Week O' Fun - Day 1

So...this week is my last full week of summer and I'm pretty depressed about it.   I know people who are not teachers are saying "Cry me a river!  I have to work all year long!"  But for all of you teachers out there...you feel me.  You know the stress we endure for 10 months out of the year and how glorious and necessary the 2 months of freedom are.  My freedom is coming to a close.   

So Billy and I decided to make the most out of this week and do as many fun things as possible with the least amount of money possible.  We have a list.  And a sign.  

Day 1:  Baja Burrito.  This is a local Nashville favorite.  I love it because it serves local, organic meat & veggies and has amazing homemade salsa.  It pretty much kicks Chipotle's butt. There's always the potential for a celeb sighting.  Or at least a sighting of a group of guys who look like they haven't showered in 2 weeks...so they must be in a band.

Baja is pretty much always packed.  It's kind of like running the gauntlet to order, get your salsa, drink, fork, and find a seat.  It's all part of the experience and ambiance!

Farmer's Market:  I get really giddy about local produce.  I just think it's cool to buy stuff right from the farmer.  We loaded up on fruits and veggies for the week.

Matinee Movie:  Inception.  We've been dying to see this movie for months.  It definitely lives up to the hype.  It's super intense and you might need a nap and protein shake afterward.

This is me trying to add some spice to the Week O' Fun Blog.  I did that for you, people.  Yes..that's a 100% authentic PHS Cheerleader hurkey jump!

More fun to come tomorrow!  

Remy turns 1!

This is my nephew Remy (a.k.a. cutest kid in the world).  Don't you want to just squeeze those cheeks?!

For 3 good shots I had to take about 300 not so good ones.  Ha!  Like these...

Ooh, want to play with my necklace?

Or eat it.  That's fine.

I don't like grass!

Ooh, a stick!

I'll eat that, too!

Maybe Mom can help!?

And....we're done.

Happy 4th of July!

G-Free Pasta and Easy Berry Cobbler

For those of you who are regular readers of my blog, you know that I steal borrow all of my good ideas from my fabulous friend Jami.  She recently posted a recipe for California Chicken Pasta her blog.   I felt the need to re-post it mainly because it was the maiden voyage of my food processor!  I had to document it.  (I got for a wedding gift...3 years ago.)

Also, I tweaked it a little bit and made it with gluten-free pasta and cut out the cheese.  I don't have a gluten allergy, but I just feel better when I eat non-inflammatory foods and cut out things like wheat (gluten), sugar, dairy, etc.  I really believe that cutting out gluten from your diet is the first thing to try if you feel sluggish, have IBS, reoccurring sinus problems or have trouble losing weight.  I'm just sayin'.  Try it!  See how you feel!  People are always like..."How in the world can you eat without eating gluten!  It's in everything!" Not true.  It's actually not that difficult.

Gluten-free pasta is made from brown rice. It  is not exactly the same consistency as real pasta, I must say.  BUT, it really is good. It's important not to over-cook it or it can get gummy.  Keep it al dente.

Click here for her recipe.  Make either version tonight.  It's so yummy and healthy!  You can do it!

And now for something LOADED with sugar, butter, flour, and everything yummy!  Ha!  Tomorrow is the 4th, so I have to splurge a little bit, o.k.?  There are really great deals on berries right now and I went a little overboard on buying.  I wanted to make something with them before they spoiled.  This berry cobbler only took about 10 minutes to prepare. It's probably all stuff you have in your cabinet.  There is no messy dough to roll out.  It's delish.  Enjoy!

Easy Berry Cobbler
1 c. quick oats (uncooked)
1 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
3 cups of fresh or frozen berries

Melt butter.  Mix together oatmeal, flour, and brown sugar.  Cut in butter until crumbly.  (You will probably not need it all).  In a different bowl, mix berries and sugar together.  Grease an 8" square pan.  Press about half of the crumb mixture in the bottom.  Cover with berries.  Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture on top.  Bake for 45 minutes at 350.

Chattanooga

For our anniversary, we took a little get-a-way to Chattanooga (thanks to Priceline!) which is only about 2 hours away.  It is a really cute little city.  It's always fun to stay in a hotel in a new place. And of course...splurge on a little room service.  I just love being anywhere as long as I'm with Billy.   Except for the DMV.  Or the dentist.  OK...almost anywhere. 

It's Our Anniversary...

Three years ago...

Our very formal, ballroom dance routine....

I married my best friend and perfect match.  He just gets better everyday.  I'm such a lucky girl!

I feel like a gypsy.

When I was growing up, my parents loved to fix up old houses and then have us move into them...and then sell them.  And move again.  And again.  I never have lived in a house longer than 4 years.  Billy and I just moved for the 3rd time in our 3-year marriage.  It is the 14th time I've moved since I left home at age 18.  

I LOATHE MOVING.  

It is terrible for a person like me who gets attached to places.  When I was in 8th grade, my parents bought a big piece of property and built a brand new house.  While the house was being built, we lived in trailer.  Yes, a trailer.  A double-wide, to be exact.  After 8 months in the trailer, when our new glorious, beautiful house was finished, I didn't want to leave the trailer!  I also get a tad attached to objects. Like clothes I wore on special occasions, that I will never fit into or wear again.  Or notes from my 3rd grade teacher.  Fabric I'm sure I'll use for a project someday.  Concert ticket stubs from 1996.  If I didn't care about entertaining people in my house or being socially acceptable, I would probably be on that reality show that exposes hoarders.  

So...I'm still in the midst of unpacking and organizing in our new house.  (And yes, Mom, throwing stuff away that we don't need.)  Luckily, we signed a 2-year lease.  That's like 16 years in dog-year-moving-years!  Pics of the new house coming soon...