Our First Married Easter

H.E.L.L.O  F.R.I.E.N.D.S

I hope your Easter weekend was wonderful and relaxing! The sun was shining bright every day, making it one beautiful weekend! Barrett and I stayed at the beach house Friday and Saturday night with my family. It felt great to have a Saturday off and relax. Friday afternoon I left work early and went home to a brown box sitting by my front door! I was so excited to see what it was! I ripped it open to find Mrs. Meyers cleaning goodies from my sweet Aunt KBL!  I started cleaning right away! The sweet Lemon Verbena scent truly made my heart sing! My whole house smelled gloriously clean, even hubby commented when we got back on Sunday how great the house smelled! ;) Aunt K- Thank you so much for my Easter treats!

On Saturday, we went out cruising on the boat, so I was able to really enjoy the the Florida sunshine! It was so wonderful to be there with my entire family. Barrett and I even played a little game of "I Spy" on our way back to the house. We are dorks, I know...but it was fun! Saturday night we fried up some fresh Mahi Mahi and mom made her scrumptious grits! Dinner was so good, but I ate way too much!

Beautiful view of the Gulf from the house

gorgeous & peaceful

handsome hubby on the boat

Bailey enjoying the ride... looking sleepy!

Sunday we all woke and walked down to the beach for the Easter Sunrise Service at 7 am. That was the first time I had ever been to a Sunrise Service, and it was beautiful watching the sun come up as the preacher preached. It really made me think about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and how awesome He is that He actually made the sun that rises and sets every single day! AMAZING!

Sun setting from the top deck...

After the service, mom and I made breakfast. Mom and dad also surprised us all with Easter baskets! Barrett and I received some Peterbrooke Chocolate (oh so good!) and a new birdhouse/ feeder for our yard! So cute! I can't wait to put it out and watch all the sweet birds indulge! We relaxed, ate Easter lunch, and then headed back to town. All the food was so wonderful, but I ate WAY TOO MUCH!

The BEST chocolate covered popcorn!

After getting back in town we went to eat Easter dinner with his parents. Yes, MORE YUMMY FOOD! We had about a 6 hour break from eating, so we were ready to go again! Dinner was fabulous, but my gosh was I full! They also had a big basket full of MORE Peterbrooke goodies, gift cards, and cute decorative accessories for our abode!

On top of all the goodies we received, Barrett and I also made each other baskets filled with more candy! Seriously, we have so many goodies we could fill a candy store! I love the basket Barrett got for me! It's trimmed with pink fur... lol! All in all, we had the most wonderful first Easter together! I look forward to many more fun filled Easters to come! Hopefully one day with little ones running around hunting for eggs! ;)

Thank you to our family for making our first married Easter so memorable and special! We are so blessed to have such a loving family that truly cares for us unconditionally!

Sunday Simple Dip Satisfier

On my way down south to board the ship and thought I'd satisfy your taste buds with a quick and easy queso dip recipe that is a favorite of mine and my girlfriends! It's really not even a recipe, it's so easy! We make this for all our girly gatherings, at parties, or occasions we have and I just love it! Enjoy!

Rat Pack Rotel Dip

1 block Velveeta Cheese, cut into small cubes

1 can Rotel (I use mild)


Heat cheese and can of Rotel together in crock pot on low, stirring occasionally. Heat until melted. Serve with tortilla chips.

*Double for large parties

*Great with ground sausage or ground beef too! (Brown, drain, and stir into melted cheese)

Sunday Side Dish Satisfier

I found this amazing Mac & Cheese recipe about 4 years ago in Southern Living Recipes magazine. It has been a family staple ever since making it for the first time, not to mention it's my husbands favorite! My mom and I have tweaked it a little over the years to the way we like it and the great thing about this recipe is that it's super easy to whip up and impresses every time! Plus, who doesn't like Mac & Cheese!?! YUMMY!

Golden Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package elbow macaroni (about 2 cups uncooked)
3 cups milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp onion salt
2 (10-ounce) blocks sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 4 1/2 cups) and divided*
1 cup soft bread cubes (5 slices, cut in small cubes, crusts removed)
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preparation
Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain well. Set aside. Place milk, flour, and onion salt in a air tight container; cover tightly, and shake vigorously 1minute. Stir together flour mixture, 3 1/2 cups cheese, and macaroni. Pour macaroni mixture into a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup cheese; top with bread cubes, drizzle evenly with melted butter.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until golden brown.



*This recipe is also great using penne or mini shells instead of macaroni. Also, I always use Kraft Cracker Barrel Sharp Cheddar Cheese.