Many people celebrate Halloween each year. It's a fun time for kids. But many choose to ignore the holiday because it conflicts with their religious beliefs. For the sake of the kids, there should be a balance between personal convictions and depriving children of a special night of fun. Halloween Alternatives for Families Remember what it was like to be a kid? Childhood is so short. If trick or treating conflicts with personal or religious beliefs, start a new tradition to make October 31st

At almost 33 weeks pregnant,her water broke.This couldn't be happening now.Over the course of the next week, this mother would prepare to deliver a preemie.  The water broke at 32 weeks and 6 days gestation. A quick trip to the hospital confirmed there would be no going home until delivery, not to mention, currently the baby was breech and this delivery could be by c-section. Plans were implemented immediately to begin 48 hrs of steroids to quickly help mature the baby's lungs and 72 hr

For both the Jewish Nation and Hebrews and Israelites around the world,spring means more than budding trees and tulips. It's time to celebrate the  Passover  (Pesach) . The eight-day celebration of Passover is a time to remember when God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt. Jewish families gather together to pray, read scriptures and enjoy wonderful  Passover recipes  passed down throughout the years from generation to generation. Matzo Ball Soup Matzah or Matzo is the Hebrew word for

For a professional online writer, I suppose $3 here and $5 there, doesn't really seem like much of a paycheck, especially if that person is depending solely on their writing efforts to pay all the bills. However, for this stay-at-home, home-school mom of 4 children ( soon to be 5), the thrill of a $5 bonus here and a $3 bonus there and a monthly check of $200 or so, well, it just makes me smile. Why? I smile because I'm accomplishing something. I'm helping others by submitting inform

In these hard financial times, many are finding ways to save money by using coupons.Some extreme couponers are saving as much as 90% on everything they buy. This week, the new show,  Extreme Couponing , premiered on TLC. It shows on Wednesday nights. Basically, it profiles four smart consumers who have learned to clip coupons. shop the ads and make the most of every dollar. The first episode was amazing to watch. Several of the consumers bought $500-$600 worth of groceries and products but walk

Once a year, anyone can be Irish.  St. Patrick's Day , on March 17, is celebrated in many different ways across the nation. Many large cities,  Chicago , Boston,  New York , St. Louis and Dallas, to name a few, celebrate with a parade. Many take it as a day to wear green and drink green beer. Others go to church and celebrate the real meaning behind St. Patrick's Day. Patrick was a man who was brought to Ireland against his will as a child and returned when he was an adult, as a pries

Celebrate the " luck of the Irish," with this year with a few new takes on the traditional corned beef recipes. Brine the brisket and put on the green apron. Pour a glass of ale and enjoy the day. St. Patrick's Day Once a year, anyone can be Irish.  St. Patrick's Day , on March 17, is celebrated in many different ways across the nation. Many large cities, Chicago, Boston, New York, St. Louis and Dallas, to name a few, celebrate with a parade. Many take it as a day to wear gree

Comfort Food Recipes - Chicken Soup & Dumplings or Alfredo Bowtie Comfort food never tasted so good. Combine cream of chicken soup with Grandma's Chicken & Dumplings. This is an easy recipe with inexpensive ingredients. Nothing says comfort like down home southern food. When one thinks of southern food, visions of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, meatloaf and chicken and dumplings come to mind. It's food that warms the body and the soul. Cream of Chicken & Dumpling Ball So

It's amazing. So much money is spent on Valentine's Day.There are cheaper ways to say, "I love you."Learn creative ways to celebrate Feb 14th for less. Each year, the business of Valentine's Day profits with the somewhat obligatory buying of candy, roses, trinkets, etc. It's amazing to watch as year after year, people think they have to spend large amounts of money to tell their significant other or partner that they are loved. It's also amazing how some go out of t

Whether preparing for a Super Bowl party or a college tailgate, have fun with easy recipes and festive themes. Throw meatballs and score with a pot of chili The weather has turned cold and football fever has begun. With a little prep time and warm up exercises in the kitchen, everyone can enjoy good food, festive themes and the big game in a big way. Keep the food simple but tasteful with easy recipes that can be made ahead of time, frozen till needed and ready to heat and eat in minutes. Have A

When the weather turns cold, warm the body with a steaming hot bowl of taco soup. Serve with crisp taquitos and lots of chips, salsa and guacamole. Ole! It's winter time. The weatherman is predicting an inch or more of snow and the temperature is dropping rapidly. Heat things up with a Mexican Fiesta in the kitchen. It doesn't have to be expensive. Make a big pot of cheap and easy taco soup. Roll and bake several dozen beef and cheese taquitos and serve with lots of salsa, chips and guac

Chinese New Year is this Thursday. Enjoy a simple meal at home with easy recipes. Enjoy chow mein soup, tempura chicken, egg rolls and fortune cookies. Chinese New Year is the most important of all the traditional Chinese holidays. People in China and Taiwan may also refer to it as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival. Chinese months are calculated around a lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and co

Tired of serving the same thing week after week? Hate leftovers? Consider a rotating quarterly family menu plan. Serve the same dish only 3 times a year. For today's busy mom, balancing work and home management can be a chore, especially when it comes to menu planning. It would be very easy to just serve the same seven recipes week after week and make enough of each dish to allow a few nights of leftovers. However, after a while, the family can get tired of the same meals week after week.Con

Explore menu ideas an easy recipes for feeding a large family on a budget. Enjoy healthy well balanced meals without paying a fortune. According to government census records and FDA  average food costs  polls, the average to  feed a family of four  costs between $120 and $272 a week on food. That averages out to $30-$70 a person depending on the sizes and the ages of the individual in the household. The following are some menu ideas to feed a family of six for about $100 a week. That average

The price of fast food, pizza delivery and Chinese take-out is rising. Try out cheap ideas and easy recipes for creating restaurant style meals at home. Most everyone enjoys eating at a restaurant, getting take-out or having pizza delivered. However, as the cost of dining out increases, many families are choosing to cut back on this luxury. Enjoy low cost restaurant style meals every night of the week with a few simple tips and easy recipes. Weekly Family Menu Plan Utilize a weekly family menu p

The average cost of dining out is about $10 a plate. Learn frugal tips and easy recipes to do Chinese food at home. Eggroll and fortune cookie included. Ever wonder how the local favorite Chinese restaurant cooks up that light and crispy golden battered chicken, shrimp and pork? It's really not that difficult. Don't pay the rising prices of delivery or Take-Out. Enjoy family favorites right from home. Learn tips and recipes to keep the family budget in tact. Tempura Batter This is the ke

Childhood obesity is on the rise. Teach kids alternative ways to make some of their favorite fast food picks. Help them learn how to make healthy choices Health related problems that were once mostly an adult problem are becoming more prevalent in children and youth. Obesity in general has become world-wide epidemic. The cases of childhood obesity and juvenile onset diabetes, diagnosed each year, are staggering. As summer approaches, take time to plan out family fun ways to teach the kids to eat

As humans, we all tend to lose our temper from time to time. When we were children, we didn't always have the problem solving solving skills to address our feelings of unfairness. This why children tend to cry out or throw tantrums. They don't know how to handle what they are feeling. As we mature, we acquire more of those problem solving skills and proper social etiquette. However, there are still those times when we can become so overwhelmed by our emotions and our feeling that we migh

Make the monthly budget stretch farther by shopping the weekly grocery sale ads. Clip, print and use coupons that match the ads to maximize weekly savings. For most of the nation, weekly grocery ads are released every Wednesday and sales run through the following Tuesdays. These circulars can be found in the grocery store, the local paper and online. Learning how to shop the weekly ads and combine the sales with coupons available will help to maximize savings each week Learning to Shop The Weekl

Read John 1:3   We hear almost every day. "Boy, aren't you lucky," or  "Well, that was luck." Is it luck or is it God? As Christians, we should be looking toward God for all our daily needs. Don't buy into the daily horoscopes or the fortune tellers and palm readers. Always, always go to God with your questions. He above all knows you better than you know yourself and only He knows the plans He has for you. "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the

Read:  Philippians 4:19 Do you remember the old traditional hymn,  Great Is Thy Faithfulness ? It is my husband's favorite song.  In praise of God,  Great is Thy Faithfulness , a hymn written by Thomas O. Chisholm (1866-1960), is a worship song that uplifts through trials and tough times. It was a result of a writer's daily experiences and realization of God's faithfulness.  The tune is composed by William M. Runyan (1870-1957), with Scripture reference from the  Lamentations 3

In America,Chili is almost as popular as pizza. Which chili is best? Both Texas and Cincinnati claim the honor. Go ahead and make both. Enjoy the taste test There's a war between the states going on, but it's not another civil war. It's a chili war. For most, the original chili recipe comes from Texas, but up north, Cincinnati, Ohio has developed a craving for their own version of the cold weather treat. Texas Chili Texans pride themselves in their hot and spicy chili. Texas chili is

In January, America honors Dr.Martin Luther King,Jr. Celebrate black history month in February, pay tribute to great African Americans who decided to change their world. or some,  Martin Luther King,Jr. Day  is just a free day off from school. He was a good man. He fought for equality of all men, but he's just another man in the history books. However, for people all over the USA, Martin Luther King Day is celebration of freedom and civil rights.  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  was one of t

Save money on groceries by planning a weekly family menu. Shop local grocery ads and plan meals around what's on sale. Plan ahead. Shop Smart. Eat well. There are many ways to save money on food for the family. Some suggest cooking everything from scratch and avoid going out to eat. Others feel victorious by completely a vigorous round of Once a Month Cooking. Both can get boring. Why not enjoy the best of both worlds? Plan ahead, shop smart and enjoy a weekly family meal plan that is cheap,

Save money on groceries by planning a monthly family menus. Prepare three and rotate them out quarterly. Plan ahead. Shop Smart. Eat well. here are many ways to save money on food for the family. Some families shop weekly grocery sale ads and plan meals for the week based on what's on sale during that week. A few families save by cooking from scratch and avoiding going out to eat. Others feel victorious by completely a vigorous round of  Once a Month Cooking .Wouldn't it just be easier

Childhood obesity is on the rise. Teach kids alternative ways to make some of their favorite fast food picks. Help them learn how to make healthy choices. Health related problems that were once mostly an adult problem are becoming more prevalent in children and youth. Obesity in general has become world-wide epidemic. The cases of childhood obesity and juvenile onset diabetes, diagnosed each year, are staggering. As summer approaches, take time to plan out family fun ways to teach the kids to ea

Obesity is becoming a world-wide epidemic. Each year, millions are diagnosed with food allergies, diabetes, high-blood pressure, high-cholesterol, heart disease and cancer. Many believe that the food the general public is consuming is making them sick. Efforts are being made to encourage healthier choices like fresh fruits and vegetables over packaged and processed foods. Food experts and nutritionists believe that such lifestyle choices will combat and possibly treat some of these health issues