Miscellany Monday

I am linking up with Carissa at lowercase letters today for Miscellany Monday.

It's is already after 7.

I had a VERY boring meeting after work.  Like so boring to the point where I wrote notes back and forth with my friend Kara.

Madison is still working on a project that is due tomorrow.  I told her she cannot have her frozen yogurt until it is done...hoping that would motivate her.

When I finish this post I am going to eat my Skinny Dip frozen yogurt.  We love Skinny Dip.  Most of the yogurts are fat-free.  You serve yourself and then load up your frozen yogurt with a bunch of tasty toppings.  They have this peanut butter topping that is TO DIE FOR - I always squirt a ton of that on there.

I was a crafting fool this weekend - although both of my projects are still unfinished.  I hope to have at least the Lukas sign done by Wednesday.  It is for my cousin who has a new baby.  The other sign (I posted a tiny peek of it) is for my friend Erin and it is a work in progress.  Her baby isn't due until the summer so I still have some time.

I am REALLY looking forward to watching Bethenny Frankel's new show on Bravo tonight.  I am obsessed with most reality TV.

I am taking a sick day on Wednesday.  Madison has to have a tooth pulled.  As horrible as it sounds I am looking forward to having a day off in the middle of the week.

Baby Boy Shower Favors - A How To

There is a baby shower at work on Monday for a teacher having a baby boy.  I offered to make favors. 

Today I went shopping for the materials - 2 bags of Cookies and Cream Hershey's Kisses, card stock - I went with a blue, scrapbook paper - I went with a brown with stripes and buttons (which I chose to coordinate with the saying I chose), ribbon (which I ended up not using), and little baggies - that are 3 x 4.

I used Word to make the little tags. They say "A baby boy is so very sweet, from his cute button nose to his tiny feet! If you are interested you can send me an email and I can send you the PDF file to print out your own.  I printed the tags on the blue paper and cut them out.  Then I cut the patterned card stock paper.  I glued the blue paper on to the patterned paper.  Then I folded the paper in half.

Next I used a glue gun to attach the baggies of candy (which my daughter filled for me...while eating some of the candy) to the inside of the flaps of paper.  I think they turned out super cute and I think they will be a hit at the shower.

If you have any questions regarding how to make you own candy favor bags, please post a comment below.  I will be more than happy to help.

Friday Night Tidbits

• I made this fabulous cake this week.  I got the recipe from one of my new favorite go to blogs for great recipes.  It is very RICH.  I let Madison bring some to school today to share with her friends.  I sliced little slivers of the cake and wrapped them in little foil packets.  I enclosed little plastic forks. All the girls at the lunch table enjoyed the cake...except for one who had just a bite.  Madison offered it up to another girl who loved her slice.  This little girl ate TWO slices of this RICH cake and licked the bits of frosting off of the foil pieces.  Madison told me after school the little girl left science class early...she was sick from all of the chocolate...and puking...and had to be picked up by her mother.  Its amazing but a small slice is plenty.

• Madison's favorite teacher is having a baby.  She is having a baby boy.  Tonight I took Madison to the Carter's store and let her choose a present for her teacher's baby.  She chose these super cute outfits.  Being in the Carter's store...made me long for my own baby # 2 to shop for... I guess for now I will have to just buy many cute gifts.

• Speaking of babies...my cousin Lauren had a baby.  I have been meaning to send him a gift.  Tonight after dinner I headed to AC Moore and bought these things to make baby Lukas a fabulous gift.  I plan on making it this weekend and mailing it out on Monday.  No more procrastinating.

• I love Kevin & Amanda's blog.  She was a lifesaver last year when I was DIY our summer beach wedding.  I love her free fonts...seriously they are the best.  This week she had a recipe for Chess Squares...also known as Gooey Butter Cake.  I made them last night. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G and only 5 ingredients!  I didn't take a photo of these, but check out the recipe on Amanda's blog - she has a beautiful photo of them.

GROTI - Great Recipes on the Internet

I started a new Facebook page called GROTI - Great Recipes on the Internet.  Each day I will be sharing a link to a recipe you can find online.  Some of the recipes will be my own and others will be ones I found online and enjoy.  If you have a Facebook, please LIKE the GROTI - Great Recipes on the Internet page so some great recipes will pop up in your daily feed.  Thank you.  If you have a great recipe on your blog that you would like featured on GROTI - please let  me know.

Easy & Yummy Peanut Butter Truffles

I made these yesterday.

{I cut this one open so you can see the inside}

We brought them to a friend's house we were going to for dinner.

They were amazing...tasted like peanut butter cups...and were the EASIEST thing to make.

They only require 3 ingredients -

1 large package of Nutter Butter cookies



1 brick of plain cream cheese



1 package of Wilton milk chocolate candy melts


1) Use a food processor to crumble up the entire bag of cookies, or you can put them in a large Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush them.

2) Mix the cookie crumbles with a softened brick of cream cheese until a dough forms

3) Roll them into small balls.  I used a small ice cream scooper to make even proportions.

4) Place the balls on wax paper and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.

5) Melt your bag of chocolate discs.   I used the microwave to do this.

6) Use a toothpick to dip the balls in the chocolate and then place them back on the wax paper to cool/harden. 

7) Store in the refridgerator.

Grocery Shopping HELL

How do people feed their family on $30 or $40 or $50 a week? Are they packing lunches? What are the making for dinner?

I try to read those websites and blogs.  I do a weekly meal plan.  I make a grocery list.  I try to use coupons and shop sales.

Tonight I waited until the Super Bowl had started before heading to the grocery store.  The place was empty...SCORE! My plan worked.

This is what I spent...

$82.31

I don't even want to tell you my husband and daughter did some shopping Saturday for a get together he was hosting Saturday night (after I made tons of yummy food....nobody showed up) and some other random stuff and managed to spent a little over $70!!

This is what I got - Like a blogger crazy I carefully arranged EVERYTHING I purchased to take this photo -

It seems like a lot of $$$ to me for not a lot of food.  I want to be the woman who feeds her family all week and only spends $50 at the grocery store.  I guess I just need to keep trying to be a better more frugal shopper.