Audra Jennings

Last night, I came in from Mom and Dad's house looking forward to watching the Call the Midwife Christmas special, but quite literally could not keep my eyes open to watch it. I fell out asleep on the couch for a couple of hours. When I awoke, I immediately regretted all that I ate. That King Ranch casserole , Old Mexican Inn orange dip , and sopapilla cheesecake were all good, but I overdid it.  Believe it or not, I do not have photos of the casserole or the cheesecake that I made, but I did cook! Speaking of cooking, I did cook tonight. I've been off my cooking schedule the past week or so. I skipped my EveryPlate box this week and am still cooking on last week's.  People in the EveryPlate Facebook groups were complaining about how bland the chicken option was. I didn't find the steak version bland. I found I put too much fresh thyme in it. What I did think is that there weren't enough veggies. It had a whole onion (so there was a lot of onion), one carrot, and ...

Merry Christmas! It was a pretty quiet Christmas this year at my parents' house. See all those big stockings I made a few years ago that got stretched out even more with all the stuff that's usually in them? They were even stuffed this year. That's how quiet it was. In a different year like 2020, that's just how it was. We, however, were stuffed with   King Ranch casserole ,  Old Mexican Inn orange dip , Fiesta Grill salsa and more sweets than I've had in a year. Dad picked up a chocolate pecan pie at Collin Street Bakery (which we got into last night), and Mom made a pound cake (that didn't get touched) and no bake cookies. I had planned to make  sopapilla cheesecake  and almost didn't make it after all the other stuff got made, but that's what the five of us devoured. For lunch and opening presents, it was just Mom, Dad, Brian (my brother), Amanda (my sister-in-law), and I. These are all of the really lame and borderline blurry pictures I got. Actually...

  What will they remember this holiday season?  by Allison Hottinger and Lisa Kalberer When they grow up, we want our kids to remember that we made Christmas about Jesus. With many distractions and mixed messages around the holiday, it’s easy to get swept up in getting the right tree or making sure the gifts are purchased.   This year we want to keep the most important things top of mind.   This year we want to shift the focus of Christmas back to giving.   As parents, there are a few things we can remember to help us shift the focus of Christmas in our hearts.   1. They won’t remember the gift   Do you...

Part 2 of an interview with Allison Hottinger and Lisa Kalberer, Creators of  The Giving Manger Read part 1 of the interview here. The Giving Manger  tells the story of a family who shifts the focus of their Christmas. Young Anne and Ben always look forward to Christmas. Each year their dad makes a special wooden toy for them, but he tells them this year will be different. They are starting a new tradition, and there will be more gifts this year, starting December 1. The kids misunderstand, thinking they will be getting more gifts, but instead, the gifts are given by them to others. Initially disappointed, the children quickly change their attitudes when they see the joy that doing kind things and giving to others brings. Throughout the Christmas season, Anne and Ben do acts of kindness for others, placing a piece of straw in the manger their father made for them, and on Christmas, they place the baby Jesus in a full bed of straw. Once your family reads the story tog...

Part 1 of an interview with Allison Hottinger and Lisa Kalberer, Creators of The Giving Manger   The true spirit of Christmas often gets lost in busyness of the season. As the events of 2020 have made us slow down and shift some of our priorities, this year is the perfect time to refocus on the joy of giving and honor the real reason for Christmas: Jesus’ birth. With The Giving Manger ( WorthyKids), creators and sisters Allison Hottinger and Lisa Kalberer offer a faith-based interactive family tradition that encourages acts of kindness. Each Giving Manger box set contains a hardcover picture book, a wooden manger, a bundle of straw, and a sturdy Baby Jesus figure—everything a family needs to start the tradition in their own home. Q: Where did the original idea for The Giving Manger come from? As we began to raise our own families, we often felt like the true meaning of Christmas and the spirit of giving was getting lost in the hustle and bustle of the season. We w...

Start a New Christmas Tradition Centered on Giving The Giving Manger teaches children to look  for opportunities to love and serve others The true spirit of Christmas often gets lost in busyness of the season. As the events of 2020 have made us slow down and shift some of our priorities, this year is the perfect time to refocus on the joy of giving and honor the real reason for Christmas: Jesus’ birth. With The Giving Manger ( WorthyKids/October 13, 2020/ISBN: 9781546034223/$39.99), creators and sisters Allison Hottinger and Lisa Kalberer offer a faith-based interactive family tradition that encourages acts of kindness. Each Giving Manger box set contains a hardcover picture book, a wooden manger, a bundle of straw, and a sturdy Baby Jesus figure—everything a family needs to start the tradition in their own home. The included book, The Giving Manger , uses a story to introduce families to how the tradition works and ge...

  For review copy and interview information, contact: Audra Jennings - audra@newgrowthpress.com - 903-874-8363     Click here to request a digital review copy.     Jesus came for us. Because Jesus was born at Christmas, we can know that he is with us always. This board book by author Jared Kennedy helps toddlers and preschoolers understand the true meaning of Christmas in a personal, memorable way.   Jesus Came for Me  is part of The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible series. For children ages three to seven, this beautifully illustrated book begins with the announc...