Christmas just wouldn't be the same without the ageless holiday specials. I'm not too ashamed to say that I've always loved watching them, when I was a kid, in college, and even before Little P was born. Now I don't need an excuse to watch them! Little P and I can enjoy them together shamelessly.

Here is the ABC Family 25 Days of Christmas guide online so you can check it weekly and pre-program the shows you want to record for viewing later!

Now it's time for everyone to share their favorite holiday movies! Here's our list to get you started:

1. Christmas Vacation

2. Miracle on 34st Street

3. A Charlie Brown Christmas

4. The Year Without a Santa Claus

5. Santa Clause 1

6. Santa Clause 2

7. Dr. Seuss - How the Grinch Stole Christmas

8. elf

9. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

10. A Muppet Christmas Carol

11. Home Alone

12. Jingle All the Way

13. The Polar Express
    

I was looking for some creative things that the parents in my art class could do with thier children's art work and I found this site today. If I can encourage LittleP to draw an angel for his grandmother I may get her a pin from this site -- I know she would cherish it more than any other angel pin she has because it was created by him!

Each pendant or pin is a one-of-a-kind item created from a drawing by your child. The best part (IMO) is that they return the original artwork untouched! Anything that helps makes my child proud of the work he's done and helps him learn that making gifts for people (rather than buying them) is a good thing works for me!

Remember to check out Rocks In My Dryer for more Works For Me Wednesday tips.

Visit KiDoodles here.

QMy son plays way too many video games. He throws a complete tantrum when he can't have them, and complains all the time that he's bored. What can I do to help him break out of this bad habit?

That is such a hard habit to break - believe me I am working on it right now with my youngest and with the help of my good friend Diva - we are getting there. She told me of a point system that she uses with Little P. We came up with ways to earn points and ways to have to earn more points to play gameboy. My youngest must earn his age in points in order to play - and he could probably earn up to 3 in one day - i have a chart in the kitchen cabinet and he can check his progress. It sounds easy but it does take work - he seems to be doing much better with video games. The other thing we do (courtesy of the Diva) is spin the wheel of non boredom - its a wheel that she made up that has different things they can do that are not screentime related - read a book - listen to music - play cars - do a craft - so if i hear the words....I'm bored
i just tell them to spin the wheel- and that usually works pretty good. Besides they love it b/c it was the Diva that came up with it and she is totally cool!!!

I'm turning multiple shades of red at the moment. We have always tried to balance behavior on the principals of expectations and consequences. When Little P behaves appropriately he earns rewards that he enjoys. When he misbehaves ... he learns it will take longer to earn the rewards. It's working for us and for him!

QI can never find clothes that look good on me. How can I go from drab to fab?

To look sharp these days it doesn't take a lot of change. Mixing in some new tops and pants with what you have can update your closet fast. Have a friend come over in the morning and look at what you alread have (and like!) and then go shopping. Pick out colors for your shirts that look current and compliment your skin tone. Then you can spend the afternoon at home mixing and matching outfits from your closet - you will be surprised at what you can make with a few new pieces!

There are several websites out there that can help you find clothes that fit on your body type. Lands End is one site that allows you to pick virtual models and try clothes on them. Another has you answer a bunch of questions about your body type etc and picks out several pairs of perfect jeans. If that doesn't work - take a fashionista friend with you shopping!!!

QIt's less than 24-hours away ... the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.


Everyone has their favorite parts ... what's yours? The floats? The bands? The performers? The balloons? Or do you wait until the end to the see Santa arrive?

I like the giant balloons the best - and getting to lounge in front of the TV without feeling too guilty over it!

Here's a fun Turkey Day game I found on another site - share your answers with us!

T ~ Turkey, who in the family is cooking the meal this year?

H ~ How many people do you plan to celebrate with?

A ~ Appetizers, what is your favorite?

N ~ Nuts: Do you usually have a bowl of nuts out for the holidays?

K ~ Kids, will their be a kid's table?

S ~ Sauce, do you like your cranberry sauce with or without whole cranberries in it?

G ~ Garnish, do you make a pretty plate or do you just "pile it on"?

I ~ Itinerary, do you have to travel this year for the holiday?

V ~ Very thankful, what are you most thankful for this year?

I ~ Inlaws, are you spending it with them?

N ~ Nice, what relative do you have to be nice to this holiday that you wouldn't even have as a friend if able?

G ~ Game, will you have turkey or another type of bird or something else as your main Thanksgiving meal?

Here are my answers:

T ~ We're going out for dinner! less mess to clean up after!

H ~ Memere, Pepere, and our immediate family - 5 in all

A ~ I always love cheese and crackers - brie is my favorite

N ~ P Daddy is on Atkins so we can have nuts!

K ~ Little P is the only child so he eats with us

S ~ Ewww - cranberry sauce

G ~ I'd prefer a pretty plate a pretty plate of garnishes for guests to choose from

I ~ We are just traveling for dinner and then back home

V ~ These days I am thankful for the everyday things - the special smiles from my son and the love from family

I ~ No Inlaws

N ~ I've already answered this question (ha ha)

G ~ I will most likely eat fish, P Daddy will eat turkey and Little P will eat fish also.

If you haven't seen this movie yet it's worth watching. It helps me remember to value all the things that make my son unique and special.

Here is a list of things we came up with that the pilgrims probably didn't have at their first feast:

1. Fish
2. McNuggets
3. Juice Boxes
4. Margarine or butter substitutes
5. Cappuccinos / Lattes
6. Cosmopolitans or other mixed drinks
7. Sugar substitutes
8. Pasteurized Milk Products
9. Pressurized whipped cream
10. Sweet desserts - just pumpkin pie for them!
11. Paper ware (plates, napkins - you name it)
12. Dishwashers
13. After dinner mints

A couple of weeks ago I actually had time to flip through the channels and landed on a local cable news show and they were doing a story on a place where you could go and pre make your meals for the month. This got my curiosity up so I started a search on the web. I found a couple of places near me that I can go and prepare meals.

The concept is simple - they have a menu of meals for the month - you decide how many you want to make - they provide all the ingredients - all ready for you to prepare meals - they also provide the containers for you. You just need to bring yourself , a couple of hours of time and a cooler to bring all the dinners home. Most diners take 1/2 hour to cook at home. One place said that you could make a meal for less than $2.50 a serving - heck that's cheaper than a Happy Meal and more nutritious. For all you busy moms - this is working for me and it can work for you!!!

Here are some websites to check out to see if there is one in your area:

• www.dreamdinners.com
• www.mgfk.com
• www.mysecretchef.com
• www.dinnerdivas.biz
• www.classycuisine.com

Remember to check out Rocks In My Dryer for more Works For Me Wednesday tips.

Looking for books to read to your kids about the upcoming holiday? Here are some of our favorites:

Thank You, Thanksgiving

Author: David Milgrim

In this exuberant Thanksgiving story, a little girl goes on a last-minute errand for her mother. Along the way, she thanks all the familiar things she loves- her warm boots, the song of the birds, the pretty clouds in the November sky. And when she gets home from her errand, her family thanks her for what she has brought. David Milgrim's spare, repetitive text and colorful, contemporary illustrations are perfect for beginning readers, and leave no doubt about how much there is in the world to be thankful for!

Available from Barnes and Noble

Thanksgiving Day

Author: Anne F. Rockwell, A. Rockwell, Lizzy Rockwell (Illustrator)

It's time for Mrs. Madoff's class to put on the Thanksgiving play. Charlie is the ship called the Mayflower, Sarah is a Pilgrim, and Eveline is Chief Massasoit. Everyone has a role to play and a reason to be thankful for the special things that made the first feast possible. The story of the first Thanksgiving is one we'll never forget - especially when we have friends and family to celebrate it with year after year.

Available from Barnes and Noble

Thanksgiving Mice!

Author: Bethany Roberts

It's Thanksgiving and four adorable mice are putting on a play for their woodland friends in this delightful read-aloud, the fourth book about the holiday mice. Lively verse introduces beginning readers to basic words and rhyming sounds and tells the story of the very first Thanksgiving, when the Pilgrim mice traveled across the sea and settled in America. The simple story-within-a-story format, accompanied by colorful, action-filled illustrations of mice in costume, also serves as a basic introduction to theater.

Available from Barnes and Noble

QMy 3-year old says she doesn't want to go to school in the morning, and she makes quite a fuss about it. Her pre-school teacher says she's fine once she is there and I leave. I'm torn about whether I should send her. What should I do?

I would keep sending her - if you don't you are sending her a message that it is ok to make a fuss and not go to school. Trust me - you don't want this fight when she gets into first or second grade - when she really has to go to school. I have a 2nd grader who goes through this every once in a while - it's tough - but you have to do it.

You did the right thing by talking to her teacher. They can see what her behavior is like once she is in class etc. If they reassure you that she is transitioning well, continue to send her. She may be missing some of the time she had together with you so try to plan something special for the days when she's not in in school about it.

This is the How Many ??? game, and this is how we play:

The person before you has asked How Many ??? You'll answer their question in the comments as well as ask the next person a How Many ??? question. The next person answers their question, and asks another, etc.....

Easy enough, right?

It's been a rainy week. How many umbrellas do you own? What color are they?

adapted from the Question of the Day blog

4 umbrellas well actually 6:

• 1 spiderman
  
  
• 1 with dinosaurs
  
  
• 1 black small one
  
  
• 1 red small one
  
  
• 1 large golf umbrella - red/white stripe
  
  
• 1 extra large golf umbrella - black

This week we celebrate Veteran's Day, or Armistice Day, in the United States. Originally held in 1947, this day serves as an opportunity for us to remember and thank the members of our veterans for all that they have done for us and for our country.

A Veteran is someone is who has served, but is no longer in the Armed Forces of our country. Here is a list of veterans we would like to thank:

1. My father (Diva P)
2. My grandfather (Diva P)
3. My father-in-law (Diva P)
4. Three of my uncles (Diva P)
5. My grandfather (Belle)
6. My uncles (Belle)
7. My cousin - 2 tours in Iraq (Belle)
8. Elvis Presley
9. Dr. Seuss
10. Bill Cosby
11. Roald Dahl (author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)

Do you know a veteran that you'd like to remember this week? Let us know!

Post election day we're letting the kids vote count - for pizza! Let them chime in on what flavor they like:

Remember to check out Rocks In My Dryer for more Works For Me Wednesday tips.

QMy daughter's friend is badly behaved. She doesn't share or use nice manners. When they play together I'm worried my daughter will pick up on some of these behaviors and start imitating them. What should I do?

I would not let her hang around her as much but also remind your daughter that these behaviors are not appropriate and ask your daughter to tell you what is appropriate behavior.

Definitely keep the time the girls spend together to a minimum. When they are together, I would try to spend it at your house. That way you can use the "excuse" that you are going to follow "your rules." When she does something you don't like -- gently remind her "At this house we don't do that - we do this instead." It will be a nice reminder for your own daughter of what appropriate behavior is, and maybe it will be a wake up call to her own Mom that she should be doing the same thing!

QHow do you find time for yourself as a Mom?

I try to use my lunch time to get out of the office and enjoy some me time. I also try to sneak in time after the kids go to bed. Being a single parent it's hard - but I do the best I can.

I get in "my time" when I'm not at work and Little P's at school, and after he's in bed. P Daddy has recognized my need to recharge my battery so he'll great helping me out with it too!

This is the How Many ??? game, and this is how we play:

The person before you has asked How Many ??? You'll answer their question in the comments as well as ask the next person a How Many ??? question. The next person answers their question, and asks another, etc.....

Easy enough, right?

How many pumpkins did you carve for Halloween this year? What shapes/patterns did you make?

adapted from the Question of the Day blog

We carved two pumpkins here at home and then the kids carved one at school for the towns Pumpkinfest.



Little P wanted a ghost on the pumpkin this year. We only carved one because it was pretty big!

With a week to go before US voters head to the polls to cast votes for congressional elections, what's on people's minds as they decide who they are going to vote for? Here are some topics we came up with for the current election (we didn't come up with exactly 13 - but we came close!).

If you're in the US, what's what's an important issue for you this election? Let us know!

1. position on Abortion issue
   
2. Tabor (taxpayer bill of rights ) issue
   
3. employment
   
4. education
   
5. war in Iraq
   
6. US border issues - immigration
   
7. terrorism / US security
   
8. the economy
   
9. gay marriage
   
10. the environment
    
11. military base closings (if it affects your state)
    

I found a fun new site last week for kids and crafts called http://wondertime.go.com/ for children age 0 - 6 years. It's filled with great articles for parents, and fun crafts you can do with your kids.

I like the crafts because they are easy and fun enough to keep my Little P old busy while I'm making dinner. That works for me!

Remember to check out Rocks In My Dryer for more Works For Me Wednesday tips.