Frugal Family Tree

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Apple Tree Handprint Project

Cover depicting the tree giving away an apple

With Thanksgiving coming up next week we have been talking about giving, sharing and loving your family and friends. A great way for children to relate to this in real life is to read them a story about the subject. That is why we have been reading The Giving Tree , a family favorite. All this reading sparked the Apple Tree project below! I love it when the story continues into real life, it really seems like the children are understanding and absorbing what we are teaching.

Butterscotch Pudding

Butterscotch pudding was a favorite dessert of mine when I was a little girl. My mother loved making dessert for us, and pudding was something she made at least once a week.

This pudding isn't quite as good as what I remember from all those ago, but it is pretty delicious.
A little whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg are the perfect finish.

Ingredients:

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks, beaten
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Holiday Cards MINTED $50 Giveaway

Sending out Holiday/Christmas cards is #1 on most peoples list this time of year, just like holiday shopping, there is planning and preparation involved. These days most people are looking for holiday cards that are personal, artful and meaningful.

If sending out Christmas cards that are unique and special to you are what you are looking for then Minted is the perfect solution. Why Minted? Minted is the world's premier marketplace for independent design. Their mission is to find exceptional artists and designers all over the world and bring their work to consumers who appreciate great design.

What I love about Minted is it is a collaboration of so many different designers and artists that everyone can find a card that is just perfect. We all have an idea of what is the "perfect" Holiday card to send, Minted will help you capture that idea. I can't wait to order my Christmas cards this year, in the mean time I will drool over a few beautiful examples...

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients

Crust:

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

This year I have dedicated most of my holiday shopping to online, it is just so easy and convenient and with three small children trying to get in a day or two of shopping is rough. My husband and I like to pick out their gifts together, that means we need someone to watch our children, which means finding and paying a sitter. We would rather spend the time and money shopping by online after the kids go to bed.

Another luxury to shopping on line is the variety and endless choices but that can also be overwhelming. What I love about Hammacher Schlemmer is they have everything, I mean everything you can think of for everyone in your family! You can shop for your entire family and cross everyone off of your list with one stop here. Their site has many categories to choose from like Electronics, Apparel, Home, Outdoor, Personal Care, Sports and Leisure, Toys, Travel, Holiday and Special Values. They also have gifts that you might not even know exist, seriously I came across some great gift ideas! Here are a few to start: