The Homemaking Party: The Beginning and End of Fall

Welcome to the Homemaking Party! Wow---before I could even do this fall season justice on the blog, it's already come and just about gone! We're supposed to be hit with our first Arctic Blast next week---sounds like Gatorade, but nope---it's code word for COLD!!!

Time to stock my cupboards and prepare for the inevitable snowing-in! Last winter, Jamie worked from home just as much as he went in, due to yucko roads. That's really not so bad...

Thanks for linking up at the Homemaking Party! 

George Washington's Secret Six --- Brian Kilmeade Book Signing Nov. 15th #FCEvents #FCBlogger #FoxNews

   This post is part of a promotion for Family Christian. I was compensated for sharing this information. All opinions are honest and are my own.

Those who live in the northeast Texas and southeast Oklahoma areas have the opportunity to attend author and Fox News personality, Brian Kilmeade's, book signing November 15th. Kilmeade will be signing copies of his new book co-authored with Don Yaeger, George Washington's Secret Six.

Family Christian bookstore of Plano, Texas will host the event at noon on 11/15. Address details are listed below.

About the Book (from Family Christian): When George Washington beat a hasty retreat from New York City in August 1776, many thought the American Revolution might soon be over. Instead, Washington rallied—thanks in large part to a little-known, top-secret group called the Culper Spy Ring. He realized that he couldn’t defeat the British with military might, so he recruited a sophisticated and deeply secretive intelligence network to infiltrate New York. 

Drawing on extensive research, Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger have offered fascinating portraits of these spies: a reserved Quaker merchant, a tavern keeper, a brash young longshoreman, a curmudgeonly Long Island bachelor, a coffeehouse owner, and a mysterious woman. Long unrecognized, the secret six are finally receiving their due among the pantheon of American heroes.

About the Authors (from Amazon): "Brian Kilmeade cohosts Fox News Channel’s morning show Fox & Friends and also hosts the nationally syndicated radio show Kilmeade & Friends. He lives on Long Island. Don Yaeger has written or co-written twenty-three books, and lives in Tallahassee, Florida."

Meet Brian Kilmeade at Plano Family Christian bookstore at noon on November 15th:

601 W PLANO PKWY #153

PLANO, TX 75075-8968

(972) 423-9568

Hope to see you there!

Littlest Pet Shop Party Ideas #LittlestPetShop #MC #sponsored #birthday

 I participated in an Influencer Activation Program on behalf of Influence-Central for Littlest Pet Shop. I received a sample to facilitate my review and a thank you item for participating.

Last week, Selah hosted a Littlest Pet Shop party and we all had a blast! It was a fun time for everyone with great treats, games, prizes and more! See how we partied with LPS---you're in for a treat!

Special guest Blythe Baxter, the cartoon's main character, showed up as a surprise for the guests! She helped Selah host the party and led games and snack time.

The kids started out by playing a couple of fun games. This one is called "Penny Ling Says". You can read all about how to play it in my post, Littlest Pet Shop Party Game Ideas.

 After that, it was time for a few rounds of Musical Paw Prints. Again, directions for this one can be found in my party games post. We used a YouTube track of the LPS theme song for our music on this one.

Avalon was pretty excited to be the big winner of the Blythe's Bedroom Style Set! It's her first LPS toy, as only her older sisters had some before this. 

I put one of these together to display on the party table and was impressed with how easily it came together. The directions made sense and featured clear photos, and the parts all snapped together well. Blythe decorated it for me and we had it all ready to set out on display in less than 30 minutes.

This new line of Littlest Pet Shop style sets allows kids to customize their own Pet Shop world in a way that is unique to them. Fans can make their own Downtown City, with stackable style sets and little accessories that plug into them for adorable accents. The sets can sit next to one another to make a city skyline scene, and there are stickers and other decorative pieces to make it perfect for play time.  Kids can also collect and customize 100+ new pets to live with Blythe in their Pet Shop world!

After game time, we enjoyed several LPS themed snacks. Sunill's Blue Mongoose Punch, Zoe's Perfect Puppy Chow, Russell's Hedgehog Treats, and Mrs. Twombly's Raspberry Parfaits, all made for some fun Littlest Pet Shop treats!

You can get the recipes for all our treats on my post called, Littlest Pet Shop Party Snack Recipes. They're all fun and easy ones to make and I offer a couple ideas for variations, as well.

After snack time, it was photo booth time! All the kids got to take turns posing with Blythe for fun photos!

A great time was definitely had by all! Do you have a Littlest Pet Shop party coming up in the future? I'd love to hear about it in the comment section below.

Littlest Pet Shop Party Game and Activity Ideas #LittlestPetShop #birthday #crafts

Last week, Selah hosted a Littlest Pet Shop party. We had yummy snacks and played some great games! Make sure to check out our Littlest Pet Shop Party Snacks post, as well!

We came up with a couple of fun games. The first was Musical Paw Prints. Special guest, Blythe Baxter, (aka Lynzie) made these adorable paw print pieces and arranged them in a circle on the floor.

I found the Littlest Pet Shop theme song on YouTube and played it as the kids walked from paw print to paw print. When I hit pause, they all had to stop on a print. As the game went on, we took away one print at a time, so that the person who didn't find a print when the music stopped was out. The last person standing on a print was the winner!

Our second game was, Penny Ling Says. We found this image of Penny Ling online and made a badge that the "caller" could wear during the game.

The caller pretended to be Penny Ling and called out commands to the group saying, "Penny Ling says _____."

The kids were full of giggles as "Penny Ling" told them to do silly things like balance on one foot or touch their noses to the floor. It was a fun way to celebrate in true Pet Shop style!

For more Littlest Pet Shop Activity Ideas, visit these fun sites:

Pin the Tail on the Kitty
Several Animal-Themed Games
Adorable LPS Egg Craft Idea
Pet House Craft
Build an LPS Playground
Travel Houses for Your Pets---super cute idea!

When Calls the Heart Series --- Review & Giveaway

When I was given the opportunity to review Volume One of the When Calls the Heart series, I was beyond thrilled! I've been reading Janette Oke's Canadian West series since I was a brand new bride---back in 1997! Her books are so inspiring and, while filled with love and romance, they're done in a tasteful way that reflects true Biblical standards for modesty, propriety, and Christian marriage.

I'm excited to see her books come alive in film, as well. This 3-DVD set includes the first six episodes that tell the beautiful story of Elizabeth Thatcher, a young teacher assigned to a small mining town in the Canadian West. She experiences a simple life in her new home---but it's definitely full of challenges. You'll enjoy watching her love story unfold and be encouraged in your faith.

Family Christian is giving away a free set to one US winner! Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below to snag your own free copy! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Littlest Pet Shop Party Snack Recipes #LittlestPetShop

Last week, Selah hosted a Littlest Pet Shop party with some adorable snacks and games! Be sure to visit our post on Littlest Pet Shop party games to round out your event. Check out these great ideas and let me know if you host your own Littlest Pet Shop party!

Zoe's Perfect Puppy Chow

9 c. square-shaped rice cereal 

1 c. chocolate chips

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/4 c. butter or margarine

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Measure cereal into a large bowl and set aside. Melt chocolate, peanut butter, and butter and stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal and stir well to coat. Put mixture in a 2-gallon size zip bag, along with powdered sugar. Shake until well-coated. Pour out on wax paper to cool. You can also stir the sugar into the cereal mix, but it's way messier and clumpy.

Russell's Hedgehog Treats

1 c. real butter

8 oz. cream cheese

2 lbs. powdered sugar

1 pkg. chocolate almond bark

1-2 c. chow mein noodles

Mix butter and cream cheese until smooth. Mix in powdered sugar completely. Spoon out oval-shaped clumps onto wax paper and refrigerate 1 hour. Melt almond bark and dip the pieces to coat well. Set on wax paper and immediately top with chow mein noodles. Let cool on the counter. A variation would be to either mix coconut into the cream cheese mix or top the candies with toasted coconut instead of the dry noodles.

These are just your average flavored gelatin in a cup, topped with whipped topping. You can use some of the almond bark to make little chocolate shapes to stick into the dessert.

Just pour your melted chocolate into some semblance of your desired shape and let harden in the fridge a couple minutes. Remove with a spatula and try to handle them as little as possible as they do melt in your hand.

Here are a few more Littlest Pet Shop snack ideas from around the web. Happy partying!

Pet Themed Snacks & Creative Serving Ideas

Healthy Hedgehog and More

Assortment of Cute Food Ideas

Sweet & Healthy Food Tray Ideas

$1650 Christmas Cash Giveaway!!!

Thanks to some amazing bloggers we were able to come collectively together with a

 CASH PRIZE of $1650.  

Yes, you read it correctly, $1650!   

What could you do with a little extra cash 

this holiday season? 

 Enter our giveaway and good luck. 

Giveaway to run November 1st - November 22nd  with the winner receiving their cash on Black Friday so they can start shopping for the Christmas Holiday.

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Giveaway will run from October 31st 11:59 PM CST to November 22nd, 12 AM CST

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Building the Columbia River Highway {Book Giveaway & Review}

Welcome to the Homemaking Party! Hope everyone is having a lovely week so far!

I love to read about interesting things in history, and it's even more fun to read about places I'm familiar with. What's most fun of all, though, is when I read something written by someone I know! It's easy to put a real voice to the narrative---just like my friend is reading to me from miles away! Today I'm sharing a great book with you, Building the Columbia River Highway: They Said It Couldn't Be Done by Peg Willis. I'm even giving away a FREE COPY in a worldwide giveaway, so make sure to check out the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win. If you just can't wait to get your hands on the book, you can purchase one in my Etsy shop.

Book Description: An Artist's Dream, an Engineer's Nightmare. When nine-hundred-foot ice age floods carved the Columbia River Gorge through the Cascade Mountains to the sea, little space was left for man to form a highway of his own. It took an artist-poet-engineer extraordinaire to conquer this reluctant piece of real estate and produce the nation's first scenic highway. Meet Sam Hill, the mover and shaker, and Samuel Lancaster, the polio survivor, who turned modern engineering on its ear to create a "poem in stone." Today, Oregon's historic Columbia River Highway is hidden among the trees, where it meanders past spectacular waterfalls and dramatic views. Ride along with Peg Willis as she explores the beginnings of this miracle highway and the men who created it.

My Thoughts: Building the Columbia River Highway tells the story of one of my favorite places on Earth---the breathtaking Columbia River Gorge. Unless you've actually been there, it's hard to imagine how amazing it really is, but Peg does a great job in getting you close. Up until this past year, I'd lived my entire life within 2-20 minutes of the Columbia River and spent months' worth of hours fishing, boating, swimming, and driving in this beautiful area. Even so, there was great info in Peg's book that I wasn't aware of.

I love how Peg discusses obvious geological events, like the ice age and floods, while staying true to her Creationist point of view and giving glory to God all the way. Thanks for helping us Christians to look intelligent! Building the Columbia River Highway is an excellent resource for homeschoolers, history buffs, and anyone interested in the further settling of the West.

Now it's time to win your own copy! This one's open to readers worldwide! a Rafflecopter giveaway Linking with:

Our October Healthy Habits with LISTERINE #sponsored #MC

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for LISTERINE. I received samples for this review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

A few weeks ago, we received a big selection of LISTERINE floss, rinses, and breath strips to try out and we've really been enjoying the results. Oral care and hygeine are really important to my husband and I---especially when it comes to our kids. With a big family like ours, it's important to establish good routines for the kids when caring for their teeth and gums, as well as our own. With a few great plaque and cavity fighting products, along with regular dental checkups, we can have a healthy oral care routine and feel good about the outcome.

The Avengers themed anticavity flouride rinse is great for kids as it helps prevent cavities and removes particles that they might miss when brushing. Even though I can see they've really been trying to be more thorough in their brushing, it's nice to know they're getting in this extra backup afterward.
As I said before, most of the kids really like to floss and the soft floss in the Gentle Gum Care line is just right for sensitive gums. A few of the kids have established a good habit of nightly flossing and have the winning smiles to prove it!

Jamie has been using this Healthy White mouthrinse. It removes and prevents stains, is gentle on tooth enamel, and helps kill germs. He is starting to see a whitening difference for sure, and appreciates that it's not a strong or harsh formula. He's also asked for more of these breath strips for his pocket at work. 

As for the handled flosser, either I didn't get the hang of it or it was just too much of an impact on my sensitive gums, but it wasn't working out for me. However, Jamie likes that it gets back into hard to reach places and will probably want some replacement pieces for it soon, as well.

Overall, I think we're pretty satisfied with our LISTERINE experience. What are your favorite healthy habits and routines?

Check out this list of locations to purchase LISTERINE products, as well as these healthy habits videos on YouTube.

Tahitian Vanilla Berry Smoothie for a Prenatal Protein Boost #CollectiveBias

 This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CollectiveBias

You all know how ready I am for another sweet baby! Brenna will be two in less than two months and I'm missing those snuggly 3:00 am feedings and tiny diapers and tiny toes... As much as I'd love to be expecting a new little one right now, there are a few simple things I can be doing in the meantime to prepare myself to have the healthiest pregnancy possible. One important thing is to focus on good nutrition. I recently found this awesome new product, Baby Booster, that gives a good dose of protein---and more---before, during, and after pregnancy. In some cases, it even helps with the dreaded morning sickness.

Babies are always welcome as precious gifts around here, but they don't come without some sacrifice. Many pregnant women have a hard time getting the nutrients they need to keep themselves feeling energetic and healthy during pregnancy. I've had 10 pregnancies and each one of them could have been so much better than it was if I'd have focused more on nutrition. 

I found Baby Booster at Collier Drug in Johnson. Baby Booster can be found at several Northwest Arkansas Collier stores, or online at TheBabyBooster.com. Lynzie and I had a little too much fun drooling over the cute boutique items in this store! Lots of cuddly stuffed animals, sweet smelling lotions, and several flavors of Baby Booster to choose from.

Baby Booster is a safe choice for pregnant and nursing moms, as well as diabetics and those who eat gluten free. With 20g of protein and only 2g of sugar, I was able to use Baby Booster to satisfy my hunger cravings and sweet tooth at the same time! As you'll see in my recipe below, I didn't add any extra sweetener to my smoothie and was actually surprised that the powder gave the drink just the right amount of sweet flavor. Baby Booster contains no soy, preservatives, artificial sweeteners or flavors, and no gluten. Plus, it includes all of your daily vitamins!

This is both a milk soluble and water soluble powder so it's excellent for use in many of your favorite recipes. I made this simple and delicious shake using the Tahitian Vanilla flavor. To make this smoothie, just mix 1 c. milk, 1 c. frozen berries, 5-8 ice cubes, and 1 scoop of Baby Booster. Mix it up in a blender and enjoy any time of day.

Let me know if you try Baby Booster. I'd love to hear about your favorite ways to use it.

Trying Out a New Fast Drying Fabric Softener #FastDrySaveTime #shop #cbias

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FastDrySaveTime #shop #cbias

Are you buried under a mountain of laundry? Lynzie and I find ourselves there just about every day! Last week I picked up something new, Suavitel Fast Dry Fabric Softener and Conditioner. I think it will be great for helping us get our laundry done quicker each day. Our dryer normally takes twice as long as the washer does to get the job done, and Suavitel helps to get clothes dry up to 30% faster than loads without it.

We love to spend time exploring the beautiful area we live in, so when the kids know there is something fun scheduled for the day, they get their chores done as fast as they can. Anything that will help move that process along more quickly is much welcomed around here. Especially since lots of adventures mean lots of laundry!

I found Suavitel in the Fabric Softener section at Walmart. There are several varieties of Suavitel, but only those in the bright pink bottle contain the Fast Dry technology. I must point out that I was surprised by the low cost of this 135 oz. jug. I picked mine up for less than $7.00. Fast Dry comes in two scents: Fabulous Field Flowers and Magical Morning Sun. 

Suavitel Fast Dry fabric conditioner features a special technology that quickly removes water from fabric to help clothes dry. Not only does this give you more time for fun adventures, but it means clothes have less time in the dryer, saving you energy costs at home. Keep in mind that each bottle will do approximately 82 small loads and Suavitel is made for high efficiency washers.

You don't have to have a big family or take wild adventures through the Ozarks to benefit from Suavitel Fast Dry. What will you do with all the time you save?

The Homemaking Party

I'm half way there! Yes, it's true! My birthday is tomorrow (Thursday) and I'll be a whopping 35 years old! I'm so excited! Jamie took the day off from work and he's making me a fabulous cake and there's presents...and all my kids are excited...and it's just goona be FUN!!! Thanks for stopping by the Homemaking Party. Hope you're having a great week!

Linking with:

A Little Shabby Chic Motivation

Sometimes motivation can be found in the strangest places---even at a yard sale.

Last Friday, I stopped by a yard sale my friends were having in the church gym. After wandering around a few minutes, picking things off the tables that I thought I could resell in my Etsy shop, I made one last pass by the clothing tables and stumbled on this:

 As I turned it over in my hands and checked the zipper and seams, my friend said, "that's my old prom dress." 

"What year?" I asked her, sheepishly. 

"1986."

I immediately saw dollar signs, as 80s prom dresses go for good money on Etsy and eBay. After a conversation with my group of friends at the checkout table, I headed for the door saying, "Yeah, if I could fit into this dress, I'd definitely wear it!"

Fast forward to Sunday morning. We had a little time before church so I decided to iron it and get it ready to photograph and list on Etsy. I figured I'd start it out at $135 on eBay and list it for $140 flat on Etsy.

After I got it all arranged on my broken mannequin, Legless Matilda, I went to my closet to get my shoes so I could take everything outside and get some great romantic pictures. As I turned to leave my closet, I spied my favorite burgundy top that I used to love to wear when we lived in Seattle a few years ago. It doesn't fit anymore, but I keep it around because of that tiny spark of hope still in me.

I thought how cute it would be with this dress. I thought about all the great pictures Jamie could get of me spinning around in a field somewhere with the lacy dress and the burgundy velvet, and my long bleach-blonde hair. (I keep thinking that by the time I ever lose some weight, I'll have really, really long hair...)

I decided to measure the waist on the dress, just for fun. I thought, surely it's smaller than I was in high school. I wore an 11/12 in high school and probably could have stood to lose 20 pounds without sacrificing my curves.

I pulled out my measuring tape. 32 inches. My heart started fluttering. Jamie wore a 32 jean size in high school and I remember always wanting to wear his Calvin Kleins but they'd be too small in the thigh and too big in the waist. 

I grabbed my phone and googled, what size is a 32" waist?"

"14."

That's a FOURTEEN, ya'll. A 14 is doable. It's more than doable. That's 12 sizes and I don't know how many pounds away from where I'm at now, but that's 3 sizes up from my kinda chubby high school years. 

So, stay tuned as I do this thing.

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