Silent Saturday

At the Farm with My Baby Girl

Fabulous Food Friday with Stepping into the Story

 Welcome to Fabulous Food Friday! While exploring the blogosphere, I realized that there were many great recipes to share. So every Friday, I am going to  feature an awesome blogger with their great recipe! Today’s feature blogger is Sarah from Stepping into the Story.  Sarah is a teacher and a writers who loves taking time out for cooking a great meal. She has some wonderful recipes, along with some wonderful inspirational posts that you should definitely  check out.   If you would like to be featured, I'd love to have you.  Just shoot me an email at betweenthelines-kam@hotmail.com.

Here’s a little blurb from Sarah herself:

I am a writer and teacher who is also an Army Wife. I love cooking (and especially eating what I cook!) so thankfully I also love running. Some of my favorite days are Saturday mornings that include stopping to get some coffee, then shopping garage sales and discovering the treasures I can find. I love decorating on a thrifty budget. My blog has turned into a catch-all of sorts, where I talk about my marriage, life as a writer, cooking, and decorating. It's been so fun to get to know so many people through it though and get glimpses into the lives of others!

:::Homemade Granola Bars:::

Ingredients
3/4 Cup brown sugar
1/4 c sugar
8 oz plain yogurt
2 egg whites
2 T vegetable oil
2 T milk
2 t vanilla
1/2 c flour (can substitute whole wheat flour)
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
3 cups oats
1 c dried fruit
optional: chocolate chips



Directions
1. Combine sugars, yogurt, egg whites, oil, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix well.
2. In another bowl mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to yogurt mix.
3. Stir in oats and fruit; add chocolate chips if needed
4. Spread dough on bottom of ungreased 13x9 pan
note: the recipe calls for a 13x9, but I feel like they come out too cake-y that way, so I spread them out on a baking sheet as much as I can; I like the thickness more
5. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes

I love these because they are a such an easy healthy snack to have around the house! It makes the house smell sooo yummy!

Mother Nature's Trick for Halloween Weekend

It's hard to believe that November is here. There is something so special about the holiday season of November and December and the time spent with family. However, I dread the "w" and "s" words. Winter and Snow. So, I was totally shocked by the fact that we got several inches of snow before Halloween in the Mid-Atlantic. We just don't get snow this early.

My girls were bouncing off the walls Saturday morning. They couldn't wait to get outside and play in it. Unfortunately for my girls, we had to wait to go outside because of all the branches that were falling off the trees. It was a constant sound of popping and cracking. It was very nerve-wrecking to watch the large branches come crashing to the ground and hope none of them hit anyone or anything.

Thankfully, we did not have any damage or lose our power, unlike many of those in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. The snowfall this early just created a lot of work. So, I dislike the "s" word even more than before. Mother Nature decided to play tricks rather than give us treats this Halloween. How was the weather in your area? Did Mother Nature provide tricks or treats for you ? 

Open Discussion: Coaches

In your mind, what qualifies someone to be a coach? I’m not talking NFL or MLB, just Pee Wee Football and Little League. In my mind, to call yourself a coach is equivalent to calling yourself an instructor. To call yourself an instructor is equivalent to calling yourself a teacher. To call yourself a teacher is equivalent to ensuring the parents who trust you with their children, you know what you are talking about. Right!?! Unfortunately, this is not always true. My little girls have been participating in a gymnastics program this past semester with instructors who are unaware of how to properly teach gymnastics. As a former gymnast and coach, I gave them the benefit of the doubt for many weeks. I thought that maybe my past experience was making me too critical. However, after watching the unsafe spotting for a few more weeks and watching numerous children fall on their faces, I decided to say something. I asked the main teacher if she was aware of her assistants’ spotting techniques and how many kids were getting hurt. She acted as if she was shocked and promised to teach them the proper way to spot. This made me feel a bit better, although I still couldn’t figure out why they let her teach before instructing her on the safe way to spot. So I’ve waited now for another four week and I have seen no improvement. They are still teaching the kids to perform things incorrectly and spotting them unsafely. I probably won’t say anything else to them (I’m not a very confrontational person), but I definitely won’t be signing them back up for next semester.


A friend of mine is about to go through the same experience with her daughter’s soccer team. The coach of the team has openly admitted that he doesn’t know how to play soccer. A coach who doesn’t know a thing about the game he’s teaching???? How does that make any sense? Unfortunately for her, I don’t think you can pick a team when you sign up for a grade school soccer league. Do you think there should be requirements for being a coach? Grab a latte, put up your feet, and join the discussion!

Coupon Cabin's 25 Crazy Dayz Giveawayz! ( Open Worldwide) #CouponCabinHop

Join us for 25 Crazy Dayz of Giveawayz on over 400 blogs!

Welcome to CouponCabin’s 25 Crazy Dayz of Giveawayz! This multi-blog event is hosted by Simply Stacie, Makobi Scribe and Sassy Mama in LA and is sponsored by CouponCabin. This is the biggest event the blogosphere has seen with over 400 giveaways each at $25 value or more plus a huge giveaway with some major prizes like a MacBook Air, iPad2 & Visa Gift Cards. You can find all the giveaways from the participating blogs by visiting the host blogs, Simply Stacie, Makobi Scribe and Sassy Mama in LA. Each host blog will feature a different set of giveaways for you to enter!

No matter what type of coupon you're looking for, you'll find it and over 100,000 others at CouponCabin.com, a leading destination for coupon codes, printable coupons, deals and more. Now with a new and improved grocery coupons section and the largest selection of coupon codes that are guaranteed to work, CouponCabin is the best place to start your search for savings. This holiday season, CouponCabin is dedicated to making holiday savings as easy as pie by bringing you the best deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. You can also download our CouponDetector and we'll let you know when the site you’re shopping has coupons and deals available.  Never pay full price again with help from CouponCabin.com!

CouponCabin is giving away the following fabulous prizes:

• Grand Prize: MacBook Air (11-inch, 128GB; ARV $1,199)
• 2nd Runner Up: iPad2 (16GB, with Wi-Fi +3G; ARV $629) & $200 Visa Gift Card
• 3rd Runner Up: iPad2 (16GB, with Wi-Fi +3G; ARV $629)
• 4th Runner Up: $300 Visa Gift Card
• 5th Runner Up: $200 Visa Gift Card
• 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Runner Ups: $100 Visa Gift Card each

Please visit Simply Stacie, Makobi Scribe and Sassy Mama in LA to enter the giveaway and make sure to say BETWEEN THE LINES referred you! You can enter on all three sites or just one- it’s up to you! If you enter all three giveaways that just means more chances for you to win.  

And if that wasn't enough, each blog participating in this amazing event (over 400) will be also hosting their own giveaway as well.  Each of the above mentioned blogs has a different linky on their blog.  Visit as many or as few as you like.  It is up to you.  We are on Simply Stacie's linky along with other great blogs like Pink Dandy Chatter, Social Media Junkie, and Little Yaya's.  Between the Lines' giveaway is just below and is valued at $75.

Be Daring. Be Unexpected. Be Original 

with Christy Klein Originals

 Are you looking for some beautiful, yet unique jewelry? Christy Klein Originals offers a great variety of necklaces, earring, rings, and other original products. Her handmade jewelry has a vintage feel that you will love. Not only is her selection great, but she loves custom orders. If you see something you like, but would rather a different color or chain length, don’t hesitate to ask her. 

Christy is a patience mom of two who puts her whole heart into every piece she makes and I am certain you will love the original feel of each piece. Nearly every female member of my family (including my little girls) owns a Christy Klein piece of jewelry.  And after browsing through her selection, you probably will too.  Check out this fabulous bracelet:

Don't you just love it?!?  And what about these rings?

You know you want one, right?  And don't forget these fantastic earrings...

Christy began selling her amazing jewelry on Etsy under the name Wired Whimsy.  She is currently in the process of transitioning to her new store Christy Klein Originals. Because of the transition, she will be allowing the winner of the $75 store credit to use it towards any purchase (excluding custom orders) on either site. 

Fall Social Freebie Giveaway ($350 in prizes)

Welcome to the first annual Fall Social Freebies Giveaway Event. We have partnered up with lots of different and wonderful bloggers to bring you some fabulous prizes, just in time for the Holiday Season!

Giveaway starts October 31st at12:01 AM EST to November 21st at 12:01 AM EST. Giveaway winners will be announced through the Rafflecopter widget and notified by email by the end of the day on November 23rd, 2011. Winners must reply to email notification within 48 hours of delivery, or a new winner will be chosen.

Participating Blogs that made these giveaways possible:
Pink Dandy Chatter
Between The Lines
Personalized Sketches and Sentiments
Magical Mouse Schoolhouse
Reading Teen
The Organic Blonde
Nurtured Beauty
Green Country Girl
Free Hot Samples
Social Media Junkie
Pawsitive Living 
Retail Therapy Lounge
Lily's Laundry 
Uncommon Chick 
Chi-Towncheapskate 
Smile A Day Giveaways 
Granny Loves Gift Baskets 
Kelly's Lucky You 
An Avid Readers Haven 
Mayra's Secret Bookcase

GIVEAWAY PRIZES:

* Winner will receive a 8 GB iPod Touch in their choice of black or white by Apple. Retail value is $199

*This giveaway is open to the US and Canada Only

*There will be 1 winner chosen to win this giveaway

* Winner will receive a SleepTracker Elite Watch by SleepTracker. Retail value is $149

*This giveaway is open to the US Only

*There will be 1 winner chosen to win this giveaway


ABOUT SLEEPTRACKER (from their website):
The SLEEPTRACKER® Elite watch is the latest in sleep monitoring technology. Unlike other monitors and alarms, the SLEEPTRACKER® measures and logs your sleep patterns waking you at the most optimum time when your body will feel the most alert and energetic. The SLEEPTRACKER® Elite also records and stores your sleep data allowing you to download and track your own personal sleep information right from your home computer.
SLEEPTRACKER® continuously monitors signals from your body that indicate whether you are asleep or awake. Because you wear SLEEPTRACKER® on your wrist like a watch, its internal sensors can detect even the most subtle physical signals from your body. SLEEPTRACKER® finds your best waking moments, so that waking up has never been easier.

GIVEAWAY ENDS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST AT 12:01 AM EST

GOOD LUCK!!!

Pink Dandy Sunday Blog Hop

Welcome to the Pink Dandy Sunday Blog Hop!

<a href="http://pinkdandychatter.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss137/pinkdandyshop/pinkdandybloghopbutton.jpg" border="0" /></a>

.

*****

How does this blog hop work?


1. Make sure to follow Pink Dandy Chatter and Between The Lines so that we can follow you back!!

2. To ensure that Pink Dandy Chatter will follow you back, you need to make sure and leave a comment (below on this post) saying that you are a new follower and also leave a link to your blog.

3. Add your blog name and the URL to one of your favorite posts on the Linky below.

4. Please follow at-least 2 blogs on the list that appeal to you

5. Your blog must be family friendly ONLY. Explicit sites will be removed from the list.