Crowd Pleasing Crock-Pot Hot Chocolate Bar

This past Saturday was our annual family Christmas Party which always coincides with our city's holiday 2 miler known as the Jingle Bell run! This year while I was planning all the goodies I would make for the party, I was really hoping it would be chilly and we could enjoy a hot chocolate bar after the run. Well no such luck with the chilly weather (Christmas in Florida probs), but I did end up making an adorable hot chocolate bar that everyone loved! I was actually pleasantly surprised by how many people complimented on it! 

Crock-pot Hot Chocolate Recipe

Ingredients:

6 cups of milk

1 1/2 cups of heavy cream

14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk

12 oz package of milk chocolate chips 

1 tsp of vanilla extract

1. Combine all ingredients in crock-pot.

2. Cook on low 2 hours or until chocolate is melted, whisking every 15 min or so to combine.

3. Set to warm once all ingredients are combined and hot chocolate reaches desired temp.

4. Serve in mug! Optional mix-ins/toppings include Bailey's Irish Cream, mini marshmallows, and crushed candy canes. 

**I doubled this recipe for my large crockpot

I served my toppings in little matching black bowls and mason jars with spoons and made a DYI chalkboard sign with a wood slice, chalkboard paint, chalk pen, and frame stand from Hobby Lobby. I absolutely loved the way the sign turned out and can't wait to reuse it during other seasons and at other parties with different messages!  

On top of the hot chocolate, I also made holiday cranberry moscow mules, cheesy pull apart "crack" bread, and crock-pot queso. The mules were delicious, the crack bread is always a go-to (I always double the butter and use shredded cheddar instead of American though), and the queso (I used the velveeta queso blanco) was so so good it's definitely a new go-to recipe! 

Overall, the night was so fun! It's one of my favorite events of the whole year :) We had an appetizer and ugly sweater contest that were a hit and the best surprise was my dad dressing up as Santa and surprising all the kiddos (who were beyond excited)! 

What I Read in 2017

My friends and family ask for book recommendations from me a lot actually, so I thought it would be nice to put together a list of the books I not only read this year, but enjoyed! Something to keep in mind however: everyone has their own taste when it comes to books, so what I like may not be best for you. I learned just that this past year after joining a book club of ladies quite a bit older than me. It's been so fun to read books I would have never picked, but really ended up enjoying as part of this group. So, a lot of these books have been read as part of that club and some I chose on my own. Another thing to mention is that I really don't finish a book if I don't like it, so I can attest that I would recommend each and every one of these books (except for maybe the last three since I'm still reading them but I'll hopefully update you all on my thoughts about those in the future)! Side note: this list would make a perfect list for a monthly book club in the future since there are exactly 12 books :)

Invincible Summer by Alice Adams- A novel which follows four friends in London over two or three decades. I absolutely loved this one because it was so realistic and I really resonated with the whole entering adulthood aspect of it. 

The Girl Who Escaped ISIS by Farida Khalaf- As sad and eye-opening as the title implies, the nonfiction story of an Iraqi teenage girl  who's whole town and family are torn apart by ISIS and how she finds her way to safety.

Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Davis- A little silliness, a little female empowerment, a little romance, and a lot about how to run a vineyard. After reading this book, I finally understood how much work goes into a single bottle of wine and why certain ones are so expensive!

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins- Okay if you haven't heard of this one, I don't really know what to tell you. Definitely suspenseful and way better than I expected, couldn't put it down!

The Passenger by Lisa Lutz- This novel follows a woman switching identities over and over as she tries to run from her past. If you liked Girl on the Train, you might like this one since it's also suspenseful but it was a little slower towards the end.

The Hopefuls by Jennifer Close- The story of two young couples who become close living in fast paced and competitive DC. I read this one after visiting DC because I thought it would be fun to know where everything took place and I really enjoyed learning about how the presidential administration is so cut-thoat from this!

The Clancy's of Queens by Tara Clancy- An autobiography which describes Tara Clancy's childhood in Queens, New York. This is one of the ones I never would have picked up on my own, but I really enjoyed. She has a lot of funny stories so if you want a book that makes you laugh, you'll like this one!

Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple- This novel follows a young girl in Seattle searching to find where her outrageous and quirky, homebody mother has run off to. This book and the next one the list were probably my favorite from all year! Where'd You Go Bernadette was honestly so funny and feel good if you can accept some silliness as well!

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter- Another funny romance novel, with some serious notes about the convergence of old and new Hollywood and the story of a young Italian man falling for a sick American actress in a small fishing village in the 1960s. This book has so many layers and characters that truly surprise you, I loved it!

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown - The nonfiction story of how the University of Washington rowing team won the gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. I picked this one up because Carly said it was the best book she ever read. I actually didn't finish this one but I hope to return to it when I have more time because I really did enjoy it, it's just a little long. One of my favorite books is Unbroken and they read very similarly so I know I'll love it!

What I'm Currently Reading: 

The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey

Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

The City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller- So so so so excited to start reading this one because the main character's name is Olivia and it's been described as basically Gilmore Girls and I'm all about it!

I read way more this year than I have in so long and I'm so happy about it! Reading is so much better than spending time watching TV or scrolling through socials, but sometimes I forget that. What great books did you read this year? I need some recommendations for next year!

xoxo, Olivia

Christmas Gift Guide for the Eco-Girl

Just in case you're still on the hunt for some gifts, I've put together a pretty unique gift guide (in my opinion haha)! I haven't seen one like this before and I really hope you enjoy this list of eco-friendly and sustainable gifts, perfect for any current or aspiring eco-gal in your life... or yourself because you don't have to feel bad about buying something that's good for the earth, right? Logic. 

LUSH Cosmetics: LUSH products are hand made, cruelty free, organic, and most are vegan as well. They also use recycled packaging and you can even get free product for returning containers to their stores! I love their bath bombs, soaps, and face masks! 

Clean Surf Apparel: This company is owned by a family local to my hometown of Satellite Beach and 10% of sales goes to the Surfrider Foundation which protects and preserves the world's oceans, beaches and waves. Their tees are made of organic bamboo and cotton so they're super soft and so cute! Check out their other styles, hats, and stickers here. 

HydroFlask: A HydroFlask is similar to a Yeti and can basically keep drinks cold for days but more practical for on-the-go since they have a cap. I first got a HydroFlask gifted to me by my mentor a couple years ago before they were cool and I absolutely love it for working in the field. I fill it with ice and add water from another bottle gradually to cool it down. If you or someone you know still drinks out of plastic water bottles, stop it right now and buy them a reusable one please haha! Bonus points if you buy them cool stickers to decorate it too. 

Kale Yeah Reusable Bag: If you have a kale lover in your life who frequents the farmer's market, they NEED this bag. Plus this is an etsy find and I love supporting small businesses! I'm not gunna lie, I'm super guilty of forgetting to bring my reusable bags to the grocery store so I can skip plastic but Aldi has helped a lot with that since they literally do not give out bags. One of my New Year's resolutions will definitely be to reduce my consumption of single-use plastics, especially plastic bags. 

Aluminum Reusable Straws:  Along the same lines as reusable water bottles and bags, reusable straws are a great gift for anyone trying to reduce plastic use. Straws are one of the most common plastics found in beach/ocean trash and landfills and even reusable straws made of plastic can contribute to ocean micro-plastics when they are washed and particles go down the drain. These aluminum ones look great since they're not made of any plastic and even come with a cleaner. I'll definitely be picking up a set for myself and keeping one or two in my purse to use at drive-thrus and restaurants so I can say "no straw please" :)

My Favorite Gifts Ever:

If you hate the Earth and being ecologically responsible (totally kidding), I also put together a list of some of my favorite nicer gifts I've received over the years and still use all the time which I think would make great Christmas gifts! I use my Longchamp purse and GVP flat iron (CHI quality at half the price) everyday and have had them both since Senior year of high school so almost 5 years now. Alex and Ani bracelets are also such a staple gift for me because you can really personalize it to the person and I wear the ones I've been gifted all the time. Also love my Polaroid camera and Justin cowboy boots as well! 

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Christmas Linkup with Victoria Strader, Sarah at Meet the Shaneyfelts, and Whimsical September. 

NYC Day 3: East Village, Chelsea, and Ramen

Ah my final NYC post! Day three started with meeting my friend Elise from elementary school for brunch in the East Village. We took the subway from near our hotel to the village and walked a little bit to Mud, a hip little coffee and brunch spot. The East Village was extremely cool to walk through, definitely a lot of young people. Mud was just as precious and quintessential New York, which is exactly why Elise said she had suggested it! It gave me very strong Friends vibes haha! Fun fact: Dylan and Cole Sprouse went to NYU around the same time Elise did and she told us that one of the twins used to work at Mud as the maitre 'd. The coffee was delicious, as was the huevos rancheros I ordered and my Mom loved her Avocado toast! 

Image source: latenightsnack.net via Pinterest

I hadn't seen Elise in years so it was so sweet getting to catch up! Elise and her family moved to Abu Dhabi in high school and she moved to New York after graduation to attend NYU so she had lot's of fun and worldly stories for us! Isn't it so nice seeing someone after many years and having the friendship pick up just where it left off? 

After brunch, we walked with Elise into Chelsea and split off as she went back to her apartment and we headed for Chelsea Market. Oh my lordy did I love Chelsea Market! We could have spent hours and hours in there but it was so busy since it was a Sunday. We purchased a few gifts for family and friends as well as vintage earrings and our favorite, kombucha! 

If I remember correctly, there's a direct walkway to the High Line from Chelsea Market so we headed up there. Again, the weather was gorgeous so we just relaxed for a bit on one of the benches enjoying the beautiful views from the High Line. The High Line is an elevated urban park/walkway built on top of an old railway that runs along the west side of Manhattan though Chelsea. We walked all the way to the north end of the line and it was so fun to see all the different buildings and old train tracks!

I couldn't believe how beautiful all the flowers were and how well maintained it was! 

{hoops: francesca's, top: tj maxx, sunglasses: urban outfitters}

After exiting the High Line, we walked to the Times Square area to hang out at a rooftop bar and grill named Beer Authority and relax our feet! They had a lovely pilsner for mom and a hefe for me so we were very happy gals after so much walking! In addition to our beers, we enjoyed some beer cheese nachos that were amazing. Beer Authority was right across the street from the New York Times building so that was also really neat to see. 

And then... more walking! We headed back in the direction of our hotel so we could rest before dinner. We spent a bit of time exploring Bryant Park and looking at the New York Public Library as well. I'm a HUGE Project Runway fan and fashion fan in general, so I loved getting to see Bryant Park and think of all the fashion week shows that had taken place there. It would have been lovely to pick up food somewhere close by or have packed a lunch and had a little picnic on the green as a lot of others were doing that afternoon!

Once back at our hotel, we rested a while because our feet were killing us after all that waking! Number one NYC tip: wear sneakers! I'm so happy I wore them everyday and saved my feet. For dinner, I wanted to try real ramen because I had never had any so I found a place on yelp just a block from our hotel: Momosan Ramen and Sake. It's actually owned by Iron Chef Morimoto and he occasionally stops by to actually cook for guests (he wasn't there when we were but still very cool)! It was shared seating which I don't mind at all but probably not the best situation for your first time eating ramen. I ordered the chicken ramen that was most popular on their yelp page and it was absolutely delicious but I couldn't for the life of me eat it with just the spoon and chopsticks provided!! I was so embarrassed and I even said to my mom that I was debating asking for it to go and eating it in the safety and comfort of our hotel room lol! I finally broke down and asked the waitress for a fork which I felt was kind of insulting to Japanese culture but I really wanted to enjoy the ramen. In the end, I'm happy I asked and would recommend this place to anyone because we both loved our meals! Maybe I just need a little chopstick practice haha. 

After dinner, we stopped at the hotel bar for our final NYC cocktail: the ever refreshing moscow mule! 

The next morning we picked up some starbucks from across the street and called an uber to LaGuardia! Such a sweet ending to an amazing trip! I can't wait to go back again with my sister Victoria since she missed this trip and hopefully during Christmas time one day too :)

If you've ever been to NYC, what was your favorite thing to see or do? 

Christmas Wishlist 2017

If I don't post a Christmas wishlist on the blog, is it even December?

Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eyeshadow Palette: I need another eyeshadow palette like I need a hole in my head haha but this one is so pretty and I've been eyeing it for a year. Super intrigued by the warm tones and the light purple! 

Stila Liquid Glitter Eyeshadow in Kitten Karma: Okay this kinda counts as a need because I don't have any real glitter eyeshadow and I've heard this formula is the best and the Stila Kitten original eyeshadow is already my absolute fave. 

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal: I purchased a deluxe travel size of this holy grail highlighter about a year and half a go and there is still more product in the pan but it's all cracked and a mess. I think that justifies a full size of the prettiest highlighter ever :)

Sea Turtle Alex and Ani Bracelet: I love all my Alex and Ani's and a portion of the proceeds of this one goes to a philanthropy that assists young adults impacted by global conflict. Plus I love sea turtles haha!

Journal the Word Bible: I desperately need a new bible because the one I have is from probably 8th grade and has pink font. This one is technically marketed for teens as well, but the only difference I can see is the pretty floral cover and a few journaling prompts which I wouldn't mind in the slightest. I've always wanted a bible with large margins for notes so this one seems perfect! 

Luke's Diner Mug: Self-explanatory because I'm obsessed with Gilmore Girls, as should everyone. 

Willam-Sonoma Gingham Apron: I've been cooking so so much recently and decided I'd love a cute apron of my own to wear since I always seem to get myself covered in stains. This one is such great quality it will last many years and a monogram on it would be precious. 

What's on your Christmas wishlist this year?

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Christmas Linkup with Victoria Strader, Sarah at Meet the Shaneyfelts, and A Little Bit of Emily.

Friday No. Eight

If you don't like German shepherds, 1. you're crazy and 2. you will be super annoyed by this post because half the photos are of my beautiful Nyla girl. You've been warned haha! Yes, I am obsessed with my dog and no, I'm not ashamed in the slightest. Anyway, happy December aka it's officially official Christmas season!

1. I haven't done a Friday or catch-up post in a while so how could I not mention Canes football?! Even though we fell to Pitt last Friday (still heartbroken), this has been such an amazing season and I've loved every minute of watching my alma mater! This year, I am so thankful for Mark Richt because the U is back baby! Can't wait to beat Clemson tomorrow *she said hopefully*. And how freakin adorable is Nyla in the awesome DIY turnover chain I made using this plastic chain from Amazon, cardboard, and glitter!

2. Our Thanksgiving weekend was so fun because my sister was home for almost the whole week! 

Tuesday, I took advantage of Old Navy's early Black Friday sales and snagged this black watch plaid flannel swing dress I had been eyeing at 40% off plus these black booties too. It definitely runs large so I wish I had purchased a medium but they didn't have one in stock and I really wanted it so I settled for the large. Love the booties though, so comfortable, and the dress was perfect for my Thanksgiving food baby haha!

Wednesday night, I met up with my besties Ariel and Jackie to go out downtown on the infamous night before Thanksgiving where you see literally everyone you've ever met in high school. Even though it's overwhelming and a recipe for disaster, we had fun as always. Love my girls! 

Thanksgiving was hosted at my parents house, which is what we usually do every year and our menu was honestly a bit ambitious. For starters: a beautiful cheese platter with everything from Aldi and some burrata from Publix. I mentioned my love for burrata in my last NYC post and this dish was 100% inspired by that and so so delicious! I plated the burrata over arugula with sliced tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil with salt and pepper and served it with sliced toasted baguette. Everyone was in love and it was so easy! 

For dinner, we had roast turkey with this compound butter, fried turkey, FRIED PRIME RIB (weird but surprisingly good and not greasy at all), stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans with onions and mushrooms, broccoli casserole (similar recipe), and gravy of course! 

And of course can't forget dessert! I made this awesome U pecan pie, inspired by Victoria's Aggie pie (thank you for the idea and help Victoria!) and my grandma made a classic pumpkin pie as always. I used this recipe, but used light corn syrup instead of dark because it's what I had on hand but it was amazing! Definitely will be using this recipe from now on because everyone was obsessed. 

Post pie puppy cuddles :)

Friday we laid low and for the first time in years, my sister and I didn't go black friday shopping! We just didn't feel like we needed anything but I did order this curling iron from Ulta at half price and a pair of my favorite jeans from American Eagle too since they were 40% off. Friday night we met our family friends for a round of mini golf at our favorite place in Cocoa Beach called Lighthouse Cove that has the yummiest ice cream and craft beer for the not kiddos. And I made it into the hole in one club on hole #17!!

My mom captured the sweetest photo of Parker and my sister on our way out of dinner. These boys are like family to us and we used to nanny for them every summer so have known them forever! 

We spent the weekend having more family time and decorating for Christmas which was so nice! I somehow found the time to make this DIY front door mat I've been meaning to make since my mother's bday in JUNE. It was so easy, I don't know why I waited so long! Maybe I'll make a post for this DIY soon because I think it came out so cute. 

3. And finally,  I am soooooo ready for Christmas!!! I've been decorating, listening to festive tunes, and buying gifts like crazy! Mean Girls is in my top five all-time favorite movies so when I saw this shirt as part of Shop Riff Raff's Holiday collection, I preordered immediately. I've had it for a couple weeks now and couldn't wait to whip it out the day after Thanksgiving because I just think it's hilarious and the quality is actually so great! I will definitely be purchasing more tees from them even though they're a little pricey and plan to wear this one all month long! 

Doesn't everyone have a festive holiday lock screen of their dog with Santa? Nope? Just me? I'm cool with that :)

I also wanted to mention I'll be participating in Victoria and Sarah's Christmas linkup as much as possible this year, starting Monday so get ready for lots of holiday posts! 

How was your Thanksgiving?