Nail Polish Palooza

I've been on a bit of a blogging break (I say "bit" like it's been a few days as opposed to a few months...ahem) but for good reason! I don't know if you have noticed or not but this year seems to be the year of the nail polish. Sooooo many AMAZING colors and brands to try. That's just what I've been doing. Trying them out! I'm normally not a paint-your-nails-kind-of-girl because the outcome usually looks like a 5 year old did it (and quite frankly a 5 year old could probably do better) but even I can't resist giving these hughes a go! I think this may even change my outlook on the cosmetic from here on out. Here a few reasons why I am digging this fashion trend:

1. It's an easy update to your style. Within a few minutes (and a bit of practice), you can go from blah to b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l!
2. Nail polish fits into any budget. Whether you are a high roller or pinching those pennies, nail polish is something any gal can afford! I love a fancy schmancy brand just like any girl (speaking of-check out my next post) but have found that there are some great colors out there at an even better price! I'm talking 79 cents, People! NYC brand is a new favorite of mine because they stay up to date with the styles + often have coupons that make staying in fashion a no brainer!
3. Any thing goes! Seriously, I am seeing colors ranging from pastels to neons. Not only are colors are a free for all but so are designs! And have ya'll seen the nail polish ideas on Pinterest? INSANE. I am dying to get my hands on a nail polish pen or those Sally Hansen nail strips. So go ahead! Try that glittery, fire engine red that has caught your eye! Take that neon yellow for a test drive!

A color that I have been rocking lately (ok, maybe not so much "rock" as "wear") is Loreal's "Now You SEA Me." At my job, I am basically in a uniform so any chance to express my personality and style is an opportunity I take! This color lets me do just that and has already brought some compliments my way. I don't know about you but I will take a compliment any day! Gives me confidence like maybe I can use the word "rock" and get away with it....

What do you think? Oooh & aaah OR blah?

What are some colors, brands, or techniques that you've been loving? Ever try those nail strips??? Wanna be my guinea pig and give them a try for me? ;-)


I have something so fun to share with you tomorrow so be sure to stop by! :-)

A Healthy Dose of Savings

I like saving money. I also like using things that are earth-friendly and good for me. A lot of times, those two ideas don't always go together. As much as I love using products that are all goodness, it can be really costly which can make it harder to use what I love. Slowly but surely, though, I have been able to find coupons for products that I feel much more comfortable using. It's just like anything else, you start by taking baby steps.

 Do you like saving money and using good-for-you products too?? Well today is your lucky day because I am posting some links to some AWESOME coupon sites I regularly use. It makes using green, organic, and all natural products a reality for those that like to pinch those pennies.

Amy's
Barbara's
Best Organic Foods
Brown Cow Farm
Common Kindness
Earth Bound
HealthESavers
Horizon Dairy
Kashi
Mambo Sprouts
Organic Valley
Pacific Natural Foods
R.W. Knudsen 
Santa Cruz Organic
Simply Organic 
Stonyfield

I hope these links help any of you that are looking for a healthy dose of savings! Feel free to shoot any similar links my way! My wallet and I thank you in advance! :-)

Besides coupons, how else do you save money while still keeping what you buy healthy? Be sure to check in as I will regularly update this post with new sites. Until next time, HUGS AND KISSES...

Thy Comfort Delight My Soul

"In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul." Psalm 94:19

O Thou, In Whose Presence My Soul Takes Delight

A Faithful Friend

It's been a while and I could give you a million reaons why but really all I can say is that it's been a year. A year full of so much awesome goodness but, especially towards the end, a year of....heartache....nah....um....let's see....a year of.....confusion....no, still not good....a year of....faith building? Yeah, that's it. Hit the nail on the head with that one. FAITH BUILDING. I have learned so much. To name a few....
* Life is precious. I seem to be reminded of this more and more with each passing year. Maybe it's the whole getting older thing? Maybe it's experiencing the loss of loved ones or seeing my friends losing those so sweet to them? Maybe it's being faced with the possibility of losing those closest to me? Whatever the reason, it's a bittersweet lesson to learn. Remember to take it in and to truly love as God would have us to love.
* Family is so important. They are our history yet also our future.
* Friends are wonderful blessings of the Lord. Mine happen to be extra special blessings.
* Not everyone is a friend...some might even be enemies. 
* Marriage is a beautiful yet delicate thing. It needs to be treasured and protected.
* No one is exempt from disease. Sickness can creep into the life of anyone.
* I have so much to be thankful for in my life.
* Because I have one life, I need to live it right because I don't get a second chance.

 I could list a million things that I have learned, really, but here's the most important....GOD IS GOOD. Yes, I knew that before so I suppose I didn't learn it but I sure was reminded of it. He showed me His goodness and faithfulness in so many interesting ways this year and at really unexpected times from even more unexpected resources. Although unexpected, the comfort and love He showed to me at those times was exactly what I needed. That just shows how much He loves and knows His children. What a Faithful Friend!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpRCClg8pEY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dFF_n5MqHs&feature=BFa&list=PLEDA4C634B5D71014&lf=BFa

The "C" Word

The "C" word is not a very long one. The word itself is not comlicated to pronounce. With those two facts alone, it should be a simple word. But when one hears the "c" word, things can change in an instant. The word may not be long but the list of worries that goes with it is. It may not complicated to pronounce but it is gut-wrenching to say. The "c" word is most certainly not simple.

Yesterday, I found out that my dad has cancer. From the moment those words left my mother's lips, I have felt like I was truly in a bad dream. None of it could possibly be real. Over and over in my mind I say, "Dad has cancer...." but I can hardly wrap my mind around that and can't even say it out loud. Even now, although stinging tears are rolling down my cheeks, there is a part of me that is in complete shock. I could list all of my worries and concerns for you but instead let me list another "C" word (or rather a name) that moves me more than "cancer" does.

                                                                CHRIST

Although the hearts of my family and I are shaken (and yes, scared), I am so grateful for Christ who is blessing us with unimaginable comfort. Amid the fear and heartache, there is peace. A peace that passes all understanding. A hope that allows us to rest in a Father who is also the Great Physician. A certainty that this did not take Christ by surprise but is rather a part of His divine plan. The scriptures and songs that are flooding my heart are overwhelming. I'm so grateful for that! Just another way that God shows His love for His children. Yes, the "c" word is terrifying but Christ and His love is so much more powerful.

Enjoying this song because it's putting my heart into praise mode where is exactly I need to be in a time like this!


John 14:27:

"27.Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Playing Dress Up

For ladies, I don't think playing dress up ever really stops. It just evolves in each stage of life. In the younger years, for example, I would take almost every article of clothing I or my mom had and combine it with everything else I had then I'd enter my imaginative world and act out the character I felt I had best represented. I'd pretend I was anything from a princess to a spy to, believe it or not, a lumber jack! hahaha (such a weirdo!) Thankfully, I had a willing brother who was eager to go along with that idea! We'd haul the wood we had "cut" around in our little red wagon and after a "long day at work", we'd come in from "the mill" (or whatever lumber jack's work in), and warm up by drinking some hot "coffee" (a.k.a. hot chocolate) all the while sporting whatever plaid patterns I could get my hands on! Even then I was very detailed. But I digress...
Then, when the awkward stage came in full swing (felt like an eternity...sometimes I wonder if I'm still in that stage), I was just trying to look like everyone else. Still a form of playing dress up but kind of for the wrong reasons.
And finally, I am at the stage of my life where I "play dress up" for all the right reasons. I love clothes and I especially love when I feel I have pulled together that perfect look! Nothing better, right? Being able to express my personality through my style makes me feel invigorated and like I have an easy creative outlet. Sometimes, though, my creative bug is also a diva and wants to buy all of the latest and greatest (and usuallymost expensive) clothes. Hubby is there to squash the diva-tude. What a dear! Sooooooo how do I get my fix? How do I get those creative juices flowing?
Ladies, what if I told you I found the world's biggest and best closet? One with endless possibilities and an endless budget? One where you don't have to spend a penny? Follow me to the land of Polyvore....
Polyvore.com is truly my latest obsession and I have been on there almost every night this week. I found it on the wonderful site Pinterest.com (don't even get me started on that site! Pinterest = love) and have been hooked ever since. Basically, it is a site where you can create outfits and post them to sites such as Pinterest. it's great because you can create whatever look you want and never have to shell out the cash! Sure, I don't actually get to own the outfits but seeing them put together is gratifying enough. They have items listed from Target to Chanel! Oh the Chanel! This wonderful site is like playing dress up for adults! Here are a just a few of the ensembles I've created thus far....






This site is bah-nana's (in the words of Rachel Zoe)! If you need a creative outlet via fashion, this is the place! It's even helped me get more in focus of what my style is, what I want it to be, and how to get there....well the cheaper version of "there."  So go check it out, tell me what you think, and show me those fab outfits you've designed!! Have a great day! :-)

Peach Cobbler

Fall is in the air and that makes this girl one happy camper! Fall is probably my all time favorite season.....the nip in the air, the artwork of changing leaves falling from the tree's, the clothes, the colors, the smells....clearly, I love it all. I can't get enough! Good thing the season has just started. I have plenty of time to get all of those things in before.....(drum roll please).....CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-) One thing about fall I don't love, however, is pumpkin flavored items. I really enjoy the smell of, for example, a spiced pumpkin candle but a spiced pumpkin latte? Not for me. So how do I get that color scheme into my yummy treats?? Hmmm....well a trip to the local farmers market inspired me to get my orangey-ish color without going for the gourds!...which technically a pumpkin is a gourd-like squash but that doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it?

Peach cobbler isn't exactly a brand new concept but this simple crisp is just the autumn, pumpkin colored comfort food I was looking for! The farmer selling the famously fuzzy fruit said it would be his last for the season which made me happy I was able to grab about eight of those little gems before the rest of the crowd got to them. I have to admit...I almost didn't make this because the peaches were so amazingly juicy. I gobbled up about every other piece I would slice because I simply couldn't resist. Shhh! It'll be our little secret. ;-)

ANNA'S PEACH COBBLER
WARNING: None of my measurements are exact because I just kind of "wing it" till I get the desired result I am looking for.
8 peaches
1 stick of butter, softened and cubed
1 - 1 1/2 c. sugar
1-2 c. oats
2-3 tbsp. cinnamon
*I'd recommend also adding a little nutmeg.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.. Peel and slice your peaches, place in a bowl and set aside (sometimes I add a light cinnamon and/or sugar mix to the peaches depending on their natural sweetness and tenderness.)

Mix together remaining ingredients in medium bowl....

I actually use my hands because, for me, it makes it easier to mix and tell if I need more of one thing or another. Place peaches in a buttered dish. I first typed "Place peaches in a buttered fish." You all would have stopped reading, wouldn't you? haha Crumble the oat mixture over the peaches and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is toasted & crunchy and the peaches are tender.

Simple but oh so sweet!

What is a favorite fall time treat of yours? Are you pumpkin lover or not? I feel like I am the only one that doesn't like the taste of pumpkins so if I am not alone in this, PLEASE let me know! We can start a support group! ha!

White Chicken Pizza

I'm so excited to share this recipe with you! I can't believe I haven't already since it's a fave of mine. Why is it a favorite? Well every gal loves a quick and easy recipe, right? This recipe is both of those plus it's tasty which turns it from just convenient to AWESOME.
I wish I could say I was the mastermind of this fab pizza pie but I'm not. I am, however, the "tweaker". I have a tendency to take a recipe and pitch what I don't like while adding what I do. That's one of the many things I love about a recipe like this---it's flexible enough to be what you want it to be. Just like my bacon ranch chicken subs! Take away the ranch, add some honey mustard and bell peppers and you've got yourself a whole new sandwich! Easy recipes like these help me get a hot meal on the table without breaking  a sweat, all the while making Hubby think I am Super Woman. And Ladies, isn't that what it's all about? ha!

To make White Chicken Pizza, it goes a little something like this....
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Pre-minced garlic
1 Pre-made pizza crust (typically found in the Italian section; I use Mama Mary's whole wheat thin crust)
Mozzerella or Parmesan cheese (freshly grated if you do Parmesan)
Pre-cooked chicken strips (usually used for salads or wraps)
Basil

Melt butter in sauce pan along with the olive oil. Once melted, add garlic and cook for up to 1 minute being careful not to burn the garlic. The point is to soften it, not blacken it. Ask me how I know! ;-) Lay pizza crust on a pizza stone or baking sheet. Spread the butter/olive/garlic mixture on the pizza crust then sprinkle with cheese. Shred the chicken into smaller pieces and sprinkle on top of cheese followed by more cheese then sprinkle basil on top of that. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Voila! It is literally that simple. Serve it with some fresh veggies or fruit (to make up for all of the cheese) and you've got a delicious, easy meal. I made this tonight and served it with fresh tomatoes that I bought at the local farmers market yesterday morning. Delish!

Let's get a close up of those beautiful tomatoes, shall we?

Deep red and superbly scrumptious!

What are some go-to easy meals that you treasure? Feel free to share the recipes!:-)

My Secret Weapon

That's right. I have a secret weapon. FOR DUSTING LAMPSHADES! Totally cool, I know. I came up with this about a year ago but I'm willing to bet that someone else has thought of this already and you all probably know about it (probably have for years) so it won't be that impressive. Regardless of the "wow factor", I have decided to share this little gem with you today anyway. It's just a helpful tip to keep your house looking extra spic-n-span without using harmful cleaners or taking up a lot of time.
I personally hate seeing dust. ANYWHERE. Hate. It. In the past when I've noticed dust on a lampshade I've tried anything from wetting down a cloth to wipe the fuzz off or using a vacuum. Both got rid of some but usually with a downside as well. The vacuum is just awkward to use on a lampshade and the damp cloth would kind of spread the fuzz around elsewhere on the shade. Annoying. Then one day it hit me.....

LINT ROLLER TO THE RESCUE!

OF COURSE! A lint roller. How could I have been so blind?? For whatever reason, I had reserved the lint roller in my mind as only for clothes. So once I wrapped my mind around this concept, I took that bad daddy to a dusty shade and started rolling. BAM! The dust was gone. POW! The lampshade looked awesome. All you need to do is....

Roll away....

Then give a hearty laugh of victory! You got those little dusties for good!

I also use this technique to dust our ginormo speakers for our tv and cd player. Such a lifesaver! It's fast, easy, and cheap. Within a few minutes you can take your cleaning regimen up a notch with minimal effort! Superwoman status will be achieved in no time with simple little tricks like this. Give it a whirl and let me know how it works for you!
Have you tried this before? What other tricks have you come up with to take your clean house from good to great?

Front Porch Fabulousness

So many home improvement projects flood my mind on a regular basis. "Let's see I need to paint this, move that, change everything in the bedroom..." You get the point. Unfortunately I have really weird work hours that hinder me from being able to let it all loose the way I want! Needless to say, when I get the chance to tackle a project, big or small, I am all about it!!! A few weeks ago, I finally got to complete a mini-project.....my front door....area? I don't really know how to phrase that. But I do know how to show you (see below).

I actually have this picture titled as "Eck! BLEH!!" in my computer because that is how I feel every time I see it.

I HATED the light and I especially hated how about 10 years worth of dead bugs had collected in the bottom. And do you see that lightbulb? BLEH!!! I despise those bulbs for 2 reasons: 1. They are ugly as sin and 2. MERCURY!! Heard of it people? Not a good thing.  NOTE: Eric bought the house when he was 20 (amazing, I know) but he left a lot of things as they were (i.e. hideous lamp and rusted mailbox...have I told you about the coach curtains? Another day, another blog). I have a vision for our home and this was definitely not part of my vision. Do you ever have some idea eating away at you till you can't take it anymore and you just have to do it? Yeah, that was with me. So what did I do?

I unscrewed those bad-daddy's and cleaned them up! Then I sanded them with an el cheapo sanding pad I bought at Wal-Mart.

THEN I sprayed away! I thought a nice coat of Rust-oleum would do the trick. If you have been around blogland for even just 5 minutes, you've seen this stuff. For a good reason too. IT'S AMAZING. Plain and simple.

Then I let it dry for about 2 hours.....

And now I am LOVING my finished product!

Yes, I realize that I could have just purchased new number and a mailbox for a few dollars but I thought "Why do that when I can buy a can of spray paint and use what I have?" I did buy a new lamp but it was only $10! It's very simple but our front door/porch area is tiny. I did not need anything to overwhelm the space. This picture also doesn't do the lamp justice. It does have some very cute details and the glass is "seeded glass" which I l-o-v-e. Let's take a look at the before and after, shall we?

Ah, much better! :-) For little money, I helped give our house an upgrade which it desperately needed. I'll be posting a few more pics of various other projects I am tackling to give our sweet, little home some BIG TIME (and super easy) curb appeal! Stay tuned!!.....ok...one last time.....

Home Sweet Home

What home improvement projects have you tackled lately? What do you think of the new....area? Help me think of a name, will ya? haha