Food, DIY, Chicago Mom Blogger
I wanted to share the welcome video for our new YouTube channel, Brick Family TV. It’s a short video, but you won’t believe how looonnng it took us to coordinate this little video. I’ll just say it took awhile. π
You can see the video below:
And if you haven’t subscribed to our channel yet, we’d love it if you would. We’re planning a LEGO giveaway soon for our YouTube subscribers!
Time is going by so quickly lately. We are in the middle of a major life change right now that I’m sure is making it feel like time is zooming by. I will post soon here on the blog about the change I’m talking about.
For now, here’s how I did with last week’s goals:
Family/Mothering Goals:
1.
Keep up with adding one ornament to the Christmas tree everyday until Christmas2. Make Christmas cookies! — I decided to wait to make Christmas cookies, because my daughter’s birthday was last week. We ended up getting a Disney cake for her, which for some reason was twice the size we normally get our cakes. My husband went in and ordered it, and he said the gal he was placing the order with never asked him what size he wanted. So we ended up with 1/2 sheet cake for our family of seven. Um, yeah. It is a delicious cake, and we’re still enjoying it!
Personal Goals:
3. Juice at least 3 days this week — We never got around to juicing. Things always seemed to come up.
4.
Pray5.
Walk on the treadmill two days this weekHome Management Goals:
6.
Create a menu for a little family Christmas party7.
Find a place where we can donate Elisabethβs swingBusiness Goals:
8.
Work on client project9.
Write two blog posts10.
Hug my computer.
Here are my goals for this week:
Family/Mothering Goals:
1. Keep up with adding one ornament to the Christmas tree everyday until Christmas
2. Make Christmas cookies!
Personal Goals:
3. Juice at least 2 days this week
4. Pray
5. Walk on the treadmill 4 days this week
Home Management Goals:
6. Plan an activity for our little family Christmas party
7. Pack
Business Goals:
8. Work on client projects
9. Write 3 blog posts
10. Create one video
What are your goals for this week?
It’s no secret that I love coffee. I have tried to give it up or at least cut back to one cup a day instead of two, but I can’t. I used to feel some measure of guilt about loving coffee so much, but I don’t anymore. I feel like coffee is something that the Lord has blessed to bring a little joy to my mornings, which tend to be the some of the most hectic times in my day. Waking up to children who need to be fed, bathed, dressed, changed, and ten other things…isn’t easy. I’m sure you can relate.
So I need coffee. My husband knows it, and he makes my first cup just about every single morning. He does a great job, too. π I normally have coffee with a little vanilla almond milk and nothing else. It took a little time for me to get used to drinking it that way, but my taste buds have been trained. And I enjoy it.
However, there are times when I like to enjoy delicious coffeehouse style coffee at home. I’ve experimented quite a bit over the years with different recipes, and some have turned out to be winners. The only issue I have with the recipes is that they require so many additional ingredients. Ingredients like sugar, brown sugar, chocolate chips, vanilla extract, chocolate syrup, etc… Then there’s the time involved in making my extra-special cups of coffee. It can be a bit of a process to make a homemade latte.
Enter Torani syrups.
Torani syrups have made it so easy for me to enjoy coffeehouse style coffee in minutes and without a bunch of ingredients.
The taste? So good. This picture pretty much sums things up.
The bonus is that Torani syrups aren’t just for coffee. You can use them to create new dishes and desserts for your family. I decided to try the peppermint syrup in our brownies. The result was delicious peppermint brownies! The peppermint in the brownies was not overpowering. It was just the right amount for our family’s taste buds. I’m going to post the recipe to the peppermint brownies here on The Sensible Mom next week.
Overall, I can honestly say that I have thoroughly enjoyed trying the Torani syrups, and I’m glad to have found a new favorite brand of syrups.
Do you drink coffee? What do you like to add to your coffee to make it just right?
More about Torani:
Since 1925, 3rd generation family-owned Torani has been crafting great tasting flavored syrups that coffeehouses use to make their flavored drinks taste so delicious. With over 120 flavors in Regular and Sugar Free varieties, Torani flavored syrups are perfect for flavored lattes, mochas, coffees, cocoas, Italian sodas, teas, lemonades, and smoothies. Coffeehouse professionals choose Torani flavors because they are expertly crafted and made with the highest quality ingredients, like natural flavors and pure cane sugar. Now, Torani flavored syrups are widely available at retail so you can easily create authentic coffeehouse quality drinks at home.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of SheSpeaks & Torani. All opinions are mine.
As a mom, I want to spend quality time creating making memories with my kids. I want to read, explore, and create with them. The reality for me, as a work-at-home mom of five kids, is that I don’t have a lot of time to search the internet for fun and brain-engaging crafts and books. Much less find those ideas and then go to the store and buy the supplies. Every few months…I can pull it off, Β but not on a regular basis.
So I was thrilled to discover a program like BabbaBox. Everything I need is included in the BabbaBox that is delivered right to my door. From the storybook that is themed to go along with the craft to the glue for the craft itself. It’s all there, and it’s fantastic. There was no starting a craft and then realizing we are missing something. It was all in the box.
My boys and even my 10 yr. old daughter loved creating, reading, and exploring with all that was included in our BabbaBox.Β With one BabbaBox we created two crafts, a moon nightlight, and a constellation of stars that went into a frame for showing off. Also included were binoculars that the kids used to try to see as far as they could into the night sky. We used the binoculars after we read the book that was included in our box, Twinkle Star of the Week. (We all loved this story!)
The BabbaBox was an experience for our family, and I know it’s something my children and I will remember for years to come. I love how their eyes lit up with excitement when we explored the different things in the box and the joy in their voices when a project was completed and they could use it!
Isaac is already asking about our next BabbaBox! π
More about BabbaBox
BabbaBox is a theme-based box delivered to your door that allows you to enjoy a little convenience and inspiration! As any parent can attest, the most important thing you can give to your child is quality time. BabbaBox makes this possible by helping you to save time, money, & mindspace.
Just think! Fantastic monthly activities with ALL the materials for kids ages 3-6. Included in the box are 3 projects + 1 bestselling book + digital download + parent surprise gift!
The best part? Babbabox makes a GREAT unique gift during the holiday season.
Act now! Get 50% off your first month when you sign up for a monthly membership using the code, SWAY100. Offer expires December 31, 2012.
Watch this video to learn more about BabbaBox
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of BabbaBox. The opinions and text are all mine.
