2012 - A New Year!

As 2011 comes to a close and 2012 begins, I hope that you all will take time to enjoy the family and friends.  This year has been full of the blessings and challenges that make life exciting.  Thank you for sharing them with me.  Have a blessed weekend and I will see you in 2012!

Sparkling Ginger Cider Mocktail

I had so much fun this year celebrating the holidays on Food Network's The Dish with so many other talented food bloggers.  At Thanksgiving, one recipe caught my eye and screamed, "I am perfect for the New Year!"  Amanda at EasyPeasyOrganic shared her recipe for a Thanksgiving Ginger Cocktail that, while already made with safe ingredients, could easily be made with the "Ginger-Honey Tea" syrup that I posted for my "Snack Match: Hot Cocoa" last January.  I used my "Ginger-Honey Tea" syrup and topped it off with sparkling apple cider for the bubbles.  Yum-my!





Sparkling Ginger Cider Mocktail
1 recipe "Ginger-Honey Tea"
1 bottle Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Cider
a few cranberries or raspberries, washed

1. Pour a teaspoon of the "Ginger-Honey Tea" syrup in a champagne flute.  You may add more or less to taste. (Personally, I like about a T... but I am a ginger maniac!)
2. Top the glass off with Sparkling Apple Cider.
3. Float a cranberry or a couple of raspberries to add a festive look!
4. Enjoy!

Advent 2011: Let's Party!

Today we make time, not only to open gifts but to remember the reason that we are celebrating.  Today, in our house, we stop in the middle of the morning’s excitement to sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus.  We blow up balloons.  We eat cake.  We party.

Christmas Adventus 2011:  Place a card in an envelope for today’s advent.  In the card, write, “Happy Birthday, Jesus”;  on the envelope write tell your angels to look in the refrigerator for a birthday cake.  Have your angels bring the cake (inscribed “Happy Birthday”) and make a small party.  It doesn’t have to be big but it should be a moment to celebrate the reason for today’s gift giving.  Have your angels open the birthday card and ask each one what gift they would give Christ for His birthday.

Find our Christmas wish for you at Christmas Adventus 2011.

For all our 2011 Advent activities, see "Christmas Adventus 2011: Celebrating Allergy-Free".