Monster Bark {Halloween Candy Bark}

As soon as I saw this Halloween Candy Bark on the front cover of Kroger's My Magazine, I knew we had to make it.  It just looks so silly and fun for little ones!  

So the kids and I dubbed it "Monster Bark" and had a blast making it together this Halloween!

Monster Bark (Halloween Candy Bark)
(Original recipe by Kroger)

Ingredients:

Chocolate candy coating (near the chocolate chips in the baking aisle)
Halloween candy of your choice, such as:
Gummy worms
Candy eyes
M&Ms
Candy corn
Pretzels
Sprinkles
Peanuts
Whatever you'd like!

Directions:

1.  Melt the chocolate in a covered saucepan on the lowest setting on your stove top.  Stir with a spatula and watch carefully.  Be patient!  Do not overheat or the chocolate will caramelize.

2.  Place parchment paper at the bottom of a 9x13.

3.  When chocolate is melted, pour onto the parchment paper.  Spread chocolate evenly (being careful not to make it too thin).

4.  Decorate with Halloween candy while the chocolate is still warm.

5.  Refrigerate until hardened.  Cut and serve!

Notes:

It took 20 minutes for 1/2 lb. of chocolate to melt on our stove.

In the magazine article, Kroger suggested putting the pieces in pudding cups.  It would look so cute in dirt pudding!

We absolutely loved making and eating this sweet and silly dessert!  So if you want a fun and cute treat to make with your kids this Halloween, you should definitely make this Monster Bark!

Happy Halloween!

This post was NOT sponsored by Kroger - I just love their magazine and shopping there for our groceries!

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Printable Halloween Decor from Sweet Little Ones Shop:

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The Best of Pinterest: My Favorite Pins

I love Pinterest.  I'll occasionally have a fail, but for the most part, Pinterest has given me so many amazing ideas for recipes, decorating, living the faith, crafts, DIY projects, and more.

I could probably give you a hundred or so of my favorite pins!  But I narrowed it down to one fave pin for 5 different categories: Recipes, Holiday, Kids, Faith, and DIY Projects.

Ok, ok, so I tried to narrow it down.  I added in a few sub-categories and had a few ties too!  Pinterest is just so awesome - it's hard to choose just one!

Favorite Appetizer Recipe

Dill Cucumber Dip
I found this while specifically looking up a cool and refreshing dip for the summer.  It is fabulous.

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Bonus:  It's 'fancy' enough for a wedding or a baby shower, and it's 'hearty' enough for an outdoor barbecue or a game watch with friends.  It is perfect for any get-together!

Favorite Soup Recipe

 

Sausage and White Bean Chili
This chili is unique and has the perfect amount of spiciness.  It tastes amazing.  End of story.

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Bonus:  It only uses 1/2 lb. of sausage, so it's a fairly cheap meal to make.  Plus, it freezes very well so I always double the recipe so then we will have one for a later date.

Favorite Dinner Recipe

Beef and Bean Enchilada Casserole
We love Mexican food so this is one of many Mexican recipe pins I've tried.  This is by far our family favorite.

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Bonus:  It only uses 1/2 lb. of hamburger (so it's a cheaper meal), but it is still hearty.  Also, it can easily be converted to a meatless meal, which is perfect for Fridays for our family.

Favorite Kid's Meal (Tie)

Pancake Muffins
I could never get a hang of flipping pancakes.  I always, always burned them.  Plus, I was stuck next to the griddle making pancakes while everyone else was eating dinner.  These pancake muffins took care of both of these problems in one easy swoop.

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Bonus:  They can be frozen, so they are perfect to make ahead for busy days.

English Muffin Pizzas
So easy.  So versatile.  Everyone in the family loves them.

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Bonus:  They're fun for the whole family to make together.  And they're freezable.  I'm all about make ahead meals for the busy days.

Favorite Dessert Recipe

Christmas Cranberry Cake
I tried this recipe on a whim.  It is hands down the best dessert I've ever made.

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Bonus:  It only takes 6 ingredients.  Yes, you read that right - only 6 ingredients!

Favorite DIY Project

Hand Painted Dresser
I wanted to paint a tree on our kid's dresser as soon as I saw it on Pinterest.  It is so beautiful and so unique!

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Bonus:  It was well worth the time, and it's something the kids (and I) will cherish forever.

Favorite DIY Home Decor 

and Organization Project

Wet Bar turned Craft Space
Several pins came together to give me this idea.  Framed display area for the kids' crafts.  Mason jars for storage.  Spice rack turned into storage for craft supplies.  And so much more!

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Bonus:  It's beautiful and organized and my favorite space in our house.

Favorite Holiday Pin (Tie)

Hobbit Halloween Costumes
As soon as I saw this pin, I knew this was the perfect Halloween costume for our curly haired kiddos.

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Bonus:  It's a no sew project!  And the cloaks are one size fits all (for kids) so they can play dress up with it for years.

Shamrock Hair Bow
How cute is this for a little girl?!  Dainty, cute, and oh-so-easy to make.

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Bonus:  It is incredibly easy to make.  Plus, we're Notre Dame fans so our daughter wears it all year.  Go Irish!

Favorite Faith Activity for Kids (Tie)

Prayer Sticks
My sister Katie came across this awesome little faith activity for the family.  It's a great way to get kids involved in prayer!

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Bonus:  It strengthens your family prayer life.  Need I say more?!

Felt Nativity Scene
I came across a Felt Nativity Scene when I was looking up ideas for a Felt Christmas Tree, and I fell in love.  I had to make it for my kids!  So one Christmas, Katie and I had a Pinterest Day and made it together for our little ones.

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Bonus:  It's a fun, hands on way for the kids to learn about the Nativity Story.  And something they can play with for years to come.

Favorite Indoor Activity for Kids

Coloring a Box
Katie found this one as well and shared it with me - it is pure genius for giving kids a creative outlet when you're stuck inside in the winter!

{Pin It}     {View It}

Bonus:  The box keeps little ones contained.  It entertains the big kids for hours.  And you can do this activity outside with sidewalk chalk too!

Favorite Outdoor Activity for Kids 

DIY Sidewalk Chalk Paint
This is so easy to make, and there are tons of sidewalk chalk games and activities that equal hours of fun for the kids!

{Pin It}     {View It}

Bonus:  It's edible and washable because well, kids put everything in their mouths and they tend to make messes!

These are just a few of the awesome pins I've found over the years! 

So how about you?  What are your all-time favorite Pinterest successes? 

             

Visit Sweet's profile on Pinterest.

 

P.S.  Are we friends on Pinterest yet?  What is your Pinterest name?   Mine is @sweetlittle1s above.  Please share in the comments below so I can follow back!  I'd love to connect with you!

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Halloween Costumes (and a Giveaway coming up!)

I'm still trying to think of costumes for the kids this year - it's more that I have 500 ideas, and about a week to get it done. Abby keeps flip flopping on her costume, and I like having Tim 'match' her...so we'll see what we come up with. :)

In case you are like me and still don't have costumes, here are some easy DIY ideas from Halloweens past ... 

DIY Hobbit Costumes (Cloak and Feet Tutorial)

Check out how Jess made their costumes here!

Five Easy Halloween Ideas for Boys and Girls

Baby Wonder Women - felt glued on a shirt and a DIY tutu

The Boy who Lived ;) Harry Potter Forever!

Our Costumes Last Year

Last Halloween, we did a Toy Story theme - Jessie and Buzz. I used plain white shirts and glued on felt. Buzz's wings were a little tricky, but well worth it because they were adorable! :)

Jess' kids were Dorothy and the Lion last year - so cute! :) She found their costumes on clearance at a consignment store. Great find :)

What are your kids dressing up as this year? Do you buy your costumes or make your own?

As for the GIVEAWAY announcement - make sure to follow us on Instagram! Our sister, Kelly, and our sister in law, Karissa, both launched Etsy shops in the past two weeks. We're teaming up with them to give away some really cute stuff soon! :) You can follow Karissa and Kelly too and help support their shops :) 

Hope your week is off to a great start!

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