Tips Of The Week…. Anti Aging Creams, And Cooking And Traveling Tips For Your Family

Alison’s Tip

Here Are My Top Tips For Preparing Home Made Meals Efficiently and Quickly:

• Slow cooker meals– an awesome way to have a great home made meal cooked by the end of the day
• For slow cooker meals– prepare and chop everything on a Sunday, place in a large Ziploc bag.  Then during the week you have everything done and you just need to throw it in the slow cooker.
• One Pan/Dish Meals– choose meals that you can chop everything up, lie it out on a pan or casserole and cook it in the oven- 2 step dinner preparation
• Do not pick elaborate, multiple ingredient meals– this just sets up for disaster and frustration.  Save those meals for a fun Saturday night with some wine after the kids go to sleep (it’s pretty sad when a fun Saturday has now become cooking at home….lol)
• Choose oven prepared meals rather than stove top meals– this is a great tip for efficiency and also novice cooks.  It is so much easier to throw everything in the oven, set the timer, and come back to it when it is ready

Katie’s Tip:

My sisters and I are taking a family trip to Disney World this weekend. Although we can’t wait to see our children’s face light up at the sight of Mickey and Minnie, the four hour drive is something we are all dreading. Driving long distances can be extremely challenging for small children and even harder for the parents. Here are some quick tips to help surviving a road trip.

1. If your child is still napping, I highly suggest planning your trip so that you are traveling during the time of their nap. There is nothing more beautiful than the sounds of snoring during a long distance drive.
2. If your child has a weak stomach, avoid screen time. Phones, iPads,  and computers can  cause motion sickness and lead to an unpleasant and messy ride.
3.  The best way to keep your child engaged is to give them a new toy or activity book that promotes independent play. It doesn’t have to be expensive, the dollar store has great coloring books and activities.
4. If your child suffers from motion sickness, make sure the car is cold and that they are dressed lightly. Travel with a dry set of clothing as well as plastic bags and wipes.
5. The most important tip for a road trip is to make sure that your child’s carseat is appropriately installed and that you are following the guidelines created by the American Board of Pediatrics for carseats.

Carrie’s Tip:

Lately I have been feeling blah about my skin. I have been a bit lazy about keeping up with my moisturizing regimen. Mostly because I ran out of the products I use and haven’t been back to the store to buy them lol. I have decided to get back on track and wanted to share with you my favorite skin products. Believe me I have tried many kinds and this was my favorite. It is the most affordable and feels great on my skin! It’s called No 7 protect and perfect intense skincare system at Target. Definitely give it a try. Or this could be a great gift for your loved ones over the holidays!