Recipes

I asked Maggie to share a few of her recipes of things she has brought recently!  (I made these granola bars the other day, the pan was gone in one day!  They were delicious)
Thanks for sharing!

If you have a recipe that you want to share, please feel free to message it to M-LIFE on facebook and we will share it!

Tortilla Roll-Ups

Ingredients:
12 (14oz package) flour tortillas (or more)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
12 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup salsa or picante sauce (optional)
Preparation:
In a med. bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, chilies, onion, red bell pepper and cheddar cheese. Mix
thoroughly. Spread onto tortillas and roll up. Cover tightly and chill for 2 hours or overnight. When ready to serve,
cut each roll into 1/2 –inch slices. Serve with salsa or picante sauce. Make about 8 dozen pieces of tortilla roll-ups.

Homemade Granola bars

source: http://smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com/2009/09/chewy-granola-barsmmmm-good.html

3 cups oatmeal

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup shredded coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk (I like to use fat-free)

2 Tbsp melted butter

1-2 cups of your favorite add-ins (chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, raisins, cranberries,

whole nuts, marshmallows, dried papaya, dried mangos, trail mix...you get the idea)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan. Mix together all of the ingredients and

pour into your pan. Bake for 20-27 minutes depending on if you like your granola bars chewy or

crispier. So easy and so good...

Enjoy!

The Best Sticky Buns Ev-ah!

source: http://smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com/2010/01/oh-my-heaven-sticky-buns.html


1 loaf (1 pound) frozen bread dough, thawed

1 cup vanilla ice cream, melted (I like to use the low-fat double-churned ice cream)

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

Thaw bread loaf in a greased bread pan and cover with plastic wrap that has been
greased to prevent sticking. Once, bread has doubled in size, or puffs out nicely over
the top of the pan it's ready to go!

Mix the ice cream, butter, and both sugars together and pour into a greased 9x13x2
inch baking dish. Pull the thawed bread loaf into 30 or so pieces and drop into the ice
cream mixture. Bake in oven at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until bread is starting
to turn golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes and then invert onto a serving platter.

Upcoming Events

There are a few more events coming up that I wanted to remind you of (or notify you of):

Tuesday, January 23 there is a Mom's Night out at New Holland Brewery at 6:30pm

and

February 6 there is a kid event, a trip to VanKley Science Museum at Hope College.  There are two time slots for this one, 9am and 10am.

Other upcoming events without exact dates are: the popular potting party at Annual Ambiance and Crazy Bounce, more details on these will be announced as they become available.

Gymnastiks Event Tomorrow

Just a little reminder that this Friday, Dec. 14 is our Kids Event. 10:00 am to 11:00 am $5.00 per child

Gymnastics Unlimited 3400 Highland Dr. 

Hudsonville, MI

Just off 32nd Ave. 

*Dress in comfortable clothing, do not overdress, the kids will get hot

**Each child needs a waiver signed by parent.  You can print one from here http://www.gymnastiksunlimited.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=114&Itemid=190

Thanks and See you all there.

Christmas Music

What do you think about Christmas music?

Are you one who loves it and can't get enough?  

Or, do you get irritated when it comes on before Thanksgiving and can't stand to turn on the radio for fear they will be playing Christmas music?

I fall somewhere in the middle.  Really, my preference is based on weather though.  These last two 60 degree days, I didn't care for it at all.  

But, I do have a few favorite Christmas songs:

Alvin & the Chipmunks.  I remember listening to this record (yup, record, not tape, not cd) over and over and over when I was little.

And, another one of my more contemporary favorites is Sing Mary Sing by Jennifer Knapp



One of my favorite Christmas concerts that we try to go to each year is Curt Dykema & Friends at Community Reformed.  Seriously people, this one is so good!  And, it's free.  It's this Sunday, the 9th, it starts at 6:00 if you want to join us there.  You won't be disappointed!

Advent activities

I know that some people choose to do a family activity each day during advent.  I've often thought this was a great idea in my head, but actually doing it proved to be difficult.  With four kids and a relatively busy holiday schedule I can't exactly pick out an activity to do 10, 15 and 20 days in advance, because likely we won't be able to do some of them.  And then, what's the point.  I don't want the kids to read one and get excited to (insert activity) and then I have to tell them that, "oops, not gonna happen sweetie".

Enter Adriel Booker (again).  She has a HUGE list on her blog (click on her name above for a direct link) of great activity ideas.  And, best of all, there are practical ones that we may actually do.

(source)

I love seeing all of the fun elf on the shelf ideas that pop up on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.  But, again, follow through isn't my best quality, and one day I'm sure our elf would return to the North Pole and not come back (likely because he would get sick of me hiding him in the refrigerator or other unimaginative place EVERY morning, but possibly because he would get lost and forgotten too).

Truth in the Tinsel has some great ideas on her blog for alternatives to the elf on the shelf, not to mention the whole Truth in the Tinsel looks like it may be a fun idea too!

What are your favorite Christmas activities to do with your family? 

Advent

Does your family use an advent calendar?  What kind do you use?

I've been searching for years for one that I LOVE and would actually use all the way through, the only stipulation was that it had to be biblically based (as opposed to just a piece of candy every day).  

I've found some great ones.  Some super cute ones.  Some super detailed ones.  Some super complicated ones.  

I've made some.  Yup, I said some.  Because I haven't made just one.  I've made several.  I've spent HOURS making stockings to use to put verses and trinkets in.  I don't like it.  

Then one day, I was browsing pinterest (I know, your so surprised).  I saw a picture of this book and recognized it as one of my kids favorite storybooks.  

And then I read that you can use it for your advent calendar.  Adriel Booker really says it best in her blog post (linked by clicking her name):

"there are twenty-one stories it in from the Old Testament—each ending with a paragraph that ties in to the imminent birth of Jesus—and then three stories from the New Testament leading up to (and surrounding) the birth story of Jesus."

This book is fun to look at, the artwork is fun, the stories are well written, I really don't mind reading this one.  And, I'm excited to try this this year, hopefully it works out and we can start a new tradition, one that we can keep!

I'll be sure to keep you updated!

What are your advent traditions?