Mad Tea Party 2015 ~~ Featuring Alice and the Mad Hatter and Plenty of Sweet Treats

Yay! It's finally arrived! The day of the big, multi-blog Mad Tea Party, hosted by A Fanciful Twist. I participated last year for the first time and was on pins and needles this spring to see when she'd announce the date for this year's. (See last year's party here.) I've had so much fun picking out pretty dishes and delicious treats to set out for my party. I've even got a giveaway for you all at the end of the post! It's going to be a wonderful party so make sure you visit Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist starting Saturday morning to see all the unique ideas from tons of your favorite bloggers.

Last night, a little bit of magic sparkled into our house in the form of a gloriously mad tea party---right in our living room! It was a party fit for an Alice, with a few fun surprises hidden amongst the tea and treats.

I heard the squeals of delight and came running in to find Alice reaching for this plate of goodies. It's awfully hard to resist sweet creme wafer cookies when they appear in one's living room so invitingly!

When Alice picked up the bottle labeled, "Drink Me", she saw a flash of light and a little man in a funny hat popped out to greet her. She remembered him from a dream she'd once had---she'd called him the Mad Hatter, for he was forever changing his mind and making senseless remarks.

"What day of the month is it? he said, turning to Alice: he had taken his watch out of his pocket, and was looking at it uneasily, shaking it every now and then, and holding it to his ear." ~Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Chapter Seven

Alice, being just a tiny little thing, did not quite know what to say to this. Instead, she continued to examine the delightful things around the table.

She found a surprise of cucumber treats and jelly-filled sweets. "Curiouser and curiouser!" cried Alice (she was so much surprised that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English)." ~Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Chapter Two

"Soon her eye fell on a little glass box that was lying under the table: she opened it, and found in it a very small cake, on which the words "EAT ME" were beautifully marked...

So she set to work, and very soon finished off the cake." ~Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Chapter One

"Suppose it were nine o'clock in the morning, just time to begin lessons: you'd only have to whisper a hint to Time, and round goes the clock in a twinkling! Half-past one, time for dinner!" ~Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Chapter Seven

As Alice made her way around the table, she found luscious Lemon Tea Cookies beckoning from a pretty pink biscuit jar...and a strangely familiar pig baby peeking out from a fruit basket.

"Here! You may nurse it a bit, if you like!" the Duchess said to Alice, flinging the baby at her as she spoke...Alice caught the baby with some difficulty, as it was a queer-shaped little creature...there could be no mistake about it: it was neither more nor less than a pig, and she felt that it would be quite absurd for her to carry it any further. "If it had grown up," she said to herself, "it would have made a dreadfully ugly child: but it makes rather a handsome pig, I think." And she began thinking over other children she knew, who might do very well as pigs, and was just saying to herself "if one only knew the right way to change them---" ~Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Chapter Six

"Now it's time to pour the tea," said the Mad Hatter. "Do you take cream in yours?" The Hatter poured Alice a cup and, as she sipped, she felt herself becoming quite sleepy. She laid her head down on the table and began to dream of daisy chains and white rabbits and other beautiful things...

I had a lot of fun putting together our Mad Tea Party and now I'm extending the fun to you! Check out the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win an Alice and Mad Hatter prize package. The giveaway will remain open until 12 AM Central on Sunday, July 12th. Make sure to tell your friends and visit the other Mad Tea Partiers at A Fanciful Twist, beginning Saturday morning, July 11th.

Enter to win an Alice and Mad Hatter prize package including:

• Your choice of one 5 Postcard Set from AFancifulTwist on Etsy (value $6.50)
• An Alice in Wonderland sticker booklet
• Two Alice's Adventures in Wonderland decorative tags

For some interesting reading on the "real Alice", check out my book review of, Alice I Have Been.  a Rafflecopter giveaway Linking with:
Beverly's Pink Saturday
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Show and Tell Friday (and Everything Else) @ My Romantic Home

Foodie Friday @ Rattlebridge Farm 

Pintastic Party

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The Creative Collection @ Craft-O-Maniac

Creativity Unleashed

The Party Bunch

One More Time

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Sunday Funday

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Sunday Linkup at ARWB

The Art of Homemaking

Inspiration Monday @ Your Homebased Mom

Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Motivate Me Monday 

Modest Monday @ The Modest Mom 

Living Proverbs 31

Inspire Me Monday @ Create With Joy 

A Round Tuit @ Creating My Way to Success 

Making Your Home Sing Monday
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Tea Time Tuesday @ Rose Chintz Cottage

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A Return to Loveliness @ A Delightsome Life 

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Women Helping Women @ Teaching What Is Good 

(Titus 2)s Days @ Time Warp Wife

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How to Talk to Your Daughter About Her Period

Talking to your daughter about her period can be a little intimidating. A lot of moms aren't sure how to approach the subject and struggle with how much information is too much to give. I've found that sticking to the facts in a positive way keeps communication open with my girls. It also helps to buy them their own products before they're actually needed and stash them away for when they are. This week I picked up a few things for Selah and made her a small gift basket.

When I first discussed her cycle with her, Selah had a lot of questions. I approached it in a positive way and didn't use phrases like, "I'm not ready for this" or "Why can't you stay a little girl?" This is a sensitive time for preteens and I don't want to give her any reason to think the changes she's going through are anything to be embarrassed or ashamed of.

I put everything together in this pretty basket and then showed her how it would be her own special basket in the bathroom cupboard that everyone else would have to stay out of. It's easy to pull out on the weeks she needs it and then store away in the cabinet until the next month.

Selah is excited about her new products. The fun colors and designs on the packages make her excited to use them and because I'm not freaking out, she's not either. I'm looking forward to this next stage of her life and I think she'll move into it with grace and maturity.

Celebrating Independence Day with Walmart Family Mobile #Save4Summer #ad #cbias

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Walmart Family Mobile. All opinions are mine alone. #Save4Summer #CollectiveBias

My budgeting responsibilities the last few months have involved a delicate balancing of fun family activities and saving money for the England trip Lynzie and I are taking in September. While I've wanted to throw every extra sent into our travel fund, I've also wanted to make sure we're making memories here at home. With Independence Day coming up this weekend, I want to make some special treats and you know Jamie is going to want to take the kids to buy a load of fireworks! (Lighting a $50 bill on fire and watching it burn isn't as exciting, I guess...) One thing that has really helped free up more money each month is the switch we made to Walmart Family Mobile.

At only $29.88 per month (for the first line), we are paying about 1/4 of what we did with our old carrier. The new 4G LTE service gives faster and more consistent data service than 3G broadband, including better media streaming and reliable access to data-intensive apps. This means I can download movies and music a whole lot faster with the 4G LTE network and my husband loves it because he can watch Netflix on his phone.

Jamie's mom will be here for our 4th of July celebration so we're planning some fun things. Jamie loves to take the kids to buy a bunch of fireworks---a few traditional ones, and several ones we've never tried before. When I was a kid, I loved sparklers the best, but our kids seem to like the colorful fountains more. I'm planning some great barbecue food and a couple desserts like our traditional "4th of July Pie" and maybe some red velvet cupcakes too. It's nice to have more money in the grocery budget since our new phone plan is helping us save.

I found the LG Leon at Walmart on a rack dedicated to Walmart Family Mobile phones. Walmart Family Mobile service is $29.88/month (for the first line) and includes an Unlimited Talk, Text, and Data service plan, including up to 1G of 4G LTE data. Disclaimer: All prices for phones and plans included in this post are accurate as of the date of posting; however, these prices are subject to change. Please refer to http://cbi.as/ax84 or your local Walmart for current pricing.

When you go buy your phone, make sure no matter which phone you choose, you grab the Starter Kit to go with it. You will use this to activate your phone in the store or online. Your store may require you to pick up a card similar to this one and take it to the counter to retrieve the actual Starter Kit.

This Independence Day, I'm thankful for the health and happiness of my family. I'm thankful we can spend great times together making memories and I'm thankful for the options Walmart Family Mobile provides to help me keep our essential household costs manageable. How will you celebrate the 4th of July this year? Let me know in the comments below!

The {Not Just} Homemaking Party

Thanks for stopping by The {Not Just} Homemaking Party! Hope you're finding some relaxation in your week so far!

We Found the 7th Minion in Our Cereal Box! #The7thMinion #ad #cbias

 This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #The7thMinion #CollectiveBias

One of my favorite childhood memories is the day after grocery shopping when my brother and I would wake up to new cereal and the possibility of a prize! My mom would sometimes let us each pick out a box of cereal and the prize inside was definitely a determining factor. This was back in the day when the toy was buried down in the cereal package and my mom wouldn't let us dig. Sometimes we'd have to wait three or more breakfasts before it surprise-landed into our cereal bowls.

Mom shopped every two weeks for our family of four. Now I shop every five days for our family of 11---and breakfast cereal is now a rare treat, rather than an every morning occurrence. Since it's not in my budget to buy nine boxes of cereal at a time, it's an extra special day if you're one of the two or three that I let choose a box on shopping day. Yesterday I surprised the kids with three boxes of General Mills cereal. We were on the hunt for a specific toy---the 7th Minion---to celebrate the new movie coming out.

The 7th Minion is only available in specially marked boxes at Walmart. Look for XL and Family Size boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, Reese's Puffs, Trix, Cocoa Puffs, and Golden Grahams. 

The 7th Minion is the "Prehistoric" one---here in the middle. We found two cavemen and the Prehistoric one. The kids were pretty excited. They like how the little guys can link arms and stand up together. Are you a fan of the Minions? Their new movie is coming out soon so make sure to start your collection now.

Avalon found the 7th Minion in the box of Lucky Charms---pretty lucky, huh? Cainan pointed out that they found the first caveman in our box of Honey Nut Cheerios and the second one in our box of Trix---which was a "trick" since we got two of the same one. Ha! Head to Walmart and look for your own 7th Minion. You might get lucky too!

Enjoying a Summer with Grandma #GiveHeartburnARest #ad #cbias

 This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone and should not be taken as medical advice. #GiveHeartburnARest #CollectiveBias

Grandma Brenda is coming to visit tomorrow and the Coller Kids are super excited! We've not seen Jamie's mom for about a year and a half so we're ready to go have some Arkansas summer fun and make some memories. Last time she visited was the middle of winter and Jamie wrecked the van the day after she came so we were stuck inside the whole time. We'll make up for it this time with a few great activities and lots of photos! 

One key to having a great time with family and friends is to make sure I'm feeling well. I've always experienced heartburn during pregnancy, but even now, after not having a baby for over two years, I still feel it flare up often. Feeling bad affects my overall mood and makes me a real grump for my family. Nexium 24HR is a heartburn medication that treats those who suffer from frequent heartburn. Taking one Nexium 24HR a day can give you all-day, all-night protection from frequent heartburn.

I found Nexium 24HR at Walgreens near the pharmacy. There's a special section for heartburn medications, but I found mine on sale on an end cap. See that one with the coupon? That's the one I grabbed. I got lucky---a sale and a coupon! Make sure to shop Walgreens for Nexium 24HR and save $3 off a 42ct. package during the month of June. 

Grandma Brenda has always been a fun grandma for the kids. She loves to be a part of whatever they're doing and enjoys being silly, too. I know we'll have a blast visiting the Pea Ridge battlefield, the splash pad in Bentonville, and enjoying the 4th of July festivities in Bella Vista. I'm sure the kids also have a couple fun things planned that I've not heard about yet.

Then there's the food to be enjoyed...ha! Southern cuisine is delicious but it can definitely make the heartburn kick in. Fried catfish, fried onions, fried hush puppies, fried okra, and gallons of sweet tea are sure to be an issue for someone prone to heartburn, but a course of treatment with Nexium 24HR can help relieve the pain. 

I'm excited for all this summer has in store for our family! How can Nexium 24HR help you have a better summer? Let me know in the comments below!

SCOTUS' Gay Marriage Ruling Just Did Christians a Huge Favor

Social media is buzzing today with the Supreme Court's ruling that gay marriage is now the law of the land. Pro-gays are cheering and anti-gays are angry and Christians are scouring Pinterest for end-of-the-world memes. My thoughts today have little to do with how I feel about homosexual marriage. In fact, even if you are one who is thrilled with today's ruling, there's no reason to take issue with anything this opponent of gay marriage has to say today. If you're as tolerant as most of you say you are then you'll likely be indifferent to my point of view. Just remember: if you don't like what I have to say, you need to suck it up and take your own medicine now...and be tolerant.

Any Bible-believing Christian (I'm talking about the real ones who actually take the Bible literally and accept it in it's entirety and don't take stuff out of context and build a doctrine around it and...) knows that anti-Biblical freedoms mean restrictions for those who live by the Word and we're understandably upset. But let me tell you why I'm not too upset. Besides the fact that we all pretty much knew this was coming, what some believers are missing is that the Supreme Court just did Christians a huge favor. 

SCOTUS turned on the light for us.

God has a way of turning bad stuff into good stuff and that's what's happened today. Every single hypocritical Conservative, pastor, church leader, Libertarian will now be exposed. No longer is gay marriage one of those things we can contemplate over coffee and finally agree to disagree about since there's really no right or wrong answer. People have a way of using law as an excuse. Have you ever heard anyone say, "Oh, I don't know. I mean, I hear what you're saying but I just don't think I should judge that 45 year old man for sleeping with that 10 year old girl." No? That's because, no matter what kind of "love relationship" they might have, the act is illegal. So it doesn't matter what we think about it---we always fall back on the law.

Now---well, hey! God's definition of marriage is no longer the way it goes in America! So good news, old man. America didn't just "redefine" marriage---we annihilated it. Anything is up for grabs now! If a man can marry a man, then a man can marry a dog, or his breakfast. Or a 45 year old man can marry a 10 year old girl---'cause it's all about tolerance.

On comes the light---and trust me, many of us will be using a spotlight. Every false leader, and false follower, for that matter, is about to be exposed.

This is not about love winning. Christian, do you love someone? Then tell them the truth about what God's word says regarding homosexuality. Tell them the truth about Jesus' love that is more than just fuzzy-feeling tolerance. It's a love deep enough that He allows us to sink so low that He's the only One who can pull us up. Be ready to share real love---the kind that is absolutely intolerant of sin. Because this happy new law is ushering in a wave of hurt like this country has never seen before. 

SCOTUS did us a favor today. They forced us out of the hiding place.

Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies

Good morning! Today the Coller Kids are headed out for our weekly library day! It's beautiful, sunny, and roasting hot! Hope you all are having a great week!

My mom is the most excellent cookie-baker I know. She has a knack for making soft, moist, chewy cookies that don't harden up after they're cooled. I've used several of her recipes but I still can't get it right! She has a delicious recipe for Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies for us today. 

Why I Use Oats In My Cookie Recipes

  Have you noticed I use oats quite often in my cookie recipes? It is all about the calories! 1 Cup of flour= 455 calories while 1 cup of rolled oats= 300 calories. Also, oats are better for us!

  Do you need a cookie recipe for all those zucchinis the neighbors bring you? Here is a good one!

Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies
mix:     1/2 cup oil
            3/4 cup sugar
            1 egg
            1 tsp vanilla extract
            2 cups oats
stir in: 1 1/2 cups flour
            1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
            1/2 tsp soda
            2 cups shredded zucchini

Bake on greased cookie sheet at 350º for 10 minutes.

Thanks for stopping by the Homemaking Party. I'm excited to see what you've got to share!
Th

Establishing Healthy Habits at Home #LISTERINEMom #ad

I received LISTERINE® Brand products and a Walgreens gift card from Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc. and The Motherhood as part of my participation in the LISTERINE® Brand Totally Taken Care Of program. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own.

This year I've had the privilege to serve as an ambassador for LISTERINE®, bringing you all the news on products to promote oral health and good habits. Earlier in the year, I talked about the LISTERINE® 21-Day Challenge, and followed up last month with some info on LISTERINE® Total Care Mouthwash---the rinse that helps prevent cavities, restores enamel, strengthens teeth, provides total mouth cleansing, and more. As the mother and homemaker in my family, it's my job to make sure everyone is totally taken care of---a big responsibility that I take seriously.

In addition to teaching my kids good hygiene habits and providing them with quality products to do so, there are other aspects to this "totally taken care of" thing. Another way I make sure their needs are met is by stocking the kitchen with healthy and hearty foods to make regular, sit-down meals with. I make it a habit to serve fresh, raw fruit with every breakfast and fresh, raw vegetables with every lunch. Of course, I include fruits and veggies in the meals I cook, as well, but establishing this habit years ago ensures that, even if I serve popcorn for dinner now and then, I know they've had some nutrient-rich food that day, as well. Tonight I made Touch Down Taco Dip for Father's Day. This is a healthy family favorite and can be served with corn chips, celery sticks, or cucumber slices to use for dipping.

Another thing I can do to promote positive habits in my family is to make sure we get some sunshine and exercise. We're not really the type of family to go for a run or a bike ride---too many age differences to make that feasible right now---but we love adventures. One of our favorite places to hang out is the Pea Ridge Battlefield just minutes from our home. There are miles of hiking trails and tons of history to keep our imaginations going strong! We also like to take basketballs, footballs, and scooters to the park at a nearby lake. That way there's something for everyone to enjoy.

In the past, I've wanted to come up with great strategies, routines, and plans to achieve our family's goals. I'm learning that a few goals at a time helps build regular habits and that we really do just need to take things a day at a time and give one another grace as we learn. What are some things you've implemented to keep your family totally taken care of?

Make sure to shop Walgreens for LISTERINE® Total Care Mouthwash and other helpful hygiene products and check out the 21-Day Challenge to help establish good rinsing routines in your family.

BBQ Elk Steak

 Intense stars lighted the way for a visit of an almost full moon. Wind in our faces, cobblestone streets and horse drawn carriages...

Good morning! Welcome to the Homemaking Party! Today my mom, Christy, is guest posting with a great recipe and some special memories.

Today I made bbq elk steak in my crock pot. The smell reminded me of my mother's kitchen. It is amazing how certain smells can bring back such wonderful memories.

Last week one of my little sisters found mom's favorite perfume on Etsy. She bought each of us 6 siblings a bottle of Avon's Moonwind in the original 1974 "Courting Carriage" glass bottles.                                     Even our brother got one! isn't that sweet?

BBQ Elk Steak
3 pounds elk steak (or beef steak)
18 ounces of your favorite bbq sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Cook on low in crock pot for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. Pull apart with two forks.

I am sure mom would be proud of my bbq elk steak served on a bun. It tastes delicious and smells even better!

Thanks for stopping by the Homemaking Party! Can't wait to see what you've got to share this week!

Caring for Our High Mileage 15-Passenger Van with Pennzoil #FuelTheLove #Ad #cbias

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

When Jamie and I were in the early years of parenthood, we joked that if God kept growing our family, we'd end up with a "church van" someday. Well, that day came sooner than we thought it would and we found ourselves the proud owners of a 15 passenger van after baby #7 came along! We bought a 1999 Ford Econoline that had been used by a local boy scout troop since being purchased new. That was five years ago and it's been more than just good luck that's kept this van running as long as it has. While we don't deny it's been a blessing from God from the beginning, some good vehicle maintenance on our part, including regular oil changes, has gone a long way in keeping it going with as many miles as we've put on it.

Our van has been faithful to transport us all between Seattle and Eastern Oregon numerous times, as well as on our cross-country move out to Arkansas a couple years ago. It's still going strong and dependably making sure we get to ballet, church---even the kids' first formal dance---safely and on time.

One way we keep it running smoothly is by getting regular oil changes using High Mileage oil from Pennzoil. We like Pennzoil because it cleans out yucky sludge that other oils might leave behind and it's designed to allow you to drive an extra 550 miles per year on a cleaner engine. On top of that, Pennzoil also offers a free warranty, covering fifteen engine parts that may fail due to engine wear or which take on abnormal wear from  friction. (For more information, check out the Pennzoil Warranty Site.) 

It's really convenient for us to take our van in to the Walmart Automotive Care Center every few months because the crew there can change our oil while we shop. Jamie took it out last night to have it done after work and by the time he finished his other store errands, they were done.  

The High Mileage formula comes in these brownish/gold bottles and can also be found near the Automotive Center for those in-between service times when your oil is running low. It is great for vehicles over 75,000 miles. This formula specifically helps to reduce leaks and oil use in worn-out or higher mileage engines and is uniquely designed for late model vehicles with over 75,000 miles.

Now through September 9, Pennzoil oil changes at Walmart will be on Rollback. The High Mileage change like we got is $35.88, compared to the regular Walmart price of $39.88, and the Platinum Full Synthetic oil change is $45.88, compared to the regular Walmart price of $49.88. 

I don't think they make them much bigger than 15 passenger but we've still got four spots left. I'm not sure if we'll ever fill them up, but we'll do our best to keep treating the van well and make sure it runs for a long time more---just in case.