"Hit the Sauce" is the ultimate gourmet liquor gift with an assortment of famous brand sauces.

Jim Beam Barbecue Sauce, Jack Daniels Mustard, Beefeater Grilling Sauce, & more.

Whether you're selecting a gift to celebrate, to motivate or congratulate, to show affection, appreciation, recognition, to express your joy, caring or esteem, you want the recipient to know you took personal care to make sure their gift is very special. And so do we. This is why we dedicate our efforts to producing specialty gift arrangements that combine originality, style and most of all quality.

Birthday parties are so much fun but at the same time can be so much work, and when you have 5 children, it's 5 times the work, 5 times a year. Even still, I love to have lots of baked goodies for my kid's parties......

My latest creation I stole from a woman's magazine. For my daughters 20th birthday, I decided to go with a scrabble theme since our last match she won "again" and was very quick to make sure that we all knew that she is the best there is at scrabble and can't be beat.

See the whole article at Susan's Basket Store - Fresh Baked Goodies

Greetings!

Welcome to Susan's Basket Store Holiday Newsletter! The holiday's are on thier way and it's time to remember your friends and family by showing them how much you care! Susan's Basket Store would like to wish all of our customers a Happy Holiday Season. We offer a large selection of holiday gifts, from caramel popcorn and, chocolate fudge bites, to cheese & crackers, truffles & champagne, you'll find something that will express how much you truly care this holiday season!

Read the latest Newsletter - Gift Baskets for The Holidays

Quote:

"What's the proper etiquette for office donations such as chipping in on a baby gift or wedding gift for a co-worker? Should a dollar amount be set for contributions, or should it be left to each individual to decide how much to give? We just took up a collection for a co-worker whose house was lost in a fire. The office manager refused to accept checks, insisting on cash so the gifts would remain anonymous. Some people gave hundreds of dollars, others tens of dollars. Can you help with some guidelines here?"

E.S., Churchville, Pa.

Read the whole article at Corporate Baby Gift Giving

Growing up I remember the smell of coffee early in the morning as I would wake and begin my morning routine getting ready for school. Both of my parents were coffee drinkers. I don’t think a day went by during my childhood that I didn’t see my parents sipping a cup of the mysterious black brew. I remember my Mom putting cream and sugar in hers and my Dad I think had his black. I never remember trying it or even wanting to taste it myself. Even to this day, I’m not much of a coffee drinker, however, I love the smell of fresh brewed coffee. I am sure my brain connects the feeling of security with the smell of coffee as the aroma triggers fond memories of my childhood.

I think that being introduced to the taste of coffee is a determining factor as to whether you will become a coffee drinker as an adult. When my oldest daughter was very young, my Mother would give her sips of her cooled coffee with cream and sugar. It wasn’t long before my daughter would beg for it when she would see her Grandmother. Granted, my Mother only gave her decaffeinated coffee, it was as if one taste had her hooked. Throughout my daughter’s childhood, although her father and I do not drink coffee, she seemed to crave it. By the time she was 16 she was what I call a full-fledged coffee addict. She began working for a popular coffee house and to this day at age 20 still works there and still begins her days with her double shot of espresso and it’s the same stuff that keeps her up at night, studying for her college exams or keeping awake for entertainment.

Regardless of whether I drink coffee, I still own a coffeemaker. It’s just one of those things every household must have and believe it or not, it actually gets used. I’ll brew a pot for guests whether friends or family and of course my Mother or Daughter if they happen by. I’ve even been known to brew a pot of coffee just for the aroma. Of course, my husband will drink it if it’s there. I have also found that coffee is quite a popular gift idea. Anyone who appreciates a great cup of coffee will certainly love a basket filled with coffee beans, biscotti, a coffee mug and if you know them well enough, perhaps a good book to go along with it.

Susan’s Basket Store has several gift baskets to choose from for the coffee drinker in your life. From a burlap gift sack full of fine coffee and imported European treats, to the latest addition of the StarBreaks Coffee Basket which includes a 1 pound bag of House Blend, Starbucks® Coffee, 1, 9.5 fl oz Starbucks® Frappuccino, 3 Cafe Biscotti, 1 coffee mug, a wall mountable coffee mug hook, and a coffee scented aromatherapy candle made with real coffee beans. Any of the coffee break baskets brought to you by Susan’s Basket Store will surely bring a smile and a little pep to your favorite coffee drinker’s day. Remember your Mother this Mother’s Day and if she is half the coffee lover as my Mother is, she’ll surely appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Life in the 20th century is definitely stressful. In many households, parents balance work with family activities and the children?s schedules. Work, school, financial worries and relationships are just a few common sources of stress that patients report when they come to my office for treatment. There are several ways to manage stress, but my favorite is laughter.

Not just funny busines

In addition to the joy of having a good laugh, there are several health benefits attributed to laughter. Laughter is believed to improve immune function, increase pain tolerance, decrease the stress response and....

Read the whole article at Susan's Baby Gift Store Blog: Laughing Stress Relief

Monica Kass Rogers
Special to the Sentinel

The glittery-pink Stardust banquet room in Chicago buzzes with baby-shower clatter. Girlfriends dish. Aunts snap photos. And first-time parents Ewa and Michael Lichodziejewski say thanks again and again.

The very pregnant woman at the front of the room isn't Ewa, though. It's Karah Janssen, the baby's gestational surrogate. And as Ewa and Michael unwrap stacks of
booties, blankets and baby gear, Janssen opens boxes of soothing bath treatments and certificates for spa services and weekend getaways.

The high point? A diamond ring Ewa tearfully presents to Karah, along with the announcement that the baby's middle name will be Karah.

"This is a big moment for all of us," says Janssen, who also is Michael's sister. "A day when I get to celebrate nearing the end of my role and see them celebrate the beginning of theirs."

Read the whole article on Baby Parties.

Monica Kass Rogers wrote this for the Chicago Tribune, a Tribune Publishing newspaper.

I am so thankful, somewhere along the way I have come to this new place and I love it!

Maybe its this time of year…Its starting to get cooler so the heat isn’t driving everyone insane, you start to get that cozy feeling of holiday spirit and your only two months away from a bran spanking new year, a clean slate

Read the whole article - Everything to be Thankful For this Thanksgiving

This is the season when thoughts of the family gathered around the kitchen and enjoying good food are on our minds. There’s something about homemade goodies that is hard to resist this time of year – even for those of us that rarely have the time during the rest of the year! All of a sudden, we are baking......

Read the entire article about Fresh Baked Gifts for the Holidays

I grew up eating “comfort foods”. My parents were of the generation that did not know frying foods was bad for you. Or that there was any such thing as “too much” of anything! I’ll never forget playing outside all day and being called into the house for dinner – totally ravenous! Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, buttery home-made yeast rolls and, of course, dessert with every meal!

Read the whole article Chocolate one of the Ultimate Comfort Foods

It's time for school to start again and it's about this time of year that I start planning the costumes for my little ones. My girls are 5 and 6 now so there are a lot of costumes out there to choose from in their age group. We love the non-scary versions like television and movie cartoon characters, cute fuzzy animals, princesses, and fairies. The choices for costumes for 5 year olds are endless.

Read The Article: Baby Halloween Costumes

It was only a couple of months ago when I overheard my 5 year old daughter telling my husband that when she grew up she would not work as hard as Mommy does and that she planned on spending a lot of time playing with her children. It was heartbreaking to say the least. As a working Mother, I find it extremely difficult to juggle the necessity of contributing to the family’s income and being there for my children as a nurturing and playful Mother. Although I feel confident that I am able to hold down a full time job and manage to care for the needs of my children and handle the daily work around the house from laundry, to cooking and cleaning, there is obviously something that my daughter feels is missing from her life. While Daddy is an excellent help with household chores and caring for our children, 2 of whom are under 6 years old, he cannot ever be or even replace “Mommy”. So while he does an excellent job brushing hair, teeth, and saying bedtime prayers, at least one of my little girls still misses her Mommy

It was not long after hearing her comment that I decided to make changes in my life. My little girls were growing up so fast and although I felt that I was a significant part of their lives, I was missing the quality time that my children longed for. I had previously been a stay at home Mother for my older 3 children and I remembered what that was like. I did not want my youngest girls to grow up and remember me as a mere caretaker. I wanted them to have memories of me holding them, singing to them and spending quality time doing things like baking cookies, coloring, or doing puzzles.

Fortunately for me, I own my own business and have control over how much work I do. While giving up work was difficult, it was very important in order to be a part of my children’s life to the extent that I wanted to be. My 6 year old had begun 1st grade and I wanted to be involved in her school activities and perhaps even volunteer in her classroom. So I bit the bullet and cut my hours almost in half. It has now been about 6 weeks since I made the change and while budgeting for this drastic lifestyle change was difficult, it has proven to be extremely beneficial. While I still work full time hours, I feel that I have gained so much more time. I work from home so it is easy to take 15 minutes every now and then and spend time playing or reading to my 4 year old. I take my 6 year old to school every morning and pick her up every day. I sometimes even join her for lunch at her school. I have time to ask her how her day was and to see the work she has created in her class. I can actually help her with homework and sit down and build blocks after dinner. I have had to juggle my time and end up working often times long hours after they have gone to bed. However, in the end, it has been the best change of my life. My little girls seem happier, and even better behaved. I am much less stressed and feel that I am making a difference in their lives and not just raising them.

Being a working mother is a very difficult task and I truly sympathize with any Mother who has to work outside the home on a daily basis and does not have an option to adjust her schedule. For these Moms, I have put together a few tips that I have found seem to make my children remember the moment for what it is worth and not how long it lasted.

• When you bake cookies together, talk about how much fun it is to do things together and how much you enjoy it. Before when I used to bake cookies with them and not talk about it, they didn’t seem to remember it as a significant event.
• Do something with your child that they love to do and that parents don’t usually do. For instance, my girls love to play like they are kittens and absolutely LOVE to have me pretend to be the Mommy Cat. I get down on my knees and crawl around meowing and even when it only last 15 minutes, it will be a cherished memory for them for years to come.
• Plan special times and talk about them for a few days before you do them. The planning and anticipation will make the actual playtime seem even more special.
• Give your special times a name! “Girls Day Out” or “Craft Day”. The titles of these days will carry into their teenage years and long after “Craft Day” is no longer an exciting event. One day, they will look back and say with fond recollection, “Remember when we used to have “Girls Day Out”.
• Remember to hold and sing to your child as long as they will fit in your lap and as long as they enjoy it. My 4 year old can sit in my lap and listen to me sing easily for a half hour and sometimes more. While I often find it difficult not to think to myself about how many things I should be doing, I snap myself right back to reality and remember that one day, she will be too big and not interested and I will wish I had taken the time to do it while I could. So I sit, and I sing, and I hug, for as long as it takes.

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The first moments after the birth of your baby are wonderful for bonding with your newborn. Newborn infants are very alert during this first hour and are instinctively looking for food. Studies have been done where an infant is placed on Mother’s stomach immediately after birth. They then make their own way to the breast for their first meal.

Although much of the bonding process is instinctive and will happen naturally, it does not always happen immediately. When I was pregnant with my first child, I never felt that close bond I had heard about while I was carrying my daughter. It wasn’t until after she was born, and I got to hold her and kiss her that the bond began to form.

One thing is for sure, once the bond is there, it is impossible to break. The tie between mother and child is perhaps the strongest in existence between two people. So when it is time to separate from your child it can be extremely difficult for both of you.

Probably the first instance of necessary separation of mother and baby occurs when baby is ready to sleep alone. Giving the baby a bottle or pacifier can cause problems with tooth decay – not to mention the issue of milk leaking into the crib or spoiling during the night. If your baby has been used to sleeping next to you, then your smell is a significant factor in their comfort level. Consider using a bonding doll or toy instead of a bottle or pacifier for baby’s first night alone.

Ookie® Dolls make a wonderful bonding toy. Babies love the soft touch of the cotton flannel body and silky satin trim. The knotted hands are easy for baby to grip. Moms like them because they are lightweight and machine washable.

Cuddle the doll between you and your baby for a few nights before making the transition to the crib. This will give the doll the same scent as you and will cause the baby to associate the doll with comfort.

I used a plush bunny as a bonding toy for my youngest daughter. I started placing the bunny in her crib with her from the very first day. She is now almost 2 years old, and still adores her bunny. The most difficult part is getting it away from her to throw into the washing machine once in awhile!

There will be many more times in life when you will have to separate from your children. I also have a daughter that will be graduating from High School in a few months and moving out on her own. I don’t think this event will be any easier then it was when I placed her in her crib to sleep by herself for the first time when she was a few months old.

There is nothing like the sweet, creamy taste of melt in your mouth, decadent cheesecake. It’s become such a favorite with my kids that they now request a cheesecake to replace the standard frosted sheet cake for their birthday parties. Although I’m stubborn and insist on serving the traditional birthday cake, I occasionally give in. And every now and then, at the end of a long day, it’s the perfect way to end a busy, hectic day. A hot bubble bath, a good movie and a nice slice of strawberry swirl cheesecake with a cold glass of milk.

Cheesecake is believed to have originated in ancient Greece. Supposedly the first recorded mention of cheesecake was it being served to athletes during the very first Olympic games, which were held in 776 B.C. The making of cheese however, traces way back as far as 2000 B.C. History notes the Romans spread cheesecake from Greece across to Europe. It wasn’t until centuries later that cheesecake appeared in America. Immigrants brought the recipes over with them. American dairymen invented cream cheese in 1872 in an attempt to recreate the French cheese, Neufchâtel. Then, in 1912, James L. Kraft invented pasteurized cheeses, which lead to the development of Philadelphia cream cheese, yes; you guessed it, the most popular cheese used for making cheesecake today.

Although deserts as gifts have always been popular, the giving of cheesecake to loved ones may have once required slaving in the kitchen for hours whipping up these delicious creamy deserts. Although these days you can pick up a quick cheesecake mix at your local grocery store. With families and friends living so far apart and with the Internet now accessible to more and more homes, giving these scrumptious desserts has become as simple as a click of a button. Susan’s Gourmet Gift Basket Store offers a delicious variety of delectable cheesecakes just waiting to arrive at the home of your friend or family member. Try our most divine cheesecake sampler. This unique sampler offers a delightfully fruitful mix of our most popular cakes: Strawberry Swirl, Triple Chocolate Raspberry, Marionberry and features our newest cake Apple Crisp. This cake will remind you of your grandmother's sweet apple pie, flavored throughout with delicious fresh Oregon grown apples. This melt in your mouth cheesecake sampler is set in a savory graham cracker crust, and topped with sour cream. Your cheesecake is fresh-cooled and rushed from bakery to doorstep in a special cool-pack container to ensure freshness.

Whether you choose to send a scrumptious cheesecake, fruit basket or gourmet wine gift basket, Susan’s Gourmet Gift Basket Store has it all. Whether it's the birth of a new baby, a birthday gift, or anniversary, or even to say Happy Father's Day, Susan’s Basket Store has a gift basket for you.

Helping Your Teething Baby

Most babies get their first tooth around 6 months of age. Teeth generally erupt in pairs. Most babies will experience a few days of discomfort, including fever, crankiness, sleeplessness and diaper rash.

The bottom front incisors typically come in first, followed by the top ones, then the molars and canine teeth. The back molars are usually the last to emerge. Babies usually have their full set of 20 teeth by the time they are 3 years old. The permanent ones don’t usually start coming in until between the ages of 4 and 6 years.

What can you as a parent do to help your baby through this process? Massaging of the gums is a great way to relieve some of the discomfort associated with teething. There are many different types of teething toys on the market. The kammi^tm teething doll is made of made of soft terry cloth. The hands and feet of the doll are knots that you can wet and freeze. The cold terry cloth feels good on their gums and the body of the doll is very absorbent – for all the drool these little ones will generate during teething.

Having had three babies of my own, I’ve seen differences in each one when going through teething. My first daughter had little trouble at all – I barely even knew when she was getting a tooth in. She was about 8 months old when she got her first one, so maybe that was why she handled it better than the others.

My son got his first tooth at about 6 months. He had fever and couldn’t sleep for days. Plus, he refused to teethe on anything but my fingers! After the first couple of teeth though, he had a much easier time.

My youngest daughter got her first tooth at about 4 months – very early! She had everything! Fever, sleeplessness, crankiness, and the worst case of diaper rash! Many doctors have told me over the years that teething does not cause all these symptoms. However, I disagree since I’ve actually seen them myself. My Mom, who had ten children, also believes there are many more side effects associated with teething then what the medical community tells us.

My youngest also hated to put any kind of hard teething toy in her mouth. She did, however, love the soft ones. They are great because they catch the drool in addition to making their gums feel better.

With the kammi^tm teething doll, the addition of the frozen knots makes it a perfect teething toy all around.

This Mother’s Day I’d like to share an article that I wrote in 2000 on being a successful parent. I think that every Mother at one time or another wonders if she is making all the right choices for her children. I hope you enjoy the article and as you read, think about how important, often difficult and sometimes thankless the job of being a Mother really is. Sometimes the weight of responsibility can be overwhelming. This Mother’s Day,........

Read the full Mother's Day Article

Finding out I was pregnant was one of the most exciting experiences of my life! I will never forget how long the 3 minutes seemed when doing the home pregnancy test. And then when it showed two pink lines instead of just one – elation!

The next few months seemed to be just getting used to the idea of being pregnant. Coming to terms with the fact that you are carrying another life inside of your body is overwhelming to say the least. Once it finally started to sink in – step two for me was dreaming about the baby’s nursery.

I love decorating anyway, so I had tons of ideas of what I could do in the nursery. I wanted something unique and tasteful and I had very specific colors in mind. For some people though, it may not be so easy to come up with an idea.

When I’m struggling for a decorating idea, I try to find one thing to center the plan around. Artwork is a very good place to start. If you have a painting that you love, you can pull all the colors in the room from that painting. Even better is to have a custom piece of artwork that you use for your plan. This will give you something completely unique.

Custom artwork can be very expensive, but Susan’s Baby Store offers some wonderful pieces at a very affordable price. This extremely affordable piece titled “Lavender Sophie” would make a great choice for designing a baby theme around. I would use a pale yellow color for the walls and the brighter purple shade for accents. Select butterfly themed items to accent the room. One idea that I used in my daughter’s room was to use wallpaper cutouts of flowers sprinkled across the center of one wall. In the center of the same wall, I mounted a quilt rack and hung a flower-themed baby quilt.

Once I had my idea in mind, I couldn’t wait to get started. I worked feverishly over the next couple of months and completed a gorgeous room for baby. One flaw in that plan – I then had months to wait for baby to arrive!

Finally, my beautiful daughter arrived! We had two weeks of bliss and then for the next three months – COLIC! She cried day and night and I slept holding her in my arms every night just to get any rest at all! So much for my beautiful nursery getting any use whatsoever!

We did finally get to use the nursery. After she turned four months old, the colic finally went away and I got to put her in her crib. All the hard work was worth it after all! She is a perfect angel now – guess she got the bad stuff over with early!

Whatever you choose for your baby’s nursery – remember to take the time to enjoy yourself! They are only little once and they grow up so quickly. Before you know it, a new design will be in order!

The story of chocolate goes back to the discovery of America. The Cacao Tree, the plant from which chocolate is derived, was worshipped by the Mayan Civilization of Central America and Southern Mexico. They believed the tree to be of divine origin. Cacao is a Mayan word meaning “God food”. Early European explorers changed the word Cacao to the more familiar Cocoa.

Chocolate is now recognized as having many qualities that are beneficial to health. Several medical studies show that eating chocolate in moderation can actually prolong your life by reducing risk of blood clots and fighting bad cholesterol. Cocoa is also the highest natural source for magnesium. Chocolate is a very complex food source and scientists are just now beginning to unlock its secrets. It contains essential trace elements and nutrients such as iron, calcium, and potassium, and vitamins A, B1, C, D and E.

Chocolate has been found to contain substances called Phenyl ethylamine and Serotonin, both of which are mood-lifting agents. The brain naturally produces these chemicals when you fall in love. Perhaps this is why chocolate was considered an aphrodisiac by the Aztec Indians, and as such, was forbidden to women. It’s no wonder that the average American consumes almost 12 pounds of chocolate each year.

If you love chocolate, Susan’s Basket store has plenty of wonderful gifts for you or the chocolate lover in your life. Is your anniversary coming up? Surprise her with the Passion Play basket or the Say it with Chocolate basket. Whatever the occasion and whoever its for you cant go wrong with a decadent chocolate gift from Susan’s Basket store.

Visit Susan's Basket Store and choose one of our decadent chocolate gift baskets for your loved one!

Food has long been enjoyed by cultures around the world. Wherever you travel, there are delicacies to be enjoyed. In fact, when people travel outside of their countries the number one mission is to get a taste of their new surroundings. However, what some cultures find to be the greatest of delicacies, others may find horrific.

Read more!

Cravings are something we have all experienced. Whether it is a juicy cheeseburger, a thick slice of luscious chocolate cake, or McDonald’s French fries, we’ve all been there! What causes cravings? What is the difference between a craving and an addiction? Is there anything you can do to fight them when they hit?

Webster’s definition of "crave" is "to long for; desire eagerly". Nutritionists define a food craving as something we "want" but don’t "need". So, if you are actually hungry and thinking about what you want to eat, that is not a craving. If you are up late at night watching television, and you are not hungry, but can’t stop thinking about having a piece of that left over birthday cake – that is a craving.

Read more!

I am sure many of you took notice that yesterday was Friday the 13th! It’s the unlucky day when bad things happen, we all know that but do we know why we believe that it’s unlucky? The fear of Friday the 13th comes from two separate fears, the fear of Fridays and the fear of 13.

Read more!

Perhaps you already have decided how you wish to bring your baby into the world. If you have not considered a birth plan and you are expecting a new baby, now may be the time to do so. There are so many options for you to consider and if you wait until the last minute you may be disappointed that you did not have some sort of plan in writing. When you go into labor, things are easily forgotten, such as the choices you had considered in the previous 9 months. Everything from methods of pain relief, the environment of the room the baby will first be welcomed into, and who you wish to be in attendance with you. There are also many things you may have never thought about. Your birth plan can also help to prepare you psychologically, by giving you something to review prior to your birth. When you read your own birth plan, you may wish to highlight points you feel more strongly about. Below is a sample birth plan. While there are many things that you may wish to include or some that you may opt to remove from this plan, it is a good starting point and will help to give you some ideas as to how you will present your plan to your doctor or midwife. You may wish to add additional sections or remove those that do not apply.

Read more!

Beary Sweet

Sweets for…oh, you know who -- someone you’d love to hug on Valentine’s Day or any day. Send rich, premium chocolates, gummy bears and a huggable teddy for company…until you get there. For sweeties of all ages.

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Mad About Chocolate

Good taste is always welcome. Give them a basket of red and gold finery with delicious world-class chocolates like Barton’s chocolate covered pretzels, Lindt truffles, Ghirardelli Squares and more. Sheer decadence for the especially deserving.

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