Sunday Confessions - Late again

Whoops late on this again. Oh well, better than last week where I didn't do it at all, right?


1. It's 7am on my day off and I'm awake. Sure why not. This is actually a regular occurrence for me now on the weekends and holidays it just still freaks me out a little bit. I used to be able to sleep in til noon no problem! (Actually it was a bit of a problem -- I'd intend to get up at 9, set alarms, and then it would be 1pm and I'd just then be getting out of bed wondering where had the day gone. Kinda miss those days.)

2. I'm a little freaked out that tomorrow is going to be 2013. That was a super crazy fast year! And one of the best... at least for me. I'm sad to see it go. But excited to see what the new year will bring!

3. One of my favorite things about a new year is setting my new Goodreads Reading Challenge. Here is my 2012 one and my 2011 one. It is driving me a little crazy the 2013 one isn't up yet. Come on, guys, don't make me wait until it's actually 2013 to set my goals!! A few weeks ago I decided on a new reading challenge (2013 reading challenge - BBC The Big Read list) and I've actually got a head start on one of the books! I started reading The Hobbit a few days after seeing the movie. I know, reverse order! I'm about halfway through. I've had to pace myself so I finish it in 2013 not 2012.

4. Valentine's Day, SLOW DOWN! You're not here yet! And stores need to stop making me think you're just around the corner! Sheesh... it's not even January yet. I say this because on Wednesday I was getting lunch at the Park Shops (think: mall) and saw this at the cookie place:

Seriously! Let December end first!

5. I went to a gag gift white elephant party this past weekend. I was honestly a little scared of what I might bring home but hey, we all went into it KNOWING it's a gag gift theme, so that's part of the fun. I brought Perfect Brownie baking set, you know it from As Seen on TV! I thought it was too perfect. Someone will want it. It's mildly useful. You'd never buy it yourself. But it's not complete garbage. That's how I go into purchasing for a gag gift white elephant. "What's something I'd want but never admit I want or know I want?"
I was #11 and there was nothing I really wanted to steal so I opened a new gift and first I got this gem:

Too kind! What I always wanted!

And Chris was the best boyfriend ever. He made it DISAPPEAR. (Ok here's what really happened. I had to go use the restroom so I left it with him to "guard" and told me to be sure to display it, so everyone knows how cool it is, and when I got back he's holding something else and said someone stole the mug. So did he really do anything? I don't know. There could have been some serious coercion while I was gone. I wasn't there. So he gets all the credit.)
So I ended up with this:

As Seen on TV stuff is the best for gag gifts.

I'm kind of excited about it... Okay excited is the wrong word. It's a vacuum attachment. Excited is definitely the wrong word. Anyway I need to use it. I plan to soon. I just first really need to empty out the vacuum canister before I vacuum anything again.

Christmas 5 for Five!

Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates! And to those who don't, happy Tuesday! Sorry everything's closed - you didn't need to shop though, did you? The stores will be more normal again starting tomorrow.

Good Christmas weekend! Busy Christmas weekend... It was my first time handling one with two families to take into consideration. I think I did okay with it... Some flaws. I'll work on them next year!

Friday I ended up taking the day off because I had to finish shopping and wrap up all the gifts -- except my own. Told the boyfriend I would wrap all of his stuff but not my own present. It's the principle of the matter, yea?

A Friday well spent! Seriously, when did I expect to do this stuff?

On Friday night the boyfriend and I met up with a friend of mine who moved away last year and her husband. They'd heard about the boyfriend but hadn't met him -- they moved away about a month before I started dating him. We went to Ninfa's on Navigation -- the original Ninfa's in Houston! And now the only Ninfa's in Houston... The other locations are now Maggie Rita's. It was so good. I love their queso. I love their fresh tortillas. I love their fresh tortillas rolled up and dipped in queso! My boyfriend ordered something I seriously have to try next time -- fajita burger. It's, you guessed it, fajita meat on a burger. Delicious!

I joked that they seated us in the perfect spot -- by the pun wall. Have I mentioned Chris loves puns? Like, almost unhealthily?

You read that right. Fleece Navidad!!

And then Chris and I spent a very romantic evening bagging his cards for his multiple expansions of Dominion so he can actually carry it with him and play it. Seriously, it has about 8 expansions! He got the newest one for Christmas from my sister and brother-in-law.

So many little baggies....

Saturday morning we drove down to my parents' house to meet up with my family for Christmas lunch and present exchange, and played some games with my parents and siblings.

Merry Christmas to my kitchen!!

That night we had a party to attend with some friends. I made my Funfetti dip and Chris made a cheesecake and we brought some presents for a white elephant gift exchange. Chris was feeling under the weather so my sister went with me. I've played white elephant gift exchanges with various house rules and I don't think the ones we did on Saturday is my favorite version.

1. #1 goes first, picks a gift. #2 can pick a new gift, or steal #1's. Pretty standard here.
2. After the third steal, so the fourth owner (not necessarily the fourth UNIQUE owner, just the fourth owner) the gift locks.
3. After the final person goes, #1 has another turn. All gifts unlock for them and they can swap presents with someone or keep what they have.

Here's where it gets different. The way I've played in the past the game stops there. But the way we played this weekend, #1 stole the present from someone at the end and they then had the chance to steal or keep what #1 had. So then it became a circle of stealing... Just different house rules than how I've ever played. I think of this more as a Dirty Santa? Just part of the fun!

We came back late afternoon on Sunday and yesterday we went down to Clear Lake to hang out with some of Chris' friends early in the afternoon and play board games. And then around 6 headed over to his uncle's house for a big family dinner. He actually just left again for Clear Lake for a big family gift exchange, that he found out about last night. I had to bow out... I feel bad but I had to. We originally planned to do nothing but hang around the house all day Christmas Day. I don't have presents for anyone so I would feel awkward just sitting and watching everyone open gifts but more so, I have such a busy week... no, month really, ahead of me at work I just need to take some time, the only time I have, to relax and breathe and just stop. Take a nap if I want! I already did all morning. :) Clean if I want! Organize some of the presents, out with the old in with the new. Read a book.  Make some cookies. Eat some cookies. Do some Wii Zumba. What does the rest of the day hold for me? No idea! After I finish blogging I'll find out!

No Sunday confessions for me this week. It's already Tuesday! I will do an update for the 5/Five though.

Last week's goals:
1. Finish up Christmas shopping.
2. Wrap up Christmas presents. 
3. Zumba once!
4. Do laundry.
5. Vacuum. 

Successful week! Even if I did have to look up if I made it to Zumba or not. I totally did. Not on the day I was originally expecting to, but it doesn't matter. I went!

New list!
1. Put away Christmas presents - new fan, new blender/processor, new pots and pans. 
2. Go to Zumba twice. 
3. Strip the bed and remake it with fresh sheets. 
4. Keep your schedule how it is now... open. Non chaotic. All I really have on it this week is exercising, a party on Saturday night with the single's group. Maybe get one more use out of a Groupon I bought at a hot yoga place. It's good for 10 sessions, it expires 12/31. I've been... once. Whatever. Hot yoga's a pain.
5. Just... make it through the next few days. I hate the end of the year at work -- SO MUCH to do!

And where am I on my long term goals?
1. Organize books and movies.
2. Put up wall art.
3. Go through clothes.
4. Go to Goodwill.
5. Buy fake book boxes for the table near the TV. Did this yesterday!! Combined errands with the boyfriend. He needed to go to Hobby Lobby sometime to get more craft bags that are sized right for his Dominion cards, I knew that Hobby Lobby had the book boxes I wanted. Bingo! Went to one in Clear Lake on the way to his friend's place. Go team!
6. Revisit the shoe cubby idea.
7. Figure out how to make Thai tea.
8. Measure table and hit up Target on 12/26 for clearance holiday table clothes. Actually did this already! I went to Target on Friday with a friend, before we had lunch, so I could buy gift wrapping. We were walking in the holiday tableware section and the cloth napkins and tablecloths were already on 50% so I just did it then. Didn't even need to measure the table - bought a round one that says the measurements and says the table would seat 4-6. Mine seats 4 so took a chance. Perfect fit! So now I don't have to go near Target the day after Christmas. YAY. I do need to go to some store before Saturday night though to get more tissue paper and one more thing for a white elephant gift.
9. Buy my iPad. Done!! Did this on Tuesday with the boyfriend on our way to dinner with his family.
10. Clean my car. Partially done... used a shop vac at my sister's house to vacuum out the floorboards and sides next to the driver and passenger seats. And while I was doing that... lo and behold, I found the phone I lost a month ago. That I already got replaced. Sigh.
11. Reorganize the pantry. Seriously. There's no rhyme or reason to the order it's in now.

Me, Myself, & I link up #2. And cookies!!

It's that time of the month again (no not THAT time of the month) - the Me, Myself, & I link up party. My second time doing this, I believe!


1. What was your favorite gift given to you as a child?
Let me paint the picture! It was 1991... I was 10 years old, sister was 13, brother was 15. We had banded together and asked for the Super Nintendo game system. It was all we wanted for Christmas! Christmas Eve we exchanged the family gifts, all good stuff, but no SNES. But that's okay, Santa had yet to come (and yes I think at this point I still believed in Santa - is that weird??) So Christmas morning comes, we get our Santa gift and still no SNES so we're all three a little bummed and then my dad's all, 'Hey, what's that behind the tree?' The end of this story would be terrible if it wasn't an SNES. Well it was! Man, my siblings and I played so much Super Mario World that Christmas break. And that next summer (I think) sooo much MarioKart.
There have been a lot of great presents over the years, but this was definitely the most memorable.

2. Christmas is almost here, what is that one Christmas song you could listen to on repeat?
Carol of the Bells and O Holy Night. Practically any version. I could also watch that video of the house lights synced with a Trans-Siberian Orchestra song constantly. 

3. What are a few of the items on your Christmas list this year?
New set of pots and pans, food processor, blender... It's a very kitcheny Christmas! Not a Kitschy Christmas. That's different. 

4. Do you and your family have any special holiday traditions?
We exchange family gifts on Christmas Eve. Christmas morning is all about Santa gifts! It's a little different as we get older... since Santa doesn't visit adults anymore. We're still figuring it out. But usually when we're around the tree exchanging presents, alcoholic beverages are involved. 

5. Which do you prefer: wrapping paper or gift bags? Why?
I love the look of wrapping paper and beautiful bows, but do enjoy the ease of gift bags. When you know what you're doing with tissue paper, you can make them look nice. All gift wrapping is really wasteful though... but I don't really care!

Let's see... what else is going on this week for me.

Oh, so no cookie swap party for me as it turns out. As usual, I way overbooked myself this week (seriously. I really need to work on that) and left no time to finish my Christmas shopping and gift wrapping. So I was looking at my schedule, workwise and lifewise, and realized I had one remaining day of vacation hanging out in my balance that I'd been saving for something or just wanting to rollover. I actually debated taking it off or not because I really wanted to go to the cookie party. I had my cookie picked out (holiday confetti cake batter cookies) and I had heard from a new commenter on my blog that the chocolate mint cloud cookies would totally work, since you're essentially making a meringue which bakes fine... AND she told me about a new cookie I should look for, and I totally did and will have to try out sometime (strawberry cake mix and cool whip cookies - yes I am a little obsessed with all the cookies I can make from cake mix! But hey, I had such success with the chocolate chip pumpkin spice cookies, why stop there?)

But I had to. I have the day, I need to take it, I have so much to do. I would have been going crazy Friday night. I also need to take advantage of the fact that there's the long weekend and I get presents and see family and friends and I can just BREATHE... before the year end mess and January busy'ness hits me and hits me hard.

Maybe I'll just make some cookies tomorrow. I have having lunch with a friend who's on holiday break from law school and back in town. Maybe she'll make cookies with me! It all depends on where I am come lunch time with my private gift wrapping party.

This week I also bought my Christmas present to myself -- 4th generation black iPad with 64 gig. I LOVE IT. MERRY CHRISTMAS, SELF.

In case I don't have a chance to blog again in the next few days, Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! And have a good weekend to those who don't!

Recipe - Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili

I wanted to do a crockpot recipe yesterday so I did! I hadn't done chili yet so I purused my Pinterest boards on Saturday with my boyfriend so he could veto anything I might choose and decided to do this one:

I have it pinned here on my Completed board. Here's the recipe below, with my few changes.

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili
Servings: 10

1 onion, chopped (used 1 medium sized yellow onion)
1 16-oz can black beans (used 1 15-oz can of Ranch Style black beans - drained off most of the liquid)
1 16-oz can kidney beans (used 1 15.5-oz can of HEB dark red kidney beans - drained off most of the liquid)
1 8-oz can tomato sauce (used 1 15-oz can of HEB tomato sauce)
10 oz package frozen corn kernels (used 1 15-oz can of Hill Country Fare whole kernel corn - drained off most of the liquid)
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies (used 2 10-oz cans of Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies - 1 Mild, 1 Original)
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
24 0z. (3) boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used just over two pounds, chicken breast tenders, cut into about 4 pieces each. Since the chicken didn't really shred, very glad I did this)
chili peppers, chopped (optional) (didn't do this, the BF isn't a huge fan of spicy)
chopped fresh cilantro (sadly didn't do this, the BF hates cilantro. If I want him to not eat something, a way to protect it so it's mine, all mine, is add cilantro. But that's mean.)
 
Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours (usually I prefer to cook on low but I didn't get this in the crockpot until around 11, and I didn't want to have to wait until 9PM to eat so I did high for 6 hours). Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred (didn't do this - when it had about an hour left, I poked the chicken with a fork and it wasn't shredding so I just stirred it down into the liquid so it would get the flavor and mix up better). Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro (nope). Also try it with low fat cheese and sour cream (extra points) (served on a handful of Fritos and with a sprinkling of shredded cheddar cheese). 

I also stirred it around every once in awhile. Maybe every 2 hours or so? 

Whoops, the only pic I took of it cooking - pretty much right after I dumped everything in.

And I also forgot to take pics of the day of when it was ready.
So here it is the next day! Sunday crockpot, Monday leftovers!

Cookie swap prep

Just found out my department is doing a cookie swap on Friday. Hmmm.... Time to invade the Pinterest board o' sweets!

Holiday Confetti Cake Batter Cookies - it uses box cake mix, yay! I do like sprinkles...

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Spice Cookies - tried and true, always turns out well, easy easy easy...

Dark Chocolate & Mint Chip Clouds - only egg whites and sugar? Doesn't seem like they'd stay together...

Funfetti Cake Cookies -  you can bake yogurt? Hmm. This IS from the same blog that brought us Funfetti dip...

Decisions, decisions...

5 for Five #2

It's Monday... and I'm putting off getting ready for work... so it's that time again!

Let's see how I did last week, then set the new goals for this week! Green is successful, red is epic fail.

1. Put my laundry away.
2. Zumba at least twice this week.
3. Make food for parties.
4. Do some more Christmas shopping.
5. Call my parents.

Not bad, not bad... I did at least go to Zumba once last week. On Thursday I thought about it, but I got stuck at work a little late, and I needed to go to the store to get ingredients for the things I was making for Friday and Saturday. And the last time I want to go to the store is after I've worked out so I'm sweaty and tired. So I just went straight to the store and then home and spent some time with my boyfriend. And Saturday morning I could have gone... but didn't. Instead I made the Jello for cherry coke salad and went back to bed and lazed and then did Christmas shopping.

So here are my new ones! This week's are hard to come up with because it's a really busy week for work and socially... but here we go.

1. Finish up Christmas shopping. One more present to go, one more present to go!!

2. Wrap up Christmas presents! I usually like to do one big wrapping party and get them all out of the way in one shot, but I might have to do a present a night or something this year. This week is really busy... I think I'm doing something every night. Gotta cram in my social time because I'm going to disappear come January thanks to W-2 season and other year-end and quarter-end filing required for my job.

3. Zumba once! Tomorrow is my only chance! It's offered M-Th at 7:00P and Saturday morning at 10:30A. Tonight I have kickball, Wednesday I have the Rockets vs. 76'ers game (Chandler Parsons bobblehead night!), Thursday I have Bingo with coworkers for one of my coworker's birthdays, and Friday is up in the air. Invited to two End of the World parties or I may have dinner with my sister and a friend or I may just stay home and finish wrapping presents.

4. Do laundry. Getting low on my favorite workout clothes... I need to just buy more good workout pants.

5. Vacuum. We had people over unexpectedly yesterday and I realized I hadn't really swept or vacuumed in awhile, and I didn't have a chance to before they came over... It's presentable, and probably fine, but it still bugs me.

And here are some that I don't expect to get done in the next 5 days but they need to be done at some point... So... long term 5 for 5! Do in the next... 5 months?

1. Organize books and DVDs/Blurays. I was looking for Love Actually yesterday to watch with Ana, as is my yearly tradition around Christmas, and it took me awhile to find it. The order to the books and movies in the bookshelves is still 'get it out of boxes and into the shelves' that was created months ago when I finished unpacking.
I still need to do some measurements and make it down to Harwin where there are a lot of merchandise display stores. I have my books and DVDs in two rows in the bookshelves, because they're really deep, and I would like to put the back row up on risers. Just a half inch or so would do it. Just so I could see the titles of what's on the back row.

2. Put up wall art. I have a lot of it, I have wall hangers, I have a hammer... I just need to get it all out, organize the layout in my head, ask Chris if he wants any input on it (lol), and then DO IT! Put some holes in those walls!

3. Go through clothes. I have stuff I'm sure I never wear. Some may not even fit that well or I may not even like anymore. And if I go through clothes and get rid of it... I can justify getting new clothes~~~.

4. After #3 is done, Go to Goodwill. I actually know I will need to go to Goodwill soon after Christmas because I happen to know I'm getting a gift that will replace some stuff I currently have, and it will find a good home with Goodwill.

5. Buy fake book boxes for the table near the TV. Just an idea I came up over the weekend. They're really handy, and I think they look nice. Pretty sure Hobby Lobby always has them.

6. Revisit the shoe cubby idea. Need to continue looking for something that would fit near the door for our shoes and guest shoes. They're all spread out now and it drives me a little crazy.

7. Figure out how to make Thai tea. I have the mix, I have a tea sock. The method of using a coffee pot to just brew it won't really work for me since I have a single cup coffee maker (got it at Kohl's for $9!), so... figure something else out!

8. Measure kitchen table and hit up Target on 12/26 for clearance holiday table clothes. Maybe matching napkins if there is anything really pretty left over.

9. Buy my iPad. Okay, this one actually should be done in the next week or so, but I keep forgetting to go over to Microcenter so here it is. 

10. Clean my car. Go all out -- car wash, vacuum the inside, clear out the stuff in the backseat, clear out the stuff in the trunk. 

Recipe - Cherry Coke Salad

My first real recipe post! And it's not just a regurgitation of something I found on Pinterest!

So a little back story  This is a dish my great aunt on my dad's side would always bring to the family dinner at our house on Thanksgiving. My dad has the recipe and my sister made it for Thanksgiving this year. I had a holiday dinner with a bunch of friends last night and decided to bring this to the meal.

Is it good? Weird but yes it's good. But half of my enjoyment of it is really more nostalgia than anything.

So here it is! And contrary to what a lot of my friends assume when they hear the name, you don't use cherry Coke. This recipe has been made in my family for long before cherry Coke was invented.

Cherry Coke Salad


2 pkg (4-serving-size) black cherry flavored gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 can Coca Cola
1 cup cherry liquid, make up the needed liquid with more Coca Cola
1 can seedless black cherries (drain and reserve liquid)
1/2 cup broken pecans
1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
1/3 cup chopped celery
8 oz cream cheese, chopped into small chunks
Juice of 1 lemon

Put gelatin in a bowl and add hot water, stir until gelatin is dissolved. Add Coke and reserved cherry juice. Add lemon juice and place mixture in refrigerator: allow to gel completely. When mixture has gelled fully, use a spoon to break up into small chunks: add cherries, pecans, celery, marshmallows and cream cheese; mix lightly. Return to refrigerator to maintain gel, serve cold.

Notes: Chopped Pineapple can be used as additional filling in the salad – 1 cup.
I leave out the marshmallows and celery.