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Don’t Let Halloween Costume Shopping Scare You!

by Wanda on October 8, 2015

MyShop blog template Everyone likes to make a big deal about the spookiness of Halloween, but it really is a fun holiday- there’s candy and there are costumes! The scary part is thinking about the hit your wallet will take shopping for the perfect Halloween costume, especially if there is more than one child in your family. But don’t be spooked by that anymore, because I have some tips that should make it a little kinder to your wallet this year.

  • Have a talk with your kids before you go shopping. Let them know that you want them to be happy with their costumes, but that you must stick to a budget, and that you can work together to find something that will be great.
  • Look around your house for old costumes that can be reused or reinvented. You should always save old costumes from previous years so that a younger sibling can wear it later, or use parts of it to create a new costume. And you might be able to put together an original costume from regular things you have around the house, with no need to buy a costume at all!
  • Borrow costumes from friends and relatives. We do this in my family some years, and parents and kids have all been pretty happy.
  • Invite neighbors and friends to bring costumes from previous years and host a costume swap!
  • Shop in consignment stores and thrift shops to save money. You can even earn some money from your used costumes by selling them in consignment stores, eBay, or Craigslist.
  • Make your own costumes. This is the era of DIY, so work it! Get ideas and inspiration from Pinterest, blogs, and local craft stores. Dia de los Muertos 090You’ll save some money and have something unique and creative.
  • Search online for coupons and discounts.
  • Instead of spending lots of money on an elaborate costume, put some effort into doing something fabulous with face paint, which is safer for kids than covering their faces with masks, anyway.
  • If you and your kids can stand it, wait for the last minute when stores sell their costumes at deep discounts. You have to be willing to take a chance and be ready to improvise because you never know what will be available, but you could score incredible deals.

So go for the most frightening costume, if that’s what you want, but don’t let the shopping scare you away!

Happy National Homemade Cookie Day!

by Wanda on October 1, 2015

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I was going to start off wishing you all a happy October. It’s officially been fall for almost two weeks already, but somehow it feels like fall doesn’t really start until October and the start of a new season is always exciting. But…October 1 is also National Homemade Cookie Day, and that is something that needs recognition way more than the beginning of a new month or a new season!

Cookies are great- even babies know this- and store bought will do most of the time, but there’s nothing like homemade cookies! Obviously, or there wouldn’t be a day to celebrate them. I could go on and on about how the aroma of cookies baking fill your home with the smells of coziness and love….and sugar, vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon, and whatever other delicious things are in your cookies. I could talk about the first bite into a still warm cookie and the way it melts in your mouth and coats your throat with the essence of everything good on its way down to your stomach, where it leaves you with a feeling of satisfaction that you get from nothing else. But why should I? You know all about that, and it would only delay you from getting on with baking your cookies on this special day. So preheat your ovens, gather your ingredients, and start baking!

Here are some recipes that sound yummy:

Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Ina Garten

Chocolate-Toffee-Oatmeal Drop Cookies from Martha Stewart

Chocolate-Coated Peanut Butter Cookies from Delish

Margarita Cookies from Smitten Kitchen

Vanilla Bean Confetti Cookies from Joy The Baker

 

Color Yourself Happy!

by Wanda on September 24, 2015

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What is it about a fresh, new box of crayons? Remember, not too long ago, shopping for school supplies? Well, I’m glad that madness is over, but I have to confess that  the displays of crayon boxes get me every year. There’s something about the arrangement of colors, the sharp, neat points, even the smell… ahh, the smell! Is it nostalgia? Is it the promise of possibility? There’s a whole lot of beauty that can be created from a box of crayons. And it’s also a terrific outlet for creative expression.

And coloring is not just for kids anymore! In recent years it’s become popular among adults to color in coloring books. In fact, publishers have been putting out coloring books especially for adults, with titles like “The Mindfulness Coloring Book,” and “Color Me Calm.” It turns out that coloring is not only a creative outlet, it’s also a fabulous stress reliever! That’s because coloring engages both the logical and creative sides of the brain, and being involved in the activity distracts you from the thoughts that can stress you out. Exercising some creative muscle is also a great release from the rigid obligations we regularly face as adults- even if you’re a stickler for coloring in the lines! You can still choose the colors and create a world where skies are purple and the sun is green if that’s how you want it! Or just do some free-form coloring on a blank piece of paper. And who knows- it might relax you by taking you back to your childhood- a freer, less stressful time in your life. It’s also helpful every now and then to unplug from our devices and do something by hand.

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We can all use some color in our lives, so why not try it? Treat yourself to a new box of crayons- or markers or colored pencils if that’s your thing- and start coloring!

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