Lovin' The Weekend Blog Hops Week 13- Dec 30-Jan1

Welcome to the thirteenth weekend of Lovin' the Weekend Blog Hops.

We'll start this hop in 2011 and end it with the New Year!! Wow!

Here's how this blog hop works. I would appreciate it if you would follow me via GFC. And then, there are three different linkys you can link to. Whichever one you choose to link to, please grab that button and share it on your blog (the codes are on my sidebar). I'd love it if you could tweet or in some other way share about this blog hop, the more people who know about it, the more potential visitors and new followers of your blog. I'd love to meet some new friends this weekend.  

I have noticed that some people are more interested in just increasing their numbers, while others really want people who appreciate their blog and want to keep up with their posts. So, I decided to create two separate linkys. The third linky is for you to link up your giveaways. 

If you are interested in increasing the number of followers to your blog via GFC, Twitter, Facebook or Google+ link up here (just note which one you are linking to):

If you are interested in gaining followers to your blog who will read and comment and truly find an interest in your blog, link up here:

If you have giveaways to link up, here's your spot. Please make sure to include an end date for your giveaway.

I am so glad you stopped by. Please leave a comment if you link up and I will be sure to stop by and follow back.

Don't forget to check out my "Blog Hops" page for other great weekend blog hops!!
And don't miss out on the Cashin' In The New Year-$190 Cash Giveaway

Friday Blog Hopping: December 30, 2011

Wow, it is Friday again already. If you would like to do some blog hopping today head on over to my "Blog Hops" page to see the Friday Blog Hops I have found.

If you are visiting from a blog hop, welcome! I am glad you are here. Take a look around. I'd love it if you would follow me via GFC and subscribe to my emails. I also have a Facebook page and a Twitter you can follow.  I have just created a Google+ page also that  I would love for you to follow.

Don't forget to come back tonight to link up to my new Lovin' the Weekend blog hops (you can also link up giveaways). The linky will go live at 8pm Friday. Hope to see you here.


Speaking of giveaways, stop by and enter my current giveaway:  
Growums Garden Kits (ends 1/14)


I am also excited to be participating in Cashing In The New Year! $190 Cash Giveaway

Cashin' in the New Year $190.00 CASH giveaway

Hostessed by Home Grown Families and Mama to 4 Blessings with the help of several other fantastic group of bloggers we bring you Cashin' in the New Year! This giveaway runs from 12:01 AM on Friday 12/30 and will run until Monday, 1/2 at 11:59 PM (all Eastern times). One winner will receive $190 Cash into their paypal!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So You Want to Be a Blogger...

So, you want to be a blogger.
So, you want to be a blogger?
So, you want to be a blogger!!!!

Blogging wasn't something I knew much about when I started just over two years ago. I wanted a way to share what I was doing with the children, who at the time were 2.5 yrs old and 14 mths old. And I also wanted a way to keep record for myself of what we were accomplishing, especially important as a homeschool family. I am not sure where I heard about blogging. But I thought it sounded promising. But how to start? I discovered there were different blogging providers or platforms. I picked Blogger because it seemed simple enough for my limited computer know-how. I was right, it was simple to set up my blog.

But then I started writing posts and realized...no one was reading them. No one knew I existed. I wasn't sure what to do. I discovered the importance of finding like minded bloggers and, better yet, like minded bloggers with blog hop linkys. And I discovered the importance of not just linking up a post, but visiting other blogs that are linked up, reading the post and leaving a comment.  One way I found these linkys was by seeing the buttons on bloggers sidebars. In order to spread the word bloggers create buttons that link back to their blogs, usually to the specific posts for the hop or meme. I found several great preschool/homeschool blog hops to link up with on a weekly basis. I found new bloggy friends, was able to find great new ideas to use with my children and shared my own ideas with others.

Joining daily blog hops helped me gain followers as well. I did notice some bloggers are just interested in the numbers, while others really want people to come and read there blogs. I fall somewhere in between. I want to find blogs to read that are of interest to me. I definitely would prefer to have followers who are going to read my blog and find it of interest. I mean, that was one of the reasons I started blogging. However, I have also decided to do some reviews and giveaways and for these I do need to increase my numbers. I have since learned the importance of sharing on Twitter and Facebook, and just recently Google+, plus the importance of Klout and Alexa. I'm sure there are others, but I am still learning.

One more note, it is important to have a well organized blog layout to make it more inviting for prospective readers. I know there are some blogs I visit that are more difficult to navigate. Not surprisingly I don't find myself going back to those blogs as often, if at all. I am hoping others find my blog inviting and would like to stay awhile and get to know me.

Giveaway Opportunity at Familylicious Reviews and Giveaways: Learning Resources Crocodile Hop Game

Yep, I am always on the lookout for fun new educational toys for the girls. I love the look of the products at Learning Resources. I just found this giveaway for the Crocodile Hop Game over at Familylicious Reviews and Giveaways. I am sure my girls will love this game. We can reinforce colors, shapes, numbers and counting, and at the same time help Hannah to learn them. This game has a mat that is laid on the floor and inflatable cubes for playing.

Doesn't it look like fun? Head on over to Familylicious Reviews and Giveaways for your chance to enter.

Giveaway ends 1/3

Give a Hoot Wednesday Blog Hop- December 28, 2011

This is a great opportunity to discover some great blogs & to promote your blog as well!

Hosted by: Life According to Damaris ;; Co-Hosted by: Miss Deb, Monster Mom, Tots and Me & Adventures of the Mommy Homemaker

For those that are new to Blog Hopping – you simply just add your link to the list. Readers will be given a chance to add their link too & “hop” from one blog to the next on the list. You do the same – adding whoever you like on the way. If someone adds you, please make an effort to add them back.

Rules:

1. Add your Blog title and URL.

2. Follow your hostesses – that would be me: Life According to Damaris & Co-Hosts: Miss Deb, Monster Mom, Tots and Me & Adventures of the Mommy Homemaker.

3. Follow any blogs you wish.

4. Leave a comment so I can follow you back. I’m not one of those bloggers who just say that, I will follow you back. I’ve learned if you go to the actual blog that you followed & leave a comment there, you’re more than likely to be noticed & get a follow back. Let them know you’re there via Give a Hoot Wednesday Blog Hop! 

5. Grab our Give a Hoot Wednesday Blog Hop button if you’d like. This isn’t mandatory but it’d be great if you did – that way more people know about the Blog Hop.

If you’d like to be a featured blog, just send me an e-mail. And if you want to go ahead & spread the word of the Blog Hop, go ahead – I’ll leave the button info below!

<a href="http://lifeaccordingtodamaris.com" target="_blank"><center><img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/34pclg7.png" border="0" alt="Give a Hoot Wednesday Blog Hop" /></center><br /> </a>

Wordless Wednesday: December 28, 2011 (w/linky) Christmas Day

So thankful for blog giveaways, anonymous friends and grandma. 

I thought this was too cute:

The thing is, every time I asked Tabitha what she wanted for Christmas, the only thing she told me was slippers, the Dora slippers that will stay on her feet and not fall off while she is sleeping.  I love her expressions here when she got to open her Dora slippers.

Hannah trying to put on the slipper:

The girls got daddy gifts from the thrift shop like last year.

And I have to share what I gave hubby for Christmas. I got him a Bills Snuggie, which I haven't gotten a picture of him in yet. And then I did up this corner of the living room with a poster he received last year, the poem/picture I gave him when Tabitha was born, the Ralph Wilson Stadium picture he had (I got the frame for it this year) and on the table you will see the shot taken of him at our wedding with our boys and the Father's Day Pictures I took for him and framed in 2008 (right before Amelia was born).

<a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/search/label/Wordless%20Wednesday/"><img alt="Tots and Me" src="http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt58/kewkewphoto/001-4-1.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a>

Don't forget to stop by my Wordless Wednesday Link Ups Page for other great places to link up.

Tiny Talk Tuesday: December 27, 2011

Okay, I know this is a bit gross, but I had to share. Amelia was finishing up going potty and her bowel movement was two different colors. She was so amused and said, "Brown with chocolate...That's silly and wacky."

On Christmas morning I went in to wake up the girls (I know, isn't that a bit backward?). Tabitha looked out the window and said, "There's no snow."
I said, "That's okay, that happens sometimes."
She replied, "But there's supposed to be snow on Christmas."

Tabitha was talking about liking christmas and opening presents yesterday. I asked her if that was what Christmas was about. Asked her if she knew why we give presents. She said something about it being Jesus birthday.
I said, "Shouldn't we be giving presents to Jesus?"
Tabitha said, "Our present is trusting Jesus."

Growums Garden Kits Review and Giveaway

I entered a giveaway a while back to win a garden kit from Growums. Unfortunately, I didn't win that giveaway. However, I contacted the company and was given the opportunity to review one of their garden kits and they agreed to allow me to offer a giveaway to my readers.

I loved the look of these little kits and the website looked so educational, which as a homeschooling family was a great plus. After we received our Herb Garden Kit I was able to really see how great these little kits and the website are. Part of me had wanted a Taco Garden or a Pizza Garden, but I was so thankful that I received an Herb Garden, because at this time of year living in Pennsylvania I am not going to be planting our plants outside. (I believe we will be ordering a Pizza and/or Taco Garden kit in the spring.) There are six different gardens you can choose from:
Pizza Garden
Taco Garden
Herb Garden
Salad Garden
Stir Fry Garden
Ratatouille Garden
You can check them out at the Growums site.

Growums are made for children to grow there very own gardens.
Here is a little snippet from the Parents page:
"What makes the Growums program so special is that it combines learning and fun in the real garden with an exciting, educational online experience. So as the children’s real gardens grow, so will the Growums virtual world. It’s easy for kids to enter this enchanted land, where their vegetables come to life for both fun and learning. The Growums family will teach you and your children how to grow vegetables and herbs until harvest. They will tell you when and how to start, transplant and care for your plants all the way from beginning to end. Soon there will be an entire world of fun and Growums games to play, with points and prizes to win."
We were excited to begin.
They arrive with everything you need to start (except a dish to place them in and the water of course):

The simple instructions are printed on the container. We placed the coco pellets in a pie plate:

And added water. Can you tell Amelia was amazed watching the coco pellets expand:

Then the seeds were planted, the tags added and the pie plate placed on the stand by the sunny window.

While we waited for our Growums to grow the girls enjoyed their time on the Growums website. We registered our garden and were given our first lesson on how to take care of it. And we met the Growums characters and were able to play some fun games. It was all I imagined and more.

The girls took turns checking the pie plate for water and were excited to add water on their turn.

Nine days later we were treated to some tiny spouts.

And a couple of weeks later:

The girls are enjoying their experience with Growums. I figured they would as they love helping in the garden and discovering tiny plants/vegetables growing.  If you would like to give your child this exciting experience you can purchase their Gardens at their website store. You can also check out their great Fund Raising Opportunities. And you can enter to win using the Rafflecopter form below. 

Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up- December 27, 2011

<a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/search/label/Tuesday%27s%20Giveaway%20Link%20Up" target="_blank"><img alt="Classified: Mom" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png"/></a>

Welcome to Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up with your hosts Aimee @ Classified: Mom & Karen @ Tots and Me & Alicia @ McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts!

This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Make sure you stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways.

Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up



1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please)



2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to your giveaways as well!)



3. Take a moment to enter any giveaway that strikes an interest to you!



If you would  like to follow the three hostesses, we will gladly follow you back! Simply leave us a message to do so.





Thank you for linking up with  Aimee @ Classified: Mom & Karen @ Tots and Me & Alicia @  McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts! 

Merry Christmas!

A Very Merry Christmas

to All My Readers. 

May the Lord

bless you and may His holy 

light shine upon you and 

His love surround you.

25 Days of Christmas Dec 22

I am thrilled to be able to share so many great posts this month in anticipation of Christmas with the 25 Days of Christmas Blogshare.  Sorry I haven't posted the teasers in a couple of days. I just couldn't get straightened out who was supposed to be going which day. The posts that were shared were great, so head over to these blogs and check them out.

Breana over at This Mama Says... has some great suggestions for stocking stuffers. And though I know Christmas is tomorrow, I know we are still finishing up today, so here are here ideas if you are still in our predicament.

Christmas is just right around the corner and normally the last thing that everyone is shopping for are those small gifts and stocking stuffers. All those little things you kept saying to yourself that you'd pick up later..... Well 'later' is NOW!

Here is a great list of OVER 100 small and inexpensive gift ideas! I don't know about you, but I hate filling stockings and buying small 'filler' presents only to be throwing away those things within weeks, because they were junk!


This year I've decided that instead of wasting money, I'm buying things that are either needed, useful or consumable!

Another great idea for coworkers, friends or family is to group some of these items together for a "theme basket". I tried to group the items together as best I could! Here are a few suggestions... Baking, coffee, makeup, nails, art, golf, spa, electronics, car care, etc.

Also, considering that most of these items are $5.00 or less this would be a wonderful way to bless a family in need! We will be filling a stocking to send to our World Vision child, but you could also drop off with a charity, a church or a specific family that you know! What a wonderful blessing to someone you could be! And what a lesson it would be for your children!

Continue Reading
**************************************************************

Yesterday's post was brought to you by McCall at Lee, Me and the Girls. She wrote about Christmas Traditions.

Well, hello there!

I'm McCall from Lee, Me, and the Girls,

and I fully believe that no part of the year carries more traditions than Christmas.

From the food to the family, we all want the holiday season to be special and fun.

On December 23rd, I'll be posting about some of my  favorite traditions

 as well as some I wish were my traditions.

And most importantly, I'll be talking about the traditions that help us keep in mind the true meaning of this wonderful time of year.

I hope you'll join me, and I wish you all a very merry Christmas!

Continue Reading

********************************************************************
And I am pleased to share a post by Emily at My Crazy Bliss. Emily shares a cute craft for Winter Snowflakes.

Join Parga's Junkyard as we Share Christmas with some of the web's best bloggers!

December 18, 2011

Featured Blog - My Crazy Bliss

There are so many fun things to make for the holidays. I wanted to think of something unique and fun to put in my windows this year. This craft is great because it can be used all winter long, not just at Christmas time. I'm happy that we don't get snow here too often, but snowflakes go along with the cold weather!

Continue reading post at My Crazy Bliss

Do you have a Christmas blog post you would like to share with our readers? Sign up on our linky below to share your posts! Or if you are one of our readers just click on the Linky to see more Christmas posts to check out!

Lovin' The Weekend Blog Hops Week 12- Dec 23-25, 2011

Welcome to the twelve weekend of Lovin' the Weekend Blog Hops.

Merry Christmas!

Here's how this blog hop works. I would appreciate it if you would follow me via GFC. And then, there are three different linkys you can link to. Whichever one you choose to link to, please grab that button and share it on your blog (the codes are on my sidebar). I'd love it if you could tweet or in some other way share about this blog hop, the more people who know about it, the more potential visitors and new followers of your blog. I'd love to meet some new friends this weekend.  

I have noticed that some people are more interested in just increasing their numbers, while others really want people who appreciate their blog and want to keep up with their posts. So, I decided to create two separate linkys. The third linky is for you to link up your giveaways. 

If you are interested in increasing the number of followers to your blog via GFC, Twitter, Facebook or Google+ link up here (just note which one you are linking to):

If you are interested in gaining followers to your blog who will read and comment and truly find an interest in your blog, link up here:

If you have giveaways to link up, here's your spot. Please make sure to include an end date for your giveaway.

I am so glad you stopped by. Please leave a comment if you link up and I will be sure to stop by and follow back.

Don't forget to check out my "Blog Hops" page for other great weekend blog hops!!

Friday Blog Hopping: December 23, 2011

Wow, it is Friday again already. Christmas is in 2 DAYS!! Where has this week gone? Or should I say, where has this year gone???  Hoping to hop by some great blogs today. If you would like to do some blog hopping today head on over to my "Blog Hops" page to see the Friday Blog Hops I have found.

If you are visiting from a blog hop, welcome! I am glad you are here. Take a look around. I'd love it if you would follow me via GFC and subscribe to my emails. I also have a Facebook page and a Twitter you can follow.  I have just created a Google+ page also that  I would love for you to follow.


I am excited because I am participating in the 25 Day Of Christmas Blogshare with Sonya from Parga's Junkyard and 23 other amazing bloggers. We have joined together to bring you some exciting, yummy and educational Christmas posts, one for each day of the month. I invite you to stop by every day for a short snippet and link to the blogger of the day.

Don't forget to come back tonight to link up to my new Lovin' the Weekend blog hops (you can also link up giveaways). The linky will go live at 8pm Friday. Hope to see you here.


Speaking of giveaways 
(upcoming: Growums Garden Kit, Masking Maniac and Goosie Cards)

Thursday Blog Hopping: December 22, 2011

Happy Thursday.  


If you would like to do some blog hopping today head on over to my "Blog Hops" page to see the Thursday Blog Hops I have found.

If you are visiting from a blog hop, welcome! I am glad you are here. Take a look around. I'd love it if you would follow me via GFC and subscribe to my emails. I also have a Facebook page and a Twitter you can follow.  I have just created a Google+ page also that  I would love for you to add to your circles.


I am excited because I am participating in the 25 Day Of Christmas Blogshare with Sonya from Parga's Junkyard and 23 other amazing bloggers. We have joined together to bring you some exciting, yummy and educational Christmas posts, one for each day of the month. I invite you to stop by every day for a short snippet and link to the blogger of the day.

And on Friday night I invite you back to link up to my new Lovin' the Weekend blog hops (you can also link up giveaways).

Kids and a Mom in the Kitchen: Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Bars

Well, I told the girls we were going to be making cookies every day this week except for Monday. Yesterday we made Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Bars. I had made them on Sunday to take to our Christmas Program at church and was impressed with how easy they are to make. Perfect for Kids and a Mom in the Kitchen! So, daddy needed a dessert to take to his Christmas Party at work, again, perfect.

Getting ready. Tabitha had already read the ingredients and Amelia helped get them ready.

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter melted

2 eggs

(those are the ingredients that get mixed in the bowl first)

Then we put the following into the saucepan:

1 bag chocolate chips

2 tbs butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk

While the chocolate chips melted we finished mixing the cake mixture and the girls helped press them into the pans. (We needed to reserve 1 1/2 cups for the topping) It is supposed to go into one 9x13 pan. Unfortunately, my pans are all rusty so we use one 8x8 and one 9x9 pan. It works, that is all that counts. 

When the chocolate chips are melted, we stirred and added 1 tsp of vanilla. Then we poured it on top of the cake mixture.

Then I crumbled the remaining cake mixture on top and baked it at 325 degrees for 23 minutes (20-25 min is the recommended time).

As you can see, I had a hard time getting a picture as Hannah wanted in.

Here is the recipe in full

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter melted

2 eggs

1 bag chocolate chips

2 tbs butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1tsp vanilla

I found this recipe over at Making Mama Happy.

Do you have your children help you in the kitchen?  What lessons do they learn? Do you have any kid friendly recipes to share?

I'd love to see your posts, whether you have done something this week or some time in the past. Just link up below. This is a weekly linky, I just need to figure out a button now. 

I am linking up to:

And here is my Kids and a Mom in the Kitchen linky