Teaching Children to Give—Reindeer Cookies as Holiday Neighbor Gifts
November 29, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 5 Comments
When I think of favorite holiday activities, giving is the first one that comes to mind. I love seeing all the Angel Trees around town, collection bins for the Food Bank, boxes accepting winter coat donations, and much more. That so many organizations are centered on helping those in need is uplifting. I appreciate them making it easy for me to play a part in that outreach!
My parents were like these organizations. They provided ample ways for our family to help others while at the same time helping us fall in love with the act of giving. So, as the holiday season gets under way, I want to share a few ways you can teach your children to fall in love with the act of giving as well.
Service and giving can have many different recipients: self, family, friends, pets, neighbors, community, the world, etc. Part 1 of my “Teaching Children to Give” series focuses on those right around you—your neighbors.
Neighbors are a vital part of the community in which you live. They often are the people you see at common places in your life—at the grocery store, at church service, at your kids’ school, at volunteer activities, at community events, and more. Showing appreciation for them and teaching your children the importance of valuing them is not only important, but can be fun!
Baking reindeer cookies is a tradition I started with my two boys several years ago. My mother in law shared the recipe with me and helped us bake our first batch. Now, my family bakes these every Thanksgiving holiday weekend and takes them around to our neighbors to kick off the holiday season with a bang!
Check out this Whrrl story for more pictures and detailed steps on how to make them!
If you join or log in to Whrrl, please comment and share your fun holiday giving traditions too!
How to Avoid Weight Gain During the Holiday Season
November 29, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 3 Comments
The holidays are infamous for adding to our waistlines. It happens to the best of us. But we can take some preventative measures, so that we don’t have to go shopping for a bigger size during the New Year. I asked Leah @bookieboo, who heads up the Mamavation Sistahood—a group of moms losing weight and learning a healthy lifestyle together—to share some tips on how to enjoy healthy living during the holiday season. Here are some of the tips they shared:
1. Move more.
Get extra movement in any way you can. Turn the music on and dance. Park at the far end of the parking lot. Run up and down the stairs more. Studies have shown that adding extra steps to your day will burn more calories and keep your metabolism higher.
2. Get a support group.
Find a group of women that will support you in your healthy goals. If you are in need, we welcome all moms to the Mamavation Sistahood. You only need to have a desire to learn about healthy living and a positive attitude. We can be reached any time of day on twitter by using #mamavation.
3. Offer to bring a food item to the party.
Whether it’s a preschool party, family get-together, or office party, offer to bring a healthy alternative. Then bring something you can eat, like salad, fruit, or a low-fat appetizer.
4. Do your food research.
Know what it is you are eating. Do research and find out what the average calorie/fat count is to a certain food you like. Then ask yourself what you want to eat and what you want to skip. Don’t cut out everything, but cut out things you know aren’t worth the calories. For instance, did you know you will have to do over 2,000 jumping jacks to work off every cup of homemade stuffing?
5. Don’t drink your calories.
The holidays bring the best drinks of the season, but It’s very easy to drink your calorie allowance for the day without even knowing it. Check the nutritional count on what you are drinking BEFORE you drink. Wouldn’t you rather blow your calories on food instead? Dropping soda for the month is an easy way of cutting out a grip of extra calories. Stick to coffee, tea, red wine, and water. And for the diet soda lovers out there, studies have shown diet drinks actually make you gain weight, not lose weight. So don’t bother.
6. Control your portions.
Don’t get out of control. You can eat your favorite foods by using sensibility and portion control. Sometimes it is better to eat what you want and limit it, rather than deny yourself and overeat later.
7. Get a shoe that supports your needs.
Get a shoe this month that allows you to burn more calories as you are walking, like Earth Footwear. With a tool like this, you will be able to go about your life and the shoes will do a lot of the work for you.
8. Have a plate strategy.
When you load up your plate, fill half with veggies, ¼ protein, and then samples of whatever else you want. That way you aren’t depriving yourself and will feel full at the end of your meal. Another strategy is to use a smaller plate. You might be eating less, but you will feel more satisfied.
9. Add in more fruits and vegetables to every meal.
Make a conscious effort to eat more vegetables and fruit this month. Think about more ways you can incorporate them into every meal. Filling up on veggies will keep you satisfied and full and the end of your meal.
For more tips on how to live a healthy lifestyle and incorporate that in your family life, join the Mamavation Sisterhood.
Picture courtesy of Pink Sherbet Photography.
Giveaway! Stay Healthy Over the Holidays With Earth Footwear’s Exer-Walk Shoes
November 26, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 361 Comments
Three lucky winners will receive a pair of Exer-Walk shoes from Earth Footwear.
Studies demonstrate that Earth Footwear increases the rate of fat-burning inside the body. Women wearing Earth Footwear burn 4x the fat than normal shoes. The difference is in the Kalso Negative Heel Technology, which positions the toes 3.7º higher than the heels. The slight angle shifts weight subtly back over the heels, and help strengthen and tone the body while also burning more calories.
This is why Earth Footwear is so useful during the holidays. While you are shopping, running errands and caring for the family, the shoes do the work for you.
Entry Requirements
You can earn up to three extra entries in this week’s giveaway by doing the following (one extra entry per completed item):
- Follow @earthfootwear on Twitter.
- Become a fan of the http://facebook.com/earthfootwear page and leave a comment there, sharing tips on ways to have a healthy holiday season.
- Tweet and/or post a message on your Facebook profile page the following messages:
GIVEAWAY! Enter 2 win a pair of Exer-Walk shoes from @earthfootwear (3 winners!). http://bit.ly/73vJay #gno PLS RT
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Join #gno Tues 12/1 (9-11 pm ET) 4 tips on how to enjoy a healthy holiday season w/@earthfootwear RSVP: http://bit.ly/7NOZ4H PLS RT
Entry Requirements
You have the option of getting three extra entries in this week’s giveaway. Make sure to leave a comment for each extra entry on this post.
- Leave a comment on the Earth Footwear Whrrl story.
- Tweet and/or post a message on your Facebook profile page the following message (one extra entry each):
Become a fan of the http://facebook.com/earthfootwear FB page for tips on enjoying a healthy holiday season! #gno PLS RT
The Fine Print
No purchase necessary to enter. Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. Earth Footwear and Mom It Forward employees are ineligible to participate. All entries received after Wednesday, December 2 at midnight PT will not be considered. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered. Winners will be notified and will have 24 hours to confirm receipt of the e-mail. If they do not reply within 24 hours, another winner will be selected. Open to participants in the US and Canada 18 years and older. One entry per person.
Tips for Enjoying a Healthy Holiday Season This Tuesday on Twitter
November 26, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 74 Comments
What are some ways to stay healthy during the holidays? What are your favorite healthy and non-healthy holiday foods? What gets in the way of starting a healthy living program and how can you overcome these obstacles for the New Year?
Join the Earthfootwear and #mamavation teams this Tuesday, December 1 to discuss the answer to these and more questions! Party details included in the bullet list below.
And don’t forget to enter this week’s giveaway. Click here to enter for a chance to win a pair of Exer-Walk shoes from Earth Footwear (3 winners!).
- What: Earth Footwear is sponsoring this week’s #gno Twitter party (Click here to learn about #gno!)
- When: Tuesday, December 1, 9-11 p.m. EST (8CT, 7 MT, & 6 PT)
- Where: Click here to party with us on our custom Tweetgrid. (Use hashtags #gno and #earthfootwear.)
- Topic: Fitness, exercise, and healthy living over the holidays
- Who: @alyssabecthold @banteringblonde @bookieboo @craftymamaof4 @earthfootwear @kaisermommy @mombloggersclub @momitforward @stacieinatlanta @vdog
- Party Favors: Click here to enter for a chance to win a pair of Exer-Walk shoes from Earth Footwear.
- RSVP: Please leave your Twitter ID in the comments to follow and be followed (on Twitter, of course!) by other #gno gals. The best format is as follows: http://twitter.com/jylmomIF.
What’s on Your Holiday Wishlist This Year? ($3800 in Prizes???)
November 23, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 9 Comments
Win a Sleighful of Gifts!
TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter, I’m sharing this meme with you. Did I mention this giveaway features $3,800 in prizes? For those of you that know me, you know I’m not exaggerating, because if I were, I’d exaggerate using an odd number. LOL!
Click here to check out the ginormous amount of goods.
To enter to win them, all you need to do is the following three things:
- Answer the questions in this meme on your blog.
- Make sure to post links back to TodaysMama.com and Provo Craft (using this link: http://bit.ly/4ikY3c ).
- Tag your friends!
Create a Wishlist!
1. What 5 items are top on your holiday wish list?
- A piano
- A trip to India
- Maid service (even one a month would be heavenly!)
- A trip to New York City (I would love to get this gift early, so I can go this December!)
- A new printer like my old one (where the sheets feed into the copier)
2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?
Do my grandma’s banana cookies count? Honestly… there is no better handmade gift than that!
3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?
I’d love to knit a hat as long as someone else could do the knitting for me!
4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?
Holly Hobby Easy Bake Oven… hands down the best gift evah!
5. What items are top on your kids wish list this year?
- My 6YO wants an electric guitar.
- My 8YO wants us to get a piano. He’s willing to forego toys for it!
6. What is your favorite holiday food?
Where to begin?
- Reindeer cookies
- My MIL’s sugar cookies
- Saurkraut
- My mom’s prime rib roast
- Caramel Apple Spice from Starbuck’s
- Hot chocolate
- Veggie trays (especially if I got to chop the veggies)
- Olives (especially when eaten off my finger tips… tell me you did that as a kid too!)
7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?
Thankfully, nada (unless making reindeer cookies as neighbor gifts counts)!
8. What is your favorite holiday movie?
All of them! I love holiday movies!!! If I had to choose just one, I would probably say How The Grinch Stole Christmas, especially the part when his heart pops out of his chest!
9. Favorite holiday song?
I can’t choose just one:
- Oh Come All Ye Faithful
- We Three Kings/Star of Wonder by BNL & Sarah McLaughlin
- Bring the Torch, Jeanette Isabella
- That one by the Osmond’s that @troypattee dies for (can’t remember the name… not Puppy Love though!)
10. Favorite holiday pastime?
Giving!
Tag! You’re It!
Now, it’s tag time! I’d love to see answers to these questions from all of you, but since the task is to tag some of you and since tagging all of you would mean the rest of you would have no one to tag, here we go!
- Amy from Mom Spark
- Niri from Mommy Niri
- Robyn from Pensieve Robin
- Melissa from Isly
- Carissa from Good and Crazy People
- Angie from 7 Clown Circus
- Elizabeth from Parenting Pink
- Kim from Crafty Mama of 4
- Holly from June Cleaver Nirvana
- Jenny from Jenny on the Spot
Giveaway! Enter to Win More Than $300 in Fashionable Gifts From Ann Taylor!
November 19, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 343 Comments
Three lucky winners will receive fashionable gifts from Ann Taylor pictured on the right. Read below for more details.
Entry Requirements
To enter for a chance to win, you are required to do the following three things. Make sure to leave a comment here linking to each one:
- Follow @anntaylorstyle on Twitter.
- Become a fan of the Ann Taylor Facebook page and leave a comment there sharing your “must-have” item from Ann Taylor’s Holiday 2009 Collection. (Visit http://anntaylor.com to see their Holiday 2009 Collection.)
- Retweet and/or post the following two messages on Facebook and/or Twitter and comment here, linking to your update/post:
GIVEAWAY! Enter 2 win over $300 in fashionable gifts from @anntaylorstyle. http://bit.ly/17qJn5 PLS RT
X
Become a fan of the fashionable @anntaylorstyle FB page! http://www.facebook.com/AnnTaylor PLS RT
The Fine Print
No purchase necessary to enter. Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. Ann Taylor and Mom It Forward employees are ineligible to participate. All entries received after Wednesday, November 25 at midnight PT will not be considered. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered. Winners will be notified and will have 24 hours to confirm receipt of the e-mail. If they do not reply within 24 hours, another winner will be selected. Open to participants in the US and Canada 18 years and older. One entry per person.
Chat With Ann Taylor About Style & Success Tuesday During #gno on Twitter
November 19, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 45 Comments
Do you believe that style plays a part in success—that first impressions can lead to great opportunities? What does your personal style say about you and how has it helped shape your success? Who are some successful women that inspire you?
Join Ann Taylor’s style director and other twittering fashionistas this Tuesday, November 24 to discuss the answer to these and more questions at a fun chat regarding style and success! Party details included in the bullet list below.
And don’t forget to enter this week’s giveaway. Click here for a chance to win more than $300 in fashionable prizes!
- What: Ann Taylor is sponsoring this week’s #gno Twitter party (Click here to learn about #gno!)
- When: Tuesday, November 24, 9-11 p.m. EST (8CT, 7 MT, & 6 PT)
- Where: Click here to party with us on our custom Tweetgrid. (Use hashtags #gno and #anntaylor.)
- Topic: Style and success
- Who: @anntaylorstyle @charissacowart @fashiongrail @kadiprescott @katjapresnal @kristinfromAT @momtrends @petit_elefant @stylemom @westernglamour
- Party Favors: Click here to enter for a chance to win fashionable giveaways from Ann Taylor.
- RSVP: Please leave your Twitter ID in the comments to follow and be followed (on Twitter, of course!) by other #gno gals. The best format is as follows: http://twitter.com/jylmomIF.
Thrift-Store Shopping How-To’s From a Nordie’s Gal!
November 15, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 11 Comments
I am proof that you can swear undying devotion to Dillard’s and still rock it when it comes to thrift-store shopping. What’s the key to my success, you ask? My uber stylish friends (USFs) who just so happen to love all things vintage and make sorting, frugality, and thrift-store shopping an amazing art instead of the crazy chaos I thought it would be.
Looking to find a stylish steal of a deal and have fun while doing it? Don’t take it from me, learn a few tips from the pros, my USFs—Allison from Petit Elefant or @petit_elefant, Carina from Jet Set or @jet_set, and Melissa from Isly or @melissapher.
Here is what I learned this past weekend while thrifting in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah!
1. Get Organized and Connected!
While the actual shopping was fun (yes! I admit it!), the whole thrifting experience would have been void without friends. Sharing your finds is half the fun, so having one person organize the event—invite people, create a schedule, e-mail information—was extremely helpful. Before the outing, I loved knowing who was going, getting pre-shopping tips, organizing carpools, and chit chatting back and forth on e-mail to generate excitement.
(From left: Allison, Marie, Emily, Carina, and Melissa)
2. Prepare an Itinerary.
Receiving a schedule of the thrifting events was awesome, because it gave us a play-by-play of the day’s activity. That way, if we had to arrive late or leave early or only had a certain amount of time we could be there, we could plan accordingly.
3. Provide Pre-Shopping Tips.
For non-thrift-shopping gals, receiving a few helpful pre-shopping tips like these made the whole experience easier:
- If you’re looking to buy furniture, measure the space in your house and bring the dimensions with you so you don’t buy a piece that is too large or small for the space.
- If you’re looking to buy clothes or shoes, wear clothes that can easily be removed and put back on.
4. Choose Vintage Stores Close in Proximity But With a Variety of Products.
When shopping with 10+ gals, especially on a snowy day, make sure to schedule your stops close together. We went to several stores within walking distance and then drove to another two also within walking distance. I loved the diverse mix of products in each of the stores. I bought a red hat in Retro Rose and a cute silk dress at The Green Ant. Other stores sported bottle collections, furniture, a vintage Jack-in-the-Box, and extensive jewelry collections.
5. Tempt the Palate.
What’s an outing without food? Starting and ending on a delicious note not only kept everyone’s tummy’s full and happy, but also provided an extra opportunity for socializing.
Choosing the eateries also played a role in both setting the tone and wrapping things up in savory style. We went foreign for breakfast with Belgian Waffles from Bruges and to Gormandise Bakery “famous for its spectacular desserts” for lunch.
6. Open Your Mind and Your Pocketbook, But Not Before Haggling.
Being a non-thrifting gal myself prior to this event, part of its success for me was simply being open minded. I didn’t think the silky number would fit and wasn’t in the mood to try things on. Peer pressure got me into the dressing room and out of the store with a cute dress perfect for me at a great price ($20 folks!). Of course, I had to be willing to pull out the pocketbook. Frugal isn’t free! But, I did learn the price is always up for negotiation—a little friendly haggling!—one thing I wouldn’t dare do at Nordie’s.
7. Capture the Event!
One of the funnest parts of the experience was taking pictures as we went from store to store. Check out the entire activity on Whrrl by clicking here!
A seasoned thrifter? New to the game? Leave a comment with your tips, questions, or advice.
Changing Your Community Starts at Home With Secret Service Agents
November 15, 2009 by Marie LeBaron · 1 Comment
When we think of service, we tend to think of giving to others outside of our home. Serving in your own family is sometimes harder than it seems. So our family came up with this fun way to give service to each other, right here at home. We now have our very own “Secret Service Agents”!
My daughter drew a fun picture for her brother, we slipped it in a note paper pouch, then we secretly put it under his bed. When my son goes to sleep, he’ll see the fun pouch, open up the note, and see that his little sister gave him a special picture.
The Secret Service Agent pouch is then passed on to my son to choose who’s going to get a fun note from him. Someone in our family is going to get a fun surprise under their pillow almost every day! It’s been a fun way to serve right here in our home!
**To make a little note pouch, fold a piece of paper up and glue the two sides together. Write some fun words on the top or write, “Your Secret Service Agent”. Draw/write your special note and slip it in the pouch.**
GIVEAWAY! Win a PBS KIDS Gift Pack Perfect for Holiday Gift Giving!
November 13, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 346 Comments
With the holidays right around the corner and with names like Electric Company, Curious George, and Sesame Street, the PBS KIDS gift pack would arrive right in time and be the perfect present for the kids in your life this holiday season.
Prize
Three lucky winners will receive the following prizes in this PBS KIDS gift pack (retail value $100 each):
- Electric Company Backpack on wheels
- PBS Kids baseball hat
- Curious George plush
- PBS Kids T-shirt
- Steve Songs CD
- Music from Dinosaur Train
- Sesame Street Playground (Songs and videos from Around the World)
- Martha Speaks book
- Super Why book
- PBS Kids Color Foil book
- Super Why Hidden Word Puzzle
- PBS Kids USB port
- Sid The Science Kid Toy Microphone
- PBS Parents photo envelop
Entry Requirements
To enter for a chance to win, you are required to do the following three things. Make sure to leave a comment here linking to each one:
- Check out the http://pbskidsgo.org/lunchlab site and leave a comment here about your or your child’s favorite part of the site.
- Comment on the PBS Kids Healthy Eating for the Holidays Whrrl story and leave a comment here, letting us know you did so.
- Retweet and/or post the following two messages on Facebook and Twitter and comment here, linking to your update/post:
GIVEAWAY! Enter 4 chance 2 win $100 gift pack from #pbskids (3 Winners!). http://bit.ly/3PlZta PLS RT
Visit http://pbskidsgo.org/lunchlab 4 gr8 healthy eating/cooking w/kids tips just in time 4 holiday cooking/baking! #pbskids PLS RT
Extra Entries
You can earn up to two extra entries this week. Leave a comment for each one on this post!
- Follow @pbsparents on Twitter.
- Become a fan of the PBS Kids Facebook page.
The Fine Print
No purchase necessary to enter. Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. PBS and Mom It Forward employees are ineligible to participate. All entries received after Wednesday, November 18 at midnight PT will not be considered. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered. Winners will be notified and will have 24 hours to confirm receipt of the e-mail. If they do not reply within 24 hours, another winner will be selected. Open to participants in the US and Canada 18 years and older. One entry per person.
