TemporaryWaffle: Fall

Showing posts with label Fall. Show all posts

Four Cozy Fall Reads for Little Ones

Autumn is the perfect season for snuggling up with a warm blanket and a story that celebrates crunchy leaves, pumpkin patches, and thankfulness. It's the perfect time to read some fun Fall theme books with your little ones! I've compiled a small list of some great reads you can purchase on Amazon or pick up at your local library.

The Berenstain Bears' Harvest Festival by Mike Berenstain. This book celebrates autumn in the Bear Country, and the fun they have at their first ever Harvest Festival held at the Chapel in the Woods. The Berenstain family first gathers at Farmer Ben's farm for tons of fun including apple picking, pumpkin patch hunting, hayrides, pie eating, and more!!

My Happy Pumpkin written by Crystal Bowman. This book is made in a sing-song rhythm, describing the Fall traditions of carving a pumpkin face. It is religious themed so it explains in metaphor how God works in our lives, using the pumpkin as a visual guideline for explanation.

Thankful written by Eileen Spinelli is a charming story with sweet rhyming and whimsical illustrations. It teaches children to remember to be thankful for everything in their lives, while serving as a reminder to your little one that we as parents are thankful for them too.

A Very Thankful Prayer by Bonnie Rickner Jensen is an adorable children's book on being thankful everyday. Watching the life all around you and being thankful for every waking moment. The colorful leaves falling on the ground, the pumpkins in the pumpkin patch and the apples in the orchard, the clothing you wear to keep warm, the friends and family you hold dear, and a big Thanksgiving feast to enjoy with those you love. This book is beautifully illustrated and perfect for the Fall season.

Which book would you choose first? I would love to know if you have read any of them and what you thought about each one. Or if you have a favorite Fall Children's book, leave it in the comments below!

See This Fall Film, GROW, in Theaters Starting October 17th

Ok if you remember me sharing about the newest Fall movie, Grow with Golda Rosheuvel and Nick Frost, I recently got the chance to watch it and I loved it! A quick recap of what this movie is about...

In the pumpkin capital of the world, tough farmer Dinah Little reluctantly takes in her spirited niece, Charlie, and throws her into life on the farm. When the town’s annual pumpkin growing contest arrives, Charlie’s unique gift with plants gives them a surprising edge. As their pumpkin, and their bond, grows, Dinah and Charlie discover that the greatest prize isn’t victory, but joy, laughter, and the love of family. This heartwarming tale blends fierce competition, humor, and the magic of found family.

I really enjoyed watching Grow. The main character, Charlie, was such a sweet and sassy little girl with so much personality and grit. She was determined to grow the biggest pumpkin she could and wouldn't take no for an answer. She had such strength, no matter what she had been through, and pushed through with confidence and cheer. There were some sad times in this film, but also a lot of humor and jokes throughout. I caught myself laughing multiple times, at the hidden and not so hidden silly innuendos. This is a great family friendly, feel good movie to watch in the Fall.
I highly recommend it and I am so glad I got to watch it!

You can see the film, Grow, in theaters, starting October 17th! Purchase your tickets at GrowTheFilm.com, and take the whole family out for a treat you don't want to miss!

You also can enter this awesome Giveaway below for your chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card! (Giveaway available to those in the U.S. only)

Entry -Form

Many thanks to US Pumpkin Distribution, LLC for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

5 Cozy Crockpot Soup Recipes for Fall Nights

When the weather cools and the evenings grow crisp, nothing beats coming home to the smell of a warm, hearty soup simmering in the crockpot. These five easy slow cooker soup recipes are perfect for busy fall nights. Each one is simple to make, budget friendly, and guaranteed to bring comfort to the table.

1. Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

A timeless favorite that soothes the soul.

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts
8 cups chicken broth
3 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups egg noodles
Salt, pepper, thyme to taste

Directions

Add chicken, broth, veggies, garlic, and seasonings to crockpot.
Cook on low 6–7 hours or high 3–4 hours.
Remove chicken, shred, and return to pot.
Stir in noodles and cook on high for 20–25 minutes.

2. Creamy Potato & Corn Chowder

Rich, creamy, and perfect with a hunk of crusty bread.

Ingredients

4 cups diced potatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 cups corn (frozen or canned)
4 cups chicken or veggie broth
1 cup half & half (or heavy cream)
3 tbsp butter
Salt, pepper, thyme to taste

Directions

Place potatoes, onion, corn, and broth in crockpot.
Cook on low 6–7 hours until potatoes are tender.
Mash a portion of the potatoes for thickness.
Stir in butter and cream; cook 20 more minutes.

3. Hearty Tomato Basil Soup

Smooth, tangy, and perfect with a grilled cheese sandwich.

Ingredients

2 cans (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chicken or veggie broth
1 cup heavy cream (optional for richness)
2 tbsp fresh basil (or 1 tsp dried)
Salt, pepper, olive oil

Directions

Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, and broth to crockpot.
Cook on low 6–7 hours.
Use an immersion blender for smooth texture.
Stir in cream and basil just before serving.

4. Taco Soup

A zesty, hearty soup packed with flavor — like chili’s fun cousin.

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef or turkey (browned)
1 onion, diced
1 can black beans (rinsed)
1 can kidney beans
1 can corn
2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
2 cups beef broth
1 packet taco seasoning

Directions

Add cooked meat, beans, corn, tomatoes, broth, and seasoning to crockpot.
Cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours.
Top with shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

5. Cozy Vegetable Soup

Healthy, hearty, and adaptable with whatever veggies you have on hand.

Ingredients

2 cups carrots, sliced
2 cups celery, sliced
2 potatoes, diced
1 zucchini, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
6 cups veggie broth
2 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Add all ingredients to crockpot.
Cook on low 6–8 hours or until veggies are tender.
Adjust seasoning before serving.

Fall is the season of cozy evenings, warm blankets, and comforting meals. These 5 crockpot soup recipes are perfect for busy weeknights, family dinners, or even meal prep for the week ahead. Serve them with crusty bread or a fresh salad, and you’ve got the ultimate Fall comfort food.

A New Fall Movie to See: Grow - Starting October 3

Something fun to see this Fall! Grow, the film is in theaters October 3! Looks like a great movie, I can’t wait to see it! 🎃 Tickets on sale now. You can purchase tickets at https://growthefilm.com

Plot: "Welcome to the pumpkin capital of the world, where the pumpkins are epic, the rivalries are fierce, and the competition is anything but garden variety. Dinah Little, a no-nonsense farmer with a tough-as-a-pumpkin exterior, reluctantly takes in her abandoned niece, Charlie. Dinah is not quick to affection, and Charlie is not one for sitting still. So she throws her into farm life, sleeves rolled up and hands in the dirt.

Then comes the town’s biggest spectacle, the annual pumpkin-growing contest, a Halloween season tradition that brings out wild stunts, eccentric characters, and record-setting drama. But Charlie has something no one else does, a special knack for connecting with plants that quietly reflects her own longing to feel just as seen and loved.

But as both pumpkin and plot thicken, and rival growers pull every trick in the book, will Charlie and Dinah’s unlikely entry stand tall against the fiercest competition the town has ever seen?

As her pumpkin grows bigger, so does her bond with her aunt Dinah. Together they discover that the real prize is not measured in pounds, but in joy, laughter, and family. What begins as a seed blossoms into an exuberant and hilarious story of crazed competition, found family, and love that grows as boundless as the pumpkins themselves."

Check out the trailer HERE or watch it below!

#GrowMovieMIN #GrowTheFilm @growthefilm

Adorable Acorn Craft For Kids

With Fall here, finding crafts to do with your little ones is easier than ever!
Just look around at nature, it provides you with so many ideas and supplies to use, like leaves, twigs, and acorns… add them to things you have on hand around the house and you can come up with some really fun things! Like this little paper bag acorn for example. All you need is a paper bag, some scraps to fill it with (I used ball up newspapers), paint or markers, and a twig! Stuff the bag with scraps, twist it shut, then roll the top down to make an acorn “hat”. Paint or draw the face and hat designs on, glue a twig in the center and your little acorn is complete! Kids will have so much fun making this and designing the faces on their lil acorn. Pair this craft with a cute book like Little Acorn and you will have the perfect Fall afternoon.

Making Leaf Creatures A Fun Fall Activity

Here's a fun Fall activity to do with your little ones! Go for a walk, collect lots of fun different colored leaves, then paint little faces on them. You can make each one look like Owl Leaf Creatures with big eyes and little beaks, or any other animal or monster you desire. Let your kids have lots of fun choosing different shapes and designing their leaf pets. If your leaves are wet, be sure to let them dry out before painting, but just be warned, the leaves will shrivel and fold on you so be quick to paint them :) I just love how they turned out though, so cute and cheery. A perfect Fall craft to do before it rains!

Sweet Chaos Drizzled Popcorn for your Movie Night!

Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my review. All opinions my own.

Have you heard of Sweet Chaos Drizzled Popcorn? It's makes for the best movie snack! Sweet frosting covered popcorn pieces in a variety of flavors! We received the following to try: Pumpkin Spice, Candy Corn, Black & Orange, Vanilla Chai, and Maple Brown Sugar. These are all amazing and delicious Fall flavors!

We had such a fun night trying out the Sweet Chaos Drizzled Popcorn! My very favorite was the Maple Brown Sugar flavor, with Candy Corn a close second! This is really the best movie popcorn ever, because it doubles as a dessert! And it's slightly healthier that other movie snacks, because it is made with non-gmo coconut oil, cane sugar, and sea salt, without any yucky artificial colors, flavors, or syrups. So not only delicious, but better for you too...and highly addicting ;)

Which flavor would you most like you try?

You can find more Sweet Chaos Drizzled Popcorn flavors available at sweetchaos.com

I received a complimentary product in exchange for an honest review. All opinions my own.

#sweetchaossnacks #sweetchaospopcorn #embracethechaos #Tryazon #gifted

Popsicle Stick Pumpkin Craft

Fall is a great time for crafting up all the pumpkin, leaf, and cozy things... So why not make this adorable little Popsicle Stick Pumpkin Head! It's easy for all ages and adds an extra cute touch to your Fall decor.

To make this craft, you need the following supplies:

Glue

Big Googly Eyes

Orange Popsicle Sticks (at least 5)

Green Popsicle Stick (or other item) for the stem

Design your pumpkin head and glue all the pieces in place, let dry, and admire its cuteness!

Edible Peanut Butter Playdough + Recipe

A fun fall activity for all ages, Edible Peanut Butter Playdough! I remember making this as a kid and loved it! So when I realized I had all the ingredients on hand, I decided I needed to make it!

To make Edible Peanut Butter Playdough, you need to following ingredients:

1 Cup of Creamy Peanut Butter

2 Cups of Powdered Sugar

About 1/4 Cup of Honey

(give or take to help it stick together)

And your choice of (optional) spice. I like to use All Spice or Cinnamon for an extra Fall-like touch :)

Mix all the ingredients together and begin kneading to form the dough. If it's too sticky, add in a little more powdered sugar, if it's too dry, add in a little bit more honey. Once the dough is perfectly moldable and just right (you will know), it's ready to be played with! Your little ones will love playing with it, and you don't have you worry about if they try to eat it, because it's delicious!

This fun Peanut Butter Playdough makes excellent little Acorn Treats when you add in extra pieces, such as cereal, pretzels, sprinkles, ect. It's the perfect Fall Fun and Treat all in one!

Learning About Plants With The PictureThis app

Thanks to the PictureThis app, I now know what is growing in my backyard! This is apparently Sweet William, an ornamental garden plant that will produce little pink flowers 🌸 I love using this app to learn more about plants!

Click HERE to check out the PictureThis app and start learning about your plants, flowers, weeds, and more!

Nacho-Style Twice Baked Potatoes

As a member of Influencer, I joined in on the My Food and Family virtual vox box, and chose a recipe to make for my family and share it with you. I chose to make the Nacho-Style Twice Baked Potatoes, perfect for a Fall afternoon. To make these, I needed the following ingredients:

4 baking potatoes

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup Taco Sauce

1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips

1/2 cup Jalapeño Cream Cheese Spread

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Wash the potatoes
Prick them up with a fork.
Bake in the oven at 400°F for 1 hour.
After the hour is up, pull potatoes out and let them cool for a few. Change the oven temp to 350°F.
Cut potatoes lengthwise in half; scoop out centers into medium bowl, leaving 1/8-inch-thick shells.
Add cream cheese to potato flesh; beat with mixer until blended.
Add milk; beat until potato mixture is light and fluffy. * I added in my own touch here. A little salsa, ranch, and seasoning (Cajun, Black Pepper, and Garlic Powder)
Spoon mashed potatoes into potato shells; place on baking sheet. Drizzle with taco sauce, top with cheese and crushed chips. I also sprinkled some red peppers and drizzled Japanese Kewpie Mayo across the top of ours.
Bake 20 to 25 min.

~ Enjoy!! ~

These were delicious and so easy to make! The crunched up Doritos on the top were the perfect addition to these baked potatoes. They added a nice texture and the taste was superb! I also added my own touch to a few things. I gave an extra kick to the potatoes by adding a little salsa, Avocado Goodness Ranch, and seasoning (Cajun, Black Pepper, and Garlic Powder) to the mix, as well as sprinkling on red peppers, and a drizzle of Japanese Kewpie Mayo. It was a perfect Fall meal!

#contest #RecipesByMFAF @MyFoodAndFamily @Influenster

I participated in this campaign as a member of Influenster and compensation has been involved. All opinions are my own.

Halloween Movies to Watch With Your Tween

Watching one Halloween movie a day again, for the month of October!! Here is a list I conjured up, of Halloween movies me and my tween will be watching this month!! Enjoy!

Ohuhu 12x50 High Quality Binocular's

Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my review. All opinions my own.

The Ohuhu 12x50 Binocular with included Case is a great set of binoculars! They are heavy duty, arriving in a carrying case that comes with a strap for the binoculars, a cleaning cloth, and directions. The binoculars are easy to use, and each lens cap easily comes off for quick use. It took me a bit to get the lens to focus, but I was amazed with how far away I can see through these.

They are really great for bird watching and travel. My son loves to look through binoculars so he's been having all kinds of fun testing these ones out. They are the best we've tried yet! And with their rubber coated design, they are comfortable enough to hold, and allow them to be durable for both indoor outdoor use. If you're in the market for a new set of binoculars, these are amazing to look into and at a great price.

Here is an example of a photo taken on my phone's camera, with the binocular's against the lens. The eagle was perched up on the corner of a rooftop, about 100 feet away.

The Ohuhu 12x50 Binocular with Case is a great product for bird watching, hunting, hiking, ect. It also makes a great gift! You can find it available for purchase on Amazon for under $40.

I received a complimentary product in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Thanksgiving Movies For Kids

If you're looking for a list of Kid-Friendly Thanksgiving Movies to watch during the month of November, you've come to the right spot! Below you will find several Thanksgiving themed movies to watch all month long!

Free Birds
Turkey Hollow
William Bradford
A Thanksgiving Tale
A Rugrat's Thanksgiving
Garfield's Thanksgiving
Squanto and The First Thanksgiving
Bug's Bunny's Thanksgiving Diet
Dora's Thanksgiving Day Parade
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
The Mouse on The Mayflower
Max & Ruby: Max's Thanksgiving
A Winnie The Pooh Thanksgiving
Alvin & The Chipmunks: Alvin's Thanksgiving Celebration
And of course, the Macy's Day Parade :)

*Can you think of any more Thanksgiving movies to add to this list? Also check out my post on 31 Kid-Friendly Halloween movies to watch in October!

Splenda Naturals Sugar & Stevia Sweetener Blend

Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my review. All opinions my own.

Baking season is right around the corner which means lots of sweets will be consumed! But what if you could bake goodies with 50% less calories then usual? With Splenda Naturals Stevia Sweeteners you can enjoy sweets at a lighter balance with half the amount of calories that sugar contains. This sweetener is made with pure cane sugar and stevia leaf extract and contains non-GMO ingredients and no added flavor or colors. Every 1/2 teaspoon of this blend is the equivalent to one full teaspoon of traditional sugar, making it last longer as less is being used! Just think of all the goodies you can make with this!

In the past, I have never been a huge Splenda fan because it always left a bad aftertaste. I was pleasantly surprised with the Splenda Naturals sweetener, as it tastes amazing and there wasn't any bitter result. This is from Splenda's specialized Reb D blend, much different from their original Reb A blend. You can truly taste the difference! I have made several treats using Splenda Naturals so far...some of those include Easy Sugar Cookies, Lemonade, Apple Tisane, and Cinnamon Cake. I have enjoyed every single recipes I've used this product in. I find the sweetener dissolves extremely well in liquids, and mixes perfectly in batter. And the only aftertaste I'm getting is the ultimate sweetness! I love that I can use less of this sweetener in all my recipes so it doesn't get used up so quickly. I can't wait to see all the sweets I come up with during the Holiday season!

You can find Splenda Naturals Sugar & Stevia Sweetener Blend available for purchase in stores near you including Walmart, Acme, Food Lion, and Weis Markets. Also be sure to visit splenda.com for more products and information, as well as recipes!

I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com), May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my honest opinion on my blog. The opinions posted are my own.

A Very Thankful Prayer - Book Review

Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my review. All opinions my own.

I love everything about Fall, including children's books focusing on the great things in this thankful season. The story is short and sweet and the illustrations are perfectly drawn to display those fun fall scenes of playing in the leaves, hunting for that perfect round pumpkin, and enjoying time with those who are close. This is a great book to purchase for your little ones! Especially as Fall is nearing, it is the perfect introduction to Thanksgiving right around the corner. It's gorgeous and fun in one!