Some of us stay home for the holidays. Others make trips to see family and friends. But when you’ve got the kids in tow, road trips can become rather unpleasant.
It’s not that we don’t enjoy spending time with our kids. It’s just that they get bored. And they get hungry. And they need to stop at every rest area. But if you stop every time they want to stretch their legs or get a candy bar, you could add hours onto your trip. You may find yourself wondering why you didn’t just take a plane.
But road trips with the family don’t have to be an exercise in frustration. If you’re well prepared, they can actually be lots of fun. Here are some ideas to keep boredom and other things that make a road trip less pleasant at bay.
* Bring along plenty of snacks and drinks. But steer clear of chocolate, caffeine and sugar as much as possible, because these things can make already antsy kids even more hyperactive. Instead, pack some juice boxes, fresh fruits and veggies, crackers and other snacks that are healthy yet filling.
* Invest in a couple of travel games that the family can play together, or make up your own. These are great for keeping morale high and providing for quality time on long trips.
* Let each child bring a toy or individual game to play with. Most kids enjoy both group and individual activities at home, and they need both to keep them occupied and contented during a car trip. But be sure to place limits, because if you don’t, they’re likely to bring a whole bag full of stuff.
* If you have an infant, make sure to bring plenty of diapers, wipes, bottles and formula. Calculate how much of each item you will need, and bring about twice as much, just in case. Also, if any of your children take medication, be sure to bring an adequate supply.
* Bring something to put trash in. It’s surprising how many parents forget this. If you fail to do so, you’re just about guaranteed to end up with a car full of trash by the time the trip is over. Depending on the size of your family, you might need a grocery bag or a full-sized garbage bag.
* Be prepared for messes. If you have a mini car vac, it’s a good idea to bring it along. Other things you might need include wet wipes, paper towels, upholstery and carpet stain remover and glass cleaner.
* Ask kids if they need to use the restroom each time you stop at a restaurant or gas station. Otherwise, you might find yourself making lots of unscheduled rest stops.
Parents often consider holiday road trips necessary evils in which they must participate to get where they’re going. But if you plan ahead, the trip can be enjoyable for the whole family.
Filed under Thanksgiving by on Nov 16th, 2009. Comment. 
Do you get so busy preparing for Thanksgiving that you forget to be thankful? Many of us do. We get so wrapped up in all the preparations, the cooking and all the family coming that we forgot to stop and remember all our blessings.
Just like during the year, we get caught up in the day-to-day worries and forget to be thankful. There are so many basic things we should be thankful for that we take for granted. If we have a home, be it a house, apartment or trailer, we should be thankful we have shelter.
Too many people have no homes or have unsafe living conditions. We all have the occasional round of the flu or colds go through our families. But overall, most people are fairly healthy.
We should be thankful that we are able to get around, work, play and have a normal life. Too many times serious illness can strike without warning. We need to take advantage of good health while we still have it, instead of taking it for granted.
How many times to do we look in the closet and complain that we “have nothing to wear” when in reality we have more clothes than we know what to do with? We have multiple pairs of shoes and boots, sweaters and coats. We are able to stay dry and warm without any worries. Why should we wait until Thanksgiving to be thankful?
We should be grateful for our blessings all year round. Maybe the best way to show how thankful we are for our blessings is to share them. What better time to share than Thanksgiving, when those without feel even more left out, especially those without family.
There are many ways to share your blessings. One way to spread the blessings is to donate some gently used things to a reputable charity. There are many good organizations out there that take clothing and other household items. Even though you could donate all year round, Thanksgiving is a good time to think about giving back.
Another wonderful way to share your blessings is to donate your time to a homeless shelter. Most have a special meal at Thanksgiving for those without homes or families. Even if you put off your own family dinner until Friday or Saturday, imagine the joy you would bring to others by giving up your time to make one day a little brighter for them. And you don’t have to stop after one day.
There are many opportunities to volunteer year round. Before you sit down at your Thanksgiving meal this year, take the time for each member of your family to share what they are most thankful for in the past year. You might be surprised at the things your family is thankful for this year.
Filed under Thanksgiving by on Nov 15th, 2009. Comment.
Look in any home and garden publication a month or two before Thanksgiving, and you’ll see all sorts of elaborate table arrangements. Professional decorators go all out to create a veritable masterpiece. And if you check the prices on the items they use, you’ll often find that they spend several hundred (and often several thousand) dollars to get the table to look so nice.
How can the average person compete with that? Usually, we can’t. But we can make our Thanksgiving tables look great without paying an arm and a leg. Inexpensive items from the local discount store and things found in nature can be combined to create an elegant yet inexpensive Thanksgiving table. Here are some pointers.
Linens
Tablecloths and napkins can be prohibitively expensive. But if you’re only using them on special occasions, you can get away with cheaper options. Dollar stores often carry lovely tablecloths at a fraction of the price you would pay at a high-end department store. They might not last as long as more expensive ones, but if cared for properly they will stay in good shape for several years.
You can find inexpensive cloth napkins at some dollar stores as well. Or you could check outlet stores for discontinued or slightly blemished napkins. You can often find deals on tablecloths there, too. If you’re good at sewing, you could even make your own co-ordinating tablecloth and napkins.
Centerpieces
A pretty centerpiece adds a nice touch to any table. For Thanksgiving, you can make one at very little cost with things found in nature. Mini pumpkins, squash and other fall veggies can be arranged with some nuts to make a yummy centerpiece. If you want, you could find an inexpensive cornucopia at your local craft store and put these items in it.
Fall flowers also make wonderful centerpieces. If you grow your own, simply pick some in various colors and arrange them in a vase. You’ll have a beautiful, fragrant centerpiece at no cost whatsoever.
Of course, there probably won’t be a whole lot of room on the table for a centerpiece by the time you put all of the food on it. If space is a concern, taper candles are a simple yet elegant alternative. You can find candleholders at discount stores at very reasonable prices. You could place some leaves or gourds around them if you want to do something a bit more elaborate without taking up too much room.
A beautiful Thanksgiving table isn’t necessary for enjoying all of that delicious food. But it certainly adds a nice touch to the holiday and lets your guests know that you value their company. With a little imagination, you can decorate the table and still have plenty of money to spend on dinner.
Filed under Thanksgiving by on Nov 15th, 2009. Comment.
Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the winter holiday season. It’s not officially winter yet, but the air is turning cooler, and people tend to spend more time indoors. Using candles for decoration during your Thanksgiving dinner provides a warm, cozy atmosphere for you and your guests that’s perfect for the season.
Making special candle centerpieces just for Thanksgiving is quite simple. Here are a few ideas that you can whip up in no time.
# Mini Jar Thanksgiving Candles
What You Need
* Tea light or votive candle in a Thanksgiving color and scent
* Empty baby food jar
* Tissue paper in autumn colors
* Tiny foam leaves
* White craft glue
* Water
* Small plastic bowl
* Paintbrush
Instructions
1. Rip tissue paper in two or three different colors into small pieces.
2. In the bowl, mix one part glue to three parts water. Stir with paintbrush until it forms a thin white solution.
3. Use the paintbrush to cover the outside of the jar with the glue solution. Stick on pieces of tissue paper, overlapping them. Add more glue on top of the tissue paper to make all pieces lay flat against the jar. Stick foam leaves on top of the tissue paper. Let dry.
4. Place candle inside the baby food jar.
# Harvest Candles
What You Need
* Acorn squash or small pumpkins
* Knife
* Votive candle in autumn color and scent
Instructions
1. Cut off the top of the pumpkin or squash. Scoop out the flesh and seeds.
2. Place the votive candle inside the pumpkin or squash.
# Pouring Your Own Candles
You can also pour your own candles into prepared baby food jars, pumpkins or squash. Here’s how:
What You Need
* Double boiler
* Candle wax
* Wick
* Candle coloring
* Fragrance
* Oven mitt
Instructions
1. Insert a candle wick into the center of the container. For best results, use wicks with metal disks on the end (called wick clips). This will help them stand up on their own.
2. Melt candle wax in a double boiler. Add an autumn color and fragrance and mix well.
3. Carefully lift the top pot from the double boiler and pour the wax into the container. Let cool until hardened completely.
4. If you find a sunken area around the wick, melt more wax and pour it on top. When hardened completely, trim the wick.
Making several of these small candles and grouping them together makes a lovely centerpiece. Or you could place one at each guest’s place setting for them to take home. Either way, these home-made candles will add lots of beauty to your Thanksgiving table.
Filed under Thanksgiving by on Nov 14th, 2009. Comment.
4 cups red tart pitted cherries; canned, frozen, fresh
2 cups water
1/4 to 1-1/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dumplings
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
dash of salt
1 cup milk
Place water, sugar, cinnamon and cherries into a large saucepan and bring to a boil, cooking until the cherries are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Depending on tartness of cherries adjust the amount of sugar.
Dumplings
Combine baking powder, salt and flour; stir in the milk. Drop the dumplings by teaspoonfuls into the soup. Cook covered for 10 to 15 minutes or until the dumplings appear fluffy. Serve the soup hot.
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Filed under Thanksgiving by on Nov 14th, 2009. Comment.
