Shaggy little puppies..

It's about time that we give Emmy and Milo's "Aunt Chelsea" a call.  We have two shaggy little puppies again.  We were outside enjoying the warm (!) weather this morning, trying to get some good pictures of two active little pups.  They are starting to look a little shaggy.  : )..  Aunt Chelsea has her own grooming shop through a vet in Excelsior Springs.  I've known her and her family (including Wayne and the rest of the Famous Seamus and the Travelbongs) since I moved here in 1998, while dh has known them since he moved here in high school and since Chelsea was born. 

She did such a great job of transforming our shaggy little puppies from something like this..

 And this..

 Into these cute little puppies..

 And this little hound dog..  Lol..

 Here's my shaggy little boy this mornin..

 And my shaggy little girl..

Aunt Chelsea!  We need ya!  Stat!

: )..

Monday Morning Training.. Yay..

Long day ahead, starting with two hours of Diversity Training for my group home job.  I'm hoping that it covers the fact that different cultures have different beliefs in treatment and disclosing information as opposed to how we should treat each other.  And, I am hoping that two hours is too short of a presentation time to include role plays.  Ugh.  I'd rather have my foot repeatedly slammed in a door.  Lol.  We are adults.  We can understand a concept without having to, "act it out".

Unfortunately, even though this training session may pass without it, I know that within a week, I am scheduled for a five hour training session through ADT that will not only be chock full of role plays, but homework (whut?!) and projects for an on-going, monthly group session for our new Aubrey Daniels way of life.  Yay.  Joy of joys.  Role play.  Homework.  Projects.  And it's only Monday.  : (.. 

However!!  It's also one day closer to my Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner Winery Dinner at Fence Stiles Winery in Excelsior Springs.  : )..  That food sounds sooo good.  The wine is great!  I can't wait.  And, we are scheduled to have near record high temps today!  It's possible that we might hit 70 degrees.  Can you say spring fever?  Lol.  Although..  Today and tomorrow are both supposed to be great, it's supposed to turn this weekend and we have a possibility of snow.  Sigh.  Really?  January is going out like a lamb and February is going to be a lion.  I'm going to do my best to enjoy the next few days!  : ).. 

I discovered that the link to my friend's blog was messed up, I think it tried to put the link on two lines.  She's done a great job and has added more to it as well.  If ya'll wanna check it out, click HERE.

Alrighty.  I better run.  Yay.  Training.  Yay.  And after that?  A full evening shift at ADT.  : )..  Awesome.

Mediteranean Popcorn.. : )..

I've been trying to eat healthier foods, including snacks.  I have been snacking on yogurt with fruit, apple slices with peanut butter, almonds and a few other assorted odds and ends.  Now, I found this delicious idea from our Tyco Health Matters website.  It's a pretty tasty little snack, and a lot more healthy than the regular version of microwave popcorn.  Here it is..

 One pack of fat free butter popcorn..

 1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

and 1 tablespoon of Parmesan Cheese..

1 1/2 teaspoons of Italian Seasoning..

 Put the popcorn in a bowl, drizzle with

EVOO, then Parmesan Cheese

and then the Italian Seasoning.

Toss to blend well.

You can store it in a sealable

plastic bag.  It says to eat it

within two days.

It's a pretty good treat...

 I was enjoying it while sitting outside

on our deck, it feels a lot warmer than

that looks.  The pups were playing,

until Milo realized I was snacking on

popcorn.  He even liked it, although

he didn't get much.  He liked it

better than he did this lime.  : )..

He wants to know what in the heck that is!

He said..  Ughh!  Blech!

Aha.  I think I have found our new

chew stopper.  Limes.

Sooo much tastier than bitter cherry

spray!  Ick.  That stuff is terrible on

burgers.  It gets everywhere!

Poor puppy.  Although he did lick it

twice.  : )..

I'm linking up to Debbie Doo's Newbie

party again.  Ya'll should check out her

website!  She has a lot of great newbies

and she's got a lot of neat ideas as well!

Kahunas! : )..

Yummy!  I love Kahunas.  : )..  DH found them at a local diner and we've been making them at home ever since.  I love a good breakfast sandwich, and this one is delicious.  Usually, if I am cooking, I try to avoid anything that takes too long.  I have enough other things to do, I don't feel like taking extra time cooking when I know that I am the one who also gets to clean.  Yay.  Thankfully, we have a dishwasher that isn't me.  Ha. 

I decided that our Kahunas sounded really good and that, despite the fact that I still had the same amount of stuff to do, that everything else could wait.  I'm glad that I did because they were yummy!  Here are the steps..

 Brown some breakfast sausage..

 Chop and sautee some onions..

Cook an egg with a broken yolk..

Layer the sausage, a slice of cheese,

the egg and onions.. 

Put your other slice of bread on and

grill both sides..

Open the sandwich, add shredded

lettuce and a little bit of mayo.

DH loves adding hot sauce.

I'm a wuss.  I stop with the lettuce and

mayo..  Lol.  : )..

Enjoy!

---

Found out yesterday, one of my friends

has started her own blog..

She's doing a great job!

Click here to check it out.  : )..

Welcome to the blogging world

Jeanie!  : )..

French Dip Sandwiches.. : )..

I put a beef roast in the slow cooker yesterday morning before I left for work.  Had a leisurely day at work, upgrading Microsoft updates on our computers, working on our Most Missed qa criteria and working on a pod decoration for our American Heart Association challenge that is coming up this next weekend.  Lemme tell ya, it's going to be great, we have a seriously talented newbie who has gone above and beyond when it comes to the challenge.  : )..  It already looks great, I'm sure it will only get better!  Our group is soooo going to win.  I will make sure to post pics when they take and post them.

Came home yesterday evening and walked into a yummy smelling kitchen.  The beef roast was soo tender, it fell apart everytime that I tried to pull it out of the crockpot.  It was super easy to shred with forks.  Here are the pictures and steps..  Of course, it was super, duper ez.  It turned out really well though!

 Beef roast..

 2 cans Beef Consomme.. 

 Low heat, 8-10 hours..

 Makes the beef roast nice and tender..

Shreds so easy because it's falling apart..

 Toasted, cheesy Hoagie buns..

(I still need to buy new baking sheets..)

Plated along with the au jus sauce

and some Martha Stewart

Italian French Fries..

Click here for the recipe..

I think this would have been great

with my ez pz sweet potato fries as well.

Super easy, super good!

My brain has gone on vacation....

Soo..  We finished our 6th round of evals at work and have a little down time before we start again next Monday.  Whew.  My brain called me a few questionable names and then left, popping back around the qa department corner to give me several withering, hateful looks.  Lol.  It went back to our Kemah, Texas vacation.  It loves it there.  I don't blame it at all.

 My brain on vacation..  Lol..

However!  Right now?  Wow.  It's back again!

One of my co-workers googled his old hometown

of Boston..  Hmm..  I googled my old hometown

of Fulton, MO and found this picture!

 I spent 30 years there and never

saw the beauty of Fulton like this

person did!  Wow!

What an amazing photo!

I had to have more!

This is a local Missouri photographer

Notley Hawkins..

I found his website..

Check it out if ya wanna.

I sure am!

I don't normally buy photos

like that, but lemme tell ya!

I might just have to make an

exception.  Phenomenal photog!

Click HERE for the website..

Wow.  What an amazing talent!

My brain agrees.  : )..

My iphone is slowly dying..

It's not a problem with the battery.  It's not a problem with the phone.  It's the fact that we have had our iphones over two years and Apple has come out with newer versions.  We are no longer in a contract with AT&T, it's been long enough that we could move on if we chose to. 

Bit by bit, our iphones are dying.  First, it was our Weather Channel application.  It kept crashing.  I deleted it.  Clicked on the app store icon.  Found the application again.  Clicked install.  Boop!  Error message.  "This app requires an upgrade".  Really?  Umm.  K.  Nah.  Not ok.    : (.. 

Next, I decided that I needed new games.  Boop.  "This app requires the ios4".  Really?  Whatever.  Next.  Again.  And again.  And again.  Finally got a few ancient games to load.  I'm only finding one or two games that don't require the brand spankin, been out on the market for a month or so iphone.

Now?  Facebook.  Crash.  Crash.  Crash..  Nooooo..  Not my facebook.  Crash.  Ugggghhhh.  Crash.  crash.crash.crash.  Dang it.  Delete.  App Store.  Social Networking.  Facebook.  Boop!  Noooo!  I can no longer add the Facebook application without upgrading to the new phone.  Really? 

My iphone still functions.  It still works.  : (..  The phone still makes and receives calls.  It still sends and receives emails.  The calculator still calculates.  The apps?  They are slowly dying.  One app at a time.  Sigh. 

I am suffering Facebook withdrawals.  Especially when dh is sleeping and I can't get on the 'puter at home.  I am addicted to the electronic convenience to which I have become accustomed to. 

Soo.  DH has already decided that it's finally time to "upgrade".  To another iphone?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  Lol.  Yay.  I don't know if I want to do this again within two years when Apple upgrades to the iphone 5.  I'm keeping my ears and eyes open to other people talking about their phones.  Samsung?  HTC?  Blackberry?  Hmm.  The possibilities are endless.  Thankfully.  Sigh.  : (..

Even my Pandora app (which I love Pandora and my, "Susie Blue" channel) started bugging out yesterday.  I was stressed enough without that.  Lol.  Started to play Pandora, it would play about 30-40 seconds of a song and then...  freeze.  Really?  : (..  nooooo.  ugh.  dang it.  : (..

Curse you Apple!  : (..

sigh.

Time for a new phone though!

Yay!  : )..

Milo this mornin.. : )..

Reminded me of this..  Milo doesn't understand what this box is in front of me.  He just knows that I stare at it a lot.  Lol.  How could I sit here and plick the keys on the keyboard when there is a living, breathing, loving little puppy anxiously waiting for my attention?  Oh wait!  He found a kitty to chase.  Lol.  That'll buy me about a half minute.  Moving toys.  How fun are they?  Milo says, "They're great!" and gives it one paw up.

Alrighty, quick blurb before I go and play with the puppy so that the cat can rest, dh made a couple adjustments to the White Turkey Chili last night and it was delicious!  : )..

Here is the original recipe..

And here is a picture of the new version..

He substitued cooked chicken cubes

for the ground turkey and added whole

kernal corn instead of the creamed corn,

put it in a tortilla and drizzled it with

lime juice.

Yummy!

Alright..  Puppy time!

TGFBS.. : )..

I love Pier One Imports.  They always have such great merchandise.  I could spend what little money I had left over from the informercials there.  Luckily though, the one item that I buy the most, costs oh so little.  It's a little slice of Heaven on Earth.  Just when I think I might lose my mind, ahhh..  I can grab..  My back scratcher!  I have one upstairs.  I have one downstairs.  I have one at work!  Oooh, they are sooo handy.  My back itches enough that I could probably carry one with me at all times.  I resemble the itchy commercial with the girl who played the cello.  Ugh.  Itchy back?  I couldn't do without these!  Pier One sells them for 99 cents. 

I had a co-worker who was eyeing my back scratcher with envy once, but declined a test drive.  I stopped and bought her one of her own.  : )..  She was oh so grateful.  Now?  Lol.  They are spreading like wildfire in the QA department.  I have noticed at least one of our other quality assurance co-ordinators with one at his desk as well.  Ohh.  Such little money for such a great, great, great invention!  Luv it, luv it, luv it!  Ahhh.

If I had to choose between a Schitcky and a back scratcher?  I would never have a clean house.  Ha!

Behold..  The Pier One Import's Back Scratcher Extraordinaire..

40 Minute Countdown starts.. Now!

Lol.  Soo.  DH has to get up super early again, so I'm on a library computer.  Had to stop by anyway, so I thought I would hop on and take their 'puters for a spin.  Dang.  Already down to 38 minutes.  That was a super fast minute!  Sheesh.  Anyway, I'd better get to movin or else I'll be halfway through my post and whoosh!  Out of time.  Wish I had something witty to say.  Hmm.  Nuttin.  Getting ready to make the pot roast with au jus sauce when I get home.  Had to go grocery shopping on my own.  That was interesting. 

Everything that I picked up, I could hear dh saying, "that cost too much per pound".  Dang.  I don't do very well when I shop on my own.  I had a grocery list and think that out of all the stuff I had on it, I got about 60% of what was there.  Sigh.  I did make sure that I had enough for lunches this week and some items for supper.  This should be interesting.  Lol.  I am not good with a budget, but stayed well within the money that I had for the trip. 

Anyway, here's my recipe for the pot roast with Au jus..

1 2-3 pound roast (beef or pork - I choose pork because it cost less per pound).
2 cans beef consumme
Swiss cheese
6-8 hoagie buns

Place roast in greased slow cooker.  Pour consumme over the top of the roast.  Cook on low 8-11 hours or on high for 5-7 hours.  Remove roast and save the extra juice for dipping.  Pull the roast apart with a couple forks when it is done, it should almost fall apart.  Serve on the hoagie buns and dip the sandwiches in the juice.

Alrighty.  31 minutes to go.  Hmm..  28 minutes.  Ok.  Done!  : )..

Addendum: Got home, dh was up for a minute..  Said I was right about the price on most of the items so that was all good.  Had stayed $10 under the budget...  But...  He wasn't up for the pork roast with beef au jus so we scrapped the roast for now..  Lol.  Guess we'll find a beef roast somewhere instead.  Whew.  I hate shopping on my own!

A quiet Sunday..

Had a tension headache all day long and finally got some meds for it tonight.  Didn't get much accomplished, unless you consider a couple naps with the puppies something.  Lol.  Anyway, here are a few funny things to end the night.

Tennis Balls, Toys and Collars.. Oh My!

Went puppy shopping today without the pups.  They kind of lose their little puppy minds when they go to the puppy store and we needed some new supplies for them.  We got a new collar for both of them, squeaky toys for Milo and a new green spiky ball for Emmy.  We also grabbed a tennis ball and two Comfort Harnesses as seen on TV.  Hopefully Milo won't chew through this one.  Anyway, here are a few pics of Emmy and Milo enjoying their new stuff.  : )..

 Emmy's new collar..  And the only way

she takes pictures when awake..

 Fixin to love on her new

green spiky ball.. 

Milo watchin his new

squeaky toy..

Alrighty, time to go play.. 

Catch ya'll later!

Tag! You're it!

I've been tagged by Myric at PetitesPassions.  She has some of the greatest craft items, especially the one that she made with items left over from her wedding!  She is a great blogger and is a great blogger friend!

Okay.. Onto the game

............................
The Rules:
1. You must post the rules.
2. Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then
create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged.
4.Tag eleven people and link them on your post
5. Let them know you've tagged them!

Ok..  Here it goes..

11 Fun Facts About Me..

    My friend and I were the youngest girl's softball coaches in our hometown, starting at 16 years old.  We had a winning season that year.

1. I love sweet pickles with cream cheese or peanut butter.
2. My favorite summer activity has to be swimming.  : )..  I used to spend summers in a pool.
3. I grew up as a tomboy and think that I still am in a lot of ways. 
4. My parents made us a deal when I played softball, they would buy a pizza for every home run my brother and I hit.  I kept us in pizzas until February one year.
5. I was in Concert Choir as a sophomore and Junior, but you will never hear me singing by myself. I sound ok when singing with the radio.
6. My favorite veggie is corn.
7. I am addicted to pizza.  I think it's because of my softball prize.  Lol.
8. I used to have a dark tan when I was younger, but rarely ever have anything more than a farmer tan now. 
9. I can snap my fingers to the “Lone Ranger” theme song.
10. I have naturally greenish-yellow eyes and people always ask me if they are my real eyes.  Umm.  Yeah.  : )..  Lol.

Myric's Question for her tagged friends:

1. Where is your ideal retiring place?  Charleston, South Carolina.  : )..
------

2. Which food you do not see yourself eating?  Sushi.  Lol.
------

3. If you have an opportunity to ask one question to your favorite celebrity, who and what question will it be? I would have to say, Kiefer Sutherland.  "Is your new show going to be 24 Jr?"  : )..
-----

4. What do you think is the most romantic food?  Surf and turf.  Shrimp and steaks.  With a little bit of wine and baguette garlic bread.
------

5. Who's blog do you visit the most?  Oooh, I have several.  I love Eleven-O-One, Debbie Doo's, Brown Paper Packages, but then I have my friends blog's that I try to visit each day as well.
------

6. If you are to award one blogger who and what would it be?  I would have to say, Cindy at Whimsical Musings.  She is forever making things for other bloggers and takes the time to encourage others while she and her husband are going through adversity.  I would say the award would be an "Angel Award".  : )..
------

7. What are you passionate of the most?  The welfare of animals.  They can't defend themselves as well as we can.  We have some despicable people in this world and in this city who haven't done right by dogs and cats and if I should ever find them, they will beg for mercy.  I would strap them to a chair and make them watch, "Where the Red Fern Grows", "Old Yeller" and "Marley & Me" until they are beside themselves.  I might even toss in a couple Sarah McLaughlin commercials for good measure.
-----

8. What other foreign language do you wish you could speak?  Italian.
----- 

 9. Which era in the history would you like to go back for a visit and why?  My early school days.  I would love to change some of the things in my life and study more.  I was a procrastinator back then.  No.  Really!
-----

10. Were you a member of a club in high-school? If yes, what was it?  Thespians.  I was in one play in high school.  I played an urchin in "The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of the Crowd".  I almost had a solo during it, but couldn't break myself out of the Concert Choir "la.." voice to find my inner, "grrr" voice.  Lol.
-----

11. Do you prefer Savory or Sweet dish?  I'm not a big sweet dish fan, with the exception of deep fried ice cream.  I would have to say Savory.  This one sounds pretty good!

My questions for my tagged friends:

1.  If you could have one super hero power, what would it be?

  

2.  What helps you cope or de-stress after a long day?

3.  What is your favorite music?

4.  What is the one food you could never do without?

5.  Do you have any odd idiosyncrasies?  (Don't worry, I do!)

6.  What is your favorite place to visit?

7.  What is your favorite season of the year and why?

8.  If you could have everything you have ever wanted, would you still want it all?

9.  Who is your favorite comedian or comedienne?

10.  Do you prefer salty or sweet snacks?

11.  What is your favorite kind of movie?

Now for my list of tagged blogs:
Tina at Our Home In The Maples..
Jill at Chillin With Jill..

Bliss at Bliss Ranch..

: )..

Longest.. Week... Ever....

Lol.  So, how can short weeks seem like the longest week ever?  Sheesh.  I'm tempted to let my inner child loose to do her little "I don't wanna work anymore..." dance.  Ugh.  One more lonnnng day to go.  Whew.  I actually have the entire weekend off this time, despite the fact that my group home co-worker was hinting around that I could definitely work her overtime shift for her.  Yeah.  Right.  Nah.  She cut me out of being offered the shift, sooo, I didn't feel the least bit guilty about saying, NO!  : )..  Ha!  Ok.  I didn't say, "Ha!" to her, but it was there.  Lol.

Catching up on the housework and laundry this weekend though.  Joy of all joys!  Can't wait.

Perusing the Yahoo stories and found an article about the Vasquez family and three kid's version of Adele's, "Rollin in the Deep" cover.  The kids are 15, 12 and the singer is 10.

Check the video out here.  They've got a great sound and a bright future for sure.

I think the article said their father is a music producer?  Lol.

I'm betting they will be heard from soon.  : )..

I need a Schticky! : ).. Lol.

I could spend a fortune on infomercials.  I'm tellin ya.  I would have the Slap Chop, the SliceOMatic, the Pasta Boat, and a whole host of other wonderful, amazing cooking and cleaning products.  Now?  I found this!  And before you think I have lost my mind (ha!), here is my inspiration for "It's soooo schticky!"

But, I digress.  Back to the Schticky!

I have corduroy furniture!  With cat hair!  And dog hair!

I have debris on my carpeted stairs!

Thankfully, I don't have unwanted guests, although,

look how easily it conquered that spider in the cobwebs!

I have spiders, well on occasion!

I have dust bunnies!

I have cat litter that one of our cats loves

to sling half way across the utility room floor!

I have hairy carpets despite constant vacuuming!

See?  I really need a Schticky!

Stat!  : )..

I love infomercial products.

I really do need a Schticky though!

Really.  I do!

No.  Really!

Honest.

For real.

I have all of those Schticky problems.

It's sooo schticky!

My old friends..

Today would have been one of my sister-in-law's birthday.  She passed away before I met my husband, but after getting to know her kids and hearing stories about her, I am sure that she was an awesome person.  Each one of her kids are great in their own way.  My condolences for the family's loss.  I know that it is hard on them all, especially on a day like this.  It is also coming up on the anniversary of the loss of another good friend of ours, "Breeze".  Barb was such a great person and we miss her dearly as well.  Here's to both of them.  Until we meet again...

Fast post.. Lol..

DH has to be up at 2am so he's headin to bed and that's where the puter is....   Soo..  Tonight..  Here are some funnies that I've been stockpiling to tide us over..  : )..

Pinterest can wait today.. : )..

I decided the puppies were right!

Pinterest could wait!

Ahhhh..

Sooo nice..  Sitting outside in shorts

and a short sleeved shirt..

In the middle of January..

Really?  Realllly.  : )..

Can you tell what Milo's favorite toy is?

It's half of an alligator.  Lol.

I would say that we let the stink

blow off the puppies, but they

both found something questionable

to roll in..  Ha!

The puppies were definitely right.

Pinterest schminterest.

I'm addicted to warm weather.

This is me today! : )..

Soo.  After our Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner Winery Winner Wine Tasting and Pairing Party in October (which was awesome), I have been looking forward to the Level 6 Missouri Winery Passport Journal winery dinner for four at a location of our choice.

We had the tasting and pairing party at Belvoir Winery in Liberty, MO.

Our dinner is going to be at Fence Stile Winery in Excelsior Springs, MO.

They have delicious wines and after looking at the dinner menu choices,
I really think that this is going to be my favorite reward from the Wine Association!

The dinner will be catered from Ventana Cafe & Coffee House.

Click here to view their menu..  : )..

William and Shriti from Fence Stile suggested some great choices, including buffalo chicken soup.  Ohh yeah.  That sounds sooo good.  I'm really looking forward to the main course as well.  I'm trying to decide between the New Orleans pasta, which has spaghetti, lemon pepper chicken, roasted red peppers, red onions, crushed red pepper, cajun spice with lemon twist and is served with garlic toast or the Tuscany Pasta, which has sundried tomatoes, artichokes, mushrooms, spinach, feta, olive oil and garlic.  They both sound great!

Anyway, after going to Fence Stile today and enjoying the wine, weather (almost 60 degrees) and a picnic, I've been feeling a little "winey".  The wineries had magnets and t-shirts with funny quotes, such as "Screw the cracker, Polly wants wine!".  My favorite though?  I found a t-shirt at Stone Haus that only had one word, but it was my favorite none the less.  It inspired me to create my latest submission for Debbie Doo's Newbie Party.  Please check out her website, you won't be sorry!  There are some great crafters who have joined, especially this one!  .  Without further ado, here it is..

 I have had these marble tiles from Lowe's for a while..

 I bought these crafty little stickers with my White Elephant WalMart Gift Card a while ago..  : )..

 So I stuck the letters on my tile and painted over them..

 Let it dry and then peeled the letters off..

Wineaux.  Lol.  That's me in a nutshell.  : )..

I love the wineries here in Kansas City.

Ladoga in Smithville..  Seriously?  Forward all my mail there, I am home!

Fence Stile in Excelsior?  Friday nights spent sipping wine while watching movies outside around their fire pit?  Count me in!

Belvoir in Liberty, MO?  Ghosts can't scare me away from their Sorelle Dolci!  Ha!

Wineaux.

Lol.
It doesn't get better than that!