Filed under: Just Words
So after 6 years for being together, Bill and I have finally gotten hitched. October 13, 2011, we said vows, made life-long promises, and started a brand new journey together.
“Yay! Your now a Mrs.! How does it feel?” Honestly, not that different. Except for every time I look at him, I get an extra tug on the heart strings knowing that we never intended on this happening. When we first started dating, neither of us ever wanted to get married. Growing up seeing families being separated and hearts being broken from divorce, I didn’t want any part of it. Bill… he’s a guy. He just didn’t see the difference between just being together and having a “piece of paper”. Why do it!?! Only in the last 2 years have I even entertained the idea of “Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea…” And little did I know, Bill was starting to have the same thoughts. 
One evening about a week before our 5 year anniversary, we went to visit my cousin and her husband. They’re relationship is something to be envious of. The amount of love and pride in each other is refreshing when often, all I hear are stories of old high school buddies having marriage problems and fights over who gets the kids. After an evening eating homemade sushi, watching old Disney movies, and being asked “So, when are you two gonna tie the knot?”, it got me really thinking about what Bill really meant to me.
One thing I always promised myself was that I would never pressure anything from Bill. I never wanted to be one of those girlfriends who throw ultimatums left and right, and force they’re guy to be what they thought was perfect or the Mr.Right so many women are looking for. But tonight, I couldn’t help but let my girly feelings speak up. I told him that the term “boyfriend” didn’t express how I truly felt for him anymore. “You mean more to me than that, you are not just some high school sweet heart to me. But I can’t just go around calling you “my fiancé” or “husband” like some girls tend to do at times. I never wanted to force something like that on you, BUT…. I’m just telling you now, I won’t be a girlfriend forever.” On and on I went trying to explain myself.
Poor guy. He had to sit through me fighting with my thoughts and whether I should say what was on my mind or just shut up and let it just be how it is, yada yada yada. When little did I know, the reason he was being so incredibly quite and super short with me was because earlier that morning, he and a close friend of ours went to buy a engagement ring. A week later, on our anniversary he asked me to be his wife.
:: sigh ::
Every time I think back on this conversation on the car ride home that night, how dumb I was being, how nervous I was, and Bill knowing the entire time how difficult it was for me to, in lack of a better term, demand this BIG thing from him while keeping his mouth shut… it just brings a smile to my face. I really did get lucky in finding him. At a glance, we’re so different in so many ways. Yet we work so well together. It was like we were built for these roles in one another’s lives.
Well, as for being the longest and probably dullest entry to anyone but myself, I do apologize. But what can I do!?!? I’m a newly wed. And I’m in love.
Thank you to all of those who helped and supported us through all the ups and downs, and those who will continue to teach us how to love one another for years to come.
While looking for way to fill up my living room with stylish accessories with out spending my ENTIRE paycheck, I found a pretty simple tutorial from P.S. I made this on how to make a plain bottles, cans, vases, etc. look like porcelain pottery.
Okay, neat. But the simple dot design was not doing it for me. I wanted to take a step a little further. Time to make something AWESOME!!!! My inspiration came from cake piping and henna tattoos. Take a look….
Ingredients:
1 large ugly pink vase from Goodwill ($5)
1 bottle of white T-Shirt Puff Paint ($2)
1 can of white spray paint ($5)
A lot of patience and hand stretches.
After finding a few patterns I was happy with, I used a fine tip permanent marker to draw the design on the vase, using a Goo Gone soaked wash rag for any miss ups.
Once the design was drawn, I then carefully “piped” with the Puff Paint leaving a lifted texture when dry.
I then lightly spray painted the entire vase with a satin finish white spray paint to give a more finished look. Let it dry over night, and fill with beautiful floral pieces and enjoy!
Porcelain Pebble Vase found on Etsy.com $155 <——
———–> Our Beautiful Masterpiece $12
Welp, here it is. The first dinner in the new house. And by special request from my dear little brother, Benji, CRAB CAKES!
Now I had never made these before, nor have I ever made any type of patty before, so this was quite an experiment for me. What better time than we your house is filled with men with empty tummies??
I had some issues at first, but quickly got a hand of things once the first “cake” was done. Also, I didn’t make any kind of sauce to top the patties with. They were fine without, but would have been out to this world with a creamy lemon butter sauce on top. Note made.
Recipe taken from FoodNetwork.com by Paula Deen’s Kitchen.
1 pound crabmeat- 1/3 cup crushed crackers (Ritz)
- 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Dash cayenne pepper
- Flour, for dusting
- 1/2 cup peanut oil
- Favorite dipping sauce, for serving
In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients, except for the flour and peanut oil. Shape into patties and dust with flour.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, carefully place crab cakes, in batches, in pan and fry until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip crab cakes and fry on other side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Serve warm with preferred sauce.
Side note: While at the market for the supplies for dinner, I came across the coolest thing!
MINI PINEAPPLES!!
I will hug you and squeeze you and call you George.
Like this:
Filed under: House
Hello, my name is Amanda and I am a home owner. (WOOO HOOO!!)
Every time I say it, a get that strange bubble filled with a rejoicing giggle like scream trapped in my throat. I try to keep it down, but sometimes it wiggles it’s way out, and all you can hear are hysterical chuckles, “woots”, and “oh yeas” echoing across the neighborhood. I know this joy will soon die once I get tired of all the maintenance and bills that come with ownership, but until then, I will glow in the pride of having my own house!
We’re still in the middle of unloading everything. We have ordered new furniture that is scheduled to be delivered in two weeks, and I have finally finished putting together the new kitchen table and chairs.BUT, the very FIRST thing I had to do was paint our room! If you have ever lived in an apartment, you know that you are not given the freedom to choose your own colors. You are stuck with one of two evils. White (eh) or Beige (oh god). Time for so change.
Our room’s color scheme is GRAY, BLACK, WHITE, & RED
-
Wall Color: “Vintage Gray” by Valspar -
Headboard: Black Tufted Faux Leather $99 at Garden Ridge
-
Mattress & Box Frame: King Size Plush Top $199 – King Size Box Frame $159
-
King Bed Frame: $30 at Heavenly Sleep Shoppe
-
Bedding: Red Jersey Sheets $30 – Reversible Comforter $40 at Target
Still have a long way to go. Art to make and by, night stands to refinish, dresser on its way, shelves to hang, sockets to replace, window seat treatment, and need to still find a chair and truck/bench at a decent price. And that’s just for our room. Yes. A very long way to go.
Filed under: Dessert, Kitchen | Tags: birthday, cupcakes, dessert, liquor, margarita
I don’t know about you, but when I think about 21st Birthdays, I think about liquor… and cake. These little guys are perfect! Yummy cake and frosting spiked with 100% agave tequila, then rimmed with festive crystal sugar, what more do you need in life?
This recipe is taken from Isa Chandra Moskowits and Terry Hope Romero’s Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, they are not my own. I have made MANY cakes from this book and is well worth the purchase. Get one for yourself, you won’t regret it!
MARGARITA CUPCAKES
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
- 1 cup soy milk or rice milk
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 tablespoon tequila (I used double what is called for ^_^’ )
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners. In large bowl, beat together lime juice, zest, soy milk, canola oil, tequila, vanilla, and sugar. Sift in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until batter is smooth.
Fill liners three-quarters of the way full and bake for about 20 to 22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting: allowing cakes to set for an hour or two helps the flavor to develop fully.
MARGARITA ICING
- 1/4 cup margarine, softened
- 1 tablespoon soy milk or rice milk
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon tequila (again, I use much more)
- tiniest drop of green food color
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Blend margarine with a fork till soft and fluffy, then stir in soy milk, lime juice, tequila, and food coloring (aim for a light mint color). Sift in 2 cups confectioners’ sugar and blend till creamy and smooth. If it’s a little too liquidy for your taste, sift in a little more confectioners’ sugar, a tablespoon at a time, till a thick but spreadable consistency is reached. Refrigerate till ready to use.
Spread icing on cupcakes, spreading all the way to the edges, then roll just the outer edges of cupcakes in sugar crystals. If the is way too messy, just sprinkle sugar crystals on edges of cupcake by hand.
I had heard nothing but horror stories of how difficult fondant could be and how awful it tasted from all the adventurous home bakers I have known, so when the idea of a fondant Smiley Face Cake popped into my head, I undoubtedly scared the crap out of myself.
I started my research for a simple recipe that looked simple and tasted just a good. I had never tasted the stuff so I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into, but when I bake something, I want it to taste AWESOME!! Looks didn’t matter as much if you didn’t want to eat the thing! It wasn’t long before I found a recipe that I felt comfortable with from Peggy Weaver for Marshmallow Fondant.
Marshmallows are good. I don’t believe I have ever met someone that didn’t like em’. This has gotta taste good. So off I went.
After baking the cake, (Tangy Lemonade Cake, recipe later to come) I started the fondant. It was scary sticky and very messy, but really not that difficult. I definitely got my work out from all the kneading I did to get it nice and smooth, and once I added the gel color, my hands got stained yellow for the next two days. But, all in all, I’m happy with how it came out. The it didn’t taste bad at all, even Bill liked it. (he hates everything)
So if you’re adventurous and want to try something new, attempt some beautiful, satin smooth, and yummy Marshmallow Fondant! It’s not as bad as you think. ^_^
This pie is so quick and easy and delicious, with it’s sweet creamy texture and bites of cool juicy mandarins, you can’t lose . I have also seen some other recipes that call for pineapple as well, but it is up to you what you would like to use. I’ll try both next time.
- 1 can mandarin oranges – drained
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 container cool whip
- graham cracker crust
Mix condensed milk, oranges, and lemon juice. Carefully fold in the Cool Whip and pecans. Pour into graham cracker crust. Garnish with extra pecans Chill 4-6 hours before serving.
- 1 lb. Crawfish tails
- Your favorite White Rice (optional)
- 2 Chopped Celery Stalks
- 1 Chopped Green Bell Pepper
- 10 ounce 1 can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 cup Melted Butter
- 1 can Cream Of Mushroom Soup
- 1 can Golden Mushroom Soup
In heavy saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter or margarine over medium heat. While that is heating up, chop 2 stalks of celery, 1 white onion, and 1 green bell pepper. Add celery, bell pepper, and onion to butter. Sauté’ for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in condensed soups and canned tomatoes.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes and stir periodically. The mixture will look very think and curdled at first, but it will become smooth with cooking. DO NOT ADD WATER! While the soup mix is cooking, get your crawfish ready. I used the frozen kind since its already cleaned and cooked and available at any time of the year. Let them thaw out and rinse them off before you add them to the mix.
Add the crawfish, and cook for about 5 minutes more. (If you find that this is not spicy enough for you, now is the time to add a little Cayenne or Dry Red Pepper, but it is optional) Serve over rice and enjoy.
Made this cake for the Pot Luck Dinner at work the other day, and it was a huge hit. Not too sweet, not too dull, just the right amount of everything to hit that itch for something nummy. The recipe made a pretty large cake, which was just the right amount for about 15 women to eat off of, but it might be a little much for a small group.
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 1/4 cups cooking oil (canola oil)
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups Granny Smith apples, diced
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cups flour
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
Mix together sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the apples. Mix together soda, salt, cinnamon, flour and nuts; then add to apple mixture. This is a very stiff batter. Spread in a 13×9 inch pan or Bundt pan. (I put mine in two 10 inch rounds) Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes; a little longer for Bundt pan. Let cool completely and top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
These are goals that I am setting for myself to accomplish by the end of the year. Some are much larger than others, but all are important to me and my family.
VERY IMPORTANT GOALS
- Find something positive to celebrate everyday.
- Move into our first HOUSE!
- Find a lesson to be learned from every person I meet.
- Be healthy, weather slimming down or just getting energy for everyday life.
- GET HITCHED! No matter what, make sure our wedding is a BLAST!
CREATIVITY GOALS
-
Enroll and start attending Art Classes, drawing, painting, and/or design.
-
Learn to cook with something different. (lavender, squid ink, deer meat, ect.)
-
Carve something out of wood.
-
Finish a knitted Afghan Blanket.
-
Paint something on a large canvas.
SOMETHING NEW
-
Eat something new. (Matzo Ball Soup, Banana Curry, Korean Cuisine, ect.)
-
Start learning a new language. (Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, ect.)
-
Plant a garden and a tree.
-
Learn a magic trick.
-
Learn how to Salsa Dance.
-
Open up a savings account.
