Trimming—and tasting—the Christmas tree

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It's Christmas Eve. If you've not yet trimmed your tree, don't fret, as there's still plenty of time. As long as, that is, you follow the lead of Bubby and Mac for trimming the tastiest of holiday trees.

Far more tasty than the typical way of trimming a tree. (And much easier for youngsters this age to decorate than gingerbread houses, too.)

Today's question:

What are your plans for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day? Whatever your plans, may both be merry and bright for you and yours!

Holiday mish-mash: Santa tracking, food, and fun

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This time of year, my email inbox is jam-packed with all kinds of goodies to share with my readers. I include as many as possible of those I think you'll enjoy in my annual Holiday Guide. Yet, as myriad merry mailings arrive long after I've completed the guide, I always end up with a handful that I never get around to sharing with my readers.

Not this year though! This year I'm passing along the best of all the rest, right here, right now (in, quite honestly, a rather lazy fashion, by using much of the text directly from the mailings in which the goodies were sent).

As I've not tried out all of these, I'd love to hear what you think, which ones you found worth sharing with the kids you know, grand or otherwise. And I really want to know which recipes you try and love...or not...especially those scrumptious-sounding Surprise Package Cookies.

Happy holiday fun!

THE GREAT HOLIDAY HUNT PRINTABLE GAME

This game is a fun project for kids to put together and ideal for building early reading skills. The free download includes the game board, pieces and instructions. Click the preview graphic below to download the PDF game from StudyDog for printing on sturdy paper.

 

TRACK SANTA ON CHRISTMAS EVE

Living in Colorado Springs as I do—the home of NORAD—I often forget that many folks may not know about this little treat. I'm happy they sent me a press release reminder that included the following:

The NORAD Tracks Santa website, www.noradsanta.org, includes a Countdown to Track Santa clock as well as a Kid's Countdown Village, holiday games and information about Operation Goodwill, which provides links to organizations that support service members and their families. Starting at 12 a.m. MST (2 a.m. EST) on Dec. 24, website visitors can watch Santa as he makes all the preparations for his flight. See it here:

Then, at 4 a.m. MST (6 a.m. EST), trackers worldwide can talk to a live phone operator to inquire about Santa's whereabouts by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) or by sending an e-mail to noradtrackssanta@outlook.com. NORAD's "Santa cams" will also stream videos as Santa makes his way over various locations worldwide.

Parents and children can also count down the days until Santa's worldwide flight on their smart phones using free apps available in the Apple iTunes Store, Google Play, and Windows Marketplace. Tracking opportunities are also offered on Facebook, Google+, YouTube, and Twitter. Santa followers just need to type "@noradsanta" into each search engine to get started.

 

FUN HOLIDAY APPS

Hungry Santa
Fatten up Santa before Christmas. Tilt the device to move Santa’s mouth under falling treats, but watch out for the healthy broccoli. Santa gets fatter and fatter as he chomps on all the goodies. Give him some fatty bonuses by bouncing the treats off his belly before he eats them, or eating long strings of treats all in a row. Go for the elusive “Crazy Chomp” bonus. You can’t play this one without laughing out loud. Free.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hungry-santa/id476208269?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tegtap.hungrysanta

Gingerbread Crazy Chef Cookie Maker
The tradition of leaving cookies for Santa has never been as fun and no-fuss as this. Gingerbread Crazy Chef is an innovative app that kids and parents can use together to create the most colorful, playful and crazy holiday cookies to leave for the Jolly Old Elf on Christmas Eve. Choose the shape, mix the ingredients and make “digital cookies” for Santa. Best of all? No mess and no clean-up! Great for kids, families and parents with children. Free.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gingerbread-crazy-chef-cookie/id569863692?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tabtale.christmasgingerbreadcookiemaker

Cut the Rope: Holiday Gift
From the creators of Cut the Rope, comes the Special Holiday Gift game, which combines all the outstanding physics, devilishly tricky levels, and bright colorful visuals of the original — with a festive winter feel. SHAKE your iPhone for a special surprise! Swipe your finger to cut the ropes and feed Om Nom candy. Don’t forget to collect stars as you play. Think before you cut, and be sure to avoid spiders, spikes and other obstacles … getting that candy to Om Nom won’t be easy! Free.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cut-the-rope-holiday-gift/id406513121?mt=8

Santa’s Village
The perfect game for the whole family. Help Santa by building a bigger and better village, and save Christmas from being ruined by the Grumpkins. Start by building homes for Santa's elves, create a toy factory and make lots of toys, teach reindeer how to fly, and meet magical neighbors like Yobo the Yeti. Unlock special buildings and colorful decorations to make your village even merrier. Free.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/santasvillage/id457724319?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.makingfun.santasvillage

Snowman Maker Plus
The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful … and since we’ve no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Yes, you can sit by the fire AND build an adorable, realistic looking snowman when you play Snowman Maker. Free.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/snowman-maker-plus/id405388005?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sunstorm.android.snowman

Holiday Rider
Makes car time for the holidays fun again! Whether you're by yourself or with the whole family, you can test your holiday trivia knowledge with our eyes free, hands free interface that uses your voice! Check our 15 levels of awesome holiday knowledge and see if you can master the 15 questions per round. That's two hours of awesomeness. It's great for those rides to grandma's house, or just for your daily drive. Free.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/holiday-rider/id586656791?ls=1&mt=8

 

HOLIDAY RECIPES

Yield: 3-½ dozen
Prep: 25 min. 
Bake: 10 min./batch

Each of these buttery cookies has a chocolate mint candy inside," says Lorraine Meyer of Bend, Oregon. "They're my very favorite cookie and are always part of our Christmas cookie trays.
-- Lorraine Meyer, Bend, Oregon

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
65 mint Andes candies

1. In a bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.

2. With floured hands, shape a tablespoonful of dough around 42 candies, forming rectangular cookies. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets.

3. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. In a microwave or saucepan, melt the remaining candies; drizzle over cookies.

• • • •

Yield: 3-1/2 quarts
Prep: 50 min. + chilling

After just one taste, folks will know this holiday treat is homemade, not a store-bought variety.
-- Pat Waymire, Yellow Springs, Ohio, Field Editor

Ingredients

12 eggs
1-½ cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 quarts whole milk, divided
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups heavy whipping cream
Additional nutmeg, optional

1. In a heavy 4-qt. saucepan, whisk together eggs, sugar and salt. Gradually add 1 qt. of milk. Cook and stir over low heat until a thermometer reads 160°-170°, about 30-35 minutes.

2. Pour into a large heatproof bowl; stir in the vanilla, nutmeg and remaining milk. Place bowl in an ice-water bath, stirring frequently until mixture is cool. If mixture separates, process in a blender until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

3. When ready to serve, beat cream in a large bowl on high until soft peaks form; whisk gently into cooled milk mixture. Pour into a chilled 5-qt. punch bowl. Sprinkle with nutmeg if desired.

Editor's Note: Eggnog may be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for several days. Whisk before serving.

• • • •

Yield: 12 servings
Prep: 65 min. + chilling
Bake: 15 min. + cooling

This eye-catching dessert is guaranteed to delight holiday dinner guests. Chocolate lovers will lick their lips over the yummy cocoa cake, mocha filling and frosting. For a festive touch, I garnish the log with marzipan holly leaves and berries.
-- Jenny Hughson, Mitchell, Nebraska, Former Field Editor

Ingredients

5 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
½ cup cake flour
¼ cup baking cocoa
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cream of tartar

MOCHA CREAM FILLING:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup confectioners' sugar
1-½ teaspoons instant coffee granules

MOCHA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup baking cocoa
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1-½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon brewed coffee
2 to 3 tablespoons 2% milk

1. Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with parchment paper; grease the paper. Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks on high until light and fluffy. Gradually add ½ cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to egg yolk mixture until blended.

3. Beat egg whites on medium until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Stir a fourth into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites until no streaks remain.

4. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until the cake springs back (do not overbake). Cool for 5 minutes; invert onto a linen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Peel off parchment paper. Roll up in the towel, starting with a short side. Cool on a wire rack.

5. In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and coffee granules. Beat until stiff peaks form; chill. Unroll cooled cake; spread filling to within ½ in. of edges. Roll up again. Place on serving platter; chill.

6. In a large bowl, beat frosting ingredients until smooth. Frost cake. Using a fork, make lines resembling tree bark.

• • • •

Yield: 10-12 servings
Prep: 15 min.
Bake: 2 hours + standing

My mom topped beef roast with bacon and onion. Whenever I prepare it, I can't help but reminisce about the wonderful life she gave me and my brothers. 
-- Betty Abel Jellencich, Utica, New York

Ingredients

1 bone-in beef rib roast (4 to 5 pounds)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 small onion, sliced
6 to 8 bacon strips

1. Place the roast, fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Rub with the garlic, salt and pepper; top with onion and bacon.

2. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 2-3 hours or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 145°; medium, 160°; well-done, 170°).

3. Transfer to warm serving platter. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

• • • •

Yield: about 3-½ quarts
Prep/total time: 25 min. 

Cloves and cinnamon dress up a blend of fruit juices for special occasions. The spicy warm drink is sure to help you forget about any nip in the air.
-- Dorothy Anderson, Ottawa, Kansas

Ingredients

    2 quarts apple cider
    2 cups orange juice
    2 cups pineapple juice
    ½ cup sugar
    ½ cup lemon juice
    12 whole cloves
    4 cinnamon sticks (3 to 4 inches)
    Orange slices and cranberries, optional

1. In a Dutch oven, bring the first seven ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes.

2. Discard the cinnamon and cloves. Garnish with orange slices and cranberries if desired. Serve warm.  

All recipes above reprinted with permission from Taste of Home. For more information, visit http://www.bestlovedrecipes.com, and follow on Facebook and Twitter

 

HOLIDAY COCKTAILS

Peppermint HINT Martini

2 ounces HINT Peppermint water
1.5 ounces  vodka
1 ounce 100% cranberry juice
Approximately 1 ounce seltzer water
Ice cubes
1 mint leaf for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, Peppermint HINT, cranberry juice, and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into chilled glass and top with seltzer water. Garnish with mint; serve immediately. Serves 1. Nutrition facts: 122 calories, 13.9 grams alcohol, 0 grams fat, 6.8 grams carbohydrate, 6.8 grams sugar, 0 grams fiber, 0 grams protein, 1.5 mg sodium

• • • •

Peppermint HINT Blueberry Blitzer

3 ounces Peppermint HINT
2 ounces 100% cranberry juice
1 ounce seltzer water
Ice cubes
Approximately 1/4 cup blueberries

Muddle blueberries and add to a chilled glass. In a cocktail shaker, combine Peppermint HINT, cranberry juice, seltzer water and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into chilled glass; serve immediately. Serves 1. Nutrition facts: 46 calories, 0 grams fat, 12.2 grams carbohydrate, 10.5 grams sugar, 1 gram fiber, 0 grams protein, 1.5 mg sodium

Today's Christmas-y question:

Were you ever in a Christmas or holiday program? If so, what part did you play?

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...in the desert

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I'm originally from Minnesota and have lived the past nearly 40 years in Colorado. Fairly snowy states come winter time. Which means, for me, holiday time means snow time. Maybe not necessarily on Christmas Day, but at least a few snowflakes here and there in the weeks leading up to the big day.

My grandsons live in the desert. Despite singing beloved Christmas carols mentioning the fluffy white goodness and enjoying craftivities featuring snowmen in all their glory, Bubby and Mac are not all that familiar with snow itself. They simply don't see it at their place.

Determined to not let geography, meteorology and such stand in the way of Bubby and Mac enjoying some snow play, I packed and brought along a little snow to share with them during my visit this week. Not real snow, of course, but artificial snow. Snow in Seconds, to be precise.

True to its name, within seconds of mixing the powder with water, we had snow. And then the fun kicked into high gear.

Sure, it's not the real stuff. But until I figure out a way to pack the real stuff in my handy dandy grandma bag, it will certainly do.

Today's question:

How likely is it you'll have snow at your place come Christmas Day?

20 Thanksgiving jokes to share with kids

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Kids—and some grown-ups, too—love corny jokes. Here are 20 to share during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Which side of the turkey has the most feathers?

The outside.

Why was the turkey the drummer in the band?

Because he had the drumsticks.

If the Pilgrims were alive today, what would they be most famous for?

Their age.

What’s the best thing to put into pumpkin pie?

Your teeth.

What’s the best dance to do on Thanksgiving?

The turkey trot.

Why did the Pilgrims sail from England to America?

Because they missed their plane.

What kind of music did Pilgrims listen to?

Plymouth Rock.

What smells the best at a Thanksgiving dinner?

Your nose.

Why do turkeys always go, “gobble, gobble”?

Because they never learned good table manners.

Who isn't hungry at Thanksgiving?

The turkey because he’s already stuffed.

Can a turkey jump higher than the Empire State Building?

Yes, because a building can’t jump at all.

When the Pilgrims landed, where did they stand?

On their feet.

How many cranberries grow on a bush?

All of them.

What always comes at the end of Thanksgiving?

The letter “g”.

What’s the key to a great Thanksgiving dinner?

The tur-key.

Where does Christmas come before Thanksgiving?

In the dictionary.

Why did pilgrims’ pants always fall down?

Because they wore their belt buckle on their hat.

What do turkeys and teddy bears have in common?

They both have stuffing.

Knock, knock.

Who’s there?

Harry.

Harry who?

Harry up, I’m hungry!

Knock, knock.

Who’s there?

Gladys.

Gladys who?

Gladys Thanksgiving. Aren’t you?

Today's question:

What corny joke lovers will you dine with this Thanksgiving?

Tunnels of a silly sort

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While many in the eastern part of the country (justifiably) despaired over tunnels that once got them where they wanted to go but are now impassable thanks to Hurricane Sandy's devastation, I (rather guiltily) pored over photos of tunnels of a more joyful sort.

Far from crowded corridors for commuters, Bubby and Mac know tunnels as nothing more than colorful tubes of pure pleasure. Tubes that are always in operation. Tubes that are doubly delightful when shared by two.

 

Today's question:

When did you last go through a tunnel of any sort?

5 ideas for autumn walks with kids

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With the arrival of fall, the temperatures finally lowered to a bearable range in the desert, where I'm currently visiting my grandsons. When I visited in the summer, triple-digit temps kept us indoors. Now, though, pleasant weather beckons us outdoors, and walks are a great way to enjoy the season.

Here are a few ideas for autumn walks, several of which I hope to take with Bubby and Mac before I head back home to the mountains.

Halloween decoration tour. This one we did yesterday. Bubby took the lead in showing Gramma the most festive and fun—and sometimes scary—homes in his neighborhood. We saw everything from simple Jack-o-Lanterns to silly cemeteries, hanging (and some buried) skeletons and witches and more. In true tour-director fashion, Bubby ended the walk by declaring the last stop on the route the winner of the Best Decoration contest and posed for a photo with Mac in front of their favorite.

Penny walk. First, a word of warning: Don't try this not at home, for you just may end up lost if traversing an unfamiliar neighborhood. As you venture off, use a penny toss to determine your route by declaring a toss for heads being a left turn, a toss for tails being right. At each street corner, toss the coin again to decide which way to go. Once you've tossed and turned time and again, you may need to toss once more (or off and on throughout the walk) to decide whether to head back home or continue on.

Alphabet walk. Print the alphabet, A to Z, down a piece of paper, then cross off each letter as you see things starting with that letter. A is for airpline, animal, ant. B is for blue sky, bike, buildings. C is for car, cat, cactus. And so forth. With 26 letters to mark off the list, this walk requires plenty of time—and creative thinking for a handful of letters, such as Z, X, K and Q.

Picture-taking walk. This one was our original plan when we set out for our walk yesterday, as Bubby received a nifty digital camera for kids from Aunt Brianna for his birthday a few months ago. Dead batteries in Bubby's camera led us to opt for Plan B—the Halloween decoration tour instead. As long as batteries are charged, though, budding photographers of all ages will enjoy heading out with camera in hand to capture pics befitting a designated category. Ideal themes for fall are leaves, animals, signs of weather (clouds, blowing trees, etc) bugs, and more. And, of course, Halloween decor, too.

Do you hear what I hear? Going for a walk typically means looking about and taking in the sights. Add a twist to your outing by keeping track of all the sounds you hear while out and about, too. With big sounds like trucks, sirens, dogs barking and motorcycles, down to lower volume beauties including wind chimes, bees buzzing and leaves rustling, there's no shortage of audible delights on an autumn adventure.

Today's question:

What do you most enjoy about autumn walks?

Friday field trip: MacDonald's Ranch

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My awesome friend and fellow grandma blogger Connie from Family Home and Life lives surprisingly close to my grandsons. So when I needed suggestions of things to do in the region during my recent visit with Bubby and Mac, Connie was clearly the one to ask.

She came through with flying colors, giving me ideas and links galore. One in particular was a sure-fire hit. That was MacDonald's Ranch.

MacDonald's Ranch offers an old-fashioned ranch experience for kids of all ages. There's no shortage of fun—though this mountain mama did feel there certainly was a shortage of shade to keep her from that blazing desert sun, a scorcher even this late in the year.

Despite the heat, Megan, the boys, PawDad and I visited MacDonald's Ranch one day last week while Preston slaved away at work. The fun began the moment we walked through the gate, as old-time farm equipment, hay bales and more immediately captured Mac's and Bubby's attention.

First up of the big attractions: a horseride for Bubby, on a horse far bigger than the one he rode last time we visited a ranch.

Next up was the petting zoo, where Bubby and Mac hand fed baby goats and their parents, admired peacocks, and pet the miniature horses...but not the donkeys (thankfully). Gramma and PawDad led the boys through the pens as Mommy cringed, shuddered, and refused to roam among the animals.

Megan did volunteer to go through the hay maze with Bubby, though. After a bit of wandering and misturns, Bubby decided the best way to get done with the maze was to scale the walls and go out through the in door.

The pumpkin patch was the primary reason for visiting MacDonald's Ranch, and Bubby's goal was to get the best. pumpkin. ever. With the patch about a mile from the main area, though, a hay ride to the patch was required—a bonus if ever there was one.

After the short hayride, the plentiful pumpkin patch beckoned. Mac and Bubby were off and searching in no time. With so, so many pumpkins, making the final decision on which to claim as their own was a tough one, narrowed down only by the requirement that they must be able to carry on their own whichever pumpkin they wanted to take home.

They tested the weights of several here and there. Once the choice was made, both boys proudly carried their spoils on the hayride back. From there, it was time for lunch with Daddy, time to show him the ever-so-perfect pumpkins his ever-so-perfect pumpkin pickers chose.

Bubby did come away with the best. pumpkin. ever. As did Mac.

'Twas a perfect autumn outing indeed.

Interested in visiting MacDonald's Ranch? Find details here:

MacDonald's Ranch • 26540 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85255 • (480) 585-0239

Today's question:

Where do you typically get your pumpkins for Halloween time?

Halloween fun: Simple spooky spiders

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Doing projects together are one of the primary orders of business when I visit Bubby and Mac, as I did this past weekend. I like to have most of the items with me in my Grandma Bag, so I set out last week to accumulate ideas and came across this spider craft on Pinterest.

After tweaking just a tad, it turned out as easy and inexpensive as could be. Plus, our simple spooky spiders had just the right amount of creep factor to make it festive fun for four-year-old Bubby.

simple spooky spiders.JPG

WHAT YOU NEED:

Rock bodies — one per spider, about silver-dollar size

Wiggly eyes

Long pipe cleaners/chenille stems — four per spider

Black marker/Sharpie for drawing mouths, if desired (Bubby desired)

Craft glue

Hot glue gun and glue, for use by adult only

WHAT YOU DO:

 1. Glue desired number of eyes on spider bodies, using craft glue.

2. Line up four pipe cleaners per spider...

...then twist together a few times in the center to connect them.

3. Give twisted legs and rock bodies to an adult (preferably a grandma) to attach legs with hot glue on bottom center of rock body, glopping the glue at the spot legs are twisted together. Let dry a few minutes before next step, to ensure legs are good and stuck and glue is no longer hot.

4. Use black marker to draw spooky—or smiley—spider mouths on each spider, if desired.

5. Bend each spider leg into creepy crawly position.

6. Sit back and appreciate your handiwork.

Mac, at 16 months, didn't care much about creating his own spider, which was fine with me as I'm pretty sure there'd be more wiggly eyes in his mouth than on the spider. He did, though, get quite a kick—and harmless scare or two—out of the completed spiders Bubby placed among his "collection of scary things" on the living room window sill.

Simple. Spooky. Success.

Today's fill-in-the-blank:

One of my favorite Halloween projects to do with kids is _________. (Links are welcome!)