Neighbor Gift: Cinnamon Popcorn and a Movie

This year I have neighbors! Ok, I've had neighbors in the past, but I've never felt super friendly with them. Now that we own our home, I figured we needed to get friendlier with the people around us. I decided to make cinnamon kettle corn and give this DVD

It's a short movie about the nativity of Christ. The perfect gift for Christmas, in my opinion. You can order your own here: Joy to the World DVD

Cinnamon Kettle Corn recipe adapted from Something Swanky

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat, covered.

Put in two kernels. When they pop, the oil is ready

Once hot, stir in the sugar, cinnamon and popcorn.  I use a spoon to help really coat the kernels.

Cover, and shake the pot constantly to keep the sugar from burning.

Once the popping has slowed to once every 2 to 3 seconds, remove the pot from the heat and continue to shake for a few minutes until the popping has stopped. Pour into a large bowl, and allow to cool, stirring occasionally to break up large clumps.

This year I tried making kettle corn in my Stir Crazy popper. AND IT WORKS and doesn't ruin my Stir Crazy! It's so fast and easy. Never going back to stove top. 

Cinnamon Kettle Corn recipe for Stir Crazy:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels

Put all ingredients in the Stir Crazy. Place the lid on top and turn it on. Once the popping has slowed to once every 2 to 3 seconds, turn off Stir Crazy and flip over (so the bowl lid is right side up) and take the heat element off**. Allow the popcorn to cool and enjoy.

**Don't leave the heat element on top while it cools, like I did. It melted the side of the bowl/lid a little. 

Guest Post: Blog Swap with Britney from J&M's Eye Candy Blog

A Busy Mom's Snack Solution

Hello! Britney here from J&M's Eye Candy Blog and Shoppe!

My SIL Kristine and I created our blog as a place where we can collectively archive our projects and share it with others like you. We hope that you are taking the time and enjoying crafting, whether it's during nap time, after work, and/or late at night like we do.

Today we are participating in a blog swap with Wayward Girls, and we are so excited about it!  So Wayward Girls readers, read on, and then when you are done head on over to our blog, and read what they have to say today!  Kind of like two for the price of one!!  Luckies ;)

All right on to the post.  Summer is in full swing, and though I cherish the blessings of being a stay at home mommy of two active, excitable and loud monkeys, it feels like most days I am a servant of said kids.  Every time I get into a groove doing my own thing, blogging, crafting, reading, doing whatever it is I am rewarding myself with that day, or cleaning up messes of said kids, I hear this: "MOM, can I have a snack!"  Now you see, breakfasts, lunches, dinners those are mine, I got those.  It is the meals in between that I get lazy with.  I usually just reply with something like, "Ya, ya just eat whatever you can find."  The problem with that is, what they "find" is cookies, licorice, I have even found them eating frosting with their fingers.  Not only that, but most of the time they aren't really hungry they are just bored.  For a way to fix the "I'm bored-ies" visit here.  Not good, so I have my kiddos, eating just for the sake of eating and not even eating good for them things.  A plan must be put into place, so with the help of a picture I saw on Pinterest, I have created a snack system.  I give you the family snack organizer!

Both of my kids have their own,  personalized with their names, snack box.  Inside, I have pre-packaged little baggies of carrots, string cheese, yogurt, juice boxes, etc.  I have even included in their boxes silverware for the yogurt and ranch for the carrots.  When they want a snack, they can now go to the snack center, and take a snack.  This kills two birds with one stone.  I don't have to stop what I am doing to get it for them, and they get to exercise some independence while still eating things that are mother approved.   It does take some extra time to fill the snack center, but in the long run it will save me time and guilt :)

There you have it one more way that this mom is getting through these summer months, one idea at a time.  I can't decide if this post makes me look like a super lazy mom or super smart mom.  Or perhaps the smartest lazy mom, HA!  Oh well, like I said just getting through these summer days! 

I hope that you have found this helpful!  Thank you so much Wayward Girls for swapping with us, it has been a pleasure :)  Now head over to J&M's blog to see a post from the lovely Wayward Girls.