Halloween Candy Leftovers?

Besides devouring it, what should you do with extra Halloween candy? 

Halloween Candy Leftovers by lgb321 featuring gift packs

Freeze it! Frozen chocolate is great, plus you'll eat it slower. Divide it! Put a few candies in ziploc bags, then slowly give it out as small treats or in lunch bags. Re-gift it! Children and adults would love receiving candy and a gift card as birthday gifts. Bake it! Use melted chocolate in cupcakes and crush hard candies to use as sprinkles. Donate it! Many drugstores accept leftover candy to donate later. Or you can bag it all up and take to homeless shelters, soup kitchens, hospitals, or nursing homes. (And, of course, always throw away any home baked goodies or candy in opened wrappers.) It'll take some willpower, but these ideas should help save a few calories as we go into the holiday season!

Trick or Treat in Comfort

Passing out Halloween candy is one of the highlights of my year. It brings back memories of my children dressed up as their favorite heroes and cartoon characters. Plus, they felt so special as their Dad and I carted them up and down the street in their toy wagon.
While our trick or treating tradition is gone, Halloween is still great fun. And it's definitely more relaxing in comfy clothes with a cold "beverage" and a few friends to laugh with as the front door opens to the pint-size monsters and princesses. Happy Halloween!

Trick or Treat from Old Navy by lgb321 featuring a blue jean jacket

Old Navy petite jeans
oldnavy.gap.com

Old Navy Mens Disney The Nightmare Before Christmas Tees Size XXXL...
oldnavy.gap.com

Old Navy blue jean jacket
pinterest.com

Favorite Dress

Love the look of a shift dress - plus gray accessories!

Favorite Dress by lgb321 featuring grey shoes

Also I love designing sets on Polyvore. Trying out new clothes and graphic designs isn't always easy. They might not always turn out right, but I do have fun experimenting!

Fiesta Crockpot Chicken

Over the years, "Taco Tuesday" has meant an easy meal with taco meat, soft tortillas, handfuls of cheese, and mounds of sour cream.

But to break the monotony of ground meat and packaged Mexican seasoning, I came up with a tasty chicken version. It's one of my favorite recipes that can be used in so many different meals. Fiesta Chicken can fill a taco, top a salad, create a casserole, or just be eaten with some melted cheese and a dollop of sour cheese. Yum!

Plus, it's made in the crockpot. One more reason to love "Taco Tuesday"!

Fiesta Crockpot Chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts (cooked in the crockpot and shredded)
1 can black beans (drained)
1 can corn (drained)
1 jar salsa
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Cook the chicken breasts for 4 hours on high. Then shred with a fork. Add rest of ingredients and cook on low for 4 hours.

Then, as mentioned above, serve Fiesta Chicken in any Mexican dish you like. Enjoy!

Neutral Home Design

As my children have gotten older, I've started thinking about decorating in neutral colors - even white! Here are a few of my favorite styles for inspiration.

Ballard Designs

Ballard Designs

Wayne Windham, Architect

The Enchanted Home

Many of these neutral looks can easily be added with duck cloth slipcovers. Acquiring neutral covers can be done through a seamstress, bought online or handmade (which is way beyond my sewing skills!) While my girls' muddy hands and sticky fingers are part of the past, I'll still have a problem keeping my Jack Russell and Yorkie off the bed!

I really love decorating, but I need to remember the many blessings I already have. Living in a well-decorated home makes me happy, but living with Christ needs to be my ultimate goal.

Orange & White Summer Style

Great summer look...orange high-low top, white jeans and fun accessories!

Ruffled Orange Top by lgb321 featuring patent leather flats

Closet Confidence

Creating a new fashion look can be a real challenge. Recently, I've tried to update my wardrobe with some new accessories. And I've learned new "trends" (fun but not always age appropriate) on the Polyvore website. It's allowed me to be creative and think of new ways to use the clothes I already own.

But sometimes I feel like I'm in a "fashion rut" and have been looking for ideas to improve my wardrobe.

Here are a few tips I recently saw on Redbook online:

1. Look in the mirror. Think about how you want to present yourself and how you can update your look. Maybe add some new colors or accessories.

2. Clean out your closet. Clearing clutter lets you assess what you need - and appreciate what you own!

3. Find a fashion mentor. Ask friends about their fashion ideas. Go shopping with friends or family, but if you're alone ask for ideas and advice from a store clerk.

4. Experiment. Step outside your wardrobe "safety zone." Some new things might work and others might fail miserably. But you will find new elements to make your own style.

5. Don't give up. And if you don't love it, leave it! Take back that new shirt if it doesn't look totally right when you get home. As your new look develops, you'll gradually see the clothes and makeup that are better for you. Develop your look and build your confidence!

In future Delight in the Sunlight posts, I'll be adding a few new "outfits" from my "Polyvore closet." It's become a fun hobby that challenges my design skills and fashion ideas. Plus, I get to see outfits created by other women (and some men) from around the world.

Of course, fashion can make you feel good about yourself, but true beauty comes from the inside out. I need to remind myself that fashion and makeup can take me only so far!

"Charm can lie, beauty can vanish, but a woman who fears the Lord should be praised." - Proverbs 31:30

"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." - 1 Samuel 16:76