Y/Y Palooza #9

ELC is visiting for a couple of nights. Today, we had to make a quick run to the mall. We decided we would make a lunch date out of it!

After we rode the carousel with Little Leighton, we made our way over to Paradise Bakery in the food court. We love their Walnut Chicken Salad Sammiches. As we were ordering, we couldn't help but glance at the cases filled with all of their yummy cookies. I was so busy yesterday, I skipped breakfast. Because of that, I thought I should make up for those missed calories by ordering a Chocolate Chip-Coconut Cookie (don't you love my logic?).

HOLY GUACAMOLE! If you have a Paradise Bakery near you, stop reading this post, get in your car and go purchase AT LEAST a dozen of these cookies right. this. instant. I wish I would have taken a photograph of this tasty treat, but I was too busy inhaling it to think clearly.

Y'all. It's THAT good. Trust moi. I don't joke about cookies.

This now concludes our Month o' Palooza. We hope you've found a few new favourites along the way, too.

Happy July Eve, Friends!

Y/Y Palooza #8

Caffeine. I have such a love/hate relationship with it. I’ve been a Diet Dew/Coke Zero/Diet Coke crazed lunatic for years and years. (As y’all recall, I started drinking Diet Mountain Dew because I was advised by my doctor to give up caffeine. Since it was not a brown drink, like Colas, I never dreamed it was full of caffeine. Sigh. Very deceptive, Dew Dudes.) Once I discovered it had a beaucoup of the Evil Caffeine, I cut back from four or five a day (YIKES. Of course YIKES.) to one or two. I get it. I get it. Still one too many. No lectures, please!

Without going into a lot of TMI details, I have, in the past six months, been diagnosed with an unpleasant condition/disorder/situation. One that calls for NO/NONE/ZILCH/DON’TEVENTHINKABOUT IT caffeine. My worst nightmare.

Many years ago, TLC and I were put onto Diet Rite colas. They have ZERO caffeine. ZERO calories. ZERO sodium. Unfortunately, they do have artificial sweetener. (Which I’m also NOT supposed to consume. Can my diet get any more depressing?) Everyone has a vice or two. Keeps us working on goals and challenges, right? With all the bad things for us, I'm not going to lie: I'm having some sugar. Chocolate (Yep. Caffeine.). French fries. Artificial sweeteners. I do my best to keep these fabulous things to a daily/teensy/itty-bitty minimum.

I love, love, LOVE these Cherry Cola Diet Rites. They satisfy me almost as much as my Sonic DVCs (Diet Vanilla Cokes). (I did say almost. I’m currently allowing myself one large Sonic DVC every 2ish weeks. I simply cannot be perfect. Try as I might attempt perfection. Hasn't occurred yet.)

Although it is easy for me to find the regular Diet Rite cokes, it is, unfortunately, not as easy to find the Cherry Colas. Hence why I’m now forced to buy a minimum of two 12-packs at a time. We do whats we gotta do.

If you need a diet-like drink—specifically a cola—try one of these! I think you’ll realize they’re quite yummy and much better for you than the (divine) caffeine colas.

Hope You've had a Wonderful Weekend, Dear Friends, Wherever in the World Y’all are…

Y/Y Palooza #7

Y’all may be familiar with this Yeehaw. It actually could be one of TLC’s Yummies.  Kacy, our special and dear friend at Piggy Pajamas (We’ve sung the praises of this FABULOUS California company in several past posts…we love the Piggy Gals with all of our hearts! Please visit them at: www.piggypajamas.com) sent this book to TLC almost two years ago. She shared it had become an important part of her Christian life and faith.

I’m not going to lie: I’m bad about reading it every day. Not proud of this. Just honest. (I believe TLC would admit to this unfortunate statement, too…sigh…) But what we both cherish about this sweet, calming and important daily devotional book is we can miss a day or two or five, pick it up, catch up and feel immediately renewed. Hopeful. Optimistic.  Each day’s message speaks to our souls. Our confusion. Our personal struggles.

Jesus Calling is written by Sara Young. She’s authored several other books in this series:

Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids

Jesus Calling: Bible Storybook

Jesus Calling: Women’s Edition

She has a calendar and a journal. All are available for your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and Android devices.

Here is today’s devotion (June 26, 2014):

STAY CALMLY conscious of Me today, no matter what. Remember that I go before you as well as with you into the day. Nothing takes Me by surprise. I will not allow circumstances to overwhelm you so long as you look to Me. I will help you cope with whatever the moment presents. Collaborating with Me brings blessings that far outweigh all your troubles. Awareness of My Presence contains Joy that can endure all eventualities.

Psalm 23:1-4 NKJV;

2 Corinthians 4:16-17

You should be able to find this delightful book at your local Walmart. Target. Any grocery store that carries popular, best-selling books. Of course you can have Amazon ship it to you! It’s not expensive. It’s worth every penny you’ll pay. I’m extremely confident about that. (It’s also a lovely gift for friends!)

Hope Y’all are ready for the weekend—because it’s heading our way…Woo Hoo!

Y/Y Palooza #6

IT'S MASCARA TIME!

Y'all didn't think we'd actually leave out mascara during this month-long palooza, did you? That would be plain silly!

I feel a smidge guilty posting these because they are technically ELC's finds. She purchased both for me, and they are currently my go-to favourites.

Cover Girl's "Flamed Out" and L'Oreal's "Voluminous Million Lashes."

Flamed Out really seems to hold my curl and helps makes my lashes look extra "full," while Million Lashes is virtually clump-free and helps naturally define each individual lash. I do put on two layers of Million Lashes if I want them to be a bit thicker.

For drug-store finds, you can't beat these. Give 'em a whirl!

(And have a lovely Tuesday evenin' while you're at it!)

Y/Y Palooza #5

Today, I'm sharing another recipe with y'all! I know...you're thrilled. (I was actually supposed to post this yesterday, but Mom and I helped host a baby shower for Nelly and her Sweet Baby Boy due this summer. We were having too much fun celebrating with Sunny and their family and friends.)

This recipe actually came from ELC. Well, sort of. She saw it on Facebook last week via a friend of ours, took a picture with her phone (as she's been known to do...a lot) and texted me the details. I knew I had to try it immediately and added it to my menu for the next night. It was super DUPER simple and scrumptious. Give it a whirl!

Because I made a few modifications, I decided to rename this dish. It shall now be known as:

TLC's Fancy Chicken

You'll need:

2 packages of chicken cutlets or tenders (I had to use tenders and only needed about one and a half packages after I "trimmed" them all up!)
6 thin slices of prosciutto
Half of a box or bag of fresh spinach
8 oz. of sliced mushrooms
Half of a yellow onion (thinly sliced in strips)
1 envelope of Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 tsp. Herbs de Provence
1/2 c. White Wine
1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
8 oz. shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly spray a 9x13 pan with Pam.

Layer, in this order:

Chicken
Prosciutto
Spinach (top this layer with a little freshly cracked pepper)
Onions
Mushrooms

Mix the soup mix, herbs, wine and EVOO. Pour mixture over everything. Loosely cover with foil. Bake for 30-35 minutes, depending on your oven. (Mine always tends to need a few extra minutes.)

Then you'll top it with cheese and bake it for another 5-10 minutes, until it's melted and bubbling.

YUMMO. It truly tastes like a dish that took hours to prepare.

Happy Sunday, Friends!

Y/Y Palooza #4

So yesterday, My Sweet Hubby (MSH) and I made a rat-killin’ trip to Fort Worth. (For one thing, he had a Father’s Day giftcard burning a hole in his pocket. I had a baby gift to purchase, tennies to find, and a couple of errands for TLC.) We usually go to Fort Worth, together, every two to three weeks. Sometimes, if one of us has a doctor’s appointment, we might go once a week for several weeks in a row. We love, love, LOVE Our Casa in the Country. But we also cherish Fort Worth, Texas. Mucho.

We find ourselves drawn to the southwest side of Fort Worth—including the Hulen Mall area. Adore Downtown/Sundance Square—visit them maybe twice a year. Treasure the Camp Bowie Boulevard and Museum areas and the University Drive/TCU area, also. The southwest side seems to be where we typically choose to haunt.

Being Semi?-Geezers, we like to eat an early lunch. Whenever possible. The places we prefer? Potbelly’s. Kincaid’s, which has amazing burgers, fries and onion rings. (No worries—we order what we call the “baby” burger. And share those fries and onion rings.) Panera. Corner Bakery. Yes—chain/fast-ish food. Still—charming places we enjoy.

We dined at Jason’s deli on Overton Ridge yesterday and I had my NEW FAVOURTIE SAMMIE: Amy’s Turkey-O. Wowzer. It’s not too big. (Sometimes MSH and I share a sandwich if it’s an oversized-‘un.) The toasted onion bun is devine. It has roasted turkey breast, sliced avocado (be still my heart!), jalapeno pepper jack cheese, red onions (which, unfortunately, I must ask them to cut…no can do raw onions…just cooked, caramelized, sautéed—TMI?), roma tomatoes, lettuce and stone ground mustard.

TTDF. (Truly To die for.)

You can get chips or baked chips. Or pay a little extra for some fruit or a cup of their utterly delish tomato basil soup.

We're ginnin’ along with our June Yummy/Yeehaw Paloozas, right? (Yes. Yes, it’s time for TLC to throw in a few. She and Little Leighton have been Busy Little Bees—with Mommy & Me swimming lessons twice a week and other commitments. She’s reminded, every other day, by her Mama, we’re all looking forward to some important/fun/FABULOUS Yummies. Something tells me one of them is going to be a mascara. Wwhhhaaaattttt? No. Seriously? Hahaha.)

Y’all have a Terrific Tuesday, okay?

Y/Y Palooza #3

Around these here parts it’s FRIDAY. Woo Hoo! Just because My Sweet Hubby (MSH) and I are retired, it doesn’t mean we don’t celebrate this very-treasured Day of the Week. A combined ninety(90) years of JOY that it was Friday! (Yes—I’m including the fact that both of us started “working” at age 12. Which means MSH worked for 57 years before he retired, finally, last year. I’m also allowing for the years I took off to be a stay-at-home Mom for TLC, but including my graduate school years. Which means 33 years for moi.)

My Yeehaw for Y’all this Fabulous Friday is a TV show! (You knew it wasn’t going to be a recipe.)
Playing House. On the USA Network. This is probably and mostly going to be a “chick” kind of TV show. Although I honestly believe if I asked MSH to watch it, he’d find it funny, too.

The premise is Emma (played by Jessica St. Clair) moving in with Maggie (played by Lennon Parham) when Maggie is eight months pregnant with her first child. Maggie’s husband has had an online affair and they’re divorcing. Even though he is VERY sorry and actually doesn’t quite understand why they have to call it quits.

From the show’s website:

“Now on her own, without the security and comfort of their once-happy marriage, Maggie must learn to fight for herself. It helps that the brassy and bold Emma is around to push her and advocate for her, as well as bring out the fun-loving and mischievous side to Maggie that has been dormant for years. As she faces the aftermath of these recent events and moves forward, building her nest and her new family, Maggie embraces past misfortunes and mistakes and comes to understand that these things make her who she is, and that her life can still be the adventure that she wants it to be.”

I’ve seen seven shows (Without the commercials, they’re about 22 minutes in length, don’tchaknow…). I have LAUGHED OUT LOUD watching every single one of them. TLC and Little Leighton (LL) will be here this afternoon, for a couple of days, to honor MSH/Dad/Pa-Pa for Father’s Day on Sunday. I cannot wait to re-watch these shows with TLC.

These two main characters previously had a show on NBC called Best Friends Forever. I loved that one and was heartbroken when it was cancelled. Trust me: This show is even better. Wittier. Cleverer (?).  Comical. Sweet. Touching. Delightful. Not-your-same-ole-same-ole sitcom.

I'm fairly confident you’ll recognize both of these talented ladies. I wasn’t familiar with all of the cast members (you will know many of the guest actors), but I’ve come to adore each and every one for the charm and depth they give to this adorable show.

Hope y’all have a Wonderful Weekend—Wherever in the World you are…

smooches and ta-ta for now…

Y/Y Palooza #2

It's time for TWO yummy YUMMIES!

These "recipes" (I use that term very loosely!) have become two of my go-to summer staples this year, thus far.

First up: my Roasted Squash and Zucchini with Sweet Onions. My Sweet Husband and I decided to try our hand at "organic gardening" this year. Our zucchini is already out of control. You should see the leaves and ginormous flowers. For this dish, I use one large zucchini, two medium yellow squash and half of a sweet yellow onion. I line my baking sheet with foil (I avoid washing dishes at all costs!) and lightly spray it with Pam. Then, I "julienne" my onion and lay the slices on the sheet. On top of those, I add the sliced zucchini and squash. (I cut them on a slight bias. I think it looks prettier!) I drizzle EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and sprinkle salt and pepper on top. I lightly toss this all together to evenly coat the veggies, but I try to keep the onions on the bottom. I roast these at 425 degrees for about twenty-ish minutes. DELISH. Go, moi! They are even scrumptious the next day. Do y'all remember the Squash Casserole at Black-Eyed Pea restaurants? This dish tastes JUST like it, but I'm certain it's healthier. I think it must be the sweet onions!

Next up: TLC's Tangy Salad Dressing. I love vinegar-y (is that a word?) dressings. The tangier (again, a word?), the better! I like to make my own most of the time, and this has become my favourite for arugula or spinach salads (just add the fixin's -- bell peppers, cucumbers, feta cheese, etc. -- of your choice and toss it all together). I don't measure anything, so this is a very rough guess. (I use a Mason Jar to "house, store and shake up" my dressings!) I add about 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper (each), 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon Mustard (Grey Poupon is my preference), 3ish tablespoons of red wine vinegar and 1.5ish tablespoons of EVOO to the Mason Jar and shake vigorously! I typically like to chill it a bit in the fridge. I think that gives the dressing a little extra time for the flavors to meld together. YUM, I tell you.

Voila! These are simple, quick, and well, YUMMY! (If I do say so myself.)

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Y/Y Palooza #1

The first of our June Yummies and Yeehaws will be an ELC Yeehaw.

This year, My Sweet Husband (MSH) and I will celebrate our 36th wedding anniversary. We've been together over 37 years. Like many couples that have lived together for a significant amount of time, we have our own cleaning/housework/cooking/yardwork routines. Ours can be summed up fairly quickly:

ELC does all of the laundry, 75% of the housework (MSH helps me vacuum and do all of our floors, along with "special projects" like cleaning all the fans--since we have high ceilings), 60% of the errands (grocery store, Cleaners, Post Office (since MSH retired about eighteen months ago he does help alot with these trips/chores/necessities), bill paying/correspondence/family and friend birthday acknowledgements/gifts/etc.

 
MSH does 97.5% of the yardwork (I do help plant and water flowers occasionally!), 98.9% of the cooking, and 96.5% of the window cleaning.

 
We have alot of windows. We live on 34 acres on top of a fairly steep hill. We can see for thirty miles. We wanted MANY windows. In fact, we don't have enough glass!!! It's one of several mistakes we made when building our home. MSH has tried so many cleaning products for glass/windows in the past fourteen years, it's a teensy bit comical. Not. 

Last Sunday, I helped him clean every window in our home, garage, and storeroom. It took us four hours. We decided not to do our Barn Apartment. We were completely worn out--for Two Old Geezers.

Here is the BEST window cleaning product MSH has ever found. He buys it by the case at Costco and/or Sam's. You might have to do some research to track it down wherever you live. It'll be worth it. IT ROCKS.

Hope Y'all are having a WONDERFUL weekend wherever in the World you are!

yummy/yeehawpalooza!

We understand we’ve said many, many, MANY times, in the past two or so years, that we were going to be better about posting TLC’s Yummies and My Yeehaws. Apparently we tell little fibs. Or outright lies. We’re honestly not sinister peeps. We’re pretty nice gals and fairly dependable. Good to our word. We’re also, often, however, confused. We seem to grossly underestimate the amount of time we have each day. Week. Month. We've gotten great at saying to one another: "Let's do that later, 'k?"

We periodically realize we’ve not kept our promises to tell y’all about the fun things we’ve discovered (or re-discovered). Healthy and/or delicious foods/recipes. Beauty Products (And, yes, we mean our latest mascara find!). Books. Television shows. (Unfortunately, we’re currently not able to discuss movies—those that are shown at actual movie theatres. Because neither of us has been to a movie in months. In fact, ELC has been to exactly one movie in two years. TLC has been to at least one. Could be TWO! We’re looking forward to the day we can go to a movie together! It'll be GRAND. Diet Cokes, popcorn and Raisinettes. Heaven. Sheer Heaven. We expect that shocking occasion to occur in approximately 2016. If we’re lucky.) Home products. Tips we’ve learned. Etc. Etc. Etc.

We intend to do a minimum of FIVE Yummies and FIVE Yeehaws during this lovely month of June! Woo Hoo. And then we promise to do this every three months. Ish.

That’s our goal...Standby, Friends…(but maybe don't hold your breath...)