Christmas Eve Prayer

Santas Christmas Eve Prayer

The sleigh was all packed,

The reindeer were fed,

But Santa still knelt

By the side of the bed.

"Dear Father," he prayed,

"Be with me tonight,

There's much work to do,

And my schedule is tight."

"I must jump in my sleigh

And streak through the sky,

Knowing full well

That a reindeer can't fly."

"I will visit each household,

Before the first light,

I'll cover the world,

And all in one night."

"With sleigh bells a-ringing,

I'll land on each roof,

Amid the soft clatter

Of each little hoof."

"To get in the house

Is the difficult part,

So I'll slide down the chimney

Of each child's heart."

"My sack will hold toys

To grant all their wishes,

The supply will be endless,

Like the loaves and the fishes."

"I will fill all the stockings

And not leave a track,

I'll eat every cookie

That is left for my snack."

"I can do all these things Lord,

Only through You,

I just need your blessing,

Then it's easy to do."

"All this is to honor

The birth of the One,

That was sent to redeem us ...

Your most Holy Son."

"So to all of my friends,

Least Your glory I rob,

Please Lord, remind them

Who gave me this job."

~ Warren D. Jennings

Merry Christmas

 Little late in creating this post but the holiday rush has sped things up a bit. First and foremost what a wonderful Christmas we are having. It seems as my life changes so does my Christmas but I am glad that Christmas still here and while I love the song "Where are you Christmas" I am so happy that I had those that helped me to remember that changes take place but Christmas is always there

Christmas has been approaching very fast this year. I have not had time to get all I wanted done. I noticed that the little ones are doing more baking than I am this year. I normally have lots of holiday goodies but this year there have been some but not a lot.

Love this little song as well

While my goodies may be more new year cookies I must say the cards have not went out as well but i belive I will call them holiday cards rather than Christmas cards this year. Hope all those that get them still hearing about the news of our family.

The kids have all seen santa and made their wishes known and tonight they may find it hard to sleep as they wait to see if Santa comes

So as you pack those little ones into bed don't forget to look at the stars and ponder with them about that wonderful star that was seen by the shepherds, wisemen all those years ago when the angels lit up the sky and sang



Merry Christmas to all

Love this Idea

love this sweet and super cute centerpiece idea from real simple

Friday blog Hop

Merry Christmas to you all and thanks for stopping by for a visit. I will be visiting lots of blogs myself Please leave a message that you were here so I can return the visit

Sonic Giveaway ends Jan 2, 2012

One of our favorite places to stop and eat is Sonics. The great food helps out but the tees the workers wear are also very attractive as well. Now you can sport your own Sonic wear and show off your love for their food. Enter the giveaway at the Not So Blog for your chance to win a great tee and $20 gc to help you purchase your favorite food. This sounds like a sweet treat for me. YOu can enter this giveaway as well but do so before it ends on January 2, 2012

Disney Princess Giveaway ends Jan 2

Do you know a little girl who loves the Disney Princess? If so then you may want to hear about this giveaway at Blessings Abound Mommy. Two lucky winners will win a special disney princess doll. This giveaway ends January 2, 2012 so hurry over and enter for your princess now

Tasty Snack or Appetizer

12 slices white sandwich bread
12 ounces cheese (such as fontina or Gruyère), thinly sliced
1 cup fruit chutney (such as cranberry, fig, or mango)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Form 6 sandwiches with the bread, cheese, and chutney. In batches, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the sandwiches until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Cut each sandwich into quarters before serving.

recipe source Real Simple

Baked Cheesecakes

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
dash salt
2 eggs
1 Keebler® Ready Crust® Graham Pie Crust


1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
 In large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar on medium speed of electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and salt. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until just combined after each addition.  Place crust on baking sheet. Pour in cream cheese mixture. Bake at 325°F about 25 minutes or until knife inserted into filling 1 inch from edge comes out clean.  In small bowl combine sour cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Carefully spread over cheesecake. Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.. Garnish as desired. Store in refrigerator.

recipe source : snackpicks

Aloha Friday

Here we are two days away as we help celebrate Aloha Friday. Since it should be an easy question only requiring an easy answer I would like to ask

Are you ready for Christmas or are you a last minute get done sort of person?

Oven Roasted Root Veggies

Vegetable cooking spray

3 medium red potatoes (about 1 pound), cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups fresh or frozen whole baby carrots

1 pound celery root (celeriac), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

1 rutabaga (about 3 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)

2 medium red onions, cut into 8 wedges each

2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

5 cloves garlic, cut into thin slices

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves or fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup Swanson® Vegetable Broth (Regular or Certified Organic)

• Heat the oven to 425°F. Spray a 17 x 11-inch roasting pan or shallow baking sheet with the cooking spray.
• Stir the potatoes, carrots, celery root, rutabaga, onions, parsnips, garlic, rosemary and oil in the prepared pan. Roast the vegetables for 30 minutes. Pour the broth over the vegetables and stir.
• Roast for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are fork-tender.

recipe source: Campbells

Sweet Recipe I Will Be making

1 lb. white chocolate
1/2 c. peanut butter
2 c. Rice Krispies
1 1/2 c. miniature marshmallows

Slowly melt the white chocolate. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter. Add the Rice Krispies and marshmallows. Put in an 8 x 8 inch buttered dish. Cut into squares before it gets set. The candy will keep best if stored in the refrigerator.

Little Story with Gift from the Kitchen

As the night of the ball was over and Cinderella was all tired out she suddenly realized that the one pumpkin that turned into the carriage was not the only one that had been gathered that night. Not knowing what to do with so many pumpkins and also realizing that Christmas was quickly approacing she stated "I believe I will sit here and rest a moment while I sip on my delightful pumpkin scented latte before I get up and make delicious pumpkin bread from all of these pumpkins from whence I sit" That way the presents she would give friends and family would all come from the kitchen and be a gift from the heart

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups (200g) flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup (200 g) sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (240 ml) pumpkin purée*
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) chopped walnuts

* To make pumpkin purée, cut a pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, lie face down on a foil or Silpat lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F until soft, about 45 min to an hour. Cool, scoop out the flesh. Freeze whatever you don't use for future use. Or, if you are working with pumpkin pieces, roast or boil them until tender, then remove and discard the skin.

1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Sift together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda.
2 Mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs, 1/4 cup of water, and spices together, then combine with the dry ingredients, but do not mix too thoroughly. Stir in the nuts.
3 Pour into a well-buttered 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes until a thin skewer poked in the very center of the loaf comes out clean. Turn out of the pan and let cool on a rack.
Can easily double the recipe.

recipe source : Simply Recipes

shared on short story slam and happy hour freestyle friday

Bass Pro Shops GC Giveaway Ends Jan 3, 2012

I never realized there were so many great gifts available from Bass Pro Shops. I could seriously do all my shopping there. From outdoor and patio items to slowcookers to fishing supplies there is a gift there for every family member. I just entered a giveaway on the blog Piece of Me where a lucky winner will get a $50 gc to Bass Pro Shops Giveaway ends January 3, 2012

Holiday Snack

recipe here

 

 

2 ounces light cream cheese, at room temperature 1/4 cup OVALTINE Rich Chocolate Mix 1 tablespoon fat free milk Graham cracker sticks 1 medium apple, sliced

 

COMBINE cream cheese, Ovaltine and milk in small bowl; stir until smooth. Serve with graham cracker sticks and apple slices for dipping

 

 

recipe here

 

 

4 egg yolks
1 5 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 tbsp. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups milk
4 egg whites
1 fluid oz. rum
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

 

1.In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until they are thick and light.
2. Gradually stir in condensed milk, sugar, vanilla and milk.
3. Beat the egg whites until stiff, then add them to the milk mixture.
4. Stir rum into the mixture, adjusting amount to taste.
5. Garnish with nutmeg.

BonnBonn Baby Review and Giveaway

As you all may know I am a grandma to two little precious bundles of joy. I have a precious little grandson and a beautiful little Princess of a grand-daughter. I love to dress them up and provide the best I can for them. As much as I like to dress them up I love for them to feel good as well. One thing that I love about BonnBonn Baby is that they can behave naturally as infants and toddlers. While spills, spitting up and being wet occur sometimes more than we like we never have to worry about our little ones skin when they wear BonnBonn Baby clothing.

BonnBonn Baby helps care for our little ones and make caregivers lives easier by creating clothing with eco-friendly antimicrobial protection that helps to keep baby fresh and dry. The moisture control fabric pulls irritating moisture away from baby's delicate skin where it quickly dries. Seasonal changes do not cause trouble with BonnBonn Baby because the thermal layer helps keep baby cool in summer and warm in the winter. I also love that the protection in the fabric helps to virtually kill all types of odor causing germs. If you have ever been on the unlucky end of finding mold or mildew growing on your babies clothing because of the fungus that shows up without notice and grows quickly then you will love that the BonnBonn Baby clothing line will help clothes stay fresh between launderings for working moms and those that stay busy this is what I would consider a blessing in disguise.

I love that the BonnBonn Baby line carries the perfect care for products for infants and toddlers. While we all love to dress our little ones up when we are at home we always love to let them be free and play in tees and onesies. BonnBonn Babies tees and onesies are made from the same eco-friendly antimicrobial moisture control wicking fabric. The tees help give protection from spills and accidents that seem to happen while eating, drinking and playing I love the fact that the tees are tagless because my grands suffer from eczema and tags often leave a skin irritation.

BonnBonn Baby bibs and burp cloths make super baby shower gifts and come in a few different colors to offer you a selection that is perfect for the baby you have in mind. The parent to get such a gift would be delighted because they offer the same protection that all of BonnBonn Baby products do and look great as well

Buy : you can purchase any of the BonnBonn Baby products from their website

Win: one of annies home readers will win a BonnBonn Baby onesie.

For your chance to enter this great giveaway please visit BonnBonn Baby and let me know one product that catches your eye and you must be a follower of my blog

Extra Entries: after asking the entry question

• Like BonnBonn Baby on facebook
• Like annies home on facebook
• follow BonnBonn Baby on twitter
• follow my blog on twitter (look at sidebar)
• share this giveaway on facebook (1 entry daily) leave link in comment
• tweet this giveaway (1 entry per tweet unlimited) leave link in comment
• blog about this giveaway (5 entries) leave link in comment

giveaway starts now and ends December 21, 2011. Good luck Email must be in comment or on blog profile or entries will not be accepted

we were sent a onesie like the one offered in the giveaway. We were not given any other compensation the thoughts and opinions in this post belong to me alone

Food Should Taste Good Review

Are you looking for an amazing snack for the holiday season? Do you have a party planned for New Years Eve? Want to entertain your friend with a snack that taste great and is good for them? Well check out the Food Should Taste Good snacks

As a mother I am always looking to satisfy my teens snack cravings with snacks that are good for them. Recently I had the grand opportunity to review the Food Should Taste Good snack chips with them. Know that is one name that says stand up and pay attention. We were sent a variety of snack flavors including olive, multigrain, buffalo, jalepon, chocolate, sweet potato, and the works.

Never before had I heard of a snack chip in the flavor of chocolate. The chip had a mild chocolate taste with a crispy crunch the presence of salt was there as well. This chip had the ability to serve up a salty chocolate snack that many are looking for.
I love olives and many of my teens do as well so we were quizled by the olive flavored chip and wanted to try these as soon as we saw them. It did not dissapoint as the flavor of green olives prevailed strongly in the chip.
If you like a bit of spice in your snack then the buffalo chip will be the choice for you. It leaves your mouth with a bit of spice. I believe that these are the perfect chips for the couch potato on superbowl sunday.
The jalapeno flavored chip was milder than the buffalo and is perfect for snackers who have  mild palet yet like a bit of spice. 
I am not a fan of multigrain chips by the most part but these did surprise me a bit. The nutty flavor provided by the flax, sunflower and sesame seeds were awesome with the salty taste of the chips.
If you are looking for a snack chip that provides a variety of flavors in the same bag then you will want to try The Works. WIth such a variety of flavors ones mouth will almost seem like it is in heaven.
With the flavor of the sweet potato being so present in many fries, chips etc.. these days I definetly wanted to try it. These were awesome and provided a delicious taste with the crispness of the chip

A few important facts about the Food Should Taste Good snacks
the chips all provided me with a crisp and crunchy snack
they are low in calories
would go great with dips in fact the website Food Should Taste Good  offers ideas to pair their chips with

You can purchase Food Should Taste Good Chips Online at Amazon.com

we were sent a variety of the Food Should Taste Good Chips for review purposes. The words used in this post are those of mine alone

Charm Factory Review and Giveaway

I love jewelry and my daughters who are very much like their mother love it as well. The one thing that I do not care a lot about is the high prices that often comes along with pretty jewelry. So when I can find something that I like at a great price you can say I have a wonderful day. Charm Factory is one of my favorite places to visit when looking for a gift for someone that  I love. There are so many different styles with charms and beads that often a one of a kind can be created. You may want to hurry over to the Charm Factory website if you would love to give a beauty to someone you love.

Recently the Charm Factory sent me a cross bracelet to review. This beautiful bracelet would make anyone a nice gift in my opinion. The beautiful silver with the colorful beads demands attention. While at the same time the price helps it to be allowed to be wore whether we are dressing up just simply want to feel special on any day. At this time the bracelet is on sale for $10.99.

The bracelet is designed so that one end of the bracelet screws off to open. I like this myself because the bracelets that are solid round sometimes do not fit my wrist the best. The bracelet comes in a 7 1/2 inch size but if you desire a bigger size you can request a 8 inch or 9 inch length. If you decide to give the bracelet as a gift it comes ready in its own free gift box. This makes it nice to simply wrap and give.

You can purchase this bracelet at Charm Factory where you will find a great variety of other jewelry as well.

Win: One of annies home readers will win a bracelet just like the one I reviewed. To enter this giveaway you must visit the Charm Factory website and let me know what catches your eye.

Extra Entries:

• follow Charm Factory on facebook
• follow Charm Factory on twitter
• follow annies home on twitter
• like me on facebook
• tweet about this giveaway (1 entry per tweet unlimited) leave link in comment
• share this giveaway on facebook (daily leave link in comment or tell me your name so that I can check it out)
• blog about this giveaway or enter into a giveaway link up (share url in comment 5 entries)
• buy something from Charm Factory (20 entries) let me know what

Good Luck giveaway ends December 21, 2011. Email must be in comment or on blog profile

we were sent a bracelet like I shared above from Charm Factory no other means of compensation was given and the thoughts and words are mine alone

Kids Foot Locker Giveaway ends jan 9, 2012

The muppets were all the rage when I was a kid. They have stood the test of time and now have their own line of shoes at kids foot locker. You can enter to win one of two $50 gc to Kids Foot Locker. Yes you read that right two gift cards will be given to two winners. The giveaway is hosted on the blog Two of a Kind Working on a Full House. Giveaway ends January 9, 2012

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

5 1/2 cups mashed potatoes
1/2 cup milk
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
8-oz. container sour cream
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled

Combine all ingredients except Cheddar cheese and bacon in a large mixing bowl. Beat at medium high speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon into a lightly greased 13"x9" baking pan; top with Cheddar cheese and bacon. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes or until cheese melts.

Oxmoor House

Christmas with the Grandbabies

We had Christmas early with the grandbabies. Because they live away from us the special occasion was pushed up a bit so that they would be home in their beds when the fat jolly man with the white beard they call Santa visited their house. Princess was so majorly excited when she saw her Dora Bike and the Prince loved his grandpa so much he did not stay out of his arms long. This was a wonderful christmas present for nana and papa as well. Christmas is made better by childrens joy

shared at
two of a kind working on a full house
momspotted
minnesota mamas must haves
my organized chaos

Snowmen Last All WInter

So did you not have enough time to get all done that you wanted to? Still want to add some festive charm to yur decor for winter? Well check out this super easy snowmen craft. Remember snowmen last all winter till it gets to warm and they go away but don't worry they will be back next year ....

Tradition At Our House : Cinnamon Roll Christmas Tree

Since my children were old enough to eat I always fixed a cinnamon roll christmas tree. Now that my oldest daughter is 24 years old this has become a tradition and each year it is expected. My children now ready to move out on their own or all ready have set up house have continued this family tradition and my teens still living at home reminded me that we needed the Cinnamon Roll supplies. While I will be working Christmas morning my teens have it all ready planned how to decorate the treee (cinnamon roll tree) this year. If you are planning on going to a morning potluck Christmas morning or simply want something for your family breakfast that special morning you will want to check this out. You can find recipe and how to tips here



shared at

Christmas Cupcakes Around the Blogs

find this spendid christmas ornament cupcake here

find these beautiful Christmas cupcakes here

love these cute cupckes find them here

something about this last red cupcake with simple snowflake makes it all seem right and calm find it here

shared at Cupcake Tuesday

Learning Resources Giveaway

I love fun games and toys that allow our children to learn while they play. This little pizza game from Learning Resources would do just that. I entered a giveaway for a chance to win this very game on the blog New Age Mom you can enter as well but do so before

This is an old fashioned Christmas snack recipe. Cathedral windows were once a Christmas favorite the stained glass was so beautiful to see I believe that these are a clear reflection of those goodies. You can find this recipe here




shared at

Christmas Cookies : Tiny Tims

My oldest sons name is Timothy and these bite size snack treats are known as Tiny Tim Bites. Yes it is probably after the famous Dickens Christmas Carol story but in our family we always say that they are our sons cookies Check out this recipe here

shared at

Prince Lionheart Giveaway

Win a toddler bundle from Prince Lionheart on the blog Two Of A Kind Working On A Full House . As many of you know I am a grandma and this is a perfect bundle to win for my grand-babies. If you want a chance to win you can enter the giveaway as well but do it before contest ends on December 19, 2011

Stamp up Some Wrapping paper

One fun way to get your children involved in the festivities and create wrapping paper as well is to stamp up some. This print was made simple by using apples. You can use cookie cutters to cut sponges into shapes to make some creative wrap as well.




;

Adding this to Holiday Menu Hashbrown Potato Casserole

located this recipe here

The Horse Knows The Way Home

We live near a river town where a friend sent us this picture. I guess the drinker in the bar was aware of the dangers of drinking and driving and since the horse knew the way home he chose the old fashioned transportation of the "horse" for the night

Prayerful Pretzels

I shared this on my blog a few years ago but thought with all the snack mixes and chocolate covered pretzels I would share a bit about the pretzel

Did you know there is a prayer in every pretzel? The pretzel was invented by a priest in Southern France in 610 A.D. he would give the pretzels to children who said their prayers properly. The twist in the pretzel represents the arms of children in prayer The three holes represent the father, son and holy ghost.