Recent Yumminess

Once again, it's been a while since I've posted.  It's been a really busy couple of weeks.  I have been doing some baking and cooking though so I thought I'd do a little food post.

 Chocolate Chip Cookies (a favorite!)

Pineapple Upside Down Cake (good when you want to change things up a bit)

Butter Pecan Cake (unbelievably yummy!)

Double Chocolate Orange Cookies (a citrus-y twist on traditional chocolate chip cookies - yum!)

Mini Cookie Birthday Cakes (turned out so cute but took a lot of work!  It was worth it though)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (perfection!  Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside!)

Mom's Strawberry Pie (I grew up on this pie and there is none better.  Top with a bit of whipped cream and you have the perfect dessert!)

Feta-Topped Chicken (love it!)

Spinach and Sundried Tomato Penne Pasta (made this for the first time yesterday and it is delish!)

I may not have had much time for blogging lately but I have certainly had time for cooking!  I'm sure I will always have time for that!  :)  Need a recipe?  Just ask!  I'm more than happy to share recipes (except the Strawberry Pie - sorry - that's a family recipe!)

 

Level 3

I haven't posted anything recently (been too busy cleaning a rental house) but I did want to update that I am still doing The Shred and started Level 3 on Monday.  Wow.  It's a tough one but I like it because I feel like I'm getting a good workout.  I haven't noticed any change in my body but I'm sure that has to do with the fact that I haven't really changed my eating habits much.  That's the hard part for me.  I do have more endurance though and I feel a bit better than I used to.  Only 8 more days left of Level 3.  After that, I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do.  I do plan to keep exercising though!

 

Kisses For My Valentine

Instead of making Hubby the normal heart-shaped-cheesecake (like I did last year) I wanted to make something different and unexpected for Valentine's Day.  I saw these on bakerella's site and knew I had to make them.  Such a simple thing but tastes oh-so-yummy and looks cute, too!

I know this doesn't look very appetizing but trust me, after dipping them in chocolate and letting them harden in the fridge for a while, they're divine.  Just ask hubby.

Here is the finished product.  I had a hard time getting a decent picture but you get the idea.

Try them.  You'll love them.

 

Making Valentines

This year I made valentines for the kids in my Glimmers class and also for the kids in the nursery (from JJ).  I got together with a couple girls this week to put our valentine's together.  I called Amy (the leader of our stamp club) on Monday and asked if I could come over and put together some valentines.  She said to come on over and join a couple other girls who had asked to make valentines as well.  It was an impromptu valentine-making party.  All of the little valentines turned out so cute!  I have a feeling I will never be able to buy a regular card or gift again.  I'm going to have to make it!  Here are the valentines I made...

 

This is what I put together for my Glimmers class - a little baggie full of gummy heart candies.

  

This is what I made for JJ's nursery friends - a little baggie full of cheddar and pretzel goldfish.  LOVE this one!  The stamp says fishes, wishes, & kisses.  How cute is that???

 

Thank you, Amy and Valerie for such awesome ideas!  I loved them!  I wish I would have gotten pictures of the other girls valentines.  They were great as well.  One week from tomorrow is our monthly Stamp Club meeting.  The theme is Birthdays and I will be hosting.  I've got a week to figure out what treats I will be bringing...

 

I've Made It To Level 2

I have made it through 10 days of Level 1 of The 30 Day Shred and started Level 2 yesterday.  It is quite a bit harder than Level 1 and works out different muscles.  Thankfully, I am not sore today but I am feeling it a bit in my shoulders.  I am so glad I have kept up with this workout so far.  By no means am I one who likes to work out.  I normally despise working out.  This workout, however, has been fairly easy for me to stick with.  The best thing about it?  It's only 20 minutes a day!  I think that's the one thing that keeps me interested.  If I can get results in 20 minutes a day for 30 days, it's worth it to me!  Well, I need to get off this thing and start Day 2 of Level 2.

 

The Super Bowl According To Me

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not a sports fan.  Occasionally, I will watch a couple minutes or ask Hubby the score but that doesn't happen very often and is usually only for OU football games, Thunder basketball games, or Spurs basketball games.  So this coming Sunday really has no meaning for me.  It's just another Sunday.  And then I saw these adorable Oreo Footballs. 

They're great, right?  I saw these on Bakerella's website and I just knew I needed to make them.  I may not be a football fan but I know cute when I see it!  So, Mom and I spent a couple hours putting these cuties together.  This is the finished product...

 

They are definitely not as well-done as Bakerella's but I think they turned out pretty good.  I'm sending them with Hubby tonight for guys night.  So there you have it, the extent of my involvement with the Super Bowl this year.  haha!

 

Winter Wonderland

Well, I've been awake all night (literally) and this time JJ has nothing to do with it.  I just can't sleep.  For some unknown, crazy, ridiculous reason my brain won't shut off.  So, I'm going to catch up on my blog.

We've had an unusual Oklahoma winter this year.  So far we've had 2 snow/ice storms.  Being from the North, I love all of the snow!  The ice?  Not so much.  That's what makes everything miserable.  It means we get to spend days stuck in the house.  I guess it's worth it to me though if it means we get snow!  I decided to try my hand at a few snowy pictures to see how they turned out.  Not great, but not so bad either.  Here are a few pictures from our snowy, wintry days.

 This is the shed in our back yard when it first started snowing.

 

 

 

 

  

  

We decided to venture out at one point so Hubby could return some library books.  I took advantage of the photo op.  I never noticed this ballerina in front of the library before but it caught my eye that afternoon.

  

  

Our dogs love snow, too.  They loved being outside and playing in it.

 

  

  

Here's our shed towards the end.  Isn't it pretty?

I truly enjoy the peaceful, quiet feeling snow brings. I may have lived in the South most of my life but I was born and raised in the North and that comes with a natural love of snow.  I can't help it.  It's in my blood.