8 POPS!

So what do you get when you combine birthday cake oreos, bunny poles marshmallow ropes, white chocolate, lollipop sticks, and sprinkles? Well, I am so glad that you asked.  Let me show you! Let me preface that typically, if I use a Pinterest idea, I try very hard to ALWAYS put a twist on it, to MAKE the idea MY OWN.  BUT THIS IDEA... IS MY OWN CREATION! #RaiseTheRoof. This treat was created for my twins who were about to turn 8. This would be the celebration treat for THEM and their classmates.  Let's take a trip to the journey of the "8 Cake Pop".

I found the bunny poles at Dollar General.  They were $1.99 for 12.  

Aren't they so colorful and pretty?

First, ROLL the marshmallow rope into a circle and secure it with a tiny skewer or tooth pick.  

I am so grateful for my videographer.  Hehe.  

Next... take an oreo cookie of your choice and...

OPEN it.

Using a toothpick or skewer, make an indention into the creme of the cookie.  

Place some previously melted, white chocolate (candy quick) in that spot.

Insert the remaining skewer into the white chocolate.  Place it as close to the marshmallow circle as possible to create a perfect 8. Place these on a lined cookie sheet, in the refrigerator until the chocolate is fully solidified.  (Approximately 10 minutes).  

NOW, you will want to FULLY submerge the oreo into the white chocolate.  Creating a surface for more edible decor.

Here is my funny, so non professional tutorial, if you are a person that needs a visual, instead of a set of directions.  

After these are finished, quickly add your embellishments or sprinkles.  Again, repeat the cooling process.  This time keep them in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.  After I pulled them back out of the fridge, I needed to adhere them to the lollipop sticks. I ran out of white chocolate, but I did have some blue, chocolate, candy wafers.  Dip the stick in your choice of colored chocolate AND again COOL!

Isn't this the coolest thing ever?

So colorful and oh so UNIQUE! I created a printable, using a glorious program.  I hot glued the tag to the bottom of the lollipop stick.  "Let's celebrate! The twins are 8!"

If this doesn't scream 8, I don't know what does.

I could NOT be happier with the turn out.  

I was getting a tad camera happy because I felt like once these were given out, they would be devoured.

I delivered the cake pops to Lilah and Jax, the Thursday before their birthday.  I showed the class what they were about to eat and they squealed and squealed. But wait... there was even MORE...

Jax LOOOOOVES chicken minis from Chick-Fil-A. So, I decided to also treat everyone to (2) chicken minis EACH. After all, I couldn't give those precious kids just sugar and NOT counter act it with some form of protein.  I think the smiles on their faces say it all!

Fox In Sox Day!

This week, the twins' school is acknowledging and celebrating "Read Across America" week.  One way they are asking the kids to show how important it is to read is by have us, the parents, encourage our child(red) to take part in the school's reading celebration activities this week.  This is also the perfect way to show school spirit.

Monday was "Read A Shirt" Day!  All of the students were asked to wear a shirt with words on it.  Jax was home sick, but Liley did participate.  I failed to take a photo of her though.  #MomFail

Tuesday (Today) is "Fox In Sox" Day! The students body is asked to wear their craziest and foxiest socks.  On the fly, because I forgot, I made this socks for Liey.  Just simply inserted a toilet paper roll into the socks (to keep the socks from being hot glued together) and then hot glued times that I had laying around my house: plastic spiders AND bulk candy!  On the way out to the school bus, LIlah was compelling of a cough, chills, and headache.  I just took her temperature and it is 100.8.  Sigh... after all that work and ruining a pair of socks, she's staying home today.  I had to share the socks with someone.  LOL!  So here...

You Make My Heart Bounce!

Jax needed something to pass out to his boy-buddies, since he was passing out roses to his girl-buddies.  An all time favorite to every boy is balls.  So, that's what I bought.  Easy enough. I bought a bag of (16) count bouncy balls, at Target, for $3.00.  I had intended on making my OWN fun, pun tag, but I ran out of time. THE MORNING OF Valentine's Day, I was still finishing up Valentine's for the twins' class.  Yup, up at 4:00 a.m., down to the very last minute.  I just got online, looked for a tag that appealed to me, and wouldn't you know it happened to be LOVE THE DAY's tags that I snagged? She is someone I highly admire and follow through her blog and instagram.  I did NOT use the tags as bag tags.  Instead, I hot glued the balls to each tag.  A little side note on LOVE THE DAY... I am applying to be a monthly food/dessert blogger for her. If hired, I would be featured monthly on her blog, bringing my blog loads of recognition and traffic. #GOALS. I need to make the time to apply. The application process deadline is soon.  Eeeek!

Simple as 1, 2, 3 and according to Jax, made every boy so happy!! 

Tuesday Morning Gift ~ Valentine's Day 2017

I racked my brains for a teacher gift idea, for Mrs. Green, on Valentine's Day.  I am not a fan of giving or receiving flowers OR those cute, heart-shaped box of chocolates. If you are a kid or teenager it works! They love the thrill of it ALL, but for me, flowers die and chocolate causes dimples in places I don't care to have. What? It's true.  

It also irritates me to see every man in America, at the grocery store two days before or worse, the DAY OF, Valentine's Day to buy a pre-packaged aka thoughtless, heart-shaped box of candy for their wives.  That's easy and effortless.  Ahem - it's called "Late to the game!".  

Anyway, I couldn't come up with ANYTHING worth giving to Mrs. Green.  You know, for me, it's all about the presentation and puns! LOL! 

On my way to pick up the dogs from doggie daycare, I considered every store that I passed.  AND then, the light bulb went off as I passed the store "Tuesday Morning".  This year, Valentine's Day was on Tuesday.  SO, I bought Mrs. Green a gift to "Tuesday Morning".

I enclosed the below note that read, "Mrs. Green, Enjoy your [Tuesday Morning] filled with flowers and chocolate! LOVE, Lilah and Jax."

 Yes, we also gifted chocolate and flowers because it was just a special "add-on" to the gift card.  

Will You Accept This Rose?

Last year, both Ty and Darren gave out wooden roses from Walgreens.  Ty gave them to Cami and Darren gave them to Lilah. To me, these roses are FAR better than fresh ones.  YES, they don't have a scent, but they last forever!!!

This year, I spotted them AGAIN and I bought one dozen! I figured Jax could give them out as Valentine's, in place of those painfully, annoying paper cards that go straight into the trash can as soon as Valentine's Day is over.

I figured I would come up with some clever saying and make a tag, but I didn't have anything in mind at the time of purchase. I sat down yesterday and within MOMENTS, it hit me.  "I GOT IT! I will use the FAMOUS line from the ABC show, the Bachelor!"

Will you accept this rose?

Granted, I haven't seen the show in over a decade, so who knows if ROSES still exist on the show or not! BUT, hey, it's still a clever line, isn't it?

I created a tag that I would love to share with you, if you wish to snag this idea just click HERE. You could also use single stem, chocolate roses or fresh roses. I just figured the wooden roses wouldn't melt or die.  

I didn't ask Jax for permission, haha.  I just hoped he would be willing to do this.

When Jax got home, I showed him the roses and the "punch line".  I was biting my tongue waiting for his reaction.

BOTH Lilah and Jax GIGGLED.  Jax seemed ALL FOR IT and Lilah exclaimed, "Oh my gosh.  ALL THE GIRLS in our class LOVE Jax.  They want him to be their boyfriend, so they will LOVE THIS!" Mission accomplished.

And seriously, who wouldn't accept a rose from this cutie pie?

Second Grade, Halloween Goody Bags!

As classroom mom, I am responsible for planning the "parties" for Lilah and Jax's second grade class.  I quoted the word parties because it's really just a holiday snack, incorporated into their already scheduled snack time.  These poor kids are considered "too old" to have an actual party. I signed up for the "sweet treat" and I collected cash donations, in hopes of getting the kids ONE good quality gift, instead of a bag of junky erasers, pencils, and plastic spiders.  I was able to collect $44 from a total of 4 parents.  I wound up donating $34 towards goodies, as well, because I couldn't decide on ONE party favor. Here's what the second graders received. 

First up, from Kirkland's Home Store, a glow-in-the-dark spinning top.  These were retailing for $5.99, but I hit the jackpot when I walked into the store, last week, and saw them on sale for 75% off.  I paid $1.49 per spinning top.  My receipt said that I saved over $103.00.  HOLY COW retail really marks up their merchandise.  The boys received the skeletons.

The girls received pumpkins.

After going to Kirkland's, I stopped in at Michael's Craft Store and realized that their Halloween items were on sale for 70% off.  WHAT?!!?!?! I spotted this Halloween GLOW Party Pack, originally retailed for $4.00 and I paid $1.20 per box.  I was super excited. I hope the kids used this glow pack during their trick or treating adventures. 

The boys got the orange pack and the girls got the black pack.  What's inside?

When you opened it up, this is how it was presented.

It contained the following:

A glow in the dark pumpkin bracelet.

 

A glow in the dark skeleton necklace.

A spider pendant (which I hung on their trick-or-treating bag).

A skeleton glow ring.

Lilah and Jax included a special gift to their peers: a free SMALL slurpee ticket and a free glazed donut coupon!

COMBINED: These lucky second graders received OVER $12 worth of goodies.  This sure does beat a bag of mini bubbles and mini halloween notebooks. Right?