31

Today is a good day. Yesterday I talked with my sister and my grandma. I miss hanging out with them. It's not fun to live 9.5 hours away from your family. I bound and determined to go three weeks before the wedding so I can spend quality time with them. I miss them so much!!! When times get tough there's nothing like family. While I don't have much I appreciate those I have. Not to mention hanging out with my grandpa and his '57 Chevy. I had a blast going to Dairy Queen with him with all the other antique cars. Call me crazy but I like working on cars. I just wish I would have grown up working around them. I have a great desire to learn how everything works.... Maybe it's just in my curious nature.

Today is another great day. I'm learning to really analyze situations before saying things. I'm asking God to help me realize that sometimes people say things they don't mean because they're hurting. Sometimes people don't realize that what they say has an effect on other people. I know I sure didn't. I've learned my lesson and from now on I'm abiding by the "If-you-don't-have-anything-nice-to-say, Don't-say-nothing-at all" policy. After so many years of emotional abuse I'm finally learning to respond with love instead of anger. Let me tell you it's quite challenging. I told James yesterday how I wish sometimes my demeanor was more like Dr. Drew's. That man never gets upset about anything. Even if an addict on his show yells, screams or blames him, he responds calmly. I wish I could be just like that and perhaps, with time, I will. I know that God is the reason I'm alive today. If It weren't for him, I don't know that I would have survived. Through all my struggles he's been there with me leading me every step of the way. I've never been a huge fan of organized religion but I am religious. I think that sometimes those kind of people let things go to their heads and possess a "holier than thou" attitude towards others. I don't want to be like that. Yes, I am a Christian but I feel the greatest way to show others is to love them.


That being said I'm really going to put in more effort into giving back to others. I found a group in west Texas that I can be proud to be a part of and I can learn a new skill. I'm really thinking of joining Habitat for Humanity and helping build homes for the less fortunate. It's on my bucket list and since I'm not working, I can do this. I have talked about how I wanted to work but I really feel that I'm being pulled in another direction. Ever since I was a kid I dreamed of being a humanitarian and Mother Teresa was my idol. I can't help but admire those who put their needs aside for others. I can only aspire to be like them.

This is one of my favorite paintings!!

When I say… “I am a Christian”

I’m not shouting “I’m clean livin’.”

I’m whispering “I was lost,

Now I’m found and forgiven.”

When I say… “I am a Christian”

I don’t speak of this with pride.

I’m confessing that I stumble

and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say… “I am a Christian”

I’m not trying to be strong.

I’m professing that I’m weak

And need His strength to carry on.

When I say… “I am a Christian”

I’m not bragging of success.

I’m admitting I have failed

And need God to clean my

mess.

When I say… “I am a Christian”

I’m not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible

But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say… “I am a Christian”

I still feel the sting of pain.

I have my share of heartaches

So I call upon His name.

When I say… “I am a Christian”

I’m not holier than thou,

I’m just a simple sinner

Who received God’s good grace, somehow.

Maya Angelou, you are truly, without a doubt, awesome. 

Gogogadgetgirl

30

Cleaned all day. Okay, not really.... the maid helped ^-^ . Spent all day reading and watching tv. Computer keeps turning off by itself claiming it's out of battery when it's plugged into the wall. Really weird. At least it was sunny today. Texas weather is so weird one day it's sunny and hot the next day it's windy and cold. MAKE UP YOUR MIND!!! Sheesh. James isn't home yet it's probably going to be a long night of tv watching for me. You won't hear me complaining though. I'm slowly getting into my homemaker role. It takes getting used to not being overly concerned with everything when you're no longer the main provider. Some days I feel like I'm going to go crazy if I don't start working. I'm still not sure how everything's going to work. I might try substitute teaching at the schools or maybe fill in for hygienists when they are sick. It would help me keep up my skills and earn some pretty good cash. Or I could always sell our crap on Ebay. Lord knows we have enough of it. 

I'm back on couponing again.Like I'm addict or something.....ppfftt. On Sunday I had so much fun with my 20 inserts. The $8.00 I spent in newspapers already paid for itself. Plus if it all ends well by the end of this week I should have close to free shampoo and body wash and possibly some cheap, much needed, mascara. I wish I would have gotten up earlier to get the paper so I could have snagged the 4 bags of free dog food but it turned out I wasn't the only one interested in that. By the time we got there it was all gone. :( Maybe i'll be luckier in the Little o. James and I decided after much consideration that we won't be moving to the city next to us. (Thank You, Jesus. I'm tired of moving) As much as it sucks having to haul laundry 30 feet away to your car and down the street to the laundromat, it's better than paying $900 a month for the same size apartment and the same no washer/dryer predicament. We like to saves money, duh!!! Just talking about it makes me want to drive home. I miss HEB. I don't understand Fort Worth. I mean how can you have a Central Market store owned by HEB and not have an HEB?!!?! It's crazy ridiculous. This is coming from the lady who wrote to Sprouts and told them they needed to build a store in our area. Call me crazy but if you don't speak up, you'll never get what you want. 

Speaking of which, I got my itty bitty bridal party support team their gifts. I'm really excited that I was able to get them something nice that I wouldn't have been able to get if they weren't on sale. I lucked out. I can't say what it is I got them but it WAS pretty pricey and now it's on sale. Wow, big hint right? I'm looking forward to getting those. James should be thrilled I, again, saved him so much money. He should have no problem marrying me. In fact, I'm a bargain!!! I cook (pretty darn good if I say so myself), clean and coupon. :)

29: Sunday Coupon Haul 1/29

Today was an eventful day. We started the day out grocery shopping and while I was there I picked up 20 inserts of coupons. There were so many great deals that I clipped the important ones and we headed back to the stores. Here's a wrap up of what I got!

Cvs:

6 lady speed stick deodorants $1.99 each
I used 3 buy one get one free coupons and total came out to 11.94 before coupons 6.00 something afterwards.
If you spend $12 or close to it you get 6 dollars in extra care bucks
So.... Long story short they were free!!! :)

WAGS

Buy any four dove products 4/$15
Used 4 $1/1 coupons
Paid $11

Buy blue diamond almonds 2/$4
Used 2 $1/1 coupons
Paid $2 for both cans

Total for WAGS= $13 or $8 with register reward for dove products :)

Sprouts
Buy 4 bags of kettle chips on sale for $2.06
Used 4 $1/1
Total for Sprouts= $4.24

Grand total for today $12.24

I did so good I rewarded myself with some O.P.I. Nail polish from the Muppet series. Im currently wearing Gone Gonzo!!!! I even got one for free. Such an awesome day!!! All that glitters is gold! :)

Gogogadgetgirl

28

Can't wait to pick up my new camera. I ordered a kodak 16mp camera from Walmart.com. I'm proud to say it only cost me $54. I can't pick it up until the 30th but I'm excited. It came with a camera case and a memory card. The best part is is salmon colored! I really don't know what my deal is these days with Salmon colored things but I'm in love. I think I'm just happy that spring is right around the corner. It's my favorite time of the year because the weather isn't too hot yet.

The days are also dwindling down for our trip back home. 10 more days and we can return to our stuff and apartment. James is doing well with his last two weeks of training. He only needs to pass three more attempts and he is finished. I told him to tell me when and I will get to preparing his feast. lol. Yes, I really enjoy cooking THAT much.

I've been trying to get back into my book that I'm reading but right now Law & Order:SVU is way more interesting : p I took a break since I've been reading at least one book every week for the last 10 we've been here. There really is nothing left to do. I mean mornings, there's breakfast in the lobby, lunch I eat by myself, and occasionally there's laundry or cooking but not much. I need substance!! I guess I better enjoy it now before I go home and have loads to do. It looks like everything I unpacked will be packed once again for another move. I'm totally ready though because to be honest, our current apartment is crappy. First of all, there aren't any lights in any rooms. My grandma had to buy us lamps to light up the rooms at night. Second of all the dishwasher is all rusted out so we can't use it and lastly our cars are about 20 feet away from our door.(with no washer or dryer or hookups carting the laundry to my car is soo much fun) The only plus is rent is cheap but I guess you get what you pay for. So I guess I better start looking now. : /

27

Omg! These are so addicting.

26

Looks like we may have a winner. For our wedding song anyway!

25

This morning didnt start off to be good. I got hatemail from someone who was supposed to love me unconditionally no matter what. It was full of f's. This is not unusual coming from this person which is why I dont associate with them.

That being said, Im not going to dwell on it any further. God knows what's in my heart and my intentions and he's the only person I have to prove it to. I only pray he give me the strength to deal with this snake in my life. I refuse to let my happiness rest in someone elses pocket.

Other than that nothing new today. I did get 7 free yogurt coupons which is awesome. I tried to get free macaroni but It was gone in under a minute. Kraft is hosting it on facebook if you want in "like" them on facebook. Thats all folks.

24

 James has to work until 9 am tomorrow. 12 hour shifts suck but we're getting down to our last two weeks here. I just have to pray that he passes at least 6 of his attempts. I miss home. I can't make any cool recipes here because we have just basic stuff in the hotel. I can't wait to go home and finish wedding stuff. The only good news we received was two letters. One from my insurance saying they are going after the towers who screwed up my car and another from The Texas Towing Regulatory Board for the complaint I filed against them. It looks like the insurance company has enough info to recoup their money and possibly mine. Plus the Texas board in Austin is going to be investigating their whole setup. When it rains it pours! Wow. I guess sometimes you do get everything you pray for! :)

23: No Makeup Monday!

Many people think women should wear makeup everyday. I disagree. Have you ever seen a woman who wears makeup everyday go one day without it? Talk about night of the living dead. Their face never gets exposed to sunlight and of course they look scary. Though it may be due to my tomboyish nature and lack of knowledge and skill of makeup, I think that more people should go without and not on a once a month basis. With all that goes on in the media today, we are expected to look as flawless as models even though the models aren't flawless. Women I've talked to go through extremes of contouring their face by penciling in their eyebrows (to be perfect), and extreme foundation with the allusion that it will make them more attractive then they already are. Most say they do this for men. I think the main reason women go through the hassle of wearing makeup is to satisfy not only males but also themselves.


I'm sure everyone has come across the person with body dysmorphia. The girl who won't ever shut up about how "fat" she is when she looks like a pencil? Talk about annoying. Why can't women just be satisfied with what they have? People with physical deformities would love to have arms, legs or even working ears. I doubt they would care what shape or size they are. Now I'm not saying it's okay to be obese. I'm just saying if you're healthy who cares about a number? Don't worry about what people like and don't like just because you're not exactly proportioned perfectly, this doesn't mean people won't find you attractive. If one person thinks you're junk, find the one that thinks you're treasure. After all, looks fade and all you will be left with is personality. If that sucks, then you're really in trouble.


The point of all this is: Love. If you don't love yourself, who will? I think the key to being confident starts inside and once mastered materializes outward. I'll admit I'm far from having a hundred percent mastery of this but everyday I go without makeup and look at myself in the mirror and love me for what I came into this world with, I'm happier. (Of course it helps to be reminded by my awesome fiance.) So try it! Who knows maybe it'll start a makeup-less fad.
I know I'm not perfect. If you look really close you can see my scar from an eye surgery I had when I was six.I have a big nose and I always have bags the size of Texas under my eyes. Nonetheless, I'm me and I couldn't be happier with that.

Gogogadgetgirl



Ps. I was going to include photos of myself without makeup but the fiance didn't like me posting my photos for a potential stalking psycho to see. Better to be safe than sorry! If you know me personally, then odds are you've seen me without makeup. I did post one on facebook and the beautybean. I figure they have less psychos with only 4,000 members.You can find out more here.

22

I'm really happy today! James still has to work today but I'm happy that things seem to be looking up for us. The last two years we have had nothing but horrible luck and it seems that it's finally turning around. From getting our car incorrectly towed while out of town and being car-less to coming home for Thanksgiving and seeing James' jeep damaged from a hit-and-run; we've been through it all it seems. I'm confident now that nothing can phase us or separate us and June 29, 2012 could not come sooner! I've been waiting 26 years for this moment and no matter how it comes together, I finally get to marry my best friend. Planning our wedding has been interesting and I'm grateful we have such awesome family and friends to help us along the way. Big shout-out to Meranda, Mary, Rick, My new mom, Connie, my grandparents and of course Richard for agreeing to marry us crazies! :) None of this would be possible without them and I can't wait to pay it forward and help someone else with their wedding.






I'm also slowly getting over the hurt that someone caused me. I forgive them but I'm sure our friendship won't ever be the same and I'll never be able to trust them ever again. I'm the kind of girl that wears her heart on her sleeve, which makes it more vulnerable to damages. When I love I love with all I have and when you hurt or disappointed me, I take it hard. I'm usually an open book but what I've learned from this situation is to guard my feelings a little more closely and perhaps not be so trusting. It sounds bad but sometimes it's necessary because people are not always who they seem to be. I know that God will guide me through this as he has everything else and "This too shall pass."

Miluji tebe,


Gogogadgetgirl

21

Last night was a fun night. James called me all of a sudden and told me we were going out. I had to literally rush to get ready for sushi night at Edohana's. The atmosphere was awesome and the engineers were funny, especially Wyatt. lol. We had a good time and the food was awesome. Not to mention, displayed very nicely. (Pictures coming soon!) It was nice that mostly everyone went but we were still missing some people. I was thoroughly entertained by the guys taking Saki bombs. Wyatt even told us he wanted to go to our wedding and that he'd drive from Montana just to be there. What's funny is I didn't even consider inviting anyone from the training center because I just assumed that they would be too busy to go. James and I both agreed it would be awesome if he could make it and we were both kind of flattered that he'd drive so far just to see it happen. If there's one thing I'm grateful for coming out of this trip, it's the friendships we have made. I've learned about so many different countries, languages and religions I feel like I've already visited all these exotic places. Oh and Uncle Chipps from India are my new obsession! Rahl brought us some from India because he knew James loved them. The bad thing is that now I'm so obsessed about them and no one in the U.S. sells them because they are made by Frito Lay India. James and I are going to attempt to make them ourselves. We'll let you know how they turn out.

Yummy!!!

This morning Trigger thought she was going to work with daddy. (This really broke my heart) She got all excited because as James was leaving we walked him outside. Trigger got the wrong idea and thought that James was taking her "bye byes" so she started getting all excited (in Trigger's language=panting) and walked up to the passenger side door of my car and started scratching at it trying to get James to let her in. I had to tell her "No, mama daddy's going to work." You would have thought I ruined her Christmas or something. She got this sad look on her face and walked back to the grass. It crushed me. I know dogs have unconditional love but to actually witness it is something extraordinary. She even got mad at Tiny and bit his face because he tried to lay on James' shorts.

Trigger sleeping on James' shorts. 

 Last but not least: Yesterday America lost a beautiful soul, Ms. Etta James. I doubt she will be forgotten as legendary as she was and still is today. She was a great favorite of mine. RIP Etta James and Godspeed.

Gogogadgetgirl

20

Today I was disappointed to learn that the USPS has increased the price of stamps by 1 cent. I know that seems ridiculous to complain about but when you have around 200 invitations to send with two stamps each (one for the invitation and one for the rsvp) it's a problem. A friend of mine told me that most people have resorted to online websites to help them with this problem. It's fast, it's easy and it's free! Who could ask for more? 

So I found one for our wedding and its called anrsvp.com. It is awesome because all you have to do is add your entire guest list and as they rsvp online it automatically counts how many "yes's" and "no's". You can even personalize it with your photos (I'm doing this later). You can also add personal notes to the guest as they rsvp and there is always the option for them to come back and change their mind if something comes up. I love this!! Most of our friends get on Facebook more then once a day so there should be no excuses. Of course the older generation will probably be better off calling but talk about savings. I actually calculated how much I saved. It was around $100.00. That's about half the cost of our wedding cake!!! Yikes. Now if only that cake topper would go on sale.........

Until Tomorrow, 

Gogogadgetgirl 

19: Braid Frenzy

Yesterday was a good day. Today is pet washing day. Lol. The babies are not going to like this. Especially Trigger. She always pees on me thinking she'll avoid bath time. Yesterday was a really good day for me creatively. I finally figured out how to braid my hair and I didn't need a stupid braidini. (If you don't remember those then you're too young to be reading this blog!!!) For years I have always wanted to learn how to fishtail and french braid but I had no one to show me. I searched everywhere for the famous braidini to hold the sections of my hair so my hands would be free and guess what? They are totally discontinued. Sadness :(


 I guess all it took was a good youtube video and some practice. I just didn't think I could hold all four sections of hair without getting all confused. The first try turned out pretty good but it's definitely difficult to braid my long hair. Along my search for braidini gold, I found some really funny old hair contraption devices that made me laugh (as if braidini was funny enough) One being the Flowbee, the haircutting device, and the braidini self braider, which just looked like torture. Lol. The things we women buy!!! It kind of makes me wonder: What's next?
Here I am in all my hair braiding glory:

French Braid

Fish Tail

And now the ridiculous hair inventions:

Poor child he has no idea how crazy his hair is going to look!

This just looks scary

Gogogadgetgirl

18

I totally spazzed and forgot to post yesterday :( I'm supposed to post everyday thank God I'm one entry ahead. Yesterday was a slow day. I pretty much read all day because I got behind on Monday with other things.

 This new book I'm reading is even more addictive than the last one. I'm learning the sad truth about India's caste system. In fact, James and I were discussing how one of the guys in training is from India, and the caste system is still in effect. He is one of the upper castes of India so he doesn't get mistreated too often. He told James about how things are over there, positive and negative. On the positive side, weddings in India are celebrated a whole week. If you're of a higher caste you can expect things like lavish gifts at your wedding from the wife's family. He said that at his he will at least get a new Mercedes. (Again, this is the least he will get). Women in India still get married off with a dowry which can consist of money, property, land, etc.  In marriage a certain caste is only allowed to marry someone of the same caste.He told James that labor in his country is so cheap he has a man (of a lower caste) wash his car every day for cents a day. Here I thought that racism really existed between different races. :( I learned that the "untouchables" or lowest caste are, of course, the ones with the dirtiest jobs. For example, if a farm animal dies on upper castes land an "untouchable" is called to remove the animals carcass. Anyone else doing so brings disgrace upon their family. He told James that if he were to ever go to India to visit he would be treated like a king because of his education. Education in India apparently is hard to obtain and rare. Most don't go to college. I'll be honest I've had Indian friends (female) but upon meeting some of the native men I was a little afraid to speak. I know we're not in their country but I was not sure if they would talk to me being as women with strong opinions as myself are usually not allowed to voice them. I was a little intimidated so I let James do the talking (amazing, I know). I think the more I learn about the culture the less I will be intimidated. I just didn't want to offend.

The Indian Caste System :(

In other news, I added something to my tuna patty recipes that became MAN APPROVED. Last night I got the bright idea of adding avocado to my tuna patties (recipe coming soon) because I thought if I fried it in bread crumbs it would taste similar to the fried avocado they sell at La Playa. I was right! It tastes eerily similar and James loved it! You learn something new everyday or  in my case somethings!

Arlee Jenson, I adore your artwork!!

Gogogadgetgirl

17: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

I have to say that this was an amazing book! Awesome. I couldn't put it down. If you love animals you will definitely want to read this book.

Summary: A boy born mute, helps his parents train their prize winning dogs. When his father dies of a freak accident the boy is convinced that it wasn't an accident. Upon proving his point to his mother the death is reenacted and someone dies. The boy runs away on a two month journey with three dogs out of his trained his litter. He returns only when he thinks he's safe only to fall into the hands of his father's killer.

Rating: 4/5
I can't say how much I enjoyed reading this book. The way the animals communicated with the mute boy really is inspiring. He would sign commands to them and read his body language. The bond between the dogs and the character is something truly unique. The author even describes the boy from the dogs perspective. The book has a nice Macbeth feel to it and has often been compared to the famous novel. The author used his experience with dog training to explain the training procedures in the book. When i got to the last 200 pages I couldn't put this book down.

Favorite Quotes:

"That's just life. You can fight it or you accept it. The only difference is, if you accept it, you get to do other things. If you fight it, you're stuck in the same spot forever."

16: Cauliflower French Fries :)

This recipe is a great alternative to french fries for the health conscious and the diabetic. You also won't feel so guilty eating this as you would french fries. It takes about an hour to make which is a downside if you don't have the time. However, the end result is worth it. It seems like I've been doing allot of french fry and chip tutorials. I just can't seem to get away from these right now but I promise I'll move on to something else soon!


Cauliflower French Fries

What you will need:
Oven safe baking pan
1/4 cup of Olive oil
1 head of Cauliflower
McCormick Grill Mates Garlic and Onion Medley Spice
Large bowl
paring knife
cutting board (as always)

1. First remove leafy stalk attached to cauliflower. I started ripping the ends off and then cut the base with the paring knife. Once stalk is detached cut cauliflower up in small sections.

2. Fill large bowl with olive oil and spice. Put as much spice as you think you'd like. Coat pieces of Cauliflower with olive oil and spice mixture, then place in oven safe pan. In the pictures you can clearly see I didn't use a pan. The reason being is I don't have one. I don't recommend you use a baking sheet like I did as I was terrified the olive oil was going to run off the sides and cause a fire. Crisis adverted though. :O

3. Place cauliflower in pan and bake for an hour. Be sure to check every twenty minutes to turn cauliflower so sides brown evenly. Dip with ketchup or favorite sauce.

Viola! You're done!


    

On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the absolute yummiest, I give this a 3 out of 5. While it does a decent job filling you up it is still not as yummy as french fries. I also think the browner the better. I didn't brown as much as I probably should have. Browning really brings out the flavor of the cauliflower. All in all this turned out pretty well. Between James and I they were gone in ten minutes. 

Gogogadgetgirl 

15

Another good day. Centerpieces for the wedding are finalized, got all the chores started and got some cool stuff! Thanks to baby spoiling me again. And I lied no recipe today but I did buy the cauliflower so Im one step closer.

I also saw the coolest thing ever in the store today. When I went to walmart to buy groceries a lady two people in front of us shared her ads that featured cheaper prices with the person behind her. The lady was so grateful to learn about ad matching and saving money that she stopped an elederly couple and spread the word! She even shared the ad with us. People shouldnt judge us couponers too harshly. We like helping others save money too!

Oh and as for my presents they are just as wild as me. I got some clueless fab cherry knee high socks and O.P.I.'s Rainbow Connection polish. For some reason I love knee high socks and Ill find any excuse to wear them. As for the polish... It is not what I normally buy but I couldnt resist because its part of their muppet collection!!! I need more of them now.

Tiny thinks he needs to be in every photo. 

14

Watching King of the Hill with baby and drinking some 360 green vodka. The bottle is reusable and totally cool. Didnt get a chance to go shopping so no recipe today. Tomorrow though for sure. I was going to do a post about homemade corn chips but I havent quite mastered it yet. The grease in it is enough to make your stomach sour.
:o  I swear if I had to label this series of recipes it would be titled: Everything That Could Possibly Be Made Into A Chip. Lol. I cant help it! French fries are a weakness and I'm trying to find the healthiest alternative. I leave you with a picture of the vodka we are currently drinking which, btw, is delicious! :)

13

Looks like it's going to be a long day for me. Okay not really but It certainly feels like forever when James works late. I guess I'll just keep reading Edgar Sawtelle and watching my SVU marathon. Not to mention there's like nothing to eat in this place. I'm trying to stay away from sugar and that's all we seem to have in this place! My teeth are still sensitive but it's starting to get better. Hopefully by this weekend they will be back to normal. I have decided though that I won't be drinking anymore soda, ever. I seriously mean this. It's not good for you and you don't need it. I mean as it is right now I don't drink soda very often but I've decided to quit cold turkey. Water and sugarless tea is where it's at. It turns out that brewed, sugarless, black tea can actually help prevent cavities and gum disease. No wonder I don't have any cavities. I'm a religious tea drinker. I'll admit at first it was hard to drink tea without sugar but now I can't imagine drinking it with. Okay enough with the rambling and back to SVU.

One of the main reasons I love this show!

Gogogadgetgirl

12

Yesterday was a good day. *See previous post. James had most of the day off and I got to enjoy spending the day with him. We went to Fuzzy's Tacos for dinner which was pretty interesting. I like their salsa! yummy. I'm posting early today because I'm behind on my reading by like 300 something pages. I make it a point to read a book a week and I am super behind. My teeth are still sensitive but doc says it could take a while. Shame on you popcorn, for making my teeth hurt!

OMG! I so want to try this!

I found another chip recipe I want to try out but I can't go buy ingredients because James has the car. :(  I will just tell you that it involves cauliflower. Sounds odd I know but it's going to be awesome when combined with Whataburger's limited batch black label ketchup. I know I'm a freak about food. What else is new?

Love :)

oh and random find of the day: National Geographic's photo of the day= beautiful! Everyday they post an amazing photo taken by one of their readers. (At least I think it's their readers don't quote me) Here's today's.

The Beautiful Bahamas!!! National Geographic

On a wedding note: it turns out quite a few people opt out of having a wedding party because of the problems and I'm not the only one who didn't choose my sister to be my maid of honor. It was nice to read another bloggers story about wedding difficulties. I could relate.

Book I'm Currently Reading :)

wow. This has been a random entry. Oh well here's to being awesomely random.



Gogogadgetgirl

11

Yay! No cavities after all. A good day in my book :)

10: Apple Chips

Yesterday I begged James to go to Sprouts with me so I could try this apple chip recipe I found on Delighted Momma. While I didn't follow directions exactly, I made the recipe my own. It's really difficult trying to blog new recipes minus all your cooking gadgets, in a hotel. :( I miss my tools and kitchen-aide mixer. This recipe is already a favorite of mine because it's a cheaper and healthier alternative to apple chips sold at the store. Anyway, without further delay here's todays recipe:

Apple Chips/Fries

2 apples of any kind (I used Fuji because they're James favorite)
apple corer or paring knife
Baking sheet
wax paper (optional)
cinnamon or cinnamon sugar

To Prepare:

1.Preheat the oven to 275. Depending on how you like your apples your first step maybe to peel the apple. I chose to leave the peel on because the peel contains vitamins and nutrients. (and in case you haven't figured it out..I love me some vitamins lol.) The recipe orginally calls for you to core the apple so that they form rings. Unfortunately, I don't have an apple corer so I just cut the apples into fourths and then thin 1/2 inch slices. If you choose to slice in quarters please be careful. I cut my finger by accident (Darn, slippery apples >:s )No matter the case, please make sure that you keep the slices or rings around this 1/2 inch marker. Larger rings or slices will take longer to dehydrate. If you are unsure how to core the apple using a paring knife see the video below.

2. Arrange your apples on a baking sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon or cinnamon sugar to your liking. I chose to omit the sugar in the recipe. Bake at 275 for two hours and then turn apples. Bake for an additional 2 hours and your done.

Yumm!

Apples to Apples,


Gogogadgetgirl

*UPDATE: They turned out pretty good for not adding any sugar. The picture doesn't really do them justice. For some reason my 8mp camera phone takes horrible photos. So they appear darker partially because exhibit A) horrible camera and exhibit B) cinnamon turns a dark color when baked. End result=awesome. I'm totally going to make several batches so James can take them to work. They even make the hotel feel homier because it smells so awesome in here!

9

Nothing much to say today. Its been a lazy sunday. I felt like I was coming down with a cold yesterday but my throat stopped feeling so dry. Im having a hard time sleeping with this toothache. I just hope tomorrow the dentist I found will be able to fit me in. :(  Im kind of frustrated about all the money we have spent on other things that should have went towards are wedding. Unfortunatly, they were things we couldn't avoid.

I have so many things I need to do but cant do them because the things I need are back in Odessa. For instance I would have already have liked to send out wedding invites but cant because Im living out of a hotel. I probably would have had a job already if I could have gone in person to fill drop off resumes. Dont get me wrong though Im grateful for mostly everything I have but I seriously miss my new home more than I ever dreamed I would.

Gogogadgetgirl

8: House of Sand and Fog

I finished reading this book today. It was kind of slow to become interesting but at the near the end I couldn't put it down. Just one more book checked off on my Oprah's Book Club list. #24

 Source: goodreads.com

Book Summary:

"In this riveting novel of almost unbearable suspense, three fragile yet determined people become dangerously entangled in a relentlessly escalating crisis. Colonel Behrani, once a wealthy man in Iran, is now a struggling immigrant willing to bet everything he has to restore his family's dignity. Kathy Niccolo is a recovering alcoholic and addict whose house is all she has left, and who refuses to let her hard-won stability slip away from her. Sheriff Lester Burdon, a married man who finds himself falling in love with Kathy, becomes obsessed with helping her fight for justice.

Drawn by their competing desires to the same small house in the California hills--and what it represents to each of them--and doomed by their tragic inability to understand one another, the three converge on an explosive collision course. Combining unadorned realism with profound empathy, House of Sand and Fog is a devastating exploration of the American Dream gone awry."


My rating:

I give this one a 3.5/5 stars. The beginning started off slow but interesting and the end was anything but boring. It reminded me of Lord of the Flies in terms of how brutal and wild-like the ending was. It was clear towards the end that a lack of understanding was going to somehow ruin the relationships between the characters. For me it wasn't a page turner until the last 75 pages or so.

Favorite Quotes:

Page 124. Mr. Behrani talks about American attitude and really hits the "hammer on the nail" when he says:

"And perhaps this explains the face of Americans, the eyes that never appear satisfied, at peace with their work, or the day God has given them; these people have the eyes of very small children who are forever looking for their next source of distraction, entertainment, or a sweet taste in the mouth".


I can understand his thoughts coming from an immigrant's point of view.

I'm curious as to how the film plays out since I've never seen it. Maybe it will be too brutal to watch? I think I shall save that for another day if the movie is as descriptive as the book.

Gogogadgetgirl

7: KEEN-WA is Quinoa

Just finished eating dinner. I finally was able to make the Quinoa pasta correctly. Last time it cooled too fast and made a soupy cream-corn mess. (Quinoa is a blend of corn and grain, FYI) Today it came out perfect. If you haven't tried Quinoa pasta, I definetely recommend it. It is really a better option when it comes to pasta because it is Gluten-free and has no cholesterol. It also tastes really yummy. :)

Here's what we used to make spaghetti.

Ancient Harvest Quinoa

Quinoa I learned is not pronounced "KWI-No-ah" but rather "KEEN-wa". It is grown in Bolivia about 12,000 ft above elevation. It is referred to as the "Mother Grain" because of its nutritious qualities. It contains the highest amount of protein than any other pasta. This explains why I had to pay $3.06 for an itty bitty package. Let me just say though that it is worth every penny.


That's all I have to say about that.

Gogogadgetgirl

6: James' Beans

This recipe was taught to me by my wonderful fiance (Whom I absolutely adore :) I could probably cook pinto beans in my sleep now. I thought I'd share the recipe because it's pretty dang good. If I do say so myself :P

James Beans

You will need:
1 cup of pinto beans (will feed four)
1 clove of garlic (don't put the whole bulb! I did that once because James told me to put one in there :/ )
4-6 cups of water
5 quart pot
A nice sharp knife and cutting board
Skillet for sauteing
1 half of a tomato
2 slices of bacon (we used center cut)
1 whole jalapeno (don't chop!)
1 small slice of onion
1 tbs of olive oil (optional)

1. Measure out a cup of beans. Use more if needed. Sort beans by discarding cracked or rotten beans. Rinse with cold water and return to pan. Add 4-6 cups of water to cover beans and add garlic clove. Bring to a boil then cover.

Starting to boil

* I like fresh instead of bagged FYI
*some people like to soak beans overnight which decreases cooking time but makes beans mushy. Yuck!

2. Continue to check beans and add water if needed so there is an inch or more of water above the beans. You will know the beans are ready when the design on the outside completely disappears and the beans are somewhat uniform in color. While beans are boiling prepare ingredients for the broth.

3. Place both strips of bacon, jalapeno and onion into the skillet.
( you may add olive oil but the ingredients will cook in bacon grease)  Slice tomato in two and place in skillet. Saute mixture on medium until onions are brown and bacon is done. If you want spicier beans substitute jalapeno for another pepper like Serrano or saute and cut open jalapeno before adding to the pot.

Ready to add to pot.

4. When beans are almost soft, add sauteed ingredients to the pan. When beans are soft and design disappears they are ready to salt and eat!


Enjoy!

Gogogadgetgirl

5

James and I went to the movies all day today. First we saw Sherlock Holmes and then we saw The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

What we do before previews lol!

Both Dragon Tattoo movies were in their own right pretty awesome. I still think Noomi Rapace's performance as Lisbeth was better. I just cant help but admire her dedication to the role and the seriousness in which she approaches every role.

During intermission we left the movies and walked across the street where I nabbed an awesome deal, no coupons needed. I bought for a whole dollar the rose petals for our wedding. They are normally around the range of $5-$10. So yay me! The flower girl now has three hundred pink petals to play with....lets just hope she doesnt throw them all in one place!
If you were expecting a how-to or wacky experiment gone wrong, Im sorry. I orginally was going to show photos of the meteor shower but we didnt see any. We stayed up late to watch but there was just too much twilight in our area. Maybe next time I guess :(

A whole dollar?... I don't know that seems kinda steep :P


 Gogogadgetgirl

4: Dragon's Blood

Lions and Tigers and Dragons.....Oh My! This plant sounds scarier than it looks. This afternoon while James and I were at Hobby Lobby I stumbled upon a tree growing kit that when bled at the root "bleeds" a resin-like sap called Dragon's Blood. Okay so if you don't know, I really love plants. In fact plant growing  is practically in my blood. (Family history of farming, need I say more?) I purchased this plant not only to grow it (duh!) but because I thought it was the same tree bi product as in my anti-aging cream. Turns out that there are several different types of "Dragon's Blood" and this one is of a totally different species with medicinal properties of it's own. The plant I was looking for originally was Croton Lechleri or as the Amazonians call it Sangre de Drago.

Couldn't resist.

Croton Lechleri is different from the plant that I bought in that its primary use is to heal and repair elastin in the skin. Long story short, Indigenous people of South America have used it for centuries to help heal wounds, burns,gastrointestinal disorders and some sexually transmitted diseases. (ulcers, colitis,cholera, AIDS, Herpes, etc.)

My cream and a small view of a Croton Lechleri

Dracaena draco is a much different plant that is used primarily for the staining of wood, clothing and other things. It also has the same medicinal properties of healing but cannot be ingested because it is toxic to Leukocytes. The ASPCA also recommends keeping this plant away from animals.The Dracaena draco is mentioned in Greek Mythology as a dragon with multiple heads that was killed. Its blood spilled into the ground and trees sprouted from the fallen blood.

Full Size Dracaena Draco

In conclusion, these are definitely not the same plants! (Even though they have the same name on packaging) I hope I haven't bored you to death. I just wanted to share all that I have learned today from our little outing that started at Hobby Lobby. Below are pictures and the description of the planting process.

Dragon Tree seeds. They even look like Dragon eggs!!!

1. Place pellet in container

2. Add 2 Tbs of water & wait until pellet absorbs all water

3. Place seeds 1/3 inch deep in soil. Water everyday! Will take 2 months to start growing.

Hopefully in two months I will see some progress.
 Keep your fingers crossed!

Gogogadgetgirl