Wordless Wednesday Treasuring family time

in , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, December 28, 2016
It's the last Wordless Wednesday post of 2016. I hope you are treasuring family time today right on through to the new year!


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Kinsman's #Nashville
Treasuring family time



Get home décor inspiration from Santa's house this holiday

in , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, December 23, 2016
This guest post from the folks at Zillow is such a happy, festive one. I hope you enjoy checking out Santa’s home décor and the Zillow listing.



More than harried shopping and hanging stockings, Christmas is about spending quality time with family and friends. Invite relatives to feel merry and bright in your home by taking inspiration from Santa's house



Zillow Santa's house listing
Source 


Create a cozy mantle filled with lush greenery, spruce up your table with gold embellishments or incorporate treats into your decor with fresh-baked cookies.


Expanding your trimmings beyond the Christmas tree is one of the many ways to make your home festive this holiday season. 



Festive centerpiece at Santa's house
Source


If you’re looking for projects to work on with your family, consider mixing up some cookie dough or crafting holiday ornaments



Holiday decor and cookies at Santa's house
Source

Curious to see the inside of Santa's house? Take a look to discover how Santa and Mrs. Claus indulge all year long. Hint: Their gourmet kitchen features an oven with 12 different cookie settings!


Here's a handy infographic to save so you can easily capture Santa's look for yourself!



Zillow Get Santa's loo infographic


I'm loving all the pops of red and the greenery through out Santa's house! I will be incorporating several items to my holiday decor now.


Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from us and all the folks at Zillow!



Please share in comments: Which home decor look will you borrow from Santa's house?

We are in the home stretch, friends! With Christmas just 5 days away, I thought it was the perfect time to share an easy, tasty cookie recipe that doubles as a great last minute hostess gift or a special show of appreciation to a teacher, bus driver or neighbor. 


Peanut butter toffee cookies make perfect gifts #recipe


I love baking from scratch whenever I can, but sometimes this busy work-at-home mom needs to streamline the baking process, too and that’s when I turn to premade cookie mixes. Mixes like Betty Crocker's help me keep calm and whip up a batch or two of these easy Peanut Butter Toffee cookies in no time. Trust me when I say, these cookies are so quick and delicious, nobody will believe they aren’t from scratch!


Here’s my quick and easy recipe for Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies. 


Ingredients:


  • 1) 17.5 ounce peanut butter cookie mix
  • 1) 8 ounce bag English toffee bits (found in baking aisle of most grocery stores)
  • 3) Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2) Tablespoons water
  • 1) Large egg


easy peanut butter toffee cookies you'll love to give #recipe




Directions:


  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. In large bowl mix oil, water and egg in peanut butter cookie batter until no longer grainy.
  • Gently fold in toffee bits.
  • Shape dough into 36 small balls or make drop cookies like I did by gently sliding off tablespoon-size dough balls onto parchment paper.
  • Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes for regular size cookies, or 9-11 minutes for large cookies.
  • Allow to cool.


If you are giving cookies as gifts like I am, get your cookie container ready while the cookies cool. I prefer using Ziploc containers because they are sturdy and reusable, which truly comes in handy this time of year! Sometimes, I even receive my container back with a goody inside as thanks

easy peanut butter toffee cookies you'll love to give #recipe



I’ve found that a dozen cookies fit perfectly in the 1.25 quart size plastic containers. Sometimes you can get lucky and find the holiday containers, but if not, you can decorate your container as festively as you want.  It really is a simple and easy way to spread kindness and cheer at this special time of year!


I hope you enjoy these cookies and all the joy that this, the most wonderful time of the year, brings.



Merry Christmas from middle Tennessee!

Merry Christmas from us to you!



SF Bay Gourmet Coffee review and giveaway

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, December 12, 2016

It is no secret that we are a coffee loving family here. My husband and I enjoy regular blend coffee that we buy at our local grocery store during our work week and that is perfectly fine. On the weekends though, we like to treat ourselves to a cup or two of specialty coffee roasts and flavors, so when SF Bay Coffee invited me to review their coffee and host a giveaway, I was only too happy to oblige. 

I received complimentary product to facilitate today’s post and giveaway, however, all opinions and love of a good cup of coffee are my own. 


mornings need coffee try SF Bay Gourmet #giveaway


I love learning about small family owned businesses like SF Bay Gourmet Coffee  based out the San Francisco Bay area.  Not just because I grew up near this area of northern California, but also because I know from first-hand experience all the hard work and dedication to takes to keep small businesses going! Both my husband and I have years of experience in the small business industry so, I applaud the Rogers Family on a job well done. 


About SF Bay Gourmet Coffee and the family behind it:

SF Bay Gourmet Coffee logo



Established in 1979, the Rogers Family Company's steadfast mission is to search out the world's finest Arabica varieties and roast the richest, most flavorful coffees available anywhere while making the world a better place at the same time.



Growing Coffee for Good!

SF Bay Gourmet Trolley


SF Bay Gourmet Coffee stands for premium, sustainable, fair and direct trade coffee and tea at prices you'll love! SF Bay Gourmet Coffee likes to say their products are grown for good. Their Community Aid Program has restored thousands of acres of rain forest by farming only with shade grown farms, and planted their own coffee on our own organic farms!  Their mission to help their communities and the world at large is something my family and I support. 


Coffee Choices:


SF Bay Gourmet Espresso Roast was my choice #giveaway



SF Bay Gourmet coffees come in regular, Espresso and decaf varieties in flavors like Amaretto Milano, Caramel Crème, Chocolate Almond, and Chocolate Raspberry, Cinnamon Crumb Cake, Dark Habits Dark Chocolate Caramel and more. 




My Thoughts:

I chose the Espresso Roast to try because my husband prefers a full-bodied cup of coffee without added flavoring and we were not disappointed in this smooth, easy on the stomach coffee.  We really could “taste the difference” with SF Bay Gourmet Coffee.  This roast pairs well with breakfast or brunch, and I found myself wanting to make a coffee cake to serve alongside this coffee when holiday company arrives- it’s that good!



I want to purchase the Dark Habits Dark Chocolate Caramel coffee next and experience some of their East India teas. The Apricot Orange herbal blend caught my eye as did the Earl Grey loose leaf tea. They offer a Java Perks club and affordable prices, making this a fantastic company to shop with this holiday. I invite you to learn more about them here and by following them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.



Win It:

Win a bag of SF Bay Gourmet Coffee on My WAHM Plan


Thanks to today’s sponsor, one lucky reader will receive 1 bag or single serve box of SF Bay Gourmet coffee in your choice of flavor.


Good luck!


Terms: 

No purchase is necessary to enter using the Rafflecopter form below.  My WAHM Plan is not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners will be notified by email used on entry form and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. This giveaway is not associated with nor endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, or any other social channel. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway




Please share in comments: If you win, will you keep this coffee yourself, or gift it?

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #Sponsored #WhatMonthlyPain #CollectiveBias


This time of year is all about the kids and making memories that the whole family will treasure for years and years. But setting aside special bonding time with my seventeen-year-old daughter has gotten trickier this year as she navigates her senior year of high school and prepares for college. I brainstormed for fun ways to spend quality time with her and found to my delight that several ideas came to mind simply by thinking of her likes. Read on to see if my ideas will help you too.



Spending quality time with my teen daughter #outside #WhatMonthlyPain #ad


1. Do what your teen likes with them:

One of the easiest ways to spend quality time with your teen is to do what they like with them. My daughter loves being outdoors. Whether it’s going for a jog or a walk, helping with yard work, or taking photos, she is always happy to put on her shoes and head out. Going for a walk around our property is a special time for me, and I hope for her as well. Sometimes we walk in companionable silence and other times we talk over the birds. 



Holiday and family traditions keep your teen engaged and happy



2. Let your teen take point on activities:

We decorate for Christmas together every year and no decking the halls will be done without Christmas carols at our house, so I asked my oldest to pick our tree-trimming music, which she was only too happy to do.  Then she and I hung the garland together while singing and chatting to kick off our night of holiday decorating.  By suggesting my oldest take point on a couple of our holiday traditions, I’m showing her a little extra TLC which helps keep our teens engaged and in the moment. Notice there aren't any phones in this photo which is a total win! 



Manicure time with my teen daughter #WhatMonthlyPain #ad


3. Show your teen some extra TLC:

My next fun idea presented itself when I overheard my daughter state that she wanted to do her nails before school the next day, but wondered if she should get a jump on homework instead. Knowing that her schedule has been so full, I offered to give her a manicure, saying I’d love to spend more time with her. 



Showing my teen some extra love by doing her nails


Sometimes our almost adult children need us to take the lead and allow them to revisit activities that were fun for them when they were younger. I always loved doing my daughter’s nails, but as soon as she got old enough to do them herself, I stopped to allow her to grow independent. Doing her nails for her is a love gift that we both enjoyed.  



Advil menstrual helps your teen say #WhatMonthlyPain #ad


Being a teenager on the cusp of graduating high school is an exciting, wonderful, and yes, stressful time for my older daughter, so the last thing I want her to fret about is menstrual pain. Sure, she’s almost an adult and could push on through, but thankfully, there’s a new product I found at Walmart. Advil® Menstrual Pain can help her stay on her regular, busy routine and even add in some more fun activities, so she’ll be saying, “What monthly pain?”When used as directedAdvil ® Menstrual Pain can alleviate aches, pains and headaches she may have during this time. 


I can feel confident about her taking this product because Advil ® Menstrual Pain is caffeine-free, antihistamine-free and easy to swallow. Many other menstrual pain relievers contain caffeine, which can make it difficult for our daughter’s to fall asleep if taken at night, or antihistamines which can make them drowsy during the day.



Find Advil Menstrual Pain at Walmart #ad #WhatMonthlyPain



Finding Advil® Menstrual Pain at Walmart is easy. Just head over to the pain relief section and look for Advil. My store had the menstrual pain tablets on the bottom shelf. My daughter was thankful I found them and that we got to spend quality time together. I think she enjoyed the extra TLC as much as I enjoyed giving it.  I plan on continuing to find ways to bond with my teen daughters and will share this product with my younger daughter too. 



Please share in comments: Do you have a teen daughter? How do you like to spend quality time with her? 


Happy December and happy holidays readers! We are on a countdown to Christmas at our house and while we deck our halls, we have to listen to Christmas music. It’s tradition. I jumped at the chance to receive a complimentary copy of Amy Grant’s newest CD, Tennessee Christmas from my friends at FlyBy Promotions because I LOVE this song and I live in Tennessee, so I really do know about the tender Christmas’ Amy sings about. 




Tennessee Christmas CD by Amy Grant


Did you know that Amy recorded Tennessee Christmas when she was just 22? Crazy at this may sound; this beloved holiday classic was recorded in the summer of 1983! Fast forward to 2016 and Amy is still performing this song. I think you are going to love hearing it on her new CD too, which was recorded at her home in Nashville, Tennessee



This CD has a casual, warm laid back vibe that I love.  I turned it on while I’m working on my greeting cards and found it to be the perfect companion, so I know I’ll be adding it to my play list all season long.  All the warmth of family and friends gathered round’ comes through in track after track. I especially love Amy’s and husband Vince Gill remake of Baby its Cold outside. 


Here are the songs on Tennessee Christmas:

  • Tennessee Christmas
  • To be together
  • Christmas for you and me
  • Melancholy Christmas
  • December
  • White Christmas
  • Joy to the World (Amy says she’d never sung this song so slowly. I think you are going to enjoy that she did!)
  • I’ve got my love to keep me warm
  • Baby, it’s cold outside (featuring Vince Gill)
  • Christmas don’t be late
  • Still can’t sleep



Here’s a video of To be Together to get you in the holiday mood!








Share your Holiday Spirit with Amy Grant:




Amy Grant at home for a Tennessee Christmas (on her CD)



Have you got a video or photo of you surprising a loved one during the holidays? Amy Grant wants to see them, so upload a video, share a photo on Amy’s social channels and tag them #TNChristmasSurprise. Those chosen will be part of a compilation video that Amy herself will share on her large social media outlets!  Find Amy Grant here on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook





My Thoughts:


I will always love the original cut of Tennessee Christmas, but just like Amy, I understand growing and changing in your field. She’s not 22 anymore and that is reflected on this paired down, mellow collection. This is one of those CD’s that can unobtrusively play in the background while you visit with family and friends this holiday season, and I think that is exactly what Amy was trying to achieve with this one. I think you’ll like it! You can purchase Tennessee Christmas, learn more about Amy Grant and see her whole music collection by visiting here.




Win It:

Tennessee Christmas by Amy Grant CD


Thanks to #FlyBy Promotions, one lucky reader will win #TennesseeChristmas just in time for the holidays!  Entering is easy using the Rafflecopter form below. 



Terms:

No purchase is necessary to enter using the Rafflecopter form below.  My WAHM Plan is not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners will be notified by email used on entry form and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. This giveaway is not associated with nor endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, or any other social channel. 


Good luck and from our home near Nashville, Tennessee (where we enjoy tender Tennessee Christmases) to yours Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

a Rafflecopter giveaway




Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of Tennessee Christmas from Flyby Promotions to facilitate this review and giveaway, all opinions and love of Christmas music are my own.

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