Monthly Archives: December 2020

Sugar Rush: Family Edition! Baking Cotton Candy Cupcakes with My Sweet Girl

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Sugar Rush: Cotton Candy Cup Cakes

“Just ten minutes bakers!” My husband yelled out and startled me as my daughter and I raced to put the finishing touches on our cotton candy cupcakes. Being cooped up in the house can be real downer at times, but it also is a wonderful opportunity for some family time. A few weeks ago, my sister came up with a terrific idea for us to have a Zoom Sugar Rush competition against her and my niece just like the Netflix show. Both Quinn and I were both on board with this idea, and once all settled on the carnival as our theme, we knew immediately that we wanted to do cotton candy cupcakes, so I ordered us matching aprons for the theme.

The only problem is that I never made them before! So I scoured Pinterest and YouTube looking for ideas and piecing together recipes we both felt comfortable using. We baked cotton candy cookies. I found this perfect and simple recipe using cotton candy sugar. I also ordered cotton candy flavoring for the buttercream frosting and simply swapped out the vanilla extract for the cotton candy flavoring. Lucky for us, we already have a cotton candy machine, so it was able to be freshly spun. The cupcake itself was a yellowcake recipe I learned from my grandmother.

Both Quinn and I agree that while it was a lot of fun, the pressure was on to put together a tasty treat, especially with my sister and niece on the Zoom call making delicious funnel cake cupcakes! It was such a fun experience that we all agreed to do it again. Our next theme is animals, so stay tuned!

All the best,

Tanya

If Only My Life Was a Game…Relearning and Reteaching Lessons with My Daughter

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Within the blink of an eye, I had a pet dog, was the mother of four boys, including a set of twins, with no husband or “baby daddy” to help or build a life together. But, I did start off my adult life with 200K, only paid 100K to attend college with no outstanding debt when I graduated and managed to secure a career as a secret agent shortly thereafter making 100K a year. I even managed to build up a nest egg of nearly three million dollars towards my retirement! This isn’t my actual life, but the game of life I played with my seven year old daughter.

When I was younger, I loved playing “Life,” so I was excited to play it when Quinn received it as a gift for Christmas, but as we played, with the exception of the spinning wheel, it was not totally as I recalled it. We had fun, but the game would definitely skew a child’s views on life expectations. If only everyone had an even playing field and started off as adults with 200K. If only everyone could still earn decent salaries whether they went to college or not? If only everyone could pay for college outright with no outstanding debts? If only, if only, if only!

All the best,

Tanya

On the Actual Day of Christmas, My Daughter Gave to Me…A Smile Big Enough to Light a Christmas Tree

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On the Actual Day of Christmas, My Daughter Gave to Me…A Smile Big Enough to Light a Christmas Tree

A Christmas gift I absolutely loved this year and every year is seeing my daughter’s smile, hearing her squeals of delight and feeling her appreciation through a big hug and kiss. Though we didn’t spend Christmas with our extended family, Quinn made my Christmas extra merry.

All the best,

Tanya

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, Target Gave to Me Pajama Fun with My Family!

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On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, Target Gave to Me Pajama Fun with My Family!

Even though my husband’s pajama size was all sold out, which he didn’t mind since he’s not into wearing funny pajamas, my daughter puppy and I absolutely love it! Well, our puppy tolerates it.

Here’s to having a fun-filled Christmas Eve, watching “A Christmas Story,” eating cookies, playing games and just getting ready and excited for Christmas Day!

All the bes,

Tanya

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, My Daughter Gave to Me…Fun Baking Yummy Cookies

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On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, My Daughter Gave to Me…Fun Baking Yummy Cookies!

I love baking cookies, especially with my daughter, especially around this time of the year. It strengthens our mother daughter bond and allows us to have a tasty treat to eat and share with some of our loved ones.

Every year, Quinn gets better and better at helping to bake from start to finish. She helps measure the ingredients, sift the flour, add the ingredients to the mixer, including cracking an egg all on her own this year, and getting the cookie batter on the baking sheets. She told me that she loves being my assistant, and that one day I’ll be able to be her assistant. This made me think about when I would help my mom bake as a child or even help my grandmother.

There truly is just something so special about baking and relating together. I just love this festive time!

All the best,

Tanya

On the Tenth Day of Christmas Christmas, Santa Gave to Me…A Feeling of Joy Seeing My Daughter Believe

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On the Tenth Day of Christmas Christmas, Santa Gave to Me…A Feeling of Joy Seeing My Daughter Believe

“I know the world and the way we are living right now looks a little different. Don’t you worry, things are moving right along here at the North Pole. Ho ho ho!” This is how Santa started off his heartfelt letter to Quinn. She was absolutely tickled when she saw her elf on the shelf waiting patiently in the morning for Quinn to open her red box from the North Pole. I was too, especially considering that Santa informed me that it was shipped two day priority mail nearly a month ago.

“May I open it before breakfast,” my seven year old asked? “Sure,” I replied as I got my phone ready to take pictures. The joy in her voice as she read the letter from Santa put a huge smile on my face. He explained how he, Mrs. Claus and the elves are doing their part to stop the spread of Covid 19 and how they’re still happy and on schedule for Christmas. The special red box also contained a nice certificate, a letter from Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, a cookie from Mrs. Claus, hot cocoa from Santa, a snowman marshmallow, Rudolph’s special bell, reindeer food and a decal for Santa to stop by our house.

I really wish I received one of these packages from Santa when I was a kid. I’m so happy that Quinn still is in the Christmas spirit and that she was so excited to get something special from Santa before Christmas Day.

Al the best,

Tanya

On the Ninth Day of Christmas, My iPhone Gave to Me…Beautiful Pictures With My Family

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On the Ninth Day of Christmas, My iPhone Gave to Me…Beautiful Pictures With My Family

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I love taking and editing pictures, especially around the holidays. Though there will be no photographs of our annual holiday party nor any with our extended family on Christmas Day this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, I’m so happy that my husband, daughter, puppy son and I could all take pictures together and that we all still have each other as we miss spending time with our friends and relatives this year. Thank goodness for my wonderful family and for my iPhone 11 Pro and photo editing skills this year!

All the best,

Tanya

On the Eighth Day of Christmas, My Daughter Gave to Me…Decorating Ugly Christmas Sweater Cookies That Are Yummy

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On the Eighth Day of Christmas, My Daughter Gave to Me…Decorating Ugly Christmas Sweater Cookies That Are Yummy

Making Ugly Christmas Cookies

My daughter loves making treats, especially cookies, so I thought why not decorate some ugly Christmas sweater cookies for the holidays. She asked me to be her special guest in her YouTube video, we got to bond, and our cookies turned out great and pretty yummy too! I just love this time of the year!

All the best,

Tanya

On the Seventh Day of Christmas, My Daughter Gave to Me…Festive Time with Her Mommy

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On the Seventh Day of Christmas, My Daughter Gave to Me…Festive Time with Her Mommy.

Christmas Festive Outfits

I just love getting festive for the holidays, especially Christmas. So when my daughter suggested that I wear a Christmas shirt today, I was eager to oblige. It’s amazing how something as simple as putting on a fun Christmas shirt can lighten my mood and out a smile in my face. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have Quinn by my side in her festive Christmas dress too!

All the best,

Tanya

On the Sixth Day of Christmas Jib Jab gave to me…A Fun Video with My Daughter and Our Puppy

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Christmas in Hollis!

On the Sixth Day of Christmas Jib Jab gave to me…A Fun Video with My Daughter and Our Puppy!

I’ll never forget the excitement I had when I saw Run-DMC’s “Christmas in Hollis” music video. My siblings and I would rap and dance along, and my mom, who’s never been a huge fan of rap, even enjoyed the song too. So when my sister texted me a link to a Jib Jab video she created with her, my nephew and niece, I couldn’t resist creating one with my daughter and “puppy son” too.

Though I’ve played the song around Christmas time, Quinn didn’t really know the words, especially considering that it debuted when I was just ten years old, three years older than she is now. But as result of creating our video, she just loves the song and wanted to create more Jib Jab videos including the entire family. I do too!

All the best,

Tanya