September Foodie Pal Exchange

I now have more ideas for a healthy breakfast!  Yum

 

A big thanks to Anna my foodie pal for September.

 

Also, a big thank you to Rachael who was my foodie pal for September!  I sent her a package and then she sent me back a little something.  Soooo thoughtful!

 

 

 

To sign-up for next month, click the picture below.

 

Foodie Penpals - August

So I was apart of this group this month called Foodie Penpals.  When I found this blog and read what it was about, I could not signup fast enough.  I was so excited to see who would be my penpal and let me tell I was real excited to find out that he was San Fran.  This is what I received from Vincente(check out his blog  vittlemonster.com):

It was so fun sending my package to my foodie pal Amy (http://willinglybe.wordpress.com/)!  I cant wait to do this for September.  If you are interested, here is the website and in the information:

http://www.theleangreenbean.com/foodie-penpals/

 

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
-Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.
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You must submit your information by September 4th as pairings will be emailed on September 5th!

Say Yes to the Dress

I was watching the above t.v. show tonight and was reminded of when I was trying on wedding dresses a year ago for something that never came to be.  I remember going to all these different shops and trying to find "the one."  I probably tried on about 25 dresses up until the last trip and there at this particular boutique had that moment. 

I remember putting everything on, looking in the mirror, and have that moment that brides talk about when they have found that one wedding dress.  I also remember thinking about that person to whom I was to marry standing at the end of the walkway and seeing the dress for the first time and it being all fairytale like (yes, yes, yes I know that fairytales do not exsit, but let me have this one cinderella moment).  I was excited to surprise him with the dress and hoped that he would be taken away with it all (kind of like fall head-over-hills, madly in love kind of way.)

Well as we all know, that marriage or whatever we want to call it, did not come to be months after.  But as I was watching the show I though how nice it was to had this experience because lets face it, it may never come around again.  It is nice to say that I can relate to what those brides felt and can truthfully say - You will get the feeling of "This is the One!"

On a side note, if you have not seen Say Yes to the Dress Beverly Hills (picture above), you have to see it.  The Asian guy is hilarious and is said to have been the inspiration for Franc's character in Father of the Bride.  Seriously, if you need a quick laugh, look him up on youtube and here him say "fabulous darling!" 

Life Sometimes Just Does Not Seem Fair

On Friday of last week, our office (faculty and most of the staff) found out, during the convocation and open house, that a member of our staff had been killed in a motorcycle accident on Thursday, April 19th.  We were all in shock, to say the least, and just could not believe that he was gone.  We all had just seen him on Wednesday and it seemed like a April fools joke. 

Loren died instantly, and his wife (who was on the back of the motorcycle for a 27th anniversary trip) is scrapped and banged up but is ok.  Two deer ran out into the road and both had helmets on.  Really Loren, in my opinion saved his wife.  He took most of the brunt from the deer.  It has been hard to think that his family is without him here in this earthly life.  Loren was an amazing person. You could tell that he loved his family very much and they were his number one priority! In addition, he loved to do many things (i.e. motorcycle rebuild, scuba diving, skiing, outdoors, etc.) He had a fun laugh and was always helpful in our department. I have thought about how it seems so unfair and I am sure that someone I know would say "well this is a perfect example that demonstrates that there is now God."  Wit that response, I combat it and think just the opposite.  His wife was sparred and can be with their 4 children.  When she awoke right after the accident and realized that Loren had died, she was shaking uncontrollably and was not able to dial 911.  A car came by shortly after and the women in the car was a registered nurse.  Coincident?  I think not.

We may not understand why somethings happen and are very quick to blame others, especially God.  The thing is, and as this story demonstrates, that he (God) is still there trying to comfort you if you will just let him in.  The blessing to have their mother and those small miracles or tender mercies that happen during and after the accident testify of many things.  This experience has not only reaffirmed my own beliefs but it also has reminded me of how fragile life really is.  So I say, make the most of it, tell the people you care about that you love them, make amends, be a little more kind, have a plan, etc.  because you never know when you may end up having a "life sometimes just does not seem fair" kind of day

Graduation

We were able to leave work early today due to commencement (graduation).  As I was driving out of the parking lot I saw tons of families dressed up and students with their caps and gowns and started to feel a little sad.  I wondered what it would feel like to march through that parking lot, through the pathway to the Marriott center, dressed in my own cap and gown and the masters hood!  It must feel like a huge accomplishment!  And a whirl of emotions and happiness.  I regret not going to my master's graduation.  I paid a ton to get that degree and worked darn hard for 3 years!  To think I would be willing to sacrafice this event for something/someone I thought was invested in our future and goodness forbid actually wanted to sacrafice on my behalf.  Bitter...yes....you probably have caught the wiff!!!! So from what I have learned - for those of you who have spent long, hard years at college (no matter your degree or what level) GO to your graduation!  You deserve it, your family will be proud, and dang it - You Paid For it!

HAPPY GRADUATION TO ALL!

Baskin Robbins

When I was young I loved going to Baskin Robbins to get daiquiri ice ice cream!  Then on an outing with a merry miss advisor (church lingo for teacher at 11 or something like that), we went to the ice cream shop to pick out a treat.  I already knew what I wanted and was quite excited about it.  That is right I had my tastes buds set on daiguiri ice!  Well to my bloody disappointment my advisor pointed out the word rum....Can you just feel my immense despair.  I couldn't believe it and thought to myself "I loved this ice cream and all this time I was eating alcohol."  Well let me tell you....I went to Baskin Robbins today and there it is...Daiquiri Ice!  After 20 years it is still there and not only that but it is RUM EXTRACT - IMITATION FLAVORING!!!!  Well whooppyyyy.....guess who came home with a pint!  Thats right ME!

As of late....