Remembering an Angel

A year ago today my Grandmother left us in a earthly form and became a beautiful angel. 

I look at this picture and see such an amazing and strong couple and true marriage and loving parents and even more awesome grandparents. I can still hear her laugh and their sweet banter with each other. Grandma had such a fun humor and personality. I'm sure she's having a blast still! 

Grandma collected angel ornaments for her Christmas tree and it couldn't be more fitting of how sweet and loving she always was. 

Make yourself familiar with the angels and behold them frequently in spirit; for without being seen, they are present with you. 

- St. Francis De Sales

                       Cheers, Nelly

Movie Night or Knight

We almost didn't make it this week. I think everyone had a crazy week at work but we still got together last minute. 

This is my knight in shining armor ... 

Ok ok it's not mine and clearly it's gender confused...he's wearing a bikini. 

We watched Jack Reacher with Tom Cruise and it was actually a good action movie. I really enjoyed it. 

Dinner was a quick venison chili and it was so yummy!!! 

I hope next week we can get the group back together for another good movie. 

                                   Cheers, Nelly 

American Idol... Guilty

I have been known to watch American Idol randomly. I'll watch seasons here and there but last year was probably the first year I couldn't stand it. The judges were horrendous. This season though...off to a great start. 

The show editing has seriously improved and modernized. I am loving the judging panel this year...Jennifer Lopez is back, Keith Urban and his cute haircut and my all time favorite crooner and jazz hottie Harry Connick Jr. Who wouldn't watch just for him?!?! His humor is perfect too! 

The season has progressed and we have the top 30. Tonight is the first night for the top 10 girls to perform. They are cutting 5 as they go today. Pretty intense!

I'm excited to find my favorites to cheer on and I'll update you once I have my decision. 

                    Cheers, Nelly

 

Movie Wednesday- Stepbrothers

Another fun night with good friends, yummy food and silly movies. We watched the Will Ferrel movie Stepbrothers. It was stupid funny. I caught myself laughing out loud a few times. 

It was my week to host again and I had a new recipe to try...enchilada stacker. It was simple and so delicious! All the guest got seconds. 

Here's a quick recipe rundown: 

Use the smaller tortilla. (The taco size not burrito.)
1 lb meat
Taco seasoning 
1 can refried beans
2 cups cheese
2 cans enchilada sauce 
2 small cans green chillies 
Green onions 

Brown meat--add half packet taco seasoning and 1/2 cup enchilada sauce

Stack like this in a pie plate:
Tortilla
Meat 
Cheese 
Tortilla 
Refried beans
Green chillies 
Cheese 
Enchilada sauce
Repeat
Last layer is just one tortilla

Bake 400 for 40 minutes covered with foil.  
Uncover and add cheese, enchilada sauce and green onions. Bake additional 5 minutes. 

I'm sure you could add black olives or whatever. 

I actually omitted the green onions but would have sautéed onions in pan with meat if I had some. 

I also made some more quick salsa and guacamole. 

All in all another fun night and a new movie on the list. 

                      Cheers, Nelly

This Piggie...

In November my big toe experienced trauma. A chair was accidentally placed on my toe... 

I know I know... A horrid picture. But that purple area grew larger and darker as the weeks went by. I even ran a half marathon with that toe. I conquered it. 

Every 4-5 wks I splurge on a pedicure. It's my one guilty pleasure I allow. I love Lynn at Kool Nails. She knows me by name, she is always interested in what my life has been encountering, and they are so customer driven that it's a great time to relax. Recently they upgraded their salon and it's so nice. I've also been known to sit in the chair well after my pedicure is done just to watch tv. I don't have cable at my place, just an antenna, so it's a treat to watch E! and I can keep up with celebrity gossip... and the Kardashians. 

The last pedicure I had the technician made a comment about my toenail and how it appeared to be thinning on the back near the nail bed. She filed the area to even the ridges where it was growing out from the trauma. I was still hoping the nail would just grow out and I wouldn't lose it. I was soooo incredibly wrong folks!!

I went to put a pair of socks on the other night because Texas decided to play in winter weather and my toesies were cold. Somehow my nail caught on the sock and half of it pulled off the nail bed. I thought I was going to faint; it hurt so bad. I couldn't even look at it for the longest time... Ok for maybe one minute. I gathered my inner strength and performed trauma surgery. 

What's annoying is that only half the nail fell off. It's pretty intact on the other side so I have no clue what to do. I think a visit to Lynn is in store for next week. Thankfully it isn't open toe shoe weather yet. 

I just hope my Piggie heals quickly cause next month in Texas starts warmer weather and I am all about open toe shoes, no socks.. Who am I kidding?! I grew up in Kentucky... We don't even wear shoes! 

                     Cheers, Nelly

Texas and Snow and Drivers

Texas drivers only know how to drive in sunshine. I'm convinced. We had a mild ice storm in December and yesterday had a dusting of snow. I read there were over 70 wrecks between 630a-830a. Silly people. This is what it looked like at 745a...

I was hoping for more...there's a weird part of me that misses looking at the snow. I spent a few years in Iowa graduating from college and loved the look of snow just not the cold and walking to class. My senior year we had so much snow and then ice and then snow that walking to class I slipped on my rear in the cross walk of a major street. I was so embarrassed. 

How's your weather??

                     Cheers, Nelly

Not so Super Super Bowl

So much hype going into the Super Bowl this year and I was pulling so hard for Peyton Manning to be the first quarterback to win two Super Bowls with two different teams... Thing is, I think he forgot to show up to the game. I have never been so bored by a Super Bowl game. And I even thought the commercials were not much to speak of. 

But I did have a small gathering at my place. And drum roll please.... I FINALLY found chairs for my table. 

I had to make two trips to get all four chairs but I'm in love with them. 

I made quite a spread for the game. I love to host and was able to use a lot of serving dishes for the first time. I had homemade salsa, queso, guacamole, spicy pretzels, cheese, olives, BBQ almonds, lime and salt cashews, veggie pizza, blue moon cupcakes, wings and a friend brought over some elk chili. 

How'd you like the game??

                     Cheers, Nelly