Family

  • Teaching Our Children: Target Practicing Skills

    A few weeks ago the girls were reminiscing about our adventure earlier this year to the local Shooting Range so we decided to take out Daddy’s paintball gun and have them try target practicing off the back porch.  They almost always hit the tree they were aiming for even if it was in different spots.  The paintball gun was lighter so they could hold it themselves and it gave us another opportunity to discuss gun safety as well as a chance for them to target practice for a little bit.

    Brina trying to hit the tree with the paint ball gun.

    I think Brina actually enjoyed the paintball gun more.  It was really easy to see if she hit her target.  “Splatting” the tree brought several triumphant giggles as they hit their unsuspecting target.

    Karlie target practing with the paintball gun.

    Each girl had their own color of paint to make it easier to see where they had hit the target.  This activity was a great way to teach kids learning about gun safety and target practicing without having to deal with as much danger or gun powder residue.  The girls had a blast and were very pleased with being able to hit the target.

  • Pampers Gifts to Grow – 5 Free Points

    You can receive another 5 free points from Pampers with a new Gifts to Grow code!

    This code is different from the previous codes I have given.

    Use Code:  HOLIDAYGIFT2011

    The code didn’t have an expiration date but they usually expire in a few days so be sure to add it to your account soon!

    You can save up the rewards to purchase gifts!

    For more information about the Pampers Gift to Grow Program and how you can start earning Pampers “Gifts to Grow” Rewards for your family go to Pampers Gifts to Grow!

  • Review & Giveaway: Torani Flavored Syrups

    As the weather gets cooler you may enjoy a hot cup of coffee to help jump start you on a crisp morning even more or a cup of hot chocolate by the fire with the family as you relax together on a cold evening.  Of course you may be in an area that is warm and would rather grab a smoothie or an iced coffee.  The secret ingredient behind those amazing coffee shop drinks that you and I enjoy so much in the syrups they use to flavor them.  Torani flavored syrups are made in the USA and are used at restaurants and coffeehouses in more than 40 countries around the world.   The best part is you can get these amazing flavored syrups and make your favorite drinks at home!

    I was thrilled to hear that SheSpeaks teamed up with Torani and they were sending me some Torani Flavored Syrups to try!  I received the Salted Caramel and Peppermint flavored syrups.   They are AMAZING!  I have been having fun trying out a variety of fun recipes both Torani’s Recipes and ones that I have come up with myself.   Torani offers over 120 Regular and Sugar Free Flavored Syrups which are the perfect compliment to your favorite Coffee, Espresso, Hot Chocolate, Lattes, Smoothies, Teas, and many other drinks you enjoy.  I have even used Torani Flavored Syrups in a few recipes while I was baking and they turned out delicious!  Our favorite baked goods were Torani Salted Caramel Syrup in our Banana Bread and Torani Peppermint Syrup in our Brownies!   Torani Flavored Syrups will add an extra special touch to your next party celebration!

    The Salted Caramel and Peppermint Syrups were awesome!

    • Flavored Coffees / Espresso Drinks
    • Italian Sodas
    • Flavored Tea, both hot and cold
    • Flavored Lemonade
    • Flavored Sodas (or Pop as we say in the Midwest!)
    • Cocktails
    • Mocktails
    • Flavored Energy Drinks

    Our family tried a variety of delicious recipes with our Torani Flavored Syrups!  The ones from Torani’s recipes are awesome so if your interested in getting started that’s a great resource.  Here are two recipes that I came up with that were raving hits with our family:

    Delicious Holiday Hot Chocolate!

    Rich Peppermint Hot Chocolate Recipe

    • 1/2 cup Mom’s Hot Chocolate Mix
    • 1 cup Milk
    • 1/2 tablespoon Torani Peppermint Flavored Syrup
    • Cool Whip
    • Crushed Mint Candies
    1. Heat the milk to near boiling, add the Hot Chocolate Mix, Torani’s Peppermint Syrup and stir until blended.  You can add more Torani Peppermint syrup if you want a stronger peppermint flavor.
    2. Pour the Rich Peppermint Hot Chocolate into mugs.
    3. Top with cool whip and crushed candies.

    It is a perfect blend of chocolate and peppermint for those cool evenings.  The girls loved having this as a special treat and it was great for a relaxing evening with family and friends!  I look forward to serving it even more as the Holidays approach.

    Delicious “pick-me-up” Smoothie!

    Salted Caramel & Chocolate Coffee Smoothie Recipe

    • 1 cup Milk
    • 1/2 cup Coffee (cooled)
    • 1/2 tablespoon Torani’s Salted Caramel Syrup
    • 1 tablespoon Chocolate Syrup
    • 1/2 cup Ice
    • Coop Whip (optional)
    1. Put the Milk, Coffee, Salted Caramel Syrup, Chocolate Syrup, and ice in the blender and mix until smooth.  You can add more Torani Salted Caramel syrup if you want a stronger caramel flavor.  Pour into a cup, add cool whip, and enjoy!

    This was an awesome recipe for an early morning or mid afternoon pick me up, plus it allows you to use up that extra coffee still left in the coffee pot that no one finished that morning!  Since we live in South Carolina we still have some warmer days so we were able to try a mix of hot and cold recipes with our Torani Peppermint and Salted Caramel syrups.  Salted Caramel syrup was my favorite because it blended well with any hot beverage or cool smoothie.

    A great Christmas or Hostess Gift!

    Not only are Torani Flavored Syrups a wonderful addition to your pantry they are the perfect gift to give family and friends for birthdays, Holidays or any other special occasion.  Torani Flavored Syrups make the perfect hostess gift for all those fun Holiday parties coming up.  I love that that Torani Flavored Syrups are both tasty and practical for my family and to share with others.  Torani gives your drinks that extra authentic coffee house flavor that you can make in your own kitchen so you don’t have to pay full price at your local coffee house.

    SheSpeaksbutton

    As a special treat from SheSpeaks and Torani if you order from the link on the left you can get 10% off your order!

    • Click on the picture above (it takes you to Torani’s website)
    • Order the Torani Flavored Syrups of your choice
    • At checkout enter the code shespeaks for a 10% discount

     

    Torani Flavored Syrups can be found at many retail locations or online.  Torani Favored Syrups are available at select:

    Torani has many flavor syrups available to choose from.  I am looking forward to trying more soon, trying to decide which one is next (White Chocolate, Eggnog, Pumpkin Pie, Raspberry).  You can check out more reviews on the Torani Syrup Flavors to get an idea of what everyone else is enjoying!

    Giveaway

    As a way to say thank you to my readers and to share a taste of the Torani Flavored Syrups with you I am doing a 48 hour giveaway!

    The winner of this giveaway will receive a FREE Bottle of Torani Flavored Syrup!  I will be sending the winner a coupon for a free bottle of Torani Flavored Syrup so he/she can pick out their favorite flavor to try or use it to buy a gift for a family member for the Holidays!  Here’s how to enter the giveaway:

    1. Sign up to follow my blog (if you haven’t done so already) and leave a comment below telling us how you follow Blessings Multiplied.  You can sign up to receive Blessings Multiplied via email.
    2. You can get a bonus entry into the drawing if you leave a separate comment below sharing one of your favorite flavored drinks!

    All comments must be made by November 16th at 10:00 PM EST to be entered into the drawing.

    Make sure to follow Torani on Facebook and Twitter using #SSTorani hashtag to learn more about Torani and become eligible for more prizes.  To learn more information about how SheSpeaks works and get involved sign up for free today.

    As a member of the SheSpeaks Blogger Society, I was given samples of this product to write an informed review.  The opinions expressed in this post are my own.  I was not paid to write this post.  A special thanks to SheSpeaks and Torani for providing the samples to review and the coupons for the giveaway!

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    I started the week out a little stronger, but still have a lot of areas I need to work on regarding my goals.  Next week I hope to do better.  The good news is I am at least taking small steps in the right direction.

    Here is the update on last weeks goals:

    Family Goals

    1. Spend 1-on-1 time with each child everyday
    2. Read a book to the girls everyday – I didn’t quite get everyday this week
    3. Have the girls read 1 book to me 5 days this week
    4. Do devotions with the girls every night (sometimes it gets late and we rush to get them into bed) we missed two nights 🙁
    5. Start the process of getting the girls passports
    6. Go on Mother Daughter Date Night I had a blast with Karlie! 🙂
    7. File the last several weeks of coupons in my File Folder and Binder – halfway done

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week – more than last week but not there yet
    2. Finish reading  The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman
    3. Listen to the next section of  Desiring God: Finding Complete Satisfaction and Joy in God by John Piper (I am going through this book with my Community Group)
    4. Go to bed by 10:30 or earlier on Monday through Thursday – I made it a one night.

    Home Management Goals

    1. Weekly Dinner Menu planned and written by Monday
    2. Spend 30 minutes every day picking up / cleaning the house
    3. Dinner on the table by 5:30 PM (Monday through Thursday)
    4. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    5. Summer clothes pulled out of the main part of the closet and put away (it’s getting chilly and we are not wearing them as much now)

    Business Goals

    1. Spend 10 minutes a day cleaning and organizing my desk – hopefully no one will be looking at my desk today (need to tackle this one daily or it gets overwhelming).
    2. Pay all bills that come in the mail this week
    3. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    4. Research ways to create more residual income – didn’t get there this week
    5. Upcoming events, activities, and posted to my upcoming calendar

    Ministry Goals

    1. Make at least $25 towards my Creative Cash goal this week so I can give more to others. – Made a little over $8
    2. Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requests
    3. Alms & Legs Ministry – Email Meeting Notes to the Team
    4. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch – Schedules got a little crazy this week, hope to pick back up next week

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Close on our Refinance – Our plan is to go from the 30 year mortgage that we have been paying off to a 10 year mortgage with a lower interest rate. – bank has delayed the closing again and had to extend our rate, maybe next week?!
    3. Pay off remaining debt – almost there…..I see the light….
    4. Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses – on hold until our debt is paid off completely

    Here are my goals for the upcoming week:

    Family Goals

    1. Spend 1-on-1 time with each child everyday
    2. Read a book to the girls everyday
    3. Have the girls read 1 book to me 5 days this week
    4. Do devotions with the girls every night (sometimes it gets late and we rush to get them into bed)
    5. Get the girls passport pictures taken
    6. Finish filing the last several weeks of coupons in my File Folder and Binder

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week
    2. Finish reading  The Money Saving Mom’s Budget: Slash Your Spending, Pay Down Your Debt, Streamline Your Life, and Save Thousands a Year by Crystal Paine who has a blog called Money Saving Mom (VERY excited about the opportunity to preview this book by a blogger I have been following for years and thankful to be featured on her blog weekly with the Save A Lot Deals!)
    3. Listen to the next section of  Desiring God: Finding Complete Satisfaction and Joy in God by John Piper (I am going through this book with my Community Group)
    4. Go to bed by 10:30 or earlier on Monday through Thursday

    Home Management Goals

    1. Weekly Dinner Menu planned and written by Monday
    2. Spend 30 minutes every day picking up / cleaning the house
    3. Dinner on the table by 5:30 PM (Monday through Thursday)
    4. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    5. File the receipts for the last couple of months and organize the table in the office.

    Business Goals

    1. Spend 10 minutes a day cleaning and organizing my desk
    2. Pay all bills that come in the mail this week
    3. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    4. Research ways to create more residual income
    5. Review my 2011 Business Goals and start planning ones for 2012

    Ministry Goals

    1. Make at least $25 towards my Creative Cash goal this week so I can give more to others.
    2. Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requests
    3. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Close on our Refinance – Our plan is to go from the 30 year mortgage that we have been paying off to a 10 year mortgage with a lower interest rate.
    3. Pay off remaining debt
    4. Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses

    I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true.  When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals.  Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick).  Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.

    Why Share My Goals?

    • To keep me accountable
    • To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
    • To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
    • Create healthy habits in my life
    • To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn

    How did you do this week on your goals?  Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.

    The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results

  • Book: “Remember Your Manners”

    When the girls were little we got the book called Remember Your Manners: A Story About Being Polite by Parragon Books.  It is a board book that they still like to read and it provides a simple reminder of the importance of using manners.  The story is about a young elephant named Elly who sometimes forgets her manners at the table.  She is learning to not use her fingers, waiting for everyone before starting to eat, eating her vegetables without complaining, and sharing.

    There are a three other titles in this series that the girls enjoy as well:

    • Excuse Me!
    • It’s Mine!
    • Remember the Magic Word

    This book and the other ones in the series provide a great reminder of using manners in several situations.  If you are looking for a good book that’s easy to read and for younger children you should check these out.  Since they are board books they are perfect for infant and toddlers but the older kids still enjoy them.

  • Pampers Gifts to Grow – 10 Free Points

    You can receive another 10 free points from Pampers with the a new Gifts to Grow code!

    This code is different from the previous codes I have given.

    Use Code:  FAC1111PYWFNXRD

    The code didn’t have an expiration date but they usually expire in a few days so be sure to add it to your account soon!

    You can save up the rewards to purchase gifts!

    For more information about the Pampers Gift to Grow Program and how you can start earning Pampers “Gifts to Grow” Rewards for your family go to Pampers Gifts to Grow!

  • Recipe: Pumpkin Dip

    Fresh Pumpkin Dip

    Our family had fun making jack-o-lanterns this year for the holidays.  Brina choose to do a happy one and Karlie wanted to do a scary one.  While we were having fun doing the activity we set aside the pumpkin seeds and the pieces of pumpkin that we cut out so we could make more goodies with them.  The pumpkin seeds were a huge hit and were gone in less than 24 hours.  We used our Seasoned Pumpkin Seed recipe and shared them with friends.  With the chunks of pumpkin that were remaining we made Pumpkin Dip for the evening meal.  It smelled amazing walking into the house as the aroma of sweet pumpkin soup greeted us.

    Pumpkin Dip:

    • 1 pound Pumpkin, seeded and peeled
    • 1 cup Water
    • 1 cube Chicken Bouillon
    • 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
    • 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
    • Crackers, Pretzels, or Bagel Pieces (for dipping)
    • Dash of Chili Pepper for Spicy Kick (optional) OR Dash of Brown Sugar for a sweeter dip (optional)

    1.  Cut up the seeded and peeled pumpkin into one inch cubes.  Place the pumpkin, water, and chicken bouillon into the crockpot.  Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours (or until the pumpkin is tender).

    2.  Use a hand blender to blend the pumpkin mixture in the crockpot.  Add the cream and pumpkin spice to the pumpkin mixture.  Let it cook for another 10 minutes and stir or blend until smooth.  Pour the pumpkin dip into a serving dish, add your favorite dipping items and enjoy.  You could add a little chili powders to make it a spicy dip or a little brown sugar to make it a sweeter dip.

    Pieces of Jack O' Lantern ready for Pumpkin Dip

    We used the pieces from our jack-o-lantern activity but you could use a regular pumpkin or canned pumpkin as well.  This would be a good one for upcoming Holidays and potlucks.  We used plain bagels cut up into bite size pieces to dip.  The girls loved it!

  • Travel & Vacation: Swimming Pool Fun on Daniel’s Island

    We got to try out a few hotel pools this summer with all our travel adventures.  The one in the pictures below we visited more then once and the girls love it.  The Hampton Inn on Daniel’s Island, SC (actually the only hotel on Daniel’s Island) was one of the girls favorites I think because we went to it several times over the summer and it was really close to everything.

    Brina and Karlie swimming in their “favorite” hotel pool!

      The pool usually had some shade any time you were in it plus it was relatively quiet during the day.

    Brina Bee swimming in the pool.

    The girls did really well in the pools and ocean this summer.  When it was just Mommy and the girls swimming I made sure the girls wore floaties or their life jackets as an extra precaution.  When Jake was with us they could go without the floaties or life jackets because each of us could spot one of the girls.  You really cannot be too safe when it comes to swimming pools.

    Karlie showing off under water

    Love this picture of Karlie and the pool.  As you can see from the picture we were literally the only ones in the pool at this time.  The girls would swims for hours.  We had a blast swimming and playing.

    Brina smiling at me under water

    Cute shot of Brina under water.  She did great swimming, splashing and playing in the pool.  I was thrilled to see her willing to take off her life jacket and floaties for a few minutes too.  She loves the water!

    Karlie ready to jump

    Karlie would wait to make sure I was looking before jumping.  She loved jumping off the side of the pool into the water.  The cannon ball was her favorite because it did a big splash.

    Brina playing in the swimming pool!

    Brina had a blast swimming and diving under the water.  She thought it was funny that she could see under water better than Mommy.

    Karlie in mid air

    Karlie’s face in this picture makes me smile.  She loved jumping, diving, cannon balling into the pool.

    Brina getting ready to jump

    Love her little tongue sticking out as she contemplates the best way to jump on her unsuspecting noodle.    Brina’s favorite way to jump into the pool was to target her noodle and jump in on it.

    Karlie holding her breath under water

    Karlie wears her goggles almost the entire time she is in the pool.  She loves being able to see “clearly” under water.  One time she even found another kids diving stick for them!  The goggles are on a little off center  in this picture but the girls did really well putting them on by themselves.

    Brina laughing at her noodle.

    Sometimes it is the simplest things in life that are so funny.  Even though we were really busy filling our days with activities it was wonderful to have play time were we could relax, play and just have a blast together.

    Karlie in mid jump.....her target is her blue noodle

    Karlie loves jumping into the pool.  I was surprised at how high she was able to get on some of her jumps.  Thankful for this time together and seeing my girls growing up.

    Pretty Brina Bee holding her breath under water in the pool

    It takes talent learning how to hold your breath under water.  I think over the last several months the girls have become water bugs.  They love swimming!

    Karlie having fun at the pool

    The girls could play all day at the pool.  After several hours of swimming and several layers of sunblock Mommy decided we better head in so Daddy wasn’t waiting on us.  The girls loved swimming in the pool and going on adventures.  Most of our activities were simple (swimming in the pool, playing in the park, etc…) yet they were enjoyable for everyone.  We made a lot of fun memories together this year.  Thankful for my camera Jake gave me for Christmas because I can take it with me in the pool, ocean, or rain and not worry about the camera being ruined.  The girls loved that I could take the camera into the pool with us!

    The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax.  Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away.  Explore with a good attitude, look for fun and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories.  It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine.  Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn.  You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!

  • Operation Christmas Child Packing Party

    One box ready to be opened by a girl and another one for boy!

    Every year our family and our church participates in the Operation Christmas Child.  Our church collects items for Operation Christmas Child throughout the year.  Each month they have an item or two that they request donations for and in late October they have a big Operation Christmas Child Packing Party.  The girls enjoy donating items throughout the year but they really look forward to packing the actual boxes.  We were not able to go to the church’s big packing party (the girls were very disappointed) but we were able to have a packing party at home. We had so much fun doing it I totally forgot to take pictures of the process!  I was simply amazed at how many items we were able to get into the boxes.  Our kitchen table was full of goodies and we were able to get almost everything into the boxes.  The children getting these boxes will be very surprised at all the fun stuff the girls included.

    How did we do it?

    • We collected items throughout the year to put in our Operation Christmas Child Goody Box (toothpaste, tooth brushes, soap, toys, trinkets, notebooks, books, socks, shirt, sunglasses, crafts, etc…)
    • Once our OCC Goody Box was full we donated any extra items to our church’s packing party
    • Throughout the year during the girls devotions we talked about helping others, Operation Christmas Child, and prayed for the children who would receive their boxes.
    • The girls saved some of their money to purchase a few specific gifts for their child
    • We prayed for the kids who would receive their boxes and went to the store to pick out items for them.
    • We set all the gifts out on the kitchen table and packed as many gifts and treats that would fit into the boxes (the boxes barely closed with all the items).
    • The girls proudly carried their boxes into church so they could be sent to their kids.
    • We are continuing to pray for the girl and boy who will receive their boxes in the next few weeks.

    Brina picked out items for a little girl and Karlie picked out items for a little boy.   This activity provided many great opportunities to show the girls what it is like to give to others, pray for people who we will probably never meet, to share, and many other learning moments.  The girls enjoyed donating to the church’s packing party throughout the year and it gave us an chance to discuss giving each time we donated items.

    They love putting together their individual child boxes.  I am amazed at how much thoughtfulness they put into each item they pick out for their kid.  Even though we may never know the full impact their gift has on the recipient it is a true blessing to see them desiring to give generously to others without any expectation of getting anything in return.  I pray that Operation Christmas Child will be a blessing to many children this Christmas Season and for many years to come.

  • Compassion International: “One Meal One Day” Event on November 9, 2011

    On Wednesday, November 9, 2011 Compassion International holds an event called One Meal One Day.  Skip a Meal and Change Your World.  Have you ever gone a full day without any food because you have nothing to eat?  There are people all over the world who are go  hungry every day and this is a great opportunity for us to help.

    What To Do?

    • Step 1:  Skip 1 meal on November 9, 2011 and donate the money you would typically spend on a meal (or more)
    • Step 2:  Engage Others – encourage others to participate in the event with you (both before the event day and the day of the event) by going without lunch and donating to help others around the world.
    • Step 3:  Feed Hungry Children – Compassion International uses your donation to feed children and train parents on the benefits of a healthy nutrition.

    Why Should I Do It?

    • You get to help others in a tangible way (food for those without any), plus you may have an chance to show the love Jesus with those around you.
    • Youth, parents, and people around the nation are experiencing what it feels like to be hungry and sharing the challenge with their churches, passing out empty paper bags at school, and inviting their friends to skip one meal and give $5.
    • When friends, family, or co-workers ask you why you are not eating lunch you have the opportunity share about the event and what Compassion International is doing to help starving people around the world.
    • Once the donated amount is collected you send it to Compassion International so they can help feed children in poverty countries.

    What is Compassion International?

    • For over 50 years Compassion International has diligently worked to free children from poverty in the name of Jesus Christ.
    • Compassion International works in 26 developing countries and with more than 1.3 million children who are living in poverty.
    • While Compassion does help meet the physical needs of children they also minister to them spiritually.
    • Compassion sponsored children have more opportunities for education, medical assistance, and physical benefits (such as food and water) while hearing the message of Jesus.

    For more information about Compassion International and the One Meal, One Day visit their website.  Our church youth group is encouraging everyone in our church to participate.  Jake and I decided this is a great way to help others and are participating in this event.