Plant lady

I've always loved plants. I have a plant that I've had for 18 years. I feel like I'm pretty good with plants too. My goal last year was to get more plants & yes it happened. I don't have plants in every room, but most rooms. We don't have windowsills, so that makes things a little harder. I have 1 in the middle of the kitchen table. We have a skylight in there, so that helps it get sun. I have a hanging spider plant. An ivy in my kitchen next to my sink. Then my tallish 18 year old plant & some new 1s too. I definitely want to get more plants. I want an English Ivy for the bedroom & an aloe plant. I'll do a post with all of my plants sometime. They're quite lovely. I haven't named any of them yet, maybe I should. I usually name everything.

Middle School

At the end of August, The Drama Queen will be starting middle school. It starts in the 6th grade here. We didn't start middle school until 7th grade. Well we called in Junior high in MA. But it's just so hard to believe. People always say that it goes so fast having a kid, but it really does. I think 6th grade is where it's going to get harder. More responsibility for her. Which makes it harder for us in a way too. If she forgets her homework or whatever it makes it harder on us. I get her backpack ready in the morning pretty much now & make sure her binder is in it. I might have her start doing that stuff, so she can get use to it.

This paper has to be passed in next week. It's for next year. She'll be taking Chorus & Spanish. I never took a language in school. I want to learn French still. I know that Spanish is more often spoken. Another thing is we'll all have to get up earlier for the bus. Right now the bus comes at 8:05am. I think it will be 6:30 maybe for middle school. I'm not sure. That's so early. At least I can go back to bed after.

Stuff & Things

* Tween girls are horrible. The Drama Queen has had such an attitude lately. She's punished this weekend & not going to the neighborhood Easter egg hunt & not going to the movies with her friend.

*Anthony & Tara were in the newspaper from the Daddy/Daughter dance. I think this was Tara's 8th time in the paper. I've never been in it. I guess because I'm not a cute kid. The professional photo from the Daddy/Daughter dance is in. I'm going to pick it up tomorrow. Below is the picture from the newspaper.

*I got some tarot cards in a swap. So I want to learn how to use them. I have some that I've had for 29 years, but never liked them, so I could never get into them & want to use them.

* I think we might go on a date night tomorrow since there is a Girl scout thing going on & she'll be gone until 8:45. It's at some escape room type place in Boston. I wouldn't like that with the fibro. I read the waiver & it says it could be loud & there could be smells & other stuff. Sounds like a blast to me. lol.

* I'm really behind in letters. I have 32 to write. I've been writing 2 a day too.

* I made some stuffed shells yesterday. They were stuffed with spinach & ricotta. I'll be posting the recipe on Tuesday. I found the recipe on Pinterest. I've been making 1 new meal a week from Pinterest.

Wordless Wednesday~Tulips

Tasty Tuesday~Chicken and Rice Casserole

Chicken and Rice Casserole

From PinchofYum.com 

Photo by Lindsay of Pinch of Yum

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 90 minutes

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth (I used 2 cans)
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon seasoning mix (or 1/2 tsp. onion powder, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1/2 tsp. parsley)

(You can sub 2 cans of cream of chicken soup for the homemade sauce.)

For the casserole

• 1 ½ cups uncooked brown rice, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons seasoning mix of your choice for the flavor of the casserole – my favorite was a smoked hickory southwestern seasoning
• 1 cup water
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

---

Instructions

1. Make the sauce: combine the chicken broth and 1/2 cup of the milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a low boil. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the flour and seasonings into the milk until a smooth, thick mixture forms. Pour the flour and milk mixture into the saucepan over low heat and stir continuously, whisking as the mixture simmers. Continue to simmer and stir/whisk until the mixture is smooth and thick, 5-10 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a 9-inch square baking dish – it really sticks to the sides.
3. In a large bowl, combine the uncooked rice, condensed soup from step 1, 1 tablespoon seasoning, and water. Pour into prepared dish.
4. Arrange chicken pieces over the top and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of seasoning.
5. Cover with foil and bake for about 45 minutes. Remove foil; bake for an additional 30-45 minutes or until rice and chicken are cooked through and top is slightly browned. Allow to cool for 15 minutes; shred chicken into small pieces and stir to combine with the rice. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or shredded cheese.

Lists

I always have lists going on, but I don't always finish the list. So I want to work on my to do list & to buy list. I just have the need to complete something. So from now on I'm going to look at my list & try to buy 1 thing from it every week or every other week. We've been going crazy with decluttering things around the house. We spent 3 weekends cleaning T's room. I'm happy with the way things are coming a long.

 On my to-do list I want to tackle the most important & the 1 that will take the least amount of time.
 On my Things to Buy list, I want to get the things that I need the most, then what I really want, but have been putting off & what I can afford. So we'll see how this goes.

Nail Files. Week # 319

Yes, another purple. It's so pretty though right? It's Revlon~Hypnotic #450. Okay if anyone wants me to change up my colors. What color should I wear next week? Help me out & maybe I'll wear something other than Purple, blue & pink. Thanks.

Friday Favorites

This product I got because You tuber Jessica Braun suggested it.I like it. It makes your under eye feel good. I'm really not sure that it is helping my puffy/ purple eyes though.

I got 2 of these Lip smacker Kiss therapy tubes. I love the strawberry 1. I love the way it feels on my lips & it has spf 30. That will be great for the Summer at the beach.

Favorite drink of the week:Shamrock shake. It was my 2nd 1. I had to go to more than 1 McDonalds to get 1. It's so worth it.

Always Follow Your Gut Feeling

Always follow your gut feeling, your intuition. I've had times where my gut was telling me something & I had signs, but I ignored them. I can't go back & change things, but I can learn from it & not do it again. You know yourself the best, so listen to yourself. Hopefully it will help & you won't get into a situation that is wrong for you. If you do get into a bad situation you really need to think about how to make things right.

Wordless Wednesday~My Cute Cats

Tasty Tuesday~Cathy's Enchiladas

Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 dozen tortillas (flour or corn)
1 lb Jack cheese-Cut in chunks
1 lb cheddar cheese-Cut in chunks
2 onions diced
1 can black pitted olives
1 can Las Palmas sauce or mole sauce

Instructions:

Saute onions in a pan, add cheese melt together. Set aside.
2 pans, one with Las palmas sauce, 1 with hot oil. Take one tortilla put in oil, turn & then put in Las Palmas pan, turn over,  put on platter.. Put a little cheese mixture on tortilla & roll up. Put in casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

Notes: We don't have Las Palmas sauce here, so I used mole sauce. I had to mix it with chicken broth.

Add chicken to each enchilada before you roll it up for chicken enchiladas.

Busy times

 

Things have been so busy lately. This week I feel like I have a lot of work to do. I've been posting some clothes on Poshmark. I want to post more tomorrow. I have to sign Tara up for Jump rope for Heart. It's to raise $ for the American heart association. I have to go to the post office & mail some packages. I'm trying to work on getting things to sell on Etsy. I really need to get my shop set up. I do like being busy. It keeps me happy.

Nail Files. Week # 318

Yes, green for St. Patrick's Day. I have on OPI~Is that a Spear in your pocket? It was the perfect color for St. Patrick's Day.

Happy St.Patrick's Day

Are you Irish? I am. Wearing my green nail polish, my Shamrock shirt & even have green eyes & live on Shamrock.

Stuff & Things

*It's suppose to be Spring next week & we are getting another snowstorm on that day. Not sure how much yet. Hopefully only a coating to an inch & there's school. I was stuck in the house 2 days this week because of a NorEaster. March isn't usually this cold or snowy.

*I'm trying to plan my Birthday vacation at the end of June. Trying to decide where to go. Last year we went to NJ. I want to go somewhere different again.

*We are finally going to be doing some house stuff. I'll take pics once we get stuff finished. We got a new giant clock for the living room/dining room, so we have to rearrange everything there. We also have curtains that need to be trimmed. That we got at a yard sale. I changed the curtains in the bathroom to a white lace topper curtain. I need change. We've been here for just over 10 years & I want to change things up a bit. I get sick of things after a while. This is the new clock. I like it because it says Paris on it.

*I would like to get some fresh flowers for the house if I can find some. I haven't seen any daffodils. I usually get some in February.

Wordless Wednesday~Crystals

Tasty Tuesday~Copy Cat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce Recipe

Copy Cat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce Recipe

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 465 kcal

Author Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

• ½ Cup Butter
• 2 Tbs Flour
• 2 Tbs Cream Cheese
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1 Pint Cream (I used light cream)
• ½ Cup Shredded Italian Cheese Blend

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan or skillet melt butter over medium heat. 
2. Add Flour, cream cheese, garlic powder, salt, and whisk. 
3. Add cream, whisk until thick. 
4. Add Italian cheese blend, stir until melted, and serve over bed of pasta.
5. If too thick, add ¼ cup milk.
   

Dreaming of Spring

As I'm writing this it's just starting to snow out & we are suppose to get 8-14 inches of snow tomorrow. I'm hoping this is the last storm. This is the 3rd NorEaster in a row. Cape Cod, MA has taken these storms the worst. Houses are destroyed & there has been major flooding. So I'm dreaming of Spring. It starts next Tuesday, but I don't think it will feel like Spring until April here. Maybe even late April.


Some of the things I'm dreaming of are:

*Going for walks around the neighborhood.
*Having the windows open.
*Sitting on our deck or in our gazebo once we can bring out the patio furniture.
*Butterflies.
*Flowers blooming.
*Planting our garden.
*Driving with the windows down in the car.
*Wearing flip flops.
*Painting my toe nails pretty bright colors.
*Wearing braids & buns.
*Being in a good mood because it's warm & sunny & that is when I'm the happiest.

Nail Files. Week # 317

Today I have on Essie~Play Date. I just got it last week, but had been wanting it. If you've been watching my nail files for a while, you know that I like purple. All different shades.

What I'm reading now

Lottie just knows that her boyfriend is going to propose, but then his big question involves a trip abroad — not a trip down the aisle. Completely crushed, Lottie reconnects with an old flame, and they decide to take drastic action. No dates, no moving in together, they’ll just get married . . . right now. Her sister, Fliss, thinks Lottie is making a terrible mistake, and will do anything to stop her. But Lottie is determined to say “I do,” for better, or for worse.

Sophie Kinsella is 1 of my fave authors. I want to read her new book, My (Not So) Perfect Life.

Daddy Daughter Dance

Stuff & Things

 * I got my first Shamrock shake of the season this week. I always look forward to them. I read that they were first released in 1970, the year I was born. I have been getting them since I was a kid.

*We had a snowstorm yesterday & overnight. We lost power for a few minutes, but it came right back on. But wi-fi was out all day. So I finally got online. For some reason my ipod won't connect to wi-fi. Since yesterday morning, before it even started snowing. Not sure what is going on.

*I found out that 1 of my friends passed away. I use to work with her & she was like a 2nd Mom to me. She helped me get through some bad times & always gave me advice. So I've been sad the past few days.

*My Mom went home from rehab finally. She was there for about a month. She is in a wheelchair though & will have a nurse come in & a physical therapist.

*Tomorrow is the Daddy Daughter Dance. I'll get lots of pics before they leave. I think T might be a little chilly in the dress that she is wearing. I wish it was going to be warmer for them.

Wordless Wednesday

Aging

I wish there was a place that you could go when you get to be a certain age to get advice. I'm almost 48 & I wonder what I can do now to be healthier in the long run. What pills & vitamins should I be taking, what beauty products to really help with age spots or wrinkles? At each age milestone you hit, there should be advice to let you know what to do to make your life better. Maybe like a Life coach for aging. Maybe I'm on to something. If I had to give advice to someone turning 30 I'd say make sure you use sunblock on your face, hands & body. Turning 40, maybe take a multivitamin or probiotic. Not sure what would be good for when you are 50 since I haven't reached it yet, but I'm getting closer. What advice would you give to someone hitting an age milestone?

TBB Asks~Beauty Edition

1. Eyelash curler or no eyelash curler? I have an eyelash curler, but it doesn't seem to do anything. So I don't use it much.
2. Fave Nail Shade~Purple or blue.
3. Fave Lipstick Shade~Mauvey brownish pink or light red
4. Blow dry or air dry your hair? I blow dry my hair in the Winter & sometimes let it air dry in the Summer.
5. Artificial nails or no? No on artificial nails. I've always had long real nails.
6. Foundation yes or no? Yes, of course. I have a lot of uneven skin tone & reddish spots.
7. Hair up or down? Down
8. Bar soap or body wash? Body wash.
9. Bath or shower? Shower
10. Favorite body lotion? Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel & Freesia.
11. Do you wear perfume? If so what is your favorite scent? Yes, I love perfume. I wear Ed Hardy.
12. Do you shave your legs everyday? Umm, no.
13. Favorite lip balm? Revlon Kiss & Maybelline Baby Lips.
14. How old were you when you started wearing make up? I was 11, when I wore eye shadow & lipstick & 12 when I started wearing eye liner.

Bianco's 1 Year Adoptaversary

We adopted Bianco a year ago today. He's so unique. He's very lovey with me & his fur is so soft. Tara says she doesn't like him & is always bugging him. I hope that changes very soon. He really doesn't get along with Kizzy. He goes after her a lot. I love him lots though.