Mom Knows Everything

Happy New Year to all my family, friends, and readers. May your best times of the past be your worst times of the future! Wishing you peace and happiness in 2011.

A great way to spotlight a room in your home is by displaying a collection or a unique object. One thing that you can display is Sundials. You may think Sundials are just and outside decoration, but they also make a great indoor decor. Sundials have been used over the history to tell time, but they also can be used as a decoration. A Sundial like this one here can be displayed and used as a focal point and a conversation starter in a room.

You can find this Sundial and many more interesting and beautiful Sundials for both inside and outside use at the website www.1001sundials.com.

After you take down your holiday decorations your house may seem a little dull looking. A great way to spruce it up is by using plants. Planters come in various sizes, shapes, and styles so you can always be sure to find one that will fit your rooms decor.

Decorative Planters can be placed in every room of your house, including the bath room. A great plant for the bathroom is a climbing ivy plant. You can sit in on a shelf or a hanging planter and let the vines fall and climb. It looks very pretty and makes the bathroom very cheerful.

You can also save money on plants by growing your own or recycling the ones from your Outdoor Planter in the fall and bringing them inside and placing them in an indoor planter.



This post was brought to you by your friends at www.eplanters.com.

With winter here if you haven't gotten all your outdoor equipment covered or in storage then you really should. Things like outdoor furniture and lawn mower should be stored in the basement or garage. One thing that a lot of people tend to forget is their BBQ. Your BBQ should have a good high quality cover on it and it should be moved to a sheltered area. You can find some great BBQ Grill covers at 1001grillcovers.com that can help protect and help make your BBQ last longer. They carry a wide variety of styles and designs so you will be sure to find on that will fit your needs.

The last thing you want to happen is finding out just when your ready to BBQ is that your BBQ got ruined because it wasn't protected over the winter season.

With the holidays over a lot of people find themselves financially strapped. The holidays are a very expensive time of year and when they are over money is usually is short supply so much that you may even need to get a cash advance. Setting up a budget to help you get through the next couple of months until you get caught up is a great way to help yourself through these lean months. Make a list of what needs to be paid, what needs to be bought, and what income you have. Check for sales to help you with your grocery needs and put off purchasing anything that can be purchased at a later date. With a little determination and planning you can get through the post-holiday finances.

One of the things my family likes to do in the winter is go sliding. We make a day of it and go to the local park which has an amazing hill for sliding. We fill up our picnic basket with hot chocolate and hot soup and after sliding we have a picnic.

I found this great website called 1001picnicbaskets.com that has an amazing selection of Picnic Baskets. They have the traditional English style, insulated, backpack, totes, and they even have a wedding picnic basket. With so many different types and styles you will be sure to find one that will fit your need.

Just because it's winter doesn't mean you can't have a picnic. Stop by the website and find one for your family and they also make a great gift.

Just because Christmas has already came and gone doesn't mean that the holidays are over yet. We, like so many other people, like to celebrate Christmas right up until New Years. The Christmas lights and decorations are so pretty that you want to be able to enjoy them as long as you can. Another thing I love about Christmas time is the Christmas flower collections that are available only at this time of year. There are so many beautiful flowers from poinsettias, red and white roses, to greenery, that can make a beautiful Christmas flower display.

Flowers always are a great way to brighten up someone's day and with such beautiful Christmas flowers out right now why not send some to someone you know or even pick some up for yourself.

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

By Clement Clarke Moore

Although it's still a few nights before the night before Christmas I thought I would share with you this wonderful Christmas poem for moms.

It was the night before Christmas, when all thru the abode
only one creature was stirring, and she was cleaning the commode.
The children were finally sleeping, all snug in their beds,
while visions of Nintendo and Barbie, flipped through their heads.
The dad was snoring in front of the TV.
with a half-constructed bicycle on his knee.
So only the mom heard the reindeer hooves clatter,
which made her sigh, "Now what's the matter?"
With toilet bowl brush still clutched in her hand,
she descended the stairs, and saw the old man.
He was covered with ashes and soot, which fell with a shrug.
"Oh great," muttered mom, "Now I have to clean the rug."
"Ho-ho-ho!" cried Santa, "I'm glad you're awake.
Your gift was especially difficult to make."
"Thanks Santa, but all I want is some time alone."
"Exactly!" he chuckled, "I've made you a clone."
"A clone?" she asked, "What good is that?
Run along, Santa, I've no time for chit-chat."
The mother's twin. Same hair, same eyes,
Same double chin.
"She'll cook, she'll dust, she'll mop every mess.
You'll relax, take it easy, watch The Young & The Restless."
"Fantastic!" the mom cheered. "My dream come true!
I'll shop, I'll read, I'll sleep the whole night through!"
From the room above, the youngest began to fret.
"Mommy?!" I'm scared...and I am wet."
The clone replied, "I'm coming sweetheart."
"Hey," the mom smiled, "She knows her part."
The clone changed the small one, and hummed a tune,
as she bundled the child, in a blanket cocoon.
"You are the best mommy ever. I really love you."
The clone smiled and sighed, "I love you too."
The mom frowned and said, "Sorry, Santa, no deal.
That's my child's love, she's trying to steal."
Smiling wisely Santa said, "To me it is clear,
only one loving mother is needed here."
The mom kissed her child and tucked her into bed.
"Thank you, Santa, for clearing my head.
I sometimes forget, it won't be very long,
when they are too old for my cradle song."
The clock on the mantle began to chime.
Santa whispered to the clone, "It works every time."
With the cone by his side Santa said, "Goodnight.
Merry Christmas, Mom, you'll be alright."

~Author Unknown

My dog Princess loves sleeping in front of our Christmas tree. I don't think it's the tree itself, I'm sure even if it was a weeping willow tree she would want to lay in front of it. I think it's all the presents that she likes. Hey who can blame her, we all like presents. She's probably wondering which one is hers.

With only 9 days left till Christmas the Christmas rush has set in. If you're not ready for Christmas yet don't worry. All you need is a plan to help you get what you need to get done done in time. The first thing you need to do is make a list. On that list put what needs to be done first at the very top of the list. Schedule your time so that you can get some stuff done every day. Don't try to do everything at once because you most likely won't get it done and you will stress yourself out trying. Most importantly take time to enjoy yourself. The holidays are supposed to be fun and by spending a little bit of time everyday enjoying them will make your holiday a whole lot better.

We all know us moms can use some down time and my favorite way to do that on those cold winter evenings is being cozied up on the couch watching my favorite television shows. When your watching television you want to have the best picture and sound that you can get. Why bother watching a television show when the picture is horrible. A great way to get that perfect picture and sound on your television is by using a HDMI adapter. An HDMI adapter allows you to hook up your home theater system to your HDMI devices. When you go to an electronic store and HDMI adapter can be expensive and costs you way over $20, but I found a great website called HDMIAdapter.org that has a great selection of HDMI adapter for less than $10.

My family's home theater system is extensive and because of this we have a HDMI cable splitter that allows us to hook more than one HDMI device up to our television. This way not only is our television hooked up, but also so is our DVD player and gaming system.


With so many great television shows on TV in the winter we tend to spend more of our free time in the evenings watching TV. So hook up your HDMI, grab your TV Guide, sit back, relax, and enjoy some well deserved down time.

Congratulations to Sara Brown for being the winner of the Scotch Brand Makes Gift Wrapping Easier contest. I'm sure with the help of the wonderful Scotch Brand products your gift wrapping this holiday season will be much easier.

Sarah I will email you shortly and you have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Thank you to all how have entered.

Peanut butter balls are a huge hit at my home over the holidays. I actually make some for my sisters and my friend because they love them so much. I thought I would share the recipe with you so that you too can enjoy them.

Peanut Butter Balls
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 cup graham cracker crumbs

Mix together in a bowl.

In a saucepan melt...
1/2 cups margarine
1/2 cups peanut butter


Add to the dry mixture along with an additional 1/2 cup of peanut butter.

Mix well and form into balls.

In a separate saucepan melt...
1 package of chocolate chips
1 Tbs of shortening

Dip formed balls into chocolate mixture and set in fridge to cool and harden.

Both of my parents have passed away. I was 24 when my mother passed away and 30 when my father passed away. My father was in his 70's when my mother passed away and because of his age and health I was responsible for making the funeral arrangements. When my father passed away I also made all the funeral arrangements. Because of this I know a lot about making funeral arrangements and how much a funeral costs. You would be shocked to know that a funeral can cost well over $10,000.

When it comes to death unless you have experienced the death of a close loved one it's hard to understand all the emotions a person goes through. If you look up death on Wikipedia it gives you very scientific facts, but what it doesn't give you is the emotional aspects of it. When you lose a loved one it's very hard. Having to deal with making funeral arrangements is even harder, but if you have to deal with the financial worries about the funeral also then it's even more harder.

When you have to bury a loved one, such as a parent, you shouldn't have to worry about the financial aspects of it. You are so distraught that it's hard to even function let alone worry about money. My mother did not have life insurance and after her death we realized that just how expensive a funeral is. Because of this my father looked into insurance for the elderly because he did not want to leave me with the expenses for his funeral. Because of the insurance my father got for his funeral I didn't have to deal with the extra worries when he passed away. Dealing with the loss of my father was difficult enough and not having to worry about the price of his funeral made it easier for me.

If you have a elderly loved one that does not have insurance than I suggest you check out final expense insurance quotes. It's not as expensive as you might think for an elderly person and it helps to give peace of mind that when the time comes the funeral will be looked after and you can spend that time you need to grieve instead of worry about money.

If you are looking for some fun Christmas crafts to do with your kids then you should check out the free Disney Family Fun Christmas printables. They have a great selection of coloring pages, printable Christmas cards, and Christmas decorations for your kids to make. They also have some great recipes for moms there too.

With the New Year quickly approaching many of us make a resolution to lose weight. The only problem with losing weight is that diets rarely work. A lot of the time we just simply give up. When it comes to exercising the problem is that who has the time to go to the gym a couple times of week. With work and children our schedules are so busy it's hard to find time to do anything. I've recently heard about a great new product called The Flex Belt.

The Flex Belt is an ab toning belt that you wear to help tighten up those abdominal muscles. As a mother I know my abs are not what they used to be and I would really like to get them back. What I love about the Flex Belt is that even if I'm too tired to exercise The Flex Belt does the work for me. The Flex Belt varies from other ab firming products like the slendertone as The Flex Belt is more powerful, stronger, and advanced in their settings. Another ab firm product is the ab circle and the ab circle pro, but these too falls short of The Flex Belt as they both requires time to exercise, which is what so many of us don't have. With The Flex Belt you just put it on and let it flex your stomach muscles for you. You don't have to go to the gym, or spend precious hours of your day exercising.

Why spend money on exercise equipment that you are not going to have the time to use when you can simply buy The Flex Belt and use it while you are doing other stuff that needs to be done. The Flex Belt can be worn while you are playing with your kids, doing your house work, and even while you are watching television. The Flex Belt does the work for you so that you can get on with your other work.

Don't forget that my current contest, Scotch Brand Makes Gift Wrapping Easier, closes midnight December 14th AST. This prize will definitely help you make your Christmas gift wrapping easier. Be sure to enter now for a chance to win!

This time of year I always look forward to checking my mail box for Christmas cards. I live in a rural area where I have a private mail box, but my in-laws live in an apartment complex where they have a section of apartment mailboxes for all the residents of the apartment building. I like the fact that my elderly in-laws don't have to walk down an icy walkway to get their mail. We are always concerned about them falling and breaking something.

I think cluster mailboxes are great for not only elderly people, but also for people who have a hard time getting around. If you are looking to move into a new place, or helping someone you know find a new place then I suggest you look for places that have CBU mailboxes. They are very convenient and offer security as they are locked mailboxes so you know your mail will not get stolen.


This post was brought to you by your friends at www.approvedclustermailboxes.com.

I've told you before how great Bounty Paper Towels are at cleaning up messes, especially mess kids make. I bet you didn't know that Bounty Paper Towels are also great at making crafts as well?









Here is a great Christmas craft from HGTV’s craft queen, Wendy Russell, plus some helpful Bounty clean-up tips for the festive mess. Wendy notes that, “The Bounty-ful holiday tree makes for a cheerful decoration in any home. With only five steps, it’s a perfect activity for kids aged 5-8.”


Bounty-ful Holiday Tree (Courtesy of Bounty)


What you need:
· Bounty paper towels
· Plastic foam cone
· Green tempera paint
· Paint brushes
· Holiday bow
· Straight pins
· Buttons

Directions:
1. Place Bounty paper towels on the table to keep it tidy.
2. Cut several Bounty paper towels into long 2.5 centimetre strips. Stack the strips on top of each other and tear into smaller sections.
3. Paint the Bounty paper towel pieces with green tempera paint and allow to dry.
4. Place one green piece over the tip of the cone and attach with straight pins – just make sure the straight pins are handled with care. Then move to the bottom of the cone and attach the pieces, moving around the bottom row. Repeat, moving up to the top of the cone.
5. Decorate the tree with "ornaments" by attaching coloured buttons with straight pins and pin a festive bow to the top. Then place the tree on Bounty paper towels for a "snowy" presentation.
6. Paint can definitely be messy. To help with the clean-up, wipe down all surfaces with Bounty paper towels – they have the strength, absorbency, and cloth-like durability to clean up the mess with ease.

The kids had a great time making this craft and as you can see they got very messy, but thankfully for the Bounty Paper Towels the mess was cleaned up in no time.


Here is the finished results of the crafts that they made with the Bounty Paper Towels. Not only did they make a Christmas tree, but also a wreath.


Bounty Paper Towels doesn't just you clean up craft messes, they help you make crafts as well. If you are looking for a Christmas craft to make with your children simply grab some Bounty Paper Towels and make this wonderful Christmas tree or wreath.


The products in this review were given to me free of charge for testing and review. My review and opinions are not influenced by this or any source, they are my honest opinion of the product. No other form of compensation has been given. I am not responsible for the statements made by the sponsoring companies or it's affiliates. Click here for my disclosure policy.

Congratulations to Taylor for being the winner of the Kidz Bop Christmas Party CD. I will email you shortly and you have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Camera Critters is a weekend meme, about what else but critters, created my very own BBFF, Misty.

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear birch tree.


I'm getting a little carried away with Christmas aren't I? I can't help it, I love Christmas. I've been doing so much Christmas baking lately that I'm going to need to check out some fat burner reviews by the time Christmas is over. I can't help it, what's better than Christmas cookies?

I often get asked for advice be people wanting to start a website or blog. They want to know various things like how to create one, how to promote it, how to make money from it and how to write code for it. When I first started blogging I didn't know HTML code from binary code and thanks to a dear friend of mine she told me all about codes, creating a blog, and promoting it with seo services.

I've posted before about how to create your own blog/website and how very easy it is as there are lots of wonderful free blogging platforms out there. I have also posted about simple HTML code every bloggers should know. This time I want to explain about how to promote your blog with seo.

Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO for short, is basically getting your website/blog higher up on search engines. The higher your rank on these search engines the more hits on your website/blog will get because the higher up to the top the more people will see it and click on it. A lot of people are confused by exactly what SEO is, but now that I've explained it you can see that it is really quite simple. If you have a blog/website and you want to get more traffic then a SEO Service is a great way to do it.

Here is another great Christmas cookie recipe that's a big hit at my house.

Christmas Cut Out Cookies
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 cup margarine
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract

Cream well together. Then add...

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

Mix well together and chill at least 3 hours in fridge to overnight.
Roll out dough and cut out in shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for about 7 minute. When cool decorate with icing.

During the holiday season we always eat way too much and come New Years we always make a resolution to lose weight. I discovered a great way to help you do just that. It's called the PaceCoach.

The PaceCoach helps burn 4X more body fat simply by changing the way you walk! The PaceCoach is the first-of-its-kind, computerized walking coach that maximizes every step for ultimate fat burn. With a fat burning accelerator, this is not your Grandma;s pedometer; rather it continuously sets an individual's proper speed and distance needed to ensure the maximum benefits of every Mixed Pace walking step. EB Sport Group of New York, one of the world's largest manufacturers of walking pedometers conceived, manufactures and distributes the PaceCoach.

Features:

• The PaceCoach's memory unit contains the fat burning formula based directly on the results from a University of Virginia clinical study.
• PaceCoach creates a personalized, day-by-day walking program customized just for the user.

We are constantly being told that walking is a great form of exercise and as busy mom's we don't have time to go to the gym even if we wanted to. The PaceCoach is a great effective way to lose weight simply by walking. Put your baby in the stroller, grab your PaceCoach, start walking and lose weight. I've been using it for a few days now and I think it's great!

For more information about the PaceCoach and to order it for only $19.95 go to www.OrderPaceCoach.com.



The product in this review was given to me free of charge. My review and opinions are not influenced by this or any source, they are my honest opinion of the product. No other form of compensation has been given. I am not responsible for the statements made by the sponsoring companies or it's affiliates. Click here for my disclosure policy.

Tim Hortons and Cold Stone Creamery have teamed up in select stores across Canada and I think it's an amazing team. When you stop in to grab your cup of coffee you can pick up one of these amazing Candy Wonderland Cakes.


Candy Cane Wonderland Cake is the perfect combination of moist Devil’s Food cake and minty Candy Cane ice cream with chocolate shavings and candy cane pieces frosted with ganache, makes for a perfect hostess gift. They also have some other wonderful Christmas theme ice cream treats to choose from like the Candy Cane Wonderland Cupcakes, just like the cake, these individually sized cupcakes make for a unique indulgence for office staff at the holiday party, and Santa’s Reward, Candy Cane ice cream mixed with whipped cream and Double Oreo Cookies.

We recently tried the Candy Cane Wonderland Cake and not only did it taste amazing, it looked amazing as well. The kids loved the pink Candy Cane ice cream in the middle and the chocolate ganache topping. We've had other types of ice cream cakes before, but I have to tell you that this is our new favorite one. Not only was it delicious, but it was also so festive for this time of the year. My kids liked it so much that they put in a special request to have one for dessert after Christmas dinner. Candy Cane Wonderland Cake is definitely a hit in my house.

You can find a Tim Hortons Cold Stone Creamery location by clicking this link here www.timhortons.com/coldstone.




The product in this review was given to me free of charge. My review and opinions are not influenced by this or any source, they are my honest opinion of the product. No other form of compensation has been given. I am not responsible for the statements made by the sponsoring companies or it's affiliates. Click here for my disclosure policy.

When it comes to thinking of a Christmas gift for your husband it can sometimes be a daunting task. Sure hubby might need new socks or a new tie, but new sock or a new tie isn't going to WOW him on Christmas morning. Instead try and think of what he is interested in. If your husband is into sports then get him tickets to a sporting event. If he is into fishing then a new fishing rod and lures would be a hit. If your husband has an ATV then he would love some ATV Accessories.

The main thing what you need to do when thinking of a Christmas gift for your husband is not think of what he needs, but what he would like.

With the holidays so close at hand wrapping presents is on everyone's To-Do list. With the help of the wonderful products from Scotch brand your Christmas wrapping will get done a lot quicker and with less hassle.

Scotch® Pop-Up Tape Handband Dispenser is the ultimate in tape delivery, style, and convenience. With one-handed dispensing, this attractive and sleek styled dispenser slips comfortably onto your hand. Precut lengths of tape .75 in x 2 in, in a Pop-up Tape dispenser. 75 tape strips/pad. The tape disappears on most gift wrap papers.
•Pre-cut tape strips
•One-handed dispensing convenience
•Available in Blue, Silver and Pink



Scotch® Permanent Double Sided Tape is coated with photo-safe, permanent adhesive on both sides. A no-mess alternative to glue for light duty attaching and mounting tasks. Available in 1/2" width.
•The easy way to put together sales presentations, reports, and many other light duty applications.
•Great for science projects, classroom presentations, and art projects.
•Photo-safe for scrapbooking, photo mounting, and other craft projects.


Scotch® Permanent Double Sided Tape is coated with photo-safe, permanent adhesive on both sides. A no-mess alternative to glue for light duty attaching and mounting tasks. Available in 1/2" width.
•The easy way to put together sales presentations, reports, and many other light duty applications.
•Great for science projects, classroom presentations, and art projects.
•Photo-safe for scrapbooking, photo mounting, and other craft projects.


Scotch® Magic™ Tape is the original matte-finish, invisible tape. Frosty on the roll but invisible on paper, It’s the preferred tape for offices, home offices and schools. Available in 1/2" or 3/4" widths.
• Good for most home and office uses, craft projects and home repair.
• Can be written on with pen, pencil or marker.





Scotch™ Precision Ultra Edge Non-Stick Scissors are ideal for fabrics, photos, and all types of paper. The titanium-fused blades stay sharper longer than stainless steel blades and use non-stick technology that means no more sticky build up* on blades. Soft comfort grip handle designed for left- or right-handed use. Available in 6", 7" and 8" lengths. *Use a damp cloth to clean adhesives from blades.







Lynn Spence, a regular style expert on Citytv's CityLine, Around the House and Fashion Friday, and former decorating editor for Chatelaine Magazine has some great gift wrapping tips that I want to share with you.

1. Stock Up – Before you start wrapping, make sure you have all of the necessary supplies. Quality scissors and tape will make the gift wrapping experience a breeze (see proof points below):

2. Stay Sharp – Have a sharp pair of scissors, such as Scotch Precision Ultra Edge Scissors, for cutting paper and other materials. It will allow you to achieve greater precision with your cuts. And if tape on your scissors is a pet peeve, Scotch Precision Ultra Edge Non-Stick Scissors use non-stick technology that means no more sticky build up on blades.

3. One of a Kind Tags – You can make your own gift tags by using the back of old holiday cards. Cut pictures or words from magazines, and paste them on the gift card to make it festive. Voila! Your own customized gift tag.

4. Go Glam – Add luxury to your packages with glamorous materials such as metallic papers that will make anyone feel spoiled. Fashioned inspired animal print or sophisticated quilted paper will look luxurious under the tree.

5. Mix It Up – Move away from traditional wrapping paper by incorporating new textures such as rice, foil and matte papers into your wrapping repertoire. Mixed colours and patterns are also a great way to add visual interest to your presents.

6. Au Natural – For a more organic, eco look, use recycled papers or materials such as linen, Kraft paper, fabric remnants, burlap or a fabulous vintage scarf.

7. In Lieu of Glue – For tasks where you’d traditional use glue, reach for Scotch® Double-Sided Tape, a no-mess alternative for light duty attaching and mounting tasks.

8. Fit to Be Tied – Homemade bows are easier to make than you think. Simply tie the ribbon as you would a shoelace, and use fresh greens or other ornamentation to “dress up” the package. The recipient will surely be impressed with the “professional look” of the present!

9. Stay Seamless – Scotch GiftWrap Tape features a unique satin finish that disappears on most gift wrap papers. Makes all your gifts look great! Easy to dispense and sticks securely.

10. Make It Last – The joy of giving is always in style but before you start wrapping gifts, make sure you stock up on quality tape like Scotch Brand to ensure your packages stay sealed until its time to unwrap them.

11. Waste Not, Want Not – Get creative with scraps of paper, ribbons and other found items to add pizzazz to your wrapping and help the environment by keeping these items out of the waste basket.

12. ‘Tis the Season – Before you start gift wrapping, put on some holiday music, relax and have fun! Remember – it’s the thought that counts!

The wonderful people at Scotch brand want to make gift wrapping a little easier for one of my readers by giving them a gift pack consisting of Magic Tape, Double-Sided Tape, Giftwrap Tape, Precision Ultra Edge Non-stick Scissors, Pop-Up Tape Handband Dispenser and Tape Dispenser Refills.

To enter this contest -

• Leave a comment on this post with your email address telling me one your favorite Christmas songs you listen to while wrapping.
  
• Twitter about this contest for an extra entry.
• Post about this contest for an extra entry.
• Facebook status about this contest for an entry.
  
• Subscribe to my feed for an extra entry.
• Become a fan of Mom Knows Everything on Facebook
  
• If you don't have a blog/website just leave your name and email address in the comment section or if you prefer not to have your email address published in the comment section simply leave your name and email me that you entered the contest. My email address is available in the "Contact" section at the top.
• Contest open to Canadian residents only.
• Contest closes midnight December 14th AST with the winner to be contacted the following day, December 15th.
  

*Be sure to let me know in the comment section if you Tweet, subscribe, become a fan or post about this contest for the extra entries.


The product in this review and giveaway were given to me free of charge. My review and opinions are not influenced by this or any source, they are my honest opinion of the product. No other form of compensation has been given. I am not responsible for the statements made by the sponsoring companies or it's affiliates. Click here for my disclosure policy.


CONTEST CLOSED

I love entering contests and playing games. You can do both at Play 4 Park Inn. Park Inn is running a contest with some amazing prizes. There are two winners each week who will receive of an iPad and a £250 gift card for Park Inn Hotels that can be used at over 200 hotels in 16 countries. These gift cards can be used for the restaurant, bar, or your room. That's not all though, you will also be entered into the grand prize for one week's stay at Park Inn Manchester, Park Inn Berlin, or Park Inn Ulysse Resort (in Djerba, Tunisia) plus a £300 gift card. Now that sounds like an amazing prize!

It's really simple to enter and it's also fun to play. To enter the contest all you have to do is click the above link and it will take you to the website. There you will see an image like this.

All you have to do to win is get 4 in a row. It's kind of like the game Connect 4 you played as a child. You have to get 4 of your colored key cards in a row. It's very simply to play, it's fun, and you can play more than once a day.

I mentioned the great prizes they are offering and I would love to win the grand prize for a one week stay at Park Inn Manchester. I have a friend in the UK that I would love to visit and I know we would have a great time there.

The contest runs from November 18th to December 18th, 2010. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older. The contest is open to residents of the UK, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

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As promised here is the first Christmas baking recipe. Every year I make shortbread cookies at Christmas time and they are my favorite. So much in fact the I eat way to many and have to get some Lipofuze or go on a diet after Christmas is over.

Christmas Shortbread Cookies
1 cup shortening
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
1 cup icing sugar
2 eggs

Cream well. Add...
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon flavoring.

Mix well together and chill for 2 - 3 hours. Form into balls and flatten. Bake at 325 degrees for about 7 minutes. When cool decorate with icing and sprinkles.

This is a great recipe to make as it does not require rolling out the dough and cutting out the cookies. My family and friends love them and they are a huge hit every holiday season.

Music is a very important part of Christmas. What would a Christmas party be without music?

Kidz Bop has a great new Christmas Party CD that your kids, and yourself, will love. It's Christmas songs for kids sung by kids.

Kidz Bop Christmas Party includes a total of 15 classic and popular hits such as “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Silver Bells,” “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” and more. The disc also features fun “Sounds of Christmas!” music which provides ideal background for baking cookies, decorating the tree, wrapping presents or simply staying warm inside!

The Kidz Bop Christmas Party CD is a huge hit at my house. Not only does my 5 year old loves signing and dancing to the classic Christmas songs like "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" and "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch", and my teen aged daughter loves listening to the more current and popular like "Last Christmas". Kidz Bop Christmas Party has something for kids of all ages.

Kidz Bop Christmas Party CD is available at all major CD retailers for $11.98 SRP and can also be purchased online at Kidz Bop shop.

Would you like to win a copy of Kidz Bop Christmas Party CD? To enter this contest -

• Leave a comment on this post with your email address telling me one your favorite Christmas song.
  
• Twitter about this contest for an extra entry.
• Post about this contest for an extra entry.
• Facebook status about this contest for an entry.
  
• Subscribe to my feed for an extra entry.
• Become a fan of Mom Knows Everything on Facebook
  
• If you don't have a blog/website just leave your name and email address in the comment section or if you prefer not to have your email address published in the comment section simply leave your name and email me that you entered the contest. My email address is available in the "Contact" section at the top.
• Contest open to Canadian and US residents only.
• Contest closes midnight December 12th AST with the winner to be contacted the following day, December 13th.
  

*Be sure to let me know in the comment section if you Tweet, subscribe, become a fan or post about this contest for the extra entries.


The product in this review and giveaway were given to me free of charge. My review and opinions are not influenced by this or any source, they are my honest opinion of the product. No other form of compensation has been given. I am not responsible for the statements made by the sponsoring companies or it's affiliates. Click here for my disclosure policy.



CONTEST NOW CLOSED

During the holidays there is always a lot of traveling involved. Driving to visit family and friends, whether it's a day trip, or a trip that lasts a week, a holiday road trip can be a fun time when you have the right vehicle to travel in. Trying to cram your kids, luggage and gifts all in your car and make for an uncomfortable trip. A great way to make that holiday road trip a lot more enjoyable is by renting a larger vehicle. There are lots of great EnterpriseRentaCar.com special deals that can make your trip more comfortable and because these deals are at a great price they make renting a vehicle for your trip affordable.

Make the most of your holidays this year by making your holiday road trips as enjoyable as possible.

Camera Critters is a weekend meme, about what else but critters, created my very own BBFF, Misty.

You have probably heard of Olive, The Other Reindeer.....



But have you heard of Orange, The Other Reindeer?


Okay maybe I take Christmas decorating a little too far, but our cat Orange didn't seem to mind the reindeer hat I got for him. After I put it on him he crawled up onto his favorite chair and went to sleep. I'm assuming that means he likes it, or at the least doesn't mind it.

With the Christmas holidays here in full swing it means lots and lots of goodies to be eaten. There is lots of activities and parties to attend and they are always filled with lots of delicious fattening foods. The 10 pounds people usually put on at Christmas time and sometimes become 15 or even 20 pounds. As soon as the holidays are over our main goal is weight loss. We want to loss the weight as quickly and painlessly as possible.

There are a couple of options on how to loss those pesky Christmas pounds. You can diet, exercise, or one of the easiest and most popular way to lose weight is with weight loss pills. A great way to loss weight is to combine all three. Eating healthy is always important and so is getting enough exercise. When you combine eating a healthy diet and performing an exercise regime with the aid of the best weight loss pills, that extra weight will fall off much more easily than if you just use one of the three.



This post was brought to you by your friends at www.shopbestdiets.com.

Due to my daughter being very sick we are not going to be able to go to the Santa Claus Parade tomorrow night. Instead what I'm going to do is start on my Christmas baking this weekend. I have so much baking to do for myself, my sisters, and a friend that it usually takes a week of baking to get it all done. Good thing it isn't all for me or else I would have to get some cheap fat burners with all the cookies, sweets, and breads I make.

I will be posting some great Christmas sweets recipes over the next two weeks so make sure you keep checking back here at Mom Knows Everything.

A lot of people wear medical alert bracelets because of chronic health conditions. These are essential and let people know about medical conditions a person may have. The only problem with these is that they do not provide your complete Personal Health Record to doctors in a medical emergency. This is where A Very Special Heart comes in.





A Very Special Heart is like a medical alert bracelet, but so much more. When you open your Very Special Heart there is a compartment inside that has a space for medication and also something that makes it very special. It has a chip inside it that you can have all your PHR personal health records stored on it. This allows emergency experts know all the information they need to help you in an emergency situation.

A Very Special Heart is very simple to use. All you need to do is plug it into a USB port on your computer and the software will walk you through the steps in filling out the information you need. You can also use this to include important documents you may need in case of an emergency like a hurricane, flood, or fire.

Make sure all the information you, or a doctor may need about you is available by having a digital health record with you in the form of a Very Special Heart.

If you are looking for a great Christmas craft gift to make this year then why not make Cocoa Cup Candles?


Cocoa Cup Candles are relatively easy to make and very inexpensive to make. All you need is a cup, some old white candles, and a brown crayon.

Step 1 - Make sure your cup is clean and dust free.
Step 2 - melt some old white candles in a double boiler. I used a tin can set in a pot of water so I wouldn't have to clean out a pot of wax when I was done.
Step 3 - After the wax has melted remove the wicks from the wax. You will need one for each Cocoa Cup Candle you make.
Step 4 - Use a spoon and set over the center of the cup. Tape the top of the wick to it so it sits in the middle of the cup. Pour the melted wax in the cup till almost full. Set aside and let harden over night.
Step 5 - Melt more wax for the whipped topping. After the wax has melted take an electric mixer and whip the melted wax as you would whipped cream.
Step 6 - Remove the spoon holding the wick and spoon the whipped wax on top of the candle to appear like whipped topping leaving 1/4" of wick showing.
Step 7 - Grate brown crayon on top of warm whipped wax to appear like chocolate shavings.

Now all you have to to is let the fully made candle harden again and you have a Cocoa Cup Candle. You can also use chocolate candle scent to make it smell like real hot chocolate.

Being part of a community organization is a wonderful way to donate your time to your community. Finding money for the community organization can sometimes be a difficult task though.

The Cooperative Membership Fund has helped many community organization, such as the Bexley Swimming Club achieve their funding goals.

The Cooperative Membership Fund is cooperative membership group where shareholders put money into the fund to help thousands of clubs, community groups and local charities achieve their funding goals by providing grants from £100 to £2,000 to groups across the UK. This year alone they have donated £1.2 million to local community groups in the UK.

I live in a very rural area rich in heritage. I would love to see more done with the heritage group. We do have a very tiny local museum and I would love for it to be enlarged so that more people can enjoy it and learn about the local history. I think it would be a great way to educate the children about the history in our area.

If you or someone you know is involved in a community organization that could benefit from The Cooperative Membership Fund then simply click the link in this post to go to the application website where detailed information about the applicants organization must be entered. Applicants do not have to have a charitable status to apply, but they must address a community issue and provide a long-term benefit to the community. The Cooperative Membership Fund can help your community organization achieve it's goals and needs.

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In an emergency you want the police, ambulance, and fire truck to get to your home as quickly as possible. The most effective way from them to find your house is by having an address sign on your home.

Address signs comes in different styles, shapes, and sizes. They can be placed on your home outside wall or at the end of your driveway. Make sure your home address plaques and signs are visible and well lit so that emergency vehicles can clearly see them at night. You don't want precious time wasted while the emergency vehicles search for your home. By having an address plaques and numbers on your home you can help them find your home as quickly as possible.


This post was brought to you by your friends at www.justaddressplaques.com.

Congratulations to Kim and Willa for being the two winners of the Scotch-Brite prize pack worth about $50 to help you with your Christmas cleaning.