The Bucket List.

My bucket list is never full of all the things I need to do before my impending death.

That just stresses me out. I like to make lists which can easily have items to cross off.

Instead I love creating a list of all the things I never.want.to.do (which easily get crossed off!).

Ever.

So here’s to my “Not So Desirable Bucket List:”

• Jump from a plane. Never going to do it, don’t even ask.
• Look out the glass elevator on the 19th+ floor. Nope, not going to do that either.
• Climbing anything over 10 feet high…serious issues with heights. Rock climbing is out of the question.
• Eat a worm. Sorry Survivor, you won’t be seeing my audition reel.
• Get breast implants
• Own a motorcycle
• Botox…well I am almost at the point of saying I NEED this.
•  Have a pet rat, snake, bird
• Bake…hate to follow meticulous directions
• Watch movies/read books that take place during period of B.C. (snooze fest!)
• Learn to love musicals
• Listen to children’s songs on continuous loop in the car….this is my car and my music
• Learn to be really good at math. I’ve just plain ol’ given up on that one
• Cut my hair “pixie” style
• Not shave my legs for 1 week
• Watch cartoons in a theater

Now tell me what’s on your Not So Desirable Bucket List!

This post was part of Mama Kat’s Writers workshop.

Yesterday it rained all day and after nap time there was a break. I hurried the kids up and off we went to hunt for puddles.

Not quite puddle jumping, but sure enjoying all the jumps and splashes from sister

I’m particpating in Wordless Wednesday. Check out some of my favorite bloggers.

Live and Love Outloud, 5 Minutes For Mom, Angry Julie Monday, Better In Bulk

No I am not pregnant!

But 2 ladies in my family are! So what does that mean for me? I help plan the celebrations!

Recently I planned the baby shower for my husband’s-cousins-wife. Got that? The two husbands are practically brothers, which means I can refer to her as my sister in law too! Very fun.

“Welcome to the Nest” was the theme for this mommy-to-be’s shower.

Congratulations little mamma! 

Tofu Lettuce Cups

Ingredients:

• Tofu Extra firm
• Trader Joes Broccoli Slaw
• Green Onions
• Water chestnuts
• Trader Joe’s Wasabi covered almonds
• Panda Brand Lettuce Wrap sauce
• Butter leaf lettuce

I finely chopped up Extra firm tofu and sautéed in pan. Cook for 10 minutes or so constantly stirring. Add green onions, diced water chestnuts, 2 cups broccoli slaw and cook until slaw becomes tender. broccoli will shrink and take on consistency of noodles. Amazing! I ground of the almonds into pieces and threw in same time as sauce. Keep in mind that your ingredients (besides the slaw) needs to be chopped small to fit on the lettuce.

Any lettuce will do, but butter leaf lettuce are perfect for acting like a little cup as their shape adheres to the food.

Scoop a spoonful of tofu mixture in the middle of the lettuce and roll up. Even my daughter enjoyed it! She hates all vegetables and was quickly disguised!

Typically on Monday’s (NOT TUESDAYS) I do Meatless Morsel Monday. However yesterday I laid on the couch in complete Super Bowl junk-food-overload-coma. Hence why Mmm is coming to you on Tuesday morning instead. Better late than never, right?

Tofu Edamame Nuggets

If you end up needing a quick meatless alternative for dinner, as a quick snack, or an appetizer these are yummy to serve up. Try these delicious edibles from Trader Joes.

I even thought these would be good over a salad. Let me know what you think!

I got a Canon DSLR that I always wanted.

Never and I mean never did I think I would ever get my hands on one.

Today we had fun playing.

These are the amazing shots I was able to catch, thanks to him.

Since today is Wednesday hump day, here are a few funnies to get us through the week:

“You are so dramatic.”

• Hmmm wonder where she gets that one?

“Mom, I am not sleeping because I am talking to Luke.”

• Not sure who Luke is when she is all by herself in her room.

“Mom, no I am not eating my dinner because I am talking a lot.”

• No kidding, girl! You never take a breath.

“I need space.”

• Oops I guess I say that a little too much

“You’re so cute mom.” “No wait mom, you’re cute like a baby.”

“You smelly like a boogy.”

Good riddance what have I done?

I’m particpating in Wordless Wednesday. Check out some of my favorite bloggers.

Live and Love Outloud, 5 Minutes For Mom, Angry Julie Monday, Better In Bulk

Come winter time Kale is abundant. Its rich green color, stiff texture and with amazing vitamin benefits becomes a great substitute for spinach when cooked.

Tonight’s Mmm is Kale Lasagna. I recently came across this recipe and since Monday’s are meat free, I vegeterianized it and did it a little my way. I hate following directions.

Ingredients:

2 Bunches of kale

Tsp garlic

1 Jar of Classico Spaghetti Sauce (I used a reduced sugar tomato and basil)

Tsp of Italian seasoning

Tsp of fennel

chili flakes

1/2 bag reduced fat mozzerella

1/2 C shaved parmesan

Prepare:

Mix spaghetti sauce with garlic, fennel, chili flakes and italian seasoning and set aside. Prep Kale by cutting off from the stems and slicing into ribbons. How big or thick does not matter. Boil  some water with a little salt. When water boiling and kale and turn heat down to a small boil. Boil for 5 minutes and remove. Drain kale. You don’t want it too wet and you don’t want it too cooked as it will cook in the oven as well.

In a small baking dish layer 1st the kale on the bottom.

Then add shaved parm, shredded mozzarella

and then sauce.

Add next layer of kale and same 2 cheeses, sauce until you run out. Makes about three layers.

Wrap in foil and bake on 375 for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes. I like the cheese to be a little crunchy on top. Yummy!

Please share with me your favorite Meatless dish! Thank you Kalyn’s Kitchen for the inspiration!

Here are my TOP 5 pins of the week.

Drum roll please…….

FOR THE HOME

FOR THE LOVE OF HAIR

ALL THINGS SWEET AND SALTY

BEAUTIFUL FACE

HOLIDAY MISC.

If you haven’t checked out my other Pins, here are my boards.

Here’s a link to other fabulous Pins over at 5 Minutes For Mom

Santa Cruz.

Land of the open minded.

Land of the hippies.

Land to my new abode.

At only 19 I was renting my very first apartment in down town Santa Cruz.

Pacific Ave-full of shops and restaurants

If you’ve ever been to Santa Cruz you can picture this perfectly.

If you have not, its an experience you’ve yet to add to your bucket list.

Full of color, full of hippies, full of expression, hairy arm pits fill the side walks and eclectic hair dos are abundant.

Known around town as "Umbrella Man." Need I say more?

One can expect to get whiffs of patchouli oil, and lets just say it ain’t no Chanel.

This was my new town and I was going to own it like it was mine all along.

My little studio apartment cost me $650 (which was considered cheap) and was 2 streets away from Pacific Ave which is the main drag. I loved it. Two little plastic chairs sat on the porch waiting for my arrival home each day.

My new sense of freedom.

One building away was a well known tattoo parlor and two buildings away was an up all night laundry mat that served hamburgers. Great concept to a 19 year old.

Newbie to college life, newbie to living away from parents.

My innocence could only be so obvious. I walked the streets as if invisible.

That was until one evening I walked home and came across a big, very large, intimidating man sitting on one of my adorable plastic white chairs inches from my front door.

Lacking experience in what to do in these situations, I stopped to say hello. He was in my path to the front door, so what else was I supposed to do? (HELLO- turn around and run!)

He spoke back and I proceeded to walk past him to unlock my door.

He said, “Do you want any pot?” With a deep voice that resembled James Earl Jones.

“No thanks” I replied quickly.

“My name is Herb, what’s yours?”

(now I’m trembling. what the heck is he doing sitting in my sweet, white chairs)

“I sit here often on these chairs. Sometimes I even sit on them by the stair well over there.”

Huh? That means he is moving my chairs around, as if they are his and then putting them back?

Now was my time to get into my little apartment that I thought was so safe.

With in that same breadth, Herb proceeded to leave.

Never to return.

It was after that incident (and yes I quickly removed the adorable white plastic chairs) I’d have similar ones…. at that cute little abode off Pacific.

Cops swirled above weekly.

Cops creeped slowly out front with flash lights looking for hiding thugs under my porch.

Even a gun shot rang one night.

It was then I realized the Pacifc Ave I had loved for its originality, I found was not so innocent after all.

This post as part of Mama Kat’s Writers Workshop “You stepped into your 1st apartment and thought..”