Bubbles has been asking me for the last few days if it was Valentine’s Day yet. In order to smooth the transition after Christmas, I kind of talked up Valentine’s Day and how it wasn’t that far away, and that how after Valentine’s Day it would be her birthday. No need to be sad about taking down the Christmas tree, because we had two other reasons to decorate.

White Chocolate Candy Valentine Hearts are an easy Valentine's treat that you can make to keep or give as gifts. Only 2 ingredients and easy enough to make that your kiddos can help or make on their own!

So far she’s colored a number of construction paper hearts which she then taped to the inside of the front door. After assessing her work she suggested that I should probably pick up a few more decorations the next time I was at the store. Thanks to the Target Dollar Spot we now have a few other items up, too. Continue reading »

Hickory Farms Signature Chocolate is a partnered post.

You may remember a few weeks ago when I shared how when I was younger Hickory Farms had often been part of our holiday traditions. Even though our Signature Pantry Planner box is pretty much gone now, I’ll be picking up another gift box for our trip to the in-laws on Christmas Eve. Tradition is tradition, after all, right?

When you’re considering your own family’s Christmas traditions this year I encourage you to make donations of time or money one of them. This is an especially hard time of year for those who already struggle; they could definitely benefit from a little Christmas magic. Plus giving back makes you feel good so it’s a win-win situation. Continue reading »

I participated in an Influencer Activation Program on behalf of Influence-Central for Jif To Go Dippers. I received a sample to facilitate my review and a thank you item for participating.

We have been on-the-go quite a bit lately. Road trips, day trips, shopping, corn mazes and pumpkin patch visits. And while it’s a lot of fun, preparing and packing for excursions that include a 3-year-old can definitely take a little bit of pre-planning.

On-the-Go Energy with Jif To Go Dippers #GetGoing

I have a “Preschooler Bag” (anyone have a better name for a diaper bag for preschoolers? I’d love to hear it) that I like to keep stocked with whatever we might need: wipes, sunscreen, an extra outfit, books, crayons, small toys, etc. And let’s not forget the snacks. Snacks can make or break an outing, especially if any of your family members have a tendency to get “hangry”. Continue reading »

Thank you to Global Influence for sponsoring this post and to Hershey’s for providing product samples so that I could create this molasses cookie recipe for you. All words and thoughts are my own.

One of my favorite parts of any holiday is having an excuse to bake. I really don’t need an excuse, of course; I bake on a pretty regular basis. But when it comes to holiday treats, you tend to go the extra step and make them a little more special than at other times.

Christmas is an obvious time of year to get a little fancy with your cooking, but I have to admit that Halloween has always been the one other holiday where I tend to go all-out. Growing up we had a party at my grandparents’ house each Halloween, and my Gram would bake for two days straight to prep. There were frosted chocolate brownies with jack-o’-lantern faces drawn on, sugar cookies with Halloween-themed words piped on, apple cider, dishes full of Hershey’s candy, and then the icing on the cake: homemade chocolate and vanilla doughnuts fried fresh as you waited.

Molasses Cookie Recipe: Pumpkin Spice-Filled Molasses Cookie Cups #HersheysHalloween

Thanks to Hershey’s for providing us with a basket of treats.
Making Easter Memories with Hershey's

Create Easter Memories to Last a Lifetime

Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays. It’s in the spring so normally we had a bit of sunny, warm weather (though in northern Maine snow on Easter wasn’t out of the question) so when my brothers and I would wake up we’d find the sun shining through our windows and spotlighting dozens of eggs and other little treats scattered across the floor. An empty basket was always by the foot of each of our beds and we’d follow the trail down the hall, down the stairs, and all through the house, collecting jelly beans and chocolates as we went.

Making Easter Memories

It’s a tradition that I’ve been excited to share with my own family. Last year was the first year that Bubbles was mobile and interested enough to toddle around and collect a few eggs in her basket. She was delighted with the entire process so I think this year will be twice as fun for her. She’s already talking about the Easter bunny, baskets, eggs, and chocolate. It was very exciting for her to already have receive one basket. As it is she loves when the delivery folks knock on our door; she has such fun “helping Mom” open boxes. So when we recently opened a box that contained an Easter basket full of yummy Hershey’s treats she was extra excited. Continue reading »

Views From the Ville

Easy White Chocolate Candy Valentine Hearts

Hickory Farms Signature Chocolate Makes a Sweet Holiday Treat

On-the-Go Energy is Easy with Jif To Go Dippers

Pumpkin Spice-Filled Molasses Cookie Cups

Making Easter Special With Unique Easter Baskets

Create Easter Memories to Last a Lifetime