PenguinInTheSun

New Year

2012-01-25T14:01:00.001-08:00

Yes, it's a new year. 2012 has arrived and the month of January is almost gone. It's funny how I am so erratic with my blog. It's a shame, because I think it really is great to have something look back on. I love reminiscing. I mostly love to reminisce the good, but the bad serves as a good lesson.

Harry and I went to Yosemite from the 29th of December til the 1st of January. It was a great way to end the year and to start a new one. I definitely want to visit again.

I didn't exactly come up with a resolution this year, but I definitely want to take a stronger focus on my health. I would like to lose 10-15 lbs and I know the only way I can do that is to focus on my diet. I workout a lot. I go to the gym 5 days a week for about 2 hours a day. So since I am not getting the results I want (which also may have something to do with my getting older, eek!), I know that I need to eat better.

Anyway, that is one goal of mine.

Another goal of mine is to blog at least twice a week. I think that is easy enough. That is only 8 posts a month!

Although, it's a bit late. Happy New Year!

Testing

2011-11-21T23:12:00.000-08:00

I've been having a hard time posting on my blog at home. So let's see if this works. I really do want to be consistent with this thing.

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Success!

Les Paul Bday

2011-06-10T01:00:00.001-07:00

My Google Doodle Creation

Google must be a really fun company to work for. They are so creative!

Partayyyy

2011-06-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

We all had a great time at my bro's grad party. I don't have any pictures of the event which is a bummer because.... well, I wanted to have pictures of the work we put into it. But... here's an awesome video that my cousin put together....

awesome job, Patrick!

And Congratulations to my brother Kris! We all had a blast :)

Grad Party Ideas

2011-05-31T13:03:00.001-07:00

here

here
here
here
here
here
paper

10 Healthy Breakasts....

2011-05-18T11:12:00.000-07:00

I love this link.

Bay Bridge Run/Walk

2011-05-15T12:22:00.001-07:00

So my brother and I completed this an hour or so ago. It was pretty fun. Very chill and relaxed. It was pretty much a family event so there was no pressure to run. I know I would have liked to be able to run the entire thing, but that will come in time. We started off late but finished pretty quickly. It was amazing an amazing view and a fun time. I can't wait to do it again next year. But til then, I'm going to look into other events... mainly 5ks :)

Link

My Mom

2011-05-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

Here's my tribute to my Mom:

I enlarged this photo and gave it to my mom for Mother's Day. When she saw it, she gasped. She was about 18 in this photo and was very beautiful. She is still very beautiful. Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Day Brunch

2011-05-08T12:32:00.000-07:00

I decided to make a brunch for my Mom, Grandmother, Aunts, and Cousins who are all Mothers. I think it came out successful even though not everyone was able to show up because of work or distance.

I wish I had more pictures, but when you are a disorganized person who loses things like me, you have to depend on your cousin's camera phone :)

I served
-Pancakes (plain, banana, strawberry, or chocolate chip)--Though I wanted to make them from scratch, I just used the box. I wanted to play it safe, but I definitely must start making pancakes from scratch so I don't have to think about all the yummy chemicals.

-Oven Roasted Potatoes (from Martha Stewart)--These came out great and were so simple to make!

-Huevos Rancheros

-Turkey Bacon--I cooked this in the oven. Apparently it's difficult to make Turkey Bacon crispy. However, I've never Googled it until now

-Sliced Tomatoes w/salt and pepper

-Brunch Enchiladas (from Taste of Home)--These were a hit. There were some leftovers, but my brother and cousin came over a little bit later and ate the rest and complimented me on it.

-Guacamole and Salsa-- There's a new Mexican market that just opened it up, so I went there and got some. The Salsa was great, but I will bass on the Guac from there.

-Cake....sadly there are no pictures of this....yet.

-Mixed Fruit--Mango, Strawberries, Kiwi

-Mimosas--I don't remember what kind of champagne my cousin brought. The bottle is still probably out there so I will check later and update.

Overall, it was pretty successful. It was nice catering to the ladies and spending time with them. When my aunt first got there she said: "Alright, you have either won the lottery or are getting married." Silly... I just wanted to do something nice for some lovely ladies in my life.

Next time, I will definitely start cleaning the place early on in the week and have the menu set ahead as well. I should have all the food a day ahead, at the latest. Having something I can prepare the night before is very helpful. I wrote out a schedule and that helped out tremendously as well. I wouldn't mind doing this more often. I had lots of fun.

So comfortable....

2011-04-30T08:23:00.000-07:00

Who has one of these?

Me!

6 Week Slim Down

2011-04-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

I like these because I have been wanting to find some weight training routine to do at the gym.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6

Smart Girl

2011-04-25T18:40:00.000-07:00

and helpful tips

Mom's Day Brunch

2011-04-22T11:54:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few ideas..... I have a couple days to decide on a menu since I am having this brunch a week early.

Brunch Enchiladas
Asparagus Strata
Basic Pancakes
Bacon
Fruit Salad
Potatoes
TexMex
Sunday Brunch
Martha
Fritata Help

Motivation

2011-04-21T09:54:00.001-07:00

I went to the Old Spaghetti Factory last night with friends to celebrate two birthdays. It's funny that I would go somewhere that offered different types of spaghetti only to order salad. Well, I need to shape up again.

A couple of years ago I was playing tennis and got really good results with my figure. This wasn't exactly the goal when I decided to take the class and pick up a racket; it was just a nice bonus. But now after seeing that picture from a few years ago and comparing it to last night's (below) and to that one year I began slimming down.... it's so evident that I need to be careful and be a bit more strict with myself.

I've been keeping a different journal where I physically write in for the purpose of my health. I'm trying to decide if I should also write in this journal to make myself commit even more to this goal. I guess to start off would be to post this picture which I find both alarming and embarrassing.

At out next get-together, I know I'll still have an uneasy feeling about my photograph being taken, but I hope that I'll be more pleased with my results.

(happy birthday Shelly)

5 Easy Meals Every Woman Should Know How to Make?

2011-04-21T01:35:00.000-07:00

I haven't looked through the whole list yet, but it's on Women's Health Magazine. So, it MUST be true, right?! :)

Blast from the Past

2011-04-18T10:43:00.000-07:00

I just found this picture on my friend's FB page. I had never seen it before. I think I was about 20 or 21.... I think I actually look cute! Sigh.... to be young(er) again..... :)

Sweet Potato

2011-03-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

Sweet Potato Quesadilla..... this looks so good!

Sweet Potato Fries ..... once this year is over, I will make these! (I am not eating potato chips or french fried for a year)

Roasted Red Pepper and Sweet Potato Soup ...... this soup sounds so good. Even though it's been sunny in San Diego, we might be expecting a bit of rain.

Sweet Potato Doughnuts .... for some reason, I've been thinking about making doughnuts. I've seen the doughnut machine but have come across sites that use cookie cutters.

Curried Lentils and Sweet Potato .... I just had some Indian Curry Lentil soup and it was the greatest. This would be awesome to try out.

Roasted Spiced Sweet Potatoes ....mmm, sweet and spicy!

White Chocolate Brownies

2011-03-07T23:47:00.000-08:00

I'm having a hard time getting these brownies just right....

I will have to try this recipe.

Or THIS one. The brownies look white... which is what my cousin had requested.

I have used Sweet Boy's recipe as well. Quite yummy :)
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I keep updating this post with links, but it's because my cousin requested that the brownies come out white!

Here is another shot from SK

My friend who is a pastry chef, told me to try this one as well.

New Hair

2011-03-05T23:44:00.000-08:00

Like I said.... I miss my hair. But it will grow. It's just that I had a long-term relationship with it... one that lasted five years. I'm going to donate it to Locks of Love.

Here is a side shot. I actually went back the next day to get it fixed. The first time I got it cut, it was straight and there was no movement or texture to it. It looks much better now.

Here I am with my old man glasses looking more pleased with the haircut.
And this is the shot I took when I got home from the hair salon. It's not very easy to tell, but the hair was straight and had no movement. It will take some getting used to... but change is good. Plus my hair is a lot more healthier now.

Decisions....

2011-03-04T07:44:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking of cutting my hair........ but I'm a little scared.

*Edit: I miss it already......

Ocean Graded

2011-03-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

Haha.... my cousins and I worked on this. It's like a dream come true! My cousin's boyfriend edited it and added music. It took us hours to decide what to do and create... yet the movie only lasted 23 seconds. I hope we can make more and maybe plan out in advance.

The next thing to check off would be voice over work! :P A girl can dream.......

Pancakes

2011-03-02T12:37:00.000-08:00

So it was Pancake Day at IHOP. I went with my lovely cousin Alys. It was a good time. We talked about all sorts of stuff as we enjoyed these yummy pancakes. Anyway, I need to try making pancakes from scratch again. Yikes, I just looked at the ones I made before... they are not nearly golden enough :)

Company of Thieves

2011-03-01T23:01:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to lie.... I had to spell check the word "thieves"

Anywho... I've been listening to this band a lot lately. I really love their sound. The vocalist is female so there is this nice girly feel to their music... it's not overly girly though (not that there would be anything wrong with that)

I like all the songs on Ordinary Riches but a couple lines from the song "Around the Block" have really stuck with me:

I'd like to die with the songs I love stuck in my head
I'd like to make the most of all those hollow bones we become

And you know I'm serious about it because I changed my favorite quotations on facebook to those lyrics.... haha, I'm lame.

Anyway, I'm so lucky and spoiled because Harry got me an iPod for my birthday and an adapter on Christmas for my car so I can listen to my songs while I'm driving. I like taking my iPod when I head out to Rohr as well... it makes the walk so much more enjoyable.

Bridge

2011-02-28T10:40:00.000-08:00

I just registered for this. I'm excited :)

Registration includes a ticket to a Padre game! Except my brother is graduating that same night..... GEEZ, Thanks A LOT Kris! Hahah, jk :)

Should be fun!

Lately

2011-02-28T07:16:00.000-08:00

I've been baking a lot. I've made rice krispie treats (not baking, I know) chocolate chip cookies, nutella chocolate chip cookies, and *special brownies--all from scratch! I haven't taken any photographic evidence. It's not that big a deal to take a break to take photos, but I've been lazy in doing that.

Anyway, I've been inspired by Just Jenn

I even used her recipes for the nutella chocolate chip cookies and brownies. *The reason why I call them special is because there is a peanut butter cup inserted in them. Harry was gone for the weekend and I wanted to make him something sweet (really sweet) because I missed him. It was a success.

I've always enjoyed baking, but lately I have been using boxes and mixes. It is so much more rewarding to bake and cook from scratch...especially when it tastes like the mix or better!

Oh yeah. I also made orange chicken again (only my second time) using this web site. I like how there are step by step photos and instructions. The chicken didn't come out exactly the way I wanted it to, but it was still good. I want more of that crispy-ness that I've become used to from restaurants. Those versions are probably very unhealthy. I might have to use tempura.

Anyway. The downside of all this baking is that I want to lose weight, haha. Is it possible to bake and lose weight? I'm hoping so. I like to bake and I like giving away these baked goods too. So, I'm thinking that it will work out just as long as I give away what I bake.

I've started walking at Rohr park (3.2 miles) and I've been more consistent aside from the days that it has rained. I am going the weekends plus Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Since it's so cold lately and that we've gotten a bit of rain, that means there is snow up in the mountains... snow that I probably won't get to see :( That's ok, I suppose. I've decided that I need to save up and plan on some sort of adventure soon. The baking has been an adventure in itself (pretty rewarding in a way) but I want to try something a bit different. I want to litter my blog with exciting, adventurous stories.

Hmmm

2011-02-17T21:11:00.000-08:00

I love the way he looks in a barong :) I love him.

Playing Catch Up

2011-02-03T14:10:00.000-08:00

I haven't been consistent with my blog. There are so many distractions, but that is a sorry excuse because I enjoy blogging.

Well... since it's been so long since I've updated, I will be posting a bit more of 2010 events. Yes, I realize that it's already February!

And.....

I thought it was really cute and sweet that my boyfriend got me a Christmas tree. He even brought a saw to fix the end. How manly!

It was a small tree... the perfect size really. I put up an ornmanet that my friend Shelly made for me last year.

He's an expert at putting up lights...I eventually put a few more ornaments, but I think it looked pretty with just the lights.

Me

2011-02-03T09:12:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to post a couple pictures of myself. This is from the Christmas Brunch at the home of Harry's Uncle.

How To Be Alone

2010-12-19T10:14:00.000-08:00

Gift Ideas

2010-12-15T10:56:00.000-08:00

I love this.... Porcelain Bananas. I'd like it for myself or for my brother since we always need to have bananas on the counter, haha. It would be agreat gift if either of us ever get our own place. Guess I'll have to stow it away for later use :)

A little help for Secret Santa

2010-12-10T12:56:00.000-08:00

This year my cousins, brother, and I decided to do a Secret Santa. We exchanged names last Sunday and we were all supposed to email in our likes/gift wishes. I'm going to jot down a few of them here.

I would like....

a nice teapot.

or maybe some nice pens.

I definitely wouldn't mind a mixed CD (no one ever makes those anymore) or Chopin's Nocturnes by Rubinstein.

I like lists and bikes... and penguins and hedgehogs. I like Harry Potter. I also am always in a state of disorganization so anything that can help me out with that would be great... just not a planner because I already picked up one of those from the $1 store :)

Socks are good too and a pencil pouch wouldn't be bad either.

I think I would be happy with just about anything though.

Curly Hair

2010-12-04T11:36:00.001-08:00

I curled my hair all by myself! (using this video as a reference) I'm a 26 year old now!

I want to look nice-ish for the recital. Hope it goes well! :)

hee

2010-12-01T15:34:00.001-08:00

Guess I should feel better... :P

December Goals

2010-12-01T09:25:00.000-08:00

I don't think I kept any of my November Goals!

So... I think I'll make some new ones :)

Plan, prepare, and organize
2-3 Miles a day---NEED to reach that Dailymile goal!
Keep the apartment clean
Show gratitude for at least one thing a day
Don't take things too personally.... just relax.

Let's go December!

26

2010-12-01T09:10:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was nice... but here are a few photos from my birthday.

This is the first picture I took of myself as a 26-year-old. Last night, a newspaper boy asked which high school I went to......

I had breakfast with my mom and brother at Denny's. We decided to go to one near my brother's internship because he had to go in after. Why Denny's? I get free breakfast... seriously, that's why I wanted to go. It's embarrassing how excited I get about free stuff... I decided not to share anymore because many don't really share the same enthusiasm :P

I had a nice time with my mom. I got to spend more time than usual with her. I knew that I wanted to get her flowers because I wouldn't be around if it weren't for her. I want to do that for every birthday I have now.

I love balloons. So I took this shot as we drove by this Good Year. (hmmm, maybe 26 will be a Good Year)

I spent some time with my cousin Priscilla trying to find a dress to wear that night. I was feeling a little overwhelmed because both my dad and his wife AND Harry's parents were expecting to see me that night. Either way, Harry wanted to cook me dinner. My dad won out at the end since I see Harry's parents more than my own.

Harry's mom got me a nice framed picture and a bracelet. That was an unexpected but nice surprise. And Harry spoiled me big time by getting me an iPod and a guitar amp. All I could say was: "What is this?!?"It was a pretty quiet night, aside from the strums that came from the guitar. Even my dad tried it out.
The following night, I went to my uncle's restaurant where I got to enjoy some food and karaoke with more cousins and a couple friends. I didn't get any proof, I mean, pictures... but yes it happened :P

It was a nice birthday.

Deathy Hallows

2010-11-18T15:17:00.000-08:00

Yes, it was my birthday and all that good stuff, but right now I'm excited because I'm going to the midnight showing!

You can tune a piano....

2010-11-14T09:40:00.000-08:00

but you can't tuna fish.

I haven't been so up to date with my blog. I'm really not sure why. So many great things have happened this year. I'm going to have to dig them all up.

I know that I've mentioned that Harry makes the best tuna sandwiches. He's just very talented. That's why he's my boyfriend : )

I think this is actually sometime during the end of Summer.

He has showed me how to make this yummy sandwich, but I just can't get the same result. So, I told him that if I ever want this sandwich, HE has to make it for me.

Here's how to make it anyway:

1 Can of White Tuna in Olive Oil

Campania (pickled vegetables, peppers and pepperocini) --I got a jar of it, but he usually picks some up from the deli

Mayo

Good bread of your choice.

He drains the oil from the tuna and roughly chops the campania... but not too small so you can get a good bite and crunch from the veggies and peppers. He makes sure to get the juice of the pepperocini in there as well and mixes with just a tade of mayo to hold everything together.

And that's it.... but his sandwiches taste so much better than mine. I think it's the love he puts into it... yeah, that must be it :)

He made me some on Thursday and we ate after our walk at Rohr Park. I was a bit cranky and crampy, but he was still very sweet. I have the best boyfriend in the whole world!

Btw

2010-11-11T22:02:00.000-08:00

Happy Veterans Day.

I wore a tshirt that has the American Flag on it. It's not much, but it was my way to show appreciation to those who love/loved this country and fought with dignity for freedom.

News

2010-11-11T21:33:00.000-08:00

(*)

So I've started taking drum lessons. I've had two lessons so far and I'm pretty excited to continue learning more. Right now I'm working on a single stroke and a paradiddle.

Harry gave me his old drum pad and I just bought some new drumsticks at work. I was practicing here at the apartment to an online metronome but figured I should stop since it was starting to sound pretty loud....

Also... I got this scarf from WalMart. It came with a blouse** for 10 bucks. Not bad, huh?

Here's a neat video on scarf-wearing... I'm sure Harry would find it funny that such a video even exists. Not all of us have fashion-smarts! :)

Man... it's kind of a quiet Thursday now that I'm not practicing on my drum pad.... :/

*Wanna know how dorky I am? I wasn't sure how I should pose with my drumsticks, so I googled it.
**I guess it was the blouse that came with scarf and not the other way around

Just a thought

2010-11-09T14:57:00.000-08:00

I was reminded at church on Sunday how important it is to be good to your loved ones.
Once we go to heaven, it doesn't seem like we'll be able to remember.

At first I was sad, but then I realized how precious life really is. It is so important to make the most of it and to cherish each moment we have.

Hmmm...

2010-11-06T09:28:00.000-07:00

It's been a few days and I haven't kept up with pretty much any of my goals! Tomorrow's a new week so I'll try to buckle down then!

Last week was Open House at work and I was able to talk to many parents. I decided to start implementing a new practice chart. The kids don't have to write down the amount of time they practice (minutes/hours); they just have to mark off the days they do practice. So far it's been pretty successful.

This is the chart that I'm using.

The recital is coming up really fast. Now I have to think of party stuff for the rehearsal party... I mentioned to my aunt that I always have a good turn out to my rehearsals. To that she replied: It's because you call it a party!

November 2010

2010-11-01T11:47:00.001-07:00

This is going to be a busy month!

Tuesday 11/2--Voting Day
Wednesday 11/3--Makeup Class @ 3
Monday 11/8--Teaching at HM3
Thursday 11/11--Veteran's Day
Monday 11/15--My 26th Birthday :)
Friday 11/19--Harry Potter comes out!!!
Monday 11/22--Teaching at HM2
Thursday11/25--Thanksgiving
Friday11/26--No Work!
Saturday 11/27--Bruce Lee's Birthday
Monday 11/29--Rehearsal party at HM2

There are a lot of Mondays this month; I guess Garfield would hate that.

I'm not sure what I will be doing for my birthday, but I do want to set a few goals for this month:

Walk 1-2 Miles a day (so I can reach my dailymile goal)
Don't eat after 9 PM
Keep kitchen and living room clean
Drink 8 glasses of water a day
Practice everday
Spend less time surfing the net (no more than 10 min at a time)

I think these are simple enough. I'll check back on this list in a month :)

Owl Een

2010-11-01T08:24:00.001-07:00

(I took this from my cousin's Tumblr)

Cute Halloween Ideas

2010-10-25T11:18:00.000-07:00

One

Two

Here are some printouts

Mummy Pops

Candy Corn Pizza (savory, not sweet)

maybe next year? :)

Box

2010-10-24T08:29:00.000-07:00

I liked the design of this box. It housed a bunch of bibingka. I knew of bibingka, but I guess I never tried it until someone gave that box to Harry's parents.

Bday Dinner w/Mom

2010-10-22T11:14:00.000-07:00

It was my mom's birthday on the 12th but we decided to have dinner on the 11th. I didn't have enough funds to take her out to dinner, so I decided to try and cook her some dinner.

I went to my brother and asked his opinion on what type of cuisine I should make:

Me: Asian or Mexican?

Brother: Italian.

Me: That wasn't even an option!

Well, I don't think I can really classify this dinner as truly Italian, but it had a hint of it.

I decided to draw out a plan of the menu, an idea I got from JustJennRecipes (btw, I loved her Star Wars themed party)

I just wanted to use what we had on hand with minimal shopping (because of my lack of the dinero) So... my brother sort of got his way. SORT OF.

Meatball Sliders, Italian Chicken Nuggets (idea from For the Love of Cooking), Garlic Fries, Pasta w/spianch, feta cheese, cheery tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette (a recipe I got from my cousin, Kat), Caesar Salad (ended up being a different salad) Pistachio Cake (like the one I made for my cousin, Paula) and coffee (which I forgot to pick up and had my brother get some McD's)

I really wanted to put up a banner and clean up the apartment very nicely... however, my mom got there a lot earlier than she was supposed to! We agreed on 6-6:30! She got there at 4. ;P

We watched a movie on our Computer off of Netflix (because our TV doesn't work anymore) and had a nice time spending the evening together. My mom actually thought that we were going out to dinner but was pleasantly surprised that I was making some dinner for the night :) At least she said that because she's a good mom.

As my brother and I are both getting older, it seems like we have less and less family time; especially since my mom is alwasy at work, my brother is in college and off traveling, and I have a wizard boyfriend. It makes these simple nights spent together that much more special. At least to me.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Ali Baba

2010-10-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

We went to a restaurant called Ali Baba in El CajonI guess this is Mr. BabaThe food was super good! It seems like El Cajon is very diverse in its cuisine. The Ethiopian restaurant we went to was actually in El Cajon as well.

I went with my cousins, their parents, and my dad and stepmom came as well. Like I mentioned before, I have been posting quite sporadically... we went during Labor Day Weekend! Anyway, down the street there were flags posted on the sidewalks. It felt very patriotic :)

We ordered a couple of platters because there were, hmm...10 of us. My Handsome was working on the Sakman (I'll talk about that soon)

I'm not really sure what any of us talked about, but I always enjoy time spent with my cousins and brother. I snapped a couple (not so good) shots of the decor as we decided what to get.

This is acutally a shot of my cousin Alys after we were done eating. (notice the take out box) I thought it was a great backdrop.

On to the food! We ordered couple of salads that were greatly appreciated because we were all hungry! It was a good salad... all the ingredients were fresh and the dressing was light and refreshing. I really can't remember what type of dressing it was since we went so long ago :( But I enjoyed it nonetheless!

Then there was the hummus which was so welcome with the pita bread.

They just looked like huge tortillas... but had a different taste of course. This was the best bread I had. I'd like to be able to make some... but I still need to try making tortillas first :)

And here's the entree. Lots of rice, chicken, beef, and lamb (I'm not used to that) Again, it was on a big platter to share just like at the Ethiopian restaurant. "Family Style" is always fun.... especially if you are with family. (cheesey)

I wonder what new cuisine I'll try next.

Padre Game

2010-09-27T13:01:00.000-07:00

My posts seem to have large gaps between them. With that being said, even though "the Padres are done" for the season (as my brother put it) I had a lot of fun going.

I still remember when I worked there. My first day was the first day the park opened. I had a feeling of excitment as I walked into the park. I felt somewhat special because I thought of myself as being one of the first to see the ballpark.

I enjoy the sound of the bat cracking against the ball and the roars that come from the cheering audience. It's fun during the 7th inning strecth to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" with the rest of the audience. And it feels very American to sing the National Anthem before hearing two words: "Play Ball!"

Here are some pictures from that day.

I wore a jersey I got from a game I went to years back.

My handsome got us some cotton candy, yum!

Ivan's daughter, Shelby enjoyed her shaved ice....

And sitting on her dad's shoulders.

I was happy to spend this time with two of my favorite guys.

We had some great seats.

Thank you for the early bday gift, Handsome!

Wedding Anniversary

2010-09-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from the Wedding Anniversary we went to. (this cake topper is too funny)

It was for my Auntie Helen (who I work with) and her husband, Uncle Willie.

They are a great couple. I still remember when they sang to each other at a company party. They looked at each other and it seemed so sincere. Sure, they are both performers, but it was very endearing to see this. I even mentioned it during a toast.

They renewed their vows and Auntie Helen chose a song to sing to her husband.

It was a great party. There were performances, good food, people to talk to; plus Barry Manilow stopped by!

I enjoyed myself very much.

Circus

2010-09-15T10:04:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from the baby shower we went to. It was a circus themed babyshower so it was friendly for both males and females :P

They did a great job with the decor. It took place in the youth room of a church that the mom-to-be works at.

They had great lighting as you can see behind Harry:

And since the couple is very loved, lots of gifts... even big boxes that almost hide boyfriends:

They also had the typical games like the diaper game with melted candy. I had a shot of Harry trying to figure out what candy was in a diaper, but I couldn't stand to put it up. Yuck! :P

There was a baby food game where you have to guess what the flavor is by look and smell. One of the flavors was ground beef w/ mac n cheese.... yikes!

They had a good turn out. (Can you see us?)

Busy Weekends

2010-09-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from two weeks ago when I went to a baby shower, wedding anniversary and ballgame and also tried a new cuisine.

Sushi

2010-08-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

Note: I saved this post to publish later, but I can't remember why. Maybe inspiration?

Paula's Bday

2010-08-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

My cousin decided to have Ethiopian food instead of sushi for her birthday. I've never had Ethiopian food before, but it was pretty good.

Basically, the food was placed in a large platter in the middle of the table where and everyone shared. We used bread to eat it. The bread was very flimsy and thin (about the same thickness as pita bread but a tad thinner) and had almost a sour dough taste.

This was the appetizer. I can't remember what it was called, but it reminded me of an empenada. It was filled with lentils and spices.

I had asked my cousin what kind of cake she wanted and she asked for pistachio cake.

I had never even heard of a pistachio cake so my lovely friend Shelly helped me out. This was the result.

She helped me out a great deal and I finished decorating it. It's pretty simple-looking but it taste great :)

My cousin's sister said that I should have added more pistachios. Next time....

I think I might make it for my dad's bday because he loves pistachios too.

Happy Birthday Paula! And thanks Shelly for all the help :)

I want to...

2010-08-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

make a sushi cake for my cousin Paula who was thinking of having a sushi party for her birthday.

So for now, here are some references for me

One girl's instructions for her cake.
And here's another site of a woman who made sushi cupcakes for her daughter.

Throw out?

2010-08-06T14:55:00.000-07:00

This is a helpful article when you're unsure if something is still ok to eat.

Piano Stairs!

2010-08-04T11:14:00.001-07:00

I want to try a new logo.

2010-07-30T10:02:00.001-07:00

For now, this is what I'm using.

Zucchini

2010-07-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

Going to try this for the get-together I'm going to with my girl-friends. My friend Shelly is making pasta. I hope my side dish turns out alright.

Wow, what an inspiring girl

2010-07-26T21:07:00.001-07:00

This girl is so well-spoken and passionate at the age of 12!

Yes, I know it's controversial.

Mango Ice Cream

2010-07-12T01:44:00.001-07:00

Wow.

2010-07-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

Would you pass?

2010-07-09T11:22:00.000-07:00

Special

2010-07-06T09:23:00.000-07:00

Spa Treatment

2010-07-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

It totally feels good to have "spa" treatment.

I got my eyebrows threaded. Ok... so that hurt a whole lot. Much more than waxing or plucking, but they much cleaner and less like Oscar the Grouch.

The lady who helped me was beautiful. I liked her because she was so nice and funny. She had a pretty accent that was sort of hard to understand at times, but I liked her a lot. He name is Lulu.

Then I was roaming a bit more around the mall and this man stopped me to try this nail buffer thing. I figured I would just humor him. He also had an accent but unlike the East Indian woman, he is from Israel.

He ended up buffing my nails, exfoliating my hands, and giving me a mini facial. He was really funny and sweet and all of these tactics worked because I actually purchased the exfoliating cream. He really knew what he was doing!

If that's just a little taste of what it's like to go to a spa... I might have to look into it a little more.

Somebody to Love

2010-07-02T13:16:00.001-07:00

Piano

Bottle Glasses

2010-07-02T09:30:00.001-07:00

I have so many Monavie bottles, I wonder if I could accomplish this
I haven't looked over it much, so I'm linking it so I can refer back to it later.

Yes!

2010-07-01T09:34:00.001-07:00

So...

2010-06-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

My little brother is back from Russia... and is 21 now!

Yes, the little kid I used to carry on my back is now 21! Times goes by so fast!

This is us at Friday's where he ordered his first drink.

Babushka Dolls

2010-06-23T09:32:00.000-07:00

Presidents:

And South Park:

I like how the last one is Chef, haha.

Father's Day

2010-06-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

Here's a card I made for my dad for Father's Day.

In the background is some boxes of candy my brother brought back from Russia. It's nice having the camera back, but it's much nicer to have my little brother back too :)

Sleep like a ninja

2010-06-11T20:50:00.000-07:00

This is so cute! I'd like one... although, it might be kinda creepy to find me sleeping with my eyes open hehe

Envelopes

2010-06-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

Here and here

What inspired this? This shop. If I had some extra money, I'd buy some for sure. They're so interesting to look at.

Etsy Window Shopping

2010-06-09T13:43:00.000-07:00

This Bathtub Couch is pretty neat, don't you think?
Also, I do enjoy this hedgehog
Cute bird
I've always wanted to make something like this
This beer can flag is really neat! I'd like to get it for my boyfriend if I had the dinero
Penguins!
Pretty Coin Purse
Love ninjas
This is what I'd like my shop to be like.

Wish List

2010-06-07T15:21:00.001-07:00

I want this book! :)

I still like this band.

2010-06-06T10:49:00.001-07:00

My Little Brother

2010-06-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

is in Russia! isn't that amazing? He's there for school for 3 weeks.

Zumba

2010-06-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

30 Day Shred!

Schedule

Gotta Try this :)

2010-06-01T08:46:00.000-07:00

Mario Cupcakes

Congratulations, Kat!

2010-05-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

Dad... the early Years

2010-05-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

Handlebar Mustache. :)

Plus... I know it's been a while since I've posted anything new... but I found a few pictures I had to put up... sometime soon I will post something well thought-out and organized... (a likely story!)

Happy Birthday Moses!

2010-05-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

I wish I could have made it! Star Wars cake!

Look out....

2010-05-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

Scary..........

(at the Museum of Man)

Studio Version

2010-05-19T11:58:00.001-07:00

Compositions

2010-05-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

Fugue:
Nice outline, here here here

12-Tone help:

Nice outline as well

and I like how this outlines the four voices nicely:

Diabolic Suggestion

2010-05-17T23:26:00.000-07:00

2010-05-17T19:02:00.000-07:00

Noodles

2010-05-17T00:17:00.000-07:00

One and Two

I want...

2010-05-13T22:01:00.001-07:00

this

Thank You

2010-05-11T09:33:00.001-07:00

I found this website on A Cup of Jo.

It's such a lovely idea...especially since I feel like I've done a lot of thinking of myself only. I really should take some time to be thankful for more...because really, why not?

I also found Operation Beautiful and enjoy the concept as well. I always find a little thrill doing something nice for a stranger. I love random acts of kindness.... or planned ones as well :)

I already feel my gratitude for life growing:

There’s always something to be thankful for. From the important things like Songs You’re Embarrassed to Like, and Heavy Eyelids that Tell You When You Need to Sleep, to friends and family, love and loneliness, light and darkness, Leah Dieterich sets out to acknowledge them all. thxthxthx is her daily exercise in gratitude

My Laurence Post.

2010-05-10T01:06:00.000-07:00

I had a great weekend. I was able to spend some good quality time with my mom, aunts, and grandmother... along with a handful of my cousins. I was away from my love the whole day though..and about an hour away as well. Plus, there's the incessant homework I have a hard time keeping up with that I needed to work on. I am still working on it now, but had to take a break to look at some pictures of my handsome... to calm my desire to be near him... though it really just heightened the feeling :)
Here's a funny one.

And here's one that makes me miss him so... Can you believe the way he looks at me?! What a blessed girl I am :)
He's so cute.

I really can't wait to see him tomorrow.

I'm so in-love!

Lisa's wedding

2010-04-30T00:22:00.000-07:00

I was worried about wearing the dress, but this is the most flattering picture I have of myself... more to come (though not many)

I like that the bride and groom are right behind me.

Shelly's Bday

2010-04-29T23:58:00.000-07:00

Thai food and Karaoke. Happy Bday Shelly, dear :)

Update

2010-04-15T22:43:00.001-07:00

So, I've completed the first week of Couch to 5k and I like it a lot. It's really do-able and I already feel my endurance building.

I would also like to try the 200 sit up program and the 100 push up challenge (definitely a challenge)

I like it slow and steady :)

------

One day I want to try a juice fast. I liked this woman's summary of her trial.

But since that one day isn't here... I like this article.

Earthquake

2010-04-13T22:12:00.001-07:00

So today during anthropology class, I thought I felt shaking so I immediately came to the conclusion that there was an earthquake. It turned out that it was just a guy sitting behind me shaking his leg.

I think it would be a good idea to prepare for one anyway. Hmm.

Travel on the Cheap?

2010-04-13T13:24:00.001-07:00

Here

Couch to 5k

2010-04-11T08:56:00.000-07:00

I am going to try this program that I found on GirlRobot's blog. I am hoping I will get past the first week! :)

I need to get back into ninja training...... seriously!

Us

2010-04-08T21:06:00.000-07:00

We DO make a cute couple :)

BC Glasses

2010-03-31T15:31:00.000-07:00

You know, I actually like my glasses. I hate that I feel a little uncomfortable wearing them around some people though. Also, it's not too fun when my glasses are noticed more than ME. With that being said... I can't wait til the contacts I ordered come in.

Fruition

2010-03-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

I helped my friend Max with this to surprise his girlfriend. I can't wait to find out what she thought. I would love to do a project like this again :)

Free Sheet Music

2010-03-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

I don't listen to too many pop songs these days, (yikes, does that mean I'm getting older?) so there area always songs my kids want to learn that I don't know about like....

You Belong With Me
Halo
Doesn't Mean Anything
Love Story

Other Songs I DO know about:
Don't Stop Believing
Brick
Easy
Fallin'
Fields of Gold
Isn't She Lovely
Killing Me Softly
My Immortal
Only Hope
Sweet Child of Mine
Wonderwall