{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....

oh Alice...

Until next blog...

powerful.

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...

.happy.

I think I have created a new hobby for myself, taking quotes I find or love & making them into little artworks to share or print out for all to see! 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....

putting the apron back on...

I don't know about you, but I tend to go in waves of wanting to cook all the time to "Honey can you just grab something on your way home!" It seems I get stuck in the rut of cooking the same ole same ole...pinterest & cookbooks aside, I still always seem to cook the usual, get bored with it all, & just opt for carry-out. But carry-out really does add up and let's be honest, it has to be the worst quality of food/ingredients. So I decided to start making a menu list every Sunday, then go through what I need for it all and make my store list. Then on Monday, Miss Busy A and I are off to the races, I mean store(s). 


That's the other reason I get discouraged on cooking...I can NOT buy everything we need at one store. Sure WalMart is convenient, and yes they claim they in fact have everything from tires, to candles, to a new iPad, & did you forget you were out of milk because they have that too, all while picking up a new pair of gym pants...but they do NOT have it all people, they just DON'T! I buy some things organic, that W-Mart doesn't carry, as well as Method cleaners, nor do they have Miss Busy A's baby food pouches, so I basically have to go to a)W-Mart b) Whole Food's & c) Target...not exactly my idea of fun for a 14mo. old! Note to Big Wig developers, put all 3 in ONE shopping center! I know not only myself, but many other wives & mommy's would GREATLY appreciate it!


Whewwww...you still with me? Sorry :D Back to putting the apron back on! I decided when making this weeks meals to bust out the old trusty BHG Cookbook (Celebrating the Promise) Edition. I flipped through searching for new, semi-easy, toddler AND hubby approved meals. I came across Ranch Pork Roast....now our family doesn't eat pork or beef, so I thought this one would work well with Chicken, and inspired me to make Creamy Ranch Chicken! As you can see I tweaked it a little, as well as made a couple of discoveries, 1)this could be an amazing soup and 2)would be amazing over baked potatoes!!! Hope you enjoy because I know we did!!!!

Until next blog...

everyone has the right to....

sparkle clutch

glitter pumps

men's gold bowtie

opi polish in rainbow connection-my own personal image!

New Year's Eve is just around the corner! So I've been thinking about all the things that SPARKLE! Do you plan on adding sparkle to your nye or even 2012? I know I do...although I don't think I'll convince the mr that he needs to wear a metallic gold bow tie! But I could sneak it on the dog! Hope everyone has a happy & safe new year's celebration! Here's to a new year & another chance for us to get it right! After all, everyone has the right to S P A R K L E!

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...