Shabby Chic Birthday Party Pudding Cups #ReadySetSnack #ad #cbias

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

I'll admit, it's been so hard for me to wait for today to post these adorable pudding cups! Aren't they the absolute cutest things? Brenna's third birthday is still over three months away and I'm already planning the prettiest, shabby-chiciest party ever! These super sweetly-decorated Hershey's Chocolate Pudding Cups and Hershey's S'mores Pudding Cups are going to make her party table look beautiful!

Hershey's chocolate has been around longer than anyone currently on Earth has, yet they're still coming up with awesome new ways for us to enjoy the rich, creamy, cocoa flavor. These two varieties are great snack sizes for an excellent party dessert. I recently tried the S'mores flavor for the first time and loved the marshmallowy-graham-crackery taste of the white mousse on top of the signature taste of the chocolate pudding below.

These are great for an after school snack. In fact, you don't have to wait for a party to pretty them up. Make some special for your kids to enjoy when they get home. They'll love it!

I found Hershey's pudding cups at Walmart near the gelatin and yogurt cups in the refrigerated section. They were easy to spot with the well-known Hershey's logo on the package. I like to buy these for convenient snacks for the kids' picnic lunches or afternoon snacks.  They're easy for the kids to access on their own and make a good treat to tide them over until dinner time. Make sure to check the September/October issue of All You magazine for a coupon.

I like to pretty things up whenever I get the opportunity so I decided to make a cute party snack idea to share with you all. It's easy to decorate your own pudding cups in colors and patterns that go with any occasion. Just start with some coordinating fabrics and buttons or other embellishments. Be sure to keep the foil lids on your pudding cups until you're finished with the project.

Cut thin strips of fabric that will go around the cups with a bit leftover to overlap. You could even use pinking shears for a pretty fabric edge.

Next, wipe a spot of the cups really well with a dry cloth to remove moisture. You'll want to have all your supplies ready to go before this point because the refrigerated cups will quickly collect moisture again.

Immediately attach a glue dot or spot of hot glue (don't touch the plastic cup with the metal tip of the glue gun).

Then set your fabric strip on the glue dot at an angle.

Wrap the strip around the cup and adhere with another glue dot. Use a glue dot to attach a cute, contrasting button and you're all set!

What simple ideas do you have to brighten up Hershey's Chocolate Pudding Cups and Hershey's S'mores Pudding Cups for a party table? Let me know in the comments below and make sure to check these out next time you're looking for a great afternoon snack for your kids!

Fresh and Youthful Skin with RoC Multi CORREXION products #RoCWrinkleRanking #IC #ad

I participated in a Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for RoC Skincare. I received products to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

My mom has always been one of the most beautiful people I can think of and I'm always so proud to show her off to my friends. People make comments that she doesn't look old enough to have a daughter my age (which isn't very flattering to me...ha!). One way she has stayed looking youthful is by using quality skincare products. Like it or not, I'm not getting any younger, so it's time for me to start thinking about stepping up my skincare regimen a little and slow down the effects of aging on my own skin. I'm excited for the opportunity to keep my skin looking fresh and youthful with the help of RoC Skincare products.

I recently received two RoC products to try out: RoC MULTI CORREXION 5 in 1 Daily Moisturizer and RoC Multi CORREXION 5 in 1 Restoring Night Cream. Target carries a great line of RoC products. Check out the Target website for selection.

RoC MULTI CORREXION 5 in 1 Daily Moisturizer with Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30 is gentle enough for daily use, while still giving you powerful anti-aging results. In a clinical study, 100% of women saw improvement in skin radiance, texture, and reduction of fine lines after using it for four months. Over 80% of women saw improvement in the appearance of age spots and under-eye wrinkles. RoC MULTI CORREXION 5 in 1 Daily Moisturizer is available nationwide at many of your favorite stores for a suggested retail price of $28.99 for a 1.7 fl. oz. bottle.

RoC Multi CORREXION 5 in 1 Restoring Night Cream targets five signs that cause skin to appear aged: discoloration, sagging, moisture loss, dull skin tone, and wrinkles. In a clinical study, 100% of women saw improvement in skin texture, radiance, and the appearance of fine lines after 4 months of treatment. Over 75% saw improvement in age spots and under-eye wrinkles. RoC Multi CORREXION 5 in 1 Restoring Night Cream is available nationwide for a suggested retail price of $28.99 for a 1.7 fl. oz. jar.

Did you know the state you live in can actually have an effect on the rate at which your skin ages? RoC® Skincare and Sperling’s Best Places combined several forms of research to determine the states where peoples’ skin is most at risk from damage by their lifestyles and environment. Each state was assigned a “Wrinkle Index” score. Arkansas came in at #35, but Oregon, where my mom lives, came in at #50. Hmm...that might explain a lot! Check out your state's wrinkle ranking to see where you stand.

Egg Salad Pita Pockets

"Don't put all of your eggs in one basket!" Put them in your pocket...

a scrumptious homemade pita pocket.

From Christy: I am sharing my recipe for a fun, healthy, lunch for your family that is low in cost and satisfying.

Pita Pockets are great for small children because the filling will not ooze out the sides and bottom like regular bread slices do.

Pita Bread Pockets

5 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 pkg rapid rise yeast
1 3/4 cups hot water
2 TB oil

Set aside 1 cup flour. Mix remaining flour, salt, sugar and yeast in large bowl.

Pour oil in hot water (125-130 degrees); stir into dry mixture. Stir in only enough reserved flour to make a soft dough.

On a lightly floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, approximately 6-8 minutes. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Divide dough in half and divide each half into 6 pieces. Shape each into smooth ball and place on baking sheet. cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

On lightly floured surface roll each ball into a 5" circle and place on cookie sheet. Bake 3 or 4 at a time in 500º oven on the bottom shelf for 5 minutes, until puffed and the top just begins to brown. Repeat with remaining circles. Cool, and split one side to form a pocket.

Egg Salad Filling

Hard boil 6 eggs. Cool, peel and dice into bowl. Add 1/4 cup chopped celery, 1/4 cup chopped green onion, 1/4 cup chopped cucumbers and 1 large grated carrot. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chives, and parsley to taste. Dress with 1/2 cup mayo and 4 tbsp prepared mustard.

Thanks for linking up with the {Not Just} Homemaking Party! Have a beautiful week! Linking with:

If You Give a Girl a Passport: How to Fill the Last Two Weeks Before the Trip of a Lifetime #ShareFunshine #ad #cbias

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

If you give a girl a passport, she's going to ask for a trip to England. Chances are, if you plan a trip to England, she's going to need some distractions to fill the last two weeks before you go.

Lynzie and I are headed to England in less than two weeks! We're going to spend three days in Bath, a day in Chawton, and two days in Winchester. It's going to be a fun-filled, Jane Austen-fangirl, tea drinking, garden strolling extravaganza! We just need to get through these Last. Two. Weeks.

Lynzie has always been super creative so she's done pretty well filling her hours at a time when we'd normally be starting our homeschool year. This week, she's been having some fun with crafts and snacks. Last night, she made this adorable garden gnome coin bank from a Dr Pepper® bottle. 

Make sure to enter the Share a Little Funshine giveaway and then read on to see how she completed this super cute project. (Widget may take a little bit to load.)

Share a Little Funshine Sweepstakes

Most of our family members are huge fans of Dr Pepper® so we usually end up including it in fun activities like last year's end of the homeschool year party or as a complement to my candy bar granola bars. This week, I picked up a 2-liter of Dr Pepper® Cherry from Walmart.

I had made Monster Cookies over the weekend so everyone got a little bit of pop to go with their cookie (or half a cookie for the little ones---these are big!). It's really easy to make a pop bottle coin bank like Lynzie made me. First empty the bottle, then wash it and remove the label. 

Next, use a sharp pair of scissors to cut an opening for your coins. Make sure it's big enough to get the coins back out again!

Cut plastic can be sharp so I melted the edges of the opening to smooth them out.

Finally, paint it up super cute and let it dry. What a great idea to make an iconic British garden gnome!

I'm already saving for next year's trip with my adorable new garden gnome coin bank!

Michael has been pretty great about listening to all of Lynzie's exciting plans for England. I love it that my teens get along so great. She even shared her M&M's® Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches with him while they were having a chat outside.

Speaking of M&M's®, they're the key ingredient in my family's favorite Monster Cookies recipe. My mom has been making these for us since I was little and I love to make them once or twice a year for my own family. I use big bags of M&M's® Plain and M&M's® Peanut because I like to have some extras to push into the tops of the cookies to make them extra colorful.

Monster Cookies

1 lb. butter or margarine

60 oz. peanut butter

1/3 c. baking soda

2 lb. brown sugar

4 c. sugar

2 TB corn syrup

1 T vanilla

1 dozen eggs

2 c. chocolate chips

18 c. oats

2 c. each M&M's® Plain and M&M's® Peanut + extra for topping

Mix the butter and peanut butter together in a stand mixer. Sprinkle baking soda on top and mix in well, breaking up any clumps. Pour mixture into a soup pot and add sugars, corn syrup, and vanilla. Beat eggs and add to the mixture. Mix very well with a large spoon. Stir in chocolate chips and oats. Stir in M&M's®. Scoop out cookie dough with 1/4 cup measuring cup and bake on ungreased pans at 350º for about 15 minutes.

With a can of Dr Pepper® Cherry, a yummy cookie snack, some sunshine, and a great book, Lynzie was able to conquer one more morning leading up to our trip. I know it's going to be the experience of a lifetime---even though the last couple weeks can seem like forever!

Looking for instant savings on some of your favorite products? Click here to save on M&M's®, SNICKERS® Ice Cream Bars, Dr Pepper® Cherry, Skittles®, Pedigree Dentastix®. Also, Download the Blippar app from your Apple or Android store to scan your package and receive exclusive content.

The Final Call For Souls

The first time I visited Paddington Station in London, I was made very much aware of one particular thing. The final boarding call really was final. There wasn't a lot of looking around to make sure they had everyone before the train pulled out. If you weren't on when it was time to go, you were left behind. Stuck. Simple as that.

Does anyone else feel like the current events are really just one big last call for Christians? So many issues that were once "gray area debatable" have now become very much black and white.

I've already written about the big favor the Supreme Court did Christians by forcing all of us to come out of the closet regarding our stance on homosexuality, special rights for homosexuals, and whether or not we should have a right to redefine what God has already clearly defined. We now have to make a solid choice to "obey the law" or face persecution.

There are no more "valid" arguments for keeping the abortion mill that is Planned Parenthood open. It doesn't matter what other services they may offer a woman, they've been exposed as committing unspeakable, unwatchable, and very much illegal acts. We have to make a solid black or white choice now. Are we going to fight to end tax payer funding or are we going to sit on our hands some more so we don't rock the boat?

How about the Ashley Madison exposures? (See what I did there?) Adulterers without the integrity to come clean on their own have been forced to own their sin and face up to the consequences. Last I heard, there have been three suicides linked to the leaks, as well as the public humiliation of several well-known figures. Millions of men and women are put on the spot now: confess and begin the process of restoration or continue to try to lie their way out of owning it.

To top it off, the current most-likely candidate for the Republican party is Donald Trump. Seriously? I'm just going to delete everything I just wrote about him and leave this here. I can't even touch that.

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14 NKJV

Matthew 24:14 is significant for our time because it answers the question the disciples are asking about the end of the age. Not only will this be one last chance for non-believers to hear, believe and repent, it will be one last chance for believers to hear and repent.

I can't help but wonder if all the junk coming down the last few months is not just a big wake up call, but a last call. What are we going to do with all this? Are we going to vote? Christian---what are you going to do about it? Are you going to protest, act, sacrifice, debate, speak up, get up, man up? 

Or are you just going to "pray about it"? Yeah, we should pray. Pray and then act.

Preparing for England with Regency Stays

Whew! It's been a crazy few days as I've been constructing these Regency era stays for Lynzie's Jane Austen Festival ensemble. They're definitely, DEFINITELY not perfect...but they're functional and they're almost done! Yay!

This was my first time sewing eyelets by hand. Some of them look pretty good!

Hope you're having a great week!

Linking with:

5 Tips for Sharing a Family Car #1stImpressionsCount #ad #cbias

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #1stImpressionsCount #CollectiveBias

When my husband and I were in high school, I had a habit of "borrowing" his car to skip class with my girl friends. To absolve myself of any guilt, I'd often thank him for "sharing" his car with me by taking it to the car wash where I'd clean it spotless and detail the inside with Armor All®.

Now he's got a new generation of drivers to share a car with and we want to make sure it's a pleasant experience for everyone. As parents of two high schoolers, we know how important it is for them to make that great impression. As our kids are just entering the driving world, we want to teach them how to take good care of the cars they'll be sharing with the rest of the family. Not only will they look great for their passengers, but good car care keeps them nice for the next person who uses them. 

In high school, I'd grab Armor All cleaning cloths out of the vending machine at the car wash. I've recently found a whole line of Outlast products by Armor All that will help to shine and protect both the car's interior and its wheels. Two of my favorite products are the Protectant and the Tire Glaze.

I found Armor All Outlast products at Walmart. They've got a great selection of things to spruce up your car including, Armor All® Outlast Trim & Plastic Restorer, Armor All® Outlast Tire Glaze, Armor All® Outlast Leather Restorer, and Armor All® Outlast Protectant.  

Do members of your family share a car? Here are some tips for keeping the peace and making sure the car looks nice for the next person to drive.

1. Keep it Clean. Take turns being in charge of washing and detailing the car. Keep a caddy in your garage filled with products for spiffing it up and consider investing in a small outdoor vacuum cleaner to save money on the coin-operated one downtown. We love how Armor All Outlast Tire Glaze repels grime and makes our tires shine. They look great!

2. Keep it Protected. Armor All Outlast Protectant does more than shine up the plastic and vinyl inside your car. It also protects it from damaging UV rays and helps keep it from fading and cracking. Plus, it makes everything look so nice and new that it makes everyone less likely to mess it up.

3. Keep it Fresh. Car fresheners can be hit or miss so make sure you're using yours on a car that has been shampooed regularly and isn't harboring unpleasant smells. You don't want to try to mask an odor; trust me---wet carpet and Coconut Dream do not go well together. So take care of lingering odors and then use a mild, refreshing scent to enhance the atmosphere of your car.

4. Keep it Organized. I like to set a little tray inside the middle console for storing things like change or charging cables. This is a great place to keep quarters for the car wash. Consider purchasing and marking phone chargers that are specifically for the car. This way, no one has to go hunting for them when they're needed.

5. Keep it Uncluttered. One of the best things you can do is keep a box or basket inside your car for catching all the garbage, books, mail, purchases, and more that can accumulate. Make it a rule that it gets emptied out after every trip and you'll have a clutter-free vehicle.

Armor All Outlast #1stImpressionsCount Sweepstakes What are some things you've done to make sharing a car a positive experience? 

Planned Parenthood Protests Planned for Sat. Aug. 22 #PPSellsBabyParts

I'll have more on this later but wanted to get the information out now about peaceful protests taking place at Planned Parenthood facilities all over the nation (some internationally!) tomorrow morning at 9am local time. PLEASE share with your friends...and fill your car...and be there. Here is a list of locations.

Sewing for England 2015

Bath Abbey, Bath, England

Lynzie and I are headed for England---in only 23 days! Woo Hoo!! We're super excited and are ready to dive in and get our sewing projects done. We'll be walking in the Grand Regency Costumed Promenade so we must have Austen-ish outfits to wear.

I'm probably going to just redo my dresses from last time I went as one is way too big and another needs a little mending and reforming around the bodice. Lynzie has chosen some beautiful fabric for a day dress.

So far, we've finished Lynzie's chemise and I'm minutes away from finishing my green Spencer jacket. There's lots more to do and I'll try to keep you updated on the mad dash to the sewing finish line!

Thanks for linking up to the {Not Just} Homemaking Party! Linking with:

Meal Solutions for a Great School Day #FuelForSchool #Ad #cbias

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

While most of Northwest Arkansas is hitting the books today, the Coller Kids are still anticipating the first day of school. Since Lynzie and I are headed to England in just three weeks, I've put all school work on hold until we get back. Still, I'm in planning mode---finding just the right materials to fuel their minds and making meal plans to fuel their bodies. One way I keep kids fueled on a busy homeschool day is by making sure there are plenty of food items in the house that are easy to prepare for the days I get overwhelmed with responsibilities and need the older ones to help out. (That would be pretty much every day, actually...)

Last week I shopped Walmart for State Fair® corn dogs and Jimmy Dean® breakfast sandwiches. My oldest son, Michael, is in charge of preparing breakfast and Lynzie does lunch. These are great items for them to make for the family while I'm working with the younger kids in the mornings. Both are found in the freezer section of Walmart. The corn dogs are in a floor freezer case and the breakfast sandwiches are in the stand-up freezer aisle.

Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches are delicious and a filling source of protein. You can choose from high quality Jimmy Dean breakfast solutions like Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissant Sandwiches or Pancakes & Sausage on a Stick.

State Fair corn dogs are a good source of protein and feature a yummy cornbread and honey breading. I like how they're individually wrapped in the box so I can empty them into the freezer, saving space.

I also found these fun treat cups at Walmart near the party supplies. They're perfect for serving condiments and making lunch time just a little more fun for the kids. Plus, they solve the problem of corn dogs rolling into the ketchup and mustard on the plate.

Another stress-relieving solution for our homeschool day is to delegate responsibilities and assign chores. This keeps the home running smoothly so I'm not distracted and over-burdened by a load of housework. Everyone has their own list of things to do and I have them do them at the same time each day so they're easier to remember. 

As a homeschooling mom to 9, I'm always looking for quick and easy meal and snack ideas. Not only do we have the regular school day routine to navigate, but I'm also managing a home and babies in the meantime. Anything that can make that job a little easier is a win for me! Have you kept your family fueled with Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches or State Fair corn dogs? Let me know in the comments below!