Author: Mama

Bite-Sized Pumpkin Pie Egg Rolls

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It's pumpkin season! You're going to love these mini bite-sized pumpkin pie egg rolls. They're easy to make, taste just like pumpkin pie, and make the perfect finger food for Thanksgiving and Christmas parties. You can't eat pumpkin pie with your hands, but you CAN eat these egg rolls, and that makes them the perfect fall party food. #SoFabSeasons

Pumpkin season is in full swing. I know I’m late to the party because Pumpkin Spice Lattes came back forever ago, it seems like, but we just got our pumpkins carved this weekend… so cut me some slack. It took Ketchup and me forever to agree on a good pumpkin design– he wanted me to carve Josh Dun’s face on a pumpkin (for those who don’t know, it’s the drummer from Twenty One Pilots, and Ketchup is obsessed). Finally, I talked him down and we agreed on the Twenty One Pilots logo instead– simple, straight lines, easier to do. You know what’s even easier than carving straight lines on a pumpkin, though? Making these bite-sized pumpkin pie egg rolls. Trust me.

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Cheese-Stuffed Barbecue Meat Bombs

- Mama 2 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #AD #Tailgreatness #CollectiveBias

It's tailgating season! Whatever team you're cheering on, you have to try these delicious cheese-stuffed meat bombs. Part sausage, part beef, part gooey melty cheese, all amazing. They're coated in barbecue sauce and cooked in the slow cooker, so they're sure to be a hit for your next tailgating party! Pick up ingredients (and Nexium to prevent heartburn!) at @Walmart. #Tailgreatness [ad]

Tailgating season is now in full swing, and I have to admit, I’m really excited. You see, here in Kansas City tailgating generally means barbecue, and y’all know how much I love barbecue. But one recipe that’s been a recent favorite when I tailgate is this: sausage and beef, blended together and stuffed with cheese, coated in barbecue sauce, and cooked in the slow cooker until they’re ready to enjoy. I can’t imagine a tailgate without them. Made with spicy sausage, they’re even worth the heartburn (which, luckily, I have a solution for).

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Homemade Pumpkin Spice Mix (for coffee or cocoa)

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Hello, fall... this pumpkin spice mix is amazing in hot cocoa and coffee, and it's super simple to make. Whip up a batch and keep it in the fridge for days you don't have time to make it to the coffeeshop, and use a Dixie To Go cup from @DixieProducts to be sure you can take it with you. #CupForCrushingIt [ad] | pumpkin spice latte | pumpkin spice cocoa | pumpkin spice coffee |

I pride myself on always being on time. Even if it means leaving my house incredibly early and sitting outside a place for half an hour because I arrived too soon, I pride myself on being on time. It’s just something that was instilled in me from a young age, and it’s important to me. But sometimes things don’t go as planned… and that’s when it’s time to just totally forget everything else that’s bringing me down and Crush It.

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Updating your Coffee Bar for Fall Entertaining

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This post has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. This post was sponsored by Starbucks as part of an Influencer Activation. I received compensation and complimentary products to facilitate my review. #StarbucksCaffeLatte #MyStarbucksatHome #CollectiveBias

It's time to start entertaining for the fall season, and that means making sure your coffee bar is well-stocked for guests. Make it look super cute with this sign DIY and a little seasonal update! #ad #StarbucksCaffeLatte #MyStarbucksatHome

Now that fall is in full swing, it’s time to recognize the fact that Thanksgiving is approaching pretty rapidly. I know, I can hardly believe it either, but now that Zack and I have our Halloween costumes squared away, it’s pretty easy to think that guests will be arriving soon for the various fall and winter holidays… That’s why I couldn’t put it off any longer– it was time to update my coffee bar to prepare for fall guests.

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The Best Apple Recipes, Tips, and More!

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Apples are easily my favorite thing about the fall season… growing up, fall was always the season for hot apple cider from a local cider mill, cider donuts, and just spending time with family. Not long ago, I shared one of my favorite recipes so you could make apple cider donuts at home! Today, though, I’d like to share this collection of apple themed posts from other bloggers around the web! From beauty to food to activities, these are all written by members of the Social Fabric community. I know you’re going to love them, and I hope you have a great season creating many amazing fall memories with your family.

SoFabSeasons Apples

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No-Bake Energy Bites

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CarnationBreakfastEssentials #CollectiveBias #sponsored

Break out of your morning rush with these super simple no-bake chocolate energy bites-- they even taste like cookies! Grab them for breakfast or enjoy them as a snack to keep you going throughout the day. #CarnationBreakfastEssentials #sponsored

I have to admit… I really like any excuse to eat cookies for breakfast. Who doesn’t? When my mom was young, she’d sometimes make a batch of no-bake cookies to enjoy for breakfast, and I have to say, it’s not a bad idea… after all, oatmeal, peanut butter, they’re a decent start to getting what you need out of the morning. With a few tweaks, I think I’ve perfected that idea… and trust me, these are an incredibly delicious Energy Bite option that tastes just like cookies for breakfast. You don’t even need to turn on your stove or oven.

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Where I Find TOTALLY FREE Educational Apps for Our Homeschool

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Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

One thing I love about homeschooling is the flexibility… homeschooling can happen anywhere at any time. So, if the kiddo is really big on a certain topic, we can center experiments, books, math problems, and more around that specific topic… the flexibility works really well for us. Another thing that I love is how additional tools, like educational apps, can really supplement the learning process!

Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

It’s a fact of life that technology is now a major part of education– even public schools are embracing the use of apps as an educational support, and it’s something we’ve embraced in our homeschool as well.

Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

But apps get expensive. I think the worst part is when I pay money for an app, only to find out it’s only partially accessible because much of the app is locked away behind in-app purchases, meaning I have to pay more and more, or ultimately find a cheaper app to fill it’s place. I dream of a world where the entire app costs one price, without a ton of in-app purchases… and that world is actually starting to exist with Amazon Underground.

Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

If you haven’t heard of it, and you homeschool, Amazon Underground is a MUST-HAVE. It works with Android smartphones, but also Amazon Fire tablets.

Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

With over 300 educational apps, you just download and go… and in-app purchases on the apps that have the “actually free” sash on Amazon Underground? THEY ARE FREE.

We’ve got a lot of favorites– most of the Dr. Panda series, for example, is available on Amazon Underground, meaning we can play to our hearts’ content.

Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

For us, Amazon Underground means the freedom for Zack to explore apps that are educational and still interesting… lately, he’s been fascinated with maps, so we can use Actually Free Amazon Underground Apps like GeoFlight USA, a fun geography quiz. When his interests were all about dinosaurs last week, he could play Caillou the Dinosaur Hunter. Because his interests change so fast, I’m not trying to buy educational apps to keep up. Now, I can be assured that it’s just free.

But you know, life isn’t always spent on school, so luckily there are a ton of great apps that Zack and I both love for leisure, too. One of my personal favorites is Fish Out of Water… I’m a little bit obsessed with those fish! The game there has in-app purchases where you can purchase crystals to do different things… and check out what happens if you push the button to buy more– it says it’s FREE (even for that $15 pack!), and that Amazon Underground is buying the in-app purchase for me. A few seconds later, and the crystals magically appear (and my bank account stays completely intact!)

Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

Outside of homeschooling, we’re also loving the new Frozen Free Fall Icy Shot game! It’s a twist on the popular Frozen Free Fall app, and with over 100 enchanting levels– and I can’t get enough of it. It’s got all of my favorites– Anna, Elsa, Olaf, and even some Snowgies (aren’t they so mischevious?!), and it’s got that classically fun “take aim and shoot” gameplay that I loved with the first Frozen Free Fall. Snag that app totally free right here!

What is your favorite educational app? Let me know in the comments below, then learn more about Amazon Underground and get some totally free apps on your Android Smartphone here!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Homemade Apple Cider Donuts

- Mama 2 Comments

Craving homemade apple cider donuts? These are just like the ones from the cider mill by my house, but entirely homemade and 100% delicious. If you love donuts or love apple cider, you'll love this apple cider donut recipe for breakfast or a snack! #SoFabSeasons

There are a few things that just say fall to me… barbecue for tailgating, regardless of which sport you support, corn mazes, and of course, apple cider donuts. A hot apple cider donut, freshly fried, with a warm cup of apple cider, is just something that screams autumn to me. I couldn’t resist making them at home.

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Springfield-Style Cashew Chicken

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This cashew chicken tastes just like the kind you'd get in any Springfield-area Chinese restaurant, the birth of Springfield-style cashew chicken! You'll love this fried chicken in an Asian-inspired gravy!

Growing up, there was only one option when you wanted Chinese food… the menu may have had a ton of great choices, but if it wasn’t Springfield Cashew Chicken, was it even really worth ordering Chinese food? You see, traditional Cashew Chicken is a Chinese-American dish that’s stir fried in a wok, but Springfield-style Cashew Chicken combined classic American food– fried chicken– with this popular dish, and allowed a totally new recipe to take shape… and trust me, you must try it.

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DIY No-Sew Cow Masks

- Mama 2 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HorizonLunch #CollectiveBias

Having a play date? These fun cow masks made out of felt are perfect for play dates, imaginary play, or just a fun afternoon craft with your little one... plus, they're no-sew and super easy to make! #HorizonLunch [ad]

When it comes to imaginary play, you can never get enough of it. My son’s favorite forms of this kind of play are the times when he gets to be an animal…. So, I love to give him opportunities to make costumes for these fun personalities he’s developed when he acts out his animal characters’ ideas. This cow mask is super simple, no-sew, and a perfect craft to make at play dates and more.They also cost less than 50 cents to make, making them the perfect craft to do together!

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