Life at a "Swell's" pace

I have joined in on the fun over at Carolina Charm with her Five on Friday linkup. I adore linkups and this one is a lot of fun. It's similar to the Spark of Loves this Week post that I have been doing already, but this time it will be five things I am loving. In the process, I get to do the Friday loves with a whole slew of ladies that love to blog too. So without further ado, here are my Five on Friday loves.

1. This Mustache Ring.

Because I thought I had lost it in the mix of the "almost" move. I was so thrilled to find it again! It's so fun to wear.

2. This Sign.

Because Oregon is such a bicycle-friendly state. We love to ride our bikes all over the place, so it's nice to see these signs up along most of the roads here in the Willamette Valley.

3. This Wreath.

Because it was so easy and simple to make. I love it! I followed Little Miss Momma's tutorial on how to make it, but I think I will do what Krisytn over at Lil Luna suggested for the wreath, so I don't have to take it down for the Halloween season because I adore it so much!

4. This Ice Cream with Sprinkles.

I don't know what it is with me, but when it starts to get cooler, I crave ice cream. This ice cream was the best though because Jeff picked it up and even added sprinkles to it. Sometimes he is the sweetest!

5. These Shoes.

I was in desperate need of a new pair of running/walking shoes after wearing the same ones to workout in for the past five years. Five years! Can you believe that? These are the Lunarglide by Nike, in mango color and they are so comfortable. I love how bright the color is too. It makes me want to jump up and run around the block just to show them off. Ha!

Eco-Tip: Never leave the water on while brushing your teeth or washing the dishes. If you must let the water run, do it so the water runs into a watering can or a small bucket to use on your plants afterward. For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me: Go Green!

I've started linking up with What's Cooking? Wednesdays over at Going the Distance Blog with Jenn. You can link up as well, every Wednesday with your own recipes to add to the mix. And while you are over there, visit some of the other blogs that have linked to find out new and exciting recipes.

I love having togetherness with friends and family at our house and I love even more the wonderful drinks and mixes people bring with them. One of the main ones I have started using and enjoying is O' Reilly's Irish Cream. Similar to Bailey's Irish Cream, this Irish Cream has endless possibilities for uses and at times it tastes even good by itself. Here are a few recipes that I just love and can be served at your next get-together or function. FYI: Any recipe that calls for Irish cream, you can use O'Reilly's.

• TIPSY BROWNIES:

Source

What you'll need:

Brownie mix (of your choice)

1/4 cup O'Reilly's Irish Cream

Make the brownies according to the package instructions and replace the water with O'Reilly's Irish Cream. Bake as normal and enjoy!

• DRUNK CHEESECAKE:

Source

What you'll need:

15-20 graham crackers (crushed)

2 tbs. butter (melted)

4-8 ounce packages of cream cheese

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup O'Reilly's Irish Cream

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 tbs. vanilla extract

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a glass baking dish or spring form pan. Mix together crushed graham crackers and melted butter until combines. Smash the graham cracker mix into the bottom of your baking dish allowing a bit of mix to come up the sides of the pan.

Mix all remaining ingredients, except eggs and vanilla, until combined. Add eggs one at a time and then vanilla. Mix ingredients for one minute and pour into prepared greased pan. Bake for 1 hour and turn oven off and allow cake to sit until cooled completely. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

• Irish Cream Cookies:

Source

What you'll need:

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup butter (softened)

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup O'Reilly's Irish Cream

Chocolate, Cappuccino, White Chocolate Chips, or Nuts (as desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir all dry ingredients together in a bowl, and set aside. Cream together all wet ingredients including the eggs, one at a time. Add the dry to the wet and combine completely. Add in your chips or nuts in this step, if using. Bake for 10-12 minutes and remove from pan to cool on a wire rack.

You can also enjoy the Irish Cream in other drinks too. Try it in coffee, hot chocolate, add milk to it for a cold beverage, or heat it up and enjoy it hot. Try it over ice cream too!

Eco-Tip: Consider mowing your lawn with a rotary mower instead of battery or gas operated one. It will burn calories and save the planet at the same time, double win! For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.