Archives for November 2013

Hunt Club Farm Christmas Displays

November 30, 2013 by

 

 

Hunt Club Christmas Displays

The holiday season officially starts for my family Thanksgiving Day.  The tree goes up and we’re planning holiday activities.  My daughter lives in Virginia Beach, VA.  A mile down the road is Hunt Club Farm.  They sit on 23 acres and cater to children all year.  Each year we take the grandchildren to see the Christmas displays.  Their displays are amazing.  They are full of automated elves, soldiers, reindeer and everything else you can image.  It’s a child’s delight.  Here are some of the displays from last season: 

 

Virginia Beach Hunt Club farm

 

It’s a great place for photo opportunities as you can see.  My granddaughter is not into picture taking for some reason.  She doesn’t like to cooperate for the camera, so I’m hoping I can get a few good shots.  This is my grandson last year in front of their Christmas tree.  Amazing how much he has grown in a year.  Precious I might add. 

 

If the weather is nice we move on to the Petting Zoo.  This is Mr. Llama.  He was on display last year.  The great thing about the Petting Zoo is you never know what animals you will come across.  The have great displays there too.  Last year they had an adorable little building that housed Santa.  Xavier was a little shy, but he gave Santa his wish list.  

 

We end our trip at the fire pit roasting hot dogs and making S’mores.  They have a stand that sells the hot dogs and buns and everything needed for the S’mores.  The roasters come with the package.  You can pick up hot chocolate or apple cider to wash it down.  If you live in the Hampton Roads area, plan a trip.  It’s a great way to start the holiday season and makes great memories for the kids.  

 

 

Filed Under: Parenting Tips, Travel Tagged With: , ,

Calendar Gift Ideas

November 27, 2013 by


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2014 Calendar

I just made a calendar for one of my daughter’s Christmas gifts at Shutterfly.  I had so much fun going through pictures and finding ones that fit perfectly into each month of Xavier and Zarriah.  Although it’s not clear, this is the cover of the calendar.  The picture was taken at Zarriah’s Christening.  About 20 family members from my daughter and son-in-law’s side of the family attended.  The picture is a beautiful memory. 

This calendar will make a beautiful keepsake.  I’m thinking of making another for my office.  For January I selected a picture of Xavier playing in his first snow.  It was a great moment, January 2009.  My daughter and her family were visiting for a week-end and it snowed.  Xavier had just turned 1 the previous September.  I had a great time watching him play and trying to figure out what that white stuff was.   

                                                                 

                                                                       

How could I leave out Zarriah’s first birthday party, August 2012, and her looking at the clown.  OMG, it was hilarious.  The pictures brought back so many memories.  I’m hoping the calendar will do the same with daughter and son-in-law. 

I’ve been thinking of this calendar for years as a gift, but never made the effort to complete the calendar.  Finally in 2013 I do just that.  The Shutterfly site is easy to navigate.  To cut down on time, I would suggest that you go through your pictures and make a note of which ones you would like to use for what month.  If you’re like me, you have thousands of photos to choose from, so it can become time consuming. 

Shutterfly is currently offering free shipping.  Use Promotion Code SHIP30.  Also, new customers get 50 prints free.  The free shipping offer ends 12/23/13.  This is a great idea for your mom, a friend or yourself.  The calendar comes in 2 sizes:  8 x 11 and 12 x 12.  I choose the 8 x 11 for $21.99.  The 12 x 12 is $29.99.  They have numerous designs and layouts to choose from.  Check it out. 


                                                                    

Filed Under: calendar gift ideas, family memories, Great Finds, holiday gift ideas, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Holiday Gift Ideas for Gardeners

November 24, 2013 by

Today, I’m sharing holiday gift ideas for gardeners.  Any gift that I can use in my backyard vegetable garden is a great gift to me.  They will help you select the perfect gifts for your gardening friends.  I’ve found that my most memorable gifts have been homemade items and gift baskets that I’ve put together for my family and friends.  Furthermore,  I’m a huge garden and birding lover.  I assure you, if your family and/or friends are garden and bird lovers, they will love these gifts too.

 

gift ideas for gardeners

 

 

 We have put together a list of holiday gift ideas for gardeners:

  • Packets of seeds – You can’t go wrong here.  Sunflowers, flowers for borders, and vegetable seeds are great gift ideas.
  • Garden Tools – Every gardener needs tools.  Pruners, hand trowel, hand rake, hand shovel, and a bulb planter are ideal.
  • Kneeling Pad – I use mine regularly.  Helps protect the knees when planting and pulling weeds.
  • Gardening Gloves – I go through several pair each season.
  • Gardening Hat and Sunblock – Protecting yourself from the sun is a most for the gardener.
  • Gift Certificate to a Local Nursery – We love to browse any place that has vegetables and flowers for sell.  I’ve found that nurseries have unique items that you can’t find at most garden centers such as Lowes, Wal-Mart and Home Depot.

 



 

  • Tool Caddy – We love organization, a tool caddy keeps our gloves and tools in one place.
  • Garden Cart – It’s easier on the back when you can sit and pull weeds.  Check out the Garden Hopper at Amazon, I’m sure this item is on every gardener’s wish list.
  • Flower pots – We love to place geraniums in clay or decorative pots. I also love large pots on my deck for petunias.  They won’t fit into a gift basket, but they will look wonderful with a pretty bow.  My favorite pots came from Big Lots and Dollar General.
  • Indoor Heat Pad and Grow Lights – I sow my seeds indoors to get a jump on the growing season.  For successful germination, heat is a most.  Seed germination heats pads and indoor grow lights will make excellent gifts.
  • Peat Pots or Seed Starting Kits – Gardeners love to germinate their seeds in peat pots.

 

Last, we hope that you find one or two selections from our holiday gift ideas for gardeners beneficial.  Also, check out my ideas for a bird lovers gift basket.

Filed Under: Flower Gardens, Vegetable Garden Tagged With: , ,

Cabbage and Sausage Recipe

November 23, 2013 by


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cabbage recipes

I love cabbage.  If you’re a fan, here’s a recipe that you must try.  Did you know that cabbage is great for your health?  It’s actually considered to be one of the best health foods.

Besides being delicious, here a few reasons to try this recipe:  

  • Cabbage contains the least fat and the fewest calories of any vegetable
  • It helps lower cholesterol
  • It’s loaded with Vitamin C
  • It’s a great natural source of fiber
  • It’s a great source of antioxidants  
  • It’s expensive to eat 

 Now that we have the health benefits down.  Here’s the recipe: 

  • 1 stick butter or margarine
  • 1 small head of cabbage, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 pound polish sausage, sliced into round pieces (I use smoked sausage)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes  (Pull out a quart of your canned home grown tomatoes and chop) 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 of chopped green pepper
  • few drops of hot sauce (optional)
  • chopped garlic clove (optional)
Melt butter in large skillet.  Add cabbage, onion, and green pepper and cook on medium high for about 5 minutes stirring to keep from sticking to pan.  Add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes.  Season to taste. 
Note:  I brown my sausage in the oven and have it ready to add to the simmering ingredients.  I found the recipe rather bland, so I added garlic.  Serve with diner rolls and apple sauce.   Makes about 8 servings.

Filed Under: benefits of cabbage, cabbage recipes, cooking, dinner, easy recipes, family, Food-Recipes, free recipes, healthy meals, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

Toddler Girls Garanimal Sets

November 21, 2013 by


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Garanimals Baby Girls' 2 Piece Graphic...
We found these adorable 2 piece Garanimal sets at Wal-Mart on-line.  I’ve been a big fan of Garanimals since Xavier was a baby.  I purchased these for Zarriah to knock around in on the week-ends or lazy days.  They’re great for everyday play wear and adorable enough to head to the mall or grocery store when you have to run errands. 

I have found that Garanimals hold up well on the playground, lounging around the house and through the wash.  This I’m so Sweet set include a fleece top and pants, so Zarriah will be nice and toasty this winter while playing with her Disney Princesses. 


Garanimals Baby Girls' 2 Piece Graphic...

I fell in love with the Double the Fun set too.  This set is made of fleece as well.  Both will look adorable with a pair of sneakers or flats if your heading to the mall or grocery store.  I purchased both sets for $7.76 each.  I ordered additional items, so I was able to get free shipping to my house.  I love a bargain, especially when I don’t have to pay a fortune for cloths that my little sweeties will grow out of in months. 

Filed Under: Garanimal clothing, Great Finds, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Great Find – Melissa and Doug Deluxe Standing Easel

November 19, 2013 by


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Melissa and Doug easel

Christmas is around the corner and Mother 2 Mother is in search of great finds.  I purchased Melissa and Doug’s Deluxe Standing Easel for my little Picasso Xavier for $57.00.  As a Prime member, shipping was free.  Xavier loves to paint, so this will be a perfect gift for him.  The easel is listed as one of Amazon’s 2013 best gifts for kids.  I agree. 


The easel includes extra-large chalkboard, dry-erase board, and easy-load paper roller.  You will need to buy the accessories kit for an additional $27.00.  The kit includes: 

  • 4 Bottles of Poster Paint and 4 Spill-Proof Paint Cups
  • Easel paper roll, chalk, paint brushes, dry-erase marker and eraser


    • The easel alone usually runs around $80.00, so this is a Great Find.  If your child enjoys drawing and writing, I encourage you to check out this deal and have Santa deliver this great gift Christmas Eve.  Your child can look forward to hours of entertainment on those cold, snowy, winter days.  This item is appropriate for ages 3 and up. 

    Filed Under: children's easels, Great Finds, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , ,

    Cheese Ball Recipes

    November 18, 2013 by


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    Holiday cheese ball recipes from Michelle Buffardi

    Cheese balls are back and just in time for the holidays.  I watched Access Hollywood, my first time, and they were making these adorable cheese balls which I love.  I’m a big cheese and cracker fan, especially during the holidays, so these are going on my menu this season. 

    Here’s the recipes that were used on Access Hollywood:

    Herbed Turkey
    • 8 oz. cream cheese
    • 6 oz. goat cheese
    • 1 1/2 tbsp. herbs de Provence
    • 1 garlic clove
    • 1 tsp. mustard
    • 1/4 cup slivered almonds

    Note:  I will be substituting my Chipped Beef and Green Onion cheese ball recipe instead of the herbed.  Not a big fan of goat cheese, but I love the turkey idea. 

    For decorating:

    •  dark raisin for eyes
    • 1 whole almond for nose
    • 1 small piece red pepper
    • Thin pretzel sticks for feathers
    • Dried papaya for feet (I will be using an orange pepper)
    • Chopped almonds to roll cheese ball in.  (I’m going to substitute chopped walnuts)
    Using a stand mixer or a bowl and a spatula, mix together the cream cheese, the goat cheese, the herbs de Provence, garlic, mustard and salt. Form the mixture into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least two hours.
    Making the Turkey Cheese Ball: 
    Before serving, pinch a walnut-sized portion of cheese mixture from the ball; you will use that for the head. Re-form the remaining cheese ball and roll the ball in the almonds. Roll the remaining portion of cheese into a small ball and set it on top of larger ball – this is the turkey’s head. Cut the raisin in half and place each half on the head for the eyes. Place the almond in the middle for the beak, and arrange small piece of red pepper under the beak for the turkey’s wattle stick dried papaya slice into the bottom of the cheese ball for the feet. Last, arrange pretzel sticks on the back of the cheese ball to look like tail feathers

    Chilly Penguin

    • 16 oz. cream cheese
    • 4 oz. blue cheese
    • 2 tsp. chopped shallots
    • 1/4 tsp. coarse salt
    • Dash hot sauce
    • 1/2 cup poppy seeds, for coating
    For decorating:
    • 2 dark raisins
    • 1 almond
    • 1 carrot
    • 1 red bell pepper
    • 1 scallion
    Using a stand mixer or a bowl and spatula, mix together the cream cheese, the blue cheese, shallots, salt and hot sauce. Form the mixture into a ball and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
    Before serving , remove a 2-inch piece of the cheese mixture, roll into a ball, and set aside, this will be the head. Re-form the remaining cheese mixture into an egg shape. Cut out a triangle shape roughly the length of your cheese ball from a sheet of wax paper. Press the wax paper into the cheese ball , with the widest part on the widest part of cheese ball. Roll the cheese ball in the poppy seeds and set the ball on a plate.
    Slowly remove the wax paper; the ball should be covered in poppy seed, except for the penguin’s breast. Set the head on top of the penguin’s body and add the raisins for the eyes and almond for the beak. Slice off 2 equal sized rounds of the carrot and arrange them on either side as earmuffs. Connect the earmuffs with the green part of the scallion. Using a vegetable peeler, peel 1 long strip off the carrot; winds this around the penguin’s neck as a scarf. Slice the remaining carrot into toes and arrange at the bottom of the penguin’s body to make its feet, or use two red bell pepper slices.

                                                                   

    Filed Under: appetizers, cheese ball recipes, cheese balls, cooking, Food-Recipes, free recipes, holiday appetizers, holiday menu ideas, holiday recipes, how to make cheese balls, Uncategorized

    Holiday Decorating Ideas

    November 18, 2013 by

     

     

     

    holiday decorating


    Entertaining this holiday season?  Looking for holiday decorating ideas?  Mother 2 Mother found these center pieces and wanted to share the ideas.  If you’re like me, you have tons of extra Christmas ornaments in storage that you don’t use.  These center piece ideas will make a great conversation piece if you set them in the center of the dinner or buffet table.  How about the center of your coffee table.  You can use wooden or glass bowls or wood crates.  Be as creative as you like. 
    [Read more…]

    Filed Under: Life-Thoughts Tagged With: , ,

    Free Letters To Santa and Games

    November 17, 2013 by

     

    letter to Santa

    Stop, don’t pay for letters to Santa.  Christmas is around the corner, and every child dreams of writing letters to Santa.   This year I will be helping Xavier write a letter to Santa and I’ve found the perfect site, The Christmas Registry.  The letter is free, and they have Christmas games for kids!  I’ve seen sites that charge as much as $9.95 for a child to write a letter to Santa.  Personally, I think it should be free too.  I know that everyone is looking to make a profit, but not off the dreams of our children.

    This site doesn’t have a profit in mind, only the happiness and excitement of the holiday season and helping to make a child’s dream come true.  It’s full of activities for children which includes games, crafts, and recipes from Mrs. Clause.  One of my favorites during the holidays is Candied Almonds.   They have the recipe on the site.  I’ve made this recipe with pecans when I didn’t have almonds on hand.  Are you interested in making a gingerbread house?  Here’s a link to making a, Gingerbread House, the site has step by step instructions.

    I played several of the games while I was visiting.  Xavier, was 6 when I wrote this post, will enjoy the Crazy Santa Racer game.  I rather enjoyed it myself after I figured out how to play it.  I’m looking forward to playing it with my grandson.  Another game that I enjoyed was the Match Game.  Children will have to remember where they’ve seen various pictures to make a match.  If Christmas games for kids is the goal, check out The Christmas Registry.

    A few additional things about the site and the letters to Santa.  You will be responsible for composing the letter and the reply from Santa.  The site does give suggestions to help you compose the letter; however, the return reply will be sent via email rather than through the post office from the North Pole.  Possible drawback, but remember the site is free.  You can look at things from another perspective, Santa is now technically savvy.  Sending an email cuts down on the number of trips that his elves have to make to the post office to mail letters and emails are much faster.  After all we do live in a technological world.   Don’t want to write a letter, it has a message option. 

    Santa can also reply with a message.  Oh, the letter to Santa is delivered directly by one of Santa’s elves, so you won’t have to make a trip to the post office or worry about it getting lost in the mail.   I like the idea of having direct access to Santa via elf.

    letters to Santa

     

    There’s a Wish List section.  You can help your child enter their wish list to Santa.  There’s also a Naughty/Nice Meter that you can play with.  It ranges from 1(Naughty) to 10(Nice).  This meter can keep your little ones on their toes during the holiday season.  You can adjust it accordingly.

    Lets talk about setting up the accounts because it can be confusing.  You must register as the adult since you will be controlling your child’s activities on the site, but you must also create an account for your child.  When I was logged in as the adult, I was unable to access the games, recipes, or crafts.  It seems that only the child can access these activities.  Since they can’t cook alone or prepare crafts without assistance, this was somewhat confusing to me.  No worries though, the Activities Area is appropriate for children of all ages.

    All in all, I think the site is great for composing a free letter to Santa and playing Christmas games for kids.  I also like the Naughty/Nice meter.  Take a few minutes to check it out.

    Note:  This review is my opinion, I was not compensated in any manner for this review

    Filed Under: Entertainment, Parenting Tips Tagged With: , ,

    The Benefits Of Reading To Your Kids

    November 14, 2013 by

    Today, I’m sharing parenting advice on the benefits of reading to your kids.  First, to prepare your child for academic success it is recommended that we expose them to books.  Furthermore, studies have shown that reading is one of the keys to academic success.  My grandchildren love for me to read to them.  So, I’ve started a library for both.  I’m all for downloading books and apps, but I love seeing shelves full of books in the children’s rooms.

     

     

     

    benefits of reading to your child

     

     

    As a matter of fact, I read to my daughter when she was a child.  Her love for reading stayed with her.  As a result, as she got older she continued to read for hours.  To this day, one of my fondest memories was our book fair excursions. We would plan a day where I would meet her at college and we would spend hours at the local book fair.  Later, we would discuss our finds as well as the latest happenings on campus over dinner.  I do believe that our mutual love for books helped to create a strong mother – daughter bond too.

    Additionally, my daughter was an honor student, a member of Who’s Who in America, and a member of the Spanish Honor Society.  I believe that her early exposure to books helped her to excel in her academics.  Most importantly, start reading to your child at an early age.  It’s never too soon.

     

    benefits of reading to your child

     

     

    Furthermore, I’m hoping that our love for reading will be instilled into my grandchildren.  Reading must be taught, and it starts at home.  My granddaughter mimics her brother.  In addition to having books, they also have a Kindle, iPad, and laptop.  Both of their reading skills are strong.

     

    Additionally, we’ve taught Xavier how to access various sites on the computer.  He’s astute at navigating all of the electronics, and my granddaughter mimics everything her big brother does.  He is teaching her the ABC’s, how to count and various colors.

     

    Benefits of reading to your child:

    • Reading together creates a bond.
    • Reading helps to build a child’s vocabulary.
    • Your child will learn to follow a story from beginning to end. (You won’t be able to fool them if you try to skip pages. Especially, if it’s one of their favorite stories.)
    • Your child will have an appreciation for writing.
    • Builds a strong foundation for academics.
    • Your child will take steps to pick up books and read on their own.  ”’

     

     

     

    benefits of reading to your child

     

     

    Reading tips for parents:

    • Start reading to your child as early as 6 months.
    • Select reading material that interest your child and is appropriate to his/her age group. Toddlers love bright colors and books that are simple.  Board books are perfect.
    • Use different voices and pitches (vary your tone) when you read. Young children usually prefer to hear the same story over and over.
    • Purchase a personalized book for your child. They love reading about themselves.  I had a personalized book made for both grandchildren.
    • PBS has great programs where they focus on words, spelling, and their meaning. Check out you TV Guide for time slots and programs.
    • Have your child turn the page when you’re reading paper or hard back book. This gets them involved.
    • Allow your child to ask questions, and be sure to ask your child questions about the story.
    • Allow your child to select books from his or her age group.  This will work with buying in a store or downloading.
    • Take them to the local library for story hour.
    • Set an example. If your child sees you reading, they will follow.  I read my Kindle while my Xavier is reading his Kindle or iPad.  Zarriah has a tablet now too.
    • Don’t substitute books on tape. The true bonding experience and benefits come from you taking the time to read to your child.

    Finally, we hope that you find our benefits of reading to your child helpful.  Also, you may also like 4 Benefits of Reading to Your Child. 

                                                                           

    Filed Under: Education, Parenting Tips Tagged With: , ,