Warm, Cozy and Yummy. . . . . .

brrrrrrrrrrr. . . . . .

it's been just a bit chilly outside, hasn't it?

even down here in south florida,

although nothing like up north.

and frankly, i like this chilly weather.

we don't get much of it you know, so we have to take advantage!

like, pull on a sweater, wear some cute boots, make some hearty

comfort food.

stuff like that.

but i know what a cold winter is like,

really, i do!

so i've put together a few things to warm you up a bit.

i hope:)

to start with, i hope you're all bundled up in a cozy blanket

maybe reading a book by a

roaring fire!

maybe you're on the computer,

doing a little online shopping or looking at all the fashion sites.

gosh, i'd move north just to wear these cute clothes!
or maybe not:)
but i still love the clothes!

don't you just LOVE this button purse and the cute booties?

i do:)

it's a good time to cuddle someone. . . . .

or something you love:)

go ahead, say it. . . . . .awwwwwww!

now, we can't forget something warm to drink.

hot cocoa is always a good choice.

especially hot cocoa with marshmallows.

especially hot cocoa with chocolate chip marshmallow eyes:)

my favorite warm drink happens to be a drink at starbucks.

but my girls figured out how to make it without buying some pricey flavored syrup
and whatever else they use.

the drink i'm talking about is a 

warm caramel apple drink.

and it is soooooo good!

it's super easy.

simply heat up a mug or pan of apple juice.

stir in caramel topping you would use for ice cream, to taste.

garnish with a bit of whipped cream and caramel on top.

y.u.m.m.y!

ok, i don't know if i've mentioned this or not,

but we are trying to eat a bit healthier around here.
trying.

so when i saw this recipe for stuffed peppers without rice on table for two blog,

i knew we had to try it.

last night, jordan made a batch.

and let me tell you,

these are SOOOO good!

light comfort food.
quick and easy.

not bad, huh?

you have got to try these!

Easy Stuffed Peppers

1/2 pound ground beef or turkey

1/2 large sweet onion, diced

1 cup frozen corn

1 Tbs or so taco seasoning

3 large bell peppers, seeded and halved

1 cup shredded cheese (i used two kinds...cheddar jack and pepper jack)

olive oil

~on a large baking sheet, place your pepper halves on them and drizzle olive oil all over them.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the peppers are bubbling up a bit and translucent around the edges.
~While peppers are baking, saute onions in a tsp or so of olive oil until soft.
Add in the ground beef or turkey and cook till browned.
Mix in the taco seasoning.  Stir, then add in the corn.
~Cook for 5 min. more then remove from the heat.
~Place the (cooled) pepper halves in a casserole dish, then spoon the filling into the peppers.
Trust me, it's okay if you stuff them a bit much:)
~Sprinkle cheese on top of the filling, then place it under the broiler till cheese is melted and bubbly.
~Serve immediately.
***Makes 6 pepper halves. . . . .but these are soooooo good and light tasting,
you should plan on doubling the recipe.
I would give ANYTHING to have leftovers for lunch today:)

well, are you getting warm yet?
need more help???
here is one more....
Crockpot Chicken Teriyaki

 1lb chicken, 1c chicken broth, 1/2c terriyaki or soy sauce,

 1/3c brown sugar, 3minced garlic cloves... 

Optional... a can of drained pineapple, peppers

There was no cooking "time",

but if you use a crockpot, it's either on low for 6-8hrs. or high for 3-4 hrs.

(hope i got that right:)

if you like, serve over brown rice and add sesame seeds.

well, i've rambled long enough, right?

let me leave you with a thought for your day. . . . .

happy friday!!!

Suzanne

welcome, happy people!

this is summer...

isn't life supposed to be lazy and relaxing?

haha...then why do i feel so busy?:)

it's all good though...spent many fun days at the beach,

so maybe it's time to get to work.

speaking of work,

making stuff for my friends shop is keeping me busy,

so i haven't been around much.

i thought maybe i'd just share a few photos from pinterest

 that might make you smile, think or laugh today,

until i get a chance to do more.

this next one just gets me every time i see it.

such a sweet, true message and those girls...

notice the little one has down's syndrome.

just precious!

TRUE...

Patience...

last but not least, my beach gypsies:)

XOXOX

Suzanne

simple thoughts...

...that happen to be very true:)

think about it...

 

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Suzanne

The LOST Generation

Well Happy Monday everyone!

Just got back from a few days at one of our favorite places...
Marco Island Beach.


FUN, relaxing FAMILY time...
perfect kick off to SUMMER!!!

So, this means I have some "Mom" things to do today
and won't be coming up with an amazing blog post
(like I ever do, huh?:)

BUT...
I have to share this video with you sent to me by my friend,
Georgia Barbie.
It's REALLY GOOD...
and VERY SHORT...
so PLEASE watch and read carefully...
Hey, I even turned off my music for this so you KNOW it must be good:-)

The Lost Generation...

A palindrome reads the same backwards as forward.
This video reads the exact opposite backwards as forward.
Not only does it read the opposite, the
meaning is the exact opposite.
This is only a 1 minute, 44 second video and it is brilliant.
Make sure youread as well as listen...
forward and backward.
Take a minute and... watch it.
And if the video doesn't load, you can go to You Tube
and search for Lost Generation.



Hmmm...something to think about, right?
Back tomorrow with some HAPPY!!!

XOXOXOXO
Suzanne
P.S...To my subscribers...I am so sorry if this was sent to you 2 or 3 times.
What can I say...I am an idiot when it comes to posting video :)

Pixie Dust...

If it's Saturday...it must be PINK Saturday.
My favorite day of the week.
And wouldn't you know it...
I got caught up in all kinds of projects and didn't finish my pink plans for today.
So I will leave you with a few pink thoughts for your day and quickly send you on to other beautiful blogs.
But please check back next week as I am planing a pink party and my girls will be doing the pink baking on their blondes in the kitchen blog.

Before you go, please remember that on Pink Saturday, all you need is
"Faith, Trust and a little Pixie dust".
Tinkerbell








Thank you to Beverly from How Sweet the Sound for hosting another pink Saturday!

Pink Hugs,
Suzanne

Happy...

Just a few thoughts about being happy...
Hope they make you smile:-)happy laundry...




happy shoes...(I had orange ones and wore them with a dress...happy,happy!










...and my favorite...
Happy Thursday...
from me to you

A Handbook for 2010...Great Advice!

Oh my gosh, my sister just sent me this email and
I loved it so much that I tossed out the post I was in the middle of writing
to pass it on to you. (Now if she had a blog like I have told her she should,
she could post this herself.:-)
Hope you like it too!
XOXOX
Suzanne

~HANDBOOK 2010~

~Health:~
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6.Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

~Personality:~
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...

~Society:~
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything..
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

~Life:~
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come..
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

What I Learned This Week...

I haven't done one of these in awhile and since I I've learned some things recently, thought I'd give it a try. This is what I've learned this week...

~I learned that sometimes you have to step away from the computer once in awhile to take care of life...be a mom, help someone who needs it...and just recharge in general. I did that this week (as all of you know who left me comments and emails and I have yet to answer...so sorry:-) And to take this a step further...it felt good. It felt really good...and I highly recommend it if you need a break:-) I read a long book (for me) from start to finish, fit in some exercise, reworked my eating habits, helped my girls with school and had some nice talks with my husband at night when I am usually too tired or on this thing.

~I learned that I consume waaaaayyy too much sugar in the course of a day. Carbs too, but who doesn't! No wonder I am tired and struggle to even lose 2 lbs. I cut back on calories, exercise...nothing. But when I started tracking my carbs and sugar and limiting them to good carbs and only 15 grams of sugar, I realised that I take in over 50 grams of sugar with my coffee and breakfast alone. Yikes!!!! After one week of cutting back and eating healthier, I feel better already...and lost 4 lbs. I doubt I will ever stick to anything forever but it is good to be aware of this so after having too much sugar for whatever reason (Holidays...) I know how to get back on track. (And we all know about the good carb/bad carb stuff, right?)

~I learned that sometimes adults are thoughtless and do stupid things to kids. That always surprises me. I see this all the time, from the competitive moms who put other kids down to make their kids look good to insensitive ones who just don't think...but it still surprises me. This happened to one of my daughters recently and as we talked about it, I found myself saying what I say all too often... "Sometimes the only thing you can do is learn from their behavior and don't act like them when you are an adult." But you know what...I teach them not to act like that as a kid so maybe some adults still need to grow up:-)

~Which brings me to the next topic which will probably also bring me hate mail. Is there anybody else out there who thinks facebook is not the great communicator people claim it to be but a weird way to relive highschool...AT BEST? I suppose there are those who use FB and Twitter in a good way but it seems like there is so much "look at me, look at my kid, this is where we went on vacation, this is where we ate dinner"...every day. I love my friends and family as much as the next person but it seems kind of competitive, or something. I know we do some of that on our blogs but it is not every second of our day and every thought that crosses our mind. (Some of the status updates are just plain stupid...who cares if you are at a red light and trying to decide between Taco Bell and Wendy's?????????) And then there are the status updates which have the subtlety of a 100lb brick sometimes. And I won't even touch the amount of snooping into other peoples lives and gossiping about it...yep, high school to me. I have concluded, along with a few others in my life, that FB does not in any way make me a better person so to quote "The Sharks" (my favorite new show:-)...Count me out!

And now for a few quickies...
~I learned that Truvia is the most amazing sweetener. (Other than good ol sugar but we already went there:-)
~I learned that it is hard to find a pair of jeans. Wait...I'm sure I've learned that MANY times:-)
~I learned that there is nothing like a new set of sheets and a fluffy comforter. Now if only I could get my dog off the bed to let me enjoy it:-)
~I learned, or maybe I was reminded, how much I love to read.
~I learned that my old house, the one I loved and it broke my heart to leave...is going up for sale. Hmmm...better not touch that one...but you know it's killing me:-) Can you ever go back? I'd sure be willing to try!
~I learned that Mondays are not so bad if you do a little planning on Sunday.
And speaking of Sunday, I'll leave you with a thought our pastor said at church yesterday. I've thought about it a lot and it is so true...

"The worst day of your life is still better than the best day in the life of most people in the world". Think about it... I know where my next meal wil come from, don't live in a war zone and do not fear being physically abused today, just to name a few horrible scenarios. So I am wishing you a wonderful day and a prayer for those whose days are likely to be much worse than mine, no matter what.
XOXOX SUZANNE

The Power of Words...

...My best friend once walked into my home and told me she loved being there because everywhere she looked, there were inspiring words and sayings. She said "If you guys aren't inspired every single day, there's something wrong with you"! Well Deborah, that's what I'm going for. But I'm worried it's a little like living within view of the mountains or ocean...because you see it every day, you no longer notice:-) Hope not though!!! Anyway, you never know what life is going to throw at you (or if you ask my girls, what kind of mood mom is going to be in) so while you're in my home, hopefully you smile and feel just a little bit more encouraged and inspired.

Most of the signs are self-explanatory but I will explain a few...



The "smile" sign is hanging in Taylor's room. People who meet her say she is "always smiling". Good...I taught her well:-)




Well, it is, isn't it? This was a little thingambob that came as part of the gift wrapping on a present. Don't you just love things like that? Kind of like an extra little gift. SAVE THESE!!!! You can do one of 3 things... use them around the house like I do, pass on to another friend as part of their gift wrap or use it as a decoration on a Christmas tree. Seriously, sweet little things like this make the best ornaments and have a ready-made memory attached!




Hey...it beats crying:-)




What can I say... I LOVE chalk boards! The one above is hanging on the wall between my daughters' bedrooms. Just in case they tune me out when I say this over and over...it's in writing, too!



This chalkboard is in my foyer and the message changes weekly.




Probably the first thing you see when you walk in my front door is this "Believe" sign...because I want you to know right off the get-go that we believe:-)




"Live a good life"...This is hanging above my front door so when you walk through on your way to the outside world, you are reminded to live a good life:-)




My best friend gave me this when we moved. On the bottom she wished us well in our new home with a very special note. So sweet...I will keep it always!




"Wish" is a cool sign that is hanging above the windows in my dining room. Why the dining room??? I have no idea. Maybe because I WISH i could eat whatever I want and not gain weight:-)




Another little thing tied to a gift that has found a home in my kitchen on a cupboard knob. "Celebrate life"...enough said!