Cooking with Kids without Losing Your Mind

By Jennifer Ascher of Organizing without Limits

Do your children constantly bother you in the kitchen wanting to help you cook, but you just want them to leave you alone because it is quicker and easier to do it yourself?  I know what you’re thinking; cooking with my kids will create a bigger mess in the kitchen, it will take longer to prepare the meal, and I don’t have the time or patience. Well I am here to tell you that the benefits of learning, fun and family time outweigh the mess and extra time it takes. Let’s look at some of the benefits and learning that occurs when you cook with your children and then I will share how with some planning and organization you too can involve your children in the kitchen without losing your mind.

The benefits of cooking with children:

• Creates family time and bonding
• If your child is a picky eater. By getting them involved they are more likely to try new foods because they helped create it.
• Teaches them concepts such as math skills, following directions, thinking, planning, sequence and so on.
• Boosts self esteem, confidence and gives them a sense accomplishment.
• Encourages creativity
• Teaches them the art of giving for other’s enjoyment.
• Promotes fine motor skills.
• They are learning skills that will be invaluable later in life.

Some steps to take to make this an enjoyable experience for both of you:

• Cook with your kids when you are not pressed for time and can devote the time to it. A good way to plan for this is to incorporate a day during the week in your schedule where they will be chef for the day. This will let them know that they will be in charge of preparing or helping with the meal(s) that day. My boys love this because not only does it let them decide what is for dinner but gives them a true sense of accomplishment knowing they helped prepare the meal. My oldest who is a picky eater has become less of one since I started doing this.
• Start small let them help you with something very simple but provides immediate success for them.
• Provide them with their own equipment (small rolling pin, apron, etc) make sure that it is age appropriate and safe.
• For younger kids set up a work area at a lower height.
• Be generous with praise. Everybody likes to be acknowledged for a job well done.
• Model the behavior you want them to follow (washing your hands, cleaning up as you go)
• Be clear on what is expected of them in the kitchen (safety, listening, following directions, cleaning up etc)
• Lower your expectations. Don’t expect perfection and stay calm.

The most important tip I can give you is enjoy the time with your kids and know that you are teaching them valuable life lessons and creating family memories that they will cherish when they grow up. What better time to start than the holidays!

Jennifer Ascher is an Organizing Coach and owner of Organizing Without Limits. It is her belief that organizing goes beyond pantries, closets or even time management. It’s about taking control of your WHOLE LIFE.

Organizing Without Limits provides organizing solutions to transform your life and offers both hands-on and virtual organizing services. You can reach Jennifer at http://www.organizingwithoutlimits.com

Stress-Free Christmas Shopping

By Melanie Moore of Only a Breath

For many people, Christmas begins as a time of joy and celebration, but becomes quite stressful when faced with a never-ending Christmas shopping list. Does Christmas shopping have to be stressful? Should we just accept that stress is just as much a party of the holidays as mistletoe and Christmas trees? No, I hope not!

I’ve gathered some tips to make your Christmas shopping as stress-free as possible. Try them today, and please add your helpful tips to the list below! We all need a little backup during this time of “mall madness”!

• Start Early — It is not too early to start planning and buying gifts! If you start early, the rest of the holiday season will be stress-free, and you can stay far away from the mall madness.
• Make a List — Write down all of the people you need to buy for, any size information you have, and an approximate budget for each gift. If you have a gift in mind, go ahead and jot that down too. It is much easier to plan ahead, in the peace and quiet of home, rather than shopping “off the cuff” in a chaotic, crowded store.
• Keep the List Simple — In the economic times we live in, so many people are realizing that the best Christmas gifts are the ones that are meaningful and from the heart. You don’t have to spend beyond your budget to purchase lavish gifts. Instead, consider any home-made items you could give — like photo books, recipe binders, or even food!
• Think Outside the “Box” — Gift baskets can be a huge hit, and a surprising savings if you make them yourself. Try to think of a hobby or pleasure that your loved one would enjoy, and make a homemade gift basket. For example, make a “movie night” basket filled with popcorn and video rental vouchers. You could also make a basket filled with gourmet coffee, a journal, and a couple pretty mugs for those who enjoy quiet time at home. These gifts show such thought and are always a big hit!
• Skip the Malls — Rather than face the holiday crowd, consider doing your Christmas shopping online! Many online stores offer free shipping during the holidays or exclusive discounts. Also, be sure to “google” for “coupon codes” for any store you purchase from online! I almost always find additional coupons online that can save lots of money!
• Keep Your Perspective — Yes, Christmas shopping can be overwhelming, and the Christmas spirit tends to take a leave of absence when surrounded by impatient, cranky shoppers. However, you don’t have to join in! Be determined to keep a thankful heart for each person on your Christmas list. Keep in mind that we never know what each day may hold, and consider the real gifts you treasure…. the friends and family on your shopping list.

How do you keep Christmas shopping stress-free?  I hope your Christmas season is a wonderful one, and I wish you all the best in the upcoming new year!

Melanie writes at “Only A Breath” about life as a small-town, southern, girly-girl mommy of two rough and rowdy little boys. She is so thankful for a wonderful, hard-working husband who makes her laugh and is a wonderful daddy. She works full-time as an industrial software developer (“computer geek”), is a consultant with Blessings Unlimited, and offers practical tips and encouragement for moms who work outside the home. Her heart’s desire is to encourage others to celebrate life and cherish each breath of this journey.

Thanksgiving Treats on a Shoestring

By Beth Engelman and Jenna Riggs of Mommy on a Shoestring

Give thanks this year by mixing up a batch of these goodies to serve with your holiday meal!

Candy Turkeys

You Need:

Double Stuff Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Candy Corn

Whoppers

Peanut butter Cups

Chocolate or Vanilla Frosting

Yellow Frosting

Optional: Red frosting

Optional: black sprinkles for eyes

Directions:

• Give your turkey some feathers by adding candy corn to the top of one cookie.   Use frosting as glue if desired.
• Put a dab of frosting on the opposite end of the cookie and secure it to the “base” cookie.  You may want to prop it up next to a wall until the frosting dries.
• Turn the peanut better cup into a “turkey body” by cutting a tiny sliver off the end and attaching it with frosting to the cookie with  “feathers.”
• Add a head by gluing a whopper on top of the pb cup.  TIP: Put frosting on the side of the whopper that hits both the cookie and the pb cup.
• To make the beak, cut off the white tip of the candy corn and “glue” with frosting.  Add yellow dots and sprinkles for eyes and red frosting for the little “gobble gobble” below the beak.
• Once everything is dry and secure, flip the turkey over and draw little yellow feet.

Pilgrim Hats

You Need:

1 Bag Chocolate Chips

1Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

Marshmallows

Yellow Frosting

Fudge-Striped Cookies

Directions:

• Place cookies (striped side-down) on a piece of waxed paper.
• Melt chocolate and oil in microwave.
• Dip marshmallows in chocolate and place in the middle of each cookie.
• Wait an hour or two until dry.
• Add a buckle with yellow frosting.

Friendship Mix Rolls

Ingredients

Mini pretzels

Raisons

Pretzel m & m’s

Nuts

Banana chips

Dried apple pieces

Cranberries

Small clear plastic bags and ribbon

Directions

• Mix all ingredients in a bowl and add to a jar or container of your choice.
• Be sure to include a “key” with what each ingredient means.
• Pour mix into small bags and tie with a bow and a “key” telling what each ingredient means.

• Mini pretzels = hugs
• Raisins = old friends
• Pretzel m & m’s = new friends
• Nuts = self explanatory
• Banana chips = love to monkey around and have fun
• Dried apple pieces = health
• Cranberries = love

These mini bags of love are perfect accompaniments for place cards or a special  “treat” to send home with guests after home after a Thanksgiving meal!  Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Jenna Riggs and Beth Engelman are the creative talents and owners of Mommy on a Shoestring, a website and weekly radio show chock full of ideas on how families can live creatively and large on a small budget.

5 Tips for Easy Thanksgiving Entertaining

By Bobbie Friedman of Simplified by Bobbie

Thanksgiving is approaching quickly… and for many of us that means hosting a holiday dinner for family and friends.  This should be an exciting, happy event but sometimes it can become overwhelming and stressful!  Do you know the feeling?  This Thanksgiving I’d like to help you entertain the easy way!  And in my world “easy” translates to “organized!!”

I love to host gatherings (especially Thanksgiving – it’s my favorite holiday); but the only way I can be a good hostess and still enjoy it is by being organized!  Here are my 5 favorite (organized) tips for entertaining – no matter what the occasion or amount of guests on the list:

1. Plan Ahead:  As soon as you commit to being the hostess, think through your plans from start to finish and write down everything you need to purchase, borrow, set up, and prepare.  Then put these things on your calendar and chip away at them.  You’ll feel good knowing that each time you check an item off you’re one step closer to a successful (and relaxing) event!  This is also helpful when someone asks the famous question “What can I bring?”  You’ll know just what to tell them.  And if you haven’t yet checked out the Frazzle Free Christmas, be sure to do so!  It will help with your Thanksgiving planning as well.
2. Get it Done: Complete in advance as many preparations as possible:  start stocking up during your weekly grocery shopping, make-ahead some of the menu items and freeze them until the big day, and the night before Thanksgiving set the table and set out serving dishes and utensils (so all you have to do the next day is fill them up)!  It’s also helpful to set up a “drink station” away from the main flow of the kitchen (include glasses, mugs, pitchers & carafes of drinks, ice, sugar, and cream).  Now no one will be in the way while you’re trying to baste the turkey and whip the potatoes!
3. Keep it Simple: Buy items pre-made from the store or bakery.  I’ve finally learned that not everything has to be homemade (your guests won’t have more fun just because you slaved over the stove hand-making every last treat).  Start the party day with an empty dishwasher so you can put dirty dishes in as you clear the table.  Leave the mess and enjoy your guests (the mess isn’t going anywhere – relax and enjoy your family and handle the clean-up later)!
4. Make it Beautiful:  Remember that you eat with your eyes first… so if there is one day when you want to pay a little extra attention to detail, it’s Thanksgiving!  When you go the extra mile to make everything look nice it makes your guests feel special.  So spend some time dressing up your table and buffet area, get creative or keep it simple – just put some thought into it.   And make sure the food is presented in a pretty way, even the store bought items!  Use tiered pedestals to serve items at varying heights and top dishes with natural garnishes for decoration (ie. cinnamon sticks, orange peels, and bay leaves)
5. Be a Good Guest: If you’re the guest (and not the host) then make sure to take a gift to your hostess; my favorite is inexpensive storage containers.  The hostess won’t have to send her favorite Tupperware of leftovers with guests.  Trust me, she’ll thank you for it!

Cheers to easy entertaining and a Happy Thanksgiving from Simplified by Bobbie!

Bobbie Friedman is a Professional Organizer, Home Management Consultant, and the owner of Simplified by Bobbie located in Pennsylvania.  She is dedicated to helping individuals and families simplify their lives!  Through personalized organizing services, hands-on help, and knowledgeable guidance she’ll help you establish effective ways to manage your schedule and home; turning CoMpLiCaTeD into Simplified.

Visit www.simplifiedbybobbie.com to learn more, view before & after photos, and read helpful organizing tips.  Contact Bobbie for your FREE phone consultation, and make your space & time work for you