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Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Tanya

10 Things You're Looking Forward to in 2010

1. Watching my kids grow up more!
2. Exercising, yes I said the "e" word.
3. Mexico with my cousin in June for her Senior trip!
4. Working on the house
5. Getting our house organized
6. Summer! I LOVE the hot weather!
7. Spending time with my family.
8. Spending time with my friends.
9. Looking forward to another year!
10. Looking forward to the growth of 24/7 MOMS! Go Trisha!
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Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Tanya

10 Way to Get Fit after the Holidays

I am participating in a TwitterMoms contest to enter to win a EA SPORTS Active Personal Trainer from Wii!
Here are my 10 tips to get fit after the holidays!
1. Eat LESS - Americans have the BIGGEST portions in the world!
2. Get out and EXERCISE!
3. Join a gym! I did!
4. Use your Wii Fit! Yes I LOVE my Wii Fit!
5. Cut the coffee! Cutting those morning runs to Starbucks all together would be best but if you just can't go without, cut DOWN!
6. Eat healthier! Snack on veggies instead of chips!
7. Chase your kids. Having 2 small ones I love chasing them around the burning calories!
8. Walk you dog. Or borrow the neighbors.
9. Take advantage of On Demand, they have TONS of free workouts you can do from home.
10. Just have fun! Getting fit should be a fun lifestyle change!

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Monday, December 21, 2009

Tanya

Ahh Kids At Christmas

So all night on Friday and all day on Saturday Little Man kept asking me if he had to wear the earrings his friend "Turtle" bought him. Hmm I wondered, I know he chose Little Man's gift himself but his mom would not have let him buy him earrings would she?

Saturday night we had our friends over for dinner as we do every year. We exchanged gifts and no earrings. I was not sure what he was talking about.

Then I heard the story of the year from Turtle's mom!

Little Man was over at their house and there was a jewelry box on her table. He was asked not to touch it. He said "It's my Christmas present isn't it?"

He was told in fact it was not. But he kept insisting it was.

Son finally Turtle's mom said, "Yes it is your present we bought you earrings from the jewelry store."

To his disappointment Little Man said "But I can't wear earrings I have no holes."

My friend simply explained we will just add holes to his ears then for him to wear them.
LOL so after all that "sneaking" he did not get earrings for Christmas. But he was sure worried for the week that he was getting earrings and that we would give him holes to wear them in!
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Friday, December 18, 2009

Tanya

GREAT gift for the little girl on your list!

I first saw FashionPlaytes.com on the 24/7 MOMS site (who is giving away a $25 gift certificate). I can't wait to design one of these! Or if you have an older girl they can design their OWN clothing. SO super cool!

You can enter to win a $15 gift certificate from Twittermoms.com and FashionPlaytes.com by going to http://www.fashionplaytes.com/tw/twittermom.html

You can also get $15 off any purchase of $25 or more using code TwitterMom15. Order today!

#FashionPlaytes

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Tanya

5 Days of Cookies - Saint Nick Cereal Cookies

From Betty Crocker
Makes 16 cookies
1 bag (10.5 oz) miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup vanilla baking chips
7 cups Cheerios
1 container (1 lb) white frosting
3 teaspoons red decorating sugar
2 small red gumdrops, cut crosswise into 4 rounds, then cut in half (for mouths)
32 blue miniature M&M's
16 red miniature M&M's
1. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, letting foil hang over 2 opposite sides of pan; spray bottom and sides of foil with cooking spray. Reserve 16 marshmallows. In 2 1/2-quart nonstick saucepan, heat remaining marshmallows, the butter, peanut butter, and baking chips over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until butter and marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth.

2. Places cereal in large bowl; pour marshmallow mixture over cereal. Spray wooden spoon or rubber spatula with cooking spray; use to stir marshmallow mixture into cereal. Spread and pat cereal mixture in pan using sprayed utensil. (just like making Rice Crispy Treats!)

3. Remove cereal mixture from pan by lifting with foil; peel back foil. Using large knife, cut mixture in half lengthwise into 2 rectangles. To mark 1 rectangle for cutting, place toothpick at each end of one long side; add 3 toothpicks to same side, about every 3 inches, dividing into fourths. In other long side, place toothpick 1 1/2 inches from each end; add 3 toothpicks to same side, about every 3 inches, diving into thirds. Cut diagonally across rectangle from toothpick to toothpick, forming triangles. Press together 2 end pieces to form eight triangle. Repeat with remaining rectangle.

4. For each cookie, spread frosting from top point to cover top 1/3 of triangle. Place 1 marshmallow at point. Sprinkle red sugar over frosting for hat. Spread frosting over lower 1/3 of cookie for beard; add gumdrop piece at top center of beard for mouth. Add 3 dots if icing to face are for attaching blue M&M's for eyes and red M&S for nose. Let stand until frosting is set.
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Thursday, December 17, 2009

Tanya

5 Days of Cookies - Chocolate-Raspberry Triangles

Makes 48 bars
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 packages (10 ounces) frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed and undrained
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, mix flour, sugar and butter until crumbly. Press into the bottom of ungreased 13-by-9-inch pan. Bake 15 minutes.
2. Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, mix raspberries, orange juice and cornstarch. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Cool 10 minutes.
3. Sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Carefully spread raspberry mixture over chocolate chips. 4. Bake about 20 minutes or until raspberry mixture is set. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is firm. For triangles, cut into 4 rows by 3 rows, then cut each square into 4 triangles. Store in refrigerator.
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Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Tanya

Lakewood officer pens Christmas story

This was in the News Tribune today. Let's take a moment to remember what Christmas really is.

A little boy and his toy dinosaur who came by the Lakewood Office Department station last Sunday to honor the four slain police officers touched an officer enough that the officer wanted to share the story in a Christmas letter to friends.
One of the friends who received the letter, Tukwila police officer Mike Murphy, said he and his fellow officers were so touched by the story that they thought it should be shared with the community.
Murphy said the officer who wrote it agreed but wanted to remain anonymous.
"It is just a story of one child reaching out and helping heal the pain we have all suffered," Murphy said in his e-mail. "Our only goal in sending it is to reach out to our community and thank them for this and all the other love and support they have sent us through this very difficult time."
The Christmas story is reprinted below:
December 13, 2009
I’m not much for writing Christmas letters, and in fact this year, I didn’t even feel like making the effort of buying and addressing Christmas cards at all. I’m sure you all have heard of the terrible tragedy that occurred here in Lakewood two weeks ago today – four of our officers, four people that have become my friends over the past 5 years as we all worked here together, were gunned down as they sat in a coffee shop. Three fathers and a mother – all of whom were dedicated to their jobs and their families – now dead. The grief at our station and in our community has been overwhelming and we have all now just barely begun to process what this means for our department and for police departments all across our state and nation. Several times since this event happened, police agencies have responded to reports of individuals across King and Pierce Counties causing commotions and claiming to be planning to kill more officers. We do our best to maintain our composure and continue to do our jobs the best that we can.
It is hard not to remain bleak and jaded with these events so fresh in our minds. But something happened today, just 20 minutes ago, which made me want to send out a Christmas letter. I’m here at work and was just out in our secure parking lot helping another officer load collection bins into his car to take to a local Lakewood Police Independent Guild fundraiser event. I heard a woman, standing with a boy who couldn’t have been more than 3 or 4 years old, calling, “Excuse me….” through our locked gate. She had apparently been trying to get to our front counter but found no one there, it being Sunday, and had just happened to see us in the parking lot. I walked over to her and saw that the little boy was holding a plastic baggy containing a dollar and some change, and was clutching a well-worn stuffed dinosaur.
The woman told me that her son, AJ, had seen the stories on tv about our 4 slain officers. She said that they had driven to our station all the way from Kingston because her son was so intent on helping the children of these officers. I opened the gate and the boy handed me the plastic baggy containing all the money from his piggybank and a note on which he had written “AJ….From me to Pleec. I Love You.” And then, with tears in his eyes, he handed me his stuffed dinosaur. AJ’s mom explained that he wanted to give the children of the slain officers the most precious thing that he owned, and that was his dinosaur, Bruno.
I told AJ that I would take the money that he wanted to donate, but that I thought the best thing he could do for the children of our 4 officers was to keep Bruno safe with him but to keep those kids in his heart when he hugged his dinosaur. He agreed and gratefully took Bruno back from me and held him tightly as if he never wanted to let him go again.
We have seen many, many acts of generosity and kindness over the past 2 weeks. We have hugged more friends and strangers than we could have ever imagined and have mended broken ties with people we haven’t talked to for years. Yet nothing has touched me deeper, or given me more hope for the future, than AJ and his stuffed dinosaur. I gave AJ one of our department challenge coins, explaining to him that we only gave them out to the bravest and most deserving people we came across. I hope he will realize someday how much more than a dollar and some change he gave to me and to the Lakewood Police Department today.
So anyway, none of that is about Christmas, but it is about hope and love and I thought it was appropriate to share this holiday season.
I hope this letter finds all of you well and eager to spend the holidays with those you love. Squeeze everyone a little tighter and hug them a little longer today because life really is precious. Merry Christmas!
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Tanya

5 Days of Cookies - Chocolate Cherry Pinwheels

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1/4 cup maraschino cherries, finely chopped and drained on paper towels
3 drops red food color
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

1. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in flour, baking powder and salt until well blended. Place half of dough in another medium bowl.
2. Beat almond extract, cherries and food color into half of dough. Divide cherry dough in half. Wrap each half of cherry dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until firm.
3. Beat vanilla, milk and cocoa into remaining plain dough. Divide chocolate dough in half. Wrap each half of chocolate dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until firm.
4. Place one part of chocolate dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper; roll into 10x7-inch rectangle. Repeat with one part of cherry dough. Refrigerate both about 30 minutes or until firm. Peel top sheets of waxed paper from both doughs. Turn cherry dough upside down onto chocolate dough; roll up doughs together, starting at long side, into a log. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours. Repeat with remaining parts of dough.
5. Heat oven to 350°F. Cut rolls of dough into 1/4-inch slices with sharp knife. On ungreased cookie sheet, place slices 1 inch apart.





6. Bake 8 to 11 minutes or surface appears dull. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
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Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Tanya

5 days of Cookies - The Ultimate Spritz

Makes: 6 dozen cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla
Food color, if desired

1. Heat oven to 400ºF. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, salt, egg, almond extract and a few drops of food color.
2. Place dough in cookie press. Form desired shapes on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. To decorate cookies after baking, use a drop of corn syrup to attach decorations to cookies.
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Monday, December 14, 2009

Tanya

5 days of Cookies - Butter Sugar Cookies


These are SO good you dont NEED to frost them even! But of course frosting makes them EXTRA YUMMY!

1 C. Butter (I’ve used margarine and it works great either way)
1-1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 egg
1 Tsp. vanilla
3 C. flour
1 Tsp. baking soda
1 Tsp. cream of tartar
½ Tsp. salt

Cream butter. Add powdered sugar and mix. Add egg and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients (I almost NEVER sift). Gradually add to mixture and combine into a ball. Roll out on a floured board or pasty cloth to 1/8 inch thickness.
Cut into desired shapes. Bake 9 – 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

*You can roll this cookie dough out many times and it always comes out flaky. Yummy!
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Friday, December 11, 2009

Tanya

Pssst I have a secret! And it is HEALTHY!


General Mills announced this week a commitment to further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to children under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving. The company has already been reducing sugar in cereals while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain.


The maker of Big G cereals reminds you that ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters. Cereals also deliver important vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, making cereal a top source of key nutrients in children´s diets.Other cereal benefits:
Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children´s diets.
Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child´s diet today.
More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.Studies also demonstrate the benefits of eating breakfast. A 1998 study showed that children who eat breakfast tend to perform better at school. Compared to children who skip breakfast, children who eat breakfast score higher on tests, are less likely to miss class or be tardy, have fewer reported discipline problems, and make fewer trips to the office.For more information about kids and cereals, please visit Cereal Health and Wellness.


Disclaimer: The coupons, information, and online coupon link have all been provided by General Mills and MyBlogSpark.
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Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Tanya

Giving Back This Holiday Season

I have found a wonderful site to give back this Season. http://www.wishuponahero.com/ is there people can go to post wishes. This year we have fulfilled several wishes. We have gone through toys and clothing we have at home and sent them out to those in need. I would have loved to purchase new things for these people in need but cannot afford to! Some are as simple as a couple dollars in a card or clothing for kids. We have mailed DVD’s, toys, clothing and more!

This year Robeez will donate a pair of soft sole shoes to K.I.D.S. with every soft sole purchased through December 23rd and link to: http://www.robeez.com/EN-US/seasonofgiving.htm (My favirote style is Robeez Soft Soles Chickadee - lavender but they have SO mayn to choose from, great for my ALMOST walker!)
For your chance to win Robeez Soft Soles, a $50 stride rite gift card, or even better yet the entire Robeez Soft Sole spring collection, go to http://www.twittermoms.com/forum/topics/tell-us-how-you-plan-to-give
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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Tanya

Annual Holiday Safety Reminder!

It is of course the holiday season. Having formerly worked for the Pierce County Fire Prevention Bureau I want to give everyone some holiday safety tips. According to the USFA over 40 people die every year from holiday related fires. More than 1,650 are injured and over $990 million in damages occur.

1. First off WATER YOUR TREE! This video as been circulating for years but is well worth a watch:

2. Keep and eye on your open flames or candles!

3. Use indoor lights INDOORS and outdoors lights OUTDOORS. Use indoor extension cords INDOORS and outdoor extension cords OUTDOORS.

4. Do not overload electrical outlets.

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Tanya

My Entry For the Kia Sorento Ultimate Road Trip Sweepstakes

If you could take your family on a road trip anywhere, where would you go and why?
I would go to Disneyland. Why? Because I love it! It is a fun, great, family place. I would take the LONG route though and go through Colorado and Idaho to visit my husband's family. Yes I know it is way out of the way of California. But that is the way we would go! I would love to pick them all up too and take them with us!

Enter to win a $1,000 Ultimate Road Trip Prize Pack
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Tanya

BUTTER SUGAR COOKIES

These are the BEST cookies I have ever had. From my friend April!
1 C. Butter (I’ve used margarine and it works great either way)
1-1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 egg
1 Tsp. vanilla
3 C. flour
1 Tsp. baking soda
1 Tsp. cream of tartar
½ Tsp. salt

Cream butter. Add powdered sugar and mix. Add egg and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients (I almost NEVER sift). Gradually add to mixture and combine into a ball. Roll out on a floured board or pasty cloth to 1/8 inch thickness.
Cut into desired shapes. Bake 9 – 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

*You can roll this cookie dough out many times and it always comes out flaky. Yummy!
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Monday, December 7, 2009

Tanya

Simplify the Holidays Part 2 on 24/7 MOMS

24/7 MOMS Live webcast continues to Simplify your Holidays with
Make Ahead Christmas Brunch Ideas
Frugal Hostess Gifts
Clutter Free Gift Ideas For kids
Plus amazing giveaways all this week on the 24/7 MOMS Live webcast

The #1 MOM webcast Tuesday night 2 times 7pm PST/ 10pm EST OR 9pm PST/ 12am EST at http://www.247moms.com/

Put your kids to bed - Grab a hot cup of your favorite beverage - Put on your P.J.'s - Surf over to http://www.247moms.com/ and join us.
This weeks MOM Fun includes:
- Simple cooking demonstrations
- MOM Tip Talk- Giveaways
- 24 minutes AFTER the show chat-tin it up with us LIVE.

Tweet, TXT, Facebook , invite all of your MOM friends to this weeks 24/7 MOMS Live webcast. (MOM TV Show on your computer).
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Tanya

Christmas Shoes

My favorite Christmas song is Christmas Shoes.
I have never been in this situation before as the little boy or the lady in line. But hope that in either instance I would do the right thing or that someone would help me.
Yes it is a sad song but it is a great song that teaches us it is not about getting for the holiday season but about giving!
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Friday, December 4, 2009

Tanya

What was the most surprising gift you've ever received?

My husband arranged to have a friend come over and take a picture of him and my son holding a sing that said "We Love you" for my birthday. It was SO sweet and unexpected!
enter to win a Target gift card by sharing "What was the most surprising gift you've ever received?" visit TwitterMoms to enter. #TargetGiftGiving
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Thursday, December 3, 2009

Tanya

Christmas Brunch Casserole

YUM! We make this every year. Can be made year round too! SUPER easy!

Ingredients
1 pound bacon
1 tablespoon butter
2 onions, chopped
2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
4 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 pinch dried parsley
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside. In a separate skillet, melt the butter and fry onions and mushrooms until tender.
Place potatoes in bottom of prepared dish. Sprinkle with salt, garlic salt, and pepper. Top with bacon, then onions and mushrooms.
In a large bowl, beat eggs with milk and parsley. Pour over casserole. Top with grated cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until set. If preparing and baking the same day, cook for 45 minutes.
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Tanya

What are your five tips & tricks for getting your kids to bed on time and getting them to stay in bed?

1.Start early! Start the bedtime routine at least 30 minutes prior to actual bedtime.
2. Get a routine! Ours is:
Get jammies on.
Go to the bathroom.
Brush teeth.
Get in bed!
3. If they get out of bed in the middle of the night take them back to their room assure them they are safe and leave a light on if necessary.
4. No liquids 30 minutes prior to bedtime. This ensures a dry sleep!
5. Don't sleep with them or stay with them until they fall asleep. Teach your children to go to sleep on their own. Trust me it is worth it later on!
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Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Tanya

My Family’s Holiday Values

Well values… my son has not come to expect TONS of gifts which is great because we don’t want him to think this is the meaning of Christmas. Christmas for me is family time. All year round is really family time but we do a lot of things together as a family during the Christmas season which I love. I wish it was Christmas all year round most of the time! Many years I feel Christmas is over commercialized and there truly in too much to fit into just one month.
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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Tanya

10 Great Things About the Holidays

#1 FAMILY

That is all I have
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