by Melanie

14 Fun Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

March 7, 2015 in Family Room by Melanie

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St. Patrick’s Day isn’t just for pinching your friends who forgot to wear green anymore. Now it’s the perfect excuse for a fun celebration. I love to keep things simple, so I gathered 14 simple celebrations for St. Patrick’s Day for a festive, easy holiday.

These  St. Patrick’s Day printables from Forty Eighteen are all ready for you to print and attach to your treats.

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Jane from xo, lauren & jane does something fabulous with mint chocolate chips to make a green treat that is perfect for anyone who loves mint and chocolate. (And really… who doesn’t love mint and chocolate??)

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Hoping to find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? How about inside the rainbow… if that rainbow is a cookie. These Rainbow Treasure Cookies from Stuffed Suitcase scream St. Patrick’s Day!

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So colorful and so tasty, my kiddos would LOVE these! They wouldn’t even need to find the pot of gold with Rainbow Pudding Pops from Saving Cent by Cent as the tasty rainbow.

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This is perfect! I love this St. Patrick’s Day printable from Occasionally Crafty.

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If you love sprinkles and tasty surprises, these Pot of Gold Cookies from A Sparkle of Genius are the perfect treat for you. I especially love the gold center… because it’s caramel. yummo!

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Hahaha, Blushing Leprechauns. I love these great cookies from For What It’s Worth

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Cute, cute decor makes any holiday better. That’s why I love this St. Patrick’s Day Canvas Art from Shambray.

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And this great Lucky St. Patrick’s day Printable from The Happy Scraps. I just love how a great printable makes an area instantly festive.

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Learn how to make a traditional St. Patrick’s Day dinner: How to Make Corned Beef Dinner from Mirlandra’s Kitchen.

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This Lucky Leprechaun Parfait from Jessica Weible Blogs is such an adorable treat! What more can you ask of a dessert than cute on the table and absolutely delicious in your mouth!

I love the idea of spreading some luck to a friend like this Bucket of Luck from Maybe I Will. Love her list of what to put in the basket and the free printable to attach to it.

Make a great dessert with this template and directions for a St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Cake from The Things I Love Most.

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We always have a green dinner, and this Green Deviled Eggs and Broccoli Ham Ring from Forty Eighteen is in the running this year.

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How do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

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by Melanie

Decadent Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies

March 5, 2015 in Kitchen by Melanie

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My girls have been asking for chocolate even more than usual lately, and Joy’s latest favorite thing to do is make cookies. So naturally I decided it was time to find a new chocolate cookie recipe.

Pinterest to the rescue! I love finding the perfect Pinspiration.

I found two versions of a chocolate swirl cookie that got me really excited. I shared the chocolate chip cookie version on Made From Pinterest today.

Those Brownie Swirl Chocolate Chip Cookies are absolutely delicious, but peanut butter is my true love. So when I found these cookies at Sally’s Baking Addiction, I just knew I had found a new favorite.

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And I couldn’t have been more right. Oh. my. goodness. These are to die for.

I was a little nervous about how much cocoa the recipe calls for. I don’t like dark chocolate, so I didn’t want them to be too dark. I started with a little less cocoa but ended up adding it all, and it turned out all my worries were for nothing. The chocolate isn’t dark and bitter, it is rich and decadent.

The peanut butter cookie calls for more peanut butter than a typical recipe, and oh my, it makes the peanut butter flavor even more intense. The combination of the rich chocolate with the intense peanut butter is pure heaven.

I’m not even going to admit how many cookies I have eaten today in the name of “testing” the recipe. I think we can safely say these passed the test with an A++.

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Decadent Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies

Chocolate Cookie Dough:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons milk

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Start with the chocolate cookie dough. Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Then beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.

In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt) and sift them together with a whisk. Add them gradually to the butter and sugar mixture until everything is combined. It will be very thick. Then add the milk, mix it in, and put the dough in the fridge to chill.

Now it’s time to move on to to the peanut butter cookie dough. It starts just the same. Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, and then add the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt and sift together with a whisk.

Gradually mix the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture and mix until completely combined. Chill the dough in the fridge. It needs at least 2 hours, but I let mine chill overnight and it was great to work with the next day.

When the dough has been thoroughly chilled, it’s time to make the cookies. Preheat the oven to 350. I use a cookie scoop that measures about 1 tablespoon to make my cookies.

Scoop 12 chocolate dough balls onto a baking sheet, then scoop 12 peanut butter balls. Taking one chocolate and one peanut butter dough ball, press them together forming a ball. Repeat with all 12 cookies. The chocolate dough can be a mess, but chilling it really makes it easier to work with. Also, you can spray your hands with cooking spray if it’s proving to be a bit too messy.

Bake the cookies for 10-14 minutes. They will look like they’re not quite done, but you don’t want to bake them too long. Remove them from the oven and let them rest on the cookie sheet for a few minutes to keep cooking before you transfer them to a cooling rack.

I found they worked a lot better when I pressed down the dough balls, flattening them a bit before putting them in the oven.

These cookies are soft and delicious, and if you’re anything like me you may have a problem stopping at just one… or two… or four…

These Decadent Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies are the perfect answer to all of the chocolate cravings that happen often in a house full of girls. They are definitely a new favorite.

How do you satisfy a chocolate craving?

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by Melanie

Feeling Lucky? Win a Disney vacation!

March 3, 2015 in Mailbox by Melanie

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win

Disneyland is my favorite! We’re having the Happiest Family Reunion on Earth at that magical place in a few weeks, and I cannot wait!!

I have been to Disneyland more times than I can count, and I have half a dozen trips planned this year, too. Going to Disneyland a billion times, I have learned a thing or two, and I’m going to write all about it this year. I could talk about Disneyland for hours, so I will split it up over a few months. Otherwise we’d end up with a novel — ain’t nobody got time for that!

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One thing that makes planning the perfect Disneyland vacation difficult is how expensive it can be! Disney just raised their ticket prices again this past week. A few reunion-bound family members haven’t bought their tickets yet, so while searching for ticket deals I found out that Get Away Today still has the old prices through tonight!

Those kind of savings really start adding up. Even if you don’t have a reunion planned in a few weeks, this deal is still great news for you because the tickets don’t expire until December 31, 2015. So you can buy them now and plan your trip later this year. Awesome!

I have recently started working with Get Away Today, and I really love their great deals! I just booked my first vacation with them this year, and I couldn’t believe the savings. With the fabulous hotel rates and a free night, it really was the best deal around!

Yikes, I sound like a commercial. Yes, I am an affiliate and I do get a small percentage when you shop through my link, but I really do love them. The whole booking process was easy, and the deal was unbeatable — and believe me, I looked. If you can find a better deal, I want to know about it!

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The only thing better than finding a great deal on your Disney vacation is WINNING one! Amiright? Every once in awhile I see a friend on Facebook post a contest entry for a Disney vacation or cruise, but they’re usually from a bogus profile and not legit at all.

So I went searching for real sweepstakes from real sponsors with real prizes awarded to real people. And real people actually do win these things. My own sister has won 2 Disney World vacations in giveaways like these, so I know it happens.

This is what I found: 15 legit Disney giveaways and sweepstakes you can enter to win your own magical vacation. Each giveaway has its own set of official rules. I am not affiliated with any of these giveaways, I just like to win stuff. 🙂 Not all of these are sponsored by Disney – or even strictly Disney vacations – but they are all to Orlando or California, and most include theme park tickets.

 

Super simple entry – just log in and check the box:

Disney Channel Super Summer Sweepstakes – Win a 5-day, 4-night Walt Disney World vacation for 5 including one night in the Cinderella Castle suite and 5-day Magic Your Way Park Hopper Tickets. Trip must be taken from May 21-25, 2015. Expires February 17.

Cinderella Perfect Fit Sweepstakes – Win a 5-day, 4-night vacation for 4 to Walt Disney World including 3 nights in a Disney World Resort hotel and one night in the Cinderella Castle Suite, 5-day Magic Your Way Tickets with Park Hopper and Water Park & More options, a makeover for one child (age 3-12) at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, and a $500 gift card. Expires March 27.

Disney Movie Rewards Big Hero 6: Big Adventure Sweepstakes – Win an Adventures by Disney vacation to San Francisco for 4 including 4 days and 3 nights in the city with a guided travel experience June 18-21, 2015. Expires May 1.

Disney Movie Rewards Sensational Dalmation-al Sweepstakes – Win a fabulous getaway for 4 to London, England including round trip flights, hotel accommodations, and a luxury tour of the city. Expires May 30.

 

Rafflecopter – several options for entry, choose to enter as many ways as you like

Pirate ‘n Princess Vacations Family Orlando Vacation – Win a 6-day, 5-night Orlando, Florida vacation including a 2-bedroom suite at the Nickelodeon Suites Resort, 4 round trip airline tickets and airport transfers, 4 $50 gift cards, 4 $50 Universal Studios Orlando gift cards, 4 4-day Disney magic Your Way Park Hopper Tickets, and 4 2-day Universal Orlando park-to-park tickets. Expires July 10.

Disneyland Vacation Giveaway – This one is 10 awesome bloggers working together to offer 10 fabulous Disney prizes from waffle and cake pop makers to Disney gift cards and a Disneyland vacation for 2! You can hop around to the 10 different blogs and enter to win each of the prizes with a rafflecopter at each one, so you can choose how and how many times you want to enter. This link goes to the Vacation giveaway, but you can follow her links to find the rest of the blogs and prizes.

 

Fill in the form – basic information like name, address, and email:

Scholastic: Tiny Travelers Sweepstakes – Win a 5-day, 4-night Walt Disney World vacation for 4 including airfare, hotel, ground transportation, theme park tickets, and Disney character breakfast. Expires March 19.

Federal Alliance for Safe Homes: Stormstruck A Tale of Two Homes – Win a 3-night Walt Disney World Resort vacation for 4 including airfare, ground transportation, hotel accommodations, 4-day Magic Your Way tickets, and $500 Disney gift card. Expires March 20.

Latina: Making Memories Together – Win a 5-day, 4-night Disney World vacation for 6, four different vacation packages to choose from. Expires March 31.

Experience Kissimmee: Kiss the Cold Away – Win a 6-day, 5-night Kissimmee, Florida vacation including hotel accommodations, theme park tickets, airfare, Boggy Creek airboat rides, and rental car. Expires April 12.

Visit Orlando: Once-In-A-Lifetime VIP Family Vacation – Win a vacation for 4 to Orlando, FL including airfare, hotel accommodations, theme park tickets, rental car, dining experience, behind the scenes tour, and more! Expires June 30.

 

Facebook – must log in to Facebook to see and fill out the form, “Like” is optional

Hapari’s 10th Anniversary Disney World Get Away Sweepstakes – Win a 5-day, 4-night Disney World vacation including hotel accommodations, airfare, Disney Parks admission, and SeaWorld admission. Expires March 30.

Florida Orange Juice: Orlando Family Vacation – Win a 6-day, 5-night vacation in Orlando, FL including hotel accommodations, airfare, ground transportation, and $1,000 gift card. Expires March 28.

 

Photo Entry – submit a photo meeting the contest requirements to enter

Disney Alexander: Funny Family Photo Sweepstakes – Win a 4-day, 3-night vacation for 4 to the Aulani Disney Resort and Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii including airfare, hotel, and ground transfers. Expires March 4.

National Geographic: Disney Parks Then and Now – Win a 5-day, 4-night Walt Disney Resort vacation for 6 including airfare, accommodations, 5-day Magic Your way Park Hopper tickets, $1,000 Disney gift card, character dining, and more! The winning photo will be selected based on Execution of Theme, Creativity & Originality, and Photographic Quality. Expires March 9.

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Good luck! And remember I want to hear about it if you win one of these!!

I am so excited for our big family Disney vacation. Do you have any tips for me???

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by Melanie

Crazy Good Caramel Popcorn

February 7, 2015 in Kitchen by Melanie

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When it comes to caramel popcorn, I believe there are two camps: those who like it crunchy like Cracker Jacks and those who like it chewy – like heaven. If you love caramel popcorn the right way, this will be your new favorite recipe. It’s so good, so simple, so quick, and crazy good.

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 Crazy Good Caramel Popcorn

  • 1/2 cup (1 cube) butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
  • popcorn

Start by popping the popcorn. I use 2 big bowls so I have enough room to stir the caramel over the corn. In fact, my favorite bowls for this are some big, red, plastic bowls I found at Walmart for $1.50.

To get the perfect amount of caramel to popcorn ratio, I use a little more than 3/4 cup but not a full cup of popcorn kernels. It’s a good idea to pull out the unpopped and half-popped kernels that can end up in your bowl. It’s no fun to bite into what should be a bite of chewy goodness and end up with a hard, tooth-breaking chunk instead.

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While the popcorn is popping, it’s time to make the caramel. Start by melting the butter in a large saucepan. When the butter is melted, add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt, and bring it to a boil. If you’re using salted popcorn, leave the salt out of the caramel.

Let it boil for 2-3 minutes, then take it off the heat and add the vanilla and half can of sweetened condensed milk. A can of sweetened condensed milk is 14 oz, so you will use a little less than 1 cup.

Put it back on the heat just long enough to heat it through. When it just barely starts to boil and you see little bubbles, take it off the heat for good because it’s done!

Immediately pour the caramel over the popcorn and stir with a long wooden spoon until the gooey caramel coats every piece of popcorn. When I’m done stirring, I combine it all into one big bowl and try to restrain myself from eating the entire thing myself.  That’s all there is to it!

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This recipe leaves you with an extra half of a can of sweetened condensed milk. You can make something fun like Brazilian lemonade or another great treat, but I usually use that half can as a perfect excuse to make another batch of caramel popcorn. Yum!

Tomorrow on Made From Pinterest, I’m sharing how I kicked this caramel popcorn up another notch by turning it into a fabulous Valentine’s Day treat, including free printables and a microwave popcorn Valentine, too! Click HERE or on the image below to find that post at Made From Pinterest.

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When it comes to caramel popcorn, which camp are you in? Crunchy or chewy little bites of heaven?

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by Melanie

52 Weeks to Fortify Your Family

January 22, 2015 in Family Room, Mailbox by Melanie

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I have never been one of those moms who cries at every milestone, sad to see my babies grow up. I love my babies, but I love to see how they will conquer the next stage of life. It’s exciting to see them get older and grow in wisdom and beauty and see their personalities blossom.

There has been one HUGE exception to this general rule, however.

Junior High. Ugh.

There is just something about sending my sweet, innocent babies to junior high that knocks the wind out of me and leaves me gasping for air.

Kindergarten? Bring it on! High school? No problem! But junior high still gives me nightmares and makes me wish I could keep my family in a force field, a bubble of safety where my babies can stay young and innocent.

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But because school teaches much more than just reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic, and Steve and I believe it is important for our kids to learn those valuable lessons, we send our little girls off to junior high, cringing and holding our breath and hoping we have prepared them well enough for those difficult years.

Since I don’t have a force field, I have to find other ways to strengthen my family, to fortify them against the dangers of the world. The most important way I know to do this is to teach them who they are, to instill in them an understanding of where they come from and what makes them great.

Ultimately, I want my daughters to know that they have another parent who loves them and knows them even better than Steve and me, a Heavenly Father from whom they have inherited divine attributes that make them great. I want them to understand that their relationship to God is the most important relationship they will ever have and that it needs to be constantly nourished. I want them to know how to talk to Him and how to hear His voice. I know that their relationship with Heavenly Father will be the greatest source of strength in their lives and can be their “force field” to keep them safe no matter what they encounter.

Instilling this knowledge in our children takes time and consistent effort, but life is so busy! Between youth activities, church meetings, orchestra concerts, play rehearsals, and team practices, not to mention homework, playing with friends, chores, and a million other demands on our time, we are lucky to spend time together on any given day. I have gone a full 24 hours without seeing Beth at all — and we live in the same house!! That’s crazy!

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I was so excited when I heard about this new book from Nicole Carpenter: 52 Weeks to Fortify Your Family: 5-Minute Messages. The idea behind this book is so simple but so powerful: daily 5-minute devotionals for your family. Nicole has put together 52 weeks of daily devotionals, arranged by topic so you can find exactly what your family needs in any given week.

I love that each daily message is short, but even more than that I love the extras that really turn your devotional into something meaningful. Each daily scripture discussion is right on topic, and the weekly questions start real discussions with opportunities to learn and bear testimony. I love that Nicole has included a reference to a conference address each week for more insight into that week’s theme. This could easily become your Family Home Evening lesson for the week.

52 Weeks to Fortify Your Family book cover Armor Your Children

I love that the book is small. That may sound strange, but it’s just not intimidating. At first glance it looks like something we can manage and enjoy. I have been thinking for months that I want to print a weekly quote and and display it in a frame where we will pass by it often and read it. Nicole is right there with a weekly quote, too! I can’t wait to get it printed so it is right in front of us and on our minds all week long.

I believe one of the best tools for strengthening our family is to make the gospel a part of our everyday lives. We live it, of course, but it’s also needs to be a normal topic of conversation. We talk about scriptures we have read, lessons we have learned, times that we have seen the hand of God in our lives and received answers to prayers.

“And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins”  (2 Nephi 25:26).

How will our children know the importance of the gospel in our lives if if’s only something they see on Sunday? We need to make sure we’re bringing the gospel into focus every day. I love that 52 Weeks to Fortify Your Family: 5-Minute Messages brings the gospel into focus for a few minutes each day. I am so excited to make it through all 52 weeks.

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I am even more excited for the chance I have today as part of this blog tour to give away a copy of Nicole’s book! You can enter using the Rafflecopter below. Or you can order your own copy of 52 Weeks to Fortify Your Family: 5-Minute Messages today and get to work building that force field around your family!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Does junior high scare you, too? What do you do to fortify your family?

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