Great Stocking Stuffers at Sears

Sears wants to be the one stop destination for finding amazing stocking stuffers for your mom, sister, bff, and co-worker. They have amazing gifts for everyone on your list at affordable prices. Find great gifts from favorite brands like Sally Hansen, NYX cosmetics for prices $10 or less. Do you have an office gift exchange, or other gift exchange that sets a $$ amount and you just want to find the perfect gift?

christmas treat

Another delicious goody shared in years past that would make a great Christmas treat. Check out the recipe for Cathedral Windows to make a special present for those at christmas season


all star block party

broken jello

I love this jello recipe I have shared on my blog annies home before. I thought that this festive recipe deserved another look here at the holidays. Entertain your guest with this recipe for broken jello

Book Review The Global Game Changers

I love activities that helps to teach life lessons. Learning is one thing that we will all do through out our entire life times.  I personally love the book Global Game Changers because through the pages of this book it shares ways to help others. Jan and Rachel Annette Helson team up to create a mother and daughter team that helps encourage the imagination of readers. Not only will young readers be inspired but the hopes is that moms of these young readers will be inspired to help motivate their children to do good in the world.


The theme throughout the book is about a couple of superheros that travel around doing good without asking for anything in return. As the duo of super heros travel along they meet up with bad guys such as Krumi who they must fight. The end of the book invites readers to the Global Game Changers interactive web community.

My thoughts:
I loved the book because any book that can challenge our young generation to strive to help others then to me that is a golden opportunity. This book does just that 

Reindeer Cookies

I love nutter butter cookies. These great tasting cookies also make for adorable christmas cookies. Check out this recipe 

Reindeer Cookies

You will need: 

• 1 package of Nutter Butter cookies
• 1 tube of white frosting
• brown M&Ms
• red M&Ms
• small pretzels (the twisted type, not the sticks)
• wax paper.

Lay out your cookies on the wax paper leaving enough room to add antlers (the pretzels) on top.  Use the frosting to attach a pretzel to the top of the cookie.  Do the same with two brown M&Ms attached to the front of your cookie for eyes, and a red M&M for  a nose,  and you have a quick and easy reindeer cookie!  Yum!

Book Review Mary's Son

Title: Mary's Son: A Tale of Christmas
Author: Darryl Nyznyk
Format: Hard cover

I love literature with a bit of flair that takes situations in real life and creates a reading memory. The book Mary’s Son: A Tale of Christmas tells the story of an angry young man named Jared, a lonely young girl Sarah and a man named Nicholas. Jared is a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, life has sent him for a spin and in return he has decided to prey upon the rich that live up on the hill. Sarah, is a young girl that lives in the mansion on the hill that Jared is targeting. Jared plans to strike out on a robbery attempt at this house. Both Sarah and Jared will find their lives change when they are taken back in time by a man named Nicholas. Not only back in time but back to the first Christmas. 
This book takes a story and teaches a lesson at the same time. The book has won the  three Mom’s Choice Awards!   

My Opinion:
a great read, I shared it with my youngest daughter who also loved it. I thought it shared a classical story that often taught lessons. Many kids find it hard in life and I thought it was rather cool that the book shared a story in a manner that todays teen could see for their self that their situation could be a bit different. 

Monday's Music Rock

 love Christmas and this sort of song just seems to get the Christmas popping. Hope you enjoy it as well

What Do You Think?

What Is On Our Menu

Oh what a weekend we had. I believe we are all stuffed. I am ready for delicious goodies that our family will start enjoying starting the December 1 Our week menu this will be like this

baked chicken, corn, potatoes
garlic fried chicken, mac n cheese
hash , a potato and hamburger mix, bread and butter
we will be on the go this weekend so will start eating healthy but quickly

Navajo Tacos

• 1 loaf frozen white bread dough, thawed
• FILLING:
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound hot bulk pork sausage
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup water
• Oil for deep-fat frying
• Chopped tomato
• Finely chopped onion
• Shredded lettuce
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Taco sauce
• 
  
• allow dough to rise. Meanwhile, for filling, cook beef and sausage in a skillet over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning, beans and water. Simmer 15-20 minutes or until the water is almost evaporated; set aside. After dough rises, punch down. Make tortillas by dividing dough onto 10 to 12 equal balls. Using a small amount of flour, roll each ball into an 8-in. circle (tortillas should be thin). Fry each tortilla in 1/4-in. hot oil until golden brown, turning once. Drain tortillas on paper towels; keep warm. Top each tortilla with meat mixture, tomato, onion, lettuce, cheese and taco sauce. Yield: 10-12 servings.

recipe source taste of home 

shared at
sundae scoop
motivate me monday

Kids In The kitchen

Some friends of mine decided to have a homemade pizza night. Here is a picture of the older girls putting it all together


 wordless Wednesday here and here
wordfull wednesday

Chicken Soup

• Our bunch has been feeling a bit under the weather. If you are not feeling up to par or simply want to try a delicious soup that will comfort you in the cold weather they you will want to check out this recipe
• 
  
• 5 1/4  cups  Swanson® Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural GoodnessTM or Certified Organic)

• 1/8  tsp.  poultry seasoning

• 1/8  tsp.  dried thyme leaves, crushed

• 1  medium carrot, sliced (about 1/2 cup)

• 1  stalk celery, sliced (about 1/2 cup)

• 1  small onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)

• 1/2  cup  uncooked regular long-grain white rice

• 2  cans  (4.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

Stir the broth, poultry seasoning, thyme, carrot, celery and onion in a 3-quart saucepan. Over medium-high heat, heat to a boil. Stir in the rice. Reduce the heat to low. Cover the saucepan and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is done. Stir the chicken in the saucepan and heat through.

recipe source : Recipe.com

Monday Quiz About Me

1. What are you thankful for this year?

2. What was your special dish that your parents made for you while growing up?
3. How long are you willing to wait for someone before you give up?
4. What is your favorite quote, poem, song lyric or prayer?

my 5th question is: 

what was your favorite dish served at thanksgiving this year 

1. What are you thankful for this year?

I am thankful for my family each and every one of them whether blood related or just "adopted" into the family

2. What was your special dish that your parents made for you while growing up?

my parents often made a dish known as "hash" my own children love this dish as well

3. How long are you willing to wait for someone before you give up? 

sometimes I wait a lifetime 

4. What is your favorite quote, poem, song lyric or prayer?

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed
he was walking along the beach with the LORD.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand: one belonging
to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times along the path of
his life there was only one set of footprints.

He also noticed that it happened at the very
lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he
questioned the LORD about it:

"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow
you, you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when
I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied:

"My son, my precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."

saturday 9

1) Are you still feasting on cold turkey, or any other leftovers, from your Thanksgiving meal?

yep until they are all gone

2) AAA says Thanksgiving is a big travel weekend. Did you venture far from home for your holiday dinner?

not this time I had those away come to me
3) Is this weekend the official start of the Christmas season for you?

sure is 
4) Which couple would you rather hang out with -- Fred and Wilma Flintstone or George and Jane Jetson?

fred and wilma more in our league 
5) Have you/would you ever get your teeth whitened?

nope

6) Do you still have your high school class ring?

lost it several years ago

7) Here's $50. You must spend it all in one place. What are you going to do with it?

wont take long going to the grocery store
8) Could your vehicle use a trip to the car wash right about now?

sure could
9) Did you hit the snooze button this morning?

nope, never do

Sunday Stealing

1. Where was your profile picture taken?

what profile picture? The profile picture for my blog is also my wedding picture many blue moons ago and the one for my facebook well that one is of my grandson 

2. Name someone who made you laugh today.

my son, husband, co-workers I guess I have been blessed with the chance to laugh many times

3. Do you believe exes can be friends?

yes I do if the break up is good they can be great friends

4. How do you feel about Dr Pepper?

dont care for it reminds me of cough syrup

5. Who was the last person you took a picture of?

my grand-babies

6. Are you upset about anything?

just shed a tear after reading about a fellow blogger losing their child 

7. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?

always life is based on relationships

8. Are you a bad influence?

could be at times and other times I could be the best

9. Night out or night in?

night in been a hard day at work so I am staying home tonight

10. Has anyone ever called you perfect before?

yes in both the good sense and bad

11. What song is stuck in your head?

none right now but yesterday it was the old song do lord

12. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m., who do you want it to be?

don't want it to be the police bringing bad news as for who I want it to be can not really think of anyone who would be bringing good news so a bit afraid to answer this question

13. Do you smile a lot?
yes