Mother’s Day is this weekend; are you ready? Here are some creative last minute gifts that Mom will love!

A Clean House  – Hire a cleaning lady to come next week and clean the house from floor to ceiling. Nothing is better than a week without cleaning the bathrooms or dusting the living room. Another option is to do it yourself or enlist the troops… just make sure they really clean and don’t cause a bigger mess!

Breakfast in Bed – Make Mom some breakfast, but make sure you do the dishes! If she is a big fan of coffee, bagels, or donuts go to her favorite place to pick up some.

Let Mom Sleep In –  A lot of husbands think they are doing this, but fall short. Here is the deal… when the kids get up, take them outside! Mom doesn’t want to listen to screaming kids down the hall or on the floor below. Truly let her sleep in, or treat her to a night away!

Shopping – A gift as simple as some cash and an afternoon of guilt free shopping can be heaven. Even window shopping is fun!!

and lastly…

Let Her Do What She Wants! – Take this to heart… if she wants to just stay in her jammies all day and hang around the house let her! Don’t feel like you have to force her into a big show of fancy food, and excursion and more… just let her do what she wants!

Happy Mother’s Day to all my fellow Mommies!!!!

Kim Ross also writes at  A Little Bit of This and That ~ The Adventures of a Stay at Home Mom.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner…a day completely dedicated to celebrating amazing moms (like you)! It’s a day to feel appreciated for the hard work you put in day in and day out. Let’s not forget that moms have moms too! Whether you’re looking for a nice DIY gift for your mother, or you’re helping your kids make something to show you how much they love you, here are some great gift ideas.

• M.O.M. Herb Garden
• Handprint Flower Apron   
• Rice Krispy Treat Bouquet
• Spa Tin
• Fragrant Bath Salts 
• Recipe Holder

I’m a big fan of gift baskets because they can fit any budget and can be personalized. Here are some gift basket ideas for different types of moms:

Green Thumb Basket

Seed packets or bulb bags, a small bag of potting soil, plant food, a garden trowel, gardening gloves, etc. placed in either a large watering can or a basket that can double as a gardening tool holder or planter.

Spa Mama Basket

Scented candles, bath balls or salts, shower gel, lotion, eye mask, spa pillow, scrub brush or loofa, soft socks, and a CD of soothing songs in a nice wicker basket that can be used for holding bath items.

Movie Critic Basket

DVDs or Blu-rays, different types of candy, and a gift certificate for 2 tickets to the local movie theater packed into a microwavable bucket of popcorn.

Sweet Tooth Basket

A variety of candy, cookies, and other sweets. You can buy them yourself or you can make delicious items such as chocolate covered pretzels, yogurt-dipped raisins, chocolate chip cookies, etc.

Yoga Basket

A yoga mat, yoga DVDs, and a water bottle. You can add extras such as a hand towel, a gift certificate for local yoga classes or yoga attire, etc.

Culinary Creations Basket

Cookbook, set of wooden cooking utensils, measuring cups, measuring spoons, a bag of special pasta, and a jar of pasta sauce. You can personalize this to a baker by changing out the pasta and sauce for a bag of chocolate chips and a cookie mix, and including baking spatulas instead of the wooden utensils.

What are you giving YOUR mom this year?

Do you get appliances every year for Mothers Day? Even though a new toaster is nice, it isn’t exactly what we were wishing for year after year. You may hope for a beautiful piece of jewelry, handmade picture from your little ones, or even a certain plant for your outdoor landscape. How do you “hint” around, especially when your kids are too little to drop some hints?

Gone are the days of magazine pictures conveniently stuffed for your partner to see or even things circled in the weekly store ads, there are some great tools that you can keep a “Wish List” throughout the year!

Pinterest – Make a Pinterest board. So easy and visual for anyone you share it with. You can see mine here!

Evernote or Springpad – Collect ideas or even write a list and save as a note. Write down stores you find items at, take pictures, and even put the aisle number. It can’t get easier!

Store Wish Lists – Many stores have ways to register and create your own wish list.

Web Sites or Smart Phone Apps – The lists you make at the end of the year for your children can be used just as easily for you!

All of these options will make that blender a thing of the past… you just have to remember to send a link or message to remind them to check it!!

By the way… to my husband, if you are reading this… be sure to check out my Evernote Notebook labeled Kim’s Wish List or my Pinterest Board. HINT HINT!

Kim Ross also writes at  A Little Bit of This and That ~ The Adventures of a Stay at Home Mom.

Brothers and Sisters Day is celebrated every year on May 2^nd and is very similar to National Sibling Day on April 10th.

It is a day where all should make it a point to connect, or reconnect, with their brothers and/or sisters and acknowledge their unbreakable bond.  Life can pull us in all different directions, but we never want to wait until it’s too late to let somebody know how much we care about them.  So if you have a brother or sister, call them or spend time with them today.  Even a simple 5-minute phone call can reinforce that special bond.  If you have two or more children, encourage them to do something together today, whether it’s play a game or sit together at the table for a snack.  Take the time to teach them that, even though they may fight sometimes, they will always have each other for the rest of their lives, no matter what.

Even if you are an only child, you can still use the day as a reason to celebrate the good relationships you have with those you care about, perhaps even with those you consider to be like your siblings!  The point is, if you love somebody, tell them.  Period.

You’re never too young or old to cherish the special relationship you share with your siblings.  And you don’t have to express that love only one day a year.  So celebrate Brothers and Sisters Day today, but make sure you “celebrate” it in all of the days that follow, too.  Have a wonderful day.

While looking for blog topics for this month, I came across “May Day.” I don’t know about any of you, but I had never heard of this holiday before. I read up on it and thought I’d share some information about this under-celebrated day of fun!

May Day is held on May 1^st and is essentially a day to celebrate the spring season. In early times, people would hold May Day celebrations that involved dancing around the maypole, the crowning of a “Queen of the May,” and the giving of May baskets. Tradition states that May baskets are filled with flowers or treats, and are left on someone’s doorstep anonymously. The giver leaves the basket, rings the bell and runs away. If the receiver catches the giver, they get a kiss.

May Day baskets usually have a “nature” theme to them…filling them with fresh flowers, seed packets, flower bulbs, etc. is a nice way to encourage the new growth of spring. For kids, candy is a good choice, and you can even make the candy into flowers or bugs (check out the sample ideas below). Add a pretty, personalized tag to complete the basket.

• Flower Cone Basket
• Candy Basket
• Hershey Kiss Flower Cone Basket
• Gerber Daisy Basket
• Tootsie Roll Pop Flower Basket
• Eco-Friendly Candy/Seed Bug Basket 

There’s nothing I love more at parties, family gatherings and holidays than a good DIP. There are so many different kinds for every taste. You can usually find healthy, low-fat or low-calorie versions of pretty much any recipe, which allows you to enjoy them guilt-free! You can enjoy them year-round…hot, cold, spicy, cheesy, they’re all good! There is a dip for every occasion and we’re covering them here in this blog post!

Spinach-Artichoke Dip 

A classic with many recipe variations. This hot dip is super easy to make, requiring few ingredients and very little actual prep time. Mix them together, pop in the oven and you’re good to go.

Guacamole

A taco night staple. Guacamole is one of the healthier dips around. It’s flavorful, and the fact that it’s cold makes it great for summer months.

Crab Dip

Seafood lovers…cue the drool. This delicious dip is my personal favorite and I make when I host dinner parties. There are never any leftovers!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

A game-day favorite. No Super Bowl party is complete with out this spicy dish. The men go nuts over it.

Clam Dip

This is a recipe my family makes for every single occasion. I don’t know what it is, but it’s so good that even the pickiest kids in our brood love it!

7-Layer Mexican Dip

Seven flavors in one! This is the ultimate dip.

They make excellent desserts too!

Nutella Dip

Chocolatey hazelnut deliciousness! Serve with graham crackers, marshmallows, Nilla wafers or fruit.

Strawberry Yogurt Fruit Dip

Add that little extra “something” to your fruit platter with this delicious yogurt dip.

Easter is my favorite holiday. It’s the beginning of spring and  the perfect excuse for everybody to dress in bright colors!  These different outfit ideas will ensure that your child will receive many compliments on his/her appearance and provide comfort to him/her throughout the busy day.

Girls

1. Brightly colored dresses are always an Easter classic for young girls.  Whether its solid pastels or pretty patterns, flower embellishments or bows and ribbons, a flowy dress will truly bring out the adorable in your daughter!
2. If dresses aren’t your style but you still want to doll her up, a tutu skirt would pair well with a leotard.  Or try a feminine and comfortable Garanimals ruffled lace T and skirt in pretty Easter colors! Did you know you can create your own outfits on our website and share them?  Check it out.
3. If you have an infant, don’t forget the essential head accessory!  This fashionable headband takes less than an hour to make and will accentuate any outfit.

Boys

1. Baby boys never look more handsome than when they’re in a suit!  Light colors work best for this time of year (like khakis with a pale blue button-down), but you may want to have an argyle sweater vest handy in case of unseasonably cool temperatures!
2. It’s harder to accessorize boys than girls, but the right tie will brighten an ordinary outfit.  A plaid tie like this one will make an ordinary button-down shirt appear bolder.  Bowties also work.
3. Dress shoes go with nice slacks, yes, but try a more comfortable (and incredibly stylish) shoe for the little man.  These loafer sneakers have the look and classiness of a dress shoe but the comfort of a sneaker.

What are your children going to be wearing on Easter Sunday?  Let us know in the comments!

Decorating Easter Eggs is often one of the highlights of the holiday for kids and it’s a great way for them to express their creativity through art! Egg decorating has truly evolved over the years, there is nothing that can’t be done! Gather some craft materials…googly eyes, glitter, jewels, tissue paper, pipe cleaners, felt, crayons, you name it…and have some fun! Here are some unique egg decorating ideas for you try with your kids this year.

No Dye Decorating:

Polka Dot Glitter Eggs

Easter Egg Chicks

Edible Rice Krispy Eggs 

Dye Decorating:

Stencil Eggs

Speckled Eggs

Striped Eggs

Themed Decorating:

Animal Eggs 

Superhero Eggs

Angry Birds Eggs

Scuba Eggs

My favorite is the scuba egg… how cute is that!? What’s your favorite way to decorate eggs for Easter?

Staying home for Spring Break? Spring Break is a great time for a family to recharge for that last couple months before summer. Need some ideas of what to do?

Have a Picnic
If it is a nice spring day where you live, pack a picnic lunch and take a trip to the park. What is more fun than some picnic foods and play time. If it is still closer to winter weather spread a blanket on the living room floor and have an inside picnic. Bring out a board game to play afterwards.

Go on a Field Trip
Visit a local Children’s Museum or nature center, check out a sporting event or visit a indoor play area. The possibilities are endless for fun places to visit nearby.

Plant a Garden
Fill your planters with plants or dig a garden in the backyard. If the weather isn’t so great yet, start some seedlings in your windowsill. Not only is this a great educational experience for all ages but provides lessons in nurturing. This makes great time for you and your child all summer long while you take care of the plants.

Get some Exercise
Ride your bikes, go for a walk or even find some indoor exercise you can do. My boys love to bring our bouncy house out of the basement and put it in the living room for some “cold-weather” exercise. Check out a roller rink or bowling alley for some inside fun.

Make Some Crafts
Get out the paints, markers and other craft supplies! Check out the Garanimals Pinterest board for more ideas!

I find that Spring Break is so much more relaxed than Winter Break because you don’t have all the holiday Chaos that you find at the end of the year. Have fun and create some great memories!

Kim Ross also writes at  A Little Bit of This and That ~ The Adventures of a Stay at Home Mom.

With all the baskets you may have to make for Easter, it is good to have some homemade treats included in them. Not only is it cost-effective, but it adds a personal touch to the mix.

One of my favorite treats is pictured. This is great to put in baskets or send as a school party treat. Think Orange – Cheese Puffs, Cheese Balls, Goldfish crackers or even an orange candy can be used to fill the “carrot.” The bag is simply a plastic disposable frosting decorator bag. You can find these in the grocery store or craft store. Check if the ones you are buying have printing on the bags, as you will want clear ones. Use some green ribbon for the top and you have your own carrot to hide in the basket!

Another fun treat I have done before involves white powdered donut holes. Simply put two or three in a plastic snack bag. Then attach a fun topper like this one. These “Cottontails”  will bring a smile to any little ones face.

Krispy Treats are an easy to make treat, but have you ever thought about adding a Peep on top? Freeze the Peep first and after your warm treats are spread in a pan, push the Peeps on top. I love to use the bunnies and lay them down on top. They won’t melt because of being frozen but will stick into the treat. Remember to think about spacing as you lay the bunnies down so you can later cut them into squares or rectangles.  Wrap them in some plastic wrap after they have cooled.

Also, think about the treats you make for the Holiday season in December. Make chocolate candies, chocolate covered pretzels or truffles and add some melted pastel chocolates to drizzle on top. If you are good at decorating cookies or cupcakes then make Spring themed ones. They sell some adorable boxes to package your homemade treats in.

One last fun treat is made with popcorn. Mix up some pastel M&M’s, popcorn and small pretzel sticks together. Melt white chocolate and mix until everything is coated. Use pastel colored sprinkles to cover it a bit. Spread on wax paper and allow to cool. Put in a bag and tie with a ribbon and you have some “Bunny Bait.”

Easter Treats don’t always have to be store bought, use your imagination to add some fun Homemade treats to the baskets you may be delivering!

Kim Ross also writes at  A Little Bit of This and That ~ The Adventures of a Stay at Home Mom.