Bah Humdog

Our Great Dane Puppy is not so sure about her first Christmas and all the festivities going on at home. Watch what happens when she discovers a present under the Christmas tree.

Quotable Sunday

My quotes today are about being a child at heart. Do sugar plums dance in your head on Christmas Eve?

In every real man a child is hidden that wants to play. ~Friedrich Nietzsche

Happy is he who still loves something he loved in the nursery: He has not been broken in two by time; he is not two men, but one, and he has saved not only his soul but his life. ~G.K. Chesterton

The great man is he who does not lose his child's-heart. ~Mencius, Book IV

So, like a forgotten fire, a childhood can always flare up again within us. ~Gaston Bachelard

When I grow up I want to be a little boy. ~Joseph Heller, Something Happened, 1974

I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then. ~Bob Seger, "Against the Wind"

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. ~Pablo Picasso

One must ask children and birds how cherries and strawberries taste. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Grown-ups never understand anything for themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them. ~Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince, 1943

Everybody's 12 years old in an apple orchard. ~Rachael Ray, Rachael Ray Show, while making autumn stew, original airdate 11 October 2007

The reluctance to put away childish things may be a requirement of genius. ~Rebecca Pepper Sinkler

Adults are obsolete children. ~Dr. Seuss

A grownup is a child with layers on. ~Woody Harrelson

One of the virtues of being very young is that you don't let the facts get in the way of your imagination. ~Sam Levenson

Each man carries within him the soul of a poet who died young. ~Sainte-Beuve, Portraits littéraires, 1862

Think what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. ~Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten


For more Quotable Sunday, visit A Daily Dose of Toni.

Snow Ball Cookie Recipe

I'm trying to get started on my holiday baking. My mom always used to make about 10-12 varieties of cookies. As a kid, I loved them. It was a special part of Christmas to share all those cookies with friends and family. Looking back, I don't know how she did it...I get exhausted making 4-5 recipes.

I enjoy some old favorites, but also like to try new recipes. Here is a tasty recipe for almond snow balls. Yummy :D

1-1/4 cup soft butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
3/8 teaspoon almond oil or 2 to 3 tsp. almond extract
1 cup finely ground blanched almonds
3-1/2 cups sifted flour
Confectioners' sugar

From Christmas-Cookies.com

Cream shortening, butter and granulated sugar; add eggs and beat until light. Mix in almond oil and ground almonds. Add flour to creamed mixture and mix thoroughly. Chill dough or not.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 F. Scoop dough into small balls (I use a 1-1/4" ice cream type scoop) and place on ungreased baking sheets about 2" apart. Slightly flatten top with a dampened cloth-covered glass. Bake until set but not brown, about 14-16 minutes. Sift confectioners' sugar over cookies as soon as you take them out of the oven. Cool on cookie sheet. When thoroughly cool, but not cold enough to stick to cookie sheet, remove cookies from cookie sheet and roll in additional confectioners' sugar. Enjoy!

Do you make Christmas cookies? What is your favorite recipe? If you have one posted on your blog, please leave a link in the comments for all to share :D

Great Stocking Stuffer Ideas For Kids

Here is a list of deals I have come across that make for some great stocking stuffers or last minute gift ideas. I love giving books and educational games to kids and there is no shortage of super sales this time of year!

Usborne books always has great internet specials, and they have some wonderful holiday book selections as well as classic children's favorites. We use Usborne books in our homeschool studies and I am always impressed by the great quality of all of their products. All my kids enjoy the Snap games and the jigsaw books are favorites too.

Dover Publications is another one of my favorite book stops. They are having a big sale until December 14th and offer a books for all ages. Shop now and save $20 off of a $40 order with coupon code HLC4. Be sure to check out their sticker activity books if you have young ones. I love to keep a stash of these for car trips, or anytime we have to sit and wait. My kids love them.

You may also want to check out the sale at Barefoot Books. They offer beautiful children's books and toys which bring art and culture to life for kids. They are currently offering 30% off your order and free shipping. Enter SNOWY at checkout and shop by Dec 15th.

Here's something new I found that I think my younger two will love! Crayontown Coloring sets from Crayola...too cool!

Find more deals on children's activity books at Amazon.

And lastly, what kid doesn't like to build, mix, throw and explode things? Find fantastic fun science activities at Steve Spangler's site.

Colonix Product Review Pt 3

If you missed parts one and two of this review, you may find them here and here.

Update on my progress:

Hooray! I finished the 30 day Colonix cleanse from Dr. Natura. I am proud of myself for completing the whole cycle. There were times that I didn't want to but I kept on schedule. I lost about 6 pounds in the process. My goal was not really to lose weight, but hey, I'm not complaining. All in all I can say that it was a positive experience. The cleanse seemed to work as promised. I do feel less bloated, and healthier. While I didn't notice a big boost in energy, I do have a general sense of well being and vitality. I would recommend this product to anyone interested in a gentle natural cleanse.

Here is more information about the product I used, from Dr. Natura's website:
"DrNatura is the market leader in the field of colon cleansing and body detoxification with two easy-to-use, safe and effective programs: Colonix and Toxinout. The Colonix Program has been available since 1998 and voted the best colon cleansing product in the world."
"The Colonix Program gently but effectively cleanses the colon of toxic waste, detoxifies the liver and restores regularity while helping you to gain more energy and a flatter stomach. There is one simple reason behind the success and popularity of the Colonix colon cleansing program: It not only works but also makes you look and feel better!"

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