Five on Friday - January 20, 2017

Oh my gosh -- I can't express how glad I am that it's Friday!  I've been away on business all week and get to return home today.  Can.Not.Wait!

Hope you enjoy today's five ~

1.  Ticket to Ride
Every year we head to Kansas City to join our friends for New Year's Eve.  The holiday is spent playing all kinds of board and card games.  This year we added a new game to the mix - Ticket to Ride.  Have you played before?  So much fun!!  The game has a variety of strategic and tactical choices as you build railroads across the US and Canada, making it a little different every time you play.  If you have 30-60 minutes and 2-5 players, you should give this game a try.  We loved it so much that we had to buy the game to have at our house.  Anyone want to come over and play?  If you want one for your family, click HERE to purchase.

2.  Shout Color Catcher
Who has ever put a red shirt in the same laundry load as their favorite white one?  (My hand is raised.)  We all know the terrible results that can produce.  Scared to give the task of washing clothes to your teenager for fear your entire wardrobe will turn a soft pink color?  Well, fear no more!  These Shout Color Catcher sheets lock up loose dyes and prevent them from bleeding all over your other clothes.  That's right, no need to sort!  Now you don't have to do just a half load.  Load it up with all your colors, toss in a Shout Color Catcher and be on your way.  Need some?  Get yours HERE!



3.  Birchbox 
You've heard me say a million times how much I love my Birchbox.  My friend Tracy gave me my first subscription for a birthday present and I've been a loyal subscriber ever since.  If you haven't taken the plunge and joined, now might be the perfect time for you.  Right now new subscribers get an extra box for FREE by using the code DOUBLEFUN.  That's right -- you can get TWO boxes, each filled with five magical beauty products for just $10!  Pretty cool deal.  Click HERE to check it out.

4.  This Is Us
Are you a fan of This Is Us??  I sure am and was thrilled to read that NBC has renewed it for a second AND third season!!  Whoop!  Whoop!  Will we get to see Kate loose weight?  Will Kevin settle down with a love of his life?  Will Randall totally forgive Rebecca?  Hopefully over the next 2 years we will find out!



5.  Time to go on a diet....



Have a great weekend!  We are headed to Eric's hometown to finally celebrate Christmas with his mom.  I've got a list of things I want to do around the house a mile long so hopefully some of that will be happening too.  Whatever you're doing, I hope you have a wonderful time.  Hope to see you back here soon!

Linking up with:

Jennie at The Diary of a Real Housewife

Amy at The Farmer's Wife

Amanda at Meet At The Barre

Erika at Little Bit of Everything

Simply Sweet Home
High Five for Friday

5 on Friday 
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 - January 20, 2017

It's Friday!  Who else is ready for the weekend?!?  You are going to love the features today!  My pick is from Lolly Jane (don't you just love them!) with their Raspberry Creme and Brownie Trifle for Two.  Hope you join it and all the others ~
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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

Jen at Creatively Homemade - Twitter | G+ | Pin

Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

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

Amy at A Day of Small Things - Pin

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 - January 19, 2017

Happy Thursday!  We've almost made it to the weekend!  Thanks for popping in today for some Thinking Out Loudness.

I've been away from home all week for work and am really looking forward to getting back there on Friday.  It seems when I'm away I get all fired up about the things I'm going to do when I arrive back home.  Mind you, last weekend I was in my house most of the weekend and managed to get little to nothing done.  But I have high hopes that this weekend will be different.

As you know, Monday was Martin Luther King Day.  Since many people had the day off, it meant for those of us who had to work traffic was fantastic!  To make the day even better, I saw so many great quotes from Dr. King.  Now, I have to admit, I'm a true sucker for a good quote. So to keep my spirits high and my motivation at a peak level, I thought I would reminisce about some of the great quotes I saw on Monday ~

Do you have a favorite quote?  Hope some of these inspire you!  And here's hoping I'll stay inspired to do some great things when I get home on Friday.  :)

Now it's your turn ~ link up below and let us know what you're thinking out loud about!  I'd love to hear from you!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Enjoy more Thoughts for Thursday at:

Home of Malones

East Coast Chic

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

This is How We Roll

Bows and Clothes
Eat Teach Blog

Five on Friday - January 13, 2017

This is what we are bracing for this weekend:

The weather forecast has totally taken over normal life around here.  The grocery stores are packed, gas stations don't have a single available pump and school/events are getting cancelled left and right!  My plan is to head into work early and hope to leave before all the craziness starts.  If I miss my window to get home safely, I'll just hang out at the office and eat all the food in the vending machines.

Before the icepocolypse begins, let me present my five for this week ~

1.  Orly Coffee Break
Orly is my all-time favorite nail polish brands and last week I tried a new shade - Coffee Break. This hue has a light shimmer and a nice neutral color. It's lasted all week so that makes it a winner in my book.

2.  STABILicers Walk Stabilicers Ice Traction Cleat for Snow and Ice
It's too bad I didn't pick up a pair of these before this weekend. These babies offer a traction cleat to help you walk on ice and snow. A pair in my size is less than $20! They even roll up small enough to fit in your purse. Want some? Click HERE to check them out.



3. Tocca Cleopatra Hand Creme
Thank you Birchbox for dropping in a sample of this lotion! It smells divine and feels like silk on my hands. I love it! The scent is grapefruit and cucumber -- doesn't sound great, but man it is! And look how cute the package is. It looks great sitting on my desk and I can just squeeze a little on my hands when I need a pick me up. It's available HERE.

4.  Patriots Day
Pretty pumped that Patriots Day is opening this weekend.  Here's the storyline from Movie Insider, "In the aftermath of an unspeakable attack, Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg) joins courageous survivors, first responders and investigators in a race against the clock to hunt down the bombers before they strike again. Weaving together the stories of Special Agent Richard DesLauriers (Kevin Bacon), Police Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman), Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese (J.K. Simmons) and nurse Carol Saunders (Michelle Monaghan) this visceral and unflinching chronicle captures the suspense of one of the most sophisticated manhunts in law enforcement history and celebrates the strength of the people of Boston."  Sounds like a great movie to see while the weather is making it difficult to do anything else.



5.  Fashion Statement...

Okay guys -- time for me to head into work.  Wish me luck!  Be safe out there this weekend.

Linking up with:

Jennie at The Diary of a Real Housewife

Amy at The Farmer's Wife

Amanda at Meet At The Barre

Erika at Little Bit of Everything

Simply Sweet Home
High Five for Friday

5 on Friday 
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 - January 13, 2017

Hello!  We are bracing ourselves for the big winter storm coming our way.  What a perfect time to stay inside and read the great features and link on today's Friday Favorites!  My feature is from Play Dates to Parties.  Check it out below.

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

Jen at Creatively Homemade - Twitter | G+ | Pin

Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

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

Amy at A Day of Small Things - Pin

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 - January 12, 2017

Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday!  Today I'm thinking out loud about one of my newer loves - hot tea!  Do you enjoy a nice, relaxing cup of hot tea?  I think my love for tea came about when I was watching Downton Abbey.  All those tea parties and such sparked an interest.  Maybe I was hoping to become more like Lady Mary if I started drinking more tea!  So far I'm not sure that has happened, but my love for hot tea is still there.

I noticed yesterday that January happens to be hot tea month which is what prompted this thinking.  We are anticipating an icepocolypse overnight today and that made we dream about sitting at home, looking out the window with a warm cup of hot tea in my  hand.  In reality I'll probably be nervously trying to drive to work, but a girl can dream!

A couple of my favorite tea products are from Teavana.  The first one is this handy little Perfectea Maker.  All you have to do is add your favorite loose-leaf tea and hot water.  When your tea has steeped just the right amount of time, place your Perfectea Maker on top of your cup and press.  The tea flows out of the bottom and into your cup.  Makes up to 16 ounces.  I love it and have given it to a couple of my tea-loving friends as gifts.

The second is my Contour Tumbler.  My friend, Linda, gave this to me a couple years ago and I didn't realize until I started using it how much I would love it!  It comes with a removable tea infuser basket for easy steeping on the go.  The push-button stop is great for preventing leaks and spills.  You will find this baby with me on my way to work every morning.  That is, every morning I don't forget it on the counter.

Ever wonder what the proper way to sip tea is in public?  Found this cute little YouTube video to answer all our questions.

So enjoy the rest of National Hot Tea Month!  What are some of your favorite hot tea items?

Now it's your turn ~ link up below and let us know what you're thinking out loud about!  I'd love to hear from you!

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An InLinkz Link-up

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Enjoy more Thoughts for Thursday at:

Home of Malones

East Coast Chic

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

Here I Scribble

This is How We Roll

Bows and Clothes

Let's Make Four Cheese with Bacon Mac

Sometimes when it's cold outside don't you just want some comfort food?  One of our go-to comfort food dishes is this Four Cheese with Bacon Mac.  I found this recipe in Family Circle magazine about six years ago and it's so delicious I've been making it even since.

Family Circle is one (of the many) magazines I subscribe to and each month find a helpful hint or recipe that's fantastic.  You can pick up a subscription from Amazon for $5!  Click the link to start enjoying it for yourself.

But back to the recipe ~ 

Here's What You Need

1 box (1 pound) cavatappi

6 slices bacon, sliced

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups 2 percent milk

1/2 teaspoon onion flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup shredded colby-Jack cheese (4 ounces)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)

8 slices Kraft Deli american cheese (6 ounces)

Here's What You Do

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat a 3-quart broiler-safe dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boiling.

2.  Cook cavatappi 8 minutes in boiling water, then drain.  Meanwhile, in medium-size saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, 6 minutes.  Transfer to paper towels.  Carefully pour off drippings, returning 2 tablespoons to pan.  Add butter.

3.  Whisk in flour until smooth.  In a thin stream, whisk in milk.  Stir in onion flakes, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.  In large bowl, toss together cheddar, Colby-Jack and mozzarella.

4.  Remove milk mixture from heat; whisk in American cheese and 1 and 1/4 cups of the cheddar mixture.  Toss bacon pieces with remaining shredded cheese.

5.  In pasta pot, combine cooked pasta and cheese sauce.  Pour half into prepared dish.  Sprinkle with a generous cup of the bacon-cheese mixture.  Repeat layering.

6.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.  Increase oven temperature to broil and broil 3 minutes until top is lightly browned.  Cool slightly before serving.

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!  Stay warm out there!

Non Stick Skillet

Whisk

Measuring Cups

Rectangle Baker

Linking up with:
Pint Sized Baker
Mandy's Recipe Box

Handmade Tuesday's with Kristen

Let's Be Friends Blog Hop with The Dwelling Tree

JENerally Informed Love From The Kitchen: Tuesday's Table The Diary of a Real Housewife My Own Home While I'm Waiting Tuesday Talk Pennies into Pearls Simply Sweet Home A Dish of Daily Life