Friday, January 31, 2014

Zeb Weaver's Famous Cheese Dip

Yes. Those are twinkies!!!!

I love junk food. LOVE. And I really love bar food. One of the only days of the year I believe you get a free pass to eat both is the Superbowl!!!! (Or really any tailgating experience) Thank goodness we have the Olympics, World Cup and then Football again to get our guts extended past our pants. 
Here is my favorite cheese dip for your Superbowl party this weekend. We are not doing anything fancy..probably sitting in our living room rooting on Denver in a kiddie pool of cheese dip. I kid I kid. (not really)

Do you all think Peyton will retire if he wins? I'm a big Manning fan so either way I just want him to get another ring. 

For girls that don't watch Football here's a semi-accurate snapshot: Manning was with the Colts, missed the entire 2011 season, had four neck surgeries, signed with the Broncos in March 2012 and has killed it ever since. Wes Welker is also a Bronco but was a nasty dirty gross Patriot. John Fox is an ousted coach from the Panthers, and Jack Del Rio was a loser in Jacksonville. I hope each of these men leave Sunday with a huge win!!!!

My Dad, his buddy Denny, and Zeb.

Dr. Weaver was a fixture in Asheville. He was a dear friend to my Father and one of my favorite people to berate the Tar Heels with. He hosted a Christmas party at his home with his beautiful wife Dianne every Christmas Eve and I would permanently sit myself by his infamous cheese dip.

Zeb passed away last year and will be sorely missed. He used to tell my father that his duck gumbo "tastes like a bunch of eraser!" just go get his goat and wrote one of my recommendation letters for Chapel Hill. 

He was an incredibly accomplished doctor, "Dr. Weaver had received the Alpha Omega Medical Society Award, the Roche Award, the Mosby Award and the Army Commendation Medal. He published papers in the fields of Hematology and Oncology and served as an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill and served as a Director with the Institutional Review Board of the Charles George VA Medical Center."

Christmas Eve 2010, Gaines and Zeb
I think part of the reason I adore my parents' friends so much is that since my older brother didn't grow up in the house with me I felt like my parents friends were my friends. Whenever my parents entertained I would spend the cocktail hour with them in the kitchen catching up and listening to their stories. That, and my parents seem to have some pretty hilarious and amazing friends.

Zeb's Dip:
1 package of Velveeta
1 jar of salsa
1 package of Jimmy Dean Sausage
1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup

Instructions: 
Grab a skillet. Brown the Sausage. Cut up the Velveeta into smaller chunks, toss on in. Wait until cheese is all melty and gooey and add the cream of mushroom. Dump in the salsa.

Ta-Da!!!!!

You need to serve in a crock-pot or chafing dish or warming tray since the Velveeta gets all gooey. Why didn't us southern girls register for Chafing Dishes? I had to borrow my friend EA's but you can bet I'm asking for one for my birthday. Because that is what every exhausted, hair falling out, wine-o, soon to be 34 year old working mother wants...a fucking Chafing dish.

GO BRONCOS!
xo
K

Oh, and just a refresher....

 My favorite Football player....

Least favorite


Thursday, January 30, 2014

Waterlogue App



Brooke Chamblee of Blueprint Bliss posted a photo (painting) from the Waterlogue app last night and after seeing it this morning I knew I needed to spend the $2.99 to download it. I usually never pay for apps and if I do they are all photo related. You are going to curse me for introducing you to this....I promise.

From Waterlogue "See the world like an Artist. You don't need to paint to create beautiful watercolor images-Waterlogue captures the essence of your photos in brilliant, liquid color."


Here is an example from this morning. Our front door...

Waterlogued

Gorgeous right? Still does not replace a very talented artist when you need a professional painting; but sure will be fun to play with!

xo
K


Tuesday, January 28, 2014

House Projects-TV "Family" Room

Family Room Perfection. Sarah at MOS emailed this picture to me and said this is 100% you. She is right!!

We have come a long long way from what our Family Room looked like when we moved in. Here is the room back in August of 2006...YIKES! (Yes, I love Ghostbusters)
That trim...ugh that trim....
Those pillows...the horror....the horror


I think the wood paneling took 5 coats of paint. And don't get me started on the brick....


This was early 2012 before throwing a friend's baby sprinkle...

Amazing what a little paint and an Ikea rug can do right? See that cane chair? I don't love the yellow and blue fabric but it was so inexpensive and I needed to get it recovered before the party. The chair was a $7 find at the Tobacco Barn in Asheville. The chair has been hiding in the master bedroom but I think it is time to bring it back down. But what fabric to put on it??

Here is where we are now. (Excuse the Iphone photos)
Looking into the TV Room from the Kitchen (This used to be a wall with a door, we knocked out this opening in 2009)

The Sofas aren't sexy but we have had them forever and they are so comfortable. And I am not replacing a sofa until it is safe from kids/dogs/babies. I know that furniture is never really "safe" but once all kids are over the age of 5 you should be good right??
From this view I want to update:
-Side tables. They are old Bombay Company and I don't love them
-HARDWOOD FLOORS. PLEEEAAASSSEEE. This carpet drives me insane. HATE it. 
-Coffee Table isn't fantastic but it can stay. It is the Pottery Barn Chloe that I scored off Craigslist for $40. Paint it?
-Those prints are pretty but not me. I have a book of Audubons I would love to copy and frame.

Ah the Toy Corner....well, one of the toy corners...
To do:
-I want to paint this bookcase white and get matching baskets for all my son's toys. 
-This window needs a bamboo shade to match the ones in the kitchen. 
-Would curtains be too much? I think it might make it cozier but can't figure it out.
-Plant for brass container.

Oh the fireplace. You just cost us $2K to fix. 
To do:
-HIDE THE DAMN CORDS. 
-I want either prettier (bigger) topiaries on each side of TV or sconces
-Repaint or Sheetrock
-New Firescreen....here are some ideas...

I love the brick but it is impossible to hide cords this way. Maybe we sheetrock over the brick? Look how pretty and clean...

I love the sconces on each side. LOVE. But can't do that with brick. And I think this mantle is beautiful. Our neighbor does projects like this...that mantle can't be too expensive right?

DIY? (BAHAHAHAHA)

New Pretty Firescreen? (Can I spraypaint mine gold or will we explode?)

And for the summer...how awesome is this?!

Enough about the Fireplace....Back to the tour....
View of hated carpet and hated sidetables

Here are some Living Areas I absolutely love. Blue and Yellow was definitely not my plan but with a yellow kitchen and the Ikea Rug that looks like the way we are going. 

Love everything about this picture....

 Some great blue and yellow combinations. I love the roman shade but feel I should continue the bamboos from the Kitchen. And the wallpaper...I die. I am begging to wallpaper our Foyer and getting nowhere.

 Love the freshness of this room. So happy and clean. You can't tell but the curtain rods are thin brass with Carolina blue panels. LOVE. Meg Braff absolutely kills it and is probably one of my top 5 designers. 

 I would cheat and put my Bamboo shades above the window casing...it makes your windows seem larger. But loving this clean blue room.

 Perfection. Maybe white curtains with blue or yellow trim and the bamboo shades underneath.

A tad beachy but love the ceiling and again how clean this looks.

 Everyone's favorite movie living room from Something's Gotta Give

Meg Braff killing it as usual...

 How are your home projects coming along? Ideas for fabrics for the cane chair? Window ideas? Don't be embarassed...if you have a suggestion I'll take it!

xoxo
K

Friday, January 17, 2014

Less Sugar + More Exercise + Liquor on the Weekends

Trying. Really I am. But eating from a box is so easy. (That's what he said)

I am trying to eat a little healthier in 2014. I'm not going to go crazy and swear off carbs or alcohol or caffeine but I need to make some adjustments due to my cholesterol and muffin-top. For a family history that didn't have grandparents live past the age of 65 I should know better. (Stroke-Alcoholism-Stroke-Colon Cancer)
I adore food. I don't order salads when I go to dinner and have been known to eat as much as my husband. On a recent trip with friends where the food was included I would order 2 entrees. WHO DOES THAT! This girl. Who also loves McDonads, Taco Bell, Chick Fil A, Moe's....etc? This girl. Who demolished an entire box of white fudge covered oreos? This girl.

So here is an idea of what I am trying to do Monday-Friday. Let me know if you have suggestions for healthier alternatives or ideas on how you could get me to eat more vegetables. I like vegetables as much as I like Scotch. (I don't.)

Breakfast
I need to lower my Cholesterol. The Dr isn't that concerned with it yet but being in a family with arterial disease and a bunch of other fun issues (minor episode of Afib) I need to take better care of myself. Oatmeal fixes that right? That's what that old man said.

On the weekends I will drink one of these. You can get them at Sam's. I'm sure that negative-Nancy Food Babe would tell me these shakes will kill me just as she says every other type of food will but they serve a purpose and the chocolate actually tastes pretty great. 

Lunch
Sweet Southern Prep suggested these soups and I am digging them. 
They actually do fill me up (at least for 2 hours) and taste pretty good. I dump most of the liquid out to make it more stew-ey. Other than these and a turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread does anyone have any other ideas for lunch? I make Tuna salad too but I probably use way too much Mayo.

Dinner
Dinner is mostly left up to the husband. We do Grilled Chicken, Pork Chops, Soups, Stir-fry...etc. We need some new ideas because he gets sick of me requesting Broiled Chicken and Peas. We try not to do too much pasta for dinner but are open to ideas. We did start incorporating Spaghetti Squash as an alternative to whole wheat pasta and I actually like it. More healthy dinner ideas??

Snacks
NUTS. I love NUTS. I buy bags of raw pecans at Trader Joe's but should probably limit how much I eat. I know almonds are better for you but pecans are just too damn good. And its pronounced Pe-cahn. Not CAN. 

String Cheese

Apples and Peanut Butter

Exercise
I am dying to get back to Pure Barre. I have never seen results so fast and loved the classes. It is a little pricey and would take longer than my lunch hour but I am trying to figure out a way to start up again. For now I'm just doing 30-45 minutes of cardio 5 days a week and arm weights. And chasing my kid around public spaces. You know you've seen me do this. Its embarrassing. 

Booze
I hit up the good ole' Pinot Evil Box 2-3 times a night. (Max won't let me drink the good stuff if he isn't drinking with me) I never pour a full glass but it is hard to stop walking over and getting a "little" more. I try to stick to red wine M-F and save Bourbon for the weekends. This changes if feeding my son proves to be more difficult than a glass of wine can handle or if friends come over. The Tar Heels and Saints haven't helped either so if they are playing (were playing) I would usually have to step it up to Bourbon for those guys.

Cheating
There are two things this time of year that can totally derail my plan and make me have an affair on the above plan...

Girl Scout Cookies

King Cakes. Order Haydel's. Trust me.

Do you all have any advice/recipes/suggestions for more meal options?

Have a great weekend!

xoxo

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Unroll.me (I'm not talking dirty)

Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant. 

Unroll.me goes into your email and finds all of your subscriptions and lets you pick if you 1. continue receiving, 2. unsubscribe, or 3. add to your "Roll-up". (As I typed that I remembered Fruit Roll-ups...I was obsessed as a kid and could probably eat a box right now.)

Do I really need to hear from Zappos or Zulily or USAir every freaking day? NO. The answer is you don't. And if you have FOMO (Fear of missing out) you can "roll up" all your junk emails into one nice pretty newsletter that gets delivered once a day. That's it! I am not buying any clothing/shoes/useless stuff until my birthday (60 days) so there is no need to read all these emails!

Here is a snippet from my Roll up from today....
Do yourself a favor and go do it!

I wasn't paid for this post. I'm not paid for any of my posts. It is just a really really awesome service and I wish I had thought of it first!