The Easter Edition

Another Easter has come and gone. Like any holiday, all the work you put into preparing for it and it is over in a flash! This Easter I made dinner for my husband and my parents at our house. Everything was quite enjoyable!! Let me share some photos of the preparation and the final outcomes...

Growing up, I specifically remember one tradition on holidays, warm gooey cinnamon rolls for breakfast. So in keeping that tradition alive, I still make them for breakfast on Easter and Christmas. In order to get my protein in for the morning, I included a side of scrambled eggs and orange carrot juice. 

                             The preparations/ final outcomes:

Decorated and glitterized 

 Chocolate dipped pretzel-rods 

Bunny Bait

Bird nests (rice krispy treats w/ m&m's)

My mom supplied the carrot cake

And the dessert bar was complete... 

The Easter dinner/dessert menu

Dinner 

And of course I had to take a picture of my new water dispenser (with fresh cut lemons)

Dinner was ready to be served

Close up of my Pinterest inspired centerpiece 

the Easter bunny (aka my mom) even supplied an Easter basket for us

Mocha was wondering where her Easter basket was.....

After dinner, the dogs got nice and cozy and took  nap on dad

Of course I had to get a picture of my mom and me with our bunny phone covers

SpRiNg BrEaK!!!

I am so happy that my Spring Break is finally here!!! I have a long list of spring cleaning/organizing to do as well as preparing for Easter dinner.  Yesterday was my first day off and it began with running errands and stocking up on food for Easter dinner at Wegmans. I enjoyed a piece of bruschetta pizza and a flavored  latte there for lunch. Delicious!! 

The organizing and cleaning actually began yesterday with the laundry/office/craft room. I went through stacks of papers and odds and ends and ended up with a huge garbage bag of stuff I no longer needed. (In with the new and out with the old) In order to be more organized, I went through everything and put our paper-work and documents in the proper labeled folders.  Thank you Target for these handy dandy office storage containers. (Don't mind the pile of laundry that is calling my name. )

We recently had a wooden privacy fence put in our backyard and the dogs are in heaven!! Now, we just need to do a little landscaping back there. Next project is adding on to our patio for a new hot-tub that is coming our way. Cannot wait!! 

Tomorrow is devoted to preparing for Easter!!

My egg plate is awaiting the dyed/decorated Easter eggs. Tomorrow they will be completed.

Yesterday, my long awaited purchase from Amazon arrived just in time. (My new I-Phone Easter bunny cover)

A few pictures from last weekend that I wanted to share but have not gotten around to it yet: 

Last week was a movie week for my husband and myself. We started by watching The Hunger Games.  "May the odds forever be in your favor."

It was a little bit violent and disturbing at times, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! (the nail polish is from china glaze's hunger games collection) We preceded that movie by renting The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I would have to say the same comments hold true for this movie as well. 

Last Sunday, I felt the need to cook up a storm and surprised my husband with these goodies: (the healthy version of course from Skinnytaste.com) 

 skinny loaded cheese fries 

skinny cheese sticks

Coming soon: Easter goodies and more spring cleaning updates....

Just another manic... weekend

I love weekends because I get so much done, but it seems as though I often forget to relax....  This weekend was short but definitely enjoyable.

Friday night was a low-key, stay at home night with my home made Spicy Thai peanut noodles, soft serve ice cream, and the new Footloose video.(Oh, and my husband) In my opinion, I enjoyed the second version of Footloose better than the first. It just seemed to be more relevant.

Saturday night began with family and friends enjoying some food (shrimp tacos for me) and drinks (skinny margaritas) at Chilis. Afterwards, we checke out a band at a local dive bar and called it an early night. My husband and I decided to end our night by "battling" each other in Dance Central and of course I won.

Sunday came all too soon... but I was lucky enough that my husband made me breakfast!! He will probally kill me for putting this picture on here but it makes me laugh! haha

This was my splurge since I am sure it was not the healthiest of breakfasts, but it was so worth it!! It had hash browns, eggs, onions, green peppers, Bacon, ham and cheese. He got the idea from one of our favorite TV shows: 'Diners, Drive-Inns, and Dives.'

After doing a dance performance in the afternoon for "Woman in the Arts," I ran some errands and got things done around the house. I have come to the conclusion that I am not longer allowing myself to go to Target anymore since I spent way too much money there Friday, again Saturday, and again on Sunday! Yikes!! I went a little overboard with the home goods being buy one, get one fifty percent off. I found some great lamps, lamp shades, and a cute yellow decorative serving tray amongst others...

I made some healthy kale and white bean soup for dinner. I have been hearing that kale is one of the new super foods, so I decided to try and incorporate it into my diet.

For dessert..... I decided to make a very healthy version of apple crisp.

I finally hung up some new frames since we repainted the hallway a few weeks ago. Still need to order some more wedding prints to fill the frames, but I like the look so far. I modge podged fabric to the letter C that is hung up and wrote out our first dance wedding lyrics on one of the frame mats.

In attempt to relax at the very end of the night, I was able to take a bath and exfoliate with my new products from a "Peel Party" kit.

All in all, I would say I had a well accomplished weekend.

Coffee Filter Wreath

     

This idea for the coffee filter wreath was taken from none other than PINTEREST!! : ) When my new crafting partner/co-worker (the Varsity Cheer coach), shared the same interest, we decided to get together and concoct these masterpieces! It was a process, but well worth the time and energy!

Step 1: Dye the coffee filters (choose about 3 colors) Variety of light and dark.            

Step 2: Let them dry                          

Step 3: Fold them to resemble flowers and cut of the very bottom (this is so it won't be    bulky)                                       

Step 4: Pin them with straight pins onto a    Styrofoam wreath.                            

Step 5: Repeat the process randomly pinning   until wreath is completely covered.          

                                                                           Jami's Wreath

                                                                    Melody's Wreath

SUNDAY FUNDAY!!

I think Sundays just might be my new favorite day of the week! Reason being... this is the one day that both my husband and I have off together, I get to catch up on crafting/cooking/my DVR'ed TV  shows, and we have been taking the dogs for a run. Not to mention, that past couple weeks, the weather has been absolutely amazing on Sundays!

This Sunday in particular, after my husband treated me to lunch and new Ray Ban sunglasses, (yes, I am spoiled!) I had time to try out some recipes:

                                                                      Minestrone Soup

Pumpkin Bread with cream cheese filling

from the Sunday Baker's blog (only 500 calories for entire loaf)

All natural Reese peanut butter cups

from my favorite blog; asmallsnippet.blogspot.com

(My husband seemed to enjoy these!!)

http://asmallsnippet.blogspot.com/2012/01/natural-eating-and-recipe.html

I even got to modge-podged some fabric to the these letters for the kitchen