Happy Thanksgiving 2016!

We celebrate Thanksgiving with Grandma eating, playing, and breaking out the board games.  Plus many reasons to be thankful this year!

C O N N E C T
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The Creek by Topher Mohr and Alex Elena MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)

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Crockpot Stuffed Pepper Soup

My kids love this stuffed pepper soup.  It's a great way to get vegetables in their diet and it's super filling.  Perfect for those cold winter nights.


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One Fine Day by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)

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The Weekly Wrap: Crazy Sledding!

We celebrate Thanksgiving break with a trip to the children's museum,  baking cookies, and sledding in the snow!

Thanksgiving 2016:
Coming Soon!

2016 Christmas Tree Hunting:
Coming Soon!

Contact us for business inquiries, reviews and collaborations: BethAnn_97@hotmail.com

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Walk In The Park Full by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
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Joy to the World by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
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DITL 11/18/16: This Is What I Wished For

We watch a Christmas parade in the rain, visit the California State Railroad Museum, and turn the kitchen into a bakery!

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Music Attribution:

We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)

Deck the Halls-B by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
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2016 Christmas Advent List

*Photo from Christmas 2011

It's time for our 2016 Christmas Advent List!  In keeping with tradition, I'm posting 25 days of memory making ideas with my family.  As our countdown to Christmas, we're planning activities to spend time together outside of the usual school and work.  As we're still finalizing holidays plans, these are the activities I have planned so far.

Dec 1st--Attend Christmas Play
Dec 2nd--Go to Christmas Tree Lighting/caroling?
Dec 3rd--Go to Christmas Parade
Dec 4th--Make pinecone fairies
Dec 5th--Grow Christmas trees
Dec 6th--Make popsicle mangers
Dec 7th--Go look at Christmas lights
Dec 8th--Wear Christmas socks
Dec 9th--Watch a Christmas movie/ Elf?
Dec 10th--Attend Teddy Bear Festival
Dec 11th--Lydia's Birthday Party
Dec 12th--Do some candy cane experiments
Dec 13th--Make Frozen Themed Nutty Buddies
Dec 14th--???
Dec 15th--Try a new cookie recipe
Dec 16th--Watch a Christmas movie/Frosty the Snowman/ Go sledding
Dec 17th--Lydia's Dance Performance
Dec 18th--Build Gingerbread Houses
Dec 19th--Shop for exchange gifts
Dec 20th--Bake Molasses cookies
Dec 21st--Make Edible Playdough
Dec 22nd--Package Gifts in a Jar
Dec 23rd--Watch a Christmas movie/Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Dec 24th--Play board games
Dec 25th--Monkey Bread Breakfast

What's on your Advent Bucket List?

Happy Thanksgiving

(Image Credit)

Ashland, Or's Standing Stone Brewery

Each year as my husband and I get away, one of our favorite places to eat is Standing Stone Brewery in Ashland, Or.  My husband loves their beers, and we both love how fresh and flavorful the meals are.  

My favorite item on the menu is their Buffalo Burger.  Buffalo is very lean and rich in flavor.  Standing Stone cooks their Buffalo Burger to juicy perfection.  Served with cucumber salad and homemade fries and ketchup, this is my go to item.

Besides the Buffalo Burger, other items to consider include: the Black and Blue Burger, Greek Salad, Margherita Pizza, and Salmon Tacos.

We've also sample a few of their desert offerings.  The Marionberry Cobbler a la Mode has a wonderfully soft crust and the filling was wonderful  And the Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce was surprisingly delightful.  Both were well worth the price and easily shareable.  That is... if you can agree on which one.

What's your favorite Southern Oregon restaurant?

Weekend Links

Snowball Caramel Apples

10 Best Online Math Game Sites

11 Deserts w/ Hidden Vegetables

Gingerbread Purse

Felt Food Christmas Cookies

This Week:

What I Made: I finished a shadowbox for Lydia with her first pair of ballet slippers.  I've been wanting to do it for a long time and finally finished.  We also made Ancient Egypt invitations for a certain birthday girl and I took the kid's pictures, edited them and had them printed.

What I'm Reading:  I just finished a book called Love That Boy.  I picked it up on a whim from the new releases at the library and it's given me a new appreciation for my kids and history.  You can read more about it on this month's bookmarks post.

What I'm Doing:  These days, I'm teaching Lydia to cook.  We're working on an Egypt party and getting ready for the holidays.  With Thanksgiving, Christmas, a birthday, and homeschooling, this time of year can get crazy.

What I'm Watching: Actually I've been watching lots of homeschool videos on Youtube.  :-)

What I'm Enjoying: pumpkin candles... Thanksgiving story books... lots of salads... 

pumpkin cheesecake ice cream... 

What are you up to?

2016 November Bookmarks

*Bookmarks is an online book club hosted at Creative2xmom. Here we discuss the books we've read in the past month as well as the suggested reading. Our suggested reading for November was Every Day by David Levithan.

These are the books I read this month:

Love That Boy by Ron Fournier-- I picked up this book on a whim from the library.  It was in the new release section and the subtitle was interesting.  It wasn't what I expected as the majority of the book focuses on the author's autistic son.  However, the book extends far beyond parenting an autistic child and touches on universal parenting themes.  All in all, I took away some great lessons from the book about my expectations on my one kids and focusing on what I truly want for them.

What We Read with the Kids:

Paddington Takes on TV by Michael Bond--  You can't go wrong with a Paddington book.  The trouble this bear gets into is absolutely hilarious.  The chapters are long, but so worth the effort.

Our suggested reading for November was Every Day by David Levithan-- Wow!  Levithan writes a unique and page turning story.  A wakes up every morning in a different body.  Boy or girl... it doesn't make a difference... Always around the same age... always around the same location.  That's just the way it's always been.  Until one day he meets THE GIRL and suddenly he wants to plan for the future.  While there was some questionable material, I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading the sequel.  

So what are your bookmarks this month?

Tell us in the comments about the books you're chewing on. Or link up a review from your own blog. Let's share the books we're finding, good and bad. And give us your thoughts on Every Day by David Leviathan.

And come back December 23rd as we discuss The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.

*Linked to these Parties

Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream

*This post was originally published on 11/21/12.  Enjoy!

Thank You, Pinterest!  I have found the yummiest Pumpkin Ice Cream.  And I can make it in my own home.  Dangerous, I know.  And to celebrate, I want to share this yummy recipe with all of you so you can enjoy this seasonal treat with me.  So if you're looking for a new Thanksgiving dessert or you're like me and just can't imagine saying farewell to Pumpkin Ice Cream till next fall, keep reading!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream
(from I Wash You Dry)

1 c. Pumpkin
1 c. Sour Cream
8 oz Cream Cheese
2/3 c. Sugar
3 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 c. Cream

1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
2. Put in ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.
3. Serve immediately as soft serve or put in freezer to set.
4. Serve with crushed graham cracker or dusted with cinnamon/sugar mix.

I love setting this ice cream in the freezer and dusting it with cinnamon/sugar mixture.  The cinnamon/sugar just gives it a slight crunch and it's so yummy!  Hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I do.  If not, just send your leftovers my way.  :-)

What seasonal treats are you enjoying right now?

15 Thanksgiving Yummy and Crafty Ideas

Mini Pumpkin Pies

Cheesy Crescent Roll Leaves

Apple Cider Cupcakes w/ Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream

Thankful Pumpkin

DIY Pumpkin Floral Arrangements

Thankful Paper Wreath

Caramel Apple Cake

Pancake Apple Rings

Thanksgiving Hurricanes

DIY Thanksgiving Turkey Cups

Glitter Top Pumpkin Place Cards

Thanksgiving Day Playlist

Pumpkin French Toast Casserole

Thanksgiving 10 Minute Decor

Turkey Cinnamon Rolls

Weekend Links

Slow Cooker Beef Carnitas

32 Free Christmas Printables for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Chipotle Chicken and Corn Chowder

Peppermint Cheesecake Bars

Free Christmas Gift Tags

This Week:

What I Made:  I finally sat down and scrapbooked Noah's 5th grade photos from last school year.  And this morning we ate a yummy new cinnamon roll recipe from the crockpot.

What I'm Reading:  I picked up Every Day from the library and it's been quite a page turner.  A nice break from the craziness currently going on in our country.

What I'm Doing:  It's Veteran's Day.  And no school means adventures for the kiddos and I.  We're doing some hiking and finally getting around to taking birthday photos.

What I'm Watching:  Lots of news coverage unfortunately.  I had a feeling that the election results would only be the beginning and unfortunately I was right.

What I'm Enjoying:  Reading.. escaping... thinking of the holidays... 

What are you up to?

Goodnight, Manger {Review}

This delightful little board book by Laura Stassi explores what the manger scene mus have really looked like with a newborn baby and a barn full of animals.  Goodnight, Manger is the nativity story as you've never heard before.  Mary, Joseph, and friends try to put baby Jesus to bed amidst braying donkeys, itchy hay, and singing angels.  This silly rhyming story will have your kiddos giggling from beginning to end.  Mommy and Daddy too.  My favorite rhyme is the scene in which the animals are everywhere, kings are knocking at the door, and Mary's on the verge of a nervous breakdown:

Mama's frantic

In a tizzy.

Who knew stables

Were so busy?

I think we new mom's have all been there a time or two.  :-)  

And while the story is a fun adventure, it was really the illustrations that stole the show.  Chapman's illustrations of a frantic Mary, friendly kings, and celebrating angels pop off the page.  I just love the color in this book and I'm sure you will too.

Following along in the fun style of Goodnight, Ark, this book would make a wonderful Christmas gift or addition to your Christmas Book Advent.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

Trimming the Fat from your Thanksgiving Budget

*Originally published on 11/14/12.  Enjoy!

There's something uniquely special about Thanksgiving.  The pace of the day is a little slower.  The focus turns more to family.  And a sense of gratitude warms the air.

However, if we're not careful, Thanksgiving can quickly turn pricey as we attempt to prove an abundant spread.  These are just a few ways we can focus on our favorites and still feast:

1. Name your Priorities

  I grew up celebrating holidays with a wide variety of savory dips, hearty entrees, and sweet endings.  With plenty of family, there was often 3-4 types of salads and appetizers, a full holiday meal, and several desserts.  However, as we've moved away, we've come to live under a starting budget.  For us, that has meant naming our priorities.  Our list includes turkey, potatoes, hominey casserole, rolls, and cranberry applesauce.  Oh yeah.  And pumpkin pie cake!  For your family, it may mean Grandma's Spinach Dip or an olive and pickle platter.  Gather the family and get their input.  Then narrow down from there.

2. Make a List (and check it twice)

  Make a list of what you need.  And be sure to check your cupboards... twice... before you hit the stores. You may have a bag of cranberries tucked in the back of the freezer or an extra cake mix already in the back of the pantry.  Trust me, it happens.  Making a list will keep you both from overbuying and from forgetting that one essential item.  

3. Consolidate your Shopping

  There are great deals to be had this time of year, but for me, running from store to store spending time and gas just doesn't add up.  Pick the store with the best deals overall and go for it.  And sometimes it works out in more ways than one.  Some stores are offering discounted or free turkeys for purchasing a certain amount of groceries.  This year I'm consolidating my regular grocery shopping with my holiday shopping to meet my discounted turkey mark.

4. Spread the Cost (and the work)

  If you're inviting others into your home, accept help.  Many would love to help.  Thanksgiving is all about sharing blessings and being together.  People love to contribute and not only will it keep your cost down, but it will also add variety to your menu.

5. Know your Limits

  Thanksgiving doesn't have to include four desserts.  And no one expects you to do everything.  So give yourself, and your budget, a break.  Don't be afraid to ask for help and simplify if need be.  Know what works for you and enjoy the day.  

How are you celebrating Thanksgiving?

*Linked to these Parties

12 Things To Do in November to Make Christmas Run Smoother

This is the time of year that time seems to travel faster than the speed of light.  Each day passes quicker than the last and the to-do list seems to get longer and longer.  Every year we strive to slow down and savor the moment.  Breathe out the grouchy and breathe in the gratitude.  In an attempt to live in the moment, I'm doing 12 Things in November to Make Christmas Run Smoother.

1. Take your Christmas photo--Fall is the time for photos in our family.  With all three kids having fall birthdays, I take their photos in the fall anyways.  And try to squish in one of the family as well.  Plus the fall colors are simply gorgeous.  Even the silly candids come out looking picture perfect for a Christmas card.  And if not picture perfect, certainly a snap shot of where we're at in life.

2. Make a gift list--I am a huge bargain shopper.  So starting off the holiday season with an organized gift list gives me the chance to pick items up at a great price.  Plus having a gift list ensures that I don't forget someone while overbuying for others.

3. Purchase hostess gifts-- Don't forget those hostess gifts.  We do a lot of traveling during the holidays and it's fun to leave little gifts for our hostess as the budget allows.

4. Gather Christmas outfits--I love to take Christmas photos in front of the tree each year.  But in the rush of Christmas morning, it's so easy to let the kids just get dressed in whatever.  So this year, I'm planning ahead and picking outfits they'll love, but look nice in as well.

5. Save the date--December is very busy with events that only come once a year.  But the pressure to be everywhere can be overwhelming.  So it's important to put our most treasured events on the calendar early.  Some of those dates for us include the Christmas parade, Lydia's birthday party, our Christmas theater field trip, and Lydia's dance performance.

6. Make a master baking/grocery list--I come from a huge line of bakers and Lydia's caught the bug as well.  We start our baking in November every year just to savor the joy of being in the kitchen together.  Everyone has their favorites and I try to include those in my list, while buying ingredients as they go on sale to not knock my budget off course.

7. Check all decor items--Inevitablly, I seem to forget to put out some special decor item until I'm packing things away in January.  The last couple of years, I've tried to start sitting out some of those special items ahead of time in the garage and checking for any broken pieces that I can fix early on.  This is particually important with Christmas lights.  Checking those ahead of time saves a lot of running around on the day we finally get them hung.

8. Prep some freezer meals--December is certainly busy.  Besides Christmas, homeschooling, and sports, we also have all the holiday events as well as a December birthday and dance performance.  So while I'm cooking dinner in November, I try to double the recipe for the freezer.  On those nights when things get crazy, I can pull dinner from the freezer, saving time, money, and sanity.

9. Declutter--Some people love spring cleaning.  I get the bug to declutter in the fall.  December makes me feel a little crazy with everything coming into the house and I just feel the need to purge.  Don't take this as a huge decluttering event (unless you want to), but just work on it a little bit here and there.  Spend 15 minutes in a room or two during the week and do a quick decluttering, just the things that stick out to you the most.  And give yourself permission to stop after 15 minutes.

10. Deep clean--With out of town guests, I like to have my house looking a little fresher than usual.  So each weekend, I find a public room (living room, kitchen, bathrooms, etc) to do a deeper cleaning.  That way when December rolls around, I have a fresher, cleaner home to offer.

11. Stay healthy--There's a reason why we all catch the flu this time of year.  More sugar, less exercise and fresh air, unusual diets, and less sleep contribute to a run down immune system.  So this November (and December), I'm staying healthy.  Creating a healthy meal plan during the week to enjoy those holiday parties.  Making sure I'm getting lots of rest and bundling up for a walk in the fresh air.  Taking care of my health will allow us all to enjoy those fun holiday times even more.

12. De-stress--While I'm taking care of yourself, I plan to spend some time de-stressing as well.  Plan a girl's night out in November before the craziness to reconnect and laugh together.  Get a massage to unwind after all the cleaning and baking.  Pamper yourself to a pedicure to look festive and de-stress at the same time.  I'm remembering that a happier me affects my family's holiday experience as well.  And that makes for a very Merry Christmas.

What are you doing now to prepare for the craziness of the holidays?

Weekend Links

Thanksgiving Word Search Packet

Fall Decorating Ideas Under $10

The One Thing To Do List

Pressure Cooker Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

This Week:

What I Made: I had a spark of creativity this week.  We roasted pumpkin seeds and baked pumpkin nutella brownies.  Yum!  I also finally finished a couple of craft projects.

What I'm Reading:   I haven't been reading much this week.  I have November's book on hold at the library, but haven't picked it up yet.  Mostly I've been trying to get back into the habit of reading My Utmost for His Highest every day.

What I'm Doing: This weekend is finally slowing down a little between the craziness of October and the busyness of December.  We're going to a clothing exchange and maybe the farmer's market before the weather changes.

What I'm Watching: Survivor... Once Upon a Time... King of Queens... I think we have our bases covered... a little reality TV, a little drama, and a little comedy.

What I'm Enjoying:  all things pumpkin... teaching tumbling class... fun homeschool field trips...

What are you up to?

One Second Every Day {October 2016}

One second every day during the month of October... lots of fall ball, baking pumpkin bread,

C O N N E C T
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FTC DISCLOSURE: This video is not sponsored.

Contact us for business inquiries, reviews and collaborations: BethAnn_97@hotmail.com

Music Attribution:

All Good In The Wood by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: http://audionautix.com/

I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (http://www.youtube.com/editor)

Our 2016-2017 Homeschool Year: 12 Week Update

We're 12 weeks into our 2016-2017 homeschool year... already 1/3 of the way through.  So I figured it was time for a check in.  Here's what's going on with our K, 3rd, and 6th graders.

Contact us for business inquiries, reviews and collaborations: BethAnn_97@hotmail.com

FTC DISCLOSURE: This video is not sponsored.

Music Attribution:

Country Cue 1 by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (https://www.youtube.com/editor)

50 Great Ideas for Operation Christmas Child Shoebox

It's seems crazy to already be thinking about Christmas.  After all, my kids' Halloween buckets are still full.  But if you're thinking of filling an Operation Christmas Child shoe box, now is definitely the time to start thinking about Christmas.  Our shoe boxes are due at the end of the month and I've been trying to fill mine with items that are both practical and fun, while still communicating cross-culturally.  Here are 50 items that we've come up with:

Hygiene Items--
Bar soap
Small soap container
Washcloth
Hand towel
Hand towel roll to contain hygiene items
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Wet wipes
Deodorant
Tissues
Lip balm
Hair brush
Comb
Hair ties
Bandaids
Sanitary napkins
Barettes

Tools--
Small fishing kit
Small sewing kit
Small crafting kit
Small tools
Duct tape
Small tarp

School items--
Colored pencils
Pencils
Manual pencil sharpener
Highlighters
Pens
Watercolor paint set
Erasers
Coloring books (simple, without words)
Notebook

Clothing Items--
Scarf
Socks
Watch
Bracelets/Necklace

Toys--
Bouncy ball
Travel size games
Harmonica
Yo-Yo
Small stuffed animal
Glitter
Deflated Ball
Pump
Stickers
Playdoh
Jump rope
Matchbox cars
Kaleidoscope
Small puzzles in ziplocks

Have you packed an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox?

What items did you include?

The Weekly Wrap: Rewarding Good Behavior

In This Weekly Wrap…

We hit the baseball field, Josiah gets turned into a burrito, and the kids earn a treat for their good behavior.

Contact us for business inquiries, reviews and collaborations: BethAnn_97@hotmail.com

C O N N E C T
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FTC DISCLOSURE: This video is not sponsored.

Music Attribution:

For Mimi by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/

I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (http://www.youtube.com/editor)

September/October Homeschool Favorites

Some of our favorites this month in our homeschool!

Original Creator: FullTimeWifeLife
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX46Ne8I2Bg

Crockpot Lasagna Soup:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0fAMdIAhsg&t=4s

C O N N E C T
subscribe at http://www.youtube.com/creative2xmom
read at http://www.creative2xmom.blogspot.com
like me on http://www.facebook.com/creative2xmom
follow me on http://twitter.com/creative2xmom

FTC DISCLOSURE: This video is not sponsored.

Music Attribution:
Country Cue 1 by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (http://www.youtube.com/editor)