Sawyers-Specialties Blog

For the upcoming holiday season, many of us will buy gift cards for friends and family who are difficult to buy for. Many stores are going out of business and some will not honor gift cards after a certain date. Check retailer sites carefully before buying gift cards from stores who have already announced financial difficults. Here is a list that a friend has put together.

Stores that are planning to close after Christmas are still selling the cards through the holidays even though the cards will be worthless January 1. There is no law preventing them from doing this. On the contrary, it is referred to as ‘Bankruptcy Planning).
Below is a partial list of stores that you need to be cautious about.

Circuit City (filed Chapter 11)
Ann Taylor 117 stores nationwide closing
Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug ,and Catherine’s to close 150 stores nationwide
Eddie Bauer to close stores 27 stores and more after January
Cache will close all stores
Talbots closing down specialty stores
J. Jill closing all stores (owned by Talbots) Pacific Sunwear (also owned by Talbots)
GAP closing 85 stores
Footlocker closing 140 stores more to close after January
Wickes Furniture closing down
Levitz closing down remaining stores
Bombay closing remaining stores
Zales closing down 82 stores and 105 after January
Whitehall closing all stores
Piercing Pagoda closing all stores
Disney closing 98 stores and will close more after January.
Home Depot closing 15 stores
Macys to close 9 stores after January
Linens and Things closing all stores
Movie Galley Closing all stores
Pep Boys Closing 33 stores
JC Penney closing a number of stores after January
Ethan Allen closing down 12 stores.
Wilson Leather closing down all stores
Sharper Image closing down all stores
K B Toys closing 356 stores
Loews to close down some stores
Dillard’s to close some stores
Value City closing before Christmas

While checking out this information, I came across a blog that looks very informative, both for cards to avoid and deals on gift cards that may be helpful

http://www.giftcardblogger.com/

No one likes to pay to much, but it’s even more frustrating when you purchase something that become worthless for the recipient.

This year I’ve seen a lot of fantastic ideas for Halloween. There’s still a full weekend to create some fun, so here are some links to help you start/finish your party planning.

Crafts (Children)

• CandleEYEbra - When illuminated, these votive holders cast an eyeful of moody shadows on the walls.
• Glue Ghosts - some school glue, wax paper and a few “accessories” and you can make your own glue ghosts.
• Paper Strip Pumpkins (located about halfway down the page)
• Shrunken Heads - Made from applies left to dry, don’t wait too long to start these!

Cooking

• Wicked Cupcakes - witchly delicious
• Halloween S’mores - You won’t need a bonfire for these fright-night snacks — they heat in the microwave oven.
• Vampire Bites - Sugar cookies with a milky way center
• Spider Cupcakes - with licorice legs and marshmallow eyes, you won’t be scared of these spiders.
• Googly Eyed Cupcakes - these bloodshot eyes will be easy to make (and eat)

MomsBreak.com offers some cute printables, great to occupy kids while other work is going on.
Pilgrim Coloring Pages and Turkey Banner Making are a few of the items available.
http://www.momsbreak.com/

Send a friend a (Paper) Turkey
http://papertoys.com/turkey.htm - a fun project for older kids (or even grownups)

For moms with some last minute time and older children, here are some nice projects including wreaths and table decor
http://www.dotcomwomen.com/crafts/thanksgiving.shtml

Family Crafts is always a wealth of ideas and instructions for kids and parents
http://familycrafts.about.com/od/thanksgiving/

Making Friends is always a favorite for children
http://www.makingfriends.com/Thanksgiving.htm

Family Fun offers some kid friendly foods for the holiday’s as well as crafts
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/kids/specialfeature/thanksgiving_kids_ms/

Of course, you’re welcome to visit our recipes section for new recipes to try.
Chocolate Eclair Cake is still one of our favorite desserts, but it needs a day in the refridgerator, so don’t wait til the last minute for this one.

My friends all consider me to be “thin” and laugh at the idea of me going to a gym, I’ve always been one of the lucky ones that could eat anything I wanted and not gain an ounce… but here’s how it happened. Last year, our receptionist got pregnant with her first baby. It’s a small office and we’re all pretty close and she was constantly bringing in goodies.. of course, she’s eating for two, but as she put it “If I’m going to get fat, I’m taking you all with me.” We thought it was funny. That was around May.

My son graduated High School and the real rush to secure his apartment for college 1,000 miles away, find a roomate, obtain financing to pay for college and apartment and all the stress involved in the move and sending my son off into the unknown…. This was June to September…. In June, I turned 37. (My mother warned me that after I hit 35, that eat anything you want and don’t worry about it won’t last much longer).

Around September, my pants started getting tight and I was unbuttoning them during the day to be “more confortable”. My son left for college and we had a whirlwind drive over 2 days, moving into an apartment, getting furniture (some was purchased in advance to be delivered the day after we arrived, the rest from our staple Wal-Mart to be assembled under less than optimal conditions (pop-pop was wonderful enough to donate a toolbox with all the bare essentials for on-your-own living), and the hunt for an affordable used vehicle for my son to get around town in (and the sticker shock of car insurance in a major metropolitan area prone to strong storms and hurricanes vs rural PA where an occassional blizzard or large hail is the extent of our weather catastrophes. Our receptionist is still force feeding us sugary sweets and my pants are getting even tighter.

In December, our world fell apart with my step-father (aka pop-pop) was diagnosed with a very aggressive brain cancer and needed almost immediate surgery, followed by a complication of blood clots in his lungs that hospitalized him a second time just a week before Christmas (the nurses and doctors were fabulous in working together to be able to discharge him on Christmas morning so we could be together as a family).

Late April… I get up and get ready for work, only to discover that the pants I’ve been unbuttoning to be more comfortable in… don’t fit AT ALL!! It was quite a mad panic as I went through my entire drawer to find a pair of pants that I could force myself into. I step on the scale showed I’d gained a good 20 pounds. Considering that my normal weight was 112-115 pounds, this was a substantial jump for me. I’d never gone up more than 5 pounds while not pregnant ever.

In May, I got sucked into watching an infomercial. I was watching TLC which I love for the Flip This House and Property Ladder series (and now The Real Deal as well). Anyway, they were showing this cool little contraption called a Jump Snap. It’s the coolest little computerized jump rope… without the rope. Of course I bought one LOL. I mean, all us girls jumped rope as kids, it was great fun, we could do it for hours, what fun, I’ll jump rope and lose weight. WOW, things sure change when you get older. The Jump Snap worked exactly like they said it did, it came with a great little workout video with a couple of perky girls doing the beginning 8 minute workout. Phfft. Eight minutes I thought, I could do 8 minutes standing on my head surely….. Well, I gotta tell you, jumping rope at my age wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. The workout is broken down into 2 minutes sessions with water breaks. I won’t need water for just 8 minutes, how ridiculous…. ok, after two minutes, I’m gasping and heaving… pausing the video.. filling a water bottle to chug and I’m ready for the next 2 minutes….. they want us to do jumping jacks!! I think I’m going to die… pause video…. more water…. I made it almost 5 minutes on my first workout. Almost 6 on the second workout… 7 1/2 on the 3rd workout and on the 4th.. yeah for me, I made it through a whole 8 minutes. The Jump Snap itself will tell you exactly how long you’ve jumped and how many times you’ve jumped. So, I know when I’m tired and not jumping as many times as the workout before (I keep a spreadsheet of my progress… date, length of workout, and jumps… to keep myself committed and accountable for keeping up with a routine. I tried to keep up 4-5 times a week with the 8 minute program and was almost instantly gratified with losing an inch off my waist, and half an inch of my hips. I got back in to several of my pants that I couldn’t button just a few weeks earlier. Unfortunately, I’ve plateaued at point

In Late May, I had the opportunity to join a gym and a reduced rate for doing some freelance work for them. Now, while many people may not appreciate something that isn’t really costing them much, I’m taking as much advantage of it as I can, going to the gym 3-4 times a week for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. My routine is up to at least 5 miles on the stationary bike, “circuit” a series of 20 machines (I don’t do 2 of them because of previous back problems) that are designed for strengthening different groups of muscles, I’ve recently added at least 15 minutes (nearly 1 1/2 miles) on the cross trainer.. similar to a step machine or eliptical, and other 1 to 1 1/4 miles on the treadmill… I still haven’t dropped a pound, so it’s very discouraging, but the tell me it typically takes at least 3 months. I’m clinging to the fact that in just a month, I’ve more than doubled my workout stamina and my clothes are feeling better (I rarely unbutton my pants during the day now LOL). So, I’m entering a new phase of the.. watching everything I eat. I’m having a terrible time cutting out the snacking after years of.. don’t worry, you can eat it.. mentality, but, I’m getting there. Hopefully my friends will stop laughing at me soon (sigh).

As summer approaches quickly, we’re gearing up toward more home makeover projects. Our top priority will be our bathroom which we started last year but were waylayed when my husband suffered several bouts with large kidney stones which required medical assistance in breaking up, followed soon after by long overdue hernia surgery. Hopefully we’re back on track this year. Hopefully we still like the color we picked LOL.

To assist with your color selections, we’ve featured an article on color selection. You can find this in our Helpful Articles section under Decorating/Remodeling/Home Repairs

• Choosing Colors For Your Home
• Home Improvements - Little Things Can Mean A Lot will hopefully provide you with some ideas to freshen up a room inexpensively.

This year, my second child is now driving age. Even through we’ve gone through this teaching experience once, it’s still a process which requires a lot of planning and patience. The accident statistics for young drivers can be quite frightening as we send our new drivers out on the road, so it’s very important that we prepare them for the unexpected. A new article has been added to our safety section. Safety Tips For Teen Drivers.

Our state, Pennsylvania pass legislation several years ago requiring young drivers to use their permit for at least 6 months and drive a minimum of 50 hours under adult supervision. With our older son, I spent many hours driving around in circles at our local elementary school parking lot which was very well laid our for stop signs, left and right turns and smooth turns as well as parking. Living in a very rural area, it was also quite easy to drive for some time without encountering another vehicle (although little furry pedestrians abound). As we both felt more confident with the skills that were being learned, we graduated onto real roads and even Pennsylvania Turnpike driving to visit family on a weekly basis. We also had the luxury of allowing him to help drive on a family trip to Florida where he simply had to drive straight and watch for people merging and passing. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had more than 100 hours in by the time he felt ready to take his driver’s license test, (just 2 days before the permit expired).

We were fortunate enough to run into many unexpected learning experiences (some were actually frightening). We encountered an ambulance with lights and sirens behind us on a very narrow side street as we were at the intersection waiting to turn into traffic. That we a tough situation even for me as we tried to determine quickly if the ambulance could actually pass us where we sat or if we needed to make our the turn to clear the path for the ambulance (it ended up being the latter, we made our turn and immediately pulled to the shoulder).

In another instance, waiting to cross a very busy highway, we sat, waiting for traffic to clear when a car pulled up on the other side of the intersection and was waiting to turn across our path. The polite young woman at the wheel of the vehicle waved my son ahead and he immediately started to pull into the intersection, directly into the path of a speeding sports car (it was obvious he was going well over the 45 mph speed limit). I admit that I was not very calm and immediately started screaming for my son to stop (I actually called him by my husband’s name and flung my arm across the seat in that mom seat belt move even though we were both tightly belted). My son did stop in time, we did make it through the intersection safely a few moments later and we had a great opportunity to discuss what someone waving you out REALLY means (it means they’re letting you go ahead of them, but not necessary that they’re assuring it’s safe to proceed right then). I’m certainly glad this lesson wasn’t learned the hard way.

My friends laughed when I told them that Friday and Saturday driving lessons included watching for Yard Sale signs. Around here, that typically means that someone will slam on their brakes in front of you to
a) see where the sale is and if it’s on a street they’re just about to pass
b) the yard sale is directly beside them and they’d rather stop in the middle of the street before committing to actually pulling over to see if there is anything good
or c) people who’ve already stopped pull suddenly into traffic to quickly move to the next sale.

These rules also apply for the many farmer’s markets in our area where there have been several fatalities as drivers pull across into oncoming traffic at the sign of ripe watermelon and fresh corn.

Driving in our area is also a challenge of watching for deer crossing, duck crossing (across a main highway through the center of town square where a quaint park with spring and fountain are located and ducks find it quite restful to sleep in the middle of the street in front of the fire hall). Skunks present an interesting night time obstacle course (anyone who has ever hit one will know how desparately you NEVER want to do that again under any circumstance short of physical damage to yourself or your vehicle).

So, we’re looking forward to another interesting summer with son number 2 as he ventures into the realm of driving teenagers under parental supervision. He’s still studying for his permit, but the lessons have already begun as we talk about what we look for as a good defensive driver.

I hope you all have a safe and healthy summer season.

While we’re bringing you more seasonal links, we’ve also added Firecracker Poops for Independence Day picnics and parties and New Parent Poops (fun little items for your next baby shower)

Mother’s Day is right around the corner and the little ones will be eager to make personal gifts for mom. Here are some great sites for young children

• Enchanted Learning
• Danielle’s Place
• Kid’s Domain
• Home School Zone
• Kid Crafts Magazine

Register for Free at Crayola.com for these free crafts

• Marvelous MOM card
• Mother’s Day Mat
• Flower Top Box

For us “bigger” kids, here are more advanced projects:

• Better Homes & Gardens

Register at Crayola.com for access to lots of seasonal projects for young children through teens. Current featured project include:

• Flower-Top Box
• Irresistible Egg Centerpiece
• Flock of Feathery Friends
• Eggs in a Basket
• Freckled Frog
• Passover Seder Plate
• String-Painted Basket

Signup to receive their newsletter for notices when new seasonal projects are available.

Looking for new ideas on making spectular and fun Easter Eggs? Visit FabulousFoods.com for instructions to create a fun assortment for any basket:

• Abstract Eggs
• Dinosaur Eggs
• Marbled Eggs
• Spatter Eggs
• Help from Stickers Eggs
• Banded Eggs
• All Natural Onion Skin Dyed Eggs

Looking for something a little less messy, have fun decoring these online Easter Eggs. My only wish list item for this one is that you could reuse the designs. You can also paint an egg while you’re there. Just print and cut out when you’re done.

The M&M’s website is among my season favorites too. For those with a bit of time and patience, you can create these fabulous centerpiece in plenty of time for the big family dinner.
Egg Tree Topiary or simply have fun in the kitchen with younger decorators with Baby Animal Cupcakes.

Shamrock Sugar Cookies from McCormick’s

Bring a touch of the Emerald Isle to your home with these dazzling Shamrock Sugar Cookies, decorated with icing tinted with McCormick® Green Food Color.
Makes about 4 dozen or 22 (2 cookie) servings.

Allrecipes.com has a variety of Irish recipes for your authentic meal.

Children’s Games
Hide the Shamrock 9 (preschool)
Green construction paper
Scissors

Cut a shamrock out of green construction paper. Choose a child to be “it.” While the other children hide their eyes, “it” hides the shamrock within a designated area. Everyone then opens their eyes and tries to find the shamrock. The finder gets to be “it” for the next round.

Try this for more games to play all year: Preschooler’s Busy Book: 365 Creative Games & Activities To Occupy 3-6 Year Olds

Crafty moms offers a wide selection of kids crafts for St. Patty’s day.
http://www.crafty-moms.com

Kids Domain is always one of my favorite sites for kids crafts any time of the year
http://www.kidsdomain.com

More sites for St. Patrick’s Day Projects, recipes and crafts.

• About.com St Patrick’s Day Family Crafts
• Child’s Fun - ideas for crafts and games for children
• DLTK’s St Patrick’s Day Crafts, printables, and recipes
• Enchanted Learning Center crafts for kids
• Family Fun St. Patrick’s Day section Great projects for everyone
• The Holiday Spot - History, crafts and party ideas, egreeting cards and more
• Kids’ Domain.com a great place for kid’s crafts. Also includes party ideas, recipes, and more.
• Making Friends - craft projects
• Teacher Planet St. Patrick’s Day teachers lessons and actitivies.

still looking for that something special? Do something romantic without looking bad.

- Make a music CD. With downloads available for less than $1 a song, it’s easy to put together a great romantic playlist of son’s that your significant other will love (and love you for). Legal downloads can be obtained from many sources including itunes.com, Walmart.com and many others. You probably have everything you need (an ipod or cd burner) to create romantic sounds.

- Rent a movie. Children in the house? Find a baby sitter if the kids are old enough for some uninterupted entertainment.

- Dinner. Order in or take out if you don’t have the skills or desire to cook a meal. Candles with some great “mood music” can make even McDonald’s seem like romance on a tight budget. Add an inexpensive bottle of red wine if you’re staying in.

Do remember, love isn’t just for one day of the year, surprise your valentine now and then any time of the year.

By Jamie Jefferson

You can be romantic this Valentine’s Day without spending too much. All it takes is a little creativity and forethought. The key lies in personalizing your celebration and letting your loved one know how special you feel each ordinary day that you are together.

Here are 25 ideas for celebrating your love this February 14th, and throughout the year.

1. Make a memory jar. Take simple slips of paper and write a favorite memory on each one. Be specific, and try to record as much about the occasion as you can. Tuck them into a jar or wooden box, tied with a bow.

The time you spend reminiscing and recording these memories will contribute to your own romantic mood, and what your partner thinks is a plain old box of chocolates will instead be a treasured gift for years to come. Plus, you can add memories to the box for future birthday, holiday, or Valentine’s Day celebrations.

2. Build a romantic fire. Host your own indoor picnic, complete with a bottle of champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries.

3. Recreate your first date together. What were you wearing? Where did you go? Do you remember what you talked about? Spend the evening reminiscing and reflecting on how far you have come as a couple.

4. Spoon.

5. Choose a book in which you are both interested, fiction or nonfiction. Read a new chapter each night before bed. This cozy tradition will allow you to spend some quality time together and often makes for thought provoking breakfast conversations.

6. Make a tape of the songs special to your relationship. Include “your song,” songs from your wedding, songs from favorite movies. Add a personal voice dedication and leave it in his briefcase, Walkman, or car stereo.

7. Turn off the TV and play a game of Scrabble or Pictionary.

8. Write about the feelings you experienced when you first met your mate. Write about the first time you knew you were in love.

9. Frame a new, special photo of the two of you and display it in your home.

10. Have you been holding a grudge against your partner? Today, forgive it and move on. Witness how much power the act of forgiveness injects into your relationship.

11. Kidnap your spouse. A friend of mine had a lot of success with this one. She knew her husband had always wanted to get married in Vegas, but he had agreed to a large, formal ceremony hosted by her family. So, after they had been married 10 years, she surprised him at work with a packed suitcase. They caught an evening flight and renewed their vows before an Elvis impersonator in a Vegas chapel. Years later, they are still talking about it.

12. Travel to another town, where no one will recognize you. Check into a hotel or Bed and Breakfast.

13. Jot down 20 things you love about your partner and slip it under his dinner plate.

14. Cook her favorite breakfast.

15. Choose a book you both will enjoy, and read it aloud together.

16. Have a scavenger hunt. Write a few poems, wrap candy kisses inside, and hide them around the house. Each poem should be a clue to finding the next one. Make sure the final clue lands your mate someplace you want to end up for the entire evening. A romance package, including a bottle of champagne and new lingerie, is a nice touch.

17. Write down fifty favorite memories of your life spent together so far. Invite your partner to add to the list, as well as to share special ideas for the future.

18. Leave a message on her voicemail with a silly, romantic poem. (Roses are red, violets are blue . . .)

19. Make a CD featuring the songs that have been important in your relationship. Slip it into the CD player of her car.

20. Bring homemade cookies or brownies to his office with a simple love note.

21. Surprise her with some bath salts and her favorite magazine. Then take the kids out of the house for the evening so she can enjoy some time alone.

22. Stash a love note in his shoe.

23. Spend some time talking about all the goals you have been able to accomplish during your time as a couple. Reflecting on the things that you have been able to do with the strength of the other, including the challenges, can really help you to remember and to celebrate the depth of your relationship and how you have supported one another through it all.

24. Serve her breakfast in bed.

25. Plan a special weekend getaway. Check online travel sites for prices on weekend romantic getaways, or plan a simple trip to a neighboring town.

Use your imagination to create your own romantic memories today.

Jamie Jefferson writes for Momscape at http://www.momscape.com Visit today for the latest online Coupon Codes including coupons for discount travel.

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