Friendly Friday! :)

If you are a blogger you know what The sits girls are and what they do to help fellow bloggers grown their following and meet new bloggers. Enter contests and just really work what you have to work with! The Secret is in the Sauce. For those of you who don't know about them, SITS is a group of more than 6,000 women bloggers dedicated to supporting one another by leaving COMMENTS. I joined a few weeks ago and I am super excited to make new friends everyday. Its so great to log on to blogger and see one more friend and a ton of comments. :)

I just love the fact that everyday there is someone that I only know through blogging and they are so sweet and uplifting. I feel like this is really working in the right direction to build other women up! You might think you have heard of these ladies.... well that is because these are the same lovely ladies who developed the awesome Bloggy Boot Camp

I follow these ladies on Facebook and receive their daily & weekly emails.  I have already began learning so much by,  read up on blog building techniques, content development, guest bloggers, and other fun features...beyond that though, I wasn't  getting the following I was looking for until joining the SIS group on here.....

So here's the Dish: SITS teamed up with a couple of other powerhouse blog sites to offer a 31 day challenge for bloggers. A new task is assigned daily - the goal of these tasks are to develop a successful blog. For some that might mean increase followers, create new content, learn about advertising. 

But for me...I want to continue to learn & grow.  To get to show all the adventures that I have the chance to discover. My goal is when I am at the end of this challenge, to have reached a much wider audience. So I can share my stories about the wonderful adventures I live out everyday! 

Thinking Thursday??

Well many of you know that I have had a real challenging last few months. So now that I am headed on the upward slide of life and I am super excited. "Hub's" told me that if I worked my ass off and we got over this hump then we would get a puppy!!!! No matter what anyone said. I am excited to have a puppy.  I know we have two but this will be a wonderful addition. We will be looking to adopt another puppy.

When we got Sophie she was 6 months old and came from an abused home.  She had long hair and was so scared of anything and everything. Her name was moon pie, Hub's and I wanted to adopt a baby and give her the name of Sophia after my grandma but when I looked at her I decided that we finally got our girl so we needed to name her Sophie.  It took her forever to really learn she could trust anyone except us. Now she get's excited if certain people come to the house and is a wild protector.  Sophie is my sweet heart the one that loves me more then anything and she is a little un- healthy.... and will break my heart if anything is to ever happen to her.  She is my heart.

When we had her for about 2 years we both worked full time and it killed us when we had to leave her home all day so we bought our first house and didn't need a yes from anyone if we could have another puppy... so we went and got her a baby brother...............

Then there is Howie. Hub's & I named him because at the time we were addicted to big-brother and Howie was one of the cast mates and was a care free surfer dude and that fit our puppy.  We got him when he was 6 weeks old from a rescue of a puppy mill. He was even younger then we were told and he slept curled up sucking the air we had to bottle feed him. He is so loving and talks when you kiss him. He has been a joy to both Hub's and I. He had worms so bad and Sophie Hated him at first. It took me leaving on vacation for Sophie and Howie to find that they need to love each other. 

Together they can't go a day without the other, if one is on the bed and the other on the floor they cry for the other one. Its amazing to see them love each other. I never in my life have loved anything the way I love them.

So now we are going to work on having another little girl. Hopefully a runt! :) I think I will have to do a contest for names....I am very excited that I can have a new puppy, hopefully not like potty training Howie... He was a total asshole when we were potty train him. OMG.

We are so excited and can't wait to share our new adventure in puppy raising. :)

Wordless Wednesday......

Tempt my Tummy Tuesday.

Let's think camping. I love that I found these yummy treats and they are going to be enjoyed way after the time that I take the firepit away for the winter.   

                                   Apple Smores.................

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• 6 Granny Smith apples
• 6 wooden sticks
• 1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Insert wooden sticks 3/4 of the way into the stem end of each apple. Place apples on a cookie sheet covered with lightly greased aluminum foil.
2. Combine caramels and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until caramel melts and is smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Dip each apple into the caramel and gently run apples around insides of saucepan to scrape off some of the caramel. Scrape excess caramel from the apple bottoms using the side of the saucepan.
3. Combine the miniature marshmallows and graham crackers on a dinner plate. Roll the apples in the mixture to coat. Place on the aluminum foil and chill.
4. Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Drizzle over the apples and return them to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 534 | Total Fat: 15.8g | Cholesterol: 5mg

                                                      Indoor Smores

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 3 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, combine butter, sugar and graham cracker crumbs until well coated. Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the chocolate chips, then the marshmallows. Sprinkle the remaining graham cracker mixture over the marshmallows and press down with a spatula.
3. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes, until marshmallows are melted. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Nutritional Information 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 190 | Total Fat: 12.9g | Cholesterol: 20mg

                                     Smore's brownies....

Ingredients

Crust:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch fine salt

Brownie:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 4 large cold eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Topping:

• 4 cups large marshmallows

Directions

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.

For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the brownie. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the light brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into 12 (2-inch) squares.

Meet Me Monday!!!!!

1. Do you collect anything?

Yes. I collect ladybugs, I collect spoons for all the places I have been. & the 14 year old girl that is trapped inside of me collects Edward Cullen/ Twilight stuff.

2. Name 3 celebrities that you find good looking.
I am not going to put my twilight things in this post! :)
Dane Cook ( my husbands look alike)
UFC Fighter Rich Franklin. ( I loved Tito Before he hooked up with that porn star and that is just nasty!)
The hot guy off of the transporter movies, Jason,


3. Do you have any scars? If so, what's the story behind it (them)?

 I have a scar from my Hysterectomy. My next one happened when I was running down the road away from a Dog that was chasing me, I fell and scarped my left knee, my dad didn't think I needed stiches so he tried to dig out and clean my knee and it still has the rocks/gravel in it...... The man that was working on my parents house grabbed me or he would have grabbed my face too.... The other scars are on the back of my legs, When I was five I sat on the little stepping running board on a 1950's chevy truck it burned me and I went to the bath room and sat in cold water poping the blisters because I didn't want my mom and dad to be mad at me or upset.  They weren't they were mad at the jack ass neighbor who owned the truck. I have scar in my dip between my bottom lip and chin, I got it when I was learning to walk and fell in my Nana's coffee table.

4. What is a food that you like to eat, but other's might think it's gross or weird?

Dipping french fries in milkshakes. It makes my hubs want to puke.

5. Have you ever seen a tornado in real life?

Nope. I thought I would last year when I was in Colorado for a visit and they had the warnings but nothing came out of it. That would be wonderful to never have to see in person. A big reason I don't live in the south.

I made some new friends...........

 I had so much fun with the Lady Blogger's Society Tea Party. I really found some awesome blogs and gained some new friends. I am so excited to meet new friends. I love how when Blogging I get to meet these amazing people. I know I think of many of them as close friends already and can't wait to see my friendships grow with them.

                   I met Gina at It's how she rolls and I love that she knows how to be Queen! :)

                   I met Bubbleboo  and Just love the stuff that she has to say!

    I also met mommadjane and her blog is wonderful!

Then I met bargain shopper mom and I am so excited to follow her blog and see all the money she can help save me! :)

Friday... trip on a tank! ( well this is a few tanks but still alot of fun!)

       Over the next few weeks I am going to do a trip on a tank Camping style.

Kalaloch is one of the most visited areas of Olympic National Park.  Kalaloch and Ruby Beach are located on the southwest coast of the Olympic Peninsula. They are directly off of Highway 101

There are two places that you can camp Kalaloch and South Beach. These two camp areas are the only two camp grounds on the southern coast of Olympic National Park.  Kalaloch is open year-round, and has 175 campsites, four of which are wheelchair accessible. Make sure to reserve as early on in the year as possible, as they fill up quickly and most are booked throughout the summer.  If you want to take the chance to drive out to Kalaloch without a reservation, You may get lucky there were several sites that opened up. Also it will help if you get there early and check in with the park ranger he or she is there to help you. 

The two spots that we had were B-11 and B-16 both were great one was for my parents and the Hub's and I the other was for my grandparents. B-11 was a site that they have used on many of the stays that we have had over the years as a family. They have been going to Kalaloch campground for over 55 years.  The site is nice but its really cold in the shade and doesn't get the sun and for the older or younger crowd you shouldn't camp in this site. For the Hub's and I  it would have been a perfect camp site.  B-16 was perfect for one tent and for my parent's fifth wheel. It was wonderful after going every summer from the time I was 5 years old I feel like this trip was the best time I have ever had.  Mainly because it is the first time that all five days were beautiful and sunny, there wasn't even a need for a tarp. 

Just an FYI, check out is 11:00 AM and check in is at 12:00pm.  When we got there last week our two spots that we have had reserved (sense January 2010) There were people that were taking their time to get out of our spots.  SO if you do go please have your stuff ready to check out at 11:00 it’s really the only thoughtful thing for you to do. 

South Beach, just south of Kalaloch, has about 50 campsites and is open Memorial Day to late September. It has no shelter and is perfect for the days that aren’t stormy unless you are in an RV. A tent with no shelter in Kalaloch is a huge risk. I know for me its not one I would take. 

There are many hikes you can take on the 101 near Kalaloch. What I love about it is that each beach from trail 4 to Ruby beach are so different and beautiful in all the different ways, but each need to be enjoyed on their own. So make sure that you take the time out to explore. Some of the hikes would be to hard for children to do, Our fur babies loved the trails. Except Trail 4 our girl fur baby was no okay with it. Hub's had to carry her up the hill the entire way.

The Kalaloch Lodge is amazing and so beautiful. I will be trying to do a review on week long visit to all the lodges on the Olympic Peninsula.  The Lodge is right on the beach, has rooms and cabins available for reservation. On the site they have a full restaurant & full bar, a beautiful gift shop and a store for all your needs.  I was able to get all the fixings for the bon fire at the beach

While we were there this time we went on three day trips on our week at the ocean. The first was to Forks, ahhhhhhhhhhh... I love forks for one reason.... EDWARD CULLEN! :) We went to all the twilight stores and had a Bella Burger at Sullys. It was such a fun day.  The next day we went to the Lake Quinault Lodge. The beauty and history of the lodge and the resort is so rich. It makes me feel like I am part of the in crowd in the middle of the movie dirty dancing. You have to go there and experience it for yourself to fully know what I am talking about. The third day we went to La Push. When we were there the mood was sad and somber, as we were just minutes from seeing a Coast Guard Chopper go down. We watched as they tried to re-cover the plane and the pilots. Being that my father and hub's are part of the Coast Guard made it hit that much closer to home. Our family kept all of their families as we drove back to the camp ground that night.

What you might not know is that the Olympic Peninsula provides some amazing sights of the pristine beaches and marine wildlife. North of Ruby Beach, the Hoh River creates a natural boundary. When hiking the coast, remember to check the tides. (current charts available at the Kalaloch Information Station). Certain areas may become impassable during high tides. It was so peaceful watching the sunset each night against the horizon, you truly haven't lived until you have seen the sun set at the Pacific Ocean.  

 So do yourself a wonderful favor fill that tank grab the tent and head on out to the pacific coast of Washington. If there are other places you would like me to check out and do a review please feel free to leave it in a comment and we will do what we can to get there.