2015 GFAF Expo Giveaway and Coupon Codes {@GFAFExpo}

If you have been following our story from the beginning, you know that the 2014 GFAF (Gluten Free & Allergen Friendly) Expo really helped us get the ball rolling on our daughter's modified diet. With that being said, I am thrilled to attend this year as part of their official blogger team and have the ability to share awesome discounts and even host a 5 ticket giveaway for my readers. (The contest is at the bottom of this post!)

St. Paddy's Day Rainbow Treats

If you are looking for a really simple St. Patrick's day treat for the kiddos... 

you have come to the right place!

Rainbow Treats are super easy to make and they always fly off the tray at our parties! This week we were having a St. Paddy's craft day at our Girl Scout meeting- and it was M's turn to provide snack. She immediately suggested making rainbow treats. The connection to the craft and the holiday was perfect... but the ease of preparation was even better!  

*Be sure to read on for the recipe and a picture of our resident taste tester!*

"Hi Mom! Thanks for having me."

I will admit it right now, my birthday is my favorite holiday. I have come to realize that I feel this way for two main reasons. The first reason is that it is the one holiday that I do not need to plan for or help out with. It is nice that I can get a few hours out of the year- when the attention is focused solely on me. It is okay to be selfish when you spend the other 364 days of the year helping out with everyone else's everything. You may be wondering why I am overlooking Mother's day. Simply put, I have a mom, a godmother, a mother in law and my kids' godmothers to call and get gifts for. My birthday can be all about me. 

Before you leave thinking that I am some spoiled brat, I want to explain that I am a fairly low-maintenance person. Wait a sec- let me fact check that statement with my hubby. Ok- I am back... his response was... *chuckle chuckle* Well, you aren't high maintenance- 'ya know? Because, you don't have to have the typical 'finer things in life' to be happy." See? I am not a spoiled brat- I was just raised to value sticky note love letters over diamonds.

2015: The year of runner-up resolutions...that will fail.

After a solid month of trying to figure out what New Year's resolution I was going to stick with, I have finally come to a decision. The resolution to end all resolutions. Before I let you in on my final choice, I want to talk about the other resolution contenders and why they are not going to cut it this year. This year, I refuse to fail.

FREE Kindle Download Through 1-16: James and the Big Battle

Happy Friday! 

I just stumbled across this great book and saw that it was a FREE DOWNLOAD on Amazon through Jan 16th!

The Best of 2014

In an ongoing effort to get motivated for a new year of sharing our journey, I looked back to 2014 for inspiration. With over 130 articles to choose from, it was a daunting task to choose the "best" ones. I decided that an increase in reader responses would be how I would pick the "best" posts for the year. 

Before I share our top posts, I would like to take a minute thank our readers! The outpouring of support from our loyal readers who have helped share our story, whether it be through Facebook or by word of mouth, made 2014 a very exciting year for The Puzzled Palate and our family.

Without further ado...

here are The Puzzled Palate's most popular posts of 2014!

5. Top 10 Parenting Perks that every parent lives for. Parenting isn't a walk in the park... but these are the moments that make it worth the struggle!

No one likes a creepy narc! #ElfOnAShelf #Christmas

I am not sure what is going on this year. I have heard more anti-Elf sentiment this year than in the past. I figure it is because the brand has branched out to include unnecessary accessories and such. Whatever the reason for the elf shaming, family Christmas traditions vary from family to family. There is no wrong way to celebrate with your kids. I will never try to convince someone to bring an elf into their home. Do it if you want. If it isn't your thing... don't do it. Such an easy concept, right? No need to be an elf hater! This post is about our "untraditional" elf guidelines.

DIY Upcycled Can Pansy Planter {Teacher Gifts}

This project could not have come at a better time! With the holidays in full swing, these fun little planters are a beautifully simple and inexpensive gift for teachers, bus drivers and neighbors. The total cost for making one will depend on what your craft stockpile looks like. I have a pretty extensive hoard of craft stuff... but most of the supplies that you need for this one are pretty basic.  We made nine total planters and it didn't cost me anything more than the cost of the pansies- $7.99! That is less than $1 a pop for a cute handmade gift that is way better than giving junk food or just another "world's best teacher" mug. 

I was inspired to share this project with my readers because of how great they turned out for the limited time and money invested. I was so excited that I even put together my very first video for you guys. I am even more excited to share M's take on the project at the end of the post!