It's Fall Y'all!

Although it's still getting up in the 80s during the day, our mornings are SO nice right now! Fall is here and I am loving it.

Last night I made Taco Cornbread Waffles, a twist on a recipe I saw from Mix and Match Mama. She put chili over her cornbread waffle, but I decided that taco meat would be divine.

I mixed the cornbread mix as directed and cooked it in my waffle iron, topped it with taco meat and cheese. Mr. Sasha added some salsa to his and commented that it would be good with shredded lettuce and tomatoes too. If you've never had the combo of taco meat and cornbread, you don't know what you are missing! It's so good together!

Taco Cornbread Waffles

She's Crafty!

Hold on to your hats.... look what I made!

On Saturday I went to a fun fall-themed Pinterest Party where we all made the cutest fall letters for our front door. I cannot do this party justice- it was amazing! My friend Brianna is so creative and talented- you'll have to visit her blog to see how she set this party up.

Reading Material

This week I finished the newest Sophie Kinsella book, Wedding Night, and it was so good! Kinsella writes excellent brain-candy chic lit, and I'm a sucker for anything British. This is another stand-alone, non-Becky Bloomwood book, and although I do love Becky, Kinsella's other characters are my favorites.

My love for the Brits is probably why I am so excited for Helen Fielding's upcoming Bridget Jones installment, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. I am sure it will be VG.  

But back to my roots..... I'm also excited about the new cookbook from Oklahoma's own Ree Drummond. The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays: 140 Step-by-Step Recipes for Simple, Scrumptious Celebrations will be out in late October. And let's just be honest, but I just *read* these. Like keep them on my nightstand and look at the pictures and read them. Isn't that funny? Her books are beautiful.

I also ordered the next book that Proverbs 31 Ministries has chosen for their next Online Bible Study. I absolutely loved doing the last OBS and cannot wait for the one on Renee Swope's A Confident Heart, Learning to Live in the Power of God's Promises to begin.

What are you reading these days?

LOTD #76 and Reese vs. Magic Jinn

 

Today I'm wearing another IT Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush, this time in the shade Love Story (this shade changes color once applied like Je Ne Sais Quoi does). Rose Flush is a nude shade in the tube, but once on your lips it turns to a pretty pink shade.

Vitality Lip Flush 4-in-1 Natural Anti-Aging Lipstick Stains take the place of four products; your lipstick, anti-aging conditioning lip balm, ultra-hydrating lip gloss, and lip stain all in one!

This shade was part of a special holiday gift set offered by QVC last fall that included 6 different shades of Vitality Lip Flush for around $60 including tax and shipping. It is available by itself on the IT Cosmetics website for $20.

IT Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush in Love Story

I love how this changes color and it does leave behind a nice stain and doesn't run into the lines around my lips and feels amazing on.

 

Reese vs. Magin Jinn

 

Reese have I have been having fun with the Magic Jinn that BzzAgent sent us to try. I filmed her the other night and it is so cute. (But OMG I am such a hick! Don't laugh at my voice.)

 

 



LOTD #75 and Toffee Bars

I'm a little embarrased to tell you this, but I recently reached Sephora's VIB Rouge status. Which means I have spent enough there to warrant free shipping on anything I want to order. I don't even have to reach the $50 minimum. Don't ask how much I have spent to reach this status, because I won't admit it.

In my VIB Rogue welcome kit was the cutest little mini lipstick created just for us makeup crazies. It's Bite Beauty's Luminous Creme Lipstick in the custom color VIB Rouge.

Bite Beauty's Luminous Creme Liptick in VIB Rouge

(this shade is not available for sale, but other shades are $24)

I LOVE it! So creamy and long-lasting. I applied at 8 and it still looked fab when I left for lunch. Keeper!

Toffee Bars

Last night I needed to whip up something for a work birthday celebration  and I decided on using Mix and Match Mama's recipe for Chocolate Toffee Bars, but modifying it a bit. I subbed applesauce for oil, and egg beaters for eggs. I also used the toffee chips in a bit of a different way. They turned out great!

Toffee Bars
(recipe adapted from Mix and Match Mama)

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix

1/2 cup liquid egg substitute

1/2 cup applesauce (2 small individual containers)

1 1/3 cups toffee candy pieces (one bag of Heath's Toffee Bits)

1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray your 9X13 glass baking dish with Pam.

Combine cake mix, egg substitute and applesauce with an electric mixer.

Pour roughly 2/3 of this cake mixture into the bottom of your baking dish. Bake 15 minutes.

Pour 1/2 cup of toffee Bits into remaining cake mixture and mix by hand and set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine remaining Toffee Bits, Eagle Brand Milk, and chocolate chips in a small bowl.

After bottom layer is done baking for 15 minutes, pour Eagle Brand Milk mixture on top and spread evenly. Top this with the remaining 1/3 of cake mixture.

Bake 25 more minutes. Cool on counter and store in refrigerator.

LOTD #74 and Gone Girl



Today I'm wearing another IT Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush, this time in the shade Rose Flush (this shade changes color once applied like Je Ne Sais Quoi does). Rose Flush is a nude shade in the tube, but once on your lips it turns to a pretty rose shade.

Vitality Lip Flush 4-in-1 Natural Anti-Aging Lipstick Stains take the place of four products; your lipstick, anti-aging conditioning lip balm, ultra-hydrating lip gloss, and lip stain all in one!

This shade was part of a special holiday gift set offered by QVC last fall that included 6 different shades of Vitality Lip Flush for around $60 including tax and shipping. It doesn't look like this shade is available by itself right now.

IT Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush in Rose Flush

I love how this changes color and it does leave behind a nice stain and doesn't run into the lines around my lips and feels amazing on. I believe I shall keep it!

 

 

Gone Girl

 

Last Christmas, Amazon ran an awesome promo where they offered popular hardback books for dirt cheap. I had heard great things about Gone Girl, and it was just $3 so I ordered it. And life being life, I just now got around to getting to it.

 

I have to say, it's amazing. An absolute page-turner, with twists and turns and you can't put it down because you are dying to know what happens next. If you haven't read it, you simply must. You can borrow mine if you are local!

 

Review: Chuao Firecracker Bar

Last Saturday I told you about three of the bars my friends at my favorite chocolate company, Chuao Chocolatier (pronounced chew-WOW), recently sent me. Although we (I) wolfed those down, I smartly set aside one of the bars for later- the Firecracker bar.

Firecracker bar

Sultry sea salt, smoky chipotle, and popping candy exploding in dark chocolate.

Another bar with popping candy! This is quite a sophisticated chocolate bar- the chipotle flavor adds such a great dimension.... and the POPPING CANDY element is so COOL! Definitely a fave.

Chuao is launching a their Endless Summer Sweepstakes to give you the chance to win a $500 Cost Plus World Market gift card.

With two ways to enter – it’s simple and sweet! Snap a picture of your sweet summer moment….then:

1. Click HERE (http://chuaochocolatier.com/chuaoendlesssummer-html) to enter the sweepstakes. Use Chuao’s Facebook entry form and submit your photo using the hashtag #ChuaoEndlessSummer.
2. Follow Chuao’s Twitter (@ChuaoChocoholic)or Instagram (@ChuaoChocolatier). Submit your photo using the hashtag #ChuaoEndlessSummer.

Then start voting on Facebook – and get your friends to vote too! Photos from Twitter and Instagram will populate on Facebook, so let the voting begin. The photo with the most likes at the end of the sweepstakes period will be the grand prize winner.

The #ChuaoEndlessSummer sweepstakes begins on Aug. 22, 2013 and ends on Sept. 21, 2013. Additional winners will be chosen each week at random to receive a set of three delectable Chuao chocolate bars, and the grand prize winner will receive a $500 Cost Plus World Market gift card for the ultimate summer adventure! 

Rules and regulations can be found on Chuao’s website at http://chuaochocolatier.com/chuaoendlesssummer-html.

Disclosure: I received the bar featured above for review purposes.

LOTD #73 and Planning a Planner

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Rose ($22.50 at Sephora)

 

Rose was the first tinted Sugar balm that Fresh released, and it's definitely the least pigmented off all the ones I have. There's enough color that I wouldn't pass this one to my husband to use, but not enough for me to wear out and about.

 

Speaking of pigmentation, I thought I'd show some swatches of the other four I have. Berry and Cherry are definitely the most pigmented.

 



Left to Right......Plum, Berry, Passion, Cherry

 

Planner?

 

2 years ago  I joined in with the rest of the blogging world and ordered an Erin Condren planner. I loved it!

 

 

For 2013 I wanted something different, so I ordered a shimmering pink folio cover and spiral planner from Mom Agenda during a fabulous sale. (Loved that too!)

 

So now I'm deciding what to get for 2014..... the Erin Condren is $50, and a refill for the Mom Agenda folio cover is $24.....

 

Thoughts?

LOTD #72 and #StickWithIt

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Passion ($22.50 at Sephora)

I really like Cherry better than Passion. Much like how Berry was what I wanted Plum to be, Cherry is what I wanted Passion to be. Still, all these have a place in the stash because I love the scent and feel.



#StickWithIt

I am currently in Week 4 of an online bible study with Melissa Taylor on Lysa TerKeurst's What Happens When Women Say Yes to God: Experiencing Life in Extraordinary Ways. It is AMAZING.

 

Melissa has provided us with some great hashtags to concentrate on and use each week, and this week's is #StickWithIt. Melissa talked about how sometimes in the middle of something, the excitement wears off and you start to lose focus.

 

But I've got to tell you, I am having no trouble sticking with this study! This study has been pretty much life-changing for me and I absolutely love all the features they have built in for us- daily emails, a study blog, videos to watch, and conference calls. I subscribed to the conference call package, and those calls have really kept me going. My favorites are the Prayer & Encouragement calls- they are usually just what I need to hear to get through the week.

 

I am looking forward to doing more Online Bible Studies with Proverbs 31.

LOTD #71 and American Girl Paper Shaper

 Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Plum ($22.50 at Sephora)

Fresh Plum reminds me so much of Clinique Black Honey! However, I do love the smell and texture of Fresh Plum so much better. When this came out, I did want this to be a little darker, but then Berry was released and fit that bill, so there's still a place in my stash for this one.

 

American Girl Paper Shaper

 

Following a chorus of "I'm Bored!" the other night, I went hunting in our playroom for something fun to do that didn't involve electronics. You know, old-fashioned fun!

I found this American Girl Paper Shaper Chic Boutique book that WC received for either Christmas or her birthday (with them only being a week or so apart, it's hard to recall!).

 

Get ready to create specialty shops of your very own! Inside this book, you'll find mini-clothing, accessories, and furniture waiting to be folded and displayed in two 3-D pullout boutique scenes. Each shop and boutique piece is fun to assemble and set up, and they make darling desk displays or great little gifts for friends and family. All you need is a glue stick--everything else is included!

We have had the best time the last two evenings working on this. At 7.5, she can do most of it herself, but I step in from time to time when she's confused. It's just darling and I'm sure well work on it again tonight.

LOTD #70 and Magic Jinn

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Cherry ($22.50 at Sephora) 

Every time Fresh comes out with a new shade, I'm sure to buy it. They must know this! I have all of them except the Honey and love them all. The most pigmented are Berry and this newest shade, Cherry. Although they aren't long-wearing, the way they feel on the lips is just divine.

When we took our vacay to CO a few weeks ago, all of our lips got terribly chapped while hiking and I was so glad to have the original formula in my purse- the citrus scent is so nice and the whole family used it to give some relief to our lips.

Magic Jinn!

BzzAgent sent us a Magic Jinn to try and we opened it this weekend and it is so cute!

Whether your child’s favorite animal is the family puppy or they’re fascinated by exotic cheetahs, it won’t be long until they’re amazed to realize Magic Jinn can figure out what animal is on their mind. All your little one has to do is pick an animal, any animal, and answer a series of questions with either YES, NO, I DON’T KNOW or IT DEPENDS, and before they know it Magic Jinn will guess what they’re thinking of!

The funniest part is Jinn has a British accent and a pretty good sense of humor. One of my favorite phrases he says when you answer yes to his question is "That's what *I* thought!". WC has been playing him non-stop, but I think he's on to her because she keeps picking a giraffe for her animal of choice. I'm pretty sure he's going to tell her to pick a new animal soon! Ha!

Chuao Review and Endless Summer Sweepstakes

My friends at my favorite chocolate company, Chuao Chocolatier (pronounced chew-WOW), sent me some goodies and I was excited when they were delivered the day we were leaving on our End-of-Summer-Vacay to CO.

 

Potato Chip bar

Creamy milk chocolate, a sprinkle of sea salt and that irresistible potato chip crunch. The Potato Chip bar combines two of the most crave-able creations on the planet for total taste bud domination.

Mr. Sasha and I split the Potato Chip bar on the plane. We are big fans of the salty-sweet combo and this was perfect! The bits of potato chip are tiny and give just the right amount of salty crunch to this delicious chocolate bar. And it's just right for sharing.

Honeycomb bar 

Crunchy bits of golden, caramelized honey embrace deep dark chocolate, like secret lovers meeting on a warm summer night. Sweet and decadent, the Honeycomb bar will charm you… one nibble at a time.

The Honeycomb bar I have to admit I pretty much ate on my own in CO.... over the course of a few days. This one was all sweet, but that was fine with me. So so good!

 Pop Corn Pop bar

 

A nod to our favorite movie theater treat, we’ve mixed puffed whole grains, toasted corn chips, popping candy and a sprinkle of sea salt in creamy milk chocolate. Take a bite, close your eyes, and experience “popcorn” popping in your mouth! Surround sound not included.

And the Pop Corn Pop bar... well, no one in my house even knew about this one. I quickly hid it and saved it for myself! Ha! I was intruiged by the popping candy. It was so cool! It actually popped in my mouth as I was eating it. Love it!

 

Chuao is launching a their Endless Summer Sweepstakes to give you the chance to win a $500 Cost Plus World Market gift card.

 

With two ways to enter – it’s simple and sweet! Snap a picture of your sweet summer moment….then:

1. Click HERE (http://chuaochocolatier.com/chuaoendlesssummer-html) to enter the sweepstakes. Use Chuao’s Facebook entry form and submit your photo using the hashtag #ChuaoEndlessSummer.
2. Follow Chuao’s Twitter (@ChuaoChocoholic)or Instagram (@ChuaoChocolatier). Submit your photo using the hashtag #ChuaoEndlessSummer.

Then start voting on Facebook – and get your friends to vote too! Photos from Twitter and Instagram will populate on Facebook, so let the voting begin. The photo with the most likes at the end of the sweepstakes period will be the grand prize winner.

 

The #ChuaoEndlessSummer sweepstakes begins on Aug. 22, 2013 and ends on Sept. 21, 2013. Additional winners will be chosen each week at random to receive a set of three delectable Chuao chocolate bars, and the grand prize winner will receive a $500 Cost Plus World Market gift card for the ultimate summer adventure! 

Rules and regulations can be found on Chuao’s website at http://chuaochocolatier.com/chuaoendlesssummer-html.

 

Disclosure: I received the three bars featured above for review purposes.