Disappointments

Disappointments are just God's way of saying: "I have got something better in store for you!" Be Patient! Live Life! Love one another and Keep the Faith!

Just For Today

It's easy to surprise your friends today by doing something totally off the wall and out of character. . What's most unusual is that you are ready to take a chance and express what you want, in spite of potential disapproval from others. Ironically, it doesn't matter if you reach satisfaction, but it's imperative that you're willing to try.

Just For Today

Fun Facts About Halloween

5 Fun Facts About Halloween

Halloween is the second most popular holiday celebrated around the world after Christmas. It is now a huge commercial event with many companies making their best sales during this period.

Every year we celebrate Halloween on 31st October by getting dressed up in fancy dress costumes, sending the children out trick or treating and holding a whole host of fantastically themed parties featuring ghosts, ghouls and witches. Some people may have forgotten the true story behind Halloween. Here are some fun facts about the origins of this particular event and why we celebrate it.

What Does Halloween Mean?

Halloween is actually short for Hallows Eve or Hallows Evening. It was a Celtic event which actually celebrated the end of the Pagan year. Even though it was a time of celebration, there was a fear and belief that the spirits of the dead would rise on this evening and cause widespread panic and mayhem.

Why Do We Wear Costumes?

This is also linked with the traditions of the Pagan holidays. It was believed that the prosperity of the new season could be affected due to the appearance of the evil spirits.

People were scared so they would disguise themselves in different types of costumes in order to prevent any evil spirits from being able to recognise them as being human.

What Is the Importance of Bobbing For Apples?

During this period of time, apples were considered very sacred and it was a tradition to honour Pomona, who is the Goddess of fruitful abundance. The origin of the game of bobbing for apples dates from this time. This is where apples are placed in a container of water and people have to try and pick one up without using their hands. It is a very messy but hilarious activity that can be enjoyed by children as well as adults.

What Is the Significance of the Colours Orange and Black?

You may have noticed that the colours used in the majority of Halloween decorations and clothing tend to be predominately orange and black. This is because way back in history orange represented harvest while the colour black represented death and darkness.

Why Do We Carve Pumpkins?

During the Hallows Eve, candles would be placed in hollowed out turnips and used to ward off evil spirits that were thought to have risen from the dead. These were called Jack o’ Lanterns. When Immigrants arrived in America they continued to celebrate this date and pumpkins became the vegetable of choice. This was because they were more readily available and as they were larger than the average turnip, they were also easier to carve.

These days’ people create amazing designs using pumpkins, gourds and other types of vegetables. Candles are still used but many people prefer the safety of LED lights especially if they have small children.

Making Ghoulish Halloween Treats

If you want to add something extra to your families Halloween this year, why not cook up some spooky Halloween treats? Making treats for Halloween is a lot simpler than you might think and it can turn the night into a soaring success. Treats for Halloween come in a range of different sizes and shapes. You can easily whip up a batch of cupcakes and decorate with spiders or turn a dip into a slimy looking punch.
If you have a creative streak then you can really excel at Halloween baking. You could take on a huge project like baking a Haunted Halloween House or even a Fairy Tale Castle cake. Why not take the concept of the gingerbread house and turn it into something totally different?

Cupcakes are easy to make and decorate. You can turn cupcakes into ghosts, witches and spiders or scary looking rats. By looking in your kitchen cupboards you can turn everyday items into spooky Halloween creations.

If you want to make faces then use items such as licorice for the hair, use popcorn to create a nose and ice cream cones can be cut and used for spooky hat ideas. All kids just love cookies and they are another item which is easy to bake. Use plain cookie dough and mold into bones, fingers, cats and other Halloween objects and characters. Mixing up a batch of meringue is easy and it can then be piped into bone shapes and baked.

Use bulk candies for decorating treats too. Candies such as gummy worms come in different colors and can be added to puddings to create a lumpy and ghoulish texture. You can make a chocolate cake and cover it with brown icing and broken up chocolate cookies. Add the gummy worms to make them look as though they are actually coming out of the cake.

Bake up cookies, cupcakes and brownies and then decorate in the Halloween colors of orange and black. Or you can pick up a Halloween stencil set and decorate these items with bats, cats, witches and ghosts.
If you are having a Halloween get together and want to serve up a refreshment then make a batch of Halloween Punch. Use an orange colored drink mix and serve in a large bowl. Place orange slices, melon balls and blueberries in the juice to make it look ghoulish. If you are having an adult party then you might want to add vodka into the punch bowl.

How about mixing up a batch of green soup for dinner on Halloween night? This would really set the tone for the night and get everyone in the Halloween mood.

Another great item that you can pick up from the grocery store is pumpkin pie filling. It has a wonderful orange color and pumpkin is very healthy for you too. Turn the filling into pies and tarts with store bought pie shells if you wish.

By putting on your creative thinking cap you can easily whip up some fun and colorful Halloween treats. If you have never baked on Halloween then maybe this year you could start what might become a new family tradition.

Making Halloween Treats Ghoulish

Halloween Customers - Kids

Simple Halloween Costumes for Your Child

If you have small children it can be hard to find a simple Halloween costume that doesn’t have tons of buttons or zippers. You want to have a costume that is easy to put on, looks great and one that can be taken off quickly when necessary.

Quite often a simple Halloween costume is usually more comfortable and easy to wear. You don’t want a costume that restricts your child’s movements. Remember they will be running around a lot and are sure to get quite warm regardless of the weather.

One of the added benefits of buying a simple Halloween costume is that they are normally less expensive. Plus you can still add Halloween accessories to dress the costume up a bit more. If you have a few children to buy for looking for simple costumes can really help keep you on budget.

If you like to sew or do crafts then you can make a homemade Halloween costume for your kids too. Some great examples would be making a ghost, fairy or pirate costume. Fairy wings can be constructed from still felt and attached with two homemade elastic straps.

Robots can be made with cardboard and a can of silver spray paint. If you do make any type of costume from cardboard, be sure to leave lots of room so your child can move their arms and legs freely.

One color outfits are a great idea, easy to make and more affordable. A simple bumble bee costume can be made by adding yellow stripes to a black sweatshirt and pants. Turn your small child into a ladybug by dressing them in red and adding large black dots or circles to their outfit. In the same theme you can make a Christmas Tree of Elf outfit and attach miniature Christmas Ornaments to their outfits.

A really neat idea that I wanted to share with you was making a Fried Egg Halloween costume! Dress your child in black. Get a white poncho type cape and sew a yellow, felt, egg yolk on to it.

Costumes that are simple and different also make it much easier for you to keep track of your child. They will most likely be out with a crowd of other children, and children dressed similarly can be harder to identify. Wouldn’t you prefer to know exactly where your child is at all times?

Another way to keep the cost of a Halloween costume down is to look for sale or bargain costumes. Many local stores and even those online will have a discount section. Quite often with prices at under $20 per costume which can be a huge help.

If you are looking for simple but great Halloween costumes this year try to think outside the box a little. If you are creative then try to make your own costumes. If not you can become a savvy shopper and look for specials and bargain racks to help save you money and time.

Halloween Costumes - Disney

Disney's Halloween Costumes

Who doesn’t love the World of Walt Disney and with Halloween right around the corner, Disney Halloween costumes are becoming increasingly popular. You may find it surprising that adults as well as kids love this type of costume. Plus this is a good reason why it is never too soon to start shopping for this year’s Disney Halloween costume. They are sure to sell out fast!

There is an entire range of Disney costumes for you to choose from. The classic costumes such as Cinderella and Snow White are still popular. Then you have other Disney costumes including Toy Story characters and Cars 2 which highlight more recent Disney movies.

Pirates are another favorite for both adults and kids and who wouldn’t be happy dressing up in the Pirates of the Caribbean costumes? Plus don’t forget about good old Captain Hook!

For toddlers there are some wonderful costumes that include Tinkerbell, Fairies and Minnie Mouse. These particular costumes are always popular and look cute on younger children. For boys you can choose from Mickey Mouse costumes and Woody. For infants one of the cutest Disney costumes just has to be Winnie the Pooh and this costume is perfect for girls as well as boys.

As your children get older they start to want those more popular costumes from all the latest movies. Ideas for older kids include a Jack Sparrow costume or Jasmine from Aladdin. Another very popular choice for girls is the Hannah Montana costume as well as dressing up as Jesse from Toy Story.

A highly popular costume this year is Jake and The Neverland Pirates. This is one costume that you should definitely buy early as lots of kids are asking for this particular costume.

It can get expensive buying new Halloween costumes every year. If you have more than one child hopefully you can pass costumes down to younger children. Or dress up an older costume with a new mask or accessories.

One way to save on your budget when buying Halloween costumes is to start saving up earlier in the year for the costumes. You can even get your kids to start saving a little each week or month during the summer months. This can be really helpful if your kids want a new costume each year. Why not get them to help pay for it.

Another budget saving idea is to simply put a limit on what each child can spend on a costume. This way they can then choose something within your guidelines. You save money and they still get the costume they want. Older kids could add to this budget with money saved up from a paper route or grass cutting job.

Disney’s Halloween costumes are not likely to go out of style. New movies are being released and older movies are made into DVD’s, creating renewed interest in the classics. Buying a Disney Halloween costume can be a wise investment and even if you can’t hand it down you can still end up selling it in a yard sale.

Setting Homework Schedules

Homework Help - Setting Homework Schedules

One of the biggest mistakes a parent can make is in doing their child’s homework for them. Helping and doing are two different things. You may think that you are helping your child by completing a homework assignment But they will never truly learn and grasp the concept of the subject if you continually do their homework for them.

Instead you are much better off to help your child find ways to do their homework successfully. Together you can find homework solutions and one way to do this is by setting a homework schedule.

You need to sit down with your child and determine approximately how much homework they have on a regular basis. Then look at when their assignments are due. This way you can see how much homework has to be done each night.

Your next step in setting a homework schedule is to see when your child likes to do their homework. Do they prefer to do it as soon as they get home and do they want to spend an hour or so relaxing?

Once you have decided what time works best you can then start making a schedule up. This can be done by using an online calendar or by making a written timetable up.

Now that you both know when the homework will be done be sure that your child has a quiet place to get their work done. This could be in the dining room, at the kitchen table or in their bedroom. You just want to be certain that they have no distractions.

If your child is going to be studying for a couple of hours encourage them to get up and walk around. They can get a drink or a snack or to make a fast phone call to their friend and then get back to work. It is difficult for anyone to concentrate on one thing for too long so taking breaks should be encouraged.

It may be hard at first for your child to accept the routine of homework, but if you instil this at an early age it will be second nature for them. Their homework schedule will become acceptable to them and automatic.

It is important for a child to learn how to study correctly. Their brains are at their peak learning level and studying will help to teach them core values. Always be understanding if your child doesn’t want to study. Maybe they have had a bad day or aren’t feeling well. Then make a decision on if the homework can wait or not. It won’t hurt to miss a day but don’t let this become a habit either!

Tips for Busy Moms Assistance With Homework

Homework Assistance Tips for Busy Moms

It can be tough trying to help your kids with their homework, especially if you are a busy mom. You have probably worked all day and are tired too and the last thing you feel like doing is helping out with homework. But providing homework assistance to your children is very important and should not be overlooked.

Some busy moms choose to hire a tutor to help their children with their homework. But this is not always a viable solution. By helping your children yourself you are forming a bond and developing a relationship of trust.

Parents who put in time with their children are normally much closer to them. Your child will view you as a dependable person and someone they can turn too when things go wrong.

Teachers set homework for a variety of reasons. First it teaches a child that they must work and that they have a responsibility to complete their assignments. By doing homework a child will learn that it is just a part of life and they must put their best effort out each day.

Busy moms often make the mistake of finishing their child’s homework for them. This is not going to help them in the long run. All you are doing is showing your children that it is acceptable to pass their chores and tasks onto someone else.

It is okay to give your child a reward for finishing their homework but don’t go overboard. They need to learn that they must always put their best effort into everything they do. This way they are learning to value the results that they earn for themselves.

The best homework assistance a busy mom can give to her child is to train them to be independent. Right from the beginning you need to let them know that you are available to give homework assistance but you are not doing the homework for them.

Another great tip is to set a homework schedule that works for both of you. This might be after dinner when you have both had time to relax from your busy day. This way when you sit down together to work you are both refreshed and eager to get the homework finished.

As your child becomes accustomed to their schedule and in taking responsibility for their own work you will find that they don’t actually require as much homework assistance as you thought. Your main job as a mom or parent is to just be there in case they need you!

Help Children do Homework

Easy Ways for Parents to Help Their Children do Homework

Children today are finding that they have so much homework to get through each night. Many subjects are becoming harder and they take more time to understand properly. Kids are so busy that they find it hard to concentrate at night to get their homework done.

Parents and even siblings can help when it comes to doing homework. In fact experts recommend that they get help from those around them. This is very important as it teaches children that they can lean on people for help and that it is acceptable to do so.

The best person to help any child do homework is of course their parents. They are the ones who know the child the best and the ones that the child trusts the most.

Most parents try to watch their child to see if they are having a hard time in school or not. Unfortunately many times they just can’t tell if their child is going through a rough time or not. If you want to help your children then offering to help them with their homework is a good start. Even if you just sit close by and are available to answer questions, you are showing an active interest in what your child is doing.

One easy tip to help your child keep on top of their homework is to simply talk to them about school. Ask them how their day was and how much homework they have. If they seem overwhelmed by the amount you can help them prioritize what should be done first.

If your child had a bad day and is upset by school then give them time to relax before bringing up the subject of homework. Maybe watching a little TV or going outside is all they need to feel more relaxed. Once they are feeling refreshed they will be more open to suggestions about you helping them with their homework.

All children learn at different rates. So if your child seems to be a slower learner then try to find ways to help them learn in a different manner. It might help for you to read the assignment out loud to them or offer to help them write down notes. Whatever you do never tell your child that they cannot learn something. If they hear these types of remarks constantly then they will lose the effort to try harder.

Many times all a child needs is help in putting a homework plan together. As a parent you can help them by keeping up to date with what homework they have. Just helping them determine what homework should be done first can be a great help. You can make a list of the homework in the order that it is due. As your child finishes an assignment it can be crossed off the list. This one step alone will make your child feel as though they are getting somewhere.

You should never do the homework for your child but help them take steps to get the homework done on time. By communicating with your child you are also building a lasting and trusting relationship with them.

Author:

A native of the Midwest farm country in Iowa, Marcia Ripperger has lived in a number of locations. She has resided in Chicago, Illinois; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Minneapolis, Minnesota., Living in rural and metropolitan areas taught Marcia to always look for the best opportunities each community could offer. She now lives in a rural area of Minnesota that has a small city flare and closeness to the land. . Marcia has work in the corporate world outside of her home and has various home based businesses over the years. She holds a degree in business management and is CMOM certified. Marcia is the owner of a Work At Home Choices LLC along with being the founder founder and publisher of " Christian Work From Moms and Grandparents" and Stay At Home Moms, and Work At Home Moms Choices She is a well known published and featured author through out the internet.

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Christian Quote of the Day

Christian Quote of the Day

There will be little else we shall want of heaven besides Jesus Christ. He will be our bread, our food, our beauty, and our glorious dress. The atmosphere of heaven will be Christ, everything in heaven will be Christ-like; yes, Christ is the heaven of His people