Top 10 Bridal Shower Games
Here are some fun games you can play at your next bridal shower!
The Price is Right
Purchase 10 cleaning or household items; for instance, cleaners, polishes, detergents, soaps, etc. Set them out for everyone to see and have them guess the grand total of all items. The closest to the total price wins a prize.Pass the Balloon
Have the party guests stand in a circle. The guests will pass the balloon around the circle to a song. The host will be in charge of the music and randomly stop it. Whoever is holding the balloon when the music stops has to sit down and can no longer play. Keep this going until there is one person left; the last person standing wins a prize. Continue reading “Top 10 Bridal Shower Games” » Read More»I Hate Being Told…
I went for an evening walk in Point Pleasant Park in Halifax, NS the other day and halfway into the park my friend squealed “AHHH a coyote!”. Not seeing anything with my own eyes, and knowing she has a slight fear of dogs to begin with, I made a point to tease her all weekend about her alleged “coyote sighting”- involving everyone I could, of course!
The following week we returned to the park. Still taunting her about her coyote sighting, I assured her that because it was daylight, the “coyotes” would not be present. At one point in the walk we had to stop for a bathroom break. While she was in the bathroom, I decided to read some signs posted nearby and what did I see:
I hate being told.
Read More»Party Ideas for New Year’s Eve
How to Throw an Unforgettable New Year's Eve Party
As you get older, your social circle may not like the idea of “hanging out” in the party scene during New Year’s, but that doesn’t mean that everyone can't have a good time. It's possible to throw an unforgettable New Year party in your home without resorting to kitschy décor and worn out games or boring everyone to death.
Choose a Theme
Going with a themed party is always a great idea, because people enjoy dressing to the nines and piling on costumes. You can arty like it's 1999 (Literally), or have a formal black tie affair where the men rent tuxes and the ladies dust off old bridesmaid or prom dresses. This is your time to shine. Take the time to sit down and brainstorm so that you can think of as many themes as possible. Then you can narrow it all down and make a decision!
Sending out the Invites
In order for people to come to your party you have to let them know about your plans. Try to send out the invitation well in advance, so you don’t have a small turnout. Create some invites of your own and send them either through the mail, or pass them out at work. You can even save time by utilizing online networking websites like Facebook. Most of us today have our own accounts and user names that we use to stay in touch with people. Send out the invitations online or create an online event so that you and all of your friends can see.
Make Sure you Budget
After the Christmas holiday, most of us are financially tapped out. But you don’t have to spend a lot of money in order to get what you need for your party. That's why potlucks were invented! Have every guest bring a portion of the meal, and you only have to make an entrée! This helps to keep all costs down so that you can just provide the space and the music for people to enjoy.
Decorate Accordingly
If you have set up a themed party, you want to make sure that you choose the proper decorations. This is where a lot of your cash is going to go, so make sure that you plan wisely. You can throw a 30's flapper themed party and hand out cigars to the guys and feather fans to the women. You can throw a Mardi Gras party and toss beads around for everyone to enjoy. It's not difficult to throw a New Year's party that your friends will never forget. As long as you have the space for the party and the right technology, you should be all set. Remember to plan plenty of activities for your guests, based upon shared interests and backgrounds. Just don’t resort to gathering around the TV for lack of things to do. Have some music on hand, some movies, and some games, and you're all set for a night people will talk about for a long time.
Read More»The Ultimate Holiday Survival Guide
The Ultimate Holiday Guide for Christmas 2009
Christmas seems to rush by so quickly! Follow these tips to have your ultimate holiday home makeover (and gift purchasing!) done in half the time.
1. Clean it up. If your home isn’t clean and tidy, it won’t look holiday-ready… period. So make this the number one priority on your list. (Don’t worry, we have lots of great tricks coming up next to make your house look really festive in no time at all!)
2. Keep it simple. Whether the clutter is inside your home or on your front lawn, nobody’s even going to notice your awesome ornamentation without being able to differentiate one glowing light from the next. When it comes to Christmas decorations, just remember, less is always more. Outside the house, just make sure things look balanced. Don’t string lights only on one side of the yard, for example, and stay away from cheap, tacky looking figures, and you should be fine.
3. Let the kids help. You may be surprised what they can accomplish with some clever guidance from you. After the cleaning’s done, let them make candy wreaths that you can hang up and give as gifts. Let them cut out paper snowflakes that you can then suspend from the ceiling or put in the windows.
4. Don’t be afraid to look for —and use— online wish lists. For the friend or family member that has everything or is super hard to please, don’t hesitate to look and see what they want. You can always give it with a gift receipt, if you’re not sure it’s a perfect match.
5. Gift certificates can save you time and stress - In those last frantic minutes, remember, gift certificates may not be the most personal gifts most of the time, but it’s not a crime to give them, whatever your mother says. The important thing is that you care about them, and you’re trying your best to show it. Make the card a really personal one to make up for a somewhat impersonal gift, and make sure you pick their favorite store.
6. Use colorful florals in red, white, and green to add some Christmas color. It’s fast, and boy is it effective. If you’d like a more traditional look, grab some poinsettia and a few sprigs of mistletoe to suspend from the ceiling, ornamented with pretty ribbon. And don’t forget about the mistletoe tradition! Make sure that you let your guests know that it’s there. Playful antics are sure to ensue, livening up any gathering.
7. Make some traditional hot Christmas drinks. Many of the traditional drinks take no time at all to make, just heat up some wine and/ or juices, add traditional spices, like nutmeg and cinnamon, and heat, and you’re ready to go!
8. Make Christmas cookies. For a quick Christmas cookie, buy some ready-made dough, sprinkle with green and red toppings and pop them in the oven.
9. Disposable dinnerware can help you relax. Remember, for gatherings, if you put plastic tablecloths over all the tables, and use disposable dinnerware, you can throw everything away afterwards!
10. Don’t forget to have fun!
For more great tips for the holidays and family life in general please visit the Family and Home Section on GKWomen.
Read More»Healthy Holiday Dishes With A Twist
Healthy New Twists on Holiday Cooking
Holiday meals are often traditional – but that doesn't mean you have to serve the same fat and calorie laden dishes over and over again. Introducing a new and healthy dish is the perfect way to breathe new life into an old turkey. Here are some ideas to help you re-energize your Christmas dinner.
Make a Traditional Dish in a Healthy Way
One thing you can try is to delve into your heritage. For example, a traditional meal for Polish holidays is fish, perogies, and sauerkraut. Think back to the kind of foods your grandparents would have enjoyed at the holidays, and if you can, ask them to describe them for you. Serving traditional foods can often help bring a family together, from old to new generations. Traditional foods are often made from scratch, and because they are not full of processed ingredients, can be very healthy. Make them the way Grandma made them 50 years ago. If the idea of preparing traditional ethnic food is concerning to you, remember that you don't have to prepare hunt all that hard to find great local ingredients. If you are living in an area where your particular ethnicity is very popular, you may be able to find your family's foods in the local store, or through some other means. For example, homemade perogies are often sold by church groups in the Pittsburgh area. The money goes towards funding the church's holiday events.
Old Fashion Christmas Recipes Made New
A second idea is to take an old dish and make it new. This is one of the easiest of the ideas, because you're working from a base you already know. If you already know how to make a ham, it's not that hard to try a low calorie glaze. With the internet at your fingertips, you should be able to pull up dozens of ideas of how to prepare the same dish more healthily.
Restaurants Serving Christmas Meals
Or, you may not want to deal with making your own meal – instead, go out for dinner, where you won’t be as tempted by an endless buffet of food. Many exclusive restaurants are still open on holidays. It will probably require a reservation and advance notice, but it will be well worth the money. These places often create special holiday menus for the occasion. Sometimes, such as in A Christmas Story, you may end up in an ethnic restaurant. Best of all, there isn't anything for you to clean up when you get home, and no leftovers that will have you eating pie every day of the week!
Christmas Potluck Recipes Make For a Good Twist
Another idea that helps involve your whole family in the diet is to have a potluck. If you are going to be having a big family gathering, it only makes sense that everyone contribute to the party. This lets you sample the dishes of your friends and family, and see what holiday food means to them. If you want, you can create a theme. For example, Hawaiian-inspired dishes are a sweet and interesting twist on what would be a rather ordinary casserole-and-turkey affair.
Non Traditional Christmas Meals
The final idea is to scrap the idea of the formal traditional dinner and simply make a non traditional Christmas meal. Instead of turkey or ham, try lamb, salmon, crab, or duck. Or, go completely crazy and try something like a Tofurkey. Just because it's Christmas doesn't mean it has to be the same old thing – use this time as an opportunity scrap it all and create your own new tradition.
Read More»Introducing Solid Foods for Baby
Around six months of age, your baby will begin to show signs that he or she is ready to eat solid foods because breast milk or infant formula alone is no longer enough to meet the growing energy and nutritional needs of your baby. At this time other foods become important for baby's healthy growth and development. Because every baby is different, be sure to rely on your little one – rather than the calendar – to let you know when he or she is ready for their first solid foods. Here are a few cues that can help determine when it's time.
Baby Can Sit Up with A Little Support & Can Hold Her Head
Developing the ability to sit up on her own and having good neck support allows your baby to open her mouth and take food from a spoon in a controlled way.Baby Keeps Solid Food in Her Mouth
For the first few months of life, babies rely totally on their sucking instinct to gain nourishment. Until three to four months of age babies have a natural reflex to push anything thicker than liquid out of their mouths with their tongues; this extrusion instinct will prevent them from receiving solid foods or spoons. Before you can start your baby on solid foods she must be able to move her tongue in her mouth to allow non-liquid foods to be swallowed.Baby Wants Food
Has your baby started staring at each bite of food as it goes from your plate to your mouth? Does your little one try to grab tiny morsels for herself? If the answer to these questions is yes, it may be time to start baby on solid foods.Baby Can Express Hunger
If your baby can tell you she's not hungry, has had enough to eat or want more by leaning back, forward, and keep her mouth closed or turn away, it may be time to start solid foods.Things to Know When Your Baby Needs to Start Solids
Before introducing any solids foods to your baby you should talk to your doctor, dietician, nutritionist or healthcare professional.Start with Iron-Rich Food
Start with foods rich in iron or iron-fortified cereals to prevent iron deficiency. Breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula remain baby's most important food during her first year of life. Solid foods are a complement to milk or infant formula, not a substitute. When baby starts eating solid foods, she needs to continue drinking the same amount of breast milk or infant formula; begin meals by offering breast milk or formula first. It is recommended that babies consume 900-1200 ml (30-40 oz) of milk or formula per day at four to six months of age, and 720-960 ml (24-32 oz) of breast milk or formula per day at six to twelve months.Introduce Only One New Food At a Time
Introduce only one new food at a time to make it easier to observe your baby for signs of an allergic reaction such as hives, rash, eczema, nasal congestion, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, mucous in stool, and/or difficulty breathing. Wait at least three to five days before adding in a new food. If any signs of an allergic reaction occur, discontinue the suspected food and talk to your baby's healthcare professional immediately.Keep Portion Sizes Small
Babies have tiny tummies and do best with small amounts of food offered throughout the day rather than three bigger meals. Remember that baby will still be getting the bulk of her calories and nutrition from breast milk or formula until she's about one year old.Listen to Baby's Cues
Although there are general guidelines, there is not one, best method of food progression. Your baby's likes and dislikes combined with your family history of allergies/asthma could play a major role in which foods you offer your infant, and when you offer them. If your baby doesn't care for a food – or isn't hungry – don't force her to eat. Keep mealtime enjoyable to ensure your baby develops a healthy, happy relationship with food.Make Meals a Family Event
Sit together as a family during mealtime, and allow your baby to join you, so that she can begin to enjoy the social side of sharing a meal all together; babies love this social interaction and your family will love the entertainment she provides! Read More»