This is the Padawan you've been looking for...

My two boys may have a huge age gap between them, but that does not stop them from having a good time together.

 My Oldest is teaching my little padawan (Jedi in training) how to use the force to turn on the Christmas tree.  He is really using a remote that controls the electrical plug of the tree lights, but my youngest doesn't know.  He just thinks his big brother is teaching him how to use this hands to turn the tree on and off.  It was so cute watching my youngest trying to be just like his big brother.

Check it out at  http://youtu.be/G-w7pqdSFYc

The big Christmas Tree at Zilker Park

A few nights ago we went to see the big Christmas tree at Zilker park.  It is so big and this picture does not do it Justice.  It stands at 155 feet tall and has a total of 3, 309 lights.  If you live near or around Austin, Texas you should go and see it.  It is not a real Christmas tree, just lights that are strung up to look like a Christmas tree.  At the base of the tree are a few business selling mostly food and light up novelties(except HEB wasn't selling anything.  They were giving away oranges, candy canes and paper reindeer antlers).   It was too warm to sip hot coco, so we shared a coke and some delicious gorditas (we bought there).

A cross the street from the tree was Santa's workshop and Santa was sitting in his chair taking photos with kids.  We did not take any photos with Santa, but walked by him and waved.   

 This is the view of the Christmas tree from the parking lot.

Here is the view of the Christmas Tree from inside, looking up at the star.

This is Little Man and I in the middle of the tree. 

 Being at the Zilker Christmas tree brought back fond memories.  My dad would bring me and my siblings to see the Zilker Christmas tree when I was a little girl.  It was just as much fun now, as it was when I was little.  I just wish that my dad was still here to see my kids enjoying the Zilker Christmas tree.

For more information on the Zilker Christmas tree Click Here

Our Christmas Tree: Real vs. Fake

Oh Christmas, how pretty are your branches...

When I was little, we had a real live Christmas tree every year.  My husband grew up with a fake Christmas tree.  Our first Christmas together as a married couple, we had a real live Christmas tree. For My Oldest's first Christmas we had a real live Christmas tree.  For Mare Bear's first Christmas we had a real live Christmas tree.

After the birth of my first two children, my husband had been discussing whether we should have a fake or real Christmas tree. Real Christmas trees can be costly and one year our tree died before Christmas day and we had to go out and buy another one a few days before Christmas.  In January when the Christmas trees were on clearance, my husband talked me into buying a fake Christmas tree.  We both were going to compromise and have a fake tree every other year and a real tree every other year.  That was over five years ago and we have not had a real Christmas tree yet.   

Now it is Little Man 2nd Christmas and he has never seen a real live Christmas tree in our house. Will Little Man ever be able to touch the prickly branches and smell the sweet pine of a real Christmas tree?

Little Man helping us put the tree together.

the lights work

Family Moment: We are all working together to put the colored lights on the tree.

Mare Bear is in awe the bright lights.

My oldest and dad are putting on the ornaments.

Finishing Touches:  The train going around the tree

I just hope Little Man does not think that all trees come in a box and you put them together.  What do you think of the Fake vs. Real Christmas Tree debate.  Should I go out this year and buy a small Real Christmas tree?  Leave me a comment let me know what you think.

We had a Smurftastic time at a Smurftastic party

A fellow blogger friend of mine hosted a "Smurftastic party".  She had smurf themed food; blueberries, blue sprite, and even smurfs cereal.  We made smurf hats and colored blue smurfs on coloring paper.  The older kids watch the new Smurf movie.  I was busy chasing Little Man around her house.   Little Man and I dressed up for the "Smurftastic party".  It was so much fun.

Little Man had the best Smurf costume, hands down!

Little Man like trying Smurfs cereal (most of it ended up on the floor).

I think it was a great idea to have a  "Smurftastic party".  I cannot wait to see the new movie (when Little Man is asleep and I can actually watch the whole movie). LOL


Check out her blog to learn more and see more fun photos.
http://cumminslife.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-smurftastic-party.html

My Oldest won 2nd place at his middle school science fair

As a mom of 3 children I sometime cannot help myself, but to gloat about my children's accomplishments.   If you are a mother I am sure you understand what I mean.  

My Oldest is now a teenager and most of the time I cannot include his accomplishments because I embarrass him to his core.  But isn't that was parents are for?  So here I go...

I am so proud of my oldest son, he won 2nd place at his middle school Science Fair.  He entered an engineering project on arches.    

His Problem was:  Does the length of an arch make a difference as to how much weight it can hold?

Here is his Hypothesis: "Based on my research I think that the 3” arch will support more weight than the 6” arch."

I am not sure if he qualified for regional, but I am sure by now you know if he does I will blog about it and let you all know.  

Sharing Smiley360 Mission

Sharing Smiley360 Mission: I signed up for Smiley360! I wanted to get the inside and exclusive look at new products, online content and new and upcoming brands. I like to try new products and see products before my family and friends see them. I want my opinion to be hear, so I like to give feedback and provide valuable feedback on popular brands and I want my feedback to collectively help drive the market. If you are like me check out their website at http://smiley360.com

Disclamer: As the FTC requires I need to mention I may received a free sample courtesy of Smiley360 when sharing. However I did not receive anything of posting this review, this review is my own personal opinion.

How to Host a Pillsbury Potluck Party (part 2)

Host a Pillsbury Potluck Party  Pillsbury Potluck Party (part 2)

So now the time has come to host my own Pillsbury Potluck Party.  The guest have been invited and the ingredients has been bought.  Now all I have to do is make my recipes.  I have changed my mind since my original  post how-to-host-pillsbury-potluck-party.  On that post I picked 4 recipes and asked my reader to pick their favorite, but since then I have found new recipes I knew my family and guest would love.

Click here for Pillsbury coupon (1.10 off three selected Pillsbury products)

Here are the two recipes that I made using Pillsbury crescent rolls:

Cherry-Cream Cheese Coffee Cake (click for recipe) and Chicken Broccoli Braid (click her for recipe)

Don't they look delicious and tasty?
Here are some of the other Pillsbury recipes that were made by guest that attended the party.

A party would not be a party with out the favors.  For the favors I took white paper bags and cut the top off with fancy scissors.  I used a hole punch to make a small handle and glued a small Pillsbury logo in the center of the bags.  I filled the bags with coupons for Free Pillsbury products and recipe cards.

For the center piece:  I cut out some scalloped squares with my circuit.  I glued a cut out of a small pillsbury logo on the center of the squares.  I pasted my recipe cards to blue card stock.  I cut out a little crescent roll from one of the packages of Pillsbury crescent roll.  I placed the cut out card stock and cut out crescent roll in a picture holder.  For a finishing touch I added a bean bag Pillsbury Dough Boy.

The guest voted for the best Pillsbury recipe by writing the recipe they thought was the most delicious.  It was hard to pick a winner.  All the Pillsbury recipes tasted so good.  At first my recipe for Cherry-Cream Cheese Coffee Cake (click for recipe) won.  I knew if was not fair if the hostess won, so we had a re-vote.

Topsy-Turvy Apple Pie was the winner of the best Pillsbury product. Above is the winner with the Pillsbury apron she won for her efforts.  Check out the recipe at her blog.   http://cumminslife.blogspot.com/2011/12/i-am-off-to-pillsbury-party.html

Click here for Pillsbury coupon (1.10 off three selected Pillsbury products)

Here are some of the photos that I took during the party:

Grams tasting Pillsbury recipes

Mare Bear had been waited to try mom's Cherry Desert, and it was worth the weight.

Little Man loved all the recipes, but the deserts were his favorite.

We all had such a fun time trying all the different Pillsbury Products.  I am going to make this a yearly event.  I would like to encourage you to try your own Pillsbury Potluck Party.  To help you on your way to hosting a Pillsbury Potluck Party, I am going to giveaway some of the coupons I received from Pillsbury through My Spark Blog.

 CLOSED:  The winner was Cummins Life
Now for what you have been waiting for....

The giveaway...

Your Prize Pack will contain:

• 5 coupons for "free (up to 4.60) one package any size/variety Refrigerated Pillsbury Grands biscuits, Crescents Dinner Rolls, Ready to Bake! Cookies, Sweet Rolls OR Grands Sweet Rolls."
• 12 blank recipe cards

Here is how you enter:  

• Mandatory: Leave a comment stating your favorite Pillsbury recipe or product. Ideas Made Easy on Pillsbury.com 

Additional entrees:

• Follow me on Google for 2 additional entrees.  You must leave a comment stating you are following me for each entree. 
• Share this Giveaway on your facebook page and leave a comment on this post tell me you have shared this giveaway on your facebook page.
• Like Nowamomof3's facebook page or follow Nowamomof3's facebook page for an additional entree. You must leave a comment stating you followed me on facebook.
• Leave a comment on any other story on my blog for one additional entree. You must leave a comment stating which post you commented on.

Click here for Pillsbury coupon (1.10 off three selected Pillsbury products)

RULES: Maximum of 7 entries per person. The giveaway will end on December 16th at midnight.  I will randomly pick a winner at random.org on December 17th.  I will notify the winner by e-mail and posted winners first name or user name on my blog.  The winner with have 48 hours to contact me or another winner will be chosen.  You must be 18 years or older and a US resident to enter.   

 Disclosure: The Pillsbury product, information, food ideas, online coupon link, and prize pack have been provided by Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark. However, I personaly will be mailing out the prize pack using US postal services, and cannot be held responsible for undelivered mail.