Cucumber Lime Salsa

The temperatures are soaring high again today here in North Carolina. With the thermometers rising above 100 degrees this weekend, I decided to make something refreshing and cool.
My husband went to the farmers market again today and came home with some beautiful squash, tomatoes, peaches and, YES, cucumbers!So, I gathered together all the things I need to make this tongue tingling cucumber lime salsa.

One ingredient in this recipe is cilantro. We love cilantro at our house. I honestly believe this stuff could go with any meal. It also calls for one *jalapeno pepper, but it does not make it to hot to enjoy. Its just right.
  
The salsa turned out DELICIOUS and will go great with meat, tortilla chips, and atop your favorite Mexican dish. If you’d like to make some for yourself then just click HERE for the recipe.
*Be careful when chopping jalapenos. Be sure to wash your hands before touching your eyes.

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Cappuccino Hazelnut Cream Cheese Brownies

My husband told me about some “butt busting” brownies he saw on the Dr. Oz show. Well, these are NOT them.
 
I had recently bought some cappuccino mocha hazelnut spread from the grocery store the other day to try.
  
It was delicious but too sweet to eat alone and to many calories to eat on toast every morning. I remember hearing the word brownies and that was all it took for me to come up with a recipe to use this creamy Jif spread.
To be quite honest, these things do not tempt me that much because I am not a big fan of brownies but I could not wait to see how they turned out.

Here is how I did it just in case your out of those energy drinks.

Cappuccino hazelnut cream cheese Brownies
4 oz. cream cheese, softened (half block)
1/2 cup Cappuccino mocha hazelnut spread
2 eggs
1⁄8 cup canola oil
1 box fudge brownie mix (I could only find family size)
Using a mixer, whip together the cream cheese and the spread. Add in the eggs and oil and continue to whip until well combined.
Scrape down the bowl, then add the brownie mix. Fold the mix in until just combined, then whip an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour batter into a 13x9-inch pan coated with nonstick spray.
Use the other half of cream cheese by softening it in the microwave and swirl it into the top of the batter.(optional)
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a pick inserted in the middle comes mostly clean. Allow to cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

I gave them a thumbs up and then gave them away. I just cant handle all that sweetness.

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A Visit to the Farmers Market

You always know its summer time here in the South when the farmers market opens.


























I am ready for some fresh vegetables to throw on the grill, make some casseroles, or throw in a salad. So, this morning my daughter and I stopped in our local farmers market before heading to our workout. We thought we would never get in this place because the line of cars going in was crazy. But we managed to get a good parking place and get in and out in a jiffy.
As we began to walk in the first thing I saw was one of  my dance classmates selling her hens eggs. But that was only the beginning. While walking  through the metal building filled with vendors selling their products of labor, we saw a variety of many delicious  vegetables, homemade sweets, honey, flowers, birdhouses, fruit and more. 

       



























 I was actually on a mission to find some nice tomatoes and squash.











 

There were no tomatoes that caught my eye but I did buy some squash and peaches.




The peaches were so good. They were soft and just sweet enough. I would love to have spent more time looking around and plan to go again soon. Until then, I have a squash casserole to make.

Windows Live

Oh my gosh! Call me dumb and slap me silly but I have just been introduced to Windows live writer. I know, I know, most of you are probably laughing because I have just realized what I can do as a blogger.
I noticed at how nice one of my friends blog looks and just had to send her a message to ask her how she got her pictures to look so good. So she told me about a great option she uses. Its called windows live writer. I also learned that I can blog anytime!  I was so excited to know that I did not have to actually be online to post. I can just type away my day as I'm on the road, or anywhere I don't have internet access then I can just publish it to my blog when I do have online access.
I just down loaded it to see how it works and this is my practice post so I can see if I am technically capable of doing this.

I was getting anxious waiting on it to download so I could get started. So I tested out a picture while I was at it. Its not a good picture because I took a screen shot from my phone. I know I only post when I'm away from the office chair (work) but I just couldn’t wait till after work because I will be heading straight to zumba class afterwards and I had to sneak and try this now. Oh, and something else really cool. I just added the word “Zumba” to spell check dictionary. Now I don't have to worry about always ignoring the fact that I know how to spell ZUMBA.

7 Pringle Can Ideas

I know everyone gets the "fever for the flavor of a Pringle" at some point. Its the perfectly shaped baked potato chip in a cylinder can. We eat a lot of them in my home because they are less greasy and less expensive than regular potato chips.
I was looking around on Pinterest and happen to see the cutest little fourth of July craft idea using an empty Pringle can ( I cant wait to try). This made me look further at other crafts with this cylinder snap lid cutie. I may have to try a couple of them and since my daughter works with children, she could use some of these ideas as well.
I have each picture with a link to to the website it belongs. Check them out and find how to do each one.
Enjoy, for I am just being lazy.

Dynamite!-  lilluna

Great way to store spaghetti-  itsalmostgenius

Great way to give away or store cookies - jengrantmorris

Wow check out the cute bracelets! - erinshakespear

Ok little artists, store your tools! - cleanandscentsible

Bet this would work for yarn or ribbon too! -

oops, couldn't link. too bad, great idea whoever did this.

Great teacher/student gift idea- gluesticksandtape

Do you have any other ideas for Pringle cans? Just curious! There are so many creative people out there.

Dad and I

Happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there! I just want to say I think I have the best dad ever. He is a great christian man and is very special to me. My dad always set a godly example for me and my siblings and I am thankful for that. Ive learned alot from him and we are same in many ways. Here are just a few ways I am like him.

•  We are funny and share the same humor.
•  We like quick cars
•   I have his nose
•  We both suffer hay fever and allergies
•  I have his knees
•  We like blue grass music
•  We are emotional
•  Impatient
•  If I'm not mistaking, I think we have the same birthmark
•  and neither one of us will turn down a piece of chocolate cake.

I will be heading to church today and honor not only my father here on earth but also my heavenly father.

After church I will be spending time with my husband and daughter as we celebrate his well deserved fathers Day and later we will be celebrating all the dads in the family with a cookout at my house.
I smell the grill already!

Happy Fathers Day .

New Art Experience

One day me and my husband visited a new art gallery in our town called arts on main.  It's full of art displays, a gift shop and artists studios. I have always had an interest in art and when this opened up, I knew I had to visit.

I put my name on a mailing list so I could keep up with events and news the gallery had to offer. And guess what, I started getting emails inviting me to attend a MadHatters Paint Party. Its held every Wednesday for anyone to come paint and they supply everything needed to accomplish the "painting of the week".

The first one I attended was on a night that evidently was a busy night for returning partiers because I was the only one there. It was pretty funny but it ended up being a wonderful experience (even though I chose not to paint and wait until the next week.). What I did get to do was probably more exciting to me than actually getting to paint.
There are two fabulous ladies that host the party. They both have an art studio at the gallery one is Rachel Cotton studio and one is Anastasia happy trees studio. Instead of painting, I got to take a more in depth tour of the gallery than the time I went with my husband during the opening. They showed me around at everything it had to offer. It was amazing! I had no idea there was so much talent in my town. I also didn't know there was a really nice gift shop that anyone can purchase everything from jewelry to greeting cards made by the person that will probably be standing right next to you. It was really a treat.

So, the next week I went to the Madhatter paint party and we all drew a Lotus flower.
Every ones painting looked so good. We had a really good time laughing, talking, sipping wine and nibbling cookies all while painting in the presence of two wonderful artist to help make it all happen. I cant wait to try it again soon.
Thanks Anastasia and Rachel!

New Look

If you visit my blog regularly, you will notice some changes. I have been pondering on what would express me and found that there is alot of themes I could have used. I started out using a photo that expressed just about all of my hobbys but then it I thought it was to busy and messy. However, I did end up using that photo for my "Button" and I have to say, I like it!

This is what my button looks like. Feel free to grab it anytime from the sidebar.

I'm pretty satisfied with the new background of my blog. I have to get used to it. I'm used to the drab and plain looking empty office chair scene that has been on there since I started my blogging. .....Ok, I really liked the chair template but It just was not my own. I wanted mine to be original. The main thing you will notice is the shells. I love the beach and if I could have it my way, I would be living there. You can also see some paint brushes representing my love for art and even a crochet needle. I had to throw some fake Daisies in the picture too because that is my favorite flower and can you find the zumba bead?

Something else new....I added a Facebook page for lifeawayfromtheofficechair. Come find me and be one of my first fans!

DIY First Aid Kit

Summer is coming and the kids will be out of school. Know what that means? Alot of play time with many skinned knees and elbows. That's why everyone needs a handy little first aid kit that will easily fit into a pocketbook or diaper bag.

My daughter will be working at the local YMCA this summer as a summer camp counselor and has to carry some sort of first aid kit with her in her back pack in case one of her campers gets a boo boo. This gave me a reason to make this really cute first aid kit using only a 98 cent pot holder from Walmart, some snack size baggies and a little sewing machine help.

I was able to whip this project up in less than 15 minutes.

I used six snack size baggies. I laid them on the pot holder , three on each side, letting the bottoms of the baggies cross over each other in the center.

I taped each one down to keep them from sliding and then I used a sewing machine and made one single stitch down the center. Then I folded the pot holder in half and sewed a button on it. I used the loop as a button hole but if your pot holder does not have a loop, then just stitch on a piece of ribbon. (Its really prettier with the ribbon).

You can decorate these any way you want to. I attempted to use a piece of cut ribbon to make a red cross for first aid but I do not recommend it. Just be creative when making yours.

You can use this same idea for sewing kits, travel jewelry holders, or coupons.


Linked on strut-your-stuff-saturday-link-party at sixsistersstuff , Make-It-Yourself at anoriginal belle , craftomaniac , make-scene-monday at alderberry hill , nifty-thrifty-tuesday at coastal charm , Too CuteTuesday at funkypolkadotgiraffe  ,Get your Craft on at todays creative blog, made-by-me-34-linky-party-and-features at jaqs studio , WGW at somedaycrafts