What are you grateful for?

I would definitely say I'm a happy person, but we all have those days. And honestly, today has been one of them. Then I read this post from my favorite blog. It inspired me to start keeping a daily journal of the things I'm grateful for. Not just to boost my happiness on not-so-great day, but to remind me that even when things aren't exactly the way I think they should be, that my problems are small, and there's still so much to be glad about.

Today I'm grateful for coffee, extra hours at my second job, and a hard-working husband to go home to.

Photo via.

Easy, Delicious Chicken and Rice Soup

 

Sundays are meant to be lazy, especially when it's cold and snowy out. Today I needed to make lunch, but didn't want to spend lots of time cooking. Soup sounded perfect, so I looked at what I had on hand and came up with this. It was so easy and so good, I decided it was blog worthy.

Chicken and Rice Soup

1 can cream of mushroom
1 can cream of chicken
1 can cream of celery
3 chicken breasts, cooked (I shredded mine in my stand mixer, but you can cube it, too)
2 cups milk
8 oz. Velveeta
2 packages of chicken-flavored Knor Rice Sides (I actually used the Hy-Vee brand -- they're the same, but cheaper)

Start cooking the rice according to the directions (only takes 7 minutes)
Cook the chicken breasts and cube or shred, set aside.
Combine the soups, milk, and velveeta in a medium soup pot. Stir occasionally until the mixture is hot and the Velveeta is melted.
Add the chicken and rice to the soup mixture. Stir until blended.

This couldn't have turned out better. I didn't even need to add any seasonings. The best part is that it was hot and ready in less than 15 minutes!

Enjoy!

The Power of Spray Paint

I love how spray paint can make just about anything fresh and new again. I especially love it when used in unexpected ways, like to turn a cuckoo clock into a modern piece of art or to upcycle mismatched bottles into uniform vases.

Jeff and I use spray paint on home decor projects all the time (lamps and small furniture), but these images have inspired me to look for a few more things I can transform (I have an ornate mirror and a set of antlers that may be geting facelifts soon).

What other things might look better spray painted?

Images: Chandeliers, Clock, Antlers, Bottles, Toys, Mirror

Rooftop Star Gazing

Did any of you stay up to watch the meteor shower last night? Jeff and I decided we'd try to spot a few, so we climbed up on our roof around 10 p.m. to lay back and watch.

I shakily made my way up to the roof in the dark, with Jeff's help, of course, and we snuggled because it was windy and chilly up there (so romantic, I know). I spotted a few small shooting stars, but there was a thunderstorm to the North that was putting on an impressive lightening show. We didn't know whether to watch for meteors or see the amazing strikes of lightening. After about an hour, we finally saw a few big shooting stars and decided to head back in the house. Just in time, too. As soon as we started on our way across the roof, it started pouring! We started laughed because we'd joked about that happening. We scrambled off the roof to get inside, still laughing about getting caught in the rain. Even with the rain, it was a fun hour on the roof.

How about you? Did you do any meteor watching?

Images via.

Have a Great Weekend!

Hello! This week has been great for a few reasons; Local elections are over (thank you, Jesus), I got a free lunch on Thursday and I started a new part time job! Yep, I'm a two-job woman now, doing something I really never thought I would -- retail. But, selling clothes may come naturally ... I mean, I love clothes! Now if I can only figure out where everything goes in the store and keep my OCD at bay, I'll be fine (Seriously, I'm already obsessed with straightening the racks and sweeping the dressing room floors).

So, If you're ever in Osage Beach, stop by BCBG in the outlet mall and see me!

I hope you have a great weekend! Here are some posts from around the Web.

A clock worth a "fortune."

Cool corner gallery.

Apparently, this happens.

Creepy, but cool Halloween idea.

The cutest chicken coop on Earth.

Purrrrfect pillowcases.

The perfect tacky Christmas party outfit (it's never too early to start planning)

Awesome necklaces.

Fun brown paper sack idea.

Chevron DIY roundup.
Image via.

Nailed It

First things first: I've been a nail bitter my whole life. I've tried a million times to quit, trying all kinds of things to get myself to stop, but nothing ever worked. Then last month my cousin made a comment about how distinctive my hands were... even that she could pick them out from others. She said she loved it about me, but I took it like, "yes, I know my nails are hideous." That was almost a month ago, and I haven't bit my nails since. I guess all it took was some reverse psychology -- she liked my hands before, but I knew they were ugly so I made a change. Now all I need is someone to tell me I'm super skinny... haha.

And now to the nail color. Since i have nails to paint, I'm obsessed with it. But, one color all around was too boring, so I picked two purples, gold, white, and gold glitter, then got a little creative.

First, apply bottom coat and main color and let them halfway dry. Apply a little clear coat to the tips of the nails you want to put glitter on (one at a time). I used a toothpick dipped in clear coat to apply the glitter to my nails. Apply the top coat to the glittered nails to keep it from flaking. Then I used another toothpick to dip in the white polish and make the polka dots. Let the dots dry and apply a top coat.

Viola!

Can you imaging more color combos? The possibilities are endless!

Mason Jar Salads

I love this idea for easy, ready-to-go lunches. The sealed mason jar keeps the ingredients fresh for up to five days. So, you can make them on Sunday and they're ready to grab from the fridge all work week long!

The secret is in the layering, starting with dressing on the bottom, your toppings in-between, then lettuce on top. So smart.

Here's one recipe from The Daily Muse.

 

Caprese Pasta Salad

2 tbsp basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 ½ oz fresh mozzarella, chopped into bite sized pieces
2 oz cooked penne pasta
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup fresh basil, chopped

Head here or here for more recipe ideas.

Happy lunching!

Image via The Daily Muse.