Before & After: Some front yard landscaping...

Behold, the ugliest non-weed I've ever seen:





It's sort of like the plant-version of this guy:



No no, don't get me wrong. I love Andre Agassi...and I love plants. But that hair? Just unecessary. Just like that mop of a shrub. See my point?

This weekend we replaced 1990s Agassi shrub with a beautiful Blue Spruce:





Isn't he much cuter? Like the plant version of this:



Aaaah, much better.

Review of the Controversial KFC Meat-for-Bun "Double Down" Chicken Sandwich

Mr. P here, taking over the blog to write a review of the controversial new sandwich that's taking Omaha by storm.

Here's the story. This morning's Omaha World Herald contained a front page article titled "A Finger-Lickin' Controversy", about a new sandwich concept from KFC. From the article:

It seems like a college freshman's dream — a sandwich made of two original
recipe Kentucky Fried Chicken breast filets, two slices of cheese, two
pieces of bacon and something called “Colonel's Sauce.” And no bun.

That's right. On the new "Double Down" sandwich, the fried chicken breasts are the bun, and the bacon and cheese go in between.

But here's the kicker - it's only being tested in two markets in the whole country. Providence, RI and Omaha, NE. Because when you think meat innovation, think Omaha.

Naturally I decided to find a KFC here and be a part of the experiment.



So how was it? It was greasy and messy, and it was delicious. It didn't look much like the pictures, but when has fast food ever looked like it does in the commercials? It was super filling, and they are on to something with that "Colonel's Sauce".



Not something you want to eat on a regular basis, unless you own a defibrilator, but pretty tasty and worth trying for the novelty value. And I have done my part, as a part of the test market, to make sure it comes to a KFC near you soon. You're welcome.

Before & After: Garage Closets...

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm just slightly obsessive compulsive. SLIGHTLY. Fortunately my OCD has rubbed off a bit on Mr. P who is the self-proclaimed Master of the Garage. So today's mission: garage organization!

We're fortunate to have two massive cedar closets in the garage. I think you're supposed to put your mink coats in there but since I have no mink coats we use it for other things. Mr. P (a.k.a. Huggy Bear) chooses to keep his minks elsewhere:



Anyhoodles, some $30 plastic shelves from Menards (the best home improvement store ever...you can get a socket wrench and Cookie Crisp and Sham-Wow all at the same place) and we've transformed the closets from this:





To this:





Hey! That's where the Christmas tree stand went! I was looking for that!

Before & After: The Kitchen

We'd already completed round one of the kitchen remodel, peeling off wallpaper and repainting. But it wasn't quite right. The ugly faux-wood laminate floors were making me crazy and the color I'd chosen for the kitchen walls - though pretty - was a bit bland for the space. And I am, afterall, one spicey Latina...bland just won't cut it.

This is what it looked like when we FIRST moved in:



HOT. MESS.

This is what it looked like a month later:



Cute, cute...but not quite right.

And this is what it looks like now:





Ay chihuahua! That's one eh-spicey kitchen, no?

I'll tell you all about the new floors in the next post. In the meantime, gaze upon my neon blue walls (the color is called Mermaid Treasure...) and love them.

BREAKING NEWS: Anatomically correct tomato...

I am too much of a lady to tell you what this tomato looks like to me. But suffice it to say Mr. P and I could NOT STOP laughing after we picked this bad boy from our vines.

Here it is in all it's glory - talk amongst yourselves. First, the front:





Now the back:



And now the side view:



Ahem...you can also understand why we will NOT be eating this one. Thanks.

Wanna feel REALLY bad about your landscaping?

Visit the Lauritzen Botanical Gardens and be reminded that your backyard (and maybe your front yard) will never be NEARLY as nice!

Okay I kid, I kid! It's an amazing and breath-taking place that makes you wish you were a wee bit better with the ol' potting soil, if you know what I mean. (Don't feel bad if you don't...most of the time I don't even really know what I mean.)

Here's my little sister at the start of the gardens - isn't she cute? (TAKE NOTE ALL YOU ELIGIBLE BACHELORS IN THE SOUTH FLORIDA AREA):



We wandered through the Japanese garden (which is still being developed and will be even more fabulous very soon):



We sniffed around the herb garden (quite literally in Mr. P's case):





We encountered wildlife:





And we took in the children's garden which has plants you can touch and even taste, and features a super fun corn maze (or maize maze...HA! Get it?):



This month the gardens feature an exhibit of Wonders of the World made entirely of gourds, berries, sticks, etc. The sculptures have been placed all around the Train Garden - is that cool or what? Behold the Hagia Sofia:





We left with a ton of inspiration and maybe a tiny case of hay fever. But if you're ever in town make sure to add the Lauritzen Botanical Gardens to your to-do list!

Before & After: The Front Door

I may have mentioned on this blog that I have a bit of a brown thumb. Things die around me. I mean, not PEOPLE or anything that dramatic. But plants, flowers and the occassional vegetable. (although my tomatoes continue to flourish in spite of me)

Exhibit A - the potted flowers Mr. P's mom helped me pick out to brighten the front door:



Pretty right? Well not after I got done with them:



Nice work, Mrs. P. Anywho, my little sister was in town this weekend and she kicked my butt into high gear and encouraged me to try again. (and by "encourage" I mean laughed at my inability to grow things and said my doorstep looked like something you'd seen in a crack den...ah, sisterly love) And try again we did!



A new light and some house numbers and it looks downright cheerful! No crack sold here, no siree Bob!



Now let's see how long I keep these bad boys alive. Wish me luck!