Post-Holiday Scrapbooking

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Michele Cheplic

In just a few hours, holiday celebrations will give way to hangovers, a home that needs a good cleaning, and kids who don’t want to go back to school on Tuesday. Not exactly prime scrapbooking material. Still, just because Christmas and New Year’s are over doesn’t mean you should neglect documenting the rest of the season. Winter brings with it a litany of lovely scrapbooking opportunities. For example, you could design a layout of your kids participating in outdoor winter activities, such as making snowmen, catching snowflakes on their tongues, skiing, sledding or having a huge snowball fight. Another option … Continue reading →

The Holiday Blues

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Tristi Pinkston

Nearly every Christmas, I experience a form of the holiday blues. It generally hits on Christmas night, after all the wrapping is cleaned up and the kids are in bed, and it’s just me and the Christmas tree. I start to feel a little sad that the miracle I’d hoped for didn’t happen that year or I didn’t get the gift I’d really wanted, or I wish I’d been able to see a certain relative – the cause varies from year to year, but its arrival is pretty predictable. I generally salve it by purchasing the item I wished I’d … Continue reading →

Parents of Special Needs Children: Avoid the Holiday Blues

Posted on December 6, 2010 by Nancy

Being a caregiver to a child with special needs is draining on an emotional and physical level. During the holidays, it can be extra difficult. There are plans to be made, parties to attend, gifts to buy, cooking to do, and so on. Plus there is the added fear of keeping your child healthy during the winter months and holiday chaos. If your child has a condition that is progressive, you may be feeling a great deal of depression during the holidays as well. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Taking on too many tasks during the holidays won’t help you avoid feelings … Continue reading →

Family Travel: Dolls, LEGO and Blues

Posted on July 19, 2008 by Michele Cheplic

Could the Mall of America get any better? American Girl fans answered yes and mall officials listened. Come November (just in time for the holidays) American Girl will call the massive shopping center home. Which means your kids have one more location to blow their allowance money on the mega-popular dolls and their mountains of accessories. The new store is making headlines because, according to company execs, American Girl is very selective about where it sells its goods. Company reps say the American Girl store in the Mall of America will span 20,000-square feet, feature two stories and include a … Continue reading →

The Christmas Shopping Blues

Posted on December 11, 2007 by Sherry Holetzky

Is anybody else having trouble finding gifts this season? Living out in the country already means shopping is limited, but this year, it’s even worse. With early predictions that it would be an unremarkable Christmas shopping season, retailers seem to be playing it cautious. Simply put, they aren’t ordering enough of anything to keep shelves stocked, apparently afraid that they’ll get stuck with merchandise that will have to be sold at huge post- holiday discounts. Of course, I do love a good after Christmas sale, but right now, I could use a little pre-Christmas help. I guess I’m going to … Continue reading →

Surviving the Holidays

Posted on November 3, 2007 by Miriam Caldwell

The holidays can be a very stressful time on individuals as well as families. It is a time when there are so many events scheduled that you may end up neglecting what is most important to you and to your family. Here are five things that you should do to keep things in perspective this holiday season. 1) You need to continue your routine of daily prayer and scripture study. You also need to continue having family prayer and scripture study every day. This will do more than anything else to help you stay on track spiritually as a family. … Continue reading →

Affordable Winter Escapes

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Michele Cheplic

Don’t wait until after Christmas to jet out of town on a family getaway. If you are looking to score some serious travel bargains, now is the time to hit the road. You can take advantage of money-saving offerings in these popular vacation destinations from now until December 26th: New York City: Believe it or not, you can snag a bargain in the Big Apple in the weeks preceding Christmas. Take in the amazing holiday light displays, skate at Rockefeller Center, shop on Fifth Avenue and sled in Central Park while saving money on your hotel room. The Hotel Wolcott … Continue reading →

Surviving a Marathon Car Ride with Kids

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Michele Cheplic

With Memorial Day weekend upon us, many families are loading up the van and heading out on the highway for a long weekend at the beach or grandma’s house. According to AAA, nearly 35 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the long holiday weekend. For parents, that means being stuck in a small enclosed space with a bunch of kids whining about how they are stuck in a small enclosed space. While it may be easy to cure the boredom blues by throwing on a portable DVD player or giving your kids extra batteries to … Continue reading →

Let the Summer Travel Chaos Begin

Posted on May 19, 2012 by Michele Cheplic

Ready… set… travel. Friday kicks off the start of the summer travel season. Where are you planning to spend Memorial Day weekend? According to AAA, nearly 35 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the long holiday weekend, a slight increase over last year. Interestingly, even with the exorbitant price of gas, AAA is predicting that more than 30 million people plan to drive to their vacation destination. That means roughly nine out of ten holiday travelers will take to the nation’s roadways during the Memorial Day weekend. If you are planning to travel with kids, … Continue reading →