I hope everyone has a great holiday with friends and families. I will be on a blogging break until after the New Year. See you in 20101!
Happy Holidays!
December 23rd, 2009Getting Ready For The Holidays
December 16th, 2009Does it feel like an endless list of things to do? Parties, baking, shopping for gifts, buying the kids outfits and still making time for regular life. It’s enough to make any parent stressed out. My top strategy for surviving this time of year is making lists. It’s the only way I can keep all of it straight. With a child in school now there is even more going on! And the gift list has certainly grown. The biggest thing I can get out of the way before December is the holiday card. Then after Thanksgiving the shopping begins.
I like to watch for coupons for my favorite stores and then strategically plan some shopping. I used a Macy’s friends and family coupon to get my son a boys long sleeve plaid dress shirt and a red sweater for his holiday outfit. The Ralph Lauren sweater was originally $50 and I paid $18. I had my son pick out the dress shirt so now he is excited to wear it. Look out for free shipping promotions and do some shopping on line. Tomorrow is the last day to order from Amazon with free super saver shipping and receive your order by 12/24. We have done a couple of things to make gift giving easier. We are doing a book exchange with a few of my son’s friends. Some relatives and I have decided to do donations to charity in lieu of gifts.
Remembering that it’s ok to say no is also a key to the season. Stop and enjoy the things you really want to do. Running the family ragged with activities will just wear everyone out. We always carve out some time to go to Disneyland and see the decorations. Create some new family traditions and celebrate some old ones.
I find squeezing in the every day things like grocery shopping and bill paying are starting to fall by the wayside. So in addition to finding some to relax and sleep, don’t let the lights get turned out!
Fashion Glossary
December 3rd, 2009Here are some fashion terms you may find while shopping for childrens’ clothing and what they mean:
A-Line: A garment that is fitted at the hips and gradually widens
Ankle Length: The skirt or dress will stop at the ankle just slightly above the floor
Applique: Fabric that is sewn onto another piece of fabric creating a pattern or design
Bodice: The part of a women’s clothing from the neck to the waist
Bolero: A jacket ending above or at the waistline worn open in the front
Brocade: A richly decorative fabric woven with an elaborate design
Cap Sleeve: A short sleeve that covers the shoulders but does not extend to the arm
Cummerbund: A wide sash worn around the waist, usually pleated
Embroidery: Designs on fabric created with yarn or other material
Empire Waist: A waist that fits just below the bust
Eyelet: A small finished hole in fabric creating a design
Overlay: A layer that is on top of a skirt
Peter Pan Collar: A small collar with two lapels with rounded corners
Petticoat: A layer worn under a skirt or dress
Ruche(d): A serious of pleats creating a gathered effect for trim or to create draping and texture
Sash: A piece of fabric worn around the waist that ties
Scalloping: A serious of curved projections along the edge of fabric
Scoop Neck: A round or u-shaped neck line
Smocking: A tightly gathered area of fabric often elasticized and stitched decoratively
Spaghetti Straps: A think strip of fabric used as a strap on the bodice of a garment
Square Neck: Open neckline that forms the shape of a half square
Tea Length: A garment which hem falls at the shins
Topstitching: Stitching sewn on the topside (outside) of the fabric along the edge
69ATPX774SZU
The Play List – Songs For All Ages Gatherings
November 24th, 2009I love music. I have all kinds of playlists on my IPod, but have a special mix for occasions where I know the attendees will span the generations (my family has four living generations). When you get the entire family together the ages can range from infant to seniors and let’s face it, some of the music we like isn’t necessarily appropriate for this type of occasion. Try for a nice mix of oldies, classic rock, contemporary rock, and pop. Get some great stripped down acoustic versions of those harder rock songs you like. If there are children, remember to leave out anything with explicit lyrics or even adult themes. You probably don’t want to explain to little Susy what a Golddigger is at your next family party!
Music for a party should be in the background so make sure the volume it set so your guests do not need to shout at each other to hear, at this includes grandma! There will always be time to rock out later. If you have a portable speaker, this can be a great way to shift the music if the party will move to another area.
Here is a list of a few songs that work for family parties, holidays, or any occasion with a wide variety of ages:
Jame s Taylor – Sweet Baby James
ColdPlay – Clocks
Billy Joel – New York State of Mind
Simon & Garfunkel – America
Time Of Your Life – Green Day
Van Morrison – Someone Like You
I Can See Clearly Now – Jimmy Cliff
Fly Me To The Moon – Frank Sinatra
Alanis Morissette – Head Over Feet
Better Than Ezra – Good
Eagles – Take It Easy
Elton John – Tiny Dancer
Sarah McLachlan – I Will Remember You
The Rolling Stones – Ruby Tuesday
Sting – When We Dance
Fleetwood Mac – Dreams
Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight
Elvis Presley – Don’t Be Cruel
The Righteous Brothers – Unchained Melody
Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why
The Beach Boys – Surfin USA
The Beatles – Twist and Shout
Dave Matthews Bank – Crush
Crosby, Still, Nash, and Young – Southern Cross
REM – End Of The World
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – American Girl
The Who – My Generation
38 Special – Caught Up In You
Ben E King – Stand By Me
Big Bad Vodoo Daddy – Go Daddy O
Blues Traveler – Run Around
Bobby Day - Rockin Robin
Boston – Amanda
Chuck Berry – Johnny B Good
Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World
Kelly Clarkson – Breakaway
Joe Cocker – You Are So Beautiful
Jack Johnson – Flake
Goo Goo Dolls – Slide
Four Season – December 1963 (oh what a night)
Enya – Only Time
Drifters – Under the Boardwalk
Counting Crows – Mr. Jones
America – Sister Golden Hair
Mom’s Turkey Stuffing Recipe with Sausage and Apple
November 20th, 2009Every Thanksgiving my family looks forward to homemade stuffing. Here’s my mom’s famous recipe!
TURKEY STUFFING – SAUSAGE & APPLE
6 cups freshly crumbled french bread
1 pound pork sausage meat (without casing)
2 medium onions diced
1 cup celery diced
2 cups apples diced
2 eggs slightly beaten
2 tbsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp thyme
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups turkey stock (or more)
Tear apart french bread into breadcrumbs. Place on baking sheet and toast at 350 degrees in the oven. Brown sausage meat and set aside. Saute onions and celery in meat fat until soft, not brown. In large mixing bowl combine bread, apples, sausage meat, onions, celery, slightly beaten eggs. Add poultry seasoning. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Add melted butter and turkey stock to moisten as desired.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Add turkey juices as desired. Or stuff in turkey and it can cook with the bird!
Kids and Thanksgiving
November 18th, 2009It is important to involve children in Thanksgiving day. With the cooking, cleaning, football watching, and adult conversation, children can sometimes get lost in the moment. Here are some ideas of how to involve your children in the holiday which can make it more enjoyable for both you and the little ones.
Cook with the kids. There are lots of little things kids can do to help you get the meal ready. Even if it doesn’t feel like a big help to you, it will help them feel invested in the meal and proud to have been a part of it. Rinsing potatoes, stirring, tearing bread for stuffing, arranging the cheese and cracker tray, sweeping, and setting the table are all ways to get some help from your little ones.
Have activities for the kids. This may apply during prep time or the actual day. Check out this site for Thanksgiving free printables, crafts, and games. Find an area where the children can have enough space for their supplies (paper, crayons, markers, glue) and you wont get upset if it looks a little messy. In my house we have an arts and crafts area in the garage. You can even use some of the crafts they make as decorations for the table. You can have older kids create place cards with each person’s name or you can dot the letters for a younger child to trace.
Seat the kids with the adults. A controversial one, I know. But I really do enjoy having the kids seated with the adults during the meal. We are one family and I like it to feel that way. You can also avoid all those trips to the kids table to check up on them. If space is an issue and you need to have a kids table, make it fun! Line it with butcher paper so the kids can decorate the “tablecloth”.
Desert,coffee, and clean up help. The kids can help by asking each guest for their dessert preference and also who is need of after dinner coffee. Younger children can assist by putting forks or spoons on the dessert plate and older children can serve. Make a game out of clean up and see who can get the most items from the dining room table into the kitchen.
Traditions. Make sure your kids understand your family traditions and where they came from (if you know). In our house growing up we always watched A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and my kids do as well. What is your family tradition?
Holiday Fashions For Kids
November 13th, 2009With the holiday season comes shopping fun! I love buying the kids their holiday outfits. So what are the hot trends for childrens’ outfits for this season?
Girls Dresses: Silver and purple are the two trendiest dress colors this season . Traditional black and burgundy are always classic for holiday dresses. Try a dress with a pattern or textured fabric this year. Sleeveless dresses are in style so you may want to compliment the outfit with a cute bolero jacket. For more casual holiday events consider a sweater dress. What’s out? Peter pan collars.
Girls Outfits: Try a preppy plaid skirt with a coordinating solid color top. Corduroy and velvet skirts are also super cute and can be dressed up or down with accessories making them very versatile. Add a pair of cable tights and black or red patent leather shoes. What’s out? Sheer tights.
Boys Outfits: It’s all about the sweater vest this year. You can buy them as a set with the vest, pants, and shirts or coordinate your own outfit with separates. You can also find these sets with a traditional vest. If vests are not your thing, try a long sleeve sweater or a blazer with a nice pair of corduroy pants. For more formal events go with a tan pin stripe suit. What’s out? Wearing all black.
Whatever holiday style you go with, I highly recommend involving your child in the decision. It is so much easier to get them dressed when they like the the clothes and feel like they had a say in the matter. Of course you can guide them to a certain decision or just give them color choices within a style.
Preparing Thanksgiving for 22
November 10th, 2009
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It’s a time to get the family and perhaps some close friends together to enjoy a meal and good company. No presents to stress about. In our house it’s about the food, wine, people, and some football.
This time of year always sneaks up me though. We are expecting 22 people this year for Thanksgiving (including ourselves), but thankfully it is our family tradition for everyone to bring a dish. I have already started working out the menu: deviled eggs, cheese tray, turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, broccoli-cauliflower gratin, creamed corn, sweet potato, fruit salad, and pies. The guest list and grocery list are in Google docs. I love having my lists web based!
Starting early really does save money. I usually need to go to Costco, Smart and Final, and Ralphs (our local grocery store). I bake a 20 lb bird and then deep fry a 12 pounder. The grocery store usually has the best deals on turkeys with a minimum purchase, which is easily met with today’s grocery prices. I borrow extra tables and chairs to accommodate the large group.
On to the best part, choosing the drinks! I like to have a nice selection of wine for each stage of the day. A nice Prosecco champagne during the appetizers. The main course will be accompanied by Ferrari Carrano Fume Blanc, Groth Sauvignon Blanc, Sterling Chardonnay, and Sanford Pinot Noir. Since my family like heavy reds we will also have some Liberty School Cabernet on hand. I usually purchase the wine at Costco, but also check BevMo or Cost Plus World Market. Beer drinkers will enjoy some Stella Artois and Fat Tire. I will also make some fresh lemonade and coffee. Sodas are a must as well so in addition to the basics we have Henry Weinhard’s Root Beer and Black Cherry soda.
I am starting to feel prepared. Just need to start the shopping!
Special Occasion Wear – What Does It Mean?
November 4th, 2009Deciding what to wear to a special event can be a daunting task. Whether it’s picking out something from your closet or heading out shopping for a new outfit, understanding what style of dress is appropriate is the first place to start. If you are unsure of the dress code, you can ask your host or the event planner.
Black Tie. Evening gowns or cocktail dresses should be worn ranging in length from tea length to full length. Dresses should be classic in style. Men should wear a black tuxedo.
Black Tie Optional/Formal. For women this means the same style dress as Black Tie. Men should still wear a tuxedo if one is available, but have the option to wear a dark suit, preferably black, navy, or dark gray. This is still a very formal event so dress accordingly (no short skirts!)
Semi-Formal. Cocktail dresses are the perfect choice here, landing anywhere from an inch above the knee to the floor. Stay away from ball gowns and business suits in this dress code. Dressy skirt suits of high quality material are also acceptable. Men must wear suits, including a neck tie.
Cocktail Attire. Break out the little black dress! Cocktail attire can be fun dresses that are trendier and shorter, but classic looks are always great too. Length can be above the knee to tea length. Dressy separates are also appropriate. Men are still wearing suits at this level, but the tie is optional with today’s trends.
Informal (aka Business Attire). This is not the same as casual attire! It is slightly less dressy than semi-formal. Women can wear a skirt/pants suit or a conservative dress and jacket. Men are required to wear suits with a tie.
Smart Casual. Ladies, put on a skirt or dress pants and coordinate a cute outfit. A casual dress is also acceptable, usually above the knee or just below. The term “smart” here means that you should look put together and not too casual. Men can wear trousers or chinos with a button down or polo shirt. Sweaters work for both men and women. Jeans are not always acceptable, but in today’s trends jeans have become their own fashion statement.
Business Casual. Women can wear dress pants or skirts accompanied by blouses or sweaters. Men do not wear suits, but opt for separates of trousers and shirts.
Festive Attire. Usually used around the holiday season, the attire can be anywhere from semi-formal to smart casual, but usually on the dressier side. Try adding some sparkle or color to get in the “festive” mood! No business look here, keep it dressy but fun.
Casual. Choose your style and go for it! There are no rules for casual attire. You can use this style of dress to express yourself or simply be comfortable.
How To Get Great Family Photos
October 28th, 2009This time of year many of us are looking to take great family photos for the holiday card or to give out as presents to friends and family. I have two different photographers I use for our family pictures and alternate every other year. There is a lot to think about when getting ready to take these photos. Here is what I have learned from my experiences.
The photographer. Choose a photographer who is used to working with children. Both of the photographers we use have toddlers and are great at going the extra mile to make the kids smile. If you are on a budget, consider asking a friend to take the picture and you can do the same for them. You can find photographers through word of mouth, craigslist, or local message boards and newspapers.
The photo package. Find out in advance what is included with the basic fee. For us, photographer A includes the digital images, time for her to retouch one photo, and a print of that photo. Photographer B includes a 4 x 6 print of each photo taken, but there is an extra fee for the digital images. As you can see these are completely different. Be sure you are able to get the digital images so you have the ability to print for family members and make photo gifts.
The time and location. If you have small kids I highly recommend the morning. Definitely use the time of day that your kids are in the best mood. A local park or school can be a great backdrop for outdoor photos, but honestly some of our best pictures were taken in our own back yard! Make sure it’s a place that your kids are comfortable and wont be too distracted (like the year we were very near a little league game at the park!)
The clothes. Probably one of the biggest stress points for the mom. Make sure your clothes coordinate, but matching exactly can detract from the beautiful faces. Try choosing colors in the same family like navy, sage, and brown (last year’s photo colors). Avoid prints or limit one person to a print and the rest of the family can match colors from the print (this year’s photos). I will fully admit that now that I have a girl her outfit is the driving force. I prefer to dress up for our pictures with the girls in dresses and the boys in polos or button downs. But casual pictures are just as nice and can be easier with older kids if they don’t like to dress up.
The day. Be prepared. Make sure the kids are well fed and happy. Have a special treat ready for emergencies. Bring help if you can – one of the best pictures we ever got was when we brought my niece along. She really helped when it came to the picture with all four of us in it. Don’t push too hard, you need to keep everyone in a good mood so you can show everyone your happy family!
And don’t be afraid to be a little goofy!
Subscription Options:
© 2008-2010 Puddles Collection. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy
