Oh Hey Friday | Regroup. Refocus.

I am so relieved that today Friday.  Not just the normal ‘Yay! It’s Friday and I have a whole weekend of fun ahead of me’ but I need a mental break.  My weekdays are so jam-packed and I need to figure out a better way to survive function.   

In addition to working 8.5 hours a day with a  1-1.5 hour commute Monday through Friday, I have taken on a side gig that can really only be done during the week, after my other job.  So now three days a week I get up at the crack of dawn – actually it was still dark this week – so I can leave my day job by 3:30-4:00pm to do some side work.  And then I have to go home and make dinner, clean up, spend time with my hubby, crawl into bed… and then I try to blog.  I love this little space of mine.  I can’t remember the last time I felt so freaking excited as I do when I get a comment on a post or an email about my blog.  It makes me feel so so so good.  And right now I want to put so much energy into my blog but I am so exhausted and I feel like I’m doing the opposite and it’s actually suffering.  I have posts I want to write but have simply been too exhausted this week.

You may ask why I have taken on this side gig when it’s kind of wreaking havoc right now… well it’s an opportunity that was presented to me by a woman I truly admire, the closest thing I have to a mentor.  I jumped at the chance to work with her, to learn from her and I am determined to do what I have to in order to succeed.

I need to regroup. I need to focus.

And as a result, more Friday randomness coming your way…

1 | I want to try meditating
I need to clear my mind. I know what's important to me, I know what I want to do, I know what I need to do, but I feel like I need to shut everything out and empty my head. Relax. Breathe, really breathe. And then I can make a plan, map everything out and make it work for me and my family. 

I hear Oprah and Deepak’s 21 Day Meditation Experience works really well… have any of you tried it?

But let's be honest here - this is probably how it will actually go for me:

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2 | Blog love = SEO
My blog needs some serious SEO TLC. As in I'm basically not doing any. Thankfully I have been working with Kristyn from Chits and Giggles and she has found some great resources for me. I am actually really excited to work on this stuff and hopefully get some more exposure.

3 |Sales Plan
My new gig is all sales. I have never done sales so it's a steep learning curve for me. I need to strategize better, make a plan for say, a month at a time. I feel reactive and to be more in control I need to be proactive. If anyone has any sales tips or advice on cold calling, please send them my way!

4 |Coconut Oil
My skin is so awful right now! I am breaking out like I did in high school! And my rosacea is at an all-time high. So when I saw this posted on Instagram yesterday I took note... I haven’t been living under a rock so I have heard of all the benefits of coconut oil. I figure there is no harm in trying it on my face so wish me luck! I will keep you posted.


5 | SOA Season Premiere
Hubby and I wanted to re-watch the last few episodes of season 6 so we knew what was going on and we finished the last one last night. So tonight we are watching the premiere and I. am. so. excited. We are getting butter chicken from our favorite place, wine obviously, pjs and snuggling on the couch.

Oh and Jax. 



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Linking up with Karli and Amy, and Leslie from A Blonde Ambition!

 

 

To PSL or Not?

I got to my desk Monday morning and found a little present waiting for me from one of my colleagues.

 

 

On Fridays I treat myself to a 'fancy' coffee, my favourite being a white chocolate mocha or as I like to call it Heaven in a cup (on vacation I even get the whipped cream). Monday through Thursday I drink office coffee made slightly better by all the flavoring crap I bring in to disguise the taste.  I simply can't bring myself to spend $5 every morning on a coffee plus I'm too lazy to take the extra 5-10 minutes to stop and get out of my car (no drive thrus on or even close to my route). So when I see the Starbucks coupons my heart (and wallet) do a little happy dance. And then I realize that there are TWO coupons for a pumpkin spice latte. PSL x 2? Really?

 

 

I have had exactly one PSL in my life and have even commented on other blogs that I'm not really a fan. The weirdest thing for me is the colour. Orange coffee? At Thanksgiving and Christmas I don't eat a whole piece of pumpkin pie but I always have 2-3 bites. Pumpkin loaf doesn't thrill me but I can wash it down with coffee. Brown coffee.

 

So I now have the coveted Starbucks coupons (seriously, I don't even know where he gets them) but two of them are for the infamous PSL. Can you see my dilemma? Do I suck it up and try it one (two) more time(s)? I could be super friendly and give the coupons to someone who loves PSLs... but I tend to be a glutton for punishment.

 

So... to PSL or not?

UPDATE! I did it, I gave it another shot (with only half the syrup to see if that would make a difference) and while I didn't hate it I won't be ordering another one.  So I have decided to give the other coupon away to someone who will appreciate it... as well as the two I received a couple days later.  Seriously?! 

 

Recipe: No Fail Roasted Potatoes

I can usually get my husband to spend some time in the kitchen on Sundays so when I was making our meal plan for the week, I had a little plan up my sleeve.  I found an easy crock pot recipe that I could throw together quickly and that would be well complemented by his yummy roasted potatoes.  We have slightly different tastes when it comes to potato chunks (read french fries) because I like them super crispy and he likes them a bit softer.  These potatoes come out kind of as a mixture and he cooks them just long enough so there are crispy ones for me and softer ones for him, hence the name No Fail Roasted Potatoes!
These have lots of flavour and were a perfect addition to the crock pot chicken and spinach salad I planned for our Sunday night dinner.  They are actually so easy that even I can make them but will take advantage of getting him in the kitchen any time I can!  So seriously, anyone can make my hubby's No Fail Roasted Potatoes.

Ingredients Makes 2 generous portions 3 small yellow potatoes 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp rosemary 1 tsp seasoning salt 1 tsp garlic

1 | Peel and then cut potatoes into 1 inch chunks.  Cover with water, add a dash of salt and set to boil. Boil for 10 minutes.

2 | Drain potatoes and put into bowl.  Add EVOO, oregano, rosemary, seasoning salt and garlic salt to the bowl and mix well.

3 | Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly to avoid sticking, then spread the potato chunks on the sheet.

4 | Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, remove baking sheet and toss potato chunks around a bit, then bake for another 10 minutes (or longer for crispier potatoes).

5 | Serve and enjoy!

These delicious potatoes went so well with our Crock Pot Italian Chicken and as you can see I got some nice crispy pieces.  It's always nice to collaborate on a tasty meal and you know what they say: Happy Wife, Happy Life!
How often do you get your husband in the kitchen?  

Weeked Recap & Meal Plan

What a gorgeous weekend!  The sun was shining, it was HOT and with no commitments we had two full days of doing whatever we wanted.  It was lovely and very relaxing.  But it probably makes for a boring weekend recap so my apologies in advance...
Jinx didn't appreciate my Saturday sleep in - of an hour - and he let me know (don't you love his 'dining area'? we have to keep it out of Milo's reach so he eats in a corner of the office).

The Mr. spent the morning doing some stuff around the house with tools, loud tools that Milo did not like.  As in did not leave my side for the entire two hours which was not fun.  He even laid right beside me while I was taking my bath and he normally refuses to enter the bathroom because he knows that where he gets dumped into a pool of water.

After our productive morning my hubby took off to hang out at a buddy's and K came over for drinks and appies.  We blended up a batch of yummy blueberry lime margaritas (you can get the recipe here) and soaked up the sun in our backyard. 

And that's all the photos I took.
Oh wait, except this one I took while I was grocery shopping - Halloween already??

Sunday was spent doing exciting things like laundry and recovering.  Gotta love a lazy Sunday!  I also spent a fair amount of time on Pinterest and added a couple newbies to our meal plan for the week.

Sunday:  This chicken recipe was one of my Pinterest find and screamed Sunday dinner, throw the ingredients in the Crock Pot and let it take care of itself. Easy peasy.  Hubby made his amazing roasted potatoes and I served it with a spinach salad, it was delicious!

Monday: Another recipe I found on Pinterest, this Sour Cream Noodle Bake had me at cream.  I wanted to get it all ready to just throw in the oven but I ran out of prep time on Sunday but we'll see how it goes.

Tuesday: We recently added pork chops to our menu and I have done them in an Asian-style marinade the last couple times and my hubby really likes them.  Apparently they have enough flavour to please his taste buds so I will keep these on the menu as long as I can.

Wednesday: Grilled chicken breast on a caesar salad, so. quick. so. easy.

Thursday: One of my favourite nights of the week is when we have breakfast for dinner... I love scrambled eggs with light cream cheese mixed in.  I would be happy with the eggs and a piece of toast but I have to beef it up for the Mr.

Friday: Dinner out :)

How do you manage to minimize prep and cooking time during the week?

Linking up with Bella and Lisa for the Weekend Recap, Biana, Monday Morning Gossip and Meg's Monday Mingle! 

   

Oh Hey Friday: Stalking and Swapping

Happy Friday!  So did anyone else feel really off this week?  Normally I love a short week and love how fast another weekend comes around but this week I was extremely sluggish. I had to drag myself out of bed and no outfits worked (and of course I hadn't planned the night before)... I'm telling ya, it was a rough one.  But Friday has arrived and that means wine is in my very near future!  Oh and it's supposed to be gorgeous outside both days so I should probably take advantage of that.

Seeing as I was a tad loopy this week I am freestyling today so get ready for a bunch of random.  

1 |  New Connections

We got some exciting news last week that resulted in me writing about my hubby's rare condition called LCHAD... if you're new to the party check out this post.  And then a couple days ago I got a message from a mom whose young son (and possibly her daughter) has LCHAD and she started a blog about it.  This is the first non-medical person I have connected with who knows what LCHAD is and I have this blog and the blogging community to thank for that.  Pretty cool.



 2 |  Currently Loving to Hate my iPhone

My phone keeps spazzing out and decides not to send or receive text messages, and kicks me out all my apps and offline  so basically my phone is just a phone.  As in all I could do on it was talk.  Like back in 1996.  My current contract is up in January and I am hoping to switch to the hubby's carrier and get some sort of family plan so if I don't have to drop $200 on another iPhone 4S I will be very happy.  I am turning into such a frequent visitor at the Genius Bar that I'm going to be a permanent guest on the VIP door list.  If only they actually served alcohol...




They do not look this happy when I'm there! (source)

3 |  New Front Door

We got a new front door.  This is exciting because we had the house's original single-pane door from like the 1930s and you could feel a frigid draft wafting in during cold weather. What's not exciting is the fact that the old door and all the garbage is still sitting on the front porch.  Oh and we don't have a doorknob... but we have a deadbolt.  The husband will be finishing it all up this weekend.  And then we just have to replace the roof, paint all the trim, powerwash the siding... #smallsteps.

 




4 |  Neighbourhood Stalking  

Yup, I did.  I totally spied on our neighbours.  But not in an exciting way.  K and I were walking the dogs and we saw that one of the neighbours is painting their house purple!! How awesome is that??  I was so excited, it's the perfect shade of dark purple, but the house is surrounded by hedges.  So I handed my leash to K and snuck up their walk to the front gate so I could get a better look take some photos.  K walked halfway down the block and pretended she didn't know me. I probably would have done the same thing.

I apologize for the horrible picture quality but this is my dream house colour.  My husband says no but we have a few years to discuss.

Stalking apparently runs in our family... Milo stalks our next door neighbour's dog for hours. He stares through a tiny crack in the fence and just watches her play.  Little creep.  I'll try and get a photo this weekend.

5 |  Button Swap

My blog grew up just a little bit this week.  I now have a sidebar section for blog friends and would love to swap buttons with other bloggers.  If this interests you please get in touch with me!  I plan to start tackling SEO this weekend so wish me luck...

What do you all have going on this weekend?

Linking up with Karli and Amy, and Leslie from A Blonde Ambition!

 

Crockpot Chili Recipe

My husband is the chili maker in our house but because I was off on Monday, it was cool enough to wear comfy sweat pants and we had ground beef that needed to be cooked, I decided to dust off the crock pot.  Chili topped with cheese and served with a slice of buttered bread is one of our favourite comfort meals but I can't eat spicy food and I like more veggies than just beans and onion.  So in short, I like my crockpot chili nice and thick and loaded with veggies... which is shocking because I generally prefer deep-fried something topped with cheese.  But I'll take it.

So here is my recipe for a tasty crockpot chili with lots of flavour but not too much kick, but you can tweak as necessary to spice it up!

This made four big servings.

Ingredients

1lb extra lean ground beef

1 can (28 oz) chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes

2 cups cherry tomatoes from our garden, quartered (or 1 more can diced tomatoes)

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

1 cup diced mushrooms

1 small onion, diced (I prefer to use walla walla but any sweet onion will do)

1 cup water

1/4 cup sweet chili sauce

3 tbsp chili powder 

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp diced garlic

2 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper 

Directions

1 | Chop, dice and quarter all your veggies.  

2 | Brown the ground beef.

3 | Throw the cooked ground beef and chopped veggies into the crockpot. I like to use crockpot liners because it makes clean up so much easier...

4 | Add in the rest of the ingredients listed above and give the mixture a good stir to get all the juices flowing together.  Set the crockpot on high for 4 hours (or on low for 6-8 hours, however it works for you).

5 | I always give it a good stir every hour or so... and if it's not as thick as you want it to be (chili needs to be thick for me to really enjoy it) mix 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water, and then pour into the chili.  Stir it in and leave the chili for at least another 15-20 minutes.

6 | Serve when hungry.  I like to top with a couple tablespoons of plain greek yogurt and shredded cheddar cheese.   

And there you have my tasty crockpot chili!
ENJOY!

Weekend Recap: Wedding Fun

Wow, hello September... you really snuck up on me!  And our last weekend flew by but it was a good one filled with family and friends.
We started the weekend with a family wedding on Saturday and we had a blast, the bride and groom basically wanted a big party to celebrate with everyone and they definitely achieved it.  From the officiant they picked, the groomsmen's orange converse shoes, the photo booth, the caricature artist, the amazing speeches including a song sung by the (married to each other so it was even more adorable) maid of honour and best man, a popcorn bar (I mixed caramel and cheddar jalapeño to make a killer Chicago blend!) to the newlyweds recreating 'Time of My Life' from Dirty Dancing, the Mr. and I had so. much. fun.  And I barely touched on all the amazing details that made the wedding so representative of the bride and groom and the amazing life they share together.
I don't know the bride very well but I do know that she is so sweet and thoughtful and always puts her friends and family before anything else.  And I actually experienced this first hand at her wedding.  In the midst of this amazing celebration for her and the love of her life, she did something so thoughtful for my husband and me that I burst into (happy) tears and was able to get the Mr. out on the dance floor.  You see, our wedding reception was held outside at my husband's family's orchard property and due to a noise complaint, the police put a kibosh on the dj and essentially shut it down two hours early.  There was so much more dancing that was supposed to happen but unfortunately we had no choice.  So just over one year later, this gorgeous and utterly selfless bride remembered and requested Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin', our last dance song.  It was the highlight of an already amazing night and I can't thank her enough.  And I hope that I do get to know her better.
My phone is on its last legs and my battery lasts for like 10 minutes so I barely got any photos... but I will share the ones I took!
 

The beautiful K and and our adorable niece and flower girl

Me and my handsome hubby

These bright colours were all over and GORGEOUS!

Blurry table selfie

The head  table

I was pleasantly surprised when I woke up on Sunday because I didn't feel like death.  I wasn't running a marathon or anything but I made us breakfast, did some laundry, and leaned up around the kitchen until it was time to head to my mom's for a family BBQ.  We left my mom's and headed to the grocery store where we proceeded to buy way more food than we need but I didn't get around to doing a meal plan so it was kind of a gong show.  We went home, watched Big Brother and then crawled into bed where he fell asleep and I watched the Veronica Mars movie.  You know, I liked it and (spoiler alert) was always Team Logan. 

On Monday I got the house all to myself because the Mr. had to work.  I slept in a bit and then enjoyed a lazy morning watching Sex and the City reruns and drinking Baileys coffee.  Then I finished up the laundry, cleaned out the fridge and made chili for dinner.  And then I returned to the couch... oh long weekends, how I love thee...

Sex and the City Reruns

How did you celebrate the end of summer?

 

Linking up with Bella and Lisa!