Honey Do Jewelry Organizer

For months I have wanted to find a way to organize my jewelry. I have looked at gobs and gobs of ideas.  Finally, one weekend my sweet hubby and I stopped at Home Depot to purchase a towel bar and pick up some shower hooks to hang my necklaces from.  Right when we walked in, we saw the cutest little bistro mirror that had three sets of hooks on it.  We decided right then and there, that would be a great option! We could choose between a mirror or photo frames, we went with the frame option.  We also went to the hardware section and found some hooks to match the three that were already attached.  We brought our purchases home and I didn't think much about it.

I was delighted when I returned home from a business trip to Seattle to find J had added my additional hooks and mounted the bistro collage on the wall.  All I had to do was print my photos and start hanging my necklaces! I still have more to hang, but here is what we have so far.  I think it turned out really nice.  I was also surprised to realize the top of the wall hanging was a small shelf, perfect for my bottles of perfume!

While we were printing photos, we decided to use one of the collages we had in our storage room.  I wanted to display some of the professional pictures we had taken over the summer.  We needed 4 horizontal and 4 vertical photos, but I was having a hard time finding exactly what I wanted.  I had seen an idea to create a wall hanging out of the words to the song you danced to at your wedding.  I decided to do one vertical photo and one horizontal photo with words.  I chose our song and our vows for the words to hang up.  I think it turned out kind of cute!  Now we just have to get it hung up above the buffet.

About time...

Sometimes, I get so caught up in work and life that I forget to take care of me.  I know the mantra...if you love yourself you can love others better.  It's not that I don't love me, it's just that I seriously need to write myself notes to remember to do things...like cut my hair. Anyway, I had been wanting to cut my hair for weeks.  I also needed to get my eyebrows waxed.  In my free time off of work I have been going to the dentist.  I had a root canal that went bad (I didn't even know that happened) and resulted in an infection. I almost cancelled my original appointment with my dentist because the pain went away, thanks for all the love and support to tell me that meant I REALLY need to get my rear to the dentist.  I had been exhausted for weeks and running low grade fevers, I just thought I was worn out.

Anyway, this morning I went in for an extraction.  I think as an adult the tooth fairy should leave you like 10 times the amount of normal, because the dentist REALLY had to yank and pull to remove the tooth.  The tooth root broke, but the procedure went well.  It just took a few hours.  They started prepping my mouth for a bridge, that will happen in 3 weeks once I'm healed up a little more.  I slept all afternoon, which my body probably needed.  When I woke up, I worked for about an hour before J came home from work. 

We went to get our hair cut, only to find out the wait time was over an hour.  (I know, I know, most women actually make appointments, but I just go to Cost Cutters. I'm pretty relaxed about my hair.)  We wrote our names down on the list and went to a new BBQ place for dinner.  We came back to a short wait and it was time to get down to business.  I was so glad we took a before and after picture, because I had no idea how badly I needed a trim! I kind of look like a 13 year old skater boy in the before picture. Which is youthful, but not super professional.  I also got a different cut than normal. I didn't do the layers as usual, I was really happy with how it turned out.  It feels good too.

Now if my lost tooth and hair cut amounted to anything on the scale, we'd be in business.  I suppose my confidence and feeling better when that infection is gone will all help this week though. Anyway, thought you might enjoy the picture.

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

As mentioned previously, I have a strange addiction to Pinterest. I am always pinning recipes to try.  I have tried a number, but occasionally, I will pin one, then go to look at the ingredients and think they are insane.  Such was the case with this sandwich recipe I pinned.  I got to thinking about it and decided I could easily make my very own recipe.  So this was inspired by Pinterest, but really has very few of the ingredients, if any, that were in the recipe I saw. Here is my very own recipe for 2 servings of Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwiches:

1-5oz. Can of Chicken
1 Tbsp. Light Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Vinegar
2 Tbsp. Frank's Red Hot Sauce
5 Sprays of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
2 Deli Thin Slices of Cheddar Cheese
2 Tbsp. Reduced Fat Blue Cheese Dressing, I used Wish Bone.
4 Slices Sara Lee Delightful Bread

Preheat George Foreman grill or a lightly greased pan or a griddle. Toast bread on medium setting in toaster.  In small bowl mix canned chicken, mayonnaise, vinegar, hot sauce, butter spray until well mixed.  Spread mixture on toasted bread.  Spread 1 Tbsp. of blue cheese dressing on top of each partially made sandwich. Top with a slice of cheddar cheese. Top each sandwich with remaining piece of bread.  Place sandwich in grill or onto pan or griddle.  Cook for just a minute or so and flip to continue cooking until cheese is starting to melt. Slice each sandwich in half and enjoy!

We served ours with no sugar added applesauce, which was delicious!  The sweet apple sauce made up for the kind of spicy sandwich.  If you keep track of your Weight Watchers Points, this sandwich is 6 points.  You could even get creative and add some chopped up celery, which would be delicious! Also, the hubby doesn't love blue cheese, so we left that out on his sandwich. He just had some ranch on the side. We both enjoyed the sandwich so much, hope you do too!

The Confessional

A couple random thoughts of the season...
1.) I think I'm addicted to Pinterest. Why would I think that? Well, I was in church on Sunday. We were sharing the peace and one of my Pinterest friends said she was having a hard time keeping up with me, I giggled and said we'd have to catch up after the service. I turned to shake hands with another church go-er and instead of saying, "Peace be with you..." I said, "pinterest..." I'm sure I turned like 6 shades of red. Perhaps I should pin more about God? Or...I could just focus on being at church! Sheesh, lol.

2.) I drive by this one house on my way to and from work.  I've been worried because I can't see baby Jesus in their nativity. I have been worried that maybe someone stole baby Jesus. Seriously...where could be baby Jesus be?  It occurred to me tonight that maybe everyone, Mary, the wisemen, etc. are WAITING for Jesus to come...as in Advent. Duh...I bet they put Jesus out on Christmas eve or Christmas day. It was like a riddle in their front yard. I get it now.

3.) I was listening to that song, "A Baby Changes Everything"...I was thinking, how did Mary know when she was pregnant? Sure, she'd have the normal symptoms, but how would she know how far along she was in her pregnancy? Like was the moment she saw the angel the start of 9 months?  What was her pregnancy like? Low and behold the gospel in church on Sunday said something to the effect to when Mary would be pregnant.  Hmm...all very thought provoking.  Also, I wonder if she wanted to have more babies or if she was content knowing she carried the Lord, Our Savior, to term?

Okay, those are my meandering thoughts of the day.  Some comical, but the Mary thing is perplexing to me.  I like to wonder what it'd be like to interview Mary. Anyway, hope you are enjoying the holidays!

*image from: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2011/12/marys-pregnancy-test/

Tupperware Bonanza

I had a Tupperware party before we went to Hawaii.  It was by far the easiest party I have ever toasted, I only provided a few ingredients, and the rewards were amazing!  If you want Tupperware, you should really consider hosting a party to get it.  Products with a lifetime guarantee aren't always inexpensive, but my party made everything super affordable.  I was able to get lots of credit, half off items, free items, etc.  I paid very little and now my pantry is ready to go. It was just like Christmas morning opening up my giant box of hostess items.  Here is what I got...which doesn't include the gift I got for booking a party or the hostess rewards I didn't take like another half price item or another item that was offered...still this is so much fabulous Tupperware:

A couple of these items have some really cool features...

This is the spaghetti keeper.  I am terrible, really, at measuring out spaghetti.  So, I was so happy with the little measuring feature. Woohoo!

This is the microwaveable lunch dish I bought.  It has a special lid that you can vent when you microwave.  What I also loved was the cold cup! It slips inside the left divided area and can come out before you microwave, how cool is that? I got one as a thank you gift with my party and ordered a second one, because I loved it!

This little container actually holds 2 oz.  I'm so excited to use it for taking dressing, mayo, cream cheese, etc. to work.  Also a perfect size for a small serving of peanuts. 

This is a 4 oz. container which came with the freezer set I bought (see the cute snowflake?), but I got some extras for snacks...like making my own lunchables! I'm happy I can save money on using plastic baggies and stop losing money buying cheap stuff at the store that doesn't last.

This is the lid to one of my microwave n serve containers.  I like the instructions on the back...and the valve.  You don't do anything, other than put the container in the microwave and it does all the venting!

So, with my new kitchen additions, I had to use them.  I decided to make a recipe.  I vaguely recalled that you could take a cake mix and mix it with a can of pumpkin.  I was guessing I could bake the cake in the microwave just the same.  At my party, we made a chocolate cake in the microwave, so I had a general idea of how long to bake it.  I mixed one yellow cake mix with one 15 oz. can of pumpkin.  Then I added 1/4 cup of mini chocolate morsels.  I sprayed the inside of my 6 1/2 cup microwave n serve with cooking spray. Then spooned in my batter.  I microwaved for 9 minutes (in our ancient microwave) and voila...cake!

I had some caramel topping in the fridge, so I decided to pour 3 tsps on top, kind of like a glaze.

I sliced our cake into 14 pieces and served up a piece with a little dollop of whipped cream.  Delicious!!

An update on the interview process

While I was in Hawaii I got a phone call about the job.  They decided to open it up to external candidates, but didn't have any who met the qualifications.  He asked me a couple of follow up questions...like where I want to be in five years and if I could do the customer service piece day in and day out.  Then let me know I was still a top candidate and that I'd hear about a second interview the end of this week or beginning of next.
Yesterday, my supervisor called to let me know she had received a reference check from the person doing the second round of interviews.  She said she gave me a good a recommendation.  I believe it's between two of us to get the job.  Thanks for your continued prayers, I will keep you updated.  It'd be so nice to know before Thanksgiving, but that seems like wishful thinking. 

All that's going on

Do you ever have days where you are so anxious that you feel shaky from your toes to your fingers?  Today was one of those days.  I'm not even sure with where to start about why I am so anxious.  I have been praying for a change.  Praying for God to continue to take care of us financially and to take care of a situation with my back.  I am still waking up every morning and going to bed every evening in pain.  I am so thankful that my back pain is not as intense as it was, nor is it to a point that I need pain killers.  It's intense at times, but I can tolerate it.  When I visit with my doctor, he wants to put me on a permanent lifting restriction.  I'm not suppose to lift more than 20 pounds.  To do my job, I am suppose to be able to lift 50 pounds.  What might be shocking to some is that I actually was lifting that amount on a frequent basis until my last back episode.  My doctor doesn't want me to lose my job, so has been writing me temporary restriction notes.  I know that this can't go on.  I need to find a job that I can thrive in and give my back a chance to get stronger, etc.  I have been praying and praying and praying.  I prayed that God would somehow take care of my career, take care of my back.  Within a couple days an opportunity came up.  I was asked to apply for this position.  The more I heard, the more excited I was.  It's like I have fallen head over heels for this opportunity.  I feel like it's more than coincidental. 
Today I had my first interview.  I think it went well.  I'm just nervous from my head to my toes.  I feel so vulnerable.  Like I have bared it all and I've put it all out there.  I know that if this doesn't work out I'm going to be crushed.  I feel like there is more at stake than ever before.  I also am worried that I've counted my chickens before they hatched.  What if I read too much in to what they said when they asked me to apply?  I was incredibly flattered, I just hope they still think that I'm a great candidate.  A second interview will probably happen while I am in Hawaii.  Which means I could also get an offer or be told I wasn't selected while I was on vacation.  The opportunity is amazing and I'm excited to do whatever it takes to move my career forward, but I'm so nervous about what will happen if it doesn't work out. 
I need to let go and let God. Let go and let God. Let go and let God.  Trust that it's all in his hands.  Breathe in and breathe out.  All will be the way it is suppose to be.  For now, I'm just a ball of stress. Hopefully, I can sleep tonight and hopefully I can relax, breathe, etc.