Chocolate Chip Refrigerator Cake

Friday!
It'd say it's about time to start a bbq!

(Note...the pictures in this post are not great, I literally had to hurry and get this cake done to get over to our friends house!)

We love getting together with friends for cookouts.

One of our best friend-couples is Eric and Xiaolei (prounouced Shee-lay)....most of our get togethers with them are 100% last minute.

Like...calling to say we're in the driveway, want to cook out tonight?

Last weekend was no different.

Last minute cook out.

I was in the mood for something sweet, so decided to figure out a quick dessert to bring.

Searching through my Pinterest boards, I found this cake from Martha Stewart.

Only, I didn't have fresh baked cookies or any time to waste.

So, I made my own version....

I ran to the Dollar Tree and got two packages of chocolate chip cookies, a Hershey's chocolate bar and was lucky enough to find two cans of Wilton's spray frosting.

Start with your base layer. Make sure all the cookies on the bottom are attached to the plate.

Otherwise your whole cake will slip and slide!

Start building your layers. 

The more frosting, the better.

You can never really have too much! 

Stack your cake as high as you like

Or until you run out of cookies

Make some big swirls of frosting right in the middle of the cake.

And fill in any large gaps all around your cake. 

I like the over-flowing look of frosting!

It helps to store your Hershey's bar in the fridge while your making the rest of your cake.

Makes it easier to shave.

Using a cheese grader, make shavings of the chocolate bar.

Break up a few of the bars to decorate the top too, if you like. 

Then, your cake will go in the fridge for an hour. 

Then you can cute it with a knife, just like a regular cake!

It was so good! 

A little messy, but worth it!

Linking up to these A-M-A-Z-I-N-G blogs....

Framed Frosting, HOH, Crafty Scrappy Happy, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Cherished Handmade Treasures, Dolan Diaries, Beyond the Picket Fence, Live Laugh Rowe, The Thriftiness Miss, Living Well Spending Less, The 36th Ave, Frugal Fit Family, Sincerely Paula, Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons, Chic on a Shoestring Decorating, Skip to My Lou, I Should Be Mopping the Floor, Mad in Crafts, Keeping It Simple, Craft O Matic, Piggy in Polka Dots, That's What Che Said, It's So Very Cheri, Boogieboard Cottage, Stone Gable, Serendipity and Spice, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms

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Top 10 Ways to Keep Your Kids Busy This Summer

Summer is finally here!

I'm so excited to have a few months alone with my boys...

no more waking up early for school

no more homework

late nights

and all around fun!

Here are some ways to keep your family active all summer long!

#1 - Bubbles! My kids (even the 9 year old) love bubbles....the bigger the better. I love this idea of having a bubble refill jar! The next time I see an old tea jar at a garage sale, it's mine! {La-La's Home Daycare}

#2 - Fun Bible Games - this is a great activity to have the boys do while I'm making lunch. Something they can sit at the table and do....and (hopefully) work together as a team - and learn at the same time! {When You Rise}

#3 - Summer Reading Star. This is a great idea and a great motivator for kids that either don't enjoy reading very much or find reading kind of difficult (like my oldest). {How Does She?} I'm also going to set up a day each week to take the boys to the library to check out books. You can also sign your kids up with Barnes and Noble or Half Price Books Kids Summer Reading Clubs for more rewards! 

#4 - Summer Bucket List - I like this because it can be tailored to fit your family...and even add a few things that are a bit out of the box! {This Homemade Life}

#5 - Adventure Book. I usually like to make a scrapbook each summer of all the activities we did and vacations we took. This is a great way for the kids to remember what they did. {Crazy Little Projects}

#6 - Summer Schedule. Love this idea. I'll have to make one that fits our town because Tuesday will be free movie day and Thursdays are story-tellers day. But, my kids will love knowing what we're doing each day! {Remarkable Home}

#7 - Zoo Passports. We live in Omaha, NE and have an amazing zoo right here (Henry Doorly Zoo). We also have a zoo membership, so we go to the zoo alot. This would be a neat idea for them to seek out different animals and write down one or two facts about each animal. {We Wilsons}

#8 - Making Kid Friendly Food Together. On my weekly summer schedule with the boys, I'm going to have a cooking day. This is a great way to make my kids eat food they wouldn't normally eat! {My Pinterest Board and Mom on Timeout}

These last two, I'm really excited about!!!

#9 - Building the kids a fort. We're going to try and do the whole fort for free - using found materials on Craigslist! {This Old House}

#10 - Outdoor Play Area - Colton (our youngest) would love this! He loves playing in the dirt. {Lowe's}

I'm ready to get started now!

What projects do you have lined up this summer to keep the kids busy?

Linking up to: Lady Behind the Curtain, Make Bake Create, Creative Geekery

My Friday Five Favorite Pinterest Posts

Friday!

Today marks a couple of milestones for my family...

it's my oldest son last day of third grade.

It's also my hubby's last day of classes before he starts nursing school this fall.

This kid is growing up!

Okay...here I go with my top 5 favorite posts that I pinned this week....

I am SO going to copy this super cute idea from Uncommon Designs

Personalized Cupcake Stands!

How cute is this doughnut holder!?

I'm not sure when exactly I would use this...but I still had to pin it.

Check out Catch My Party to see more. 

Ashton is in charge of buying his own school shoes (since he insists on only Jordans now)

Last year, he sold cookies door-to-door.

This lemonade stand from Dolans Diaries would be a cool idea to try and earn some cash this year!

I'm putting together some books for the boys to take in the car for road trips this summer.

I saw this bingo printable from Thirty Handmade Days and thought it would be perfect. 

Too funny. I had to add this.

(From Cheezburger)

Thanks for stopping by today...

a few things...

I would love some more followers!

GFC----------->

BlogLovin

Also make sure and check out my posts from this week...

30 Days of Teaching Your Children to Serve Others

10 Freezer Meals in One Hour

My fave project..... Spray Paint Drip Pots

Thanks again and Happy Memorial Day

My dad, who passed away 1 year ago, as a Marine in Vietnam. 

Teaching Our Kids to Serve Others

From HomeGrown Hospitality 

I....very recently.....(last week) have started serving as a Sunday School teacher to the 2nd graders at our church. I found that it was a lot of fun and really rewarding.

The lesson plan for last week was teaching kids how to serve others.

Once Sunday School had started, kids from all grade levels walk into one larger room.

There was trash all over the floor.

The kids filed in and took their seats around the room.

The youth pastor came in, purposely tripped on a piece of the trash and asked

"How did all this trash get in here!?"

He went on to ask the kids if they had noticed all this trash laying around when they came in the room.

Most said they had.

He asked why none of them had thought to pick it up.

Since...trash should not be one the floor.

None of the kids had much to say as to why they didn't pick it up.

Including my own son.

What hit me the most was at the end of the youth pastors talk with the kids, he said:

"Every time you do something to help someone else...without thought of how you will be rewarded, you are honoring God. Think about how you can honor God every day."

It made me think about how I serve others and making sure that I'm teaching my kids the importance of serving others too.

Showing them how to honor God.

Here are a few passages that I've been reading about serving others....

Romans 12: 6-8

Matthew 5:14-16

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven."

Philippians 2:1-4

"Each of you should look not only to your own interest, but also to the interests of others."

Mark 10:45

The scripture goes on and on about how Jesus wanted us to serve each other, to think of others before we think of ourselves and to follow the gifts of serving that were given to us.

My heart is serving the less fortunate. That's where I find my joy. I feel like I do a number of things to serve others. I don't find myself seeking out opportunities like I should, there is certainly more that I could be doing.

Ashton (my oldest) has a huge heart for those that are sick.

My youngest, Colton, is 4 and way too young to know what his gift is yet...but it certainly won't hurt anything to show him how the rest of us can serve others every day.

By showing them how their dad and I can serve others can help them discover their own gifts.

I already have a few ideas in mind of things they could do...

- Pick up trash found in our streets or sidewalks while we're walking around the neighborhood

- Helping sick friends with meals

- Mowing the yard of a neighbor that's having a rough time
Find 30 more ideas from Meet Penny

I'm linking up to these amazing blogs:

HOH, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Dolan Diaries, Beyond the Picket Fence, Live Laugh Rowe, Living Well Spending Less, The 36th Ave, Truly Lovely, Sincerely Paula, 504 Main, Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons, Chic on a Shoestring, Creative Geekery

Great Deals - Just in time for Fathers Day!

Save 20% when you click on the banner above and make a photo album from Blurb! 

Dad will love a personalized coffee cup or iphone case from Tiny Prints.

My hubby would LOVE the new Iron man stuff from Cafe Press!

I got a LoveBook for my kids a few years ago....they loved it. These are super cute and personalized books! 

If Dad or Grandpa have a sweet tooth - check out this cool candy from Old Time Candy.

Freezer Meals Using What's in Your Pantry

I've been wanting to do some freezer cooking here lately and have been pouring over my Pinterest boards. I have a ton of ideas pinned - but couldn't get my brained focused enough to print out all the recipes that I wanted to make and make a grocery list. It hit me to just pull everything out of the pantry and freezer just to see what I had. 

I had two bags of frozen chicken breasts, 2 lbs of ground chicken, a 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef, stew meat and  plenty of cans of diced tomatoes.

 I did go buy the green bell peppers and carrots - but everything else I had. 

It's amazing to me some of the things I found at the bottom of my freezer...some Rotisserie Chicken, the Kraft Fresh Take cheese mixes and a lot of shredded cheese!

Spray Paint Drip Pots

Each spring, I pull out the spray paint

and pretty much paint everything in sight

Today, a few of my pots got a makeover

I love how this turned out!

I'm already dreaming of new color combinations.

I love that spring is finally here.

Makes me smile!

Have a great Monday.

Linking up to these amazing bloggers: I Should Be Mopping the Floor, Keeping it Simple, Mad in Crafts, Crafts-o-Matic, That's What Che Said, It's So Very Cheri, Boogie Board Cottage, Sew Chatty, Homemaker on a Dime, Marvelously Messy, Sew Can Do, Sincerely Paula, 504 Main, Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons

My First Sewing Project - Camping Carry-All

For a very long time, I've wanted to learn how to sew.

I even bought a sewing machine. But it has sat unused for over a year now.

I think I built it up in my head that sewing would be hard. 

To be honest, I didn't even try. 

I think when I first got my sewing machine that I looked around a bit online, but never did anything.

I do know for sure that I pinned a TON of projects on Pinterest! 

Earlier this week, I went to visit my Grandma and brought my sewing machine with me. 

After less then a half hour of explanation, I was sewing!

That really was not as hard....or even hard at all. 

I really need to push myself to try more. And not be so scared to try new things. 

Although, I will admit that I thought my first project would be much bigger. I love aprons and have always wanted to make one, which is actually why I bought this sewing machine in the first place.

I soon found out that starting small is the way to go. 

Here's what I made...

My family does alot of camping and in our small camper, we don't have  bathroom - so morning walks to the restrooms are required.

This handy carry all holds everything that I'll need!

I love this project because it's simple and something I needed.

And, I kind of think it's cute too.

I'm going to make one for each of us...my only tip is to not use dollar store towels like I did. 

It kept getting snagged in my machine.

The lesson here...is to remember

I CAN DO HARD THINGS....

(and sometimes they really aren't all that hard.)

Thanks for stopping by. 

I found this idea on Etsy from Perfect Darlings.

You can buy one from her directly by clicking here. 

I'm out of town this weekend for a mini road trip - so excited!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Linking up to:

Sincerely, Paula, Five Days Five Ways, Truly Lovely, 504 Main, Kitchen Fun with my Three Sons

Great Sip-and-See Baby Shower Ideas

I'm going to be throwing a Sip-and-See shower for my bff, Gretchen, here in a few weeks

She's getting ready to have baby number too and really doesn't need much

but would love a reason to get all the friends together!

Here are some of the ideas I'm thinking of using, you can find them all on my Pinterest board too!

{source}

Love the simple design of these invites!

{Swanky Press}

Free paint chips cut into circles to decorate the table?

Yes, please!

{Say Yes to Hoboken}

Love this tablescape. 

Since we don't know yet what this little baby will be...this could easily be changed to match!

{Perfectly Imperfect}

Cute little party favors, cheap too.

{Crate Paper Blog}

I'll post some pictures over the next few weeks of ideas and projects that I'm working on for her shower!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

How I Saved BIG on my Kitchen Remodel

When we first moved into our house

our kitchen was 

yucky!

Way...way..way!! Out dated from the 70's

Avocado green stove and sink

Chipped up counter tops

Ugly cabinets

Paneling on the wall.

All together it was ugly.

And it needed to go.

But we didn't have the money for a complete overhaul.

So, here's what we did....

for under $700

#1 - I used found paint.

My mom had just moved into a new house that had a ton of cans of paint in the attic.

There happen to be two 3/4 full cans of this green color that I liked.

Free paint!

#2 - Peel and stick tile.

People walk into this kitchen and cannot believe that it's peel and stick.

It was so easy and cost $95 for the whole floor.

#3 - Cheap trim.

Instead of going for the upgraded trim, I went for the cheap stuff.

I trimmed this whole room for $25.

#4 - We painted the cabinets.

A borrowed paint sprayer and 1 gallon of semi-gloss off white paint.

$25

#5 - Cheap counter top.

At Home Depot, we just gave them the measurements and they delivered.

We saved even more by having a very handy neighbor help us install it.

$175 for counter top

$25 for a pizza dinner for the neighbors family

Laughing Baby

My little guy, Colton, loves to be tickled!

And he is really ticklish too!

I love this kid. 

Happy Friday.