Blog - Inside BruCrew Life

Faith Step

Each January for the past few years I have chosen a word that I feel God has put on my heart describing something I want to work on for the year in my personal and family life. This past year has been a roller coaster ride for our family, so I chose the two words Faith Step because it sums up everything we have gone through over the past 12 months.

A few years ago my husband, Jeremy, felt that God was calling him into full-time ministry as a worship pastor. We have been plugged in and going strong since then.

It has been neat to see how God has provided for us as we made that first faith step 3 years ago. It was scary as we took a 60% pay cut from a great job, but God answered back and gave me a fun job through blogging.

It has been an incredible journey...but God had another step He wanted us to take!!

Hebrews 11:1 "To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see."

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Mocha Hot Chocolate Sugar Cookie Bars

These fun Mocha Hot Chocolate Cookie Bars have a coffee, chocolate, and marshmallow twist to the classic sugar cookie bar. They are easy to make and frost, and even easier to eat.

So, remember I said that we were all about healthy eating and working out now that the new year had started? Oh, that's still going strong...it's the getting up and being happy about it that needs some work.

Yesterday morning was our first morning setting the alarms for 5:30 AM. That's a rude awakening after a few weeks of sleeping in. Let's just say that I wasn't a cheery, happy person for about an hour or so. Complaining and whining may have occurred out in the cold garage as we jump roped and rowed.

One thing my hubby and I have discovered in those early morning minutes is that we can't talk to each other until both of us have woken up and have made it past those grouchy minutes. Ok, so mostly that's just me. Yes, I'm a bear! Early mornings and I just do not like each other. [Read more...]

Top Ten BruCrew Recipes 2015

Happy almost New Year!!! Thank you so much for an amazing year. It is always so much fun to look back at my posts from the year and see what you the readers enjoyed the most. The following are the Top Ten BruCrew Recipes 2015. If you missed one, now is your chance to catch up.

Did your favorite recipe from this year make the list? I would love to hear what you enjoyed making the most this past year. Maybe it is something from a few years ago. Leave a comment and share your favorite(s).

Now let's see what had the most views...

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Banana Nutella Crescent Cups

Try these Banana Nutella Crescent Cups for an easy snack during the busy holidays.

The other day I stopped and thought about how fast this past year has gone by. Each year seems to go faster and faster too. We had people tell us when our children were younger that it would go by in the blink of an eye. When you are in the middle of toddlers, that concept seems foreign. Now that all of our kids are teenagers I understand what they were trying to tell us.

This month we were busy with going to parties, doing dinner with friends, and packing up our house for a major move. And then there were the kid's winter activities like going to winter choir programs, making party treats, and buying party presents. With all these activities going on, I tend to keep easy treats on hand for our kids to snack on during the day like these chicken and broccoli pizza rolls.

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Merry Christmas 2015

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone who has been part of the BruCrew family this year. We are so thankful for all of your support as we have shared dinners and desserts from our kitchen along with fun stories from our life.

We hope all of you are able to relax and enjoy time with your loved ones who are near and far. Hopefully you will also enjoy some delicious treats and goodies. Remember there are only a few more days until those new year diets kick in. So until then grab a cookie for each hand. [Read more...]

Apple Cranberry Coffee Cake

Fresh fruit, crumble, and a drizzle of glaze make this Apple Cranberry Coffee Cake an impressive coffee cake to share at breakfast.

*This post was sponsored by Crunch Pak apples. I am partnering with them as a blog ambassador creating delicious apple recipes.

Can you believe that we are down to one week until Christmas? Ok, that totally just freaked me out when I wrote that. I always think that I'm going to be on top of things when December gets here, but in reality I'm still scrambling to get things finished up.

Cards were ordered two weeks ago, but they are still sitting here waiting for addresses and stamps. There are presents to buy and wrap for our kids and family. Good thing I waited until a week before because it's not going to be crazy in the store now, right? What was I thinking?

Oh, and let's not forget about packing up anything and everything we have accumulated over the years. Moving over the holidays is not the best idea we have had, but it had to be that way, so we are rolling with it. That just means I had to make all my holiday desserts a month early this year. At least I'm ahead on one thing... [Read more...]

Chocolate Mint Truffle Snowball Cookies

These Chocolate Mint Truffle Snowball Cookies have a fun hidden candy center inside. Adding a chocolate coating and sprinkles will make them stand out on the holiday cookie trays.

Our winter has been very mild so far this year. We are talking 50-60 degrees mild. Totally strange for a midwest winter, that for sure.

Although, you will not hear me complaining at all. I'm not a winter/cold weather fan at all. The only day I am cool with snow is on Christmas day. There is something so relaxing about a white Christmas morning. After that it can melt and stay away until next year. Yes, I'm a snow grinch!

My husband was singing about dreaming of a white Christmas this morning on the way home from the gym. Nope, not me. The only snow I dream about is in the shape of a cookie. These Peppermint Snowball Cookies are on my holiday baking list every single year!

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Chocolate Peppermint Wafers

These no bake Chocolate Peppermint Wafers are an easy treat to make and share with friends at all your holiday parties.

Hi, my name is Jocelyn, and I cannot stop with the peppermint. Seriously, nothing is safe in our kitchen! I have been dipping and peppermint-ing all the things! My family is starting to look at me like I'm a crazy woman. Ok, that might be true...

Adding peppermint is just how I am celebrating the holidays this year. This month we are packing up to make a major move, so we are not decorating anything because everything is in boxes. It doesn't feel like much of a holiday month right now. Maybe a few more mugs of peppermint mocha hot chocolate will help!

My way of making our house feel holiday ready is to keep the peppermint goodness flowing out of the kitchen. I may have started in the middle of November and haven't stopped yet.

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Red Velvet Donuts

These Red Velvet Donuts with a sprinkle of candy canes are a fun and festive holiday breakfast treat. Go ahead and make them for Christmas morning.

As I was growing up, one of my sisters and I had a pact every year. If we knew what the other one was getting for Christmas, we would spill the beans to each other. Of course, we knew where our mom hid the presents, too, so we would sneak around and see what we could find in her closet and drawers.

I'm pretty sure if my mom had wrapped presents early, I would have slit the tape to look inside and then taped it back up. Yes, I'm a snoop. I think she knew the kids were not to be trusted, so she never wrapped our presents until the night before.

We have also done this "tradition" of wrapping gifts the night before with our kids. There is something magical about coming out to packages all around the tree on Christmas Day. Plus, I know my kids are just as sneaky as I was growing up, so there is no way I am putting packages out early for them to figure out.

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Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate

Sipping on a big mug of Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate is a delicious thing to drink in the winter. Chocolate, coffee, and peppermint swirl together and make you feel warm and toasty, no matter what it is doing outside.

One thing that I have been doing with my daughter since she was younger is a coffee date. We used to go for coffee and shopping more often, but she started expecting it, and all those coffees start to add up over time.

Now I randomly choose a night every few months, and she is surprised when we go for a cup of coffee and some quality shopping time together.

Shopping and coffee time is definitely the way to my daughter's heart. I'm so glad she enjoys the same things I do. It makes mother/daughter bonding so much easier for both of us. Just the other day she said she wanted to take me out for coffee. I can't wait for that date! Yay for her getting old enough to pay!

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