Gumdrop Ornament

 

Styrofoam balls
Ribbon
Straight Pins
Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Gum Drops
Scissors

 

Squeeze a dab of glue on a foam ball and then attach the ribbon with a pin through the hot glue.

 

 

 

Loop the ribbon around then glue and pin the ribbon in place.

 

 

Begin gluing gum drops in place – alternating colors until the entire ball is covered.

 

 

{getting pretty!}

 

 

Hang your awesomely fun gum drop pomander ornament…

…on a stand…

…from a chandelier…

…on your Christmas tree, if it has strong branches.

 

craft resource here

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Christmas ornament linkup party

Craft Fair This Weekend

 

Good Old Santa with the many homemade jams, preserves, and sauces. The goodies went over great as well. Do you attend Craft Shows or Sell at them??

 

As we all know snow last all winter way past the time for Christmas. The super cute snowmen jars with lights are covered with tea stained socks that are have been delicately decorated. Want a more life size snowman just take a look at Mr. Snowman in his top hat. How do you decorate your house for the holidays??

Gratiude and Goals

Gratitude and Goals is a new linkup that I am participating in. I truly do love this linkup because it makes me take a look at life and figure it (or try to). So here goes ....

My Gratitude for This Week

• I am very thankful for my health this week. The medicine seems to be working that my Dr. has prescribed. The pain has been limited and the anxiety seems leveled out as well. My sugar has been better than what I thought it would be. (after all it has been the sugar holiday)

• I am thankful for my job and not only my job but a boss that believes in me. I have worked 20+ years as a certified nurses aide. I never thought I would work this many years at a job like this and I have seen many other workers come and go. I can truly say that I love my job and love taking care of those that can not care for their selves. I have also seen my boss go to bat for me more than once and believe in me. I am so thankful to have someone like that.

• The summer has left us with a chill in the air but the weather has not been terrible. I have been able to have many great outings with my family this fall and look forward to more as well.

• I have been enjoying all the new visitors to my blog, the great following on other social networks as well.

My Goals This Week

• Continue on trying not to get too overly stressed. Keep on my diet and my medications. I also want to start walking more which has been recommended by the doctor as well
• My goal is to not miss any work, keep working hard and gain at least one overtime day.
• I plan to have a couple of events for our family next week. One is a outing to see whats on the market and a bowling party with the family is the other
• My goal is to top this weeks total, gain more followers on my blog as well as social networks

share your list of gratitude and goals here

Seal 7 Review

I have the grand opportunity to share with you Seal's new album 7. Seal entered the scene with music of his own in the early nineties. A grammy award winning and multiplatinum singer and songwriter seal has left his mark on the world. Now with his seventh length album and it is great. The one thing that Seal keeps giving to us is great content in albums that included quality tracks. This latest album is surrounded by that one emotion we are always in search of LOVE. Seal teamed up once again with longtime collaborator producer Trevor Horn to create the awesome album 7.

Seal returned to the style he performed in the early nineties. Song tracks of this new album include:

Tracks:

 

1- Daylight Saving

2- Every Time I'm With You

3- Life on the Dancefloor

4- Padded Cell

5- Do You Ever

6- The Big Love Has Died

7- Redzone Killer

8- Monascow

9- Half A Heart

10- Let Yourself

11- Love

 

My thoughts:

Daylight Saving posses beautiful acapella vocals and string arrangements. Through the album you will find low spoken vocals, electro elements and percussion that offers elements that seem to touch the soul. Piano ballads, guitar sounds, and orchestra music offers the grand sounds that makes Seal who he is and his music awesome as we all know.  

 

His new album was released on November 6, 2015 and is available for download today :)

 

I-Tunes: http://bit.ly/O2OSeal7
Amazon: http://bit.ly/7SealO2O
Official Seal website: http://seal.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Seal

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Seal?fref=ts

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SealOfficial

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sealofficial

The Christmas Decor and Coffee Giveaway

The Christmas Decor and Coffee Giveaway $130 RV #Ohuhu

Deliciously Savvy is Hosting a Giveaway for 1 Lucky Winner to Receive several Holiday Decor Items (listed below) from Ohuhu PLUS a 72 Pack of KCups from Workaholics Coffee / Two Rivers Coffee. Total Prize Package is worth $130! The Coffee is Perfect For Surviving The Holidays and The Decor is Simply Adorable! Enter Today and Good Luck!

Sponsored BY ~ Ohuhu  Two Rivers Coffee

Hosted By ~ Deliciously Savvy

Co-Hosted By :

Amy & Aron's Real life Reviews // Babushka's Baile // My Silly Little Gang // Heartbeats~ Soul Stains // Michigan Saving and More // IMHO Views, Reviews and Giveaways // Miki's Hope // Capri's Coupons

PLUS a Big Thank You To All Blogs Helping to Promote This Festive and Fun Giveaway! You are all the best!

1 Lucky Winner Will Receive The Prizes Listed Below!!!

Ohuhu® 18-inch Christmas Stocking Felt Applique Kit, Snowman, Red ($15RV)

Ohuhu® 17-inch Mini Christmas Tree with Plastic Tree Base ($20 RV)

Ohuhu Christmas Santa Toilet Seat Cover, Toilet Paper Box Cover and Rug Set ($25 RV)

Ohuhu Solar String Lights/ Christmas Lights /Fairy Lights - 21 Feet, 50 LED, Multi-color ($30 RV)

Workaholics Coffee Sampler Pack Single-Cup Coffee for Keurig K-Cup Brewers 72-Count ($40RV) Two Rivers Coffee

That is 6 ~ 12 Count Boxes! Yumm!!!

And Now The Giveaway!!!

Giveaway Dates ~ 11/13 9PM EST until 12/01 11:59PM EST

Entrants must be 18 years old to enter and giveaway is open to US residents only.

Any Questions Email Me At mcushing7 (at) hotmail (dot) com.

This giveaway is in no way endorsed, affiliated or associated with Facebook,

Twitter or any other Social Media Networking Site. This giveaway is valid only

in the United States. Entrants must be 18+ years of age to enter.

This giveaway will end at 11:59PM (EST) on 12/01/2015.

Good Luck! Enter Below

Also we all “love it if you like us” on Facebook!

Indian Pudding

Bit of History
While the dish may have the name of Indian Pudding the truth is it is not a traditional native dish. Since Native Americans had neither milk nor molasses to use in their cooking we know that the source of the recipe comes from somewhere else. Native Americans did however mix ground corn with berries and may have had maple syrup since maple trees may have been present. Hasty Pudding or Indian Pudding was an English tradition for centuries. Hasty pudding was first printed in the late 1500's and the Indian Pudding recipe did not appear before the late 1700's.

The love of pudding came from the first colonist in Virginia. A favorite of the New England Settlers the dish became known as Indian Pudding. Early Indian Pudding was a simple cornmeal mush sweetened with molasses. Later it was dressed up with sugar, eggs, raisins and spices.

According to the article From the Kitchen by Jan Longone from The American Magazine and Historical Chronicle, Vol 2, No. 1, Spring-Summer 1986:

We do know that the techniques used in making Indian or Hasty Pudding are age-old; gruels, potages, porridges, frumenties, and puddings were made from earliest times. We also know that specific pudding recipes very similar in nature to those for Indian Pudding appear in early English cookbooks, but these use wheat flour, rye flour, oatmeal, ground rice, crumbled bread or cake, or other cereals and starches in place of the corn meal. Further, there are records that various Indian tribes and civilizations in the New World were making some form of corn meal gruel or pudding, of times sweetened with honey or native berries. But it is exactly the combination of the ancient techniques with the indigenous New World crop, corn, flavored with the colonial products of ginger, nutmeg and molasses, which I believe makes Indian Pudding a contender for our national dish.

John Josselyn, in his New England Rarities Discovered (London, 1672) also discusses the use of hominey or corn in puddings:

It is light of digestion, and the English make a kind of Loblolly of it to eat with Milk, which they call Sampe; they beat it in a Morter, and sift the flower [flour] out of it; the remainder they call Hominey, which they put into a Pot of two or three Gallons, with Water, and boyl it upon a gently Fire till it be like a Hasty Puden; thye put of this into Milk and so eat it.

In 1796, Joel Barlow (1754-1812), American poet and diplomat, wrote his famous poem called "The Hasty Pudding." The poem was inspired by his homesickness for New England and his favorite cornmeal mush.

And all my bones were made of Indian corn.
Delicious grain! Whatever form it take.
To toast or boil, to smother or to bake,
In every dish 'tis welcome still to me,
but most, my Hasty Pudding, most in thee.

 

3 cups whole milk1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed1/2 cup molasses
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg1/4 teaspoon ground cloves1/4 teaspoon ground ginger4 large eggs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Lightly grease a 6- or 8-cup soufflé or baking dish with butter (you can use margarine, but DON’T use non-stick sprays).

In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat, scald the milk.

While the milk is heating, pour the cream into a medium to large bowl, add the cornmeal, sugar, molasses, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Add this cream/corn meal/spice mixture to the scalded milk. Cook, whisking constantly, over medium-low heat until the pudding has thickened to the consistency of syrup (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat.

In a bowl, beat eggs with a whisk. Temper the eggs by adding 1/2 cup of the hot cornmeal mixture to the eggs while whisking rapidly. Vigorously whisk the egg mixture into the remaining cornmeal mixture. Add butter, one piece at a time, stirring until melted.

Pour mixture into the prepared soufflé dish, and place dish on a shallow baking pan on the center oven rack. Pour enough HOT water into the shallow baking dish to come 2/3 of the way up the outsides of the soufflé or baking dish.

Bake until pudding is set, a tester inserted close to (but not in) the center comes out clean, usually about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and remove from the water bath and let cool slightly.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream or heavy cream.

Makes 8 to 16 servings (depending on your sweet tooth).

 shared at
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World Pneumonia day

Pneumonia is an infectious illness affecting million of children around the world. World pneumonia day was created in 2009 and is celebrated each year on November 12th. Was you aware that pneumonia is the leading killer of children under the age of 5? I did not know this myself. World pneumonia day wants to help promote intervention and generate action to combat pneumonia.

Our own family has been touched with childhood pneumonia. Many of our own children have asthma. My siblings had pneumonia when they were younger but it was so much different when our first child was diagnosed. It was 25 years ago that our daughter was 6 weeks old and diagnosed with double lung pneumonia. Scared as we were we learned to listen, cuddle and follow the dr and his direction. We spent a week in the hospital that time. There were several other hospital visits and battles with pneumonia that would follow. Currently our grand-son has a touch of pneumonia and we are praying and caring for him. We trust the dr. and medication and believe he will be up and feeling well again soon.

While antibiotics and vaccines are important when battling pneumonia the war on pneumonia is so much more. The goal is to prevent, diagnose and treat. Most important is areas where resources are low and too many children are dying due to delays in care, diagnosis and treatment. Innovations that help reduce children's exposure to toxic smoke from indoor cooking fumes and increase the proportion of babies fed with breastmilk. Diagnostic tools that any health worker can easily use accurately to id a child at risk of pneumonia is very important. Tools should enable rapid diagnosis of oxygen deprivation and trigger faster access to oxygen therapy. Family friendly formulation of antibiotics that are easy for parents to give and the child can easily take.

Innovators are currently working on respiratory rate timers that automatically count breaths, pulse oximeters that operate on cellphones, oxygen therapy delivered via a shampoo bottle, antibiotics that can be squeezed out of a tube and eaten like baby food, solar powered cooking technology, and human milk banks where even the sickest newborns can get the protection of breast milk from donors.

 Find out more information on the World Pneumonia Day Facebook page here

Dreft at Home Products

Most all of us are familiar with Dreft  I was introduced to it when I was expecting my first child. My mother shared with me how great and soft Dreft is for the new baby. On the market are more products to help mom and dad make the house a home.

We all know that children and infant's easily create tough stains on their clothing, bedding and blankets. Now there is a specially formulated Dreft Laundry Stain Remover

Odor Eliminator and Dreft Fabric Refresher safely cleans odors on Fabrics (changing pads, car seats, bedding), Carpet and Upholstery We all know that it does not always smell great when our children make certain messes is it not super great that Dreft can help that as well

To help keep those surfaces that little hands often touch you can trust Dreft Gentle Clean Multi-Surface Cleaners 

Find out more about the products at www.drefthome.com 

Want to try the products for yourself? You can find a $0.50 off coupon on the site  http://www.drefthome.com/special-offers/

We are sharing this product line with our annies home readers. We were not compensated in any manner and the thoughts expressed in this post are those of mine alone

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Downy Wrinkle Releaser

With so many memories that flood my mind daily about my childhood the products my mom used to clean with are not normally in them. However, I must say that Downy is. I can remember the bottle of Downy that my mom used and how soft our blankets and clothes were because of it. To mom you simply could not do laundry without it. Now on the scene Downy has grown and a Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus is now on the market as well.

Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus is an easy to use wrinkle spray that reduces wrinkles and helps keep your clothes looking neat without the hassle of ironing. But that is not all as it can do so much more:

• Wrinkle Spray
• Odor Eliminator
• Fabric Refresher
• Static Remover
• Ironing Aid
• Wrinkle Remover
• Great for Travel
• Try it on curtains, tablecloths, sheets, pillowcases and more

Visit them here:

Website: http://www.downywrinklereleaserplus.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/downywrinklereleaser

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/DownyWRplus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DownyWRplus

While I am sharing this post with my readers to enlighten you into a great product I have not been compensated in any manner. I am writing as part of the Fresh Families team and the thoughts expressed in this post are those of mine alone

Lego KidsFest

 

 

Are you a lego lover or know one? Well then you have got to check out the Lego KidsFest. The 2016 markets will be at the following locations.

 

 

 

Charlotte, NC: Feb. 19-21 (Charlotte Convention Center)

Harrisburg, PA: April 8-10 (Farm Show Complex & Expo Center)

Kansas City, MO: May 13-15 (Kansas City Convention Center)

Louisville, KY: June 3-5 (Kentucky Exposition Center) 

Milwaukee, WI: Oct. 7-9 (Wisconsin Center)

Houston, TX: Oct. 21-23 (NRG Center)

Cleveland, OH: Nov. 4-6 (I-X Center)

 

 

Lego KidsFest kicks off it's eight year on the road with new tour stops and a return to some popular markets. New tour stops include charlotte NC, Harrisburg PA, and Kansas city Mo. Lego KidsFest is heading back to Louisville Ky as well as Milwaukee WI, Houston TX and Cleveland OH. 

 

Never attended a Lego KidsFest? Imagine more than three acres of space being covered with hands on, minds on fun. All of it being brought to you with the experience and fun of Lego building. Activities for all ages and skills in every inch. 

 

Both those that have visited before as well as those that will be visiting for the first time will be delighted. Event Manager for Lego Systems Vince Rubino stated that with old favorites such as big brick pile, creation nation and race ramps will be many more new and unique activities designed for building, learning and fun.

 

 

 

 Each Lego KidsFest tour will host five 4 and 1/2 hour sessions. You can get your Lego KidsFest tickets at www.LEGOkidsfest.com. Tickets are $19 for the Friday and Sunday afternoon sessions, and $22 for both sessions on Saturday and the Sunday morning session. 

 

Lego KidsFest tour stops have been around from 2009. Past locations have included Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Atlanta, San Jose, Cleveland, Richmond, Phoenix, Portland and more. Some past activities included 

 

• LEGO Model Museum: life-sized models made entirely from LEGO bricks
• LEGO Master Builders: live demonstrations and activities from the crew who get paid to play
• Race Ramps: build a custom car, then race it down the ramp against friends and family 
• LEGO Star Wars™: build and display a Star Wars model
• LEGO Disney™ Princess: create a princess scene to add to a LEGO story book
• LEGO Super Heroes: pose with a life-size Spiderman model and more
• LEGO DUPLO®: younger visitors can explore imagination through building
• LEGO Retail:purchase LEGO merchandise and official KidsFest tour goods
• LEGO Friends: build for the five empowered friends from Heartlake City
• LEGO Ninjago: spin the way to being a Spinjitzu member
• LEGO Mindstorms: build and program robots and snakes
• LEGO Technic: get hands-on with the cool, realistic vehicles at the booth
• Creation Nation: build your own creation to add to a custom map of the U.S.
• Brick Pile: a gigantic pile full of LEGO bricks for creative play and enjoyment
• Monochromatic Builds: bricks of a single color foster group creativity
  ###

 

The Lego group is a privately held, family owned company founded in 1932 by ole Kirk Kristiansen. Based on the iconic Lego brick. The groups main headquarters is in billund, Denmark. The main office is located in Enfield, USA, London , UK, Shanghai, China and Singapore.  

 

The Lego Group lets the company spirit "Only the best is good enough" lead the way. Committed to the development of children and aims to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through creative play and learning. LEGO products are sold worldwide and can be virtually explored at www.LEGO.com. 

 

 

LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Minifigure, DUPLO, LEGENDS OF CHIMA, NINJAGO, BIONICLE, MINDSTORMS and MIXELS are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2015 The LEGO Group.The LEGO KidsFest is produced by BuzzEngine, a marketing and events organization. LEGO KidsFest was awarded Best Proprietary Event by Event Marketer Magazine in 2013.

 

 

 

 

shared for U.S. Family Guide group. We were not compensated in any manner for creating and sharing this post. Any thoughts shared in this post are those of mine alone.

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Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping

 

 

 

Note: This isn’t a fat-free recipe, though it does have less fat than other recipes of its kind.

4 large or 6 medium sweet potatoes, cooked (I used a pressure cooker) and peeled
2 tablespoons vegan margarine (leave it out if you have to)
1/4 cup soy creamer or soymilk
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Topping:
1/4 cup vegan margarine (replacing with apple sauce may work for a low-fat version)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup unbleached white flour
3/4 cups chopped pecans
2 tablespoons maple syrup
 

Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray a 2 quart casserole dish with non-stick spray (or wipe with canola oil).
Mash the sweet potatoes (with the margarine, if you’re using it) until smooth. Add the soy creamer, orange juice, vanilla, sugar, maple syrup, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour into prepared casserole dish.
Mix the topping ingredients together until well-combined. Spread or sprinkle over the casserole and bake for 45 minutes or until hot throughout.

Preparation time: 30 minute(s) | Cooking time: 50 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 10

 

recipe source here

Thank You For Serving

Sesame Street Day --- Thank You

On November 10,  1969 a T.V. would come on the scene and would impact so many lives. From Mr. Hooper and the corner store to Big bird and Oscar the fun on Sesame Street would make learning fun. The letter of the day, counting and learning life lessons was what the show has always done. Counting with the count and learning life lessons with the Muppets seemed to start over 40 years ago and continues teaching lessons today.

Over the years Sesame Street has not only influenced my own life but so many others. Sesame Street Day was created to celebrate that simple fact that this one of a kind show when it started out and helped to teach so many of us simple life lessons. First established in 2009 when Sesame Street celebrated the 40th anniversary of original broadcast in New York.

Is It Time for New Tires

When is it Time for New Tires?

Replacing worn tires is a great way to help your vehicle to achieve its optimum traction for responsive handling and braking. If you're having problems deciding when to start shopping, follow these two simple tips to see if it's time for new tires:

1. Check Your Tread Depth

Tread depth is an important indicator of tire wear. Check your tread depth to determine if your need to replace your current tires.

2. Check Your Tires for Damage and Wear

Be sure to check your tires for any signs of wear, such as discoloration or cracks. If you notice any signs of damage or wear on your tires, come in to your local Goodyear Auto Service Center for a free inspection by our tire experts.

What To Expect When Buying New Tires

The first thing you'll need when tire shopping is your tire size. Jot it down from your tire's sidewall. It may also be listed on the placard inside your driver's side door or in your owner's manual.
The make and model, as well as how you use the vehicle, are all important to selecting the right tire. Your tire choice may be different if you just drive around town, take frequent long trips or for driving both on- and off-road.
You should also keep in mind what tire benefits are most important to you. You may want great wet traction, traction in snow, high-performance traction or off-road capability. The more specific you are, the better tire choice you can make.
You may have several tire options. Our sales professionals can discuss the features and benefits of each tire to make sure you have confidence in the choice you make. Once you've settled on a set of tires you are happy with, it's time for the installation.

Installing New Tires

Once you select a tire, the installation process begins. This usually takes at least 30 minutes. There are several itemized services required to properly install your new tires, regardless of where you make your purchase. The following services are included in your installation:

• Removal and disposal of your old tires
• Replacing the air valve stem on your wheels
• Mounting the new tires onto your wheels
• Balancing the tires to help reduce vibration and extend tread life

resource helpful for this post found here

BodyArmor Super Drink review

We are a family that plays hard in all that we do. From the youngest members to the oldest if it is worth doing it is worth doing right and playing hard in all we do. Often that means that before, during and afterwards we must be ready so that our bodies work properly. That is why I love the new drink that we found recently and are happy to introduce you to.

 

 

 

 

 

The all-natural Superdrink BodyArmor helps to build strength from within by supporting your immune system while maintaining effective hydration so your body is always ready for what ever life decides to throw your way. Each exotic fruit and tea flavor is loaded with polyphenols, vitamins a, b and complex vitamins c and e, electrolytes and amino acids. Keeps your body supplied and resupplied so you can play hard.

 

 

 

The Superdrink Bodyarmor is available in 6 exotic fruit flavors.

 

SIX REFRESHING FLAVORS:
Raspberry Blueberry Goji
Cherry Citrus
Tropical Mandarin
Strawberry Banana Guava
Orange Mango Black & Green Tea
Pomegranate Acai Green Tea

 

 

BodyArmor contains 10% coconut water in every flavor. Coconut water and other electrolytes provide hydrating properties to all 6 flavors without the use of artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. In the busy modern world BodyArmor offers what you need.

We recently were sent a 6 pack of BodyArmor to review. I have to say that we did enjoy it. The taste was awesome, a bit surprised as I am not always happy with the taste of sports drinks. I felt that the bodyArmor drinks were great tasting whether after a work out or during rest and relaxation. Sugar content was high and that may be a problem for some but after a workout that extra sugar is often needed (in my opinion) BodyArmor is also free of artificial flavors, colors, sweetners, caffeine, preservatives as well as being gluten free, nut free, low in sodium, high in potassium and certified kosher.

I would love for you all to have the opportunity to check it out for yourself.

You can find BodyArmor:
  New York Metro/Suburbs: Target, Stop&Shop, FreshDirect, Duane Reade, and Rite Aid

o    Boston: Target, Shaw’s, Stop & Shop, Market Basket, Wegmans, Roche Bros., Alltown, Tedeschi’s,

o    DC/Baltimore: Target, Wegmans, Mars, Royal Farms

o    Philly: Target, Wegmans, Wawa, Sunoco A Plus, Heritage’s

o    Atlanta: Target and Publix

o    Detroit: Meijer and Target

o    LA: Ralph’s, Target, Stater Bros and Alberton’s, Vons

o    SF: Raley’s, Target, Lucky’s, Safeway

o    Seattle: Target, Fred Meyer, Albertsons

o    Cinci: Target and Meijer

o    Cleveland: Giant Eagle

o    Chicago: Target, Jewel-osco

o    Florida: Target, Publix

 Also available on their website as well as on amazon

 

Plan to purchase some? BodyArmor would love to offer you a coupon

 

I was sent a product to test to help create a fair review post. The thoughts I  expressed in this post are those of mine alone. I was not paid in any way to create this post.

National Young Readers Week -- Some Great November Childrens Books

the second week of November is always National Young Readers Week. This week was started by Pizza Hut and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress in 1989. Many schools will make this week fun for young readers with celebrity readers among other fun opportunities.


National Young Readers week has become an annual event since 1989 to help bring awareness to the importance of reading. There are free stories and printables that can be found on the Pizza Hut Book It online.   Pizza Hut and One More Story have partnered to bring some of the best classic and contemporary children's books to life. With free read alouds to be used in the classroom to books available on iphone and android.

We would love to offer you a few of our favorite children books for the month of November:

I'm Thankful Each Day a board book that offers reasons to be thankful every day not just at Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Mice offers a fun illustrated way to learn about the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving

Biscuit is Thankful, Biscuit is a familiar character among young children. The story shares what Biscuit himself is thankful for. Offers a fun read that helps show we all have something to be thankful for.

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Pie, the little old lady is at it again. In this fun rhyming story the little old lady who has swallowed so many things before is at it again. Find out how the story goes and what trouble (fun) she gets into.

Turkey Trouble, I can say I would not want to be a turkey at thanksgiving time and neither does the main character in this story. What will he do ?? Who will he become?? Time is short find out what this Turkey does

Thankful Turkeys

This time of year, with the weather changing and the holidays swiftly approaching our minds begin to think about being thankful. Yes, in all things there is something to be thankful for. The trick is to get beyond our personal thoughts and look at life a bit different. Why was it that the red light took a bit longer to change?? Well, it could have been that if it had been any sooner a terrible wreck may have been in our future. So perhaps we should think about life as in terms that there is a reason for all and a reason to be thankful for all as well.

At our house we like to make thankful turkeys. We have did this many different ways from using a pattern. you can find some great ones at these links.

printable PDF

another easy way to create your turkey and feathers can be found here

You could also make turkeys the old fashioned way of taking construction paper and having each member trace their own hand. the gobble is easy to make and sometimes it is funny to see exactly how everyone makes their own. The best thing is writing on the feathers things that they are thankful for. It may make some take some time and think and others will know exactly what to write. Either way everyone will see that in life there are things to be thankful for.

Have fun and enjoy being thankful

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Butterball Gift Check Giveaway starts November 9th and ends November 15th

Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away! While everyone is busy planning their menus, shopping for groceries and preparing those delicious feasts for family and friends, let Butterball help you plan the best feast. One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is enjoying family time to celebrate everything we have to be thankful for. 

 

 

This year, Butterball.com will be the only turkey search engine fueled by the wisdom of our Turkey Talk-Line experts, offering 30+ years’ worth of tips, recipes, how-to videos and more. Hosts like you can get all of their cooking questions answered when they just “Butterball It!” Butterball's website offers a variety of information and can help guide you along the way. Whether you are looking for cooking times, how to buy a turkey, how to marinate a turkey, how to roast, grill, smoke, or deep fry a turkey Butterball's website offers extensive information to help you prepare the perfect turkey this Thanksgiving. Visit Butterball.com and use The Wisdom of the Turkey Talk-Line Online Search Bar.

 

I don't know about you but that turkey talk line is a great thing when you are cooking your first turkey or you a problem occurs that you have never seen before. Having someone there to help answer questions helps make everything better.

 

Life of a Southern Mom is super excited to share this great opportunity with all of you. We have teamed up with Butterball to offer (2) of our lucky readers a chance to win a $20 Gift Check each. These gift checks are good to use toward the purchase of any Butterball Turkey and other products you may need to complete your holiday meal.

Date: Nov 9th - Nov 15th at 11:59PM EST

Prize: (2) Winners will each receive a $20 Gift Check from Butterball to use toward any purchase of a turkey or other products.

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Southwestern Vegetarian chili

Today November 8 is a great day to try a new bold or pungent food. I consider chili a bold recipe and very tasty at that. This chili recipe is a vegetarian recipe as well. It would make for a great winter meal add some peanut butter sandwich or cornbread. Oh how yummy!!! Enjoy

 

Southwestern Vegetarian Chili, adapted from Eating Well

1/2 onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
2 sweet potatoes, chopped into 1/2″ cubes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
3 tablespoons lime juice (the juice of 1 lime)
1 cup vegetable stock
Optional:
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoon water

Chop everything up, mix it together in a slow cooker, and cook on low for 5-7 hours.
Check the consistency of your chili about an hour before eating. If you want it to be a little thicker, thicken it with flour. In a small bowl, mix the flour and water until it forms a slurry. Stir into the chili. Repeat with 1 part flour and 1 part water until it reaches desired consistency.

Southern Illinois Deep South

 

Today, we decided to venture out into the world down a very familiar road, in fact it was one of our favorite places to visit. While the trees may have had the beautiful colors a week or so ago today there were few that still had on their colorful leaves many have all ready shed them. We were able to stop for a bite to eat. We can never get enough delicious fish from the river boat restraint in E-town Illinois.

 

 

 

Before long we drove by one of our favorite places as the source of one of our favorite outdoor sports. We hike quite a bit and hunt for spar. Southern Illinois has and has had a great source of spar for quite some time. The economics of the small area even depended on the mines of the area.