Search Results for: blog share a seasonal smile

Seasonal Scrapbook Checklist

T-minus five days until Santa sets out on his annual gift-giving all-nighter. By now your halls should be decked and ready for loved ones to share in the holiday merriment. If you are planning to document the upcoming seasonal celebrations in a scrapbook, now is the time to make your list and check it twice. Make sure your camera has extra batteries and an empty memory card, so you don’t have to worry about missing any of the magical moments. Also, have a pen and pad ready to document funny anecdotes that abound when you have multiple generations of family … Continue reading →

Scrapbooking Seasonal Smiles

Mom, can I have a dog for Christmas? No, you’ll be getting turkey like everyone else. What did Adam say on the day before Christmas? It’s Christmas, Eve. What do you get if Santa goes down the chimney when a fire is lit? A Crisp Cringle What do snowmen eat for breakfast? Snowflakes Thank you. Thank you. I’ll be here all week. Nothing sets off a hearty round of ho, ho, hos than a silly seasonal riddle or two. During the height of the holidays, Christmas-themed jokes are not reserved solely for the kiddos to swap in the backseat of … Continue reading →

Share a Seasonal Smile

What is it with little kids and their fascination with all things gross? Get a group of four to six year olds together and a Christmas song about Snoopy suddenly includes the word “poopy.” “Snoopy, whoopy, zoopy…” I’m sure you know what comes next. And don’t even try to share a story about King Tut with kindergarteners unless you want to spend the rest of the day scolding them for taunting each other with: “What, schmutt, King Tut Butt.” So what does all this potty mouth talk have to do with Christmas and the spirit of giving? The other day … Continue reading →

Shameless Savings

I love to shop.  Unfortunately, I don’t have the money to support this passion.  Consequently, I’m often put in a situation that’s all too familiar to parents:  kicking pride to the curb. Admit it; you’ve done some pretty gross things since becoming a parent.  Goodness knows I have learned to exercise an immeasurable amount of humility since giving birth.  For example, I never thought I would willingly stretch out my hands to catch another person’s vomit.  Ditto for plucking poop out of the tub with my bare hands.  I also never imagined I’d allow my shirt to be used as … Continue reading →

Holiday Jollies

  The best part of the holiday season is getting together with family and friends to share a few laughs.  Or, in some case, huge belly busters that have you rolling on the floor gasping for air. One of the simplest ways to share a seasonal smile is to tell a Christmas joke.  Kids and adults alike appreciate a good holiday riddle.  What’s more, clean, seasonal funnies can be added to Christmas cards, family newsletters or used as an ice breaker at a company party or family get-together.  If you are entertaining kids this month, consider printing out the following … Continue reading →

Holiday-Themed Sanity Savers

Whether you are hosting a Christmas party, a Hanukkah get-together or you simply need ways to keep your kids busy while they are home from school during the holiday break, the following ideas will go a long way to preserving your sanity: Games:  Get into the holiday spirit by modifying traditional kids’ games, such as “Duck, Duck, Goose.”  A holiday version could be “Reindeer, Reindeer Rudolph” or “Elf, Elf, Buddy” (Will Ferrell’s name in the movie “Elf”). Another option is to turn “Simon Says” into “Santa Says.”  These types of interactive games are great ways for kids to burn off … Continue reading →

Embrace Your Mistakes + Snow Globe Sugar Cookie Recipe

Many parents feel uncomfortable appearing less than perfect around their children.  Ironically, childhood experts maintain that moms and dads, who unabashedly show their children that making mistakes is part of life, give their kids a priceless gift and a leg up in the real world. Well, Hallelujah!  I’ve finally done something right in the eyes of so-called parenting experts. My kid sees me mess up all the time.  Okay, maybe not all.the.time.  Still, I’ve made my fair share of mistakes… and then some.  However, in making my litany of blunders, I’ve learned another important lesson.  By embracing your imperfections you … Continue reading →

Basking in the Post-Holiday Glow

Does your home still look like this? If it does, then you have my heartfelt thanks… and that of my young daughter who is utterly enchanted by outdoor holiday light displays. Big, bright and gaudy is best, in her book. While there are many of you, who strip your homes of festive knickknacks and toss out your Christmas tree by noon on December 26th, I happen to appreciate folks who keep the holiday spirit glowing well into January. Why yes, I am one of them. And no, I don’t throw up an extra string of red lights in early February, … Continue reading →

Paying the Price for Procrastinating

Am I the only parent who waits until 11:55 p.m. on Christmas Eve to start wrapping a closet full of gifts? Let the festive cloaking of toys and books begin… before my kid wakes up. My gift wrapping marathon typically begins after my young daughter goes to bed… or, rather, to sleep. On Christmas Eve that can take up to three hours. She’s cajoled into bed, but fights fatigue with every fiber of her being. The kid is determined to catch a glimpse of Santa, and this year even set a “trap” to prove to her doubting classmates that this … Continue reading →

Amazing Christmas Surprises

Is there any better Christmas gift than a healthy baby born just hours before the most celebrated day of the year? How about two healthy babies born to the same family just a few hours apart during the height of the holiday season? In what’s being called one of the most incredible Christmas surprises since the Immaculate Conception, a mother and daughter, plus twin sisters are marveling at the timing of their respective labors. In Chicago, 35-year-old Jessica Rotter was lending moral support to her 17-year-old daughter, Briana Guerrero, as the teen prepared to give birth at a suburban hospital … Continue reading →