Tasty Treat Recipe for you or to give as a gift

This wonderful holiday is all about baking and just enjoying the yummy goodness that goes along with it. So we thought every week, we would try to give you a fun recipe or two and maybe throw in some craft ideas to do with your children. Believe us, it will not be complicated. We embrace simple and kid-friendly projects. Have fun and happy baking!

Reindeer Munch

You can give this as a gift in a festive container or leave our for Santa’s helpers

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups bite size square shaped rice cereal such as Chex

2 cups thin pretzel sticks

1 cup salted cocktail peanuts (or soy nuts)

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup candy-coated milk chocolate pieces such as M&Ms

12 oz vanilla flavored candy coating  or white candy melts

Make it:

1.       In a very large bowl combine the cereal, pretzels, peanuts, cranberries and candy pieces; set aside

2.       Chop candy melts, in a medium microwave safe bowl, melt according to package directions. Pour over cereal mixture, and toss to coat.

3.       Spread mixture on a large piece of foil. Let stand until set (about 30 minutes). Break into bite size pieces. Make 12 cups (24 ½-cup serving).

Enjoy!

How do we prepare for Christmas?

Last week at Brentwood Methodist Church www.bumc.net
the sermon was on the topic of getting ready for Christmas.  The Scripture reading from Luke 3 emphasized the need for giving at Christmas as part of understanding the gift of Christ.  Such sacrifice is far beyond the understanding of young children, but it is never too early to impart an expectation of giving.

Ages two, three, and four years are especially "me" focused, as children are figuring out who they are and their place in the family dynamic.  But they do understand what matters to them--their toys, their TV shows, and their favorite foods are second only to their people.  Without going into all the details, it is possible to explain to very young children that some people do not have the things they enjoy, and that it is good for those who do have those things to share with those who don't.

My own daughter was so inspired by this sermon that she asked to go to Target and get a couple of toys to donate to the Last Minute Christmas Store at 61st Avenue Methodist Church in Nashville, which allows selected families to "shop" for items for children for free.  http://www.lastminutetoystore.com/?pg=give

She had money for this purchase because of an allowance system promoted by Dave Ramsey, author of many books on personal finance and host of the Financial Peace syndicated radio show.
www.daveramsey.com

When she gets her allowance, she receives $3 to spend (which we let her spend on pretty much anything, giving her the opportunity to discover good uses for her money, like buying a pack of cool pencils to share at school, vs. not so good uses, such as a $3 lollipop that never gets finished), $1 to save for something in the future, and $1 to give.  After four months of hoarding her "give" money, she was able to pick out a couple of Barbies for a child who otherwise would not be getting a doll for Christmas.

Last Monday we also took advantage of an opportunity to give a donation of food to Second Harvest Food Bank in exchange for free admission to the Frist Center for Visual Arts.
www.fristcenter.org
This offer is good for the remaining Mondays in December.  It was a great opportunity to have her go through the pantry, bag up her favorite foods, and then see the incredible Egyptian exhibit, complete with a real live (well, not exactly "live"...) mummy and a gorgeous exhibit of religious paintings from the 15th century called "A Divine Light" on loan from Bob Jones University.

No matter where you live, there are many opportunities to teach the giving spirit of Christmas.  And as you teach your children to give, you give them the gift of generosity.

Making Memories

One year, early in my marriage when our children all had four feet and fur coats, I decided not to decorate for Christmas.  I was knee-deep in coursework and research projects in graduate school, my sweet husband had a new job traveling extensively, and dragging out the boxes of ornaments and decor just seemed like one big thing I could scratch off the "to do"list.  I purchased a beautiful centerpiece of fresh evergreen and red roses from a local florist, plopped it in the middle of the kitchen table, and considered it Christmas.  I felt smug, as if I were outsmarting all those crazy decorating people with the trees lashed to the roofs of their cars, those same trees that would soon be creating more work by dropping a daily dose of stray needles embedding themselves into berber carpet (yes, this was the late 90's).

Fast forward a couple of weeks to dinner with my mother-in-law.  She had all of decorations up for her own enjoyment.  She pointed out the things that she had accumulated over the years, many as handmade gifts from family and friends.  She then told me a bit about some of her interior design clients who had asked her to help with their holiday decor, and told me her philosophy: "It's all about making memories."

She went on to explain that, when her kids were young, each year they eagerly awaited the unpacking of certain ornaments, Nativity sets, and sculpted Santas.  The unwrapping and display of these objects were part of the tradition, as much as the sounds of the Christmas records they played each year without fail, the Santa's Whiskers cookies she baked every year, and the boiled custard and the special little cups that held it.  This redundancy, year after year, became "Christmas" for her family, and created the memories that live on. 

Ten years later I uphold the traditions religiously--the nativity set from the 1970's that can only be described as possibly too grand, the Advent box from Target that holds a daily treat, the carolers on top of the piano, the crystal pine trees that have graced our dining room table without fail.  These items are not expensive or especially valuable to anyone else, but for us they are touchstones that take us back to Christmases past. 

Yes, there have been years for high shelves, a tree behind a baby gate, and a bit more caution when toddling toes and curious hands threatened to literally break the camel's back, but I like to think that I am "making memories" each holiday season.  Not decorating for Christmas?  Bah humbug!

Teacher gifts: Dos and Donts

Well, we have talked about our favorite toys to give this year, books that are must reads and then seasonal activites to do with your family to get you in the spirit of Christmas, but what we haven't talked about, are our children's wonderful teachers. Teachers work so hard to give our children the best and most positive learning environment. Some get to school before some of us even think about waking up and then there are some that are the last to leave. They work tirelessly day in and day out to prepare for our little darlings so in the spirit of giving, let's make sure we show our teachers or even caregivers how much we appreciate them. We would love to hear what your favorite teacher gifts are and if you are a teacher, what do you like to receive each year. We know that it is not all about the material things, but we do think that our teachers deserve to indulge or be treated with something special. To get you started, we have come up with some of our favs: make a donation to an education related cause in their honor, gift certificate to go out to eat, a handwritten note or homemade cards, personalized notepads or stationery, fun napkis, guest towels, or a beautiful journal or planner. Some of our not so favs  (we have been guilty of doing them a time or two) and these are just our opinions:  coffee mugs, things with apples on them, smelly lotions, perfumes or candles, picture frames or candy. Let us hear from you! Please!

Make Everyday Count!

As you are counting down the days until Christmas or for some of you, how many more days you have left to get your shopping done...try to slip in a little math by helping your child count down the days on the calendar until Christmas. It is a fun tradition to start and at the same time a great way to help your child recognize their numbers and the concept of time.

For a visual, make a paper chain with one link for each day remaining until Christmas.  By removing a  link each day, children can visualize the big day drawing near.

Again, this season is all about making memories and starting traditions with your family. So as you are counting down the days, you could even try to plan something special to mark each day until Christmas. For example, bake cookies for Daddy or a neighbor (simple recipes to come!), or make homemade cards for friends or your child's teacher.

So let's make every day count! Tis the season to be jolly!

Family Traditions...what are yours?

As we are putting up our festive Fall decorations, and trying to figure out how we can find the energy to drag out the Christmas ornaments and test those never-ending strands of lights, we are quickly reminded that the spirit of Christmas is not just to check off some to-do list or go through the motions of the holiday festivities, but what it is really about, is slowing down and trying to create memories in your home that you and your children can cherish for many years to come. Everyone’s traditions and memories are different and that is what makes them so special.

When I think of my childhood Christmas memories, I immediately think of my Grandparents and how they made this special holiday so memorable. I remember baking and decorating cookies with my Aunt and cousins at my Grandma’s house. Then, I used to always look forward to riding around with my mom and dad, looking at our town’s gorgeous Christmas lights and decorations, while listening to fun holiday tunes.  I also remember the cozy feeling of getting into my holiday pjs after a warm bath and curling up on the couch with hot cocoa, to watch Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. Then, as I got older, I looked forward to the traditional Christmas Eve candlelight service at my church, and then having a yummy meal afterwards, with my whole family.

It is really the simple things that we remember and cherish, even as adults. So when you are thinking about creating family traditions in your home this holiday season, remember it doesn’t have to be elaborate. You don’t have to go, go, go all the time to entertain your child. It is your time and what you believe is special.

We would love to hear what your favorite childhood memories are or what kind of family traditions you have created with your family? I know for me, I have carried the tradition of baking with my girls every week, and then just snuggling up with them each night to read them a Christmas book or watch their favorite holiday show, like Frosty the Snowman or Rudolph.

There are other ways to create family traditions like doing holiday crafts together, like Christmas cards or ornaments, setting a certain date and time to decorate the tree, or maybe even volunteering somewhere to really encourage your child and teach them about giving and not just receiving.

We look forward to hearing about your traditions and how they are special to you.

Breakfast (or Lunch) and a Movie

Can you imagine taking a three year-old out for dinner and a movie?  Can we say "not fun!"?  Little ones tend to be morning people, for better or worse.  So here's a great alternative:
The newly refurbished Franklin Theatre (www.franklintheatre.com) in downtown Franklin, TN, will be showing "Elf" this Saturday morning (Dec. 3) at 10am (as well as Thursday Dec. 1 at 2:00 and 4:30).  What better way to start your weekend and get you in the mood to be merry than a Christmas comedy with your family.
You could head over early for cinnamon rolls at Merridee's (www.merridees.com), or hang around afterwards for lunch at Franklin Mercantile (http://franklinmercantile.com).
Or just burn off that popcorn walking around downtown. 
If you are still working on that Christmas wish list, a trip to Main Street Toy Company (http://www.shopmainstreets.com/tn/franklin/main_street_toy_company/main_street_toy_company.html) should offer plenty of inspiration.
Either way you can take in all the decorations and festive charm that seeps up through the sidewalks in this charming downtown.
If you are not local, go to a theater near you, and just make it a day of family fun at the movies! Or rent a favorite holiday movie of yours, pop some popcorn, and enjoy some snuggle time with your little ones.  Making memories!