More Easter Bird Nests

So I was looking up a recipe last night on RecipeZaar, and on the main page was a familiar picture...a chow mien noodle bird nest! I guess I wasn't the first one to think of this :)

These look really cute (they use jellybeans instead of robins eggs) and sound extra yummy for those of us who LOVE peanut butter!

Here's the recipe if you're interested - http://www.recipezaar.com/Easter-Nests-with-Jelly-Bean-Eggs-87879


These are a great way to give people a little personalized Easter treat (and are easy and inexpensive to make but look fancy)! Jefferson may even get one of these in his Easter basket this year :)

Shamrock!!

This past weekend, Billy ran in the Shamrock Marathon in VA Beach. I watched him at the start, almost half-way point, and finish and spent the rest of the time in the Hilton lobby trying to stay warm. It was pretty chilly out there, but perfect running weather - 40s with no wind! Billy had been training so hard (averaging probably 10 miles a day with basically no days off for the past month or so, up until his taper this past week), and it definitely paid off! At about 12.5 miles, he was in 13th place, but during the second half of the race, he was able to pass 4 people, coming in 9th overall and destroying his old PR by 18 minutes! (click here for results) Can we say stud???

Here are some pictures from the day:

at around the 12.5 mile mark

about to finish - still going strong!

finish line!

post-race...he doesn't even look tired!

BC & Coach

some of the other runners he trains with (they did the 1/2)

pre-beer tent :)

Next stop Boston!

Birdnests

With Spring on the horizon (I'm hoping!!), I've been in the mood to whip up some spring-y treats...my latest creation in the kitchen is a spinoff of "haystacks", the cute, seasonal, and yummy treats that include chow mien noodles, chocolate, and butterscotch. I took the basic haystack recipe and instead of making bunches that resemble haystacks, I formed the mixture into "birdnests". With some Robins Egg candy, they make a fun gift, party favor, or just a simple dessert.

Quick and easy recipe:

10-12 oz. bag chocolate chips

10-12 oz. bag butterscotch chips

1/2 bag chow mien noodles (this can vary, depending on how much you want them coated in the chocolate and butterscotch)

Heat chocolate and butterscotch (works best on the stove), stirring until melted together. Add chow mien noodles and stir into chocolate/butterscotch mixture, coating noodles evenly. Scoop out noodles onto wax paper and form into "birdnest" shapes. (I found my first couple looked better than the rest, probably because the chocolate/butterscotch mixture was still warm and easily formed.) Cool completely, remove from wax paper, add Robins Eggs, and serve. Yum!!

Jefferson was VERY interested in them too :)

Heading to Chicago!!

This weekend, I'm heading to the great city of Chicago to see a friend whom I haven't seen in almost 2 years for her bachelorette weekend! She was in my wedding just over two years ago, and I'll be in hers in April. Here's a picture of us from my wedding...

The Matron of Honor in her wedding has planned several fun outings for us, so it will be nice to have a weekend in a big city and get to hang out with the other bridesmaids as well! Now I just need to pack warm clothes to handle the super cold weather (highs in the low-30s...and temperature-wise, I belong in Florida :)). Should be fun, and I'll try and post pictures from the trip when I get back.

I'll miss my men this weekend, but girls weekends are always wonderful...especially when they're with people you rarely get to see! Yay for traveling (and coming home too)!!