Healthy Crafting With Kids

Necco Wafers All Natural Turkey
Kids will love this quick and totally edible (and healthy) project made with Necco Wafers All Natural.

Make great holiday projects using Necco Wafers All Natural - try your hand at a turkey, a Christmas tree or a candy cane...you can even learn how to make an edible glue by grinding up the Neccos.
http://www.makehealthyfun.blogspot.com/

Hearst Castle Christmas

It all started with me finding a listing in a local weekly freebie newspaper about Hearst Castle being decorated for Christmas. I thought I'd put it out to my Newcomers Club to see who would like to go. Well, it's turned into what may be a once in a lifetime opportunity. One of my Newcomer friends is a docent and they hold a special party for them and she happened to have three extra tickets!!! So, guess who's going to the party and gets to see Hearst Castle all decorated? Love it!!! Now, I have about 10 other members who want to go, so looks like I will be going with them at a later date since I organized the function. You can never get too much of Hearst Castle!

Three Cheers to Albertsons and Nestles!

I LOVE it when Corporate America embraces the craft industry. Check out the postcard I received from Albertsons, my local grocery store. One side was a coupon, the other told about the free scrapbooking accents inside Nestle Hot Cocoa and if you couldn't wait till your next grocery trip you could cut out the festive accents there on the postcard to use on your pages. Great idea!!! OK, who's going to be the next biggie to share creative experiences with their customers???

Sedona, Arizona - My Kind of Town!

Sedona!!!

I live in Paradise, so when I knew it was time for a much-needed get away from everything, where would I pick??? I went from the ocean to the desert - Sedona, Arizona. I'd been there maybe fifteen years ago and loved it, so I packed my bags and headed to the airport with no agenda except to get there and get home on certain days. My trip was so fantastic!!!

Bell Rock

I wouldn't have guessed that the water in Oak Creek would be red.

A friend suggested a terrific place to have lunch along Oak Creek - L'Auberge de Sedona - absolutely amazing!!! After a healthy lunch, I splurged on what I call an Adult Smore - freshly made marshmallow with lots of other nummy things.

Tlaquepaque

I had to work off that Smore, so it was off to shop at internationally renowned Tlaquepaque (pronounced Tla-keh-pah-keh), Sedona Arizona's Arts & Crafts Village. Nestled beneath the shade of the sycamores on the banks of beautiful Oak Creek in Sedona, Tlaquepaque is the most distinctive shopping experience to be found in the Southwest. Authentically fashioned after a traditional Mexican village, Tlaquepaque, meaning the "best of everything," has been a Sedona landmark since the 1970's. Its vine covered stucco walls, cobble-stoned walkways and magnificent arched entryways give you the feeling that Tlaquepaque has been here for centuries. Tasteful galleries and unique shops live in harmony with its lush natural environment where giant sycamore trees stand in testimony to the care taken in preserving the timeless beauty of the Tlaquepaque grounds. It would be hard to find more beautiful surroundings anywhere to create a shopping experience like no other.

I loved the way they displayed this painting with all of the props.

Fall was definitely in the air with this tastefully decorated shop entry.

My friend had specifically told me about the red snail - when I got home, she asked when it would arrive at her house...she's so funny!

This was such a cute setting.

The wonderful fountain was decorated ready for shopper to enjoy.

The Enchantment Resort

I am so glad I returned to The Enchantment Resort for a VERY long lunch. It is way out of town away from the hustle and bustle of Sedona - it was absolutely wonderful!!! The backdrop to lunch was the amazing red rocks. The grounds are incredible and the best part, they let you roam around or sit and relax forever! Yes, the pool called me!!! Loved my afternoon there!

Some of the rooms at The Enchantment Resort...think I'll save me nickels, dimes and hundred dollar bills to stay there sometime.

They have an outdoor 'room' with firepits and lounge chairs...Yes, I lounged!

Hot Air Balloon Ride

I did another first! A hot air balloon ride! I have tried two other times where I used to live, but the winds came up and the flights were cancelled. My day started by getting up at 5 and being at the front desk at 6 where my pilot Doug picked me up. We met up with the four others I'd fly with - they were wonderful companions from Canada. At the end of the flight, the crew served up champagne and breakfast - all from the hood of a pick-up! (they did spread a tablecloth on the hood!)

A shot looking up into the balloon.

There were two other balloons in our party.

Verde Canyon Railroad

Another first...I took the four hour ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad - absolutely amazing!!! I thought after the balloon ride, this would be a bit of a let-down, but it was so wonderful. We went 12 miles an hour in beautifully restored old Pullman cars to places not accessible to the public. I must have taken a hundred pictures. The colors were spectacular.

We had a 'viewing car' next to our 'sitting car' - we saw a couple of eagles!!! It was a bargain to me - $79 for first class and you got an amazingly cushy chair to sit in, wide windows, a champagne greeting, a ton of food and four hours of relaxation!

Inside of our 'sitting car'

A look-out near the airport.

A friend had been in Sedona a couple weeks earlier and told me be sure to go to the lookout near the airport (I happened to be staying right there) and she also told me to be sure as soon as the sky turns pink at sunset to have my camera at the ready because it will be gone in seconds. This particular night, I took so many pictures over the course of 1/2 an hour, I finally gave up when the sky was still beautiful.

Here I am at the top of a hill looking down on the sprawl of Sedona.

The view from the balcony of my hotel - thank you ORBITZ!!!

I did have one more first on my last day - I had to drive in the snow between Sedona and the airport in Flagstaff. Scary stuff!!! There were cars spun-out along the road and emergency vehicles coming toward me but I couldn't pull over for fear of spinning out myself. A little snow still hangs on at the airport.

San Luis Obispo Airport

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Necco's Go All-Natural

I have loved Necco's since I was a kid - the licorice ones were never my favorite so I'd stand in front of a box of Necco's in a store and look at each roll to see which one had the least licorice ones in the package...oh, but all of the other flavors...

Well, my much-loved Necco's are changing and I can't wait to try the new version - they are going all-natural. Think beets, purple cabbage, even turmeric!

Check out the article at http://www.makehealthyfun.blogspot.com/

Guilt-Free Halloween

Check out these great Halloween ideas from http://www.makehealthyfun.blogspot/. The blog has other healthy ideas for your family for not only Halloween, but every day living.

Halloween is a festive day that kids enjoy, because they get dressed up and get treats. Enjoy the holiday with your kids, but carefully plan what you will do at your house to assure that healthy eating habits are practiced. This can be challenging, since the goal of most children is to get as much Halloween candy as possible for their own private stash. Help kids enjoy Halloween without overindulging. If you and your family eat sensibly all year, then kids know how to make wise decisions when they are tempted to overindulge with unhealthy foods.

Don't send your children trick-or-treating on an empty stomach. Make sure they eat a good healthy meal beforehand to reduce the urge to snack.

Trick-or-treat bags that children carry should be appropriate to their size. Older kids can carry larger bags, but not as large as a shopping bag or plastic garbage bag.

Limit the houses your children can visit to a two or three block radius. That way the treats will most likely come from neighbors and friends, and the moderate amount of treats will be manageable.

Instruct children to wait until they get home to eat any of their goodies so that you can inspect them first. Let them keep only treats that are wrapped commercially. Inspect and throw away any commercially wrapped treats with signs of tampering- tears in wrappers, tiny pinholes, unusual appearance or discoloration.

You don't have to pass out high calorie candy to trick-or-treaters at your house this year. Give them a variety of fun, non-candy alternatives to promote health rather than encourage unhealthy choices.

Healthy Trick-or-Treat Alternatives

Childhood obesity is increasing at an alarming rate, doubling over the past 30 years. Eating in moderation and becoming more physically active could reduce obesity rates in children. When trick or treaters ring your doorbell, what will you give them? Try nutritious, tasty foods and non-food options, including items that get children up and moving to use the extra calories they consume. Make Halloween a healthier and more inclusive holiday for children and adolescents with diabetes and other health-related dietary restrictions by offering non-sugar treats.

Healthy Food Treats: Think outside the box when choosing treats for trick-or-treaters or party-goers. The calories in all those bite-size Halloween treats add up quickly. Four "bite size" chocolate bars contain approximately 320 calories, 25 jelly beans have 140 calories, and 20 pieces of candy corn add up to 100 calories.

There are other treats that are lower in fat and sugar but may provide vitamins, minerals and fiber. The possibilities for healthy food treats are endless. Set a good example for your own children and the neighborhood kids by passing out healthy treats like these instead of giving them candy.

cereal bars

snack packets of dried fruit, baked pretzels, nut and seeds (e.g. peanuts*, unsalted almonds, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds)

trail mix

packages of low-fat crackers with cheese or peanut* butter filling

animal crackers

gold fish crackers

graham crackers

Cracker jacks

100 calorie packs of various products

beef or turkey jerky

single serve boxes of ready-to-eat cereal

raisins and chocolate covered raisins

fig cookies

sugar-free gum or hard candy

gummy candies made with real juice

mini boxes of raisins

individual juice drinks (100% juice)

snack pack pudding

Jello with fruit

applesauce

bean dip

single-serve packets of low-fat microwave popcorn

sugar-free hot chocolate or apple cider packets


*Be careful of peanut allergies.

Fresh fruits (e.g. apples, bananas and oranges) are very nutritious treats, but they are no longer safe options. Remember that individually wrapped items are best. If you choose candy for treats, look for those that are lower in fat and sugar. Choose bite-size candy bars based on the least amount of fat and calories per serving. Better choices are: 3 Musketeers; 100 Grand Bar; Butterfinger; Milky Way; Raisinets; Starburst and York Peppermint Patties.

In addition, consider healthier dark chocolate versions.

Non-food Treats: Children also will enjoy non-food treats** like the items typically given in birthday goodie bags.

small toys and pocket-sized games

glow sticks

costume jewelry (plastic rings, necklaces and bracelets)

funny Halloween glasses

false teeth

miniature magnifying glasses

tiny decks of cards

small stuffed animals

pencils

pencil toppers and fancy erasers

markers

stickers, including reflective safety stickers

rub-on or stick-on temporary tattoos

bookmarks

crayons

coloring tablets

paint brushes

pages from coloring books

children's magazines or comic books

bottles of bubbles

coins (pennies, nickels, dimes)

fake money

whistles

toothbrushes

used books

coupons from a yogurt store or juice bar**


Some treats fit all ages, but small items should be limited to kids over age three.

Treats to Promote Activity: Encourage kids to be more physically active by giving small, inexpensive toys to get them up and moving.

a bouncy ball

a jump rope

sidewalk chalk for drawing a hopscotch or foursquare game

a beanbag for hacky sack

a plastic or foam flier

Reviewed and adapted for use by Janis G. Hunter, HGIC Nutrition Specialist, and Katherine L. Cason, Professor, State Program Leader for Food Safety and Nutrition at Clemeson University

Firemen vs. Coast Guard

The competition - today was a fantastic day - my friend and I walked on the beach and then headed over to the firemen vs Coast Guard competition - it was a fundraiser for a local charity. The competitions were so fun, some typical, like a tug of war, but then there was one I'd never seen, but was hilarious! Each team had a paddle with a tennis ball on the small end. They had to place their forehead on the tennis ball and run around the paddle a certain number of times - those dizzy firemen and Coast Guard guys were stumbling around the beach in a relay that was so much fun to watch...

Firemen vs Coast Guard