tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17827179444257582712024-02-20T03:50:17.051-06:00The Happy MomThe Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-65359938405112277212009-07-20T19:46:00.005-05:002009-07-20T20:15:41.975-05:00Vacation Budget Planning<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iW0bsC_Rq2e366D1f4W9NtUzRn9Xvp0HhW-b5uYYeEvtClnfBip9o0G9T40ayv5tm1Pt7Ok4yJNXAKi0IMuOYPioZXoRCSSXeG4FjW7TUrpr_sQyEg_uS7QwI1_g0G7PvecI9CQ4X4k/s1600-h/vacation_965867.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360715481823719922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iW0bsC_Rq2e366D1f4W9NtUzRn9Xvp0HhW-b5uYYeEvtClnfBip9o0G9T40ayv5tm1Pt7Ok4yJNXAKi0IMuOYPioZXoRCSSXeG4FjW7TUrpr_sQyEg_uS7QwI1_g0G7PvecI9CQ4X4k/s400/vacation_965867.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Family vacations are so much fun to plan. Where will you go, what hotel to stay at, what sites to see, etc...But for many families, the biggest concern is the question of how will this vacation be paid for. Our family has a specific "vacation fund" and every month, money is put into that account that will be used towards the family trip. For some families, especially in this economy, vacations seem out of reach. However, with careful planning and saving tips, you can have a great family vacation, making memories for years to come. </div><br /><div>There are many resources available to help you budget a fun vacation. One such resource is Consolidated Credit services and they have a website with lots of great tips for saving and<a href="http://www.consolidatedcredit.org/debt-learning-center/vacation-budgeting.aspx"> family vacation budgeting</a>. They offer loads of tips for saving money, such as planning off-season travel and utilizing services that offer discounts, such as AAA, Costco Travel Club and Sam’s Travel Club. These clubs can often save you money on hotel stays, car rentals and complete vacations. They also talk about different lodging options to save money that aren't often thought of, such as home exchange vacationing, or staying at a National Park or hostel.</div><br /><div></div><div>I was amazed at all the different ways to save money, enabling families with any size budget to have a great vacation. Besides budget tips, they also offer other services, such as <a href="http://www.consolidatedcredit.org/">debt consolidation</a>, credit card debt help and credit counseling. </div><br /><div></div><div>Please share any budget tips you have used when planning your family vacations! </div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-49935251489451508892009-07-16T20:24:00.005-05:002009-07-16T22:16:06.959-05:00Keeping Your Pool Safe<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJ0F03j9NPZTgv2LIbZpyrgyfFBB86Aichinys2L87bGAommDG4ZYoOcbmohyphenhyphenNhd6mzNnzw8A_XmpjZ7h2GyF8EHtR5yuVoYeCq0HAeA15qXppI6XNcL2SyjqhJVhK1BaStgbEwJdb18/s1600-h/Bella.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359261017597369634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJ0F03j9NPZTgv2LIbZpyrgyfFBB86Aichinys2L87bGAommDG4ZYoOcbmohyphenhyphenNhd6mzNnzw8A_XmpjZ7h2GyF8EHtR5yuVoYeCq0HAeA15qXppI6XNcL2SyjqhJVhK1BaStgbEwJdb18/s400/Bella.jpg" border="0" /></a> We have an above ground pool and it is one of our favorite places to hang out in the summer. Sunny summer days bring groups of neighborhood kids over to our yard for a fun afternoon of swimming and popsicles. We also host many summer barbecues/pool parties. You have to make the most of summer days since they go fast and before you know it, school will be starting again and the days get colder.<br /><br /><div></div><div>One thing that's been on my mind lately is pool safety. As a mom, I always put the safety of children as a top priority. Kids in my pool are directly supervised by me, lifeguard mom. Even if I have other moms over, I am always keeping my eye on them, especially the smaller ones who can't touch the bottom (they wear life jackets) and older ones who may not be the strongest swimmers. </div><div></div><br /><div>It's also important to keep your family safe when not using the pool by making sure to use a pool cover. Not only do they protect your own children, but also every child who may happen into your yard. Every time I hear a story about a child drowning in a family pool, my heart breaks and I think how fast it could happen and how important it is to keep the pool covered when not in use. During the summer, you typically use a mesh net, but during the winter, you use a cover especially made for harsher weather. Above ground pools need to be winterized just as below ground ones, and it's important to take the time to do it correctly, so you can maximize the life of the pool. Yes, it's the middle of July and we're not quite ready to winterize yet, but if you plan ahead, you can save money. Pcpools.com is having a sale on their <a href="http://www.pcpools.com/">winter pool covers </a>right now, you can save 33%. If this is your first year as a pool owner, or you need to replace your cover, definitely check them out.</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVI2-2G_47WADg84zrg6IB7cxgFIxNhZkTp7WFvMW4kW-bZ25xM-LjeLv_xP3OCwS5DZiHV-lJzqRWR5LysmIjuoAHo0xFm46YZkCbgt1lscfW3X3qv5Q02aP_UkcGPkOnB7nnnZFmW4/s1600-h/WC800.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359261017798779234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 198px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVI2-2G_47WADg84zrg6IB7cxgFIxNhZkTp7WFvMW4kW-bZ25xM-LjeLv_xP3OCwS5DZiHV-lJzqRWR5LysmIjuoAHo0xFm46YZkCbgt1lscfW3X3qv5Q02aP_UkcGPkOnB7nnnZFmW4/s400/WC800.jpg" border="0" /></a>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-85049203139783993552009-07-13T13:13:00.005-05:002009-07-13T13:29:32.314-05:00Evian Roller BabiesHave you seen this video yet? This is a commercial for Evian featuring the "famous" roller skating babies! It cracks me up! It kind of reminds me of the Ally McBeal dancing baby from a few years back. Does anyone remember that one? Anyways, my daughter loves this too (even though we both find it hilarious yet a little creepy) and we found another video on youtube about the making of the video, bringing in all of the babies and trying to get different expressions out of them.<br /><br /><object height="315" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_PHnRIn74Ag&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_PHnRIn74Ag&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="315"></embed></object><br /><br />See, wasn't that cute? Although I've been seeing it everywhere so we'll probably be quite sick of it in a couple of weeks. Here is the other one, the making of the commercial:<br /><br /><br /><object height="315" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/J7x_rh4-ruk&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/J7x_rh4-ruk&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="315"></embed></object><br /><br />So many adorable babies! Although I wish they would have explained the process a little more. I was trying to explain to my daughter how they used computers to animate it, but the babies' faces and expressions were real. Hope you enjoyed them as much as we did!The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-1468147271526221002009-07-12T11:56:00.007-05:002009-07-12T12:29:18.918-05:00Tacori JewelryI love jewelry! I am a such a girlie girl and will always be a romantic at heart. When we go on vacation, usually I choose a piece of jewelry as a souvenir to remind me of the trip. I have collected jewelry from everywhere. I love finding beautiful pieces at antique stores or estate sales and always have my eye out for a beautiful piece. What is my favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring, of course!<br /><br />I still remember my engagement and choosing out my ring as if it were yesterday and not 15 years ago. The giddiness, excitement and all the fun of choosing the ring you'll wear every day for the rest of your life is a big part of planning the perfect wedding. Even though I'm happily married and love my own beautiful ring, it's still so much fun to look at all the beautiful new designs out there. <a href="http://store.jrdunn.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=559">Tacori engagement rings </a>are beautifully crafted rings. I really like this design:<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMG4a6bcaibcPHGFBavyPatXgKctMPVppWxe9zuhg5e3IKLzI-8JR1I1zxsuqlUu6TciBQlAsDsJg50-bwL1qkPVxxce9qZTPsXgIoGNpQZK5KrjKrnLMWZKE9RPQqLHAkSeZXskHNIs/s1600-h/ring.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357625373541401090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMG4a6bcaibcPHGFBavyPatXgKctMPVppWxe9zuhg5e3IKLzI-8JR1I1zxsuqlUu6TciBQlAsDsJg50-bwL1qkPVxxce9qZTPsXgIoGNpQZK5KrjKrnLMWZKE9RPQqLHAkSeZXskHNIs/s400/ring.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />If you are a single mom who is ring shopping or if you know someone who will be soon, Tacori rings are beautiful as well as being a great value. They have other beautiful pieces for us married ladies as well. You can find them at <a href="http://store.jrdunn.com/">JR Dunn</a>.The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-66010443486434551842009-06-25T11:29:00.004-05:002009-06-25T12:09:15.280-05:00Save Our Summer Vacation and Win a $10,000 Getaway!Summer is finally here! It is my favorite season, despite the heat. I feel so blessed to be able to stay home with my daughter and enjoy lazy days at the pool, bike rides to the park and popsicles on the porch. And every summer we take a family vacation somewhere, whether it's to visit relatives in another state, a camping trip or a family resort with all the amenities. However, it seems that in the times we are living in, people are working more hours and taking less vacation time. Wouldn't it be cool to have a summer day declared as "National Vacation Day"? <a href="http://www.homeaway.com/">HomeAway</a>, a vacation rental marketplace, has started a movement to make that happen.<br /><br />I invite you all to join the “<a href="http://blog.homeaway.com/">Save Our Summer Vacation</a>” movement by petitioning Congress to proclaim August 7 as a “National Vacation Day.” Follow the link and you can join the movement and sign the petition as well as check out HomeAway's contest to win a $10, 000 getaway to a vacation rental of your choice. All you have to do is submit a short text, video or photo entry explaining why you deserve to have your vacation saved by HomeAway. The contest ends July 2nd so get your entries in!<br /><br />So where would you like to go for a $10,000 getaway? I'm sure those of you who know me would say mine would be a Disney vacation, I am a Disney addict! But I think it would be really cool to go to Hawaii and bring along some good friends and family along. I've been to Hawaii once and it was so stunningly beautiful and peaceful, I would love to go back! I think a relaxing trip to the beaches of Hawaii with the people I love most would be my ideal getaway. I'd love to hear what your ideal getaway would be, share it here and don't forget to enter the contest, wouldn't that be a fun one to win?The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-46929362724285556992009-05-10T00:13:00.003-05:002009-05-10T00:15:35.268-05:00Happy Mother's Day from the Happy Mom Blog!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL96wzrTwXpDE8wKAZldteTMOdyjXXC2xIz10djszuJwIj8490c2Hl32k6Bi5INQXM0zzzNGGsKYmAP85wN3yWlmZRKqTbPifbvbDenqApiyVsqm7AM1zAhQhh10clPbMuda2kspAeN-Y/s1600-h/20050508MothersDay.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334059365258994818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL96wzrTwXpDE8wKAZldteTMOdyjXXC2xIz10djszuJwIj8490c2Hl32k6Bi5INQXM0zzzNGGsKYmAP85wN3yWlmZRKqTbPifbvbDenqApiyVsqm7AM1zAhQhh10clPbMuda2kspAeN-Y/s400/20050508MothersDay.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><strong>I hope all of you moms out there have a wonderful day!</strong></span></div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-10371059019643571542009-03-03T12:36:00.005-06:002009-03-03T13:01:47.978-06:00Disney Shopping Deals<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhseqFnAd3UM6NHJJ9KuVhWnJ4CMdtnY70XhOneyRcDzG7adpXCbXTSDOqIN8Juyio76oqHGu_GzrT7JGw5WCXIsCobPBWCP10aXFVffPI4PKsP2gOpLOBtEzdDcfwbfvMqnIkNUl7vA84/s1600-h/disneyshopping+logo.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309038271590578530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 108px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhseqFnAd3UM6NHJJ9KuVhWnJ4CMdtnY70XhOneyRcDzG7adpXCbXTSDOqIN8Juyio76oqHGu_GzrT7JGw5WCXIsCobPBWCP10aXFVffPI4PKsP2gOpLOBtEzdDcfwbfvMqnIkNUl7vA84/s400/disneyshopping+logo.png" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Well, since I am recently home from a Disney vacation and I love to shop online at the Disney Shop to remind me of my trip, I thought I'd share some great deals that I found there. They have some <a href="http://disneyshopping.go.com/disney/store/CategoryPage_10002_10051_66525_-1_66525_66525_24________________3-For-20">adorable kids t-shirts </a>on sale, 3 for $20. They also have a $5 shipping deal on a shipment of $89 or more if you find other things you want to buy with code SHIPTODAY.</div><br /><br /><div>They have a lot of styles to choose from, here are a few examples:<br /></div><div></div><div align="center">This adorable Winnie the Pooh one is so sweet.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6zs-GFvd0dRFPa5d5ndIfcKkI4p1kJDG7RKncrf_AFn-AEpqgw3zYBufOvDcvXQwXfQtXoZKcc7JPGWsxP8pTG8MB5tJp5EhSpdoLEfy_tD1Z5YKSbfK5Kzr9EOtPgu-BoczY3ztNU8/s1600-h/disneyshirt.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309036424117419650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6zs-GFvd0dRFPa5d5ndIfcKkI4p1kJDG7RKncrf_AFn-AEpqgw3zYBufOvDcvXQwXfQtXoZKcc7JPGWsxP8pTG8MB5tJp5EhSpdoLEfy_tD1Z5YKSbfK5Kzr9EOtPgu-BoczY3ztNU8/s400/disneyshirt.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div align="center">This cute Belle tee is one of MANY Princess t-shirts they have.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeD9odziyM7lMyvElH0gDmq0_hOlULVQRVMuALLLmPwZ9kapQyU0o8iSoI9dFeM5tc12tlsABBNKHEUfM5UoLC5V1LsZXKEBEiNA8dvjPA2n2w8tDTgLpinpt1tVnHX93fvd4w-LYXVY/s1600-h/disneyshirt2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309036422262182994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeD9odziyM7lMyvElH0gDmq0_hOlULVQRVMuALLLmPwZ9kapQyU0o8iSoI9dFeM5tc12tlsABBNKHEUfM5UoLC5V1LsZXKEBEiNA8dvjPA2n2w8tDTgLpinpt1tVnHX93fvd4w-LYXVY/s400/disneyshirt2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div align="center">And for the boys, there are Cars, Power Rangers, Toy Story and Mickey t-shirts.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8m5Vk3J6Qi-oblQs0WYev-Da9Vk1T8N3pc5WdCV-wvKzLpFCtnDc-C828EoaZ88Q1iERj4cyvGWeAtHa2TdEqk3p0PDdwqRCbLpFPXXJ3dl02kaleL3FnmiXA1_wgEGn2P9IXTSGzYOo/s1600-h/disneyshirt3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309036425496786386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8m5Vk3J6Qi-oblQs0WYev-Da9Vk1T8N3pc5WdCV-wvKzLpFCtnDc-C828EoaZ88Q1iERj4cyvGWeAtHa2TdEqk3p0PDdwqRCbLpFPXXJ3dl02kaleL3FnmiXA1_wgEGn2P9IXTSGzYOo/s400/disneyshirt3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Go check it out, you can stock up on some cute shirts for summer or for an upcoming trip. They also are having a half-off sale on all of their beautiful snowglobes, so if you are a collector or a Disney fan, they are definitely worth checking out as well. Hope you have a great Disney Day! :)</div></div></div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-82701746396381184222009-02-23T17:54:00.001-06:002009-02-23T18:03:23.464-06:00I'm Back!Thank you to those of you who have emailed me to make sure I'm ok. Our family went on an extended Disney vacation using this <a href="http://thehappymomblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/great-disney-vacation-deal.html">incredible deal </a> that I posted about a few months ago (and it's still good, so if you're thinking about a Disney vacation, book it NOW) . When we got back, I caught this horrible flu bug that I would not wish on my worst enemy. I was weak and dehydrated and miserable. Thank goodness I didn't get it during the vacation because I can't remember the last time I was this sick. The good thing was it helped me lose the 10 pounds I put on during our vacation eating all that good food, but the bad news is it's taken me awhile to catch up on life-emails, work, phone messages, bills, laundry, etc...I have the best husband in the world and he is a wonderful nurse :), but even with his help, I still feel like I have so much to do.<br /><br />But I wanted to let everyone know that I'm fine and will be updating The Happy Mom blog with more great deals and shopping finds soon! I have missed everyone and can't wait to catch up with all my blogging friends!The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-60553381995426736552009-02-02T18:42:00.003-06:002009-02-02T18:50:23.353-06:00Happy Groundhog Day!<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HN5gIH7liSg&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HN5gIH7liSg&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Happy Groundhog Day!<br /><br />If you didn't like Phil's prediction this year, remember that historically he's only been correct 39% of the time. I, for one, am ready for spring!<br /><br />If you'd like to look at a fun website with your kids, take a look at this one today, it's the <a href="http://www.groundhog.org/">Official Website of the Punxsutawny Groundhog club. </a> Lots of fun stuff here, how the tradition got started, activities for kids and even a recipe for groundhog cookies!The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-72158083988024841402009-01-22T13:55:00.004-06:002009-01-22T17:01:13.653-06:00Fun Valentine's Day Activities<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUB20Ac5Sb60jnssACGMRAPj7od5aGrPZszjE408rTqgbS1RuIJ-7Zje8Wqvr77iDWO4xwfqz0g4PSYXT-bV1TZx2kHYCLMsju7MyuiR5givsYe7H9o_wbtN2Rm4FUxq65PwOS63rFT30/s1600-h/heart_pillow.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294256680895267442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 171px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUB20Ac5Sb60jnssACGMRAPj7od5aGrPZszjE408rTqgbS1RuIJ-7Zje8Wqvr77iDWO4xwfqz0g4PSYXT-bV1TZx2kHYCLMsju7MyuiR5givsYe7H9o_wbtN2Rm4FUxq65PwOS63rFT30/s400/heart_pillow.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The next holiday up is Valentine's Day and if you're looking for some fun crafts and activities to do with your kids, here are some great websites to get ideas and supplies from.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/valentine/">Activities, Crafts and Cards for Valentine's Day</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.makingfriends.com/valentine.htm">Valentine's Day Craft Kits</a> </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://familyfun.go.com/valentines/">Family Fun Valentine's Crafts and Recipes</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.preschoolcoloringbook.com/color/cpvalentine.shtml">Valentine's Coloring Pages</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Do you have any great craft sites or something you do with your kids for Valentine's Day? I'd love to hear your ideas!</div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-46526027419354859872009-01-19T16:32:00.003-06:002009-01-19T16:43:52.815-06:00Happy Martin Luther King Day!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfBNVjaULwb6mArVzC-OxKJiRrwfczmqi0euhlj-RKx5J_aCVvMeunzzjkEh7pd2haFagkGgNQ2JgVCnBJ1cZug-xc3m7Sf7wl0XJIXmHvSj3ViUbE8xl8GDS9y8EuUPISEdV3AqAZWQ/s1600-h/martin.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293138619259695682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 299px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfBNVjaULwb6mArVzC-OxKJiRrwfczmqi0euhlj-RKx5J_aCVvMeunzzjkEh7pd2haFagkGgNQ2JgVCnBJ1cZug-xc3m7Sf7wl0XJIXmHvSj3ViUbE8xl8GDS9y8EuUPISEdV3AqAZWQ/s400/martin.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Today we celebrate the life of a great civil rights leader and a wonderful human being. I encourage you to talk with your kids about who he was and how he made a difference for the people of America. If they've talked about him in school, reinforce what they know and talk about other civil rights leaders as well. Here is a great <a href="http://www.mlkday.gov/">website</a> with a lot of information about the man and the holiday that we honor him with. As a former teacher, I have a lot of books about his life that I've read to many students as well as my own daughter.<br /><br />Also, most people are familiar with the famous "I Have A Dream" speech and while it is an important moment in American history, I really like this speech, too. It was his last one, the day before he was assassinated.<br /><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/o0FiCxZKuv8&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/o0FiCxZKuv8&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-13540543132189548722009-01-13T22:22:00.004-06:002009-01-13T22:46:53.317-06:00Beaches Family Resorts Special Offer<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Ljj-VnM59O5vxB781c14dwEll3GAcvJwjWWtJ9fiPy0WuFCPwT4EWagWWZYo3p9bfCzWTCGTXQjmaSPkSSuGsv_jLFXHvoLN8NXc0sCLgwfSDm_Ch9ulINC4Ud41xP3Yu0jPhE2dOZA/s1600-h/beaches3.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291005540895749874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 141px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 53px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Ljj-VnM59O5vxB781c14dwEll3GAcvJwjWWtJ9fiPy0WuFCPwT4EWagWWZYo3p9bfCzWTCGTXQjmaSPkSSuGsv_jLFXHvoLN8NXc0sCLgwfSDm_Ch9ulINC4Ud41xP3Yu0jPhE2dOZA/s400/beaches3.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-iojCX9JZqdn2KmRY6AJv9ELBVUq3jamXaJzA8iCpFN1QN6tnkmWQFjMLkoYQ258EMdfbgW8uBWIh9zcRm1pQlHLiXLeCR1ZLOlNIP07nmfxPri55iPhqKzGyFS36gG7qt0LzSXRQvfA/s1600-h/beaches2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291005537481015682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 350px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 236px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-iojCX9JZqdn2KmRY6AJv9ELBVUq3jamXaJzA8iCpFN1QN6tnkmWQFjMLkoYQ258EMdfbgW8uBWIh9zcRm1pQlHLiXLeCR1ZLOlNIP07nmfxPri55iPhqKzGyFS36gG7qt0LzSXRQvfA/s400/beaches2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The holidays are over, spring is a few months away and it's bitterly cold (at least where I live it is). It is the time of year when many families are looking for a winter getaway to a warm, family friendly vacation hot spot. </div><br /><div><a href="http://www.beaches.com/index.cfm">Beaches</a> all-inclusive family resorts make a perfect choice for such a getaway and they are running an awesome special right now-you can save up to 60% and get 2 nights free. You need to act fast, though, you can only get this special for 2 more days. </div><br /><div>What's so great about Beaches? Here is a description from their website:</div><div></div><br /><div><em>Beaches all-inclusive resorts includes all the fun, adventure, and luxury that families want most, elevating the family vacation to world-class standards on the Caribbean's best beaches. Beaches provides the best family beach vacations at resorts in Jamaica and Turks & Caicos. And now kids can share their vacation with Elmo and friends with Beaches' exclusive Caribbean Adventures with Sesame Street.</em></div><div><em></em></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqV7HhtrUaDx-lCHgYfTPbrTyYyR41yagnLwg91BAafBg2bkCRV8WqfZ2mlLw9zgYPsQu4MYJS2XnQFnUUrczyssaS1HEF7hl7uu2lg9mZloG3-TpQ90kmoXOFFjAMcDIBW8JKp5DZjr8/s1600-h/beaches1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291005534824101298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 340px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 350px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqV7HhtrUaDx-lCHgYfTPbrTyYyR41yagnLwg91BAafBg2bkCRV8WqfZ2mlLw9zgYPsQu4MYJS2XnQFnUUrczyssaS1HEF7hl7uu2lg9mZloG3-TpQ90kmoXOFFjAMcDIBW8JKp5DZjr8/s400/beaches1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>You can check out their promotions <a href="http://www.beaches.com/promos/hot-sale/">here</a> and even if you don't book a trip, it's fun just to look at the gorgeous pictures of the resorts. What are your favorite family-friendly winter getaways?</div></div></div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-16755475727968075172009-01-08T23:28:00.004-06:002009-01-08T23:42:19.051-06:00Flip Camcorder Giveaway<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_zdHwt_SBHwZZEjTVchJ3cO4h4NzxZDvMqTg5NmjQL12Z96pQOK9bWNQ6yBbwPvXny9Obi4vhdjqlXMmdt60rBzG6E29AmUaW_DrjfflQe-RlIo6jpNb1-FKFdYzuDE-XMz8FrkPf30/s1600-h/flip.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289164584392304978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_zdHwt_SBHwZZEjTVchJ3cO4h4NzxZDvMqTg5NmjQL12Z96pQOK9bWNQ6yBbwPvXny9Obi4vhdjqlXMmdt60rBzG6E29AmUaW_DrjfflQe-RlIo6jpNb1-FKFdYzuDE-XMz8FrkPf30/s400/flip.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>These little cameras are so cool, my parents got one at Christmas and were having a lot of fun with it. If you haven't heard of the Flip Video, it's a pocket sized camcorder that's extremely easy to use. It can hold up to 60 minutes of video right on the camera-you don't have to worry about remembering videotapes or cards. You can easily upload the videos to your computer and it also has built-in software that lets you email your videos or upload them to YouTube. My parents were having a blast with it and since then I've heard of other friends who love it too. I was thinking it might be a great idea for my preteen daughter to use on our upcoming Disney trip. As I was searching for it, I found that <em>Babytalk</em> magazine has a giveaway for one going on right now. You just need to fill out the <a href="http://www.parenting.com/giveaways/dec08/flipvideo">online entry form </a>(you'll also find a link to the official rules there). You can enter through through 1/26/2009 and they are giving three of them away.</div><br /><div></div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-10756190711315039372009-01-05T17:16:00.004-06:002009-01-05T17:59:02.020-06:00Lemonade Award<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpo8Ue34tpplejak_SgV3qi2mRs-ds9Z4jYpC79PHoMRXKeHKnkJ51TYZhXvXCp2gyUFjFqelyUSLO81FiY6-OWcUTZ4zpfMoCkNhtabjnH-5HOzzFfDAijT494eoJp9OR3Eh1e49XU9U/s1600-h/lemonadeaward.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287962861058774930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 195px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpo8Ue34tpplejak_SgV3qi2mRs-ds9Z4jYpC79PHoMRXKeHKnkJ51TYZhXvXCp2gyUFjFqelyUSLO81FiY6-OWcUTZ4zpfMoCkNhtabjnH-5HOzzFfDAijT494eoJp9OR3Eh1e49XU9U/s400/lemonadeaward.png" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Thank you so much to Catherine at <a href="http://evolvingmommy.blogspot.com/">Evolving Mommy</a> for this sweet blog award. I really appreciate that she thought of me to pass this award to. I've been a fan of her blog for awhile now. Please be sure to stop by today, she has an awesome recipe for Lime-Grilled Chicken and Chili Home Fries. I love marinating anything and everything in lime-just add a Corona or margarita and you're all set!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So, on to my Lemonade Award-isn't it cute? When you get this award you link back to the person who gave it to you and then you can pass it on to some great blogs you'd like to recognize.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I am passing it on to these great blogs who bring some refreshment to my day:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>1. <a href="http://girlintheglasses.blogspot.com/">Girl in the Glasses</a> I recently found this blog and love it, Kel is hilarious and just reading the buttons on her side bar crack me up every time I visit. I hope she doesn't think she's too cool for this award. :)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>2. <a href="http://jiggetyjigg.blogspot.com/">Jiggety Jigg </a>Jenni is another funny blogging girl and one I always look forward to reading. I think I found her through Entrecard, although now everywhere I look I am seeing her button. Go congratulate her on being listed in MomDot's top 50 bloggers list. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>3. <a href="http://dramamama-dee.blogspot.com/">Drama Mama </a>I love Dee because she is a great commenter and I love to peek into her blog and check out the latest drama going on in her life! :)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>4. <a href="http://adventuresofthereluctanthousewife.blogspot.com/">Reluctant Housewife</a> I enjoy reading Melanie's blog because she is a funny mom who finds the humor in every day life and she has her own crochet blog, too.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Hope everyone is having a great Monday! </div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-22414936344649708452008-12-31T16:54:00.006-06:002008-12-31T17:15:02.247-06:00Happy 2009!<p><a href="http://www.desicomments.com"><img src="http://www.desicomments.com/dc/12/29380/29380.gif" alt="29380.gif" /></a></p><br /><br /><br />Happy New Year from the Happy Mom Blog!<br />Wishing you a new year filled with health and happiness!The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-42385331151864172192008-12-30T12:34:00.005-06:002008-12-30T13:10:44.103-06:00Baby Center Store Closing-Save Up To 80%<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIThYq0OUGZXhiRSSuA8Qb1F5jJyS6ndGjFgzHofnwVQNnB7_NKASmfu_nVS05uBUopjvOkEBZV4pl80Jff6NE5JDHKIL8z67PYfQGntkk7MweK3hdaidlEWsUTyrbp9T6eM8pztt-3zM/s1600-h/baby.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285662048169521378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 344px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 74px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIThYq0OUGZXhiRSSuA8Qb1F5jJyS6ndGjFgzHofnwVQNnB7_NKASmfu_nVS05uBUopjvOkEBZV4pl80Jff6NE5JDHKIL8z67PYfQGntkk7MweK3hdaidlEWsUTyrbp9T6eM8pztt-3zM/s400/baby.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Babe Center online store is closing on January 6th and they are having a huge blowout sale to clear out their merchandise. Besides getting the discounted prices, you can also use the code FREESHIP49 for free shipping on orders of $49 or more. They have toys, clothes, gift ideas and lots of stuff for expecting moms-maternity clothes, strollers, nursery furniture, pregnancy and parenting books and many other items as well.</div><br /><br /><div>Some examples of deals you will find:</div><br /><br /><div>This convertible diaper bag from Fanci-Free was originally $89 and is marked down to $18.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujvlVWIHknyVivpmmpgSDq9Fn-OYpoEvFMpkThwBBuN5yjWyb7tfyCeDZb1q3_z4rA6fAci6XG4lZswBLAhmE7-4OfBeuoJuqS2RJX_XFpva_bq2smfqiTF2IfANFyT3nA8GhTr0vVhw/s1600-h/babydiaper.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285660941514989154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 198px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 351px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujvlVWIHknyVivpmmpgSDq9Fn-OYpoEvFMpkThwBBuN5yjWyb7tfyCeDZb1q3_z4rA6fAci6XG4lZswBLAhmE7-4OfBeuoJuqS2RJX_XFpva_bq2smfqiTF2IfANFyT3nA8GhTr0vVhw/s400/babydiaper.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>This adorable Kate Spade rocker from Maclaren was originally $119 and is marked down to $48.</div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGOBqM_8BRE145gKbMZicxV0udU8qCukUtJIyUIM8nQNRW_kquUKS-48Dqj-0m4Vb_oJsiq4yMnapvXOQQY_YBCrN9V8LnGGZO0XTnCNjcXEkmV-G1k35AUs_bSCkh_THQ2is5oOEtdM/s1600-h/babykate.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285660960888030482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 198px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 222px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGOBqM_8BRE145gKbMZicxV0udU8qCukUtJIyUIM8nQNRW_kquUKS-48Dqj-0m4Vb_oJsiq4yMnapvXOQQY_YBCrN9V8LnGGZO0XTnCNjcXEkmV-G1k35AUs_bSCkh_THQ2is5oOEtdM/s400/babykate.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>They have a lot of book deals, such as this one for Growing Up Green, a guide to raising healthy families that was originally $15.99 and is now marked down to $4.80.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlx51Kcn9CGGz3PJL6tTX03q8vS9yuVCwXvKfPEdhf7oW0_LC6_0yCWJv__zjGqaDj_rD-zNYdHQ1lAgZyE2VuRl7Lsv-eItfo9aWuKM3QfUTRNuUTZonCyy6roS-AaIhpfiVRgTMTHkA/s1600-h/babygreen.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285660957687113378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 197px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 263px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlx51Kcn9CGGz3PJL6tTX03q8vS9yuVCwXvKfPEdhf7oW0_LC6_0yCWJv__zjGqaDj_rD-zNYdHQ1lAgZyE2VuRl7Lsv-eItfo9aWuKM3QfUTRNuUTZonCyy6roS-AaIhpfiVRgTMTHkA/s400/babygreen.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>They also are having a huge sale on Carter's clothing-you can save up to 75%.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Gj6XoPrNjCBnHEqpsXOiplLbPiHIat-IW1VstJsBf8ToaejabdlqYKFGEyj6h_P18LNNV2a-EkVUOARIOXXJcFcAFrli1vyZjnrcbXTZTiiVsTi8RjPuutD3f1WUnqpFjZZ3Ofcfal0/s1600-h/babycarters.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285660954070924946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 110px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Gj6XoPrNjCBnHEqpsXOiplLbPiHIat-IW1VstJsBf8ToaejabdlqYKFGEyj6h_P18LNNV2a-EkVUOARIOXXJcFcAFrli1vyZjnrcbXTZTiiVsTi8RjPuutD3f1WUnqpFjZZ3Ofcfal0/s400/babycarters.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Check it out now, they will be closing Jan.6 but will still be honoring their 30-day return policy for your purchases. Please feel free to link to this post to spread the word about this great closeout sale.</div></div></div></div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-7938864955583297012008-12-28T13:46:00.004-06:002008-12-28T14:28:14.413-06:00Skin MD Natural<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGoVYAk96AtyQOKCHygU-Kp7VNHfbTtWLizunKLLZb-IyBg4gYVw1rXpqwsxTBb-xMA5cLbgyK2vvrrlgEURX_E6eW6j4LO_M8jYrgebT_xhTCWQs_PjKKl_IG4rouErMXpSZ_Ox2TSYI/s1600-h/skinmd.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284939425722760130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGoVYAk96AtyQOKCHygU-Kp7VNHfbTtWLizunKLLZb-IyBg4gYVw1rXpqwsxTBb-xMA5cLbgyK2vvrrlgEURX_E6eW6j4LO_M8jYrgebT_xhTCWQs_PjKKl_IG4rouErMXpSZ_Ox2TSYI/s400/skinmd.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>My skin has always been on the dry side and midwest winters only make it worse. I love going to the spa and having moisturizing facials and I am a lotion addict-my bathroom closet looks like a Bath and Body Works store. Needless to say, I was excited to have the opportunity to review the new Skin MD lotion, a <a href="http://www.skinmdnatural.com/index.html">natural skin care product </a>that creates an invisible shield to lock in moisture.</div><br /><div></div><div>When I received the lotion, the first thing I noticed was that it passed my "smell test". I don't like lotions that have strong or medicinal smells that overpower my perfume. The scent of <a href="http://www.skinmdnatural.com/index.html">Skin MD</a> had a very light, pleasant scent. </div><br /><div></div><div>The other thing that I noticed about this lotion is that <strong>a little goes a long way</strong>. If you use too much at one time, as my daughter and I both found out, it feels greasy and hard to absorb. But when just a small amount is used it does not feel greasy at all and absorbs much better. If you feel you need more lotion, it's best to just apply one small layer at a time. </div><div> </div><div>As I stated earlier, the lotion creates an invisible shield over your skin. Why is this beneficial, you may wonder? </div><br /><div></div><div><em>"Shielding Lotions are a new type of skin care product based on years of research into how skin heals. They form a protective shield with the outer layer of skin and help keep out irritants. They allow the natural oils and moisture to remain in the skin so it can heal better and they're light in texture so they go on without a greasy mess. Your skin needs help to keep out these moisture-robbing irritants.</em></div><br /><div><em>A fundamental difference between Shielding Lotions and traditional skin care lotions is that Shielding Lotions enhance the skin's own natural protective abilities by turning the outer layer of skin into what could be described as a hydrating invisible shield making them many times more effective than mere protective lotions and moisturizing creams." </em></div><br /><div><em>~Dr. Brian Zogg, board certified dermatologist</em></div><br /><div><em></em></div><div>This is a high quality lotion that I would recommend for dry skin, it really made my skin feel soft and hydrated. It would also be helpful for skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema. If you'd like to find out more information or would like to order a bottle, you can check out their <a href="http://www.skinmdnatural.com/price-list.php">website</a>. The lotion sells for $18 a bottle, but as you only need to use a small amount, 1 bottle will last a long time. If you have dry skin, this is definitely one to try!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-68484607327377669262008-12-27T00:56:00.004-06:002008-12-27T01:30:45.781-06:00Great Book for Moms of Girls<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEIRgbV4DiArzfRGUUrq-2QuGG3pMk7YB_e4wL91vQNFsoYkTzj7SYZ5aSd2Kl9azQ3jMaf_MvEg7nNp91qEzsI475qKkk7aybQX2GTGYw1iCt73UscaWNTjxSGx6q3ekugLm-A_YEF4/s1600-h/five.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284368213619687650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 259px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEIRgbV4DiArzfRGUUrq-2QuGG3pMk7YB_e4wL91vQNFsoYkTzj7SYZ5aSd2Kl9azQ3jMaf_MvEg7nNp91qEzsI475qKkk7aybQX2GTGYw1iCt73UscaWNTjxSGx6q3ekugLm-A_YEF4/s400/five.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>One of my gifts that I asked for and received this year is the book <strong><em>Five Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter</em></strong> by Vicki Courtney. I was so excited to read this, I actually read it all in one night! I highly recommend this book for anyone who has a daughter, no matter what her age. The book covers these topics of conversation:<br /><br />1. You are more than the sum of your parts.<br />2. Don't be in such a hurry to grow up.<br />3. Sex is great and worth the wait.<br />4. It's OK to dream about marriage and motherhood.<br />5. Girls gone wild are a dime a dozen-dare to be virtuous.<br /><br />These are all important lessons that I want my daughter to remember and even though we have had some of these conversations already, it's nice to have different ideas for ways to approach difficult subjects. My daughter feels comfortable talking to me about everything right now and it's very important for me to keep that going as she enters the teen years. A great feature of the book is that it is linked to online bonus features that have tips for moms of daughters at every stage. If you want to find out more about this book as well as Vicki Courtney's other books, you can visit her <a href="http://www.vickicourtney.com/">website</a>.</div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-68570705042413751412008-12-24T20:55:00.000-06:002008-12-24T20:56:08.989-06:00<a href="http://www.glitter-graphics.com"><img src="http://dl10.glitter-graphics.net/pub/1835/1835670h9hurhjb2p.gif" width=400 height=400 border=0></a><br>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-37129877338792959612008-12-23T09:31:00.005-06:002008-12-23T09:56:03.451-06:00Hot Spiced Cider Recipe<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBfrWgcGZltjZMvQndGqEWzqG4D2HGYl-PhQ30YrOeY4K0pOpoLLEHLWR50tODt-KtDo1rFZKy-FlYGuq__Vz-nckOjVF-mtN0PCFNZNrVKx31UPm7ymfYwNhe8C1JsGZAr5K3m3Sq-8/s1600-h/book.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283012923761741794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 280px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBfrWgcGZltjZMvQndGqEWzqG4D2HGYl-PhQ30YrOeY4K0pOpoLLEHLWR50tODt-KtDo1rFZKy-FlYGuq__Vz-nckOjVF-mtN0PCFNZNrVKx31UPm7ymfYwNhe8C1JsGZAr5K3m3Sq-8/s400/book.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>This recipe comes from one of my favorite Christmas cookbooks, Williams Sonoma Christmas. Even if you aren't a cider drinker, this will make your entire house smell heavenly! I've made this a couple times this year already and will be making it again on Christmas Day, but this is a wonderful drink for any gathering-New Year's, a skating or sledding party, or just because it's so good!<br /></div><div></div><div><em>Hot Spiced Cider</em></div><br /><div><em></em></div><div><em>1 orange</em></div><div><em>8 whole cloves</em></div><div><em>8 cups apple juice (I use apple cider)</em></div><div><em>zest of 1 lemon</em></div><div><em>2 T. fresh lemon juice</em></div><div><em>cinnamon sticks (for recipe and for garnishing)</em></div><br /><div><em>Cut zest from 3/4 of he orange and set aside. Cut the orange into quarters so that one quarter contains all the intact zest. Insert the cloves into the skin of the quarter that still has zest and put it in a large, non-aluminum saucepan. Squeeze the juice from the remaining orange quarters into the pan. Add the cider, reserved orange zest, lemon zest and juice and cinnamon stick and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat Simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the cider and ladle into cups. Garnish with cinnamon sticks and serve warm. Makes 8-10 servings.</em></div><br /><div>I always double this recipe and make it in the crockpot so it can simmer all day and make that wonderful smell. I also put the cloves in the orange before I cut it, it's easier (and since I double the recipe I usually put the cloves into a small orange with both ends cut off).</div><br /><div></div><div>For an adult gathering, I set out spiced rum and Cinnamon Schnapps for people to add if they'd like. I love it with the spiced rum! </div><div> </div><div><br /> </div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDCvb-lxH-zhZLhtJ_TZDaU5HMtL7d2bOBv2W4CmyiF2TCHsBEBNdznyhDx1zFD2JjlBtNC38tq-xz2JfC8h_Sc0QFF2QCxP5hEmKMWfjrSVDs43mVd_fNgMEjICOZzCNSkamajGdB2k/s1600-h/DSC_0104.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283013699892163762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDCvb-lxH-zhZLhtJ_TZDaU5HMtL7d2bOBv2W4CmyiF2TCHsBEBNdznyhDx1zFD2JjlBtNC38tq-xz2JfC8h_Sc0QFF2QCxP5hEmKMWfjrSVDs43mVd_fNgMEjICOZzCNSkamajGdB2k/s400/DSC_0104.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-1320178359561656152008-12-21T11:22:00.004-06:002008-12-21T14:12:15.858-06:00Happy Day for Procrastinators!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsddMj4ZWoaUGVRcpOa8mvwRtWlOa16ugrxWtzkBW-4Xa3U4HqPBS4PRzxsnLVe0VbvuBRFO4uwofWK3btsxdyitTgWeH2E59Tr0vatDx6mmXr63xqrqOdv92cte-ZKQv7cL5vz8advc/s1600-h/Christmas%2520Countdown_86_140.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282299654215726162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 245px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsddMj4ZWoaUGVRcpOa8mvwRtWlOa16ugrxWtzkBW-4Xa3U4HqPBS4PRzxsnLVe0VbvuBRFO4uwofWK3btsxdyitTgWeH2E59Tr0vatDx6mmXr63xqrqOdv92cte-ZKQv7cL5vz8advc/s400/Christmas%2520Countdown_86_140.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>It looks like those who put off their shopping til the last minute are getting rewarded! If you still have shopping to do and don't want to fight the crowded malls or if you're snowed in this weekend, there are some unbelievable deals online for free 2-day shipping so you get your gifts in time for Christmas. There are many online stores that are doing this, my email box is flooded with free shipping and last-minute specials. Keep in mind some of them have a minimum purchase in order to get free shipping, so check out the site for details.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Here are some of them:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.landsend.com/">Land's End</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.target.com/">Target</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.overstock.com/">Overstock</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.joann.com/">Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.endless.com/">Endless.com </a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/">Amazon</a> (you can do a trial of Amazon Prime to get free 2 day shipping-I did this last year)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>There are many more out there, if you have a specific store in mind, it doesn't hurt to check it out. But stop that procrastinating and do it now, most of these offers are for today only!</div><div></div><div></div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-78841691676653974472008-12-18T10:17:00.005-06:002008-12-18T10:34:12.257-06:00Holidays=Matching Jammies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2BisVP5sHAMvUlz9MIt3W6wGQwvQVbdrErTjjJtiYRAufrMBdvR1_0MEEw4B4rr8b3cBdjb7-xu6kKOB1Pcw4BWxo698tMt8UKOpiyT7d2jd9V3AAFW8wSYYE3n8ibSa3AhBmAjaOIQ/s1600-h/jamm3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281168738074618674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 280px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 280px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2BisVP5sHAMvUlz9MIt3W6wGQwvQVbdrErTjjJtiYRAufrMBdvR1_0MEEw4B4rr8b3cBdjb7-xu6kKOB1Pcw4BWxo698tMt8UKOpiyT7d2jd9V3AAFW8wSYYE3n8ibSa3AhBmAjaOIQ/s400/jamm3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div>I know some think this lame, but I LOVE matching holiday jammies for the whole family. Seriously, they make the cutest Christmas photos. You can get pictures on Christmas Eve of the excited kids leaving cookies for Santa or the whole family in front of their stockings and of course all the festivities on Christmas morning. It's one of my favorite traditions. However, I do not have a teenager yet, I don't know how well this would go over if you have teens in the house. </div><br /><div>But for those of you looking for some cute family pj's, <a href="http://www.thecompanystore.com/dept/Apparel+Sleepwear/3801/">The Company Store </a>has a lot of cute styles to choose from, Christmas Plaid, Snowflakes, Candy Canes, Penguins, even Hanukkah jammies for those that celebrate Hanukkah and can wear them for 8 nights! They are having a sale on them right now, so check it out and next year when you have the cutest Christmas pictures ever, make sure you send me one!</div></div></div></div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-37159874841837099102008-12-16T13:04:00.004-06:002008-12-16T13:29:49.130-06:00Laura Mercier Flawless Face<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjelZmUaw-hryD1on_7LBtlX3GMGzB4YjewYsUXRFknspRFpRJZi2sH_pQ7AWEo9qbur89RCPkcuDl5Tl_NbF-uWS3JXrSWQfweb7ujLvYbfx2vsSzCW-ca4SPMzL4jH0ebMZ-7-ygZTIw/s1600-h/kit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280471731829423890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjelZmUaw-hryD1on_7LBtlX3GMGzB4YjewYsUXRFknspRFpRJZi2sH_pQ7AWEo9qbur89RCPkcuDl5Tl_NbF-uWS3JXrSWQfweb7ujLvYbfx2vsSzCW-ca4SPMzL4jH0ebMZ-7-ygZTIw/s400/kit.jpg" border="0" /></a> I am a SUPER HAPPY mom today because of this incredible deal that I just ordered from <a href="http://www.sephora.com/">Sephora</a> (please tell me I'm not the only one who buys herself stocking stuffers).<br /><div><br /><div>Laura Mercier cosmetics are best known for their fabulous foundations, they are a celebrity favorite. This kit is perfect for someone new to the line. </div><br /><div></div><div>It comes with:</div><div></div><br /><div>Foundation Primer (Step 1)</div><div>Tinted Moisturizer (Step 2)</div><div>Translucent Loose Setting Powder (Step 3 and 4)</div><div>Undercover Pot Shade #3</div><div>Secret Camouflage Brush</div><div>Camouflage Powder Brush</div><div>Velour Puff</div><div>Egg-shaped Sponge<br /></div><div> </div><div>This all comes in a travel cosmetic bag and is a $159 value for.....$65! The brushes purchased individually would be worth more than that. I'm most excited to get the concealer pot-I LOVE their concealer, it's the best, but it's so expensive, I rarely buy it. It is GREAT for covering dark circles if you've been up all night reading blogs ;).</div><br /><div></div><div>It's shipped free and you also get to pick out 3 samples with your order, I picked 2 perfume sprays and a facial peel. Check out all the holiday gift sets at Sephora, whether buying for yourself (guilty) or someone else, they have a lot to choose from.</div></div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-78563276698032273842008-12-14T11:38:00.005-06:002008-12-14T11:50:50.750-06:00Scandinavian Almond Bars<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdx0aLbZrIetptlmtZlkAgnzeFgaFHpN-Rh8wqPL4XX1gWReB_39wSL69XVNV3HHRe-0t9ukgGdnwCRk2-JSLEKQp8wjjM3rj7rQWbz_VwKiEZGOTfZD_P4zK9ewokVox9ENbe3U4ImQ/s1600-h/amycookie.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279704447607266338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 272px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdx0aLbZrIetptlmtZlkAgnzeFgaFHpN-Rh8wqPL4XX1gWReB_39wSL69XVNV3HHRe-0t9ukgGdnwCRk2-JSLEKQp8wjjM3rj7rQWbz_VwKiEZGOTfZD_P4zK9ewokVox9ENbe3U4ImQ/s400/amycookie.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>One year I went to a bake and take cookie class and this recipe was one of the cookies they had. Now they are a staple on my holiday cookie tray, they are SO good! Maybe it's because I'm Norwegian and Danish, but even if you don't have a Scandinavian heritage, you have to try them. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />2 tsp. baking powder<br />1/4 tsp. salt<br />1/2 c. butter or margarine<br />1 c. sugar<br />1 egg<br />1/2 tsp. almond extract<br />milk<br />1/2 c. sliced almonds, coarsely chopped</div><br /><div><br />Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. In a large mixer bowl, beat butter or margarine til softened. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg and almond extract and beat well. Add flour mixture and beat til well mixed.</div><br /><div><br />Divid dough into fourths. Form each into a 12 in. roll. Place 2 rolls 4-5 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten til 3 inches wide. Repeat with remaining rolls.<br />Brush flattened rolls with milk and sprinkle with almonds bake in a 325 oven for 12-14 minutes or til edges are lightly browned. While bars are still warm, cut them crosswise at a diagonal into 1 inch strips. Cool. Drizzle with almond icing.</div><br /><div><br />Almond Icing:<br />Stir together one cup sifted powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp. almond extract and enough milk (about 3-4 tsp.) to make icing of drizzling consistency.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1782717944425758271.post-8317663231170461312008-12-11T11:03:00.013-06:002008-12-12T11:37:46.373-06:00Christmas Tree Themes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRi1nfyG-BmAIU_7SuMLGjN-ogyr3KdjVUnSY5JPBZ8grNRJIgXFrnr3z2JN3EhegU-flyCMGLsG4rHLUfj8FuqTNrAw77gHp6DvhOH-AR2ngd00Ax1itijRBeIfStjQ3v9N48gCzpFY/s1600-h/christmas-tree-ideas-turquoise.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278588852106038338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRi1nfyG-BmAIU_7SuMLGjN-ogyr3KdjVUnSY5JPBZ8grNRJIgXFrnr3z2JN3EhegU-flyCMGLsG4rHLUfj8FuqTNrAw77gHp6DvhOH-AR2ngd00Ax1itijRBeIfStjQ3v9N48gCzpFY/s400/christmas-tree-ideas-turquoise.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>When it comes to decorating Christmas trees, I love trees that have a theme. We decorate 2 Christmas trees in our house. One is in the formal living room and is decorated in burgundy and gold ornaments. The other is a smaller tree in the family room, and it has colored lights and all of the "fun" homemade ornaments that my daughter's made as well as ornaments we've bought on vacations or special times in our lives. My daughter also has a pink miniature tree in her room that was originally covered in Disney Princess ornaments. </div><div><br /></div><div><br />There are an endless number of themes that you can design your tree around and you can find great sales on ornaments right after Christmas. You could do a color combination or fun themes such as Santa's Workshop, Victorian, Tropical, Country, etc...</div><div><br /></div><div><br />Here are some pictures of some gorgeous trees that have a theme:<br /></div><div><br /></div><div align="center">This one is so sweet-it's a Baby's First Christmas tree.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYHfeBXQnPubJI41QAUvfscK4a2DsxcGDbL3oSq5Gkt_RwF09Nh29MrU_eVKcdBbodzZl5FHLHdMYeNZzSHohENRy6F62jpwMB3X-hPoWgTcV71AZHBlRSRd6_1BlevMuihhQqyeUUQ8/s1600-h/christmas-tree-ideas-75.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278586633215642962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYHfeBXQnPubJI41QAUvfscK4a2DsxcGDbL3oSq5Gkt_RwF09Nh29MrU_eVKcdBbodzZl5FHLHdMYeNZzSHohENRy6F62jpwMB3X-hPoWgTcV71AZHBlRSRd6_1BlevMuihhQqyeUUQ8/s400/christmas-tree-ideas-75.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div align="center"><br />This tree has a White Christmas theme.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVMnD_PLRBq8OBvFCHOmHO5eiEqd9otQIcq4cUOshFGKw1NP3OVfqxiMXrg4HQwX4XG06QWHrCem6hsyNW4t_5LeqdFpNxA4yd6fvD3FscvpcW6PuHI3sM33dsbmpiT1A1A7pFl2GLmM/s1600-h/christmas-tree-ideas-whitechristmas.jpg"></div></a><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278590653360377538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVMnD_PLRBq8OBvFCHOmHO5eiEqd9otQIcq4cUOshFGKw1NP3OVfqxiMXrg4HQwX4XG06QWHrCem6hsyNW4t_5LeqdFpNxA4yd6fvD3FscvpcW6PuHI3sM33dsbmpiT1A1A7pFl2GLmM/s400/christmas-tree-ideas-whitechristmas.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>Here is a beautiful, traditional tree decorated in red and gold with some Victorian carolers at the base.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpMcSG_CD-Uc1coJypGR8mFPJkysPmSqcnVmvMk7bNlyybFKuv4PmwJ8onjJ4XqZ8T-i0ji85MBj2dYQgoVsety2lCNIEnVUrhpywydXBwOkYDS51pa8AWpRmk1S4s6AQTpW8dbCRSpQ/s1600-h/christmas-tree-ideas-traditional.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278586641543446194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpMcSG_CD-Uc1coJypGR8mFPJkysPmSqcnVmvMk7bNlyybFKuv4PmwJ8onjJ4XqZ8T-i0ji85MBj2dYQgoVsety2lCNIEnVUrhpywydXBwOkYDS51pa8AWpRmk1S4s6AQTpW8dbCRSpQ/s400/christmas-tree-ideas-traditional.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center">Here is a cozy, homespun Christmas tree with plaid ribbon and natural elements like pine cones and birch bark hearts.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeNjPJSdrI2ETg0DfSQ-jie1dBpgYmgpZLUFxGzwVLCLesItAzcosfthf8dojVBgEKsDFN_ZU10hudJQB1LTVGkpOdbAo21ZQQSzDFAcHxY2sbACFqawCkIMLwOHbGXFMcv-E3SENGqJ4/s1600-h/christmas-tree-ideas-country.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278588859219551426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeNjPJSdrI2ETg0DfSQ-jie1dBpgYmgpZLUFxGzwVLCLesItAzcosfthf8dojVBgEKsDFN_ZU10hudJQB1LTVGkpOdbAo21ZQQSzDFAcHxY2sbACFqawCkIMLwOHbGXFMcv-E3SENGqJ4/s400/christmas-tree-ideas-country.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>How does your family decorate your trees, do you have a theme or is it a mixture of all the ornaments you've collected over the years. I love those trees, too, they have a unique story to tell. I love seeing how other people decorate their trees, so if you have a picture of your tree on your blog, send me a link to your post and I'll add it here! </div><div></div><div></div><div>Go check out these Christmas trees!</div><div></div><ol><li><a href="http://zenforyou.dalefg.net/2008/12/siesta-saturday-o-christmas-tree.html">Zen Ventures</a></li><li><a href="http://hernandezfamilyescapades.blogspot.com/2008/11/oh-christmas-tree.html">Hernandez Family</a></li><li>another <a href="http://hernandezfamilyescapades.blogspot.com/2008/12/it-sings.html">Hernandez Family </a>Christmas tree post</li><li><a href="http://ofmiceandramen.blogspot.com/2008/12/christmas.html">Veronica Lee</a></li></ol><p><br /></p><div></div>The Happy Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08016592839357843761noreply@blogger.com11