Pinterest and the blogosphere are rife with Thanksgiving ideas as we approach November. Beyond the turkey, pumpkin pie, and pilgrims, Thanksgiving is a holiday in which we should celebrate all that we are thankful for.

During the month of November I am challenging myself to focus on at least one thing I am thankful for each and every day. While I would love to make some kind of physical scrapbook (Cathy Zielske's printables would look faboosh), I think I have to keep this manageable so I'm going to post a short blurb each day along with a pic. And then link up each Friday over on Cathy's page. (I think eighteen25 is going to do a Blurb book along the same theme if Instagram is more up your alley).

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Now remember I have no cute pets or kids, so some of my gratitude may be outside the traditional "what-I'm-thankful-for" box like no chip nail polish and new episodes of Gossip Girl (don't hate!)

Anyone want to join in the fun? 

It's back!


The Pinterest Challenge. Every few months or so, the ladies over at Young House Love and Bower Power host a challenge to stop pinning and start doing. Last week they sounded the call and I panicked. I seriously did not have the time to tackle a DIY project nor any doll-hairs to spend. My thoughts were consumed all week with how I could still participate with such limitations.

Enter my fall wreath from last year that was Pinterest inspired.




After surviving a season between the leaking storm door, girlfriend needed a little pick me up. The Pinterest Challenge was just what I needed to break out the glue gun and revive this cute rosette wreath.

And ta-da! Good as new and it looks so swell with my hanging-on-for-dear-life mums.


Check out my other Pinterest Challenge projects:

Striped TV Tables

Crayon Wreath

Pottery Barn Inspired Desk

Did you participate in the Pinterest Challenge or did you sit this one out? Leave your project link in the comments so I can check it out. I am hoping to come back with a vengeance for the winter challenge, watch out!

October has almost come and gone. What is it about the last three months of the year that just makes them fly by?

But as I was looking at my calendar I realized that I never shared my October Birchbox. So here it goes!

For some reason I have stopped receiving e-mails from Birchbox so I didn't get the chance to request the Goop box but from what I have seen around the interwebs it didn't seem to contain anything super special. This month I received:

• Harvey Prince Eau Flirt Perfume
• theBalm cosmetics Mary-Lou-Manizer
• Mox Botanicals Lip Butter
• Mighty Leaf Tea
• LiQWd The Perfect Wave
• LiQWd SiLK Professional Deep Conditioning Treatment

Overall, I felt pretty "meh" about this box. I didn't like the smell of the lip butter (pomegranate and fig) and I'm not really a fan of getting stuff for my hair and it seems like I do every month. Can't a sister get a nail polish?

I believe November will be my last box before my subscription expires and I can't decide if I should renew. I definitely have enjoyed that little pink box showing up in the mail and trying new things but it seems about every three months or so I get a "dud" box. I have adjusted my profile twice to try and receive things I would be more interested in but no dice.

For those of you out there with a Birchbox, what are your thoughts? I have been shopping around for other beauty sample subscriptions and I'm intrigued by Ipsy. It's the same price and it seems to have more product samples that are up my alley.

Swiss Chicken is one of my favorite Sunday night dinners. It cheesy, chicken-y, and delicious.

My mom started making it about 10 years ago and it quickly became one of our family favorites. This dish is in heavy rotation at our house, usually made about every two weeks. A pan feeds us for dinner and gives us leftovers for lunch.

I'm pretty sure that the recipe came from either Kraft or Campbell's, and a quick Google search for 'Swiss Chicken' will bring up a plethora of similar recipes but this is how I do it:

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Swiss Chicken
Ingredients:

• 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use frozen)
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup
• 4-5 slices of Swiss cheese
• 1/4 cup milk
• Stove Top Stuffing for chicken
• 1.5 tbsp margarine or as I call it, stick butter.

Place chicken breasts in a foil lined baking pan. Combine soup and milk, pour over chicken. Place a slice of cheese on each chicken breast. Sprinkle on stuffing mix, don't be stingy. Place a pat of margarine on each chicken breast. Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. Remove foil for the last 10-15 minutes so the stuffing can crisp slightly.

My oven is crazy so I end up having to cook mine for like an hour and half but it is still SO worth it. I usually like to make some broccoli and cheese rice as a side.

Have you made anything delicious lately? I am back on my meal planning kick after taking two weeks off. This week I'm keeping things simple with burgers, shrimp pasta, smoked sausage, and breakfast for dinner.

Have a great week!

This week at work we are getting into the Halloween spirit by "spooking" each other. One person gets a candy treat for another person and secretly leaves it from them at their desk then the person who received the candy has to then spook another person (got it?).

I've been getting the itch to get crafty (as I so often do in the months of October - December) so I headed to the Dollar Tree to whip up these quick and easy treats seen on ...wait for it... Pinterest (where else?)


 The supplies needed you can see in the pic below. Some googly eyes, chocolate bars, and white crepe paper.


Simply wrap the crepe paper around the chocolate bar, secure with tape or glue. Then glue on the googly eyes...I used glue dots because I thought hot glue might melt the chocolate and we don't want that!

And ta-da! That's it!

My sister who is student teaching in Springfield made mummies and bats for her 1st graders. Too cute!



How was your weekend? Get any crafting done?

I'm currently biting my nails watching the Cardinals play game 6 and it's not looking pretty. We just need to get it together!
Linking up with

I like to reflect each week on what totally rocked and link up with Lauren over at From My Grey Desk.

This week, my world is better because:

1. 12 in '12 baby! My STL Cardinals are currently playing in the NLCS AGAIN. It feels unreal to be back in the same position we were last year. AND I get to go to Game #5 tonight to hopefully see them clinch the pennant.

2. Fall just showed up. One day this week as I turned onto my street I was bombarded by fall colors. We are still dealing with up and down temps but the colors are finally getting on track.


3. I got my school picture this week and it reminded me that I am becoming my mom. Slowly but surely...it's happening.

This past Saturday was a culmination of semi-regular training for the boyfriend as he endured the Tough Mudder challenge.

Have you heard of this thing?

It's bat sh*t crazy if you ask me but for some reason he wanted to run around in the mud, get  electrocuted, carry trees, walk through fire, and did I mention run around in mud?

Chris wasn't the only crazy one, two friends joined him at the starting line.


This was about two seconds out of the start gate.

This obstacle was called the Cliffhanger, although Chris said most of the hills they had to run up were about this size.


This obstacle was called the Arctic Enema - they jumped into a dumpster filled with ice water. Bags of ice were dumped into the water every 20 seconds from a nearby ice truck. Chris said he almost couldn't breathe because of how cold and shocking it was to his system.


A big part of the Tough Mudder is helping others - it is a challenge, not a race so you're encouraged to help out your fellow Mudder. Chris made it to the top of this half pipe (by running and pulling himself up of course) and was waiting for others to run up so he could help pull them up. Watch the video below to see him in action.


This was another crazy obstacle called the Electric Eel. Yep, he is crawling through electrified wires.


After 10 + miles, 25 obstacles, and 4.5 hours on the course, they finished and were all smiles!

Do you think you're tough enough for the Tough Mudder challenge?

I know that I definitely would suck this up considering while the boys were out killing themselves on the course I was feeding my face a chicken tender basket with a gigantic Coca Cola. But there were plenty of ladies who were right alongside the guys as well as many older men and women.

All in all a pretty neat experience. How was your weekend? Did you have have some good, clean fun?

This week. Ugh. Since Wednesday I have thought it was Friday.

 Not. A. Good. Feeling.

But rejoice! Today is THE day, it IS Friday!

And here is what rocked my world this week:

1. I totally fell off the making dinner wagon and have eaten like total crapola this week. Lion's Choice, McDonalds, Wendy's, Steak n Shake, and Pizza Hut. It's been delicious and I've loved every second.

2. This rainbow out of nowhere on the way home from work.


3. My friend Kyle got married on Saturday and it was an absolute blast. They showed the video below at the reception that night. It is just beautiful. And now they are enjoying their honeymoon in Bora Bora! So jealous!


4. It's officially fall. The mums are planted and the Halloween decorations are coming out this weekend. Yay!


5. This candle makes my mood instantly better.
Cooler weather is headed our way today, perfect for scarves, sweaters, and tall boots. Yay! Have a great weekend!

P.S. Head over to From My Grey Desk to see the other High Five for Friday posts!