All DUE! and Winter's coming back...

We are currently bracing ourselves for the cold again. After having two days in the upper 50's and lower 60's winter is headed this way again.  It gave us time to get some outdoor tasks accomplished: power-washing our latest auction find and cleaning the chicken coop. Oh and it also gave us time to call the furnace guy because it just so happen that three days ago the furnace quick working. I feel quite blessed that it was 50 degrees this weekend and not 15 degrees. But now that the cold is arriving I will be back indoors.  This will give me plenty of time to get caught up on some housekeeping duties related to the good 'ol nursing license. I am not sure how or why but every single license and certification I have is all due this year by September!!! Yes, ALL of them.  Texas and Ohio license due, CPR, PALS, CPR instructor, and continuing education.  Now the goal is to see how fast I can get it all done. Oh wait....I can't print anything because the printer is BUSTED.  Yeah, remember the invitation post...still looking for a printer. I guess that will be the goal for tonight so I can purchase it tomorrow.  Now off to start the continuing education... after I get some dinner!! =)

But last night Nicky and I went for Pho at Buckeye Pho.  I love Vietnamese food.  After dinner we headed over to the International Market in the same shopping center.  It is always a learning experience to see what ingredients other cultures are using.  It was a good thing most of the packaging was also in English or I would not have known what half of the food was.  We snapped a couple pics of the more interesting selections.

Fried Gluten??? Not sure what this is for?

EVERYTHING is better wrapped in Pork skin

AND some interesting trail mix

This market had everything. We ended up walking out with Spicy Peas, Wasabi Peas, and Fava Beans.    We definitely learned something and can not wait to use some different ingredients!! What is life without an adventure every now and then.

Oh, and here is the hair for the peeps who wanted to see it. 

Have a Blessed Week!!! and eat some Pigs Feet...

Making Invitations

Just a quick blog in between making a wedding invitation for my lil sis. We have been going back and forth via email, phone, and text trying different layouts, colors, fonts, wording and even paper type.  It has been fun to use different programs on my computer to try different things. That being said sometimes you run into some compatibility issues. After wanting to pull my hair out night before last I finally got it resolved today.  Always a learning experience!  A few things I learned during this process: one, my printer stinks (and that is as nice as I can put it), two, with out the internet it would take me forever to learn anything, and three, patience and stepping away from the project for a minute or two makes a world of difference.
I admit I had fun making the invitation and I am glad for all the mistakes too.  Next time I can take what I learned and expand on what I did this time. I would love to post a pic so you could see the progress but then it would spoil the big reveal when folks get them in the mail.

FYI: In the end I used a template for the monogram and then uploaded into Pixelmator, did some tweaking in Pixelmator (made a BORDER!!, margins, layers, etc.) and saved it as a PDF. PDF was a must to get it uploaded and printed. Especially since my printer is busted.

Ironic I can describe a three day process in two sentences.

Links for invitations: You can get ideas and DIY help for many types of invitations at the following links:

Zazzle
Etsy
Paper Source
Invitation Consultants
invys
paper and more
Wedding Paper Divas
Pinterest
weddinghchicks
Ann's Bridal Bargains
Basic Invite

Expand your creative mind and try making your own invitations next time. You might even surprise YOURSELF!!

Canvas is HERE

The snow is finally melting here in Ohio. Today the chickens had the run of the yard again. It didn't take them five minutes to realize they could go right to the back door and POOP! Yes, I think they all decided to run straight to the house and leave land mines on the sidewalk.  

Anyhow, I have a bit of a spring cleaning bug coming on pretty strong so everything in this house had better be on it's best behavior or it could go straight in the TRASH! But before the cleaning is to begin I get to hang my new canvas that I finally received in the mail today.  It does look nice but I did learn one lesson from this experience.  The company I used convinced me to send them the unedited file of my photo instead of one that I had photoshopped.  I should have sent them exactly what I wanted because they didn't crop everything the way I had explained. Oh well there is always next time. I ordered the 3 panel photosplit but I like the first panel with the truck so much I may not even hang the other two.

Next on the agenda as always is my dinner. Tonight Nicky made a really good Broccoli and Potato soup. Delish! For further instruction see below per the CHEF.

1- Sauté the broccoli stems with some white potato and onion in butter until translucent then add some chicken stock and cook until very soft. 
2- Puree and add some milk mixed with a touch of flour, and seasonings… salt, pepper, cayenne, etc…
3- Caramelize some sweet potatoes, blanch some cubed white potatoes and broccoli, and crisp some bacon.
4- Mix it all in one pot with some cheddar

YEAH!! 1,000

This is the shortest post ever to just say how excited I am that I have 1,000 pageviews on my BLOG!!!!
I am sure half of them are my mom and my husband but who has to know.... THANKS to everyone for reading. Feel free to comment anytime at the bottom of each post and if you want to join just hit the button on the right side of the page that says "Join this site".

Thanks Again,
ME

PS- I love my new haircut!!

What a way to START the day!!

Oh I am so excited today!! Why, you ask???  It's hair cut day. Yeah I know that may sound a little corny BUT I love getting my hair cut.  The big question is always whether I should grow it out or keep it short. I like it both ways but it is definitely easier and quicker when it is short AND as many of you know I am not afraid to play around with a little color as well.  Blonde, Black, Red, who cares it will be different in 8-12 weeks anyhow.  It always gives me such a renewed feeling to get the old dead hair chopped off.  Two of the most difficult people to find in this world is a good dentist and a good hair stylist. After I left Texas (where I HAD the best Stylist and Colorist) I was on the search for someone just as good. After four salons and four different hair cuts I found her.... ahhhhhh. Miss Natalie at Waldo's on High.  Best of all she listens to what I want and gives great advice. So between the two of us we can rock a cut and color!! LOL

The other thing that got me moving today was this...

Yes those are my morning comfy clothes hanging on the Stocking hangers getting warmed by the fireplace. Thanks to the hubby!!!

Before I go I have to share with you the dinner we had last night. I know I have already told you guys about Perogies before but we changed it up a bit last night. We decided to add some broccoli and bacon to the mix! What could go wrong with anything you add bacon to??!! Nicky also put some cheddar cheese on his but I opted for just sour cream. They were delish!!

Have a GREAT day!!

Date Night

Like most people Nicky and I get on a roll sometimes and forget to stop and just enjoy each other. Soooo... we decided to have a date night this weekend since we had a couple gift cards from Christmas. Compliments of my Mom we had a wonderful dinner at Benihana's. If you have never experienced Benihana's it is quite the treat. They cook hibachi style right in front of you.  They have expanded their menu from what it was 10-15 years ago; including spicy items, teriyaki and a tasty sushi menu.  To start off we had a Spicy Tuna roll from the sushi menu followed by their soup and salad that comes with most of the entrees. For the main course I had Spicy Chicken and Nicky had the Benihana Experience which was Teriyaki Beef and Shrimp. The entrees also come with Chicken Fried Rice which is cooked with garlic butter and is probably the best in the WORLD!!!

After dinner we opted for a movie.  How, I do not know because we were so full I am sure we could have been just as happy to go home and SLEEP! But we were determined.  I had already done my research on what movies were out there and decided to call my PERSONAL movie critic... my Mom.  Yes I said my Mom.  My Mom and Dad go to the movies just about every weekend. I said movieS (plural), not movie.  Sometimes they may see three or four in one weekend.  So why not go straight to the source for recommendations. After some discussion we decided to see Silver Linings Playbook and it did not disappoint. It was a perfect date night movie in my opinion. This movie has something for everyone. Comedy, drama, and even a little romance.

Click for Trailer

Overall we had a lovely evening and after a full belly from Benihana's and the unmentionable snacks at the movie it was time for bed.

Make sure and spend time with the special people around you while you can... because you never know what the future holds!!

Happy 2013

2012 is now in the past... I am glad every one survived the Mayan calender end of the world.  I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year's celebration.  I am sure a few if not all of you reading this have made a couple resolutions to start off the year.  Feel free to post your resolutions in a comment below... so I can make sure you are on track throughout the year! HAHAHAHAHA

All kidding aside Nicky and I had a relaxing but wonderful evening at Nicky's cousins house.  Had some wonderful food and then the CARDS came out.  While we were in Texas my Nanny and PawPaw showed us how to play Hand and Foot (Nicky called it Hand, Foot, and Mouth).  We ended up playing till 2am one night until I insisted on going to bed. We enjoyed it so much we decided to play on New Years Eve. You need quite a few decks, one deck more than the number of players you have and you usually play with a partner.  So at the party we had six people playing. Needless to say we left their house at 430 AM!! Yes AM!!! Now that's a party. 

Other than that winter is going full throttle here. It snowed several times last week and has been so cold it remains snowy white today.  In fact it was 7 degrees when I went to bed last night.  I am sure it is creating a bonding experience for the chickens.  Better to be next to someone and warm then trying to rule the roost with no one wanting to be next to you.  That lesson could transfer to real life as well.  I did have to pull out the heated water bucket so their water can't freeze.  Overall they seem to be hanging in there.  

Last week I snapped a couple quick shots after the snow. 

ENJOY!

They LOVE pecking at Snow

Nicky clearing the drive