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Girls’ Night In

Thanks to Duncan Hines for sponsoring my writing. There’s no limit to the baking possibilities, so grab your favorite Duncan Hines mix and Comstock or Wilderness fruit fillings and Bake On! www.duncanhines.com.

Last night I attended our homeschool groups annual “Moms Night In” – Mother / Daughter Christmas Tea! We always have the best time together, we end up with a plethora of finger foods and the yummiest of desserts! Imagine a bunch of homeschool moms slaving away in the kitchen baking all day… the possibilities really are limitless!

I think each of us looks forward to the time of fellowship and conversation sans children. It gives us all a chance to visit and relax in way that is not possible when you have little ones underfoot.

After filling up on lots of dangerous goodies, we gather together for a group picture. After pictures, that have us all in stitches, (we all get the giggles during picture time) we sit around the fireplace in the living room for a  “White Elephant” ornament exchange! We can go in circles with this game all the while laughing and cheering each other on as we “steal” each others ornaments. A white elephant gift exchange is a popular holiday party game. Generally, white elephant parties need a minimum of six participants. With a larger group, game play may be more protracted. White elephant parties have been known to result in playful rivalries between players trying to get sought after gifts, in our case ornament! The goal of a white elephant party is usually to entertain rather than to gain. We love this game and have a blast with it every year.

 

The next big get-together we will for Christmas! Where did the time go? I will have these precious ornament cupcakes set out for our guests on Christmas Eve…

Ingredients
  • 8 Duncan Hines Red Velvet cupcakes baked in red paper liners
  • 8 Duncan Hines Red Velvet cupcakes baked in green paper liners
  • 8 Duncan Hines Red Velvet cupcakes baked in white paper liners
  • 2 cans (16 ounces each) Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla Frosting
  • 1/2 cup each green, light green, red, yellow and white decorating sugars
  • 24 yellow spice drops
  • Black licorice laces, cut into 1 1/4 inch pieces
  • 24 thin pretzel sticks
  • 1 cup mini candy coated chocolates (e.g. Mini M&M’s)
  • Red hots or candy decors
  • Red licorice laces (e.g. Strawberry Peel n’ Pull)
  • Assortment of colored fruit chews and fruit leather (e.g. Laffy Taffy, Air Heads, Starburst, Fruit by the Foot)

Baking Instructions

  1. Spoon 1/2 cup of the vanilla frosting into a ziplock bag; set aside.
  2. Place the colored sugars into separate small bowls. Spread the tops of cupcakes with the vanilla frosting to mound slightly. Roll the tops of the cupcakes into one of the different colored sugars and coat completely.
  3. Cut the black licorice laces into twenty four 1 1/2″ pieces. Poke a hole on either end of the spice drops with a toothpick. Bend the licorice laces in half and insert the ends into the flat side of the spice drop to make a loop. Insert an end of the pretzel stick in the rounded end of the spice drop. Press the spice drop assembly, inserting the pretzel stick all the way into the sugared cupcakes to make the top of the ornament.
  4. Flatten the fruit chews on a piece of wax paper with a rolling pin to a 1/8 thickness. Use clean craft scissors or regular scissors and cut the fruit chews and leather into decorative pieces. Arrange candy pieces on top of the cupcakes to make stripes and lines. Snip a small corner from the bag with the vanilla frosting and pipe dots randomly over the cupcakes and on top of the fruit chews. Press the candy coated chocolates into the frosting to secure.
  5. Place cupcakes in another paper liner and place into small boxes or serving platter.

Remember to check out Duncan Hines’ website www.duncanhines.com to find some great recipes for your holiday get-together! I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective.

Children are a Gift

After a miscarriage and 5 years of trying to conceive, our prayers for a child had finally been answered. I remember as if it were yesterday, holding my long awaited blessing for the first time. I was overwhelmed by the abundance of joy and gratefulness I felt. My first reaction was simply to adore him from head to toe, I was amazed at how tiny he was (all 4 lbs of him)….

Read the full post and leave a comment on the  Million Moms Challenge website here.   {You will be entered to win an exclusive Million Moms Challenge Gift Pack, which includes an iPad2, a custom-made Million Moms Challenge pendant and a $50 donation in your name to Global Giving.}

 

I have partnered with the ABC News campaign Million Moms Challenge as a Million Moms Challenge Blogger. This is an initiative engaging millions of Americans to support millions of moms across the globe around the critical issues of pregnancy, childbirth and children’s health — moms here helping moms worldwide.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Million Moms Challenge. The opinions and text are all mine. Contest runs October 17 to November 13, 2011. A random winner will be announced by November 15, 2011.

 

 

Don’t Touch the Baby Bump

I’m a community leader this month over at the ABC News community “Million Moms Challenge”.  Million Moms Challenge seeks to engage a million Americans with millions of moms in the developing world facing issues impacting pregnancy, childbirth and children’s health. The goal is to create a global community, building on the common hope that every mother shares for her child: a healthy pregnancy and a baby who will survive and thrive. Below is my latest post on the Million Moms Challenge community, please take a moment to respond and share your thoughts by clicking the community button below. If you have yet to do so, PLEASE take the Million Moms pledge and help us raise $100,000 for women and children. Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 if you sign up right now. Join us here! 

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No Bagged Salad for Me

Join the Million Moms CommunityI’m a community leader this month over at the ABC News community “A Million Moms Cahllenge”.  Million Moms Challenge seeks to engage a million Americans with millions of moms in the developing world facing issues impacting pregnancy, childbirth and children’s health. The goal is to create a global community, building on the common hope that every mother shares for her child: a healthy pregnancy and a baby who will survive and thrive.

Below is my latest post on the Million Moms Challenge community, please take a moment to respond and share your thoughts by clicking the community button below.

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Mother’s Intuition is Real

I think it is safe to say that every woman hopes for a short labor and delivery with no complications —I was blessed to have three such deliveries.  I delivered my first born son within 6 hours.  My second and third deliveries would prove to be just as easy and progress faster than the first. I naively assumed that my fourth delivery would be the same.

Read this full post on the  ABC News – Million Moms Challenge website here.

Along with supporting this amazing movement you will be entered to win prizes including an iPad2 when you share your best or most difficult pregnancy moment on my ABC post!!

 

I have partnered with the ABC News campaign Million Moms Challenge as a Million Moms Challenge Blogger. This is an initiative engaging millions of Americans to support millions of moms across the globe around the critical issues of pregnancy, childbirth and children’s health — moms here helping moms worldwide.

 

 

 

Mother’s Day Highlights

Being a Good Mother

Elisabeth Elliot: “But too many women don’t see motherhood as a vocation. The word “vocation” comes from the Latin word for voice. It means a call. I do believe with all my heart that there is no higher and no holier calling than motherhood.” Read this excellent article on motherhood here.


I had a wonderful Mother’s Day with my 4 cuddle bugs, hubby, my best friend and her new lil one…only 9 weeks old! Though I have a new camera to play with {Mother’s Day gift}, I hardly took any pictures! I was so excited to have my best friend from High School with us, I forgot all about my camera. Ugh…

Here are the few that I did get….

 Flowers from Troy…I love that he loves to give me flowers.
 Inside of my “oh so cute” Mother’s Day card.

Baby Ryan … 9 weeks old.

My four monkey’s swinging at 8pm last night …. 
I would say I still need some practice with the ole camera. lol