Paula Deen Poultry Seasonings Grinder Top

I got a good deal on this Paula Deen Poultry Seasonings Grinder Top so decided to try it out. What really sold me on trying it was when I tipped the jar over and saw all the big chunks of delicious spices. It had big pieces of sea salt, coarse black pepper, paprika, thyme and rosemary.

I baked some chicken breasts to have ready for quick summer meals on salads. So I decided to try it out on a few of the breasts. The taste is not over powering it was just perfect for what I intended. I am not sure if it would have been enough flavor if we were eating the breasts on their own but adding more wouldn't be a problem and I don't think it would still over power but just give it good flavor. So glad I picked up and I am sure I will be using again.

New Hair Style

I finally got my hair cut. I had almost 11 inches taken off so that I could donate my hair to locks of love. I went into this knowing - it is just hair and it will grow back if I don't like it so I decided to go for something very different for me. Well I did get something very different....I haven't had my hair this short since I was in high school. I am not really liking it at the moment. A little too short. I think I will like it a bit better when it just grows out a bit more. Michael likes it but knows it wasn't what I was going for when I went to get it cut. I brought the iPad in with a bunch of pictures and I did get layers and I know why she cut it the way she did but it wasn't exactly what I was wanting. My hair has some natural light curl when it short. But my hair is so thick that when it grows longer it weights it down and pulls the curl out - making it straight. So right it has some curl to it which I actually don't mind. I wanted layers and it to be a little more sassy but just not this short.

The hair stylist was asking me how I wanted my bangs. And I said to the side and longer. I usually did shorter straight across but since I am going to part on the side I wanted longer to the side. She said "well since you are so young you can pull that off." I kind of laughed. I said, "I am 43 - is that young?" She had to have been in her mid to late 30's so calling me young made it seem like she thought I was I was younger then her. It turns out she did. She was stunned. She kept repeating that there was no way she would have guessed I was 43. She thought I was really young. She never said how young but I am guessing younger then her. So that was a nice compliment. But I thought the whole bangs comment was weird that having bangs on the side was only for young women. When did that happen?

I don't have pictures of my hair yet - because I don't like it. Haven't even sent one to my Mom who has asked me several times.

Chasing Cars

Things have been really busy and it would be nice to just lay still and forget the world for a bit.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. a safe trip to Denver
2. a safe trip back home
3. hair can grow back out
4. I was able to go on and do what I needed to do today even after a very hard moment
5. mail love

Gratitude and Memories

Source: inchmark.squarespace.com via Darby on Pinterest

I really like this idea...it is to take and write down memories through out the year as they happen and then on New Years Eve read them. This came from a blog for that did it as a family project but I think just even for Michael and I - it would be fun. And something to be thankful for all those moments we had during the year.

I think it would make a good Christmas gift to make up little pieces of paper. I could do a graphic with it about memories with little lines. And then get a mason jar and maybe decorate a lid with some dangling tags off of it.

Pomplamoose

Pomplamoose doing a cover of Simon and Garfunkel's Mrs. Robinson. I love these guys they are so fun! The music is great but their facial expressions make me laugh.

Gratitude Friday

Gratitude Friday
I am thankful for...
1. going to a drive-in movie theater this week with Michael
2. spending time with friends
3. rereading books that are old favorites
4. clean house
5. projects almost done

Apple Oatmeal Pancakes

We like breakfast for dinner and I will often make these for dinner. I usually make enough so we have left overs though for breakfast. These pancakes are really flavorful with the cinnamon and applesauce in them. And the whole wheat and oatmeal give it a good texture. Just a really good pancake that is pretty healthy too.


1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup quick cooking or old fashioned oats
3 tablespoon sugar or even splenda/sugar substitute
2 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg
1 1/4 cup milk - low fat or fat free
1 cup sugar free applesauce
4 tablespoons canola oil
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Stir together flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl.

Beat eggs in separate bowl; stir in milk, applesauce, and oil.

Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just until blended. Fold in walnuts.

Heat greased griddle or skillet over medium heat or to 375 degrees. Griddle is ready when a few drops of water bubble and skitter rapidly around.

For each pancake, pour scant 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook pancakes until puffed, bubbly and dry around edges. Turn and cook other sides until golden brown.

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One Thing

Source: tumblr.com via Darby on Pinterest

I think I need a notepad like this...because some days I need a gentle reminder that doing 1 thing is okay. Sometimes I get so stuck in the whole list of stuff that needs to get done that nothing gets done. I might start bunches of stuff but nothing gets done. So just doing 1 thing today is okay.

Throw Me a Rope

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. leaving fun voice mails with my friend Jessica. I save them to listen too later too and they make me smile.
2. the color purple
3. apple oatmeal pancakes (recipe coming soon)
4. the series of books my cousin Rachel got me hooked on - the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning
5. rereading some old favorites too and having some good memories associated with the books (Anita Blake series)

Connection, Belonging and Being Enough

If you didn't catch the video by Dr. Brene Brown for Paper Coterie's Open House, they have now posted on their blog. Please take a look at it. It is so powerful and inspiring. You might look at it and think you don't have time for 24 minute video, but please take the time. It is worth it. Her message is worth it.

Being Hard on Myself

Source: absolutelywhite.blogspot.com via Cici on Pinterest

I really like this from Tiny Buddha: Being Hard on Yourself

"What helps me is to focus on progress, not perfection–to forgive myself when I’ve gotten negative, and then start anew from right where I stand."

Bright Eyes

Heard Bright Eyes on NPR when they were streaming Sasquatch Music Festival. I liked this song and now this video too which is showing love.

Breaking Dawn Pt 1

I did like this trailer although out of all 4 books this book annoyed me. The baby and Jacobs relationship with the baby creeped me. But I still am excited to see the 4th movie.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. rootbeer
2. the work that keep coming into the business
3. Byron Katie and her process called The Work - it has been very interesting reading about it and using it in my life
4. date night at Pablo's Pizza
5. that the problem with the air conditioning was easily fixed by Michael so maybe it can limp along until the end of the summer.

Couponing

A couple weeks ago when we went to do some grocery shopping and we kept running into this woman throughout the store and then ended up behind her in line. And it was an experience.

She had things out on a spreadsheet and then had an expandable file in her cart (not just coupon size - but big file paper size). She not only used coupons but she did price matching for stores. So she had things all grouped together on the check out counter - for each store and she would tell the clerk the store and price as he picked up things. And then at the end she had coupons for most of those things too.

So such as Walgreens had Gillette Fusion Pro-Glide Razor System on sale $9.89 and their rewards program brought it down to 4.89. (which I guess Walmart will match that price) And then she had $4 coupon for it too. So she ended up paying 89 cents for them. And she had 4 packs and 4 coupons so got 4 packs at 89 cents each.

We were talking to her - she ended up with a 98 dollar bill which would have been 300. She told us that last week with her coupons being doubled and tripled at another grocery store that she paid $37 and it would have been $115.

Now I have always prided myself on being a pretty frugal shopper. I get all the sales. I compares prices at stores. And use some coupons. Make things instead of buying things - such as make a cake instead of buying a cake mix. Buy store brand instead of name brand when cheaper. And all that good stuff. But her method really did give me pause to maybe I should be doing MORE.