Single Parent Tips

TIPS: FIVE GREAT FIRST DATE IDEAS

Generally, on first and second dates you want to avoid movies and activities where you won’t be interacting. The ideal first date occurs during the day, when you can share something you both enjoy, without liquor or a seductive setting leading you.

1. Go to a pottery-making workshop; these have sprung up all over.  Don’t worry about your artistic skill or lack thereof.  Have fun with it!
2. Visit antique shops together; even a garage sale will do.  Anything that encourages you both to reveal old memories or current interests, from comic book collecting to a knack for refurbishing old furniture.
3. Go out and play—mini golf, bowling, arcades, frisbee in the park.  You can’t be self-conscious and laugh at the same time.
4. Rent a canoe or a kayak and follow it up with a picnic.
5. Make a meaningful memory by taking part with your date in a fund raising event like a community car wash, a blood drive, etc.

Kids Activity (Turkey Table Topper)

This festive bird can really dress up a Thanksgiving table -- This turkey table topper can also does double duty serving up your dinner rolls.

CRAFT MATERIALS:

• Large brown paper bag
• Piece of corrugated cardboard
• Paper plates
• Stapler
• Mod-Podge glue
• Colored paper
• Orange or red balloon and googly eyes
• Glitter, stickers, or other notions
• Craft clothespins
• Tacky glue

1. The Turkey's Body:
   Trim the bag so that it measures about 8 inches tall. Then fold down the sides so that they are half the height and double the thickness. Cut the cardboard to fit in the bottom of the bag and insert it. Next, fold a paper plate in half and fit it inside the bag where the tail will go, bending the sides as needed.


2. Staple the plate in place. Then staple a second plate (don't fold this one) to the outside of the bag behind the first plate. For wings, fold 2 paper plates in half and staple one to each side so the bag is sandwiched between it.


3. For the turkey's head, fold and staple another paper plate, as illustrated. Decorate all the paper plates, including the head, by gluing on torn bits of colored paper. Then add a balloon wattle and googly eyes.


4. The Feathers:
   Have your kids glue colored paper shapes on paper plates, layering different prints or creating bold patterns if they like.


5. When the glue is dry, cut feather shapes out of the plates and stick a craft clothespin to the back of each with tacky glue so your child can attach the feathers to the paper plates. For an extrafancy finish, they can add decorative notions or even their names.

Find other fun activities at www.familyfun.com

Share Your Fun Activity Ideas with the AskMeAboutMyKids.com Community

Top 21 Signs of a Person Who Loves You Romantically

Read Kathy Schwadel's book for more great information

Read an excerpt

1. She reaches for your hand when you walk together.
2. He eagerly introduces you to people he already knows.
3. Her friends smile warmly when they meet you.
4. He doesn’t like pets, but makes an exception when it comes to yours.
5. She makes herself available to spend lots of her free time with you.
6. He buys you a gift or flowers for no reason.
7. She gives you a pet name and uses it often.
8. He calls you throughout the day, just to touch base.
9. She is always accessible on her cell if you need her.
10. He gets off the line to take your call.
11. She knows what your goals and dreams are.
12. He doesn’t complain if you take an extra five minutes getting ready.
13. She enjoys cooking for you.
14. He listens to you when you read something from the Sunday paper you find cute.
15. Her face lights up when you enter the room.
16. He asks you questions about your feelings, interests and waits to hear the answer.
17. You never for a moment doubt her fidelity or sense she is keeping secrets.
18. He enjoys surprising you.
19. You’re never unclear about when you’ll be seeing her.
20. She has introduced you to her family.
21. He remembers things you’ve told him about yourself.

Fun Recipes

Holiday Sparkle Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups (about 1/3 tub) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Tub Dough
• Holiday decorator sprinkles and colored sugar

• PREHEAT oven to 325º F.
• ROLL dough into 18, 1-inch balls; roll in colored sugar or sprinkles. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
• BAKE for 14 to 16 minutes or until edges are set but centers are still soft. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• TIP:
  Create three types of Christmas cookies from just one tub of NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Tub Dough. Make this recipe along with two other 12 Days of Christmas Cookies recipes. Recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for a larger batch.

Find other Fun Recipes at VeryBestBaking.com

Share Your Fun Recipe Ideas with the AskMeAboutMyKids.com Community