1.31.2014

Get Pin-Spired #12

Can you believe we have been doing Pin-Spired for a whole year!
It's been so fun seeing your outfits over the past year!


Pin #1 Coral & Mint Green
 This outfit was one of my favorites. I think I wore it 2 or 3 times this month! 
We have had such nice weather in California this winter (70 degrees all month) and the weather reminded me of Spring. So did this outfit!

 
 Coral Shirt // Necklace (Premier Jewelry Party) // Black Jeans // Denim Jacket // Bracelet //  Boots
On a warmer day, I wore this outfit without the denim jacket & I liked it both ways.
 
  I will be wearing this outfit a lot more this Spring. I think it is my new go-to outfit! 

 Pin #2 Stripes & Animal Print:
 This pin had lots of fun stuff....stripes & animal print with grey/black/brown.
I saw this pin and loved it....and I had everything in my closet!
Stripe Shirt // Sweater // Scarf (ebay) //  Leggings // Boots
 I wear these Boots 3-4 times a week! 
They are SO comfortable and great quality. I can't recommend them enough!

I liked this outfit, I would have never, ever put the combo together. Thanks, Pinterest!

Pin #3: 
Hearts, Hearts & more Hearts!


I saw tons of heart sweaters this month on Pinterest, probably because Valentines Day is coming up!
 I was at a local boutique in our town & saw this heart sweater and knew I had to have it!
Sweater (local boutique) but here are some similar ones:
I loved this outfit! I loved the navy & red combo. It was just fun. Made me feel like a kid again!

I saw similar red & navy heart combos at Gap Kids.
Too bad my girls don't fit into these outfits....look how cute they are!



 
 

I love my fun heart sweater. I am totally wearing it to school on Valentines Day!

And, the red converse are just too much fun.
Confession: I had planned on wearing my red converse, my cropped jeans & my 49er shirt for the Superbowl this Sunday, but yeah....my Niners didn't make it.

I am taking Kevin shopping this weekend here. He needs a wardrobe re-vamp!

If you are new to my blog, thanks for stopping by!
Feel free to follow along! 
You can find me on Bloglovin or Facebook.
If you have outfits to link up, feel free to grab a button to add to your post.
Can't see what you link up!

The linky will be open until next Friday February 6th
Your link will show up on my blog, Sheaffer's blog & Shay's blog.
(And, don't forget about the Rodan + Fields giveaway I have going on until this Sunday on Sheaffer's blog. Enter HERE)

My favorite part about linky parties is checking out other people who have linked up! 
Go find some new blogs & leave them a comment letting them know you stopped by...and get Pin-Spired by the outfits other people linked up!
And, don't forget to come back here on Monday....I have a MASSIVE giveaway to my Happy Place.
Seriously. I wish I could win!!
Have a wonderful weekend!
I can't wait to watch the Superbowl....I will be cheering for Peyton all the way. 
Even though I am a 49ers fan at heart, I just love Peyton and of course going to college in Colorado, I just have to root for Denver.
Go Broncos!

1.29.2014

Perfect Potato Skins

I'm sharing another one of my favorite appetizers that are PERFECT to bring to a Superbowl Party!
Even if you aren't going to a Superbowl party, you will still want this recipe.

I don't just make them for Game Days, I brought them for an appetizer when we had a family dinner last week. They were gobbled right up!

Here is what you need for Perfect Potato Skins:
  • 5 lb bag of russet potatoes scrubbed and dried (and cut length wise)
  • 1/4 stick butter, melted
  •  Salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • 2 cups Shredded Sharp cheddar cheese
  • Hormel Real Bacon Pieces
  • Sour cream
  • Chopped green onions

 Wash your potatoes & scrub off any dirt (I use the potatoes that are in the 5lb bags because they are smaller and perfect for potato skins!)

Pierce each potato several times with a fork or sharp knife. 

Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake at 400 degrees until the skins are crisp and a knife easily pierces the potatoes, about 50 minutes. 
Transfer to a wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. 
When the potatoes are cooled, slice each potato in half lengthwise. 
(If you don't wait until the potatoes are cooled, then the skin might break when you scoop out the insides)
Using a spoon, scoop out some of the flesh...I like thicker potato skins, so I don't scoop it all out.
(Reserve the flesh for another use, I usually save it for Twice Baked Potatoes or Potato Soup)
 Place potatoes on a cookie sheet. I use baking paper (so that my clean up is easier!)
Brush the insides of the potatoes with the melted butter and season with salt and pepper. 
Flip the potatoes over, brush the skin sides with butter, and season with salt and pepper. 
Evenly space the potato halves skin-side up on a baking sheet and broil until the butter foams and the skins start to crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes (keep a close watch so they don’t burn). 
Flip the potato halves over and broil until the top edges just start to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes more.

Fill each skin with cheese....
Then add the Bacon. I use this bacon by Hormel. It is precooked and already crumbled. EASY!
 
 Yum...bacon.
Place in the broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 4 to 5 minutes. 
While your potatoes are broiling, chop up your green onions:
Remove from the broiler and when you are ready to serve, top each with 1 teaspoon of the sour cream and a sprinkling of the green onions.

If you are bringing these to a party or serving them at your house, I would not garnish them with the sour cream & green onions until RIGHT when you are ready to serve them.
I have brought them to someone else's house and then I warmed them in the oven for a few minutes and THEN added the garnishes.
Or you can have the garnishes on the side and have people add their own garnishes.
***Other garnished you can add are jalepenos or chili, it's totally up to you!****
These really are the Perfect Potato Skin. So delicious!
 Enjoy!

Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger

Disclosure: This post was written as part of my participation in the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger Program. While Hormel Foods provides me material and necessary resources to complete various activities, the thoughts and statements in this post are my own.
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A few fun reminders!

This Friday is Pin-Spired!
 
 Link up with me, Sheaffer and Shay and show us your Pinterest Inspired oufits!
While you are at it, be sure and read Shay's wedding recap! You will love seeing behind the scenes of Sean & Catherine's wedding!

Head on over to Sheaffer's blog and enter the giveaway I am hosting.
I am giving away a Rodan + Fields Regimen of YOUR choice!
Enter HERE!

Speaking of giveaways..
I am having a HUGE giveaway on Monday morning that you won't want to miss!!
It involves one of my favorite places to shop...also known as my Happy Place!
Any guesses?!?  ;)

And, thanks for all your sweet comments about Kate's 7th Birthday Party! The invite is NOW available in my Etsy Shop!

Happy Wednesday!

1.28.2014

Kate's Nail Salon Birthday Party

Yesterday was Kate's 7th Birthday Party.
She decided on having a Mani/Pedi Party and we had her party at a local nail place that just opened up that only does mani's/pedi's for kids.
Usually I do my parties at my house, but once I saw this adorable nail place, I knew I had to have it there. Plus, I had a coupon and had the party during the week, so it made it totally worth it! 
I loved how the party turned out & I loved the color palate that we decided on.
Here are the invitations that I made:
{Coming soon to my Etsy Shop!}

Isn't the room ADORABLE?!?!
Darling couch where the girls sat for their pedi's. Swoon.

 Party Details:
 Since I had this gorgeous room to work with, I had fun with the decorations.

 



Drinks were Raspberry Lemonade & Lemonade:





I served the drinks out of mason jars, wrapped some bakers twine around them, added a name tag, cute lid & straw!

Kate picked out all the food items she wanted for her party.
I love parties where we don't have to serve a meal, so it was simple snacks/treats.






 Kate wanted marshmallows at her party, but I didn't want to just have a random bowl of marshmallows for the girls to eat, so I dipped marshmallows in candy melts & then stuck a tooth pick inside a cherry tootsie roll to make them look like bottles of nail polish.

   I thought they turned out cute :)

Each of the girls got a mani & a pedi!
Before they got started, each girl got to put on a white spa robe. Kate got the pink one since she was the birthday girl:



While they waited for their turn, I had the middle table set up for coloring & making bracelets.
I printed out coloring sheets of nail polish for them to color:
 Then it was time for cake!
My Mother in Law made one of her awesome cakes!



Favors for the party were simple...a bottle nail polish for each girl!
  I got them for a $1 each & then made a thank you label for each one.
So, there you have it!
A mani/pedi Nail Salon Party.
Even if you don't have a place like this in your town, you could easily re-create it at your house by hiring a few high school girls and have them give the girls mani's & pedi's!

Happy 7th Birthday, Kate!

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