Till Then Smile Often

Random Acts of Kindness + Asking for Advice

When I went to Christmas By The Sea in December I asked my best friends and Mom advice on my blog. What I should continue to do, what I should change, any suggestions for new posts and my friend/sister Lynn suggested a Random Acts of Kindness series. She felt it would fit in with the positivity of my blog and who I am as a person. I loved this idea and I want to bring it into the new year and not just during Christmas. So I am planning on starting a series. I am not sure if I will do this weekly or monthly but I will be sharing different Random Acts of Kindness either done by me or by others. I might even turn it into a link-up, we will see.

Here are some of the Acts I will be completing in the coming weeks and months:

1. Bring Coffee to a local Hospitals Nursing Station

2. Knit hats for Cancer Patients and Preemies

Angel Babies Blog: Knit Hat Patterns (and a BIG link to other great stuff)

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3. Pass Out bags to the Homeless or Drop Off at a shelter (bags will include toiletry items)

4. Make fleece jackets and donate to the Animal Shelter

SmartPak Fleece Dog Coat - thinking of getting this as a liner for under Finn's waterproof jacket.

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5. Tape a few bucks to the outside of a Redbox  so they can enjoy a free movie or two

6. Place rolls of quarters on top of washing machines in a laundromat

So here is where you all come in….

What Random Acts of Kindness would you perform? 

I am still working on a title for the series but I came up with these 2 designs for a possible button. What do you think, prefer one over the other? Have another name you would use?change

Option One

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 Option Two

I would love your feedback and opinion.

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Hump Day Blog Hop

Happy Hump Day!! Since this is the first full week of the New Year I am sure everyone is glad for it to be mid-week. The temps here have been in the single digits with wind chill making it in the negatives all I have wanted to do is hibernate. The good thing about that is that last night I wrote down about 15-20 recipes I want to do in the coming weeks and months.

Today is the last day to enter the 1 Year Blogiversary Giveaway!
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To make this day hopefully go a little faster I am co-hosting the Hump Day Blog Hop! The Rules of the Hop: 1) “The Hump Day” blog hop button be displayed anywhere on your blog page or a specific entry with a link back to the host and/or the weekly co-host. 2) You don’t have to follow me, but in the words of Blake Shelton: it’d sure be cool if ya did. 3) But please follow the co-host. I love helping and promoting these amazing women in the blog world! 4) Mingle with your fellow Bloggers.

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The Hump Day Blog Hop

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Rustic Tart – Spinach Pear and Brie

I talked a little bit yesterday about how I come up with the recipes I put together and now you get to enjoy the fruits of that labor. Not only that but since one of my childhood friends isn’t a fan of Spinach I tested out a version with Broccoli so you get two recipes in one! Enjoy!

Rustic Tart - Spinach Pear and Brie

INGREDIENTS: 8 oz chopped spinach , thawed and squeezed dried  (or 1-1/2 cups of pre-cooked broccoli cuts) ~ 6 oz Brie (3 oz cubed – 3 oz chopped fine) ~ 1/4 cup sunflower seeds ~ 1/4 cup vegetable broth ~ Salt and Pepper ~ 1 cup pears, cubed (canned) ~ 1 refrigerated Pie Crust ~ tomato slices (optional)

DIRECTIONS: Bring your pie crust to room temperature. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place spinach (or Broccoli), finely chopped brie, sunflower seeds, vegetable broth, 1/4 Tsp salt, 1/8 Tsp pepper and pears in a microwaveable glass bowl, stir to combine.

Adapted from a Recipe found in America’s Test Kitchen Quick Cookbook

Rustic Tart - Spinach Pear and Brie

Rustic Tart - Spinach Pear and Brie

Heat for approximately 1 minute to heat throughout, stir to combine and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and place pie crust on top. Spread spinach mixture on top of the pie crust leaving about a 1 inch border all the way around.

Rustic Tart - Spinach Pear and Brie

Place the tomato slices on top of the spinach mixture.

Rustic Tart - Spinach Pear and Brie

Fold edges of the dough toward the center, for a decorative touch pleat every 3 inches.

Rustic Tart - Spinach Pear and Brie

Place the 3 oz of cubed brie on top of the tomato slices with the rind facing up.

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Bake for 20-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted and brown in spots. Rotate the sheet halfway through baking. Let cool slightly and serve in slices.

Rustic Tart - Spinach Pear and Brie

NOTE: I purposefully made this a meatless tart but it would be great with any meat mixed into the spinach mixture. Any meat used should be pre-cooked.

Rustic Tart – Broccoli Pear and Brie:

Rustic Tart - Broccoli Pear and Brie

Rustic Tart - Broccoli Pear and Brie

 Hope you enjoy!

Linking up with Jessica and Ashley.

and with Nikki from Chef in Training for Tuesday Talent Show .
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Snow Advisory

I was lucky enough to have Friday off due to the impending snow storm we were expecting. Does this make anyone else but me feel like a kid waiting to find out if school was closed?? I want to say dreams of playing in the snow danced in my head but really it was dreams of not leaving my PJ’s and lots of hot cocoa. The one downside meant lots of shoveling (I even helped my neighbor shovel her side of the driveway) and a sore back i.e I am old and I was out of commission the rest of Friday and Saturday.

weekendFriday: Included lots of shoveling, and hot cocoa. I got in a lot of reading and started watching White Collar on Netflix. Why have I not watched this show before now? It is so good. Seamus was staring out the window at the snow falling. He has a love hate relationship with snow, being so short he can’t get on it but when he does he loves flipping it in the air.

Saturday: I am not really sure how I come up with recipes to make, sometimes it is just an ingredient and a meal time (breakfast, lunch, dinner)  and I build from that idea. Sometimes I build from pulling elements from three different sources. Funny thing this week, one of the ingredients came from the index when I searched for pie crust and saw the word pear. In that sucker goes into the recipe. Welcome to my brain.

I headed out to do some shopping (I needed a new Winter coat and it was in my clothing budget – no spend January is still in effect) and then to the grocery store and the library. Emily from Beauty and the Greek recommended this Peppermint Mocha coffee creamer in her favorite things post on Friday and I just had to give it a try. It did not disappoint. It is more mocha than Peppermint but still so yummy! I finished off the night watching more White Collar and knitting.

Sunday: I finally finished the cowl/neck warmer I was working on. It was a tough one, I prefer to mindlessly knit but this one has a lot of pattern changes so it made it hard for me to get into this one. I really just wanted to finish it. I like how it came out though. Seamus was pouting a little from being inside all day so I took him for a walk but then I had to carry him home for a bit because his feet got too cold and he started to whimper! #littledogproblems #thatswhatyougetforjumpinginthesnow

I also put together this rustic tart that I am going to share tomorrow.

tart

How was your weekend?

Did you get snow where you live?

Linking up with Leeann from Join the Gossip

and

still being [molly]

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Favorite Things – Health and Beauty Edition

Happy Friday!! It is extra happy since our office is closed due to snow. This means I get to lounge around in my PJ’s all day and have a 3 day weekend. What’s not to to be happy about? Hope the day goes quick for everyone so you can go enjoy the weekend!

Favorite Things - Health and Beauty

 

1. Maybelline Fit Me Foundation – I originally learned of this product from Aubrey of The Kinch Life when she did a tutorial on contouring and highlighting. It is a really creamy texture and blends to a smooth finish!

2. It’s a 10 miracle leave in treatment – This is a little on the pricey side as the smaller 4 oz bottle is $20 but it lasts longer that I would have thought. It works great as a leave in and also a heat protector.

3. NYC Trio Eye Shadow in Long Beach Sands – I receive this from Influenster in the Jolly VoxBox and I have worn it everyday since. I love the colors as it is pretty neutral so I can wear it to work. I can add a smoky gray or black to it to transition it to a night look easily. * I received this product complimentary from Influenster for review, but all opinions are my own and I am using daily.

4. Fitbit One – I got this for Christmas as a replacement for my Fitbit Ultra I bought last year. I was a little disappointed my Ultra only lasted a year after the case cracked but the One has a rubber case to protect it from sweat so I am hoping it lasts longer. I love that it syncs through Bluetooth/Wifi where my Ultra had to be plugged into my PC which meant I almost never sync’d it. I love being able to track my steps and set a daily goal so I know when I am slacking.

5. Mac Fix+ – This really is used as a finishing spray. I really like it in the winter because it gives my face a smooth finish and helps to hydrate my skin. I spray it onto a foundation brush and then apply to my face. It really smooths out your foundation in places where it may not have blended all the way and sets it in place so your foundation lasts longer.

What are some of your favorite things?

 

Beauty and the Greek
 
THE GOOD LIFE BLOG
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$75 Blogiversary Giveaway + Goals

Will the New Year brings a lot of reflection. What we have done, what we want to do, what we messed up, and how we want to do things differently. I am no different. Although I haven’t flushed out all my goals for the year I do have a few things I want to focus on this year. To see my list from last year you can click here.
1. Finances – Build up my savings and pay down my car loan.
2. Fitness – I want to do a few races but I really need to figure out which ones. I would love to do an obstacle style race.
3. De-clutter – I do this year round but I really want to work on one room a month and really get rid of a lot.
4.  Travel More – Obviously this is depending on how well I do on #1 but I would love to travel a bit and maybe meet some blogger girls!
5. Time Management – I am always feeling overwhelmed and taking on more and more things without consideration to if I have time to do it. It always gets done but I would like to be more efficient and plan more to stress less.
That is it for now but I know I will be adding to it throughout the year.
What are some of your goals?
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In celebration of the 1 Year Anniversary of Till Then Smile Often and Wonder What’s Next we joined forces to give back. We teamed up with three other amazing bloggers to giveaway a $75 Target or Visa Gift Card (Winner’s Choice) to one lucky winner!I am so grateful for what this past year has given me through blogging and the amazing people I have met and talked to through blogging. I look forward to what this next year brings and all the things I hope to share. Good luck!
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Breakfast Pizza – Egg, Chorizo and Gouda

I am so excited to share this recipe! I was struggling to figure out what to make this week and then this idea popped into my head. Any chance I have to add Gouda is a win in my book and I have an addiction to Chorizo lately. Don’t fret though if you are not a fan of Chorizo feel free to add sausage, bacon, taco seasoned ground chicken or turkey or even diced ham.

Breakfast Pizza - Egg, Chroiza, and Gouda

Ingredients: 1 Pita Pocket ~ 1/2 cup of Smoked Gouda Cheese, grated ~ 1/2 package of Chorizo ~ 1 egg ~ Salt and Pepper

pizza

Directions: Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees. Slice and crumble the Chorizo and cook in a skillet until slightly browned.  Place one pita pocket on a greased cookie sheet or pizza round. Sprinkle the cheese leaving about a 1/4″ from the edge.

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Top the cheese with the pre-cooked Chorizo.

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Create a small dip in the center (this is to prevent the egg from sliding off) and crack egg onto the top of the pizza.

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Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake in the oven for 9-13 minutes. The egg whites should be solid white while the yolk should still be runny and giggle when you lightly shake the pan. Slice and enjoy. NOTE: The cooking time will vary depending on the pita pocket that you use. I did make this using Joseph’s Brand Flax Oat Bran and Whole Wheat Pockets (4 Net Carbs per Pita) and Arnold Pocket Thins (15 Net Carbs per 1/2 Pocket) both cooked up the same and tasted great just a matter of preference and saving calories or carbs.

Have you ever had a breakfast pizza? 

What were your favorite toppings?

I also did a Guest Post over at The Homey Owl for Baked Caramel Maple Walnut Apples. Go check it out!

Linking up with Jessica and Ashley.

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Weekend Update

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a great weekend. I can’t believe this week is the New Year. I really need to figure out what some of my goals will be for next year. I haven’t had a moment of peace to really sit down and think of what I want to accomplish. It is creeping up on us. Eek! Well on to the what I was up to this weekend.

***This is the last chance to join my 1 Year Blogiversary giveaway so if you want to participate please complete this form.***

Saturday: I really wanted to get some shopping done and use some of the gift cards that I got for Christmas so after a workout (I started P90X3 on Friday and I am loving it so far and I burned over 800 calories in 30 minutes) and a shower I headed out. I stopped at Target, then to Best Buy to schedule my remote car starter appointment which will not be until February (womp, womp – unless there is a cancellation), then to PetSmart. I got Seamus a marow bone and some grooming brushes. He really does not like to be brushed, but tough luck.

saturday

I hit Wal-Mart looking for a new battery for my Polar heart rate monitor and some floor mats for my gym. No luck in the battery but got a few other things. I stopped off at the library to pick up some books and then went home for a few hours. I went to Radio Shack to find the battery I needed for my Polar (success) and then grocery shopping. It was a lot of running around so I relaxed the rest of the night knitting a cabled cowl. I also got my gift from my Mom in the mail which was a monogrammed scarf. Isn’t it so pretty!?

saturday-1I also started taking down all my Christmas decorations. I like to start the new year with a nice clean home.

Sunday: I am trying out a new recipe and it turned out pretty good. It was a breakfast pizza with Gouda cheese, chorizo, and egg on a pita pocket. It came out really good and will be posting the recipe tomorrow. I then took all the ornaments and lights off the tree and took the tree outside. After a sweep and vacuum I moved all my furniture back into place.Seamus decided to supervise while I did all the heavy lifting!

sundayI worked out (the P90X3 Yoga – not my favorite) and I think I would prefer a 1,000 burpees over Yoga. In my old hometown this restaurant or should I say institution is closing at the end of December so my brother decided to have one final hurrah and order some takeout so I headed to his house for some pizza. The girls are seriously in love with technology and angry birds.

sunday-1My niece stole my phone and deleted a few apps all in the name of playing some games. She mostly just takes a million pictures of half her face. She is just too cute so really how can I get mad.

It was an amazingly full weekend but I feel like I accomplished a lot.

How was your weekend?

 

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The Holiday Unwrapped

Hope everyone is recovering well from the holiday. I had such a great Christmas and loved enjoying it with family and friends. I am going to be taking down my decorations this weekend and as sad as I will be to see them go I am excited to have my house back together. So for this 5 on Friday I am going to outline my 5 favorites from these past few days.

One. Monday night I met up with Maddie from The Whimsy One at Toby Keith Bar and Grill for dinner. It is the second time we have been on a blate and it was just as fun as the first time. We had so many laughs and such easy conversation.

dinner

I had the Honey BBQ Chicken Wrap. Maddie also gave me a Christmas gift and it had such amazing stuff. Some BBQ sauce made in North Carolina to remember her by, a Pear candle that I am burning as I am typing this up, and the stamp is the Chinese symbol for friends.  The pumpkin cheesecake lotion made its way into my purse and I have used it three times already, it smells so good.

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Our obligatory picture by the Christmas tree to prove it actually happened!! 🙂 This was taken at the end of our 4 hour night so please don’t judge it too harshly.

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I can’t wait for the next time! She is such a great person with a great heart, and I consider her a really good friend!

Two. Christmas Eve was spent at my brothers house where we had dinner with my sister-in-laws side of the family. So much good food was eaten I ended up passing out on the couch around 9:30 pm. Even so the girls opened a few gifts from them, and we snuggled up in the dark watching movies for a bit. My youngest niece is such a Daddy’s girl as you can tell.

bonding

Three. Christmas day was perfect. Getting to see the girls open their gifts from Santa and then waiting for my Dad to arrive. The girls helped me make some Cinnamon buns for breakfast which was fun.

girls

cinnamon buns

My sister-in-law also made eggs, pancakes, and bacon. It was a feast.

Here is a pic of my bedmate too. Rosie kept me company through the night. She even stole the covers too!

rosie

 Four. The girls opened the presents from my Dad and then my brother and me opened our gifts from him. I got some really great gifts including a vacuum that I wanted and already used. It is amazing.

vacuum

I also got two new cookbooks that I can’t wait to try out. The Joanne Fluke cookbook is part of a mystery novel series where she sprinkles in recipes into the stories  and I have made a good portion of the cookies and recipes from those books but glad to have them all together and easily available. I also got a new Fitbit and a remote car started that I need to get installed. I am so excited for that since I had one in my old car and when I replaced my car, it was what I missed the most especially in these cold New England winters. I also got a Veggie Spiralizer to make pasta out of veggies, so excited to give it a try.

cookbooks

Five. Halfway through the day I headed to my Dad’s to see Seamus since he was babysitting for me. We rested a bit and I got some nap time in with both pups.

loungingI then popped over to my second family’s house (they live one house over from my Dad’s house) and opened gifts and caught up on how their day was going. I got a lovely scarf, a book called Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, a bottle of Red Moscato, and a dragonfly belt. I then had a ham dinner with my Dad before heading home around 6pm. It was such an amazing day and I am so grateful for everything I received and the time I got to spend with everyone.

I took Thursday off to recover from all the fun, and my house is almost back to normal. I hope everyone got to spend time with family and friends.

What did you get for Christmas?

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I will be taking the next few days to celebrate Christmas with my family. Including making Cinnamon rolls with my nieces, sleeping over my brothers house and Christmas day with them and my Dad. With a stop at my best friends house to celebrate with my second family. I hope you all enjoy this holiday season. Thank you for sharing this year with me and I hope next year brings even more joy and happiness!

Christmas

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