some cool stuff...

...you know, i just realized that i say "cool and "stuff" a lot.

oh well.

could be worse, right?

so, i have a board on pinterest called COOL STUFF.

(all photos and links can be found there, so come on by. 

clicking on the link will take you straight there:)

believe it or not, there are people who are not on pinterest,

maybe even don't know what it is.

well, it's SOOOOO cool!

a place to "pin" or save photos of just about anything and categorize them, 

follow friends and see what they are pinning...

i'm sure i didn't explain it that well but you get the drift.

so for those who don't go on pinterest, i decided to share a few things i found from one of my boards...and i think i have about 52 boards.

everything from cool stuff to yummy food to pinks...whites...beach...diy...kids stuff.

and so many more.

but today is about cool stuff so here goes...

how cool is this...wingback chair recovered in pink polka dots.

polka dots just make me happy:)

 this is a wide, ruffled scarf type thing that is so wide, it serves

as a wrap.  and it's made from felt.  cool!

mason jars are BIG down south.

maybe they're big everywhere.

i know one thing, when you see how cool this is, you'll be digging out your

mason jars and spray painting them gold!

  the reason i think these macaroons are cool is i bet

someone could buy them and make a little bow from fondant.

someone better than me:)

cool.

okay, clearly i have WAY too much time on my hands,

because i love this...and i'm going to glitter my keys!

not my finger nails though.  just doesn't do much for me, but hey...if you think it's cool...

okay, i'm sharing this because someone pinned it and said this about it:

"This is my new everyday lip color--NYX in Thalia. It's moisturizing, has a nice scent and is only 4 bucks!"

It is beautiful! 

 (and i think NYX is that inexpensive makeup line New York City, )

sold at drugstores.

scrabble anyone?

how super cool and easy do these cookies look?

i would say these are just a basic sugar cookie w/icing.

except i would probably eat 500 in one game:)

okay...i'm doing this too...

decals on my stand mixer!!!  isn't this cute/cool?

and this is just adorable for someone having a bad day/week...

"when life gives you lemons, make lemonade"

and you just made it a bit easier when you give this!

here we go again...

i have stairs that look just like this...

or they will, after i get done painting something on them.

let's see...when is my husband going out of town again?

don't worry...he actually misses it if he comes home and doesn't smell paint:)

i just love this...

isn't that a great saying?

not to mention the very cool and unique way it is displayed.

i need to remember this!!!

so there you go...a few of the things on my 

COOL STUFF board on pinterest.

hope to catch you surfing around, looking for "COOL" photos!

have a good one...

Suzanne

Making Decisions and Modeling...

decisions.

something i've never been terribly great at.

and apparently i passed that gene on to my sweet Taylor:)

maybe we think too much.

or maybe we like too many things, if that's possible.

but one thing is for sure...

we often get 

S

T

U

C

K

at this street corner...

this time, the indecision involved Taylor...my ballerina.

or as I like to call her...

Taylorina.

(oh, she just LOVES that. hahaha)

anyway, this is the time of year to audition for and decide on which

summer intensive (ballet) program to go to. 

and the older she gets, the more important the decision becomes.

she auditioned for 7 schools 

(you never know how the audition will go, what they are looking for...stuff like that.)

 so you do your best to increase your odds.

She was accepted to all...Kirov Academy, Boston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Met, Ballet Austin and North Carolina Dance Theater. 

they're all very good.

one of these she attended last summer and they very much wanted her back...

SO, what to do?

we narrowed the list to three, but 

 for us, three is too many to choose between:)

my husband said he would help us decide.

sweet, right?

i think we were just driving him NUTS:)

plus, his idea of making a decision would be this:

what are the choices?

which one is the best?

Okay...that's where she's going.

GEE...thanks for helping us work through this.

MEN!

but GOOD news...

we made a decision yesterday.

yes, Miss Taylor weighed her choices and decided that she needed

to go to a very selective program.

and that program (for her) is...

B

O

S

T

O

N

B

A

L

L

E

T

!

great school, wonderful history, great professional company.

i think it's a good choice:)

and since we try to make a girls road trip out of it every year,

it doesn't hurt that we are only an hour or two from...

KENNEBUNKPORT!

ahem...

this had NOTHING to do with my preference as to where she went.

no.

not at all:)

but we've been thinking,

we need to bring another girl along on our trip.

so...

M

O

M

what are you doing the end of June?

come on...

last time we were in Kennebunkport was the beginning of my MS stuff.

mom...i need you with me.

your granddaughters need you.

is my guilt trip working?

no pressure or anything.

(heeheehee:)

anyway, Boston Ballet it is.

whew...i hope we have a break before our next big decision.

this is exhausting and stressful.

but it feels good to be done.

and we are going to be talking to the one she was at last year.

because they were good to her.

she liked them a lot.

and she very well may want to go back next year.

no bridge burning here!

so, moving on.

what about this MODELING?

well, in keeping with the Taylorina blog post,

she has been doing some modeling lately.

(and let me tell you, the pay is not bad:)

she has modeled in leotard and tutu for a local artist

who teaches ABSTRACT painting classes to some lovely ladies at her studio and the 

art center in Naples.

Ballerina Art

(abstract...meaning the painter interprets the subject. not detailed. or something like that:)

she LOVES the modeling,

even though she is sore when she gets home.

she says it looks beautiful, but holding one pose for a long time is tough.

but fun!

so there you have it...

taylorrina...

making decisions and modeling.

i'm done rambling.

have a WONDERFUL day!

(and thank you to Jeannie at the the Gilded JunqueYard for inspiring me with some cool blog ideas.  go visit her. you'll love her blog and her too:)

CIAO,

Suzanne

fruit loops, prayer, recipes and Oscar dresses...

yes it is!

monday...start of a new week.

did you say your prayers this morning?

a little church humor:)
but so scary true some days!

i know i need a lot of help through my day.
how about you?

breakfast...

sometimes i wish i could just sit down to a big bowl

of apple jacks, fruity pebbles, captain crunch...

or FRUIT LOOPS!

(oh wow...what a cute idea!!!)

but back to fruit loops.

i ate sugary cereal while growing up...

and i didn't turn out too bad.
i don't think.
(did i?:)

what gives with all the tasteless, grainy, seed crap anyway?

please, please, please...if you know of a good cereal, tell me.

before i fall off the wagon and have breakfast with Tony the Tiger:)

let's see...how

how about a big helping of THIS too cute for words photo...

ADORABLE!

and please don't let me EVER run across one of these little trailers...

i'm truly afraid i would buy first and think later...

now THAT'S never happened before.

not too many times anyway:)

and the oscar for best dress goes to...
Gwyneth Paltrow...hands down!!!!!

I KNOW this is just my opinion...
but in a year of many blah, "i wouldn't wear that" dresses,
hers stood out as simple, clean, tasteful, elegant and classy.
Calvin Klein dress with a long cape from Tom Ford.
hey...Tim Gunn liked it...

so i'm in good company:)

but what the heck was Angelina Jolie doing, throwing her leg out like that
all the time?

i mean, who stands like that???
we could SEE she had a tacky big slit.
i'm surprised she didn't throw herself off balance.
maybe it was to take attention off of her bony arms;)

and J Lo gave us her usual tasteless idea of fashion.

even though i'm no longer a fan,
she CAN be pretty sometimes.
it's just not a cool dress...and what's with the hair?

anyway, i do have a second pick.
one you might not expect.
no high powered box office draw.
no big time actress.
but clearly someone who knows a beautiful dress when she sees it.
Lara Spencer, from Good Morning America.

good job, Lara!

honorable mention...
Octavia Spencer from The Help,
who clearly knows you can be beautiful and classy
at any size!

and Viola Harris, also from The Help.

not overly crazy about the cut of the top,
but the green dress is very flattering and just plain refreshing for a change.
too bad your movie, The Help, didn't win best picture.
gosh...silly me.
i forgot...rarely does a movie the public LOVES, win.
they need some unknown movie to take that honor...and it did:)

what else, what else...
i know...DINNER!
tonight i'm trying Honey Sesame Chicken in the slow cooker,
found on pinterest, by Six Sisters.

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (could also use olive oil or canola oil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional - doesn't really add heat, just adds more flavor)
4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 Tablespoons water
Sesame seeds

Directions: 
Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened. Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.
*You can also sprinkle more red pepper flakes on top if you want more heat.


and for dessert...

Pineapple angel food cake
8 servings1 serving=4  pts (weight watchers)!!

1 box of angel food cake mix
1 can of crushed pineapples in juice (not syrup)

Mix together cake mix and entire can of pineapples and bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top.

leaving you with this thought...

Happy Monday!
Suzanne
xoxo

happy things: curling up with a good book

well, a few days back I put out a plea for some

GOOD book selections.

thank you to all who commented and emailed me.

now, i want to share the suggestions with you

***NOTE:  i haven't read these myself so please read

the synopsis and reviews.  

but i DO have some of the greatest readers in all of

blogland, 

so i am pretty sure the choices are good ones,

but as I said, see for yourself!

Books:

i am suggesting this book...

Gift from the Sea.

Very short, easy read...but a special book.

from Sugarplums and Lollipops:

the trailer park mysteries ...

other suggestions received are:

(supposedly the next Grisham?)

from Paula at thriftymomma...

and two of my favorites come from my own sweet girl, Jordan.

She suggests two very inspirational books.

one goes without saying...

I'm so proud that this is the type of book she chose.

and being a huge tennis fan,

her favorite male player is Rafael Nadal.

she found his book inspirational, informative and as a mom,

i appreciated that it was clean

 and he doesn't talk about partying but of a simpler life,

growing up in Spain and of his love for the game.

probably the COOLEST thing i learned about was a

website that will suggest books for you based on your favorites.

http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/

All you do is type in one of your favorite authors and

it will give you a list of similar authors/books.

like i said, pretty cool!

please remember to preview these on your own.  

hopefully you will find something to curl up with:)

XOXOXO

Suzanne

Desperately Seeking Good Books...

...and since it's Friday,

a few other random things.

but first...BOOKS!

one of my most loyal readers, who LOVES to read,

needs help finding some good books.

this is what she had to say:

"I love a good, clean story that makes you want to hurry home

and pick up where you left off".

some that she has enjoyed in the past are:

 Deb Macomber Blossom Street and other titles,

Sarah's Key, The Help and John Grisham Books.

See a trend?

good clean books, easy to get lost in,

 relatively clean in regards to content and language...

can you help...PLEASE????

I'll share your wonderful suggestions on my blog,

so thanks in advance!

now for the random part...

i worked out with a trainer last night.

did you hear my girls LAUGHING all the way from

south Florida?

because, as they said 

"Mom...we've heard the saying legs like jello or legs

 that buckle, but never knew it really happened"!

hahaha

actually, i was laughing too.

we were cracking up!

untill i couldn't sleep for HOURS as my legs were restless/achy.

 it was kind of scary...

is that what MS could do to my legs someday?

jello-like, rubbery, weak legs?

like i said, kinda scary.

i think i'll stick to other types of exercise...

SANE kinds of exercise:)

didn't mean to be a downer or anything!

just saying...

okay, okay...

SUMMER is coming!

i'm going to tell you something i am in love with...

and you can get them at WALMART!

i love to wear cami's with everything...

jeans, shorts, under sweaters, jackets, to work out...

and believe it or not, there are some good cami's and some awful ones out there.

but these are at walmart...come in a few different colors,

have a shelf bra, are LONGER than most, so no bellies hanging out...

 the sizes go way up so they do not cling if you don't want and best of all, they only cost $4.88.

not bad, huh?

Old navy has this ombre long sleeved tee that i kinda like...

i think it might look pretty with a tan...

and it looks so comfy.

i would get it big and loose.

and because i need to get moving...

one last thing.

i saw this on pinterest today.

it even inspired me to make a new board for things

that make me go "Oh Heck"!

as in "oh heck...is this for real?"

cake batter rice krispie treats from

gimmesomeoven.

here you go...don't hate me!

Cake Batter Rice Krispies Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 (10 oz.) bag of mini-marshmallows
• 1/3 cup yellow cake mix (the dry cake mix, not prepared into a batter!)
• 6 cups crispy rice cereal
• 1 (1.75 oz.) container of sprinkles

Method:

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat and add marshmallows. Stir until they begin to melt, adding in (dry) cake mix one spoonful at a time so its combined. Stir in cereal so it is completely coated with marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle in half of the sprinkles and mix. Press into a baking dish (any size will do) and top with remaining sprinkles. Let sit for about 30 minutes before cutting. spraying a knife with nonstick spray helps to cut them.

*****use the rat of the cake mix to make MORE...or make a few cake batter cookies

AND PLEASE remember to tell me of your favorite books!!!!!

See you tomorrow...

Suzanne