Top Ten Tweet Tips for Making Healthy Eating Fun and Yummy

1. Keep junk food out. This seems inherently obvious, but can be the most difficult to do, not only because of the kids’ tastes but the parents’ as well. However, if there are unhealthy options in the house, those are the ones we all want to go to first. Tweeters agreed wholeheartedly that keeping the junk food out is the best way to cut down on calories.
2. Involve the kids in the food prep process. As @KimFoodTalk says, “Involvement is key.” This can mean anything from letting younger kids help with measuring and stirring, to letting older kids choose or even find the recipes they’d like to eat.
3. Lead by example. You cannot tell your kids to eat healthy while chugging diet soda, unfortunately.
4. Talk with an administrator at your kids’ school(s) about the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, which is “a set of long-term health and wellness solutions in schools to encourage physical activity and good nutrition,” according to @JenniPurcellRD. It is sponsored by the National Dairy Council and the National Football League. More than 70,000 schools are already enrolled. You can find out if your schools enrolled here, says @INDairy.
5. Dip away. Dips make everything more palatable, and can add to, rather than take away from, the nutritional value of many things. Try mixing Nutella with greek yogurt, for instance, suggests @LizKelsay. Greek yogurt has more protein, less sodium, less carbohydrates, and is easier to digest and creamier than regular yogurt, according to LiveStrong.com.
6. Walk to the grocery store. Many of us might balk at this, but a surprising number of our tweeters say they do this. Not only does it burn calories, and reduce auto emissions, but it also makes it easy not to buy any extra non-necessities. @Mom4EverEver says her walk is just under two miles there and back.
7. Look at food from the back end. Explore where food comes from by either planting a garden, buying from a farmers market, or even joining a food co-op. @CoreyAnnKhan says, “Backyard gardens are easy! Even in urban areas!”
8. Call it something else. For us, calling broccoli “trees” and pretending like we were giants while we ate it worked really well to get our kids to eat it initially. They continue to eat it because they like the taste, especially when I serve it with a pinch of garlic salt or dried cranberries and sesame seeds, and they know it strengthens their bones, helps them digest better, and get sick less.
9. Make a specific plan. Everyone’s different, but for many, including @HoosierHomemade, making a menu plan for the whole upcoming week or month cuts down on trips to McDonald’s and impulse buying. That’s why we at MomItForward offer a weekly meal plan. Once the plan is made and supplies bought, you’ve got more time for fun!
10. Mix up the order. @EmmaSamuelsRD says she serves fruits and veggies before other components of meals and snacks so her kids “get the goods!”

Eating healthier and yummier can be done and can be fun. Let us know what’s worked for you!

Feature photo courtesy of Flickr.

How to Make Dairy and Egg Free Cookie “Cake” Pops

Adapted from “Cookie Pops” Family Circle, April 2012

Ingredients

Cookies:

• 1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup dairy-free butter (I use Earth Balance)
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup applesauce
• ½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)

Filling:

• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• ½ cup dairy-free butter
• 1 TBSP soymilk (could use another milk alternative like rice milk)
• 1 tsp vanilla (optional)
• Cookie Pop Sticks

Instructions

Cookie Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (TIP: I prefer to bake cookies on stoneware to reduce burning but the cookies take a few minutes longer to bake.)

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine softened butter, brown sugar and applesauce. Beat on low. Add the flour mixture until well combined. Add chocolate chips.

Drop spoonfuls of batter evenly spaced on the cookie sheet. Keep in mind the bigger the spoonful, the bigger the cookie and the fewer cookies the recipe will make. (TIP: Drop an even number of cookies; you’ll need two per pop.) A standard spoonful made a baker’s dozen.

Bake 12-17 minutes, depending on pan and position of rack. Let cool completely before adding filling.

Filling Instructions:

Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine confectioners’ sugar, softened butter and milk substitute. Add vanilla if you want.

Assembly:

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread filling generously on the bottom of one cookie and place filling side up on parchment paper. Press cookie pop stick into the icing. Gently press a second cookie on top. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Place cookie pops into the refrigerator to set.

Enjoy!

Do you have any great dessert recipes for kids with food allergies?

Shannon Morgan is a working mom of two, one with multiple food allergies. She is a blogger, editor, writer, and social media manager.

When not working, writing or hanging with her family, Shannon is training for her next race, dreaming about a vacation and drinking way too much decaf coffee.

She owns Shannon Morgan Creative and blogs about tales of healthy living inspired by food allergies at {SMC} A Storied Table. Email her at shannon at shannonmorgancreative dot com.

How to Save Money on Food at High School Prom

Here are 3 ways to save on prom food:

1. Find an Interesting Venue

Prommers think they have to go to a fancy restaurant for dinner before prom and that is just not the case. It just requires a little help from mom to pull off a great dinner that can also be fun! Look around and you may be surprised at the amount of interesting places you can have a dinner. A cool walking bridge or the roof top of a building; the sky’s the limit. Last year my son’s group of friends wanted to do a beach theme, so we rented a local clubhouse and brought the outside in. We pooled everyone’s resources, put up a large umbrella decked with lights, and put together a table that everyone could fit around. Then added candles and great food (prepared by the moms) and it was a really great evening!

2. Order Out the Food for Dinner

For Homecoming, they wanted to order Chinese and eat on a large grassy island by a busy street. So we loaded up the tables and chairs and found a beautiful spot under a flowering crabapple tree. Everyone driving by smiled and waved and enjoyed seeing fancy dresses and tuxes. And the kids felt like movie stars. We had tiki torches for light and a modge podge of tableware. And no one had to cook!

3. Have the Kids Do the Cooking

This year we set up in my husband’s art studio. Another big table with candles everywhere. Each couple got together and made their food assignment before hand (their menu was Italian). The atmosphere was perfect. The proof that it was a success was the lingering and laughter! Who wants to go to the dance anyway?

The prom experience can be magical with just a little thought and collaboration. It can also be memorable with creativity and an open mind. Use your local dollar stores and thrift stores for candles and decor. Most everyone has a portable table and a few folding chairs these days. Dig out your silver and china and put them to good use. It’s only once or twice a year. Have a little fun!

What creative ideas have your kids come up with to make their prom fun?

Susan lives in Boise, Idaho, and is a self-taught artist and a jack of many artsy trades. She is married to professional artist and has two great teenagers. She has her hand in a lot of pots. She is very involved in her community and church. She loves friends, family, movies, eating out, laughing, and vacationing to warm destinations! She just started her own blog! Visit susansspinningplates.wordpress.com.

Feature image from flickr

• Always takes place in Spring and usually, but not always, around the same time as Easter.
• Both faiths eat a lot of eggs but I am not sure that it is for the same reasons.
• They are both hope based: Passover celebrates the exodus out of Egypt, while Easter commemorates the Resurrection of Christ.

But that is where most of the similarities end.  The differences are truly interesting:

What Makes Passover Different from Other Jewish Holidays?

Passover is Celebrated in the Home

The celebration usually takes place at a meal, called a Seder, and therefore there is no need to go the Synagogue. Much of the family is usually congregated in one place—like the dining room table. All festivities and readings are done from a text called a “Haggadah,” which is read at the table.

Family & Friends Participate in the Service

The purpose of reading the Haggadah is to recall the liberation of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. Everyone has a job during the Sedar; in fact the youngest child has one of the biggest jobs: asking “The Four Questions.” The “Four Questions” are actually statements about how the celebration of Passover is different from other days. In my family, it is imperative that the child read the questions in Hebrew and not the phonetic pronunciations. To be allowed to read them means that you have started your Hebrew studies and are no longer considered “a baby” in the family. (On a side note: I didn’t learn how to read Hebrew until I was an adult and therefore have never had the honor of reading the Four Questions.)

The Seder Plate

The seder plate is the table’s centerpiece.  Each of the seven foods on the plate symbolize different aspects of the imposed slavery on the Israelites:

Vegetable (Karpas): It is traditionally dipped in salt water. The vegetable (usually parsley or lettuce) symbolizes an old tradition of beginning a meal by dipping vegetables. The salt water represents the tears our ancestors shed during their years of enslavement.

Shank bone (Zeroa) / Roasted Beet: Represents the tenth plague in Egypt, when all firstborn Egyptians were killed. The Israelites marked the doorposts of their homes with the blood of a lamb as a signal that death should pass over them.

Hard Boiled Egg (Baytzah): A symbol of mourning for the loss of the two Temples in Jerusalem. Hard boiled eggs were traditionally considered the food of mourners.

Charoset: A delicious mixture that is often made of apples, nuts, wine and spices. It is supposed to represent the mortar the Israelites were forced to use while they built structures for their Egyptian taskmasters.

Bitter Herbs (Maror): Symbolize the harshness of servitude. Horseradish—either the root or a prepared paste—is most often used. A small amount of maror is usually eaten with an equal portion of charoset.

Bitter Vegetable (Hazeret): This piece of the seder plate also symbolizes the bitterness of slavery. My family places a bowl of salted water as a representative.

Four Glasses of Wine

The Haggadah actually directs the adult participants to drink four glasses of wine during the service. As my family consistently tries to abbreviate the time spent recalling the Exodus, that’s 4 glasses in less than an hour.  Of course, after consuming that amount of alcohol in less than an hour, some of the family participants get a bit rowdy and decide to share some family stories that are better left in the past.

The 10 Plagues

Ten Plagues of Egypt

Because the Passover story is told at home, we are able recall (and even act out) our favorite parts including the recitation of the Ten Plagues imposed on Pharoah.  As each plague is called out, my family dips our little fingers in our wine and place a drop of wine on our plates.

No Bread (Or Anything with Leavening!)

I love bread! But it’s nice that once a year I have an excuse to throw out all of the old bread that has been lingering in the back of the refrigerator just waiting to be made into breadcrumbs. At Passover, it is customary that everything with leavening be thrown in the trash. In its place, we eat Matzah (flour and water) that has been baked for exactly 18 minutes. It’s amazing what can be made out of matzah with a little imagination and time. Crab cakes are DELCIOUS with a matzah meal base. (Yes, it’s true that crabs, by themselves, are not exactly considered kosher according to the Jewish Culinary rules, but I am just making a point about matzahs’ many uses.) Of course, by the end of the eight days of Passover, we are all a bit tired of eating it as our only form of starch but for most of the week it is a great alternate for bread, cereal, pasta etc.

Unleavened Bread or "Matzah"

Hiding the Afikomen

Like any Easter egg hunt, this tradition is really focused on the children participating in the Seder. At the beginning of the Seder, half of the middle three pieces of Matzah (called the Afikomen—which also means “dessert” in Aramaic) is hidden. The Seder service concludes ONLY when it is located by one of the children. The child may “sell” the Afikomen back to the Sedar’s leader. Usually the payment is a new toy or, in my family, five gold dollars. Allegedly, the custom aims to keep the children engaged throughout the entire service and interested in Passover traditions. However, having been the seeker and the one hiding the Afikomen, I find that it is really more rewarding to be one of the adults steering her favorite child towards the matzah before any of her bigger cousins ambush and steal it away from her. After explaining these seven customs to my neighbor, I was surprised to learn two things: first, she was actually still awake and listening to me and second, that she wanted to participate in a Seder. She explained that having listened to the yelling and singing coming from my home last Friday night, she wanted to be part of the party too. I can think of no better guest. After all, the Haggadah notes: “Let all who are hungry, come and eat.” The welcoming of guests to the Seder table is actually a central Passover tradition and in our neighborhood, that could be a lot of people at the table next year.

Featured image courtesy of Flickr.

How to De-Stress and Get Organized for Easter and Passover

9 Ways to Make Spring Holidays Less Stressful:

• Don’t worry about making the holiday perfect. No one is as critical as you are!
• Decide what traditions are important to you and forego the rest.  Figure out how to make the holiday meaningful for your family.  Your family takes their cue from you, and no one will enjoy the holiday if you feel stressed.
• Delegate whatever you can. When a guest asks what they can bring, have a suggestion ready.  Be proactive about asking guests and family members to help.
• Do it the same way every year.  If you always serve the same dishes, use the same platters and set up the same way, so it becomes routine.
• If you’re a family that takes turns hosting holidays, avoid Passover like one of the ten plagues. Between all of the different courses and types of food, this is a holiday meal that’s very labor intensive to host.
• Although I always advocate ease and simplicity, the Easter baskets I see are filled with junk you don’t want in your house.  Consider filling your own baskets with some higher quality toys that might last longer than an Easter egg hunt.
• If you buy Easter baskets without the handle, they’re easier to store and may have some other uses after the holiday is done.
• Store holiday accessories in labeled boxes with lids.  Since these items are used only once a year, they don’t need to be accessible.
• Stock up for next year as soon as the holiday ends; that’s when you’ll find the best sales!

Happy Holidays!

What are some ways you simplify your family holiday celebrations?

Barbara Reich is a professional organizer based in New York, NY. Her tough love approach turns organization and clutter from chore to lifestyle. To find more tips from Barbara, please visit www.facebook.com/ or www.resourcefulconsultants.com

How to Be a Restaurant Critic

Here are some tips for beginner restaurant critics:

Atmosphere

First things first, I love looking at the interior design of restaurants. They say don’t judge a book by its cover, but the décor totally sets the mood and prepares you for what type of food you have in store. Bright colors often say to me, “bring the family,” whereas dim lighting tells me to hold on to the credit card.

Bring a Friend

I always take someone with me. Eating out is more fun as when you have company. Plus, the more people you have with you the more meals you can try. You can’t critique the entire menu based on one meal, so make it a party and try an assortment of their menu.

Set a Budget

I always try to have the amount of money I want to spend in mind before I go. This doesn’t always mean I have to skip out, though. When eating out I use these tips to save me money:

• Look for coupons. Many restaurants have email lists you can sign up for or even text message discounts. Check coupon entertainment books as well as community ads for coupons and specials.
• Be an early bird. Eating out earlier in the evening is a great way to save. You can also opt for lunch instead of dinner to take advantage of the lunch specials.
• Go on kid’s night. If you’re taking the family, look for kids specials on certain nights of the week.
• Share your meal! Split the price and avoid overeating by agreeing on a mea you both enjoy.
• Take home the extra. Make one meal last for two!
• Drink water. Restaurants raise the prices for all drinks.
• Say”‘no” to dessert. They always ask and I’m always tempted, but alas, I say no. Fill up on your meal and if you still really need something, wait until you get home.

Give Second Chances

Just because you don’t like a restaurant the first time, doesn’t mean it can’t have a second chance. If the service was bad, I give it the benefit of the doubt and say it was just super busy that night. If I only tried one thing on the menu and disliked it, I’ll go again and try something new. That’s one of the great things about finding new restaurants, they’re changing a lot. Whether they got new management, a new cook, or took your favorite meal off the menu, your old ‘been there done that’ restaurants can become something you can experience all over again for worse or better.

 What are some of your favorite restaurants and why?

Okay.  It was a disaster.

People still had fun though and that’s the most important thing. That and the dessert.

Since then I’ve learned a few things about party planning.

5 Tips to Throw a Successful Party

Here are 5 tips that are sure to save you money, time, and stress:

1. Give yourself enough time to plan the party. I usually start planning about six weeks prior to the date of the party. That gives me enough time to make a guest list, pick a theme, and shop for items needed for the party. Time is definitely your friend when you are planning a party on a budget. It allows you to watch for sales on items needed for the party and to spread your purchases out.
2. Don’t sweat the small stuff. I have a tendency to freak out when things aren’t “perfect.” Rarely do things turn out exactly like I planned so I try to just go with the flow. That way, once the guests arrive, I’m not frazzled and can enjoy the party.  Perfect or not.
3. Use shortcuts such as the nugget sliders shown above. It’s a simple, stress free way to feed a lot of people without spending a ton of money. Serve it alongside some spiced mayo or bbq sauce and you’ve got a fabulous spread that took minutes.
4. Prep food the day before the party. Cut up veggies, mix dips, and bake treats one or two days ahead of time. I also like to lay out my platters, plates, and silverware the night before so I’m not scrambling at the last minute to find a dish.
5. Create a budget. I think the best way to throw a party on a budget is to use what you got. I always have a few brownie mixes on hand. Toss in a handful of nuts, chocolate chips, coconut, or candy and you’ve just taken your box of brownies to a whole new level. You can also always find celery, carrots, and bell peppers in our crisper drawer along with a can of beans in our pantry. Whip up a quick veggie platter with some hummus.

While these tips work for any party, I was thinking specifically of the Superbowl when I came up with the recipes. Here are a few recipes that are sure to be winners at your next tailgate!

8 Super Bowl Recipes

Buffalo Blue Cheese Hummus

Ingredients:

• 1 – 15 oz can white beans
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup buffalo sauce or marinade (I used KC Masterpiece)
• 1/4 blue cheese crumbles

Directions:

In a food processor combine the first four ingredients and blend until creamy.  Add the blue cheese crumbles and pulse a few times.  Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Nugget Sliders

I would make at least two of these for each person you are expecting. Leftovers are always a good thing. Buy fully cooked, prepackaged chicken nuggets and as many dinner rolls as needed. Cook the nuggets per package instructions. Open the rolls and place one nugget inside each roll. Serve alongside condiments, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, etc.

The following are a few other recipes you might like:

• White Bean, Sun Dried Tomato, and Basil Hummus
• Pico de Gallo
• Spicy Chili Con Carne
• Crockpot Sloppy Joe’s
• Spicy Black Bean Burgers
• Baked Chicken Flautas

What are your favorite party planning tips and tricks?

Krista is a wife and a stay-at-home mom to four boys. When she’s not making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or cleaning up the mess from them she writes for her blog, Budget Gourmet Mom. She believes that eating on a budget doesn’t mean it can’t be gourmet food.  That shows in the family friendly recipes she shares and the easy to find ingredients she uses. Not only can you follow her on her blog but on Facebook and Twitter as well.

But, before you move full steam ahead into 2012, take a moment to celebrate all the amazing things you accomplished in 2011. After all, New Year’s Eve parties are as much about looking back and reminiscing on the fun of the old year as they are about looking forward with hope to the year ahead.

And nothing says celebration more than a little food!

7 New Year’s Eve Party Appetizer Recipes

Over at Kitchen Monki, we’ve created a quick list of other ideas for easy and tasty appetizers that are perfect for any New Year’s Eve party. Whether it’s for a large gathering or small get together, these dishes are sure to please everyone’s taste buds.

Funfetti Cupcakes

If you’re looking for the one can’t-miss appetizer idea, you won’t go wrong with Funfetti Cupcakes! Yes! You heard me right! Cupcakes for appetizers! What’s not to love about that? Festive and delicious, these cupcakes are sure to please. Either make full sized cupcakes or “mini” cupcakes. The cupcakes have a fun, festive feel and you can add a colorful frosting and even more sprinkles on top to really wow your guests.

Ham and Cheese Swirls

Easy to make with affordable ingredients, these cheese swirls resemble cinnamon buns. Instead of giving the kids a sugar high however, it is a healthy replacement. Cook time is generally fifteen to thirty minutes.

Bacon Wrapped Crackers

Everybody loves bacon! This is a very easy recipe, but, can take around 45 minutes to make. However, there are only three ingredients: crackers, bacon, and Parmesan cheese. Yummy!

Crepes

For a sweet (literally) appetizer, some classic crepes are perfect for a New Year’s Eve party. Each one only take a few minutes to make and can be topped with fresh fruit and a little bit of powered sugar—a very light appetizer that is also great for people with a sweet tooth.

Sweet and Spicy Popcorn

Easy, casual, and simple. Popcorn is a light snack perfect for New Year’s and also a great finger food for the kids with a bit more flavor than regular popcorn. Like the title says, the popcorn has a sweet taste and then a bit of a spicy aftertaste.

Artichoke and Spinach Dip

Though this will take a bit more time than the rest of the listed recipes, it is certainly a favorite at any party and also perfect for those cold, winter nights! Just add some tortilla chips for dipping.

To finish off the list, here’s a great recipe that is perfect for both cold nights and New Year’s parties on top of being a unique appetizer people are sure to love. However, like the artichoke and spinach dip, this is a recipe which will take a bit more time to finish. However, the end result will be absolutely delicious and a cute appetizer.

Hopefully these recipes can help make everything perfect at your New Year’s Eve party. And of course, have a fun New Year’s Eve and Day!

What recipes will you prepare for your New Year’s Eve celebration? How do you celebrate New Year’s Eve?

But why wait until next Christmas to try them? Confetti Squares, not to be mistaken with the sweet treat variety, are a delicious, colorful appetizer sure to start off your New Year’s Eve party this week (or really any party) with a healthy bang.

How To Make Confetti Square Crescent Roll Appetizers

Feel free to get crazy with the ingredients. Add as much variety as you’d like in flavor and color.

Ingredients

• 2 pkg. crescent rolls (the kind you buy in the a package in the refrigerated section at the grocery store like these from Pillsbury.)
• 2 8 ounce pkg. cream cheese
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2-3 carrots (shredded)
• 3 celery stalks (diced)
• 1/2 yellow pepper (diced)
• 1 bunch radishes (shredded)
• 5-6 green onions (chopped)

Directions

1. Pat crescent dough onto a cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) and bake according to directions. Let cool completely.
2. Beat softened cream cheese and mayonnaise and spread mixture evenly on baked crescent dough (will be flat).
3. Sprinkle veggies evenly on top of the mixture.
4. Cut into small pieces before cooling.
5. Place in refrigerator and chill 3-4 hours before serving.

What is your favorite appetizer to serve during a New Year’s Even celebration?

Don’t All Good Moms Shop at Joann’s?

If you’re at all like me, you’re very appreciative of all things DIY, including cooking and baking, as well as pinning these fabulous pictures on your Pinterest boards.

And even a step further, you have started to think that you, too, can be one of those moms. You know, the kind whose kids must have a better Christmas because of all the fun kids crafts and family cooking activities they do right from the comfort of their own home. The kind whose neighbors look forward every year to receiving their handmade neighbor gifts. I’m guessing these moms’ houses are spic and span and their kids don’t fight either. Who wouldn’t want to be that kind of mom?

So, in an effort to be a “good mom,” I went to Joann’s. I figured all good moms must shop at Joann’s since the parking lot is always full, I hear everyone talk about it, and well, honestly, because I didn’t shop there!

I hit the craft store of all craft stores on a good day, which the good moms all knew about, because they were all there. Had they known me, they would have detected the imposter in their midst, but they didn’t, so I walked around acting like I knew what I was doing. Fake it til you make it, right?

Wilton Candy Melts for Chocolate Snowflake Pops

First off, I bought a year’s supply of candy melts and lots of chocolate molds. I remember my mom, who is the good mom type, always having candy melts and molds, so I figured that would be a safe place to start. The good news is that a huge sale was happening and I got lots of craft and cooking goods for a fraction of their original cost (all lost on me, because I never buy it).

I went home and made chocolate snowflake suckers for a church activity. I got lots of compliments and someone even asked for the recipe. Even though I placed them on a plate and didn’t have them sticking into some sort of foam core Christmas tree with DIY dodads all over it, I figured I was well on my way to being a good mom.

Gingerbread House Kit

Next up? Gingerbread house kit. I’m sure lots of good moms make their own gingerbread houses, but I took the risk on buying the kit, figuring a pre-fab gingerbread house had to be better than no gingerbread house, right? I also figured it was one more Wilton product to add to the list. And don’t all good moms stock their pantries and craft rooms with Wilton?

Well, I may have had all the other good moms fooled, but when I got home, my 10 year-old son said, “Hey! Mom! Is Wilton your client? Are they doing a #gno Twitter party with you or something? Because why else would you go out and buy all of this stuff? Do we need to tweet about them or something?”

Wow! The wisdom of kids.

So, we broke out the pre-fab gingerbread house. Just one tip for anyone reading this who is a mom like me (the type to ruin a gingerbread house, even one that comes from a kit)… check all the gingerbread pieces before putting them together. The roof looks amazingly similar to walls. And wow does that icing turn into cement like stuff quickly! Not a lot of time to repair mistakes!

Advent Calendars

And finally, the advent calendar. Now, I realize it is already almost Christmas. But seriously… don’t good moms embrace the “better late than never” philosophy? I’m going to play by that rule until someone tells me otherwise, because I bought the mid-sized Fiskar’s hole punch and the Wilton tiny tins to make the advent calendar I saw on this good mom’s blog, I can’t for the life of me figure out how to do the printing and design work to get the little advent activities into the bottoms of the tins. The most non-craftsy of all steps to the project and I can’t figure it out. Oh! Well! We’ll have a Valentine’s advent calendar instead. We’re already ahead of the game craft wise! Aren’t all good moms?

The Real Definition of a Good Mom

Nutshell? When I jumped down to earth from heaven, I somehow missed the good mom manual and ended up in a don’t-you-dare-DIY body. I appreciate all the creativity. I will pin the pictures and longingly look at them on my boards. And I’ll keep trying projects from Joann’s and Wilton so my kids can have a little fun during the holidays. But, I’m hoping they’ll also forgive me for flat reindeer cookies, pre-fab gingerbread houses, and Valentine’s Day advent calendars. After all, who really are the good moms? Those who are spending time with their kids, regardless of how crafty they are.

What craft and cooking projects do you do with your kids? If you aren’t the crafty type, what other activities do you do for fun as a family?