The Mandalorian & Grogu Meal At Burger King

I have always loved Grogu. He's the cute little character in The Mandalorian. He's sometimes referred to as Baby Yoda, but his name is GROGU. And The Mandalorian & Grogu have a movie coming out later this month in theaters, and of course I'm going to see it. 

In celebration of that movie, Burger King has released different meals. 

I got the Grogu's Garlic Chicken Fries Meal. 

Oh, and did you know I got to MEET Grogu and The Mandalorian? They wander Galaxy's Edge, and I totally stalked them. I was stopping at all the shopping booths and being like, "Where is The Mandalorian?" and I'd be told, "Oh, he's probably off planet," and I'd be like, "But when will he be on THIS ONE?" And finally, there he was with Grogu! 

But anyway, back to the meal. Was it any good? 

As I mentioned, I got the garlic chicken fries, the garlic sauce, fries, the special collectible cup (there's 4 different designs), and Grogu's Cookie Shake. 

The chicken fries were potent. They were good, but do not kiss anyone after consuming these. If you like garlic, you'll be a fan. If you are not, avoid them. 

And the sauce? It reminded of the Papa John's garlic butter sauce.

And you might be like, oh, Grogu is at your house! No. That's not Grogu. That's Grogu's cousin Steve. 

If garlic fries aren't for you, there were other meal options. If you prefer the Whopper, there is a special one for the movie. If you want to try it all, there's a Bounty Bundle. 

And there are CROWNS. I think the lady behind the counter was startled when I asked for a crown. But...but..Grogu is on it. They are free. Just ask for one. 

And naturally I got the cup with Grogu on it. They aren't flimsy. Look at Grogu using the force.

And what about Grogu's Cookie Shake? I liked it! It's blue and it does taste like a cookie. Plus there were cookie crumbles on top. I probably should have had a Lactaid before drinking it. I paid for that a few hours later, but you know, WORTH IT.

I would totally get the shake again. I'd just have a Lactaid first. 

If you want your own The Mandalorian & Grogu in, hurry over to Burger King. They are only available for a limited time. If you don't want any of the food and simply want the cup, I believe they are $2. 

Will you be watching The Mandalorian & Grogu? 

Hey, It's Okay

 I got this idea from Glamour magazine. You can link up any day of the week. All you have to do is make a list of what you're okay about. Simple! Please do not link up a post that has nothing to do with Hey, It's Okay. It's rude and I'll delete the link.

HEY, IT'S OKAY....

......to be excited to spend Mother's Day with my mom and kids on Sunday.  We're having a delicious brunch.

......to wish luck to everyone taking college finals this week--my kids are included in this. Natalie moves back home Friday and Tommy returns next week. 

.....to have loved the movie Michael. Jaafar Jackson did an incredible job. It reminded me of what a kind soul Michael was. 

.....to eventually plan to see The Devil Wears Prada 2. I enjoyed the first one and people have been saying the sequel is entertaining. 

.....to have had to pick these Nilla Wafers up at Walmart because Grogu is the cutest. 

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Bookish Gift Ideas

 Reading is the best. I do it daily. Instead of scrolling on social media, I'll pick up a book. (Mind you, I still pop over to TikTok and such, but only after I've read a few chapters.)

Many others love reading as well, so I have a list of fabulous bookish gift ideas. Mother's Day is coming up, so perhaps Mom would like one of these picks? Or if a birthday is approaching? Graduation? 

I found all of these at Target, but I imagine they can be found elsewhere as well.

This bag was from Reese's Book Club, and I found it to be adorable. It's the perfect way to carry library books.

This is the cutest journal to keep track of the books you've read, and the ones you'd like to read. 

Need a fabulous hat for the next book club meeting? This one caught my eye.

And here's another bag to add to the collection. I have so many tote bags that I switch up. 

Finally, here's another hat. I love the color.

And of course, an actual book is always a smart gift choice. I have a list of my fave books if you need recommendations. 

Do you love to read? 

College Graduation Pics Ideas

 "Wow, there are...one, two, three, four, FIVE other people taking pictures right now," my son Tommy observed as we walked his college campus for graduation photos.

He was correct. 

Others had the same idea we did: come on a Sunday. Earlier in the day. When it was overcast. 

Tommy was the only boy. The rest were all girls, all in white dresses, some with professional photographers.

Tommy? Well, he had his Mama and her iPhone 12 ProMax.

Boys can be easier to photograph. They aren't as picky. Heck, when I asked what he wanted to wear under the gown, I was met with a blank stare. 

(In the end I brought a Disney button down top since Tommy is a proud Disney Adult.)

Anyhow, one of Tommy's favorite things to do is eat, so he wanted a photo in front of the cafe. He has an unlimited meal plan, so he frequents the spot. 

We also snapped a pic in front of his dorm building. So he can look back and remember how it felt to lug his crap up two stories. 

Oh, and, a poignant shot is them walking into to the student union. They might remember how frightened and nervous they were as a freshman, and now they walk in as a senior, confident, shoulders back, determined.

Most colleges have poles with their logo on them, so have the graduate step up and make the college sign. Tommy's college mascot is a Roadrunner, and this is their sign.

And don't be afraid to let them get silly! The photos don't all have to be serious---those are boring. I found these glasses at Walmart. 

Take a shot with the gown draped over the shoulder, with the college visible. And yes, that's the Disney top Tommy went with. 

If the campus has a mascot statue, get some photos. Mind you, there might be a line, but be patient. 

Does the campus have a beautiful area? Grab some shots there. Tommy's college has this lovely waterfall spot.

Stair shots are always a fun idea! 

And finally, try to incorporate items that have to do with their major. Tommy is hoping to work in film with his Film & Media degree (he has a Video Cinematography Associate's Degree), so I found this clapboard. 

I was happy with how the photos turned out. I am ordering graduation announcements, so these will be perfect for those. (Snapfish usually has 70% off photo card deals!)  Did I tear up snapping these? Yes. But I am glad I have a bunch of pics I remember this time in Tommy's life. 

Did you get graduation shots? 

Hey, It's Okay

 I got this idea from Glamour magazine. You can link up any day of the week. All you have to do is make a list of what you're okay about. Simple! Please do not link up a post that has nothing to do with Hey, It's Okay. It's rude and I'll delete the link.

HEY, IT'S OKAY....

 

.....to have had the best time taking graduation photos of Tommy at his college over the weekend. We got some good shots in. And yes, as I figured I would last week when I mentioned this, I did tear up. I'm so proud of him!

......to be hoping to see the Michael movie over the weekend. Natalie is aching to see it. 

......to be reading Count My Lies by Sophie Stava. It's about Sloane, who has always been a liar. She stretches the truth often to make her life seem more exciting. She goes a bit too far when she discovered Jay and his daughter at a park--she lies and says she's a nurse when she helps the little girl with a bee sting. Soon after, she's hired as their nanny, and Sloane begins to worry her lies will get out of control. The book is also about Violet, who is the mother of the little girl--and she has some lies of her own. I figured it would end in an explosive way, and I was correct. It did keep me guessing!

......to love this graduation cap topper. Tommy loves Bob Ross, so it's perfect. AdvbelleArtsShop makes a bunch of wonderful ones on Etsy. 

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Affordable Mother's Day Gift Ideas

 Mother's Day is May 10th. Sometimes figuring out what to give a Mom or mother figure can be difficult. I mean, they do so much. You want to give them the world. But in this economy, it isn't exactly possible. Still, I have many ideas that won't break the bank. 

To start with, if Mom loves Diet Coke as I do, this hat is a win. It's less than $20. Get it here.

Cozy slippers are always a fabulous choice. These are especially pretty. And fuzzy, and soft. Perfect for a relaxing morning. Pick them up here.

If the sweatshirt is out of the price range, these fuzzy socks are under $10. Most stores have various inexpensive socks with fun designs that always make an amusing gift. 

This Mom candle smells amazing and it's pretty! You can't see, but the top looks like a flower. 

I know mugs are overdone, but they can also be used to hold pens and such. So perhaps this would come in handy on Mom's workspace if she doesn't need another mug. Find it here. 

I happen to love reading and I know many others do as well. If the Mom in your life is also a bookish fan, this tote bag is a wonderful choice.

Your Mom can proclaim she's a Mama with this beautiful sweatshirt. It is available here. 

Have you finished Mother's Day shopping yet? 

New Treats I Tried In The Spring

Yes! It's a new season which generally means companies release new snacks. And of course I need to try them. They are all available in most grocery stores now. 

Reese's loves to bring out different flavors, and I always try them, so when I saw this, I was like, yes! You cannot go wrong with chocolate, peanut butter, and marshmallow. 

We are so excited for the Doctor Doom movie, so I had to get these Oreos. Even better, the creme changes color!

Butterfingers are delicious, so when I spotted a French Toast flavor, it was immediately added to my cart. I prefer the original flavor, but this was a fun change.

It's going to get extremely hot soon, so these dippin dots sundaes will be a nice treat. I am a sucker for cotton candy flavors.

Searching for a scrumptious dip for your next get together? This chocolate chip cookie dough dip was amazing! I paired it with vanilla pita chips. 

Finally, another fantastic treat for the summer will be these ice cream sandwiches from Chipwich. If you love mint chocolate chip as I do, these will be a hit! Even better, they were inspired by Thin Mints.

Which one of these do you want to try first?

Hey, It's Okay

 I got this idea from Glamour magazine. You can link up any day of the week. All you have to do is make a list of what you're okay about. Simple! Please do not link up a post that has nothing to do with Hey, It's Okay. It's rude and I'll delete the link.

HEY, IT'S OKAY....

.....to be going to Tommy's college so I can take his graduation pics this weekend. I'll probably cry. 

......to have submitted a recipe to win free HuHot for a year. Check this post out here to see how you can win!

.....to be tired of all the rain we have been getting. I mean, yes, we needed it, but it keeps coming, and I feel for the people at the Fiesta celebrations. It's this event that happens in San Antonio every April for 10 days. There's music and tasty food. 

......to have been enjoying the show Rooster on HBO Max. It's about a divorced bestselling author who goes to a college where his daughter works to support her after her husband cheats. And gets the other woman pregnant. Oops. 

.....to have really enjoyed the book Michael Without Apology by Catherine Ryan Hyde. It's about Michael, who nearly died in a fireworks accident when he was a child. Michael goes to college and meets Professor Dunning, who also had an accident and wears his scars proudly. Michael is still working on this. In film class, Michael decides to do his project on other people with scars, including himself. Will he learn to embrace his imperfections? This was such a moving read and I think many will be touched by the book. 

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Win Free HuHot For A Year

 Yum.

HuHot. It's the spot where you can build your own Mongolian stir fry. As much as you want. Seriously. No cut off. AS MUCH AS YOU WANT.

It's why we go often. You truly get your money's worth and in this economy, this is an important thing. 

And even better, right now there is a recipe contest going on where you can win FREE HUHOT FOR A YEAR!

Local restaurants are picking weekly winners and they get a $25 gift card. Your recipe will appear on a board like this. 

And since we're in Texas, our restaurant is decorated for Fiesta--it's a colorful & exciting 10 day event that celebrates culture & heritage. (Plus, there's chicken on a stick!) 

But back to HuHot. If you've never been, it's simple. You grab a bowl, go up to the line, and fill it with noodles, meats, veggies, sauces..there is so much to choose from. Vegetarians are welcome! Vegans are welcome! Anyone can put together their own special concoction. 

Come up with a fabulous recipe, submit it, and you could WIN.

I call mine Hangry Happens. 

Hurry though. The contest only goes on until April 31st. So get to your local HuHot and create a masterpiece.

All you do is go to the HuHot website and input the recipe you created with a photo. That's it! Perhaps you'll be grand prize winner.

Good luck!