Cereal Bowl on the Go....

   I have to brag on my sweet husband.  The other day he wanted to do something special for me and asked if he could make my lunch.  I didn't have to go in to work until 2, so I told him that I didn't need lunch for work because I would be at home and would probably just eat a bowl of cereal. (I love cereal!) Nothing more was said and I didn't think another thing about it, until I opened the refrigerator a couple hours later.  This is what I saw:

It was a bowl with Reese's Puffs on the bottom, covered by saran wrap.  On top of that saran wrap was some vanilla soy milk and that was also covered by saran wrap.  He had put it in the bowl for me and then separated it so that it didn't get soggy.  All I had to do was stab the saran wrap with the knife and the soy milk would flow through.  After I removed the saran wrap I had myself a fresh bowl of yummy cereal.  

Now is that creative or what?!  I love my husband:)

Paper Flowers

   It seems as though Cancer is effecting everyone now a days.  It seems to be widespread and doesn't show any signs of dwindling.  That means that there are a lot of people out there looking for ways to encourage a loved one and let them know you're thinking about them.  I was in this situation recently.  I have a very dear friend who was diagnosed with classical lymphoma.  Of course I am crying out to the Lord for her healing, but I was also looking for a way to lift her spirits and let her know she was in my thoughts.  She loves flowers, but because of her chemo treatments she can't be around them.  Well, I thought this will just not do- so I decided to make her a bouquet of paper flowers.

{sorry for the bad picture and not the finished product, but I didn't get a chance to take a picture of the finished product. You get the idea though.}

   I tried a bunch of different ways to make paper flowers using a couple of different tutorials.  These are the ones that worked the best for me:

For this pretty white peonie I used coffee filters and got the tutorial from Michella Marie's Blog.  THEN, I ran out of coffee filters.  Typical.  So I thought I would take a stab at using colored tissue paper instead.  After I found a tutorial on Folding Tree's Website to make carnations, there was no stopping me.

   Making the paper flowers is a little time consuming, but totally worth it.  I loved being able to give my friend some flowers to lighten up her day.  I definitely recommend trying these tutorials out, either to give some flowers away or to make some for yourself.  You can make a beautiful bouquet of flowers that look real but will never die.   Good Luck!

P.S. Some other gift ideas for loved ones going through cancer:

books- especially books on tape (Cracker Barrel has a great program for books on tape)

mints or gum- the treatment gives them bad tastes in their mouth

pictures to put up and surround themselves with

Edible Arrangements- as long as the fruit is cut up

a good cd

magazines

comfy cozy blankets/clothes or houseshoes

housecleaning/cooking/dog walking (even if you can't be there to do it yourself you could pay to hire someone)

gift cards to a favorite restaurant/store/spa for the gloomy days that they need a lift

peppermint or chamomile tea

I'd love to hear any other gift ideas.....

Marriage Proposals

This post sponsored by: Mrs. Maid Of Honor!  

Be sure to head on over to mrsmaidofhonor.com for some no-nonsense wedding planning inspiration, tips and resources!

  I'm a sucker for proposal stories!  I love hearing about the creativity of men going through hoops and bounds trying to make everything perfectly special for the love of their life.  Some are crazy and spectacular, some are low key and private, but either way they are personal and memorable for the two love birds! Here are a couple of cute proposals that deserve some appreciation....

Coffee Proposal

Let's just hope she decides to finish her coffee....

Dolphin Proposal

I just think dolphins are the cutest!

Roller-coaster Proposal

At least the picture is taken BEFORE she is doused with water:)

You sit down for a funny caricature, and little do you know....

{proposal story and photo rights from here}

Choreographed Proposal

I literally cry when I watch this video.  Please watch it, it is the sweetest proposal.  So much time an effort was put into it, and he even included her family and friends.  Wow.  Hands down my (second) favorite.

{Watch it here}

Wil's Proposal

Although biased, I do believe Wil's proposal is still my favorite:)  

You can read our proposal story here!

Animal Talk

Happy Fall Y'all

   Although I dread summer coming to a close and freezing weather coming upon us, I do really enjoy (the 2-3 weeks of) fall days and all of the goodies that come along with the changing weather.  I love layering, high boots, leggings and scarves to name a few, but on top of the adorable outfits autumn brings on so many more joys....

Changing Leaves

You just can't understand it unless you've seen it.  The beauty of the Great Smokey Mountains and surrounding areas when the leaves change colors.  Wow.  I highly recommend a trip to witness this majesty in person.  

Soups and Chili

You really can't go wrong with a hot bowl of soup on a chili (hehe) fall day!  As a wife, I have learned to appreciate soups so much more because of how easy they are to make- especially if made in a crockpot.  Most of them are fairly healthy too; I tend to eat way more vegetables because of soups and chili.  I recently posted the recipes for two of my favorite soups Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup and Chicken Noodle Soup, both of which are delicious ways to kick start your fall meal planning!

Candy!

I'll admit, I am not a big fan of Halloween, but I sure do love the candy that comes with the holiday!  Even better, the free candy that comes with the holiday!  I'm not just talking about trick-o-treating, there are free candy buckets everywhere!!  Three of which are in the store I work at:)  Caramel Apple Pops have always been one of my favorite candies but they are a treasure if you can find them- they sell out real fast.

Tailgating and Football Parties

Football games are great excuses to get together with friends and have lots and lots of yummy food. Need I say more?

Pumpkins!

{photo from http://www.yankeecandle.com/fragrance/spiced-pumpkin}

Pumpkins are everywhere!  Front door steps, store windows, Halloween costumes, hay rides, corn mazes, pumpkin patches!  Pumpkin candles take the cake though.  Walk into a room that smells like pumpkin and you automatically feel fall.  And man, that's a good feeling!

   What are your favorite things about fall?

Yummiest Chicken Noodle Soup

   Here's to the yummiest in my tummiest chicken noodle soup!!!  The first time I made this recipe I pretty much squealed at how good it was and the fact that I had just created it! (I am by no means a chef.)  And then the next day I proceeded to make a double batch of it so I could eat it for dinner every night the rest of the week!  Hands down the best chicken noodle soup I've ever had.  (Which is saying something because Progresso's and Panera's chicken noodle soup are pretty hard to beat. ) The original recipe is from Allrecipes.com and honestly I wouldn't change a thing about it.  Every time I've made this soup I've changed a little here and there by adding more carrots or onions or spices or celery or chicken etc.  but I just can't beat it;  The original is by far the best.

{Mmmhmmm! It even looks like it smells good!  I was lucky to get a picture before everything was gobbled up!}

P.S.  The recipe calls for salt and pepper to taste, my taste buds desire about a tablespoon of pepper and boy oh boy is it good!  I recommend trying it with lots of pepper!  I also don't add any salt.

P.P.S.  I have made it without sauteing the onions and celery (which also means not using any butter)  and the taste was not that different.  If you are short on time and need it to be easier you can just add the raw onion and celery and the soup will still taste fantastic!