Fall Weather = Soup for dinner!

At least in my mind that's what I think. :)

So, I decided to find some yummy (and easy) soup recipes to try out. I was looking at one of the food blogs I have on my blogs http://joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com/ and found a recipe for Cheesy Broccoli and Potato Soup.

Sounded yummy.

Sounded easy.

Sign me up!

So, last night I decided to make it. I tweaked it a smidge and added like a tablespoon of butter (it didn't call for any and what kind of cheesy potato soup doesn't call for butter?? Gotta make it a little less healthy. haha) and a little more cheese.

I think it turned out REALLY, REALLY good. Ty took some to work last night, but he was asleep this morning before I got up, so I couldn't ask him what he thought.

Cheesy Broccoli and Potato Soup

5 Cups of diced potatoes
Water to cover potatoes
12 oz. chopped broccoli (we used frozen)
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp pepper
2 cups milk
1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Place the diced potatoes in a large stockpot, sprinkle with salt and cover with water. Boil for about 30 minutes, covered. Stir occasionally, especially as the potatoes get softer.When the potatoes are tender, mash a few times with a potato masher. Then, add in the frozen broccoli. Allow the broccoli and potatoes to continue cooking for another 5ish minutes. Add the milk, and heat until the mixture simmers. Mash the soup a few more times with the potato masher, if desired. Then, remove from the heat. Stir in the pepper and the cheese and allow the hot soup to melt the cheese slowly.

It's Over...

Junior Miss is over!

I can't believe it!

I've spent the last 3 months pretty much working on the choreography with Lindsey and as of 10:30 Saturday night, it was DONE! So crazy!!!

Pictures are on my computer at home, so I'll do more of a post tonight or tomorrow, but I had a BLAST!

I met 15 INCREDIBLE senior girls that I'm going to miss dearly. And also met and got to know an AMAZING fellow JWL-er that I am happy to call a new friend, Lindsey. She's amazing!! I know she will be someone I will call a friend for the rest of my life. She is absolutely a blessing in my life! :)

Okay, full post later. Now it's time to work...boo.

Happy Monday!

I THINK we might have found the BM dresses!

So, last Thursday mom met me at Memories in the Making to look at another designer's line of Bridesmaids dresses that I thought might have the right kind of grey/charcoal taffeta color that I am wanting. So we checked a few out and I think we may have found one.

Mom said she would be my little model, (and I say little because she is TINY, the dress was huge on her!! haha) she tried on 2 for me and we really, REALLY liked the 2nd one. I really want to see a dress in their "silver" color because all I've seen is the swatch and it looks pretty good, but I'm not 100% convinced it's EXACTLY what I'm looking for.

I'm picky.

I know.

I can't help it.

I'm a tiny bit Bridezilla-y.

I'm owning it. :)

So, anyway, here's the dress. It's shown in Indigo, so totally not the color I'm going with, but I'm LOVING the dress. What do you think??

Mom, my beautiful model. :)

LOVE all the rouching and the sweetheart!!

Showing the side. AND how big it was on Mom. :) That seam should be a little closer to the side of her than the back.

2 White Geese.

Pretty much everyday on my way to work and most days on my way home I see these two little guys. Or girls. Or guy and girl. They could be a little goose couple for all I know. What I do know is that they always just make my day. I finally got a a picture of them because I've told so many people about them. I smile everytime I see them waddling in the median eating all the grass. They're just so cute!

My little geese friends...

Happy Tuesday everyone!!

Not a good start to my Friday...

Ugh. I hate when days start like today. I turned off my alarm this morning and went back to sleep and didn't wake up until, oh, 6:59. Yeah. I need to leave my house by 7:20 to make it to work on time. So, that wasn't happening. I left about 7:50 and got to work at 8:30. Yikes.

Then to add to it, as I was grabbing my purse this morning to leave, I looked at the calendar hanging on the wall in the kitchen and saw that our payment for the TV was due on September 11th. Yep. 6 days ago.

Crap.

And with that payment, if you're even a nano second late, you get a late fee. UGH. Seriously???

Happy frickin' Friday.

Are you sure it's not Monday??? :(

GTL, baby!

So this past weekend my friend at work, Sarah, had a surprise 30th birthday party for her husband. She made it a Jersey Shore theme to make it more fun. She had the whole place decorated with jager bottles, glow sticks, sunglasses, had Season 1 of Jersey Shore playing in the background and the soundtrack from the show playing too so we could fist pump all night long!

With it being Jersey Shore themed, we all of course had to dress in our best Jersey Shore attire. So of course, I go to my second closet, Sarah :) and I borrow a dress and some shoes from her.

My inspiration was Sammy, from the show, so I needed some long dark hair, so I went and got some Paris Hilton extensions from Sally Beauty Supply, some cheap BIG gold hoop earrings, bracelets and a ring (that turned my finger green. haha). I went pretty heavy on the eye makeup and showed a little more cleavage then normal. Hey, it's Jersey Shore, what do you expect. :)

So anyway, I got dressed and ready to go, asked Ty what he thought and he said "Well you look like you belong on the Jersey Shore." haha SUCCESS!!! (BTW, Ty was really going to try to go with me, but he worked the night before, had traffic school during the day (he's a bit of a speed demon), then had to play softball for work that night, so he was exhausted...so he got out of it, whatever :) )

I sent this to Krystal to see if she approved of my outfit, she did. :) haha

The party was a really good time! Jacob was completely surprised and shocked and had a great time. I stayed til about 11:30 then went home. Sarah threw a great party!!

The birthday boy enjoying the party in his honor! Happy 30th Jacob!

Mrs. Party Planner, Sarah, and I :)

Whitney and I. She won best dressed! How could she not?!?! She rocked that Snooki poof and Snooki shades!!! Love it!

Me and Shannon

Sarah, Shannon and I having a great time at the party!

Countdown Continues...

8 Months from today's date Ty and I are getting MARRIED!!!!

I seriously cannot believe it's only 8 months away. Everyone told me it would fly by and I swear as soon as we hit the 1 year mark, it has flown. I really didn't think it would, but it has. 8 months is not very far away. AT ALL.

I think we're doing good on our timeline though. Moving right along. :) Mom's ready for me to order my gown, but I'm still not 100% sure. As long as it's ordered by November, we're good. So I still have some time.

I stayed at Mom and Gerry's 2 weekends ago, so we played with the flowers for some of the centerpieces and here are the rough drafts of 2 of them.

(The sticks won't be that tall and we're going to add 2 more of the sweet peas and a few curly sticks too)

Still need something to kind of fill in the holes of this one, not quite sure what to use though. Mom did this and sent me a pic, so it might work. I need to see it in person though...

Then the 3rd centerpiece will be a short fishbowl with about 7 roses in cream, light pink, and bright pink. I think they are all going to be really pretty. :) Yay!!!