No clue what number entry I'm on

I don't know where i left off but I'm thinking of switching my updates to Facebook. So if you like my blog please like me on facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/LittleCouponLady

Thanks hope to see you there. :)

10000000000000

Seriously, fuck this day. Im over it.

"Some of them want to use you, some of then want to be used by you".

187: Happy Bday Poppa!!

Today is my Poppa's 69th birthday and happy birthday to him, he just got a summoning for jury duty. :( I'm pretty sure that should be against the law. Anyway, I go home tomorrow and I couldn't be any more excited.   One because I miss home and two because the wedding drama is over!!! It turns out I also might have a full time job interview when I get back. I'm so excited!!! I don't really want to work (I'm kinda spoiled :P) but I do want to work so B and I can get him the vehicle he needs very badly. Oh and it would be nice to live in a home instead of an apartment. I feel like things are moving so fast.... The wedding was a blur. I enjoyed myself and even though it was hell getting to that point, I really was happy the way it turned out. The people who mattered the most to me where there and that's the most important part.

Oh and I best get home and get to work. I just found out that Oprah is yet again crushing my dreams... She just released a new book club called 2.0. Seriously woman, it has taken me 7 years to come this close to finishing and now you unload this on me. Geez, I don't think I will ever catch up. There are so many books to read, so little time. I leave you with the picture of the series I plan on reading very soon. 

ps. Is it weird that I'm reading a series about weddings and brides AFTER I'm married? I think I would've been too stressed out enjoy it during. 

158

Oh man, it has been a while since I updated. I'll have more time after the wedding. Things have been so-so and I'm getting ready for my 9.5 hour journey home for the wedding. It's going to majorly suck being without James again for a whole month....I hope it goes by fast. As for my crazy poem, I can only say that I felt inspired to write it after a huge bout of anger. It's been 4 years or longer since I've written anything and trust me, that is a good thing. I usually only write when I'm sad or angry and I haven't had much to be angry or sad about in quite a while. I'm so ready...bring it on long drive home. Bring it on....wedding with all your drama. I guess I can't complain too much. Only a couple of people have caused me stress during this wedding. Most have been extremely helpful. I'm so grateful to have such wonderful friends in my life. The only thing I'm unsure about is the breaking of the plates. I'm wondering if I should do it after all? No one in my family has done this at their wedding even though it is a Czech tradition. Is it silly that I feel horrible breaking a perfectly good plate? I'm so Czech it's crazy. I waste absolutely nothing and I'm glad I at least learned that from dědeček and babička. Maybe I could find one with a crack in it and I won't feel as bad.....


ps. My newest obsession is True Blood. Awesome show. How come I never knew it existed until now? Oh and Alexander Skarsgard, don't even get me started. The man speaks three languages and very well. I could listen to him speak Swedish all day. ;)

140

Disregard yesterday's post. I was a tad bit upset, obviously. It felt good to write. I haven't been able to write like that in 4 years. Back to the point, I started a coupon blog that I'm really proud of. It's just starting out but if you could share with friends and like it on facebook, I'd be so appreciative.

LittleCouponLady

139:A Lion's Heart

I once wrote your name on my heart but I guess you'd much rather rip it out to see if it still beats. You can add it to your vast collection. If it doesn't did it even exist or was it all just a cruel mirage of shadow puppetry? Every action a check mark in your game of self-absorption. Who will follow you into the dark? Only the mindless, brainless soul of the lost who can't see beyond your blinding fire of hell. Get trapped, why not? Everyone else is doing it. Join in everybody in our cesspool of loneliness. You'll be happy here. Everyone has fun in the lion's den until they get eaten. Who will rescue your bones when you have become expendable and the buzzards have all flown away? Sympathy will not be found.

138

I woke up with a massive headache today. I've also been having the weirdest dreams about people I rarely talk to. It's pretty odd. I really wonder how much truth there is to that saying about dreaming. Supposedly if you dream about someone you have seen or know it's because they are thinking about you? Dreams are crazy so who knows.

I've been slacking since I got back from Floresville. I haven't posted any new recipes but I'm sure I'll get back on track after this wedding is over. It's pretty much kept me busy this whole year and I can't wait for it to be over disaster or not. (Please don't be a disaster. ) Well, I'm off to run again. Hopefully the soreness I have from yesterday won't feel as bad once I get moving.

137

I started training for the full marathon today. I ran more today than I had in a month and I just know that I'm going to be sore tomorrow. Oh I'm also thinking about changing this blog around and going back to default for a while. I want to be able to add more elements to it. I'm not sure how to do it but I'll come up with something.

Oh and I'm back to watching desperate housewives. Thank you, Huluplus.

136

Today I went jogging with the furry children. Trigger was pretty winded. She was not a happy camper until she got into the car. Tiny loved every minute of it. I almost died laughing when he decided (he's really houdini) to poop on top of a flower. Don't ask how it stayed there, he's just that talented. lmao. The dog is hilarious. He has these expressions that make you laugh. Especially when you take him on road trips and he sticks one eye through the opening in the cage so he can see you. lmao. Oh man, gotta love him.

135

Well I have already used 4 k-cups since I plugged in the machine yesterday. I can't wait to buy a reuseable cup so I can finish the coffee I already have. James and I had a blast at the shower. We really appreciate everything that was done for us. I honestly have never seen James' mom laugh so much. I can't wait for the wedding either. I just want it to happen already. I'm ready to move on and start working again, at least part-time. Not that staying home hasn't had it's perks but I'd really like to buy a home already. We just have to keep on keeping on.

134

On the road again. Can't wait until we get home so I can plug in the Keurig. I'm so excited to finally have one. I think I may just fall asleep when I get home. I'm not even driving.

133

We made it here and had a great dinner last night. Today is the shower. It's sure to be tons of fun!


We taught James' mom how to play Uno. It was really fun she couldn't stop laughing.

132

On our way to my aunt's and uncle' for our wedding shower. Hope we don't get lost.

131

Tomorrow B and I head out to my cousin's for our wedding shower. I'm super excited. I get to see my grandparents and my sister finally. It feels like it's been forever. Plus B's family is going too. I hope I get more kitchen gadgets. I really am in need of some collapsible stuff. This no-space-for-shit kitchen is driving me insane.

Anyway, I need to pack, pick up B's mail from the office, re check my library books, wash dishes and finish making the gifts. I haven't even started. Hopefully my neighbor won't bug me today. I have a crapload to do.

130

Went to the store today and came back with a whole bunch of things that weren't needed now. I couldn't help myself. I mean a 6 pound jar of peas for 99 cents? Unheard of. So of course I picked that up and some really cheap trash bags as well. I came home and unloaded everything and my neighbor whom I gave a ride to yesterday was there. She asked if i went grocery shopping again because I just went and it sorta creep-ed me out to know how much she pays attention to my comings and goings. Not a very pleasant feeling to know someone is watching you. That wasn't the worst of it though. As I went back for round 2 she was staring at me and I went inside. I started putting groceries away and about an hour later she was knocking on my door (probably for another ride). I'm really not a selfish person but giving her a ride one day was a one time deal. We're not friends and it's kinda pushy. I don't have money to be spending on gas, hell I don't have a job right now so it's really B's money I'm spending. I felt it was going too far already so I didn't answer the door. The first day I saw her she asked to borrow my phone, then it was the ride. The sucky part is she sits outside for hours on the steps near my apartment door so she can see when I leave. The stairs are where her apartment is. It just sucks because now I feel like I can't even leave my apartment without her asking everyday for a ride. B told me he thought that this would happen after the first time I gave her a ride. I'm super annoyed. I'm all for helping someone in need but honestly (and yes this sounds rude I know) she works near our apartment. She could walk because it's not that far away. It's farther to walk from our apartment around the university and back. Oh and did I mention that she was born and raised in the area we live. I just moved here and I just thought to myself I'm the one who's more likely to have to walk to work than her. She was born here and I just moved. You mean to tell me she has absolutely no one else to call?

129

So It turns out I'm not going to finish my books on time. oh well hopefully I can recheck out my cassettes? I really don't want to drive all the way to the library. Just to recheck something it's really far away.

128

Lame or not lame? Its homemade brownie mix. I think it's really neat. And yes, the picture is sideways. I don't know why the hell my phone takes perfectly right-side up photos and turns them sideways when I upload. It's a huge annoyance and mystery. Anyway, you get the gist of it. The only thing I'm adding is a recipe card that has my blogger address for the soon to be posted official recipe minus the sideways photo. It turned into a nice way to hopefully get more followers.

127

I totally thought I did laundry last week and now I forgot half the clothes at home so I have to go back monday to the laundromat. boo. 

126

Sad to see that Jin Wicked's website is down. She's a really cool artist I discovered in college and I love her work. She also does comics. Hopefully she'll re post her artwork soon as this is the only example I could find. I would love to see one of her galleries.

www.jinwicked.com

125

I totally made this my ringtone.

124

Just reading and brainstorming today. I need to come up with something cool for the wedding shower to give away as gifts.....

123

It's a good day. I got Alice In Wonderland on Blu-ray and 3D free!! I just saw my favorite coupon site post it on their facebook so off I went and after I finished checking out, I noticed it got taken off of their wall. I hope it was legitimate. I've never had a problem before and they sent me an email telling me the order had been confirmed for $0.00 worth of merch after a $29.99 discount.

I'm also watching Dr. Oz's website like a hawk. Today he's giving away a million dollars worth of free products. I was able to get in earlier for the fit/pedometer thingy. That would be cool to win. Well I better get back to watching. It starts every hour on the hour! Wish me luck! : )

122

Started listening to a new book on cassette. It's 11 tapes front and back... yikes Faulkner.... you really know how to drag it out. So far so good. It's more interesting than The Sound and the Fury. At lot less offensive too.

121

So my cousin is throwing a wedding shower for me in two weeks and it has me wondering... What the heck is a good gift to give them for doing this for us? I'm thinking homemade cookie and brownie mixes in mason jars. Is that lame? I hope not because it does take some work and I'm sure they will taste yummy. My other thought is Irish blessing coins. I noticed how nice they were when I was looking for reception gifts. I decided not to go with them previously because I found a better idea for reception gifts. They are inexpensive but I don't know if that is quite good enough. 

I'm so excited. I registered at Target finally. I don't have much on that list because we are limited on space but I'll be grateful for the stuff we do get. It's getting closer. Less than two months and I will be Mrs. Dunn. I'm thinking of changing my blog name to something that reflects the new name. 

I applied for a work at home job today. Act is hiring people with bachelor's degrees to grade essays. I hope I get the position it would be awesome to be able to help B with finances. 

120

Last night was fun. I played Scrabble with B. We totally suck. We can't figure out what's considered a word and what's not. It was fun. He kicked my ass by 7 points.

I'm also finishing up Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury. I'm not quite sure I like how they talk to one another in this book. It really ticks me off to hear the "n" word. I mean good God I get offended and I'm white. I guess that goes to show exactly how old this book is. I think it's just a no-no word that shouldn't used by anyone.

I'm with Morgan Freeman on this one..................

119

Last night we went to Buffalo Wild Wings and hung out with some pretty cool people. I'm not a big baseball fan but it was fun to watch Monica get all excited over the players. Ha ha. I guess I'm just more a football fan? We had a great time even though service sucked and I had to wait forever to get my food and then forever to eat it because they forgot my salad dressing. I think BWW service everywhere sucks. 

I'm really grateful to Moncia for my something borrowed. Until yesterday I didn't have anything for my something borrowed. Now I have three things! Plus an extra garter. The wedding is in exactly two months and one day. Oh man, I'm getting anxious!!! Plus B breaks out next week. Exciting!! I'm so proud of him. He works hard and deserves it! 

118:Fake-It Frugal's Homemade Bisquick Recipe

So I finally got all my stuff together to make this simple and cheap recipe for homemade Bisquick. It's sort of messy but oh so fun. Oh, did I mention you save a good chunk of money too?


Homemade Bisquick

5 1b. bag of All purpose flour

20 teaspoons of sugar

5 teaspoons of salt

2/3 cup of Baking Powder

2 Cups Shortening (I used Crisco)

Kitchen-aide Love

1. Mix all dry ingredients together with a whisk until fully mixed.

2. Now take off rings and jewelry because this next part is messy!!  Add shortening and mix thoroughly making sure there are not any lumps of shortening in the mixture. It should have the consistency of cornmeal when uniform and should be mold-able. (Namely you should be able to make balls without them falling apart.)

3. Separate into plastic bags. Mix keeps up to a year in the pantry.

4. Pat yourself on the back. You just saved some cash.

Fake-It Yourself Cost:  $3.92

Real Bisquick, 3 Boxes ($3.59 each)

Total Fake-It Yourself Savings:  $6.85

117

Whoo hoo! Meatloaf night with B. I made meatloaf and okra. For snack we had kale chips. I love days like this. Seriously, what is better than great food, beer and watching King of the Hill with B? Absolutely nothing. Ha ha!!

I'm reading Faulkner again. This time I was smart instead of re-reading his hard to follow written work, I picked up his book on cassette. Yes that's right people, I said CASSETTE. It's been at least 5 years since I've seen one and I even forgot whether I had to re-wind them after I listened to all of side B. lol. I had to ask James. I'm just so glad I still owned a cassette player. The funny thing is I actually own 3. Gotta love good old solid backup copies. I love Mp3 and 4's but I've lost my music on Itunes one too many freakin times. Did I mention I am not a fan of Apple? Overpriced bullshit. Unless you're really into photo editing, PC all the way.

116

Got back into running again. I took 3 weeks off out of training to let my knees recover. They were sore for quite a while. Now that I'm back I'm taking it slow. Yesterday I only did 3 miles walking mostly, and I'm sore. What the crap?! I guess that was still too far. Anyway, I took today off because of soreness until I can devise a new plan of action.

115

I can't help but love this show. I really loved the original and now that some of the original characters are making a comeback, I'm glued to the television.

114

Snake bites.....................I think so. After the wedding of course. I'm excited 2 for 1 at White Buffalo. Here I come!!

113

I'm sort of late with this but......................Marilyn Manson= psycho but brilliant. I don't know what rock I was living under but it's like I finally got out from under it and discovered.........that I absolutely love Metal. I don't give a damn if you think I'm a freak for admiring him. He's got more brain cells then half of the celebrities out there. Love this video because he's lashing out at the media and their labeling of things. Wish the tickets weren't sold out in SA so I could go. :(


Went to tattoo convention today with B. Possibly found someone I might be interested in for my idea. We shall see.....

112

Just finished reading The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. I've wanted to read this book forever. It was incredibly interesting and the wife in the book sort of reminded me of myself. She was pretty rough around the edges. In fact I wish I was as hard working as she was. The lady gave birth without a midwife or anyone else in the room. That pretty tough. Anyway awesome book. The only thing I didn't like is how ungrateful the families children were and how they lavishly spent their parents hard-earned wealth. There is nothing I despise more than a spoiled brat. Waste not, want not.

111

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Seriously, I have nothing important or interesting to say. I mean not that anybody reads my thoughts anyway!!

110

I swear some days it's nothing but dishes. Over and over again, I just wash dishes all day. It's sorta like Mary Poppins' never ending bag of tricks, except in my case it's dishes. I wish the water here didn't suck so bad. Screw you, Dishwasher!!!

109

I found a new band I like. Not really what I'm usually into but they are so interesting (looking). I can't stop watching their video for some weird reason.

108

She reminds me of Joan Jett. Plus she's pretty bad ass on guitar too.

107

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106

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105

Book Review Here: Freedom by Johnathan Franzen. Such a horrible and sucky book. It's really not even worth mentioning. I was extremely disappointed and disinterested. Bring on the next book, for the love of God.

104

Friday the 13th. Thank God nothing bad happened to us today. You can be sure if it's bad luck it happens to us. lol. I'm thinking this Friday the 13th stuff is BS!!!

103

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102

Im getting a little bored of blogging. Can you tell?!

101

I am so obssessed with this game. I can't stay away. Why do you have to be so fun to play? Why? lol.

I guess it will just have to do until the movie comes out.....

100

Yay! It's entry one hundred!!! I haven't been keeping up like I should. oops. I'm so busy doing nothing. I just can't seem to get out of that. lol. I've been cooking and baking but since half the time it's hard to upload photos I don't post my recipes. It's really a pain in the ass. I can't automatically upload photos because for some reason blogger turns them sideways. Anyway, I'll be grateful to have these random entries to read at the end of the year.

99

I'm so behind this is going to take forever catching up entries. ugghh. I'm such a procrastinator.

98

I've been watching this series again. It never gets old. Why can't they just bring it back like they did with a crapload of other shows that didn't fare well. For crying out loud they brought back Family Guy?!?! Of course I'm a big fan of Claire Danes so I may be a tad bit biased. Jared Leto was easy on the eyes as well even though he couldn't read (???) in this series.

97

This song is awesome...............................
Don't even get me started with the Misfits. I just recently discovered them. (I know they are super old. What can I say? I must live under a rock or something) The lyrics are so crazy and even though I don't particularly like horror films, I freaking love the misfits. They have such a classic punk sound. I don't know what my deal is lately with metal and punk but it's all I want to listen to right now.

96

And of course I have to talk about the very handsome, Davey Havok. He's one of my celebrity crushes. Even more so now because he's toned down the makeup and actually looks like a man. J/K. I like his look either way but without all the eyeliner his eyes are actually pretty gorgeous. I really wish their songs were more like they used to be. The new stuff is good too but I like more of a punky sound.

95

I know he's kind of creepy but for some reason the lyrics of his songs just speak to me. If you can get past the shock rocking to pay attention to what's really being said you be surprised. 

94

I found out I placed 7th in the half marathon. 77 placed 7? at least it was 66 placed 6.

93

oops. I keep forgetting to enter HEB's recipe contest. I'm a total spaz. ^.^

92

Saw Hunger Games. It was cool but for some reason I felt it was missing something. Don't ask me what because I can't exactly put my finger on it. Act of Valor we saw right after and I feel asleep. It was a good movie for what I saw. I normally don't fall asleep but it was almost one in the morning and I ran 13 point freaking 1 miles that day so what do you expect?

91

So... I did it. I actually ran 13.1 miles. Oh and I wasn't last either. I was so proud of myself, I cried. It's true I can be quite the crybaby but at least you know I'm human. I got a bad ass medal too. It's hanging in my closet. I can't wait for the full marathon!!!!

90

I really loathe people who blame others for something that they are not even responsible for. Annoyed. Race tomorrow. So glad James can go. I'm going to need all the inspiration I can get! :)

89: The Pillars of the Earth

I've been running up a storm lately. I took this whole week off because the half marathon is in two days. I'm really excited. I know I can do this. I clocked 9 miles of running the other day and I'm all set for the big day.


oh yeah and I finally finished Pillars of the Earth. So here's the review.

Summary: Chronologically talks about one specific generation of family who's life ambitions are to help build a church cathedral from the ground up. Only one of the characters manages to even get to this point, which is at the very end. It goes through the order of trials and tribulations that the family goes through to get to the point of cathedral building. There is mass amounts of rape, war and foul language. 

Rating: 3/5  I def. wouldn't let a very impressionable child read this. Don't get me wrong it's a good read but It's not for the young at heart. The rape scenes were so descriptive I felt like I was there and not in a good way. I even turned away from the book at one point. I've heard war and peace supposedly are along the same lines but I guess I need to read to find out. It was an interesting book, however very large at 957 or 967 pages. It took nearly a whole month to finish. I was interested in seeing the tv show related to this book but after reading about all the rape scenes I'm not so sure anymore. 

88

I am in love with this song. It has sad-but-true lyrics and is beautifully written. I really wish I could write something as memorable.

87

I know that some people think that Taylor Momsen dresses like a hooker but I don't care about her taboo fashion style. The bottom line is their music is pretty awesome. Not bad for someone who came off of Gossip Girl. Not even Leighton Meester has as much talent. Just saying. It helps that we have the same inspiration, Shirley Manson. 

86

I always knew Garbage would make a comeback. I'm excited for the new album. Shirley Manson helped me get through serious emotions when I was a teen. I could really relate to her. Did I mention her sense of style is extremely awesome too? I bought fishnet tights the other day. Leopard printed ones ;)

85

I miss this show. Why do they always take the really awesome shows off the air before giving them a chance to be great. R.I.P. My So Called Life.

84

I felt like crap today but I'm feeling better. I ran a few errands today and went to see Mac play soccer at University fields. I have to remind myself not to go to HEB on Saturday. The place is literally a mad house! I did save $16.00. Hopefully the guys get out soon so we can relax. Damn you Gossip Girl, you're so addicting and so much more interesting than the book I'm reading :/

83

82

:)

81

80

Lots to do today. I am making myself read at least 200 pages. Then I have to vacuum womp womp womp.....

79

I'm obsessed with Gossip Girl. I just can't stop watching. I have to read!!! Serena Van Der Woodsen is my favorite person of the whole show. I'm so glad I found a replacement for the too-soonly-cancelled O.C. It helps that the creators of The O.C. are the same as those for Gossip Girl. Now if Joss Whedon would come out with another new series, I'd never see the outside world!!!

78: HEB Ready, Set, Cook Challenge Week 1

As I mentioned before, I'm participating in HEB's Ready, Set, Cook for a chance to win a year's worth of groceries!! This week's recipe was simple. It was called Good Morning, Oatmeal!

Good Morning Oatmeal

1/2 cup of cranberries
1 cup of steel cut oats
1 pear chopped
1 apple chopped
1 tbsp of flax seed
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup of water
sugar to taste
1 tsp vanilla ( optional)


1. Pour all contents together in a small crockpot before you go to bed. Let cook on low for seven hours. In the morning your oatmeal is ready to eat.
Recipe Rating 4/5  I'm still not used to the taste of steel cut oats. I'm guessing it's because I'm so used to regular oatmeal. Recipe is great. It's fast, easy and two people can eat off of it for a whole week. It's especially useful for those mornings James has to get up at 3 am for breakfast.

Stay tuned.....

77

Someone stole cd's out of my car. boo. :(

76: Yogurt Dots (Pintested)

I really like greek yogurt and when I found out you could make your own version of dippin' dots at home, I couldn't wait to try them. Usually this recipe calls for regular yogurt of any flavor but I was determined to see if it also worked with greek yogurt. (Consistency is thicker) Not only did it turn out well but, I can't stop making them. (Hmmm... sorta like that time I made glitter grapes.) So here's the simple recipe I got from Pinterest.

Dippin' (Yogurt) Dots

1/2 a cup of any flavored yogurt or greek yogurt (I used Greek Gods Strawberry Honey)

wax paper

spoon

cutting board (optional but was helpful when transfering flimsy wax paper to freezer. )

1. Grab spoon  dip in yogurt and place a dollop (not daisy!! lol. ) on the wax paper. Repeat until you've made as many as your little heart desires.

2. Freeze for about an hour or so. Longer for greek yogurt.

Recipe Rating: 5/5 Quck, Easy and Healthy. Need I say more?

The finished project. I keep them frozen in my Tupperware.

In coupon related news, Walgreens is having a sale on their veggie seeds and flowers. Good time to stock up herbs for cooking. Sale ends tomorrow but they are 5 for a $1. Now if only I can find some pots 5 for a $1.......

Thanks WAGS :)

75: Yes, I am ranting. You've been warned.

Wow. I finally finished all the dishes. That took like two hours. I'd say I won't ever wait that long to do them again but I know I'd be just lying to myself.

During my run that I dreaded this morning, I reached an epiphany. I sometimes like my runs for this reason. The things that pop into my head. I'm just running along and then BOOM, I get an idea. The idea is this. I am way too harsh on others. I know I criticize butttt.. it comes naturally given what I've been through. I'm not going into detail of exactly "what" I'm talking about but it's pretty life changing. It's enough to where every time someone bitches about how things are soooo complicated in their life's when clearly it's not even close to being horrible, I get offended and pissed off. I feel if some people had to live  through what I've lived through they'd never survive. I know that some people might disagree with how I feel but then again they aren't me so they can't feel what I've felt. That being said, I'm really going to try to work on that. It comes with me caring too much. I'm just going to stop. I can't worry about other people as much as I do. It just wears me out. So starting today, I'll just keep my two cents to myself unless asked. This in no way means I'm going to be a mute, just less vocal. My weakness is that I care too much. I get pissed off that people settle for way less than they deserve. I also get upset when they ask for advice, don't use it and then bitch when things don't work out. I'm turning over a new leaf. I don't want to be friends with people who have the following traits: celf-centered, fake, air-headed,or know-it-all's. I want friends who are real that I can be honest with and not feel bad. I expect the same from them. Recently I've thought about some old friendships and I think it's time I breathe some life back into them. So I'm taking best friend applications...... and I promise I'll try not to be too brutally honest because apparently I just keep getting hurt that way.

74

I'm seriously becoming lazy. I think it's all the running. Oh well, it's not like you really want to read my daily ramblings anyway. It's much more interesting when there is actually something to talk about.

73

Just got back from walking 5.0 miles. My right knee is still sore so I decided to take it easy and avoid an injury. I forgot to buy glucosamine from the store. It's supposed to help with joints. I'm thoroughly exhausted even though I only walked. The sun was beating down on me like a mofo. I went to the grocery store earlier so expect some new pintested recipes and HEB recipes as well. The store was really crowded today even for 1:00. Some old man accidentally took my cart instead of his and I was searching like a madwoman for it all over the store. Oh man, I really thought I had lost my mind.

Anywho, I decided to do some HEB recipes because they are holding a sweeps. Whoever, one of their recipes for six weeks is entered to win free groceries for a year ( a $5,200 value). In my case this would probably turn into groceries for two years at the rate I coupon. Since I have the time, I figured why not.

I've also finally calmed down about the wedding. No recent nightmares, Thank God and my DJ is finally confirmed for that day! Wow. I can't wait till this wedding actually happens it will def. be a load off my mind.

72

I finished the Charmed series finally. Now on to other fun tv shows. Nothing much else you can do when you have runner's knee. :(

71

It's Sunday. I'm totally living up this day by spending it in my pj's. I'm pretty sore from yesterday. 5 miles in under an hour and I'm pretty beat. I didn't even hear James get up this morning to go to work. He's still there and I hope he gets out soon otherwise it's a another Charmed marathon for me!!!

70

It is freaking cold today!! It's starting to warm up but "Damn, Texas could you be more random?" I am not looking forward to running 5 miles today either. I've been feeling borderline sick for days. I woke up this morning with chest pain that scared the crap out of me. I think I might of just slept on a muscle wrong. I eat really healthy especially now so I don't think it's heart related. If the left side of my body starts going numb I'll go. Ugh, I hate feeling blah. It's almost as if I have mono or something. Oh well, I'm giving this weather two hours to straighten up and then I'm going to go run those dreaded 5.0 miles. 

69: Buttermilk Pie etc.

I made buttermilk pie today yay! I would post pictures, details and yada yada but I'm feeling a little lazy. I literally rearranged half of the apartment, washed all the dishes (a feat in itself), made beans, rice, mopped the floors, de-cluttered the pantry and watched Mac. I'm pretty beat and I should be reading but I'm not. Instead I'm having a Charmed marathon. I need to finish those asap! I freaked out earlier when I went to Netflix and it said they couldn't be played instantly (NOOOOO!!!) I probably looked like the biggest dork screaming at the t.v. Turns out it just needed to load. Anyway, that was my day.

Did I mention I finally re-organized my binder? Pretty snazzy, huh?

UPDATE: Oops. I forgot to include the link for the Buttermilk Pie. You can find IT <----- Here. ^.^

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Boo. It was so rainy and cold I couldnt meet my goal of running 5.0 miles. I did run 3.6 though which isnt too bad. Hopefully the weather is better tomorrow. :(

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Blah. It's just one those days.

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Here's a photo of my girl, Trigger. She finally sat still and a photo of all the freebies I got today. I'm feeling a little under the weather so that is all.

65: 11 Questions (Really Late oops)

I just noticed that almadear tagged me in a questions post. Oops. I really new to this still but I'll give a shot. :) 

1. What is the greatest, most defining, moment of your life so far?

     When James asked me to marry him. It was so simple and even though I knew it would happen eventually,it still    caught me off guard. I was actually upset before because I thought he was ignoring me. Lol. Little did I know he spent so much time outside preparing himself. 

2. If you had to eat only 3 foods for the rest of your life, what would they be?

I'm sort of a vegetable/fruit freak. I would have to say tomatoes, french fries and avocados. In that order. 

3. Pick 5 songs you would listen in repeat all day.

This is a tough one. There are so many great songs out there.  1. Bittersweet Symphony- The Verve. 2.  The Middle- Jimmy Eat World  3. Imagine- John Lennon  4.  Ghetto Gospel featuring Elton John - Tupac Shakur 5. Esto Es Vida- Draco 

4.How would you spend your last day on earth?

Probably on a beach somewhere soaking up the sun. I miss the beach. :(

5. If you could bring any endangered species back to life, which would it be and why?

Extinct: Sabre Tooth Tiger just because it would have been neat to see one in person.  Endangered: Giant Panda and Texas Ocelot. I've always loved Pandas and Ocelot's I tried to save before in elementary fundraising. 

6. What are your top three goals?

1. Run my first marathon. 2. Finish Oprah's book club list  3. Finish A.F.I.'s 100 Years 100 Movies

7 .I admit it. Some commercials make me cry. What commercials have made you tear up a bit?

This one always makes me cry. I have to admit the ASPCA commercials are a close second. I have to change the channel because I cry over animals I can't save. 

8. If you could do anything over again, what would it be?

I would have made some different female friend choices. Seems like I always pick the ones who hurt and desert. 

9. In your opinion, is love real or overrated?

I used to think love was overrated until I fell in love with James. I learned that there is someone for everyone and sometimes it happens when you're not expecting it or looking for it. 

10.What do you always have with you when you leave your home, aside form the obvious keys and cell phone?

Glasses. I couldn't drive without them! 

11.What advice would you give your teenage self?

Don't be anti-social because you're afraid of what people might learn about your life and what you have experienced. The more you talk to others the better you feel and understand how strong you really are. 

64: Glitter Grapes, Beer Floats and King of the Hill

I don't know if it has anything to do with living here but we have been watching King of the Hill like crazy. Last night we took a last minute trip to HEB and made some simple snack recipes. I pintested the Glitter Grape recipe. It turned out awesome. The beer floats however, were a little on the strong side.

Glitter Grapes (Great healthy recipe FYI)

1 lb. of green or purple seedless grapes (bc who wants to deal with seeds :P )

1 package of your choice of  jello (I choose green grapes with watermelon jello)

1. Thoroughly rinse grapes with water. Do not pat dry!! Some water is necessary to make jello stick. 

2. Tear open jello powder and empty onto a plate. Roll wet grapes in powder until fully covered on all sides. Do this until you run out of jello powder. 

3. Place grapes with jello on a separate plate and refrigerate for an hour. Tastes sorta like sour skittles minus the guilt. 

Recipe Rating: 5/5 Everyone who knows me knows I am a huge fan of snacking (Sour Patch Kids) and this takes care of the craving without most of the calories. Did I mention also cost efficient? Yummy. 

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Made glitter grapes tonight. Recipe tomorrow. Watching King of the Hill with baby and drinking Guiness ;)

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Watching Frankie and Johnny. G.G. would be proud.

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I'm ready for St. Paddy's!!

60: Shrimp and Tomatoes :)

I ran three miles today! Whoo Hoo! In case you are wondering, I'm following the Halhigdon Marathon training plan and taking things slllooooow. I used to swim distance in high school so land shouldn't be as difficult as water. I've done quite a bit this week and really pushed myself. I plan on continuing my reading list and my A.F.I's One hundred years, One hundred movies. It's high time I finish. It has taken me almost four years because of work. I'm working on my new book and I'm no longer curious why they made it into a movie. It is so awesome! It's rather long so I might not finish it until the end of next week. With that being said here is Wednesday's recipe. (No, I didn't skip I only did four this week.)

Wednesday's Recipe: Polenta with Shrimp and Tomatoes

• 1 pound frozen medium shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 14.5-oz. cans Italian-seasoned diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup instant polenta or grits (I substituted grits with Mexican Rice. HEB didn't have any polenta that was instant :( )
• 
  

1. Sprinkle shrimp with salt. Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and sauté, stirring, until pink and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. In last minute of cooking, add garlic and red pepper and continue to sauté. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside.
2. Add tomatoes and juice to skillet and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until tomatoes are soft and sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.
3. Pour over rice. 

Recipe Rating: 4/5 It tastes exactly like the Cajun shrimp James and I ate at Razoo's. I didn't rate it a five because I didn't use polenta. 

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I really need a timer to remind me to post! :(

58: Weeknight Ravioli Lasagna

So in case you don't really pay much attention to titles, this is another LAH-SAG-NAH recipe. Let's hope this time I get it right! (Recipe Rating coming later after spinach finishes defrosting) And as always pictures and recipes are taken from Allyou.com.

Weeknight Ravioli Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups marinara sauce
• 1 20-oz. package refrigerated cheese ravioli
• 1 10-oz. box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 8 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1. 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch-square baking dish. Spoon 1/4 cup marinara sauce over bottom of dish. Cover with half of ravioli. Spread half of remaining sauce over ravioli. Sprinkle on spinach and then half of mozzarella. Repeat with remaining ravioli, marinara and mozzarella. Sprinkle top with Parmesan.
2. 2. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until bubbling, about 10 minutes longer. Let cool for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Recipe Rating 3.5/5 Pretty good. I would say it needs more cheese than the recommended 8 oz. of Mozzarella. It's just not rich enough for the whole platter. 

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Well I've done it again. My life lately has been pretty hectic. I keep forgetting to post when I should. This time I had the time but my mind has been scattered everywhere. I think it's because I have four months left as Miss K. It hasn't quite dawned on me until today that I only get to really enjoy my unique last name for four more months. I'm kinda sad but at the same time excited. It was really cool to be the only one in the whole United States with my name for so long and now I get to take on the name of the man I would do absolutely anything for. (And yes, James this means skydiving).  It's just time. This June 29th we celebrate our four years together. What a day to get married right? I'm excited and anxious. Let's just hope all the planning goes well. : /  I also just recently discovered that there is a new Christina K. in town.  So Christina Vanessa K, (Whoever you are) I hope you have fun being the only K in the world now that I'm moving on. I hope you and your 18 month old self do the name some justice! :)

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Tuesday's Recipe: Orecchiette with Broccoli, Tomatoes and Sausage

1 tablespoon olive oil 

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

8 oz. hot or sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings 

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice

salt

1 1b. pasta shells (I used tricolor)

4 cups small broccoli florets 

shredded Parmesan

1. Warm oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sausage and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until it looses its pink color, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice and 1/4 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the juice has evaporated and sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. 

2. While sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Stir in pasta and cook according to package label directions. In last 2 minutes of cooking time, stir in broccoli and continue to cook until pasta is al dente and broccoli is tender. Drain, return to pot and toss with sauce. Serve immediately, with shredded Parmesan on the side, if desired. 

Recipe Rating: 3/5  Healthy option but kinda bland. Would be nice if it had more herbs. 

Wednesday's Recipe: Hawaiian Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

• 8 slices white bread
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 
• 4 ounces deli ham 
• 8 slices Cheddar or American cheese 
• 1 cup canned pineapple chunks packed in juice, drained and patted dry 
• Mustard, optional

1. 1. Spread one side of each slice of bread with butter. Lay ham on unbuttered side of 4 of the slices. Top each with 2 slices of cheese and pineapple chunks. Spread unbuttered sides of remaining bread slices with mustard, if desired. Place those 4 slices, buttered sides up, on top of pineapple.
2. 2. Place sandwiches in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and cook, pressing down on them occasionally with a spatula, until golden on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully turn and continue to cook until golden on the other side, about 3 minutes longer. Cut each sandwich in half and serve immediately.

Recipe Rating: N/A I can't give a fair rating because I didn't include the pineapple. I've had a previous bad experience with the ham and pineapple combo in the past. 

Thursday's Recipe: Chicken and Pears over Arugula 

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, patted dry, and pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 large bunch arugula (about 7 oz.), ends trimmed
• 2 ripe pears, halved, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

1. 1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Warm 1 Tbsp. olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter is foaming. Add chicken and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
2. 2. While chicken is cooking, whisk remaining 3 Tbsp. oil, vinegar, mustard, 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper in a small bowl.
3. 3. Slice chicken thinly across the grain. Place arugula, pears, chicken and any accumulated juices from plate in a mixing bowl. Top with dressing and toss gently with hands to coat. Divide among four dinner plates. Sprinkle each portion with walnuts and cranberries, and serve immediately.

Recipe Rating: 3/5  I was not impressed with the arugula. I think I got a bad batch at the store. I like the homemade dressing although I think It's too strong for the fruit. James was not impressed with this one for the same reason. 

Friday's Recipe: (Finally) Split Pea Soup with Cheddar Toasts 

• 1 16-oz. bag dried green split peas, rinsed and picked over
• 2 smoked ham hocks
• 3 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar
• 8 1/2-inch-thick slices baguette or country bread, cut on bias
• 
  
• 1. Place split peas, ham hocks, carrots, leeks, bay leaf, parsley and salt in slow cooker. Stir in 6 cups water, cover and cook on low until peas are tender and ham is falling off the bone, 6 to 8 hours. Remove ham hocks, shred meat and return to cooker to keep warm.
• 2. Preheat oven to 400ºF; line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Sprinkle cheese over bread slices. Place on baking sheet and toast until cheese is melted and bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls, top each with a cheese toast, and serve.

Recipe Rating: 5/5 We are still eating this one. The serving size is a humongous 8. It is my second favorite recipe of this week. I started this slow cooker recipe really late and woke up to a ham smelling apartment in the morning. I had some for breakfast. I would def. recommend this recipe to anyone who likes green split peas or soup. The only thing I would change is discarding the fat off the ham hocks. It made the soup too chewy. 

I finally updated. It's been quite a long week. Between our unexpected visit to the E.R. to mailing out all of our invitations. I'm getting back on track though. Tomorrow I'm starting Super Supper Sunday with 4 new recipes I've not tried before. Only 4 this coming week because James requested in lieu of black bean soup, my pinto beans and rice. Expect pictures of the final invites soon! All is well I just need to get back to work.