A Shopaholic's Paradise

DIY Homemade Caramel Popcorn

nobody@vox.com(VaShopaholic) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:49:53 -0400

Found this during my search for a recipe today! Enjoy!

Homemade Caramel Popcorn

This is a sweet treat for some sweet friends.

I use my friend Di’s recipe. It is easy and so delicious!

Di’s Caramel Corn

½ Cup butter (1 stick)
1 Cup light brown sugar
¼ Cup light corn syrup
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon baking soda
3 quarts (12 cups) popped corn

In heavy saucepan on medium to medium-high heat melt butter then add brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring mixture to a boil stirring constantly. Once mixture boils stop stirring and boil for 5 minutes (Do not stir). Remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour mixture over popped corn. Gently stir to coat popcorn. Place popcorn into a large roaster or rimmed baking sheet and bake at 225° F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool and enjoy!

Two batches of this recipe filled my three containers from Wal-Mart perfectly

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Vox Hunt: The Last Book I Read

nobody@vox.com(VaShopaholic) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 16:30:11 -0500

Show us the last book you read.

Change of Heart: A Novel

Jodi Picoult

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

QotD: New Year's Resolution

nobody@vox.com(VaShopaholic) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:02:17 -0500

What's your New Year's resolution for 2009? How did you do with 2008's?

My New Year's resolution for '09 is to:

Stop Biting My Nails (on-going for quite some time now)
Have a gym routine
Feel better about myself (confidence in myself and those who care about me)

My '08 resolutions were not too bad. I did go to the gym more (but not as often as I should have). I did not stop biting my nails, but hopefully this year i can do better. My other resolution was to stop sweating the small stuff, and i have done better with that than the previous year. I still have tons of work to do, but i'm well on my way.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Vox Hunt: New Year's Pic

nobody@vox.com(VaShopaholic) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:51:23 -0500

Show us a picture taken last night.

1231082034

This was taken last night when my sweetie and I were at dinner at Kabuto's (Japanese Steak House). I had a bit more to drink than he did so that is why i look a bit crazed. We had a great day. I love spending time with him. Happy New Year, Babe!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Best Calendar EVER!!!

nobody@vox.com(VaShopaholic) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:22:11 -0500

Cute Overload Page-A-Day Calendar 2009 (Color Page-A-Day(r) Calendars)

Meg Frost

If you are anything like me, you sometimes have stressful days at work. Well, not with the help of CuteOverload.Com. They are the best website to put your stressful days to an end after seeing all the wonderful and cute pictures of animals. Well, I went to Target the other day to finish up my christmas shopping and I purchased this calendar!!

I think i may end up putting it at work to make my day go a bit better. I may end up writing a note to a down or stressed co worker or i may just end up decorating my cubicle with each amazing day!!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Jason Mraz - Lucky

nobody@vox.com(VaShopaholic) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:34:53 -0500

jason mraz and colbie caillat - lucky

Jason Mraz Ft. Colbie Caillat
Lucky

Do you hear me,
I'm talking to you
Across the water across the deep blue ocean
Under the open sky oh my, baby I'm trying
Boy I hear you in my dreams
I feel your whisper across the sea
I keep you with me in my heart
You make it easier when life gets hard

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
Oooohhhhoohhhhohhooohhooohhooohoooh

They don't know how long it takes
Waiting for a love like this
Every time we say goodbye
I wish we had one more kiss
I'll wait for you I promise you, I will

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
I'm lucky we're in love in every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday

And so I'm sailing through the sea
To an island where we'll meet
You'll hear the music, feel the air
I'll put a flower in your hair
Though the breezes through trees
Move so pretty you're all I see
As the world keeps spinning round
You hold me right here right now

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
I'm lucky we're in love in every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday

Ooohh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooooh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Farewell My Beloved "Furry" Friend

nobody@vox.com(VaShopaholic) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:13:33 -0500

sleepy boy

1995-2008
Cody, you lived a long, happy life. You will be missed by all.

Cody was known as the family dog. He loved everyone and was there for you in good times and bad. Sadly, we had to put him down today. He had kidney failure, congestive heart failure and water on the lungs. He was 13.

You were a man among boys. You were the smile on my face and the joy in the room. You are my baby boy and I will miss everything about your wonderful face, caring heart and fluffy coat. There wasn't anything you could not do. You were the glue to our home.

CodyMan&Me

I will miss your fluffy butt running down the driveway after me. I will miss your funny bark ("BURF") and most of all i will miss you comforting me after a bad day. You were the medicine to my sadness. It is so hard to let you go. To not see you running up to me after i get home to work begging me to feed you. I can still see your pretty eyes looking up to me while i open your can of food. I can still see you running over to the fridge as i'm opening the sliced cheese. I can still imagine you sitting by the fireplace cooling your belly off after a long walk in the sun. I can still see you as a puppy, scared and unsure of your new home. I see you making your first trip to the vet for your shots. I can still see myself giving you your first (and last) bath.

Codyman

I remember when you jumped off the bed and broke your little leg. I signed your cast. it read, "Cody, I Love you!" You were the light of my life. You always knew how to get my attention. You would paw my feet so I would rub your belly. Or you would whine at me when you wanted to go ouside. I can still remember the day i taught you to turn in a circle when you wanted to go outside. I remember you suckling on the tiger tail we got at the gas station. I can still see your face the day we brought home Genie girl, and how sad you were the day she did not come home from the vet last year. September was a hard time for you.

Cody,Me&Genie

Throughout your life, you lived. You really lived. And, you have shown me that i should live my life to its fullest. You ran after me everyday from the mailbox to the door. You always acted like a puppy. You never let your age determine how active you were. You were a healer to my grandma before she passed away. I think because of you and Genie girl, she lived so much happier, fuller and content. You gave her a few more years of life, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for that.

Cody Man

You have no idea how much it hurt me to see you in pain. To see you eat barely enough to get through the day. It was so hard to see you turn for the worst last week. I was so upset to see you so unhappy. I was hoping you would never leave me. You were my best friend. And, I will cherrish every memory with you. I know you no longer feel any pain and that fills my heart with joy, but it saddens me that the price to pay was ending your life. I cannot help but think of our last moments together. You laying in bed with me, snuggled in my arms like a big baby, watching a movie. I never felt so happy in so long. You have not only touched my life, but you have touched my heart and my soul. Cody, "CodyMan", "Cody Buck", 'Big Man", "Love Bug", "Hansome Man", I love you!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Vox Hunt: Landmark Love

nobody@vox.com(VaShopaholic) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:53:43 -0500

Show us your favorite landmark in your current hometown.

Poe Museum

Not only is the Poe Museum a great place for a cheap date, but its one of the oldest landmarks in Richmond.

My cousin and his wife were married there, too!

Main_Street_Station

One of my all time favorites is the Main Street Station. Thank goodness they renovated it so now it is in use. The clock tower can be seen from interstate 95 heading North. I love passing by it as a child as seeing the clock read the correct time. It is as faithful as Big Ben, but sized just right for Richmond.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend