Toys for Tots Fundraiser Update...

I know a lot of y'all are sick of hearing about this but that's okay. Everyone has something they are annoying about, right? Right. At least one of the things I'm being annoying about is for a good cause. That makes it better, right? Right. Anyway....

I went over the weekend and got the first few bags of toys for the Toys For Tots Fundraiser. The last two years I've done the fundraiser, I always go a few weeks before the donation date expires to buy a few toys on my own. Kind of as a way to further enforce that's what I'm really doing. And also in hopes it will inspire at least a few more people to make a donation.

Here's the evidence of said purchased toys:

I got 7 toys for $38. It really doesn't take much to make a small difference in a less fortunate kiddo's life so come on! There's just a little less than 3 WEEKS left to donate. It's for a really good cause and $5 or $10 really will help out a lot. There are a lot of cool toys you can get for kids of all ages with just a little bit of cash. And again, I know this holiday isn't about the toys but when you're a kid, it does give you a little something more to look forward to and be hopeful for. I know the economy is rough right now but it really doesn't take much to help out here. Every little bit helps so donate if you can! :)

Happy Tuesday!

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. Why did you sign up for writing your blog?
I was bored, I like to write, I like to interact with people and so it seemed like a good idea.

2. Why did you choose your blog's name? What does it mean?
"Not Your Average Chick" is pretty fitting to me. I'm a little odd. :)

3. Do you ever had another blog?
The phrasing of this question kills me, lol. I've had other blogs for side project stuff but never another main one that's lasted long. I don't know how people manage to run multiple blogs and keep them updated regularly. Those people must have far better time management skills and better attention spans than what I have. :)

4. What do you do online when you're not on your blog?
Tumblr, fantasy hockey, sports news, twitter (though I rarely do that online, usually check from my phone) check out new music. Not much, honestly. I don't spend much time online, lol.

5. How about when you're not on the computer?
Read, write, cook, bake, play sports, watch movies, hang out with friends, hang out with family, ice skate, yoga, drink, see live bands, draw, photography, art, go to sporting events, etc.

6. What do you wish people who read your blog knew about you?
I can't think of anything. I'm pretty open and honest and what you see here is pretty much what you get in real life so I don't leave much to wonder about really.

7. What is your favorite community in the blogosphere?
I'm not really a part of any community. There are things about all the bubbles that I like and that drive me insane so I don't really have a favorite.

8. What is your philosophy on your blog layout?
I really don't have one. I feel like I might be a bit of a blogger slacker now, heh.

9. Tell me about your picture you use to represent you on your blog.
It's a picture of myself. I thought that would be the best way to represent me. Clever, right? ;)

10. Pick 3 random blogs from your blogroll and tell us about them.
I think you should pick three random blogs from my blogroll and go check them out because if they're there, I find them amusing or awesome in some way.

11. What features do you think your blog should have that it doesn't currently?
I'm fine with what I've got.

12. What do you consider the 10 most "telling" interests that we would infer from what you blog persona?

Hockey, baseball, baking, boobs, books, charity/volunteering, comic books, activism, music, cupcakes. I think? That would be an interesting question to ask someone who has read ones blog for a length of time.

13. Do you have any unique interests that you have never shared before? What are they?
Not particularly. Again, I'm really open about pretty much everything. Though if you're new here or haven't known me long, you might be unaware with my interest in serial killers and criminal psychology. That stuff fascinates the hell out of me. Also, I LOVE mythology. It's so interesting.

14. The best thing about blogging is all of the friends that you make, Beside from those folks, do you think your blog has fans?
I have a few. And I know they exist because they're not online friends I've made but people who pop up now and then with those awesome "I love your blog and check it for updates all the time" comments/emails. Those are always nice.

15. What's your current obsession? What about it captures your imagination?
Creating new ways to use pumpkin in recipes and figuring out foods that go with it. It's challenging and gets my mind going.


16. What are you glad you did but haven't really had a chance to post about?
Well if I tell you now, that just ruins my chance to use it as a future blog post. ;) Though any time I stand up for someone being wronged or stand up for myself and something I believe strongly about, I'm always glad I do that. Though I rarely blog about those instances.

17. How many people that first became a blog friend, have you met face to face?
Not many. I'm weird about meeting people off the internet. The whole safety issue and my general mistrust of people makes me overly cautious about that.

18. What don't you talk about here, either because it's too personal or because you don't have the energy?
I don't talk about family stuff a lot and I don't talk about my relationship with my boyfriend hardly at all. That stuff's personal and I don't like talking about my familial and relationship problems to very many people at all. Some things should stay private.

19. What's a question that you'd love to answer?
Thinking up my own question for a meme? Pffft. :p

20. Have you ever lost a blogging friendship and regretted it?
Nope. There's usually a good reason for friendships, online or in real life, ending. I like to learn from stuff and move on versus dwelling on things.

21. Have you ever lost a blogging friendship and thought, “Was that overdue!”
Nope, not at all.


There's a new update, including a picture, in the Toys for Tots Fundraiser post. Check that out. There's only 3 weeks left to donate and any amount will help. $5 or $10 really is enough to help out so please donate if you can. It all adds up! And if you don't know what that's about, please check out the Toys for Tots post. Thanks to everyone who has donated so far, you're wonderful. <3

Happy Sunday!

The holidays are rough sometimes...

I'm feeling kind of odd about Thanksgiving. My grandfather died this summer, in early June. I saw him often and grew up seeing my grandparents all the time and spending lots of weekends and stuff with them. It's been hard coping at time with the fact that he's not around. Saturday, I went to my grandma's house with my mom and two youngest siblings. We helped her with the yard work because grandpa always kept up with it and she's not much for it. It was fun and felt good being outside and doing it together but I kept thinking about various things. Like growing up and watching my grandpa do the yard work. Or going back into his shed to pull out various tools we needed and thinking about how huge that shed had seemed when I was a little kid but how small it seems now. I stood in there for a minute looking at everything and felt sad knowing he'd never step in there again, those tools that were once all in a certain spot just "where ever" now because other family members who used them just put them back in no certain order. After the yard work, we played games while watching the Stars game on TV. No comments from the recliner in the corner of the living room during the game, he's not there to make comments about anything anymore.

We also talked about what the plans for Thanksgiving would be. Grandma isn't much on cooking because grandpa really enjoyed cooking. He did a lot of the cooking for Thanksgiving. Grandma never learned to do a turkey or a chicken because he always handled it. And in her words, "I'm in my 80's and don't care to learn the proper way to cook a damn turkey anyway." I hadn't even thought of it until she mentioned the cooking thing but this will be the first Thanksgiving I'll have been home for that I won't be eating something he cooked. I won't be watching him cook or pestering him for anything.

It's the little things like those things that really make me sad. Like having Thanksgiving dinner without him. Not having him at the table for any sarcastic remarks about anything. He didn't say a lot at times but when he did say something, it was worth hearing and really listening to. Up until the last couple years when he fell in and out of knowing what was really going on. Alzheimer's is a bitch and I don't wish anyone to every have to go through that or watch someone they love go through it. Everyone says the first year is the hardest when someone you're close to dies because it's hard to adjust to them not being around for all the big events and holidays they've always been around for. I'm doing better with it but it's still rough and I miss him.

We're spending Thanksgiving at my aunt's house in East Texas this year, which will be a first. Grandma said she didn't want it at her place because she couldn't stand to be there without him being there. An aunt had a suggestion to just go to a restaurant but my grandma doesn't do well around noisy places and I'm seriously hate the idea of going out to dinner on Thanksgiving anyway. So we're doing it at my aunt's house instead. I know there will inevitably be some sadness but I'm hoping everyone will focus more on the present and the good memories we all have of passed years. Whenever I get upset or feel sad or just miss him, that's what I like to do. I think about a happy memory of him or some of the good times we had. Which makes me miss him but it also makes me feel better at the same time.

I hope no matter where you go or what you'll be doing this year (if you celebrate) that you'll take a moment and be happy for all that you have. And I hope everyone has an enjoyable holiday celebration around people they care about. Though I know sometimes, that's a hell of a lot easier said than done because no one can drive you crazy like your own damn family can. :)

Okay that's enough rambling from me. One more thing really quick, though. I know y'all are probably sick of seeing it but that's too bad, I am annoying when it comes to raising money for causes/charities I take part in. :) There's just a few weeks left to donate to my Toys For Tots Fundraiser. It doesn't take much to help out! The majority of the donations I've received have been for $5 to $10. Every little bit helps and it's for a great cause. Click the link to check out the post to see more information, passed fundraisers and see the pictures! So, donate if you can please and feel free to post about this on twitter, your blog, tumblr, facebook; whatever social media you spend time online. It would be much appreciated. And thanks so much to those who have donated. :)

Happy Wednesday!!!

TMI Tuesday: What's Cookin' Good Lookin'?

Just under a month left to donate to my Toys For Tots Fundraiser. It doesn't take much to help out! The majority of the donations I've received have been for $$5 to $10. Every little bit helps and it's for a great cause. Click the link to check out the post to see more infortmation, passed fundraisers and see the pictures! So, donate if you can please and feel free to post about this on twitter, your blog, tumblr, facebook; whatever social media you spend time online. It would be much appreciated. And thanks so much to those who have donated. :) Now, on with the questions! :)

What’s Cookin’ Good Lookin’?

In the United States Thanksgiving is this week, so a lot of folks will be cooking up a storm in preparation. Many other holidays will occur over the next month around the world and everyone seems to celebrate with food, hence, the TMI Tuesday theme…Cooking.

1. Haagen-Dazs or Ben & Jerry’s?
I like both. Ben & Jerry's is awesome because they have some of the most unique flavors. If I want something simple like French Vanilla ice cream, then Haagen-Dazs wins out but if I want something funky, then definitely going for Ben & Jerry's.


2. What is always in your refrigerator?
Hmm. Milk, eggs, cheese, butter, Boar's Head lunch meat, yogurt, fruit, juice, carrot sticks and salsa.


3. What’s your worst kitchen disaster?
I dropped an entire dish of homemade lasagna once. It wasn't a small one, it was huge and serving 16 people. Broke the dish, had sauce and cheese and meat EVERY WHERE and all over myself. Thankfully it was just on it's way to the oven and not on the way out.


4. Favorite kitchen gadget?
This is so difficult for me! I'm in the kitchen a lot and love to cook and bake. So really, I have a ridiculous amount of gadgets and I have so many I love. To keep this short, I'll say I really love my KitchenAid food processor. It's so versatile and helpful. Especially here lately.


5. What was your last meal? Did you like it?
Sage roasted chicken and pumpkin risotto. And yes, I did. I was nervous about making pumpkin risotto but it turned out well. After this, I'll be making lemon poppyseed pancakes. Hopefully those turn out well. :)


6. What’s your favorite cookie?
Big soft sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies are my favorites. There's a place called Great American Cookie and I LOVE getting sugar cookies from there. They're so freaking good.

And I will be posting a cookie recipe via The Great Cookie Exchange Extravaganza! (See below ;)) As soon as I pick one I want to share.

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Instead of just telling us about your favorite cookie why don’t you share the recipe via The Great Cookie Exchange Extravaganza

How to play TMI Tuesday: Copy the above TMI Tuesday questions to your webspace (i.e., a blog). Answer the questions there, then leave a comment below, on this blog post, so we’ll all know where to read your responses. Please don’t forget to link to tmituesdayblog from your website!

Happy TMI Tuesday!

Is Mayonnaise An Instrument?....

First, I want to do a quick fundraiser update. There's just under a month left to donate to my Toys for Tot's Fundraiser. Thus far, I've only raised about $144.00 for it. Which isn't bad because it's more than I started with and I'm happy to have that to work with for when I go toy shopping at the end of this fundraiser. I'm hoping I can get some more donations and get to at least $200. That would make it the lowest amount brought in but again, it's still better than nothing and will still make a difference to quite a few kids out there. It doesn't take much. Most donations have been for $5 and getting up to close to $150 off that isn't bad at all. So, donate if you can please and feel free to post about this on twitter, your blog, tumblr, facebook; whatever social media you spend time online. It would be much appreciated. And thanks so much to those who have donated. :)

Moving on to less serious and more possibly amusing things....

I find some amusing stuff on the internet. Tumblr in particular. So I'm going to share some things from there with some commentary from me. Exciting I know but I feel like doing it anyway and if you're reading this in the first place, I'll assume you're used to my nonsense. Or should be. Get on that if you're not, won't be changing anytime soon. ;)



BWA HA HA HA HA.

Ahem. I'm ignoring the less than perfect spelling in the first picture just because I get what they're saying. I would like to say that whole "pizza is a vegetable" thing is such a crock of shit, btw. Not that it needs to be said. It's not a fucking vegetable. If anything, it would be a fruit as they're basing it off it's tomato content and a tomato is technically a fruit. So, big fat fail there. Also, IT'S NOT A FRUIT NOR VEGETABLE. It's a combination of tomatoes, dough, cheese and sometimes meat and vegetables to make a tasty, tasty dish. Argh. I'm also super happy they don't have anything better or more important to discuss aside from shit like this.

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This is my exact reaction when a song I haven't heard in A REALLY LONG TIME comes on....


At first it's like, "Wait, this sounds familiar....."

Then you hear that one verse that makes you remember the song...

Then you.....

So accurate. I probably get too excited when I hear a song I used to love but haven't heard in years but I can't help it. Once recognition kicks in and I realize I still know all or most of the words, I rock the fuck out.

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That wouldn't surprise me. You know, if those objects all hard appendages and faces. A brain might be necessary, too. If they had all of those things, though, this would make PERFECT sense. Since they don't, I just have to accept that I probably need to pay attention to where I set stuff down. Or realize that these things all hide their appendages and smug little faces in front of me. Kind of similar to how Andy's toys only come to life when no people are around. I'm on to you; wallet, keys and remote!

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The only thing I have for this is that it's one of the fucking coolest pictures I've seen. Hockey is so awesome. So are badass photographers who manage to capture shots like this.

Happy Monday!

Wherein I answer random questions no one cares about...

Questions stolen from Sunday Stealing.

Have you ever licked the back of a CD to try to get it to work?
Not that I can remember. I can't see how that would help anyway, haha.

What’s the largest age difference between yourself and someone you’ve dated?
10 years older.

Ever been in a car wreck?
One really bad when I was 5.

Do you have any friends that you’ve known for 10 years or more?
One. He's pretty awesome.

Does the number of people a person has slept with change your view/opinions of them?
No. That's really judgmental and stupid.

Are you a good tipper?
Yes. I think most people who have worked or currently work in the service industry are good tippers by default.

What’s the most you have spent for a haircut?
My shampoo, conditioning, scalp massage, hair treatement & hair cut costs me $50. And it's worth it. :D

Hair color you like on someone you’re dating?
I prefer darker hair colors. Or redheads if it's a girl.

Do you like horror or comedy?
There's a difference? Horror movies are so comical. It's like watching a bad comedy with a lot of blood in it. I'll take a good, legit comedy any day over the crap horror flicks.

Where do you want to live when you are old?
A house preferably but I'm willing to live in a condo on the beach somewhere if necessary. As long as I'm not a little old woman in a shoe, I'm good.

Who is the person you can count on the most?
Myself. It's not that I don't have other people I can count on for certain things because I do but I'm the most consistent person at coming through for myself.

If you could date any celebrity past or present, who would it be?
Pass. I'm seriously blanking for a proper response right now. I don't suffer from the celebrity obsession most of the world has so I can't think of any celebrity I'd want to date honestly, lol. Also, my boyfriend's pretty rad.

What did you dream last night?
Castles, laser beams, disco balls, Big Foot (or maybe it was Chewbaca?), bubbles, flying carpets, blood, gore, Elmo from Sesame Street, a talking psychic teapot, myself, some friends, Medieval knights, poisoned cookies and the most epic battle between vampires (think Dracula, not that Twilight bullshit) and people ever.

What is your favorite sport to watch?
HOCKEY. I love baseball and basketball, too.

What is your favorite alcoholic drink?
A free one. :D

Non alcoholic drink?
No but thanks for offering.

Have you ever been in love?
I have.

Do you sing in the shower?
No, I rock the fuck out in the shower.

Have you ever been arrested?
I've come close many times but never have been thankfully.

What is your favorite Holiday?
Halloween.

Would you ever get plastic surgery?
Probably not.

Have you ever caught a fish?
Yes. And I've been wanting to go fishing lately so bad because it's been a while since I last went. SOMEONE GO FISHING WITH ME, DAMN! :D


Just under a month left to donate to my Toys For Tots Fundraiser. I know the economy sucks which the amount of donations vs the amount of "I"m sorry, I can't this year but keep it up!" emails from people I adore have sent this year clearly reflects but if you can donate $5 even, every little bit really does help. :)

Happy Sunday!

Things everyone should know...

And if you haven't yet, check out the Toys for Tots Fundraiser. Great cause, it only takes a few dollars to make a difference and all you have to do is make a few clicks to help out. :)

Happy Thursday. :)

TMI Tuesday: Formspring Follies....

Formspring Follies

Today’s TMI Tuesday consist of Formspring questions pulled from around the Web. The NY Times called Formspring “An E-vite to Insults and Crude Queries.” I admit, I pulled the tame, less crude questions.

1. What is your favorite type of weather?
70 degrees. Nice breeze. Partly cloudy, blue skies. Great "do stuff outside" weather where it's not too warm or too chilly. Or I also really love when it's all grey skies, gloomy and raining all day. I know, quite the contrast but those are my two favorite types of days.

2. How do you sustain the motivation and energy needed to write erotica regularly?
I don't regularly write erotica. I don't get how people can do it every day or every other day. I mean there are only so many ways you can make sex sound more interesting and sexy than it already is. I think it's better to space it out and not drown people in it. And not over submerge yourself with it, either. Less is more sometimes. When it becomes normal and "oh, look another sex piece" then it kind of loses some of the lure, I think.

3. Do you like roleplay? What is your favorite scenario?
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. Of course, I'm sure you weren't talking that kind of role play game but those are fun too and definitely don't get the kind of recognition Naughty School Girl/Head Master or Doctor/Nurse get. What? I'm a nerd. ;p

4. Have you ever been hurt so badly in a past relationship, that it has affected you for the rest of your life?
I haven't lived the rest of my life yet so I don't think I can say. ;) But as of right now, no, not really. All the bad stuff that I've gone through in relationships I've just used as learning experiences. Nothing has hurt me so badly that I'm still not over it yet.

5. What message would you want to put in a fortune cookie?
"Funny thing about that General Tsao's 'chicken'.... Oh well, you already ate it. C'est la vie!" Or more seriously... "Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself. -Harvey Fierstein" would be a good one.

6. How big is your dick?
12" of pure, hard, thick.... What, you don't believe me? I'll show you a picture that I absolutely didn't steal off the interwebz.

Bonus: I would like to know, do you have Formspring on your blog? Why or why not?
It's not linked to my blog but I have one. I get enough odd from having it linked to my Facebook and Twitter, really don't need the little widget on my blog to bring in more questions. Plus, I don't often remember to login and do the questions regularly, heh.

Bonus, bonus: What is the best or oddest formspring question you’ve been asked? What was your answer?
I'm just going to link you to a few of my oddest questions. Click the links if you care to see the answers.

what does ur shampoo smell like?

Have you ever touched - or wanted to touch - a live starfish? :o)

Do you like music to be on in the background during sex? If so, do you have favorite songs/artists? Is it different music than what you like when driving or working?

Do you think that in the adult version of Sesame Street, the blue muppet with a voracious appetite & famous eating phrases would be the pussy monster?

If you had to choose between giving up oral sex or cheese, which would you choose?

Have you ever considered have sexual relations with the Jack-in-the-box man? While he's wearing the head?

That's enough of that. Though, it was kind of fun going through there and seeing some of the odd questions I've received since having the account, haha.

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How to play TMI Tuesday: Copy the above TMI Tuesday questions to your webspace (i.e., a blog). Answer the questions there, then leave a comment below, on this blog post, so we’ll all know where to read your responses. Please don’t forget to link to tmituesdayblog from your website!

Happy TMI Tuesday!

Banana Nut & Honey Muffins.

Banana Nut & Honey Muffins

Recipe makes 12 muffins.

What you need:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
  
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• ⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp honey
  
• ¾ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1½ cup mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
  
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup whole or low fat milk

What you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Use a whisk to combine, blend well.

3. In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sugar and 1/3 cup of honey, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula if necessary. At medium speed, add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each egg. Beat in the banana and vanilla until blended. At low speed, beat in half the dry ingredients, add the milk, add other half of dry ingredients.

4. Fold in 1/2 cup of walnuts into the muffin batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin liners. I use an ice cream scooper because that makes it super easy for me. Sprinkle each muffin with remaining walnuts and a light drizzle of honey. Bake the muffins until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a rack.

Enjoy!
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Have you checked out the Toys for Tots fundraiser yet? If not, please do! It's a great cause hosted by the US Marines and I'm taking donations to go buy toys for the third year in a row. Click the link for information and to see pictures from all the toys we've purchased the previous two years. Every little bit helps so if you can spare even $5, that would be more helpful than you realize. :)

Happy Friday!

Love For Lokomotiv...

This is one of my new favorite wristbands to wear lately. For those who don't know, Love For Lokomotiv is in support of the sports tragedy that happened on Sept 7, 2011. 44 lives were lost due to a plane carrying crew members, hockey personnel, coaches and players of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey team crashing. One of the players was a former Dallas Star and one of my favorite players, Karlis Skrastins. To show support for the grieving families, hockey wives and girlfriends from around the world have created the Love For Lokomotiv website in hopes of raising money for the families effected by the plane crash.

The Boyfriend and I got our bands at the last Stars game we went to. Some of the players wives and girlfriends had a table set up out in the concourse selling them. I actually love silicone wrist bands and have a ridiculous amount of them supporting various causes and some just for fun because I like them. Such as my Jack Skellington band, Super Mario band, Cookie Monster band, I <3 Boobies band or my Batman band. My accessory love for the bands combined with the meaning of this one as well as helping out a good cause made it impossible for me to pass on getting one of these.

I've seen several people complain on Twitter and a few on Tumblr about how they want a band but can't go to a game to get one. Going to a game isn't the only way to get a band, though. You can do it online which is how I'll be getting the pretty beaded bracelet for myself. Just click the donate link on the page if you want to buy a silicone band or one of the super pretty beaded bracelets and voila. Though if you can, you should definitely get your ass out to watch a game in person and support your local hockey team if you've got one to go see. Especially if that team is a 10-3-0 first place in the Western Conference and playing their asses off Dallas Stars hockey club. ;)

Happy Wednesday!

Random assortment of pictures....

I love socks. I don't have many pairs of shoes but I have an entire drawer that's just full of socks. I also LOVE penguins. One thing that always bums me out about Winter apparel is the lack of penguins. Or I look in the wrong places. Either way, there needs to be more stuff with penguins on it. Anyway, I was at the store picking up a couple things I needed and walked by a display with tons of Winter themed socks. I was pleasantly surprised when SIX different pairs featured a penguin theme and even happier when one of them was a pair of toe socks. I wasn't thrilled with the amount of pink on the toe socks since I'm not a fan at all of the color pink but I really liked these and got them anyway. Aren't they cute?




I had some baking to do yesterday. Tahitian vanilla bean cupcakes. White icing is vanilla buttercream. Orange is orange flavored buttercream. All made from scratch. Baking is so fun. Want one? Lol.




I saw this next picture on an interior design blog I frequently look at. I've decided a small room or a little nook somewhere is a must in my future dream house. This looks so perfect to me. I'd love to be able to have a wonderful little spot like this to go spend hours reading books and relaxing.




I got this picture during the Texas State Fair. They did a really cool light show which was awesome for me. Fireworks, fountains and laser lights all cued up with some music pretty decent music. I totally enjoyed it and got a couple cool pictures of some of the action, including this one.




I collect rubber ducks. My newest acquisition to my collection is a rockin' little Halloween duck. Of course it's a pirate. :D




I'm done with the pictures now but before I end the post I want to say thank you to those who have already donated to my Toys for Tots Fundraiser. Also, thank you to those who have tweeted about it, posted on their blog about it, put it on Facebook, made posts on Tumblr and otherwise pimped the cause out. So to speak. I appreciate it so much! And if you post about it, make sure you let me know so I can come say thank you. :) Remember, even if you can only donate $5 it will go a long way to helping out. Every little bit helps! :)

Happy Tuesday!

Things That Make Me Happy...

I've had a pretty rough time the last couple weeks, mentally and emotionally. I have a lot going on that's been hard to deal with lately and it's been wearing me down to where I've just been stressed and upset a lot. Which isn't normal for me because it takes a LOT to wear me down like that which ends up irritating me even more because I hate letting things get to me to the point of where I feel so down. Anyway, to combat some of those negative feelings, I'm going to make a list of some things that make me happy lately.

• The Dallas Stars are 10-3-0 right now. They're first place in their division, first place in the Western Conference, second in the entire league and the first team in the NHL to reach ten wins so far this season. Hockey always makes me happy but seeing my team playing so well and winning makes me even happier. :D

• The movies "Horrible Bosses" and "Gnomeo & Juliet."

• Peppermint mochas & salted caramel hot chocolate from Starbucks.
  

• Bubbles.

• Getting to ice skate on a regular basis again.

• New art supplies.
  

• Sitting on the front porch enjoying the cooler weather, drinking pomegranate tea and reading a book. With the only noise being the sounds of nature and occasionally a passing car.

• New friends.

• Good friends that listen really well. :)

• Pumpkin cheesecake. And pumpkin spice coffee. And pumpkin bread. And pumpkin candles. Pumpkin stuff everywhere!
  

• The Black Keys.

• Hugs.
  

• Baking gingerbread cookies from scratch and making the house smell delicious.
  

• POMEGRANATE TEA.

• Overstuffed comfy chairs and super soft blankets.

• The weather being cool enough for me to bust out the fuzzy socks and hoodies again.

So, what are some things that make YOU happy lately? :)

Happy Monday!

I like quotes, okay...

I like quotes. Sometimes it helps to read a few sentences to put you in a better mood, give you a little kick of perspective, a small boost of inspiration, some encouragement or many other things. Sometimes I'm not reading them for any reason other than just because I enjoy them. So, I'm going to share some of my favorite quotes today. Hope y'all enjoy. And feel free to comment and leave a favorite quote or three of your own in the comment section if you want to share any. I never mind having more or seeing what words speak to others. :)

"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself." -Harvey Fierstein

"Happiness depends upon ourselves." - Aristotle

"Life will bring you pain all by itself. Your responsibility is to create joy." - Milton Erickson

"Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want." - Jim Rohn

"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it." - Henry Ford

"Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action." - Benjamin Disraeli

"It always seems impossible until it's done." - Nelson Mandela

"Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"The greatest thing in the world is to know how to be one's own self." - Montaigne

"Nothing is more damaging to you than to do something that you believe is wrong." - Abraham

"Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong." - Peter T. Mcintyre

"Losing is a learning experience. It teaches you humility. It teaches you to work harder. It's also a powerful motivator." - Yogi Berra

"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"The longer we dwell on our misfortunes the greater is their power to harm us." - Voltaire

"It's not what happens to you it's what you do about it that makes the difference." - Wilson Mitchell.

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." - Albert Einstein

"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." - Vernon Law
"The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me." - Ayn Rand

"If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse." - Jim Rohn

"Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are." - Niccol Machiavelli

"The best way to escape from a problem is to solve it." - Alan Saporta

"Dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you're willing to pay the price." -Vince Lombardi

"The willingness to do creates the ability to do." - Peter McWilliams

"He who demands little gets it." - Ellen Glasgow

"It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself." - Eleanor Roosevelt

"The value of an idea lies in the using of it." - Thomas Edison

“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson


That's more than enough for now, right? Right. :) Like I said before, feel free to drop a favorite quotes or three of yours in the comments section if you want to share.

Aaaand, if you haven't checked out the Toys for Tots Fundraiser going on yet, PLEASE DO! It won't take you long at all and it's for a super amazing charity so go have a look. If you choose to donate, I'd appreciate that even more. Every little bit helps so even $4 or $5 is a great help. Go check it out! Please and thank you!

Happy Friday, y'all!

Your opinion is clearly wrong.

I've decided I hate when people say, "It's my blog, I can have my own opinion and GTFO if you don't like it." Not always but more often than not, I dislike that being said. Mainly because it's the person expressing their opinion on something, someone disagrees and then instead of having a rational conversation, they turn defensive and tell the person they're entitled to their opinion and they can get the fuck out if they don't like their opinion. The thing is, not everyone is always going to agree with everything you say. You want people to respect that you have your own opinions, you might not want to shut down and start throwing a fit just because they disagreed with you and learn to accept that people will believe and see things differently than you do.

If the person disagreeing is being an asshat, then by all means, go crazy if that's your thing. Shut them down and throw your fit if that's what you want to do. I've done that before to people acting like that. I don't go crazy and get all emotional and rampagey. I just kill it in a mature way and tell them to take their shitty attitude else where because I'm not going to try and have a rational discussion with someone who just wants to sling mud or tell other people why they're wrong. It's not okay to be an asshole and verbally attack someone just because you don't agree with what they're saying and it's not okay to bully them over it.

When someone if making a point that seems valid to them and nicely pointing out their issues with what you're saying in a mature and respectful way? There's no need to go on a rampage over that. They're just as entitled to their opinion as you are to yours. Opinions aren't fact and no one is the end all be all of thoughts and feelings. You have no right to tell someone the way they think and feel is wrong. You do have the right to disagree with them, just as they have the right to do the same with you. If you can't handle having someone objecting to your opinions or questioning them, you might want to rethink putting them out in a public forum.

Happy Tuesday. :)