Five On Friday: Weekend Goals

 

I'm doing this one a little differently!  It's been a busy week, so I've been kind of slacking on the bloggy side of my life...but I figured everyone should have time to share five simple little tid-bits on a Friday!  I mean, it is Friday after all!  And who doesn't love a FRIDAY!  If you want to get in on this, make sure to link-up with  Christina, Darci, April, and Natasha for 5 on Friday!!! 

 

Goals...we've all got 'em, but it's accomplishing them that's the real challenge.  So far...not gonna lie....I'm not doing so hot on my New Year's Resolutions!  I'm totally wearing my shame-face - you can't see it, but trust me, it's there, and it's not pretty!  I would say, "maybe next year!!!" but instead of shirking off my to-dos a whole year, I'm going to make myself five little weekend goals!  They'll be easy and fun to accomplish so I'm really hoping they'll put me in the mood to tackle the big ones without wasting anymore time!!!

 

1.  Celebrate Brittany's Birthday! 

My co-worker friend's GOLDEN birthday is Monday so we're going to lunch tomorrow (Olive Garden - Unlimited B.Sticks/Salad and Soup....YES PLEASE!)  We're also all going to meet up on Saturday night for a bit of fun, which leads me to my next weekend goal....

 

2.  Meet Amy.

 

Another of my co-worker friends has let us in on a little secret!  His cute little girlfriend is coming to visit and B and I are so ecstatic to finally meet her!  The beer will be flowing, the laugher will be pleantiful and the smiles will be so many that they leave your cheeks sore for days!  At least that's how I picture it! 

 

3.  Hang with my ZTA Sorority Sisters.

 

Our alumna group is getting together for lunch and a tour of the Fox 17 Studio downtown Grand Rapids on Saturday morning and I can't wait!  It's always great seeing those lovely ladies and catching up!  And, thanks to our awesome and overachieving social chair, we have so many fun things planned on our calendar!

 

4.  Cross off at least two more movies on my Best Picture list! 

 

I really want to try to watch all the films nominated for best picture this year, or at least as many as I can before the actual Academy Awards (I think it's on March 2nd??)....but I'm kind of failing in a BIG way so far!  I've watched exactly two so far:  1.  Gravity and 2.  Captain Phillips.  Aiming for Wolf on Wall Street and either American Hustle or Nebraska this weekend!  Has anyone already devoured all of these?  Any suggestions?! 

 

And, in case you were curious...so you don't have to leave me to look them up...here's the nominees this year!

 

American Hustle

Captain Phillips

Dallas Buyers Club

Gravity

Her

Nebraska

Philomena

12 Years a Slave

The Wolf of Wall Street

 

5.  Bake something.

 

I don't really know what I want to make, but I'm open to suggestions!  I just know I want to make something delicious and fun and different and exciting and....  ;-)

Ideas?  I'd love some new recipes to try!!!

 

Hope you all have a thoroughly great weekend and get all your own little to-dos done!

Cheers!

 



Spring 2014 Fortune Cookie Soap Box

It's here, It's here IT'S HERE!!!!

 

I was so excited when my first ever Fortune Cookie Soap Box arrived this weekend!!! 

 

Fortune Cookie Soap is a company specializing in providing unique and safe bath and body products!  They do really make soaps in the shapes of fortune cookies too - all the way down to the fortune inside!!! 

 

The Soap Box is a subscription box that ships quarterly and includes mostly sample sized selections of their newest seasonal line!  It's $19.99 a quarter, but they do also give you a $10.00 offer code with each box that you can use to purchase some more goodies!  Plus, the boxes usually have a really fun theme! 

 

The theme for Spring 2014 was In the Garden of Good and Evil, which I thought was super cute!  And, boy oh boy, it didn't disappoint!  I already knew what was coming (they email a "spoiler" sneak-peek a week or so before the boxes ship) but I was still really eager to actually get my hands (and nose) all up on those glorious new products! 

 

Native Nectar Body Wash

I just used this yesterday and it smells divine, like fresh coconut and Spring!  Ahhh!

 

Afternoon Delight OCD

The OCDs are FCS's hand sanitizers.  They usually smell pretty good in the bottle (this one smells lightly of apricots and watermelon) but unfortunately that smell doesn't translate too well to your hands!  It's been my experience that as soon as I rub it in all I smell is alcohol.  So, I guess you know it's killing germs!

 

Marshmallow Dreams Cuticle Butter

I actually put this on as soon as I opened it!  It's nice and creamy and my under-moisturized cuticles were quite thankful!  Plus it smells like marshmallows and lavender!  Yum!!

 

 

Make it Rain Whipped Cream

The Whipped Creams are FCS's body butters.  They are super rich and moisturizing and smell amazing!  Plus, the smell lingers for a looonngg time!  This one smells really fresh and clean!  It was Gatsby's favorite thing in the box!!!

 

Forbidden Fruit Fortune Cookie Soap

This scent is described as "dusky verbena creeping over fresh blueberry skins and lemon zest" which I get, but with my untrained nose I smell blueberry and lemon and spring treats!!!  I can't wait to use this (after I finish my Banana Hammock FCS)! 

 

Me So Thorny Steam Me Up Scotty!

The Steam Me Up Scotty's are shower steamers.  You place them behind (or to the side if you're me!) of the water stream, so they're not in the direct path but get splashed from time to time, and just relax with a wonderful aromatic shower experience!  Our bathroom doesn't have a bathtub so I'm always excited to get a fun / different "bathy" product I can actually use!  I actually used this yesterday too and the scent was so nice and relaxing:  citrus, lavender, and vanilla with hints of patchouli and sandalwood!  I've also tried their Serenity (which is mostly lavender and perfect to use on those relaxing before bedtime showers), the cold buster (which is minty and is supposed to open up your sinuses!), and one from their Hunger Games inspired product line!  I've really enjoyed them all - it just adds a little extra something to what could normally be a boring, typical shower!

 

The Bloom Bloom Room Bath Fizzy

This is the adorable little pink flower in the box!  I opened it and sniffed it out and I'm super excited to use this!  Now I've just got to plan a weekend or two to visit my mom so I can covet her huge tub for a little R & R!

 

Venus Fly Trap Perfume Oil



This one took some time and a few extra sniffs to really figure out how I felt about it!  It smells really citrusy in the vile, but when I first dabbed it on my wrists, I got a strong musky aroma - which I'm not a super fan of!  But then after it settles a bit I get more of the floral scents coming through.  It's not my favorite of scents and I probably won't wear it often, but I definitely appreciate its complexity and can see myself dabbing a bit on for a nice Springtime date once in a while!

Unfortunately the Spring Soap Box is already sold out, but if you're interested in getting one of these for yourself in the future, I believe they are taking new subscriptions beginning with the Summer 2014 box!!!  Find out more here!

Birchbox February 2014

This might be my most disappointing box yet...sad face!  And there's not even a perfume sample!  It just looks so....empty this month!  Hopefully next month will be more exciting!

Well....here goes nothing! 



Even Gatsby wasn't impressed...

The B-Squad:

Agave Healing Oil Treatment

Since you only ever need a couple drops of this at any given time...the packaging is what irks me the most here...how can you save this without making a big ole' mess!  But, I'll give this a go anyway - I like hair oils but they're hit or miss for me!  Some are great while others make my hair feel really oily and built up!

Eleven Skin Refresh Cleanser

This is the thing I'm most excited about in this less than thrilling box.  I'm always game for trying a new cleanser and this is a pretty legit sample size!  Yay for tiny victories!!

OPI  Sheer Tints in Be Magentale with Me Top Coat

I'm also looking forward to giving this a go!  I've never used a tinted top coat, so this is the other thing I'm looking forward to trying out of this month's samples.

Smashbox Cosmetics Full Exposure Mascara

I do really like Smashbox, but I already have a couple of these laying around from free samples I received in  Ulta/Sephora gift bags so I was a little disappointed because of that!  However, I think as far as BB is concerned this is actually a pretty decent sample.  I'll be gifting mine to my friend Janell since she'll get more use out of it than I will!

Smashbox Cosmetics Full Exposure Palette

Again, I really like Smashbox, but I'm not a super fan of the way this was packaged!  It's a cardboard card with 8 little single use swatches of the eye shadow.  The colors are nice though, and I do like their shadows - they're pretty creamy and don't crease easily! 

Okay...so now that I think of it, it's not that bad!  It could definitely be worse but it still is probably my least favorite box that I've received to date!  Do you get BB?  If so, what was in your this month?! 

Five on Friday: Sushi, V-Day, and a Mysterious Allergy

Linking-up again with  Christina, Darci, April, and Natasha for 5 on Friday!!!

 

{ONE}

Sushi with the girls!

Yesterday after work I met up with a couple of my girlfriend/co-workers for Sushi!  Rob's not into sushi so we never go to a "true" sushi joint!  E, S and I headed over to JU Sushi & Lounge after work for some cocktails, rolls, and to blow off some steam!  We sat in the Lounge area which had a mixture of tables, chairs, ottoman-esque stools, and couches complete with an array of throw pillows!  The ambiance was great - perfect for a girls night out, a nice date, or somewhere fun for a family outing or celebration!  They've got a pretty decent menu too!  It's not all sushi; there's tons of great starters, soups, salads, and hibachi grill options!  I think I'll even be able to talk Rob into going some night too!

 

Here's what we shared:

 

To Start

Spicy Crab Pizza: 6" Pita Bread w/ Spicy Crab Salad w/ Avocado and Muenster Cheese.

Topped w/ Sweet Sauce

This was AMAZING!  The sauce was so so so good!!!  And, even though I'm not a big avocado fan, I would still get this and not even without the green stuff!

 

The Rolls

Spicy Scallop

There's no real description for this one, but I think it was my favorite roll of the night!  I'm a sucker for scallions and I love a good spice!  This one was pretty simple, but divine none the less!

 

Star Maki

Eel, Cream Cheese and Asparagus roll. 

Deep Fried with tempura batter and sweet sauce.

Another great roll!  This one was a little crispy since it was fried, and it had that wonderful sweet sauce!!

 

Playboy Roll

Spicy Tuna, Cream Cheese, Asp, and Tempura Shrimp

with Shrimp on top with sauces. Served flaming!



This one was  also terrific!  It gave the spicy scallop roll a run for its money being my favorite of the night!  Plus it's served flaming!  I mean, how cool is that!

 

Via JU Sushi


 

{TWO}

A facelift!

The Nog Logs will be getting a facelift soon!  I'm so exciting to be working with a designer (not telling which one just yet!  I'm saving that for the big reveal)!  Can't wait to see the finished product and get this puppy live!  Yay!

 

{THREE}

Eek!  A little last minute!

It's Valentine's Day!  Today.  Right Now!  And...I have yet to decide and get a gift for Rob!!!  I'm usually so prepared and would already have had it picked out, delivered, wrapped and safely tucked away in my closet, but this year I'm been a total slacker with everything getting crazy at work!  I've had a couple of ideas rolling around in my head the past couple of weeks but none really struck me as the right one! I've been searching the web for some ideas and watching every youtube vido and reading any blog post I see promising gift ideas for your guy!  I can't usually get him a nice shirt or sweater without planning ahead and ordering because he's so tall - the normal store sizes never work!  And he usually just goes out and gets anything else he really wants!  So...he can be a little challenging to shop for!  We don't go all out on V-Day gifts typically, but sometimes he surprises me and I want to be able to surprise him this year with something thoughtful he loves!  I think I'm going to go grab a bottle of some fancy scotch (something I know he would never go and spend a ton of money on for himself!) and a nice card and hope for some extra inspiration while I'm out and about!  Wish me luck!!   And, any ideas are most welcome!!!

 

{FOUR}

Burning up some Vacay Time!

We have that awesome "use it or lose it" deal at work with our vacation time and I always have left over when my renewal time comes around!  We can roll over up to 40 hours but lose anything over and above that!  I did a lot better this year and managed to get down to only 6.5 extra hours!  Last year I think I had to take almost a whole week off at the end of February to use it up!  And this year, since V-Day fell on a Friday, I figured I'd make it a long weekend and get in some R & R in the morning, catch up on some sleep and television, and maybe even venture into the world!  (That last one is a must actually!  I gotta get something special for my main squeeze!) 

I usually like to try to be a little more productive and get some cleaning done or work on a project but today I just need a do-nothing-important kind of day off!  Sooo nice!   

How do you like to spend a random day off?  Busy, busy, or Comfy and Cozy!?

 

{FIVE}

An irRASHionable ordeal.

For the past week or so I've been itching like crazy!  It started on my calves, but I have really dry skin - especially in the winter, and I'm prone to stress induced eczema so I didn't think much of it...just put on some extra cream and figured it would go away soon!  It didn't...instead it moved up my legs and onto my stomach and eventually my arms...ugh...what a disaster!  I felt like I looked like someone going through withdrawals, scratching all the time!  Then I noticed these tiny little bumps and I started to get concerned!  I've had chicken pox three times already in my life, but I think they start at the top and work their way down usually so I was really hoping this wasn't a sort of backwards pox situation - not for the fourth time!  That would be absurd!  Anyway, Rob wasn't having any of the same symptoms so I ruled out (quickly, thankfully) any sort of weird infestation (gross...I know) right away!  Don't worry - there's no scabies or bed bugs here!  I finally found a local doctor and got an appointment!  No one could really figure out what would have triggered the reaction - we haven't changed detergents recently and I haven't tried any new products or foods!  I did feel like the most popular gal in the doctor's office!  I got to meet so many people - the nice girl who checked me in, a wonderful nurse, a very professional med-student, my actual doctor, and the attending doctor!  So, the cause is still a mystery, but they prescribed me a steroid pill and I've been taking an antihistamine for the itching!  I'm finally getting some relief and the bumps are almost completely gone!   I've never had an allergy before (other than a mild reaction to a bee sting) so I'm curious what caused it, but I'm not sure I'll figure it out anytime soon!  Until then, the case of itchy leg remains unsolved!  But, I now have a local doctor's office who I feel very comfortable with, and even got caught up on my tetanus shot!  Plus I got a sweet Roadrunner bandage out of the deal, so I'm considering this experience a win!

 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and a great V-Day, whether you spend it with the great love of your life, your family, friends, or fly solo!  Hope you do something special, even if it's just for you! 

 

 

 

 

 

PopSugar Must Have Box: February 2014

I came home to a nice surprise Monday after work - two pinkie boxes waiting for me to rip 'em open and spill out all their guts!!!  If you don't know, Sub. Box guts are the best kind of guts! 

So, here it is already! 

The Line-Up

{Must Have Fashion}

Gorjana Brooks Jewelry Roll (Est. Value $45.00)

This little guy is pretty cute and is a beautiful cherry-red color!!  I already have a jewelry roll that I like better, so I might re-purpose this for something else or add it to my grab-a-gift/gift donation stash! 

{Must Have Beauty}

Nourish Organic Pure Hydrating Argan Face Serum (Est. Value $23.99)

I haven't tried (or smelled) this yet but the description says it's a blend of Moroccan, apricot and rosehip oils, which sounds divine!  Its supposed to hydrate and soften skin for a brighter, even complexion!  I think I might give it a go tonight!

Modelco Lip Pops Duo Lip Gloss and Lipstick (Est. Value $16.00)

I really like ModelCo products so I was super excited to see this!  Plus, I'm really trying to be braver about wearing stuffs on my lips!  I'm really glad this is a nice light neutral color with just a touch of a light pink!  The gloss is a little sticky but it smells amazing!!  Kind of reminds me of some candy from my childhood - ahh, sweet nostalgia!  Sad face:  My lipstick end fell out in the cap - it got stuck to the top!!  With a little wrangling, I did manage to get it out and cram it back in!  I think it's gonna be usable again!  Phew, that was a close one!!

NCLA Rodeo Drive Royalty Nail Polish (Est. Value $16.00)

I've received other NCLA polishes (I think from PS in the past...) and they're pretty good.  If memory serves me they last pretty long and are pretty opaque - maybe two coater!?  This is a really pretty deep red - perfect for a V-Day wear!  I better get on it! The color in the website is way more "red-red" than what it looks in the real life!

 {Must Have Home}

K Hall Designs Peony Travel Candle (Est. Value $11.00)

I have this burning right now!  It smells nice - lightly florally without any of that old-lady{esque} business going on!  It's itty bitty for $11.00 - and I get that it's marketed as a "travel" candle but - 20 hours of burn time - yeah right!  I'll update when it's dead with an estimate there because I'm kind of skeptical!  Although the tin is super cute and I can't wait to re-purpose it!

{Must Have Food}

 Sugarwish Candy Mini Red Cinnamon Hearts (Est. Value $6.25)

I have never heard of Sugarwish Candy before receiving this box!  From what I can tell it's a fun new gifting idea where you choose the size of candy treat you want to gift, and a fun e-card, then your e-card is delivered and the recipient gets to choose 4 different candies that will be packaged and delivered for their enjoyment!  I think this is such a cute idea!  There's several different sizes to choose from - the smallest is 4 bags (1/4 lbs each) for $25 (prices already include shipping and tax....or so it appears!) - perfect little surprise for a Valentine, a hello to a distant-living friend, or even your favorite student during exam week!!  Major bonus - the packaging is sooo adorable!!!!   
 

{Must Have Extra}

Dial Viamin Boost Body Wash (Est. Value $3.00)

This is apparently a 'new' product.  So much so I couldn't even find it on the Dial website!  I was really surprised this didn't open itself up in delivery (it sure wasn't packaged very well - just a little bubble wrap around it) and get all up in everything else's business, but it arrived safely...and more important, dryly!  I have so so so much backlogged body wash and soap!  I have a serious problem and just keep picking things up when the mood strikes...and the mood strikes OFTEN!  ....probably too often, but...I figure, I'll use it eventually!  It's not like I'm going to stop bathing myself!  I mean, as long as the return of The Walking Dead doesn't bring the onset of the zombie apocalypse

Est. Grand Total:  $122.00 

Not too shabby, but I'm also not jumping up and down over anything although I do really like the serum, lip duo, and cinnamon hearts!


Maybe it's just me, but I feel like PS is loosing their pizazz!  This wasn't one of my favorites, and it seems like there's been more and more leaning toward, "Eh..." than toward, "WOW! Ohmigosh!  This is the best day EVERRRR!!!"  So, we'll see what the next couple of months hold and then I'll have a decision to make!  Back when they raised the price (and apparently lowered their standards a bit...ahem) I locked in at the current rate with a 6-month subscription, and I think my last box of that is in April???  I'm not sure if I'll be continuing on with a month-to-month sub at that time or not, but we shall see!  C'mon, PopSugar - IMPRESS ME!!! 

I got my Birchbox the same day (also fairly disappointing), but more of that coming soon!  ANNNNDDDD...I should be getting my very first Fortune Cookie Soapbox ANY.DAY.NOW!!!  It's themed.  It's full of pretty cool stuff.  It's gonna be awesome!  Can't wait to tell you all about it!!!!

Do any of you play with sub boxes?!  If so, what ones are you obsessing over???!

Weekend Recap: Teenage Vamps, Bubble Tea and Brews

 

This past weekend was pretty laid back, but definitely successful! 

My bestfriend, Allison, came in town for a visit and we popped over to the theater to enjoy a viewing of Vampire Academy!  It was okay; nothing life-changing, but I enjoy most movies I see without too much extra thought!  Would I recommend it to the masses: probably not, but if you gravitate toward anything labeled "Young Adult" then this might be right up your alley!  I'm basically a 28-year-old child when it comes to books, TV and movie selections!  So, teen vampires in high school - I couldn't resist!

We enjoyed some Fro-yo Friday before the show and then made an appearance at Founders Brewing Company afterward, and finally wrapped up the evening at the Casa over a few more brews and some Netflix!

On Saturday, when we finally managed to coax ourselves out into the world, we went in search of Bubble Tea!  We both acquired a fondness for the delicious jelly bubbles in college, but we had yet to discover a place that could compare!

Enter:  The Sparrows! 

Forgive the glare!  We actually had some sun!

We LOVED it!  So much so that we each enjoyed two teas a piece!  (We couldn't resist grabbing one to-go!)

It was an adorable little café tucked away on Wealthy Street!  If you're in the GR area, definitely check it out!  They have so many options!

Here's a peek at the inside!  All those jars on top of the counter are different loose tea options!!

The menu had so many tasty looking drinkable treats it was a tough decision, but I knew I had to follow my heart and go for the Bubble Tea! 

 

And just to make things even harder to decide they had all these awesome options....

 

We'll definitely be working trips here into our future bestie outings!!!  I tried the Boba Fett special for my to-go tea and wasn't disappointed!  I was really curious about the popping boba, which the gal behind the counter described as being kind of like "Gushers!"  (Tell me you remember those fun little delights - chewy on the outside like a fruit roll-up but when you squish it between your teeth - you're met with a sweet gooey semi-liquid fruit ooze surprise!)  Unfortunately the popping boba weren't quite that interesting, but they were still pretty good.  The didn't ooze, but they did definitely POP! and kind of explode with fruity juicy stuff - so still a pretty cool surprise!  Call me a traditionalist though, I still prefer the plain ole' traditional tapioca pearls!

If you do go, make sure to pit stop at the bathroom!  There's only one, it's gender neutral, and the pot, the sink, and such are all pretty average - but it's decorated with old window frames, which looks pretty cool.  Here's a panoramic for your viewing pleasure!  (I tried to keep pot's and such out of it, so it's a little wiggly, but free interweb high five to whoever can spot me!)

We capped off our evening with a stop off at our favorite watering hole, LOGAN'S ALLEY!  I managed to cross off two more beers from my list Around the World!  (I'll be sharing the whole shebang once I finally finish!)

And, I even got to see my sister for a few on Sunday!  She crept in late on Saturday night to sleep after her friend's birthday party! 

Hope you all had a great weekend too!!!  I want to read all about it, so make sure to link-up with Dateless in Dallas and Showered With Design for Weekend Recap!!

Five on Friday

Yay for linking-up again with  Christina, Darci, April, and Natasha for 5 on Friday!!!

 

{ONE}

I got Fro-Yo!!!  Celebrating 'Hump Day' in true fashion, my co-worker, Brittany, and I stole away to TCBY for Waffle Cone Wednesday!!  I got a Blackberry / Chocolate concoction the was basically perfectly A.MAZE.ING!  Britt enjoyed some Chocolatey Cheesecake delights!  Overall, a perfect escape from work and a great treat to break up the week! 

 

 

{TWO}

In celebration of the life of the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, I watched Along Came Polly!  "WHITE CHOCOLATE!"  "LET IT RAIN!!" 

 

 

{THREE}

Fortune Cookie Soaps recently announced that they're allowing you to make your own scent for their Whipped Creams!!  I'm super pumped about this since I've been dying to try some of their "museum" items that happen to be Harry Potter themed!  So, I added a bunch of goodies to my cart and proceeded to peruse the scent options and SCORE - the HP ones I had been lusting after were listed right there, plain as day!!!  I'm so super excited to get this order!!  I went a little cray and went for a Butterbeer, a Polyjuice Potion, and a Golden Snitch!!!  If you've never heard of FCS before, I suggest you definitely check them out!  They're an awesome company out of Oklahoma that I was introduced to about a year ago by none other than my own Bestie, Allison! 

 

Oh....I also couldn't resist this....because, you know, it's hot pink, sparkly, and comes with a little 'cliché' ring!  #duh!

 

How could I resist!?

 

 {FOUR}

Life is about to get SUPER busy at work!  Our new Ohio attorney accepted the position and is going to be starting Tuesday - which means goodbye life for me for the next million kajillion hours!  I'll be busy working late, but I'm pretty sure I'm not going to mind one bit when those paychecks come out!!!   Yay for job security...and overtime!

 

This is how I felt last time I was in Ohio...after having no fun at a tailgate and getting into a fight with a Port-O-John!  Hoping my relationship with the good 'ole OH gets better from here on out!

 

Jamie, Me, and Allison at Ohio State for the MSU game!

 

{FIVE}

My most wonderful friend, Allison, is on her way to GR right now!  We're going to do all sorts of totally awesome things tonight and I can't wait!  First up on the night's adventure log is Fro-Yo - yes, for the second time this week - but, you only live once, right!?  Plus, this time we'll be going to my most favorite frozen yogurt place to get our 'Gurt on - The Pump House!!!  After that we're likely going to be found at the theater with all the teens, watching Vampire Academy that was recently (maybe even today?) released!!!  'Cause it's us and high school vampires is just up our alley!  Probably a trip to Meijer for some necessary snacks and then we'll play it by ear - but you can guarantee it's going to include all sorts of shenanigans (and hopefully a Menna's Dub to top off the evening)! 

 

 

An oldie, but a goodie!  I wasn't trying to eat her, I promise!! 


 

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend! 

Quick and Dirty....Mug Cakes

These delightful little treats are the perfect sweet indulgence for whenever your Sweet Tooth attacks!! (Which I hate to admit, but for me is pretty much any day that ends in "y")!  And, although I love to bake and whip up delicious treats, I don't always love having that temptation laying around my house - especially since I'm the one who ends up eating it!  Rob gets a Sweet Tooth craving about twice a year, so I'm usually left on my own when it comes to fulfilling my crazy cravings for anything ooey gooey, chococlatey, peanut buttery, and sweet!  

For so long I had been curious about the Mug Cake and didn't believe it could actually taste good at all!  But then, one fateful night when the craving was extra strong, I whipped out my phone, went to Google and surfed the 'nets for a good starter recipe!  And, boy oh boy, I wasn't disappointed!

I've since modified the recipe and came up with a couple additional variations!  I generally will just use whatever we've got in our cupboards and have fun with it!

Here's my favorite base recipe and a few fun alternatives if you're feeling daring!

Chocolate Mug Cake

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons Flour
• 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• Pinch of Salt
• 3 Tablespoons Milk
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
• *Anything else your heart could want!  See below for suggestions!

Directions:

1. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt) in a large mug until well mixed.  Note:  I like to use a small whisk to do this, but you can use a fork too!
2. Add the milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla and mix until smooth.
3. Add any extras to make it your own! Note: See below for some fun variations I came up with or come up with your own creation!
4. In the microwave, cook on high for 1 minute and 15 seconds.  Note: The cake will rise and fall a bit while it's cooking - this is normal!  I once had one rise so much I ended up with a cake tube! (Different base recipe back then!  This one didn't get too tall on me!)
5. Serve immediately and enjoy!  Note: To make it extra sweet, try adding a little chocolate syrup or caramel sauce drizzle over the top! 

Flavor Variations*

Make any of the following fun flavors by adding the ingredients listed in Step 3 above (**unless otherwise noted)!

1. Chocolate Peanut Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter
2. Cookies and Cream
• 1-2 Oreo Cookies, crushed
• Mini Marshmallows, at your own discretion
3. Rocky Road
• Chopped Nuts, at your own discretion
• Mini Marshmallows, at your own discretion
• Chocolate Chips, at your own discretion
4. Black & White
• White Chocolate Chips, at your own discretion
• **While the cake is "cooking" mix the following - 2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar and 1-2 Teaspoons Milk (add more milk for a thinner glaze, less for a thicker glaze) and drizzle over the top of your cake before serving. 
5. Triple Chocolate Nut
• Dark Chocolate Chips, at your own discretion
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, at your own discretion
• Chopped Nuts, at your own discretion
6. Mint Chocolate Chip
• Andes Candies, or any other mint chips, at your own discretion
7. Chocolate Stout Cake
• **Replace the milk in the above recipe with your favorite stout beer!

When serving you can either eat it right out of the mug (watch out, it might be pretty hot!) or you can scoop out onto to a plate (not always the prettiest option but that's usually how I enjoy mine)! 

If you do end up trying one of these creations (or one of your own!) during your next fit of Sweet Toothiness, make sure to let me know!  I'd love to hear what you thought or about any new combinations you came up with!!!  Hope you enjoy!

A Groundhog's Weather Forcast and the Big Game!

Happy February 2nd!  Today is not only Groundhog Day, but also the day of one of the most anticipated football games of the season - Super Bowl XLVII!!! 

This morning in Punxsutawney, PA, Phil, the little weather-forecasting fur-ball has secured our fates - 6 more weeks on winter!

Phil even gave his prediction in the form of a cute Super Bowl themed poem in support of the day's shared celebrations!

 

"A Super Bowl winner I will not predict,

But my weather forecast, you cannot contradict,

That's not a football lying beside me

It's my shadow you see

So, six more weeks of winter it shall be!"

 

 



Now that we've got the official weather report and we know for a fact (as if there was any doubt) that we will indeed be graced with the presence of Old Man Winter for a bit longer, it's time to move on to more celebratory affairs:  The Super Bowl!!!

 

Who are you rooting for this year: The Seattle Seahawks or the Denver Broncos?  I'll be cheering for the Broncos - for the simple reason that they are geographically located closer than Seattle is to Grand Rapids!  Do you have any silly ways you choose your team for the big game??  I'm really in it mostly for the commercials....having an Advertising degree (which I don't use...) and all!  Looking forward to seeing what the big boys of the ad world have come up with this year!  I haven't peeked at any previews at all - so I'm ready to be wowed!  I want to laugh, cry, and feel the need to buy, buy, buy!

 

Rob and I are playing it pretty low-key this year!  We're going to stay home to watch - which definitely has it's benefits!!!  I mean, sweats...all day, ummm...yes please!  He's making homemade boneless hot 'wings' and I'll be throwing together a delightful pretzel dip (compliments of one of my sorority sister's recipes)!   

 

I did actually put "real" pants on for a while this afternoon!  We went out earlier to dig out our cars and clean out the spots in front and behind us on the street so we wouldn't have to deal with it tomorrow!  Definitely wanted to take advantage of the 23° weather and daylight while we could!  But this morning and the better part of the early afternoon was spent catching up on some of my stories and clearing out our HULU queue!  I watched a bunch of backed up episodes this weekend of Castle, The Originals, Pretty Little Liars, Once Upon a Time, Switched at Birth and Suburgatory.  I've also recently decided to give up on watching Sleepy Hollow and Ravenswood. 

 

Well....Seattle just won the coin toss, Rob's about done with the 'wings,' my dip is chilling in the refrigerator and there's loads of laundry spinning away in the washing machine.  Time to grab a beer, some grub and watch the game!  Go Broncos!!!!  Keep your fingers crossed for a win or two on my Super Bowl squares!! 

 

What are you doing for the Big Game!?  Trying some new recipes, hanging with friends?!  Let me know below!  But, most of all, enjoy it!

Five on Friday {Short and Sweet}

Excited to be linking up with  Christina, Darci, April, and Natasha for my second 5 on Friday!!!

I'm a bit late off the blocks again this week ...and composing via iPad in bed, so I'm going to keep this short and sweet!

{ONE}

We finally made it back up into double digits!!!  As such...some of our snow has melted and you can drive to your destinations with lessened feelings of foreboding and anxiety!  

{TWO}

I've been getting attacked by the chocolate cravings monster all week!!  I finally caved and whipped up a little single serve mug cake the other day!  I had some Oreos and some mini marshmallows so I kind of went for a 'Cookies & Cream' type of deal!  It turned out pretty good and they only take a couple of minutes to make so it was the perfect little treat to appease my Sweet Tooth!!  You can find the recipe along with a few variations here!

{THREE}

Friday Movie Night in!  I finally got to re-watch Deep Blue Sea!!!  Yay!!!  Don't ask why I've been obsessing over watching a sub-par movie about genetically altered sharks for the past couple weeks...because I just don't have a good reason!  But after the sharks and getting a 'bite' to eat {hah, funny...get it?!} we moved on to The Spectacular Now, which I really enjoyed!  I mean, who doesn't love a good coming of age film now and again?!

{FOUR}

I couldn't resist sharing this little furball all cuddled up next to his little cat-nip filled beaver!!!  He must be having good dreams because it kind of looks like he's smiling!

                                      

{FIVE}

I was beyond thrilled to have been nominated for a Liebster Award!  You can read the full post here!

Hope you all have an absolutely fabulous weekend!!!