A small kitchen moment

  We've been doing, or re-doing around this old house. Almost every major appliance has been replaced or repaired. This is includes a new capacitator for our AC unit, a new stove & dish washer (luckily this was replaced by the seller), a new washer & dryer stack, and a new fridge. Things like the AC and the fridge were emergencies. If you're AC goes out, you call someone right away. If your fridge goes out, you can use the freezer for a day...

 Below is my sweet hunky hubby at the Depot getting some oak cut for out kitchen shelves. To me a house that functions properly has shelves, and lots of them!

 

I thoroughly enjoyed watching him from the couch.  And this is what I did with it:

And remember, this is what it looked like before. We had to cover up the ugly breaker box and use that wall space, give personal touches while being functional.

Better pics soon, as soon as I clean up a little!

Monday's aren't so bad

Last night at around 9, I decided we should high tea at work today. So we did. Complete with cucumber tea sandwiches, French Macarons, and raw "Samoas."

Try it! It's so much fun, and you feel so polite eating dainty things! Perfect way to start the week.

There are no pics, but yesterday I tried three new recipes:
Betty Rawker's Raw Samoas
Food Babe's Chik-fil-a sandwiches, and her Perfect Porridge Parfait

Thank you, Internet.

When I perfect the techniques, there will be pics.

Leave this orphan all alone on a holiday, and I'm in the kitchen ALL DAY!

Shawn's Birthday '13

Last week my hubby celebrated a birthday. We drove to Islamorada for a night for some food, drinks, sun, and sand. Really, more of the same. Do our pictures ever look anything different? Ah, but it is a sight in the morning.

 Bully totally dug the hotel, Postcard Inn.

We dug the pool with the bar.

 and Happy Hour

 This boy got his own bed.

Our favorite place, Anne's Beach. The water is shallow enough for dogs to run free, but not Bully. He's still as scared as ever. Next time we'll get a sitter and leave him behind. I'm sure he wouldn't be interested in kayaks and paddle boarding.

A little fudge

Just whipped up these Raw Chocolate Brownie bites to take to work...will update you later with the recipe, but it's adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie's Fudge Babies.

I'll tell y'all how they liked them later!

Happy Valentine's Day!

The first Mangoes

Mango season is coming!

In a few months, March through June, they'll be ready and juicy. They'll be falling off the trees faster than people can pick them. Right now they are tiny and like large beans, but are dotting the ends of the branches.

My favorite part of mango season in Fort Lauderdale is that my mom always visits. In fact, she got to know the people in my neighborhood before I did last year by buying mangoes straight from their trees!

and I did yard work today. Who needs the hubby for that?

Bully's new jacket

The time is here again. Tick season. It seems they let us be for Christmas, but are creepily crawling around outside again. We did not go full on shave for the Bull, like last time, but rather, intended a lion cut. It turned out to look like he's wearing a bolero.

He is more eager than ever to go for neighborhood walks. He shows off his new jacket to the local  pooches. I can tell they're jealous.

Our Tick prevention:
Andvantix, Tick collar
Adams Spray in the house
Granules in the ground
Yard spray
Yard Maintenance
and regular sweeping
and regular tick inspection

and we want another dog. HA!

From Pinterest: Sassy Water

My fridge full of canned sass

I came across this pin from a friend, and was intrigued by the pic and the mention of "maintaining a flat belly". Naturally, I was intrugued because I like this kind of help. I am lover of breads and things that produce a fat belly, against my better judgement. I'm actually eating pizza right this very minute (but I added kale to it, points for that?)

Sassy water. I really just like the name and the blue mason jar in the pic. It's super refreshing and I suppose it's good to have around if you're detoxing. Definatey good at lunch, but may cause a belly ache in the am due to the ginger. The hubbs said he could drink a gallon of it after a run.

I for got to mention that I enjoy hearing the hubbs say things like "sassy water." I've infected his vernacular so much that most men would be embarrassed. Not him, though. He's comfortable with  sass.

It's easier to make a pitcher and pour into nice grab & go glasses like I did.

Here is a printable recipe from A Sweet Simple Life Blog.

Our Carolina Vacation

Good friends sitting in a big booth.

 We took a roadtrip to Greensboro, NC to visit Shawn's family and our friends. We took the time to lunch, supper, and toast to some good times. I checked out Blu Martini on Elm St. (Not the Blue Martini chains found in Florida), and invited everyone out for a cocktail.

Of Course, I made the crowd request a breakdance from you know who.

 But not until he had the floor wiped. Diva.

Most importantly, we spent quality time with Shawn's mom. Country park and Battleground park are the best places in Greensboro, and we went there everyday. Th air is crisp and Bully feels at home.

  And we had some Shawn & Leilani time, mostly on the road. 

On the dance floor

and in Savannah.

 It went by fast.