It Ain't Easy Being Cheesy (Pizza Roll Up Recipe!)

This past Sunday, I went to my aunt's house for a gift exchange and appetizers. She was already making various dips and nachos, so I couldn't bring my usual go-to choices. I decided to make the crescent roll pizza roll ups that I've seen so many times on Pinterest.

THEY WERE SO EASY AND DELISH. The kids loved them. The adults loved them.

I bought enough ingredients to make 16. Obviously, you can make more or less depending on your needs.

Ingredients:
- 2 cans of crescent roll dough (I used Pillsbury)
- 1 16 oz package of mozzarella string cheese (you will cut each stick in half)
- 1 package of pepperoni
- pizza sauce for dipping (ranch would be good too)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray your baking sheet with PAM. Or use foil.

1) lay out your dough
2) place two pepperonis on the wide side of the dough
3) place one half cheese stick on top of the pepperoni
4) start with the wide end and roll the dough just like you normally would
5) bake for 9 minutes
6) serve fresh out of the oven with your  choice of dipping sauce


I wish I would've taken pictures of the process, but I'm sure you get it. I didn't think these would be good enough to blog about!

These were simple and quick. They would work for parties or even daily snacks and lunches! You can even add other ingredients to spice things up a bit! I kept them simple since we have so many kids in our family.

THAT CHEESE THOUGH.

What's your favorite go-to recipe for parties? Share your links in the comments below! 

The Wisdom Teeth Struggle

All I wanted for Christmas was for my wisdom teeth to be taken out.

I got all 4 wisdom teeth out on Thursday of last week. 2 were impacted. PARTY! I had originally wrote this super negative, horrendously long post about how much I hated life. I decided to delete that and write this post instead :) My overall thoughts are: It was sort of fun for a second...LOOK AT ALL THE ICE CREAM I CAN EAT...LOOK HOW LONG I CAN NAP...but then you get a stomach ache and can't sleep at night. And then it's days later and you still can't really eat and then you become depressed. Who knew I would miss chewing?

Here are my tips for handling this SUPER AWESOME procedure:

-drink lots of water the night before, so they can find your veins for the IV.
-make sure someone is videotaping you.
-ice your face for the full first day...I didn't swell at all!
-hide your cell phone, so you don't send HIDEOUS selfies to your friends. (see bottom of post)
-learn to love soup and learn to love it quick.
-don't gorge yourself with ice cream because you probably won't feel good.
-eat lots of yogurt while taking your penicillin, ladies.
-have a super awesome sibling that stays with you all weekend long to keep you company.
-pick a show. any show. and binge.
-close your eyes during food commercials. don't torture yourself.
-have a god send of a mother who makes you endless amounts of soup/jello/pudding/potatoes.
-DO NOT USE A STRAW...they tell you this though.
-when you think you're ready to start laughing and chewing, just don't. you'll regret it.

my mom made delicious mashed potatoes.

All that being said, it really isn't as terrible as I thought. Just be very careful. And embrace the inevitable weight loss. Silver lining, people!

and lastly, that selfie I mentioned. 

Sorry if that picture scared you, but I felt like everyone should see me and all of my drugged up glory. I didn't even remember sending that picture to my friends! Also, I don't have that many chins in real life.


Do you have any wisdom teeth stories? I've heard some funny ones and some crazy ones. I want to hear yours!

William-Sonoma Giveaway!!!!!

You guys! I know I've been MIA. Buuuuuut listen up...you can win $200 to William-Sonoma!!! Think of all the Christmas gifts you could buy...think of all the gifts you can buy yourself!!! I promise I will have actual content soon, but until then, enjoy! :)

I’ve teamed up with my blogger friends to bring you a giveaway with an amazing prize for one lucky reader! We’re giving away a $200 Williams-Sonoma gift card to one lucky winner… and it just might be you!

You can enter daily over the next two weeks and earn bonus entries by sharing the giveaway with your friends on social media. Good luck!

GIVEAWAY

Prize: $200 Williams-Sonoma Gift Card

Co-hosts: Jenn's Blah Blah Blog • Lush to Blush • The PinterTest Kitchen • Mermade Moments • God's Growing Garden • To Hell in a Handbag

Giveaway organized by: Oh My Gosh Beck!

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily. Giveaway ends 12/23 and is open worldwide. Winner will be notified via email.

Are you a blogger who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your blog? Click here to find out how you can join a totally awesome group of bloggers!


a Rafflecopter giveaway




Good luck, lovelies!!!!! :)

Starbucks Lovers

I found this picture on Yahoo News.

I've been listening to Taylor Swift's 1989 since Friday. I LOVE IT.

If you are familiar with the album, think about the song "Blank Space."

For the entire weekend, I thought she was saying Starbucks Lovers.

You know the part that goes like....
"Got a long list of ex lovers
They'll tell you I'm insane
But I got a blank space baby
And I'll write your name"

Well. I thought she was saying Starbucks lovers. THIS WHOLE TIME.

I was randomly looking up lyrics last night and said to my boyfriend, "OMG you are going to think I'm so dumb!!! It's got a long list of ex lovers!" And that darling boyfriend of mine replied with, "Wait it's not Starbucks lovers???"

PLEASE tell me we aren't the only ones. Starbucks lovers totally makes sense. Blank space...writing names on Starbucks cups? Hello!

I still sing Starbucks lovers because it's funny. And come on. It sounds just like it.

What's your favorite song of the 1989 album?

Mine is Wildest Dreams. :) 

From Scratch Restaurant // Carmel, CA

The Barnyard shopping center in Carmel, CA

I promised myself that when I moved to Monterey, I would blog about all the fun things I was doing and all the delicious food I was eating. Well, I failed. Surprise! However...J and I decided to try a new place for breakfast. It's called From Scratch restaurant in Carmel. IT WAS SO GOOD. We ate there Saturday morning and loved it so much. We went back Sunday morning for breakfast. Oops :)

From Scratch was featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and we know why!

The menu is simple. They have a lot of create your own options, which I loved. I'm a picky particular eater.

On Saturday, I ordered their breakfast skillet. It starts with potatoes on the bottom, then eggs, then 4 toppings of your choice, annnnd then cheese. Holy moly. I ate 1/4 of it. The cheddar biscuit on the side was deeeelish. I ordered a hot chocolate as a day date treat and it was amazing.

On Saturday, J ordered their sausage biscuits and gravy with a side of bacon. He was in HEAVEN. He literally sat there with a dreamy look on his face, repeating "I love it here."

On Sunday, we both ordered the traditional eggs benedict and they were PERFECT. The english muffin was perfectly grilled, the ham was delicious, the egg was poached perfectly, and the hollandaise was mild and lightly poured on top. I haaaaate soggy food and I was so happy with how this dish was executed.

I apologize for the vertical pictures - they were not cooperating. I'm sure you still get the idea.

The food was delicious. The staff was friendly and hard working. We want to make this an every weekend tradition! 

When in Carmel, visit From Scratch! You won't be disappointed. 

Hocus Pocus Drinking Game

this image belongs to Disney

I've been waiting to publish this post... I don't know what I was waiting for, but Thirsty Thursday seemed like as good a day as any!

I LOVE HALLOWEEN. And Hocus Pocus. In my copious amounts of spare time, I decided to create a Hocus Pocus drinking game. (I don't actually have spare time. I just daydream at work.)

Without further ado, grab your drinks and let's play!

Take a drink when:
-Winifred says "booooook"
-Dani whines/cries
-Sarah says something dumb
-Mary smells a child
-Mary bites her lip
-Somebody says Thackery Binx (did you know it's actually Thackery?)
-A spell is cast
-Billy Butcherson gets hurt/loses a limb
-Anytime the witches fly (on anything)
-Anytime the black flame candle is mentioned

Chug a whole beer or your drink of choice when Sarah sings the "coooome littttlllleeee childrennnnn" song.

Chug a whole beer or your drink of choice when the witches sing the "I put a spell on you" song.

Drunk yet?

Good.

Also. You can only play this game if you're 21. Or 18 in specific countries. Sorry not sorry, rules are rules. Also. Don't drink and drive. Not. Worth. It. This PSA is over. Enjoy!

Advocare 24 Day Challenge: Week 1

Week 1 is over! I only had a mental breakdown once...lol! I treated this like a journal kind of. I wrote every night before bed how I felt about that specific day.

Day 1:
- This isn't so bad! I love Spark. I had the mango strawberry today and it was good! It gave me tons of energy. I imagine it has the same effects of a pre work out supplement that my boyfriend would take. The fiber drink was rough. It's a weird consistency. Yuck. I packed snacks for work and felt prepared overall. The Omega pills and the Herbal Cleanse pills are HUGE. The Omega pills don't have a taste, but the Herbal Cleanse pills do.

Day 2:
- Today sucked. I felt nauseous and had a headache ALL DAY LONG. Jarad and my dad said I was having "withdrawal" effects. I had the fruit punch Spark today and loved it even more than mango strawberry. The fiber drink wasn't as bad today. I put a sugar free crystal light packet in it to trick myself. It worked. I got it down quick. The pills didn't freak me out today. Woo hoo progress!

Day 3:
- I woke up looking forward to drinking my Spark. I feel like my stomach looks flatter already. I've been peeing a ton. Today is the last day I have to take the fiber drink until day 8. WOO! Nothing else to update really. No headaches, which I loved.

Day 4:
- Still loving Spark. Also loving the tiny herbal restore pills instead of the fiber drink. I went to a wedding out of town today and packed snacks and all my challenge stuff in a little lunch bag. Nothing I had marked on the invitation had dairy, so that worked perfectly! I had a few bites of cake, but found it to be very sweet.

Day 5:
- Still out of town/traveling back home. I feel really thirsty today and it's probably because of salt that the cooks at the wedding used. I'm trying to drink lots of water! I feel like everything is becoming a routine and I have to think less about the times to take everything. Week 1 is almost done!

Day 6:
- I had a full day of work today. 530am - 2 pm. I was miserably hungry all day. I packed a full lunch and everything. By the time I got home, I was in full on hangry mode. I was irritable and starving. I ate healthy snacks and was still hungry. I realllllllly wanted fast food. Poor Jarad had to put up with my complaints. He did peel a hard boiled egg for me though in the middle of my tantrum though :) I moped around the house for the evening, but decided to take my frustrations out on some Zumba videos and ab workouts.

Day 7:
- I'm feeling much better today. I'm sore from the workouts I did yesterday. Woo hoo! I'm actually not very hungry today, which is weird. I had another meal prep lunch today. I brought hot sauce with me to work and it made alllll the difference. It's still no dairy time, so I really miss coffee. I don't like almond or soy milk, so I've been going without. Thank goodness for Spark. I start the fiber drink again tomorrow and I'm not looking forward to that. :(
 

I'm ready to kick my exercising into high gear. I've been using the fact that I've been feeling nauseous a lot as an excuse and that has got to stop. Here's to kicking a** for week 2! <3 

The Perfect Dress From Eshakti

GUYS. GUYS. GUYS!

Eshakti reached out to me awhile back about reviewing a custom item from their shop. My answer was pretty much 'DUH'. Like most girls, I have issues finding things that fit just right. Too loose, too tight, too short.

I sent my measurements and specifications to Eshakti and then the perfect dress landed on my doorstep shortly after. I was nervous zipping it up the side because things usually have a hard time zipping up at my boobs...It was the perfect fit.

I'm talking PERFECT. They let me pick the neck style, the length, everything! AND. The dress has pockets. I also found this little fabric snap that's used to hold your bra straps in place. At least that's what I think it's for. I'm in love.

This dress is such high quality. The material is kind of thick and I love it. The stitching is flawless. My dress is the perfect tea party dress. I want everything I wear to be custom made by Eshakti. For real.

Thank you for this amazing opportunity, Eshakti!

Advocare 24 Day Challenge

I've committed, you guys. I'm doing a healthy living 24 day challenge through Advocare and MarissaLace.

I first found Marissa on IG. And then I started watching her on Youtube. She has seriously inspired me to finally get with it. So, I emailed her. She gave me some info. I bought my 24 day challenge through her on Advocare's website. And I start today.

A little info.

-The first 10 days are the cleanse phase. No dairy!!!
-The last 14 days are the max phase. For lack of a better term, balls to the wall. HAH.
-1 cheat meal a week.
-The challenge is around $200, not including food costs. But you get a ton of stuff. I was honestly surprised. You also get a handy dandy guide.
-There's an app you can download for tracking progress.
-This isn't a miracle pill. Exercise and clean eating are essential to success.

You can find the technical info on their website. I'm no pro.

Marissa has sent me a meal plan and I am ready! I went shopping last night and meal prepped for the next few days. I have a cute, new workout outfit for motivation. And I have a few friends saying they'll eat clean with me. YAY.

I will be doing a check-in every 6 days. So 4 updates in 24 days. I'll also do random posts about the products I'm using and my meal prepping. This challenge will end right before Halloween and a few weeks before my birthday, so I have high hopes! I finally feel committed to losing weight and getting healthy. I want to succeed. Eeeeek, I'm nervous.

If you've done the challenge or taken Advocare before, please comment below! I would love to hear your thoughts and tips if you have any. :)

*This post isn't sponsored in any way. I just want to hold myself accountable.*

Maniac Book Review

this picture is not my own. i found it on the Musa Publishing website.

I received  a copy of this e-book from Musa Publishing for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own. 

I've reviewed a book for Musa Publishing in the past and loved it. When the offer to review another book was extended to me, I knew I had no choice. I chose the book Maniac by Patrick Whittaker.

I'll start by saying if sexual content freaks you out, don't read it.

I'm really bad at getting excited and talking too much about things. Sooooo. Here's the description from the Musa website.

"There are some people you should never allow inside your head. The seaside town of Chadham prides itself on being sleepy. Until Maniac turns it into the murder capital of Britain. Detective Inspector Harry Nyman is the world's most reluctant policeman. He'd much rather be playing jazz than investigating crime. Unfortunately, murder sets its own agenda. As the body count rises, it becomes clear the murderer has an ultimate goal: to destroy Harry Nyman."

There are some people you should never allow inside your head.
The seaside town of Chadham prides itself on being sleepy. Until Maniac turns it into the murder capital of Britain.
Detective Inspector Harry Nyman is the world's most reluctant policeman. He'd much rather be playing jazz than investigating crime. Unfortunately, murder sets its own agenda.
As the body count rises, it becomes clear the murderer has an ultimate goal: to destroy Harry Nyman.
- See more at: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=115#sthash.tm8vAanT.dpuf

There are some people you should never allow inside your head.
The seaside town of Chadham prides itself on being sleepy. Until Maniac turns it into the murder capital of Britain.
Detective Inspector Harry Nyman is the world's most reluctant policeman. He'd much rather be playing jazz than investigating crime. Unfortunately, murder sets its own agenda.
As the body count rises, it becomes clear the murderer has an ultimate goal: to destroy Harry Nyman.
- See more at: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=115#sthash.tm8vAanT.dpuf

There are some people you should never allow inside your head.
The seaside town of Chadham prides itself on being sleepy. Until Maniac turns it into the murder capital of Britain.
Detective Inspector Harry Nyman is the world's most reluctant policeman. He'd much rather be playing jazz than investigating crime. Unfortunately, murder sets its own agenda.
As the body count rises, it becomes clear the murderer has an ultimate goal: to destroy Harry Nyman.
- See more at: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=115#sthash.tm8vAanT.dpuf

The description doesn't give too much away and that's what intrigued me. I really loved this book. It was super trippy and so interesting. I seriously read it in one sitting. My eyeballs were glued to my phone for a few hours. No big deal. You know how you think you have books figured out? And then you are WRONG? That's this book and I loved it.

Think: demons, murder, love stories, sexual encounters, death, sorrow and you sitting there at the end with your mind blown.

MIND BLOWN.

Sooooo. buy this book. Just do it. And then comment here and tell me how mind blown you are. That would be cool.  Because I'm the only person I know that has read it and I have nobody to talk to about it.

The end. Thank you, Musa Publishing - for killing it again! And thank you, Patrick Whittaker for having a crazy imagination that wrote this crazy story!

It Started With Hello and Lindt Chocolate

This article is sponsored by Lindt HELLO.

Let's be real. Saying that first "hello" is hard. It's something that we have to do over and over again. Moving to a new town where I knew a total of 4 people was scary. What if I didn't meet new people? (insert other irrational fears here) Well it's been 4 months and guess what? I did meet new people! They're mostly my coworkers, but that still counts! What better way to show friends you care then with Lindt chocolate? Hint: Lindt chocolate paired with other Target goodies. I put together this tumbler full of treats for my new friend, Erin.

Guess what? Lindt HELLO chocolates can be found in bars, sticks, OR mini-stick bags. AND you can choose from 4 flavors. Caramel Brownie. Cookies and Cream. Crunchy Nougat. And Strawberry Cheesecake.

Guess what again? You can enter a sweepstakes to win super fun prizes! All you need is an email address and the prizes change every week! Spa day, shopping spree, or a date night - plus many more!

Ashley Tisdale is in on the fun and you can watch the "It Started With Hello" series on Youtube.

My One Year Blogiversary and A Giveaway!

Hey guys! Guess what? I've been blogging for a whole year now! Well it was a few weeks ago, but still! I joined forces with Mary, Brita and Ashley to celebrate! Below you'll find a fabulous giveaway and a post from Mary about the Do's and Don'ts  of Instagram!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
I'm Mary, the girl behind, Eat Drink & Be Mary.  I'm a girl in her twenties who recently graduated college, and am now learning to love long distance.  You can often find me raving about a recipe I recently tried, essentials every girl needs in her closet, or sharing cheap + festive Fall date night ideas.  And when I'm not blogging you can find me playing with glitter.  Because it's glitter, duh.

But enough about me.  More about what I'm here to share with y'all today.  Instagram Dos and Donts.

Social Media.  Everyone has it these days.  And every blogger should.  Social Media can definitely boost your blogs success.  Plus, "I have to for my blog" is the perfect excuse to put off something productive to scroll through your Instafeed.  #winning

But as a blogger there are "rules" for managing these accounts to benefit you and your blog.  The do's and don'ts.  So without further adieu...

DO have your blog URL in your profile for easy access.  Instagram still doesn't allow clickable links through your posts, but add a "link in profile" to get followers to access your blog easily.

DONT leave comments only asking people to follow you.  Just don't.  Not cool.

DO use creativity.  Take pictures using different angles, from a different point of view, etc.

DONT comment with #tagsforlikes or #commentforcomment.  That's spammy.  No thank you.

DO use filters and edit your picture.  But don't over do it.  These should enhance your picture not completely change it.

DONT  go to someone's account and like their past 20 pictures, only to not follow them.  Spammy.  If you like that many pictures, follow the account.  It only makes sense.

DO post pictures of babies.  Everyone loves babies.  Pictures of babies get more likes.  FACT.

DONT post more than twice a day.  More than this becomes excessive, and no one wants just one user filling up their entire feed.  Exceptions?  Weddings + Babies (see above.)

DO follow me.  What kinda blogger would I be without a shameless plug?  ;)  

DONT only post promotional pictures for your blog/brand.  Post personal pictures as well, readers love to know what happens behind the scenes.

So there you have it.  My ten dos and donts of Instagram, to improve your following.  What would you add to my list?  

Don't forget to stop by my blog and see "the best of the best" of Eat Drink & Be Mary {according to y'all} in celebration of my first Blogiversary.  Cheers loves.

    Thanks for stopping by guys! Good luck with the giveaway and thank you for sticking around for the last year! I'll start posting more again, promise! <3 

Save The Undies and Save Your Money!

Huge thank you to U by Kotex for sponsoring this post and helping me #savetheundies.

Okay ladies. I know you all have that FAVORITE pair of undies that you spent too much money on. Okay, let's face it. Multiple pairs. 5 for $25 anyone? Now how many pairs have been ruined by that time of the month? How much money has that cost you?? Ain't nobody got time for ruined undies!

U by Kotex is the answer to all our problems. 3D Capture Core locks in wetness and helps to stop those icky leaks! You can choose from liners, pads, or tampons! They seriously have something for every girl's needs - while still looking out for our #1 need... keeping those undies cute.

What can you buy with all the money your saving from not having to buy new undies all the time?

• new clothes
• more cute undies
• Pumpkin Spice Lattes from your local coffee shop
• a puppy
• or a brand new car?

Okay, so maybe not the car, but definitely all the other things that I listed.

What are you waiting for??? Save The Undies and get your free samples from U by Kotex here.

If You Knew Me In High School - A Linkup

sophmore year

Ohhh high school. I don't think I've ever mentioned it on the blog before! I saw Morgan's linkup and I knew I wanted to do it.

I'm second from the top left

I graduated in 2009. I wasn't really anything specific during those four years.  I wasn't an athlete. I wasn't a band geek or a super nerd. (I did wear glasses and looked pretty nerdy though.) I wasn't a scene kid or anything like that. Freshman year was not all that memorable. Things became a little more fun sophmore year. And by junior and senior year, I had a solid group of friends and we did a lot of fun things together.

Night swims at the high school. Sonic tater tots and slushies. Football games and sleepovers. Projected movies and backyard walls. Always hanging out in parking lots when we didn't mean to. Ridiculous photo shoots. Parties when we got a little older. My (ex) boyfriend of 5 years and I started dating my junior year. My best friend Beth and I are still BFFs. Living together in Monterey. What what! I lucked out with awesome friends and still consider most of them my friends today! How sweet.

Formals and Proms were always so much fun. Our group always had a good time. I loved getting dressed up!

my first formal - Dec 2007

prom - May 2009

I think the best way to show how I grew up is through all the formal and prom pictures! I started out looking like a little baby. So funny!

Here are a few more gems for your enjoyment.

i'm in the background - so classic

Evan is Beth's boyfriend (still) <3

one of my favorite pictures - we were being each other

That concludes my tour through high school. I hope you had some fun looking at these pictures! If you did the link up, leave your blog link in the comments!