make-it-your-own pasta

this can be a whole meal in one or just a side. probably one of my favorites just because it's so dang easy. when i don't have a meal plan or my pantry is looking empty i can usually count on at least having the ingredients for this. my husband loves the pasta served with baked parmesan chicken.

ingredients:
1-2 large chicken breasts (optional)
2 cups fresh or frozen vegetables (i used fresh broccoli, carrots, red peppers, and red onion)
3-4 cups pasta (i usually use penne or bowtie)
dressing of your choice to taste (i usually use a mixture of kraft tuscan house italian dressing and greek vinaigrette - shown at bottom)
parmesan

how you make it:
1. thaw the chicken if it isn't already thawed
2. cook the pasta
3. meanwhile cook the chicken on the stove in a large pan (if you're adding chicken to the pasta)
4. for the last 2-3 minutes add the vegetables into the boiling water with the pasta
5. drain the pasta/vegetable mix
6. once the chicken is cooked through add the pasta and vegetable mix with a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. (if not adding chicken to the pasta then heat the olive oil first then add the pasta)
6. sear the pasta
7. add in the dressing of your choice and serve warm

this is extremely tasty and the left-overs are just as great the next day served hot or cold! you can add whatever mixture of vegetables you want and seasonings to spice things up.

if you try it let me know what you think! let me know what variation you used too. :)

dry clean your wedding dress

Some of you, like me, might want to keep your dress so that maybe someday one of your children or grandchildren in a future generation might want to wear it. Call me sentimental! After wearing it only on a couple occasions it tends to get dirty - on the bottom from dragging on the ground, cake getting on it, etc.

I searched and searched for a good price to get my dress dry cleaned.

Bottom line: IT IS EXPENSIVE!

I just want to let you know the great deal I got! Most places charge around $130 just for the cleaning with additional cost depending on how intricate and detailed your dress is (lace, beads, etc.) from there you can choose to get it in a protective box that keeps it safe from oxidation (yellowing) which costs around another $35.

I called several places and by far the best deal was at Country Cleaners! I paid $75 total for my dress (covered in lace and beads) to be cleaned and put in a special wedding dress box!! Country Cleaners only charges $40 if you want to get the dress cleaned only with no box. Some specific Country Cleaners stores won't do wedding dresses so just call ahead to make sure they will. I took mine to the one in Bountiful and it turned out absolutely GREAT!

(Note: I got married last August and just barely had this done - so don't worry about it being too long since you got married!)

Save money & save your wedding dress! ♥

tweaking

Do you ever just decide that you HATE something you have, or over time you just get tired of it? I think it happens to most of us. Before you just throw it out, think of making some adjustments to revamp it!

I have never really liked the color RED. So, it comes as no surprise that I started to need a change on my picture garland.

Before

After (NO RED!)

*Ahh... much better.*

Sometimes it can be as easy as adding pillows - making a bed look that much comfier!!

Before

After

Even if you're the only one who will notice; fix it to make yourself happy!

Little changes can make a big difference ♥

...now, time for bed. :)

shoutout: la quatrième gourmande

My friend Meagan has a cooking/etc. blog that I ♥. She is such a great cook and shares her secrets with wannabes like me! Plus I just won her giveaway WOO HOO! :)

Check out/follow her food blog here to get tips and tricks from the master herself:

LA QUATRIÈME GOURMANDE

Someday I'll be a cookin' fool :)

hanging fabric flower garland

Inspiration: Aerie.

I don't have an actual picture of what I saw, but my final project is essentially the same. I loved the idea and I loved making it!

Making of:

1. Cut fabric into equal sized squares. (I used felt and regular fabric)

2. Cut those squares into circles. (does not need to be perfect)

3. With each circle, fold so there is a point at the bottom and sew through the points & connect each point together til you get a little flower ball.
4. Voila!
5. Attach them to string of your choice and hang!
Here's mine:

finished project

happy easter

Yes, my decorations for the holidays are getting weaker and weaker, I know. I'm going to have to say St. Patrick's Day was the worst (notice no posts about St. Patty's)... oh well! Here are a few little Easter bunnies my mom has given me over the years :)

Last but not least... the Easter basket!

I always look forward to the Easter holiday not only because of what it represents, but it's also the time of year for LDS General Conference and of course Cadbury Mini Eggs!

no changes allowed

There are a few things I don't necessarily love about my apartment:

1. Not being able to paint
2. Cabinets/doors are cruddy wood
3. No real pantry
4. Red paint splashed on random places (my sink, my kitchen floor, the dishwasher, my patio)
5. Light fixtures
6. Not being able to change any of these things that bother me!

I want to turn THIS... (yikes!)

Into THIS!
Someday, far away... when I have a house I will be able to make this awesome yarn light! You can find the DIY instructions at ApartmentTherapy.com. For now, I will just look at the picture and want it and not have it. Such is life!

:( Woes of not being able to change your apartment!