Living on Cloud Nine: August 2017

GUSSIED UP IN RED, WUW and TBB STYLE LINK-UP

Welcome to a twofer Wednesday where I show you this beautiful red Vince Camuto off the shoulder and participate in What's up Wednesday with Shay, Sheaffer and Mel

And to top it off on this link-up Wednesday, I'm over at The Blended Blog today with a much more casual ensemble in another favorite color.

It's no secret I love off the shoulder and over the past couple years I have fell in love with Vince Camuto clothing and shoes. I absolutely love red but I don't have a lot of it in my closet so I was super happy to find this at Nordstrom.

It really is the perfect date night or night out top because all you have to do is throw black pants, black shoes and simple accessories with it. The red really does all the talking. I love that it's long enough that in addition to these skinny jeans, I could wear this top with leggings as well.

This top comes in 6 colors HERE

Now, time for some What's Up in the Nine neck of the woods

1. WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK: with 2 boys back at college, I'm trying to make much more healthier meals. I came up with a couple new ones including this Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage and White Beans. Recipe coming Tuesday.

And guess what we're gonna be eating soon? Pumpkin pumpkin and the pumpkin sweet treat recipes. Remember my Pumpkin Palooza last year?

2. WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT: My niece had a baby girl on the 25th. She was my side kick when she was a little girl, oh I adore her, and now in addition to two of the sweetest big brothers, she now has a precious little girl of her own.

1995

2017

3. WHAT I’M LOVING: Cooler Temps!
4. WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO: Furniture Shopping

5. WHAT I’M DREADING: Nada

6. WHAT I’M WORKING ON: picking out lighting picking out landscape design.
7. WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT: Fall and more fall and everything that goes along with it all. High school football, college football with our beloved Notre Dame, and all the details of the house starting to emerge with installations.

8. WHAT I’M WATCHING/READING: So, I am sad to report that I am not really reading anything right now. Unless you want to consider the reading of house plans and Materials quotes. We did just finish up watching, I am so excited about, a short series on Amazon called The Night Manager. It was spectacular. While the series ended with the end of the book, it was so well received that they will be making a second season.

I have to tell you, we started binging House of Cards and kids, despite my love of politics, I could not get into it. For those of you that watch, please tell me to hang in there and that it will get better??

9. WHAT I’M LISTENING TO: Have you heard my boy, Brett Young's, new song? Like I loved you. Here it is.

10. WHAT I’M WEARING: How fun has it been to have a little bit cooler weather and bring out the booties, cardigans, leggings and long sleeve shirts. But what you're also going to see me wearing beginning this weekend, is my Notre Dame gear.

Let's go Irish!

11. WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND: watching the Notre Dame Irish of course, final prep for house going on the Market next week! Eek! And three cheers for a long weekend... The Labor Day holiday!
12. WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH: Everything mentioned in #7

13. WHAT ELSE IS NEW: Trying to relax more and roll with the punches.
BONUS: Back to school lunch Ideas or tips: Bento boxes (I got mine on Amazon) and more school goodness to come this Monday, September 4th for our TBB ASKS SCHOOL related THEME!!! Here are the prompts:

and PRAY for Texas!

Now Let's Link-Up your fabulous style and head over to The Blended Blog and see what casual look I am styling & what looks from last week I loved!

Linking up The Pleated Poppy // Oh Hey Girl // Trendy Wednesday // The Mummy Chronicles // Visible Monday //Style Me Wednesday // THT // Spotlight of the Week //Fashion Moda // WIWT// Thoughts for Thursday Fashion Friday // Lizzie in Lace // Shoe and Tell // Trend Spin // Fab Favorites //A Labour of Life // Confident Twosday //I will wear what I like //Let it Shine Monday // What I Wore Wednesday // Jersey Girl Texan Heart // Throwback Thursday //Jaymie Ashcraft // Fancy Friday // Lipstick & Layers //Fashion Frenzy // WhoswearingwhatWednesday // The Weekly Style Edit // On Monday's We Link-Up /

xoxo

An InLinkz Link-up

PEANUT BUTTER PRETZEL MAGIC BARS

Abracadabra! I always thought it would be fun to be a magician. But, I will have to settle for being a magician in the kitchen and I've come up with all kinds of ways to customize the ever loved magic bar!
Yum

I don't ever remember having these as a child or my mom making them. I think the first time I had them was definitely as an adult but they had coconut in them and I'm not a huge fan of the coconut texture so I remembered making them one time without that. Graham crackers are OK, but I really only like a graham cracker crust with my key lime pie so I decided to switch these up with a pretzel crust and of course with my peanut butter loving family, I had to throw some peanut butter in! My mind is starting to swirl however with all the additions you could do. You could use the mini Reese's peanut butter cups, nuts, especially pecans or even some of my beloved toffee bits.

I hope you enjoy these, I haven't put any sweet treats on the blog lately, mainly because I'm really trying to cut out the sugar but since my family is not cutting sugar, I can make these for them and maybe only sneak one in! Plus, I gotta admit, dessert recipes are some of my favorites!

What you'll need

Peanut Butter Pretzel Magic Bars

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups pretzels

1 stick butter, melted

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips or pieces.

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375° Line a square 9 x 9" baking pan with parchment paper. Make sure you use a large piece that will cover the sides and cut slits in the corner to make it lay flat. Next, crush the pretzels. I do this with a thick Ziploc bag and crush by hand with a meat mallet, rolling pin or you can use the food processor. I melt the butter in a large 4 cup pyrex measuring cup in the microwave and then add the pretzels. Pour into your baking pan and use a flat metal spatula to press in the bottom of the pan. Next, put the peanut butter, semi-sweet chocolate chips and vanilla in a small pan. Cook on low until the mixture is completely melted and pour over the pretzel crust in the pan. Next, mix together all the remaining chips and the can of Eagle Brand milk and pour evenly over the top. Bake these bars for about 20 minutes or until golden around the edges. Cool them completely for at least one hour and then lift the bars out of the pan with the parchment paper. Pull that off and cut into desired squares.

Patting down the pretzel crust

Chocolate and Peanut Butter melted with love

Decadent Mix of three chips and Sweetened Condensed Milk

Get a 4 cup Pyrex HERE

Golden and Bubbly! YUM!!

MAGICAL!!

Linking up with Metamorphosis Monday
xoxo

HOW WE FOUND OUR PARADISE

As we find ourselves going into the last weekend of Summer, I realized I've never told how we found the town that we spend our Summer family vacations in. It's a goodie and I think you'll like it. It garners lots of Aww's every time we tell it.

Our wedding anniversary is in the Month of May, May 29th to be exact, and since it usually falls around the Memorial holiday, we usually try to go on a little long weekend getaway, just the two of us. One year early on, we decided to travel North to our beloved Michigan and go to Traverse City, which we had never been to before. Many of you may have heard of the ever popular M22, a stretch of road in northern Michigan that is one of the most beautiful drives ever and it takes you into so many sweet and quaint towns with so much to offer. One day was particularly overcast and cloudy, it happened to be on our exact anniversary and we decided to take a drive south on M22 to see what the hype was about.

After about 45 minutes of driving, and lots of good northern Michigan coffee, we needed a restroom break. We came to a jaunt on the highway and wondered whether or not the closest restroom was to the left or right. My husband commented that to the right it looked like it was a town so as we drove through the most amazing peace came over us and at the end we ended was a parking lot at a beach. It was so foggy by this time that you could not even see the water but we quickly spotted a bench and decided to take in the peacefulness for a while.

As the fog begin to lift, we saw a light and knew there was a lighthouse at the end of the pier. With such a peaceful Tranquality experience, we decided to go grab some food to make a picnic out of it and eat on the bench. After a trip the grocery store with some meat, cheese and fruit, we sat back down on the bench to soak in the ambience of the area.

I happened to turn around and noticed that there was a dedication on the bench we were sitting on. The dedication was a Happy Anniversary to a couple, their 50th mind you, and guess what the anniversary date was? You guessed it, that exact day, our EXACT anniversary May 29! Talk about a coincidence, talk about a meant to be, and about that time as the fog began to completely fadeaway, we noticed many more benches and beheld the most beautiful sites on Lake Michigan. We quickly realized we were amidst some beautiful lakefront condos and figuring that there was probably never an opening, we went to the front desk. As luck would continue to be on our side, they happened to have four days free that coming summer and we knew we would be bringing the boys back. That July, all five of us fell in love with everything this town in our beloved Michigan had to offer!

One of my favorite years and "boys" picture

A much younger Mr. and Mrs. Nine.

Hanging by one of the many lakes around the area

When we went to check out, we figured it was a fluke that we got to stay there but as luck would continue to have it, a condo was free. Now, mind you, this place is so beloved that one never becomes free unless someone gives it up or passes away. So we felt very blessed to get this and will continue to keep it in the family.

Our Bench

Someday this will be a more permanent home for us, in the peace and tranquility, I long for those years of my life when I can spend many more days walking the streets of this town, grabbing the most wonderful donuts I've ever had, seeing smiles that seem brighter on the faces of the people, where all seasons are spectacular, feeling the sand under my feet and sweet, blue, Lake Michigan waters.

More POSTS about our Paradise Here, Here, Here, Here, and Here

Find your Paradise!

And HAPPY MONDAY!!!
I'll be back with a sweet treat recipe tomorrow that takes me to Paradise!!

Biana // Totally Terrific Tuesday // Inspire Me Monday // Inspire Me Tuesday // Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party // Share It // Creative Monday's // Creative Muster Party // Wow Us Wednesdays // Wonderful Wednesday's Blog Hop // Feathered Nest Friday // Metamorphosis Monday // The Scoop

xoxo

FRIDAY FAVORITES....LAST OF AUGUST EDITION

Oh am I ever glad Friday is here!! This week has been a doozy!! A DOO-ZY!!! Today was suppose to be lighting selection but since we blew our lighting budget on can and cabinet lighting, we'll be rearranging and instead finalizing cabinets today. The weather is beautifully cool, my mom and I are shopping later for house stuff and we will be under the Friday Night Lights at the High school football stadium tonight. Where will you be? And what are your favorites this week? Here's mine:

1. Starfish Project Jewelry
Starfish Project is a non-profit organization with a social enterprise that cares for women coming out of human trafficking and exploitation. They work by the principle of this parable.

The Starfish Parable: One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he walked he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one. Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, “I’m saving these starfish, Sir”. The old man chuckled aloud, “Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?” The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man, said, “I made a difference to that one!”

Buy These HERE

Just look at how beautiful their jewelry is. I adore these earrings.

Buy These HERE

Bar Necklace HERE
You and I can help make a difference!!

2. Office College and A BETH BRIGGS Original
Remember, Last Friday I showed you some of my Pink Decor for my office at the house? Here are some pics I found at Hobby Lobby to make a collage on one wall, I plan on adding a gold arrow or cluster of wall flowers. My faux fur throw is going to be perfect to put over the couch.

You know there had to be a pineapple!!!

MY BETH BRIGGS Original.
If you haven't heard of her, you need to go visit her Etsy Store, She takes a picture of you and does a fashion illustration. Isn't the print she created for me adorable??? It comes matted as an 11x14. Just going to get a white frame and it will go in the office too. That is why she made the accents more pink than red.

3. Week's Attire

Boutique top, Old Navy skirt, Target sandals

Target top, Loft cardi, Zappos sandals

Target necklace, Gap top, JC Penny pants

4. Peplum Tops

Obviously loving a lot of corals colors this week. Remember the Peep Toe Tom Booties I showed you last week? Well, I was so excited to wear them and incredibly happy to find this peplum tee from Anthropologie in my coset with the tags still on!!! Winning!! It was an online clearance under $15 and even Mr. Nine said how cute it was. It was an 80 degree day but I still felt the booties went great with it. Just love forgiving peplum!

More Inspo

5. Misc. FUN
Speaking of Peplum and Anthropologie, how cute is this TOP!!
The back, the ruffles, the color...I want!! Several colors too.

Anthro Top HERE

AND I want this ANTHRO DRESS

BUY IT HERE

And Major LOVE SUNSHINE!!!

Target Peplum Tee HERE

It's my turn over at The Blended Blog for showcasing my favorite things from the net this week. Head over there now and see what I picked.

The windows are in!

And tonight is the home opener for our "#9" and team. He still is unable to play due to his foot but we are hoping for a "W!" And he may be back sooner than expected!!