November 2017 - NY Foodie Family

31 Days of December Fun

Posted on November 30, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

1. Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas Movies begins tonight. Schedule in time to watch some of your favorites. Why not plan a movie marathon night or two?

2. Looking for a new Netflix binge? Check out what is leaving and what’s new for December. If you’re more of an Amazon watcher, here’s what’s coming to Amazon Prime in December. If you’re more of a bookworm, check out all the new books being published in December.

3. Have you put up your Christmas tree or started decorating yet? If not, now’s the time!

4. Get in the Christmas spirit by listening to some holiday music. Sia, Pentatonix, Gwen Stefani and Lindsey Stirling all have new Christmas albums out.

5. Hanukkah begins next Tuesday. Get in the spirit by reading some of these books with your children. Or get them ahead of time so you can read one each night of Hanukkah!

6. Be a Christmas Angel. Check your local church or community organizations to see if they have holiday wish lists for children in need.

7. Still working on your holiday shopping list? Check out my gift guides on the hot holiday toys for school-age kids and preschool kids.

8. It’s getting chilly out there. Have you switched over to your flannel sheets?

9. Check out your community calendar and schedule in a day of local fun. Whether it’s a winter festival, show or parade, stay local today!

10. Take a drive around your neighborhood and check out the holiday lights.

11. Get your picture taken with Santa!

12. Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah. Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate. Even if you don’t celebrate, why not make some latkes? They are delicious!

13. Have a date night. Just you and your significant other. No friends, no kids. It’s time to reconnect before the holiday craziness begins.

14. Declutter and do a Goodwill drop-off before the holidays. Help your kids clean out and make room for new toys, books and clothes.

15. Spend some quiet, relaxing time as a family. Work on a puzzle together. We enjoy the White Mountain family jigsaw puzzles. We have this What’s For Breakfast 400 piece puzzle that has pieces in three different sizes so everyone can work at a level that’s right for them.

16. Winter is perfect for soups and stews. We love this Loaded Potato Soup. Even better, it can be made in the slow cooker!

17. Today is National Maple Syrup Day! Enjoy some homemade (or frozen) waffles or pancakes and pour on the maple syrup. We love Soukup Farms Coffee Infused maple syrup!

18. Bake some holiday cookies. Here are 30 cookies from around the world!

19. Do a random act of kindness (RAOK). Pay for the person’s order behind you at the drive-through or double the tip you leave your waiter or waitress.

20. Donate non-perishable food to your local food pantry.

21. Have a gift-wrap-a-thon. Gather all your wrapping supplies, put on some fun tunes and get all your presents wrapped and ready!

22. Have a family game night! Here’s one of our family favorites.

23. Bundle up and plan a day of ice skating fun!

24. Don’t forget to set out cookies and milk for Santa! It’s also National Egg Nog Day! Celebrate with one of these 18 recipes!

25. Merry Christmas! Hope Santa brought you everything you wanted! Enjoy the day with family and friends!

26. Spend a relaxing day at home enjoying all your new presents. If you’re a real go-getter, start finding homes for all your new gifts.

27. The planner nerd in me is so excited for the new year. New Year = new planner! If you don’t use a planner, now’s the time to think about using one for 2018! I love the Happy Planner and have two – one for the everyday and one for my blog planning.

28. Get some fresh air. Take a family walk around the neighborhood.

29. After all the holiday spending, have a no spend day. Make your coffee, pack your lunch, cook dinner. Try not to spend any money today.

30. Hopefully, we have snow by now. Get out in the snow and build a snowman, go sledding, have a snowball fight! Then you can warm up with a nice mug of hot cocoa!

31. It’s New Year’s eve! Ring in 2018 with your loved ones!

The Tweens Read {November 2017}

Posted on November 29, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

I am blessed to have two children who have inherited my love of reading. At ages 9 and 11, my children read so many books a week that I cannot keep up. I wanted to start a new feature highlighting some of the best books that they have read each month. Although I cannot read every book that they do, I also wanted to add my input and review of some of the middle grade fiction books that I am able to read. I hope this becomes a helpful resource for parents looking for book recommendations for their tween readers. Here is the first November 2017, first edition of The Tweens Read.

Books That I Read:

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The Friendship Code (Girls Who Code #1) by Stacia Deutsch
Published: August 2017
Pages: 144
Source: borrowed from the library
Mom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Mom Review: I heard about this new series and put the first book on hold at the library. The book is created in partnership with the nonprofit, Girls Who Code. In this first book in the series, Lucy has joined the Coding Club at school. She is frustrated that the club isn’t moving as fast as she’d like and she is grouped with girls that she doesn’t know very well. Then she ends up getting cryptic messages that she needs help to solve. Although the girls in this book are in middle school, it reads like a younger book. While schools have been teaching coding to kids as young as Kindergarten, you still don’t hear about many girls who are really into it. Coding is introduced to readers in a fun and simplified way.

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Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier
Published: GRAPHIX, September 2016
Pages: 256
Source: borrowed from library
Mom Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Tween Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Mom Review: Like my daughter, tweens might be familiar with some of Telgemeier’s previous books like Smile and Sisters. Ghosts is a graphic novel with a telling title, since the book is about ghosts. Catrina’s little sister Maya has cystic fibrosis. Their family moves to Northern California for Maya’s health. As they explore their new neighborhood they discover that there are ghosts all around them. This book was inspired by Dia de Los Muertos. This was the first children’s book that I’ve read that has a character with cystic fibrosis. I thought the author did a good job of describing the illness. There has been some controversy over the accuracy of how Dia de Los Muertos is depicted in the book. If this is a child’s first book about the Day of the Dead, they make get a skewed idea of what the day is really about. This book is different than Telgemeier’s other graphic novels, which are more realistic fiction based. She has a large tween following and both my kids read and liked this book.

READ BY THE 9 -YEAR-OLD:

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Creepin’ Through the Snow (The Creeper Diaries Special Edition) by Greyson Mann
Illustrated by: Amanda Brack
Published by: Sky Pony Press, October 2017
Pages: 176
Source: borrowed from library
Tween Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

This is a holiday, Christmas-themed book where Gerald Creeper Jr. is trying to survive the holidays. He spent all the emeralds his parents gave him and needs a way to make them back. This series is told in diary format with lots of illustrations throughout. I have not read any books in The Creeper Diaries series. My son is a fan of Minecraft and I thought that he’d enjoy this book. I discovered that this was the first book that he’s read in the series, but he enjoyed it enough that he wants to read the others.

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Dog Man Unleashed by Dav Pilkey
Published by: Graphix, December 2016
Pages: 224
Source: borrowed from the library
Tween Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Dog Man series is written by Dav Pilkey, the same author who writes the infamous Captain Underpants series. Dog Man Unleashed is the second book in the Dog Man series. In this book Dog Man tries to take down Petey the Cat, who has escaped from jail. This is a graphic novel and my son loves this series.

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The Getaway (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #12) by Jeff Kinney
Published by: Amulet Books, November 2017
Pages: 224
Source: purchased
Tween rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is one of the few that my kids have to own every single book. The Getaway was just published this month and of course we had to pick it up at the school book fair. In this book the Heffley family takes a holiday tropical island vacation for some rest and relaxation. Of course their Christmas vacation getaway doesn’t go as expected. Both kids enjoyed this book a lot.

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The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier
Illustrated by: Douglas Holgate
Published by: Viking Books for Young Readers, October 2015
Pages: 240
Source: borrowed from library
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

This is the first book in a three book series. A monster attack has turned most of the people of Wakefield into zombies. Jack Hunter is a 13-year-old who with some friends must battle the zombies. This book has lots of illustrations. It totally does not sound like a book that I’d enjoy. My son thought the book was okay but isn’t interested in continuing the series. However, I’m sure this story line will appeal to some middle grade readers out there.

READ BY THE 11-YEAR-OLD:

No Better Friend

No Better Friend by Robert Weintraub
Published by: Little Brown Books for Young Readers, May 2016
Pages: 304
Source: borrowed from the library
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This is the adapted middle grade edition of Weintraub’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name. This book tells the true story of air force tech Frank Williams and Judy, a pointer dog who meet as prisoners of war during World War II. Together, they help each other survive to freedom. The book contains photographs and informative sidebars that help tell their story. My daughter really enjoyed this book a lot and said it gave her a better understanding of World War II.

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Treasure Hunters: Secret of the Forbidden City by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
Illustrated by: Juliana Neufeld
Published by: Little, Brown and Company, September 2015
Pages: 448
Source: borrowed from the library
Rating: 4 out 5 stars

This is the third book in Patterson’s Treasure Hunter series. Co-author, Chris Grabenstein, is the author of the Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series which both my kids really enjoyed. In this book, Bick and Beck Kidd are taken on an adventure to Europe and Asia as they try to buy their mother’s freedom from pirates. My daughter enjoyed all of the action in the book and the accompanying illustrations and plans to continue reading the series.

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Tween Boys

Posted on November 28, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting this blog!)

By now you probably have an idea of what you’re getting your kids for the holidays. If you’re like me though, you end up at the last minute scrambling to buy the little things to fill your kids’ stockings. Here’s a collection of stocking stuffer ideas for tween boys. These are products that my 9-year-old son has enjoyed and make for fun, small gifts.

EDIBLE:
In my opinion, food is never a bad gift choice for anyone. But you can never go wrong getting candy for a tween! If you want to go the safe route, buy some of his favorite candy. Gum is always a good bet as well. Especially fun gum, like Bubble Tape. But f you want to give them something more adventurous, try these ideas:

Bean Boozled – This is a fun game that can be played with friends or family. You spin the spinner and have to eat the jelly bean it lands on. Will it be juicy pear or booger flavored? You don’t know until you try the jelly bean! Be warned, some of these jelly beans taste disgusting!

Ultimate Warheads Candy Lovers Variety Bundle - 8 Great Varieties Including Extreme Sour, Smashups, Chewy Cubes, Hotheads 7 More! (8 Total Bags)

Warheads Candy – According to my son, the new game at lunch is sour and spice wars. Kids bring in Warheads and other sour candy and face off with each other to see who can last the longest! This 8-pack has Warheads most popular varieties!

USEFUL:
It’s always nice to give a stocking stuffer that kids actually need and can use.

Socks – Boys always need socks. Especially long ones since many tween boys wear shorts to school all year-round, even in winter! My son’s favorites are long basketball-style socks with either an athletic brand logo or a fun design.

Watchitude – (c/o Watchitude) Who remembers the fun of slap bracelets?! Watchitude has combined the fun of those bracelets with the usefulness of a watch. There are many different bracelet including different sports balls, cupcakes, doughnuts, lightning and other fun, colorful designs.

JUST FOR FUN:
Sometimes, you just want to give your son something fun. Here are a few things they don’t need or maybe they don’t even know they want, but are just fun!

Funko POP! – Funko makes a POP! for almost every interest out there. Perfect for stockings are POP! minis or Pocket POP! keychains. Funko has a POP! for fans of Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Harry Potter and more.

LEGO mini bags – If your son loves LEGOs, a perfect stocking stuffer is a LEGO mini set. These are smaller, more reasonably priced sets that kids can put together in minutes. My son has this parrot set from LEGO Creator. It makes a fun room decoration, or he can take the pieces apart and use them to build something else. LEGO has several different mini sets including a yellow airplane, transporter plane, mini sports car, clown fish and more.

Manifold origami mind bender puzzles – My son’s friend gave him this after he found it too hard to do. Each paper needs to be folded into a 4×4 square so the black areas are on one side and the white areas on the other. There are 100 pages that get harder as you progress. This is recommended for ages 10+ and is perfect if your son is a puzzle lover. My husband enjoys doing these too!

What are you putting in your tween’s stocking this year?

Escape the Mystery Room {Family Date Night}

Posted on November 27, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

We recently celebrated my husband’s birthday. When asked what he wanted to do, he requested we visit Escape the Mystery Room at the Palisades Mall. This is one of those places where they lock you in a room and you must solve a series of clues to escape before time runs out. My children are 9 and 11 and we thought this sounded like a fun family date night.

Escape the Mystery Room has locations throughout the Eastern part of the United States and one location in Austin, Texas. There are several different themed rooms to choose from with a variety of difficulty levels (1 through 5). During our visit themed rooms included Black Ops, Escape from Alcatraz, Treasure Island, Superhero’s Adventure, Houdini’s Magic Cell, Sherlock’s Library, Special Agent, Zombie Apocalypse and Hollywood Premier. The room themes change approximately every twelve weeks.

We arrived at the Palisades location around 3:3o PM. When we arrived we went to the desk and asked for suggestions of themed-rooms appropriate for families. The girls at the desk noted that their most popular room is Escape Alcatraz. However, they had no more reservations for the evening. The other two rooms they recommend for beginners are Superhero’s Adventure and Treasure Island. They did note that only 50% of visitors are able to escape the room on their first visit. We let the kids choose and they voted for Treasure Island. However, the next reservation available wasn’t until 7:05 PM.

Escape the Mystery Room costs $20 a person, regardless of age. The experience for the four of us cost $80 plus tax. They accept credit cards and once we paid and reserved our spot, we were told to come back at 7 PM. Luckily, the place is located in a large shopping mall, so we shopped and ate dinner before our reserved time.

We arrived back at Escape the Mystery Room at 7 PM. We were given a sheet of rules and instructions to read over before our experience. There was also a list of charges if you broke locks, keys, or other items in the room. Phones had to be turned off and pictures are not allowed to be taken. Although you can be grouped with others, fortunately, it was just the four of us in our room.

We were escorted to the Treasure Island room, given a super brief overview and locked in. We were allowed to call for assistance two times, if needed. We had 50 minutes to figure out the 4 digit code that would unlock the door and set us free. There was very little direction given as to what you were supposed to do and it took a good 10-15 minutes before our daughter found our first clue! We were on our last clue when we needed to request a clue. Honestly, we didn’t find the info given very helpful, but we were at the last clue.

This was a Level One (beginner) room and we escaped with 6 minutes to spare! We were told we could use the extra minutes to continue on and try to figure out the Level Three puzzle. Unfortunately, there was not enough time for us to complete it. But we were super excited that we were able to complete Level One!

I thought that there would be a fun photo op at the end or some recognition for escaping the room, but there wasn’t. So we had to take our own picture in the lobby as a souvenir!

I think my 9 and 11-year-old were at a perfect age to do Escape the Mystery Room. The Level one room was challenging, even for us adults. If your children have short attention spans, are easily frustrated, or are not interested in puzzles, then I don’t recommend this experience. My kids enjoy these types of challenges so this was right up their alley. As soon as we left, my daughter wanted to try another room!

The Details:

Escape the Mystery Room
Palisades Center (this was the location that we visited, but check the map for the nearest location to you!)
3681 Palisades Center Drive
West Nyack, NY 10994
(845) 358-1978

Hours: Sunday – Thursday: 10 AM – 9:30 PM, Friday & Saturday: 10 AM – midnight
Cost: $20/person
Parking: Plenty of free parking

Tips:
*Reservations are highly recommended. You can call or book online. If you want to make a reservation while at the mall, arrive several hours before your targeted time.

*If you want to make this a couples only date, I recommend gathering up some friends to make it a group date. Otherwise you may be grouped with other people.

*If this is your first time doing an Escape the Mystery Room try a Level One room. My husband and I found this room challenging for our first experience.

Holiday Gift Idea: MunchPak Subscription Box

Posted on November 22, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting this blog.)

The holidays are quickly approaching. Are you like me and frantically trying to figure out what to get everyone on your list? Do you have some hard to shop for people? The ones who don’t seem to need anything? Or, you don’t want to get people “stuff” that they don’t really need. How about giving a MunchPak subscription box? My whole family loves when this box arrives. We enjoy sampling the snacks over a couple of weekends throughout the month and discussing which ones are our favorites.

Inside each MunchPak box is a selection of international snacks from around the world. The snack selection includes candy, cookies, chips and depending on what box size you choose, even drinks. What’s even better is you can decide how frequently you or your gift recipient receives each snack box. You can choose from 5+, 10+ or 20+ snacks per box. Then you decide how long of a subscription you want to send. Do you want to give a one time box or send a box for 3, 6, or 12 months? If you prefer that your recipient chooses which box they’d like, you can send a gift card instead. Bookmark this post, because on Cyber Monday (November 27), you can save 50% off a MunchPak subscription! Otherwise, you can save 25% off subscriptions the rest of the week. Regular price subscriptions start at just $9.95 depending on which box you order!

Are you wondering what comes in this box? Like I mentioned, there’s a variety of different types of snacks. You will receive chips, cookies and candy. The snacks will come from all different countries from around the world. Although there is not a card included to tell you where the different snacks come from, they do have an app that allows you to scan the UPC code and find out more. Many of the products have the country of origin right on the label. Otherwise, I visit the MunchPak site and search the shop to find out more info. Curious to see what a box looks like? Here is a review of our most recent MunchPak box! Inside our November box was:

Chewits (Blackcurrant) – (Candy from United Kingdom) Our box had the blackcurrant flavor of Chewits. This is a candy from the United Kingdom. The squares are individually wrapped. They start out hard but as you suck on them, they get soft and chewy. The blackcurrant flavor reminded me of a berry/grape flavor.

Cow Tales Crispy Moo Bar – (Candy from United States) I had previously heard of the Cow Tales brand of candy before receiving this box. My daughter had even gotten a Cow Tales candy trick-or-treating on Halloween. This is a crispy rice bar with marshmallows. It’s very similar to a Rice Krispy treat with little caramel bits on top.

Chiky Choko Banana Cookies – (Cookie from Costa Rica) These are banana cookies with a bottom layer of chocolate. The banana flavor was very faint. Six cookies came in the package.

Lotte Pikachu Ramune – (Candy from Japan) The packaging of this candy appealed to my Pickachu-loving son. Inside are pink balls of candy. They have a strawberry flavor on the outside and as you suck on it, the texture and flavor changes. We found the flavor to get sour and then grainy with a banana flavor.

Tayto Ripples (Sour Cream and Onion Flavor) – (Chips from Ireland) These are Ireland’s take on sour cream and onion potato chips. They were nice and crisp with a light sour cream and onion flavor.

Takis Zombie Habanero and Cucumber Tortilla Chips – (Chips from Mexico) These are a seasonal chip produced by Takis. I personally wasn’t a fan of the habanero and cucumber flavor combo. I found them to be hot and sour. However, my husband really enjoyed these. He thought the green coloring was unnecessary though.

Vidal Gummi Circus Clowns – (Candy from Spain) Our family loves gummy candy. These clowns come in different colors but are all cotton candy-flavored with a cherry-flavored nose. I found these gummies to be a bit hard and on the chewier side. I couldn’t really discern the cotton candy flavor.

Lotte Stone Age Chocolate – (Candy from South Korea) These are different colored candy covered chocolate eggs.

Kidsmania Wacky Monkey – (Candy from Mexico) This was also a super fun candy. The package has a monkey that claps its cymbals together with the push of a button. Yes, my son kept the monkey after we finished the candy! The candies are multi-colored, crunchy, sweet bites similar to a SweeTart flavor.

Eiffel Bonbons (Strawberry) – (Candy from France) This candy comes in several different flavors, but we received strawberry. These have a powdery coating on the outside and are chewy strawberry-flavored balls.

Pei Tien Energy 99 Sticks (Pumpkin Roll) – (Snack from Taiwan) I wasn’t sure how to classify this snack. It’s not really a chip, cookie or candy. The outer shell looks and tastes like a puffy cheese doodle without the orange powder or cheese taste. Inside is a sweet filling, that you couldn’t tell was pumpkin flavored unless you saw the package.

Lotte Milkis Apple Soda – (drink from South Korea) This is a new flavor of Milkis sodas. Its a creamy bubbly apple juice that tastes extra sweet.

Every box is a surprise of snacks. This subscription box is a lot of fun and a perfect gift for any foodie or snack lover on your holiday shopping list!

Hot Holiday Toys for Preschool Children {Holiday 2017}

Posted on November 20, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(This post contains affiliate links. NY Foodie Family receives a small commission if you make a purchase through this link. Thank you for supporting this blog!)

I think preschool children are some of the easiest to shop for. At this age they are into their favorite television characters and toy manufacturers are very aware of this! They are also at a great age for starting to learn to play games and do crafts. Although there seems to be unlimited options, here are some of the hot holiday toys for preschool children this holiday.

Disney Junior Doc McStuffins All-in-One Nursery – Doc McStuffins helps your child take care of their baby dolls in this all-in-one nursery set. It comes with a cradle and a scale. Included in the many different doctor accessories are a light-and-sound stethoscope and a laptop that has a light-up screen, makes sounds and plays music. This is a preschool toy of the year finalist. The laptop and stethoscope each require 3 x AAA batteries, not included. Recommended for ages 3+. Retails for $79.99.

Go! Go! Smart Wheels Race & Play Adventure Park – Watch as Gavin the Go-Kart races down the track and off the jump ramp! This set includes a ferris wheel that spins, a tumble-down carnival game and a swinging gate. It plays 40 songs, melodies, sounds and phrases. Requires 3 x AAA batteries, not included. Recommended for ages 1 -5. Retails for $39.99.

LeapFrog LeapStart – This is LeapFrog’s new interactive learning system. Using the stylus, children use one of the 25+ books (sold separately) to engage in over 30 different learning activities. Recommended for ages 2-7. Retails for $39.99.

Moonlite – Moonlite is a children’s storybook projector that attaches to almost any phone. Using the flashlight function it projects story images onto the wall or ceiling. Recommended for ages 3+. The projector retails for $24.99 and each story reel retails for $7.99. Available stories include Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, The Ugly Duckling, Duck & Goose and more.

Luvabella – Luvabella is an interactive baby doll. She moves, talks and plays, learning as kids play with her. She comes with four interactive accessories including a spoon, bottle, pacifier and stuffed animal. 4 C batteries are required, but not included. The doll is available with blond hair, brunette hair or dark brown hair. She retails for $99.99.

Paw Patrol My Size Lookout Tower – Paw Patrol fans will love this 2 1/2 ft.+ tower. It has interactive lights and sounds and comes with a Chase figure and vehicle, 2 Chase pup packs, one Marshall figure and 2 Marshall pup packs. Requires 2 x AAA batteries, not included. Recommended for ages 3+. Retails for $99.99.

Paw Patrol Sea Patroller – For Paw Patrol fans, Spin Master’s newest addition to the collection is the Sea Patroller. This boat makes sounds, has flashing lights and comes with a detachable anchor. The set comes with a Ryder figure and Ryder’s rescue ATV vehicle, an octopus and two lifesavers. This is a preschool toy of the year finalist. 3 LR44 button cell batteries are included. Recommended for ages 3+. The set retails for $59.99.

Rusty Rivets - Rivet Lab Playset

Rusty Rivets Rivet Lab – Fans of Rusty Rivets will enjoy this transforming playset. This set includes real lights and sounds from the show and comes with an exclusive Rusty figure. There’s a moving crane, elevator and blaster. You can add to the lab with other Build Me Rivet Systems sets, that are sold separately. Requires 3 LR44 batteries, included. Recommended for ages 3+. Retails for $39.99.

Soggy Doggy Board Game – In this game players move their piece around the board, taking turns bathing the doggy. But the dog likes to shake himself dry. If he shakes himself on your turn, you get wet and have to go back to the start. Requires 3 x AA batteries, not included. Recommended for ages 4+. Retails for $19.99.

Five On Friday {Almost Thanksgiving!}

Posted on November 17, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(This post contains affiliate links. NY Foodie Family receives a small commission when you purchase through these links. Thank you for helping to support this blog!)

Happy Friday! I cannot believe that Thanksgiving is next week. To say that November has flown by is an understatement! It has been pretty quiet on the blog this week, as I was helping out at the school book fair every day this week. Spending most of the day at the book fair, doing laundry, cleaning and errands, and then shuttling the kids to and from their various after school activities has pretty much been my week. Not really exciting stuff! This weekend is my husband’s birthday. We took a cruise last year to celebrate his 40th, but are keeping it low-key this year. His parents are coming over Sunday to help celebrate. The kids only have school Monday and Tuesday next week and then we are headed down to Maryland to spend Thanksgiving with my sister and her family. I have so much to be thankful for and am fortunate to be able to spend the holiday with my family. I wish you an early Happy Thanksgiving! May you enjoy a wonderful day with family, friends and good food! Here are five from this week:

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1. Reading – I have been in a reading funk lately and not been motivated to read. This week I picked up The Last Mrs Parrish, which I had on hold at the library. I think I was in the mood for a good suspense book. Although I haven’t had much time to read this week, when I do get a chance, I’ve been reading this one!

2. Cooking – I no longer post a weekly meal plan on the blog. Part of the reason is that it gets dark so early. I’ve been making dinner later and I’m just not able to get decent pictures. This week’s winning dinners included One Pan Italian Sausage and Farro from Girl Heart Food and Ham and Sweet Potato Hash from the September 2017 issue of Cooking Light.

3. Holiday Shopping – Tomorrow only, (Saturday, November 18) Target is having a sale with 25% off toys! Start your holiday shopping now! I have posted several gift guides recently for tweens and will have a preschool toy guide coming next week! It’s crazy to think that the December holidays will be here before soon. I really need to sit and start making my shopping lists!

4. Dinner Date – Saturday night my husband and I went out to dinner with his brother and his brother’s girlfriend. It was Hudson Valley Restaurant Week (HVRW) and we went to a new-to-us restaurant that I had been wanting to try for the longest time. We had a great evening and some amazing food. My beer-braised short rib with corn and cheese grits and crispy brussels sprouts was a perfect fall dish and so good!

5. Business Cards – My business cards finally arrived this week! I ordered them through Vistaprint, during a 40% off sale. The first batch never arrived so they had to resend them. That was really annoying because I had an event to go to where I wanted to have the cards on hand. I ordered them with what I thought was plenty of time. Then there was the shipping issue and they didn’t arrive in time. On the preview the Facebook icon didn’t look lost on the dark background of the card. Overall, I’m not a huge fan of the quality either. I know many people like Moo, so I will have to give them a try next time!

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Monday I shared Activity Kits for Tween Girls.

Tuesday I shared my October Reads.

Linking up with Katie, Andrea and April. Have a great weekend!

October 2017 Reads

Posted on November 14, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting this blog!)

It’s time once again for Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books link up. It’s a time where I get to show off my October 2017 reads as well as see what other bloggers have been reading this past month. My to-read list grows significantly today! October was a decent reading month for me. I read seven books last month, with about half being really good reads. I’ve been in a reading slump lately and even though it’s mid-November, I have only book read so far this month. I’m hoping that some recommendations from this link-up will help get me reading again!

3 Stars

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The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse (c/o NetGalley) – Nina is happily married and a stay-at-home mom to two boys, living a life of luxury. When her husband Finn dies in a car accident, she discovers that he has been hiding their huge financial problems. Her house is repossessed and she must start a new life with her sons. She moves closer to her sister and begins to find herself, discovering that she’s stronger than she believed. I didn’t hate this book. It just was a very slow read for me. I didn’t realize that Prowse has written so many other books. I am not giving up on her as an author yet and may try some of her other books.

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Scarlet by Marissa Meyer – I finally read the second book in the YA Lunar Chronicles series and I’m kind of disappointed. I read Cinder so long ago and don’t remember much of it. I do know that I enjoyed it a lot more than this second book. For those of you unfamiliar with this series, the books are futuristic, fantasy takes on familiar fairy tales. Scarlet is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood with references to grandmother and the Wolf. There’s a lot of action and adventure in this book, but I haven’t been into this genre recently. I’m not sure yet if I’ll finish up the series.

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Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley – A book that revolves around a bookstore where people leave notes to each other in the pages of books sounds like a book that I’d love. I just didn’t. I found this to be a very slow read until the end. And it was just so sad and depressing. I know a couple other Show Us Your Book bloggers have read this book which is where I think I got the recommendation. It just wasn’t a fave of mine.

4 Stars

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Class Mom by Laurie Gelman – Jen Dixon is an older mom with two grown daughters in college and a son Max, in Kindergarten. Her friend Nina convinces her to be the class mom for Max’s class. Jen sends out snarky, but hilarious, e-mails to the other parents. One of the dad’s in the class is a former high school crush of hers. She also trains for a mud run and has to deal with some parent and teacher drama. This is a light, funny read. While I am involved in the PTA (Parent Teacher Association) at my kids’ schools, I have never volunteered for the role of class parent. This book totally reminds me why!

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So Happiness to Meet You by Karin Esterhammer – (digital copy provided by Prospect Park Books) In 2008, during the recession, Karin and her husband leave LA with their young son. They move abroad to Vietnam where they can live more cheaply. We get an inside look at Vietnamese culture as they live among the locals for almost three years. I found this to be such an interesting read. Esterhammer gives a realistic account of what it’s like to live as an outsider in a new country and I loved learning about the Vietnamese culture. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a non-fiction/memoir book and this was a good pick!

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Without Merit by Colleen Hoover – I am a huge Colleen Hoover fan and I think I’ve read most of her books. I knew nothing about this book before reading it, just that it was her newest book. Every character in this book had some pretty deep issues. I felt like the issues were glossed over and never really addressed beneath a surface level. So this wasn’t a favorite of Hoover’s. However, I really enjoy her storytelling, so it still gets 4 stars! If you’ve never read a Hoover book, don’t make this one your first!

5 Stars

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The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate – This is a middle-grade chapter book that I read with my son. It’s told from the perspective of Ivan, a mighty silverback gorilla. He lives in a mall with his friend Stella, an elephant and Bob, the dog. When new baby elephant, Ruby, arrives, he is forced to reevaluate his situation and make some important decisions. This book had me laughing and crying and was just an overall great story for both kids and adults! This was my first book I read of Applegate’s, but now I’m going to have to check out some of her other children’s books.

Activity Kits for Tween Girls {Holiday 2017}

Posted on November 13, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

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As kids get older, it gets harder to buy gifts for them. As a parent of an 11-year-old daughter, I can tell you that she still enjoys creating things. Activity kits are great presents because kids have to spend the time making something before they can enjoy it. They can then take ownership of their project and have pride in their work. It ends up meaning a little more to them. Every year, new activity kits are manufactured. Here are some of the newer activity kits for tween girls. Maybe one of these will interest the tween on your shopping list this holiday season! Please note, we have not personally tried any of these products yet, so cannot attest to the quality and ease of use.

1. Just My Style Flavored Lab Lip Gloss – As much as my daughter wants to wear makeup, since she’s only eleven, we only allow her to wear lip gloss. She would love making her own flavored lip glosses with this activity kit. This would also make a fun activity to do with a friend when they “hang out.” The kit comes with four lip glosses (3 flavored, 1 shimmer) that kids can layer and mix to create a customized tube. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $9.97.

2. Alex Toys Knot-a-Mermaid – Mermaids continue to be popular. With this kit, kids can make their own mermaid blanket, just by tying knots. After the blanket is completed, they can stitch the shell appliques on. Recommended for ages 8+, retails for $19.99.

3. YOUniverse Crystal Growing Jewelry – Kids learn the science behind growing crystals and then make jewelry with their crystal creations. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $12.97.

4. Just My Style Glitter Roller Perfume – Kids mix and create their own fragrance with this kit. There are also stickers in the kit to decorate the bottles. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $9.97.

5. Just My Style Sparkling Fashion Plates – Do you have a budding fashion designer? This kit includes 15 different plates that kids can mix and match to create more than 100 designs. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $14.97.

6. ORB Doll Designer: Strawberry Sweet – With this kit, kids design their own doll. They create an outfit for their doll by layering different pieces of fabric and decorating it. Each kit comes with a doll stand and a pet. Recommended for ages 8+, retails for $12.99.

7. Plush Craft Personalized Pillow – Tweens love any type of room decor and personalization. Initials are a big hit with this age group. If your tween isn’t into a personalized pillow, Plush Craft makes all sorts of different pillow designs including, animals, a peace sign, an ice cream cone, an XOXO design and more. Kids follows a legend and use a special stylus to punch fabric strips into the pillow. Recommended for ages 5+, retails for $16.99.

8. ORB Fluffables – With these kits, kids create their own fluffable. Using a stylus, kids push fluff into the form to create their animal. They can follow the enclosed pattern or create their own design. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $9.99.

9. YOUniverse Galactic Bath Bombs – My daughter and her friends love bath bombs. With this kit, they can make their own by mixing compounds and adding color and shimmer. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $12.97.

10. Project Mc2 H2o Nail Science Kit – In this kit, kids will use hydrographic printing to create unique nail designs. 3 AA batteries are required, but not included in this kit. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $24.99.

11. Project Mc2 Smart Pixel Purse – Using an app, kids program their own designs which they can then show off on their purse. Or they can use one of the pre-programmed designs. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $59.99.

12. Gel-a-Peel Accessory Craft Kit – Kids can design and create their own color changing accessories using the templates provided. 3 gel tubes, 16+ templates and 5 designer tips are included in this kit. There are different kits including neon, color change, sparkle and more. Recommended for ages 8+, retails for $19.99.

Five on Friday {Veteran’s Day Weekend}

Posted on November 10, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Happy Friday! It has gotten super cold here in New York. While I can handle temps in the 50’s, this weekend it’s supposed to be in the 30’s and 40’s. It’s way too early for cold temps like that! I feel like the kids have been home all week…..wait, they have been. They had off Tuesday for Election Day, today for Veteran’s Day and my son had a 1/2 day for parent-teacher conferences yesterday! This weekend we have some fun things planned. We are going to a surprise birthday party tomorrow for my dad’s cousin. My husband and I are also going out to dinner with my brother-in-law and his girlfriend. Here are five from this week:

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1. Reading – I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump lately. None of my holds have come in at the library so, I’m subject to reading books off my own shelves…..the horror! This week I finished I Totally Meant to do That by Jane Borden. It was just an “eh” read for me, but it’s one less book on my shelf. I’m currently reading a variety of children’s chapter books and continuing to work on Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia. It was on my summer reading list and I never got to it. I’ve been reading it a little bit at a time but it hasn’t totally kept my interest.

2. Watching – My husband and I have finally started watching Stranger Things. Gone are the days of being able to binge watch a series because……kids! We are only three episodes in, but are really into it!

3. Play Fair – Last Friday evening, my son and I attended the Play Fair in NYC. We were able to see (and play with) some of this season’s newest toys that are available this holiday. He also got to make slime at the Maddie Rae slime booth. Needless to say, he had a great time! Anyone else’s kids still into making and playing with slime?!!

4. Supper Club Dinner – This month, instead of cooking, our supper club went out to dinner. We tried out a new, local restaurant Aesop’s Fable. I had the Chicken and Waffles. The chicken was so crispy and I loved the maple syrup that had a hint of heat to it. There was so much chicken that I took half of it home and had it for lunch the next day!

5. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite – I just read that Niantic will be releasing a Harry Potter augmented reality game, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, similar to their most recent Pokemon Go game! It allegedly won’t be out until sometime in 2018. But players will learn spells, battle beasts and more out in the “real world.” Any other Harry Potter fans out there excited to hear this news?!

ICYMI this week on the blog: