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Snickerdoodles
This post contains affiliate links. All photos and opinions are mine and should not be used without written permission.
Snickerdoodle cookies have always reminded me of cinnamon toast. After all, they’re basically just sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon and sugar and then baked to perfection, so that means they qualify as a breakfast food, right?Sadly, the last time I made these cookies, they didn’t make it to see the light of dawn. I doubled the batch and the cookies were gone within a couple hours. It’s amazing how many people come over when you tell them there’s fresh cookies there. Haha.But I don’t blame my people at all! These cookies are so easy to make and even easier to eat! I included them in my Baked Goods Basket this year and I’m excited to be able to give the gift of carbs to the people in my life!If you need to make these cookies (and you do), here’s the recipe.What you'll need:
Cinnamon Sugar Snickerdoodle Cookies
Soft and buttery cookies are rolled in cinnamon and sugar and baked to perfection. These chewy cookies make the perfect dessert or contribution for a holiday cookie exchange!
- 1 cup butter (room temperature)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg (plus 1 yolk)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 3/4 cup flour
Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with a parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix the butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add in the egg, the yolk, vanilla, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and cinnamon and mix for 1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Turn mixer to low and add in flour, mixing until just combined.
- In a separate small bowl make your Cinnamon Sugar by mixing together cinnamon and sugar, stirring until evenly combined.
- Using a medium (2- tablespoon) cookie scoop portion out the dough and roll into a ball. Then roll each cookie dough ball into the cinnamon sugar mixture until coated.
- Place on prepared baking sheet about 2- inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, turning cookie sheet halfway through baking.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3-4 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Daddy's French Toast
For as long as I can remember, this French toast has been made at my parents’ house at least once a month. Even when I got married, moved out, had kids, etc…this French toast was a way for my parents to welcome me back home for a meal. In fact now it’s come down to a simple text message from my dad saying “French toast will be ready a 6 tonight,” and you better believe we’re all excited when that message comes through! This Famous (at least in our household) recipe has been requested by out of town guests, my parents’ bible study group, and my brother when he comes home from college. It’s a family staple and another way our family “breaks bread” together.The funny part of this story is that my mom says that she’s the one who started the French toast tradition, yet none of us ever remember her making it! Sorry Mom, Dad gets the credit for this one! If you'd like to make this addictive recipe at your own house, check out the recipe below!
What's the Best Kind of Bread to Use?
A loaf of French bread is perfect and Texas Toast works well too. Thicker breads work well because they soak up more of that delicious custard mixture.
What if I Don't Have Old Bread?
If making this recipe with fresh bread, make sure to leave the bread package open for a couple days to allow the bread to dry out before making this recipe. You may even need to take the slices out and lay them on a cooling rack the night before you plan on making it. Dried out bread soaks up the mixture better. If the bread is not dried out well, it will fall apart when soaking up the egg mixture.
Products Used:
Daddy's French Toast
Thick and fluffy french toast is the perfect breakfast or brunch item. A little topping of butter and powdered sugar and you've got a recipe everyone will love!
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups milk
- 12 eggs
- 18 slices day-old French bread (1 inch thick)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 Tablespoon butter
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Beat the flour, sugar, salt, milk, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon with a beater until smooth.
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Soak bread in the batter until saturated.
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Heat butter in a skillet. Carefully transfer each bread slice to skillet, do not overcrowd. Cook bread over medium heat 12 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
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Serve with butter and a dusting of powdered sugar.
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Game Day Soft Pretzels
This post contains affiliate links.
I'm not one for actually watching a baseball, basketball, or football game, but I'm all for a watch party! Especially when it comes to the food part of it. But I get tired of the same old stuff time and time again. This time, I decided to try my hand at homemade soft pretzels. I was inspired by my recent trip to Clarksville, Tennessee where I had the best soft pretzels ever at Strawberry Alley Ale Works. They were so good, y'all!
After making these soft pretzels from scratch, I am a firm believer in making it yourself. For starters, it was so much cheaper than buying the frozen pretzels! This literally cost me under $3 to make. Second, the taste was just out of this world good. I paired my homemade pretzels with my Bob Armstrong Chile Con Queso and man oh man was that a match made in heaven! Yum!So enough about me, let's get cookin'!
Game Day Soft Pretzels
Get your party at home game day ready with these easy to make and eat soft pretzels. Trust me, you will want to double this recipe, they're so good!
- 1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F water)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 4 1/2 cups bread flour
- 2 ounces unsalted butter (melted)
- Vegetable oil (for pan)
- 10 cups water
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- Pretzel salt
- Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
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Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan.
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In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces.
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Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.
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Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt.
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Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Want the bite size version?
Check out how to make these bite size soft pretzels - complete with cheddar dipping sauce!
If you'd like to see more recipes like this, follow me on Pinterest!
Plano, Texas | Where to Stay, Eat, and Play
This post was sponsored by Visit Plano. It contains affiliate links.
This past weekend my husband and I celebrated our 12 year wedding anniversary. When I say the last 12 years have been crazy, wonderful, chaotic, hurtful, and full of love, I mean it. Marriages aren't perfect. After all, people aren't perfect. But what matters is that two people who love each other can get through anything if they both work at it hard enough.In order to celebrate our anniversary, we thought what better way to do it than to go on a little weekend getaway without the kids. We didn't want to go to far, and we wanted to eat well and enjoy ourselves. So we opted for Plano, Texas. Neither of us had been to Plano before (we usually drive through the area on the way to somewhere else on a road trip), but we thought we would check out what there is to do.We ended up having such a great time! We slept in. We ate what we wanted to. And we saw the sights. Plano has a great assortment of things to and I'm going to outline them below for you.
Where to Stay in Plano, Texas
We stayed at the oh so fabulous Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West. It was fantastic! From the moment we checked in, the staff was so friendly and helpful and everywhere you looked there were delicious little touches. The lobby had fruit infused water, fresh lemonade, and other goodies like peanut brittle and house made lollipops. It was fun to leave and come back and see what treasures awaited us there! There's also a gorgeous roof top pool with ample amounts of seating and a swanky upscale bar near the lobby with some really neat decor. The beds were also really comfy and the rooms were spacious.
This hotel has Happy Hour every Monday through Thursday from 5pm to 7pm to enjoy special drink prices and featured monthly specials. You can enjoy your cocktail at the bar, or step outside onto the terrace and gather around the fire pit. They also have a "Punch Ritual" held every weekday starting at 6pm. The Punch Ritual offers the opportunity for you to learn about their cocktail-making process and the seasonal ingredients they use to create them. It's delicious and educational!
One really great part of the hotel is that when you walk out the door, you walk straight onto Legacy West. This road is full of fine dining, upscale shopping, and Legacy Food Hall. Any time of day we went, there were people buzzing around and enjoying themselves. Nighttime was definitely the busiest, as the fountains were on full display with lights and movements set to music. It was a great spot to sit, people watch, and enjoy the music.
Where to Eat
We ate a lot, but I'm going to narrow it down for you top places we'd like to go back to:
XO Coffee Company. From the moment we walked in, I loved this place. It's a good size cafe with fresh made coffees and delicious brunch items. We ordered the mocha, caramel latte, Nutella stuffed french toast with sugared bacon and cheesesteak. That French toast and bacon was simply amazing. I would go back over and over again for that. The staff was all really helpful and friendly as well. Go early in order to get a good table!
The Biscuit Bar. Go early or expect a wait. And there's a reason for that. The locals and visitors alike know that this place is pumping out delicious food! We opted for the Buffalo chicken and blue cheese biscuit, sausage and gravy biscuit, cold brew, and a fruity pebble cereal drink (alcoholic). Everything was SO good! The buffalo chicken biscuit had hardly any spice to it, so if you're afraid of setting your mouth on fire, this won't do it. Next time, I will definitely be trying the hot chocolate biscuit. That thing looked amazing!
Mexican Sugar. We started off with the queso blanco and it was tasty. It was nice and creamy and the salsa that came with it was really flavorful. I always like it when my salsa comes warm, because you know it's fresh. We then ordered the steak enchiladas and the carne asada tacos. For the tacos, I opted for lettuce cups instead of the traditional flour tortillas and it was a really great option for people who are trying to cut carbs. The only regret I have is not trying their chocolate avocado cake. That looked really great, we were just too full to get one by the end of the meal!
B Frank & Relish. They weren't busy at 7pm on a Saturday evening and I'm still not really sure why. We walked up and were seated right away. The server recommended the B Famous wings and we were really happy he did. They were amazing! The flavor was so great and because they sous vide them for 3 hours before serving them, they're just fall off the bone tender! The Fiery Pineapple Margarita was great too. It didn't set my mouth on fire - it was just a slow, gentle heat mixed with delicious pineapple - perfection! The white truffle and parmesan fries were really good. I could have had a side of that white truffle aoili with it and would have been perfectly content with that as my dinner. The Harvest Greek salad and the street tacos were okay, but they weren't wow-worthy like those wings were. Their Old fashioned cocktail is another one to get. They brand the ice with a signature 'B' and it makes for a really smooth cocktail. Lastly, the fried smores...heaven on a plate. I mean they deep fry smores, people. How can you really go wring with that? You can't. Oh, and they serve it with chocolate sauce that you pour over the whole thing. So good! The staff was super attentive and were a fun group! We'll definitely be back!
Sixty Vines. First of all, you should really have a reservation when you come here - especially if you have a large group. We went in on a Friday night and with our reservation, we were seated right away. We opted for the Frose and red wine flight to start. The price point was pretty good for what you got with the drinks. As a starter, we got the Wagu Carpaccio. The flavor was tangy and delicious! For dinner, we shared the filet, fregola, spicy sausage pizza, and broccoli-avocado slaw. Out of everything, the filet and the fregola were awesome! The filet was tender and melt in your mouth delicious. The fregola was creamy and a perfect combination with the filet. The rest of what we got was okay, but it just wasn't something we would order again. We had the Deviled Affogado and as much as I really wanted to like it, I just didn't. The flavors felt like they were competing with one another and not melding together like I had hoped they would. All that being said, the restaurant itself is gorgeous. There's high ceilings, tons of light, great decor, and tons of attention to detail (like leather menus and luxurious terry cloth napkins). If you're looking for trendy, this is the place.
Things to Do
For Adults
Legacy Food Hall. This three-story food court is so much more than fast food restaurants! In fact, it has 22 chef-driven food stalls, a brewery, and live music and entertainment in the Box Garden. It's a great way to spend a few hours eating, drinking, and enjoying time together with friends.Oak Point Park & Nature Preserve. Hike, canoe and zip line your way through the wilderness!Go Ape. This canopy tour has you harnessed in, going up rope ladders, 30 crossings, and several zip lines. See the beauty of Plano from the sky!Pinstack. With bowling lanes, an LED rock climbing wall, and indoor games for the whole family, this place is a great way to spend an afternoon. They also have an in-house restaurant and full bar for some late night fun.
Legacy West. This collection of outdoor shopping, fine dining, and entertainment is great fun! Be sure to go by in the evenings and watch the fountain show!Escape Expert. Think you're smart enough to solve all the puzzles and make it out of the room? Try it and find out!Pipe & Palette. Grab your friends and paint something together! It's sure to be a fun time.End Zone Plano. Like to play pool? This is the spot for you! They also offer poker, karaoke, and bingo on select nights of the week.
Granite Park Boardwalk. This boardwalk is another great place to relax and unwind. There's tons of quality restaurants, corn hole, patio dining, connect four, and a hill for the kids to play on.Texas Wine & Wood. Come design and create your own piece of home decor! Sand, stain, and paint your way to a masterpiece!Bullet Trap. This indoor gun range is a great place to work on your marksmanship and also obtain your handgun license.
For Kids
Colorful World of Crayola. Create your own crayola box of markers in the Crayola store and then head on over to the Colorful World of Crayola where kids can get hands on with their color! Teachers also get free annual passes!Heritage Farmstead Museum. Experience what life was like on the farm with calf roping, cooking over an open fire, and making crafts.Kid Mania. Let the kids loose with slides, bungee walls, climbing nets and more! There's also a parent area where kids aren't allowed (but you can see the whole kids area from it). Winning!Whirlyball Laser Wirld. This super competitive game is a cross between lacrosse, basketball and bumper cars. You really have to see it to get it.Plano Super Bowl. Bowling. Need I say more?Texas Archery Academy. Learn how to shoot a bow and arrow.Thunderbird Roller Rink. Skate in circles at the roller skating rink!The Children's Health Star Center. Beat the heat or boredom and go ice skating year round at this ice skating rink!Carpenter Skate Park. If ramps, rails, stair sets, ledges, and a "large bowl" mean anything to you, then this place will be your jam! The skate park is also in the shape of the official Plano logo "P".If you'd like to see more tips like this, follow me on Pinterest!
All You Need to Know to Host the Ultimate Magic Kingdom Themed Party
I received free products in order to host a #NowMoreThanEver Disney Playdate Party.
The photos and opinions expressed here are my own and should not be used without written permission. This post contains affiliate links.
What's in the Box?
If you haven't met me before, you'd think I was nuts....that is, when it comes to anything Disney. So when Walt Disney World reached out to me and asked me to host a playdate for their #NowMoreThanEver campaign, I jumped at it! Disney sent me and 80+ other mom bloggers world-wide a box just like this filled with party goodies and told us to have fun with it and make it our own.To say I was excited to get the box and see what was in it is an understatement. I watched the UPS tracking app like a hawk and on the day of delivery, I made sure I was home all day. And then it came. That glorious UPS man dropped off the large cardboard box affixed with a mickey sticker on top and the kids and I ripped into it like it was Christmas.Here's what I found in that box:
- Pinata,
- Pin the nose on the mickey
- Popped Passion Popcorn Cake
- Swirl decorations
- Tablecloth
- Mickey plates
- Mickey cups
- Balloons
- Mickey napkins
- Mickey masks
- Silver Mickey Ears (yes, I put them on as soon as I saw them in the box)
- Princess dress (courtesy of Jakks Pacific)
- Rapunzel doll (courtesy of Jakks Pacific)
- Mickey Pillow Pet (from Pillow Pets Disney)
- Mickey stickers
- Printable Fab Fortune Tellers
- Michael Angelo’s Baked Ziti and Meatballs
- Printable Matching Game.
So that was a great start, but I felt like I needed to come up with a cohesive theme to tie everything together. One thought I couldn't get out of my head was the magic of Walt Disney World and how I wanted that element to be present at the party. I wanted people to walk in and be wowed from the moment they stepped in the door.When visiting Walt Disney World, that moment for me is when I'm walking down Main Street USA and I see Cinderella's Castle right there in front of me in all it's magical glory. So that was that. I officially had a theme - the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
Let the planning begin...
Decor
A color scheme is everything when starting to think about decor. For this party, I opted for the colors of Cinderella's castle. I didn't want it to be just another red, black, and yellow Mickey party, and when I think of the Magic Kingdom, I think of walking into the park down Main Street USA and staring straight at Cinderella's Castle.
In order to really drive home a theme with your party guests, I love having printed items like welcome signs, food tent cards with names on them, and other fun Walt Disney quotes around the room. Evie from Evangeline Designs made these amazing signs for me and I was so excited about how they turned out!
Since this is a kid's party, I didn't want to go too overboard with decor, but I did want to have a few over the top elements that make you go WOW! In addition to the disposable Mickey tablecloth that Disney sent me, I wanted nice linens for the table to match the color scheme. On Cloud 9 Event Rentals to the rescue! Lisa was so sweet and worked with us to find just the right shades to match the party's color scheme.
After trying several different avenues, I just couldn't find a life-size Cinderella's Castle that looked nice. This one was cute, but it wasn't impressive enough for me. So then I contacted Designs by Yutz. Their oversized marquee letters were perfect for the look I was going for! They spelled out the word "DISNEY" and even painted the letters to match the decor of the event. Everyone loved them and they were definitely that WOW factor I had wanted! If you're wanting to recreate this look at home on a smaller scale, these 9" tall letters are perfect!
Along with the large marquee letters, I wanted something to go around it, so balloons to the rescue! Balloons are always a super cost-effective way of adding color and wow-factor to any event. So balloons here we come! I'll have to do a balloon tutorial sometime soon so I can show you just how easy it is to make these! Toast from the Host and I made this one in about 3o minutes before the party started. 
Because I can never have enough balloons (and they make a great statement and take up space), I also used helium-filled balloons tied to weighted silver decorations to be the centerpiece on each table. 
Food
A party isn't really a party without food. And when you're trying to recreate a magical place like the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, the more silly and themed the better! I love a party with a theme, so even the food and utensils need to have a Disney twist!
Something Substantial
First up, "Lady and the Tramp’s" Baked Ziti & Meatballs. Spaghetti is always a kid favorite, but it's hard to serve. So I opted for Michael Angelo's Baked Ziti and Meatballs and put them in these portion-controlled cups.
I also wanted to make sure to give the kids a little something more substantial than all candy and sweets, so I opted for some cheap pizzas as well. Say it's from Toy Story's "Pizza Planet" and you've got an easy to serve food with a fun Disney twist!
Snacks
Every party needs something you can graze on, like "Buzz Lightyear's Space Balls (cheese balls), the "Lost Boys Food Fight" (grapes in red and green), "Olaf's Snow Flurries" (popcorn), and Mickey's special edition goldfish. Just make sure to use some of these scoops for easy serving that kids can do themselves.
Tudorhouse Cookies also made these AMAZING Magic Kingdom themed cookies and it really sent the theme over the top! She really got the magic of the Magic Kingdom summed up - Mickey ears, Cinderella Castles, and Walt Disney quotes about chasing your dreams.
What says something magical more than sugar crystals turned into puffy clouds of goodness? Twirl Cotton Candy was there at the party twirlin' and swirlin' and creating such a fun, sugar-filled time for the kids (and kids alike). She even had cotton candy cones that looked like Star Wars light sabers and blinked!
Cake
Now, I know it's not a birthday party, but every party deserves a little cake, am I right? But since this was no ordinary party, I couldn't have just any old cake! I opted for this really cool Popcorn Cake by Popped Passion. It was fun, unique, and great for people who don't have a huge sweet tooth. I even put it on this cake stand to fancy it up a bit!
Drinks
Now, what to drink? For the kids, I opted for mini water bottles and Capri Suns. They were easy for me to just put in an ice chest (aka "Under the Sea") with some ice and the kids can open them themselves. For the adults, they had the option of the tiny water bottles or the "Mad Hatter's Iced Tea" - aka Sweet Tea - a Southern girl's party staple served in this easy to use beverage holder.
A Disney World Favorite
Last but not least, I needed the ultimate Disney World sweet treat - Mickey Bars! I found these classic Disney World ice cream treats at Target and they were the perfect "wow factor" food item I was looking for! Unfortunately, my idea of keeping them frozen during the duration of the event by putting them in a rolling cooler packed with dry ice in the bottom and regular ice on top didn't work out so well and they were all completely melted (stupid Texas summer heat!). But, if you were having this party at your home, you shouldn't have trouble at all keeping them frozen in your freezer!
Of course, you have to have something eat on and with, and I knew I was going to need to supplement the amount of plates, napkins, and cups that Disney sent me, so I went to Dollar Tree and got these navy blue napkins, plates, and pink paper cups. In order to make them a little more "Disney", I bought these Mickey stickers and affixed them to the outsides of the cups. Voila! Disney! And don't forget Ariel's "Dinglehoppers" (forks).
Activities
Magic Bands & Mickey Ears.
Upon entering the party, everyone came in just like they would at the park at got their Magic Bands and Mickey Ears. Guests got to decorate their “magic bands” with stickers and parents used sharpies to write their names on their wristbands. They then got to pick out their Mickey ears or masks of choice and get on to the partying!Photos provided by Brass + Veil Creative
Dance Party.
Every party needs some tunes! And Jason from J&A Entertainment kept the party rockin' by playing everything from Mary Poppins songs to baby Shark. We might have even done the chicken dance (but you'll have to watch the video to see that one). The kids loved playing with the hula hoops and dancing away!
Ball Pit.
What kid doesn't love a ball pit? These ball pits was easy to set up, take down, and kept the kids occupied for hours! I just used these kiddie pools and filled them with these balls. Easy!
Imagination Station.
When the kids need to calm down a bit or are more on the creative side, I love setting up craft stations at parties. When I was a kid, this was my jam! I could sit and be creative for hours (and my daughter was the same way at this party...let's just say she likes glue... A LOT). There was no real plan for this station - just give kids some craft supplies and let them use their imaginations. My son and I created a couple things myself as inspiration on the table, but I wanted to let the kids embrace their inner artists on their own. I had to make it myself, but I did get my "Cinderella Castle" after all! On the table, I had crayons, markers, glue, scissors, construction paper, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, plastic beads, letter beads, and twine. It was awesome getting to see all the kids' creations!
Free Printables.
We also had these fun games that came in our boxes. The fortune teller game and the matching game were both a hit with the older kids at the party! Here's the links to them if you'd like to download them for yourself:Free Printable Disney Fortune Teller GameFree Printable Disney Matching Game
Giving Back
As part of the initial box I received from Disney, Jakks Pacific gifted me a Rapunzel doll and My Pillow Pets gave me a Mickey Pillow Pet. Instead of keeping them for myself, I decided to create a "giving back" portion of the party. Since the party was a free community event, I asked that attendees bring an unopened Disney gift that would be donated to Texas Children's Hospital as part of their Disney Team of Heroes. And boy, did these families show up BIG for kids in need! It was such a blessing to be able to not only have a great event, but also to pay it forward and give some deserving kids a little magic as well!
What's New at Walt Disney World
If you can actually make it to the park, you're in for a treat! #NowMoreThanEver, Disney is making memories for younger kids even better. There are tons of new experiences like Mickey & Minnie's Surprise Celebration (Magic Kingdom), Party with Pixar Pals (Disney's Hollywood Studios), and Festival of the Lion King (Disney's Animal Kingdom)!At Mickey & Minnie's Surprise Celebration, there's also new songs, parades, character meet and greets, and Mickey and Minnie even have some festive new outfits for the occasion!I'm really looking forward to Party with Pixar Pals at Disney's Hollywood Studios! Hollywood studios is celebrating their 30th anniversary with a new logo and fun new attractions with Mike and Sully from Monster's Inc and The Incredibles. Go inside a door into the monster world or test out your superpowers! My kids are absolutely going to love both of these exhibits! And, my personal favorite, Toy Story Mania will turn everyone into toys for a day. The park has even been updated with Forky - the new Toy Story 4 star! If your kids are elementary school age, they're sure to love the Disney Junior Dance Party with Vampirina and Doc McStuffins as well.Disney's Animal Kingdom is also feeling love and celebrating the new Lion King movie set to come out this week with a Hakuna Matata Dance Party with Timon and Rafiki (my hubby's favorite).Last but not least, Epcot has some great new additions as well. The most important being that they are retiring the nighttime show "IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth." and replacing it with "Epcot Forever".
At the end of it all, the kids had a blast and the parents got a break, so that's all that matters! Our magical playdate had over 40 kids attend and they even brought their parents too!
If you're looking to see what promotions Walt Disney World has going on now, go to this link below:
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THE Ultimate Guide to all Things Magnolia in Waco, Texas
This blog post contains affiliate links. All purchases made through these links keep this blog running.
As soon as the HGTV Show “Fixer Upper” introduced America to Chip and Joanna Gaines, viewers fell in love with this couple, Joanna’s warmth, Chip’s humor, and their unique modern farmhouse style.Since the birth of their tv show, they’ve created quite a brand for themselves – and brought a lot of interest to the, once small, college town of Waco, Texas.If you’re a Magnolia fanatic, here’s the top places in Waco that you simply have to visit if you really can call yourself a fan.
Magnolia Market Silos.
This shop has it all – housewares, cooking utensils, a garden, food trucks, and an outside play area. Be prepared to spend a couple hours to see everything because every square inch of the property is carefully thought out and you won’t want to miss any of it.
Silos Baking Company.
Need something sweet to nibble on? This little shop features baked goods of all kinds and don’t forget to get some coffee to go with it. You can sit outside the shop in their patio area as well and enjoy your treats.
The Little Shop on Bosque.
This is where the original store the Gaines’ owned was. Now, it is home to their clearance items. They have great deals and you can also save an additional 10% if you show them your same day receipt from Magnolia Market.
Harp Design Co.
Clint and Kelly are woodworkers whose tables and housewares are regularly featured in Joanna’s home designs. You can visit this shop to see their quality cutting boards, tables, and take some home for yourself!
Magnolia Table.
If you have Joanna’s Magnolia Table cookbook (which I highly recommend) and want to taste some of the recipes straight from the source, then this is the place to do so. The restaurant is open from 6am to 3pm and they serve breakfast and lunch all day. Fair warning: if you don’t get there before 7am, you will definitely have a wait before you are seated to eat. But if you’re in a hurry and can’t wait, they have an outside patio and the Takeaway where you can get coffee and pastries. But I highly recommend eating there. Get the candied bacon and the biscuits with strawberry butter. You won’t be sorry.
JDH Iron Designs.
If you head to Waco and you visit Magnolia market, there's a little trailer with a white tent over on a street nearby. At that tent, you are more likely than not going to meet Jimmy Don himself. Jimmy Don has been featured on Fixer Upper with his sturdy metal signs with meaningful quotes and scripture on them. He is exactly the same as you see on television. You can also visit his full store in Crawford, Texas and see how the signs are made and a much bigger selection of signs are there as well.
Cotton Castle.
This castle was recently purchased by Magnolia Realty and is going to featured in an upcoming episode (once it's finished, that is). I can't wait to see this beautiful place restored and given the Gaines' special touch.
If you’re interested in seeing more, make sure to go to the link below to see more:
3 Tips for Your Trip to Magnolia Market in Waco, Texas
How to Make the Most of Your Drive from Houston to Waco
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Where to Stay, Eat and Play in Bentonville, Arkansas
This post was sponsored by 21c Museum and Hotel in Bentonville, Arkansas.
I got my crazy trip planning abilities from my Mama. It really does come naturally. Growing up (and still to this day), vacations weren't relaxing trips - instead, they were coined "turbo tours" where we packed in as many activities, sight seeing places, and excursions all in our small window of total trip time. I think the craziest thing we ever did was visiting 8 European countries in 10 days. It was nuts. But enough about that. This time, my mom and I opted to take a long weekend road trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. Now, I had been there once before, but it wasn't for very long, so I thought it might be fun to go back and see what there was to see. My mother - the always adventurous - had her bags packed seconds after I asked her if she wanted to go.Bentonville, Arkansas really does have a little bit of something for everyone. It's most notably the home of the Walmart corporation, but it has so much more than that to offer! Whether you're a foodie, adrenaline junkie, or history buff - this is the place for you!
Where to Stay
21c Museum and Hotel.
If you're looking for a super swanky hotel right in the middle of the action, 21c Museum and Hotel is the perfect place to visit! It is right in the heart of downtown Bentonville, Arkansas, so when you're there you're within walking distance of many restaurant, shops, boutiques, and more! This gorgeous hotel was founded by Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, contemporary art collectors and preservationists who believe in the power of contemporary art. This hotel is a 104-room boutique hotel right in the middle of the action of Bentonville, Arkansas.
The Museum.
This hotel is unique because it not only is a comfortable and stylish place to stay for the night, but it also features rotating exhibitions, commissioned site-specific installations, and regular cultural programming. The current rotating exhibit is The Future is Female. In this feature, nearly 80 different pieces are on display and offer an optimistic look everyone can connect to in varying ways. Art has an interesting way of doing that, doesn't it?The museum is free and open to the public 365 days a year. It was a really unique experience staying in a hotel that is so much more than a typical hotel. Every room has been carefully designed, every floor has art displayed by local artists, and the hotel lobby has a full museum in it, so you never really know where the hotel stops and the museum begins - you actually become part of the hotel when you stay here. And, of course, the green penguins can't be missed - the morning we checked out, the elevator doors opened and we found a 4 foot tall lime green penguin staring us straight in the face - so fun!Want to stay in one of these super cool hotels? 21c has other, equally unique hotels in Louisville, Cincinnati, Durham, Lexington, Oklahoma City, Nashville, and Kansas City - so you can see what they're all about if you're anywhere near one of these cities. They also have new openings coming soon in Chicago, Des Moines, and St. Louis.
Where to Eat
The best thing to do while traveling is to try out all the local eateries you can! Check out my jam-packed Bentonville "foodie list" here.
What to Do
There is absolutely no shortage of activities in Bentonville, Arkansas. Whether you're on a romantic getaway or a family road trip, this place has a little something for everyone.
Crystal Bridges
Crystal Bridges is a completely free museum that you could easily spend an entire day at. Whether it's checking out the permanent exhibits, The Color Field in the North Forest, or enjoying the sounds of the Summer Forest Concert Series, this amazing museum is just fantastic!
Bentonville Farmer's Market
Lawrence Plaza
The Walmart Museum
Museum of Native American History
Scott Family Amazeum
Onyx Coffee Lab
Markham & Fitz Chocolate
Skylight Cinema
Core Public House
Meteor Guitar Gallery
Do you enjoy music? Head over to the Meteor Guitar Gallery and for 50 cents you can get up close and personal with all of their unique guitars they have on display.
Shopping
Label Boutique
Remedy Road Boutique
Elysian Boutique
Nightlife
Want to let loose? Try these places for a fun night out!
Scotch and Soda
When a place has been named one of the 40 best whiskey bars in the country and they have a bar so tall and full that it requires a ladder to get to all of it, you know it's good. This late night spot is perfect to relax and unwind from the day.
The Holler
Apparently, shuffleboard is making a comeback! And you're in luck, because they have it here to place alongside an extensive bar, fun atmosphere, and a full menu.
Preacher's Son Rooftop Bar
This restaurant/speakeasy/rooftop bar is possibly the coolest place ever. During the day, you can have lunch and dinner in this refinished old church and in the evenings, you can go downstairs to the speakeasy style bar (Undercroft Bar) or the rooftop bar and enjoy a beverage or two. To enter the speakeasy, go through the door near the restroom with the word “Coatroom” on it. This renovated church has a classy atmosphere, complete with high cathedral ceilings and stained glass windows What you’ll want to order when you’re there - the chicken schnitzel, roasted cauliflower, pork shank, shaved brussel salad, and huckleberry cake. And you’re in luck if you need something gluten free, because everything on the menu is gluten-less!If you'd like to see more travel tips like this, follow me on Facebook!
Peach, Honey & Mint Puff Pastry Tart
This post contains affiliate links.
Let the peach obsession begin! To be completely honest, my favorite way to eat a peach is just to bite straight into the thing. However, I know that lacks all imagination and people would probably rather be presented with an actual dessert at the end of a meal than a bowl of fruit. So here we go...My dad has two peach trees in his yard. This year was the first year that we (the humans) got to them before the worms and the squirrels did. So with an abundance of peaches coming in every day, I needed to start researching what I was going to do with all of these delicious things!The first recipe I came up with was this one. My friend Christine and I were just playing around with ingredients and I was like, "Hey, let's see what happens..." And that's how this delicious little puff pastry tart came about. The fresh, juicy peaches are drizzled with sweet honey and topped with fragrant mint - all aboard a puff pastry crust that just screams - BITE INTO ME!This is the perfect last minute, throw together kind of dessert that you need in your life!
Peach, Honey & Mint Puff Pastry Tart
The fresh, juicy peaches are drizzled with sweet honey and topped with fragrant mint - all aboard a puff pastry crust that just screams - BITE INTO ME!
- 1 sheet puff pastry dough, thawed
- 3 peaches, sliced thin
- honey
- mint
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the puff pastry flat on a cookie sheet.
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Arrange the sliced peaches on the puff pastry however you like. I love clean lines, so rows work great for me.
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Drizzle the honey generously over the top of the peaches. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pastry dough is fluffy and golden brown.
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Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Once cooled, drizzle again with honey and sprinkle the mint across the top of the tart. Cut into 9 square pieces and enjoy! (feel free to lick your fingers)
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