High Five for Friday

I'm linking up with The Lauren Elizabeth for High Five for Friday.

TGIF!  It was a short week but seemed to go by very slowly.  Can you believe next week is June?  I think June is my favorite month of the year.  Here are the top 5 highlights of my week.

 1.  My Memorial weekend plans fell through.  So I decided to go with my original plan of going home to Norwalk, Ohio to visit my parents.  It is about a 4-4.5 hour drive from Indy.  I sort of surprised my parents.  I told Mom that day I was coming and Dad was quite surprised when I walked in that night.  He couldn't believe what he was seeing.  He is so cute.  These 2 are a lot of fun and I wish I lived closer.  They just kept thanking me for coming and making their weekend exciting.  I'm not sure I am that much fun but I really enjoyed myself.  We shopped, went to church, ate out, planted flowers, took the dogs for a walk, and did misc things around the house.  I'm glad I can help my parents out occasionally since they have done so much for me.  I just love them to pieces.

Crossing the state line

2.  Mom and I went to a local greenhouse to get some flowers for her outside planters.  It is about all the flowers she can handle.  We both have some serious black thumbs.  We can both kill plants like nobody's business.  Mom always wants to buy fancy flowers and I always have to remind her they will be dead in a week.

The greenhouse.  It was so hot in there!

One of two planters outside the garage.

 

A small plant hanger in the back yard from Big Lots.  It is so cute at night!

3.  I didn't get to see my nieces while I was home.  :-(  But here is a cute picture Mom sent of K#2 this week from daycare.  She's got sweet potatoes all over her face.

4.  Mom and I did it again.  We went to Ulta!  We can't stop, won't stop.  Mom is such a bad influence on me!  I wanted to pick up some Laura Geller bronzer.  Mom had let me try some of hers and I just loved it.  Have you tried Laura Geller before?  My Mom uses her makeup all the time and now she has me addicted to it.  It works with any skin tone and doesn't feel like you are wearing make-up.

Laura Geller 'Summer in Capri' kit.  Includes brush, mascara, dual eyeshadow, bronzer, and lip gloss

I picked up a new hair brush as I hadn't replaced mine in awhile.  If you haven't figured out yet I love the color pink.  And of course I couldn't leave without picking up a couple of Essie new neon nail polish colors.  Have I mentioned how much I love their nail polish?!

New hair brush.  Essie nail polish Bachelorette Bash and Chills and Thrills

5.  For the past 3 days my eyes have been swollen something terrible.  The tree and grass pollen index is at an all time high.  I'm thinking that has something to do with it.  Ugh!  Allergies!  Hopefully the rain we have had will help with this.  I'll take this over snow and ice any day.

Have a wonderful weekend!!!  Thank you so much for reading.  Do me a favor though would you?  Please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.  Thank you!

Facebook:  NapTown Diva Blog
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What's in your purse

One of my favorite bloggers once shared what she had in her purse.  I loved the idea as I am a nosy gal!  I thought I would share what I carry in mine.   

1.  What must you always, always have in your purse besides the obvious?

Obviously I need my debit card or I can't really do much without it.  I am finding more and more though I've got to have that Tide pen in there.  It never fails when I am out to eat, I get something on my shirt.  And Tide pens help before a stain can set in. 

2.  What is the most random thing you carry in your purse?

I would probably say the utility knife.  You just never know when you might need a knife, screwdriver, scissors, or corkscrew!  That corkscrew has opened a bottle of wine or two.  (BTW when I cleaned out my purse I found 3 cat treats inside.  I have absolutely no idea how they got in there.  I really am turning into a crazy cat lady!)

3.  Do you prefer a small purse or a large one?

I would say I have to have a larger purse.  That way I can put my lunch for work in there, my i-pad, change of clothes, reusable grocery bags, book, or cat.  (I kid about the cat.  Callie does like to stick her head in and look around.)

4.  Do you change your purse with your outfit, or wear one for the season?

I change mine for the season.  Or whenever the mood strikes.  Sometimes I carry the same bag for a couple of months or until I get tired of it.

5.  Does your wallet have to match your purse?

I didn't use to care about this but now anymore it must always match!  And is it just me or wallets starting to cost just as much as the purse?!

My new purse from Kohl's I just bought this weekend!

I don't like a lot of clutter in my purse.

If you had seen my purse this past weekend it was not this neat and organized.  I had all kinds of random things in it since I was traveling.  I switched purses so it gave me a good opportunity to clean things out.  I once read that a clean purse makes you feel better and more organized.  I agree.  Plus I'm a neat freak since the day I was born.  (My Mom never had to tell me to clean my room.)

Contents of purse:  Kleenex, wallet (Target.  I have one in black, too), cosmetic bag (someone made for me), keys (Eiffel Tower key chain from Pier 1), work keys, sunglasses (Target).  Not shown:  work ID

I have 3 FOBs.  Isn't that nutz?!  One is for my car, automatic car starter, and one to get into my apt. building.  So obnoxious.   

Cosmetic bag:  Tums, pen, Tide pen (I ALWAYS spill on myself), inhaler, 3 chapsticks, contact drops, nail file, jump drive, hair tie, floss, and utility knife.

No matter what purse I am carrying, I can never find what I am looking for.  Is that just me?  Maybe someday I will master the art of putting my hand in my purse and pulling out what I need the first time.

High Five for Friday

I'm linking up with The Lauren Elizabeth for High Five for Friday.

Finally the long weekend has arrived!  I hope that you have fun plans.  Indy is all a buzz over the 500 weekend.  The month of May is a very exciting time to live in Indy.

Check out these cool earrings my Mom gave me.  She got them when she lived here in the 70's.

1.  Last weekend as you know Mom was in town.  Most of our adventures were surrounded by food.  I mean isn't that what life is about?!?!  Here are a couple of the places we visited.

Shapiro's is a deli that has been around forever in Indy.  My parents use to go there in the 70's and even my great grandparents absolutely loved Shapiro's.

Here is what we had.  Mom-half of a rare roast beef sandwich.  Me-half of a bologna sandwich.  What is great about their sandwiches is they slice the meat and cheese right there in front of you.  Talk about fresh!
We shared broccoli salad, deviled eggs, and a potato cake with applesauce.  Somehow we made room for dessert.  Mom had key lime pie and I had chocolate peanut butter cake. 

My mouth is watering just looking at this!

Check out their full menu here:

Shapiro's Delicatessen

We got a late start to our day Saturday (we are not morning people) and ended up having brunch at Zest! in SoBro.  At 2pm we had a little bit of a wait because of a large party.  We shared an order of biscuits and double sausage gravy and each had a half order of their creme brulee french toast.  Both were delicious!  Overall the food was good and we had a nice server.  I just wasn't impressed with the atmosphere of the restaurant.  Everyone seemed grumpy and stressed.

Check out their full menu:

Zest

2.  How adorable are my nieces?  I can't even handle the cuteness.  They had these done on Easter by Firefly Photography in Milan, Ohio

Photo from Firefly Photography

Mom sent me this picture from the daycare on Thursday.  What a big girl K#2 is!  Sitting up and eating squash.  I just want to kiss those cheeks!!!

3.  Mom and I went to Ulta on Saturday.  Can I just tell you how much I love this store?!  If I could win a shopping spree it would be to Ulta.  I could spend hours upon hours looking at everything.  I have to control myself.  I almost bought Urban Decay's $54 eyeshadow palette but Mom pulled me away.  Instead I got some much cheaper eyeshadow from Maybelline.  And of course some Essie nail polish.  Essie is my favorite brand of all time.  I am so obsessed with their polish and it stays on forever!

Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal in Inked in Pink and Bad to the Bronze.  Essie Nail Polish: Naughty Nautical

4.  My co-worker has been hunting morels and she shared this one with me.  (It took up my whole cutting board!)  To my knowledge I have never had one before.  I sliced this baby up, coated with flour/milk, and fried it.  It was delicious!!!

I couldn't find a ruler in my house so I used a stick of butter to show you how big it is.

5.  We had some crazy storms Wednesday afternoon into the evening.  Hail, lightning strikes, and 50mph winds.  This was the view from my apartment between storms.

I hope everyone has a very safe and happy Memorial Day weekend!

What I'm Watchin Wednesday

Hey so I know it is Thursday and not Wednesday today.  (I wish it was Friday already!)  This post was meant to go live on Wednesday.  I was a bit under the weather all day, Wednesday (I think food poisoning.)  Anyway I did watch the Chicago PD finale!  WOW!  You guys need to watch this show.  It is soooo good!

Last night I was obsessively rearranging my season passes on my DVR and I realized I lied to y'all.  I said I had about 50 season passes.  Ummm no.  I have 71.  In my defense not all shows are currently in season.  So you know I'm not watching that much TV.  That is what I will keep telling myself.

**spoilers ahead if you are not up to date on the latest episode

Hands down right now one of my favorite shows is Chicago PD.  It is a spin off from Chicago Fire.  Chicago PD follows the Intelligence Unit for District 21.  They handle high profile cases involving drug trafficking, organized crime, and murders.  I have to watch this show as it airs.  I love it that much.

In order to understand the show you need to know a little about the very good looking cast.

The team:  Burgess, Halstead, Lindsay, Voight, Dawson, and Ruzek

Sergeant Voight (Jason Beghe):  Head of Intelligence Unit.  He does things a little differently in the Unit.  Not by the book but a little off the record.  For the most part he gets away with it.  He has created a kick ass Intelligence Unit.  He is very passionate about his city and protecting it.  My Mom didn't want to watch Chicago PD in the beginning because she hated Voight's character so much from Chicago Fire.

Lindsay and Voight

Detective Lindsay (Sophia Bush):  She is Voight's favorite.  He took her in when she was 16 and got her off the streets.  (From drugs we think.)  Voight made her into a great detective.  She runs with all the guys just fine.  I started watching Chicago PD because of Sophia.  Loved her in One Tree Hill.

Detective Dawson (Jon Seda):  Lost his partner in gunfire in the very first episode.  Detective Dawson doesn't like Sergeant Voight but respects him and tries to keep him honest.  How adorable is Jon Seda?!

Dawson and Halstead

Detective Halstead (Jesse Soffer):  Detective Lindsay's partner.  There is a definite mutual attraction between Halstead and Lindsay.  But because they are partners they don't do anything about it.  Halstead is semi new and likes testing the waters with Voight.  He is such a cutie!!!!!  (Sorry I'm such a girl sometimes.)

Detective Olinsky (Elias Koteas) and Officer Ruzek (Patrick Flueger):  Detective Olinsky is Sergeant Voight's go to man.  They go way back.  Back to the days when they were fresh out of the academy.  Officer Ruzek is a cocky, newbie but willing to do anything.  Together they go undercover and do stake outs for the Unit.

Olinsky and Ruzek

Officer Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins) and Officer Burgess (Marina Squerciati):  Uniformed officers who occasionally get to fill in with the Intelligence Unit.  In the last episode Officer Atwater had been given the vacant position with the Unit. 

Sassy Sergeant Platt with Burgess and Atwater

This show keeps me on the edge of my seat.  Just when I think I have the storyline figured out it takes a drastic turn.  I love seeing them catch the bad guys.  And all the high powered guns.  WOW!  The cast also live tweets during east and west coast showings.  It is fun to follow along on twitter and get some of the behind the scenes stories.

Chicago PD season finale is May 21, 2014 on NBC at 10pm.  I am so thrilled it will be back for a second season.  

*all photos are from nbc.com

Why I started a blog

My New Year's Resolutions for 2014

I have been thinking all day what to write about and then I thought I would share a little bit about why I started my blog.  (Also a very close friend asked me and it dawned on me I should probably share that on here.)

As you can see in the picture above, it was a New Year's Resolution.  That is honest to goodness the resolutions I wrote on January 1.  I keep it on my bedroom mirror so I can see it everyday.  I actually started my blog in mid January.  I drafted my first post and just let it sit there for several months.  Finally in April I thought let's do this!!!!  I can't believe that I have gotten over 800 hits in less than a month.  Thank you!

I have been following about 8 blogs on the regular now for about maybe 2 years.  Most of them are beauty bloggers but they talk about their normal every day lives as well.  One blogger I started following from pinterest and the others I randomly came across.  I am also a big fan of the Pioneer Woman as you know.  I enjoy her blog so much.  A lot of the ladies blog to supplement their income or it is their full-time job.  I would love for this to be a source of some income for me but I'm okay if this is just a hobby.  I thought if these ladies can do it, then so can I. What do I have to lose?

I wanted to feel like I had a voice in this crazy world.  I'm not sure what kind of theme this blog may have.  I plan on writing about my life and the things I do.  The only things off limits will be my job, politics, money, and religion.  My Grandmother told me to never discuss the last 3 because you will never agree.  And well Grams is right!

So where did NapTown Diva come from?  Well the answer is my Dad.  Whenever I was little and needed a name for a new doll, stuffed animal, Barbie, toy....he was the man for the job.  He is very creative and puts a lot of thought into things.  He came up with NapTown part and we threw a couple of ideas around.  I said Diva and well the rest is history.  I am somewhat of a Diva in our family.  Did I just publicly admit that?  Oh well it is the truth.  If you didn't know NapTown is a nickname for IndiaNAPolis where I live.  I do love naps, too!

Me and my Dad

I know I am not a writer.  (We will leave that to dear ole Dad.)  I'm sure I will write in run on sentences and say things that make no sense to anyone but me.  Hopefully I don't embarrass anyone too badly.  This is all in good fun.  I just wanted to share a little piece of myself with the world.



Now let me break down my 'about me' section.  It goes something like this. "I'm a TV junkie, country music lover, crazy cat lady, aunt, daughter, friend, Target shopper, Social Media addict, looking to be inspired, 30 something diva living the single life in NapTown."

TV junkie-I watch way too much TV.  I have over 50 season passes on my DVR.  Don't even get me started on on the reality shows I watch on BravoTV.

Country music lover-since only about 2010.  My good friend T kind of forced it upon me when we traveled to Gulf Shores for a family vacation.  Sugarland is probably one of my faves.  Luke Bryan is my boyfriend.

Sugarland in concert a couple of years ago.

On a serious note*  Yes I was at the Sugarland concert where the stage collapsed.  By far one of the most terrible things I have ever seen in my life.  My friend Jennifer and I witnessed the whole thing from the stands.  A night neither one of us will forget.  God bless all those who were injured and lost their lives.
Crazy cat lady-Yes.  I've got 2 cats.  I probably would have more if Lee would let me.  He's says three is too many.............Whatever.

Aunt-Proud Aunt!  I've got 3 nieces and 1 nephew.  Okay 2 are technically not related to me but I love them as my own.

Me with D&P a couple of years ago

Daughter-My Mom claims me.  My Dad well you will just have to ask him.  ;-)

Friend-I have a small circle of really close friends.  I don't let too many people in.  They are my people.  They get me.

My besties.  BFF 4-ever and ever.

Target shopper-Even I wear myself out on Target sometimes and need a break.  It is worth it to drive to Super Target to avoid that other hellish store that shall NOT be named.

Social Media addict-Yes I have to check Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Vine like a billion times a day.  (In that order, too.)  Instagram and Twitter are my favorite.  FB is sooooooo 2010.

Facebook:  NapTown Diva Blog
Instagram: naptowndiva
Twitter:  @naptowndiva79
Pinterest:  naptowndiva79

Looking to be inspired-Trying to figure out what I should be doing with the rest of my life.

30 something-When did I get so old?  I am 34 and holding.  I'm not sure I can handle turning 40.

Single-Yes I am forever the single girl.  I have never found someone who is worth my time.  Maybe I have very high standards.  I also grew up hearing from my Mother and Grandmother.....'Never get married!'  Yes I can see your point.  It gets really lonely some days but that is what the cats are for.  Right??!!!??

I drink large margaritas because I can!!!

High Five for Friday

I'm linking up with The Lauren Elizabeth for High Five for Friday.

1.  TGIF!!  I finally have some exciting weekend plans to share.  My Mom is coming to town!!!  I don't think she has been here since last fall so I am excited to have her come for a visit.  We are going to do some shopping and of course eating out.

2.  As you may have noticed there have been some big changes around here.  www.naptowndiva.com is officially my domain.  I now own it.  Kind of exciting.  I spent countless hours working on coding and things I didn't even know how to do.  I think I literally went crossed eyed on Monday and Tuesday.  With some help from my host site everything came together and I went live on Tuesday.

I also purchased a template from Emily at Blogaholic Designs.  As I am just starting out I didn't want to spend too much on a template but Emily was worth it.  Not only did she install this for me but she linked up my social media icons.  I'm just thrilled with the results!  Be sure to check out her Etsy shop.


Wednesday I worked on getting my social media up to date.  I know this is super important with the bloggers I follow and I wanted to get started right away.

Be sure to follow me!

Facebook:  NapTown Diva Blog
Instagram: naptowndiva
Twitter:  @naptowndiva79
Pinterest:  naptowndiva79


3.  Sunday was a really good day in my book.  Lee and I spent the whole day together and didn't fight once.  We began our day shopping in Avon.  We had Chipotle for lunch.  Look at our beautiful burrito bowls.  This makes me want one right now!!!

4.  That afternoon we hung out on Lee's deck just talking and playing on our iPads.  It was a nice day out and so relaxing.  For dinner we went to Locally Grown Gardens in SoBro.  It is a permanent farmer's market and they have a limited menu.  I got the chicken and Lee had the salmon.  The best part of the meal was the sugar cream pie.  It is to die for!!!  I didn't even get a picture because they were gone so quick!

Lee enjoying a Root Beer from TripleXXX in West Lafayette.

5.  Don't you just love a good thunderstorm?  This was the view from work on Tuesday.

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for reading!!!!!

Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

About once a week I like to make one dish that will create a lot of leftovers.  It is nice to just grab some leftovers and warm it up whether it is for lunch or dinner.  This past weekend I made a chicken enchilada casserole.  Let me just say I cook a lot like Ina Garten aka Barefoot Contessa.  I don't measure my ingredients.  I just kind of throw things together.  It is how I have always cooked.  When I bake I do tend to measure things more but a lot of times I just eyeball it.  Sorry my recipe doesn't have exact measurements.  I will do my best.

I found a couple of easy recipes on Pinterest and put them together to create this casserole.  The leftovers didn't last very long.  It was really good!!!  I am also not one to add a ton of spices to my food.  I am a bit of a whimp in the spicey food department.

Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:
3-4 large chicken breasts
Shredded cheese of your choice.  (I used mozzarella and sharp cheddar.)
10 Soft flour tortillas (medium size)
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
Salsa
Sour cream
Seasonings of your choice

1.  First boil some chicken breasts until fully cooked.  I used 4 medium to large chicken breasts.

2.  Remove chicken from water.  Make sure chicken is drained well.  Shred chicken in a separate bowl.  To give the chicken a little flavor I added some fresh salsa.  You could also use a can of Rotel.

3.  Next you will want to get out your shredded cheese.  Ever since I started watching the Pioneer Woman, I prefer freshly grated cheese.  It takes some extra effort but it is worth it.  I used one small block of mozzarella and sharp cheddar.

 4.  Now it is time to start assembling.  Simply hold a tortilla in your hand like you are making a taco.  Fill it with the chicken mixture and then sprinkle some cheese on top.  Don't fill it too full.  You want to be able to roll it up like a burrito.  **Side note.  You could add some beans to this.  I am not a big fan of them.**

 5.  As you roll them, line them in a large greased casserole dish.  (Mine made 9 and I used one large and small casserole dish.)  Once you have them all prepared add the cans of cream of chicken soup on top and spread all over the top of the enchiladas.  I sprinkled a little bit of seasonings on top. 
**Instead of cream of chicken soup you could use the canned enchilada sauce.  I don't care for the sauce and I like the taste of cream of chicken better.**

6.  Cook in a preheated 350F oven for about 20-25 minutes.  

 7.  Spoon up and serve with a dollop of sour cream.  Yummy!
**You could add cheese, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, or guacamole on top.  Or serve on a bed of Mexican rice.  I just used what I had on hand.**

Happy Mother's Day!

Selfie with Mom

My mother.  She is the reason I am here today.  Of course not for the obvious reasons but for much more deeper reasons.  I have suffered from depression and anxiety since I was very young.  I wasn't properly diagnosed until I was 19.  That of course is a whole other blog series I will discuss someday soon.  I have struggled over the years and without my Mom I would not be here today.  No matter how bad things got for me, my Mom was only a phone call away.  She has this gift, magical power to make everything okay. 

Easter 1982.  Me in the good ole days as an only child!  Andy was born 3 months later.

My parents waited 9 years to have me.  They wanted to be financially stable in their lives before having children.  I hope I was worth the wait.  Ha-ha!  My Mom was a stay at home Mom which I truly believe is the reason my brother and I turned out so well.  Mom gave up a career in teaching to stay at home and raise us.  We were active in everything and Mom just shuttled us around.  Sports practice, dance, swimming, school, playing with friends, and more swimming.  We always had a nice home cooked dinner every night and clean clothes in our closet.  Andy and I never wanted for anything and were spoiled rotten.  Mom kept us entertained at all times.  She has the most amazing patience of anyone I know.  (Which is very nice for all the Irish tempers in our family!)

Mom at the Children's Museum in Indy with K#1, D & P

Now it has been said that my Mom kept me in a little bit of a bubble in my younger years.  I was not allowed to watch PG-13 or R movies.  We weren't allowed to watch 'mature' TV shows (aka anything on MTV, Blossom, Roseanne.  Yet we were allowed to watch Dallas.  Go figure.)  Another good example was I could only watch the shopping scene in Pretty Woman.  My friends laugh at me now when they talk about classic 80's movies I have never seen.  I absolutely understand why she didn't allow us to watch certain things and I do appreciate it.  It meant that my Mom cared and she just wanted to protect us from the outside world.

1999.  I was 19 and just learning what important part of my life she was.

In high school, especially my senior year, I went through the phase of my parents are so not cool.  Just let me be with my friends.  Totally normal.  Mom still kept loving me.  Waking me up everyday for school and making me breakfast.  She still made sure we were well taken care of.  She was a little hesitate when it came time for me to drive.  All kinds of fun rules that never applied to my brother later on!!!  (Still holding that Irish grudge, Megan.)  But again I understand.  She was just trying to protect me.  As time went on I had more freedom.  My parents really never set a curfew for me.  As long as they knew where I was and when I would be home. 

Easter 2010.  Baby K#1

College was really tough for me in the beginning.  I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do or where I wanted to be.  Crazy me decided my sophomore year to go 5 hours away to Purdue.  That first year was very tough.  I was diagnosed with depression and would have never got through that time without my Mom.  Life got better when I joined a sorority and found a major I really enjoyed.  Mom helped me through all the tough times and even through accounting!!!!

Gammy with K#1 and K#2

It has been fun to see my Mom transition into a Grandmother.  AKA Gammy.  She adores K#1 and K#2.  She gets to take care of K#2 at the daycare where she works.  I am glad she can live so close to them and spend time with the girls.  They grow up way too fast.

Gammy and K#1.  Please notice Casey on her lap.  He gets so jealous!!

Mom and her first daycare baby.  B is now almost 4 and still adores my Mom!  B is also the most stylish little girl I know!

My Mom is absolutely my best friend.  I don't know what I would do without her in my life.  I can't think about it.  I love her so much and grateful for all sacrifices she has made for me.  She puts up with my craziness, listens to all my stories, lets me vent, and is always there for me.  She helped me through my back surgery a year and half ago.  Whipped me right back into shape.  I do not know how I ever got so lucky in life to be her daughter but I am thankful everyday.  She truly is the most amazing woman I know.

Mom, Dad, and Stacey celebrating their birthdays

Mom,
Happy Mother's Day.  I apologize for my teenager years, wrecking your Continental, stealing all your nail polish, for making you carry the wooden spoon in your purse, getting mad at you for no reason, causing you sleepiness nights, being like my FATHER, and losing my patience when I'm teaching you how to use your electronic devices.  I can't wait to spend the weekend with you this week in our great town of Indy.  I love you with all my heart.



Dad-I know you are reading this and thinking, hey what about me?!  Your time is coming ole man.  Trust me I will not forget about you.