Happy Birthday!

Today my Dear Husband turns 30!  I am so proud of the man that he is and all that he has accomplished.  Birthdays are a great time to look back, and I just wanted to share a few photos...

Happy Birthday!!

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Winner Announced!

Congratulations to Julie K G. who won the BeadforLife Madaala Necklace!  Number 166 was randomly draw by Random.org via Rafflecopter.  Julie correctly answered the skill testing question and responded to my email within 48 hours. 

Julie, I hope that you will enjoy your new necklace and share its story with others!  Congratulations!

Photo Courtesy of BeadforLife Store.

Make sure to enter to win a new iPad on the blog today until July 15th!

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The New iPad Giveaway!

Mom to Bed by 8, the Iowa-Mom is proud to present the The New iPad Giveaway Event, sponsored by BeeSavy.

Special thank you to our co-hosts VoiceBoks, Pardon My Poppet, What's Up? - Contests, Freebies and Everything Nice and To Sew With Love.

BeeSavy is the first website to combine comparison shopping with coupons, cash back discounts and referral cash back.

Compare prices on millions of products from hundreds of trusted online stores.

No matter where you shop or what you're buying, you'll save $:

I know what I want... but where should I buy it? Search for any product in BeeSavy's search engine. BeeSavy show you all the stores selling that product along with the total price at each of those stores. The total price includes the list price, tax and shipping costs, cash back discount, and coupon savings.
I already know where I'm shopping... how do I save $? Even for you brand-loyal shoppers, you can save money every time you shop at your favorite stores. Click the Shop By Store button in the top right to get started. First, check for coupons at your favorite store. Next, click through to your favorite store and make a purchase. When you shop online through BeeSavy, you will earn a cash back discount. Your cash back discount will post to your BeeSavy account within 1-4 days. BeeSavy will send you a check or deposit your cash back into your PayPal account once your balance reaches $10.
I don't know what I want... Now what? You can browse popular products by clicking the Shop by Category button in the top left. You will see the most popular products in hundreds of different categories.

Other BeeSavy benefits for online shoppers:

Trusted retailers only! Unlike other comparison shopping websites, BeeSavy carefully chooses each and every one of its stores to ensure a safe and secure shopping experience. If you ever have a bad experience with a BeeSavy store, please let them know right away.
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BeeSavy benefits for online retailers:

It's a win-win-win. With most forms of marketing, online retailers must pay upfront with no guarantee of results; however, with cost-per-sale marketing, online retailers only pay BeeSavy when it generates a sale. Online retailers choose a commission rate that fits within their profit margin, thereby ensuring a positive return on their marketing dollars. By giving most of this commission to the purchasing customer as a cash back rebate, BeeSavy utilizes this online retailer marketing method to save its customers money that traditional comparison shopping websites cannot match (due to their cost-per-click revenue model).

 

One lucky winner will receive an iPad 3rd Generation, 16GB Unit from BeeSavy!

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Flat Stanley in Maui!

I was introduced to Flat Stanley back when I started teaching grade one.  I loved the story of the little boy who became flat when a bulletin board landed on him.  Being flat, he could fit in an envelope and travel the world.  Classes, usually around grade two, read the book and then do numerous activities.  My favourite is when they colour Stanley and send him to some family or friends that live in a different part of the country or world.  The person who receives Stanley is then responsible to show him around and take some photos of him on his adventures.  They then return him to the student along with a short write up about their adventures together.

I have seen some teachers make wonderful bulletin boards with a map in the middle, and then photos and letters of Stanley's adventures all around the outside.  It looks awesome when they place a string between the photos and the location of the map, so you know where in the world Stanly has visited!

I received my own Flat Stanley from a coworker over five years ago and I still take him with me.  Last summer, we took him to Maui with us, and I wanted to share a few of his adventures with you.  We went snorkeling at Black Rock, hiking at IAO Valley, and suntanned at Big Beach.  Pretty good vacation, don't you think?

Have you ever heard of Flat Stanley?  I would love to know if you have ever shown Stanley around, or where you would take him if he came to visit.

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#SummerSolstice Giveaway Hop 2012

Welcome to the 2012 Summer Solstice Giveaway Hop hosted by MamaNYC!  Nearly 100 bloggers have teamed up to bring you some amazing prizes to start your summer!  This is the first giveaway I have ever hosted on my blog and I am very excited to be a part of it and to share a non-profit organization with you that I am very passionate about!

This event will run from June 18-24, 2012 and hopefully you will discover (and win) some amazing prizes for you to enjoy this summer!  Each giveaway features a prize value minimum of $25.00 and there is plenty of time to hop down the entire list.

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For my first ever giveaway, I would love to introduce to you the wonderful non-profit organization BeadforLife, and give you a chance to win a beautiful Madaala Necklace.

BeadforLife helps impoverished women in Uganda to better themselves by opening up amazing opportunities for them.  For more information, please check out my review and watch this amazing video.  One person can make a difference, and by hosting a BeadParty that person can be you!  I encourage you all to host a BeadParty, at no cost to yourself, and share these amazing products with your family, friends and community.  You will feel empowered knowing that you are helping others to live a better life!

My Giveaway consists of a Madaala Necklace in colour of winner's choice (ARV $25) and is open to US/Canada (excluding Quebec), 18+.  Please check out my giveaway rules above for more information.

Enter via the Rafflecopter below.  First time entering using Rafflecopter?  Check out this quick tutorial.  Sometimes you will need to refresh your page if it is not working properly.  Feel free to use the following links if they are not working in Rafflecopter.  Like BeadforLife on Facebook.  Follow @BeadforLife on Twitter. 

Madaala Necklace

Photo Courtesy of BeadforLife Store.
Click on photo for more information
and to see colours!

Enter Here!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Level 5 Disclosure

Now that you have entered my giveaway, make sure to stop by MammaNYC to enter to win one of three amazing Grand Prizes including $150 PayPal Cash (WW), a Sterling Silver Father's Day Photo Dog Tag (ARV $130, US/CAN), and 1000 Places To See Before You Die book, (ARV $20 each, 3 winners, US/CAN).  Make sure to tell them that Spinkled With Love by Deb sent you!  Once you have entered there, make sure to hop along on the linky below for your chance to win more great prizes and to discover some amazing blogs!

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Make sure to hop along to the rest of the wonderful blogs that are a part of #SummerSolstice 2012! 

Good Luck!

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Day 8: Beach Time!

Day 8 was all about the beaches of South Maui.  We lucked out and were given some boogie boards from a family that was checking out of our condo.  Next we headed to Kihei where we stopped at Boss Frogs to pick up a paddle board and some snorkel gear.

Our first stop was Makena Landing Beach Park.  We were told this was a hot snorkeling spot, so my husband and I tried it out.  There is a little grass area and a public bathroom, but not much of a beach.  We were also disappointed with the snorkeling in comparison to the other places that we had already been.  It was a beautiful spot though.

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Day 7: IAO Valley

Day 7 of our Maui adventure included a trip to the Iao Valley State Park located in Central Maui, just west of Wailuku.  This 4000-acre park is home to the Iao Needle, one of Maui's most recognizable landmarks.  Not only is it beautiful, Iao Valley is considered sacred due to its historical significance.  In 1790, King Kamehameh I fought in the Battle of Kepaniwai, defeating Maui's army in order to unite the islands, and ultimately changed Hawaiian history.

The 1,200-foot Iao Needle

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BeadforLife Review and Upcoming Giveaway

I am so excited to share BeadforLife with you.  I received my first piece of BeadforLife jewelry in 2010 and was intrigued not only by its beauty, but with the little card that was included that shared their story.

"BeadforLife creates sustainable opportunitites for women to lift their families out of extreme poverty by connecting people worldwide in a circle of exchange that enriches everyone."-Mission Statement

BeadforLife currently works with Ugandans to sell beaded jewelry.  Each piece of jewelry is made from colourful, reycled paper that is rolled into beautiful beads.  The beads are laquered and then strung together to create bracelets, earrings, and necklaces.  BeadforLife purchases the jewelery from Beaders at Fair Trade prices and then sells the pieces via their online store and through BeadParties.  They have helped to reach a new market for the jewelry that the Beaders could not have done on their own.

Look at the amazing colours!

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Day 6: D.T Fleming Beach

One activity that I love to do while traveling, is writing a journal about what we did each day.  It is a great way to remember the small things that helped to make the trip so wonderful.  I am also a big scrapbooker, and I find that it helps me to organize and journal about our trip as well. 

It is days like today that I am so happy that I keep a travel journal.  I have been searching through all of my Maui photos, and still can't remember all that we did on Day 6.  I know we spent most of the day at D.T Fleming Beach, boogie boarding and laying on the beach.  From there I draw a blank.  I cannot find any photos either.  My photobook is sitting at about 80% complete too.  It is so frustrating.

I am saved by the fact that when I get back to Alberta, I know I can find my journal to help fill in the blanks.  I am also hoping that the other couple we went with might have some photos too.  Until then, I encourage all of you to write a journal when traveling.  I also know, that I will continue this tradition for all of my future trips!

Please stay tuned for my post on BeadforLife later today!




Do you keep a journal when you travel?

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Day 5: Molonkini and Lana'i Snorkeling Adventure

My first snorkeling experience was ten years ago while visiting Grand Cayman Island.  The moment that I broke the water surface and saw the amazing underwater world, I was hooked.  I was in awe of the multi coloured fish and coral.  I was truely an experience that I will remember for a lifetime!

We booked a snorkeling adventure with the Pacific Whale Foundation, that included a full day on the water with a stop at Molokini and off the coast of Lana'i.  We chose PWF because all of the profits go towards supporting their work to protect the oceans.  Our tour included numerous free options including learn-to-snorkel class, a fish ID class, a Jr. Naturalist program and a free guided reef tour.  They even provided snorkelers with reef-safe sunscreen.

For an extra fee, you can rent an underwater digital camera, which I highly recommend.  We captured some amazing photos and video footage!  We also rented wet suit shirts which added some extra protection from the sun, and the water which felt quite chilly to start with. The snorkel gear included was top class, and included optical masks for anyone who wears glasses.  I tried these out and they worked great, but they have limited numbers, so ask about them early.

We met at the Pacific Whale Foundation Ocean Store at The Harbor Shops at Ma’alaea.  After an orientation, we boarded the boat and enjoyed a tropical-style continental breakfast including delisious, local grown fruit.  Our first stop was Molokini, a world-famous crater with crystal clear waters, and home to more than 250 species of fish.  The views were absolutely amazing!  Try to be one of the first people off of the boat because the time goes by so quickly.  I felt really safe on this tour. The Pacific Whale Foundation had members kayaking in the water, and had noodles available for anyone that wanted a little extra help floating.

From here, we crossed the channel to snorkel off of the beautiful coast of Lana’i, enjoying a delicious BBQ lunch along the way.  Several of the PWF workers also shared a wealth of knowledge about the variety of fish species in the area.  Once at Lana'i, we had the option of jumping into the water or 'sliding' off of the boat.  The reefs in this area did not disappoint.  We saw many more fish and were lucky to sight wild dolphins as well. 

On the boat ride back, they swam next to us for a while putting on quite the show!

The ride back was pretty rough, so we stayed put while the workers served everyone with refreshments.  We enjoyed the time to talk with the other tourists while enjoying the amazing views.  Overall, we had an amazing experience.  The only thing I did not like was that I ended up getting some "sea legs" later that night!  I went to be early and felt great by the morning. 

Stay tuned tomorrow when I look back at Day 6 including boogie boarding at D.T Flemming Park.

Have you ever been snorkeling or SCUBA Diving?  If so, where?  I would love to try SCUBA Diving sometime but I am a little chicken!



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Maui Day 4: The Road to Hana

I had been looking forward to our trip along the road to Hāna since I started planning our trip.  The road is extremely narrow and is comprised of 620 curves and 59 bridges, most of which are only one lane wide.  Along the way, there are amazing panoramic views of Maui’s east coast, along with miles of lush tropical rainforest that are dotted with waterfalls.

Along the way, you will find an amazing variety of flora.  The colours are amazing, and so unique!

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Day 3: Kaanapali

After the early morning on day two, we all wanted to sleep in on day three.  We packed ourselves a picnic lunch and headed north about twenty minutes to Kaanapali.  This area has a great beach and has lots of resorts.  I was so excited to get to spend the day on the beach and in the water.

We decided to go parasailing with West Maui Parasail.  We chose to do the 1200 ft Tandem Ride which cost $160.  I try not to worry about how much things cost when I am travelling as these are one in a lifetime opportunities.  We located West Maui Parasail on the beach under their umbrella, and were then taken out to the main boat on a smaller one.  We were travelling with another couple, and it was only the four of us on the boat, which was great.  One of the workers used to live in Canada so it was great getting to talk with him.

I was expecting parasailing to be scary, but the anticipation was the worst part.  You have got to love my facial expressions when we first left the boat, but I promise it was not that bad.  Next time I will have a smile on my face, since I will know what to expect.

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Day 2: Haleakala National Park and more

We got up bright and early on our second day, to make the drive up to the Summit at Haleakala National Park to watch the sunrise.  The road is very windy, and the drive is in the dark.  I did get a bit of a headache, so next time I would take something for motion sickness.  When we got to the top, there were lots of other vacationers already there.  Make sure not to arrive too late, in order to get a nice spot to watch the sunrise from.  Remember that you are 10, 000 feet up, and the temperature is chilly so bundle up!  Allow yourself some time to stop by the Visitor Center to learn more about the area.

Check out some of the amazing views from the top! 

After the sunrise, we took a hike into the crator on the Sliding Sands trail.  For every twenty minutes down, it takes forty minutes to get back up.  Yikes, right?  We decided an hour hike was probably enough for us since it was so early in the morning.  The views were awesome and while we wanted to keep going, we knew it would be a hard hike back up to where we started.  Overall, we hiked for approximately one hour.  There are lots of other trails throughout the park, so if you have more time, make sure to check them out.

When we made it back from our hike, we decided to go a little further up to the actual summit at Puu Ulaula Overlook, which is over 10,000 ft above sea level.  From here you can see the Haleakala Observatory, and Silversword plants.

From Haleakala National Park, we continued on and stopped at Tedeschi Vineyard where we enjoyed tasting some delicious pineapple wine and a visit to the General Store right down the street. 

From here we stopped at the Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm.  We enjoyed a walk around the property and then enjoyed the picnic lunch that we had packed.  It was beautiful.

We had an amazing time, but headed back to Lahaina to get settled into our condo and enjoy some down time.  Stay tuned for Day 3 including our parasailing adventures!

Where was the most beautiful sunrise that you have ever experienced?

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Looking back at Maui One Year Later: Our Condo

It has been one year since my husband and I visited the amazing island of Maui.  It was an incredible trip that we will both remember for the rest of our lives.  Over the coming week I am going to share some of the favourite places we visited, tours we took, and restaurants where we ate. 

One of the Amazing views found on Maui

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Blogging: Newbie Style

I started my blog in 2009, as a way to keep occupied and share some of my cake decorationing with family and friends.  I then started sharing recipes that I love, along with other life and travel experiences. While I have been blogging for about two and a half years, I still feel like a newbie, as there is so much out there to learn.

These photos were on my very first post.

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Banana Bread or Muffins

There is something special about coming across a recipe that was written out by a loved one.  I love seeing my Granny's writing, years after she passed away.  Making a dish from one of her recipes brings back so many great memories.  Sadly, with todays technology, the tradition of passing down hand written recipes is getting lost.  I encourage you all to take the time to hand write some of your favourite recipes and pass them on to a loved one.

Today I am going to share a recipe with you that was handed down to me by my Mom.  Her banana bread is always a hit with our family, and even when she does a double batch, they do not last for long!  I was so happy when I received this recipe, knowing that I would have a special piece of home no matter how far away I was.  I am happy to be able to share it with all of you today, and my husband was thrilled to get to eat them!

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Thirty!

Wow, today is my 30th birthday!  Where have all the years went? 

I have heard so many people talk about how hard it was to turn thirty, but to tell you the truth, I don't feel that much different.  I am at a good place in my life and have had the opportunity to experience so many wonderful things, and I am sure that there are  many great experiences still to come, so I am happy to be moving forward.

Here is a quick celebration of my thirty years!

Farm Living

Playing in the Mud!



Growing Up!



Marrying my Best Friend

 Here is to many more wonderful years to come.  I can't wait to see what God has in store for me and feel truely blessed for the many memories and experiences that I have had so far!

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New IPAD Giveaway Event Sign Up

Mom to Bed by 8, the Iowa-Mom is proud to present the The New iPad Giveaway Event, sponsored by BeeSavy. Event dates: July 1 to July 15.

Details: This is a free blogger event, open worldwide and blog accepting sign ups now. Join The New iPad Giveaway event with special co-host voiceBoks today!

•If you do not wish to post the announcement, send the $5 via paypal to goodnightmommyboutique@gmail.com with your email address and BeeSavy Event in subject line or notes portion of the form.

•Once you have posted your announcement or sent the paypal payment, fill out this form.

•You will receive an email from me with 7 days, confirming your participation. If you do not, please email me at teri@momtobedby8.com and I will check into it for you.

•Then around June 28th you will receive another email from me with the html code for publishing the giveaway. Note it is required that you publish the giveaway html in full to be included in this event. I will verify links on July 1st around 8am central and if you have not done so, your link on the rafflecopter will be removed. This keeps this event fair for all who joins.

Referral prize: The top referrer will receive $50 paypal or Amazon credit for your effort. Then the top 2 runners-up will receive $10 paypal or Amazon credit Just make sure to add-on your announcement that they should add your blog name or url in the referred by section on the sign up form. This bonus will be paid the on June 2nd after your referral links have been verified.

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Moving Tips

Twice a year I have to pack up and move.  While it is a lot of work, it forces me to do a good clean twice a year and I always feel like I am getting a fresh start.  I started packing over a month ago since we will be moving home as soon as the hockey season is over.  It has been a very exciting year, and the Norfolk Admirals have reached the finals of the Calder Cup.  The last possible day for this series is June 15th, so I know that the move is coming up quickly.

Most of our items are already boxed up and labeled.  Some of our items are going home with us for the summer, while others will stay in storage until next season.  Since we do not know where we will be, we have decided to rent a UHaul Box this year.  Last year we used PODS and it worked great, but we found it was a little expensive to get it delivered, so we are hoping that UHaul will provide us with a good, yet cheaper alternative.  I will write a post at the beginning of next season to let you know about our experience with UHaul.

Each move, I always forget to do something.  I know a lot of other wonderful hockey women that go through these same experiences each season, so I thought I would share some of the secrets that I have learned along the way. 

1. Give your 30, or 60 day notice on your apartment.  Make sure that you get any promises in writing if they say that you can give less notice than is usually required. Get the move out list if your apartment provides one, so you know what is expected when you move out.  Again, if they tell you that you are not required to do something, like getting your carpets professionally cleaned, get this in writing.
2. Call to have your tv/internet, electricity, etc. cancelled for your move out date.
3. Book your moving company, whether you are hiring a company to do all the work, or renting a UHaul truck.  I have heard that only certain UHaul trucks are allowed to cross international borders, so make sure to book one early if you are planning to do so.
4. If you are driving a vehicle across the border that is not in your name, make sure that you have a signed letter from the owner giving you permission to do so.
5. If you are importing a vehicle across the border, make sure that all of your paperwork is faxed to the border at least 72 hours prior to when you will be crossing the border.
6. Change your mail address.  If you are crossing the border, change your address to the rink, and they will send it on to you.  The first time I lived in the US, we changed our address to Canada, but nothing had enough postage to get there so we did not receive it, which caused us lots of problems the following year.  Since then we have given the rink address and had no problems.
7. Change your address with your bank.
8. Get lots of packing supplies, and start packing early.  Go through your items and clothes and pack up anything that you will not need in the coming month.  It will be much less stressful if you start doing small things like this early on.  Make sure to securely fasten all of your containers and label them to make unpacking easier.
9. Start using up the groceries that you have on hand.  Plan your meals for a week before shopping, so that you only buy what you need.  There is nothing I hate worse than having to throw out a bunch of half eaten food or condiments at the end of the season.
10. Start your cleaning early too.  Give your oven, microwave, bath tub and so on a good clean a few weeks before your move out date, so that it only requires a quick touch up before you move.

Those are my top ten moving hints.  I would love to hear your moving ideas, so please leave a comment if you have a great tip that I can add to my list and share with others.  Stay tuned for some of my cleaning tips!

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Norfolk, Virginia

This season, we have been living in Norfolk, Virginia.  I am so sad that we will soon be saying goodbye to what has been our home for the last eight months. We have met so many wonderful people and had so may great experiences.  We have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of our time in Virginia and hope to be able to visit again soon.  Even during the winter months, there is so much to see and do in this area.  I highly recommend it to everyone!

The Scope, where the Norfolk Admirals hockey team plays, is located close to the downtown.  A new apartment complex had just been completed right next door called the Monticello Station Apartments, so a lot of the team decided to stay there.  It has treated us very well, and would recommend it to others.  They have a nice gym, and an outdoor pool, which I am sure would be great on a hot day.  They also have bbq's and an outdoor fireplace that we have enjoyed many nights.  There are lots of great restaurants and clubs close by, as well as the McArthur Center full of great stores and a movie theatre. 

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Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

We eat a lot of meat in our family, and I will be the first to admit that sometimes I cook the same meals over and over.  This year I am making an effort to try new recipes, and so far my husband has enjoyed my choices.
Normally when I make pork chops, I fry them up and then throw them in a casserole dish with some mushroom soup.  While we always enjoy this, I was so excited when I found this recipe for Sweet and Sour Pork Chops.  It is super easy too!

Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients:

8 boneless pork loin chops, cut 1/4 inch thick

Montreal Steak Spice, for seasoning

3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

1. Fry the pork chops until thoroughly cooked.  Season with Montreal Steak Spice or another seasoning of your choice.

2. In a bowl, combine the remaining three ingredients and stir together.

3. Pour over the pork chops and simmer on low for 5-8 minutes.

We served it on rice with esparagus.
 Mmmm!

 I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

I would love to know, what is your favourite Pork Chop Recipe?

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Turtle Ice Cream Pie

What tastes better on a hot summer's day then ice cream?  I love the chocolate candy Turtles, so when I recently came across a recipe for Turtle Ice Cream Pie, I knew that I had to try it. 
I will start by saying that this dessert was a lot of work and very time consuming, so do not plan on making it last minute.  Give yourself at least two days, as it needs a lot of time to freeze in between steps.  Trust me that the end result will be worth it and your taste buds will be throwing a party in your mouth.  It is amazing!

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