And Plié....

I don't know if it was having my hair in a high knot or the tights on my legs, but I was feeling much like a ballerina at work today. 

Now I may not be trading in my boots or heels for Pointe shoes. But I do say that I could make a pretty good dancer.  [Oh wait, don't think that will be happening as I have two left feet]

~Kellie Anne

"Thankful Challenge" - Oscar the Pup

11//14/13 - Oscar the Pup

I can not believe my sweet little Oscar is 1! 

 

We just got done celebrating Oscar's 1st Birthday and I can't believe my baby no longer a puppy (though we will continue to call him a puppy cause he is just so tiny!).  He had such a blast opening up presents and got spoiled by the people that love him.  Oscar did score some great presents though: a couple new squeaky toys, a new dog bed, fancy treats from the local pet store and best of all, an edible Birthday card.  He thought that was the coolest thing ever and wouldn't give it up.  I even got him a little bandanna that he wore that said 'Birthday Boy' on it. Now he didn't get the big party that I was wanting to give him, but he still had a great night.  {{I was originally going to have Aaron's parents over along with mine and have a cookout, but we had extended family visiting and it didn't work out to all meet up.  Aaron thought the big party was going a bit overboard for a dog, but what does he know anyways!}}

Love you Oscar! :)

I am so thankful to have him in my life and couldn't ask for a better puppy (except for when he makes messes or barks for no reason).  Hope I'm not the only person out there that loves their pet like he's a baby!
~Kellie Anne

"Thankful Challenge" - Veteran's Day



 

 

 

11/11/13 - Veteran's Day

 

Today is Veteran's Day and I believe there is nothing better to be thankful for than our freedom.  And we wouldn't have any of that if it wasn't for the veteran's that served our country for all these years.  Some fought for our country on foreign soil, above enemy lines, and trespassed a crossed seas; all to protect our country and the ones they loved back home.  They may not all have returned from battle (physically and/or mentally), but the sacrifices that they made will always be something we remembered forever! 

Thanks again to all who served to protect us and this great nation!
~ Kellie Anne

"Thankful Challenge" - Nephews & Nieces

11/8/13 - Nephews & Nieces

For the 8th of November, I have decided to give my thanks for all 8 of my nephews and nieces.  They all have their own personalities and can make you laugh and learn in their own way.  I love to spend time with them individually but it is a real treat when they are all together. 

I became Aunt Kellie when I was 12 and I thought it was so cool at that age to be an aunt (though I didn't get all the awesomeness that it entails until now).  You get to spoil them like crazy with gifts & candy but don't have to deal with the aftermaths of their sugar high.  This little person in your life looks up to you to play with them and teach them new things.  I can't wait till the day when the get older and come to me for advice or to confide in me when they don't want to tell their parents.  I'll tell them it will all be okay, give them some words of wisdom, give them a piece of their candy and send them on their way.

But for now I'll take my 8 nieces and nephews just as they all are: crazy funny, full of energy and completely loveable!!

~Kellie Anne

 

"Thankful Challenge" - The Basics

11/5/13 - Roof over my Head

I may not rent the house that Aaron and I live in, but I still call it mine.  I've decorated to my liking and can't wait for Christmas to come so I really go crazy.  My parent's are gracious enough to let us live here and I can't thank them enough.  The best part about this place is that it's my childhood home (I lived in this house from birth till I was 9).  I have so many memories here and I love that Aaron and I (along with Oscar) are making memories here too!

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11/6/13 - Food on my Plate

I love to cook and so does Aaron! We enjoy trying new things and even when they aren't the tastiest, we still find a way to stomach it done.  Our fridge, freezer and pantry are always full; except with milk, always running out of milk.  We try and eat as healthy as we can, but Aaron has a hankering for ice cream and I can't get enough of Dove® chocolates.
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11/7/13 - Clothes on my Back

I have a love for shopping & clothes.  I can't stop buying clothes, even when I don't have enough room (or hangers) in my closet.  Dresses are one of my biggest additions when it comes to shopping and I even have a separate closet just to hold them all.  With my job, I get to wear lots of fancy outfits and making sure that I don't duplicate within weeks of each other.  But don't get me wrong, I do enjoy a good pair a sweatpants and hoodies. 


Yes, I know these are the basic things that everyone should be thankful for, but I couldn't let them go unnoticed.  There are a lot of people in the world that are less fortunate than me, who would dream to have just one of these three great things.  Though I may complain that my house isn't that nice or how I don't have enough clothes in my closet, I know that I truly am thankful for all of it.

~Kellie Anne

Adult Cereal for the Kid in Me

I ♥ Peanut Butter!

 

Like it's kind of my guilty pleasure, but it is healthy (kinda) so I don't get to worked up about it. My love for peanut butter started when I was little and my mom would occasionally get me Captain Crunch® Peanut Butter cereal. It was my reward if I had done good on a test or did an amazing performance at a concert.  I use to get so excited and want to savor each box till there were only crumbs left.

 

Well now that I'm 24, I get strange looks when I have to purchase "childish" cereals, like Frosted Flakes® or Fruit Loops® (two of Aaron's favorites).  So the one day a few weeks ago, I notice that Cheerios® had made a version of their cereal in a peanut butter flavor.  I thought I'd give it a shot since I had a coupon at the time (slowly turning into my mom; but hey if it saves me money, I'm all in). Eureka! I found my new favorite cereal! It taste just like peanut butter and the best part is that it's made from whole grains, so it really is nutritious! It's like the grown-up version of Captain Crunch's® Peanut Butter but with about have the sugary sweetness. Oh and it's only 110 calories per serving... boo-ya!!

 

So if you are a peanut butter lover like me, you have got to give this cereal a try! Thank you Cheerios® for making such a fabulous cereal that doesn't make me feel guilty when I go back for a second bowl. :)

 

 

~Kellie Anne

"Thankful Challenge" - My Grandparents

11/4/13 - My Grandparents

I'm 24 years old and still have all four of my biological grandparents. Now to some people that may not be that big of a deal, but I can tell you it means a lot to me! You see, I have a lot of friends who only have maybe a grandma or both grandpas and would love to see their loved ones that aren't around anymore.  I feel blessed that I can just make the 3.5 hour drive and see both sets of grandparents (who only live minutes away from one another) and spend the day with them. 

My parents' parents have really had their worlds turned upside down in the last few years and I'm glad I'm at the age that I am, to really understand what is going on.  I can be there to help my parents on certain situations and they take my opinion into consideration sometimes.  Just within the last two years, we had to move my mom's father into a nursing home that specializes in Alzheimer's and watched as his memory slowly decreases.  He may not know who you are when you visit, but you can tell that he appreciates you being there.  My grandma (his wife) is in an apartment for independent elderly individuals.  She isn't happy to no longer be living on the farm, but it's for the best that she be in a place that's smaller and not so much to take care of.  Both of these things were hard for my mom to do and it's not something that anybody wants to do.  But I was there to help her get through it and was her listening ear when all she wanted to do was vent.

My dad's parents have always had health issues but you don't realize how bad they are when your a little kid.  My grandpa almost lost his foot due to diabetes and my grandmother's heart hasn't been in the best of shape for years.  Though with all those struggles that they face, you wouldn't be able to tell it when you sit and meet with them.  They always want to know what's going on with your life and don't pat an eye to tending their garden or teaching the lesson on church night.  They truly are strong through all the pain and I admire both of them for that.

With every visit, I have them tell me stories about their own life growing up or what my parents were like as kids.  Just the smile on their faces when they tell a story about "the good ol' days" seems to be enough to make my visit worth the drive.  I always tell them that I love them and give them an extra squeeze with my good-bye hug. 

Remember to tell the people that you love, just how much they mean to you because some day they might not be around to hear it. I know there will come a day that I won't have my grandparents in my life anymore and it's the memories that I make now with all four of them that I will take with me for the rest of my life!

"Thankful Challenge" - November 2nd & 3rd

11/2/13 - Thankful to Blog!

I got some pretty awesome news when I checked my email account on Saturday.  I had received an email from Ore-Ida^® Brand Fries.  They had seen my "Pin" floating around on Pinterest on my recipe for Onion Tot Casserole and had asked if they could use it on their own social media networks. Holy Cow; what a cool opportunity to showcase not only my creative cooking but my blog itself!! :)

Aside from all that, I think it's pretty awesome that I have the ability to freely post information about anything I want.  It can vary from fashion to finances, politics to poetry, Christianity to cooking; and I don't have to abide by any rules.  Now you won't find a lot of right-wing political rants on this particular blog, but if that is your thing you can start up your own blog and rant all you want.  And no one can tell you your not allowed to do that.  That's why I'm thankful to live in the USA, with the right to freedom of speech.

Anywho, Aaron has always thought that my blog was kind of a waste of time but when I told him this news, he actually got really excited for me and started calling me the "Potato Lady".  I think he's pretty impressed with my small accomplishment (though he wouldn't admit it). I can't wait to see what Ore-Ida^®  has to say about my recipe.  Oh and if you haven't check it out yet... you probably should! ;)

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11/3/13 - Thankful for Sleep! 

I love sleep!

 

It's makes me sooooo happy!

 

Last night was Day-light Savings time and I got an extra hour of sleep in.  Not only did I go to be early but I also let myself sleep-in.  Now that is a lot of extra sleeping.  I am not a morning person by any means and when my alarm goes off in the morning, I definitely hit the snooze button a couple of times (which usually is the reason why I am running late in the morning).  But I can't seem to remind myself to go to bed, at night, at a decent time.  I usually am up watching re-runs of shows that I've already seen a 100x or I'm creeping someone on Facebook.  Either way, it makes for a short night and every day is the same old - same old. 

 

So with Day-light Savings last night, I was able to get caught up on some sleep. And I am going to make this promise to myself right here, right now that I am going to go to bed by 9:30 every night when I have to go to work the next morning and only to allow myself to hit the snooze twice in the morning.  Let's see how long this will last ;)

 

 

 Hope everyone had a great weekend!

~Kellie Anne

"Thankful Challenge" - My Engagement

This November, I am going to post daily what I am thankful for in my life!
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11/1/13 - My Engagement

 

I LOVE MY RING!!

Well today is November 1st and in exactly one year, I will get to marry Aaron! Holy cow, I can't believe it's only a year away.  I feel like I have so much left to do (the main one at this point is to find dresses for me and my maids) but I have gotten a lot done in the less than 6 months so far into our engagement.  Our relationship is growing and I can't wait to marry not only 'my best friend' but celebrate our love for each other with all of our family and friends!

Stop back and see what all I'm thankful for this month!

~Kellie Anne

Onion Tot Casserole

Nope, you didn't read that wrong.  This is a recipe for Onion Tot Casserole (which is similar to the ever so popular Tater Tot Casserole), but with a different twist!

I found a recipe from a blog where the author had purchased the wrong product and had to make some changes to her original recipe.  I kind of adapted her recipe by adding meat and changing a few ingredients.

Onion Tot Casserole

Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Beef
1 small Onion; chopped

2 lb bag of Onion Tots (I used Ore-Ida brand)
2 cups of Cheddar Cheese
1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can of Cream of Mushroom


Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350*. 

Spray your cooking dish; I used a 8x11

Brown the ground beef and onion together until beef is no longer pink inside and onions are cooked.

Combine the soups, cheese and tots in a large bowl.

Pour the meat & onions into the dish and top with the tot mixture.

Bake for 50 minutes, uncovered.

Now, the easiest step.... EAT IT!! :)


Reviews:
This dish is full of flavor and a perfect fall dish!  Aaron was all excited when he got home and saw "Tater Tot Casserole" and went at it like he hadn't ate in days.  I let him have a second helping before I explained to him about the onion tots.  He was confused but intrigued that it was onions (which he rarely lets me put in anything) and actually said that he like them over the traditional potatoes.

Hope you like it too!

~Kellie Anne

Mexican Chicken Bake

Are you craving chicken?
Maybe something, spicy?
And how about simple & easy? 

Then this is the recipe for you!

Ingredients & Directions:  
I took two thawed out chicken breast and seasoned both (top and bottom) with 1 tablespoon of black pepper, Greek seasoning and red pepper flakes.  I then placed them in a greased cooking dish and covered them with TOSTITOS® Monterey Jack Queso cheese sauce (about half a cup).  Place inside an oven that is set to 350 and bake for 45 minutes (uncovered).

That's it!

You can tweak the recipe to your liking.  For example, if you have more than two people, than you'll need more chicken breast (obviously) and if you want to add more spice, throw some salsa in with the cheese. 

I've seen all over the internet and on Pinterest how easy and simple chicken bake recipes can be and this one totally was. I think now I could easily switch out the ingredients and make it more Italian inspired or even Asian infused.

Hope you like it! :)
~Kellie Anne


Something New Sunday - BLOG ALL DAY!

It's been weeks since I've blogged and I have been meaning to do cause I've got so much to share! I've been crazy, crazy busy; I've had a birthday, a friend got married, work trip and I've mad a lot of delicious food. Today, Aaron is off to a friends house to watch football (sooo glad it's not on in my house!), so I can spend today catching up on shows and BLOGGING! Alright... I'm off!

In two weeks. ..

I'm turning 24.

Holy Moley... when did I get old?!

Off to bed (to get my beauty sleep to keep me looking young) :)

~Kellie Anne

Casual Cuteness - Labor Day Weekend Shopping

I love my Victoria's Secret racerback tanks! Not just love, but obsessed!! I've got every color (solids and stripes). I can wear them with skirts, shorts, jeans, and sweats. They are perfect to dress up or down and oh so comfy!!!

 

Today I paired my mint tank with my "railroad worker shorts" from Target. [Otherwise know as hickory stripe]. The light white stripe goes great with the light mint of the tank.  Soft and sweet, just the right outfit for a day of light shopping.  Paired with my white watch and my favorite AB floral studs, I was ready to concur the mall :)

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

~Kellie Anne

DORITOS® Taco Bake

Well lately Aaron and I have been super busy lately and after long work days, neither one of us want to make anything new or real challenging.  But today is Wednesday (my day off) and I felt like making something new for myself and Aaron.  We haven't had anything spicy lately, so I thought I'd "spice" it up a little for supper! ;)  So, I give you DORITOS® Taco Bake:

Ingredients:
 1# - ground beef
 1 - small yellow onion; chopped
 1 - can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
 1 - jar of Tostitos Monetery Jack Queso dip
 1 - 10 oz can of enchilada sauce
 1 1/2 cups - shredded cheddar cheese
 3/4 bag - DORITOS® chips

**You can also add any other toppings of your liking; black olives, peppers, tomatoes, etc.**
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef and cook onions; drain off fat.

Stir in enchilada sauce, simmer 5 minutes.

Press crescent rolls on the bottom of a 9x13 lightly sprayed pan; press seams to seal.

Top crescent rolls with meat mixtures.

Top with cheeses and crushed DORITOS®.

Bake for 30 minutes.  Covered for 20 minutes and uncovered for the last 10.

Enjoy! :)

After crushing all the DORITOS®.
*You know how after you have a few chips, you can't resist licking your fingers... imagine your whole hand covered in the orange dust :) YUMMMMMM

Have a great night! I'm off to play with my nieces who are visiting from Colorado :)
~Kellie Anne


(Recipe adapted from Plain Chicken's Blog:  http://www.plainchicken.com/2012/02/doritos-taco-bake.html)

New phone..new way to blog?!

Just got a new phone, the Samsung Galaxy 4. After spending 3 hours at the store trying to get my plan switched, I finally was able to get home and start playing around on it. The first app I downloaded was the Blogger App, followed closely by Pinterest and Instagram.

Now I am able to blog on the go!

I can't wait to share photos, videos and other cool stuff from my phone for all the blog world to see!

PS- this entire post was typed out by my voice off my new phone! How cool is that?!

~Kellie Anne

3 reasons why I love the group Pentatonix

1.)  They make killer medleys and put their own spin on hit songs:

 

2.) They can do all genres of music:

I have probably watched this video 5x just tonight (and this is the first time I've seen it)

 

 

3.) And if you haven't figured it out yet, they are an acapella group! It's nice to finally recognize true talent in the music industry without the use of auto-tune. 

  

 
P.S - only version of this song that I can stand to listen to!

I have loved Pentatonix since day one on the show "The Sing Off".  The have some other great videos that you need to check out, so head on over to their YouTube page at http://www.youtube.com/user/PTXofficial.

~ Kellie Anne


P.S - Okay, I couldn't help but post this last video for my sister, Autumn.  She introduced me to this song and now I want to repay her for that by uploading this version of "Thrift Sshop"

Modest Maxi

Your typical mirror shot I know, but Aaron wouldn't take my picture

This is what I wore to my nephew's baptism today, a maxi dress that I've had for a few summers now and a new chambray button-up I got to wear for Florida.  I thought the outfit looked nice for the occasion and it got a lot of compliments from my family (which is what I was going for).

You see, my sister has raised her six-year old daughter to dress modestly and I've been scowled by her that I need to do the same (my niece, not my sister mind you).  I knew if I showed up in something short or with a little to much cleavage, I would have to hear from Charlotte (and her mother).  Well unfortunately, that dress is very low cut in the top but you would never know that with the top buttoned-up all the way.  I not only was being modest but very on trend, which in this day in age, is really hard to find. 

~ Kellie Anne

My Fiancé is 24!

  Today is not only the first of June, but Aaron's BIRTHDAY!!! I had to work, so he spent the morning and most of the afternoon cutting down trees and branches around the place.  When I got home, we got "dressed up" (Aaron puts on cologne and jeans that don't have stains on them) and we went into town for his birthday supper and a movie.
  One of the many things that I love about Aaron is that he is happy with the littlest things and doesn't ask for too much.  So, for supper we went to our favorite restaurant in town (the local Chinese place) and got our usual order.  After eating way to much, we then went to the Dairy Queen and got blizzards (that neither of us needed).  We ended the evening, by renting The Avengers and watching it from the comfort of our living room.  That's it! No elaborate gift that in a year or so I would be selling on the garage sale.  No going out till 2 o'clock in the morning, closing up the bars and feeling like shit the next day.  Just a meal, dessert, and a movie; sweet and simple (kind of like Aaron!) ;)

Happy Birthday Boo! :)

~Kellie Anne

Pizza Man says Happy Friday

Double Trouble in Lace

Looks like Miranda Lambert and I have good taste! Last night at the Oklahoma Tornado Benefit Concert, Miranda sang her hit song "House That Built Me" (see video below). She is seen here in a Nicole Miller lace cocktail dress, that I also wore to friends wedding this past August.  She probably got hers from a high-paying stylist, while I got borrowed mine from Rent The Runway.

One of my girlfriends made me this picture and sent it to me via text message, with the caption "You looked way better then Miranda".  It instantly put a smile on my face and made my day! I got lots of compliments on the dress and felt gorgeous in it, but I might not be as curvaceous as Ms. Miranda (which the dress does call for some 'lady lumps') :)

Here is Miranda's tearful performance; and though she may have tears in her eyes she still looks stunning:

How cute was that little puppy at the end of the video :)
Okay, I'm off to cuddle with my sweet Oscar now.  Goodnight!

~Kellie Anne

Just Engaged!!

 

I'M GETTING MARRIED!! Looks like I can finally start planning my own wedding, thanks to Aaron proposing to me while we were on vacation.  The picture above was taken the night after the whole ordeal went down and it's also the picture that we sent to family and friends announcing our engagement.  We wanted to enjoy our vacation and not be bombarded with phone calls and text, so we didn't tell anyone (besides my parents) until we got back to Iowa.  That way we could enjoy each other after such a meaningful step in our relationship <3


Here is how it all went down:
  We had gone out to eat on the Disney Boardwalk at the ESPN restaurant, which was delicious and we had a great time.  We took our time walking back through Epcot after the fireworks and took in all the colorful lights from all the exhibits at the park.  It was actually quite relaxing and a little romantic. :)
   When we got back to our hotel resort, we made the looong track back to our room (we had the room the furthest from the entrance).  The day before we had discovered a path that took us right up to our room, that was kind of hidden by all the trees and bushes.  Well, we were just walking and talking about how fun the vacation has been so far, when I realized Aaron wasn't next to me any more.  When I turned around I say him a few steps behind me, down on one knee underneath a streetlight.  I walked over to where he was, asking him "what are you doing?".  He simply said, "I have a question to ask you.  Kellie Anne Morris, will you marry me?"
    I of course said "YES!" and gave him a big hug.  We finished the walk to our room and neither one of us could stop smiling.  After about 15 minutes, when it final all settle in, I started to cry.  Aaron asked if something was wrong and the only thing I could say was "no, I'm just so happy that we're going to be getting married and I am going to be your wife!" The rest is history :)

 

My Gorgeous Ring!

~Kellie Anne

It's been awhile....

So I know I haven't been on here in a long time but I've been kind of busy.  Aaron and I went to Disney World a few weeks back for a mini vacation (I'll have a few blog post about that), trying to get back into the swing of things at work, catching up on laundry and having family home for Memorial Day weekend.  Let's just say that my life has been a little crazy the last couple of weeks since my last post, but don't worry, I didn't die (in case you were worried).

Now that I'm back and the craziness is starting to slow down, let the blogging begin again!

~Kellie Anne

One Skillet Chicken Parmesan Pasta

If you are craving the yumminess of chicken parmesan, but don't want to go through all the work of breading a chicken breast and frying it up (plus it's a lot healthier then going that route too), this is the recipe for you. Made this dish last night for supper and this is going to be one of my new go-to recipes for some obvious reasons:

Look at that melted cheesy goodness!

• It's quick- takes like 20 minutes tops!
• It's easy - everything is cooked in one dish!
• It's tasty - which is the most import thing of all, right!

Ingredients:

8 oz. of your favorite pasta
(I used whole wheat rotini)

1 jar (26oz) spaghetti sauce

2 cups water

2 lbs of cooked chopped chicken
(I cooked/grilled mine on the George Foreman)

1 cup grated parmesan, divided
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

2 Tbsp. melted butter

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

 

Directions:

In oven-safe skillet, combine pasta, sauce and water. bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 15-18 minutes, until pasta is tender.  While the noodles were cooking, this is when I cooked the chicken breast (which cuts the time down), but you could use chicken that has been previously cooked.

 

Stir in chicken and half a cup of the parmesan cheese. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes.

Top pasta with mozzarella cheese.

 

Combine panko, melted butter, remaining parmesan, red pepper flakes and garlic powder. Sprinkle over mozzarella cheese.

 

Place under preheated broiler until bread crumbs are toasted and cheese is melted.  

This is what the finished project looked like!!

 

I can't wait to make this dish again for family & friends cause it is soo f*ck-ing good! (pardon my language).  Hopefully you will love it too!



~Kellie Anne

 

Welcome to May in Iowa

So you would think that this photo was taken anywhere from December through March, but you would be wrong. It was taken earlier this morning after the snow had been falling for over 12 hours.  Roads are shut down in town, because the county has their trucks cleaned for the season (I don't blame them); which means I have a late start to work.  Oscar loves that I got to stay home this morning and I got to finish up some laundry and so more packing for Disney.  It's a good thing we're going to Florida next week, cause I can't handle this change in weather much longer.  We went from 75* on Sunday to snow on Wednesday...RIDICULOUS!

Hope your May has started off a little bit better then mine has!
~Kellie Anne

Something New Sunday - Dressed in my Sunday best!

When I started this blog, I said I would put some fashion tips and pictures to inspire your own inner fashionista.  I thought today would be a great day to have my first post, since not only is it Sunday (and I could use my Something New Sunday tag) but also I looked super cute for church today (my nephew had his First Communion and it's kind of a big deal). 


Don't mind Aaron's camouflage phone case 

I kind of have this love for pairing hot pink & black together, and what better way to do that then with some coloring blocking.  The weather was finally nice enough to wear this new skirt, that is   short in the front and gets longer as you get to the back.  I wore a classic white tank from the Buckle (God, I love their tanks!) and placed it with this fitted blazer.  The fuchsia blazer came from Forever 21, which I no longer shop at since their clothes are so poorly made (sorry, this is  my blog so I can say what I want about the place).  I paired it with some small diamond studs, my favorite pendant necklace and simple silver bangle. 
 

I also have a love for shopping the sale/clearance racks at stores.  I guess I got that from my momma, cause she also taught me to search on the sales racks first when you walk into a store (cause there ain't nothing better then getting new clothes and saving some money).  The black skirt was purchased this past March at Target for $14 on the sales rack (and I got the same one in teal too).  The skirts were originally like $36 each, and I know I'll get lots of use out of them this spring/summer.

Oh and no girl is complete without her best accessory, her favorite lil' puppy! Oscar just had to photo-bomb my picture.

 

 

 

~Kellie Anne

Electronic Hoarding aka Pinterest

It's completely true and if you are a Pinterest addict (like me), you are shaking your head yes cause you know it's true! 

Happy Monday! :)

~Kellie Anne

Crazy Pizza Night

It's Saturday night and Aaron & I were both in the mood for pizza, though we had a ton of leftovers that needed to be finished.  We had left over chicken breast, cheddar brats and mac 'n cheese.  So, we did what any other couple would do, place those random toppings onto some pre-made pizza crust and make ourselves some oddly, delicious pizza. 

 

Aaron went a little out there with his pizza, using up the left over mac 'n cheese and cheddar brats on his.  Using Queso Blanco nacho cheese as his sauce, he took the four-cheese mac 'n cheese and sliced the brats over top both.  Then a handful of mozzarella and it was ready to go!  (That's a lot of cheese if you ask me!)

I was not as spontaneous as Aaron (mine is on the left).  I took the leftover chicken that was marinating in ranch dressing from a meal earlier this week and grilled it up on the George Foremen.  Holy awesomeness!! I highly recommend it for sandwiches, on top of salads and now as a pizza topping!! :)  Anywho, the sauce for my pizza was some Alfredo with the cut-up chicken and some bacon bits and a little mozzarella cheese. 

Reviews: My was A-MAZ-ZA-ZING (of course) and Aaron thought his was the "bomb diggity".  I did have a bite of Aaron's concoction and it was spicy cause of the Queso but the mac 'n cheese was dried out.  Aaron tried some of mine and can't wait for me to make that as a large pizza some night (the same can not be said for his thou!). 

Next time your have relaxing night at home with a few leftovers, do what we did and have a yourself a Crazy Pizza Night!! :)

~Kellie Anne

My 1,000 Pin!

Now you've heard me say how I'm addicted to Pinterest, but I didn't realize how bad my addiction was.  I was looking for a particular "pin" I had posted about "Tips for your Walt Disney Vacation" (oh btw, the boyfriend and I are going to Disney in May.. yay!) and I just happened to take a look at the stats about you at the top of the page.  This is what I saw:

I've got 19 Boards, 999 Pins and 90 Likes (that's a lot of 9's).  I thought to myself, "dang, I got to make sure that my 1,000 'pin' a good one".  So after spending much time looking for the perfect 'pin' to take from avid Pinterest user to insane Pinterest addict, this is what I found:

It reads, "Face it friends ~ nobody on Earth, will love you more, be more patient with your mood swings, or keep your secrets better than your dog."  My sweet lil' Oscar has been one of the greatest things that's ever happened to me and so I just had to 'pin' it to my board entitled Oscar's board. 

So it's official, I have pinned my 1,000 'pin'! Call me crazy, but this isn't going to slow me down at all.  I 'pin' recipes, crafts, house/holiday décor, things for my closet and everything in between.  Go ahead a following me on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/kmorris89/.

And if you've got a minute, take a look at how many pins you have on Pinterest (if your a Pinterester, that is) and put that number down in the comments.  I'd love to see if I'm as addicted to Pinterest as everyone else out there!!

I can't wait to see what my 2,000 'pin' is going to be!
~Kellie Anne

P.S - Sorry it's been so long since my last post, I just don't have anything exciting going on in my life. I will be posting about our upcoming vacation to Disney World and how all the tips I can give!

The truth about bras!

I thought some of you ladies who visit my blog, might find this funny (and true):

I think the sports bra explanation hits the nail on the head!
Have a good night and a great week!~Kellie Anne

Something New Sunday - Sour Patch Grapes

I have been dying to try these spring/summer snacks, since I first saw them on Pinterest a few months ago.  I had volunteered to bring some snack items to our family Easter and I thought this would be something my niece & nephews might like since they aren't a fan of my Rotel wraps.  Boy, was I right! :) They ate them up like candy (which they kind of are) but I was happy to seem them eat them up vs. the chocolate bunnies. 

Also, this has got to be one of the easiest recipes out there, with only two ingredients.  I think next time I make this I will have some of the little ones help me, cause they all like to help out especially in the kitchen. 

All you need is some grapes and your favorite Jello packet. You can use red or green grapes and any flavor of Jello that you like.  Wash the grapes and while they are still damp roll, cover and coat them in the unprepared Jello powder.  Once grapes are covered, placed them in a bowl and continue with clean grapes.  Once you have used up all the grapes (or Jello, whichever one comes first), place grapes in fridge, uncovered, for at least an hour to set coating.  Snack on these yummy grapes!!

 

  Tips:  I started with just a little Jello powder at a time and added more to the bowl as I went through the pile of grapes.  Some of grapes were a little two wet and caused the powder to start to change color and consistency.  Another tip I will give: when your not serving these, keep them cold (whether its a fridge or cooler).  As the grapes start to warm up, the coating starts to get soggy. 

I now can't wait till warmer weather, cause these will definitely be in my cooler on different outings!

~Kellie Anne


P.S - I didn't have my camera, so I had to use Aaron's phone to snap shots and that is why the pictures look so much cooler then my usual blog post.  And since I'm liking the way they look, this may just become a regular occurrence. Hmm.. I wonder what Aaron would say to that ;)

Muscians that I Love - The Voice Coaches

The new season of The Voice started tonight and this has become my new music-based reality show.  I've watched every season and I love it because it really showcases the individual's voice (during the blind auditions) vs. the judges basing their vote and opinion on how the contestant looks & sings.  You also have the opportunity of working one-on-one with some amazing coaches, who have been in the industry and share the secrets to making it successful in the music industry.

There are two new coaches on the panel this year (which is great cause I couldn't stand Cee Lo Green, he always hit on the girls way too hard ) and I think it's going to be a good year.  Shakira and Usher are going to bring a new vibe to the show, with their backgrounds in Latin and R&B respectively.   And when the previews were playing before the show started, they was going through the pasts of all the coaches and playing their greatest hits.  It made me fall back in love with all the coaches and reminded me of all the hits that Usher has had and some great tunes that Shakira came up with.  Here are my favorite songs from each of the four coaches.  Enjoy! :)

Team Adam:
   Lead singer of Maroon 5, Adam Levine "Payphone" in 2012

Team Shakira:
  Shakira "Whenever, Wherever" circa 2001

Team Usher:
   Usher "Burn" via 2004

 

 

 

Team Blake: 
  Blake Shelton "Austin" also from 2001

 

~Kellie Anne

He's got his mother's eyes...

 

It's Saturday night and I am sooo tired from a the long work week and from last night's fish fry outing with co-workers (where too many Budlights may have been consumed), that I am just going to stay at home with Aaron and Oscar.  Oscar has spent the last 24 hours at Aaron's parents, so that his little sister could get some time with him while she's home on spring break.  It was kind of nice not having him wake us up this morning but the minute he came scampering through the door, I difintely missed our little guy.  So, I'm gunna spend my evening doing one of my favorite things...cuddling with Oscar! :) 

~Kellie Anne



 

Aint we just the cutest! :)


My First Roast

I am a meat & potato kind of girl. 

Growing up, we would have roast for Sunday dinner at least once a month and my mom always did a fabulous job preparing the roast.  And she always made it seem so effortless too! Just pop it in the oven and a few hours late, we would be eating the fall-off-the-bone beef dish.  So, I decided for tonight's supper, I would cook my first roast.  Normally I wouldn't be to worried about it, but Aaron's parents are coming over to join us.  I know that they will enjoy the meal, but there is still something about making a new dish for guest that always gets me worked up. 

Ingredients:
3# Rump Roast
1# - Baby Carrots
2 - Yellow Onion
1 cup - A1 Steak Sauce
1 Tbs. - Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup - Water
1 packet - Kraft Ranch Dry Mix



Directions:
I started off with a 3 pound rump roast that had been slightly thawed out over night in the fridge.  I put the roast in the crock-pot for an hour by itself on LOW; then drained out all the juices that had filled the pot during that time.  I then mixed the sauces, water and ranch mix together and poured over top of the roast.  Continue to let it cook on LOW for the next two hours.  I then added the carrots and onions; letting them cook on LOW & HIGH settings for five hours, alternating the heat every other hour.  I did this cause when I checked it every hour I didn't think that the meat was getting cooked properly but didn't want it to over cook (hence why I alternated that temperature). 

Total time - roast was in crock-pot = 8 hours.
Total time - vegetables were in crock-pot = 5 hours. 

Reviews:
Zesty! That was exactly what Aaron's parents thought after the first bite (which is always a good review, right!?).  The roast and veggies had a lot of flavor and I kept nibbling and sneaking carrots out of the pot but I will be honest, it wasn't nearly as tender as my mom's roast.  No one complained about having to cut the roast with a knife but I still wasn't happy.  I think next time I will add the sauce as soon as I start the roast and I think I will let the roast cook for at least 10 hours.  I hope that it will help make the roast more melt-in-your-mouth.  But I not realize how easy it is to cook a roast and though my first try wasn't the best, I'm not giving up on this meal.

~ Kellie Anne

Musicians that I Love - Michael Bublé

This video right here is a perfecter example of why I think that Michael Bublé is don't only and amazing singer but has the heart of gold.  A mother at one of his performances stops him during the concert, to what seems to be to be to "brag" about her son and how he is a "singer".  Now, what most artists would do is call security and have the lady escorted back to her seat and proceed with the concert.  Not Michael, he actually takes the time to hear this lady out and well.... (watch and see)

                                  

 

I love Michael's facial expression when he first hears the young boy sing and then let's him continue on stage with him. I'm guessing this kid will never forget the day he got "dragged" on stage by his proud mother and got to sing a line or two with his ideal.  The ending is great too, how Michael pokes fun at the kid for potential stealing his career in the future. 

Just another reason why I think Michael Bublé is not only a heartthrob visually, musically but emotionally :)

~Kellie Anne

Winter Storm - Triton

When it's March 10th and you live in Iowa, you have to except the weird weather. Yesterday it rained from about 3 a.m till the middle of the afternoon, accumulating about an inch. Which I'm not complaining about the rain, since we desperately need moisture in the ground with spring right around the corner. What I am complaining about is after all that rain, what do we get today to add to it...SNOW!

It has been snowing all day and it doesn't help that the wind has been blowing it around at about 30 mph. Aaron and I decided to have a lazy day, since we couldn't go anywhere (I accomplished nothing but read about half of the book I just started and he got a nap in). At about 5 o'clock, I thought it was time we actually got up and did something, so we decided to go out and play in the snow. And when I mean play, I mean with Aaron's new truck and doing donuts with it.  Oscar loved being outside and couldn't sit still while we made circles in the snow.

~KA
*Oh, and since when did we start naming winter storms?! I've vaguely understood why we do it for hurricanes, but is it really necessary to do it to a for a snow storm.  Don't worry, this is just me ranting...
 


View of my backyard from my living room.  If you look closely, you
might be able to see my parents house behind the trees

This is from the middle of the driveway, looking across the
road to where my brother was working in the cattle pens



Oscar and Aaron looking outside as drive around
testing out the roads before we start spinning out of control



yet another Buffalo Chicken Mac 'n Cheese recipe - Crock-pot style

If your a fan of Pinterest like I am, you know that there are a million, probably closer to a billion recipes floating around on the site.  You may have also noticed all of the recipes for macaroni and cheese on the site; it's crazy how many different ways you can make such a staple food (well it is in our house, I guess).  Yet here I am, going to show you another way that you can make mac 'n cheese with the ever popular ingredient of buffalo wing sauce and made in the crock-pot.  Full of kick and easy to make, it's sure to be a hit in your kitchen!

 
Ingredients:
  4 chicken breast - thawed out and cubed
  1 medium onion - chopped
  1 can of Cream of Chicken
  Frank's Hot Wing Sauce - amount is all based on your love for the spicy-ness
  1 cup sour cream
  1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  1/2 cup ranch dressing
  8 oz of cooked elbow noodles
  Salt & Pepper for taste

  Directions (by pictures):

In a large crock-pot (mine is a 5.5 quart), place the chicken and onion inside.

Combine cream of chicken and wing sauce together.  I used the can from the cream of chicken and used about 3/4 of a can of the wing sauce.  Like stated above its completely up to you on how much of the yummy-goodness (wing sauce) that you'd like to use.

Mix sauce concoction with the chicken & onions; cook on LOW for 6 hours.
 

* * I didn't get a picture of the water boiling or the noodles cooking; but  you all know what that looks like :) **

 

When the noodles are almost done, add the dressing, cheese and sour cream to crock-pot



OMG! It already looks yummy and I haven't even added the noodles yet!!



Noodles have been added and my taste buds are ready to chow down! :)
But wait, once the noodles have been added let everything continue to cook for about 10-15 minutes




Now you can enjoy it! :)
Looks like Aaron is giving this dish a thumbs up and he takes one of his final bites!


I will some day post up the recipe of the Buffalo Chicken Mac 'n Cheese that we also love to eat that is made with a from scratch cheese sauce and done on the stove top and oven-baked.  But for right now, I'm going to add yet another mac 'n cheese recipe to the already growing list on Pinterest! :)

~ Kellie Anne

History of Rap video



I like Jimmy Fallon; he's pretty funny.


I like Justin Timberlake; he's a great artist and also is funny.

 

 

I love all different genres of music.

 

 

I also love YouTube videos.


So when I found this one floating around Pinterest, I just thought this would be a great post to put on my blog.  It's entitled "The History of Rap" and it's bits and pieces of rap songs through the years.  These two comedians play off each other so well and some of the songs are so such classics, that when you hear them you can remember just where you were when they were at the top of the charts.

 

 

I hope you were dancing in your seat like I was when I played this video for the first time! :)

~ Kellie Anne

Clean Floors

I have one quick comment to say about today: there is no greater feeling then walking across clean linoleum floors! :)  My house is not very large and there is only two of us living here but the floors always seem to be constantly dirty (I blame it on the dog!).  But today is my day off from work and I buckled down and washed the floors, which is quite difficult with a puppy who just wants to play in the dirty water. 

That is all! Have a great Wednesday y'all :)
~Kellie Anne

Something New Sunday - Tuna Noodle Casserole

   I feel awful for not doing a 'Something New Sunday' last week.  Not that I have a lot of followers, but I was doing a really good job of doing a new recipe every Sunday since I had started this blog.  Oh well, today is a new day (and a new week for that matter) so it's time for a new recipe. 
   I have been craving tuna lately and missed the good-ole tuna casserole that I use to have in grade school.  I went to a small town school growing up with really nice lunch ladies, who actually took the time to make good meals for all the kids.  One of my favorite things that we had was the homemade buns. Oh. My. God. Just typing that made me want to go back in time to have some of those biscuits.  Focus Kellie, I'm talking about the tuna casserole that the lunch ladies made, not the delicious biscuits! The casserole was creamy with the noodles and tuna, yet crunchy cause they would top it with potato chips. 
  So, I wanted to try and duplicate the recipe but to add a little more flavor since my taste buds have grown-up since I was a little kid.  Here is my adult, yet kid friendly take on tuna noodle casserole.

 

Tuna Noodle Casserole: 

Ingredients:
8 oz cooked angel hair pasta (you could use spaghetti, linguine or any long pasta of your choice)
2 cans of tuna
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of corn (drained)
1 cup milk
3 tsp. butter
your choice of seasonings
bread crumbs
fried onions

Directions:
  Mix cooked noodles with tuna, soup and corn; I seasoned my dish today with black pepper and garlic salt. Pour into greased 9x13 casserole dish and cover with bread crumbs and french onions.  Drizzle milk and butter over top; cover with tin foil.  Place in preheated 400 degree and cook for 15 minutes. Stir mixture to make sure edges don't burn.  Recover and cook for another 15 minutes, during the last 5 minutes cover casserole with more bread crumbs and fried onions.  This dish is ready to eat once the bread crumbs and fried onions are a nice golden brown. Serve and enjoy this Lent-friendly meal! :)

Review: 
  Well I think I may have found my new calling as a school lunch lady! ;)
 
  No, but seriously this might give the Titonka School District lunch ladies a run for their money.  The noodles are soft, the sauce is creamy and the topping is uber crunchy!  The corn is a nice little touch, since most tuna dishes call for peas (which I would have loved to add, but Aaron doesn't like peas).  The dish makes probably 8 small portion servings, which is nice to have leftovers for both of us to take to work.  This dish is quite tasty and doesn't need a lot of seasonings, but Aaron suggested maybe some Old Bay seasonings next time.

  The next time I do make this recipe, I will add a little more milk and shorten the cooking time by 5 minutes or so.  Aaron thought it was fine between the mouthful of bites that he kept shoveling in.  Though he might have enjoyed it, I thought it was still dry and as the cook I like to make sure my recipes are perfect no matter who's eating it. 

Please let me know what you think! :)

~Kellie Anne


Close up of the yummy-goodness :)