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Director Day

Today was an eventful day at the office.  The new Director came to the center for his second visit since starting his position as Area Director for my department/division.  The office has been buzzing with excitement about his arrival.  There were many meetings for him to attend.  I was part of a focus group meeting with him and during our discussion I casually mentioned my blog.  To my surprise he appeared to be interested.  As I listened to him speak I realized that he is genuinely interested in people.

When I invited him to stop by my desk to take a look at my blog, he accepted.   Two hours later he was pulling up a chair listening to me ramble about

Pretty Is.

Typically I will write about family, friends, work, recipes, and random events.  S0 I selected a few samples of posts to provide a summary of what my blog is all about.

Since it was on my mind, I shared the post honoring my parent’s anniversary.

August 1965

One interesting fact that I learned was that his parents were also married in August 1965, on the 1st.

My post about Wendy is a favorite that I shared with him.

WENDY Sometime!

He was impressed with Wendy’s progress and offered her his congratulations.

Because I sometimes include favorite recipes (sometimes regarded as food experiments), I shared my post of the pecan pie bars I make every year for my Sunday Before Thanksgiving Dinner.

Pecan Pie Bars

St. Augustine is a favorite place to go for an afternoon outing.  That said, I shared one of my posts about a visit to the nations oldest city.

Nighttime Browsing

He mentioned an interest in visiting St. Augustine and possibly visiting one of the shops mentioned in my Nighttime Browsing post.  After my blog overview we briefly discussed higher education, tuition reimbursement, and what a happy time it is to finally graduate!

My takeaway from the brief visit with our new director was “what a great person!”  A man in charge who is interested in the lives of the people who work for him.

Glad to Know You Mike!

 

Elvis says Hi!

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Friday Favorites

Yeah I’ve used that one before.

But it’s a GOOD ONE!

 

Friday Favorites

 

Favorite # ONE

My Belated Birthday Gift from my sister.It’s true… my best friend has four paws.

 

 

Favorite # TWO

I was SO looking forward to finding my Old Navy order sitting by my front door when I came home from work yesterday.

  Imagine my disappointment when finding, instead of a

Waist-Defined Tiered-Sleeve Romper for Women Black Floral

and a

Floral Tie-Neck Bell-Sleeve Blouse for Women

there was an item I never considered.

A pair of size 38 men’s shorts. These were meant for Jesús in Texas.

Jesús in Texas was probably far more disappointed with my order than I with his.

Luckily my romper came today!

Still waiting for the yellow top.

 

 

Favorite # THREE

It may not be new on the market, but it is new to me!

Halo Top Oatmeal Cookie

If you have a sweet tooth and like ice cream, but try to watch your calorie intake… this is what you need to look for in the freezer section of your grocery store!

SOOOO Yummy!

 

 

Favorite # FOUR

Wendy’s online SUDOKU

or as she calls it

SeDUCKo

 

 

Favorite # FIVE

The Little Squirrel who Could

When LB walked outside Sunday evening he took a moment to stop and watch a little squirrel work to move a pine cone from one side of our yard to another.  It made my day when LB showed me the pictures and a short video while telling me his account of the little squirrel.

As I listened to the story, I was reminded of a classic children’s story.

But with a different twist.

What a HEAVY pinecone for a small squirrel to carry such a long way! “I-think-I-can I-think-I-can I-think-I-can I-think-I-can I-think-I-can I-think-I-can!” And he did!

Although he made several stops to catch his breath, the little squirrel kept the course.

Very soon he had crossed the long sidewalk and was heading up the tree.Safely at home in the tree, while he chipped away at the pinecone, he could be heard singing:

“I-thought-I-could I-thought-I-could I-thought-I-could I-thought-I-could I-thought-I-could  I-thought-I-could!”

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

What’s Up Wednesday

What’s Up Wednesday is a monthly compilation of

What’s Up

 posted on a Wednesday.

Here goes…

What We’re Eating This Week

Monday I came home from work and began emptying the produce drawer.  I made dinners for LB that would be easy to heat up every night.  Stuffed bell peppers, sautéed chorizo with vegetables and rice, roasted Brussels sprouts and hamburger patties

and

Fajitas

He’ll have something tasty every night for the rest of the week.

 

What I’m Loving

Rory

Her little face is a ray of sunshine.

 

What We’ve Been Up To

Mostly work.

On a positive note, LB and I enjoyed a short trip to the Golden Isles last Saturday/Sunday and then caught up with the family on Sunday night.  That was very nice.

 

What I’m Dreading

Driving to work tomorrow.

I Dread This.

Every.

Day.

#CurrentlyCovetingPrayers.

 

What I’m Working On

On August 27th I will be starting the first of six courses that will result in my attainment of a bachelor’s degree.

YAY!

What I began briefly after high school in 1984 and dabbled with for many years, is finally going to come to an exhilarating end.

There will be celebrations and possibly fireworks.

 

What I’m Excited About

Besides that degree?

I’m overwhelmingly excited about being off for four days in a row at the end of August.

What a great way to welcome September!

 

What I’m Watching/Reading

Yesterday I downloaded a sample [to my Kindle app] of Yuri Elkaim’s 5-day diet.  In this book he presents his 5-Day Food-Cycling Formula, “which sets your metabolism to lose up to 5 pounds a week” and he explains intermittent fasting.  I didn’t want to commit to an entire book if it might be boring.  Happily it seems like it will be an interesting read, plus I’ll be able to learn all about intermittent fasting.  And as good luck would have it, this book is a mere $9.99.  Seems like a steal to me, compared to similar online programs that can cost up to $200.

 

What I’m Listening To

I was enjoying listening to Vin Diesel talk trash to Samuel L. Jackson in the movie xXx, but LB changed the channel.

 

What I’m Wearing

I wore this today:

Chambray wrap top from LOFT, white Skinny jeans from Venus, and Circus by Sam Edelman sandals in golden caramel.

 

What I’m Doing This Weekend

I might be going to an AMC Theater to use the gift card my sister gave me.  She has invited me to see Mamma Mia.  I’m not certain that I’ll be able to sit still through an entire movie, but we’ll see.

 

What I’m Looking Forward to Next Month

September marks the start of my favorite season.  Although it won’t feel like fall here in Florida, it will begin to look like fall.  As the days get shorter, the sun’s path across the sky sinks lower to the horizon making the sky appear to be more clear and blue.

Or maybe it is the color of the leaves that sets off the blue sky.  I love it!

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Island Hopping

Saturday was National Fajita Day and the plan was to have Mama and my kids over for fajitas.  Schedules could not be coordinated to make this happen so LB decided it was time to take a trip.  Saturday afternoon we set out for a destination favorite…

St. Simon’s Island

After checking into the Hampton Inn it was time to find a Mexican Restaurant.

After all, a celebration was in order…

for National Fajita Day!

La Plancha

was the place!

And the fajitas were anything but typical.

The Spanish to English translation of  la plancha means ‘the iron’.  The adjective (in Spanish cookery) means grilled on a metal plate (source).

Dinner was not bad, but Not Served on a Seasoned Cast Iron Pan, and slightly lacking in flavor.

And where was the guacamole?Hopefully that review wasn’t too rough.  On a positive note, the decor is lovely.

Next stop

Ziggy Mahoney’s

Once upon a time, Ziggy’s was a nightclub that an older man hosted as a means to snuggle up to college girls and take selfies.  These days it has become a hot spot for seniors displaying dazzling dance moves. And suddenly I’m feeling a little more comfortable.Imagine that!

Before heading back to Jacksonville the next morning, I thought it would be a good idea to shop for a birthday gift for my sister.

The shops at St. Simon’s Island were closed which was a good thing as White House Black Market is more temptation than I am able to withstand.

Jekyll Island

proved to be the place to shop for a birthday gift.Tonya’s is the name of the boutique where I lingered.  I was able to find a sweet little gift for my sister

and

something that I wouldn’t mind having myself.

A purple (eggplant) Hobo handbag Yes, LB… this would make a lovely Christmas gift!

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Friday Favorites

My work week has left me

work working GIF

with just enough brain function to compose a list of

Friday Favorites

Favorite # ONE

Juenic

(her name rhymes with UNIQUE)

Which she is!

Beloved agent advocate and everyone’s friend, Juenic always makes time to talk to anyone who needs her.  She is a sweet friend and has fabulous fashion sense!

Yesterday she was walking around with a Saks Fifth Avenue shoe box and my curiosity got the better of me.

She opened the box to reveal a pair of Tory Burch platform slides that I instantly loved.

Juenic’s tiny little size 7 foot would not support those size 8 beauties, so she was looking to sell.

Hook.

Line.

Sinker.

Favorite # TWO

My new

Tory Burch Miller Platform Wedge Slides

My plan was to wear them to work today, but I had such difficulty keeping them on my feet that I decided to research for a product that would resolve this issue.

 Juenic recommended:

I’m going to give this a try and hope for the best.

Favorite # THREE

  This month marked #SIX for little Rory!

My second Glambaby girl is getting cuter every day.

And she poses!

Check out the hand on the hip!

As I commented previously (in a Facebook comment), she couldn’t be any cuter if she tried!TOES!

There is more cuteness in this photo than I can stand!

Favorite # FOUR

The team indulged in yet another potluck today.

My contribution…

Caramel Pecan Bars

The recipe can be found here.

But if the interminable loading of the site becomes bothersome, my rewritten version can be found below:

Pecan Caramel Bars

  • Servings: 28
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Pecan Caramel Bars

Yield: 28 bars

Prep Time:n15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 60 Keebler club crackers
  • 2 11 oz bags Kraft caramels
  • 10 oz  chopped pecans
  • 1 11.5 oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Line a 9×13 pan with foil.
  2. Butter foil lined pan.
  3. Layer 30 club crackers in the bottom of the buttered pan.
  4. Melt one-third of the caramels and pour over crackers.  Spread into an even layer.
  5. Sprinkle half of pecans on top of caramel.
  6. Top pecans with one-third more of the caramel and spread into an even layer.
  7. Top caramel layer with the remaining crackers.
  8. Pour remaining caramel on top of crackers and spread caramel into an even layer.
  9. In medium sized microwave safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth.
  10. Pour over caramel and spread evenly.
  11. Top with remaining pecans.
  12. Let cool until chocolate has hardened, about 1 hour in the fridge.
  13. Cut into bars and serve.

Favorite # FIVE

Gina

Today is my little sister’s birthday

She is four years younger than I…

and I’m only slightly jealous.

Happy Birthday Gina!

In her honor, check out THIS POST.

 

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

 

Summertime Lime Pie

The Kitchen airs several times a week on the Food Network, but thanks to the DVR, I am able to watch it when I’m doing time on the treadmill.

It is one of my favorite programs and it’s co-host, Jeff Mauro is one of my favorite television personalities.  During The Kitchen’s summer series, I’ve learned a lot about preparing seafood, proper grilling, and picked up several ideas for making chilled desserts.

Yesterday I created a version of one of those chilled desserts which included

Fresh limes

Fresh whipped cream

And believe it or not,

fat free sweetened condensed milk.  This was by accident as I picked up the fat free variety while not giving my full attention to grocery shopping.  Great Value is Walmart’s brand and Walmart is not a fun place to shop.  It stands to reason that I was likely running through the store as quickly as possible.

The fat free sweetened condensed milk is not required for a delicious dessert, although mine turned out deliciously.

My Summertime Lime Pie is adapted from Jeff Mauro’s 5-Ingredient Quick Frozen Key Lime Pie which he deems as

Level: Easy

Makes 1 pie

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (not necessarily fat free)

1 tablespoon fresh lime zest

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1 store bought graham cracker pie crust (or you can make your own)

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

lime slices, for garnish, optional

Directions

In a chilled mixing bowl, beat 1 cup of the heavy cream into stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, mix together the sweetened condensed milk, lime zest and lime juice.  Fold the mixture into the whipped cream.

Pour the filling into the pie crust and spread evenly.  Freeze until set, 3 to 4 hours.

Combine the remaining 1 1/2 cups of whipping cream and the confectioners’ sugar. Whip until soft peaks. Spoon the whipped cream over the frozen pie.

Garnish with some curled lime slices and a cherry, if desired.

As with most of his desserts, LB has to have a cherry on top!

 

 

Summertime Lime Pie

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon fresh lime zest

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1 store bought graham cracker pie crust

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

lime slices, for garnish, optional

Directions

In a chilled mixing bowl, beat 1 cup of the heavy cream into stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, lime zest and lime juice.  Fold the mixture into the whipped cream.

Pour the filling into the pie crust and spread evenly.  Freeze until set, 3 to 4 hours.

Combine the remaining 1 1/2 cups of whipping cream and the confectioners’ sugar. Whip until soft peaks. Spoon the whipped cream over the frozen pie.

Garnish with some curled lime slices.

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Pinterest Pursuits

It’s not likely that I’m any different from other Pinterest Users in that, every time I open Pinterest, I will find something new to pin.

This past week I added the following to My Pinterest Boards:

To Desserts Recipes I added:

Cherry Cheesecake Lush

You can find the recipe Here.

 

To COOKIES! I added:

Softbatch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

You can find the recipe Here.

These are the cookies I baked for National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day.

 

 

To Healthy Me I added:

Favorite Recipes to Curb Cravings

You can find the recipe and more information about My Think Fit Here.

Also added to Healthy Me:

The Healthiest Drink To Burn All The Fat From The Waist, Back And Thighs

I have not yet tested the health benefits of ginger water, but if you happen to try it, let me know how it works out for you.  It appears that it worked for the girl in the photo.

Also, I am credulous.

Click here to read about “The Healthiest Drink To Burn All The Fat From The Waist, Back And Thighs”.

Obviously I am afflicted with an inner struggle as I love to bake and create sweets, however I’m also concerned with making healthy choices and not being overweight.  Although I typically find more pins for my Dessert board than I do for my Healthy Me board, I will use the latter on a more regular basis.

In addition to adding to my confection conflict, I will search for outfit ideas on Pinterest to add to my Outfits to Copy board.  Typically this happens just before I fall asleep at night.  Oftentimes, instead of pinning these, I will screen shot the ones that I like, using my iPad and try to recreate them later.

These were all screenshots from Pinterest when I searched blush pants and chambray tops.  I never got around to pinning them.  But they are definitely PIN-worthy!

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

 

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