I have a secret. Guess where I’m going today??
Colin and I are headed to Disney World today! I’ve always always wanted to see Disney at Christmas!! We’ll be there all week for the New Fantasyland grand opening! The New Fantasyland is the largest expansion in the history of Magic Kingdom park, offering more immersive enchantment and interactive experiences in the Enchanted Forest and Storybook Circus!!
We’ll be sending tons of pictures and giving you all the scoop! Stay tuned!!
We just love Longwood Gardens! Its one of our favorite places in Philly. We’ve gone here on dates for lots of romantic strolling among flowers and we’ve brought the kids for some fun in the gardens. Its a quick drive from the Main Line out to Kennett Square. We’ve gone in summer, of course, and to see the famous Spring Blooms where you can walk through an ocean of tulips (so so amazing) but somehow, we’ve lived here over 10 years and have never actually been there at Christmas!! Wow – have we been missing out!
I wandered around a winter wonderland, with over half a million twinkle lights, thousands of poinsettias, and so many Christmas trees I lost count. It was gorgeous and magical!
I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite part. We have so many favorite parts of Longwood already. The Conservatory was breathtaking. Can you even imagine the elegant parties the duPont’s threw here?
I highly recommend Longwood at Christmas! Its perfect for a family holiday tradition – and makes a romantic date night as well!
A few tips and tricks for enjoying a Longwood Christmas:
1. Timed Tickets Required: Timed tickets sell out quickly, so purchase early and online at tickets.longwoodgardens.org to make sure you can get in when you arrive. Once you’re in, you can stay as long as you want.
2. Dress Warm: The Conservatory is lovely, but the grounds are impressive as well! Make sure you can enjoy them comfortably!
3. Save on Non-Peak Days. Purchasing a timed ticket during a Non-Peak day means fewer crowds and you save! Non-Peak days are Mondays through Fridays (except December 26–31) Click here for pricing.
4. Become a Member: Members only on Mondays! So to really avoid the crowds, join Longwood and enjoy a smaller, members-only crowd on Monday evenings.
5. Make a Reservation: The fine dining restaurant, 1906 is divine! BE sure to make a reservation the same day you purchase your timed admission ticket in order to enjoy – this place is especially popular during the holidays. You can also enjoy a more casual Café service which is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
6. Make a Day of it in Kennett Square! Before heading over to Longwood, head into the adorable historic Kennett Square! I was just there the other evening and I could have spent hours pouring through the lovely shops and boutiques! I saw fashionable boutiques, like Frolic and Green Eyes Lady, great gift shops, like Greenable and BedBuggzz… lots of gorgeous sparkley things at Bove Jewelers and yummy treats at Sweet Christines and Opa Yo Greek Frozen Yogurt… and La Verona was delicious! I’ll definitely be back to wander around and explore Kennet Square more!
disclosure: I attended a blogger event at Longwood and Kennett Square and received samples and complimentary admission to Longwood. As always, all opinions are my own.
This year we did a little something different…
We experienced a New York Thanksgiving. Instead of getting up early to cook the turkey, we got up early to watch a parade.
Instead of watching a movie, we saw a show.
Instead of shopping on Black Friday, we took a little boat ride.
So much to share! Stay tuned…
**The winner has been notified and confirmed! Congrats, Paola! Enjoy the show!**
Don’t you just love Carrie Underwood? How can you not? She is so adorable! We just love her and were SO thrilled to hear that she is including Philly in her Blown Away Tour this year.
Wanna go to the show with us?
Super excited to giveaway four tickets to Carrie Underwood’s Blown Away Tour at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA on November 28, 2012 thanks to the Wells Fargo Center! T0 enter, leave the name of your favorite Carrie Underwood song in the comments!
Additional entries:
(please leave an additional comment for each entry completed)
2. Follow Melissa on Twitter and tweet:
I entered to win 4 tickets to the Carrie Underwood concert in #Philly on 11/18 from @MelissaAngert #giveaway http://girlymama.com/?p=5563
3. Like Girlymama on Facebook.
One winner will be selected at random using the WordPress plug-in And The Winner Is… and will be notified by email. For other contest rules, see my giveaway policies page. NOTE: Due to the timing of this giveaway and the actual concert, I’ll notify a winner on Monday November 26th and will need to receive confirmation they can attend that day. If I do not hear from winner within 12 hours, I will be drawing a new name.
Disclosure: We were provided with these tickets to facilitate a giveaway, as well as tickets for us to experience the concert. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Wells Fargo Center.
1. A little bling from Stella and Dot
Who wouldn’t want to don this gorgeous Olivia Bib Necklace at this year’s New Years Party? Classy and a fab splash of color.
2. Classic luxurious coat
Coats make great gifts, as the sizing isn’t as tricky as something like a dress. This one is on trend, gorgeous and a terrific price. No one would guess this was from Target!
I’m not sure I know any girl who would pass this up! For the best deals on handbags, head to Gilt. This Kate Spade GORGEOUS little beauty was originally $398 – but on Gilt its only $198! Those are the kind of deals you’ll find. (You can score killer deals on watches as well!)
4. Magazine Subscription
What better way to keep her updated on all the up-to-date fashion news than a subscription to Instyle Magazine? It’s literally the gift that keeps on giving.
Friends, it doesn’t get any cozier than cashmere. This particular color is called “Vintage Kelly.” And it has POCKETS. Why do I love that so much?
6. Make-up
Having the Ultimate Beauty Kit from Pixi Beauty is the equivalent to a stocked toolbox. Any girl who gets this will be set for the year.
Don’t let curls go crazy this Winter. A quality flat iron will tame the most wildest of manes.
8. Sunglasses
The right set of shades can dress you up even on a “bumming it” kind of day. Also? When you wear sunglasses like these Michael Kors, you can pretend you are a movie star. We won’t tell anyone.
9. Perfume
There is nothing better than showing up at a party, and everyone exclaiming, “You smell SO good! WHAT are you wearing?” This eau de Taylor Swift is particularly sweet.
10. Wrist Candy
Sure, it helps you know what time it is. But it’s just so sparkly…
Gracie just made her Christmas list. She had a whole page dedicated to this:
“To see the Rockettes. Its always been my dream to see the Rockettes.”
Well, guess where we’re going today??? SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Be sure to follow me on Twitter – I’m SURE I’ll be tweeting and Instagraming up a storm!!
For more than 60 years Hickory Farms gifts have been a classic holiday tradition that brings family and friends together. I know in our house, there is almost always a Hickory Farms item or two as part of the celebration. Hickory Farm sis so well known for products that not only present beautifully, but also taste delicious. In fact, when my cousin was deployed with the Marines, he specifically requested that we send him Hickory Farms products for Christmas!
Hickory Farms’ gifts provide a wide selection of signature sausages and savory cheeses in beautifully packaged boxes and baskets. Most of us can remember receiving Hickory Farms at some point in our lives, and the fun of carefully opening and incorporating the delicious items into our holiday traditions. Whether that means serving the high quality foods to guests or enjoying them with your family, Hickory Farms believes that traditions matter, making these products a long-standing classic gift. These are my go-to gift for those difficult people in my life to buy for, since I know yummy food is always appreciated!
I recently received this adorable Pack & Go Picnic Tote ($60) to review and it was a HUGE hit with the family! We brought it with us to a hotel (along with a nice bottle of wine) and had a wonderful appetizer before heading out on the town!
This set includes: Hickory Farms’ savory beef and turkey sausages pair perfectly with their Farmhouse Cheddar Cheese and crackers. Top it all off with the sweet indulgences of peppermint cookies and peanut brittle and you’ll have a picnic they won’t soon forget.
It was so yummy! The adults loved the crackers with cheese and sausages (actually, the kids did too!) and, sadly, I can’t say that I got to try one of those yummy looking peppermint cookies. Certain children, who shall remain nameless, devoured them before I had the chance! Word is they were excellent! This would make such as lovely gift, as the extra-large insulated tote is something I can use for years to come, long after the food is eaten.
Do you want to give this gift basket a try?
I’m giving away a Hickory Farms Pack and Go Picnic Tote to one lucky winner. To enter, simply tell me who you would gift this to for the holidays! (Yes, gifting it to yourself is a totally valid answer!)
Additional entries:
(please leave an additional comment for each entry completed)
2. Follow Melissa on Twitter and tweet:
I entered to win a @HickoryFarms Pack and Go Picnic Tote from @MelissaAngert #giveaway http://girlymama.com/?p=5554
One winner will be selected at random using the WordPress plug-in And The Winner Is… and will be notified by email. Please have a U.S. Mailing address. For other contest rules, see my giveaway policies page.
Disclosure: Compensation and products for review were provided by Hickory Farms via MomTrends. I received a free sample of the product for the purpose of this review and to facilitate a giveaway. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Hickory Farms.
This weekend I cooked the biggest turkey EVER. It barely fit in my oven! I was so nervous. Thank goodness I found these myths to guide me from the Ad Council, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, FDA and CDC, as part of their Food Safe Families campaign to ensure that your Thanksgiving meal is both enjoyable and prepared safely.
(Photo by Elise Bauer of SimplyRecipes.com)
Turkey Myths
1. Myth: Stuffing turkey the night before is a good time saver
Fact: Harmful bacteria can multiply in the stuffing and cause food poisoning when a stuffed bird is refrigerated. The ingredients for the stuffing, wet and dry, can be prepared and refrigerated separately the night before. Then mix the stuffing ingredients together and stuff the bird just before you put the turkey into the oven. For safety, check the internal temperature of the turkey in the innermost part of the thigh and wing, the thickest part of the breast and the stuffing. All should be 165 °F.
2. Myth: If one turkey takes 3 hours to cook, two will take 6 hours.
Fact: Cooking two turkeys of approximately the same weight, at the same time in a conventional oven does not double the roasting time. In fact, cooking two takes no longer than if there were only one bird in the oven. Just make sure there is sufficient space in the oven for two turkeys so the heat can circulate properly and check each one separately with a food thermometer to make sure they are safely cooked. A whole turkey is safe when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer. The temperature should be checked in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
3. Myth: Thawing on the counter is quick and easy.
Fact: Thawing on the counter may be faster than thawing in the refrigerator, but it’s unsafe for turkey or any meat or poultry product. There are three safe ways to thaw a turkey— in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave oven. It will take 24 hours for every 5 pounds of weight to thaw in the refrigerator. To thaw in cold water, submerge the bird in its original wrapper in cold water changing the water every 30 minutes. It will take about 30 minutes per pound to thaw this way. Microwave thawing is the third safe option. Make sure the oven is large enough for the bird and follow the microwave instruction manual. Cook the bird immediately if thawed in a microwave or in cold water.
When there is not enough time to thaw frozen foods, or you’re simply in a hurry, it is safe to cook a turkey from the frozen state. The cooking will take approximately 50% longer than the recommended time for fully thawed or fresh turkey. Make sure that the turkey reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer in three places: in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
4. Myth: Smoked turkey lasts longer.
Fact: Turkeys are smoked for flavor, not to extend the time you can keep them refrigerated. Store a commercially smoked turkey in the refrigerator, unopened, no longer than a week. Once the package is opened, use or freeze the bird within 3 to 4 days.
5. Myth: A turkey is done when it is golden brown and the juices run clear.
Fact: Color is not a reliable indicator of doneness or safety. A whole turkey is safely cooked when it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer. The temperature should be checked in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
I thought my turkey was done because the little thingy popped up. NOPE! I cut it oen and the inside was raw! You NEED to have a food thermometer, folks!!
Good luck with your turkeys this year!
Colin hit his sister in the face with a football. So he was sent to his room for time out while I dealt with his crying sister.
Standing outside his room, I heard his talking and sobbing:
“Help me. Please help me. I hit my sister with a football and I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. Please help me.”
I went in to the room and asked, “Colin, who are you talking to?”
“God.”
“You were praying?”
“I was so sad about how I do bad things. I do so many bad things, Mom. I have so much sin. I need God to help me.”
They’re listening. They really are listening.
I hope that encourages you, Moms. I hope it inspires you to keep teaching these little ones the truth!