Family Fun
A Treat for My Errand Buddies
I LOVED having my girls home for the Christmas Holiday. My only complaint is the time went by way too fast. We had several days when we had to run errands. On our last day of appointments and errands we ended with a special treat from QT. The girls each got to pick out what they wanted from QuikTrip. Karlie picked out a peppermint donut. Brina picked out a hot peppermint vanilla cupcake drink. They were very pleased with their special treats.
It has been so much fun running my errands with the girls. We had a blast giggling, exploring, playing, random silly games, and activities throughout our adventures. It won’t be nearly as exciting running around without my little buddies!
Planet & Star Gazing
Our Little Karlie Fox Checking Out Jupiter and its MoonsThe best evening the entire Christmas break to look at the stars was when it was 20 degrees outside! All of us went out on the back deck to check out the beautiful night lights in our big sky. We were able to see Jupiter and its moons! So BEAUTIFUL!!! It’s amazing that you can use a telescope to see so very far away.
Karlie was so excited to see the moon, clusters of stars as well as Jupiter and its moons. Brina looked for awhile but got chilly so went inside and wrapped in a blanket next to the fire. Thankful for a chance to gaze at the stars with the family even if it was very chilly outside.
Planet & star gazing on the back porchLove My Family
My Handsome man reading to the girls. Love listening to Jake reading to the girls. Jake and the girls love history. He was reading a book about the Christmas when Winston Churchill stayed in the White House. The girls love reading and enjoy those moments when we can read to them. Thankful for my family and seeing Jake reading with the girls warms my heart.
Family Game – Ticket to Ride
We got a game from my parents this Christmas called Ticket to Ride. We’ve already played the game a couple of times and the kids love it! It is a great game plus it is educational. The girls have had fun learning the names of different cities across the map. We even went through the map and pointed out all the places listed that we have been too together. So cool looking at the map of the United States and laughing at all the great memories.
The board full of a rainbow of trains. Karlie got the longest train and Brina was able to block her parents yet Jake still managed to pull off a win this round. Although Brina was the champion our first round. I had a lot of fun, but unfortunately I am not an expert at strategies with this game yet. Love playing games and spending time with my family.
This is a great family game. If you are looking for a wonderful and educational family game I would recommend it. Our girls are 8 and they can play the game on their own yet it is enjoyable for us as parents too.
Ready or Not 2014 Has Arrived!
It is always exciting bringing in a New Year! A new year means a fresh start. Thoughts of many goals, projects, and activities run through my mind. Last year, 2013, went by so quickly that I barely blinked and it was gone. There were many things that I wanted to accomplish yet somehow a ton of other items took my time and attention. A lot of the activities that took up my time were good and essential, however, like everyone else we only have 365 (or in case of a leap year 366 days that year to accomplish all those goals). I don’t ever want to look back over a year and feel like it was a waste. I want to continue making positive progress. Not every day will be perfect (far from it), but small steps and progress in the right direction over time really do make an impact not only on my life, but on the lives I touch.
Here’s a few of my goals for 2014 (365 days to make progress in the right direction):
- Daily time in God’s word
- Regular quiet time set aside to pray
- Create happy memories with family and friends
- Scheduled quality time with my handsome man and kids
- Smile more
- Count my blessings
- Laugh often
- Focus on the good things that come my way and let go of the negative stuff that drags me down
- Say yes to those activities that bring me closer to where I want to be & “no” (this is a hard one) to those activities that don’t
- Eat healthier
- Exercise more
- Post regularly here on Blessings Multiplied
- Stick to our family budget
- Connect more frequently with family and friends
- Take time to encourage and be a blessing to others (family, friends, and strangers)
That at least gives you an idea of some of the goals I will be working on this year. There are several more specific goals I have for myself and my family. What are some of your goals for 2014? Will we get to the end of this year 365 days from now and be smiling because we at least made process in a positive direction? I pray that we’ll be able will learn a lot, continue to grow, and create lasting happy memories this year. Life is short, let’s make the most of the days ahead.
Welcome New Year 2014!
We had a fun time bringing in the New Year! It started a little later than we expected because Jake was on call with work, but we were able to pack in a lot of games, snacks, a play, and more exciting activities into the evening. The girls stayed up until midnight again this year to watch the ball drop and bring in the 2014 New Year! They were super excited to start the New Year with confetti!
We talked about all the amazing memories we had in 2013. All of us agreed that 2013 was an awesome year and we packed in a lot of great memories together as a family. Several fun trips – a cruise, Vermont, Charleston, Kansas, Atlanta, North Carolina, and more! We are truly blessed and have so much to be grateful for in our lives.
We discussed goals and what we are looking forward to in 2014. The girls decided they wanted to think of at least one goal for 2014. They took a whole 2 seconds to come up with at least one of their goals.
Brina’s first goal – “Spend more time outside! I love playing and being outside!”
Karlie’s first goal – “Read more books with 400 or more pages!”
The girls make me smile because in many ways they couldn’t be more different! One of the themes for 2014 Brina suggested was “Anything Can Happen!” Thankful for our girls and the opportunity to bring in the New Year with them. I am looking forward to seeing what God has for our family this upcoming year.
The confetti was a lot of fun and I am sure it will spread itself through the house even though we tried to sweep it up.
Creative Kids: New Hot Pads!
Karlie’s colorful hot pad she made!
The other day I was working on several items that needed to be done so the girls took some time to do some crafts. I wasn’t sure what they were up to, but they were staying busy and being good. The next morning I was presented with two brand new colorful hot pads! One that Karlie had made and one from Brina! What a special treat it is to get such a sweet gift first thing in the morning. Thankful for my thoughtful girls. I am very blessed and will think of them every time I use their beautiful hot pads.
Brina’s new hot pad she made for me!
My beautiful new hot pads! Love them and especially love the two sweet girls that made them for me.
Chef Brina
Brina loves helping in the kitchen. The other day she wanted to make blueberry pancakes for breakfast. She did Christmas shapes and the letters for each family member which was a lot of fun. The pancakes turned out amazing. She did an awesome job making breakfast. Love seeing my girls get excited about helping in the kitchen. They are growing up fast and learning so much. I have really been enjoying having my girls home for the Christmas Holiday.
My snowman pancake made by Brina
Jake got a candy cane – the red is blended strawberries (love using strawberries on our pancakes!)
Dear Mom…
Dear Mom,
I love you Mom! Can you read to us? Skipper loved her bone. As I write this letter Skipper is looking at me. Can you play with me Mommy? I love to play. It is cold outside. I had a fun day. Love, Brina
I found this letter and picture one morning from my sweet Brina. These little gestures from my family makes my heart want to burst. Not every day is perfect or easy as a parent so seeing these sweet letters totally make my day brighter! In case your wondering, yes we read, played, and had fun together that day. Love my family!
Gingerbread Boy Meatloaf (Diary & Egg Free Recipe)
The girls have been asking me to bake something in the gingerbread man pan this week. Since we have already made several different cookies (sugar, gingerbread, and shortbread) I decided that we didn’t need any more sweets so we decided to bake a gingerbread boy meatloaf for our meal. If you don’t have to worry about dairy or eggs you can use the same amount of regular milk and eggs in this recipe instead of the non-dairy and egg substitutes.
Gingerbread Boy Meatloaf Recipe
Topping:
- 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Meatloaf:
- 1 pound Lean Ground Beef
- 1 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/2 cup Onion, chopped
- 1 Garlic Clove, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/2 cup Almond or Soy Milk
- 2 Egg Substitutes (Ener-G Egg Replacer works awesome!)
- 1 cup Bread Crumbs
Preheat over to 350 F. Spray oil into the bottom of a “Gingerbread Boy”, 8″ x 8″ dish, or 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.
Press the brown sugar evenly into the bottom of your oiled dish. Mix together the ketchup and 1 teaspoon of worcestershire sauce. Spread the mixture over the brown sugar.
Combine the ground beef, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix in the 1 tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, non-dairy milk (almond or soy), Ener-G Egg Replacer, and bread crumbs. Press the meat mixture into the pan shape. If you like your meatloaf a little sweeter you can another layer of of the topping layer.
Bake for 1 hour or until cooked through. Once done flip the meatloaf out of the pan onto a plate or pan and serve hot.
