Holiday

It's that time of year! Time to stock up on candy corn, cream of mushroom soup, and gift wrap! That's right - "It's the holiday season" ("so a-hoop dee doo and dickory dock!") And in my house -- like yours, I'm sure -- that means many things, from the days getting shorter to the dollars stretching longer. But one thing this season always guarantees is the Peanuts Holiday Collection. For us, it's time to dust off the DVD set of Charlie Brown and Friends for at least five months' worth of nostalgic cartoon-watching, stretching all the way from October to February. It begins early enough -- I would say that we wait until that first cool snap, but in Louisiana,...

I can't believe Thanksgiving is already here. This year has gone by too fast! My kids have already gone through the Toys R Us magazine circling what they want for Christmas, which is EVERYTHING. If you are looking for a fun and easy Thanksgiving craft to do with your kids that incorporates the meaning of being thankful, this thankful turkey craft is perfect. Items Needed I was able to find all the items I needed at Walmart for under $5. Any craft under $5 is always a win in my book. I grabbed felt sheets in 5 different colors, 1 sheet of brown foam paper, and adhesive googly eyes. I already had a sharpie/markers, scissors and glue at home. Steps to the...

November is here, and it feels like Christmas is right around the corner. We just finished celebrating Halloween, which was so much fun with our two boys. I love going to the pumpkin patch, picking out Halloween costumes, trick or treating with friends, and all the other festivities. We had a blast! And now when I look at our December calendar, I see that it is about to fill up with school, church and family activities. And I LOVE Christmas!! I start singing Christmas carols sometime in September because I just can't help it. I love to decorate and all of the traditions, and making special memories. But at the beginning of November, I just want to stop. I...

On the last Saturday in September, I noticed a lot of activity on the lawn of our across the street neighbors. Throughout the morning, it became more evident what the final result would be, a yard full of life-size replicas of characters from scary movies. By the end of the day, Mike Myers from Halloween, the clown from It, Regan from The Exorcist, Norman’s mother from Psycho, a blood soaked Carrie, and various other nefarious looking creatures were all gazing towards my living room window. It was really quite impressive, and in my teen years, this would have been the coolest house in the neighborhood. As a mother to three small children, though, it was anything but cool. My anxious...

All the ghouls and goblins will be out trick-or-treating, filling their pumpkins to the brim with plenty of sweet treats. As a kid, there really isn’t anything much better than wandering from house to house being handed loads of candy. Of course, the homes passing out those full size candy bars are always the first stop. I fondly remember pouring my bags of candy out afterwards to take stock of our loot. We would sort and barter for the best flavors, trying to see how much we could get away with eating. While all that candy is a bit of a childhood rite of passage, the amount can be a bit excessive. To combat all that sugar some parents exchange...