Top Posts of 2011

It seems like *everybody* is doing a little recap of the year, so I thought I would join in!  Looking back at my top posts for 2011, you would think I was a food blogger, but I'm really not!  I do like food though, and thus I post about it - LOL!  :)

Top 2011 posts by page views:

No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Mini Carrot Cupcakes

White Chocolate Berry Pie

No Shampoo - A Baking Soda & ACV Hair Update {Part 1}

No Shampoo - A Baking Soda & ACV Hair Update {Part 3}

German Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

No Shampoo - A Baking Soda & ACV Hair Update {Part 2}

10 No-Bake Chocolate Desserts to Beat the Heat

Favorite Picnic and Potluck Salads

Coffee Break in a Box

Creamy Root Beer Freeze

I wanted to give honorable mentions to some posts that had the most comments rather than page views as that means a lot to me - more interaction!

1. You Thought I *Quit* Blogging? April Fool - Joke's On You!
2. Encouraging Bloggers: Small or Hobby or Nicheless or New, This Blog Series is Written For You {Intro}
3. 10 Things You Might Hear Yourself Asking Your 11-Year Old Son
4. 10 Exciting* Things Happening This Week

Whether you stop by because you're family or friends or come by for recipes, tips, or random information - I appreciate you and welcome you back here anytime!  Thank you so much - you are the reason I continue to post!

I have to give a shout-out to Heidi at The Frugal Girls!  Linking up, guest posting, and being featured on her blog led to the large page views on 4 of those top posts - thanks Heidi!  And a shout-out to my sweet bloggy friend Kim at Homesteader's Heart!  She is my constant commenter and all posts (whether or not they are a "top" post) will feature a comment from Kim - you rock my friend!

2011 was a good blog year for me - especially since I returned to blogging!  I look forward to what 2012 will bring and I pray that you all will have a blessed year!

Happy New Year friends!!

12 Books in 12 Months 2012

The last couple of years I've made a list of 12 books to read in 12 months to help me get back into reading.  The first year I completed 9 of the 12.  This past year, I read 10 of the 12 but also read other books for a total of 17 - woo hoo!

So here's what I read for 2011:

Finished a couple books from the original list of 12:
 ~ Knowing God by J.I. Packer
 ~ Speed Cleaning 101 by Laura Dellutri

Read 10 of the books on last year's list:
 ~ Created To Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl
 ~ Organizing Magic by Sandra Felton
 ~ Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
 ~ Pilgrim's Progress (unabridged) by John Bunyan
 ~ You On a Diet by Roizen & Oz, M.D.'s
 ~ Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
 ~ The Jesus You Can't Ignore by John MacArthur
 ~ The Millionaire Next Door by Stanley & Danko, Ph.D.'s (Actually didn't finish - it's an old book and kept repeating the info I already knew.)
 ~ Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
 ~ Everyday Geography of the United States by Barbara Fifer

Read books from friends:
 ~ An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison (about bipolar disorder which my mother suffered from)
 ~ 31 Days to Clean by Sarah Mae (Going to join up with Joyful Mothering on Facebook next week and go through this cleaning challenge again!)

Read some books to review (and to enjoy!) on my blog:
 ~ Just Too Busy by Joanne Kraft
 ~ How to Market and Sell Your eBook by Sarah Mae
 ~ Notes to Aspiring Writers: Your Dream, God's Plan by Brooke L. McGlothlin

I have a new list of 12 books for 2012, but I'm not going to put it in any certain order this time as I'll probably be reading some simultaneously.  I also know that other books will come along during the year, so I'm hoping that I'll beat last year's 17 books!  I make my main list only from books that we already own.  Why?  Because it drives me crazy that we own all of these unread books!  One of these days I'll have read them all.  :)

12 Books in 12 Months 2012:

 ~ Raising Your Children for Christ by Andrew Murray 
          - Finishing from last year's list.

 ~ Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot  
          - Reading out loud with kiddo - it's on his Junior High reading list and is fascinating anyway.

 ~ Tell Your Time by Amy Lynn Andrews 
          - I really need time management lessons!

 ~ Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis 
          - Gift from a friend, sounds like a wonderful book about missionary life.

 ~ One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp 
          - I know - I'm one of the few bloggers that hasn't already read it, but now I own it and look forward to reading!

 ~ Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider 
          - I.Need.This.

 ~ The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom 
          - Another one on kiddo's reading list that I look forward to reading.

 ~ Little Women by Louisa May Alcott 
          - On my original list and I still want to read it - was a much-loved book when I was younger.

 ~ David Copperfield by Charles Dickens 
          - It's on the shelf and scares me a little with the size, but I find that I like Dickens books so I'll attempt it!

 ~ 101 Hymn Stories by Kenneth W. Osbeck 
          - So many inspiring stories behind the hymns.

 ~ The Mystery of Providence by John Flavel 
          - For the reminder and the comfort.

 ~ How to Crochet by Pauline Turner 
          - I know the basics, but want to go through this to learn some other stitches and try some of the projects.

How about you?  Do you have a reading list?  I'm so glad I started doing this or I wouldn't have read as much as I have the last couple of years.  Written goals and accountability really help me!  Plus, the more I do read, the easier it gets to continue reading - helps the brain to focus I think.  

Money Saving Mom has a great free printable blank reading list that you can use!  And I'm linking up at Nesting Place where Nester and others are sharing what they've read this year.

Have a wonderful day friends!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Send Chocolate

An unexpected package arrived in the mail yesterday.  Somebody seems to be under the impression that we like chocolate.  Chocolate from Germany.  That somebody is my sister.  And she is correct.  :)

Thank you Sis!

Linking up to Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes For Mom today - stop over to check out some great photos.

Have a super (and chocolate-filled) day friends!

The Week After Christmas Meme ~ 10 Questions

I couldn't find an After-Christmas meme, so I decided to come up with 10 questions of my own!  Feel free to tag yourself and post your own answers (let me know if you do so I can come read!) or leave them in the comments!

1. How long do you leave Christmas decorations up?  Since I get them up so late (er...like Christmas Eve), I like to leave them up a while - for sure until after January 1st - maybe even another week after that.

2. How many days until your kids are bored with their presents?  We don't give my son that many gifts (I think we gave him 4 - a book, a movie, a toy, and something for Boy Scouts) and he usually loves what he does get.  His fave this year is a remote control helicopter and he declared that he "will never get tired of it!"  Too cute! 

3. Do you shop the after-Christmas sales?  I usually don't, but I've seen so many great offers this year.  I did a little online shopping and hubs headed out to a sale so he could use a gift card.

4. Do you have to return any gifts?  Hubs has to exchange a shirt, but I think that's it.  NO WAY I'm returning any of my Starbucks gift cards - LOL!  :)

5. When do your kids go back to school?  We'll start school back up on Tuesday 1/3.  Guess that means I should come up with some lesson plans this week.

6. Are you still mailing cards - late Christmas cards/New Year's cards?  I got them all mailed out before Christmas Eve - Woo Hoo!  Just high-fived myself.  ;)

7. Do you have special plans for New Year's Eve/Day?  Don't think so.  After hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas, I just want a nice quiet weekend of relaxation with my little family!

8. Are you taking any road trips this week?  No - too much to do around home.  This week will fly by I think!

9. How many Christmas desserts/goodies do you have left?  Too.Many.  Let's see - Peppermint-Chocolate Ice Cream Pie, Cranberry-Raspberry Chocolate Mousse Cake, biscotti, cupcakes, snack mix, chocolate truffles, candy canes.  We'll get rid of stuff and be back on track next week (back to a low-carb, no sugar diet for January).

10. How many Christmas pictures do you have to upload?  I am the worst at taking pics for holidays - isn't that terrible?  I just like to enjoy the moments and not have to worry about grabbing the camera (and I call myself a blogger??).  There are no pics of our gathering, but I did take one today of the kiddo with a Christmas present - still gotta edit that one!

I'm linking up to Oh Amanda's Top Ten Tuesday today - stop by for a little fun!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!  Have a lovely day friends!

Merry Christmas!

Have a blessed Lord's Day and a Merry Christmas friends!

Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Gingerbread Granola

This is a really last-minute homemade gift idea (or just a yummy recipe to make for yourself)!  If your oven is free today, you could whip up this granola and have it for Christmas breakfast or give it as a last-minute homemade gift on Christmas Day.  Bonus - it makes your house smell fabulous!!

Are you celebrating Christmas at somebody else's home?  How about giving the host/hostess a gift of homemade granola and other breakfast goodies like fresh fruit, coffee/tea, etc.?  It's nice not having to cook breakfast the day after preparing so much food!

Gingerbread Granola
(adapted from a recipe in All You Magazine)

3 cups old-fashioned oats (I used organic)
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup golden raisins (optional - dried apples would also be good)

Place racks in top and bottom thirds of oven.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Line 2 cookie sheets with foil.

In large bowl, mix oats, nuts and wheat germ together.  In a smaller bowl, combine brown sugar, molasses, oil, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.  Whisk together until smooth.  Stir molasses mixture into oat mixture until well-coated.  Spread evenly on 2 cookie sheets.

Bake granola about 45-50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.  After 25-30 minutes, switch cookie sheets from top to bottom and turn sheets around.  The granola will be dark due to the molasses.  After baking, remove cookie sheets from oven and put granola into a large bowl to cool.  Stir occasionally and add in raisins or dried apples if desired.

One of my favorite ways to eat granola is with vanilla yogurt.  Doesn't it make a cute parfait?  Yummy too!

Do you have a favorite granola recipe?  I also like to make this Super Light Granola to give as a gift and to eat with my yogurt.


This post linked to:
~ Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

Have a fabulous day and a Merry Christmas friends!!

Coffee Break In A Box

Another last-minute homemade gift idea today!  If you're looking for a homemade gift for a group of people - like in an office - you might like this idea!  I put it together last week to share with the staff at our Christian school and they loved it!

I found 3 boxes of the same design but different sizes at Dollar Tree, but you could use tins or baskets too.  You could also combine this into one big basket.

In the first box I put a variety of hot chocolate packets, Starbucks Via instant coffee packets, and different tea bags.  You could add in packets of hot cider too.  I added a little sign that said "Pick 1."

In the second box I put two different kinds of homemade biscotti - Dried Cranberry Biscotti and Double Chocolate Walnut Biscotti.  You could fill this one with any homemade goodies!  I added a sign that said "Pick 2" and made sure I included enough for 2 for each staff member.

In the third box I put enough snack size baggies for everybody.  I labeled some "Coffee Break" and some "Afternoon Tea" and a few "Chocolate Attack."  :)  Cute labels printed off the computer would be the way to go, but I didn't have time and what you see is actually cut up name tag stickers - LOL!  I put in a sign that said "Pack it up" so each person could take their coffee break with them.

This was actually quite thrifty and fun to put together!  Do you know a group of people who would enjoy this?  The great thing is that you can do this any time of year as a special treat - not just Christmas!

This post is linked to:
~ WFMW at We Are THAT Family.
~ Chic & Crafty at The Frugal Girls.
~ I'm Lovin' It at TidyMom.

Have a fabulous day friends!!

Sweet Spiced Nuts

It's not too late to make homemade goodies to give out to family, friends, and neighbors for Christmas!  I mean, really, there are still 5 whole days - plennnnty of time!  :)

I made these yummy spiced nuts for Thanksgiving - tore the recipe out of a magazine a couple years ago (Food Network magazine).  They would make a great treat at a party or to bag up and hand out.

For Thanksgiving, I borrowed the idea from the magazine to put the nuts in a waffle cone at each place setting to look like a cornucopia.  All that's missing is a cute ribbon (but I just had guys at my house, so no ribbon necessary - LOL)!

Sweet Spiced Nuts

1 large egg white
1 tablespoon water
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper
3 cups assorted nuts
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.  Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Whisk egg white and water in large bowl until frothy.  In small bowl, combine sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cayenne pepper.  Toss nuts in egg white mixture.  Stir in spice mix and dashes of Worcestershire.

3. Spoon nuts onto baking sheet in small clusters.  Bake 30-35 minutes, until golden.  Cool completely and then break into pieces.

I'll have a couple more last-minute homemade food gift ideas to share this week.  And if you're need of a warm drink to go with your homemade goodies, stop by Frugal Plus where I posted a recipe for Snow-Topped Tea Nog!

This post linked to:
~ Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

Have a delicious day friends!

Encouraging Bloggers ~ Be You, But Better

Welcome once again to Encouraging Bloggers - Part 11 today!  Don't forget - you can stop by the Intro post with links to the whole series if you've missed anything.  I hope you're enjoying this little journey we're taking together.  Glad to have you here with me!

I've already mentioned before that you want your blog to reflect yourself.  Being YOU on your blog keeps you happy and is what draws your unique audience to your blog.  But sometimes we need more to stay motivated.

Are you satisfied with your blog?  Do you have blogging goals?  Do you feel the need to be striving for something?  Do you want to improve your blogging skillz?


If we keep blogging the same as we've ever done without goals (or new goals) or trying to improve ourselves, we may eventually feel like things have become stagnant.  Working toward something is more motivating than just doing something because you've always done it.  When I first started my blog, I was working toward learning how to do everything and building my readership.  When I felt like that goal was reached (or at least as far as I wanted to go) I floundered a bit.  Knowing your purpose is what really keeps you going, but striving for goals and improving your skills certainly helps keeps things new and fresh!

As we approach the new year, I think it's a good time to look at our blogs and make some goals.  There are so many things we can work on: writing with a purpose, writing more consistently, starting a link-up, learning to design, adding photos, taking better photos, making connections, learning how to use Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, etc.  Are there things you would like to improve on your blog or do you just prefer to keep things status quo?

I have been trying to gather links on one of my Pinterest boards called Blog Tips.  Stop by there to find different articles and tutorials for blogging.  I'm still adding to it as I remember or search places where I've found helpful blogging info.  Maybe you'll find something new on my Blog Tips board to try!  And if you are not on Pinterest - you should be!  :)


If you have run across some great articles or tutorials that have helped you with your blog, please share the links in the comments!  Helping each other improve our blogging skills and knowledge is another great way to encourage each other!

We are almost at the end of this series, but I do have at least another post that I want to share and then I'd love to end it with a link-up for everybody so we can visit and encourage each other some more!  But I'll wait until the new year to make that happen.  Enjoy this blessed Christmas season!

What blogging skills do you plan to work on?  Are you taking time at the end of the year to think about your blog and God's will?

Be blessed in your blogging journey!!  Have an encouraging day friends!

Make Your Own Dishwasher Detergent

What do you use for dishwasher detergent?

Did you know you can make your own?  Stop over at Pennies and Blessings to see what I've been using.  But more importantly, I'd love for you to share over there any homemade dishwasher detergents you've tried!

Have a super day friends!

I.Am.Not.Ready.For.Christmas.

This is nothing new - I say it every year.

In 2008, I posted about how I wasn't ready for Christmas - on December 16!

In 2009, I showed my Christmas reality as of December 23!  True confession - that tree was never decorated.  *hangs head*

In 2010, I posted my "last" post on December 6 (That only lasted 4 months or so - LOL!), so you never heard about how I decorated my tree just a day or 2 before Christmas!

So why should I be surprised?  Well because by this time, there are usually *some* decorations appearing in my house and I will know what outfits we'll wear for our family pic and I'll be listening to Christmas CDs every day!  None of these things have happened!  I was horrified to just now realize that I have not played a single Christmas CD yet!  *sniff*

What is going on???  Life, I guess.  In the last 2 weeks or so I...went out-of-town for a funeral, hosted Thanksgiving, served on a jury, caught up with homeschooling, and attempted (but failed) to catch up on basic household chores.  And our Christmas plans are up in the air at the moment.  I think my brain hasn't felt ready for the Christmas chaos fun yet.  Sooooo, if you could give me an extra week or so, I'd really appreciate it.  :)

Oh I forgot to mention - we DO have icicle lights on the outside of the house because my hubs rocks!  And we DO have Christmas gifts for the kiddo.  So that's something.

I think this Saturday is free so maybe I can get caught up to where I want to be!

So, how many of you have all your decorating, shopping, and card-sending done? How many of you dare to confess that you're as behind as me (if there are *any*)?

Of course, my family knows that even if there are no decorations, or goodies, or pictures, or cards, or music, or gifts - it does not take away from the joy in our hearts and the reason for the season, Jesus!

Have a blessed, joy-filled, and productive day friends!!
 

Serve It Up In a New Way

Here are a few dishes I pulled out of my cupboard:

Stop over at Pennies and Blessings, and I'll give you some creative ideas for serving dessert in dishes like these!  See you there!  :)

Have a great day friends!

Encouraging Bloggers ~ Send Some Blogger Love Letters

Welcome back to Encouraging Bloggers - Part 10!  Sorry for the delay - jury duty sidetracked me, but I'm back on track now.  Glad to have you here with me friends!  If you've missed any of these posts, stop by the Intro post where you'll find links to the whole series.

We all need a little encouragement from time to time.  No matter what size our blog is or how popular or unpopular we feel, us bloggers get those insecure feelings at some point.  That's part of the reason I'm here with this series - to encourage you and to encourage myself at the same time!

One thing that encourages me is encouraging others.  I like that we've been able to do that throughout this series!  When you take the time to encourage, it's amazing how that can in turn be an encouragement to yourself!  Let's spread the blessing of encouragement through the blogosphere!

I have an encouragement challenge for you today.  I thought it might be a good time to do this before we get too far into the busy Christmas season (I know that we're really already into it, but please pretend for my sake that Christmas is still weeks away - LOL).  :)

I know that I've encouraged you before to leave comments on blogs, but this challenge is a little different.  I would like you to write some Blogger love letters!  Sometime in the next few days, choose 2-3 of your favorite bloggers or bloggers you want to encourage and write them an e-mail (not just a comment on a post - unless you have no other way to contact them).  You can usually find their contact info on blogs or on profiles.  Send an e-mail telling each blogger why they mean so much to you, how they have inspired or encouraged you, and tell them to keep up the good work!

Feel free to send these "love letters" to any bloggers, even the "big" ones.  All bloggers love to hear that they are making a difference.  Please do not expect a response when you do this!!  Some people may be too busy to respond and some may be surprised and unsure how to respond.  Don't be disappointed if you hear nothing back - that's not why we're doing this.  Assume that your letters are read and greatly appreciated!

If you have a chance, I'd love for you to leave a comment and tell me if you were able to send any "love letters" and how you felt after you did.  Do you like this idea?  Have you ever received an e-mail or a note from a reader or a friend regarding your blog?

I hope you all know that I appreciate you!  I'm glad that you have followed along on my little encouragement journey (which is almost done)!  Keep up with the blogging - your words are a blessing to someone, though you may not realize it today!

Have a blessed day friends!