Quick Tips!

 Finicky Kitty Solution 

Do you have a finicky kitty at home? I do. 
When she is the least bit unhappy with her food - either freshness or taste, or when she is hungry, she knocks her food bowl off of the counter where she eats. She is not being naughty... she is just being a cat. But, that doesn't change the fact that I have cleaned up countless spills of food and broken dishes as a result of her cat-ness.  But, I found a solution.  It's helped our finicky kitty situation, I hope it helps yours. 

The solution is Velcro. 

1. Clean the bottom side of your kitty's bowl.  
2. Cut a piece of Velcro that is smaller than the bottom of the bowl. (the kind that has both sides of the Velcro - the teeth and the fabric)
3. Stick the "teeth" side of the Velcro to the bottom of the bowl.  
4. Stick the fabric side to the surface where the bowl sits. *
5. Let the Velcro pieces cure for a few hours for maximum bond. 
6. Place the bowl on the counter so the Velcro pieces catch.   

The bowl can be removed for cleaning, but it is secure enough to discourage kitty from knocking it down. 

* Know your surface and verify if the adhesive will damage it.



Back to Basics Stocking Stuffers

Stockings don't have to be over the top to be appreciated.  If you think back on the stockings you got as a child, the things you remember are probably the more practical things that you actually used. Here's a short list of easy to find and perfectly stuffable things that will create that wonderfully overflowing stocking, AND be appreciated and used throughout the year!

For the little ones:
Socks
Fun New Tooth Brush and Paste
New Hair Brush
Fun Holiday Themed Toiletries
Single Serving Size Containers of Crackers (Like Goldfish)

Activity Books
Crayons/Pencils
New Jammies 

For the older ones:
Socks
Toiletries
New Toothbrush
Hairbrush or Comb
Cologne or Body Sprays
Scented Hand Sanitizer - pocket size
Nail Polish
$5-$10 Gift Card to a book store, coffee spot, restaurant, store
Pocket flashlights and gadgets

For the Grown-Ups
Perfume/Cologne
Coffee (*K-Cups make a great stuffer)
Fuzzy Socks
Boxers
Work Gloves
Driving Gloves
Glasses Case
Gift Cards

Add in a candy cane or two, a chocolate Santa, some oranges, nuts, and a couple of trinkets or special gifts specific to the receiver's likes (you can get creative here - flavored olive oils for the chef, paint brushes for the artist, a sparkly bracelet for the shine lover, baseball cards for the sports lover) , and you have a wonderfully stuffed, fully appreciated, and sure to be used sock full of treasures.

*Tully's Coffee has a great brew perfect for stuffing! Hawaiian Blend Medium Roast Coffee - floral aroma and delicate flavor... a fantastic brew.  Available at Tully's.com.  Thank you to Tully's for providing me a sample of this fantastic coffee!

Quick Tips Holiday- Hang Your Stockings, BUT SAVE YOUR MANTLE! 

Hang your stockings with care - care for your mantle that is.... a no nail hole way to don your mantle with socks! Watch the How To video below!  
 



Quick and Easy Breakfast!

Whether our kids are 4 or 14, as moms we want them to start every day on the right foot. That can be challenging at times.  Our kids have individual personalities that are particularly apparent when they get out of bed in the morning. With older kids and teens - the way the day starts can be affected by something as simple as the way the breeze is blowing.  We do our best among the many factors that shape our children’s day. Many things we can’t control. But one of the things that we can do as moms is to provide and encourage them to eat a balanced breakfast to start the day - which in itself can be challenging.

Kids have pretty strong ideas and opinions about what do and don’t like for breakfast.  They may eat something one day and the next day decide they don’t like it anymore. We try cold breakfast, hot breakfast, gourmet, or simple. Oh what is a mom to do?

Why not make a balanced breakfast a treat with this yummy Nutella® Nutelladilla recipe?*  It’s simple, it’s delicious, and for kids on the go running out the door, it can be very portable!

Nutella® Nutelladilla

Ingredients:
1 whole wheat tortilla
1Tbs Nutella
½ cup lowfat cottage cheese
⅓  bananna, sliced in pieces
3 strawberries, sliced in pieces

Spread the Nutella® evenly across the tortilla.  Spread the cottage cheese on one half.  Place the banana and strawberry slices on top of the cottage cheese.  Fold over and eat!

Variations: Replace whole wheat tortilla with a gluten free option.  Replace cottage cheese with ricotta or other low-fat soft cheeses or yogurts.

Make it transportable: For the older kid on the go... instead of folding, wrap like a burrito.

The MOM Hat is the most beautiful and important one we wear when it comes to the daily lives of our kids.  We do our best to wear it creatively, and lovingly.  For even the most seasoned of us, every mom can use some fresh ideas.  Check out the Nutella Breakfast Tour in Phoenix November 24-27 for live demonstrations of how you can use Nutella to bring some yumminess to your family breakfast table. For information on event in other areas, visit here.

Besides being able to include it as a yummy part of a balanced breakfast did you know these things about Nutella®?

• No preservatives or artificial colors
• No peanuts
• Kosher certified
• Gluten free

For More informaiton about Nutella, visit https://www.facebook.com/#!/nutellausa
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*This blog post is part of a paid SocialMoms and Nutella blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. To read more posts on this topic, click here.