Busy Mom’s Blog

It’s wonderful autumn day, a perfect day to go to playground. We have a play date in the park today. It’s with my son’s friend from preschool. This is new to me, most of our play dates were with my friend’s kids and mine.

This is good I was looking forward for him to find a friend of his own. The preschool teacher says they are amazing together, they understand each other very well considering my son is just learning English. English is his second language at least for another six months?

Play dates and playground times are the most challenging and difficult times of parenting for me. I have to let him win his battles, let him judge and act. I have to let him try and communicate with other kids although his English is not comprehendible most of the time.

He is only three and a half years old and when I talk to other moms, preschool teacher, or a daycare owner they all say he is just doing fine for his age. To me, he can do better, he can be more polite and more giving and more sharing. Read the rest of this entry »

I personally don’t want to think about economy, it’s depressing. But somehow I can’t, when I look at my bills and what I hear in media I kind of wonder if I can keep this up.
So I’m thinking of ways to save money. Here are some that I came up with until now:

1.    Make your decoration as much as possible. This will keep kids busy too.
2.    Try to be more personal with your gifts see if there is anything you can make
3.    Make a complete list of your daily food need for the whole December. We intend to buy more food than we need when it’s Holidays and then try to use them as soon as possible or through them out.
4.    Check stores for deals. Look in to different stores and even online shopping. The competition is so tight that you might be able to get even a better deal online.

These are a few that I came up with so far; I’ll be happy to hear your ideas.

Until later,

It is understandable why the stores and shopping malls have Christmas decorations and Christmas deals so early. Yes, the economy is a big part of it, somehow this is making people excited about Christmas and get them to start preparing for it earlier than usual.

What I can’t digest is that I heard from a security guard of an apartment building that some people put their Christmas trees up. I’m all for excitement and parties and happiness but still I think it is too soon to put your tree up. I’m just starting my Christmas craft shopping and getting ready to have some Christmas crafts projects for my toddlers. This is exciting for the kids and me, it gives us enough time to prepare and start our projects.

Putting a Christmas tree up is too soon. I think the reason beyond that is that people are wishing for better days. They are wishing secretly for Santa to make things better. And that’s why they started so early to decorate and put their tree up.

Well there is nothing wrong with being hopeful and happy and I wish everyone to be as happy as their imagination let them. Remember happiness is from within not what you have or how you spend.

Until later,

Thanksgiving dinner or lunch parties could be crowded and stressful for the host.
Here are a few ways to throw a nice party and enjoy it too.

The key is to prepare, prepare, and prepare ahead.

Here are some tips:

*Decide wisely on your menu well ahead

-Choose recipes that you can make ahead fully or partially
-Choose recipes that complement each other
-You will save some money if you have different foods that use at least one similar ingredient or different part of the same vegetable.

*Study your recipes very well

-Note down all the ingredients even the ones you have in your pantry
-From the list of all ingredients mark the ones you already have
-Create a shopping list
-Note down if you need a food procedure or a mixer or any other small appliances.

*Shop earlier in the week

*If you have to order something make sure to do that well ahead Read the rest of this entry »

My son was getting ready for Halloween since before Labour Day weekend. Exactly when most shops displayed their Halloween items.
He can’t stop talking about his costume and trick or treating. Here is Canada we go to malls first for trick or treating and then at dark in the neighbourhood.
I’m all excited for him and we are all going to dress up and go trick or treat. Oh and he is going to be a very handsome pumpkin. He picked the pattern himself and my mom made his costume. My daughter is going to be a very tiny princess and I don’t know yet probably a nice witch.

However, what is on my mind right now is not their customs and where we’ll go and what we’ll do that day. The only thing I’m thinking and worried about is the treats they’ll receive. We had tips before to check the treats and discard suspicious or open packages. This year the safety of treats are more serious with the melamine contaminated chocolates and coockies. For example be aware of the Sherwood Brands Pirate’s Gold Milk Chocolate Coins. You can check the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for more information. Read the rest of this entry »