Holidays

Valentine's Day is a great holiday!  It's all about love, after all so what better way to start the day than with these yummy Valentine's Day pancakes!!

My 4-year old absolutely loves thisdelicious Berry Cream Cheese spread.!  Especially when I add it to a heart-shaped sandwich!
 

Holidays like Valentine's Day can be such a challenge.  They serve as reminders of important things in our lives, but they can also frequently present hefty temptations. 

I'm one of those people who end their emails with an "XO." (I like "those people," by the way!) Along with hearts, I think hugs and kisses are quintessential Valentine's Day symbols!  
 

Valentines Day is coming up and we love all kinds of Valentines crafts to do together with your children.

Have you ever noticed that a strawberry is heart-shaped?  It's true!  And when you slice one vertically, you can see the heart even more clearly.  Also, they're red!  How perfect for Valentine's Day!

I made these last year for a Valentine's Day party in my son's Kindergarten class, and everyone went crazy over them (teachers and parents included)!
 

People will be soup swapping all over the country on January 22nd! It's National Soup Swap Day!  Who knew? Have you ever been to a holiday cookie exchange? This is a similar idea, but it's soup! 

I never condone serving alcohol to minors, which is why I prefer to serve this punch when entertaining children of all ages. It is a simple mix and stir affair that is dotted with delicious fruity ice cubes.

Nowadays, New Year’s Eve parties can be formal or casual. But whatever the attire, this festive brooch is certain to add that extra little sparkle to any outfit.  Use it to dress up a coat lapel, or pin it to a soft knit sweater to show your cheerful side.

You don't have to be a fancy pastry chef to make stunning, interesting, and delicious desserts.  This one is a crowd pleaser for kids and adults alike, and it could be just the thing to bring to a holiday party!

Garlands instantly transform any space into a fun and festive party. This tutorial instructs you on making three really simple metallic garlands to adorn your doorways, fireplaces, trees or windows.

The holidays are a time when my son wants to have extra “screen time”—watch movies or play a video game. Our son has set limits on the amount of time he spends in front of a screen.

We love the idea of adding a little festivity to your otherwise plain heels for holiday parties and outings. Shoe clips have been hot lately and we have a version that is super simple to make on your own with lots of sparkle.

Need some last minute gifts?  Or how about just a free cup of coffee as you run around finishing your holiday shopping.  Check out your awesome deals for the week.

Etsy Shop: Hindsvik

For the hard to buy for relative, Hindsvik is the go to Etsy shop. With over 100 items in stock and fast shipping, this shop delivers just what you are looking for!

From teachers, mailmen, neighbors and friends; everyone appreciates a little something sweet and thoughtful during the holidays. Here's a delicious twist on something everyone loves: Peppermint Hot Fudge to top festive ice cream sundaes.

Many moons ago, when I was in culinary school, I made an enormous, intricately detailed gingerbread house.  It was a replica of my parents home (Spanish cookie tiles, candied iron gate, and marzipan dog included).  It took me weeks, and I'm proud to say landed me a spot on Good Morning America! 

One friend packs up her family and heads to some isolated location where they know no one. Another stays in denial, refusing to participate in the holidays until the last possible moment, at which point she races around like a banshee trying to make up for lost time.

As Michel de Montaigne, one of the most influential writers of the French Renaissance, pointed out, children are never more serious than when they play. Nothing lights their little peepers brighter than an anticipation of a new toy and an opportunity to play and have fun. Let’s play!

Well, we’re in the thick of the holiday season. In addition to the normal pressures and stresses of this time a year, some of us have the extra responsibility of managing a co-parenting situation.

It’s that time of year again. Love them or despise them, the holidays are upon us once more, and if you are a last minute shopper, you are not alone.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas with out some sparkle.  Well, a lot of sparkle! These glamorous trees add so much life to a room that you can’t make just one.  An added bonus: They reflect the glow from candles and twinkle lights we have around the house during the holiday season.  

The ubiquitous Christmas cookie, these delicious treats never go out of style. There is something so terribly addictive about the rich butter cookie studded with bits of pecan and rolled in powdered sugar. These are really fun to make with kids, too.

Give the gift of color this year with this richly hued collection from Pantone!

The holidays are here and we love all kind of homemade ornaments to adorn the Christmas tree. Here's a really fun and easy way to use broken crayons to create a modern swirled glass ornament. Those clear glass ornaments are just screaming to be DIYed, don't you think?

A thoughtful gift requires really special wrapping to give it a homemade touch. This is a really fun DIY that allows you to way to design and your own colorful wrapping paper with just tissue paper and crayon shavings! The fininshed product os gorgeous with a beautiful watercolor-like finish to adorn your Christmas gifts, or birthday presents.

I don’t know about you, but in the days leading up to Christmas, I am plagued with thoughts of toys overrunning my house.

If you’re looking for the perfect dress to wear to your holiday cocktail party or perhaps you’re thinking ahead for New Year’s Eve, we’ve found six dresses that go beyond the LBD.

Who among us doesn’t love the feeling of seeing our friends and family unwrap gifts that we’ve purchased for them? Their faces light up in anticipation, anxious to see what’s underneath that shiny bow.

As a young child, I remember a stranger showing up at our door with a box full of wrapped Christmas gifts. My parents were divorced and my mom was tackling raising two small children on her own.

I love a good Christmas cookie as much as the next girl, but when I’m in the mood for something different I make Crispy Crunchy White Chocolate Balls.

The shopping, the cooking, the baking, the caroling, the visiting, the partying, the planning, the wrapping, the shopping, the shopping, the shopping. It’s no wonder the holiday season can be completely overwhelming.

With the holidays upon us, one of the ways many of us will be celebrating is by indulging in the high fat/high calorie foods that seem to define the season.

Check out this video for madcap holiday fun!

If the holiday collections at your favorite stores have you wishing that Santa would stop by with his credit card, you’re not the only one.

If you have friends or family members who are hard to buy for on your shopping list this year then you might want to consider purchasing a gift card to give as a gift.

The gift shopping fever has spread across the nation intensified by a gazillion gift guides designed to help you part with your money smoothly and effortlessly

Have you created a budget for this holiday season? It can be very tempting to throw caution to the wind and pay for it later (literally). Don’t allow yourself to have buyer’s remorse.

Here's the deal.  Yes, this takes several hours, but that several hours is really just the brisket hanging out in the oven! Really! You don't do much while it sits in the oven. 

Take a break from the traditional red and green and incorporate color this season by creating this easy, vivid garland for your mantle, or even the whole tree. 

The holidays are a magical time. Stores decorated for the season, joyous music playing all around, and intoxicating aromas fill the air. If you are anything like I am, turning the calendar to the month of December turns my mind back to the nostalgia of childhood and many fond memories.

It doesn’t take much to be faced with a major meltdown mid-shopping trip, complete with a screaming, crying blob of a child sprawled across the floor.

Busy mommies, daddies, and kids love quick and easy art projects and recipes.  Rice Krispie Treats are the perfect way to combine both!  Everybody wins!  
 

I have some great Holiday Toys to share with you today. These are all products I believe are high quality and worth the money you will spend on them.

Don’t shy away from the spotlight this holiday season just because you’re a mom. Instead embrace it by sporting an ensemble featuring this season’s hottest trend of sequins.

Make your holiday gifts pretty and unique with these lovely ideas!

We are right in the middle of the holiday season, and I'm cooking more than ever!  What's really fun is that my two boys (4 and 6) want to help me in the kitchen more than ever this time of year and so I love having fun, unique cooking tools on hand to make it even more fun for them. 

Pregnant mom-to-be Mariah Carey records a performance in Rockefeller Center.

Go natural this year with your holiday decorating - here's how!