Some Like It Hot

{Tap, tap, tap...is this thing on????}

For the 5 people who still read this blog, I decided to take a little break from blogging last week.  Something I think is absolutely necessary every now and again.

We spent some serious QT with some of our favorite friends in Dallas a couple of weekends ago and had the best time crossing some things off our family fun bucket list.  Steel City Pops, post-baseball fun at The Lot, drinks at the Truck Yard, dinner at Remedy, Moscow Mules at HG Sply Co., and more.  I even snuck in a trip to Snuffer's for cheese fries and lunch with one of my favorites.  It was the perfect visit "back home".

This girl is my best friend...my soul sister...my chicken soup for the soul.  When these mugs showed up on my IG feed a few weeks ago, I knew I had to get one for her!  We enjoyed our weekend coffee from our newest pantry accessories and they are just PERFECT!!!!

We had fun spoiling our teachers during Teacher Appreciation week last week. We genuinely feel like we won the teacher lottery.  My boys' teachers are nothing short of amazing.  We really love surprising them with treats all year long...mostly in the form of Sonic drinks every week...but there's just something special about Teacher Appreciation week, y'know?!  Here was one of our little surprises...

Brown paper packages tied up with strings each one holding a few of their favorite things...magazines, candy, snacks, and drinks.  I just used a sharpie to personalize the bags.  I had the teachers fill out THIS QUESTIONNAIRE at the beginning of the year so I could treat them throughout the year.  I sent them a little email the week before teacher appreciation week to see if they wanted to make any changes to the questionnaire before the week started :)  Goodness we love them so!!!

Speaking of love, yesterday we celebrated Mother's Day.  My boys were quick to run in my bedroom and wake me up yesterday morning...they were SO excited to show me what they made for me!!!  I die!  These are my most favorite kind of gifts...their own sweet little words straight from the heart...completely unfiltered and honest.  

Let me just tell you I haven't been to the mall but maybe 4 times this entire year and I haven't taken the boys with me on any of those trips!!!!  HA!!!  Cracks me up that he would remember Forever 21 from those times I'd drag them with me.  It clearly made an impression and I can tell you it wasn't his favorite memory :)  And really, I must be doing something right because apparently I'm as fun as Chuck E. Cheese.  Actually, I take that back.  Maybe I'm doing it all wrong?!  That place is torture!!!!  HA!!!!

Seriously though...I love that they both talked about snuggles and kisses.  It's the little things that mean the most!!!

Can I also take a second to tell you about this man???

He has the biggest heart.  His gift to me this year wasn't one that came from a store.  It was so much more and then some.  I don't want to get into it because it's really not my story to tell, but I will say that his thoughtfulness brought me...and my boys...to tears.  Moments like these really put life in perspective. It's a Mother's Day I'll never forget and one that has started a new tradition.  I'm so proud to do life with this man.  

I gave all the ladies this framed bible verse.  It's been a goal of mine to learn hand lettering and how to do it on my own.  It's always a work in progress, but I love the practice.  It's so very cathartic.  

And in other news, something tells me we'll need to stock up on sidewalk chalk in the weeks to come.  This past Friday was brought to us by The Cure....

...and CSI, too.  My driveway looked like a mini crime scene.  

Now let me leave you with one of my most favorite recipes!!!  It's been around forever.  My most favorite way to eat chicken salad.  This is a great little meal to make for company or take to family gatherings.  There's never a bite left in the bowl when it's all said and done.  

HOT CHICKEN SALAD PITAS

via Paula Deen

2 cups chicken breast meat, cubed OR 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

1 cup diced celery

1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning (Tony Chachere's is a house favorite)

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup shredded colby & monterrey jack cheese

Potato Chips

Pita Pockets

Preheat oven to 350 & spray an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Meanwhile, cut your celery & shred/cube your chicken.  Add both to a mixing bowl.

Toss in the mayonnaise, cajun seasoning, pepper, cheese, and lemon juice.

Mix well until evenly coated.  Transfer mixture to an 8x8 baking dish.

Top with crushed potato chips.  The original recipe calls for 2/3 cup of crushed chips, but you can use more/less depending on your preference.  Pretty sure we used more!

Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly.  Remove from oven & serve HOT! 

Of course, you can serve this just as it is OR you can pop the mixture into a pita pocket and call it a day.  That's my personal favorite.  We love our hot chicken salad pitas around here!!!

Just try it and you'll see why!!!