Kool Spoon review and giveaway

I love hot chocolate (as stated in my previous post)!

Some like it hot, some like it cold, I like it really hot....(not) 9 days old....oh wait...thats not how the song goes.

I truly do like it REALLY hot.....like just a tad cooler than "burn your tastebuds off" hot.  My kids on the other hand like theirs to be more the temperature of Chocolate milk.  As such, I was excited to try the Kool spoon.  Its a plastic spoon that is full of a gel that you freeze.  When you need to cool down a drink, soup, oatmeal or dinner you just get out the spoon and use it to stir around the food.  It works great!  After your done, you can either rinse it off (for drinks, etc) or throw it in the dishwasher (foods and such).  It only takes a couple hours to refreeze and your ready to go again.  Also, it doesn't water down your drink/food.  I don't know how many times I have made something and had to sit and blow on it to cool it down.  This has solved that problem.  It worked great for casseroles too!

They would make a great stocking stuffer!

I have 3 to give away.  Check out their website and come back to let me know your thoughts!Just leave a comment about how you would use the spoon, any suggestions or ideas (I want it in PINK!), or anything else. 

Torani Syrups are THE best!

I am a huge fan of flavored hot chocolate....an addict really.  I absolutely love the winter flavors with caramel being my absolute favorite!  I recently had the opportunity (via shespeaks) to try the torani flavored syrups in my hot chocolate...I must say that I am a convert!  This will help me save on buying gourmet hot chocolates by getting a bottle of torani syrup and adding a tablespoon or 2 to regular hot chocolate!

I tried the Peppermint and also (in a separate cup of course) the brown sugar cinnamon.  My DH loved "candy cane" hot chocolate.  I preferred (ok...LOVED) the brown sugar cinnamon.  I can't wait to try all the flavors that Torani has to offer!

Now Torani will make a year round presence in my house...not just a summer visit in italian cream sodas

You can win a free bottle yourself...then you have to choose what flavor strikes your fancy!  Just leave me a comment letting me know what flavor you would like to try.  (I have a couple to give away!)  IF YOU WANT A BONUS ENTRY or 2...follow my blog or FB page and leave a comment about that too!

If you don't win one, you still get a consolation prize....If you go to the Torani website and enter the code: "shespeaks" you will save 10%

Homemade Christmas ...by my kids

I am looking for some great gifts that my kids can buy MAKE for their friends, siblings, cousins, etc for Christmas this year.  I was flipping through my favorite magazine...Disney's Family FUN.  I came across the idea of a "Gift Making Party."  I think its a great idea and now I am on the hunt for some great projects that we can do.   Some of the ideas that they had were:

Personalized Notebooks
Terrific Trivets
Stenciled Dish Towels
Fleece-Weave Scarves

I also think that Oriental Trading Company will have some cute crafts.

I have been thinking of projects too.  Here are some of the ideas that I have thought of for the gift making party.


Hair bows (lots of videos on youtube) Here, Here, Here, Here, Here, (some ideas...Here) and the curly one is called "corker" ribbon.

Soda Can Hair bows like THIS.  My friend Brooke did a great tutorial!
My 10 Year journal tutorial
My Book Sling project
    
A prayer Chart
Painted/ Iron on Crayon colored picture pillowcases
Decorated purses/ bags
Homemade candles or soap
Crochet_________/ Knit___________
Cross stitch
Homemade Silly putty...like Here and Here
Melting Chocolates into molds/ treats
Homemade perfume
Scripture cards (like a page a day calendar kinda thing)
FHE packets
Use glow in the dark paint to make a cute sign, door hanger, etc...
Prayer doll/ bear (to help them remember to pray).  (see oriental trading co)
Prayer rug (using carpet samples)
Gratitude Journals
hand drawn calendar (Lakeshore, with coupon codes to make them cheaper..or in the store)
Picture/ picture of dawings calendar (have your kids draw pictures, then you take a picture of it and make a calendar on snapfish, artscow, vistaprint, etc.
Photo iron on quilt
Placemats (kids draw pictures and then you laminate them to be placemats)
Decorate picture frames ($1 or lakeshore again)
Sunday bags (clipart to color, quiet book, pictures, crayons, etc)
Sunday flip chart/ book.  Pictures, clipart, etc)
Beaded book marks
Jewelry (beads....necklace, bracelet, etc)
Mod Podge (little wooden boxes...jewelry boxes, etc)
I spy bags
4 patch quilts
favorite recipes (cookbook)
pillowcases for every season/holiday
friendship bracelets
hotpads
knit hats on the circle looms


There are also some SUPER FUN, but a bit harder/time consuming  ideas HERE, HERE, HERE & HERE.  These all have LOTS of great ideas but some take a bit more time, effort, skill, etc.  


I think that is a pretty good start to ideas of simple to more advanced projects for kids to make for gifts this year.


Please...Please...PLEASE.........If you have ideas to share, add them in!


I am looking forward to helping the girls remember the true meaning of Christmas!