Obviously by the spelling, I'm not talking about temperature here. It's that time of year where the only thing to cure those cold weather chills is a nice bowl of chili!! Mmmm.
Recently, the hubs went out and grabbed the necessities for "The Recipe" and I whipped us up a nice bit pot. The reason for the quotations is because it's a recipe my dad has passed down to me, and it's been called that for as long as I can remember.
Essentials: tomato juice, chili beans, chili tomatoes, mexene powder, ground beef, noodles
Obviously, we are a noodle-chili family. I know there are some who don't do that, but we do. I really can't enjoy it any other way. The only thing I do differently than dad is add MORE noodles.
The Recipe was always a secret, but once I was older and learned it for myself I realized the secret ingredient is simple TLC. There's steps to making it just right. If you're a first time chili maker, then my apologies for the lack of measurements, but I have to keep some of it to myself due to its history in the family. ;)
BUT! I won't leave you astray. There are many, many recipes here that will suite any one of your taste buds.
Just don't forget the most important part of any chili dinner event... the peanut butter sandwich. Yessir.
Although, after a recent convo with the bestie..."I've never had that with my chili", she says... I thought maybe it was another one of my weird quirks [never shocking]. But it was hard to believe I was the only one who enjoyed such a combo. That was until good ol google assured me I was not alone.
So to anyone who hasn't tried this combination, you haven't lived. Do it, just once. You won't regret it.
It's not a #backthatazzup type of jam, but it's a classic, one of my favorites, AND totally necessary. There's about a million versions of this jingle, but I've always loved this one. Not to mention they used to be America's sweethearts.
Do you ever find yourself laughing at random things? I mean, seriously randomness. I do all the time. Of course it's always better when sharing that laughter with someone else - that laughing at each other laughing, which only brings on more laughing until you forgot what you were laughing at in the first place. Yea, that kind.
For instance, an almost typical conversation with my best friend has me laughing every time I read it. And it was from... oh I don't know, last year.
But what was it that inspired this little post of nonsense? Trying to brainstorm on ideas to write about - writer's block is a thing with me - I ran across a few photos that had me cracking up. Just sitting here in my living room, alone, adding years to my life with laughter. That's a real thing, right? The more you laugh the more you live? Hope so, because I laugh at myself almost all the time. So if it's true, I'm golden.
Rarely do I enjoy sharing, but I will today. The following photos are what had me chuckling till my abs hurt. Did I say abs? I mean that giant ball in front of me that keeps my eyes and feet from ever seeing one another until after about 5 months. It's quite an attractive laugh I must say. If you need an image of said laugher, think Santa Claus. At 31 weeks, that's about the most accurate display.
Let's begin with this cutie patootie.
This would make every day way more entertaining if applied.
Story of my life.
I just had to.
And this is the epitome of randomness that would entertain me for days.
That last one really got me. It literally had me like this...
And it is just a coincidence the baby happens to be Asian. I guess it speaks truth in a lot of ways.
In closing, I'm linking up with one of my favorites and you should, too. Hop on over and get connecting with some newbies - or oldies. Today I'm gon-country wit it, na na na na na na na na. That's what it would sound like if Alan Jackson and Will Smith had a baby. Or at least, that's what their baby would sound like. Either way, I'm digging into my inner country and sharing one of my favorites, because some people need a little reminder. And what better way to express your concerns for people than through music. Listen up people.
Continuing where we left off, I'm beginning to miss the morning air of New York City. Who am I kidding, no I'm not... the air? It was terrible. BUT in a strange way, I do miss the hustle and bustle just a liiiiiitttle bit. It's not my ideal family vacation, but it was a nice change in scenery. Always refreshing!
Day Three:
Here we began our first full day of NO WORK (for Chris), just the two of us! I had patience going into this, knowing it was a work trip, but it was worth celebrating when he could put that ol' lap top aside.
We finished up in the fitness center around 10am, and got ready for the day. Knowing the way to my heart, my dear husband asked the concierge recommendations to the best sushi place in town. So for lunch, we headed to a place called, Haru.
Very eclectic, seeming to be the trend in NYC. I was immediately drawn to the abundance of bamboo, used to divide the floor levels. I'm easily amused, but it was still a neat embellishment.
For myself, I had a basic Shrimp Tempura roll, along side some Cucumber rolls. Keeping it light. We usually eat ourselves into a coma when it comes to sushi dates, so I thought I'd played it safe given it was only 2pm. Chris on the other hand, had himself three different assortments; no holding back. Off the top of my head I can recall only two of the three; one being a Strawberry Finn of some sort, and another having jalapenos. My where his taste buds lead him I will never understand. A successful sushi lunch nonetheless.
After lunch we set out on our next adventure! Earlier that morning we had bought tickets to visit Top of the Rock. I had been once before, about 10 years ago, but this would be a first time for Chris. We weren't planning to do too many touristy sites, but this was definitely something I wanted to do again. Only being a few blocks down from our lunch spot, we waddled on to the Rockefeller Center.
Our tickets were set for 4pm, but we lucked out and were able to ride on up a little earlier. Not trying to use this opportunity for a plug-in, but you can see a video on my Instagram of our ride up the elevator to the top. They expose the top of the elevator so you can watch yourself rise up 70 floors in just 45 seconds. A real ear-popping experience.
Once to the top, they offer a souvenir photo opportunity to sit on a beam (as one did when they built it in the 1930s). We did the photo, but was unwilling to buy it for $45. Ew, no thank you. Moving on, we headed out to the Observation Deck.
And our view above New York City.
We also witnessed a proposal!!! Although I missed most of it, Chris pointed out the couple (the very bottom righthand corner of the above photo; ya know the ones with only half the body or head visible) when the man was just rising up from one knee. How romantic! :) I wanted to film them, but then found it ridiculously creepy if I did. So I didn't. I just love LOVE, and what a better moment to want to capture. Congrats to you, strangers above the Rock!
As the evening approached, we were headed back to the hotel to change for dinner. Alongside Jason and Tara (our double date from the night before), we made our way to Wolfgang's Steakhouse there in Time Square. Delicious. A great way to end the weekend!
To begin, of course we got some apps. Although, we probably should have shared each one. Yet, we managed to devour our own individual platters - crazy now that I think about it. So you could say we were stuffed only moments after arriving. Not to mention following it up with salads and a 13 oz. filet. We were apparently warned about the meat serving sizes, and were advised we may be want to split the "meal for 2 or 3" between all of us. Going against that, I thought my individual filet was going to be petite, no indication on the menu said otherwise. But boy was I wrong.
Needless to say, I did not finish it. As a mater of fact, I may have actually only cut into two full slices and put the rest in a box to go. As my good Samaritan deed of the week, I handed it off to a homeless man who sat outside our hotel with his dog. I spotted him earlier when I had arrived to the city, and found something remarkable about him. With the little he had he still provided food and warmth to that dog, and that showed a real characteristic; selflessness. A rarity this day and age.
Day Four:
The last day. So far we had a great visit. There were still a couple things left I wanted to see, but we were short on time. Our car was to arrive at the hotel by 12:30pm to take us to the airport, so we got up pretty early to pack our bags to save time for last minute sight seeing.
Our first stop was to the 911 Memorial. So we hitched a ride in our LAST taxi, and headed on down to lower Manhattan. I remember my visit 10 years ago, just 3 short years after the tragedy had taken place. It was just a construction site. Now they have two reflection pools honoring all the lives lost. Standing beside them now, is the brand new 104 story World Trade Center complex, known as the Freedom Tower. With only an hour and 1/2 on the clock, we were unable to stand in line for the memorial tour. With that said, we weren't able to see much passed the gates. Although we did get a good view of the Freedom Tower.
Next we were on our way to Battery Park. Only a few blocks down, we were able to avoid another cab ride. Like I said earlier "our last taxi". It was such a beautiful day, so we were enjoying the stroll together. It's not often you get to walk peacefully, hand in hand with your husband in New York City. ;) Again with the time crunch, we didn't have a ferry ride scheduled to see the Statue of Liberty. No matter, though. Chris found it unnecessary deeming it a "neck breaking" experience to try and view a 305' statue up close. I agree, but it's still history man! If we had the time I know he'd be up for it, but I wasn't complaining given the reality that time was against us. I still managed to capture a photo of it, though. Bad quality, but hey what ya do...
Last but not least, we were on our way to visit Wall Street. This was one thing that actually struck my husband's interest, so by all means. Although, there really wasn't much to see, and the streets were very quiet. Chris reminded me it was Sunday, however. I'm sure it's a madhouse during the week. I snapped a few cheesy photos of my cute husband, but I'll save him the embarrassment.
Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the hotel. Given the distance was far from our destination, and (if I haven't said it enough) avoiding the dreaded taxi, we decided to head out the only other way you should in New York City. The subway. When in Rome, right?
Now I have experienced subway transportation quite a few times in my life, but I can't say it gets any easier. I know some of you locals could laugh at that, but it's true... I have terrible sense of direction. But given it is not rocket science, my husband was well aware of what he was doing, so we were good to go. And fortunately for us, the subway dropped us off right there in Time Square, just a block shy of our hotel. Shhhwing!!
This trip was certainly a memorable one. I was appreciative of this opportunity to travel alongside my husband. Not a day goes by that I dont appreciate our Lord for His blessings. Truthfully, after handing my box of food to the homeless man, my eyes filled with tears as I walked back to my hotel room. In a way, I just felt... guilty. Here I was with a roof over my head, a bed to sleep in, warm clothes, and options beyond options for food. I know God provides these opportunities to reflect on the life around us. And that I did, indeed. For that moment I just thanked Him. I don't need moments like these to remind me of His grace, but when they arise it's good to just take a moment a be truly thankful.
Until next time NYC!!! It was fun while it lasted!!!
Now it's time to link up!! And what a better song to end this post series. Cheesy, yes. But so appropriate. Not a second went by that this song or the movie Elf's cleverly associated track "You Make Me Feel So Young" didn't pop up in my head walking through the city. Or just good ol Frank himself. Regardless, this is what I chose and you're gonna like it!! ;) Kidding. It just fits.
When I was pregnant with Audriana, it was through the months of November-August. Granted, I didn't really start showing until the fifth or sixth month, so I guess you could say my physical pregnancy stage wasn't happening until around spring and summer. With that said, it's easy to get away non-maternity apparel during that time; long or short maxi dresses, flowing tank tops, or in my case a bathing suit by the pool everyday - then indoors for a nice few hour nap. My what a life...
This time around I don't have that kind of luxury. 1) my house does not come with a pool and 2) I'd look a bit ridiculous in a bathing outdoors in 60 degree weather. Not to mention those things called naps? I remember Audriana took one when she was a toddler, but then quickly decided she'd outgrown them. Therefore, no nap for child = no nap for mommy. Pity.
Annnyyyhhooo. With fall now arriving, and the weather being consistently kind and cool, I've discovered that I may no longer be able to get away with half zipped, unbuttoned jeans these last 4 months. Yes, I was indeed able to rock them out for awhile, given my legs rarely fluctuate with my weight gain. So the other day I searched for some inspiration on the helpful little web, and found a few maternity styles I'd be happy to flaunt this fall/winter.
I'm a real sucker for any outfit accompanied with a blazer. That's always been my go-to style. This time, though I have to be mindful of my little growing abdomen, and find things that compliment one another as well.
You can never go wrong with light stripes, especially when paired with bold all around. I found these two styles, and immediately gravitated to them given they both offer the same look; except one being more casual, while the other a bit more sophisticated. I wouldn't mind adding these to my maternity Fall/Winter selection. Too cute!!
While in the mode, I began searching for sites that offered specific maternity apparel. I knew they existed, but I never needed them in the past so I had no idea what there would be to offer. Clearly, I was in the dark. I came across - my new absolute favorite - website A Pea In The Pod. First thing I began searching for were jeans. I knew I needed them, so that was where my mouse began clicking away. All styles of jeans you can think of; skinny, bootleg, denim, colored, you name it. I was excited! But not so excited about the price. Wowsers. Yes, I need a pair of jeans, and I know they are made specifically and comfortably to fit my extending body, but I only need them for 4 more months! I've paid a substantial amount of money on a pair of jeans before, but they have also lasted me a couple years. I just could not bring myself to even consider purchasing these for that price, for only a few months wear. Hmm. Now I was sad...
I immediately exited the site, not to linger on my saddness of over-priced maternity denim, and began searching sites I knew would surely have as much to offer - for much much less. Sure enough, Old Navy came through. I found a similar pair of jeans, for less than almost triple the price. Chaaaching!!!!! Here's a comparison view of my discoveries.
On the left:
Skinny jean dark wash denim.
Old Navy, $30.
On the right:
Skinny jean dark wash denim.
A Pea In the Pod, $180.
My bargain discoveries didn't stop there. I was also in search for a cropped jean jacket, suitable for fall. I stumbled upon the same jacket, from both sites and was again astounded by the similarities, yet price difference. I know that's everywhere, but for it to happen to me twice in the same day was a miracle!! Here's the two jackets in comparison to one another.
On the left:
A Pea In The Pod, $128
On the right:
Old Navy, $35
Not only did I luck out having found both items I needed along with the exceptional price cut, but Old Navy was also offering a 25% online promo code for it being their birthday. It was like the retail angel was shining down on me that day. Needless to say, a few clicks later they were on their way to my house!!! My husband was pretty proud of me... trust me, bargaining does not come easy for this girl. My usual bad habit is, I see it, I buy it. But I've gotten better. ;)
Now, let's keep the good vibes rolling with one of my all time favorite classics:
Water has always been essential in my everyday life, but more so since I've been pregnant again. That being said, finding a convenience for the extra consumption had become my mission. I did some research on different types of water bottles, and found a handful of ideas. To name a few, but not limited to:
1. The classic water bottle.
This is always the go-to. You just buy it, throw it in the fridge, and pull it out when you're ready for a sip. On any day, just lounging around the house there's no need to get fancy; just grab a bottle of water. Easy peesy. However, it's less convenient when working out. It may sound lazy, but truthfully there is such a thing as grabbing a "quick drink" ... and trying to unscrew the cap, then securely replace it is not quick. It's not. 2. The 1990's water bottle.
The next convenient thought, was a plain water bottle for my larger consumption. But realistically, they're big, bulky, and the straw is a pain in the arse when you're just going for that quick sip. You know the ever attractive "move your lips and tongue around like a giraffe fetching a leaf off a tree" expression. No bueno. Especially, in public.
3. Mason jar container with straw.
Then I discovered these little dandies. A mason jar with a lid and straw? Yea it's not too practical for my purpose (working out, on the go, childproof, etc.) But how fun do they look?! And they're not limited to just the traditoinal mason jar.There's many different styles. Check them out here.
Then my eye caught on to the recently popular bottle, spotted where else but the gym. Each bottle consists of the same gadgets, but sold by different brands. The two brands I'm sharing are the only ones I can vouch for.
Yes, the Contigo bottle was my final choice. After much debate I drove down to my local Target and snagged one. Since then, it has truly been my sidekick. It goes everywhere with me... gym, volleyball practice, grocery shopping, or any other random errand we embark on. This guy is by my side. Cheers!!
I don't have a real favorite that's currently on the radio, because I rarely listen to that random assortment as to what's considered POP's top favorites. I slightly disagree on many. With that said, I'm choosing one of my absolute favorite ZUMBA jams. Do I ever understand what they're singing about? No... not the slightest. But it's guaranteed they never fail in triggering that dance bug...
You know that moment you over prepare and have something ready-to-go, then as soon as it's time, you submit 'said thing' and walk away with that feeling of accomplishment? I almost had that feeling yesterday morning. With my days, you don't really know what to expect, so to have a blog post prepped for the next day is a REAL accomplishment, let me tell you. I have gone a number of weeks days with the same ol post lingering there, because either 1) our internet was down, or 2) my morning started off crazy and by 9pm I was in bed; aka on my daughter's floor after scratching her back, with the hubs having to come in and get me. True story.
Enough rambling. My point is, yesterday I had a set post ready to go and published it long before I even had time for my morning bloggy updates. While catching up on one of my favorite peeps, Helene In Between, andafter some serious blog hopping, I find myself scrolling through a new favorite, Glam Hungry Mom. THIS IS WHERE MY BLOGGING FAIL ALMOST BEGAN. In one of her posts, she shared some miraculous YouTube video of the new up and coming artist, Ariana Grande. Oh em geeeeeeeee. As a lover of music and talent, I was beside myself. This girl takes the cake. Along side the title of this post... I was indeed MIND BLOWN. I was so anxious to share, I debated whether or not to post a second time in the day, but wasn't sure if that was totally necessary. Although, it'd been worth it!!!! For reals. Her voice truly rocks my socks.
Have a listen, if you will.
1. I've been a Mariah Carey fan since I was 8 years old. 2. "Emotions" is possibly one of her most difficult tracks to mimic. 3. This girl is only 20 years young. 4. I don't have a 4....
So as an attempt to not pull a complete fail, by publishing two posts in one day, I decided to just postpone my #backthatazzup post with Whitney on Friday, and dedicate this one on Saturday!!!! Ha... oops.
With that said, my #backthatazzup jam would have most definitely been THIS in honor of this mind blown discovery. Listen to the original (below) then make your way back up to compare it to this girl's cover. It's seriously unbelievable. Brav-freakin-o!!
In my last post, I said I would share the recipe of the delicious cake bites I recently delivered to my sweet volleyball team. Well, as promised... here it is!
Cake Bites
...cake pops without the stick.
1 box White Cake mix
1 container Vanilla frosting; not whipped - only 1/3 of container necessary for this recipe
1 container Wilton Candy Melts - white chocolate for this recipe
1 Tbsp Vegetable/Canola oil
Blue food coloring
Toothpicks
Prepare cake mix as instructed on the box...
For a BLUE display, add food coloring to batter.
This recipe called for only 3 or 4 drops to make it baby blue.
Bake as instructed (depending on the size of the pan); 13x9 baked 30 mins at 350 degrees. Then allow an hour or so to cool. My trick is to set the pan up high, so the bottom and top can cool evenly.
Meanwhile, prepare the icing!
I scooped out 1/3 of the icing into a separate bowl, to add blue food coloring.
After your cake has completely cooled, crumble it up into a bowl. Using a spoon, or clean hands, add the frosting and carefully mix together. Be sure to add a little at a time - too much moisture will prevent the balls from holding their shape. Once the cake and icing are mixed well, begin rolling .5-1 Tbsp of mixture into balls. If the mixture does not stay together, add more icing.
When you are finished - THIS IS IMPORTANT - allow the cake balls to sit in the FREEZER for at least ONE HOUR. Any less, the balls will not be firm enough to dip into the chocolate.
Onto the fun part...
Melt the chocolate as directed. I preferred melting them in a glass measuring up, but you have the option to melt them in the container itself - the choice is yours! Once completely melted, add 1 Tbsp of oil and stir, stir, stir until nice and smooth!! It should almost slide right off the spoon.
When ready, remove the cake balls from the freezer. Wait a moment before dipping them into the chocolate, due to the drastic change in temperature - cold cake balls combined with warm/hot chocolate will cause the cake to eventually expand and crack the dried coating.
Place a toothpick in the center of the cake ball, about 3/4 deep - you don't want it to go completely through, nor do you want it too shallow or it will fall right off. Carefully dip the cake ball into the melted chocolate, covering every inch and around the toothpick. Don't leave any cake ball visible - unlike my one in the middle... you don't want that.
Once the coating has dried, slowly twist the toothpick out of the ball. Be careful to not crack the icing, or to separate it too much where the toothpick is inserted.
Decorations are completely up to you!! Given, this was a reveal celebration I wanted to continue with the theme and decorate as I've seen them displayed in such events. For this occasion, I needed a pastry bag, and an applicator that would provide about a centimeter of icing... see below for my clever improvisation.
For the pastry bag (since I was OUT; too much baking last year) I simply used a Ziploc baggie! Cut a tiny hole in the corner, and insert the applicator as shown. Voila!! Decorate to your liking, then place them back into the refrigerator until ready to serve.
OUTCOME:
Crunched for time, I did not have the steadiest of hands... but it got the job done!!!
Well, it's been quite a few Fridays since I've participated in one of my favorite bloggy link ups! So, along with the theme of Ms.Whitney's #backthatazzup, I figured I'd share the song currently stuck in this noggin of mine. Call me a repeater, because I know I've shared this song before, but it just seemed appropriate given this particular artist enjoys Goodies, and my post was clearly about some goodies of my own, right? Let's keep it in good context people. ;)
Let me just begin by saying that I am absolutely freaking DONE frustrated with our internet. These issues have continued to interfere with my ever-so-relaxing hobby, in turn making it a chore to squeeeeeze in a draft post in preparation of not knowing what the next day will hold - internet? no internet? Although, with recent weather conditons, it has completely wiped out our internet for good - not even leaving me with a guessing game at this point! So unkind. Anyhoo, my dear husband is quite aware of the issue and has begun thinking of a solution... until that day however, I wait... impatiently.
As an alternative, I am at my parents house. If you knew them, their technology issues have been about as successful as my own - but it works, and that's all that matters!!
So moving forward...
As it is Friday - #backthatazzup Friday, that is - I'll share my latest tune!! It's super old school, and still rocks my socks. ;)
OH! And before I forget... A BIG BIG BIG shout out to my dear friend, Katie and her husband - who may be welcoming their newest addition here soon!!! She has passed reached her due date, and today should be the day! Talk about patience. ;) Check out all the leading-up-to coverage over on her BLOG. I'm so excited for them!! Love you guys!!
It seems my brain is on overload these days; appointments, play dates, dinner dates, movie dates, visiting family, cleaning house(s), birthday party - you name it, I'm doing it. In other news... while linking up with Ms. Yoga Pants today, I also got a brief update on some Kimye news - naming their child North. I'm speechless. I can't say that's clever; it's just... [any synonym equivalent to dumb].
Now onto:
Although it's not new, I'm currently obsessed with Daft Punk's single, and well the album in general. This song makes me want to run out to LA and drive along Venice Beach.
About a month ago I shared a personal post, just letting readers get an idea of who it is that sits behind this computer screen blabbing about the random things in life. So as a continuing effort to embarrass share bits and pieces of myself, here a few more hidden facts - if you really knew me.
I'm a little O.C.D. Correction... I'm quite O.C.D. I turn labels around to face forward on any bottle, condiment, can of vegetables, you name it - it's ridiculous! I have to brush my teeth before eating breakfast, otherwise everything tastes disgusting. Oh, and if I don't say "be safe/drive safe" to anyone leaving then something terrible will happen! ......just to name a few.
I have tattoos. Sixto be exact: foot, wrist, neck, thigh, inner arm, outer arm. I'm pretty sure none have been visible on my blog - not on purpose - they're just not all visibly seen unless I wear shorts, short sleeve shirts, or bathing suits.
I don't like to repeat myself. And given I have an almost 4 year old, this makes it quite challenging. It's like they secretly know this fun fact about yourself, and take full advantage of how long they can push your buttons. So unfair. It's not like you can explain to her, "sweetheart, I have an OCD with repeating myself more than once, so please just listen to mommy this one time, ok? Thank you." ....yuhright.
I watch Housewives shows. To be clear, I do not watch all of them. But the few I do, it's a guilty pleasure that's sometimes hard to admit. I currently have NJHW and BHHW set on record on the dvr. Poor Chris. Along with those and the endless recordings on Disney, he doesn't have much dvr space to himself. ;) good thing he doesn't watch a lot of tv - so we're golden.
Orange juice with breakfast is a MUST. Leave it at that. If I don't have orange juice, it's incomplete.
I'm a closet singer. It's a modest confession. Don't expect this girl to sing karaoke without a few glasses of liquid courage, and certainly don't ask me to sing on the spot. Forget it. There's only a handful of people I've ever had the gall to sing in front of with or without alcoholic influence. It's a stage fright... can't help it.
With that said, and because I don't have any more facts I can gather at this time, I'm going to share an ORIGINAL piece I recently recorded with an old friend. It was a really fun piece and a step out there for me. It's a little slow for #backthatazzup melodies, but I hope you enjoy!!
The time has come!! This weekend marks the craziest, second most anticipated moment of my best friend's wedding shenanigans... The Bachelorette Party! Location?
Let it be known that our dear, sweet, innocent - yes, she actually categorizes in all of the above - bride to be does not partake in such party scenes and this may be somewhat of a chore for her. So it is our duty to help. And that we shall. ;)
Given the obvious, this post will remain until a follow up post upon my return.
For now, I'll leave you with a list of the songs I'm sure we'll be jammin' to on the car ride down. Gotta keep it in the theme of the weekend... so here we go!
(a pure classic)
Have a safe weekend, ya'll!! <--- that was weird coming from me, but what the heck...
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.jpg)
