Holiday Wishing Well

Check, Check....and Check!

2011-11-21T07:05:00.000-08:00

So my Halloween decorations are still up and collecting dust. Guess I will skip Thanksgiving decor and move straight on to Christmas. I was in a funk last week but am back in the spirit of the season. On this week's list: Order gifts from Amazon, take Christmas card pictures, decorate cookies, play dates with friends. Oh yeah: STUFF MY FACE WITH THANKSGIVING MORSELS. YUM.

On hubby's list: Hang Christmas Lights!!!!

One More Thing: SHOP MIDNIGHT SALES FRIDAY MORNING! :) Who's with me??? Thinking I can get a group of triplet mom's to go with me???? I posted tons of Black Friday deals last year. I am still on the hunt for codes, coupons and sales, but won't be posting much on here. If you have a sure fire site that you trust to score big this week, please share!

I bought Elf on the Shelf this morning. Can't wait for it to arrive! Gotta LOVE Amazon.com.

What name did you come up with for your little elf? I am excited to start this fun tradition with the kids! I am sure more posts will be coming soon about this guy.

Have a great week and Happy EATING!!!!!!

24 Days of SnuggleTime

2011-11-21T06:52:00.000-08:00

So I started the "12 Books of Christmas" tradition 2 years ago. Since then I have collected a few new books each year during after-christmas sales. I am STOKED for the kids to unwrap a new book each night!

I LOVE the Snowmen series by Caralyn Buehner. I stumbled upon them by chance at our local library. Snowmen At Night is so darling. We just borrowed Snowmen All Year and it is a good read too. So naturally my sticky little fingers HAD to have Snowmen at Christmas for my holiday children's book collection. Beautifully illustrated pages and a charming whimsical storyline draw you into this magical book.

Any who~ 12 days just doesn't make the cut anymore for my book collection. Extending it to all 24 days in December seems logical!

Snag this book for a great price and add it to your collection!

http://www.amazon.com/Snowmen-at-Christmas-Caralyn-Buehner/dp/0803729952

Now go snuggle up with your favorite kiddywink and blanket :)

Winter Moon

2011-11-12T20:53:00.000-08:00

Just purchased Mindy Gledhill's new holiday album Winter Moon. Talk about floating on a scoop of peppermint ice cream! She is brilliant! I LOVE her light hearted sound.

Nothing gets me more in the holiday mood than music.

Have a listen to her new holiday single:

https://www.facebook.com/MindyGledhillMusic?sk=app_178091127385

Get her album on sale now!

http://bluemorphmusic.mybigcommerce.com/

Happy Holiday Shopping!

49 Days To Go...

2011-11-06T22:35:00.000-08:00

Do you have your Christmas lists ready? I have been sitting here all night trying to create a road map of all my purchasing, party planning, sight seeing, craft making, holiday baking, picture taking, card creating... phew! Sheesh. THANK GOODNESS for November! Without November to plan, think ahead and get organized, my December would be an absolute mess.

It SNOWED this past weekend! I'm not going to lie. I was giddy with excitement! :) I busted out my favorite Mannheim Steamroller CD, snuggled under a blanket with my honey, watched Elf and sipped hot cocoa. :) Why wait on a good thing? (Dang we should have turned on the fireplace to complete the atmosphere.)

So, what's on your list this year? What traditions are you planning? What activities do you have up your sleeve? Giving anyone a "special" gift this year? A big surprise? :) I am planning my kidlets' birthday party and working on our annual triplet families' Christmas party. :) Let the games begin!

(James C Christensen copyright)

Six-Layer Holiday Cookies

2010-12-29T12:42:00.000-08:00

My son and I made these for his teachers in his preschool 2 weeks ago. They were easy and turned out cute!

Help your child put together a homemade treat for a family birthday, teacher gift, or holiday present for a friend. Just have him/her place the dry ingredients inside a clear container (a jar) and attach a handwritten label and recipe.

1) Fill it up:
Layer 1 cup quick-cooking roller oats, 2/3 cup brown sugar, a mix of 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, and 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 cup each chopped nuts/chocolate chips/dried cranberries.

2) Give these directions:
Empty contents; stir. Mix in 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 slightly beaten egg, 1 Tbs. milk, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Drop dough by teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350' for 10-12 minutes. Makes 24 Cookies.

Annual Family Christmas Party

2010-12-13T22:57:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday night was our annual family Christmas Party on my husband's side.

(My family is way too small for a party.)

I look forward to it every year! Since Steve's Grandma has passed away, we haven't had one for a few years.

My In-laws to the rescue! They picked up where Wannie left off.

It was great to see all the cousins. I hadn't spoken to Steve's cousin Lisa in a few years I believe. We had a yummy family dinner and my kids were SO big this year and sat on big chairs and ate with adult utensils too! I was impressed!

Me with 2 of my munchkins...

It was quite the mess to clean up since my kiddos still have the awful habit of throwing food on the floor! (UGH! Time to lay the smack down!) But nothing I wasn't used to doing on a daily basis. By the time I got around to feeding myself, there was pretty much no food left. I can totally relate to that mother on "A Christmas Story" who apparently hadn't had a hot meal in years. LOL

After mingling, Santa bounded into the clubhouse with a sack full of toys for a the kids!!! Whoot Whoot! Go Santa! He was THEE best Santa I've ever seen! He sang a few Christmas carols with everyone before proceeding to hand out gifts.

One of the greatest things about this Santa was not only did he LOOK like the real deal, he laughed "HO HO HO" between each sentence.

Reese ADORED Santa. She listened to every word he said and loved her gift. Way to go Pieces!

Avery... not so much. She had a panic attack!!!! HAHA I thought it was hilarious!

Last but not least, Lucas!

He was practically nose diving to get a way from ol' St. Nick! Poor kids' face was so purple, it looked like a sugar plum!

Good goin' Santa!

The party was a huge success!

Ugly, Ugly Ensembles!

2010-12-13T21:54:00.000-08:00

I'd been waiting. Waiting year after year. Still no invite to an ugly Christmas sweater party.

"It's time to take matters into my own hands."

So this year, for our annual (friends from High School) Christmas party,we decided LET'S DO IT!

It was a complete riot!

The men were cracking me up!

Mike looked dashing in his holly berry turtle neck and vest.

The newlyweds with their newly bought sweaters from Walmart.

I think Paul wins for most hideous sweater! Where on earth did he find that thing?!

Me and Sarah... We didn't end up handing out a prize because there were too many sweaters to choose from! Everyone did great!

After dinner, we exchanged white elephant gifts which surprisingly weren't too raunchy this year.

I actually ended up with something I wanted! ~A s'mores kit! YUMMY!

Whoops... I forgot. We DID have a winner! Anna Banana wins with her velvet jumpsuit!!! WTH?! Where did she find that thing and who would actually wear that?!

Can't wait for next year's party!

Special Breed Designs

2010-12-07T21:25:00.000-08:00

Great minds don't always think alike. I can paint, draw, come up with creative crafts and home decor.... but I am NOT computer savvy. And don't get me started on my graphic design skills. Pretty much void.

My friend Jamye on the other hand is super talented at taking a blank piece of paper and filling it up with fun, creative images and layouts to promote your business or organization!

Cards, photo cards, invitations, magnets, business cards and calendars! She even just whipped up some festive iron on transfer for holiday t-shirts! She is one brilliant woman!

Special Breed Designs can do any custom job, but also makes premade items too. Check out their Facebook page for details and contact info!

Special Breed Designs

Anything you see on the site can be tweaked to your liking or bought as is. They work fast and pay close attention to detail so you get your product quickly and to your satisfaction. Mention that you saw their site on Holiday Wishing Well and receive 10% off of a $30 or more purchase! Email Jamye at breedingground@zoominternet.net

Get on top of things for 2011! Contact Special Breed designs before the end of the year!

Holiday BAKING!

2010-12-07T20:55:00.000-08:00

Just browsed my friend Heidi's AMAZING food blog! I hadn't checked it in a few days and it looks like she has been baking up a STORM! Check it out if you are interested in some fun holiday baking. She's got a yummy Apple pie, brown sugar cake, and peanut butter cookies.

Tasty Sensations

OK... gotta go rummage the fridge now. :)

Festival Of Trees

2010-12-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

Saturday night was spent at The South Towne Expo Center. In December, I dream in green. I think the Christmas tree may be one of the greatest Christmas symbols. To me it signifies home and family. I love decorating it and then enjoy looking a the twinkling lights each night.

So of course I can't miss the annual Festival of Trees event! Thousands of trees, wreaths, gingerbread houses and table center pieces on display! They even had quilts this year. And all of the money spent on ticket purchases, trees, and concessions go to Primary Children's Medical Center... Nothing gets you more in the spirit of the season.

The trees were so gorgeous! Each one had a different theme and most of them were dedicated to a deceased friend or relative.

Each year it gets more and more crowded. We only stayed a good hour since we had the kids with us. They didn't want to sit in the wagon. We let them walk for a bit but it was so busy with people that we forced them back into their seats. Luckily Alee and Aaron came too. They were a HUGE help with the kids! Thanks you guys!

Maybe in a few more years, the kids will come to appreciate it and enjoy one of our many family traditions!

(Reese and Mommy)

Temple Square Lights!

2010-12-07T20:32:00.000-08:00

What a busy weekend! I have been having the time of my life! My husband and I took the kids to downtown Salt Lake on Friday night so they could experience Temple Square's Christmas lights. It was MUCH warmer than the previous week so we decided to brave the crowds.

Steve's sister Alee and her husband Aaron came with us. The lights were incredible. I really enjoyed all the Nativity Scenes and watching all the families there. ( I'm a total people watcher!)

After about 20 minutes the kids started whining and wanted to get out and walk. We went inside to see the Cristus statue and let Lucas meander around. He walked up to the statue and pointed and said, "Jesus!" And then he quickly saw the wall painted with stars and planets and said, "MOON!"

We stayed for about an hour. I think the kids loved it. Avery and Reese ended up holding hands most of the night while riding in the stroller.

It was worth the hassle of mittens, coats boots and blankets. We were even able to fit all 7 of us in our minivan! LOL That plus, two strollers. That;s how we roll.

Holiday Banner

2010-12-06T12:41:00.000-08:00

I made this super cute and super easy Holiday Banner on Saturday. You can also make them for other Holiday's as well. I saw them on Etsy awhile back and couldn't wait to make one! I borrowed my sister-in-laws cricut (so if you don't have access to one - ask someone that does and make one together!) We had such a good time making these and they were easy!! We did 4.5 inch on the outer circle and 4 inch on the inner. The letters took 2 pieces of 12*12 paper and the circles were about 3-4 sheets of 12*12 paper (depending on what you want!)

Here is my friend Melissa's:

Here is another 1st Birthday Banner I made for my baby:

Get Creative! Happy Holidays!!

Deck The Walls...

2010-12-03T00:07:00.000-08:00

...with flair!

Frizzy Vinyl has unique and stylish vinyl lettering for your walls! Jazz up your kids playroom with the alphabet or numbers!

Add a finishing touch to your kitchen or family room!

They just posted new Holiday and winter designs on their Face book page. They use high quality indoor/outdoor vinyl and are about half the price you would find elsewhere! On top of THAT, they are offering 10% off this month to our awesome blog readers!

Checkout their Facebook page to view all the creative designs... then order via email at frizzyvinyl@gmail.com

THEY SPECIALIZE IN CUSTOM ORDERS TOO! So if you have a specific quote or idea in mind, just let them know what you want and they can start the design process right away. They even do car decals!

Mention you saw them on Holiday Wishing Well and receive your 10% off!

This one is my absolute favorite!!! I ordered a wall quote and just got it in the mail! Can't wait to get it up! I'll have to do a follow up post just to show mine off! Frizzy Vinyl was so easy to work with and very prompt with the shipping. I just wish I was as on top of things as they were! HA! :0)

You can't go wrong with vinyl...easy on. Easy off! And so classy! Great Christmas gift idea!

(or get one for yourself, like me!)

Delightful Sausage Dip

2010-11-30T21:53:00.000-08:00

It's like a party in your mouth! I've actually caught myself doing a little jig while eating it.

Christmas Sausage Dip

2 tubes of Jimmy Dean's Original Sausage
7-12 oz. can of diced green chilies
2 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese
1 pint sour cream
1 Jar of Pace Chunky Picante Sauce (16 oz.)

Brown sausage (drain).

Add chilies and salsa.

Bring to a boil.

Simmer for 20 min.

Stir occasionally.

Stir in sour cream and cream cheese.

Serve warm with chips! YUMMY!

My mother in law has the best recipes! Thanks Jude! This one is a keeper! We enjoy this every year around Thanksgiving and Christmas time.

Cat's Outta The Bag!

2010-11-30T21:31:00.000-08:00

OK! I give! I've had this BRILLIANT neighborhood gift idea hiding up my sleeve for a few years now and STILL have yet to use it! So I guess it's time to spill the beans..... drum roll please.

HOLIDAY SPECS!

Ever heard of them or seen what they can do? I'm a kid at heart so these were so awesome! They are like 3D glasses but when you put them on and look at any light it creates a kaleidoscope of festive images!!! Here's a picture that I took last year. I held the camera lens up to the glasses!

A SNOWFLAKE IN EVERY LIGHT ON THE CHRISTMAS TREE! *The snowflake specs are my favorite!*

These are so darn fun. Kids love them, adults love them. You can't go wrong! We keep ours in our Christmas tote downstairs and pull them out every year. Big hit at our Christmas Party!!!

I was planning on delivering a handful of them to each house on my street with the saying, " Wishing you an "EYES ALL AGLOW" Christmas!"

You have to order them in bulk on the holiday specs website but if you only need a few, you can order them on Amazon!

Check it out: AMAZON SPECS

There's no better feeling that seeing Christmas through a child's eyes!
*** side note to my neighborhood... don't be surprised if I still use this idea!***

Booties For Your Cutie!

2010-11-30T14:04:00.000-08:00

Expecting or know someone who is expecting a sweet bundle of joy this holiday season? What a more precious gift to give than a pair of warm fuzzy baby booties?! Truly a family keepsake! My friend Marta makes the most adorable soft baby booties for your little baby bean! Check out her holiday booties made with love.... Holly berries and poinsettias!

Click on the picture to view her blog:

She makes these booties year round and has so many designs! And she is offering 10% off her already affordable prices! Email Marta at martaherbert48@aol.com to get pricing and mention that you saw her booties on Holiday Wishing Well to receive your 10% off discount!

And how CUTE are these BOOTIES?! They totally remind me of those Ugg boots everyone is sporting these days! Click on the picture to go to her Facebook page!

So jealous of all you mommas out there that get to snuggle a little baby during these winter months!

Their little feet will be toasty, that's for sure!

Cutest BLOOMS around!

2010-11-28T23:05:00.000-08:00

Petal Patch Baby. That's the word on the street. Once you go PPB, you never go back. Seriously.... they've got the cutest blooms around! Check out their Face Book page...

Petal Patch Baby is exclusively offering Holiday Wishing Well readers 10% off any order of $30 or more! (Not to be combined with any other discounts.) The PPB face book "shop" will be open until December 5th before they close for the holidays. You can look through the PPB photo albums & post "SOLD" under images of available items followed my an email to petalpatchbaby@yahoo.com to order. Make sure and mention in your email that you saw this great deal on Holiday Wishing Well so you get the 10% off discount!

Happy Shopping!

Cyber Monday!

2010-11-28T22:44:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the BIG online shopping day!!! I have done a bit of searching and still can't get my facts together on the best deals out there. I guess that's what all those deal blogs are for. This blog is more for fun and sharing ideas! So if you HAVE any leads.. post them as a comment! Thanks y'all!

I did see these adorable tights (leggings) for baby/toddlers on sale:

{BABY LEGS}

$10 for 3 pair!!!!! How insanely awesome is that?!

Starting tonight, I will doing a Business Spotlight everyday on some fabulous merchandise/services! My entrepreneur friends have offered to discount their products just for you Holiday Wishing Well Readers! Please stop by each night to see who will be spotlighted next! Add some SPARKLE to your holiday gift giving with homemade goodies!!!! You will not be disappointed!

Let the Christmas Season Begin!

2010-11-28T22:27:00.000-08:00

I have been soaking up this Thanksgiving weekend! Yummy food, family, lots of shopping and decorating! It was so fantastic! I'm sad that my husband has to go back to the daily grind tomorrow. This blog has taken a toll with all this celebrating on my part.... but it was well worth it for me!!!!

How was your Thanksgiving? Where did you dine at? Did you have seconds on pie? :)

We ate at my sister-in-law's house up in Syracuse. Lots of nieces and nephews there! The kids got their own table! My trio didn't end up getting much of a nap so Avery was quite cranky ( plus she has a bad diaper rash too ). But we had so much fun. It was well worth the drive to be with the Foulger Family.

We also celebrated Thanksgiving the Sunday prior with my family..... can't complain about TWO Thanksgiving dinners! I wish the holidays could last all year!

Black Friday has come and gone! Did you get any good deals? I ended up braving 2 lines on Thanksgiving night at 10 pm. Both Toys R Us locations. The first line was a waste... it was an "Express" store and they didn't end up opening until 5 AM the next day. The second line was wrapped completely around the building so my friend ShaRee and I decided it wasn't worth it. Went home empty handed. HAHA oh, well.... it was still fun to see the madness.

I did end up getting a good deal on Step 2's Grand Walk In Kitchen... reduced from $250.00 to $188.00 plus free shipping! Happy Day!

We started off the Christmas season by putting up all our holiday decor. Steve and I always listen to Carpenter's Christmas when we decorate the tree. Thanksgiving night we flick on the outside house lights! I LOOOOVE driving around with my family and looking at lights. Probably one of my favorite month long activities! We went out tonight but not much to look at.... I'm hoping that we will see more once December first hits.

Happy Holidays!!!!!!!!!

Best Breakfast Casserole EVER!

2010-11-23T21:33:00.000-08:00

Judee's Breakfast Casserole

8 slices french bread

2 Cups cheddar cheese grated

1 lb. (Jimmy Dean Original) sausage, browned

4 eggs, beaten

2 1/4 Cup milk

3/4 Tsp dry mustard

1 can cream of mushroom soup diluted with 1/2 Cup milk

Layer 9X13 casserole dish with french bread, grated cheese, and browned sausage. In a separate bowl, mix eggs with 2 1/4 C. milk and dry mustard. Pour over top of bread in casserole dish.
Cover with foil; refrigerate over night.

Before baking, cover casserole with one can of cream of mushroom soup mixture. (Remember to mix the soup with 1/2 c. milk.)

Bake @ 300 F for 1 1/2 hours. (Sometimes it bubbles over, so I put a cookie sheet underneath it on bottom rack.) Cool for 5 minutes. Serve in squares.

BTW~ THIS IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE BREAKFAST RECIPE! WE ENJOY THIS EVERY CHRISTMAS MORNING.

Sparkling Breakfast Punch

2010-11-23T20:47:00.000-08:00

I posted a FANTASTIC breakfast casserole recipe last year. I'll post it again... it's worth it! I LOVE Christmas brunch. Prob one of my favorite Christmas Day traditions.

Instead of O.J., why not serve a delicious and refreshing drink along with your brunch?

Sparkling Christmas Punch

3 cups orange juice, chilled
2 cups chilled pineapple juice, chilled
3 cups pomegranate juice, chilled
1 liter ginger ale, chilled
1 liter club soda, chilled

In a large bowl, combine orange juice, pineapple juice, and pomegranate juice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hrs. Before serving, stir in ginger ale and club soda. Serve punch over ice.

Prep: 5 min Chill 2 hrs Serves 8

Trim a Tree

2010-11-23T20:32:00.000-08:00

This is such a cute and fun project for kids! And only $10 right now!

Fold Out Table Top Tree

Color it, use stickers, hang ornaments, drizzle tinsel.... possibilities are endless. Let our Picasso's go nuts!

Parmesan Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2010-11-23T20:26:00.000-08:00

MMMM... my taste buds are watering! Just bring me a huge bowl with chips and call me good.

Parmesan Spinach and Artichoke Dip

1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
12 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Heat oven to 350F
Mix ingredients until well blended
Spoon into shallow ovenproof dish
Bake 20 min.

Serve with chips :) Scrumptious!

Clean Out the Closet Kids!

2010-11-23T20:19:00.000-08:00

" As Christmas approaches, I encourage my kids to clean out their toy closets and set aside anything they no longer play with. Then we take the toys to a local charity. I explain to them that lots of children would love to have the toys they are too old for. The kids get so happy to know they are helping other children have a merry Christmas!" ~Amy Marcle

What a great idea! I'm going to remember this one for next year when my kids are old enough to "get it". Plus it makes room for the new stuff they will get that year.

Hobby Lobby Coupon

2010-11-23T20:13:00.000-08:00

Feeling crafty… on the hunt for a fun decoration?

Print a new Hobby Lobby Coupon for 40 percent off any 1 item {or use the online
Hobby Lobby Coupon Code}

Use it to save on supplies for a fun craft project!

{coupon & online code expire 11/27}

100 FREE Christmas Postcards!!!

2010-11-18T21:48:00.000-08:00

Here's another great Christmas card idea from Vistaprint!

Get 100 Christmas postcards for FREE, just pay shipping, which is around $6.50! This is a quick and easy way to send your cards this year, just add a stamp!

The postcard is double-sided, so you can add a personal message to the back as well. You'll be able to give updates on your family happenings. What a great deal! These end up costing only 6-7 cents each!

You should have enough for neighbors and all your friends as well. I'm really excited about this deal. Even if you ordered the 20 Christmas Cards for $1.99 or the Christmas labels for the cost of shipping, you can still order these as well! Loving these amazing deals from Vistaprint!

A Nativity Set the Kids can Play With!

2010-11-18T21:29:00.000-08:00

This is the cutest kid friendly Nativity Set I've ever seen!

Fisher Price Little People Nativity Set is on sale for $29.97. Use the code 123023301 at checkout and get another 25% off making the price $22.48!

There is a shipping charge of $2.99. There may also be a tax charge depending on where you live. If you order 2 sets, shipping is FREE!

A great price considering Amazon.com has this exact set selling for $49! This is a fun gift idea! Get one for your family! :)

Bethlehem Christmas

2010-11-18T21:13:00.000-08:00

With all the holiday marketing, it is so easy to get caught up in the retail side of Christmas. I'm not gonna lie.... I do love the fancy twinkling lights, the hustle and bustle of the local shopping malls and trying to find the perfect gift for each family member. But what about the true meaning of Christmas?

My in-laws make Christmas eve great. My father in-law has a program every year. I have loved it from the first year I was married into the family. Everyone gathers around and we watch this cartoon of the Savior's birth. ( My husband and his siblings have watched it since they were little.) Then he reads a poem about Christ's second coming and also a motivational and uplifting story. The poem is always the same but the story changes every year. I love this tradition and I am excited for my kids to start enjoying it.

My friend Sunni told me of an inspiring tradition. You could easily do this with your family, church group or even your neighborhood party:

Instead of having Santa visit your next Christmas party.... why not recreate a true Christmas in Bethlehem? Each family that attends comes in traditional clothing (robes), and brings a blanket for their family. At the entrance to the party they are given their "taxes" ( gold chocolate coins). They sit with their own family on their blankets on the floor. The atmosphere is a dim and the ceiling looks like a starry night. The whole room looks like the city of Bethlehem. The parties' food consists of fish, leaven bread, olive oil etc...... (don't worry, you can provide kid friendly food too.) As different families eat, spiritual Christmas music is played. A nativity program is performed and you could even recite or read a Christmas message. What a better way to teach our children the true meaning of Christmas than role playing?

I have heard of families that have their grandchildren or children perform the Nativity Scene. I've also heard of families that read the story of Christ's birth in the scriptures. So, how does your family focus on Christ during the Christmas season?

What's the Word On the Street?

2010-11-15T23:36:00.001-08:00

I keep hearing about all these fantastic holiday traditions! I can't wait to post all of them...heading to bed now. See you tomorrow! *YAWN*

Another SWEET Card Deal

2010-11-15T23:27:00.000-08:00

See Here is offering two AWESOME photo card deals! hurry because these codes are only good for 2 more days~ through 11/18.

If you only need 25 cards you can get them free using code: 25cards. This is supposed to be for new accounts.You will need to pay shipping of $4.99. If you want to order any extra cards, they will be .49 each. So if you order 26 cards it is just $5.48 with shipping and so on. *This only applies to 4×8 size cards.

If you need 60 or more, you can take advantage of a 50% off code.
60 cards is going to be $29.40- use promo code cards-39 and your price will drop to $14.40 which includes shipping fees.

So you will pay a total of .24 per card including shipping. You can order as many as you need and use this code providing it is 60 or more. *This price is also based on 4×8 cards. If you prefer 5×7 the price will be higher.

So either way this is a fantastic deal!! **And don’t forget the address labels you can also order for $3.

Free Holiday Address Labels

2010-11-15T23:08:00.000-08:00

Free from Vista Print:

You get 140 labels with any design you like for just under $3 shipped. This is a cute way to dress up your cards and to save time in filling them out.

This is the time to order because the slowest shipping is quoted at about 21 days. You will probably get them sooner but it is probably a busy time of year for them.

If you have little ones that might receive lots of books, DVDs and CDs this year, you can also make little name tags to put inside.

Check out Vista Print. They have other freebie offers as well, you just have to pay for shipping. I'm ordering mine right now!

So Many Deals! Where Do I Start?!

2010-11-15T22:45:00.000-08:00

Ok, first of all we can't forget Old Navy's Black Friday ad that came out yesterday!

OLd NaVy*

Doors open at Midnight Friday. Props to all your die hards that want to shop at midnight.

Someone asked me a few days ago if I was BIG Black Friday shopper. ~I used to brave the 4 am crowds back in the day with my mom. It was like our Girls Day Out and we had a blast. But now that I have kids, sleep is too important to me. Mom and I now do breakfast out and then mosey through the stores until about 3 pm. Casual and low key. Still great deals... just no door busters. :)

Happy Retail therapy people!

Tasty Sensations

2010-11-14T20:45:00.000-08:00

My friend Heidi is a total foodie and has an amazing food blog! Check it out! Some of the yummiest seasonal recipes ever! I love it! This french toast recipe is fabulous!

Tasty Sensations

Elf Santa Scene

2010-11-14T20:35:00.000-08:00

You'll want to scroll down and pause the music first. :) Love this scene!

"You smell like beef and cheese. You don't smell like Santa...."

What's your List?

2010-11-14T20:26:00.000-08:00

I have seen a few of my friends on Face book post a list of the fun and festive activities they want to participate in during the Christmas season. So... what's your list?

Here's mine (I'm sure I'll be adding to it)

1. Visit Temple Square

2.Take the kids sledding :)

3.Make Gingerbread houses

4.Decorate Christmas tree with the kids while listening to Christmas music!

5.Drive around and look at Christmas lights with the fam (Multiple times)

6.Watch Garfield's Christmas

7.Take the kids to the mall to see Santa

8.Watch Elf

9.Attend the Family Christmas Party

10.Eat Candy Cane Ice cream :)

11.Watch Home Alone

12. Create beautiful Christmas Nails

13.Drink Egg Nog

14. Decorate cookies with the kids

15. Enjoy the 12 Days of Christmas Books with the munchkins

16.Watch Christmas Story

17. Cook a Turkey

18.Exchange Ornaments

19.Girls Night Out Christmas Party (maybe wear ugly sweaters...we shall see)

20.Open Christmas Jammies on Christmas Eve

21.Watch It's A Wonderful Life

22.Choose names off the Angel Tree

23. Send out Christmas cards

24. Donate to the Food Bank

25. Wrap gifts while listening to the Carpenter's Christmas!

26. Shop with my mom on Black Friday

More Merry Traditions!

2010-11-11T22:08:00.000-08:00

After a full day of doing nails and chatting with my clients/friends... I heard quite a few good family holiday traditions that I thought would be fun to share! As a slightly new mother of 3, I am always looking for new traditions to start with my little family.

My friend Christy told me about her Thanksgiving tradition she enjoys with her fam every year. I'm not quoting this word for word but she was telling me, "You know how after you eat a huge Thanksgiving meal, you can hardly fit any room in for pie?" She then went on to say that her family does "PIE NIGHT" the night BEFORE Thanksgiving. Each family brings a different pie and they all get to enjoy and taste their desserts for dinner that night! Genius!

My other adorable friend Marci and her mother were telling me about their families' annual Holiday Party tradition. Instead of having Santa Claus come visit the kids/grand kids... they tell the kids that Santa is too busy preparing for Christmas and that an Elf (Santa's Helper) is going to leave Santa's Bag on the front steps. The kids eagerly anticipate seeing the elf, and all through the evening they keep checking the window for the elf. After the Nativity program is over, etc. they look outside and see Santa's bag filled with wrapped gifts tagged especially for them! So FUN!

What's you favorite holiday tradition? Thanksgiving or Christmas? I'd love to hear and share on the blog! E mail me at roxane_foulger@yahoo.com.

Printable Hasbro Coupons!

2010-11-11T21:40:00.000-08:00

Hasbro released more toy coupons! Make sure to print them out, they usually run out quickly.

Click Here: Hasbro Coupons

Happy Shopping!

Target and Toys R US Ads!!!!!!

2010-11-11T21:34:00.000-08:00

A day late... sorry friends. But not a dollar short when you shop the ads! Check out Target's Black Friday Ad!

Target Ad

And Don't Forget Toys R us!!! Toys R Us Black Friday Ad

Foolproof Pumpkin Cookies

2010-11-09T22:38:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you combine:

1 (15 oz.) can of Pure Pumpkin

1 Spice cake mix

1 bag of Milk Chocolate chips (or 2 if you want it extra chocolatey!)

The absolute yummiest and easiest cookies on the planet!

3 ingredients!!! And it's a Weight Watchers recipe so you can eat all 4 dozen, right?

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 can 100% pure pumpkin (15 oz.)

1 Spice cake mix

1 bag of milk chocolate chips

Combine pumpkin and cake mix in bowl. Mix well. Add chocolate chips. Spoon onto baking sheets. Bake @ 350F for 10-11 min.

Devour. :)

Christmas Card Deal!

2010-11-08T13:26:00.000-08:00

Vistaprint is having a big Christmas card sale!

Get 20 Christmas Cards for $1.99! There are hundreds of designs and options to choose from.

Take a look at all the cards available & pay only $1.99 for 20, plus around $4-$5 for shipping. This is a great deal for gorgeous Christmas cards. There are many Vistaprint Christmas cards that may be customized with your family photos!

Macy's Black Friday Ad is Here!

2010-11-07T21:41:00.000-08:00

Just posted!!!!

Click Here!

Black Friday Ads

Step Aside Cranberry Sauce...

2010-11-07T21:29:00.000-08:00

You are probably a huge fan of cranberry sauce around Thanksgiving.... but if you have taste buds more like me I'd rather splurge on something a little sweeter. Like JELLO. :) Don't forget the whipped topping! This dish is DELICIOUS!

Cranberry Jello Salad

2 Packages of 3 oz. raspberry Jello (or 1 six ounce package)
1 Cup boiling hot water
1 Cup cold water
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice
1 16 oz. can whole cranberry sauce
cool whip :)

Dissolve Jello in hot water, mix thoroughly then add cold water. Chill in mixing bowl until thickened. Add pineapple with juice and cranberry sauce. Stir well. Pour into oiled 9X13 pan. Chill overnight.
Top with Cool Whip and enjoy!

I love this recipe around the holidays as well as summer BBQ's on the 4th of July!

Let Your Light So Shine!

2010-11-07T21:04:00.000-08:00

In Salt Lake City, one of the biggest lights display is at Temple Square. Many people love to visit Temple Square at Christmastime. Millions of twinkling lights, a life sized nativity scene and a spirit of peace emulate the atmosphere. For locals, we know temple square all too well. For those that have never been there, Temple Square houses The Salt Lake Temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints. The lights display here is incredible. Thousands of tiny lights drape and wrap around trees and shrubbery.

It can be hard to decide what to look at first. Everywhere trees are covered with tiny twinkling lights in pink, yellow, blue, and green. Above it all, the Salt Lake Temple glows in brilliant white, with the gold figure of Moroni shining at the top.

Artists from several countries created child sized nativity sets to welcome children from all over the world and help them think about the Savior. Those sets are still displayed at Christmastime on Temple Square. There are sets from Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, and Poland.

Trivia

• About a million people visit Temple Square at Christmastime.

• There are dozens of lighted trees on Temple Square. Just one tree has 75,000 individual lights. How many lights would you guess there are all over Temple Square? LED light bulbs are now being used to help save electricity.

• Workers start putting up Christmas lights on August 1 and finish taking them down by March 31.

• Children helped make the luminarias on the Church Office Building plaza. Christmas messages are written on some of them in different languages.

• Today the lights are turned on by computer. But years ago children helped plug in the lights on the night when the lights were turned on for the season. Once when one little girl plugged in her string of lights and all of Temple Square lit up at the same time, she thought she had lit all the lights herself!

I love the lights at Temple Square! That is one tradition I am definitely starting with my own little family! Where is your favorite place to view lights during the Christmas season?

It's Still Pumpkin Season, Right?

2010-11-06T22:57:00.000-07:00

Leave all the prep work for Thanksgiving. This is an easy family meal to whip up.... and so festive too!

Dinner in a Pumpkin

1 Medium Pumpkin
1 onion chopped
2 TBSP vegetable oil
2 lbs. ground turkey
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP brown sugar
1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 (8 oz. ) can water chestnuts drained

Cut top off pumpkin. Scrape out inside of pumpkin. Preheat oven to 350 F. In large skillet, sautee onion in oil until tender. Add meat. Brown and drain. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms and soup. Simmer 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add cooked rice and water chestnuts. Spoon into pumpkin and place on baking sheet. Bake one hour until pumpkin is tender. Serve and enjoy.

Optional: Paint a fun face on the pumpkin with markers or acrylic craft paint. Kids would love to help!

Neighbors For Charity

2010-11-06T22:32:00.000-07:00

Racking your brain for creative gifts to give all your neighbors? Wish you could skip it all together and give your money to a good cause?

My neighborhood came up with this stellar idea of bagging neighbor gifts and instead joining together for one night and donating the money you would have spent, to the local food bank. It turned out great last year and we are doing it again! And whoever wrote this clever poem is brilliant!

T'was a month before Christmas

And all through the streets

The neighbors were wondering,

"Shall we give crafts. or homemade treats?"

They were all stressed out,

So much money to spend

Should it be funny or clever?

Will this madness ever end?

Then what to their wondering minds did appear

An idea so great, they had nothing to fear.

Why not join together for a worthy cause,

To donate to charity and play Santa Claus.

We could all get together to celebrate

One night in December. What fun! We can't wait!

We will contribute that night an anonymous gift,

Helping those less fortunate would give us a lift!

We could give as a group, to help those in need,

There are plenty of causes and mouths to feed.

As neighbors and friends, a tradition we did start,

What joy we will feel to know we did our part.

What better gift could we give each other?

Than spreading the love from our hearts to another!

This is a no obligation invitation. Everyone is welcome and donations will remain anonymous.

If your neighborhood, office or family has started some sort of "giving back" tradition, please share!

Do you do a sub-for-Santa? Feed the homeless? Food drive?

We are always looking for ways to help others, especially around the Christmas season!

Tai Pan Deal

2010-11-05T23:49:00.000-07:00

Local Friends:
Get 25% OFF one single Christmas item at Tai Pan.... Saturday November 6th ONLY. Mention at checkout that you saw their segment on Studio5 on Thursday and get the deal! Today is the last day! I was just there a a week ago and trust me... Tai Pan never fails to please!

Easy Homemade Gift Ideas

2010-11-05T23:31:00.000-07:00

Ummm.... I really want a caramel apple right now!

Gotta LOVE Studio5....

Candy Cane Cupcakes

2010-11-05T23:12:00.000-07:00

A cute and easy way to display cupcakes at a Christmas party! I will be stealing this idea at my trio's birthday party. ;)

Recipe is SUPER easy!

Prep Time: 20 min.

Bake Time: 22 min.

Decoration Time: 25 min.

Difficulty: Easy

Yield: Makes 24 cupcakes.

1 box (18.25 oz.) yellow cake mix 2 12-oz. cans whipped vanilla frosting 1 ½ cups M&M’S® Brand Milk Chocolate Candies for the Holidays 2 12-cup cupcake pans 24 paper cupcake liners Utensils:Spatula

1 large tray or piece of strong cardboard

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the cupcake pans with the paper cupcake liners.

2. Prepare the cake mix according to the package instructions. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake pans.

3. Bake for approximately 19-22 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

4. Using the picture as a guide, arrange the cupcakes on a tray to resemble a candy cane. Spread the frosting over all the cupcakes so it looks like one cake. Arrange the same color M&M’S® in straight lines to resemble a candy cane.

Recipe from Bright Ideas

Kicking Off the Holiday Season

2010-11-05T20:40:00.000-07:00

50 days to go before Christmas Day! I thought today would be appropriate to kick off another season of my holiday blog! I hope this site will be more useful, fun and festive than last year! I am excited that Angie, Alisha and other friends of mine will be contributing authors. :) As Thanksgiving is approaching fast, I am planning on posting recipes and black friday deals. Feedback and ideas or comments are ALWAYS WELCOME!

Check out Black Friday 2010 website:
Some of the Black Friday ads are already out!

http://www.blackfriday2010.com/

Happy Holidays!

****~ Roxy~****

Make Your Own Reindeer Food

2009-12-23T07:35:00.000-08:00

You will need:

1/4 C Oatmeal
Glitter
Optional: Colored sugar crystals (About 1 Tbs)

Put the 3 ingredients into a Ziploc and shake. On Christmas Eve spread your reindeer food outside and the reindeer will see the "magic" glitter and smell the yummy oats as they bring Santa to your house!

Recommendation: Spread it out on your driveway or other paved surface, it is much easier for the reindeer to "eat" it (aka sweep away) off of a flat surface, then it is on a snow-covered yard.

Courtesy of Heather Van Leeuwen

Christmas Calendar

2009-11-25T06:59:00.000-08:00

I made a Christmas Countdown Calendar with my sister-in-laws on Saturday. It's really easy and it was a lot of fun!!! All you need is a mini-muffin tin (which cost me $7 at Hobby Lobby w/their 40% off coupon). You stick treats, trinkets, or quotes behind it and your little ones can count down to Christmas!!!

Click here for directions:
http://bethcrabtreehunter.blogspot.com/2009/09/halloween-advent-calendar.html

Here is another link to an example:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17909750

Cents of Style

2009-11-21T12:01:00.000-08:00

How can you go wrong with shoes, hats, scarves and jewelry ALL around $20 and under?!!!! Cents of Style is also giving you a holiday discount until Nov.30th! Check out their website and if you're local you can always go to a neighborhood party!

http://www.mycentsofstyle.com/

Use the code: STUDIO5 when placing your order and receive 20% off their already amazing deals!

Baby Jesus

2009-11-21T11:46:00.000-08:00

"A friend of mine just told me one of their Christmas traditions that I would like to share with you.

She puts out her nativity scene the day after Thanksgiving; however, she does not put baby Jesus in the manger until Christmas morning. (She said she hides him in her sock drawer).

I thought that was really a neat thing to do and a way to share the Christmas story again with your children on Christmas morning once they see that baby Jesus is in the manger."

Traditions: Reindeer Bait

2009-11-21T11:43:00.000-08:00

"On Christmas Eve my boys and I have always put out 'Reindeer Bait' which is basically dry oatmeal mixed with glitter. They leave a trail from the road to our doorstep. The reindeer see the sparkles from the sky and eat up all the oats until they are at our doorstep. It's fun when they go outside to make sure its all gone."

Traditions from Friends: Ornaments

2009-11-21T11:39:00.000-08:00

"For all the moms with daughters out there, my mom used to give me a special ornament every year. Usually based on my interests and alot of them are just beautiful. She kept the ornaments in a box though and never opened them. When I moved away from home she gave me the box on our first Christmas so i would have at least 18 ornaments on my tree. I thought this was really neat because it wasn't just store bought ornaments I threw on there. To this day she still gives me ornaments every year. Last year it was a special ornament of my grandpa and me when I was little. He has been gone for 16 years but I will cherish that ornament so much. I do personalized ornaments for our family every year. At first it was us and our dogs and now it is us, Alex and the dogs. Each year I find unique ones and it is fun to go back 8-10 years and see our 1st ornament of just my husband, me and our now 9 year old german shephard."

CODES CODES AND MORE CODES!

2009-11-21T11:29:00.000-08:00

http://www.retailmenot.com/

What sets this coupon-code and discount site apart from a zillion similar destinations? It's breadth (it claims over 150,00 codes, for everything from airline tickets to baby shoes) and its success rate(it does a much better job of logging which codes still work and which don't).

20% Off all Holiday Orders!!!

2009-11-21T11:19:00.000-08:00

My friend Randi is now offering all Wishing Well readers 20% off any order you place between now and Christmas! She makes the cutest bows and flowers for little girls. She also has hats etc. You just have to make sure you mention this blog when ordering. Check it out!

http://www.piggysandpetals.blogspot.com/

BTW~ She DOES SHIP!!!!!

I HEART PEPPERMINT BARK!!!!!!!!!

2009-11-18T21:26:00.000-08:00

Okay... I'm not really a white chocolate fan but I ADORE peppermint bark. Maybe its the candy canes...I don't know.

I found an easy and delicious recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/peppermint-bark-recipe/index.html
My mouth is watering!

Santa's Cookies...

2009-11-18T21:20:00.000-08:00

What's your tradition for Santa's cookies? Do you make cookies the night before? Do you decorate sugar cookies? Leave a list? Milk too? I heard a cute tradition the other day.... someone leaves carrots for the reindeer. Another one I heard was mommy and daddy leave chocolatey finger prints on the letter after they drink the milk.......

Please share!

Toys R Us Electronic Toy Coupon and Sale

2009-11-18T21:15:00.000-08:00

In store sale only....use coupon on Thursday Nov. 19th.

Save up to 45% off when you use this coupon on v-tech, v motion, v smiley and bugsby toys.

http://www.myspringfieldmommy.com/2009/11/toys-r-us-coupon.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MySpringfieldMommy+%28My+Springfield+Mommy%29&utm_content=Twitter

Discount can be used on regular and sale priced items.

UPDATE!!!!

2009-11-18T21:04:00.000-08:00

Okay so change of promo code for the FREE 50 Christmas photo cards on seehere.com! This promotion expires on 11/21/09 so ACT FAST!!!!! Use the code: newbaby when checking out. This code is good for the 5X7 cards. Happy creating!!!!

Holiday Meals

2009-11-15T22:17:00.001-08:00

A few holiday morsels from my friend Angie's Recipe blog!

Check it out!

http://recipesofdelight.blogspot.com/search/label/Holiday

The breakfast casserole is my mother in law's recipe and a family favorite.... I guess you could say it's a tradition. We eat it every Christmas morning! :)

50 Holiday Photo Cards for FREE!

2009-11-15T21:31:00.000-08:00

Fuji Film's new website, is offering 50 FREE 5X7 holiday photo cards to try their service. All the cards come with envelopes and free shipping!!! How can you go wrong?! I am ordering mine this week sometime.

Here's the link: http://www.seehere.com/

You have to use the code when checking out.... freebies4mom-1109

This is a $39.00 value. The deal expires 11/30/09 so act fast. They might cut the deal short at anytime.

Holiday Deals!

2009-11-15T21:08:00.000-08:00

Up to $75 in downloadable coupons for Playskool~

http://www.hasbro.com/playskool/en_US/discover/for-parents/Play-Savings.cfm

Also found an awesome daily deal website.... http://www.woot.com/ I got the babies high chairs for $10 each!!!! Can't go wrong!

Please feel free to post any sales or holiday deals! We all need to save $$$ this season!

Old and New

2009-11-15T20:58:00.000-08:00

For years, I always dreamed of the new tradtions I would start with my own children. Now that they are finally here I have a few fun ideas up my sleeve. Some are ones that I grew up with and others I am excited to introduce to our little family.

12 Books of Christmas~

I can't take credit for this one. Heard it from a neighbor. I have been collecting Child Christmas books since we began trying to conceive. We have about 14 or so. I am planning on wrapping 12 of them each year and putting them under the tree. For 12 nights before Christmas, my kids will take turns choosing a "gift", unwrapping it and that will be the book we read together as a family that night. I usually buy at least one (sometimes 2) new Christmas books after the holidays when they are at least 50% off or more. A great way to stock up. ;)

My family has always had the children open up their Christmas jammies on Christmas eve and Steve and I exchange ornaments with each other as well as give the kids an ornament.

OOHHH! This should be so fun! I love traditions.... PLEASE SHARE!

Holiday Wishing Well

Check, Check....and Check!

24 Days of *SnuggleTime*

Winter Moon

49 Days To Go...

Six-Layer Holiday Cookies

Annual Family Christmas Party

Ugly, Ugly Ensembles!

Special Breed Designs

Holiday BAKING!

Festival Of Trees

Temple Square Lights!

Holiday Banner

Deck The Walls...

Delightful Sausage Dip

Cat's Outta The Bag!

Booties For Your Cutie!

Cutest BLOOMS around!

Cyber Monday!

Let the Christmas Season Begin!

Best Breakfast Casserole EVER!

Sparkling Breakfast Punch

Trim a Tree

Parmesan Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Clean Out the Closet Kids!

Hobby Lobby Coupon

100 FREE Christmas Postcards!!!

A Nativity Set the Kids can Play With!

Bethlehem Christmas

What's the Word On the Street?

Another SWEET Card Deal

Free Holiday Address Labels

So Many Deals! Where Do I Start?!

Tasty Sensations

Elf Santa Scene

What's your List?

More Merry Traditions!

Printable Hasbro Coupons!

Target and Toys R US Ads!!!!!!

Foolproof Pumpkin Cookies

Christmas Card Deal!

Macy's Black Friday Ad is Here!

Step Aside Cranberry Sauce...

Let Your Light So Shine!

It's Still Pumpkin Season, Right?

Neighbors For Charity

Tai Pan Deal

Easy Homemade Gift Ideas

Candy Cane Cupcakes

Kicking Off the Holiday Season

Make Your Own Reindeer Food

Christmas Calendar

Cents of Style

Baby Jesus

Traditions: Reindeer Bait

Traditions from Friends: Ornaments

CODES CODES AND MORE CODES!

20% Off all Holiday Orders!!!

I HEART PEPPERMINT BARK!!!!!!!!!

Santa's Cookies...

Toys R Us Electronic Toy Coupon and Sale

UPDATE!!!!

Holiday Meals

50 Holiday Photo Cards for FREE!

Holiday Deals!

Old and New

24 Days of SnuggleTime