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Family

How to Imperfectly Parent Your Teen

August 24, 2018 By Tanya Gioia 3 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

I am about to be a proud Mother of a new teenager.  How do I  parent a teen?  Hmmm? Here is a little word of caution. Do not read on, if you are embarrassed by buggers, the mention of underwear and kissing.  Just move on to the other parenting blogs with better tips and less boy…

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The Importance of Windshield Time With Your Teen

July 24, 2018 By Tanya Gioia 2 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

The whirling blur that pops in after school grabs a snack and runs out again claims to be my son.  How do you get a little private time with the busy teen?  Even the classic “windshield time” in the car, now fights the onslaught of portable devices. With the advance of our personal devices, (cell…

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Stop Beating Yourself Up–Parent Better with Stress Management Tools

June 27, 2018 By Tanya Gioia 1 Comment · This post may contain affiliate links

I recently contracted an awful head cold from a water park excursion in Texas.  Playing, splashing and sliding at the park proved a great time for the family, but getting on a plane the next day sealed the fate of my sinuses. Frustrated, I thought “Go ahead start beating yourself up for knowing better than…

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Finding the Courage to Encourage Your Teenager

May 22, 2018 By Tanya Gioia 3 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

If one more person says to me “well that is just how teenage boys behave,” I will hurl.  Whose teenage boys?  In what country? In what decade? It reminds me of all the wise tales women shared with me during my first pregnancy.  Everyone wanted to tell me about having a baby–especially the gory,  awful birth gone…

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Mom and teenager son having breakfast together.

How to Save Your Relationship with Your Teenager

March 1, 2018 By Tanya Gioia Leave a Comment · This post may contain affiliate links

Why am I spending the precious $100 on something as frivolous as breakfast at the Village Inn on Sunday morning?  Answer: to save a life–mainly my life and my teenager’s life. Between closing a business, moving and starting to blog my budget is stretched tight.  $100 a month is huge for me–a lot of cash…

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Five Little Tricks For The Best Gingerbread House Decorating

December 21, 2017 By Tanya Gioia 4 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

Run, run, run, running down the side of the gingerbread house!  Icing that runs, candy that smears, cookies that break, squeeze the fun out of gingerbread house decorating. Cracked gingerbread cookies still taste yummy but lose the effect.  Confronting sticky gingerbread dough to non-hardening frosting frustrates even a seasoned baker. 5 Tips to Produce a…

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How to make a Vintage Camper Gingerbread

How to make a Vintage Camper Gingerbread

December 19, 2017 By Tanya Gioia 3 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

In 2013 my husband and I focused on restoring our marriage after an almost two-year separation.  We chose to restore a vintage camper as a “working together” marriage project.  From that sprang the winter of vintage camper gingerbread (need a gift for a Vintage Camper Lover look here). We Need your Vote to Win- Please vote…

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The Best Gingerbread Cookie Recipe Ever!

How to Make Gingerbread You Want to Eat!

December 17, 2017 By Tanya Gioia Leave a Comment · This post may contain affiliate links

Let’s face it most gingerbread is for looking not eating.  If sandwiched next to a chocolate chip cookie the poor gingerbread boys will die of loneliness. How to make Gingerbread you want to eat is a whole different recipe. Building houses and vintage campers with the gingery dough gets my creative juices flowing!  But eating…

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Best Gingerbread Cookie Baking Gifts Under $20

Best Gingerbread Cookie Baking Gifts Under $20

December 14, 2017 By Tanya Gioia 2 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

Our family gingerbread cookie baking evolves every year.  Scanning Amazon this year several baking tools excited me!  A raised cookie rack would certainly clear more counter space, what amazing colors could I create with new food coloring set, and be sure to check out the piping bottles for storing royal icing.  Pin this for later, maybe…

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Safe holidays with pets

Keeping Pets Safe During the Holidays

November 18, 2017 By Tanya Gioia 1 Comment · This post may contain affiliate links

Holidays with pets are extra special.  We love to buy different things for our furbabies and to add a little something under the Christmas Tree for them to open.  It is childlike fun to watch a dog tear into a special Christmas Treat purchased just for them.  As special loved ones in our homes, we…

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