Perfect Roast Turkey!

I love Ina a.k.a. the Barefoot Contessa.

So when I made my first Thanksgiving turkey about 3 years ago, I naturally turned to her for guidance. I found this recipe for Ina's Perfect Roast Turkey and I have made this turkey every year since. It seriously is the best turkey I have ever had in my life! (Sorry mom!) I am making it this year again for about 18 people, so it will be the biggest one yet!

The flavors of the lemon and thyme are subtle but it is one juicy bird!

Good Luck tomorrow with your turkey!

Ginger Crackles!

My Grama is an amazing cook, baker, and canned goods maker!!

In honor of Thanksgiving, I'm posting her acclaimed Ginger Crackles.
Perfect for Thanksgiving dessert with tea or coffee, (and a piece of pie).
Oh and Grama, I hope this wasn't a secret family recipe because I am posting it for the world to see!

Why am I rhyming?

Grama's Ginger Crackles

3/4 cup Crisco
1 cup sugar (and extra to roll dough in)
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
2 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ginger

1. Cream Crisco and sugar
2. Add egg and molasses
3. Combine all dry ingredients then blend into liquid
4. Shape into 1" balls
5. Roll in sugar
6. Grease cookie sheet and place cookie balls
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 mins

Enjoy them this Holiday Season!!

Happy Birthday Lindy!

Happy Birthday Lindy!!

I hope you have a freaking fantastic 30th Birthday!

(I used a picture of Reese since I don't have a baby picture of you, and since you and Reese probably look identical as babies!)

Check out Lindy's blog of Reese!!

Growing onesies!

My friend Jessica went to a baby shower last week and saw onesies on the mom-to-be's registry and decided to create her very own flower pot-o-onesies!

Jessica said she picked up the white flower pot at Ikea for $1.99! What a steal!

I love how colorful and bold the 'flowers' are! And the crinkle paper grass makes me so happy!

The candy hued ribbon matches perfectly with the bright sports themed onesies!

I love the football rattle and green tag all wrapped up with the polka dotted celophane!

If you would like a step-by-step tutorial on how to make your own flower pot onesies check out my post on it here!

Jessica has a really good green thumb and took to growing some of her own onesies and they turned out so great! Thanks for the photos!

Cottonwood Creek Elementary Craft Fair

A couple of weekends ago my mom and I went to Cottonwood Creek Elementary School for their PTA craft fair. One of the vendors there had the cutest booth and I seriously wanted to hoard everything in that little booth of cute.

It was merchandised so well, I love how the blue matched the blue on the globe.

She had a ton of numbered and lettered items that were so unique!

I loved these mercury glass jars!

I love that oval framed C. Only if my name started with a C!!

These jars are so cute and look so great next to the baseball!

I was so lucky to pick up these awesome items:

Metal baskets, a milk glass footed bowl, and a metal frame.

The baskets have these cute little slots to insert labels.

I still haven't figured out what to do with this frame, but I think framing an initial like this below looks good.

All pieces were so versatile and useful. The milk glass contanier can be used for flowers or for serving food. The frame is going to be cute whenever I figure out what to do with it.

Oliver

Ok, I did it. I bought my self the Oliver sheets from Bliss Living Home. I'll consider it my Thanksgiving present to myself.

My patience couldn't stand it any longer. I had to have them. They are pure heaven. I love them so much and I got free shipping.

Check back soon for photos of them actually on the bed! They are greyish-silvery and white. They have a Greek Key looking/ cane looking/ totally awesome looking pattern. Did I already say that I LOVE them??

I love them.

Happy Birthday Abby!

My baby sister is turning 21! I can hardly believe it. The baby who wanted nothing but to watch Winnie The Pooh, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Heidi is now going to be all about White Russians, Cosmos, and happy hour!

 Happy Birthday Ab-Normal!

Honeycomb Cards!

*** Sorry for the delay in posts! I was having some issues with my storage, but I have now purchased additional storage so I shouldn't have that problem again!***

While at Big Lots today, a couple of days ago now. (Yes I spend my lunch hour there sometimes) I saw these honeycomb card kits from Martha Stewart! They were $2.00! Yes, $2.00 to make FOUR cards! That's $0.50 cents each, you can't buy cards for $0.50 each, let alone cute Martha Stewart cards!!! So you can imagine that I was excited, estatic, and scared beyond belief! Scared because I wanted to buy the store out of them, but I refrained my hoarding, and only purchase two kits. No not the six kits that I initally had in my hand. OH and it was for a reason because it just so happens that a certain sister of mine is celebrating her 21st Birthday this week!

Yes, it was $2 freaking dollars! See I told you!

Cards in bright greens, blues, coral pinks, and lavendar!

It also came with all these colorful stickers and the honeycombs of course!

So I created my sisters card, and I added a 21st after "It's your". I didnt show it though because I write like a fourth grader.

Then on the inside I picked the cupcake honeycomb, some sprinkle stickers, and a candle!

It is so cute and I cannot wait to make more!!

Check out Big Lots to get your honeycomb card kit! I love mine!

6 Dollar Halloween Happy Hour

For my moms birthday and for Halloween we decided to have a Happy Hour instead of a full blown party. I was determined not to spend over $10 on decorations because my mom already has so many decorations and the party was at her house. So at Wal-Mart I found some cute and cheap favors and decorations.

I bought favor spider rings for $2, stretchy skulls for $2, and a windsock for $2.

I thought they would look cute in martini glasses for everyone to grab as a favor on their way into the party.

We had a great time, and I didn't spend over $10 on favors or decorations!

Happy Birthday Mom!

 Mom,

I hope you have the most wonderful birthday ever!

I love you because you make me laugh, you make me cry, and you make me who I am! (But, I could have done without the hoarding gene.)

 Also because you say things like "horn of plenty", "oh horse sh*t", and "meearlow" for merlot.

Also because you say "Gracias" when we are in France.

You are crazy and I love you!

Happy 50th Birthday!!