One More Reason to Become a Host Family

If this isn't a good reason to host an exchange student I don't know what is!

Oh wait! There is the great relationships you will build, experiencing another culture and the chance to share your community with a student from another country.

One of my "exchange" daughters, Kate (hosted 2008), sent our family a Christmas package filled with German goodies and presents for our kids. And a few weeks ago I got a phone call from Switzerland! it was Celine (hosted 2006) calling to wish me Happy Birthday. The holidays are so fun now that we have family all over the world because we shared our home with two great kids.

For the last four years I have been involved with an organization called EF Foundation for Foreign Study. I had the opportunity to host two of those years and gained two wonderful "exchange" daughters. I have had such a great experience I chose to become an International Exchange Coordinator (IEC). After the birth of my second child I ran out of room in my house to host another student. As an IEC I get to place students with other loving families and become a friend and mentor to a student from another country. This way I still meet great kids and learn about their homes now that I don't have room to host in my home. I cant wait to get a bigger house someday so that I can have more "exchange" daughters.

If you have any interest in hosting an exchange student send me a comment and I can send you some information.

Bliss in a Cup

A dear friend of mine and I went shopping this weekend and found something amazing - Drinking Chocolate. I have heard of drinking chocolate a drooled over a few Food Network episodes of this too good to be true beverage. Last year, Emmely took me to Cacao and my taste buds were truly enlightened. I was 8 months prego at the time and chocolate was just as good as . . . well it was really good. So I waited all year for what has become our annual shopping trip in downtown Portland. I waited and longed for my little cup of bliss and it was so worth the wait! Yes, its true I could go there any weekend by myself, with kiddos in tow, or with my darling husband. But now it has become one of those things I want to keep special, a trip just for me and Emmely (and any other girlfriends we can drag along :)
If you are ever in the Portland area its worth finding Cacao.

Make Your Own Notepad

I found this fantastic product called notepad adhesive by The Unleashed Pen that lets you make your own note pad and countless other projects. It is a glue that you paint it on the edge of any stack of papers, let it dry and TADA! your very own custom notepad. I'm so excited to start making some of my stocking stuffer for Christmas. If you like this project you should definitely go to The Unleashed Pen on Etsy. You can buy a 2 oz. bottle for 4.99. A little goes a long way, I'm sure even at my rate of creativity this will last me a year or longer!

My first test project was to make gift tags with my Cricut. I love cutting out scrapbook shapes and tags for gifts but they end up everywhere. So I thought why not use the notepad adhesive to stick them all together. It worked great!

Gather supplies. (thanks for the great birthday present Dad!)

Cut out gift tag shape.

Stack and clip together with binder clips.

Let it dry and put on one more layer.

No more tags all over the place!

One of my gift ideas for my mom friends is this notepad of babysitter info. I made a fun little info sheet on my computer and printed it out. Then made multiple copies at the print shop so that I didn't use up all my printer ink :) Then I was able to make a photo frame with some of my scrapbook supplies. Attach the notepad and the photo frame to some chipboard and you have a very cute personal gift for any mom or dad.

Amazon Magazine Deals: Get One Year of Real Simple for $5!

I love reading magazines but they can be so expensive if you buy them one at a time. Here is a great deal on some fun magazines.

Starting Thanksgiving Day through 12/1, Amazon is dropping the magazine subscription price for 10 popular magazines to just $5, including Real Simple, Travel + Leisure and House Beautiful. Here is the full list of magazines you can get for just $5.

Cosmopolitan

Food & Wine

House Beautiful

People StyleWatch

Popular Science

Real Simple

Sports Illustrated for Kids

SmartMoney

Southern Living

Travel + Leisure

Thanks Coupon Cravings!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I thought Id share one of my favorite recipes. Its called Sweet Potato Casserole - catchy isnt it :) It is something I make every year becuse it is oh so yummy! And for all your marshmallow haters out there (Steve) this has NO marshmallows, though there is absolutly nothing bad about them. Its like saying you hate big white fluffy clouds of delishousness. Sorry, I got a little off track. So here it is the wonderful side dish (dessert):

Sweet Potato Casserole
About 4 medium Sweet Potatoes/yams (I know theres a difference - use what you like :) boiled/rosted & mashed
3/4 Stick butter (melted)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 C. evaporated milk
1 C sugar

Mix all of the above ingredients together. Poor into your favorite casserole dish. Try to make sure once its pored into your dish it is no more than 3 inches high so that it will bake through, bake for 25 minutes at 400. Put topping on and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Topping
1 C crushed cornflakes
1/2 C chopped walnuts
1/2 C brown sugar
3/4 stick butter (melted)

Enjoy!

New Bib and Washcloth Designs

I was at the fabric store the other day and found a fat quarter set of Michael Miller's Dick and Jane series. I just love the retro inspired fabrics and reminds me of my childhood books. Books that were handed down to me that is :) Anyway, I had lots of fun making my new bibs and washcloths for my Etsy shop http://www.sweetdecember.etsy.com/

Great Giveaway Opportunity

I just found this great blog today! I'm always looking for other great blogs especially if they are by moms like me :) I'm sad that I just found it today because the giveaway ends today so you have to act fast. But I am oh so happy that I found the good information that she provides. I will definitely be visiting her blog often. The giveaway is for a Kolcraft Contours Options Tandem Stroller . Read A Mom's Balancing Act for all the details and for other great ideas.