I realize how long its been. But I made a pact with myself that I would never apologize, or grovel over the guilt i felt for leaving this blog un-attended. But it's sunday night and I am putting off grading papers for something more important... updating my blog!
Life's been crazy! IF you follow me on twitter, are my friend on fb, instagram or in person, then you probably realize that Taddy and I are 5 months pregnant and get to meet our little man mid-august!
I also realize that I am missing a great opportunity to document the growth of this little man, my emotions, fears, and opinions.
Over the next few weeks I"ll list out some memories from the last 5 months so i can remember this very precious time.
Plus, who reads this? My mom, and like 5 of you.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Raptor Jewelry
I love creating and I love to support people who are creating!
A friend from college alerted me to the fact that there was a FB contest for free hand-made earring from a OC hand-made jeweler. And let's get real, Who doesn't love free things? You had me at Free and Handmade!
So I did what I needed... a post, a like, a share etc.. Then I spent some time looking through Raptor Jewelry's Site. If you venture over there/// beware and be ready to have your socks rocked off! There are some amazing pieces in here! It will be extremely difficult NOT to drop my paycheck on this loot! You've been warned:
Drum Roll please...
These beauties are what I will be receiving for my participation in their giveaway! I'll post again as soon as I get them in!
Looking through all their amazing things, I've been inspired to to my hand at some feathers. And who wouldn't be inspired by this amazingness???? It really has pulled me off my couch and forced my to get back into creating again!!!!
Even though I originally entered the contest purely on the hope of the off change that I might win a prize, Raptor Jewelry has found themselves a fan for life!
A friend from college alerted me to the fact that there was a FB contest for free hand-made earring from a OC hand-made jeweler. And let's get real, Who doesn't love free things? You had me at Free and Handmade!
So I did what I needed... a post, a like, a share etc.. Then I spent some time looking through Raptor Jewelry's Site. If you venture over there/// beware and be ready to have your socks rocked off! There are some amazing pieces in here! It will be extremely difficult NOT to drop my paycheck on this loot! You've been warned:
Tracker Jacker anyone???
The LiLa. I'm lost in that color!
"Bolt." I cannot get enough of those polka dots on the feathers!
Gorgeous! (plus, who doesn't love a HP bolt)
Gorgeous! (plus, who doesn't love a HP bolt)
Drum Roll please...
These beauties are what I will be receiving for my participation in their giveaway! I'll post again as soon as I get them in!
Looking through all their amazing things, I've been inspired to to my hand at some feathers. And who wouldn't be inspired by this amazingness???? It really has pulled me off my couch and forced my to get back into creating again!!!!
Even though I originally entered the contest purely on the hope of the off change that I might win a prize, Raptor Jewelry has found themselves a fan for life!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
February Flew out the window!
Holy Cow, its already March!
AS an update,
Reading: Since my impressive 4 books in one month passed, I followed up with a big fat zero for February. I sorta forgot how busy teaching can be! I am in the middle of about 5 paper books that I pick up and put down at different times. I'd like to get all my paper books out of the way so that I can move 100% to my kindle. So I assume that by March or April I'll have another huge x4 books read!
But - I did complete 4 Meals!
Cooking 1: We did BBQ shredded chicken sandwiches!
Cooking 2: I followed up the night with Tacos! Yum!
Cooking 3: Was more like breakfast than dinner, but boy was that good, I made bacon (which if you know me know that this is essential.) and spinach and broccoli scrambled eggs.
Cooking 4: I also was able to throw together another favorite of mine: Chicken Stir Fry with veggies. I assume I'll make this again and photograph it!
So this makes my unofficial cooking count to : 5!
Creating!
Well... I did do a lot of this! Again i can't believe a didn't take any photos!!!
It all started at bunco last time. We all place dimes in the cup every time someone rolls TRAVELERS (al twos) and then the winner takes all the dimes home. We all started talking about needing a little bag to carry our dimes from table to table. One girl said she thought she saw one on etsy. I said, oh i think i can make a few... So when i got home I decided to make a BETTER version of this only smaller with corners so it'll stand on a table! I think I made around 10 of them and I brought them to our bunco for March. Instant hit! I sold just about all of them. I'll try to get a picture of the last one left over that I'll probably mail off to someone... So thats crafting x10.
February Connections:
I had a few great connections this month! I'll speak of two:
1 - My father in law was in town from outta state and Tad and I went to dinner with him a few times as well as with Tad's brother and his wife.
2 - My girls from bunco are also some of my closest friends from high school. We all went to BJs Pizza and had a wonderful time reconnecting and expressing how glad we are that facebook brought some of our greatest friends back into our lives! Really, I could not be more thankful! We even had another old friend be our waiter and he got us in ahead of the saturday crowd!
3- My mommies birthday was toward the end of the month, so the night after my girls night, We all went out again to celebrate my mom's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!
So there was my February in a nutshell. I"ll be back on to update some pictures.
AS an update,
Reading: Since my impressive 4 books in one month passed, I followed up with a big fat zero for February. I sorta forgot how busy teaching can be! I am in the middle of about 5 paper books that I pick up and put down at different times. I'd like to get all my paper books out of the way so that I can move 100% to my kindle. So I assume that by March or April I'll have another huge x4 books read!
But - I did complete 4 Meals!
Cooking 1: We did BBQ shredded chicken sandwiches!
Cooking 2: I followed up the night with Tacos! Yum!
Cooking 3: Was more like breakfast than dinner, but boy was that good, I made bacon (which if you know me know that this is essential.) and spinach and broccoli scrambled eggs.
Cooking 4: I also was able to throw together another favorite of mine: Chicken Stir Fry with veggies. I assume I'll make this again and photograph it!
So this makes my unofficial cooking count to : 5!
Creating!
Well... I did do a lot of this! Again i can't believe a didn't take any photos!!!
It all started at bunco last time. We all place dimes in the cup every time someone rolls TRAVELERS (al twos) and then the winner takes all the dimes home. We all started talking about needing a little bag to carry our dimes from table to table. One girl said she thought she saw one on etsy. I said, oh i think i can make a few... So when i got home I decided to make a BETTER version of this only smaller with corners so it'll stand on a table! I think I made around 10 of them and I brought them to our bunco for March. Instant hit! I sold just about all of them. I'll try to get a picture of the last one left over that I'll probably mail off to someone... So thats crafting x10.
February Connections:
I had a few great connections this month! I'll speak of two:
1 - My father in law was in town from outta state and Tad and I went to dinner with him a few times as well as with Tad's brother and his wife.
2 - My girls from bunco are also some of my closest friends from high school. We all went to BJs Pizza and had a wonderful time reconnecting and expressing how glad we are that facebook brought some of our greatest friends back into our lives! Really, I could not be more thankful! We even had another old friend be our waiter and he got us in ahead of the saturday crowd!
3- My mommies birthday was toward the end of the month, so the night after my girls night, We all went out again to celebrate my mom's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!
So there was my February in a nutshell. I"ll be back on to update some pictures.
Monday, January 31, 2011
January Book Report {1, 2, 3, 4}
Before I created a goal for myself I was already reading a lot thanks to an early Christmas gift of a Kindle from Tad's parents. I finished off The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens & Battle of the Labyrinth, the 4th book in the Percy Jackson Series in December.
Then - In January - I picked up the following FOUR (WOW) Books:
{1} The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians; Book Five) - What a great end to a fantastic series. Though my personal favs would be the first (Lightning Thief) and fourth (Battle of the Labyrinth) this one wasn't as bad as Sea of Monsters (book 2). Most of the story focuses around the final battle. I was so surprised that hundreds of pages were dedicated to one marathon day. There were plenty of flashbacks/dreams/visions to answer the "finally, I know what happen to... "How so-in-so came to be..."" who ____ is... " That I didn't feel like I was kicked out with so many questions (I can appreciate that). I felt that some things were a little pushed together and slightly unbelievable, but hey - its about Mt Olympus being on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building, so talk about unbelievable. Rick Riordan has already published a second series about more demi-gods loosely associated with Percy and his buds (and the second of that series due out this fall). Rick, you have my soul. And my money.
{2} The Hunger Games - My girl-friends got me into this and THANK GOD! This whole series will consume you and take you on an original journey about a post-apocalyptic country in the former U.S. (we never really hear the year). Every year to prove to the Districts that the Capitol has complete control, they select two children from each district to fight to the death in The Hunger Games, the future of reality TV. No really, I'm serious. And this is a Young Adult Fiction. And its amazing. The imagery puts you RIGHT into the middle of it, with cliff hanger chapter endings (or last sentences) that will literally keep you up all night until you finish. There were parts SO EXCITING that I read at super human speed that can only be attributed to the type of adrenaline rush that allows mom's to lift cars off of their kids. I read so fast that I had to go back and reread pages just to make sure I didn't miss anything. Just wow. Its a great look at how far we will go for entertainment, freedom, and autonomy. Just go read them - really.
{3} Catching Fire (Book two in the Hunger Games) I can't say too much about this book without spoiling book one, BUT I can speak to my favorite character: Katniss Everdeen. She is a FAR better role model for young women than the waste of literary space named: Bella Swan. Her devotion to her family and her friends shows more character than Bella ever did. I am constantly in awe of her amazing ability to think on her feet and analyze every moment in real time. You can't help but root for Katniss.
{3} The Mocking Jay (The Final Chapter In the Hunger Games Trilogy) - This is probably my least favorite of the three, but only in comparison with the amazingness of the first two. What I did love about this book is the look at the extreme sides of the political spectrum, and how sometimes even though ideas may start as being beneficial to society, they can become terrifyingly restrictive and oppressive if pushed to the extreme of either spectrum. Once again, I must say - Katniss Everdeen has more depth in her pinkie than Bella Swan's whole presence (plus the whole Cullen Clan). Team Peeta.
Then - In January - I picked up the following FOUR (WOW) Books:
{1} The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians; Book Five) - What a great end to a fantastic series. Though my personal favs would be the first (Lightning Thief) and fourth (Battle of the Labyrinth) this one wasn't as bad as Sea of Monsters (book 2). Most of the story focuses around the final battle. I was so surprised that hundreds of pages were dedicated to one marathon day. There were plenty of flashbacks/dreams/visions to answer the "finally, I know what happen to... "How so-in-so came to be..."" who ____ is... " That I didn't feel like I was kicked out with so many questions (I can appreciate that). I felt that some things were a little pushed together and slightly unbelievable, but hey - its about Mt Olympus being on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building, so talk about unbelievable. Rick Riordan has already published a second series about more demi-gods loosely associated with Percy and his buds (and the second of that series due out this fall). Rick, you have my soul. And my money.
{2} The Hunger Games - My girl-friends got me into this and THANK GOD! This whole series will consume you and take you on an original journey about a post-apocalyptic country in the former U.S. (we never really hear the year). Every year to prove to the Districts that the Capitol has complete control, they select two children from each district to fight to the death in The Hunger Games, the future of reality TV. No really, I'm serious. And this is a Young Adult Fiction. And its amazing. The imagery puts you RIGHT into the middle of it, with cliff hanger chapter endings (or last sentences) that will literally keep you up all night until you finish. There were parts SO EXCITING that I read at super human speed that can only be attributed to the type of adrenaline rush that allows mom's to lift cars off of their kids. I read so fast that I had to go back and reread pages just to make sure I didn't miss anything. Just wow. Its a great look at how far we will go for entertainment, freedom, and autonomy. Just go read them - really.
{3} Catching Fire (Book two in the Hunger Games) I can't say too much about this book without spoiling book one, BUT I can speak to my favorite character: Katniss Everdeen. She is a FAR better role model for young women than the waste of literary space named: Bella Swan. Her devotion to her family and her friends shows more character than Bella ever did. I am constantly in awe of her amazing ability to think on her feet and analyze every moment in real time. You can't help but root for Katniss.
{3} The Mocking Jay (The Final Chapter In the Hunger Games Trilogy) - This is probably my least favorite of the three, but only in comparison with the amazingness of the first two. What I did love about this book is the look at the extreme sides of the political spectrum, and how sometimes even though ideas may start as being beneficial to society, they can become terrifyingly restrictive and oppressive if pushed to the extreme of either spectrum. Once again, I must say - Katniss Everdeen has more depth in her pinkie than Bella Swan's whole presence (plus the whole Cullen Clan). Team Peeta.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Connections {2, 3 & 4}
I have had so many connections the last few weeks! Wow! These three outings have been making connections with OLD friends reunited by FACEBOOK!!!
{2} BUNCO! One my girlfriends from high school was looking to start up a bunco league & I TOTALLY JUMPED IN! I have only ever participated in bunco as a sub years ago. So now I can reconnect with four other girlfriends from high school FACE TO FACE! Our first meeting was a few weeks ago and there are 5 of us that all went to High School together. THANK YOU FACEBOOK!!!
{3} Last Monday - Another really great friend from high school came to visit from out of state (she flew home the night of bunco). Four of us girls from High School all headed out to Moo Creamery. (OH I CAN LOG A LOCAL PLACE!) I met her son for the first time and we all laughed and enjoyed amazing ice cream in the fog!
{4} Satuday - I went to 4-year-old's birthday party at the local rollerrama! So cute to see her sweet little girl opening all her gifts! PLus I got to see my outta-town friend for ONE LAST time before she flew home.
Wow. What a fun Month! I can't wait for my next bunco; and I can;'t believe the reconnections I've made with great friends!!!
{3} Last Monday - Another really great friend from high school came to visit from out of state (she flew home the night of bunco). Four of us girls from High School all headed out to Moo Creamery. (OH I CAN LOG A LOCAL PLACE!) I met her son for the first time and we all laughed and enjoyed amazing ice cream in the fog!
{4} Satuday - I went to 4-year-old's birthday party at the local rollerrama! So cute to see her sweet little girl opening all her gifts! PLus I got to see my outta-town friend for ONE LAST time before she flew home.
Wow. What a fun Month! I can't wait for my next bunco; and I can;'t believe the reconnections I've made with great friends!!!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Cook {1}
Ahh coooking. I LOVE IT! But I never have time for it.
This may not be the most amazing thing since french toast... I just happened to have the time to put together a meal. With me coming home at 6pm from work, and two of nights filled with prior commitments The Tad and I don't get a lot of time to cook.
Here's my first cooked meal
Sweet Caramelized Onion Chicken Burgers and Roasted Herb Potatoes.
Roasted Herb Potatoes (Serves 2): These potatoes are my fav!
-Dice up 4-6 small red potatoes
-Toss them with salt, pepper, garlic, the herbs and olive oil.
(oregano, basil, rosemary thyme... whatever you have)
-Throw it all in a square pyrex tray and bake at 375 for about 30 min.
My suggestion is to line your dish with foil, it'll make clean up much easier. We learned that one the hard way a few years back.
Sweet Caramelized Chicken Burgers: There's no recipe.
-Buy these amazing pre-cooked all natural sweet caramelized onion with peppers and gouda cheese chicken burgers from costco,-Defrost two of them, throw 'em on the skillet/grill/heating device and brown for a few minutes,
-At the last minute add a slice of pepper jack cheese.
-While you are doing that: toast up some buns & slice up some tomatoes and romaine.
There you go! Hopefully Next time i'll have a better recipe for you.
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