{confessional}

I have a confession....well other than the fact that I haven't 'blogged, blogged' in awhile that's a different story...I have never been to Williams Sonoma. There I said it. It's true... I don't know if you frequent there a lot, a little, or a none, but I absolutely loved it! A little overwhelming since I am in no way a chef, but taken in small, quick doses, I'm sure one could certainly become a chef! The poor best walked through listening to me "oohing & awing" the whole entire time, all the while I yell out "LOOK AT THIS, OH I LIKE THAT all over the store!" Bless her heart, she thought she was just going in to grab a mother's day gift (I should take notes from her & not put things off like I do!), browse a little, & be done. Little did she know, I had never been.


So while on my mini tour de Sonoma, I stumbled across the baby cook section. When I was expecting Miss Busy A, I had HUGE aspirations of buying the baby beaba cooker & making ALL of her baby food. Well since I've never been to Williams Sonoma, you can probably also gather that, that did not happen. (although I did make sure she only ate organic baby food & read all ingredients!) It's like I was this Super Nanny/Pretend Mom/Amazing Housewife before I had my own child & then I became a mother for the first time! Easy-peasy until she hit 3months old, then I just became consumed with trying to entertain her, soothe her teething pains, & just trying to take a shower every other day! Anyways, back to admiring the baby food cooking machine & reminiscing about my dreams of making all of her food, I saw a cookbook, the baby&toddler cookbook; fresh, homemade foods for a healthy start. I flipped back to the 12+mos. section & LOVED what I saw. Then it hit me, it's not too late to make her food! The recipes were right up my ally (quick, easy, & healthy) PLUS I thought, hmm all these recipes are things that the Mr & I like too! Everything from pastas, fritters, soups, pizza, etc! So there I was waiting to checkout with my very first WS purchase.




Which brings us to the WHOLE point of this post...This little recipe was so amazing, I thought while we ate it, "this is worth blogging about", then I thought "is there enough left for a photo-opp?" So here it is:


Cheesy Pasta Wheels 
(Totally used mini bow-tie because WholeFoods unfortunately did NOT have wheels! Yes I was beyond bummed, but luckily Miss Busy A has no clue yet!)


1 cup dried pasta
1 cup chopped broccoli
3 tbsp. heavy cream
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
(makes about 2 cups cooked!)


step 1: Bring lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta & cook for 8mins, then add broccoli (I used frozen florets!) continue to cook 2-3mins. longer. Drain well in a colander.
step 2: Leaving pasta/broccoli in the colander, return the saucepan to the stove. Add cream & butter,simmer over medium heat until the butter is melted & the cream is bubbling. Remove from heat & stir in the cheese. Return the pasta & broccoli to the pan & stir gently to mix well.
step 3:Bon Appetit! (And mommy's please share with your child! I know you'll want to eat it all for yourself, but this is a children's recipe after all ;D)

Until next blog....

STOP SEEKING OUT THE STORMS!

Is there something going on? Is it contagious or in the water? I'm talking about people & their negativity.... It truly is about to drive me insane. (Which I am totally working on not letting it, because then those kind of people succeed at exactly what their trying to do!) But if people don't start standing up saying enough is enough, when will it ever start to slow down or at least start to get better? I understand everyone has the right to their opinion or "freedom" of speech, or that someone did something to you so you are bitter or hurt, but when will we ever stop? Doesn't everyone have excuses for anything that they do? I could give you a laundry list of life events that I have gone through that I could use as my excuse line, but I don't. I want to be different. I want to be positive. I want to see good in the world. It is coming at me from all angles lately...but I'm standing my ground. I will always try to find & spread the good. After all, I find this world to STILL be a beautiful place!

Until next blog...

Poor Monday...

Every week it seems to be the same ol' pattern...starting around Sunday evening to all day Monday, news-feeds everywhere fill up with "where did the weekend go? I hate Monday! Can't Wait until Friday! Monday is the worst..." You've seen it, you may even have said it or like everyone, you at least thought it. But if we change the way we think, we could learn to love Monday...if even just a little! I mean think about it this way....

Anyone else in joining me in changing the way we think about Monday?

Until next blog...

what matters most?

Wouldn't people everywhere start an amazing thing if we all saw the things that truly mattered most...Is that thought even possible or is it impossible because the things that truly matter most in life are different & vary to every person? Feel free to share your comments & thoughts...




Until next blog...

...when skies are grey!

I can just see this in a nursery or little boys room! Would also be really cute in a bathroom! Such a fun, sweet print! Enjoy!

Until next blog...

beautiful quote...

Sometimes when I am pinning away on pinterest, I come across a quote that seems to fit exactly how I feel or what I think. This quote I stumbled upon does just that. I made it into this chic little print! I plan on "pinning" this in our home for all to see & to remind myself just how I feel when I start to feel discouraged. Enjoy!!!

Until next blog...

never, never....

Just like the old saying goes "Don't judge a book by its cover," people need to also remember to "Never judge a girl by her handbag!" I say this for many reasons, here are just a few...1) I feel like some people tend to decide whether one has money or not by the bag a girl may carry 2) That some people think that just because a girl carries a nice bag she MUST think she is better than everyone else & 3) Who does she think she is carrying THAT bag?! Anyone else out there with me? 


For me, my love of handbags started when I was little. I witnessed my Memaw (very much a lady, cared for her appearance, & loved to spend money on her wardrobe) select her handbags based on quality, craftsmanship, & timeless style. If you could have met my Memaw you would have known that her handbags were not a way to say to others I am better than you or look at me, I can spend $X amount of dollars on a bag, she was more than that. She was a hardworking, loving, sweet, faith based lady, full of grace, & never, ever placing judgement on a n y o n e. Her bags she carried were simply because she liked them, wanted to invest in ones that would last, & because they were something she chose to spend her hard-earned money on. Definitely not because she thought they brought her some sort of status or made her better than the next woman.


I remember the first bag my Memaw gave me. I was probably 4 when she gave me my first "designer" handbag. All I have left of it is a photograph...with my dad, Memaw, & myself, bag on one shoulder, holding hands with her & Barbie in the other, oh how I wish I still had that bag! You see when your 4 you don't know what things cost or what a designer is, so I (now regretfully) threw it in the "mission bag." My parents were great about teaching me that when you get new things you should go through & clean out your old things, then in turn give to those less fortunate than yourself. I didn't know at the time, that some things you just DON'T throw out because they will mean so much to you long after your Memaw is gone & that if that thing is a handbag from her, it probably cost her a pretty penny. 


Anyways....after I got older I started to appreciate handbags. I recognized that although I may like certain handbags that cost more than what others are willing to pay, it didn't mean that I was better than them. It just meant that, that's the bag I liked & I was willing to pay the cost. Anyone that shops can buy something that has a hefty price tag on it...does it mean that they are privileged or wealthy? Not in the slightest. They may have worked hard & saved for that purchase or they may be in credit card debt up to their eyeballs for all you know. Does it mean that they think they are better than everyone? Some might have that mentality (& if they do, that doesn't mean everyone else does too!), but you might be surprised to find that some don't at all, but rather that's just what they like. Just remember, never judge a girl by her handbag!


Until next blog....

count them 1 by 1...

Being an avid pinner on pinterest, I am almost inspired on a daily basis! Sometimes I just wish I could stop life & recreate all the things I want to recreate! But I have to do things as time allows...Here's a little something I made! I plan on printing it out on some card-stock & framing it for the playroom..or playroom bathroom. You can too! Sorry I am not a savvy upload file, yada-yada-ya person, but you could just right click & save image as & print from home! Enjoy!!! And if you do print it out, put in a frame, & place it in your beautiful home, email me a pic & I'll post it in the blog! {outofthetiffanyblue@gmail.com}


Until next blog... 

{n i n e} years

For this post I have to start out with an apology to my little blog...I'm sorry I do NOT keep up with it like I should...I honestly do not know how people do it for a living or that have more than one busy child and find the time to consistently keep up with it...maybe that should be my new years resolution! Anyways, back to my post....


Nine years ago I was a junior in high school...I can't say I know what path I was on because I think back and think about where I was headed during that time, and I couldn't tell you. I was coming off of a long list of dating the wrong guy (for me) pattern, I just witnessed the death of my beloved Memaw, and to be honest, was getting a little tired of being treated like I was a bad child at home. Not that I was perfect, but my mom insisted on being on top of me like I gave her a reason to think I was a "party or bad" girl type. I barely did anything, besides shopping...I worked, helped with my little sister, and did my chores. I was a good student and never really gave my parents reasons to worry...but for some reason, if I asked to do anything, I got "I don't know their parents", "no you need to watch your sister", "you need to do x,y, & z" yada-yada-yada. ((for the record, I'm not saying this from a whoa is me stand point, just stating the situation during that time..)) I remember thinking that if I was going to be accused of or constantly asked if I was doing certain things, that maybe I should just start. Maybe I should become a party girl...what did I care. Life was too short, and I had just witnessed a woman, who lived a good "clean" life, was full of faith, never drank, smoked, did drugs etc, suffer through a long, painful death. Why on earth should I be good when life can turn on you no matter how you live... So there you have me nine years ago, on a path looking for "bad". Now fast forward a few weeks later and cue my saving grace...


I had met him when I was a sophomore. I went to a baseball game to watch a then boyfriend play. I said hey could you go get "Mr. Wrong" for me and tell him I'm here! He said sure and was gone for a few minutes. He came back and said "umm he's sort of busy right now...". I was a little disappointed but I figured he was warming up or something for the game, but he said "I can't lie to you, he's busy playing video games & just doesn't want to come talk to you....BUT I will." Such a sweet gesture I thought, we chatted a couple of minutes, and then went on our separate ways...I thought that he was nice, but that was all... On to watch the game, after all I was there to watch my boyfriend play. A few weeks went by and Mr. Wrong & I called it quits. Partly because he was a jerk and partly because an old boyfriend, who I thought I would never hear from again that had moved to another state, contacted me again. 


So back to a Mr. Perfectly Wrong for me...a great pattern I hope that my daughter never falls into! School came to an end, summer started with me working full-time, and trying to keep up with a long-distance relationship...every so often when I would be online, the nice guy from the baseball game would "IM" me saying Hello Beautiful! I would tell him I had a boyfriend, we would chat a little, then that would be it. I spent my summer into my junior year, in and out of the hospital with my Memaw. She was becoming seriously ill and having a lot of complications. (short story on her...she contracted in the '80s, Hep C in a blood transfusion, which later turned into Cirrhosis of the Liver,which in the end took her life.) Come November 14th, we were called to go to the hospital to say our goodbye's...they turned off the machines and all day we played the waiting game. I remember thinking with each passing minute that there was a chance that she could have a miracle, wake up and be healed. I was standing there, in what almost felt like a bad dream and like forever all at the same time...starring at this woman whose life was ending too soon, who was too good to deserve this, and who I was going to miss too much. I walked up to her and I said goodbye Memaw, I Love You...and that was it. She died....the line went flat and she physically left us. I was so overcome with emotions from, she waited on me because she knew how upset I was that I didn't come up with my parents that last weekend, to maybe I shouldn't have said goodbye and maybe she would have held on longer. But it was over, she died in front of my own eyes. That was a long, silent drive home. I didn't want to talk about it to anyone and just wanted to be left alone. I got on the computer to email Mr. Perfectly Wrong about what happened...that and snail mail were our only form of communication at the time. As I was typing the email, the nice guy from the baseball field IMed me, Hello Beautiful! popped up on my screen. I typed, you don't even know me and my Memaw just passed away, I'm just trying to email my boyfriend...I don't feel like talking. He told me he was sorry and that if I needed anyone to talk to, he would listen. Pfft, what did this guy know? He didn't even know me and besides I had Mr. Perfectly Wrong to lean on...or so I thought. Mr. PW called me, told me he was sorry, told me how sorry he was that he wasn't going to be able to be there for me, blah-lie-lie-blah...A few days later I found out he had another girlfriend or 2 and that he had been lying to me all along. Whatever, I'm over Mr. Wrong's...in fact I think I'm just going to be single for a little while....In fact, I think I want to just be carefree, figure out how to get into the party crowd, and not care about anything anymore. There was no point... 


Winter-ball was coming up and a girl in class asked me if I was going. I wasn't...didn't have a dress, didn't have a date, and didn't really care. She said "would you go if you had a date? I said I don't know maybe...She said do you know Mr. Perfect For You? Yeah, I met him last year at a baseball game. Would you go with him? I guess, if he didn't have a date." Well you guessed it, he had a date. Just as friends, but he had already promised he would take her and he didn't want to do that to her. I told him it was okay, I understood, but he asked if he could call me later. So he called and we talked a little, then he said he had to go, his dad was making him do the dishes...Sure I thought, the dishes...then later I got an IM: have to finish my english paper, but I'll call you as soon as I'm done. Okay I mean really, he obviously doesn't want to talk to me. But then he sent another message: if I call you back tonight, you'll know I really like you. A couple of hours went by and I thought for sure that he wasn't going to call...but he did. We talked A L L night. Seriously from 10:30pm to 5:30am. We met up between classes and just started to get to know one another. He invited me over to meet his parents (no Mr. Wrong's in the past did that...) I invited him over to meet mine...then Winter-ball came, I went over and helped him get ready. He was going to come over to my friend's house when he was done to hang out. He came over, rang her doorbell, I answered... There he stood with a single rose and asked me to be his girlfriend...


Now I am not saying we have had a perfect relationship...but we have been there for each-other, grown up together, overcome many, many obstacles, supported and loved one another for nine years now. He was there when I wanted to spiral out of control and he let me a few times, but he always helped me back up. He supported me in any decision I have had to make. And most importantly he has loved me for just me. I don't know how he has done it, but I do know that he is my best friend. Some people say you shouldn't be best friends with your spouse, but I'm here to say, you need to be best friend's with your spouse! We wouldn't have it any other way. Who wants to go through life without their best friend by their side? I sure wasn't doing a very good job without him that is for sure!


I know I could have made this world's longest blog...but I didn't want to bore the reader. I feel like I've left so much out...but that's our nine years in a blog-shell! Feel free to leave a comment or a short snip-it about your "best friend"... I appreciate any comments, tips, or suggestions, just leave them in the comment section!

Until next blog...

honey water with lemon..

It's crazy to think that today marks nine years since I said I love you & good bye to my Memaw. Most times when I think about her I'd give anything to just have a phone call with her. To visit her is a given, but going on nine years without her, I would take a phone call if that's all I could get. I know she watches over me and for that I am extremely lucky..grateful...and blessed! A few weeks ago I even got the luxury of getting to visit her home. Some people don't get that chance, but her house was on the market again from the people who bought it nine years ago and with my husband being a realtor, I told him I wanted to go see it. Walking through the front door was like getting a piece of her back for a moment in time.


Even though it wasn't the exact same, she was still everywhere in that home. Most of my memories with her can be found behind those walls. Standing in the kitchen I could imagine her boiling her water, pouring it in her coffee cup...squeezing in the lemon & stirring in the honey. She did it every morning...Being in that house one more time help ease the pain of the last memory I had with her. Although a special memory, also very difficult & painful all at the same time. That house helped me to think of the countless other ones though. Playing the piano...making tacos out of her coffee table decor...riding countlessly up & down her driveway...spending many nights there & going to church with her the next morning. I love those memories...that house...and I love her. 


If heaven wasn't so far away, I'd go every single day! 


Until next blog...

the truth is...

until next blog...

...pinning

Well if you are like me at all you know all about PINTEREST... and if you don't, take my advice and DON'T check it out! It is so addicting, T R U S T me! Also take my advice and prepare yourself for your significant other to ask you what you are doing all of the time...which brought me to this little saying :D Enjoy!!! 

And, Happy Pinning!

Until next blog...

...fairytale!

Until next blog...

OH shoot!!!!

Sometimes you follow a recipe to a T...other times you make changes that you want...and on occasion you have no choice but to make substitutions because you can't find what you need! The latter happened to me today. Earlier this morning I was feeding my Pinterest addiction. (is there a support group for that yet?!) I was making my list for Target (just a quick run for a few things, rarely do I or you, make it out of there with a "few" things but I make a list to help...) ANYWAYS, making my list & pinning all at the same time, when I came across a Smore's cookie recipe...one click led to another click & before I knew it I stumbled upon a Oreo Pudding Cookie Recipe. Sounded pretty good & really quick, plus easy. I thought they'd make a nice addition for after dinner tonight.


So added to my list 

• Instant Oreo Pudding Mix
• Hershey's Cookies n Cream Bars
• Chocolate Chips

Easy enough, Target has a little of everything so I'll just pick those up....WRONG! No big deal, I figure I'll just swing by the Walgreen's not too far from our house, because it's never easy to just run into Walmart...ehhh, F A I L. For the record Walgreen's does NOT carry chocolate chips or the Oreo Pudding Mix, just the standard vanilla or chocolate. So I start to make substitutions...I grab Oreos, Vanilla Pudding Mix, & Hershey Drops (chocolates without a candy shell)..so the ever so friendly cashier asks what I am making, I tell her well, Oreo Pudding Cookies, but I am substituting almost everything because I can't find this or that. She says you should just get one of those Jello Instant Oreo Desserts...I like the way she thinks, I said do you have it? Of course they don't, but she said that Dollar Store right over there will! So we put everything back & off I go again. Last stop I tell myself or we aren't having dessert tonight.


So as you probably can guess they had the No Bake Oreo Dessert & the chocolate chips or I wouldn't be writing this blog right now. I must admit though I was nervous to make these substitutions since I've never made the original recipe, but I must say in the words of my sister "OH shoot these are good!"

Hope you enjoy! Until next blog...

...mascara magic!

If you are still stuck in the "old" days of reading a magazine (not everything has to be online and for me, there is just something about holding it in your hands, flipping through the pages...)anyways, you know how they do not skimp on the subscription cards. Almost as soon as you pick a magazine up, a couple fall out and almost always hit the ground. Well today's tip will help put some of those cards to good use!


Now I am sure the magazine companies wouldn't appreciate this tip, but those who are "reduce, reuse, recycle" might! These little cards work magic when applying mascara! Not only does it help prevent the occasional lash blot, but it really helps you coat the lashes from base to tip!

So there you have today's Tips-y Tuesday! Go ahead, give it a try, pass it along, & don't forget to bat those lashes when you are out and about:D


Until next blog...

roses are red, violets are blue...

Rose gold is my new FAVORITE HUE!!!!!! I am normally a silver, white gold, platinum kind of girl...but I received a rose gold watch for my birthday & I am I N L O V E! I've even discovered that it's okay to mix it with my other jewelry (which I always thought was a big no-no?!)...huge bonus! So now I am on a mission to add some bracelets & maybe stackable rings or a right hand ring to the mix. 

top pic: the inspiration

middle pic: stackable rings

last pic: t & co

So short & sweet, today's Fashion Friday is ROSE GOLD!!! Until next blog...

[social media shenanigans]

It's pretty amazing and somewhat funny, how fast someone can cause a stir on social networking sites. All it takes is for one person to post something about a change coming and it takes off like wild fire...


If you are a Facebook-er, you know recently that someone started saying that they were changing it over to needing payment if you wanted to continue using it. So many people in my news feed were copying and pasting this status in what almost seemed like a panic. I mean if you stop and think about it, would it really be that big of a deal? 


For me personally, and I may be completely alone in this, would not find it detrimental. In fact, I would survive. Would I pay for Facebook? No way. Would I miss it, not really. I use it like a lot of others, to keep in touch with those I don't really see that much. But so many people use it as a lifeline. Remember the days before Facebook? They were great... People still socialized the "old fashioned" way...more face to face. And if you had things to share with those involved in your life, you actually shared them face to face or over the phone or even (gasp!) snail mail. Now it seems as though nothing is private or sacred. People tell you every single detail of their life. They post pictures of every single thing they can, what they have, or what they did. They take the things you post and they use it for their benefit or as a "gossip" tool...


I seriously have not been apart of a conversation that hasn't included the phrase, "well I saw it on Facebook" in years! It almost isn't official anymore, unless it is on Facebook. Maybe I just don't get it...maybe I truly am an old soul. Maybe I don't gain anything from having 100, 200, or 1000 "friends". I hate to break it to some of you, I bet not even half or a handful of those "friends" would even know when your birthday is if fb didn't tell them. And if you really needed one of them for something, they wouldn't be anywhere to be found. Sad, but so true. I just wish people would go back a little more to how things use to be.. There is so much more to this life.

fall.food.football

Regardless of if you are a working mom, stay at home mom, football fanatic or just in the mood for fall, I have a couple of quick recipes to share! Game day and just fall in general, always puts me in the mood to whip things up in the kitchen, but since I can't even seem to find time to take a shower anymore (thanks to a very busy 10 mo. old!), I am always trying to find short cuts or at least cut my time in the kitchen down tremendously... 


Recipe #1 Game Day Queso in a Pinch!
Faster than it takes to score a touchdown, you can have this queso ready & help keep game day munchies down at the same time! I just did the tried & true recipe from the rotel can (except I add a splash of milk to the cheese!), but I added turkey sausage crumbles this time! SO GOOD! Don't knock it until you try it ;D

Recipe #2 Piece of Pumpkin Cake!
I came across this recipe pumpkin dump cake and it inspired me to put a different twist to it, a la Piece of Pumpkin Cake (it sounds better than "dump" cake too :D bonus!)

Well, there you have it! Two completely random recipes but SO fast, easy, & delicious!!!
Until next blog...

::power in pink::

I believe in pink.
I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner.
I believe in kissing, kissing a lot.
I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.
I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls.
I believe that tomorrow is another day and
I believe in miracles.
-Audrey Hepburn


I believe Ms. Hepburn knew exactly what she was talking about! Such a powerful quote and so much more than just loving the color pink. What if we all believed in these things or instilled these things in our children for the future...I believe things would change for the better. 


Maybe we should all believe in a little pink...


Until next blog...

[join the fight]

Brace yourself...it's that time of year where everything starts to turn pink! (obviously I don't mind one bit!!) Before you roll your eyes, know that it is for a VERY good cause! Breast cancer awareness is so important in today's day in age. Did you know that ONE woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every THREE minutes in the US? An even scarier statistic is that ONE woman will die because of it every THIRTEEN minutes in the US. The good news is that the survival rate has increased drastically since 1960, but the bad news is, there still is no cure.

However there is hope! With early detection and heightened awareness (thanks to organizations like Susan G. Komen for the Cure) lives are being saved every day. Everyone can help make a difference. Whether you run in the race, donate money, buy pink products, or simply spread the word, every single person reached is one more possibility. I hope that you will share this and the pictures with everyone you know. 

Target Pink Products

Cook for the Cure

Warriors in Pink

Until next blog...