Easiest Dessert Ever

I love having a dessert to snack on after dinner.

 I also like being able to bring goodies to my family when we come to visit for the holidays.

This is the perfect recipe for all the above, and it's super easy.

If I can do it, you can do it. promise.

 Behold---Crockpot Candy

1 jar (16 oz) dry roasted, unsalted peanuts

1 jar (16 oz) dry roasted salted peanuts

1 pkg (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 oz sweetened german chocolate (green packaging) broken into pieces

3 lbs (two 24 oz pkgs.) white almond bark, broken into pieces (some packages of almond bark may have candy coating on the package instead)

Put ingredients into a 4 or 5 quart crockpot in EXACT order as listed. Cover and cook on LOWEST setting for 3 hours. DO NOT remove lid! Turn off and allow to cool slightly. Mixture will not be melted but will be soft. Mix thoroughly and drop by teaspoon size cookie dropper or a teaspoon onto wax paper. Let cool thoroughly. Makes approximately 150 - 170 pieces, depending, of course, on how large you make the pieces.

The lowest setting on my crockpot is "Warm," and that works perfectly for this recipe. Do not put the crockpot on "Low" because it will literally cook the chocolate. You will have a burned chocolate mess. Not speaking from experience or anything... 

The recipe makes a TON of candy, so this is perfect to make as teacher gifts. I usually make some to keep at home and make some to take to work.

The only problem is figuring out how to stop eating them!

Here's the original link to the recipe.

Thanks for hosting Steph & Katie!

I WON!

 I think several people thought my twitter account had been hacked after several days of this...

But it was actually legit, and I ended up winning $25 paypal cash. Cha-ching!

Okay..yeah..I know it's just $25, but it's my birthday week, and I should spend it asap, right?

So I bought this

via

I've been eyeing it for a while. It's the significantly cheaper version of the J.Crew bracelet.

I love a good bargain!

 Hope it's just as beautiful in person!

Sweet Birthday Surprise

It was just a normal Tuesday night sitting at home watching Hart of Dixie when there was a knock on the front door. Rodney went to check it out and found a box of flowers left by the UPS man.

After several jokes about my boyfriend sending me flowers, I finally got the box open and found this beautiful arrangement...

 

along with a note from this beautiful lady on the left...

Who doesn't love unexpected gifts and beautiful flowers?! 

There are so many friends that I don't get to see nearly as often as I would like, so it's definitely special when someone makes the effort to say "hey..I'm thinking about you."

Thanks so much for the gorgeous birthday flowers. Love you Lauren!

 

Thanksgiving Recap

Here's a little picture recap of our happy Thanksgiving. By the end of the night, I was very pregnant with a food baby. Hope your Thanksgiving was just as full of family and food as ours was.

 

hubs and me

 silly sisters with mom

 

 serious sisters with mom

 

 storytelling

    Dancin'

 

 Is there any leftover ham?

 

The remainder of my weekend was spent being super lazy. I've gotten some of my Christmas pretties out, but I'm still working on it. I had these big plans for what all I would do while I was off work. It's amazing how the couch always takes precedence over the plans.

 Don't forget to enter this giveaway!

Randomness on Turkey Day Eve

I'm a pretty random person the majority of the time, so this type of link up is right up my alley. I thought I'd just share how random I actually am.

(one) I have a huge problem where I constantly play word association games in my mind.

For example...if you were telling me about how sharply dressed your husband looked in his new clothing, I immediately think of "Sharp Dressed Man" by ZZ Top.

You tell me about a friend being involved in a hit and run and I immediately think Britney Spears "Hit Me Baby One More Time." (uh oh..I hope this wasn't too serious of a story you were telling about your friend.)

I literally cannot make it through church without getting several songs stuck in my head like "Redeemed" by Big Daddy Weave or "I'm Alive" by Peter Furler all because the preacher used the words "Redeemed" or "Alive."

Then the song won't get out of my head. It pretty much stays stuck until some other random word triggers a new song.

It's really annoying. Espcially for the person I'm speaking with because I have a habit of blurting the song out mid-talk. Oops. Sorry for interrupting. I just needed to get that song out. Hey..it's your fault for saying a trigger word.

(two) I used to be so excited that I would one day have an office job where I got to dress up and look nice for work everyday. I'm no longer that excited about it.

 Now, as I drive home from work, I already begin to make myself unpresentable. I take all my jewelry off in the car. If I've got a sweater or cardigan on over a cami, I take it off. All buttons and zippers are taken care of. One of these days, I'll get pulled over, and I don't quite know how I'll explain myself. Oh well..I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

(three) I now have a button! Yay! Feel free to take one. :)

PS...Do me a favor and don't enter this giveaway. More of chance for me to win, right?

List of Wishes

 I'm a big list person, so several months ago, I sent my wish list for birthday and Christmas to my family. I have a birthday at the end of November, so I just make one giant list. Here are the things I'm wishing for this year.

1. Life Application Study Bible

2. Monogram Necklace

3. Quilted Puffer Vest

4. At Home Gel Manicure

5. Striped J. Crew Shirt

6. Monogram & Sewing Machine

7. Stella & Dot Bracelet

What does your list look like? 

Linking up with Meg today for Mingle Monday. Thanks for hosting! :)

Tampa Part 2

I win worst friend of the year award. I totally forgot that one of my best friends from college was working in Tampa doing loan staff work, so I was beyond excited when she text me after seeing where I was in town.  I had something to look forward to after the many hours sitting in a classroom.

Dinner

 

It was like Christmas morning when I got home since Rodney hadn't opened any boxes we received during the week. 

Can you tell how much I prefer online shopping?

#1 Reason I Don't Like Living With a Boy

At least once every few weeks, I place a phone call to my mom or sister that goes something like this..

Are you near a computer?

No, why?

I need you to get on Skype. Ok..well do you have wifi? Can we facetime?

No I'm driving right now.

Oh..well. I'll just send you a picture.

Then this happens...

Which shoe looks better?

I miss my femininely advice that was offered so freely when I still lived at home. Rodney is perfectly capable of giving his opinion, but let's just say I don't necessarily trust his fashion advice. 

Not to mention, my sister and I wear most clothes and shoes in the same size. All those clothes being wasted on just one person.

 

Linking up with Shanna...thanks for hosting!

Read These Books NOW!

I like to read...a lot. Most of the stuff I read is just fluff. There is no thought involved, and I usually have already forgotten what I've read by the time I've started on the next book. Sometimes you just need a little mindless reading. These are some books that I've read lately that have really stuck with me, and I think you  should read them too!

Wild by Cheryl Strayed is a memoir. I don't typically like works of nonfiction, but this book is the exception. After Cheryl loses her mother and basically loses contact with her entire family including her husband, she decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail alone with absolutely no experience hiking at all. The trail provides a healing experience as she grieves her mother's death. (It's not too terribly depressing otherwise, I wouldn't read it.) I could not put the book down.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is the absolute most creative book I've ever read. The detail and thought that went into the many descriptions of the circus is amazing. Not only is the writing wonderful, the story line pulls you in. I'm not even going to try and summarize the book because I won't do it justice. Just read it! I promise you won't be dissapointed.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is another book that sucked me in with its suspense. The viewpoint switches from the husband to the wife and it reads like a diary almost. Just when something is about to be revealed, she switches viewpoints on you. The wife ends up missing and the reader doesn't know whether the husband committed a crime or what happened to her. Believe me, you will love this book! I also read Dark Places by Flynn. It's so-so, but not as good as Gone Girl.

 I'm still having fun learning about taxes in Tampa.. whooo hooo! 

Linking up with  Helene, Emily, Kathleen, & Rachel.

 

Tampa Fun Day

Today we arrived in Tampa and had all day to do whatever we please. Give this girl some free time, and I choose to go shopping...and eating good food too of course. 

Playing with the items at Kate Spade--All I can afford to do. :)

 Louis has his own bar!

Dinner at Crab Trap 

Spelling Fail

Unfortunately, tomorrow won't be as fun as today. 

Have a great week y'all! :)

Shopping Rant

I went to a Christmas open house today with Mary Margaret and I'm reminded of some things that just really irk me while shopping. Allow me to share.

When I walk in a store and you ask me how I'm doing today, I realize that you're just being nice and really could care less how my life is at the moment. Even though that's the case, at least have the decency to listen to my response. It's fairly obvious that you didn't take the time to listen because I asked how you were doing. And there was no reply. Just don't even bother asking me if you're not going to listen to the answer. 

When I walk into a store, it's very nice if you at least say "good morning" or "can I help you find anything today." If you're busy and don't have a minute to stop what you're doing, I understand. If you're just staring at your cell phone and obviously ignoring me, I don't understand. It makes it even more awkward when I come to look at the trinkets by the register where you're sitting and you still don't acknowledge me. Even though your store had lots of cute things, I prefer to give my money to people who at least act like they're glad to have me shop with them.

Rant over.

Have you entered this giveaway yet? You totally should because there is a ton of goodies involved!

I'm headed to Tampa tomorrow for work, and the weather is supposed to be amazing! I'm not looking forward to sitting in a classroom all day, but everything else (food, shopping, etc) is exciting!