Go Girl, It's Your Birthday!

HAPPY 20th BIRTHDAY to my wonderful, little sister, Ember!!!

Prettiest girl that I know (on the right!!!)

Most fun girl I know (on the left this time!!!)

Most fun girl I know (also on the right again!!!)

LOVE HER MORE THAN ANYONE <3

P.S. Stay tuned for tomorrow's post... it's about the last week's debacles.

You won't wanna miss it.

A Few of My Favorite Things

I thought that since yesterday I was a little aprehensive about media with my hashtags rant, I would let you in on some of the media-type things I like best. Okay, so they are books, but I tried to make amends with anyone I angered yesterday who is loving Twitter. :)

Here is a short list of books that I love. I encourage you to check them out if you feel so inclined:

1. "Mud and Poetry" By: Tyler Blanski

This book is wonderful! It's a well written treatise on the things that truly matter and the grittiness of life.

I laughed, I sat in silence and thought, I shed a tear.

It was that good!

2. "Through Painted Deserts" By: Donald Miller

I have a huge place in my heart for Donald Miller's writing style! I find him incredibly easy to relate to. This story of his travels in a beat up hippie van is peppered with words of wisdom.

3. "East of Eden" By: John Steinbeck

At first I had mixed feelings about this book. But it is so nuanced and thought provoking as well as a plot that is very detailed. I haven't read it in quite some time and I picked up a copy at a yard sale. I'll have to read it again very soon!

What are some of your favorite books?!

Hashtags #ikindofhatethem

I am a product of the technology generation. I am not going to sit here and pretend I'm not- that I really do belong in the world of Joan Cleaver and her pies, and aprons, and pearls (though pearls are hot in Europe right now, whatever that means haha). However, I am NOT a technology savvy lady. Nope, not at all, not me.

I have a confession to make. Though I am part of the millennial generation... I HATE "hashtags." Yeah, I didn't know what they were either , until I kept seeing them crop up. People saying "just saw the funniest car trying to race a horse #dyingoflaughter". Then, my younger sister told me they were called "hashtags". Is that something you eat?! Like a hashbrown only more gritty? I guess it's a twitter thing.

Btdubs, I am not an I-hate-technology-person. I'm down with the world wide web.

Just not getting the hashtags.

Thoughts on technology? #doyoulikehashtags?

P.S. Watch this video...combines lady gaga and technology. What could be better?! I know not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nroUJEplPnY



Sweet Summer Time: a list

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the months of June, July, and August fly by!
Here is a list of some things that have happened this summer- the great, the mediocre, and the bad:

This is in NO way a comprehensive list or even a list of the most interesting things. Just randoms I can think of at the moment :)

1. Spent a little time with the ladies! My best college friends, Stacie, Lindsey, and Emily and I got together and hit the beach! How can one not have a good time with her besties without testes?!

Left to Right: Emily, yours truly, Stacie, Lindsey

2. Applied to be on the show "The Bachelor". "Why?!" you may ask incredulously. Well, my friends, I had LOTS of fun filling out the application. It was somewhat a joke a first- I relished and guffawed at the fact that each application had to include 5-15 pictures, including body shots (apparently they don't have any anti-discrimination laws based on weight). But then, I figured what the heck?! So I printed some snapshots, picked them up at Walgreens, and season 16 hurrrrrr I commeeeeeeee! hehe.

3. My dad died. This is not a fun one at all. After a year long battle with cancer, he went to heaven. We got to be with him when he passed. It has been so incredibly hard, and I am sure in subsequent posts, I will mention my father a lot. He hasn't lived with my mom, my sister, and I for many years, but we loved that man fiercely, despite rough times. He also had two other daughters. I am his oldest :)
Here are some pictures of the fam:

At my high school graduation!

My momma, my sister Ember, and our dad. At our college (yes! my baby sister and I ended up at the same school, which ended up being an act of God- we were there to support each other during our dad's illness) in the fall of 2010.

Me and my dad that same day.

Finally convinced him to dance at our grandparent's surprise 50th wedding anniversary party!

Me, Ember, dad that same day.

Last picture we took with the man who held us first.

July 4th, 2011.

Always in our hearts.

4. Sunburned SO bad. Twice. Peeled to the point where it looked like a leper. Not cute.

5. Got asked out 5 weeks in a row by a guy who would come into my office at work. It started as a joke and ended up somewhat real. He had the most wonderful pick-up lines though. Here is a sampling:

after asking me to look up an ID number and there was no money in his account:

Me: "there is no money in your account."

Him: "I don't wanna take money out. I wanna take you out."

holds out a plastic tiara and fairy wand

Him: "put these on please."

Me: "seriously?!"

Him: "yes"

I put them on

Him: "A tiara usually makes someone think of a princess. May I treat you like a princess this Saturday night at dinner?!"

Him: "I was eating Chinese food with my parents this weekend, and fate must have known I was going to ask you out today."

Shows me a fortune from a fortune cookie that reads:

"Your ability to pick a winner will bring you success."

This was definitely an interesting episode. Rawr.

6. My best friend from high school had a baby! I am an honorary aunt! Can't wait to see little Jaydan in person!

Danielle, Micah, and Jaydan.

7. I have changed so very much this summer! I feel like I've become somewhat less stressed. Life's too short to sweat the petty stuff! Or pet the sweaty stuff. Hence no summer flings. nuff said.

8. I don't have the stamina for an even 10, friends. I am actually a little sick today. I've been in bed.

What have been some random adventures you all have had this summer?!

10 uses for Baking Soda (aka the Miracle powder)

I realized as of late how handy baking soda is in life outside the kitchen. Last night, I was up in the night with a horrible stomach-ache (likely my fault from eating a very heavy dinner). Checked the medicine cabinet- no tums, no pepto, no hope... I thought. Until I was reminded that I could mix some baking soda into water to help my tummy. Worked like a charm. Here are some other uses for the miracle powder:

1) the aforementioned anti-indigestion concoction (about 1/2 teaspoon per 8 oz glass)

2) instead of using chemical laden shower products, you can use a fistful of baking soda in lieu of shampoo. it sounds weird but my friend told me about this and I tried it... it made my hair feel nice! simply rub it into your scalp and let it work its magic!

3) as toothpaste. whitens your teeth really nicely

4) in cat litter boxes as an anti-odor agent

5) all purpose cleaning. ran outta Ajax for bathroom cleaning? use baking soda

6) to entertain kids when mixed with vinegar (you already knew this but hey... classic)

7) to send to your friends in envelopes as a "bio hazard" scare (do so responsibly). once i was forced to use powered sugar for this purpose. the desired effect was not reached, it was a sticky mess all over my buddies desk in her dorm room

8) as a cleaning aid in the laundry... adding 1/2 cup of baking soda changes the PH of your detergent and makes your whites whiter and brights brighter (slogan not stolen, borrowed). make sure you add detergent too, however, it is in addition to the detergent. i have not tried this, i will need to!

9) put a couple teaspoons in water to wash the pesticides off your fruits and veggies

10) to sooth itching and redness from bug bites or minor rashes (for major rashes, step away from your computer and call a health professional).

"The Bachelor" and plans for housewifedom

     Today it hit me with the force that the news of Justin Bieber's haircut impacted the world of preteen girls... I am not so sure I want to be a high profile career woman. I think it happened when I saw all these small babies. Strolling through the store with their parents, loving gazing out at the world. I wanna be a wife and a mother. In the words of Jay Brannen, "I wanna be a housewife, what's so wrong with that?" However, I do love work and learning new things, and I know I have a lot to learn before that day comes. So for now I'm sitting tight, listening to Train and...

    Watching the Bachelor on hulu. Maybe you watched the season finale last night or maybe you are judging me (please don't though, I love documentaries as well as reality TV) but c'mon... the proposal to Emily?! So sweet. She certainly deserved it and I hope they are happy and make it work. Trista and Ryan were at the "where are they now"-esque "after the final rose" show and they have been married for 7 years. If they can do it, so can Brad and Emily, I hope!
   On a different note, I must brush the wistful, romantic musings from my mind and do at least two other things today:
   1) Homework, my constant companion (other college kids know what I mean), it's like that friend that you don't mind sometimes and you know they have to be in your life but they come along uninvited (I don't have any friends like that at this current juncture just to be clear).
   2) Make something delicious from lemons. Why? Well, I may or may not have procured several lemons in hopes of doing the Master Cleanse cayenne pepper, maple syrup, lemon juice diet and no longer desire to try it.
This is what I hope to make.

We'll see how it goes. I guess lemon curd was traditionally make for scones. How quaint! Perhaps, my mom and I can have a tea time with scones and lemon curd later. Sounds lovely to me!

Poem for a Traveler

I am greater than carbon; not solely chemical
Ephemeral glimpses of something beyond
Things are trapped in shattered pieces
Wanting to be beautiful, unreachable
But I look at this disfigurement
And realize
I am carbon and chemical, too.