20+ Simple but AWESOME Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids!

When it comes to the stocking, we are keen on small traditions and fostering some activities to help calm the excitement of the day. When it comes to affordable, and useful stocking stuffers, pick 10 for this list and you are set! Let just get right to it.. I have included links to products from Amazon so you could actually complete for stocking holiday shopping right now!

>>> The nice thing about online shopping, apart from avoiding the crowds, you can set a firm budget and it seems to be easier to stick to! From the list below, you can fill a fun stocking for $20... or more depending on the specific products.

Amazing Stocking Stuffers for Children - you'll both love!!

1. Card Game/Playing Cards
2. Dice - standard or learning dice
3. Travel Style Board Game
4. Book
5. Bookmark - or pick up a bookmark craft set from the Dollar Store
6. Colouring Book/Activity Book
7. Crayons/Markers
8. Shopkins or Pokemon Cards - these items can be individually wrapped to have some extra fun on Christmas morning!
9. Water Bottle
10. Puzzle
11. Toothbrush
12. Bubble Bath/Shampoo
13. Stickers/Temporary Tattoos
14. Hot chocolate mix
15. Cookies/chocolate/candy
16. Socks
17. Lego Minifigurines
18. Sport Ball  
19. Christmas Ornament - a craft kit from an arts/craft store like Michael's or a personalized ornament are great options! 
20. Orange --- if our family the stocking always included a Christmas orange (or three for a healthy morning snack!)

See the excitement of our kids opening their stocking last year in these quick videos - each are less than a minute:

 

Thanks for stopping by! From our family to yours, happy holidays! Until next time... have a wonderful day! xo

50 lunch options as good as ice cream!

Scrambling for lunch ideas and faced with some adversity, i.e.:

• your kid does not eat sandwiches
• you're in a peanut-free environment
• heating foods up or refrigerating foods during the day is not an option
• you need something simple -- minimal (if any) prep involved

Here are over 50 kid-tested AND APPROVED snacks to have on hand for kids and lunches for just that circumstance!

A little prep on Sunday, dividing items into Ziploc bags, small Tupperware containers or a bento-style plastic container... pick - or let your child pick - 4 items from this list (perhaps 2 fruit/veggies, 1 protein, 1 carb) and you're set!

Fruit/Veggies

1. Carrot sticks
2. Cucumber slices
3. Sliced red peppers
4. Green beans
5. Sliced or diced melon
6. Grapes
7. Apples
8. Oranges
9. Pear
10. Banana
11. Nectarine
12. Broccoli (& dip)
13. Sliced or diced mango 
14. Peach
15. Pineapple (I divide up a can into small tupperware containers for the week)
16. Strawberries
17. Blueberries
18. Blackberries 
19. Raspberries
20. Dried cherries --- or fresh, pitted, cherries if you're up for it
21. Seaweed --- you might be surprised!... nearly all children in my son's class ages 3-6 eat and LOVE seaweed
22. Salad kit - lettuce, dressing, croutons & my 4 year old preps at school
23. Corn (I divide up a can of corn kernels and my 4 year old loves them cold) 
24. Sunrype dried fruit bar
25. Raisins
26. Dried pineapple
27. Dried mango
28. Craisins

Protein

1. Yogurt -- freeze yogurt tubes and they are thawed by lunch
2. Cheese
3. Hard boiled egg
4. Sliced or diced ham 
5. Sliced turkey
6. Sliced chicken breast
7. Chicken nuggets/popcorn chicken in a thermos 

Carbs

1. Fish crackers
2. Ritz cheese sandwich crackers
3. Any other variety of cracker
4. Bread slices or bread with butter
5. Macaroni in a thermos
6. Spaghetti noodles with Parmesan in a thermos 
7. Snack pretzels
8. Cold pancakes
9. Muffin
10. Cinnamon roll 
11. Crescent roll
12. Pita bread
13. Naan bread
14. Tortilla roll 
15. Cold pizza
16. Fresh German-style pretzel
17. Dry cereal
18. Granola bar

Do you have items to add? Comment below!

Until next time... have a wonderful day! xo

Message for Mommas: Be Proud

There's a lot we can learn from our children: pride in the simple things - for one!!  My son built a single-block tower with Duplos nearly the size of himself and check out that smile!  Have you taken a moment today to be proud of a simple accomplishment?

Mommas, take this quick note as a reminder to pause, breathe and learn from your children. Be proud of the simple things: your children are safe and happy. That --- is enough. 

 ________________________________________

As much as we hear this message, I find -  as moms - we still don't take a minute to pause and give ourselves some credit. Not just give ourselves a break but give ourselves some credit. Rather then keep trying to check off the 562 boxes from the unwritten list that we have set out for the day --- you know that list that often seems oblivious to those around us?! --- take a minute to reflect on a small, simple thing you have done.

My husband and I had this discussion recently. I am seemingly the eternal optimist and he has been more of a pessimist. But, we have reached a crossroads where the influence of positivity is having a notable impact on our marriage. The ability to shift perspective to focus on the successes and achievements is transforming our marriage: the recognition from simple awareness and that moment of pause to --- taking the moment to be proud yields a meaningful impact - and that is empowering.

This photo of my son and the discussion with my husband also helped me reflect on the need, as a mom, to not simply pause as a strategy in self-care but to take a minute to be proud. I encourage you to take even 15 seconds to stop what you are doing during the day and just breathe. Then, reflect on one thing - no matter how seemingly small - and give yourselves some credit.

Look at that smile in my son's face... I hope he got your smiling, too! Accomplishments are not something to be swept under the rug. Put down the broom. Breathe. Be proud of the simple things: your children are safe and happy. That --- is enough.

Until next time... have a wonderful day! xo

Parenting Perspective: The Chapter on Supporting Your Self-Punishing Child Begins

My son is sensitive and loving, a true old soul. But with this aspect of his personality comes the "self-punishment". Combine this with anxiety (I talk about his anxiety here) and numerous developmental delays and a typical day presents that many more opportunities for my own personal growth. This perspective is critical to save my sanity. My sweet boy is gift to teach me greater patience, a deeper love and to value and hold onto every precious moment...

I love this photo of him. I think you can see a bit of his precious soul through his eyes and smile.

My six, soon-to-be seven year old, has made frightening, devastating, comments. From "I don't want to live" --- and shying completely away from concretely discussing it only to comment, "I can't tell you what I sad again because it would make you really, really sad." This is certainly want breaks my heart the most but then there are moments like yesterday where he declares his own punishment.

He started crying, balling. In the moment I couldn't understand why but soon learned the trigger (within a series of items) was receiving cereal instead of toast for breakfast. Anything pertaining to making a decision, he gets COMPLETELY overwhelmed. Even the option of having both so that he does not necessary have to make another choice becomes, yes, another choice for him. The crying, red tears, tears streaming down his face --- after nearly 40 minutes he realized this is not an acceptable response for the situation and that there should be a consequence. He begins:

• You need to take away my Pokemon card, forever.
• When I get home from school, I am just going to stay in my room for the rest of the day. 
• Don't have a birthday party for me. I don't deserve it.

And, he continues... continues declaring punishments for the next 20 minutes.

I had to leave for work and this stayed with me all day. Last night I spent the evening reading a spectrum of articles on "when a child self punishes"; "how to support a child who self punishes"; "understanding a child who self punishes".  Additionally, I have reached out to various local therapists to meet and discuss so I can better get out of my own head on this subject. I am by no means an expert but I can say, reading other parents' perspectives last night on similar circumstances helped so I thought I would share my situation, thus far, albeit with no particular resolve because sometimes I know you need to hear "I can relate"; "You are not alone". And, from the "expert" articles I read last night, a common them was:

"This is a surprisingly common issue for children." 

With that, again, you are not alone. Yesterday was not the first time we have gone through this situation. This has been going on for nearly two years and as he matures the consequences seem to be getting more in depth rather than lesser. 

I will update as we make our way through this parenting chapter... With some positive resolve, here are a few strategies I found from "When a Child's Guilt Goes Overboard" that we are going to try. 

"Here are a few suggestions, but you should find what works for your family:

1. Change the self-talk. Tell him he may apologize but he may not “insult” himself. That is your son he’s insulting and you don’t want to hear it! Explain that it is not his job to give the punishments, it’s your job. He can express his feelings once, but then needs to move on to something on the list.
2. Draw or write an apology note. No matter how small or large his mistake, this gives him a way to focus on the person he upset instead of himself, and express his remorse.
3. Make a gift of some kind. This is a great way to use some creativity making someone else feel good, and he will probably learn that this makes him feel better as well.
4. Spend some time alone. Separate from a punishment, he can go hang in his room or some comforting place.
5. Use that energy as exercise. Running off his mad, even if it’s at himself, is a healthy way to get these feelings out. A punching bag in your basement, a jump rope, push ups or sit ups are healthy ways to push out his mood.
6. Do a good deed. When he is feeling  like he is a disaster as a person, have him do something kind or helpful for the world. Clean up some litter, rake for a neighbor, do an extra chore around the house.
7. Create art or music or stories. These are excellent media for ridding ourselves of negative emotions."

SOURCE: When a Child's Guilt Goes Overboard,  Ask Doctor G: Parenting & Youth Development Expert, http://askdoctorg.com/2012/05/14/when-a-childs-guilt-goes-overboard, accessed November 16, 2017

Thanks for letting me connect and being a part of your day... hold onto a positive perspective throughout the challenges of your own parenting journey. Each present tremendous opportunities for growth and development... through that growth and development, we can empower, inspire and support.

With gratitude... have a wonderful day! xo

Recipe: Chicken, Bacon & Feta Pasta

I've already let you know the deal - I am a huge fan of easy and cost-effective recipes that are family-friendly. I function by choosing a base ingredient that is prepped in advance, can be used in multiple recipes and suits the freezer-to-stove top or freezer-to-oven style of cooking. I am also keen to batch up a single recipe so that I can then easily rotate through meals during the month. Not only is this more cost effective but it is significantly more effective on the clean up.... saving time and money- that's how I roll!

With my recipes, you'll find strict quantities are not always mentioned. The emphasis on EASY is just that --- most often I am just throwing the ingredients in and enjoying dinner 15 minutes later! Ratios might apply and I'll note those but I encourage you to enjoy a little taste as you go and alter occasionally. Find what works for you. Add in a strict "no kids in the kitchen when Momma is cooking routine" (we have specific times for kid-friendly cooking but this Momma needs some peace when prepping dinner after work).... this--- then gives me 10-20 minutes of relative tranquility. Self-care as a Momma needs to be infused into our daily living and this is one strategy I accomplish just that!

Back to the recipe! While doing a mass batch up of chicken, I talked about shredded chicken - here - I also batch up diced chicken. My preference is for thinly sliced chicken breast I let cool, portion the chicken out and freeze in Zilpoc freezer bags. Of course, opportunities for diced chicken recipes are nearly endless but here's a one-pot, 10 minute recipe I discovered when searching for recipes with slightly over-ripe tomatoes... Chicken, Bacon & Feta Pasta

One other note for batching up before we get started, diced onions! Another great ingredient to take 30 minutes one day to diced and portion out, freeze, and then make use of just as you need!

Great one-pot dish! Alternatives can included spaghetti squash instead of pasta noodles for a gluten-free option.

Chicken, Bacon & Feta Pasta

 Ingredients:
- Diced Chicken
- Diced Onions
- Garlic
- Spinach, optional - if frozen cubes, we just use 2; if fresh, 2-3 handfuls
- Diced (cooked) Bacon (we buy from Costco). 1/4 cup is sufficient
- Diced Tomatoes
- Sliced mushrooms, optional --- we love mushrooms!
- Feta - 1/4 cup is sufficient... really depends on your taste
- Parmesan
- Spaghetti noodles (spaghetti squash is a great gluten-free alternative)

Method:
1. Thaw your chicken
2. Boil water for spaghetti noodles
3. Sautee onions and garlic in a dash of olive oil
4. After 1 minute, add spinach
5. After 1 minute, add mushrooms
6. After 2 minutes, add tomatoes
7. Add bacon
8. Once water is boiling, cook noodles for 10 minutes; drain, rinse with warm water, and add to wok; toss current ingredients
9. Toss with feta
10. Add in Parmesan or serve and add the Parmesan at the table

Great as a one-pot dish or serve with garlic bread or salad.


Side note: I will also batch up the spaghetti noodles so make a spaghetti night that same week a little easier --- one less pot to wash!

Recipe: Chicken Quesidillas

Switching the tone after my last post and back to sharing another recipe. Is that how parenting works? --- one minute consoling a child, the next minute - getting dinner on the table, the next minute - reading stories, the next minute...

I let you know I am a huge fan of easy and cost-effective recipes that are family-friendly. Here is another great one!

I am keen to choose a base ingredient that is prepped in advance, can be used in multiple recipes and suits the freezer-to-stove top or freezer-to-oven style of cooking. I am also keen to batch up a single recipe so that I can then easily rotate through meals during the month. Not only is this more cost effective but it is significantly more effective on the clean up.... saving time and money sounds good to me; how about you?!

Shredded chicken offers just that! I throw chicken breasts in a crockpot overnight with a small amount of chicken stock... shred in the morning and divide out for a variety of different recipes. Today, let's talk about delicious chicken quesadillas!

Family-friendly chicken quesadilla

Ingredients:
- Shredded chicken
- Sour cream
- Grated cheese
- Tortillas shells
- Cumin

Method:
1. Mix shredded chicken with sour cream, dash of cumin (as needed for your taste) and small amount of grated cheese
2. Fold tortilla in half to give you "the line"
3. Spread approx 3 tbs of chicken mixture on half of the tortilla; top chicken mixture on tortilla with grate cheese
4. Fold tortilla over and wrap tightly with saran wrap. For good measure, I then groups and store all wrapped quesadillas in a Tupperware container.

Re-heat/Cook:
1. Unwrap portions; thaw/heat for 30 seconds; turn; heat for 30 seconds in microwave
2. Pan fry in a non-stick skillet

We serve with Spanish rice or a taco salad.

The cost breakdown on this (based on current Canadian dollars) - 20 quesadillas:
Chicken: $10
Tortilla Shells: $10
Grated Cheese: $5
Sourcream: $3.50
Cumin: $3.50

Keep in mind, you'll have sour cream and cumin for plenty of other recipes based on this grocery list (you may even have chicken left over as well!), $1.60/serving.

Until next time... have a wonderful day! xo

A Hug Across the Border

When this appears in my Twitter feed:

I need to say something. This is not okay. I am not judging Trump supporters; I have heard the exact same statements be said about Clinton - specific to being "scary, scary, scary" and "having nightmares".  I honestly do not feel well informed to comment on anything meaningful pertaining to politics. I do feel "informed" though, as a human being, to reach across the border and hug this child.

"Informed" I use in the latter loosely. I don't need to be informed to do so... I live with compassion and integrity. I know this child does as well. This raw emotion, shows his heart and soul... a heart and soul that is so pure, so authentic and so, inspiring. You, stranger whom I do not know, your heart is gold. Your family and loved ones are as well. The influence of your compassion is powerful. You have reached the heart of someone thousands of miles away and you should be very proud of who you are.

Much love. xo