easy chicken salad

here is a quick and easy chicken salad that i like to make.  its yummy on sandwich bread, on top of a bed of lettuce, or as a stand alone main dish.

i use a 4.99 roasted chicken from the grocery store (they're typically under a heating lamp).  

ingredients:

1 roasted chicken

grapes (red or green)

cashews

mayo

shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella) 

celery

separate chicken meat from the bones.  discard bones and majority of the skin into a separate bowl.

meat on the left, bones and skin on the right.

if you want, you can dump you bones and skin in a big pot with water and boil it for awhile.  strain for some yummy chicken broth.  i like to make rice with chicken broth instead of water.

back to the chicken salad.  chop up some celery...i used 3 stalks.

add mayo to your liking.

 cut up some grapes.  typically, i like red but i only had green on hand.

 sprinkle in some cashews.  again, to your liking.

add some cheese.

a little bit of lime juice.....

a bit of pepper.....

i like to serve this cold.  one chicken makes about a 8 inch dish.  enjoy!

happy easter!

this video is amazing.  the ending has me nodding my head and my heart jumping!  thank you Jesus for the sacrifice of life and the amazing gift of grace through your death and resurrection.

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."  John 11:25-26

friday favorites: a video!

okay friends.  i decided to make a video version of my friday favorites!  kind of nerve wrecking.....but whatever.  

so in the midst of trying to pull this together i totally forgot to talk about the clean and clear 3 in 1 cleanser. next time. 

also, i'm not sure how to "flip" the image after making a video.  so, unfortunately, all the wording on the products themselves is backwards...

do you like the video?  should i do more?  i'd love your feedback.

1.  secret wonderland shower creme from bath and body works

2. shea cashmere hand creme from bath and body works

3. ion flat iron spray from sally's beauty supply

4. nyx lip gloss from ulta

5. clean & clear 3 in 1 exfoliating cleanser (i forgot to show this in my video but i use it at night)

hank's first tennis lesson

today was hank's first tennis lesson.  his first actual 'anything' really....  he has never had a lesson or class of any sort so he was super excited!  he is four.

7am he was dressed and ready to go.  his class was at 10:30am. :)

he listened to every word the coach said.  do you like his wristband?  love this little guy!

seriously.  not bad.  pretty sweet forehand son.

me in the car on the way to tennis:  "hank what do you think you will do at tennis class today?"
hank:  "push ups"

in class he asked the coach when they would do push ups.  coach said: "pshh..right now buddy."  they all dropped and did five :)

me in the car on the way home from tennis:  "hank, what was your favorite part of tennis class?"
hank:  "push ups"

weekend furniture painting and questions

tomorrow the forecast is sunny and 70!!  what??  this little lovely will be going outside for a little painting pick me up.  and that pick me up will be as much for me as it is for this dresser.  go away rain!

this dresser is in our music room and will be painted a very pretty yellow.  benjamin moore's vellum.

here is a swatch of it.   i'm really looking forward to this transformation!

now, i have two questions.

1.  this tea table is on the other side of the room.  i'm pretty sure i'm going to keep it in it's natural state but rub it well with mineral oil.  would you paint it or leave it?

2.  i have been looking for a rug in this room for a long time....please help me!  the couch is a true charcoal gray.  the walls are  benjamin moore gray cashmere. the motif on the drapes is more teal than turquoise.  the rug needs to be an 8x10.  i can't wait to see what you all suggest!

potty training

it's that time again.......

some say boys are faster to train than girls.  or vice versa.  i'm in a tie.....so this little guy could go either way.  it could take forever........or he could figure it out in a week.

i'm thinking it might take more than a week.  :)

training for a half marathon. after 5 kids.

its true.  on may 8, 2011 i will be running in my first 1/2 marathon.

i am up to eleven miles.

i am in physical therapy for my knee.

i soaked in the tub, drank a recovery drink and iced my knee for 45 minutes after my run this morning.

when i started training in january (in the snow) i begged to stop after 2 miles.

did you know there are supplements with caffeine runners use?  i think i took too many this  morning as i was sprinting my last mile.  ha!  whatever it takes.

i have lost zero weight.  say WHAT?  its true.

i'll keep you updated!

***********************

also, alaina over at recycled interiors posted a really nice interview with me!  head on over and say hi.

friday favorites

 1. tressemme extra hold hairspray. 

 i have been using this exact hairspray for about 5 years now.  i buy mine at target or meijer.  

2.  tressemme fresh start dry shampoo. 

 i am still on my first can of this product  but it is awesome!  basically, on a day my hair feels oily at the roots i just spray this along the root line and it brings my hair back to its starting point.  its such a strange product.  i'm pretty sure the can will last a while because i only use it once a week.  definitely worth a few dollars to have this stuff on hand!

3.  tressemme no frizz shine spray.

i spritz this on a bit while i'm styling my hair and after.  its light weight and i really like that its a smoothing product in spray form.

well, this ended up being a tressemme commercial.  believe me, they don't even know i exist.  i just really like these products!  and they are reasonably priced.  i tend to spend more on shampoo and conditioner so i like to keep the cost of my hairspray and finishers down.

you can check out my other friday favorites here