Friday Happiness

Type a little and then "Backspace".

Start over again.

Type a little, shake my head and then "Backspace".

A lot of things are twirling around in my head this morning. I think though that today, I'll focus on the things that make me smile. Not much in the way of form or content, but you'll forgive me this time, right?

Rain on a Friday. Not the best day for rain (I tend to like mine sunny, you know?) but it does bring a bit of relief from the pollen in the air.

Getting to spend time with the munchkins again this weekend. Nothing makes me happier than their smiling faces.

Cozy weekends with not much planned on the social calendar. It seems like the last few weeks have been jam packed.

Derby weekend is coming soon. We won't be in Louisville, but we'll be watching the races. Perhaps placing our dollar bets. Do you watch and bet?

So tell me, what is making you happy today?

A little randomosity

I've done it in the past and I'm sure I'll do it again. Random things that pop into my head.

You're welcome. Or I'm sorry. You pick!

• Chicken burgers tonight (ground chicken breast meat) with pimento cheese on an English Muffin. It's been calling my name.

• I think I'd like sweet potato fries to go with that. Does Trader Joe's have them?

• My leg is feeling better. I'm trying to move around as much as possible to keep it from getting stiff.

• I've pretty much lost my voice due to the beautiful weather (and all the pollen in the air). I love Spring, but I'm thinking the combo of compression hose and a hospital mask may scare people if I go out in public like that.

• I wish I could be more for my niece. I feel like now is the time in her life when she needs great influences to help point her in the direction of good choices. Her mother is a failure in that department.

• I'm going to take her and my nephew to see Rio this Saturday. I can't wait - hope they'll enjoy it as much as I'm sure I will.

It is Tuesday. What's going on in your brain today?

Friday, its so good to see you again!

Bullet style today cause that's about all I can manage!

• It doesn't matter if it is going to rain tomorrow, I'm happy the weekend is here!

• Thank you for all the well-wishes from my post yesterday. The leg will get better and the bruising is going to be hellacious, but as a girlfriend pointed out to me, at least it wasn't the first time or I wouldn't have gone back!

• Wouldn't it be nice if we could have a week's vacation every three months?
  

• Mr. Potts is an angel for helping me out the last few days.

• I'm thinking that tonight may be burgers with pimento cheese on English Muffins (a la Cowfish). Yum.

• I'm craving sushi & would like to head back to Cowfish. If you're in Charlotte and love sushi (or burgers) this is the place for you.

Happy Friday, y'all!!

If it makes you happy....

I'm focusing on the good today. Yesterday was my second leg procedure. There are some times when a repeat is a great thing. Yesterday's procedure was not one of those.

My day yesterday could not have been more different than the first time. My sedative didn't seem to work. The local anesthesia didn't seem to kick in; y'all, I could feel every single thing. I was in tears during that procedure. Literally.

It was such a stressful day that I'm thrilled it is over. I'm so glad that today is a new day and that I won't have to go through that procedure again. This makes me happy.

Another Thankful Thursday.

I have been to Nirvana...it tastes like Bananas and Peanut Butter

I don't know that I've ever shared for you my love of peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Have I? If not, I'm so sorry. I've been holding out on you!

I could eat a peanut butter and banana sandwich every day.

On whole wheat bread, on a toasted English Muffin...if it is bread with a banana and peanut butter, I'll probably be all over it.

However, I have a quirk.

My banana must be yellow. Maybe even slightly green.

I tend to buy bananas that look like this.

image

Mr. Potts tells me I tend to like my bananas crispy.

There may be a grain of truth to that because truth be told, the minute a banana has a brown spot I won't touch it with a ten foot pole.

image

The only thing that bananas like this are good for is banana bread.

The other night Mr. Potts asked me to make some banana bread soon. The minute I saw brown spots on the bananas I just bought, I knew he'd be getting his wish.

I have a good banana bread recipe, but I remembered a peanut butter banana bread recipe I saw recently and knew that I'd be making it.

I hit the peanut butter/banana combo jackpot!

You'll thank me later.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Ingredients

Bread

• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
• 1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 6 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts
• Cooking spray

Glaze:

• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon 1% low-fat milk
• 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare bread, combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until blended.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool.

4. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over bread.

Notes:

• I left out the allspice, flaxseed and peanuts since I didn't have these in the house.
• I substituted low fat sour cream for the yogurt since I didn't have the yogurt

If I could sit and eat the whole loaf with the glaze I would.

White Teeth, not White Legs

The time is here. We're getting ready to head to Indianapolis for our good friends' wedding. Surprisingly, with most of New England hunkering down (again) for what some are predicting as the last Nor'easter of the year, we'll have good weather.

We're staying at the Conrad Indianapolis and we're hopeful that my Hilton status will garner us a suite upgrade. Fingers crossed!

The dress that I originally wanted to order was sold out by the time that I got around to ordering it.

*Sigh*

But I did find another dress that I thought was fun and would fit the bill. I can't find it online, but I'll post a picture later, promise.

I've been prepping for the weekend, working to ensure that my teeth are white and my legs are not!

I do need your help, as usual!

Since I had my leg done it is healing well, however, I'm experiencing some bruising still. I've been using self tanner on my legs the last few days, but I'm a little nervous that the bruises will still show.

Not that the focus will be on me at all, but still, I want to look good.

So, any suggestions for a spray that I can pack with me for the day of to "camouflage" my bruises?

Happy Hump Day, y'all!

Shea What?

Recently I signed up to receive a free beauty pack from Target that would include some beauty samples, coupons & a Sonia Kashuk makeup bag. I had forgotten that I signed up for it, so when I checked the mail yesterday and it was there I was thrilled.

When I tore it open I noticed that one of the samples was the Frederick Fekkai Advanced Essentials Shea Shampoo and Conditioner.

Now, I'm pretty funny about my hair. I like it soft and flowy. I don't like frizz. This whole frizz avoidance thing is hard for me in the South. Many of you know that the following is true:

Southern Humidity + Natural Wave = High Frizz Probability

So, so sad.

I decided to give the samples a try this morning since the last few days the humidity has been kicking it up a notch in the mornings.

As I was blow-drying my hair this morning I noticed an immediate difference. My hair was softer than normal. It also seemed to be drying more smoothly.

I'll have a better idea by the end of the day how I'm loving this, but y'all, I may have found a new "Go To".

Tomorrow is Friday! Is anyone as excited as I am? When your Tuesday mid-day feels like you've already been through most of the week & instead feels like Thursday, you know you're in for a LONG week!