Giveaway - Where Jesus Slept #WhereJesusSlept #FlyBy

Can y'all believe Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK!? Then the Christmas hustle and bustle begins. Even though my kids are older, I still keep a shelf of Christmas books out for the months of November and December.  Sometimes when things get crazy, I'll sit on the couch and read one or two of them by the glow of the Christmas tree lights, just enjoying the peace and quiet for a bit. Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year and I enjoy finding new Christmas books to add to our holiday bookshelf.

I was able to review a new hardcover children's book that is for sure going to be on my holiday shelf from now on!  It's called Where Jesus Slept, and it has the most darling illustrations (look at that precious Baby Jesus on the cover!) and the sweetest rhymes that tell the story of the first Christmas.  I absolutely love it.   I think y'all will enjoy it too!

Here's a little more about the book:

"This is the bed where Jesus slept. This is the straw that lined the bed where Jesus slept.” From here, the story builds with each spread, adding a new element and explaining the relationships among the participants and witnesses to the first Christmas. From Jesus sleeping sweetly to the wise men bringing gifts, this charming book reminds readers young and not-so-young of the joyous event we celebrate at Christmastime. Children will love the delightful illustrations and the engaging repetition in this cumulative tale.

About the author:
Norma Lewis is the author of ten books. She lives in Grand Haven, MI, with a marmalade cat named Scalawag. They both love spending time with her six grandchildren, ranging in age from three to twenty.    Illustrated by Katy Hudson.

It's perfect for ages 4-7 and retails for $16.99.  It will surely become a Christmas must-read for your family too!



I have a copy of Where Jesus Slept to give away to one of my readers!  Just enter via my rafflecopter widget below.

Don't forget - you have to leave a comment below this post as your mandatory entry. Without that, no other entries will count, so you won't be eligible to win if you don't complete that mandatory entry.

Remember to share this post with your family and friends using the share buttons at the bottom of this post under my signature!  Good luck!

Holiday in the Park at Six Flags over Georgia

I just adore this time of year! Getting ready for Christmas, all the fun and traditions, the decorations, the music, the food..... so much good stuff packed into the last two months of the year.

We found a new holiday tradition that I can't wait to share with y'all!  Did you know that Six Flags over Georgia is open for Christmas?  It's called Holiday in the Park and it is fantastic!  We went with our friends Tiffany & Seth, and it was great fun!

First - the lights.  Oh my goodness, the park absolutely transforms once the sun sets!  There are millions of twinkling, glittery lights everywhere! And trees!  It's just beautiful.

The tree lighting was fun and a special start to our evening. After all, a Christmas-themed wonderland is not complete without a gigantic tree and ceremonial lighting. The tree will be lit by U.S. Service personnel, along with their loved ones, at 6 p.m. each night of Holiday in the Park.

There are so many areas to explore: A Main Street Christmas, Peppermint Plaza, Retro Christmas USA, Glohill, Holiday City, North Pole and more! You'll want to visit every place and see the sights!

There are plenty of rides available during Holiday in the Park, too.  My son isn't big on any thrill rides and coasters, but we did get him on the train and carousel this visit.  And I rode the Harley Quinn Spinsanity again - it's my favorite!!  It is really neat to see the park all lit up at night from the rides!

Make sure to visit Santa and Mrs. Claus, and you may even see an elf or two! There are strolling carolers, holiday music, even mistletoe in front of the Monster Mansion! So make sure you stop for a kiss from someone you love.

There is plenty of yummy food and hot drinks for you to enjoy too.  S'mores, peppermint funnel cakes...you will find all kinds of sweets, and different hot cocoas - try it with Peeps marshmallows!  After your visit, you'll have to let me know your favorite treat from Holiday in the Park in the comments below.

Our favorite was the chicken and beignets. So tasty!  Plus a cup of hot cocoa with whipped cream.  David also tried the mint fudge, and cheddar popcorn - both were hits! 

I hope you and your family will take some time to check out Holiday in the Park this holiday season, and make it a part of your Christmas traditions.  It's really beautiful, and such a fun way to get your Christmas on!

To find out the complete schedule, activities, and other information about Holiday in the Park, please visit this link.

Disclaimer: Six Flags over Georgia hosted us at Holiday in the Park for an evening in order to experience the park, and write this review.  No other compensation was received. 

Giveaway: Stone Mountain Christmas 2015

Despite the crazy weather we are dealing with (hot, rainy, cold, rainy, windy, rainy) it's time to start thinking about Christmas!  For my family, one way we usher in the holiday season is a visit to Stone Mountain Christmas at Stone Mountain Park.  Everything there is designed to put you in the Christmas spirit!

The lights are the first thing you'll see as you enter the gate.  There are lovely snowflakes on light poles, Christmas lights on all the buildings, and don't forget to take a quick drive down Snowflake Lane. Everything is sparkling, merry and bright.   And look up - you just might spy mistletoe, so keep your honey close by!

Stone Mountain Christmas is offered on select dates from November 7 - January 3.  On those dates, check out the fun and festive Christmas Parade that delivers Santa & Mrs. Claus to Christmas Corner. You'll enjoy the performers from the shows, plus catch a glimpse of the beautiful Snow Angel!

After the parade, we always head straight to the Singalong Christmas Train.  It's a little different this year (no onscreen antics with elves - just lyrics for the songs playing). We enjoyed the selection of carols, including White Christmas, Walking in a Winter Wonderland, and other family favorites. And if you like seeing the performance of "The Gift" midway through the ride, you will really love it this year. This year was my favorite performance of all the years we've attended  - really beautiful and heartwarming.

After a fun train ride around the Mountain, we usually visit Santa, do a little shopping, and check out the characters you might see in the park.  Gingerbread Man, Rudolph, Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, and even Mrs. Claus got a picture with David this year!   We love watching the glassblower at work, and looking at his beautiful glassware in the store next door. You'll also find a fantastic toy store, candy store, and a few other gift stores to visit!  You can also visit the Snow Angel, and decorate yummy cookies.

Did you know Stone Mountain Park was named by USA Today as one of the ten best places in the country to catch Santa Claus?!  My son humored me and had a quick talk and then a picture with Santa. 

Time for the 4D movie - it's right across the walkway from Santa.   This year SMP is offering Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas.  Can a handful of prehistoric misfits really save the holiday? Find out in this hilarious adventure featured in 3-D with added in-theater effects that will transport you back to the Ice Age.

The shows being offered this year include A Christmas Carol,  Forever Christmas, and Holly Jolly Cabaret.  We especially enjoyed the Christmas Carol - David got such a kick out of it!  The actors in all of the shows are great, and the music is festive. This year's new show is The Littlest Christmas Tree.  It’s Christmas Eve and the smallest tree on the lot has been passed over and is feeling low. Good thing his new friends Betty the Bunny, Sammy the Skunk and Nutty the Squirrel are there to help him see his inner worth! The tale of The Littlest Christmas Tree is sure to be a new, family favorite.

The night ends with the lovely Snow Angel flying through the courtyard and her magical snowfall, plus a fireworks finale! If your kids can stay up til 9:45 it is truly worth staying for - a really beautiful ending to a fantastic night with your family!

And finally - the food!  I must share that The Campfire Grill has some seriously good comfort food ready for you. We tried the Sausage Skillet, Pot Roast with veggies, Chicken Tenders, (they also have Fried Chicken) and a huge Cranberry Apple Salad.  Sides were mac-n-cheese, baked beans and mashed potatoes with gravy. Plus they throw their delicious yeast rolls to you!  It was all awesome, but David's favorites were the chicken and mac-n-cheese.  Mine were the yummy, tangy salad plus the pot roast and the baked beans.   I wish I'd remembered to get a picture of the yummy dessert they sent home with us. Stone Mountain's new buttery, delicious cinnamon bread is to die for!  Make sure to pick up a loaf while you are there - it's warm, gooey and oh so good!

We had such a fantastic time at Stone Mountain Christmas this year.  And we left with Christmas Spirit! I'm working on getting our trees finished up this week, and wrapping gifts.  I am determined to get things done early so I can enjoy December with my family this year - no last-minute stressing! If you are ready for a big dose of Christmas spirit and family fun, please pick a date to take your family for a fun evening at Stone Mountain Christmas!  You can find out ticket information here. However..... one lucky reader will win a family four-pack of tickets to attend!! Enter my giveaway via the rafflecopter widget below.  (Click the link if the widget isn't visible!)

Stone Mountain Christmas 2014

Last week we attended Stone Mountain Christmas  with my sister and niece.  We spent a wonderful evening getting our Christmas spirit on.  Unless you are the Grinch, there is no way you can visit and not leave feeling Christmas Joy in your heart!  Now through January 4 (on select dates) you can enjoy the Christmas glow of over two million lights, plus a hilarious 4-D movie,  live shows, a parade, the Singalong Christmas train, and so much more!

Some of our favorite things to do at Stone Mountain Christmas:

The Nightly Christmas Parade: Catch a glimpse of all of the characters and actors as they arrive in Crossroads each evening. Music, dancing and lots of fun await!  We found a place near the 4-D theater to watch and it was perfect!

Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas 4-D movie  :   it may be short in length, but it is jam-packed with fun. There are lots of 4-D effects to thrill the kids, so be prepared and put your phones and cameras safely away so they don't get wet!  My son and niece are 10 and they both thought the movie experience was terrific.  

The Singalong Christmas Train:  It's not Christmas if we didn't get to take a ride on the Christmas train! Sing carols, look at Christmas lights,  watch the antics of two silly elves on the monitors throughout the train cars, and watch "The Gift", a touching live presentation about the real reason for CHRISTmas.  The ride lasts about 40 minutes, and it can get chilly on the open-air cars.  Make sure you've got mittens and hats! It's one of our favorite parts of Stone Mountain Christmas.

Character meet and greets: your kids can meet Bumble, Rudolph, the Snow Angel and more characters while checking out all the great fun at Stone Mountain Christmas.  You can even visit with Santa!

We love to eat at The Campfire Grill.  The Campfire Skewers are delicious and the S'mores Skillet is amazing. They have lots of fun camping and forest-themed effects throughout the restaurant to keep the kiddos happy too.  Always good food, good service, and a good time at The Campfire Grill.

Make sure you try the  Funnel cakes and Snowflakes (basically a deep fried belgian waffle) for dessert.  Order them plain or add sauces, fruits and toppings.  The perfectly sweet ending for an evening at Stone Mountain Christmas.

Stone Mountain puts on fabulous Christmas shows ~ there is something for everyone.  From Toyrific to Forever Christmas, you will enjoy great music and entertainment for the whole family. Click here for a list of all of the shows you can see this year.

Need a shopping break? There are lots of places to shop at Stone Mountain Park.  This year we came home with a beautiful, hand-blown glass Christmas ornament from The Stone Mountain Glass Shop, made right there!  They also have a toy store, candy store, a gift shop in the train depot and other spots throughout the park.  You can find some great Christmas gifts there!

Until this year, we've never been able to stay long enough for the Finale with the Snow Angel, Fireworks and Snowfall.  We live about an hour away, so we usually ended up taking the kids home for bed before the 9:45 finale.  This year, however, we were determined to stay til the very end and it was SO worth it! The Snow Angel flies in and floats above you, then she starts a glorious fireworks show complete with snow!  To see the wonder in the eyes of all the kids there was magical! I highly recommend that you stay and experience the Finale when you visit Stone Mountain Christmas.

We thoroughly enjoyed our evening at the Park, and I hope you and your family can attend too! It's a nice way to reconnect with your family, and enjoy lots of holiday entertainment. 

Have you ever visited Stone Mountain Christmas? If not, what is your favorite Christmas event to attend?  Leave me a comment below!


Disclosure: Stone Mountain Park invited us out for an evening at the Park to preview Stone Mountain Christmas in order to review it.  No other compensation was received, and all opionions given here are my own.  

Stone Mountain Christmas

We are big fans of Atlanta's own Stone Mountain Park. It's such a great destination for families year round. But November & December are my favorite months to visit ~ Stone Mountain Christmas & Snow Mountain are so much fun!  There are over two million lights, holiday music & you may see Santa & Mrs. Claus, the Snow Angel, along with Rudolph & the Bumble, the Abominable Snow Monster!

Check out these fun Valentine's gag gifts for the kids!

I love fun gifts that don't cost an arm and a leg, don't y'all?  I've mentioned here before that I shop the day after holidays to stock up for the next year or the next holiday.  So the day after Christmas, I grabbed a bag of super-cheap, Christmas (red and green) m&m's - perfect for my Valentine's and St. Patrick's Day celebrations!

For Valentine's Day next week, one of my treats for the kids will be Cupid's Poop.  I'll separate the red and green m&m's, (green will go in a bag til next month!) and the reds will go into 3 baggies - one for David, one for Katie, and one for David's friend Blake - his mom always sends David  the cutest goody-bags for each holiday!  I printed out bag toppers from this site - so cute - to put across the top of each closed bag.  Next month,  I'll do the same with the printable Leprechaun Poop bag toppers. 

I'm also heading to Bojangles on Monday to get some of their heart-shaped bo-berry biscuits, which I'll serve to my kiddos on Tuesday morning.  And Tuesday's after-school snack?  I'll pick up a few heart shaped donuts at Dunkin Donuts.  I hit up Target's Dollar Spot for some cute gifts to give each kiddo too.  But mostly, I'll hug and kiss them, and tell them how much I love them both!! 

How we fondue on New Year's Eve

Tomorrow night, our little family will have our 4th annual NYE Fondue Feast!  My kids love fondue - we enjoy the Melting Pot when we are lucky enough to get Groupon gift certificates, but when we can't afford that kind of night out, we drag out our two fondue pots and enjoy dipping our dinner at home! : )

Here are a few pics from last year's feast, to give you an idea of how we do it.  It's SO easy, and you can find fondue pots at Goodwill, garage sales, or from friends or family who have them sitting in a cabinet unused!  We received one pot as a wedding gift almost 9 years ago, and a second from a friend who gifted us her mom's cool vintage 1970's pot! 

We try different recipes each year ~ last year was a cheddar/beer cheese fondue served with crusty french bread and apple slices.  YUM!   This year, I bought a tried & true - the fondue cheese pack from the Deli at Publix.  It costs $14 - steep, but we tried making our own swiss fondue one year and it cost much more than that for all of the ingredients!! (The beer & cheese fondue contained about $12 worth of ingredients)

We also have a dessert fondue.  Obviously, it's the favorite part of the meal for the kids, ha!

Last year. our dippers were: cherries, angel food cake,  marshmallows, strawberries, pineapple & mini-nutter butters.  So good! 

My chocolate fondue is easy peasy.  No real measurements, I just taste/eye it til it's right.  Chocolate chips,  a little butter, a little half & half.  Heat over a double boiler, then pour into fondue pot, serve with dippers.

This is one easy way to get my kids to eat their fruit!

See?  Check out that chocolate mustache!!  : ) 

When I was a kid, my mom made a big pot of spaghetti every NYE.  We always stayed home.   I've never gone to the Peach Drop down in Atlanta (NY drops a crystal ball, Atlanta drops a peach!), but one day I'd like to do that.  I confess to being very leery of being out on the roads on New Years -  the idea of many more people drinking and driving scares me to death! So for now, we stay home, safe & sound.

What are your family traditions regarding New Years Eve?  Leave me a comment & share, pretty please!  Hope you have a very safe & super-fun New Years Eve, and that 2012 is full of blessings and wonderful things for you and yours!! xoxo ~

Cinnamon Sugar Cookie French Toast Recipe

Merry CHRISTMAS!!   I hope you've all had the most wonderful day!!

We had a great day, both kids are feeling so much better, and that made this mama SO happy.  : )


I wanted to pop on here to share the most incredible french toast recipe ever!! Last week, a Facebook friend had a status about making French Toast with Cinnabon flavored coffee creamer.  I was very intrigued!  Sadly, Publix was out of that flavor when I went to get our Christmas day fixins', so I had to improvise.  I ended up choosing Nestle's Coffee Mate in Warm Cinnamon Sugar Cookie flavor.   This morning I wanted a quick breakfast, and that's what I got! 



Am I the only mom who loves buying seasonal/holiday paper plates for my kiddos?  Dollar Tree has them for every season/holiday/occasion - I'm a sucker for fun tableware!


 I mixed 4 eggs with the entire container of creamer, plus a liberal dash of cinnamon.  I used 10 pieces of store brand white bread.   It was sweet and delicious with a swirl of maple syrup on top!  We also had a pan of Sister Schubert's pigs n blankets, and some turkey sausage patties and links, served with orange juice and hot cocoa.  Perfect Christmas morning breakfast! : )   It would also be perfect on New Year's Day, or Valentine's Day!

Next time I shop I will try again for the Cinnabon flavor, or I'll just pick a different flavor to try this recipe with!   If you try it, let me know what flavors you enjoy, too!!  

Here are a few pictures from today - my kids didn't get a lot this year, but they did get things they wanted, and we were all home together - and to me, that is the best part of celebrating Christmas - family, and celebrating the birth of Jesus!!  So Merry Christmas, friends, and Happy Birthday, Jesus!!  xoxo

From Santa this year,  Katie got a tablet and a nice purse, plus a bunch of little things.  David got a metal detector and a big Lego Star Wars set, plus lots of little things too!

My sweet boy wanted a Mario game for the Wii - he was positively gleeful when he opened this!

Being almost 18,  we got Katie some really nice jewelry this year - these are pearl and topaz earrings, and she got a matching necklace.  Her brother and her boyfriend also gave her jewelry!

How to make Nutter Butter Truffles

Time for another sweet recipe that makes a quick and perfect gift!

I had one of those "hmmm, would that work?" moments at the store Monday.  I planned to make chocolate covered Nutter Butters for my friend Renea who LOVES those.  But Ingles (not my favorite store, but the closest that day), didn't have any.  Not one package!! What to do? 

I looked around and found the bags of mini Oreos and other cookies.  There, I found teeny tiny Nutter Butters.  The label said there were 80 mini cookies.  Good golly, would that have taken FOREVER to dip 80 mini cookies!  I  looked at the Oreos and got an idea...I make oreo truffles, why not try them with the mini Nutter Butters?  Well folks, a little experimenting later, here is a great new recipe that Renea loved and my kids too - these are in my recipe box now!

Ingredients: 

1 bag of mini Nutter Butters
3/4 block of cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat version)
2 TBS peanut butter, divided
1 tsp cinnamon sugar
6 squares white almond bark, melted

Crush the cookies in a food processor or blender.

Mix in cream cheese, cinnamon sugar & 1 TBSP of peanut butter.  Form into balls (I got about 3 dozen small ones from this), and chill for 30 minutes.  Melt bark in microwave, add in remaining peanut butter, stir well. 
Dip each truffle into the bark, swirl to coat completely.

Chill until set.  Yum, yum, yum!!

I made a second batch today for my friend Deb with the real deal - yes, I  finally found a package of regular sized Nutter Butters at a different store.  I used 1/2 of the pkg, plus the same ingredients above - but swapped the white chocolate bar with about 10 squares of Baker's semi sweet chocolate.  I also dipped some of the whole cookies in the chocolate - delicious!! This batch did get sprinkles - they really popped on the chocolate!  I didn't think the white bark batch would look as cute, so they were not sprinkled!

 Isn't that bag adorable?  At Dollar Tree earlier this week, I found these hanging with the treat bags and such.  I wish I had grabbed more!! It had two trays, two bags, two ties and two tags - for $1!

Merry CHRISTmas, y'all!! xoxo

Cookies Across America ~ Taste of Home & Allrecipes.com!

Taste of Home magazine is one of my favorites because they have great recipes, a wonderful website and an online community of other cooks who love to share their recipes! Their cooking school is awesome too! I'm proud to be one of Taste of Home's Field Editors and a participant in Cookies Across America!! Have you heard about it? No? Well, here is the scoop!

Cookie lovers unite! Whether it's baking and sharing cookies with the needy or donating cookie ingredients to a food bank, you can make a difference in your community this Christmas.   On December 10, 2011, join Taste of Home, Allrecipes, and Nestlé®, and bakers across America as we all help to spread a little Christmas cookie cheer!  Here are a few ways to get involved:

Host a cookie exchange!  Invite a few friends over, and have a decorating party! Then share those fabulous cookies with each other, but don't forget to wrap some up to donate to a local family, your police or fire station, a family shelter or children's hospital, etc. (Just call to make sure they accept homemade items, first) A plate of homemade cookies is sure to brighten their day!

Organize a food drive:  When most of us donate items to food banks, we usually share staples for meals.  Baking ingredients aren't often at the top of our list of items to donate.  This time of year, those ingredients are a welcome addition to food pantries.  Baking is something many families like to do together, but some just don't have the money to buy the necessary ingredients, like flour, sugar, shortening, vanilla, etc.  You can collect these items from friends and family, then donate to a local church's food pantry, a family shelter, Ronald McDonald house, Retirement home, or other community agency or shelter.

Here is a link to the printable recipe for Nestle Toll House Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies that Katie made for us today.   They are crazy-delicious.  This is a great recipe to make, share/donate! Need more inspiration?  There are tons of other yummy cookie recipes to be found on Taste of Home's website!

Are you going to join us for Cookies Across America? I hope so!! It's such a wonderful way to share the holiday spirit!  PRETTY PLEASE, leave a comment below if you plan to be a part of this and tell me which you wan to do - a cookie exchange or a food drive - in your community.  I'm doing a food drive for my local church's food pantry, or a local homeless shelter - whichever has a greater need.  I want to know how many of my friends here will answer the call to be a part of this wonderful event to spread cookies and happiness across our country!!

One of my favorite sayings is "When you put good into the world, so much more good comes from it" and this is a fun and easy way to put some good out there!! 

xoxo,

Giveaway ~ ReCharge® Dark Chocolate Snack Mixes!!!

My family of four has very different tastes - we definitely don't all like the same things!  It is hard to find a snack option that every one likes, and even harder to find one that fits that bill AND is healthy.  That means I often buy several different snack items to pack in lunches or to offer after school, work, etc.   I'm always on the lookout for new healthy but tasty snacks for my family.  When I was offered the chance to try the new ReCharge® Naturally Enhanced Dark Chocolate Snack Mixes from Tropical Foods, I was cautiously optimistic!

My husband loves to eat things I consider a bit strange, but he considers healthy.  Foods like Kimchee, Kefir, Kombucha, Chia seeds and more! He encourages us to try them, but I've not really cared for the ones I tried.  But seeing the information on these ReCharge® snack mixes got me intrigued!  These are made with natural foods.  Real foods, not empty calories and unpronounceable ingredients! One of the ReCharge® snack mixes had chia stix in it.  They all contain probiotics.   That is something we already keep in our fridge to take when someone's tummy is not feeling well, and I love the idea of a snack mix enhanced with probiotics!  They are also enhanced with Omega-3's, and pomegranate seed oil. And we all know dark chocolate is good for you! I was happy to find these natural snacks that are healthy too - now if they will just pass the taste test!!

I gave the Super-Charged Cranberry Blend to Katie and her boyfriend to try. I thought it would be a great snack to munch while they watched a movie.  Katie (typical teenager!) made a face at first when she saw the description on the package, but her boyfriend tried it, so she did too.  When I checked back later, they both told me how good it was! They especially loved the dark chocolate cranberries and yogurt dipped peanuts! (There's a complete description of each snack mix with all ingredients below).  They left a few of the pomegranate-infused cranberries in the bottom of the container, but Mr. Picky Pants David finished those off in short order! He loved them.

I gave my husband the package of Chia ReCharge® Stix Mix because it had the Chia stix!  I tried it  too - the stix reminded me of those yummy sesame sticks you can buy in the bulk bins at stores like Whole Foods, etc.  Pretty tasty!  He really liked this snack mix, which also included dark chocolate chunks, almonds, and pineapple.

Finally, David and I got busy with the last snack mix, called Dark Chocolate Energy Boost.  Oh. my. goodness!!  This is my new favorite indulgence!  Dark chocolate cranberries,  dark chocolate covered coffee beans, pineapple, almonds - yum, yum, yum!   David and I both really enjoyed the flavors and textures of the ingredients in this snack mix.  Truly delicious!

I don't usually shop at Ingles, but I found out they offer these snack mixes locally.  So, yeah, you know I'm gonna be making a run there soon! We really liked all of these snack mixes;  they have so many good things going for them.  These are snacks I will actually feel good about giving to my family! Better yet, they are snacks my family is asking me to buy. These will be great to munch on during the hectic holidays!

Here is some more information about these yummy ReCharge®  snacks:

ReCharge® is a new line of naturally enhanced snack mixes from Tropical Foods, based in Charlotte, NC.

ReCharge® ingredients are enhanced with probiotics, Omega-3, pomegranate seed oil and Chia seeds. They contain antioxidants and much of the recommended daily value of vitamin B6.

They're also low-sodium snacks and contain zero grams of trans fat and cholesterol.

ReCharge® comes in three varieties:

Chia ReCharge® Stix Mix features Chia Sticks mixed with cranberries, almonds, dark chocolate chunks, yogurt-covered raisins, pineapple and white chocolate drops.

Super Charged Cranberry Blend includes Omega-3 fortified cranberries, pomegranate infused cranberries, and probiotic dark chocolate cranberries, plus almonds, dark chocolate chunks and yogurt-dipped peanuts.

Dark Chocolate Energy Boost includes an invigorating mix of coffee beans, probiotic cranberries, and raisins – all coated with dark chocolate – plus almonds, pineapple and dark chocolate chunks.

All three varieties are available in 10 pound bulk and will be available soon in 5oz re-sealable bags.
ReCharge® is available in bulk bins at Ingles and Healthy Home Market locations.  

The wonderful folks at Tropical Foods are giving one of you the same three-pack of snack mixes that I received!  Enter below - there are two mandatory entries, and several optional entries, too!  Good luck, y'all!

~*~Stone Mountain Christmas 2011 ~*~

Wonderful photographers will take your family's picture as you enter Crossroads!

I love living in Atlanta since we are fortunate to live near some incredible attractions! My favorite place to visit during the Holiday season is always Stone Mountain Park. They do Christmas right!

Last weekend we spent the afternoon and evening at Stone Mountain Park. We arrived early so that David would have time to play in the Great Barn. My boy LOVES that barn!! There are over 65 interactive games, four levels, trampoline floors, slides and play areas - it's an absolute blast! (Can you believe I didn't take a single pic in (or of) the Great Barn?!)

At 6 pm there was a Parade that started up near the barn and continued down into the Crossroad area. It included some really adorable floats, dancers & singers, plus the Snow Angel & Santa & Mrs. Claus!

We followed the parade down through Crossroads and enjoyed a delicious meal of traditional Southern cooking - turkey, dressing, sweet potato souffle, rolls & pecan pie - yum! Miss Katie's has some of the best Southern food you will put in your mouth!

Our Miss Katie Loves Stone Mountain's Miss Katie's! : )

Next, we walked through the Wonderland Walkway! So beautiful! It took us up to Memorial Hall, where we found the Snow Angel Palace. You can also decorate cookies, get hot chocolate, visit the snow Angel and her Toy Soldiers and also take time to enjoy the Holly Jolly Cabaret!  Cookie decorating was my kiddos favorite thing there.  Check out the wonderful gift shop too.  I didn't get a picture of the Snow Angel Palace, as we met her down in the Crossroads area - but it is adorable!!

Next up was Toyrific!, the newest show at Stone Mountain Christmas.  It's a really fun show for kids and adults! It's the sweetest tale of a group of misfit toys who band together to save Christmas!  Our whole family loved this sweet, 20 minute show.   David especially liked Robbie the Robot!

Then we walked over to see Simply Christmas Musical Revue, a family-friendly show with dancing and holiday tunes.  We enjoyed this show quite a bit, too!  Lots of clapping and toe-tapping in there!

Other can't miss attractions at Stone Mountain Christmas ~ Visit with Santa Claus, then head over to listen to Mistletales told by Mrs. Claus at an adorable gingerbread house!  Take a fun sing-along train ride around Stone Mountain  complete with Christmas songs, lights, and a live performance of "The Gift", a heartwarming show featuring the story of the very first Christmas.  And don't forget the Polar Express 4-D Experience!! It's a family favorite!  Make sure you check out the gift shops, too - there is such a variety of glassware,  toys, clothing, jewelry and much more.  Each shop has different items available.  Bet you won't leave without buying something beautiful!

Look up at the top of the mountain after dark and enjoy the beautiful mountain-top Christmas tree, too!

After all the shows, delicious food and shopping, we planned to watch the Snow Angels Snowfall and Fireworks Finale at 9:45, but my kiddos were tired and getting grumpy, so we ended up leaving at about 9.   I'm disappointed we didn't get to see that, but we had such a wonderful afternoon & evening visiting everything else there! It's simply a must-visit Christmas tradition!  I really hope that if you live in or near Atlanta, you will spend a day at Stone Mountain Christmas making wonderful Christmas memories! (Please leave me a comment if you go, or have already been; I'd love to hear what you think of it too!)

And finally....guess what else we saw there?  A sneak peek of something Frosty & Fun!!!

See that snow-making machine? That HUGE wall of snow?  Soon, it will be part of Snow Mountain!! The kids & I will visiting in a few weeks to tell you all about it - and they are SO excited!! After all, we live in Atlanta, where our usual snowfall is a couple of inches - they have never gotten to really sled or tube in our snowfalls!! This is a huge treat for Georgia kids!!  So check back soon and I'll share my review of Snow Mountain!

For more information on Stone Mountain Christmas:

Website: http://festivals.stonemountainpark.com/mini-section/default.aspx?id=42   and  http://stonemountainpark.com/default.aspx

For information on Snow Mountain:  http://festivals.stonemountainpark.com/mini-section/default.aspx?season=christmas&id=113

Check out the calendar for operating dates/times:   http://stonemountainpark.com/dates-hours/OperatingCalendar.aspx

Contact information: http://www.stonemountainpark.com/contact/


Disclaimer:  I was provided a family pass for the afternoon, plus meals and activity passes for my family in order to review the shows and attractions at Stone Mountain Christmas.  I was not compensated in any other way.