Family and Parenting

Father’s Day Gift Guide

Wondering what to get that special father in your life? Ladies, Father’s Day is creeping up on us quicker than it may seem. A week from this coming Sunday, as a matter of fact. Even this multi-tasking mama hasn’t purchased her Father’s Day stuff yet. Luckily there is no need to panic! The ladies at Mom Central have put together a comprehensive Father’s Day gift guide- http://www.momcentral.com/giftguide/fathersday.

From camping equipment to DVD’s, this list has something for every dad and every budget. I know that my kids enjoy making things for my hubby for Father’s Day but I also like to get him something tangible as a thank-you for being the great dad that he is. Add to that my dad, my brothers (who have become fathers), my stepdad and my grandfather- whew! I’ve got a lot of buying to do. Thanks to Mom Central, I don’t have a lot of thinking to do!

Happy Shopping!

Melissa

Bacon Cheese Pull Aparts for Easter

INGREDIENTS
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 (16.3-oz.) can Pillsbury® Grands!® Flaky Layers Refrigerated Original Biscuits
1 (2.1-oz.) pkg. precooked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 oz. (3/4 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions (4 medium)

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 11×7- or 12×8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, beat egg and milk with wire whisk until smooth.
2. Separate dough into 8 biscuits; cut each into quarters. Gently stir biscuit pieces into egg mixture to coat evenly. Fold in bacon, cheese and onions. Spoon mixture into sprayed dish; arrange biscuit pieces in single layer.
3. Bake at 350°F. for 23 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into squares

received this recipe today from Pillsbury.com

Moms & Dads…These Are For You!

Prior to having our kids someone wise told us the following:

Keep your marriage strong and vibrant, remain each other’s best friends. After your kids are grown and out of the house it will just be the two of you, and you don’t want to be living with a stranger.

What are some ways to do that?

*Keep having dates — if you don’t have a lot of time, even once a month works. And they don’t need to be long or expensive. Since we don’t eat out much we make sure and have a mini-date every Sunday morning at Caribou Coffee

*Communicate — ask each other about their day. Don’t assume how someone’s day went, aske them. You can share in their joy, or comfort them if it was a downer kind of day.

*Have fun — laugh and enjoy, even if silly little things. Laughing is one of THE best stress relievers!

*Compliment — remember how good it felt when you were dating to hear even the littlest compliment on your hair, or clothing? Well, I’m pretty sure you would still feel good to hear things like this, and so would your spouse.

*Little favors — for me, it is sometimes the act of a little favor that really makes me feel good. Now don’t laugh, but emptying the dishwasher, some cleaning, changing the bedding…all save me time and are really appreciated when I’ve not even asked for help.

*Intimacy — we won’t get too detailed here, as I’m sure you know what I mean

*Renew your vows — we did this for our 10th Wedding Anniversary, and our three children were our attendants. We are planning on doing it again for our 25th in a few years.

This is only a rough draft of things we have done. And there are many households where there is a single parent, or partners. We would love to hear everyone’s ideas on what works for you.

Your Child’s Friends…Don’t Like?

It’s a challenge most of us face at least one time — not approving of our child’s friend, or group of friends.

When our children are at a younger age, toddlers to elementary school, we can have great influence on whom they see, and ultimately whom may become their best friends. But as they get older we see them less, and they become more independent. It is part of the maturing process, and picking friends is part of that process. We may still want to jump in, but knowing how and when is key.

My husband has a lot more tolerance than I do, and often reminds me that many issues or childhood habits that bother me are quite minor in the big picture of life. And over the years I think I have become more open minded if a friend of one of our children does something off beat, or has an annoying habit. What we have found works best is the open communication…talk to your child about the friends “issue” that is bothering you. Maybe there is another side or aspect you were unaware of. And maybe your child was unaware themselves.

Of course all of this depends greatly on the issue. If it is something dangerous or illegal you must take a harder stance…for the safety of your child. Many times your child may actually take that message and try to discuss the concerns with their friend. Nobody likes to see a friend take the wrong path. On the lighter issues…clothing, hair, piercings (ok, I admit this one is still edgy for me), speech, etc…try to let them go. It’s still ok if you want to discuss it with your child, but don’t make it accusatory.

A good point that Dr David Walsh (Author of ‘No: Why Kids of All Ages Need to Hear It and Ways Parents Can Say It.’) makes is that “forbidding friends can backfire”. Your child may continue to see that friend and delve into the behavior or habit you don’t like themselves. More of his interview can be seen here on WCCO news ‘What To Do If You Don’t Like Your Child’s Friends’

In the end the best thing to do is focus on your own child’s behaviors and habits. Bring them up to be positive role models to their peers and younger children. Hopefully their good habits and behavior will be the one that many of their friends emulate.

Skip the portrait studio and take your own quality pictures

I use to be a studio photographer many years ago. I lived the stress parents, grandparents, and children faced during their visits to the studio. When I had my own children we went the same route and it was a nerve wracking experience. I realized that it really didn’t have to be so stressful. I decided to take the pictures myself.

I don’t have a fancy camera. I get a lot of compliments on my pictures and people ask me where I got them done. Here are some suggestions showing you how you can have great pictures too.

* Solid backgrounds work best. Use props, they are all around you, but remember your child is the focus of the picture and less is better.

* Take several different poses. Try to get a head shot, a head and shoulder shot, and a full body shot. Take your pictures further away because you can crop in closer when you are editing.

* Candid pictures are the best. Let your children’s true personality shine through. Even pictures when they are crying or sad make great pictures too.

* Use editing software. I love Photoshop and Zoombrowser but even Photobucket has free editing software. You can take out red eye, crop your pictures and even make them black and white giving them a professional feel.

Remember that your pictures don’t have to be perfect to be great pictures. Just make sure not to do them near naptime!

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Mandie Stevens is a frugal mom of 2 and owner of www.takingtimeformommy.com an online magazine for moms.

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Have a Clothing Swap for Children’s Clothes

Shooting up like weeds, children grow out of their clothing rather quickly. Having to continuously buy clothing can be quite expensive, especially if you have more that one child. If you are lucky, you may be the recipient of hand me downs but sometimes you have to wait a year or two before they even fit.

Save money and have a clothing swap. To get started go through the clothing ad shoes your children no longer fit into. Throw away any stained and heavily worn clothing; wash the rest. Call all of your friends with children or advertise your swap in the play groups and at the local community center. Remember the more swappers the merrier.

Mandie Stevens is a frugal mom of two who owns www.takingtimeformommmy.com an online magazine for momsChoose a location for your swap such as a park, someone’s home, or the community center. When you are setting out the clothing it is best to lay them out on tables and categorize the clothing by size and gender. If there are any clothes left over, either donate them to a charity like a woman’s shelter or store them for future swaps. It is best to go through your clothing and have a swap seasonally.

Don’t limit the swaps to children’s clothing. Expectant moms appreciate and benefit from maternity clothes, blankets, and other baby items. You can trade clothes, purses, and shoes for your teenagers and yourself.

Having a clothing swap is a great way to save money, clean out your closets, and help others.

Interview with Kathy Kinney and Mrs. P

We were so fortunate and grateful to be able to interview Actress Kathy Kinney today who allot of you may know as Mimi Bobeck from the popular TV Hit The Drew Carey Show. Kathy Kinney was on our show today to promote her new site and passion “Mrs. P“.  Mrs. P is a beautiful site that is geared towards bringing the love of literacy and reading back into our children’s lives. At Mrs. P’s website you will find that this site is a fully interactive wonder for your kids, from the Magic Library to the talking fireplace,  or the scary room, or the talking dictionary, there is hours of fun and learning for your children to explore.

As you enter Mrs. P website you are transported to memories of sitting on your Grandma’s lap and reading your favorite books, as you are greeted by Kathy Kinney as Mrs. P. Mrs. P is a cross between the lovable Ms Doubtfire and Mary Poppins all rolled into one with a beautiful red wig and Irish accent.  Sitting in her living room by the warm fire, waiting for you to pick your favorite story from the Magical library for her to read to you, you are amazed by all the magical items you can click on and explore on her site. From the Fireplace with his cool sunglasses and funny sound, to the picture frame showcasing photos Mrs. P and her travels and her life, to the talking dictionary and her dog “Spryri” who loves to play spelling games with you. Mrs. P. brings the love of literacy back by encouraging you to bring the love of reading back into your children’s lives; your kids will literally spend hours just exploring all of the items you can click on and learn from.

Kathy was the most gracious and kind hearted interview we have had in awhile and we were thrilled to have had the opportunity to talk with her and to learn about her new wonderful site. Some of the things we discussed during today’s show are that Kathy and her partners started this site out of their own pocket with the dream that this would help bring the love of reading back to children’s lives. Kathy does not make any income from this site or her countless appearances she makes at libraries and bookstores and schools across the country, she does this because she loves bringing literacy into our children’s lives. This to me is such a gift of her talents and such a wonderful way to give back to her fans.

We were honored to also have as a guest on our show the famous “Mrs. P.” herself with her funny Irish accent and all. Mrs. P shared with us how her favorite books she likes to read are Mother Goose and Brothers Grimm.  Mrs. P. also shared with us the tragic tale of how her husband died an unfortunate death due to poetry, it was quite funny.  Mrs. P kept us in stitches as she shared about her trips reading to children in books stores and all about the magic of her site Mrs. P website.

Kathy shared with us also that although she herself does not have children, one of the reasons she is able to create and identify with Mrs. P is how she can relate to children. Our interview with Kathy was amazing, not only was Kathy so funny and kept leaving us laughing by showing us her personal side, she also touched us by her love of her character Mrs. P.  To often celebrities are known for their bad deeds in the press, and it was so refreshing to have a celebrity to look up to and who is giving back to her fans with such a worthwhile cause as literacy in children.  We want to thank Dana and Kathy for allowing us this time to get to know Kathy and Mrs. P and to be able to share with our listeners and readers this wonderful site for your children and grandchildren.  At Frugal WAHMs Talk Radio we are going to put up the badge to Mrs. P website that will be found in our right hand toolbar from now on to help promote this wonderful website and to give it the credit and traffic it deserves, and we will do our utmost to get the word out about the wonderful site Mrs. P. We encourage you also to grab the Mrs. P badge and add it to you blogs and websites to help promote such a wonderful site. In a day and age where are lives are ruled by technology, and family values are slowly slipping away this site brings families together with the love and learning of reading, so we want to do our part in promoting it.

Please be sure to listen to our full interview with Kathy by clicking here, and be sure to share this with your friends and families also. You can also follow Mrs. P on Twitter just use the following link and stay informed on everything happening at Mrs. P site! twitter.com/MrsPstorytime

For all of your Tweet Fans out there please Tweet about our show with Kathy to all of your friends! And add us to your Twitter accounts you can follow us at FrugalTalkMom !

Frugal Wahms Talk Radio Featured Frugal WAHM Talk Radio Interviews Actress Kathy Ki… March, 2009 @ 1888PressRelease.com

On Tomorrows Show we have Celebrity Kathy Kinney

Most of you know Kathy from the Drew Carey show where she played Mimi Bobeck. She will be on our show today to talk about her great new Children’s interactive site called MrsP.com It is a great interactive story telling site that my daughter absolutely loves! Join us today at 11:00 am central time in our chatroom for our great show and be sure to get there early to get your questions in!

To listen to our show and get in our chatroom click here

Kids and Books…Read Read Read!!!

We recently went out with some very dear friends, and the discussion turned to their 1st grader. They told us he is doing good in school, and got really happy when they told us he is one of the top readers in his class. They said he didn’t used to be, but recently there was a reading challenge given to his class. As with most classrooms, there is a boy in his class who is somewhat of a nemesis on certain things. During one of the classroom reading minute updates, our friends’ son saw this other boy had a lot more minutes read. That’s all it took…he went home, told his parents about it, and told his parents he was going to get more reading minutes than the other boy. That night he began reading more than ever before!

Not only did he win the reading challenge, he greatly improved his reading skills, and was recently given the only speaking part from his class at a recent school event! I could just feel the pride as his parents told us this story

For anyone who knows us, books have always been a large part of our lives. Our kids have always had books to read. The only downside is we have a hard time getting rid of them…still need to get some book shelves *sigh*

Some of our favorite places to get books:

• Barnes and Noble: we purchase the annual membership, and easily save more than that with the books and items we purchase both in store and online. I really, really love using the online site, especially at Christmas when our DD puts together her book wish list.
• Garage Sales: Another fantastic idea is to look for books at garage sales…summer is coming and there are sure to be many sales with books for all ages! I found many books this way for my kids when they were younger. And it was even more fun when the kids found them themselves…it was like they had found a secret treasure LOL
• Libraries: Many school libraries do a turnover once every 2-3 years and will have a book sale. The prices here are super on these books, and there is normally a large variety to chose from.

Don’t forget that books make wonderful gifts as well. No child is too young to have a book — I even give them for Baby Shower Gifts. Hey, Dr Seuss will never be out of style

What’s In Your Easter Basket? 10 All Time Favorite Candies

Every candy lover has a favorite. It could be a yummy chocolate anything or maybe even a fruit flavored something but one thing is for sure: If you are giving an Easter basket this year then you probably have an idea of what favorite candies you will be searching for up and down the aisles at your local store.

However, if you haven’t yet thought about what to put in your Easter baskets (and even if you have) then we’ve compiled a list of 10 all time favorites for your consideration.

Jelly Beans – Whether or not you actually eat them, with approximately 14 billion sold each year, you probably expect them in your Easter basket. An Easter candy staple since the 1930’s, these fruit flavored sugary beans now come in almost any flavor imaginable thanks to the Jelly Belly Company.

Chocolate Bunnies – If you love chocolate, then you love your chocolate bunnies. Solid, hollow, milk or dark – ears or feet first – all that matters to you is there is one located somewhere in your Easter basket. A chocolate bunny is chocolate –‘nough said.

Peeps – A marshmallow confection in a rainbow of pastel colors for spring, Peeps is an Easter basket mainstay. Take your pick – yellow, pink, lavender, blue & green ; bunnies, chicks, tulips, eggs in orange cream or you can decorate your own and a personal favorite –a yellow chick inside a chocolate egg (yep, I said chocolate).

Chocolate Candy Bars – Your favorite every day candy bar just became your favorite Easter candy bar all dressed up for the holiday. Virtually anything the Nestle, Mars or Cadbury companies make is put on offer for Easter. Kit Kat does bunny ears while Snickers, Almond Joy & Milky Way all offer egg shaped confections.

Cadbury Crème Eggs – Hershey’s manufactures & sells Cadbury in the US but reserves sales of the Crème & Caramel Eggs only for the Easter season. If you’re not familiar with the crème eggs, they are a yummy concoction of a thick milk chocolate shell with white & yellow fondant cream inside mimicking the egg white & yolk. They are a sticky sweet treat for the season.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg – What more do you have to say. There’s peanut butter in the chocolate and chocolate in the peanut butter – like the old advertisement says. Made by the Hershey company and slightly larger than a regular peanut butter cup the Reese’s peanut butter egg never fails to impress. Make sure to put in more than one.

Robin Eggs –Tasty, egg shaped, malted milk candy in a pastel colored candy coating Robin Eggs are a nifty treat for your taste buds. Several companies make similar candies and some even have great flavors like strawberry milkshake. They are sometimes packed in tiny egg cartons to add to the Easter theme.

Pez – Each year Pez comes out with a new Easter themed dispenser for their timeless candy. This would be a perfect addition the your favorite collector’s Easter basket.

M & Ms – Along with themed dispensers, M & M candies put on their Easter best for the season. They even offer personalized candy if you order from their website so put on your favorite bunny suit and upload that photo to create your Easter candy surprise.

SweeTart Eggs – Shaped like chicks, ducks, bunnies & eggs, SweeTarts are just like you remember from your childhood. Slightly sweet – a little tart and if you eat too many you just might get sick. They haven’t forgotten chocolate lovers either. If you look really hard you just might be able to find a hollow chocolate egg with SweeTart candy inside.

Now that you have a few ideas of what to put inside your Easter basket you just have to decide what shape your basket will take and if you’ll use plastic or edible Easter grass. Yep, there is such a thing.

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