Been looking up all sorts of DIY stuff.

I was real unhappy with last year's Christmas stockings. Hubby and I just roamed through the store looking for anything to fill them up. It was just a chore to get done; somethings else on the list.

I decided then that I would research homemade/alternatives to random mass candy for next year.

1. Even if I make the exact same thing using real sugar, they will be healthier. No preservatives and no corn syrup. No one knows exactly how they make corn syrup, just that they use field corn (not sweet corn) and massive amounts of polypropylene glycol (radiator fluid, which is sweet by the way). Many of our nation's bad health trends appear to be linked to the introduction of this sweetener (its cheaper than sugar, so everyone uses it in everything). If I can avoid even more by making our own treats for Christmas and Easter, it can't do anything but help. And I can try even healthier sweeteners in some recipes, like honey. I can also use other healthy ingredients. "Reece's" peanut-butter eggs made with real peanut-butter, not that Skip-Jiff stuff that has had the good natural peanut oils replaced with hydrogenated veggie oil, for example.
2. We will have more fun. The kids and I will make the treats in the weeks ahead of time, together, as a fun activity. Art, bonding, nutrition all rolled into one. 
3. The treats can be more personalized. The child that likes licorice can have a licorice flavored Peep! The rest of us won't have to endure that :-P 
4. And most importantly, I can put love into each treat. These holidays can become an expression of love, can have meaning, instead of being just one more thing added to my to do list.

In this light, I looked up homemade Easter treats yesterday on Pintrest. Wow! I might even do some experimenting today if I get the chance :-)

I will also pick up some toys to put in their eggs. Who says it all has to be candy?

I also ran across recipes for homemade foundation makeup, mascara, and one describing how to use soapnuts.  The soapnuts will wait until I run out of the ingredients I need to make my own laundry soap the current way (or not. I could always give them to a friend who is having a hard time financially).

My little girls (7-13) are experimenting with makeup. I would feel so much better if they were slathering these homemade, natural products all over their faces (made of arrowroot powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cloves, etc) than the stuff I know is toxic. Especially the one who has the worst allergies and ADHD (I suspect that last is more distraction from the allergies than true ADHD).

So stay tuned. Should be some interesting things going on here.