A few Facts about me link up

What a fun link up, list a few random facts about yourself. You guys may never come back now;) Be warned. 

I have a terrible short term memory, I can look at something 3 times and it gone...then a week later I can remember the phone number I searched...and annoyingly enough, the ones surrounding it. Weird.

I hate the temperature  below 65'...but Fall/Winter wear is by far my favorite. Skinny jeans, an over sized sweater and riding boots. Stop it.

I can block my nose from smelling anything. and when I worked in a daycare I made the asinine mistake of telling my coworkers this....and guess who got the majority of diaper duty from then on.

I am a sports junkie and have worked in sports for most of my life. I legitimately watch Sportscenter a couple times a day. and no...I have never played any. Know your capabilities people.

One of my nicknames is the "bargain whisperer"...then there's "random" and the probably most suited one of "cuntray ghetto"

Ok. I am the only girl and I have three brothers....

and proud big sis moment...one of them plays guitar and sings. 5 years ago he had never picked one up(ok, maybe he had picked one up) but he was self taught. and this past weekend he had his first gig. I was at home in Carolina and b/c of weather couldn't make it up to Virginia. I had my sister in law send me videos and honestly, I saw it and the biggest lump came in my throat...and I may have cried. She said when he was done the entire place erupted into a chant of "one more song" Chills people.

Linking up today with

Tell Me About Tuesday

I Wore Yoga Pants To Work
GFC Blog Hop

and fun times, I have my first button, courtesy of one of my favorite blogs, Stylelixir. Lauren is so sweet and let's just say she went above and beyond in helping me out w/this. and even better...today over at her blog, I am sponsoring her this month. and she has a giveaway going on this week. Check her out if you haven't already.

<div align="center"> <a href="http://tingeofwhimsy.blogspot.com.au/" title="A Tinge Of Whimsy" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1306.photobucket.com/albums/s570/stylelixir/ATingeOfWhimsy-200x200ButtonWithBorder-1.jpg" alt="A Tinge Of Whimsy" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Three by Three

So this week is all about your top three in various topics...they always do come in threes, right?

Top three favorite foods....

This is hard...I love me some food. 

1) My mom's crunchy chicken casserole(recipe post coming soon). Just to explain to you how good this is...One time, a few years ago, my mom made this for a get together on a Sunday. All my brothers were outside doing something and when it was ready my mom asked my sis in law to call everyone in, she yelled out to them... and then promptly locked all the doors. She wanted to guarantee she got her first AND second servings before the boys ravaged it. It's that good;)

2)bacon wrapped anything. I fully believe that bacon makes everything better. Here are a few of the recipes I have made.

via bacon wrapped pretzels

via bacon wrapped spicy apricot pork roast

3)a big fat juicy bacon cheeseburger. Maybe topped w/some fried onion strings and bbq bourbon sauce. and preferably on a brioche roll. Ummm. Now I am ravenous.

Crikies....I didn't make it to dessert. I already need an addendum to having only three options.

First three things you do in morning

1) check ESPN and gmail on my phone

2)head to the water closet(I have always wanted an excuse to type that;)

3)  weigh myself

Last three things you do at night

1) Take my medicine

2) check espn and gmail

3) read till I finish whatever book I am reading that day

TV shows you never miss

hmmmm. I just watch whatever on my DVR whenever...but I guess I will go with

1)Sportscenter(once or twice a day)

2)The voice (in season)

3) Revenge

Places you want to visit

1) family in England

2) all of Wiki's family in Italy

3) Australia

People you can count (besides family and the mister)

1) Rachelle

me and my rae rae

2) The Joja

3) nicollaaa

I have an exciting day planned. Brunch for a favorite's birthday, then movie w/above mentioned Rachelle(her name is actually Rachel, but I never call anyone by their actual pronunciation, how boring;) and then The Pats game w/Jeano and the Patriots fan club at the Brickhouse in downtown Raleigh. If they lose I may be MIA for a while.(haha) Happy Sunday!

Linking up today with

Sunday Social
Sunday Sync
GFC Collective

Birthday...Bloggy Style.

This weeks hi fives and instagram are my faves of the last year, so I will have 12:) I can't believe that this little space of mine is one. Since I am the the owner of said space...does this mean Wiki should buy me a present to celebrate? I mean...that's only fair, isn't it? C'mon ladies...back a sister up!!! hahaha

I have really enjoyed what this last year has brought. In the beginning I was a little more sporadic and would only update intermittently  Lately, I have forayed out of my comfort zone: food, and have taken on lots more topics. Things I have been timid to share and the feedback I received has made it more than worth it...

Here are 12 posts from the last year I suggest you check out.(pl one)us

1) High five for starting this venture last year...

 via my first post here

2)mini reeses cheesecakes here

high five for anything chocolate and peanut butter. In my belly. Stat.

 3)Salted Caramel Mudslide here

high five to Starbucks for making a hot chocolate pack easily accessible!

4)creamsicle cookies w/a cheesecake center here

There's no reason to high five here other than they were straight up...awesome.

5)prosciutto and bacon wrapped sweet potatoes here

Bacon(in any form) gets all around high fives!!!

6)bourbon caramel french toast casserole here 

high five for breakfast or dessert!

 7) a trip to Hogwarts and my version of a butterbeer mudslide here

Hellooooo, high five for Harry!

8)Our trip to New Hampshire here

High five for nature at its absolute finest! God loves to show off!

9) my absolute nemesis here

High five that this is nowhere to be found!

10) no bake pumpkin cheesecakes here

It's pumpkin, people. High five!

11)my battle w/infertility and PTSD here

Well...I graduated from part one and am getting better everyday! Plus, this fake boo is super cute. High five all day!

12) The curvy chronicles here

High five for being healthy!

and the most popular post since I started.

Crockpot Cream Cheese Corn...here

I can only say "thanks" to the person who originally pinned this, it's been pinned and repinned well over a couple thousand times now. And it is the most simple of simple recipes on my blog;) 

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read and follow along on my jaunts through this crazy world. This girl sure does appreciate it!

Have a great weekend! I hope you have many reasons to high five and capture moments on Instagram. 

Bye for now, Y'all!
linking up today with
from my grey desk
Life Rearranged

Panera Macaroni...Baked.

I am Southern. We bake our macaroni! haha I will admit I am getting on the "creamy" mac and cheese bandwagon just a little bit, but who says you can't have the best of both?! I made this for Befana(read about that here) 

We had a great weekend! Basically did a bunch of not a whole heck of anything. Getting to be my favorite kind of weekend! Started out on Friday by having dinner and a movie. The dinner was less than stellar, then the movie more than made up for it. Except for that one tiny moment when I got up to go to the bathroom and knocked my husbands root beer bottle onto the floor and it shattered...about 3 rows in all directions. Ooops...who did that?

We went to see Silver Linings Playbook and I can say that I probably had a different view of that movie than 75% of the people watching it. It revolves around a man who had been released from a mental hospital and diagnosed w/bipolar and trying to figure his way through and make the best out of it.(and sometimes being a slight punk) There were parts that were absolutely hysterical...and then there were the scenes that everyone was howling with laughter and I silently cried. Very close to home and not funny when they're struggles you know well (although, I have certainly never been violent or arrested, I'll just throw that out there;) But I loved the movie. It was...real and honest and almost as good as the book. If you get a chance, see it. 

Saturday it was 70' here and I went for a walk in my favorite park and then Saturday night we hit up a sushi place and watched the Ravens/Broncos game. Currrazzzyyy. Wiki got his fill of buy one/get one sushi and I had steak.  

oh, and I did indulge in a dark chocolate dunkachino. Yummmsss.

On Sunday I got to have lunch w/a favorite at this new Mexican place in Brier Creek. They had frozen margaritas and sangria. And then I remembered no alcohol for 2 more weeks and I got all kinds a sad. then I had their queso and I got over it;) 

and now...the recipe

I found panera's recipe on their website(ummmm, awesome) and then decided to twist it just a bit to make it my own.

1 pound penne(or any fork pasta)

8 oz shredded cheddar(set aside 2 oz)

8 oz shredded gouda (set aside 2 oz)

1 cup cream(I actually used half and half)

1/4 cup cream

1/2 tsp dijion mustard

splash hot sauce

2 tbsp butter

salt/pepper

cook macaroni to desired taste, strain. In pan, melt butter. Add 1/2 cup cream and whisk together  Once heated, slowly add in cheese and cream, whisking continually till all cheese is melted and you have a "sauce" add in the mustard and hot sauce. Whisk together and add pasta back in, careful to coat all pasta. Pour into a baking dish and top with remaining cheese and cream. Bake at 375' for 20 to 25 min.

and yes, I had the reaction of "there's mustard and hot sauce in their recipe?!" 

I have said many times that Wiki is one of those low carb people. He will "cheat" for occasions. He ate 3 servings of this and then declared "Ummm, hands down best macaroni you have ever made" I am still in the after glow of his adulation.

So you should probably make this...just saying.

Hope everyone enjoys their week! 

Fabulous Funky Friday

My high fives this week are a mixture of fabulous and overtly mediocre ..This week I am just combining my instas w/my high fives;)

1) I got my first niece and we headed to Boston and I got to love on her for 4 days!

 {double up top high five}

she was hungry and I was too selfish loving on her to give her to her mamma;)

2) Got to see some snow. and as a side note...since this picture garnered me numerous comments and emails about where I "spotted" this house. I didn't. It is where I was staying. It belongs to my in laws. haha

3)Got to meander our way through the streets of my second home, Boston. yummy hot cocoa. {high five}

4) Got home & found my stocking stuffers in the fridge. Forgot about them, was trying to be healthy. So I immediately got rid of them the only way I knew how: eating it all;)

 {high five for 5 min, then low five. ugh}

Truffle pig is all kinda ridiculous!

5) My Chic Fil A "A list" card(frequent diner card) came in handy and I got more free stuff{big high five}

6) getting my toesies all did! And M-W before 12 equals 30% off! I got the premium peddy, normally $45, for $32! {giant high five}

7) Operation Detox from 6 weeks of Holiday over indulging commenced! Pomegranate pineapple smoothie and Zen green tea with lemon.

Have I mentioned how I hate lemon? Being sick sucks.

8) We stopped in Harve De Grace. After having the best burger ever, we stopped at this bridge and fishing pier. Loved the tranquility of it all.

9)  Love the weathered look of the wood and how the filter pulled the grain out.

10) Watching ESPN and The Millionaire Matchmaker on the two hour flight home. Poor Wiki had to drive the 12 hours home by himself:( but he got to see lil fatty a few days extra. So call it a draw.

Hope everyone has a delightful weekend! See ya next week!

linking up with

Friendly Friday Blog Hop

Life Rearranged

from my grey desk