tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45182624626795855652024-03-19T03:48:25.774-04:00It's A Mom's WorldRecipes, DIY projects, home life, and a glimpse into a mom's worldIt's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-47557629250452524682017-02-04T23:57:00.000-05:002017-02-04T23:57:43.084-05:00Our Laundry Room RenovationThis post has been a LONG time coming. Too long, actually!<br />
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Our laundry room was kind of put on the back burner for a while since we thought fixing up a few rooms before this one was a little more important. But I just couldn't take it anymore! It had to get done, so we finally accomplished our goal.<br />
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This was the first room that we actually built from the ground up. <br />
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When we bought the house, we didn't have a laundry room. We had this ....<br />
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OH. MY. SWEET. LORD.<br />
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Yes, THIS train wreck is what we had to deal with when we first bought the house. <br />
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There are really no words to describe it. Mortifying. Yes. That's the word to describe it. Absolutely mortifying. And horrific. And disgusting. Well, I guess I could find a few words to describe this disaster. Oh look, I thought of another one.<br />
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I don't need to take you through because you can obviously see how horrible it was. <br />
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So we decided to make a change. I wanted our laundry room to be in house. This was currently in the garage and it wasn't at all what I wanted.<br />
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So my husband framed out our room and got to work.<br />
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I didn't really take step by step pictures of what we did in between actually getting the room finished. <br />
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But it was the basics.<br />
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Framing, drywall, paint, removing the slop sink, and paneling the wall behind the washer and dryer.<br />
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I painted the whole room a horrible greenish/teal color that I thought would look beachy and instead looked like a nightmare.<br />
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But it stayed basic for a few months until we were ready to really invest some time into making the room what we wanted.<br />
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We installed DIY board and batten and built our own mudroom. We also added some shelving above the washer and dryer and some new flooring.<br />
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I'll be making a future blog post all about how we built our mudroom. It was something I've always wanted and found a way to make it budget friendly and absolutely beautiful. <br />
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The only thing missing from our renovation is some new recessed lighting, a rug, and some wall decor and that's a wrap on one room. HALLELUJAH!<br />
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I love the transformation that took place and I actually enjoy doing my laundry now!<br />
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That's a lie. But I love going in there to sit and stare at the overflowing hamper.<br />
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-21428203143079858332017-01-15T11:37:00.001-05:002017-01-15T11:37:43.870-05:00DIY- Dress up a Window Seat For Under $30I'm so excited to share this post with you all because I've been wanting to fix up our bay window seat for the longest time!<br />
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This was so easy, inexpensive, and had a huge impact on the look and feel of the entire room! What can be better than that?!<br />
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From start to finish, the entire process took less than a day. If it wasn't for the drying time after painting, it would've been completed in an afternoon. How awesome is that? <br />
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When we first purchased our home 2 years ago, this is what the window seat looked like:<br />
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Before we moved in, we painted our entire house and this window got a few coats of primer and white paint and some new material. We also scraped down the popcorn on the ceiling of the bench and patched any holes and fixed all of the blemishes.</div>
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Here's what it looked like after all that was completed:</div>
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While it was a lot better than what it was, I thought it didn't really stand out. So we decided to up our game and try again!</div>
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This time we opted for a dark cushion and we installed some trim and boards on the bottom wall. We absolutely love the way it turned out! </div>
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To me, it looks so much more custom and clean. It also looks so much fresher and more modern to me, too!</div>
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<b>Supplies I used:</b></div>
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<li>3/4" quarter round</li>
<li>(2) 8 foot 1x4"</li>
<li>(1) 8 foot 1x2"</li>
<li>Semi Gloss White Paint</li>
<li>Paintable White Caulk</li>
<li>Nail Gun</li>
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<b>Instructions:</b></div>
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First off, I've learned that it's much easier to tape off your wall and paint first. Made for less cutting and easier rolling.</div>
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We taped off the material and taped off the wall making our paint line in the middle of where the 1x4" would be nailed to the wall. <i>Side Note: I'm sorry about the dark night time phone pictures. I decided to blog this very last minute. I promise to bring you better pictures in future posts.</i> 😀</div>
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We painted the wall and let it dry for a few hours. ( I didn't take a picture of that step because I forgot). Sorry! :)</div>
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Next, we installed the quarter round above our existing trim (flat side facing up) to give the boards something to sit flush with. We used a brad nail gun ( finish nail gun) for all the installation. </div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iHGS_LAjxdQ/WHl8iNnaH9I/AAAAAAAAFC8/44IkUqZ6_2Ep-nOKkcfSAzXKXNIUDxlcwCEw/s1600/corner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iHGS_LAjxdQ/WHl8iNnaH9I/AAAAAAAAFC8/44IkUqZ6_2Ep-nOKkcfSAzXKXNIUDxlcwCEw/s640/corner.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Then we measured from the bottom of the bench seat to the quarter round and cut the 1x4" to that length. Using a level, we then nailed the 1x4" to the wall. We repeated the same steps on the other side.</div>
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Then we measured between the cut 1x4"s on the wall and cut the top 1x4" board to fit between. Then we nailed it right underneath the bench seat to make it flush with the cushion.</div>
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Next, we measured from the cut 1x4"s on the wall right above the quarter round, and cut the 1x2" to that length. Then we nailed it to the wall right above the quarter round.<br />
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Finally, we measured from the inside of the 1x4" on the left side to the right inside side of the 1x4 (which was 92 inches) and divided that number by 4 putting our first board at 23 inches center.<br />
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Our second board was at 69 inches center.<br />
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The final step was to caulk all the seams and nail holes. I taped off the bottom of the cushion to avoid any paint mistakes.</div>
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I painted it all and let it dry for a few hours between coats. Took a total of three coats to get full coverage of the wood.<br />
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We removed the tape (after the final coat and while it was wet) and it was all finished and ready!<br />
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We absolutely love it! And my husband has finally agreed to board and batten the rest of the wall. Little projects like this make him see the light! Finally!<br />
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<b>Cost Breakdown:</b><br />
3/4" quarter round - $2.94<br />
(2) 2x4" - $10.68<br />
(1) 1x2" - $2.39<br />
Paint - $0 --already had on hand<br />
Caulk- $3.79<br />
Material - $7.54 using a 40% off coupon at Hobby Lobby<br />
<b>TOTAL PRICE: $27.34</b><br />
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And that's it! Fast, inexpensive, and super easy to complete!<br />
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Our finally makeover for this bench seat will be installing new white windows to complete the look.<br />
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We're so happy to have finished this project! Now onto the next ........<br />
<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-51892269328012109702017-01-12T09:42:00.001-05:002017-01-12T09:42:32.468-05:00Our 80's Bathroom Remodel - Part 1I bet you're surprised to see me here! Yes. I'm back! I've taken quite a long time off from working on this blog. A year to be exact! I know. I'm ashamed! But I thought I'd show you guys a little of our current bathroom remodel and how far we've come in the process.<br />
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This bathroom was the first of three that we decided to tackle because it was actually the worst one of them all. This is the bathroom that is in our daughters' room. So while the guest bath and the master bath are used more frequently, we decided to take this remodel on first because it needed the most attention. <br />
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Now, I don't have really any pictures on my blog right now of my house because frankly, it's really a work in progress. <br />
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I can't say any one room is completely finished just yet. Actually, can anyone say that? I'm pretty sure there's always something to do! But I thought I'd start sharing the progress pictures here :)<br />
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This is the first whole room renovation we've done so far. And by that I mean this was the first room we actually tore down and built back up again. While it's still not finished, it's pretty darn close!<br />
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To be able to see the progress, you obviously have to see what we had to start with. So I'm going to share the pictures of when we first initially bought the house two years ago. <br />
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I'm going to take you back to where it all started. Brace yourselves. You might want to have a bag or bucket near by, just in case. <br />
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Do you believe THIS picture is the one that was on the initial MLS listing of our home? Did they really think the lighting or angle was good? Good lord. It was bad. I mean, REALLY bad.</div>
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As you can see there were holes everywhere, broken closet doors, outdated 80's wallpaper, and don't even get me started on the toilet and vanity. It was a mess. And it was one I did NOT want to clean up.</div>
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We knew we had some work ahead of us, so we slowly worked on it while trying to tackle other rooms in our home at the same time.</div>
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We started by tearing down all the wall paper and filling in holes, removing cabinets, spraying knock-down on the walls, and painting. </div>
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I painted the vanity white and tried to work with what we had for a while just so it was somewhat "livable" when we first moved in. </div>
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We also removed the shower doors and built up a ledge. </div>
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While this was okay to live with for a while, I knew I really wanted to start from scratch and make this bathroom the way we wanted it. </div>
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We ended up replacing the toilet, we knocked out that half wall, and replaced the vanity, sink, faucet, mirror, blinds, and lighting. We also installed new flooring, new trim, and a new raised panel closet door.</div>
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We replaced all switches and outlets, we removed the old fan and replaced it with a clean white light, and changed up the exhaust fan.</div>
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Then we added some cute decor to finish off the look.</div>
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We still have some work we'd like to complete in here to finish off everything and actually be able to say this room is completely done.<br />
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I'm still waiting on the hubby to install our new door and eventually we will be changing out the window with a nice bright white window. <br />
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We are also planning to completely renovate the inside of the shower and we're going to add something to the walls, whether it be batten board or beadboard. We haven't completely decided yet.<br />
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I'd also like to plank the ceiling to complete the look we're going for.<br />
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Take a look at a final before and after. You can never have too many!<br />
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But that's it for now! I feel really proud that we've come this far and are almost at the point of completion with at least one room!<br />
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I hope you'll keep checking back to see some other updates we've been working on.<br />
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I really would love to share a home tour soon but I don't think I'm quite brave enough yet. A few more renovations, about a bazillion more Home Goods and Hobby Lobby trips and I might just do one soon! :)<br />
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-71827143437189777062016-01-07T12:31:00.000-05:002016-01-07T16:37:33.627-05:00Chocolate Dipped Coconut MacaroonsBefore the kickstart of my healthy eating plan and workout routine, I had to have one last hoorah before I settled down and committed to a healthier lifestyle. <br />
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And these coconut macaroons were my go to dessert. <br />
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If you love coconut even half as much as I do, you're going to absolutely adore these macaroons. <br />
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They're easy to make with minimal ingredients and they taste so amazing!<br />
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And a rule of thumb for a good coconut macaroon...don't be afraid of browning. The more golden brown they get, the better. What's better than toasted coconut??<br />
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Ingredients:</h3>
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<li>4 large egg whites</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1/2 cup sugar</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li>
<li>5 1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut (14 ounce bag)</li>
<li>1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips</li>
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<br />Directions:</h3>
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.<br />
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In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, salt, vanilla, and sugar until foamy.<br />
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Using an ice cream scoop or your hands, scoop golf ball sized mounds of the coconut mixture and roll into a ball.<br />
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Place them onto your prepared cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart.<br />
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Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the bottoms are slightly brown.<br />
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Cook for 5-10 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.<br />
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Using a microwave or over a double broiler, melt the chocolate chips.<br />
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Dip the bottom of the cooled macaroons into the chocolate and place on a sheet of wax or parchment paper to set.<br />
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Allow chocolate to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-6586229505613958942016-01-04T10:50:00.001-05:002016-01-04T10:50:32.994-05:0025+ Easy & Fun Elf on the Shelf IdeasChristmas and New Year's has come and gone again. Can you believe it? So in light of the holidays being over, it's time for my annual Elf on the Shelf post.<br />
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Every year I post what our elf Harry was up to for the holiday season in hopes to give some inspiration and ideas to other fellow "elfers" for the next holiday season.<br />
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This year differed from previous years, I must admit. Mainly because...well...I was a tad lazier this year.<br />
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I don't know if it was due to the fact that I had a sleeping baby in my room so there wasn't much wiggle room to make "props" this year, the fact that I was exhausted and sick pretty much the entire month of December, or what.<br />
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But the kids enjoyed it once again this year, which makes it worthwhile to me.<br />
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So without further ado, I give you the 25+ 'some-what lazy and very easy' elf on the shelf ideas. Here we go.<br />
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Day 1: Harry's annual North Pole Breakfast. You can read more about it <a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2015/11/north-pole-breakfast-2015.html" target="_blank">HERE</a><br />
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Day 2: Nothing tastes better than juice straight from the source.<br />
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Day 3: Hiding a treat.</div>
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Day 4: Even elves love Minecraft. He's just creepin' around.</div>
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Day 5: I think we found Waldo.</div>
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Day 6: Hangin' around.</div>
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Day 7: Fixing himself an elf sized snack.</div>
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Day 8: He replaced their stockings with underwear.</div>
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Day 9: Typical elf talk.</div>
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Day 10: He caught him!</div>
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Day 11: School supplies all the way from the North Pole!</div>
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Day 12: He stole that bunny's jacket to keep warm.</div>
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Day 13: Just peepin' out.</div>
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Day 14: The reason for the season.</div>
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Day 15: Trying to keep warm.</div>
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Day 16: Movie and some popcorn, anyone?</div>
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Day 17: Found some friends.</div>
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Day 18: Kids were a little "naughty" so he was on strike!</div>
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Day 19: Riding along.</div>
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Day 20: Baking some cookies. I don't think he knows too much about appliances.</div>
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Day 21: Didn't know if he was falling off or climbing up....</div>
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Day 22: Brought his annual Elf Report back. You can download yours <a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2014/02/elf-on-shelfs-elf-report.html" target="_blank">HERE</a></div>
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Day 23: Taking a nap.</div>
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Day 24: A little surprise in Santa's milk?</div>
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Day 25: Tic tac toe..</div>
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Day 26: Blending in. (sorry about the blurry picture).</div>
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Day 27: It's time to say goodbye. He wrote his letter (which you can download <a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2015/12/elf-on-shelf-good-bye-poem.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>). His magic was lifted and the kids were able to hug and kiss him goodbye.</div>
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Does your family have an elf? I'd love to see some of your ideas!<br />
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Hoping everyone had a fantastic holiday season. Wishing you all lots of joy and peace in the new year.<br />
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-75810438031827685632015-12-23T21:23:00.001-05:002015-12-23T21:23:19.785-05:00Elf on the Shelf Good-Bye PoemChristmas Eve is tomorrow, which means everyone's favorite little elves are getting ready to leave.<br />
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I thought I'd quickly stop in to leave you all with a good-bye letter you can use for your elf's last day!<br />
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No fancy downloading needed :) Just right click and save to your desktop!<br />
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Merry Christmas from my family to yours!<br />
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xoxo<br />
<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-90635618866132599552015-12-23T10:46:00.000-05:002015-12-23T10:46:14.795-05:00Our Family's December Acts of Christmas KindnessFor a kid, Christmas is the most magical day of the year. Surrounded by family, opening presents, staying up late, and the sheer joy of lying in your bed with your mind racing a mile a minute thinking what could possibly be in those gifts that are piled under the tree. <br />
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We wanted, this year, to take some focus off the amount of gifts they'd be getting or what they wanted this year for Christmas and focus more on what Christmas SHOULD be about.<br />
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I saw the idea floating around Pinterest about doing random acts of kindness and I thought it was a fabulous idea. <br />
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I wanted to incorporate an act of kindness each day leading up to Christmas that my kids could do that would help them appreciate all they have and to be lucky enough to see how good it feels to help others and not only worry about themselves.<br />
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I wanted to make this an enjoyable experience for the entire family and get everyone involved. And we did. <br />
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There were no fancy printables (except for my kindness calendar which I'll link below). We hand wrote each card, picture, or note. We wanted it to be special and personalized from us. :)<br />
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Some days, because of school schedules or because there was something else going on, we did miss the opportunity here and there to do one act of kindness each day. We did make it up either the following day or on the weekend by doing more than one on that day. There were days we actually did 3 or 4 acts. But it all got done and we learned so much from this experience.<br />
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I wanted my kids to learn that it doesn't take much to help someone or to brighten someone's day.<br />
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We did most of our acts anonymously because I wanted them to know that doing something kind for someone or helping someone should go without recognition. It's not about getting a thank you or for getting praise. It's simply about being kind to others.<br />
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Here are the acts we did for the month of December.......<br />
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<li>We hid a dollar in the toy section of the dollar store.</li>
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<li> We donated new coloring books and crayons to the emergency room waiting room.</li>
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<li>Left some popcorn at a Redbox.</li>
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<li>Paid for someone's vacuum at the car wash.</li>
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<li>Donated clothes and diapers to our local pregnancy center.</li>
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<li>The kids took their own money to donate to the salvation army. I was so proud of them for choosing their dollar bills to give. As a kid, parting with dollars doesn't come easy. It made my heart happy!</li>
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<li>They hand delivered a Christmas card to their school nurse.</li>
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<li>My husband knew a woman who had just lost her father and couldn't afford presents for her two kids. We wanted to help make their Christmas special. My husband and my son shopped for her 7 year old son, while me and the girls shopped for her 2 year old daughter. The feeling of being able to bless someone and taking some worry off of her was the most rewarding feeling. My kids were so excited to be able to make those kids' Christmas a little brighter.</li>
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<li>We donated food to a food pantry.</li>
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<li>We left some diapers and a pack of wipes on a changing table in the restroom at Walmart.</li>
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<li>We left a little treat for our mail carrier. It was so nice to open the mailbox the next day and see a thank you card from her!</li>
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<li>We had planned on bringing candy to our local police officers. I took the picture before we realized that all the doors were locked and there was no one there. So we ended up bringing the candy to the forestry department. It worked out better though because those men were so excited to see the kids! They said they never get visitors. They gave all the kids coloring books as a thank you.</li>
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<li>A holiday scratch off ticket left at the ATM</li>
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<li>We took donuts to our local fire station. The firemen gave the kids a tour of all the trucks! They had such a great time!</li>
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Next year I plan on starting this a little earlier in the month. It was such a rewarding experience for all of us. It filled our hearts with joy and helped us better understand the meaning of Christmas. <br />
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Seeing the smiles on their faces and talking amongst themselves in the back seat wondering who would find the dollar, or who would come across the lottery ticket, it was so nice to see excitement on their faces knowing they made someone's day a little brighter or put a smile on someone's face.<br />
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We're always told to be more like Jesus. We always long to be more like Him. And I believe teaching our children to be kind, generous, and giving without expecting anything in return is a step in the right direction.<br />
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"He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." - 1 John 2:6<br />
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I'm hoping this post inspired someone to try this some time. The rewards are priceless. <br />
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Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!<br />
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Right click and Save-As, print out the calendar, fill in each day with an act of kindness, and bless someone today!<br />
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-44640285982351558392015-12-13T10:31:00.000-05:002015-12-13T11:52:33.917-05:00Our Buddy the Elf Themed DinnerEvery year I always try and make some type of Christmas themed dinner. Last year, we had a <a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2014/12/our-snowman-dinner.html" target="_blank"><b>snowman dinner</b></a> and the year before that, we had a <a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2014/01/grinch-dinner.html" target="_blank"><b>Grinch</b></a> dinner. <br />
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This year, we went with a dinner based around the movie Elf. It's one of my favorite Christmas movies of all time!<br />
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I wanted to keep everything very simple because over the years of hosting parties and holidays, I've learned that keeping clean up to a minimal is extremely important. I want to enjoy making memories with my family, rather than spend my time washing dishes at the sink.<br />
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So first things first....<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Decorations:</span></h2>
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I spent two days cutting strips of paper, making snowflakes, and making paper chains. <br />
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My kids helped make the snowflakes, which was such a nice time. Listening to Christmas music and spending time on the floor cutting out all different snowflakes was a memory in itself. <br />
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Promising they can stay up late to help me was more of a reward for me rather then for them. It was less snowflakes I had to make!!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">"SANTA!! I know him!"</span></b></div>
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*I'll link up my printable for The Code of Elves at the end of this post*</div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>"Son of a nutcracker!"</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8_ZhwYb-xSM/Vm2F7lv8b-I/AAAAAAAAEyM/n4zsV3q41ys/s1600/party1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8_ZhwYb-xSM/Vm2F7lv8b-I/AAAAAAAAEyM/n4zsV3q41ys/s640/party1.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just a simple bowl of cashews. Can't go wrong.</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">"You smell like beef and cheese"</span></b></div>
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I made some homemade cheeseburger sliders. Always a hit with any kid! (and adults!)</div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>"Smiling's my favorite!"</b></span></div>
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Mashed potato smiles were the perfect addition to the menu!</div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Dessert:</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wv7VoA61lDM/Vm2EdaQ5jmI/AAAAAAAAEyA/hHqWJa37X0U/s1600/party10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wv7VoA61lDM/Vm2EdaQ5jmI/AAAAAAAAEyA/hHqWJa37X0U/s640/party10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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For dessert we had spaghetti cupcakes. I saw the idea on Pinterest and absolutely LOVED it. </div>
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It's just cupcakes layered into the bowl. I mixed white frosting with a little yellow and brown food coloring paste to make a "pasta colored" icing. </div>
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I covered the cupcakes in a light layer and then piped on the spaghetti using a #20 icing tip and pastry bag. </div>
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I topped the "spaghetti" with melted chocolate frosting, mini marshmallows, M&M's, and pieces of chocolate fudge poptarts. Is the healthiest dessert? I'm gonna say no. But Buddy the elf doesn't do healthy. After all, the four main food groups for elves are candy, candy corns, candy canes, and syrup!</div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>"Congratulations! World's best cup of coffee!"</b></span></div>
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I know I posted this picture above, but I didn't take a single picture of the world's best cup of coffee! Which in actuality, was cups of hot chocolate. I didn't think giving kids cups of coffee with their bowl of sugar spaghetti would have been a smart move. ;)</div>
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If you remember, Buddy drinks the whole bottle of coke. We did too. But they were MUCH smaller. :)</div>
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While we ate, I played a playlist of music I had created that had the soundtrack to the movie. The dinner was a huge hit! It was simple to make, easy preparations, and super easy clean up. </div>
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We also had to dress the part. Everyone got their own elf hat to wear, all the way from the North Pole. Which in "Mom Land" is the dollar store! </div>
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<i>{ They're all ready to eat! And of course, no picture (in this family at least) would be complete without one of my kids having their eyes closed. }</i></div>
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We finished off the night sitting by the fire and watching the movie Elf together. It was a special night full of laughter, fun, and memories we'll all remember. And that's what Christmas is about to me. </div>
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I love to create simple nights like these that we can look back on and remember in Christmas pasts that we spent this time together. We laughed around good food. We talked. We loved. </div>
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I hope I gave someone some inspiration to create their own themed dinner and try this out for their family! You really should. Come on! Don't be a cotton headed ninny muggins.</div>
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Wishing you all a season full of love and memories of your own!</div>
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Grab your FREE printables below:</div>
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You can download my free Elf food labels <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/03cu42oow8xzap6/ElfLabels.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">HERE </a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lF_WwrFsuD8/Vm2Jpl_KFnI/AAAAAAAAEy8/Gj_G_JqH0O8/s1600/PicMonkey%2BCollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="552" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lF_WwrFsuD8/Vm2Jpl_KFnI/AAAAAAAAEy8/Gj_G_JqH0O8/s640/PicMonkey%2BCollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
You can download my FREE Code of Elves printable <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/a6svc7sabyrxyuh/codeofelves.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">HERE</a></div>
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It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-30279305119429069232015-12-08T12:55:00.000-05:002015-12-08T12:55:00.952-05:00Easy Sweet and Salty Christmas BarkI was so excited this year to try my hand at making a new yummy Christmas treat.<br />
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I've never attempted to make candy or any type of bark, so I was curious to see how this would taste or how difficult it would be to make.<br />
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This is probably one of the easiest things I've ever made and is a HUGE hit with my kids. Chocolate, candy, pretzels, peanuts? What's not to love?<br />
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This is the perfect treat to make and wrap up with some cute holiday plastic wrap and tie it all together with a cute ribbon. It makes a great gift! And any leftovers you don't give away, well...ya know. <br />
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This is probably why I've gained 3 pounds so far.<br />
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*I have no exact measurements for the "toppings" of the bark because I just put what I thought looked good.*<br />
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<h3>
<b>Ingredients:</b></h3>
<br />
<ul>
<li>3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips ( around 1 1/2 bags)</li>
<li>1 tsp. oil</li>
<li>Pretzel sticks, broken into pieces</li>
<li>Red and green candies (I used M&M's)</li>
<li>Honey roasted peanuts</li>
<li>Sprinkles</li>
</ul>
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<br />
<h3>
<b>Directions:</b></h3>
<div>
-Line a cookie sheet with foil.</div>
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<div>
- Place toppings in separate bowls for easy access.</div>
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<div>
-Heat chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute intervals, stirring in between. (My microwave took 2 1/2 minutes to melt the chocolate.)</div>
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<div>
-When chocolate is fully melted, stir in the tsp. of oil.</div>
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-Pour chocolate onto the lined cookie sheet.</div>
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-Sprinkle with toppings. Press lightly into chocolate as you go.</div>
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-Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm.</div>
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-Remove the chocolate from foil, break into pieces, and enjoy!</div>
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-81955890939349157922015-11-27T10:04:00.003-05:002015-11-27T10:04:53.671-05:00North Pole Breakfast 2015Well, our christmas season has officially started. Technically when we saw Santa on the Thanksgiving Day parade it started, but the kids make it official when our elf Harry makes his annual debut.<br />
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This year was our 3rd annual North Pole breakfast, and the kids absolutely loved it again this year. <br />
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This year it was kept pretty simple. Not only for the fact that I was extremely exhausted from Thanksgiving, but the older the kids get, the harder it's getting to keep things a secret. </div>
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Harry brought some white powdered donuts, blueberry muffins, and green yogurt topped with sprinkles.</div>
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Our generous little guy even brought a little something all the way back from the North Pole for the kids to open.<br />
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A new christmas cup and some cute christmas socks. <br />
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It was a hit once again this year, and we're ready to see what Harry is going to get himself into THIS year!<br />
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Hoping everyone had a safe and fun Thanksgiving! <br />
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Let the christmas season begin! :)<br />
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-81555972767001021472015-11-24T21:57:00.000-05:002015-11-24T21:57:26.577-05:00BBQ Chicken Redneck Egg RollsIf anyone knows me at all, they'll know that anytime my husband drags me to Sonny's for dinner, I'll most likely get an appetizer for my meal. The appetizer? Redneck egg rolls.<br />
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If you've never been to Sonny's BBQ restaurant or have never had the extreme pleasure of trying these egg rolls, I'll give you a quick description. <br />
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It's basically BBQ pulled pork, coleslaw, and shredded jack cheese all rolled up in an egg roll wrap and fried to perfection.<br />
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I know. Drooling yet? Here, take a napkin.<br />
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I wanted to try and recreate my own 'concoction' at home and I think I came up with a pretty great recipe that will completely satisfy my craving without having my poor husband running to Sonny's every few weeks.<br />
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I'm not really a big pork eater so I wanted to try it with chicken and the results were heavenly.<br />
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<br />
<b>For the Chicken:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 package boneless chicken breasts</li>
<li>2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce</li>
<li>1/4 cup water</li>
<li>1 red onion, sliced</li>
<li>salt and pepper to taste</li>
<li>1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Coleslaw (you can find my recipe <a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2014/03/sweet-creamy-coleslaw.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>)</li>
<li>shredded cheddar cheese</li>
<li>egg roll wraps ( found in most supermarkets in the produce section by the tofu)</li>
<li>a small bowl of water (for sealing the egg rolls)</li>
<li>oil for frying</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><u>For shredded chicken:</u></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Trim excess fat from chicken breasts.<br />
<br />
Place chicken breasts and onions in a medium sauce pan. Pour bbq sauce and water over the chicken and season with salt and pepper.<br />
<br />
Cook on high until boiling. Reduce to medium heat. Cook about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.<br />
<br />
Remove chicken and shred chicken with a fork or place in your stand mixer for easier shredding.<br />
<br />
Add cornstarch to the sauce left in the pan and stir until thickened. (add extra bbq sauce if needed). Add shredded chicken back into the sauce.<br />
<br />
Set aside.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>To Assemble Egg Rolls:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep frying pan. ( I find deep frying is the best method for crispiness and for keeping the wraps together).<br />
<br />
Place your wrap on a flat surface at an angle.<br />
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Add some shredded chicken down the center, leaving it away from the sides.<br />
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<b><br /></b>
Top the chicken with coleslaw.<br />
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Top with coleslaw with cheddar cheese.<br />
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Using your finger, place water around all of the edges of the egg roll wrap.<br />
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Fold in both sides of the egg roll wrap first, then roll the wrap upwards, using extra water to seal together at the end.<br />
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Drop the egg rolls into the deep fryer and fry until brown and crispy. (about 5-7 minutes).<br />
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Place on a paper towel lined plate to soak up any excess oil.<br />
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Serve hot and enjoy!<br />
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-47122257756044792342015-11-05T22:48:00.000-05:002015-11-05T23:05:25.827-05:002015 Elf on the Shelf Planning Calendar - Free Printable<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yZmxGS9R664/Vjwm-IZf0PI/AAAAAAAAEsI/5h1n0Sd-Yho/s1600/pinterest.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yZmxGS9R664/Vjwm-IZf0PI/AAAAAAAAEsI/5h1n0Sd-Yho/s1600/pinterest.png" /></a></div>
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Well folks, the time is coming again where our little elves will be making their grand appearances. I can't speak for anyone else, but I know that I'm very excited to be welcoming our elf Harry back in the next few weeks.</div>
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I decided to make a planning calendar again this year because frankly, if I don't write things down nowadays I'll most likely forget what I'm supposed to be doing. It happens to us all at one point or another. Right? Hello?? Please tell me it happens to us all. <br />
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/tsm207b5ireuf1n/2015calendar.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="514" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qr5lJd1HJOg/VjwgigrZyyI/AAAAAAAAEro/D5h7JOw-0mU/s640/2015calendar.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Download your FREE calendar <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/tsm207b5ireuf1n/2015calendar.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">HERE</a></div>
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Okay okay, so you might be saying "Hey, lady. Let us get through Thanksgiving first." <br />
<br />
Please let it be known I am NOT one to rush through any holiday. I by no means like looking for halloween costumes and seeing twinkling christmas trees in my peripheral vision. Or shopping for Thanksgiving decor while hearing Christmas music blaring through speakers in the store. (Seriously Wal-Mart, get it together!) But I AM one to be organized and on top of things when it comes to each and every holiday.<br />
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Learning from past experiences, this elf takes some serious time and effort to get all his mischievous and festive tactics in order. That's why I seriously heart this planning calendar.<br />
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If you don't know how it works, it's simple. Think of some creative ideas your kids would love or search around <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/teenie213/elf-on-the-shelf/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> for some motivation or ideas that other people have come up with. Fill in each date with a different activity your elf will be doing, and cross them off as you go. That's it!<br />
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If you're looking for some new ideas, you can check out some of the shenanigans our elf has been up to over the years.<br />
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<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2014/01/25-elf-on-shelf-ideas.html" target="_blank">25 Elf on the Shelf ideas</a></li>
<li><a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2015/01/elf-on-shelf-ideas-25-days-of-elf.html" target="_blank">25+ Elf on the Shelf Ideas</a> (part 2)</li>
</ul>
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Want to make your Elf on the Shelf planning even easier? <br />
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Check out my <a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2014/11/elf-on-shelf-planning-guide-6-tips-for.html" target="_blank">6 Tips for Stress Free Elf on the Shelf planning</a>. <br />
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<a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2014/11/elf-on-shelf-planning-guide-6-tips-for.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ld-GYR1MLg4/VjwhLLhviuI/AAAAAAAAErw/90L__dYd8CQ/s1600/pin.png" /></a></div>
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-34777929006159584512015-10-13T12:56:00.002-04:002015-10-13T12:56:52.963-04:00Ice Cream Sundae Bar PrintablesIce cream is a favorite in our family. Even though we can all eat heaps of it on a daily basis, it's pretty rare we ever have it.<br />
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This time, I wanted to make a special night for my kids by making a delicious dinner they love, watch a movie together, and create an ice cream sundae bar. I'd say it was a complete success.<br />
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An ice cream sundae bar is one of the easiest things to create, and can guarantee that everyone will love it. Just pick out your family's favorite toppings and everyone can enjoy their own little ice cream creation.<br />
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To go along with the sundae bar, I made some cute and festive labels and thought I'd share them with you. You can download them below, cut them out, and enjoy them at your next sundae bar!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GJZhukGuCYU/Vh0xq5s8mRI/AAAAAAAAEqM/67-KYpX9jrc/s1600/bar3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GJZhukGuCYU/Vh0xq5s8mRI/AAAAAAAAEqM/67-KYpX9jrc/s640/bar3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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For our ice cream bar, I just picked up a few of these square glass jars from my local dollar store and used plastic spoons for "scoops".<br />
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For the labels, I just simply taped a popsicle stick to the back of each label and stuck them into the toppings. Can't get any easier than that, right?<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DzPZ-SzA-BI/Vh0xCHdb3LI/AAAAAAAAEqE/McA7sxBVlYQ/s1600/bar4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DzPZ-SzA-BI/Vh0xCHdb3LI/AAAAAAAAEqE/McA7sxBVlYQ/s640/bar4.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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I've had these adorable ice cream sundae cups since I first got married. And surprisingly, they've held up all these years, and with all these kids!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n3cYehKc7nQ/Vh0w-2bIoXI/AAAAAAAAEpw/TWShPTcunWM/s1600/bar10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n3cYehKc7nQ/Vh0w-2bIoXI/AAAAAAAAEpw/TWShPTcunWM/s640/bar10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lBdLQ9_aQm4/Vh0xCsWZ7DI/AAAAAAAAEqI/BIh3I7vshVc/s1600/bar8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lBdLQ9_aQm4/Vh0xCsWZ7DI/AAAAAAAAEqI/BIh3I7vshVc/s640/bar8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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For the other toppings, I simply taped the labels onto the glass jars and wrapped the whipped cream container in scrapbook paper and placed the label on top of it.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jHU8Zwfw1zQ/Vh0w-KmmgLI/AAAAAAAAEps/i7gW78K5eo4/s1600/bar2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="490" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jHU8Zwfw1zQ/Vh0w-KmmgLI/AAAAAAAAEps/i7gW78K5eo4/s640/bar2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's such an easy and inexpensive way to bring a little joy to your kids and let them get creative with their dessert. And getting to make your own gooey and delicious sundae for yourself doesn't hurt either.<br />
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The printables include 9 popular toppings and I've also included a blank label sheet incase I missed any of your family's favorite toppings :)<br />
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/cigbnrqdoih08rm/icecreamlabels.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="434" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NE0MZBtDDKQ/Vh0zJ3_hodI/AAAAAAAAEqY/rJ6AT3p0rmk/s640/icecreamlabels.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You can download the labels <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/cigbnrqdoih08rm/icecreamlabels.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">HERE</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/7zzf972xkj3nwrb/blanklabels.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="434" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QwOqgdNOtow/Vh0zMMEWeAI/AAAAAAAAEqg/tGWF06UJ9_M/s640/blanklabels.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You can download the blank labels <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/7zzf972xkj3nwrb/blanklabels.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">HERE</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/382rmx33t0taguu/icecream.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uV4UeUDuftw/Vh00Gyi2mLI/AAAAAAAAEqo/juSho64zwKk/s640/icecream.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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You can download the sundae bar sign <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/382rmx33t0taguu/icecream.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">HERE</a></div>
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It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-30462172963498059642015-10-02T12:18:00.000-04:002015-10-02T12:18:31.349-04:00Sweet Glazed Blueberry BiscuitsWith fall quickly approaching (and I say approaching even though the calendar says it's fall because I live in Florida ), I basically live in my kitchen this time of year.<br />
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There's something so cozy and comfy about having my pumpkin scented candles lit, my house dressed up with fall decor, and the smell of something yummy baking in the oven.<br />
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I think the colder months, in my house, tend to bring on food that's a little more heavy. Which in turn, makes me a little heavier as well! :)<br />
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These blueberry biscuits are a perfect way to transition from summer to fall, in my opinion.<br />
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Breakfast for dinner happens once a week in my house and this a new favorite "side" to an already delicious meal!<br />
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<u>Sweet Glazed Blueberry Biscuit Recipe:</u><br />
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<b><u>For Biscuits:</u></b><br />
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2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 Tbsp. baking powder<br />
3 Tbsp. sugar<br />
1 1/2 tsp. salt<br />
1 stick COLD unsalted butter<br />
3/4 cup buttermilk (can use regular milk)<br />
1 cup frozen blueberries ( can also use fresh blueberries that have been frozen overnight)<br />
1/2 stick melted salted butter (for brushing on the top)<br />
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<b><u>For Glaze:</u></b><br />
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1 cup powdered sugar<br />
3 Tbsp. milk ( more if you need it thinner )<br />
1/2 tsp. vanilla<br />
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<b>Directions:</b><br />
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Preheat oven to 500 degrees.<br />
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Stir the glaze ingredients together ( powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla ) and make sure the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.<br />
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Combine all dry biscuit ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt) and cut in cold unsalted butter. Cut in the butter until the pieces are pea sized and pretty well mixed in. Add in buttermilk. Stir until well combined and the dough separates from the side of the bowl. Place the dough on a well floured surface. <br />
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Sprinkle a little extra flour over the dough and begin kneading for about 2 minutes. Press the dough out ( you don't have to roll it) and flatten it to about 1/2" thickness. Place blueberries over the dough. Knead a few times and flatten the dough back out to about 1" thickness. <i>*note: the berries will start defrosting slightly as this point so you will see specks of blue in your dough*</i><br />
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Using a biscuit cutter, or a round glass, cut out biscuits. Place them in a prepared cast iron skillet. If you don't have one, an oven safe deep round skillet or pan that has been greased will work too. Make sure the biscuits are touching.<br />
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Bake at 500 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Half way through the baking time, take the biscuits out and brush the top of them with all the melted salted butter. If any sides are showing, brush them with the butter as well. <br />
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Your biscuits are done when the tops are slightly brown and some of the berries burst.<br />
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If you need to leave them in slightly longer, make sure to watch them because they burn easily.<br />
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When you take the biscuits out of the oven, let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes. After the ten minutes, pour your glaze over the biscuits. You can use as much or little as you'd like, depending on your taste.<br />
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Serve immediately.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-25041358510525560862015-06-09T14:34:00.001-04:002015-06-30T15:08:26.501-04:00Easy & Delicious Baked Honey BBQ ChickenChicken. It's the most versatile of all meats in my opinion. There is nothing you can't slather over it, mix it with, or crumble it over. <br />
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We eat a ton of chicken and I'm always looking for new ways to serve it. </div>
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This delicious and simple chicken recipe is not only sweet and savory, but it's also very easy and takes little time to prepare. </div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Honey BBQ Baked Chicken</span></h3>
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<u><b>Ingredients:</b></u></div>
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12 chicken drumsticks (thawed)</div>
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1 tsp. salt</div>
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1/4 tsp. black pepper</div>
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1/8 cup brown sugar</div>
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1/4 tsp. paprika</div>
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1/4 tsp. garlic powder</div>
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<u><b>Sauce:</b></u></div>
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1 cup BBQ sauce (any kind will work)</div>
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1/2 cup honey</div>
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1 Tbsp. ketchup</div>
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1 tsp. worcestershire sauce</div>
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<b><u>Directions:</u></b></div>
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.</div>
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In a small bowl combine salt, pepper, brown sugar, paprika, and garlic powder to make a rub.</div>
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Trim any excess fat off of chicken legs.</div>
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Rub the mixture onto the chicken legs, coating evenly on all sides.</div>
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Place on a foil lined cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non stick spray.</div>
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In another small bowl combine all sauce ingredients.</div>
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Take half the sauce mixture and brush onto the chicken.</div>
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Cook the chicken legs in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.</div>
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Turn chicken and brush with remaining BBQ sauce and bake an additional 25-30 minutes.</div>
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When done, chicken will be fork tender and glazed.</div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-42789101787178214122015-04-30T10:04:00.002-04:002015-04-30T10:04:28.201-04:00How To White Wash Your Fireplace in 3 Easy StepsI have to make it a habit to start my posts with an apology. I've been such a slacker on posting lately.<br />
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We've been so busy with updating our home that it leaves me very little time to do anything else! But I wanted to share with you our super simple update for our fireplace. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aaROnNplruQ/VUI0qv3kdLI/AAAAAAAAElw/UZdxOcYEoOk/s1600/PicMonkey%2BCollage.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aaROnNplruQ/VUI0qv3kdLI/AAAAAAAAElw/UZdxOcYEoOk/s1600/PicMonkey%2BCollage.png" height="640" width="339" /></a></div>
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Lets start with the before:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oSd_KHHuhm0/VT0LJ9UGEWI/AAAAAAAAEkA/KHf_aNi5SkQ/s1600/Fireplace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oSd_KHHuhm0/VT0LJ9UGEWI/AAAAAAAAEkA/KHf_aNi5SkQ/s1600/Fireplace.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oSd_KHHuhm0/VT0LJ9UGEWI/AAAAAAAAEkA/KHf_aNi5SkQ/s1600/Fireplace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oSd_KHHuhm0/VT0LJ9UGEWI/AAAAAAAAEkA/KHf_aNi5SkQ/s1600/Fireplace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BTEeUiyWwfU/VT0LKKqrBGI/AAAAAAAAEkE/sJNf1AFKuSw/s1600/Fireplace1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BTEeUiyWwfU/VT0LKKqrBGI/AAAAAAAAEkE/sJNf1AFKuSw/s1600/Fireplace1.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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This is what the house looked like before we had painted the trim, walls, and fixed the flooring.</div>
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When we first looked at this house, I loved the fact that it had a fireplace. Being married for 10 years, we've never lived in a home with a fireplace. (They're pretty rare in Florida). <br />
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I was so excited and the more we visited our home, the more I envisioned spending cold winter nights all cozied up next to it. But the dark brick and outdated gold really didn't sit well with me. It completely darkened up the bright room I was trying to achieve.<br />
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What are the options when updating your fireplace? Replace or paint.<br />
Renovating the fireplace was completely out of budget with all the other projects we had lying ahead of us. So painting the fireplace was our only option. <br />
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I've done a lot of projects in my time, but I have never once painted brick. Ever.<br />
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First things first. I had to decide what kind of look I wanted. Did I want all white brick? Did I want a little of the brown color to show through? I decided to white wash it. And I'm so glad I did. <br />
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Don't get discouraged through this process. I, at one time, really felt like I had ruined my fireplace. But the more I worked with it and fixed any mess I had made, the more gorgeous it became. <br />
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Have a little patience with this, and have fun! It's so easy, I promise.<br />
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What You Will Need:</h3>
-White Paint, Water Based. ( I used leftover paint from our trim )<br />
-Water<br />
-Container<br />
-Painters Tape/Drop Cloth<br />
-Rag<br />
-Paint Brush<br />
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Directions:</h3>
<b><span style="background-color: white;">Step 1: Prepare Area</span></b><br />
1. Prep your fireplace for painting by cleaning it. I simply vacuumed it off and wiped away any soot it had.<br />
2. Tape off any areas you don't want any paint on. I taped along the walls and all around the mantle.<br />
3. Place a drop cloth around the floor to catch any excess drips or splatters.<br />
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<b>Step 2: Mix Paint</b><br />
In a throw-away container, mix 1 cup of white paint + 1/2 cup water<br />
The consistency of the paint will be very thin, almost like glue.<br />
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<b>Step 3: Paint</b><br />
Using a good quality paint brush, (like a Purdy brush) brush on your paint mixture onto 2-3 bricks at a time. Be careful around your grout.<br />
Then pounce around the brick with your rag, dabbing quickly and then rub in the paint to get off any excess dripping paint. <br />
The brick is very absorbent so the color will fade as time goes on. <br />
*You will have to decide exactly how light you want the color of your fireplace to be. Depending on the darkness of your brick as well, it can take anywhere from 2-4 coats of paint to get your desired look. (I did 2 coats because I wanted a grey-like color).*<br />
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<i><b>Note: Depending on the look you're going through, decide whether to paint the grout or not. </b></i><br />
<i><b>I did at first (as you can see on the bottom step) and I had to go back with a grey paint and paint over it. Painting the grout makes it look very painted and not very natural. So be careful not to get any paint onto the grout if that's not the look you want.</b></i><br />
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That's it! It was so simple to do and the look was a dramatic change and completely transformed the feel in our living room. <br />
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Here's the after:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gj5VGdX33g0/VUIsO4pv8rI/AAAAAAAAEks/ewm_Zy4F6hM/s1600/fireplace03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gj5VGdX33g0/VUIsO4pv8rI/AAAAAAAAEks/ewm_Zy4F6hM/s1600/fireplace03.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I also painted our mantle bright white and painted the brass as well. We also replaced all the old brown trim surrounding the fireplace with a thin white trim.<br />
I'll be showing you how simple all that is to change in the next post :)<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kF6HUSHh1r0/VUIsUaV8KsI/AAAAAAAAEk4/bQB_v-rCSLc/s1600/fireplace04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kF6HUSHh1r0/VUIsUaV8KsI/AAAAAAAAEk4/bQB_v-rCSLc/s1600/fireplace04.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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A side by side shot:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-11HXwwLWyOQ/VUIuYXOupRI/AAAAAAAAElY/rW3WBJ7pOG8/s1600/Fireplace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-11HXwwLWyOQ/VUIuYXOupRI/AAAAAAAAElY/rW3WBJ7pOG8/s1600/Fireplace.jpg" height="318" width="640" /></a></div>
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I put before and "during" because I'm still looking for the perfect accent pieces for my mantle.</div>
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Ps: Where's the best place in your opinion for home decor?</div>
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I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have about this tutorial, just leave them in a comment below! :)<br />
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-26400242997046617782015-04-16T10:57:00.001-04:002015-04-16T11:16:50.900-04:00Update: Buying Our First Home and Why You Should Always Keep An Open MindIf you follow me on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/itsamomsworldblog" target="_blank">Facebook</a> then you probably know that in the beginning of March we purchased our first home!<br />
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<br />
This was one of the most exciting things for us as a family because we had always dreamed of owning our own home but everything we looked at before this just wasn't for us. The homes were either too small, not in a very good neighborhood, or just not what we were looking for. <br />
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I have had envisions of my dream home for years, (just look at my <a href="http://pinterest.com/teenie213" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>) but I noticed the more houses we looked at, they just didn't fit what I wanted. The floor plans were all wrong, and it just wasn't what I had hoped for in our home.<br />
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That's when we decided to look at some older homes and try and get a fixer upper. If there's one thing I learned in my 10 years of looking at homes, is that older homes are built WAY better than the newer homes. When the market picked up and the housing market was booming from 2002-2006, the houses were slapped together quick to make a sale. And you can tell. <br />
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The home that we rented for the past 5 years was built in 2006. It was beautiful. It was new. But it was also starting to show that it wasn't built very well. Cracks were appearing everywhere, things were starting to burn up, and things were falling apart. <br />
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When we first met with our realtor last year, I wanted a newer home. The criteria that was given to my realtor was very strict and I refused to look at any home that were built before 2002. ( I know what you're thinking, what a spoiled b****. . . . ) but living in a newer home for so long, I was sort of accustomed to living a certain way and I didn't want to go backwards.<br />
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We searched for months with no luck. The floor plans just didn't make any sense to us. There was so much wasted space in these houses and the bedrooms just weren't big enough. The houses were too small and anything that was large enough to fit our family was completely out of the price range we wanted to spend. None of these newer homes had any character. They were all the same. Nothing stood out to us. <br />
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The biggest part of my "Operation Dream Home" was my kitchen. I wanted my kitchen to be a separate room. I wanted a lot of counter space and lots of cabinets for storage. I found nothing. <br />
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Every house had the kitchen in the middle of the house, hardly any cabinets, and barely any counter space. Some of the houses even had hood range microwaves that were hung so low, making a huge pot of soup would have been a challenge!<br />
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The more time passed, the more discouraged I got. I just couldn't understand why nothing met the expectations I had. That's when my husband fed me a dose of reality and put me in check and told me we needed to start looking at a few older homes. I was against it! I knew the older homes would end up being disgusting, needing lots of work, and not being at all what I was looking for.<br />
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I was right! The houses got more gross as we went along. There were even a few times we walked in and walked right out. And I can't forget the one time I didn't even have to go in. One look at the outside, there was no way I was going in there without the proper protective gear on. <br />
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At this point. I gave up. For 6 months we looked at nothing. Anything that was sent my way, I turned down. I felt that our home just wasn't out there and it wasn't meant to be that we would ever own our own home. <br />
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A bad experience with trying to get a new refrigerator from our rental realtor AND a positive pregnancy test later, we decided to look one more time. I came across this house we had seen for a few weeks but I always skipped over. <br />
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I decided to go look at it.<br />
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Our realtor was shocked. He told me the house was worse than the pictures and that it was in pretty bad shape. ( I guess he started to know me pretty well towards the end!) And he was not lying. I walked in thinking it wouldn't be so bad. The more I walked around, the more bad things I saw.<br />
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But this time it was different. I knew this was the home we always wanted.<br />
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Was it brand spankin' new and gorgeous? Not at all. But I saw something in this house..<br />
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The layout was PERFECT. I believe this home was a custom built home because in all the models of homes we've walked through over all these years, I had never seen this floor plan.<br />
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It was everything we've been searching for. <br />
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The kitchen was huge, the 4 bedrooms were gigantic, and it had three bathrooms!<br />
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It had a Florida room the length of the house, a huge garage that my husband would live in if he could, a fenced yard, and more square footage than the house we rented.<br />
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It had triple the amount of closet space than my rental had, it was on a safe dead end street near our kids school, and the roof was only 2 months old! <br />
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And not only did it have more than enough room to fit our growing family, it had a fireplace and a bay window that I had always dreamed of! <br />
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And not to mention the price tag. It was SO much cheaper than all these newer homes and had a million more things to offer and so much more space.<br />
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I had to look past the negative, and think about the positive.<br />
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I didn't see all the dark wood trim EVERYWHERE in the house. I saw what I could make it. <br />
I didn't see the holes in the wall, I knew we could fix them. <br />
I didn't look at the horribly blue sponged wall that would eventually become my daughter's room. I saw a gorgeous pink room fit for a princess that we could eventually make it.<br />
I didn't even really look at the dark dungeon these people called their kitchen. I saw my dream kitchen.<br />
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<b> I saw potential in this house.</b><br />
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There was nothing in this house that money, time, and paint couldn't fix.<br />
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When you look at older homes or even newer homes that need some work, you have to look past all the faults. You have to envision what you could make out of this house. And that's what we did. <br />
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We didn't look at anything as being impossible. We looked at the house as a project. A very <b>VERY</b> large project. <br />
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After inspections being done and appraisals being completed and everything else in between, everything fell into place. The house was built so well, we faced no problems. We knew the house would be treated as a "shell' and we would make the inside the way we wanted.<br />
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Here we are, a month and a half after our closing and we are still doing renovations. We've gotten a lot done in a short amount of time and everyday we do a little more. We hope that on our year anniversary of buying this home, we will have <i>everything</i> completed and done! <br />
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I think I've rambled on long enough but I wanted to give an update and let everyone know where we're at in this whole process. <br />
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I also wanted to give some type of hope or encouragement to families going through the whole house buying process. It's not an easy one. In fact, it's probably the hardest and most stressful experience you'll ever go through.<br />
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But if you keep an open mind, it can be an enjoyable process too. <br />
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Over the next few months I'm going to be sharing some of our updates we've completed, some budget friendly tutorials on how we've transformed rooms in our home, and some future projects I'd like to take on! <br />
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Keep checking in! :)<br />
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xoxo<br />
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-605726224896203852015-02-03T10:07:00.002-05:002015-02-03T10:07:22.378-05:00Super Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VAHaNW9MMqw/VNDjreZOldI/AAAAAAAAEhc/608BF08cAbA/s1600/DSC_0951-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VAHaNW9MMqw/VNDjreZOldI/AAAAAAAAEhc/608BF08cAbA/s1600/DSC_0951-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Cookie obsessed? Perhaps I am. I've tried so many recipes to find the perfect cookie.<br />
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But with all the recipes I've duplicated or created myself, there was always something that I didn't really like about each one.<br />
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Crunchy edges? No thanks. <br />
Huge chocolate chunks? Meh, not really for me. <br />
Thin crispy cookies? I don't think so...<br />
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I've been looking for the perfect soft and chewy cookie and this is the one!<br />
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If you've been searching for a soft and yummy cookie that's soft on the inside and chewy on the outside, look no further my friend! This is it.<br />
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Unlike pretty much every cookie I've ever tried, these actually become more delicious the more they sit and cool. <br />
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Usually I <b>LOVE</b> cookies straight out of the oven. But these are even more fantastic as the hours go by. Which is a good thing...because eating 10 cookies throughout the day isn't as bad as eating 10 straight out of the oven. Right? No? Well I gave it a shot ...<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ncFAN6nfy6A/VNDjrepeKxI/AAAAAAAAEhg/IeP4ZGZGwp0/s1600/DSC_0949-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ncFAN6nfy6A/VNDjrepeKxI/AAAAAAAAEhg/IeP4ZGZGwp0/s1600/DSC_0949-1.jpg" height="454" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h3>
Ingredients:</h3>
<ul>
<li>3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened</li>
<li>1/4 cup sugar</li>
<li>3/4 cup brown sugar</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>2 tsp. vanilla extract</li>
<li>2 cups flour</li>
<li>3 tsp. cornstarch</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. salt</li>
<li>1 tsp. baking soda</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups chocolate chips</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Directions:</h3>
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />
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2. Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.<br />
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3. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (excluding chocolate chips).<br />
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4. Slowly pur flour mixture into wet mixture and stir to combine.<br />
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5. Add in chocolate chips and mix well.<br />
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6. On a greased baking sheet or parchment paper, drop a tablespoon of dough, spacing them out about 1-2 inches apart.<br />
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7. Bake for 8-10 minute. Do not let them brown or over bake. Center will be a little undercooked. That's perfectly okay!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<b>Note: </b> <i>When first out of the oven the edges will be a little crispy. As they cool, they become softer. </i><br />
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<i>_________</i><br />
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<i><b>Yield: 48 cookies</b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-27068126382827014182015-01-19T15:13:00.001-05:002015-01-19T15:13:16.213-05:00Easy Banana BreadThere's something comforting to me about banana bread.<br />
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I remember coming home from school and seeing a tupperware sitting on the kitchen counter that I knew had to either be cupcakes, rice krispie treats, or banana bread.<br />
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I actually look forward to my bananas becoming ripe just so I can make banana bread.<br />
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I got this recipe from my mother when I first got married and it's the only banana bread I'll ever make. I've tried healthier versions, subbing out some of the butter for applesauce, or even using whole wheat flour. While they're all better for your health, they're not better for the soul, people!<br />
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This banana bread is moist and delicious and so super simple to make. You don't need any fancy equipment and you can pretty much just dump everything into a bowl, bake it, and you'll end up with perfect banana bread every time.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Prep Time: 10 Minutes</div>
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Cook Time: 1 Hour</div>
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Yield: 1 Loaf</div>
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<h3>
Ingredients:</h3>
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<ul>
<li>1/2 cup butter, melted</li>
<li>2 eggs, beaten</li>
<li>2-3 very ripe bananas</li>
<li>1/3 cup milk</li>
<li>1 tsp. vanilla extract</li>
<li>2 cups flour</li>
<li>3/4 cup sugar</li>
<li>1 tsp. baking soda</li>
<li>1/2 tsp salt</li>
</ul>
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<h3>
Directions:</h3>
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 4x8inch loaf pan.<br />
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In a medium bowl, mash bananas. Add in butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Mix to combine.<br />
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Add in flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.<br />
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Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.<br />
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Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the top is firm and golden brown.<br />
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Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.<br />
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Remove banana bread from pan, slice, and serve. (It's delicious slathered with some cream cheese!)<br />
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Enjoy.<br />
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-9629698471396155062015-01-09T10:39:00.001-05:002015-01-09T10:41:41.469-05:00Christmas Gift Scavenger Hunt -- Includes Free Printables<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Christmas time is the perfect time to create lasting memories for your family. This year my husband and I decided to do a Christmas scavenger hunt for our kids. <br />
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Every year we buy the kids one "big" Christmas gift. When they were younger, they were individual gifts like play kitchens, Fisher Price tool benches, and other large gifts like those. But the older they get, their "big" gifts aren't so big anymore.<br />
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Their big gifts now are only considered big because of the price tag.<br />
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We were blessed enough to be able to buy two "big" gifts per kid this year. One being an Apple iPad and the other was the Wii U. <br />
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We decided to give the iPads last after all their gifts and wait about 2 hours after all the excitement faded away a little bit (and all the wrapping paper had faded away too!) to give the Wii U.<br />
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There was only one problem. The Wii U had been hidden in the oven and it completely slipped my mind that I had cinnamon rolls that needed to be baked for Christmas breakfast. Major mom fail.<br />
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So about an hour later we decided to do our first scavenger hunt. And it was a HUGE success.<br />
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I thought I'd share the idea with you to give you some inspiration on creating your own fun memory. I'll be including my printable clues for free at the end of this post.<br />
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I understand some people won't be able to exactly do the hunt as we did, but even using a few from the hunt will maybe give you come ideas to create your own.<br />
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Keep in mind that our kids are 8, 6, and 3 so for older kids these might not work. <br />
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<h3>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Here's how the scavenger hunt went:</span></b></h3>
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<b>Clue 1:</b> This clue was wrapped in a shirt box under the tree. It directed them to our play room.<br />
<b>Clue 2:</b> This clue directed them to the shower.<br />
<b>Clue 3:</b> This clue directed them to the dryer.<br />
<b>Clue 4:</b> This clue directed them to the garage.<br />
<b>Clue 5:</b> This clue directed them to the oven. The gift was wrapped with a note attached.<br />
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You can rearrange the order of these clues in anyway you want or even leave out a few. <br />
<br />
Just make sure the last clue directs them to where the gift is hidden. You can also leave the gift unwrapped as well, but we chose to wrap ours.<br />
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We folded all the clues and placed them in envelopes that we're wrapped with wrapping paper.<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><br /></b><b>Here's what the clues were:</b></span></h3>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Clue 1: </b>Don't be puzzled and don't you fear for this is not your gift this year. There's something special for all of you, but to find it you must follow the clues. The clues will lead you, don't you see? Find your first clue where you play the Wii.<br />
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<b>Clue 2:</b> Shampoo and soap make you squeaky clean, look inside here for your next clue to be seen.<br />
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<b>Clue 3: </b> You're halfway there, I'm not telling a lie. Go to the place where your clothes become dry.<br />
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<b>Clue 4:</b> Organized people park their car in here. but ours is all junk not once inch is clear.<br />
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<b>Clue 5:</b> This fun filled game we hope you're lovin, go find your next clue it's right in the _____.<br />
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<b>Note attached to the gift: </b>You've reached the end, now go open it and play. And we hope you always remember the magic of today.<br />
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_____________________________<br />
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You can download all the clues here:<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<u><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/lwg33pk7gdg29fk/clue1.jpg?dl=0" target="_blank">Clue Sheet 1:</a></u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/xf8974f3mxbaq04/ClueSheet2?dl=0" target="_blank">Clue Sheet 2:</a></u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/1ieb0fgdntjzybf/ClueSheet3?dl=0" target="_blank">Clue Sheet 3:</a></u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/o1xjdpy1k7mcxuu/ClueSheet4?dl=0" target="_blank">Clue Sheet 4:</a></u></div>
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*There are two clues per page, except for the first one and the last one.<br />
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Just cut them out, place them in envelopes or boxes and you're ready to go!<br />
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I wish I had taken more pictures of the scavenger hunt (and had better quality pictures) but I was actually recording it on video while my husband snapped some pictures with his phone.<br />
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Judging by the excitement on their little faces, I'd say they were pretty happy with their unexpected gift. <br />
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They spent the next few hours cozy on the couch in their christmas pajamas playing together and having a blast.<br />
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They got the gift they really wanted. And those smiles and the happiness they felt was just the gift I had asked for. We all win.<br />
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-51802265763554910312015-01-07T10:08:00.000-05:002015-10-09T10:48:12.852-04:00Elf on the Shelf Ideas: 25+ Days of Elf ShenanigansAs promised, I'm bringing you all more of my elf on the shelf ideas.<br />
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These were from this past christmas, and again, I had a ball prepping and setting up this little guy.<br />
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Lets jump right into it.<br />
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<b>Day 1</b>: He brought our annual North Pole Breakfast. (You can read about it <b><u><a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2014/12/our-elf-on-shelf-north-pole-breakfast.html" target="_blank">HERE</a></u></b>)<br />
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<b>Day 2</b>: Someone got himself stuck in a glass.</div>
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<b>Day 3</b>: Keeping warm in the fridge.</div>
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<b>Day 4</b>: I'm pretty sure he's got all 4 Elf food groups covered.</div>
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<b>Day 5</b>: I think he's a tad confused on how the rainbow loom works.</div>
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<b>Day 6</b>: Sneaking some cookies.</div>
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<b>Day 7</b>: Cozy by the "fireplace".</div>
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<b>Day 8</b>: Guess he made some friends.</div>
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<b>Day 9</b>: Time for some christmas egg doodling.</div>
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<b>Day 10</b>: Maybe he's really gotta go?</div>
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<b>Day 12</b>: He's dreaming of a warm christmas.</div>
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<b>Day 13</b>: He may be rushing things a bit ...</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-43Q89d46HNs/VK1C3fM5rzI/AAAAAAAAEa8/u9yFH31B9AE/s1600/day11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-43Q89d46HNs/VK1C3fM5rzI/AAAAAAAAEa8/u9yFH31B9AE/s1600/day11.jpg" width="404" /></a></div>
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<b>Day 14</b>: Hiding in the ornaments.</div>
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<b>Day 15</b>: Ziplining. It's on every elf's bucket list.</div>
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<b>Day 16</b>: All about portion control.</div>
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<b>Day 17</b>: Popcorn roasting on an open fire.</div>
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<b>Day 18</b>: Climbing up the chandelier.</div>
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<b>Day 19</b>: A relaxing marshmallow bath.</div>
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<b>Day 20</b>: Feeding his friends.</div>
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<b>Day 21</b>: Someone was a tad thirsty.</div>
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<b>Day 22</b>: Hiding in the presents.</div>
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<b>Day 23</b>: He hung his own stocking.</div>
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<b>Day 24</b>: Reading to his friends.</div>
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<b>Day 25</b>: Just hangin' around.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t4taukAxs04/VK1C4IeC98I/AAAAAAAAEbE/4fZ810t9mFU/s1600/DSC_0702-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t4taukAxs04/VK1C4IeC98I/AAAAAAAAEbE/4fZ810t9mFU/s1600/DSC_0702-1.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<b>Day 26</b>: He can win a spelling bee for sure.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gm45jlDuhvE/VK1C4DIe6sI/AAAAAAAAEbI/ss3EFPxnDD8/s1600/DSC_0734-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gm45jlDuhvE/VK1C4DIe6sI/AAAAAAAAEbI/ss3EFPxnDD8/s1600/DSC_0734-1.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<b>Day 27</b>: He's North Pole bound. All packed up and ready to leave.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iYezqZCdrP0/VK1DI0DzFKI/AAAAAAAAEc0/zISNSKtui_U/s1600/lastday-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iYezqZCdrP0/VK1DI0DzFKI/AAAAAAAAEc0/zISNSKtui_U/s1600/lastday-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hope this gives you some inspiration for the upcoming year!</div>
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And I hope everyone had the very merriest of Christmases and you're enjoying the new year!</div>
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You May Also Like:</div>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2014/11/elf-on-shelf-planning-guide-6-tips-for.html" target="_blank">Elf on the Shelf Planning Guide -- 6 Tips for a Stress Free Elf Experience</a></li>
<li><a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2014/01/25-elf-on-shelf-ideas.html" target="_blank">25 Days of Elf on the Shelf -- Part 1</a></li>
</ul>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-5vuBG_Oujwc%2FVK1C55D0QqI%2FAAAAAAAAEbU%2Fdh32UrM_5V0%2Fs1600%2Fday12.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5vuBG_Oujwc/VK1C55D0QqI/AAAAAAAAEbU/dh32UrM_5V0/s1600/day12.jpg" -->It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-31037229565477402202014-12-30T11:52:00.000-05:002014-12-30T11:52:17.226-05:00New Year's Eve PrintablesChristmas has come and gone once again and in this house we're gearing up for our annual New Year's Eve party. <br />
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I created two printables for my table and I thought I'd share them both with you all to help make your table scape a little more festive! Who doesn't love a good free chalkboard and subway art printable? I know I do!<br />
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Just right click and save to your desktop and print.<br />
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Place in an 8x10 frame and enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cdYMHu0KIbM/VKLWeBMqZ2I/AAAAAAAAEYs/PYXUDDsbCAA/s1600/nye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cdYMHu0KIbM/VKLWeBMqZ2I/AAAAAAAAEYs/PYXUDDsbCAA/s1600/nye.jpg" height="512" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Happy New Year Printable</b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cisc36vNSgQ/VKLWd9hV3iI/AAAAAAAAEYo/mtwhvRPd2ww/s1600/NYESUBWAY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cisc36vNSgQ/VKLWd9hV3iI/AAAAAAAAEYo/mtwhvRPd2ww/s1600/NYESUBWAY.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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<b>Subway Art Printable</b></div>
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Wishing everyone a joyous and happy 2015!</div>
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It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-15026168984370883672014-12-28T14:55:00.001-05:002014-12-28T14:55:39.029-05:00Our Snowman Dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qd_CLkBPcOc/VKBgG5cgWuI/AAAAAAAAEXw/NWOoYK1WdGY/s1600/pinterest.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qd_CLkBPcOc/VKBgG5cgWuI/AAAAAAAAEXw/NWOoYK1WdGY/s1600/pinterest.png" /></a></div>
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I wanted to post about our snowman dinner a few days ago, but with the holidays being here and wrapping everything up (pun intended) I just couldn't find enough time in the day to sit and blog about it.<br />
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Now with the holidays over and New Year's Eve quickly approaching, I have finally found a moment to catch my breath and share it here. <br />
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Last year, I planned a grinch dinner (which you can see <a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2014/01/grinch-dinner.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>) but this year I wanted to do something a little different. <br />
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<i><b>Side Note</b>: If you check out my grinch dinner, apparently collage making was all the rage last year because I don't have one.single.picture. </i><br />
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Anyway, I wanted our dinner to be just as special as the grinch dinner but with an entirely different theme. So I looked through our Christmas movies and came across the idea to do a snowman themed dinner and finish off the night by watching Frosty the Snowman. <br />
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I searched all over for a snowman themed dinner but couldn't find anything. So I just tried to create all different types of snowman themed food and smash them together to make one dinner theme. I think it worked!<br />
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Our "main course" was a simple and delicious snowman pizza.<br />
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<b> Complete with olive eyes and a mouth, an orange pepper nose, and a bacon scarf.</b></div>
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For the dessert I made Snowflake Crunch Popcorn (you can find the recipe <u><a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2014/12/christmas-snowflake-crunch-popcorn.html" target="_blank">HERE</a></u>)<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o9DZKBp1tZM/VKBb_tCRjoI/AAAAAAAAEXc/G4nnSUuisG4/s1600/DSC_0599-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o9DZKBp1tZM/VKBb_tCRjoI/AAAAAAAAEXc/G4nnSUuisG4/s1600/DSC_0599-1.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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and I made these adorable snowman cupcakes that were almost too cute to eat. Almost.<br />
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And to wash everything down, I made some White Chocolate Snowflake Cocoa (you can find the recipe <a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2014/12/white-chocolate-snowflake-hot-cocoa.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>).<br />
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I think everything tied together very well and there was little preparation I had to do for this dinner. <br />
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Everything was kept fairly simple but the excitement of my kids was above and beyond. What more can you want? Little work and big smiles. Awesomeness. <br />
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I kept the decor pretty simple with a blue and white winter theme. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xEUkTYeeaWY/VKBYKdLC2KI/AAAAAAAAEW8/BXAGK9QDq4s/s1600/DSC_0671-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xEUkTYeeaWY/VKBYKdLC2KI/AAAAAAAAEW8/BXAGK9QDq4s/s1600/DSC_0671-1.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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Download my Frosty Printable <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/pucz0898fqg59oq/frosty.jpg?dl=0" target="_blank">HERE</a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vHr5_ylZEDg/VKBYMuoOt6I/AAAAAAAAEXM/k2Fn0cjMCqw/s1600/DSC_0697-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vHr5_ylZEDg/VKBYMuoOt6I/AAAAAAAAEXM/k2Fn0cjMCqw/s1600/DSC_0697-1.jpg" height="445" width="640" /></a></div>
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You can download my Frosty the Doughman Label <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/u2de8veoctt5dpf/FrostytheDoughman?dl=0" target="_blank">HERE</a></div>
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Hope everyone had a great Christmas and sending warm wishes for a happy new year!<br />
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-18742499773112996352014-12-23T09:57:00.000-05:002014-12-23T09:57:12.765-05:00Christmas Snowflake Crunch Popcorn--A Marshmallowy and Yummy TreatI recently threw together a snowman themed dinner for my kids on Sunday night. (I'll be posting that soon!) I wanted all the food and decor to be winter themed, and I thought this was definitely fitting for that.<br />
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I love that it was so simple to make with ingredients I already had in my pantry, plus the colors remind me of winter. And whenever you pair marshmallow with ANYTHING, that's okay with me.<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Ingredients:</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li>3/4 bag mini marshmallows</li>
<li>3 cups popped popcorn (can use microwaveable but I prefer to pop my own kernels)</li>
<li>1/4 cup butter</li>
<li>blue M&M's (blue sprinkles are optional as well)</li>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Directions:</span></h3>
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<ol>
<li>Place popcorn in a large bowl.</li>
<li>In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.</li>
<li>Add in marshmallows to butter and stir until completely melted.</li>
<li>Pour butter/marshmallow mixture over popcorn.</li>
<li>Mix until popcorn in completely coated.</li>
<li>Add in blue M&Ms and stir to combine all ingredients together.</li>
<li>Serve within a few hours.</li>
</ol>
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518262462679585565.post-29914212031613739742014-12-22T09:03:00.001-05:002014-12-22T09:03:31.930-05:00White Chocolate Snowflake Hot CocoaFor my family, winter starts when the first cup of hot chocolate is made. It's tradition. We don't drink it any other time except for in the Winter. And in Florida that means December. (and usually not a day before).<br />
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But what could make hot chocolate even more exciting? What can be even more decedent and creamy and has a completely different flavor but still brings a warmness to the winter? White Hot Chocolate!<br />
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Yes, you heard me right. Hot chocolate made with amazingly delicious white chocolate. Talk about an amazing alternative to everyone's favorite classic holiday beverage. <br />
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<h3>
Ingredients:</h3>
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<ul>
<li>6 cups milk </li>
<li>2 cups heavy whipping cream</li>
<li>1 bag white chocolate chips</li>
<li>1 tsp. vanilla extract</li>
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<h3>
Directions:</h3>
1. Add in all ingredients into a crock pot.<br />
2. Turn on low. <br />
3. Heat for 2-3 hours or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is hot.<br />
4. Enjoy with some whipped cream and marshmallows on top on a chilly day :)<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FChsLy-yirE/VJgfFV-cUTI/AAAAAAAAET0/JDf7Mru9-7s/s1600/DSC_0617-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FChsLy-yirE/VJgfFV-cUTI/AAAAAAAAET0/JDf7Mru9-7s/s1600/DSC_0617-1.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<b>Note</b>: You can easily cut this recipe is half if you have a small family, or keep the recipe the way it is if you're serving a large crowd. It makes around 10 servings.<br />
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Y<b>ou Make Also Like:</b><br />
<u><a href="http://itsam0msworld.blogspot.com/2014/01/2-ingredient-homemade-whipped-topping.html" target="_blank">2 Ingredient Whipped Topping</a></u><br />
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<br />It's a Mom's Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588997815508483472noreply@blogger.com2