Inexpensive Homemade Candy

If you need a last minute gift that will be well received, think about making some inexpensive homemade candies. Homemade candy can be a bit more festive than the usual Christmas cookies but just as inexpensive. Stick with recipes that are simple but delicious in order to spend the least amount of time and money to create your gifts. Plus, since candy can be very rich, you don’t have to make too much of it to still have a significant gift. You will need something to use to hold and present your homemade candy gifts, so start there. Many pretty … Continue reading

Time to Start Thinking About Christmas!

I know Halloween was only yesterday, and that we still have another holiday in between now and Christmas, but if you are like most single moms you don’t have a bundle of cash sitting around come December when it’s time to start Christmas shopping. If you start now, it helps keep the holidays a little less stressful, plus now all the Halloween candy is on clearance. That means you can get a ton of candy to fill those stockings for dirt cheap! Candy can get expensive around Christmas time because it is in such high demand. This way you don’t … Continue reading

Can You Have A Happy Halloween Without Candy? Yes!

This evening, I took the boys out for more extensive Halloween activity than we have ever done before. This was Dylan’s third Halloween. For his first Halloween, he was a little bear and we only went to the children’s costume parade downtown. Last year, we did nothing. I forget why, but we did not dress up or go anywhere. This year, we all dressed as firefighters (even the baby) and went out two times. For both outings, my goal was the same – to have fun with Dylan and Blake without the boys eating any candy. As we drove towards … Continue reading

Halloween Books = Amazing Alternative to Candy

Believe it or not, 100 Grand Bars, Laffy Taffy and candy corn are not the only treats that scream, “Halloween!” If you are looking for a sugar-free/fat-free/calorie-free/peanut-free/gluten-free goodie to give kids on All Hallows’ Eve, consider Mia: Time to Trick or Treat! The adorable and affordable children’s book (it retails for less than $5) is an amazing alternative to candy and can be passed out as a Halloween party favor, a prize for a costume contest, or used to spice up your kid’s bedtime story collection. There’s nothing like a little seasonal spice to get youngsters excited about reading, and … Continue reading

Frightening Halloween Candy

Who buys Halloween candy this early? Places like Wal-Mart, Target and Walgreens have had their spooktacular holiday displays up since Labor Day, but that doesn’t mean you have to succumb to their marketing ploy… Mom. Yes, my mom is a candy company’s dream customer. She is the sucker purchasing pumpkin-shaped lollipops, snack-size candy bars and other sugary sweet Halloween treats weeks in advance of the pagan holiday honoring the dead. And while my mom and others like her are responsible for keeping Willy Wonka’s smile from fading, it’s a different story with dentists. Many teeth experts are already sounding the … Continue reading

Special Needs Blog Week in Review – June 17 – 23, 2012

It is time, once again, for the Special Needs Blog Week in Review. It brings you a quick summary of each of the blogs that were posted here in the past seven days. This is an easy way to find the blogs that you might have missed. The Special Needs Podcast Roundup went up on June 18, 2012. This week, I’d like to point out an episode of The Coffee Klatch. The episode is called “The Best of Coffee Klatch – Dr. Ross Greene – Explosive Child”. Dr. Ross Green is the author of a book called “The Explosive Child”. … Continue reading

Special Needs Blog Week in Review – Week of February 12 – 18, 2012

The Special Needs Blog Week in Review is a great way to quickly catch up on everything that appeared in the Special Needs Blog in the past week. It is a good way to make sure that you haven’t missed anything. You can scan through this list to search for blogs about whatever particular special needs your child happens to have. The Special Needs Podcast Roundup for the week went up on February 13, 2012. I would like to point out an episode done by The Coffee Klatch that is titled “NY Times Op Ed Gone Wrong – Ritalin Gone … Continue reading

Bedtime

One of the hardest things as a single parent is not having any control over your child when they are at their other parent’s house. If they choose to feed them ice cream for breakfast, lunch, and dinner there’s not much you can do about it. Just chuck them full of vegetables when they get home and hope for the best. You’re used to being the bad cop, right? Bedtime was always our fight. When Logan was really little and we were still married, my ex worked late. He often wouldn’t even get home until 10 or 11 o’clock at … Continue reading

Cool Candy Cane Creations

They are the quintessential Christmas candy that will hook you with a simple lick. However, these days candy canes are not just for eating; rather, your entire family can have fun by using the sweet treats as decorations during the holiday season. With the economy still in the dumpster, many people are looking for affordable ways to spruce up their homes in time for Christmas. Candy canes are an inexpensive item that can be purchased in bulk and used to create the following festive items: Candy Cane Vase: Unwrap mini candy canes and glue them end-to-end around the top and … Continue reading

Enjoying the Holidays One At a Time

I was shopping three weeks ago at a popular store and was a little surprised. Now maybe it happened last year, but I don’t think so or it would not have struck me so hard. Mind you, it was around the second week in October that this occurred. While I was making my way around the store shopping for various items for my household I maneuvered my cart around the corner to proceed to the next aisle. As I carefully wheeled my cart around the corner there it was, a Christmas tree. Really, mass merchant chain store? This year you … Continue reading