Supplies:

• 14 oz. Glue
• 1 Cup Hot Water
• Food Coloring
• Glitter
• 3 teaspoons Borax
• 2 Cups Hot Water

Directions:

• Put glue in a tub.
• Add in 1 cup of hot water.
• Add in your food coloring and glitter.
• Stir until smooth.

• In a separate container, dissolve 3 teaspoons of Borax in 2 cups of hot water.
• Slowly add the water into the glue mixture and stir together.
• It will goop together almost immediately.

• You may not need all the water, so pour slowly.
• Once it’s mostly gooped up, begin mixing with your hands. (This is the fun part!)

• We started with red and black food coloring, because that’s all I had, and it turned more into pink and purple, which was pretty perfect for Valentine’s Day.
• As you can see, the slime is a HUGE HIT.

My family loved making this slime recipe and I hope your family will too! Have fun getting messy!

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Ingredients:

• 4 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 12 ounces chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Red food coloring
• Whipped Cream Vodka
• Whipped topping or marshmallows, optional

Directions:

• Heat the milk and sugar on the stove until the sugar is dissolved and the milk is steaming.
  • You don’t want it to boil and scald, so once you get lots of little steamy bubbles around the edge of the pot, it’s hot enough!
• Take it off the heat and add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract.
• Whisk until melted.

• Add red food coloring to give it the red velvet look.

• For the adults, add a shot of vodka into your hot cocoa.
• For the children, top with whipped topping or marshmallows!

Notes:

• You know I always go for the special dark chocolate for my chocolate chips!

As always we ask that you please enjoy our recipes responsibly. Don’t ever drink and drive. Enjoy some delicious Red Velvet Hot Cocoa with your family this weekend!

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Whether you’re raising wild ones, chasing wild goals, or gearing up for wildly big days, Kodiak has your back with hearty, protein-packed breakfasts and snacks that keep up. Forget boring mornings, these are meals even the pickiest eaters will roar for.

From fluffy flapjacks to grab‑and‑go bars, Kodiak’s lineup is crafted with 100% whole grains, serious protein, and big flavor. So you never have to choose between taste and nutrition.

Oh, and did we mention? You can enter for a chance to win a Commissary Gift Card while you stock up! Keep reading for the details.

Flapjack & Waffle Mix
Dig into the breakfast you grew up on—but better. Kodiak Flapjack & Waffle Mix makes a hearty stack that’s anything but ordinary. With protein, whole grains, and flavors you’ll crave, it’s an easy win for busy mornings. Just add water, or get creative for even more protein and flavor.

Power Waffles
Frozen, ready, and ridiculously good. Kodiak Power Waffles deliver warm, crispy, protein‑packed goodness straight from your toaster. Perfect for mornings when you need fuel fast without sacrificing flavor.

Snack Bars
When hunger hits mid‑day, Kodiak Chewy Snack Bars roar back with whole grains, protein, and a whole lotta flavor. They’re the ultimate grab‑and‑go sidekick—whether you’re headed to work, practice, or a weekend adventure.

Oatmeal
Start your day strong with a warm bowl of Kodiak Oatmeal. Packed with whole grains and protein, it’s hearty, satisfying, and built to keep you full through whatever your day throws at you.

Enter to Win!
Right now, you can enter for a chance to win a Commissary Gift Card when you shop Kodiak favorites at your local Commissary. Fuel your mornings, fuel your wild, and maybe score some extra spending money while you’re at it.

Don’t wait—stock up, enter, and get ready to take on the day, Kodiak‑style.

We get so busy sometimes that I just forget! I either forget to make a plan for dinner completely, or I don’t remember to take anything out of the freezer! So, in an effort to change that, I’m gathering new crockpot recipes and taste testing each one before the school starts next month in an effort to gather a nice collection of recipes to use throughout the entire school year!

We all know a crockpot is a busy mother’s best friend. I’m talking BFF for life! Once the kids are gone for the day, it only takes a few minutes to throw everything together in the crockpot and forget about it! Dinner will be mostly ready when you walk in the door with starving kids!

Ingredients:

• 1 Envelope of French Onion Soup Mix
• 1 Can Beef Broth (or 1.5 cups if made with water and bouillon)
• 2 tsp Minced Garlic
• 1 tsp Worchetershire Sauce
• 2-3 lbs Brisket, rimmed
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Hoagie Rolls
• Butter
• Garlic Salt
• Provolone Cheese

Directions:

• Mix the first four ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
• Sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large pan, with a tiny drizzle of olive oil.
• Once hot, sear the roast on both all sides until browned.
• Place the browned roast into the crockpot (fatty side up).
• Pour the bowl of mixed ingredients over the top.
• Cook on low for 8 hours 
• When ready to serve, place the roast on a plate and let rest for 10 mins.

• While the meat is resting, you get your Hoagie rolls prepared.
• Spread open and slather them with butter and a sprinkling of garlic salt.
• Toast under the broiler until lightly browned.
• Use two forks to shred the meat and place on the toasted rolls.
• Top with provolone cheese and return to oven until the cheese melts.
• Serve with a small bowl of the au jus for dipping.

Notes:

• I did mine low and slow, but you can easily do it on high for 4-6 hours!
• You could use mozzarella cheese instead of provolone.
• Did you know that au jus is French for “with the juice”? Random fun fact for you!
• Add a side salad and you have a complete meal with under 30 minutes of work including the prep in the morning and making of the bread!

It was amazingly tender and everyone approved so this one is definitely going into the crockpot rotation!

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Ingredients:

• Chicken
• Baby Potatoes
• Spice Mix
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Garlic
  • Onion Powder
  • Salt
  • Pepper
• Olive Oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Make a spice mix from the smoked paprika, garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper.
• Rub the chicken with olive oil and the spice mix.
• Put the potatoes on a pan and drizzle with olive oil.
• Place the chicken on the pan.
• Bake for an hour or until the internal temp of the thickest part of the breasts are at least 165 degrees.
• Remove from oven and let items rest for 10 minutes.
• Serve & Enjoy!

Notes:

• I love a good one pan meal and this is no exception.
• You can use whatever spices you want to create your spice mix.

Now that we have everything plated up, I let the boys in on a little secret…we are going to eat with our hands! They totally flipped and I may have just become the coolest mom ever!! As a reminder…make sure you have LOTS of napkins ready to go! You are going to need them!

Next up, I made a delicious spiced wine for the adults. This is super easy to make and a tasty adult beverage to SPICE the fun fare up a bit!

Ingredients:

• Red Wine
• 2 Cups Pomegranate Juice
• Orange Zest
• Sliced Oranges
• Knob of Ginger
• Cinnamon Stick
• 1/4 – 1/2 Cup Sugar (optional to taste)

Directions:

• In a large stockpot, combine all ingredients.
• Simmer the spiced wine for 30+ mins.
• Pour into your favorite wine glass.
• Enjoy!

Notes:

• You can let this simmer all day as it smells amazing!!!
• I LOVE my Rachel Ray stockpot and I know you will too!

We had a blast eating dinner with our hands and laughing our heads off while going through a TON of napkins. Maybe next time we’ll add some good old fashioned jousting after dinner. So, to all me Lords and me Ladies, we hope you will all enjoy this savory fare with your family and friends!

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Let’s be honest, school mornings? Pure chaos. But this year, we are taking the edge off by prepping for School Year’s Eve ahead of time.

Skip the stress and stock up on what your kids will actually eat, like Lunchables Turkey & American (the one that never gets traded), Capri Sun Pacific Cooler in new easy-open bottles, and JELL-O Swirl pudding cups for that sweet lunchbox bonus.

After school? It’s microwave Kraft Mac & Cheese Cups, some kitchen dance moves, and a well-deserved moment to exhale.

By the end of the day, it’s all about backyard laughs and Kool-Aid Jammers with the crew.

Because real life isn’t perfect, but if the kids eat, and everyone laughs? That’s a win.

Grab all your back-to-school go-tos at your local Commissary.

Magical Meat Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage
• 1 T Minced Garlic
• 3 Cups Frozen Cubed Potatoes
• 2 T All Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 Cups Broth
• Salt & Pepper (to taste)
• Pre-made Pie Crust

Directions:

• In a large pan, brown sausage.
• Add garlic, potatoes, flour, broth, salt, & pepper.
• Let it simmer & thicken.
• Pour mix into pie crust.
• Cut a lightning bolt out of the top crust & place on top of your pie.
• Bake for 30-45 mins or until crust is golden brown.
• Let cool for 5 mins.
• Serve & Enjoy!

Notes:

• You can use any ground meat!
• If you are in the market for a great frying pan, make sure to snag my favorite one from Rachel Ray!
• You can always make a homemade crust!

This meat pie is so warm and filling that I know your family will eat it faster than you can say, “Evanesco!”

Butterbeer Fudge

Ingredients:

• 3/4 Cup Butter
• 1/2 Cup Half & Half
• 7 oz. Marshmallow Cream
• 2 Cups Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Butter Extract
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Rum Extract
• 11 oz. Butterscotch Chips

Directions:

• Spray 9X9 pan with cooking spray.
• Line pan with parchment paper.
• Spray parchment paper with cooking spray.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter.
• Add half & half, marshmallow cream, sugar, and brown sugar.
• Mix well.
• Bring to a boil for 5 mins.
• Remove from heat.
• Add butter extract, rum extract, and butterscotch chips.
• Stir until chips are melted.
• Pour into greased/lined pan.
• Chill in fridge for 3+ hours.

Notes:

• I find my Rachel Ray pots & pans to be absolutely MAGICAL when I bake with them and I know you will love them too!

This Butterbeer Fudge is very rich, very sweet, and oh so decadent. I know you are going to spellbound by how delicious it is!

Butterbeer

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons of Butterscotch Syrup
• 1 Teaspoon Rum Extract
• 12 oz. Cream Soda
• Whipped Cream
• Additional Butterscotch Syrup for topping (optional)

Directions:

• Mix the syrup and extract in a small bowl.
• Fill your glass with cream soda.
• Add syrup & extract mixture into your glass and stir until combined.
• Put whipped cream on top.
• Add a few lines back and forth of syrup on the top for a tasty decoration. (optional)
• Serve & Enjoy!

Notes:

• Use caramel syrup instead of butterscotch for a slightly different flavor.
• Experiment to make it to your flavor preference.
• You could use marshmallow cream instead of whipped cream.
• Add spiced rum into the drink to make it into an adult beverage. Please drink responsibly.

This drink was a perfect addition to our magical dinner! So, gather your friends and families, even the muggles too, and stay magical!

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My biggest fear, but biggest excitement, came to light when we received orders to Fort Wainwright. To give some perspective on how much we have to travel, we are looking at about 4800 miles, give or take. We are super excited at the chance to explore some of the United States! However, I am super nervous at the enormous to do list that has come my way. That list goes on and on…from how we will get there, keeping my three kids under the age of 10 occupied in the car, and all of the paperwork needed.

My biggest concerns are our newly purchased house and our family dog. We have a Great Dane and as you probably know, they are not a small dog. She is a part of my family and to even have to put her on the table of what to do is heartbreaking. First thing we hashed out is that we will ship one car and drive the other. With driving 4800 miles, we have to go according to what the Army allows. After doing some research, as I cannot attend a levy brief until I have a hold of printed orders, the Army says we are allotted 350 miles a day. This puts us at roughly 14 days of driving.

 I have a Subaru Forester. I love my car! It’s AWD and has plenty of room for my kids. Unfortunately, with luggage, gas cans, and anything else needed for the trip and the temporary stay until we get our new housing in Alaska, there is little to no room for our 100+ lb. tall dog. Another thing in the back of my mind is the extreme cold of the winter. It would be much different if we had a husky, or a shepherd, or any other dog with a layer of fur, but our Dane has a thin layer and she gets cold very easily. As much as we didn’t want to admit it, between travel and location, it is not a good idea for her to come with us. We tried to rationalize and figure it out so that she could come, but it became more of negotiating her health and comfort. We do not want to find her a permanent home because she is a part of our family, so we looked into the next option…a foster home. Luckily, we know of a loving family who has offered to foster her for the three years we will be away. We will cover food, toys, and any vet bills. She gets to be spoiled and not subjected to drastic weather changes. The BEST part is that we get to come back home to her when we return.

Every PCS is different, and I’m sure things would be different if it was to a different post, but moving from NC to AK, this was the best solution, so that Luna could still be in our lives and remain a part of our family. We can’t wait to see her again in a few years!

For those of you who have had to make some tough choices when it comes to your pets, we get it! We want them with us no matter what, but we have to keep everything in perspective and do what is best for everyone involved. While it isn’t easy, it was well worth it for our girl!

Are you interested in more information about PCSing with your furry friends? Make sure to check out PCS with Pets for a lot of great information, sweepstakes, and so much more!

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Following the end of the Civil War, Declaration Day was celebrated. It was set for a day where there had not been a major battle, so as not to distinguish one side over the other, but to bring together the North and the South, and honor all the men who had died fighting for their country. On the first Declaration Day, General James Garfield gave a speech at Arlington  National Cemetery honoring the 20,000 men that were buried there, both Northern and Southern soldiers. It was a time to draw the country back together and honor the sacrifices that both sides had made, including the ultimate sacrifice.

With the outbreak of World War I, it was decided that instead of just honoring those who died in the Civil War, it would be expanded to include those who were giving their own sacrifice in the consecutive wars that America would face. Memorial Day was firmly established in 1971, with 1968 seeing Congress pass the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, but it was not until 1971 that it became the last Monday in May as a National Holiday.

Today, we salute the men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation. We honor their memory and their unselfish patriotism which, through the years have defended our Constitution and National ideals. To each family who has given a loved one for the defense of our Nation, we say Thank You! Words can never fully describe the thankfulness and gratitude that we feel, and the sadness that we carry as we mourn and celebrate those who have given their all for our country.

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Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Coconut Rum
• Splash of Pineapple Rum
• 2 oz. Lemon-Lime Soda
• 1 oz. Blue Curacao

Directions:

• Fill your glass with ice.
• Add 1 oz. Coconut Rum
• Add a splash with a splash of Pineapple Rum.

• Top it off with 2 ounces of lemon lime soda.
• Add 1 ounce of Blue Curacao.
• Stir.

• Add a fresh fruit garnish if you’re feeling fancy and pretend it’s a warm beautiful day on the beach.

Notes:

• This cocktail is also great with white rum or vodka and lime or citrus rums or vodkas.
• For the non-alcoholic version, I used a Blue Curacao syrup! Top your lemon lime soda with the syrup. You can even add a 1/2-1 teaspoon of coconut extract for a yummy tropical flavor!

This is such a tasty and festive drink for the summer. It helps you escape to the beach, even if one isn’t anywhere close to where you are! So, hold your glass high and say, “Cheers for an Ocean Breeze!” Enjoy this concoction, but, as always…please drink responsibly!

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