Z Gallerie Purchase

Before leaving Birmingham Sunday, the hubby & I stopped by Z Gallerie. We don' have one in our city so it was my first visit. I've always browsed their website but going into the actual store was fabulous!

I was so overwhelmed by everything that I didn't know what to buy! I didn't know what colors to pick, what vase would be just right, what flower would look good. Blah!

But I didn't leave empty handed.

I picked up these two vintage looking cameras to place in my home office.

At $9.95 a piece, I couldn't resist!

Cheesy Chicken & Rice Bake

I came across this recipe on Pinterest the other day & tried it immediately!

Source: tastykitchen.com via LC on Pinterest

The recipe is super simple to make...

And it turned out to be so good!

Directions with my modifications:

• 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (I pre-cooked 3 breasts & cut into bite size chunks)
• 4 cups Cooked Brown Rice (I used white rice)
• ¾ cups Frozen Corn (I used 1 can of corn drained & it was fine)
• 15 ounces, fluid Can Black Beans, Drained And Rinsed
• 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt (or Sour Cream)
• 4 ounces, fluid Can Green Chilis
• ½ cups Salsa (I used 1 cup but honestly bc of the amount of chicken, I probably should have used the whole jar)
• 1 cup Low-fat Cheddar Cheese, Plus More For Topping (I used one whole bag of shredded cheddar cheese)
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro For Garnish (I skipped this step)
•  
• Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for cilantro and mix thoroughly to combine. Make sure the yogurt and cheese are stirred in throughout the entire bowl. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Transfer to an oven-safe dish and top with extra cheese if you would like. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
  To make this process easier, I always have cooked chicken on hand, and use Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice. If you have those two things, this can be throw together in a matter of minutes! It can also easily be made ahead of time and reheated.
  
  Easy Peasy & Delicious! 
  

Dermaplaning Facial

Have yall ever heard of a "Dermaplaning Facial?"

I had one done last Friday and I am not sure how I feel about it.

My skin is not perfect at all.

I went to the dermatologist to have a skin tag removed from my neck, and I asked her about laser hair removal and she suggested this facial. She said they basically scrape the first layer of skin (which includes all the peach fuzz), proceed with some facial potions, remove blackheads (which hurt like hell), and finish up with some more facial potions. It took about an hour.

I am happy to report she said that I didn't have nearly as many wrinkles as most 30-somethings.

(I'm 34) I told her it may be due to my Asian genes (my mom). And she said, "Ohhh, the Asian gene. You're lucky!" lol! I asked had she ever heard the phrase "black don't crack" and she cracked up laughing & explained to me why black women's skin has more resilience to sun than the rest of us.

She also told me that people with oily skin need to stop using so many products to get rid of the oil. That I already knew, I definitely embrace my oily skin (it's not super oily by any means, so I don't use anything that drys it up). And she said those Biore strips are useless.

The main difference that I loved was all the hair being gone! I am kind of nervous about it growing back though and I'll end up looking like wolverine. She said the effects should last about a month!

Happy Belated Birthday!

2 Fridays ago was my brother's 29th birthday!

We celebrated by going to dinner Friday here and then to Atlanta Saturday & Sunday.

Hubby & my brother

brother & his gf

brother & I

hanging out in Atlanta

brother & his gf, his best friend & wife

Sisters

Dinner @ Hard Rock

hubby & I

I love baseball!

Breakfast

Not sure why she held up the Smuckers! lol

We had a great time in Atlanta. There was some type of 31 conference going on that weekend so there were thousands of ladies selling purses & bags. There was also a huge hair show so there lots of women with gorgeous (& crazy) hair. Braves game was great, even though we lost!

Ahhh, to be 29 again! :)

Origami Owl

So a few posts back I told yall about Origami Owl. I wanted to post some pics of the locket I ordered.

I absolutely love it and get lots of compliments on it all the time!

The charms in my locket are a camera, high heel, lipstick, an angel wing, 

butterfly, an I love Shopping bag, & a paw print!

Extra charms in case I ever want to switch out.

I highly suggest attending or hosting an Origami Owl party!

Cut Your Grass Please!

I know we all get busy, sometimes we don't feel like doing anything, and sometimes we just put things off. But one of my neighbors has cut her yard ONE time this summer. I'm a bit anal when it comes to the curb appeal of people's homes. I hate when there are toys scattered about for days, overgrown weeds, boxes of crap in the driveway. It drives me crazy!

And it makes me wonder- if your house looks like that on the outside, I bet it really looks like shit on the inside. I'm just sayin! Clean it up! And to make matters worse, on our block there are 9 homes. And of the 9 homes, 4 are messy-hoarder like homes. We are in between two people who don't cut their grass, has junk all up & down the driveways (like empty coke bottles, paper, mops, tools, etc), one across the street from us who has a porch full of crap, throws trash into the side of their yard, doesn't cut their grass, and then one who I guess really isn't a hoarder- she just does not cut her yard!

This is the non-hoarder, non-grass cutter lady @ the end of our block.

Yep, I got all up in her driveway to get this shot! lol!

So I guess you just drive right over this bush right?

 Come on now, this is ridiculous!

Do you live by anyone like this?

I am so ready to move, but I like our home.

Wall Collage

Out friend gave this awesome wall collage set for Christmas & I finally got around to hanging it yesterday. The only reason it took me so long is because I didn't have any pictures for it. I still don't have pictures for it, but until I do, the random white & hispanic family in the photos will have to do! ha!

I don't know where he bought it from, but I have to say whoever decided to put in the "map" with the grid marks on exactly where to put the nails, was a GENIUS! This was SO helpful!

Fool Proof!

 And voila! 

Random white & hispanic family hanging in our hallway!

 We plan to fill it with pictures from our Hawaiian Vacay! 

So until October, these people will be on our wall.

 Loves it!