Friday Five: What I've been doing lately

1. Kevin and I went to a shooting range one Friday night this summer, and it is definitely something I'd like to do with him again!  The 9mm was a little more powerful than I expected, but I shot better than I thought I would.  Here's a short video...

2. Avalanche bars are my latest Pinterest discovery.  Actually, I pinned the recipe a long time ago, but I just recently decided to make them.  Oh my goodness, they are delicious!  You only need five ingredients to make them, and they couldn't be easier.  I've made them twice already and Kevin has forbidden me from ever making them again (because they are irresistible!).  I think I'll pretend he never said that. ;)

3. Believe it or not, my friends and I danced in a flash mob last month!  There is a video of it out there on the internet, but I'm a little too shy and embarrassed to share it. :)  It started raining right before we were supposed to dance, but we waited it out and eventually did our thing.  It was nothing like the huge, perfected flash mobs that you have probably seen on TV, but we had a lot of fun and we're all glad we did it!

4. Lately, I've had several friends ask me to take family photos for them, and I am having a lot of fun doing so.  I really enjoy photography, and I jump at the chance to take photos for friends, because I know I can only get better if I practice.  Here are some of my favorites from recent photo sessions.

5. Last week Kevin surprised me with an anniversary trip to the BAHAMAS!  To say I was completely shocked is an understatement, and I still can't believe he planned an international vacation without my knowledge!  What a thoughtful and loving husband I have.  Thank goodness our families and friends are good secret keepers, because quite a few people knew about the trip and I was still surprised.  Kevin and I had an incredible time together, and I promise to post more pics from our trip...eventually.  I can't blog about that when I still need to blog about my parents' visit this past Spring!  Yes, I'm that behind on blogging.

Have a great weekend!

Friday Five: Random happenings

On the phone last night, my dear friend Sarah asked when I was going to blog again.  Although it was a reminder that I'm way behind on blogging, it was encouraging to know that someone noticed my lack of blogging during the past month. :)  Thanks, Sarah!

1.  Tonight I'm trying a new recipe that I found via Pinterest - Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps  They are healthy and easy (two things I look for in new recipes), so I hope they taste as good as they look!

2.  Kevin and I really enjoy the TV show Shark Tank.  Have you ever seen it?  If not, you should watch it.  Friday nights at 8/7c on ABC.  It's fascinating, thought-provoking and entertaining, and it has nothing to do with actual sharks.  The show celebrates innovation and capitalism, and it inspires great conversation between us.

3.  We have a new dining room chandelier, and I absolutely love it!  Kevin and my Dad installed it last week, and I feel like it has transformed the room.  My Dad also painted while my parents were here visiting, and you can see a glimpse of the new wall color in the background of this pic.  Not a dramatic change, I know, but a BIG change for the better in my opinion.

4.  A couple of months ago, Kevin and I went to a nearby auction with a bunch of our friends.  We didn't plan to buy anything, but we thought it would be fun to experience.  Of course, we each found something that we have been wanting for a very long time so we splurged and bought both things.  Kevin's find - a gun of some kind, I'm sure he'd be happy to tell you all about it.  (It's his very first gun.)   My find - a Louis XV style chair!  I've always adored this type of chair, but I've never purchased one because they are pretty expensive.  However, I bought this one at the auction for just $70!  It definitely needs a facelift, so I can't wait to find fabric with a modern design that will give this stylish chair new life.

For comparison, here's a similar chair available at Ballard Designs for $549!!!!

5.  Have you heard of Flat Stanley?  I was vaguely familiar with the name before last week, but now I have had my own personal experience with him.  My cousin's precious daughter, Bekah, sent him to me as part of a class project, and I was delighted to show him around South Carolina!

Friday Five - 3.2.12

1. Guess what Kevin saw while golfing at Parris Island recently?  Not one, but two alligators!  Doesn't this first one look like it's ready to attack?! 

2. A few weeks ago, we tackled a long overdue project of hanging a collection of picture frames on one of our living room walls.  As you can see in the photos below, we used the butcher paper method to position the frames, and it was very, very helpful.  I'm not sure where I originally found this idea, but I've seen it as a suggestion on more than one blog.  First, you cut butcher paper the exact size of each of your frames.  Then you tape the pieces of paper to the wall and move them around until you figure out how you want your display to look.  (I didn't bother using measuring tape or a level for this step.)  Once you decide on your layout then use a measuring tape and a level to determine exactly where each frame should be.  After each piece of paper is exactly where you want it, measure the distances on the back of each frame from the hooks to the outer edges of the frame.  Apply those measurements to the corresponding papers taped to the wall and then you will know exactly where to hammer the nails.  After the nails are in place, just remove the papers and replace them with the actual frames!

Now I just need to figure out which photos to put in the frames.

3.  So I'm not gifted in the art of flower arranging.  I have only tried a couple of times, but each time I try I feel like my creation looks nowhere near as beautiful as a professional arrangement.  Despite this, I believe my ability to arrange flowers can only get better with practice...so I'm gonna keep trying.  Before our friends came to visit a couple of weeks ago, I decided to buy some inexpensive flowers at the grocery store and arrange them myself.  I asked the man working in the floral department to give me some advice, and he gave me two helpful tips: 1. Use plenty of ferns and baby's breath to fill the arrangement. and 2. Create the arrangement in your hand first (rather than the vase) then cut the stems to the appropriate lengths before putting them in the vase.  I followed his advice to the best of my ability, and I think the arrangement turned out a lot better than my previous attempts.  Here's a pic of it a week after I created it and after I removed some dead stems.  It's not great, but it's not terrible either! 

4.  The Game of Things - We had a bunch of friends over last weekend, and we played this game for hours.  It's a great source of laughter and entertainment when you have a big group of people!

5.  I tried a new recipe this week - Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Soup.  Kevin really liked it, and I liked it too...so I think it's one that I'll make again.  Here's the link to the recipe if you want to try it.  The bacon and green onion toppings add a lot of flavor, but next time I think I'll add some seasoning to the soup while it's cooking.

Friday Five - 2.24.12

1. Have you heard of Ben Rector?  I do not know him, but my mom knows his mom because my older brother, Adam, and his older sister, Lauren, were in grade school together.  A couple of years ago, I watched his rendition of "Free Falling" and I was beyond impressed by his talent.  Recently, a friend shared another one of his YouTube videos on Facebook, and I thought it was so good that I have to share it with you.  From browsing his website, it's looks like he's becoming very successful and I think I might have to buy his album on iTunes.

2. Two of our friends, Clint & Kendra, visited us from North Carolina this past weekend, and we had such a great time with them.  They're reporting to a new duty station sometime this summer, and they don't know where that is yet, but we really hope they end up moving to our town! 

Kevin and I love having overnight houseguests, and one thing I like to make when we have company is coffee cake.  I make my late Grandma Dottie's recipe, and it never disappoints.  Here is the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
1 plain yellow cake mix
1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding
¾ c vegetable oil
¾ c cold water
4 eggs
1 t vanilla
½ c chopped pecans (divided in ¼ c parts)
¼ c sugar
2 T cinnamon

GLAZE INGREDIENTS:
1 c powdered sugar
1 T milk
½ t vanilla
½ T softened butter

DIRECTIONS:
1. Using electric mixer, combine cake mix, pudding, oil and water. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add vanilla. Beat 8 minutes (important).
2. Meanwhile, combine ¼ c pecans, sugar and cinnamon.
3. Grease bundt pan. Sprinkle ¼ c pecans in bottom of pan. Pour in part of batter, then alternate the pecan mixture and cake batter, ending with batter, until all is used.
4. Bake at 350°, 40-50 min. Cool in pan 15-20 minutes then turn onto serving plate.
5. Combine glaze ingredients in small mixing bowl. Add more sugar or milk if needed.
6. After cake cools, drizzle glaze over cake.


3. Pandora app - I think I'm a couple of years late to the Pandora party, but I just started using the app and I really like it.  It's nice to listen to while showering, getting ready or cooking...so you might give it a try if you're not already using it.

4. So, Kristen Bell, the actress, is obsessed with sloths.  I don't know why, but this clip about her obsession is really funny.  You should watch.  Oh, and when I showed Kevin this video, he said I look a little bit like her when I cry!  Gee thanks, babe.

5. Because our friends were coming to visit last weekend, I bought some fresh flowers to put around the house.  Here's a pic of the hyacinth I bought; I just couldn't resist the sweet smell.  For just $5.99, it's a beautiful, fragrant and affordable addition to our home!

Friday Five - 11.25.11

1.  Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you were able to see loved ones and enjoy tasty food yesterday!  As I mentioned in a recent post, my late Grandma Johnson's pumpkin bread is my favorite Fall recipe.  I made it again this week, and I think that everyone needs this easy recipe.  So, here it is.

My Grandma Johnson’s Pumpkin Bread

3 c flour                                                                           
3 c sugar                                                                         

1 ½ tsp salt                                                                     

2 c pumpkin (approx. 1 can)                                        

4 eggs                                                                             

2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon                                                   

1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cloves
2/3 c canola oil
2/3 c water
1 c chopped pecans

Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix well.  Divide batter between two large loaf plans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 ½ hours. 

2.  My mom and I made another pillow this week, and I can't wait to take it back to South Carolina to see how it looks in our living room!

Translation: Make yourself at home :)

3.  Gift Idea - Christmas is just one month away, and slowly but surely, I am getting my shopping done.  If you need a gift idea for someone who likes to cook or read then I highly recommend The Pioneer Woman's Cookbook or The Pioneer Woman's book, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels.  The cookbook is full of delicious, step-by-step recipes, and the book is intriguing and laugh out loud funny!

4.  UNION HIGH SCHOOL (our alma mater) beat Jenks High School tonight, 30-29!  What an exciting game to watch on TV with my family.  Next week, Union will play for the 6A Football State Championship...and yes, Kevin and I have been out of high school for over a decade, but high school football pride runs deep in Oklahoma. :)  Go Redskins!

5.  Operation Christmas Child - I mentioned this on Facebook, but it's such a wonderful cause that I want to post it here too.  If you're looking for a way to help a child in need this Christmas then go to this website to find out how you can pack a shoebox and send joy to a child in another country.

Friday Five - 11.18.11

1.  As you may have heard, Justin Timberlake attended a USMC Birthday Ball in Virginia last week.  He wasn't a special guest or anything like that, he simply accepted an invitation from Corporal Kelsey DeSantis, USMC.  I have a lot of respect for JT for accepting the invitation and attending the ball, but I have even more respect for him after reading the blog post he wrote about his experience.  His words seem very heartfelt and sincere, and I encourage you to read about the evening he calls "life-changing."  (On another note, how cool would it have been to be seated at a table with him?!)

My Night At The Marine Corps Ball by Justin Timberlake

2.  While persuing Justin Timberlake's website for the first time, I noticed a post called So You Think You Can Dance??? with a YouTube video in it.  Because I appreciate talented dancers (and I love the show SYTYCD), I clicked on it and watched.  Wow.  This guy can MOVE, and his video has had over 15 million hits!

3.  Cinnamon Rolls - My mom is the best cinnamon roll maker I know.  Last year, I wanted her to teach me how to make them (for real this time, since most years I just watch her).  We decided to make The Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls since my mom thought PW's recipe sounded a little simpler than the recipe she has always used.  We made them, my mom decided PW's recipe was easier/faster to make, and they were melt-in-your-mouth delicious!  We're talking about making them sometime in the next week, and I can't wait.  (In case you decide to make them, I'll warn you that I am not a big fan of PW's maple coffee icing, but I do love vanilla or orange icing on them.)

4.  Chickabug - I recently discovered this company and blog, and I think it will be a great resource for future parties, showers and events.  Check out this post about DIY decorative paper lanterns; what an inexpensive way to decorate vertical space!

5.  My mom knows how to sew, and I do not.  I really want to learn so she is in the process of teaching me the basics.  We've made a bunch of cute burp cloths together, and this week we tackled a new project.  A pillow cover with cording.  Although my mom has sewn many different things, this was her first time to attempt a pillow cover.  The pillow cover part was super easy for her, but the cording was rather challenging.  It was so difficult that I just observed and did a little pinning while she did all of the real work.  It's finished except for hand stitching the opening along the bottom, and I think it turned out beautifully!  Thanks, Mom!

Friday Five - 11.4.11

1.  If you need a crowd pleasing appetizer, try this one!  I made Veggie Pizza for the first time recently, and it was delicious.

I used a few different recipes to create my own version of veggie pizza, but the recipe in the link above has all of the basics.

2.  If I had black hair (and eyebrows), this is how I would look...YIKES!  More on this event in a later post.

3.  I made an easy dessert on Halloween (Trick or Treat Brownie Cupcakes) that could easily be made into a Christmas treat.  However, I don't recommend using cupcake liners when baking these because the brownie cupcakes will stick to them!  (I learned this from experience. :) )

I put Reese's PB cups on mine instead of miniature candy bars.  Yum!

4.  I joined Pinterest the other day, but I'm so overwhelmed by it that I haven't even "pinned" one thing yet!  It seems like a great way to organize your favorite links and get inspiring ideas so I plan to start using it.

5.  Have you seen video of the two little girls, Sophia and Rosie, who appeared on Ellen recently?  They are pure entertainment if you need a pick me up!

Have a fabulous weekend!