The Making of The Backyard Fire Cookbook Cover

The creative process of shooting a cookbook cover is always inspiring, exciting, surprising, confusing, and nerve-wracking — all at once.

Take, for example, the first cover I ever shot — the one for The CSA Cookbook. We photographed three variations of essentially the same scene, and in the end, the publisher chose the cover that I was originally uncertain about (but have since grown to love).

Then, there was The New Camp Cookbook cover. After submitting our ideas to the art director and getting the green light on a concept that everybody was on board with, the publisher ended up choosing a cover image that hadn't even been on our radar at all.

With my third book, The Backyard Fire Cookbook (now available for preorder!), the process felt a bit more fine-tuned as it's intended to be a companion title to my second book.

That meant we already had a general direction for the look and feel of the cover, as we wanted it to be visually similar to The New Camp Cookbook while maintaining its own identity.

We'd also "proven" ourselves to the publisher, who, by now, was familiar with Will's style and knew what to expect with his work.

While I was in the middle of writing my book, corporate restructuring resulted in my editor moving to Harvard Common Press, an East Coast-based imprint of the parent company (Quarto Publishing, whom I've been signed with for years), so my title went with him.

Despite working with an entirely new creative team, things felt much calmer...

Read the whole post... »

CHECK OUT MY BOOKS

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER! The Backyard Fire Cookbook will help you get outside and master live-fire cooking with over 70 modern and approachable recipes for ember roasting, charcoal grilling, plank grilling, and cast-iron cooking.

The New Camp Cookbook offers over 100 modern recipes for campers, road trippers, and adventurers, plus practical tips for building a cooking fire, setting up a camp kitchen, and stocking an outdoor pantry. As seen in Time, Outside, and Food & Wine!

from Garden Betty https://ift.tt/2Rr6BmP

The Making of The Backyard Fire Cookbook Cover

The creative process of shooting a cookbook cover is always inspiring, exciting, surprising, confusing, and nerve-wracking — all at once.

Take, for example, the first cover I ever shot — the one for The CSA Cookbook. We photographed three variations of essentially the same scene, and in the end, the publisher chose the cover that I was originally uncertain about (but have since grown to love).

Then, there was The New Camp Cookbook cover. After submitting our ideas to the art director and getting the green light on a concept that everybody was on board with, the publisher ended up choosing a cover image that hadn’t even been on our radar at all.

With my third book, The Backyard Fire Cookbook (now available for preorder!), the process felt a bit more fine-tuned as it’s intended to be a companion title to my second book.

That meant we already had a general direction for the look and feel of the cover, as we wanted it to be visually similar to The New Camp Cookbook while maintaining its own identity.

We’d also “proven” ourselves to the publisher, who, by now, was familiar with Will’s style and knew what to expect with his work.

While I was in the middle of writing my book, corporate restructuring resulted in my editor moving to Harvard Common Press, an East Coast-based imprint of the parent company (Quarto Publishing, whom I’ve been signed with for years), so my title went with him.

Despite working with an entirely new creative team, things felt much calmer...

Read the whole post... »

CHECK OUT MY BOOKS

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER! The Backyard Fire Cookbook will help you get outside and master live-fire cooking with over 70 modern and approachable recipes for ember roasting, charcoal grilling, plank grilling, and cast-iron cooking.

The New Camp Cookbook offers over 100 modern recipes for campers, road trippers, and adventurers, plus practical tips for building a cooking fire, setting up a camp kitchen, and stocking an outdoor pantry. As seen in Time, Outside, and Food & Wine!

from Garden Betty https://ift.tt/2Rr6BmP

The Real Reasons Your Child Is Angry

Do you have a child who seems angry or aggressive and are wondering  what could be the real  reasons your child is angry?  Odds are in your favor that your  child is completely and totally normal, but getting to the root cause can save both you and your child a lot of heartache.

So your child is hitting?  Yelling?  Disagreeable?

Are these traits out of character for the sweet little kiddo you’ve been raising for a few years now?

Have you tried time-outs  and taking away toys and limiting play dates?  All to no avail.

I remember what had to be the  worst temper tantrum  my daughter EVER had. She was 3 and I was trying to get both my girls ready to go out and celebrate at IHOP for my 1 year old’s birthday (her favorite food was pancakes).

I offered to fix my 3 year old’s hair first but she wouldn’t quit playing, so instead…brace for the terrible thing I did…I began to fix my 1 year old’s hair.  Screaming, hitting, flailing ensued.  NOT the way I had wanted to celebrate a birthday.

It took me another year but I finally figured out what was causing my daughter so much anger (see #3 below) but  the point is this…there was an underlying reason. She wasn’t a mean person or a bad person or really even an angry person.

And I had to remember that  when my child is hard to love, that is when I should love her harder.

Here’s the good news: Odds are in your favor that you don’t truly have an angry or aggressive child. But the odds are also very good that one of these 6 things is going on with your child to make him feel angry or act out.

The Real Reasons Your Child Is Angry

1. Your Child Is Overly Tired

You see this play out most when children are babies and toddlers and need naps and 13 hour sleep cycles at night.  But  do not underestimate the 7 year old who has stayed up too late for a few nights and gotten up for school each day for a week. She can be quite scary.

Children’s brains and bodies are developing so much that they don’t get the luxury of skimping on sleep for extended periods.

And we seem to respect this theory when our kids are babies but did you know that even your 10 year old needs between 10 and 11 hours a sleep at night? Don’t assume your child is truly angry until you know she’s getting enough rest.

Read here for sleep trick and tips for kids.

2. Your Child Can’t  Handle His Emotions Or Express Them In Words

Do you ever get so angry that you can’t even think straight and you just want to hit something?  Your child feels like that quite a bit. Even before the emotional roller coaster of puberty sets in, your young child is trying to learn how their tiny body can go from being happy to angry to excited to sad all in a matter of 10 minutes.

When my girls were young, we read  “The Way I Feel”  to help them understand and label their emotions. But also to let them know, these emotions were all normal.

3. There Is An Underlying Medical Condition

This is such a critical, but often missed, reason for aggression and anger in children.  I wrote an entire post on how it impacted my own family and a friend of mine as well.

If your child seems angry and aggressive more often than what you think is “normal,” I encourage you to talk to your pediatrician about it. And don’t be surprised if it’s not an easy answer to find – or a quick one.

It took me years to figure out what was going on with my daughter and 3 years post-diagnosis, we are still trying to “fix” the issue. But knowledge is power – for both you AND your child.

When you find out the reasons your child is angry, you can begin to help them heal. And this is what our momma hearts really want (and they want it too).

4. Your Child Feels Powerless

“Sit here and be quiet.”  “Get dressed and brush your teeth.”  “We are having spaghetti for dinner.”

When you think about it,  we certainly give our children a lot of directions but not often a lot of choice.

Partially this can be attributed to the fact that we are the parents and kids just cannot dictate all of our choices because nothing (productive) would get done.  But when you think about it, it is just EASIER to tell our kids what to do. This can be frustrating after a while when our children feel like they have no voice.

We try to give our girls as many opportunities as we can to make their own choices.  Simple things really – They choose their own outfits each morning.  They get input for our weekly meal plan so their favorites get made pretty often.

Nothing major here but it gives them a sense of control. And it can quickly help you figure out the real reasons your child is angry because they’ll trust you more.

5. Your Child’s Anger Is Displaced

Recently, my oldest daughter was acting out, getting angry with her sister, and talking back to me.  It went on for about a week before  I realized the root cause – there was a mean girl at school who had been making her dread even going to school.

Once we were able to address the real problem, she quit acting out at home. We didn’t immediately resolve the issue but she knew she wasn’t alone. It explained so much about what she was going through and why she’d been behaving differently.

Never Forget Your Child Is Watching You

This is a tough one Moms and Dads.

But take a moment and think about how you behave…

When things don’t go your way…

When someone cuts you off in traffic…

When you have a bad day at work…

When you haven’t had enough sleep…

Our children are watching us.  They are learning the most from us. How we treat others.  How we react when the stars don’t align just the way we imagined.

And  yes, being angry is OKAY.  Let them see you angry. It’s a normal emotion. But take a moment before you act on that emotion. Because you might just see that same reaction in your child next week.

At  the end of the day,  most of us will agree that our children are not angry little humans…we just need to step back, gain some perspective, and uncover the real reasons for their anger so we can address it properly.

How do you discipline a child with anger issues?

As you figure out the real reasons your child is angry, you are probably left with the questions:

• How do you discipline them?
• Do you discipline them?

Discipline looks different when you are dealing with anger issues. Your child doesn’t need for you to get angry at them when they are struggling to control their emotions. What they need is to be validated and taught how to take that energy and process it in a constructive way.

Tips for disciplining your angry child

1. Be sure that you approach them with a calm demeanor. They feel our energy toward them and if we are angry, that will only escalate the situation.
2. Help calm them down by reminding them that being angry is okay, but acting mean or aggressive in their anger is not okay. Help them understand that while they can “feel” the emotion that you are going to help them come up with other ways to calm themselves.
3. Give them some self-soothing techniques. Perhaps they would benefit from a squishy ball (these can work wonders) or drawing what is making them angry.
4. If all else fails, seek outside help.

While it may take some time to understand the real reasons your child is angry; don’t give up in the process. Your child needs you now more than ever and you will see light at the end of the tunnel. By being an example to your children, loving them, and trying, you are showing them that they are not alone.

 

The post The Real Reasons Your Child Is Angry appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog https://ift.tt/2E86UQm

The Real Reasons Your Child Is Angry

Do you have a child who seems angry or aggressive and are wondering  what could be the real  reasons your child is angry?  Odds are in your favor that your  child is completely and totally normal, but getting to the root cause can save both you and your child a lot of heartache.

So your child is hitting?  Yelling?  Disagreeable?

Are these traits out of character for the sweet little kiddo you've been raising for a few years now?

Have you tried time-outs  and taking away toys and limiting play dates?  All to no avail.

I remember what had to be the  worst temper tantrum  my daughter EVER had. She was 3 and I was trying to get both my girls ready to go out and celebrate at IHOP for my 1 year old's birthday (her favorite food was pancakes).

I offered to fix my 3 year old's hair first but she wouldn't quit playing, so instead…brace for the terrible thing I did…I began to fix my 1 year old's hair.  Screaming, hitting, flailing ensued.  NOT the way I had wanted to celebrate a birthday.

It took me another year but I finally figured out what was causing my daughter so much anger (see #3 below) but  the point is this…there was an underlying reason. She wasn't a mean person or a bad person or really even an angry person.

And I had to remember that  when my child is hard to love, that is when I should love her harder.

Here's the good news: Odds are in your favor that you don't truly have an angry or aggressive child. But the odds are also very good that one of these 6 things is going on with your child to make him feel angry or act out.

The Real Reasons Your Child Is Angry

1. Your Child Is Overly Tired

You see this play out most when children are babies and toddlers and need naps and 13 hour sleep cycles at night.  But  do not underestimate the 7 year old who has stayed up too late for a few nights and gotten up for school each day for a week. She can be quite scary.

Children's brains and bodies are developing so much that they don't get the luxury of skimping on sleep for extended periods.

And we seem to respect this theory when our kids are babies but did you know that even your 10 year old needs between 10 and 11 hours a sleep at night? Don't assume your child is truly angry until you know she's getting enough rest.

Read here for sleep trick and tips for kids.

2. Your Child Can't  Handle His Emotions Or Express Them In Words

Do you ever get so angry that you can't even think straight and you just want to hit something?  Your child feels like that quite a bit. Even before the emotional roller coaster of puberty sets in, your young child is trying to learn how their tiny body can go from being happy to angry to excited to sad all in a matter of 10 minutes.

When my girls were young, we read  "The Way I Feel"  to help them understand and label their emotions. But also to let them know, these emotions were all normal.

3. There Is An Underlying Medical Condition

This is such a critical, but often missed, reason for aggression and anger in children.  I wrote an entire post on how it impacted my own family and a friend of mine as well.

If your child seems angry and aggressive more often than what you think is "normal," I encourage you to talk to your pediatrician about it. And don't be surprised if it's not an easy answer to find – or a quick one.

It took me years to figure out what was going on with my daughter and 3 years post-diagnosis, we are still trying to "fix" the issue. But knowledge is power – for both you AND your child.

When you find out the reasons your child is angry, you can begin to help them heal. And this is what our momma hearts really want (and they want it too).

4. Your Child Feels Powerless

"Sit here and be quiet."  "Get dressed and brush your teeth."  "We are having spaghetti for dinner."

When you think about it,  we certainly give our children a lot of directions but not often a lot of choice.

Partially this can be attributed to the fact that we are the parents and kids just cannot dictate all of our choices because nothing (productive) would get done.  But when you think about it, it is just EASIER to tell our kids what to do. This can be frustrating after a while when our children feel like they have no voice.

We try to give our girls as many opportunities as we can to make their own choices.  Simple things really – They choose their own outfits each morning.  They get input for our weekly meal plan so their favorites get made pretty often.

Nothing major here but it gives them a sense of control. And it can quickly help you figure out the real reasons your child is angry because they'll trust you more.

5. Your Child's Anger Is Displaced

Recently, my oldest daughter was acting out, getting angry with her sister, and talking back to me.  It went on for about a week before  I realized the root cause – there was a mean girl at school who had been making her dread even going to school.

Once we were able to address the real problem, she quit acting out at home. We didn't immediately resolve the issue but she knew she wasn't alone. It explained so much about what she was going through and why she'd been behaving differently.

Never Forget Your Child Is Watching You

This is a tough one Moms and Dads.

But take a moment and think about how you behave…

When things don't go your way…

When someone cuts you off in traffic…

When you have a bad day at work…

When you haven't had enough sleep…

Our children are watching us.  They are learning the most from us. How we treat others.  How we react when the stars don't align just the way we imagined.

And  yes, being angry is OKAY.  Let them see you angry. It's a normal emotion. But take a moment before you act on that emotion. Because you might just see that same reaction in your child next week.

At  the end of the day,  most of us will agree that our children are not angry little humans…we just need to step back, gain some perspective, and uncover the real reasons for their anger so we can address it properly.

How do you discipline a child with anger issues?

As you figure out the real reasons your child is angry, you are probably left with the questions:

• How do you discipline them?
• Do you discipline them?

Discipline looks different when you are dealing with anger issues. Your child doesn't need for you to get angry at them when they are struggling to control their emotions. What they need is to be validated and taught how to take that energy and process it in a constructive way.

Tips for disciplining your angry child

1. Be sure that you approach them with a calm demeanor. They feel our energy toward them and if we are angry, that will only escalate the situation.
2. Help calm them down by reminding them that being angry is okay, but acting mean or aggressive in their anger is not okay. Help them understand that while they can "feel" the emotion that you are going to help them come up with other ways to calm themselves.
3. Give them some self-soothing techniques. Perhaps they would benefit from a squishy ball (these can work wonders) or drawing what is making them angry.
4. If all else fails, seek outside help.

While it may take some time to understand the real reasons your child is angry; don't give up in the process. Your child needs you now more than ever and you will see light at the end of the tunnel. By being an example to your children, loving them, and trying, you are showing them that they are not alone.

 

The post The Real Reasons Your Child Is Angry appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog https://ift.tt/2E86UQm

Homemade Candy Treats

There is something about Christmas that makes me want to make and eat tons of treats!  We love Christmas Cookies and Homemade Candy.  

 

These are two dozen (plus) recipes of candies that you can quickly make to add something sweet to your holiday.

 

 

 

There is just something extra special about mint-y green! Whether you are hosting a Grinch party or just wanting to liven up your recipe with a bit of color,  Dark Chocolate Mint Bark pieces  are extra fun and delicious – via Browneyed Baker.

Chocolate potato chips… and you thought that plain potato chips were addicting! If you are as obsessed with potato chips as we are, then buckle up for these – via Baby Center

Chocolate is full of antioxidants.  Mix it with another superfood for a tasty and healthy treat in Pomegranate Bark from VanillaCrunnch.

Use your crockpot to make this Triple Chocolate Fudge from Simplistically Living…do I need to say more?

Another healthy option is melted chocolate with antioxidant filled trail mix on top this is a healthy candy treat that will provide for guilt free snacking this time of year – via Simply Taralyn

There is so much chocolate, salty and mint at Christmas time, liven it up and add some sticks of  Orange Nut Toffee  to add some tang to your Christmas Treats with this yummy treat from Better Homes and Gardens.

 

 

These will be a clear favorite for your kids! These  clear sprinkled pops from Just a Taste are pretty on their own, but when you add festive sprinkles of your choosing, they look so bright and cheery you almost want want to eat them!

All the kids love Minecraft, so you’ll win the parent of the year award with Minecraft Creeper Chocolate, via Simplistically Living.

It doesn’t get much better than combining some of your favorites into one bite. Layer Oreos with a peanut butter cup and dip the whole thing into chocolate with this delicious candy recipe from Daily of the Day!

Only six ingredients! This candy recipe from Serendipity Mommy is a must for any gathering. While we love the vintage look  of the rock candy, but the taste is definitely up-to-date and delicious as can be!

This English Toffee recipe from Shugary Sweets is so easy to follow, and we  love  her idea of using a brownie bite pan to make it in. No more breaking toffee into tricky pieces, this way each little cube of toffee is perfect!

Crunchy toffee is amazing! This candy recipe from The Yummy Life Just the right touch of chocolate and nuts for a perfect old-timey treat.

 

 

Just when you thought Oreos couldn’t get any better…learn how to dip them in chocolate and add just enough peppermint pieces to make them gorgeous with this delicious candy recipe from Pink Cake Plate!

Dark chocolate on the bottom, tasty vanilla, and those adorable sprinkles on top! This Birthday Sprinkle Bark is a must-have for any part – via Ashlee Marie

There is something extra great about  homemade peppermint patties. Maybe it’s that you can eat so many of them before you feel the need to quit, but we love this candy recipe from Mom on Timeout, because it’s adorable and tasty!

These Stripped Pretzel bites from Sally’s Baking Addiction are easy to make and look super pretty on a Christmas Cookie plate.  They only take a few seconds to make, too!

Tasty, squishy marshmallow snowmen on a sled of peppermints. These cute treats would be perfect on their own or make a fun addition to the front of your best gingerbread house.

Some things are just too cute for words! This chocolate dipped marshmallow mug from Bird’s Party is definitely topping our “adorable” lists, with its adorable peppermint handle, and the mini marshmallows on top. You will definitely be the talk of any Christmas party where you bring these!

Deliciously gummy these treats are made with applesauce and gelatin mix. With so many color, flavor and shape options, these homemade gumdrops would be fun treats for any time of year, via Mom On Timeout.

Grab a pack of Oreo cookies, dip them in white chocolate, and cover them with gorgeous sprinkles! Then put them on a stick for easy, mess-free eating with this awesome candy recipe from Makoodle.

Fudgy Oreo brownies.  SO tasty and your kids will love them!

 

 

Homemade marshmallows are THE BEST!  These are half-chocolate, half-vanilla.  Can’t wait to put this into a mug of hot coco.

Stop throwing those orange peels away! This is an AMAZING recipe  to make Candied Peels. Wonderfully sweet and tangy!

Oreos and marshmallows dipped in chocolate are already  fantastic, but the way they put these together and make a Chocolate  hat just blew us away!

Start with a mini pretzel, add their  amazing  caramel sauce, a pecan half and then top it all off with some chocolate and you have Turtle Pretzels a new favorite Christmas treat!

They say that Christmas Crack  is addictive and it’s no secret why! That chocolate, toffee with extra candies on top makes this a fun treat for Christmas!

This is such a quick and easy recipe! You don’t have to spend all day to make yummy caramel sticks  from home! Don’t worry, we won’t tell your relatives that it was microwave-made! You still get full credit on making from-scratch candy!

Let’s be real, this recipe had us as “chocolate covered” but these just take it to another level! They look like gorgeous truffles, but the inside are real cherries as well as a tasty cherry-flavored cream filling. Yummy!

Kisses, Pretzles and M&Ms – Oh my! This salty-sweet combination found in Rocky Road Fudge is always a crowd pleaser, and they are so easy to make! Even the smallest of kiddos can help stack the treats together to make this yummy and bite sized dessert.

Another version.  Rocky. Road. Fudge. Those three words really speak for themselves. The crunchy, the chewy, the CHOCOLATE. The only problem with this recipe is how quickly the goods seem to disappear after you make them!

 

 

Candy doesn’t get much better than the recipes above!  If you are looking for more tasty options consider:
Crock pot Hot Chocolate

Peppermint Treats

Comfort Casseroles

The post Homemade Candy Treats appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog https://ift.tt/2zxQm0h

Homemade Candy Treats

There is something about Christmas that makes me want to make and eat tons of treats!  We love Christmas Cookies and Homemade Candy.  

 

These are two dozen (plus) recipes of candies that you can quickly make to add something sweet to your holiday.

 

 

 

There is just something extra special about mint-y green! Whether you are hosting a Grinch party or just wanting to liven up your recipe with a bit of color,  Dark Chocolate Mint Bark pieces  are extra fun and delicious – via Browneyed Baker.

Chocolate potato chips… and you thought that plain potato chips were addicting! If you are as obsessed with potato chips as we are, then buckle up for these – via Baby Center

Chocolate is full of antioxidants.  Mix it with another superfood for a tasty and healthy treat in Pomegranate Bark from VanillaCrunnch.

Use your crockpot to make this Triple Chocolate Fudge from Simplistically Living…do I need to say more?

Another healthy option is melted chocolate with antioxidant filled trail mix on top this is a healthy candy treat that will provide for guilt free snacking this time of year – via Simply Taralyn

There is so much chocolate, salty and mint at Christmas time, liven it up and add some sticks of  Orange Nut Toffee  to add some tang to your Christmas Treats with this yummy treat from Better Homes and Gardens.

 

 

These will be a clear favorite for your kids! These  clear sprinkled pops from Just a Taste are pretty on their own, but when you add festive sprinkles of your choosing, they look so bright and cheery you almost want want to eat them!

All the kids love Minecraft, so you'll win the parent of the year award with Minecraft Creeper Chocolate, via Simplistically Living.

It doesn't get much better than combining some of your favorites into one bite. Layer Oreos with a peanut butter cup and dip the whole thing into chocolate with this delicious candy recipe from Daily of the Day!

Only six ingredients! This candy recipe from Serendipity Mommy is a must for any gathering. While we love the vintage look  of the rock candy, but the taste is definitely up-to-date and delicious as can be!

This English Toffee recipe from Shugary Sweets is so easy to follow, and we  love  her idea of using a brownie bite pan to make it in. No more breaking toffee into tricky pieces, this way each little cube of toffee is perfect!

Crunchy toffee is amazing! This candy recipe from The Yummy Life Just the right touch of chocolate and nuts for a perfect old-timey treat.

 

 

Just when you thought Oreos couldn't get any better…learn how to dip them in chocolate and add just enough peppermint pieces to make them gorgeous with this delicious candy recipe from Pink Cake Plate!

Dark chocolate on the bottom, tasty vanilla, and those adorable sprinkles on top! This Birthday Sprinkle Bark is a must-have for any part – via Ashlee Marie

There is something extra great about  homemade peppermint patties. Maybe it's that you can eat so many of them before you feel the need to quit, but we love this candy recipe from Mom on Timeout, because it's adorable and tasty!

These Stripped Pretzel bites from Sally's Baking Addiction are easy to make and look super pretty on a Christmas Cookie plate.  They only take a few seconds to make, too!

Tasty, squishy marshmallow snowmen on a sled of peppermints. These cute treats would be perfect on their own or make a fun addition to the front of your best gingerbread house.

Some things are just too cute for words! This chocolate dipped marshmallow mug from Bird's Party is definitely topping our "adorable" lists, with its adorable peppermint handle, and the mini marshmallows on top. You will definitely be the talk of any Christmas party where you bring these!

Deliciously gummy these treats are made with applesauce and gelatin mix. With so many color, flavor and shape options, these homemade gumdrops would be fun treats for any time of year, via Mom On Timeout.

Grab a pack of Oreo cookies, dip them in white chocolate, and cover them with gorgeous sprinkles! Then put them on a stick for easy, mess-free eating with this awesome candy recipe from Makoodle.

Fudgy Oreo brownies.  SO tasty and your kids will love them!

 

 

Homemade marshmallows are THE BEST!  These are half-chocolate, half-vanilla.  Can't wait to put this into a mug of hot coco.

Stop throwing those orange peels away! This is an AMAZING recipe  to make Candied Peels. Wonderfully sweet and tangy!

Oreos and marshmallows dipped in chocolate are already  fantastic, but the way they put these together and make a Chocolate  hat just blew us away!

Start with a mini pretzel, add their  amazing  caramel sauce, a pecan half and then top it all off with some chocolate and you have Turtle Pretzels a new favorite Christmas treat!

They say that Christmas Crack  is addictive and it's no secret why! That chocolate, toffee with extra candies on top makes this a fun treat for Christmas!

This is such a quick and easy recipe! You don't have to spend all day to make yummy caramel sticks  from home! Don't worry, we won't tell your relatives that it was microwave-made! You still get full credit on making from-scratch candy!

Let's be real, this recipe had us as "chocolate covered" but these just take it to another level! They look like gorgeous truffles, but the inside are real cherries as well as a tasty cherry-flavored cream filling. Yummy!

Kisses, Pretzles and M&Ms – Oh my! This salty-sweet combination found in Rocky Road Fudge is always a crowd pleaser, and they are so easy to make! Even the smallest of kiddos can help stack the treats together to make this yummy and bite sized dessert.

Another version.  Rocky. Road. Fudge. Those three words really speak for themselves. The crunchy, the chewy, the CHOCOLATE. The only problem with this recipe is how quickly the goods seem to disappear after you make them!

 

 

Candy doesn't get much better than the recipes above!  If you are looking for more tasty options consider:
Crock pot Hot Chocolate

Peppermint Treats

Comfort Casseroles

The post Homemade Candy Treats appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog https://ift.tt/2zxQm0h

Aoyuan Dawson Street near Brentwood Town Centre Skytrain

Aoyuan Dawson Street by Aoyuan International is a new vibrant community in Burnaby, South East of Willingdon Avenue and Dawson Street. The project includes signature residential towers, commercial and retail space over four phases on an 9.3 acre site. Aoyuan Dawson Street will include around 1,400 condominium units and 50 townhomes. This community has stellar location, just a 3 minute walk to the Brentwood Town Centre and Millennium Line Skytrain Station.

The post Aoyuan Dawson Street near Brentwood Town Centre Skytrain appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.

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Aoyuan Dawson Street near Brentwood Town Centre Skytrain

Aoyuan Dawson Street by Aoyuan International is a new vibrant community in Burnaby, South East of Willingdon Avenue and Dawson Street. The project includes signature residential towers, commercial and retail space over four phases on an 9.3 acre site. Aoyuan Dawson Street will include around 1,400 condominium units and 50 townhomes. This community has stellar location, just a 3 minute walk to the Brentwood Town Centre and Millennium Line Skytrain Station.

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Homemade Candy Treats

There is something about Christmas that makes me want to make and eat tons of treats!  We love Christmas Cookies and Home Made Candy.  

 

These are two dozen (plus) recipes of candies that you can quickly make to add something sweet to your holiday.

 

 

 

There is just something extra special about mint-y green! Whether you are hosting a Grinch party or just wanting to liven up your recipe with a bit of color,  Dark Chocolate Mint Bark pieces  are extra fun and delicious!

Chocolate potato chips ¦ and you thought that plain potato chips were addicting.  If you are as obsessed with potato chips as we are, then buckle up for these! Chips dipped in  chocolate!

Chocolate is full of antioxidants.  Mix it with another superfood for a tasty and healthy treat in Pomegranate Bark.

Use your crockpot to make this Triple Chocolate Fudge…do I need to say more?

Another healthy option is melted chocolate with antioxidant filled trail mix on top this is a healthy candy treat that will provide for guilt free snacking this time of year!

There is so much chocolate, salty and mint at Christmas time, liven it up and add some sticks of  Orange Nut Toffee  to add some tang to your Christmas Treats.

 

 

These will be a clear favorite for your kids! These  clear sprinkled  pops are pretty on their own but when you add festive sprinkles of your choosing they look so bright and cheery you  almost want want to eat them!

All the kids love Minecraft so you’d win the parent of the year award with this Minecraft Creeper Chocolate recipe.

It doesn’t get much better than combining some of your favorites into one bite.  Layer oreos with a peanut butter cup and dip the whole thing into chocolate.  Yum.

Only six ingredients this is a must for any gathering. While we love the vintage look  of the rock candy, but the taste is definitely up-to-date and delicious as can be!

This English Toffee recipe is so easy to follow, and we  love  her idea of using a brownie bite pan to make it in. No more breaking toffee into tricky pieces, this way each little cube of toffee is perfect!

This crunchy toffee is amazing! Just the right touch of chocolate and nuts for a perfect old-timey treat.

 

 

Just when you thought Oreos couldn’t get any better…learn how to dip them in chocolate and add just enough peppermint pieces to make them gorgeous and delicious!

Dark chocolate on the bottom, tasty vanilla on top and those adorable sprinkles on top! This Birthday Sprinkle Bark is a must-have for any part!

There is something extra great about  homemade peppermint patties. Maybe it’s that you can eat so many of them before you feel the need to quit, but we love this recipe for adorable and  tasty peppermint patties!

These Stripped Pretzel bites are easy to make and look super pretty on a Christmas Cookie plate.  They only take a few seconds to make too!

Tasty, squishy marshmallow snowman on a sled of peppermints. These cute treats would be perfect on their own or make a fun addition to the front of your best gingerbread house.

Some things are just too cute for words! This chocolate dipped marshmallow mug is definitely topping our “adorable” lists, with it’s adorable peppermint handle and the mini marshmallows on top. You will definitely be the talk of any Christmas party where you bring these!

Deliciously gummy these treats are made with applesauce and gelatin mix. With so many color, flavor and shape options, these homemade gumdrops would be fun treats for any time of year.

Grab  a pack of oreo  cookies, dip them in white chocolate and cover them with gorgeous sprinkles! Then put them on a stick for easy, mess-free eating!

Fudgy Oreo brownies.  SO tasty and your kids will love them!

 

 

Homemade marshmallows are THE BEST!  These are half-chocolate, half-vanilla.  Can’t wait to put this into a mug of hot coco.

Stop throwing those orange peels away! This is an AMAZING recipe  to make Candied Peels. Wonderfully sweet and tangy!

Oreos and marshmallows dipped in chocolate are already  fantastic, but the way they put these together and make a Chocolate  hat just blew us away!

Start with a mini pretzel, add their  amazing  caramel sauce, a pecan half and then top it all off with some chocolate and you have Turtle Pretzels a new favorite Christmas treat!

They say that Christmas Crack  is addictive and it’s no secret why! That chocolate, toffee with extra candies on top makes this a fun treat for Christmas!

This is such a quick and easy recipe! You don’t have to spend all day to make yummy caramel sticks  from home! Don’t worry, we won’t tell your relatives that it was microwave-made! You still get full credit on making from-scratch candy!

Let’s be real, this recipe had us as “chocolate covered” but these just take it to another level! They look like gorgeous truffles, but the inside are real cherries as well as a tasty cherry-flavored cream filling. Yummy!

Kisses, Pretzles and M&Ms – Oh my! This salty-sweet combination found in Rocky Road Fudge is always a crowd pleaser, and they are so easy to make! Even the smallest of kiddos can help stack the treats together to make this yummy and bite sized dessert.

Another version.  Rocky. Road. Fudge. Those three words really speak for themselves. The crunchy, the chewy, the CHOCOLATE. The only problem with this recipe is how quickly the goods seem to disappear after you make them!

 

 

Candy doesn’t get much better than the recipes above!  If you are looking for more tasty options consider:
Crock pot Hot Chocolate

Peppermint Treats

Comfort Casseroles

The post Homemade Candy Treats appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

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Homemade Candy Treats

There is something about Christmas that makes me want to make and eat tons of treats!  We love Christmas Cookies and Home Made Candy.  

 

These are two dozen (plus) recipes of candies that you can quickly make to add something sweet to your holiday.

 

 

 

There is just something extra special about mint-y green! Whether you are hosting a Grinch party or just wanting to liven up your recipe with a bit of color,  Dark Chocolate Mint Bark pieces  are extra fun and delicious!

Chocolate potato chips ¦ and you thought that plain potato chips were addicting.  If you are as obsessed with potato chips as we are, then buckle up for these! Chips dipped in  chocolate!

Chocolate is full of antioxidants.  Mix it with another superfood for a tasty and healthy treat in Pomegranate Bark.

Use your crockpot to make this Triple Chocolate Fudge…do I need to say more?

Another healthy option is melted chocolate with antioxidant filled trail mix on top this is a healthy candy treat that will provide for guilt free snacking this time of year!

There is so much chocolate, salty and mint at Christmas time, liven it up and add some sticks of  Orange Nut Toffee  to add some tang to your Christmas Treats.

 

 

These will be a clear favorite for your kids! These  clear sprinkled  pops are pretty on their own but when you add festive sprinkles of your choosing they look so bright and cheery you  almost want want to eat them!

All the kids love Minecraft so you'd win the parent of the year award with this Minecraft Creeper Chocolate recipe.

It doesn't get much better than combining some of your favorites into one bite.  Layer oreos with a peanut butter cup and dip the whole thing into chocolate.  Yum.

Only six ingredients this is a must for any gathering. While we love the vintage look  of the rock candy, but the taste is definitely up-to-date and delicious as can be!

This English Toffee recipe is so easy to follow, and we  love  her idea of using a brownie bite pan to make it in. No more breaking toffee into tricky pieces, this way each little cube of toffee is perfect!

This crunchy toffee is amazing! Just the right touch of chocolate and nuts for a perfect old-timey treat.

 

 

Just when you thought Oreos couldn't get any better…learn how to dip them in chocolate and add just enough peppermint pieces to make them gorgeous and delicious!

Dark chocolate on the bottom, tasty vanilla on top and those adorable sprinkles on top! This Birthday Sprinkle Bark is a must-have for any part!

There is something extra great about  homemade peppermint patties. Maybe it's that you can eat so many of them before you feel the need to quit, but we love this recipe for adorable and  tasty peppermint patties!

These Stripped Pretzel bites are easy to make and look super pretty on a Christmas Cookie plate.  They only take a few seconds to make too!

Tasty, squishy marshmallow snowman on a sled of peppermints. These cute treats would be perfect on their own or make a fun addition to the front of your best gingerbread house.

Some things are just too cute for words! This chocolate dipped marshmallow mug is definitely topping our "adorable" lists, with it's adorable peppermint handle and the mini marshmallows on top. You will definitely be the talk of any Christmas party where you bring these!

Deliciously gummy these treats are made with applesauce and gelatin mix. With so many color, flavor and shape options, these homemade gumdrops would be fun treats for any time of year.

Grab  a pack of oreo  cookies, dip them in white chocolate and cover them with gorgeous sprinkles! Then put them on a stick for easy, mess-free eating!

Fudgy Oreo brownies.  SO tasty and your kids will love them!

 

 

Homemade marshmallows are THE BEST!  These are half-chocolate, half-vanilla.  Can't wait to put this into a mug of hot coco.

Stop throwing those orange peels away! This is an AMAZING recipe  to make Candied Peels. Wonderfully sweet and tangy!

Oreos and marshmallows dipped in chocolate are already  fantastic, but the way they put these together and make a Chocolate  hat just blew us away!

Start with a mini pretzel, add their  amazing  caramel sauce, a pecan half and then top it all off with some chocolate and you have Turtle Pretzels a new favorite Christmas treat!

They say that Christmas Crack  is addictive and it's no secret why! That chocolate, toffee with extra candies on top makes this a fun treat for Christmas!

This is such a quick and easy recipe! You don't have to spend all day to make yummy caramel sticks  from home! Don't worry, we won't tell your relatives that it was microwave-made! You still get full credit on making from-scratch candy!

Let's be real, this recipe had us as "chocolate covered" but these just take it to another level! They look like gorgeous truffles, but the inside are real cherries as well as a tasty cherry-flavored cream filling. Yummy!

Kisses, Pretzles and M&Ms – Oh my! This salty-sweet combination found in Rocky Road Fudge is always a crowd pleaser, and they are so easy to make! Even the smallest of kiddos can help stack the treats together to make this yummy and bite sized dessert.

Another version.  Rocky. Road. Fudge. Those three words really speak for themselves. The crunchy, the chewy, the CHOCOLATE. The only problem with this recipe is how quickly the goods seem to disappear after you make them!

 

 

Candy doesn't get much better than the recipes above!  If you are looking for more tasty options consider:
Crock pot Hot Chocolate

Peppermint Treats

Comfort Casseroles

The post Homemade Candy Treats appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog https://ift.tt/2Q68xUS

Elf On The Shelf Sized Coloring Sheets {And Kid Sized Coloring Sheets, Too!}

We love our Elf on the Shelf! Hi, I'm Amy from  Living Locurto  and super excited to be a guest here on Kids Activities Blog!

Each year, our super cool elf, Peter comes to surprise our kids with the cutest ideas. He is always very generous and lets me share his fun creations as printables.

I'm excited to share the latest Elf Coloring Sheets he brought back from the North Pole!

We found him one morning in the middle of a bunch of crayons, coloring sheets and a note. Apparently he had been coloring an elf sized coloring sheet all night!

He even left a note that said Santa would like my kids to color the elf so he could hang their art work in his office. How fun is that?

I hope you enjoy these cute Free Printable Elf Coloring Sheets for your kids too! Your kids will love this elf surprise and I'm sure Santa will love their elf art.

Download the Free Printables here:

• Kid Sized Elf Coloring Sheet from the North Pole
• Elf Sized Coloring Sheet and Note

For commercial use only. Not for resale. Design by © LivingLocurto.com

More Fun Elf on the Shelf Ideas

If you and your family enjoy humor, here are some great funny Elf on the Shelf ideas that will make even the biggest jokester smile.

Does your elf like to play basketball? Ours does. Here is an amazing free printable Elf on the Shelf basketball game for you and your elf to enjoy!

Are you and your family fitness gurus? If so, check out this awesome Elf on the Shelf workout!

Raise your hand if you love treasure hunts! If that's you…check out this fun Elf on the Shelf Treasure Hunt.

Elf on the Shelf Superhero anyone? We've got an Elf Superhero with lots of fun costumes!

For all you little bakers out there, here is a super fun way to let your elf bake with you! Print out this Elf on the Shelf baking set and get your elf in the kitchen today!

Does your elf like tic-tac-toe? We thought so! Grab this adorable elf-sized Elf on the Shelf Tic Tac Toe board and let the games begin!

Do you have a princess or prince who loves Elf on the Shelf? Grab this adorable Elf Castle Play Set.

Does your family like drinking cocoa? If so, our Elf Cocoa Recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Going to the beach anytime soon? Before you do, grab this adorable Elf Beach Gear.

Whether this is your first year doing Elf on the Shelf or your 14th, it's always a fun activity for your family to experience. Be sure to check out our extensive library of Elf on the Shelf ideas and start some fun new traditions with your family this holiday season!

The post Elf On The Shelf Sized Coloring Sheets {And Kid Sized Coloring Sheets, Too!} appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

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Elf On The Shelf Sized Coloring Sheets {And Kid Sized Coloring Sheets, Too!}

We love our Elf on the Shelf! Hi, I’m Amy from  Living Locurto  and super excited to be a guest here on Kids Activities Blog!

Each year, our super cool elf, Peter comes to surprise our kids with the cutest ideas. He is always very generous and lets me share his fun creations as printables.

I’m excited to share the latest Elf Coloring Sheets he brought back from the North Pole!

We found him one morning in the middle of a bunch of crayons, coloring sheets and a note. Apparently he had been coloring an elf sized coloring sheet all night!

He even left a note that said Santa would like my kids to color the elf so he could hang their art work in his office. How fun is that?

I hope you enjoy these cute Free Printable Elf Coloring Sheets for your kids too! Your kids will love this elf surprise and I’m sure Santa will love their elf art.

Download the Free Printables here:

• Kid Sized Elf Coloring Sheet from the North Pole
• Elf Sized Coloring Sheet and Note

For commercial use only. Not for resale. Design by © LivingLocurto.com

More Fun Elf on the Shelf Ideas

If you and your family enjoy humor, here are some great funny Elf on the Shelf ideas that will make even the biggest jokester smile.

Does your elf like to play basketball? Ours does. Here is an amazing free printable Elf on the Shelf basketball game for you and your elf to enjoy!

Are you and your family fitness gurus? If so, check out this awesome Elf on the Shelf workout!

Raise your hand if you love treasure hunts! If that’s you…check out this fun Elf on the Shelf Treasure Hunt.

Elf on the Shelf Superhero anyone? We’ve got an Elf Superhero with lots of fun costumes!

For all you little bakers out there, here is a super fun way to let your elf bake with you! Print out this Elf on the Shelf baking set and get your elf in the kitchen today!

Does your elf like tic-tac-toe? We thought so! Grab this adorable elf-sized Elf on the Shelf Tic Tac Toe board and let the games begin!

Do you have a princess or prince who loves Elf on the Shelf? Grab this adorable Elf Castle Play Set.

Does your family like drinking cocoa? If so, our Elf Cocoa Recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Going to the beach anytime soon? Before you do, grab this adorable Elf Beach Gear.

Whether this is your first year doing Elf on the Shelf or your 14th, it’s always a fun activity for your family to experience. Be sure to check out our extensive library of Elf on the Shelf ideas and start some fun new traditions with your family this holiday season!

The post Elf On The Shelf Sized Coloring Sheets {And Kid Sized Coloring Sheets, Too!} appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

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How To Be More Patient With Your Kids

You trip over a shoe in the middle of the hallway, you step on a matchbox car, and you see yet another shirt lying on the floor in their room. You try not to yell, because you are trying to be more patient with your kids.

Wait.

Didn't you already ask them to clean their room… twice? Yet it is still a mess? It can be easy to lose your temper with your kids when things like this happen. I get it. After all… I'm a mom, too.

 

 

Yelling, arguing, angry looks… all things that happen when we lose our patience. It isn't the way that I want my children to remember me, or the way that I want them to parent their own children one day.

Today we are talking about how to be more patient with our kids:

 

1. Treat your family like houseguests, and you will see them start to do the same for you. Would you yell at a houseguest for leaving their shoes out? Would you say, "HURRY UP!", if you were running late?   Try treating your kids like houseguests, just for this week. If you get a drink or snack, offer one to your family, etc. This will keep the peace, and everyone will be more likely to get along. Soon, they will do the same for you!

 

2. Get enough rest. Just like a child that is crabby at night, if you aren't getting enough sleep, you will               be crabby, too. Try getting 7 hours of sleep tonight, and see what a difference it makes. Maybe even               aim for 8 hours!

 

3. Don't argue with your children. If you are frustrated, they will become frustrated, which will lead to               an unhelpful argument. Be firm, but fair. Make a rule, and stick to it, and there will be no arguing                   necessary because it won't get them anywhere. Instead, try being empathetic towards them when                   they realize that they are not going to get what they want.

 

4. Be prepared. The root of my impatient behavior is always the same: I am unprepared. If I am                           unprepared when dinnertime rolls around, the kids will be cranky (because they are hungry) and I                 will end up losing my temper. If I am unprepared before bed, with lunches packed for the next  .                     school day, we will have a hectic morning, kids will be late to school, and I will end up losing my                     temper. Being prepared stops this.

 

5. Drink more water  and eat better. Yes, it is true. You are what you eat.  If you don't drink water,  you             aren't going to be as happy.  I have seen it in my friends and family.

 

6. Exercise.  Seriously.  Exercise releases endorphins.  Endorphins make you happier.

 

7. Take a break.  After you lose your temper or are upset, it can take a full half of an hour to calm back               down. Have your whole family  spend time reading or playing  in their bedrooms for 30 minutes                     until everyone feels better again (happier).

 

8. Remember that your kids are watching you.  Why is it that we are the more patient parent when we               are out, yet we forget to be this way when we are at home?   Our kids are watching us when we are                 home and they are the ones that will learn from us.   Let us remember to be the BEST example of                   patience when we are home.

9. Realize where the problem lies.  The other day I was upset with my husband for something (I can't                 even remember now), but at that same time, our 3 year old came over to me, in a very whiny voice,                 and said "I want oatmeal."   I snapped back at her "When you can talk to me like a big girl, I will help             you."  It wasn't what I said, but how I said it.  Her face said it all when her pouty lip came out and                   her sad eyes filled with tears.  I wanted to cry with her.  I wasn't upset with her, but she was the one               that had to deal  with my attitude.  (this point leads me to the next one)                                                                     

10. Apologize when you are wrong.   I immediately apologized to her.  "I'm sorry.  Mommy was wrong to             talk that way to you.  I was not upset with you and I shouldn't have done that.  I apologize.  Do you                 still want oatmeal?   If you do, please ask me in a big girl voice and I will help you."   She forgave me               and ate  her strawberry oatmeal happily.

 

11. Try talking in a whisper, instead of yelling.  It works wonders.

 

12. Try to see if your child is acting the way that YOU act.  When a problem arises, how does your child               handle it?   If he is acting like you, see it for what it is and fix it.  If you are not being the best you that             you can be, do better.

 

13. Compliment each other.  I learned this years ago and it works.  Give out compliments.   It may be                   hard at first, but everyone will be happier.  Give them to your kids and your spouse.  Have your                       family give them to each other.  Try it at dinner first – everyone gives out two to each family member.             It makes a huge difference in everyone's attitudes.

 

14. Give yourself grace and time to change.  If you have been someone that loses their patience easily,                 give yourself time to break from this habit.   Forgive yourself for whatever it is that you did that day               (lost your temper, yelled, grounded the kids for a few minutes too long) and do better tomorrow.We               can't all be perfect all of the time.  We will lose our patience at some point, but we can work on doing             better.  

 

 

When we know better, we do better.

 

Remind yourself to calm down when you start to lose your patience and open your eyes to look at  the beautiful children in front of you, watching your every move.   Be the best example of a kind, patient person that you can be. In the meantime, stop over to our Facebook page for more parenting tips!

 

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