Orkin Mouse in a House Fleece Blanket

Fall has arrived, and cooler weather has come with it.  Whether you know it or not, your warm house is an open invitation to unwanted guests looking for a cozy winter vacation: rodents.  Each fall, rodents migrate from their outdoor "summer home" to the warmth, food and shelter of their "winter timeshare" - your house!  

   Being human has its perks, like having a cozy house to enjoy during the winter, but imagine having to survive as a mouse? Try your luck by playing "Mouse in a House" - a choose-your-own-adventure game that puts you in the shoes of a rodent looking to survive the upcoming harsh winter season - try your best to stay a live and see how long you last!   

Orkin uses the latest technology and unparellelled training to develop an effective treatment that's right for your home.  To learn more about pest control grounded in science, or to schedule an inspection, visit orkin.com or call 1-800-ORKIN. 

I'm happy to share this giveaway with you - one winner will receive this cozy Fleece #MouseInAHouse Winter Blanket from Orkin! Enter via the rafflecopter widget below!

How to make the Perfect Cold-Busting Vitamin C Drink

Well, we are fighting off the colds here at our home.  So yucky to be hacking away with a dry raspy cough,  you know, the kind that makes your head & chest hurt?!   So far,   just D & I have it - hoping the other two members of our family don't get it!  I made a most delicious, vitamin infused drink for us to fight this off and wanted to share it with you - both kids LOVED it!  And it is super easy to make - only 3 ingredients!

Sorry,  I didn't remember to take pictures before I made this!!  We love cranberry juice with Lime La Croix water, so I wanted something similar. I used one bottle of cranberry juice cocktail ( you can also use pure cranberry juice), one small bottle of fizzy sugar-free key lime flavored water, and an envelope of Emergen-C cranberry pomegranate drink mix.   I used a large plastic drink dispenser, and just shook it all up!  Then store it in fridge and let it get cold!

The water and Emergen-C will both make this drink fizzy (which makes it a little like soda - more tempting for kids!) That is why you see the bubbly/frothy stuff on the dispenser. 

It is really, really tasty!  And loads of vitamin C!  So if you've got colds or other bugs going around your house, give this drink a try!  Hope you love it like we did ~ yummmmm!

The best cookies for Valentine's Day!

Hello sweet bloggy friends!  Are y'all ready for Valentine's Day? Gosh, I can't believe it is almost here!  I love making these cookies all winter long.  I made them for New Year's Eve, but they are perfect for Valentine's Day.  How can you go wrong making rich chocolate cookies with a cherry hidden under a luscious chocolate frosting ~ delicious! : )  This recipe originally came from Ms. Jill, who was the Children's Pastor at the church I worked at from 1998- 2003.  I always think of her when I make these yummy cookies!

Chocolate Cherry Surprise Cookies
•1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

•1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

•1/4 teaspoon salt

•1/4 teaspoon baking soda

•1/4 teaspoon baking powder

•1/2 cup butter, room temperature

•1 cup granulated sugar

•1 egg

•1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

•1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained, reserve juice

•1 (6-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips

•1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk


In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and soda, blend well; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat together butter or margarine and sugar on low speed until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture; beat until smooth and well blended. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place on ungreased baking sheet. (I used foil to line my stonewear, but I did spray it with Pam!) Press down the center of each ball with thumb. Drain Maraschino cherries well, reserving juice. Place a cherry in the indention of each cookie.

In small saucepan combine chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk; heat over low heat until chocolate is melted. Stir in 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the reserved cherry juice. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the topping over each cherry, spreading to cover cherry. If frosting seems too thick, thin with a little more cherry juice.

 Bake at 350° for 10 minutes, or until done. Cool on wire rack.   Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies.

Enjoy!

How we spent day 3 of being snowed in!

So I haven't posted much lately - it's been busy after our trip to Florida, then returning and getting the kids back to school.  We heard we'd get some snow this past Sunday night, but figured it would be the usual Atlanta snow. My husband went in to work Sunday night, his office will put them up at a hotel so they can be at work whenever there will be bad weather of any type.  He's been there ever since.  Monday was a blast - the kids played outside half the day, we baked, made snow cream, drank cocoa, we had FUN together - it was a great day. 

Tuesday, the snow had a thin layer of ice over the top, and the kids only went out twice.  The little one got hit with a snowball by the older one - which led to a long nap (which I shared!).  Today the temps are below freezing, the wind chill is in the teens, and the kids went out once.  We're almost out of milk, the kids say they don't have anything to eat (despite my stockpile, lol!) and we've all got cabin fever.

 My husband is going to be at work til Friday night.  Did I mention that Monday morning I had an ear infection start, and today my face is swollen and my ear just aches? Yeah, I'm seriously over this snow! Not to mention this is the third snowstorm Atlanta's had since December 16th!  Feels like we live up north, seriously.  Georgia just doesn't get this kind of weather often!! Well, since you listened to all that whining, here are some of my fave snow pics of the last few days:

Never in my life have I seen this much snow at once in Georgia!!

Ice, Ice Baby!!

Stepping out on the deck - wow!!

The kids chose to sled down the garden side of the yard - hilarious looking, but fun!

Homemade vanilla snow cream ~ yummm!

The woods behind the house - beautiful!

And please stay tuned - I've got my Ripley's Review coming in the next day or two, and then some more after that! So much fun reliving the fun of our trip to Florida! : ) Hope y'all are staying warm!!