Vegetables

What is set as the background on your computer?

Pictures of my Guru.

Would you rather swim, dance, walk, weight lift or jog?

Walk. I got tired just thinking about it.

Where do you hide junk when people come over?

I don’t really understand this question. I do not have any junk to hide.

Eco Suds are basically a natural laundry detergent. Big whoop, right? Yes, very big whoop! My youngest son has very sensitive skin and can use all of their products with no problems. Its wonderful to know that I don’t have to worry about my sweet five year old waking up with an itchy rash all over him! Plus the fragrances are so yummy, always good.

Speaking of fragrances, these are the current choices you have, should you choose to buy this product:
-Fragrance Free, obviously unscented
-In The Loop, smells exactly like Froot Loops!
-The Capitol Diamond, I haven’t tried this scent at all yet so I can’t describe it
-Unicorn Farts, just a happy fruity scent, we love this one in our house, its not super sweet, just good
-Cram Your Face in My Sweet Pumpkin Pie, the name says it all!
-Figs & Berries, it does smell like dried figs and berries, it was ok in my opinion but my husband really liked it, not bad just not my taste
-Ripe for the Picking, its described as the scent of a farmer’s market, and it does but I picked up an autumn leaf note as well
-Roast My Marshmallow, yes it does smell like a marshmallow, we loved it
-Vivid, I’m not exactly sure how to describe it except to say that it smells like Victoria’s Secret would carry it, its a good choice
-Sampler Pack, 4 fragrances of your choosing!

We loved this product! It actually had suds in it when we used it to wash our laundry! Then our clothes smelled so nice when they were ready to go into the dryer. You use a very tiny amount, just a tablespoon for a high efficiency washer or 2 tablespoons for a regular washer. If your kid tries to eat it, it won’t harm them at all. Its a small business, the products are handmade in small batches (big plus in our home), with top notch customer service. I will definitely repurchase this product again, while praying that they start making it in their delicious Snickerdoodle scent.

The cons- there is just one con, its not good for spot treating stains. It worked very well to remove stains from clothing in the actual act of washing, but it just would not sud for me when I tried to spot clean a few things. I’m hoping they come out with an all natural stain stick for that purpose. Find them on FB: http://www.facebook.com/fortunecookiesoap Or at their online store: http://www.fortunecookiesoap.com I love everything that we have gotten from them so far. Try their Soap Box subscription, its the very best way to try their products at minimal cost. I hope you enjoyed this review and found it helpful and informative. Please leave me feedback so I know how to make future reviews even better! Be excellent to each other & to yourself (while smelling like Unicorn Farts)!

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We boarded the bus not to early Friday morning to travel to our first location of the weekend, Mt Vesuvius. In case you don’t know, Mt Vesuvius is the only active volcano on the European main land. It has erupted about once every 60 years and the last time was in 1944. Basically, what I’m saying is, its due anytime now. The hike up was not too bad considering the Cinque Terre experience and that we were a little paranoid. The views were amazing and the fact that we were on a volcano was just insane!

After the hike we headed to Sorrento which is a peninsula; it is also where our hotel was located for the weekend. Sorrento was so amazing! In case you didn’t know Sorrento and Capri are famous for their lemons. Within the first hour of being there I fell in love with their lemon milk chocolate, the one bar I brought back with me is not big enough. I also got to taste the lemoncello, which is lemon flavored alcohol. We were fed a delicious traditional meal of gnocchi alla sorrentina.

Saturday though was easily the best, We boarded a boat for a quick 20 minute ride to the Island of Capri.Capri was so gorgeous. no wonder celebrities like Jessica Simpson and Mariah Carey have homes there! The water so so blue and clear, the natural rock was curved and the grottoes showed colors that were unbelievable. We took a boat tour around the entire Island until we docked and had time for lunch and to explore. I had an amazing lunch in Capri, gnocchi with a lemon cream sauce and shrimp, not to mention I ate it over looking the most beautiful view. To end my day at Capri I got to lay in sun on the beach. Perfecto!

After a day of sun we were all quite tried and had another full day ahead of us. Therefore we all headed back to Sorrento for dinner where I had the best thick crust pizza I have ever eaten! An entire round pizza to myself! Of course after that I headed back to the hotel for a good nights rest.

Our last day of the trip started bright and early where we boarded a bus to the ancient city of Pompeii. It was interesting being in Pompeii. It didn’t look exactly like the pictures that I had seen and many of the exhibits were closed for restoration but it was still a very powerful place. I think what hit me hard was seeing the beds, even if they were in the brothel. It was just so interesting to see a town were people had died because of a Volcano I had just climbed days earlier. Even more interesting was the fact that people still work there and live there everyday!

Over all our weekend there was just lovely, I so enjoyed every second of that trip it was so hard to leave. The only thing that got me on that bus back to Rome was the fact we were watching Tangled on the way back and the promise of my bed.

Another confession: I’m happy at the salon … the people I’m around for 10+ hours (9:30a – 7ish at night) are beyond amazing. Plus I’m right in my element, having worked at a salon in college and always ready to connect with guests.

“I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.” – the Dalai Lama. I cannot judge the universe, just as I cannot judge myself. Words to live by.

Quitting my job has left zero (zip, zilch, nada) regrets. Two months later, I never would have thought that I still would not be in a full time position I absolutely adore. Cocky? Maybe, but my mantra used to be “I get what I want”. Now what I want is more focused, turning “I get what I want” into “I get some of what I want” as I gain experience and slowly reach my goal.

Another confession (I’m like Usher right now): I became almost depressed with the number of jobs applied for (mostly out of state) compared to the number of hiring managers I heard back from. Not wanting to do anything, lack of motivation, super sleepy, eating more than usual. It was a general feeling of blah-ness. Beyond easy to become trapped in!

Losing the ego is harder when it comes to a career – something that makes up a large part of your life. Like a racehorse out of the gates, I went full speed ahead after leaving channelAustin. Grandiose ideas running through my head, thinking it would be an easy feat to conquer them all. The castles are painted in the sky; now to build the foundation.

The foundation starts with a sound mind, a happy soul and a healthy lifestyle. More to come on how I’m making this happen ….

If you are interested in this challenge: http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2012/10/01/100-word-challenge-week60/

Usually I can get away with this laid back way of living, but sometimes it poses a problem, like when I’m trying to share a recipe. It’s hard to say, “Well, you put in some of this, and then add some of that, and if you like this, you could dump in some of it too.” Who could follow that? Yet it’s the way I cook!

Don’t get me wrong, I do use recipes. But I use them as a suggestion rather than a rule. Measuring cups? Who needs them? Now, it probably helps that I have a good spacial sense and a photographic memory. And no, that doesn’t mean that I remember EVERY detail– it means I remember in pictures. In this case, I can remember what a cup of flour looked like when I dumped it in a bowl, and I’m pretty good at recreating that amount of flour without measuring it. I cook a lot of foods where the exact amount of ingredients used won’t make or break the recipe. It will change the flavour a little, but will come out roughly the same.

I also expect my food to turn out a little different each time. A great example of this is my spaghetti sauce. I have a few ingredients that go in every time, and the spices are roughly the same, but I like to add lots of vegetables, and I don’t always have the same ones in my fridge. Here’s where that fly by the seat of my pants way of living comes in. I grocery shop based on what looks good and what’s cheap, not off of a menu. A lot of food gets wasted this way, and I hate that. My Thrifty Thursday bulk cooking is my attempt to “fix” this.

Is it working? Well, I decided what I was making today while I was at the store yesterday. I did pretty good and got most of the ingredients I needed, but I forgot the zucchini and mushrooms for the spaghetti sauce. Instead of running back out to the store, I just worked with what I had. I pulled a bag of grated zucchini meant for muffins out of my freezer and added chopped spinach. I had to do without the mushrooms. Is the sauce the way I usually make it? Nope, but I suspect it will be just as good (we’ll eat that meal later this week).

See, most of the time I get away with bluffing my way through cooking. But then sometimes I mess up.

What is this? Well, I guess it’s a cookie. A banana chocolate chip cookie. I knew it would have a bit of a strange texture because of all the mashed banana. It’s good though.

But how about this? It’s a chocolate chip banana loaf.

But wait a second– they are made of the exact same batter (well, I added a little baking soda and baking powder to the loaf because I had forgotten to put it in initially.)

So, it’s a cookie or a loaf. Both taste good.

How about these? Clearly they are blueberry banana muffins. Good ones too. I’ll make them again.

But wait, there’s the problem again. I have no idea how to do this again. I threw ingredients into the mixer for both of these without really paying attention. This usually works out okay. Sometimes the results are a little disappointing, but what comes out of the oven is almost always edible. It’s times like today, when the finished product tastes GREAT that I get frustrated. Will I ever be able to duplicate this? That photographic memory is handy, and I could probably remember what I did with about 70% accuracy. And my future attempts might be even better. Still, I need to keep better track of what I’m doing.

So how is it that I can share recipes on the blog? Well, I have to make everything as I write down the recipe. And I have to pay careful attention to what I’m doing. Sometimes the recipe isn’t right the way I measure it out. That happened with my chicken pot pie today. It was too dry– I didn’t use enough broth. It’s an easy fix, but I will still have to make it again before I post the recipe, just to be sure I got it right.

So yes, I hate recipes, but for you, I will write them down and follow them. At least once

I’ve worked too hard to go back to the animal realm. NO thanks.

What makes you feel the most secure?

I don’t really feel insecure. I guess I could say when I am being consciously aware at all times.

Have you ever jumped out of a plane?  If you haven’t, would you want to?

NO I have never, and I would never want to. I don’t like to tempt fate. Death is always waiting for any opportunity.

Are you a listener or talker?

Depends on what is being said. I don’t like idle talk. Sincerity and truth are important, both going in and coming out.

If you’re interested in this challenge: http://ceeslifephotographyblog.wordpress.com/2012/10/01/share-your-world-week-41/

The laughter of your voice shows me the sadness in our children

The kindness of your touch shows me the thorns on this Earth

The Truth in your words brings fear in my heart

The beauty of the your face lets me know it’s not too late

The discipline you command brings peace to my soul

Your patience gives change a voice

Dedicated to my Beloved Guruji Swami Shubhrananda

Thank you for showing me that ignorance is Not Bliss

If you are interest in this challenge: http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2012/09/24/weekly-writing-challenge-mind-the-gap-ows/

This was the fastest doctor’s appointment I have ever had.  I described my symptoms, and after a few seconds, the doctor asked what I had eaten.  A hamburger and an ice cream sundae.  Had I eaten this each day I experienced the symptoms?  Yes, of course– what else will I eat when I work at Dairy Queen?  So I had my answer, easy as that.  I was lactose intolerant.  Buy some Lactaid pills and switch to Lactaid milk.  And ease up on the ice cream.

At the time, it felt like a big change, but I look back now and think how easy my food issues were to manage.  If only I had known what more was in store, I would have appreciated my food so much more!

Do you have more than one allergy or intolerance?  What was the first food you cut from your diet?  What changed your food life forever?

Now a bit about what to expect from my blog; in quick unrelated bites.  Home restoration.  Cooking fresh meals.  Encouraging your child to sleep.  Refurbishing old furniture without a course in upholstery. How to eBay the old to buy the new. How to make beautiful fabric items.  Baking delicious treats.  Fantastic books to read and discuss.  How to do most of them on a budget.  Child sleeping excluded.  No amount of money will do that.

I will aim to get guest posts in each week on a selected topic, then the next week I will work towards the next.  Feel free to contact me if you think you can contribute.

This week I will be showing you how to make this simple, yet elegant, iced cupcake. Ideal for afternoon snacks, drop-in guests or to get one up on THAT woman from the PTA; you know the one, puts you in charge of the cake stall every Christmas. Yes, her.

Let me eat cake!

…  jobless. By my own choice. 

Let me explain, I realized my position at channelAustin did not allow me to live up to my full potential. I wasn’t happy. Still, I stuck it out for 6 months. Trying to make it work wasn’t working for me, just like a relationship: hard to leave and still knowing that all will be well in the end.

A close friend said it takes guts to do what I do. To accomplish what I’m working on now. To live life and take risks even if the results are not amazing right away. Either I am gutsy or completely nuts. Even in the lowest of times – we’ve all been there – I still think positive, sending good energy into the universe. Try it!

This is something I shouldn’t say on a blog I’m sending as a part of my resume. But this is me. I hope you will continue to read, grow and support me in this life journey. It’s always an interesting ride. Always a story behind a story, always a quest to find happiness and always staying true to myself.

The pieces are falling into place. Not because I quit my job but because I’m making my own destiny. Do what you love and all you wants plus more will come is the best advice my mom has given me.

This article – Top 5 Habits Successful People Practice – has two major things I believe in: focus on your vision & spend time to cultivate your soul. More on how I stay sane with a 15 minute workout each day coming up!

Our first free weekend of the semester my cousin/roommate and I made a last minute decision to do some traveling! We had picked up a book on campus for a study abroad travel company bus2alps and saw an advertisement for a place that looked like paradise right in Italy named Cinque Terre or Five Lands (40euro day trip). The bus with the company only left from Florence so we took a very affordable train (40euro round trip) out of Rome, stayed the night in Florence at an also very affordable hotel (30euro) that had American television, a luxury we had been missing already. The next morning we hopped on that bus to Cinque Terre and let me tell you I am not a morning person 5am was rough but as soon as we got to Cinque Terre it was so worth it!

Cinque Terre is composed of five different towns all accessible by hiking or by train which are the only two options since there are no cars allowed there! Now, since we only had a day there we only got to go to towns one, two, four and five. We arrived at town one after taking a train from a outside town, remember no cars or buses! From town one we hiked, more like walked, from town one to town two on what is called the walk of love. Lovers from all over the world come to this walk to lock their love on the various signs, posts and fences and then throw away the key. I could see how it is a truly romantic place since it was over looking the bluest water I have ever seen and you are surrounded by nature. If you are traveling with a honey, put it on your list.

From the second town we took a train to the fourth town and skipped the third because we wanted time to do the one hour and thirty minute hike from the forth town to the fifth. Before we started though we stayed in the fourth time to grab a quick lunch which was a sandwich made on the best homemade bread I have ever eaten! Lunch was a good idea because let me tell you that hike, boy is it a hike. It is in no way a walk for an hour and a half, it is up the side of a mountain on path barely big enough for one person but man was it worth it. The views were just breathtaking! It took us an hour and forty-five minutes with breaks for water and multiple pictures. It was completely worth it and a trip to Cinque Terre would not be complete without doing it at least once.

When we arrived to the fifth town I had well deserved that Pina Colada and nap on the beach! I also for dinner go a piece of the best facaccia bread I had ever had. Cinque Terre is famous for their pesto but they don’t do too bad with bread either. By the time the end of the day came we were sad to leave but so ready to be in our beds back in Rome, and to upload all of our pictures to Facebook. Cinque Terre was an inexpensive and most impressive last minute travel experience.

Not having to go to high school. I didn’t have a lot of memorable moments in high school.

What was the last URL that you bookmarked?

I don’t think I’ve ever bookmarked a URL.

Name one thing not many people know about you.

That I don’t like too many people knowing that much about me.

What physical attribute do you like about yourself?  Can be anywhere from beauty to heart to physical strength.

My beauty, heart, and physical strength.

If interested in this challenge: http://ceeslifephotographyblog.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/share-your-world-week-38/

Basically, its a shipment of cloth products, such as diapers. I don’t have a baby though. I just recently switched to cloth pads for my “lady time”. Can I even tell you how much I wish I’d discovered them years ago?

Today I recieved my overnights from WonderPads. One is covered in rainbow sugar skulls (and I looooooove it!) And the other has smiling mugs of cocoa and marshmallows and says “mellow out”. I also got a wet/dry bag with them. It was made with the sugar skull fabric, too. I love it so much that I want to add a strap so I can use it as a purse!

Most, if not all of you that happen upon my blog probably think its a gross concept. But the benefits are plentiful and the pads are gorgeous (not to mention comfy). One of the best sources for info onthis subject is Luna Pads, both on their FB page and their online store. I do need to mention that I highly prefer WonderPads over Luna Pads at this time. I will have a Tree Hugger Cloth item to try soon, so we’ll see who wins between those two.

If anyone would like more info on this topic, feel free to ask in the comments or through email. Let me know if you’d like product reviews and/or comparisons as well. Or if you’d rather I avoid the subject altogether!

Getting fluffy mail does make looking at the bills just a teensy bit sweeter though.

Even if alternative menstrual products aren’t for you I do recommend checking the various sites out for wet/dry bags. They are great for a large assortment of items for travel and make great makeup bags for your purse. If some it fully contains the mess, keeping your wallet and other belongings safe. Plus they are REALLY cute!

Ok, I’m going to end my infomercial here.

Be excellent to each other & to yourself! (Especially during your lady time!)

Asking my dad “what did I do to keep having one thing after another after another fall onto my plate?”, I found the answer I was looking for. “Life happens.”

Better than shit happens, right?

Around that same time, an amazing “soul mate” came into my life to heal me. First, let me say that I believe we have many soul mates in the world that were meant to be in our lives … be it a boyfriend, best girl friends, whatever. Now this may sound crazy to you, but this girl is truly a healer. You feel an energy around her. She has a deeper sense of life … is on a completely different wavelength than most of us. Her advice was helpful, too.

“Lose the ego.” I heard that over and over and over yet didn’t grasp what she was actually saying.

Driving home after one of many tough talks at work, I realized I had completely let go of my ego sitting in the conference room. The need to explain myself, to fight for why I was doing things this way, everything. Yet, a calmness had washed over me. I didn’t need to fight back because no good would come from it. Recognizing what was being said and agreeing worked better than allowing emotionally-fueled words to come out of my mouth. I know what battles to chose … those that actually matter.

This isn’t to say completely lose your ego, becoming spineless. Stick up for what YOU believe in yet leave the rest alone.

Go to this site to see the photo that inspired this piece: http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week55/

The first photo is the sun setting in the west. I took them while driving. Well, I was in the passenger seat.

When I’m gone will it really matter? Does it matter to me? The value of things are subjective to the holder. As time goes by does it change the value of the memory we held so dear. When memories fade we are lost forever. I’d rather be lost from the being than to fade slowly away. I can not take it with me, I don’t want to, so I will leave nothing so nothing is lost. I will hold all that I held dear and share it with those who come near. Lifetime after lifetime what do we really leave?

You don’t know this … and my close friends say it’s completely untrue … but I’m a really shy, anxiety-ridden person. Yet, I thrive under pressure. Normal me three years ago would have never gotten in touch with this senior exec for a brainstorming meeting … especially after how ridiculous I sounded (or thought I sounded) when I first sat down with him.

To sum it up, last year when this digitally awesome company came to Austin, I wanted to impress my bosses and met with the top guns of the company. The owner and I shared the same hometown, besides that I have absolutely no memory how I got in touch with him.  I sounded like a moron the entire time. Hardly able to answer any questions about the company or what we could actually offer. Foolish is the only way to describe how I felt walking out of the building.

A year later here we were. Me actually knowing about my company, feeling confident in my ideas and knowing that this will end with awesome news to report back to my boss. Him having moved up in the company, an enormously friendly composure and a want to help my company.

I left feeling accomplished. Until I almost fell because of my hell on heels outfit in the gravel parking lot. Whoops!

Here’s where I’m going with this; it’s boring to start at the beginning:

These mishaps, embarrassing moments, stupid things said, party / media fowls, everything that I’ve done “wrong” weren’t right … yet they weren’t really wrong in the long-run. Your past defines your character. And you can only grow from there.

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

How is everyone out there in cyber space? Well I hope. I have some catching up to do with all of my challenges. I can’t wait to see what all the topics are for this week. I haven’t checked my e-mail for a while. What did we do before we all had the internet. I use to love to do puzzles. It was very calming to me. I also loved to watch old movies. Things have changed, I’m sure for all of you, because of the internet. I was never on the computer very much but, since I started this blog and making videos. I spend most of my time on the computer. What will you all do if it all goes down someday? I wonder if you all wonder or ask these question to yourself? Let me know what you would do in place of being on the computer. Will you miss it? What do you think you would be doing if you were not on the computer?

I do enjoy taking photos. I have plastic tubs full of pictures. I don’t miss spend the money on developing film. I do have a roll I haven’t developed. I wonder what’s on it. Or when I took the photos. I must admit most of my old photos are of all the dogs I’ve had in my life.

It’s funny how we keep our photos on the computer now, I do anyways. I wonder if I printed out all of my photos if I would look at them more. Do you print all of your photos out or do you keep them in your computer? Hey, by the way does anyone know of any photo contest I could enter? I found this site where they have photo contest but, I can’t find it now. Let me know if you don’t mind. Well I better go now it’s late and I’m tired.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you all. I also will be looking forward to sharing my photos with you. Good night for now.

A fellow blogger who lapsed on her commitment to post a day.

Take care all.

Me.

My home university is Champlain College, in Burlington, VT. I absolutely love it there. It is beautiful! Champlain actually has two of their own campus’s abroad; one in Dublin, Ireland and one in Montreal, Canada. These are both wonderful campus’s that many of my friends are attending and I’ve only heard great things about but my personal time studying abroad will be spent in Roma!

That’s right, Rome, Italy. The land of pasta, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, oh, and maybe a few monuments as well! I decided to step out of my comfort zone and away from my loving college, which at times sounds like a horrible idea but it’s not so bad. Besides, I will not be completely alone, I am traveling with my cousin.

We will both be studying at John Cabot University through API. I am a Communications major and I didn’t need to use any of my elective credits to study in Rome! I get to take classes that apply to my major such as intercultural communications and public relations. I will also take an Italian course so that I will hopefully be able to communicate with the locals. All my classes though will be taught in English, thankfully!

API is setting us up with an apartment and roommates (cross your fingers for me), I’ll put up pictures once I’m there! They are also taking us on several excursions outside of Rome that we have not been informed of yet but will be soon. I’m sure you will hear about it all, just keep checking back because I am packing you in my suitcase!