Viva, Las Vegas....

My birthday is June 9th, and I will be turning the Big 30.  In preparation for this splendid milestone in my life, me and the hubby took off to Vegas.  We had an absolute blast!  We learned how to play craps, which is actually a lot of fun. We stayed at the Venetian, which is the Italian themed hotel with the gondolas (the long boats that you see in Italy).  It was a very nice hotel with a casino of course, mall, and restaurants.  It's weird how all the hotels in Vegas basically take you to whole new parts of the world.  You can be in Italy one minute, then walk down the street and be in New York or Paris.  It is very neat.  Well, let me stop babbling and post some pictures already.  Here we go....


THE HOTELS

The Venetian Hotel where we stayed.  It was like we were really in Italy.  Sooooo Beautiful!

Gondola rides inside of our hotel

This is the ceiling of the shops in the Venetian.  Makes it look like you are outside.

The Mirage Hotel

Caesars Palace has to be one of the larger hotels.  It was soooooooo long.  Very beautiful hotel

A nice statute outside of the Caesars Palace hotel

The Bellagio, you know the hotel that you see in all the movies with the water show out front. 

ENTERTAINMENT

A play in the Caesars Palace

It was weird how folks just dress up in different costumes and walk the strip....Hilarious

Scott and I in the helicopter on our way to see the Hoover Dam and the Vegas strip.  We took a limo to the airport to the catch the helicopter.  Very romantic! 

Scott outside of the helicopter

A band at the B.B. King club

We saw this show and absolutely loved it.  The thing we didn't like was that it wasn't long enough.  The tricks and acrobatics that were done were so unreal.  Just awesome!  I highly recommend it.

The following are pictures from the Madame Tussard's Wax Museum

Scott and Michael Jordan

Whoopi Goldberg and I

Jamie Foxx....He looked a little small in frame in my opinion

Eva Longoria and I

Matthew McConaughey

Hugh Hefner

Chr-endell and Brangelina  aka  Christian/Wendell (Scott) and Angelina Jolie/Brad Pitt

Halle and Scott

Tiger Woods, Scott, and Jack Nicholson

Scott and Tiger

Babe Ruth and Scott

I had to show Beyonce' some moves

Michael Jackson and me

Scott and Snoop Dogg

Scott, TuPac, and I

Captain Jack Sparrow and the Thirsty Scott

I just love Judy Garland since I am such a Wizard of Oz fan

Marilyn Monroe and me...Happy Birthday Mr. President...lol

JFK, me, and Jackie-O

Me, President Obama, and Scott

Scott on his first interview with Oprah Winfrey

Scott and George W. Bush

Oprah is always begging me to do interviews with her...lol

John Wayne and Scott

FOOD

A yummy salad with balsamic vinegarette from the Cheesecake Factory.  Those are crab wontons in the back that were also yum!

A meatlovers pizza from California Pizza Kitchen.  Scott visited one of these in ATL, and raved about it.  I tried it, and I must say that it is quite delish.

MISCELLANEOUS PICTURES

Scott in front of a pirate ship at the Treasure Island Hotel

This waterfall was so pretty.

Me inside of the shops in the Venetian with a real life Roman statue

Me with a Roman Statue

Scott and I at the Cheesecake Factory





Welcome Chelsea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My friend Telischa gave birth to this adorable little blessing on May 30, 2011.  Luckily, we got her baby shower done two days earlier...lol  Actually, today makes 1 week since Chelsea has arrived.  Congratulations Telischa and Terrence!

Chelsea Mae

Chelsea's big sister, Chloe.  Ain't she just a cutie pie!

Baby Shower Cakes

White Almond Sour Cream cake for a monkey theme baby shower

White Almond Sour Cream cake for a turquoise and chocolate theme baby shower

Husband Knows Best

I recently read an article on yahoo where a wife let her husband pick out all of her outfits for 7 days.  No matter what he picked out, she had to wear it.  The purpose of them doing this was for the husband to show the looks that he likes on her and to introduce her to some things that she wouldn't ever wear on her own. 

Well, Scott and I didn't go as far to as to do 7 days worth of outfits, but he did pick out these shoes for me last night.  I tried them on and actually liked them.  I have seen them on other women and thought they were cute, but didn't think they would be cute on me.  Well, the persuasion of my husband got me in these shoes and basically got them added to my shoe collection. 

I think I am going to wear them with some skinny jeans and a cute top or with some cute shorts and a cute top.  I will have to post my outfit once I get it all together.  Oh yeah, if you are looking for some shoes, Dillards is having a little sale going on now.  Some shoes are an additional 65% off.  You can't beat that with an egg beater.  Check'em out!!!

.....Another Man's Treasure

Yesterday, we had our very first garage sale, and it was a complete success.  We started the sale at 6:30am, and we were done by 8:45am. Our biggest item that we had to sell was a bedroom suit, and we were really happy when we sold it.  We made a wopping $334, which we thought was pretty good.  It's amazing how things that you have just lying around the house, can actually be of some use to someone else.  I mean, folks actually pay for your....I hate to say it, but it is what it is, JUNK.  We got a chance to meet some really nice people, and are glad that it was a success.  The few items that we didn't sell, we are donating to the Goodwill.

Congratulations Cedric!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ceddie Ced, The Graduate 

Me, Ced, Daddy, and Mama 

Me, Ced, and our Aunt Doris 

Daddy, Ced, and my grandma better known as Butterball or Butta

Saturday, my lil brother graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from University of Central Arkansas.  I am so proud of him.  Now, he has the whole world ahead of him.  I wish you the best Ced.  Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What's on the Menu??????????????

I went to the grocery store yesterday, and got a few items.  When I make the grocery list, I like to decide what meals we will have, so I will know what groceries to buy.   A friend of mine put a weekly menu on her blog a little while ago, which has inspired this post.  Here is our menu for the week:

SUNDAY:                Baked mushroom pork chop steaks with
                                    parmasean roasted broccoli and tomatoes
                                    (Scott liked this meal so much, he kissed
                                    the cook....Big Smile)

MONDAY:                Baked Hot Wings with green beans

TUESDAY:          Turkey Burgers with cucumber and tomato
                             medley  

WEDNESDAY:    Loaded baked potatoes with butter, sour
                             cream, bacon bits, cheese, and seasonings

THURSDAY:        Jambalaya with garlic bread

FRIDAY:              Date Night....we will either eat out or
                             cook something together

I try to incorporate some healthy meals on certain days (ex. Monday and Tuesday),  but balance it out with some not as healthy (ex. Wednesday).  I enjoy cooking, so I am kind of anticipating having a week of premeditated meals.   

Latest Cakes

This is a White Almond Sour Cream cake with buttercream filling.  It was done for a co-worker/friend turning 30.

The is a White Almond Sour Cream cake covered in buttercream with marshmallow fondant accents.  This is my first time carving a cake into a certain size.  It's for my former co-worker's granddaughter who is having her 3rd birthday party tomorrow.

Why Pay More.....When you can pay NOTHING!!!!!!!

Tax Day is usually always April 15th. Well, this year it's April18th. I was wondering why until I looked it up online. Here's the reason why:

In 2011, Washington, D.C., will celebrate Emancipation Day on April 15, a day earlier than normal, since April 16 falls on a Saturday. Emancipation Day marks the anniversary of the day that President Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act. The Act, which was "for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia," freed 3,100 slaves in the District, making DC residents the "first freed" by the federal government. In observance of the DC holiday, Tax Day will be moved forward one business day, this year landing it on Monday, April 18. That's the date your form has to be either submitted electronically or postmarked by for your tax return to be considered timely filed by the IRS.

Tax Day is a bummer for some people, but for those who are in the clear, you can enjoy having filed your taxes early plus some freebies that a number of businesses offer.  Here are just a few.  Check'em Out!!!!!!

Free mini ice cream sundae from 3pm to 6pm

15% off your ticket

I love the breaded hot wings from Hooter's, so I may have to put on my Hooter's tank and go get some wings....LOL  But for real...the wings are oh so yummy!

Casino Royale....

Here is a casino themed cake that I did for a really good friend of mine.  It is white cake with cream cheese filling.  I can say I learned from doing this cake.  It turned out ok, but my friend liked it so that is what matters the most.  Thanks for looking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Grillin'

Today it was 81 degrees, so what better way to enjoy the warm temperatures than to grill.  We decided to grill up some meat for the week.  That way we will have dinner and lunch already made up for a couple of days.  We grilled steaks, hamburgers, polish sausage, hot links, potatoes with onions and bell pepper, and mushrooms.  It was all soooooooooooooo good!

You Never Know Unless You Try

Braised Beef Tortelloni

Ok, so today Scott and I went to Olive Garden.  I wanted to try something a little less safe,  so I got the Braised Beef Tortelloni.  It was sooooooooooooooooo good!  It did make me ask the question, what does braised mean?  This is what I came up with per one of my favorite sites, Wilkepedia.  Braising is a combination cooking method using both moist and dry heat; typically the food is first seared at a high temperature and then finished in a covered pot with a variable amount of liquid, resulting in a particular flavor. Braising of meat is often referred to as pot roasting, though some authors make a distinction between the two methods based on whether additional liquid is added.

All I know is that the beef was so tender, and really made this dish oh so yummy!  It is a must-try the next time you go to Olive Garden.

It's Beiber Fever!

Today was Emoni's birthday party at a local dance studio.  She, like just about every other young girl, is a big Justin Beiber fan.  That of course explains the theme for the party. Any who, all the kids got to try on different dance costumes and even performed a dance they learned while there.  They all had a blast!!!!!!!!!!

Emoni on her 9th birthday.

This is the Bieber Fever cake that I did for the birthday party.  Of course it was Emoni's favorite flavor, Chocolate.

Happy Birthday, Lil E!!!!!!!

One, Two...Buckle My Shoe

I was going through my closet, and the one thing that I have decided that I need is SHOES.  Here are a few shoes that I have seen online that I think are sooooo cute.

WEDGE SHOES.....I really love wedge shoes.  The thing I like about them is you can wear a higher heel and you don't feel like you are trying to balance all your weight on two little sticks just to walk.  I would wear these mostly on the weekends.  

 CASUAL SHOES.....Again, these are again weekend shoes.  Some days I like a flat shoe.  Flip Flops are probably my all time favorite type of shoe.  I would wear them every day if I could.  Here are some that I am eyeing.

 READY TO WORK.....I wear mostly slacks, skirts, and dresses to work.  I like to wear no more than a 3.25 inch pump or peep toe.  I just started wearing peep toes, and I actually like them.  That is if they are the right peep toe shoe.  I go for comfort when it comes to shoes.  A little style ain't too bad either though.

Project Monday

Being that it's the second day of Spring, what better way to get in the groove of the new season than mulching and planting new plants.  Today it was 83 degrees, and I was anxious all day to get out in it.  We remulch our landscaped area every year, so we finally got it out for the year.  Here's the finished product.

Leftside View 

Rightside View 

Here are some flowers (Encore Azaleas) that we laid out

Doh-Dum.........

This is my new show.  I am addicted.  It's been coming on for years, but I am just now starting to get into it.  It's not like I need another show to add to my list of shows, but I just have to watch it.

Reality TV Junkie

The Celebrity Apprentice has been coming on for quite some time, but I am just now deciding to watch it.  What might you ask has brought me to watch this show....the feud between NeNe Leakes and Star Jones.  I can't help it.  I am a sucker for celebrity gossip and getting the dirt.  It's my guilty pleasure.  Well, the first episode was a good one for me, and it has definitely drawn me in.  I really like Nikki Taylor and Lisa Rena.  I also like NeNe.  Star Jones seems like she is on a power trip, so so far she is not on my list of favorite people.  I can't wait until next Sunday to see the next episode.

Orange County is one of  my favorite in the whole Real Housewives series.  I am a Tamra fan.  I just like her and how blunt and fun-loving she is.  I go back and forth with Vicki, but she is on my good list so far.  I am excited about this season and can't wait to see all the drama.

This is the newest of the Real Housewives series, and I must say that I like it.  All the ladies are so different.  I have never been to Miami, so I enjoy seeing the sites of Miami.  This is a must see series.

Scott and I are avid foodnetwork show watchers.  Scott got me stuck on this show, and I can't give it up.  There are four chefs.  They have to compete with an appetizer, dinner, and dessert dish.  They are given 4 secret ingredients that they must use in their dishes.  Each round one chef is eliminated.  The ingredients are so off the wall, but these chefs come up with some great and some not so great dishes.  Either way, it's very interesting.  This season is for all-star chefs, so it should be very good.  Check it out Sunday nights at 8:00 on the foodnetwork.

I am hooked on Basketball Wives.  The season ended with Evelyn and Tami fist fighting after Evelyn relayed some very intense information to Tami.  I think I am on Team Tami's side.  The reunion show airs this coming Sunday.  It is a don't miss!

Well, I got the dvr set and ready.  I can't miss any of my shows!!!!!!!!!!



Blessed and Highly Favored....

Today was one of those days that I just reflected on all the wonderful things that God has done in my life especially here lately.  It just amazes me how you can just be going through life, and then all of a sudden God just throws blessings your way.  He is just so awesome!  If you just talk to God, listen to him, seek him, and acknowledge him, you will experience God's favor.  Basically, the way that we want others to treat us in our relationships is the way that God wants us to treat him.  I just wanted to share how much I love God and that he is showing his love for me in so many ways.  Thank you God for all you have done, are doing, and will do.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart
                                                                                                                                   -Jeremiah 29:11-13

Chocolate Chip Cookies

We have been watching "Throwdown with Bobby Flay" on the food network.  Bobby Flay goes around and challenges common folks who have restaurants around the country and specialize in a particular dish.  The dish may be anything from sloppy joes to cuban sandwiches to belgian waffles to .....Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Yep, you guessed it.....that is what inspired me to bake these 'oh so yummy' cookies.  I baked them from scratch, and they are moist and chewy with a little crunch on the outside.  So you ask, what's the recipe to these morsels of yummy goodness....Here ya go!

1/2 stick of a butter flavored Crisco stick
1/4 cup of light brown sugar
1/2 cup of sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of vanilla
1 cup of flour
1 cup of milk chocolate chips (I used Hershey's chocolate chips, but any will do)
1 small package of chopped pecans (I did some with nuts and some without nuts)
Mix all the ingredients together, roll into small balls, and put on cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 14 to 15 minutes.  Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes then place them on a cooling grid. 

Enjoy the Yummy Goodness!!!!