Wordy Thursdy

So, I was supposed to put these two pictures up last night and the post would have been "Wordless Wednesday" (just a picture or two from that day, no words to explain)... because it rhymes. BUT I forgot, so my new title was going to be "Wordless Thursday", which doesn't rhyme but it would have done the job. Then I felt I had to explain it all so this post is no longer wordless, but very wordy indeed. My next choice in title was going to be "Wordy Thursday", which doesn't rhyme either, and that bothers me. Hence the new and improved title of "Wordy Thursdy".

If only I would have posted this last night, you would have been spared from my ramblings and craziness that is my mind.

Enjoy the cuteness.

Miniatures!

Here are some cool pictures made even cooler here.
You MUST click on the pictures themselves to get the full effect!
The last one is my favorite.
Go.

A street in San Fran:

Taken at Laguna Seca Raceway:


Taken from my car in Texas


At our old duty station in Monterey CA (my hubby)


Radtacular.

My vans don't belong in the garbage.

I bought my first pair of vans (the first of many) sometime in the summer of 2006. I wore them all the time. They soon became the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever had. I still wear them (despite my husband telling me I look homeless...) even though they're torn, bleached, battered, have huge holes, and barely a sole left. I see nothing wrong with them. These shoes have been on adventures! These shoes were with me through every relationship I've had. They've gone hiking, swimming, rock climbing, on motorcycles, camping, fishing, to the beach, and on many road trips. They've been eaten by a puppy, run over, covered in dirt, washed, and covered in dirt again. Hm? What's that you say? Chewed-by-dog look isn't "in"? That can't be right. These shoes hold the memories of my life. They were the only shoes that would fit my feet when I was 9 months pregnant, and they'll be there for the next time too, cause I am never getting rid of these shoes. No sir. These shoes have lived.



This is what they looked like when purchased:


This is what they look like today:





These shoes have been places, and they're not ready to retire.

You have to try this Mac & Cheese.

I got this recipe from my aunt who got it from someone else... it's basically the most delicious mac & cheese dish I've ever had! So... go buy the ingredients, invite your friends over (cause this recipe serves about 10 people), and make it =] YUM.

Ingredients:
8 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
6 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4" pieces
5 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 1/2 cups (18oz) grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups (5oz) grated romano cheese
1 pound elbow macaroni

*** I like to use a little more bread for extra crunchiness on top, thats the best part! ***

Ready, set, go:
1. Preheat oven to 375 and butter a 3-quart (or larger if you have it!) casserole dish, set aside.
2. Place the bread pieces in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Pour butter into bowl with bread and toss. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat the milk.
4. Melt remaining 6 tbsp butter in a large pot over medium heat. When butter begins to bubble, add flour and cook while stirring for about one minute.
5. While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
6. Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups of the cheddar cheese, and 1 cup of the romano cheese (the rest of the cheese is used later). Set cheese sauce aside.
7. Boil water and cook your elbow macaroni 2 to 3 minutes LESS than manufacturer's directions, until the outside is cooked and the inside is underdone. Then transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well.
8. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce and pour entire mixture into prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and the buttered bread crumbs on top of the cheese.
9. Bake until browned on top, about 35 minutes. Allow 5-10 minutes to cool off, then enjoy!!!

A [starving] Bunny Foo Foo & felt fruit!

Aren't these and these just adorable?! I thought I'd take a whack at some bunny making for Evie, since it is Easter and all. My bunny looks malnourished... but it was still made with love and I got to use the cutest argyle fabric that I've been saving! Sure the buttons are crooked, the bottom isn't straight, and a seam is already busting... but hey, he's cute anyways! Or she?





Thankfully this next project turned out much better! I decided to try making fruit out of felt when I saw this tutorial for a felt tomato. Then I made the carrot (with slight variation), and loved it! I thought I'd be adventurous and try making my own grapes, which I thought would be extremely difficult but they turned out pretty good! Evie thinks it's hilarious when I act like Roger Rabbit and eat the carrot, then she tries it herself. Too cute =) When she's older and starts playing "kitchen" I'll probably make her even more goodies. I see a whole cabinet full of felt food in our future!



And below is just a cute picture of her gazing out the window while I take a picture of her fruit. Cuteness Monster!

Evie's 1st Birthday!

My little girl turned 1 year old on March 20th... I refuse to believe it! It seriously just seems like I was pregnant yesterday. At about 9:00 am that morning I said to Taylor, "It was one year ago from now that I was holding her for the first time..." then I got all emotional as I think every mother does on their baby's first birthday. I remember that first cuddle so clearly. They handed her to me while I was in the recovery room after the c-section and it was true love. I felt more at home with her in my arms then ever. I just wanted to hold her and stare at her for eternity! And every time I woke up or she woke up from a nap it felt like Christmas morning when I was a little kid, only that feeling times 10! I just couldn't get enough of that sweet little face. But, back to the present time: She's just growing so fast and is getting to be such a smart little kid. Some recent "tricks" she's doing is bouncing a ball to me (or near me), and she hugs her stuffed animals! I say, "Give Pooh Bear hugs!" and she gives him a huge snuggly hug. SO cute! We just had a little Birthday party for her with Taylor and me and had cake and she opened her presents. We got her a strawberry ice cream cake... delicious, but cold! Even though her fingers were freezing she devoured her slice of cake and made the biggest mess! We had to throw her right in the tub before presents. She was very dainty with the opening of presents... I'm sure that will change as the years go by! I got her the most adorable set of embossed wooden alphabet blocks. Every child should have a set of these! While she just throws them around and knocks them down right now, I know they'll grow with her and help her learn. They have numbers, letters, math symbols, and animal imprints.

Below are more pictures from the party and pictures from her "I'm 1!" photo shoot we did in our backyard. They turned out really well I think! Enjoy =]


She got a little distracted while eating her cake and decided the purple bow must come off! She succeeded... and the bow was destroyed.

Drowning in a Lake of Coins

I worked at Starbucks for about 3 years, and sometimes I start to miss it, then I read this old blog of mine I posted on myspace a long time ago to cure myself. And pardon the language, I sure did swear a lot back then! Either that or I was just really fed up with my job =]



Saturday, June 07, 2008

"Drowning in a lake of coins."
Current mood: ready to strangle some bitches.

I said i wouldn't post a blog complaining about stupid people who come to starbucks...but alas...

I'm SO sick of stupid bitches completely ignoring me as they're paying me at the drive thru window. They're either talking on their expensive phone or talking to the person next to them and sometimes won't even LOOK at me let alone talk to me or, heaven forbid, say "thank you...i know i'm a fucking whore, so thank you for tolerating me." Like, if you're gonna be a bitch to me at least order your drink right so you don't look like an ignorant snob. Just a normal snob. But no...you have to order like you just walked out of a barn don't you?

"Um can i get like...a care-a-mel frappacino with like extra extra care-a-mel inside the cup and double the whipped cream?"

"What size?"

"Umm....the big one? Vente? Venti? Whatever the big one is? With extra care-a-mel and double the whipped cream."

"So you want a venti caramel frappacino with extra caramel? We can't really do extra whipped cream because you already have a venti size...we don't make bigger lids for extra whipped cream."

"Ok, just with extra care-a-mel then."

"Ok you're total is $4.30 we'll see you at the window."

"Extra care-a-mel right?"

"Yup see you at th-" (cut off because she drove away before i could finish my DAMN sentence.)

Then i see the idiot at the window and she just holds out her money before i even OPEN the window! Then i have to reach out 4 feet because her dumb ass can't drive to save her life. Poor girl in her Lexus...she just can't seem to turn and pull up next to the window...sad. and wait...oh wait...whats that?! You want to pay me in change?! Oh my god i would LOVE to take your billion pennies off your hand for you! NOT. I would NOT like this but i'm going to pretend i love it. And i'm ALSO going to pretend that i love when you don't look at me and rip your drink from my hands and drive off without saying thank you. MMMmmm thats the BEST!

gah!

/rant