Gumballs and Cotton Candy

Grandma’s Carrot Orange Cookies

2012-12-20T01:03:00.000-07:00

I love to bake, especially around the holidays! And one of our family favorites that has been passed down generation to generation is our Grandma’s Carrot Orange Cookies. A few debates have arose the last few years whether the carrots were suppose to be cooked and mashed or finely shredded. So… I took it upon myself to test out the recipe both ways! I prepared both

Fall Mix

2012-10-11T00:44:00.001-06:00

Fall means kids are back in school full swing. In my house that means the minute the kids walk in the door the first thing I hear is; “Mom… I'm hungry! What's for after school snack?” Everyday, Never Fail, All 5 of them! Do your kids do that, or are mine the only ones? If I let them have their choice snacks would turn into meals and they would eat us out of house and home in no time!

Halloween Mantle Makeover

2012-10-02T23:03:00.003-06:00

October 2012 I can't believe that October is already here! Where has this year gone? It seems like just yesterday I was decorating my mantle for Football… I guess that saying “Time fly's when you are having fun!” must be true. I love Halloween! I have been excited for awhile to get all our stuff out and decorate! I have been collecting my holiday decorations for over ten years. I

Bear World in Rexburg, Idaho

2012-10-01T01:28:00.000-06:00

Family Vacation Part 2 This was our second time to Bear World in Rexburg, Idaho. We took the kids there about 5 years ago, and we had just as much fun now as we did then! Yellowstone is Awesome, but the animals can be so far away that the children have a hard time seeing them, or even being able to really watch them. So it was a perfect addition to our vacation! We first went on the driving

Yellowstone

2012-09-24T03:56:00.004-06:00

Our First Family Vacation as a Family of Seven September 2012 We are just returning from Yellowstone, and Fall was definitely in the air! It was our first time taking our children there. My husband has been waiting for the temperatures to drop and the Elk to be in rut, so we could listen to the elk bugle. Well, let me just say, our trip was successful! Mammoth was amazing, it was

EASY Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

2012-09-18T21:33:00.000-06:00

I have been M.I.A for a few days; we were on a family vacation! Check back soon I will be posting about it and sharing some pictures from our trip. I can't wait to share our highlights with you! While we were gone though, I got a terrible cold. I was a trooper and fought it out, but what I really wanted was to be home in my own bed with a delicious bowl of hot soup. This was my favorite

TOP TEN FAVORITE IPHONE APPS for 2012

2012-09-14T09:14:00.000-06:00

My Top 10 Favorite iPhone Apps for 2012 I have had my iPhone for over 2 years, and I am still in love with it, as the day I got it! LOL! No really, I LOVE IT! I had wanted one for a while, but it was so hard for me to justify the 30.00 data plan. That is a huge commitment! Then one day my husband surprised me with it! (Thank you Babe!) It did not take me long to realize how worth

Football Party

2012-09-10T23:58:00.003-06:00

Wrap-up to our Football Week and its finally time for a PARTY! First let me start off by saying, if I ever get stumped on what do do, what to make, or need ideas outside of my little box, the first place I go is... PINTEREST! One of the most creative things I saw and loved, and have used over and over, is the Layered drink. We did this for our Fourth of July BBQ and it was a hit.

The Best Homemade Salsa Ever

2012-09-10T00:59:00.001-06:00

Monica B's Homemade Salsa A staple in tailgating and/or game day parties is always Chips and Salsa! I use to buy the stuff that looked homemade until I tasted a friends homemade salsa and I LOVED it! I was lucky enough that she shared the recipe with me, thanks Monica Blackwood! It is super quick and easy, and most of the ingredients are staples in our house. It was even more fun when we

Cheese and Summer Sausage Appetizer

2012-09-07T22:33:00.000-06:00

Meat and Cheese Cut-outs This is one of the kids favorite appetizers to help make! An adult always slices the meat and cheese with the same thickness, and the kids get to help pick the cookie cutter to cut out the center. Tonight we chose the star, if you are a Cowboys fan this is for you, if not this is just a regular old star. LOL! This is fun to do in the Fall with a pumpkin or

DIY Dollar Store Wreath

2012-09-06T12:03:00.001-06:00

Football Week Continues Today I am sharing one of the cutest wreaths I have ever made! I have seen lots of adorable tulle wreathes on Pinterest, and was dieing to make one! I had some leftover tulle from fourth of July and Abby's birthday, and knew just what to make with it! ADORABLE RIGHT! IT SCREAMS TEAM SPIRIT! This is all you are going to need to make the base of your wreath!

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Cream Cheese Poppers

2012-09-04T18:53:00.000-06:00

Football week continues.... Today I am sharing one of our favorite appetizers! Bacon Wrapped Jalapenõ Cream Cheese Poppers Ooohhh... Don't they look so yummy? They honestly just melt in your mouth. They are so simple to make, and are perfect for game day! Let me warn you...You CANNOT eat just one! This year it has been especially fun to make, since we have been getting the

B.S.U Football Mantle Makeover

2012-09-03T11:03:00.000-06:00

KICK-OFF TO FOOTBALL SEASON Are you ready for some Football? Around here the days are getting shorter, the nights are getting colder and that only means one thing. Fall is in the air, and I love Fall!! It is my absolute favorite season! I love everything about it, earlier bed times, canning, kids back in school, the line-up for my favorite t.v shows, baking, and sports! Now do I

Beach Balls, and Crabs, and Fruit Kabobs, OH MY!

2012-08-23T22:46:00.000-06:00

Abby's 8th Birthday Party I have mentioned we have been having a lot of birthdays around here. I wanted to share with you my little Abby's party we had last weekend. This is our PINTEREST inspired BEACH PARTY! Abby enjoyed searching through tons of pictures on Pinterest with me, and when we saw these adorable "Crab"Sandwiches inspired by Family Fun Magazine, we knew we had to make them!

FREE Outdoor Family Activity: Grass Maze / Track

2012-08-22T01:01:00.000-06:00

Have you went on vacation and come home to your backyard looking like this? Who I am kidding... I didn't go on vacation, I just have been super busy running kids around, and fitting in all the doctor appointments and play dates before school starts again. We kept watching the grass getting taller and taller, and I kept putting it on my "I'll get to it" List, but somehow it wasn't getting

Kids Shoe Closet/Mudroom

2012-08-19T23:35:00.001-06:00

This is my last "Back to School" Post... I Promise I'm just trying to get ready for this crazy year! 8 days and counting till school starts... As each day passes, I get more excited! We have been shopping here and there, in between all the birthday parties we have been throwing! As we purchased their backpacks, I thought "I wish we had somewhere more organized to hang all these!"

DIY Dental Hygiene Locker Kit

2012-08-16T01:21:00.003-06:00

How many of us have kids in Middle School, Junior High, or High School? And out of all those kids, how many are going to the orthodontist? My oldest daughter, Whitney, is going to middle school this year. I don't think she is as nervous as I am, but my baby girl is growing up. The countdown is on, our school starts in two weeks. I am trying to get her as organized and prepared as a mother

CELEBRATE BANNER

2012-08-13T04:29:00.001-06:00

This is one of the easiest banners I have ever made! But it looks so detailed and complex! I can't wait for you to make one, and impress all your friends and family! When I was decorating my mantle, I had everything laid out just how I wanted it, but it was missing something. I didn't want to put anything else up on top and crowd it, but I knew it needed something. I was excited

These are A Few of My Favorite THINGS

2012-08-09T02:22:00.004-06:00

One of my favorite things about following blogs, is getting to know the creators behind them. I hope that you feel the same way, and in return will share some of your favorites with me. So without further ado... My Top 10 Favorite Things 1. My IPHONE I have had mine for just over 2 years and honestly can't imagine life without it! It is great for me, and for my children of all ages

MONTHLY MANTLE MAKEOVER

2012-08-07T01:53:00.003-06:00

AUGUST 2012 MANTLE I’m glad you all came back to visit. I’m sure you are on pins and needles, just waiting to see how I used the pencil vase to decorate my home! Well come in to my home, and let me show you... When you walk into our home the first thing you see is our fireplace and mantle. It is my very favorite place to decorate! I try to change the decorations

Back to School Pencil Vase

2012-08-05T18:11:00.002-06:00

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year... No, not Christmas. No, not Thanksgiving. No, No not Halloween,or Easter. Nope, not even New Years,4th of July, Spring or Winter. OK, OK quit guessing, I will tell you. I forgot that there were so many wonderful times of the year I love. It's "Back to School"! Back to school is exciting for so many reasons! Let me just name

New Adventures...

2012-08-04T01:45:00.001-06:00

Hello Everyone, I am Deena! Today I start a new adventure! I have been working diligently for the last month to create my blog: GUMBALLS AND COTTON CANDY! It is not as easy as it looks.... NOT that is looks EASY!! Its just that I have been following Blogs for several years, and I have some Favorites! And I thought, I have been doing what they do for years, my home is full of craft