Hey friends! Happy Holidays!
If you’re like, Listen here Cote it’s only November…you’re right, and that’s 100% what I consider to be a holiday month! I’m a firm believer that the turkey on Thanksgiving day tastes just as good (dare I say even better) with Christmas decor around it. We’ve been fa la la la la-ing up in this house for over a week now!
And look, I’m a big summer lover, but the crisp air and falling leaves of autumn always make me extra happy, too. Our family has continued to chip away at our 1,000 Hours Outside (I talked more about it in this newsletter) and we are SO close to getting there-I’m pleasantly surprised with our progress this year! Even though the weather has gotten chilly fast, we’re trying to still make time to go for a scooter ride/take a quick playground trip/eat a meal outdoors each day.
Just this week I shared a post with 5 Things Our First Responder Family is Saying No to this Holiday Season. Y’all had so many great additions in previous years that I knew I had to share it again-and it also lives as a blog post here on a+g! You can check it out here.
Every year some of my favorite posts are my small shop gift guides. I try to share as many first responder businesses that I love as possible so that our thin line families can support one another! I love a good deal at a big box store as much as the next person, but I also love knowing that my money is going directly to another first responder family. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks for them (I always do a LEOW, LEO, and kiddo guide!) and make sure that you’re subscribed to a+g so that they come right to your inbox.
Happy November and happy holidays, thin line fam! I hope that the most wonderful time of the year is really, really wonderful for you 🫶🏽
As we all ramp up our online shopping for the season, I wanted to remind you how much I appreciate it when you use my links! Even if you don’t purchase the product I share, using my affiliate links helps support this little corner of the internet (and my little first responder family) at no extra cost to you. Thank you!
Here’s the top three things that y’all loved the most this past month(s):
Playable Nativity Set. We got this Fischer Price Little People Nativity set two years ago and it’s the most played with Christmas toy when I bring it out each November! It often goes out of stock and comes back a million dollars, so if it’s something you want your family to have make sure to keep an eye out!
These first responder Magnatile sets. I got this police set for a Christmas gift but forgot to hide it when it came in the mail-so it’s already been played with! Needless to say, it’s a hit. This fire set is also super fun!
Cheese Grater Attachment. My LEO got me this Kitchen Aid attachment 6 or 7 years ago and every single try time I use it I fall in love with it all over again! I always used to buy pre shredded cheese out of convenience but hated how much more expensive it was-plus all of the other junk they add. This allows me to shred an entire Costco block of cheese in minutes! Worth. Every. Penny.
Here’s the top 3 posts y’all engaged with the most this past month. If you’re not already following along on Instagram, make sure to hop on board! My username is @ammoandgrace.
This month’s promo code/small shop highlight is a brand new toy that my family can’t get enough of! I saw Little Bible Stories in an Instagram ad and immediately reached out to see if they wanted to work together. Y’all, this is SUCH a cool product! It’s essentially a cute, kiddo friendly speaker that is full of Bible stories, songs, and prayers. We love our Tonie box as screen free entertainment so I knew that this would be a hit too-and it totally is! It’s rechargeable (the battery lasts for hours) and you can load additional stories and content onto it. There’s multiple colors (we have the blue and orange) including a cute Christmas edition.
The favorite content so far has definitely been the songs-“when the saints come marching in” and “down in my heart” have been stuck in my head on repeat! 🤪 Another favorite has been using toys and dolls to act out the songs and stories that are being played-I’m always so blown away by kids’ creativity!
I’m weird when it comes to internet access for kiddos (aka I don’t think they should have much access, especially when unsupervised) so I love that this doesn’t connect to anything other than the biblical content it comes with. Little Bible Stories says that they’re for ages 3-10 and I would agree that’s the perfect range-although with some help with the buttons a younger kiddo could definitely enjoy the stories, too!
You can get a discount using code “ammoandgrace” on any LBS product!
We make some version of a cheeseburger/Big Mac salad, bowl, or flatbread at least every week or two-it’s just so yummy and easy! Last newsletter I shared my shortcut supper for cheeseburger flatbreads, and I shared the recipe for cheeseburger bowls AKA a Big Mac Bake in this newsletter here.
Cheeseburger Biscuits
-canned biscuits (any kind-I’ve used regular, butter, Hawaiian)
-ground beef (you can also use chicken or turkey if you want to keep things lighter)
-shredded cheese (I like cheddar for a more classic cheeseburger taste but I use whatever I have in my fridge)
-toppings (we do lettuce, tomatoes, pickles or relish, and onions-I like to add them at the end so they don’t get warm and soggy, but that’s just my preference)
-sauce or dressing (I make a homemade Big Mac sauce or use Thousand Island dressing)
Brown your ground beef or meat and season with pot roast seasoning (or your seasoning of choice). Open your can of biscuits and split each biscuit in half, making two smaller pieces. Gently stretch each side, then fill one side with the cooked ground beef and shredded cheese. Add the other half of the biscuit on top, pinching the sides closed so the fillings don’t spill out. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden and cooked through. We usually serve these with air fryer fries and a can of green beans and call it a day! Easy peasy.
Last season fellow LEOWs Kristen and Michelle came out with another book in their Boots by the Door series called Boots by the Door Christmas. It’s about a law enforcement family who is hoping their officer gets off in time for Christmas-they have supper without him, put a plate in the fridge for when he gets off shift, and read a holiday story before bed all while missing him while he’s at work. It’s such a sweet and accurate depiction of how life often looks for us first responder families!
It’s hard to find police kiddo books, let alone ones that are holiday specific, and this fits the bill! You can find this sweet picture book here.
