Twins

  • Recipe: Orange Dreamsicle Cookies

    Our family enjoys baking special goodies for family, friends and neighbors.  The Orange Dreamsicle Cookies are from The Ultimate Cookie Kit by Scholastic.  It is a great cookbook for kids and comes with a rolling pin, wooden spoon, measuring spoons, cookie cutters, frosting bag, and tips.  If you like orange creamsicles you’ll enjoy these cookies.

    Orange Dreamsicle Cookies

    • 1/2 cup Orange Flavored Powdered Drink Mix
    • 3/4 cup White Sugar
    • 1 1/2 cups Vanilla Baking Chips
    • 1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
    • 1/2 cup Butter
    • 1 Egg
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

    1.  Preheat oven to 350° F.

    2.  Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix the butter, egg, and vanilla.  Pour into the dry ingredients and blend completely.

    3.  Roll heaping tablespoons into balls.  Place 2 inches a part on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

    4.  Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until tops are very lightly browned.  Cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

    Makes about 24 cookies.

  • The Kids Christmas Tree

    When Jake and I were first married we didn’t have a Christmas Tree so his Mom gave us a small one that she had and wasn’t using anymore.  We used that little Christmas tree for several years!  It was easy to put up and take down.  Plus, a lot of the Holidays we were traveling to visit family so a real tree didn’t work well for us.  We were in an apartment at the time and the tree was perfect.  When Jake’s Mom moved to Seattle she gave us their family tree.  It has been nice being able to decorate a full tree for the Holidays, especially now that we have kids, even though it is more work we have a grand time.

    Since we no longer use the smaller tree as our main one we have let the girls adopt that tree to put up in their bedroom.  We put the tree up on a small folding table and they do all the decorating.  The ornaments on their tree are wooden or plastic so if they should fall off they will not break.  It has been a lot of fun seeing them decorate and re-decorate their cute little tree.  Every year they have gotten better at spreading out the ornaments and decorating. They love falling asleep with the Christmas lights glowing on their tree.  It has been a fun Holiday tradition we started three years ago that has really been a hit for the girls.

    Do your kids decorate their rooms?  What do they do to get their rooms ready for the Holiday season?

  • Smiles Spread Cheer

    I enjoy making smiley snacks for the girls especially when they are not expecting the fun surprise.  They were outside playing last week and I decided to make something healthy for them to munch on.  Smiles spread cheer and excitement when they are delivered.  They ate their smiles at the picnic table while talking and giggling. You can make a smile snack with anything that you have at home.  Both girls had a big smile matching their plates when I handed them over.

    Here is what was on each smile snack plate today:

    • 1 Banana
    • 6 Chocolate Covered Almonds
    • 1 Cherry Tomato (from our garden, one of the last few)
    • 2 slices of Zucchini
    • 2 Raisins
    • 4 Baby Carrots
    • 1 Mozzarella String Cheese Stick (cut up)

    Add a smile to your kids food today and see how excited they get over it.  Life is short, have some fun.

  • Gift Giving: Allowing Kids to Give from the Heart

    My husband took the girls out recently to pick out gifts for my birthday.  They had a certain amount of money and found the presents with a little Daddy supervision.  They came up with practical and fun gifts which made my day.  It was sweet hearing about their adventure shopping to find the perfect gifts.

    Here is what they gave me:

    • 2 Christmas Hand Towels – practical and pretty (love them)
    • 2 Jar Candles – Vanilla Cookie and Spiced Apple (they smell awesome)
    • 2 Adorable Bars of Soap – Ice Cream Cone & Gingerbread Man (pictured above)
    • Set of Colored Pens – so I can write notes

    I think the girls were more excited than I was to celebrate my birthday and they had a lot of fun going shopping with Daddy.  It is a great opportunity to teach them about money and giving.  If you haven’t done this with your kids, even if they are little, try it!  Explain to them how much money they have (you will probably have to remind them at the store) and guide them in the choices but allow their creativity to shine through.  We typically stick to one store to make it more manageable for the girls.  They truly give from the heart and love it.

  • Gift Giving: Homemade Handprint Ornaments

    Are you looking for great gifts to give but are on a tight budget?   This is a simple recipe that uses a few items from your pantry and makes a thoughtful Christmas Gift.  Last year for Christmas gifts we made Homemade Cinnamon Handprints for Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and extended family members.  They were inexpensive, easy to do, and the girls had a lot of fun. You probably have all the ingredients already.

    Cinnamon Handprint Ornaments:

    • 2 cups Flour
    • 1 cup Salt
    • 5 teaspoons Cinnamon
    • 3/4 cup Water

    Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.  Stir in water gradually to make dough.  If it is sticking to your hands, add more flour or if it is too crumbling add more water.  Knead dough for approximately 8 minutes until smooth.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Roll out dough to desired thickness (typically between 1/4 to 3/4 inches thick).

    We used a football cookie cutter for the oval (you can use a circle or anything big enough that they can fit their hands in) than lightly floured their hands before making a slight indention on the clay.  We took a stamp and pressed their first initial in the bottom of each palm to help us remember who it belonged to.  Since my girls are twins their hand sizes are almost the same!

    After making the handprint in the clay use a straw to make a hole in the top so you can hang the ornament.

    Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hour.  (Thicker dough will take longer to bake).  They are done when the clay is dry, you notice a slight change in color.  Cool and add a ribbon of your choice!

    Optional: Once cooled you can use spray on polyurethane for extra shine.

    Ours still smell great even after a year.  We made more than one batch since we have a large family but you can do as many as you want.  With the extra dough we made Christmas ornaments so we could hang them on the tree.

  • Gift Giving: 12 Days of Christmas

    This year we decided to spread the Holiday Cheer out at our house this year by doing the 12 Days of Christmas.  Christmas morning can be so busy and this allows an opportunity to spread the fun over 12 days instead of packing everything into one day.  Starting December 13th the girls will be able to open one a day until Christmas.  The cost was less than $20 total, including boxes and wrapping paper.  Most of the gifts were bought on clearance over the past year.  We did a joint stack for both of our girls, however, you can choose to do a stack for each person.

    Here is what our 12 Days of Christmas includes:

    • Day 1:   A Labrador Puppy Christmas Ornament for each (purchased with rewards last year after Christmas on clearance).
    • Day 2: A CD with Songs and Stories – 1 on Traveling and 1 on Classical Stories and Songs (purchased with rewards in $1 section)
    • Day 3: Travel Game for 2 – Connect 4 (found on clearance at Bi-Lo for 49 cents)
    • Day 4: 4 Plastic Christmas Cups – Red with Snowmen (purchased with rewards on clearance last year)
    • Day 5: Books – 1 on “Helping Others” and 1 on “Forgiving” (purchased at Dollar Tree)
    • Day 6: Christmas Craft with Stickers (purchased with rewards on clearance)
    • Day 7: 2 Mini Mouse Candy Canes filled with Christmas Tree Candy (purchased with rewards on clearance)
    • Day 8: 2 Snowman Coloring Books and 1 Princess & 1 Cars Coloring Craft Ornaments (purchased with rewards on clearance)
    • Day 9: 2 Snowman Headbands (purchased with rewards on clearance)
    • Day 10: Rub on Color Pattern Craft (received free with a Buy 1 Get 1 Free Deal)
    • Day 11: A pair of Fuzzy Slippers for each – 1 Pink Set and 1 Purple Set. (Picked Up on Black Friday)
    • Day 12: PJs for each to wear Christmas Eve – 1 with Owls and 1 with Rockets (Picked Up on Sale and used a Coupon)

    Other Ideas for 12 Days of Christmas:

    • Hair Accessories
    • Facial Cleansers or Make Up – if you have a teenager just starting to wear makeup or want to update your collection my Mary Kay contact is doing a 12 Day of Christmas set!  If your husband is looking for something awesome to get you he may want to contact Ann too.
    • Socks or Tights
    • Chapstick
    • Socks
    • Gloves or Scarf
    • Card Game
    • Construction Paper
    • Markers or Crayons
    • Matchbox cars
    • Small Toys
    • Baby Doll Clothes
    • Christmas Underwear
    • The ideas are endless!

    I wrapped them in the original boxes or found ones around the house to put the items into.  The Christmas paper was purchased on clearance last year with rewards.  Many of the items we purchased on clearance throughout the year and / or used CVS – ECBs and Walgreens – Register Rewards.  I cannot remember the price for all the items but with the rewards it may have been under $10 out of pocket for the entire set of 12 gifts and some days had multiple items in them.  We did a joint stack for our girls to save money, however, the items we picked match their individual interests (for example the craft with one being princess and the other being cars).  When the girls walked into the room and saw the stack of gifts they were super excited.  Now they are counting down the days to Monday, December 13th to start the 12 Days of Christmas celebration.

  • Saving for College – Upromise

    Buy Groceries Today, Pay For College Tomorrow!
    Our girls are important to us and we are trying to start saving for their college early, especially since we have two that could go to college at the same time!  Every little bit helps!  We have officially been doing Upromise for about 8 months now.  When we signed up we were not aware of all the great benefits it provided.  Most of our earnings are through the groceries we purchase every week.  If you are not familiar with it here is a little more information to get you acquainted.

    • Upromise is free
    • Companies give you money for educational expenses (college bills, student loans and 529 savings)
    • You earn money from everyday activities – buying groceries, shopping online, filling up with gas tank, eating out, and much more.
    • Both local and online stores give you the rewards.  (700+ Online Stores like Best Buy, Ebay, and many more).
    • Over 8,000 participating Restaurants
    • More than 21,000 Grocery & Drug Stores
    • Car Rental Companies
    • Gas Stations
    • Magazine Subscriptions
    • Traveling
    • Buying or Refinancing a house
    • And many more participating companies!

    How does Upromise work?  Do your normal shopping online, in the grocey store, and eat out with your family and earn money back.  You can use the money to pay for college bills, invest in a 529 plan, pay down a student loan, and many more.

    The primary way we use accumulate points is through the Upromise eCoupons which give you bonus cash for purchasing groceries that month after you have activated the coupons.  They track our purchases through the rewards cards we use at Ingles, CVS, Bi-Lo, Publix, and many more.   We have earned over $90 the last few months just buying groceries! If you are looking at ways to save on items you already purchase it may be worth your time to sign up.

  • Book: “Speaking Mom-ese” by Lisa Whelchel

    This book was given to me after I had the girls, Speaking Mom-ese by Lisa Whelchel.  The first few months after the girls were born were a blur after having 12 weeks of bed rest, followed by an early delivery, complications, and time in the NICU.  It was encouraging to have a devotional from a Mom’s perspective even though a lot of the stories were regarding older kids.   The devotionals were short, sweet, and hit home during those exhausting months.  Since then I have gone through the book again and different devotionals touched my heart this time around.

  • Giving Thanks

    I am blessed!  There are so many things in my life to be thankful for today and everyday.  Life may not always go as planned but I do have a lot of blessings in my life.

    I am thankful for…

    • My husband who is my best friend, loves me, makes me laugh, encourages me, cheers me on, lifts me up when I have fallen,  takes care of me and our girls and so much more.  Love him to pieces!!!
    • Our kids bring a lot of laughter and joy to my life.   Each one brings their own dynamics to the family and I am proud of my girls.
    • Fun Memories with my family and friends.  I have blessed with a lot of amazing memories, events, and great times with the people in my laugh.
    • Family is an important part of my life both my immediate and extended family members.  Thankful to have so many family members that love us, pray with us, and are an active part of our lives.
    • Friends who have been with me through the joyous parts of my life as well as some tough times while being an encouragement, blessing and prayer partner. I am thankful for those true blue friends in my life.
    • A Home to live in and provide shelter for my family and a place to host fun events with family, friends, and neighbors.
    • Our Pets have been a blessing in my life, whether it is relaxing on the couch with my hubby watching the fish or taking a walk with Skipper.  They all have left a mark on my heart for which I am thankful.
    • Neighbors because they have become part of my life and provide opportunities for us to help, pray, and encourage others.
    • Food we have never had to go starve or go without a meal.  My husband is an amazing cook and I love it when he cooks for the family.
    • Clothes we have always had plenty of clothes to wear.
    • Hugs & Kisses are a true treasure.  A hug from my girls or friend and a kiss from my husband are a blessing.
    • Snuggles provide the quiet time with my family I enjoy very much, whether it is reading, watching a movie or just sitting on the couch and talking I am thankful for these precious moments.
    • And Most Important God’s Involvement in my life, He has shown me a lot of love, grace, and mercy in the past 30 plus years for which I am very thankful.

    Thanksgiving is a great time to look at all the blessings in our lives.   Let us try to remember all the good things in our lives everyday.  Life is more enjoyable when we have a positive outlook.

    HAPPY THANKSGIVING!


  • Gift Giving: Twice as Nice

    Buying used toys that are in good shape works well for those of us who are on a tight budget.   My girls love books and we rarely buy them new.  Same goes for toys.  If you can find good quality toys and books for an inexpensive price used why not get them as a gift for your kids.

    Recently, Goodwill did a 50% off day on everything in the store and if you got the red tag you received an additional discount.  I picked up a whole stack of books for $0.25 and some clothes (shirts, pants, skirts, dresses) for as low as $0.50.  I was thrilled because the books and clothes will make great Christmas gifts for the kids.  That day the following two purchases were the most fun:

    Princess Baby Doll Bed

    I know a little girl who will LOVE this bed for her babies!  It is in excellent condition and it only cost me $4.

    Lizard CD Holder

    The Lizard CD Holder was a lot of fun.  I have been looking for a place to put their CDs so they can access them without making a mess.  It is going to be hilarious seeing their faces when they unwrap this one.  The best part is I paid $3 for it.

    Both the Princess Baby Doll Bed and the Lizard CD Holder were a hit with several other people at the store that day too.  I was beginning to wonder if I would to make it out of the store with the two items.  I was asked how much they were numerous times, one person took them out of my basket to look at, another person told me that she needs them more then I do, and a guy tried to take them from me while I was paying.  Guess my excitement for finding the treasures made everyone else think they really were special, ha.

    If you are on a tight budget this year, check out some of the local secondhand stores.  You might just find a treasure with a bargain price tag on it that’s the perfect gift for your kids.