Thursday, October 31, 2013

Guest Post Swap

Always wanted to join a swap, but just didn't have the spare funds? Chaotic Goddess is hosting a guest post swap! No funds required, just a little brain power. ;)

Swap Objective:
Create a fun and creative guest post for your partner's blog.  This post should show them and their readers who you are, while also fitting the subject matter of their blog.  This is a great way to get to know new people and increase readership!

Hope you can join us!

Free Fall Tree Printable

With fall quickly wrapping up (It's less than a month till the holidays start). I'm looking to quicker and easier projects to do with the kids. I found this lovely idea in one of my old teacher book.



I have uploaded a free tree printable I made so you don't have to draw your own tree. Just get out the stamp pad and have fun! I let all 3 kids put their finger prints on the same tree and gave it to Grandma. I really liked how the different sized 'leaves' looked.





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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Holloween Candy Bark


This recipe is PERFECT for the leftover extra candy you don't want the kids to gouge on after Halloween. Every year Meme and Papaw take the kids trunk or treating. They come home with the mother load of candy. Instead of letting the gouge themselves sick or fight over who gets what we often make candy bark. You can use any kind of candy you like. Here's what we made this week:


Makes one 13X9 sheet

16oz Simi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
3 regular size Butterfingers
3 regular size Heath
6 regular Reece's Cups
Handful of Reece's Pieces
3oz White Chocolate

1. Cut or break up the Butterfingers, Heath, and Reece's Cups. Rosey Posey had a lot of fun (Maybe too much) hammering the candy in a zip-lock bag.

2. Melt the chocolate chips. This is best done with a double boiler, or as I did: A metal bowl on top of a pot of boiling water. 

3. Pour the melted chocolate onto a cookie sheet lined with a silicon mat or wax paper.

4. Spread the chocolate out till the whole pan is covered.

5. Sprinkle the candy on top of the chocolate. Press the candy down a little so that all pieces make contact with the melted chocolate.

6. Melt the white chocolate and use a spoon to drizzle it onto the bark.

7. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, then break into servings.
 Put in an air tight container and store in the fridge for up to one month (if it will last that long).



This is SO amazing and addicting. Meme calls it the 'good evil stuff'. This is so yummy the kids are always more than happy to 'donate' a couple handfuls of their fun size candy to the 'yummy cause'. Every year our bark is a little bit different depending on what they want to donate. My DH suggested adding some pretzels this year. I may have to make another batch just to try. Shucks! :P



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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Pumpkin Dip and Turkey Poo?

This past weekend I helped host the chili cook-off at our church. Rosey Posey made an awesome pumpkin dip and I made some 'Turkey Droppings' 


Meme sent me this recipe and helped Rosey Posey make it for the dessert contest:


16 oz of cool whip
3 boxes (3.4oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 can (15oz) of pumpkin. 

Mix everything together. Serve with vanilla wafers, graham crackers, or cookies (Rosey Posey made Pumpkin cookies).



Thanks to Sara for this great Tutorial!
Reece's Pieces
3X4" Goodie Bags

Print the printable as a 3X5 photo (this should give you 4 to a sheet). Cut apart. Staple to goodie bags filled with Reece's Pieces or other fall candy.





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Monday, October 28, 2013

Bucket List Wrap-up

This past weekend has been all about wrapping up the bucket list before the holidays get here. Entered the chili cook-off, tried some new pumpkin recipes (More about those later), painted pumpkins, started my Christmas crafts and Bubee had his hayride at school. Every year the school has a hayride and 'pumpkin patch' at the school. The kids had so much fun.

 Bubee mostly hangs out with his two beast friends: Samuel and Blair.

Of course that's Bubee acting like a ninja in the front left.


We hosted a Chili Cook-off at our church this Sunday. Oh what fun!!! There were 23 chili's in the contest... I won "Best Traditional Chili"!
I made several of my Dryer-Duct Pumpkins for decorations and prizes. And No, I (nor any of my family) were judges.



Rosey Posey made some Pumpkin Dip (#6) and Bubee made some Pretzel Pumpkins (#7) for the desert contest.

My favorite part of the weekend was making these "Turkey Dropping" goodies for the kids. They are Reece's Pieces in a goodybag.



Thanks again for scanning through my family's adventure, and now what you REALLY wanted to read:

The winner of last week's Guest and Giveaway and recipient of a New Merona Clutch is:


Tandi C.

Congratulations Tandi!!! Don't forget to enter this weeks giveaway for your chance to win.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Guest and Giveaway: Celebrating Christmas at Walt Disney World


The following is a guest post from Sherry at Disney By Pixie.






With the holidays fast approaching, now is the time to consider celebrating Christmas at Walt Disney World. It is truly a magical experience. There are so many unique activities to experience, the spirit of Christmas will completely surround you and your family. Who’s ready for a jolly adventure?


Let’s start with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. This extra ticketed event runs on certain nights at Magic Kingdom, and it includes an exclusive parade, fireworks, character meets, activities, and snow falling. That’s right. SNOW. In Florida!! Who knew right? Plus, you can see Cinderella Castle all lit up..with magical ice! Thanks to Cinderella and her Fairy Godmother, Cinderella’s wish comes true to see the castle all decked out for winter. It’s awesome to watch!



If you ever have a chance to attend this party, do so. It is a not to be missed event! The decorations are top-notch, and you can wander around, drinking in Christmas; And, of course, the big guy himself Santa makes an appearance. How cool is that? Walt Disney World is unlike any other vacation, and especially during the holiday season. So many special touches, and they go above and beyond to make your trip magical. Now, speaking of decorations, how about a life size gingerbread house? Oh yeah, they have those too! If you go around to the different resort hotels, they are decked out in Christmas cheer. From the gingerbread houses, to life size chocolate carousels, to carved statues, the magic never ends: you will just want to break off a piece to eat!


Over at Epcot, they have the Candlelight Procession most nights. This beautiful show is incredibly popular, and features different celebrity guest narrators on different nights. They tell the story of Christmas complete with music, and this experience is incredibly touching.


Moving over to Hollywood Studios, what we have next is something that will take your breath away. How about watching millions of dancing lights set to Christmas music? With the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, that is exactly what you will get. During the Christmas season, Disney’s Hollywood Studios streets will light up with color and music. This event is included with park admission, so that you can enjoy it whenever you like. There is a lot to be seen, trust me! In true Disney fashion, there are hidden items even in the lights. (like the purple cat they hide every year as a joke to one of the Imagineers.) So walk carefully, and see if you can spot it!



Heading over to Animal Kingdom, this wild place is full of incredible animals, bugs that sing, dinosaurs, and a special parade filled with Christmas cheer. In the afternoons, you can see Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade, which travels all over the park. This awesome parade has all of your favorite characters, some jammin’ music, and unique floats. Mickey and friends sing and dance, and you might just get pulled into the action!


I love all of the seasons at the Walt Disney World Resort, but there is something about Christmas that just touches my heart. The air feels different, it just seems to be electric with magic and wishes. Sitting along Main Street, sipping hot chocolate, gazing at Cinderella Castle, or listening to the Christmas story being told….it is just such an incredible place. The magic is waiting.


Sherry Jackson is a wife, mother, blogger, and Disney Travel Agent. She loves all things Disney, and loves sharing them with the world at Disney By Pixie, and Enchanted Ears Travel.






This week we have a lovely Disney goody set from Disney by Pixie. Set includes 3 collector pins (Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy), Limited edition framed Bambie lithograph, 2 Fantasyland lithographs, Disney World DVD and book, Cars coloring book map, growth chart, Stickers, window cling, Pooh's Heffalump Movie DVD, and The Three Musketeers DVD. That's over a $150 value! Contest ends next Thursday!

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Random Musings

I have been so blessed lately. Meme, my mother, has had a more open schedule this year and has been keeping Little Lady and Rosey Posey once a week so I can drop Bubee off at school and then sneak off to Starbucks by myself. Oh the joys of some mommy time out of the house: When I'm at home with out kids I start to think of everything I need to do: laundry, dishes, vacuum, etc. But out of the house I can clear my mind, write a blog post, or just enjoy the sound of adults talking.


This past week I decided to use this time to address some of my bucket list. One of my items was to try a new flavor of tea. I'm stuck in a rut most of the time (my husband usually has to beg me to try something new at our favorite restaurant) that I find it helpful to put at least one new thing on my bucket list each season. So I sheepishly approached the barista and asked for a suggestion. Zen? I wanted a suggestion for tea, not yoga.. Sure, I'll try it. Okay, I'm in love! Zen has hint of spearmint.. Yum!


Another bucket list item this week was bonfire and s'mores. Double yum! Rosey Posey had a teen connection with her youth group this week and Meme and I helped build the fire. I've never meet anyone who could build a fire as well as Meme!


Rosey Posey even invented a Mega S'more consisting of 2 sugar cookies, chocolate, and a jumbo marshmallow... Not sure if she will sleep tonight or just bounce off the walls.



Earlier I posted about trying something new. Well, my Swapoween package came this week from Becca at Everyday Life!
This was my first time doing a Swap and I must say my favorite things were the cookies and candy (I love sweets) and the socks. I swear the temperature around here dropped the day this arrived just so I could enjoy the candy corn socks even more :D

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Pretzel Pumpkins

I saw something like this on Pinterest a while back and I guess I filled it in my brain instead of pinning it, because I can't seam to find the original instructions. So I winged it and I love the results!


Makes at least 2 dozen Minis

Pretzels (I used minis so I got almost 3 dozen out of this recipe. You can use any size you like: even jumbo)
12oz bag of Orange Candy Melts
Green decorating icing
Orange sprinkles
Parchment or Wax Paper

1. Melt the candy according to package directions.

2.Dip the pretzels in the candy. I used a chop stick to help. You can do a light coat and scrape some off or do it thick. With a light coat you can make more with the same amount of candy and the sprinkles help 'fill in'

3. Place on wax paper

4. Before the candy hardens, sprinkle with orange sugar sprinkles.

5. A good coating makes it pretty and helps hid any of the brown pretzel that's still showing. Let harden.


6. Once the candy is hardened (About 15-30 min.) Use the green icing to add a small 'stem' to the rounded bottom of the pretzel.

Bubee and Rosey Posey both helped with this project. Rosey Posey helped dip the pretzels and Bubee added the sprinkles. I finished it off with the green stems. Of course the whole family helped eat them up and they were wonderful! I plan on making another batch for our chili cook off/dessert contest next week.

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