Monday, October 31, 2011

Friday Night Dates :: 22

I'm inviting romance into my life
one Friday Night Date at a time
and documenting each one here on my little ol' blog.

I want to remember every detail
of these splendid home spun dates.

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Date #22


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Darkness surrounded us
as the fire in the fireplace cracked and popped.
The suspense added to the romance.
It was a deliciously scary night.

It was just perfect for Halloween weekend.

Here are the recipes...

Vanilla Shrimp Crostini


1 baguette French bread
2 ounces Gruyere or Manchego cheese
1 pound large uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Basil Leaves
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Red Pepper
roasted red bell peppers, chopped (optional)
fresh chives, snipped (optional)


1. Cut baguette into 1/4-inch slices, on the diagonal. Broil until lightly toasted. Using a vegetable peeler, shave cheese into very thin slices. Set aside.

2. Sauté shrimp in 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat, one minute per side. Add wine, vanilla, basil, and red pepper. Cook 2-4 minutes or until shrimp are pink. Remove shrimp from pan. Boil sauce one minute more; remove pan from heat and whisk in remaining butter, one tablespoon at a time. The butter must melt gradually to form a creamy sauce.

3. To assemble appetizers, brush toasted baguette slices with warm sauce from skillet. Top baguette slices with 1-2 thin slices of cheese, then 1-2 shrimp (depending on size); brush with additional sauce. Garnish with roasted red bell pepper and chives, if desired.

Liquified Ghost Cocktail
* 2 oz. vodka
* 1 oz. vanilla simple syrup
* 1 oz. cream
* 2 oz. club soda

Mix all ingredients in an ice-filled shaker and stir just to blend. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Did you snuggle up to your sweetie over the weekend?

Winner : Mr. Mom Edition

We have a winner for this week's installment of Freakshow Friday. Please take note that my super hilarious and non biased best friend was the judge. Here are the top three in no particular order.

Secret Mom Thoughts

Halloween. Then therapy.

Caroline Ray
If he only was lactating, he would be the perfect dad.

Linda D.
Mrs. Smith wondered if her hormones
had changed since giving birth.

And the winner is...
Secret Mom Thoughts

Halloween. Then therapy.

Secret Mom Thoughts
is the funniest blogger in all the land.
Now head on over to her blog
and marvel at this fantastic award she just earned
to proudly display forever.

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Thanks to all the people who played.
Tune in this Friday for another installment of Freakshow Friday!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Freakshow Friday : Mr. Mom Edition

It's time for another installment of Freakshow Friday. Where I ask my readers to come up with a caption or story for a funny photo. My best friend will be the judge and she's one hilarious freakaziod. So, bring it! Here is this week's photo, this guy is pretty.

"Some people can't wait for Halloween."

You got a better one for me?
If so, you may just when this awesome award
and have bragging rights forever.
Oh...do I ever have an award for you!
You will win this brand spankin' new award!!

<span class=

If you win then I'll link up to your
Blog and make a big deal
about how funny you are.
Simply leave your funny caption or story
in my comments section.

The winner will be announced on Monday.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Leigh vs. Chili

I'm usually not a fan chili.
On a sensory level,
it grosses me out to eat
soggy vegetables floating around in broth.

So you can imagine my shock
when I saw a recipe for Two Tomato Chili
in the October issue of Better Homes and Gardens
and actually wanted to make it.

I knew that it was going to be a challenge.
as it was a pretty involved recipe

It was going to be me against the chili,
a bitter battle in the kitchen!

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Things started out strong
when I unloaded all the vegetables onto the counter.

The colors were so bright and cheerful
and I felt like one of those ladies
who grows all of her food
in a garden and then carries
the vegetables to her kitchen
in a cute straw basket.

Except I got mine at the grocery store
in the non-organic section.
I needed to save money,
mama needs a new pair of shoes.

I digress...
I felt all earthy and good about the situation
as I set to the task of chopping a ton of vegetables.

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Thirty minutes later my carpel tunnel
was acting up and I felt a bit grumpy.
The chopping never seemed to end.

I try to put love into my cooking
but at that point I was starting
to resent the vegetables
for needing to be chopped in the first place.

Eventually, it was time to cook and as the
oil heated in the pan
I heard Roger gently call to me from the living room
"Hey, maybe don't cook it all on high!" he shouted.
(How does he know me so well?)

Sound advice from my sweetie.
So I turned the burner knob down from 8 to 6
and felt very capable as I cooked
up the ingredients.

I dumped it all in the trusty ol' crockpot
and before I knew it...

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I had made some pretty awesome chili!!
I even went a little crazy
and made some buttery biscuits for dippin'.

I actually enjoyed eating it
and would say that it was a huge success.

Let's check in with little Sally who
is keeping score!

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Sweet Victory!

Let me know if you want the recipe.
My poor hands are too tired
from chopping up those pesky vegetables
to type it up.

Trust me though,
it's worth all the work!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The Switch Witch

Will you trick your kids
into giving up their treats this Halloween?
Come on over and join the discussion
over at my weekly column on Athens Patch!!

Click here to join the discussion
and leave a comment
over at Athens Patch!

The Tale of Three Neigh Neighs

Let me introduce you to Neigh Neigh.
Now, I know that this is actually a zebra
but round these parts it's known as a horse.

This nasty toy has been in our
family for four generations
as it was passed down from older cousins
to younger brothers.

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It had been ignored for quite some time now
and just taking up space so,
while my mom watched Koen,
I donated Neigh Neigh
(and several other ignored toys)
to the Salvation Army.

I felt very good about myself.

Until Koen woke up from his nap screaming
for Neigh Neigh.
It was terrible...
I felt awful.
It was like the Tell-Tale heart.

So, we picked Griffin up from school
and raced to the donation drop off
to see if we could get the damn toy back.
I have never driven so fast in my life
as Koen cried for his toy in the back seat.

We arrived at the donation drop off location
and I told the guy my sad story.
Luckily, the zebra was still there.

I walked back to the car
feeling like the best mama ever
until Koen started crying even harder.
"NOT THAT NEIGH NEIGH!"
he said between sobs.

That's when I remembered
that I had also donated this little guy.

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I'd like to introduce you to Neigh Neigh.
He had been collecting dust as well
so I decided to pass him on
so another child could enjoy him

So, I begrudgingly shoved the Zebra back in the car
(because now Griffin was heartbroken to lose it)
and headed back to tell the volunteer
that I actually needed the stick horse.

He was very nice about it
and chuckled as he handed it to me.

I felt like the best mama ever yet again
until Koen whimpered and said
in a sad shaky voice...
"Not that Neigh Neigh."

Then I remembered this special guy.

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Let me introduce you to Neigh Neigh.
A huge lovable horse,
that is a favorite of Koen's.

I would never in a million years give him away,
and he was safe at home hidden under a blanket.

So, we put the stupid stick horse back in the car
(because they both suddenly LOVED him)
and headed home to find the beloved Neigh Neigh.

DSC_0308

Everyone was happy.

Except me, because those damn toys
are back in the house again.

The end.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

52 Weeks of Happiness :: Week 33

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Discovering that I have a rare
heritage plant growing in my yard.


I was unsuspectingly admiring the fall leaves

on the trees off the side of my drive way,

when I noticed a bush adorned with red berries
.

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I looked a little closer and discovered
that I have a Hearts-a-bustin' in my front yard.


This is a heritage plant that my father

has in his garden.


I've admired it so much and always

make it a point to peek

at his Hearts-a-bustin'

whenever I visit their home.


Okay, I'll admit that I have
secretly
actually coveted his exotic and beautiful plant.


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I was beyond excited to discover
that I had my very own flowering bush

growing in my own front yard.


It's been there all along

but I just now noticed it.

How could I have overlooked
such a treasure?


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Now I can't shut up about it.
I've mentioned my discovery
to Roger more than once.


"Did I tell you that we have
a Hearts-a-bustin' in our yard?"

I said to him as I cleaned the kitchen the other day.


"Uh, this is the third time you've told me"

he said lovingly.


Maybe I'm a little too excited?


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So, I called my father

to share the news.

He marveled and celebrated

this fabulous find with me.


I forced the kids to

stop and admire it...

three times.


I told my mom all about it

and she was impressed.

Now I'm telling you!

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Want to join me in my quest
to scout out happiness for a whole year?
Simply post a photo of something that
makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it.
Then, steal my button and include it in your post.
Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky

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Before you go...
I have to tell you that I am
hosting a giveaway over at my review site.
Click on Mary Kay up there to get the details!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Mary Kay Giveaway!!

Wanna know why I'm smiling?
Because I'm hosting a giveaway
over at Leigh vs Laundry Reviews!!

You can win $100 worth of free Mary Kay make up.

Click here to enter!!

Friday Night Dates :: 21

I'm inviting romance into my life
one Friday Night Date at a time
and documenting each one here on my little ol' blog.

I want to remember every detail
of these splendid home spun dates.

<span class=

Date #21


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We easily found ourselves swept away
into the strange world of Oscar Wilde.

The Hock and Seltzer was a drink
that Mr. Wilde enjoyed often in Paris.
He had good taste
because it really added
to the romance of the evening.

Here are the recipes...

Roasted Red Pepper and Beef Crostini



1 bottle roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped basil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
48 slices baguette
olive oil cooking spray
1 container light Alouette
1/2 pound shaved deli roast beef

Directions
1. Preheat broiler
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl; stir well
3.Coat both sides of bread slices with cooking spray. Place half of the bread slices in a a single layer on a large baking sheet. Broil 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Repeat with remaining bread.
4. Spread 1 tablespoon cheese over 1 side of each bread slice. Divide beef evenly , top each with 1 teaspoon bell pepper mixture.

Hock and Seltzer

Fill tall glass half way with Reisling
Top other half with seltzer
Enjoy!

Did you find romance over the weekend?


Winner : Hi-ya Edition

We have a winner for this week's installment of Freakshow Friday. Please take note that my super hilarious and non biased best friend was the judge. Here are the top three in no particular order.
Moooooog35
I have the same reaction when
I realize what is actually on hotel bedsheets.

Sue
Don't miss Nora Ephron's long-awaited sequel
to Sleepless in Seattle:
Weightless in Wichita.
Coming soon to theaters near you.

VandyJ
Ninja cat, the flying menace.

And the winner is...
Moooooog35

I have the same reaction when
I realize what is actually on hotel bedsheets.

Moooooog35

is the funniest blogger in all the land.
Now head on over to his blog
and marvel at this fantastic award he just earned
to proudly display forever.

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Thanks to all the people who played.
Tune in this Friday for another installment of Freakshow Friday!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Freakshow Friday : Hi-ya Edition

It's time for another installment of Freakshow Friday. Where I ask my readers to come up with a caption or story for a funny photo. My best friend will be the judge and she's one hilarious freakaziod. So, bring it! Here is this week's photo, I love it so much.

Everybody was Cat Fu Fighting.

You got a better one for me?
If so, you may just when this awesome award
and have bragging rights forever.
Oh...do I ever have an award for you!
You will win this brand spankin' new award!!

<span class=

If you win then I'll link up to your
Blog and make a big deal
about how funny you are.
Simply leave your funny caption or story
in my comments section.

The winner will be announced on Monday.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

The Magic of Nana and Poppy's Front Yard : Part 2

Not only is Nana and Poppy's
yard magical,
but my mom can take a boring afternoon
and make it awesome.

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Just by saying...
"I think that I need some flower pots in my yard."

We all piled in the car and took
a trip to Lowe's to buy some flowers.

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It was an event as the boys
grabbed flower after flower.
I've never seen two little boys
so excited to pick out Pansies and Mums.

*Not pictured in this post is the epic tantrum that

Koen threw in the middle of Lowe's

over wanting to hold a broom.

It was impressive.


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We then had a little planting party
in her front yard.

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It was so much fun to play in the dirt.

*Not shown in this post is when
Koen threw dirt in the air and

got it in his hair.


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We crammed flowers into pots
and dumped the soil on top.
The boys felt like real gardeners.

*Not shown in this post is when

the boys fought over getting

soil out of the bag and had

a sword fight with gardening tools.


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It was so sweet to see Griffin
tending to the flowers
and giving them a drink of water.

*Not shown in the post is when

I got sprayed from head to toe

with the hose while filling

up that cute watering can.


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The boys were so proud
of the flowers
that they planted.

It was worth the
epic tantrum,
flying dirt,
garden tool duel,
and hose soaked clothes
to see them
enjoy working in Nana's magical yard.


Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Join the Self Esteem Movement

My weekly column is up!

The Dove Self Esteem Weekend is coming up on Oct 21-23.
Will you pledge to spend an hour participating
in a self-esteem building activity with a young girl?


Please go here read the article for more details
and tell us who inspired you when you were a girl!

The Magic of Nana and Poppy's Front Yard : Part 1

My parents have made a special effort
to make sure that their front yard
is exciting for the boys when they come over.

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My mom lined her carport with wind chimes.
When the boys were babies,
she would carry them out to admire them.

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Their little fingers
would grasp for the chime
and they would release squeals of delight
as the twinkling music
floated around their curious heads.

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She also hung several bells from the branches
of a tree in her front yard.

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It was such a thrill
for a little one
to reach up high
and ring the bells.

Such sweet memories
of when the boys were small.

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Now, they are older
and less impressed
with the tinkling of bells and chimes.

Although, all the wind chimes
and cute little bells remain
hanging around the yard
just in case they have
an inkling to visit them once again.

The front yard is still exciting though,
as they have access to all sorts of garden tools.

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The two of them march through
my dad's bonsai garden
and could have fun for hours.

Watering the trees,
raking up leaves,
digging unnecessary holes,
and filling them back up again.

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How could one yard
be such a magical place?

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

52 Weeks of Happiness :: Week 32


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Hosting a party at my house.

A dear friend is moving far away,

so my friends and I had a
little going away party in her honor.


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We lit the fire pit on my back porch

and cozied up to the fire

late into the night.


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There was yummy food,
I made the now world famous
Red Velvet Cake Balls,

they were a huge hit.


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We sipped on cocktails
in fancy glasses.
My featured cocktail was
called the Velvet Dream.

The ladies swooned.

We listened to good music
beneath the stars
and had a night to remember.

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I feel so blessed to
know such an amazing group of ladies.


We laughed,

we cried,

and said a fond farewell

to our lovely friend.


My heart is so sad to see her go

but I am grateful to have spent

the time with her that I have.


We'll miss you Linh!

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Want to join me in my quest
to scout out happiness for a whole year?
Simply post a photo of something that
makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it.
Then, steal my button and include it in your post.
Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky