7th Day of Christmas Giveaway with Zoe Elmore

NOTE: Be sure to join my cyber friend Candace Cameron Bure for her TV movie airing tonight called The Heart Of Christmas at 7 & 9pm EST on GMC TV (consult your local guide or call your cable provider for channel information) and check out her new online magazine called Roomag. I am blessed to be a monthly contributor there. :-)

It is day 7 of our 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways!

You may comment on each day’s post to be put in the drawing for that particular prize.

Then, one gal who comments on all 12 posts will win the grand prize. (You can scroll down below to day one to see it.)

Comment on any post until midnight EST, Sunday December 11th.

All winners announced Monday, December 12th.

Now, here to guest post is the fabulous Zoe Elmore!

I’m an ADD girly girl who LOVES anything and everything that sparkles and shines. Bling is my middle name and I’ve “bedazzled” most everything I own (including our dog).

Being married to the finest, man I know for 32 years is one of my life’s biggest and best blessings.

Our kids Joe, Josh and his beautiful, precious, adorable, delightful wife Kelsey (yep, I think she’s fabulous!) not only keep us grounded by adding an enthusiastic dose of humor to our lives, they are three of most generous young adults I’ve ever known. The Lord outdid Himself with these kids; I don’t think I could have handpicked any better.

I count it an honor to serve on the speaker team with Karen, and can I just mention that the entire Proverbs 31 team is made up of some of God’s best girls ever? I’m just giddy to have been asked to join Karen and Amy Carroll in the ministry extension Next Step Speaker Services.

If you’re looking for individual help to sharpen your speaking skills and to learn more about marketing tools check out www.nextstepspeakerservices.org If you’d like to get to know me better check out my current site www.zoeelmore.com We’re busy hot gluing the final shiny objects on my refreshed and renewed website getting it ready for its February15, 2012 launch.

Now, for my Christmas idea:

I host an annual ornament exchange and partner that with a food drive to benefit a local charity in our community. Each lady who attends brings one ornament to exchange in a fun and playful game as well as a few items of non-perishable food items. Each year the ladies try to “out give” the previous year’s total by bringing an ever-increasing amount of food for the needy.

Here are the two most requested Dip recipes I serve at the annual Ornament Exchange/Food Drive

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked chicken, chopped (Use a roasted chicken from the grocery for added ease or even canned chicken – drained)

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup Ranch dressing (Original Hidden Valley Ranch® Dressing from scratch. I make it at least one day in advance)

3/4 cup pepper sauce (Frank’s Red Hot®)

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 bunch celery, cleaned and cut into 5 inch pieces or assorted crackers.

Directions:

Heat chicken and hot sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until warm. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Continue to stir over medium heat until they are blended well and warmed through. Add in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker/crock pot. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on Low setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks or crackers.

Serves 20

Creamy Sausage Dip

Ingredients:

3 pounds breakfast sausage (Cooked and drained)

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3 (10 ounce) Diced tomatoes with chilies (Original RoTel®)

(Drain most of the liquid)

Directions:

Heat cream cheese in a saucepan.  Add cooked and drained sausage and the drained RoTel®

Put all ingredients in an oven safe dish and heat at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly.

Serve with crostini (crusty bread) or crackers.

Serves 10

Now for my giveaway:

I want to lend a hand in getting you ready for Christmas by offering:

~ Tote bag

~ Acrylic napkin holder with napkins

~ Bar of Christmas Soap

~ Six mini candles

~ Journal

~ Christmas Note pad

~ Stretch Bracelets

~ “Fun 2 Clean” household gloves

So, to enter to win leave a comment telling us your biggest Christmas task yet to do–shopping for gifts? Baking and cooking? Sending out your cards or Christmas letters? Wrapping? Cleaning for company?

If time is tight just say, “On Dasher!”

Be sure to join us for our remaining 5 days this week!

Oh yeah, and…..just three weeks til Christmas!!!!!

472 Comments

  1. Actually, I am not getting wrapped up into the hustle and bustle of the season this year. My husband lost his job 16 months ago. The last few years we had been building up to honoring the Lord with three gifts; a gift of gold, frankincense, and myrhh. Yes, we still had some santa gifts and gifts from family and friends; but we have tried hard to keep the focus on Christ. This year, my 7 and 6 year old children were “adopted” by a family for Christmas. Then the Lord provided a monetary gift for my 19 year old as well. There are no Christmas cards going out this year because it’s not practical for us this year (and not having the stress of HAVING to mail them out has been WONDERFUL!). There are no forced gift purchases, “just in case gifts,” because I’ve come to realize that’s not why people give in the first place. So, for the first Christmas in my 40 year life, I am enjoying the moments; day by day; no hustle and bustle and mighty to do-lists. I’m celebrating Christmas; and I love it!

  2. I still have a bunch of presents to buy, just put up my tree today and still need to decorate, plan my son’s 18th birthday party on the 21st, and figure out where I am going to celebrate Christmas with my family.

  3. Ack! What do I have left to do?! Start Christmas shopping! I suppose I probably don’t have as much as many others so I’m looking forward to getting at least 1/2 done this week. And probably the week before Christmas I’ll send out Christmas cards.

  4. Most of the Christmas shopping done, making a few homemade ones and those I need to finish sewing…almost there.

  5. Biggest task to tackle is definitely cleaning the apartment for company. We have a newborn in the house, so any plans I have on a day-to-day basis are usually scrapped.

  6. My biggest task left is to finish buying and wrapping gifts for my children. With the recent unexpected passing of my brother in law, I’m way behind. I figure the Christmas cards and extra decorations and baking can wait til next year. But want to have something under the tree for the kids. The nicest part is that they understand that it isn’t about the presents. It’s more my mommy guilt.

  7. Christmas cards is mine!!! Planned to take the family photo tonight but my sweet, 8 y.o woke up with the stomach flu. Hopefully we’ll get it taken tomorrow.

  8. I need to make 3 sock monkeys for my grandsons….. (I bought the kits, but have misplaced them… so now I have to find them first!!)

  9. I need to plan for Christmas since it will be two or three days of celebrating here at our house with different sides of the family as well as our own Christmas time. Now if I just had the energy to think about it & then do it!

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