- quick recipe of the week -

Hello, hello, and happy Monday to everyone! I hope everyone had a fun and safe weekend. We hunkered down inside on Saturday to stay out of the chilly rain, but Sunday was absolutely beautiful and warm, so we enjoyed the sun and the gorgeous day!

Today I am so excited to introduce you to a real life friend of mine! Meet Jaymee, from e is for eat. I was so excited when Jaymee started her blog! She is an AMAZING cook and decided to start a blog to share all of her recipes. Jaymee and I have known each other for quite a few years, and we have made so many fun memories together...vacations to Mexico, late night wine parties, heated games of cribbage, and many, many dance parties complete with a lot of loud (sometimes slightly off key) singing to all of Journey's greatest hits..."Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world...she took the midnight train going anywhere".

She moved away a couple years ago to pursue an awesome job opportunity, and we sure do miss her! I love this girl! She is insanely awesome, and she is uber talented too! And have I mentioned that this girl can cook? Yup, she is fantastic in the kitchen!

(Jaymee and her sister, Heather, who I also adore...Image credit Jaymee)

Her blog is a super creative cooking blog that you absolutely must check out! She is working her way through the alphabet, posting numerous different yummy recipes for each letter. I am honored to feature her on my blog during her "g" week..."g" for my blog, great expectations!

Pecan Crusted Chicken Fingers
1.5 cup pecan pieces
3/4 cup brad crumbs
1 Tbs plus 2 tsp creole or cajun seasoning (an Italian seasoning blend would work too)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, evenly cut lengthwise into strips

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup light mayo
2 Tbs honey
1/4 cup whole grain or Dijon mustard
pinch of salt
pinch of cayenne (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix together the ingredients for the honey mustard dipping sauce.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the pecan pieces, bread crumbs, and 1 Tbs seasoning. Pulse for 1 minute and pour into a shallow dish. In another shallow dish or bowl, beat together the eggs, olive oil, and remaining 2 tsps of seasoning. One at a time, dip the chicken into the egg mixture and then dredge through the pecan mixture, shaking to remove any excess. Transfer to the baking sheet and bake, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through, and the crust is golden (approx 15-20 minutes). Remove chicken from the oven, and serve with the honey mustard dipping sauce.

(Image credit Jaymee)

Printable Recipe

These look great, and super kid friendly! Homemade chicken fingers are so much better than the frozen stuff.

Thank you Jaymee! I miss you friend! It's been waaaay too long! We definitely will be making a trip up your way soon!

And please, lovely readers, run, run, run over to check Jaymee's blog out. You will not regret it. Tell her little 'ole me sent you! She loves meeting new people!

- i am enough -

Thank you everyone, for all of your thoughtful comments and emails after my last post. My wonderfully, thoughtful husband even left me a sweet comment (in case you were wondering, he was the "anonymous" commenter that said "I love you" at the end of his comment...no, that wasn't just a weird blog stalker..ha ha!)

I know I can be too hard on myself pretty much every day. It's so hard not to sometimes, but I know I need to start trying to recognize the talents I do have. I know I can't be perfect at everything I do, and I need to start accepting that and being happy regardless. It's just gets so hard not to compare myself to others and be my own toughest critic. I'm just in a slump and feel like some things I have been working so hard on are not producing the results that I have expected, and that can be so frustrating. But all of your kind words made me feel so much better!

I had a wonderful weekend with my amazing family and that, along with all the positive thoughts sent my way lifted my spirits and put a smile on my face!

This needs to start being a daily mantra of mine ...

(Image credit wipkits.blogspot.com)

- will I ever be -

I try so hard.

I want it so bad.

But no matter what I do, I just can't get there...

The fighter in me says "just keep trying, you have to keep at it"

But that fighter in me is getting weaker...

I'm starting to think I have to just accept mediocracy...

...the mediocracy that I am.

It seems to come so easy to some people.

I'm jealous of those people, because for me, it does not come easy at all.

Am I being to hard on myself? Maybe.

But maybe not...will I ever be like those people I admire?

Will I ever have that talent that I lust after?

Will I ever be?

- photo dump -

As I am sitting here eating a "way too big for one person" piece of Ellie's leftover birthday cake, I am finding myself a bit un-inspired, with a major case of writer's block, and to be totally honest with you, kind of down on myself for a handful of reasons...so this post is just going to be a photo dump, without many words, as I can't find much to say right now. (Don't worry all of you lovely, caring, super sweet followers out there...it's just a minor case of the blues...nothing serious has happened to get me feeling this way!)

Here are a few more pictures of Halloween...Ellie looked adorable! She picked out the costume herself. She is absolutely OBSESSED with wearing big, fluffy skirts right now! She tried to tell me her jeans hurt her the other day when I tried to put them on her instead of a skirt...silly child! Actually, to be honest, she didn't ask to be a ballerina for Halloween...she asked to be a "ballerina skirt". That's right, if you had asked my child what she was going to be for Halloween, she would have replied "a skirt, a bayarina skirt"...hmmm, have you ever heard of a child being a skirt for Halloween? No? Well, now you have!

And a couple of random pictures...

It's simply amazing how much joy this girl brings into our lives!

I  absolutely can not believe my little baby is going to be 2 years old in one week!!

And a little sneak peek of her birthday party this past weekend...

P.S.- Dear Daylight Savings...I detest you and the way you have messed with my child's awesome sleeping schedule...she wakes up WAY too early now! sigh...

- quick recipe of the week -

Wow, what a great weekend we had! Ellie's birthday party was a raging success! I am really happy with how everything turned out! It was so much fun planning! Ellie had a blast, and I think everyone else did too! Pictures to come soon (our wonderful family photographer and great friend, Nina, took professional pictures for us during the party. I can not wait to see them!)

Without further ado, let me introduce you to the lovely, Alycia from Crowley Party. I was so honored when she said she would contribute a recipe today, because she is such a well known gal in the blogging world...and my blog is kind of "small time" still...(wait, "kind of"...who am I kidding? It's TOTALLY "small time" still!)

(Image credit Alycia)

Alycia's blog started off as a place to document the life of herself and her hubberz, & since then has grown into a creative outlet where she can share the things she loves...food, fashion, crafts & anything else life has to offer her! Alycia and Trevor follow the mantra that life should be a party, hence the blog-title, Crowley Party. She loves the blogging world for so many reasons, but mainly because you get to make connections, & bounce creativity off each other! So please go visit her, join the party, and say HELLO!

Today Alycia decided to share one of her favorite "go to" breakfast meals :) Her husband loves them...I mean who wouldn't? It is all the best things about breakfast in a bite! I think I would definitely get the "wife of the year" award if I whipped these up every weekend for my hubby!

Breakfast Cups

6 slices of bread

6 slices of bacon

6 eggs

1/2 cup of shredded cheese

salt & pepper 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin pan with butter non-stick spray. Using a cookie cutter cut circles out of bread slices about 3 inches in diameter. Take bread circles and press them into the muffin pan, set aside. Heat a large skillet on medium-high. Cook bacon on the skillet until partially cooked but still pliable, about 3 minutes. Shape bacon strips into the toast cups, fill with 1 Tbs of shredded cheese. Place in the oven for 5 minutes, allowing the bacon to toast just a little more. Remove from oven. Crack your egg and separate out most of the egg white. Drop eggs into the cups, sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste. Place back in the oven and cook until white begins to set, about another 8 – 10 minutes. The yolk should be creamy. Remove from oven when done and pop out using a spoon, serve warm.

(Image credit Alycia)

Printable Recipe

Although I'm not usually huge on breakfast, these look so good and I will definitely be trying them out! (I know, I know...breakfast IS the most important meal of the day...I really need to start eating breakfast regularly...I'll just have to start with these!)

Definitely go check out Alycia's blog. It's pretty awesome, and I promise you will love it!

- just a little reminder -

Last night we had a great Halloween! Really really awesome! Ellie was all smiles the entire night, and enjoyed herself so much. Stay tuned for pictures and more highlights!

I was reminded of two things last night...both of which I already knew, but last night was just another amazing reminder for me. The first one is that I have the best little girl in the entire world. She brings me more joy than I could have ever imagined. And she melts my heart every time I look at her!

The second thing I was reminded of, was just how sweet of a friend I have. Awhile I ago, I was drooling over this bracelet from Lee La La.

My amazing, thoughtful friend surprised me and bought it for me! She brought it over last night when they came over to trick or treat with us. It's funny...I really, really needed something like that in my life right now...a gesture of kindness to remind me what really is important in life. And it looks just as lovely on as I thought it would! It's such a delightfully perfect bracelet! Thank you Lisa, for being you. You are an amazing person, and I appreciate you!

(Hopefully I'll have some time this week to post the rest of our super cute Halloween pictures!)

- quick recipe of the week -

Happy Happy Halloween! I hope everyone has their costumes ready! Ellie has picked her own costume out this year, and has been talking about it for over a month now! I'll be sure to post pictures after the festivities tonight!

I am excited to feature Ashley today, because she is sharing an awesome Halloween recipe. Ashley blogs over at a sweet little blog called, Adventures of Newlyweds. Ashley and her sweet hubby get to travel the country for his job, and they have had so many adventures along the way.

Ashley wanted to share a joke with all of you to get you in the Halloween spirit. So hear it is!

Q: What did the ghost say to the bee?
A: Boobee.  Get it??! BOOBIE! 

Ha ha ha, she's funny right? You should definitely head over to her blog to meet her and thank her for the awesome Halloween joke (oh, and also for this recipe cause it's a good one!) She actually got this recipe from her sister-in-law who is a fabulous baker. They sound like the perfect treat to wind up the day with (if you aren't too full from all the Halloween candy!)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

3 cups sugar

1 cup oil (or half oil, half applesauce for a healthier alternative)

4 eggs

2 tsps vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsps salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp nutmeg

2/3 cup milk

1 3/4 cup pumpkin (not the pie filling!)

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin pan with nonstick baking spray. In a mixing bowl, beat together sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Blend thoroughly. In a separate bowl. sift flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gradually add egg mixture to the dry mixture. Blend thoroughly. Fold in half the milk and half o f the pumpkin. Repeat. Spoon the mix evenly into the pan (about 2/3 full). Bake 20 minutes, or until a toothpick or fork comes out clean. 

(Image credit Ashley)

Printable Recipe

Ummmm, yes please! They look so good! Much better than Halloween candy. You gotta try these out! And don't forget to head over the Ashley's blog and say hello.

And stay tuned for pictures of Ellie in her ridiculously cute Halloween costume!