love. luck. hope. faith.

sleep

2012-02-20T23:59:00.000-06:00

do you ever have such active and realistic dreams that when you wake up, you think its a day ahead of when it actually is? i can't be the only one. this happened with me last night. i can't even remember what all I dreamt about, but i know it was constantly go-go-go (and also my former boss was in it). And I woke up exhausted. And I was convinced it was tuesday. Which also would've meant that I didn't have to be at work until eleven....and also why i woke up late and was fifteen minutes late to work.

i was pretty tired majority of the day, but I ignored it and stayed busy. which was pretty easy to do considering i'm swamped. i got off work an hour earlier than usual today....i didn't have class due to presidents day...which didn't help me when I was trying to convince myself it was only monday. i ran to walmart for some necessities (like dog food and toilet paper) and came home and made dinner.

this, quite literally, was almost me this evening. after I ate dinner I became even more tired and layed down on the floor. my dog came and snuggled up to me and i could've stayed there quite easily. but it only lasted maybe 5 minutes. i don't know what happened but I got up and became quite productive.

all dishes washed, including dinner dishes. and sink cleaned.
clothes into dryer and load started in the washer - which is now in the dryer
i straightened up
dog walked
garbage taken out - both bags! even though it was even windier than earlier today
mail checked
everything put away from shopping trip

and now it is time for me to pop in my new ink cartridge and print off some notes from 3 chapters in sociology. i need to take my test tomorrow evening and have some serious cramming to do before then. ugh. i had originally wanted to get the test taken over the weekend, but i read two books and watched 3 movies instead. oops. i honestly would rather go sort through more of the craft explosion that is covering my bedroom floor then do school work. (i'm an awful student with these gen ed classes. i'm seriously hoping that when i get into the realy culinary classes I will be excited to learn and will apply myself better...because right now I am downright awful. i am in a cleansing/purging mood and i want to get rid of Junk! time for some spring cleaning. i need to find out when my real spring break is and i might plan for some serious cleaning during that week.

till next time
beth

music monday

2012-02-20T21:07:00.000-06:00

I know I have found a great song when it makes me smile Every. Single. Time I listen to it. Not just a small smile, but a 'i'm-a-thirteen-year-old-girl-with-my-first-real-crush-smile.' for real. I don't know what it is, but I can't wipe the smile off my face when I'm listening to it. It ridiculous. The lyrics are more on the serious side, so its not like its a funny song that is making me smile. I can't explain it.

There is actually a ton of music I could share with you today. I have recently discovered a ton of great music, which is good for me but my itunes wishlist keeps growing.

but there is one song that stands out. i have been listening to this song constantly. on repeat practically. there is another song that I have listened to quite a bit, but I will save that for another time.

The song is Little Talks by the Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men. I first heard this song back at the beginning of December in a podcast. It was one of those songs that I though 'oh i like it, i need to look them up' .....but then never got around to. I have some of the 'Music that Matter's' podcasts saved because I love so many songs in the podcast and last week I went back to listen to some of these podcasts, and I rediscovered the song.

I was talking to a friend today about the song and he said that I was really talking it up. I was afraid I was to much, but even if everyone else hates it, I will always love this song. And as he admitted today, I have never led him astray with my music choice before. So hopefully this song won't be the one to start that.

I the lyrics are beautiful, the female singers voice is beautiful.....and the male singers voice? It makes me swoon. His voice is just so darn amazing. But of course, that is just my opinion.

Magical.

Thats what this song is to me. The video I am going to share is not the official music video (its kinda different) but instead I am going to post a video of the band perform live in their apartment

i hope you enjoy this song at least a fraction of how much i do!

till next time

beth

weekly gratitude

2012-02-12T23:07:00.000-06:00

???

cold

2012-02-10T23:59:00.002-06:00

Maybe when i am sitting at my table like this, my apartment is a little to cool. Also when I feel the urge to layer on several layers of socks in order to help me toes warm up...maybe I should turn the eat up a tad little bit. From what I hear, it is supposed to get down into the single digits tonight since the clouds moved out. brr....i normally don't mind winter, but i've had a hard time adjusting so far this year. maybe because the crazy weather here in the Ozarks varies so much. One day its sunny and almost 70, and the next day is cloudy and in the the 30's or 40's.

this cowl is my very first crochet project. I was very surprised to have finished it in one evening. I love these dark, muted colors. I was pretty proud of myself. But the following weekend after finishing this, my mom was helping me get started on a new crochet project. And while i was slowly working away at mine, she made a cowl like this, just different colored yarn. She was stopping to help me, watching a movie (Sliding Doors) and working on her own cowl, and she was done in probably about an hour. an hour!! it took me probably about 4 hours for mine. Granted, she has years of practice on me....i have to keep reminding myself of that.

well now that my Sociology test is over, i think i'm going to cuddle up with a blanket to warm up and continue watching Gossip Girl. (don't judge)

till next time

beth

Lent

2012-02-09T23:47:00.000-06:00

Every year for the past unknown how many years, I have given up something for Lent. (no, I'm not Catholic) I just like the challenge. For last year, I knew what I was going to give up months in advance. This year, I haven't a clue. I've given up all the normal stuff; fast food, soda, ice cream, potato anything, meat. (that was last year! it was tough, but i made it!)

I haven't given up sugar/sweets. And I'm not about to. So don't even bother.

But I'm still at a loss for this year. I have considered Adding something to my daily life, rather than eliminating something. But I'm still not sure. I have a little under two weeks to figure it out though!

till next time
beth

mid-week check-in

2012-02-08T23:51:00.000-06:00

Obsessing over: The Olympics, and pretty prints, like this one and this and this and this and...ok i'll stop now.

Working on: um....nothing, but I should be working on my Government homework. Booooo!

Thinking about: the Olympics....and planning for the Watch Party for the Opening Ceremony...even if it ends up just being me, I will thoroughly enjoy myself
Anticipating: surviving this semester (albeit barely) and getting into the actual culinary classes next semester
Listening to: Gossip Girl is playing on another screen while I am typing this...dont' judge
Drinking: water
Wishing: i wasn't such a procrastinator....also for chocolate

till next time
beth

commercial/the games

2012-02-08T21:01:00.000-06:00

Ok, I know that I am days late in asking this but....did anyone watch the Super Bowl last sunday? Did you watch it just for the commercials? Did you enjoy any of the commercials?

I did watch the super bow.....part of it anyway. I took a brief nap before half time and then walked away some time later. But I did enjoy some of the commercials that I saw. My favorite? The advertisement for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

I love the Olympics. Both summer and winter. And I wish they took place more often then every two years, because that just isn't enough for me. You might think I'm crazy for how much I love the Olympics. But there is just something about it. I can get misty-eyed while watching or even talking about it. I get chills all over. It's ridiculous, but i love it. And seeing the 30 second add for the olympics made the whole evening worth it.

At the begining of the year, I sent an instant message to a coworker/friend and asked him a question. Our convo went something very similar to this.

Me: random but, do you know what takes place this year?
Him: um...the end of the world?
Me: well that, but what I'm talking about is waaay better than that!
Me: The Olympics!!!!!!!

And then we preceded to talking about a watch party, which I am hosting! (i have to, its on my 26 before 27 list) I can't wait, I have already started thinking about food and such...and its not even until end of July. 169 Days, to be exact.

The commercial that was aired during the Olympics you can find here. I'm not posting it because it is a crappy version, uploaded from a cell phone. But its the only one that I can find.

My second favorite commercial/ad from the superbowl you can find here. I won't lie, it gave me chills too.

I am loving this post.

One year, I will see the Olympics live.

I cannot wait.

Pure Magic.

till next time

quote tuesday

2012-02-07T23:53:00.000-06:00

This is the thing: When you hit 28 or 30, everything begins to divide. You can see very clearly two kinds of people. On one side, people who have used their 20s to learn and grow, to find … themselves and their dreams, people who know what works and what doesn’t, who have pushed through to become real live adults. Then there’s the other kind, who are hanging onto college, or high school even, with all their might. They’ve stayed in jobs they hate, because they’re too scared to get another one. They’ve stayed with men or women who are good but not great, because they don’t want to be lonely. … they mean to develop intimate friendships, they mean to stop drinking like life is one big frat party. But they don’t do those things, so they live in an extended adolescence, no closer to adulthood than when they graduated.

Don’t be like that. Don’t get stuck. Move, travel, take a class, take a risk. There is a season for wildness and a season for settledness, and this is neither. This season is about becoming. Don’t lose yourself at happy hour, but don’t lose yourself on the corporate ladder either. Stop every once in a while and go out to coffee or climb in bed with your journal.

Ask yourself some good questions like: “Am I proud of the life I’m living? What have I tried this month? … Do the people I’m spending time with give me life, or make me feel small? Is there any brokenness in my life that’s keeping me from moving forward?”

Now is your time. Walk closely with people you love, and with people who believe … life is a grand adventure. Don’t get stuck in the past, and don’t try to fast-forward yourself into a future you haven’t yet earned. Give today all the love and intensity and courage you can, and keep traveling honestly along life’s path.

— Relevant magazine

music monday

2012-02-06T21:36:00.001-06:00

this is another song that i have been enjoying a lot lately. The song is 'Heartbeats' and what I am posting is actually a cover by Jose Gonzales. The original is by The Knife, you can listen to that version here if you are interested. I must say that I am partial to the cover though. I think it is beautiful.

till next time

beth

Photo a Day

2012-02-06T00:40:00.002-06:00

So I haven't done to well with this challenge so far this month. This weekend was kinda rough, and this challenge was the furthest thing from my mind. Hopefully I will do better about it this week. My sleep has been anything but regular this weekend. I don't know how or why it happened, but it managed to get all screwed up. I even took a melatonin tablet one of the nights, and it didn't do anything for me. In fact, by morning I was feeling a little cross-eyed, like I was seeing double. I don't know if that is due to taking melatonin and not getting any sleep, or just from not getting any sleep. But it happened both friday and saturday nights. I hope it doesn't happen tonight.

I did however finally get to watch Downton Abby on Netflix. I've heard a lot of poeple talking about it and have wanted to check it out, and I finally had the chance. And I watched all 7 episode of it. Oops.

I had plans to be so productive this weekend. That didn't happen though. Oh well, maybe next weekend.

till next time
beth

weekly gratitude

2012-02-05T23:46:00.000-06:00

as always, I am grateful for my parents. I haven't figured out how I will ever be able to repay them for all that they've done for me lately.
i'm grateful for lunch with a friend and Vietnamese food
i am grateful for the hope that i have for this year. its helps to keep me going.
i am grateful i finally have my dog at my apartment. it has been a little bit of an adjustment, and I always feel guilty when i have to leave her, but I am still glad that she is here
i am grateful for wine
i am grateful for the random things I find on the internet that make me laugh out loud.

till next time
beth

Photo a Day - Day 2

2012-02-02T23:45:00.000-06:00

i actually have two. i couldn't decide.

both of these hang on my inspiration wires that are behind my front door.

I love those wires, but I need to add some stuff some time.

change it up a little

till next time

beth

Photo a Day - Day One

2012-02-01T23:55:00.000-06:00

I cannot believe it is February already. Each month and each year just seem to fly by faster and faster and yet time also seems to go by so slowly. Most of my days are filled with procrastination and nothingness. Nothing important or exciting. Most often, I feel like I'm waiting for something. I'm just not sure what I am waiting for yet. I often feel like I'll receive some sort of sign that makes me realize 'that, right there. that is what I'm supposed to do with my life.'

But I guess life doesn't really work that way. You have to make the signs yourself and make things happen for yourself, no one else is going to do that for you. But now that I have started school, I am afraid that everything si going to stay the same until I'm done. I'm afraid that nothing will change, than nothing can change until I'm finished with school. And that will probably take me three years, instead of two, just to get my associates degree. I'll almost be thirty by that point. oh lord, thats a bad thought. I don't know what to change though, or if I can or should. Perhaps the change that I make won't be the right one and things will only get worse. I'm tired of the monotony right now. But I'm not sure what I should do about it right now.

wow.

this post did not go at all where I intended for it to go. I guess I didn't really know I had all that in me right now. What I was originally going to say is that even though the month of February is the shortest, though its one day longer this year thanks to leap year, it always seems to be the longest month for me. Probably because of winter and the dreary days just gets to me by that point. We did have a decent January here in Missouri though. Kinda crazy how nice some days have been. This time last year we got hit with a bad snow storm. I high-tailed it to my parents because I was afraid of losing power. Even if they lost power, they have a generator. And I always feel safe there. It's home, afterall.

Anyway...... good golly what is wrong with me tonight./. I keep getting horribly sidetracked. To hopefully help the month of February slide by at a steady pace, I have decided to do a Photo a Day Challenge for February. (i wish i would've found this site sooner and I would've participated in the January Challenge) These photos may not be superb, they may just be with my crappy cell phone camera, but the point is for me to just take the photo a day, it doesn't have to be perfect. Here is the photo-a-day lineup.

and here is my Day One Photo

this was my view from the time I got home from work until about 10. So about two hours. Once I was satisfied with the homework I had accomplished (which wasn't really much), the school stuff got pushed aside and the laptop moved to front and center.

Also, while browsing her website, I found this. I lovelovelove her 2012 Manifesto.

It is incredible.

well I'm off to bed before I get sidetracked again and go off on another tangent. seriously, you just got a glimpse into my brain, but usually it goes at a much faster pace. its ridiculous. anyway......

till next time

beth

prettiness

2012-02-01T22:51:00.002-06:00

whoohoo! i actually got my government homework done two hours before it was due! (you have no idea how much progress this is) I even got the required responses to my classmates finished. i HATE those, i thought i was taking a class to learn about the government not just debate issues. But since i got done with that early, instead of doing something productive, like cleaning my kitchen because I seriously neglected it while sick, I am going to do a post full of pretty things.

Well, I think they are pretty anyway. Most of them. That sounds bad. Some aren't as pretty as others, but they may be more reasonable and realistic. Let me explain. Right now, the bag I use to take my stuff (i have my actual book, two smaller booklets, a notebook, pocket folder and calculator-at the minimum, sometimes i have a book for one of my other classes in there) to my math class is an owl tote bag that I bought at Charming Charlie. I am fed up with this bag! Don't get me wrong, I do love the bag and I'm not about to get rid of it, but it is not right for me for school. The bag has no structure, it just flops over. And none of my books are hardback, to they also just flop over in there. I'm tired of it. I know, this is trivial, at least I have a bag to put my stuff in yadda-yadda-yadda....but its just one of those things. So I started looking online for some bags that are more structured. Some are reasonable and sensible, some are downright pretty and expensive. Of course looking at bags/large purses for this purpose, also led me to drooling over some purses I would love to replace my current one. Like this gem at Kohls, so pretty-in gray, of course. Or this simple, small cross body purse at Penny's. And its only $9. Call me cheap, but there is some expensive stuff out there that I cannot afford. I'm a broke college student. (ok, i was broke before college, but I made it by, at least now i can use college as an excuse....right?) On to the bags...smart and sensible up first then the prettier they get.

At Target - LPLP Linea Tote

black, simple, basic, good size, good price (on clearance!)

At Target - Bruges Vintage Convertible Bag

black again, a little more to this one, good size, i like both strap lengths

At JcPenny - American Living Woodbridge Tote

i Love the plaid, not so plain but still simple, large/long handles, pockets inside plus a divider to separate it into sections....i think i'm in love

At Forever21 - Ikat Print Tote

i honestly don't think this bag is structured enough for what i'm looking for, but it sure is pretty

At ModCloth - Wandering Westward

again, pretty sure it isn't structured enough, but i love the colors, the leather and the chevron

At ModCloth - Woven in the Wind

may not be quite as structured as i want, but again i love the colors, the two straps and the pockets

At ModCloth - Make Your Own Way

fairly simple tote, pretty patterns-you don't know what pattern and color you will get...

but here is where my taste starts to get pricey. This one is $120. Ouch

At ModCloth - Upwardly Mobile

way out of price range, but pretty...$135

At Anthropologie - Melbu Tote

Such a pretty color, and a pretty pattern inside also. I like the size, and that there is a zipper on each side you can unzip to make the purse wider. So gorgeous...but the most unrealistic one on this list ringing in at.....

$248.

ouch

I adore that last bag from Anthro. And ModCloth always has a gazillion things I want to buy, but I've always managed to control myself and I've never bought anything from there before. (let's see how long that lasts) Out of all of these bags, my top pick would probably have to be the Plaid Tote from Penny's. What can I say, I'm in love. My second pick would probably be the very first tote, the clearance one from Target. I probably can't find that one on clearance in my target though, so it would have to be purchased online. No clue what shippig would cost either. Anyway...all for now. I may be back later tonight for another post. I'm thinking of doing a photo challenge for the month of February.

til next time
beth

mid-week check in

2012-02-01T09:07:00.001-06:00

Obsessing over: school and money. no surprise there. (same obsession as last week)

Working on: reading the required chapter in my American Government class. 11 pages read, 6 more to go. And I'm honestly not sure how much of this I have retained, or how this chapter relates to the Discussion question of the week that is due tonight. and then by saturday i have to have a paper for government, english and questions for sociology. and i need to write a paper about Human Trafficking for sociology because I won't be able to participate in an online discussion tonight that takes place while I'm at work.

Thinking about: baking, and the weekend. I'm trying to figure out everything that I should get done this weekend. (like cleaning!) and figure out a way to keep myself motivated and not procrastinate.

Anticipating: the weekend. I want to get my homework finished so that I can work on my crochet project. I'm not even a quarter of the way finished yet and I need to have this done to give as a gift ASAP! and I wouldn't mind baking either.

Listening to: Stuff you Missed in History Class podcast

Drinking: nothing yet. technically i'm still in bed but I need to get ready for work now. Water. and a Smoothie are probably in my future.

Wishing: my cold would officially go away. I feel loads better, i actually got sleep last night, but my nose is still a little stuffed up.

till next time
beth

quote tuesday

2012-01-31T21:19:00.001-06:00

“It’s impeccable how brutal the truth can be at times. You can only admire it. Usually, we walk around constantly believing ourselves. “I’m okay,” we say. “I’m all right.” But then sometimes the truth arrives on you, and you can’t get it off. That when you realize that sometimes it isn’t even an answer - it’s a question. Even now, I wonder how much of my life is convinced.” - Markus Zusak

“I won’t lose hope, I won’t give up, even though things get tough. I get so scared sometimes, I lose my way and I lose my mind. When it feels like there’s no where to turn, I’ll look inside and try to learn, I know I’m not alone. I’ve just got to find my way home.” - Diana Munizc

“Death must be so beautiful. To lie in the soft brown earth, with the grasses waving above one’s head, and listen to silence. To have no yesterday, and no to-morrow. To forget time, to forgive life, to be at peace.” - Sylvia Plath

“To be lonely is to feel unwanted and unloved, and therefore unlovable. Loneliness is a taste of death. No wonder some people who are desperately lonely lose themselves in mental illness or violence to forget the inner pain.” - Jean Vanier

“To let a sad thought or a bad one get into your mind is as dangerous as a scarlet fever germ get into your body. If you let it stay there after it has got in, you never get over it as long as you live.” - The Secret Garden, F.H. Burnett

till next time
beth

music monday

2012-01-30T21:35:00.000-06:00

ok, i had a difficult time narrowing down the song for today. there are quite a few songs that i just can't get enough of right now. after finally narrowing it down and turning to youtube, my top pick didn't exist on youtube. and i was to lazy to look elsewhere, maybe later, so i had to go with my 2nd pick. hope you enjoy!

and also, a little Halls Drops Pep Talk - just because i have to eat these horrid things right now

(i hate the menthol, the only reason i can tolerate it right now is because my taste buds are off right now due to my cold)

hopefully this cold goes away soon. i have a cookie recipe i want to try, but i hate baking for people (and i would bring them in to my coworkers since i don't need to eat a whole batch of cookies) while I am sick. I guess i just have to wait it out and it wil go away eventually. I'm taking medicine, which helps some during the day but does nothing for me at night...not sure what else I can do.

till next time

beth

weekly gratitude

2012-01-29T23:02:00.000-06:00

i am grateful to my sister who brought me a big bag of pistachios at work this past week. yum
i am grateful for being able to cook for my mom today (sort of an early bday gift) I made a breakfast of cinnamon roll waffles, scrambled eggs with ham and cheddar and orange push-up smoothies; dinner was my greek rice with lemon garlic chicken and butternut squash (technically maybe it didn't go with the rest of the food, but it was delicious) and everyone came over for dessert. I made a Chocolate Cobbler with Raspberry Puree and vanilla ice cream. (i didn't make the ice cream) it was all delicious.
i'm grateful for amazing food days like today
i am grateful that i can control myself and not yell at stupid drivers, unlike the driver who yelled at me (i swear, i was not at fault, the person didn't have the lights on when it was raining nor a turn signal, I had no clue if they were turning left of right so don't cuss me out for not letting you into traffic.....and end rant)
i'm grateful that i at least have one class this semester that i am not concerned about. my math class. never thought i'd say that one!
i'm grateful for medicine and soft tissues. and chapstick and cough drops.
i am grateful for potential trips for this year. it just might be my best year yet!! hope so!

till next time
beth

currently & such

2012-01-28T15:42:00.001-06:00

yeah... so I haven't really started my homework yet. instead i've been browsing the internet. no surprise there. i stumbled across a blog post that i liked and decided to do my own, except i cut out a couple of the categories. i love things like this. (if you haven't been able to tell) its like making a list, just not your typical format. i always find them fun and amusing.

Currently & Such

Reading: finished reading ‘Grave Peril’ by Jim Butcher. …up next, not sure. But that makes 6 books so far for the year. 20 more to go to reach my goal for the year.

Listening: surprisingly nothing. Except when music starts automatically playing on blogs (I HATE that) but otherwise enjoying the quiet.

Watching: Nothing…wishing I had some new episodes of Merlin or How I met You Mother (what can I say, my tastes vary) to watch on Netflix.

Loving: crocheting, pistachios, my favorite blanket, my dog curled up at my feet

Not-Loving: having a cold. (But really, who likes that?)

Anticipating: Hanging out with my family tonight for my nephews 5th birthday. Yes, I enjoy hanging out with my family. (most of the time...) some consider it lame, I do not. And it will be the first time since the holidays that (most of) all of us are together.

Wants: my homework to magically complete itself. And a bowl of Italian Zucchini Soup, even though dinner is only a few hours away. I also want to find really great study music. Haven’t figured out yet what works best for me.

Needs: sleep. And a haircut…the curls are getting out of control

Slang/Saying/Phrase: Ignorance is Bliss. but sometimes, Knowledge is Power

Song Lyric/Quote: “I’ve loved the starts to fondly to be fearful of the night”

till next time
beth

saturday

2012-01-28T14:50:00.002-06:00

i've done so well with blogging for the entire month of january, at least once a day! and then bam! this cold decides to settle in and i don't blog for 2 days. dang it!

i left work early yesterday. ran to the store for medicine and tissues, piled three blankets on top of me and once I finally started warming up, I was able to fal asleep for a few hours. after i woke up i finished my book and fixed my soup (immersion blenders are kinda scary!) and watched a movie. perfect activities to do while sick.

i finally took some nyquil around 10 last night and i was up until 2ish. i think i'm giving up on nyquil. it just doesn't work the way it is supposed to for me. but i ended up sleeping till almost 11, so i guess it all balanced out. i've been trying to work on my homework, but i haven't had much success. My brain just isn't comprehending what i'm reading right now. I need to get it done ASAP though. The stuff is due at midnight tonight and I have my nephews birthday party to go to tonight.

my personal puppy furnace. she, along with three blankets, helped keep my warm

my new best friends. i'm really diggin the alka-seltzer medicine. with all the vitamins i took through the week and now these horse pills, i'm tired of swallowing medicine.

well, lets see if i can stop wasting time on the internet and actually focus on Marbury vs Madison, the effects of language-and lots of other stuff for sociology, and narrow down my topic for my first paper and write a thesis statement for it. barf.

till next time

beth

mid-week check in

2012-01-25T23:55:00.000-06:00

Obsessing over: school and money. no surprise there.

Working on: this blog post now that homework is done for thw night. whoohoo!

Thinking about: homework, the soup i am making for work on friday and the weekend

Anticipating: the weekend. i am hoping to get some crocheting in!

Listening to: itunes. on random. at this moment The Story by Zee Avi is playing

Drinking: The remainder of my (spiked) strawberry limeade

Wishing: that i don't get sick. i am doubling up on daily vitamins and vitamin c. and trying to get sleep.

i actually got done with my homework tonight with minutes to spare! Everything was due by 11:59pm and I submitted my last item at 11:48. Whoohoo! Granted, that doesn't mean I did the assignments well, but I did do them. Sometimes I wish direction were a little more clear. Oh well.

I can't believe that today is only wednesday. This has been such a long week already and there are still two more days to go! I'm sure saturday will before before I realize it though. That is when the next wave of homework is due. But I have my nephew's birthday party to go to on saturday and I was invited to another party that night too, so I really need to have my homework done before that. I can't wait until midnight again. There is a lot of stuff that I could do tonight still...study, homework, dishes...but I think I am going to grab my book and climb into bed. I am afraid I might be getting a sick so I want to get plenty of sleep right now. I can always do the dishes tomorrow when Laura is at my apartment to hang out.

I hope everyone is surviving the week. Only two more days till the weekend!!! I'm just trying to keep my sanity right now between work and school. Two websites that I enjoy looking at to give me a little laugh or smile are: (the appriopriately named) iwastesomuchtime.com and attackofthecute.com

check them out sometime if you need a pick me up. definitely check out Attack of the Cute if you are an animal lover.

till next time
beth

quote tuesday

2012-01-24T16:29:00.000-06:00

till next time

beth

music monday

2012-01-23T21:22:00.003-06:00

todays song is yet another one that i discovered thanks to Podcasts. It was featured as KEXP's Song of the Day podcast, and was also on a Music that Matters Podcast. I like both the music and the lyrics on this song. Something about the music...its hard to explain. I can't hang around here long today though, I have some homework that I need to do and a quiz that is due tonight! yikes!

oh crap. and i just realized i forgot to share that recipe over the weekend. I will this week...hopefully. I need to, they were tasty!

till next time

beth

weekly gratitude

2012-01-22T23:39:00.000-06:00

i am grateful that i finally have my puppy at my apartment. i haven't had her in this apartment yet and i've lived here for over a year now.
i am grateful for how furnished my apartment is...even though i complain about my couch and no headboard often - i least i have a couch. and a bedframe and not just a mattress on the floor
i am grateful that i survived my first week of school. What, only 15 weeks or so left?
i am soooo glad i finally started my second crochet project. i'm really wondering how long it will take to finish.....
and as always, i am grateful for my parents.

(i am not, however, grateful for crazy ass dreams that involve....actually, that dream was to crazy to share. nevermind)

till next time
beth

ugh

2012-01-21T23:58:00.000-06:00

after my first week of school....i am seriously having second thoughts on the whole thing. i'm not concerned about the actually culinary classes (but who knows, i may have another thing coming once i get in there next semester) its the gen-ed classes that i am concerned about. i don't know if i have what it takes for school. i think the class that i am the Least concerned with is my math class. with math, the answer is right, or is wrong. there is no gray area that is left up to the opinion of the professor. i really don't know how i am going to make it through this semester.

till next time
beth

follow the arrow....

2012-01-20T23:07:00.000-06:00

a current obsession of mine for some reason right now is arrows. i haven't really figured out why, but i love them right now. i've been keeping my eye out for anything arrow (or chevron) while browsing pinterest, etsy, online stores, etc. And here is a collection of some of my recent faves. (you have no idea how hard this was to narrow down)

1. Letterpress arrow
2. Chevron pillow
3. Cross stitch Arrows
3. Colorful Arrows
5. Letterpress Arrow Print
6. Choose Your Own Path
7. Wood Arrows
8. Chevron Print
9. Follow Your Heart notebook

1. Arrow Marquee Light

2. Bow and Arrow Shirt

3. Arrow mug

4. Letterpress Arrows

5. Arrow wrapping paper

6. Arrow travel mug

7. Arrow Pillow

8. Arrow Tote

9. Arrow Cardigan

And here are a few tutorial links:

Fabric Arrow garland from Smile and Wave

Homemade Arrows from Design Sponge

Cross Stitch Kit from Dandee

Paper Arrow Garland from Lovebird Ladybird

Chevron Shoebox Wall Art from Spunky Junky

Homemade Arrows by Thompson Family Life

There is A LOT of arrows stuff out there that I love! There was more, lots of jewelry and such, but I had to stop somewhere. I would love to have a collection of letterpress arrows. And I would love to make some of my own arrows to hang on my wall. (much cheaper than buying them!)

Is there anything that you are obsessing over right now?

till next time

beth

(i can't help it, i have to post this)

random

2012-01-19T23:15:00.000-06:00

so here is the link to the fun photo download i mention the other day

Poladroid

I've had fun 'taking' random photos and see what sort of effects I get. I wonder if you can get these printed properly anywhere without the images becoming completely distorted.

Here are a few of my faves.

what i wore today. black dress and leggings, purple sweater

with sequins, flannel plad scarf, owl necklace

i like this outfit more than i thought i would

I was a dove caramel chocolate kinda day.

random picture of a tree i took in the fall

one of the tower at the Plaza in KC

i really like this picture. i like the original too, not just the poladroid photo.

i like the colors, the lighting and the angle of the branches

a random stack of wood at my parents house

leftover from a mini bonfire we had i think on labor day

it is the remain of a redbud that died. i love the distinct cirlces in the wood

if i look out my patio door, this is the tree i see.

i love this tree in the fall

me. one very chilly morning. with all my curly/messy hair.

homemade oreos!!!

recipe coming this weekend

well thats all for now. i hope you enjoyed my random pictures. its the first i have posted in awhile!!

till next time
beth

the tail end of last year

2012-01-18T09:31:00.000-06:00

i found a neat little photo software download this evening...i'll share later, i'm still experimenting with it...

as I started to search for photos to process, i started looking through my photos folders. And i've realized that I haven't shared photos in a long time. I have a lot of photos from the tail end of last year, from about october to the end, that I never got around to sharing. not really sure why. lazy i guess. it took me forever to get the photos off of my camera in the first place, and then i never even edited them. heck, i hardly even looked at them since i pulled them from my camera.

i wanted to post photos of a weekend trip to KC with my sister and brother-in-law, when lisa and i were standing in an walkway over Main St (i think) that connected the Hyatt hotel to the Crown Center experimenting with our camera's and bokeh. and i wanted to share photos from the next day when we went to the Plaza and walked around and did a little shopping. And photos when we went to Fresher than Fresh for the last time that season.

I never posted the photos i took of my nieces and nephews from the day that I babysat them so their parents could enjoy an afternoon watching my bro-in-law perform. I didn't post photos of baked goods, of nature photos i took at my parents house, of craft projects (not finished). I didn't post any photos of my grandma's 75th birthday party that I made all the decorations for.

I didn't share photos of a ridiculously hilarious evening spent with my mom and sisters. Enjoying delicious food, chocolate fondue and us making fools of ourselves while playing Quelf. I didn't share photos of my christmas tree, or from my families massive cookie baking day.

I probably wont be backtracking and posting any of these photos. But I do want to make more of an effort to share photos that I take. If I take any. I have kinda neglected my camera lately. I didn't pick it up at all on Christmas or New Years Eve. Oops. I can get photos of Christmas from my sisters though. They had their camera's out. It is mid-January already, and I'm really not sure if I have used my camera any this month. Hmmm.....i should change that.

till next time
beth

quotes

2012-01-17T09:28:00.002-06:00

All of these are from my Tumblr....sorry if i have posted any of these recently. I don't think that I have, but its always possible. I really need to remember the quote by Christian D. Larson. Its a good one.

School officially starts today. And I am trying to not stress out about it. I don't have to enter a classroom until tomorrow...so I still get to enjoy today. Right now, i feel panicky at the thought of walking into the classroom....so it will be interesting to see how tomorrow goes.

now i'm off to make some scrambled eggs and a smoothie for breakfast and enjoy my morning.

till next time

beth

music

2012-01-16T20:22:00.000-06:00

thank god for tumblr. otherwise i probably never would have found this cover to The Black Keys songn 'Everlasting Light.' I actually like the cover better than the original. Is that bad? I just think this cover is amazing. Alex Winston's voice is amazing in this song.

hope you enjoy it at least a fraction of what i do. i meant to post this song on the last Tumblring post that I did since that is where i discovered it, but i accidentally forgot. But i had to share it, so it became the song for music monday.

hope everyones monday wasn't to much of a 'monday.'

till next time

beth

weekly gratitude

2012-01-15T23:58:00.000-06:00

i am so very glad that I am finally registered for school. i'm actually doing it!
i am glad that i finally got my dog trimmed, she has needed a haircut for awhile
i am glad that i finally sat down with my mom so she could show me how to crochet again. she started the project...but i think i have it about finished. yay! i see lots of crochet projects in my future
i am grateful for delicious homemade food - like fettucine alfredo and beef roast with potatoes, carrots and gravy. so good.
i am grateful for the support i get from my family

till next time
beth

books

2012-01-14T23:06:00.001-06:00

I got my books today for school! i had forgotten how expensive they can be. i am now physically ready for school....i think. i'm scheduled for classes, i have the ecashier thing set up, i have my books....thats all that i can think of at the moment. I'm not going and buying a bunch of notebooks or anything yet until i know how i want to organize my classes. and i don't need to buy any pens or pens, lord knows i have enough of those. so i'm ready physically....but am i mentally??

My Classes:

Business Math - in the classroom
Composition 1 - online
American Gov't and Politics - online (I may regret taking this class during an election year)
Sociology - online

Hopefully I do well with the online classes. I need to save most of my 'in class' time for the culinary and hospitality classes in the future.

well, i'm hope to do some enjoyment reading while i still can and then i'm off to bed.

till next time
beth

support and projects

2012-01-13T23:50:00.000-06:00

I have been kinda surprised by the support that i have received for going back to school. i mean, i knew that friends and family would think it was a good idea and would support me, i was just surprised by the kind words. i still think that over people have more faith in me than i have in myself. i wish i knew were they got that faith.

starting on tuesday, i think school will be taking up a lot of my time. i am determined to do well and get the best grades i possibly can. there are still things that I want to focus on to though, like learning how to crochet. here are a few projects that i would love to be able to make

you can link to all of these patterns through my Pinterest Board.

these are just a few projects, i have at least for more projects marked in pattern books of my moms. i have to go to my moms house sometime this weekend and maybe then she can start teaching my how to crochet.

till next time

beth

tumblring

2012-01-12T23:30:00.000-06:00

These are some of my current faves that I have reblogged on my tumblr, The Lovely Branch

before the pictures though, i really must insist that you go here and listen to the song. I love this cover, the voice is perfect. I listened to the original after i discovered this, but I like the cover better.

i am going to get off the computer and crash. i had a nice time this evening sitting and catching up with one of my sisters, but now i am super sleepy and quite chilly. i wish i didn't have to get up in the morning and go to work, but tomorrow is the day i have to be there at 8am instead of 11am. ugh, hope I don't oversleep.

till next time

announcement

2012-01-11T23:15:00.000-06:00

i can finally announce this. after much indecision and debating and procrastinating, i have finally made a decision and have taken the necessary steps to go back to school. For awhile I had been planning on moving to Kansas City this month, but instead I am attending a local technical school for their Culinary Program. They have created a good program, and the only one in the area actually. I am nervous, but also excited. It has been 5 years since I have been in school, taken classes, had to deal with homework....so yeah, i'm a little nervous.

Because I registered late, I did not actually get into any of the culinary classes this semester. So its general education courses for me. yay. i cannot wait until i get to the actual culinary and hospitality courses. I just hope my employer will work with me and my schedule, because every culinary class has a lab-which i think all last about three hours, plus the one lecture hour. I'm a little worried how future semesters will pan out. But only time will tell, and until that time, I will try to not worry about it. For now I am just going to be glad, and proud of myself, that I am going back to school.

till next time
b

quotes

2012-01-10T09:24:00.002-06:00

“I have learned, that the person I have to ask for forgiveness from the most is: myself. You must love yourself. You have to forgive yourself, everyday, whenever you remember a shortcoming, a flaw, you have to tell yourself “That’s just fine”. You have to forgive yourself so much, until you don’t even see those things anymore. Because that’s what love is like.” - C. JoyBell C

“Don’t be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance, but live right in it, under its roof.” - Barbara Kingsolver

“Do you ever wonder whether people would like you more or less if they could see inside you? …I always wonder about that. If people could see me the way I see myself—if they could live in my memories—would anyone, anyone, love me?” - John Green

till next time
beth

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffins

2012-01-09T23:38:00.000-06:00

I know, the name is long. But these muffins are quite tasty. They are pretty dense, which i normaly don't like in muffins, but with these its ok. And i consider these fairly healthy. Or, at least healthier than most muffins that I make. The only 'fat' (butter, oil, etc) is two tablespoons of oil. Next time I might try using whole wheat flour. These are so simple to make. Sometimes, I really like recipes where I don't have to use a stand mixer and

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffins
via Tracy's Culinary Adventures

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2-3 medium bananas)
6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 cup buttermilk

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line your muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Whisk together the vegetable oil, brown sugar, eggs, mashed banana, peanut butter and buttermilk in a medium bowl until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir to combine just until the flour is incorporated. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each just about up to the top.
4. Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed.
5. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then remove the muffins from tin and cool completely on a wire rack. Makes 12 muffins

A Few Things
Not much to say about this recipe. Except that I got more than 12 muffins. With the remaining batter I split it between two ramekins and made super muffins. (the ramekins were not filled! no more than a quarter of the way) Other than that, these muffins are super simple. Oh and they are really good with a little peanut butter on top.

Enjoy!!
Beth

music monday

2012-01-09T16:29:00.000-06:00

I found this song on a podcast....based off of this song,

i need to check out this band. I think i might like them a lot.

till next time

beth

weekly list

2012-01-08T23:09:00.000-06:00

Laundry - washed, fold, hung - everything except what I am wearing-no clothes piled on the bed
All dishes washed and put away-including the dishwasher emptied
Vacuum
Take down my Christmas tree - this is so bad, i know. Since I got it up late, i decided to leave it up till the New Year....and now its the 3rd already. Oops
Take stuff to Storage Unit
Bathroom - completely clean and all jewlery put away (i have jewelry scattered all over my apartment right now. Some on my coffee table, my kitchen table, in my change dish by the front door, on my desk, and on my bathroom counter - its amazing i have any jewelry left on my jewelry shelf. (ok, maybe not that amazing, I do have a lot of the stuff)
Go to friends baby shower on Saturday (i really need to find my invite for the address)
Get oil changed in car and wash the inside of the windows
Take test (groan)
Blog everyday
Clean out purse.....maybe switch purses
Work out 2 times
Find my '26 before 27 List!' i don't know what happened to it, and i hate the thought of trying to remember everything and making a new one
Go grocery shopping (this is always less fun when you have a tight budget)
Start Projects Journal
Make Booklist bookmark (i'll explain later)

So I got a little more than half of the items completed. Not so great. There was some other stuff that i did get taken care of that wasn't on the list...but all of these things still need to be done. So all of the noncompleted items will be moving into the list for this week. I feel an urgency more now than i have for awhile to get stuff done and get myself more organized. hopefully this next week will be more successful!!

till next time
beth

weekly gratitude

2012-01-08T21:07:00.000-06:00

i am grateful for the 3hrs each evening at work when I don't have to worry about answering the phones!!
i am grateful that i did as well as i did on a couple of tests that i had to take this week
i am grateful for lots and lots of sleep
i am grateful that i finally found a very important list
i am grateful for my mom - for always being there when i need to talk
i am grateful for my dad - for helping/teaching me to change the oil in my car
i am grateful that my dog has finally put on a decent amount of weight. i can no longer validate caller her 'bones.' Chunko (or something to that effect) would be more appropriate

till next time
b

yum

2012-01-07T23:56:00.000-06:00

I actually baked today. Just muffins, but it seems like its the first baking i've done for awhile. I actually got my kitchen cleaned today, (yay!) so i thought the perfect way to dirty up a kitchen would be to bake. But I was actually really good and washed everything right away, so still no mess.

Today my mom and I met a couple of coworkers for lunch and then headed to another coworkers baby shower. Her baby boy is due next month and boy did she rake in the loot. I actually haven't gotten her anything yet, I am going to attempt to make something...but if it doesn't turn out, I'll buy her something later. Afterward my mom and I ran to Joann's real quick before she dropped me back off at my apartment. I am a little ashamed to admit that I took a nap at that point. I got enough sleep last night that I shouldn't have, but it was actually quite easy to fall asleep. Yesterday after I got off work, I slept from 6pm-midnight and then was up until 2ish at which point I fell back asleep and finally woke up at 8am. 12 hours total. Crazy. But I was easily able to nap, and it just hit midnight and I am already really tired. I am going to pick something to watch on Netflix, and probably fall asleep while watching it.

Before I go though, I wanted to share a quick picture of the muffins that I made. Its just a cell phone pic so its a little crappy. I will post better photos and the recipe tomorrow. They are quite tasty.

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffins

(with a thin layer of PB spread on top before eating....yum!)

till next time

today

2012-01-06T23:55:00.000-06:00

today was...not that good. there was some stuff that I was trying to sort out with going back to school, but it was kinda difficult to do that at work. and answering the phone got to me today also. It just really wans't a very good day today. that is why i came home and crashed. i ended up sleeping from a little after six until just before midnight. i woke up a couple of times in that six hours, but i kept falling back asleep. now I am trying to decide if i want to go back to sleep, or do some cleaning. i still haven't really cleaned my apartment much....but i think the sleep option is winning. i'm feeling sleepy already just typing this.

esty how you tease me

2012-01-05T23:30:00.000-06:00

I usually try to stay away from etsy as much as possible. I always find so many things that I want, but can't ever spend the money on it. I really enjoy looking at the vintage stuff. Everything listed on etsy is usally a lot better (which also means more expensive) than stuff around my hometown. Anyway, i headed to etsy though to look for something in particular. Sheet Music. Not to actually use, but to repurpose. I think I found something that I might get. Along with other stuff that I would like to have. Here are my top six etsy wants: ( i was going to do top five, but remembered the calendar and couldn't drop anything of the other stuff)

i think these would work really well for my small project i want to do

I would really like this, but its $20 plus shipping. I might try to get my hands on a piece of wood and make one myself.

i love this print

if i had a phone other than my self phone, I would want one like this

of course i would find an E that I want

i think this small letterpress calendar is adorable. and it comes with a little small piece of wood to use as a stand. this would look great on my desk at work. It'd give me something pretty to look at.

till next time

interiors

2012-01-04T23:50:00.000-06:00

lately i have not been able to get enough pictures of gorgeously decorated interiors. Pinterest and Tumblr are only feeding my obsession. this seems to be the main thing that I am repinning and reblogging lately. here are a few favorites from Tumblr lately.

i love this bed spread and all the white

the chair, the side table, the stool/seat in front of the coffee table

the rustic table and mismatched chairs and cushions

the furniture and the crocheted blanket

the pillow and throw on the couch, the wall arrangement

the bright pop of color, the yellow patterned charis, the throw pillows and blankets

the coffee table with the extra seating hiding underneath, the wall arrangement, the shelves above the desk

the chair on the right, the end table

so many bright colors mixed in with the wood and white

so much white with pops of colors

i lovelovelove all the bookshelves-for both the amount of books and the arrangement. and the globe collection. (sigh) the couch, the rug, the pillows

the chair with all the crochet work and what looks like a crocheted banner on the wall

i love the WOW on the wall, the coffee table, the banner above the door, the pillows

this picture is one of my favorites right now

the top things that attract me to well designed spaces

lots of white with pops of color
awesome wall arrangements
blankets and pillows
well arranged bookshelves
unique chairs and comfy looking couches

i wish i had the money to decorate my apartment with everything that I want, but I do not. Therefore I have to be very thoughtful with how i do spend my money to make sure I am happy with what I end up with. Maybe by the time I move out of my apartment (which will be November at the earliest but it might be over a year past that) maybe, just maybe, I will actually have my apartment fully decorated. But I don't it. I'm to indecisive when it comes to this stuff.

till next time

this week

2012-01-04T00:46:00.000-06:00

in order to help myself get back on track and in the swing of things, (i really shouldn't admit how lazy i've been over the last couple of weeks) I am making a To-Do List for this week. Well, what's left of it anyway. I love making lists, and crossing things off lists. I've had some people say that making a list is a form of procrastination, or that people that make lists are just to lazy to actually do the stuff. I beg to differ. Yes, I will fully admit, there are times that I make a list and hardly cross anything off. Just wasn't feeling it that day. But overall, lists help me focus on what really needs to be done. And I love having a list that has everything crossed off. If I am being honest though, that really ever happens. I am usually overly ambitious in what I think i can get done, or things go wrong and it takes way longer than it should have, thats why my lists are usually never completely done. That, and I always keep adding to them. Here is the everything (i think) that I am going to have done my Sunday night when I go to bed.

Laundry - washed, fold, hung - everything except what I am wearing-no clothes piled on the bed
All dishes washed and put away-including the dishwasher emptied
Vacuum
Take down my Christmas tree - this is so bad, i know. Since I got it up late, i decided to leave it up till the New Year....and now its the 3rd already. Oops
Take stuff to Storage Unit
Bathroom - completely clean and all jewlery put away (i have jewelry scattered all over my apartment right now. Some on my coffee table, my kitchen table, in my change dish by the front door, on my desk, and on my bathroom counter - its amazing i have any jewelry left on my jewelry shelf. (ok, maybe not that amazing, I do have a lot of the stuff)
Go to friends baby shower on Saturday (i really need to find my invite for the address)
Get oil changed in car and wash the inside of the windows
Take test (groan)
Blog everyday
Clean out purse.....maybe switch purses
Work out 2 times
Find my '26 before 27 List!' i don't know what happened to it, and i hate the thought of trying to remember everything and making a new one
Go grocery shopping (this is always less fun when you have a tight budget)
Start Projects Journal
Make Booklist bookmark (i'll explain later)

This is everything that I can think of at the moment. I reserve the right to add items to this list as the week progresses. Some aspects of my life are an absolute disaster right now (like my apartment) I am hoping this list will help get me back on track. And I will do a recap of this list on Sunday to see how well I did.

till next time
beth

quotation tuesday

2012-01-03T08:20:00.000-06:00

“The point isn’t to live without any regrets, the point is to not hate ourselves for having them. We need to learn to love the flawed, imperfect things that we create, and to forgive ourselves for creating them. Regret doesn’t remind us that we did badly - it reminds us that we can do better.” — Kathryn Schulz

“There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.” — John Lennon

“When you have come to the edge of all the light you have, and step into the darkness of the unknown, believe that one of the two will happen to you: either you’ll find something solid to stand on, or you’ll be taught how to fly.” - Richard Bach

“It’s just that I don’t want to be somebody’s crush. If somebody likes me, I want them to like the real me, not what they think I am. And I don’t want them to carry it around inside. I want them to show me, so I can feel it too.” – The Perks of Being a Wallflower

“Family is the inner sphere, the one that encompasses and defines the core of our being, where our most profound, challenging, and sustaining love is experienced.” - Stephen Post

as much as I don't want the work week to start back up, I am kinda ready for more of a regular routine. routines always get so screwed up over the holidays, it will be nice to get back a degree of normalcy.

till next time
beth

music monday

2012-01-02T23:30:00.000-06:00

till next time
beth

weekly gratitude

2012-01-01T23:55:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year

I am thankful for a low-key but very fun new years eve party with family and friends
I am grateful that I have my job. as much as it annoys me, i have to have a job. I am also grateful for my hours. It makes being a night owl much easier.
I am grateful for my family.
I am grateful for the relationships that I have with my family members. Some familys are not close, and I cannot even imagine how that works, but I am glad that I have a close family.
I am grateful for my friends.
I am grateful for my apartment and everything that I own. Sure, there are things I would love to change-like my couch-but at least I have a couch that I can sit (and sleep) on.
I am grateful for my attitude and mood. It is not perfect, but there has been progess. I didn't realize this until a friend pointed it out, 2011 was not a good year for me, but I didn't let it beat me either. Yes, there were times when I caved a little, but I like to think I came out stronger in the end.

till next time
b

(i started this post late last night and fell asleep while watching a movie, so I am post-dating this to make it look like it was done on the 1st)

neil gaiman

2011-12-31T12:06:00.001-06:00

it is very possible that i have shared this quote before. but it is good enough to post again.

i hope all of these things for me, and for everyone else.

2012, please be good to me!

have a safe and wonderful new years eve!

till next year

beth

new years eve

2011-12-29T23:12:00.000-06:00

my accidental break from blogging has been kinda nice. there were so many busy days, stuff going on from wednesday to sunday, and I just didn't make time for any blogging. last friday i celebrated my 26 birthday. (yikes!) I can't believe I am 26, but it seriously was one of the best birthdays i've ever had. Probably the best one i've had throughout my 20's at least. On wednesdasy my parents took me out to eat at one of my favorite restaurants, Hinode. On Thursday evening I celebrated my bday with my friend Matt. We had pizza at the grotto (sooo good), drinks at the Mudlounge and then a movie (Like Crazy) at the Moxie. And on friday my friend Kim and I had breakfast at Hemingways (the only reason I ever go in Bass Pro) and then went thrifting. Which was hugely successful for me, yay! Oh, and my 'bday cake' was a Salted Caramel Crepe from the Aviary Cafe. Delicious. Later that evening I headed out of town to stay at my parents house for the holiday weekend. Sometimes it is so much easier to do that rather than driving back and forth. My weekend was full of family, yummy food, gifts, reading and cards.

I hope everyone else had a fantastic weekend. And I also hope everyone has fantastic plans for new years eve too! I just saw video on facebook and I had to share it. I love both of these actors/musicians. And I like seeing them both together. I will state though that I did not know this guy could sing, but I love his voice.

isn't that so cute??

sorry, fangirl moment there

till next time

quotes

2011-12-20T10:11:00.003-06:00

“Each challenge adds to the suspense, adds to the mystery, adds to the chaos, adds to the possibilities, adds to the romance, adds to the adventure, adds to the joy. And anything that adds to the joy should be embraced.” - unknown

“It's true, sometimes when you've had a difficult day, or met difficult people, been let down, disappointed, or heartbroken, it's easy to completely forget the most important thing of all... you're alive.” - unknown

“Be there, go there now and never leave. Imagine that your dreams have already come true. Live your life from that mindset. Predicate your behavior on that reality, not the illusions that now surround you. Filter every thought, question, and answer from there. Let your focus shift and be born again - because dwelling from, not upon, the space you want to inherit is the fastest way to change absolutely everything.” - unknown

“Happiness is to joy as an electric light bulb is to the sun. Happiness always has an object, you’re happy because of something, it’s a condition whose existence depends on external things. Joy, on the other hand, has no object. It seizes you for no apparent reason, it’s like the sun, its burning is fueled by its own heart.” - Susanna Tamaro, Follow Your Heart

“To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never, to forget.” - Arundhati Roy

till next time

music

2011-12-19T23:55:00.000-06:00

i heard this song on the radio when i was at my parents house on sunday. i think it was on Jim Brickman's radio show. again, it a non-traditional christmas song. i had heard another one that i liked too, but i didn't look up the lyrics quick enough and i forgot them. Oh well. I'm sure i'll hear it again eventually.

Actually, now that I look at the lyrics, it really isn't a christmas song at all. But hey, it played on a christmas radio show, so that is good enough for me.

till next time

weekly gratitude

2011-12-19T23:30:00.000-06:00

I really have been keeping with my '12 Days of Christmas,' I just haven't had much time to actually blog about it. I didn't even make time yesterday for my Weekly Gratitude post. oops. So here it is. And after this post, I'll still do my regular music post. In a day or two, I will do a massive '12 Days' post and share everything since the 1st day.

for the weekly gratitude, i have to try to not let my crappy day influence anything from last week.

family traditions at christmastime. it seems like everything else has changed, but I am glad that my mom, sisters and I still make a massive amount of cookies each year.
i'm grateful for an evening spent with Laura. since we don't work together in the evenings anymore, we won't get to chat as often.
i'm grateful for Laura who was helped me fluff up the branches on my fake christmas tree and was patient enough to try to help me get my lights and star working (and ran to walmart when i wanted to buy new lights - but didn't)
my dad for getting my star working again

that honestly is all that i can really remember from last week. sad, i know. but i am drawing a huge blank.

till next time
b

On the first day of Christmas

2011-12-14T23:30:00.000-06:00

I was going to celebrate my first day of christmas by decorating my christmas tree. Laura came over to hang out for a little bit, and she helped my fluff up all the branches on the tree, and then I hit a snag. Of five strands of lights, only one worked. My tree may be on the small side, but one 100-count string of lights still is not enough. So laura and I headed to walmart to check out the christmas lights selection. And they all turned out to be more than what I wanted to spend. I swear those were so much cheaper five or so years ago when i bought my original lights. So I left the store lightless. But I did get some new ornaments. :)

Since decorating my tree turned into a failure, I switched my item for the first day of Christmas to enjoying a mug of spiked hot chocolate. and it was delicious. I filled up my E-initial mug that I got at anthropologie and sat back and enjoyed watching Bones while I sipped. It was a good evening. Even if it looks like Christmas threw up all over my living room. Oh well, I'll get it cleaned up later.

I'm sure I will enjoy more mugs of hot chocolate between now and christmas. It's just so darn tasty.

till next time

wordsearch

2011-12-13T23:58:00.000-06:00

Beautiful. Funny. Broken.

that is what I saw.

i won't say what 3 letter word I saw fourth

what did you see?

quotes

2011-12-13T09:51:00.000-06:00

"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style." - Maya Angelou

"Never fear shadows….that always means there is a light shining somewhere." – Jonathan Santos

"The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself." - Anna Quindlen

"I like people with depth, I like people with emotion, I like people with a strong mind, an interesting mind, a twisted mind, and also someone that can make me smile." - Abbey Lee Kershaw

"Here’s the thing: if we have goals and dreams, and we want to do our best and if we love people and don’t want to hurt them or lose them, we should feel pain when things go wrong. The point isn’t to live without any regrets, the point is to not hate ourselves for having them … We need to learn to love the flawed imperfect things we create and to forgive ourselves for creating them. Regret doesn’t remind us that we did badly, it reminds us that we know we can do better." - unknown

"That’s it really; it’s all love, whichever way you look at it, it’s all love. How much you can Get from each other and that’s determined by how much you’re Giving to each other… But it all starts Within our self and then it spreads to those around us, Good & Bad. But basically that’s it, I think it’s the Love that we can generate is = to the Love that we get back." - George Harrison, Cloud Nine

"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another." - Anatole France

till next time
b

music

2011-12-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

and the nontraditional christmas music continues!!

i have a confession. i have never been kissed under the mistletoe.

i also recently learned that mistletoe is actually a parasite.

so i have no idea how 'kissing under a parasite' came about.

till next time

coming soon

2011-12-11T23:55:00.000-06:00

right now, i am working on a '12 day of Christmas' list. Not the song version, but i'm making a list to do something Christmasy and festive each day leading up to Christmas. This will be starting on Wednesday, with day twelve being Christmas Day. I don't have the list complete yet, but I know some stuff that I want on it. And some stuff is bigger, like setting up my christmas tree. and others are smaller, like watching a christmas movie.

I don't have anything figured out past day five. as you can tell, i still have some planning to do!

till next time

weekly gratitude

2011-12-11T20:33:00.001-06:00

an evening spent with my mom and sisters. Watching miracle on 34th Street, eating yummy foods, playing Quelf and laughing so much
surprisingly having a decent time at my work Christmas party. I don't really see the point in the party, but it was good to laugh with (and at...) coworkers
work friends. they make it bearable.
i have grateful for my mama for helping me rearrange my living room furniture this morning - i think i like the new setup
girl night with a bottle of wine at the end of a bad week
friends who care about planning my bday, even if i haven't a clue what i want to do (actually, i know what i want to do, it just isn't possible)

till next time
b

brown paper packages tied up with string...

2011-12-08T23:30:00.000-06:00

.....did anyone else start singing?

I sure did.

I may not be wrapping up packages in brown paper and tying them with string this year, but i am still obsessed with packaging and wrapping. There are so many beautiful ways to wrap gifts, i can't imagine just wrapping them in store bought paper and slapping a generic bow on top anymore. These are a few of my favorite ideas for wrapping up gifts.

all photos via My Pinterest Board

I love all the lace, doilys, ribbons, yarn, etc that are used. I love the idea of using solid color paper (or even fabric!) to wrap up gifts, and then embellishing the gifts with items you could find all over in your house to jazz them up. they are all so pretty. i want to give gifts just so that i can wrap them up and make them beautiful. I know, most people think the wrapping is pointless because it just gets torn off and thrown aside, but some people appreciate it, and that makes it worth it.

till next time

today

2011-12-07T23:23:00.000-06:00

there are some months that i just cant fight the cramps and the headache at the same time. sorry, that is to much information. some months, i just can't fight the pain and the crap of day to day life and I give up. i lasted an hour at work before i threw in the towel and came home. I medicated myself a little and fell asleep for a couple of hours. i woke up and felt quite a bit better. I went to my laptop, moved and I lost the connection and my laptop died. I've been having issues with both the battery staying charged and even staying plugged in at all. a double whammy. anywho...my computer died and i couldn't wiggle the cord enough to get it to plug in and power up. nothing worked. and there were tears. everyone that knows me well knows that I am very attached to my laptop.

since my laptop was dead, that meant no music. luckily i can rig my external speakers and plug them into the Nano and still have music. So I started cleaning. Maybe my laptop should die more often, then i'd be forced to clean. That is a joke!!! I do Not want my laptop to die again any time soon. I was doing detailed cleaning, going through stuff, throwing stuff away, organizing...that sort of stuff. I have a ton of stuff I want to get done before saturday evening, and to be completely honest I didn't get that much marked off my list. But I am trying to go with the positive right now, and I am satisfied with what I did get done today.

Going with the positive right now, today while I was cleaning, I made a mental list of things that make me happy right now. Here it is:

Mugs of hot chocolate and coffee so hot that i can barely hold it, but i don't set them down because they warm my ice cold fingers. i normally don't have an issue with winter. but we've already had snow, and i have not adjusted to the cold temps yet
watching 'Bones' on Netflix
pretty notebooks - i have an obsession
acrylic paints - and having it alll of my hands, it means i'm painting
freshly vacuumed carpet - i like the lines the vacuum makes - total dork, i know, but it makes me happy

thats all for today. those are the little things that have made me happy.

till next time
b

quotes

2011-12-06T23:41:00.000-06:00

till next time

music

2011-12-05T21:32:00.001-06:00

as each day progresses, i am wanting the holiday season to be over more and more. i was planning on decorating this year, but i still haven't gotten around to it, and now i don't see much point in dragging all the stuff out for less than 3 weeks. but, i am still continuing with posting christmas music. this is traditional christmas music, i tend to like the untraditional, but this is still a good song.

till next time
b

weekly gratitude

2011-12-04T23:13:00.001-06:00

this has been a rough and tough year. and it isn't getting any easier either. that translates into: it is getting harder and harder for me to find things i am grateful for. this past week at work was a tough one. there have been...changes at my job due to economical reasons. and i'm glad i still have my job. i'm grateful for that at least. i am grateful for my parents and sisters. even though i don't have a lot right now and everything is a mess, i am grateful that i at least have what i have.

till next time
b

tumblring

2011-12-03T15:12:00.001-06:00

The Lovely Branch

till next time

extra special wishlist item

2011-12-02T23:06:00.001-06:00

after i updated my Wishlist post over lunch today, i realized i forgot one more thing. to me, it is special enough to warrant its own post.

I want a trip to Kansas City. I want to see The Plaza christmas lights. And, I just want to go to KC. I would be find with a day trip, though later in the day so I can see the lights. Of course, overnight would be great. But i'd take a day trip.

but, my finances are a wreck right now. so there is no way I can afford to go to Kansas City. and it makes me really sad.

the only other time i saw the Plaza Lights was two years ago. It was about 2 weeks after I got my new camera (which I was still trying to figure out), the day after christmas and it had actually been snowing. quite a bit. so much that I shouldn't have made the trip. it was on this trip that I discovered hot chocolate spiked with peppermint schnapps. a simple discovery, but it has become one of my favorite winter treats. i remember attempting to keep my brand new camera covered with my scarf so that i could take pictures but it wouldn't get snowed on. and i was completely wearing the wrong footwear. my shoes were soaked within minutes. and absoultely freezing. when i got back to the hotel i filled the tub with hot water and soaked my feet until i could feel them again.

sorry for my trip down memory lane. since I won't be going this year, i would just like to remember the time that i did go. sorry for the picture. as i said, it was a brand new camera. i didn't at all know the settings for taking pictures of christmas lights. and for snow. but thats ok. i'll remember that trip as my first big outing with my new camera.

till next time

wishlist

2011-12-01T21:17:00.000-06:00

I cannot believe it is December already. Where has this year gone? One month left in 2011 and it could very possibly be the busiest month yet. Stuff that is going on so far is: at least one parade (weather permitting), christmas crafts, an office christmas party, massive cookie making, decorating (maybe), my birthday, christmas eve traditions, christmas traditions, possible new years eve party, ...... thats all that I can think of at the moment. nothing out of the ordinary really. well, except the parade. I have seen a parade since I was last in one my senior year of high school.

**UPDATED**

(already)

One nice thing (and there are few) about having your birthday and christmas so close to each other is that I only have to make one list. Yes, my mom still asks us girls to make a christmas list for her. She can't keep track of what everyone wants. So here is my wishlist. Some of it is realistic, other stuff is stuff I would like to have because I think its pretty. (some stuff I have pictures for, others I don't)

1. Glass measuring cups - I have plastic and you can barely even read the measurements anymore

2. Big and/or heavy cutting boards. I am so tired of my cutting boards slide all over the counter when I am using them

3. An small ID wallet to use for school. I had one picked out online but the shipping was going to be almost as much as the wallet, so instead I found a pretty one at Penny's and my mom bought it when we were shopping on black friday. (so this i know for sure i am getting)

4. This bracelet that I found on Etsy - or rather, I would like to figure out how to make this because I think paying $23 for it is a little ridiculous. Its yarn and a button. But its still pretty.

5. This notebook that I found on Etsy. I have a weakness for notebooks. Or Jotters as this shop (WitandWhistle) calls them. I loooove the pattern.

6. Myliu perfume from Maurices - I'm almost out so I better get this!!

(and i gave my mom a 20% off coupon and a $10 off coupon!)

7. A Blender - I'm not really picky on brand or anything, I just know that I want one that is glass instead of plastic and powerful. I don't have my ice in my fridge door that can also crush it, so the blender has to be good enough for the job. I want smoothies and julius's of all kinds. This is one of a couple that I chose from Kohls.

8. These pencils. This is so unnecessary, but they are just so darn cute. And fitting for me too. :)

9. Any one of the following 4 prints (or all 4, ha!) from yet another Etsy shop.

I fall in love with these prints every time that I see them.

(i might pick a different background color for the pink one though)

10. a rug for my kitchen. my old one bit the dust a long time ago and i haven't found another orange one to replace it. and i love this simple one from Urban Outfitters

11. Or this rug from Urban Outfitters for my bathroom. love the pattern!!

12. this beautiful bag from ModCloth (this is a big dream wishlist item)

13. I want a gorgeous, simple, large glass container. with a lid.

maybe something like this one I found on Etsy

14. oh, and a pair of flannel pajama pants. (this is another thing i know I am getting 1-because i always get a pair each year and 2-i accidentally found the flannel my mom bought. it blue with owls!)

15. i would really like a plaid flannel infinity scarf. i have in my head what i want so maybe I shouldn't ask for this and just make it for myself.

16. Bracelet. I have a thing for bracelets right now. And when I was in Kohls on Black Friday with my sister and cousin, I found these three that I really like. The left and center one are both Sonoma brand. (i love the leaf one!!!) and the leather studded one is Mudd i believe. (i do know of one bracelet that I am getting. I picked it out at Penny's. Normally $40 but it was on sale for $10. I wish I could've gotten a couple more for that price!)

this is everything that i have been able to think of over the past week or so. i think its definitely enough to go off of. i do wish i just had the money to buy this stuff for myself. but i do not right now. So I will just have to wait till christmas/my bday to see what I get and maybe buy the other stuff later.

till next time

quotes

2011-12-01T00:11:00.001-06:00

“This is what you shall do; Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body.” - Walt Whitman

“Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” - William Faulkner

“My own brain is to me the most unaccountable of machinery - always buzzing, humming, soaring roaring diving, and then buried in mud. And why? What’s this passion for?” - Virginia Woolf

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it—always.” - Mahatma Gandhi

till next time
b

music

2011-11-30T21:47:00.001-06:00

I feel really weird whenever I don't do the normal music or quotes posts. So I am going to do them now, even though they are late. (isn't that typical for me lately anyway?) Last year for every monday between Thanksgiving and Christmas, for the music post I shared a favorite Christmas song. And that is what I am going to do again this year. I may have repeats from last year, I honestly don't remember what I posted then. I've already put my christmas music on the Nano and I actually listened to Christmas music voluntarily today. Shocker!! If I listen to the Christmas music on the radio, it drives me nuts and I get tired of it so quickly. But if I listen to stuff of my choosing, I can handle it a lot longer. So up first: Mercy Me with Silent Night.

this is probably one of my favorite renditions of this song.

till next time

my long holiday weekend

2011-11-28T21:40:00.001-06:00

this past weekend was such a long busy weekend. it was a good weekend, but busy. and exhausting. (note: my space bar is acting finicky and it doesn't always catch when i hitit with my right thumb, and its just weird hitting the space with my left thumb, so there may be some words that run together if I don'tget hit the space bar well enough)

my family did our usual dinner with turkey, stuffing, potatoes...etc. My contributions were the Raspberry-Cranberry Sauce and Green Bean Casserole. (mine is soooo much better than the french-fried onion version, i had been craving it for weeks and can't wait for christmas dinner when i'll be making it again)

my mom, 3 sisters, aunt, cousin and I are the crazy type that goes shopping on Black Friday. Though, it started on Thursday this year, which is just wrong. Two of my sisters had quite a bit of success while shopping. I thought for sure they wouldn't get the stuff they wanted in target due to our location in the line, but we all actually got what we were looking for. I got to Walmart at 9:30pm and got back to my apt at 9:30am. 12 hours. Savannah, Lisa and I put in a movie and we were going to rest some. I don't know if I even made it 15 minutes into the movie before I fell asleep in my chair.

Friday evening I made Chicken Tikka Masala for my cousin since she's never had Indian food. It was good, but needs some tweaking. I also wish I would've made some Naan but I didn't want to take the time. I had lots of crafts to complete for my grandmothers 75th birthday party on saturday. On saturday after I slept in extremely late, Sav and I got our stuff ready and headed to my parents house so I could decorate and get everything ready for the party. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was still nice. and yet again, I wanted to do to much stuff and would not have been able to get the final details together if I hadn't have had help. And I still didn't even get everything made that I wanted to. Typical. And frustrating.

I ended up staying at my parents house Saturday since we were up to late playing cards. I attempted a photo shoot with Becky's family on sunday. And by attempt I mean that one of the kids didn't really feel like cooperating, understandable at times, the dog was cooperating (but she's so cute even if she is as big-or bigger-than a miniature horse) and the weather was quite chilly and windy. So it wasn't a huge success.

Overall my weekend was really quite good. But it was very tiring. I felt like it was constantly go! go! go! except for when I wasn't sleeping. Next year I might take Monday off just so I have a day to recover before heading back to work.

I have a lot of stuff to do right now (editing photos, studying, rifling through my trash can for important papers that i cannot find, christmas stuff (already) and numerous other things. But I've been spending a lot of my time watching season 4 of The Big Bang Theory. I love that show. I can't stop laughing when I watch it.

Anyway. That sums up my holdiay weekend, which I know you were all just dying to read about. Hopefully I will start getting back into more regular blogging and stop with the neglect. Its getting bad. I just wish tomorrow wasn't wednesday but rather friday. I really don't feel like having 3 more days of work this week.

till next time
b

quotes

2011-11-22T21:03:00.001-06:00

“Live in the present, remember the past, and fear not the future, for it doesn’t exist and never shall. There is only now.” - Christopher Paolini, Eldest

“An entire sea of water can’t sink a ship unless it gets inside the ship. Similarly, the negativity of the world can’t put you down unless you allow it to get inside you.” - unknown

“Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” - Cesare Pavese

“It’s easier not to say anything. Shut your trap, button your lip, can it. All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing your feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say.” - Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

“But I’d rather look back and regret something I did when I was young and crazy, than look back and regret something I never had the courage to do, and realize it’s too late.” - Cherrie Lynn, Rock Me

*
*
*
i have been neglecting blogging. again. there is a lot going on right now and i am just trying to keep my head on straight right now. The main things taking up my time/focus right now: thanksgiving, my Grandma's bday party, studying for (and eventually taking) the placement tests for college. I was hoping to take those tests this week, but its not happening. After doing some of the sample questions online, I realized I need to do some serious studying first. Hopefully later tonight I am going to do a post finalizing the details (as best as i can) for my grandma's bday party. It is this saturday afterall. (eek!) We aren't doing anything huge, but it is her 75th bday so we wanted to make it a little special with decorations and dessert. lots to do tonight. i am so glad tomorrow is the 'friday' of the week.

till next time
b

music

2011-11-15T22:32:00.001-06:00

I feel weird for not having shared any music yesterday. And I just discovered this band this evening and I must share it. Unfortunately this song is not available on itunes. its not available on the band page (to purchase, the video is there). the video is not available on youtube, but luckily it is available on vimeo. so i am at least able to share this somehow. i've already lost track of how many times i've listened to this song.

it is so good.

Monsters Calling Home - Growing Up

till next time

Hunger Games

2011-11-15T07:11:00.001-06:00

I woke up way early this morning. I fell asleep early, for me, while reading last night. Somewhere around 10:30. And I woke up at 6. In my disbelief that I actually woke up at my own free will that early, I tried to sleep for 30 more minutes. It didn't happen. My mind was racing. So I am up instead. I've already done a blog post this morning (this makes two), started straightening up my living room, moved clothes into the dryer, and picked up my bathroom. I still have a 100 things I need to do though. I really do need to make a list. Oh and I also browsed the internet some, where I found this:

I'm so excited!! I can't wait till March 23. As soon as I am done reading the series that I am now working on, (i'm on book 2 of 4 of The Dreamers by David & Leigh Eddings) I will be reading the Hunger Games Trilogy again. I'm trying to read as much as possible right now because once school starts in January, I don't know how much time I will have for leisurely reading.

Well, I'm off to get some more stuff done this morning before I head to an important appointment before work. (i'm nervous!!) We will see how much stuff I get done. I feel like I need to start making Weekly Goals again. That usually works well for me.

till next time

quotes

2011-11-15T06:41:00.001-06:00

crap! i can't believe I've neglected my blog for an entire week!! most of last week was spent reading a new book, Inheritance (the last in the series). I've actually spent very little time on my computer this last week. Well, less than I normally do because it took me three evenings plus reading some in the mornings and over my lunch to finish the book. hopefully i will do better about blogging this week.

“It is not about making yourself beautiful, that is something that was granted to you before the day you were conceived. I think that living life beautifully is simply seeing the beauty you are surrounded by each and every day. It is the small things, like enjoying the feel of rain on your skin instead of complaining that your feet got wet. It is going out and working for what you want instead of sitting around pouting because it didn’t fall into your lap. It is filling your lungs with air and being grateful to simply be alive. It is looking at each and every human being and realizing that they are all beautiful things. To live beautifully takes on the meaning of the cliché, “love your neighbour as yourself”. The key to living a truly beautiful life is love. There are countless amounts of stories, books, songs, novels, poems, art and other forms of self-expression written on the topic. As Mother Teresa said, “We can do no great things, just small things with great love. It is not how much you do, but how much love you put into doing it.” If you have lived a life full of love, you have lived beautifully.” - Katherine MacKay

“I’m not sentimental—I’m as romantic as you are. The idea, you know, is that the sentimental person thinks things will last—the romantic person has a desperate confidence that they won’t.” - F. Scott Fitzgerald; (This Side of Paradise)

“Photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place. It has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” - unknown

“Your own words are the bricks and mortar of the dreams you want to realize. Your words are the greatest power you have. The words you choose and their use establish the life you experience.” - Sonia Choquette

“To awaken each morning with a smile brightening my face; to greet the day with reverence for the opportunities it contains; to approach my work with a clean mind; to hold ever before me, even in the doing of little things, the ultimate purpose toward which I am working; to meet men and women with laughter on my lips and love in my heart; to be gentle, kind, and courteous through all the hours; to approach the night with weariness that ever woos sleep and the joy that comes from work well done - this is how I desire to waste wisely my days.” - Thomas Dekker

till next time
b

quotes

2011-11-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

"Sometimes, when you don't know the answer to a question that keeps playing over and over again in your mind, it's because you're messing with the wrong question." - unknown

"Freedom from the past, or anything else for that matter, always comes in the very instant you stop thinking about it." - unknown

"That was one of the saddest things about people—their most important thoughts and feelings often went unspoken and barely understood." - Alexandra Adornetto (Halo)

"I like people with depth, I like people with emotion, I like people with a strong mind, an interesting mind, a twisted mind, and also someone that can make me smile." - Abbey Lee Kershaw

"The most terrible and beautiful and interesting things happen in a life. For some of you, those things have already happened. Whatever happens to you belongs to you. Make it yours. Feed it to yourself even if it feels impossible to swallow. Let it nurture you, because it will." – unknown

"And I thought that all those little kids are going to grow up someday. And all those little kids are going to do the things that we do. And they will all kiss someone someday. But for now, sledding is enough. I think it would be great if sledding were always enough, but it isn’t." - The Perks of Being a Wallflower; Stephen Chbosky

Sugar Rush

2011-11-07T21:30:00.000-06:00

as I talked about yesterday, my mom and I went to an Event called Sugar Rush on thursday evening. Lucky for us, there was a deal being offered one day and I got the tickets for half price-otherwise I'm not so sure it would've been worth the $15 a ticket. It was good, and interesting, and I got so sugared out. I brought my mom home after that and on our way out of town, we stopped and got some tater-tots at sonic. they were salty enough to offset the sugar a little.

Sugar Rush was a gathering of 2 dozen or so vendors that offered a small sampling of their products and you got to eat as much as you wanted. (they were smart and offered water and milk, i stuck with water) I had heard of a lot of the places, but there were a few I never had before. There was probably at least 6 cupcake vendors. And to be completely honest, I was not thrilled with the taste/texture of any of them. Gigi's cupcakes won best table presentation, by far. And their cupcakes Looked good, but they really weren't that great. The cake part was the worst, it was really dry and didn't have a lot of flavor. But they were all like that. I've heard people say great things about Gigi's, so maybe I will give them a chance and actually go to their store, but so far I am not to impressed. The red velvet cake from...Amycakes, i think, was by far the best cake but it didn't have cream cheese frosting. which was weird.

My mom and I went around the outer tables and got a plateful of goodies and sat down to sample. Some of the stuff, like a brownie from Big Momma's and a chocolate crossiant from somewhere else, I stuck in my purse to me eaten at a later date. Once we were done sampling our plates....okay okay, we basically cleared them, of everything good anyway....and we went back to hit the tables in the middle, and each got another platefull. This is when I remembered to at least take a picture with my camera phone. This will probably look crazy and I will look like a pig (hey, there were people that had their plates piled higher than mine) but this is what the event was for, don't judge. this is a judge free zone.

Let's see if I can name everything. The cupcake on its side at the top of the photo was a pumpkin one..i didn't like it. Next going clockwise around was the red velvet, which i didn't finish. (all the cupcakes were mini, and i don't know if i even finished one whole one) Next around the clock is I think a monster cookie and then a chocolate torte with raspberry sauce. (both were so-so). Next at the bottom of the picture is a hummingbird cake. I think i took a bite of this. My mom tried one bite and tasted a black walnut and had to spit it out. the last three cupcakes are all Gigi's cupcakes. There was a mint one, chocolate salted caramel and the center was german chocolate. I ended up carrying the salted caramel one out with me in my empty water cup and tried it friday night. Nothing great.

I did eat the brownie I had stashed in my purse on friday night as well. That thing was the bomb. I think the brownie took 2nd place. The table presentation took last place though. There was a guy sitting at a table with a Big Mamma's sign and an oversized aluminum roasting pan filled with brownies. Thats it. Just the guy, a sign and the brownies. Once he ran out of brownies, he was outta there. I guess I don't blame him, the placed was filled mostly with females. Maybe his whole setup seemed a bit suspicious. Some coworkers joked that maybe the brownies weren't to be trusted. But I took my chances. (and the brownie is in no way to blame for me calling in sick on saturday, i promise) And it was sooo worth it. Quite possibly the best brownie I've ever had. But it still wasn't enough to top the Dulce de leche gelato from Gelato Mio. I seriously need to go to that place now. If the brownie was the the bomb then the gelato was...well, I don't know what it was, but it kicked ass. Now if you combined the two...I'd be in a sugar coma heaven. Just give me a glass of water to go with it all.

If Sugar Rush is held next year, my going will depend on a couple of things. 1-can I get tickets for half price again. and 2-are there enough new vendors to make it worth going. We'll just have to wait and see.

at this moment...

2011-11-07T16:27:00.000-06:00

Obsessing over: money and the future

Working on: meal plan and to-do list for the week

Thinking about: school, money, work, the future…..need I continue?

Anticipating: Reading Inheritance on Tuesday

Listening to: nada, except for my noisy fridge

Drinking: Water (but wishing it was wine)

Wishing: That I didnt have to go back to work, that I had wine and that my headache would leave

till next time
b

music

2011-11-07T09:00:00.000-06:00

this band has been getting a lot of recognition for a song of theirs that is currently being played on the radio, 'Pumped up Kicks.' you might've heard of the band, Foster the People. That song is not the one I will be sharing with you today though. Another song, I have a few of theirs now, but I think this one might be my favorite.

till next time

weekly gratitude

2011-11-06T23:30:00.000-06:00

i think i've had writers block when it comes to my blog this past week. there has been stuff i could blog about, but i just haven't really been feeling it. but now, i really need to do this post. i have had a very unproductive, movie and sleep filled weekend. i was supposed to work yesterday but i ended up calling in due to...well, i'll spare you the details. i lost track of the exact hours, but i think i ended up being asleep more hours than i was awake yesterday. how ridiculous is that? i've also lost track of how many i've movies i've watched between netflix and the ones i own. i haven't left my apartment since i got home from grocery shopping after work on friday. it has been kinda nice. nice enough that i wish i didn't have to go to work tomorrow. but i am feeling better, thankfully, therefore i have no choice. on to the gratitude.

i am thankful for feeling better
i am glad my mom and i went to Sugar Rush on thursday evening, though i am glad we got our tickets for half price, would've really have been worth it otherwise.
Dulce de leche gelato - by far the greatest discovery at Sugar Rush-and i only had about a tablespoon of the stuff. but it was eyes-to-the-sky good. my mouth waters just thinking about it. that stuff is gold.
i am thankful for feel good movies
i am glad for a (mostly) clean kitchen
Greek Rice - this stuff rocks my world
i am thankful for books, they really are great company. and i will be buying one book in particular in two days! (i won't be getting anything else done till that book is finished)

this past week has still been full of stress, emotional ups and downs, and frustrations. i'm just tired of it. why, why why do we have to make life so complicated? is it really supposed to be like this? i'm sitting on my couch with my patio door slightly open so i can hear the rain better and i am desperately wishing i had a bottle of wine. right now, i'm just trying to relax and not think about the coming week. also trying not to think about the upcoming holidays, but thats a another story for another time. i think part of the reason why i am a night owl is because it feels like if i go to bed earlier, i have to face the following day that much sooner. but if i stay up and read or watch movies or whatever, it feels like i am putting off the next day. even if just for a little bit. absurd, i know. time is time and it will pass regardless of how i spend it. guess its a mentality issue.

till next time
b

no quotes

2011-11-01T23:00:00.000-05:00

i am opting to skip the quotation tuesday post for today. i feel like sometimes it is just to automatic for me to do that post, and I just post a few random quotes i have saved if nothing pops out at me. I'm sure if i looked long enough, I could find something, but right now, nada. so instead i am going to ramble on about stuff in my life and maybe .....idk. i guess i don't have a maybe.

it is 10:30 and i am already in some comfy pants, jewelry is off, dinner is eaten and all lights except my bedroom light are turned off and I have a episode of a tv show loading on netflix in another window so that is it ready for me by the time I am done with this post. and i'm munching on grapes. mainly because my dinner wasn't that fullfilling, i have the munchies but nothing but grapes to eat. i've basically checked in for the night. mentally and physically. and for me, at only 10:30, thats almost unheard of these days.

as of today i have signed another year lease on my apt. i have filled out the FAFSA form, filled out the OTC application, and I have my resume up to date. I still have stuff to do for the OTC application though, like get y transcripts sent to them and orientation crap. And I still have to find a 2nd job. If I don't find a 2nd job, I am screwed. To put it bluntly.

If for some reason I am not able to attend school this spring semester, if i can't get financial aid or whatever the reason may be (which i am stressing about that), I cannot begin to describe how i will feel. First, I will be ever so pissed that I signed another lease for my apt. To break the lease, I have to have the equivalent of two months worth of rent (over $1000). I really don't know how else I will feel. Frustrated, angry, upset....yeah, thats a start.

i will/can fully admit that i have not been in a good place mentally lately. There are so many things that are frustrating me and I don't know how to move past it all. First and foremost, I am tired of people. I am tired of unbalanced relationships. I am tired of always being the one to initiate contact, and only getting short answers in response, if I even get an answer at all. And no, this isn't just any one person. It's several. I am seriously considering extracting myself from some peoples lives. For awhile at least. Im not doing this to try to force these people to be the ones to contact me first...it isn't that at all. I really just dont want much to do with them at the moment. If I am going to be going to school next semester and working two jobs, i won't have time for people anyway.

there is more that is bothering me. but i'm not going to share some of it. just a little to personal. sometimes, i just don't know what to do. and this is one of those times.

till next time
b

music monday

2011-10-31T21:54:00.002-05:00

very few words on this post. just music. i have a lot going on in my head and i am trying to process it all.

till next time

weekly gratitude (late)

2011-10-31T21:42:00.002-05:00

for spending time with 2 nephews and a niece this weekend
for my mom for lending me her ipod nano. i now have a larger selection of music to listen to at work
finding out my longest and best friend (yes, i still consider her a best friend even though there are many miles between us now) and her husband are expecting a baby!! i am so excited for them. I know they will both be great parents. I'm just really sad that she lives so far away. I wish I could throw her a baby shower. I cried when she told me.
watching a few episodes of The Big Bang Theory. I couldn't stop laughing, I love that show.
for a crafty weekend
for my sisters amazing (albeit reluctant) help with a project. i owe her big time.
cookie dough dip with animal crackers. so good.

that is all i can think of for the moment. It's more than I had last week at least, but this past week still wasn't a very good one. i'm tired of weeks like that. they are so exhausting.

till next time
b

thursday

2011-10-29T02:38:00.001-05:00

thursday morning i woke up to a migraine and a quick trip to to go hug the toilet. (sorry for the mental picture) I slept for a little longer, woke up when I should be getting ready for work, and decided it wasn't worth the struggle. So I called in and fell back asleep for a couple of hours. I then woke up, watched a movie, and fell back asleep for another few hours. I think what I needed most of all was sleep. I have been exhausted all week, no matter how much sleep I got, and I guess it just all came to a head finally. The downside to getting so much sleep during the day though...i can't fall asleep that night. and i was up way to late thursday. and I was yawning all day today. yesterday when i woke up and was watching the movie, i started making a 'to do' list for in case i started to feel better. here it is:

27 things to do today (because today is the 27th)

1. get rid of my headache (for the most part) (luckily, the headache was almost completely gone)
2. Watch Eagle Eye (this was the movie i watched when i made the list)
3. Laundry – all caught up (mission completed. yay!)
4. Pick up all craft crap in living room (all picked up except for the paints)
5. Dust
6. Dishes (yeah...even now on friday night, i still haven't touched them)
7. Blog post – tumblring (this was no problem to finish)
8. Figure out weekend craft projects (done...probably more planned than i can actually get done)
9. Paint at least 3 more colors on painting (four colors!)
10. Make a grocery list (done, sorta. its a short, cheap list)
11. vacuum (i am so glad i didn't get this done because i would only have to redo it. i dumped halloween sprinkles all over my kitchen tile and carpet. actually, they are still there.......)
12. go through my ‘mail bag’ (this was long overdue)
13. fill out fafsa form
14. finish res with Lisa
15. fill out OTC app
16. Call mama, ask about Grandma’s bday (done, but not many details worked out)
17. apply - 2
18. replace lamp light bulb….if I have one (i had to steal one from another lamp)
19. dinner….but what? (lack of food in my apartment drove me to mcd's)
20. come up with a tentative blogging schedule (done, now lets see if i can stick to it!)
21. straighten up bedroom (done...after laundry, there wasn't much to do)
22. shower tonight – just in case I’m running late in the morning (done)
23. figure out snack/treat to have Saturday with kiddos (i'm thinking popcorn, to go with the movie)
24. straighten up desk – not necessarily go through the stuff, just make it look better (looks better, but still needs some serious work)
25. catch up on all podcasts (done)
26. figure out what to bring to work on Friday (done)
27. Make treat for friday (and done...i made Cookie Dough Dip...it was divine...and it was my dinner tonight)

all in all, i don't think i did to badly on thursday, considering the rough start. I was actually more productive on thursday then i was this evening. this evening was....not a good night for me. but, i really need to try to get some sleep. I am watching my sisters 3 kids for a couple of hours tomorrow and i need my energy. and i really need to do the dishes, vacuum and run to the store before they get here. could be an interesting morning.

till next time
b

tumblring

2011-10-27T18:28:00.000-05:00

till next time

the future

2011-10-27T02:43:00.000-05:00

I thought that I was actually getting things worked out. I thought I had a plan formulating and was starting to put it into action. But now I am not so sure. My dad made me an offer, to keep me from moving to KC. I know, I realize how bad that sounds, that he has to bribe me to stay, but it is an excellent offer. The best thing he could possibly offer. KC will still be there in a couple more years, right? Unless maybe the world really does end in 2012 as the Aztecs predicted, but if that happens, I think moving will be the last thing on my mind. Yeah, I'm going to count on KC still being there in a couple of years.

But I still haven't made my mind up yet. Another complication though, I received a pay cut at work. Actually, it was a weekly bonus that has been offered to me for over a year and a half if I got a set amount of files scanned at the end of each week. In all this time that it has been offered. I think I have only missed that bonus 3 or 4 times. Losing that bonus hurts. A lot. Which also makes the process of moving much more difficult.

I turn 26 in two months. 26. I feel like I should have more things figured out in my life. I feel like I sohuld've done more with my life by this point. It's frustrating. I can't change the past, but I dont know how to form the future either. Before I turned 25, I started a list of things I would like to accomplish before I turned 26. (i typically do this every year) I haven't done to well yet this year, only about half of the items. I think i've pretty much thrown in the towel on this year. I've mentally started one for the next year though, nothing in writing yet.

i feel like i need a plan. something to give me some direction. something to put my focus towards. but how do i decide what plan of action to take? i don't know what I would/will go to school for. Culinary would be an obvious option for me, to some people. But short of owning my own business, I don't know what I would do with a culinary degree. I have no desire to work as a chef in a restaurant. Other than culinary, I don't know what I would do. Maybe just business. But again, I don't know what I would do with that either. To me, the Culinary degree would be a bit...idealistic. But not realistic.

I know nothing of running a business. Even if I took business classes or had a business degree, I would still doubt my ability. I just don't know that I have it in me.

I am fed up with people right now. There is no simpler way of putting it, I'm just tired of them. Which makes the idea of moving to KC, where I dont know anyone and no ones knows me, even more appealing. But right now, that is not even financially possible. The weekly bonus that was taken away really hurts me, financially. I am starting the job hunt to pick up a second job. I did it before for over a year and a half. I think more and more that getting a 2nd job would be a good thing, for more than just money. For now, it would give me something to focus on, to keep me busy until school started up. If I go that route. Still need to figure out what the hell i'm doing about that.

I'm afraid that by staying here, nothing will change. I will continue with the same pattern I've had all my life. I keep putting things off. There is no rush so 'oh, i'll start school next semester' or 'i'll start the diet next month' or 'thats it, the next time something ridiculously stupid happens at work, i'm looking for a new job.' But I won't. I haven't. So why would I now? How will the next year be any different from the last five? I'll still be sitting here on my couch at 2:30 in the morning, unable to sleep, wasting time on my laptop, dreading the moment when i can't put off getting ready for work another minute, berating myself for not having been more productive this evening.

How will things be any different? How can I make things change, when I dont even know how I want them to change?

till next time
b

note: this post was written over several days, so it may be a confused mess

quotes

2011-10-25T22:00:00.000-05:00

“I no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate beings to hinge together.” - Lisa Kleypas, Blue-Eyed Devil

“All around you, people will be tiptoeing through life, just to arrive at death safely. But dear children, do not tiptoe. Run, hop, skip, or dance, just don’t tiptoe.” - Shane Claiborne

“…any interpretation of Scripture that hurts people, oppresses peo¬ple, or destroys people cannot be the right interpretation, no matter how tradi¬tional, historical, or exegetically respectable. There can be no debate about the fact that the church’s stand on homosexuality has caused oppression, loneliness, self-hatred, violence, sickness, and suicide for millions of people. If the church wishes to continue with its traditional interpretation it must demonstrate, not just claim, that it is more loving to condemn homosexuality than to affirm homo¬sexuals…in the end, all appeals, whether to the Bible or anything else, must submit to the test of love…We ask the question that must be asked: “What is the loving thing to do?” - Dale B. Martin, Woolsey Professor of Religious Studies, Yale University

till next time
b

music monday

2011-10-24T16:30:00.001-05:00

Alexi Murdoch - All of My Days

I love this guys voice. I have a few of his songs, but I would really like to get more of his music. I love everything of his that I have heard. This is one of many songs that I have on repeat.

I just can't get enough of that voice.

KC Plaza Art Fair Weekend continued

2011-10-23T21:00:00.000-05:00

The weekend of the Plaza Art Fair, my mom, Lisa, Becky and I headed up to KC on Saturday morning. We headed straight to the Plaza for the art fair and some shopping. After that we headed to a quilt shop for my mom to check out before checking into the hotel. We did a little more shopping at Trader Joe's, Dean & Deluca's and Kohl's (that Kohls was much larger than ours) before heading to dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. And then we stayed up far to late playing the card game Hand & Foot.

On Sunday we headed to the Historic City Market in the River District. I was excited to visit the spice man. Turns out, the spice man that i remembered wasn't there, but there was still a spice...person. So we were able able to get what we needed. I tried taking a picture of all the spice bins, but i guess i didn't check the picture because i turned out to be blurry. After the market we headed for some amazing snow cones before leaving KC for home.

I didn't buy any produce at the Market, we had a very full trunk and I didn't want it to get damaged. Wait, on second thought, I did buy strawberries, but that was it. I would love to buy some of these portobella mushrooms sometime

Snow Cones!!! I know I've mentioned these things before, but they are worth mentioning again.

I ordere the Lemon Prickly Pear.

I cannot remember the name of what Lisa's was, but I think Becky's was Blackberry Lavendar. Turns out I don't really like lavendar very much. My mom got the Mexican Sugar Cane with Espresso (i may not have the name quite right, but its something like that) I really like that flavor too.

Well I finally have all these photos posted. From a month ago. I still have pictures to post from another trip to KC that I took with Lisa and Michael two weeks ago. But that will be for another post.

till next time
b

weekly gratitude

2011-10-23T20:16:00.000-05:00

as I mentioned the other day, this was an insanely bad week. wednesday and thursday were probably the best days fo the week, but they still weren't that good. it is going to be difficult to find things i am grateful for this week.

an afternoon spent with a good friend. we played cards, drank wine, had snacks and just really good conversation. it was what I needed.
an afternoon spent at my parents and yummy chicken enchiladas for dinner
amazing music

UPDATE

homemade angel food cake
i am soooooo grateful that my laptop wasn't damaged when it fell off the arm of the couch, hit the end table, knocking a glass of water over and then falling to the floor. soooo grateful
fall photos

till next time

Kansas City Plaza Art Fair (so late!)

2011-10-22T19:15:00.002-05:00

These photos are so insanely late. But better late then never, right? Right?!

Hope so.

And this isn't even all the photos either. In this post, I am sharing only the photos from the first day in KC. All of these photos (except one) are of the buildings on the Plaza, not any actually of the art fair. I didn't want to try taking any photos of artists' work.

If Lisa hadn't said I should quit taking pictures of the buildings and actually take pictures of the people, I probably wouldn't have the one photo of her, Becky and my mom. I just love looking at all the buldings on the Plaza. I cannot wait for Christmas (wow, did I actually just say that?) so I can go to KC again for the Plaza Lights. Maybe I will be able to get better pictures this time if 1-it isn't snowing and 2-i'll have had my camer for more than a couple of weeks. But we'll see.

till next time

struggle

2011-10-21T18:03:00.000-05:00

it has been a hellacious week

and right now, i am not willing to struggle for anything

full of changes at work that brought on much uncertainty and tears,

sleepless nights with snake filled dreams, and broken plans.

i'm tired of fighting with this week

so right now, i am enjoying a bottle of wine and

some Stargate Atlantis. (yes, i'm a nerd, i know)

till next time

quotes

2011-10-18T09:30:00.000-05:00

“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” - Shel Silverstein

“It’s not the person you are with but the person you become when you are with that person. Certain people bring out your best self. That’s who you need to find. A man who brings out your best self.” - Theresa Alan

“I don’t think feelings change, nor people, I think situations do. I know that it’s possible to dislike someone after loving them so much or to love someone after feeling so much hate towards them but, it’s not because people change, it’s because it’s not the same. It’s because something made you think differently, something opened your eyes. Something caused you to see everything the way it is at last. It’s like days. Days can be cloudy, or days can be sunny. Days don’t change, the weather does. And nothing can play a part in that or fix it, they can just let it be.” - unknown

“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.” - F. Scott Fitzgerald

till next time
b

tumblring

2011-10-18T00:08:00.000-05:00

so gorgeous

i would love to walk among these trees

i love this room

J.R.R. Tolkien

lets hope so!

yeah....usually this holds true

love the colors in this

i cannot express how much i love this tablescape

i also now want a gray polka dot tablecloth really badly

till next time

music

2011-10-17T22:43:00.000-05:00

I will fully admit, I am kinda sorta a music snob. I don't listen to much mainstream music. In my car, the radio is rarely on, I usually listen to CD's-since my ipod has dies. RIP. Due to her growing popularity, I would consider Adele to be a mainstream artist. But damn is she good. There aren't many songs from the 21 album available on Grooveshark, so this is all you get. My favorite song from this album would have to be 'Someone Like You.' I love the line 'sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead.' so true.

till next time

weekly gratitude

2011-10-16T23:28:00.000-05:00

sleep
yummy kettle corn
spending some time at my parents house this weekend - its been awhile since i've been out there
i am very glad that the Etsy shop I ordered a gift from was actually able to find the gift and i didn't have to choose a different item.
Stargate Atlantis - yes, i am a nerd. i enjoy stargate. i haven't watched it for awhile and have been thoroughly enjoying it today
for a switch at work - i helped another department with a lot of filing and it was a nice break from what i normally do. there is still a lot of more paperwork to file though, i barely made a dent in their stacks
Braum's mint chocolate chip milk shake - i will not admit how many i've had in the last week

i'm sure there is more than i am thankful for, but this is all that comes to mind right now. I am getting sleepy and there is a lot on my mind right now, so this is as good as the list gets for this week

till next time
b

new timer

2011-10-11T22:49:00.002-05:00

yes, you better believe that i am blogging about my new kitchen timer. (gotta enjoy the little things) it is from Anthropologie, it is orange, it is magnetic and it is awesome.

Lisa and I were in Anthro this last saturday. I tagged along to KC with my sister and her husband when they went for Barbershop Districts. Yes, my brother-in-law sings Barbershop, which is cool to watch, and this last weekend was my first main experience with it, but I can still only take so much of it. Thats why by the time the chorus contest was over with, I was ready to ditch the hotel and get out into the city. There were a few stores I needed to go to at the plaza, so away we went.

Anthropologie was our last stop, i think. I knew what I was going for. I wanted another coffee mug with an E on it. But of course we started browsing. Lisa picked up the kitchen timer she had eyeballed a couple weeks prior, but still wasn't sure. She asked if I thought it was worth the money. I told her it was a good thing there wasn't an orange one because I would be all over that. She goes 'ummm' and turns around and presents an orange timer for me. Guess what I bought. (among other things)

Isn't it pretty! I used it for the first time while making box mac n' cheese (barf!)

I know, I am probably the only person in the world that thinks a timer is pretty...and want to name it. hmmmmm.....I'll have to think on that.

till next time

quotes

2011-10-11T09:30:00.000-05:00

all of the following images are from my Pinterest

you can link to Pinterest to link to the photos

till next time

music

2011-10-10T22:22:00.001-05:00

till next time
b

weekly gratitude (late)

2011-10-10T20:54:00.000-05:00

I was in KC this weekend, again, and didn't get home till yesterday evening. I wasn't very productive when I got home. I looked up a couple of things on the internet real quick and then switched to readin my book, and I ended up crashing. So here is my weekly gratitude post

i am so grateful for another great weekend in Kansas City. The weather was gorgeous.
I am so glad that Fresher than Fresh is taking advantage of the beautiful weather and staying open till the weather turns cold. Eating snocones and sitting in the garden under some gorgeous trees makes for a wonderful afternoon. (Eating at Grinders and discovering GoodJuJu didn't hurt either
Cupcake Moscato D' Asti wine. Drank an entire bottle in one evening. It is so good. I even passed up ice cream and stuck with the wine!
i Was grateful for an evening spent with good conversation, but events have taken place and now not so much.
great books and lots of time spent reading
glad that my kitchen is finally clean and my baking block might be broken
i might be going back to KC in less than two weeks! love it

till next time
b

tumblring

2011-10-07T01:41:00.000-05:00

[click pictures for links]

till next time