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    Jessica

    Jessica

  • I'm An Under-Appreciated Stay-At-Home-Mom, Should I Go Back To Work?

    I've been a stay-at-home mom for nearly 5 years, and like most couples, money is an issue that causes stress in our marriage. We have four kids, ages ten, seven, four, and two. When the first two were young, neither one of us made enough money for one of us to be able to stay home with them. It tore

  • User post: 5 cute Christmas decorating ideas for under $5

    I love decorating my house for Christmas. But as much as I would love to just spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on decorations, this is an expensive time of year. Between gifts for the kids, family, teachers, and so on, my budget doesn't leave much room for new decorations. <br> Here are 5 cute Christmas decorating ideas for under $5. That way you can decorate your house without breaking the bank! <br> <br> <b>Candy Canes In Clear Glasses <br></b> Classic red and white candy canes set into clear glasses placed throughout your house add a little holiday cheer. Candy canes usually only cost $1 for a box of 12, so you can make several arrangements. Just use regular drinking glasses and place the candy canes in with their hooks facing the outside of the glass. <br> <br> <b>Tie Pretty Ribbon Into Bows</b> <br> For under $2 a spool you can find really cute ribbon at discount and craft stores. Each spool has enough ribbon to make lots of bows. Just tie standard bows (like you tie your shoes) and place them all over the house. Try door knobs, above mirrors, in front of windows, on your front door, around the backs of chairs, use it like garland around your banister and even on the Christmas tree. I like to use ribbon that's at least 2 inches wide, it adds a little more drama. Tip: if you can find wire-edged ribbon, the bows will hold their shape better. <br> <br> <b>Wrap Your Front Door Like A Present <br></b> Use whatever wrapping paper you've purchased for your gifts to wrap the front door of your house. Just secure the paper with tape at the top and bottom and sides of the door. Then add some pretty, coordinating ribbon from top to bottom and side to side. Finish the look with a big bow in the middle. <br> <br> <b>Glittered Pine Cones <br></b> Take your kids on a nature walk to collect pine cones. Be sure to get them in all sizes to add some visual interest. Cover the pine cone with plain white glue or a spray adhesive then sprinkle with glitter. For a cohesive look, use just one color of glitter. Group the pine cones in bowls or on platters around your house like in center of the dining room table, beside the bathroom sink, on the kitchen counter. You could also tie a thin ribbon to the top and hang a group of pine cones in the window or use them as Christmas decorations. <br> <br> <b>Colorful Glass Christmas Ball Ornaments <br></b> At discount or craft stores, garage sales, or the thrift store purchase some inexpensive colored glass Christmas ball ornaments. Fill up an old clear flower vase, clear glass pitcher, or large mixing bowl for a colorful pop. <br> <br> Even if you can't afford to spend hundreds of dollars decorating your house for Christmas, with a little creativity, you can come up with some really cute holiday ideas for your home. <br> <br> For more cool ideas for your family, home, and life check out <span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.inmynewhome.com">www.InMyNewHome.com</a></span> <br> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://celebrities.inmynewhome.com/vancouver-twilight-new-moon-home-market">Vancouver Twilight New Moon Home On The Market</a> <br> <br> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://livingyourlife.inmynewhome.com/my-5-favorite-stocking-stuffers-boys-ages-6-12-wont-break-budget">My 5 Favorite Stocking Stuffers For Tween Boys</a>

  • My 5 Favorite Budget-Friendly Stocking Stuffers For Tween Boys

    I have no problem finding stocking stuffers for my daughters (ages 7 and 3.) I can go down the dollar aisle at Target or $.99 Only and find cute lip gloss, coloring books, jewelry, little stuffed animals, and stickers and my girls will love it all! When I try to find small gifts for my 10 year old s

  • User post: Why Not A Potluck Thanksgiving?

    I had only been married for a year when we moved out of state, away from my family. Being a young couple, we didn't have much money, so travelling back to visit my family for Thanksgiving was not a possibility. For the first time, we spent Thanksgiving with my husband's extended family.My family is

  • The Crazy (Expensive) World Of Competitive Kids' Sports

    Yesterday I went to the bank to get checks to pay for my son's soccer uniform and tournament fees (he plays club soccer.) The check for the uniform was $339 and the check for the next 2 tournaments was for $200. Jonathan the teller said, "Wow! That's a lot of money for soccer!" I snorted, "Well, tha

  • User post: How To Eat A Pomegranate

    Autumn is prime pomegranate season. We all know their health benefits (full of antioxidants, vitamins C and B5, and potassium) and that we should be eating. Compared to say, an apple or an orange, eating a pomegranate can seem intimidating. You don't just bite right into it and you don't just peel i

  • User post: Pretty Polka Dot Party Cake

    I grew up eating cakes made from cake mixes, and I still love them. But when I want to make something special, I take a little more time to make my cakes from scratch. It's not difficult, it just takes a little more work. Your homemade cake will taste great, and you get to leave out all the preserva

  • 3 Cute Thanksgiving Crafts For Kids

    Now that Halloween is over, we can pack up the ghosts and goblins and bring out the turkeys. My kids love to do crafts. Since they're young, I like to keep it simple enough to keep them interested from start to finish. Keeping it age appropriate will ensure that the kids will get to do the crafts an

  • User post: Tasty Autumn Chili

    With days getting cooler, a bubbling pot of chili is a great meal that the entire family will enjoy. I grew up in Oklahoma, so my chili preferences tend towards a Texas red style, as opposed to the slightly sweet version from the midwest.My take on chili includes ground beef, veggies, and a little h

  • What Kind Of Halloween Treats Are You Giving To Trick-Or-Treaters?

    <img src="http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/ori_45050c8d3e00bf.jpg" width="240" align="left" height="300" alt="" >I still have little kids, and my husband and I both like to take the kids out trick-or-treating. Because of this, I never do anything more than put candy in a big bowl on my porch and hope someone doesn't run off with the whole thing. <br> <br> Some neighbors surprise me with their creativity and generosity at Halloween. My kids walk away excited from every house they visit, they're just thankful for the free candy. I have noticed that some neighbors go above and beyond to pass out unique treats. <br> <br> <b>Here are some of the cool things I've seen my kids get from trick-or-treating:</b> <br> <ul> <li>Full size candy bars- This seems pretty cost prohibitive to me, but you can buy them in bulk at warehouse clubs or sometimes candy bars go on sale at the grocery stores. </li> <li>Gift bag of candy- It's all about the packaging. It takes more effort than just dumping your candy in a bowl, but if you take the time to package several pieces of candy into a cute Halloween cellophane bag and tie it with colorful ribbon, it makes a good impression. </li> <li>Little toys- Think about the contents of a pinata. They are usually full of candy and little toys. My kids have come home from trick-or-treating with little yo-yos, sun glasses, whistles, puzzles, mazes and other cute trinkets. </li> <li>Art supplies- So maybe they save them from every time they eat at a restaurant, but I think it's cool when my kids get small packs of crayons, markers, or stamps. Despite what they think, they really can't eat their weight in candy. The art supplies give the kids an outlet from all the energy they have from their self-induced sugar high. </li> <li>Money -Maybe they forgot to get candy and felt obligated to appease the children who came to their door, but I've seen neighbors hand out quarters. My kids love money just as much as they love candy, so that's definitely an interesting option. <br> </li> </ul> <br> Once in awhile neighbors will hand out packets of raisins, those gross peanut butter taffy things, or even a tooth brush. This day and age, I wouldn't allow my kids to eat anything homemade, no matter how good it looked. You just can't be to careful with things like that. <br> <br> Certainly no one is REQUIRED to pass out candy on Halloween. You can take a pass and turn out your porch light for the evening. But if you do want to celebrate the holiday and hand out treats, you may want to take some time to do something extra special this year. <br> <br> <br> For more fun ideas for your home, life, and family check out <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.inmynewhome.com">www.InMyNewHome.com</a> <br> <br> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://celebrities.inmynewhome.com/dixie-chick-emily-robison-lists-san-antonio-loft">Dixie Chick Emily Robison Lists San Antonio Loft</a> <br> <br> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://livingyourlife.inmynewhome.com/simple-and-savory-roasted-pumpkin-seeds">Simple And Savory Roasted Pumpkin Seeds</a>

  • Simple and Savory Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

    My favorite part of carving jack-o-lanterns is all of the leftover pumpkin seeds. Roasting pumpkin seeds is in our house, is an annual Halloween tradition. Since you can control the amount of oil you put on them, roasted pumpkin seeds are a healthy Halloween snack. The Worcestershire sauce and soy s

  • User post: 6 Creative Ideas For Leftover Halloween Candy

    My four kids always manage to bring home enough candy to stock our own candy store after they're done trick-or-treating. After a day or two of eating themselves into a candy coma, I round up the bags and transfer all the treats into gallon size zip top bags. I place the bags on the top shelf of my p

  • User post: What Are Your Family's 'Go-To' Meals?

    Like everyone else I know, our family is busy. Between school functions, work obligations, kids' sports practices, dance lessons, and doing everything else necessary to keep a household running, rarely are two days the same at our house. Some days are busier than others, but our one common denominat

  • Halloween Dilemma: How Much Candy Will You Let Your Kids Eat?

    I have childhood memories of sitting in my bedroom eating all the candy my little heart desired. Now, I could be completely off base. My mom was very conscious of what kinds of food were brought into the house, and healthy eating was a way of life for us. That being said, my mom always preached the

  • When Did Halloween Costumes Get So Slutty?

    I've noticed that Halloween for anyone over 18 seems to turn into "How Slutty Can I Make Myself Look-Day?" When did this happen? I thought this was a holiday for kids to see how much candy they could gather from their neighbors.Why does Halloween give people free reign to dress as provocatively as t

  • Are You A Helicopter Parent?

    You know those parents who are constantly hovering over their child's every move? That's a helicopter parent. If you can answer that question honestly, you're probably not a complete helicopter parent. Well, the first step is admitting it, anyway!Helicopter parents are easy to spot. They're the ones

  • Why I DON'T Want My Kids In The Kitchen

    It seems like everyone is saying, "Let your kids help you in the kitchen," these days. I'm going to go out on a limb and say, "Um...NO!!!" Before you nominate me for Worst Mother Ever, just hear me out. My kids are wonderful, I love them more than anything, but I don't want them in the kitchen with

  • Simple And Delicious Apple Cider

    Autumn is prime apple season, and apple cider is a delicious and healthy beverage perfect for this time of year. It's fancy enough for entertaining but easy enough to prepare for a nice evening at home with the family.Apple cider can be found in the grocery stores in half gallon and gallon quantitie

  • Serve Your Honey Breakfast In Bed Any Day Of The Week

    If you've been a couple for awhile, the blissful days of young love have probably been replaced by the pleasantries of everyday living. You're still in love, but those special little things you did for each other at the beginning of the relationship may be happening less and less frequently.Why not

  • 5 Must Haves To Keep In Your Purse For Your Toddler

    So you've outgrown the need for the giant bulky diaper bag. You no longer feel the need to pack 10,000 baby items just to make a run to the grocery store. I always felt like we were going camping every time we left the house!Even though your baby no longer needs all those items for every outing, the