White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies

2 (7-ounce) boxes Jiffy raspberry muffin mix 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 2 tablespoons butter-flavored shortening 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese, butter, shortening, and brown sugar, until just combined (I beat mine until it was completely smooth, but still had little chunks of cream cheese). Add the eggs one at a time,beating well  after each addition. Add the muffin mix and using a wooden spoon, mix until incorporated. Stir in the white chocolate chips and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease baking sheets and roll dough into tablespoon-size balls.Place 2-inches apart on baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, until just turning golden around the edges. Cool five minutes on baking sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Source: Barely adapted from Just A Pinch. Printed From: Bakergirl. Epic fail on my part with these cookies.  I was in a hurry to get them all baked before heading out to dinner...well I put 3 trays worth of cookies in the oven, when I probably only should have put in 2.  Well needless to say...I lost all 15 cookies on the bottom sheet.  I think the oven got too hot and with the cookies on the bottom rack wedged between two dark colored surfaces, the result is burned cookies.  I'm talking black, burned hockey pucks! So thankful the other 20+ cookies turned out okay or I would have been pissed! :) Live and Learn!! (Otherwise the ones that did turn out were SO good!!)

Crockpot Ham Potato Soup

Crockpot Ham Potato Soup

Ingredients:

7 c. diced potatoes (about 4 medium)
1 c. diced onion (about 1 medium)
1 large carrot, chopped
2 c. ham, diced
5. c. hot water
1 Knorr Chicken Bullion cube (extra large size that
makes 1 quart broth or 4 small cubes that make 1 cup each)
1 c. 2% milk
1/2 c. sour cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Add diced potatoes, onion, carrot, and ham to a crock pot. Dissolve chicken bullion in 5 cups hot water, then add this to the crock pot also. Cook on low 7 hours, or high 3 hours. Then add milk and sour cream. Stir and cook an additional 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes twelve 1-cup servings.

If you'd like a thicker soup, just before adding milk and sour cream, remove 2-3 cups of the potatoes and slightly mash, then return the mashed mixture to the crock pot.

Makes 12 Servings (About 1 Cup Per Serving)

Nutritional Info Per Serving: Calories: 151.7; Fat: 5.3 g; Cholesterol: 18.7 mg;
Sodium: 534.2 mg; Carbs: 19.5 g; Fiber: 2.5 g; Protein: 6.9 g

From Weight Watcher Recipes on Pintrest :)

We added a little bit of cheese to this recipe and my husband added some hot sauce to doctor it up...but it was quite tasty on a dreary rainy day.

Christmas Questionaire

 

I saw this on a blog I follow and thought it might be kind of fun to answer the questions myself.


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

Both..Adults usually get gift bags, while my nieces get wrapping paper.  Afterall half the fun for kids is the unwrapping. (though I find wrapping paper quite wasteful!)

2. Real tree or artificial?

We are a house divided!! I always had a fake tree while Pat always had a real tree.  We opted not to do a big  tree this year, and settled for a hall tree..but it will be interesting to see what we do next year! :)

3. When do you put up the tree?

Usually the day after Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving weekend.  But I start decorating for Christmas early November. Halloween decorations come down and Christmas ones go up.

4. When do you take the tree down? 
First week in January

5. Do you like eggnog?

No!

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

I remember getting a Star Stage that I loved. But I also loved Barbie stuff.. and even had a Barbie dealer!! (my moms friend worked for Mattel)

7. Do you have a nativity scene?

No.

8. Hardest person to buy for?

My Dad. I never know what to get him...and anything he wants he usually buys for himself.

9. Easiest person to buy for?

Mom and Mother in Law  they tell me exactly what they want

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?

Mail. I love getting them every year and seeing how everyone changes.  (Though I haven't sent one out the last 2 years because it's just the 2 of us and we haven't done anything exciting..maybe next year!)

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

A blanket from my grandma (may she rest in peace)..she was very cheap and frugal and she bought used fabric and put this blanket together..it was smelly and gross! (and I feel bad for saying this but my family knows it was true!)

12. Favorite Christmas movie?

Christmas Vacation  It's not Christmas in the Mahoney house until we have watched and recited the whole movie.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

Black Friday (but late in the day none of this waiting in line for hours crap)  But then I usually don't think about shopping for almost 3 weeks later and then I get into panic mode.

14. Ever recycled a Christmas present?

No

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

COOKIES!!  Peanut Butter Blossoms, Sugar cookies, spritz cookies...

16. Clear lights or colored lights on the tree?

House divided..I like Clear while Pat likes colored.  But I think color is more fun for kids.

17. Favorite Christmas song?

No favorite.. but I love listening to them on my drive home lately. A Britney Spears christmas song makes me giggle, because I think of a coworker who used to dance down the aisles singing it.  And Rockin Around The Christmas Tree makes me think of the movie Home Alone

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?

This is the first year in like 5 we will be "at home" on Christmas.  Due to our jobs we have been unable to get the actual holiday off and we plan on going home to visit with friends and family.  But I think soon we may be staying at "our home" and having visitors come to us.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen , Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph!

20. Angel on the tree top or star?

We have never had a tree big enough to accomodate anything but I would love to get a star! ( I think santa hats are fun too)

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?

Christmas Eve with my parents Christmas Day with his parents

22. Most annoying about this time of year?

The crowds, parking lots, grumpy people, running out of product or sizes, hot stores

23. Favorite ornamnet, theme, or color?

I love color, and have a feeling I will always be mixing it up when decorating.. but you cant go wrong with red, green and silver.

24. What do you want for Christmas this year?

A million dollars!! (J/K!! Sort of!) No, but in reality we have been very fortunate this year..we have bought multiple big ticket items throughout the year and feel like we have everything that we could need or want.  A new bedroom set, and a trip somewhere warm, and a new car would be wonderful though!!

Currently...

Currently...

Loving.... The first flurries and "dusting" of snow we received this morning (even better when I have the day off!!) Christmas Cottage scentsy smell, trying new recipes, cuddling up on the couch in front of the fire with a blanket and my hubby, new shows, our home decorated for Christmas, finally getting my dining room curtains up and hemmed (blog post to follow)

Excited for...  Going home at Christmas to see family and friends, seeing my brother and sister in law and their 2 kids (one of which I haven't met yet!) Seeing/metting new babies that have been born since the last time we were home

Worried... Getting all of my Christmas shopping started/done/shipped.  Christmas traffic and weather conditions

Creating.... Recipes from Pintrest (at least 1-2 a week!) baking cookies this month, Chex Mix, Decorating the outside of the house with lights, christmas mantle decor.  

Hating... The way people drive lately...it's dark, raining, Monday...I don't care people STEP ON IT!!! Especially today with a dusting of snow..you would think there was a foot of snow on the ground and whiteout conditions.   

Wondering... What to buy for gifts? When do I need to ship them by? What to wear to work? (now that we are back to business casual) What's for dinner the rest of the week? Why is it so cold out?

Craving... Hearty/warm home cooked meals, The Melting Pot (I'm still owed Anniversary dinner out!)  

Hoping... The rest of this month goes smoothly, travel is uneventful, Mandatory OT stays away until after the first of the year.

Watching.... From Netflix in the past month: Fast Five, (Paul Walker...YUM!)  The Green Lantern, Rio, Zombie Strippers(awful) Who's Your Caddy A Dirty Shame,(awful) Red State (disturbing)

DVR: Dexter, Hung, Walking Dead, Raising Hope

Listening... The furace turning on and off, tv on in the background, PANDORA radio at work (LMFAO Party rock channel)

Looking forward to... Getting my hair cut and colored tomorrow, Family time around the holidays, seeing babies, 10 days off at the end of the month, the new year and what it brings for us.

Pepperoni Rolls

Pepperoni Rolls

Ingredients:

Frozen Bread Dough

Pepperoni

Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese

Italian Seasoning

Olive Oil

Purchase frozen bread dough. They come in these "log" shapes, in plastic bags, sold in the freezer section next to the frozen biscuits. (I used Rhodes brand.)

Loosely cover the frozen bread dough with plastic wrap. Allow dough to thaw for a few hours at room temperature.  (Tip: spray the plastic wrap with cooking oil, or brush with cooking oil and lay it, oiled side down on the bread dough. This allows the bread dough to rise and move easily under the plastic wrap without it sticking or holding back the dough.)

When dough is completely thawed it will be puffed up a bit.

Roll dough out to approximately 11 x 11 square.

One frozen dough log makes one pepperoni roll.

Brush dough with olive oil or whatever cooking oil you prefer.

Lay pepperoni on dough covering entire surface.

Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.  Next, sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Lightly sprinkle with Italian Seasoning.

Add a sprinkling of garlic powder.

Roll up dough starting at one edge of square.

Place rolls on baking sheet, leaving space between.

Brush some melted butter on top of uncooked pepperoni roll.

You do not need to let the roll rise. Bake it right away. It will rise up in the oven perfectly.

Bake at 375 degrees for approx. 15-20 minutes.

As with any baking, keep an eye on your roll. This is just an estimated time. You'll know it's done when the roll is golden and makes a hard tapping sound when you tap it with your fingernail...just like when baking a loaf of bread.

Let the pepperoni roll cool before cutting!  Enjoy!!

Recipe from What about Pie

We had this for dinner last night..and they were quite good.  We made 2, a "his" and "hers" roll. (Pat wanted to put onions, peppers and black olives on his!)  Needless to say, it is a lot of food and I took the leftovers for lunch and still have 2 pieces in the fridge for later.

50+ Stocking Stuffers for Men

Tis the season.. I found this link on Pintrest, and decided to share...because guys can be hard to shop for.

Stocking Stuffers for Men:

1. Cologne – samples work best because they are smaller and cheaper
2. Soap – handmade beer or manly soap is nice
3. Undies
4. Socks
5. chocolate or other candy
6. chocolate covered bacon, pretzels, or other food items
7. Bottle opener, bottle opener ring
8. Beanie/knit hat
9. Gloves
10. Holiday ornament
11. Key Chain
12. Phone case
13. Money clip
14. Wallet
15. A cheesy movie from the clearance bin (hello Chuck Norris)
16. Mini lego kits (like race cars, lego men, key chains, etc.)
17. Silly putty or other slimy substance
18. Deck of cards or other card games (like Uno)
19. Silly toys – parachute men, poppers, wind up animals, sticky hands, mini etch-a-sketch, etc.
20. Shot glass
21. Key covers
22. Ear buds
23. Mini bottles of booze
24. Ties
25. Cufflinks
26. Manly bath products or bath favorites
27. Pocket knife
28. Mini tools or weapons – what male doesn’t love a Nerf gun?
29. Batteries
30. A book, graphic novel, or magazine
31. $5 giftcards – one of my favorites, fast food or coffee works great
32. Gum or mints
33. Chapstick – my husband always steals mine or complains about chapped lips
34. Hand or boot warmers – found some at Target, 2 for $1
35. Hand or cuticle cream
36. Computer decals
37. Car air fresheners
38. For the love of your life: Massage oil
39. For the love of your life: sexy undies for you
40. For the love of your life: Other bedroom goodies
41. Special cigar
42. Matches or lighter
43. Batteries
44. Coffee samples
45. Patches, stickers, or pins of a sports team, band, or company, etc.
46. Coffee cup or mug
47. Nail clippers and tweezers
48. Razors and other shaving accessories
49. Boot or hat cleaning or weathering spray
50. Pens or pencils
51. Bandanas
52. Mini specialty food items – mustard, hot sauce, nutella, etc.
53. Belt buckles

Have a guy in your life with a hobby or interest? Is he a student? There are other trinkets your can fill his stocking with as well:

• Memory cards
• USB Stick/flash drive
• Ear guages/plugs
• Film
• Camera filters or accessories
• Craft/hobby supplies
• Kitchen utensils/trinkets – a special knife, measuring spoons, something the cook might enjoy
• Quarters for laundry

"Crack" Potatoes

So I'm posting yet another Pintrest find :)  I made these last week for our Thanksgiving/Birthday Potluck at work and they were a big hit!! I am always nervous when trying a new recipe for the first time.. (and especially when I'm up baking them at 5:15am the morning of our food day!!) But they seemed easy enough not to be able to screw up.  I assembled everything, threw them in the oven and headed off to shower and get ready for work.  Everyone loved them, and I decided to post the recipe here as well for others to enjoy!  

Crack Potatoes

 

2 (16oz) containers sour cream

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

2 (3oz) bags real bacon bits

2 packages Ranch Dip mix

1 large (28 - 30oz) bag frozen hash brown potatoes - shredded kind

Combine first 4 ingredients, mix in hash browns. Spread into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 400 for 45-60 minutes.

 

Recipe from Plain Chicken

What's for Dinner Wednesday

Pizza Pasta Casserole

2 lbs ground beef
1 large onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (26 once) jars spaghetti sauce
16 ounces rotini pasta, cooked and drained
5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
8 ounces sliced pepperoni

Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic in oil. Drain. Stir in pasta, spaghetti sauce, and 3 cups cheese. Place mixture in 2 greased 9x13 pans. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Top with pepperoni. Cover and freeze or bake uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

From Freezer Meals for Us

(I cut this recipe in half, just for the 2 of us!!)

A Visit from Mom!

So my mom came to visit the weekend of 10-29 to 11-2 Here's a little recap of the fun we had..

Saturday 10/29 I had to work so my mom planned to arrive in KC about the time I was to get off work.  She planned it so perfectly that she was waiting outside my work, when I walked out for the night...I was so surprised to see her!  We got back to our house, made dinner and stayed up late talking about anything everything and catching up.

Sunday 10/30 Was a day of fun.  After our morning grocery shop, we headed home to carve pumpkins.  I started with a Pintrest creation a "Mumkin"

A gauze wrapped pumkin to replicate a mummy.

(Next time though I am going to follow the directions and use cheesecloth instead of gauze..and use glow in the dark paint! Live and Learn)   :)

Next on the agenda we headed to Stone Pillary Vineyard and Winery for some sampling and a tour

It was a cute little place with over 14 wines to sample.  I tried almost everything except the dry reds. I tried the sweet reds and didn't enjoy them (I am a sweet white/riesling girl.)

  My favorite from the day turned out to be the "Seyval" a smooth fruity off dry wine with citrus and hints of apple.

We were going to take a tour only to realize it's not a great time of year for it.  Most of the grapes onsight had been harvested and well... this is the production room. :( Not a lot to see.  After our tour we went home and carved our 2 remaining pumpkins.

I was a little nervous watching him hack the top off the pumpkins. The weekend before at training he  sliced his finger open real good and needed 3 stitches!!  (And he wonders why I have a fear of big knives!!)

We finally got the tops off and started scooping the goo out

Applying the pattern

And the finished product..a cat and Dracula

We worked up quite the appetite carving pumpkins and headed to a local barbecue joint called Johnny's.  My mom heard about this place on the Food Network show Diners, Drive In's and Dives so we decided to go check it out.  Afterall no trip to KC is complete without a barbecue run.  :)  My mom and I both had the Pulled Pork sandwich and it was amazing!! Add in a basket of onion rings and french fries and we were happy campers.

 

Back at the house it finally got dark enough to throw a candle in our pumpkins.  Here is my cat

...And the Dracula and the Mumkin

One of our other projects included assembly of an Ikea HEMNES sofa table my mom brought down for us. I am my father's daughter and am pretty good at assembling things with some help from my mom we got it done in no time.

 

And the finished product.  It filled a nice gap we had behind the couch.  And it will be perfect for seasonal decor and storage.  Thanks Mom and Dad!!

Tuesday 11/1 Concert Day  The real reason for my mom's trip :)  (Seeing me was just a bonus!!)  :)  Reckless Kelly was performing at the Bottleneck in Lawrence, KS so we went up for the night

We started our evening at Free State Brewing Company enjoying some beverages and dinner before the show.

We then headed over to the Bottleneck where the Reckless tour bus was right outside the front door

The marquee outside

Willy and Cody Braun (brothers)

David Abeyta and Willy

A good night had by all to top off a great weekend.  Thanks mom for coming to visit we really enjoyed having you.

Taco Soup

My boss made this for our last food day and it was FANTASTIC!!

Taco Soup

1lb Cooked Hamburger

1 Can Beef Broth

1 Can Northern Beans

1 Can Corn

1 Can Rotel (I used mild)

1 pkt Taco Seasoning

1 pkt Dry Ranch Seasoning

Mix all ingrediants together in large pot or crock pot

Cook for 1 hr to heat through. 

Serve with Tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, etc...

Currently...

Currently...

Loving.... My new DROID Bionic phone (bye bye BB!) faster internet surfing, fall colors, new fall shows, stories from my husband about his day, my Ikea HEMNES sofa table my mom brought down, Honey Pear Cider and Autumn Sunset Scentsy's, Daylight Savings time, light while going to work, waking up all snug in my bed, 2 years of married life, the cheesecake I bought for our anniversary, fall mantle decor

Excited for... Thanksgiving week at work (short week) Veterans Day on Friday (short day at work) Going home at Christmas, seeing my brothers new house that he has stripped down and rebuilt

Worried... No worries.

Creating....  Fall yarn wreath, Ikea sofa table, recipes from Pintrest, picking paint for our 1/2 bath

Hating... Driving home in the dark, dry skin, going to bed with cold feet until the sheets warm up, howling winds (40mph+)  road construction, people's driving lately 

Wondering... A little curious??

Craving... Peanut Butter Cups (leftover from Halloween) Hearty/warm meals, pasta

Hoping... ??? 

Watching.... From Netflix in the past month: Captain America, Bridesmaids, Bad Teacher, Peep World, Four Rooms

DVR:  Dexter, Hung, Walking Dead, Kendra, Quintuplets by Surprise, RHOA

Listening... Wind outside, thunder, rain hitting the windows, leaves rustling, the fire crackle 

Looking forward to... More family time around the holidays, weekend date for our 2nd Anniversary

30 Simple Tricks That Make You Look Smart

Mexican Dorito Casserole

So my quest continues (via Pintrest) to find new recipes for dinner. Both Pat and I have been getting bored with the same old meals, so I decided to try something new.  Sunday I made Dorito casserole from Jam Hands and it was easy! Mix ingrediants together, crush up some chips,layer and bake.

Mexican Dorito Casserole
Serves 4-6

2 c. shredded cooked chicken
1 c. shredded cheese (or more if you are a cheese hound)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes (canned tomatoes with jalepenos-mild)
1/2 packet taco seasoning (or more- to taste)
Bag of doritos

1. Pre-heat oven to 350-f degrees.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except doritos.

3. In a greased 2 qt baking dish, put a layer of crushed doritos (about 2 cups), then a layer of the chicken mixture. Repeat once more, ending with a layer of chicken mixture. Top with more shredded cheese, cover, and bake for 30-35 minutes, till bubbling hot.

Source: Domestic Chicky

Before and After (bathroom edition)

Before:

Minty Green

After:

Sandstone Cove (Behr 730C-2m)

Back to a neutral!

 (it photographs much better in the 2nd picture)

Now for some bathroom accessories...shelves, wall art and a pop of color/print) shade for the window!

Dinner tonight...Slow Cooker Jambalaya

So, with fall upon us (and our first frost/freeze warning in effect) something hearty and warm sounded delicious. It should be ready to eat by 6...and it smells delicious!

Slow Cooker Jambalayaadapted from AllRecipes.com
approximately 5-6 servings

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
1 pound smoked turkey sausage, sliced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
3 Tbsp dried minced onion flakes
1 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 tsp minced garlic
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
white rice or instant rice (I used 2 packs of Uncle Ben's Ready Rice - Garlic & Butter flavor)

In a slow cooker, mix the chicken, sausage, tomatoes with juice, onion, garlic, celery, and broth. Season with oregano, parsley, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and thyme. (I do this the night before and put it in the fridge. I put it in the slow cooker before I leave in the morning.)

Cover, and cook 7 to 8 hours on Low, or 3 to 4 hours on High. Mix in cooked rice cook for about 15 minutes to warm through.

From Plain Chicken

52 Lists in 52 Weeks (Week 20)

List 20: Things that make me happy
Because sometimes I think I need to focus more on the positive in life

-my husband
-hearing old songs that bring back great memories
-sunsets
-nice people
-sleeping in
-naps
-lazy days
-warm/sunny days
-swimming
-laying out in the sun
-clean sheets
-being fresh from the shower clean
-desserts (especially cupcakes)
-chocolate
-texts from friends
-funny jokes
-new clothes
-magazines
-time with family
-time with friends
-vacations
-cruises
-being outside on a nice day
-walks through the neighborhood
-hearing the ice cream truck coming
-time inside
-lounging on the couch
-dreamsicles
-strawberry daiquiris
-being pampered
-fresh cut,colored and styled hair
-massages
-good hair days
-3 days weekends
-smiles
-hearing "i love you"
-hugs
-my mom
-my friends back at home
-scrapping/scrap weekends with the girls
-color
-Netflix marathons
-cuddling
-Fall
-date nights
-facebook
-blogging/blogs
-crafts
-pinterest
-anything pink
-holidays
-holiday decorating
-new car smells
-scentsy
-snail mail
-going home to visit

52 Lists in 52 Weeks (Week 19)

So, this week, our list is simply this:
"ME in a list....the good, the bad, the weird, the quirky."
The purpose of this list (however long or short you make it) is to open up and share things about us that make us individuals. It's silly to pretend we don't all have them and its even sillier to care if others will accept us for them or not (because the important people will). So spill!!

List #19

Me in a List... good, bad, weird, quirky

- I can say all 50 states in alphabetical order (we learned them in 3rd grade for a song)

- I have a really bad sweet tooth.  No dinner is complete without candy,  ice cream, cookies, etc...

- I married my high school sweetheart! We have been together for almost 12 years!

- I am very much an introvert

- I have a hard time meeting new people and developing friendships

- I have only broken 1 bone (my wrist) and been in 1 car accident (not my fault!)

- I have only ever lived 2 places in my whole life

-  I love garden gnomes and sock monkeys

- I started coloring my hair with a frost and glow highlight cap when I was 9 years old. ( I have since decided going to the salon is much better for my hair!) :)

- My parents are still married after 31 years

-  I hated school, and just knew I would be fine without furthering my education.

-  I love anything crafty, and wish I had more time to just play

52 Lists in 52 Weeks (Week 18)

List 18:

10 Things I Love about Sundays:

So I'm a little late with this one but here it goes..

1- Day 1 of my 3 days I get off in a week

2- I get to sleep in (which usually means 7 am) :(

3- Waffle Sundays (Sunday breakfasts as of lately)

4- Relaxing with my hubby on the couch

5- Our weekly grocery shopping day

6-  Being Lazy and catching up on my DVR'd shows

7- All laundry is done and clean for the week

8- Sunday shows: Desperate Housewives, The Amazing Race, HBO and Showtime series shows ( Dexter, Entourage, Hung..depending on the season)

9-  Talking with my parents on the phone

10- Knowing I only have 1 more day and then my weekend comes!!

Currently...

 

Loving.... Not having to run the air conditioning (or the heat), windows open, days off, creative/inspirational moods , fall, laundry is done, a clean shower, Waffle Sundays, Breaking Bad, Pintrest, new clothes, feeling free!!

Excited for... My parents to come visit at the end of the month, Raceway weekend party this Saturday, Halloween (seeing the neighborhood kids all dressed up)

Worried... No worries..just curious!

Creating....  3 ring Recipe Binder, kitchen Command center, canvas art, mantel decor

Hating... Detoured traffic, work related issues, falling asleep during my dvr'd shows and having to rewind, giving up my MN plates (after buying a house, it was time!)

Wondering... How the Mahoney's are doing in Colorado, why Maggie had to go so soon, how we should travel in December Fly or drive since our itinerary changed.

Craving... chocolate, greasy cheeseburgers, pasta

Hoping... nice weather days continue a while longer, to finish Breaking Bad this week, to become a little more organized 

Watching.... From Netflix in the past month: Your Highness, Paul, Jackass 3.5, Limitless, Source Code, Life as we Know It, Take me Home Tonight, You Again, Breaking Bad Series

DVR: Amazing Race, Desperate Housewives, Raising Hope, Charlie Sheen Roast, Whitney, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, ANTM, Tia and Tamera

Listening... to the wash machine spin and drain, Britney Spears Femme Fatale, ipod on shuffle (oldies and goodies)

Looking forward to... visitors at the end of the month, what the future holds

Wordless Wednesday

52 Lists in 52 Weeks (Week 17)

List 17:

Ways to Stay Creative and Inspired

For me I am always looking for new creative ideas.  Weather it is for scrapbooking, cardmaking, home decorating, color combinations, photos to take or new meals to try.  Thanks to the web, access to ideas are just a few clicks away. Here are a few of my favorite ways to stay Creative and Inspired...

- Pintrest

- Two Peas in a Bucket

- Visit favorite bookmarked blogs

- Home Decor Blogs (Belle Maison, HGTV, BHG)

- Keep a 3 ring binder full of inspirational clippings, photos, recipes to go back and reference.

- "Shuffle" your music on your ipod to bring up something you may not have heard in awhile..(or takes you back)

- Get together with girlfriends who are creative, and share your same hobby. (I miss this!) :(

- Take a class to learn a new technique related to the hobby you are interested in

- Take breaks..don't force the creativity if it isn't there
-Take a walk around your area, and look at things differently
- Read a magazine
- Look back at old scrapbooks
- Put together page kits, for when creativity hits. (Then you will be ready)
- Visit your local scrapbook store, Michaels or Hobby Lobby 

(Found on Pintrest)

52 Lists in 52 Weeks (Week 16)

List # 16

"My life to do list (to be completed within the near future.)"

- Complete guest room (Blackout curtains, nightstands)

- Hang dining room curtains, wall art and mirror

- Clean up my stacks of clutter on the kitchen counter and table

- Organize recipes into 3 ring recipe binder

- Sweep and Swiffer floors (bathrooms, kitchen)

- Wash car and vacuum floor mats

- Hang command center accesories in kitchen

- Finish Breaking Bad series on Netflix

- Learn how to use our new iPad

- Decorate for fall

- Clear out the DVR by Friday!

Barbie and Ken Get Hitched...The Wedding Album

This was to funny not to pass along! After more then 50 years together, Barbie and Ken finally tied the knot!!


Barbie's Wedding Album

Super-talented—and super-creative!—photographer Beatrice de Guigne masterminded this ingenious photo shoot then captured it all on film over three days.

“Barbie & Ken were married at Faraway Castle, in Plasticity. The bride bought her dress from The Fairy Godmother shop and her shoes from the Cinderella Store. The groom wore a suit from The Prince Charming Emporium. The couple met more than 50 years ago (yes I know they look young). Barbie was tired of waiting so she asked Ken to get married.”

52 Lists in 52 Weeks (Week 15)

List #15

"Things I am Obsessed with as of Late"

Pintrest  As of lately, I have been spending anywhere from 2-4 hrs a day on my days off on this site, scoping out ideas for decorating, recipes, and general "why didn't I think of that"

Breaking Bad A show we have started streaming on Netflix about a high school chemistry teacher, who is diagnosed with lung cancer, and starts making meth to support his family before he passes.

September 25th- The Amzing Race, Desperate Housewives and Kendra all come back for there season premieres

All things baby- Baby pictures, baby poses, cute outfits, funny onesies, baby hats, etc... just planning ahead for the future. :)

Buffalo Chicken Wraps- Frozen chicken strips, Franks buffalo wing sauce, tortillas, and ranch YUM!

Dreamsicles- UV Cake flavor Vodka, orange pop, Sprite, grenadine YUM!

Home Decor- Making canvases, framing pictures, holiday decorating, wreaths, kitchen wall command center, paint colors, draperies

Facebook- Okay so nothing new...i've always been obsessed, but I love to keep tabs on people back at home, view pictures, and keep in contact with family.

Wall Decor- Mirrors, frames, pictures

HyVee "Water Coolers" Sparkling Water in Raspberry

Evening walks with my husband- A great way to catch up on the days activities, vent about stupid people and stories, get healthy, and see the neighborhood 2 miles at a time!

Creativity is Contagious...

“Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.”

— Albert Einstein

So I have finally found the world of Pintrest...I haven't decided yet if this is a good thing, a bad thing, or a really great/awesome/fabulous thing. :)  Let's just say that I have gotten lost for 3-5 hrs at a time on my days off, pinning things on my boards to my little hearts content. 

So what exactly is Pintrest? Well....

Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.

People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and share their favorite recipes.

I have come up with a lot of brilliant home decorating ideas, organizational tips, recipes to try, photos to take, and a general collection of just "stuff that makes me happy to look at" The ideas I am most excited to try are... 

Kitchen Wall "Command Center" with monogram

Wood letters glued on canvas and then painted

Vinyl Decals on Framed Glass

 

Tissue Paper and Clear Vases (interchangeable for other holidays)

Three Safe-to-Eat dips: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Sugar Cookie Dough, and Cake Batter.

Recipe  to be made for our next food day at work

Sheets stored in their pillow cases (Why have I never thought of this??!)

Avenue of Flags

Approximately 450 American Flags posted along Metcalf Avenue (and various side streets) from about 74th Street to 119th Street. A project of the Overland Park Host Lions Club since 1963.   

8 Times a year approximetly 450 American flags standing over 8' high are personally placed and lined along Metcalf Avenue for over 40 blocks.

All photos were taken from the OP Lions club website.

The beginning where the first flags are placed

The end of the flag line (close to where I work.) 

 This is quite the sight to see.  It literally gave me goosebumps and made me say "WOW" outloud the first time I saw it.  Driving past all those flags really gave me a sense of Freedom and American Pride.  I thank these gentlemen for this quiet reminder on these holidays!  

I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful Labor Day Weekend!!