A sticky situation

I made peanut butter cookies yesterday. Man, is that process a sticky one. No matter how neat I try to be there is still peanut butter on the counter, my fingers and all over Little Monster's face! While making them I had the bright idea to add chocolate whipped topping to some of them. Kinda like a peanut butter cup I was hoping. Actually it was really good! Even my dad liked them and he's not a big fan of PB cookies. Win!!

  

 It was like 25 degrees yesterday so on goes the thick tights and funny fuzzy hat. Got this from my mom last year when I still lived in California and so didn't have much opportunity to wear it. It's definitely getting its use this year.

 

Here's my cookie making (and fudge making) outfit.

 

dress: faded glory (walmart)

blouse: dfa new york (burlington)

tights: miley cyrus (walmart)

boots: nickels (thrifted)

hat: gifted (gee thanks! ;) )

 

 Yummy, scrummy peanut butter cookies. Recipe from my trusty Better Homes and Garden cookbook. I've used that sucker so much some pages are falling out and some pages seem to have food fingerprints on them (ewww!).  Before:





 

After: I set them in the frig to harden a bit and then...mmmmm....

Alright, going into the "big city" today to finish up the very last of the shopping. Gonna pick up some nourishment in the way of a big peppermint coffee. mmmm....peppermint...

linking up with: This 'n That Thursday at Katie Did What.

relax,
paulina

Holiday song of the day:

Good King Wenceslas - York Minster

Wrap dresses and wrapping paper

 

I'm so glad I went to Target last year after Christmas and stocked up wrapping paper and other stuff while it was all 50-75% off.

 

I have gone through three and a half rolls of paper and three rolls of scotch tape already and I still have a little bit more to wrap! EEEKKK!!

 

As I'm wrapping and carting presents to my Mom's house this what I'm wearing.

 

 

 

A simple black dress that's not technically a wrap but the skirt portion of it is.

 

 dress: thrifted (Goodwill)

sweater: Talbots (gifted)

shirt: Merona (Target)

tights: Target

booties: Kmart



 

I like this dress. It's of a stretchy jersey material with ample room for bust and bootie. I found it at Goodwill with the tag still on and they had like five other colors but I only bought the black as that's the color I wear most. Wore this through Summer and now through Winter with the addition of tights and a long sleeve. Definitely got my money worth on this baby!

 

Here's our haul so far. Gotta run into town tomorrow to pick up those last few gifts.

 

 

I know my Mom's tree is small (but cute). But hey, it makes the presents look really big! And yes, she is a big Betty Boop fan. Those are just a teeny tiny fraction of what she has. I opened the bathroom closet to look for something and a bag of Betty Boops fell on me. Boop boop de boop!!

 

linking to: Pleated Poppy - What I wore Wednesday and Create Hope Inspire - Wardrobe Wednesday

 

relax,

paulina

 

Holiday song of the day: (kids are learning it to sing to The Hubs since he won't be here for Christmas) *unhappy face*

 

Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley

 

 

Menu plan and a new website

You don't have to be a mom to go to this new website I found on Sunday, it's helpful for all women or even the cook in your family.

momswhothink.com

Under the Food and Recipes tab there are all kinds of categories: 30 minute dinners, casserole recipes, chicken dinners, Sunday dinners even breakfast is covered. I happened to click on the 8 week menu plan. They have a dinner planned out every night for 8 weeks! With photos and recipes! There is even a healthier option category for the 8 weeks.

You can't go wrong with this website! You are bound to find something new or just get a kick start in the same 'ol, same 'ol. I know I did. I was on a tight budget for grocery shopping for these next two weeks and I was able to come up with 9 dinners at/or below $10 a piece using momswhothink  as a reference guide. Some items I already had on hand so that helped too. This menu plan is not including Christmas as I'm going to my mom's that day.

But, without further ado here is my menu plan for the next two weeks!!

MENU PLAN
===================================================
Tuesday: Baked Pesto Chicken
sides: angel hair pasta, (instead of french bread I'll throw together a salad)
$6.93

Wednesday: Homemade Mac & Cheese
sides: mixed vegetables
$3.20

Thursday: Bacon and Cheese Quiche
(using sausage instead of bacon as kids like that better and 18 pack of eggs will be put towards baked treats also)
sides: home fries
$9.03

Friday: Chili Coke Roast
sides: mash, green beans
$10.58

Saturday: Honey Pecan Pork Chops
sides: corn, salad
$8.13

Sunday: Easy Chicken Stroganoff
sides: mixed veggies
$4.90

Monday: Bubble Pizza
$8.20

Tuesday: Merry Christmas!!

Wednesday: Tacos
side: salad
$8.10

Thursday: Breaded Baked Pork Chops
sides: stuffing, corn
$9.43


Make sure and check this site out! There are other helpful tips and ideas to find. This is now in my bookmarks!!

linking up with: Menu Plan Monday on orgjunkie.com




relax,
paulina

Holiday song of the day:

Shake up Christmas by Train

Christmas accessories and a Christmas concert

Last night was PickyPants' Christmas concert. She plays the trombone which is kinda funny because it's almost as big as she is!

This is what I wore.

green maxi dress (thrifted), silver sweater (Chadwicks), black booties (Kmart)

 

Yeah, I shop at Kmart. Sometimes they have really good deals and cute clothes, one just has to look. I shop everywhere. I'm not biased! ha!

I thought green (or teal as it's coming out in the pictures) and silver was festive enough for a school concert.

And I'm representin' the holidays with my accessories. I noticed later that Santa's little feet were knocked off. Oh well!



santa pin and snowman scarf

So the concert was cute. PickyPants did a good job. We left after the third act because it was getting late. I really only cared about her and once she was done we hightailed it out of there. I did get a recording of her part of the concert but I'll spare you guys! ;)


Here's a picture of her and her trombone afterwards.

She really likes playing it and I hope she keeps it up.

And here's some cute snowman the kids made to decorate the stage with.

Well...off to go get my layaway and do some wrapping.

I'll definitely need a "grown-up" eggnog to keep me sustained through all the wrapping tonite!

relax,
paulina

I just can't quit you.

Heard some news last week which kept me up most of the night I was so excited!

Phoenix has a new album coming out in April!!

AAAAAHHHH!!

Which means they will be touring next year!

AAAAAHHHH!!

I haven't seen them since 2010 and have been eagerly awaiting this news.

I was lucky enough to see them 8 times during their last tour and I hope to see them that many times again or break my record.

I have started working out, eating right, stopped drinking alcohol (ok, only once a week) and am now saving $100 out of each paycheck for my Phoenix fund. Will also be putting some of tax refund aside too. Already setting up babysitters, telling The Hubs to get time off and dusting off my passport - for those concerts in Canada, natch!

Now if you've heard of them or even bought Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix but have not seen them in concert I highly recommend that you put it on your to-do list for 2013. Their concerts are addictive!! The energy they bring, the French coolness factor not to mention they're four hot guys, what more could a girl ask for??



So, go! Please do!!

Maybe you'll see me. I'm always up front and slightly to the left. Make sure you say hi. I won't be hard to miss. Just look for the girl who's freaking out!




relax,
paulina

Gah! What just happened?!

O.K. something not so yummy just happened.

In my mom's refrigerator there is a cute cellophane package tied up with a pretty red bow. I eyed it and thought "ooo...yummy little gingerbread squares or fudge, no one will know if I just take a little piece."

I pulled it quietly out of the fridge, untied the cute little bow and popped a tiny square in my mouth.

Immediate horror struck my taste buds.

Not fudge, not gingerbread.

DOG BISCUITS!!

I start gagging and spitting in the sink, washing my mouth out furiously. All the while my Little Monster is saying "Mommy, what you doing? Mommy?"

I can't answer. I have dog biscuit all over my tongue and teeth. What just happened?! I'm gagging, retching, spitting.

Finally get it all rinsed out and start looking for something to get this nasty taste out of my mouth. Luckily I come across some Vanilla Whipped Topping for the cookies and so out of desperation (natch) stick my finger in and rub it all over my tongue, would have worn it for lipstick if that was socially acceptable.

Of course, sneaking food out of someones fridge might not be socially acceptable but in my defense they looked so good.

That's what I get.

relax,
paulina

Be careful what you wish for.

Snow, I'm talking about you.

Yeah, you with your so-called "Winter Wonderland." Why, you have whole songs and movies written about you. And Frosty for crying out loud.

What's all the fuss about?

I'll admit you were fun for the first couple of days. It was nice looking out my window watching you come down with a tasty beverage in my hand wondering if you would still be around come Halloween night. Walking in you listening to you crunch under my boots was a welcome, hearty sound. One I hadn't heard for a long, long time. Trying to build snowmen or a decent snowball out of your fluffy goodness was a laugh riot.

I ain't laughing now.

Do you see this face? :(   This ain't a happy face.

Living in California I always wished for a white Christmas. That was back when the closest we got to snow was big hailstones that melted an hour later.  That was back when I wished that there was snow in my backyard to go along with my White Christmas movie.

That was back before I had to drive in you. 

Now?

Now, you're nothing but big flakes that fall for 8 hours straight or more and that stick all over my car and driveway. Now you're something that I have to dig my car out from under. Now I actually have to buy these things called "De-Icer" and, God forbid, this strange apparatus called a....a...Snow Shovel!

Now when I absolutely have to go to the grocery store (because I ran out of TP and let's face it, one can only use paper towels for so long) I have to crawl along at a snail's pace (if there are any snails out there considering it's 22 degrees!). I have to put my car in this thing called "4-Wheel Drive." I have to end up turned the complete opposite way on the highway just when I left the theatre after seeing Skyfall and you fell from the sky the whole 2 1/2 hours I was in there (yes, everything up o.k. and no, luckily the kids weren't with me!)

I have to tear up my driveway just getting in and out. I have to feel the back of my car get a little squirrelly. I have to have an eggnog with a li'l somethin', somethin' in it to calm my nerves after being out in you.

I have to look out my window and wonder "Do I really need to go anywhere today? I do still have a roll of paper towels left and a cup of eggnog left." I have to screw up my courage and grip the wheel in a 11:00/4:00 o'clock position.

Snow, I refuse to be intimidated by you!!

But...Snow....

I hate driving in you!!

relax,
paulina