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Delicious Candy You Can Make Yourself (with healthier ingredients)

December 11, 2013 by Laura 3 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

As you all know, I don’t mind the occasional healthy food compromise, especially on special occasions. Christmas qualifies as one of the most special occasions of all, doncha think? But when I turn over a package and see that the yummy contents therein contain hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup – I just can’t do it. (I know, I know. It’s best not to even read the label. Wait. What?)

What I love is trying to re-create some our favorite treats so that we can have our Christmas candy and eat it too. These treats are best shared and in moderation though, because they are full of sugar! (I know, I know. It’s best not to even think about how much sugar is in them. Wait. What?)

Here are some goodies I make every once in a while for a very special treat:

Homemade Peppermint Patties

These call for none other than mashed potatoes. Weird, but true. And they also have tons of powdered sugar in them. Better than high fructose corn syrup, but wowza. You’ll be amazed at how much these taste like the “real thing.”

Peppermint Patties 2

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

This is my husband’s favorite. It’s super fun to make these for him every once in a while. We think they taste better than the packaged variety. It’s amazing how good peanut butter tastes when it’s only made with peanuts.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Chocolate Caramel Cups

These are ooey-gooey messy. But having a drop of caramel resting on one’s chin never hurt anyone.

Chocolate Caramel Cups

Peanut Butter Truffles and Chocolate Caramel Truffles

Making these truffles is easier than you would think. And the result? Amazing.

Delicious Homemade Truffles

Peanut Butter Honey Fudge

This is the easiest fudge you’ll ever make. It contains only three ingredients – peanut butter, honey, and chocolate chips. So good!

Peanut Butter Honey Fudge

What’s your favorite Christmas candy? Ever tried making your own?

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Wow! Vanilla Beans Are 20% Again!

December 11, 2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

vanilla_beans

Did you miss the sale on vanilla beans last week? Not to worry. Olive Nation has a code now that gives you 20% off everything in their shop – which of course, includes vanilla beans!

Take advantage of this great deal. And don’t forget, they always offer free shipping on vanilla beans. Click here to order.  Use the code HLTWC to receive the 20% discount at check-out. Offer ends December 22.

You might also note that their tea is very good, and also includes free shipping (with 20% off!).

Here’s my post on how to make Homemade Vanilla Extract. Yum!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Free Printables: Christmas Cards

December 10, 2013 by Laura 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

I’m not great at sending out Christmas cards anymore. I have zero guilt over this. I have found other ways to be in touch with loved ones and find that taking “Send Christmas Cards” off my holiday to-do list is a great relief.

However, I still often find that it’s nice to have a few Christmas cards on hand to add to gifts, to put with a plate of cookies we’re giving away, or to simply encourage someone. I had fun creating a few different cards that I printed off to grab when I need one. Then I made each of the files into downloads to share with you!

Free Printable Christmas Cards

Simply download the files below, print the cards on plain white cardstock, cut them apart, fold in the middle, and use them to bless people!

~ Download Joy Christmas Tree and Peace Wreath Christmas Cards here.

~

~ Download Holly Jolly Polar Bear and For You Reindeer Christmas Cards here.

~

~ Download Let it Snow Snowman and Merry Gingerbread Man Christmas Cards  here.

I especially had fun making these cards for people I miss and won’t be seeing for a while.

Free Printable Miss You Christmas Cards

~ Download Miss You Christmas Cards here.

These cards fit into simple Invitation Sized Envelopes.

So tell me – are you a Christmas Card Sender Outer??  :)

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Cake Boys Are Back With a New Episode! Here’s Season Two Episode One

December 10, 2013 by Laura 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Once again, we are behind at our house in completing Cake Boys episodes. This week, the boys finally finished this video that they began last January. So many videos, so little time!

Obviously, you’ll see that the boys add a little drama in an effort to be like the real show, Cake Boss. They always laugh at the real show when the characters are so dramatic over nothing. ;)

You can see more of our boys’ Cake Boys episodes here.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: Simple Christmas Time Fun

December 9, 2013 by Laura 9 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Games and food. Food and games. Acting goofy. Trying something new. Spending time together.

This is what memories are made of. None of it costs any money – except for the food. But we have to eat anyway, right? So in my book, it’s like not spending any money at all to have extra Christmas fun.

Christmas can so often become about stuff and things and getting and having and wanting. I’ll be the first to admit that since we don’t buy stuff for our boys any other time of year, it is super fun to surprise them with great gifts they’ll enjoy at Christmas! But I believe the richest Christmas memories are made in simply doing what is normal – and adding a fun Christmas twist.

Like these Snowman Pancakes we had today. We needed to eat breakfast anyway, right? But having our pancakes in the shape of snowmen was a little more special.

snowman pancakes

Here’s our favorite pancake recipe.

I love all the blessings God gives for us to enjoy. Enjoying my family during this season is the most wonderful blessing of all.

Now your turn. Share what you’re thankful for!  Leave a comment on this post letting us know how God is working in your life. If you’ve written a blog post about what you’re thankful for, leave the link in the comments so we can visit your blog to read about it. We love sharing and reading about God’s blessings!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Beautiful Silk Scarves Giveaway plus a 25% Discount from More Than Alive

December 9, 2013 by Laura 230 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

More Than Alive has been wonderful to work with here at Heavenly Homemakers! They’ve offered food package giveaways and even a Berkey Water Filter giveaway. Today, they’re offering a giveaway that is perfect, and so much fun right before Christmas!

Scarves, scarves, scarves! They carry a huge variety of beautiful silk scarves. Right now, they are heavily discounted. Plus, you can use the code DECSILK25 to get 25% off. And, the best news of all:  Today they are giving a scarf of your choice to 12 of you!! Twelve!  This is so much fun!

more than alive scarves

More Than Alive sent me several of their scarves to try out and I love them! Every single one is beautiful. These are classy, practical, soft, and comfortable. I love that there are so many to choose from. These scarves are wonderful accessories and make great gifts!

Head over to the Clothing Accessories section of the More Than Alive website. Look through all of the scarves they offer (notice their great sale prices!). Come back here and let us know which scarf you’ll pick if you are a winner of this giveaway. Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win. I’ll draw 12 random winners on Thursday, December 12. Be watching for a post stating the winners as you will be responsible for contacting me if your name is chosen!

And don’t forget, if you’re making a scarf purchase, use the code DECSILK25 and it will take 25% off of the already discounted scarves!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Menu Plan for the Week

December 8, 2013 by Laura 7 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

snow 2013

We got our first big snow of the year! It’s the soft, fluffy kind of snow that is absolutely beautiful – perfect for the Christmas season!

Here’s what we’ll be eating this week:

Sunday, December 8
Homemade instant oatmeal, dried fruit
Lunch at church to raise funds for teen mission trip
Small group – I’m making Chicken noodle soup and everyone else is bringing sides

Monday, December 9
Oatmeal breakfast bars, pears
Pizza boats, green beans
Cheesy salsa enchiladas, tossed salad

Tuesday, December 10
Cream cheese pumpkin muffins, applesauce
Taco potatoes, oranges
Beef stew, quick mix biscuits

Wednesday, December 11
Snickerdoodle muffins, bananas
Homemade tomato soup, grilled cheese
Calico beans, fruit salad

Thursday, December 12
Fried eggs on toast, clementines
Hamburger cream cheese dip with chips, pineapple
Tuna casserole, peas

Friday, December 13
Whole wheat waffles, blueberries
Taco corn fritters, green beans
Homemade pizza, tossed salad

Saturday, December 14
Scrambled egg sandwiches, fruit
Leftovers
Tilapia, rice, steamed broccoli and carrots

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Free Shipping and BOGO Coconut Oil at Tropical Traditions

December 6, 2013 by Laura 3 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

tropical traditions coconut oil 2It’s a free shipping weekend at Tropical Traditions!  I’m excited because they are also featuring a Buy-One-Get-One-Free deal on their highest quality coconut oil. It’s always great when a sale and free shipping happen at the same time.

This Virgin Coconut Oil does have a mild coconut flavor. I love using it to make popcorn, and in almost all of my baked goods. It’s also great to use topically. (It’s great for wind-burn in the winter.)  It is the best coconut oil you can find anywhere.

Right now, you can get two 32 ounce jars for $40.00, plus free shipping. Use the code 91312 at checkout for free shipping to apply.

I also want to point out that I’ve learned all kinds of wonderful information in Tropical Tradition’s Virgin Coconut Oil Book, which you will receive for FREE if you are a first time customer to Tropical Traditions! This book is loaded with wonderful information and recipes. Please also be aware that I receive Tropical Traditions credit if you are a new customer purchasing through my links. See my full disclosure policy here.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

More Christmas Memories – Making Peppernuts

December 6, 2013 by Laura 5 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

It seems like all week long, I’ve been traveling back in time to the days I was a little girl during the Christmas season. Listening to the Muppets Christmas CD has been such a fun blessing as I remember special Christmas traditions with my mom. And now, I’m thinking about my grandma. Why? Because every year she made oodles of little Peppernuts that we would munch on.

What are Peppernuts? Some of you likely eat them each year just like I did growing up. If not, allow me to introduce you to the best little cookies in the world:

Peppernuts

These cookies are a little bit time consuming to make, but they make a large quantity for you to enjoy. They are also wonderful to package up in baggies to deliver to others.

Tell me if you’ve had Peppernuts before! And be sure to check out the recipe here.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Our Family’s Favorite Games

December 5, 2013 by Laura 31 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

It happened again tonight when Justus (our 13 year old) was eating his potato soup. I started giggling for no reason. This happens to me occasionally when my family is around the table playing games. Tonight, we had to head out the door after dinner, so we were finishing our game and eating at the same time. Justus took a bite of soup, and it was outrageously funny. Except that it really wasn’t, even a little bit.

I admit it. I was getting loopy. We had been playing Settlers of Catan, the Cities and Knights version for way too long. We started it last night after church, took a turn at breakfast this morning, played a few more rounds after lunch, and by dinner, my brain was fried. The game is awesome, but it takes some thinking skills. And we had been playing in and around our regular day of school and work and life. Thus, the potato soup eating hilarity.

Ah, but this is what memories are made of. As our boys get older and are now able to gather around the table for “big kid games” we take advantage of every spare moment we have to spend time playing together. Their schedules are busy, so we have to be intentional to make it happen. Here are some of our favorite games:

Settlers of Catan, especially the Cities and Knights version

ticket to ride

Ticket to Ride

bohnanza

Bohnanza

Apples to Apples and Apples to Apples Junior

Manhattan

Uno Attack

 

Sequence

Farkle

 

Pass the Pigs

Disney Scene It

blink

Blink

headbandz

Headbandz

Don’t tell, but here’s the new one we’re getting this year for Christmas.

Now tell me about the games you and your family love to play!  (And do you ever get loopy after playing games just a little bit too long?!)

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!
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