ACCORDING TO ME

Here Comes The Bride...

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:31:00 +0000

I tell ya, waiting for my son's wedding day to come is taking forever! Not that I am really actually eager to marry him off and get rid of him mind you, I just feel like the time is dragging by. The bad thing about it is that I am not sure they really even have anything ready so it might actually be even longer before they make it down the aisle.

I know there is definitely a great deal to do. The dress, the rings, the caterer, the venue, you name it. There's only so much time in the day and they both work full time so their time is limited. It's no easy feat for sure. In the meantime, I thought I'd share an interesting photo on the history of weddings. It's amazing how far back some of our wedding traditions come from. Some of it is rather funny too! Thanks Moissanite for the chuckle!

Signed,
Frazzled Mom To An Engaged Son!

a href="http://www.moissanite.com/a-brief-history-of-weddings-600-px?utm_source=wpromote&utm_medium=infographic&utm_term=brief-history&utm_content=600px&utm_campaign=august-2012">

Presented By Moissanite.com visit moissanite.com
Nessa

Second Job

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:21:00 +0000

Thanks for the article from Jermaine Haynes

Recently I got a second job that requires me to work late at night. I have to work approximately four nights a week. When this happens I miss seeing all my favorite TV shows. My husband is at home on those nights and gets to watch everything he wants to without having to decide with me what to watch. Thank goodness we have direct TV so I can DVR all my favorite shows. I could not stand it if I had to miss what was happening on Grey’s with Meredith and Derrick trying to adopt their baby. Then I just stay on pins and needles waiting to find out who is going to “get it” on Revenge. I am pretty sure that is my new favorite show. They come up with a new twist each week that sucks me in even more. I am guessing that this is my escape from reality. I can watch all my shows that I recorded on the weekend and stay caught up. My husband thinks I am quite the psycho when it comes to watching my shows, but I don’t think I am any worse than he is about his football games. At least I watch a variety.

Reading about zombies

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:34:00 +0000

Guest post written by Rachel Stone

When it comes to reading about zombies, I don't just do it for enjoyment. It's like I even read it with a scientific eye because by now I know so many things about zombies that whenever I read something about them that sounds like it doesn't make sense, I'm a little bit skeptical about it. But that has never happened when I've been reading a Max Brooks book. I read the Zombie Survival Guide when it first came out and loved it. So of course I was really excited back when the book World War Z came out.
Now I'm really excited about the movie that they're coming out with for the World War Z book and I like to check what's going on with the filming with my wireless internet New York. I've been reading all kinds of blog posts about how people think that they're going to ruin the source material. But I'm sure that it will end up working out really well in the end. But I guess I'll have to be the judge of that later.

What a Load Off

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 21:25:00 +0000

Thanks for the guest post by Jo Levy

Buying my first house was a huge decision both personally and financially, but I'm sure glad I did it. I feel more adult now than I ever have before and I am even paying all of my own bills for the first time in my life! I'm really proud of myself for getting here at such a young age and I can't even describe how much fun it is to decorate a house you own yourself. At first, I had a little bit of trouble balancing the mortgage and the utilities from month-to-month. It didn't take long before I researched better energy rates at shopelectricityratestexas.com and talked to my cable company about combining my cable and Internet. Now that all my bills are a little more manageable, living in this big house feels like the right decision. I can't wait until the last of my furniture is delivered next week and I can invite all my friends over for a huge summer housewarming party! Maybe I'll even make it a stock the bar party!

Get Real Results With Advertising Professionals

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 20:33:00 +0000

While I am a big fan of word of mouth advertising, I also know that advertising campaigns via commercials, print ads and social media can be a true friend of any product. Where I can tell 10 people about a product I really enjoy in a few days, a good advertising campaign can reach thousand of potential buyers in a matter of minutes. That's the beauty of what advertising can do for your brand.

The hard part is finding an advertising agency that truly wants to see your brand succeed. There are all kinds of companies out there that claim they can promote your product and help you see results, but not all of them hit the mark.

That Advertising Agency strives to pair clients with creative and talented professionals to help them realize the results they're hoping for. A company can come up with a fantastic product, but if no one ever hears about it, the product disappears.

In all honesty, some of my favorite products are things I tried because a commercial or a print ad enticed me to do so. Be it dancing peanuts, a big muscled man or a favorite cartoon character, something in the advertising caught my eye and got me to purchase the product for the first time. As a matter of fact, one of my favorite cleaning products owes my allegiance to the fact that bubbles zooming around the bathtub while cleaning it made me laugh as a kid. yes I had to buy the product to see that it worked well, but it was the commercial with the grumpy ole bubble that made me WANT to try the product. That's successful advertising!

Do you have a brand that you just know people like me will love? Have you come up with something the rest of us can't live without? Give That Advertising Agency a try and see what they can do for you and your brand. You can even request their portfolio to see past work. Ask for information today and get your product out there for the rest of us to try. You'll be glad you did!

Nessa

Seducity-Paper Dolls With a Sexy Flair

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:22:00 +0000

Have you ever wanted to be someone else? Do you ever long to escape reality for just a little while? Would you like to be able to play games, chat with friends, meet other like minded individuals and do it all from the comfort of your home? If so, join Seducity for more fun than you can shake a stick at.

Seducity is an adult virtual world where anything goes. You can be Gothic, You can be a fairy. You can be fashionable. You can be yourself, or exactly the opposite, no matter what that may be. One of the best things about this virtual world is how accepting it is. Gay, Straight, Goth, "normal", they all exist together in a fun and friendly atmosphere. All members are over 18 so you don't have to worry about feeling as if you need to babysit other people's children as in other virtual worlds or have to worry that you could be chatting up someone that's under age.

There are many ways in which you can customize your avatar. Here are just a few different looks.

Not only can you decorate yourself, you can also decorate your own apartments or "turf".

You can start with something like this:

And end with this:

One great feature of Seducity is the games. Members and staff host games throughout the day like Yahtzee, Slingo, Bingo and many others. There are prizes for winners and door prizes as well just for coming to play. Not only are the games fun and easy to play but they are also a great way to meet other members and have fun.

One of the most interesting features of Seducity is the adult nature available in this particular virtual world. Seducity offers a sexual exploration not offered in other places online. There are many ways in which to do this including not only avatar sex, but also the opportunity to learn about alternate lifestyles without actually having to participate in real life or worry about any embarrassment. Seducity's sexual side is a bonus for those who wish to explore it, however this isn't a free for all orgy or anything even close. Members are never asked to participate in anything sexual, though there are often game prizes and events with sexual connotations attached. All members choose the level in which they wish to participate and others respect it. Sex is an option, not the rule.

Overall, Seducity is a fun virtual world that is easy to understand and have fun in. Members and Staff are more than willing to show newbies around and help them out as well as give them tokens (in world currency) to get them started. There are married couples, some who actually met in Seducity and got married both in world and in real life, dating couples and singles. Like this guy. He's not the only one though.

Would you like to try it out first? Seducity offers a free 2 week trial with full functionality to test it out. Joining has never been easier and you'll love the many ways available to customize your experience. Don't be shy...........join now. New friends await!

Nessa

Easter Egg Decorating

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:25:00 +0000

Looking for new ways to decorate your Easter Eggs? I am! I'm tired of the same ole same ole. A big mess with a twenty cups of dye and few ideas on how to make the eggs look different than the year before.

So this year I'm starting early and looking up new stuff. Here are some of the ideas I found. Who knew there were so many awesome ideas out there? For instructions on how to create the eggs shown. simply click the picture and it will take you to the page. Enjoy and be sure to enter my Comfort Cross Giveaway.

Bedazzled Eggs

Word Eggs

Disco Eggs

Aluminum Foil Eggs

Melted Crayon Eggs

Rubber Band Eggs

Tie Dye Easter Eggs

Nessa

Friday 5, A Clean version

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:03:00 +0000

1. What’s in need of a good cleaning?

Everything! It's that time of year. Time to get rid of clutter and deep clean

2. What’s your idea of good, clean fun?

Pretty much anything I do with my kids. Even if we're just sitting around the living room picking on each other.

3. How clean is your driving record?

As far as the cops/insurance know about, it's Pretty clean. Only one accident since I got my license at 18. How many times have I caught myself doing more than 10-15 miles over the speed limit? Lets uhhhhhhh not get into that lol.

4. When did you last make a clean escape?

When I realized that my ex bf, was not only lying to me, but was still very much married, and cheating on me too. Busy lil guy i tell ya! 8 years wasted of my life but I have a super awesome man now!

5. What are your feelings about dirty language?

I genuinely try not to use it, especially certain words, but sometimes it helps to make a point. Like saying "oh heckydarn" just doesn't have the same impact as "Oh sh*t" does.

Wanna play too? Join Friday Five and see what others have to say.

Nessa

Girls Talk- Last Song Syndrome

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:52:00 +0000

Oh boy,i'm not about to play the one that REALLY pops into my head because it can be kind of offensive and it's loud. For those who like loud music, It's "Crying Like A B*tch" by Godsmack.

The one I will share is the one my boyfriend got me listening to. It's kinda of catchy and fun so no one will be shocked by it lol.

Got a great song you want to share? Join Girls Talk too

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:48:00 +0000

Nothing special to see here. Just a tree against a beautiful blue Spring sky. God gave us such beauty. We should appreciate it more.

Nessa

Friday 5.........Being Unreasonable

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:04:00 +0000

This should be a pretty easy Meme lol. I've like NEVERRRR been accused of being unreasonable before. And if you believe that.........well lets talk about this oceanfront property I own lol.

Found this cute Meme today and it's so nice outside I've decided to just sit outside and blog. It's just too nice to sit in the house being all cooped up.

So, anyway, this is my first time doing this meme, but it looks nice and the people participating look friendly so if you like meme's too feel free to join in the fun.

1.What’s something you have an unreasonable fear of?

Lol, oh this is easy......Mice and snakes. I swear to God and anyone else listening that I would literally leave my children to be attacked if I saw one. I know this because I have! Saw it, almost climbed my boys heads trying to get away. Luckily they were old enough to dispose of it and not little toddlers or anything lol. They got me back later by convincing me that they had to perform some sort of ceremony to bury it or the mate would come looking for it.

2.What’s something you have an unreasonable fondness for?

Chocolate, you can check the size of my butt to know i speak the truth!

3.What’s something you have an unreasonable disliking for?
Banana's! I won't even let the kids eat them in the house or anywhere near me. They gross me out so bad!

4.Who’s most likely to bring out the unreasonable in you?

it depends, sometimes it's an ex. In general it's anyone who messes with my kids. All reason leaves me and I become something resembling a rabid Mother Grizzly.

5.Who’s the least unreasonable person you know?

My Grandma. I swear if she HAS to say something negative about someone else, she will go out of her way to try and say several NICE things about them too and then she probably prays all night for forgiveness. I love her soooooo much though. She's how people really should be. Kind!

Nessa

It's One of THOSE Days

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:43:00 +0000

You know when you just have way too much to do and not enough time in the day to do half of it? Yeah, I figured you would. On the upside, i'm sitting outside in the beautiful weather we are having here in Texas blogging. We're supposed to have highs in the low 80's all week and relatively cool nights. Within a month or so it'll be in the 90's, feel like a 100 and the electricity bills will skyrocket. So, it's best to enjoy Texas weather while it can actually be enjoyed.

I have a job interview next week that I'm sort of excited about. A lot will depend on how much they pay. With gas prices so high right now, it ought to be good. Especially since for this job I would have to buy medical scrubs to work in. In a way i don't see why since it is just a receptionist position. Why the need for something as specific as nursing uniform scrubs are needed to answer the phones is a mystery to me, but that's what the ad says and the recruiter confirmed it. Oh well, if the pay is good enough, i'll buy a set for every day of the month! A job is a job, but a good paying job is awesome! Plus, the heat will be coming soon, working in an office where someone else is paying the electric bill would be great as well.

I guess we'll see what happens. In the meantime, between my other jobs, playing fetch with Harley and trying to maintain my sanity I'll probably look and see how much it would cost to buy scrubs online. Some really cute ones!

Nessa

Red Fridays

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:19:00 +0000

Generally speaking, I am not much for following the crowd. I like to do my own thing and be supportive of what others do when reasonable. When it comes to our soldiers though, well, then that notion goes right out the window. I will do anything I can to help support our men and women in uniform. I send $20 a month to buy cups of coffee for our soldiers and I send packages every 3 months with all kinds of goodies in them to a marine camp in Iraq in memory of my son's best friend that died there. I send cards during holidays too. I don't tell this to brag, it's just something i truly believe we should ALL do. I know not everyone can though, sometimes I have to wait longer than normal if finances are tighter than normal myself.

Here's something that we can ALL do though to support our troops. It's practically free! In fact, it IS free unless you literally have nothing red to wear.

I copied this from a facebook Event page that sort of explains the reasoning behind this newest support method. I'm not positive it's a true story, but I know that our men and women do so much for us that it's probably not far from true. if you would like to join the event on facebook you can do so by visiting http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=176090525770505&index=1

Will You give this to my Daddy?

As a Company, Southwest Airlines is going to support 'Red Fridays.'
Last week I was in Atlanta , Georgia attending a conference. While I was in the airport, returning home, I heard several people behind me beginning to clap and cheer. I immediately turned around and witnessed One of the greatest acts of patriotism I have ever seen.
Moving thru the terminal was a group of soldiers in their camos. As t...hey began heading to their gate, everyone (well almost everyone) was abruptly to their feet with their hands waving and cheering.
When I saw the soldiers, probably 30-40 of them, being applauded and Cheered for, it hit me. I'm not alone. I'm not the only red-blooded American who still loves this country and supports our troops and their families.

Of course I immediately stopped and began clapping for these young unsung heroes who are putting their lives on the line everyday for us so we can go to school, work and home without fear or reprisal.

Just when I thought I could not be more proud of my country or of our Service men and women, a young girl, not more than 6 or 7 years old ran up to one of the male soldiers. He kneeled down and said 'hi...'

The little girl then asked him if he would give something to her daddy for her...

The young soldier, who didn't look any older than maybe 22 himself, said he would try and what did she want to give to her daddy. Then suddenly the little girl grabbed the neck of this soldier, gave him the biggest hug she could muster and then kissed him on the cheek.

The mother of the little girl, who said her daughter's name was Courtney, told the young soldier that her husband was a Marine and had been in Iraq for 11 months now. As the mom was explaining how much her daughter Courtney missed her father, the young soldier began to tear up.

When this temporarily single mom was done explaining her situation, all of the soldiers huddled together for a brief second... Then one of the other servicemen pulled out a military-looking walkie-talkie. They started playing with the device and talking back and forth on it..

After about 10-15 seconds of this, the young soldier walked back over to Courtney, bent down and said this to her, 'I spoke to your daddy and he told me to give this to you.' He then hugged this little girl that he had just met and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He finished by saying 'your daddy told me to tell you that he loves you more than anything and he is coming home very soon.'

The mom at this point was crying almost uncontrollably and as the young soldier stood to his feet, he saluted Courtney and her mom. I was standing no more than 6 feet away from this entire event.

As the soldiers began to leave, heading towards their gate, people resumed their applause. As I stood there applauding and looked around, there were very few dry eyes, including my own. That young soldier in one last act of selflessness turned around and blew a kiss to Courtney with a tear rolling down his cheek.

We need to remember everyday all of our soldiers and their families and thank God for them and their sacrifices. At the end of the day, it's good to be an American.

RED FRIDAYS ----- Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the 'silent majority'. We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers.

Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday - and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that.. Every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar will wear something red.

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers.

If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family. It will not be long before the USA is covered in RED.
The first thing a soldier says when asked 'What can we do to make things better for you?' is.....We need your support and your prayers.

Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example.

Nessa

Harley VS ZhuZhu

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:47:00 +0000

My new puppy just cracks me up. He's always up to something. Usually something he isn't supposed to be doing. The last few days he has been particularly ornery. Not sure why, maybe it's just because he decided he could and therefore did. he's just like that sometimes.

Anyway, for some reason, Mr. Badazz himself is terrified of the ZhuZhu hamster. Go figure huh?

Nessa

Mellow Yellow Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 21:38:00 +0000

Monday's are so blah! I really really hate them! Especially the Monday after the Spring time change. BLECH. it should be a holiday. Like "we've screwed up your sleep" day or "Exhaustion day".

Anyway, sometimes the best way to wake up and/or cheer up is to add a little color to your day. What color is more cheerful than yellow? Sooooooo, in order to start coloring my Mondays I decided to start participating in Mellow Yellow Monday. it;s easy to play and there's lots of great bloggers to meet from what I've seen so far. Feel free to play along and color your day too!

These are some tire planters my boyfriend and I made. He cut and wrestled the tires. I watched and then painted lol. They're so pretty ! They're also for sale if you're local and want to buy some ;)

Nessa

A New Direction..Again

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:26:00 +0000

So here we are, almost a year later and I have finally come back to this blog. I really don't know why i keep abandoning it. Maybe the colors I had here before depressed me. Maybe I just didn't have enough to say to cover 2 blogs. I don't know for sure, but I'm back to work on it again.

To get started, I came across a really cute meme, that involves girls and music. I'm a girl, I love music. It looks like a fit! So here we go, My first installment of Girls Talk.

It appears that this week is all about songs we love. These are usually the songs that make me cry.

I guess this would be my favorite song of that type.

Are you a girl and love music too? I'm sure no one will mind you joining in too. They look like a friendly bunch :)

Nessa

DIY kids storage cubbies

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:52:00 +0000

Guest Post Written By Rhoda Parsons

Having two little girls means that they basically take over your house. I have so much stuff by myself that I should have known and suspected that this would be the case. Between the two of them they have so many little dress up clothes and hair accessories that they could probably start their own little girl boutique with just their stuff!

So I knew that I needed to do something about it actually and went online with our CLEAR INTERNET to come up with some simple but cute storage solutions for all their stuff.

I found an idea for how to make a DIY kids cubby and got my husband to look at the directions. He's supposed to get started on the cubby systems this weekend but we'll see if it actually happens. I've already found store bought versions of the same thing just in case he figures out that he can't make it on his own. But I haven't told him that, of course.

Playon RULES!

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:40:00 +0000

About a year ago, I decide to let DirectTv have the boot. They're just too expensive in this economy and it seemed like I was always paying more than my contract price for something or another. It wasn't that hard to let it go til I got a converter box for my tv and realized that the digital signal here SUCKS!

Soooooo, I started watching lots of stuff on Netflix through my Xbox 360. That went pretty well for awhile til I had watched everything I wanted to watch and nothing new and interesting seemed to be forthcoming.

That's when through an unfortunate set of circumstances i discovered Playon and my television life was transformed! By downloading Playon to my computer and then networking my Xbox and my computer via a router I can now watch almost anything I want on my televsion. Hulu works well with Playon automatically and there are scripts and plugins you can also use to get even more out of it. it's simple to use and the tech support is top notch.

I can now watch almost anything via Project Free Tv, Hulu, South Park Studios, etc. It took me less than 10 minutes to set it all up and it's just amazing. The Only downside is that Playon is not free, but they do give you 14 days free with full capabilities and tech support to try it out and after that I believe it was $39.99 for life when I paid for it. That's A LOT less than the $100-150 I was paying per MONTH for Directtv. So it's not only awesome but it saves me a great deal of money too.

Give it a try and see what you think. I highly recommend using scripts to watch Tv shows through Project Free Tv instead of Hulu because it seems the connection quality is compromised with Hulu but it's still watchable with no problem. It just seems to buffer more often than the other does.

Nessa
PLEASE NOTE: I was not paid in any way to promote this product or the mentioned websites, I'm simply passing along the information in case others may find it useful. Sometimes good companies deserve free publicity and this is one of those times.

I Am So Psyched!

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:48:00 +0000

When I was younger, In my 20's. I was tiny, even after 3 kids, but I never had energy. Because of this, I took diet pills. Not to lose weight but because they gave me the energy to get through the day and keep up with the kids. Then I had Tyler and found out that my love of the energy I had gotten had caused a valve in my heart to stop working properly. Ephedra was a beautiful, awful thing for people who took it.

Even after I had Tyler, I continued to take the diet pills. I knew it wasn't safe but Tyler was such a sick baby that it was all I could do to get up everyday much less function. The diet pills made that possible. Then the dreaded news everyone knew was coming happened. Ephedra was outlawed. It was necessary but that doesn't mean I was happy to see it go.

Ever since, I've been looking for something safer and yet still as effective. Plus.....lets face it, I gained weight working at home. Too much! That's just as bad on my heart as the diet pills were.

The other day I was talking to someone I very much trust after I saw her post on facebook about losing 60 plus pounds. Her husband also lost 40 pounds. She told me they took a supplement called "Purple Tiger". I went to the website, did some reading, asked some questions and decided to give it a try for myself and my 19 year old daughter. We have been taking it for 4 days now and we're amazed at how good we feel. We've had no jitters or shaking and the appetite suppressant is an automatic thing. For some reason, as a bonus, when we do eat, we choose better options. That could be just because we're serious about losing the weight and not the pill but I'll take it either way. Between meals, we're not hungry at all. I love that because I love to snack!

It does contain caffeine that is derived from dark cocoa and green tea which are great antioxidants and it has other helpful benefits.

We are both working out as well. We're not just relying on a pill. The pill does however help us with the energy to finish the workout and the rest of the day. It has also improved our general outlook. That's the part I like the most. I just feel better!

Want to give it a try? Visit my website and get yourself a bottle. They start at $39.99 per bottle and if you'd like to be a distributor you can sign up for just $49.99 which includes a bottle of Purple Tiger and sample packs as well. If you sign up under me please let me know and I will be glad to help you or answer any questions you may have to help get you going. There are only under 300 distributors around the US so this is a great time to get involved if you'd like to try your hand at a new and upcoming business.

Nessa
PLEASE NOTE: the opinion expressed is my own and I have received no compensation from the company to post this product endorsement. It is based on my personal experience with the product and others may have different results as with anything. Please consult your doctor before starting any exercise routine or taking supplements as they can interact with prescription medications you may be taking. I am not responsible in any way for any effects you may or may not see while using the product, but I do believe you will love it as much as I do.

Nessa

New Years Resolutions?

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 23:46:00 +0000

I didn't make any this year myself. I didn't last year either. Why? Because they never last. I try but old habits die hard. I LIKE chocolate. I know I won't really give it up to lose weight. I mean I make a really good try at it and then that time of month hits and Look out world, someone better get me some chocolate! It could get dangerous! So for the sake of my community, I eat chocolate. Nice of me to think of others so selflessly isn't it?

Anyway, no resolutions this year. I did however make a decision. I've decided that come hell or high water, we ARE going to eat healthier. Not that we really eat badly now but we need to be eating more fish and veggies than we currently do. I don't even know why we haven't been eating them since the whole family likes both. i think it's just been a bit of laziness on my part when it comes to buying groceries. I've been getting what's easy and good for us and not considering a few extra minutes to cook more veggies or broil some fish would be even better.

Sooooooo, meals around here will be a'changin'. While I was looking around at allrecipes.com for recipes to make new stuff to fit into this new change I noticed there's a new segment there titled "New You". it's full of fantastic, low calorie recipes to help those of you who made a resolution to eat healthier, lose weight, etc. Check it out and see what you think. I've decided to start with this recipe tomorrow.

Garlic S a lmon

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet
* salt and pepper to taste
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 sprig fresh dill, chopped
* 5 slices lemon
* 5 sprigs fresh dill weed
* 2 green onions, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Spray two large pieces of aluminum foil with cooking spray.
2. Place salmon fillet on top of one piece of foil. Sprinkle salmon with salt, pepper, garlic and chopped dill. Arrange lemon slices on top of fillet and place a sprig of dill on top of each lemon slice. Sprinkle fillet with chopped scallions.
3. Cover salmon with second piece of foil and pinch together foil to tightly seal. Place on a baking sheet or in a large baking dish.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until salmon flakes easily.

Nessa

Did You Know?

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:58:00 +0000

I had always thought that much like everything else women had penetrated pretty much every male dominated sport in the Olympics. Granted, I'm not a huge Olympics watcher so the fact that I didn't know this particular tidbit of info isn't all that surprising, but the tidbit is.

Did you know that Ski-Jumping is not open to women in the Olympics? There's a petition available that is taking signatures of those who would like to see this become an addition to the Olympics and it seems to be gaining ground. From what I can see there really is no particular reason that women aren't allowed at this point. It's more that there hasn't seemed to have been that much interest in having it added until recent years. With the press it's getting I can't imagine the Olympic Committee won't get to discussing this with other participating countries regarding adding the sport.

Personally I think if we have even a couple countries that want to participate then it should be added. You know there'll be plenty more countries joining pretty quickly in the hopes of adding a Gold Medal to their bragging rights. Plus, it's just a good idea. If the guys can have their own figure skating competitions, the girls should definitely be able to ski jump. I'm just sayin....

Maybe I should take Ash on one of those ski holidays and see if she's any good at it. I know if she was there wouldn't be 10 countries that could keep that girl out.

Nessa

International Holiday Recipe #4-England-Carol Singing Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:45:00 +0000

Carol Singing Cake, or as it is also called, Pepper Cake, apparently has it's origins going back to English Carolers. The Carolers would sing lovely songs and the persons at the homes would be so grateful that they would bring out slices of cake and mulled cider to say thank you as well as keep them warm. There could be other origins of course and other uses as well but this seems to be the most predominant one I can find.

Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs plain four
8oz butter
8oz dark, soft brown sugar
1 oz ground cloves
1 ½ lbs black treacle or Ribbon Cane Syrup
4 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
Milk as required.

Pre-heat the oven to 325'f

1. Cut the butter into the flour using your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the butter/flour mixture resembles bread crumbs
2. Stir in the sugar and the cloves.
3. Add the treacle or ribbon cane syrup and the well beaten eggs.
4. Add the baking soda which has been mixed in a small amount of milk to dissolve it.
5. Put the cake mixture into a well greased cake pan and bake for 60-90 minutes.

Serve cold.

If Only...

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:12:00 +0000

I've mentioned before on my other blog about how i'd like to redo my bathroom. not because there's anything wrong with mine. It's a very nice bathroom, but I'd still like it to be a bit different.

Ya know, something like this:

Or even this?

It's not like i'm being picky or anything.

The main reason I'd like to redo my bathroom is because the shower doesn't have any water pressure which has made it a relatively useless part of the bathroom. I've replaced the shower head and such but it still didn't fix the issue. So I've finally given up. Soooo, I've considered maybe having that shower removed and reversing where the toilet and the shower are so that I can have a bigger shower. Shower enclosures aren't that difficult to have installed and they don't seem to cost a great deal either. The hardest part would be rearranging pipes but since the 2 areas are literally only separated by about a foot of wall space, that wouldn't be hard to do. I don't think anyway.

I'm fairly certain my boyfriend would give me that "okaaaaaaaaaay" look if I suggested it to him. So would my sons. Oh well, I can dream right?

Nessa

International Holiday Recipe #3-Denmark-Rice Pudding w/Almonds

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:47:00 +0000

I don't know about you but I think a good rice pudding is wonderful comfort food. My Mom and Grandma used to make it sometimes when I was very young.

Here's the Danish Version served at Christmas. As an extra special treat, a whole almond is dropped into the pudding and whoever gets it in their bowl gets a prize. What a way to start the Holidays right?

Danish Rice Pudding with Almonds

Ingredients

2 cups milk
1/3 cup Arborio rice
1/4 cup chopped blanched almonds
1/4 cup sherry
1/2 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
1 (12 ounce) package frozen raspberries - thawed and drained

Directions

In a saucepan, bring the milk to a boil, and then add rice. Reduce heat to simmer, and continue cooking for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool to room temperature.
In a small saucepan, mix the sherry and gelatin; stir over low heat until the gelatin is dissolved. Stir in the sugar until completely dissolved, and then stir in vanilla. Stir into the rice with the chopped almonds. Refrigerate.
Pour cream into a bowl, and whip until light and fluffy soft peaks appear. Fold into chilled rice pudding. Serve in small bowls, topped with frozen raspberries.

For Serving/Dietary Information click the link. Allrecipes.com has lots of extra information along with ratings and reviews

Nessa

International Holiday Recipe #2- Spain-Turron Jijona

noreply@blogger.com (Nessa) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:00:00 +0000

From what I have gathered through research Turron Jijona is a candy served at Christmas in Spain, however it seems it actually has an Arabic origination. It could be so widespread because it's actually a very simple recipe. I couldn't find anything that pointed to a "why" this is a tradition in some Spanish homes at Christmas so if anyone knows please feel free to share the info. I can tell you it's not a quick and easy recipe that you can enjoy immediately though, It has to set for 3 days.

Turron Jijona (Spanish-Style Nougat Candy)

Ingredients

1 cup orange blossom honey
1 cup finely ground almonds
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1/8 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
1 egg whites, beaten stiff

Directions

Pour the honey into a saucepan and warm over medium-low heat to 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Stir the almonds into the warm honey and remove from heat. Mix the egg yolks, cinnamon, and lemon zest into the almonds. Fold the egg whites into the mixture.
Line a dish with parchment paper. Pour the mixture onto the parchment paper and smooth to a 1/2-inch layer. Place a sheet of parchment paper atop the mixture and then place a cutting board over the paper; place a few items on top of the cutting board to give it some weight.
Allow the turron to dry for 3 days. Cut into 1-inch squares to serve.