Ree & Me, v.2

If you missed last week's (the first official) "Ree & Me" post, you may want to go back and read it so that you know why I'm acting as if Ree (aka: The Pioneer Woman) and I are on a first-name basis ....

Last week, I reviewed a recipe from her first cookbook, but this week .... I couldn't wait to dive into my brand spankin' new "Food From My Frontier."
And boy-oh-boy, did I start off on a good one!
(as if there are any bad ones!?  .....yeah, right!)

Mushroom Swiss Sliders with Spicy Fry Sauce 
(page 100 in Food From My Frontier)

Ohmygoodness.  I think I may have a new favorite PW recipe.
Well .... maybe it's a tie with last week's recipe.
Totally different kinds of recipes, but in the "burger" category -- this is the winner!

Click HERE to take you right over to Ree's recipe on her perfectly perfect blog.  (As I said last week, there's no sense in me trying to mess with perfection .... you might as well click over and see it the right way.)

But this is what MY sliders looked like ....

I have a confession ..... before this, I had NEVER cooked a burger indoors!
Is that weird?

The thought of frying a burger in a pan instead of throwing it on the grill out back just seemed so strange.
Well, apparently strange can be A-MAZING.

I am a HUGE mushroom fan.
And don't even get me started on swiss cheese.
Okay, okay .... cheese, in general.

But I want to tell you mushroom haters out there -- don't be afraid!  The mushrooms are chopped up and sauteed first (then smothered with cheese), so you won't even know they're there, I promise!!!
My husband isn't the biggest mushroom fan -- and he said these are the best burgers he's ever had!

And the sauce?
Divine.
And SO SO SO simple.
Three ingredients that I guarantee you have on hand.
Good on the burgers ..... good to dip your fries in.  Just plain GOOD.

Oh ... and 100% Lucy-approved, as well!

And I would again, like to take this opportunity to throw in a disclaimer to Miss PW .... if you should ever happen to hear about this nonsense .... I promise, I'm not crazy.  I just love you and think we should be BFFs, that's all. :-)  
(Our names DO both have three letters, you know!)

I Washi-Taped WHAT...???

Until now, all of my washi tape projects have been for Lucy.  (See HERE and HERE if you missed them.)

So I decided it was about time Mama got to have a little fun, too!

Yep, that's right.  I washi-fied my iPad!

Remember I mentioned (maybe a few times?) that I was pretty excited about my new (3rd generation) iPad!?
Well, I also got the nifty smart cover that goes with it .... it automatically wakes and sleeps your iPad just by opening and closing the cover!  Very cool.

I chose the light gray version.

I picked a couple cute washi tapes from my collection, and smoothed it onto the raised sections of the cover.

Then, because I wanted nice and clean lines along the edges, I got out my nifty exacto knife ....

And sliced (VERY CAREFULLY) around the raised sections of the cover.  (This was surprisingly simple to do -- the washi cuts away so easily.)

I love that this simple addition makes my iPad - MY iPad.  

SO CUTE. 

And if I want to, I can simply peel the washi tape off (SUPER EASY) anytime .... and change colors!!!  I can coordinate with the holidays, the seasons, or whatever I want!

....Not to mention, the washi tape will help protect the cover, as well -- because, who am I kidding?  Little Miss Lucy uses the iPad more than I do! :)~

Spring Break!

Yep, that's right .... this worn-out teacher is on SPRING BREAK this week!!!
I might not be around quite as much as normal ..... but I've got a couple posts lined up for the week, so don't give up on me!

For today, just wanted to share this CUTE printable from Loving This {Crazy} Life!

I've had a SERIOUS case of spring fever lately (gee, wonder if all that SNOW I was buried under last week has anything to do with that!?) .... so this seemed especially fitting today! 

Hope all of you gals in the SUNNY part of the country are enjoying it extra for us!

Share the Fun Friday {Mikarose Giveaway!}

I know, I know!
ANOTHER giveaway ...???
It's so rad, isn't it!?

I am SOOOOOOO very excited about this!

I've shared the rockin' online dress boutique Shabby Apple with you a couple of times in the past.

Today .... I have yet ANOTHER wonderful dress boutique to tell you about.

Mikarose.

Classic.  Comfortable.  Wearable.  Versatile.  Adorable.  AFFORDABLE.

Need I go on .....?

Mikarose dresses are all of those things and more!

Perfect for everything from an afternoon at the mall ..... to a Sunday morning at church ..... to long hours at work (HELLO, perfect teacher dress!?).
(hint, hint ...... my birthday IS only three months away.   just sayin'.)

See what I mean!?
Seriously .... where COULDN'T you wear one of these dresses!?

Now for the FABULOUS part:
Mikarose is giving away a $50.00 gift certificate to spend at their incredible boutique!
(Their most expensive dress is $59.99!)

To get your hands on this FREE $50.00 gift certificate, you MUST be a follower of Little Lucy Lu.
(Thanks!)


You must ALSO be a resident of The United States or Canada.

I'm going to stick with Rafflecopter, just like the giveaway last week.  Hopefully it wasn't too difficult for everyone to figure out.....!?
(If you are having a hard time getting entered, please let me know, and I'll do my best to help you out!:-)

*You will need to click "Read more" down under my signature to get to the Rafflecopter box ....
And if you don't want to login with your Facebook account, just click on the Email option! (Super easy!)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

{P}in Love ... with Spring

Well, what I mean is .... I WOULD be in love with Spring, if it ever decided to show it's sunshiny face around here ...

But alas, we have rain - and SNOW.
ALL.  DAY.  LONG.

Literally more snow than we've seen ALL Winter long.

At least Lucy Loves it ....

(Standing on a chair, watching the snow fall!)

Well anyway,  I have been on a search to find SPRING -- and I found some on my lovely Pinterest boards!
({P}in Love = my PINS that I LOVE)

Love this simple Spring craft from Kiboomu:

Beautiful Spring arrangement ... LOVE the lemons in the vase!

(source)

Super cute little lamb cupcakes!

(no source, but here's the Pinterest link)

Here's a great idea for all those (Easter) eggs:

Use them as mini-planters! (from Craft Passion)

How about making a Spring Bucket List...?

(This one from How to Nest for Less)

and one more ....

(This one from Every Little Breeze...)

I already showed this off on my Facebook page, but had to show it again.  

Tulips in a Toolbox.  

My favorite.

(From On the Banks of Squaw Creek)

Lovin' this watering can decor for my front door ...

(From Midwest Living)

Or maybe the umbrella ...?  

(Though Lord knows I'll be needing the umbrella for other purposes around here!:)~

(also from Midwest Living)

and nothing says Spring to me like YELLOW!

Loving these outfits ....

(from Polyvore)

and

(also Polyvore)

(Although, since I'm not really shopping this year .... I guess I'll have to go see what yellow I can dig out of my own closet!:)~

.... Is Spring here yet...?  

Nope.  

Still snowing!

Well, I tried ..... I really tried! 

If YOU see the sun today, will you tell it to head west???

Ree & Me :-)

Okay .... so, it's no secret around here that I LOVE The Pioneer Woman (Ree Drummond).  Her blog is the first blog I ever read (long before I even knew it was called a blog), and I read it daily.
I actually learned about her blog from her first cookbook, which was a gift from a dear friend (best gift EVER!), and it has become - by far - my favorite cookbook.

Even though all (or almost all) of her recipes can be found on her blog, I still love being able to pull my cookbook out of the cupboard and lay it's pretty pictures open on my countertop while I cook.  :-)

(Click HERE to order on Amazon.)

When she announced her newest cookbook, I did backflips.
Okay, that was a joke.
(Believe me ...  that would be a joke!)
But I was VERY excited -- and I quickly pre-ordered two copies (one for my sister, too!).

(Click HERE to order on Amazon.)

This beauty arrived on my doorstep last week .... and I've been thoroughly enjoying it every day since.

So has Lucy....

Every time she sees Ree (on the computer screen, on the TV, in the cookbooks...), she hollers, "Look Mama!  It's Charlie the Ranch Dog!"

That's because LUCY is a big fan of Ree's work, too ...

(Click HERE to order on Amazon.)

She LOVES Charlie the Ranch Dog.  :-)

But now for the whole point of my rambling.
Raise your hand if you saw the movie Julie & Julia.....

Meryl Streep and Amy Adams...?
Anybody?

Well, I loved this movie.
And I decided it would be FUN to do as Julie did and cook (and blog!) my way through my favorite cookbook(s).

So .... once a week, I will post about a recipe that I have "tested" from one of Ree's cookbooks.
I'll try to snap at least one photo of the finished dish (although I haven't mastered the art of food photography by a long shot ..... as in, I haven't even tried).  Forgive me.

This first "Ree & Me!" recipe review is my very favorite PW recipe to date.

Penne a la Betsy.  

I love pasta.
I love seafood.
Therefore .... this dish = my best friend.  :-)

I made it once .... then I made it twice and three times within two weeks time (twice when we had company).
Everyone has raved about this dish!
You will not be disappointed!

The recipe is laid out beautifully on Ree's website.
(I won't bother to try to copy perfection, so just simply click HERE for that recipe.)
 
And meanwhile, here's the photo from MY kitchen ....

Oh, help me.
I want pasta now.

Does Olive Garden deliver ....?

Did I mention that Lucy loves Penne a la Betsy, too!?

YUM!
Do you all have a favorite PW recipe I should try out soon ....?
I'd love to hear what your favorites are!

Oh, and disclaimer:  
Ree has absolutely ZERO idea that I am alive. 
And I would assume (unless I get my wish and win one of the trips to her ranch to cook with her someday -- or unless she feels so inclined to add the rainy state of Oregon to her book tour so that I can go meet her) that she probably will NEVER know I'm alive.  
But if, by chance, she should ever catch wind that there is a crazy lady (aka: Bec, yours truly) out there, copying her recipes and rambling on and on about her as though they are BFFs .... then I'm coming after YOU people!  

I promise, I'm really not crazy.

Little Bit of Life ... Confessions from the Bathroom

Not THOSE kind of confessions!
Get your mind out of the toilet!
(pun, intended .... bahahahaha!)

I crack myself up.

Sorry.
I'm delusional.
You'll know why in a moment.

Back to the bathroom:

Yesterday -- I went to church, I went to a two-year-old's birthday party, and then ...... I spent approximately three -- count them -- THREE hours in the bathroom.

Cleaning.

Jealous?

Didn't think so.


Okay, so here comes the "confessions" part:

I have my own bathroom.  As in ... my husband has HIS bathroom, and I have MY bathroom.  It's always been that way .... even back in our first house, which only had two bathrooms.  One was his, one was mine.  Other people's oookiness in the bathroom just grosses me out to no end --- even when said oookiness belongs to my husband.  Is that weird?

Now, (for the last 8 years since we built our current house), we have four bathrooms.  MY bathroom and SCOTT'S bathroom are literally on separate ends of the house - HA!  We couldn't have gotten them any further apart if we tried.  (Key reason being Scott's bathroom is just off of our mudroom/laundry room ... and when Scott comes home every day covered in MUD .... he is pretty much RIGHT where he needs to be .... his shower.
His shower.  {SHUDDER}  I don't want to know what's in there.  I usually make Scott clean it himself (except for maybe once a year when I lose my mind).  Does that make me a bad wife?

Here comes the big one.  Don't judge.
I scrubbed the floor .... ON MY HANDS AND KNEES .... with a hard-bristle brush and three kinds of cleaner for at least an hour yesterday.
(I am NEVER using hairspray AGAIN, by the way.)
But -- that was the FIRST time I have EVER done that.

Yes, I did say we built this house eight years ago.

It's not as bad as it sounds.

Before I had Lucy - and back when I was still working full-time -- we had a housekeeper.
(Boy, do I miss that!)
Now, it's just not so justifiable since I'm home most of the time - (and therefore, make less money!).

There are more important things to buy now .... like TOMS for my baby. :-)

Anyway, I'm sure the housekeeper (probably) scrubbed the floor! .... but that floor hadn't been good 'n' scrubbed for THREE-AND-A-HALF YEARS.
Swept?  Yes.  Swiffered?  Yes.  Even mopped?  Yes.
But SCRUBBED? .... nope.

And I now know that that particular room -- MY bathroom -- is the NASTIEST room in our house.

Correction:  WAS the nastiest room in our house.

Over three years of hairspray, PLASTERED to the floor.  Ugh.

Honest to goodness, I scrubbed until my knuckles were raw and bleeding!

And when I was done?
I laid face-down in the middle of the floor!
HA!

See?  I've officially lost my mind.
So much so that Scott's bathroom just might be next .....
(Can you tell that Spring Break is ONE WEEK AWAY!?!?!)

P.S.  The WASHI TAPE GIVEAWAY ends tonight!  Don't forget to enter!

Share the Fun Friday {Washi Wishes GIVEAWAY!)

Hip-Hip-Hooray ... it's a GIVEAWAY day!!! :-)

I sure hope you've enjoyed the Washi Tape projects here on the blog this week .... (if nothing else, at least you now know what it IS -- and what it can be used for!)

Maybe you've even got some washi-inspired ideas of your own brewing....?
(I know you do!)

And if that's the case ..... I am about to HOOK. YOU. UP.
For reals.

The lovely Tessa from Washi Wishes has graciously offered to give one lucky Little Lucy Lu reader FIVE washi rolls of YOUR choice!

You've already seen a few of my favorite tapes this week ....

But here are a few pics from the Washi Wishes Etsy Shop:

I promise you ..... it will be EASY to find five rolls you like love if you win!

I'm trying out Rafflecopter for the giveaway this time.  Hope it works! ;)~

*Note:  the one thing you HAVE to do is add Washi Wishes to your Etsy favorites (that just means you go to her shop page (click HERE) and click on the heart in the sidebar.  
.... But you ALSO get MORE entries for liking Washi Wishes facebook page - or liking Little Lucy Lu facebook page, so you should DO THAT, TOO!!!

You can earn up to EIGHT entries -- and you can tweet EVERY day of the giveaway for extra entries!

Once you sign in with Facebook OR your email address on the Rafflecopter widget below, it will walk you through the rest!  It's really not hard, I promise.
(And the reason it needs your email is so we can contact you if you win!)

The "raffle" will be open through midnight on Monday .... winner will be announced and contacted on Tuesday!
GOOD LUCK!
And HAPPY WEEKEND!
(Don't forget to wear green tomorrow .... don't want my sweet peeps gettin' pinched!:)~

******YOU MIGHT HAVE TO CLICK "READ MORE" (below) TO GET TO THE RAFFLECOPTER BOX!*******

The "Create Crate"

And I made it!

You saw the washi tape mason jars I made to hold all of Lucy's crayons, twistables, etc.... right?

So the next problem was, we needed something to HOLD all of these adorable jars!

I bought a plain and simple, wooden crate from the craft store.  (I paid about $7.00 for it.)

This might come as a shock to you ..... but I spray-painted it with Rust-oleum's Heirloom White.
(I know.)
I'm sorry .... I just love that color.  It is THE.  PERFECT.  WHITE.

And then .... because it's "Washi Week" around here .... I busted out more fun tapes from my washi collection (some from Washi Wishes and some from Pick Your Plum), and got to work wrapping up the box until it was all kinds of CUTE!
(Lucy had a whole lot of fun "helping" me and sticking the extra pieces of washi tape all over EVERYTHING:)~

When I got down to the "handles" in the sides of the crate, I just wrapped right over them, then cut out around the holes with scissors.  Easy!

I finished it off with some stickers to spell out "Lucy's CREATE CRATE" -- (yes, I am living in the dark ages and STILL do not own a gosh-darn Silhouette!)

No, I'm not bitter.
(Yes, I am.)

Finished product, complete with crayons jars, stickers, paper, markers, paintbrushes, paint smock, and any other art supplies that would otherwise be strung all over the house:

This sweet lil' CREATE CRATE will be going on a "new" metal antique table I scored at a recent "junk" sale .... and it's all going into Lucy's new "art studio" (aka:  the corner of the playroom I'm calling Lucy's Art Studio!  haha:)~

All I know is .... Lucy loves her new art crate.
And I love her.
So I therefore love it, too. :-)
Fun for all!

Pssssst!  You wanna know a little secret?  
..... There just might be a giveaway happening here tomorrow involving -- you guessed it!  -- WASHI TAPE!  See you tomorrow!!!


(*Pinterest friendly:-)