Why not give yourself a much-needed break — cook ahead today so you can relax tomorrow!  Meal planning and bulk cooking are both wonderful techniques you can use and modify to fit your families needs. The idea behind this is simple. The principle is that you cook and or prepare your meals ahead of time and then preserve them by either freezing or fridgerating them. Also, meal planning you can cook one large meal and get 2-3 other meals out of it!
Here are some free meal planning tips for you :)   http://reallifesolutions.net/personal/meal-planning.html

I love to meal plan so if you have any tips for other moms out there - feel free to post them in the comments!

We all know how busy mom’s are and organizing seems like a never-ending task.  Well, if you have just 10 short minutes, here are 5 great organizing tasks you can do in ten minutes or less:

1. Clean out your medicine cabinet. Get rid of old makeup, expired medicine and toiletries you haven’t used in months.

2. Clear off your desk. Take everything off your desk and clear the surface, even if you have to temporarily put everything on the floor in categorized piles (i.e. paper, supplies, electronic media, etc.).  Once you can see your desk, you’ll have a surface on which to begin organizing everything you just removed from it.

3. Delete, delete, delete. For the next 10 minutes, delete as many messages as you can from your email inbox. This includes forwarded jokes, unsolicited messages and email you can simply read and chuck.

4. Organize a drawer. Whether it’s your junk drawer, a drawer in your bedroom dresser or a desk drawer, spend 10 minutes emptying out the junk, and arranging it so that similar items are being stored together.

5. Make a Donation Box. Simply get a large cardboard box and label it ‘Donation Box.’ Every chance you get, place items that are in good condition, but you no longer use, inside the box. When it’s full, call your local charity to come pick it up, or drop it off if they don’t offer a pick-up service.
 
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It is up to us as parents to provide financial prowess in teaching kids how to handle money. Here are some tips on how to accomplish this difficult process.

Kids learn by example.  If you are in debt, odds are they will be too.  You need to teach fiscal responsibility at an early stage.  The earlier you discuss money with your kids, the better prepared they will become.  Open up a savings account with your kids; allow them to deposit and make withdrawals. Give them the option to use the account in whichever way they decide. By allowing them this freedom to choose, you are also giving them the opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them.  Always be there in case they need your advice in this regard.

Give them an allowance. If they run out of money before the following week; do not replenish it.  This will teach them about choices; the good and the bad.  This is especially true if they are saving to buy something special. If they use their money unwisely, and cannot buy that which they were saving for, a valuable lesson will be learned.

Do not spoil your kids by giving them everything they want.  Give them just enough money via a weekly allowance and no more.  If they choose to buy something you think is not appropriate, discuss it with them.  Teach them about the importance of saving money and what they can look forward to as they get older.  Give them examples of your own experience as a child, particularly if you had a problem handling money.

Finally, teach them the pitfalls of borrowing. If they ask for money to buy a certain item; inform them they will have to pay it back with interest.  Tell them exactly how much they will have to pay back and figure out together how long it would take.  Undoubtedly, they may change their mind; but if not, stick to the terms you set.  Teaching your kids how to handle money begins with you. Whether you were a saver or a spender, it is incumbent upon you to pass on to your child all the tools he or she needs to make worthwhile decisions; now and in the future. 

Fourth of July Party Ideas for Kids
Children all over the United States look forward getting out of school and spending the summer having fun.  One activity many children look forward to is the Fourth of July and the fireworks that light up the sky.  However, younger children may not be able to stay awake until the fireworks begin.  These Fourth of July party ideas for kids may help them enjoy the day even if they do fall asleep prior to the evening’s light show.

A Fourth of July party can be so much fun, especially for little ones.  But how do you prepare a party that children, as well as adults, will enjoy?  Start early making plans and ask for your child’s input.  You may be surprised to find that they have some great ideas for decorations, games, and food.

Let your child help make decorations for the party.  Table toppers with a red, white, and blue glittered chenille stems, foil streamers, and balloons will be festive.  Paint a small coffee can and fill it with sand to help the decorations stand.  You may even want to place some sparklers in the can for later in the evening.

Plan a parade around your neighborhood or wherever you’re hosting your party.  Let the children bring their bikes, wagons, tricycles, or scooters and decorate them with patriotic themes.  Not only will the children have fun showing off their rides, they’ll also be showing off their artistic ability.  Consider having a prize for each age group.

Don’t forget the food!  Barbecue is the normal fare for the Fourth of July.  Hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob, potato salad, and homemade ice cream are always a hit.  Have a watermelon, pie, or hot dog eating contest that everyone can join in.

What activities can children enjoy that only require adult supervision?  Perhaps you can allow the children to make decorated t-shirts with fabric paint.  See who can blow the biggest bubbles, have a water balloon war, and play patriotic music.

If the children in your life are water babies, consider having a pool party.  Be sure to have a small wading pool so even the youngest children can have fun in the water.  To keep children safe while in the pools, assign or hire someone to watch the children.  Use sunscreen to keep them from becoming sunburned.

Finish off your party by allowing the children to stay up late so they can enjoy the fireworks show.  Pack a light jacket just in case the night is cool, and arrive early to find the best seats.  Don’t forget to bring your own chairs, a blanket to sit on, and maybe even a snack.  Be prepared, however, for the children to nod off very quickly after the show is over.

Fourth of July party ideas for children don’t really need to be elaborate for them to be fun.  Decorations, party games, and food are always a safe bet to get children into the party mood.  Top the evening off with a night of fireworks, and the children will say your party was the best ever.

It’s getting “hot like fire” (as Isaac says) and the one thing that I don’t like to do when it is steamy hot outside is slave over a stove preparing meals.

 Well leave it to my pal Carrie Lauth to come up with a fabulous post about Summer Cooking Tips.  As you know I love great idea’s that are both practical and fun and Carrie hit the nail on the head with her tips.   Be sure to visit her site to see just what I mean.

BTW while I was reading her post my 8yo son was looking over my shoulder as always  and when he saw a picture of one of Carries awesome idea’s he said “Ohhhhh, Mommy you have to make Me and Isreal some of those”.  LOL Thanks Carrie

Meal planning and bulk cooking are both wonderful techniques you can utilize and modify to fit your families needs. The idea behind this is simple. The principle is that you cook and or prepare your meals ahead of time and then preserve them by either freezing or fridgerating them. Also, meal planning you can cook one large meal and get 2-3 other meals out of it! The key here is to make every meal you cook count! When you are going to prepare a family favorite, double, triple, even quadruple the recipe if it will keep in the freezer. Sound wonderful doesn’t it? Why not give yourself a much-needed break — cook ahead today so you can relax tomorrow!

The first step in meal planning is always the most challenging. To make it less challenging I suggest that you grab the following supplies: Pen, paper, your personal recipe collection or your favorite cookbook and a comfortable chair. Start by writing down a list of your favorite meals and plan on preparing a grocery list that will coincide with your list. Now, since we are talking bulk cooking here – if you normally would serve up one pot of spaghetti – plan to serve 2 (that would mean that you will have to double the recipe – so be sure to alter your shopping list accordingly) – It will take the same amount of time to cook – just a little extra planning is needed.
Next you can use a blank calendar and simply write the meals down on the day you will serve them. I personally post my meal plan up on my refrigerator for the entire house to see. This also helps to prompt me for the next day of meals that will be served.

The most important tool in meal planning and bulk cooking is your freezer. If you have a small freezer, don’t fret; you can fit many meals in that small freezer space – it will just call for a little more creativity on your part. With the use of freezer bags, that you can stack flat and the use of some freezer proof containers you will be surprised at how many meals your freezer can hold.

Here are a few essential and widely used meal planning techniques and tips:

Multi-recipes ~ Using this strategy requires you to cook many main course meals in one day. For instance, on a Sunday morning you could prepare a roast in your Crock pot, some spaghetti on top of the stove, a baked Chicken in the oven and perhaps a nice salad. You also could quarter and boil some potatoes, cook some rice and some veggies (either fresh or canned). What you now have is 5 different meals that you can use throughout the entire week. You can eat one of the meals that very evening and you could Freeze or refrigerate the rest. This technique works very well for some people and it provides a wide variety of dishes that you can use. I personally use this technique from time to time. I usually do my multi-recipe cooking on a Sunday and it can take up to 5 hrs to complete but what you are left with is 2 weeks worth of food that you can enjoy. And notice that the meals that I use in my Multi-recipe list are easy to prepare.

One Cook Wonder ~ With this strategy you would cook one main course recipe that can be used for different meals. For Instance, let’s say you just baked a large turkey. You could slice some of the turkey off and serve the breast with gravy, dice some of the turkey and prepare a turkey gumbo and use the rest for either a soup or turkey salad. Mind you, you do not have to prepare all of those meals on one day. After the Turkey has been cooked and cooled, you can freeze and refrigerate the turkey that you cut off the carcass and prepare your other Turkey related meals at a different time.

Quick and Easy meals ~ Be sure to incorporate those quick and easy meals into your planning process. If your family loves Sloppy Joes – cook up the sloppy joe meat in bulk and freeze it – then all you need to do is defrost the meat, grab some buns and viola. What about Hamburger Helper? Why not cook 2-3 boxes of it, separate it into 3 separate large containers and freeze them. That idea alone allows you to prepare 3 meals in just 30-minutes.

Designate a meal for a particular night ~ Every Friday night in my house is either Pizza or burger night. The idea here is to choose any night of the week and just designate a meal to go with that night. I always make sure that I have plenty of Frozen Pizza’s with a variety of toppings on hand in my freezer. The same goes for those

Turkey burger patties (my family doesn’t eat much ground beef). The idea behind this process is that you now have one night’s meal already planned. You can also stock up on that meal when the products are on sale. If you see Frozen pizza’s being sold in bulk, grab them up!Love your leftovers ~ This is one of my favorite parts of meal planning as it allows you to use your imagination. At least every other week or so be sure to go through your refrigerator and take inventory of what you have in there. When you combine 2-3 leftovers, you may find that you have a meal right there. You can use left over pasta from spaghetti to prepare a pasta salad, leftover spaghetti sauce and just a few pieces of chicken can be a wonderful dish to top with cheese and place in the oven. Again, with a little imagination – you can make your leftovers work for you!Use the sales paper ~ everyone loves a good sale and I use the sales paper to help me in my meal planning. When I see our Family favorites on sale – instead of buying one, I will purchase 3-4 of the same items and simply come home and prepare the meals or freeze the food that I purchased. My family and I love Chicken. When I spot whole chickens on sale I’ve been known to purchase up to 5-6 at a time. Keep in mind that I have a family of 6 and in my family of six; there are 3 teenagers (and you know how much they can consume). By shopping like this, I actually save hundreds and hundreds of dollars a year in food alone!

Helpful supplies

Labels/freezer bags/Freezer-proof containers: Be sure that you have all of your freezing and refrigerating needs on hand. When storing food in freezer safe containers be sure to place a label on the container with the name of the meal and the date the meal was prepared.

Crockpot: This handy appliance is my best friend in the kitchen. When using a crockpot you literally prepare the meal, place it in the crockpot, Set it & Forget it. It is a hands free cooking experience. I cook whole chickens in my crock pot and then slice the chicken up to freeze and use for sandwiches, enchilada’s, chicken salads, chicken soup, chicken stew.. as you can see – the possibilities are endless.

As you can see, meal planning is a money, sanity and time saver – what else could a busy mom ask for?

Now, let’s get Cookin’!  Stop on by of Real Life Solutions, a Family Resource site that is filled with free information.

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Summer is coming up right around the corner. Families everywhere are planning out some fun vacations to celebrate the beautiful weather. Amusement parks and renting cabins are popular ways to spend your summer, but not everyone can afford them. Here are some no-cost ways to spend your summer with the whole family throughout the season:

Start a book club- Pick a spot in the backyard, and lay down a blanket large enough to fit the whole family. Have some cookies, lemonade and whatever snacks you choose to have. Use a book from the library and take turns reading it out loud. You can even discuss some things that occur in the book. Consider making it a weekly event and invite your neighbors and friends to participate as well.

Treasure Hunt- Some kids are into anything to do with pirates. You could plan a treasure hunt with their help. Scour your backyard, local beach or park and find things you could put into a treasure chest. The kids could also make some of their own items to place in the chest too. Spend some time searching for pirate information on the internet and use what you find to make up your very own treasure map. Then bury the chest or hide it in the house and let the kids try out the map they created.

Gardening- Make up a small garden or use a small portion of your existing garden. Let each of your children have a row or small area to use to grow whatever they choose to. Each child is responsible for taking care of their own crops. Help them research the item they chose to grow so they can see how to best care for it. When their crop is ready to harvest, they can reap from the hard work they put into growing it.

Help your child’s interests to grow- Find out what interests your child and help them research it. If your child is into sports, you can research their favorite team or print images off the net and start a scrapbook of their team. If your child is into crafts, you can research craft projects on the net and find some that are no-cost and interest the child. Teenagers may be more interested in playing a game of basketball, baseball or visiting a zoo.

Movie night- Some libraries have movies you can rent. Pick a night each week and watch a movie the whole family could enjoy. The children can take turns picking out what they want to watch for that week. Have your bowl of popcorn or whatever snack you choose, and sit back with your family in your own “home theater”.

There are plenty of ways to spend some fun time during the summer that doesn’t cost you money. Use your creativity, imagination, and get ideas from your children on what they would like to do. Plan some of those activities as a family and enjoy your summer.

For more help, visit Finding More Family Time for tips for a happy family life.

Spring Allergy Symptoms in Children and What to Do About It

Spring has sprung and so has the pollen.  Seasonal allergies affect millions of children each year.  Find out the symptoms and what you can do to relieve them.

The substances that cause allergies are called allergens.  Allergens can be anything from pollen to molds and fungi to dust.  These allergens are carried through the air until they land on your child.  Pollen is the reproductive spores of plants.  Allergy symptoms can occur from the pollen of weeds, grasses, trees, and mold. 

Sensitivity to these allergies is what brings on the histamine response.  This is the body’s reaction to the allergens being present in the child’s system.  Allergens enter the body through the mouth, the eyes, and the nasal passages.  Your child may experience:  sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, nasal congestion, chest congestion, coughing, and/or sore throat.  A child suffering from allergies may display one or more of these symptoms at a time. 

Allergies are often confused with colds and therefore misdiagnosed.  Cold symptoms usually include fatigue, fever, and body aches.  If any of these symptoms are also present, then your child is probably not suffering from seasonal allergies.

Pediatricians can run tests to find out the exact type of allergen your child is allergic to.  Blood work can be done to ferret out the offending allergen.  More commonly a skin-prick test is performed.

The spin-prick test is not painful to the child.  It involves lightly scratching the skin with different types of allergens.  This test is usually done on the back.  If the skin becomes red and swollen in certain areas, the doctor can determine what allergen is attacking your child.

Once the allergen is identified, the doctor will come up with a course of treatment. Prescribing medication such as Singulair, Allegra, and Advair, will block the reactions in the body that cause allergy symptoms.  It will take a week or two for the medications to fully circulate throughout the body.

There are practical things that you can do at home to safeguard against allergies.  Keep windows closed.  A good breeze will fill your home with pollen from the outside.  Use the air conditioning in the spring and summer if it gets warm inside.

Take a bath at night during allergy season.  The water will wash off any pollen spores and other allergens accumulated during the day.  Also make sure to use allergen proof covers on mattresses and pillows.

Allergies are a nuisance, but they don’t have to ruin your life.  Follow a few guidelines to keep your home safe from offending allergens.  Take your child to the doctor to properly diagnose his/her allergy condition and receive treatment options.

For more help raising happy and healthy kids, be sure to claim your free subscription of  Health & Fun tips.

If you are a mom, more than likely you know the feeling of having a full schedule.  Rushing around, taking a kid to soccer, another to dance class, rush to pick up the dry cleaning and then running home to get cookies baked for the youngest child’s snack day. As moms we have full schedules, usually too full. Our days are full of work, errands and children’s activities. In most mom’s schedules there is one thing missing. Time for mom.

Visit How To Look After Number One for your free report all about taking time out for yourself.