Veranda Chit Chat

New Years Eve Party 101: Celebrate Responsibly

Don’t Drink and Drive Ringing in the New Year I’ll be babysitting the grandkids this year since my oldest daughter and my charming son-in-law will be going out for a night on the town. When I was younger I always looked forward to New Year’s Eve.  My husband’s family enjoyed partying, and there was many a New Year’s Eve that we would travel from Connecticut to New York City and spend the night. All the in-laws would stay at the same hotel in the Big Apple.  We’d have dinner in the theater district at Sardi’s or Gallagher’s (where you can see the beef... 

Best of Moomette’s Magnificents Blog Posts 2009

Old Lang Syne Year End Thoughts and Starting a New Decade Now that we’ve passed the Winter Solstice and are wrapping up 2009, I’ve tried to put together a collection of my favorite“Best of 2009” series of Moomette’s Magnificents posts. While I’m a mom, I’m also a grandmom, wife, sister, and friend.  I try to identify myself as a multi-generational blogger, and my blogging friends and readers are many and as varied as grains of sand in time. Although I write about work-at-home tips, product reviews and giveaways, I’m also a humorist.  OK, make that a New England Yankee dry... 

Life in New England – Does That Mean I Need a Live Christmas Tree?

Real Simple Turning a New Leaf What have we done? Here I am, the blogging Baby Boomer Grandmom from New England.  NEW ENGLAND! Land of four seasons – Spring, Summer, Fall and … Winter! Winter – which in most people’s minds, means, snow, cold, more snow, more cold; ice, more snow and ice, slush ….  and real Christmas Trees!  You get the picture. Having been married for over 35 years, nine of which were sans kids – we’ve always had a r.e.a.l. tree.  Right – REAL, as in not artificial.  Nope, not us. Hubster and I had been... 

In Memory of Bryson Ross – Candles in the Wind

The Angels Were Listening In Memoriam of Bryson Ross – December 14, 2009 Visit MomDot or A Cowboy’s Wife for more photos In Memory of Bryson. Related Articles: Best of Moomette’s Magnificents Blog Posts 2009 Join the Carolers and Win: Carol-Oke and Help Toys for Tots In Memory of Bryson Ross – Candles in the Wind SEED+ – Grape Seed Enriched Body Care – Giveaway How To Brand Your Twitter Profile and Monetize Your Tweets  Read More →

Advice to Help Our Daughters Build Self-Esteem: Dove Campaign for Real Beauty & Giveaway

Evolution Thank You for Making a Difference Earlier this year I passed on a bit of  beauty advice from “Mom” to daughters  in my post Beauty Tips You Can Use – With Love – From Mom. Now, I’d like to share with you more important information regarding self esteem, and how it’s especially important for moms with young tweens, pre-teens or teenage daughters, as well as grandmoms with granddaughters. Too many girls and young women develop low self-esteem from hang-ups about looks and consequently fail to reach their full potential in later life. The... 

3 Simple Tips to Clearing Clutter in the Kitchen for the Holidays and Everyday

How to Survive the Holidays Well, I made it through another Thanksgiving! Ever since my late mother-in-law stopped hosting Thanksgiving, I’ve taken over and had it at my house.  For years we had over 20 people, but our numbers have changed since some family members have passed on;  spouses and significant others have changed faces; and new family members have been added. Now that my oldest daughter is married, I’ve passed the baton, and she hosts the holiday at her home.  I still do a majority of the cooking, sort of like doing meals-on-wheels! Here are 3 simple... 

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This and That

Holiday Ideas: Celebrate New Year Eve At LA Hotels

Fun in the Sun Weekend Vacation Getaways for the New Year This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of DiscoverLosAngeles.com. All opinions are 100% mine. Several years ago when my oldest daughter was making the rounds of college tours, I used my frequent flyer points for us to book a flight to Maryland. Such as kids will be kids, my daughter decided she really didn’t want to go to college that far away from Connecticut.  I was then left with two tickets and no place to go. For Christmas that year, my brother ended up being the lucky recipient of two airline tickets to anywhere... 

Increase Your Fiber: Learn About the How Wheat Works Program

Healthy Eating Habits Farm-to-Fork Education This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Wheat Food Council. All opinions are 100% mine. As a Baby Boomer, I like to incorporate fiber into my daily diet.  One of the ways I try to do this is by baking muffins for breakfast with wheat flour. I’d like to let you and your families know about the How Wheat Works program.  It’s so neat – when you visit the site, you can pick a wheat product you want to create and then track it’s path and watch how how it goes from the field to the table! Participants of all ages can virtually grow,... 

This Holiday Season Experience a Branson-style Family Vacation!

Destination Vacations Create New Memories For The Whole Family This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson. All opinions are 100% mine. We all yearn for memories of the Christmas and holidays of long ago, a time when family all lived locally and came together to celebrate. In today’s mobile, modern society, that often isn’t possible.  Family members are on different coasts, or even in different countries. With a destination holiday, coming together is easier when one family doesn’t have to be host to many out-of-town guests. Bring the family together in the warmth... 

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