The Happy Mom

Vacation Budget Planning

2009-07-20T19:46:00.005-05:00

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.

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 family vacation budgeting. 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.

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 debt consolidation, credit card debt help and credit counseling.

Please share any budget tips you have used when planning your family vacations!

Keeping Your Pool Safe

2009-07-16T20:24:00.005-05:00

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.

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.

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 winter pool covers 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.

Evian Roller Babies

2009-07-13T13:13:00.005-05:00

Have 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.

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:

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!

Tacori Jewelry

2009-07-12T11:56:00.007-05:00

I 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!

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. Tacori engagement rings are beautifully crafted rings. I really like this design:

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 JR Dunn.

Save Our Summer Vacation and Win a $10,000 Getaway!

2009-06-25T11:29:00.004-05:00

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"? HomeAway, a vacation rental marketplace, has started a movement to make that happen.

I invite you all to join the “Save Our Summer Vacation” 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!

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?

Happy Mother's Day from the Happy Mom Blog!

2009-05-10T00:13:00.003-05:00

I hope all of you moms out there have a wonderful day!

Disney Shopping Deals

2009-03-03T12:36:00.005-06:00

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 adorable kids t-shirts 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.

They have a lot of styles to choose from, here are a few examples:

This adorable Winnie the Pooh one is so sweet.

This cute Belle tee is one of MANY Princess t-shirts they have.

And for the boys, there are Cars, Power Rangers, Toy Story and Mickey t-shirts.

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! :)

I'm Back!

2009-02-23T17:54:00.001-06:00

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 incredible deal 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.

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!

Happy Groundhog Day!

2009-02-02T18:42:00.003-06:00

Happy Groundhog Day!

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!

If you'd like to look at a fun website with your kids, take a look at this one today, it's the Official Website of the Punxsutawny Groundhog club. Lots of fun stuff here, how the tradition got started, activities for kids and even a recipe for groundhog cookies!

Fun Valentine's Day Activities

2009-01-22T13:55:00.004-06:00

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.

Activities, Crafts and Cards for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day Craft Kits

Family Fun Valentine's Crafts and Recipes

Valentine's Coloring Pages

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!

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

2009-01-19T16:32:00.003-06:00

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 website 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.

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.

Beaches Family Resorts Special Offer

2009-01-13T22:22:00.004-06:00

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.

Beaches 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.

What's so great about Beaches? Here is a description from their website:

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.

You can check out their promotions here 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?

Flip Camcorder Giveaway

2009-01-08T23:28:00.004-06:00

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 Babytalk magazine has a giveaway for one going on right now. You just need to fill out the online entry form (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.

Lemonade Award

2009-01-05T17:16:00.004-06:00

Thank you so much to Catherine at Evolving Mommy 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!

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.

I am passing it on to these great blogs who bring some refreshment to my day:

1. Girl in the Glasses 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. :)

2. Jiggety Jigg 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.

3. Drama Mama 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! :)

4. Reluctant Housewife 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.

Hope everyone is having a great Monday!

Happy 2009!

2008-12-31T16:54:00.006-06:00

Happy New Year from the Happy Mom Blog!
Wishing you a new year filled with health and happiness!

Baby Center Store Closing-Save Up To 80%

2008-12-30T12:34:00.005-06:00

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.

Some examples of deals you will find:

This convertible diaper bag from Fanci-Free was originally $89 and is marked down to $18.

This adorable Kate Spade rocker from Maclaren was originally $119 and is marked down to $48.

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.

They also are having a huge sale on Carter's clothing-you can save up to 75%.

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.

Skin MD Natural

2008-12-28T13:46:00.004-06:00

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 natural skin care product that creates an invisible shield to lock in moisture.

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 Skin MD had a very light, pleasant scent.

The other thing that I noticed about this lotion is that a little goes a long way. 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.

As I stated earlier, the lotion creates an invisible shield over your skin. Why is this beneficial, you may wonder?

"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.

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."

~Dr. Brian Zogg, board certified dermatologist

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 website. 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!

Great Book for Moms of Girls

2008-12-27T00:56:00.004-06:00

One of my gifts that I asked for and received this year is the book Five Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter 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:

1. You are more than the sum of your parts.
2. Don't be in such a hurry to grow up.
3. Sex is great and worth the wait.
4. It's OK to dream about marriage and motherhood.
5. Girls gone wild are a dime a dozen-dare to be virtuous.

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 website.

2008-12-24T20:55:00.000-06:00

Hot Spiced Cider Recipe

2008-12-23T09:31:00.005-06:00

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!

Hot Spiced Cider

1 orange

8 whole cloves

8 cups apple juice (I use apple cider)

zest of 1 lemon

2 T. fresh lemon juice

cinnamon sticks (for recipe and for garnishing)

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.

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).

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!

Happy Day for Procrastinators!

2008-12-21T11:22:00.004-06:00

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.

Here are some of them:

Land's End

Target

Overstock

Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts

Endless.com

Amazon (you can do a trial of Amazon Prime to get free 2 day shipping-I did this last year)

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!

Holidays=Matching Jammies

2008-12-18T10:17:00.005-06:00

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.

But for those of you looking for some cute family pj's, The Company Store 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!

Laura Mercier Flawless Face

2008-12-16T13:04:00.004-06:00

I am a SUPER HAPPY mom today because of this incredible deal that I just ordered from Sephora (please tell me I'm not the only one who buys herself stocking stuffers).

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.

It comes with:

Foundation Primer (Step 1)

Tinted Moisturizer (Step 2)

Translucent Loose Setting Powder (Step 3 and 4)

Undercover Pot Shade #3

Secret Camouflage Brush

Camouflage Powder Brush

Velour Puff

Egg-shaped Sponge

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 ;).

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.

Scandinavian Almond Bars

2008-12-14T11:38:00.005-06:00

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.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. almond extract
milk
1/2 c. sliced almonds, coarsely chopped

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.

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.
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.

Almond Icing:
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.

Christmas Tree Themes

2008-12-11T11:03:00.013-06:00

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.

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...

Here are some pictures of some gorgeous trees that have a theme:

This one is so sweet-it's a Baby's First Christmas tree.

This tree has a White Christmas theme.

Here is a beautiful, traditional tree decorated in red and gold with some Victorian carolers at the base.

Here is a cozy, homespun Christmas tree with plaid ribbon and natural elements like pine cones and birch bark hearts.

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!

Go check out these Christmas trees!

Zen Ventures
Hernandez Family
another Hernandez Family Christmas tree post
Veronica Lee

Favorite Christmas Music for Kids

2008-12-09T13:17:00.005-06:00

I love playing Christmas music all the time. At home, in the car, I really don't get sick of it (but I don't start playing it until after Thanksgiving). I really think it helps set the mood of the season. We will often have just the radio set to a station that plays Christmas music but we also have a stack of cd's that we'll play also. Here are some of my favorite kids Christmas cd's that we listen to during the holiday season:

Kidz Bop Christmas: Even though I'm not a big fan of KidzBop in general, I really like their Christmas CD. We actually have a couple different versions of this one and like both of them.

A Holly Jolly Kids Christmas: This is a newer one and great for younger kids. Very cute, high

energy songs.

Disney's Family Christmas Collection: I love Disney and love Christmas music, so this is a no-brainer!

Disney's Princess Christmas Album: Another Disney one and a must if you have a little girl who loves the Princesses!

Sleigh Ride! Classic Christmas Favorites: And because I'm a traditionalist, this is also on my list of favorites.

What are some of your family's favorite Christmas songs or cd's that you listen to?

eToys Deals

2008-12-03T11:35:00.005-06:00

eToys is offering some promotions this week that might interest you if you have some toy shopping to do. I love finding free shipping deals for online stores, since shipping costs can add up quickly. They also have a 2008 Holiday Toy Guide to help you find great toys for thes kids on your list. Hope you can use some of these!

eToys: Great Gifts Up to 60% Off on Select Items. Shop Now! (ends 12.8)

eToys: Free Shipping On Select LeapFrog Items! (ends 12.8)

eToys: NFL Lockers 20% Off All NFL Lockers (ends 12.8)

eToys: Select Dress-Up Outfits Buy One, Get One Free! (ends 12.8)

eToys: Special Holiday Offer, Get $5 off $100. Shop Now!

My SITSMAS Card

2008-12-02T08:31:00.007-06:00

Merry SITMAS! The Secret is in the Sauce (SITS for short) is having a fun day of festivities including giveaways every hour and lots of SITSMAS cards to look at and link to! I would love to win the grand prize-a $200 Target gift card! Yesterday we had a virtual cookie swap and online shopping fun and today it's a virtual holiday party! Who knew blogging was so much fun! :)

If you came here card-hopping from SITS, here is the next one.

Virtual Cookie Exchange-Candy Cane Cookies

2008-12-01T10:19:00.006-06:00

Happy first day of December to everyone! Not only is it Cyber Monday, a great online shopping day, it's also the day of Melinda's virtual cookie swap! If you want to participate post a favorite cookie recipe and link back to her site. Then you can go to her blog and leave a link to your recipe! And be entered to win a cool Southern Living Cookie Book! Here is a fun recipe that isn't too hard but always looks great on a cookie tray. I've been making them for years. The picture is from Betty Crocker because the recipe I use is from my Betty Crocker Cookbook.

Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 egg
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red food color
2 tablespoons finely crushed peppermint candies
2 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

1. Stir together 1 cup sugar, the butter, milk, vanilla, peppermint extract and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Divide dough in half. Stir food color into 1 half. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
2. Heat oven to 375ºF.
3. Stir together peppermint candy and 2 tablespoon sugar; set aside.
4. For each candy cane, shape 1 rounded teaspoon dough from each half into 4-inch rope by rolling back and forth on floured surface. Place 1 red and white rope side by side; press together lightly and twist. Place on ungreased cookie sheet; curve top of cookie down to form handle of cane.
5. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until set and very light brown. Immediately sprinkle candy mixture over cookies. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack and cool completely.

This recipe makes 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

I can't wait to see the other recipes today. Happy baking and shopping to you! :)

Cyber Monday Strategy

2008-11-30T21:24:00.003-06:00

I'm back from my Thanksgiving weekend just in time for some Cyber Monday shopping! Last year my family was in Disneyworld for Thanksgiving so I missed all the great Black Friday deals, but I found that on the Monday after, I actually found much BETTER deals online. Plus, you don't have stand in the freezing cold, waiting for a store to open at 4 am just to find they're all sold out of what you came for!

There are many deals to be had, but where to start? My advice is to make a list of what specific things you're looking for and then use a Cyber Monday deal site that contains categories of all the deals available throughout the day. My two favorites are:

1) CyberMonday.com This is the one I turn to when I want to find deals for everything on my shopping list. It's considered the "official" site of Cyber Monday.

2) Dealio.com is another great one. They have deals and coupon codes for tons of retailers and also great shopping tips.

Another piece of advice I have is that if you don't have a specific item in mind for a person on your list-write down how much you spend and shop by that. There are so many great deals that it is easy to spend over your budget and also buy things that weren't even on your list because it's a "good deal". Shop with caution! :)

Are you a Black Friday girl or a Cyber Monday girl? And if you're shopping today, what deals have you found?

Happy Thanksgiving from The Happy Mom Blog!

2008-11-26T12:55:00.004-06:00

I want to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving, I hope you enjoy delicious food and happy times with your family. I'm leaving to spend time with my extended family and won't be posting for a couple days. Also, good luck to all of you Black Friday shoppers-I hope you get everything on your lists. I'll be back to post some great finds for Cyber Monday! :)

Personal Shopper Deal

2008-11-26T11:07:00.004-06:00

As some of you have probably figured out by now, I love to shop. I love scouring the malls and online shopping sites for new products and the best deals . However, I know that not everyone is the shopaholic that I am and that it would be a luxury to have someone do the shopping for you. Using a personalized shopping service can do exactly that.

PersonalShopper.com is an online personalized shopping service that can do your shopping for you. They are offering a special deal for the readers of The Happy Mom Blog. For today only, you can take 20% off your purchase of PS Direct items when you become a member by simply signing up for PersonalShopper.com and entering code PSFF20 at checkout. Also, starting today PersonalShopper.com is offering free shipping for PS Direct products. Free ground shipping runs all the way through December 15th. They also offer a free service, the new My Gift Budget Planner. It allows you to set your master gift budget as well as spending limits for each person. It then sifts through hundreds of thousands of products, so you don’t have to, and helps you find gifts they'll love in record time, without breaking the bank. A great service for busy moms who don't want to waste time at the mall or pour through online websites finding the perfect gift. But remember, this offer is for today only, so maybe you can get a little shopping done before Turkey Day!

Fabulous Award

2008-11-26T08:04:00.006-06:00

Thank you Melinda for this fun award!

For this award I am supposed to list 5 of my addictions and then pass the award on to five fabulous bloggers.

So, in no particular order, 5 things I am addicted to:

photography

Starbucks Mocha Frappuccinos

lipgloss (at any given time, you can find about 20 bajillion lipglosses in my purse)

WDW-I love Disney vacations

reading

And my 5 fabulous bloggers, also in no particular order:

Leslie

The Monfort 3

Erin

Gourmet Mom on The Go

Erin from The Mom Buzz

Make sure to stop by and check out each of these fabulous blogs!

Gifts for the Little Meteorologist

2008-11-25T08:43:00.004-06:00

Do you have an older child who loves science and is fascinated by weather? Here are some great holiday gift ideas for kids want to be a weatherperson when they grow up and for kids who just have a natural curiosity about our world.

This digital weather station looks like so much fun. Kids set up the station and use tools that measure temperature, humidity and other weather indicators to put together their own forecast. The can also measure air pollution, rain pH and build a barometer. It also comes with an activity book. You can get it for $39.98.

The DK Eyewitness Weather book has amazing weather pictures as well as facts about weather and climate. This is for middle age kids, but even younger kids would enjoy the pictures. I love the DK Eyewitness books, our whole family enjoys reading them together. You could also get the Eyewitness Weather DVD.

Here's a great website that kids can use now and all year long and it's free. It's called Weather Wiz Kids and it is such a fun website designed by television meteorogist Crystal Wicker. You can find lots of information on tornadoes, hurricanes, clouds, weather experiments and games, coloring pages, even weather jokes like this one:

Whatever happened to the cow that was lifted into the air by the tornado?

Udder disaster!

Haha! :)

I can remember when my daughter was afraid of thunderstorms when she was a preschooler. It really helped her to learn about what happens during a storm and that the loud thunder could not hurt her. She enjoys learning about weather; our Science Museum has a great Weather Discovery area for kids and she loves doing the cool experiments they have.

Are your kids fascinated by weather, terrified by it, or could they care less about the weather? :)

Christmas Pettiskirts

2008-11-25T08:01:00.002-06:00

Aren't these adorable? These Christmas pettiskirts would make stunning holiday portraits. I know I've said it before, but I am a pettiskirt lover, they are just so feminine and happy, and it's so cute how little girls love to twirl in them. If you want to get one of these, they are $69.99 and are from Pink Taffy Design children's boutique. They are selling fast, though, so grab one while you can. (I want that zebra chair, too, it would look awesome in my daughter's room.)

Designer Linens Outlet Deal

2008-11-24T12:54:00.004-06:00

I know many of you are planning out your shopping strategies for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it's an exciting time of year for us shopaholics! Here is a great deal from Designer Linens Outlet- they have a Black Friday discount code that you can use now through Dec.8. The code is FF08 and you can click the link above to check out the deals there.

They have a great Designer Kids section, with adorable sets like this Eric Carle one. As a former teacher, The Very Hungry Caterpillar was one of my favorite books and I think a room with this theme would be super cute.

Two Awards in the Same Day!

2008-11-24T11:37:00.003-06:00

I went from no awards to 2 awards in one morning-what a great way to start a Monday!

This award is from Karrie at Mommatudes. I look forward to reading her fun blog and she is also a fellow scrapbooker, so I enjoy reading her scrapbooking blog, Scrap Paper Scissors to see all of the cool things she's created. Stop by and say hi to her!

I am going to pass this one on to Sara, who started blogging around the same time as me. She has a great sense of humor and is a faithful reader and commenter. I am also passing it on to Melinda, another faithful commenter who is hosting a Virtual Cookie Exchange one week from today. Hope you can join in the fun, too!

My First Award

2008-11-24T11:17:00.003-06:00

Thanks so much to Sandy at The Adams Family for giving me my first blog award! I love her writing style and reading about her family's adventures. I also love that beautiful picture in her header-so peaceful! If you haven't visited Sandy's blog before, stop by to say hi.

I had to think about who I should pass the award to-I've only been blogging a short time, but I've met a lot of really great mom bloggers. I decided I would give this award to the first three people to follow my blog, Queenie Jeannie, Aimie and Mama Wheaton. I'm glad to count you as my friends.

Hottest Holiday Toys

2008-11-22T16:21:00.006-06:00

According to the National Retail Federation 2008 Top Toy survey, Barbie and video games top the list for the hottest toys this holiday season. The survey polled 8,758 consumers this month to gauge this year's shopping trends among consumers. Here is the list of what they found to be the Hot Toys of 2008:

Top toys for girls

1. Barbie
2. Disney Hannah Montana
3. Dolls (generic)
4. Bratz (dolls)
5. Nintendo Wii
6. Video games
7. Elmo
8. Disney High School Musical
9. Disney princess (dolls and themed items)
10. American Girl (dolls and themed items)

Top toys for boys

1. Video games
2. Nintendo Wii
3. Lego
4. Cars (generic)
5. Transformers
6. Elmo
7. Star Wars
8. Hot Wheels
9. Remote-controlled vehicles
10. Xbox 360

What are your kids asking for this year? Are you planning on buying any of the toys that made the list?

Gift Ideas for Your Little Star

2008-11-21T10:43:00.005-06:00

Do you have a little diva or divo (is that the correct term for a male diva?) in your house?

If you answered yes to that, here are some great gift ideas to help your little star shine:

You can set the stage with this Star Performance Theater. Whether they want to sing, act or walk the runway, this will put them at the center of everyone's attention.

This karaoke system is fun for moms and dads, too. That is, if you are able to get the microphone away from your diva (or divo).

If your star dreams of being the next American Idol, a great idea would be this American Idol Encore bundle for Wii.

If your whole family loves American Idol, the American Idol - All Star Challenge DVD game looks like a lot of fun on family game night. You complete challenges like singing, dancing and trivia and it features video clips from the first five seasons.

Does anyone have any other great finds for a little one who craves the spotlight? I'd love to hear what you've found!

Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving

2008-11-20T13:03:00.005-06:00

If you are playing the role of hostess this Thanksgiving (one week from TODAY-can you believe it?), Williams-Sonoma has a ton of great tips on their website. I'm a huge fan of Williams-Sonoma. When I go into their store, I imagine it's how my daughter feels when she walks into American Girl Place.

WS can help you pick the perfect wine.

They have a video you can watch on setting the perfect table.

They have this beautiful Thanksgiving platter to put your turkey on.
They even have the organic turkey. They sell Willie Bird organic turkeys, which are fresh and can be delivered to you on Tuesday. There is a video on their site to show you how the free-range Willie Birds are raised*.

*I shouldn't have watched this. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about buying organic. However, does anyone really like to give a first and last name to something that they will eat? I also don't like to look at home movies of it surrounded by it's family, knowing it will soon meet it's demise. They look so happy at the farm......maybe we'll have pizza this year.

Question of the Day

2008-11-18T19:49:00.006-06:00

Leave it to kids to make you painfully aware of how much about the world you don't know. Astronomy, world history, philosophy, nature, medical mysteries.....you name it and I've been asked about it. Today my daughter asked me,"why do they say something is 'brand-new'? What if it's generic, can it still be brand new? Where did that word come from mom?"

Hmmm....I'm a college graduate and consider myself an intelligent person, how could this nugget of knowledge escape me? So, thank the Lord for Google, I distracted her long enough to find the answer. Thus perpetuating the myth of the all-knowing mom. I just wanted to pass this along in case any other mom out there is posed with the same question.

"brand-new" adj

1. Completely new.

Etymology: 16c, from brand (ie like bright new metal just taken out of the fire).

There you have it. Now here's my question-how did our moms survive without Google and Wikipedia?

Oh, and please don't ask me what "brand-spanking new" means, I haven't googled it yet! :)

Virtual Cookie Exchange

2008-11-18T14:26:00.003-06:00

Making Christmas cookies is one of my favorite holiday traditions. My blogging friend Melinda at "Bloggin' it From The 'Burbs" is hosting a cookie recipe exchange.

Here are the details from her blog in case I get them wrong (I have been known to do that once or many times):

"...on Monday, December 1st (that's 2 weeks from today, people) post your favorite cookie recipe on your blog, link back to "Bloggin' It From The 'Burbs" either with your own link in your post or you can grab one of the following widgets. Then come back to my page, add a comment and at that point I will have a "Mr. Linky" so that a link to your post will show up on my blog. And who can hold a party without having some kind of door prize? Certainly not me! So, depending on how many of you decide to join in, I will either draw a name out of a hat (so very official, don't you think?) or get one of those random-number-picker-thingies (don't you just love my non-technical terminology?) and one of you will win this very lovely Southern Living Incredible Cookies cookbook, filled with page after page of mouth-watering cookie recipes and photos. "

So, anyone who reads this blog is also invited by Melinda. It is a fun way to get a lot of new cookie recipes and maybe even win a new Southern Living cookbook!

Great Disney Vacation Deal

2008-11-17T09:03:00.005-06:00

Disney is offering a special promotion if you're planning on visiting Walt Disney World in 2009. I am so excited about it!

When you buy a non-discounted 4-day, 4-night package (package includes a stay at a Disney resort and a 4 day Magic Your Way base ticket), you get 3 nights free! That includes your hotel and park tickets. It is valid for stays January 4 through June 27, 2009 (April 5-18 is blacked out-that's during their busy spring break season). Plus, as a bonus, if you are traveling before March 29, you also get a $200 Disney gift card that you can use for food or souvenirs on your trip. You have to book your vacation by Dec. 20. You can call and book directly with Disney or through a travel agency specializing in Disney travel, such as Small World Vacations. We usually take a Disney vacation every other year and we were just there last Thanksgiving, but with a deal this great, we are going to take advantage of it and plan a spring Disney trip. For me, planning the trip is half the fun!

Finding Your Signature Scent

2008-11-14T09:12:00.004-06:00

Do you have a hard time trying to find your signature scent? If you like trying different perfumes but don't want to pay a lot of money for full bottles only to discover it gives you a headache or the scent doesn't work for you, Sephora has a Scent Sampler to help you find your perfect scent.

When you buy the Scent Sampler Bestsellers for Her(the cost is $50 but it's an $80 value), you get 10 samples of Sephora's bestselling perfumes. They're good ones, too. They include:

Aquolina Pink Sugar, Bulgari Omnia Crystalline, Calvin Klein Euphoria, Givenchy Very Irresistible Givenchy Sensual, Gwen Stefani L.A.M.B., Lavanila Vanilla Grapefruit, Marc Jacobs Daisy, Philosophy Amazing Grace, Stella McCartney Stella, and Vera Wang Princess.

Along with the samples you get a gift voucher to redeem at a Sephora store for a full-size bottle of your favorite. You still get to keep all the sample sprays, which are a great size to stash in your purse.

So my question for today is: do you have a signature scent or a few favorite perfumes that you rotate?

We Like To Move It Move It!

2008-11-13T12:03:00.008-06:00

Have you seen Madagascar 2 yet? I like family movies that can be entertaining for kids and parents alike and Madascar 2 is that kind of movie. It's only been out for a short time now and it has not only made it to #1 at the box office, it's making it's way into our everyday lives-is it just me or are you seeing the Madagascar theme just about everywhere these days?

Your kids can play it on their Nintendo DS.

They (or you) can reenact favorite scenes with action figures.

They can celebrate with it on their birthday.

And they can even get it at McDonald's.

McDonald's is using the new Madagascar 2 Happy Meals to promote their new platform, One Minute to Move it. It's a global children’s well-being program designed to encourage kids to see what a difference a minute can make. If you need some ideas, you can go to http://www.happymeals.com/ where kids can find creative activities and ways to move it in a minute.

On a related note, did you know that Alex from Madagascar 2 is a HUGE fan of The Happy Mom blog?

Everybody Has A Twin

2008-11-12T08:13:00.008-06:00

There is an age-old belief that every one of us has a twin somewhere in the world-someone not related to us who looks just like us. If you have a little girl who loves dolls, you don't have to search the world for her doppelganger, you can BUY her one. MyTwinn makes dolls that are customized to match a picture of your daughter so she can have her very own twin. If you have ever seen their catalog or been to their website you know how amazing these dolls look, down to their matching freckles or birthmarks. You may even mistake the doll for your daughter! (ok, maybe that wouldn't happen :), but they are remarkably close).

If you've started your holiday shopping, these would make a wonderful gift for any little girl. They are expensive but just like American Girl dolls, they can become an heirloom for her to pass on to her own little girl. They have some specials right now that you can get this week. You can get 50% off girl and doll matching outfits as well as holiday outfits.

My Twinn: Up to 50% Off Select Girl & Doll Matching Outfits. (ends 11/17)

My Twinn: Up to 50% Off Select Holiday Outfits! (ends 11/17)

So, have you found twin in life? Or have you been told that you have a celebrity double (think Sarah Palin and Tina Fey)?

*Edited to add cool site you must try*

I totally forgot about this but I wanted to add it here because it goes perfect with this post. MyHeritage is a genealogy site and they have the coolest Celebrity Face Recognition program-it is so much fun! You upload a photo and then it scans it and tells you what celebrities you look like. The results come in a little montage that you can even post on your blog for fun! Go try it and tell me who you look like!

Parent Reviewers

Happy Veteran's Day!

2008-11-11T08:47:00.004-06:00

Today we celebrate the men and women who have served our country. It's also the day that my daughter gets to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in front of the whole school at a Veterans Day Program, as part of her duties as student council president. Hopefully she won't follow in her mom's footsteps and add an "Amen" at the end of it in a moment of nervousness when reciting it in front of a large group. Embarrassing moment #314 in my life. :)

If you want to share the importance of Veterans Day with your children, here are some great resources for you:

* VA Kids The VA kids website has a ton of great information for kids. You'll find information on the history of Veterans Day and what a veteran is, as well as activities for kids from K-12th grade.

*The American Legion At the American Legions site, kids can send a Veterans Day Ecard and say thank you to a Veteran . There is also a brief history of the day also on page.

*Children's Songs for Veterans Day Kids love singing and learning songs and these are sung to well-known songs so they're easy to learn. This site also has other links for coloring pages, crafts, puzzles and other activities relating to veterans day.

Thank you veterans!

Countdown to Thanksgiving

2008-11-10T11:45:00.006-06:00

Thanksgiving is going to be here before we know it. I'm really looking forward to it, it's one of my favorite holidays because I love traditions, good food and families getting together. However, I realize for most kids it's not something that they're too excited about. It's a little blip between the "cool" holidays of Halloween and Christmas and you get a couple days of no school. Well, here are some ideas to rock the kids' table at Thanksgiving this year from Pottery Barn Kids:

The fine china is boring and overrated. These super cute turkey plates make the kiddie table THE place to be this year.

And it's not a party until you add these adorable turkey headbands. How fun are these! They crack me up-I think they have the potential to be used at the adult table after enough wine has been served. :)

Also, keep a basket of fun Thanksgiving books like these ones for kids to read:

Thanksgiving Is... by Gail Gibbons

Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland
The Story of the Pilgrims by Katharine Ross
Sarah Morton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl by Kate Waters

(this one is a favorite of my daughter)

I'd love to hear how you celebrate Thanksgiving with kids-special crafts, recipes or traditions that you have!

Fall Yankee Candle Sale

2008-11-08T10:34:00.004-06:00

I love Yankee candles. If I am somewhere that sells them, I will spend an hour standing there smelling each and every one. Now that I think about it, it sounds a little ocd, but honestly, their candles smell SOOO good, how can I resist? I like using their seasonal candles-I love smelling the Spiced Pumpkin one this time of year. They have some great fall scents that are on sale right now-you can get all of their fall gift sets for 50% off. My favorite is this set with 3 small jar candles. It includes Spiced Pumpkin, Fall Festival & Autumn Leaves. It's regularly $25 but is now marked down to $12.50. They make your whole house smell like how fall should smell. :)

The Happy Mom's Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe

2008-11-07T14:56:00.005-06:00

We went out for a family dinner at Olive Garden last night (where once again I ate so much salad and bread sticks that I was full when my meal arrived) and I had their chicken alfredo which is one of my favorites there. That, and did I mention I love their salad? That inspired me to post this recipe for fettuccine alfredo which is my very favorite alfredo recipe EVER! I've been making this for about 10 years now, I found the recipe on a box of cream cheese and just made a few adjustments (because if nutmeg in alfredo sauce is good for Rachael Ray, then it's good for me!). I usually make it with chicken or crab but it's nice on it's own with a salad and some french bread.This is a high calorie, once-in-a-while type recipe, so use with caution, the Happy Mom does not want to induce any heart attacks. :) But if you're looking for a delicious special occasion meal, then this is for you!

The Happy Mom's Fettuccine Alfredo

1/2 cup butter-make sure it's REAL butter!
1 pkg. cream cheese, cubed
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (fresh)
1/2 c. heavy cream (I sometimes use half and half)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp.salt

1/4 tsp. white pepper

nutmeg
1 lb cooked fettuccine (I like to use the fresh kind from the refrigerated section)

*Directions

In a medium saucepan, mix cream cheese, parmesan cheese, heavy cream, butter, white pepper, salt and garlic powder in medium saucepan; cook on low heat until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended.

Toss with hot fettuccine. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

LL Bean Travel Organizers-LOVE Them!

2008-11-06T09:55:00.004-06:00

LL Bean makes the most wonderful personal organizer bags, they come in 8 colors and you can even get them monogrammed with your family name (that's what I did). They come in 4 different sizes-small, medium, large and family size. If you are looking for a travel bag just for yourself then go with the small, but the family size is awesome because you can put in SO much stuff-like full bottles of shampoo when you go on trips. We have a smaller family so I bought the large and it has room for all of our stuff for a week long vacation. Everything is neat and organized and it can fit on a bathroom counter or hang from the door. I have used ours on cruises and it works perfectly because if you've ever been on a cruise you know that Barbie has a bigger bathroom in her townhouse than the tiny closet they call a bathroom. Even when we've had larger cabins the bathroom is always itty bitty. The bags have a rust-proof hanger that you can hang from the back of the door. There are separate compartments for things like medicine and toothbrushes and the bags are waterproof too. Ours has been from Hawaii to the Bahamas and everywhere in between! Now is the perfect time to get one because LL Bean is offering a $10 gift card with a $50 purchase. You can get one for yourself or for someone you love-they make great holiday gifts!

Farewell Samantha

2008-11-05T09:44:00.004-06:00

If you haven't heard the news (I'm a little teary eyed just thinking about it), American Girl is going to retire the Samantha collection. Samantha will always hold a spot in my heart because she is the first AG doll that my daughter received when she was 4 years old. I had the Samantha books in my classroom when I was a teacher and the kids loved them-even the boys. I read those same books to my daughter and she grew to love Samantha and just like her mommy, she loves anything that has to do with the Victorian period. If you want to complete your Samantha collection, you should do it now before she's gone. If you don't have Samantha yet, she would make a great gift for your daughter. The doll is gorgeous and hopefully when my daughter is done playing with dolls (she is walking that line now and I know I'm in denial) we will pack up Samantha into her trunk and hopefully someday I will pull her out for my granddaughter to play with. If you are a Samantha fan like me you can go to their website and leave your favorite memories or stories about her. Goodbye Samantha, thanks for the memories! (I was going to upload a slide show with pictures of Samantha through the years but I thought that would be a bit much). :)

The Democracy Project

2008-11-04T07:38:00.004-06:00

Make sure you vote today and if you have a chance to take your kids with you, then do it. It is a great opportunity for you to model good citizenship to them and let them know that being able to vote is a privilege. The Democracy Project is a great website for kids to learn about the democratic process. It's fun for adults to look at too. DK Eyewitness books (I LOVE these books for kids, we have a collection of them) has a book called Vote which also does a great job of explaining the history of voting and elections. Remember that every voice counts.

Happy voting!

It's Never Too Early

2008-11-03T08:40:00.004-06:00

I swear that as we were closing the door on our last trick-or-treater, I heard a Christmas commercial. They don't waste any time do they? I think it was a car dealership-is anyone out there actually getting a new car for Christmas? I want to be on that list. Anyways, one thing that is good to do early to save you stress later when you are doing last-minute shopping is to get your Christmas cards printed. Tiny Prints is offering free shipping on orders over $99 with the code HOLIDAYSHIP and I love their designs. I used them last year for Christmas cards and I had so many friends ask me where I found them. You can choose your design, upload your photo, personalize it and order all from your home. Then you can sit back and worry about planning your Thanksgiving dinner. Or Easter. Because it's never too early.

Apple Brown Betty

2008-11-02T13:30:00.004-06:00

One of my favorite things about fall is visiting the apple orchard. This is a picture I took from an orchard trip a few weeks ago. We bought Honeycrisp apples because they are the best to eat and Haralsons because they are my favorite to bake with (I also like Cortlands for baking). Apple orchards are a great place for a family picnic and it's been a tradition in our family for many years now. I'm making this apple brown betty recipe this week, it's a recipe that's been in my family for 3 generations. I warn you though, if you try it, it's VERY rich so serve small pieces.

Apple Brown Betty

*apples (peeled, cored and sliced thin)

*cinnamon & sugar (I use Pampered Chef Korintje Cinnamon)

Topping:

* 1 c. flour

* 1 c. oatmeal

*1/2 c. butter

*1/2 tsp. baking powder

*1/2 tsp. salt

*1/2 c. brown sugar

*1/2 c. white sugar

* whipped cream

Butter baking dish and fill almost to the top with sliced apples. As you put each layer in, sprinkle generously with cinnamon and sugar. Prepare topping by blending ingredients with a fork. Pat topping over aples. Bake @ 350 until tip is brown and apples are tender (do NOT overbake or topping will become hard). Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

There is nothing like the smell of apple desserts baking on a fall afternoon. Enjoy!

Jungle Theme Nursery

2008-11-01T11:11:00.007-06:00

Pink Taffy Designs has some adorable finds if you are wanting to decorate your baby's nursery with a jungle theme. I found this adorable rocking giraffe there and thought how cute it would be to do a jungle nursery theme (yes, I like to fantasize about room decorating and I'm not even pregnant).

Here are some other things that would be in my imaginary jungle nursery:

this absolutely gorgeous Mocha Giraffe Baby Boutique Blanket would go perfectly with it

this wall-mounted jungle organizer, how cool is that?

and definitely these letters spelling baby's name on the wall. I love wall letters that match the theme of the room.Too bad I don't have a baby. If you are or know somebody who is, you can find this cool jungle stuff at Pink Taffy Designs.

Whitehall Jewelers Closing

2008-10-31T15:44:00.003-06:00

If you have a Whitehall or Lundstrom Jewelers store in a mall near you, you might want to check it out. The company is closing 373 stores and liquidating inventory- $500 million dollars of it. It's an unfortunate situation that another company in our economy has to close it's doors, but you may be able to find some great deals there before they close. Prices are marked down up to 70% and that kind of discount on diamonds is hard to find. If you go to their website you can find out where there stores are and hopefully find a deal.

Pretty Fall Sweaters

2008-10-30T17:59:00.007-06:00

I love this pretty sweater from Anthropologie. I drool over all of their sweaters. Well, not literally, that would be gross. But anyways, back to the sweater, it would go perfect with some jeans and these boots, don't you think?

Here is another great sweater from Banana Republic that would also go great with those boots. All you'd need to add is a great necklace. Because I always say a good necklace can tie the whole outfit together. Happy shopping!

My Favorite Mascara

2008-10-30T15:06:00.005-06:00

I told you that you'd find a little bit of everything here, didn't I?

I think mascara is sometimes an overlooked cosmetic, people will just buy the cheapest one since a tube is only good for 3 months. But then you sometimes end up with raccoon eyes. Raccoon eyes do not look good on anyone, not even raccoons. My favorite everyday mascara is Clinique's Naturally Glossy mascara. LOVE THIS! It never clumps, smudges or leaves bits of mascara falling on your face. It's not a dramatic look, but it makes you look like you have beautiful natural lashes, long and glossy.

My second favorite mascara is Diorshow. This is the perfect mascara to wear when you're going out. It's more dramatic than the Clinique one and it makes my lashes very thick and full. You can buy it at Sephora. If you have a lot of holiday parties to go to this year, you have to get this mascara and see how beautiful it makes you look.

Halloween Dinner

2008-10-30T10:12:00.003-06:00

If you're looking for something fast and fun for dinner tomorrow night, Papa Murphy's has take and bake jack-o-lantern pizzas. We bought some of these last year for a Halloween party and they were a big hit. We've also had the heart-shaped one they offer around Valentine's day (I know, doesn't that sound romantic?). Serve this with a salad for a quick meal that will keep your kids at the table, so they are not bugging you the whole time during dinner with "when can we go? can we go now? the candy will be ALL GONE by the time we leave, mom". You just have to get over that creepy feeling that the eyes are following you.

One Posh Kid Pettiskirt

2008-10-30T00:37:00.005-06:00

I love boutique clothing for kids, especially for little girls. I am a girlie girl at heart and I love outfits like this one from One Posh Kid with a LuckyGabi pettiskirt. It is so gorgeous that if it came in adult sizes I could be talked into buying one. I would be happy twirling around in it all day long.

Happy Halloween Sale

2008-10-29T23:08:00.001-06:00

Aren't these adorable? I love these fabric Build-A-Pumpkin sets from Pottery Barn Kids. I admit it, cleaning out pumpkin guts does not make me happy and this is a cute alternative to pumpkin carving (and just buy your pumpkin seeds at the store, all nice and cleaned for you). I know it's 2 days before Halloween and you won't get them in time for this year, but you can be a smart shopper and get them now to use next year. They were originally $24 and are now marked down to $5.99! You can get some for your whole neighborhood and be the friendly pumpkin street (except for the skull pumpkin, he doesn't look like the friendly type).

There are many bargains to be had at pbk right now. Look at this cute dragon costume, it's adorable and snuggly warm and the best part is it's marked down from $89 to $21.99!

Make Your Birthday A Happy Day

2008-10-29T22:11:00.002-06:00

I thought long and hard about what I should make my first post about. Then it hit me, my blog is The Happy Mom blog, why not post about the happiest place on Earth...Walt Disney World.

This is a picture I took last year while we were waiting for the Pooh breakfast at The Crystal Palace. WDW is definitely one of my happy places and even though I've been there many times, I could NEVER get tired of it. Seriously. I could actually do a whole blog just about Disney stuff. This year, Disney has a special gift for you on your birthday-free admission to one of the theme parks at Walt Disney World or Disneyland in 2009. You can find out the details and register for your birthday here. Isn't that cool? Wouldn't WDW be an awesome place to spend your birthday? That would make me a very happy mom.