). We visited with in-laws and spent a couple days at Disney, so we pretty much lived out of suitcases for 4 days.
So while it’s fresh in my mind, here are a few travel tips for those bravely heading out for the holidays with dependents in tow.
Packing:
- If you have access to laundry, take advantage of it and bring fewer clothes.
- If the kids are old enough, have each person bring their own carry-on bag of everything they will need. You won’t have to pay for checked luggage, and each kid will be more likely to take responsibility for their stuff (in theory, at least!).
- Read entire post
Will you be traveling by air this holiday season? Well, here’s a few tips for traveling light.
First, choose a suitcase that meets regulation size for taking aboard the plane. This way you won’t have to wait for your luggage and/or risk losing it. Make sure your bag has good wheels so it’s easy going through a crowded airport.
Build a simple mix and match traveling wardrobe for yourself in a single color palette. Sticking with one color family will limit the number of accessories you need to take with you such as matching shoes/purses/belts etc. It will also make it easy to add or remove layers to accommodate changes in temperature. Choose fabrics that don’t crease or stain easily. Plan the same way when packing for your spouse and children.
Use travel-sized versions of bulkier items such as a travel sized hair dryer, curling iron, umbrella etc. These items can remain stored in your luggage in between trips so you’ll never leave home without them.
With the new airline regulations for liquids, make sure you carry small 3 oz. maximum bottles of your favorite toiletries.
Wear slip on shoes for ease of removal when going through security and put your keys and spare change into your carry-on bag rather than in your jacket pockets.
Planes can be cool sometimes, so wear or pack a shawl in your carry on that can double as a blanket for you or your little ones.
Plan to ship your gifts ahead of time or buy easily transportable items such as HomeGoods gift cards. You could even plan to arrive a day ahead so you can do your shopping at HomeGoods after you land.
Expect delays and make the most of them by taking along a good book to read and/or extra snacks and activities to amuse your children while you wait.
Any other air travel tips you’d like to share?
Safe Travels!
As much as I love a big holiday meal with all the trimmings, it’s stressful pulling it all together. I do ask people to bring dishes, but I still have some high anxiety (give me a whole house to decorate and I’m fine, but cook for a crowd, I stress out). So anytime I can cut some corners and still have a delicious outcome, I’ll gladly capitulate.
I love having people over, and many come hours before we sit down to eat. I think it’s all those wonderful smelling, “twice -a-year-it- must-be-a- holiday” aromas permeating from the kitchen (a good sign… then you know you’ve turned the oven on) that draw people in. But, those smells make you more and more hungry. So, I always like to have some easy but delicious appetizers to tide over those who “saved up” all day for the big meal. Read entire post
In keeping with last week’s post, I thought it might be fun to do some planning of our Thanksgiving Day menu. I have a couple of dishes in mind, because there are certain tastes that my family expects on Thanksgiving. However, I will do some searching for a surprise or two. It’s always fun to try a new recipe. Who knows maybe it will become next year’s tradition.
That’s what happened last year. I made Jiffy Corn Casserole for the first time. It will definitely be on our table again this year. This makes a perfect dish if you find yourself serving any vegetarians. For the meat eaters we will have turkey and stuffing. I make a low fat stuffing that we love!! Read entire post
