Happy 4th of July! Goodies done, Lake here I come!

Well I'm heading up to my parents lake front to enjoy the sun and of course the fireworks!  It's going to be fun this year, the last few years it has been very low key.  This year will be too but we have some great friends coming to hang out too!  I'm so excited to enjoy the day with friends.


I whipped up a few items to share!  First off was some simple jello shots in a star shape, I used the recipe from my post here.

Next was to make firecracker cookies I saw on Pinterest (click on the title for the recipe, sorry it wouldn't let me copy and paste for her site).

And last was some red velvet cake pops.  I made Paula Deens red velvet cake mix from the food network.  I then put the mix in my cake pop pan and bam it was ready to go!  I melted some almond bark dipped the cake pops in and sprinkled with blue sprinkles.  Next time I'll use Wilton Melts they just work better and are smoother finish.

Happy 4th of July everyone hope you have a wonderful day with family and friends and lots of laughter!

Patriotic Jell-O Shot’s

Over this past weekend I was invited to a house party.  Let me back up, I’ve been walking with a friend from my previous job.  We post on FB about us walking.  One day I get a private msg from a friend of hers.  Turns out this girl was one of my very first roommates 15 years ago!  I know small freaking world.  Being the sweet person she is she invited me to their house party.  Well you know me I can’t go in empty handed so I brought Jell-O shots and Cupcakes (I’ll show the cupcakes tomorrow).  I thought with this being a celebration of the amazing people that fight for our freedom, why not do red, white and blue.

I found a Fourth of July  Jell-O Shot that I played around with and I’ve found this to be the best layered shot around  I’ve done so far.

Preparation: Lightly spray wells with bake spray. Wipe off excess (only a light coat is needed.)

Ingredients:

• 1 large blueberry Jell-O Box
• 1 large strawberry Jell-O Box
• 2, 14oz cans sweetened condensed milk
• 5 cups water; divided use
• 8, single packs of Knox Gelatin, divided use
• 2 cups of vodka, divided use

Instructions:

1. Measure out 2 cups water into a bowl and sprinkle 2 packets of gelatin on top and allow to bloom for 2-3 minutes. Pour bloomed mixture into a saucepan over low heat. Stir mixture constantly until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat and pour in blueberry Jell-O.  Add ½ cup of vodka to blueberry Jell-O mixture and stir to combine.
2. Repeat step two for the strawberry Jell-O.
3. Empty sweetened, condensed milk into a bowl; set aside. Measure out 1 cup of water into a bowl. Sprinkle 4 packets of gelatin on top and allow to bloom for about 2-3 minutes. Pour bloomed mixture into a saucepan over low heat. Stir the mixture constantly until the gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat and pour the dissolved gelatin into the sweetened ,condensed milk. Add 1 cup vodka to mixture and stir to combine.

Assembly:

1. Remove chilled pan from refrigerator. Measure and pour evenly out strawberry Jell-O into wells. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes to an hour to set. 
2. Remove the pan from the refrigerator. Measure and pour evenly the sweetened, condensed milk on top of strawberry layer. Return pan to refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes to an hour to set.
3. Remove the pan from refrigerator. Measure and pour evenly of blueberry Jell-O on top of the sweetened, condensed milk layer. Return  pan to refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes to an hour to set.
4. You can do smaller layers but I didn’t have time to do multiple layers so I just did the 3 layers.

Hope you try this for your next party, it was a lot of fun to make and watch the people enjoy.

Easter Egg Hunt & Recipes (duh … it’s me … lol)

My friend from school has an annual Egg hunt.  The boys and I were invited to join in this year.  The boys were so excited!  And I of course couldn’t go empty handed.  So I found 2 new recipes to try out.

First is a version of Jell-o Shot I’ve made before this time I did it in layers and put in these cute egg molds.  I used from my favorite adult beverage site Jelly Shot Test Kitchen her Candy Corn Jelly Shot and made it into a Easter themed version.  I made the milk layer and then 2 layers of a flavored Jell-o.  Follow her instructions to a T, believe me I didn’t and ended up with goo one time!  Make sure to let the jello layer set up in the fridge and then do the next layer set up and so on.  You can do multiple layers but I found that is super time consuming .. lol.  3 layers are my most … hehe.

Of course I had to make something for the kids.  I found this on Pinterest it was linked to a FB page picture only so I winged it and figured it out .

What you Need:

• Oreo Cookies (If you can find the White Fudge Dipped ones you can skip the White Chocolate Step Below)
• White Chocolate Chips
• Large Marshmallows
• Colored Sugar (I used Blue or Pink)
• Black Edible Pen or Black Decorating Gel
• Pink Jelly Beans or Pink Candies

If you don’t find the White Fudge Dipped Oreo’s, you’ll have to melt white Chocolate chips in the microwave.  (NOTE remember to melt it in 30 second intervals.  IT will BURN remember my post, yup I proved it can be done).  After melted dip the oreo’s in and make sure they are coated front and back.  Set them aside to dry.  Cut marshmallows diagonally dip the sticky side in the colored sugar.  Attach two marshmallows to the top of your white chocolate dipped cookies (this will help them stick).  I couldn’t find pink Jelly Beans so I found a pink candy for the nose (put on while chocolate still wet).  When everything is dry either use edible pen or I used food gel. Keep refrigerated until  you want to serve so the chocolate stays hard.

What I took to the party, aren’t they cute?

And some fun pictures from the Egg hunt and party!  Our host had the best treats she had Blue Martini’s and even made a Ham with Beans!  It was a fabulous time.  The boys played well no real tears and I was able to actually sit and not have to keep looking over my shoulder.  I can’t wait to go back to her next party!

Happy Early Easter!  Hope you find something here you may want to make.

It was a whirl wind weekend (Ups and a Big Down)

Most of you know by now how our weekend ended up but before then we did have some fun times!

We had fun w/Caden’s Birthday Playdough set. The colors will never be just one color but hey they last one time .. lol

VBS we visited last week had a family night and the kids had a fun time singing and dancing.

Saturday I took the boys to a friends house for a bon fire and fun times!

Sunday we went to our Tuesday Dinner friends house for some fun times!  Yes that is Caden putting on a Concert he had a great song to go along with guitar playing … hehe

Update on Swim class, the teachers we usually have left for the summer to work a pool that is outdoors (can’t blame them).  So the teachers we have now are nice but new to this and let’s just say I’ve had to speak up a few times.  Sadly now I have to STAND next to the pool by Cole’s class which seems to make his teacher actually pay attention to him and give him things to do! UGH, I think we’ll take next month off and wait until the other teachers return.

So for the Bon Fire I made Bon Fire themed jello shots.  SADLY I tried to make them the day of and it turned to mush almost soup.  And as many of you know I hate to loose … lol.  So I made a second batch and that batched turned out perfect! This recipe was from Super Bowl Jello Shots that I changed the colors around in. Make sure you check out that website it really is the coolest site!

So this week has been on a roller coaster I want to jump off of .  Rick is doing better he was in ICU on the ventilator for the one night and is now moved to a normal wing.  We’re hoping he can come home today but I bet they will say the next day.  Thank you again for all your kind words and prayers you all mean the world to me.  And have helped me from spinning out of control.

Weekend Wrap ~ Caden’s 4th Birthday and VBS!

Last week we tried out a new church VBS down the street.  I was so impressed with the church and how many young youth they had we even went to it on Sunday.  It was a really nice church and all the kids from VBS actually got up on stage and did a few musical numbers!!  I think I will be changing churches.  Sometimes your lead to something new and I believe this is the case with this new church!

Now to the party!  Saturday was calling for rain and when I got up to work my 6am shift it was coming down cat’s and dogs.  I said a little prayer and continued working my shift.  Thankfully it stopped when I was finished work.  My parents took the boys Friday night, I love my parents but I knew this would be trouble but selfishly I knew I needed time to get things done and would take what happened later.  My parents will tell you they love the boys are but not the type to take the kids and be able to hang with the craziness of 2 boys!  My mom & dad were married when I was 9, so having a 9 year old girl who likes to read and be quiet vs 2 boys who like to run, scream and torment each other well let’s just say it takes practice and if you only take the kids 2 or 3 times a year it can be a little overwhelming!

So Saturday when I arrived at my parents house to say they were a little frazzled was an understatement of the year!  As you know I’ve talked about it before my parents house is a museum and little hands don’t do well with no touching (it’s not because they don’t listen or don’t know the word NO like some think, they are kids and of course want to touch).  So Saturday afternoon was a little tense it’s fun having the lake parties but sometimes what goes along with it I think can drive us all a little to the deep end!

Onto the party we had a pretty good turn out!  The Jello Cups (because Alexis knows no size and got the big cups, let’s just say the shots turned into CUPS and were a HUGE hit, a few guest had more than one.  I sadly didn’t get one but I heard they were yummy!

The sun breaked a bit and Rick took the jetski out and pulled the kids behind on a huge float and did pretty good until they hit a bump and everyone flew off.  Caden had a fit but we got him in and thankfully he wanted to go out again! 

We had Cupcakes dressed up with orange fish on blue water and even got a bon fire going for S’Mores!!!  The kids had fun and only were in a little bit of sugar high!  We had a few adults that were on chocolate duty oh that’s right they even broke up a few graham crackers to help out, Right Jessica … lol.  Have to make fun of my friend and her mission to open the chocolate that had to take another person to open it just to get into it .

We had present time, wish turned into a free-for-all so sorry everyone I have no clue who went with what gift … lol.  Doing parties at the lake always seem to not go as planned.  AND yes I am the person who ALWAYS complains about parties that don’t have a schedule.  I really do try to keep everyone on track but it’s like hurding cats down there!  That includes trying to get my dad and Rick to come in off the jetski!

I tried out a new recipe for the cupcakes.  I found this Martha Stewart Yellow Buttermilk Cake Recipe with Buttercream Frosting that was very yummy.  I had left over buttermilk from yesterday’s recipe of country fried steak, so I had to find a recipe to use it … yes I roll that way!  So my fish didn’t come out of cute as the picture.  I got to mom’s late and tried to make them up real quick, but had to get the boys out before we had a major malfunction in the day.  Let’s just say it included going to Wendy’s for frosties that I thought I put flat on my passenger side seat but ended up with half of them on the seat and the stack of clean blankets I was returning to my mom.  YUP it was a great morning!

And for the adults I made Rainbow Jello shooters that turned into Jello Cups because the store only had the large cups. The 9 I made went like hot cakes and I sadly didn’t even get one!  These were the hit of the party and I’ll have to make them again!  For those who are looking for Jello Shot recipes head over to Jelly Shot Test Kitchen.

Phew I’m tired now … and doubt that helped my cold … lol.  Oh well it was fun.  Bickering, Drama and all was a good time!

Birthday Weekend (Exploded and Over flowed)

Talk about a weekend FULL, I even missed one birthday party which I was so sorry about.  But we did have a lot of fun and I didn’t get much sleep but all worth it!

Thursday Rick’s Cousin’s wife (trying saying that a few times fast) is a hairdresser and she was VERY kind and let me and the boys come over & I was able to get my hair done!  I’m horrible at cuts it takes me about 2 or 3 days to find my way with styling.  I think I finally got it!

Saturday we headed to the Lowe’s Kid Clinic to make a really cool waving flag.  The staff was not organized this time, I ended up passing out the supplies to get the show moving.  We had a birthday party to go and I still needed to make cupcakes for my party.  Sadly we didn’t get my cousin’s son’s birthday party.

I was running behind so we head right up to my birthday party BBQ.  Well that was after I made a few stops for food.  I needed to pick up the meat, cheese & dessert.  I added it all up and I spent as much for my birthday that I do for the kids parties.  I guess next time we’ll just skip a party for me (I know spending money on ourselves is so hard).  The Pie Bake off was fun, 3 of my friends brought pies.  One slice ended up on my friends foot and yes that is me cleaning the floor.  The party was a lot of fun, and as Rick said it was good to spend a little money on myself since I never do.  Friends that I haven’t seen in years showed up.  Time & Distance mean nothing to true friends as my friend Casey said.  It shows you want amazing friends you have that do that.  I think I’m good for another 35 years … lol .  Great times!

After my party we headed to my friend April’s house (our Tuesday Dinner company).  The kids had a blast with her husband coloring the driveway .  We didn’t end up leaving until close to Midnight which is great LONG day.  I hope to do it again soon well with out the BBQ food cost … lol.

Sunday was another Birthday party.  The kids had a blast and you would think they would pass out for the night but of course not … lol.

We had another swim class, the teacher is getting better but still doesn’t have a plan for the smaller kids.  They played ring around the rosy. But no REAL take turns swim lessons like the other teacher.  I’m really wondering if we should do next month.  But Cole’s new teacher is fab so I guess we just have to be happy with one out of two?

Cole’s classmate had his birthday also so we headed over to his house for some fun playtime.  Our gift was a HUGE hit all the kids wanted to play it so they opened it up and hour of fun they had.  That is after a 1/2 hour of us adults trying to figure out how to get it to work .. lol.

Now for some recipes I made for my own birthday party … lol.

I made some Fancy Lime Jello Shots for the adults.  These were super strong and good.  But they took me an HOUR to scoop the crap out of them.  I guess I’m worth it … lol

Then I found these super cute cupcakes to make.  Also another time consuming activity but again I’m worth it … lol.  I never spend time or money on myself, so why not go all out.  This one and only time … lol.  Now the original recipe called for brownies, BUT my brownies turned out a little wonky so I made cupcakes instead.

Happy Wednesday everyone, hope your having a wonderful day!