Brain Dump: I Might Break Up With My iPhone

GASP! Is it so?
I have been an iPhone user for about four years, and iPod user for 10+ years, and an Apple user since back in the day when we called them 'Macs', but I have been seriously disappointed with all the software glitches, updates, and poor picture quality of the 5S that was supposed to be 'soooo much better'. I don't know if I'll pull the trigger come upgrade time in June, but I need y'alls opinion on the the 6, 6+, and any other phone that you guys use, love, and/or hate. I'm down to the upgrade deadline, so HELP! Hashtagfirstworldproblems

+ Check out the Volunteer Coin I got. Sorry to keep bringing this whole volunteer thing up, but it's been a whirlwind of a year and I'm very thankful to end on this positive note with all these perks I never thought I'd get and I most certainly won't be getting next year. HashtagMerica

+  This week has been focused on the changing table and crib bumper. I kept changing my mind which fabric I wanted to use for the interior of the bumper, but I finally pulled the trigger with the more subdued pattern on the left. I would let you guess, but I wouldn't want you all to vote for the floral pattern on the right and then second guess myself. Hopefully I can call it done come tomorrow. Eek! I'm so close to being done with all the nursery 'projects'!

+ Cajun Chicken Pasta is one of my faves of all time, but I don't want to pay an arm and a leg for a bowl full of $0.30 pasta. The other day, I figured it was about time I tried to make some myself where it was cost efficient, I  control the seasonings, and most importantly, I could have a ton of chicken and veggies accompanied by pasta instead a pile of pasta two bites of chicken.
**I apologize to those of you that want a bloggerific recipe in the perfect format and font, but it's much easier for me to write it out how I cook it, and this is for me to remember as much as it is to share. Here's another recipe option for the ones that need more direction. ;)

Chicken Breast (2 or more)
Red and Green Bell Pepper
Red Onion
1 1/2-2 C. Cooked WHOLE GRAIN Pasta
2Tbsp Butter
1 C. Heavy Cream or Milk
1/2 C. Parmesan
1/2 C. Sour Cream
Blackened Seasoning to taste. I probably used a half C. in total...
Chopped Green Onion for garnish
Sub or add Chicken Stock for all or part of the cream to lighten it up. Just don't get rid of the cheese or sour cream, though, or you will regret it.

The great thing is that this recipe is customizable. With chicken/without, more veggies/veggies of your choice, season to your taste, and even cook it how it works for you. You can saute your chicken and veggies in EVOO and Blackened Seasoning, but I really recommend lighting up the good ol' grill. You will get a much smokier flavor, use less oil, and your husband will be proud. To grill, coat chicken and veggies {separate bowls} with Blackened Seasoning/EVOO. Cook chicken directly on grill and five minutes later you can throw the veggies on in a grill basket. You will want to flip the chicken halfway through (when the skin separates from the grill making it easy to flip) and try to stir the veggies periodically so they don't over char.

You should probably start the sauce before grilling if you are going that route, but if you are sauteing the chicken, feel free to make this a one pot dish and cook the sauce in the same pan using the heavy cream to deglaze the pan. In a large skillet, heat up some butta' and then pour in Heavy Cream, Parmesan, Sour Cream, and as much blackened seasoning as your little heart desires {just remember- you can always add more, but you can't subtract}. You can also add a tsp or two of sugar or sweetener of your choice if you want to add some depth as it cooks. It won't take long to meld the flavors, so toss in your pasta and veggies when done, mix to coat, and then serve with chicken and green onion garnish on top.

My last question for today: Has anyone tried ordering form Target this week? I've had nothing but trouble with their online site no matter which browser I try to use and it's frustrating the ish out of me. It may be because they are having a big baby sale, but either way I just want to order stuff and give them money. Why then, do they make it SOOOOO difficult.

Thanks for letting me brain dump! Anything on your mind?

"Mom Of The Group"

In case you don't personally know me or perhaps haven't been around long...
this video is pretty much my life:

I swear, it's like they modeled it off my life all the way down to the fact that I refuse to do my taxes. Although, I pay someone to do them, because I ain't playin' when it comes to the IRS. {Hey Gretchen, Thanks for that big tax return this year!}

Here's another video for ya...this was the time I got thrown on the news to promote the Hollyday Bazaar, and the time I was attacked by a leaf that someone should have warned me about. It wasn't live, so uh...we would have done a retake.

It's funny, I was actually pregnant for that event, so it's no wonder I was sooooo tired after all that. At least they keep recognizing us for all the hard work, and here is my belly front and center at the last volunteer luncheon. Don't think you can miss it. But seriously, it was an honor to be up there with so many amazing people. Our president had over 1,000 volunteer hours, which blows my mind, and they said we worked the equivalent of seventeen full time employees. That is pretty badass when you think about it.

In completely unrelated news, it's Farmer's Market season! Our market is in a gorgeous new facility downtown, and although it may be small, it has everything you could hope for. Salsa, zucchini relish {no clue what that is, but I love zucchini}, baked breads, veggies galore, and fresh eggs! I really miss the amazing market that was within walking distance of my house in Colorado, but at least we have some options for local produce and goods.

And as if this post weren't all over the place already, remember that any day can be special. Tuesday I picked up some books about fatherhood for Will, picked up a new beer sampler he might like {super awkward buying booze while visibly pregnant}, and cooked him a steak dinner just 'cause. Sure, it all started because a loaded baked potato sounded reeeeaaaaally good, but either way I'm making good on my promise to focus on Will as much as I can pre-baby. He's kickin' butt in flight school, but the hard parts aren't over yet. There's still a ton of studying, route planning, and hectic schedules going on, so I do what I can.

A 5K At Six Months Pregger

Traveling with a group of people is usually more of a hassle than it's worth when everyone has their own agenda, but we have the BEST travel group ever. Well...mainly because they let me plan the whole weekend and trust me to make decisions based on everyone's needs. I try to find the most efficient accommodations, I take into consideration dietary needs/wants {vegetarians and picky eaters}, I plan for the night owls and us ol' fogies, and I even schedule nap time, because no matter what age...we ALL need nap time.

Blue La Rua did not disappoint:

I knew this weekend was going to be extra great because Pensacola is fabulous in a shabby chic kind of way, and the McGuire's run is one of the most fun runs you could ever partake in. Even B-Ray who HATES physical activity said he loved it and wants to do more stuff like this, and that was before they started passing out the free booze too!

We all ran with amazing times ranging from Will at 22 minutes, me 27:36, and the slowest still in the low 30's. Yep, that's right- I ran under 28 minutes at six months pregnant. {Insert self high five} But to be honest, the after party is when the real fun starts, so we switched into our #Inappropes hats and shirts and commenced the party. I think I recognized a lot more people this year, because I was sober enough to recognize them. Always a plus side.

But as you can imagine...the highlight of a pregnant gal's vacation would most definitely be the all-you-can-eat BRUNCH buffet. We went to our fave Brunch spot on the beach, H20 Grill, and I got my moneys worth off that buffet for the first time ever. You can see pure joy in my face:

What can I say...We keep it classy ;) Everyone else drank their moneys worth, so it's win/win really. Did I mention we all piled in one vehicle for the trip in spite of the tight squeeze just so I could drive these fools back to Enterprise? Safety first.

I just hope we get lots of beach time this season. Who knows where we will be next and we most certainly won't have our gang anymore, so we are ready to live at the beach. I even bought a few new {much larger} tops to accommodate my bodily changes, and I plan to slather on lots of sunscreen to protect le baby. Bring it on, summer. Bring it on.

When Valentine's Meets Mardi Gras

I was a happy pregger after Will setup a firepit, cooked cedar plank salmon and wings, and roasted me s'mores, so when he told me Valentine's was going to continue into Fat Tuesday I was over the moon about it. Being as my mom is from Louisiana,  Mardi Gras holds a big place in my heart and I love that we are in the South to celebrate it. People celebrated in Colorado while we were there, but it just ain't the same, y'all ;)

Since we had our appointment on Tuesday, he planned for us to stay on the Bay in Fairhope Monday night. We stayed at Emma's Bay House, which I can't say enough good things about and even got to attend the annual Fairhope parade in their quaint little downtown area. We walked the bay, explored the B&B, we he had drinks at McSharry's Pub, dined on Italian at Pinzone's, and Will caught me Moon Pies at the parade! Let's be honest...that's all I wanted, so everything else was a super duper bonus.

As you know, the appointment went well, so then it was time to get our Fat Tuesday celebration on! He even chose the Berney Fly on Government St. as our second B&B because it was close enough for us to walk to the parade route. It's so adorable that he thinks of everything ;) Technically, we didn't actually witness the parade after realizing the unruly crowd was a bit much for me in this condition, but we did have a bangin' dinner on Dauphin Street and I got a WHOLE King Cake to mySELF. Okay, okay, I took most of it home, but it was aaaall mine! I also found the baby in the first bite, so I take it as good luck.

Will definitely over did it on planning all this and I definitely gave a few side eyes at him, but I was so thankful that he wanted us to have such a special trip 'before baby'. It was THE perfect way to take the pressure off from the impending appointment, celebrate the crazyiness life has thrown at us, and truly enjoy each other's company while making memories of two before we are three. No matter what, he's my everything, and CQB is a glorious extension of that.

For everyone that said "Ew" when we said we were moving to Alabama...eat your hearts out ;) You just don't know what you are missing out on here.

Now That...Was A Holiday Party!

So hi...I think I'm finally over my hangover. Damn Apple Pie Moonshine, and the usual "I'm to old for this ish." However, it was worth every bit of it! We started the shenanigans Friday night taking Dani to Frogz, and enjoyed a nice family dinner. Trying to keep it 'low key'.

Although I had been prepping and cooking for three days, after everyone went to bed, I was still sewing our skirts for the party and slaving away in the kitchen. I think that's pretty typical when it comes to Holiday feasts, but I still thought I was crazy to be standing in the kitchen in my stockings until midnight. The good news, is that it was aaaall worth it. Turkey stock from scratch, brining a turkey for two days, homemade gravy, cranberry salsa, meatballs, and cowboy caviar were my additions to the meal, and I am happy to pat myself on the back. The turkey was moist and no one got food poisoning, so I call it a win.

I know, I know, it doesn't look all bloggerific. I would have 'staged' it better, but we were at Joel's house. It was an act of Congress to get all the food and necessities there, so how it looked was the last thing on my mind. As a matter of fact, we were still sewing my skirt while I was cooking gravy in the middle of the party. Multi-tasking at it's finest.

The only thing better than the food were the party games. We played Gift Wrap With Mittens On, Stack The Nuts, and a Marshmallow Stocking Toss, which quickly led to a marshmallow fight. I think there was also a ping pong ball fight, but I have no clue what inspired that.

And since you should always share costumes with the world, we moved our soiree to the local bar. Here is the only picture I thought to take of our matching outfits. 

Mine = 'First Things First, I'm The Realest', Will = 'Santa's Favorite Ho', and Dani = 'Don't Be A Cotton Headed Ninny Muggin'". The best part is that Will picked out his green striped pants and he can't wait to wear them  golfing. I just like the way they accent his bootay ;)

Cheers to a successful Holiday party, a hangover that wasn't as bad as I anticipated, and the fact that it's all over. I made Will promise that he wouldn't let me take on anything like this for awhile, but I don't think he believes I meant it. I wonder why?

My Pet Goats

It was wishful thinking when I mentioned we were going to the beach for Thanksgiving. Yes, we were technically in a beach community, but it was Novemburr and cold which kept us hanging with the livestock on the in-laws farm. I use that term loosely because it's mostly goats, chickens, turkeys, and some exotic birds, however we were tromping around the mud and hay in our wellies, which totally counts as farm life to me.

What I didn't know was all their goats were preggers, and two were born Thanksgiving morning! Baby anything is cute, but baby goats are a whole 'notha level. I was NOT joking when I said if they stayed these little, I'd want one. Matter of fact, I think I want to keep goats when we eventually settle down. Maybe I'll start making Goat Milk products or something.

Other than that, we went to the Orlando Auto Show, , took Momma for her first Sweet Tomatoes experience, dined on Venison, and sang by the bonfire. Actually, the dude singing was from season two of The Voice, but I didn't catch his name or picture. #bloggerfail.

On the way home, we stopped at one of my favorite places in the whole wide world! We passed through St. Augustine, so I begged Will to take me to The Conch House. They are off the beaten path, have amazing food, and you just can't beat the view. You can sit in private elevated gazebos, and it's like eating in a tree house. so fun!

All in all, it was an amazing Thanksgiving, and made me realize how much I have to be thankful for. It sounds cheesy, but it's true...every day is a blessing. Even the bad ones make the good seem that much richer. I don't want to hear that on a bad day, but it doesn't make it less true. Seasons Greetings!

I Was On The News...NBD

I'm a big kid now, so I follow the local news stations via social media. They always ask for stories or pictures, like recently they requested Halloween pictures, and they picked mine to be shown! You can see the clip on WTVY here. Afterwards, I realized I had better ones from the zombie shoot I did, so I'll just show y'all those instead.

If you want the full story, here's the original post, but I'm actually here to apologize. For those of you that follow me on Pinterest, I've been over-pinning lately and that's because we got a deep freezer, and I had no clue what to do with it! Well, obviously you buy stuff and uh...freeze it, but I wanted to do it the most efficient way which also entailed meal-planning, couponing, and deal shopping. I'm happy to report it's paying off, though.

I've now got that sucker full and I got most of it BOGO. Whoop whoop. I hope some of you are mildly interested, because I will be documenting a bit about it soon. I learned too much not to share, and I'm a bit obsessed. As in, I am surprised that Will is indulging me at this point. I half expected him to be questioning my sanity when I came home with $%^&'s worth of groceries, but he smiles and says he's proud. He may be changing his tune when I share the totals I've spent with y'all, but as long as I keep him fed and happy, I'm sure he'll be fine.

I would tell you happy Columbus Day, but it's a pretty bogus holiday. I'm happy that it gets Will off for the day, but still bogus. Just enjoy your weekend, whether it be two or three days.

Kickin' It Old School

In Colorado we had a secret place of sorts. It was a park off the beaten path that Will found near our house. We would take the pup and walk the park to clear our heads, get some fresh air, and spend quality time unplugged. This weekend, I think we found our new unpluggin' spot, and it is quite a pretty one. I'd tell you where it is, but I'd have to kill ya.

But that was the ONLY respite we had the whole weekend. I helped Will study, we went to the local Drive In theater, and we started clearing the brush from the woods behind our house for the Haunted House that is totally going down in a few weeks. It's going to be epic.

We made some bangin' food, as usual, so I also thought I'd throw in an awesome dinner we had. It was easy and A-Mazing, so it could be a last minute dinner or even to wow some guests. Let me introduce you to Steak Pinwheels and  copycat Panera Fuji Apple Salad a.k.a. the only Bleu Cheese I will EVER eat. I normally HATE Bleu Cheese, but it is mmhmmh good in this salad.

Steak Pinwheels

2 lb Flank steak (trimmed)

Seasoning (options: S&P, Garlic, Crushed Red Pepper, Molasses Bacon, etc.)

Fresh Spinach

Cheese (options: Mozzarella, Gueyere, Feta, Bleu, etc.)

Butcher's Twine or Skewers

Assemble, Roll, tie, slice, grill, DONE.

(Four minutes each side)

Fuji Apple Salad

Thinly Sliced Apples

Chopped Red Onion

Bleu Cheese Crumbles

Crushed Pecans

Bacon Bits

Panera's Fuji Apple Dressing

Spinach and/or Romaine Lettuce

As you can see, these are pretty customizable, so sub in your favorite seasonings and cheeses. Although, you really should try the Bleu Cheese for the apple salad. I mean it when I say that this is the ONLY dish that I will ever enjoy Bleu Cheese in. Will seconds that, and he hates it just as much as I do. Either way, try this real soon, because it's some good eats!