My kids are thrilled with the new addition to our neighbors’ Christmas display.
Me? Not so much.
Thanks to them, I’ve been stressed since the day after Thanksgiving.
Every time I drive by their house I am reminded of the six thousand tasks I still need to complete.
You can rest assured I will NOT have a cup of sugar to lend her when she comes asking.
This week we made these Oreo Treats for our friends, neighbors, and teachers. Let me just tell you, they are delicious. The best part? They are simple to make.
1 – Crush the Oreos into fine crumbs using a food processor or rolling pin & cutting board
2 – Mix Oreo crumbs with cream cheese – best to just get in their with your hands and mix
3 – Roll into balls (1 inch or so) and place on a cookie sheet which is covered in wax paper.
4 – Refrigerate for two hours
5 – Melt chocolate in a double burner (I used use a smaller pot in a larger pot filled with water)
6 – Drop one or two Oreo balls into the melted chocolate, using forks to rotate them and cover them completely. Lift with fork and allow excess chocolate to drip back into pot.
7 – If you are putting a topping on them do so now.
8 – Place in refrigerator again and let them chill.
9 – Pour yourself a large glass of milk and enjoy! Bag them up for gifts!
Are there any sweet treats you are giving as gifts?
Every December I stand in line at the post office and make the same vow:
Next year my husband will mail the packages for his family.
He will:
1 – Take all three children with him
2 – Fill out the customs paperwork
3 – Explain 17 times why the line doesn’t go any faster
4 – Hand out goldfish crackers
5 -Pick up and put down the two year old six times.
6 – Fill out different paperwork since the previous paperwork was for packages that weigh one ounce less than your package
7 – Tell the children 23 times to lower their voice.
8 – Wait while a woman trying to mail a package to Sweden doesn’t understand why her box needs to have an address or be closed.
9 – Sweep crushed goldfish under the counter and out of sight with foot.
10 – Listen to the post office worker explain the twelve thousand options for sending a package when all you want to do is scream, “JUST MAIL IT!”
Yes, I’m quite sure my husband will be the one mailing the packages next year.
I’m not sure but I think I just attended a cult meeting.
There were adults in matching uniforms, teenagers in costume, a rustic bridge, the passage of young boys, and ceremonial rules which required silence during a ceremony.
I just attended my first Boy Scout meeting with my nine year old and frankly, I’m more than concerned.
As I sat there tonight I thought, “I actually encouraged this. I’m the one who suggested Alex be a scout.”
Scouting? Must be all about camping and derby car races, right?
No, there’s more, so much more.
The meeting tonight focused on the bridging ceremony of two weblo scouts going into an older boy scout troop.
The ceremony started out with the den leader telling the audience that this was one of the few solemn ceremonies in boy scouts.
Super. My two year old is with me and it’s the one night of a quiet ceremony.
Three high school boys then begin the ceremony dressed in Indian gear. I mean, leather pants, freaky looking colorful shirt, and a full on headdress. Not to be out done, the fourth boy wore a wolf on his head.
Then they began speaking. It was like a second grade play. No one knew their lines. As if all of the”uhs” and “ums” weren’t enough, there were several painful humming interludes.
It was weird.
I mean what teenage boys do you know want to play dress up and hum into front of a hundred people?
We left about twenty minutes into the ceremony.
I took my daughter’s, “I poopy,” as a cue and ran out of there as quickly as possibly.
This was my first boy scout meeting and quite possibly my last.
After all, I’d still prefer to think of boy scouts as more camping and less Village People.
143 Random Acts of Kindness is Continuing….Go here to read the why and Part 2
#8 – Donated money to friend riding bike ride to support MS research – Kelly
#9 – Donated bed
#10 – Gave coach paperwork from another team which would help him write up a handbook quicker
#11 – Donated money to my friend who is running a marathon to support cancer research. – Kelly
#12 – Gave $10 store credit coupon to woman in store
#13 – Donated clothes to Family Services Center
#14 – Left baby coupons in store directly by object
#15 – Donated clothes & house items – Jess
#16 – Paid for order behind me in Starbucks drive thru
#17 – Held door open for woman coming into donut shop
#18 – Gave money to family who has been without a job since October- Mom
#19 – Stopped for someone to cross road
#20 – Gave coupon to woman in store when I didn’t use it
#21 -Left magazines at the airport for another traveler
#22 – Gave coupon to woman in Gymboree
#23 – Stop and speak with check in desk at pool everyday
#24 -Stopped and spoke with a woman for 10 minutes who obviously wanted to talk. Normally would have said, “I need to go.”
#25 -Bought magazine subscription from a teen door to door salesman
#26 -Let mom go in front of me at grocery store when I was shopping alone
#27 -Gave encouraging words to store employee who was dealing with difficult customer
#28 -Stopped car so someone could cross
#29 -Left coupons near items at grocery store
#30 -Left comment on blog of a new blogger
#31 -Left coloring books in hospital waiting room
#32 -Left coupons in grocery store
#33 -Shared shade umbrella with someone at outdoor soccer practice
#34 – Served kids pizza and drinks at a friend’s party
#35 – Donated clothes and household supplies to Family Services Center
#36 -Gave woman in Old Navy a 30% entire purchase coupon
#37 -Donated blood
#38 – Donated Halloween costumes to the hospital
#39 -Gave woman coupon in Goodwill after someone gave it to me
#40 – Bought gifts for Salvation Army Angel #1 – 9 year old boy
#41 – Bought gifts for Salvation Army Angel #2 – 6 year old boy
#42 -Bought gifts for Salvation Army Angel #3 – 18 month old little boy
#43 – Sincerely complimented sales woman on outfit
100 Acts to Go!
One of my favorite family Christmas traditions occurs on Christmas Eve.
Every December 24th, usually in the afternoon, Santa’s elves deliver a holiday book (or two) and leave it at our door.
Once everyone has showered and put on pajamas we get into bed and read the book.
The kids love receiving the book and I’m pretty sure Santa loves giving it just as much.
Over the years we have built up quite a collection of holiday books.
Here’s a peek at some of our favorites:
The Berenstain Bears Christmas by Stan & Jan Berenstain
The Berenstain Bears’ Christmas Tree by Stan & Jan Berenstain
This is an amazing book, just gorgeous illustrations and just magical for kids 5 – 10 yrs old.
Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson
Santa’s Reindeer by Rod Green
Another unbelievable Christmas book. Tells all about Santa’s reindeer, where they sleep, how they fly, and more. This one will not disappoint.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
Cajun Night Before Christmas by “Trosclair”
Just a few lines of the beginning to give you the gist of this favorite of mine – lay on a thick french/country accent as you read it 🙂
‘Twas the night before Christmas
An’ all t’ru de house
Dey don’t a t’ing pass
Not even a mouse.
De chirren been nezzle
Good snug on de flo’
An’ Mama pass de pepper
T’ru de crack on de do’.
Do you have any family traditions or holiday books that are special to you?
I am giving away 3 sets of my bingo games to people over at I Heart Crafty Things.
Go on over there and enter.
You have a pretty good shot since only one person has entered so far 🙂
Since I am the world’s worst cook you don’t find a lot of recipes on this blog…unless they have chocolate chips, and then I am all over it. So I thought it would be fun to find someone else to share a delicious recipe with you…and Elizabeth from Act Fast Chef is just the person.
Hi there! I’m Elizabeth from Act Fast Chef. Thanks so much Jennifer for letting me guest post!
For those of you who don’t know me, I am a busy mom of a toddler, wife to the Husband and I also work full time outside of the house. And, of course, I blog! I started Act Fast Chef this year as a creative outlet for myself. Also, I found myself becoming addicted to blogs, so I figured I should join in on the fun. Act Fast Chef focuses mainly on meals that you can get to the table really quickly. Or meals that you can prepare quickly, but then take care of your family or work while the meal cooks.
I am always looking for new meals. I am inspired by bloggers, magazines, and Martha (of course). For this particular recipe, I was inspired by a Pepperidge Farm advertisement and my chicken and artichoke pizza. Seriously! An ad inspired me. The ad had these puff pastry spiral things that I knew I could stuff with the toppings from my pizza. I was excited! So I made them for lunch one day – and they were gone before I could even get them off the baking tray. So yummy!
Artichoke Pesto Pinwheels
Ingredients:
1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed
1 package of dry pesto sauce mix
2 cooked chicken breasts,chopped
3-4 canned artichoke hearts, chopped
4-5 pieces well done bacon, crumbled
about 1 C shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg white
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 F
Unfold puff pastry on clean floured surface, or unfold on parchment paper. Follow directions on pesto sauce mix to make a pesto rub (mix the pesto with about 2 T of olive oil). AFC note: Don’t make the pesto sauce since it will be too runny and will cause the puff pastry to get soggy!
Spread the pesto rub onto the puff pastry and then layer on the chicken, artichoke and bacon. Top the layers with the mozzarella cheese.
Starting with a short side of the pastry, slowly roll it up to form your pinwheels. After forming the roll, brush the entire thing with a light brushing of egg white.
Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice the pastry into about 12 slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush the exposed sides with a light brushing of egg white.
Place baking sheet in oven and bake for about 15-20 mins or until brown.
Enjoy!
Thank you so much Elizabeth! Go ahead and check out her Act Fast Chef blog and the many recipes she shares – her Breakfast Frittata, Creole Dirty Rice, and Harvest Stew all look scrumptious to me. Have cooking everyone!
“This is going to be so exciting kids.”
“Let’s race, Mom.”
“OK, but this is just for fun.”
Here we go….
I’m ahead right now, yes!
Nice tactic Alex but leaning will get you no where when you’re racing me. You might as well pack it in right now suckas’.
Man, I’ve got skills – I might have been a professional luger had we lived in the right climate.
Ha! They are slowing down and my body keeps going – God knew what he was doing when he created this winning machine.
Oh, oh, oh, my legs are clearly across first.
Yes! I AM THE WINNER!
I mean, wasn’t that so much fun kids.
Through sources, I have learned that Santa and Mrs. Claus completed all of their Christmas shopping on Saturday.
On Sunday my children completed their Christmas lists.
On Monday, Mrs. Claus will be returning gifts repacking the sleigh.
