FREE Christmas Gift tags, photo with Santa, scavenger hunt, Santa’s Treasure Map, DIY Wreath, Fettuccine Bake, Beef bourguignon, chocolate-dipped Candy Cane Pretzels, DIY Mercury Glass, and a Snowman Kit Tutorial are all featured at Family Fun Friday.

Family Fun Friday is all about connecting as a family. We feature great ideas for family fun, and things to help moms get things done so they have more time to spend doing what they love to do – be with family! If you like Family Fun Friday, help this blog party grow by giving it a +1 on Google+. Thanks so much!

We had an amazing week at our last link-up with new record 221 link-ups. Whoot! To celebrate I am giving away a copy of “Simple, Healthy, Tasty Sweets” written by Tammie Nelson {affiliate link}. This cook book features the “real food” ingredients that help make for healthy and tasty sweets. Our winner is Carly from Africa to America. Her post on An Advent Calendar to Spread Joy included some wonderful ideas for blessing your family and others this Christmas. Be sure to check out her post for some great ideas.

If you all link up 200+ posts again I have more prizes to give away. You all share so many wonderful posts – thanks for linking up! Also, from now through New Years I will HOST Family Fun Friday but will only feature the TOP Six Picks – I’ll be focusing on lots of time with my family over the holiday. 🙂

If you enjoy the features on Family Fun Friday please leave me a comment, I would love to hear from you! If you see things that you like here – please PIN them on Pinterest! If you PIN these lists it will help this blogging party grow. To PIN a specific blogger’s post please click through and pin directly from their site. Thanks so much!

I spent a little time remodeling – I revised the button for Family Fun Friday! I think the cartoon family is cute! 🙂 What do you think?

If you’re a mom keep reading because we have some wonderful fun ideas to inspire you with your little ones and family. My blogging friends are linking up craft ideas, fun in the kitchen, preschool & homeschool ideas, and ways to spend time as a family. My blog is growing but I need your help, please like my facebook page or PIN a button and help spread the word about HappyandBlessedHome.com. Thanks so much.

I posted our letter “G” free printables – subscribers you will find them in your subscription footer. And, earlier this week I posted some super cute FREE Farm Animal Puppets as part of a guest post on UpsideDownHomeschooling.com. Follow the link to the blog post to pick up your free puppets.

My boys and I have been busy coloring and crafting our 24 beautiful Advent ornaments as a part of our Christmas activities this year. They are created to focus on the true meaning of Christmas and they are FREE. You simply print the three pages of ornaments and print the coordinating scripture on the back of each ornament. Included in my post there is a PDF with a collection of all 24 scripture verses from Bible Gateway.com in NIV. The verses coordinate with the images on the ornaments. Merry Christmas!

And, don’t forget, I’ve created a super fun Christmas Fun for Preschoolers Activity Pack. I’m selling it as a way to pay for web hosting and blog design – your purchase will help me keep this blog online. It’s only $1.99 and includes 36 Fun Activities for Preschoolers. You can dress a snowman, decorate a Christmas tree, count reindeer and so much more. Click the link to read more.

Thanks to all my blogging friends for linking up last week at Family Fun Friday. I have a special YouTube Video for you at Thank You All My Blogging Friends! So many great ideas, crafts and things to do! If you link up, you permit me to use your pictures/ideas as part of future posts and/or social media. Now on to some fabulous posts for moms.

Featured Bloggers:

Family Fun

Have we got some wonderful Family Fun activities for you this Christmas!

1. Over at What’s Up Fagans, Katelyn posted about a fun way to get a Free photo of Santa by your Christmas Tree. The offer for a FREE photo with Santa ended on Dec. 11 BUT, I contacted the company and they agreed to offer a 25% off coupon to Happy and Blessed Home readers. Follow Katelyn’s Link and use coupon code: Santa2013

2. Barb over at A Life In Balance shared some wonderful ideas for Christmas Fun on a Small Budget. I love how her post reminds me to take some of the pressure off and to spend more time focusing on family and friends. Make sure to check out her post for some great ideas.

3. Chris at Campfires and Cleats has an open invitation to bloggers, readers of this blog, and their families to help feed the hungry in Honduras in her post The Art of Giving. It involves the family fun activity of crafting together – a great way to give and spend time together as a family.

4. Do you drive around with your family to look at Christmas lights? If so, you’ll love the Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt Free Printable posted by Cheryl at Moms and Munchkins. Hot cocoa? Marshmallows? Great family fun for everyone!

5. And I love the list posted by Stacey over at Stacey Makes Cents on how her family celebrates Advent. Her family activities are totally doable and keep the focus on the true meaning of Christmas. Thanks for sharing Stacey.

6. Have you ever wished you could identify the books that are kid-friendly and keep Christ in the center of Christmas? Well, Sarah over at My Joy Filled Life has done just that in her post 20 Christ-Centered Christmas Books. A great way to keep kids learning AND focused on the true meaning of Christmas. Thank you Sarah!

Delicious Recipes

Wow! It gets harder every week to narrow down the top recipes for Family Fun Friday. There are so many wonderful and talented bloggers out there. Thanks everyone for your marvelous posts!

1. Looking for something festive and dipped in chocolate? Try these Candy Cane Pretzels created by Gina from Klienworth & Co. I think I can taste the chocolate just looking at them!

2. Beth from the First Year Blog made these amazing looking Honey-Ginger Carrots. Beth – if I eat one carrot for every pretzel stick – can I count that as a balanced diet? 😉

3. I’m always on the lookout for something new I can do with chicken. Check out this Creamy Alfredo Pesto Chicken Fettuccine Bake by Sandra from A Dash of Sanity.

4. If Julia Childs would make it in the kitchen then it has to be good right? Check out this Beef Bourguignon posted by Jessica of Army Wife to Suburban Life.

5. I just love these Christmas Wreaths created by Elizabeth from Organizer by Day. It’s a take on Rice Krispi Treats but uses Frosted Flakes to create a “leaf” look. Very clever – thanks for posting.

6. And crock-pot cooking is a great way to save time on a busy day. This Crockpot Cashew Chicken recipe posted by Mommy on Demand looks easy to make and delicious.

Learning

This is a wonderful time of year to spend teaching little ones all about Christmas. Here are some great ideas for ways to share with your family this Christmas.

1. Jen from Confident in Grace shared Cultivating Christmas – The Christmas Adventure Box. She writes, “this family advent plan takes literally less than an hour to organize and the activities can take as little as five minutes or as long as 20-30 minutes depending on how involved you wish to make it.” A doable activity for any family.

2. Sarah from Thank You Honey Blog shared a great idea in her post Counting Down to Christmas with Books. Reading together is a great way to inspire learning and spend time together as a family.

3. Lisha from The Blish Blog shared a wonderful description about how she teaches her family about the bible in her post Daily Devotions for Little Hearts

4. Mother’s Niche shared an adorable Santa’s Treasure Map Printable with some fun activities. A great map-reading and teaching tool AND a way to have fun together as a family all at the same time!

5. Does your child need to practice handwriting? You’ll enjoy this Christmas Copywork from WriteBonnieRose.

6. How about a little science at Christmas? Check out this post from B-Inspired Mama on Fizzing Christmas Science Fun.

DIY/Craft

Absolutely gorgeous tips and ideas to decorate your home. Thanks to all the bloggers that shared these wonderful ideas.

1. Leslie from the Seasoned Homemaker shared these beautiful mercury glass creations in her post DIY/Mercury Glass.

2. Vickie from Our Sustainable Life shared this adorable Snowman Kit Tutorial. What a great idea!

3. Check out this gorgeous Hand Made Wreath from Serving Pink Lemonade. She offers some great tips and tricks so you can make one at home.

4. And Some of the Best Things in Life Are Mistakes shared this wonderful collection of FREE Christmas printables to decorate your home.

5. I love the originality and design of this Wooden Christmas Tree posted by The First Year Blog.

6. Joanie at Simple Living Mama created a beautiful set of FREE printable Christmas Gift Tags based upon the Twelve Days Of Christmas. Be sure to stop by and download your free copy.

Thanks again for all your wonderful ideas! I hope these Family Friendly and Fun ideas inspire you. Button Code:

I pray you are blessed by this effort to share ideas on having Family Fun.

In His Grip,

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