Pumpkin Cinnamon Dip

If you're looking for a quick and easy snack recipe that everyone will love, here it is!  My sister and I threw it together before going to a Halloween party and everyone from kids to adults kept talking about how good it was.

 

 

 

Happy Halloween (eve)! 

This year...

I'm not one to complain about life's happenings. I constantly think about how much worse things could be and it brings me back to reality and being thankful for all that I have.

But...this year has been pretty brutal. I first want to say that this post may turn into a babble fest and also that I strive to use this blog as a documentation of my life, the good, the bad, and the ugly.  I'm happy to say every post has been positive up until this point but I'm about to get real with you. No one's perfect, life's not always a bed of roses and I will not claim otherwise on here.  It's life.

A lot of things have happened in the past few months and I've kept quiet about all of it. I feel like I need to vent, get it all out and let my wall down, maybe even cry a little bit.  So here we go...

It's safe to say this year has been one giant roller coaster.  In the same week, actually within two days, my dear friend Becky's mother passed away after battling cancer for years and the next day I received the call that my former boyfriend died of a heart attack at the age of 32.  A heart attack. At the age of 32. While playing softball.  How does that happen? Kyle and his friends, all around the age of 30, play softball. It could happen to anyone and it shook me to the core.

Our relationship didn't end badly.  We had an immense amount of respect for each other, we just simply weren't made for each other.  He started dating his girlfriend right around the same time as Kyle and I started dating.  At the time of Jesse's death they had a 2 year old little boy and a baby girl on the way.  All I could think about was the pain his girlfriend had to be feeling.  How do you go on?  You're carrying a child, you have a little boy that needs you and you have to go on, there's no other option.  Little things will trigger memories of Jesse and I honestly still can't believe he's gone.

This year has also included people in my life enduring miscarriages, a suicide, loss of job, etc... Yes, there's an etc.

Over the weekend we received another blow to the heart.  My dear grandma JuJu (Judy but we endearingly call her Gma JuJu) was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer.  The very cancer that took Jean's life just months ago.  Of course everyone thinks they have the best grandma but I beg to differ. My grandma dances to "Hey Jude" with us at our favorite local bar, wears blue eye shadow, loves Culvers, gives me and my sisters $25 checks and tells us to buy ourselves a "treat", and makes cookies that everyone close to us knows and raves about.

Just my awesome grandma dancing to Gangnam Style, no big deal.

 

She had surgery to assess the full situation and remove whatever possible on Sunday.  The Dr. seemed hopeful and said that after about 4 weeks of recovery from the surgery she could start chemo.  That was until she had complications from the surgery including an infection and her recovery time has basically not even began yet.  She now needs to recover from this infection, then we can work on her recovery from the surgery, and THEN she can start chemo.

4 generations hanging out at our favorite local bar/restaurant (don't worry it's child friendly;))

My parents drove out to Madison (about 4 hrs from us) to go be with her on Sunday and yesterday my sisters and I made the drive out there.  We are her only grandchildren, are very close with her, and just had to be there.  It was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do.  She's intubated right now but is completely here mentally which makes it even more frustrating because she sits there and listens to all of our conversations and us talking to her and she can't reply back to us.  The minute we walked in the room she started crying. This of course sent all of us into tears and we immediately began comforting her and telling her everything would be okay.  Comforting our sweet, scared, and very sick grandma who just months ago was shopping, drinking wine, and dancing with us is just surreal.  She has a board that has letters and pictures on it so that she can at least communicate in that way, spelling out words and pointing at pictures.  You know what she spelt out once?  "Pray for me" so this is not me asking you to send prayers in her direction, it is grandma JuJu asking and how can you deny someone who wears bright blue eye shadow  so sweetly asked for prayers?  She also remembered it was my dad's birthday and that she was supposed to have a hair appointment today that needed to be canceled.  That's my gma.

 

Maybe that's why we get along so well...



While thinking of all of the heart ache that has occurred this year I couldn't help but think about all of the blessings this year has also brought.  Three of my friends brought sweet babes into the world, a new job for Kyle, our engagement, weddings, and my friend's sister received a new heart which she needed so very badly. Blessings.

Though I've endured my fair share of devastation this year it leaves me feeling so grateful for my support system and knowing things could be much, much worse.

Ain't that the truth.

Photo Dump!

Between a bachelorette party, pumpkin decorating with my girls, Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert concert, and a wedding it has been one memorable month already!  (It's already the 18th, how did that happen?)

My friends Karissa and Andy got married last weekend.  Being friends with the bride AND groom since high school makes for one bad ass wedding.  All of my closest friends were there and we had a blast!  

You might notice I have zero photos of the actual ceremony.  I read this blog post and was convinced to try the "unplugged" approach on my own.  Let me tell you, it was a completely different wedding ceremony experience!  I was able to witness every sweet moment of that wedding without staring down at my camera trying to get it set to the right setting.  And guess what?  Most ceremonies have this person called a photographer that will capture those moments, and they're sort of good at what they do;)

Before the wedding we obviously had to celebrate Karissa's last few weeks as a Ms...here are a few of the blog appropriate photos:)

The Reception 

Pumpkin Decorating

I hope you all have a great fall weekend!

Personalized Gifts

It occurred to me the other day that I'm sort of a personalized gift pro.  It all started about 6 years ago when I met my nanny family, homeboy had EVERYTHING.  Do you know how hard it is to buy for someone who literally has everything they could possibly want and more?  Consider yourself one lucky son of a gun if you have never had to deal with that pain in the ass challenge.

I'm going to save you all a giant headache and share with you the products I've purchased that I can completely recommend, all you have to do is follow the link and purchase it for the difficult to buy for person in your life.  You. Are. Welcome.

Baby Blanket- I've purchased this blanket as a gift two different times.  The first time was over 2 years ago, enduring many washes and still looks and feels the same. DEAL ALERT!  Personalization Mall ALWAYS sends promo codes. The current one is COMPLETE88 and gets you 20% off your order.

Love Canvas- On sale right now PLUS 20% off with promo code above!
   

Wedding Day Champagne Flutes- From Personalization Mall also so snag the above promo code!
  

I See Me Books- I adore these books. The colors are amazing, perfect quality, and they are such sweet stories.  What child doesn't like reading a book about themselves?  Such a great keepsake! I have purchased the three below and I think I enjoy reading them just as much as the munchkins.  They also have personalized place mats, puzzles, coloring books, and lunch boxes.  Promo codes are also available for these books:
 
Promo code for 15% off My Very Own Name items is PERFECT
Promo code for 15% off Pirate items is PIRATE
Promo code for 10% off any order is GRAND10
 

Makeup Bag- I love these little cosmetic bags for gifts. Fill them up with some cute jewelry, lip gloss, lotions, or whatever the women in your life like and you have a thoughtful little gift.  And of course I wouldn't share a good buy with you without having a promo code to also share:)  Get 15% off with promo code COMPLETEKS

 

Money Clip- I was so hesitant to post any of the things I've purchased from Things Remembered because every time I leave that store I leave feeling like I was completely robbed.  This money clip is worth mentioning because there's not many ways they can secretly get more money out of ya with it's simple engraving and inability to add any "extras".

  

Good night all! 



Mom's Chili

I have been seriously slacking in the blog world.  I apologize!  It was one hell of a week last week but I'll touch on that at a later date.

On Saturday evening we went to my parent's house for dinner and a bonfire.  My mom made her chili and apparently I didn't eat enough of it on Saturday night (this is a lie, I definitely had my fair share but it's just THAT good) so I decided to make a batch for myself and K on Sunday night. 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef or turkey
• 1 large onion diced
• 1 cup celery chopped
• 2 cans stewed tomatoes
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 can chili with beans
• 1 can red kidney beans
• 1-3 tablespoons chili powder depending on how spicy you want it, we basically dump half the container in.
• 1 tablespoon diced tamed jalapenos (see packaging below), again, we like spice so I had these but my mom's recipe doesn't actually call for them. 

Directions:

• Brown meat
• Add all other ingredients and simmer at least one hour on stove or crock pot, the longer you let it simmer the more flavor you will get!
• Top with sour cream, cheese, chili cheese Fritos....ya know, whatever your heart stomach desires.

Chili is officially the easiest meal ever.