Is anyone even thinking about the holidays in 100 degree weather? You should! End of summer is the perfect time to plan, get great deals and great selection for holiday gifts for your family! Shopping for holiday gifts for your family doesn’t have to be a strain on your budget, time or sanity. You can find unique and thoughtful gifts for every member of your family on your Christmas list that will astound them on Christmas morning – and it you don’t have to spend hours trekking through store after store, braving the winter winds and parking lot chaos. You can find great Holiday and Christmas gifts for your whole family with ease and comfort by following these 5 tried and true family gift-giving tips: Read the rest »

My kids have always enjoyed cooking and baking, and it has been my pleasure to teach them.  My son, Dylan, is 4 and he is still happy with the toy ovens and licking the mixing spoons, but my daughter, Juliet, who will soon be 10, has already mastered stirring (while keeping much of the food inside the bowl), cracking eggs, and measuring; and has begun wanting a bit more leeway in the kitchen.

I am always anxious to try a kid friendly product in the kitchen and was delighted to test out King Arthur Flour K.A.F. Kids™ Snickerdoodle cookie mix.  I sat the box out on the kitchen counter and tied an apron around Juliet.  She had no problems following the kid friendly directions.  Not only were they easily spelled out, with child friendly fonts, margins and spacing, but there were illustrations for each step.  I helped with a couple steps, but quite frankly she could have done each step solo.  She turned on the oven while I melted the butter she lined the cookie sheet with parchment paper and then cracked her egg.  Once the butter cooled a bit she used a whisk to incorporate the egg with the butter and then used a spoon to add the packaged cookie mix.  She then followed the directions on the box and rolled the dough into balls.  Dylan got into the action at the next step as he got to roll the balls in the cinnamon and sugar (the cinnamon and sugar come with the box and there is more than enough).  They placed the cookies on the cookie sheet and I placed it in the oven. Read the rest »

Summer is practically over and it’s back to school for the kids. Parents are you dreading that trip to the overcrowded stores where you can’t even get a cart down the aisle? Or what about sitting in traffic and wasting precious gas? Your bank account has already been stretched this summer due to the record high gas prices and the lack of that “disposable income.” Purchasing new supplies and new clothes for the kids isn’t going to relieve much of that pressure, is it? Read the rest »

Over the years that I’ve dispensed financial advice, I’ve never distinguished much between the genders. It’s always been my attitude that an investment approach which suits a man should equally suit a woman. I’ve reasoned that a dollar in the hands of Jack is no different than in the hands of Jill, inasmuch as they both tumble down the hill together.

It appears, however, that I’ve been overlooking something. A provocative book by Lois P. Frankel, PhD, a business consultant and psychotherapist, titled Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich: 75 Avoidable Mistakes Women Make with Money, points out numerous factors that my male chauvinist focus fails to consider. She explains that “Our [women’s] real roles revolve less around money and more around relationships,” adding that “throughout our lives we’re given multiple, often conflicting, messages. This double bind causes little girls to limit their interest in acquiring wealth.” She further stresses that “if you don’t think rich, you certainly don’t consciously engage in behaviors that will contribute to getting rich.” Read the rest »

Every once in a while, the news will present horror stories about pets biting children or neighbors. As a responsible owner, it is up to you to make sure your pooch will never put anyone else in danger. Whether he’s a guard dog or a favorite at the local dog park, biting should not be something he is taught to do. Instead, you have to teach him not to do it! If you have a puppy or a full grown dog, you can teach him not to bite.

The inclination to bite normally develops as a puppy. You bring home that cute little ball of fur, and overlook his biting tendencies; passing them off as playfulness. When a dog is young, then his biting may be a form of play or it may be a way to establish his rank in your home. Many behavior experts turn to the pack animal drive as an explanation to biting. Either way, it must be stopped early. But before you start an anti-biting training regimen, figure out if your pup is biting or just chewing. A puppy likes to chew things, and if your hand is there then he will chew it. Give him toys, and do not allow him to chew on your hand. He may not have a biting problem after all! If the toys are not a distraction and he obviously likes to bite, then take action immediately. Enrolling in an obedience class is the best way to handle the situation. However, not everyone can enjoy the luxury of professional training. In these cases, you must take training into you own hands. If he tries to bite, give him a firm “no” and remove your hand. As he starts to understand that you do not want him to bite, you can slip him a treat when he doesn’t bite or when he responds to the “no” command. Read the rest »

Dear Ms. Thomas – I love shoes; just can’t get enough.  I crave them!  The trouble is I can’t organize them.  Do you have any tips?  I’m desperate;  I have a lot of shoes (expensive shoes).  I would like to be able to see them but when I put them out, on display in my closet, they get dusty.  Since my appetite for shoes is not likely to be satisfied anytime soon, do you have any creative organizing ideas? - Elizabeth Read the rest »

It may seem a tad paradoxical, but you can’t be productive if you don’t know how to relax. Leisure activities and relaxation like reading, talking, playing games, and other non-gadget pastimes can reduce your stress levels and increase your energy.

1. Step off the merry-go-round. If you’ve recently undergone a particularly busy spell, you may be addicted to going full-throttle. When your mind’s sick and tired of working, but your body can’t stop, you need to slam on the brakes.

2. Understand that rest isn’t a bad thing. You don’t feel guilty about going to the bathroom, so why feel guilty about resting? While too much rest can cut into your productivity, an occasional break is necessary to top up your energy reserves.

3. Set aside some “me” time. Pamper yourself occasionally; it’s okay to think about yourself and do something simply for the pleasure of it. It’s not about being selfish; it’s about self-care and energy replenishment. Read the rest »