Unique Holiday Flavor 2015

My favorite word for the holiday season is festive. Festive clothing, festive decorations, festive attitude....and festive food? Well, apparently, yes! One of the more unique & definitely new-to-me gifts I received this year was a large container of Archer Farms White Chocolate Peppermint Caramel Corn Clusters.  I have to admit it was definitely a foreign item to me and I wasn't sure how my palate was going to take it.  But I tend to be a food adventurer (don't quote me on that when I'm someday possibly served something like rodent stew. *Shudders*), so of course I had to give it a try. 

Verdict: It's...okay. That may not be a rousing review, but it's my honest immediate reaction.  The caramel flavor is what stands out right away, followed by that background of peppermint flavor.  The more pieces you stick in your mouth, the more welcoming it becomes.  For me, it's just a little hard to reconcile the idea of popcorn and a minty flavor. Would I go searching for this product every holiday season? Probably not. Would I stick it in my mouth if it was offered to me? Sure. 

Of course, he loved it!

For a contrasted reaction, my Husband liked it right away. He dove right into it and sang its praises in between bites.  See? Even after 15 years of marriage, he's still unpredictable. LOL! Actually, the kids liked it too.  It's a fun Holiday flavor and a great option if you're looking for something festive!
All thoughts and opinions are genuine and completely my own.

Precious Christmas Memories 2015

Thankful to be in the company of these crazy people! My Loves!

It's been a very Blessed year and I'm beyond grateful that we were granted a beautiful Christmas celebrating with the special people in our lives. I've had numerous conversations with my children about privileges and being grateful for everything they have--most especially the gift of life, love & health! Above all things, it's our unity that I'm so thankful for! It is the true meaning of Christmas & I wish everyone peace: mentally and physically, to live life to its true potential and infuse goodness into the world. And whatever your beliefs are, I wish you serenity, fulfillment and the Happiness of days!

Blessed to have my partner-in-crime by my side!

Christmas Eve was spent with my husband's family, my in-laws.  Because of our busy schedules, we don't spend an abundant amount of time with them during the year, but it's always nice to touch base during special occasions--and Christmas is of the most special of holidays.

We had a nice brunch buffet set up. 

What's the best way to celebrate? Well, eating of course! This year, I brought breakfast sausage, smoked sausage, pistachio muffins, red velvet muffins, Ginger Ale, and orange juice.  My mother-in-law brought her famous potatoes (not in picture) and my sister-in-law prepared several different quiches (some made it into the picture...but there was more baking in the oven). We probably ate more than we should've. After eating, the kids (and my husband) took some time out to play!

The Lego is out!

Trains, Lego, & children (and a child-like man).

My brother-in-law getting his creativity on by busting out the paints.

And then of course, the obligatory foosball battle.

Then we had our sweet gift exchange and a constant reminder of how Blessed we are to have the things that we have. We are extremely privileged. And as I always remind the boys, the greatest gift of Christmas & all throughout the year is TIME. And in keeping with the theme of gratitude, we attended Christmas Eve Mass at our chosen Roman Catholic Parish & celebrated the Birth of Jesus with our Church community.

St. Pancratius in Lakewood, CA. Love the beautiful and festive altar.

Christmas Day greets us with life and love. The boys were filled with excitement to open their gifts from us and Santa. And once again, always reminding them and ourselves how fortunate we are to be Blessed with material things and always knowing that they are not what the Spirit of Christmas is about. Thank you, Lord, for keeping us in your Good Graces.

Blessed to have these amazing children: the best gifts ever!

He said, "This is the best Christmas ever!"

Surrounded by the loves of my life...so thankful!

Enjoying a wonderful Christmas! It's great to be on the Nice List.

Best Dad and Husband!

And finally, the rest of Christmas Day was spent with my side of the family: My Mom, Step-Dad and Brother! So unbelievably grateful to have these staunch supporters in our lives. With them, my immediate family are exposed to the truest of unconditional love. I can't express enough how thankful I am to have them in our lives!

The love is strong in these ones...

I love my Mom with all my heart!

There's lots of love between these three.

To be perfectly honest, I don't think we've fully recovered from all the food we ate at Christmas Eve, but here we were again, eating: turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin pie and mocha cake. Stick a fork in me, I'm done. 

Sweets!

So, I gaze at the full moon on this Christmas Day, I contentedly reflect on these beautiful two days & the days leading up to it filled with parties, caroling, music and beautiful decorations and I can't imagine asking for more. I'm beyond thankful. Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

Christmas Blessings

Please enjoy this live version of "Christmas Eve Sarajevo" performed by members of Da Capo Creative Community , proud to say that's my first-born on bass guitar.

From my family to all of you, wishing you the greatest of Holidays!

I'd like to wish everyone the many Blessings of the Holidays. Whether it's Christmas you celebrate or any of the numerous celebrations going on during this time, may you feel the love that surrounds you. May you be inspired to bring positivity into the world, create wonderful memories and dwell on all things joyous! Happiness is never about material things, it's about fulfillment & experiences. May you find happiness!

Christmas means more!

Christmas Tree knows what it's all about!

• Be a light in the darkness
• We all fall over sometimes
• You can never wear too much glitter
• Bring joy to others
• Sparkle & twinkle as often as possible
• It's Okay to be a little tilted

May the meaning of Christmas be deeper...

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, & Happy Holidays!
Interested in some unique New Year Celebration pieces? Check these links out!

• 12 Pack of Happy New Year Cone Hats 
• Happy New Year Fringed Party Horns 
• Confetti Rockets for New Years Eve 
• Champagne Glitter Confetti Poppers
• Glitter Moon and Stars Hanging Decorations
• Dear Resolution, It Was Fun While It Lasted Beverage Napkins 
• Cheers to the Nights We’ll Never Remember and the Friends We’ll Never Forget Beverage Napkins

What? Chocolate Tamales. Yup!

I do the bulk of my shopping at my local franchise supermarket. But I make a Trader Joe's run about once a week to pick up novelty food items & seasonal treats. Recently, with my boys and husband in tow, we made our usual run combing through the aisles when my 12-year-old spots "Chocolate Raspberry Tamales".  He grabs it & holds it up for me to see, "What do you think, Mom?"  I say, "Seems weird, but put it in the cart if you're willing to try it". He shrugs his shoulders, puts it in the cart and says, "Ok".  Not normally adventurous with his food choices, I think it's pretty good that he's willing to try it.  When we get to the check stand, the cashier brings attention to the product.

He says, "Chocolate Tamales? Wow. I thought I've seen everything but that may be too much even for me".  We laughed with him, "That's not much of an upsell", I say.  It's all in good fun & both my boys were even more curious to try this apparently unusual product to decide for themselves if they like it or not.  The package comes with four tamales so each one of us could try it.  And try it we did...with 4 slightly different reactions.

Me: I thought it was good. The chocolate had a mild taste and not overpowering.  The chocolate lover in me felt it wasn't chocolaty enough.  As desserts go, I prefer something sweeter since I only allow dessert indulgences so rarely. I want it to impact my sweet tooth & make me "testify!" LOL!

Husband: He loved it! Sang its praises. I even asked him, "Is there anything you didn't like about it?"  He said, "No".  Arguably he's the pickiest eater in the family, so his approval is a big victory for the product. 

12-Year-Old: He liked it.  However, he didn't enjoy a slight "after taste" he detected. He said he felt like his throat felt really dry towards the last bite and he needed water to wash it all down.  But overall, he thought it was good & wouldn't mind eating it again.

10-Year-Old: He was probably the least enthusiastic about this product.  He felt it wasn't sweet enough and he complained that the raspberry and chocolate taste didn't go well together.  He would prefer not to eat it again. And if I was asked to rank, I'd say he's the second pickiest eater in the family. Sorry, Chocolate Raspberry Tamales, you did not get a thumbs up from him.

As you can see, four different taste buds & four different experiences with the Chocolate Raspberry Tamales. Be brave & try it out! You might like it...or you may not....but at least you'll know.

A Contact Lens Wearer Challenge!

I've been wearing glasses since the 4th grade and contact lenses since I was a sophomore in high school. It's safe to say that I've used my fair share of contact lens solutions over the years.  When I first transitioned to contact lenses (in the year that shall not be named), taking care of them was a multi-step process.  There was enzyme cleaning, rinsing, storing, then rinsing again. Over the years, many products have been developed to make things a lot easier and simpler. Enter the "multi-purpose" solution.  One bottle works as a cleaning agent, rinsing liquid, and storage solution. Anything that saves time is a win in my book.

I recently took the not-so-daring Biotrue challenge.  I was sent my free sample bottle (yay!) of Biotrue to "try", "feel" and hopefully, "love" the product.
Try: I used the product daily for 5 days straight, 2 times a day--that's cleaning and storing at night, then rinsing and using the lenses in the morning.
Feel: The question is, does this solution feel differently from other solutions I've used? Is the difference so significant that it would bound my loyalty? In all honesty? No, not really.  Don't get me wrong, my eyes felt good. I didn't feel any irritation throughout the day.  But towards the end of the day, I could feel the typical dryness and my eyes were ready for their usual break. So for me, it's as good as the leading brand of multi-purpose solutions I've used.
Love: No. More like "strong like". It's good. I'm recommending it. But you won't catch me singing its praises on my rooftop.   

  All my experiences and opinions are genuine & truly my own.

  

Breakfast with Santa 2015

Thankful for another year supporting Breakfast with Santa at St. Pancratius Parish School in Lakewood, CA. My family was served by the outstanding students of the school and greeted and welcomed by their friends. Always and forever feeling gratitude for all of life's Blessings. Thank you, Lord!

Proud to say these boys are on the "nice" list.

From our family to yours, we wish you all the joys the Holiday Season brings...Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa etc. etc.. XO

Here's Some Selection Suggestions for You To Read

**Minimum Spoilers** Please note that these suggestions and recommendations are for adult readers only.

 Midnight (McKenna Chronicles Book 1) by Elizabeth Miller
Colin and Charlise "Charlie" begin an affair and Colin tells her, "....I enjoy being with you. It is that simple, but that's all it is. I can only give you one moment, one day at a time. There is no future with me."

Famous last words....because their relationship becomes passionate and intense, even finding it difficult to be separated for just a few days.  But Charlie is dealing with an unknown...something Colin is hiding.  Can she give her heart to him? Or will Colin break her heart?

This is Book 1 of a two-part series. The second book is called "Midnight Sky"

 Strength (Mark of Nexus Book 1) by Carrie Butler
This is the story of Rena and Wallace. "Come on, then." He tilted his head toward our building. "I guess you'll have to hang out at my place until your roommate's friend is gone."  And so their adventures begin.  And believe me, this story is an adventure.  But I loved the overall tone of the book.  It is said from Rena's point-of-view & she's very sassy and funny.


You will be introduced to the "Dynari".

This is the beginning of the Mark of Nexus Trilogy.  Book 2 is "Courage" and Book 3 is "Loyalty".

In Too Deep (Freshman Roommates Book 1) by Mara Jacobs
From the moment Mara laid eyes on Lucas, she knew she wouldn't be able to stay away.  Both are from different backgrounds and on paper, may seem incompatible, but when two people belong together....they just fit. Their love is beautiful and so is their story. 

This is Book 1 in a Trilogy of books focusing on three freshman college friends/roommates.

The next book is called "In Too Fast", and the third is called "In Too Hard".

Reading is fun!

Edible Learning...a 7th Grader's Cell Project

"Hey Mom, can you take me to the store? I have to gather stuff for my Cell project."  Thus began a fun adventure gathering edible ingredients to recreate an animal cell.  

I think he had fun eating the "mistakes" and extras. :-) 

 

Here's what he used for each cell:

Ribosomes = Beans

Endoplasmic Reticulum = Macaroni pasta

Vacuole = Ham

Nucleus = Scrambled Egg

Nucleleus = Circular Roasted Potatoes 

Cytoplasm = Melted cheese

Golgi bodies = Squished roasted potatoes

Cell Membrane = Spaghetti pasta

Mitochondria = Length wise cut hot dog

Lysosome = Circular Hot Dog

This was a fun project! And it's a great way to remember all these cell parts, especially since he had to present it in front of the class before being allowed to eat it all. Education is delicious! That's a sentence I never thought I'd write. LOL! :-)