Energy bites!

I made these today and not only are they healthy but they are darn good too!  They are a no-bake energy snack made with chocolate chips, toasted coconut, flax seed, peanut butter, vanilla, honey and chia seeds which are optional and I did not have but I think I've seen them at Walmart.  I decided to try and eat healthier than I try to do already but I do love a little sweet at the end of the day.  Not sure I need energy at the end of the day but that's okay.  They are good in the frig for about a week and it makes 24 or there about.  A good after school snack too if they're not allergic to nuts!
I had pinned this awhile ago on Pinterest............here's the recipe............

I also bought some fruit today and a melon and I plan on cutting it up and putting it into a 'snack drawer' ready to go like this...............I have blueberries, cantaloupe, sugar snap peas and apples.  I need to get some string cheese too.  Also, boil and peel some eggs...great idea huh?  They say if you have healthy snacks ready to eat without having to peel, cut or slice then you are more likely to make the healthier choice. 

I hope you had a wonderful, healthy day!
Happy Trails!





 

It's Monday! What are you reading, listening to and/or watching?

I finally finished this dreaded book..........it was the worst....there has only been one worse than this and it was a 'self-published' book which explains everything......if someone can explain why this book is so famous I would love to hear about it and on top of that it was a PBS series?  I just don't get it.  I'm going to try and watch the series if I can find it and maybe that will make more sense.

I also finished this one............loved it.....real life is so much more interesting than fiction!  I even found 2 of my relations mentioned in the book.

I'm still listening to the Financial Peace cd's and reading Milk Street magazine..............

But I started reading 2 new books...actually more than that.....this one I just started last night and these are all on my tablet using the Kindle app................I got these on sale for usually .99 but no more than 1.99.............Lavender Dreamer has recommended this author to me and I am finally reading one...the first book in this mystery series....so far....so good...it starts off with a bang....literally! LOL!  Thank you, Diane!

 Most of you know, I am all about the 'cozy' so when I saw this book on sale I had to get it.........I had been curious for awhile about 'the happiest people' on earth as Denmark was rated and they say it is because they all practice Hygge (pronounced Hoo-ga).  It was funny,  because we had a 2 hour power outage last night and I was reading this book with candles and a fire going in the fireplace while munching on cheese and crackers with a glass of wine and those are all part of their creating Hygge!  I would fit right in with the Danes!  This is a great book so far and I am hoping to pick up even more tips for my cozy life!

 I'm also reading this as I am seriously considering opening an Etsy shop if I could only decide what I want to sell........any ideas appreciated..........

As for watching....it's the usual news shows I've mentioned, I did watch the entire inauguration except for the balls in the evening, I watched Inside Number 23's Vlogs from Vogue Knitting Live in NY and also a few others.  I'm trying to catch up with Stitching the High Notes and she recommended a show on Netflix called Stranger Things which she said was similar to the movie Goonies several years back.   I watched the first episode last night and I could have watched more...there are 8 total so far.  It is a series produced by Netflix.  So, that's pretty much what's going on in my world of literature......what's going on in yours?
Happy Trails!

YOP Week #30

I have 'finishes'.....yes...you read that right...plural!  FINISHES!  I'm off to a good start but still behind the 8 ball and I don't think I will get the Hermione's socks done in time for the Harry Potter January KAL but such is life...........but without further ado................the elf slippers are done............lol!
I think they're too big...I thought the pattern was not specific enough and the circular needles I bought at Walmart were bad and snagged the yarn every time I pushed it onto the needle and the yarn had several knots in it where they joined it.....not a good project for me anyway.  I also think the hole where you put your foot is a little small.  I'm not even sure I should gift them.....Brooklyn Knitfolk knitted several pair of these and they all looked 'normal' using the same pattern and she's been knitting less time than I have but I think she's knit more in that short amount of time.  Plus, I don't think she uses cheap needles or cheap yarn! LOL!  I am a slow knitter too so although it was said it was a 'quick' project.....it wasn't for me and I still need to sew on the 'slipper grippers'.  You can't win them all I guess but it certainly threw my knitting confidence out the window!

 I also finished the cowl for the Red Heart CAL for January so this I can enter...............it's for me so I used  'cheap stash' which seems about all I have lately............

 These are my Hermione's Every Day Socks a free pattern on Ravelry by Erica Leuder and I think I am pretty much the last person to get on this popular band wagon.........I am using Sirdar Heart and Sole 4 ply sock yarn 100g, 75% wool 25% nylon.  I'm liking the socks but it's not t.v. knitting as there's a pattern which is easily memorized and not a problem but I still can't watch t.v. or be distracted or I will mess it up.  It calls for 18 repeats of a 4 round pattern? Won't it be a knee sock by then?  When I took this picture I had done just short of 3 of the 4 round pattern repeats so about 12 rounds...am I misunderstanding it?   So is it 18 rounds or 18 repeats of the 4 round pattern?  Why wouldn't you make it evenly divisible by 4 then?   Am I thinking too much?  Is it the math person in me?

I need to pick a new crochet project now which will probably be my daughter's birthday present and do I dare try and make another pair of slippers?  I need another gift so we'll see.  Maybe I'd be safer with hats! LOL!  Actually, the socks are 'new',  the next slippers or hat are a 'gift' so I think I need to pick up a crochet 'WIP'.....I'll go hunting....I'm sure there's one here someplace!
For those of you who only read my blog on Sunday's, I will share the really cool acquisition that I got in the mail this week..............my Blue Sky Fibers 21-color slouch hat...YAY!!!!!
 I have waited awhile but it was well worth the wait.....I want to cast on but I shan't.....not now.......but the yarns are scrumptious and hopefully with great yarn, a great pattern and some good needles I will be able to  pull it off.  Plus, I now  have their entire range of colors in their new Woolstok worsted range which is 100% fine highland wool. (Blue Sky Fibers used to be called Blue Sky Alpaca)

   I've watching Stitching the High Notes podcast this week and she is delightful...I'm still catching up
with her podcasts.  She knits, sews and more.  I also found 2 inexpensive pattern books for crochet and knitting for the Kindle this week....there are more on Amazon but not necessarily this cheap............these were .99 each.........free if you have Kindle Unlimited....there are more Kindle books on sale in handwork and every category so check them out!

That's all for this week....I hope you had a great one!
Happy Trails!