Sunday, June 26, 2011

Focus.

I appreciate the support I've gotten here and sincerely love blogging.

That being said, I have decided to take a break from Semi-Homemade Suzie for a while to focus on life.  My family is undergoing some big changes and it's best I pour my heart into that.

I'm not sure when I'll be back, but I will. 

"What if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise"


I will praise You in this storm.

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Friday, June 24, 2011

FINALLY Made It to Harris Teeter!

I have been gone this week and even missed The Thursday Push!  Horrible.  I was 'training' at work for a few days,  but I was able to make a trip to Harris Teeter today and fully intend on returning tomorrow.

Here are the goods:



I managed to somehow order the wrong battery charger for my camera - not once, but twice.  SO, here I am with another crappy picture that is making me want to cry.

What You Would See If I Had a Smartphone:

4 Athenos Greek Yogurt
1 Sabra Hummus
1 4pk Breakstone Cottage Cheese
4 HT Shredded Cheese (various)
1 Pampers Wipes To Go
2 HT Hot Dog Buns
2 HT Hamburger Buns
2 Lunchables
1 Celentano Frozen Ravioli
2 Voila! Frozen Meals
2 HT Frozen Chopped Broccoli
1 HT Frozen Chopped Spinach
1 Birds Eye Frozen Mixed Veggies (Large Pack)
1 Birds Eye Frozen Cut Corn (Large Pack)
5 Pictsweet Frozen Edamame
2 Kraft Singles
1 Nature's Own Honey Wheat Bread
1 Pepperidge Farm Whole Wheat Cinnamon Swirl Bread
4 packs (1.25lb ea) Ground Beef
2 Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs
1 HT Bread Crumbs
3 HT Spaghetti Sauce
2 Classico Alfredo Sauce
2 Dreamfields Rotini Pasta
1 Mueller's Shell Pasta
1 HT Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches
3.12 lbs Bananas
1 pack Strawberries
1 pack Blueberries
1 .74 lb Grapes

Total OOP: $87.76
Total Saved: $77.16

Today was more a mix of coupons and buying store brand that I considered a good deal.  We're having a cook out tomorrow and last Summer, I would spend at least $200 on cook out grub alone.  Even when I make a trip tomorrow (after I do some planning), I will fall under that total and come away with a lot of food for future meals.

Could I ever make it on the Extreme Couponing show?  No.  But I still save lots of money for someone who limits her 'coupon time' to make room for family time.

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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Confessions of a Real Life Mom.

I don't really know how I've acheived it, but I've become this weird hybrid of emotional and I don't give a s*%$.  I am really working on my cursing, so pardon the middle school censorship.

I go from crying and being really upset to honestly not caring about what previously made me cry.  Maybe this is the natural order of things; you know, I get it all out and then I realize it's just not worth crying over?  ORRRR, maybe I cry more out of being overwhelmed with the other 293148293749 things going on and not really out of sadness?

I don't know why I do it, but it's weird.  Weird and a bit refreshing.  In those moments of hysteria where I am just a blubbering hot mess, I feel a bit helpless, insignificant, and weak.  Therefore, it's a relief when I get over that nonsense and move toward the 'whatever' frame of mind.

Apathy is annoying.  I don't understand apathy, so I'd like to think that's not the equivalent of my 'whatever' phase; instead, I'd like to think of it as more of a conservationalist phase.

Rationalization for the Conservationalist Phase:

Let's call yesterday's annoyance 'Brat' for purposes of this example.  Brat upset me and made me feel a bit invisible, so I wanted to make sure I was, indeed, a living person.  So, I made a lot of banging around in the kitchen because I was worried that I had actually become invisible (another rationalization for my behavior that we can deal with at another time).  Turns out, I was totally visible!  AND audible.

Granted, I am sometimes easily upset, particularly when I'm overwhlemed (which is like 99% of the time), but this is common knowledge to the people in my life.  If Brat knows that I get upset in certain situations, why would said Brat not do what it takes to avoid these situations?

I cried yesterday because I hate fighting with Brat.  More than fighting, I hate feeling like I'm unable to really describe what I'm feeling and, thus, coming off as Brat II.  So, I spend a few hours crying at work (totes classy - good thing no one really notices me there either), blowing my poor nose, and seriously looking a mess until it hits me.  WHO GIVES A FLYING .... ?  If you don't care, I don't care.

And so, I conserve my energy and tears for a later situation in which all parties care.

Completely rational, realistic, and effective.

Until I really get over it, I'll listen to "I Just Wanna Be Mad For a While" on repeat while glaring with this presh face anytime Brat looks at me:

{look of disgust.  total pro.}
 The phase that follows this hideous face is even better!  To be continued...

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Monday, June 20, 2011

What's On Suzie's Menu?

I am very sorry about the lack of pictures of my meals, but my camera charger should be here early this week!  YAH!

Last week, I ended up making some delicious Super-Loaded  Baked Potatoes, but forgot to picture them.  Fail.  I will make them again in the coming weeks, so don't worry!


In no particular order:

Garlic Lime Chicken Fajitas w/ Homemade Tortillas
Easy Peasy Ham & Cheddar Shells
Peanut & Peppered Steak (served with Sesame Noodles this time)
Shepherd's Pie
Easy Peasy Beef Stroganoff

One night this week, we are supposed to take my Daddy out to dinner since my siblings and I all went to see my BFF get married, but my family takes a long time to make decisions, so we will see what happens.  Saturday, we're having people over, which I am VERY excited about.  It's going to be a large gathering and I am just gonna make some simple dips and some desserts to go with hamburgers and hot dogs.  It's sure to be a good time!

Happy week, everyone!

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Best Friends & Fairy Tales.


One of my best friends got married yesterday.  She was absolutely gorgeous and her love with her new husband was evident.

My favorite part about Amanda's Fairy Tale is what led up to this moment.  She and Brandon met in August 2010.  Now, I was a bit shocked when they got engaged (mostly because I had never met him!), but I am mostly in awe of it.  They knew after 6 months or so of their relationship that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.

The ceremony had me in tears pretty much the second it started, which shouldn't surprise anyone who knows me.  In the Christian faith, marriage is to resemble Christ's love for the Church.  The emphasis on love inspite of everything really made my heart melt.  Christ loved the church without an 'If-then' clause; Christ didn't say "Hey, church, I'll love you after you get your stuff together."  And so Amanda and Brandon vowed to love each other just as they are...forever.

There is very little more beautiful than this profession of love and I am grateful to have been a part of it.  EVEN if it means Amanda is many, many miles away.

Congratulations, my friend.  I wish you a lifetime of happiness.

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Friday, June 17, 2011

'F' is For Fitness.

Really, 'F' is for 'Friday' - and a few other choice words - but today, it's for 'Fitness.'

I am not expert at fitness, I just try to stay motivated to be healthy.  Honestly, being in a relationship with a man who is incredibly fit (and incredibly delish!) is a nice motivator.  It can also be a little bit annoying.


As much as I scold my love for being naturally fit, I know it doesn't just come naturally.  He works his N-U-Ts off and, on top of that, lifts weights and goes for random runs.  His random runs make me want to punch him as well because when I go for random runs, I almost die; he, on the other hand, comes back looking hotter than ever.  ANNOYING.

Okay, now onto the motivating part...

His fitness makes me want to be fit, too.  I want to be able to keep up with him and Little Steven (who will undoubtedly be an athlete like his Daddy) and not feel like I'm lagging.  We're also going to the beach next month and I don't want people wondering what Mr. Shirtoff (c/o the funniest video posted on my wall by EP)  is doing with Chubs.  Listen, I have an okie dokie self-esteem; I don't think I'm hideous and I don't think I'm large, but I do think I could use some work.

So, here are some little tips I've received over the last few months during 'Operation Beach Babe' that have been useful:

- Drink a lot of H2O.  By a lot, I mean a lot.  I keep a 40 oz water bottle at my desk and I drink at least 1.5 a day, then I drink lots of water when I get home.  I was told a long time ago that if your pee is not clear, you're not getting enough H2O.  Truth?  I don't know, but it's just a little standard I choose to live by.

- Eat Dinner Early.  We do this in our house by default because we're early risers, but I really believe it's helped me to at least maintain my weight.  Even on weeks when I don't work out and eat like crap, I don't seem to gain weight.  I'm much more likely to be active afterwards because it's still early enough to hang out with the baby, clean up, and then work out at soon as Little Steven goes to bed.  It's really been a great change for me.

- Cardio, cardio, cardio.  As a mom, I know I feel like I'm going all the time, which must mean that I am burning super calories.  I probably am, but there is nothing quite like getting in a good 30 minute (at least) cardio sesh when I'm able.  I attempt to do it at least 3 times a week, and usually go beyond that.  When I don't work out, I don't lose weight.  I could eat like a bird all day and still stay the same weight if I'm not working out...does that make sense?  No, but that's how it works for me.

- Weights.  Mr. Delish (Big Steven) suggested that adding some light weights would help me increase calories burned and tone up.  I have an issue with 'wings' under my arms, so I started trying this about 2 weeks ago.  Let me tell you, it's definitely working already.  I've only been using 5 lb weights when I'm on the bike, but my arms are definitely getting a bit more toned and I'm feeling better about them, not to mention more motivated.

- Self Esteem.  This has been a BIG factor in whether or not I'm successful in the past.  If I am down on myself and talk about how much I loathe my body, I tend to quit easily.  If I look at working out as a way to feel better about myself, AND appreciate the smallest of changes (i.e., 1 lost lb or leaner looking arms), I am significantly more successful.  This also helps me to lose weight the 'right' way as opposed to harming my body.

- Determine your motivation.  Like I said earlier, I want to be able to keep up with my boys.  That is SO important to me.  I never want to feel like I'm too out of shape to play with them.  I also want to feel like I'm giving Big Steven a run for his money...a little competition is good for my soul.

I have a good ways to go before my body is where I want it to be, but at least I know I'm working toward something.

What are your best tips?  I'd love to hear what you guys are doing to be in shape!

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P.S. Happy Father's Day, My Love.  We are so lucky to have you; you're a hard worker, you're a great provider, and you're incredibly easy on the eyes.



Thursday, June 16, 2011

The Thursday Push!

The best thing about this morning:
My body looks good in my new white pencil skirt, which was a nice surprise.  Other than that, this has been a morning that I'd like to restart.

It started off with a silent, therefore useless, alarm.  Evidently, my non-smart phone doesn't make sound if it's on the charger.  Luckily, Little Steven wakes up around 5:30am every morning (which happened to be my planned rise time), so I was only a few minutes behind schedule.  I got my bottom braces put on yesterday and my top ones tightened.  Suck fest.  Let's put it this way: yesterday, I had a space in between my two front teeth and today I don't.  I was 30 minutes late for work thanks to the ridiculous traffic that defines Northern Virginia.  Honestly, I have no idea why people want to live here and I am soooo ready to move.

Get off my back, craptastic morning!

Someone was hired for my position in the office, which means I start working from  home on June 27th.  PRAISE THE LORD!  Now, there is some 'gossip' going around and I am slightly convinced that I will be laid off shortly after the move out of the work place, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.  What I cannot understand is the constant need to focus on everyone but oneself; why do we care so much what 'he' or 'she' is doing?  Or in this case, why do they care so much about what I'm doing?  The most annoying comment is "there is no way she can work from home and take care of a baby."  Is there really no way?  5 hours a day between the hours of 6:30 and 5?  My son does sleep, you know.  Not to mention I've given the person making this comment a detailed explaination of what I plan to do when I start working from home.  The worst part?  None of it is being mentioned to me.  If you have a concern about whether or not I will be able to do it, why not ask me my plans?  Why not confront me about it?  I will respect and understand that significantly more than hearing the nonsense.

Sometimes I really feel like certain people will never grow up.  If you've hit the age of 40 and still act this way...it's probably never going to change.

Honestly, I do have a plan to squash this mess.  Prove them wrong.  It is a HECK of an incentive that I will get commission for any sales in which I am instrumental; the ability to continue working from home the more successful I am is also motivating.  My initial reaction is to be really pissed off, but what does that solve?  All it does is make me feel like crap.  If this works out, it works out; if it doesn't, God will provide something else for me.

Until then, as vain as it may be, I will look at myself in this white pencil skirt multiple times and be proud of my persistent work outs.  Also, I have edamame and french bread pepperoni pizza to look forward to at lunch.  YAH!

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Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Mexican Smoked Sausage Casserole


You Will Need:
serves 4

1 Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage (or other brand, doesn't matter)
4-6 oz Egg Noodles
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
2 Tbsp Paprika
1 Tbsp Garlic
1/2 Tbsp Red Pepper
1 Tbsp Thyme
1 Tbsp Black Pepper
1 cup Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese
1/2 cup Water

Preheat your oven to 350.

Boil Egg Noodles according to package; drain.

Brown your Sausage in a skillet over Medium heat; drain.

In a large bowl, combine Egg Noodles, Sausage, and all remaining ingredients.  Pour into a baking dish and top with Shredded Cheese. 

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

I served this with a Salad topped with Tortilla Strips and Ranch Dressing.

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Harris Teeter Trip.

I only used 4 coupons for this trip and took advantage of some really good deals going on.  Smart shopping without coupons still saves a ton of money.


What You See:

2 pks Ground Turkey
1 5lb bag Potatoes
1 Gallon Milk
1 French's Honey Mustard
1 Celentano Frozen Ravioli
4 Hungry Man Meals
4 Lean Cuisine French Bread Pizza
1 Cantaloupe
1 carton Blueberries
1 carton Strawberries
1/4 Watermelon
2.65 lbs Bananas
5 PictSweet Edamame (YUM!)
2 HT Ham
3 HT Smoked Turkey
2 HT Pepperoni
2 HT Mozarella
1 HT Oven Roasted Turkey
1 Mickey Mouse Book (not pictured; Little Steven had to have it)

Total OOP: $66.05
Total Saved: 60.25 + 15.98 VIC Savings

The HT sandwich meat/cheese was B2G3, so I stocked up.  These are freezeable and I won't have to buy sandwich meat for a while!

HEADS UP!  Rumor has it that HT is doing Super Doubles next week.  I'll be a coupon-clipping fool tonight on my bike and will try to put together a list of my personal favorite deals.  Many other sites have a generic list also for you to look at.

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Tuesday, June 14, 2011

A Little Prayer from a Real Life Mom.

I read this exerpt of Tina Fey's BossyPants and fully intend on reading the entire thing.

"First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches. May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty. When the Crystal Meth is offered, may she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half... Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called 'Hell Drop,''Tower of Torture,' or 'The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,' and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age... Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen. Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short...  O Lord, break the Internet forever, that she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers... And when she one day turns on me and calls me a B in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Sh%^&t. I will not have it. And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back. 'My mother did this for me once,' she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. 'My mother did this for me.' And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes. Amen." - from BossyPants, by Tina Fey
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What's On Suzie's Menu?


I'm toying with a lot of options this week, some much easier than others.  This way, depending on my mood (and the weather!), I have a plan :)

Randomness
Mexican Smoked Sausage Casserole
Steak & Cheese Sammies
Beef Stroganoff w/ Brown Gravy
Easy Peasy Tuna Casserole
Garlic Lime Chicken Fajitas w/ Homemade Tortillas
Frozen Pizza

Your guess is as good as mine as far as what I actually end up making!
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Family Dinner.

Our Family Dinner last night was interesting.


{Big Steven's Dinner - Voila! Shrimp & Garlic Frozen Meal}

{My Dinner - Salad w/ Mini Smart Ones Cheeseburger}

{Little Steven's Dinner - Ravioli w/ Corn}
It was beyond gorgeous outside yesterday, so when I got home, the last thing I wanted to do was make dinner, especially since I didn't plan my menu.  I took Little Steven for a nice walk to CVS and bought all the Gatorade - which, btw, was a GREAT work out on the way back.  When I got back home, I only wanted a Salad and one of those little burgers (they are super small, but they hit the spot), but I knew Big Steven would want something more substantial.  When I threw the Shrimp Meal on the skillet, I knew Little Steven would have no part of it, then came the Ravioli.  So, our dinner was all over the place, but since I didn't really make anything, it was easy.  Just the way I like it.

I promise I'll make a menu today :)

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I CVS'd Again.

I didn't get any EBs back, which stinks, but I got a lot of Gatorade (Big Steven's fav) and have a $10 Gas Card just a few bucks away.  This means,  though, that I start with no CVS money next week.



{someone please find my charger.  thanks.}
 14 Gatorade (1 was swiped by Big Steven before getting inside)
2 Chef Boyardee Ravioli
2 Campbells Spaghetti
2 Digiorno Frozen Pizza

Used: All my EBs :(  $12 and my $10 GC)
Total OOP: $6.00 on the dot!
Got: I calculated wrong, so I am a few Gatorades short of a $10 Gas Card

So, Little Steven has decided to change his food mood every day, hence the Ravioli and Spaghetti in a can.  I like to have these on hand when he refuses to eat what I make.  I decided I'd rather he eat something than starve, much to Big Steven's dismay.
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Monday, June 13, 2011

My Week of CVSing.

I started this week with $12 EBs from this purchase plus $5 EBs for the Beauty Club.
{forgot to put the Vitamin Water I opened in the pic}
What You See:

5 Vitamin Waters (well, you see 4, but I got 5)
3 2 pks Mandarin Oranges

Used: $7 EBs
Total OOP: $1.07
Got: $2 EBs

That leaves me with $12 EBs for shopping this week plus a $10 CVS gift card I got as a reward with my bank.  Nice!

This week, CVS is still offering Gas Cards for money spent on certain items.   Gatorade is on sale for $0.88, so I'll buy a lot of those this week paired with a few other non EB items.  The EB deals kinda stink this week, but next week has some on Garnier skin care (which I love!) and Hawaiian Tropic Sunscreen (which we need).

Happy Shopping!
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Thursday, June 9, 2011

The Thursday Push!

Today is a morning soda type of day.  BUT, I didn't have coffee this morning, so it's justified.
 
{missing my diet coke!}
Since I made the decision to keep at school full force during the Summer, I am really feeling the pressure.  I have 1 Sunday course and 3 online courses with a 4th starting this month.  The only thing keeping me going is seeing the results. 

Last Saturday was extraordinarily stressful; I had an Essay Exam that morning and an Anatomy Exam Sunday morning.  I felt okay about my Essay, but didn't realize there was a specific word count until I submitted it.  Evidently I hit the number because I got a 100%! 

Anatomy & Physiology, on the other hand, is a TOUGH subject.  I did some last minute studying and finished my flash cards (yes I did) and was up until about 11:30pm before I started cracking.  By cracking, I mean studying so much that I began to go into exhaustion mode; things started to jumble together, I started tearing up, and the word 'Anatomy' stimulated my gag reflex.  So, I took a shower and went to bed.  I woke up a few minutes early to go over my cards again and I actually knew what I was reading, which was a great sign.  Ultimately, I managed a B+ despite a few tricky questions (Dr. Ma never disappoints there) and one that I thought was in a foreign language.

I have one Essay Exam for HUM241 left that I can take any time between now and June 27th and will be DONE with the course.  Providing I get a C+ or higher, which I will, I will walk away with an A in the course!  YAH!

Seeing the results of my work has really pushed me to keep going.  Knocking out 4 more courses this Summer so I can get through the Nursing Program easier will make my life significantly easier when the time comes.  Knowing that my future career will help my provide for my family, give me more options, and allow me to give back to my community gives me peace of mind.

Perseverance pays off.  Never give up on dreams.

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Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Confessions of a Real Life Mom.

I let my son get away with stuff because I feel guilty. 


{mama's boy!}
I let him eat in the living room in front of the T.V. when he isn't having a good day.  I do that out of guilt because I only get a small chunk of time with him and I'd rather he be happy when we're together.  I also let him lay in my bed in the morning while I finish getting ready because I feel guilty having to wake him up in the morning to get him ready for the day.  And here's the worst one...I give him his pacie (aka bee-u) pretty much whenever he asks for it. 

Last night was interesting.  Little Steven gets in these moods and because he only knows a few words, it's a guessing game when we (Big Steven and I) are trying to make him happy.  I got to Mrs. L's late yesterday because I had to run to LA Jones' house to get his milk bottles I left there Sunday.  Yes, he has special milk bottles and refuses to drink out of anything else in the morning; in fact, he's thrown a bottle back at me because he didn't like it.  And don't even get me started on warm milk...  When I finally arrived - 30 minutes late - to pick him up, he was crying so hard.  I asked Mrs. L what was wrong and she said he's just been crying since he woke up.  So guess what?  I felt guilty.  I felt guilty that I was late because maybe it threw him off, I felt guilty that I have to take him to daycare every single day, and I felt guilty knowing that I had to go home, make dinner, and do laundry.  I felt guilty for stuff that hadn't even happened yet!

It doesn't end there.  After I made dinner (while Daddy was making him happy), he wanted nothing to do with it.  What kid person doesn't like bacon and noodles?  So, Big Steven took him out of his high chair which mad him even more unhappy.  I gave him his milk, layed him on the couch, gave him his blankies (he has to have both), had a pacie next to him, and turned on cartoons.  We finished eating then he decided he might be hungry.  So, I got a lunchable and he had a fine time eating it out in the living room while watching T.V.  Eating in the living room and watching T.V. during dinner are both things Big Steven and I don't want to allow, but I just felt so dang guilty.  The real cherry on top was when he scraped his little arm by falling outside and coming inside only to fall again on the same arm.  Poor, poor baby.

The rest of the evening was rough because I had to let him cry a bit when I put him down for bed.  He just kept crying "MAMA" for about 5 minutes until I went in and rocked him for a little while.  He cried when I put him back down, but only for a minute and fell sound asleep.

After the traumatic day, I began pedaling away on my bike, crying because I wonder if I'm doing 'okay' as a mom.  I'm not sure how to shake this guilt that I feel all the time, but I'm working on it.

I think I'm letting him get away with too much, which will be a disaster in later years.  Go figure, I feel guilty for letting him do things because I felt guilty.

I am so weird.

{totally wrapped around his finger}

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Pasta Carbonara!

nice and blurry for ya!
 You are very welcome for that fantastic shot of deliciousness.  I hope I find my charger for my camera ASAP.

Anyhoooo.  I changed up my recipe from here a scoatch.  I used more Bacon because I didn't serve it with anything else but a nice Caesar Salad.

You Will Need:
1 box Pasta (I used whole grain this time)
6 thick slices bacon, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Whole Milk (heavy cream or evaporated milk works)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
S&P to taste
Cook Pasta according to package, drain.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Allow to drain on a papertowel and break up into small pieces and set aside.
Pour out all but about 1 Tbsp of the bacon grease.  Add drained Pasta to the skillet; add Butter, Milk, Nutmeg, & Parmesan.  Sauce will become thick quickly, so you want to serve this immediately. 
Sprinkle a little more Parmesan on top if your little heart desires!
This is a super satisfying dish and goes perfectly with a delicious salad.
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Monday, June 6, 2011

What's on Suzie's Menu?

What a weekend!  It was quite busy, but I felt really productive as far as school goes and got a lot of studying in at the lab for yet another Anatomy test this Sunday.  I hope to spend a lot of time focused on Little Steven this week in the evenings we actually get time together; school and blog will be done after he's in bed :)



Pasta Carbonara (called Creamy Linguini here until I realized there was a name for it)
Beef & Broccoli w/ Sesame Noodles
Chicken Parmesan w/ Creamy Pasta Bake
Easy Peasy Sausage Pasta Saute
Easy Peasy BBQ Chicken w/ Cheese Tortellini

Sorry to be so uninspiring this week, but I wanted to try at least one new item (Sesame Noodles) and keep the rest simple so I can spend as little time in the kitchen this week as possible.

Last week made me feel guilty (which is a pretty normal feeling for me, haha) because I didn't get to spend much quality time with my son.  My sleepiness is normal and I've grown to accept it, but I was just overwhelmed with 'stuff' to do because of the short week.

I hope you have a great week!  Remember, preparing a meal for your family doesn't have to be hard, especially if you have a basic plan to work with!

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Friday, June 3, 2011

NKOTBSB.

Observe the glory:








Let's be honest - captions are unnecessary at this point.

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I Shine/Beauty Defined.

ashlemieux
 
this week, BEAUTIFUL means:
 
- listening to the person you love and loving him more because he let you listen.
- seeing NKOTBSB tonight.  unity of my fav boy bands of all time = perfection.
- spending tonight with my beautiful Christina on her birthday screaming like school girls.
- my son.  everything about him, but his bed head really makes me smile.
- seeing how much Mrs. L and her mother in law love my son
- cookies 'n cream ice cream
- losing 2 lbs.  barely noticeable, but i feel H-O-T.
-watching Big Steven sweat bananas mowing the huge lawn
- God's timing.
- Answered prayers.
- Semi-homemade dinners around a dinner table with my boys.
 
Beauty to me is the little stuff; the stuff we take forgranted until we realize not everyone has that stuff.  Beauty is finding opportunity in crap-a situations and reminding myself that today is what counts.  Beauty is losing a friendship in order to see that some friendships are never, ever gone.  Beauty is accepting everyone else just as they are, even if they believe differently than me because everyone needs some love.  Beauty is encouraging others because making them feel good makes me feel good.
 
My life is BEAUTIFUL.
 


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Easy Peasy Inside Out Chicken Pot Pie

My 'Cheater Chicken Pot Pie' on my menu turned into the 'Easy Peasy Inside Out Chicken Pot Pie.'  Why?  Because it's easy and I used biscuits instead of a pie crust :)



I lost err misplaced my charger for my camera; hopefully I just left it at the lake somewhere.  Just when I was starting to get the hang of taking pictures of food, too!  So, my non-smart phone gives me pictures like the one above.  Lo siento, friends.

You Will Need:

4 cans Chicken Breast (like Swanson brand in the tuna isle)
1 can Cream of Chicken
1 can Cream of Celery
1 bag Frozen Mixed Veggies
1 can 10 ct Refrigerated Biscuits
S & P to taste

Preheat your oven to 400.

I drained my canned Chicken Breast and added Pepper to that first because I love the Pepper.  Then combine Soups and Veggies and mix all up.  Transfer mixture to a baking dish (I used 9x13) and top with uncooked Biscuits.

Add 5 minutes to the cook time on the can for the Biscuits; my can said 11-13 minutes, so I baked it for 18 minutes.  This will ensure that the Biscuits are cooked all the way through.

EASY PEASY!

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Thursday, June 2, 2011

More Dreams and Things...

Still not working from home, which means still no time to follow through with plans.  That does NOT mean I can't be prepared with ideas.  Big Steven loves my ideas.

I bought some little inspirational signs to build my master bath around...2 years ago?  Anywhoo, here is an idea of what it WILL look like:









Think blue and white crisp deliciousness.

BTW, if you are a real friend to me, you will volunteer to help me paint said bathroom.  Pays in beer and somethin' on the grill.  No application necessary, all helpers pre-approved!

Ahem, ahem - Whitney - you are my numero uno choice because of your mad painting skillz.  You love beer and you love me.  Plus, we can just be silly for old times sake.  All around WIN!

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