Skillet Chicken & Dumplings

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite-sized pieces

14 oz. chicken broth

1/4 cup flour

4 oz. cream cheese

1 tsp. dried chives

1 cup frozen peas (thawed or slightly cooked)

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup Bisquick

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese

Fresh parsley

Heat oil in skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and carrots, cook and stir 4 minutes or until no longer pink and carrots are crisp tender.

Transfer to bowl.

Add flour to pan and mix with left-over oil drippings. Whisk in chicken broth until well blended. Cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Add cream cheese; cook and stir 3 minutes or until melted. Remove from heat; stir in chicken and vegetables.

In a bowl mix together, Bisquick, sour cream, and milk. Spoon into 6 mounds over mixture in skillet. Cook on medium-high heat 2 minutes. Cover and cook on low heat 15 minutes or until chicken is done and “dumplings” are done.

Top with parmesan cheese and parsley.

Coca-Cola Cake

2 cups self-rising flour

2 cups sugar

2 Tbsp. Cocoa

2 stick butter

1 cup coca-cola {don’t even think about using Pepsi}

1/2 cup buttermilk*

3 eggs

2 cups miniature marshmallows

Combine flour, sugar, and cocoa.

Bring butter and Coke to a boil…

…add to dry mixture. Add eggs, buttermilk, and marshmallows. This will be a thin batter. Pour in a greased/floured 13X9 pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

2 Tbsp. Cocoa

6 Tbsp. Coke

1 Box confectioner’s sugar, sifted

1 cup  chopped nuts (optional)

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine butter, cocoa, and coke in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Mix in confectioner’s sugar and mix well. Add vanilla and nuts (if you want) . Spread over cake while it’s hot!

Thursday Thoughts

I promised y’all some thoughts for this Thursday, but it’s after 9:00 and my brain is slowly turning off…kind of like a dimmer light switch.

First…Can you believe it’s September?! I surely cannot. It’s crazy to me that things are about to gear up for birthdays {in our house} and the holidays. I am personally super excited about the upcoming turning of the seasons. I {heart} fall…just love it.

I love how the temperatures get cooler, the leaves begin to change, college football is in full-swing, and we get to wear our jeans.

There is nothing better to me than wearing a pair of light weight jeans and some sandals or flip flops. Just love it!

I love being able to play outside with the kids; heck, I like being able to walk to the mailbox without breaking out in a full-fledge sweat. I’ll let you in on a little secret…this southern girl sweats – I am not one to glisten or perspire, I sweat. But, that’s beside the point. The humidity that loves to set in down here in the south and torture us for months on end…yeah, I don’t miss it while it’s gone.

And now that September is upon us, so is the start of a new school year. I don’t know about you, but I am so ready for some schedules around here. I love having time off, but I think it’s in our human nature to thrive on schedules. I love them. I like having things to do and places to be.

Dallas has been in school for some time now, but Hunter’s been with me. It was time for him to get back to school. We made a difficult decision last year to switch preschools. We have been at one preschool for 4 years. I was very active there and loved the program and all the people, but the drive time had really worn me down. With drive time, I was only getting 2 hours to get things done…and you and I both know that is no time at all.

We also felt that Hunter needed a 4 day program, so we prayed about it, and made the decision to switch to a preschool closer to home. It also helped that I have a few friends who already go there. Hunter attended a camp there one week this summer and loved it. He started on Wednesday and he LOVES it. He does miss his friends from his old preschool, but he’s already made a couple of friends and talks and talks about all the things they do and what he’s learned. I am so excited he’s doing so well.

One thing I cannot believe is that he started his last-first day of preschool. Where in the world did time go? I cannot believe that after this year he will be in kindergarten. It just blows my mind.

Isn’t he just the cutest???

His big sister was so happy for him and had to get in one shot…

When we got to school, he went right in hung up his backpack and got right to work. I am one proud Mama!

This week not only brought new beginnings of a school year for Hunter, but it also brought the start of a new dance year for Dallas. She decided this year that she wanted to take jazz and tap. We went out earlier this week and got all new gear and she was ready to go. She was super excited to start today.

Well, I hope y’all have had a great week so far. Happy Thursday!

I would love to hear of how first day of school have gone for your little ones…

Have ya missed me???

Hey y’all! How in the heck are you? Have you missed me???

I have missed y’all and this blog.

I cannot believe it’s September already. What a fast summer.

I knew once Hunter got out of preschool in May, something was going to have to give and unfortunately it was my blog. There just wasn’t time to sit and type and think of fun things when I was trying to keep him busy and happy all.summer.long.

I don’t know about you, but it’s been a fast summer, and a very long August, but then again, August is always long for me. By the time August comes around many things start settling in…I’m tired of wearing a bathing suit everyday, I’m tired of fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants days and no schedules, and I’m tired of being “needed” all the time {all.day.long.}. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved having the summer with Hunter and enjoying time with him, but man, all he wants to do is play…play…play. And if I take time for myself and try to paint a bathroom per say, he tells on me to his daddy. {I may or may not have gotten busted one day for painting and not playing.}

Dallas was in school most of the summer, due to our year-round school calendar. She had the week of 4th of July off and then started first grade. She was in for 3 weeks and then “tracked out” for 3 weeks at the end of July. She’s had a little rough go at getting back in the groove since she tracked back in, but nothing like we’ve endured in the past. She cries in the morning not wanting to go to school, but I think some of that is partly because Hunter was still home.

But, H-man started preschool yesterday!

I digress a little. We’ll get back to school stuff. So, summer was busy with school for Dallas, swimming for Hunter, a few projects for me, a little travel, and lots of fun.

I’ve wanted to post about so many things, but just haven’t had the time. And, then the list of posts got to be so long, I kind of threw my hands in the air and got too overwhelmed with it.

Another thing that was holding me back was the fact that I just don’t love the look of my blog. I don’t love the layout, background, pictures, nothing…just not happy with it. I will admit, I don’t talk “html” so I don’t know a lot about all that stuff. I was too nervous to try and change anything afraid of messing it up. But, thanks to a friend, she talked me down off my cliff and explained a few things to me. She also got me “re-focused” if you will on why I started this blog {Thanks, Anne!}

So, over the next few weeks, hopefully we will be seeing some changes. I’m going to get new pictures {so excited to do this seeing we haven’t done family pictures in two years}, a new background, and possibly a new layout.

I’m even toying with the idea of joining the “social networking” with this little baby of mine. Still a bit nervous about this and again, not sure how to make a Facebook page or bring it to the Pinterest world. We’ll see…

I’m not saying I’ll post everyday, and in fact I can guarantee I won’t, but I’m hoping to make it a small priority in my week and share lots of stuff with you.

I’ve got some great trips to share, a couple of rom “make-overs”, a recipe or two, and I’m sure some funny kid stories. I will share all of them with you and play a game of “catch-up” from our summer shenanigans, but for starters I will start with a “Thursday Thoughts”…it’s been a while.

I won’t do it here because I need to go get in carpool and head out to dance, but check back later for some “thoughts” from me.

Hope y’all all had a fabulous summer and are as excited as I am to get fall started!

Overwhelmed…

Hey, y’all! Happy Friday!! Hope you’ve had a great week.

I have to tell you I’m exhausted. My daughter’s finishing up her last week of track out. She’s been out for three weeks now. The first week was nice and relaxing. We just did what we wanted to do. Last week, the kids and I traveled. We drove to GA to visit my parents. It’s a long 8 hour drive, but so worth it. They not only spoil the kids, but they spoil ME too. Hey, that’s the way it should be…I’m a good kid.

This week is the last week and has been the craziest. I thought I’d keep the kids {especially Dallas} busy with play dates with friends so hopefully she’ll have an easier transition back to school….we’ll see how my plan works come Monday.

So, I set up play dates for them. I am truly exhausted from them. We have had the most fun and I even got to hang out with some moms whom I don’t see much. Each play date and pool trip was filled with great conversation {for me} and fun play for the kids, but I swear to you daily play dates are more exhausting than daily schedules.

Speaking of schedules, I am so ready to be back on schedules and routines. I’ve really enjoyed having the kids home and spending time with them, but this mama needs some routines.

Not to mention I’ve got a few more projects up my sleeve that I want to start and finish and can’t get them even started much less even think about finishing them.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have the finished products up in my pretty little head, but they are no where near finished…nor even started.

To make matters worse, I’ve already purchased all the stuff for these 4 projects I want to do.  At the time of purchasing it sounds all good to go ahead and get the stuff, and the whole time I’m thinking, “Oh this project won’t take long.” You see, I have this tiny little problem with patience {ok, Mama and Daddy stop laughing out loud…I come by it honestly}. When I want to do something, let’s say paint and finish a room, I don’t think let’s wait and do one thing at a time. Oh no, I have to buy everything right then, no matter if the kids are going to be out of school and I won’t have time to get to it for a couple of weeks, it has to be bought. Doesn’t sound so bad until I do that for 4 projects and now, I’m a bit overwhelmed and not really sure where to start. Aahhh! And do you think at this moment when I could be preparing the bathroom for painting {while the kids play nicely together} that I’m doing that…Um, NO, I’m sitting on my be-hind writing this to you talking about overwhelmed I am. Yep, that’s me.

So, I’m off to go prepare this room for paint, because I’m ready to start a project.

Hope y’all have a great weekend. Do you have any projects you’re working on this weekend??? If so, good luck!

I’ve still got it…

So, I posted a while back that my cute, adorable kiddos have sucked it all out of my brain…everything including my organizational skills.

I used to thrive on labels and organization and things being in their place. Well, kids came along and all that went out the door. I’ve even noticed this summer especially I have no time to do anything for the house. I’m either playing “camp counselor” or searching for Hunter the few mornings he’s been away from me.

Well, this Mama needs some organization, needs a project she can actually finish, and needs to feel accomplished. Granted swimming, playing games, and being a police officer to fighting kids is great fun and I wouldn’t change it, but I needed to feel like I haven’t completely lost me.

So, I ramble to say this…I’ve still got it!!!

This weekend I decided it was time to finally get around to labeling my canisters that I’ve been wanting to do for months now. You know, those plastic canisters that hold your sugar, flour, and what not? Well, I can finally check something off my to-do list.

I started with my canisters…

I was going to cut out black vinyl for the lettering, but once I made up the lettering on my silhouette and went to cut it I realized I didn’t have any black. So, I used what I had…red.

To tell you the truth, I think I like it even better than black. It just adds that extra pop of color.

Once, I cut the vinyl, I took off the excess and laid the transfer paper on top.

Then, I pressed it onto the canister…yep, that simple.

Whew, I have to say I’m super happy I’ve still got it in me. I knew my old friend, Ms. Organization, would come visit me again.

One thing less on my to-do list. And now it’s time to hit the pool with my super fun kiddos and a couple of their friends.

Have you been doing any organization this summer?

Kitchen Transformation

Well, my kitchen’s been “finished” for about a month now. I’ve been wanting to post the outcome, but to be honest, I needed a mental break from it. This was a huge undertaking, but well worth the sweat and tears. I LOVE the outcome, and can’t wait to share it with you.

After completing the laundry room and seeing what a difference painting the cabinets white made, I knew I had to do the kitchen. Only problem…I have about 52 cabinets and drawers (yes, I may or may not have counted them…multiple times).

So, I decided to take it slow and do one section at the time. First, let’s take a look at how the kitchen looked before the transformation.

We painted the kitchen red after we moved in because I always wanted a red kitchen. I must say I have loved my red kitchen, but, this year I started feeling that the red was kind of caving in on me. I was ready for a change. Once I started painting the cabinets white, I knew I wanted to make it lighter and brighter in here…so the red had to go.

I started with the cabinets where the sink is.

Now, for the kitchen cabinets I decided to do the old fashion way of painting cabinets…clean, lightly sand, prime, and paint. A bit of a process but it worked great.

What a difference! I was in love, and knew I had to continue…well that and knew that once I started there was no turning back.

I worked on a section at a time, and each section took about a week  from start to finish. All-in-all it took about a month to complete. The main reason is because I’m a stay at home mom with two young kids and a hard working husband. The only time I had to paint was at night after the kids went to bed and on the weekend when my sweet, awesome husband could watch the kids for me.

It was a s-l-o-w process, and I’d be lying if I told you I loved every minute of it. I did not. There were times I was ready to pull my hair out, and there were a few tears shed during the process. However, in the end I absolutely love the outcome. They are now so bright the room really started to pop.

After finishing the cabinets white, I wanted to make the island different. I wanted to do those cabinets in a color. I knew I was going to paint the walls a light grey, so after much deliberation and picking brains of my friends, I decided to paint them a darker grey. So, Eric and I put up bead board on the ends of the island to match the bead board back splash we already had. I then got to painting…again.

The cabinets were finished and it was time for the floors to be refinished. We have wanted to have the floors sanded and re-stained since we moved here 5 years ago. We decided this year was the year we’d take the plunge and re-do the floors and get new carpet.

They got sanded and stained and I love, love, love them. They are perfect. Did I say I love them???

Well, the floors were finished, we painted the walls a light grey, and then it was time to put the room back together. Are you ready? Here we go…

I used the valance that my mama and her friend made for me last year, and used a few of the same lemon accessories I had. I made a collage wall with a few things I had previously. I made the “L” board with an L I bought for $1.00 at Michael’s and a piece of wood I had on hand.

It’s not 100% complete (of course). There’s a couple of things I’m still wanting to do.

I have this nook area on one set of top shelves. I’m not sure what I want to do here yet…I’m sure it’ll come.

I’d like to get a cabinet or some sort of shelf thing for this area by the table under the lemon painting. I’m keeping my eyes out for this one.

Well, there you go…my kitchen transformation.

I am so in love with it. What do you think???