What to do while you wait

Yesterday and today, I've spent a lot of time waiting in a hospital. And let me tell you, waiting sucks. But when you have lots of time on your hands, a computer, and internet, you can get caught up on things that have fallen through the cracks-like blogging.
So what's been going on lately? I had a bit of a surprise last week. I made cupcakes for someone to take in to their office for Halloween. What they didn't tell me, was that the "Halloween Pitch In" was actually a baking contest. I won. Crazy, right? I made chocolate maple cupcakes with chocolate maple frosting. For the decorations, I used candy melts and a piping bag to write "Boo" and make spiders. I also pulled out some skull molds and made candy skulls. Here were some of my early attempts:

I finally came up with these:

I guess they were a big hit! And here's the kicker-I can't stand maple. And I mean maple anything-syrup, candy, flavoring, etc. Making those cupcakes about made me gag, so I obviously didn't taste them. Come to think of it, that would actually be a good diet plan. Maybe I should only make sweets I don't like! I'm sure there will be more to come later as the waiting continues!

WW-Halloween Edition

More from MyInsite

Disclosure: The VIP coupon, sample kit, information and coupons have been provided to me by Green Giant through MyInsite. The opinions expressed below are those of myself and my family.

A really cool part of belonging to MyInsite is the opportunity to try new products. The latest one we tried is Green Giant Seasoned Steamers.

I got a coupon for a free package and several $1 off coupons to give out to my friends and family. We tried the Backyard Grilled Potatoes. I really like being able to toss a side dish in the microwave when I'm trying to make a quick dinner. I tossed these in the microwave while I steamed some veggies and a couple of minutes later, the smell of grilled peppers filled the kitchen. I'm not sure how they managed to do it, but it really did smell like a grill!

So what did we think? We loved it! But, I do wish there was more in each package. It was great for me and the husband, but there would not have been enough for the kids. That being said, we have already bought more -both this variety and the Tuscan Seasoned Broccoli. 

Disclosure: The VIP coupon, sample kit, information and coupons have been provided to me by Green Giant through MyInsite.

WW-Indiana Dunes

Fall Fun

Ugh. Mondays. I hate Monday mornings. I'm just not ready to get back to work! Especially after a great weekend. We spent Saturday afternoon at Kelsay Farms enjoying probably one of our last outdoor Saturday afternoons for a while. 

The kids got to check out the cows

 Climb around on bales of straw (yes, big kids too!)

 Pose for pictures

 Meander through the corn maze and learn ag facts (I'm pretty sure we were lost in the maze for about 20 minutes)

 Enjoy milkshakes

 Play a few games

 Get our faces painted

 And finally enjoy a hayride before heading home

It was a great afternoon! We were exhausted, but the kids still had plenty of energy. What happened to the days when we could run them around for a few hours so they would crash early???

Betty Crocker Mac and Cheese

Last week, I got a surprise at my door

We're a big mac and cheese family, so I couldn't wait to try it out. Tonight for dinner, we were having bbq pork, so it seemed like a great time to check out the new mac and cheese. 

I let the youngest (8 years old) make it. The instructions were pretty easy so no problems there! (Don't mind my messy kitchen )

Note: When the box says to stir frequently, they aren't kidding! We had some pasta stick to the bottom of the pan, but we made a full recovery! 

I wasn't too sure about this stuff because you don't drain the pasta. I'm usually not a fan of that because sometimes you end up with a weird texture. It looked good, so I gave it a try. 

The verdict? The kid really liked it. She gave it a big thumbs up. The husband liked it. He said it was really cheesy. I thought it was ok. It would lend itself well to add-ins like bacon or broccoli. It was really cheesy and the pasta had some substance, which I like. I will probably make it again, adding some broccoli next time. We tried the regular mac and cheese this time, and we're looking forward to trying the other varieties. 

As a member of the Hamburger Helper community, I occasionally receive products free of charge. The information and above product have been provided free of charge by Betty Crocker and General Mills through MyInsite. However, the opinions in this blog post are those of myself and my family.

Hamburger Helper Community

You may have noticed a new badge on the right.


I'm pretty excited about this. As part of the Hamburger Helper community, we get to share recipes, give our opinions, and much more! And we all know I'm a sucker for new recipes. When I joined, we got a box in the mail with two boxes of HH and a stuffed HH hand. Given my love of a great deal, free HH was an awesome way to start off! 

One of the things I like about HH is the simplicity. If I don't feel like cooking, I can let one of the kids do it! 

And of course, the most important part....everyone likes it! 

As part of the Hamburger Helper Community, I occasionally receive free products from General Mills. However, all opinions reflected above are mine or those of my family. 

Even during the heat wave and drought...

We have managed to keep the garden green and growing! Today, we picked tomatoes, potatoes, purple beans, cucumbers and a random pumpkin!