Weekend Treats...BBQ Pizza

One of my favorite weekend treats for the kids is BBQ Chicken Pizza.

Simple Ingredients:
Pillsbury Thin Crust Pizza
Target Market Pantry Chicken Tenders
Kraft Honey BBQ Sauce
Mozzarella Shredded Cheese

First I sauteed the chicked in a little veggie oil til brown, then I added it to my already simmering bbq sauce. Then I rolled out the Crust and preheated it for 5 mins in the oven(see package instructions).
I drizzled the sauce all over the crust, then added cheese, then added chicken..then baked for another 12-15 mins.

Before:

After:

not doing..

I've spent the past month...NOT looking for work, NOT trying to be productive and NOT worrying about money.

I've cleaned, cooked, made myself over and focused on what is truly important in life..my family and friends.

Sometimes NOT DOING brings you closer to all the things you are trying to DO.
Sitting back and not spinning your wheels on a daily basis will calm you and quiet you and make you think clearly. When you put all your energy into one thing, full speed ahead, you exhaust yourself and you have no energy for anything else in your life.

Sometimes you just have to just be..just breathe...just be...Do Nothing.

My horoscope says to "Take it slow, and you will get to the right place at the right time."

DOING JUST THAT!

Crockpot Chronicles, Recipe No. 3 - Chicken Noodle Soup

One of my favorite crockpot recipes...

I start off by pulling all the chicken from a store bought Rotisserie Chicken placing it in the crockpot.EASY!!!!!

Add
1 cup chopped onion and 1 cup chopped celery
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken noodle soup
4 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper and any other seasoning you desire

cook 3-4 hours
then add bag of frozen carrots
cook another 30 mins

add egg noodles the last 10 mins...serve with some cheddar garlic biscuits..yum yum!

Filing..and not smiling...

I will be spending my weekend filing and organizing my COFFICE...closet/office..get it??
Normally, I am really good about keeping all the pertinent documents organized in my house (or garage)...lately I've been neglecting this task.
Evidence of the buildup below...

Some of the files I keep...organized by year
-Each child with the following dividers..school certificates, test scores, handwritten stories and medical information.
-Expenses (all bills paid)
-ME with the following dividers...medical, backtoschool, etc..
-Car...Repairs and payments
-Medical...claims, insurance, etc...
-House...leases, letters, etc...
-Banking
-Workplace ...paystubs, letters, etc...
-IMPORTANT (docs I keep up front for easy access)

Filing is so important especially at tax time. After I got caught up on my filing I was able to find all the information I needed to file my taxes.

Now I just need 2 more W-2's and I can get this tax season behind me.

MY TUESDAY REVIEW: Coffee Creamers....

So I didn't start drinking coffee til I worked for a large general contractor. YES, working with a bunch of construction workers made me addicted to coffee 3 years ago!

I need it to wake up, to sleep, and to feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I said I would only drink it in the winter months but that has turned into EVERYDAY!

Mr. Coffee was my very first coffee machine. I've since donated HIM to the jobsite that was responsible for my addiction saying I was going COLD TURKEY and quitting.

hmmmm that didn't happen...

Now I use...Folgers Coffee Singles. The come in these little tea bags and smell so good and you can make the cups as strong as you like! They come in decaf as well

While I don't use sugar I double up on the creamer..Okay sometimes I TRIPLE the flavors! Coffee Delight has some new yummy flavors...My favorites to mix are the Vanilla Latte and the Pepperint Mocha.

What's your favorite coffee and creamer?? Please share!

Me for Sale...Surviving Interviews....

The BEST THING about getting laid off is that you get a much deserved (but not requested) few days off! You can sleep in, stay in your pjs and eat junk in front of the tube all day...But that doesn't pay the bills, or buy the groceries or pay for the occassional haircut and pedicure...So at some point you must start working again.

Which brings me to the WORST THING about getting laid off: at some point you will have to sell yourself again.

Just as your previous employer was starting to love you and you've just settled into your job, BAM, they let you go...this has happened to me 3 times in one year! Yes the year was 2010!!!

They already knew how great you were and you already KNEW that job ..now you have to convince someone else...just as you did them (in the beginning) that

a) you have a great personality
b) you are qualified
c) you can do anything
d) you don't care about the pay
e) you will never take a day off.....

LIES I SAY!!!

The older I get the more and more I'm more up front with my Do's and Don'ts and my Can's and Won'ts!

I want flexible hours, I want higher pay, I want a 30 min lunch (don't make me take an hour), I want time away to attend my kids award shows, and I want benefits.

Lets see how far this takes me , I have 2 interviews this week...I know in my heart of hearts I will take the best offer, but the one that wants me to start immediatly and just be grateful to have a job.

Not fun being desperate. *sigh*

MY TUESDAY REVIEW: Rold Gold Dipped Pretzels...

So I'm a pretzel nut  fanatic!! ..that is my vice--- pretzels, the Rold Gold Tiny Twists..I eat TOO MANY and I eat them all day! I've been doing this for about 2 years...

So imagine how I felt when I found these in my local grocery store!!

White Dipped Honey Braided Twists and Dark Dipped!!!

My fav however is the Classic Dipped Tiny Twists...the perfect combination of my 2 favorite things on earth! Chocolate and Tiny Twists pretzels...

can you say HEAVEN!!!!

Crockpot Chronicles, Recipe No. 2 - Shrimp Creole

So this is a spin off or REMIX to Nana's Shrimp Creole she makes for the holidays.

My Recipe:
1 1/2 lbs Shrimp
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 c. diced green bell peppers
1/2 c. diced onions
1/2 c. diced celery
1 (14 ounce) diced tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp white sugar
Salt and Pepper

In a fry pan, heat olive oil. Add peppers, onions, and celery. Cook until transparent. Add chili powder (if desired) and saute til carmelized. Add to crockpot. Add in remaining ingredients.

Cook on High for 3hrs..Add Shrimp at the last minute and cook til PINK..Serve over rice. Top with chopped green onions.

The Nesmith Nest...

my family blog will continue to feature the kids and their goings on...be sure to visit: http://thenesmithnest.blogspot.com/

Happy New Year...Out with the old...

IN WITH THE NEW....Starting my brand new journal today...and it felt good and I'm so ready for a new year...first things first...PURGE! writing in a journal is a good way to release your heart and free it up for the good things that are coming.

Purging is good around the house too...in fact..let me share a few things I did around the house to KICK OFF OUR NEW YEAR.

I decided to tackle the 3 bedrooms. (on a budget)

1) PURGE: It's free!  Clean out /organize closets, purge junk drawers, throw out or file old papers, organize laundry closets, etc.

You will be amazed at how good it feels to DECLUTTER.

2) REARRANGE: Once all the clutter is clear you have a clean slate. This will make it easier for you to move furniture around and give the space a new look. Beds should be facing the door, windows should be free of hazards, books should be neatly organized, keep it simple.

   Sidenote: I bought a lego stand from Goodwill for 10 bucks for my son's lego and it was perfect!

3) New BEDDING: Just changing the linen and comforter on my queen sized bed gave me a lift!!!

  Sidenote: If you can't change completely add a chenile throw or new pillows to spruce things up.
I also got everyone new PJS for Christmas ( a tradition) and let me tell ya it feels so good to relax in a clean room with new sheets and new pjs...HEAVEN

4) ACCESSORIZE: I bought curtain panels for my daughters room from Big Lots..the only place I could find teal sheers.  I found a beautiful blue crushed satin panel from TJMAXX for my son's room and it matched perfectly

5) PHOTOS: Add photos of your loved ones or swap the old photos for some that are recent. Showcase the people you love.

Other quick and simple ways:
Paint
Add a Border
Add Plants or Flowers
Get a new RUG for center of the room
Update lightbulbs, add a new lamp

YOU can do it, its never too late to rearrange and start fresh!