Gift Wrap and Tags

 

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is all of the pretty gift wrap. I love to wrap a gift beautifully..I think it really lets the recipient know you took the time to present him/her with something special. I have a hard time resisting all of the pretty papers,tags and ribbon! Today,I wanted to share a few of my favorites with you.
   I'm the girl that likes all of her gift wrapping items to match. I also try to match the wrap with the person I am giving the gift to..for example, if that person is a dog lover, I try to go with that theme. This year, I found the cutest tags on Etsy . You have to visit this shop..such  beautiful tags and cards. I plan to go back and purchase more to put away for next year! Here are a few of the tags in my new favorite shop..
   I purchased the reindeer tags for all of the little ones in my life .

These lab tags are perfect for my dog loving sister and my son.

These sleigh tags add just the perfect touch of nostalgia to any gift.

Who doesn't love a red truck at Christmas?

Little girls would likely love these kitten tags.

Visit  and see all of the beautiful items she has available for all holidays! Love this shop!

I also love festive gift wrap. Every year, for many years, I've ordered wrapping paper from Current,and have always been happy with the quality of the paper as well as the price point. It is definitely my go to for gift wrap, and they have an assortment of other seasonal items as well, such as coordinating tags,ribbon and cards. They have great sales after Christmas,so be sure to check that out.

Every so often, I splurge a little bit on fancy paper. This year is no exception. I found this gorgeous paper by Caspari on Amazon.

This paper is from Jenni. The quality is excellent, and it comes in sheets rolled up in a tube. It is a bit more expensive,so I save it for those extra special gifts. The matching tags bring it all together.
I'm really loving this nutcracker/gingerbread paper. I tend to favor all things red,white and green around the holidays,but this pink is a nice change.So sweet.

The trees and trains are beautiful as well. I'm definitely a fan.

I hope this helps a bit if you are still looking for gift wrap essentials or plan to purchase some on sale after Christmas.I will share more of my wrapped gifts before the holidays. Enjoy your day!

Holiday Happenings

In my mind, Halloween was yesterday, so the fact that Christmas is 10 days away has me a little stressed. I've finished a good portion of my shopping, started meal planning and have wrapped most of what I've purchased, so that is good,but it feels as if the past few weeks have flown by! I've slowed down on my baking orders this year in an effort to focus more on the boys and the actual holiday. Here is a bit of what we've been up to this month.
   My son Sean wanted to see the new Grinch movie,and I happily tagged along. It really was sweet and we definitely enjoyed our evening out together. He insisted we go to IHOP for Grinch pancakes, and I obliged. He ate,I watched him eat..haha. Since that day, we have been on a Grinch pancake kick at home.My favorite buttermilk pancake recipe,a little green food coloring, topped with a cream cheese frosting and some fresh whipped cream. It makes him happy, so why not? If all of that is too much for you, try my apple cinnamon pancakes recipe,topped with just a little whipped cream or simply syrup. You'll love them.

Sean and I also spent a nice afternoon together enjoying a local production of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Special moments with one of my boys.
  

One evening, a local cooking school was hosting a gingerbread decorating party. Timmy and I happily went,and had a great time together decorating our house. He loves all things gingerbread, so this was a perfect night out for him, and he wore his pajamas, so it really doesn't get better than that.
 

We also spent an afternoon visiting Dee's Nursery. It's a great place, filled with plants ,all things Christmas,holiday treats and their own dogs ,which my son Timmy loves. We were greeted by this fine gentleman playing a variety of carols near the entrance.We spent some time wandering around enjoying all of the decor and petting the pups.
 

Speaking of pups, if you follow me on instagram, then you know our dog Gigi has a love affair going on with the dog Doc who lives across the street. It seemed only fitting to buy them matching dog bone ornaments for Christmas this year. Doc's family sent me a picture of theirs...so cute. I purchased them here.
  

I also gave a way one of the signs from our Etsy shop to a great lady!Giveaways are always fun!
  

I've been decorating a few cookies when I have the time. I found this design on the Semi Sweet Mike Design page website and ordered the cookie cutters to make this Santa scene. I love it! I made five sets and sent them out as gifts, along with some other goodies.
 

I also made some of my favorite Chocolate Chip Madeleines to give to one of my husband's co-workers. Trying to spread some holiday cheer!
  

Well, that is it for today. Check back in this week for gift wrapping ideas,ornament collection and more Christmas fun! Enjoy your weekend!

After Thanksgiving Breakfast

Once the big meal is over, you are sure to have some leftovers. Here are a few ideas on how to use them and other fall ingredients for breakfast the next day.

   If you have leftover cranberry sauce, it can be used to make this delicious Cranberry Coffee Cake .

Still have a lot of apples in your fruit bowl? Try this Puffed Apple Pancake

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Spice Cake is a great way to use your spices,extra canned pumpkin and maple syrup. This one is a definite crowd pleaser.

  Maple Walnut Muffins are delicious on a chilly fall  morning! 

These Apple Cinnamon Pancakes are on the menu year round at our house.  Quick and delicious!

Quiche is a great way to use extra pie dough and any leftover veggies you may have. You can substitute any vegetables you like for the broccoli in this recipe.
  

This fritatta is an easy breakfast, again, using any veggies you have on hand.
 

Chocolate Chip Pancakes are always a fun breakfast and very filling!

I hope you find these recipes helpful! Enjoy your weekend!!

Thanksgiving Dishes

The big day is just a week away! Today I want to share some of our favorite things to make for Thanksgiving,including a soup a few sides and plenty of desserts.
   Butternut Squash Soup is one of my fall favorites. It can be made ahead and freezes well. It is a great way to start any meal and also makes a perfect lunch on a chilly day.

    Acorn squash is a vegetable that is often overlooked because many feel it is too difficult to prepare, it isn't..I promise. This recipe is can also be made ahead( 1 day) and refrigerated until ready to bake.

   I usually roast carrots with a little olive oil,salt & pepper, and it is an easy,delicious,no fail way to make them.However, for special occasions,I prefer to make them this way.Wonderful flavor that perfectly compliments the Thanksgiving meal.

   What is a meal without mashed potatoes? I switch between two favorite recipes in our house. The first, is from Ina Garten which is a buttermilk recipe that is incredible! The other is a garlic sour cream recipe that is equally delicious. Whichever you choose, you will be deliciously happy!

   Very often,recipes call for fresh herbs. If you are lucky enough to live somewhere warm, you may still have some in your garden,however,if not, you may wind up paying a pretty penny for them at the market. This is how I preserve the herbs from my garden. I make herbed butter, which freezes well and is ready anytime I need it . A few days before Thanksgiving, I take a few from the freezer and slather them on our turkey. They add amazing flavor !

  Without fail,every year I make this  spinach dish from Ina Garten.
So delicious!
  

When it is time for dessert,I serve a variety of goodies to my family. Here are a few of our favorites.

Oatmeal Buttercotch Cookies

Cranberry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Nut Cups

Coconut Custard Pie

Pumpkin Pie

Cinnamon Mocha Tart

Apple Pie

Lastly, here is the recipe I use if you are interested in making your own pie dough.
 

I hope you have a chance to try some of these recipes that we love so much! Check in tomorrow for some  day after Thanksgiving breakfast ideas!

November Reading For Children

I've always enjoyed reading with my boys. When they were younger, I'd  make sure their rooms were filled with favorite books, and change the selection with the seasons. For me,one of the greatest joys of motherhood is to curl up with a cozy blanket, a great story and my children. They are a bit older now, but my younger guys still indulge me every so often and let me read aloud with them. Naturally, the books are more age appropriate and it doesn't happen often, but I will take it whenever I can get it!

   Today,I wanted to share some favorites that were always part of our November reading. If you love spending quality time with your children, there is no better way than opening a good book.

Freddy was always a favorite character in our home. He is a little boy who loves sharks,and every illustration in this series has the word "FIN" hidden somewhere for the reader to find. In Thanksgiving Turkey Trouble, Freddy gets a part in a play that he did not want. It is a sweet story about rising to a challenge,and definitely one of our fall favorites.

This book has been a longtime favorite of mine. I remember my elementary school librarian reading it with such enthusiasm and  I was immediately enthralled by it. I'd long forgotten about it until I had children of my own, and was thrilled to find a copy at a local bookstore(pre amazon days). It takes place  near a cranberry bog in New England where a young girl named Maggie lives with her grandmother. As Thanksgiving approaches, someone is attempting to steal grandmother's prize cranberry bread recipe ,but it may not be who they think it is. It is a charming book by Wende and Harry Devlin which includes the cranberry bread recipe at the end of the story. I just love it!

Another story we've always enjoyed is Thanksgiving with the Tappletons by Eileen Spinelli. Thanksgiving Day starts out like any other, until a series of silly mishaps causes a change in plans. This is a sweet story sure to bring some giggles along with it.

I think this is probably on everyone's Thanksgiving reading list and rightfully so!  This book is a classic and my family has enjoyed it for years, I mean, how can you go wrong with Snoopy and friends?

They've also added another sweet little Peanuts Thanksgiving tale that kids are sure to enjoy. In this story , Joe Cool is hosting Thanksgiving this year! It isn't the classic tale, but still fun for little ones.

 

My family has always loved the Big Red Dog! Norman Bridwell's beloved Clifford is hoping to spend Thanksgiving with his mother. He braves cars,trains and lots of traffic to make it happen. Be sure to check out Clifford's Thanksgiving Visit
  and  Clifford's Puppy Days Thanksgiving Feast 

 The Night Before Thanksgiving is a playful look into all of the fun that comes along with family celebrations. Natasha Wing has a wonderful "Night Before..." series and we've always enjoyed reading them together.

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Pie is a silly story, filled with repetition so that children can easily join in. They are also always shocked by how many things this old lady can ingest and what the surprise is at the end.

Patricia Reilly Giff 's Polk Street School series offers some wonderful chapter books for children. Turkey Trouble was a favorite of ours and we read it every November. Amazon still has some copies available, and if you can get one, you should. Her stories are always funny and uplifting. 

The Berenstain Bears were always a favorite in this house.,with lessons about fairness,sharing,love,sibling relationships and so much more ! My boys loved reading about Big Paw, a story that teaches children to not judge others based on appearances.

Stan and Jan Berenstain have also written so many other Thanksgiving/Fall stories that children have enjoyed  for years. Here are a few of our favorites. Thanksgiving Blessings

Thanksgiving All Around

Give Thanks

Harvest Festival

We hope you are able to enjoy some of these wonderful children's Thanksgiving stories with your little ones. Happy Reading!

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