Spooky S'mores & Pumpkin Teeth

Happy Halloween Everyone!

I know this post is too late in the day for anyone to use for this year but perhaps some of you can pin it for later use.  Sorry about that - too much to do and too little time last night.

My kiddos love taking and sharing things with their classes.  Even though our school doesn't celebrate Halloween, I thought it was a perfect excuse to send something for my littles to share with their friends.   

Both girls wanted to send Halloween s'more bags and my son wanted to take bags of 'Pumpkin Teeth'.  (Thanks Pinterest!) I snagged some Halloween ghost peeps that are adorable and made some large 3 packs for the kids' teachers earlier this month as a 'Happy Fall Y'all' gift along with some pumpkin gooey cake (stay tuned for that recipe).  Sadly, I didn't buy enough and couldn't find any more of the ghost peeps last week.  (*sigh*).  Thankfully Kraft makes small ghost shaped marshmallows that worked too.  Target had the individual Hershey bars in 8 packs that weren't too expensive.  I was worried that four ghost marshmallows would not be enough, but I tested it late last night and it was the perfect chocolate to marshmallow ratio.

I had designed a darling tag with an orange chevron background but had to rethink after I realized that I was out of Magenta color ink.  Don't you just hate it when that happens when you're all ready to print something cute & one little color is low?

Spooky S'mores Treat Bag

Pumpkin Teeth Treat Bag

My friend, Amanda, at Dixie Delights, has some darling Pumpkin Teeth printables and more here & S'more Printables Here.

All three children left this morning excited about sharing their treat bags which is all that mattered.  It was much cuter in my head when planning it all out, but if they are happy, that's what makes me happy.

I hope y'all have a great evening of Trick or Treating.  It's soggy and dreary here so we have already prepared the children for the possibility of an evening at home with the lure of take-out food, movie night and getting to pick out a whole bag of their favorite candy after school.  Below is a picture from Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party this year.

Hope

Happy Halloween from Willie, Pocahontas, Jack Sparrow, Jasmine & Izzy

Candy Corn Pretzel Bark

Sign up to take a sweet treat for the Halloween Party at school or want to take something cute to the office to share tomorrow?  I have just the thing for you!

I found this recipe at I Heart Naptime and took it to the 1st grade pumpkin party last week.  Several moms asked me for the recipe so I thought y'all might like it.

Candy Corn Pretzel Bark
1 bag of pretzels (I love the Snyder's square snaps)
1 (11 oz.) bag of Caramel bits
1 (16 oz.) package of Vanilla candy coating or white chocolate
1 (9 oz.) bag of Candy Corn flavored M & Ms

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or wax paper (I almost never have wax paper) and place pretzels on pan side by side. Make sure the pretzels are touching.  Melt caramel in a microwavable bowl according to package directions. ** TIP - Caramel is not like chocolate that seems to stay hot.  You will most likely have to reheat a few times after you spoon out caramel over the pretzels.  The caramel hardens quickly.  Stir caramel until smooth and then spoon caramel over each individual pretzel.

Melt the vanilla coating in the microwave according to package directions. ** You have to be very careful with chocolate in the microwave.  It burns quickly & then the entire batch is ruined.  (Yes, I know from experience.) Pour the coating over the caramel and spread evenly. Immediately place M&M's or candy corn on top. The chocolate helps the M & Ms to stick.  Allow candy to harden and then cut into pieces.

Below is today's attempt.  I am taking the bark to the teacher's lounge tomorrow as a treat. 

Here is what you need

My Caramel wasn't very even.  My youngest needed my help with something which caused the caramel to harden

Vanilla coating

Finished Candy Corn Caramel Pretzel Bark!

Hey Y'all!

Before I start posting 'the fun stuff', I thought it would be a good idea to introduce myself and give you an idea about what I plan to share with y'all.  

I'm Hope - a Southern mom to 3 precious little ones.  I am oh so blessed to be a former trial lawyer now stay at home mom in the fall, winter & spring.  During the summer, I am a full-time swim instructor to other parents' precious littles.  I love family game night & movie night, dates with my hubby, baking (my kiddos have played assistant baker since they could hold a measuring cup), planning unforgettable birthday parties (because it's the memory that makes it worth it all), anything Ole Miss, reading a good book, Mexican food, absolutely everything about the BEACH, the perfect cupcake, Disney trips, pilates & yoga, sewing, and making other people smile.

Why 'Hope Floats and More' as my blog title? Well, I spend at least 8 weeks teaching swimming lessons each summer and adore the beach.  I do like the water aspect of the title, but it's more than that. I want to teach my children to have hope no matter what; that hope can always rise above the craziness in life and 'float'; and to hang on to that hope.  One last meaning for the title - as a mom of three, sometimes I feel like I can just keep my head above water! Who's with me?

What can you expect to read on my blog?  It will be a mixed bag of all that I love along with some other sprinkles of life in general.  Plans for now include, all of my Disney tips, tricks & ideas; birthday party ideas and overviews; my favorite recipes; freezer meals; family fun night ideas; cute teacher gifts/school goodies; fitness tips and MUCH more. 

My Sweet Family

I hope y'all will join me on this adventure!

Hope