Monday, September 12, 2011

Check this out!


Eighteen25 is having a Spooktacular September on their blog.  Each day, a different blogger is doing a guest post with a Halloween idea.  It lasts the WHOLE month of September and it's really fun to follow along and see people's creative Halloween ideas...  Here are a few of my favorites so far:







 Also, on Brown Paper Packages, there is a similar daily post for the whole month of September - but it's BACK-TO-SCHOOL ideas.  It's called {Back 2 Basics}.  There are some great ideas like the following on that blog:




Go check out both of these blogs!  Then don't forget to go back each day to see the new guest post.  Fun stuff out there...

Monday, September 5, 2011

A few of my FAVORITE things...

Right now, I'm in LOVE with these:


Land O Lakes NEW Cinnamon Sugar Butter!  So yummy on a toasted, thick slice of fresh wheat bread.  But I've also tried it in a few recipes...  I've made up one yummy little treat using the cinnamon sugar butter - I'll share it with you soon!  This is GOOD STUFF!


Frozen Yogurt
My new favorite place!  Can't get enough frozen yogurt.  Seems so much more refreshing and healthy than most other treats.  Yesterday I treated myself to a small swirl of Peach Mango Tart yogurt with fresh sliced strawberries and a scoop of graham cracker crumbs!  It was delightful!!

no-slip grip
Scunci No-Slip Evolution hair ties.  They are like STRETCHY JELLY bracelets.  These are the BEST hair bands I've ever used.  My oldest daughter has thick, long hair and these bands have worked so much better than anything I've ever tried.  Plus, they don't pull half her hair out when I take them out!  Syd loves them for soccer...  They also work great in my younger daughter's hair which is shorter and more fine than Syd's.

Photo of Pretzel M&M'S® candies
I think I ate at least a small size bag of these EVERY DAY of my entire pregnancy this last year.  They are so yummy!  I took a little break from them after I had my baby, but now I'm hooked again!  They are just so good.  I love the sweet with the salty.  I am addicted!!

And now, if you haven't noticed, 3 out of the 4 items above are FOOD items - treats, nonetheless!  So, it's a darn good thing that my 5th favorite thing right now is these:

Saucony Grid Fastwitch 5's.  I LOVE these shoes.  They are my second pair and they are THE PERFECT running shoe!!  I'm serious.  After my first pair was worn out, it was like torture to run in anything else.  I have put several miles on this new pair and can't wait to wear them for the marathon in a few weeks.  These shoes get me excited to run, for REAL!  Didn't know shoes could do that til I owned these! 

Oh-yeah, can't forget 1 more of my favorite things...
The Halloween Anti-Bac soap from Bath and Body Works.  Love the designs.  Bought both...
The SPooKY HouSe is Sour Drop and the SKeleTOn is Sour Apple.  Such a fun way to add a little HALLOWEEN decor to a bathroom.  You gotta have soap in there anyways, so it might as well be fRigHTfuLLy FuN!
Sour Drop Gentle Foaming Hand Soap - Anti-Bacterial - Bath & Body WorksGreen Apple Candy Gentle Foaming Hand Soap - Anti-Bacterial - Bath & Body Works

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Good Morning!

Here are some BREAKFAST recipes I've been dying to try...

Monkey Bread Muffins by the Pioneer Woman, found here.
TPW_9389

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes found here from the Recipe Girl.

Streusel-Topped Blueberry Muffins from Our Best Bites found here.

Whole Grain Banana-Pecan Muffins also by Our Best Bites.  Here.
I love muffins and foods that can be made in big batches and then frozen individually.  It is so nice having things in the freezer, ready to go, that can be pulled out the night before for breakfast the next morning, or that can be put in a lunch box frozen, and will thaw perfectly by lunch time.

Coconut and Cashew Granola from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Here.
{Perfect in a cup/bag to eat on the way to the gym!}

Baked Blueberry Pecan French Toast found here also from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

YUM!  Can't wait to try these!  If anyone tries any of the above recipes, leave a comment and let me know how it goes.  Remember, breakfast is the most important meal of the day...

Friday, September 2, 2011

Long time, No see!

Wow!  I knew it had been awhile since I last posted, but I can't BELIEVE it's been an entire month!  I have sooo much to share.  First, I thought I'd post all the cool SCHOOL LUNCH stuff I've seen around.  Don't know too many places that haven't gone back to school yet - other than some preschools, most of which start this next week after the Labor Day holiday.  So, we're all in need of good school lunch ideas, right?!  Most days when I make my 2 older kids' lunches I usually just do a 3rd lunch for my preschooler.  Then her lunch is ready when she is and she thinks she's super cool/big to have a lunch like her older brother and sister!  So, here are some fun lunch ideas:

Phineas & Ferb Lunches.  Found here by Susan Yen.





Lunchbox jokes. Found here from All for the Boys.

Quick lunchbox reference sheet from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Found here.

Lunchbox ideas also from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Here.
These fun sandwich ideas can be found here at Family Fun.  They also have ideas on how to pack the perfect school lunch & lunchbox tips as well as creative after-school snacks...

Sandwich on a Stick                                                               Flower Sandwiches
Sandwich  on a Stick
PB & J Blossom Sandwiches
I love adding a little note to my children's lunches.  Just a little reminder that I love them or a reminder to CTR at school, etc.  I just printed a stack of Joke notes to put in their lunches too.  After searching the Internet for creative ideas, it appears that "bento" box lunches are the big thing right now!  I like the idea, cause it means less waste and more fun (my kids love little organizing-type compartments!).  You can find "bento" style boxes all over the web...  
Happy eating to all those little school kiddos out there! 

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Cutest Ever Party Idea!

How cute is this RAINBOW party from Homemade by Jill??  She's sooo clever!  What an easy and darling theme for a party.  I love it!  You can see individual posts about most of the party ideas if you go to her site.  The post about the finished product - is here.  There are so many different things you could do with the Rainbow theme.  I think I see a multi-colored birthday party in my future...  Maybe Hailey's 5th b-day!! ;)




Thursday, August 4, 2011

"Shower Food"

This is one of my MOST FAVORITE chicken salad recipes.  My grandma made it often & I LOVED it every time.  My grandma made the most delicious food.  Her food was always simple and yummy.  Anyways, I could eat this salad for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Really!  I could!!  My husband thinks it's strange to have fruit, veggies, pasta, etc. in one dish - and he lovingly (*wink *wink)  refers to this salad as "shower food" cause I make it a lot for bridal and baby showers.  He thinks it's only a food girls would like.  He's weird!  Serve the salad with warm, homemade rolls and jam, a glass of lemon water and a sugar cookie and you've got yourself a perfect menu for any "GIRL" gathering...


Here's the recipe:
I got it from my grandma, OraLee,  who received it from a dear friend, Helen Bauer.

Chicken Salad
Boil 8 chicken breasts with salt, pepper, onion, covered well with water.  Cook for 1-2 hours until chicken is well done.  Remove chicken from broth, cool, remove skin and bones, and cut chicken into bite sized pieces.  Cook 4 cups raw bow-shaped pasta in boiling salted water for about 12 minutes.  Drain, rinse in cold water and cool.  Makes 4 cups cooked pasta.  DO NOT OVERCOOK!

Put in large bowl:
8 cups cut up chicken
4 cups bow-shaped pasta
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 Tbsp chopped green onion
2 8 oz. bottles Kraft Cole Slaw Dressing
2 cups mayonnaise (Best Foods)
2 dashes thyme
2 pinches ginger

Stir the above carefully so pasta will not be broken, refrigerate overnight.

Before serving add:
2 cups diced celery
4 cups unpeeled diced apples
1 1/2 cups slivered almonds
4 cups red grape halves
2 20 oz. cans Dole pineapple tidbits, drained.

Stir together carefully, and serve on lettuce leaf.  Makes 24 cups of Salad.
Will serve 32 servings 3/4 cups each.

(I usually always make half the recipe, and I always use boneless skinless chicken breasts...)

Friday, July 29, 2011

Printing Time...

Get your printer warmed up!!  Look at these cute cute FREE printables I found around blog-world!  So fun!  Gotta learn how to use print-shop or whatever type of program you use to make fun stuff like this...

LUNCH BOX LOVE NOTES from Eighteen25


TEACHER CALCULATION NOTES also from Eighteen25


BEACH BAG NAME TAGS from Little Birdie Secrets

beach bag tags


GOOD DEED PUNCH CARDS from Eighteen25 again
LOVE AT HOME subway art from Brown Paper Packages
(LOTS of color combos to choose from!)

For the FREE downloads of each of these printables, click on the link above each printable.  That will take you to each blog site where you can get directions and see more pictures of how each printable was used.  The calculator printable from Eighteen25 was tied to a jumbo red calculator - sooo cute!  The beach bag name tags turn out really cute too.  Click on the link to see how they turn out!  Also, I haven't quite figured out how to download the Love At Home printable.  I want to frame one for my mantle, but haven't figured it out yet - so if anyone tries and gets it, leave a comment and let me know how it works! 
HAPPY PRINTING...