Makin do...:)

So last week the hubby decided we needed a little Cali time:) I couldn't agree more. With temps in AZ hovering around a hundred and hell, cooling off in Dana Point was dreamy:) Well one day while the hubbs took himself to the beach, I found myself in rather a pickle. I was starving, alone, without a car, and could hardly stand up straight :( So what's a gal to do? Git to gittin!! That's what!! I hobbled in to the kitchen where my creativity reeeally needed to kick in. I needed yummy and QUICK!! Enter- Garbanzo beans, parm, salt and pepper:)

Drain and rinse one can of beans:)

Add to a (preferably) non stick skillet:)And get to toastin over med/high heat. I took a pic of the flame because that's how I judge heat:)Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper:) And while they're toasting, grate about a small handful of Parmesan cheese:)When the beans get to where they look kinda dry and toasted, throw in the parm and turn off the heat. Shake the pan while the cheese melts, so it doesn't melt in one big clump:)Enjoy them warm:) You can also add chopped purple onion and serve this on top of a yummy bed of greens. Both of which I didn't have:(And then give yourself a high five and celebrate your victory over Mother Hubbard's Cupboard and dish yourself up 2 scoops YES! Two scoops! of this most amazing new ice cream from Trader Joes. Lemon and Triple Gingersnap ice cream. It's seriously going to be the death of me.... :)

The bright side:)

Surgery bites. All. Things. Bitter!! I thought I kind of knew what to expect. But HOLY SORENESS Batman!!! I mean seriously? The simple things we take for granted. Like laughing. Or sneezing. Or coughing. Or sitting up by yourself!! Ugh!! Anyway, instead of getting all Debbie Downer, I'm choosing to focus on all the things that brought me joy this week:)

**Disclaimer- all the following pics were taken from my phone while under the influence of Percocet. Don't judge!! :)


My recovery room, such a wonderful place to relax:) and the flowers from my sis in law on my mantle? Perf:)
I got to enjoy these fab movies. Jane Eyre- sooo good:)

The Countess- This movie was about Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory and her shocking (not kidding) obsession with staying young. It's intriguing. I'll just say that her night creme she used was no ordinary Oil of Olay!!

And the quickest way for a gal to recover is to have a hot nurse. Who cooks, cleans and dotes on you and thinks you are still beautiful in all your bloated, bruised glory:)

My dinner of grilled romaine, caramelized onions and feta cheese and caesar dressing:) I told you he cooks!!
Oh and the fabulous box of goodies from Williams Sonoma that arrived just after I got home that I forgot I ordered:)

Sunflowers (thanks Allie!), Rainier cherries and Percocet. Yes, Percocet is as lovely as flowers to me right now:)

Check out what my sister Michele gave me. Only the best in comfort food!! And yes, Little Bully gave me the guilty eyes the ENTIRE time I was enjoying this scrumptiousness:)

I can NOT believe I'm showing you a pic of my chubby hands!! But man does a manicure last when you're not doing housework!!

And last but not least- my ever present constant companion:)

So yes, I am on the mend. Slowly but surely. Stay tuned! I promise next week I'll be back in full swing:)

If it aint broke, don't fix it!

And I can agree with that! Most of the time:) I mean, what if it just isn't quite working? Or there's a better way? Like my little library at the top of the stairs. Organized? Yes. Functional? Yes. Inviting? Yes, sorta. Sadly with the way it was, only one person could enjoy it, and that person was usually the hubby:) He would read every night, alone:(

Weeeell, enough of that!! Enter IKEA chaise lounges. They fit perfectly!!

And now we can enjoy reading TOGETHER!! I added an owl lamp that I found at a garage sale for $8, made those little stripey pillows and added some cozy blankets:) Oh, and my sis and her hubby bought us that fab map as a thank you for staying at our Cali house:) SCORE!!

Another thing that wasn't actually broken but needed a fix was our back porch light. Sorry I don't have a before pic, but here is the awesome after!!

Is that not the coolest!! The hubby made it out of scraps from our shop, and then painted and glazed it to give it the perfect rustic brownish finish. Me LOVES!!!

Sadly for now I must enjoy it from behind closed doors:( in air conditioning:( cause it's ridiculously hot:( and all my plants are dead:(

In other sort of broken news, as you read this I will be under the knife-saying goodbye to my uterus. Apparently a fibroid decided to move in and set up house. I DON'T THINK SO!! So forgive me if next weeks blog doesn't happen. Who am I kidding? It'll happen. Same bat time. Same bat channel:)

Luscious Lemon Pie.... :)

Ok blog buddies, I'm about to share with you the most yummiest of lemon pies. My mom has made this pie for YEARS:) and everyone in my fam can't ever get enough of it! It's the perfect pie for these sweltering summer days:) I finally realized the other day- hey, I better learn how to make this stinkin thing once and for all! So I called up my mommy and asked her to show me:)

For the crust:

2 pkgs of graham crackers (crushed)

1 Tbsp sugar

1 stick of melted butter

For the filling:

2 small pkgs of lemon pudding

2 eggs

4 1/2 c. water

1/2 lime

Start by crushing your graham crackers. I crushed them in a Ziploc bag, makes for easy clean up:)

Mix your crushed graham crackers, melted butter and Tbsp of sugar together and them press into your pie pan. Reserve about 1/2 cup for the topping. (look at my mom's beautiful hands:) Bake the crust in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes or until golden:)

While your crust bakes, get started on the pudding:) make it to the package directions. My mom likes to mix the eggs and dry ingredients together in the pan before adding the water and cooking, she says it keeps it from getting lumpy:) ...and it worked!

** my mom bought this pan with S & H green stamps 40 years ago. The brand is Queen, and honestly it's one haaard working lady!! Cute huh?

Now here's where my mom adds her secret:) No worries! I asked her if I could share this with all the world before I wrote this:) anyway, she adds a squeeze of a half of a lime. It adds that little bit of zest:)

Cook your pudding until all the foam (or light yellow) disappears and it gets this beautiful yellow color with that perfect pudding consistency:)

Cool both the crust and the pudding:)

When cool, pour the filling into your fabulous crust:)

Top with the reserved crust, and refrigerate.

Then take it out and try not to devour it before taking any pictures of your finished product:)

Then take a picture and send it to your sisters and tell them that YOU now know how to make THE lemon pie:)

A bird in one hand... :)

So I'm back from 11 blissful days in Cali with a tan and a few treasures. A tan being one of them. If you know me, you know I rarely get out in the sun. Anyway, while I was there I went to my fav TJ Maxx and HELLO!!! Take a look at these beauts!! My hubby was like YAY! You NEEDED some more dishes!!! I kid. Really I did need a new everyday set. My green ones were getting all chippy:(

So, I came home with 8 salad plates and 7 dinner plates. Yes 7. 7. I said 7. This goes against all that is right in my world. I ALWAYS buy in 12's! But I thought no biggie! I'll just hit another TJ and pick up the rest. I was hoping for 12 but will settle for a least 1 more dinner to round out the 8. But no. I went to 3 other TJ's and 3 Marshalls, and nothing!! I'm going to check one more TJ tomorrow and hope and hope and hope:) Because seriously? I LOVE THEM!!!

I guess I just have a thing for birds. Like my mom. My whole life I've known of my mom's love of birds. She would sing and talk to them in the yard:) And always had at least one bird feeder:)

So as I was taking this pic, I stood up and looked in my china cabinet and started laughing!!

I just realized that before I left for Cali, I found these at Tuesday Morning. A store that just so happens to be right next to my gyno and makes that little visit actually tolerable:) I guess all that Cali sun must have fried my brain!

I thought they went perf with these Villeroy & Boch polka dot plates I got from my sis in law:)

And then I had to laugh again thinking....I really am my mother:)

Tweet tweet!!

Summer Lovin....:)

So here's where I've been, and where I'll be for the rest of this beautiful week. And yes, those are my actual feet:) with the same toe rings I've been wearing for over 15 years. Yeah I know, I don't change much:) anyway, I just thought I'd share with you a few of my fav things so far this summer:)

Hemp Hearts:) My friend Jill at Nature's Finest in Mesa told me about these. And they're fab:) It's a really good natural source of protein. Just 5 Tbsp. sprinkled on your yogurt for breakfast, or I like to make a smoothie for breaky with fruit and almond yogurt and the hemp hearts replace the oatmeal I used to throw in:) yummy and especially good for you:) since stupid blogger is once again not letting me link- here's the info old school. nahanniriverherbs.com check it out:)

The Dana Point farmer's market- when I'm here, this is where I go to get the best in fruit and veggie goodness:) this trips bounty- including mango nectarines. Yes, as yummy as they sound:)

And my new fav shirt:) so soft, so comfy. It's Roxy:)

Just finished reading this- The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon. It was really good, like read it in 2 days good:)

Starting this book- A Young Wife by Pam Lewis. I bought if for the cover of course! Same way I pick my wine:) anyway I'm only on chapter 2 but it's good so far?

Oh and yes, this room. Sometimes when I'm bored I like to look at hideous real estate pictures. It's astonishing how some people let their houses be photographed! I mean, aren't they trying to sell their places. Anyway, I came across this pic and I thought- hmmm not so bad. Okay, yes it's a little Kermit, but compared to the barking coyotes, white washed oak and "southwest" crap that I usually see- it's totally workable. Take down that sin of a ceiling fan, throw out the sheers, and paint that panelling white- and voila! A space I could work with:)

Just some of what's been going on in my silly little world while enjoying a beautiful sunny 76 degrees:)

So what are your summer mindless whatnots?