New Fave Lipstick

I saw the commercial for L'Oreal's New Color Caresse Lipstick, and I loved the way it looked on the model.  I went to the store and picked out a peachy-pink color that I thought I liked.  However, I didn't, so I decided to try the color the model wears in the ads.  It's called Blushing Sequin.  I do love this lipstick in this color!  It's one of those easy lipsticks that you can use more like a stain for everyday, or layer for night.  My favorite way to wear it is over a balm, and I apply to the center of my bottom lip and smudge my lips together.  The color is really pretty and sheer, and it comes in a really pretty gold tube!

Even Packing Paper Can Be Fun!

Even though we got to California in May, we are still unpacking stuff here and there.  Especially with a baby coming, everything is getting un-boxed.  Last week, I unpacked our bassinet which was wrapped in huge sheets of packing paper.  Then I got the idea to put the sheets on the floor of our living room and make a little art area for our toddler.  I even drew a little road for her to drive her cars on.  I gave her crayons and stickers and let her go to town.  It ended up being really fun for the two of us to sit on the floor and play on the paper!

I love being creative like this and thinking out of the box.  I think it's really good for kids to do things like this from time to time as well.

Love Chicken Pie

Growing up, my mom's chicken pie was one of my favorite dishes.  I had never made it myself, assuming it was very labor intensive, but the other night I stumbled upon my own version that ended up being super simple, and tasted just like my mom's! 

Here's my easy Chicken Pie recipe.  It's a little unrefined, but you can get the gist:

Ingredients:
Fresh boneless chicken breasts or tenderloins
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
Frozen Mixed Veggies (carrots, green beans, peas, and corn)
Salt & Pepper
Two Pie Crusts

Put chicken and Cream of Mushroom (along with 1 can of water, according to soup directions) into the crock pot, and cook on High until chicken is cooked through.  You may need to stir the water and cream of mushroom soup to blend. 

Take out chicken and add frozen veggies.  Watch your amounts, because you want to have enough Cream of Mushroom to Chicken to Veggies.  Allow the veggies to start cooking in the Soup as you dice the chicken.  Return chicken to crock pot. 

*If you have extra chicken, you can add another can of soup & can of water and more veggies for two batches, or you can set chicken aside for something else.  I used the extra chicken for lunches and dinners for my toddler.

Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste and allow to cook until veggies are heated through.

Lay one pie crust in bottom of pie pan, and press in to fit it snugly.  Pour in chicken/veggie mixture.

Lattice crust is easy!  Roll out your second pie crust and using a pizza cutter, cut crust into strips.  Lay strips across top of pie, half going one way and half going the other.  Lift alternating strips to weave the lattice.  Use excess dough around edges to fold and pinch and seal the crust.  I used a fork for added seal.

Cook at 425º for 30-45 minutes, until crust is golden brown.  There ya go!  Delicious!

Christmas Cheer - McKenna's First DIY Ornament

This project happened by accident.  I had all of my craft stuff out last night, and my toddler comes over.  She LOVES balls right now, so when she saw the little pompoms and the Christmas balls, she immediately wanted them.  Not really thinking, I gave her a plastic globe and set her loose with the pompoms.  McKenna started stuffing the pompoms inside the globe, and as she went, I realized it was becoming a really cute little Christmas ornament!  Not only that, but it kept her busy for probably an hour or so.  When she was done, I returned the hanging cap to the top, write her name and year on the globe with tacky glue and glitter, and when that was dry I added a pink bow.  I think this will be a yearly tradition now, and might make great gifts for grandparents if we make more!

Christmas Cheer - Eclectic Christmas Balls

Pinterest has given me a lot of ideas for DIY Christmas decorations.  With my supplies I got at Michaels yesterday, I went a little crazy last night trying out some of those ideas, and some of my own. I got plastic and glass hanging balls.  I think plastic works for some ideas, and glass is better for others.

This ornament is a large plastic ball, and I simply put some littler sparkly balls (two different sizes) inside.  I tied some wire and a velvet bow to the top, and there you go.

These are really fun to do!  I got the idea from Pinterest.  This is a small glass ball.  I sprayed adhesive into the ball very liberally and spread it around so it coated the entire inside of the ball.  Then I poured glitter inside and swirled the ball until the glitter was evenly distributed.  I dumped out the excess glitter, twisted some wire to the top, and that was it!

I got this idea from Pinterest too.  This is a medium plastic ball.  I put a glob of tacky glue on the bottom of the little tree, and using long tweezers, I placed the tree inside, attaching it to the bottom of the globe.  I then dropped in some fake snow and white iridescent glitter.  I found a cork that fit, and added wire and a ribbon.  I love this one!

Christmas Cheer - Front Door Hanging

Now that Halloween is over, I immediately want to press on to Christmas decorations.  Maybe it's because we're expecting baby #2 within days of Christmas, and I want to start early, or maybe it's because Starbucks had their Christmas drinks out already, but whatever it is, I spent over $70 yesterday at Michaels on Christmas craft supplies.  The first decoration I made was a monogram door hanging for our front door.  I already had the big G, the spray adhesive, glitter, and ribbon, so all I bought for this was the plastic greens & berries, which were $1.

This project was really easy.  I sprayed the wooden G with spray adhesive, and covered completely in glitter.  When dry, I arranged the greens & berries, tied the ribbon in a knot around the top of the G & the greens, and then tied another knot to the hook on my door, and made a bow.  All for a dollar plus what I already had.  Voila!

Paula Dean's Peach Cobbler

I have made this peach cobbler now a few times, and not only is it delicious, but it's pretty darn easy!  It's really good right out of the oven with vanilla ice cream.  Find the recipe here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/peach-cobbler-recipe/index.html

Make sure to use SELF RISING Flour, because it does make a difference!

Playin' Hardball at the Dealership!

Before our first daughter was born, my good old Pathfinder finally drove its last mile and we went searching for the perfect family vehicle.  My husband and I ended up at a dealership in Delaware and got a great deal on a gently used, fully loaded Lexus RX350.  It was exciting for both of us, because neither one thought we'd be driving a Lexus, but the price was right and the need was there.  The car was wonderful, did what we needed it to do.  It even drove almost 3,000 miles from Pennsylvania to California for our move in May.

However, when we realized we were going to have to squeeze a second carseat into the back of my small SUV, we saw a need for more room.  Not to mention the luxury automobile we had been able to enjoy was getting a little messy from our toddler's messes and spills.  Once we were somewhat settled in California, I started researching larger SUVs online and looking around.  We were also looking at the cost factor, and decided that if we bought something that was less expensive than the Lexus, we might actually be able to get money back.

I did my research, decided what vehicle I wanted, and then found out what the Lexus was worth and what I should pay for the "new" car.  We visited a couple dealerships, and did the test-drive thing with the salesmen, and got a feel for what we liked and what we didn't.  I definitely noticed that I knew enough about the car I test-drove before driving it, that I could get a feel for whether it was a good buy or not.  I also adopted the mindset that the salesmen did not have my best interest in mind, and that I would have to be blunt with them to get what I wanted.  I used to be afraid to go car shopping by myself, but after a little practice I had really gained the confidence to try it alone.  With my husband's schedule growing busier and busier, it looked like that might be the only way I was going to get another vehicle.

The first time I went to a dealership by myself, one of the salesmen actually said to me, "You're not going to buy a car without you husband, are you??"  I was kind of shocked, but just told him that my husband trusted me.  I did test-drive a Tahoe at that dealership, but I didn't end up buying it.  The next dealership visit, my husband did go along, but I did the test-driving and was so put-off by the salesman's incompetence and condition of the truck they were trying sell us, that even though my hubby was ready to make a deal, I told him we were going to walk.  After that, Andy really did trust me.

Finally, I found a great truck online that I wanted to go see.  It was about an hour away, so one day while Andy was at work, McKenna and I went to see it.  Although it was a GMC Yukon, it was being sold by a BMW dealership.  I went prepared with what I wanted for my trade-in, and what I wanted to pay for the Yukon.  After a test-drive and a thorough inspection, the salesman and I sat down to talk numbers.  The first offer he gave me was really bad.  He wanted to give me very little for the Lexus, and said and done I'd only get $1500 back.  I told him we were not even in the same ballpark.  He went and changed some stuff and gave me a second offer where I'd be getting $2400 back.  This time, I told him that I loved my Lexus, and I would keep it for that little amount of money.  The salesman told me that his other manager had just gotten in, so he would got check with him and be back.  Meanwhile, McKenna was getting antsy and we started walking around the dealership.  We ended up wandering into the pro shop in the lobby, and McKenna found a baby BMW ride-on toy that was being displayed.  She almost threw a fit because I wouldn't let her get on it.

When the salesman came back, he had a much better deal for me.  They were prepared to give me Kelley Blue Book value for the Lexus, and they brought the cost of the Yukon down a bit as well.  This meant I'd be getting around $6,000 back!  So I told him I wanted to look at the truck one more time.  After another look at it, I told him I was going to drive a hard bargain but if he brought the price of the Yukon down $200 (to Blue Book value) and threw in the $100 ride-on toy for my daughter, that we would have a deal.  The salesman went back to his manager, and when he came back we signed the papers.  In the end, I traded my 2008 RX350 with 70k miles for a 2002 Yukon XL with 83k miles, and I got $6,000 and a BMW toy car for my daughter (who was elated, by the way)!

It was an exciting day for me, and I was proud that I did it all on my own.  I got Blue Book value on the deal, and was able to get some cash to help pay off our outstanding student loans.  Plus, now I have a HUGE truck with enough room for a big family!