Remember 2020 by Creating a Family Time Capsule + GIVEAWAY

* I received a complimentary 2020 Family Time Capsule Kit 

from Circa Legacy. All views and opinions shared are my own. *

2020 has been quite the year and will be one for the record books!  So that is why I was so excited when Keesia of Circa Legacy reached out to me about her 2020 Family Time Capsule Kit.

Classic No Bake Cookies

*This post is sponsored by Christmas Cookies Week.  

All views and opinions shared are my own.*,

If you are a chocolate and peanut butter fan and looking for a quick sweet, then look no further than the Classic No Bake Cookie.  My family loves these cookies all year long and they are always a must for Christmas Cookie Trays every December.

Holiday Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

*This post is sponsored by Christmas Cookies Week and sponsors 
Sprinkle Pop and YumGoogle.  All views and opinions shared are my own.*

Christmas isn't complete without making the iconic cut-out sugar cookie.  You won't need another recipe after trying these simple and soft cookies, perfect for decorating.

Delicious Cookies: A Family Classic

*This post is sponsored by Christmas Cookies Week and sponsor Silpat.  All views and opinions shared are my own.*

Delicious Cookies are not only delicious, they are a buttery shortbread cookie with a little extra added crunch that brings back memories for my husband's family, perfect to add to your Christmas Cookie platter or to make just because.

Bake to your Heart's Desire with Christmas Cookies Week

*This post is sponsored by Christmas Cookies Week and our generous sponsors 

Adams Extract, Sprinkle Pop, YumGoogle and Silpat.  All views and opinions shared are my own.*

Tis the season for snow flurries, caroling and of course, Christmas Cookies!  This week I'm joining forces with 33 other bloggers to bring you over 100 festive cookie recipes, perfect for your holiday cookie platter.  I'm excited to be sharing my husband grandmother's Delicious Cookies with you tomorrow, my go-to Holiday Cut-Out Sugar Cookies on Wednesday and my classic No Bake Cookies on Friday.  All three of my cookies are tried and true recipes that have been favorites of my family for years, decades and even generations!

#AppleWeek 2018 is here!

* This post is sponsored by Apple Week and our generous sponsors, Swiss Diamond, Envy Apples, Imperial Sugar, Nordic Ware, Rodelle Vanilla, Flahavan's Irish Oatmeal, Nairn's and The Spice House. All views and opinions shared are my own. *

Apple Week 2018 is here and I'm excited to be joining 40 other bloggers from across the country and Canada to share over 200 apple recipes this week!  This year I'll be sharing my recipes for Baked Apple Donuts, Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip and Easy Apple Dumplings.  All of my recipes are kid approved and the perfect way to celebrate fall.

Back to School Farm Kid Style with Carhartt

*I received a product to facilitate my review.

All views and opinions shared are my own. *

Guess what I got in the mail yesterday?  Mr. K's school registration information.  I guess it is official then, it's time to start getting ready to go back to school.  I have to admit, it makes me a little sad because I'm going to miss having Mr. K around each day.  But at the same time, I know how much he loves school, so it makes me excited for him.

One thing Mr. K is excited about, to get ready to go to Kindergarten, is to go shopping for school supplies.  I remember this too as a child.  There's is just something fun and thrilling about getting new pencils, new notebooks, and of course, a new backpack!  When I showed Mr. K Carhartt's new line of school backpacks, he quickly (and excitedly) chose the Camo Junior Bib Pocket Pack.

Mr. K and his new Carhartt backpack!

The Junior Bib Pocket Backpack is the perfect size for my soon to be Kindergartner.  I don't have to worry about it hitting the back of his knees, but yet there is plenty of room in it for him to carry his folders and pair of shoes.  I also like that the backpack is water repellent for those rainy and snowy school days during the year.  Mr. K is most excited for all of the pockets!  There is a front organization panel that he says he's going to put pencils and pictures he draws in, and he is going to put his "bus toys" (he has a 45 minute bus ride to school) in the front zippered pocket.  The front zippered pocket will give his toys their own space, separate from the roomy main compartment that will hold his school work.  In the end, with a name like Carhartt, I know the backpack will be dependable, strong and durable.

So, would you like for your student to get ready to go back to school with a new Carhartt backpack?  I'm giving away one of Carhartt's new backpacks to a lucky reader in two weeks.  Be sure to sign-up for the drawing through the Rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What was your favorite thing about going back to school?  Be sure to check out Carhartt's new backpacks and let me know which backpack you like best (Traditional or Junior Bib Pocket) and who you'd like to get a backpack for.  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Get Inspired at Natural Plus Nursery + GIVEAWAY

This past Saturday a group of the North Iowa Bloggers, the kids and I got a special pre-Open House tour of Natural Plus Nursery of Clear Lake.  Natural Plus is the perfect place to get inspired for all of your landscaping, tree and windbreak needs!

The North Iowa Bloggers at Natural Plus
Katy of Learning As I Go, Quincey of
A Slightly Better Wife, JP and Me,
Sara of All in an Iowa Mom's Day! and
Mary of Natural Plus Nursery
(Photo used with permission from Katy Flint)

Mary Hopper of Natural Plus Nursery
with their dog Lena

Natural Plus Nursery got its start in 1978 by Dave and Linda Hopper after they left their jobs in Des Moines to start their dream of operating a nursery and landscaping business.  Their love of the business was passed down to their son Dave and daughter-in-law Mary, as they took over ownership of the business in 2013.  While things may have changed slightly through the business succession, the business's tradition of quality products and quality service remain the same.

Natural Plus carries a wide variety (over 400 to be exact) of trees, shrubs, perennials, pond plants, and more.  If you visit their nursery, located at 10075 263rd St on the east side of Clear Lake, south of Furleigh Farms, you'll be able to explore their large inventory of plants perfectly fit for North Iowa.  Their knowledge of each variety is great for helping you with your landscaping and windbreak needs.  I should know, they are actually putting in the first phase of a windbreak on our farm this week and are working on a landscape plan for our acreage.

The kids and I took a selfie by the Rhododendron flowers
during the scavenger hunt we took on Saturday
Follow me on Instagram (@PlaggeVal) to see more of our daily adventures 

I recommend you check out Natural Plus to get inspired for any of your landscaping needs.  With their large variety of plants, landscaping supplies, decoratives and metal art, I'm sure you'll find something that will be a perfect fit for your home.  And this coming weekend will be the perfect time to check them out!  Natural Plus Nursery will be having their Spring Open House Sale this Saturday, April 30th through next Saturday, May 7th from 8am to 4pm.  Everything will be on sale - one item 20% off and additional items 10% off!  

And wouldn't it be awesome to have some extra spending cash for your visit?  Dave and Mary are graciously giving away a $100 gift certificate to Natural Plus Nursery to one of the North Iowa Blogger readers, just in time for the Spring Open House.  Be sure to sign up below:

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What would you love to purchase for your home?  What are your plans for your yard this spring?  Be sure to Comment for a Cause!

It's the Final Cone-Down

* This post has been compensated. 
All views and opinions shared are my own. * 

♫ To do doo, to do do doo. To do doo, to do do do do doo.

The Final Cone-Down.  Oh... oh.  It's the Final Cone-Down. ♫ 

Sorry, I just had to do it!  When Blue Bunny told me about their #FinalConeDown campaign, I couldn't help but think of Europe's classic song (The Final Countdown), and I couldn't help but think of everything I love about summer that is coming to an end!

The #FinalConeDown reminds us that summer is coming to an end, but it still isn't too late to enjoy those favorite things from summer.  And for our family, that means picnics!  Yes, we do picnic all year long by spreading a blanket in our living room, but there is something extra special about picnicking on our deck, or at our favorite park.  We were lucky to be able to picnic last week, and LP and MP loved having some of Blue Bunny's Champ! Chocolate Lovers Ice Cream Cones for dessert (the kids' choice!).  If you are looking for a chocolate fix you've got to try these ice cream cones - chocolate ice cream, chocolate topping and chocolate cone.  It is a chocolate lover's dream put into one, simple, cone.

To celebrate the final days of summer, down to the very last cone, Blue Bunny is hosting a #FinalConeDown campaign.  You can get involved in the fun a few ways:

• Visit Blue Bunny's Facebook page everyday from now through September 22 for a chance to win cool prizes, including personal electronics and gear.
• Take a picture of how you're enjoying the last days of summer.  Add the hashtags #FinalConeDown and #BlueBunnyWinBig and post to Twitter or Instagram.  You'll receive a message from Blue Bunny with a link to click and confirm on.  And then you're entered for some cool prizes!  You can learn more on the #FinalConeDown website.
• You can watch Blue Bunny's #FinalConeDown video:
• and you can enter to win FREE Blue Bunny product on my blog!  I'm giving away 5 FREE Blue Bunny coupons for ice cream, ice cream sandwiches or ice cream cones to my readers.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
What's your favorite part of summer?  Remember to get involved with the #FinalConeDown campaign, enter the drawing for free ice cream, and Comment for a Cause!

LEGO Creativity Tour coming to Iowa in September! Win Tickets!

* I received complimentary admission for hosting this giveaway as a 

US Family Guide Blogger.  All views and opinions shared are my own. *

Do you have a LEGO® fan in your household like I do?  Well then, you don't want to miss out on the LEGO Creativity Tour as it stops in Des Moines, Iowa September 18-20 at the Iowa Events Center.

Big Brick Pile at the LEGO Creativity Tour

To tell you a little bit about how much I have two little LEGO fans in my house, there are some days walking through our play room I feel like I'm walking in a giant pile of LEGO bricks... This is not a fun experience, but the LEGO Creativity Tour's Big Brick Pile looks like fun and not painful - well maybe!  This is just one of the features that will give your children the opportunity to build, create and immerse themselves in the LEGO experience.

I'm excited to be giving away (2) tickets to the opening night on Friday, September 18th from 5:30-8:30pm.  The winner will be randomly chosen by USFG on Thursday, August 20th and announced on my blog and notified via email.  You must be 18 to enter and are allowed 1 entry per day.  ENTER HERE

I encourage you to also Like and Follow the LEGO Creativity Tour on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram for all the latest ticketing updates.  The LEGO Creativity Tour stops have been selling out, so you should buy tickets in advance online.

Do you have a LEGO fan in your house?  What would your little builder look forward to the most?  The Big Brick Pile?  The Race Ramps?  The Construction Zone?  Others?  Remember to Comment for a Cause and enter the giveaway!

Cookbooks Tell Our Story + GIVEAWAY

Did you know that October is National Cookbook Month?  I was excited to hear this because I personally own over 30 cookbooks (plus two recipe boxes and one giant recipe "folder").  I love to cook and bake and I love how recipes and cookbooks tell stories.

I have gotten to know several Iowa bloggers through our love of food.  We all have our own style and preferences when it comes to food and cookbooks, but I think that is what makes this group so great.

Personally, for me, my favorite cookbook is probably my home church's 1998 Harvest Cookbook.  Because let's all agree, no one puts a "bad" recipe in a church cookbook!  This cookbook is full of this community's best recipes and it also tells the area's heritage through food.

Fellow Iowa Blogger, Jeni from Jeni Eats, is also a big fan of her church cookbooks too, for many of the same reasons that I do, and that they have so many "retro" recipes.  One of her other favorite, and go-to cookbooks right now is The Spoonriver Cookbook.  She loves how the recipes are so approachable.

Amy from Modern Rural Living, loves her newest cookbook, The Kitchy Kitchen.  She loves all the imagery in the cookbook and can relate to her as a blogger and You Tuber.

Jenny from In the Kitchen with Jenny, cherishes her family's cookbook that she helped her mother-in-law put together the year before she passed away from cancer.  This cookbook not only tells her family's story, but passes along her mother-in-law's traditions.  And another thing that makes it so special, is that the front cover has a copy of a water color of the family's home.

Michelle from Simplify, Live, Love, likes Not Your Mother's Make-Ahead and Freeze Cookbook.  Life is busy and making food ahead of time for your family is a must for Michelle and her family, as well as probably all of ours.  This cookbook includes a variety of recipes, ingredients and cuisines, while using less processed foods than the freezer meals of decades ago.

Kelli from The Sustainable Couple current favorite cookbook is The Elliott Homestead: From Scratch cookbook.  This cookbook teaches traditional ways to cook nutritious food.  Personally when I saw this cookbook's cover, I thought it screamed Kelli and her passion for whole foods.

Lastly, Iowa Blogger Wini from Chez Bonne Femme has wrote two cookbooks!  Her first, The Bonne Femme Cookbook looks at every day French cooking and her newest, The Braiser Cookbook, shares how to braise through several different methods and ingredients.  I highly recommend checking out her Pork Meat Balls with Dijon Cream Sauce recipe from her newest cookbook!



Doesn't this want you to get out your favorite cookbook or discover a new recipe tonight!  All of these great Iowa Bloggers, plus Ally from Ally's Sweet and Savory Eats and Kristen from Make the Best of Everything, have partnered up to giveaway a $150 Visa Giftcard.  This giveaway is open from today to November 1st.  You can enter by liking these blogs on Facebook and following them on Twitter.  Good luck!

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What is your favorite cookbook?  Which one of these cookbooks might you buy with your $150 if you win?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

5 Easy Ways to Teach Your Toddler their ABCs and 123s + GIVEAWAY

I love being a Mom and I take my job as a Mom seriously.  I feel like it is my responsibility to help my children explore their interests, learn new things and support them along the way.  As a Mom of a 3 year old and a soon to be 11 month old, that means I'm playing a lot of "tractor", "boat" and "rocket ship", and encouraging my kids to take many first steps, literally when talking about my daughter MP.  One thing I'm cognitively making an effort right now to do with my son LP is to teach him letters and numbers.

Here is a simple list of five things I do to help teach LP his ABCs and 123s:

• Count Out Loud and Often:  We count the number of stair steps we take, the number of bananas we buy at the grocery store, the number of books we check out from the library, etc.  You can find ways to count everyday!
• Sing Songs:  Along with singing the "Alphabet" song with your toddler, also sing songs like "Five Little Monkeys", "One, Two Buckle My Shoe", etc.  LP learns really well through song.
• Read Books:  Read alphabet books such as Curious George's ABCs, Alphablock, and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and counting books like 1 Little, 2 Little, 3 Little Elephants,5 Busy Ducklings, and Butterfly Colors and Counting. 
• Print Worksheets:  There are tons of websites available that have free number and letter worksheets.  My favorites are from Parents magazine:  alphabet worksheets and number worksheets.
• Bath Letters and Numbers:  Incorporate some "learning time" into your next bath routine with these fun Bath Letters and Numbers from Nuby.

Nuby's Bath Letters and Numbers are a great bath toy to add to your collection.  Both LP and MP enjoy playing with them, as they float in the bath tub and easily stick to the walls of the bath tub after they get wet.

It is fun writing LP and MP's names with the letters and seeing LP recognize both letters and numbers.  He especially likes lining the numbers up on the wall.  The foam letters and numbers come in a variety of colors and designs that make the learning experience fun.  The set comes with all 26 letters and 10 numbers.  I would highly recommend Nuby's Bath Letters and Numbers for every family with toddlers.  Our family has enjoyed this product so much that Nuby is giving away a set to one lucky follower.  Comment how you enjoy teaching your toddler their ABCs and 123s and then enter for more chances to win your own set of Nuby's Bath Letters and Numbers:

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If you would like to get your own set of Nuby's Bath Letters and Numbers check out BuyBabyDirect.com.  Also, be sure to get connected with Nuby through their various channels of social media:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram

Also, be sure to check out my Nuby and my "Learning Time" Pinterest boards for more ideas.

I love being a Mom, how about you?  Check out a couple of my favorite posts about being a Mom to now four children:

• Having Fun in the Tractor with Mom and
• The Quest for Life as a Super Mom

What does your Kitchen Table say about you?

Picking out the perfect kitchen table can take time and money.  Up until last month My Farmer and I had been using a hand-me-down kitchen table.  It was fine, it suited our needs, but we wanted to find our own table for our own house.  When looking for a table I wanted to be sure to find one that would cater our growing family for not only eating meals, but also fellowship and praying.  We settled on this table:

Our table fits the four of us comfortably and can be extended to fit eight.  (My Farmer joked around that the table gives us limit for the number of kids we can have!)  I love the plank-style table top.  It just makes me think that it belongs in our farmhouse!  I also loved the distressed veneer to the table.  It gives it character (and hides dirt and crumbs).

Through this blog I have enjoyed letting you join my family at our kitchen table.  Thank you for joining us and now I'd like you to pull up a chair to some other blogger's tables.  I have got to meet a lot of great people through blogging.  One group of bloggers that I have gotten to know well over probably the last six months or so has been this group of Iowa "foodie" bloggers.  All of us have unique perspectives, goals and blogs, but one thing we all have in common is a love for food.  We decided to get together to do a joint giveaway starting today, February 21st, through next Friday, February 28th.  One lucky person will win $225 for "pulling up a chair" to all of our "kitchen tables."  Here is a list of all the bloggers participating:

• Ally at Ally's Sweet and Savory Eats
• Diana at My Humble Kitchen
• Jeni at Jeni Eats
• Jenny at In the Kitchen with Jenny
• Kelli at The Sustainable Couple
• Kristen at Make the Best of Everything
• Kristin at Iowa Girl Eats
• Michelle at Simplify, Live, Love
• Monica at Rockin' the Kitchen
• Stephanie at Been There Baked That
• and me!

And here is the Giveaway!

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Good luck to everyone!  What would you do with an extra $225???  And once again, thank you for joining me at my kitchen table.

Be sure to Comment for a Cause!

(And by the way, this is how our table actually looks like with booster seats, napkins, salt and pepper and all...)

Tuesday Tasty Pork Recipe

Today is the final Tuesday of October's National Pork Month and my final Tuesday Tasty Pork Recipe for awhile (I'll continue to post more pork recipes in the future but will be taking a break for a bit).  This week's recipe screams fall and uses a pork product I haven't used yet - pork brats!  I modified a Rachael Ray recipe to create my version of Harvest Brats.  I hope you enjoy it!

Harvest Brats

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil
4 pork brats
2 cups water
2 apples (your choice on variety - I like to use Fuji because it is my family's favorite apple)
1 onion
Salt and pepper
1 cup apple cider
1/3 cup brown mustard
2 Tbsp brown sugar
4 brat buns

Ingredient Line-up

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with some vegetable oil on the bottom of the pan.  Place brats in pan and brown both sides.  This will take 4-5 minutes.

Once brats are browned, add water so the water is up half way on the brats.  Cook brats for 8-9 minutes.

While brats are cooking, slice both the apples and onion.  Feel free to leave the skin on the apples.  I use an apple corer/slicer and then cut eat of those slices in half.

Once brats are cooked thoroughly, remove brats from pan and set aside.  Get rid of any excess water in pan and add apples and onion to pan.  Season with salt and pepper and cook until tender, 4-5 minutes.

Whisk apple cider, brown sugar and mustard together.

Add cider mixture to apples and onions and bring up to a bubble.

Add brats and simmer at low heat for 3-4 minutes.

Serve brat on a bun with apple and onion mixture over top.

Enjoy!

I hope you have enjoyed my National Pork Month recipes.  I've enjoyed sharing some of my favorite recipes and I hope you've enjoyed getting some new recipes!

Now it is time to announce last week's pig silicon pot holder winner - congratulations Sara!  I'll get your new pot holder out to you soon!

Now for this week I'll be giving away my last pig silicon pot holder.  To be entered into the randomized drawing, share your favorite new recipe in the comment section.  Thank you once again to the Iowa Soybean Association and the Soybean Checkoff for the pot holders!  The winner will be announced next week!

Tuesday Tasty Pork Recipe

Once again I go another week with no other post besides my Tuesday Tasty Pork Recipe!  But I am happy to report that, that, should change because we finished harvest!!!!  Well, I should correct that, we finished combining.  Which means that LP and I won't be in the field anymore.  Tomorrow I'm planning on posting some photos from the end of harvest.

Now onto this week's Tuesday Tasty Pork Recipe in honor of National Pork Month.  I decided that this week's recipe should be all about comfort, so I'm sharing my recipe for Tater Tot Casserole.  It is nothing fancy but it is how I like to make the classic dish.  I love anything I can do in a 9x13 pan and that only takes six ingredients!  I also have to admit, growing up I never had Tater Tot Casserole very much growing up but whenever I did I loved it.  This recipe is something I completely threw together with ingredients that I thought should be in the casserole.  My family likes it, so I feel like it works.  I hope you enjoy!

Tater Tot Casserole

Ingredients:
1 - 32oz package tater tots (with onion if available)
1# ground pork
1 cup frozen corn
1 - 16oz container sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Ingredient Line-up

Place tater tots in greased 9x13 pan.

I don't find the need to line up the tater tots - I just throw them in!

Brown ground pork.

I cook the pork in the microwave and then reuse the dish to mix other ingredients.

Top tater tots with pork.

Top casserole with corn (or whatever frozen vegetable you like).

Meanwhile, mix sour cream and soup together.

Add cheese to mixture.

Mix well.

Spread on top of casserole.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes until brown and bubbly.

Enjoy!

Now it is time to announce last week's pig silicon pot holder winner - congratulations Nicole!  I'll get your new pot holder out to you soon!

Now for this week I'll be giving away another pig silicon pot holder.  To be entered into the randomized drawing, share your favorite "comfort" food in the comment section.  Thank you once again to the Iowa Soybean Association and the Soybean Checkoff for the pot holders!  The winner will be announced next week!