We are going to be trying to eat more oatmeal this year. It’s filling, inexpensive and you can still make it fun.

Reading Kari’s post really encouraged me in going the oatmeal breakfast morning. I won’t be going full blown into the non-quick oats, just because I have lots of oatmeal packets I have gotten very cheap on clearance and well I’m good at burning everything. The microwave is my friend!

Now I did make sure and find the lowest sugar content possible on the packets. I was happy to find Quacker Weight Control oatmeal. I looked through the ingredients and  the only difference on these is lower sugar and more fiber! They have lower sugar than the Quacker Low Sugar oatmeal. I was able to find them at the grocery discount store for a $1 a box. I know not quite as good as 45 cents a pound but for me this is a start.

I am probably switching to bulk quick oats when I run out of packets, but I haven’t decided if I will make my own packets with snack baggies or just scoop it out. We will see how domestic I am at that point.

Now on to how to make oatmeal fun! I love making food fun and cute, remember my bento phase? I don’t make the oatmeal fun everyday, but for special days like holidays I do go all out.

Let’s make it fun with color!

One fun way to add a little pizazz to your oatmeal is color sugar. You can make all kinds of shapes. I did this special bowl on Valentine’s Day. This does add sugar to your breakfast one reason I only do it on special occasions.

Step 1: Make your oatmeal

Step 2: Cut out a shape from paper, I made a heart.

Step 3: Place paper on oatmeal, as close to the oatmeal as possible.

Step 4: Sprinkle with colored sugar

St. Patrick’s Day is coming up and cutting a shamrock out of paper isn’t that hard.

What are some ways you dress up your oatmeal? What is your favorite oatmeal?

A year and half ago I went to the Book Expo with my mom. One of the things I received there was The Elf on the Shelf book and elf. I even got the book signed. I was very excited about this book because I thought it would be a great tradition to do with Zane.

Last year I read him the book but we didn’t really go beyond that. This year now that Zane is little older we opened up the book after Thanksgiving and read it to him. And we let him name his elf, he named him Puzzle.

The idea behind this special little elf is that he goes and tells Santa if you have been good or bad every night. So every morning when the children wake up they can find him in a new spot.

I wasn’t very good at moving him at first. Mainly because I think Zane is still a touch too young for it. But as we get closer to Christmas and since we have met Santa Claus I have been moving him.

We have also integrated the advent train with the elf. We tell Zane that when he is a good boy Santa sends back a hot wheels car with Puzzle to hide in the house. This has been great fun.

If you want to learn more about the Elf on the Shelf you can visit their site.

Super Surfing Sundays are all about the great posts I have seen this week. Which it is the holiday season so that means lots of crafting for me. So you will notice most of my surfing this week is all about crafts.

• Reusing Lightbulbs: as planters or terrariums – This is a neat idea. Might be an interesting present for someone who is on your Christmas list who is a green freak.
• More Tips for Making Holiday Baking Easier – Here’s some great tips on Christmas baking. Especially useful for me since I am hosting a cookie swap this year. Yeah lots of cookies.
• Pocket Advent Calendar – I have this obsession with advent calendars. I love them and I think this is the neatest idea. I may make them for my husbands co-workers.
• Magnetic Advent Calendars – Talking about advent calendars here is another great one. I may try and put this together for the Zaney boy. Easy and fun!
• Tiered Bowl – Today my husband and I are going to be decorating. This is a neat idea and I think it would make a really neat candy dish and a great centerpiece!
• Make a Placemat Advent Calendar – I told you I had an obsession with advent calendars. This is a fun one I only wish I had a working sewing machine because it only costs $2.75 to make. I could fit that into my budget. I may make it and hand stitch it.

Have you seen anything great this week? Now it’s your turn, what were some of your favorite posts this week?

Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you get to enjoy a wonderful family and friend filled day with yummy turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. I wrote this post a little bit ahead because that’s what I will be doing today!

This is the last week in Thankful Thursdays. This November I had a goal to be thankful for the things in my life big, small and even a little silly.

I posted 25 things or more each week this month and now this is my list of things I am thankful for. I have a full list of 135 things I am thankful for and there really so much more that I know that I am thankful for. I am thankful for you my reader.

What are you thankful for?

Today’s list is Women I’m Thankful For (in bold) and following that is my complete list.

1. A Mother in Law that helps me with my home
2. Friends who help me stop and take time to just play games
3. A wonderful woman to watch my boys
4. A friend who calls me on a regular basis just to check in
5. A Women’s Bible Study that helps me grow in faith
6. Friends that I can ask to pray for me
7. Other mothers who let me know they have been there before
8. Friends who do not judge
9. Being put in the perfect group of woman at bible study
10. A sister-in-law who always encourages me
11. A mother who is strong
12. A friend I can look up to who has raised 3 wonderful boys
13. A friend who helps me remember to make time for parties and fun
14. Other bloggers sharing their ups and downs in motherhood
15. An aunt who is generous and loving
16. Being able to pray for my friends
17. A wonderful sister-in-law that cuts our hair for free
18. A family friend who cuts Zane’s hair for me without me asking
19. Fiends who give me hugs when I really, really need one
20. Women who show me how beautiful living in faith can be
21. Friends who listen to me when I just need to vent
22. Creative friends who encourage me to be creative myself
23. A friend who always sends me little notes in the mail
24. Friends who have little ones in the same phase as me
25. A sister-in-law who shows me being frugal is a good thing
26. Being loved by God
27. That I feel loved
28. A love letter from God, the Bible
29. Being Saved
30. Forgiveness
31. A husband trying so hard
32. Two beautiful boys
33. Laughter
34. A family that loves us and prays for us
35. Good christian friends
36. Little blessings
37. A wonderful church only a few blocks away
38. For a church family that cares
39. Being employed
40. For a nice home
41. For the good food we eat
42. Clean water
43. Having very little debt
44. Having our health
45. For our freedom and the men who fight for it
46. For being blessed with creativity
47. Having wonderful memories
48. Having a car I love
49. My mother’s health is holding steady
50. Being able to be thankful
51. Crayons
52. Play Doh
53. Children CDs
54. Bubble Baths
55. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
56. You are my Little Sunshine
57. Matchbox Cars
58. Hand Me Downs
59. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
60. Little kisses
61. Baby Kisses
62. Bubbles
63. Sippy Cups
64. Baby Giggles
65. Knowing how to Count
66. Knowing our Colors
67. Knowing our Shapes
68. Crafts
69. Ice Cream
70. Naps (when they happen)
71. Muddled up words
72. Cookies
73. Morning smiles
74. Photos
75. Soy formula
76. A park in walking distance
77. Being able to spend more time with my boys
78. PB&J
79. Cookie Cutters
80. Binkies
81. Thumbsucking
82. I Love You Because You’re You by Liza Baker
83. Choo Choo Trains
84. Muffins
85. Happy Meals
86. Soft Blankets
87. Snuggling
88. “I WAUV OO”s
89. Tiny voices singing
90. I’m sorrys
91. Baby Tylenol
92. Child safety door locks
93. Cute little outfits
94. Trampolines
95. Lolly Pops
96. Hot Dogs
97. Time Outs
98. Sibling Rivalry
99. Sibling loves
100. Hyland’s Teething Tablets
101. Sunday school
102. Nightly prayers
103. Tricycles
104. That kisses make boo boos better
105. Firetruck dreams
106. Birthday Parties
107. Seeing through the eyes of a two year old
108. Slides
109. Puppy Dogs
110. Learning something new everyday
111. Scrapbooking
112. Good books
113. The beach
114. Target
115. Good Bras
116. Clearance Racks
117. Muffins
118. Socks
119. Coupons
120. Hooded Sweatshirts
121. Bible Gateway
122. Facebook
123. My blog
124. My netbook
125. Google Calendar
126. Remember the Milk
127. Cell phones
128. Hulu
129. Netflix
130. Spellcheck
131. Paintshop Pro
132. My camera
133. Email
134. Video games
135. Wii Fit

So please enjoy your Thanksgiving Day and tomorrow I will be back with a plate of leftovers in hand.

I have finally decided what I am going to do for neighbor gifts. Every year I try to make our neighbors a gift, I also make a few extra for just in case. This year I am going to be making Cookie Dough Log Rolls. I’ve seen them in a few different craft places, but this is my favorite at Make and Takes simple yet elegant.

I know for sure that I am going to be making my favorite Super EasyPeanut Butter Cookie Recipe.

• 1 Cup Peanut Butter
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 Egg

1. Mix all ingredients together

I will be including these directions on a tag I will create with my scrapbooking supplies:

1. Slice dough or create teaspoon sized balls
2. With a fork make a cross pattern
3. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes

I will probably make sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies and maybe a shortbread also. I think I will tie a few logs together for the gift. I am going to start making cookie dough tomorrow and wrap them up and freeze them till ready to wrap up and give away.

Do you make homemade gifts for Christmas? What kind of gifts have you made? Do you have any recipes for edible gifts?

See more edible gifts at Cents to Get Debt Free.

We had a pretty good time trick or treating with Zane. Zane was happy to keep on his hat once he learned there was candy involved. He was the best little trick or treater this year!

Zarek decided he needed an evening nap and so TJ had to take turns in taking Zane trick or treating. When I went with Zane he said trick or treat at almost every house. And he said thank you at every single house! He loved pulling out the candy from the bowls. People always told him to take more, take another one.

We didn’t go to a few houses but they were decorated scary for the holiday. Which I don’t blame them, but Zane didn’t like that. So we just went on.

I would say the night was a great success. I was afraid he would be unwilling to keep his costume pieces on but he cooperated so well! I was afraid that he wouldn’t say anything when the people got to the door, but he said trick or treat better than some of the 10 year olds we got at our door.

Don’t forget to change your clocks and to enjoy your extra hour of sleep.

Oh and here is a picture of Zarek all dressed up in his mickey outfit.

Happy Fourth of July from Pepper, TJ, & Zane!
Be safe and have fun!

(FYI this picture is from last year)

Don’t Forget!! Enter my contest to win a FREE BLOG DESIGN!!

It’s fun to be able to celebrate with TJ. He so loves being a Daddy and he takes his job very serious.

So far our day has been lovely. I let him sleep in while Zaney and I had breakfast and our morning cartoons. Then we went to the park, where Zane had a blast. And now TJ is dozing on the couch & Zane is napping while I get caught up on some online work.

We are planning to drop Zane off at Granny’s while we go see Prince Caspian and we will have dinner with Granny after the movie. It’s going to be a good day. A very good day.