Our Newest "Baby"

Ms. Bianca

Ms. Bianca with her Pal Otis

** Please ignore the sad state of our carpet in the above pictures...it is scheduled to be torn out soon**

I'd like to introduce Ms. Bianca...we got her when she was about 8 weeks old from a rescue near us. She is a feral kitty which has some challenges sometimes but she has adapted really well. She is crazy...as in spaz like craziness. At first she and Otis didn't like each other but now the play, cuddle, and create havoc together. Our male dog Ares doesn't care she's here. Our female dog Eva seems to want make Bianca her toy playmate. Eva isn't so popular with Bianca.

I hope she is as happy with us as we are with her.

Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans...

So let me explain what's happened since we've talked last...actually that would take too long so let me sum up...

• My long lost sailor came home for good from Japan in May! It has been wonderful to have him home but it has also been an adjustment for both of us. Two geographically single people combining to be a couple again has been fun, interesting, and different.
• Our dog Eva had to have knee surgery in May and we had a long rough go keeping her calm and confined. She has since recovered after physical therapy. She seems to be doing good.
• My husband retired the end of September after 20 years in the Navy and we are transitioning to civilian life. It is a bigger adjustment for him but it is going well. He is in the job hunt right now and he looks forward to his next career.
• After losing three of our beloved kitties between December of last year and January of this year...we weren't sure we wanted to get another one. But we determined that our Otis kitty was lonely so we adopted a new kitten Bianca. She's crazy and sweet and we love her.
• After 5 years of it sitting not being used we have finally gotten our hot tub set up and running. It has been used twice by my hubby and once by myself. It is wonderful on a cool evening. I love it!
• Work has been insane...we have built a new addition on to the building that includes a new multipurpose room that will be used for worship services in the future. This weekend is our Grand Opening! It is exciting and stressful all in one. 
• Finally after three years of talking, planning, redesigning, renaming, and replanning I've opened my business...I'll be selling jewelry, purses, and children's items online through Etsy. My website is live but my Etsy site is not yet. Coming soon!! 

A few tv show observations...

• My husband got me addicted to Boardwalk Empire and I love it!! So far I'm not sure I like some of the story lines this season but we'll see where it goes. 
• Grey's Anatomy is reaching an end in my opinion...I love that show but I think it needs to go out in style in the next couple of seasons rather than replacing everyone like E.R. did. 
• I think Big Bang Theory is a great show and I love the humor on it.
• We are loving the new show Sleepy Hollow. I love the ties to Christianity and the Bible. I think it has great potential. And they've made Ichabod Crane kinda cute!
• I love the show Blue Bloods...it has Donnie Wahlburg, Tom Selleck, and Will Estes as the main male leads and they do a great job acting as a family. I think this one will be around for a while.

Ok so I'll be posting more soon!! And I've been hoping around to the blogs I read so I can catch up on all of you too. 

Menu Planning Monday

Welcome to Menu Planning Monday!

This week I'm using a few cheats because it makes my life easier.

Sunday: Cream Cheese Stuffed Hamburger Bake (see recipe below)

Monday: Leftover CCSHB and Leftover chili

Tuesday: Grilled Steaks

Wednesday: Leftovers (I have a lot of leftover meals in my fridge so we'll pick one of those)

Thursday: Spaghetti with Italian Sausage sauce

Friday: Unknown

Saturday: A Belated Cinco de Mayo party

Cream Cheese Stuffed Hamburger Bake

Ingredients:

1 - 1 1/2 lb lean hamburger (I use the 96 % lean)

1 softened 8 oz brick of cream cheese (I use light don't use fat free it doesn't work right)

1-2 T Worcestershire sauce (I use more because we like it )

1-2 T mustard (I use TJ Hot & Sweet Mustard)

1/2 t paprika

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t pepper

To make:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl mix hamburger, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix it well.

Split the hamburger into two portions. 

Take the first half and spread it into a big patty in a pie plate. It doesn't have to be perfect and you don't want to spread it too thin. 

Take the cream cheese and make it into a roundish patty. Place it on the center of the hamburger.

Take the rest of the hamburger and make it into a patty. Set it on top of the cream cheese. Pinch edges of the patties to seal it the best you can.

Bake it for 25-40 minutes depending on preferred doneness. 

Let sit for a few minutes. Enjoy! 

I eat mine with ketchup...J likes hot sauce or steak sauce.

Now head on over to The Young Retiree and link up!

Weekend Yumminess

I've been working really hard at cooking my breakfast and most of my dinners at home during the week. Even on weekends I've been doing pretty well. My usual go to is a Trader Joe's whole wheat cinnamon raisin English muffin, a couple pieces of Trader Joe's Black Forest Bacon, egg whites, and coffee. But on weekends I like to get a bit fancier but I still like simple so I go for German Pancakes. This is such a quick recipe you could even make it on a weekday as a treat. I started with the recipe from Redhead Recipes but since it is just me I've cut it down a bit...

Original Recipe:
German Pancakes (adapted from allrecipes.com)
3 Tbsp butter
6 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt

Place butter in 9x13 baking dish and place in oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine remaining ingredients in blender, blend until combined. Once butter is melted, remove baking dish from oven. Poor in batter. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve with strawberries, powdered sugar, or maple syrup!

My Variation: 

(basically I just halve the recipe)

1 1/2 Tbsp butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt

Place butter in 8x8 (or 9x9) glass baking dish and place in oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine remaining ingredients in bowl, mix with an electric mixer until combined. Once butter is melted, remove baking dish from oven. Pour in batter. Bake for 15 minutes. (check it, it should be full cooked with a bit of golden brown on top) I sprinkle it with powdered sugar and eat it with Trader Joe's real maple syrup.

As I read this I'm realizing I may have a problem. I am addicted to Trader Joe's. What can I say I like good food at good prices.

Menu Planning Monday - Week 3

I've just gotten back to menu planning. So I was excited when I saw this! This week is actually a bit of a crazy week for me work wise so I'm trying to keep it fairly simple. For better or worse the weather is making me crave warm and savory comfort foods. So here is the plan...

Monday - Trader Joe's Mandarin Orange Chicken with Trader Joe's Brown Rice (very easy to make...you throw the chicken on a cookie sheet and bake it and the rice goes in the microwave)

Tuesday - Ms. Arnita's Meatloaf (I'm not a huge meatloaf fan but I love this meatloaf...it is yummy and relatively easy)

Wednesday - Leftover TJ's Mandarin Orange Chicken (there is something like 2 1/2 servings in the bag so I'll have that to use it up)

Thursday - Leftover Meatloaf (It's even better the next day or two...I'll put some single serve portions in the freezer for use at a later date)

Friday - Leftover Chili (I made a crock pot of chili last week and put some in single serving containers in the freezer so all I have to do is reheat them)

Saturday - Dinner Out

Sunday - I'll have Easter Dinner with Mom either at her house or we'll go to Cinebistro for dinner and a movie

Want to join the fun? Head over to The Young Retiree and Taingamala and link up!

I took a bite...out of Apple

Source

I've been using an iPod for about 6 1/2 years (yes I was a bit late to the game), I started using an iPhone about two years ago, and now I'm using a MacBookPro at work. I have to say I'm an Apple girl and I like it. I wasn't so sure about the MacBookPro because I've used a PC for years but I've become very accustomed to the Mac quite quickly.

Then there is the iPad. I'd like to say I fought the good fight and resisted temptation. I'd like to say it but I can't the truth of the matter is plain old envy kicked in and I couldn't resist. So J got me one for my birthday/Christmas present per my request. However, the joy of being a deployment spouse is sometimes you get to shop for yourself. So on Black Friday I went to the Apple Store and bought myself an iPad 2. I promised J I would wait until at least my birthday (Dec. 16th) to play with it. Well being the sweet husband that he is he said I could go ahead and open it and play with it. So of course I did. I love it!

I confess the two apps I use the most are my kindle app and the dropbox. Oh and of course Angry Birds lol.

So what are some of your favorite apps?

I'm Back...and Coming Soon!!

Well hello there...

I didn't realize how long I had disappeared. I confess I've missed it. I've missed you guys. And I hope to become more regular about posting again. So I thought I'd give you a heads' up on what will be coming soon.

• The story of my husband's final R& R! (yes the next time he's home he's home for good)
• I Will Thrive: Surviving Deployment
• When Your "Deployment Spouse" gets a better offer
• Understanding a calling
• When God speaks to you...and you don't listen
• Yummy recipes
• My status on the Couch to 5K program
• My "race" schedule
• Furbabies
• The reality of not dealing with it
• The beauty of technology
• The beauty of a cleanish house
• and more...