The Captive Mommy

by Sherry Frewerd

The age-old question of ‘what to do with this left-over turkey’ lives on today, but with the revival of the slow cooker, we now have more options for stretching our food dollars by creating some delicious crock pot turkey recipes.

Today’s turkey crock pot recipes are creative and fun to cook, and should be taken advantage of throughout the year, not just during the holiday season. Gather your ingredients, plop em’ in your crock pot in the morning before you leave for work, and when you arrive home in the evening your meal is waiting, and your home smells fantastic! Using leftover frozen turkey makes meal prep even easier. Here are some Turkey Crock Pot Recipes that your family will love.

Crock Pot Turkey Stew

1 large bag of frozen mixed veggies
2 lbs boneless, skinless turkey, cut into bite size pieces
2 tbl flour
1 cup chicken broth
1-1/2 tbl tomato paste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Place veggies and turkey into crock pot. Mix flour, broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a bowl and then add to crock pot. Cover and cook on LOW setting for approximately 8 hours. During the last hour, stir once or twice, breaking apart any turkey that has stuck together. Be careful not to remove the lid for more than a minute or so. Stir in parsley just before serving.

Crock Pot Turkey Sandwiches

6 c. shredded turkey
3 c. shredded cheese
1/2 c. Miracle Whip
1 onion, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup

Mix everything together and cook in crock pot for 4 hours. Stir twice during cooking, remembering not to have the top off very long. If the mixture is really thick, add some hot water at end of cooking. Serve on hoagie buns.

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About the author: Sherry Frewerd publishes ‘Family Crock Pot Recipes’. Visit today for delicious crock pot recipes that your family will love – http://familycrockpotrecipes.com. Sherry’s blog, ‘Recipes to Live By’ is the place to go for great recipes of all kinds, cooking tips and interesting articles on food and nutrition. http://theres-more-to-life-than-food.typepad.com/recipes_to_live_by .
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Article Source: http://www.thewahmshack.com/articledirectory

by Kids Activity Calendar

One of my favorite things to do with my kids is cook. Not only is it a great way to cut down on my own chores list, but it’s an easy way to interact with your kids and learn more about their lives. Christmas-time may be hectic, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to cook with your kids. If you look at the opportunity right, your kids can be big helpers during this stressful time.

Christmas Party
If you’re having a traditional Christmas party – or attending a pot luck style party, have your child commit to making his or her own dish. Whether it’s an appetizer or a dessert, the final product will be something that he can say “I made it all by myself!” Even a 4 or 5 year old child can assemble a simple recipe if it’s age-appropriate. Perhaps your child could make a Cool Whip Pumpkin Pie or some Veggie Dip. Supervise for safety, but try to encourage your child to do most of the assembly himself.

Busy Night Buffet

If you know you’re about to have one of “those nights” where you have 20 different tasks to do before bed, enlist help. Have smorgasbord or buffet supplies on hand in your fridge for just this type of emergency. With little help, your child can set up a sandwich, potato, salad, taco or pizza bar. Simply have the supplies on hand and assist with anything that’s unsafe (possibly warming or cutting, depending on the age of the child).

Here’s what you’ll need for each type of buffet. You’ll notice that most of the ingredients are interchangeable.

Salad – Lettuce, tomatoes, croutons, sunflower seeds, dressing, cheese cubes or shredded cheese, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, mushroom, onion, shredded carrots, radishes, meat (grilled shrimp or chicken), and bacon bits.

Sandwich – Bread (wheat, rye, buns) or tortillas, lunch meat or tuna salad or egg salad, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, pickles, sliced tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, mustard, mayo, and anything else your family loves.

Potato – Baking potatoes, sour cream, salsa, butter, cottage cheese, sunflower seeds, cheese cubes or shredded cheese, tomatoes, peppers, onion, meat (grilled shrimp or chicken), chives and bacon bits.

Taco – Taco shells or tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheese, tomatoes, jalapeños, onion, meat (taco meat, grilled shrimp or chicken), and refried beans.

Pizza – Pizza crust or English Muffins, pizza sauce, meats, cheese and toppings of choice.

Treats
One of the easiest ways to spark a love of cooking is to make cookies or cupcakes and decorate them. Include everything from sprinkles to gel frosting. You’ll be teaching both art and cooking in one activity. Of course, all cookies for Santa need to be decorated, as well!

These are just a few of the many ways you can have your little helpers build confidence and learn life skills this Christmas season.

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Nicole Dean is a co-founder of www.kidsactivitycalendar.com — a resource to help parents teach their kids the alphabet in a fun, positive way.
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Article Source: http://www.thewahmshack.com/articledirectory

by Jennifer Tankersley

The holiday season is a meaningful time.  It possesses elements of a spiritual nature that can be as tangible as the wrapping paper and the pumpkin pie.  When friends and family surround one, the month of December gives the power to believe in the kind of magic that exists not just in gifts and delicacies, but also in humanity.  We feel thankful to be alive, grateful to be loved, and overwhelmed by the enormity of our to-do-list.  When did the pressure to buy the perfect gift overshadow the beautiful holiday season?  The larger, more complex question is when did our society begin to justify going deep into debt in order to show our loved ones just how much we love them?

With just a little bit of planning, every individual or family can be prepared for the upcoming holiday gift-giving season.  Instead of buying first, paying later, the concept of saving first, buying later should be considered.  Begin by making a list of everyone to whom you would like to bestow a gift during the holidays.  Be sure to include even the gift certificate for your son’s teacher, the fruitcake for your garbage man, and the sterling silver rattle for your cousin’s baby.   Consider your projected spending for each and every person on your list.  Calculate the total.  That amount will be your goal over the next year.  The ideal scenario is that it is January and you have 12 months to save for next year’s holidays.  The next step is to take the total amount you would like to have for holiday gifts and divide it by the number of months that are left until the holidays.  Finally, if you are paid bi-monthly, you must divide that amount in half.  Let’s say your goal amount for gift giving is $1200.  If it were currently January, then you would divide 1200 by 12 to get 100.  If you were paid bi-monthly, then you would divide 100 by 2 to get 50.  Fifty dollars, in this case, is what you will need to save each pay period in order to be prepared financially for the hustle and bustle of the gift-giving season.  Create a special fund where you set aside each payday the required amount.  Consider it sacred and to be used only for its intended purpose.  Once you have successfully used a gifts fund, your next goal should probably be to begin a holiday fund for the parties, decorations, food, and special events that go hand-in-hand with the season of joy (previously known as the season of stress).

Charlie Brown in the Peanuts Christmas holiday classic complains bitterly of the commercial ruin of what is supposed to be a time of celebration.  Maybe if he had known that his parents had thoughtfully and strategically set up a system where they could not only survive the holidays but also truly enjoy them, he might have had a holly, jolly Christmas after all.

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Jennifer Tankersley is the creator of http://www.ListPlanIt.com where you can find almost 250 lists, checklists, and planning pages (including pages to help you set up a holiday fund) to put your world-and your holidays-in order.
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Article Source: http://www.thewahmshack.com/articledirectory

by Colleen Langenfeld

If you are like most moms and dads, you could use a parenting tip on how to improve the holiday manners of your children. Manners are important in any season, of course, but teaching our children to put their best foot forward during this activity-rich time of year would certainly lower most families’ stress levels a notch or two.

Here are my top five “mind your manners” tips for helping children get the most out of this holiday season.

1. Practice all the time.

As you would expect, manners are a habit and as such cannot be simply paraded out of moth balls on cue. You are setting your kids and your parenting skills up for failure if you plan to arrive at a holiday gathering and expect your children to behave in ways they’ve never practiced. Most adults don’t like that kind of surprise either!

2. Practice the specific.

If you are going to a holiday function where you know specific types of manners will be required from your children (like a formal table setting, for example), train at home first. Lay out a formal table, practice eating challenging foods, and show your kids how to make a formal introduction (don’t forget training on how to shake hands).

An additional thought that goes along with this particular parenting tip is to consider the holiday clothing your children will be wearing. Is it stain-proof? Washable? Uncomfortable? Does it get in the child’s way? It’s really tough to listen to mom and dad and be well-mannered when your new sparkly tights are itchin’ up a storm!

3. Explain what’s going on.

Manners are tough to learn if no one has explained the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’. What I have taught my kids is this; manners are simply a way to make others feel comfortable. When a person is looking out for the comfort of others, it’s easy to remember to chew with your mouth closed.

Of course, some manners have developed for more complicated reasons. Still, a child who has been taught to be gracious will be appreciated whether or not he has the details of fork usage down pat.

4. Be culturally relevant.

Do you have cultural or religious traditions that you would like to pass onto your children? Most parents do. For instance, holiday manners include knowing what to do when candles are passed around at a church’s Christmas Eve service. Don’t wait until your family is ‘on the spot’ to teach the meaning behind the tradition. Your children will integrate far more if you explain upfront “why we do what we do”.

5. Be fair.

Here’s my favorite parenting tip pertaining to holiday manners. Don’t expect more from your kids than they are ready to give. The holidays are a wonderful season and are filled with an abundance of meaningful, reflective, and memorable activities. Plan your family’s holiday excursions with an eye towards age-appropriateness.

Asking a toddler to sit quietly through hours of adult festivities or demanding a teenager give up all social contact with her friends just because “it’s the holidays” means you will have very uncooperative children who definitely won’t be interested in “making others more comfortable”.

Manners can put people at ease and allow them to enjoy their social situations relaxed and with far more pleasure. Certainly this is true when children are placed in holiday spotlights they’ve never experienced before.

So use this holiday parenting tip to your advantage. With some upfront practice, a few honest explanations, and age-appropriate expectations, your children can experience firsthand the richness of this holy time of year.

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Colleen Langenfeld has been parenting for over 26 years and helps other moms enjoy mothering more at http://www.paintedgold.com . Visit her website and pick up another parenting tip today.
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Article Source: http://www.thewahmshack.com/articledirectory

by Colleen Langenfeld

Having a new baby in the home at the holidays is always exciting. Here’s a parenting tip that will help you and your baby truly enjoy this special time of year.

* See everything through the eyes of a child.

Honestly, that’s the secret to the holiday season. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this parenting tip. After 26 years of parenting and 4 children, I can tell you, we adults have forgotten how to do this!

Our kids can help us remember these things. For starters, one thing they teach us is that the holidays are not about hectic-ness, buying stuff, getting gifts, making cookies, sending cards or doing a marathon of activities.

The holidays are about experiencing connection and nobody does that better than a little child. Even babies understand this concept beautifully.

No other time of the year is so perfectly filled with sensory overload. Your child is programmed to tune into this. When you plan your holiday activities, keep your little one in mind. Look for things you can do together.

And keep it simple. Here are some ideas you might try with your child.

– Sledding down a (tiny) hill.

– Looking at the beautiful holiday lights in your neighborhood.

– Listening to carolers sing.

– Dancing to holiday music.

– Going to a shopping mall and watching the other shoppers and children.

– Taking a first peek at Santa Claus.

– Turning off the room lights, lying on your floor together and simply enjoying your lovely Christmas tree.

– Enjoying a (age-appropriate) first bite of a holiday treat.

– Catching snowflakes on your tongue.

Also consider your holiday decorating. Keep the decor that’s down low within your little one’s reach safe and fun.

For example…

- purchase (or make) simple fabric decorations (we have enjoyed a stuffed fabric nativity for years in our home).

- dress up a group of teddy bears or cloth dolls in holiday finery.

- put together a holiday zoo filled with stuffed critters that can be hugged and played with again and again.

- fill a basket with cloth or plastic balls in holiday colors.

You get the point. Make sure your decorations are things that you and your child can enjoy together, instead of a lot of beautiful baubles your baby can’t touch. Babies and toddlers learn much about their world through their mouths and fingers. There will always be many things your baby *cannot* touch. Make sure you have available plenty of items your baby *can* touch.

A holiday parenting tip would not be complete without considering what seasonal traditions you want to establish in your own home. Do you have a faith tradition you want to pass on to your child? Did your own childhood family have a tradition you remember warmly? Think about what you would like your child to carry with her into adulthood someday from her childhood holidays and start making those memories this year.

See the holidays as your precious child sees them, with delight and wonder. A sense of curiosity. And much enjoyment. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much you will enjoy the season when you allow yourself to experience it through the eyes of your child.

And, at least once, fall asleep together listening to “Silent Night” or your favorite holiday music.

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Colleen Langenfeld has been parenting for over 26 years and helps other moms enjoy mothering more at http://www.paintedgold.com . Visit her website and pick up another parenting tip today.

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Article Source: http://www.thewahmshack.com/articledirectory

by Colleen Langenfeld

The holiday season can bring some special organizational challenges to the average home. Here are some simple tips to help you conquer clutter during the fast-approaching holidays.

– Don’t overdo.

Just as it’s easier to enjoy the holidays when you don’t over pack your schedule with too many activities, your home will breathe easier if you match your holiday decorating with your personality and time limitations.

If you don’t have extra time each week to dust, don’t put out a zillion decor items that need to be picked up, dusted and replaced perfectly.

If you detest taking out all those holiday decorations and then packing them up again after the season is over, don’t do it. A handful of well-thought out decorations, like centerpieces, will bring you more enjoyment and be easier to clean, thus staying beautiful in your home.

– Got kids?

Conquer clutter big time during the holiday season by only putting out kid-friendly decor. A big basket for holiday cards, decorations that are hung on walls not strewn on tables, and nothing tall and tippy (things like that are just waiting to fall over and break) can go a long ways towards keeping holiday clutter to a minimum.

– One thing at a time.

Part of the reason the holidays are such a hectic time of year is because many of us don’t EXCHANGE one busy schedule for another; we ADD an additional holiday schedule on top of an already crowded life.

If you are doing this, too, you are definitely adding clutter to your home. Conquer that clutter by choosing some everyday activities that you will deliberately set-aside during the holiday season. By doing so you will eliminate (temporarily) the ’stuff’ that accompanies those off season activities. That way you can concentrate on the holiday clutter that is bound to arise. One thing at a time.

– Plan your clutter.

Instead of getting out the gift wrap supplies and then leaving them out throughout the holiday season, why not focus on getting your shopping done and then having a gift-wrapping marathon one evening? All the clutter comes out once, the job gets done, and everything gets put away, all in one step.

You can do the same for your other traditional holiday activities. If you enjoy baking, then plan a baking day. If you like to make decorations with your kids, then plan a weekend and do it all at once. Need to write cards to friends and family? Pick a night or two and do the whole job. You’ll feel great getting these tasks done and the accompanying clutter will be kept to a minimum.

– Control incoming clutter.

To conquer clutter that can stream into your home on a daily basis is always challenging. If you notice that you get an influx of this type of clutter during the holiday season; children’s holiday projects from school, for example, then take a minute to decide upfront what you want to do with that clutter.

Do you want to display it? Pass it along to Grandma? Archive it? Whatever you decide, by having a clutter-control plan in place you are free to enjoy your children’s holiday expressions and make the most of their hard work while still knowing that all that incoming stuff will not add to the clutter in your home.

You can lift considerable holiday stress off your shoulders by controlling the clutter that appears during the holidays. Put these simple tips into place to conquer clutter in your home, and enjoy this blessed time of year with your family.

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Colleen Langenfeld has been parenting for over 26 years and helps other moms enjoy mothering more at http://www.paintedgold.com . Visit her website and get more tips on how to conquer clutter today.
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Article Source: http://www.thewahmshack.com/articledirectory

by Mila Sidman & Alice Seba

Thanksgiving is a special time of the year. It is a time for families to get together and celebrate everything they have to be thankful for. Help make this Thanksgiving extra special for the kids by trying one of these fun Thanksgiving ideas:

Thanksgiving Crafts – Make cornucopias out of construction paper and fill with dried berries, twigs, leaves and other autumn findings. Use them as fun thanksgiving decorations.

Thanksgiving Treats – Bake a thanksgiving cake by following a simple cake recipe and decorating in a Thanksgiving theme. Cupcakes are always a big hit too.

Thanksgiving Memento – Help your kids make a special thanksgiving scrapbook where you can keep a record of each Thanksgiving. Give them a disposable or digital camera for older kids and let them take snaps of all their relatives during the dinner. Add the pictures to the scrapbook along with little snippets of how they felt that day, decorations and anything else that will bring back memories of this special holiday.

Thanksgiving Baskets – The holidays are a great time for giving and while you’re giving thanks for everything you have it’s good to teach the kids that there are many others who are less fortunate. You can start a holiday tradition of making baskets to take to your local shelter or elderly home. Fill the baskets with practical items as well as a few goodies. Decorate them and add a little card for that special touch.

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Find more Thanksgiving Ideas and help with all your favorite holidays at http://www.holidayideasformoms.com/
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Article Source: http://www.thewahmshack.com/articledirectory

So OBVIOUSLY I haven’t been keeping up with this blog (or my other two, for that matter).  Why?  Two kids, a computer-hog hubby and a growing business are holding me captive.  I just haven’t had time to blog and I miss it!  So I thought I would start up again and see if I can keep up this time   Finding new and informative articles is becoming more and more difficult and unfortunately I’m not as full of good advise and information as some people are.  So what should I do?  If you read this blog leave me a comment and tell me what you’d like to read about!  Or even better would you like to help me find articles and write for Captive Mommies?  I look forward to hearing from my readers (if I still have any )