life in a nutshell

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It’s a Small World After All: Visiting Disney World in Orlando

Disney is one of my most favorite places on earth, and I’m in my thirties. Disney is completely tied to my childhood unlike any other brand has ever been. My grandparents lived in Florida when I was growing up in Indiana, and my parents would load me into the car and make the 20+ hour drive to Florida for me to visit them. One tradition was always visiting Disney World at some point during the trip.

As soon as I would see those wire Mickey ears off I-4, my face would light up with excitement of the day ahead. I have one very strong memory of visiting Mickey and Minnie’s house within the park and really believing that they lived there. It was my first brush with a celebrity encounter, and it left quite an imprint.

Their house is no longer there, thanks to the construction of Fantasyland. In this hard economic time, Minnie and Mickey have downsized to a condo on Main Street, which is still in construction. And I’ll be one of the first in line for that as well.

This year, PoppaNut and I visited Disney in honor of Valentine’s Day. It was amazing as always, but we tried to do a few new things. Like this year, we saw the Country Bear Jamboree. Holy cow … it has been a long time since I watched that and there were several adult jokes in the show. Wow, those bears sure have a frisky side! I also loved seeing Main Street lit up with those beautiful lights. Completely magical!

And that’s life in a nutshell … relive a childhood memory now and you’ll find the child still inside of you!

MommaNut

Tags: celebrity encounter, country bear jamboree, Disney World, life in a nutshell, Magic Kingdom, mickey and minnie, mickey ears, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Orlando Florida, travel, vacation, Walt Disney World

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Categories Family Memories

Friday Food Day: Peppermint White-Chocolate Fudge

17 Feb

Any day is a great day to make fudge in my book. I happened to make this little bit of heaven for Valentine’s Day but you can certainly make it for any occasion. Did you have a good week at work? Make this fudge. Did you have a bad week at work? Make this fudge. I think you get the picture.

It literally only took me about 15 minutes to put this together, and it was simply delicious. It is very rich, so a little goes a long way.

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) package of white chocolate chips or high-quality white chocolate bar
1 (16 ounce) container vanilla frosting
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
8 drops red food coloring
2 Tablespoons crushed peppermint candies

Directions

Line an 8X8 pan with waxed paper.
Melt white chocolate chips in a double boiler or melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval.
Stir in the frosting into the white chocolate chips.
Stir in peppermint extract.
Spread into prepared pan evenly.
Drop 8 drops of food coloring evenly spaced on top of the fudge.
Using a knife swirl the food coloring.
Sprinkle top of fudge with crushed peppermint candies and press down slightly.
Cool for about an hour in the fridge.
Once firm, turn fudge onto a cutting board and cut into small squares.

And that’s life in a nutshell … fudge makes everything okay in the end. Enjoy!

MommaNut

Tags: chocolate chips, dessert, dessert ideas, double boiler, easy recipes, fudge, life in a nutshell, little bit of heaven, ounce container, ounce package, peppermint fudge, recipes, vanilla frosting, white chocolate

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Categories Cooking, Food, Reading

Take Me to the Theater: Supporting School Field Trips

7 Feb

I used to love going on field trips when I was in elementary school. At Mary Frank Elementary in Granger, Indiana, my class used to go to the Morris Performing Arts Center to see the “Wizard of Oz,” “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Riverdance,” “Grease” and several other performances. Not only did I love to get out of class for the day, but it was a great time to bond with other classmates. But, most importantly, going to the theater opened up a whole new world for me.

Field trips allowed me to see all the great offerings in the community. It allowed me to see something I may have not otherwise had the chance to see. It opened my eyes to a creative world, one that I’m still living in today. I’m even still haunted by the Shedd Aquarium field trip that I had to skip because I was sick that day. And that aquarium is still on my list of must-see places now!

So, when I heard my sister talking about a field trip that she was desperately trying to organize for her kindergarten class, my ears perked right up! Mrs. Stephanie would love to take her kids to see “Clifford the Big Red Dog” at the Charlotte Performing Arts Center in Punta Gorda, FL. However, there is not enough funding to get a bus to take her students to the play.

Mrs. Stephanie and Her Class

Now, I thought that schools automatically supply transportation for field trips, but it turns out that it doesn’t work that way. And it will cost $450 for the bus for the day. With teachers being required to help fund school supplies and more, I can’t believe they have to figure out this transportation as well.

So, I’m looking to my blogging community for some help. One local business has already pledged to give this class $100 toward the bus transportation. So, we are just short $350! I know you can look into your hearts and see what an impact this field trip will have on these students. It encourages reading, creative expression, theatrical play and more. And think how much your old field trips changed you? How can you not help another classroom experience that?

Donations would need to be made by mid April in order for the field trip to take place. Feel free to comment on the blog with your email address, and I can put you in touch with Mrs. Stephanie.

And that’s life in a nutshell … helping out one teacher can make an impact on a classroom of students.

MommaNut

Tags: classmates, classrooms, Clifford the Big Red Dog, creative world, field trips, granger indiana, kindergarden, kindergarten class, life in a nutshell, lion the witch and the wardrobe, shedd aquarium, students, teachers, witch and the wardrobe, Wizard of Oz

Comments 4 Comments
Categories Family Memories

Mission Wives Relax: Cooking Dinner for Your Spouse

20 Jan

This post is dedicated to my amazing sister-in-law, Stacy. She is a woman who really does it all. She helps her dad with work, she works herself, she takes care of her husband and her three amazing children (Hi, Karissa, Kayla and Christopher) and still finds time to comment on almost every single one of my blog posts! And not only that, she keeps up with the five Facebook pages that PoppaNut and I have … and she comments on those too.

Plus, she texts us through the week and tries to schedule SKYPE calls with us too. She is just always there when we need her, and I know she generally cares about what we having going on with our lives … and I’m forever grateful for that.

Stacy and Chris

So, when Stacy emailed me an idea for my blog, I was all over it. It’s called “Mission Wives Relax” because wives certainly need a break from time to time. I mean, look at all the things I listed that Stacy does … this woman needs a tall glass of wine STAT!

Stacy and I are both lucky enough to have amazing hubbies that love to cook and will cook for us all the time. My dinner pick is always homemade sauce, and PoppaNut is always happy to make up a batch from scratch. It’s just a wonderful thing that PoppaNut does that reminds me how much he loves me. And Stacy is married to Chris, a chef who makes the most amazing food for his family and friends.

PoppaNut and I were lucky enough to try Chris’ homemade watermelon salsa when we visited Stacy and Chris last summer. Boy, was that yummy! And Stacy recently shared with me photos from a dinner Chris made for her, and I want to share them with you.

Chris made roasted pork with a raspberry sauce, sautéed corn with onions, broccoli with olive oil in garlic, and cous cous with sunflower seed and red peppers. If your mouth is not watering, you must have just ate lunch! I’ve requested a recipe to share with you guys, so look for that in the comments! I’ll share it as soon as I have it.

The point of this post is not to make you hungry … even though my tummy is talking to me at this very minute. It is to remind the men out there to pick up a spatula and get to work in the kitchen every now and then. My hubby certainly pulls his weight in the kitchen and he knows how much I appreciate that (and how much my tastebuds appreciate it too).

With Valentine’s Day coming up, this might be a good idea for you men to try. Cook up a specialty meal for your sweetie. Then, take pictures and send them to me so I can share them as well!

And that’s life in a nutshell … making dinner for the one you love works up quite an appetite for dessert!

MommaNut

Tags: cooking dinner for your spouse, date night ideas, glass of wine, homemade sauce, karissa, life in a nutshell, making dinner, mommanut, PoppaNut, pork dinner, raspberry sauce, red peppers, sister-in-law, Valentine's Day date ideas

Comments 2 Comments
Categories Cooking, Date night, Food, Recipes

A Vintage Feel: Incorporating Old Home-Decor Items into a Modern Home

16 Jan

I’m obsessed with vintage items. Whether it be for my home or my wardrobe, finding just the right vintage piece makes me smile from ear to ear. And while I like to call those items “vintage,” they are really just plain old, but with a ton of character.

I like to think about who owned them before me, and what story they have behind them. For example, I have a very old teapot in my home. It doesn’t look like much but it has quite a story behind it. From what my parents told me, my grandfather bought the teapot for my grandmother as a wedding gift when they said “I do.” My mom hung on to it for years after my grandmother passed away, and when I got my first apartment in Florida, that was the first family heirloom I received.

I think that is the first time I started to love old pieces. There is just something about an item with history that adds such character to a modern home. And right now, I’m on the hunt for a few more things to add to my home decor.

The first is a steamer trunk. When I mentioned this to PoppaNut, I think he thought I was crazy. What in the world would I do with a steamer trunk? Well, I think it would be the perfect spot to put my family quilts in … and we have the perfect little nook in our master bedroom that is dying for a bit of character. So, I’m going to continue looking for that perfect one on eBay.

The next thing on my wish list is a vintage wire mannequin. There really isn’t a place for it in my house at the moment, but I think it would be awesome if and when I get an office at work. I just love the romantic feel it gives off, and I would have so much fun dressing it up from time to time.

The last item that I’m after is a vintage typewriter. Since writing has always been a passion of mine, I’m just dying for one of these. My friend Erika has one in her house, and I just gushed over it when I saw it. I would put this above the cabinets in my kitchen if it arrived at my house today. I also received a special bracelet years ago from my very first editor, Denise Gee, that was made from the keys of an old typewriter. It was such a fond gift to receive from my mentor that I always think of her when I see an old typewriter too.

And that’s life in a nutshell … finding the perfect old items to add to your home décor can add character and a sense of nostalgia. What old items are you dying to add to your home?

MommaNut

Tags: decorating your home, ebay, family quilts, home decor items, life in a nutshell, mommanut, steamer trunk, vintage home decor items, vintage items, vintage piece, vintage teapot, vintage typewriter, wire mannequin

Comments 3 Comments
Categories Family Memories, Gifts

Dropping the Bomb: Jalapeno-Popper Dip

10 Jan

I’m crazy about jalapeno poppers! Those hot peppers dance on my tastebuds like no other item in the grocery store. And when I ran across this recipe on Pinterest for Jalapeno-Popper Dip, I couldn’t resist giving it a try.

It was really easy to make, and most of the ingredients I had on hand in my pantry. I must warn you though … you’ll want to have a tall glass of milk on standby for when your mouth is on fire! You can reduce the heat by not adding the actually jalapeno peppers, but that just seems wrong to me. I mean, you might as well call it just popper dip if you are going to do that. But, it’s your tummy so do as you please!

Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano
1 (4 ounce) can sliced jalapenos (pickled)
2 jalapeno peppers (chopped, optional)
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano

Directions
1. Mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, parmigiano reggiano and jalapenos in a bowl and pour into a baking dish.
2. Mix the panko bread crumbs and parmigiano reggiano and sprinkle over the dip.

3. Bake in a 375-degree oven until bubbling on the sides and golden brown on top, about 10-20 minutes.

This hot dish is great for group gatherings or special events like Super Bowl. I would call it “Man Dip” and the men in the room will eat it right up!

And that’s life in a nutshell … spice up your Super Bowl party with jalapeno-popper dip. Note to self, have mints on the table, too!

MommaNut

Tags: cheese room, cup cheddar cheese, cup mayonnaise, game foods, jalapeno dip, jalapeno poppers, jalapenos, life in a nutshell, package cream cheese, panko bread crumbs, Super Bowl entertaining, Super Bowl recipes

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Categories Cooking, Food, Recipes

Welcome 2012: New Year’s Eve

3 Jan

Welcome to 2012, dear readers! I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe New Year’s Eve. I wanted to share a few photos of our celebration! Enjoy!

Thanks to Pinterest, I found a few little crafts to dress up the food table. I made NYE letters (bought the wood letter from Michael’s and used spray paint and stickers to dress them up) and printed out a sign I found online and just framed it! I added some holiday decorations I found around the house as finishing touches!

Every year, I also type out all the amazing moments PoppaNut and I have had over the years. It helps me keep track of all the special memories since I can’t remember hardly anything these days!

I used this amazing three Crock pot kit from my parents to make most of the food. I had homemade mac n cheese, meatballs and artichoke dip. All turned out super yummy, and I’ll share the recipes later. For dessert, I made s’mores cupcakes!

My father-in-law was the first to arrive. Then, my sister-in-law Tracy came over with Jason, Josh, Jordan and Halie. Finally, Brooke, Brad and Lily made it to take part in the festivities. We all had a blast!