Yard Projects

Cleaned this area out, put in new soil, hostas, and mulch.

These flowers make me smile!

Another start (bleeding hearts) from Cindi that came up this spring.  Thanks, lady!

No More Bare Trees!

I Love Purple Tulips

Garage Sale Finds

Wonton Quitos

Got this recipe from the Hungry Girl website.  Well, actually my friend, Lisa, got it from the Hungry Girl website, who then passed it on to me!

Wonton Quitos
1 1/2 cups chicken, shredded
1/2 cup salsa verde
1/3 cup shredded cheddar
1/4 c. corn
1 tbsp. roasted red peppers, chopped (I haven't used these yet)
16 small wonton wraps

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook and shred chicken.  In bowl, combine chicken with salsa.  Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutees.  Take out and remove excess liquid from mix.  Add cheese, corn, and peppers.  Spray cookie sheet with spray.  Spoon 1 tbsp of mix onto each wonton then roll up.  Place each one on cookie sheet, seam side down.  Bake 15 minutes.

Buffalo Chicken Mac

I saw this recipe on the Food Network (The Neelys)...

Buffalo Chicken Mac
1 pkg Kraft Homestyle mac and cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 tbsp buffalo wing sauce (I put in more, baby!)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 tbsp green onion, chopped

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Cook and chop up chicken.  Prepare mac according to directions except don't add crumbs.  Toss chicken in buffalo sauce then stir into mac and cheese.  Spray casserole dish with sprah and add mixture.  Sprinkle with cheese and crumbs.  Bake 5-10 minutes.  Top with onions.

My First Tulips!

My very first tulips ever have bloomed!  They're purple, of course.  I've always wanted to plant my own tulips in my own yard and now I've done it.

I also decided to mulch under my kitchen window.  I have to say I'm glad I did it.  It makes the plants stand out more and makes everything look neater.  Eventually I want to make this area larger and pile it up more.  Maybe make a planter there.  But for now, this will do.



Today's Finds at Vinnie's

I have been in search of a desk chair for what seems like forever.  I've been checking at stores.  I've been rummaging at all the thrift stores.  Then I gave up for a while and used one of my kitchen chairs.  I was getting tired of that real quick.  On a whim, I went down to Vinnie's today and low and behold I found one!  Just a little cleaning up and tightening of some screws and it's ready to go.



...And I had to buy this purse.  It had to be mine!

Play Ball!

It's the start of the new softball season.  As usual, my daughter gripes at the beginning of the season.  She doesn't like her coach, this one girl is annoying, this uniform makes me look fat, blah, blah, blah.  But somehow when the season rolls around again, she can't resist.  I think she's on a mission this year since last year she was out most of the season because she fractured her wrist.

Go get 'em, girl!

Garret's First Project Photos

(This is an army of ants in case you're wondering)

Mother's Day Hike (The One Part of the Day That Didn't Suck)

May Showers Bring June Flowers

Yes that's a twist on the saying, "April showers bring May flowers," because here in the Yoop, we are a little behind weather wise and that's the norm.  Hell, last week it was snowing for God's sake! 

So far, Mother's Day is a bust for me.  My kids woke up so cranky and irritating that they didn't even bother wishing my a happy mother's day.  My sister couldn't get the webcam going on my mom's computer so we were unable to Skype.  And, I have a bellyache.  However, there are some bright points to this day. 

Sedum.  The best plants ever!  They are so low maintenance and they come up every year .

Yay!  Look at my tulips.  They are SO close to blooming.

This is my Mother's Day present.  Just what I wanted.  I planted some morning glory all around it that will vine all the way up (hopefully!)

Any, finally, this surprise came this morning.  It's a start that my friend gave me last summer.  Can't remember what it is just know that I actually squealed loud enough for my neighbor to hear me when I noticed it!

Summer Project

Stay tuned for some pictures. I'm patiently waiting for my first tulips to bloom and thinking about what projects to tackle this summer....

Also, my son and I will be taking pictures this summer. He decided not to play baseball and I was determined to find an activity to keep him busy. In a short story he wrote in school, he had to write a blurb about himself. He wrote that when he grew up, he wanted to go around the world and take pictures of animals. He also discovered that he liked to paint in his art class. So I told him that we will be going outside a couple days a week so he can take pictures of animals and insects. At the end of the summer, he can pick out his favorites and we will print them. What he doesn't know is that I'm planning to turn them into a book. We are also going to do some painting! So I hope to post some of his creations soon!

Photo by Lina Blair



Girlfriends.

I was just reading one of my earliest posts:  Xmas Xtravaganza

It's an extraordinary relationship between girlfriends.  We can laugh and fight and cry together.  I feel most like my true self when I'm with my girlfriends.  Not that I'm not myself when I'm with others in my life but I feel the most comfortable with the girls.  I don't have to behave.  I don't have to watch my language.  I don't have to have my filter on.  They understand what I'm going through as a wife, a mom, a sister, a working woman.

Love you, girls!