Announcing The Mommylogues Series

Happy New Year's Eve!

I have been scheming and planning all year for a basis for a blog series and with some inspiration from Beth's Girl Moms series and some encouragement from Amanda, I am beyond excited to finally introduce The Mommylogues Series.

The Mommylogues Series is about anything and everything Momlife; the road to motherhood, hopes, fears, parenting style, mom fashion, wisdom and advice. Motherhood! We are all walking this journey together and if we can share, inspire and encourage, we will all be better for it!

I'm sincerely hopping you will join me and share your Mommylogues story! 

This series will begin in two weeks. On January 11th I will share my testimony about my journey to motherhood. Beginning in February every 2nd and 4th Monday a guest blogger will share their Mommylogue. Will you share yours?

If you're interested in joining me and sharing your Mommylogues please email me at 

{ w_mazza@hotmail.com } Please include your name, blog URL and an outline of the story you want to share. I look forward to hearing from you and scheduling your post! 

Thank you! 

{Eeee!!!}

 

Where I'm at Wednesday: Holiday Hangover

On the Blog//

Enjoying and recapping all things Christmas!

Checking off all our Christmas Cheer List, o.k, everything except one.

Favorite Christmas Ornaments

And Christmas Crafts!

Eating//

Gingerbread Blossoms! I'm filling up on all the holiday goodies I can since we tend to get a little stricter with our diets come the new year.

Reading//

I got into a little slump with reading but I feel like I still finished the year out strong; I have read 40 books and surpassed my Reading Challenge amount of 24 (I guess that means I have to up the amount for next year.) I read Alice Hoffman's The Museum of Extraordinary Things and Jenna Blum's Those Who Save Us.

Watching//

So this is going to date me but watching Nick at Nite is a completely different experience these days! It's not even called that anymore and it's actually Teen Nick haha. I've been watching reruns of Friends and have been enjoying myself immensely! (I know you get it, Amanda.)

source

Looking forward to//

The new year! I don't make resolutions but I do feel like it's a clean slate and should be started on the right foot. Then, after January it's Kinsey's 5th Birthday and we're hopping to make big plans!

Linking up with Shay, Sheaffer and Mel.

 

Collaboreads: December

I first learned about #Collaboreads from Kristin's blog and the bookworm in me rejoiced.

Finding new books to read is a never-ending quest for me so this link up is pure gold.  Here is the criteria:

A theme for the month is chosen

Pick your book

Read.  You get a whole month!

Review your book and link up with Amber and Rachel

Friend's Favorite for December had me reading Jenna Blum's Those We Save Us. I was sent this book from Andrea for the Mommy and Me Book Exchange earlier this month.

Goodreads Synopsis:

"For fifty years, Anna Schlemmer has refused to talk about her life in Germany during World War II. Her daughter, Trudy, was only three when she and her mother were liberated by an American soldier and went to live with him in Minnesota. Trudy's sole evidence of the past is an old photograph: a family portrait showing Anna, Trudy, and a Nazi officer, the Obersturmfuhrer of Buchenwald.

Driven by the guilt of her heritage, Trudy, now a professor of German history, begins investigating the past and finally unearths the dramatic and heartbreaking truth of her mother's life.

Combining a passionate, doomed love story, a vivid evocation of life during the war, and a poignant mother/daughter drama,Those Who Save Us is a profound exploration of what we endure to survive and the legacy of shame."

Riveting:

This book hits close to home; my papa grew up in Germany during Hitler's reign and it makes me so sad and so thankful he made it through that horrifying time. The author writes beautifully about a grim and depressing time in history.

Elements:

The two main character's, mother Anna and daughter Trudy, have a strained relationship but you feel for both women and want both to have closure though it comes at a price for both.

Associate:

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Both stories are written from a female veiw point during the time of the Nazi Reich. 

Design:

The book cover gives no indication to the content of the story but I'm a mother and a preschool teacher, so putting a cute little girl on the cover piques my interest. The text is clear and easy to read and the alternating view points kept me engaged.

Stars:

3 our of 5.

As well written as this story is, I can't love it solely because of the horrible association I have with the actual historical event, does that make sense?  

Linking up with Amber and Rachel.

 

Merry Christmas!

I didn't get many pictures, but I did soak up all the joy.

We ate much, laughed much and got spoiled.

I stayed up a little too late and woke up a little too early.

But it was a Christmas to remember.

I hope you had a fabulous Christmas too!

 

Gingerbread Blossoms

I had different intentions entirely going into this gingerbread baking session, but for whatever reason, my cookie cutters weren't releasing the dough properly (maybe not enough flour?) Out of frustration (and some choice words and some throwing said cookie cutters into the sink) I decided to make gingerbread blossoms instead. All I can say is thank goodness I had leftover Kisses and these turned out phenomenal!

print recipe

Gingerbread Blossoms

by Whitney Smith, adapted from McCormick's  December-23-2015

Soft and not-too-sweet gingerbread cookies are kicked up a notch by adding a chocolate Kiss.

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
• 3/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350*F 
1. Mix the first 6 ingredients and set aside. 
2. Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. 
3. Add molasses, egg and vanilla; mix well. 
4. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well combined. 
5. Shape dough into small balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. 
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. 
7. While cookies are baking, unwrap chocolate Kisses and set aside. 
8. Once out of the oven, insert Kisses into the center of each gingerbread cookie. 
9. Let cool and enjoy!

Yield: about 30 cookies

Also, a big shout out to Beth for sharing this wonderful recipe creator site!

And if you're in the mood for chocolate, try my Peppermint Bark Blossoms!

Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas. I'm going on a 4 day blog break to soak up this special season with my loved ones. May you get everything on your wish list :)