Happy Holidays !!
Welcome to My contribution to the Blogger Test Kitchen Blog Hop GIVE AWAY. I love Trim Healthy Mama and I love the THM Blogger Test Kitchen. Some of us teamed up this holiday season to offer you some great prizes. The awesome thing about this giveaway is that you can enter to win at each blog for the prizes that you want most.
1. Nana’s Little Kitchen // 2. Wonderfully Made and Dearly Loved // 3. Briana Thomas // 4. Mrs. Criddle’s Kitchen // 5. A Home With Purpose // 6. Joyful Jane // 7. MamaShire
Nana’s Little Kitchen is serving up solid Southern dishes to help you on your Trim Healthy Mama journey. Teresia is sharing classic recipes that are satisfying, delicious, and nutritious to help you weave this fantastic diet plan into the fabric of a healthy life. Click here to enter Teresia’s giveaway!
Judy from Wonderfully Made and Dearly Loved says, “I started blogging because I have baked with alternative sweeteners and ingredients most of my life. I wish I had found THM long before I did because my mom would have loved it (she was a type 1 diabetic). I find inspiration in knowing that the recipes and articles that I’m sharing may help someone to stay on plan or find their “sweet spot” with on-plan sweeteners. I’ve felt so incredibly blessed since I began this journey.” Click here to enter Judy’s giveaway!
Twenty-one-year-old blogger Briana Thomas has a passion for quick, easy, and healthy versions of her family’s favorite recipes…and ice cream! Between creating and blogging recipes, taking pictures, riding horses, singing, and publishing a cookbook, she stays busy and enjoys writing about her exploits and dreaming up new projects. Click here to enter Briana’s giveaway!
Sarah from Mrs. Criddle’s Kitchen is a mama of 7 – married to her cowboy! Cooking for her family is one of her passions, and her blog is where she gets to share her creations. Sarah’s recipes are all Trim Healthy Mama friendly! Click here to enter Sarah’s giveaway (she’s giving away the gift card pictured plus some other goodies)!
Jennifer at A Home With Purpose started blogging well over a decade ago! She first started as a way to keep track of family life. It grew as she shared her walk with the Lord, crafty ideas, and then recipes! Almost four years ago, Jennifer started the Trim Healthy Mama plan. She’s enjoyed sharing many recipes, tips, and giveaways for her THM buddies. She also continues to share her faith and walk with the Lord as it pertains to motherhood, homeschooling, being a wife, and even in her battle with health and her weight. Click here to enter Jennifer’s giveaway!
Come meet Kristen at Joyful Jane and find a wide array of encouragement and lovely things! Kristen is a homeschooling mama of 8 children and she focuses on finding JOY along the way of life. She loves to share encouragement in the areas of being a wife and mother, eating and creating healthy food for our families, homeschooling and family life tips, calligraphy scriptures and personalized items, inspirational photography, organizing tips, home décor and lovely things! Hope on over to say “Hi” and enter our huge Christmas giveaway! While you are there, grab some of our FREE resources, including the gift of our hand-painted Calligraphy Scripture Print! Click here to enter Kristen’s giveaway!
Robin from MamaShire.com provides allergy-friendly recipes that are gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free and are compatible with the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle. You’ll also find a sprinkling of embroidery tutorials, as she and her daughters, Emily Rose and Breezy, created Clementine Pattern Co., which features beautiful hand embroidery patterns and kits. Click here to enter Robin’s giveaway!
Why I decided to offer you a set of 4 of these neat Freezer Baggy Openers.
I love these for freezer meals and for left overs. They make it easy peasy to store food without worry of making a Huge mess. I use them whenever I am doing weekly meal preparations and when we have leftovers like soup and stew. When I make homemade seasoning mix or am chopping or slicing fresh fruits and vegetables.
I hope that these will bless another mama the way you all have blessed me and our family.
From Our Family to Yours
May Your Holiday Be Blessed and Your Hearts Be Full!
Cindy says
Very nice!!!
Barbara says
Being at my grandmother’s with all my cousins and playing Spoons after dinner. We had a blast!!
Judy says
Ohh what a wonderful memory!!
Brooke says
Going to the midnight Christmas Eve service and then staying up to open gifts when we got home. Then sleeping in and having a lazy Christmas day together.
Judy says
I love Midnight services!! and lazy mornings.
Kim says
My favorite memory is listening to old Christmas records while my dad and I decorated the house and Christmas tree.
Heidi Lokey says
Favorite Christmas memory pretty much occured every year when me and my grandparents would shop for our tree. It never failed that once loaded up and on our way home my grandmother would be in the car with a big smile on her face and tell us that THIS was the best tree we ever got….every year.
Paige says
My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving!
Carrie Dale says
Being with family uninterrupted all day!
Renita says
On Christmas Eve, Mom made fun appetizers for supper and we always had eggnog and sparkling grape juice. We felt so grown up! Those times with just the four of us were so special.
Lynn says
My favorite memory is last year’s family Christmas. Next year, it will be this year’s family Christmas!
Alicia says
Lining up at the top of our stairs with my brother and sister waiting for the OK from mom and dad for us to race down. Each year we alternated who got to be first in line.
Sunshine says
Time spent with my family and friends is priceless. Being cuddled up with a cup of coffee and God is beyond compare. I love my Contigo travel mug!
Darcy says
My favorite Christmas memory is my family wearing their Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve as my husband reads the Christmas story from Luke 2.
Melissa Suwinski says
Helping to pass out the presents and playing with my grandparents Christmas decorations!
Vickilynn Haycraft says
Christmas in a new state, no family, no friends, a church “adopted” me and my kids and gave us an anonymous present every day for 14 days, then revealed who they were!
Peggy says
When I was a child getting up early to open presents w my family, now I enjoy doing it w my own children!
Collette Buffaloe says
We have gone to see Santa on the fire truck for 35 years – in those first few years, my husband WAS Santa, but we moved from the small town and left the department, but we still travel back every year. Our “boys” are 25 and 28 and we’ll all be going again this year!
RobinP says
Seeing my adopted son’s face (adopted from China at age 6) when he saw his first Christmas tree.
Ronda says
Reading Advent stories with our children.
Rosalyn says
Favorite Christmas memory from childhood-going to my grandparents & being with my cousins
Melissa says
On Christmas Eve morning my mother would fix a big breakfast for all the family.
Jmee felten says
Love the memory of making cookies with grandma
Kimberly yates says
Watching my kiddos when they eere little on Christmas morning!
Catherine A. says
My favorite memory was when I was young I would lay under the tree while my mom would sing Christmas songs to me.
Laura Lane of Harvest Lane Cottage says
Oh so many! I remember Grandma and Grandpa coming to visit us in Michigan. It was a long way from their home in Missouri. Ten hours! It wasn’t Christmas until they arrived!
Gina says
One of my favorite Christmas memories – watching my Momma’s Mother open her gifts – she carefully, gratefully, unhurriedly enjoyed every thing she received!
Donna says
My favorite holiday memory is going up to my Grandma’s one year and seeing snow for the first time! And the time spent with cousins while we were there.
Michelle Umbarger says
Making ornaments with my mom. Then putting up the tree and decorating with mom, granpa, grandma and waiting for aunt Ella to arrive with all the fancy wrapped presents to go under the tree.
Sherry says
Spending Christmas at my grandmother’s with all of our family.
Julie says
My favorite Christmas memory–my sister, brother, and I acting out the Christmas story before opening gifts Christmas Eve. while we were growing up.
Michelle W says
Childhood Christmases. Not a specific one, but as a whole. My parents always made that time of year a special time filled with family. I live very far away from all of my family now, so it makes me appreciate those memories even more.
Kitty Dulgar says
Our silver tree with blue, red and green balls and the wheel on the floor that shone light at the tree as it turned! Our entire family was together when we had that tree–now both of my folks are gone and two siblings live out of state and the tree is just a memory.
April Stutzman says
Some of my favorite holiday memories are singing Christmas carols with my brothers when we were children. That is how we would wake our parents on Christmas morning.
Amy O'Quinn says
My favorite Christmas memory is receiving a handmade baby doll bed–and my beloved grandmother had made all the bedding so my ‘babies’ would be comfy and snug in their bed. That was a sweet Christmas. 🙂
Dawn Williams says
My favorite holiday memory is just childhood Christmases and being awakened every year by my younger brother. It was always a special time.
Sophie says
I guess just the family time we spent together decorating and singing songs in the car looking at the lights. We’d also gather together and read scripture in front of our tree and sing a carol every night for advent.
Helen says
Waiting for Grandpa to take his bath on Christmas Eve before we could open presents. We would pound on the door and tell him to hurry up. He loved teasing us.
Anna Lampinen says
I come from a family of 15 kids & so a family gift each year would be a new game. We opened gifts late Christmas eve after barn chores were done & We were home from church so we were up late into the night playing “just one more round”!
Sharon Johnson says
Thanks for the giveaway, my favorite Christmas memory is the wonderful items my mom sewed for me and my 2 sisters, clothes to doll clothes to stuffed animals.
Joellen says
My favorite Christmas memory changes every year.
Keren says
Watching our daughter get so excited opening her first baby doll.
Kiley says
Just being with my family…playing games and visiting. 🙂
Nicki Woodard says
The scraggly tree at my Grandparent’s house with the icicles all over it.
Marleigh Cowgill says
Making Ornomemts with my grandmother
Lori says
Being with family
Susan Broughton says
My favorite memories are when I was little at Christmas time with my parents
Cindy says
Having everyone home for Christmas.
Kelly says
Picking out and cutting down the Christmas tree. Then decorating it. No matter what the tree looked like, it always seemed so magical.
Tiffany says
My favorite Holiday memory is walking into our living room and seeing it filled with presents. The joy, love and family.
Gina Meyer says
My favorite holiday memory is waking up early and eating pecan glazed sticky buns and everything omelet on Christmas morning with the whole family there.
Barbara says
One of my favorite memories is traditional Slovak Christmas Eve dinner at my Grandma’s. All the extended family was there. I miss that.
Jenesa N says
My favorite holiday memory is decorating the tree each year. My mother sorted the ornaments so that my brother, sister, and I all had an even amount to put on the tree. Dad set up the video camera and filmed this seemingly boring event every year, but looking back at the footage is absolutely priceless! We would randomly stop to sing a song or share a story in front of the camera, and to see the changes in us year to year is so much fun.
Kimberly says
Reading the Bible story every Christmas morning.
Paula says
Sleeping ne’er he Christmas tree Christmas Eve with my sisters.
Amanda Piper says
I didn’t have Christmas until I was about 9…I was overwhelmed with everything about it, the gifts, the big meals, and how everyone was happy!
Linda says
Driving thru the neighborhoods with dad looking at all the Christmas lights.
Jacque Hill says
Christmas morning breakfasts with the family.
Erin Lucki says
My favorite holiday memory is being with extended family on Christmas eve and immediate family Christmas morning.
Rachel Gordon says
My favorite Christmas memory……..I was a child (maybe 8 or 9). My mom bought me a “Buttery Soft” teddy bear and a baby doll. I can’t explain why, but it made me so happy!! I kept both of them and pasted them to my daughter 🙂 <3
Leslie says
Drinking egg nog in front of the Christmas tree while playing with the nativity set.
Amber says
My favorite memory is going to my Grandma’s farm Christmas Eve. And now she lives in town, but our whole family still gathers at her house, so my children get the experience too!
Stacia says
Going to my grandma’s house for Christmas as a kid. She would have platters and platters full of candies and cookies everywhere. She loved to make all that stuff. I miss her divinity.
BTW, I have had these on my Amazon wishlist for a few years lol.
Judy says
We have a couple things in common 🙂 I loved and miss my Grandma’s Divinity 🙂 and I never realized how truly helpful these little gadgets were until I got them to review :).
Belle says
One of my favorite memories is making homemade candy with my mother and sisters. I’m so thrilled to have found Trim Healthy Mama and can continue this holiday tradition with healthier choices.
Melanie says
My favorite memory is the year my sisters and I got Bibles and a new outfit (made by our momma). Precious memories!
Christa Miller says
When my sister and I were really little, my grandparents took us for a drive to see the lights. When we returned Santa had come with lots of gifts. When included Holly Hobby and a puppy. My grandparents were not normally there for christmas since they lived in another state.
Katie Rosch says
my favorite holiday memories are with my family! i don’t know if i could pick just one! i love how special everything feels and I love thinking of wonderful and fun things to get or make my family
Pam says
A couple of years ago my twin sons weren’t home for Christmas. One was in Alaska and the other was in Zimbabwe. We were able to facetime them from across the world. The picture we have of my husband holding one computer on his lap with one son and me with the other is a memory I’m thankful for. We missed them dearly, but I was so thankful for the technology to be able to see them that day!
Judy says
I can understand that sentiment… one of my uncles lives in Australia. So when I was growing up we only got to see him every 5 years in person, but every Christmas my grandparents or my dad would call him. My dad used to Skype with him often and I still do when the opportunity arises.
Rachel says
Making spritz cookies every year! And popcorn balls also.
jeanine says
opening new pj’s every christmas eve
Angie says
My favorite holiday memory are the Christmas traditions when my mom was alive. Gosh, I sure do miss her.
Judy says
I miss mine too… Hugs mama
Christine says
Our favorite holiday tradition with the kids is making Jesus a birthday cake! The kids look forward to it every year and take great pride in decorating it all pretty like a birthday cake!
Angie says
My favorite holiday memory is getting a cabbage patch doll. I still have her 30 something yrs later.
Leah says
Eating cinnamon rolls Christmas morning while reading Luke 2!
Dellynne says
My favorite holiday memory is it snowing on Christmas (in the south you don’t get that alot).
Robin says
When it snowed 54 inches in one weekend and the power went out at my parents and we lived a whole week with only the power of a generator when we absolutely needed it. It was a wonderful, no electronic device free week that will never be forgotten.
Cara says
My favorite Christmas memories are spending Christmas Eve at my grandparents. We would all eat and the kids would play and the adults would play cards. We were always good and tired and ready for Santa to come!
Danielle says
Growing up my family always went to a movie on Christmas. It’s not a tradition we continue because my husband didn’t like it, but I really enjoyed it as a kid.
Gina says
CHRISTmas morning b’fast with my entire extended family at the local pancake house <3
Ty Gray says
Anything when we can be together as a family.
Aimee Saunders says
I loved, and still love, driving around to look at Christmas lights on Christmas eve. Then coming home to hot chocolate.
MARILYN says
the food and family members
Lynette says
We took the kids to go cut a Christmas tree. It started to snow big, fluffy flakes. We took time out to have a snowball fight. It’s a great memory!
Christin says
My favorite holiday memory is decorating the house with all the Christmas decorations, especially decorating the trees… yep, multiple trees! (I have a tiny ‘obsession’ with Hallmark ornaments and have 2 artificial trees, and 3 metal trees. Craziness!!)
Diana says
visiting grandparents during Christmas season when I was a child.
Twila says
My mom’s family getting together on Christmas. Fun times!
Toni says
gathering at my aunt’s every christmas eve
Ginger Tipton says
My favorite Christmas memory is my children making sure we read the Christmas Story from the Bible before we opened the presents.
Elizabeth says
All the gag gift wrapping at my grandparents’ house.
Linda says
Going to my grandparents home. Eating my Grandpa’s popcorn balls.
Sharon Davenport says
My favorite Christmas Memory is giving my grandkids a wall hanging with their grandmother’s hand prints on it. She passed away before they were born.
Gina White says
My favorite Christmas memory was making it home in time for our first Christmas as a family after spending the first 7 months of my daughter and her twin brother’s life in an out of state hospital. She had received the precious gift of a double lung transplant and was in a hospital for the first seven months of her life.
rachel says
going to Dallas to visit my aunt and her family
Katie says
My favorite Christmas memories is looking for Santa Clause with all my cousins while our parents put the gifts under the tree.
Katie says
My favorite Christmas memory is of my Great Uncle Fred always saying on Christmas morning it look like Santa left his whole sleigh.
Wendy R. says
Nothing beats the memories of lying half awake waiting to hear when Santa came during the night on Christmas!!
Sherri Bailey says
My favorite Christmas memory is from 4 years ago when our middle daughter surprised us with a visit home after she had moved 500 miles away and had told us she couldn’t make it home for Christmas!
Sharon says
Visiting Grandma’s-either next door or out of state. Locally, she always had hard colorful candies and we’d play games, Flinch being one. Out of state meant watching lights twinkle in the upstairs window and playing with cousins!
Sue says
Playing with all of my cousins, and getting all the hugs and kisses from my aunts, uncles, and grandparents.
Brenda says
My favorite holiday memory would be from several years ago when my family and I were serving as missionaries in the country of Haiti. It was too warm for Christmas (says this girl who was born and raised in western PA), and I was having trouble getting in “the Christmas spirit.” We went to church for our Christmas service, and I was deeply touched by the realization that the true spirit of Christmas is worship–worship of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amy Sturgeon says
My favorite holiday memory is going to my grandparents’ house and sleeping on the cushion on the window seat. There was always lots of delicious food, beautiful decorations, and special times with cousins I didn’t get to see much.
Michelle says
Family all together, kids sleeping in sleeping bags all over the floor, playing games, eating homemade goodies, etc
Patti says
My favorite memory is one Christmas when the snow was SO deep we couldn’t get up the driveway to my grandparents house! We loaded all our gifts for grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins and climbed that long hill of a driveway. I couldn’t do it now, but it sure was fun when I was a kid! Loved those Christmas’ when ALL the family was able to gather together under one roof and celebrate the REAL reason for the Season – Jesus and His birth!
Yvonne says
Going to Grandma’s house for Christmas Eve, playing with all the cousins and playing traveling bingo.
Tammie says
I now have 8 grandchildren, so my best memories involve the Christmases I have spent watching them grow up. Nothing better than spending Christmas with grandbabies!!!
Judy says
I have to agree with you… love my Grands to the moon and back.
Mary Esther says
Our family gathered at my parents’ home for a scrumptious meal, singing and a devotional given by my father. Precious memories…
Lorraine Roggie says
Making cookies with my grandma and going Christmas caroling with my family.
Dana says
My favorite Holiday Memory? That’s a tough one. I guess it would be our open-house song fest every Christmas eve. Friends would come celebrate and Mom had printed Christmas song booklets for everyone. Some beautiful music was made!
Katrina says
My favorite memories are being with family and enjoying time together. My dream is to have all six of our kids, their spouses and all fourteen grandkids together for Christmas again. Due to some being out of state, we’ve not enjoyed that blessing in many years!
Kristen says
My favorite holiday memory is visiting Silver Dollar City in my hometown decorated with millions of Christmas lights.
Shannon Ortega says
My favorite holiday memory was dancing with my grandparents on Christmas Eve when I was 11 and we were hosting at our house for the first year. Best time in the world.
Amy says
Waking up early with my siblings and sneaking out to look at all our presents.
marytoo says
My dad was so excited on Xmas Eve, he wanted to have all the festivities then than wait until Xmas morning, which we thought wwas great. Mom, not so much. One year they told us Santa would not come if we didn’t go to bed. So we went to bed, but we didn’t sleep. Then we heard Santa’s loud ho-ho-ho-ing, and we got up to find all the goodies under the tree. So we had to open everything, and then of course nobody wanted to go to bed. Poor mom.
Ina says
Times with family and loved ones.
Catherine Blowers says
My favorite holiday memory was when my hubby bought me a plug in ice chest for Christmas (I was hoping for a computer)!
Ashley says
I used to love de praying sugar cookies with my mom and of course blasting Christmas music all month long. :-). My favorite is just getting together with family and all the food.
Sara says
My favorite Christmas memory was opening stockings and the excitement of Christmas morning!
Savannah says
My favorite memory is going to my grandmothers for Christmas dinners! She made the best Danish desserts when I was growing up!
Sally says
Spending time with family without so many distractions is always a blessing. We celebrate life and Jesus all year and try not to go “crazy” over any one “holiday” and just take time to enjoy all that God has given us.
Sheila says
My Dad making a fire in the fireplace on Christmas Eve and then having all our favorite finger foods that mom made. Miss it all. Wish I was 7 again.
Jessica W says
My favorite memory is making Christmas cookies with my mom and now my children.
Lisa says
Coming down the cold stairway to the big surprise of gifts, camera and mom and dad!!!
Denise says
One of my favorite memories is opening a present that I had wanted the year before but didn’t get. (a Chrissy doll)
Christina says
Making a Christmas chain to countdown to Christmas Day and also baking lots and lots of cookies!
Estella says
The year my brothers got a couple larger items so Santa left my presents in the kitchen! Was so much fun to have that area all to myself to pay with new baby doll!
Cortney says
So fun! Thanks for giveaway!
Pamela says
My favorite Holiday memory is the last Christmas we had before my father went to Heaven unexpectedly in January 2015. It was the last time all the family was together and he was able to meet my daughter’s soon to be husband and know that she had finally found her soulmate. He was so happy and I’ll never forget the joy and laughter we all shared that day.
Judy says
Pamela, My dad went home in 2012… keeping you in prayer during the Holiday season ((hugs)) and your memory is a special one for sure!! May your holidays be blessed!!
Laura says
Traveling between grandparents houses in a blizzard and getting stuck in a pasture.
Gayle says
My favorite holiday memory is watching my dad enjoy his grandchildren.
aretha says
Drinking egg nog
susan says
as an adult, christmas eve church with my children. as a child, christmas eve at my grandmother’s with lots of cousins, aunts & uncles around
Jennifer K says
All the many pictures that my Dad took of each and every present. My Dad passed away this year making this memory even more special.
Christine Faris says
My favourite traditions are playing LCR with my family and having a huge bonfire!!
Janae Linville says
My favorite Christmas memory was the year my parents got me a portable CD player using money my grandparents had sent. When I thanked my grandparents for the CD player, they had no idea what it was–or what CD’s were.
Keely says
My fav Christmas memory is opening Christmas presents with my family on Christmas eve with all the Christmas lights on and the room dim lighted.=) I also remember when I was little when my grandma was still alive that I crawled on to her lap for cuddles and she just held me tight and rocked me in the rocking chair.=)
Denise Ordiway says
My favorite holiday memory is the year we went out in the woods and cut down a tree that had not been trimmed on a tree farm. When we got it inside it was the ugliest tree ever. So we trooped back out and cut down another one. That two was ugly when brought inside! At that point my Dad said we were not going after another one. So he sawed branches from one, wire them onto the other one and made us a beautiful tree!
Kristie says
My favorite Christmas memory was always going to my Swedish grandma’s house. She make lefse, rommegret, sandbakkels, krumkake, rosettes, every year. All Scandinavian treats. She died 30 years ago, so I miss her so!
Lori says
Taking a night to drive around and see all the Christmas lights.
Celeste parks says
Getting together with all my cousins, grandma, uncles and aunts on Christmas Eve & Santa coming.
Michelle says
Christmas Eve with all my cousins! WE still do it every year! 😉
Shannon R says
My favorite Christmas memory is candlelight Christmas Eve services.
Amy Marshall says
Our advent reading and christmas traditions!