{catching up}

Mercy.  I don't even know where to start.  I've at least survived 3 days of a new week.  But boy do I ever have my eyes set on Friday.  I think I have more than earned my 3 day weekend after so many extra shifts and extra hours put in last night.  It was another rainy, awful weather day here in Georgia yesterday and when you add a morning doctor's visit {getting that annual check up out of the way}, the blur of working so many days in a row while trying diligently to address some items at the office I have put off {and items I am also having some difficulty with} a run wasn't in the cards at the end of the day.  

I shuffled out to my car in the rain, hit the Starbucks drive through to get a nonfat chai tea latte and meandered home to get Hogan out and have some much needed quiet time.  There's a lot to be said about sitting by the fire, enjoying some magazines, and working through a bit of laundry in your own solitude.   

But, let's not dwell on rain and work and other such things. Let's hit some high points for this week...

- I got two super sweet notes.

- Came home to find my Sephora order safely on the doorstep and not blown away by tornado-esque winds.

- I finally finished the last of that blasted cornbread. 

- I have a warm, cozy home to return to every evening. 

-It stopped raining for a bit right before bed so I could get Hogan outside. 

- I have dinner plans with some of my favorite girls after work today.  If that can't get me through a Thursday at work, nothing will. 

On another note -- where the hell did January go? How are we already one month into 2013?

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

What I'm Loving Wednesday

The Single Gal has been doing such hard work these past weeks. Let's pat her on the back. I fill her with lots of empty promises these days, but I have a good excuse (IMO). I'll decide if I will divulge that information later. I know y'all love cryptic things. I've been pretty happy with some things lately so I thought I would do one of these post for you.

Laura Mercier Mineralized Pressed Powder

The Single Gal recommended this powder to me. I've actually been a MAC Studio Fix gal for years and I had a Sephora gift card to use from Christmas and I ordered this. I'm pretty impressed. The color is great and it lasts most of the day without touch ups. I don't have time for touch ups anymore. I need more hands than the octo-mom lately.

Kendra Scott Carly Stud Earrings

I was searching for a birthday gift for my seriously stylish friend so naturally I deferred to Kendra Scott. The Single Gal and I are huge fans of the Danielle earrings but my friend is a mom also and her son is a few weeks older than the twins. Once those little hands start grabbing things dangling earrings are their first choice. I must say I may have to put these gems on my birthday list. This is the slate color I got my friend but you can choose from many color choices as they are part of the Color Bar.

Starbucks Dark French Roast

This stuff is my go to coffee and the only thing I prefer to drink. I'm particular. I always lug my personal coffee maker to our annual beach vacation because I do not trust what is waiting for me. Mr. Coffee is not where its at for me. I'm a Cuisinart girl. I like my coffee bold. Turtle and I pick up a giant bag of this from Costco and we grind it pretty fine on the coffee machine since it comes in bean only. I'll tell you a funny story about that. We started going to Costco maybe 6 months ago. We only buy a few things there and I wanted to buy the coffee but it only came in beans. I didn't want to have to grind coffee everyday so we tried different things which where all vomit in my opinion. One day the skys opened up and angels sang and we realized that there were coffee grinder machines after check out where you can grind the whole damn bag. We're special like that.


If you need me I'm either taking #1 potty, feeding some small person, changing diapers or putting pacifiers back in their mouths.

The Housewife

In the Kitchen with The Single Gal {mexican fiesta + cornbread}

It's been a bit of struggle to get my mind around posts that aren't random as hell these past two weeks.  But really, this post is brought to you as someone who has worked 13 of the last 14 days {and by the end of this week I will have worked 18 out of the last 19 days!} and let me tell you -- it has been hard to fit in all my other normal activities, appointments, etc. I hope that I will feel a lot better about all of this once I get my paycheck Friday!

I really wanted a home cooked meal and a night at home after a dinner out Friday night but after my other cooking failures the last two weeks {those obvs didn't make it on the blog} I really needed a new recipe that had like zero chances of coming out badly.  Random -- I get really emotional about cooking.  I put so much into and I get so sad if it doesn't turn out right.  So I googled some enchilada recipe and decided to jazz it up.  The original recipe was from the Kraft website or something on All Recipes.  Since I made some necessary additions, I felt it only appropriate that I changed the name of dish. 

{single gal enchiladas}

1 cup low fat sour cream 

1 cup tomatillo salsa

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tsp of oil

3 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts

1 (4 oz) can of green chiles, drained

1 can black beans, drained

1  1/2 cups mexican style shredded cheese

8 (6 inch) flour tortillas

1 avocado, chopped

{Directions}

1. heat oven to 350 degrees F

2. mix sour cream and salsa until well blended.  

3. cook and stir onions and garlic in hot oil in large skillet on medium heat for 4-5 minutes.  Stir in chicken, 1 cup of sour cream mixture, chiles, black beans, and 1/2 cup of cheese. 

4. spoon about 1/3 cup of chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla.  Roll up.  Place, seam side down in 13x9 inch backing dish sprayed with cooking spray.  Top with remaining sour cream mixture and cheese.  Cover. 

5.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until heated through. 

6. Top with chopped avocado and serve! 

A few things -- I love cornbread and I thought that I would make it tex-mex and have some with dinner.  But really I just wanted cornbread.  You don't have to make that part.   These were SO easy {mainly because I bought a rotisserie chicken rather than even cooking one} and SO good.   The least y'all could do is humor me and make them.  And also tell me how great you think they are, too.  Oh, and if I weren't so busy I would have taken a picture...but it didn't even enter my mind that night.  

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

{What I'm Listening To}

If you live in the Atlanta area you are no stranger to the sad state of our radio.  Other than The Regular Guys Morning Show on Rock 100.5 and the country stations we are doing some seriously awful Top 40 plays on constant repeat.  It's super annoying.  Seriously.  

We have previously visited the fact that I am not one to call myself a music guru or anyone that can even be classified as being "in the loop" but I did see something on Twitter about a group called {The Lone Bellow}.  

Here's what I know: They are from Brooklyn.  County based.  Apparently creating a lot of "buzz" (media people love that word don't they?). 

Admittedly I have not bought this album {for shame!} but I spent some time listening to it on Spotify and I would have to say they are pretty darn cool.  If you like The Lumineers or Alabama Shakes these people are probably for you. 

What are you guys listening to these days? Please share.  I'm getting desperate.  Like rip-the-radio-out-of-my-car desperate. 

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

{Smitten}

This morning I'd like to introduce you to a cookbook I've been dying over for a couple of months.  Actually, we can introduce a new blog while we are at it -- because The Smitten Kitchen has definitely found its way to my favorites bar.  I've been meaning to write about this for a while but couldn't because I was waiting to send this cookbook as a gift to Little {I know, I know, super late birthday, super late Christmas}. 

Deb Perelman's blog is noted to feature recipes from items that most people actually have in their kitchen already.  Also, lots of praise from Pioneer Woman has been listed so it has to be good, right? Girl doesn't get those recipes pinned every 5 seconds for nothing. 

I found The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook on Amazon for around $22 because it was on sale! If you have a chef in your life with a birthday coming up or want to send it to someone you love "just because" I highly recommend this one.  

What are you cooking with these days? 

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

What If...

...

It's been a crazy week here at the Single Gal household.   I've been asking the dog and The Housewife some serious questions about life and love.   And spending the rest being completely afraid of so many things that I have been praying about falling into place.  

{My apologies for this vague post.}

~the single gal~

5 Daily Gratitudes

I hope that I have mentioned before how my friend C has started the excellent weekday tradition of sharing our gratitudes for the day over email before we get to the daily grind at work.  It's a super fun and special thing and The Housewife and I have been doing it with her for years and we have spread it to some of our friends as well.  

We share little things, big things and everything in between.  I love reading what all my friends are happy about every day because it makes me happy, too. 

Free Printable 

{5 Daily Gratitudes}

1. All of our lovely blog readers

2. Sunshine in Georgia after so much rain.

3. Haircuts

4. Quiet Sunday mornings at home

5. Eyeglasses 

What are you grateful for today? 

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~