My Own March Madness

I feel somewhat like a loser because I didn’t blog last weekend. I was too caught up in the Men’s Big Ten Basketball Tournament, congrats to my beloved Buckeyes who survived tough games in the first two rounds, and coasted to victory over Minnesota on Sunday. Actually, my attention span will only get shorter over the next 3 weeks due to the NCAA Tournament, aka ‘March Madness.’ As I write this I have been agonizing over the brackets, trying to make educated decisions, but there were will be the game I don’t see coming that will send my bracket into a death spiral. Happens every year, my guess is that it will happen in the 2nd round this year.



So usually during the games, I need to keep myself busy so I work on my spring cleaning projects around the house. This weekend I worked on my kitchen. I couldn’t believe some of the things I still had, that I thought were long gone. I started a goodwill bag for dishes, and dumped a bunch of spices that I have never used, and will never use (Mrs. Dash, anyone?). I still have four cabinets to go through. I don’t think there will be more to get rid of, but they are in need of a good organizing. I’m thinking of taking a Friday off in April to work on my bedroom closet. Yes, it is that bad. Currently, there is a lot of climbing that goes on for me while I’m trying to get ready. I have a ton of purses that I can probably get rid of, so I’m thinking of having an ebay garage sale. Some of them I used like twice. Don’t get too excited, none of the Coach will be on the auction block!

Key Lime Cheesecake with Graham Crackers

So on to this week’s recipe. Not only did I make the green key lime cheesecake ball for our “Green” Potluck at work on Friday. It was yummy and easy. But this weekend I did alittle experimenting and put a new twist on my oatmeal muffins. Noting too big, I just added chocolate chips, but I was worried because I make the dough with applesauce and I wasn’t sure how those would work together. It turns out that they are a very good team. Next week I’m making loaded baked potato soup, and I’m looking for a good crock pot recipe, so tonight I will have to do some research.

Hi Mommy!

So I had to add this picture, because it too darn cute not to share. This is Max, sitting on the towels in our bathroom. This is he’s new thing. He is like a toddler and he goes through phases with things. I cannot tell you how much I’m ready for this phase to be over. He follows you into the bathroom, jumps up on the towels and stares at you. It is very cute, but at the same time, bothers me a great deal. Not too mention, every towel ends up covered in cat fur. That’s what you want when you get out of the shower! I’m way too lenient with him, and I cannot just shoo him away, he makes me feel bad with the sad kitty eyes when I do that.



Before I end this, I wanted to send out Happy 90th Birthday Wishes to Jeff’s Grandma Cleo. She was born on St. Patrick’s Day. She is wonderful. I can say without a doubt she was the first one to welcome me into her family with wide open arms. I also enjoy listening to her tell my husband how he should shave more, because why would a pretty girl like me want to go around town with someone who doesn’t shave?

Have an Awesome Week! 

Lessons I've learned this week...

If I had been a passenger on the Titanic or the Lusitania I would have been a goner….this is how much of a nerd that I am. I read an article in Time that compare the survival rates of the passengers on both doomed ships. This is what they determined if you were over the age of 35, traveling with no children and in third class you probably didn’t make it. I compared third class to be the equivalent of coach in airplanes, and since that is how I travel chances are good that’s where I would have been. So that would have determined where I was on the ship, which was below deck (hopefully dancing with a young, cute, Leonardo Decaprio), and my age would have made escaping to the upper decks physically challenging, and since I didn’t have children, that would have decrease my will to survive. Good to know, I will keep that in mind.


If you lose your prescription Gucci sunglasses on the train....no one is going to turn them into lost and found. Also, when you stop by lost and found to see if anyone has, they will look at you like you are smoking crack. I’m pretty sure that guy wanted to laugh at me.  It does make me laugh that whoever found them and thought that they scored, was suprised when they put them on a probably couldn't see very well.

Greed is real and it truly ruins lives…here in Chicago there was a fire on Valentine’s Day that killed 7 people. That fire was ruled to be arson this week, for the insurance money. Two people are in jail awaiting trial on 7 counts of murder each. All of the victims were either members of, or friends of, one family. Grief I hope to never understand.

I am blessed…to have met and married a wonderful man. Who is supportive of what I do, thinks I’m funny, and talks me off the ledge when I need him to. I also feel lucky that he is still the same man that I married, and no matter what is going on that doesn’t change. I’m also grateful that his mother lives 3 hours away.

Too much cheese.  Did I just say that?

The creamy crab stuffed shells…were good, but almost too much. This recipe is sort of a keeper. How I have been running this recipe a week thing is, to follow the exact recipe the first time I make something, and if changes are needed, tweeking that recipe on the next go around. So this recipe was way too rich. Too much sauce and that was very rich too. So I have some ideas for the next time. I created a page to the blog that lists my favorite recipes (link is on the right at the top). I’m going to post the creamy crab stuffed shells, and make some recommendations on how can be done better. This week I’m cheating alittle bit and making a key lime cheese ball. It’s a mix and I’ve made it before, but this is going to be a tough week. Cut me some slack, I have to make something green for the potluck on Friday.

By the way, hybrid guy is now driving a van that looks like a refrigerator box and he can’t get his sweet parking spot anymore. Too bad. Also, if you need to use one of those bags on wheels as a briefcase everyday, perhaps you need a new job. At the very least STAY THE HELL out of everyone else’s way.

Have a Great Week!