GIFTS UNDER $40 THAT GIVE BACK!

TIS THE SEASON FOR GIVING AND IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR a truly ‘feel good’ gift here are four that will keep on giving locally and globally beyond the holidays thanks to some terrific companies I’m partnering.  Best yet they are all under $40-so it’s a win win for all!

GIVE LOCALLY WITH THE GREAT AMERICAN MILK DRIVE! 

You probably don’t know this nor did I but milk is one of the most requested but rarely donated items that food banks ask for each year. AND, this year you can give the gift of a gallon by donating to  The Great American Milk Drive in partnership with Feeding America, dairy farmers and milk companies.  It’s the first nationwide program to help deliver nutrient-rich gallons of milk to hungry families including 16 million children whom are food insecure in the US.  Just go to MilkLife.com/give and enter your zip code to insure milk is delivered to a local food ban near you and they’ll match your donation through the end of the month.  It’s a terrific way to also get kids involved too– just have them go on line with you The Great American Milk Drive to donate the glass of milk they would leave for Santa…Gotta love that!

 

PAY IT FORWARD WITH A HEALTHY ‘N SWEET ACT OF KIND…NESS!

Next, this idea gives real meaning to acts of kindness and paying it forward to those around you. It’s the limited edition KIND Holiday Cube—It’s filled with 20 of KIND’s nuts and spices chocolate flavor bars plus it’s a healthy alternative to all our holiday indulgences since each only contains 5 grams of sugar or less. Better yet inside the cube, you’ll find a #KINDAWESOME card which you simply hand to a person you see doing a kind act like and that person can redeem the card for three FREE KIND bars, The cube is less then $40…so pay it forward and go on line to be Kind @ Kindsnacks.com !

 

IMAGINE THERE’S NO HUNGER: JOIN YOKO ONO LENNON ‘N HARD ROCK INTERNATIONAL TO HELP MAKE JOHN LENNON’S DREAM COME TRUE!

Here’s a a mind blowing stat: more than 16,000 children across the globe die each day from hunger-related causes….But for 7 years now Yoko Ono Lennon and Hard Rock International have teamed up for The Imagine There’s No Hunger Campaign. To date, IMAGINE has helped communities grow enough food to provide more than 9.7 million nutritious meals to children globally through donations and merchandise. This year, you can purchase Hard Rock’s Imagine earbuds which are only $10 and 50% of net revenue goes directly to charity partner WhyHunger.  Makes a great stocking stuffer too! Imagine that!  

 

SAVE A PET WITH THE PAW-FECT GIFT FROM PETSMART!

Lastly, here’s another staggering stat which is a paw-fect gift for the pet-lover: each year Over 8 million pets that end up in shelters are euthanized because they can’t find a home –That’s about 11000 pets a day. Yikes! And, it’s one of the reasons I saved my doggie Bagels a 4 year old Beagle last year.

But for those who aren’t rescued and for as little as a $25 donation to Petsmart charities you can help save one pet’s life while they wait for a home by covering things like shelter space, food and vet services.   Plus 90 cents of every dollar goes to help these pets. Woof that! And, For the 11^th year in a row, PetSmart Charities earned Charity Navigator’s top 4-star rating and remains in the top one percent of all charities ranked. Woof that! So please visit petsmartcharities.org to make a donation online.

Happy almost holidays!!!

CARLY RAE JEPSON PLEASE HAVE MY SON CALL ME MAYBE:)

Well, here I am almost 24 hours into my first official day as an empty nester and in addition to  Carly Rae Jepson’s hit single “Call Me Maybe” ringing through my head ad nauseum since   it was the official ‘move in the dorm’ song yesterday, I  found myself dealing with my new EN status by organizing my jewelry.  Twas that or imbibe mimosas to quell my pangs of this healthy moving forward period and the plethora (love that word just rolls off the tongue so nicely) of tears.  Cause yesterday we drove Luke to college to begin his freshman year.

We began our day packing (i.e. stuffing our car!)

How did we get all that in there!

  

Good thing i didn’t eat breakfast!!

 Then when we got there we went directly to the amazing golf facility to see his coach and look at his locker, golf bag, shoes etc. (and yes I’m a proud moma as he was recruited to play Div. One golf for his new home away from home)

 

all in the bag!

If the golf shoe fits . . . 🙂

Next we went to his dorm and met his roommate Nick who’s from the Chicago area and is a delightful and adorable young man whom personality wise may have been separated at birth 🙂

The Roomies!

Unpacked….Cleaned…Organized….Made his bed…(note “call your mother pillow!)

Thank god for those Sterilite rollin storage bins from Walmart!

Set up the rest of his room with Luke’s dad and Nick’s folks, Diane and Grant…

Dianne was brilliant wirin thru the ceilin…luke used his putter to help!

Made sure his ATM card worked, and once set with cash and his new life, we were given a not so subtle hint that it was time for us to as he tossed the pillow i gave him into the trash….and smiled that smile that always melts mom’s heart…

Trashin’ mom 😦

So the hugs, kisses, tears, I love yous followed by more hugs, kisses, tears  and I love yous and then our prodigal son said, ” Ok , mom you can go now, I love you but you’re starting to annoy me’….Ouch!!! Do you think our children say those kind of things to make our leaving easier…I wonder….NOT!

So off his father and I went quietly and tearfully into the sunset (actually it was pouring) to lament, have a few cocktails, and believe that all of us will be fine and individually live happily ever after.  THE END or rather THE BEGINNING!  

Which brings me back briefly to why i decided to organize my jewelry,  Actually  it’ was a great way to balance doing something tedious ‘n  simple with my inconsistent attempts of  bringing some Feng Shui into my day to day life.   But I’ll share how i did that in my next post…Meanwhile, time for a poor me, crying break.  And, Luke if you’re reading this, PLEEZE CALL ME MAYBE love u!!! xoxo

Spread the glove!

Sanity-Saving Tips for Ringing in the New Year at Home

According to a recent survey, for the second year in a row, when the clock strikes twelve on New Year’s Eve, most of us will be ringing in the New Year at home vs. going out. So for those of us whom are part of this trend of entertaining at home I wanted to share some less stress, prep ‘n money saving tips to revel in the New Year.

It’s All About the D WORDS:

DELEGATE ‘N DITCH:  Sani and Mani savers:

Invite help and use easy, prepared foods—cheese plates, veggies ‘n dips, desserts, etc.

Use Disposables when it comes to plates and silverware. For serving food, use things like breads, melons and squashes as bowls and toss when you’re done.

DEPLOY DISTRACTIONS: Keep the focus off the dust ‘n on the peeps in the gathering

•  Prominently display photos of loved ones ‘n friends coming.
•  Put some get well cards on mantel (you know, because you’ve been so sick you just didn’t have time to clean.)
• Create conversation starters: Party napkins like these stimulate conversations and distract from the lack of gourmet goodies.

DOWNSIZE DRINKS ‘N DIN: Remember you are not Martha:  Simplify, simplify, simplify!

• NO OPEN BAR – Single serving drinks placed in garden pots filled with ice. (let them melt when party’s over and water plants-tres eco-friendly!
• Create a special new year’s drink in a large punch bowl.
• Make it a Spud-tacular din n desert! EZ ‘n Inexpensive!
• Bake up large baked and sweet potatoes (wrap in tin foil to serve) Put out a variety of toppings for each like:
• Baked potatoes (main course) – Sour cream, Caviar, Guacamole, Cheese: feta, goat, shredded cheddar or mozz. 
• Sweet potatoes (dessert) – Ricotta cheese, Honey, Apricot preserves, Marshmallows and chocolate chips

BONUS: GET YOUR KIDS INVOLVED ‘N HAVE THEM MAKE SIGNS FOR TOPPINGS

For more ideas, check out my Pinterest Board – Holiday Entertaining.

Crisis-Free Christmas Breakfast

Countdown to Christmas…1 Day to Go.

Christmas morning may be all about the presents, but you’ve gotta eat too, right? Instead of playing short-order chef, try these easy and fun Christmas morning breakfast ideas.

Cereal Bar

Buy all the favorite family cereals as well as fresh, precut fruit; dried fruits; nuts and chocolate chips. In addition to regular milk, provide flavored options like chocolate and strawberry as well. Then, just let your family have at it! They’ll enjoy the special treat and you’ll keep yourself out of the kitchen. Maybe a little more sugar than you should have for breakfast, but hey, it’s Christmas morning.

Cook in Advance

Make pancakes or waffles the night before so all you have to do is pop them in the toaster. Pre-cook bacon and sausage and just give ‘em quick zap in the microwave. A quick batch of scrambled eggs and you have a breakfast in a jiffy.

Make it Continental

Get your inspiration from a hotel and provide a continental breakfast with breads, pastries, and fruit. Use festive holiday paper plates so you can clean up quick and get back to the presents.

Prepare Your Home for Holiday Guests

Countdown to Christmas…2 Days to Go.

Santa will be here soon and so will all your family and friends. It’s a joyous time but it always seems like your house ends up taking a beating. Try some defensive maneuvers to prepare your home for the busy days ahead.

Use Mats: Place absorbent doormats inside and outside al entranceways to limit the tracking of dirt and moisture through your house. Don’t forget about my dirty martini mat from Carpet One if you don’t already have mats. 25% of the proceeds goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

No Shoes Allowed: Keep a basket or decorative bin at key entranceways for all guest to toss their shoes into.

Wax Away: Use furniture polish or wax to keep spill from running all over your wood furniture. They’ll just bubble up so you can easily suck them up with a paper towel.

Dim Lights: Dim lights, draw curtains, and/or close blinds to keep guests from noticing the dust and dirt!

Easy Christmas Baking (Without the Baking Part)

Countdown to Christmas…3 Days to Go.

Well, the day has snuck up on you again this year. It happens to the best of us. The gifts aren’t wrapped yet and all the elves left you hanging on all that Christmas baking. Save some time and energy (yours and the electric kind too) with these easy no-bake goodies.

Peanut Butter and Cream Cheese No Bake Cookies.

Jo and Sue have nailed the sweet craving must haves with these no-bake wonders. Oreo cookie crumbs, peanut butter, cream cheese…you might not get them made without eating half the ingredients so make sure to buy extras.

Find the recipe here.

York Mint No Bake Cookies

Ready in 5 minutes and with only 4 simple ingredients, there’s no excuse not to try these. And they’re so cute and festive for a holiday party or family gathering.

Find the recipe here.

Cookie Dough Truffles

Cookie dough (sans eggs) rolled in a ball and covered with chocolate. It’s a little classier than eating out of the bowl and tastes even better. Get step by step instructions here. 

Keep Your Sanity…And Your Kids!

 

Countdown to Christmas…4 Days to Go.

Kids driving you ca-razy? Christmas break from school can leave you with very little of that much-loved thing we call sanity. Corral those wild ones and keep them entertained so you can save what’s left of your sanity.

Craft a Distraction. Set up a table in the basement or playroom for some clever crafts. Have kids create homemade thank you notes that they can use after they open all the gifts. Give older kids glass or plastic ornaments and paint pens and let them create their own ornaments. (This is also a great idea if you’re still getting around to decorating the tree.

Set up an Exchange. Coordinate with your neighbors to watch their kids in exchange for you watching theirs. At least this way, you’ll get a little bit of piece. Just make sure you have a plan for entertaining a large group of kids.

Movie Minus the Madness. Make a movie night a little more special by turning out the lights, popping some popcorn and setting up extra comfy piles of pillows. Hopefully by the end of the movie, the kids will be asleep.

Surprisingly Fun Chores. Kids (especially little ones) can really get into chores if you make it fun. Have a race to see who can make their bed faster or give each kid a Swiffer to use to “fly” around the kitchen collecting dirt. Turn on some music to make chores that bore fun for the whole family.

5 Martini Recipes You’ve Got to Try

Countdown to Christmas…5 Days to Go!

What would the holidays be without some time to kick back, relax and reflect on the past year? And what better way to do all these things than with a lovely martini in your hand. I, of course, will be having my signature dirty martini but there are so many members of the martini family that I thought I’d share a few alternate options.

1. The tried and true dirty martini. Get the recipe at Delish.com
2.  Need a little pick-me-up with your relaxation? Hey, why not. You might enjoy an espresso martini. Try this one from the Food Network. 
3. Salute the candy cane with a Peppermint Martini. Try this recipe from AllRecipes.com 
4. Go fruity with this Pommangotini recipe from the lovely Rachel Ray’s blog. It’s just so fun to say! 
5. Forget those gingerbread men. Get that ginger spice sweetness from this holiday martini. 

What’s your favorite martini? Got a recipe? Do share!

5 Sanity-Savers for Gift Wrapping

Countdown to Christmas…6 Days to Go!

Gift wrapping (especially a lot at one time) can stress any accidental housewife and, even worse, ruin your manicure. Here are a few of my favorite tricks for getting the packages wrapped and bows tied. The Recipients of your gifts will be in awe of their beauty.

1. BOX IT UP. Squares and rectangles are much easier to wrap that balls, cylinders, and thingamajigs. Box up your gifts as you purchase them. When it comes time to wrap, you’ll save lots of time.
2. ONE STEP AT A TIME. Wrap your gifts in phases. First, get all your gifts wrapped with paper. Then, go back to add bows. Last, add any special embellishments and gift tags.  Use Post-it notes with the recipients’ names to keep track of the packages through the process so you don’t have an embarrassing mix-up. “Oh Grandma, I know you don’t need a sippy cup.”
3. THE NEW GIFT BAG. Everyone knows the gift bag is the easy way out of wrapping presents. And hey, sometimes, you’ve just gotta go with a gift bag. If you’re really short on time, you can find decorative gift boxes that already have holiday designs printed on them. Skip straight to the bows and tags!
4. WRAPPING PAPER SWAP OUT. If you run out of paper and don’t feel like heading to the store, you can use items from the recycling bin to wrap. Funny pages, brown paper bags and even old posters can make great wrapping paper substitutes.
5. A LITTLE DIRT WOULDN’T HURT. A dirty martini, that is! Make yourself one before you wrap and serve ‘em up as you give out your gifts. Your beautiful packages will look that much better. (PS this technique only works on recipients over 21.)

5 More Fast ‘n Virtually Free Holiday Fashion Fixes

Countdown to Christmas….7 Days to Go. 

Couldn’t get enough of my Fast ‘n Virtually Free Holiday Fashion Fixes? Here are 5 more to get you through those holiday party mishaps. In case you missed it, check out tips 1 through 5 here.

6. Tangled chain jewelry?
Lubricate with few drops of baby oil and work tangle through with a safety pin. May take a few attempts. Wash oil off thoroughly with water when done.
7. Lost earring back?
Snip pencil eraser into small discs and use them in place of your lost back and you’re good to go
8. Broken stilleto heel?
Instant crazy glue-Hey if it can hold a guy in a hard hat to a steel beam, a heel should be no problemo! Just take a test step or two before you start doing Psy’s Gangnam Style. Crazy Glue doesn’t adhere to ALL surfaces so barefoot may be this eve’s Gangman style!
9. Stuck zipper?
Apply lip balm to zipper teeth and rub it up and down several times. You can also use a pencil since the lead acts as a lubricant…Be sure to do it multiple times or you’ll wind up like moi ‘stuck’ on Today Show with Kathie Lee ‘n Hoda…Oh well, that’s why I’m known as The Accidental Housewife and not Martha LOL!
10. Lipstick stains on collar?
Hopefully it’s your shade on your significant other’s collar or you’ll be in need of a different fast fix after you slug him.  But in hopes it’s yours, place a piece of scotch tape on it, press down on mark and quickly remove. You may have to do this a few times. Then sprinkle some baby powder and let it sit for 10-15 minutes to absorb the oil. Launder par usual…BTW if you also leave a blood stain, hydrogen peroxide will do the trick (on white shirts only as it’s a bleaching agent) and remember to wear gloves so you don’t leave any fingerprints.

Happy Holiday Partying! Here’s to looking fabulous.