Posts tagged family
DIY, Plum Community
Family Friendly New Year’s Eve Party
Celebrate the New Year with family and friends with fun kid's party activities and adult-only beverages
December 28th, 2012 | 6:54 AM
Kids love making noise, staying up late, eating fatty foods and celebrating – so why wouldn’t they love New Year’s too? If it’s an event you’ve skipped out on because the kids were too small to understand or too young to stay up past midnight, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to share in an unbelievable experience with the whole family.
This New Year’s Eve, instead of skipping the hootenanny altogether or slipping out the door for an adult-only soiree, throw a bash that all ages can enjoy. We can bet there are a few parents in your same boat, so share the holiday with them too for the ultimate family friendly New Year’s Eve celebration.
Celebrate on Another Time Zone
If you’re lucky enough to live on the West Coast, there’s no harm in celebrating with Ryan Seacrest and New York at 9pm. But that isn’t the only time zone that celebrates a little earlier than the rest of us in the United States. Why not celebrate with the UK? If you’re based on the East Coast New Year’s in London is 6pm, meaning you can all clink glasses – whether they’re filled with champagne or sparkling cider – together.
Games, Food and More Games
Pull out all the stops for the kids, and for yourself, this New Years. Kid’s party activities can range from board games to fun DIY crafts, while you can throw in some adult-only games for family and friends once the kids are put down. Drinking games might seem obsolete but add it to the countdown and it’ll be worth every final minute.
Noise
Kids love to make noise, and most of the time you can’t stand it. Let them scream and shout with gusto through the help of New Year’s Eve party noisemakers that do all the talking for them. The afternoon can be spent crafting your very own party noisemakers for a family-friendly activity that will go well into the evening.
Tunes
Let them be the DJ. Kids will manage to stay up a bit longer, and get the dance floor moving and shaking, if they’ve got tunes they’ll love. Plus, you can turn up the good old oldies once their eyes start to flutter. And with their extra energy and dance moves around 9pm, you’ll be sure to see them snoozing within no time.
Photo Booth
Say cheese! No family friendly party with fun kids party activities would be complete without a photo booth. You don’t need to rent one to have a photography session, just clear out a closet near the living room and put your camera on auto-shoot. Add a few accessories from the kids’ costume closet to make a great addition to all the funny faces.
Recipes
Christmas Morning Brunch Recipes
Easy and Delicious Christmas Morning Recipes to Feed the Entire Family
December 18th, 2012 | 3:41 PM
Christmas morning can be pretty hectic, especially with little ones running around. If you don’t have a 5am wakeup call, then Santa hasn’t done his job right. So we expect Christmas morning breakfast is often whipped together at the last minute, surrounded by the clatter of new toys and wrapping paper to be recycled.
We know you’ve got a lot to plan ahead of the big Christmas day, but that doesn’t mean the family should skimp out on great and simple breakfast ideas post-presents. This year, plan a spectacular and easy Christmas morning brunch that will satisfy everyone’s tummies.
Breakfast Bread Pudding {Recipe}
We aren’t saying Christmas morning brunch shouldn’t be without a little indulgence – after all your hard work, you deserve a little treat. This easy recipe for breakfast bread pudding combines some of our favorite comfort ingredients like Challah bread, cream, cinnamon and nuts for a sweet alternative to pancakes or toast. Plus, let the flavors sink in overnight so all you need to do on Christmas morning is pop it in the oven!
Mini Frittatas {Recipe}
Giada makes one of our favorite egg fritters recipe – mostly because it’s a simple recipe that works with whatever is in your fridge. The kids can pick up these little bits of heaven with their hands while running around on a sugar high. Simply throw everything into a big bowl – from cheese to leftover turkey from Christmas Eve, onions, vegetables or whatever you can think of – and distribute throughout muffin tins (we prefer using a larger size and adding a few extra minutes on her recipe for a heartier entree). You’ll find that in just 30 minutes these individual frittatas are ideal when the kids won’t sit still after Santa’s surprised them with everything on their Christmas list.
Banana Breakfast Sandwich {Recipe}
When there is a slew of Christmas cookies in front of them, it’s hard to get the kiddos to loosen their grip on sugar. Adapted from Tyler Florence’s “Start Fresh” cookbook about healthy eating and living with kids, this sweet morning treat slips in a dose of healthy nutrients to keep them going through the New Year. We aren’t admitting there isn’t a bit of sugar in here, but since we know you’re an expert at frying bread together, we know it’s easy enough to do in your sleep (which you’ll probably wish you’d be doing after such an early wakeup call).
Citrus Salad with Coconut and Syrup {Recipe}
While we like to think we’re immune to calories during the holidays, it’s just not the case. To cure our sweet tooth while also adding a punch of zesty flavor and color to your Christmas morning brunch, we suggest a festive fruit salad. While we’ve spotted Pinterest recipes that organize fruit into a Christmas tree or snowman tin, we know you’ve got a little more class than that. So we scoured the web for a mature fruit salad fit enough for Country Living, that combined coconut shavings and maple syrup. Yes, we said maple syrup. That means even more deliciousness to go around the kids will want to sink their teeth into – plus you’ll be doubling up on syrup with a pancake or breakfast bread pudding also likely topping the table.
In The District
Top Christmas Movies for Kids
You can't go wrong with these, Mom.
December 14th, 2012 | 6:00 AM
When the weather outside is frightful and your family wants something delightful, pop some corn, hit the lights, and snuggle up with a heart-warming Christmas classic.
We’ve asked all of you Plum moms to list your favorite Christmas movies for kids, and here are the top six!
First, the oldies but goodies:
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1964)
A Christmas classic every child should see.
Introduce them to Rudolph, a reindeer once made fun of for his unusual, luminous red nose, who ends up leading Santa’s sleigh during a harsh winter and gains exceptional recognition. Go Rudolph!
A Christmas Story (1983)
The much-loved Christmas comedy about 9-year-old Ralphie Parker who has to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder BB Gun is the perfect gift for him.
You can catch this one on TBS at this time of the year – it’s a hit!
Home Alone (1990)
“Ahhhhhhh!” Can you imagine your family accidentally leaving you behind while on the way to Paris for the holidays? As you know, Kevin McCallister experiences just that – and to make matters worse, he’s faced with two idiotic burglars who try to break into his house. Fortunately, this clever eight-year-old outwits the burglars with a series of ingenious booby traps.
No matter how many times you’ve seen this one, it doesn’t get old. Share one of your holiday film favorites with your kids. It’s just so entertaining!
And now, some more recent films that have gained tremendous popularity:
The Polar Express (2004)
In this computer-animated fantasy film, a young boy (voiced by the one-and-only Tom Hanks) wants to believe in Santa Claus but questions his existence.
On Christmas Eve, he hops aboard the magical Polar Express and takes a ride to the North Pole to find out the truth!
Your little ones will be fascinated by this classic story told through a beautifully-made, high-tech film.
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
(Promoted theatrically as The Grinch)
It’s no surprise that this is the second highest-grossing holiday film of all time (right behind Home Alone). Jim Carrey takes the lead as the Grinch, a cynical creature who despises Christmas and wants to kill the holiday spirit. In the end, the Grinch’s true colors are shown.
This one’s got to be on your kid’s holiday movie list – and throw the original, animated version from 1966 on there, too, because they’re both great.
Elf (2003)
Delightful, hilarious, and starring Will Ferrel, this Christmas comedy will engage all the kids and adults in your house!
Buddy is one of Santa’s elves who happens to be incredibly large and ungainly. He learns of his true identity as a human and heads to NYC to meet his biological father who, incidentally, is on the naughty list.
On his adventures, Buddy spreads Christmas cheer in a world of cynics – and the contrast between his attitude and theirs is just too good.
Grab a blanket and spread it across the whole family. These wonderful films are a great way to enjoy some cozy evenings this holiday season.
Before the show starts, enjoy a scrumptious meal with one of today’s Plum deals for fresh Maryland crab or organic meats, cheeses, and more. And for dessert? Whip up one of our favorite holiday sweets or surrender to the goodness of smooth, homemade fudge. Bon appetit and happy viewing!
In The District, Mom Time
Family Photos, Awkward Style
It's not always easy to get a good shot. And sometimes we look back and simply say, "Why?"
May 21st, 2012 | 8:10 AM
A few of our good staff members here at Plum District have kindly volunteered to share theirs for your enjoyment — because after all, we’re all family, right?
The photo above comes from Kerri Roggensack, a District Consultant who lives in Lafayette, California. Kerri is mother to three daughters: Clara (6), Sisi (5), and Lenie (3). In this photo, Clara (wearing the orange dress) is held by Kerri’s husband, Claus, on Halloween.
I’m curious about the person in the middle… a classic costume, I must say!
Next, we have a shot from Kate Goepferd, a Plum District Site Manager. Kate’s comment on this one? “A little bit country, a little bit embarrassed.”
Kate: Thank you for this.
The following comes from Deb Clem-Buckert, a Regional Manager in Kansas City, who’s mother to Rosie (11). This photo was taken circa 1976, and Deb (bottom right, in red) says it was one of the more awkward family moments she can remember. Let’s just say that an unpleasant smell overcame the room right before the shot.
Last but certainly not least, we have a photo from Suzanne Allen-Weise, a District Consultant from West Chester, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is mom to five delightful children (between ages 8 and 14) who were, more or less, willing to grant her her birthday wish last year for one more Santa photo. Clearly, they were thrilled. How does Suzanne feel about this picture? It’s exactly what she expected, and she thinks it’s perfect.
You can’t always get everyone to cooperate when the time comes for a family photo. The “perfect” shot is rare. Really, though, some of the best photos have each family member doing his or her own thing. At the end of the day, when hold the photo, at least you can smile about the fact that you brought the crew together and made some memories.
If you have an awkward family photo you’d like to share – and are willing to have it posted to our blog – please leave a comment and we’ll contact you! The more, the merrier. We love family photos.
