Wordless Wednesday

Danielle, Me, and Pete!

Gotta love camping!

Tasty Tuesday

Welcome to another edition of Tasty Tuesdays! Check out

New Mommy Rant for another Tasty recipe!

The following recipe is a copycat recipe from Olive Garden. It tastes exactly the same! You should try it out; it's great for a party - so quick & easy!

Smoked Mozzarella Fonduta

Ingredients
1 loaf Italian bread sliced into 1/4 inch slices (such as ciabatta or semolina)
1 cup sour cream (Do not substitute light or fat free)
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups shredded smoked mozzarealla cheese

3 cups shredded provolone cheese

3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons grated romano cheese
8 teaspoons fresh diced tomato
chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Arrange sliced Italian bread flat on a baking sheet and cover with foil. Set aside until ready to use.
3.Combine sour cream, thyme, red pepper, cayenne pepper and four cheeses in a large bowl and blend thoroughly.
4. Spray an 8x10-inch casserole dish with pan spray, then use a spatula to transfer the mixture.

5. Place casserole dish on center rack in oven.
6. After five minutes, place baking sheet with bread, still covered, on top rack in oven. Bake for an additional five minutes. Remove bread and fonduta from oven.

7. Garnish with diced tomatoes and fresh parsley.

Eat & Enjoy!

Meme Monday

I was over at Pam's Blog, Random Thoughts and she was tagged to do a Book Meme so I figured to play along!

Here are the rules:

Pick up the nearest book.

Turn to page 123.

Post the 5th sentence.

Tag 5 other people.

OK... So her I go:

I grabbed a book that Danielle from New Mommy Rant let me borrow; Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman & Kim Barnouin. "It is a no-nonsense, tough-love guide for savvy girls who want to stop eating crap and start looking fabulous."

Page 123- 5th Sentence says;

"You should never be somewhere and just say, "Fuck It."

Ok, I'll take that into consideration and make sure to watch my mouth when I'm in a public place.. LOL!!

I'm not going to tag anyone in particular either - but if you would like to participate let me know so I can come check your Book Meme out..

**Read below for my latest review on TARTE make-up**

Tarte Make-Up Review Part 2

This is the 2nd of 3 make-up reviews I will be doing for TARTE Cosmetics!!
I was recently surfing the web and I came across Tarte so I emailed them and a great lady from PR and got back to me... They sent me some products to review for my blog... So here I go:

The 3rd product they sent me was a really cool natural cheekstain in the color Full Blossom.

I was a little hesitant using this product because it is called a stain. But it looked so natural and was easy to remove. TARTE swirled two universally flattering shades together The result is a fresh, healthy glow that's twice as nice. With the purchase of every TARTE full blossom natural swirl cheek stain, you’ll be helping to preserve the Amazon Rainforest through forest conservation, improved living conditions and educational opportunities for communities in Brazil. TARTE supports Sambazon’s Sustainable Acai Project (SAP), a member of the Organic Trade Association and the Fair Trade Federation.

I would recommend this as a Summer must have, especially if you don' t wear a lot of make-up because it is natural and just gives you the right amount of color on your cheeks.

The next product they sent me to review was a Mineral Powder Bronzer

In the color Park Ave Princess, which is a light Bronzer. This bronzer is so light it gives the sun-burned glow look. And it is a mineral powder which is great for your skin. Again, this is a great product to use if you don't wear a lot of makeu-up you just have to apply a little and your ready to go. This bronzer gives off such a nice glow, my skin looked so healthy!

You can find Tarte Cosmetics at Sephora Stores and shop online going going to TARTE. They also have a store locator online that will show you all of the locations where their products are sold.. So check it out - Buy 3 or more items and they ship your items for free!

**Check out my last review of TARTE products next week .... Double dose berry boast & gloss and emphasEYES liner**

Six Things About Me!

I have been tagged by EP from Stylish Handwriting for the “Six Truths/Facts/Quirks About Me” thing! So here I go...

The rules are:

* Link to the person that tagged you.

* Post the rules on your blog.

* Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.

* Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.

* Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

1. I hate eggs, I've never eaten one! Seriously, NEVER!! I used to cry and scream when my mom fed them to my older brother when we were little. I used to gag at the site and smell of them.

2. I love Old Horror movies - like the real corny ones. My favorite's are "When a Stranger Calls" & When a Stranger Calls Back." (the originals) I also love the all of the Friday the 13th movies, too!

3. My first car was a 92 SC2, it was purple. My second car was a 2000 Black Ford Explorer XLT- Fully Loaded. Now, I drive a Red 2007 Honda Civic EX with Navigation.

4. My favorite show ever was Beverly Hills 90210 - I still watch the repeats every day - I LOVE Kelly Taylor!! When Jennie Garth was on DWTS (Dancing with The Stars) I made all of my family and friends vote for her - I literally harrased them every time the show was on and she danced..

5. In High School I played Field Hockey. I was the Captain of my team Senior Year. My number was 5 and my position was Center Half.

6. I met my boyfriend at the Bar/Restuarant he used to own. I was a bartender there - and though he made an aggreement with his brother not to date any of the workers - It's almost 7 years later, we are still together and his brother is still mad!

I hope you enjoyed learning a little more about me!!

Now I want to learn more about you. With that said I'm tagging:

Anna from Banana Blondie

Missy from Bees and Boo-Boos

Ashley from Our Little Apartment

Hope everyone is having a great day, Happy Blogging!!

Random Recipe Exchange

I love partaking in Pam's Random Recipe Exchange. So here it goes, here is one of my favorite appetizers!

Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

1 (8 oz.) pkg Cream Cheese

1 can (14 oz.) Artichoke Hearts, drained, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup Spinach frozen chopped, or steamed

1/4 cup Mayonnaise (do not use Miracle Whip)

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

1/4 cup Romano Cheese (You can use all Parmesan)

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon dried BasilOR1 tablespoon Basil Fresh

1/4 cup Mozzarella Cheese grated

1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Toasted Bread or Tortilla Chips

Preparation

Allow cream cheese to come to room temperature. Cream together mayonnaise, Parmesan, Romano cheese, garlic, basil, and garlic salt. Mix well. Add the artichoke hearts and spinach (careful to drain this well), and mix until blended. Store in a container until you are ready to use.

Spray pie pan with Pam, pour in dip, and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the top is browned. Serve with toasted

bread or tortilla chips.

EAT & ENJOY!

You Make My Day

A big THANK YOU to Anna over at Banana Blondie for giving me the

You Make My Day Award!

I'd like to pass this award on to

EP from Stylish Handwriting

Danielle from New Mommy Rant

Katelin from Gorgeous Footsteps in The Sand

SaraLynn from Happy Baker

Tipp from A[Tipp]ical Thoughts

&

Pam from Random Thoughts

There are so many of you that make my day - I'd be here typing forever!I do LOVE you all... And you all make my day!!

Wordless Wednesday

GREAT TEAMWORK!

Tasty Tuesdays

Checkout New Mommy Rant for another

delicious recipe on Tasty Tuesdays!

Banana Cake

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 eggs, beaten

Pinch of salt

1/2 cups butter

1/2 cups milk

2 tsp. baking powder

3 pureed bananas, very ripe

1 tsp. baking soda (add to pureed bananas)

1/4 tsp. vanilla

Add Walnuts if desired

Preparation

1. Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Sift flour several times, then add the salt and baking powder to the flour.

2. To the creamed butter mixture, add the milk and flour (alternating, beginning and ending with flour).

3. Add vanilla and mashed bananas (with the baking soda added to the bananas) to this mixture.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Tarte Make-Up Review Part 1

This is the 1st of 3 make-up reviews I will be doing for TARTE Cosmetics!!

I was recently surfing the web and I came across Tarte so I emailed them and a great lady from PR and got back to me... They sent me some products to review for my blog... So here I go:

The first product they sent me was an awesome mascara called

Lights, Camera, Lashes! in black.

It came in such nice packaging- as you can see - the mascara is wrapped in this purple snake skin print case. The mascara made my eyelashes so long and full... It didn't clump or stick together.. It was also extremly easy to remove.. I used it for the wedding I went to Saturday night and it didn't smudge or run when I shed some tears. So if you're looking to change mascara I would absolutly recommned thid one!

The next product that I reviewed was called lock & roll creaeless eyeshadow duo in rose gold: shimmery rose-tinged gold. Let me tell you - I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this product. One side of the eyeshadow was a creamy eyeshadow that you apply with the brush (as seen) the other side is a roll on eyeshawdow.

How to use it:

• Step 1: Brush a sheer wash of the Vitamin E-enriched cream shadow on lids—wait about 10 seconds for it to dry.


• Step 2: Tap roller ball to actuate product, then roll the matching loose mineral-based shadow directly on top—the binding agents in the cream shadow will lock with the powder, creating a crease-free, budgeproof finish.

What a wonderful experience, they were sooo nice and I found new products that I LOVE!! I recommend these products to all of you ladies out there that are looking for new products to try.

You can find Tarte Cosmetics at Sephora Stores and shop online going going to TARTE. They also have a store locator online that will show you all of the locations where their products are sold.. So check it out - Buy 3 or more items and they ship your items for free!

**Check out next weeks review on Tarte Natural Cheek Stain & Powder Bronzer**

Thanks To All

I wanted to give a big THANK YOU to all who voted for me in the Delicious Design Studio Blog Makeover Contest!!

I didn't come in 1st place - but I did come in 2nd place, which entitles me to a new Custom Header! At least I won something. right?

Anyway - thanks again! I appreciated all of your clicks...

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Bridesmaid Dress Disaster

So I'm super excited that my brother is getting married in exactly a month..

I love my future sister-in-law and can't wait to party at their wedding..

I was even more excited once they got engaged and Heather(the bride to be) asked me to be in the wedding... The BIG downer was when my dress came in 6 SIZES TOO BIG and the bridal shop said they wouldn't and couldn't do anything about it!! The kicker is that the owner of Bridal Store where we ordered the dress is my future sister-in-laws best friend - who is also in the wedding!! Can you believe that!! If I were her i would be SO SUPER EMBARRASSED!!

I could understand if my dress was a little big - but the fact that they ordered me the wrong size and now they expect me to pay for altereations!! Come on!! I brought my dress to 2 different places and they said it would be about $300 dollars to alter since the entire dress needed to be fixed (the bones need to be taken out and the top needs to be taken in, the sides, the bottom, the sash needs to be cut and shortened.. Oh did I forget that the whole dress needs to be cut in two because it is that big!!

Luckily my mom works at a Clothing store and her good friend is a tailor. She said she would do it for me - and only charge me $100 dollars, but she did say she should have charged somewhere around $400..... Can you believe that? I need to go in this weekend for a fitting - I'll let you know how it works out!

I'm just sorry I didn't take a before pic... Here is what the dress looks like:

Bridesmaid Dresses and Formal Gowns: Bill Levkoff Collection

Hopefully it will all work out..

Sorry for the rant.. I needed to vent!

My Celebrity Soulmate?

I recently took the Celebrity Soulmate Quiz and it said that my celebrity soulmate was David Bekham. Move over Posh, here I come!! I think he is too cute, especially in those tight jeans and when he has his shirt off.. LOL, I know!

Take the Quiz

Isn't he HOT?



So, who's your celebrity soulmate? Take the quiz & find out!!

****Please remember to vote for me for the Blog Design Contest by clicking the following link. All you have to do is click & that's it**** Contest is over Saturday 4/19.

http://www.deliciousdesignstudio.com/

Wordless Wednesday

Beautiful Baby Eliza

I know it's Wordless Wednesday.....

****BUT Eliza wants you to Please remember to vote for me for the Blog Design Contest by clicking the following link! All you need to do is click & that's it!***

http://www.deliciousdesignstudio.com/

Thanks So Much ~ Dana

Tasty Tuesdays

Here is another edition of Tasty Tuesdays. Also, check out Danielle @ New Mommy Rant for another good recipe on Tasty Tuesdays. We hope you enjoy!

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 pound elbow macaroni

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

3 cups milk

1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 large egg

4 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Fresh black pepper

For Topping(Optional): 3 tablespoons butter

&

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.

Beat in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from

oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

Eat & Enjoy!!

**** PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE FOR ME FOR THE BLOG DESIGN CONTEST BY CLICKING THE FOLLOWING LINK. ALL YOU NEED TO

DO IS CLICK & THAT'S IT****

http://www.deliciousdesignstudio.com/

THANKS SO MUCH ~ Dana

HELP ME WIN!!!

Thanks to Tipp I have decided to enter the Blog Design Package Giveaway Contest at Delicious Design Studio. I have checked out some of their recent work and everything looks awesome!!

So, in order for me to win (YAY) I have to send over the most visitors; so please click on the link below.

First Place receives a Full Blog Makeover. And second place receives a Custom Header. I would soooooo love to win..

So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

check out Delicious Design Studio by clicking the link I have provided between April 13 - April 19.

So CLICK AWAY & wish me good luck!!

Or click here: http://www.deliciousdesignstudio.com/

Makeover Help

I am interested in re-doing the design of my blog! I was wondering if anyone could recommend someone they have used or someone they know that does Blog Design. I'd like to talk with them or browse their website to see what they can do.

Thanks so much for your help!!

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend!!!

Back to work tomorrow, Grrrrr.....

SAY WHAT?

Being a woman in a relationship I admit that sometimes us girls freak out over things that we probably should just leave alone. However, there are times where we deserve to be pissed! The BF and I have a GREAT relationship. He really is a great guy and we rarely ever fight! But sometimes he doesn't always word things to my liking I guess! Haven't men learned by now to rephrase the things that come out of their mouths? I recently read this great article about the 5 Things you should NEVER say to a woman.

Warning to Men: Some of these absolute no-no words and phrases seem so incredibly, that you may think we're kidding. We're not.

Forbidden Phrase #1: "Relax."

Forbidden Phrase #2: "I love you." (During a fight)

Forbidden Phrase #3: "It's up to you." (a.k.a. "Whatever you want to do is fine with me.")

Forbidden Phrase #4: "You knew I was this way when you married me."

Forbidden Phrase #5: (Nothing)

Instead, here are the 3 "STAY OUT OF TROUBLE" things to say to us:

#1 "Just tell me everything."

#2 You are just so beautiful."

#3 "Sorry. It was all my fault."

Women freak out, we all know that! Often at our boyfriends and husbands. Often for absolutley NO reason at all. Men say things that they consider totally nice, only to find that they've offended, enraged, or annoyed us. Their first problem -- being attracted to us women. We are sometimes a very weird group of people -- which is not going to go away. But there's a way to solve their problem: word choice. They just need to know the phrases that they should never use, then they need to strike them from their vocabulary and move forward.

What are some things, if any, that your boyfriend or husband says to really get you annoyed or aggravated?

And The Fakes Are......

I am so happy you guys had fun playing my

"Guess The Fake News Story!"

Everyone did such a great job guessing. I know, all of these stories seemed like they were fake, but all were real except for 2.

So without further ado the 2 fake stories are:

#4. Under Arrest
In 2006 A father was arrested for making his children eat broccoli with their dinner before they could get up from the dinner table.

AND

#6. Wife Hurts Husband
A woman came home to find her husband shaking frantically in the kitchen with what looked like a wire around his waist running to the electric skillet. Intending to jolt him away from the deadly current she whacked him with a baseball bat, breaking his arm in 2 places. Until that moment he has happily listening to his IPOD.

So, again great job to all that guessed - I hope you had fun and had a few laughs at some of these CRAZY, but true news stories....

Happy Friday!!!

Random Recipe Exchange

Cavatelli with Mushroom Sauce

Prep Time 20 Minutes

Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

From The Pantry

1 (1/2 oz) package of Dried Porcini Mushrooms

1 TBSP Garlic

2 TBSP Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1 TBSP Dried Rosemary

1 (25 oz) jar tomato-basil sauce

1/2 TSP each Kosher Salt and freshly Ground Black Pepper

1 1/2 lb frozen Cavatelli Pasta

1 Cup Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese

Grated Parmigiano Cheese

Fresh Ingredients

2 oz Sliced Pancetta, chopped

4 Shallots, halved, thinly sliced

1 (10 oz) package of Cremini Mushrooms, sliced

1 (8 oz) package of White Mushrooms, sliced

1/4 Cup finely chopped Italian Parsley

1. Soak Porcini Mushrooms in 1 cup boiling water for 15 minutes, or until softened. Drain and reserve mushroom water. Finely chop the mushrooms. Bring a large pot lightly salted water to a boil for pasta.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a heavy 5-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add pancetta, shallots, and porcini mushrooms;saute 5 minutes, or until the shallots have softened. Add cremini and white mushrooms, parsley, rosemary, and garlic; saute 8 minutes, or until mushrooms are a rich golden brown. Pour reserved mushroom water into mixture; boil 5 minutes, until all liquid has evaporated.

3. Add tomato sauce and bring to a simmer; simmer uncovered 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; keep warm.

4. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Drain; add to sauce and toss to coat well; cook, stirring 1 minute, so that the pasta absorbs some sauce. Serve immediatley, topped with ricotta and grated cheese.

If desired, on the side, serve with a mixed green salad with Italian Vinaigrette dressing.

ENJOY :)

Extra, Extra Read All About It!

I'm not sure if you know this about me but I LOVE the News.. I used to love watching the 5 or 6 o'clock news, but now I feel every time I turn on the TV to catch the local news I get depressed. So now I usually just read the newspaper or check out online news.. It's a lot better because you can pick and choose which stories to read about and it still keeps me updated about what's going on in the World!

I thought it would be fun to share with you some of the Weird and Strange News Stories I have stumbled. Then, I thought it would be fun to make it into a game..

So here goes, can you guess

which 2 News stories are fake?

#1. Suicide Links Donor & Recipient

A man who received a heart transplant 12 years ago and later married the donor's widow Eventually the recipient died the same way the donor did, authorities said: of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

#2. Hedgehog

A man recently was convicted of assualt with a deadly weapon - a prickly Hedgehog.

#3. Toddler Weddings

Before the year 2007 a law in Arkansas allowed anyone, even toddlers - to marry with parental consent.

#4. Under Arrest

In 2006 A father was arrested for making his children eat broccoli with their dinner before they could get up from the dinner table.

#5. Boyfriend Charged

A man was charged with mistreatment after his girlfriend was found sitting on a toilet for so long that her skin became fused to it.

#6. Wife Hurts Husband

A woman came home to find her husband shaking frantically in the kitchen with what looked like a wire around his waist running to the electric skillet. Intending to jolt him away from the deadly current she whacked him with a baseball bat, breaking his arm in 2 places. Until that moment he has happily listening to his IPOD.

#7. Going Once, Going Twice

Sisters sold a corn-flake shaped like the State of Illinois that they found in thier breakfast for $1350.00 on Ebay!

#8. Dog Owner Fined

A woman was charged $1000.00 fine because she dyed her Poodles Hair Pink to raise awareness for breast cancer and research.

#9. Bracelet Found in Chicken

A Minnesota meat cutter finds an identity bracelet -- with the name, address and phone number still visible -- in a chicken gizzard. The kicker? The bracelet belongs to a man who lost it 25 years ago while playing hide-and-seek as a child in a barn in the local area.

#10. The World's Largest Pool

The World's largest pool is 3,323-feet long, holds 250,000 cubic meters of water and covers about 20 acres.

Ok, so there you have it. If you want, just for fun see if you can pick the 2 news stories that are fake.

And please no cheating - let's keep it honest, LOL!!

I'll reveal the fake stories tomorrow morning, Good Luck :).

Unitl then, Happy Guessing!

Wordless Wednesday

Belle 9 Yrs Old

Tasty Tuesdays

Here is another edition of Tasty Tuesdays!

Also, check out another version of this recipe on

Danielle's Blog: New Mommy Rant. If your a "bean" addict like Danielle and myself and love using your crockpot, then you're sure to love the following recipe.

Hope you enjoy both recipes!

Six Bean Chili

Ingredients

1 1/2 Pounds Ground Chicken,

Turkey, or Ground Beef

1 Large Yellow Onion (Chopped)

1 Large Size Green Pepper( cored, seeded, & diced)

1 (15-ounce) can light red kidney beans, drained

1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, drained

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained

1 (15-ounce) can butter beans, drained

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained

1 (28-ounce) can of Diced Tomatoes

1 (15- ounce) can of Tomato Sauce

6 TBSP Chili Powder

Salt, Cayenne, and Black Pepper to Taste

Preparation

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown meat. Be sure to break up clumps as much as possible.

Put the browned meat

in a slow cooker.
Add remaining ingredients and stir together.

Cover and cook on high setting for 4 hours

or on low for 7 to 8 hours.

Ladle into bowls and serve with your favorite chili fixings (Salsa, Cheddar Cheese, Chopped Red Onion, Sour Cream, Tortilla Chips, Cilantro, or whatever or may like.)

Hope You Enjoy!!

This Isn't The Life I Ordered!

This is what I specifically remember ordering when I was 5 years old, I told the waitress:

"I'd like to place an order, I'd like a husband by the time I'm 26, I'd like to have 3 kids by 30; I'll take a boy, a girl, and then it doesn't matter.

I'd like to be a stay at home Mom, or work for a Company where I have great benefits and 6 weeks vacation a year."

I also remember ordering a big house, a nice backyard with a pool, a dog. and two beautiful cars. I also told the waitress I wanted my family and I to be happy and healthy!

I mean come on; I know it was a big order but really, was it too much to ask for? And you ask how many of those things did she bring me... ZERO...But I shouldn't really be complaining because I am happy and healthy for the most part (I mean when the little kids at school aren't sneezing on me, putting their fingers in their mouth and then grabbing my hand, or picking thier nose and poking at me.)

I do have a wonderful boyfriend - we've been together for awhile now - some refer to it as "Living Together with No Bling!!" But I can't complain - I'm not one of these girls who puts on ulitmatium an their guy.. I hate that!! I'd rather be with him, then without, and I want him to propose to me because he wants to, not because he feels forced to, ya know!! We love each other very much, which is most important.. It'll happen when we both have enough money and are ready to take that step!

So no marriage means I'm not geting those kids I ordered.. Which is also ok.. Working with children everyday is really GREAT birth control!! No, seriously, I mean it!! You teachers understand what I'm saying, right? Being with 16 little ones everyday, for 7 hours straight can really test your patience..." Besides after teacher I think I'll start with 1 kid and see how it goes from there..(And I can't complain - Brian and I LOVE to sleep in - are you parents out there with little ones jealous?) LOL - just kidding!

So no kids means I'm not a stay at home Mom.. But I do work at a place where I get lots of vacation time (SUMMERS OFF - YAY!!!!) But for some reason I'm always left wanting more and more vacation time..

But don't we all? Unfortunately, I don't get the greatest

benefits though, Grrr...

I'm sure the big house, backyard with a pool, two beautiful cars, and cute dog will all come in time.. The most important thing is that I'm with the one I love, I'm happy and healthy, I have a wonderful family and friends.. I just need to work on a better job that makes me happy and offers great benefits!!...

Sorry for the rant and rave - but it's been on my mind and I wanted to share my childhood order with all of you!!

HAPPY MONDAY

Hope everyone has a wonderful week - and may the weekend be here before we know it!

And the Award Goes To....

A Big thank you to SaraLynn from Kooky Kids for giving me this Award of Distinction for making her laugh!! Thank you so much, I always appreciate your kind words..

Also, Please Check SaraLynn at Happy Baker she always posts the best recipes!!

I am giving the following blogs the Award of Distinction. This award was created by Working Mum On The Verge. Here are the rules: pass the award on to five blogs that make you smile, laugh, cry, think, or sigh

1. Danielle @ New Mommy Rant for making me laugh and smile each day.. Especially when I see her beautiful Eliza.

2. TheVasquez3 for bringing tears to my eyes when she writes about Jordan!

3. EP from Stylish Handwriting for always making me think. She writes so well and always has funny things to say.

4. Marni from Marni's Organized Mess because she always has something funny to say.

5. And Carmi from Written Inc. because he is such an amazing journalist and takes awesome pictures, they are beautiful.. I wish I was as talented as you!

Thanks again to all of you for making me laugh and think each and every day!!

Happy Blogging Everyone!

Five Things

The wonderful EP from Stylish Handwriting recently tagged me... Check her out, she's got a great Blog!!

So here it goes; here is my 5 Things Meme!

What Was I Doing Ten Years Ago:

1. Getting ready to graduate high school

2. Hanging out with my best friend Missy

3. Worrying about getting college acceptance letters

4. Playing field hockey

5. Driving around in a purple Saturn

5 Things on My To-Do List Today:

1. Get my lesson plans done

2. Take a shower

3. Relax

4. Watch a movie with Brian

5. Clean up my apartment

Snacks I Enjoy:

1. Chips and Chi-Chi's Salsa

2. Veggie Stix

3.Skinny Cow ice cream

4. Strawberries & Clementines

5. Axelrod Organic Yogurt

Things I Would Do If I Was a Millionaire:

1. Buy a new house

2. Buy a vacation house in Hawaii & Disney World

3. Help my family and friends

4. Travel

5. Quit my job - and find something I really liked to do

5 Bad Habits

1. I worry to much

2. I hold things in

3. I also stay in bed til the last possible second

4. Watching bad reality TV

5. I never check my messages

5 Places I Have Lived:

1. West End, NJ

2. West Long Branch, NJ

3. Asbury Park, NJ

4. South Plainfield, NJ

5. Middlesex, NJ

5 Jobs I Have Had:

1. Lifeguard

2. Sales Associate @ Banana Republic

3. Cashier @ Old Navy

4. Bartender

5. Waitress

So with all of that said I tag:

30 Minute Mommy

TheVasquez3

Marni Tiani Self

&

Future Mom

Enjoy & Happy Blogging!!!!

Hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday....

It's All About The Benjamins, Baby - Or Is it?

I started thinking about all the things I would do if I had money, mean enough money where I didn't have to ever worry, ever!( come on, we all know the reason I teach isn't for the big bucks they pay, lol. Teachers are way under paid, and under appreciated.

But hey, I'll save that for another Blog!)

So, this is what I would do if I had those Benjamins overflowing in the bank:

If I had money I would go grocery shopping and fill my cart with everything I wanted. I wouldn't go through my clipped coupons and Food Store circulars. I'd buy all the fresh fruit, veggies, water not on sale that my cart could hold.

If I had money I'd get my hair done every 4 weeks instead of every 12!

If I had money I would go to Hawaii .... And then hit California on my way back to NJ.

If I had money I would buy my Mom a new house! I would buy a house!

If I had money I would expand on my Bare Minerals colletion.

If I had money I know that I would still work. I would find a job that I was really, truly happy with.

Having money doesn't always mean you're happy, I understand that! ..

Money can't always buy everything:

It can buy a House But not a Home
It can buy a Bed But not Sleep
It can buy a Clock But not Time
It can buy you a Book But not knowledge
It can buy you a Position But not Respect
It can buy you Medicine But not Health
It can buy you Blood But not Life
It can buy you Sex But not Love


So you see money isn't everything.

I'm extremly happy to have someone who loves me, great friendships, and a wonderful family.. And that's what is important! Even though ti would be nice to have that extra $$.. Hopefully all of my hard work will pay off!!

What would you do if you had extra money to burn?

**This Keeps Me Going**

So, like I mentioned on Monday - I had a case of the "Back To School Blues." But now that it is almost the weekend I'm feeling alittle better. (Thank God)

At the end of every school year I put together a "memory book" for each of my students. This is compiled of work they've completed throughout the year; writing, crafts, projects, and pictures. It makes for a nice keepsake!I also jot down sweet, funny phrases that I hear and type them out. Some prases make it and for obvious reasons other's don't.

I thought it would be fun to share some of the phrases that didn't make the cut. So with that said here are some of the things my students have said; **This keeps me going** through those long, drawn out weeks. And remember, my students are 5 & 6 year old Kindergarteners and they are really sweet kids. Ok, so here goes....

~"Divorce is when your Mommy lives in a big house and your Daddy lives in a small apartment."

~"Let's knock the hell out of the baby doll."

~"You can't be my friend today because I don't like your shirt."

~"Your hair looks much better in a ponytail."

~"Next week I'm going on Fu*kation." (pronounced F*ck, because of the missing 2 front teeth)

~"My Daddy's a fool."

~"If I could wish for anything I'd wish for a big pet shark to eat my Mom & Dad so I can be the ruler of the house & eat whatever I want."

I could go on & on & on & on with the incredible things that come out of my little darlings mouths. Unfortunately, I don't get to laugh until I get home from work.. And sometimes it's hard not to laugh at school... Children are so honest and innocent some times, y ou've got to love it!

I wish I could be that honest all of the time! Don't You?

Somtimes work seems like a part out of Kindergarten Cop, LOL!

Wordless Wednesday

My favorite place...

Pic taken 1 year ago today: 4/2/07!

Tasty Tuesdays #2

Before I created my own Blog I was doing -"Easy Meals for Mommies" on Danielle's site New Mommy Rant.. Now that I have my own site up and running I figured to add Tasty Tuesdays #2 to my site.. I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to cook and I want to share my easy creations with all of you!! So check out both of our sites for 2 recipes on Tasty Tuesdays

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
3 tbls chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
vegetable oil

Tortilla Chips & Cheddar Cheese for Garnish

Preparation

Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook

on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Garnish with crumbled tortilla chips & cheddar cheese

Serve & Enjoy!!!!