tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91338425976331459342024-03-13T12:50:34.596-04:00Inked OwlAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-89987154869004233362013-06-20T12:26:00.000-04:002014-02-04T11:30:54.235-05:00Greek Gyro Meatballs with Tzatziki SauceI'll be honest, I don't think I've ever had an authentic Greek Gyro sandwich. As a matter of fact, I can't even recall one time in my life that I have ever had lamb. Sheltered, I know!<br />
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In order to break out of my sheltered little cocoon, I set out to widen my palette and cook something that my taste buds hadn't experienced before! I decided upon Gyro meatballs. I'm sure I could have made something a little more authentic however, a pita doesn't really mesh well with a gluten free lifestyle. . .so, meatballs it was!<br />
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My first step was to pick up some ground lamb. Well. . .my local go to grocery store only carried lamb chops and I didn't feel like, nor did I have time to scour the city for ground lamb, so I wound up with ground sirloin. First step fail!<br />
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Before I discourage you from making these delicious morsels, let me give you the recipe and you can decide for yourself what meat you would like to use!<br />
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<strong>Gyro Meatballs </strong><br />
Adapted from <a href="http://www.againstallgrain.com/2012/07/11/greek-gyro-burger/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<u>Meatball Ingredients:</u><br />
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2lbs of ground meat. I used ground sirloin but I'm betting that lamb would be delicious!<br />
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2 tablespoons lemon juice<br />
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2 teaspoons rosemary (I used fresh)<br />
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2 teaspoons oregano (I used fresh)<br />
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2 tablespoons minced garlic or 2 minced garlic cloves<br />
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<br />
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1 teaspoon salt<br />
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Generous cranks of fresh ground pepper<br />
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1/4 red onion (chopped or minced) depending on your preference<br />
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Several large leaves of <a href="http://www.taproduce.com/trade/living-lettuce.php" target="_blank">living lettuce</a> <br />
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<u>Tzatziki Sauce (Recipe from </u><a href="http://www.againstallgrain.com/2012/07/11/greek-gyro-burger/" target="_blank">here</a><u>) Ingredients:</u><br />
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6 ounces plain (nonfat) Greek yogurt<br />
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1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped<br />
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1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil<br />
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2 teaspoons lemon juice<br />
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2 garlic cloves, minced<br />
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1 teaspoon red wine vinegar (I used balsamic vinegar because I was out of red wine vinegar)<br />
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1 teaspoon chopped dill or dill weed<br />
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Salt and pepper<br />
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<strong>Directions:</strong><br />
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In a mixing bowl, combine the meat, lemon juice, rosemary, oregano, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, and red onion.<br />
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I like to use a wooden spoon to really combine my ingredients but feel free to stick your hands in are really get to mixing if you prefer! I get grossed out by raw meet. This is something really weird. . .I know. I use a spoon! The end!<br />
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Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.<br />
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I let my mixture sit for a bit while I made my tzatziki sauce so the flavors could really meld together!<br />
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Form your meet into balls. I made mine rather large so I got about 18 meatballs out of the batch.<br />
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Place your meatballs on a broiler pan. You could use a cookie sheet with a lip, but I like to use a broiler pan so the grease can drop through to the bottom. <br />
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Bake your meatballs for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size. Make sure you check the center of one to make sure its done to your likeness. I usually like my meatballs to be medium well. . .still juicy but, for the most part, brown all the way through!<br />
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*I think that grilling these would be delicious, however we currently only have a charcoal grill and I have NO IDEA how to light the darn thing and Chuck was still at work!<br />
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While your meatballs are baking (or grilling), mix all the ingredients together in a bowl for your tzatziki sauce. Stick your sauce in the fridge while you wait for your balls to be done!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUaQO2-z02Q9SERD2DUmK7YjLRG5oTa6zPJP0y78_wI1Tk3ANl-h0OyNzAkTLQuYQ9ZafTHS1X5-zozAquTgRXBBeuSrOGJfkTjCPjZwpJ5zbnbReWDXJg46YwFpIDzJP7e2M0b-eb-KR/s1600/photo+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUaQO2-z02Q9SERD2DUmK7YjLRG5oTa6zPJP0y78_wI1Tk3ANl-h0OyNzAkTLQuYQ9ZafTHS1X5-zozAquTgRXBBeuSrOGJfkTjCPjZwpJ5zbnbReWDXJg46YwFpIDzJP7e2M0b-eb-KR/s320/photo+2.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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Once your meatballs are done, plate it up by placing one or two large leaves of living lettuce on your plate, topped with a couple spoon fulls of tzatziki sauce, followed by 2 or 3 meatballs!<br />
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I served our meatballs with mashed rose potatoes, roasted broccoliflower and steamed broccoli.<br />
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I must warn you that the tzatziki sauce is delicious and you will want to eat it on everything! Good thing it's not fat and calorie laden! You're welcome!<br />
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Enjoy!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-25438842798781154402013-06-17T23:08:00.001-04:002014-02-04T11:31:50.575-05:00Gluten Free Chocolate Frosted Double Chocolate Chip Doughnuts<div>
. . .now that's what I call a mouthful. . .literally!</div>
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Growing up, Sunday mornings meant brunch at Nana's house. After 10:30 church, all the cousins and aunts and uncles would gather at my Grandmother's house for eggs, sausage, Spam, toast, fruit. . .and. . .doughnuts! Uncle Bob and Aunt Marian usually brought them, and I looked forward to a cream filled long John. . .every. . .single. . . Sunday! </div>
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Times have changed. Nana passed away, families have split up, food allergies have been discovered, and suddenly. . .the thrill of a long John has lost its' processed appeal! Don't get me wrong, doughnuts are delicious and I've been known to suffer through the digestive disaster to enjoy a Krispy Kreme piece of heaven, but I needed to find a " healthier" gluten free alternative. I needed to create something that everyone could enjoy! Let me introduce you to my little gluten free slice of heaven!</div>
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Gluten Free Chocolate Frosted Double Chocolate Chip Doughnuts<br />
(Doughnut recipe tweaked and adapted from <a href="http://www.againstallgrain.com/2013/06/06/caramel-glazed-doughnuts-nut-free/" target="_blank">Against All Grain</a>)</div>
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Makes 12 to 14 doughnuts</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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8 large eggs (fresh, organic, or cage free are best)</div>
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1/2 cup butter, melted</div>
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1/2 cup slightly warm coconut milk (in the can)</div>
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1/2 cup honey</div>
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2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar</div>
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract</div>
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1 cup coconut flour</div>
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1/8 cup coco powder (I use raw cacao powder)</div>
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1 teaspoon baking powder</div>
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1/2 teaspoon salt</div>
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1/4 cup mini chocolate chips</div>
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Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:</div>
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2 tablespoons honey</div>
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4 tablespoons coconut butter </div>
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4 tablespoons coconut milk (in the can)</div>
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2 teaspoons butter</div>
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Few shakes of cinnamon</div>
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2 teaspoons coco powder</div>
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract</div>
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Baking Instructions:</div>
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.</div>
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Grease your doughnut pan with butter.</div>
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Using a stand mixer, beat the eggs and butter on medium speed until combined and a bit creamy in appearance.</div>
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Add the coconut milk, honey, vinegar, and vanilla and beat again on medium until combined.</div>
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In a separate medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients ( coconut flour, cacao powder, baking soda, and salt).</div>
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Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on high for about 30 seconds until smooth. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.</div>
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Fill the doughnut mold all the way full. I found the easiest way was to put the batter into a quart size bag, snip off the corner, and squeeze the batter into the mold. I then used a little spoon to smooth out the top of the mold as much as possible!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhds4PaDFHsWAjvt0dEH8TwpZpP_0qC0-kJqXqYVHIB14uKeq8llg9AEHNauDHT4auIXIPkapWcfdVOnmEOvA6yeUvPPKJ-9Sv_OgZ2XGYSBMMm3l83l3nlGXwVw8TuXuQ66AUt8QC6PpFe/s640/blogger-image--63714164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhds4PaDFHsWAjvt0dEH8TwpZpP_0qC0-kJqXqYVHIB14uKeq8llg9AEHNauDHT4auIXIPkapWcfdVOnmEOvA6yeUvPPKJ-9Sv_OgZ2XGYSBMMm3l83l3nlGXwVw8TuXuQ66AUt8QC6PpFe/s1600/blogger-image--63714164.jpg" /></a></div>
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They should look something like this!</div>
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Stick them into the preheated oven and bake for 17 to 18 minutes.</div>
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Don't forget to watch in anticipation!</div>
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Remove from oven and let sit for approximately 5 minutes before removing from mold to cool on a wire rack.</div>
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Make the frosting while you are waiting for the doughnuts to cool:</div>
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Combine all of the frosting ingredients in a small bowl. Stir until combined. Pop bowl in microwave for about 20 seconds just to put a little "melt" on the ingredients. Stir again until smooth. It should have a thick chocolate sauce consistency.</div>
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After doughnuts have cooled about 10 minutes, dip each doughnut into the warm frosting. It is important that you "frost/glaze" the doughnuts while the frosting is warm. It smoothes out automatically when warm. Twist as you lift out the doughnut to give it a glaze effect and to knock off any access frosting.</div>
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Enjoy!</div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-9523470277888620082013-04-24T22:20:00.000-04:002013-08-08T09:46:45.380-04:00Healthy Greek-Gluten Free-Pasta SaladI have a love hate relationship with work pot-lucks. . .I LOVE food and I love to eat! I LOVE to try new foods and. . . I LOVE not having to pack my lunch one day per month! Unfortunatley, I HATE not knowing what ingredients people use in their dishes. I HATE that my mind gets the best of me wondering how clean people's kitchens are when preparing the food and. . . I HATE that I usually end up with a plate of veggies and fruit because I can't get past the previous things that I mentioned that I hate about pot-lucks! <br />
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Wow! Crazy much? Yep. . .that's me! I decided that the best solution to this portion of my insanity is to always bring something healthy, that I know that I like! After all, I know how insanely clean my kitchen is! Enough about my OCD, lets talk about food! Tomorrow, my portion of the pot-luck menu consists of the following:<br />
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Healthy Greek Pasta Salad - Gluten Free<br />
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Ingredients<br />
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<li>Box of some type of gluten free pasta ( we like Ancient Grains quinoa pasta). There are tons of different gf pastas out there.. . .just use what you like! If you are not worried about making this dish gluten free, you can use a box of your favorite pasta!</li>
<li>Carton of low sodium chicken broth</li>
<li>Salt and pepper</li>
<li>1 cup ( or more) of sliced, quartered cucumber</li>
<li>1/2 cup halved cherry or graphic tomatoes</li>
<li>1/3 cup sliced Kalamata olives</li>
<li>1/4 cup finely diced red onion</li>
<li>1 lemon, juiced</li>
<li>3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li>
<li>2 tablespoons white wine vinegar</li>
<li>2 teaspoons minced garlic</li>
<li>1/2 cup, fat- free, feta cheese</li>
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Directions<br />
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In a medium pot, bring contents of chicken broth carton (approx. 4 cups) and 2 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add a pinch or 2 of salt if desired. Cook pasta until al-dente or until desired tenderness. Be careful when you are cooking gluten free pasta. Some gf pastas can get mushy if you cook them even 30 seconds longer than suggested cooking time! Drain pasta and set aside to cool.</div>
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While pasta is cooling, start chopping your veggies! In a large bowl, combine cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and red onion.</div>
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To make your dressing, stir together lemon juice, olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper.</div>
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Add cooled pasta to your bowl of mixed veggies. Slowly drizzle dressing over the pasta veggie combo, and stir to coat everything in the bowl.</div>
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Finally, add in the feta cheese and toss a few times to lightly distribute the feta throughout the bowl!</div>
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Refrigerate until ready to serve and don't forget to SHARE!</div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-60732896038521823082013-01-17T14:20:00.000-05:002013-08-08T09:47:00.572-04:00Yosi Samra vs. Payless<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.shopbop.com/elastic-top-line-patent-cap/vp/v=1/845524441943117.htm" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xk3zN-feKNQ/UPhD9O_2ajI/AAAAAAAABvc/WYLCVSRpxWI/s320/Yosi+Samra.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I came across this ADORABLE pair of <a href="http://www.shopbop.com/elastic-top-line-patent-cap/vp/v=1/845524441943117.htm" target="_blank">Yosi Samra Elastic Patent Cap Toe Flats</a> on <a href="http://www.shopbop.com/" target="_blank">Shopbop</a> earlier today! I fell. . .in. . .love! These are so versatile! They can be worn with just about anything from dress pants to skinny jeans to shorts! I did not however, fall in love with the price. . .$70.00! Yikes!<br />
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With a little bit of budget minded searching, I came across a great pair of look-alikes from <a href="http://www.payless.com/" target="_blank">Payless Shoes</a> called the <a href="http://www.payless.com/store/product/detail.jsp?catId=cat10088&subCatId=cat10276&skuId=088584070&productId=70092&lotId=088584&category=&catdisplayName=Womens" target="_blank">Women's Claire Scrunch Flat (in Ivory)</a>! I already own this same pair of shoes in<a href="http://www.payless.com/store/product/detail.jsp?catId=cat10088&subCatId=cat10276&skuId=088584070&productId=70092&lotId=088584&category=&catdisplayName=Womens" target="_blank"> black</a> and I love them! I purchased them in a BOGO sale over a year ago. They have been my go-to ballet flat since! They are a collaboration with <a href="http://www.dextershoe.com/" target="_blank">Dexter Shoes</a> so they are EXTRA comfortable! The best part? They are on clearance for a mere $15 right now!<br />
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<a href="http://www.payless.com/store/product/detail.jsp?catId=cat10088&subCatId=cat10276&skuId=088584070&productId=70092&lotId=088584&category=&catdisplayName=Womens" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MTGRU9OFyuk/UPhEepzcn8I/AAAAAAAABvk/4E9s4fsTSCE/s320/Dexter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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What do you think? DO you ever wear budget friendly look-alikes?Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-27427474624085979382013-01-09T18:17:00.000-05:002013-08-08T09:49:05.697-04:00It's like takin' a cabinet door from an estate sale<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Estate sales. . .you either love um' or hate um'. We hit one AWESOME one this spring that had treasure upon treasure. Chuck scored the best garden tiller EVER for a mere $100. I think it was from the early 70's but it runs like a champ and it is built like a brick "poop" house. . . if you catch my drift! A few others we went to. . .um. . .not so nice! I had to walk through Granny's 4000 piece doll collection just to get through the breezeway. Yikes!</div>
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We always debate about stopping when we come upon a random sale. We are not sale mappers/planners. I can only count on one finger the times we tried to plan out a garage/estate sale day. It's always a crap shoot. Like I said. . .love or hate. . .it really just depends! </div>
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So, it one of our "on a whim" stops, we encountered a little house that had pretty much been picked over. We found an easy parking space on the street, right across from the house, so we decided to run in for a quick look! Low and behold. . .we found this little gem for $5:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkfshwes7l-v0ePiiLqynjhVbM_sraZ2beilkHbBtlTYCu6Ae2MaQTvXfKaWckWdwVUbnOzHPhmNqc7n0QqSAonrPN7ZgMRAVbrFp5X61rPkEu9nFux-Mic5FN4AUtQj-Scr17To1MGmM/s1600/Table+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkfshwes7l-v0ePiiLqynjhVbM_sraZ2beilkHbBtlTYCu6Ae2MaQTvXfKaWckWdwVUbnOzHPhmNqc7n0QqSAonrPN7ZgMRAVbrFp5X61rPkEu9nFux-Mic5FN4AUtQj-Scr17To1MGmM/s400/Table+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Someone had taken an old cabinet door, screwed legs to the bottom, put some laminate in the center, and called it a coffee table. Well. . .since we just so happened to be in the market for a coffee table, and my husband and I saw the potential in it, we snatched it up. My husband could hardly believe I didn't even try to haggle the price down. Hey, $5 is $5. . .no reason to insult someone!<br />
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Sorry I didn't catch a pic of the table with the laminate still on. it was so ugly, we couldn't wait to rip it off. The picture above and below show the laminate off, and the table ready for sanding!<br />
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Look at those sexy feet and the sander in action! As you can see, it was a bit warmer out when we were working on our little project! Try to wear flip flops now and you will freeze your little piggys off!<br />
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We started by sanding down the edges of the table. Although the wood looks like it was stained well, it was actually a poopy brown color. Wow, I think I have referred to poo three times in this post already! Once we started sanding the top, we found that the wood was actually oak! The grain of the wood was beautiful!<br />
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We needed not sand the center (recessed) part of the wood since we were going to be covering it up, but we did need to make sure that all the previous glue / resin from the laminate was gone so our new veneer would sit flat! Chuck took a little tool and cleaned out all the crevices!<br />
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We then stained the wood with some stain that we had in our stash in the barn. I honestly can't tell you what color it was, but it was Minwax. I'm thinking it was something like "Walnut" but please don't quote me on that! Whatever it was, it was pretty dark and it made the grain of the wood "POP"!<br />
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About two years ago, we were given two huge boxes of real wood veneer by my Brother-in-law's Father (say that fast 10 times). He has an awesome wood shop and knew that we dabbled in projects. He figured we would totally put it to good use. . .and we have. . .Thanks Tim! So we rolled it out to take a look at what we had to work with!<br />
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Next, we drug out a piece of luan that we had in the back of the barn and measured and marked the width of the recessed part of our table top that we wished to fill. Since our veneer was very thin we were able to just fold and snap the pieces (to give the table more of natural look), and we began lining them up and laying them out! This was the fun part! It was sort of like working with a puzzle! <br />
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Using contact cement and a roller, we adhered our veneer to our luan.<br />
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Once complete, we let our luan / veneer combo dry overnight! Chuck then measured and marked the width again, since we covered up the original markings when we adhered the veneer.<br />
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After a quick run down the table saw on both sides, we set it on the table top to make sure the width fit. We then measured and marked the length and ran the other two sides down the table saw. Perfection!<br />
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Making another appearance was our contact cement! We used the contact cement and roller to adhere the insert to our table top! We then let the piece sit overnight, once again, to make sure the cement was set-up and dry.<br />
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Next up was to put a couple coats of polyurethane on the entire table top for protection.<br />
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Final step was to spray the legs black! How I managed to take 7000 pictures of the table and none of the final step. . .the world may never know!<br />
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What I do know is how much we love love love our "new" $5 treasure! And looky there. . .I didn't even have to refer to poo again!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-2196435097513176202012-11-05T14:09:00.000-05:002013-08-08T09:49:52.271-04:00I'm Back. . .Back in the Blogging Groove!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Wow! It's been quite a long time! Like. . .a really. . .really. . .LOOOONNNNGGGG time! It wasn't you, it was me. I promise! I needed a break. Between my husband starting his junior year (full time) at the University of Michigan and us completely gutting and renovating our home. . .BY OURSELVES - WHILE LIVING THERE - WITH THREE CHILDREN. . .over the past year, I was tired. Dog tired! I needed to take a break from something. . .and by something, I mean Inked Owl! But. . .</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My break is over and I'm back! Back with fresh ideas, rockin' second hand fashion finds, DIY projects, new yummy dishes, you name it, I've got it. . .fresh!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I shall start you off with the best "new" designer looking deal that I have stumbled across in a long time. Ladies may I present to you. . .Tarjay chic:</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.target.com/p/merona-womens-long-sleeve-shift-dress-in-leopard-print/-/A-14169046#" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0fhbwyv8VTtcO5NmCDcx5lYqufvwvgoHhac3M-DnWlB05MR1rCY0BxU1K1lfhbh8ApZNCgpbvmXI1FG12u5QCIhKUGah-oOcx1vBqT62ff2ZLawyyJCJEQPoDddLqitgGDJAfZkaJgJd/s320/merona+leopard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="product-name item" sizcache="4" sizset="93" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="fn" itemprop="name" sizcache="4" sizset="93"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="http://www.target.com/p/merona-womens-long-sleeve-shift-dress-in-leopard-print/-/A-14169046#" target="_blank">Merona® Womens Long Sleeve Shift Dress in Leopard Print</a> </span></span></div>
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<span class="fn" itemprop="name" sizcache="4" sizset="93"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Can you believe this beauty will only set you back $27.99? It was totally sold out online so I made a trip over to my local Target store and found one! Actually, I found 3. . .hiding behind a load of other dresses. . .on the back wall. . .like a wicked stepchild! I bought the small, but as of last week, there was still 1 size medium and 1 size large. Send me a message if you would like me to pick one up for you! It seems to be the "bargain dress of the season" on all of the fashion blogs!!! The best part about it is that it fits great and is machine washable! I'm all about avoiding the dry cleaners!!!</span></span></div>
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<span class="fn" itemprop="name" sizcache="4" sizset="93"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Moving right along. . .every shift dress, or pair of leggings, or pair of skinny jeans, needs a great pair of shoes. Let me tell you girls. . .I am in the business of buying shoes! When I found these wedge booties on clearance at Target for just $24.98 a pair. . .I was smitten! So smitten in fact, that I bought them in 2 different colors. . .Taupe and Black! </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.target.com/p/women-s-merona-kamoni-wedge-bootie-assorted-colors/-/A-14100673#prodSlot=medium_1_50" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDXSw-eVqXBejoBYnBkVoah2SGw0QbEeZLoIA5zrRFsrcZg6q1vHadweK1ShfYKbd1ZPUqkT5NI5-QqEZOBFbrSf08xQRAnYLSd6KU_dHqGRsRA9YTzn87v06RyjYOI5RViu-8vpFs_W1/s320/merona+kamoni+brown.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="fn" itemprop="name">Women's Merona®
Kamoni Wedge Bootie</span> </div>
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<a href="http://www.target.com/p/women-s-merona-kamoni-wedge-bootie-assorted-colors/-/A-14100673#prodSlot=medium_1_50" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98wpAj37oAw3_0qcXwea9u8TYGT4wuZgkinwMNJiaHeAI_7gj3DfXNMpaBdQuWZPtzGlIsIOa6LNDRxkCRWL9T451uiQKcR0jJxk0MpYRHG8nWPu0IgkMroe9CvYEb5_SYsGzw76D1_B4/s320/merona+kamoni+black.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I wore the black pair out to dinner the other night and then walked around the mall in them and they were totally comfy! I honestly couldn't tell that I was wearing a budget pair of booties! They looked ultra chic too! Double thumbs up!!!<br />
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So there you have it! Fashion on a budget. And when I say budget, I mean BUDGET!! With the hubs going to school full time and my job as the only source of income, I have to get really creative to keep up with the trends! Creative can be fun though. . .and challenging! I'm always up for a good challenge!<br />
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What do you think? Could you make a budget dress look ultra chic?Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-46096817332396356932011-12-07T11:29:00.000-05:002013-08-08T09:50:11.915-04:00This post is full of bull. . .dog!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hello there my lovelies!!! I thought I'd pop in quickly to give you the following public service announcement:</div>
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BULLDOGS. . .especially Miniature Bulldogs. . .are the best (and cutest) dogs ever! Best and cutest ever I say?</div>
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Want proof?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodq56l8QKLS2w9Ky9rlSl4cNh0oY4w5RJJkjtMyYzNOtUHWdC6iBjTPFrtSnwx433ZCdjBQOyQKEcx1XM2etuS4XO6sK-GTNa80iCgUIyMeStGOCgHSsj4cFsnCBnOoAaGHTGKsrvWeVv/s1600/tucker+running.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodq56l8QKLS2w9Ky9rlSl4cNh0oY4w5RJJkjtMyYzNOtUHWdC6iBjTPFrtSnwx433ZCdjBQOyQKEcx1XM2etuS4XO6sK-GTNa80iCgUIyMeStGOCgHSsj4cFsnCBnOoAaGHTGKsrvWeVv/s400/tucker+running.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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Yeah. . .I totally want another one! I'm smitten!</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-35556787407489493732011-11-11T12:54:00.001-05:002013-08-08T09:53:43.638-04:00A busy night with a little time for a celebration!11-11-11. . .how cool that such a monumental "number" date turned out to be Veteran's Day! I just love seeing all of the Patriotism that comes with this day! <br />
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What might be a little less known is 11-10. . .the Birthday of the United States Marine Corps! Seeing that we have a fellow Marine in our family, we always have to make sure we wish the United States Marine Corps a Happy Birthday! Happy 236th birthday to be exact!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIt909QzvDChO94QeiRDS3UXKUmtejaJ7YrisRze3YFYY0pA7UAKYskFlQNI0H23EHxycQWTl5o0gXeHFOJGRlfQ-cwNahg8pfZSp1eKjkUxAbYyZFudtUY2G6u4dzKLgjsBsoiMXujN-t/s1600/CJ+Marines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIt909QzvDChO94QeiRDS3UXKUmtejaJ7YrisRze3YFYY0pA7UAKYskFlQNI0H23EHxycQWTl5o0gXeHFOJGRlfQ-cwNahg8pfZSp1eKjkUxAbYyZFudtUY2G6u4dzKLgjsBsoiMXujN-t/s320/CJ+Marines.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chuck. . .many moons ago!</td></tr>
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To honor such a wonderful day (LOL!). . . I set out to finish up a DIY project that had been rolling around in the back of my mind for the past few weeks!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg252uT3j5wh2xbibidBQTFPoegQIs63zn2UC1JHkyqFvvUQNVIS-IeCILQfgQWt4sgyKmGHSLv6X19UZJqVZ7bqHLLRsySBpK54OC1EhPpEPIlMb6IivSkqxciOU54H2sKumQ28WBoh5Hj/s1600/PB+wine+basket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg252uT3j5wh2xbibidBQTFPoegQIs63zn2UC1JHkyqFvvUQNVIS-IeCILQfgQWt4sgyKmGHSLv6X19UZJqVZ7bqHLLRsySBpK54OC1EhPpEPIlMb6IivSkqxciOU54H2sKumQ28WBoh5Hj/s320/PB+wine+basket.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/" target="_blank">Pottery Barn Wine Basket</a></td></tr>
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Growing up, my sister and I each had a favorite color. Her's was pink and mine was purple! Needless to say, we were always receiving "color coded" items for gifts! A couple of weeks ago, my Mom came across my old purple Easter Basket! She brought it over to me hoping that I could breath a bit of life back into it!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-kYTZ6dixXBuaeDnU7SVrGAwpjVODxSPS2prskI7a7DuRSZ5MIPtLOJdYV1_iCA1rNSsYvhR_aJQsbPtifT8tBUeqLZNWdmeFS1yYgzn4Ftov-x0tnyB9BqKSE6JY8j3_FLcbP7uUINM/s1600/Basket+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-kYTZ6dixXBuaeDnU7SVrGAwpjVODxSPS2prskI7a7DuRSZ5MIPtLOJdYV1_iCA1rNSsYvhR_aJQsbPtifT8tBUeqLZNWdmeFS1yYgzn4Ftov-x0tnyB9BqKSE6JY8j3_FLcbP7uUINM/s400/Basket+before.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I got to work! This past weekend I took advantage of the warm weather and spray painted my purple basket with some oil rubbed bronze spray paint we had in the closet! I set it aside during the week to make sure it was nice and dry! I measured out some burlap trim and some hemp twine. . .warmed up my hot glue gun. . .and bam. . .I created a nice little Pottery Barn "wanna-be" wine (or anything) basket for that matter!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU98RhdSM5itgctfvuSahv-2A7R7aZn6TbCWNH7HMXeYSLw8E2AC4NvmLxhLIy5pksDvu1KO7qX6DIvIXSerRamS-obXMa2FO6no3Dqv79A2dx57WMaMpkwapiMIsDHv6J7cRxjzAcxLBX/s1600/basket+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU98RhdSM5itgctfvuSahv-2A7R7aZn6TbCWNH7HMXeYSLw8E2AC4NvmLxhLIy5pksDvu1KO7qX6DIvIXSerRamS-obXMa2FO6no3Dqv79A2dx57WMaMpkwapiMIsDHv6J7cRxjzAcxLBX/s400/basket+after.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I think I'm going to give it as a Hostess gift to sweet Holly on Thanksgiving filled with all kinds of special treasures! I'm pretty excited with how it turned out considering I used things that I found in my craft drawers! <br />
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Happy Veteran's Day!!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-12480462758824020202011-10-14T15:36:00.000-04:002013-08-08T09:54:50.652-04:00Pottery Barn Wannabe - DIY Glitter Hanging Bats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/halloween-glitter-bat-ornament-set/?pkey=challoween-decor"><img border="0" height="352" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcd-0OygWzYfmGCQ10lSBhsgpf8OsoYddxVnuUJm2S7ZeA5Es1K6JXfqys3TqunIvWk2e0gpePhCmsYJB952L6U9sYSCVu7BrCfLQ5d6BSutkn1woPM-N6fa6sQBWv4Nn6c9EzpSKJ3vQq/s400/img25l.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I am a Pottery Barn junkie! I <a href="http://inkedowl.blogspot.com/2011/03/is-it-wrong-to-get-excited-about-this.html">get excited when the new catalogue</a> comes in the mail every. . .single. . .time! I, unfortunately, am not a millionaire, or even a thousandaire for that matter, and do more Pottery Barn shopping in my mind than in real life! With all that being said, a few of weeks ago I came across this adorable display on the <a href="http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/halloween-glitter-bat-ornament-set/?pkey=challoween-decor">Pottery Barn Kids</a> website. Now, even though Fall is my FAVORITE time of the year, I am more of a harvesty. . .burlapy. . .gordy kind of decorator as oopposed to a Halloween kind of gal! Diva, I know! <br />
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But. . .when I saw these I just HAD to have them to work into my decor! When I saw the $9.00 price tag though, I decided that I could probably make my own!! Imitation is the best type of flattery right? <br />
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So, I set out to make some fake Pottery Barn Bats!<br />
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<strong>From Hobby Lobby I purchased the following supplies:</strong><br />
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* Glittered black sheets of felt (1 sheet made 3 bats)<br />
* Glittered white sheets of felt (1/2 sheet made 4 stars)<br />
* Roll of 10 g Cotton Perle embroidery floss<br />
* Small bottle of Sobo Premium Craft and Fabric Glue<br />
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<strong>From the Internet:</strong><br />
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* I enlarged the above photo until I had the bats the size that I wanted them. I then printed out the picture and cut out the bats to use as my templates.<br />
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<strong>From my own pool of resources:</strong><br />
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* I have a die cut machine at the school I work at so I found the perfect size star, cut it out on a piece of scrap paper, and used it as a template.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4gc2vAjr8RTewrZDtYLkgRd4EUs96s1X-aFjWGehG1zWx1iVsi6DDKy53Kcm9fcskKVapk6DsLYm08jTw_d6D2qoC7GIMNjzPFOFiP-B29t30nmMyGQ5Xo9QGRd2Kpobc84zDpOiKFK_/s1600/Bat+supplies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4gc2vAjr8RTewrZDtYLkgRd4EUs96s1X-aFjWGehG1zWx1iVsi6DDKy53Kcm9fcskKVapk6DsLYm08jTw_d6D2qoC7GIMNjzPFOFiP-B29t30nmMyGQ5Xo9QGRd2Kpobc84zDpOiKFK_/s400/Bat+supplies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'm thinking that telling you how to assemble the bats would be a waste of my time since I am confident that you are all smart people!!! In a nutshell I. . .cut out the bats and the stars. . .cut my string to length and glued everything together. I then stuck them under a few really heavy books until the glue dried! I did make my bats double sided so they look the same from both sides as they twirl around. . .and it made them really sturdy. . .and it was an excellent way to hide the string! Three bats. . .one stone! Bam!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-S5ibhhiFaB1EuGE-PSZWNNONJ0XDsqlG3giNJYGs8kbSRW4i1xe3yM9VF6-rW-hR4uhF_gWxHlBE9e_UZJ3IRT6yRtQHBlPZcGdQhj9_T2tTNnRbpv1L-RbXiTMZIl90QXeUCjar192/s1600/My+Pottery+Barn+Bats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-S5ibhhiFaB1EuGE-PSZWNNONJ0XDsqlG3giNJYGs8kbSRW4i1xe3yM9VF6-rW-hR4uhF_gWxHlBE9e_UZJ3IRT6yRtQHBlPZcGdQhj9_T2tTNnRbpv1L-RbXiTMZIl90QXeUCjar192/s400/My+Pottery+Barn+Bats.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcd-0OygWzYfmGCQ10lSBhsgpf8OsoYddxVnuUJm2S7ZeA5Es1K6JXfqys3TqunIvWk2e0gpePhCmsYJB952L6U9sYSCVu7BrCfLQ5d6BSutkn1woPM-N6fa6sQBWv4Nn6c9EzpSKJ3vQq/s1600/img25l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcd-0OygWzYfmGCQ10lSBhsgpf8OsoYddxVnuUJm2S7ZeA5Es1K6JXfqys3TqunIvWk2e0gpePhCmsYJB952L6U9sYSCVu7BrCfLQ5d6BSutkn1woPM-N6fa6sQBWv4Nn6c9EzpSKJ3vQq/s400/img25l.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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What do you think? Pretty close right? My cost? About $3.00! And, I still have enough supplies to make 3 more bats! <br />
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Next up to create. . .<a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/products/garden-shallow-basket/?pkey=e%7Cwine%2Bbasket%7C1%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C1&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules-_-">Pottery Barn Garden Wine Bottle Basket</a> !<br />
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<a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/products/garden-shallow-basket/?pkey=e%7Cwine%2Bbasket%7C1%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C1&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules-_-"><img border="0" height="358" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihsUO6HlcnIBV32t1aQh7QsXPtKz9kJ0mW2GK2qhcLIMjK45-vTEQl5BMHTlDj2c2elnTz4TiU8QrZUVaIks2vB-kU1phVg9VtngP77nQB-85cbLGvIkvhbOxc36hknzDFndexqihpCRuZ/s400/PB+wine+basket.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'll keep you posted!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-82962883163014460122011-07-20T10:53:00.000-04:002013-08-08T09:55:06.760-04:00I'm not missing. . .I'm just BUSY!!Please forgive me. . .I mean, really, really, really. . .please forgive me!!!<br />
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We are in the process of a HUGE home renovation. . .Like gutting our entire home, adding an addition, etc! And, did I mention that we are living there while doing it all? Yep, we are!<br />
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And. . .we have another little something in the works. . .more on that later!<br />
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I miss you!<br />
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Be back soon!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-22199360644002894812011-04-19T14:26:00.000-04:002011-04-19T14:36:41.969-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>We have 3 boys. . .my 3 sons if you may! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKITpRAWZGRdmU2emIHC_RNPidqhfpGVkvyItWzqObjRAGp4ojUkBY7O_-wbU_B8bcz5EdlebR_leZNackYVWSuEbiedx3lDJyy3-15sWvkxp1vCiKB7Cv21NBXoh078FatdX2qVzd2PH/s1600/Jared.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKITpRAWZGRdmU2emIHC_RNPidqhfpGVkvyItWzqObjRAGp4ojUkBY7O_-wbU_B8bcz5EdlebR_leZNackYVWSuEbiedx3lDJyy3-15sWvkxp1vCiKB7Cv21NBXoh078FatdX2qVzd2PH/s400/Jared.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Jared</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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The majority of the time, Jared and Connor get along something like this:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWbDYhxMNJwKRMRfD_Y-FqOPN6TWnuEQ8QIjk5Gkw2kogDlwzjZO38fZPcyC_FjXSNfsv1TA-XcIAb3ZqIczlG2YNYW-hpu0D5FQ55v-QOGX7vMj7nRgnlEmpibbKfIZ1xAwPFDihaS65/s1600/100_1984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWbDYhxMNJwKRMRfD_Y-FqOPN6TWnuEQ8QIjk5Gkw2kogDlwzjZO38fZPcyC_FjXSNfsv1TA-XcIAb3ZqIczlG2YNYW-hpu0D5FQ55v-QOGX7vMj7nRgnlEmpibbKfIZ1xAwPFDihaS65/s400/100_1984.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Wow, this picture was taken a few years ago on Christmas. . .boy howdy have they grown!)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Every once in a great while though, my heart is blessed when something like this comes home from school:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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It's so sweet to know that even through the frustrations and arguments, and all the brotherly stuff. . .that deep down, they think the world of one another!</div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-68349225423516150172011-04-14T12:16:00.000-04:002012-11-05T14:17:06.346-05:00It felt like we were getting engaged all over again!CJ and I headed out yesterday evening with some coffee in hand to do a little sunset photo shoot!!! I had my doubts as to how things were going to turn out since I had just come from a dentist appointment where half of my face was numbed up so I couldn't feel the two cavaties being filled! I told CJ to make sure he captured my "good side". . .ie. . .the one that wasn't drooping!<br />
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We had the BEST time!! It was like we were 20 years old again and celebrating our engagement! All that fun and I was still in my work clothes!!!<br />
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He even squeezed in a couple pretty decent ones of me while testing his focus and lighting!<br />
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Ahhh spring! Drink it in!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-38948388622440166982011-04-13T12:23:00.000-04:002013-08-08T09:56:06.380-04:00Not missing. . .just busy!Let me start by saying. . .I'm sorry!!! I have been MIA for a few weeks due to work, family, and life obligations! It's amazing how quickly things can sneak up on you and literally take away EVERY EXTRA MINUTE of spare time!<br />
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The good news was that we finally enjoyed a 80 + degree day this past Sunday! After celebrating a birthday with one of Nolan's little friends, we headed out for a little impromptu photo shoot! My husband got some phenomenal shots of the boys!<br />
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I even let him squeeze in a couple of me.<br />
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My husband and our boys are my favorite things in the entire world, so spending a warm, sunny day with them was my version of perfection!<br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-59421996647747385102011-03-23T21:46:00.000-04:002013-08-08T09:57:59.469-04:00Will I ever grow up?This past weekend, my little sister and her husband were in town for a visit! Now. . .they don't exactly live REALLY far away. . .just about 3 hours. . .but far enough that we don't see them but every few months! Needless to say. . .when we get together, we never cease to amaze our mother by acting like crazy kids again! Case in point. . .our Friday evening photo shoot!<br />
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Jill is 7 years younger than "your's truly"!!! Although we don't look much alike. . .we have a TON of the same mannerisms! I take after our Dad with natural curly hair and blue eyes, and my sister looks like our Mom with sunkissed skin and brown eyes! I think she might be. . .a. . .tad. . .more. . .photogenic than I am!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioCysQ0V_2Y1GZbTfUST4vIGXf1RvRtTRm1h358SmVHAiOvfzXpGV-QUUcs_eYIvYrIiQxQG-3LouYMF1Iz7Xox7cF-gOOPA6gaFPYmOCV4ADDlIjV5niU8E0brF6P_DTqqR7X8IOWit1D/s1600/amy+-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioCysQ0V_2Y1GZbTfUST4vIGXf1RvRtTRm1h358SmVHAiOvfzXpGV-QUUcs_eYIvYrIiQxQG-3LouYMF1Iz7Xox7cF-gOOPA6gaFPYmOCV4ADDlIjV5niU8E0brF6P_DTqqR7X8IOWit1D/s400/amy+-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now. . .how can you go through an entire goofy photo shoot without spanking a little hiney?!?!?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdNf-uLCnp0VfixQVnZL6fOwYTmEp5pmB5hBiPGMPVv8jiK1xB9FI2M6eZUUaNWNQG46D67vt4zINsTkfZSVa1TuDqlwA8iBri9_2pgx2ljoVcChrd7yAiXsJIk7A9TeRKkK5Cpe2JuZA/s1600/amy+-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdNf-uLCnp0VfixQVnZL6fOwYTmEp5pmB5hBiPGMPVv8jiK1xB9FI2M6eZUUaNWNQG46D67vt4zINsTkfZSVa1TuDqlwA8iBri9_2pgx2ljoVcChrd7yAiXsJIk7A9TeRKkK5Cpe2JuZA/s400/amy+-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And here. . .as always. . .I'm not good with the follow through!!! Hey. . .I'm taking my cue from the photographer!!<br />
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This is the look that always got my sister what she wanted when we were little! Apparently still works. . .she wanted to do some jumping pictures!<br />
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And. . .looks like I was having a little trouble on the 1. . .2. . .3. . .jump instructions!!<br />
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So, we tried it again!<br />
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I have the vertical jump of a turd! I promise. . .it felt like I was jumping high!<br />
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Since we do live in the crappy spring weather state of MI. . .we headed inside the house where my husband continued to follow us around like he was the papparazzi! Trust me. . .I have about a million more photos that look similar to this!!!<br />
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Our evening was a BLAST!! Hanging around family is always fun! Now. . .if only I could get everyone to <a href="http://inkedowl.blogspot.com/2011/03/as-promised-nutella-giveaway-just.html">get rid of their darn cats</a>!!!!!<br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-33072660164926834072011-03-17T20:55:00.000-04:002013-08-08T10:02:06.112-04:00I am the best Mom. . .nEVER!!!Oh. . .good ole' St. Patty's Day. . .a day when you can freely pinch people that aren't wearing green. . .a day when eating green food, doesn't mean food poisoning. . .a day when a mother buys her two school aged children Shamrock Shakes for breakfast!!!! Ah. . .good ole' St. Patty's Day!<br />
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We thought we were pulling a fast one this morning! Connor, Jared, and I got ready extra early and snuck quietly out of the house and headed to McDonald's before school to get them a holiday milkshake FOR BREAKFAST!!! Oh. . .I was bound and determined to score huge cool points with two of my children today! And it appeared it was working!!!<br />
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Bow to me all you other Mothers who only wish you could be this cool!!!<br />
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About 9:30 AM a little person comes running into my office telling me that Connor's teacher needed help right away. . .Yikes. . .I was sure hoping she was OK! Turns out she was. . .it was <b>my</b> son that was spewing his St. Patty's Day treat all over his classroom floor! By the time I made it down the hall, she had Connor out in the hall and he was not done yet! After a little treasure in the hallway, we finally made it to the little boy's room where he proceeded to puke like a drunk leprechaun in the stall!</div>
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After a short drive home and one more little gift about 30 seconds after walking in the door. . .he was finally done! I was just bragging the other day how my children had managed to stay healthy throughout all the germs flying around at school! I got Connor situated on the couch with a garbage can nearby, kissed Nolan (our little one) on the cheek, and waved goodbye to my husband as I was squealing my tires pulling out of the driveway! Hey, I'm usually the one that ALWAYS deals with the sick, pukey, children. . .I wasn't taking any chances that my husband might try to escape his new found duties!</div>
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Back to work I went. . .completely upset that Connor had the flu. . .or so I thought! Chuck was kind enough to give me hourly updates on his little patient. First hour. . .Connor was laying on the couch laughing at cartoons. . .no hurling. Second hour. . .Connor was playing with a Lego set while sitting up on the couch. . .no hurling. Hour three. . .Connor was BEGGING to go outside and play. . .no hurling. Fourth hour. . .Connor was playing outside using his bird caller to talk to the springtime birds. . .no hurling. Hour five. . .Connor was bored so he decided to lay back down on the couch and take a nap. . .no hurling. Sixth hour. . .Connor had escaped the couch and was looking for something to play with in his room. . .and. . .nada puking! </div>
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Great! Through process of elimination, it dawned on me that my "cool points" ended up making my 7 year old vomit! I am the best Mom nEVER!!! I think the Shamrock shake was just too rich for his belly that early in the morning! Who woulda' thought? He told me that he never wanted to drink one of those milkshakes EVER AGAIN! My cool points are now in the negative with one of my children! Bumster!</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-1243494171928717312011-03-16T22:59:00.000-04:002013-08-08T10:09:22.830-04:00I left my lungs on the side of the roadToday, the temperature in my van said 57 sparkly degrees outside!!! Yes friends. . .57. . .not 7 or even 27. . .FIFTY SEVEN!!!! Holla!<br />
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Know what that put me in the mood to do??? RUN OUTSIDE for the first time in . . .like. . .forever!!!<br />
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Did you catch that? FIFTY SEVEN degrees people. . .in Michigan. . .in March!!! We are seriously pushing flip flop weather now!!! I was so excited to get home and RUN OUTSIDE!!!<br />
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I quickly drove home. . .ran in the house. . .asked my husband just how hungry he was, to which he replied "starving". . .ignored my husband's "starving" comment. . .put on my running clothes. . .clipped on my iPod. . .and headed out the door!!!! Exhilaration was coursing through my veins!! My feet were finally tapping the outdoor pavement for the first time since last year! I was finally doing something other than spinning for my evening cardio! I was totally soaking up the vitamin D! And then it hit me. . .like a ton of bricks. . .the fact that I have not run since last year!<br />
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If you had x-ray eyes. . .I am positive that you would have seen my lungs. . .BLEEDING!! Not even my music was helping! I had to use the old beginners method of. . .OK, if I can just make it to that mailbox, then that garbage can, then the house with blue shutters, then the train tracks. . .you know the method. . .run to one landmark and the set your sights on another close landmark, and keep running telling yourself that the next one is just a few steps away!<br />
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See me in pain up there? I must confess that I believe I left my lungs on the side of the road about a mile into my run. I feel like I had to. . .I think they were made of fiberglass! Just call me. . ."lungs on fire"!!!<br />
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Here I was after dragging myself back into my driveway quickly realizing that my husband had been standing in the yard snapping pictures like some kind of private eye!<br />
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And. . .here I am after learning what was on the menu for dinner. PIZZA! I'm always FAMISHED after a good lung bleeding!!<br />
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Better get ready to strap on my running shoes again. . .It's supposed to be 62 tomorrow! Hot diggity dog!</div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-4605384889097623632011-03-08T21:27:00.001-05:002013-08-08T10:24:58.163-04:00I so could have been a body builder!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHU0VWBInuVh6Im4BEFIpljeWKSSu1ox9XOZU1C0jSjXpN6pdUhioE-RTpyAP58wXjCkwasgA_sCtwLmqUSY1E9rP6d5JS126ffCEo2HK6n-GdSqFjXQXjScvnPpyAIY1CNQx9RC1kQD4Z/s1600/amy+being+dumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHU0VWBInuVh6Im4BEFIpljeWKSSu1ox9XOZU1C0jSjXpN6pdUhioE-RTpyAP58wXjCkwasgA_sCtwLmqUSY1E9rP6d5JS126ffCEo2HK6n-GdSqFjXQXjScvnPpyAIY1CNQx9RC1kQD4Z/s400/amy+being+dumb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Or not!!! <br />
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Is that the weirdest clavicle you have ever seen? Holey moley. . .put it away already!!<br />
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Chuck purchased a new lens this evening and was trying it out! I figured I'd give him my best muscle pose before I started my evening cardio!<br />
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I seemed to not be able to escape him!!<br />
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He named all the pictures of me. . .Amy being dumb 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6! How about. . .Amy trying to escape 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6!!!<br />
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Wow! How bout' those bra straps AND. . .could I BE any more critical of myself?!?!?! <br />
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P.S. - Don't be jealous of my body builder muscles. . .or truthfully lack thereof!! You may, however, be jealous of my clavicle!!! Yeah baby!<br />
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-40254018360260494632011-03-06T22:38:00.000-05:002013-08-08T10:29:20.804-04:00It was supposed to be a lazy Sunday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5VlsMliStpYcyPRuVlmCmapltEtJ6Lthg-NObVWsN5j5dlFiKqZI83gwDo2AbAep_CBde0Wsg6YhofF6DnPSdUz_8q6WWhZg1zXVdbOvmF-yGTgwLwYrv5D5jzpT6TeUgIgrPAWNx0Cf/s1600/Amy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5VlsMliStpYcyPRuVlmCmapltEtJ6Lthg-NObVWsN5j5dlFiKqZI83gwDo2AbAep_CBde0Wsg6YhofF6DnPSdUz_8q6WWhZg1zXVdbOvmF-yGTgwLwYrv5D5jzpT6TeUgIgrPAWNx0Cf/s320/Amy.jpg" width="289" /></a></div>
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Here is me. . .totally smiling because Chuck and I decided TOGETHER. . .on the <a href="http://inkedowl.blogspot.com/2011/03/and-animals-came-to-ark-2-by-2.html">snowy drive home last night</a>. . .that today was going to be a lazy Sunday!!!<br />
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Chuck decided to be chatty, really darn early, this morning! He told me it was my fault because I woke him up at 7:11am when I got up to go pee! No sweetie. . .I got up to go pee so I could climb back in our WARM bed and sleep for an hour or 2 longer!!!! Comprende? Well, after ignoring him as long as I possibly could, I finally gave into the conversation! He kept asking me what the plans were for the day so I knew he had an idea up his sleeve.<br />
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I hopped out of bed and decided to hit the bike for my morning cardio! I had promised myself that I was only going to get on the scale on Mondays and Fridays, because I will get on the scale like 10 times a day just to "check my weight" and it kind of seems a bit obsessive compulsive if you ask me! I'm trying my own "cold turkey" therapy. If to do nothing but reward my obsessive compulsive slip-up, I found 132.8 shining back at my morning eyes! Only 7.8 more lbs to go! Nothing like positive reinforcement for slipping up! Bad news for my therapy! Hey, at least I don't turn around 6 times and rub my ears before I get on the scale. . .or do I?<br />
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As I was preparing to fix breakfast, Chuck blew my dream of a lazy Sunday. . .he wanted to go to the ZOO. What? The ZOO? The forecasted high today was only supposed to be 33 degrees. The ZOO? Truth be told, he was itching to snap some photos of the animals! <br />
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After trying just about everything to get out of a Zoo trip in frigid weather, I gave in, as long as we ate lunch before we headed out!</div>
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After lunch, and a bit more of dragging my feet, we headed out to the Toledo Zoo!<br />
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I should have taken a clue of just. . .how. . .cold. . .I was going to be when I saw this upon entering:<br />
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There is something so. . . not. . . appealing about seeing icicles hanging from the Zoo sign. Needless to say, we decided to visit all of the inside exhibits! We do have a membership, so we didn't feel bad for only spending about 3 hours there! There will be many warm visits to come!!!<br />
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After leaving the Zoo, we drove to downtown Toledo so Chuck could do a bit of searching for some old brick buildings with painted signs. . .it's kind of like his photography trademark. . .it's his thing. . .he loves finding different signs in different places to snap photos of! Sunday's are the best days because the parking meters are free, and Downtown isn't really busy! I played his chauffeur while he scoped things out!!!<br />
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Here is one of my favorite shots from today!!! Check out his <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/believercj/">Flickr page</a>! He's awesome!! I'm a bit partial, but nonetheless. . .check it out if you have a second!!<br />
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Now, the boys are in bed, I am sitting on the couch, Macbook Pro on my lap helping me catch up on my weekend blogging, the bed is piled high with clothes that were SUPPOSED to get folded during my lazy Sunday home, my feet are still cold from todays outing, and Chuck is sitting, pleased as punch, in from of his 27 inch iMac, humming a song playing on Pandora radio in the background, and editing photos. I love to see him happy. . .especially because I know how bad his back hurts EVERY SINGLE DAY after <a href="http://inkedowl.blogspot.com/2011/01/so-i-think-its-actually-time.html">getting hurt in September of 2009</a>! It makes my "change of plans" day totally worth it! It really is all about give and take. . .even if I did have to freeze my tookas off!!!<br />
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-36259230040291530792011-03-06T21:12:00.000-05:002013-08-08T10:32:47.945-04:00And the animals came to the ark. . .2 by 2!Well, just as expected. . .Saturday started with a bang! Or should I say. . .flood! This is one of the unfortunate times that the forecasters were dead on! Our backyard is now a small lake! <br />
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Because of the horrible weather, we decided to pile the boys in the van and head a little over an hour away to a fantastic camera store (Camera Mart) for Chuck, and after, a HUGE 3 story mall (Somerset Mall) for me!!!<br />
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Our first stop was Camera Mart!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9saYfNZyr0CQJpgcwEIAJP1snWxpLkMyENW9TliOlavHGjsg7gRQV2GNphhu567osFks0vI13pehhjR2AfrPKqEfmqnRLsJ17e7hNV-GU8pl3HDvt08lrqTKuZx9y1ITTBuPm9Whum4mJ/s1600/Amy+%2526+Connor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9saYfNZyr0CQJpgcwEIAJP1snWxpLkMyENW9TliOlavHGjsg7gRQV2GNphhu567osFks0vI13pehhjR2AfrPKqEfmqnRLsJ17e7hNV-GU8pl3HDvt08lrqTKuZx9y1ITTBuPm9Whum4mJ/s400/Amy+%2526+Connor.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Connor and I modeling for the camera as Chuck tried out a new lens!</td></tr>
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After about 2 hours tooling around the "Mart" (good thing they had a play area for children), we jumped in the van and headed to the mall!<br />
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After navagating the parking structure, we entered on the 2nd floor skywalk! The first store I spotted was Restoration Hardware! The store is SO cool that even our 11 year old, Jared, wanted to go in! I was like a cat on the scent of a mouse though, and passed by Restoration (while grabbing the latest catalog), and floated right in to the Michael Kors store! I would like one of everything please! Or not. .darn!!!<br />
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The next place we hit was The North Face. . .I may or may not have spent my life savings. . .in my mind! Good save Amy! Good save!<br />
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Now, as you can imaging, the boys were just about done by this point. . .until they spotted the LEGO store! They have never been to a LEGO store before and were so excited! We let them each pick out one small thing for being such troopers! We hit Urban Outfitters and then Macy's for a potty break, before we started to get hungry! We truthfully only made it around one floor at Somerset before we decided to call it quits!<br />
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I knew just what we were having as soon as we spotted it:<br />
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Bonus time. . .I had a buy one get one free coupon!!! Chuck indulged in a huge burrito, while I opted for the "free" burrito bowl filled with cilantro lime rice, black beans, grilled chicken, fresh salsa, lettuce, and a little bit of cheese!<br />
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I ate all the way down to the rice before I just couldn't eat another bite! The boys each got a quesadilla meal with a side of chips, rice, and beans! Would you believe we walked out of there only spending $19.86? Best ever!!!! I totally dig bogo coupons!!!<br />
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Guess what we exited the restaurant to. . .SNOW!! Again! The best part of the snowy weather. . .we were over an hour from home! Could you catch the sarcastic tone in my last sentence? Thanks so much Michigan! We did make it home safely, but my stomach was a large knot by the time we finally pulled into the driveway!<br />
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After my wild and crazy day of very little spending in a VERY upscale mall, I got a call from my credit card people asking me to verify the last 3 purchases that I had made on my card. What? Yes. . .I authorized purchases from The North Face, LEGO, and Urban outfitters, all 3 not even totaling $65. I guess they were suspicious because I should have spent more at such a big mall? Hmmm. . .not sure! Good news is that there is no longer a freeze on my card! Nothing like knowing that Big Brother is watching out for me!<br />
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To un-knot my belly, I cozied up on the couch when we arrived home and read the remainder of Catching Fire! Again. . .the darn book kept me up past midnight! <br />
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Riveting. . .as usual! Good thing I didn't have the third book, Mockingjay, here or I would have dug right in!! Looks like Monday or Tuesday evening is going to be a late one!!!<br />
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What are you currently reading?Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-76636001439273390132011-03-04T15:18:00.000-05:002013-08-08T10:34:48.635-04:00All. . .by. . .myself. . .I wanna be. . .all by myself. . .How do you like to work out? Do you fly solo? Do you do the group thing? <br />
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Me? I prefer to work out by my lonesome! Don't get me wrong. . .I love people and I love to socialize. . .but when it comes to sweatin'. . .I like to clean out the ole' pores by myself!!!<br />
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My morning cardio sessions are my "me" time! Sometimes I spin watching the news, sometimes I spin while jamming out to my favorite "Shinedown" Pandora station, sometimes I spin while wishing I was still in bed!!! Anyway, I like to workout alone! When I do so, I feel like I can push myself (or not) while not worrying how the other person is feeling! Now, I do like to walk with others and often times, strength train with others, but everything else. . .solo me-o!<br />
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Am I selfish? What do you do to overcome your workout partner predicament?Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-3635743235279943062011-03-04T12:50:00.000-05:002013-08-08T10:36:54.218-04:00Betty Spaghetti. . .squash!Spaghetti squash. . .oh how I love thee!!! You fill me up without the heaviness of carbs, and you taste superb! We are friends, and will be friends forever! If only you didn't take 40 minutes to cook when I am starving, we could be considered besties!!!<br />
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Have you ever tried Spaghetti squash? No? Come hither and find out how I do it!!!<br />
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Start with la squash! No brainer right??? I had my brutishly strong husband cut it in half for me since I didn't want to whop off my finger in the process! I then took a large spoon and scraped out the seeds and crazy looking stringy stuff in the middle until the squash halves looked like the above photo!!!<br />
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I then flipped my halves over on the cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray like so:<br />
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I then roasted the squash at 375 for 40 minutes!<br />
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After the squash came out of the oven. . .I LET IT COOL for about 10 minutes before I forked out the strands!!! If you don't. . .you just might burn your little fingers!!!<br />
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Forkety fork away!!! Both sides. . .until I cleaned out the halves!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-39294878804288474982011-03-03T12:41:00.000-05:002013-08-08T10:39:07.341-04:00Is it wrong to get excited about this?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I got almost giddy last night when I came home from work and the new Pottery Barn Catalog was sitting with the pile of mail on the kitchen counter! I like to secretly think that I'm some kind of fashionable decorator and this is the new photo book for the Spring / Summer season! Then, I like to think that I'm a millionaire, and can afford anything and everything that I want! THEN, I pop back down to reality and start planning my next trip to the Pottery Barn Outlet where I MIGHT be able to afford a few items so that I'm able to say that I shop at, and decorate with Pottery Barn items! You only wish you were as cool as me right? I know! I know!! Don't hate!!<br />
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Off to cozy up with my dreams of one day owning everything in this magazine, or trying to re-create it on a budget!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-74771505090496313282011-03-01T11:41:00.000-05:002013-08-08T10:43:42.689-04:00Is spring just around the snowy, icy corner?Dear February, <br />
I'm sorry to say that I am happy to see you go! I think you are great and all, what, with your holiday of lovers and such, however I'm really in need of some warmer weather!!!<br />
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It seems that when you left yesterday, you forgot to take with you your cold weather friends. What happened? Don't you miss them? It was 14 degrees when I awoke this morning, and I thought that there might actually be 29 days in you this year. Were you confused as well? You must have been. It's ok, I forgive you!<br />
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Don't let it happen tomorrow. . .got it?<br />
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Love Always,<br />
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Amy<br />
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Welcome March!!!!<br />
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I just found out today that McDonalds has Shamrock shakes again! These are MY FAVORITE!!!! I might have to work one into my diet in the near future! I so wish they were calorie free!!! Pipe dreams my friends. . .pipe dreams!!!<br />
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P.S. - Know what I found out. . .today is National Pancake Day! Darn! I could have gone for a warm stack of pancakes this morning! Oh well. . .maybe tonight. . .after all <a href="http://www.ihoppancakeday.com/">IHOP is giving out free short stacks of pancakes</a> until 10pm tonight! That sounds right up my alley!! A short stack is just the right dinner amount for me!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-9836864228967990922011-02-26T21:22:00.000-05:002013-08-08T10:47:22.420-04:00I'm a little bit Mexican. . .He's a little bit Rock n' Roll!My husband and I. . . Isn't it amazing to really think about just how different you can be from your spouse. . .I mean. . .polar opposite different??? What I find more amazing is the fact that, over time, we have melded into one, liking what the other likes, and becoming interested in things that were never thought possible!<br />
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Take for example music, my husband has always loved rock. . .he can pick out the different instruments, hone on on the different guitars. Me? I like just about everything! Put me in the South. . .I can dig country. Put me in a theater, I swoon over Broadway showtunes! Sit me next to my husband, I can head bang with the best of them! My workout playlist proves my point to a T. . .where else can you work out to Taylor Swift and Metallica all in one morning?!?! Here baby!<br />
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I'm telling you. . .I married a real gem!!! Seventeen years ago, I bet if you asked the 18 year old fresh faced Marine if he thought one day that he would be strolling happily around the mall with his wife shopping through the Michael Kors purses helping her to find just. . .the. . .right. . .perfect. . .one, he would have told you NO. . .NO. . .NEVER!! It really is all about give and take!!!! And it really did happen!! Unfortunately however, they didn't have the MK I was looking for. . .bummer!<br />
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We make the perfect team. . .he and I! But truthfully. . .I'm really not Mexican. . .<br />
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I just like Mexican food so much that I question my ethnicity often!<br />
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Actually, I found myself questioning who my parents were on Friday evening! Chuck and I had made it out of the snow hole that we call home, and decided to do a little shopping! After a couple of returns, and a few new spring t-shirts for the boys, we got hungry!!! Like. . .really hungry! Que? Hola On the Border!!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjukPCVgp4eSuEEoR1dnHGlJyAnB1gcml2f-muje7ovnMAYh-aF_ASZOjyiIVqMATiMslzMryTtW8xg3UxaRdCVSc5030sRC4buN_ngps-QAYkGac2YHqT5OCDKZZ66cEVor4lWRx8G1LWx/s1600/2011-02-25+18.51.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjukPCVgp4eSuEEoR1dnHGlJyAnB1gcml2f-muje7ovnMAYh-aF_ASZOjyiIVqMATiMslzMryTtW8xg3UxaRdCVSc5030sRC4buN_ngps-QAYkGac2YHqT5OCDKZZ66cEVor4lWRx8G1LWx/s400/2011-02-25+18.51.50.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I chose to take it easy on the free chips and salsa! I only ate about 6 or so! I then opted for the healthier section of the menu. . .Grilled chicken breast topped with salsa, cilantro, and on the side. . .grilled veggies and rice! It was excellente!!! My belly couldn't hold all the rice though!!<br />
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Next stop? My words can not even express what comes next. . .a visual will have to do:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTlFE6YFG-CUQwYdqZfiJ7wML1UjzZCS9cZO8e6j5Lm9xJx_m2P4quFxe5YSuNXiyyim9l4ZLdqTL8H1R12Roc4DyCZct8c600J7RX9MaUekyu49mgvgkgh_IWJePwgFsJPwkVV0uazNm/s1600/2011-02-26+08.21.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTlFE6YFG-CUQwYdqZfiJ7wML1UjzZCS9cZO8e6j5Lm9xJx_m2P4quFxe5YSuNXiyyim9l4ZLdqTL8H1R12Roc4DyCZct8c600J7RX9MaUekyu49mgvgkgh_IWJePwgFsJPwkVV0uazNm/s400/2011-02-26+08.21.16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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No worries. . .I had one doughnut and washed it down with my favorite Krispy Kreme coffee. . .the Cafe Kreme made with skim milk!!! In the past I used to eat 3 doughnuts, and then leave with a belly ache. My portion control has vastly improved making my treat that much more enjoyable!<br />
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Now. . .off to talk about the tattoo convention that will be in Detroit this weekend that my husband wants to attend. . .maybe I'll listen to Harry Conick Jr. on the drive there!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133842597633145934.post-73604230279943349102011-02-25T13:05:00.000-05:002013-08-08T10:50:20.198-04:00Friday - Snowy - Friday!!Just as I expected. . .the snow came. . .and cancelled school and work for the boys and I!!! Although I love having a snow day, I am soooo over this horribly cold and snowy weather that living in the North keeps dishing out! Like, when I say over it. . .I truly mean I would pack my bags TOMORROW and move somewhere warmer if only given the chance!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZctOD9vtqEZX1AHVOnGWVB52sXMWpjkPtUKdI_acvYT7_HktcADoaSeSOg_GJg8BV4cZe3pi9O9McY0Etg_qYz8ENhLAszWMesQQtsg643ZAvKCpQJRHHhlGpebtewElSKH37dZrxeky/s1600/2011-02-25+12.22.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZctOD9vtqEZX1AHVOnGWVB52sXMWpjkPtUKdI_acvYT7_HktcADoaSeSOg_GJg8BV4cZe3pi9O9McY0Etg_qYz8ENhLAszWMesQQtsg643ZAvKCpQJRHHhlGpebtewElSKH37dZrxeky/s400/2011-02-25+12.22.42.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah. . .I took the picture from inside the house. . .I hate the cold!</td></tr>
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Chuck is currently out plowing the driveway with the 4 wheeler, and I am sitting around watching the boys play the Kinect! <br />
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Now, off to shower and decide what to do with the rest of my day! My bet is that it will be something in the comfort of my WARM home!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09877621405710730030noreply@blogger.com0