Happy Halloween!!

Such cute little kiddies running around trick or treating...

... I hope everyone has a very safe, and FUN Halloween!!!!!!!! Ta ta for now! :)

Cat Bowling, Anyone?

Wait, whaaat? No, I am SO not for the harm or endangerment of any animals, and when I first saw this I was skeptical, too... but for a little mindless, harmless, Halloween fun, you have got to try out this game! It's the perfect way to break up the monotony of the day. Check it out here.

By the way, I really sucked the first time through but after the third round I got pretty good! :)

Halloween Costumes

I always swore I would never be one of those people that would dress up their dogs in silly costumes, but ever since I got my little Addie I just can't help it! She's so darn cute! And when I found a costume that matched, well, it was too hard to resist. (But no, she didn't get to go to the party with me... would've been a great accessory, though, huh?). ;)

And aside from making my dog dress up, one my favorite things about Halloween is that I get to dress up! The costume, the hair, the makeup, the shimmer powder... everything is way more than usual and it's so fun to play with and be a little different than you normally are. Especially when you get to be a bumble bee for a day! (Aren't those striped, fuzzy leg warmers just the cuteset???)

Fall-flavored Coffee

I don't drink coffee every day so when I do I consider it a treat. And if you haven't already noticed, I LOVE the scents and flavors of fall, including what you can add to your coffee. It's still pretty warm where I live (mid-80's) so it hasn't seemed right to have my pumkin spice latte from Starbuck's just yet, but last Tuesday I was on my way to a meeting and my friend/co-worker's car got a flat tire. When she called in to say we'd be late another friend of ours offered to buy us coffee so it would be waiting for us upon arrival. How sweet! Even though it was still a relatively warm morning, I immediately said "Pumpkin Spice Latte!". Bless her heart, I haven't been to Peet's Coffee much so I'm not familiar with their specialties, but that is where she went and I'm guessing "pumkin spice" isn't one of their fall favorites because the latte I got didn't taste anything like it (no offense to the Peet's lovers!). Boo, I was disappointed.




But today at the grocery store I saw some of Coffee-Mate's new fall flavored creamers... and pumpkin spice was one of them! One of those tastily decorated bottles went straight into my cart. The moment I got home I made some coffee to try it out... and it was great! Yay, I can make my own latte's right at home! An inexpensive but satisfying discovery. :) And with other flavors like Gingerbread and Peppermint Mocha I might have to try a few others! (Although for the peppermint flavor I think I'd rather add some peppermint schnapps to hot chocolate). ;)

Eyes WAY Bigger Than Stomach

My husband's grandma is one of the sweestest ladies I know. She really wanted to take us out to lunch today so J and I met her at one of her all-time favorite restaurants - Sizzler. I had not been to a Sizzler in eons so when we walked in and placed our order at the register I asked for a steak with mashed potatoes (and gravy, of course!) and the salad bar, on the side. Sounds like a decent order, right?

As soon as we get our table and plates I make my way over to the salad bar and my eyes instantly become as big and round as silver dollars. There is a taco bar. And pasta. And baked potatoes. And fruit, and salad stuff, and tapioca pudding! My plate is quickly filled with tacos, onion rings and I'm not even sure what else. After finishing that I go back with a fresh plate only to fill it with a complete green salad, seafood salad, macaroni salad, oh, and of course, the tapioca pudding. After finishing that off I suddenly remember that I still have a large steak with potatoes coming. Uh oh... what was I thinking? Then, joy of joys! my oreo milkshake arrives! And soon after comes the steak.

All three bites I managed to eat of it were delicious. Pause... take a deep breath... lean back..... nope. Still can't do any more. A to-go container for my steak, potatoes, oh yeah, and one for my yummy shake, were definitely in order. Yep, my eyes were WAY bigger than my stomach. But hey, six hours later that steak made a pretty delicious dinner!

Sleeping Beauty...

...is one of my all time favorite classics. I was once asked in a silly game what my favorite Disney cartoon was and I immediately answered "Sleeping Beauty!" I think part of it is the central theme that is quintessential Disney: Good triumphs over Evil, but it is also the romanticism of a handsome young stranger sweeping you off your feet while having fairy godmothers to look out for you - fairy godmothers that add an element of sweetness and humor that is hard to resist. (Oh, how I wanted to be Princess Aurora when I was little!). The classic music is an added bonus, too. Not to mention, who doesn't want to discover her true love is actually a prince who endured great danger to rescue her?? ;)

Now that it is remastered and they have a platinum edition I think I'm going to have to get it!

Autumn Florals

Decorations is one of my favorite parts of this time of year. I love walking into an office, store, or home that is decked out in the seasons frills. Check out these festive and lovely arrangements by Candle Magic Flower & Gift Shop.

Beautiful fall accents for any room!

Orange & Black

We had an event at work today so a couple of my co-workers and I decided to make it fun and dress in Halloween theme. Not in costumes, mind you, but in all black and orange. Perfectly matched from our heads all the way down our black & orange striped legs! Yeah, those tights were pretty LOUD. In fact, when I got home, the first thing my husband said when he saw me was, "Whoa, that hurt my eyes. Those tights have got to go." Ha!

When walking around today it was fine when it was at least two of us together because people could tell that the ensembles were intentional. And honestly, the orange pashmina's draped around our necks were cute all by themselves but as soon as the person's eyes traveled down our legs they got quite an unexpected sight. Again, in pairs, we were fine. We got a lot of compliments, some even dared to call us "Halloween Barbie" (just being nice?). ;)

But if someone happened to catch you on your way to the bathroom and hadn't seen one of the other girls... well... I guess they probably thought that the unfortunate soul was having a really bad fashion day. Oh well. We had so much fun with it that at lunch time when we left for food (yes, we even went out in public looking that way) I actually found myself skipping to the car. Ah, to be a kid again!

Halloween Goodies

Some creative, eerie treats from Miss Martha Stewart!

No-Bake Spiderweb Cheesecake

Wicked Witch Cupcakes

Midnight Moon Cookies

Brain Cupcakes

Scrumptious Scents

Pumpkin Pie

Caramel Apple

Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcake

Pearamel

Apple Cinnamon

Peach Cobbler

Crème Brulee

Autumn Harvest

Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin… need I really say more?

These are just some of the many delicious candle scents perfect for this time of year. I love candles year round but I get especially exited about burning them when it’s cool outside. (It feels a little weird to burn a candle when it’s 90+ degrees outside, ya know?). The holiday scents are some of my absolute favorites… maybe because it brings me back to my childhood, or maybe just because they’re so sweet it makes me hungry for whatever scent I’m burning. I guess that means I must have an ample supply of pumpkin pie, crème brulee, and chocolate cream cheese cupcakes on hand? :)

All of the above scents are carried by Sierra Mountain Candle Company, a relatively new company that makes all of their candles to order to ensure you get the freshest scents in your candle possible... neat, huh? Check out their website here.

Posh Pumpkins

I found these elegant pumpkins on Elle's blog and just couldn't resist posting on them myself. I love monograms and never considered doing it on a pumpkin. Lovely! I don't know that I'd have the patience to actually do these but if I did I'm sure my porch would be the envy of all who passed by!

Pretty Boots

Here are some pics of my new fav boots....

You can wear them slouched...

...straight up...

...or folded. I think my favorite way is slouched. Aren't those big buttons adorable??? :)

The Hunt

So, those Classic Cardy Ugg Boots that I wrote about a week ago? As the cooler weather finally starts to set in I’ve been a little anxious to get them. And after going to three stores with no success, I decide to try a different, more gas-friendly, approach. I look up all the Ugg carrier retail stores in my area then call each of them, one by one by one… all nineteen of them. I soon discover that of the nineteen there are only six that even carry that style! The Nordstroms are out and the next shipment is not due in until November. I can’t wait that long. Another local shop is in the same predicament but promises to call me the moment they come in. Two more stores have the boots but not in the color I want and have no plans to ever order that color. The last shop I call has just received a huge shipment of shoes and I am told that the very boots I am coveting could possibly be buried in the huge pile of boxes still waiting to be inventoried. So I call back the next morning and eagerly await their answer…. They have the grey Classic Cardy in size 7! Phil promises to hold them for me.

At lunch I rush down to the shop, slowly open the starburst embossed cardboard lid, carefully pull out the boots, and admire them for a moment. Not knowing if the 7’s would even fit or not (since Ugg sizes vary from style to style) I feel a flutter of nerves as I slide them on my feet. Ahhh, a perfect fit! I’d hoped they would fit and be comfortable. They do, and… they are. The hunt is over and the huntress is happy.

Sweet Baby Shoes

Two of my friends recently had their babies and while browsing through different gift options I discovered these. How adorable are these tiny little shoe pendants? And starting at only $37 it's a pretty afordable option for new Mom's or Mother's Day (I know, wrong time of year for that one, but it never hurts to start shopping early!). ;)

Jewelry for All Seasons

Ever since I was little I've always loved jewelry. I think it was at age 5 that I started regularly flipping through the jewelry section of my Mom's huge Sears catalog and I'd circle everything in it that I wanted. Since then the styles (and my tastes) have changed quite a bit but I still love jewelry just as much as ever. Sometimes I like simple and classic, other times big and bold. These are some lovely, unique, handcrafted pieces that definitely make a statement.

The button below will take you directly to JeGem's website, where all of the above and hundreds more can be found. Happy shopping!

Taste Book

I discovered this really fun website that allows you to customize your own cookbook. They have over 100,000 recipes to choose from (that's a lot!) and you can also use your own. You can even upload and use your own photos and add a personalized dedication page. How neat is that?!? My husband is a great cook so I'm thinking I will need to start discreetly jotting down his recipes so that I can make one for him for Christmas. It looks really easy so I'll have to get started on this. What a wonderful gift!

Hip-T

A couple of my pregnant friends swear by the Bella Bands made for pregnant ladies... it's very strong, stretchy spandex to hold in your belly button and smooth down the fly of your jeans so it doesn't stick way out as your belly grows. You can actually wear your non-maternity pants longer by wearing them unbuttoned because the Bella Band holds the pants in place and it looks like a tank top under your clothes without having to actually wear another shirt. Brilliant!

And I found the ones made for non-pregnant women! It's called a Hip-T. I love layering longer tanks under shirts or sweaters that are a little too short, but sometimes it's hard to find a tank that is exactly the right length to go with your chosen top. This totally solves that problem as you can pull it as high or as low as you want! I think I'll have to order it in both black and white.

Classic Cardy

I want these boots so badly! Especially in gray. Aren't they darling?? I just love the buttons. Big buttons are one of my favorites, and I love the fact that you can wear them straight up, slouch them, or fold them down for three different looks. So versatile.

So far I'm having a hard time finding them in the stores in my size so I may just have to order them online. We'll see....

Princess Promenade

My cycling event was on Sunday and thankfully the weather was perfect. It was a long, exhausting day but I am proud to say that I did the 75 miles that I was hoping to do! It's a new record for me! The above is a picture of me at the halfway point....

...and at the finish! See, I told you my bike was pink! ;)

You've Been Mooned!

I'll be out of town for a couple of days but I'll be back on Thursday with pictures of yesterday's cycling event. :) Happy Fall!!

Sweet Things

I have a penchant for sweet things and when I get a craving and feel like there's nothing in the house to perfectly satisfy it, then I must bake something. Today I was in the mood for cupcakes. My favorite kind is rainbow chip with rainbow chip frosting. Usually I make my own frosting from scratch but I love the rainbow chip frosting so much there just doesn't seem to be a need. Doesn't it just bring you back to your childhood?? Complete with pink sprinkles, of course. :)

Chocolate Bacon

Yes, you read that right - Chocolate Bacon. Or actually, "Chocolate Covered Bacon with Almonds" is the full name. An unusual combination that actually tastes shockingly good. Kind of makes sense when you think about it, though... a little sweet, a little salty... yeah, it works!

My husband saw this done on an episode of Dinner: Impossible on the Food Network and decided to give it a try. Here is the recipe if you'd like to give it a go:

Ingredients
1 pound thickly sliced slab bacon
1/2 pound milk chocolate
1/4 pound toasted almonds
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place bacon on a sheet tray and cook until crisp, about 25 minutes. Melt chocolate in double boiler over low heat. Dip crisp bacon in chocolate and place back on sheet tray.
Sprinkle with almonds and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

More Pink!

It was finally time to retire my old blue helmet that matches my mountain bike and get a newer, sleeker, better fitting one to wear on my upcoming ride. I was planning on going with something basic like white, gray, or silver, but look at what I stumbled upon! A women's white helmet with pink accents! And the shade of pink just so happens to match my bike perfectly. I think it was meant to be. :)

P.S. I'll post a picture of the pink bike after my ride. :)

Pink Ribbon

Diamond Sapphire Breast Cancer Ribbon Bracelet Charm This lovely bracelet charm is the breast cance awareness ribbon made in white gold and highlighted with diamonds and pink sapphire gems. Signal your support with this 14K WG Diamond Sapphire Cancer Ribbon Bracelet Charm.

Very pretty and supports a great cause!

Lobster & Caviar

Last night I had the Travel Channel on the TV as background noise while I was working on something else and a show was on called Pizza Paradises. I wasn't really paying attention until something made me stop and turn my head. A pizza that cost $1000. Wait, whaaaat???? One thousand dollars for a pizza? True, it looked mighty tasty piled with expensive cheeses, lobster and caviar, but, um.... if I'm going to pay $1000 for a pizza it had better come with some diamond jewelry. That's all I'm saying. :P

Mint Chocolate Cookie

I had an amazing cookie today. It was a mint chip chocolate cookie. Basically a chocolate cookie with mint chips instead of white chocolate chips. Sooo good! It tasted like the Andes version of a cookie. I couldn't find a recipe online that was exactly like what I ate so here is the closest one and I just changed the white chocolate chips to mint chips. (Oh, and in the picture above, just try to envision those as being GREEN). :) Here goes:

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups mint chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Fold in the mint chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are set. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Breast Cancer Flip Flops

So October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and I found these darling little flip flops that I just had to have. They are sooo comfortable. The shearling liner in synthetic so that's good for anyone who has wool allergies, but still super comfy! And they look great with jeans! I got mine in black and they happened to not have the little pink ribbon on the side, not sure why (maybe it's detachable?), but I like it that way just fine. And $2 from each pair sold will be donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation™ for clinical funding and worldwide research. How cool is that??