You Lucky Girl...

Yep folks, we have a winner!

FIRST (okay I know you are actually going to not read this first and just scroll down to see if you are the lucky one...but indulge me...)

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to

Vanessa

 and to

ALL OF YOU.

All of you came because Vanessa's stuff is amazing, some of you even decided you liked something at my little old blog...so THANK YOU. You all just about made my week.

SO thanks to random.org, after 207 entries (3 were duplicates), the winner is:

#43 is Trent and Carlie and Co

CONGRATULATIONS.

Please email me and we will get everything settled.

As a side note, I will be doing some formatting around here soon, including the addition of a button. I would also be pleased as punch to start a sponsor and giveaway section of this little blog. If you would like to join in on the fun around here, please email me.

Yaki Tacos

FIRST...if you are looking for that pretty 

awesome giveaway from V&Co

go HERE. You have two more days.
I will announce the winner on Saturday.

I know Cinco de Mayo was yesterday...don't worry I am not a day late this isn't really a Mexican dish. Don't be fooled by the taco label.

This is a little Polynesian answer to the taco. We first came upon this recipe from Top Secret Recipes years ago. From the first bit when the teriyaki sauce ran down our fingers, we were IN LOVE. You will need a little prep time, but I promise you it is worth it. If you are making it for a crowd, be prepared to have them ask for these again.

Yup, they are that good.

So let me introduce you to, the Yaki Taco...

Yaki Tacos


Teriyaki Sauce (best sauce EVER)

1 3/4 cups water
1 T cornstarch
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup canned pineapple chunks (sliced into quarters...I know it sounds lame but just do it)
1/4 cup juice from can of pineapple
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
2 t minced fresh ginger ( I use the equivalent of ground, I am not fancy)


2-3 chicken breast, cut up into bit size pieces
12 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
4 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded (eyeball it)
1 1/2 cups canned pineapple chunks (again in quarters)
1 1/2 cupped tomatoes, diced (not pictured, we just didn't have them)
1/2 cup chopped green onion

Make teriyaki sauce by whisking cornstarch into water in med saucepan. Add remaining ingredients, then bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 7-10 minutes. Let sauce cool before using for marinating.

After it is cool, measure out 1 cup and set aside. Use the remaining to pour over chicken. Cover chicken and let marinate for at least six hours....if you are thinking ahead overnight is best.

When chicken is done marinating, slightly oil a large skillet over medium/low heat. Remove chicken from sauce and saute in the pan for 8-10 minutes until browned on both sides (toss out rest of marinate). Microwave leftover sauce until it is hot. Pour sauce over the cooked chicken.

To build tacos, preheat another skillet and warm one side then flip over and put 2-3 T of cheese in the middle and let it stay in until cheese starts melting. Remove and then put 3-4 chicken pieces on, then layer lettuce, tomato, pineapple and green onions, not to mention a little bit of sauce.


Oh...PS you will want some napkins on hand...they are messy...delightful...but messy.

Have You Thanked A Teacher?

FIRST...if you are looking for that pretty 

awesome giveaway from V&Co

go HERE...or okay just scroll down, Haha.

AND can I just say...WOW! I knew people LOVED 

Vanessa, but I mean WOW!

Remember the giveaway closes on Friday the 7th at 11:59pm est

So how about that Teacher in your life...have you said Thank You?

This week is teacher appreciation week. This is our first year at actually having a teacher. What to give, what to give. How about an apple? But not just any apple, the good kind, the kind your doc or dentist probably wouldn't prescribe for once a day. That's right, a cookie apple.

I am new to the flooding thing, if you will remember my first flooding attempt. Well this time went a little better. I used a different icing recipe and I actually watched a little video how-to at Cookie University, there is such a glorious place, a new little site from the creator of Bake at 350.

I made circular cookies with A, B, C, & D on them to go with the apple cookies. PLUS I had to add a cute picture of my oldest little man with a cute bubble saying.

They weren't perfect, but I think I am getting the hang of it. Now if I only had more than one #2 tip!

There was a cookie casualty...my poor chalkboard cookie. It fell off an hour before we were delivering it. See my sad finger marks where I wildly tried to save it?

Go thank a teacher this week. I am pretty sure they deserve it.

Thanks to our little man's teacher, Mrs. Long.

Holla V&Co Giveaway!

Did I just say a giveaway from the Vanessa from V&Co? Why yes, yes I did. Don't ask me how you all got so lucky...well I am pretty sure it is because she is the coolest person ever oh and maybe because I begged her!

It probably doesn't hurt that our hubbies went to grad school together either. Hehehe.

So this girl really doesn't need any introductions...

I am pretty sure everyone knows her AND everyone knows how insanely talented she is. Oh and did you just say, "what about how Hee-larious she is?" It's true... while reading some of her post I have laughed hard enough I may have tinkled slightly...cut me a break I have had 3 kids.

I HEART her blog. I could spend precious sleeping time pouring over all of her tutorials and projects. If by some chance you haven't stopped by her blog...don't feel stupid or uncool I won't tell anyone...go ASAP. Start in her tutorials! Here are two of my favs...

PS you all, she does that with SPRAY PAINT. Yes, go ahead say it, I know you are thinking it, she is the bomb diggity.

Well my friend Vanessa is doing me a ginormo favor, thereby doing you all a ginormo favor...she is giving one of my lovely readers 3 of her awesome patterns...can you say HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY???

Have you seen her patterns? Here are some of my favorites...

oh why can't I quilt???

A delightful calorie-free dessert

Remember this from SYTYC? 

So you want some of her patterns now don't you? 

SO here's how you can win 3 of her patterns...

Giveaway Time--

You get 1 entry by

Going to her shop browsing around, and then leaving me a comment about which one is your favorite

Want another entry?

Show me some love and become a follower here (or if you already are a follower), then let me know

Hey you want another one? Okay...

Spread the word, facebook or blog about it

HEY I am not done...

Do you want another 3 entries...yeah I said 3...

Show HER some love and go to her shop and buy something that you just can't live without, then let me know what you got yourself...Can you say HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY?

Okay peeps...let's get this party started...

Remember, you need to leave a separate comment for EACH entry you do (including 3 separate comments if you buy something from her shop)... monotonous I know but I might go batty trying to separate them all. 

This lovely giveaway will end on  Friday May 7th at 11:59 pm est

Thanks again Vanessa. You rock...'nuff said.

My Dream To-Do List

I have a dream to do list. You know the list of things that you would accomplish if money and time were no object...oh and if I didn't need to do that whole motherin' thing.

My dream to-do list grows pretty much by the second, but here are some of the things on it RIGHT now.

MY DREAM TO-DO'S

Replace all the ugly doors in my house with these lovelies...

Jeld-Wen Doors

Organize all my shelves and closets so that everything is pretty and so that I don't have to gasp in horror if someone besides me has to open said closets.

source unknown aka this has been in my to-do folder to long to remember

Make my stairway look like this...okay so I would have to knock down a wall, but seriously have you checked out this molding!!!!! Sigh.

source unknown aka my brain FORGOT where I JUST got this

I would love to make myself one of these. I heart this.

tutorial for Ucreate by At Second Street

Go shopping and buy myself this pretty stylin' dress...

Boden

...to go with these stylin shoes. OH and since I am all dressed up maybe I could go on a date with hubby.

Boden

Or maybe I could just stay home all dressed up and make this AWESOME little number.

I am a Baker

Alas, instead I am doing this today...

WEEDING

Uggg....

and maybe I will get to take a shower.

BUT...tomorrow is Saturday. That means hubby is home. We might still be weeding but we will be doing it as a fam. Good times.

MONDAY will come soon enough and will be glorious I am sure...AFTER ALL I might have another giveaway and it might be from someone pretty cool...no not me, although I am pretty cool.