Food Fun Friday- Seven Layer Southwestern Salad Review

Nothing says summer like a salad.
Even if it isn't hot where you live (sorry for those of you who are sweltering)
I found this here at Hoosier Homemade

Seven Layer Southwestern Salad Recipe:



1 1/2 c. Sour Cream
3/4 c. Salsa
1 (15 oz) can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 large green bell pepper, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions
1 head lettuce, cut up
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 c. corn chips


Directions:
In small bowl, mix the sour cream and salsa, set aside. Drain and rinse the beans. Dice the pepper, tomatoes and onions. In large bowl or platter, layer, beans, pepper, lettuce, tomatoes and onion. Spoon sour cream mixture over layers or serve on the side. Sprinkle with cheese. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Add corn chips.

Wednesday Wisdom

It is much more valuable to look for the strength in others. You can gain nothing by criticizing their imperfections.

Daisaku Ikeda

wedding preperations

Well I hope you are not tired of my endless showing of the wedding preparations...because frankly you better close your screen now.
It's all I do. Well,  besides go to work.
laundry,
cook (or not) dinner,
take my mother to the doctor to have more teeth pulled,
you know normal day to day activities...
This weekend I made these darling shoe clips! 

Thanks Lauren for the idea.  Instead of the bridesmaids getting red shoes... they can just wear their own black shoes and use these flower shoe clips!!

I also made the flower girls cones with the same little shoe clip flower!

hmm wonder if they want one for their hair?

and lookie there, 20 chair sashes in the back ground.
And here is the guest book, made with this beautiful pin I found here in town.

Stay tuned for more excitement!  There always seems to be more to make!! But I enjoy it so much that I look forward to coming home and getting design happy!
We leave in 4 weeks, San Francisco here we come!

stressed is desserts spelled backwards- which do you prefer?

when I am stressed, I shut down

or

I get all gigglie

so today I'm choosing the giggles...

MIDDLE AGE TEXTING CODES:

ATD -at the doctor.
BFF -best friend fell.
BTW -bring the wheelchair.
BYOT -bring your own teeth.
FWIW -forgot where I was.
IMHO -is my hearing aid on?
LMDO -laughing my dentures out.
ROFLACGU -rolling on floor laughing and can't get up.
TTYL -talk to you louder!

The woman who botoxed her 8year old for beauty pageants lost custody.
The child didn't look surprised.

Our grandson’s scoutmaster must have fainted when he saw what he’d texted to his troop’s parents: "Scouts 7:00 Sharp at the Church. We will finish up Aviation, Cycling, and Gynecology Merit Badges."


That was followed by this message three minutes later: "Change of Plans. We will not be finishing up the Gynecology Merit Badge. Instead, it will be the Genealogy Merit Badge."

and I'll finish by posting  ... THE  funniest picture I have seen in a long time!

You're welcome

Food Fun Friday- Roasted Summer Vegetables

It's simple
It's easy
It's healthy

 This was one of the best dishes... and so easy, yes you bet I'll be making it again.

Roasted Summer Vegetables (serves 6)
3 zucchini
3 yellow squash
1 1/2 TBL Kosher salt
1/2 black pepper
2 TBL EVOO
Heat oven 400
If needed, peel vegetables and slice into 1/4 inch thick slices.  Assemble vegetables to your preferred dish and drizzle olive oil on top.  finish preparation with kosher salt and black pepper.
Bake for 30 minutes

 I only used 1 zuccini and 1 yellow squash (there are only 2 of us) in a smaller pan.. it was wonderful!
I found it here: http://www.bakersroyale.com/savory/summer-roasted-vegetables/
with THEIR BEAUTIFUL picture

mine was still just as good!

Something to think about

Wednesday Wisdom

First of all I'd love to say that I love all my blog friends, and Thank you so much for commenting and helping me with all these wedding ideas and designs, you are all so creative and appreciated!

now on with the show:

You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.”

Henry Drummond

I've got the wedding bell blues, or REDs

I've been making the chair sashes for THE wedding... I though I was done.. but I mis-calculated and have to make 10 more! sigh
They should look something like this:

I don't know what else should go down the isle.  The ceremony takes place above the beach on a terrace/deck of the restaurant.  I'm afraid that it will be a little windy and rose petals down the isle are a little cliche, although traditional.
Any Ideas out there?????
oh and have I mentioned that the wedding is 6 weeks away!!!!

A lavender weekend

The Lavender Festival has come and gone...
but the beautiful blossoms and aroma linger on

And let's throw a Beautiful Wedding into the mix...
my friend Carmen has a new photography company go check it out here:  Clix by Carmen
she really took some great shots:

Now you'll have to take a look at my camera shots.. which only goes to prove that I need lessons (and a better camera)
I went to a lavender farm before the weekend crowd.. and snapped a couple of shots:

This is where they place all the plants for sale! you know on the flower bed..

 This is my lavender field before harvest

 after the harvest>>

Here's the elk-- walking (running) out of town. I snapped this picture on my way to work. (looks like they were getting out of town before the lavender crowd descended upon us!!)

 and I just can't help show you a few more pics of the beautiful wedding.. here's the desert bar, yum yum

 and cupcakes too.

All in all the weather was awful this weekend.  It was so rainy.  The outdoor wedding overlooking the water... had to be moved inside.  It rained off and on all weekend so you were lucky if you got to see half of the street fair before it rained.  And as far as the lavender being in bloom??????  It really is about 2 weeks behind schedule.

Gotta love the Pacific North Wet

small little typo there.. or maybe not!

bullet points to answer

Most of the time  I like to read in bullet points.  I think in bullet points, so it makes sense that I would write in short bullet points too. 
I do not like my blog to go on and on and on. (get to the point will ya)

I read the blog of a witty witty woman, a real writer, (unlike me who uses the adj witty twice to get my point across!!) She is a total Seattle woman (do you know what I mean?), with a recent college grad daughter and high school senior son.

Mrs. G      http://derfwadmanor.squarespace.com/imported-20110328043219/2011/7/14/wednesday-13no-reason-no-motive-just-curious.html



Her blog can sometimes be a little off color but always true to Mrs. G’s nature. Her ideas and writing are addictive. I miss her when she stops, which she does frequently (she had a little run in from her home school group on Pioneer Woman)--but I digress.

She posted a questioner that I thought was quite enlightening...     Enter my bullet points..
This is a little longer post of questions than I normally like, but each question is intriguing. 
I thought....
WHAT DO MY READERS THINK...

so please take a couple of minutes to let me know-what is going on in your mind/world.
(ok I'll go first)
1) What actor/actress gets on your last nerve?
2) What is one thing seemingly spectacular thing you bought as a child with your own money?
3) Do you miss anyone right now?
4) What is something you’d like to change about yourself today?
5) What is the last book that made you cry?
6) Do you have a scar? How did you get it?
7) What was your first car?
8) Can you play an instrument?
9) Are you currently keeping a secret?
10) Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert?
11) What song do you know all the words to?
12) What is your favorite musical?
13) What is something you used to think before you knew better?

Wednesday Wisdom

Until you make peace with who you are, you'll never be content with what you have.

--Doris Mortman

forgivness- and faith

So after a couple of talks on Sunday.. it got me thinkin'..(I usually hear talks and think, oh yeah I've heard this before and just listen and that is that.)  The talks on Sunday were about forgiveness and repentance.  There were a couple of points that were? questionable.. and I guess about 'your' experiences...
I cannot find the quotes given.. and wonder if they were quotes?
specifically: that you need to forgive because in not forgiving, it is worse than the offense.
nope I don't get that.
I do understand that not forgiving is "like a canker for your memories and will eat at your soul"
but I just don't get how it is worse than the offense.
and as I am apt to do...  I will not dwell on it, but if you have any insight... we all might learn something.

And as long as we are speaking spiritually... my friend Momza wrote a FANTASTIC blog post about having faith and buying a home (read selling a home for me), getting the mortgage needed and ...  Having Faith.....
I need this, I need to read this every day.. my family needs to read this..(I'm going to read it again)
Momza's blog
so if you find yourself in need of knowing a little bit about faith the Mormon way you can read her blog.. she is pretty funny, and such a cool example of a mom and grandma!

I need to have faith, or more specifically, I need to exercise my faith.  Take it out for a walk. 
and faith and prayer go hand in hand. 
I have to go take my new friends Faith and Prayer out for a walk.

There were creative goodies in the mail!

I am so blessed.....
look at all the creaitve goodness in my mail
no reason -- just for fun!

just look at that 'name' tag, genius... how did you know that stars are my thang???

and when I opened the wrapped gifts I was bowled over.... the, I mean it, THE perfect necklace, handmade of course with jewels and ribbon rosette and such beautiful embellishments..

perfection for us creative types

and then... there's my saying, well not mine-like I didn't think it up, but I sure say it enough:

Shelly is amazing and has more energy in her little finger than I could ever have. 
And her creative energy and cheerful sunnyness is nothing compared to her concern for others... ok ok by now her head is so big she can't fit it out of her darling little bungalow!!!!...   (here's her blog: Bungalow Bling)
Have I mentioned that I've met her?  She came all the way over to my little town to have lunch...
Energy, Thoughtfulness, Creative talent and let's not forget her love of a good time. (can you say party animal) 
I've loved her blog and all the things she does and gets herself into ! hahaha--
I first started to read it because of all the crowns she makes:

and  THEN there are the cake toppers...KIERI ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION>>> They are all so creative and beautiful  

I'm her biggest cheerleader
go shelly- - go shelly
A super duper Thank You for all the goodies..

Saturday Feel Good, I believe

Back in the Saddle again- or 59 degrees never felt so good

Life is always better after a little visiting with this guy..

First and foremost lets just say that Arizona is hotter than anyplace should be.  There, that's it and that's all I'm going to say.  Why be cliche' and go on and on and on about the 120 degree days, the air that is dry to breathe, the sweat that doesn't appear because it is so dry that it wicks away any moisture...  point made.
5 days away from home were filled with family

and Carson

and Kieri's wedding stuff

 and crafting

and partying (Lauren decided to have a 4th of July party and everyone came... and brought a friend...or two)  We (Kieri) made these YUMMY S'more cookie bars. (I did the dishes.)

In the words of Carson..."go go go go go go go"  that describes our time in AZ.
oh, here are a few pics from bath time... this guy is irresistible.
 
 
yep, miss them already.
sell-house-sell

everything's okay

                                

I'm flying off to AZ to see this little guy:

or this big guy I should say since the last time I saw him in person he looked like this:

but truth be told I can't wait till I can see him like this:

his mom does a great job of supplying me with up to date pictues!