CHOCOLATE CHIP OOEY GOOEY BUTTER CAKE

Ahhhh!  We are down to our final two days of 2019!  I still find that so hard to believe!

We always host a little New Year's Eve party at our house so I'm taking down the last of the Christmas decorations today and trying to remember where all my normal decor goes.  I hate un-decorating after Christmas.  It's so sad!  My house always looks so plain and boring without twinkly lights.  I will throw out a few cheesy NYE decorations for the party though so at least I'll have that to tide me over before it really does ALL come down.  Sigh.

(Pretty darn accurate for a lot of us! #dontletmegetto3)

Anyway, I know a lot of you are going to be heading over to friends' and families' houses tomorrow night as well or hosting your own so I wanted to share an easy and delicious dessert recipe that is always a hit at parties in case you were looking!

Let me just say that I'm not reinventing the wheel or anything over here.  I've heard this called everything from Ooey Gooey Cake to Butter Cake to Neiman Marcus Bars.  Paula Deen has a famous recipe for it and serves it at her restaurants but it's been around way before her.  This recipe is all over the internet but it's one I grew up on (and you probably did too!) and we just called it Gooey Cake.  And it was my absolute favorite.

When I got married, my mom gave me her recipe and I made it for a while just as she did.  But then I came across a recipe on Pinterest a few years ago where they added in chocolate chips and I loved it!  So 9 times out of 10, this is the one I make now.  I love it cold and chewy but it's also great warm and melty. :)

So if you need something to bring to a party tomorrow night, here's the recipe for something that will be a hit!

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:

1 box butter cake mix

1 egg

1 stick butter, melted

Filling:

1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 16oz box of powdered sugar

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.  In a bowl, combine cake mix, egg, and melted butter and mix well with an electric mixer.  Pat evenly into the bottom of the dish.

Beat cream cheese with the electric mixer until smooth; add eggs and vanilla.  

Carefully dump in your powdered sugar beat it into mixture. Then slowly pour in the melted butter and continue mixing until thoroughly combined.  Stir in your chocolate chips with a spoon.

Pour mixture over the crust and spread evenly.  Bake for 40-50 minutes.  Ovens will vary so be sure to start checking it at around 35-40 minutes. (Mine takes about 43 minutes.) You want the center to still be a little gooey and wiggly and the top to be golden.  Let cool completely before cutting or it's going to get messy.

I always sprinkle powdered sugar over the top before I cut them.  These are delicious served warm from the oven but I love them cold as well.  They get super chewy but still have that "gooey" center.

 

And since we're talking about New Year's Eve, if you haven't seen the movie New Year's Eve before, it is a MUST WATCH!  It's one of my favorite movies ever.  It will get you in the NYE spirit if you aren't quite there yet! ;)  The perfect NYE movie if you're staying in.

So that's it for 2019!  I hope you all have a very safe and happy New Year!!  See you in 2020!

INSTAGRAM | DAILY DEALS GROUP | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | ETSY

CHRISTMAS EVE HOME TOUR 2019

 Merry Christmas Eve, friends!!  

A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS VACATION

Ahhhhh!!  Friends, I don't even know where to start this post!  Travel recaps are my favorite posts to write so when Holiday Inn Club Vacations reached out to invite my family (and my parents!) to their Villages Resort in East Texas for a complimentary holiday getaway I said HECK YES!  (Seriously.  I really said that out loud when I read the email.  In my best Napoleon Dynamite voice and everything. 😉)  In exchange, I would recap our Jollydays experience to share with all of you so here we go!  All opinions are 100% my own.

This was such a special (and completely unexpected) treat for us and when I say this place is a hidden gem I absolutely mean it!  Villages Resort is just a 2-hour drive for us in Mckinney (and the Dallas area) and we had no idea it even existed until a few weeks ago.  I feel cheated that we've lived here for 12 years and I'm just now finding out about it!

Never heard of Villages Resort either?  Well, let's remedy that, shall we?!  There are actually 29 Holiday Inn Club Vacation Resorts across the country too so don't let the fact that you aren't from around my area stop you from reading!

WHAT'S UP WEDNESDAY | DECEMBER 2019

Hey hey!!  It's the last What's Up Wednesday post for 2019!  This year has been a whirlwind and I'm hoping to stretch out the rest of 2019 as much as possible.  It can't be over yet!

But today's post is all about what we've been up lately and this linkup with Shay and Sheaffer is a great way to share a whole bunch of random stuff with you guys all in one place.  Those are always fun, right?!

FRIDAY FAVORITES & A CHRISTMAS-Y GETAWAY!

Happy Friday, friends!  It's been radio silent over here in my part of Blogland all week which is not necessarily unusual.  Y'all know by now I tend to come and go here on the blog and focus most of my attention on my Etsy shop and my Deals Group.  But this week my Etsy shop completely won out over everything and it was pedal to the metal.

I had 50+ signs, cups, burlap prints, and earrings to make, pack and ship by Friday which is totally doable in a normal week.  But this week, things were different.  I worked until midnight Monday-Wednesday to get all those orders completed so that I could spend Thursday packing and organizing (and last minute shopping) because we are leaving today for a fun little Christmas getaway!

We are all so excited!  I love a mini-vacay any time of year but couple that with the whole thing being Christmas-themed and I'm in heaven.  Then throw in a lake, some Smores, hot chocolate by the fire, outdoor movies, lots of buffalo plaid...I can't wait.  The best part is that this resort we're headed to is just 2 hours away from us!  I love a vacation but I hate long travel times so this is perfect!

THANKSGIVING 2019 | FRIDAY FAVORITES

Happy Friday, friends!  We've had a wild week around here trying to get back in the swing of school, trying to keep an eye on all the great sales for my Deals Group, pumping out everyone's Etsy orders, attending Matthew's very first band concert and helping him with a pretty huge (and SUPER ANNOYING) project at school.  Gah, I HATE school projects, y'all.  I still have no idea how to do a "Works Cited" page in 2019.  Is that really necessary?  Why can't you just put the web page and be done?  Or maybe just "Google.com".  #amIright?

But I digress...as I tend to do.

Let's get back to something that was way more fun.  Like our Thanksgiving!

BLACK FRIDAY DEALS! (UPDATED WITH CYBER MONDAY SALES!)

I'm coming at you late today because I just decided to add the deals I'll be posting in my Daily Deals FB group, over here on the blog as well.  I've heard from several of you that you aren't on FB so this way you can see what I'm posting over there and scoop up some great deals before they sell out or the flash sale prices disappear.  Definitely join the FB group though if you can!

I'm copying and pasting straight from my FB group instead of embedding the links (which is so much prettier) because it's quicker and I've got 700 things to do today in conjunction with finding and posting deals.  Eek.  I've got 14 signs to make today, I need to run to the grocery store, I'm making dinner tonight for a friend's family because she had surgery recently and 6 of my out-of-town guests (and 1 dog!) arrive tomorrow.  #help

So here goes!  Be sure and check the group or check back here throughout the day!

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I just picked up some cute pjs for my boys for $5.94!!  These are on sale for $6.99 but it takes off another 15% at checkout!  Free shipping too!!  I haven't had time to check everything else so go now if you can!  This deal ends tonight!!  So many great Cyber Monday Deals here right now!

Boys PJs: http://bit.ly/34FbDm6

Girls PJs: http://bit.ly/33Edq9T

Shop everything!!: http://bit.ly/2RarXHH

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The Phillips Sonicare in pink, white and navy has a clickable coupon for $10 off right now!

*clickable can disappear at any time

https://amzn.to/2Pd4G5s

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FINALLY!! I thought my most beloved gold hoop earrings were never going to go on sale but the day has come!  These Gorjana hoops are the BEST and I don't mind a little splurge on timeless gold hoops.  They also come in silver and rose gold! Free shipping of course!!

--> http://bit.ly/2PTyLso

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GUY GIFT ALERT! I posted about backpack coolers the other day and they make great gifts!  This one is comparable to the $300 Yeti backpack cooler but for $123 today if you use the $20 off clickable!  

This is 100% leakproof, holds a ton, and keeps drinks cold for 3 days!

There are a huge variety of backpack coolers on Amazon and from prices ranging from around $30 all the way up to $300.  But this a great option if you are looking for a "nice" gift idea.  Linking all the other options down below as well though!

Cooler w/ $20 off clickable! --> https://amzn.to/2qdZ6qV

All backpack coolers (so many great deals to be had!) --> https://amzn.to/2LgVpYF 

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Nerf and Marvel toys on Deal of the Day! So many included in this sale!  

--> https://amzn.to/2P4LbvM

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Those awesome inverted umbrellas are on sale right now for Cyber Monday!  $16.79 in all colors!!

https://amzn.to/2OFR0AM

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Get yourself over to Old Navy to snag these sherpa pullovers for $10!  They are flying so don't wait! Jeans are also just $10 and shipping is free with code SHIPPED!

Sherpa: http://bit.ly/35TOKLP

Jeans & Sherpas: http://bit.ly/2rOm206

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Chromebooks are part of Amazon's Cyber Monday Deal of the Day!  Starting at $124 while they last!

https://amzn.to/3831nGD

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I bought this last year! You get 3 rolls of reversible wrapping paper plus ribbon and to/from stickers! All for $13.99 on Cyber Monday Sale!

https://amzn.to/380Jqbk

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The Crayola Ultimate Light Board is a huge seller this year!  Already sold out at Target and I checked Walmart and it starts at $41 there right now!  You can still get it on Amazon though for $23.69!  This thing looks so cool! Take out the black panel to easily trace images and when you're ready for it to light up, just slip it back in and turn it on!

--> https://amzn.to/2sw7cvN

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Who wants new Uggs under their Christmas tree this year??  These come in three colors and are on sale for 30% off plus free shipping!  I love the snap detail on the side!

--> http://bit.ly/2Y0kMDf

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We'll be putting up our big tree this weekend and it reminded me to tell you guys about this deal!  I bought these a few weeks ago to use with our Christmas lights in the living room and for the tree in our bedroom. I'm saving one to use with our big tree.  But they are fantastic!  Plug your lights into them and from across the house, you can turn them on and off with just one remote.  There was no "set up" involved.  Just plug in and hit "on" or "off" under the corresponding plug number.  Works through walls!  Love this thing!

Get three for $13.59!! --> https://amzn.to/2rDP6HI

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How flippin' cute are these J.Crew slippers!?  They match my earrings from today! (see previous post)  These cuties are on sale for 50% off right now with the code FRIDAY!  They also come in other colors and prints!

Plaid: http://bit.ly/2rHtFFy 

All others: http://bit.ly/2P32eOS

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I came here to link my Walmart sweater because it was a steal at $15 and so stinkin' cute!  But when I went to link it I noticed that it's only $9.99 now!!  I grabbed it in a medium in the blue but there are 3 other colors as well.  I also did the free ship to store (if that's available for your location) or you get free shipping with $35+.  

Definitely, size up at least one!  For length, I'd go up two.  I'm doing a large in the black this time.  This sweater is light and soft and seriously...$9.99.  

And you need these leather earrings to go with it!  Those are from my shop and are on sale for 10% off through tomorrow only! Shop will close for a couple of weeks starting on the 4th so get those orders in NOW!

Sweater: http://bit.ly/2OA3YA6 

Earrings: www.thatinspiredchick.etsy.com

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My favorite jeans are back today!!!  If you've seen a picture of me or seen me out in person over the past couple of months, there's a 90% chance I was wearing these jeans.  Maybe 95%.  They are comfortable, cute and have just enough stretch.  Plus they don't need to be rolled up or cuffed but CAN be cuffed with booties. (I'm 5'5" so this will be different for all heights of course.)

This is Style #2 but I also have Style #6.  Huge fan of this brand!!  Can't beat that price either!  $39.99 for high-quality jeans!

Wearing style 2 in the pics below! I'm typically a size 27 (sometimes 26 if I've been counting those carbs...haha) in jeans and I chose the size 5 in these.

---> http://shrsl.com/vik2-xtw-gldsa5_1-1

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So many cute PJs on Jane today!!  Jammies for you and your whole family!  

Shop them all HERE! --> http://shrsl.com/1zef4

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Who needs Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones this year? Currently on Amazon's Deal of the Day which means you save $100 on this gorgeous rose gold pair and $70 on the black and silver! Deal ends in 7 hours! 

Shop them here! --> https://amzn.to/37ICnUF

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Let us know if you have this vacuum and love it!  I personally LOVE THIS DANG THING! Right now the Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Stick Vac is on sale for just $199! (Reg $499!)  You won't regret this one, friends! Super easy attachments let you use to clean simple messes, vacuum your stairs, your car, your couch or your entire house!  Super easy to use!!  Awesome deal!  

https://amzn.to/2L0k4jZ

UPDATE:  Sold out right now on Amazon but you can also get it here and use a paper Bed bath and beyond coupon or enter your email to get a 20% off code emailed to you. http://bit.ly/2qOUSGC 

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The group's FAVORITE beauty deal of 2019 is back on sale for 35% off!  Save $21 on the black and the other colors except the turquoise are on sale as well (although the black is the best deal). This is the greatest hair tool and if you still don't have it and have been wanting it, take the leap!!  Perfect for long, short, thick, thin, curly, straight, young or old hair!

--> https://amzn.to/2OvwQJJ

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The Echo Dot Kids Edition is on Black Friday deal for just $39.99 (reg 69.99) and is so cute but also so fun and practical too!

--> https://amzn.to/35KxTLz

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The uber popular Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette is 50% off right now with free shipping!  

--> http://bit.ly/34qwvgM

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My best friend is on Black Friday Deal plus it comes with Easy Pay!!  I would be LOST without my Shark Ion robo vac!  It makes my world so much cleaner with just the touch of a button.

This guy is currently on Black Friday sale for $169 with free shipping plus you can do Easy Pay so it's just $28.33 a month for 6 months.

---> http://bit.ly/2QTPMDz 

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Lookie what we have here!  Snag 2 Echo Shows for under $100!  These are also on Easy Pay which means you can choose the option to pay $16.66 for 6 months instead of the $99.96 all at once.  Sweet!!  Also, new users can use the code HOLIDAY for $15 off your first purchase!  (Use a new email address if you aren't technically "new".)

Deal (supposedly) ends tonight!! http://bit.ly/2DmKfgT 

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I remember our years with these fun ride-on toys!!  Such a fun "Santa" gift for your little one!  Black Friday deal gets you this for $98 instead of $149! 

--> http://bit.ly/2KYg8R6

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AirPods!  Here they are at the lowest price you'll find this season! Scoop 'em up! $129 and $165!

With Charging Case --> http://bit.ly/33nUVWV

Wireless Charging Case --> http://bit.ly/2OricmJ

UPDATE:  If sold out try Amazon for $134!!!!  https://amzn.to/2DoEjnn

And $165 https://amzn.to/37OzyBN

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Nintendo Switch with Mario Kart included!!  This is same deal we got last year and I will be the lowest you'll see this this year.  (If you see it lower, please tell me but from all my research, every store has them priced the same.)

--> http://bit.ly/2L2tNXb

 

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Get the ipad NOW!!  Finally hitting that Black Friday deal price for $249!  No idea how long these will last but if you're looking, here's the lowest they'll be! 

iPad --> http://bit.ly/35FpDwf 

All Apple Deals (watches, ipads, phones, Air Pods etc) --> http://bit.ly/2KZeUoH

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🎶These are a few of my favorite things...

Look at these gorgeous (and perfect) gifts for any woman in your life!  These Kate Spade studs are 40% off right now with free shipping and as an owner of many many Kate Spade stud earrings, I can assure you that 1) you will never go wrong with Kate Spade studs and 2) they are so much better in person.

These are definitely not guaranteed to last so I'd snatch them up for teachers, moms, daughters, sisters, friends, babysitters...whoever.  One size fits all. 😉

1. Sparkle Studs: http://bit.ly/33p74Lo

2. Glitter Confetti Studs: http://bit.ly/2OpNREQ

3. Pave Halo Studs: http://bit.ly/2rrtIFy

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I'm thinking about getting a cooler backpack as a gift for a few people (who shall remain nameless in case they are reading this) and while I would love to gift everyone Yeti cooler backpacks at $300 a pop, I am too practical/cheap to do that. 😉 So I've been looking at alternatives and thankfully, the people who may get these don't give a crap about the label so here we are.  

This cooler backpack is under $30, comes with a clickable coupon (which could disappear at any time) and has outstanding reviews.  Perfect for trips to the beach, Disney World, the lake, hiking, camping, tailgating, commuting. 

Holds 25 cans or whatever you need.  (Who is packing in 25 cans?!  Dang. But ok.)  

See it here!  --> https://amzn.to/2R49TyG 

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Get yourself organized this Christmas with this gift wrap organizer for $5! This is currently on sale for $5.99 but there's also a clickable coupon with it that takes off another .90 cents! Not a bad deal, friends!!

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The Fire Stick is down to just $19.99 right now! (reg 39.99)  If you're ditching cable this year, be sure to grab it!  We left our cable behind this summer and haven't looked back! These would make great gifts too!

 https://amzn.to/35AkIwF 

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I stocked up on these Under Armour shirts for both my guys the last time they were on sale for $9.99!  TTS and a great buy!

--> https://amzn.to/34iXL0E

If you are looking for the best deal on the Xbox and you don't need a big bundle with extras, this is it. I just spent 20 minutes looking through all the Black Friday ads I could find and comparing prices and the lowest I can find is this Xbox One deal with one controller and 3 games. (Fortnite, Sea of Thieves and Minecraft).  All of this for $149 and the best part is that it's already at that low price at Best Buy!  The other deals won't start until Thursday night.  Might be a great idea to cross it off your list now instead of fighting the crashing website and crowds Thursday and Friday!

--> http://bit.ly/2OPDHwf 

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Hurry!!!  Two colors in left in THE BEST CARDIGAN EVER MADE!!!  The Barefoot Dreams Circle Cardigan (blardigan as a lot of y'all know it by) is on sale for 25% off right now with free shipping but it's going fast!  One color has already sold out so don't wait!!  Quite possibly the best purchase you'll ever make!

Grab it HERE!!

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Here's a Toshiba 50" 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV HDR - Fire TV Edition on sale right now for just $269.99!! 

--> https://amzn.to/2rrT6ej

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A friend just texted me to let me know she just grabbed some of these as teacher gifts this year and thought I might want to share! (Ummm yeah!!)

  

These throws come in tons of awesome prints and are just $8.99 BUT if you stack the codes NOVEMBER15 and HOMEDEAL10, they drop down to just $6.87!!  Grab a bunch for gifts (who doesn't love a super soft throw?!) and free shipping starts at $25!  Be sure to add on any Kohls Cash you have available too!!

I'm getting my boys their own soo they'll stop stealing mine! ;)

---> http://bit.ly/2KUVhxV 

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These doorbuster deals drop these cute booties (and a ton of others) down to just $19.99!! They come in other colors too! Great deal! Booties --> http://bit.ly/35AlnxX See all Doorbusters --> http://bit.ly/37J3MGi

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There are some awesome deals on 6 piece reversible comforter sets at Belk right now! This one is just $29.99 for a king! So many other great prints and sales too!

See them all --> http://bit.ly/2OQ1Dja

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Quick gift idea or you may want to just grab one of these for yourself! If you're like me, you just use a regular towel and then feel like you have a brick on your head while you do your makeup. 😂 These hair drying towels are $6.99 shipped if you want one!

--> http://shrsl.com/vik2-xtw-gka9xf_1-1

UPDATE:  It sold out so fast!!  I found this pack of 3 though on Amazon with awesome reviews for $12.99 plus an extra 5% off clickable coupon (can disappear at any time).  Or you can grab a 2pack for $8.99 HERE.

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I rounded up some Gaming Bundles for y'all today! These may not be the lowest sale prices that you'll see this season BUT you're racking up on the Kohls Cash which you can spend between November 30th and December 9th which makes up for it for sure!

BUNDLES:

XBox One Bundle: $266.99 (reg $404) plus $75 in Kohls Cash! http://bit.ly/37BnALH
*Xbox only--lowest price I can find for $149! HERE

PlayStation 4 Bundle: $429.99 (reg $584) plus $120 in Kohls Cash! http://bit.ly/2QSoiy1

Nintendo Switch On the Go Bundle: $319 down from $349 plus $90 Kohls Cash! http://bit.ly/2KSfaFO

This post contains affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission when you make purchases through my links at no cost to you.  Thank you for understanding the time and effort it takes to find and post these sales and for supporting me! xoxo