After several years of renting the ratty Santa suit from our local rec center at $30 a pop, my friends are looking to buy some Santa suits of their own.

When I heard they were looking, I recommended that they buy it online from buycostumes.com. I used buycostumes.com to purchase a Harry Potter costume for an event awhile back. I was very happy with their prices, the quality of the costume, and their shipping costs.

buycostumes.com has over 30 different Santa costumes to choose from including a Sunny Claus Costume if you live in Hawaii or Florida, and an Ultra Velvet Santa Suit, which is satin-lined. They even have suits for Mrs. Claus, and accessories like wigs, Santa bellies, and glasses. buycostumes.com is a one stop shop for all your Santa needs.

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What do you mean it’s almost Thanksgiving? I haven’t put the Halloween decorations away yet!

To help you this holiday season, I’m giving away five Butterball turkeys at my blog, This Mama Cooks! See my post Win a Butterball turkey for Thanksgiving for the details on how to enter.

Also, I have a coupon link for $1.00 of any two packages of Quaker Oatmeal. Oatmeal is a great way to start off Thanksgiving morning. It’ll give you the energy you need to get your cooking done. And it’ll fill you up enough so you’re not tempted to over indulge.

Help others in your community

If you already have a turkey ordered or in the freezer, enter anyway. You can always donate it to your local food bank. If you have a pantry full of oatmeal, use your coupon to buy some packages to donate as well.

There are a lot of people hurting this holiday season and any way you can help will be appreciated.

If you have a reluctant reader at home, you may want to introduce them to comic books. Comic books?! Yes, when they’re quality books for emerging and reluctant readers from the likes of TOON Books.

TOON Books are high-quality comic books designed for children four-years-old and older. Each of their books are designed to offer newly-emerging readers comics they can read themselves. Also, each TOON book has been vetted by educators to ensure that the language and the narratives will nurture young minds.

TOON Books also feature original stories and characters created by veteran children’s book authors, renowned cartoonists and new talents, all applying their skills to help children discover the magic of reading.

Many TOON Books to choose from

Jack and the Box is the perfect book for beginning readers. It’s full of simple sight words and wonderful illustrations. It was written and illustrated by Art Spiegelman, who won a Pulizer Prize in 1992 for his book, Maus: A Survivor’s Tale. Spiegelman claims he learned how to read from looking at comics and “trying to figure out if Batman was a Good Guy or a Bad Guy.” He even let his children learn to read from his old, very valuable collection of old comic books. Jack and the Box is recommended for children in grades K-2.

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I reviewed the new children’s cookbook by Paula Deen – Paula Deen’s My First Cookbook – today at CafeMom where I’m guest posting. You can read it at Hot or Not? Paula Deen’s New Cookbook for Kids.

Not only does the book feature food recipes, but it has directions on how to make salt dough, play clay and this one:

Giant Bubbles

What you’ll need:

1. 1 large wire coat hanger
2. Liquid measuring cup
3. Large, flat pan, big enough for the coat hanger circle to fit into (a deep tray would work, too)
4. Whisk
5. 1/2 cup dishwashing liquid
6. 4 1/2 cups cold water

What you’ll do:

1. Get an adult to bend the coat hanger into a circle for you, making sure there aren’t any rough ends that could scratch you.
2. Mix the dishwashing liquid and the water in the large flat plan. Whisk the two together.
3. When the rain stops (Paul recommends doing this on a rainy day since the damp air makes the bubbles bigger and last longer before they pop.) go outside with your supplies. Dip the coat hanger into the bubble solution and lift it straight up, then wave it through the air. Giant bubbles should appear.
4. If you have leftovers, keep them in a jar and use them again. They won’t go bad!

Have fun and check out Paula Deen’s My First Cookbook for more terrific recipes and children’s cooking activities.