So what toys are predicted to be hot this year?  Here are just a few of the toys that these “experts” are saying your child will probably be asking Santa Claus for this year:

• Any Hannah Montana toys, like her In Concert doll collection.
• The Eyeclops, a toy for your budding scientist.
• TMX Ernie and TMX Cookie Monster (new friends of TMX Elmo).
• Toys that encourage your child’s creativity, like the Aqua Dots Super Studio or Spotz Maker.
• Barbie Girls.
• Interactive games like the American Idol Talent Challenge.
• Computer games for your older teen like Guitar Hero 3 or Halo.

I started to wonder about the idea of “hot toys” and I’m starting to cringe thinking about how just in a few short years my two year olds are going to start asking for these toys.  Right now they are blissfully unaware of what everyone else has and keeping up with the Jones means nothing to them.  I think they might be just as happy with the used wrapping paper and the boxes the presents come in.  The day will come, sooner than I think, that I’m going to be one of those panicked parents searching the Internet to find the hot Christmas toys for my children.

According to Jim Silver, the editor of Toy Wishes magazine, the answer is most likely yes.  The increased testing is going to make it slower for the toys to get out of the ports of entry of the US and to the retailers’ shelves.  He predicts that there could be a shortage of the top 100 toys come December.  This shortage could be a problem, as the months of November and December account for two thirds of US Toy sales.

I’ve found a web site where you can search a few different retailers and find the hot Christmas toys for 2007 – Santa’s Toy Finder.  They’ve got all different kinds of toys listed, including the list of the “must have” holiday toys that you can find in Toy Wishes magazine.  It’s a nice resource for the busy mom because you can see from their web site whether a toy or game is in stock and it also lists the last time the web site tracked the hot product.  You can click on the product links and you’ll be brought right to that page on the retailers’ web sites where you can purchase the item directly from the retailer.

The holiday season is busy enough, so a time saving tool like Santa’s Toy Finder can give you that extra time to spend with your family and friends.

A vacation overseas is a dream for many people, and being able to stay at a luxury resort is even better.  Who hasn’t thought about taking some time away from it all where you can pamper yourself – body, mind and soul.  I know I would love the chance to get away from it all and wouldn’t mind a chance to visit some exotic locations. 

The family vacation doesn’t have to be run of the mill.  With some thought, planning and creativity you can come up with an adventure that everyone will enjoy.  But when it comes right down to it, the most important thing about a family vacation is that you spend the time together as a family, even if your destination is the backyard.

Ingredients:
2 packages (8 ounce size) cream cheese, softened
1 8 ounce container of sour cream
1 jar pizza sauce
Pizza toppings that you like, such as: pepperoni, sausage, shredded cheese, olives, peppers, mushrooms, sliced meatballs, Canadian bacon, chopped garlic, etc.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the cream cheese and sour cream. Spread in the bottom of a 9 X 13 baking dish. Pour the pizza sauce on top of the mixture. Layer on top of the sauce any of the pizza toppings you would ordinarily have on your pizza. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

You can dip whatever you like in the mixture, like Wheat Thins, Ritz Crackers, or tortilla chips. If you’re creative you can bake up some pizza crust dough and chop into pieces to serve with this dip.

Here are a few suggestions for foods that can be included in your child’s Easter basket:

• Fresh fruit
• Small boxes of raisins
• Cereal bars
• Granola bars
• Small bags of Goldfish crackers, fruit snacks, or animal crackers,
• Peanut butter crackers

Why limit your child’s Easter basket to food items only?  And why do these gifts have to fit inside a basket?  It’s perfectly fine to give your child a present that isn’t inside a basket.  Here are some ideas that can either be included in a basket or given along with a small basket.

• Stuffed bunny rabbit toys
• Coloring book and crayons
• Stickers
• Puzzles
• Craft kits where your child makes things like jewelry, sun catchers, picture frames, etc.
• Scrapbooking kit and disposable camera
• Books

No matter what you decide, your children will love whatever the Easter Bunny leaves for them on Easter morning.  Sometimes it’s not what you give but the fact that you gave them something.  Don’t go crazy on things that will break your budget.  Teach you kids the true meaning of Easter and of giving and they will appreciate whatever you do for them.

• Snack foods like Goldfish crackers, small boxes of pretzels, or boxes of animal crackers.
• Bubbles and sidewalk chalk.
• Small toys like balls, trucks, or dolls.
• Plastic eggs.  They don’t even have to be filled – my almost 2 year olds would love playing with the large plastic eggs themselves.
• Candy.  It doesn’t all have to be chocolate bunnies.  How about Marshmallow Peeps?  You can also include your child’s favorite every day candy like Hershey Bars or licorice.  Don’t forget the jelly beans.
• What about cookies shaped like the Easter Bunny, Easter eggs or an Easter basket?
• For older children a gift card to their favorite store could be a way to give them a present without all the sugar.

Finding the right things to include in your child’s Easter basket takes a little time and creativity.  It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money to give your children a big Easter morning surprise!

The experts will tell you that wine is the beverage of choice to compliment a good meal. If you are a fan of Top Chef you know that many of the challenges the chefs face involve pairing their food with the appropriate wines.

You don’t need to be a top chef to select the perfect wine for your meal. Here are some easy suggestions to follow when selecting wines for your next meal.

A good rule of thumb is to select a light bodied wine with a light meal or course and a full bodied wine with a heartier or more flavorful course. But what kind of wine do you select?

Red wines. Traditionally red wine is served with beef, veal, ham, pasta, pork, lamb, or poultry. A red Zinfandel or Beaujolais nicely compliments ham, pork, veal or poultry, while a cabernet sauvignon or merlot works really well with beef, pasta and lamb.

White wines. If you’re serving pork, poultry, seafood or shellfish then a white chardonnay is a nice accompaniment. White Zinfandel works well with appetizers (like mild cheeses), ham, lamb, seafood, poultry and desserts. Spumante and Champagne (sparkling wines) also work nicely with mild cheeses, appetizer courses and desserts.

Now that you have an idea about the type of wine you want to serve, how do you serve the wine? Red wine is usually served at almost room temperature, so chill it for only 20 to 30 minutes before serving. White wines are served cold, so you want to chill them for at least 1 to 2 hours before serving. While white wines can be refrigerated longer, it is advisable not to store them in the refrigerator. Sparkling wines should be chilled for at least 4 hours before serving. When you pour the wine, don’t fill the glass up all the way. Fill the glass halfway so the wine can “breathe”.

If all else fails you can always ask the clerk at your wine store to give you some advice and guidance on what wines to select. They might not tell you specifically what wine to purchase but they will point you in the right direction in terms of the type of wine to buy.

Candles. Our friend had created a great candle lit atmosphere for her party, but candles are a big danger with children. Some of the candles were a pillar style that had melting wax coming down the sides; some candles were on a coffee table well within the reach of the toddler children at the party; other candles were on tables that would be easy for a toddler to pull over. If you have young children or are expecting children over for a visit you probably want to avoid having candles around the home.

Candy. There were several dishes of candy around the house. Many people consider me a “meanie” but I try not to give my children candy and sweets. I don’t want them to develop a sweet tooth so their consumption of sweets is limited. The candy was well within the reach of the children, and some of the candy were placed out in heavy glass dishes.

Tablecloths. We don’t use tablecloths in our home at all. Our boys like to pull on them to try and get them off the table. Our friends had a lovely buffet set out on a table with a beautiful tablecloth on it. I had visions of one of our boys pulling on the cloth and having all the food come tumbling down to the ground.

House plants. I don’t have a green thumb and really have no knowledge of plants. I’m not sure what kinds of plants are safe for children and what kind might be toxic if a child should happen to eat one. They make me nervous.

So what’s the moral of my blog post? No home is truly baby proofed, especially if there are no children in the home. Always be vigilant when bringing your children to another home to make sure there are no dangers awaiting them.

First, go over in your head everything you need to do.  Are there any tasks you can delegate to family members?  Have your spouse and children pitch in when it comes to cleaning and preparing the house for the holidays.  Older children love to cook and bake – get them to help you out as well.  If you’re hosting the holiday meal, ask everyone to bring a dish to take the stress of cooking off of you.

Next, take a moment to remember why you are doing all these tasks.  The holidays are a joyous time for family and friends.  Take a deep breath and remember the true meaning of the holidays.  You’ll be in a better frame of mind as you tackle your holiday to do list.

Don’t forget to be nice to yourself.  As moms we are caretakers – we take care of everyone else first and maybe (if you’re lucky) you might have a tiny bit of energy to give back to yourself.  It’s important to take time out to be nice to yourself.  How can you do this?  Here are a few suggestions:

• While out doing the Christmas shopping take a few minutes and stop for a coffee or tea.  Buy a favorite magazine to read and enjoy while you take a well deserved coffee break.Read a book.  Buy the newest book from your favorite author and give yourself permission to take a few hours one day to relax and read your new book.
• Read a book.  Buy the newest book from your favorite author and give yourself permission to take a few hours one day to relax and read your new book.
• Take a bubble bath.  It’s a great way to relax and relive stress.  Try to forget about everything you need to do.  Turn off the phones, lock the door and just enjoy your bath.

It’s amazing how just a few minutes of time for yourself can help you be a better mother and wife.  Don’t forget to take time out for you this holiday season!

Instead of the tried and true ham or turkey dinner, try a roasted duck as your main meat dish.  Not only is it lean and healthy, it is very easy to cook.  If you can’t find a duck, try a pheasant or quail as a main dish to add some nostalgia to your dinner table.  Other things you can serve to get that old fashioned feeling include flavored teas, apple tarts, sugar and gingerbread cookies.  Your Mom, Grandmother or Aunts might even have some traditional family recipes you can use. 

Don’t trim the tree early – do it on Christmas Eve.  After your meal gather your family and friends together to decorate the tree.  Pop some popcorn and string it to adorn the tree.  Once the tree has been decorated, gather together and read aloud The Night Before Christmas or even the Christmas story directly from the Bible.  This will bring the true meaning of Christmas as your focus of your holiday celebration.

Handmade gifts are a reminder of the Christmas celebrations of our youth.  How about hand knitted hats and scarves?  If you enjoy baking make some cookies, breads and candies to give to family and friends. 

Bringing a bit of the past into your Christmas celebration this year will help to create beautiful memories for your children for years to come.