Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Offensive Much?
Does anyone else find the comment, which I assume was meant to be funny, offensive?!?! Maybe it is the fact that I live on the border and hear almost every day about another killing by the cartels in Juarez or elsewhere in Mexico, but I found it to be in extremely BAD taste. You might be a lawyer Harvey Levin, but you sure are as dumb and useless as a bag of rocks!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Cuteness
I love when my baby plays in the grass!
Also, I noticed today that she doesn't just walk. She trots like a horsey. I love her!
Right Now
right now i was reading one of my favorite blogs, specifically this post and the last few words Matt, who I consider a friend even though we only know each other via twitter, really struck a chord with me. He said, "i’ve been asked many times before, if it’s hard for me to see such a striking resemblance between maddy and her mom. the answer? fuck no. i find nothing but comfort in seeing liz in maddy. and why shouldn’t i?"
Those words made me realize how lucky and blessed I am to be surrounded by and in contact with people that inspire me to be a better person. Matt has been to hell and back and can still manage to have a positive outlook- maybe not all the time, as i am sure he would admit, but still, most of the time he does. It is people like that- all of the many people I am honored to call my friends- that i am constantly amazed by. Your all's strength and courage and positivity and humor and love help me to grow and for that I thank you.
xoxo
Those words made me realize how lucky and blessed I am to be surrounded by and in contact with people that inspire me to be a better person. Matt has been to hell and back and can still manage to have a positive outlook- maybe not all the time, as i am sure he would admit, but still, most of the time he does. It is people like that- all of the many people I am honored to call my friends- that i am constantly amazed by. Your all's strength and courage and positivity and humor and love help me to grow and for that I thank you.
xoxo
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Girls, Girls, Girls
So the other day I was watching Oprah when she had Garth Brooks on. At some point in their conversation, Garth stated that around 10-11 his three daughters kinda changed. Anyone reading this that is a woman can probably understand what he was referring to. My middle school years were really hard for me and I never really understood why- until Oprah gave her insight. Oprah stated that around that age, girls start to become aware of the guys around them. Not like they never knew there was another sex on the planet, but that they start to realize that they can get a guy's attention by behaving or looking a certain way- basically changing themselves for this newly discovered sex. I think a lot of what Oprah was saying is true and even at 27, I notice I sometimes do that (which actually kinda baffles me because in all honesty I like my personality so much more when I am hanging around someone who is just a friend) and so do many of my girl friends. It is kinda nutty. When Oprah was explaining this, I thought to myself, "Yes, I agree Dear Oprah, but how could we, women, change that for young girls? What could we do?"
Well, those questions bring me to something that I have wanted to blog about for a while. A few weeks, or maybe even months ago, I came across an article about a group of girls at a Texas high school that for one day each week decided that they would not wear makeup. Their idea was inspired by Operation Beautiful. We, women, can deny all we want that we do not wear makeup or get ready for the opposite sex, but let's be truthful here- yeah we do. If you disagree, then ask yourself, "Would you ever go out on a first date not wearing make up or doing your hair?" Yeah, I didn't think so. So I guess this is one answer I have to the questions that Oprah's comments inspired me to ask myself. I think the more truthful we are to ourselves, the more we will be our authentic selves. What are your thoughts on how we can teach young girls to be truthful to themselves and stay their wonderfully beautiful little selves?
Well, those questions bring me to something that I have wanted to blog about for a while. A few weeks, or maybe even months ago, I came across an article about a group of girls at a Texas high school that for one day each week decided that they would not wear makeup. Their idea was inspired by Operation Beautiful. We, women, can deny all we want that we do not wear makeup or get ready for the opposite sex, but let's be truthful here- yeah we do. If you disagree, then ask yourself, "Would you ever go out on a first date not wearing make up or doing your hair?" Yeah, I didn't think so. So I guess this is one answer I have to the questions that Oprah's comments inspired me to ask myself. I think the more truthful we are to ourselves, the more we will be our authentic selves. What are your thoughts on how we can teach young girls to be truthful to themselves and stay their wonderfully beautiful little selves?
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thanksgiving Yumminess!
This Thanksgiving was awesome! It was my two brothers, my SIL, and my dad. Me and L, my SIL, made most of the meal and it was seriously one of the best, if not THE BEST, Thanksgiving meal I have ever had! Onto the best part- what we ate!
We started out with a shrimp cocktail that I completely forgot to take a picture of!
Here is the turkey that I made! I prepped it by rubbing coarse sea salt all over it and then washed it off. After that, I stuffed it with half an onion, some garlic cloves, and half a lemon. I also put in some sprigs of rosemary and some salt and pepper. This year I decided to use a cheese cloth that I had soaked in a dry white wine and 1 cup of butter. The turkey roasted for about 4.5 hours and the cheesecloth was on it up until the last hour. Every 30 minutes I basted it with the left over butter and wine sauce and the juices from the bottom of the roasting pan. It was seriously the most tender and juicy turkey I have ever made- I have made three previous to this. I am not sure what I can attribute that to, but my guess is either the cheesecloth or the fact that I got a natural kosher turkey this year.
I also made homemade gravy. The recipe can be found here. As you can tell, I got the turkey and salad recipe from this newsletter as well!
Next up we had a delicious mixed greens salad with goat cheese, dried cranberries, walnuts, and a homemade dressing! I used arugula, radicchio, and endive. It was amazing! I didn't even know I liked endive! The dressing is muy bueno and super easy to make. You take 3 garlic cloves, 2.5 teaspoons of dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and 1/3 cup of red wine vinegar and whisk them in a bowl. While whisking you slowly add in 1 cup of EVOO and then season with sea salt and pepper to taste!
One of the sides I made was a brussel sprout and dried fig dish. My friend D sent me a link from the New York Times with a list of Thanksgiving sides and this one looked delicious! It is also soooo easy to make! You put 2 tablespoons of EVOO in a pan and then throw in some chopped bacon and fry it until it is cooked the way you like it. I did mine for about 7-8 minutes. After that, throw in some chopped brussel sprouts and a handful of dried figs, mix it all together a couple of times then add in 1/3-1/4cup of water. Then just let it sit there and occasionally stir it. You will know when it is done when the figs and sprouts are tender. This was seriously so delicious! My SIL even said later that she didn't even know she liked brussel sprouts and wanted the recipe!
To me, it is not Thanksgiving unless you have green bean casserole! Such a classic! You can find the recipe here!
Sorry that the pic is a bit out of focus! These are the delicious Yukon Gold mashed potatoes that my SIL made. They were seriously so creamy and fluffy!
She also made a delicious stuffing! I cannot remember all that was in it, but I think there were onions and celery. So good!
To top it off, my SIL made a delicious pecan pie. I have never in my life tried pecan pie, but this was TO DIE FOR! Seriously, I think pecan might beat out pumpkin pie as my favorite! She also made a pumpkin roll. None of us have tried it yet because we were stuffed like a turkey, but I assure you it looks like it is going to taste great! We also had some bubbly- Moet Chandon!
And lastly, a pic of the entire spread!
We started out with a shrimp cocktail that I completely forgot to take a picture of!
Here is the turkey that I made! I prepped it by rubbing coarse sea salt all over it and then washed it off. After that, I stuffed it with half an onion, some garlic cloves, and half a lemon. I also put in some sprigs of rosemary and some salt and pepper. This year I decided to use a cheese cloth that I had soaked in a dry white wine and 1 cup of butter. The turkey roasted for about 4.5 hours and the cheesecloth was on it up until the last hour. Every 30 minutes I basted it with the left over butter and wine sauce and the juices from the bottom of the roasting pan. It was seriously the most tender and juicy turkey I have ever made- I have made three previous to this. I am not sure what I can attribute that to, but my guess is either the cheesecloth or the fact that I got a natural kosher turkey this year.I also made homemade gravy. The recipe can be found here. As you can tell, I got the turkey and salad recipe from this newsletter as well!
Next up we had a delicious mixed greens salad with goat cheese, dried cranberries, walnuts, and a homemade dressing! I used arugula, radicchio, and endive. It was amazing! I didn't even know I liked endive! The dressing is muy bueno and super easy to make. You take 3 garlic cloves, 2.5 teaspoons of dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and 1/3 cup of red wine vinegar and whisk them in a bowl. While whisking you slowly add in 1 cup of EVOO and then season with sea salt and pepper to taste! 
One of the sides I made was a brussel sprout and dried fig dish. My friend D sent me a link from the New York Times with a list of Thanksgiving sides and this one looked delicious! It is also soooo easy to make! You put 2 tablespoons of EVOO in a pan and then throw in some chopped bacon and fry it until it is cooked the way you like it. I did mine for about 7-8 minutes. After that, throw in some chopped brussel sprouts and a handful of dried figs, mix it all together a couple of times then add in 1/3-1/4cup of water. Then just let it sit there and occasionally stir it. You will know when it is done when the figs and sprouts are tender. This was seriously so delicious! My SIL even said later that she didn't even know she liked brussel sprouts and wanted the recipe! 
To me, it is not Thanksgiving unless you have green bean casserole! Such a classic! You can find the recipe here! 
Sorry that the pic is a bit out of focus! These are the delicious Yukon Gold mashed potatoes that my SIL made. They were seriously so creamy and fluffy! 
She also made a delicious stuffing! I cannot remember all that was in it, but I think there were onions and celery. So good! To top it off, my SIL made a delicious pecan pie. I have never in my life tried pecan pie, but this was TO DIE FOR! Seriously, I think pecan might beat out pumpkin pie as my favorite! She also made a pumpkin roll. None of us have tried it yet because we were stuffed like a turkey, but I assure you it looks like it is going to taste great! We also had some bubbly- Moet Chandon!
And lastly, a pic of the entire spread!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Sometimes
Sometimes, NOT ALL THE TIME, i am convinced that God gave me such a big family because he knew that half of them were going to end up being egotistic maniacal psychos- sometimes, NOT ALL THE TIME- and He just had to make sure that at any given moment there was a "normal" one always there. Now what He was thinking when He placed certain people I am not related to in my life, I have no idea. ;-)
Thursday, November 11, 2010
10 Things I Need Everyday
My cousin Jess, who you can find here, posted a blog yesterday about the 10 things that she has to have every day! She got the idea from a blog she reads called Sluiter Nation.
Check both of 'em out. They are pretty neat! Anyway's here are the top 10 things that I need everyday.
1. Water: I definitely need to have water every single day. In fact, most days it will be all that I drink. I prefer to drink as little caffeine as possible so water is a great alternative to sodas.
2. My iPhone: I seriously love this gadget! It is a phone, a calendar, an mp3 player, a game player, and countless other things wrapped into something that is slighter smaller than my hand. I use it every single day and cannot imagine a day when that won't be the case. WOAH! That is kind of a scary statement! haha
3. Contacts : I am as blind as a bat so it really is a necessity that I use contacts every single day! Sure I could wear my glasses, but if you are as blind as me then you know that it is really unsafe to drive around while wearing glasses because you have absolutely no peripheral vision! So thankful that contacts were invented!
4. Twitter : To say that I am obsessed with Twitter is an understatement. I think it is so cool! I love posting stuff, I love seeing what those I am following have to say. It is just so quick and easy and without the fuss of facebook since the amount of people I have follow is pretty small when compared to FB. BTW, follow ME!!!
5. Facebook : I know I know. I was just kinda, sorta talking smack about facebook. But I still do like it because it is interesting to keep up with people you went to school with, used to work with, etc. And it such a good e-stalking tool! ;-)
6. Sunglasses : Ok, in Jess's blog she said that she is constantly getting headaches. I AM TOO!!! I thought I was the only person on the planet who pretty much had a headache almost every single day. Good thing to know that I am not! Anyways, because of my headaches, I always always always need sunglasses during the day. In fact, if it were up to me, I would wear sunglasses 24/7. ;-P
7. Food : Let me be clear, I LOVE to eat! I am not one of those people that can skip meals or just have a shake. NO MAAM! I need to have a well-balanced meal 3 times a day!!
8. My Computer : Again, I kinda do not like that I rely on technology so much, but I really do need my computer AND the internet every single day, especially since I am studying for the bar. One of my MBE programs has to be connected to the internet in order to work and I need my computer for writing outlines, typing up essays, etc. Maybe after the bar I will do a digital cleanse.... or maybe not!
9. LOLA : I do need Lola every day and I know for sure that she needs me! I never thought I would be that person, but I am and I embrace it and love it! My dog is amazing. Even when she is driving me nuts, I still love her. She is a good dog and can always put a smile on my face. I mean just look at HER face. How can you just not love it?!
10. Family & Friends : Last but not least, I could not deal with not talking to my family and friends every day. They keep me grounded, are there when I need support, or just a good laugh.
Check both of 'em out. They are pretty neat! Anyway's here are the top 10 things that I need everyday.
1. Water: I definitely need to have water every single day. In fact, most days it will be all that I drink. I prefer to drink as little caffeine as possible so water is a great alternative to sodas.
2. My iPhone: I seriously love this gadget! It is a phone, a calendar, an mp3 player, a game player, and countless other things wrapped into something that is slighter smaller than my hand. I use it every single day and cannot imagine a day when that won't be the case. WOAH! That is kind of a scary statement! haha
3. Contacts : I am as blind as a bat so it really is a necessity that I use contacts every single day! Sure I could wear my glasses, but if you are as blind as me then you know that it is really unsafe to drive around while wearing glasses because you have absolutely no peripheral vision! So thankful that contacts were invented!
4. Twitter : To say that I am obsessed with Twitter is an understatement. I think it is so cool! I love posting stuff, I love seeing what those I am following have to say. It is just so quick and easy and without the fuss of facebook since the amount of people I have follow is pretty small when compared to FB. BTW, follow ME!!!
5. Facebook : I know I know. I was just kinda, sorta talking smack about facebook. But I still do like it because it is interesting to keep up with people you went to school with, used to work with, etc. And it such a good e-stalking tool! ;-)
6. Sunglasses : Ok, in Jess's blog she said that she is constantly getting headaches. I AM TOO!!! I thought I was the only person on the planet who pretty much had a headache almost every single day. Good thing to know that I am not! Anyways, because of my headaches, I always always always need sunglasses during the day. In fact, if it were up to me, I would wear sunglasses 24/7. ;-P
7. Food : Let me be clear, I LOVE to eat! I am not one of those people that can skip meals or just have a shake. NO MAAM! I need to have a well-balanced meal 3 times a day!!
8. My Computer : Again, I kinda do not like that I rely on technology so much, but I really do need my computer AND the internet every single day, especially since I am studying for the bar. One of my MBE programs has to be connected to the internet in order to work and I need my computer for writing outlines, typing up essays, etc. Maybe after the bar I will do a digital cleanse.... or maybe not!
9. LOLA : I do need Lola every day and I know for sure that she needs me! I never thought I would be that person, but I am and I embrace it and love it! My dog is amazing. Even when she is driving me nuts, I still love her. She is a good dog and can always put a smile on my face. I mean just look at HER face. How can you just not love it?!
10. Family & Friends : Last but not least, I could not deal with not talking to my family and friends every day. They keep me grounded, are there when I need support, or just a good laugh.
Monday, November 01, 2010
Soothes My Soul
totally trying to really hold onto the words of this song.
"And as for the clouds, just let them roll... away." <3
"And as for the clouds, just let them roll... away." <3
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
La Brunch
Over the weekend I met up with the girls below at Cafe Chloe
I had what I always get here; the brie and herb omelet.
With a delicious Blonde Ale from a local brewery.
I had what I always get here; the brie and herb omelet.
With a delicious Blonde Ale from a local brewery.
The Best Burger in SD
If you want a great burger in San Diego, look no further than OB (that is Ocean Beach for all you non-natives). Hodads is where it is at! Absolutely delish!
I love the laid back vibe!
And the cluttered decor!
And let's not forget the mini bacon cheeseburger with a Dos XX Lager! YUM! Thank God I worked out today! :-)
I love the laid back vibe!
And the cluttered decor!
And let's not forget the mini bacon cheeseburger with a Dos XX Lager! YUM! Thank God I worked out today! :-)
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Let Them Eat Seafood
Lunch today at JRDN restaurant at Tower 23 in San Diego. Delish!
Strawberry Mango Mojito on the left; Watermelon Mojito on the right
Oysters on the half
Strawberry Mango Mojito on the left; Watermelon Mojito on the right
Oysters on the half
Monday, September 20, 2010
North to the Future?!
I was looking at my stats for my blog and saw that someone from the great state of Alaska has/is/was reading my blog ::dear god, please do not let it be Sarah Palin as I don't think she will like THIS post:: Just kidding, I actually think that is kinda cool!
Ummmmm Ok!
WATCH THIS
So if I have AT&T all of my dreams and wishes will come true, but if not, I will be forced to sit around and watch someone else achieve my dreams. LAME
So if I have AT&T all of my dreams and wishes will come true, but if not, I will be forced to sit around and watch someone else achieve my dreams. LAME
FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!
Ok dear readers, me and Jess (read her blog here) are starting a book club. Over the next few weeks, we will be reading 
Freedom: A Novel by Jonathan Franzen. As many of you have probably heard, this is in fact Oprah's latest book club selection. I have read Franzen's book The Corrections and if I am going to be honest was NOT a fan; thus, I was a bit hesitant when Oprah announced his latest book as her selection. However, after reading a few pages I was hooked! Franzen has a real knack for describing people in ways that we only wish we could.
Anyways, here is how the book club (which by the way we need a name for!) schedule is going to go:
October 1: 1- 118
October 8: 119- 187
October 15: 188-289
October 22: 290-381
October 29: 382-442
November 5: 443- END!
In case you noticed, we are 1 week behind Ms. Oprah. Obviously, you do not have to abide by the schedule and can go at your own pace, but BEWARE, when discussing the readings you might get spoilers! I think how this is going to work is that both me and Jess are going to blog on each date about the reading and post some questions. Most will likely be from Oprah's questions , but I am sure along the way we will all come up with our own questions, thoughts, etc.
Anyways, I hope you guys join in because I have always wanted to be part of a book club! :-)
Enjoy and see ya October 1!
Freedom: A Novel by Jonathan Franzen. As many of you have probably heard, this is in fact Oprah's latest book club selection. I have read Franzen's book The Corrections and if I am going to be honest was NOT a fan; thus, I was a bit hesitant when Oprah announced his latest book as her selection. However, after reading a few pages I was hooked! Franzen has a real knack for describing people in ways that we only wish we could. Anyways, here is how the book club (which by the way we need a name for!) schedule is going to go:
October 1: 1- 118
October 8: 119- 187
October 15: 188-289
October 22: 290-381
October 29: 382-442
November 5: 443- END!
In case you noticed, we are 1 week behind Ms. Oprah. Obviously, you do not have to abide by the schedule and can go at your own pace, but BEWARE, when discussing the readings you might get spoilers! I think how this is going to work is that both me and Jess are going to blog on each date about the reading and post some questions. Most will likely be from Oprah's questions , but I am sure along the way we will all come up with our own questions, thoughts, etc.
Anyways, I hope you guys join in because I have always wanted to be part of a book club! :-)
Enjoy and see ya October 1!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
The Assignment
So my cousin Jess, who isn't really my cousin but rather is married to my cousin but i consider her my cousin, (Phew that was a longgggggg explanation lol) has an amazing blog Straight Talk Jess. A few days ago she was assigned some "homework" from a fellow blogger to answer some questions. Always one to invite other people to do something fun and interesting, Jess assigned me and a few others to answer some questions. So here it goes peeps! P.S. expect HW at the end!
1. What is your favorite/worst/most embarrassing (take your pick) memory from high school?
Ok this one is kinda hard because I honestly do not get embarrassed that easily. I can count the number of times I have been truly embarrassed on one hand. IDK if it is because I have no shame, because I just don't care, or because I take everything in stride- though my money would probably be on the first two :-)
I also don't really have any terrible memories from high school. High school was really fun for me. I had a great group of friends and was just so carefree and easy going back then. So, I guess I am going to alter this question and go with the funniest memory from high school.
My funniest memory was when I was taking Geometry 2 in summer school. I was taking it to get ahead in my studies, not because I am a ruh-tard. Anyways, the class was really small like maybe ten kids and we all were either already close or became close by the end of the session- mostly due to practical jokes we would play on each other during our breaks. One day me, W, and M went to the 7 11 to get a slurpee. This girl T, who was going to stay at school during the break, asked us to get her one. I am not sure why but for some reason why in the store one of us thought it would be a great funny idea to buy a box of lubricated condoms and put them in her slurpee. I swear we fit about three condoms in there and hid them the best we could. When we got back to school, we handed her the slurpee and watched with eyes as big as saucers as she took her first sip. She didn't notice anything. It took everything in us to not bust out laughing. T did not notice anything was wrong with the slurpee until she was nearly done with it. During the middle of our teacher's lesson, she started screaming that there were condoms in her slurpee. Thankfully she took it like a champ and wasn't too terribly mad at us. IDK, maybe you had to be there to think it was funny. lol
2. What is your favorite thing to do when you have "me time?"
When I have "Me" time I really like to just relax. Relax for me varies depending on the type of day I have had. Sometimes it entails catching up with a friend via phone or email. Or just laying in bed or curling up on the couch with a really good book . Other days it can be something as simple as going to Starbucks and grabbing a ice soy chai latte. At this point in my life, I really don't have that many responsibilities or commitments so I like to think that every day is "me" time. :-) And yes, I am enjoying it while it lasts because I know that my days of having no real responsibilities or pressures are numbered!
3. What gets you through a crazy, stressful time/day?
Hmmm. Besides prescription drugs ;-P ?!?! haha. There a few things that help me through a crazy and stressful time. First, would probably be anything that makes me laugh. This could be anything from watching a comedy such as Freeway, talking to a friend who makes me laugh, or listening to a comedian . I find that laughter really is the best medicine. It can turn a frown upside down or a scowl into a smile. Second would probably be just hanging out in my room listening to some of my favorite tunes or taking a relaxing bubble bath. Talking to my nieces or looking at pictures of my new nephew also help me out a lot.
4. What's your favorite indulgence?
Ok so many little things make me happy and put a smile on my face. During the fall/winter my favorite indulgence is a hot soy chai latte w/no water. It is absolutely delish and is just so rich and smooth. I love it so much! Unfortunately, it is not yet cold enough to get a hot one, but I really do look forward to when it is!
I also really like to splurge on make up, specifically lipsticks or lip glosses. My most recent make up splurge was a Tom Ford lipstick. I am not going to lie, it is a bit pricey and I didn't know whether it was foolish to buy it or not, but I just had to. And boy am I glad I did. I have never used a more amazing lipstick (yes, i did just call lipstick amazing) in my life! The color is beautiful and like the aforementioned soy chai latte it is also so rich
and smooth. The color stays on forever as well!
I also love to splurge on perfumes. My favorite maker of perfumes is Bond no. 9 New York. Earlier this year I bought High Line. It smells amazing! What I love about the Bond perfumes is that they stay on you all day with just one or two sprays in the morning; so while it is expensive compared to most perfumes, it is worth it and will last you a LONG time.
1. What is your favorite/worst/most embarrassing (take your pick) memory from high school?
Ok this one is kinda hard because I honestly do not get embarrassed that easily. I can count the number of times I have been truly embarrassed on one hand. IDK if it is because I have no shame, because I just don't care, or because I take everything in stride- though my money would probably be on the first two :-)
I also don't really have any terrible memories from high school. High school was really fun for me. I had a great group of friends and was just so carefree and easy going back then. So, I guess I am going to alter this question and go with the funniest memory from high school.
My funniest memory was when I was taking Geometry 2 in summer school. I was taking it to get ahead in my studies, not because I am a ruh-tard. Anyways, the class was really small like maybe ten kids and we all were either already close or became close by the end of the session- mostly due to practical jokes we would play on each other during our breaks. One day me, W, and M went to the 7 11 to get a slurpee. This girl T, who was going to stay at school during the break, asked us to get her one. I am not sure why but for some reason why in the store one of us thought it would be a
2. What is your favorite thing to do when you have "me time?"
When I have "Me" time I really like to just relax. Relax for me varies depending on the type of day I have had. Sometimes it entails catching up with a friend via phone or email. Or just laying in bed or curling up on the couch with a really good book . Other days it can be something as simple as going to Starbucks and grabbing a ice soy chai latte. At this point in my life, I really don't have that many responsibilities or commitments so I like to think that every day is "me" time. :-) And yes, I am enjoying it while it lasts because I know that my days of having no real responsibilities or pressures are numbered!
3. What gets you through a crazy, stressful time/day?
Hmmm. Besides prescription drugs ;-P ?!?! haha. There a few things that help me through a crazy and stressful time. First, would probably be anything that makes me laugh. This could be anything from watching a comedy such as Freeway, talking to a friend who makes me laugh, or listening to a comedian . I find that laughter really is the best medicine. It can turn a frown upside down or a scowl into a smile. Second would probably be just hanging out in my room listening to some of my favorite tunes or taking a relaxing bubble bath. Talking to my nieces or looking at pictures of my new nephew also help me out a lot.
4. What's your favorite indulgence?
Ok so many little things make me happy and put a smile on my face. During the fall/winter my favorite indulgence is a hot soy chai latte w/no water. It is absolutely delish and is just so rich and smooth. I love it so much! Unfortunately, it is not yet cold enough to get a hot one, but I really do look forward to when it is!
I also really like to splurge on make up, specifically lipsticks or lip glosses. My most recent make up splurge was a Tom Ford lipstick. I am not going to lie, it is a bit pricey and I didn't know whether it was foolish to buy it or not, but I just had to. And boy am I glad I did. I have never used a more amazing lipstick (yes, i did just call lipstick amazing) in my life! The color is beautiful and like the aforementioned soy chai latte it is also so rich
and smooth. The color stays on forever as well!
I also love to splurge on perfumes. My favorite maker of perfumes is Bond no. 9 New York. Earlier this year I bought High Line. It smells amazing! What I love about the Bond perfumes is that they stay on you all day with just one or two sprays in the morning; so while it is expensive compared to most perfumes, it is worth it and will last you a LONG time.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Thoughts and such
Among other things, I have spent nearly the past two hours contemplating why I half ass everything and how I can get inspired because I am greatly lacking inspiration- and have for some time now.... I miss having aspirations.
This state of limbo that I have been, and have seemed to be in since I graduated college, really messes with my head. It makes me wonder if maybe it is the universe's/God's/whatever's way of telling me that I should do something else with my life rather than being trying to be a lawyer... And this state of limbo, this doing nothing meaningful, makes me question everything in my life like whether I really want to be this or be that. I guess because, because, I don't really do anything. What I mean by that is - what do I mean by that? - what I mean is that I feel like I have no purpose because I am not really doing anything. (Yes, I am going on vacation soon and then yes, as soon as I come back I am going to start studying for the bar, but it is the in-between that gets to me.) Every day is like the movie Groundhog Day; I do the same stupid meaningless shit that makes no difference in this world or in my life... The bottom line is that I don't know what my passion is and I NEED a passion. I want to be excited about something- about what I do everyday.
This state of limbo that I have been, and have seemed to be in since I graduated college, really messes with my head. It makes me wonder if maybe it is the universe's/God's/whatever's way of telling me that I should do something else with my life rather than
Monday, September 06, 2010
They Speaketh the Truth
I read two quotes today that I really enjoyed and wanted to share.
"Don't take anything personally. Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves." -Don Miguel Ruiz
I really like this one by Ruiz because I couldn't agree more. On more than one occasion, I have found myself telling people something similar when things happens to them that they cannot understand or comprehend.
"Suffering is not holding you. You are holding suffering. When you become good at the art of letting suffering go, then you'll come to realize how unnecessary it was for you to drag those burdens around with you. You'll see that no one else other than you was responsible. The truth is that existence wants your life to become a festival." - Osho
And I love this one by Osho because it relates to my post Forgive? SAY WHAT?!?! There are so many people in life, some I know personally and some I just watch from afar and will probably never meet that carry onto grudges, regrets, the past, hurt, etc., and I just wish I could give them the moment of clarity that I had when I wrote that blog because it truly does make life easier when you finally understand that your enjoyment (or lack thereof) of life is all about how you CHOOSE to react to it. We are in control; we have the power.
Enjoy your day! :-)
"Don't take anything personally. Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves." -Don Miguel Ruiz
I really like this one by Ruiz because I couldn't agree more. On more than one occasion, I have found myself telling people something similar when things happens to them that they cannot understand or comprehend.
"Suffering is not holding you. You are holding suffering. When you become good at the art of letting suffering go, then you'll come to realize how unnecessary it was for you to drag those burdens around with you. You'll see that no one else other than you was responsible. The truth is that existence wants your life to become a festival." - Osho
And I love this one by Osho because it relates to my post Forgive? SAY WHAT?!?! There are so many people in life, some I know personally and some I just watch from afar and will probably never meet that carry onto grudges, regrets, the past, hurt, etc., and I just wish I could give them the moment of clarity that I had when I wrote that blog because it truly does make life easier when you finally understand that your enjoyment (or lack thereof) of life is all about how you CHOOSE to react to it. We are in control; we have the power.
Enjoy your day! :-)
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
What Lola Wants, Lola Gets
This my dear readers is Lola. She is a beagle (in case you couldn't figure that out yourself) and is almost 6 months old. I have never really liked dogs. Anytime I have been to someone's house that had an inside animal I was immediately disgusted and annoyed by their pet. But as the saying goes, people change. Since about my last year of law school I had really been wanting a dog, but I had neither the time or the space to get a dog in my SD condo. But when I moved back to El Paso I had endless amounts of both so I was able to finally really consider buying a dog. I originally wanted a chocolate lab because I just absolutely love labs, but when I was perusing the dogs at Petsland I saw Lola and really fell in love. I had to have her. It is really crazy because I seriously LOVE this dog. I always thought people that loved their dogs- or any animal for that matter - were really strange; hell, i even made fun of them. But again, karma had its way and I am now one of those people. I cannot imagine not having my sweet little girl in my life.
:-)
Monday, June 21, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Blech
People need to stop judging other people's decisions... Who cares what other people choose to do or not do. It's more than just kinda annoying. Worry about you and I will worry about me.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
i LOVE jeans
Ladies,
You HAVE TO go out and buy J. Crews Matchstick Jeans!!!
They are wonderful!!! ! I bought them a couple of weeks ago when I was in Santa Fe with D. When I bought them I knew I liked them, but I wasn't too sure how often I would wear them. I have worn them many days since then! They are soooo soft and sooo comfortable. I like the fact that you can wear them with heels to dress them up or you can wear them with a white short sleeve v-neck and your favorite pair of sandals (gladiators in my case) as I am today! (Sorry the pic is blurry!!)
They are not too pricey and you will definitely get your money's worth!!
BTW, a special shout out to Adrienne for telling me to blog! :-) It makes for a nice study break!! And follow her wonderful food blog What's For Dinner
You HAVE TO go out and buy J. Crews Matchstick Jeans!!!
They are wonderful!!! ! I bought them a couple of weeks ago when I was in Santa Fe with D. When I bought them I knew I liked them, but I wasn't too sure how often I would wear them. I have worn them many days since then! They are soooo soft and sooo comfortable. I like the fact that you can wear them with heels to dress them up or you can wear them with a white short sleeve v-neck and your favorite pair of sandals (gladiators in my case) as I am today! (Sorry the pic is blurry!!)
They are not too pricey and you will definitely get your money's worth!!
BTW, a special shout out to Adrienne for telling me to blog! :-) It makes for a nice study break!! And follow her wonderful food blog What's For Dinner
New Twist on Traditional Potato Salad
I am a sucker for all things potato and I REALLY enjoy potato salad. However, I am not a huge fan of mayo or mustard so I was really excited when I found an alternative to traditional potato salad in my Cooking Light cookbook.
Here it how it is done:
First, start boiling some water in a big pan. Then cut up some potatoes and throw in there once boiling. I think I boiled for about 15 minutes but honestly I can't recall. Just pick a potato out and see if you like how hard or soft it is... yes, that is what she said ;-)
While the potatoes are boiling, slice up some cucumbers, tomatoes,green onions, red and yellow bell peppers, and olives. Throw them in a bowl. (The onions and olives are not in this bowl cuz my SIL does not like them so I had them in separate bowl and added them once she got her serving)
Then you want to put some canola oil (1/4 cup) , rice vinegar (seasoned or plain) (2tbsp), some salt (1/4tsp) and pepper (1/8tsp) in a bowl and whisk it all together.
Once the potatoes are finished, drain them and put into a big bowl then add in the oil vinegar mixture and the veggies and toss around to coat. I forgot to take a pic of the finished product, but it should look like this.
Thanks Cooking Light
90 Calories per 3/4 cup!!!!
Here it how it is done:
First, start boiling some water in a big pan. Then cut up some potatoes and throw in there once boiling. I think I boiled for about 15 minutes but honestly I can't recall. Just pick a potato out and see if you like how hard or soft it is... yes, that is what she said ;-)
While the potatoes are boiling, slice up some cucumbers, tomatoes,green onions, red and yellow bell peppers, and olives. Throw them in a bowl. (The onions and olives are not in this bowl cuz my SIL does not like them so I had them in separate bowl and added them once she got her serving)
Then you want to put some canola oil (1/4 cup) , rice vinegar (seasoned or plain) (2tbsp), some salt (1/4tsp) and pepper (1/8tsp) in a bowl and whisk it all together.
Once the potatoes are finished, drain them and put into a big bowl then add in the oil vinegar mixture and the veggies and toss around to coat. I forgot to take a pic of the finished product, but it should look like this.
Thanks Cooking Light90 Calories per 3/4 cup!!!!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Misc.
I started writing a few weeks ago. I am not exactly sure where it is going (or what it is for that matter), but it felt really great to be creative and get these stories I have thought about for a while out on paper. I have been a little worried because I wrote quite a few pages one night for a couple of hours and haven't touched it since... I have thought about it, but.... I didn't want to force whatever was coming out. I wanted to feel some inspiration. And tonight, while assing around on the internet, I found my inspiration (for now). One sentence that I believe will give me enough fuel to write quite a few more pages...
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Many More Reasons Why I Love Texas
TEXAS HAS IT ALL!
Feeling a little Down?- Why not Visit
Smiley , Texas 78159
Paradise , Texas 76073
Rainbow , Texas 76077
Sweet Home , Texas 77987
Comfort , Texas 78013
Friendship, Texas 76530
Love the Sun?
Sun City , Texas 78628
Sunrise , Texas 76661
Sunset, Texas 76270
Sundown, Texas 79372
Sunray , Texas 79086
Sunny Side , Texas 77423
Want something to eat?
Bacon , Texas 76301
Noodle , Texas 79536
Oatmeal , Texas 78605
Turkey , Texas 79261
Trout , Texas 75789
Sugar Land , Texas 77479
Salty, Texas 76567
Rice , Texas 75155
Pearland , Texas 77581
Orange , Texas 77630
And top it off with:
Sweetwater , Texas 79556
Why travel to other cities? Texas has them all!
Detroit , Texas 75436
Cleveland , Texas 75436
Colorado City , Texas 79512
Denver City , Texas 79323
Klondike , Texas 75448
Nevada , Texas 75173
Memphis , Texas 79245
Miami , Texas 79059
Boston , Texas 75570
Santa Fe , Texas 77517
Tennessee Colony , Texas 75861
Reno , Texas 75462
Pasadena , Texas 77506
Columbus , Texas 78934
Feel like traveling outside the country?
Athens , Texas 75751
Canadian, Texas 79014
China , Texas 77613
Egypt , Texas 77436
Ireland , Texas 76538
Italy , Texas 76538
Turkey , Texas 79261
London , Texas 76854
New London , Texas 75682
Paris , Texas 75460
Palestine , Texas 75801
Odessa, Texas 79762
No need to travel to Washington D.C.
Whitehouse , Texas 75791
We even have a city named after our planet!
Earth , Texas 79031
We have a city named after our state
Texas City , Texas 77590
Exhausted?
Energy , Texas 76452
Pep , Texas 79353
Cold?
Blanket, Texas 76432
Winters, Texas
Like to read about History?
Santa Anna , Texas
Goliad , Texas
Alamo , Texas
Gun Barrel City , Texas
Robert Lee , Texas
Need Office Supplies?
Staples, Texas 78670
Want to go into outer space?
Venus , Texas 76084
Mars , Texas 79062
You guessed it. It's on the state line.
Texline, Texas 79087
For the kids.
Kermit , Texas 79745
Elmo , Texas 75118
Nemo , Texas 76070
Tarzan , Texas 79783
Winnie , Texas 77665
Sylvester , Texas 79560
Other city names in Texas, to make you smile.
Frognot , Texas 75424
Bigfoot , Texas 78005
Hogeye , Texas 75423
Cactus , Texas 79013
Notrees , Texas 79759
Best, Texas 76932
Veribest , Texas 76886
Kickapoo , Texas 75763
Dime Box , Texas 77853
Old Dime Box , Texas 77853
Telephone , Texas 75488
Telegraph , Texas 76883
Whiteface , Texas 79379
Twitty, Texas 79079
And last but not least, the Anti-Al Gore City
Kilgore , Texas 75662
And our favorites...
Cut n Shoot, Texas
Gun Barrell City , Texas
Hoop And Holler, Texas
Ding Dong, Texas and, of course,
Muleshoe , Texas
Here are some little known, very interesting facts about Texas .
1. Beaumont to El Paso : 742 miles
2.. Beaumont to Chicago : 770 miles
3... El Paso is closer to California than to Dallas
4.. World's first rodeo was in Pecos , July 4, 1883.
5. The Flagship Hotel in Galveston is the only hotel in North America built over water. Destroyed by Hurricane Ike -2008!
6. The Heisman Trophy was named after John William Heisman who was the first full-time coach at Rice University in Houston .
7. Brazoria County has more species of birds than any other area in North America
8. Aransas Wildlife Refuge is the winter home of North America 's only remaining flock of whooping cranes...
9. Jalapeno jelly originated in Lake Jackson in 1978.
10. The worst natural disaster in U.S. history was in 1900, caused by a hurricane, in which over 8,000 lives were lost on Galveston Island .
11. The first word spoken from the moon, July 20,1969, was " Houston ," but the space center was actually in Clear Lake City at the time.
12. King Ranch in South Texas is larger than Rhode Island ...
13. Tropical Storm Claudette brought a U.S. rainfall record of 43" in 24 hours in and around Alvin in July of 1979...
14. Texas is the only state to enter the U.S. by TREATY, (known as the Constitution of 1845 by the Republic of Texas to enter the Union ) instead of by annexation. This allows the Texas Flag to fly at the same height as the U.S. Flag, and may divide into 5 states.
15. A Live Oak tree near Fulton is estimated to be 1500 years old.
16. Caddo Lake is the only natural lake in the state.
17. Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. There is no period in Dr Pepper..
18. Texas has had six capital cities:
Washington -on- the Brazos, Harrisburg, Galveston, Velasco, West Columbia and Austin
19. The Capitol Dome in Austin is the only dome in the U.S. which is taller than the Capitol Building in Washington DC (by 7 feet).
20. The San Jacinto Monument is the tallest free standing monument in the world and it is taller than the Washington monument.
21. The name ' Texas ' comes from the Hasini Indian word 'tejas' meaning friends. Tejas is not Spanish for Texas ..
22. The State Mascot is the Armadillo (an interesting bit of trivia about the armadillo is they always have four babies.. They have one egg, which splits into four, and they either have four males or four females.).
23. The first domed stadium in the U.S. was the Astrodome in Houston ..
I hate love pasta!
Ok, so I am was not a huge fan of pasta. However, I have been getting a little tired of the dinner routine around here which consists of: fish, chicken, or steak. I cannot remember the last time I made it before tonight; it has been that long. And let's just say that after tonight's meal I will be making it much more often!
A few portobello mushrooms. You can use big caps like these or pre-sliced ones. Be sure to take the stem off and brush them off with a wet towel; though not too hard or you will tear the skin off
Then cut the shrooms. First in half then across. You can do them however big or small you want.
Next heat up a large pan with 1TBSP of butter and olive oil. Once that is melted, throw in your sliced shrooms and let cook for about 8 minutes
You know they are done when they looks like this.
While your shrooms are cooking, cut up some asparagus (remember to cut off the hard ends!) using however much you like. I used about 3/4 of a bunch.
Next start to boil some water. While that is getting started go ahead and turn the heat on the shrooms down.
And throw in some chicken broth
As well as 5 ounces of Boursin cheese. If you can't find that, just ask anyone at the supermarket what cheese they suggest to substitute with or you can be super crafty and make your own. Paula Deen has a good recipe. Just google it!
And just let the suckers simmer; stirring occasionally of course.
Once the water is to a boil throw in medium sized pasta shells and let boil for about 6 minutes. After that, throw the asparagus into the boiling water with the pasta and cook for another 4 minutes.
Once the pasta/asparagus is done, drain it and mix in a large bowl with the sauce!! You can also add in a protein if you like. I didn't eat any today so I quick thawed some cooked shrimp, cut them up and threw them in the bowl.
Voila!!!
Buon Appetito!!
BTW, this recipe is relatively fast to make!
Here is what you need and what you will do:
A few portobello mushrooms. You can use big caps like these or pre-sliced ones. Be sure to take the stem off and brush them off with a wet towel; though not too hard or you will tear the skin off
Then cut the shrooms. First in half then across. You can do them however big or small you want.
Next heat up a large pan with 1TBSP of butter and olive oil. Once that is melted, throw in your sliced shrooms and let cook for about 8 minutes
You know they are done when they looks like this.
While your shrooms are cooking, cut up some asparagus (remember to cut off the hard ends!) using however much you like. I used about 3/4 of a bunch.
Next start to boil some water. While that is getting started go ahead and turn the heat on the shrooms down.
And throw in some chicken broth
As well as 5 ounces of Boursin cheese. If you can't find that, just ask anyone at the supermarket what cheese they suggest to substitute with or you can be super crafty and make your own. Paula Deen has a good recipe. Just google it!
And just let the suckers simmer; stirring occasionally of course.
Once the water is to a boil throw in medium sized pasta shells and let boil for about 6 minutes. After that, throw the asparagus into the boiling water with the pasta and cook for another 4 minutes.
Once the pasta/asparagus is done, drain it and mix in a large bowl with the sauce!! You can also add in a protein if you like. I didn't eat any today so I quick thawed some cooked shrimp, cut them up and threw them in the bowl.
Voila!!!
Buon Appetito!!
BTW, this recipe is relatively fast to make!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
So That's Why!!!
Apparently, if I lived during the mid 1900's this would be why I am still not married! BAHAHA
Never Doubt Trout!
Here is a delicious and easy trout recipe!
You will need:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (You can use dried if that is all you have, just cut the amount in half as dried herbs are much more potent than fresh!)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 (8-ounce) dressed whole trout
4 (6-inch) rosemary sprigs
What you do:
1. Turn grill to medium-high heat.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Cut 3 diagonal slits on each side of fish (You have to use a really sharp knife because the skin is kinda touch to pierce) and rub rosemary mixture evenly over fish.
4. Place 1 rosemary sprig in cavity of each fish.
5. Place the fish on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.
This is seriously an EASY recipe!! We grilled some fresh veggies with the fish but I forgot to take pictures!
Fish with Rosemary Mixture on it!
Not so little fishies grilling!
Eyeball YIKES!!
Momma eating the eyeball!!
You will need:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (You can use dried if that is all you have, just cut the amount in half as dried herbs are much more potent than fresh!)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 (8-ounce) dressed whole trout
4 (6-inch) rosemary sprigs
What you do:
1. Turn grill to medium-high heat.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Cut 3 diagonal slits on each side of fish (You have to use a really sharp knife because the skin is kinda touch to pierce) and rub rosemary mixture evenly over fish.
4. Place 1 rosemary sprig in cavity of each fish.
5. Place the fish on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.
This is seriously an EASY recipe!! We grilled some fresh veggies with the fish but I forgot to take pictures!
Fish with Rosemary Mixture on it!
Not so little fishies grilling!
Eyeball YIKES!! 
Momma eating the eyeball!!
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