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.

Christmas Morning

Our new toys!

Excellent Christmas morning!

The morning started with hugs and the realization that we are very blessed to have what we want and need, but we have our wonderful lives with each other. Listening to the morning radio, we reflected on the tragic events of the recent news. We shed some tears for lost lives and what seems like a world in despair.

A feeling of hope and love replaced the solemn, and we put on the Christmas tunes and coffee. This has been the best Christmas for us, personally. Just spending time with my husband is all I really want. (But I love my new Tiffany necklace!)

 We opened our gifts and ate a huge brunch. Belgian waffles, veggie sausage, Boar's Head real bacon, biscuits and gravy and eggs--I hooked it up! The best part of the morning was giving Bully his present: a "dinner plate" of squeaky stuffed toys. When I saw this at Target I had to. HAD TO. Not only do I love things that look like food (see above turkey towel and all those rice krispy turkeys I make), I love giving Bully stuffed toys. It's messy, but it's his favorite!

See how he enjoyed his dinner plate:

"Ohh a present! Papa, will help me open it?"

"Mmmm... corn!"

"Mmmm... turkey!"

"Have you any chives for my baker?"

"Pass the rolls, please."

"Mmmm, dinner rolls? Are these Sister Shuberts?"

"Well, I'm stuffed!"

 Merry Christmas! Wishing you all a warm, kind, and compassionate New Year.

Love, 

Shawn, Leilani & Bully

Christmas at our house!

Only a couple days left until Christmas. The weather has been a cool 60 degrees. We're pretty ready, this year- all presents, bought, sent. Cards are sent, and I only lost a few addresses. The tree looks plump. Maybe next year we wont get such a big tree. It makes our presents look a little wimpy!

This year we went shopping together to pick out all the things we wanted and needed. It was perfect, though there are no surprises. Oh well, I know exactly what's under that tree, but I'm practicing willpower for Christmas! 

Bully is in the Christmas spirit, too. Got his jingle bells on...

the lighted Christmas balls have been improved:

 and the kitchen has seen some action. I love this turkey dish cloth:

What a great year it has been. Shawn and I are grateful for everything we've accomplished this year and years leading up to this. We are somewhat settled, and the next step, well, we'll see.

More Christmas Lights!

We added 2 lighted balls per tree. There are 5 more on the floor that need to be chucked up there. It's not easy, as every ball must be connected to another strand. We bought ten extension cords that won't fit, so it's been trial and error. Our living room is littered with empty light boxes!

But our yard is so pretty!

Christmas lights: in progress!

We were so excited to put lights on our palm trees this year. OUR PALM TREES! Each of those three words is something we're getting accustomed to saying. So, to get in the Christmas spirit, we decorated today!

If you know Greensboro, North Carolina, where we used to live, you know of Sunset Hill's Christmas light balls. We tried to re-create those here. We watched the YouTube video on the lawn and got it right after the first ball.

and the lights...

with a few added balls

 I think we have a very tasteful light show. We'll add more balls, and suspend them from the foxtails. The magic is in the suspension, as they appear to float. Right now they look like coconuts, which is appropriate, too.

This house 2 streets down did a cool thing-fish!

and here is the video. The story is very heartwarming. It makes me nostalgic for this neighborhood and these huge trees. Shawn and I are determined to start in up our neighborhood, bringing the tradition with us. Hope it catches on!