Recipe | Bacon Sweet Rolls

Before I get started, two things:

1. I am not the original author of this recipe, and I have no idea who is.  I think I came across this idea years ago in a magazine.
2. You can hardly call this a "recipe" - it's that simple.

Here's what you need:

• A can of Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls
• 1 slice of bacon per cinnamon roll

Here's what you do:

1. Unroll a cinnamon roll
2. Place a slice of bacon on the inside of the dough - the side the cinnamon filling is already in (P.S. - those are hubs' hands...I promise I don't have man hands)
3. Roll it back up
4. Bake according to the package directions, or slightly longer if the bacon looks like it's not done yet
5. Frost as usual, or use maple syrup for dipping

That's it.

We made this years ago, but from what I remember, the only improvement we could think of would be to pre bake the bacon a bit so it's crispier, or to completely cook the bacon in small pieces first.  But that would add a few steps to the process, and let's face it, momma doesn't function too quickly in the morning.

Any other super simple breakfast recipes out there that require little to no prep work on my part?  Because I am *so* not a morning person.

Latest TV Obsessions

Packing up box upon box of junk lovely possessions lately leaves me with quite a bit of time to watch TV after the kid goes to bed. Here are a few of my latest TV obsessions. [All images via IMDB unless otherwise noted]

Teen Mom 2

Let’s get this out of the way – this is my number one guilty pleasure (along with KUWTK…shhh!).  I’ve been following the stories of these girls for years, and it’s just plain addicting.  Judge away.

 

House of Cards

I held off on watching this one for quite awhile because I’m typically not a fan of anything political (YAWN), and letmetellyou, that was a mistake.  I ended up watching both seasons in just a few days.  (Obsessed much?)  I’m now going through withdrawal. 

 

Orange is the New Black

Apparently I have a thing for the shows that Netflix is creating lately.  I just started watching this one a few days ago, and I can’t get enough.  Give it a try if you haven’t already.

 

Resurrection

A brand new find – they’re only on episode 2, but I’m totally hooked.  Just what the heck is with all of these dead people coming back to life in that town? (And, no, this is not another zombie show.  Thank goodness.) I can’t wait to see how the story unfolds.

 

Reign

Saved the best for last – Reign.  I cannot tell you just how obsessed with this show I am.  I love everything about it, but an unexpected bonus is the fashion.  Not the stuffy same-old-same-old you’re used to seeing in period pieces.  I want all the dresses.  Like, yesterday.  This show *almost* makes Thursdays my favorite day of the week.

 

So, tell me – what shows am I missing out on?  I clearly have too much time on my hands while I struggle with the bubble wrap and tape gun.

Operation "Movin' on Up"

People - hold on to your hats - we are FINALLY starting to take some steps towards putting our place on the market.



(Can't you tell how excited he is?)

As you can imagine, having a toddler in a condo is somewhat less than ideal. While our condo is actually pretty sizable compared to most, the kid's main form of exercise has been running laps around the kitchen and dining room (go home, winter!) while tripping on the mass amounts of colorful plastic toys/crap that have slowly but surely invaded the living room. It's a miracle he has only taken one trip to the ER.



In short - we are running out of room.

So here we are, Day 1 of Operation Movin' on Up. The decision has been made, a plan has been formed (somewhat) thanks to Theresa's urging (I OWE YOU), and today we took the first steps to set that plan in motion...



Buying packing supplies! (And, no
- the race car cart was definitely NOT the practical choice here. #firsttimeparentproblems)

While you may think we are jumping the gun a bit (packing the place before you've even sold it or found another house? You be cray!), we are actually in desperate need of decluttering before we can even venture in to the territory of putting it on the market...or even before we tackle some of the lingering to do items we have been ignoring for, ohhhhh, years. The place looks like a tornado of toys and empty amazon prime boxes ripped through here - repeatedly.



The first box was packed up tonight and it was a bit bittersweet. I chose to wrap up the crystal wine glasses my parents gave us as a wedding present (because - hello - I am terrified of anything happening to those), and I couldn't help but remember unwrapping them for the first time when we were only married a handful of days, in this condo that was all new to me. So much excitement was ahead of us. Now it's almost 5 years later (!!!) and we have a life-altering thing called a toddler. But at the same time, the next time we use those glasses, we will be in our new home. (Cue sappy tears and wads of tissues)





The following box was chock full of the rest of the glass barware...the items we laboriously collected the first year of our marriage as hubs was attempting to build the perfect bar for the many parties and family gatherings we have hosted over the years.



(Let's not mention how I packed *too* much in the box and now have to repackage it into 2 boxes tomorrow. Thanks.)

I'm excited for what lies ahead, but definitely a bit overwhelmed.

Maybe I packed up all the wine glasses too early...


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Spritz and Sprinkles

Today was a good day. 

Today, we danced around the kitchen in our pajamas, singing Christmas carols at the top of our lungs. 

Today, we made 3 batches of spritz cookies. Which, you know, is practically a million cookies. And we decorated them all. Luke's method involves pouring an entire bottle of sprinkles onto one cookie sheet. Hubs' method involved asking for tweezers to strategically place the candy cane sprinkles (true story).

Today, we delivered those cookies to our naighbors. We were welcomed in with open arms, and told stories of Christmas traditions of the past, where children are now, and of those that have passed on who are painfully missed, but joyfully remembered. 

Today, I was able to step back and realize just how blessed we are. A warm home, good music, an abundance of baked goods to share with those we love...and most importantly, a family to share these moments with.

Little Man isn’t so little anymore

Just look at him!

A Rainy Stroll

Peanut and I took advantage of a rare 50 degree day this week to check out the Christmas decorations in town. Even though it was raining, he was pretty happy to finally take a walk for the first time in a looonnngggg time.

He wasn’t too impressed with the giant gingerbread man.

But, just like his momma, he loved the big tree.

Christmas Tree Day

There is one day a year that gets me ridiculously excited...

Christmas Tree Day!!!

This isn't a recent development - I have very vivid memories of this same day as a kid.  It would start on or around 6:01PM Thanksgiving Day when I would relentlessly ask my mom when we would be getting The Christmas Tree and break out the decorations.  Would it be tomorrow?  Next week?  Or, heaven forbid, the week after?

When we finally did acquire said Christmas Tree, my mom and I would decorate it together (aside from the lights.  she was a perfectionist with the lights.  and every tree was proof of that!).  There was a very specific order of decoration:  the white mini lights and big colored bulb lights (carefully wrapped around rolled up newspapers the year before), the bubble lights (best part!), the gold/silver garland, the red bead garland, the ornaments, the angel, and the crowning touch: the tinsel.  I was always given the honor of picking and hanging the very first ornament each year.  It was a task I took very seriously, and I would always arrive at the same first ornament - our Dutch Sinterklaas.

Once we were FINALLY done decorating the tree, we would make some Dutch hot chocolate, turn off all the lights except for the tree, sit on the couches in front of the tree, and just enjoy the twinkling lights and sparkling ornaments. It. was. beautiful.

Fast forward...a lot...of years.

Christmas 2007

Christmas 2011

When I started dating Hubs, it was right around Christmastime. In true new boyfriend fashion, he was willing to do anything and everything to make me happy those first few years. That included handing over the control of his precious car radio to me, and also meant that he was subjected to endless playing of Christmas music as a result. He dutifully took me to Home Depot where he would shake out as many snow-covered trees as I wanted while shivering in the cold November night until I found "the" tree. He managed to shove the tree into his tiny little Cavalier and set it up for me in my townhouse while I pranced around singing O Christmas Tree and making hot chocolate. 

Christmas 2007 making our gingerbread village from scratch - We were BABIES!

While things have definitely changed the last few years, one thing is constant: a day devoted to finding The Christmas Tree. 

This year, we met Braddy, Boochie, Nana, and Papa for the Hobbit breakfast at Denny's (a new tradition carried over from last year when Peanut was still tiny enough to sleep through everything in his infant carrier - SOB), and then trekked to Cosley Zoo to find a tree. Unfortunately, Hubs' willingness to go along with whatever sized tree I wanted seems to have dwindled. (He is understandably tired of hauling that thing up to the 5th floor alone and sawing it into pieces to dispose of it - again - alone.). To make a long story short - we didn't get a tree there because I felt he was too annoyed for any of us to enjoy it.  It was a mutual buzzkill.

The kid kills me with his cuteness.

At least we got a somewhat good picture!

But being the amazing and understanding husband that he is, he drove out to Home Depot solo while Peanut was napping and got us an amazing tree (it was def way bigger than he wanted to get - the guy loves me).  And not just a tree - he went to another store and got the three of us an ornament.

For Peanut, he got a baby shoe since he learned how to walk this year.

For me, a coffee cup...also very representative of this past year!

And for himself, an awesome cigar.

In the spirit of tradition, Peanut and I hung the first ornament on the tree.

But after that, he was more interested in "rearranging" any ornaments that he could reach.

So, while it's true that things have changed since the years of helping my mom decorate the tree (hello college, career, marriage, and a baby), some things stay the same...

Sitting on a couch in a dark room, twinkling lights, sparkling ornaments, and Christmas Tree Day.