I know what you're thinking, "Sarah, it's barely November and you're talkin' to us about Christmas already? Put your holiday spirit on hold until after Thanksgiving, please." Bear with me, though - because I've got a pretty awesome Christmas activity that requires a bit of pre-planning. You'll be grateful I gave you a head start here, I promise. If you read my post in the Relationships section, you'll know every year in the days leading up to Christmas my husband gifts me with The Twelve Days of Christmas. This means that each day he gives me a gift - nothing too pricey! - in the countdown towards Christmas. This year, I'm going to gift someone with the Twelve Days of Christmas. And my kids are going to help. Things you need to know: If you would like the last day to fall on … [Read more...]
Unique Wedding Centerpieces
A wedding centerpiece used to be thought of as a floral arrangement - perhaps some roses with some baby's breath tucked in. [imagebrowser id=16] Almost every wedding had virtually the same centerpieces (save for the color of the roses). Thankfully, wedding decor has evolved and there are some truly unique centerpiece ideas out there. Your wedding decor can be every bit as original as you want it to be - whether that means incorporating asparagus... or not. Which of these do you like? … [Read more...]
An Alternative to Carving Pumpkins
Though Halloween is more than a month away, the stores are already displaying bags of Halloween candy and huge round pumpkins fill large boxes, waiting to be brought home and carved. Except - if you're like me, the thought of carving a pumpkin makes you cringe. I dislike the process of pumpkin carving - from the smell of pumpkin (I don't even like the pumpkin lattes at "that coffee place") to the act of scooping out stringy pumpkin guts. My children, however, still love Halloween - so what to do? [sc:adsense ] Paint is an excellent alternative for your Halloween jack-o-lantern. A nice thick paint works best (watercolors will not work). My favorite option is to buy chalkboard paint from a big box home improvement store. Clean your pumpkin completely and let it dry before painting … [Read more...]
DIY Homemade Baby Mobiles
From black and white contrast to colorful, from ruffles to repurposing other materials, there are so many different options if you wish to craft your baby's mobile yourself. You need not purchase a mass-produced store mobile for you baby - you can flex your creative and crafty muscle and make a mobile for your infant's room that will be unique and special. [imagebrowser id=45] … [Read more...]
How to find a book club in your area
Until recently, I thought book clubs were somewhat of a myth -- something depicted in movies and (yes) books, but nothing that actually occurred in real life. I'd never really known anyone in a book club, though part of me had longed to be in one. I love to read - what better than to read and connect with people in one fell swoop? Finding a book club wasn't something I did consciously - maybe because I never really knew how. There are ways to find a book club near you. Check Meetup for Groups near you I'd heard of people using Meetup to find playgroups, mother's groups, and even jogging groups - but never book clubs, however - there ARE book clubs on Meetup. Lots of them. Meetup is not only searchable by geographic location, but by type of group as well. Check Your Local … [Read more...]
Stepmothers Helping Stepmothers: When An Adult Stepchild Lives With You
This latest question deals with a topic that hasn't been discussed in much depth here on Blissfully Blended: adult stepchildren. I think many of us see somewhat of a "finish line" of sorts at age 18 - we think, the children will legally be adults, graduate high school, and move on to start their own adult lives on their own. Sometimes, as you can see from the below question, that doesn't happen. I have one adult stepdaughter living with me and my husband. She has been rude, etc. towards me and is not going to be moving out any time soon. I have talked to my husband and he has spoken to her about her behavior, but not much has changed. How do I go about co-existing in the same house with her until she moves out one day? [ I have talked to my husband about giving her a timetable to … [Read more...]
