Have you seen the Potty Dance commercials?  If so, can anyone explain them to me?  So the kids on the playground tell the mommies that they have to go potty.  And then the moms insist on doing this ridiculous dance instead of rushing to the potty with their kids.  I know it's a commercial.  But it makes zero sense.  Now, I don't have kids (salt in the wound) but I have been around them forever.  Babysitting, nanny, Sunday School teacher, friend's kids, etc.  I've never seen a mom or other adult tell a little kid who is about to tinkle in her pants that she should wait or better yet, break out in song and dance.  So dumb! 

I don't have a photo but really, you don't need one.  The ingredients are few.  The steps are easy.  And the results are just pure comfort goodness. 

Alfredo Chicken and Potatoes

Ingredients:
* lots of potatoes (I used about 1/2 a bag of yellow but whatever you have will work)
* chicken breasts (I used three large, cut in half so six servings)
* jar of alfredo sauce
* seasonings (I used salt, pepper and a bit of garlic powder)

Directions:

* Get out your food processor and use the slicing attachment blade (not the normal mincing/chopping blade).  Drop in potatoes to thinly slice them up. 

* Take about 1/3 of the potatoes and lay them in a large baking dish.  Sprinkle with seasonings.  Layer another 1/3 of the potatoes.  Season.

* Place chicken on top of potatoes.  Season.

* Layer remaining 1/3 of potatoes on top of chicken.  Pour alfredo sauce over the top as evenly as possible.

* Bake at 350 for about 30-45 mins (my chicken breasts were HUGE so they seemed to take forever but if yours are more normal size, it should take less time).

* Serve with a large salad to combat the fact that you are eating white cheesy goodness. 

I've decided that making just the potatoes like this would be amazing as a dinner or brunch side dish too.  Trust me, this is sooo yummy.  Enjoy!

The ever handsome Blue II.

My Butler Bulldogs dined on fresh gator meat tonight.  And it was better than fabulous for this Florida-raised girl to see her underdogs dance their way into the FINAL FOUR!  I'm oh so proud to be a Butler Bulldog!! 

How fun is this?  You can click here and make your own states visited map.  I might be missing a few but I think these are the states I've visited so far.  I would LOVE to make it to Alaska and Maine in the near future.  Maine is actually just a few hours up the road so I really have no excuse to pop up to eat blueberries and lobstah!

OK so several months ago I noticed an issue every time I tried to leave blog comments.  But I have been so busy and really am so behind on reading, let alone commenting on, blogs, that I let it go.  But the issue seems to still exist.  And I verified it is not my computer too.

When I leave comments, the letters I type and the letters that appear are not the same.  I can type a word six or more times before all of the typed letters appear.  It just skips letters.  And only when I comment.  Not when I type a post. 

This post I am typing now...just fine.  The comment I left a moment ago...had to re-type the darn thing three times.  It's super annoying.  Is anyone else experiencing this crazy issue leaving comments?  Is it just me?  It's getting old, that's for darn sure.  Oh and the issue is the same on both blogger and .com blogs.  Argh!

First, I'm back.  My big thing is over for the year.  I mean, I have lots of other stuff going on in life.  Things out the wazoo.  Just like all of y'all.  But my big BIG thing ended this weekend.  And was a smashing success, I might add!

So now a bit of venting...

I do this one thing (vague much?).  I love it.  Mostly because I love the amazingly fabulous group of girls who I get to do it with.  They are so much fun and just make working hard worth it in the end.  But there is this one sort of outsider.  She is not really a part of this particular thing.  She is a part of other things.  But she is really just a true nightmare when it comes to my thing.  Buts her nose in where it doesn't belong.  Bosses people around.  And is all around manipulative, condescending, critical, rude, thoughtless, nasty for the enjoyment of being nasty and all around crazy.  Oh I have figured out who flew over the coo coo's nest, my friends!  It's a situation that I sort of, unintentionally, in-part, created two years ago.  Or, not created.  I did nothing wrong.  No one who does this thing did anything wrong.  Crazy Lady created the situation in her head but it has snowballed beyond imagination for two years now.  And every time we sigh relief that Crazy Lady has found a new hobby, she reappears.

She has been coddled, hand-held, reprimanded, legally reprimanded, and diverted.  But none of it works.

To me, it's clear there is something very wrong elsewhere in her life.  Home life, maybe?  I have no idea.  But I suspect this is her outlet.  Oh and I think she is a full handful of fry fries short of a Happy Meal. 

Crazy Lady is a wolf in sheep's clothes.  She is sugar sweet nice and then goes in for the kill.  It's horrible.  The things she will say and do.  And involve her child in.  Just gross behavior.  She's a bully and loves it.

So now as a result, one of the most amazing team players, Sassy, is leaving the thing.  She has been the largest bulls eye of Crazy Lady and it is just too much to ask of anyone.  No one deserves even a portion of what this lady has done. 

It just breaks my heart.  Sassy is nothing short of amazing.  She is so poised and confident and organized and all at such a young age.  She is smart and kind and patient beyond belief.  But she has been beat up 900 too many times by Crazy Lady.  It's heartbreaking and unfair.  I don't blame her.  I am not sure I could stay either under those conditions.  But like so many other situations in life, the bad guy is winning.  The terrible, horrible, no good, very bad person is victorious.  And the fabulous must walk away defeated.

It sucks!

The thing is, this is really the only sour grape.  Like seriously, wincing and tears welling-up sour.  You are never going to love every single person in a group.  But it's rare that one person can have such a negative presence.  And tragic that there is nothing that can really be done to change the situation.

Whats more is that even though Sassy is leaving, Crazy Lady is still not going to get her way.  So next year, she will find a new set of complaints.  She will find a new bulls eye.  She will forever be a big bully.  Joyfully hurting great people right and left for her own personal entertainment.

Sassy though, wherever she goes, will forever be fabulous!  I wish so badly that I could find a way to make her want to stay.  Our thing just will not be the same bucket of cool kid fun without her.

Lilly is sooo much better this season than it has been the last several seasons.  It feels like they are getting back to their original styles.  Yay for that!!  Here are just a few that I am drooling over this spring...

I am drooling over all things aqua this season.

Go here to get this cute little bag of samples sent to you for FREE from Target!  I love free samples as they are a great way to try out new products without the commitment to use up a giant bottle of whatever. 

Want more from Target? 

Good Life Recipe For Cats Food
There is a coupon in today's paper for $1.50/1.  It typically sells for $0.70-$0.80 for one of these small things of cat food.  You should be able to buy one, use the coupon and have more than $0.50 overage to put towards other items in your cart.  I give the cat food to my neighbor who gives me her coupons weekly.  But there are plenty of rescues that would joyfully welcome such a donation if you don't have a use for cat food.

Now once in a while a cashier will lower the coupon to the actual price.  But I have only has this happen once at Target.  Most stores will allow you to use that overage.  Walmart actually just changed their coupon policy and even specifically states allowing you to use the overage.

Suave Naturals 15oz Shampoo or Conditioner, $0.97
There is a $0.75/1 coupon here on the Target coupon page making a bottle only $0.22/each.


At Walgreens...

Pedia Care
Use the in ad newspaper store coupon for $5/1 and also print this coupon for $3/1.  It will be better than free. 




At Rite-Aid...

Veet Caring Touch Creme Kit, $5.99
Use the $3/1 in ad newspaper coupon AND use the $3/1 print manufacturer coupon here.  FREE! 

Buy (2) Ester-C Gummies, $7.49, receive a $2 +up Reward
So buy TWO.  They are having a buy one, get one FREE deal this week.  Use (2) of the $3/1 coupons from today's newspaper.  And also print (1) of these $2/1 Ester-C product coupons (There are some really great store coupons here that can then be combined with manufacturer coupons for big savings.).  Not only will this deal be FREE out of pocket, but you will then MAKE MONEY in the form of a $2 +up Reward to be used on something else in the store.


**For the record, I will not be taking advantage of all of these deals.  Like the Veet.  I prefer using a razor.  But just because I am not using a product, doesn't mean y'all can't.  And FREE is just so much fun sometimes.




** For my thoughts on the new TLC Extreme Couponing series, go here.  Bottom line, I love a good half hour of crap/silly TV.  Ha!

***ANOTHER UPDATE:

GREAT news! All FIVE of my newspapers arrived this morning with all of their coupons included! Yippee! I know...I'm nuts. But we all have our "thing" in life and currently, this seems to be mine.

**UPDATE:
Thank you to the folks over at the TU who read my random emails and went out of their way to help me today.  Thanks to sweet Cathy, it looks like the issue has been corrected.  Hopefully this helps the TU to make some internal improvements too.

Clearly we are experiencing major difficulties in our relationship. I have been trying for the better part of THREE WEEKS to order you. And you are acting like a ditzy school girl or a great-grandmother, I can't decide. Ignoring my calls and emails. But also making it flippin' impossible to get in touch with you. You do allow me to email you online but you require a phone number. But only allow me to type in seven digits. I do not have a 518 number. As is the case with gazillions of people who keep cell phone numbers for decades these days. To order a paper, you require me to type in a request form but will not let me just pay for my subscription. You then tell me you will call me back in 48 hours. Which you are well aware is a big fat lie on your end. After I call you three times, you finally call me back to take my credit card number over the phone and given to a human being. Meaning, unsecure and even more unsecure. I oblige, knowing this is a small area of the country and we are in fact behind the curve. Or that is how I convince myself to give over my personal information to a stranger on a phone call. Gulp!


So Sunday rolls around and I am expecting FIVE newspapers. One that I ordered via Groupoon and four that I ordered over the phone. I checked my bank account and you gladly took my money so it was only logical to expect their arrival.

ONE arrived. And did not include coupons.

But of course I cannot send you an email because you are like a little Granny organization when it comes to the modern era.

I call on Monday morning. You should note that even though I am ticked off right now, I was incredibly nice and patient over the phone. I know how to mind my manners. So it takes 20 minutes and three employees and they decided that for an unknown reason my order was cancelled. Now I do not believe this because my $$ was not refunded. But I take the apology and accept that the order will start this coming Sunday. But yesterday, Thursday, I got a bill in the mail for ONE order of the Sunday paper. I double checked my back records and I have in fact paid in full for the five papers. No refund. But this bill leads me to believe that my order is once again incorrect in your system.

So I call you, knowing I have no way of emailing. But you are bloody closed at 2PM. What the heck? It's not a holiday weekend and you are a newspaper. The main newspaper for the NY Capital region.

Not only was I expecting five papers filled with coupons last week, but also complimentary back issues of the week prior as was the offer at time of purchase. I am trying to be nice. I am trying to be patient. But you are making it very very challenging. It should not take me three weeks to order a Sunday newspaper.

I do believe I have solved the mystery of why the newspaper industry is dying a slow and painful death. Help me, help you, Times Union! I have paid you my pennies. It's your turn to just deliver my darn papers. Please!

My patience is wearing thin,

KK

Dear Charlie Sheen,

When Mel Gibson becomes a voice of reason in your life, things probably aren't healing as miraculously as you are imagining. 

Not a fan,
KK


Dear Anne Hathaway,  

OK so I am a BIG fan!  I think you are adorable, down to earth and classy.  I'd totally go out to lunch with you.  And be friends.  You also have a surprisingly great voice.  I suggest a stint on Broadway.  However, I do not suggest hosting another awards show.  Because you are not very funny.  I mean, you are probably a hoot at lunch with girlfriends.  But notsomuch as an awards show host.  You made an already dry and boring show extra dry and super extra boring.  With a touch of annoying every time you would scream "woooo" when someone won anything.  Again, you're a doll and I remain a big BIG fan.  But take this from a friend, stand-up comedy is not your thing. 

Can't win 'em all,
KK


Dear James Franco,

I have no earthly idea who you are.  You were nominated for a big award and yet I don't think I've ever heard of you.  But this I know for sure, you are less funny than Anne.  The bit with you dressed in a dress was just plain dumb.

What was your name again,
KK


Dear Jennifer Hudson,

I tend to find you a little annoying most of the time. And I am in the minority when I say that you are not a good actress.  But you looked AMAZING at the Oscars.  That dress was stunning.  That blood orange color was drool-worthy.  Your body is fabulous!  You seemed poised and well-spoken.  You were truly glowing.  Maybe I was wrong about you...

Orange you glad I can give you a second chance,
KK


Dear Brittany Spears,

Good for your for (sort of- under the forced control of your father) getting your life back together.  From all accounts, you seem to be back in the earning a gazillion dollars a minute category.  So why on earth are you still dressing like a hooker?  No one should ever wear jorts.  As in jean shorts.  No one should ever wear cut offs.  And good golly no one should ever combine the two.  I don't mean no one over a particular age.  I mean no person of any age or social standing.  Put some clothes on, sugar.  Dress like a momma.  And as always, buy a hair brush. 

Put down the Starbucks and pick up the Talbots catalog,
KK


Dear Sun,

Please shine down on me.  Florida is so damn greedy, bragging about being the "sunshine state."  I want in on that action.  Send a little love to Upstate NY por favor!!

Gloomy be gone,
KK