“‘Twas Nochebuena” by Roseanne Greenfield Thong

“‘Twas Nochebuena” is a bilingual retelling of “The Night Before Christmas.” The story takes readers into the home of a Latin American family during their Christmas Eve feast of Nochebuena. This family story conveys strong family bonds and traditions while offering non-Spanish speakers a way to learn some basic Spanish vocabulary. In “‘Twas Nochebuena” the […]

[Continue reading...]

Coffee Rubbed Beef

Cooking for Families This rub works on just about any cut (in fact, it’s served on filet mignon at Mesa Grill), and the pan-to-oven method is foolproof. I recommend using on a round roast or beef tenderloin. It is a great dish for any holiday. Serve this for special occasions and holidays. This great recipe […]

[Continue reading...]

Salt Dough Ornaments

Making salt dough ornaments is an easy holiday craft with impressive results. They look like cookies that are good enough to eat, but they are Christmas decorations and gifts. All you need is all-purpose flour, salt, water, and some decorations. Just mix, cut, bake, and decorate! You Will Need: 4 cups all-purpose flour1 cup table […]

[Continue reading...]

Read “Snowmen at Night” and Make Indoor Snowmen

“Snowmen at Night” by Caralyn Buehner is a hysterical book about snowmen that your Nanny Kids will want to reread over and over again. In “Snowmen at Night” while the children sleep, the snowmen the kids made during the day come to life. The snowmen have tons of winter fun including ice-skating on a pond, […]

[Continue reading...]

Romanian Pork and Potato Stew

My former Mom Boss found this stew recipe on the spruceeats web site. This one-pot stew of pork and potatoes (cartofi cu carne de porc) is an easy-yet-hearty recipe to whip up the night before and allow to flavor overnight. It’s also just as good eaten the day it’s made. It’s even a good candidate […]

[Continue reading...]

Handmade Button Christmas Cards

Children love making and giving holiday cards. Their friends and family love receiving the handmade tokens of love as well. I helped a seven-year-old I care for make Christmas cards using buttons this year. We made Christmas tree shapes but you can make snowmen, candy canes, or any holiday shape the child wants to create. […]

[Continue reading...]

“The Girl Who Saved Christmas” by Matt Haig

Weekly Trip to the Library The Girl Who Saved Christmas is a great Christmas book for your older Nanny Kids (about eight- to 12-years-old). Books always make a great, and inexpensive, holiday gift for children as well. In The Girl Who Saved Christmas Amelia Wishart was the first child ever to receive a Christmas present. […]

[Continue reading...]

Cheesy Green Beans

This is such an easy way to bake green beans for your Nanny Family. The great thing about this recipe is that it takes almost no prep time, making it one of the easiest side dishes you can make. A good glug of olive oil helps coat the beans in seasoning while crisping them up […]

[Continue reading...]

Snowman Advent Calendar

Creative Wednesdays I made this snowman advent calendar for my Nanny Kid to build excitement for Christmas. We started in November so I added days from November on this advent calendar but most advent calendars start on December 1. You can purchase the supplies needed for this project by clicking the links below or visiting […]

[Continue reading...]

Rainbow Pebbles

A preschooler I babysit for really loves playing with Rainbow Pebbles. They make a great holiday or birthday gift. These lightweight, colorful stones with a smooth surface are a wonderfully tactile early math resource. The preschooler I care for is fascinated by the pebbles’ bright colors, odd shapes, and warm feel which makes stacking fun. […]

[Continue reading...]