I'll be back y'all!

Good Morning Sweet Friends!
I just wanted to let you all know that I will be MIA for the next two weeks.
I will be traveling through Florida on a family vacay and finishing up with a few days in The Big Easy & throwing a few home improvement projects in for good measure!

Things will resume back to normal around blogville the week of March 14th.
I am looking forward to shutting this laptop and making some memories with my family☺

Home Tour Tuesday schedule will move back 2 weeks.
(Shannon will also be out of pocket as well)
It will resume on the 15th.
You can see the schedule under the HTT tab.

{semi} wordless wednesday will resume on the 16th.

I am so excited at the participation of my recipe swap.
I can't belive the large # for it to have been the 1st one-
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED!
(I am still trying to visit them all)

Til next time,
don't forget get me
&
be blessed my friends!!

{all images via}

Recipe Swap

Welcome my sweet friends for the 1st and hopefully not last recipe swap!!
This is a blog hop of  your/one of your favorite recipes.
PLEASE link to the recipe that you want to feature w/it's name.
(if there are more than one, please use separate links)
I am thrilled for each & everyone of you who is taking part.
I am  also so thankful for the time you took out of your day to participate.
Lawdy Mercy, I know how much time I spent last night between taking care of my family, cooking dinner, ironing clothes for tomorrow and composing this post.
I love to cook and love to tear apart recipes and "make them my own".
I always to try to use all natural/organic ingredients when possible.
I can't express my excitement about this swap.
Without future ado......

Creamy Pesto Shrimp


1 lb whole wheat linguine
1/2 cup butter
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp blk pepper
1 cup grated parmesan
1/3 cup pesto
1 lb large shrimp (peeled)

Boil pasta until al dente.
In skillet, melt butter over med heat.
Stir in cream & add pepper.
Cook 6-8 min. (stir constantly)
Stir in parmesan until mixed well.
Stir in pesto.
Cook until think. (abt 3-5 min)
Stir in shrimp, cook until pink.

Serve over linguine.
French bread is nice with this dish.

Banana Pound Cake


 1 1/2 cups soft butter
3 cups pure cane sugar
5 eggs
3 ripe bananas (smashed)
3 tablespoons low fat milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking spoon
1/2 kosher salt
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Beat butter on med in mixer until creamy. (abt 2 min)
Gradually add sugar.
Beat abt 5 min.
Add eggs 1 at a time...blend til yellow disappears.

In a separate container-
COMBINE mashed bananas, milk & vanilla.
COMBINE flour, baking powder & salt.

Then, add each to the mix.
Beat at a low speed.
Mix until all is mixed well.

Pour into a greased and floured 10in. tube pan.
{i used bundt pan & 2 tiny tins}
Sprinkle with pecans.
Bake @ 350 for 1 hr 2o min OR until a wooden tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a wire rack 10-15 min.
Remove cake from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

** Please add the name of your recipe in the "name" field

Recipe Swap Blog Hop Details

Morning Y'all-
Just wanted to fill you in on a few details.

I will post tonight at 10pm w/Mr Linky &  then bump it up at 6am.
{for those of you like me who want it ready when they wake up}

Also, if you want to use a recipe that you have already blogged about, you can use the old post, no need to write it all out again, just use that link.


I am so excited because if you know me, you know I am always looking for a new recipe.
I look forward to seeing all the recipes tomorrow.

If you have images, please post them. I am 99% more likely to make a recipe when I can see what it looks like. {weird, I know!}

I will be sharing a casserole & dessert!

Here is a cute badge to get you started, thanks to my dear friend Shannon!

{semi} wordless wednesday

{all images via}

  

that's all i have today-

i am exhausted.

mentally & physically.

i am trying to catch up on mail and blogs, 

please forgive me.

i will see you all friday for the recipe swap,

{link up your fav. recipe}

til then-

(((hugs))) and blessings to you all.

xxoo

ps: if anyone can tell me how the (*&^%$#!# i have strikethrough on my entire side bar, i'll be your best friend ☺




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Home Tour Tuesday {TV/Family Rooms}

Happy Tuesday Lovely Friends!
I hope this finds you all well today. Things are well at the Flip Flop House. I was out all yesterday & I am trying to get caught up on mail. If you emailed me with a question, I am getting to ya☺Better late than never, eh? Y'all I couldn't stay in because the weather was gorgeous! I had a handsome lunch date & then went running. Although I had some pain, I kept thinking of that bathing suit....what motivation!  fat jiggling also helps motivate
5 miles later, I thought I was going to die but then what doesn't kill ya will only make ya skinnier stronger, right? I hope you all have beautiful weather today, our high is 74 again, thank you Jesus!

If your joining Shannon & I today for the first time for Home Tour Tuesday, welcome! If your a regular, we are so glad to have you back. I love to see familiar faces and love receiving emails about how you enjoy it. I am so glad!!

I think if we can work weekly on a project, making a room presentable, getting that little "push" to do what we have put off b/c we dread it, then we are accomplishing something. Or you may be Martha and it all looks fab & your just waiting to take pics to share. we don't like you

We are in the process of turning our tv room {which NEVER got used, very rarly, expect when football was on} into the Mr's office. It's all good because now I don't have to see that "work sight" unless I go upstairs.

Most of our time is spent together in the house either around the table, bar or in the living room. We will sit here and talk. We also play games in here. It's nice b/c it's QUIET and CLEAN, always! We think we may make the corner by the window a home for a tv. Just have to find the perfect armior/cabinet. For now though, I like it the way it is. I always know when we go sit, the only noise I hear is my kids & the mr.

{yes, this is an iphone image}

I thought I'd share some beautiful tv/family rooms with ya for some inspiration-

{all images via google}

Thanks in advance for particiapting! If your new, please let us know so we can come give you a grand ole' Southern welcome. Next weeks theme:  Let's Play! {Show us your playroom and/or craft room}


**Join me tomorrow for {semi} wordless wendesday
***Don't forget the recipe bloghop on Friday! Be finding your favorite (s) to link up. 







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miscellany monday {overload}

i am playing catch up since i don't really blog about life, ya know, it's the ocd thing....gotta try to stay on schedule with the day of the week.....i am going to talk a walk on the wild side....soon

{1} let's be real.
why does wine have to have calories? i get the whole doughnut thing, but wine, seriously?

{2} here we go again.
 i am amazed {why?} at the audacity of some people.  i have read/seen/heard yet AGAIN  someone is copying word for word posts. i mean, why would you do this? our blog is like our "house". shouldn't we make it our own? shame shame shaaaaame ☹

{3} king of queens rawks.
am i the only one who thinks this? the mr and i have the entire collection on dvd, we watch it every.single.night. we rotate between that & will & grace. i think these were 2 of the funniest shows ever to have aired. ofcourse, they are history. if karen lived here, we'd so be BFF......"you say potato, i say vodka".... how'd  ya hurt back honey? running away from style?"

{4} mean people suck.
this needs no explaining. it's nothing that has happened to me but more of an observation. i  really wonder how some people lay their heads down at night. really sad. it's like, if they can't have it, they don't want you to!! if they can't do it, God forbid you get to. if you buy something they like but can't have, they all of a sudden don't like it. you know, they ones who can' pay a compliment?? it's like they will have to sell their first born if they do. they are "happy when your down and down when your happy". {got that from king of queens!} i just don't get it. it's sad because i see kids acting like this....they  "learn what live!"

{all above images via we ♥ it}

{5} this is very disturbing.
have you ever seen "my strange addiction" on tlc? mini-me called me in to watch it with her last night. seriously the nastiest thing i have watched in a long time. we watched 3 episodes. the one that threw me over the edge was the girl who eats couch cushions. she has eaten a freakin couch and 2 chairs...... i thought the chalk and ajax eater was bad. mini-me watched 1 more after i had to split... she had to turn it off when the girl couldn't stop eating toilet paper!!  blehhhh if you have a weak stomach, i suggest not watching. then i saw the previews for a hoarding show, really made me sick. i was starting to sweat watching the commercial. i am so ocd about stuff/clutter oh my gawdddd, i honestly could never watch that show. i'd have nightmares. bless their hearts. {that's southern for OH MY GOD, SERIOUSLY?}  i couldn't imagine! seriously, that breaks my heart for them all.

{via TLC}

{6} i am a cry baby.

anyone else cry at AI? you know they save the best for last on each audition week. they really get to get me. even when they can't sing, i want them to get through b/c the have had a bad life, lol. well, not really but cha' know what i mean. i want to help them all. send them a check. thank the Lord i don't have a ton of $$ cause i'd be popping out checks to all the ones who don't get through that made me cry. i'm a sap. i must say, steven tyler has a big ♡. he is really kind. he reminds me of ellen when she was on there. always trying to make someone feel good. {ofcourse i love me some j-lo, my MR calls me d-lo..... and randy, my dawg} but really y'all.... i sit and try to hold them back....next thing i know i am sobbing like a 5 yr old who just got told "no" @ fao scharwz.

{via}

{7} recipe link-up this FRIDAY.
i had a few bites on the swap/blog shop so i decided to go with it on friday. i will post the mr linky at about 10pm thursday evening so you will be ready to roll fist thing friday morning. i will leave it open all weekend so you can to it if your late to the party. share your favorite recipes with us. share more than one if you want! i am always looking to expand my butt

{8} "break a leg-warmer"
this is one of OPI's newest colors sold at sephora. mini-me and i had to have it. had to. it's gorgeous y'all!

{via}

{9}my $$ has arrived!
you know when i was pimping out ebates? well, my depsoit posted in paypal account the other day.... i could KICK MY BUTT for not signing up sooner. you get paid bk from shopping at all your favorite stores, i.e. kate spade, tory burch, ebay, ballard, saks, nordstrom, etc etc.. the only thing you have to do is go to these sites VIA ebates. sign up here if you haven't already.

{10}best iphone cover yet!
i can't pass up polka dots too easily. i saw this at the kate spade store in new york last week and knew it had to be mine. if your looking for a new case, check out all the ones ks has. who knew?

{via ks}

{11} don't hate.

they high here today is 74

{via}

{12}home tour tuesday

get cleaning y'all! {or don't, lol} 

don't forget to link up with shannon and i tomorrow. this weeks theme:

"whatcha watchin'? {show us your tv/family room}"

we want to see where you watch tv and hang out together.

if you don't have a room, show us your dream room.

{13} quote  for today: