JUST BECAUSE.......It's Funny, Gorgeous, Cool, Boho, Good For You, True, Special, and Wise...........

So, what on earth is a blog post titled 

JUST BECAUSE?

It's a blog post from someone whose brain is somewhat fried,

who saw a bunch of random things and thought

"Why can't I share that on my blog?"

"Why does it have to make sense?"

So here we go, JUST BECAUSE!

Just because this made me laugh:)

Just Because this may be the most GORGEOUS Cupcake ever!

Just Because I have ALWAYS loved this idea....

and when my daughter eventually goes away to school, I will do this.

A packet of letters for various occasions/moods/moments

 when she may want or need a note from me.

Just Because I think these letters are so COOL and BOHO and perfect for spelling the word 

"WANDER"  

 (letters from Urban Outfitters)

Just Because this is something good to know and good for you!

 Just Because this is another great idea.......instead of fixing all our little issues all at once, plug away at them month by month, setting NEW habits in the process!

 

Just Because this is so stinking cute and clever and makes me SMILE!

 Just Because this is so true.  

 Just Because we all need a break once in awhile, right?

Just Because I MISS TUTUS and BALLET so much, especially my beautiful daughter's dancing.....and I even miss being a Dance Mom.......but the good kind:)

 Just because I think this is an awesome quote and the girl could be one of my daughters.

Just Because I love horses and if I could have one, it would look like this!

Just Because it's almost Summer and therefore it's swimsuit time.......so it's time to get to work:)

Just Because I love throwing parties for kids way more than adults,

I love fussing over cute treats,

I miss these days and I can't wait to be a Grandma.  Or a GiGI.  Or a Memaw.

Or whatever the heck they want to call me......... on a regular basis.

And also Just Because I love yummy and EASY treats and this looks like

cupcakes with gumdrops, gumdrop slices and peach rings!

Just Because I LOVE my dogs and believe this with my whole heart!

Just Because I love jars, and flowers, and burlap, and lace!

Just Because I believe this!  Sometimes I need to be reminded of this.  Oftentimes.  But I always believe it.  And I hope you do too. <3 p="">

Yummy Apple Dew Dessert, Sharks Teeth, and Smiles. . . .

it seems everyone i know is on a diet.

oh, i know some say "it's a lifestyle, not a diet".

ya, okay.

if you have to cut out every. single. good-sweet-satisfying

 thing you ever loved to eat, that is a diet. . . . . . . . .if you ask me.

and that's okay too.

because i'm supposed to be losing weight myself.

and as we all know, it's one day at a time.

but does that mean every once in awhile, we don't come across a

super easy delicious recipe to try?

nope!

and this one is SO easy and YUMMY,

i have to share it with you!

it's one of those that takes only a few ingredients.

comes together real quick.

is so good, everyone will be lickin their plates and asking for the recipe.

the SECRET recipe.

with the SECRET ingredient!

(not so secret now I guess:)

here's what you do. . . . . .

Apple Dew Dessert

2 packages crescent rolls, separated

4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and quartered

2 sticks butter

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

12 0z. mountain dew (SECRET ingredient:)

~ ~ wrap apple quarters in sections of crescent rolls and place side by side in

a 9x13 pan.  Make sure apples pieces are totally covered with dough.

~ ~ bring butter, sugar and cinnamon to a boil and pour over apple roll ups.

pour the mountain dew over the apple roll up mixture.

bake at 350 for 45 min. till golden brown.

~ ~ serve warm with ice cream, whipped cream or both:)

*****even better with cinnamon ice cream. just soften a quart of vanilla ice cream,

stir in cinnamon to taste and refreeze.

DOUBLE YUM!!!

~ ~ apple dessert can be made ahead and reheated before serving.

well, enough about food, right?

SO, you know you live in Florida when you're walking. . . . .

in FLIP-FLOPS. . . . . . 

and you feel/hear something on the tile floor.

you reach down, thinking there is a staple or a nail in the sole of your flip flops,

you pull out the staple/nail thing and you see that it is neither.

as you bring it closer you realize,

there is a

SHARK"S TOOTH

 in the bottom of your shoe.

seriously...is that cool, or what???

i mean, how often does that happen?

a perfect shark's tooth!

my new lucky shark's tooth:)

yep, this is when you know you're not in kansas anymore:)

okay, now i just have a few more smile worthy things to share today.

like this. . . . . .

how can you not wake up with a smile to this big nose in your face?

gotta love my big boy Maui:)

so happy i had my phone by the bed to snap this pic!

and on the same subject, i love these guys!

they will curl up with me wherever and whenever.

my girls woke up to this picture...sweet, huh?

i made a facebook cover on smilebox the other day.

fun and very easy. . . .check it out and make one of your own someday. . . . .

well, that's it for now!

hope you smile today. . . .more than once if possible:)

xoxoxoxox

Suzanne

Maui the Goldendoodle

Please pray for my big boy Maui.

tomorrow he has to have a lump on his neck removed and biopsied.

I love that boy (and I never call him a dog:)

and he brings such joy to everyone he meets...

 ...he looks out for me and i look out for him:)

we can learn from our best friend.....

 life would sometimes be soooo much easier...

but no way!

 wouldn't we all...

Please pray for everything to be okay with my big boy:)

XOXOXO

Suzanne

BOO!...Pumpkin, Apple and MUMMY Treats

it's that time of year again.

time to think about the CUTE little goblins

(cause i hate the creepy side of halloween:)

and the stuff i found is SUPER easy.......

Pumpkins.......

here's a lil treat idea for you.

pinterest is full of breads and cakes but if i had seen

 this when my girls were young,

i would've run with it.

you just need a round of orange tulle from Joanns or a craft store,

green pipe cleaner,

and some treats.  

all orange is a cute idea and it could be

jelly beans, orange m & m's, reese's pieces, even candy corn.

pretty cute, huh?

and who doesn't love the fall flavors at Starbucks?

especially the pumpkin latte.

well, thanks to Molly,

you can make pumpkin lattes in the slow cooker!

photo courtesy of http-::gimmesomeoven.com:pumpkin-spice-latte:

Crockpot Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Serves: 8 

Total Time: 2 Hours

-8 T of pumpkin puree

-8 T of vanilla

-2 t of cinnamon

-8 cinnamon sticks

-4 cups of strongly brewed coffee

-6 cups of milk

-8 T of sugar

-whipping cream [optional]

{Instructions}

-Combine the milk and coffee, and pour into the crockpot. Whip together the other ingredients [minus the cinnamon sticks and whipping cream] and pour into the crockpot. Mix together well.

-Cover the crockpot, and cook on high for 2 hours.

- put whipping cream on top of the lattes, and add a cinnamon stick for extra flavor.

YUM!

so how about apples?

any apple lovers out there?

personally, caramel apples in any way, shape or form are

probably my most "favoritest" treat:)

but they can be a bit tricky to eat.

so when i saw this idea, i flipped out!

caramel apple bites

okay, no need to complicate things.

if you're handy with a melon baller,

scoop little round apple bites out of an apple.

dip in your favorite caramel and toppings and

VOILA...caramel apple bites!

photo: taste of home

if you want an even faster way, have a self serve caramel bar.

use lollipop sticks with apple wedges.

clever stuff people come up with, i swear!

and thanks to How Does She Do It.com,

apple pie floats......

if you like apple pie and ice cream floats,

this one is for YOU!

simply mix 50% ginger ale, 50% good apple cider and vanilla ice cream

and you have an apple pie float.

~garnish with cinnamon and whipping cream if desired.

now how about those mummies?

personally, i think a mummy is as halloween as a pumpkin.

and kinda cute:)

so here are a few, but not all, mummy treats for you.......

sources:how does she do it .com

created-bydiane.blogspot.com

eighteen25.blogspot.com

bedifferentactnormal.com

there are more too...you could dip giant pretzels in white chocolate and

decorate to look mummyish,

cake pops, brownie bites...all would work!

and if you don't feel like "carving' a pumpkin,

just wrap one up.....

kinda cute, huh?

alrighty then,

i did my part fixin y'all up for the spooky day:)

now for a TOTALLY random moment,

i have to show you this.

i love dogs.

no secret there.

but i have never been a huge fan of "hot dog" dogs,

or dachsunds.  

just not the look i'm going for.

until now.......

OH. MY. GOSH!!!!!!!

i saw these miniature hot dog dogs and fell in love,

especially with the little blonde one.

aren't they PRECIOUS?????

uggghhh...who am i kidding.

i want every dog!:)

have a beautiful day!!!!!!!

Suzanne

a sweet, sweet story...

A SPECIAL DOG AND HIS "SEEING EYE" COMPANION

Lily is a Great Dane that has been blind since a bizarre medical condition required that she have both eyes removed. For the last 5 years, Madison, another Great Dane, has been her sight. The two are, of course, inseparable.

a truly precious story...

heartbreaking yet heartwarming at the same time.

but first, get the tissues ready.

now i'm sure you've all heard the tragic story

about the navy seals who were shot down recently.

heartbreaking doesn't begin to describe it.

as their bodies are being flown home, 

they are being laid to rest by family and friends.

but one navy seal, Jon Tumilson, 

was laid to rest by a very special friend...

his DOG, "Hawkeye"!

i didn't even need to see the photos before bawling all over the place...

but once i did, it just broke my heart.

at the funeral, Hawkeye, his loyal companion,

would not leave his side.  he laid by the casket throughout the whole service.

like i said...heart breaking yet heart warming.

i adore my dogs and have often said that if anything happened

to me, little Freddy should probably be by my side. 

 

i don't mean to sound morbid but this dog can't function without me.

he won't eat and will run from room to room, 

whimpering and frantically searching if I should happen to be out of sight.

on most days,

he and Maui  are my most loyal friends... and that's fine by me:)

so I thought I'd share some of my favorite dog quotes, starting with a long one

that is WELL WORTH READING!

i hope you like them too:)

XOXOXOXOX

Suzanne