Usborne Black Friday Sale

Most you already know I am a consultant and supervisor for Usborne Books. They are the best educational childrens books on the market and have even been raved about by The Pioneer Woman.

Having said all that, I'd love to share with you the great Black Friday sale we are having. If you have children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews from 3 months to high school, the sale has something for you. With such a variety of books marked down 40-60% off, I am buying a bunch for Christmas and upcoming birthdays.

And, if you see $85 worth of books you'd like I can also get you $15 in FREE books! Email me before making your purchase so I can set up your own online link. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

BUTTON ELEMENTS FROM SUMMER DRIGGS

I hope you all are having a wonderful Thanksgiving meal, surrounded by loved ones. This is my first Thanksgiving without my dad, and it will be a little sad for me. I will be with my wonderful husband and four great kids, so I have lots and lots to be thankful for.

The items I am responsible for adding to the big meal are: homemade yeast rolls (allrecipe.com), Watergate Salad (side of pudding box), Pumpkin Crunch (Paula Dean), Pineapple Cake (Sonlight message boards) and Cheese Cake (Eagle brand recipe, one my mom loved) and homemade macaroni and cheese (trying The Pioneer Woman's recipe this time).

What did you make for today?

How Cute is This Holiday Template!

What do you think of the new template? I love it! Those reading in a blog reader, click over and take a look.

Amy and Erin at Designer Blogs is running a sale right now on their custom and premade templates, including their holiday premades, so I decided to be festive this year and change my blog design.




Why did I go with a premade for sale and not a free template? Well, while there are a LOT of gorgeous, fun free blog templates (find them by going to my other blog, Beautiful Blog Designs), I did not have the time to mess around with installing a new template myself. Installation comes with the price of the premades at Designer Blogs.

Now, please believe me and know that I am not exaggerating. I contacted them at 11:26 PM EST and Amy had it installed by 12:02 - less than 30 minutes later!!! How incredible is that?

Now, if I'm really lazy, I can pay Amy $5 again when I want the old template put back after the holidays. I haven't decided what I'll do yet. LOL

You Must Make This Cake!

Please click on picture to enlarge; you'll be glad you did!

Okay, I have been reading and enjoying The Pioneer Woman for not quite a year. Everytime she posts a recipe, I would drool over it and promise to one day make it. Well, that day finally came. Last week I made her famous Chocolate Sheet Cake and it was everything she said it would be!

I will not bother repeating the recipe or steps to take, as she did a marvelous job already. You can find it here, and while you're there, check out the rest of her site which is out of this world! The picture above is the one I made, with large sections already eaten by my oldest son and me. I baked it in my well-loved bar pan by Pampered Chef.

Something to remember - be careful when pouring on the icing as the cake is still warm, as is the icing, and it runs across the cake quickly. Mine ran over both sides, and I think you can kind of tell that in the picture.

Now, this cake is NOT good for someone on a diet, but if you have worked hard and deserve a reward, definitely make this cake. I was so happy I did and I can't wait to make it again.

Having a Giveaway at Beautiful Blog Designs

Would you like to change your Blogger template to something more festive for the fall? I am giving away a gorgeous premade template over at my other blog, Beautiful Blog Designs. The giveaway ends tomorrow night, Sunday, October 18th at 9:00 PM EST.

Bloggy Friend's Blogversary

My favorite food blogger (and fellow Sonlighter), Tiffany, is celebrating her one year blogoversary at Eat At Home. She is an amazing cook (and poet) and shares some incredible recipes that are simple to make and ones your kids won't turn their noses up to.

Anyway, she is having a giveaway for a neat pair of kitchen shears that double as a knife (great quality too - Kitchenaid) to celebrate her one year mark. Head over there to participate in the giveaway and while you are there, browse her recipe list, you won't be sorry!