Tips to Hosting a Stress-Free Holiday Party

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Krissyar

It’s that time again – holiday parties galore. You have school parties and concerts, church celebrations and plays. Not to mention the family and friend get togethers, and parties you throw as well.

The holiday season can be stressful enough with the shopping and decorating, let alone with the planning of a party. But if you follow these steps to lowering that holiday stress, you can enjoy your party as much as your guests!

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Make a List.  One of the best ways to create a stress-free holiday party, is to make a list. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, or assign tasks to your family. Trust me as much as you know you can do it on you own, don’t. All it does is add stress (and unhappiness) which  you don’t need. Giving a few small assignments isn’t asking too much, but it helps you a ton!

Decorate.  Nothing says “Merry Christmas” more than lights, ornaments, and decor galore! So deck the halls out, and show the holiday cheer!

Clean.  Before you pass this over because cleaning is always your first step – wait. Don’t clean the house from top to bottom and stressing yourself out. If there’s a room you can close off , then do it. Have a few baskets of clothes you didn’t get put away? Put them in your bedroom, and shut the door. Trust me, it will still be there after the party is over!

Make a Joyful Noise.  Always have music to set the mood! Whether you are preparing for the party, or as the guests are arriving, have music playing, but not too loud. You want your guests to be able to have a conversation and enjoy each other.

Consider an Open House.  The holiday season is busy for everyone, so instead of having a set time for your party, and your friends and family having to decide which event to attend, have an ‘open house’. Consider letting your friends & family know they can drop by for  snacks and drinks between certain hours – preferably between mid-afternoon and early-evening. That way everyone has a chance to stop by.

Snacks.  Having tasty treats on hand that you can grab from the pantry in a hurry is my number one recommendation. One of my favorite holiday party treats is Pop Works & Company Gourmet Popcorn.

Pop Works & Company has launched a line of ready-to-eat popcorn, giving you a unique and tasty twist to party snacks. Pop Works & Company adds sweet glazes and drizzles and sprinkles bits over the top of their delicious light and airy popcorn making it a delicious treat.

Pop_works_1The treats come in three delicious flavors such as: Salted Caramel & Fudge, Cookies & Cream, and Birthday Cake.
Pop Works & Company is sold exclusively online and you can choose one of your favorite flavors, or “Build a Box” and try all three flavors. A box of the three bags retails for only $15.99 online at www.PopWorks.com

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Pop Works & Company wants to give you an introductory price of $15.00 on it’s Pop Box – and offering FREE 2-Day shipping through New Year’s Eve; so get your order in today!

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Posted in Holidays | Leave a comment

Diaper Bag Essentials

Posted on December 13, 2015 by Krissyar

Whether you are a newbie Mom or been around the block a time or two, there are a few things that are a necessity. Believe it or not, I know a lot of Mom’s who don’t carry a diaper bag at all (and yes, I’ve given them supplies, lol). So we have some basic necessities, and a list of other items if you want to be extra prepared.

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Hand Sanitizer: cleaning your hands before and after diaper changes can get um, messy. If you don’t have a place to wash your hands, hand sanitizer will do the trick.

Wipes:  you can put a stack in a plastic bag (for rooms sake), or the handy to-go wipe packs. Wipes are great to clean up for diaper changes, but also for sticky hands and other clean-ups.

Plastic Bags:  Storing dirty diapers, clothes or blankets, plastic bags keep the ick and the smell contained until you get home.

Changing Pad: A clean, safe place to lay your baby to get a diaper change, and/or to protect your car/couch, etc.

Extra Outfits: This goes for you and baby – accidents happen. It’s best to be prepared – it’s saves time and money.

Drinks/Snacks: Whether you’re child is still a baby or a toddler, making sure you have an adequate supply of bottles/formula/breast milk and snacks. I cannot tell you how many times having an emergency drink/snack on hand has saved me.

Important Info:  Making sure to have your insurance paperwork, doctor info, etc is good to keep on hand  in case of an emergency.

Diapers: Making sure you have an ample supply of diapers is the main reason behind a ‘diaper‘ bag right? That’s why I always fill my diaper bag up with Huggies Little Snugglers.

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Little Snugglers has a GentleAbsorb liner and wetness indicator. It provides tiny pillows giving a cushioned layer of protection between baby and a wetness.

huggies_little_snugglersHuggies Little Snugglers has a soft, breathable outer cover, leak lock design for up to 12 hours of protection, and shaped just for new babies. They have an umbilical cord cut-out protects belly buttons as they heal, with pocketed back waistbands, comfy covers and come in newborn sizes 1, 2 and 3.

Little Snugglers can be found for a great price at Sam’s Club.

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Penguin Fun Cupcakes

Posted on December 13, 2015 by Krissyar

These penguin cupcakes would make the perfect treat for school Christmas/holiday parties, or even bakes sales. 

Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients:

1 1/3 C flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
3 TBSP unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 C sugar
2 eggs, room temp
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 C whole milk

Frosting Ingredients:

1 C soft unsalted butter
4 + C powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 TBSP heavy whipping cream
1 package Oreo Cookies
1 package Orange mini M&M’s
Wilton Black Foodwriter

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Chocolate Cupcake Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake tins with paper liners.
-Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt stirring together. Set aside.
-Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy in a large bowl.
-Beat the eggs one at a time, after each addition, then add in the vanilla.
-Alternating add the flour mixture  with the milk; beating  well.
-Fill the lined cupcake tins 3/4 full.
-Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
-Allow to cool in cupcake tin for 10 minutes.
-Move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting Directions:

-Cream the butter and powder sugar until it looks light and creamy. Add the vanilla extract.
-If it doesn’t cream add several drops of the heavy whipping cream until it creams.
-Test to see if the frosting can form and hold a stiff peak by taking a spoonful of frosting and turning the spoon upside down. If the frosting stays on the spoon it is ready if not then….
– Add more powder sugar 1/2 C at a time…. mix well.
-If ready scoop the frosting into a pastry bag with a large round  tip.
-Twist the open end of the pastry bag to push the frosting to the tip.
-Start by frosting on the outside edge of the cupcake working to the center of the cupcake.
-Take out one Oreo for each cupcake.
-Separate each Oreo into 2 pieces.  Keep the filling on one side of the wafer cookie. Cut the other half of the Oreo cookie into 2 equal pieces.
-Refer to the picture of the cupcakes for visual instructions.
-Using the Wilton Black Food Writer make two small round circles, colored in, for the eyes.
-Check for the placement of the eyes.
-Using 1 mini orange M&M’s, place it on it’s side for the nose. Stick it in the cookie filling so that it will stay. If the orange M&M doesn’t stay in place using a tiny amount of the frosting to lock it into place.
-Place the other two mini orange M&M’s in front of the whole Oreo cookie, in the frosting, on their side for the feet.
-Place the two halves of the Oreo cookie on each side of the cupcake into the frosting for it’s wings. These should be positioned directly behind the penguin head with half of the cookie extending out from the frosted cupcake.

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Posted in Holidays, Recipes | Leave a comment

How to Prevent Holiday Weight Gain

Posted on December 12, 2015 by Krissyar

OMG. I don’t know if I didn’t pay attention before because I didn’t really care, or because I always used the holidays as my free pass to freakin’ eat anything and everything I wanted to, but the amount of sweets that get brought into my office on a daily basis is appalling. I mean literally every company that we’ve worked with throughout the year brings in cookies, cupcakes, DONUTS – any imaginable sweet that your little mind can imagine has been placed on my desk with a smile.

Dang it.

First off it’s hard to resist the temptation of sweets any time right? But to have them sitting there, while your at work, (which by the way is my WORST snacking time EVER), it’s winter so it’s cold outside, you have bulky clothes on so you really don’t start to notice the chub of fat growing under your sweater, and work has slowed down so much that you’ve actually started organizing your files – well, temptation just got 1,000x worse my friend. I’ve even moved  these sweet treats off my desk and into the other office area,but the smell still lingers. Not to mention co-workers, “Oh.My.Gosh. Krissy,have you tried the chocolate one yet? Or the butter cookies? They are to die for!”

I am seriously hating life right now – I can literally feel my stomach increasing in size as I bite down into a cookie that probably has more calories in one serving than my diet allots for the entire day.

SCREW YOU EVIL COMPANIES SHOWERING US WITH FOOD!

The amount of money they spend on cookies probably could pay for my pedicure, or at least a paint change. Or “we donated a toy in the name of your agency”, or “how about we buy you lunch” – I mean there are soo many alternatives to freakin’ sweets. They are seriously my downfall. I. can’t. say. NO.

So instead of continuing to blame the reps who are just doing their job, and realizing that a lot of people actually want to eat and enjoy these evil sweet treats, I decided to figure out how I could resist the temptation and maybe come out of holidays a few pounds lighter, instead of heavier.

HOw _to_keep_from_Gaining_weight_during_the_holidaysImage from betches.com

Portion Control. Who am I kidding – like I would completely resist those freakin’  butter cookies that were homemade? Heck to the no. It’s Christmas after all! But I don’t have to eat the whole row of cookies in one sitting. Allotting myself calories to enjoy some sweet temptations will actually prevent me from caving in and going all fat-girl and wiping out the entire box. 2 small butter cookies will satisfy my sweet tooth, without completely ruining my diet for the day.

Avoid Going Places Hungry. It’s like Christmas parties galore this time of year, all filled with calorie-full drinks and sweets on tables as far as the eye can see. If you are attending a party where you know there will be lots of unhealthy options, eat a small meal  or  snack before hand (high in protein) to avoid binging on all the party food. You can still enjoy (see tip 1) but this will help you avoid the pitfalls of eating/drinking in a social gathering. Not to mention when one drinks, all inhibitions go out the window. (In fact, play it safe and just don’t drink at all. Trust me on this one).

Pace Yourself. If you must attend a party where you will be served a full meal (and by full I mean, all the fat, gravies, and pasta that all dieters crave but are not permitted) just learn to pace yourself. Set your fork down after every bite. I mean every one. Savor each bite, chew it completely, and pay attention to what you’re eating, not just the conversation around the table. You’ll be able to enjoy all the fixin’s, but in moderation.

Distract Yourself. GET AWAY FROM THE FOOD! Seriously, you there – put the plate down and slowwllyy walk away from the food tables.There are plenty of other things to do at parties (and work) besides gorge yourself on sweets. Be social – go around the room and talk ,play a game with the kids, heck, take a walk if you need to. Distractions keep your mind from wandering to those cookies on the dessert table. Ever notice how you get soo busy at work somedays you look up and it’s like 4 o’clock, and you’re like, “Crap, I didn’t even eat lunch.” (yes that does happen). It’s not that you weren’t hungry, or didn’t want to eat – your brain (and body) was distracted.  So do this. All the time.

 

IF you follow these few simple steps, I promise it’ll be harder to gain  weight this holiday season -which is what we all want right?! Seriously, you might be able make it out unscathed. ‘Tis the season for miracles!

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Fitness/Health | Leave a comment

DIY Wire Christmas Trees

Posted on December 11, 2015 by Krissyar

Supplies:
–Colored Wires
-Scissors

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Directions:
-We are going to start by forming our star
-Cut your gold wire into a piece that is about 3 inches long
-Form your wire into 5 points to form a star, this may be a bit difficult and it may not look perfect, don’t worry about that just do the best you can! Be sure to leave a little tail at the bottom of your star to be connected to the tree later on.

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-Next, cut your green wire into about 6 inch pieces and form it into a cone shape, starting at the bottom and slowly making it a thinner cone toward the top
-Twist the tail of your star and the tip of your tree together to make the star your tree topper.
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Posted in Crafts/DIY, Holidays | Leave a comment