...where did all the sun go?

Well WOW.

I don't know about you guys, but my week has been a doozey!

We had to leave on our trip to San Diego to avoid a blizzard, just to come back to the worst snow of the year so far! It literally added 3 extra hours to our drive back to Salt Lake yesterday.

It was miserable.

I had to pull out the not so fashion forward or cute in anyway boots just to walk to school today without having soaking feet and slipping all over.

They may be ugly, but I couldn't be more grateful for them.

I hope you all had an amazing break. I know I did.

It was full of a lot of friends, family, staying up late, waking up super early (thanks to the babies in the house), non stop eating for about 4 days straight, movies, games, my hubby, traveling, car trips, yellow vitamin water (a must have on long car rides) and beautiful San Diego weather.

Speaking of the beautiful weather... that is something I am missing greatly right now, seeing as my hands are still burning from being so cold outside and have been indoors for at least half an hour now, *sigh.*

 Got to Love a San Diego sunset :)

p.s. I know I normally announce the winner of my giveaways the next day after the giveaway ends, but seeing that we had to have an emergency exit out of Salt Lake last Tuesday I had to postpone. I shall be announcing the winner of the Bride Blu Giveaway shortly! :)

...homeward bound...

Sorry I have been MIA.

If you have been watching the news, you would know that Utah went through a crazy blizzard yesterday.

Because of the reported blizzard, Trevor and I headed out earlier then planned.

Where to you ask?!

My wonderful, perfect home, San Diego :)

(me and trevor have already been to the beach and we just got here today!)

Not a bad place to be when it is below freezing where you live right?

Anyways, I am now in a house full of tons of family :)

I couldn't be more excited!

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

EAT LOTS OF FOOD!

Right on target...

This weekend was pretty eventful.... lets see...

We started the weekend off meeting up with some friends. We had dinner and then went to shoot arrows. I actually really LOVE to shoot arrows! It is one of my favorite dates that me and Trevor do :) I really felt like I was channeling Robin Hood in my boots, yup.

Thought I would practice my new bow skills....

Then we slept in Saturday morning, woke up and spent the afternoon with Trevor's sister Courtney and her husband Eric :) We ate Costco pizza, got our "hair did" (Courtney does our hair!) &walked around the mall. We all decided we love the mall around Christmas time. Even though Thanksgiving hasn't even happened, the malls around here are all decorated for Christmas already :)

Then we met up with some friends to go to a Chinese Gourmet Buffet. This place is the most insane buffet I have ever been to. We have gone before, but this place never ceases to amaze me. You are always in for a surprise when you go there. For example, I dropped my phone on an Octopus. He was dead, but was not fried. It was slimy and very Octopusy and I may have screamed out loud...

I also managed to snap off only half of my permanent bottom retainer... ouch. Now I have an awkward piece of metal hanging out of my mouth. I can't just pull the whole thing off because the other prong is cemented to my tooth. This should be a fun next couple of days until I can get it fixed. lovely.

Anyone else ready for the long Thanksgiving weekend?! :)

P.S. Don't forget to enter the BrideBlu Giveaway!

Dear Trevor...

Love,

Alycia

---we may have switched #2 and #3, but that's okay :)

http://happymonsters.tumblr.com/

On a happier note...

I know I was such a Debby downer yesterday. Things were just NOT going my way!

But here were some pieces of news that brightened my day :)
(dude... that just rhymed &I didn't even do that on purpose haha)

 

 Carey Mulligan was cast as Daisy Buchanan in the upcoming film production of The Great Gatsby!

F. Scott Fitzergerald's literary masterpiece :)

I remember the first movie I ever saw her in, The Greatest. Well I guess that is a lie because she was in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, which is where I really saw her first. But that was her first film and had a smaller role so I didn't know that that was the first time I saw her. Since then she has made huge strides in Hollywood. It is funny that her first big feature film she had a small role in the movie where Keira Nightly had the leading role... since Keria Knightly tried out for the coveted role of Daisy Buchanan as well! Keira Knightly wasn't the only big time actress looking for the spot... Carey Mulligan got the role over Blake Lively, Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman, Michelle Williams, Abbie Cornish, and Keira Knightley as mentioned. It is no surprise the girl burst into tears when she found out (while she was getting onto the red carpet!) She is such a great actress, and I think she has the perfect look, and acting style (can people have an acting style?) for the part. I also think she will be great with the one and only Leonardo DiCaprio :)

Another thing that made me smile this week would be the announcement of Prince William and Kate Middleton's engagement. I read that some people think it is wrong that he proposed with his mother's ring, but I think the gesture is sweet and sentimental. I think it is incredibly special.

 

 

Kate looked so good in a dress that I thought was the perfect color to go along with

Princess' Diana engagement ring, simply fantastic.

potted pumpkin pies...

 I wish I was throwing a Thanksgiving Party, having a fall wedding, or something!

I stumbled across this great idea for treats/favors/gifts or for whatever you want them for at inchmark.

I HAD to share this with you all. It is just too adorable not to.

I hope some of you can find a good excuse this month to whip these up!

 Make your favorite pumpkin pie recipe and cook them in the jars!

Then add your whipped cream.

Voila! :) A Potted Pumpkin Pie.

So far...

Today has been a

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!

 Sorry to be such a downer.... but today is just one of those days, and I needed to vent.
(&it looks like the weather is agreeing with my mood today!)

Grace Giggles Giveaway Winner!

The winner of the Grace Giggles Giveaway is Jocelyn... CONGRATS!

email me with your shipping address at crowleyparty@yahoo.com

carbs & friends ....

This weekend....

I burnt my tongue on hot chocolate.

Why do I always burn my tongue on tea and hot chocolate?
I just get way too excited and can't wait for it to cool down.

I also spent the entire day (total spur of the moment) with my best friend.

I am so happy Jamie lives so much closer now :)

After spending the day at the mall we went to Zupas Cafe.

Trevor and I went to Zupas for the first time last week and I fell in love with it!

The soups and sandwiches are amazing, and are such a good deal for all the food they come with.

I mean they even give you a complimentary roll and chocolate covered strawberry, come on?!

 

The Lobster Bisque was amazing :)

Don't forget, today is your last chance to enter the

Grace Giggles Headband Giveaway!

alyciabellecreations SALE!

 

My headbands are currently over 20% OFF! :)

get em' while there hot!

I have got the blues....

Literally.

I have a big blue toe right now.

That and Trevor is gone for the night work at a town hall meeting and I am all alone.

Blue foot, and Blue feelings.

I don't know how it is possible to not know how you might have broken your toe.

But I seriously don't know how I did.

I am trying to rethink things that happened with my foot the last two days and I can only recall

something bugging it in spin. My stir-up was really too tight for most of my workout.

That is all I got?

OH WELL.

I will just lay on this couch doing nothing all night by myself.

I believe a chick flick is in order.
&some good hot chocolate, since it is so chilly outside :)

two little treats...

So I know Halloween is over and it is officially Turkey Talk right now....

But I couldn't resist sharing these adorable photos of my nephews that my sister posted!

 Landon was a skunk.... could he be any cuter?! Take a look at his face make up.

So adorable.

Evan's costume should win an award! I LOVE how they created a boat for him around his wheel chair!
So creative and perfect for his Pirate Costume!

 

These boys are too stinkin' cute.

P.S. Don't forget to enter the Grace Giggles Headband Giveaway!

Slide your buns over...

One of my favorite things in the whole world are sliders.

Trevor always makes fun of me for ordering them when we go out somewhere.

"Why order a bunch of mini burgers when you can just get a big one?"

Well they just taste better sometimes. At least to me. Food is also just ten times cuter when it is tiny :)

So in an effort to get Trevor to appreciate some good sliders, I decided to make some!
Of course Trevor decided to attack me while the little dinner rolls (the buns) were in the broiler.
So they came out a tad over "toasted" but they still tasted divine :)

 

I totally converted Trevor to sliders.
He sure ate enough of them to fill himself up, HA!

Mushroom and Swiss Sliders with Spicy Fry Sauce

Ingredients:

• ⅓ cups Mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons Ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (less If You're Sensitive To Spice!)
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• ½ whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 8 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Chopped Finely
• ½ cups White Or Red Wine (optional)
• 4 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
• Kosher Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 4 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
• 4 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 4 slices Swiss Cheese, Cut Into Four Squares
• 8 whole Dinner (or Slider) Rolls, Split

Preparation Instructions:
In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, ketchup, and cayenne. Stir together until totally combined. Set aside. (This is the spicy fry sauce.)
Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and cook over medium heat for five minutes, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms and toss around, then add wine (if using), Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Cook for several minute over medium heat, or until all liquid has evaporated. Transfer mushroom mixture to a separate bowl, scraping all contents from the skillet.
Mix ground beef, heavy cream, Worcestershire, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly mix ingredients. Form 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the meat mixture into patties, making an indentation with your thumb to keep the patties from plumping too much when they cook. In the same skillet as the one used to cook the mushrooms, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add four patties at a time, indented side face up. Cook for 4 minutes, then flip. Spoon generous portion of mushroom mixture on each patty, then top with one or two squares of Swiss, depending on your preference. Place lid on skillet and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until burgers are cooked through and cheese is melted. Remove to a place and keep warm while you repeat with the rest of the meat mixture.
Toast halved buns under the oven broiler. Spread generously with spicy fry sauce. Place patties between buns and serve immediately with fried onion strings or sweet potato fries :)

Seriously guys... you will be saying (insert appropriate accent here...)

"GET IN MY BELLY!"

Grace Giggles Giveaway!

My good friends Courtney and Stephanie have an adorable Etsy shop called Grace Giggles!

They have the cutest head bands and clips!

Check our their blog :)
&their facebook page!

Isn't their stuff adorable?
They even do custom work for you!

Lucky for all of you they are doing a giveaway!

This beautiful gray and pink headband :)

HOW TO ENTER:

For each entry Leave a separate comment.

(that way when I do the random.org search you will have more chances to win!)

ONE ENTRY:

Visit the Grace Giggles! and comment here what item you would love to get!

TWO ENTRIES:

Become a follower of the blog. If you already are, let me know you are!

THREE ENTRIES:

Blog about this giveaway!

(leave the link)

FOUR ENTRIES:

Tweet about this giveaway!

(leave the link)

FIVE ENTRIES:

Facebook about this giveaway!

(leave the link)

You have until next Monday (midnight) to enter!

 Wish you all luck :)