Semi-Healthy Summer Recipe

Hi blog friends! I have had this yummy recipe for a while and I thought I would share it with you now that Summer is just around the corner!  I always think of hamburgers and really anything you cook on the grill as "summer food", but really you could make this anytime.  I have been trying to make healthier recipes because I am doing the couch to 5K program.  Did I tell y'all that? I think I forgot, but I am doing it and I want to see results. PRONTO. I am not a runner. AT.ALL. So I am keeping my fingers crossed that with semi-sensible eating I can drop a few pounds and tone up quickly! 

I call these "Spicy Turkey Burgers"

Now before you work yourself into a tizzy at the sight of seeing "turkey burger", y'all really should try this because it is not bland at all, and I have made them for a few friends who tell me that they were the best burgers they have ever had thankyouverymuch!  Even E loves them and he is a hard core carnivore and has an aversion to anything healthy.

These are appoximately 330 calories without cheese and 390 with cheese.

Step 1: You will need the following ingredients: 1 lb. ground turkey meat

2 tbsp. seasoning salt

3/4 cup of salsa

1/2 onion

1 bell pepper,

1 tbsp. of something really spicy (I don't know what I used, but it's the thing with the green lid, or you can  use Tony Chachere Seasoning)

1 cup of Oatmeal (not pictured)

Step 2:  Chop the pepper and 1/2 the onion into manageable sizes so that you can use a blender or food processor to chop them even smaller.  I personally don't like the taste or texture of peppers and onions if I can "feel" them when I take a bite, so I pretty much puree mine, but you can leave them bigger if that's what you like.

Step 3: Add all ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl.

 

Step 4: Mush it all together.  I  just use my hands, it works the best =)

 

Step 5:  Separate into patties.  This should make about 6.

Step 6:  Grill burger and add cheese if desired.  I always eat mine with a whole wheat bun to make up for the cheese.  In my mind this makes sense. =)

 

Go ahead, have 2! You can thank me later!

Giveaway Winner Announcement!!!!!!!!!

Okay Ladies...today is the day! Actually tomorrow was supposed to be the day, but I just couldn't contain my excitement! I chose the winner using random.org.  I couldn't figure out how to get that crap on my blog, but I promise that's what I used!

Random.org showed # 36 and my 36th comment and the winner of the CSN giveaway is.......

Bridgette @ All Thingz Related!

Congratulations Bridgette! Please e-mail me your address and which prize you want at andreadawley@hotmail.com!

Shop Girl, Shop

I LOVE shopping.  No seriously... I LOOOOOVE it.  I love coming home with new things and hanging them in my closet and planning on how to accessorize.  I am going to share with y'all some new dresses I bought from Target.com (free shipping if you spend $50) and I got all three of these for right around $50! I live in dresses during the spring and summer.  Dresses make me feel pretty and girly and hide every bump and lump that needs to be hidden!

This is my first time playing around the Polyvore and I really enjoyed it!  The only things I have in these pics are the dresses, but I will definitely need to go shopping and add to my collection of shoes (I already have 63 pairs, I'm not sure how much more E can handle) and handbags.  Also, I feel the need to tell y'all that I am not a fashionista, nor do I claim to be.  I just like to look put together and these reflect my style of cute/comfy/wear to work/everyday wear, and I am not trying to be "cutting edge".  Here is what I came up with:

Which one is your favorite?

I hope y'all have a great Tuesday and remember that tomorrow is the last day to participate in my giveaway!

Top 2 Tuesday

I am joining The Undomestic Momma today for Top 2 Tueday!  This week's topic is my favorite EVER!!! SUMMER!!! It is going to be super hard to pick only two things about Summer that are my favorite because I seriously love all of it!  I will list two of my favorites, but I think this has inspired me to write an entire post soon about my summer favorites!

1. THE FASHION

Dresses!

Sunglasses, swim suits, and cover ups!

Shoes!

2. The sounds of Southern Summer Nights:

* crickets chirpping

* tree frogs croaking

* children laughing

* neighbors talking

* thunderstorms

I hope y'all have a great day!

***Don't forget to enter my CSN Stores giveaway  HERE

Cute idea for new baby!

***Don't forget to enter my CSN Stores giveaway  HERE

Hello, Hello! I haven't posted anything crafty in quite some time, so I wanted to share with y'all a little project I made for a few baby showers I had last month.

I started off by cutting a 13" x 13" piece of MDF board and getting a wooden letter that started with the baby's name.  I then spray painted both of these with "Heirloom White".

I then dirtied the edges of both the wood and the letter up a bit with chocolate glaze:

Then I used Modge Podge to apply a thin coat to both the back of the scrapbook paper and to the wood:

And then I applied the paper to the wood and smoothed out all air bubbles:

I use this icing tool when trying to smooth out air bubbles and it works like a charm!

Okay...then I cut out the baby's name on cardstock with my Cricut and Modge Podged it to the side of the letter.  I then tied a ribbon around part of the letter to add extra flair, but really you could use anything from rhinestones to ribbon, to really just about anything!  When that dried, I used Gorilla Glue to stick the Letter to the MDF board and I put something heavy on it to make sure that it would stick good! (Sorry I don't have pics for these steps)

And this is what you end up with! You could hang this on a wall, but it looks great on an easel too!

I am linking this to Metamorphosis Monday, The Girl Creative's Just Something I Whipped Up, and Today's Creative Blog, Sumo's Sweet Stuff,  All Thingz Related

***Don't forget to enter my CSN Stores giveaway  HERE

Slow Day...Giveaway???

I think so! Today is the day bloggy friends! I was thrilled when a member of CSN stores contacted me for a fabulous giveaway! It couldn't come at a better time as I near 200 followers so I can express my gratitude to each and every one of you fabulous followers who put up with me every day!

CSN has all kinds of products including cookware, accent furniture, kids beds, pet supplies, school supplies..you name it, they have it!

For the giveaway, you have your choice of one of the following:

This 4 QT Paula Deen Bean Pot from her Stoneware Collection.  Who doesn't love Paula? I have her cookware set and I will never buy another brand!

This IMAX Hurricane Set of Three.  I have these in my house and I fill them with those decorative balls and they look great anywhere from your mantel, to your foyer table!

Or... These Lenox Jubilee Pearl Champagne Toasting Flutes! I had these for my wedding and they were gorgeous! I know I have some bride-to-be followers and this is a perfect opportunity to score beautiful toasting flutes for your wedding! They have pearls in the stem and I really just can't say enough good things about these flutes.  Also, Wedding Season is here girlfriends and these would make a perfect shower/wedding/anniversary gift even if you don't think you would use them yourself!

It will be super hard to pick, I told you they had fabulous items!


**EDIT 4-24-10: IF YOU PREFER, YOU COULD ALSO HAVE YOUR CHOICE OF A $55 GIFT CARD TO CSN STORES TO GO TOWARDS ANY PURCHASE**

SO ONTO THE RULES…
To be entered once all you need to do is let me know by a comment that you already love me and are a follower or become a follower and let me know! Oh and let me know which product you would love the most!

For a second and third chance to win, blog about this giveaway and leave two extra comments letting me know that you did so.

I know I'm getting sappy on y'all but I want y'all to know how thankful I am to have met so many wonderful bloggy friends.  When I first started blogging 3 months ago it was a way to share inspiration and to thank all the bloggy friends who gave me inspiration for all of my crafty type/home projects (which I'm not even CLOSE to finishing by the way, so I'll be here a while! =))  So thank you to my little bloggy community for supporting and encouraging me along the way!

Dreaded Details:  CSN will only ship the the USA and Cananda.  Giveaway will end 4-28-10 and winner will be announced 4-30-10 by random.org

Good luck to each and every one of you!

 

Help dress me for the "Kentucky Derby"

I say "Kentucky Derby" because it's actually the Oklahoma version of the famous horse race.  My BFF D and both our husbands scored a suite on May 2nd at Remington Park and, naturally, we are most excited about the dresses and hats!  We will probably leave the betting to the boys and let me tell you... they better not disappoint  =) 

We went shopping yesterday and I picked up a hat and two dresses.  I just cannot decide which one to wear! So help me decide! I have made a poll in my side bar so y'all can vote. 

Here are pics of both dresses, please pardon the nasty hair and non-makeup, it was a loooong day! Oh...and the pasty skin too... I plan to self tan for an entire week so maybe I will have a bit of color.  Ok..here they are:

Dress 1: It's strapless, I don't know if you can tell because of my hair.  I think I would wear nude colored shoes with this one...

Dress 2: I like it, but I don't know if I should wear something more "springy"

Go vote!

Have I told y'all about Layla Bug?

Little Layla bug will be here in approximately 13 days!! woo hoo.  She is my new neice and I cannot wait to meet her!  My mom decided to make the "junk" room in her house a spare bedroom for guest, but also a place that Layla can stay when she spends the night when she gets a bit older.  Therefore, we are in search of the perfect furniture.  I know, I know...it will be at least two years before Layla is old enough to even sleep in a toddler bed instead of a crib, but you know how grandmas can be and my mama is no exception!  And I am also very happy to be an aunt again so I'm jumpin on the bandwagon with her!

We found a site the other day for kids beds and they have such a large selection and great prices that I can't pick just one! I'm going to show y'all my favorites and y'all let me know which one you would pick!

I think this one would be super cute, but with pink bedding, of course:

I also like this sleigh bed..precious!

And then there is this one with the added storage and free shipping!

And there are more fun and girly ones on their website! 

They have all different colors including espresso, cherry, pink, blue, natural... really just anything you can think of so this might take me a while to pick just one!  Which one would you pick?

Also... I am going to do a spring **GIVEAWAY** sometime this week so check back for details!

N'AWLINS

warning: photo overload!

HOME SWEET HOME! It is good to be back home since it was about a 12 hour drive back.  Really though it wasn't too bad.  I was occupied reading Dear John, saddest.book.ever! I haven't seen the movie yet so I'm looking forward to watching it when it comes out next month!

Ok, now on to the good stuff.  I think I will just show y'all some pics and explain as I go along.

Here are some pics of the courtyard and the hotel:

We were a block away from Jackson Square and the Mighty Mississippi:

 (mom and dad)

 Then we went out for the night: 

We saw a high school marching band marching down Bourbon Street at like 11PM. And the staff of the school was following them and throwing beads.  Weird!

And then we visited the Garden District, SO pretty!

We were told this was the house where The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was filmed

And we were told this is Sandra Bullock's NOLA house

And then we visited an old Cemetery:

I don't know how well y'all can see this, but the date of birth for this guy was in 1796.  This was the oldest one I could find!

All of these graves were above ground in a mosuleum type thing b/c of the water, I guess they could float to the top of the ground if there is flooding!

Bourbon Street:

Dad played with the band

E rode the mechanical whale.  That's right, whale, not bull. Yall know how I feel about whales!

And then I pretended to ride the whale to conquer my fear of whales.  As you can see, I was wearing a skirt so I side-saddled the whale.  There was no way I was going to show my panties to the crowd, that is not classy AT.ALL.  There was a table of guys next to us who said they would pay $40 if I got on the whale.  I'm sure they thought I would show my panties.  But I tricked them.  I got on the whale without showing my panties and still took their money! ha.  Notice the creepy guy on the other side trying to take my picture...exactly why I would not ride the whale!

We made some friends...

Met the local authorities...

and then had a night cap and went back to the hotel!

Oak Alley

The next day we went to Oak Alley Plantation! I was in Heaven! You will notice that the quality of the picture is grainy.  That's because the lens on my camera starting acting crazy the second we pulled up, and it started working again the second we left! Crazy huh? I think it was a ghost! =) So these were taken from my blackberry, explaining the grainy-ness!

Please excuse my blue bra in this picture, that's tacky! I will definitely have to get this in black and white because I can't figure out how to photoshop out my blue bra.. or that lady in the pink shirt.  She can be removed from my picture as well if I every figure out how to photoshop!

The Swamp

And then we went on a swamp tour! So fun, I was within arm distance from alligators!

I had no idea how high they could jump.  It was twice what you see here, this is just the best pic I could get.

Don't worry, the raccoon (her name is Lucy) was not injured by the taking of this picture =)

This is an old cemetery, right on the bank of the swamp! Creepy!

I was so in love with the spanish moss hanging from the trees

I got to hold a baby alligator! This one was about a year old!

An old cabin and outhouse on the bank of the swamp.  This was put here for show by the people who do the swamp tours, but our guide said there are still some people who live like this in the swamp!

We also played dress up while were were there!

I ate a lot of good food! Po' Boys, Alligator, Shrimp...lots of shrimp! I came home expecting to have gained a least 5 pounds but I lost 2 pounds! Maybe from all the walking?? I don't know but I need to go on vacation more often!  We all had a wonderful time, but as always when I go on vacation, I am very happy to be home!