Fun Foodie Holidays and Pinterest Blog Hop

National Food HoliDays

I love being a foodie! One of the coolest things that I like to do is blog about
National food days. Did you know that yesterday, Friday June 20th was National Lollipop Day? You'll have to check out my post. This week I'm sharing that board for you to go visit and follow on Pinterest.

Do you have any favorite food holidays? Feel free to link any post that you have on your blog and I will come visit and pin to my foodie board. If you don't have one feel free to pin anything else! We randomly pin linked up post.

HOW TO JOIN THE LINKY below- (do any of the following)

1) Pin this Party Post to Pinterest- Please! Why? To let others know about the party. It advertises the party so more people see it which in turn more people will see what you pin and give you traffic.

2) Add your Pinterest name to the linky. If you aren't on Pinterest and want an invite, leave a comment and emailaddy.

3) Link up anything you want to be pinned! No limit. We just ask that you make sure your post has a decent picture.

4) In turn pin a few things on the linky.

5) If you want to host the party on your blog, scroll down and take the code. Make your own Pinterest Saturday page. That way you will get more attention to your blog.

Please follow my boards on Pinterest- SusieQTpies Scraps of Life and cohost  Crystal and Company and  3 Boys and a Dog. We do follow back.

Happy National Lollipop Day, Suckers!

(Ok this is a cake pop but I prefer it over a lollipop!)

So are lollipops just for kids? What in the world is a lollipop? I don't think so because I have seen many adults with sticks of this sugary treat sticking out of their mouths! What is your favorite?

Here is a pinterest inspired Jolly Rancher Lollipop post.

So here are some "different" types of lollipops or suckers! Enjoy and go check them out!

Craft Lollipops- not edible but such a fun idea for kids. Great for party centerpieces, too!

Fairy Bite Pop- not a traditional lollipop but a yummy sweet on a stick treat.

Sophisticated Lollipop Party Favor- what a great way to dress up a lollipop for birthday parties and other events! Very classy!

DIY- Learn how to make these Pencil Topped Lollipops- love these! I would never have thought of making these.

So Sweet Birthday Card Lollipop- awwww! I want one!

Learn how to make colorful homemade Lollipops! Fun tutorial and I love how she planned her pops using the paint pallet. 

Photo Card Lollipops! So fun and great examples. Mz. Crafty.

Love this Dum Dum Craft- Learn how to make a Lollipop Tree. I've seen these with signs on them like "30 sucks" or "40 sucks" for birthday presents. I'm going to make one for my hubby who is turning 40 next month. I'll use his favorite lollipops. 

LOVE this Lollipop Wreath. You have to check out her link. You'll get a lot of fun ideas for a Candy Land Birthday Party! I wonder if I can do this for my twins who are about to turn 18! I think it would be a fun party! lol 

Last but not least! Moustache & Lip Lollipops. We love anything moustache and these are just plain cute!  My teen did some of these.

Thanks to my friend, Cheryl for reminding me about this song by The Chordettes!



SUPER BONUS Lollipop from my friends over at Kids Activities Blog

Make Your Own Lollipops!

DIY Homemade Cleaner Recipe and Bathroom Cleaning Tools

Easy DIY homemade bathroom cleaner recipe cleans like nothing else I have ever purchased. This is my cleaner of choice! 

Raise your hand if you like to clean your bathroom? Like it or not it has to be kept clean and someone has to do it! I love having a clean bathroom and do lightly clean it daily. I only do a good deep clean once a week. There are a few things that are really important to me in the cleaning process. One is to have the right cleaning tools and the other is the right cleaning solution.

On Pinterest a few months back I saw an easy, homemade cleaning solution that I wanted to try. It is now the ONLY cleaning solution that I will use for the sink, tub and shower. We call it Baby Blue because of its color.

Baby Blue Bathroom Cleaner

Recipe:

Cleaning Vinegar (or regular white vinegar)

Blue Dawn

1 spray bottle

Directions

Pour equal ingredients of vinegar and Dawn in a spray bottle and lightly shake.

For tough areas let the mixture soak for 30 minutes and then scrub or wipe off the grime. 

For regular, on-going cleaning just spray and wipe or scrub.

Now on to the cleaning tools. Do you look at the tools in the store and wonder which ones to purchase? There are always new ones to look at and try. Just recently I was asked to participate in the Rubbermaid product blog tour with 9 other bloggers. Once you read my post check out their post, too! We are all sharing our experiences with select Rubbermaid bathroom cleaning tools. 

Extendable Scrubber- The Extendable Scrubber has a pole reach of 24-40 inches. I was impressed as to how sturdy the poll was when I extended it the full 40 inches to reach the upper corners of my shower. The poll stayed locked into place and didn't bend with pressure. I can see this as a very helpful tool, especially for people who can't get down and scrub the tub or reach high to wash down the walls. This is also handy to get behind and around the toilet without having to get your face in the bowl. The scrubber can be detached from the poll for close up jobs and has Switchable Pads.

Flexible Scrub Brush- I have NEVER used a flexible bathroom scrub brush that was actually flexible. This brush has a 3 inch flexible tip with bristles that are actually firm and bendable. The brush has a lock which lets you control how much you want the brush to bend. What a handy tool to get into those hard to reach areas and it curves with the contours of your cleaning space. I love how this brush fits in my hand. 

2-in-1 Scrubber- This is a double duty brush. I'm totally loving it. Not only can this brush use all of the Switchable Pads but it comes with its own detachable detail brush. No more taking your husbands tooth brush to get into those hard-to-reach areas. This detailed brush is perfect for small areas such as the tight crevasses of the shower track doors, around the faucets, above and below the grout, around the bottom of the toilet and all those nasty hard-to-reach areas. This brush is sturdy and has been built to last.

Switchable Pads- My bathroom, as well as yours, is full of different surfaces that need to be cleaned. With these new bathroom cleaning tools you can purchase a variety of cleaning pads. I tried the Scouring Pad, Sponge, Bristle Brush and the Disposable Pads. All but the Disposable Pads will last for a long time. They are all durable and made of high quality materials. If you ever have one of those disgusting cleaning jobs in your bathroom, use the Disposable Pads. They are meant to be used once and tossed. 

Rubbermaid designers did a great job coming up with these Bathroom Cleaning Tools. I am super impressed with the quality of material in all of the products. The tools were made to fit in the hands of a woman or a man. For some reason that thought popped into my head when I was cleaning my bathroom. So how many of you let your husband clean the bathroom? Maybe you should get these new tools and let him give them a try, too! 

I was asked to participate in this Rubbermaid Bathroom Products blog tour. I was sent 

Rubbermaid products for free. My own tasty words and opinions are used in this post.  Feel free to check my full disclosure statement tab for more information.

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Beat the Heat Recipe Link up with Gooseberry Patch

I LOVE summer cooking or lack of cooking. I'm for easy meals, summer salads, etc. The recipe above is my Hearts of Palm Salad. We love it! Check my Soups & Salad page for more salads and my Pinterest Boards for Servin' up Salads and Summer Meals with little effort.

(Gooseberry Patch) We've had so many HOT days in the high nineties that we've lost count, and we know that many of YOU in the south and west have had more than your fair share of summer here lately too! Whether it's salads, sandwiches, grilled goodies or ice cream for dinner, how do you keep everyone fed at this time of year?

Tell us...

What are YOUR favorite BEAT THE HEAT recipes? 
Share 'em all in today's Recipe Round-Up!

---

Here's one of our favorite flavor-packed recipes that doesn't heat up the kitchen. Bonus: You can use your garden's freshest veggies too!

Panzanella Salad
From our own kitchen, this is our version of this popular summertime salad...adjust it to what's growing in the garden and for your family's taste. You can even use ready-made salad dressing for quick preparation. Enjoy!

1/2 c. olive oil, divided	Vinaigrette:
1 loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes	1 t. garlic, minced
1 t. salt	1/2 t. Dijon mustard
2 to 3 ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes	3 T. champagne vinegar
1 red pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes	1/2 c. olive oil
1 yellow pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes	1/2 t. salt
1 cucumber, sliced 1/2-inch thick	1/4 t. pepper
1/2 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 bunch fresh basil, coarsely chopped
3 T. capers
Optional: salt and pepper to taste

Heat 2 tablespoons oil over low to medium heat in a large skillet. Add bread and salt to skillet; saute until deep golden, about 10 minutes, tossing frequently and adding remaining oil as needed. Drain on paper towels.

Mix remaining ingredients except salt and pepper in a large salad bowl; add bread. Whisk together all Vinaigrette ingredients. Drizzle Salad with Vinaigrette and toss; add salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving. Makes 12 servings.

Want to add this hop to your OWN blog?

Be our guest...just click here to get the code.

Come back this SUNDAY to see which linked recipe were the favorites of our blog readers...we'll tally up the "likes" on Friday. Add yours and YOU could be featured!

Even if you don't have a blog to link below, tell us about YOUR recipe in the comments or, if you have a moment,share it with us on our website!

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Healthier Lifestyle Journey 90 Days

Ok well I can't believe I've stuck with my healthier lifestyle for 90 days. This is the longest positive change I have ever made. I have discovered a lot of things along the way.

To find out what I'm doing check Day 1 and Day 60.

*I can run! Ok so I only run in short burst but 90 days ago I don't even think that I would have ran if being chased by zombies (speaking of Zombies I'm getting a new zombie running app next week when I get my iPhone.)

*I can lift weights. I've just recently started the circuit training at my gym. I'm going to do it 3 times a week. There are 21 stations. The first time I could only do 5 or so reps. Yesterday I did 20 on each machine and then went back and did 20 more on a few of the machines. Did you know that muscle is heavier than fat. That is why the scale didn't budge for me way back in the beginning, I don't check the scale daily and muscle burns more calories. So you have to tear it down, build it up and it will boost your metabolism.

*Cheating hurts. Ok so here goes my metal game. When we cheat on a loved one, it hurts. It is disgusting. It is betrayal. No I haven't cheated on my spouse but  I cheated on myself. I was so excited to have lost #30 I went out and ate some things I have had no desire to eat since being on this journey. The food didn't taste good (ok the first bite did) and I felt sick afterward and I felt sick the next day. I was like an alcoholic who went on a one night drunk. Mentally and physically I was sick. I never ever want to feel that way again. I now know that I use to feel that way all the time. I never want to feel that way again. I will say that to myself and I will remind myself of this if I am tempted to go crazy and cheat on myself again.

* I can really feel the weight loss. A few people have noticed but guess what? It is my mental game and I do not care what anyone else notices. I don't need validation from anyone. It is my game. I have decided that if you really want to loose, you will. If you don't think you deserve better you will cheat.

*On to exercise. I talk to the gym owner and he is the one who told me to join everything and do everything in the gym. I'm too uncoordinated to do Zumba so I bought a fat burning CD and do it every now and again at home.

*I have added in the circuit training and use the elliptical machine. I still do use the treadmill. I now rotate machines, training, etc to give me a variety. I go to the gym at least 6 days a week. I have to go. Mentally I need to go. It helps me be a better wife, mom and person. I like it.

*Now I use Noom. Check out the application. It helps me keep track of how many calories I'm burning and to make sure I"m eating enough. You have to eat to loose. I eat healthy, I choose healthier options. Not because I have to but because I want to.

*My next goal is to actually attend a Zumba class. I'll report back!

Mini Peanut Butter Brownie Muffins {Amish Friendship Bread}

Here is a yummy treat for you today. This recipe uses the Amish Friendship Bread Starter. I made these using the mini muffin cups because they are so rich! These little sweet treats are perfect for breakfast, lunch, supper and anytime in between. If you like chocolate and peanut butter this is your new recipe!

Peanut Butter Brownie Muffins

Ingredients

1 cup Amish Friendship Bread Starter
3 eggs
1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
1/4 cup of cocoa
1 small box chocolate instant pudding
6 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 325° F.
In a large bowl, add all the ingredients as listed except the last three.
Line mini muffin tins with muffin liners or grease each muffin tin.
Pour the batter evenly into muffin tin.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownie comes out almost clean.
Let cool for 5 minutes and then use your finger or a wooden spoon handle to make a well into the center of the brownie.
Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of peanut butter into the well.
Top brownie with chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.

Kitchen Notes
When you make the well, be careful not to go to the bottom of the brownies.

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