.Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Growing up St. Patrick's Day to me meant Shamrock Shake season - this cup of green shake deliciousness was a highlight of this time of year for me! 

 I do enjoy them and look forward to a shake every March.  But now it is also dressing my kids in cute little clothes for the holiday and making special treats as well as burning my Yankee Candle Lucky Shamrock candle.

This year thanks to Pinterest, we tried two recipes that were hits!

The first recipe we tried were "Lucky Charms Treats" - rice krispie treats, instead of being made with rice krispie cereal, it uses lucky charms cereal. My kids had a great time making them and trying them! I found the recipe on Pinterest on this lady's blog found here (really cute blog - I can't wait to have the time to check out more of her posts!)! We doubled the recipe and made them in a 13x9 pan.

 The second recipe once again had Lucky Charms cereal in it!  This recipe I found through Pinterest and on a different, yet just as great a blog!  You can find the recipe here!

These are so delicious!!!  The actual cupcake has cereal in it (not the marshmallows from the cereal though) and sour cream.  The frosting is great (of course it's frosting!) and is made with marshmallow fluff!

 

St. Patrick's Day is over for another year now, but they are delicious and hey they would look great for a Springtime treat if you don't want to wait a year! Hope you have as much fun making them as we did! :)

Summer is on it's way....

Now that May is here, I let myself pull out my summer decor and candles!  Back into the closet went the rest of my Spring decorations (Easter ones had already been put away).  Now I know many people will burn any candle at any time, not me, I am strictly a seasonal burner, so this "changing of the seasons" is also a time to "rediscover" seasonal scents! I'm not one to rush the seasons, but yet I want my things to be out on time, and with Memorial Day quickly approaching at the end of the month (I just know May is going to fly by!) I just had to get out my patriotic decor and my beachy/summery things as well.  It was nice the weather cooperated helping me to feel summery today.  I've had the sliding patio door open, curtains blowing in the breeze and went outside to play with the kids.  A beautiful day announcing summer's approach...

I do like to stick with themes and collections, but I like to mix and match from various stores and collections as well!  On a recent trip to HomeGoods - my first time ever and I fell in love as soon as I walked in the door!!!! - I spotted a picture I just knew I had to have it and it found it's new home today (for the next months anyways!) on a wall in my foyer. Hobby Lobby always has so many things each time I go in and I was able to find a few more patriotic pieces to put in the living room (fireplace room) that I have designated as the patriotic decor room for the summer May through Labor Day, but I'll do a post on all that closer to Memorial Day.

And then of course new accessories from Yankee Candle!  Loved so many of their new ones this year!  Last fall I fell in love with a Yankee Candle tart warmer and that hooked me on the tarts!!  Don't get me wrong, I still love the jar candles, but the tart warmers are so cute and have so many details. The two that I just had to add to my summer decor this year:

The beach chairs I love - one is from last year's Yankee Candle collection and the one with the books on the arm of the chair is new this year - that is my idea of a good time, sitting out soaking up the sun reading a good book :) 





Just a glimpse into my summer decor and preparing for summer! :)  Oh yeah and my candles....today's scents to kick off the summer jars: Summer Fresh, Tropical Fruit, Sun & Sand and Pink Sands!  Pink Sands was a favorite of mine last summer (as I am beginning this summer with about a 1/3 of the jar left!).  Looking forward to burning some new (to me!) scents this year as well!  Island Spa, Vanilla Lime and Fruit Fusion are a few out on display now around the house and ready to be lit and enjoyed! 

.Fall Favorites.

Fall. Autumn. Whichever name you use for this time of year, it is my favorite season. I love the scents of fall, the colors of fall, the feel of fall, the sound of fall. The color of changing leaves, leaves falling and swirling through the air, the sound of walking through leaves on the ground. The crisp feel to the air, wearing sweaters. Sipping on hot apple cider, the aroma of the cider. Picking apples. Picking pumpkins.

I have recently decorated my home for fall. I have looked forward to this time all year! I had new things to decorate with and more space to decorate this year! Late winter/early spring I ordered an accessory collection from Yankee Candle - Cornucopia Crackle. Beautiful. I have had these pieces packed away since then and have just been waiting to get them out. Finally that time arrived. I have an Autumn Wreath jar candle with this shade and plate, that is a favorite Yankee Candle scent of mine.






This piece is my favorite of the collection. I have one on each end of the mantle above the fireplace and two placed on the dining room table, there are just beautiful.


I also "discovered" two new favorite scents this year at Yankee Candle. I love the apple scents - Apple Cider, Apple Pie, Macintosh, Granny Smith. But I was in the store and feel in love with two more fall scents - Farmer's Market and Be Thankful. The candles smell just like fall. And the pictures on the candles are so nice too. These two scents are a must to go with my fall decor.

These two scents are being displayed with some of the Scarecrow Hill pieces from Yankee Candle. I have never used a tart warmer before, but I just could not resist this piece of this collection! I have tried it and love it!

As soon as I saw the Nature's Crackle collection this year in the store, I knew I had to get the shade and plate for my mom. It is a perfect portrayal of fall.

Hobby Lobby and Kirkland's have had beautiful fall decor pieces this season and on sale already which makes them even better! My house is ready for fall and all the favorites that come with fall. I am ready to savor each and every moment of fall with my family and friends.