26 Yummy Cookies and Bars for the Holidays!

It's time to start baking for the holidays! I enjoy baking pies, breads and other delicious treats in the fall, but in the winter it's all about cookies and bars! This year, we'll be testing a few new recipes and making our the traditional sugar and chocolate chip cookies. We'll also be making our house favorite, buckeyes! They aren't cookies or bars, but they are oh so yummy!

When the kids were younger, they weren't big fans of gingerbread. It was a bit too 'spicy' for them. I'm hoping that this year, their tastes will have change enough to enjoy these delicious and beautiful gingerbread cut out cookies!

For Dan, I think he may enjoy the Italian Christmas cookies. They look so light and sweet!

I love sugar cookies. A lot. I can't pass them up and I'm so disappointed when they aren't yummy. I have a difficult time getting them as sweet and soft as I want. So I'm going to try this recipe for Buttery Cut-Out Sugar Cookies W/ Icing That Hardens. The kids will enjoy making these as they love anything they get to shape. We have around 200 cookie cutters and this turns into an all afternoon project. So much fun!

I'm deciding whether or not I want to make the Caramel Cookie Cheesecake Bars and take them to the family Christmas party. They look so good, but I'm not sure I really want to share them. Though, it is always fun having bringing the dessert that disappears the quickest, isn't it?

Which recipe below would you take to a family get-together? Maybe I'll make and take what you suggest!

Check out Cookies and Bars for the Holidays
by Tiffany Noth at Foodie.com

*This post is sponsored by Foodie. All opinions are my own.

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Why you should check your engine fluids & a $50 giveaway with Sears Auto Center!

"This is a sponsored post, I am a Sears blogger, though all opinions are my own."

I am going to be painfully and embarrassingly honest. I completely destroyed my first vehicle because I did not understand anything about vehicle fluids. I knew enough to put fuel into the tank. Yet, after that, I knew nothing. So, my first vehicle had a shorter life than it should have had.

As a part of the #SACRoadWarriors team, I have the opportunity to get a more in-depth look at vehicle maintenance. I had a great time visiting Sears Auto Center last week and getting an in-depth explanation of all the fluids your engine needs and why it needs them. I usually leave all of our vehicle maintenance up to Dan. I don't really have the time for it and he enjoys keeping vehicle records, checking different levels of this and that, making his spreadsheet, etc... I appreciate him for doing all of this. I would rather focus on the driving and traveling done with the vehicles. But my trip to Sears Auto Center was eye-opening. I need to pay more attention to the needs of the vehicle that I cart my family around in. I need to take care of it. When you think about it, we pay a lot of money for vehicles and put a lot of precious cargo in it daily. So, it only makes sense! Let's get to learning about engine fluids!

What’s the Deal with Differential Fluid?

That was the first question of the day. Say what? I have no idea! But, apparently, something is... different?? Well, it turns out that Differential Fluid is what keeps your Differential running smoothly and properly.

The Differential is a part of the Drivetrain and helps to evenly distribute power between each of your vehicle's wheels. As you take a turn, each wheel will have a different distance in which to turn and travel - hence the 'differential'. The fluids which keep this operating smoothly are very often overlooked. In my case, I'm not sure I had ever even heard the term "Differential Fluids". I knew what the Drivetrain was and the Differential but never knew to check the specific fluids that are required for that portion of the vehicle.

Transmission Fluid: The Other Dipstick

I'm happy to say that I did know about Transmission Fluid. Yet, I admit that I have never given much thought to checking or changing it. Since having killed my first car, I do know to check the motor oil. However, checking the other dipstick never crosses my mind.

The Transmission Fluid lubricates and cools your transmissions internal parts which helps the gears to smoothly shift and prevent damage. If not properly maintained, you can damage your transmission and that can will be an expensive part to replace.

Did you know: Transmission fluid also acts as the hydraulic fluid needed to power your vehicle.

Depending on the age of a vehicle, it may be difficult to quickly locate the Transmission Fluid dipstick. Do you think it is easily found on the vehicle below?

What's the difference between Coolant and Anti-Freeze?

Oh, trick question! They sound like extreme opposites, don't they? They are, in fact, the same exact thing. Depending on what time of year it is - you'll call it by a different name. Summer, call it Coolant. Winter, call it Anti-Freeze.

Coolant. Antifreeze. Radiator fluid. While each of these terms may sound very different, the fact is they all describe the same fluids that are critical to keeping your vehicle and its cooling system hydrated. Given its importance, one would think vehicle owners would carefully monitor and maintain the levels and quality of this fluid in their cars and trucks. However, the U.S. Department of Transportation claims that one of the leading causes of breakdowns on our highways is mechanical failures within vehicle cooling systems.

This, this fluid was the undoing of my first vehicle. The coolant/anti-freeze! I don't even want to begin explaining how much I didn't know about car care when I was 17 years old. But I will say this. Water is not the same thing and does not do the same job as coolant! It just doesn't.

It's also important to maintain your fuel system! To ensure your fuel system continues to operate effectively, consult your vehicle manufacturer service guide for recommended fuel system cleaning intervals

I can't wait for the next trip to my local Sears Auto Center! They've been a great help in teaching me how to maintain various aspects of my vehicle and I can't wait to see what they teach me in January. Stay tuned!

Remember to take a glance at that very important book which is probably getting dusty in your glove compartment. It will let you know the recommendations for fluid changes on your specific vehicle. Need to schedule an appointment at Sears Auto to have your fluids checked? Click here to get started!

12 Days of Car Care!

Keep an eye on the Sears Auto Facebook page and website for exclusive deals on Road Handler tires and Valvoline oil changes during the 12 Days of Car Care promotion from December 13, 2014 - December 24, 2014!

Giveaway

Sears Auto Center has provided me with a $50 Gift Card to giveaway! This gift card can be used at Sears or Sears Auto Center.

How to Enter: Simply leave a comment below about something you learned from this post or one of the links to all of the wonderful information Sears Auto Center offers.

Winner will be notified by e-mail. So, I must have a way of finding your e-mail address or please provide it below. If I can not contact you, another winner will be chosen.

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Tire Maintenance & $50 Giveaway with Sears Auto Center!

"This is a sponsored post, I am a Sears blogger, though all opinions are my own."

Though I love vehicles - driving them,admiring them, talking about them - there is a lot of information that I simply don't know. I thought I knew about tire maintenance, until a recent trip to Sears Auto Center. There's an entire world around tires, how to care for them and how to choose them. Since I do a lot of traveling - I'm extremely grateful for finally having all of this explained to me.

I'm loving being a part of the #SACRoadWarriors team and getting to spend time with the crew at my local Sears Auto Center. They have been amazing and on my first trip walked me through their Vehicle Intake process and the necessities of tire maintenance. When you bring your vehicle to Sears Auto Center, they will perform a Courtesy Inspection - courtesy means it's free! During the Courtesy Inspection they will check things such as belts and hoses, fluids, filters, tire wear and tear amongst other things.

Now, here is where I learned that tire maintenance is far more extensive than most of us know.  Tires are such a critical part of your vehicle and maintaining them properly is a must.  I knew that I should check the air pressure in my tires and have them rotated (about every 5,000 miles) and that they should generally look as if they are in good condition.

Signs of an impending blowout can include:

• Bulges in the tire
• Cracking in the sidewall of the tire
• Low/no tread. Tread is lower than 2/32 of an inch deep.
• Incorrect tire pressure

Did you know that where you live can play a large role in how you maintain your tires?  Here, in Indiana, the weather is cold, them warm, then oh so humid - this does a number on your tires and can cause pressure to fluctuate.

There are many other things to check when maintaining your tires. I never knew there was a difference in the tires between my sedan and my mini-van. They need different size tires for different purposes.  Every tire that is produced, has an intended purpose.  It's made for a specific type of vehicle and conditions.  Your vehicle's manual will let you know what size of tire it requires.  The tires will have its size printed on its sidewall.  The Sear's Tire Size Decoded information is very helpful in finding out if you have the right tires!  On a side note, I did know that large trucks needed different tires than my sedan - so, I guess I wasn't completely in the dark.   

 Here in Indiana, winter is on its way.  This means that you need to check the tread on your tire and perhaps even buy winter tires.  Did you that it's possible to buy your snow tires too early and wear the tread down too fast that way?  See, so much to know!

All-season tires are built to handle a variety of weather conditions, everything from dry roads to wet roads and light snow. However, the rubber with which all-season tires are made is not intended to withstand extreme cold. All-season tires can harden in low temperatures, lessening the traction between your tires and the road.

Winter tires, on the other hand, use special rubber compounds that stay pliable in the cold to give them better grip and improved braking capabilities, even in extreme conditions. Also called snow tires, winter tires are built specifically to perform in winter conditions like severe cold, ice, slush and snow. They use siping, a series of slits in the tread, to increase the number of edges that make contact with the ground. Greater tread depth allows for flexing and helps channel snow and slush across the tire’s surface, away from the contact patch.

Giveaway

Sears Auto Center has provided me with a $50 Gift Card to giveaway! This gift card can be used at Sears or Sears Auto Center.

How to Enter: Simply leave a comment below about something you learned from this post or one of the links to all of the wonderful information Sears Auto Center offers.


Winner will be notified by e-mail. So, I must have a way of finding your e-mail address or please provide it below. If I can not contact you, another winner will be chosen.

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Buy vitamins at Walgreens and help support Vitamin Angels!

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Walgreens via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Walgreens.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm very serious about making sure that my family takes their vitamins! It can be impossible to ensure that your body is getting all the necessary vitamins from diet alone - so, vitamins are on our household staples checklist.

I always spend time finding the best deal on vitamins.  BOGO vitamin deals always catch my attention - quickly.  Currently, all Walgreens brand vitamins (and supplements) are buy one get one free - so we've stocked up! The kids were ecstatic last month to get the gummy vitamins Walgreens offers.  I've also made sure that we have plenty of Vitamin C as well multivitamins for Dan and myself.

When shopping for vitamins, you might find it useful to know that you can help a child in need with every vitamins or supplements purchase at Walgreens. Millions of children around the world are suffering from ‘hidden hunger’, a lack of micronutrients that can lead to disease and even death. In fact, 45% of all childhood deaths are attributable to under-nutrition. Walgreens is giving a portion of all vitamin retail sales to Vitamin Angels to help 100 million children in the U.S. and abroad get the vitamins they need to live well.

I love that our purchase helped to support Vitamin Angels.  Walgreens is partnering with Vitamin Angels - which means that with every purchase of vitamins at Walgreens, Walgreens will make a donation to Vitamin Angels! They'll make this donation regardless which brand of vitamin you purchase!

By 2017, Walgreens and Vitamin Angels aim to reach 100 million children and mothers in over 40 countries worldwide. Specifically, children under five, pregnant women and new mothers gain access to life changing vitamins and minerals.

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Prepping for cold season with Walgreen's Vitamins!

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Walgreens via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Walgreens.

Savannah and Joey have always been so good at taking their vitamins. Well, Savannah hated them when she was an infant and I gave her vitamin drops. Other than that, they rarely forget to grab their vitamins along with their breakfast each morning.

We generally take a multivitamin each day and if health or the time of year calls for additional vitamins – we add them to the lineup. They love it when I buy the Multi-vitamin Gummies - but I usually buy the chewable vitamins.


Excited to have Mutli-Vitamin Gummies!

Throughout the year I focus on different nutritional needs for all of us. Now that fall is here, I recommend and am focused on our Vitamin C and D intake. We are spending less and less time outdoors and in the sun - and cold season is on its way. So, this is why I choose to increase our Vitamin C and D during the fall and winter.

I think it is so important to make sure that our bodies get the nutrients and vitamins it needs – that it isn’t getting from our diet. Not only do I have my children take vitamins daily, I talk with them about how their body is benefiting from each vitamin. I’ve also made sure to stock up on vitamins at Walgreens this month! They, along with Vitamin Angels are helping children get the vitamins they need!

When shopping for vitamins, you might find it useful to know that you can help a child in need with every vitamins or supplements purchase at Walgreens. Millions of children around the world are suffering from ‘hidden hunger’, a lack of micronutrients that can lead to disease and even death. In fact, 45% of all childhood deaths are attributable to under-nutrition. Walgreens is giving a portion of all vitamin retail sales to Vitamin Angels to help 100 million children in the U.S. and abroad get the vitamins they need to live well.

As a child - and even in college - I never wanted to comply with my mother’s instruction to take my vitamins. I’m so glad she insisted! Now, I’m that mom reminding my kids and asking them if they remembered their vitamins. I’m a bit luckier though – my kids seem excited to take their vitamins everyday and I’m so glad they do. What vitamins are you taking daily or seasonally?

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