A monthly online magazine chock-full of insightful articles for busy mothers.

By Wendi Tunny © 2011, All Rights Reserved

When you say, “New Year’s ball drop,” most people immediately
think of Times Square in New York. If you’re looking for a
family-friendly alternative to the bright lights and big cities,
Gatlinburg delivers a celebration even Dick Clark himself would
be proud of.

This year marks the 36th annual New Year’s Eve Ball Drop and
Fireworks Show. Taking place at the Space Needle in Gatlinburg,
the party kicks off with music, favors and fun that lead up to
the main event.

Then – as the countdown begins – the ball slowly descends,
finally reaching the bottom at the stroke of midnight. But the
excitement doesn’t end there. A fully choreographed fireworks
show ignites from the Needle that ushers in the New Year in a
blaze of glory.

Gatlinburg’s New Year’s Eve Celebration

If a street party is more your style, head over to downtown
Gatlinburg where an estimated 40,000 people will gather to
welcome 2012. Starting at 11pm, a countdown to midnight sets off
an enormous fireworks display.

Performers from the Hard Rock Café will have people dancing in
the streets as will local radio DJs. Many restaurants, shops and
attractions are even open for this annual event. Trolleys will
operate until 2am.

Ride the Train to 2012

If you’d prefer a romantic evening for just you and your honey,
leave the kids with Grandma and take a day trip to Bryson City,
NC. The Smoky Mountain Railroad offers a quiet celebration
onboard this classic train filled with live music, dancing and
scrumptious food.

Acoustic harmonies fill the air as the Atlanta-based duo rings
out memorable classics and some unexpected selections. While
relaxing in your vintage dining car, you’ll be served an
elaborate three-course meal, compliments of Chef Deborah Douthit.

Select from your choice of tiger shrimp and crab-stuffed
mushroom appetizers to start. Then savor one of three entrees:
spinach-stuffed chicken, seasoned pork loin with raspberry glaze
or a vegetarian favorite – portabella mushroom tower. End this
elegant meal with freshly prepared chocolate lava cake.

This is a 3-1/2 hour tour you’ll remember for years to come.
Your adults-only journey is all-inclusive and complete with a
traditional countdown to midnight.

Dancing with the Sharks

For a new twist on an old tradition, visit Ripley’s Aquarium.
From 9pm until 1am New Year’s Eve, they’ll host “Dance with the
Sharks,” a celebration that includes heavy hors d’oeuvres,
fireworks and two live bands that will surely have your toes (uh.
fins) tapping. Wondering what to do with the kids? Bring them
along! Children’s programs are available.

Out with the old. in with the new. The Smoky Mountains offers
some exciting ways to watch 2012 arrive. Make your plans and
reservations soon so you don’t miss a thing.

Need a place to stay during your getaway? Wendi Tunny of Bear
Run Falls offers affordable luxury cabins in Pigeon Forge within
walking distance to Dollywood. http://www.bearrunfalls.com

by Jennifer Shea – ACME registered dietitian

· There are no “good” or “bad” foods – but finding “better-for-you” options often can be difficult in a sea of choices. Look for products that have low levels of saturated fat, sodium and sugar. You can’t go wrong choosing skim or low fat milk instead of whole milk products. In the baking supply aisle, look for whole wheat pastry flour instead of white flour to make bread pudding. Simple choices like this can help you eat healthy during this festive season.

· Did you know the average holiday dinner is more than 2,000 calories? Just because the turkey gets stuffed doesn’t mean you have to! The simplest way to enjoy your feast, without going overboard on calories, is to monitor portion sizes.

Follow these tips for managing your holiday helpings:

Skip the appetizers: Focus on the company and save your appetite for the main course.
Limit alcohol: The more we drink, the more we eat. Alternate between low-calorie beverages and light beer or wine.
Fill HALF your plate with sauce-free, steamed, roasted or baked veggies instead of starchy ones such as potatoes, turnips, corn or peas – enjoy those in smaller amounts.

Fill ¼ with starches: Preferably whole grains. Select a total of 1 cup of cooked starches – rice, pasta, noodles, breads, stuffing and starchy veggies. One cup is approximately the size of a tennis ball.

Fill ¼ with lean protein: Approximately 3 – 6 ounces. A three ounce portion is about the size of a deck of cards. Remove the skin from your serving of turkey and choose ham or other meat with little visible fat.

Put the gravy on the side: Use your fork to dip before each bite of stuffing or turkey instead of pouring the gravy on top.
Eat SLOWLY and SAVOR each bite; You are less likely to overeat if you take your time. It takes at least 10-15 minutes for your stomach to signal to your brain that you’re full.

Wait a few minutes before going back for seconds: You may find you don’t really want the extra helping. Focus on the company and great conversation, not the food.

· Remember, holidays are a time for fun, family, and friends. Occasional splurges are a part of life, so choose your favorites and enjoy. Just balance your treats with healthy activity and minimize calories where you can. You’ll have a wonderful holiday — and you’ll feel great the next day.

Beat the Budget Blues

· Wondering if you can do it on a budget? Yes! You CAN get your holiday list for less and still put the traditional foods family and friends love on the table. Think of checking off some gifts in the same place – not only will you find unique options at great prices, but you will save gas, time and stress of finding just the right thing. Here are some fun holiday gift basket ideas you can fill right from our aisles:

o Italian Goodies: Line a stainless steel colander with a red checkered napkin. Inside, place a bottle of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, a bottle of Chianti, whole wheat pasta, marinara sauce, a chunk of parmesan, canned olives, canned tuna and garlic.

o Healthy Holiday Salad: Fill a salad bowl with low-fat dressings and flavored vinegars. Add pre-packaged dried cranberries and candied walnuts. Include your favorite salad recipes.

o Fiesta: Line a basket with a festive holiday napkin. Place three or four different salsa jars (use different colored salsas) and include pita or baked chips or a recipe for baked chips.

o Antioxidant Lover: Place a red napkin inside a basket. Fill the basket with a bar of dark chocolate, a bottle of red wine, gourmet dark roast coffee, green tea and dried cranberries.

o Fruit Lovers: Line a basket with a colorful kitchen towel. Arrange oranges, apples, kiwi, grapes, pineapple, pears or dried fruit. Then add a mini loaf of homemade nut bread or muffins and a container of low-fat cream cheese.

o Relaxation: Select a variety of antioxidant-rich teas and wrap in a box or basket with colorful tea cups or mugs and a jar of honey.

· With the holiday budget tight this year, why not use fruits and vegetables to inspire your inner holiday fashionista? We love fruits and vegetables for their myriad health benefits, nutrient density, taste… but they also offer beauty and style. The colors and shapes of cranberries, pumpkins, squash, apples and pears are perfect to decorate our fireplace mantles, dining room tables and doors.

o Delight your family and holiday guests with:

· CRANBERRY CENTERPIECE: Place three 12-ounce bags of fresh cranberries in a large shallow clear glass bowl with enough water to fill 3?4 of the bowl. Add four floating candles. Use as a centerpiece on the coffee or dining room table.

· CRANBERRY COCKTAIL: To add a festive touch to your holiday champagne, add a splash of cranberry juice and a few cranberries to each flute.

· APPLE ARRANGEMENT: Gather brilliantly colored fall foliage. Pile different varieties of apples into a clear glass bowl and arrange fall leaves around the apples. Add cinnamon sticks for a wonderful fall aroma.

· CIRCLET CENTERPIECE: Place a small wreath atop a clear glass plate. Place two or three white pillar candles of differing sizes in the center of the wreath. Scatter pinecones and cranberries in the center of and outside the wreath.

· HOLIDAY PINECONES: Lightly spray-paint six pine cones in cheery cranberry and 6 in shimmery silver. Display in a clear glass bowl.

http://allrecipes.albertsons.com/?brandID=acme

By Tammy Paquin

Despite recent predictions that we’re coming out of the recession, I know many people are still struggling. Holidays like Christmas where there is financial pressure to spend money on stuff makes it hard for people to find the joy in giving so instead of looking at these situations as a burden on your wallet, look at them as an opportunity to give from your heart.

Think of your talents-Do you scrap book? Do wood working? Do you quilt, knit or do other crafts? Do you make jams, jellies or other preserves? Are you a car buff? Do you have an eye for details? Think of creating presents with your talents! Truthfully, anyone who puts down a homemade and thoughtful present isn’t worthy of receiving them.

• Scrapbookers- Giving grandparents a page of scrapbooked pictures set into an inexpensive frame is thoughtful and I can think of many grandparents who always complain of never having updated pictures. Down the road, you could give them an expandable storage book for their outdated pages. How about scrapbooking your cherished family recipes for your children?

• Quilters and/or sewers-Create gifts with those talents! I found a pattern for quilted checkbook covers. They were fast, easy and allowed me to personalize them for each recipient (cat fabric for my cat loving friend). I’m not much of a sewer but even I was able to make flannel pajama bottoms for my boys.

• Knitters/crocheters- My Great Gram always used to knit mittens for us. She would also make us hats and scarves. I still have a pair of double-yarn mittens she made me over 40 years ago. They’re now stashed safely in my closet but I still think fondly of how warm they were and how much I loved wearing them and loved my Gram for making them for me. Who can’t appreciate a homemade present like that?

• Car person-I know it’s not as easy as it used to be to work on cars but thankfully, oil changes are still generally a do-it-yourself deal. If you’re still into changing your own oil, considering giving coupons to your friends or family to change THEIR oil as a present (note that it’s for labor only and the recipient still has to buy the supplies). I know I would LOVE getting a practical present like that!

• Eye for detail? –My mother-in-law has pretty much everything she wants or needs. My husband has an eye for detail-detailing cars that is. He gave his mom the gift of a car detailing. He spent about 5 hours washing, waxing and detailing her car and she was thrilled. Keep in mind that a present like this would cost over $100 at a detailing shop. If you have an eye for detailing homes (you’re good at cleaning) how about offering coupons for housekeeping services? I know come spring time, I’d love an extra pair of hands for spring cleaning.

• Baker/cook- My sister-in-law was a really busy woman with three young boys, finishing her teaching certificate and working almost full time. I gave her a gift basket full of homemade frozen cookie dough logs, homemade dry baking mixes (similar to those layered jar mixes where you just add the wet ingredients) and two bags of store bought gourmet coffees. I told her that I was giving her the gift of time with her boys. She could take one of the frozen cookie dough logs out of the freezer in the morning and put it in the fridge and then that evening, she could make a cup of coffee, make cookies with her boys and enjoy spending time with them (without the hassle of trying to follow a recipe and mix dough with three youngsters trying to “help”). She loved the gift! Think about what you can make or bake along the same lines. You could make bread dough that could be frozen and used the same way. Be creative.

• Gardeners-How about sharing saved seeds with your favorite gift-recipient? How about offering up your time during planting season? Personally, I’d love coupons offering to tend my garden when I go camping for a week. A gift basket with coupons for garden tending saved heirloom seeds, homemade row markers and a fresh set of garden gloves would be loved by any gardener!

I’ve given you just a sampling of how you can put your talents to work creating thoughtful, relatively inexpensive and practical presents for the holidays. What talents do you have? What can you do? Before you go out and buying something and spend a bunch of money, think on how you can create those thoughtful gifts first. I think you’ll find that during these tough economic times, practical, thoughtful gifts from the heart are more appreciated than ever before.

Tammy Paquin is a work-from-home mom of 3 boys and the owner and publisher of Frugal-Families [1], an online resource for frugality, finances, budgeting and everything else related to stretching the dollar. For more ideas on practical, thoughtful and inexpensive gifts visit, Thoughtful, Practical and Inexpensive gifts [2]

Hop into spring with this free eBook full of Easter craft projects and
recipes. Find free Easter craft ideas to decorate your home, give as gifts
and entertain the kids. Send homemade Easter cards to friends and families
from our collection or find some different ideas for Easter egg decorating.
Complete your Easter festivities with the collection of hand-picked Easter
recipes. In this eBook you’ll find:

. 130 Pages of Craft Ideas for Easter

. 12 Easter Egg Decorating Projects

. 20 Easter Table Ideas: Centerpieces, Napkin Rings and More

. 10 Easter Chick Craft Projects

. 20 Easter Bunny Craft Projects

. 10 Easter Recipes

You can get this eBook free at:

http://www.favecrafts.com/index.php/hct/Easter-Crafting-and-Recipe-eBook

By Susanne Myers

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year with some of these fun
and of course mostly green St. Patrick’s Day Treats.

Leprechaun Ale

Place a scoop of lime sherbet into a tall glass, pour ginger
ale over it and watch it fizz. This can be made even fancier by
rubbing some lime juice on the rim of the glass and then dipping
it in green sugar crystals before you pour the leprechaun ale.

Lucky Clover Cake

Prepare 9 x 13 inch cake using a boxed cake mix. We like to use
yellow cake for this. Get a can of vanilla frosting and use a
few drops of yellow and blue food coloring to color the frosting
green. After the cake is baked and cooled down, cut three heart
shaped pieces out of the cake. We use a cardboard template to
make the hearts even. Arrange them on a plate with the pointy
ends pointing toward each other. It will look like a clover
leaf. Frost the entire cake with the green vanilla frosting.

Mini Mint Ice Cream Tarts

Purchase a roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough. Roll the
dough into small balls (a little smaller than a golf ball), and
press them in the bottoms of mini muffin pans. Bake according to
package directions. Press the middle of the cooked dough down
after you take them out of the oven. Let them cool for 10
minutes, then transfer them to a baking rack and let them cool
completely. To serve, scoop mint ice cream in each of your mini
tart shells.

St. Patrick’s Day Cookies

Buy or make simple sugar cookie dough. Let the kids cut out
shamrock shaped cookies with a cookie cutter. Bake them. While
they are cooling, use food coloring to turn vanilla frosting or
a simple powered sugar and milk glaze green. Let the kids
decorate the cookies with frosting and plenty of green
sprinkles.

St. Patrick’s Day Parfait

Prepare a pack of instant pistachio pudding according to
package directions. Mix a few drops of food coloring with cool
whip to tint it green. Cut up some kiwi fruit. Layer chilled
pudding, kiwi fruit and green cool whip for a completely green
St. Patrick’s Day Parfait.

Are you seeing green yet? Give a few of these yummy sweet St.
Patrick’s Day treats a try this year. They are always a big hit
with our families.

About the Author: Want more family friendly recipes and crafts
ideas? Visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/info for a sample
weekly menu plan your entire family will love and
http://www.kinderinfo.com for tons of craft and activity ideas
that are sure to keep your little ones entertained.

Source: http://www.isnare.com