A {new} love

I personally love to have a cup of coffee in the am.  I am not one of those people who feels it gets me through the day and if I have a cup at night I have never felt the ill effects of it and then be up all night.

However, many years ago, when I first got my drivers license and my parents got a brand new car (allowing me to get a car - not a new one but a 1976 Ford Grenada - Hey it was a pair of wheels) my friends and I would meet up for breakfast before school at Bob's Big Boy.

There we would have coffee.  Coffee with Sugar.  Oh boy, my friend Forest, well she loved her coffee with lots of sugar and well, I followed suit.  One day in particular was very bad.  Lots of coffee, lots of sugar and then a trip to 7-11 for some Jolt.  Do you remember Jolt?  I sure do.  That day I could not sit still.  I was jittery, jumpy and even worse, wanting MORE.  I think Forest and I would have killed Jeremy for some more Jolt.  In the end we did not get more, we did not kill Jeremy and we fell asleep early after crashing down hard.

The next day, not so much coffee and sugar.

Since then I enjoy my coffee.  Some days I drink a lot, some not so much.  So, I make a pot based on what I will be drinking and hubby does not drink coffee if it's been there too long.  So my pots in the am are not shared as I get up with the roosters and my pot is made too early.  He has been making his pot and at the end of the day I find that I am throwing full pots of coffee and always running out of coffee since we are making so much.

I made a suggestion, "Let's buy a Keurig."  A few years ago he told me, "Heck NO!"  I explained my rationale this time and he agreed (thankfully we were going to the lake where his parents have one and we have enjoyed using one for about a year now).  He was trying to figure out cost per cup (the food manager in him that is) and I did some research as well.  He agreed.

Yesterday I went and got my machine and as I type I am enjoying my first cup.  Pure Heaven.  One cup, no waste and all is well.

Oh and today I take my coffee with 2 splenda and half and half.

What do you like to drink in the morning?

Zizette

Gimme some {fried} chicken

Credit

My son is picky.

He does not have much variety in his diet.  However, lately he has been trying more things.  He has eaten ribs, chicken on the bone and steak to name a few.  Thank goodness the tides are changing.

I get being picky, both me and my husband were picky eaters and today we are so far from being picky.  My brother was as picky as my son is now.

He asked me to buy drumsticks, all of sudden.  He likes wings but they are all in sauces and he is not ready or willing to have sauce (Little Miss eats and tries everything).

I decided to make them fried chicken (drumsticks).  They came out really well.  He really enjoyed them. I have to really play around with some recipes as I like them with lots of crisp.  He wants the smaller drumsticks and wings, like the buffalo wings.  He doesn't like sauce so trying to find the smaller ones has been hard for me - unless I just don't know where to look since I have never bought them.

It was a good first try and now I made another batch and have it in the fridge for easy meals.

I got the recipe from Epicurious

Enjoy!

Zizette

• 1 3-lb. fryer
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. black pepper
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 1/2 cup Pet milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. ground thyme
• 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
• 1 qt. oil for frying

Cut chicken in eight pieces. Season well with salt and pepper. Set aside. Mix eggs, milk, and water. Pour mixture over chicken. Let sit for 5 minutes.

In a heavy paper bag, mix flour, paprika, ground thyme, and granulated garlic. Place chicken in bag with flour mixture. Shake until chicken is well coated.

Heat oil in a Magnalite fryer — oil should reach 350°F. Place chicken in hot oil. Fry, turning as chicken browns. Heavy parts such as breast, thighs, and legs will take 15 to 20 minutes, wings about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain chicken on paper towels.

{simple} Sundays

I am *trying* to simplify things around here.
I am *trying* to shed the crap stuff around our house.
I am *trying* to do it with the kids not harassing me to keep this or that.

Even though yesterday was Saturday I had to start somewhere but today I will do more and *try* to dedicate time on Sundays to purge and simplify.


I did manage to purge a box from the garage.  It's been there since we lived here (2 years) and if we have not touched that stuff in this time, well it's time to go.  Hubby thinks I am a hoarder, that I am not but I do tend to hold onto some things for "memories" and what I may need.  Eventually I do get rid of stuff.

BUT if he wants to talk about hoarding he should look at himself.  Do you know what he keeps?  The boxes from cell phones, The GPS we got 4 years ago, the iPod he got god knows when - you get what I mean.  It's time to get rid of all this stuff.

I want clean spaces.  Maybe when the kids are gone for the next two days I can get around to cleaning the playroom/guest room.  We shall see.

I really want to do this because every third Thursday the Bulk pick up in our town takes away everything.

What would you like to simplify?

We {want}, we {need}

Okay, I grew up with a dog.  I love dogs.  My daughter LOVES dogs and so does my son.  My parents have a dog.  We all WANT, no Need a dog.  Notice someone is missing?  Hubby.  No Dog.  No way.  He does not want a dog.  How do we fix that?

We have a cat.  A BIG cat.  A BIG, NASTY cat.  She is mine.  I love her but she doesn't love anyone, well, maybe me from time to time.  Usually only for her long enough to like me then bite me but she sleeps with me.  The kids try to love her but she wants no part of it and Hubby - he does not like her.

Blogging Kitty

We sort of made an agreement years ago.  My hubby always says he needs to have some time without a pet (I had Lola before I met him so she has always been with us).  So, I said to the kids, when Lola dies we will wait 6 months and then we will get a dog.  He doesn't agree but last week when a friend's mom was fostering a puppy and I jokingly said, "meet our new dog."  He said, "we have an agreement."  So I made sure people recognized his commitment to our agreement.

BUT

We can't wait until the cat is gone. We want a dog now.  We need a dog now. Who doesn't want a dog?

from here

I go back and forth between wanting a medium/big dog and a small dog.  I would love to have a small dog to bring with us where we go and truly be a little lap dog.  But I also love the thought of rough housing with a big ole playful dog.

How do we get dad/hubby on board?  I brought the kids to our local pet shop and they played with the puppies Maya loves all dogs and Sam decided he wants a small dog, a Yorkie.  Just like his mom.

Now to work on dad/hubby.

Zizette

New {love}

I have a few new loves.

First, I am in love with a new website that my friend invited me to: RueLaLa

It has discounts on designer duds and such.  I am not super designer shopper but I love a few brands and I am super loyal to the ones I love.  I also love some brands that I really can't afford and this site allows some of that.

Anyhoo, I have wanted a Michele watch for some time.  So expensive, they do have a cheaper line the Tahitian Jelly Line and last week they had them on sale.

I got one for me.  After I lost internet in my classroom (on my prep then lunch). The original one I wanted sold out FAST.  This is the one I got and I am so happy considering my Raymond Weil lost a diamond bezel on the one o'clock and now has to be repaired.  In any case I am happy and I got myself a little treat for working 683 this summer.

I just love it when we can treat ourselves every now and then.
Zizette

Summertime {fun}

Been real busy around here lately.

The kids are doing different things this summer, I am working at my school and we have been enjoying the sun.

Good Friends

Her first fish of the year

Enjoying the life

Cousins 

Enjoying a Mojito like mom (non-alcohol, of course)

Just a little taste of the goings on around here.  We hope you are doing the same.

Zizette

Summertime Treat

I few weeks back I had seen, I think on Pinterest, a delicious idea so I just had to try it.  I did it and my dad added a little treat to it.

It is a nice twist on the standard Caprese Salad.

1 container grape tomatoes (I used about half)
1 container bocconcini(small mozzarella balls in whey or water)
Basil leaves whole (approximately 25)
Olive oil
salt and pepper
Balsamic Glaze ( My dad had Crema de Balsamico that my brother brought back from Spain)
Toothpicks

Very easy assembly. Take the basil leaves, put one mozzarella ball, one grape tomato and spear together keeping them in the basil "boat".  When all done assembling, drizzle with Balsamic glaze, olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste.  It is so nice and easy for your guests to take one and pop it in their mouths. ENJOY!