Penguin Poppers

Once again, I'm completely humbled by the love you guys show me whenever I open up my mouth and vomit all my failings over the screen. (Which seems to occur with some regularity doesn't it?)  Thank you everyone, for your "me too's!" your encouragements, and words of love and kindness in your comments on yesterday's post.  I don't believe God will ever use me for His purposes unless I continually come clean with my weaknesses, and y'all let me do it with out judgement.  I feel so blessed by every single one of you!

 Okay so now that I'm back on track kicking December's butt...I put a few things into practice (today) that I was failing at last week.  One of those things... bring the fun to family time this month.  (Cause let's face it, it can feel like absolute chaos and zero fun during the holidays right?)  I'm renting Mr. Poppers Penguins tomorrow night. (If you want some good review information and a way to prepare for quality discussion after, check out this site.)  Thanks to the magical inspiration of Pinterest, I stumbled upon this idea and knew it would be a perfect (and gluten free) nibble during movie time!

 It was incredibly easy, not to mention just about the cutest thing I've ever seen.  

 Here's what you'll need:  A can of large black olives, package of cream cheese, (mine was nearly room temp.) carrot chips or sliced carrots, toothpicks, and either a pastry bag or some kind of ziplock bag for piping the cream cheese into your olives.  (If I lost you at "piping" please don't panic.  You can do this.)  Fill your pastry bag or ziplock with cream cheese and snip a small hole (about the size of your olive opening) in it. 

Use the carrot chips or slices of carrot for the feet.  Cut a small wedge and set it aside- you'll be using this as the penguin beak.  Place those little wedges into the opening on each olive that looks like a + sign. 

 Slice an olive lengthwise, and gently squeeze some cream cheese into it.  Use a paper towel or clean finger tip to smooth the front of it so it's flush with the sides of the olive.

  Then use a toothpick to skewer the cream cheese olive to the carrot feet.

Now gently slide the head onto the toothpick and snip the top if it's too long.

Stand back and admire your handiwork.

 And then try and decide if anyone in your family actually likes olives.  Bwahahahaha!

Say, "Priceless pack of petite penguins," really fast, ten times. 

Happy Fun-making!