This Cherry Chip Loaf is incredibly moist and full of flavor thanks to the maraschino cherries and cherry chips. It's the perfect holiday treat to share with friends! If you enjoy watching Christmas movies as much as we do (especially the kind put on by ABC Family and the like) then you have to watch one of our favorites, 12 Dates of Christmas. I know, I know...so corny! … [Read more...]
Easy 3 Ingredient Oreo Cookie Balls
If you are looking for a delicious and easy to make holiday treat, these Oreo Cookie Balls are a must make! They are a winner every time! You guys!! I cannot believe I'm saying this, but I don't think I have ever shared this recipe with you!?! I looked all though my recipe archives and didn't see it anywhere....say whaaat?! Well, that's about to change starting today! Can … [Read more...]
2016 Fall Family Photos
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, friends! I hope you all had the most wonderful and magical holidays ever and were able to spend lots of time with your loved ones! I can never quite believe how quickly the holidays go by. Starting with Thanksgiving and on, it just seems like each year the days fly by faster than the last. We were lucky to have the kids home for an … [Read more...]
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Popcorn Mix
Today I wanted to share a super cute and very tasty recipe that I created and was also featured over at the gorgeous Victoria Lee magazine for their December issue which was out earlier this month. One of my absolute favorite things to do with my family over the holidays is to snuggle everyone up for a fun family read aloud or movie night (see my other posts about that … [Read more...]
Frosty the Snowman Popcorn Mix Recipe
Oh man, if you follow me on Instagram (find me here!) you know we are living up the feel good coziness that is December. The holiday spirit is in full swing in our home. We started December off with a bang yesterday with our Advent Calendar (we do this Experience Advent every year) and we also started our Book Advent (using a whole bunch of our favorite books I shared in … [Read more...]
Felt Hedgehog Ornament Tutorial
I'm so excited to share with you the cutest little ornament that Eloise made for the tree this year! It is so so cute and just screams Eloise! :-) If you remember, I first shared this over at Skip to My Lou for the Bake Craft Sew series and today I'm bringing the tutorial home! As you may already know, my kids love to create with me and do all the things crafty, bakey, and … [Read more...]
Christmas Cookie Party In a Box Gift Idea
With only a few more days until Christmas, it is now crunch time in the gifts department. But I've got your back! If you are in need of a fun Christmas gift idea for your neighbor, coach, teacher, friend, or even a family member may I suggest this super cute and totally adorable Christmas Cookie Party In a Box Gift Idea! The best thing about this gift is that you are … [Read more...]
Recipe: Hershey’s Kisses Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Hershey Company. All opinions are 100% mine. I love holiday traditions and cookie baking is a definite must in our family every year. During our annual cookie baking extravaganza over the weekend, we had so much fun decorating each these crazy adorable Hershey's Kisses Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies, it really was … [Read more...]
Christmas with the Kranks Caramel Cream Pie Recipe
Oh you guys. You have no idea how much my family loves Christmas movies. A lot!!! And not just watching Christmas movies over and over and over again but how we loooove to make the food from Christmas movies!! Love Actually? Awesome movie. Want to make the Banoffee pie mentioned? Well, you can find the recipe here. The Grinch that Stole Christmas? Another fav. We do a … [Read more...]
Hershey’s Kisses Reindeer Cups
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Hershey Company for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. In our household, we cannot get enough of crafts and creating! I just love that my littles love to make things with their hands and minds, it is so fun to set them up and watch them go. During the holidays we tend to get a little out of control, it's such a … [Read more...]
Hershey’s Kisses Stuffed Coconut Macaroons Recipe
This post brought to you by The Hershey Company. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Smashed Peas and Carrots. Every year my family sits down together and decides which recipes we are going to make over the holidays. The list starts off long and seems to grow every year because we are always finding new recipes we want to try or ones we want to create. … [Read more...]
How to Savor Time with Your Family This Holiday Season
Hi friends! With the holiday season coming up, I thought I would share with you one of our favorite ways to connect with our children and bond as a family. We try to savor time with our family during the busy and often rushed holidays by picking out one night a week on our calendar and designating it a Family Movie Night but not with just any movies…holiday themed movies! … [Read more...]
Operation Christmas Child Gift Ideas
Every year around this time my littles and I participate in Operation Christmas Child, which is the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind, it uses gift-filled shoeboxes to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. It is awesome. We have been participating since Noah was 1…so for about 7 years now, WOW!!! It is truly one of our … [Read more...]
5 Timesaving Kitchen Tips for the Holiday Season
Hi friends!!! I feel like so many people get stressed out this time of year especially when it revolves around the kitchen and baking and prepping for Thanksgiving and Christmas (and yes, even Halloween!) that I wanted to share how I keep myself sane. A little checklist I run through in my head around this time every year. To keep it smooth sailing. Because saving time … [Read more...]
Merry Christmas 2014
Merry Christmas a day early, friends!! I just wanted to pop in before I take a little vacation from the 'ol blog to spend some time with my family this holiday season and wish you all a very Merry Christmas! … [Read more...]
How the Grinch Stole Christmas Party!
Yesterday we had our "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" book and movie party after school. It was so much fun! We read the book first and then watched the movie with a few fun Grinch-y snacks. I have to say I just love watching this Dr. Seuss movie during the holidays, it brings back so many great memories of my childhood and catching it on TV on a random weeknight in … [Read more...]
How to Make: Dried Orange Slices
I made a bunch of Dried Orange Slices for decorating some gifts this year and I love the look of them. I think it's so fun to add a little something colorful to brown paper packages and as a bonus, since I added twine to these dried orange slices, they also work as an ornaments for the tree too! … [Read more...]
Gift Idea: DIY Hot Cocoa Kit
With chilly days ahead of us what could be more fun then sending someone you love a Hot Cocoa Kit in the mail? Everything you need to enjoy a warm cup of hot cocoa is packaged up in a pretty box…perfect for snuggling up to a good Christmas movie on tv, a favorite book (maybe as part of your book advent!), or relaxing on the couch after you decorated your tree! … [Read more...]
Huge List of Books to Use for a Christmas Book Advent
December is upon us which means we are at the beginning of our Christmas Book Advent again. This is such a fun tradition we do every year and I can't believe I have never talked about it here! Basically, I wrap up 25 of our favorite Christmas-y or winter themed books and each night we unwrap one and read it next to our Christmas tree. It really is that easy. If you don't … [Read more...]
Keep Good Going Moments: Holiday Giving Traditions for Little Ones
Growing up I was lucky to have parents who valued the act of giving to others all year long, but especially during the holiday season when so much seems to revolve around what we want. They taught my 3 siblings and me that giving to others less fortunate was a really important thing to do and made it an integral part of our lives. … [Read more...]
Our 2013 Christmas Card and Some Family Photos
Here is a peek at our family Christmas card from this past Christmas 2013! I have to tell you, I am always so happy that I spent the time and effort to get our Christmas cards finished and printed every year. No matter how crazy that time of year can be, it really is nice to look back through the years and see how much my littles have changed and our family has grown. Of … [Read more...]
Gingerbread House Party in a Box
Last weekend my littles decorated our traditional gingerbread house we always do as part of our Advent calendar. It's always lots of fun and good memories. And I love to see how the houses are evolving as they get older and another set of hands can help create them! This year, I decided to gift a few of our friends with their own little Gingerbread House Party in a … [Read more...]
A Christmas-ing We Go!
Last weekend we thought we should take advantage of the warmer temps (yes, that would be 40 degree weather folks...this past weekend we were lucky to hit the 20's and that's without windchill!) and go cut down our Christmas tree!We found a new to us tree farm and I think this one might be my new favorite place to go every year! It was family run, very mom and pop, and so … [Read more...]
Snapshots of December
I realized I haven't posted any pictures from all the holiday fun we have been having so far this month so here is a post to save the day! I know you have all been wondering just what we have been up to ;-)The first weekend in December we headed out with some of our wonderful friends and their children on one of the best weekends this winter to find our Christmas tree (We … [Read more...]
Unplugging.
Since Christmas is in just a few short days, I think I'm going to unplug from the internet world for a little bit. I'll be back next week sometime, promise. But before I go let me wish each of you a very Merry Christmas (and a Happy Hannukah as that is occurring right now too!) surrounded by those that you love and hopefully some good food too! My three little elves … [Read more...]
Holiday Cornflake Wreaths-RECIPE
One of my favorite holiday treats to make (and eat!) this time of year are Holiday Cornflake Wreaths. Maybe you make them too? Oh man, they are so good. We made these every Christmas when I was little and now I make them with my littles :-) Making them is a great activity for the preschool set too as they can help you pour the cereal, count out the marshmallows and of … [Read more...]
Ginger Kids and Ornaments.
Just ten days until Christmas, is that right? Well, we continue to be knee deep in Christmas activities that are keeping sweet little hands busy and sweet little faces full of big smiles, how about you? Last year I found these ginormous Gingerbread men, you might remember them from this post here. Well, I went and bought them again, thank you Trader Joe's, and they … [Read more...]
An Experience Christmas Advent {Free Printable} and Recipe for Reindeer Food
I know it's December 6 (already! Happy Birthday Dad!) but I wanted to share our Christmas Advent with you this year because my littles have been loving it...and I figured if my kids love it then your kids may too. If you haven't started an Advent this season Do Not Worry! You still have plenty of time to jump in and if your kids are anywhere near mine in age (5, 3, 1) … [Read more...]
Christmas-sy Fun
So since Christmas is in just a few days, I will be bidding you adieu until after the gift un-wrapping frenzy has ended. Me and the fam will be spending some major quality time soaking in our last bits of Christmas fun before the Big day since me and the kids are officially on winter break. No preschool, no ballet, no story time, for reals! I'm seeing a movie day out in … [Read more...]
Christmas Traditions: Melted Snowman Sugar Cookies and Sugar Cookie Recipe
This weekend I was in the kitchen busting out a few of our traditional family Christmas cookies! Yum, yet another reason to love the holidays...SUGAR!! I made these Melted Snowman Sugar Cookies as a special surprise for Noah and Penny after they came in from a cold afternoon of playing in the snow with their Daddy. They are the perfect snack to have with a nice cup of … [Read more...]
December 1st
Have you entered the Weebles Wobble and HasbroToyShop.com $100 gift card giveaway yet? Click HERE to enter!! Yup, it's here! December 1st has finally arrived. Now we can start doing this: Yay, an Advent Calendar...or well, I guess it's really an Advent House. I found this last year or the year before at the end of season clearance at Target and had to snatch it … [Read more...]
Traditions!…Traditions!…Traditions!
Traditions, some people hate 'em but I love 'em! I think there is just something so nice about doing the same thing every year or every time a special occasion/day comes up on the calendar or in your family's life. I thought I would share a few of ours that we do around Christmas time every year, maybe to inspire you if your family doesn't quite do them or just so you … [Read more...]
Recipe: Eggnog Bread
*I have recently updated the photographs for this recipe, please enjoy! I am always super excited for December to roll in because when I go grocery shopping I get to find Eggnog in the stores and then precisely fill my cart up with it! I used to hate eggnog when I was a kid but like so many people say, your tastes change as you get older I guess! Now, I just love it … [Read more...]
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