Disney Vacation Goody Bags

A couple days ago I shared with you my second version of  a Disney Vacation Countdown and told you all about how my sister and her family are going this week.  And maybe I told you a little bit about how I'm a super jealous and bitter bitch.....just a little

It was the perfect excuse for me to put together Disney themed goody bags for the girls to take with them.  This gave me the opportunity to combine 2 things I love in this world, a theme, and stockings.

I know you're thinking "What??  Stockings??  What does that have to do with vacation?"

Let me explain.  I have a deep passion for Christmas stockings.  I love to put together all sorts of fun little things in one package and all the fun that comes with opening each and every little thing.  Not that big nice presents aren't great, but I just really love an assortment of little novelty things.  So essentially putting these bags together for them was just like putting together a stocking....only Disney style! Pretty sweet right?

First came every Disney thing I could possibly find in the dollar store. This included carved bath soaps, hand sanitzer, wipes, bath sponges, water bottles, hand warmers, tissues, socks, and some tins that originally held cotton swabs but I took them out and filled them with mints instead.  I thought ut was a good mix of things for the car ride (snacks) at the hotel, (soap, sponges) and in the park (mints, sanitizer, tissues)

 Some snacks of course

 

And a bunch of glow toys.  Hopefully enough to get them through one night at the parade and one night at World of Color

All this loot divided between 2 girls meant one bag looked something like this

I originally wanted to make them their own little backpacks to put it all in but when I had a hard time finding drawstring bags I decided to just hand down the ones me and The Boy used on our vacation last year.  You can read the post on them HERE

The girls loved them!  Here's a picture my sister took of them playing up the "grateful angel" look lol

 Now I'm going to go crawl into bed and cry myself to sleep that I'm not going with them.  Please excuse me

 

MoMo Monday- Hide and Seek

MoMo and I played a game of hide and seek

She's pretty good

DIY Disney Vacation Countdown #2

Last year I posted this Disney Vacation Countdown I had made for myself

And this year I decided to make one for my nieces who are going next week.  (I gave this to them back in September though to start counting)

I made it basically the same way as before.  I printed out a Mickey head and glued it down to some cute Mickey scrapbook paper.  Hot glued on some glittery chip board letters and put it all in a frame.

I took a can and Mod Podged on  some scrapbook paper to use as a holder for the dry erase marker and eraser,  This way the kids could take turns changing out the days by just writing on the glass of the picture frame

I admit I'm pretty bitter about their trip.  Not that I'm not happy for them....I am.....but I'm EXTREMELY jealous. Like ALOT

It's looking like me and The Boy are about to go all of 2013 without a trip to the happiest place on earth and I'm super depressed about it

We only have a few good years left in us of before I start popping out kids that will only slow us down in the parks. Me and The Boy are the type who pound the Disney pavement from open to close.  No breaks, minimal trips to the bathroom, and not a care in the world but the two us...and man do I enjoy it!   Stinking kids will only ruin the fun.  I joke, I kid....sort of.

That's why it's so devastating to me that we aren't taking a trip this year.  A little dramatic?  Maybe.  But this is Disney we're talking about people!! 

Next Sunday will be my sister and her family's first day in the parks.  I told them to send me lots of pictures....not sure if that's going to be a good thing or a bad thing.  I'm leaning towards it will be bad.  I may just have to have a Disney movie marathon that day and drink my sorrows away.

I think a trip to Costco for a giant bottle of vodka will be in order

Low Carb Meatloaf

Meatloaf  tends to get a bad reputation

No, not that Meatloaf....well he is a little misunderstood too.....but I'm talking about the literal loaf o' meat

There aren't a whole lot of people in the middle when it comes to this classic dish. You tend to either LOVE it like I do or turn your nose up at it.

The Boy was never a fan because he remembers it as a dry, bland, brick of meat he was forced to eat as a child.  That's why I was on a mission to make him like it as much as I do all while sticking to our low carb ways.

Now I'm not normally a brand name dropping kind of gal when it comes to herbs and spices.  I usually buy whatever is cheapest which tends to be the store brand.  But this is one of the few times I highly suggest buying a specific brand and that is McCormick Meatloaf Seasoning

We use this to make meatloaf at my work and it opened my eyes to a whole other world of meatloafy deliciousness.  It takes all the guess work out of whether or not you have enough seasoning....it's all there! 

My meatloaf contains the normal ingredients.  Celery, onion, egg, but one ingredient my surprise you.  Green chiles.  They don't make it taste like green chile per say, but it keeps it super moist and flavorful.

And then to make this recipe low carb I swapped out the bread crumbs for crushed pork rinds....an absolute perfect substitute that binds it together nicely

One random note: I never actually put my meatloaf in a bread loaf pan like my mom did.  I prefer to free form it onto a foil lined sheet tray.  This way it doesn't sit in the grease like it would in the pan....there's room for the grease to run off

And the good news is The Boy loved it!  His exact words were that it was one of the best meals I've cooked in a long time.  He immediately followed that by saying "not that everything you cook isn't good....this is just REALLY good"  Good save bro.....good save ;)

So I think I may have officially changed his mind on meatloaf.  I consider this a big victory.

Low Carb Meatloaf

2# ground beef

2 stalks celery, diced

1 small onion diced

7oz can chopped green chiles

2 eggs

1/2 c. crushed pork rinds

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pack of McCormick Meatloaf seasoning

*Sugar free Ketchup & Worcestershire sauce for topping

Mix together all ingredients until well incorporated but try not to over mix or the meatloaf will be tough.  Form into a loaf on a foil lined baking sheet.  Mix together ketchup and worcestershire sauce to taste and spread over the entire meatloaf. Bake at 350 until reaches a minimum of 155 degrees.  I suggest checking at 40 minutes

Wardrobe Wednesday- Plaid Shirt and Leather Jacket

This outfit screams Fall to me.  Perfectly comfy and casual but cute

Shirt: Ross
Jacket: Ross
Boots: Ross
Leather Cuff Bracelet: Thrifted

I had never been much into plaid before this shirt...in fact this is the first one I've ever owned.  I like it but can't help but wonder if I look too much like the Brawny man? haha

Too Brawny? Or cute?

Do you like it with the jacket or without?

MoMo Monday- Anniverary

Yesterday was me and The Boy's 2 year wedding anniversary.  But all the cat owners out there know that it's a cats world and we just live in it.  So in MoMo's semi self centered bubble she doesn't think of this day as the wedding anniversary of her parents.

No, no.  She thinks of this day as the anniversary of the day this picture was taken of her.  Looking so little and baby like

I know I've told this story before...but I don't care.  After our reception was over and before we headed to the after party at my inlaws house me and The Boy rushed home to see her.  We missed her so much that day and had to go see her for a just a minute.  I ran into the house and immediately went and smothered her in kisses...still in my wedding dress.  I love this picture of us so much.  She looks so little and cute...and sleepy.  I selfishly picked her up out of a dead sleep.

Oh MoMo....I love that damn cat.  Happy 2 years to my cute little family!

Batman Themed Family Costumes

So I know this post is kind of useless to you this year....seeing as how today is Halloween and all.  But I'm not the kind of blogger who likes to wait a year to post something when I have the material now.  Plus,  it's never too early to start gathering ideas for next year.  I pin Holiday stuff all year long

 My oldest niece Katie has been on a serious Batman kick these days.  She's borderline crazy....it's all she talks about and besides her dog it's the majority of her Instagram posts too.  She even has this on going play feud with one of our family friends that is a Superman fan.  It's been months of Batman Vs. Superman.  

This means of course when Halloween rolled around she wanted to do a Batman costume and lucky for her my little niece goes along with whatever she wants every year and then it turns into a family costume

 Na na na na na na na na na  na na na na na na na Bat Fam!!!

Katie was Batgirl, Elsa was Robin, my sister was cat woman, and my brother inlaw was Batman

I loved the use of dish gloves for the Batgirl look.  And they made that hat themselves but cutting up a knit hat from the dollar store and sewing it to create ears.  Then cut holes for the eyes.

The "R" on lines on Robin are just craft foam.  Elsa won the best costume award at the party and took this honor VERY seriously.  You would have thought the kid just won an academy award or something.  At one point she even wanted to give an acceptance speach

She took the role seriously all night actually...always staying in character.  I tried to snap a picture of her eating carmel apple dip and she still had to pose mouth full and all

Remember how I said the family friend is a Superman fan? Well, as soon as she found out my brother inlaw would be Batman she put together a Clark Kent costume for her husband

And even funnier was that they were the hosts of the party and their house ended up being invaded by Batman characters of all kind.  My other brother inlaw showed up in a Batman suit thingy, my niece as a cat, and another guest came as Bane. 

Not another Superman in sight....Batman wins! ;)