We’re finally home from a month long trekking holiday in South America.

Lizzy is full of energy and always in the lead.

Lizzy was the first to make the summit of Aconcagua.

Even Georgia managed to make it to the top.

If this were even a little bit true, it would be glorious. Unfortunately the only climbing I’ve done the past few weeks is up the basement stairs.

The climbing trip above was just a big ‘ole pile of snow on the farm.

I feel like I’ve been in hibernation for the past several weeks. I’m still groggy, but I’m back.

Thank you all for your emails over the past several weeks checking on me. I appreciate it.

MK xo
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From my family to yours!

We wish you all, a safe and happy holiday.

MK xo

(as my cousins put it) … PUKED Christmas.

Obviously, these homeowners LOVE to decorate. I have a hard time getting the tree up, so I can’t imagine doing this annually. ‘Griswold’s on CRACK’ was my description. Georgia informed me later that they thought the presents in the tree were beautiful.

What do you think?

MK xo
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NOTE: I’ve been having trouble with the comments. If you can’t comment PLEASE let me know at kim (at) mommyknows (dot) com. Thank you!

We’re really trying to keep the holiday spending to a minimum this year. The budget has really forced me to get creative in regards to gift giving.

I decided to give the kids some coupons in their stockings for ‘on-demand’ fun outings and of course ‘free passes’ to get out of chores. I searched the internet high-and-low for printable coupons and couldn’t find anything. I decided to create my own.

Although we’d most likely do most of these things anyway. I think they’ll enjoy the ‘redemption’ process. It’s always fun to be in charge.

It is my intention to hole-punch and tie them together with ribbon, BUT … guess what? I can’t find either {ERR}. Imagine them cut out a little more neatly and tied with holiday ribbon.

Please feel free to DOWNLOAD the coupons and create some holiday fun of your own.

Supplies needed:

DOWNLOAD Free Printable Holiday Coupons
Color printer
Heavy card stock paper for best results
Scissors
Hole-punch and ribbon (optional – for stringing together into booklets)
Sharpie for labelling.

Directions for use: Simply print out your file onto the paper of your choice. Cut around coupons. Fill out the coupons and you’re done!

If you have any fun and inexpensive gift ideas, please share!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

MK xo
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NOTE: I’ve been having trouble with the comments. If you can’t comment PLEASE let me know at kim (at) mommyknows (dot) com. Thank you!

Winner is: Debbie of SuburbSanity

(You could win this wonderful Kraft Foods gift basket.

Kraft Foods has generously provided me with two wonderful gift baskets. One for me and one to give away to one of you. They are identical and filled with:

I’m a HUGE fan of Kraft Foods. I appreciate that they put so much effort and dedication into helping busy families put delicious and nutritious meals on the table. They’ve made it even easier this holiday season by re-launching their Kraft Foods Facebook Fan Page, starting the new Kraft Foods Channel on YouTube. Both are great resources for recipes and holiday cooking tips. I love that you can ask questions, share your own tips and even have access Kraft Kitchen Experts at the Kraft Foods Facebook Fan Page.

You can also follow Kraft Foods on Twitter.

HOW TO WIN:
Kraft Foods would like your feedback on their new Facebook and Youtube venues. Visit either (or both) and come back here and share your feedback as a comment on this post.
You can also have a second entry by hitting the ‘RETWEET’ button below and sharing this post on twitter (note: there is no need to come back and comment your tweet, my blog software will pick it up).

I’ll randomly choose one comment/tweet from all the entries, Friday December 18th @ noon and post the winner shortly after.

MK xo
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Lizzy and I spent the evening making this gingerbread house log cabin.

They have a gingerbread display at school, and of course tomorrow is the deadline. I wouldn’t want to take my time, plan, that would be too easy.

We started with a kit and embellished (and embellished and embellished). I need to remind myself (often) that ‘less is more’. OH WELL!

We built the chimney out of Honey Maid Graham Crackers and white chocolate, the bricks are Nabisco Shreddies and just like last year our roof shingles are Frosted Mini Wheats.

Are you making a gingerbread house this year? If you have … share a photo with us (leave the a link in the comments or email it to me and I’ll share it for you).

MK xo
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A friend recently sent me this recipe. DO NOT let the crackers throw you off – It’s so yummy!

It’s easy, delicious and makes a great and inexpensive holiday gift so I thought I’d share.

You’ll need:

1 sleeve of saltine crackers
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 pkg. of semi-sweet chocolate (I used BAKER’S and chopped it into smaller pieces)
1 cup of chopped peanuts

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

LINE a cookie sheet with foil and lay out crackers in a single layer.

COOK butter and brown sugar in small pan on medium-high heat stirring occasionally. Bring to boil; cook 3 minutes stirring constantly.

POUR over crackers and spread evenly. BAKE 8-10 minutes.

REMOVE from the oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate; let stand until chocolate is softened. Spread chocolate evenly over crackers.

Sprinkle with nuts. Cool. Break into pieces.

ENJOY :)

If you have a favorite holiday recipe … please share!

MK xo
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Winter’s here. My kids are loving it. They spent most of the weekend outside building a snow-fort and tobogganing.

This kid loves winter, snow, skiing, tobogganing. Today it was -30c and she came home from school annoyed that their outdoor broom-ball game was canceled.

This kid comes in a close second. I love this photo of her coming out of the snow-fort on Saturday afternoon. She was out for hours and hours. I love the flakes on her lashes.

I am so thankful that Georgia has decided putting on mittens isn’t the END of life as she knows it.

I don’t like it when winter sneaks up on us before the summer toys get put away. That wasn’t the case this year, just a week ago we were basking in 15c (+55f). This year the toys were put away and then due to a fabulous fall, they all came back out. You can’t win :)

I won’t tell you how much I dislike it when people complain about the weather. I won’t …

There are certainly things I don’t LOVE about winter. Then again, there are things that I do love. Like this bright blue Alberta winter sky. It might have been -30 today, but it was -30 and sunny! It’s fabulous!

Tell me something you LIKE about winter :)

MK xo
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Disclosure: Mother Nature provided the blue sky and the snow. I received no payment for NOT complaining about it.

Congratulations to Jessie!

Jessie Says:
December 3rd, 2009 at 14:03 Our 5 year old is obsessed with everything that has to do with Dora, so the fact that she asked for a Barbie this year is a relief for my husband and I…. Finally something different !!!!!!

For all the rest of you, don’t despair. There are still FIVE days of Toy Tuesday goodness left.

Today (December 4th) –> Mom’s Favorite Stuff
Saturday (December 5th) –> Bargain Briana
Sunday (December 6th) –> Table 4 Five
Monday (December 7th) –> Tip Junkie
Toy Tuesday (December 8th) –> Livin it, Lovin it

MK xo
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Disclosure: I received a gift card for this post promoting Toy Tuesday.

If your kids are like mine, their holiday wish-lists and my wish-lists for them are never quite the same.

I wanted to make Georgia a handmade waldorf style baby doll. I showed her many, many photos and tried to talk her into it, but she’s firmly convinced that she wants this doll.

The Little Mommy Walk & Giggle Doll needs tender loving care. Little girls can nurture, play and help the doll take her very first big girl steps. Try to keep up as the Little Mommy Walk & Giggle Doll goes from sitting, to standing, to walking. This doll also loves to play peek-a-boo, drink from her bottle and take her puppy pull toy for a walk.

I remember ‘always’ wanting a Baby Alive and never getting one, so I am putting my love of natural aside and Little Mommy Walk & Giggle will have place under the tree.

For Sam and Lizzy, I’d love to buy them artistic and creative toys lovingly handcrafted in wood that promise to get them using their imaginations and increase brain power. Instead they’ve both listed these on the very tops of their lists:

The new Nintendo DSi is a high-powered hand-held video game system in a sleek, folding design — loaded with powerful features like touch screen control for a unique gaming experience. Snap great photos with the built-in camera, edit and send them to friends, play back your music with Nintendo DSi Sound, or browse the Internet with the Nintendo DSi Browser. From playing games to just playing around, the Nintendo DSi does it all.

Who am I to crush dreams? If the truth be told, I’d like to turn my own DS in for one of these New DSi’s. Anyone who’s ever been on a road trip with kids knows that Nintendo DSi’s save lives. REALLY MommyKnows!

This year, I am making my life easy. I’m going to do the bulk of my Christmas shopping online. I’ll buy the toys above at Toys “R” Us.

Toy Tuesday
On December 8, Bill Me Later is hosting “Toy Tuesday”. Visit www.toytuesday.com to find great deals on the holiday’s most wanted toys and gifts from leading retailers such as Toys “R” Us, Walmart.com, Step 2, Little Tikes, eToys, Drugstore.com, FAO Schwarz, HP, Overstock.com, MacMall, Mercantila and more.

What is Bill Me Later?
Bill Me Later is a quick, easy way to shop without using your credit card. To use Bill Me Later, simply choose Bill Me Later as your payment method at checkout at the merchant’s website, answer a few quick questions, accept the terms and you’re done. Approval only takes a few seconds. Then you’ll receive a bill in the mail (or online if you prefer).

Here is the really great part! Bill Me Later is going to give one of you a $250 Gift Card to Overstock.com a Toy Tuesday participating merchant and a $500 Gift Certificate (merchant to be decided based on the charity and their needs) to a local charity of the winner. That’s $750!

One winner will be chosen from the comments December 4th, 2009 @ 1 p.m. ET. Official Rules

There are five more days of Toy Tuesday GOODNESS and of course five more prizes. Make sure to visit Jodi @ MomsFavoriteStuff for tomorrow’s Toy Tuesday giveaway.

What’s on your kid’s holiday wish-lists? Comment for your chance to win!

MK xo
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Disclosure: I received a $500 gift card for this post promoting Toy Tuesday.