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For those of you clicking in to read Renny's Recipes today, you should know that Lindsey is currently in the hospital having her baby! We will give you the update when it is available!
She is beautiful when pregnant. I know she will be a beautiful mother.
So, in the meantime, I decided that it is time to celebrate my baby, my KitchenAid! You always see people post pictures of their babies each month, telling about the things they are doing at this age. Well let me tell you, my KitchenAid is very important to me and I can't believe that it is already a year old. We have done a lot of fun things together since my family gifted it to me last Christmas. Let's review some of our favorite past events!
The first thing we made together was this Sprouted Wheat Bread! Look how pretty it is. It was the beginning of my sprouted wheat journey.
This really tall and light Orange Chiffon Cake is my absolute favorite! My KitchenAid whipped it up so light and fluffy!
The KitchenAid and I have worked so well together coming up with new recipes, like these Strawberry Shortcake Cookies. This mixer makes quick work of mixing up doughs like this. I love these cookies and my KitchenAid.
This first year with my KitchenAid has gone by so quickly and I am anticipating many more years of fun and deliciousness with it!
I am sure that Lindsey is going to find that her first year with her little one goes even faster! I am so excited to hold her and I am afraid that my KitchenAid will have to take a backseat to the new baby when she gets here.
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This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking them, we will be compensated, but there is no additional cost to you. All opinions expressed are our own. Thank you for your support.
Are you a goal setter and a planner? I try to be. But, unfortunately all too often my determination for self improvement begins to fizzle after a couple of weeks (or days) and my goals are all but forgotten. This leads to me setting some of the same goals year after year and feelings of frustration.
I know, I know, goals need to be written down or they are only wishes. But where do I write them down? I have used charts and notebooks with varying degrees of success. What usually happens is that I either misplace the notebook, or it gets re-purposed as time goes by. Charts are just in my way. As you can see, I need a solution and one of my goals for this year is to find one!
Madalynn came to my rescue this Christmas when she gave me this beautiful calendar and planner!
I love it because it has a daily and monthly calendar, and a place for my yearly goals. It also has tabs and for each month and copious note pages at the back. And finally, a pouch to hold pens and pockets to tuck in little note cards. I have decided to use this planner (similar style here) to help me to succeed at my goals this year! Here is my strategy:
Review and Reflect
This week, before the beginning of the New Year, I am taking some time to review and reflect upon the different areas of my life where I would like to see growth or change. All of us have so many aspects of ourselves. I am considering my blogging life, my spiritual life, my physical self and my personal growth and personal preparedness. Of course, many of these layers overlap. But, I am hoping to come up with a goal or two in each area. I will let you know what my final decisions are in a later post.
Make Specific Goals
Too often I have made goals that are too general. For example, Lose weight, or Do more canning. Those goals are much too general and overwhelming. That makes me feel defeated before I even start. I need to set goals that are more achievable and specific. Instead of Lose weight, I could say Cut out processed sugars, or stop drinking sodas or make 2/3 of my dinner plate plant based. or walk 3 miles per day. Those all seem like goals I could achieve and get the result I am looking for.
Write the Goals Down
I know it really is important to write my goals down. If not for any other reason than to help me remember them! My new planner has a page for recording my yearly goals. I will record them bullet journal style with ideas to help me reach those goals. If my goal is to can more meat for food storage, I might write watch for sales on beef to can, or purchase extra chicken, or get more wide mouthed canning jars. In other words, plan ahead to succeed! I will be able to write specific dates to do things towards my goals in my calendar.
Journaling
I used to be really good at keeping a journal. As I had more children and life got busier, I have become terrible at it. I am pretty sure that one of my goals this year is going to be about journaling. That goal is going to help me reach my other goals. My planner, as I mentioned before, has a nice amount of note pages. Having my calendar and goals and journal pages all in the same book will make my life so much easier! I may not journal daily, but even if I only do it monthly, I will be able to reflect on my monthly progress and stay on track. I hope to be able to record many successes!
Don't Give Up!
There will be months when the goals will fall by the wayside and I will mess up. We all will have moments when things just don't come together. It is so important to just carry on from where you are at! Just because you make a mistake doesn't mean you can never try again until next year! Never give up! Never Surrender! (Famous line from Galaxy Quest).
If you don't have a planner ready, here are a few to check out! Click the pictures to purchase them.
This one is from Swoozies! Super stylish!
Minted has beautiful fully customize-able notebooks. You can add a photo to the cover, personalize it with a name, turn it into an address book, planner or journal or all 3 at once.
Etsy has so many choices in so many styles and prices to choose from when it comes to planners! Some are ready made and some are printable. There are personal planners, wedding planners, financial planners, you name it! The two above caught my eye.
I will reveal my goal decisions at the New Year! I wish you all success with your goals in this coming year. If you have any tips and tricks when it comes to achieving your New Year's goals, please let me know in the comments.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas from our family to yours! 
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking them, we will be compensated, but there is no additional cost to you. All opinions expressed are our own. Thank you for your support.
Raise your hand if you love fruit cake!
Hmmm, I didn't think so. I once heard a joke that there has actually only been one fruit cake ever made and it keeps being re-gifted year after year. All of that gummy candied fruit inside a sweet bread sometimes soaked in rum? I. just. can't. But, I do really enjoy a good sweet loaf of bread. Today is Date-Nut Bread Day! Who knew? And while I don't think I have actually ever eaten Date Nut Bread, this day has inspired today's Merry Friday Fave #45!
What is your favorite flavor of sweet loaf bread?
Sweet loaves of bread are so great to give as gifts to friends during the holidays. They stir up pretty quickly, they make the house smell good and warm it up. You can give a loaf or make mini loaves or give slices on a tray of goodies, so sweet bread is very versatile. Not to mention all of the delicious flavors and ingredients you can make.
Alicia loves lemon poppy seed bread. The citrus with those little crunchy seeds is so good. I make an orange poppy seed bread as well, which is what this loaf is. If you click on the picture it will take you to the post with the recipe.
LIndsey of course loves Pumpkin Bread! This loaf is a Pumpkin Gingerbread that we talked about making into French toast and topping with a lemon sauce! It is so good and Christmasy!
We all really like Banana Bread and this particular recipe is gluten free!
Madalynn says that she really likes Cinnamon Raisin Bread. Either of the recipes above can have raisins added to them and it would be awesome! The Cinnamon rolls are made with sprouted wheat. We turned the loaf into French Toast because I love French Toast.
I love this delicious Cherry Cheese Coffee Cake. It is easier to make than it looks and just so, so delicious! It is perfect for a Christmas morning breakfast!
So, skip the fruit cake and try one of these recipes. Your family will thank you. Any of them would be great gifts. Perfect for those last minute remembrances! Merry Christmas from our homes to yours! We will talk to you next Tuesday! Helen
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Creators of Hot Cocoa Bombs! (copyrighted)
Author
Helen Reynolds: Mother of six children , grandmother to eleven! I love to cook, craft and create things and I especially love doing that with my family, So, when my lawyer daughter, Lindsey, my artist daughter, Madalynn, and I came up with the idea of Hot Cocoa Bombs, this blog was born. Then, one more daughter, with her technical and science skills, plus creativity has joined in to round us out! Read more about us here! 
Click this link and visit 3WinksDesignShop on Etsy. Find our Hot Cocoa Bomb Idea Book, our For the Love of PIe e-book and more of our creations!
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