Christmas with Kids

Fondant is a wonderful thing. A versatile confection used in everything from cake decorating to homemade candies, you can make fondant at home and experiment with using it for your special occasion sweets. I’ve made fondant mints that used peppermint extract and pressed them into candy molds. They were a big hit!
You can shape fondant [...]

Every kid loves to see their name on various items: books, mugs, placemats, signs, or just about anything else! What could be better than a Christmas Story featuring your child? Our daughter received one of these as a gift a few years ago, and it is still one of her favorite books! Personalized gifts are [...]

I’ve been trying to find the perfect hat to knit to convince other people to knit for fun, and I think I’ve found it! Who can resist this baby hat? For the experienced knitter, this could be an afternoon project. In fact, most knitted hat projects can be made in a day or two. They [...]

Christmas has traditionally been a great time for movie watching with the family. There are already a couple of movies out for the whole family, but Christmas will have some new releases for your viewing enjoyment.
I took the kids to see High School Musical 3 on Friday, and I thought it was a really good [...]

This is a novel but necessary concept for many people in this economic climate. Forced by circumstance (lay-off, bankruptcy, foreclosure, health problems, other catastrophes,) many Americans will be having a “Buy Nothing” Christmas, or at least a “Buy a WHOLE LOT LESS” Christmas this year.
Even if you aren’t under tremendous economic pressure, there are many [...]

Now that you’ve decided to host Christmas dinner at your place this year, it’s time to think about your tablescape. A great tablescape adds a lot to the atmosphere of your dinner when done well.
My favorite way to serve the food for a big dinner is buffet style. If you choose to do that, it’s [...]

A little calligraphy goes a long way to adding that special personal touch. During the holidays, I immediately think of using it on place cards for the holiday table, gift tags, and handmade Christmas Cards. For kids, a little calligraphy practice will improve their regular everyday handwriting!
Calligraphy doesn’t have to be perfect or follow any [...]

Look at Christmas photos from your childhood with your children! Kids of all ages love this. My kids love seeing pictures of me at their ages. The photo above is about 31 years old, and it’s me when I was 10 years old.

Here’s a gift to consider for that special family on your list. Find out what’s available in your gift recipient’s area and get them an annual membership. In our area, some of the favorite places include the zoo, science museum, aquarium, children’s museum, art museums, and others. If your recipients already have a membership, it [...]

Pick a date to take the family winter camping. This could be packing up the RV and setting up a campsite complete with Christmas lights, or it could mean renting a cabin for a night or two. Make sure you pack warm clothes, an extra blanket, hot chocolate, S’mores ingredients, and anything else you need [...]