A few of our Thanksgiving Traditions

So I thought I would share a few fun things we do that our kiddos love. Last Thanksgiving we decided that we wanted to start going up to a Cabin in Mammoth since Thanksgiving break is long. 

Something special and fun for our family.

So this will be our 2nd year of that tradition. 

But as far as traditions go... I came across this idea last year and we had SO much fun with it!

#1 The Turkey Legend:

It's from Craftysayings.com

So first you are going to need a large box! The goal is to catch your Turkey for Thanksgiving Dinner! (Of course us Moms always have a Back-up Plan just in case!)

Let the kids decorate the box the night before. Figure out what the best way we can catch a turkey.

Setting up the box just right, maybe adding some food inside? My kids thought the turkey would love Red Licorice because who doesn't love red licorice right?

It kind of was like Christmas morning... They could not wait to see if they caught a turkey! They ran over to the box and stopped in their steps...

They for sure thought there had to be a turkey in there!

Feathers...more feathers...

And a NOTE!

This is the one that we read ahead of time that talks about the "turkey legend"

Then on each candy was a note that said...

"You almost got me but I got out of your trap. I left goodies anyway and now I'm off in a flap!"

There are a few different choices you can print. So make sure you check out below to print off yours.

Another funny one says...

"I was going to leave you candy til' I got caught up in your coop, but I still left something dandy... lots of good old turkey poop!"

(either leaving chocolate covered raisins or whoppers)

Taylor still didn't want to look under the box... but big brother had to check it out! 

 Look what the turkey left!!!!

Fun Memory!

 CLICK HERE for your Turkey Legend Printout!

#2 Turkey Cinnamon Rolls:

Let the kids have fun with the "feathers"with different sprinkles and adding chocolate eyes.

#3 Keeping the Kids busy while you COOK:

One thing I've learned is to keep the kids busy so you don't burn the pies!

Busy Kids #1: Make Turkey Cups

Cut out some feathers, add some googly eyes with glue!

Busy Kids #2: Get your husband involved! 

Thanksgiving Trivia...

Here's Thanksgiving Conversation ideas from Skip to my lou.

Click HERE

Thanksgiving Tricia from Prettieparties

CLICK HERE

#4 The Thanksgiving Tablecloth:

This idea was given to me from a very special friend, Patti King. They do this at Easter. Each guests can write a special message. Or in this case what they are thankful for with a permanent marker. 

I absolutely LOVE the little hands.

So these are some of our favorite Traditions. I hope this inspires you to create some more special and fun traditions with your own families. 

Please share any pictures or ideas on our FB page! I would LOVE to see them!

https://www.facebook.com/DancingInTheKitchenFamily

Let's Talk Soup!

My Sister-in-law Hannah is a fabulous cook! 

She sent me a couple of delicious soup recipes to share with all of you.

Thanks Hannah! 

Both of these are really good and a good way to get kids to eat their vegetables. Hope you like them – enjoy!

Hannah

Curried-Zucchini Soup (serves 4) – from Martha Stewart’s FOOD magazine

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

2 minced garlic cloves

2 tsp. curry powder

1.5 lbs. zucchini (about 3 medium), sliced 1 inch thick

1 baking potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

4 c. water

1/3 c. sliced almonds, toasted, for garnish

1.      Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. 

2.      Add onion and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft (4-5 minutes). 

3.      Add garlic and curry powder; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant (about 1 minute).

4.      Add zucchini, potato and 4 cups water.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are tender (10-15 minutes).

5.      In batches, puree soup in blender until smooth – or use an immersion blender.

6.      Serve immediately or let cool and refrigerate in an airtight container until chilled.

7.      Garnish with toasted almonds.

Roasted Sweet Potato & Apple Soup (serves 6) – from Lisa Flaxman (won 2^nd prize in Parenting magazine’s contest)

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into medium chunks

1 firm apple, such as Gala or Jonagold, peeled, cored and quartered

1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered

2 whole cloves garlic, peeled

2 Tbsp. olive oil

¼ tsp. kosher salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

3-4 c. chicken or vegetable broth

¾ c. sour cream, for serving

1.      Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

2.      Put the sweet potatoes, apples, onions and garlic in a roasting pan.

3.      Toss them with the oil and salt & pepper.

4.      Roast, tossing every 10 minutes, until they are soft (about 30 minutes).

5.      Puree the vegetable/apple mixture in a blender or a pot using an immersion blender, adding just enough broth to cover it.

6.      Add more broth until the soup reaches desired consistency, so it is smooth and not too thick.  If you are using a blender, you will probably need to puree the soup in two batches.

7.      Warm the coup over low heat in a stockpot until ready to serve, or refrigerate it for up to 1 day or freeze it for up to 3 months.

8.      Stir in sour cream before serving for a creamier taste, if desired.

Start today!

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$1000, paid to you the week before Christmas, would 

you be willing to give me some time? 

Someone asked 

me this same question...I gave them 30 minutes and its 

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Time to change the course of yours!!

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How about another Painting technique?

One of our followers, petuniasmom sent me a great link to this idea! Thanks for sharing!!!

The technique comes from "Shanty-2-chic.com"

She has some great info on her blog you will have to check it out! 

I am SO EXCITED to try this!!!! Her results looked great! Make sure you click HERE to take you directly to her page for the full info. and pictures.

"Shanty-2-chic.com" says...

You will need two paints…. A base coat and a top coat.

For your base coat you can use anything… Acrylic, latex and even spray paint.  I used acrylic here because it’s cheap and dries really quickly.

First you want to put a coat of your base color on any surface that you want to peek through.  I like to shanty up the edges and corners so that is what I did.  You can paint the whole thing if you want it more distressed.

(Check out this photo Shanty-2-chic took

After that dries it’s time for your Vaseline!  Yup… Vaseline!

I like to get the tubes of it from the baby section at Target because it’s less messy.

Just rub a little vaseline on any surface you want to show through your top coat.  Again I did my corners and edges but you can add more or less depending on your taste!  The Vaseline will keep your top coat from sticking.

After you have applied your vaseline it is time for your top coat!  I used latex paint for mine.  I do think it distresses the best, but you can also use acrylic.  Mine is an Olympic color called Off White… Pretty easy!  I put one coat over the entire box. Depending on the color you may want to use two coats.

(Check out this photo Shanty-2-chic took of the final look)

Now let that dry really good!  Once it is dry it’s time for the fun part!  I use an 80-grit sanding block to distress mine, and you can also use steel wool.  Just rub your corners lightly to reveal the base coat.  The more you sand it the more shanty it will look!  Just sand it until you are pleased with the look!  SO DARN EASY!

Who's ready to paint something????

Make sure you post pictures on our fb page!

Action for Austin Christmas

We hope you will join us...as we try and make Christmas a little brighter for some families

Our hope this Christmas season is to continue to bring smiles to the faces and hope to the hearts of those babies and children (and their families) fighting for their lives in the NICU and PICU and also those staying at 3 of our California Ronald McDonald Houses (Bakersfield, LA and Central Valley). 

We are looking for families and/or businesses who would want to help purchase specific discounted items that will be handed out to families in the NICU and PICU.

Families can join together and "adopt" a child or family by purchasing a...

• NICU Baby Package...$28.00 This would cover one NICU baby entirely for Christmas.  It includes a Snowman or Moose in Christmas Baby Blanket, Baby Christmas Bodysuit, Baby Hat, Christmas Reading Book and Handmade 1st Christmas ornaments. 
• NICU/PICU Parent Package...$25.00 This package includes 2 Hope Bracelets for Mom and Dad, Streams in the Desert: Daily Devotional, candy canes with the story of the candy cane bookmark, $10.00 Starbucks gift card.
• PICU Child Package...$35.00 Due to the nature of PICU patients - these are the items they will be able to enjoy.  This package will cover one PICU child entirely for Christmas.  Included is the handmade Christmas tie blanket, Reindeer pillow pet and Christmas Reading Book.
• Pediatric/Ronald McDonald House Room Package...$15.00To be given out to Pediatric patients and Ronald McDonald House guests.  Includes one Hope Bracelet, fleece child blanket, Reindeer stuffed animal, Reindeer LED fiber opic wand, Christmas reading book, Christmas coloring book & crayons, and a candy cane

All of these packages or single items can be purchased at:

Austinkallenberger.com

Click HERE

Here's a few items that can be purchased:

Hope Bracelets: $1.00 each

Moose in Christmas Baby Blanket: $10.00

Pediatric/RMH- Fleece Child Blanket... $3.00

Parents in NICU & PICU Streams in the Desert Devotional: $6.00

Baby Austin Kallenber was only here for a short period of time. His life was cut too short, but his legacy continues to live on because of his parents. Through the loss and heartbreak, the Action for Austin Foundation was created. Here is what Austin’s mom Stephanie Kallenberger shared about the hope and purpose behind the Action for Austin Foundation...“The purpose of the "Action for Austin Foundation" is to bring smiles to the faces and hope to the hearts of those babies and children (and their families) fighting for their lives in the NICU and PICU during the holidays - and those staying at the Ronald McDonald Houses.  Hope Changes Things!  Please join us......and help us spread some HOPE! May your legacy live on....and God's work be done.” 

That is exactly what Action for Austin has been about. Bringing Hope to others. Hope certainly Changes Things. This past Halloween Action for Austin was able to deliver Halloween goody bags to 7 different hospitals: Memorial Hospital, San Joaquin, Mercy Sw (Where Austin was born), KMC, Cedars Sinai (where Austin was treated for 3 months), Los Angeles Children’s hospital and Children’s Hospital of Central California (in Madera). Along with 7 hospitals Action for Austin was able to deliver baggies to every room at the Bakersfield Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald House of the Central Valley and the LA Ronald McDonald House where the Kallenberger Family stayed while Austin was at Cedars. The goody bags were filled with candy and toys for the children. Each of the NICU parents also received a good bag of candy along with a $5.00 Starbucks gift card. Coloring books, crayons and stuffed animals were also donated and given out to the children. 

One Mom whose son was in the NICU at Memorial Hospital had this to say.

“I just wanted to say thanks to everyone that helped make the goody bags, my son was in the Nicu at Memorial hospital for two weeks before he was released halloween evening. It was SO hard being discharged and knowing my baby would have to stay in the hospital, and not knowing for how long. I spent every minute i could right next to him trying to be strong for the both of us.
Thanks again everyone, you have no idea how much more hope and faith i gained just reading the candy bag tags!”

The Tehachapii and Bakersfield communities were a huge blessing to make this event such a success. Because of the communities’ support Action for Austin was able to pack 1,105 Halloween Goodie Bags and bring many smiles and hope to so many. 

Hope Changes Things!

http://www.austinkallenberger.com/

http://www.facebook.com/ActionforAustin

Dinner Time "Thanks-Giving"

I love November! Lots of family Birthdays, Thanksgiving Holiday...but mostly people are in a "giving" and "thankful" mindset. Even on Facebook the newsfeed is filled with status updates of thankfulness.

I came across this idea from "Life at 7000 Feet" which I thought I would incorporate in my own family this month! Something to do either as the family is waiting for dinner or right after. 

It's a Thanksgiving chain. 

So gather up some paper scraps put them in a basket with a stapler and pens and set the basket of supplies somewhere in your kitchen.

Let's Start TONIGHT! Who's with me??

"Life at 7000 Feet" has some other great ideas so make sure you go over and visit her page!

CLICK HERE

Let's Bake Some Bread!

Today in between 2 soccer games we baked some bread. Our family loves homemade Pumpkin Bread. It's my husband and kids' favorite! So today we made Pumpkin Bread and Banana Bread.

Of course the kids were involved in just about every step. Yes it took longer but worth it.

 The Banana Bread Recipe we used comes from "Just a Pinch Recipes". This Recipe is called: Grandma Browns Fantastic Banana Bread by Freda. CLICK HERE to Print the recipe.

GRANDMA BROWNS FANTASTIC BANANA BREAD BY FREDA Added by FREDA GABLE [cookin4me] on Jan 26, 2012 FREDA from Vanc. (born in Savannah, Ga), WA (pop. 0) says: Our Grandma, Alvina Brown, always made the best moist banana bread in the country. It is one of the family's all time favorite, and will be passed down generation to generation. (Already down 5 generations to my grandchildren!) Cook time: 1 Hr   Difficulty: Prep time: 20 Min   Serves: 2 Loaves or 4 mini loafs INGREDIENTS - 3 lg eggs - 2 c sugar - 1 c cooking oil - 2 c ripe bananas, mashed - 3 tsp vanilla extract SIFT THE FOLLOWING DRY INGREDIENTS TOGETHER: - 3 c flour - 1 tsp salt - 1 tsp soda - 1/2 tsp baking powder - 1 c nuts, (optional) DIRECTIONS 1.   Preheat oven @ 350. Grease and flour (2) 4x8 loaf pans. Mix the first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl; mix well. 2.   Sift together all the dry Ingredients in a separate bowl. Add nuts, if desired. 3.   Add all dry ingredients to wet Ingredients; blend only until mixed well. Pour (evenly divided) into both prepared loaf pans. 4.   Bake @ 350 degrees for 1 hour. Makes 2 moist, large loaves or 4 mini loaves. Also about 1 dozen banana muffins.

 While we were baking we had an unexpected "BOO" at our door!

The kids were SO excited! 

Hunter loved the Banana Bread, Taylor not so much. I will post the Pumpkin Bread recipe soon!