Penny's Passion: March 2017

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Five on Friday - March 31, 2017

Happy last day of March!  It's hard to believe that one-fourth of this year is already behind us.  I don't know about you, but I'm excited for this next quarter because we should be facing warmer weather and longer days.

Wondering what my five will be for today?  Wonder no more ~

1.  National One Cent Day
Since my name is Penny, I thought I'd mention that tomorrow is National One Cent Day. With tomorrow also being April Fool's Day, not many people think of April 1 as National One Cent Day.  Thought I'd share some facts about the penny straight from National Day Calendar - "The United States first issued a one-cent coin produced by a private mint in 1787. It was designed by Benjamin Franklin. On one side it read “Mind Your Business” and the other “We Are One”. This coin was made of 100% copper, was larger than today’s penny and came to be known as the Fugio cent.  It wasn’t until 1792 that the United States Mint was first created. The first coins struck by the newly established mint were called Chain cents, or Flowing Hair Chain Cents by collectors today. On one side of the was coin a circle of 13 links of chain representing the 13 colonies. On the reverse side of the coin was an image of a woman with flowing hair, otherwise known as Liberty.  The one cent coin was reduced in size in the 1850s to make the coin more economical and easier to handle. In 1856, the mint produced the Flying Eagle cent with a wreath on the reverse side.  This coin was soon replaced with the Indian Head cent in 1859 which quickly became popular and remained in circulation for decades.  Today’s one cent coin is made of copper and zinc and has borne the image of President Abraham Lincoln since 1909. From 1959 to 2008, the reverse featured the Lincoln Memorial. Four different reverse designs in 2009 honored Lincoln’s 200th birthday depicting various scenes from his lifetime and a new, permanent reverse – the Union Shield – was introduced in 2010."  Now you should be ready for any trivia question they ask about the penny!

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2.  SnapPower Guidelight - Outlet Coverplate with LED Night Lights
I'm so intrigued by these outlet covers.  They have lights on the bottoms!  I think I'm going to have to get one (or a few) and give them a try.  They look so cool in the pictures I've seen on the plug ins above the counters. The material says it installs within seconds and requires no wires or batteries.  They are designed to look like a standard outlet cover by day with beautiful LEDs that provide ambient lighting at night.  Want to give them a try?  Click HERE for more info.



3.  The Zookeeper's Wife
This movie is opening today and it's definitely on my "want to see" list.  Here's the synopsis from Movie Insider, "The real-life story of one working wife and mother who became a hero to hundreds during World War II. In 1939 Poland, Antonina Żabińska (portrayed by two-time Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain) and her husband, Dr. Jan Żabiński (Johan Heldenbergh), have the Warsaw Zoo flourishing under his stewardship and her care. When their country is invaded by the Nazis, Jan and Antonina are stunned – and forced to report to the Reich’s newly appointed chief zoologist, Lutz Heck (Daniel Brühl). To fight back on their own terms, Antonina and Jan covertly begin working with the Resistance – and put into action plans to save lives out of what has become the Warsaw Ghetto, with Antonina putting herself and even her children at great risk."

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4. Crayola Says Goodbye to Dandelion
Today is National Crayon Day, but also the day we have to say goodbye to a Crayola color.  Dandelion is being retired!  Not to worry ~ a new color is being unveiled today at a Crayola event in Times Square.  You can be one of the first to hear, and probably see, the new color if you watch the livestream on Facebook.  Is the suspense killing you??  RIP Dandelion.  We will miss your golden glow.


5.  Parenting....
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Have a fabulous weekend!  We don't have a ton going on over the next couple days.  The St. Louis Cardinals are playing at home Sunday night and I'm so excited for the start of baseball season.  Can't wait to hear the crack of the bat!  It's a sure sign that summer is coming.  See you back next week.

Linking up with:
Why Girls Are Weird

This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!

Friday Favorites - March 31, 2017

We've made it to Friday!  There's lots of great reading for you from our features this week.  You are going to love them!  My feature this week comes from Gluesticks with Lemon Curd Hand Pies.  What would be a better way to welcome spring than with some of these!?!

I also wanted to mention that I host another link up on Thursdays called Thinking Out Loud Thursday.  I would love you have you join in the fun and link up!

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Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:
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Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

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You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!
And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

Thinking Out Loud Thursday - March 30, 2017

Happy Thursday!  We've almost made it to the weekend.  Thanks for stopping by Thinking Out Loud Thursday.

Today I'm reflecting on my grandmother and her love for hummingbirds.  Every time I see one, I immediately think of her.  I've tried for a couple years to attract them to my yard with only modest success.  This year is going to be different!



After doing a little research, I believe one of the problems has been my lack of getting my feeder out early enough.  These little guys migrant, so your feeder should be out and visible in time for their trip north.  According to the map below, they should be getting to my area any day now.

Ruby-throated map for North America

We (watch out Eric - this means you) are going to do a little planting this year too.  According to Birdwatchers.com, hummingbirds are attracted to the following ~

Flowers
Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
Lantana Lantana camara
Columbine Aguilegia spp.
Fuchsias Fuchsia spp.
Impatiens Impatiens spp.
Coral-Bells Heuchera sanguinea
Hollyhocks Althea spp.
Penstemen Penstemen spp.
Petunia Petunia spp.
Flowering Tobacco Nicotania alata
Geranium Pelargonium spp.
Begonia Begonia spp.

Shrubs
Azaleas Rhododendron spp.
Butterfly Bush Buddleia davidii
Flowering Quince Chaenomeles japonica
Honeysuckle Lonicera spp.
Weigela Weigela spp.

Trees
Flowering Crab Malus spp.
Tulip Poplar Liriodendron Tulipifera
Locust Robinia
Eucalyptus Eucalyptus spp.
Vines Honeysuckle Lonicera heckrottii
Morning Glory Ipomea ssp.
Trumpet Creeper Campsis radicans
Trumpet Honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens

There are so many cool feeders on the market.  Would one of these make a great Mother's Day gift for you?  Ian and Kayla got me the first one a few years ago and I love it!

Click HERE to purchase
Click HERE to purchase
Click HERE to purchase
Wondering what to put in those feeders?  Well, you can purchase nectar concentrate.
Click HERE to purchase

Or you could whip up a batch of the feed yourself.  Here's a recipe ~

1 Part Sugar 
4 Parts Water 
Boil 1-2 Minutes 
Cool & Store In Refrigerator

Remember to clean and change your nectar every 3-4 days.  If it's super hot, you should really change it even more frequently.

Do you have hummingbirds in your yard?  What tricks have you found to attract them?

So that's what is on my mind today.  Please link up below and share what you're thinking out loud about today.




Enjoy more Thoughts for Thursday at:
This is How We Roll
This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Five on Friday - March 24, 2017

Is everyone enjoying the start of Spring?  Today it is supposed to be over 70 degrees and I can't wait to soak up some sun.  Our daffodils are blooming and it's beginning to feel like winter is behind us.  Thank goodness!

Before I head out into the warm weather today, here's my five for this week~

1.  Snyder's "Wholey Cheese"
I'm so thankful that Eric works at a grocery store because when a new product comes out, he's great about buying it and bringing it home.  The Snyder's "Wholey Cheese" product is a winner!  They come in three flavors (and we've tried them all!) - Mild Cheddar, Smoked Gouda and Swiss with Black Pepper.  Have you seen them at your store?   Love them!
Snyder's of Hanover Wholey Cheese! Crispy Baked Crackers (14 oz.)
2.  National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day
Okay, when you think of chocolate covered raisins, doesn't Raisinets immediately come to mind?!?  And who loves getting Raisinets when you're at the movie theater??  Celebrate this national day by picking up a box and seeing just how quiet you can eat them during a movie.  Here's something you might not know ~ more than 1 million Raisinets are produced per hour.  That's crazy!  For the healthy people out there, raisins are an excellent source of calcium, potassium, iron, fiber and vitamin B.  Eat up!

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3.  CHIPS
If you're looking for a movie to see this weekend, you might want to check out CHIPS.  Ever since Parenthood, I've loved Dax Shepard.  He wrote, directed and is starring in the new CHIPS movie that is opening today.  This movie is an adaptation of the famous TV series from the 70's and 80's depicting a pair of California Highway Patrol Officers.  It looks pretty funny!

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4.  Spring Showers
We had rain yesterday and it reminded me that I've been wanting to try this new style umbrella.  The Wasing Double Layer Inverted Umbrella sounds pretty amazing.  When you shut it, it inverts and traps the water allowing it to be drip free.  Genius!  But here's the best part - the handle is a "C" shape and will stay on your arm allowing you to have both hands free! Oh man, I wish I would have had one of these when I was toting around a car seat!  I'm going to give it a try.  Would you like to try one also?  Click HERE to check it out.

5.  Ever feel this way?!?


Happy weekend!  I'm having lunch with a couple friends today and then girls night out tomorrow night.  I'm sure there will be some basketball watching in there too!  Great few days ahead.  Hope you have some fun things in store too.  See you back next week.

Linking up with:
Why Girls Are Weird

This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!

Friday Favorites - March 24, 2017

Happy Friday!  Welcome to Friday Favorites - and boy do we have some favorites today.  Have fun checking them all out!

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Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:
Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

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You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!
And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Thinking Out Loud Thursday - March 23, 2017

Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday!  Glad you stopped by and hope you all link up below to share what you're thinking out loud about this week.

I'm still thinking about what a fun trip Eric and I had to Kansas City last weekend so that's what I'm thinking out loud about today.  We headed out Thursday night after work so we could be there bright and early on St. Patrick's Day.  Didn't want to miss a single moment of the fun!  Thank goodness Linda didn't mind us rolling in to her house while it was still barely St. Patrick's Day Eve.


Our friends, Mary and Kevin, hosted an all-day party that started with breakfast and Irish coffee.


It didn't take long for the games to bust out.  I was delighted to have enough people around to play my all time favorite card game - Hand and Foot!  Thank goodness my friends indulge me by playing even though I know their love for the game isn't as big as mine!  Anyone else love to play this game?  If so, come on over and let's get a game going!!



Early evening we raced to hear Kelsey, my friend Linda's daughter, do her thing at the State qualifying forensics tournament.  We hit one too many red lights along the way and ended up not getting into the room in time to see her, but we all huddled around the door and was able to hear every word of her poetry reading.  She's a rock star!  And I'm sure you are wondering if she qualified for State.  Well, yes she did!  So proud of her!

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Saturday we enjoyed a skating party for our friends twins, Alex and Adah.  Even though we didn't actually skate ourselves, we had a blast watching the kids (and some adults) move around the rink.  The ice cream cake wasn't bad either!


Everyone gathered for lunch after the party at the home of the twins' parents.  When all the little cousins scooted off to play, the adults once again broke out the games and cards.  We were almost as competitive as the basketball games that were on in the background.  I swear on Sunday night when I laid my head on my pillow I was still hearing squeaky shoes and a ball bouncing!  Not that I think that's a bad thing - the NCAA tournament is one of my favorite things!  Is your team still in?

Saturday night me, Eric and Linda continued our hunt for the best burnt ends in the Midwest.  We ventured to Char Bar in the Westport area of Kansas City to sample theirs.  They did not disappoint.  However, we feel we must continue our search before rewarding the title of best burnt ends to anyone.


We thought the cocktails, appetizers and sides were equally as good.  We had the fried green tomatoes to hold us over while we waited the 45 minutes for our table.



Sunday we had to come back home so Eric could go to work.  We sure enjoyed ourselves!  It's too bad St. Patrick's Day is only one day a year!


I treasured the time we got to spend with our friends this weekend even if it was a speedy little trip across the state.  We should all treasure every minute we get to spend with our friends.  This week has been a constant reminder of that as Facebook has been prompting me every day of where I was and who I was with just two short years ago.  My friend Jane (pictured below in the center) passed away less than a year after we took this trip to spring training.  We would have never guessed that was our last trip together.  Live life big friends for you never know when your time in this place will come to an end!

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So that's what I'm thinking out loud about today.  Now it's your turn ~ what's on your mind?




Enjoy more Thoughts for Thursday at:
This is How We Roll
This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!

Friday, March 17, 2017

Five on Friday - March 17, 2017

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  We are headed to Kansas City to celebrate with our friends.  Do you have big plans?  Eric and I both love corned beef and cabbage so we enjoyed it for dinner one night this week.  Here's some other things we've enjoyed this week and are looking forward to enjoying in the week to come~

1.  Irish Slang
Well horse!  If you are out and about today, I thought you might need to know some of Irish slang.  Good luck sounding a little Irish today. Erin go bragh!

                  c8297b87d6fd0d735cc47391896b23f5

2.  Beauty and the Beast
Excited to see this one in the theaters!  Ian was a baby when the animated version was released in 1991 and when he was little we watched it about 128742874 times.  This version seems a bit more grown up.  Emma Watson was on the Ellen show and she's just darling.  Seeing her made me even more excited to catch this version in the theaters.  Here's a bit of trivia for you ~  Ryan Gosling was offered the role of the Beast, but turned it down to appear in La La Land (2016) instead. Emma Watson was offered the lead role in that film, but turned down that film to star in this one.  Filming was completed by August 27, 2015, more than 18 months before the film's release.


3.  Ritz Bacon Flavored Crackers
Eric brought some of these home and I think they will become a staple in our pantry.  So good!  I have no idea how long these have been on the market, but I'm sure glad we tried them.  I'm thinking of all the recipes I have that calls for Ritz crackers and which ones will be even better now if I use the bacon flavored version.  Oh the possibilities!!


4.  Spring is Coming!
Even though many of us have had to endure freezing temperatures and snow this week - hold on.  Spring officially begins on Monday, March 20!  Bring on the warm weather!  Anyone else out there looking forward to spring and everything it has to offer?!?


5.  Happy St. Patrick's Day!


Have a wonderful weekend and if you are going to be drinking green beer today, please be careful.  I'll see you next week!

Linking up with:
Why Girls Are Weird

This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Friday Favorites - March 17, 2017

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy today's favorites.

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Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:
Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

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You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!
And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

Thinking Out Loud Thursday - March 16, 2017

Happy Thursday!  Another week is flying by - I'm still thinking about how much fun I had Monday night when some friends joined me and Eric for the finale of The Bachelor.  Thought I'd share with you today our hot dog bar!


I love it when we have these viewing parties and the evening is always fun.  It can be a bit challenging coming up with dinner ideas because we start right after work.  It's really just me putting the pressure on myself because none of my guests would care if we just ordered pizza or grabbed fast food, but I always want to make something.  This time we went with the hot dog bar and it was a huge success.  If you are ever in need of a meal that comes together quickly and has a bit of flair, I highly suggest whipping up a hot dog bar of your own!

The sign came straight from Etsy.  Prints by MA design has some adorable printables for all occasions.  For a quick sign, I purchased one for $3, printed and glued it to a piece of card stock that matched my tablecloth.  If you need a sign for your event, check out all the cool options at this shop and use PENNYSPASSION10 for 10% off your order.  


I did a little searching on Pinterest to come up with the toppings.  The list was fairly long and you could definitely cut it down, but the more the better right!?!  Here's a list of what was offered:

Ketchup
Mustard
Relish
Jalapenos
Guacamole
Sauerkraut
Onions
Fritos
Shredded Cheese
Nacho Cheese
Chili
Onion Straws
Bar-B-Que Sauce


I whipped up a couple specialty signs just in case people needed some inspiration on what to add to their dog.




As it turned out, people were quite creative on their own!






My original plan was to boil the hot dogs when I got home, but I had a revelation on my way to cook them on my new grill pan from Pampered Chef.  So much better than boiling them!  This pan is fabulous.  If you're in the market for one, click HERE to check it out.  

We topped the evening off with the Madeleines my friend, Debbie, brought over.  Yum!  She got her Madeleine pan for her birthday and has truly mastered the art of making these French shell-shaped pastries.   A Madeleine pan is going on my wish list!


The food portion of the evening was a hit!  There were mixed reviews, however, on who Nick chose to be his bride!  But that's a blog for another day.

What are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up below and share with us!  I'd love to hear from you.




Enjoy more Thoughts for Thursday at:
This is How We Roll
This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!