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Real Solutions for Real Parents by Autumn Rose Reo

Five Free Christmas Apps to Entertain Them (and Save You)

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Sharing Saturdays:

For all of you that will be traveling like our family this holiday, cartime togetherness may be wonderful one minute and whoa-is-me another. While talking and sharing time together may be a more positive option, sometimes it’s ok just to turn around and hand them your Iphone. So prepare yourself just in case with these 5 free apps to entertain your kids and save your sanity this holiday season!

Hungry Santa
Fatten up Santa before Christmas. Tilt the device to move Santa’s mouth under falling treats, but watch out for the healthy broccoli. Santa gets fatter and fatter as he chomps on all the goodies. Give him some fatty bonuses by bouncing the treats off his belly before he eats them, or eating long strings of treats all in a row. Go for the elusive “Crazy Chomp” bonus. You can’t play this one without laughing out loud.



Gingerbread Crazy Chef Cookie Maker
The tradition of leaving cookies for Santa has never been as fun and no-fuss as this. Gingerbread Crazy Chef is an innovative app that kids and parents can use together to create the most colorful, playful and crazy holiday cookies to leave for the Jolly Old Elf on Christmas Eve. Choose the shape, mix the ingredients and make “digital cookies” for Santa. Best of all? No mess and no clean-up! Great for kids, families and parents with children.



Cut the Rope: Holiday Gift
From the creators of Cut the Rope, comes the Special Holiday Gift game, which combines all the outstanding physics, devilishly tricky levels, and bright colorful visuals of the original — with a festive winter feel. SHAKE your iPhone for a special surprise! Swipe your finger to cut the ropes and feed Om Nom candy. Don’t forget to collect stars as you play. Think before you cut, and be sure to avoid spiders, spikes and other obstacles … getting that candy to Om Nom won’t be easy!




Santa’s Village
The perfect game for the whole family. Help Santa by building a bigger and better village, and save Christmas from being ruined by the Grumpkins. Start by building homes for Santa’s elves, create a toy factory and make lots of toys, teach reindeer how to fly, and meet magical neighbors like Yobo the Yeti. Unlock special buildings and colorful decorations to make your village even merrier.



Snowman Maker Plus
The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful … and since we’ve no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Yes, you can sit by the fire AND build an adorable, realistic looking snowman when you play Snowman Maker.




Healthy Holiday Cocktails {Recipe}

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Food Fridays (Extra): 



Because you never can have too many cocktail recipes! I wanted to share these Antioxidant Rich Holiday Cocktails from DailyBurn.com so you can continue with your diet while still enjoying the flavors of the season.
healthy holiday cocktails
Hot Apple Toddy
This hot toddy is juicy thanks to the hot apple cider base, and spicy cloves add an antioxidant punch.
 Serves 1
 Adjust recipe for number of guests
Ingredients:
2 oz whiskey or apple brandy
1 tsp sugar
6 oz apple cider
Lemon wedge for garnish
Cinnamon stick for garnish
2-3 whole cloves for garnish
Directions:
In a small saucepan, slowly heat apple cider, sugar, and whiskey (or apple brandy). Pour into a mug and serve with cloves, a cinnamon stick, and a lemon wedge.
Almond Peppermint Patty
This dairy-free chocolate peppermint martini contains antioxidant-rich cocoa. It’s also high in magnesium, thanks to the almond milk and chocolate combo.
Serves 1
Adjust recipe for number of guests
Ingredients:
3/4 oz peppermint schnapps
6 oz chocolate almond milk
Cocoa powder for garnish
Ice
Directions:
In a cocktail shaker, pour chocolate almond milk and peppermint schnapps over ice. Shake for a few seconds, and pour into a martini glass. Sprinkle cocoa powder on top of the martini.

Pomegranate Bellini
This bubbly antioxidant-rich bellini looks and smells like the holiday season. When you think of Christmas, pomegranates are a classic decorative, healthy, and tasty festive food.
Serves 1
Adjust recipe for number of guests
Ingredients:
6 oz prosecco
1 oz pomegranate juice
1 tsp pomegranate seeds
1 splash simple syrup
Directions:
In a champagne flute, add simple syrup and pomegranate juice. Fill glass with prosecco and garnish with pomegranate seeds.


Mulled Wine
This warm drink is spicy, warm and aromatic. Cloves and ginger add a kick and plenty of antioxidants.
Serves 1
Adjust recipe for number of guests
Ingredients:
5 oz red wine
1 oz brandy
1 tbsp honey
1 cinnamon stick
1 orange peel
1 clove
1 slice ginger
Directions:
In a small saucepan, slowly heat red wine, brandy, and honey. Do not attempt to boil. Add cinnamon stick, orange peel, clove, and ginger. Simmer on low heat for 10 – 15 minutes and serve immediately.

Secret Trick to Peanut Butter Fudge {Recipe}

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Food Fridays:

A holiday tradition in our home is the making of the Peanut Butter Fudge. I felt it was such a momentous occasion I even shared it with my Junior League anniversary cookbook a few years ago…too bad when I submitted the recipe, I forgot one ingredient. Can you guess what it was? 


Yes, it was the peanut butter! Worst of all, I didn’t notice until the NEXT year when I used the recipe to make sure I was forgetting anything and saw I left out the most important part. Thankfully, I did include the substitute just in case someone wanted to make normal chococlate fudge. 

However, since I’ve been asked about this recipe for many years (which is actually not mine, but my mother-in-law’s as I explain in the cookbook), I thought I’d share with you as well. 


It’s quick, it’s easy and as long as you don’t forget the one cup of peanut butter (LOL), it’s amazing. It’s perfect, cheap and quick to make for neighbor gifts and more!

Flyaway This Christmas with Girlfriend Wine Cocktails {Recipes}

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style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">Food Fridays:

I love the holidays for many reasons, but the opportunity to get together with friends (and enjoy festive drinks like hot mulled cider and eggnog) happens to be close to the top. Unfortunately, by the time you actually get to Christmas, you might be all holiday’d out with the wine, cider and eggnog.
However, when a lovely delivery of new wines called Butterfly Kiss by Jason Dade arrived on my doorstep and could actually be used to create some new fun “signature” cocktails for an upcoming girls’ get together, I was pretty stoked to try them out. I was also excited to use  with my marshmallow-flavored vodka gathering dust.

So to celebrate Friday and the holidays here are a few cocktail recipes for you to try with your girls using Butterfly Kiss Pinot Grigio or Pink Pinot Grigio (which I’m personally excited to taste!) Of course you can use any of your favorite wine varietals, but Butterfly Kiss was used specifically to create the perfect cocktail flavor.
The Puffy Cloud
3 oz   Butterfly Kiss Pinot Grigio
½ oz  Smirnoff Fluffed Marshmallow flavored vodka
1 oz   Sour mix
Spl.    Tonic water
Garnish: Lime wedge
Build in a wine glass over ice. Stir.
Spring Azure
4 oz    Butterfly Kiss Pinot Grigio
3 oz    Ginger ale
1½ oz Apple juice
2         Lime wedges
Garnish: Orange Wheel
Build in a wine glass over ice. Squeeze lime wedges on top. Stir.
Love Potion Sangria
1 btl.  Butterfly Kiss Pinot Grigio
4 oz    Tanqueray gin
16 oz  White grape juice
8 oz    Ruby red grapefruit juice
12 oz  Lemon-lime soda
4 oz    Sour mix
7 dshs Aromatic cocktail bitters
Garnish: Green and red seedless grapes
Build in a pitcher over ice. Serves 8.
Afternoon Delight
4 oz     Butterfly Kiss Pink Pinot Grigio
3 oz     Cranberry juice
1½ oz  Soda water
Garnish: Grapefruit wedge
Build in a wine glass over ice. Stir.
Parisian Affair
3 oz    Butterfly Kiss Pink Pinot Grigio
¼ oz   French herbal liquer
¼ oz   Italian orange aperitif
½ oz   Fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 oz    Soda water
3dsh.  Orange bitters
Garnish: Lemon peel
Build in a glass over ice. Stir.
Lively Up
3 oz    Butterfly Kiss Pink Pinot Grigio
½ oz   Black raspberry liqueur
1½ oz Sour mix
Spl.    Lemon-lime soda
Garnish: Cherry
Build in a wine glass over ice. Stir.
Tropical Escape
4 oz    Butterfly Kiss Chardonnay
3 oz    Lemon-lime soda
1½ oz Pineapple juice
Garnish: Lime wedge
Build in a wine glass over ice. Stir.
Wonder Kiss
3 oz   Butterfly Kiss Chardonnay
½ oz  Smirnoff vanilla flavored vodka
1 oz   Sour mix
Spl.    Cola
Garnish: Cherry
Build in a wine glass over ice. Stir.

Butterfly Kiss is a new wine, so it is soon to be found
wherever you purchase your wine and spirits. 

Ho! Ho! Ho! Clink. Clink! Clink! 

* Printed with permission by Butterfly Kiss.



DISCLAIMER:
I received one or more of the mentioned products for the sole purpose of this review. No other compensating was given and all opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. (Accordance with FTC’s 16 CFR Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

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