I LOVE Chocolate!!

Oh, yes, I DO!! A rare day goes by without some sort of chocolatey goodness passing my lips! ;-) When chocolate sources are short, I can be found snitching a chocolate chip out of my baking canister or using a spoon to scoop out the fudgy goo from a frosting tub.

Mmm, yeah, I really love chocolate. Really.

Another Chocolate Friday is here! My coupons for FREE chocolate are on their way...are yours??

I also just came across Lisa's blog, Stop and Smell the Chocolates! Why, thank you! I think I will.

Lisa has guaranteed chocolate posts every Friday! Mmmm! Today, you can find a recipe for Chocolate Chunk Raspberry Bars by Melissa from Frugal Creativity.

Do you have a favorite chocolate recipe to share? Link to your post in a comment! I'd love to check it out...because I love chocolate! :-)





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Tags: chocolate chocolate recipes Chocolate Chunk Raspberry Bars free chocolate Frugal Creativity Stop and Smell the Chocolates chocolate chips

God Gave Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren

My husband and I purchased this book when we found out we were pregnant with our daughter. Both he and I read God Gave Us You to my belly several times a week. We wanted whoever was in there (we didn't know to buy blue or pink) to know that they were a special gift from God.

Lisa writes an adorable story of Little Cub asking her mama, "Where did I come from," and Mama Bear's wise and special answer, "God gave us you!"

After our daughter was born, I remember reading this book to her, tears streaming down my face, especially on the page that says,

"Mama lowered her voice. 'And then we took you home. And it was just us. Our family. We just stared and stared, wondering at the miracle of incredible you.'

'Because why?'

'Because God had given us you.'"

God Gave Us You is a sweet book for young children and would also make a great baby gift!!

40 pages from WaterBrook Press.

Recommend: YES





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Tags: Lisa Tawn Bergren God Gave Us You Children's fiction Laura J. Bryant book reviews Waterbrook Press

Christmas In July

As this blog is the "creative" side of me, which is usually shown in the recipes I post, I thought I would share a blog I came across the other day.

I'm always finding neat little ideas that I'm storing away on my hard drive or in a box in my closet for the (very near) future when I begin homeschooling my children.

Of course, I come across plenty of ideas that won't be for school purposes...and, this blog had some great Christmas ideas! They're doing a series of "Christmas in July" posts right now!

I think my daughter is old enough this year to enjoy an advent calendar. You will find plenty of pictures and instructions on the classic fabric and pocket advent calendars. I found a few others that were a bit more interesting...

Here are some that are made of matchboxes!



Check out this extra fun one by Analise, using a clearance Target find. You've got to imagine things with a coat of paint and your own embellishments! :-)

This one is giving me all kinds of inspiration and getting my creative juices flowing!!! It uses a mini muffin tin!



And, this one would be great over our new sliding glass door (anyone got these kind of tins floating around...um, 25 of them to be exact?!) lol!

Oy, some people are SOO creative!! ;-) If it weren't for them, I really wouldn't be creative at all!! :-D The ideas of the truly creative are what prod me on!

Recommend: YES




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Tags: advent calendar matchbox advent calendar Christmas crafts muffin advent calendar Christmas

Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

I love these cookies! There are many versions of cake mix cookies, but this adapted recipe (which I cut out years and years ago from a bag of Aldi's chocolate chips) has become the one I like the most.

This batch was made, by request, for our computer-fixer-guy-friend. ;-) Baked goods seem to be our payment to him.

CAKE MIX COOKIES

1 package chocolate (your favorite - devil's food, german chocolate, etc) cake mix
1/3 cup milk (I've also used the morning's leftover coffee with scrumptious results!)
1/4 cup softened butter or margarine
1 egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Combine cake mix, butter, milk, and egg; beat on low speed until very stiff dough forms. Mix in chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonful, 2 inches apart, onto lightly greased cookie sheets.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-13 minutes, or until set. Let stand a few minutes, before removing from baking sheet.

Recommend: YES






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Tags: recipes cake mix cookies cookie recipes Aldi Aldi's Aldi's recipes chocolate recipes