It's Friday!

There's only so many thing left to do after the kind of week we had at the office! We made an official thumbs down sign...but we decided to turn it to a thumbs up today...T.G.I.F.!!!!!!!!!!

We have a collection of ridiculous glasses that have been left in the office by various clients. 

You Are For Me!

I love Kari Jobe! Her songs are thoughtful and worshipful, and I am loving, "You Are For Me" lately. It's a good reminder that no matter what life brings our way God is for US!

"Bento Box" Lunch

Let me preface this post by saying that Rich eats like your average 5-year-old. He has a serious aversion to healthy food and wants to make sure we have plenty of "snacks" on hand. He likes his lunches to have multiple items in them that he can munch on throughout the day. I have been trying to find a bento box for his lunches but haven't found one that I really like....so, I'm just using divided tupperware-type stuff. 

Carrot dip chips, cheddar cheese cubes, hot dogs & buns, goldfish. 

Girls Weekend at Disney!

This past week my bestie Jessica ended up in Orlando for a trade show with her company. How convenient that I live 3 measly short hours away. How much MORE convenient that Disney World is in Orlando... We weren't able to stay for long because reality beckons but we did get our "day at Disney." It was so much fun!!! I can't wait to go back in May with Rich. :)

We are really horrible at taking pictures but we remembered to take a few!! It was such a fun weekend. She's leaving tomorrow. :( 

From our 10th floor balcony at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa :)

Our first glimpse of the castle!!! (Our absolute favorite thing at the Magic Kingdom!!)

The "Dreams Come True" Show...complete with princes, princesses, and Disney characters!

Dreams Come True!!!

A very nice lady took our picture on the bridge to Tomorrowland...yes, of course the castle is in the background!!

Gotta love that castle. If fact I'm planning to move in soon. Pack me up!!

Teacups!!!!!!!! I'm positive that we were spinning the absolute fastest of onyone who has ever ridden the teacups!!!!!

The "Buzz Ride" was so much fun!!! It's interactive and you can spin your car, and you get a laser gun to shoot targets. I won....heehee

A random guy who worked at Disney walked up and insisted that Jess's castle picture needed him. It was pretty funny. Later that night a guy fell backwards on the bus and pretty much landed in her lap. I had a great time making fun of her!!! :) 

"Remember, it all started with a mouse!"

The Driving Range

So I finally accompanied Rich to the driving range. It's actually quite sad. Men lined up on small squares of fake grass, hitting tiny white balls into oblivion and pretending like they can see which one of the 249 balls flying in the air at any given moment might be theirs. But anyways after 5 years together I figured I'd better go and see what all the hype is about. You can get 2 buckets of golf balls for $12. What a deal. I'd rather find a pair of shoes 85% off. :)

But I did enjoy spending time with my hubby. :) He loves golf and he's pretty good at it, I suppose. Not that I would know, since I know nothing about golf. But that's my opinion. :)

My Furry Family

I think of us as a family of four. Just some of our family members have fur. :) My "kids" alternately brighten my day or annoy me to death. They make so much extra work for me but I love them...hmm....lol!

Some of the poses that they routinely strike:

7am: Wake up. Feed cat. Thank you.

Every time anyone walks near or into a bathroom: cat strikes a pose in the tub and meows until someone turns on the fountain of youth  faucet for him. Annoying? Absolutely. But I guess everyone's entitled to a little fresh, flowing water. And a human servant or two. 

12pm belly rub. Usually starts with the dog getting as close to a human as possible and "flopping" like so ^^

2pm cat nap time. Please do not make too much noise, talk on the phone, or vacuum. Doing so will result in this angry face and twitching tail. 

5pm walk!!!! Hard to get anything done with a dog staring at you this intently from 2 inches away.

7pm come, puny human servant, and feed your Master! 

Just put in random shedding, barfing, potty walks, cat litter scooping, medications, grooming, washing of pet bedding, playtime, and that's pretty much what all my days off look like in a nutshell. Thank God they're not humans (but please don't tell them that). 

Another Day at the Office

Every day I see a zoo of animals parade past my desk. Sometimes I get snapshots of my favorites. :) There is so much suffering to be seen when you work at a vet clinic so the nice happy healthy pets make our day. :)

Sweet, shaggy Sandy came by to bring St. Patty's Day Cheer!!!!!!

Ms. Lil stopped in with a doggie grin. :)

Bob will do anything to get a chin scratch. Seriously.

Bella, another of our {sweetest ever} Pit patients who's a lover not a fighter :) 

All fifteen ferocious ounces of Luna, the Chihuahua. 

"It's so fluffy I'm gonna die..."

And last but not least...you know how they say some pets and their owners look alike?????????? WELL HERE YOU GO!!!!! THEY CERTAINLY DO! 

Believe it or not our clients love and adore having their pets' pictures taken. They beam like proud parents. :) Some even ask us if they can sign a waiver to have their pets featured on our TV commercials...lol :)

Reese's PB Cake

I made a Reese's PB Cake for something at church. There was so much cake, it was ridiculous. The recipe I used filled three 8" rounds plus 3 mini loaf pans. I had cake coming out my ears. It turned out ok. I am {almost} always disappointed with cake when I use box mixes to make my life a little easier instead of making the cake from scratch. This time was no exception. Rich liked it. Lol! I thought it was a bit too sweet. Don't worry though, I have my notes for next time. :)


Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cake with Dark Chocolate-Peanut Butter Ganache


For the cake:

• 2 boxes (18 oz.) chocolate cake mix

• 2 cups Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise

• 2 cups water

• 6 eggs

350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. I used three 8" rounds but had too much cake. You could probably cut it in half and be just fine.

(Ignore the 3 mini loaves. P.S. The weird looking round has a large peanut butter cup baked in.)

For the frosting: 

2 lbs powdered sugar

16 oz cream cheese

1 cup creamy peanut butter

milk (just enough to make it spreading consistency...maybe 2-3 tbsp)

For the ganache:

·  8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used Baker's semisweet 54%)

·  3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter

·  2 tablespoons light corn syrup

·  1/2 cup half-and-half

·  In the top of a double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

·  Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.

Assemble the Cake

·  To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Sprinkle on 3 crushed mini Reese's peanut butter cups. Repeat with the next layer. 

Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Refrigerate the frosted cake for at least half an hour to set the frosting.

·  To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. 

Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving. Decorate with halves of original-sized PB cups if you wish.

The Wise Owl

I am obsessed with owls. At first I hated the trend. But one day I realized, I. Love. Owls. They are cute. They are wise. They are owls. Today at work my boss's daughter stopped in. I spied an owl around her neck that I knew I needed to pin. And that's ultimately how it ended up on my blog. I took a picture of her owl, and I am blogging it so that I can pin it with an original source.

"Fruit Chewies"

Tonight I came across a recipe for a "cookie" made without any flour, butter, sugar, dairy, etc. The recipe sounded so simple and it made sense to me how it might possibly actually form a decent cookie, so I decided to try it. I will give it 4 of 5 stars! It was surprising how delicious they actually turned out. The only thing is (for me) I would probably make them a bit thinner next time, they do not spread out AT ALL! What you put onto the pan is exactly the shape and size that you get when they are baked. Rich even ate some and he NEVER, ever tries any of what he calls my "rabbit food."

Fruit Chew "Cookies"

3 medium ripe bananas                                                       
2 cups rolled oats (I used Quaker "1 min" oats)                                                                   
1 cup chopped, dried fruit     (I used cranberries and did not chop them)                   
1/3 cup oil of choice (veg oil, coconut oil, etc.)                                                                              
1 tsp. vanilla     

1 dash cinnamon

1 light sprinkle of salt

Mash the bananas well with a fork. Stir in the other ingredients and allow the "batter" to sit for 15 minutes. Drop "cookie shaped balls" onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.      

 Before baking

       After baking

Mexican Chicken Pizza

I bought a rotisserie chicken at Publix today. I like to use the breast meat for salads. Thankfully Rich likes the dark meat. :) Tonight I had a ROASTED PEPPER SALAD and he had chicken pizza, Mexican-style. I really want to use up all my rotisserie chicken! It's hard with just the 2 of us!

Mexican Chicken Pizza

Tortilla or flatbread of choice (I used a Flat-Out Original Lite flatbread)
Shredded cheese (I used Colby Jack)
Shredded rotisserie chicken
Black beans
Taco Sauce or salsa (for "pizza sauce")
olive oil
salt, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper to taste

Spread a thin layer of taco sauce onto the flatbread. Sprinkle with cheese and black beans. Toss the shredded chicken in a little olive oil with salt and spices of your taste. You could also use taco seasoning instead of individual spices. Top the pizza with the chicken and a little extra cheese for appearance. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Cool 3-5 minutes, slice, and enjoy.

Broiled Grapefruit

I saw a pin for broiled grapefruit on Pinterest and I thought it looked & sounded interesting. So, I decided to try it. I would have preferred to use ruby red, but the grocery had only the regular boring grapefruit. So, I took my boring grapefruit home and then went in search of the recipe. That's when I saw that the recipes called for a tablespoon each of butter and white or brown sugar. Um, no!

I used a tablespoon of Brummel & Brown instead and 2 packets of Truvia. In hindsight I felt like a teaspoon of B&B would have been fine. It was too "buttery." But whatever. And you know...it wasn't my thing. I like my grapefruit cold and fresh...

But anyway. I cut out my grapefruit sections, mixed in the Truvia, and returned it to the grapefruit shell, now devoid of pulp,  and broke up a tablespoon of B&B over the top. I broiled it for about 8 minutes. It was actually pretty decent, and I did enjoy the juice.

   

Smart Enough for a B-

Look, he's no rocket scientist, but he makes life pretty simple. He lays down right next to me and gives me bug eyes until I state a few choices he might be interested...the correct answer gets a "woof." Lol. Happy Thursday!

Roasted Pepper Salad

I made a delish salad with leftovers tonight. 

3 cups chopped romaine

1 cup chopped bell peppers

3 oz leftover shredded rotisserie chicken

1 oz shredded white cheddar

1.5 oz cup of Naturally Fresh Lite Ranch

paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder to taste

toss bell peppers and chicken with olive oil and seasonings and put under the broiler about 7-8 minutes until the peppers begin to blacken. Toss with lettuce, cheese, dressing, and extra seasoning if desired. yum.

The Green Oatmeal Smoothie

I got the idea to make a green oatmeal smoothie after seeing some oatmeal smoothies on Pinterest. They all used berries as the fruit, which I didn't hate the thought of, but I rarely accept an idea as is. :) I decided to make a yummy oatmeal smoothie...so I devoted some time to it this morning.

Try #1: I used 2 oz. of avocado (1/2 of a regular Hass), 2 oz of banana (1 small), 1 cup ice, 1/2 cup steel-cut oats (that's all I keep in my house--smoothie recipes called for quick oats), 1 cup of fresh baby spinach, 1 cup vanilla coconut milk, 1 tbsp honey, and a generous dash of ground cinnamon. The overall taste wasn't bad, but the texture I could not handle. The steel cut oats did not blend up well. It tasted WICKED nutty and gritty. I tried to enjoy it but it wasn't happening. So I threw it down the sink and drove across the street to pick up quick oats.

Try #2: I used the same ingredients except a light 1/2 cup of quick "1 min" oats. I let it blend and blend and blend. I did not want that gritty taste. The result, I found delicious! I can't taste the avocado or spinach at all. The oats blended perfectly. Basically it tastes like banana-cinnamon oatmeal. It's very yummy! I wouldn't drink it on a day that I'm not working out because it's definitely higher calorie/carb/etc. than I allow myself for breakfast. :) But, quite good. I think next time I will make a smaller batch next time. This was waaaay to much, I didn't even end up able to finish one 16-oz glass and I still had a cup or so left besides the leftover in my glass!

I'm still thinking of making one with raspberries...bananas are high in carbs and sugar. I probably wouldn't put avocado in that one. That may happen next week :)

Official Green Oatmeal Smoothie Recipe (2-3 servings)
1 cup ice
1/2 Hass Avocado, chilled
1 small banana, ripe, chilled
1/2 cup quick oats
1 cup vanilla coconut milk
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1 tbsp honey
dash (or two) ground cinnamon

Blend 2-3 minutes and enjoy!

Parmesan Asparagus

I love, love asparagus. Enough that I hereby dedicate this entire post to asparagus. :)

When I cook asparagus, I cut off a generous 2-3 inches at the bottom. Only the prime portion makes it to my plate! If I am making asparagus for myself, I spray it with "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" spray, sprinkle on a tad of salt, pepper, and garlic, and broil on high for 3-4 minutes.

But not tonight. No. Tonight's asparagus will be shared with the husband, which means it will be delightfully prepared. Mmmm.. First I brush the asparagus with extra light-tasting olive oil. Next I sprinkle on Kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper. Then, I sprinkle on real grated parmesan cheese. This delicacy goes under the broiler about 4 minutes, until the cheese turns golden, and then it is ready to eat. For proportions--I use about 25-30 stalks of asparagus, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 2 tbsp parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper I just sprinkle on. Yum-O.

Silly Sunday

I thought of the most lame, boring, but (to me) funny thing today.

I realized that if I say "C'mere," my dog won't come to me.

He will only come to me if I say "Come."

Hahaha.

Perfect Cocoa

I was craving hot cocoa tonight...perhaps because I keep my house at 62 degrees all the time, so it constantly feels like winter inside. :)

I stirred and heated it "low and slow" and made homemade whipped cream for the top. I dusted it with cinnamon and added a few sugar pearls for decoration. Do I take this much hassle with everything? Yes, mostly. After all you kinda-sorta eat with your eyes, right??

Project Clean: Black Light Mission

Earlier in the week, I was convinced I could smell cat pee-pee near the litter box. Poor cat has a UTI again. However, I couldn't shake the question in my head of whether or not any pee was outside the box. I had it out for the cat. I coldly informed Rich that if there was ANY cat pee around the house, the cat would be GONE! Was the cat ever in for the laugh of his life.

We went to Wal-Mart together to pick up a 18" black light first. When I came home, I shut off every light in the house and shined my black light on every possible surface of every room. The good news, my living room, dining room, and bedrooms look pretty stinkin' good. :) Then I went into the kitchen. Oh my, the floor. The floor that I scrub weekly (on hands and knees) with floor cleaner--horrid. Streaks and "black light stains" everywhere. The cabinets also were very streaked and some spots on the walls. The washer and dryer area looks insane. It appears that detergent is somehow EVERYWHERE. But that was not the worst thing. I went into bathroom #1, where the cat litter box stays. It was, indeed, streaked and stained--but NOT with cat pee!! The black light illuminates *every* speck of dust, every water spot, every hard water stain, I mean EVERYTHING. Bathroom #2 was worse. I could hardly believe that both bathrooms appear relatively clean and orderly with the regular lights on. Frightening.

Rich kindly utilized his 6'5" frame to hold the black light for me as I scrubbed both bathrooms from ceiling to floor with hot bleach water. My hands feel like sandpaper now. It took me about an hour and a half to get the bathrooms to pass the "black light test." The kitchen is tomorrow's project. I am exhausted.

P.S. I did not find a single drop of cat pee anywhere but the litter box. I was trying to dig up some dirt on the cat, and ended up incriminating the humans. Smooth move, genius.

P.P.S. I have added monthly "black light cleaning" to my chore list. It was life changing. Whether it's true or not I now feel that I can "breathe better."