Valentine - U Rock

When we were making my kiddos' homemade Valentines this year, my son, Hayden loved the idea of using Pop Rocks and the "U Rock" idea.

I needed to buy a lot of Pop Rocks, though, so I got on Amazon to see what they had.

(Amazon seriously has EVERYTHING!!)

When I saw these bubble gum ones, we were sold!!

I placed an order and in a couple of days, they were on my porch!

I took a picture of Hayden dressed in his red skinny jeans and sup cool hoodie, holding my oldest daughter's electric guitar.

In picmonkey, my photo editing site I use, I chose the daguerreotype frame setting to make the picture look funky-rock ish...

chose some cool fonts and sent it off to be printed at Walgreens.

An hour later, we were sticking Pop Rocks to the back of each picture with double sided tape.

Valentine's Made!! 

Here are some of the other Valentine's we have made in the past:

Homemade Valentine's Steal my Heart

Won't CHEW be my Valentine?

We LOVE Valentine's Day around here!!

Well, let's be honest, I kind of cram it down their throats, so they have succumbed to my LOVE of the day!

I love it... what's not to love?

Chocolates and flowers and MAIL!! 

I love getting "fun" mail.

The last three years, I have had fun with my two youngest making homemade Valentines.

This is Josie's Valentine she handed out to her friends.

I took a photo of her, standing in her room by a piece of her art work, palm up, blowing a bubble.

In picmonkey, a photo editing site, I turned it black and white then brought the color back in a few spaces.

I used double sided tape to stick a piece of double bubble in her hand.

Valentine's made!

Here is a link to other Valentine's we have done in the past:

Homemade Valentine's Steal my Heart

11 Valentine Sweets for your Sweets

Valentine's Day is hands down my MOST favorite holiday of the WHOLE year.

I know, I know... people think it's a nonsense, it's a "Hallmark Holiday..."

I love love love it!

When I was a kid, making that Valentine's box and addressing all of those Valentines for my classmates, 

LOVE!!

As I got older, picking out Valentine's for (boy)friends ...ha ha BRUT cologne?

Later helping my kids do all of the same things, and baking sweet desserts for them and for my friends at my Valentine luncheon.

Over the last couple of years I have made some really yummy treats, and I compiled a few, 

(11 to be exact,)

of Valentine Worthy sweets for your sweets, whomever they may be!

Cherry Torte Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting

Cupcake Cream Filling

Pink Angel Food Cake Trifle

Better Than Sex Chex

White Chocolate Truffle Center Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Neopolitan Cupcakes

Mexican Chocolate Brownies

Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes

Heart Shaped Spiced Peach Pie Pockets

Chocolate Bliss Cake with Raspberry Sauce and Devonshire Cream

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Wishing you lots of love and CHOCOLATE!

College Care Package - Valentine Style

When I posted the photo of my

50th Birthday Basket 

a girlfriend of mine that has twins in college emailed me and asked if I would like to make one for her

 son for Valentine's Day....

Well, OF COURSE!!

all boxed up

I wanted to make it look cute, so I thought and thought about what to do for a 

BOY for VALENTINE'S DAY?

I decided that spelling out HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TROY and getting items that complimented the letters of each word that a college kid would enjoy?

done.

"HAPPY"

H- hot cocoa, A-airheads, P- pizza combos and pringles, P- peanut butter, Y- yellow highlighters

"VALENTINES"

V- veggie soup

 A- animal crackers

L- laundry money (2 rolls of quarters)

E- 5 hour energy

N- nacho cheese

T- toothbrush and toothpaste

I- iTunes giftcard

N-  salted nutroll

E- Eileen's Cookies (popular Omaha cookie, frosted valentine cookies in a heart tin)

S- sunflower seeds

"DAY"

D- doritos, A- advil, Y- york peppermint patty

"TROY"

T- tide pods, R- razors, O- onions (funyuns) Y- yahtzee cards

the whole haul

a couple of red plastic stackable "crates" held it all inside the box

this was on top of the tissue, right inside the box

 A little diagram of the box's contents!!

Mom said he LOVED it!!

BETTER than SEX CHEX Mix

I found this recipe on Pinterest.

When I saw it I knew I had to try it....

and not just because the person who created it said that I would say 

"I'll have what she's having!"

I mean, how can you go wrong?

Chocolate...caramel....marshmallows....peanut butter....

"oh baby!!"

I have posted the recipe below, but I encourage you to read the post by the blogger I got the recipe from.

I LAUGHED!!

quick dish by tablespoon

Better Than Sex Chex Mix

8 cups chocolate chex cereal

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

6 Tablespoons butter

3 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

1/2 cup caramel bits

1 Tablespoon cream

1/2 cup milk chocolate  chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Pour cereal into a large microwaveable bowl , set aside.

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.

In a two-cup microwavable measuring cup, combine sugar, butter and corn syrup.

Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes until melted and smooth.  Stir in baking soda until dissolved  Pour mixture over the cereal and stir to coat.

Place bowl in microwave and heat on high for 3 minutes, stopping after each minute to stir.

Spread onto cookie sheet and cool.

cooling...

When cereal is cool to the touch break into bite sized pieces.

Evenly sprinkle marshmallows and mini peanut butter cups over the cereal.

Melt the caramel and cream in 20 second intervals, stirring until smooth.

Drizzle over the top.

Next comes the milk chocolate, melt in 20 second intervals and stir until smooth.

Drizzle over the top.

Lastly, the white chocolate.

Watch closely, so chocolate doesn't burn.

Drizzle over the top.

Sprinkle with sea salt while still wet.

Place in the fridge to set.

Break and store in an air tight container.

homemade Valentine's steal my heart

It's no secret that Valentine's Day is HANDS DOWN my MOST FAVORITE holiday.

It always has been, even when I was little.

I know many cynics say it's just a "Hallmark Holiday" but it's so much more to that, at least to me!

I loved making homemade Valentine's and creating the Valentine box to tote all of the Valentine's I received from my friends and classmates at the Valentine party at school.

I think homemade Valentines are the BEST!!

So, I am sharing with you today, how to add some fun to your kids Valentines this year!!

Simply snap a picture of them, and come up with a caption.

This was my daughter's Valentine last year.  They were a huge hit!!

So this year, she and her twin wanted to do something along the same lines....

We saw the sucker idea all over Pinterest and he really liked it.  We came up with the caption together.

It suits him....

This is what we decided for my daughter this year.

We walked up and down the candy aisle for inspiration.

She punched the lenses out of some 3D glasses, added a little tape...

instant NERD!

They turned out cute because the NERDS are almost 3D!!

Get your creative juices flowing and help your kiddos have an original Valentine of their own!!

HAPPY HEART DAY!!

<3 p="">

Girl Friends "Spicy" Valentine Luncheon ~ 2012

I love to spoil my girlfriends.

They mean the world to me and every year around Valentine's Day I honor them with a party.

desserts & fruit

The last couple of years I have thrown a brunch.  If you want a peek at them you can find them here:

2010

2011

this year's invitation

I try to incorporate something that is a favorite of mine and build around it.  

This year it was Mexican food and Conversation(hearts)

a little look-see at the table

I typically do linen napkins when I have a meal like this, but my inner 13 year old got the best of me when I saw the conversation heart napkins and little treat cups!!

The treat boxes were filled with chocolates, and of course, candy hearts!!

My Mom always got my brother and I a box of conversation hearts for Valentine's Day.  

They have always been a favorite of mine.

I made this centerpiece for the table:

If you click HERE you can see how I did it!!

When I planned the menu I forgot that it was the first Friday of Lent.

So I mixed it up a little.

It worked out well.  

The Menu::

White Chicken Enchiladas

Bean Cheese and Onion Enchiladas and Chili Rellenos & Rice

Tortilla Soup

 Chips and Salsa, Guacamole and lots of toppings!

White Rose infused Sangria

Jarritos and Iced Tea with Lemon

Mexican Brownies

Pina Colada Cupcakes

Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes

Fun was had by all....

But you will have to take my word for it, because I totally forgot to take pictures!!

OOPS!!

I was too busy eating!! ;)

How To: Make a Conversation Heart Centerpiece

Conversation Heart Centerpiece

When I found the napkins and treat containers with conversation hearts on them, 

I knew that was the ticket for my party this year.

It's no secret how much I <3 Conversation Hearts!!

I decided to run with the idea for my table and centerpiece.

Years ago I made a centerpiece for Halloween the same way using candy corn,

 it was super cute so I ran with it!!

Here is what it took:

Two vases, one that fits inside the other with some wiggle room

2 packages of conversation hearts or other candy

Color coordinated flowers

I love to buy flowers at Costco. They always have really unique bunches 

that you can have so much fun arranging.

I bought a bunch of flowers from Costco and in addition to that I purchased a 

dozen roses and eucalyptus to mix in!! 

(Needed the roses for the SANGRIA!! )

Place the smaller vase inside the larger vase and begin to fill the space between with your conversation hearts.

Fill to the top of the small vase.  

I was lucky enough to have a cylinder vase that was the same height, it worked perfectly.

You will have to use a funnel to fill the inside vase with water, being super careful not to get the candy wet!!

Arrange flowers inside water....

DONE!! and SO CUTE!!