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Have a Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

I am only going to be on this computer for little snatches of time for the next several days.  Things get super busy around here this time of year.

Today is going to be spent cleaning, cooking, and baking.

Friday will be spent doing a bit more cooking and visiting family

Christmas Day will be non-stop from the time the boys wake us until we crash late that night.

Boxing Day will be spent shopping.  Yes, I have an addiction. LOL!

Then, I will get back to the grind on the following day!  I don’t have much (if anything) scheduled on this blog for the next several days.  So, don’t worry about missing anything. Smile

 

Please have a safe and wonderful Christmas I will see you soon!

Top Ten Christmas Holiday Foods Trends

Trend: Double Desserts

Taking two desserts and mixing and mashing them together is one of our favorite trends. Things like pie shakes, cookie stuffed cookies, and pie-filled cupcakes deliver a whole new kind of delicious. It’s a 1+1=3 kind of thing.

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Cookies

Pie, meet cookie. Cookie, say hello to pie. When two all-time favorites come together, you get Pumpkin Pie Cookies, the star at your next holiday cookie exchange.

Trend: Boozy Baking

From booze cakes to cocktail pies, bakers everywhere are bringing the bar into the kitchen. A titch of tequila or a slosh of scotch whiskey adds a serious shot of fun and flavor for the over 21 crowd. We’re loving these boozy baked goods!

Recipe: Boozy Bourbon Chocolate Cupcakes

Taste for yourself what the buzz is all about! A bit of bourbon, a hit of coffee liqueur and some vanilla vodka-spiked frosting make these sophisticated chocolate cupcakes the ultimate “holiday helpers.”

Trend: Color. Flavor. Fun.

Traditional baked goods are being transformed with bright colors and playful flavors. With a little creativity and imagination, no one can resist this happy, fun food!

Recipe: Cake Batter Cookie Stackers

Take sugar cookies to a whole new level of delicious! Kids and adults will love these cake batter flavored cookies with colorful frosting, and lots of sprinkles! Stack ‘em up and watch ‘em go.

Trend: From Cave to Kitchen

Forget the man cave. Today guys are in the kitchen making (or at least appreciating) really good food. Big food. Really good, big food that’s stacked and stuffed with the flavors they can’t resist.

Recipe: Mantastic Fried Chicken ‘n’ Waffle Sandwich

Here’s a new take on chicken ‘n’ waffles – made better with beer, bacon, and bourbon. It’s the ultimate manly man meal.

Trend: Skinny Cocktails

Here’s the skinny! Drinking high-calorie cocktails is so last year. The modern mixologist is shaking things up with light & flavorful cocktails.

Recipe: Skinny Clementine Martini

Add some clever sparkle to your next party. Enjoy these natural, light martinis made with fresh juice, high-quality liquor, and a splash of club soda. Lower calorie cocktails never tasted, or looked, so sweet. Cheers!

Trend: Better Than Bought

From canning to candy making, there’s a renewed interest in handcrafted foods. This season, homemade food gifts are just the right thing to show your care and creativity.

Recipe: Cajeta Caramel Fudge

Create the perfect combination of flavor and crunch with this homemade candy. Rich chocolate fudge layered with cajeta caramel, cashews and a sprinkle of sea salt—a recipe to impress.

Trend: Veggie Love

Once just tolerated, vegetables are now celebrated. Omnivores and herbivores alike have discovered that veggies offer variety and great taste, and are feeling the love.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Hummus

Hummus with fresh sweet potato packs even more plant power. Add a delicious blend of smoked paprika, coriander, and cumin to make this flavorful dip.

Trend: Shareworthy & Allergen-Friendly

Allergen-friendly foods may be free from things like nuts, dairy and eggs, but shouldn’t be free from flavor. Thankfully, we’re seeing new foods and recipes that can be enjoyed by everyone – whether you’re allergy-sensitive or not.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

Gather everyone around the table to enjoy this moist and delicious pumpkin bread. Made with no nuts, no dairy, no eggs, and no gluten – no kidding!

Trend: D-I-Y for D-O-G

Man’s best friend deserves man’s best effort. That’s why making your own dog food is one of the latest canine crazes! This year, homemade dog treats are at the top of fido’s list.

Recipe: Dog Bark

This treat will make your dog sit up and beg for more. Make the bark by melting carob chips and peanut butter then top with your dog’s favorite ingredients – bacon and cheese. Bow WOW!

Trend: Food Craft

The kitchen is the new craft room. With food as their medium, clever cooks are making amazing edible food crafts that are as good to look at as they are to eat.

Recipe: Chocolate Coal Lumps

Naughty or nice, everyone will love these easy cho-coal-late treats. Cocoa Puffs® cereal dipped in melted chocolate and marshmallows create these tasty stocking stuffers.

DISCLAIMER:  I received the details from Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark to bring you the Betty 10: Red Hot Holiday Trends information.  Enjoy!

Female (girls) Kids 5 – 9: 2011 Holiday Gift Guides

Good morning!  How goes it?  Are you loving all of the Holiday Gift Guides?  What about the big amount of giveaways that have been going along with the guides?  Yeah… I thought so. Winking smile

 

Olly Oogleberry:  Mission to Save Earth

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The  With Olly’s book you can give a fun and educational experience while putting a smile on someone’s face. On Olly’s website, www.OllyOogleberry.Com, explorers of all ages can learn about our galaxy through stories, videos, games, and more. Olly and his friends use their knowledge of the universe to share their adventures in hopes of captivating our minds and fueling our desire to learn.

"The Olly Oogleberry brand combines iconic design with a powerful underlying message that inspires all of us to learn more about the world we live in and appreciate the wonders of the universe we share," says creator Lou Hughes. In a time where space travel has been overlooked and taken for granted, Olly’s only hope is that we never stop believing in the unknown.

Hathi Chiti:  In the Indian Night Sky

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Christopher Cerf says of the company’s first release “In the Indian Night Sky, "Ever wonder why people always welcome the sight of the moon in the night sky, while their feelings about the sun and wind – quite literally – blow hot and cold? This warm and whimsical re-visioning of a classic folk tale from India explains everything."

Hathi Chiti uses eastern-themed characters and concepts as a gateway to educate little ones about different cultures around the world. The company’s award-winning publishing arm, Hathi Chiti Books for Kids, is the first of NY-based global picture book publishers to take an Indian slant all while maintaining a broad, multi-national spirit to entertain and educate ages 3 on up.

The Original Christmas Classics

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The cute and family-friendly box set contains four of the most beloved holiday TV specials of all time, including the Rankin/Bass classics “Frosty the Snowman,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” and “Frosty Returns.” Watching these iconic TV specials are part of the American holiday tradition, just like baking cookies or trimming the Christmas tree!  The holiday season just wouldn’t be the same without them…

See the entire list of Holiday Gift Guides AND Black Friday Deals!

*Disclaimer:  What you will see throughout the month of November are my top picks based on customer service, quality, uniqueness, and value for your buck.  If they are kid toys then they also have to be kid-approved by my children and nieces!  Any opinions stated are strictly my own!  No money changed hands, although the items were sent to me to help facilitate my reviews.*

Male (Boys) Teens 13 – 18: 2011 Holiday Gift Guides

Ahh, those teen boys.  They want cars and motorcycles, but if you can really get them to sit down and start looking, they can find many other items that strike their fancy!  Like music, games, and smell-goods.

Xbox 360 250GB Kinect Holiday Bundle

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The complete Xbox 360 experience, including the controller-free fun of Kinect, and now for a limited time get two games and a 3 Month Xbox LIVE Gold Membership. Jump, dance, and get your whole body in the game with the unique experience of Kinect. Or use your controller to play the blockbuster games your friends can’t stop talking about. The spacious 250GB hard drive gives you the space you need to store arcade games, movies, demos, and even full Xbox 360 games. Plus, with built-in Wi-Fi, it‚it is easy to connect to Xbox LIVE to access tons of great entertainment — from HD movies and TV shows to live sports. With Kinect, play, pause and rewind the action with your voice. When you are the controller, there‚is nothing between you and the fun.

15-Item Accessory Bundle for iPod Touch

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Includes: Black Tire Vein Design Silicone Skin, White Rubber TPU case with Elastic Armband, Transparent Clear Snap On Crystal Hard Cover Case, DigitalsOnDemand Black Leather Flip Premium Case, Clear Reusable LCD Screen Protector, In-Ear Sound Isolating Earbud Headphones Hands-free Headset with Mic (White), Earphone Splitter, Car Audio 3.5MM Jack AUX Auxiliary Cable, USB Home Travel Charger Power Adapter, USB Car Charger Power Adapter, USB Dock Connector Data Cable, Retractable USB Data Sync Cable, Fishbone Cord Organizer, Drawstring Travel Bag

Jake Cologne by Hollister

Jake

One of the most popular cologne’s for men and teen boys!

See the entire list of Holiday Gift Guides AND Black Friday Deals!

*Disclaimer:  What you will see throughout the month of November are my top picks based on customer service, quality, uniqueness, and value for your buck.  If they are kid toys then they also have to be kid-approved by my children and nieces!  Any opinions stated are strictly my own!  No money changed hands, although the items were sent to me to help facilitate my reviews.*

Male (Boy) Tweens 9 – 12: 2011 Holiday Gift Guides

We are starting to get to the harder gifts.  My oldest boys are much harder to buy for than the little ones.  They are past cars and other little kid toys and to the point where they are starting to want more expensive things like computers, cell phones, and four-wheelers.  But, these top picks were totally “Tween Boy Approved!”

Word on the Street Junior

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Word on the Street Junior brings the excitement of Word on the Street to the entire family! Each turn, one team flips over a category card and team members quickly brainstorm words that fit the category. The team agrees on a word before the time runs out and then pulls each letter in that word one lane closer to their side of the street. The first team to pull eight letters off the street wins!

Word on the Street Junior encourages vocabulary development, creative thinking and teamwork—and it’s fun!

MathBlaster.com

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As new recruits at the prestigious Blaster Academy, your kids will play arcade-style math games and race through high-speed missions with the help of a cast of characters that are out of this world! After learning the ropes in Blaster Academy, new cadets will join the Intergalactic Space Patrol (ISP), an elite team of Blasters sworn to explore and protect even the furthest galaxies and deepest black holes of the universe. Armed with the most advanced gadgets and fine-tuned math skills, the cadets of the ISP will travel to exotic new planets, discover bizarre alien races and face extraordinary challenges!

Are your kids ready to blast into an intergalactic adventure that adds up to total fun? Click Play Now and let the adventure begin!

Kindle

The all-new Kindle – Lighter, smaller, faster

  • 30% lighter, less than 6 ounces
  • 18% smaller body, same 6" screen size – Fits in your pocket
  • Most advanced E Ink display, reads like paper
  • Built in Wi-Fi – Get books in 60 seconds
  • Massive book selection, over 800,000 titles are $9.99 or less
  • Borrow Kindle books from your public library

See the entire list of Holiday Gift Guides AND Black Friday Deals!

*Disclaimer:  What you will see throughout the month of November are my top picks based on customer service, quality, uniqueness, and value for your buck.  If they are kid toys then they also have to be kid-approved by my children and nieces!  Any opinions stated are strictly my own!  No money changed hands, although the items were sent to me to help facilitate my reviews.*

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