Life Love Laughter and a Pinch of Business

The Brownie Bake Off

2011-12-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

A few weeks back Daughter had one of her buddies sleep over. Since it was brrr cold outside they decided to make brownies. And since we had two boxes they each wanted to make a batch and do a brownie bake off. "Umm ya, sure, why not? Sounds fun!"

Two different brands of brownie mix, two 11 year olds, all the ingredients + some sweets, and they were off!

The two of them gathered everything they needed and wanted to whip up the best brownies ever. Rachel wanted to top hers with m&ms and Kylee wanted m&ms and crushed candy cane.

After they mixed their mixes and got them in their pans they each licked their bowls clean. Almost spotless, I am not kidding.

While the brownies baked they worked on some duct tape creations (post to come on this). Are you suprised? Naaahhh

38 to 41 minutes later ... ta da!

I was lucky enough to be the judge. Guess what? They both were so delicious, I couldn't decide who's was better. So, I called it a tie.

Good job ladies!

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ...

2011-12-02T15:26:00.000-08:00

ev'ry where you go;

take a look in the five-and-ten, glistening once again

with candy canes and silver lanes aglow.

It is that time of year already. Boy, this sure did come up fast this time around. I am not complaining because I love this holiday so much. It's time for yummy smelling candles, Christmas trees, lights - lots of lights, poinsettias and candy canes, garland, snowmen, ornaments and my favorite, stockings. I really LOVE stockings!

[via]

This weekend we have one free day so we will be finishing our decorating ~ YAY! Our tree is up but not decorated, we have lots to do! Welp, at least we have the lights on the house. I like coming home and seeing the house lit up. This makes me smile.

Also, I am hoping to squeeze in a family photo for our Christmas cards. We didn't do cards last year so I really, really, really want to do them this year. Wish us luck!

Oh! And I want to finish the DIY garland idea I came up with {post to come}. This garland is so cute, you'll love it!

Enjoy your weekend. Tootles.

a quick pupdate

2011-12-01T10:54:00.000-08:00

Most of you know already but if you don't, we have welcomed Willie [Mays] to our family. He is so very adorable. See ...

Sweet little Willie was born in early October and is Jeter's brother, literally. They have the same mom and dad.

We had planned on gettng Jeter a playmate but hadn't decided on when. Since we heard their mom was set to deliver the last litter she would ever have we decided to swipe up this little bundle of cuteness.

Jeter is so happy to have a playmate now. So happy in fact he licks Willie's ears until they are sopping wet. We asked the vet about this and she said it's Jeter showing Willie that he loves him. Like when they lick us, they are saying I love you. Cute huh.

These two pups have so much fun together. The puppy's bark is hilarious. It's hardly a peep but he thinks he is pretty intimidating. I'm giggling just thinking about it.

Potty training is going very well and he is eating like a champ. He also demands you take him out of his crate the instant you get home.

Stay tuned for future pupdates!

Tootles.

A Birthday Party {on a budget}

2011-11-28T15:49:00.000-08:00

This year daughter wanted to have her birthday party at the house. I tried to talk her out of it to be honest with you. This would be only the 2nd time in her 11 years of life that we had the party at the house. The first time was last year - her costume party on Halloween. We didn't have enough stuff planned for the kids in the time frame I chose for the party. So naturally, Hubber and I were kind of nervous about it this year. Hubber was calling it the 11 minute party. "What time is the 11 minute party starting?", "What games do you have planned for the 11 minute party?", etc. Funny guy.

Anyhoo, Daughter wanted a Mystery themed party. Her and I sat down and brainstormed different ideas, what would work, what wouldn't work, prizes, food, etc. With Daughter behind most of the creative ideas, we ended up with this:

Fun Stuff (in order):

Guess how much candy is in the jar.

What is in the bowls?

Clue hunt with puzzle to solve (main event)

Hunt for the goody boxes

Food:

Pizza

Cupcakes

Prizes:

Candy jars

$5 Jamba Juice gift cards

[containers for the gift cards and one of eight clues]

The prep:

Daughter and I came up with 8 hiding places in the house and 8 different clues to lead the guests to those hiding places. The clues were numbered 1-8 on the back of each card. We also came up with 1 clue for the goody boxes which were all hiding in 1 location. I went to Staples and got business cards to print the puzzle clues on and cream colored paper for the goody box clues and the water bottle labels. The bottle labels were just to have something extra and since we were already buying the paper it was perfect.

The rules for the main event:

Daughter paired everyone up in teams of 2. Each team started with a clue which would lead them to the next clue and so on. Once the teams had clues 1-8 they had to bring them to me. After I verified they had all of the clues, no duplicates, I handed them a stack of letters and a puzzle sheet. The first team to solve the puzzle won a $5 Jamba gift card for each of them.

The puzzle was: WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER! All they had on the sheet was the '!'. This game was so fun!

The time line (2 1/2 hours):

As the guests arrived (17 friends total) the girls started playing a game of hot potatoe with a wiffle ball. Can you believe we have wiffle balls? ha ha This worked out really well since we were waiting on a friend who was rushing over from a soccer game and we couldn't start until everyone arrived.

We started with the Guess how many pieces of candy are in the jars game. We had them guess the total between the 2 jars. The 2 closest guesses would win the jars.

Next we did the What is in the bowls game. We had a towel over the 3 small bowls. Each guest had to stick their hand in each bowl then write down what they thought was in each bowl and in the correct order. The bowls were: #1 apple sauce, #2 smashed peas, #3 smashed cherries. The winner received a $5 Jamba gift card.

After that we did the main event, the clue hunt with puzzle to solve. It was so fun to watch the guests work in their teams to figure out the clues and what they meant.

Then, we had them hunt for their goody boxes. This only took about 5 minutes since the clue was pretty easy and all of the boxes were in the same spot. Once one guest found a box, the rest found them almost immediately.

Finally we fed everyone and Daughter opened her gifts. The party ended with about 15 minutes to spare which worked out nicely. That left enough time for everyone to gather all of their stuff.

"That was the best party I have ever had!" -Daughter

Well ok then. I am glad all worked out the way she wanted it to and I am extrememly happy that she loved the party so much!

Odds and ends:

We ordered the boxes and magnifying glasses from Oriental Trading company and got the candy for the jars from the Dollar Store. The cupcakes were made by my super talented co-worker, Kristi. Let me know if you want her #. :o) The pizzas were take-n-bake from Winco.

The best party ever with 17 of Daughter's closest friends for less then $200. You can't have a party at a place for 17 guests for under $200 anymore.

The final $:

Dollar Store - $10

20 Cupcakes - $30

Candy and nail polish - $36

Oriental Trading - $26 (shipping included)

Gift Cards - $15

Pizza - $25

Plates, napkins, water bottles - $15

Staples - $17

Total: $174!!!

Daughter's excitement - PRICELESS!

Tootles.

Being Thankful

2011-11-22T07:22:00.000-08:00

Hiya! Can you believe it's Thanksgiving time already? Wholey moley! I haven't even began to start thinking about Black Friday. Actually, I think I am skipping it this year. I have been working so many hours that I may want to chillax all day on Friday. Plus I am having some girl time with one of my dearest friends on Sunday. Lunch and a little shopping - yup!

I am always counting my blessings and I am Thankful for everything in my life, even the hard stuff. Remember, the hard stuff brings lessons and lessons help make us better people. Right? Right.

I spent some time recently reflecting on all of the things I am thankful for and I jotted down the first 100 {yes 100} things that came to mind. You should try this, it's easy and rewarding.

1. a good life – we aren’t rich but we are happy & that is what matters to us.

2. good health

3. mucho happiness

4. my amazing family who I love dearly

5. my family’s good health

6. our wonderful friends

7. the gift of giggles

8. our puppies

9. boots – I just love boots

10. good food

11. mashed potatoes – it’s a weakness

12. our home

13. my job

14. my work ethic

15. my awesome time management skills

16. my co-workers who make me go hmmm every day. Love these people!

17. hubber’s job

18. our daughter and her creativity

19. my creativity

20. hot water

21. coffee – it’s getting me through these 12 hour days

22. cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados, basalmic vinegar – the snack of champions

23. google

24. Verizon – a must have

25. denim

26. my ability to knit – I enjoy this

27. yarn and knitting needles

28. the sewing machine – I will have one some day {hopefully sooner rather then later}

29. the liking I have taken to cooking

30. the crock pot

31. our break from softball – even though it’s short. It’s something.

32. my vehicle

33. our kitties – I think they are happy we got pup #2. He keeps #1 out of their hair.

34. my hair lady – she keeps me purdy

35. pampered chef cooking stones – I swear they make food taste better

36. the flat iron

37. the hair dryer

38. the iron – yes I even iron my jeans

39. t.v.

40. dvr – I can’t even imagine how many VHS tapes we would have

41. hairspray

42. makeup

43. duct tape – it’s daughter’s new love so I love it too. She is making some pretty cool things.

44. blogs – I read some really good ones

45. my ability to not be so quick to judge others

46. people who don’t talk about others especially when they don’t know their situation

47. facebook – I love staying connected with the people I care about

48. my confidence

49. people who pay it forward – selfless people make the world a better place.

50. the holidays – all of the food - yumma!

51. the Christmas holiday – it’s my favorite.

52. Christmas stockings – my favorite part of Christmas morning.

53. the elliptical

54. the treadmill

55. our 7lb weights

56. the dishwasher

57. daughter’s love for veggies

58. talented people

59. people magazine

60. coffee places – I don’t have a favorite

61. New York – we’ll go back some day

62. street lights – I am kind of a scaredy cat

63. the microwave – without this I would be eating cold lunch every day

64. blankets

65. pillows

66. the fire place

67. swimming pool – summer fun!

68. the hot tub – year around fun!

69. our house not catching fire when the bbq did the other night – phew!

70. my ability to read and write

71. my patience – I have a lot of it

72. the power prayer – I find myself praying more and more. It’s nice.

73. snow – I love the snow

74. airplanes – such a time saver. How long would it take to row to Hawaii?

75. grocery stores

76. farmer’s markets – I have tried different things but my thumb isn’t green enough

77. cleaning supplies – every household should have these ;o)

78. friends and family gathering

79. truths

80. crafts

81. scented candles

82. slippers

83. wool socks

84. the laptop

85. my camera

86. sweaters and hoodies

87. uggs – wish I had a pair on right now

88. toilet paper – can you imagine having to use a leaf or something? Eeek

89. the washer and dryer

90. matching socks – although daughter would say this is not cool these days

91. the dollar store – they have goodies – seek and you shall find

92. wrapping paper and fancy bows – I like cute packages

93. our garage – I am not a windshield ice scraper

94. fall leaves – they are so pretty to look at and fun to jump in

95. green grass

96. fresh flowers

97. pumpkin seeds – so yumma and so good for you

98. my SF 49ers and their good season, so far

99. dryer sheets – they smell good

100. green tea – my 3 – 4 cups a day have kept me healthy [knock on wood]

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Have safe travels and get lots of r&r.

Tootles.

[photo credits]

Halloween Bash - Softball Style

2011-11-02T11:49:00.000-07:00

This past weekend our mighty, mighty Mizuno girls participated in the Halloween Bash/Breast Cancer Awareness tournament. Each team was given the option to dress up on Saturday.

There were some cute costumes but I think we looked the best. We incorporated both Halloween and Breast Cancer Awareness. Our coach's shirts even had pink on them.

We asked them to look tuff for this picture. hee tee hee

How did they do you ask? They did great! Another weekend of improvement and about a notch higher on the skill level chart. This team rocks! It's not every tournament that 3 different players on your team each hit a home run. Yep, it's true. And, once again we had quick thinking, quick plays, hard hits, awesome outfielders, good pitching and catching and the best thing-everyone hit the ball. I don't think one player was in a slump last weekend. Not one.

Tootles.

What's on your plate? {on Thursday}

2011-10-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

Sooo … let’s talk Meatloaf. I have been craving this lately so we have had it twice in 2 weeks. YES!

A couple of things to mention are: 1) I started the make my loaf of good-ness then realized we had no egg and no milk-two items the recipe calls for; and 2), I cut my thumb while chopping the onion. It was just a little cut. No band-aid required.

All you’ll need:

2lbs Ground

Turkey

-> I use 1.25lbs because that’s the size of the package and it’s enough for 3 with leftovers.

1 Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs

1 Onion, Chopped -> I use about ¾ of an onion

1 Egg -> oopsies

1Cup of Milk -> oopsies again (when I have it, I use a little less then a cup)

1 Clove of Garlic, sliced and diced

Back pepper, enough for taste

Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce, enough to cover the top of meatloaf

[insert panic mode] I added a little ranch dressing and a little water since I didn’t have milk or egg. Guess what? It came out good. I couldn’t tell a difference and the family loved it the same as last week’s. Woot!

All you’ll do:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix all of the above, except the bbq sauce, in a bowl. Form into a loaf pan, I used mine from Tupperware.

Cover the top of the loaf with bbq sauce.

Bake for 1 hour.

Mmm mmm GOOD. {in my opinion}

Tootles.

What's on your plate? Asparagus!

2011-10-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

I made a yumma oven roasted asparagus last night. No joke, it really was yumma! Yumma enough that I couldn't wait to share it with you.

I am going to share the recipe I found on one of my favorite sites and then tell you what I did. So here ya go ...

All you'll need:

1 bunch thin asparagus spears, trimmed ->Mine were medium thickness

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced (optional) -> What? optional? Extra please!

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional) -> I did not use

All you'll do: (per the recipe)

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Place the asparagus into a mixing bowl, and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss to coat the spears, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. Arrange the asparagus onto a baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake in the preheated oven until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness. Sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving.

All I did: (I did not measure anything)

Preheat oven [check!]

I lined the asparagus in a row on one of my favorite Pampered Chef stones (shop here for the amazing stones). I poured some olive oil in a small dish then brushed it on the asparagus. I then sprinkled the asparagus with grated parmesan cheese, sea salt, black pepper and chopped garlic. (I chopped the garlic very fine to practice for when I am on a cooking/kitchen show. HA!)

Bake for 15 minutes minus the lemon juice. Next time I will bake for 10-12 minutes since I like my asparagus a bit more crispy.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Tootles!

This craft is {sew} cute ...

2011-10-18T10:38:00.000-07:00

... and sew easy! Check it out.

[via]

I am so glad mason jars have so many uses. Why? Because they are cheap. This one is definitely on my to do list. I want them made and ready by the time I get my sewing machine. I already have an adorable vintage table to put it on and the perfect spot too. Yes, I am still expecting a sewing machine for Christmas. To my Peeps; I will be putting the bug in Hubber's ear again very soon so be prepared incase he calls for shopping tips. ;o)

Tootles.

Flashback Friday {decor}

2011-10-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

Hiya! As you know I have a love for most things vintage. Yep! If I had the time I would definitely be a frequent visitor to antique stores, thrift shops, garage sales, etc. I'm sure you catch my drift.

While I was browsing one of my favorite sights, Pinterest, I came across this adorable wreath. It's retro and looks like something I can make. YAY!

[via]

Cute, fluffy, festive and retro, Do you agree?

I will let you know if I take a stab at it and if I do, I'll show how it turns out.

Tootles.

What's on your plate? {Just for the Pups}

2011-10-13T09:06:00.000-07:00

Hey Peoples, this is a special What's on your plate? just for the pups in our lives. This sweet little recipe is not only healthy for our four-legged children, it's super easy and fun to do. Check it out!

DOG BISCUITS BAKED WITH LOVE

All you'll need:
2 Cups unbleached wheat flour
1 Cup Cornmeal
1 Egg
3 Tablespoons Vegetable oil
2 Teaspoons chopped fresh Parsley
3/4 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth

[Daughter and Gma Janet]

All you'll do:

1) Preheat the Oven to 400F

2) Mix the flour and cornmeal in one bowl.

3) In a separate and larger bowl, whip the egg with the oil, parsley, and chicken broth.
Add the flour mixture and mix until a soft dough ball forms.

4) Knead the dough and roll it out to 1/2 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cuth the dough into canine-pleasing shapes such as cats, cars, fire hydrants and bones.

5) Bake for 15 minutes. Cool the biscuits before serving.

[Ready to bake]

Important: Remember there are no preservatives so keep them in the freezer and pull out as needed. They thaw quickly and some dogs even like them cold. -Yes they do!

[All done and ready to freeze]

This recipe makes a lot. We only have one pup and Grandma has two and there was still enough for Daughter to deliver a baggy full to each neighbor.

I hope your pups like these as much as Jeter does.

Tootles.

These Two + 1

2011-10-11T15:02:00.000-07:00

... are my Lovies.

Aren't they just so cute? Jeter snuggled up to Daughter on the way

home from our softball tournament on Sunday.

Then he crawled in her lap to check out what she was reading.

It's official, I have a super-d-duper adorable family.

Speaking of softball, we have put tournament #4 in the books. It was another exciting weekend full of wins, a tie, losses and lots and lots of learning and developing. We also welcomed a new player to our team - YAY! It can only get better from here and we are pretty stoked about that!

Tootles.

a Fall love {it's a fashion thing}

2011-10-07T14:32:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about Fall is the fact I get to bust out all of my cozy clothes that have been tucked away for months while sweating out the Summer. I [heart] Summer, I do. It’s just by the end of it I am ready for the cool down. Ready for the cozy clothes. Ready for my boots. I am a boot lover. I might be addicted to them actually.

How cute is this outfit?

[via]

I put this cute little outfit together on Pinterest. Gosh I [heart] that site. It's fun. You should check it out if you haven't already. Just beware: It's addicting.

As I am typing this post I am wondering if my mother-in-law or Grandma Flossie can make a sweater like this. I absolutely love it! I'm going to check on this.

Have a great weekend y'all! I am required to check on this sweater now.

Tootles.

A Whole Chicken In The Oven {Yep!}

2011-10-06T14:23:00.000-07:00

I was at it again. Oh yes I was. Back in the kitchen cooking up some goodness. And that it was - pure goodness. Just ask my family. :o)

A while ago I discovered a crockpot chicken. Simple and tasty. I had every intention of cooking our chickens in the crockpot or on the bbq because it tasted so yum yum done either way. Well, one day a few weeks ago I got the chicken out of the freezer to thaw and forgot to prepare it for the crockpot. I didn't realize this until I was already at work. What does a girl who struggles in the kitchen do? Oh yes, she remembers she has a Pampered Chef deep dish baker that has never been used so she goes online searching for recipes for the chicken. And wa la! A couple of recipes for baking a whole chicken in the oven. Momma like!

The recipes were easy but I didn't necessarily like all the ingredients in all of them so I took a little of this and a little of that to make, um, the best chicken ever! So moist. So good. So much better then the crockpot chicken.

What I used was: The chicken, lemon juice, butter, crushed garlic with black pepper seasoning, New Mex seasoning, Garlic salt, Cayenne Pepper.

What I did was: One recipe called for lemons cut in quarters and stuck inside the chicken. I didn't have lemons so I squirted lemon juice all over inside. I put the mixture of seasonings on the inside and rubbed them all over the outside. One recipe called for butter inside and out. Well, that's a lot of butter so I put 5 little spoonfulls over the top of the chicken and squished them down a little (I was hoping they wouldn't slide off right away). Then I placed the chicken in my deep dish baker, put the lid on and baked it for one and a half hours at 350 degrees. Then I removed the lid and baked for an additional 10 minutes. I checked to make sure the internal temp was at 180 before calling it done.

That was a delish chicken I tell ya!

Tootles.

Another Season Has Begun

2011-10-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

Hiya! Two seasons actually; Fall [the actual season] and our Softball Fall Ball season. Anyhoo, I love them both. By this time of year I am pretty much done with Summer so I welcome the blusterey cold days, with some sprinkles, with open arms. {big hug}

Speaking of softball; Our mighty, mighty Mizuno girls moved up to 12U for the Fall season. Fall is considered a developmental season which is why you should move up the Fall before you are required to do so in Spring. This means we are a young team playing girls that are 1-2 years older in a lot of cases.

We have played in three 12U tournaments so far and the girls are doing so good. They are learning so much. Playing the older, bigger, kids has really brought out the drive in these girls. And when I say big I mean we are wondering what these kids are eating and if they are driving already. Wholey heck! :o)

Our team looks so tiny compared to some of these older girls. One of our parents said in the beginning of the season, "we do more with less". Meaning less meat on their bones. I guess that's what you get when you have amazing coaches - they have the team really rockin'! Like I've said before, I'm amazed with these girls and their talent. They are fun to watch.

We have another tournament this weekend. Stay tuned ...

PS: What's on your plate will return next week. It's a special one just for the pups.

Phew!

2011-08-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

Its been a while, I know. I have been MIA, or as I like to say, busy offline lately. Busy thinking of ideas and changes for this here blog and busy with my job and life in general. I am not sure we would know how to act if we weren't running around all of the time. We kind of like it.

Our Fall season of softball has started so Daughter and Hubber are running multiple days a week which means I have increased the amount of times I cook. Yes, people I am in the kitchen about 4 times a week now. I know ... I know, I was a little shocked too. HA! While they are at softball I have been working out; working towards my goal (you will learn more soon) and, well, preparing a few meals here and there.

The things you will [enjoy] reading about are:

My personal 30 day challenge (a workout thing)
Financial/spending tips from a normal person just like you
More recipes because, well, I am starting to experiment {waa ha ha ha}
Softball and Jeter - of course
and mucho more yeeeeeeeeee

Oh my geeshness, Daughter's birthday is in a few months and I have a super cute idea for her invitations. Stay tuned ...

PS, how cute is this centerpiece? Perfect for some sort of party don't you think?

[via]

See you back soon! I'm looking forward to it.

Another cooking milestone

2011-08-16T14:59:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends! As you are well aware, I have not been the best cook in the world nor did I enjoy cooking that much. I was a 'much rather do the dishes' kind of gal. As you also know I have been experimenting over the past couple of years and have been getting kind of good at this whole cooking thing that I once thought was completely overrated. :o)

Although I don't cook often (thank you Hubber), I do dabble in it from time to time. Mostly when the family is at softball practice, lessons, etc. I stay home so I can have dinner ready when they get home.

Each time I try something new, and succeed, it reminds me that cooking isn't so bad after all. Guess what? I am still kind of liking it!

Sooo ... my big deal is a tri-tip. Hubber seasoned it on Saturday night so it would be nice and ready by last night. Daughter had softball stuff so I was tasked with BBQing that big piece of meat. I will admit, I was a little scared that I wouldn't do it right.

Thanks to Hubber's excellent directions it turned out very delicious! And we have leftovers! YUMMA!

Look, if I can do it so can any novice, trying to get better, kind of cook.

Here's what I did (per Hubber): Light the right side burner and the left side burner only. Close the lid and let the BBQ get to 400 degrees. Once at 400 degrees put the tri-tip in the middle and cook with the burners on low. Pull off when the inside temp of the tri-tip is 140 degrees. That's it! I was paranoid so I checked the temp every half hour. In an hour and a half it was done! mmm mmm good!

I think I am ready to be on Hell's Kitchen! Bring on Gordon, I can take him. :o)

PS, I was so worried about the meat that I forgot to do a veggie. Whoopsies!

What's in your lunch box? {It's a back to school thing}

2011-08-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

What? It's back to school time already? Whoa! Where is the time going? Seriously. In 5 days I will have a sixth grader [weep...weep...sniffle].

Our kiddo likes to bring her lunch to school instead of buying it. Thank goodness because I think she eats a little better that way. So let's take a looksie at what you can stick in your [insert # here] graders lunch box ...

Bagel Sandwich

Using cream cheese instead of mayo = yummy-ness. I like to put cream cheese on half of the bagel then add turkey, lettuce, colb cheese and a tomato slice. Cut sandwich in half and place in baggie, or tupperware container.

Peanut Butter and Marshmellow Puff Sandwhich

This happens to be Daughter's favorite sandwich right now. I use regular sliced bread and put peanut butter on one side and the marshmellow puff on the other. Done.

Ants on a Stick

Umm, how cute is that name? I didn't come up with it but I sure do use it. :o) Just cut celery stalks into about 3 pieces, spread with peanut butter then top with raisins. Easy and yummy.

Light Fruit and Granola

This one is a little bit more involved but worth it.

All you'll need:

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup spelt flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

3 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup applesauce

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 cup diced dried apricots

1/4 cup chopped pecans

3 tablespoons flax seeds, ground

All you'll do:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toss the rolled oats, spelt flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, canola oil, applesauce, maple syrup, dried apricots, pecans and ground flax seed together in a bowl, and mix well. Spread the granola mixture on the lined baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, stir the granola, then bake for another 15 minutes until dry. Cool completely before serving.

Now that sounds yummy!

Good luck on your first day of school!

What's in your baggy? {homemade ice cream}

2011-08-03T15:07:00.000-07:00

This one is so easy and so fun - daughter loves it! As a matter of fact, she makes this ice cream with all of her friends that come over. Thank you Summer Art Camp for the recipe.

Here you go ...

All you'll need:

1/2 cup Milk

2 tablespoons Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 tablespoon of flavoring (chocolate powder, kool-aid, etc)

6 tablespoons Salt -> don't worry, this does not go in the ice cream. :o)

Small sealable plastic bag (aka, Ziplocs)

Large sealable plastic bag (aka, Ziplocs)

All you'll do:

Place Milk, Sugar, Vanilla Extract and Flavor in small ziploc and seal.

Fill large ziploc 3/4 full of ice and add the salt. Bury the small bag in the ice in the large bag.

Shake for 10-15 minutes.

Tah dah! Ice cream. Told you it was easy. :o)

Enjoy!

Triple Crown :: Opening Ceremonies // The Games // A Great Time

2011-08-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

All last week we were away at Daughter's fast pitch softball world series. Oh boy, it was a blast! This was the last tournament of our Spring season {sniff sniff}.

Such an amazing experience for the team - they were all first-timers. From pin trading to the opening ceremonies parade to 4 straight days of softball to getting introduced at the Reno Aces baseball game to a teary-eyed farewell made for a week full of unforgettable memories that the girls will always remember - hopefully.

Monday we arrived and started trading pins right away. Daughter started with 40 of our pins and traded 39. There were teams from Hawaii, Arizona, Idaho, Utah, Colorado and California. 140 teams total, 38 were 10U.

After pin trading and check-in we had to head over to the opening ceremonies. For the parade the teams were allowed to dress up to represent the area they were from, their team name, etc. Since we are All American Mizuno we decided to stick with the good ol' red, white and blue.

The streets were jam packed with kids - 140 teams to be exact. They did a good job organizing everyone, thankfully. While the team waited Hubber, aka Head Coach, snuck off to put on his costume to surprise the team (and the parents). It was hilarious!

[he won best 10U coach's costume]

Starting Tuesday we went on to play 8 games of softball over the 4 days. The team played so well, we were all very proud of their performance. So well in fact they place 9th out of 38! Woot! Woot! Not bad for a first year team, eh?!

On Thursday the teams were invited to the Reno Aces baseball game. They were having World Series night so the teams that participated got to be introduced as they walked around the field. It was a fun time.

Friday morning we had an 8:00am game so we had to leave the baseball game early to get our energy sleep. :o) We won our first two games on Friday then lost our third which knocked us out of the tournament. I don't think anyone was upset about that loss. It was a great So Cal team and their pitcher was throwing about 55mph. Yes, 10 year olds are throwing that fast ... whoa!

Since we are moving up to 12U and using bigger softballs, ummm next week, the coaches let the team sign their names on the 10U balls so they could each keep one for themselves with all of their teammates names on it. Yippee!!!

After a week of fast paced, well played softball the coaches got to sit down and thank the players for a job well done all season. Most of the girls, and a few coaches, got tears in their eyes. It was so sweet and so sad at the same time. Afterall, we did become a family.

[After a long 6 month season and 81 games they are all still smiling]

Their impressive record was 63-17-1. Yep, that's how they roll. :o) Now let's see what we can do in the Fall!

Be Back Soon ...

2011-07-31T19:13:00.001-07:00

Hey Y'all! We were on vacation, away for Daughter's fast pitch world series all last week. Posts will resume on Tuesday starting with ... guess what? That's right, the world series. You'll want to check back because the team's performance was pretty amazing.

See you then!

What's on your plate? Pizza * That's what!

2011-07-20T14:33:00.000-07:00

[via]

BBQ Chicken Pizza to be exact! YUMMA!

All you'll need:

3 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed

1 cup hickory flavored barbeque sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon molasses

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 bunch cilantro (optional), chopped

1 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crust

1 cup shredded cheese [smoked Gouda, pepperjack, mozzarella] you choose

1 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 cup sliced orange bell pepper

1 tomatoe, sliced thin

This is a fun one to make with the kiddos. You can make homemade

pizza dough or use the pre-made. Can you guess what I use? :o)

All you'll do:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a saucepan over medium high heat, combine chicken, barbeque sauce, honey, molasses, brown sugar and cilantro. Bring to a boil.

Spread chicken mixture evenly over pizza crust, and top with cheese, onions and bell peppers. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Add tomatoe slices once out of the oven.

[Prep Time: 15 Min] [Cook Time: 30 Min] [Ready In: 45 Min]

[Approx 8 servings]

Per Serving [Calories: 378] [Total Fat: 10.3g] [Cholesterol: 53mg]

Road to 10k: My schedule was turned upside down last week so I honestly didn't do as much as I wanted. I still worked out but not much. Last night I got back to it with 60 minutes of exercise and I loved it! 45 minutes of that was cardio, split between the treadmill and the elliptical. WOOT!

Summer [a short story]

2011-07-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

Summer

[via]

When I think of Summer I think of water, sand, sunscreen (for daughter) and tanning oil. I think of light, fresh foods, popsicles and tall, icy beverages. I think of fun trips and lots of time outside. Summer means the hot sun and I [heart] that.

I lay out whenever I can, mainly when Hubber and Daughter are off at practice. Just me, my floaty, a book, tanning oil and one of those tall, icy beverages.

When my family is home we enjoy swimming and hanging outside with Jeter. Speaking of Jeter, he is not too fond of the pool just yet. I don’t think we have to worry about him trying out his swimming skills on his own any time soon. Phew!

On those really hot days I like the shade with a side of breeze. Especially when we are at those softball tournaments that last all weekend. *Side note: Daughter’s team won the tournament last weekend – WOOT!*

[cue the sounds of time fast forwarding] It’s mid-July in No Cal and it’s barely 80 degrees. Not hot enough to lie out because I am a wimp when it comes to cold pool water. I want the heat back STAT. The End.

A Summer Yummy {it's What's on your plate?}

2011-07-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

YUMMA! Just the word 'cucumber' tells me this is a refreshing appetizer for a warm Summer day. Let's get to it!

Cucumber Shrimp Appetizers

All you'll need:

1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained

1 can (4 ounces) tiny shrimp, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh dill

1 medium cucumber (8 inches), cut into 1/4-inch slices

All you'll do:

In a bowl, combine the pineapple, shrimp, mayonnaise, onion, mustard and dill. Spoon onto cucumber slices.

Approx 32 servings (serving size = 1 piece)

Prep/Total Time: 10 minutes

[Per serving: 16 calories, 1 g fat (trace saturated fat), 7 mg cholesterol,

29 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein]

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Free Food

Road to 10k: I have been fighting a cold so I haven't run since Friday. I have been working on my weights and stretches though. YAY! Feeling like running tonight so stay tuned.

PAMPERING ~it's kind of important~

2011-07-07T14:17:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks ~ Today we are linking up to Gussy Sews. Each week she hosts a linky party titled Inspiration Workshop and each week has it's own theme. Pretty cool huh? I sure think so.

Anyhoo ... This week's prompt is Pamper Yourself. We all ~~need~~ deserve a little pampering. Wouldn't you agree?

With as much as I have been working, running around, and now training for the 10k mud run I decided that I MUST make time for myself each week. Even if it's just 30 minutes.

I am in no way high maintenance so I am easily satisfied. My idea of pampering is having my toes and fingers done while sipping on a latte (hot or cold depending on the weather). I can have them done in a salon or by a friend - either is just fine. I like pretty painted nails and I like the way I feel when mine are pretty.

Now, my dream day of pampering would go as follows:

Getting my fingers and toes done at an outdoor salon while sipping on that latte with this in my view ...

Of course this is happening out of town so once done with my spa time I would shop casually through the little town boutiques. Ahhh ... vacation please!

Road to our 10k: Last night I did 27 minues on the treadmill - 25 of those minutes were jogging and the other two were walking. I have decided to focus on just minutes for this first week. Starting Monday I will be logging minutes and distance. Yeeeee! Stay tuned.

Quick * Light * Easy it's What's on your plate?

2011-07-06T11:44:00.000-07:00

Hi-ya!

Since Summer has been busy, busy, busy for us, and I assume you too, I thought I would share a little secret of ours. Yes, I know that probably 4 out of 5 households with active children and/or working parents know about this, but just go with it, K? Great!

The store bought rotisserie chicken has been a huge ~~time~~ life saver more times then I can count. I especially like that you can do so much with this little chick and it's quick & easy-breezy too.

I have found the best chickens at SaveMart and Costco. I go to SaveMart most because we seem to want the chicken when we don't need to buy a pantry full of stuff. Know what I mean?

My favorite three things to do with this lovely bird are chicken salad, chicken fajitas and chicken tacos. I do chicken salad more then the other two. It's light and I am on a health kick. :o) {trying to kick the bad eating habits}

Since we are only a family of 3 humans we always have leftovers - YES! I [heart] leftovers because they make for easy lunches and I don't like wasting good food.

Hmmm ... what's for dinner tonight? Oh ya, spaghetti. :o)

Road to our 10k: last night was minimal. I didn't want to start with guns blazing so I did 11 minutes on the eliptical and 11 minutes on the treadmill. The exciting thing was I stopped on the treadmill, to get some work done, before I even got tired. woot! woot! I may just do the treadmill tonight. We will see.

Tootles.

A New Goal

2011-07-05T15:10:00.000-07:00

Today I committed to run the 10k part of the Mud Run, happening in October. I am going to do this with Misti, and whoever else wants to join us.

Last year Misti ran the 5k with me and I am so thankful that she did. I can honestly say I would have walked more than I ran/jogged had she not been there to keep me going. You see, Misti is an experienced marathon runner and me, well let's just say at that point, I was still in the interval stage of running. HA!

Let me tell you that the mud run was the hardest thing I have done but so rewarding at the same time. I was estatic that I could walk after I crossed the finish line. Seriously.

So this year, Misti suggested we do the 10k and I said 'OK'. eeek! I took running/jogging consistently out of my workouts a while ago. Guess I better add it back in and add it in quickly, like tonight. I've got three and a half months to be in the 10k - not the slowest time having - shape. Know what I mean?

I CAN do this :: My goal is to work my patootie off to be 10k ready by October. I AM going to do this and I AM going to share what I do with all of you by adding progress to my posts. I have decided to add what I did at the end of each post for two reasons; 1) maybe I can motivate a friend or two and 2) this holds be accountable to keep doing it.

So, here we go! Check back tomorrow for an update. Weeeee!

Click here to see how last year's event went.

[via]

writing things down {a new task for me}

2011-06-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

I have decided I have so many ideas. So many things I want to do. So many things I need to do. In order to [remember] everything I need to start writing down my thoughts and to dos.

I can be anywhere, see anything and get inspiration to do so much. Guess what happens? I get so busy that I forget most of what I was thinking about. Sometimes the ideas will come back to me and somethimes they won't.

The other night I had a thought; What if I jotted down notes like I type lengthy emails? I just start typing as the words come to me then I make my edits. All of my thoughts are there on the screen just a little mixed up sometimes. For me this is so much easier then sitting in the chair trying to think of what I am going to type.

So there we have it ... This evening I am writing things down.

(Now only if I can remember everything I have thought about today. :0/)

playing the day away

2011-06-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks ~ today we are linking up to Gussy Sews. Each week she hosts a linky party titled Inspiration Workshop and each week has it's own theme. Pretty cool huh? Well, last week I didn't quite get it, an well, let's just say I should have read the details first, so I decided to take another stab at it this week and wah la! I think I've got it.

This week's 'inspiration' is spend the day playing. No problem. It's Summer and we love to be outside getting our vitamin d, that's for sure.

We [heart] the pool the most on these hot Summer days. All of us but little Jeter that is. He doesn't quite know what to think of that oversized water dish so Daughter is trying to get him used to the water. Her and her friend did get him to swim the other day. As long as he knows where the steps are, I am ok with it.

My favorite things to do while Hubber and Daughter are playing in the pool is to either be floating on a raft or laying out on a chair. I am more of a sun tanner then a cannonball do-er. Don't be fooled, I do get my jump on from time to time and it's normally when they least expect it. :o)

Enjoy your day any kind of way.

What's on your plate? {goes in a glass}

2011-06-22T14:56:00.000-07:00

Do you like smoothies? I do! And I like them a lot. You can create a tasty smoothie without a recipe.

All you need is: frozen or fresh fruit, plain or flavored yogurt, or ice cream, and ice.

You can mix-n-match, you can have one flavor, you can have yogurt instead of ice cream (probably the healthier of the two) and you can use ice to get your desired thickness.

How do I make my favorite smoothie? Oh it's easy ... I add strawberries, blueberries and bananas to the blender with a little bit of ice and an Activa yogurt. I blend to my desired texture then drink and enjoy. mmm ... mmm ... yumma

So simple and perfect for the summer mornings, days and nights!

Hello Summer!

2011-06-21T14:38:00.000-07:00

FINALLY! Summer has arrived, and arrived with 100+ temps to boot. I am cool with this because I have been waiting and waiting and waiting ... thank you wacky No CA weather.

One of my favorite things about Summer time is being able to add laps in the pool to my workouts. I LOVE the water and the sun so bring it all. day. long. Another is all of the cool, refreshing sweet treats we can make for ourselves to enjoy.

[mmm ... mmm ... good!]

Summers are wonderful and all about Daughter. As long as she is enjoying every moment of every day I am happy. Hubber and I have to work so we rely on family, friends, camps, workbooks and books to keep her occupied. Thankfully, we are lucky to be surrounded by so much love and awesome-ness. Thanks Loved Ones!

This Summer we only have one trip planned since softball is pretty much dictating our life at the moment. That trip is softball related. Daughter's team will be playing in the Triple Crown World Series in July. We are pretty excited about this.

Welp, I've gotta run. Enjoy your first day of Summer!

Jeter's Feature {Episode 4}

2011-06-16T12:14:00.000-07:00

Oh boy little Jeter has done some growing and a lot of the black on his adorable little face has turned brown. He is so darn cute though.

A few updates are ::

Jeter LOVES to be outside. Thing is I am a paranoid puppy momma so I am constantly checking on him. (I killed a humongous black widow last night that I had been chasing for a few nights, which relieved some of my fears)
Jeter is done with sleeping in his crate and now sleeps on our bed. We don't mind at all. He is in his crate when no one is home though.
Jeter enjoys stuffed animals & his rawhide bone over his other toys. He will chase the squeeky ones, if you squeek them for him.
He is still a little ornery when it comes to chewing on us and unattended shoes. He takes things he isn't supposed to chew on then hides under our bed. Right smack dab in the center, under our bed. Smart little stinker!
I am happy to report Jeter is mostly potty trained. I'm talking 95%, if I had to put a number on it. He still has an accident here and there but it is much better then where we were a month ago.

See how much he has changed ...

[2 months old]

[5 months old]

... until next time ...

if you can't buy it {make it!}

2011-06-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

Recently, I have been wanting something new. Actually, I have been wanting lots of new things but truth is, I can't go out and just buy what I want right now. I decided the next best thing would be to make stuff. The first thing was the wine cork recipe board - check it out here. That was fun and got my mind working on other ideas. I've got a few of those ideas stored away in my crafty tank. :o)

Last night I decided I wanted to do something with mason jars - we had a few laying around. I have seen so many cute mason jar ideas lately which sparked my interest in doing this quick little project. I didn't want to spend money on supplies so I had to use what we had around the house. Thankfully, I've got a few things.

[cute huh!]

I took the center of the lids out and left the rest. I like the way they look with the outer part of the lid. The material is from a shirt that I had in the 'throw away' pile. The taller jar is tied with the collar, the smaller jar is wrapped with the front strip of buttons and the flowers are from our yard. I love the way they turned out.

From start to finish this only took about 20 minutes. Just 20 minutes to satisfy my urge for something new, put a smile on my face and it was free!

Body & Soul Week :: Setting Goals; Making A Plan

2011-06-13T10:07:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends, I hope you have enjoyed this week's posts. My goal with this was simply to share how I am doing it. I am a busy momma and wife with 1.5 jobs, so I had to come up with something that worked with our schedule and also did not take away from family time. After receiving many comments on my weight loss and body changes I thought, 'hot damn, I need to share this because it's actually working!'

Day 5 :: Setting Goals; Making A Plan

A big part of my start was creating a routine of eating less and better and exercising. I had 2 goals; one was to stick to my routine [this time] and the second was to commit to my routine 5 days a week. Committing was the challenge on the days I felt really tired. I kept telling myself that I had to do something even if it was just for 15 minutes. I had to get up and do something. This worked for me and now I am to the point where I feel guilty if I don't shake my groove thang 5 days a week. Most importantly though, I LOVE it and I'm excited to keep toning. I don't want to be buff, just want to be tight and toned. This is a work in progress ...

One thing I hear a lot is eating healthy is more expensive. Yes, it can be but it doesn't have to be. You can change where you shop. Go to a farmer's market for your fruit and veggies or go to one of the discount grocery stores where you bag your own items. You save a lot there - trust me, I know this. One thing about the discount stores is you do have to spend a little more time in the produce section checking, feeling, squeezing until you find the good stuff. It's worth it though.

Another thing, I was not in a hurry when I started my quest to be a fine momma :o) so this, I feel, lifted the pressure of feeling like I had too instead of I want too. Makes a big difference when you want too. I am motivated.

I know some people keep daily journals of what they eat and drink. Although I think this is a great idea, it never was something I could get into doing. I used to weigh myself every day until our scale broke. Now I just look at myself in the mirror every morning and every night. I also have hung onto clothes that didn't fit for ... heh hemm ... a while. I try them on when I feel like they will fit-some do and some are not quite there. HA! Yep, that's what I do. This works for me.

isn't that the truth!

I say be patient and stick to your routine, set the goals and be honest about it. GOOD LUCK on your personal journey!

P.S. If you have a routine, goals, success story, etc, I would love to hear it. Please email me. You can be a guest blogger. Thanks!

Body & Soul Week :: The Booty

2011-06-09T14:25:00.000-07:00

Day 4 :: The Booty {EEK! Yep we're going there today.}

Ok ladies let's be real. How many of us have stood in front of the mirror flexing our booty cheeks to see how many dimples appear? ME! Well folks, I'm tired of looking at those large golf balls attached to my backside, so I'm doing something about it. You know what, it has been easy too.

I have started with lunges and squats - 2 reps of 15 right now, with a 7lb weight in each hand the entire time, 5 days a week. I even do squats while I am blowdrying my hair (without the weights of course).

Now I am ready to add more to my routine and I have found & learned so much while researching for this week's posts. Check out this 15 minute Bootylicious Butt Workout. I picked this one because I love the name and a few of the moves could pose a challenge. Bring it!

Body & Soul Week :: What's on your plate? {Featuring a guest}

2011-06-08T15:55:00.000-07:00

Day 3 :: What's on your plate? {by Deidra Wood}

The last letter of the alphabet already? Sheesh! Where has the time gone? Welp, I think I have definitely saved the best for last but I'll let you be the judge of that.

Our dear friend Deidra is a super gardener. Seriously. I think that should be on her license plate frame or something. When she isn't gardening, cooking, or being a great mom she is the most amazing softball coach. True story.

Anyhoo, she told me about this yumma zucchini lasagna a while ago. People, I stopped by her house when she was cooking this and it smelt SO DELICIOUS! Now, run to your kitchens and do the following:

Zucchini Lasagna, from Deidra's kitchen to yours

[super gardener, cook, mom, teacher,

softball coach ... phew my fingers are tired]

I usually make this lasagna in a round casserole glass dish.

Ingredients:
2 zucchini - sliced lengthwise in thin ribbons
1 lb ground turkey - browned
1 small container low fat cottage cheese
1-2 cups low fat mozzarella cheese - shredded
2-3 cups spaghetti sauce - homemade or your favorite jar

Spoon spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom and sides of the dish. Cover the sauce on the bottom and sides with zucchini ribbons. Add a thin layer of: turkey, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, sauce. Repeat the zucchini and other items for 2-3 more layers until the dish is near full. The last layer should be a layer of zucchini. Cover with more spaghetti sauce and sprinkle with the last of the mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 for about 30-40 mins. It should get bubbly, gooey, and yummy looking. --> I LOVE her description!

The lasagna will be a little watery from the moisture of the zucchini. You can try to slightly pre-cook the zucchini before layering it in the lasagna. Doing this will make the end lasagna a little less watery, but some of the zucchini will fall apart if you pre-cook it too much.

** Make sure you use lots of herbs and seasonings! I used some basil, oregano, and garlic when I browned the turkey. I also added them in every layer of the spaghetti sauce.

ENJOY!

I am sure we will Deidra! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your healthy delicious-ness with others!

Body & Soul Week :: Tone Those Arms

2011-06-07T13:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Body & Soul week. I thought this would be a perfect time to start a new feature, being pre-summer (if we ever see summer) and all. This is the other time, besides New Years, that we start thinking of ways to get our bodies looking great. Part of looking great is feeling great which means you must also adjust your diet. It’s a big deal people. We all need a little encouragement and/or motivation to get our booties back to the rhythm, no matter how in shape we [think] we are, right? Right!

Day 2 :: Tone Those Arms

Alright Peeps, how often have you grabbed the pepper shaker or spice container and while sprinkling that little kick on your food you notice that your arm fat is shaking more then the container you are holding? Oh too often I'm sure. I will grab said shaker and make the motion just to see how my arms are toning. Seriously. It works.

One of my insecurities lately has been my arms. I had been focusing on my core, legs and butt for a while that I forgot about my arms. Until I saw a picture of me in a tank top that is. 'WHOA! Where's the muscle?', is what immediately crossed my mind. At first I tried to tell myself the camera does add 5lbs. BLAH! Really? Momma needed to step it up a notch ... like yesterday. So I got to it ...

Arm circles: I stand with my core tight, my legs spread shoulder length apart and my arms extended like an airplane and holding my little dumbells. Then I rotate my arms, from the shoulder, 15 times forward and 15 times backwards.

Shoulder Press: My core and legs are the same as above and my arms, with my dumbells, are extended straight up, palms facing forward. Then I bend my elbows bringing my dumbells to my shoulders 15 times.

Triceps: My core and legs are spread the same as above but this time my knees are bent a little I'm holding a dumbbell in each hand, arms straight down at sides, palms facing back. Then I lift arms straight back about 2 feet behind me 15 times.

Curls: My core and legs are the same as above and I have a dumbell in each hand. I curl one dumbell at a time, 15 times for each arm.

Overhead: My core and legs are the same as above and I have a dumbell in each hand, palms facing inward (toward my head). I lift my arm straight up then bend my elbow bringing my dumbell to the back of my shoulder. Each arm 15 times.

I don't know the technical names, if there are any, for these exercises but I think I described them pretty well. I started at 11 times per arm and am up to 15. I move up when my current number becomes less of a challenge.

I am not an expert in any way but everything I am sharing with you this week works for me. I am hoping to relay the good-ness in a way that is easy to understand so you don't get discouraged or bored. These moves are not hard.

Remember, the hardest part to changing your lifestyle is creating the habit. Once you have that the rest is easy breezy!

Body & Soul Week :: The Dreaded Muffin Top

2011-06-06T13:58:00.000-07:00

Day 1 :: The Dreaded Muffin Top {insert long sigh here}

Ohhh boy! The dreaded Muffin Top. EEEK! Everyone, even boys, know what this is and most of us can't stand it. I am one of those who knows what it is and can't stand it AND unfortunately, I have a small one that appears at random. :o) My goal is to get my muffin top to disappear forever. I know I can do this as long as I do it the right way. I am definitely on the right track. Same with you, right?

While doing my research for the good tips I found out that crunchies can actually be more harmful than you think. Spinal experts believe that the abdominal crunch can affect the spine and lower back in a negative way, leading to back pain in the future. I used to do crunchies and thought I was doing something good for myself. Guess not.

Some exercises that are more effective for diminishing the muffin top are: squats, lunges, planks, side planks, mountain climbers, exercise ball roll outs, pilates & pushups. I also combine a couple pilates and yoga moves with regular stretching and I like to use my 7lb weights whenever possible. I love my 7lb weights. :o)

I have a routine that I have created by mixing the exercises that I enjoy doing and at the pace that I like. I am currently doing 2 reps of 13 and I do my routine 5 days a week. My max time, without cardio, is 35 minutes. That's nothing and when I am in front of the t.v. the time seems like it flies by! This is totally doable for anyone. How much time do you spend on your tush watching t.v.? Thought so. See, problem solved. Now get up and move! {said in my drill sergeant voice}

Some foods you can eat that help burn fat are: oatmeal, nuts, olive oil, berries, eggs, peanut butter, whole grains and green veggies. Perfect!

Now, what's for dinner?

back on the wagon

2011-06-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

WHOA! I [accidentally] took a month long hiatus from my exercise

regimen. It was only supposed to be 1 day off. HA!

Next thing I knew I was struggling to stay awake in the afternoons.

Baffled for a minute? Yes. Then I quickly realized not only had

I fallen off of the exercise wagon but I had also slipped on my snacking too.

No, not slipped away from it, unfortunately. Instead

I was snacking on straight crap. Yep! chips, candy,

cupcakes (damn those co-workers), and

anything else that was sweet or totally not healthy.

Buh-bye energy!

Well that didn't take long.

It's true what they say; 'your body is your temple.'

Geesh darn it, my 'temple' must have been pissed at me! Rightfully

so I suppose.

Finally I stepped up and said, 'say no more you body temple thingy of mine.

I'm back!' All I needed was some self motivation and the drive

to get off my arse and just do it. Even if it was for only 15 minutes, I still

did it. And you know what? I am still doing it at least 5 days a week. WOOT!

That's it. My motivation was simply this: I didn't feel good being tired all of

the time. I didn't feel as pretty. My skin, my body, my attitude all

feels and looks great (in my opinion) when I am on the wagon and I ~~wanted~~ needed to get back to that confident, high on life feeling that I love so much.

So I did it. One day I came home and got straight to it - In my work clothes.

I did change my shoes for safety reasons. :O) Seriously though,

I could not sit down. I could not take the time to go change. I was

already trying to talk myself out of it on my way home from work

so I knew I had to make the move and make it quick.

Remember once you make something a habit it's easier to return to it

after a break. The hardest part was creating

my habit: eating better and exercising.

My advise is to just stick with the routine you have set for yourself. You have to do it over and over and over again, multiple times a week.

Even if you are tired you should at least do 15 minutes.

I have posted before about not being a gym or a video person.

That stuff does not motivate me. I prefer to do the moves I have learned

from all of those visits to the gym and the purchased videos in the comfort of my own home in front of the t.v. watching the shows on the dvr.

That is works for me and because it works I am motivated to do it.

MOTIVATIONiswhat

getsYOUstarted.HABIT

iswhatkeepsYOUgoing.

- jim ryun

June 1st ... Really?

2011-06-01T14:57:00.000-07:00

Is it really June 1st already? Time is passing right before our eyes and very rapidly I might add.

Today has been a soggy one in Sacramento - very unusual for this time of year. Frankly, I am ready for the sunshining, sun bathing, pool floating, lounge chair lounging, patio dinner weather. Mother nature are you hearing me? I want to know if we are going to have a mild summer or if the 100+ days are going to jump out of know where. Hmmm ... it's a mystery.

For now though I would like to trade these in...

[via]

for these ...

[via]

STAT!

Who's with me?

flashback friday

2011-05-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

Vintage. I have a love for vintage items. Almost everything I see, I like. True story. Here are some lovlies I found in this site. So pretty ...

[via]

Enjoy your weekend my Peeps. Make it fun and keep it safe.

Most importantly, remember why we have Monday off.

Tootles.

What's on your plate? Wednesday {on Thursday}

2011-05-26T09:32:00.000-07:00

I know. I know. Slacker, right? Well I am not one to make excuses but I do have a good one ... I have been super duper busy. You know? Making a living and such. :o)

Here is your weekly dose of yummas! And hey! we are at Y already... weeeee!

Daughter loves LOVES loves yams so in honor of our little bumpkiss ... here ya go:

YAM CASSEROLE [good-ness ahead]

All you'll need:
4 pounds yams
2 eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 ounces pecan halves
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter

All you'll do:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Poke yams in several places with a fork, then cook them on high power in microwave oven until heated through and soft, about 20 minutes. When cooled, remove skins and place the yams in a large bowl. -> I cook in short 4 minute intervals. My microwave cooks the yams quickly. You be the judge. You know your microwave. ;o)

Beat yams until smooth. Then beat in one egg at a time, blending after each addition. Stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/8 cup melted butter, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg; beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Transfer mixture to an ungreased 3 quart casserole dish. Arrange the pecans in a single layer on top. Sprinkle with remaining brown sugar and drizzle 1/4 cup melted butter over the top.

Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until browned and bubbly.

So easy right? And so tastey. Try it.

[Prep Time: 30 Min] [Cook Time: 25 Min] [Ready In: 1 Hr 55 Min]

Per serving approx. 8: [Calories: 491] [Total Fat: 25.5g] [Cholesterol: 76mg]

DIY :: Recipe Board

2011-05-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

... correction, the cutest recipe board ever, in my opinion ...

Last weekend we had no softball. Yes you read that correctly, no softball. We got lots done around the house, like we always do when there is a free weekend. Yeeee!

I also thought this would be the perfect weekend to get crafty. Remember back to January 3rd when I listed some goals for 2011? One of them was making more time for crafts. I love crafting but have had other priorities lately which meant there was no time for it. Know what this means? Yup, I've got lots of ideas and lots of supplies just sitting around screaming my name. [insert dream of owning a sewing machine here]

Well, on Saturday, I answered. I have been wanting to make a decorative recipe stand for our kitchen for a while now so I did it!

The supplies I used were: hot glue gun, 8x10 picture frame, wine corks, polka-dotted ribbon and plastic grapes & a leaf.

I started by laying out my pattern like so ...

Easy breezy, right? Right!

Once the pattern was layed out I hot glued all of the corks in place.

Ya, still simple. (I love this craft!)

After all of the corks were glued down I added the decor I picked

which goes with our kitchen theme.

I love the sparkely polka-dotted ribbon.

I used ribbon so I could place the recipe through it instead of using a tack.

And ta-da! The finished product just waiting for a recipe to be added.

Not only do I love the way this came out but I really love that it only took an hour to do from start to finish. Including getting the supplies together.

What do you think? Want one?

Jeter's Feature {Episode 3}

2011-05-20T12:54:00.000-07:00

Hi y'all. It's been a while since poor little Jeter has had an update so here we go ...

This little rascal has been growing so fast and getting in to so much. HA! I keep saying having a puppy is like having a toddler. We don't rest until he is sleeping. Seriously. He is cute when he sleeps and he is big enough to make a nice pillow pup.

Jeter turned 4 months old last week and had his final shots. Yep, time is flying. Attn :: Potty Training People. Please let this kick in - STAT. Thanks! He is doing much better but it's just not done yet. :o/

He has been to many, many softball games recently and played with all of the little siblings while he was there. Jeter gets LOTS of attention from everyone.

Jeter was smuggled into his first hotel for an away tournament we had. Don't tell, k?

Jeter and Daughter are little buddies. She loves that little guy just like he is her real life brother. He can now jump on her bed! Can you believe it? I can. He is like a puppy po-go stick!

Most recently we were out of town for softball {again} but couldn't bring the puppy. The facility didn't allow animals. So he had to go to a puppy hotel for the first time. We were nervous but he was fine. The little guy even met two new friends while he was there. Jeter had such a good time during his stay that he slept for a while when we got him home.

Ahh ... such a lovie.

More to come. Enjoy the weekend!

What's on your plate? Yumma ...

2011-05-18T14:51:00.000-07:00

Xavier Steak ... mmm ... Yep, my mouth is watering so lets get on with it ::

All you'll Need:
2 (10 ounce) steaks, at least 1-inch thick
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
6 asparagus spears, ends trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 slices Swiss cheese -> I'll use pepperjack. Not a big swiss fan.

All you'll do:
Season the steaks with salt and pepper to taste. Place into a glass dish, and drizzle with Worcestershire sauce. Turn the steaks, cover, and refrigerate 15 minutes. Turn the steaks again, and marinate 15 minutes longer.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.

Place the steaks on the preheated grill, close lid, and cook for 7 minutes. Toss the asparagus spears with a little olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the asparagus onto the grill, turn steaks over, and close lid. Cook until the steaks until they reach your desired pinkness, and the asparagus is tender. Turn the asparagus halfway through. Top each steak with 3 asparagus spears and swiss (or pepperjack) cheese. Continue cooking until the cheese has melted. Remove from the grill, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Doesn't this sound delicious?! Let's get q-in!

Life {as a} Mountain

2011-05-17T14:48:00.000-07:00

When I think of a way to describe life experiences I always think of a mountain. I see the mountain with little people on it that resemble my family. For me, it's easy this way. What do you do?

In the past 10 years our journey on our mountain has gone a little something like this ...

We had always hovered about 3/4 up the mountain.

(I have a little mountain)

Then we made a change in Hubber's job which took us really close to

the top of the mountain. This is where we stayed for about 7 years.

Then, it happened, the economy dropped and so did business.

This rolled us down to about 1/4 way up the mountain. Another big

decision happened which brought us to about 1/2 way up the mountain.

(see what hard work can do)

Then out of nowhere the worst news hit us and threw us

to the bottom of the mountain emotionally. We found ourselves fighting to get back

to that 3/4 mark (the 1/2 way mark at least) with all of our might.

It hasn't been easy but on the way we have found who our

true friends are, and family for that matter.

I cherish our loved ones wholeheartedly and they know it.

As hard as our journey on our mountain has been I can honestly say (and I

speak for Hubber too) that there are no regrets.

We are smarter and happier then we have been and it's all because

of the experiences we have had & the people we have

encountered in our young lives.

Everything happens for a reason.

Sometimes life has to come full circle in order to really appreciate
who you've become and what you've got.

I am strong minded - to some this can be frustrating I'm sure. I just

don't put up with the crap anymore. I don't have the time or the patience for it.

I am still the nicey-nice woman I have always been and that won't change.

I love being the positive influence and the one people come to

for advice or to vent. I like to listen.

What I don't like is when those people don't take anything

from what I have said and they keep sulking in their own pitty.

That's what I mean by 'crap'.

Life is too short to worry about what others think about you and your mountain.

I have learned that if you walk into a room glowing and confident then

that is how others will see you. Any decent person anyway.

The people who continue to judge and pick on others just aren't worth

the time of day really so you definitely shouldn't worry about what they think.

One of my favorite pieces of advice I give is this ::

"If it takes more energy to keep the relationship going

then it does to enjoy then it's just not worth it."

I believe this 100%.

Welp, I've got to get back to working on our mountain! :o)

What's on your plate? {a Ma & Pa joint}

2011-05-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

(Hmmm ... intersting, my blogger features are missing. Oh well, I'll work with it.)

Anyhoo ... I am skipping [X] today to bring to you one of THE best pizza places in town. It's a little hole in the wall snuggled in a residential area on 35th Avenue and S. Land Park Drive. Seriously, Hubber wanted to turn around because he thought we were going the wrong direction. Luckily we saw the shopping center as we rounded a corner and voila! There sat Brick Oven Pizza.

The pizza was the best I have had to date. They added a generous amount of toppings that were spread evenly and the pizza was cooked perfectly. Daughter even took leftovers for lunch today.

It's such a small place. I was reading an old newspaper article while we were waiting for our dinner, which talked about how the owners decided to expland the dining area. It's intersting to see how small that little place was before then - all counter and kitchen with room for maybe 3 small tables.

They have all of the pizza toppings you can imagine, even scrambled eggs. No, we did not get any eggs. They also have sandwiches so if pizza is not what your craving you'll still be able to get something mouth watering.

Check them out if you can. You won't regret it.

Weekend Recap

2011-05-09T14:22:00.000-07:00

Another weekend down ... another week started.

This past weekend was busy around the house on Saturday and relaxing in Sunday. You see, we are so busy with softball that it is hard to take the time to do little things like staking the itty bitty tree backup up in the front yard. When there is no softball we have to tackle our to do lists and tackle them quickly. :o)

In a nutshell we: staked the itty bitty tree, went grocery shopping, did two loads of laundry (yes only 2. Don't judge), fixed our screen door (fell victim to Jeter) and cleaned the pool. Then finally, dinner in Roseville.

Sunday was slow to start in the morning. Daughter had softball practice so I hung out with my dad and mom2. We went to the BX on McClellan. My dad used to be stationed there back in the day so he wanted to see what everything looked like now. Then we hit the movies --- Thor. I enjoyed it and think I may be hooked - dang it! I need to rent Iron Man now.

Sunday evening we had dinner at Brother's house. Mmm ... it was delicious!

Well dinner at brother's is always delicious.

Tootles.

flashback friday ~~~ family

2011-05-06T11:02:00.000-07:00

I love LOVE love this feature. I love most things old and vintage which is probably the reason. :o) I like that I find so many interesting facts and pictures when I am doing research for these posts which is why I keep on truckin' with this one. Love me some learnin'. Ok, enough with the twang, let's move on.

My D.A.D. & Momma 2 are in town! Yup, for a whole 10 days. Well they are heading over from San Francisco as I type but they will be here soon. Their plane landed last night. With the time change and being exhausted from the long travel they decided to shack up in the city.

Here are some oldies but goodies ...

{Dad and I. Dang I'm a cutie. ;o)}

{Yep, I was an eater back then too.}

{I went for a visit when they lived in MI in June 1997}

Happy Weekend!

It's What's on your plate? Wednesday. Again!

2011-05-04T15:00:00.000-07:00

I know I have said this 100 times (at least) before but really, where is the time going? The weeks are flying by. It's a good thing though, trust me.

Can you believe we are at W already? I know! Me either. ;o)

This week is :: Wasabi Yellowfin Tuna

All you'll need:
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons wasabi paste
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
4 (6 ounce) yellowfin tuna fillets
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

All you'll do:
Mix together the mayonnaise, wasabi paste, five-spice powder, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a small bowl.

Lay the tuna fillets into a glass baking dish. Pour the rice vinegar and 1 tablespoon soy sauce over the tuna. Spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly over both sides of each piece of fish. Cover the dish and refrigerate 15 to 30 minutes.

Prepare a skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the sesame seeds evenly over both sides of the fillets. Lay the tuna gently into the skillet. Grill to desired level of doneness, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Serve immediately.

Yumma! Yumma! In my tumma!

Per Serving: [Calories: 234] [Total Fat: 4.4g] [Cholesterol: 77mg]

Gotta run. Trying to get my list of to dos done by the end of the day so I can enjoy daughter's field trip tomorrow. And I have to finish getting things in order for my dad's arrival on Friday. Yep, they are coming all the way from FL to see my smiling face. Well, ok, maybe they are more excited to see their grandkids but whatever. :o)

flashback friday {find your inner*hippie}

2011-04-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

Did you know the hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s, swiftly spreading to other countries around the world. The Hippie culture remains evident in 2011!!!

I love LOVE love the hippie style ... man. Ya, I just can't wear it as often as I'd like because I work a lot.

[credit]

Did you also know the word "hip" came from Black culture and denotes awareness? To say "I'm hip to the situation" means "I am aware of the situation." Thus the word "hippie" means "one who is aware". It's sooo true man, I looked it up. ;o)

[credit]

Have fun finding your inner*hippie this weekend. Peace.

What's on your plate? {V!}

2011-04-27T13:39:00.000-07:00

V is for Veggies! dontcha know (said in my very best Fargo accent)

Of course I would pick VEGGIES for this post. One: I love them and Two: they are uber healthy for the most part.

There are lots of ideas listed below. Pick one or pick them all, my guess is you win either way!

Veggie Burgers (seriously, try this recipe. Yes, even you meat lovers like me.)
All you'll need:
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1 cup water

2 (16 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green bell pepper, halved and seeded
1 onion, quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled of course ->or more if desired. :o)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs, or as needed

All you'll do:
Bring the brown rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes.

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. Mash black beans in a large bowl with a fork until thick and pasty; set aside.

Place the bell pepper, onion and garlic in the bowl of a food processor, and chop finely. Stir the bell pepper mixture into the mashed black beans. Place the brown rice and mozzarella cheese in the food processor, and process until combined. Stir the mixture into the black beans.

Whisk together the eggs, chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, and hot sauce. Stir the egg mixture into the black bean mixture. Stir in the bread crumbs, adding additional bread crumbs as needed until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide into 6 large patties.

Place patties onto the prepared foil, and grill until browned and heated through, about 8 minutes per side.

YUMMA!

Roasted Veggies (A favorite of mine)
All you'll need:
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large sweet red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced -> Or more :o)
*Add more veggies if you'd like*

All you'll do:
In a mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, carrots, zucchini and red pepper. Combine the remaining ingredients; drizzle over vegetables. Stir to coat.

Transfer to an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until tender.

That's it! So whippy-snappy.

Veggie Dip
All you'll need:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
3 teaspoons tarragon vinegar
1 teaspoon grated onion
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

All you'll do:
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix together, cover and chill overnight.

Done! Yup, easy breezy. Oh and DELISH!

For the little chit-lins (kids)
Veggie Pizza!
All you'll need:
2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
1 cup sour cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1/2 cup halved and thinly-sliced radishes
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
1 carrot, grated

All you'll do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a jellyroll pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Pat crescent roll dough into a jellyroll pan. Let stand 5 minutes. Pierce with fork.

Bake for 10 minutes, let cool.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine sour cream, cream cheese, dill weed, garlic salt and ranch dip mix. Spread this mixture on top of the cooled crust. Arrange the onion, carrot, celery, broccoli, radish, bell pepper and broccoli on top of the creamed mixture. Cover and let chill. Once chilled, cut it into squares and serve.

*Remember to let the kids help as much as possible. They'll have fun with this!*

Peanut Butter and Celery A favorite of Daughter.
All you do is fill the celery with peanut butter and let them grub. Sprinkle raisins on top if desired.

Cucumber Slices
Another favorite of Daughter's. She can eat a whole cucmber in one sitting, then ask for more.

Have fun with these and remember, veggies are our friends. :O)

dream a little dream {of the sewing machine}

2011-04-26T11:49:00.000-07:00

Yup! I still want one.

I WILL get one.

It just may not be until Christmas.

Christmas will not pass unless I get a sewing machine.

Someone might want to share this on to Hubber. (ha!)

I have sew many ideas. Sew many things I want to try.

I just need one little thing ... a sewing machine.

Oh and a little extra time.

See ya!

Buh-bye Stay-cation, we'll miss you!

2011-04-25T15:01:00.000-07:00

A bunch of randomness ...

Oh boy, I actually decided to take 3 days off and I LOVED it. We had so much that needed to be done around the house but no time to do it, with our hectic softball schedule and all. Sooo, I decided to take the time off during Daughter's Spring break. Ahhh

I spent two days just on the yards. I trimmed, pulled, picked, swept, dumped, re-arranged and got the best darn clean-up workout ever. Phew. Our yards looks awesome. {pat pat}

Little Jeter got pooped out. He wasn't used to getting that much exercise during the day. He's such a cutie.

Daughter had a friend sleep over one night. Guess what they wanted for breakfast? Blueberry muffins and bacon. Yup!

I got a few loads of laundry done during the week then Hubber and I did a ton yesterday. Thank goodness! Oh and thank you Lynne & Flossie for all of those hangers. YES! Came in very handy once the laundry started getting done.

[daughter and her blueberry muffin & bacon buddy, Shayla]

We went on multiple bike rides. For one of them Daughter and I decided, on a whim, that we would try to find the way the Walther's house. They recently moved closer and we only had to cross one major street. My blackberry gps wasn't cooperating so we just kept riding in the right direction. And wa la! 30 minutes later we were at their house. It was fun.

Saturday, one of our softball coaches invited our team to the UC Davis vs. Cal Fullerton softball game. Thanks Coach Andy! The girls had a lot of fun and it's good for them to watch the older girls play.

We watched college softball on t.v. Have you watched before? It's amazing to me how fast these players are.

Finally, on Easter we were able to clean the inside of the house. whoa! The 3 of us spent about 6 ours doing laundry, vacuming, sorting, straightening up, and then finally preparing dinner for my mom.

I feel so energized. Guess what?! I feel like trimming another plant. Hmmm, wonder if I missed one? I'll keep you posted.

A Pageant * A Cute Cafe * A Tounament (the weekend)

2011-04-19T18:03:00.000-07:00

[credit]

This past weekend was a busy one for sure but it was a fun busy. You know the kind right?

It all started on Friday. I was so excited and appreciative when my friend Jennifer asked me if I wanted to be one of their judges for the Sierra Cities pageant. Of course I jumped on the oppotunity - duh.

Friday was the interview portion then Saturday was the stage competition. The categories were Little Miss, Young Miss, Junior Miss and Mrs. Sierra Cities. I'd say the Little Miss was the hardest to judge. They were all so adorable, how could I choose just one?!

My favorite thing about this pageant system is they require the contestants to have a platform - a community service project. This is a wonderful way to get the girls out in their communities. I was impressed by the platforms of all of the girls.

I had the best time and all of the girls/ladies did fantastic. I can't wait for the next event!

While I was in Loomis for the pageant I decided to walk around during our break looking for a little place to grab lunch.

I saw a sign that in part read, 'gourmet hotdogs'. Umm OK! I am a sucker for some foods and good hotdogs are one of them. I know, sounds weird but it's true.

Just look at how cute this place is. And their name? It's G'Day Donuts Dogs & More. How cute is that? They are a little Ma & Pa type of place nestled at the end of Horseshoe Bar Road. Their dogs have cute names like Deputy Dog and Snoopy Dog. I got the Scooby Doo Dog. A foot long with chili, onions & cheese. I left some of the bun and cheese behind. ;0) I definitely recommend trying them out - their hotdogs are yum-o-licious!

Sunday I went to Daughter's softball tourney. The team did great on Saturday and were seeded #1 for Sunday. But, we got beat and beat by a team that hadn't won a game all weekend. Oh well, that happens. :o) The positive was that team beating us probably made their day. You should have heard them cheering-it was sweet. Another good thing is we got home early and cleaned around the pool a little.

Well I am off to plan my projects while on my stay-cation, which by the way, started 2 hours ago. Have a great night!

Jeter's Feature {episode 2}

2011-04-18T14:32:00.000-07:00

And we're back! Little Jeter is growing fast. Luckily he will stay pretty small but he is visably bigger then he used to be. {weep weep} He's still pretty darn cute, don't ya think?

Just look at that widdle face. I wish he could come to work with me. :o) Since he is still a pup and hasn't had all of his shots he can't go to many softball tournaments with us so the poor little guy has to stay locked in his pin all day long sometimes.

Jeter is making progress daily it seems like. He is going to the door more often when he has to potty and he bounces around after he has gone potty outside like he knows he has done something great. He is losing some puppy teeth (thank you!) and he can now jump on the couch. Yes that's right, jump on the geesh darn couch. The little rascal is stealing articles of clothing and running as quickly as he can from me when I try to get them from him. Stinker! He finds the dishwasher pretty amazing too but I think he is trying to figure out why there are no leftovers on the dishes. HA HA HA

He loves exploring the backyard. Jeter has definitely seen every inch of it too. He is going to be really excited when I take my little stay-cation. We have big plans of weeding & cleaning the backyard getting it ready for lots of outdoor fun so we will be outside A LOT.

I've got to run now. It's almost time for Jeter's appointment #2.

What's on your plate? {oh my sweetness!}

2011-04-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

Sweets it is. Afterall, this is the month of bunnies and chicks and hardboiled pretty eggs and baskets with fake grass and lots and lots of candy. Hello April, you little Sweetie!

With sweets on the mind this week's What's on your plate? ~ U we've got a few Ulitmates for you. Check them out and don't blame me for any weight gain. Got it? Good!

Up first [caution: mouth watering ahead] the Ultimate Chocolate Bar = YUMMA!

All you'll need:
1/2 cup butter
1 (1 ounce) square unsweetened chocolate
1 cup white sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/3 cup butter
2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1/3 cup milk
2 ounces cream cheese
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

All you'll do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour one 13x9 inch pan.

In large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter and 1 ounce chocolate over low heat. Remove from heat, stir in 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup flour, walnuts (optional-think I will try with almonds instead), baking powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 eggs. Mix well. Spread chocolate base evenly into prepared pan.

In a small bowl, combine 6 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup white sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 egg, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat for one minute with an electric mixer at medium speed, or until smooth and fluffy. Spread cream cheese filling over chocolate mixture.

Bake base and filling at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare frosting. Melt 1/3 cup butter, 2 ounces chocolate, milk, and 2 ounces cream cheese in large saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, and add confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat well. Important -->Use heat to soften if it begins to dry before you are ready to use it.

Spread marshmallows over the top the chocolate bar in pan. Pour warm frosting over marshmallows. Use kitchen knife to somewhat mix the two. Let cool to room temperature. When cool, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Cut cold into small pieces then savor the flavor!

Amount Per Serving: approximately 30

[Calories: 238] [Total Fat: 11.2g ] [Cholesterol: 44mg]

Next, for all of my Sex and The City sisters, the Ulitmate Cosmopolitan = trouble!

All you'll need:

4 fluid ounces vodka

1 fluid ounce triple sec (orange-flavored liqueur)

1 fluid ounce peach schnapps

6 fluid ounces cranberry juice

1 ounce fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

All you'll do:

Pour all ingredients listed above into a cocktail shaker over ice. Cover, and roll the shaker around gently for 30 seconds (this is an important step). Don't shake the cocktail, or the cosmo will froth. Strain into chilled martini glasses & {hiccup} enjoy!

Nap time!

What is Real Estate in 2011?

2011-04-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

I can tell you it's not big homes, fancy cars and glamerous shopping trips to Nordstroms. It's not putting a sign in the yard and going 'sale pending' in the same day. It's not a huge inventory of 'regular' sales.

It's more like being smart and patient, working hard, being knowledgeable and seeing every deal to the very last minute.  You never know when something can, or will fall through. It's about being prepared for anything and preparing your clients. It's more short sales and bank owned homes. It's more TLC needed.

Real Estate is rewarding in so many ways. Being the one my clients choose to trust is a huge compliment all in its self. I enjoy making people happy and I love seeing them excited about something so big. No matter if they are buying a home, selling a home, or both, it's a big deal to them and there is always excitement.

Real Estate has its challenges too. I consider myself one of the best short sale agents I have seen but there are still some tuff issues that come up. For example, having a house sold at auction while you are in the middle of processing a short sale. A true situation: I sent in an offer through the online system this bank requires, a month and a half ago. They were very timely with having the home appraised and letting me know they are reviewing my offer/packet. Then nothing. I had to initiate every status update which always had the same response ... "we are reviewing the file".  I had to submit 2 requests to postpone the sale date (a sale date is the date a home is set to go to auction) which were honored. Then the third time my request was denied and the home sold at auction for less then the offer amount. This is one of the most frustrating things we as agents have to deal with. Some of these banks and their short sale processes could use some revamping and they could use it immediately! :o)

Here is a tip: if you are in a situation where you know you will be vacating your home, you need to contact me ASAP. The longer you wait the smaller your chances are of getting your short sale approved. Trust me when I say having a short sale (late house payments) on your credit is much better then having a foreclosure on your credit. It takes less time to recover from a short sale and be able to purchase a home again. I have more detailed information on this which I am preparing for a short sale vs. foreclosure post in the near future. If you have any questions now you can definitely contact me. The sooner the better.

{recap} WHOA! Where did the weekend go?

2011-04-11T14:50:00.000-07:00

Another week down. Another week closer to Christmas. Another weekend of softball. All whizzed right on by. I feel like yesterday was Friday. Oh Friday, please come back. No? Ok, well, on with it then ...

Let's begin with Friday, shall we? My amazingly cute clients, Tony and Lydia, got the keys to their very first home ... ahhh. Thank goodness too because Friday was the day they had to leave their apartment. Phew! I got a text and a facebook wall message from Lydia over the weekend (she is adorable) telling me that they LOVE their new home. I am beyond happy for them. Now they have enough room for babies! hint ... hint

Saturday was the beginning of another softball tournament. This one was local - DF Complex in North Highlands. I like it there. Anyhoo ... we got the pleasure of having our niece Mak join us all day on Saturday. She did so good and was such a little trooper. Not one complaint came out of her little mouth not even when

she was freezing. Luckily, I am generally a cold person so I had enough stuff to keep her warm. I think she enjoyed watching her cousin play softball.

Aren't they cutie pies?!

Little Mak was so good in fact that we missed the freeway interchange to go to her house. HA HA HA so we had to turn around. She can hang with us anytime she wants!

Also on Saturday, our Mizuno girls played 3 games - 2 wins and 1 loss. Our loss was a good game all the way to the last inning ~ final score 1-0. Talk about a nail biter! The good thing is that loss was on Saturday and not on Sunday.

Sunday is always the elimination day - you lose, you go home so we don't want to lose on Sunday. Due to how well the girls played on Saturday we had a bye first round and got to sleep in a little. YAY! Our first game was at 11:30 and we played the CA Breeze. They are a really good team and sheesh, those girls can hit the ball! No biggie though, we beat them ~ final score

9-3.

The next game was the championship game and we were playing the Meyham from Manteca. They are also a really good team and the team we lost to on Saturday.

coin toss

This game was kind of stressfull. We wanted to win for 2 reasons; 1) The team beat us Saturday and we wanted redemption and 2) It was the championship game. The score was pretty even until we got close to the end of the game, then we had a big inning. Lots of big hits + good plays + fast base running = runs scored and enough of them to give us a cushion. We needed the cushion because the Meyham had the last at-bats. (sorry if anything sounds funny. I am getting used to the proper softball verbiage.)

I don't know why I was worried. With our defense it would be hard for the other team to come back and score 7 runs in one inning, but then again, anything is possible. Just not possible yesterday. :o)

Celebrating!

Daughter grabbed this button on our way out of the park yesterday. I think it pretty much states how our girls played the entire weekend.

Until next time!

flashback friday {the economy} EEK!

2011-04-08T14:34:00.000-07:00

Remember when ...
the real estate market was booming?
businesses were thriving?
we were eating out more then eating in?
we were spending without worry?
we could travel with no stress?
it was so easy to save?
there was a cute shop on almost every corner?

Ya, I remember too. Boy those were the good ol' days huh?.

Now:
The real estate market is not as hot as it was. Homeowners are losing their homes. Bank foreclosures and short sales are the majority of the market. Agents are working harder and hopefully learning more. ;o) I have done more short sale business then I have 'regular' sales. Not a bad thing and I am pretty excellent at it. Any questions?

We are seeing more vacant buildings and empty store fronts then ever. It's so sad to see so many people's dreams be shattered by the bad economy. I've been there.

We are eating in more than we are eating out. It's actually not bad, we eat healthier and are saving a ton of mula. It seems like the only two restaurants in town that have a wait at dinner time are BJs and Mikuni. Both are great by the way.

We are smart spenders now. A thought and a purpose goes behind every spending decision, behind every item bought. Shop smart is what I like to call it. Daughter is in on this path too. I am so proud of how mature she is when it comes to her own money.

Picking up and going spur of the moment is not an option. We have to plan our trips and save for them. This is a good thing.

Saving isn't as easy as it used to be but it is possible. We have made life changes which have been hidden blessings. Seriously.

I can't say that the past few years have been easy but I can't say that's been a bad thing either. We have learned so much and do so many things differently now that sometimes I sit back and think, 'now why didn't I do this or that before'. Every thing happens for a reason. Sometimes it just takes a while to find out what that reason is. Our lives have come full circle and we couldn't be happier with where we are today. I am proud of us. :O)

Have a wonderful weekend!

What's on your plate? {Let's talk turkey}

2011-04-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

With Easter (or whatever you celebrate) right around the corner I thought turkey would be good for our T post this week. Speaking of turkey, I love LOVE love those giant turkey legs they sell at places like Disneyland. mmm mmm mmmmmm! Between the thought of the giant turkey legs and the recipe below my mouth is watering. I want some turkey!

Here we go ... T is for Turkey Mercedes

All you'll need:
3 heads garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons salt (or to taste)
2 cups fresh lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 (16 pound) turkey

All you'll do:
Crush the peeled garlic cloves, and place into a large bowl. Season with pepper, cumin, oregano, and salt. Pour in lemon juice, wine, and orange juice concentrate; whisk together until well mixed.

Using a sharp paring knife, pierce the turkey breast, thighs, and legs; creating holes for the marinade to penetrate. Pour the marinade over turkey, and into the holes. Finally, stuff garlic pieces into the holes. Cover the turkey well, and refrigerate overnight to marinate.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Roast turkey in the preheated oven until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh measures 180 degrees F (80 degrees C), about 5 hours. Baste the turkey every 30 to 45 minutes. Once the breast has browned, cover loosely with aluminum foil to prevent it from becoming burnt.

I have been told this is a Cuban recipe. Sounds delicious don't you think?!

[Prep Time: 40 Min] [Cook Time: 5 Hrs] [Ready In: 13 Hrs 40 Min]

Amount Per Serving (approx 20 servings)

[Calories: 589] [Total Fat: 25.6g] [Cholesterol: 215mg]

Did someone say leftovers? Enjoy!

Jeter's Feature {episode 1}

2011-04-05T16:42:00.000-07:00

Little Jeter has been keeping us busy. It's like having a toddler all over again - we don't rest until he's asleep. I am not kidding. He is definitely worth it though. Just look at that little face. ahhh ...

He loves to be outside but can't be out there alone just yet. We have fun watching him run around. It's especially funny when he pounces on sticks like they are going to run away if he doesn't get them ASAP.

Here he is running in the tall grass. It had rained so much

that the ground was too soggy to mow.

Here he is exploring the yard or is he trying to find an escape route?

He is so cute. He won't sleep on the carpet, he prefers a blanket under him.

Jeter wasn't too happy when we moved the cat food so he couldn't get to it. HA!

We are still working on potty training the little stinker. I have heard that it will 'just click' when he is about 4 months old. Sheesh, I hope so. He's 3 1/2 months old now and has gone to the door 3 times ... puppy steps.

His last shots can't come soon enough because we are all so anxious to get him out and take him on walks. We do take him to Daughter's workouts at the indoor facility so he can get used to his leash and people which gets him very excited. Jeter does really good on car rides too.

Well we have to go now. Let's see what he can get himself into over the next week or so. Stay tuned.

Weekend recap - All softball

2011-04-04T13:28:00.000-07:00

No seriously, that is what the weekend consisted of ... just softball. It's cool because we really enjoy the game.

This weekend we were in Tracy, CA playing in the NSA Tracy Invitational. Our Mizuno All American 00 girls played 5 great games this weekend and oh boy, they sure did play their booties off. They won 4 and lost 1. The good thing is they won the 1 that mattered most - the championship game.

Bottom center is our little bat boy. He's the cutest little bat boy.

We saw some great plays this weekend along with great improvements from the girls. One of our players even did a head first slide into 1st base in an attempt to beat the throw. She got out but it was still fantastic to see her react that way. Watching the games is so exciting because these 10 year olds are so talented. It really is jaw-dropping.

I think we may be getting a little addicted to the sport. As if 3 games an hour out of town on Saturday were not enough we went to watch our good friends play in their last game. We didn't get home until after 9pm. Then Sunday we stopped on our way home to watch the championship game at another tournament that was going on and didn't get home until after dinner time. Phew! I'm sleepy today. :o) It was all worth it though.

Pupdate: Little Jeter was not a happy puppy about being locked up all day long, both days this weekend. More on this tomorrow with cute pics. :O)

Shout out: I want to thank my mom for raising me to have common sense and decency for others. I witnessed a ridiculously selfish act this weekend. The sad thing is the behavior was not shocking.

Remember to check back tomorrow for the Jeter feature. See ya! :o)

flashback friday {a year + ago}

2011-04-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that Daughter first slipped on a softball glove August 2009. She played 8U winterball with the Elk Grove Stingers and boy were we lucky she got on that team. They were awesome coaches and are amazing friends to this day. Coach Deidra and Coach Jeff patiently worked with Kylee each week and each week we could see her getting more and more comfortable. They are also the ones who referred us to All American Softball School. WOOT!

The Stingers Stayed 8U for Spring 2010 so in April she joined the 10U Lady Giants.

[I LOVE this picture]

We met some great parents and had fun that season.

Then Winterball 2010 she joing the 10U Rebels. Again, we got lucky with this team. We were very thankful that Coach Mike gave Daughter a lot of time catching which developed her so much and helped to prepare her for where she is today:

A starting catcher on the Mizuno All American 00 ASA competitive team.

I am partial to the head coach since it's Hubber. :0) We really enjoy this team; the kids and the parents are so much fun and the talent blows my socks off!

Welp, I've got to run. After work we need to get things ready for our tournament this weekend. Wish us luck!

What's on your plate? S is for ... {part 2}

2011-03-30T21:33:00.000-07:00

Here is part 2 - Shrimp -the peel and eat kind. Hubber makes this recipe plus a hotter batch for those who like it hotter. :o)

All you'll need:
1 cup butter or margerine, melted
3/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 tablespoon hot chili sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 lbs unpeeled jumbo shrimp - Rinse and Drain
2 lemons - sliced thin
*Note :: Hubber does not measure anything. He does a dash of this; a pinch of that type of thing.*

All you'll do:
Combine everything above except the shrimp and lemon slices, in a bowl and set aside.

Layer unpeeled shrimp and lemon slices in a 13x9x2 baking dish. Pour the combined mixture, from the bowl, over the shrimp.

Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for about 23 minutes or until shrimp turns pink.

*TIP for greatness* Baste occasionally with its juices.

Oh boy, my mouth is watering now! Everyone requests this when we go places. You won't be disappointed. :o)

Good luck and enjoy!

What's on your plate? S is for ... {part 1}

2011-03-30T14:33:00.000-07:00

Hi! Hi! Hi!
Smile large today. The sun is out and everything seems to be lining up into place - just like the little chickies following their momma - just perfect. Know what I'm saying?

Anyhoo ... This week's What's on your plate? is all about seafood and will be done in 2 parts. Part 1 is for Simple Salmon. So very simple I might add.

All you'll need:
Salmon Filets (enough for your family and/or guests)
Salt
Black Pepper
Lemon slices (enough for 2 per filet)

All you'll do:
Season the salmon with as much of the salt and pepper as desired (light salt is best). Add the 2 lemon slices per filet then place skin side down on the bbq for about 20 minutes or until flakey.

Add some seasoned grilled asparagus, a patio table and a beautiful Spring evening and you have a lovely dinner. Just like that. Quick and easy which is so important with how busy our lives are these days.

*********************************************************************************

Oh! Ok, What we do to the asparagus is this:
Brush with olive oil then sprinkle desired amounts of fresh garlic, black pepper and seasoning salt. Place on the grill for about 10 minutes. We like ours a little crispy.

Check back later this evening for part 2 ... peel and eat shrimp. It's Hubber's recipe. YUM!

Crock Pot Chicken + Roasted Potatoes {I was on a roll!}

2011-03-29T14:47:00.000-07:00

Hello Folks! I attempted my first whole chicken in the crock pot and it turned out AND it was yummy. I was so excited that I even made roasted potatoes for the first time too. I know, I can't believe it either. sheesh!

I had a few fears going into this little dinner idea ... 1) I was afraid the crock pot would catch fire and dang it, we haven't shown Jeter how to use the extinguisher yet; and 2) I was afraid if there was no fire then the darn thing would decide to quit working leaving me a raw chicken. I am slightly paranoid. Although after successfully using a completely intact crock pot with zero burn marks yesterday, my paranoia has eased a tad.

Here is how I concocted this easy breezy dinner:

For the chicken you'll need:
1 whole chicken (insides taken out) <---that was a first for me and ewwww!
1 can of beer (I used budlight)
1/2 an onion
3/4 of a garlic thingy (about 11 cloves)
1/4 cup of Wickles (approximately)
Black pepper
Seasoning Salt
Cajun Spice
Aluminum foil

All you'll do: (we prepped the night before)
Make about 5 balls with the foil and put them in the bottom of the crock pot. This is to keep the chicken from sitting in it's juices.

Stuff the chicken with the onion, garlic and wickles.

Rub the black pepper, seasoning salt and cajun spice on the outside and under the skin of the chicken. Place in crock pot.

Dump the beer, or your desired liquid, in the crock pot and cook on low for 10 hours.

Then prepare yourself for delicious-ness!

For the potatoes all you'll need is:

Enough new, or red, potatoes for your serving size

A bit of Olive oil

Black pepper

Garlic Salt

All you'll do:

Cut the potatoes in halves, or quarters depending on size, then place in a bowl.

Sprinkle olive oil and your desired amounts of black pepper and garlic salt over the potatoes then mix them all together.

Place on a cooking stone or baking sheet.

Adjust your oven rack to the lowest level then bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.

Ready to bake

We all enjoyed this easy dinner which made me happy. My family liked it and didn't get sick. HA! Hmmm ... now what's next?

I'll leave you with this cartoon-ized pic of the puppy sleeping ... just because.

Until tomorrow ...

Setting Goals {me + family}

2011-03-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

I believe in setting goals. I mean, without goals how would you have anything to strive towards. Know what I mean? We -the 3 of us + cats + pup + rats- have goals. I like goals and I am inspired to go after them daily. Some are large goals that will take time to achieve and some are smaller goals that can be acheived daily. My daily goal today is to successfully cook my first ever whole chicken in the crock pot (more on this later).

Since the 3 of us + cats + pup + rats have goals we figured we'd share a few. Let's start with the animals ~ I am their typing fingers. :o)

The Rat's goals are:
1) To never bite the hand that feeds us or else we will starve. (they have never bitten anyone by the way)

2) To not hang out by the edges of the cage when there is a cat lurking.

The Pup's goals are:
1) To chew one shoe, just one, without being caught. (not going to happen. I've got my eyes on that little stinker)

2) To get the cats to like me enough to play with me and not swat my nose.

He is trying hard ... see. He pinned Sammy down and licked her head.

The Cat's goals:

1) To stay away from that puppy.

2) To torment that puppy by intentionally jumping up higher then he can reach then stare at him until he leaves.

The 3 of us ...

Daughter's goals:

1) To make honor roll this school year. (she's doing very well)

2) To consistently have good at-bats during tournaments. (she's doing good here too)

Hubber's goals:

1) Increase the sales in my area to the point where I get a company car.

2) Coach Daughter's softball team to Nationals. (He's such a great coach)

My goals:

1) To implement the inexpensive marketing idea I learned from the financial seminar I attended last week. (stay tuned for more)

2) To run at least 1 mile on the treadmill 5 mornings a week along with my normal routine.

This is just a few of our goals. ;o) You know there are many more because we are driven to thrive.

I will leave you with a picture of the chicken taken this morning when I put it in the crock pot. I was happy to hear that the crock pot did not catch fire while Hubber was at work. (A huge fear of mine. I know, I know ... I'll get over it eventually.)

Until tomorrow!

I did not vanish {busy week}

2011-03-25T10:18:00.000-07:00

Oh sheesh, you know it's been an unusually busy, chaotic week when I can't muster the time to show bloggy love. It's funny how this little ol' blog has become such a big part of my daily existence. I thought about {her} every day, just had no time to {visit}. I reep the rewards of starting this -back in September 2009- every time I hear a comment or read an email of how I have inspired someone along the way. Those comments/compliments inspire me to keep this little diddy going. :o) That said, let's get on with it ...

My unusually, chaotic week in review:
Last weekend was more mellow then the weekends we have had lately. Softball was cancelled due to the Seattle type weather we have been having so we took advantage and cleaned our house. All weekend. Even daughter pitched in and cleaned her bedroom and playroom.

Sunday afternoon I had the worst allergy attack I have had in over a year -don't pitty me- which pretty much knocked me down from about 2:00pm through most of Monday. Talk about hindering my plans. humpf!

Monday evening we had to get Daughter packed and labeled for her 5th grade 4-day field trip to Mission Springs. It's a science camp in the Santa Cruz mountains and oh boy, she sure was excited to go. She comes home today by the way. YAY!

She spent lots and lots of time with little Jeter pup before she left. Adorable.

Tuesday and Wednesday were days full of work - In the office and real estate paperwork and meeting prep in the evening, meetings with partners and clients. I feel lucky to love my jobs like I do. Have a I mentioned that before?

Thursday was work and an awesome seminar put on by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. ~Building Business in 2011. I am primarily a listing agent, specializing in short sales. This seminar gave great information and awesome marketing ideas that are inexpensive. Key word - inexpensive. :o)

And here we are at Friday already. I am so happy this week flew by because we have been missing our little munchkin and I know she has been missing us too, and the puppy. I didn't worry about her too much on this trip since one of my besties was a chaperone. Phew!

Tomorrow I will be doing laundry and meeting a client for their final walk-through while Daughter goes to a play with her Grandma Lynne and Papa Jay. They take her to a lot of plays which is really awesome. Lucky girl!

Lastly, don't worry my bloggy peeps! We'll be back next week with What's on your plate? It's a Shrimp & Salmon edition! Whoop!

Have a wonderful weekend!

oh my weeds!

2011-03-22T18:38:00.000-07:00

Oh my geesh! This wild Northern CA weather is fooling our earth. For example, we have had 5 days of straight storm - no sun & brrr cold temps, then today, SUN and 60 degrees. What the heck?

As you can imagine the bushes, flowers and oh ya, the WEEDS are going crazy in our yard. HUMPF! Darn weeds!

Little Jeter will be hard to find pretty soon.

That is supposed to be a gravely type ground cover.

Even Jeter looks concerned.

Oh! there is more ...

Not pictured is the one that's almost as tall as the fence ...

and many, many, many more. {sigh}

Yep, I am pretty positive we have our work cut out for us just as soon as this weather clears up. My hope is to have the yard cleaned by the time Dad and Mom2 come for a visit from Florida. Fingers and toes are crossed.

The positive = Pulling weeds is a geesh darn good workout. So I'll keep that in mind and press on. :o)

For Japan With Love

2011-03-17T08:52:00.000-07:00

If you can donate, please do. The devastation is so sad to me.

All I can do is pray for the ones who survived and have faith

that they will bounce back and rebuild - slowly but surely.

I was going to start a new Jeter feature today, but obviously

when I saw this I instantly decided Jeter's feature will begin

next week.

Enjoy your weekend.

{It's a carb thing} What's on your plate?

2011-03-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

Another Wednesday. Another What's on your plate? Oh boy time is sure flying by these days.

I figured I would try to find a pasta dish for today because pasta is loaded with carbs. I have a little 5k run in two weeks so I need some yummy carb-filled meal ideas.

So here ya go ... R is for Rigatoni with Italian Chicken ... Can you say YUMMA!

All you'll need:

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 cups Italian salad dressing

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked rigatoni pasta

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs

1/4 cup butter

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon dried parsley - nah ... not for mine

2 cloves fresh garlic - at least - Optional

All you'll do:

Place chicken breasts in a large resealable plastic bag and pour in the Italian dressing. Seal bag, and marinate chicken 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Drain, discarding dressing, and dice.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain, transfer to a large bowl, and toss with diced tomatoes.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place chicken in the skillet, and season with red pepper. Cook and stir 15 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear. Serve over the pasta. Top with Parmesan cheese, and garnish with parsley flakes.

[Prep Time: 15 Min] [Cook Time: 30 Min] [Ready In: 45 Min]

Amount Per Serving [Calories: 554] [Total Fat: 25.5g] [Cholesterol: 61mg]

Serves approximately 8 servings

Weekend recap.

2011-03-14T13:04:00.000-07:00

Softball. That's it. Our weekend consisted of 5 games of softball. OH! You want details? Well ok then, here ya go ...

This past weekend our coach (aka Hubber) spontaneously signed us up for the NSA Vacaville Kick-off Tournament. He did this because we got rained out last Sunday and he wanted the team to get as many games in as possible before our ASA tounament this coming weekend. We the parents were all fine with this ... I think. :o)

On Saturday we had a bright and early 8 am game which meant we had to be at the field at 6:45. Yep, 6:45am. We played 3 games and won all three of those games. Scores: 8-0; 11-0; 8-1. Go Mizuno!

Being seeded #1 for the playoffs on Sunday we automatically got the bye Sunday morning. This meant our first game was not until 11 so we didn't have to be to the field until 9:45. I must say I have never been so happy to hear '9:45am'. :o)

Game 1 was an intense one. We were losing 3-2 in the last inning. Thankfully we were home team and were able to have the last at bats. Our talented team of pure awesomeness pulled it off and ended up scoring 3 more runs giving us the win 5-3. Phew! I have never seen our cheering section so excited! It was pretty cool to watch. On to the championship game we went. Which by the way was 20 minutes after that first game.

Game 2 - Championship game - was also a great game. We were tied 5-5 in the last inning. Unfortunately, the team we were playing, Concord Lady Liberty, scored a run. The score was 6-5 as we went up to bat. We didn't get any more runs scored so we took runner-up for this tournament.

We were all happy with this as the entire team played very well. The girls had fun and were excited to get the trophy and a medal.

Look at all of their smiles. Ahh ... such a great group of girls.

(Not pictured: Sophie. If she was there she'd be smiling too.)

Now on to the week ahead which includes work, school, homework, softball league game, conditioning, softball practice and I have got to get on the treadmill every night. My 5k is in two weeks! WHOA!

flashback friday - looking back 50 years

2011-03-11T12:13:00.000-08:00

Have you ever thought about the whole time machine thing? If it was real, what era would you travel back to? {wishing I had that special Delorean} Do you, or have you saved stuff from your grandparents, your family heritage, your life, so you could reflect back on them at a later date? And share them with your kids and/or grandkids?

Do you like antique/vintage shopping? I do and I am lucky. I have a room in my house which is decorated with all things vintage. Most of which are from our family. I have so much stuff that I have started incorporating pieces into our modern decor throughout the house. Let's not ask Hubber what he thinks about this. Really, he doesn't mind because he's cool like that.

I love most things vintage. From furniture to clothes to old hair clips. I pretty much love it all. I like seeing how things were worn and how they looked back in the day and how some styles/trends have come back into our current mags. I always wonder who? what? where? when I find a new treasure. If only I could know the story behind every item. {dreaming}

In honor of one of my favorite things I thought it would be pretty awesome to look back 50 years for this week's flashback friday. Check out this stuff from 1961.

[LOVE the one on the right and the headband too]

[Cutest suit ever. Minus the gloves.]

[I like the hat]

[Vroom ... vroom ... I'd drive this today. Yep!]

[Good ol' t.v. I would LOVE to get my hands on one of these.]

[A classic]

[I can watch this any day, any time.]

[Jeter's ancestors ... hee hee]

Do you like vintage?