Snack Attack Blog Hop

Happy Saturday friends and happy almost New Year!! ! I’m so excited to be participating in my good friend Keisha’s “Snack Attack Blog Hop”! This is my first time to be participating in a blog hop and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun! Today I am hosting Alesea, you can find her blog at: www.aleasa.net  she shared the following:

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Puppy Chow (Snack Attack Blog Hop)

 

Well hey y’all! I’m Aleasa from the Happy Life blog and I’m joining Keisha in the Snack Attack Blog Hop! If you don’t mind, I’m going to take over Ashley’s blog and share my favorite snack recipe for the holidays: Puppy Chow! I was amazed when I moved to Florida how few people had tried this recipe before. I always thought it was pretty basic. I hope it is new to you, too! It comes together super fast, makes a big snack bowl, and is great for pretty much any event where snacking may occur.

 

(I grabbed this photo from Google, but this is “the Chow” in all its gloriousness)

 

All you need is:

½ c. smooth peanut butter

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, or 6 oz. bakers (milk) chocolate

¼ c. butter

1 t. vanilla

2 c. powdered (confectioners’) sugar

9 c. Chex cereal, any variety

 

In a large bowl, measure out your cereal.

Microwave peanut butter, butter and chocolate for one minute then stir. Continue to microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until the consistency is smooth. Stir in vanilla, adding a little more if you like it (I do!).

Pour the mixture over the cereal and toss gently using a spatula or large spoon until the cereal is well covered in chocolate/peanut butter deliciousness.  

You now have two options. The old school way is to grap a big paper bag, toss the powdered sugar in there and then dump the contents of the bowl; then you fold down the bag and shake gently until the cereal is coated with powdered sugar. This is also the most fun way. You can also use a large Ziplock bag and add the cereal a little bit at a time.

Serve warm, or spread on wax paper to cool and store in a Ziplock or a bowl with a tight fitting lid. I think it would keep a day or two… but we never keep it around long enough to find out!

 

I’m sure everyone will love your snack, and no one has to know how easy it was.

 

Tip: You can use ANY cereal that is otherwise unsweetened: bran squares, oat squares, rice chex or crispix.. be creative! This recipe also lends itself to dozens of personalizations. I read someone who sprinkles about a teaspoon of salt in with the powdered sugar for a sweet and salty treat. Another person says they add pretzel pieces before coating. You can also toss in some M&Ms if you have a super sweet tooth. Just have fun customizing it for your family – I know I did!

 

Thanks Ashley, for lending me your friends today!

 

Happy snacking and happy blog hopping!

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Remember to stop by my friend Keisha’s blog bigpittstop.blogspot.com, that’s where you’ll find my two favorite Dip Recipes. Until next time, happy snacking friends!

Ashley 

Throwback Thursday

I never have participated in a throwback or # trend but how about a throwback blog post!! 

When chance and I stared dating, 5 years ago! 

Little baby brother loves him a corn dog... This was about 5 years ago!! 

From a few years back! 

Other baby brother and I have matching hats!! 

Jail is not a nice place!! 

Happy wedding day!! 

Fun times this summer at the St. Louis zoo! 

I'm a body builder!!! Until I pop my muscles with a saftey pin!! 

Lazy days at home!!

Halloween fun!! 

And last but not least my bearded man with ice on his beard after the snow!! 

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!! 

Ashley

A new beginning...

As I sit here in my warm house, while the  snow is falling outside, I know that I am so blessed. But I still can't help that I feel sadness, a longing if you will, a void that seems to be missing in our lives. This was supposed to be the Christmas that we put a birth announcement on our Christmas cards, but for the second year in a row I didn't do Christmas cards. This was supposed to be the last Christmas of "just the two of us"... This was supposed to be the last year that we were a family of two, and there's still hope for that I know. As 2013 comes to a close and we look on to 2014 I can't wait to see what God has in store for us. 

Christmas is almost here and I had imagined this Christmas preparing for the spring arrival of our babies, but God had other plans, we're still not sure what those plans are just yet. 

2013 was a great year but at the same time it was a heart breaking, hard year. We came through it though, stronger and more grounded in our faith and in God than ever before. I don't know how I would have made it through this past year without my amazing husband, my awesome friends, and of course our Almighty God. I don't know how I'm still functioning on a daily basis but I know that my strength has to be coming from something greater than myself. My heart is still hurting but it's beginning to heal. 

Even though there were hard times this year we had good times too, we were able to do some inexpensive remodeling to the house.

 

We helped save more lives by raising more money for cancer research! 

We went on a mission trip to Pennsylvania, to put on a VBS!!

We had another great VBS at TOC!!

 

We conceived 2 babies who are now living in heaven with our Almighty Father. 

We helped to scare the pants off the kids at the scary hayride!! ;-) 

Chance and I celebrated 4 years of marriage!!

Even with all the heartache we had a great year. My best friend had her second daughter, my father in law is still cancer free, my pawpaw is still doing well living on dyalisis. We started our second year teaching the sr high class and one of our students accepted Jesus and was baptized, and one rededicated their life!! 

We are so incredibly blessed!! I'm so excited about 2014 and all that God has in store for us! Chance and I both have 10 year high school reunions in 2014. My dear friend Mandy will have her second child in early June. I'll be learning to take over as VBS director at church. We have a vacation planned to go back to Tennessee for our 5 year anniversary. And who knows maybe just maybe 2014 will be the year we become parents, it happened for Rachel, Hannah, Elisabeth, and Sarah it can happen for us too!! 

God bless all of you! Thank you for praying for us and helping us through this year! Here's to 2014 may it be a fantastic year for everyone! Merry Christmas friends and family, remember Jesus is the reason for this season. I'll leave you with some scripture from Luke 2: 

2:1-14 "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Ceasar Augustus that all the world should taxed. (and this taxing was first made when Cyrenuis was governor of Syria) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house of David) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so is was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo the angel of The Lord came upon them, and the glory of The Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ The Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, laying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." 

Love, 

Ashley 

Holiday weekend

Ok this is my second time to type this post because the first one didn't post or save... Curse you technology!!! 

Our thanksgiving was good, I hope you all had a great thanksgiving as well. We started the "weekend" off at my dads Wednesday night, Denise made some chicken chili, it was great! I really lucked out because she had also made some peanut butter balls, my fave!!! 

After we left dads we headed to Memaw and Pawpaws, dogs in tow. Memaw told me how tired she was when we got there, so we didn't stay up too late. Thursday morning Chance got up early to watch the deer and I slept in, Memaw and pawpaw are used to getting up early for dyalisis so they were up at 4:30. When I finally got up at 8:30 Memaw was still in bed (she went back to bed after she made pawpaw breakfast) I made sure she was just sleeping, since it was not like her so still be in bed so late in the morning. When I saw that she was just sleeping I let her sleep some more. We (mom, Martha and I) started cooking, we started the turkey, made the dressing and prepped everything else! The meal was wonderful and Memaw didn't have to do a thing. After we ate and visited and Chance did some evening deer watching we headed home! 

It was time to meet the girls and head to Springfield for some shopping!! We go every year for Black Friday, we go for 2 days and get most of our Christmas shopping done, I got some pretty good deals and got in some much needed girl time! I'm so blessed to have them as friends! 

I'm home now, I kinda missed my hubby, ;-) he was very productive while I was gone. He worked Friday and today, and even cleaned the house. Oh and he shot a deer, his first buck I the season! So proud of my guy!! Below is a picture! 

Have a blessed week friends and as we enter this Christmas season remember Jesus is the real reason for the season! 

Ashley 

Give Thanks

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100

This is what the message was on tonight at church.  We sang praises to The Lord and we went around the room and said what we were thankful for. Of course by the time the microphone got to me I'd been crying listening to everyone else's thankfulness and I was a blubbering mess, I'm not even sure what I said but this is what I meant to say: 

I'm thankful that our God is a forgiving God, I've spent the last couple of months being ungreatful and dwelling on one thing that we don't have and I've been totally ignoring everything we do have. We are so blessed, blessed beyond measure! I wake up every morning in a comfy bed, in my warm house, next to my amazing husband. I get up and take a hot shower, fix my hair and put on makeup, I choose what clothes out of my closet to wear and then I choose which shoes I have that will match. I have breakfast from food in my pantry, fridge, or freezer. I get into my car which starts right up and drive to my job. Then I come home again to my warm house, eat dinner with my amazing husband, go to bed and do it all over again. Yes I am blessed beyond measure. I'm so thankful for my husband, my family, my church family, my friends. I'm greatful and thankful that our church has welcomed us with open arms and accepted us. I'm so thankful that we've become so close, I'm thankful they've welcomed us into their lives and allowed us to be part of their children's lives. I'm thankful for our sr high class, they are all blessings to me, each and everyone of them. 

It seems like life gets the best of us sometimes, we have this function or that event, this thing or that. We forget to stop and really enjoy life and all that God has given to and blessed us with. This thanksgiving and Christmas I'm going to try to remember all the great things we have in our lives and try not to dwell on what we don't have, we will have them one day, God has promised us that. 

Have a wonderful thanksgiving friends, and try to remember and say aloud everything you are thankful for. 

Ashley