CONGRATULATIONS to Our Kmart / Sears Gift Card Winner!
The name has been drawn for the giveaway!
CONGRATULATIONS to
Andrea
for winning a
Kmart / Sears Gift Card!
Thanks for making a comment in honor of our Giveaway!
An email has been sent to you with more information*
Enjoy your next shopping trip to Kmart / Sears!
Don’t forget to enter our next Giveaway (the next giveaway will be announced later this morning)!
*Giveaway must be claimed within 5 business days of the prize being announced. Failure to claim the prize within the allotted time frame means you forfeit the prize. The actual gift card may or may not be identical to the one pictured above.
Teaching Our Children: How to Wrap Gifts
Letting the kids wrap their own gifts
As I sit in the middle of the floor with little scraps of Christmas wrapping paper around me I have to smile….. The girls LOVE going to the store to pick out the perfect gift(s) for each person. They also really like to wrap the gifts! While they have a tendency to make a mess, use more wrapping paper, put on too much tape, and take a long time wrapping they have a blast doing it. Although, I have noticed that every year they get a little better and more efficient.
Each girl starts the gift wrapping activity by picking out their own roll of wrapping paper to use for their gifts. They use that roll of wrapping paper on all the gifts they have to wrap until there are no more gifts to do or the wrapping paper is gone. They do the entire wrapping process on their own from cutting the paper to taping and even labeling the gift.
While we still have the occasional – “Mom, I didn’t cut the wrapping paper big enough” overall they are getting better at the whole process. At times, I’ve even had problems not cutting the paper big enough! Typically, we spend an evening or two (depending on the amount of time we have) doing a “wrapping party” while listening to Christmas music. As they wrap their gifts I will tackle some that I need to do as well. Everyone has fun and we get a lot accomplished at the same time.
I love that they take the extra time to not only wrap the gifts but label, add little notes, or draw pictures on the outside of the gifts. They started doing this on their own last Christmas. It was so cute reading their notes and talking about their drawings as we opened the gifts. They were so proud of the gift and the wrapping which they did from start to finish. Here are some of the sweet drawings and notes we found under our tree last year:
Silly notes written on the gifts…..made me smile
Brina even picked out turtle food at the store for the turtles and wrapped it for them.
Karlie drew a planet, specifically Saturn, on this gift
I Love You note on the gift
Brina drew little “heart” people on the outside of this Christmas gift.
Picture of the sweet sisters on the gift
While the gift wrap my not win a decorative prize the girls are proud of their work and are excited to share. They are learning many lessons during this too (hand-eye coordination, measuring, sharing, giving, etc….). Pretty soon I will have to start delegating more gift wrapping tasks to them! 🙂
Game: “Wits and Wagers Party” Game by North Star Games
Do you have an upcoming celebration or game night? Are you looking for the perfect party game? You should check out Wits & Wagers Party by North Star Games! You can have from 4 to 20 players and it only takes about 20 minutes to play a round. The rules are simple. Your guests will have a blast and will insist on playing another round.
Wits & Wagers Party has over 200 questions that will test your knowledge of various facts. Every answer is a number such as a year, percent, measurement, and so forth. You get points for having the closest answer without going over as well as for guessing the best answer (which could be any player’s answer). While this game is based on facts you don’t need to know all the answers in order to enjoy, participate, or even win the game!
Here’s 3 more games we recommend (we’ve played them many times):
Our review of this Wits & Wagers Family Game (easy enough for the kids to play too)
Our review of this Say Anything GameTorani Pumpkin Pie & Hazelnut Flavored Syrups
Hot Chocolate with Torani Hazelnut Syrup, Cool Whip, and Sprinkles
What is the secret ingredient behind those amazing coffee shop drinks that you and I enjoy so much? It is the delicious 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!
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.
Torani Pumpkin Pie and Hazelnut Syrups
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 delicious! 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 great! Our favorite baked goods were Torani Pumpkin Pie Syrup in our Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins and Torani Pumpkin Pie Syrup in our Pumpkin Dip! My favorite way to eat / drink Torani Hazelnut Syrup is with a cup of coffee (hot or iced) and in hot chocolate. Torani Flavored Syrups will add an extra special touch to your next party celebration!
Coffee and cream with a touch of Torani Hazelnut Syrup
Use them in
- 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.
These Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins are super easy to make and taste awesome. The last time I made these for a group of friends only 2 came home with us and the girls begged to take them in their school lunches. You will not have to add any water, eggs or oil to this recipe and the muffin will still turn out with a moist.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
- 1 box Yellow Cake Mix
- 1 can (15 oz) Pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon Torani Pumpkin Pie Syrup
- 4 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
- 4 tablespoons Powdered Sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line 24 muffin tins. Mix together yellow cake mix, canned pumpkin, and Torani Pumpkin Pie Syrup until blended (the batter will be thicker than your typically cake mix). Scoop evenly into muffin tins (I use an ice cream scoop) and set aside. In another bowl blend softened cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Drop a small spoonful of the cream cheese mixture on top of each muffin. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven, cool, and sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar over the top of each muffin prior to serving.
Gift Giving: Small Spontaneous Tokens of Appreciation
I love celebrations…..birthdays, Holidays, anniversaries, and more! Most of the time I have a reason to celebrate, but other times it is just as much fun to surprise someone with a special unexpected treat. Every once in awhile I will put a gift on the table or on a person’s plate or some other random place (in this case it is one sitting on Jake’s plate before dinner) for the fun of it.
It doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive to be meaningful. A favorite box of candy or a roll of coins or a sweet note to greet them on their plate when they sit down for dinner is always appreciated. It really is the thought that counts.
During the Christmas Season I like to spread out the fun, so at various times throughout the Holidays my family may find a special surprise waiting for them in random places. Yes, I do specific activities like our 12 Days of Christmas 2011 or 12 Days of Christmas 2010 to help spread out the gifts so it is not so overwhelming the day of Christmas, but these more more like small spontaneous tokens of my appreciation. How do you show appreciation and spread extra Holiday cheer in your home throughout the season?
Pampers Gifts to Grow – 10 Free Points
You can receive another 10 free points from Pampers with a new Gifts to Grow code!
This code is different from the previous codes I have given.
- Use Code: SPC125WINTR12PA
(Expires 12/9/12 at midnight CST)
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!
Gift Giving: Moisturizing Citrus Hand Scrub
Moisturizing Citrus Hand Scrub
Our family enjoys taking Christmas goodies to our neighbors every year around Christmas time. Since several of our neighbors are watching their sugar intake (due to diabetes) I wanted to find a gift that would be both practical and fun for them without all the sugar. Yes, the gift I eventually settled on last year did contain sugar but they didn’t eat it. The gift kits were a big hit and the best part….it’s super easy (you even may have all the ingredients in your kitchen). Several people have asked me for the recipe since last Christmas so I wanted to share it with you too in case you are looking for a homemade, inexpensive, and practical gift to share this year.
Putting together gifts for neighbors and friends
You could give away just the jars of Moisturizing Citrus Hand Scrub. I decided to do a Moisturizing Citrus Scrub Kits for our neighbors and friends. Each kit contained:
- Moisturizing Citrus Hand Scrub
- Hand Soap
- Lotion
- Note from our family with instructions on how to use the items in the kit
Ingredients in the Moisturizing Citrus Hand Scrub
The olive oil helps moisturize your hands while the lemons and oranges add a clean citrus scent. The sugar and salt help exfoliate any dry skin and freshens the appearance of your hands.
Moisturizing Citrus Hand Scrub
- 3 cups Sugar
- 2/3 cups Kosher Salt
- Zest from 1 large Lemon
- Zest from 1 large Orange
- 2 cups Olive Oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Pure Lemon Extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Pure Orange Extract
Gently wash and dry the fruit. To zest the orange and lemon use your cheese grater and turn it to the side with the small openings/blades. Grate the orange, turning it frequently. You just want to take off the colored part of the peel (so try not to get too much of the white portion).Now that you have your citrus zest put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Scoop into a mason jar. Put lid on and decorate as you wish. The recipe makes enough for 2 pints (fills two – 1 pint mason jars).Optional: If you would like a milder scent you can remove or reduce the amount of extract from the recipe. Also, if you would prefer only doing Lemon or Orange instead of both just double the amount it calls for in the recipe and eliminate the other citrus ingredients. You can add extra zest into your mix if you like too (see the first picture on this post, the one of the left has extra zest in it).
Moisturizing Citrus Scrub ready to be put into the jars
Filling up the mason jars
Our note included in the the gift to our neighbors and friends!
The red ones all ready to be delivered! You can see our “blue” note in the back of the kit. The note also contained directions on it. I taped on the note on the inside of the package.
The white ones are ready now too! All we have to do now is load them up and deliver them.
It was a lot of fun putting these together for friends and neighbors. Our family did a large batch and made 10 mason jars full. Several people have asked for the recipe so I decided to share it here for others as well. If you are looking for a practical and unique gift this is a great one that worked well for us.
Local Charity: Country Santa
Some items the girls picked up themselves last year to donate to Country Santa
For the past few years our family has donated to Country Santa. The girls school is a collection point so it makes it easy for us to drop off the fun toys the kids pick out to donate. We believe it is important to help those within our community (specifically kids in this situation) who would otherwise not have a Christmas or gifts to open for the Holiday Season.
There have been years within our own family when Jake was out of work and funds were really tight. We really didn’t have a lot in the budget to buy gifts for our kids. Thankfully, the girls were younger so they didn’t notice that gifts that were under our tree were mostly from family and friends (not us). We were able to give them a couple small gifts that we were able to get for free (using coupons or finding deals).
We made sure that the Holidays were cheerful for the kids and we focused on the many blessings we had in our lives, the true meaning of Christmas, and made sure to spend quality time together creating wonderful memories even during a stressful season. We really didn’t have any extra cash to buy gifts for extended family and friends so we just didn’t do it (and prayed that everyone understood).
Whether you are barely making ends meet or have extra this year there are ways to make the season a time of celebration for your kids. If you live in our area and truly don’t have any extra you may qualify for this neat program. If you are fortunate enough to have a little extra this year maybe you can donate to Country Santa or another similar program to help those less fortunate right within your own community. You may be a huge blessing to some young kid this Christmas Season!
Some of the goodies we have picked up for Country Santa this year. The “monster feet” just make me smile! 🙂
Here is a little bit more about Country Santa
It all started with one first-grade girl, shortly after Cox and his wife Nell moved from Greenville, SC, to tiny Pumpkintown in the northwest corner of the state. The girl arrived at school needing new shoes, and Cox, a water-waste equipment sales engineer, heard about her plight and brought her a pair. It was then that he noticed the tattered condition of her doll. So that Christmas, a replacement doll, the biggest boxed doll I could find, says Cox – arrived under the girl’s Christmas tree.
The next year, with names provided by the elementary schools, Cox provided toys to 10 children. By the fifth year the list had grown so long that Cox began soliciting toys, new and used, from the area’s more fortunate citizens. He signed up volunteer elves to help deliver them.
In 1986, he built a 900-square-foot warehouse to store toys, which are gathered from collection points throughout the year. The Country Santa building is also where all the toys are bagged for delivery. Before the Country Santa building was built, Cox’s home doubled as Santa’s workshop. Toys were stacked in every room in the house.
Country Santa doesn’t limit the gifts to one toy per child. Each child get several toys. Cox says “he try’s to give about $50.00 worth of new toys but some maybe used. He if has to give used toys, they have to be in excellent condition.
Cox draws inspiration from his own youth. When he was 10, his dad walked out on the family, leaving his mother to support Buddy and two older sisters in the rural South Carolina town of Cross Hill. “She got a job as a bookkeeper, making $50 a week,” Buddy says, and “I know she struggled to put something under the tree for us at Christmas. I realized parents can hurt when they can’t give their kids something”.
To learn more about Country Santa or how to get involved you can go to their website.
While it breaks my heart to think that a kid would have a Christmas without a single present under the tree (if they even have a tree) I know that it is impossible for me to find and help every single one which is why giving to a local charity is important. If everyone who can gives a little extra it really could go a long way.
I love that the girls participating in the giving and are excited about doing it for children they will most likely never meet. We don’t know who is actually getting our gifts, but we pray that God brings them to the place they will make the most positive impact. Brainstorm and consider ways your family can be a blessing to someone else this Holiday Season.
Giveaway: $10 Kmart / Sears Gift Card
I am thrilled to announce a new giveaway on Blessings Multiplied! The winner of this giveaway will receive a $10 Kmart / Sears Gift Card! The best part about this card is you can use it either at your local KMart or Sears (or a little at both). If you need to pick up a gift, looking to score some bargains, or just need to restock your household items after house guests this is the perfect card for you. The stores offer everything from clothing, toys, household supplies, jewelry, health & beauty, toys and more! Here’s how to enter the giveaway:
Enter the Giveaway (up to 4 entries per person)!
- 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. Put a separate comment for each way you follow Blessings Multiplied (Email, Twitter, or Facebook) plus an extra entry for your bonus answer! Each comment counts as an entry into the giveaway.
- Sign up to receive Blessings Multiplied via email
- Follow on Twitter – @BlessMultiplied
- Like us on Facebook – BlessingsMultiplied
- BONUS – you can get a bonus entry into the drawing if you leave a separate comment below sharing what type of items you like to pick up at Kmart or Sears.
All comments must be made by December 31, 2012 at 10:00 PM EST to be entered into the drawing. Good Luck!
The actual gift card may or may not be identical to the one pictured above.
The Big Book of Slow Cooker Casseroles & More by Betty Crocker
The best part about using my crockpot is on those super busy days I can stick a meal in it and when we all come home at night dinner is ready to eat. My sweet husband, for my birthday last week, got me The Big Book of Slow Cooker Casseroles & More by Betty Crocker and I LOVE it!
After the Thanksgiving Holiday we had some leftover ham that needed to be eaten up. So I grabbed my new book and found a great recipe to try “Ham & Wild Recipe Soup” and made it up on the cool Fall day. The soup was delicious plus it helped me utilize some of the leftover ham.
I already have several of the other recipes marked to try soon. I am thankful for quick easy meals especially on those crazy days. This cookbook will come in really handy as we approach the busy Holiday season too.
