Dollar Tree Style Organization!

Hello again, it's me! 

Today's adventure led us to taking care of our messy, unorganized, extremely frustrating pantry. Living in an apartment that we are renting really limits our ability to make major changes, but we HAD to do something. 

Before

It literally was so pitiful.....(and I had already "organized" it this week once)

We have other storage in our cabinets for cans and such, so this is mainly used for household items, paper goods and snacks. Although it looks like there isn't a lot, it got messy quick especially when we have a house full of food. 

So this is what we did. 

After

Technically, we spent a grand total of $22 on this organization system! We had a gift card to Home Depot for $25 that we spent buying the shelving, which led us to only paying $10 for it out of pocket. Then bought the baskets at Dollar Tree for $1 a piece! 

We have some more to do such as labeling and maybe moving things around but I believe it looks better if I say so myself! :) 

Hopefully this can give you some ideas for some storage in your own home. 

Lazy Girl Hack: Homemade Mashed Potatoes

Well hello again :)

Since getting married, I have expanded my cooking ability. I do use proper measuring instruments, different oils, and even follow recipes to the exact measurements now.

But, the microwave is still my favorite appliance and shortcuts make me smile.  

Hence my hack for making homemade mashed potatoes! :)

When making mashed potatoes, the absolute worst part is peeling and boiling the potatoes. This is where my hack comes into play! 

First put all of your potatoes in the microwave (poke holes in the top with a fork to help shorten cook time). Today I put about 6 medium potatoes in the microwave for 16 minutes. 

Next, lay the potato on a cutting board to prepare to cut in half. Make sure to have a kitchen towel to hold the hot potato in your hand or else you'll be playing everyone's favorite childhood game!

Then, place the potato on its side, and cut in half as equally as possible.

Next, using a spoon, scoop out the cooked potato and place in a pot.

Try to spoon out as much of the inside as possible and tossing out the skins.

After repeating this process with all of the cooked potatoes, you can then finish the process with your preferred recipe!

Today all I added was milk, butter, salt and chives. Then used a hand mixer to get it smooth and tasty! I do believe it was a winner! (And the whole process may take 30 minutes which most of that time is in the microwave and on the stove!)

Now go make your own! 

Review: Too Faced Le Petite Tresor

 Hello gals! 

Today I decided to review a trio product I bought a couple of weeks ago. The main reason I am doing this review is due to the value of the price of the value bundle and my impression. 

          Too Faced Le Petite Tresor

Front left to right: Taffy, Nude Beach and WHAM!

What is this product?

This is a three lipstick trio in a super cute glittery bag from Too Faced Cosmetics. The lipsticks are three of their best sellers in the La Creme Color Drenched Lip Creams line of lipsticks. They are claimed to be the limited edition shimmer versions of the original lipsticks. The colors included are Taffy, Nude Beach, and WHAM! 

What is the value of this set?

These lip colors individually sold are priced at $22 a piece (which for me is pretty steep). This whole set, including all three full sized products and the little glittery bag, is $29. When this is broken down by lipstick, you actually are only paying about $9.60 a lipstick, which I can handle for a GREAT product. 

What do the lipsticks look and feel like wearing them? 

Taffy

The first lipstick (and the reason I bought the set to begin with) is called Taffy. It is a light pink that is noticeable but not vibrant. It has a settle hint of color that gives off a refreshing summer vibe. I do not see much shimmer in this one although it is enough to give a great sheen effect. I cannot wait to have brozed cheeks and rock these cute pink lips when the weather is sunny and 85. Personally, this is my favorite of the whole pack! 

Nude Beach

The second I am wearing is Nude Beach. This is a fantastic nude that still has a slight hint of pinkish plum. This is a nice nude lipstick color that I feel like works all year round with any makeup style you desire! Very versatile lip color that would look great on a lot of skin tones and hair colors. I do not seem much shimmer in this color. Really impressed with this color!

WHAM!

Last, but very much not least, is WHAM! This color is very different than the other two, but such a delightful shade of darkened pink and red. This shade is the one I can see the shimmer in the most! It looks more glossy than it really is due to the shimmer in it. I do not wear many dark colors because I have had a hard time finding the right shade. I really love this one!! I am so happy to finally have found a bold lip color to add to my options. 

Did I mention how much I love wearing these on my lips?! It looks like moisture and feels like moisture! I'm seriously in love all over again. :)

Overall thoughts?

Great value and wear!! I have MAC lipsticks I really like, but at this moment these have taken the cake for me! They are long wearing, and feel amazing on my lips. It feels like a very moisturizer Chapstick that isn't sticky (super plus for me!!). I am absolutely overjoyed with this purchase for the value and quality. I am going to start checking out more of Too Faced lip products from now on for sure!

Shredded Chicken Tacos!

Good snowy morning ladies! 

This morning Jared had to go into work at 5:30, which is very out of the norm for him. I am snowed in while school is cancelled (perks of being a teacher 😊). I decided nothing would be better than a warm yummy crock pot meal for our cold wintery day! Everyone has been sharing a chicken faquitas recipe on Facebook lately which led me to Pinterest looking at different recipes. I found a couple I liked the look of, couldn't decide which one, so I combined them! 😊

The recipe is quite simple. All you need is:

3 Bell Peppers

1 Onion 

1 Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Packet

1 Taco Seasoning Packet 

3 or 4 Chicken Breasts 

2 Cups of Chicken Broth 

Also all of the optional taco topping favs such as sour cream, cheese, salsa, lettuce, guacamole, etc. 

First, cut up the bell peppers and toss them in the Crock Pot. 

Next, cut up the onions and toss those on top of the peppers. (You could also mix the peppers and onions before putting them in the Crock Pot too)

The chicken should be the next layer. I accidentally bought chicken breast tenders which is why it looks like I have more than I mentioned in the ingredients.

Last, but definitely not least, add the seasonings along with the chicken broth! Then turn the crockpot on high for 4 to 5 hours or low at 7 to 8 hours. 

The turn out was awesome! I ended up adding a spicy chicken spice to our final product, just to turn up the heat a little. We truly enjoyed this meal on the very cold day we had Thursday! :)

Enjoy!