What I Accomplished in 2015 (Based On My Pinterest Board) | 2015

Last year I created a board on my Pinterest of things I wanted to do during this year. I wanted to create one for next year too and thought I'd share what I did out of the billion things pinned on what I managed to do.




1. See Inside Out - Check! Loved it

 
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2. 15 Books to Read Summer 2015    I read half of the 2 books (Paper Towns by John Green and Aristole and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz) on the list. I honestly hadn't paid much attention to it because I was so busy trying to read the books I wanted for my GoodReads Challenge.
- Paper Towns was great, I'd read it previously I didn't get to finish it because it needed returned to the library.
- Aristole and Dante wasn't up my ally, I only read the first few chapters and decided not to finish it. It's not my first choice of a storyline.


3.  Tye-dying in the summer. - Check! Did many different shirts.


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4.  Get a pair of Vans. - Didn't happen. It wasn't my first priority, nor did I have the money to really get a pair.


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5.  Have a flat stomach. - Fail.

6. Go to the beach. - It was planned but didn't turn out last minute.

7. Get a Mint Chocolate candle from Bath & Body Works. - Slipped my mind.

8. Get a Christmas mug. - HAPPENED. It's an adorable polar bear shaped mug with a blue and red scarf.

9. Have an unforgettable summer. - It was great, but not the unforgettable I had in mind.

10. Read the Bible in a year. - It started out great than I just got lazy with it, unfortunatly. Hopefully this year will be better for that.

11. Go to Comic Con. - It was planned, but like the beach, fell through last minute.

12. Save money - Check!

13. Trace my family history. - Semi-check. Haven't gone deep enough.

14. Go to a concert. - IT ALMOST HAPPENED.

15. Go camping. - Didn't happen.

16. Feel confident in a bikini. - Yes. Not so much now. Thank you holidays and lack of self control.

17. Buy a big teddy bear. - Didn't happen.

18. Get a tan. - Rain made this impossible.

19. Complete a scrapbook. - No.

20. Do a 365 Day food log. - Yes, bad idea.

21. Improve my flexibility. - Yes, but didn't keep up with it.

22. Take a picture of my outfit everyday of the year. - Not even close, lol.

23. Go to Rhode Island. - Nope.

24. Pass my driving test. - Didn't take it.

25. Own a cat. - Nope.

26. Finish a book in one sitting. - Multiple times.

27. Collect every can on arizona iced tea. - I keep having mixed feelings of having empty cans lying around, lol.

28. Read 52 books in a year. - YES.

29. Get off my computer and explore the world. - Yes.

30. Go to an aquarium. - No :[ Darn you weather!!!

31. Read all of the Harry Potter books.  - I'm ashamed to say no on this.

32. Go on a road trip. - Nooooo.

33. Eat more vegetables. - Yes, I had accomplished this greatly.

34. Buy a stay positive hoodie. - No, but it's been on my mind.

35. Dye my hair black. - Technically yes, technically no. I have a job so I'm unable to dye my hair like I used to, but the under half of it is currently black.

36. Re-paint my room. - It is the most beautiful shade of blue in the world.

37. Redecorate my room. - Completed.

38. Try a cotton candy frappicino. - It tastes like french vanilla with flavored syrup to me.

39. Read the entire Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick. - I read the first book, didn't get around to the rest.

40. Make homemade jam. - NOO, I still really wanna do this.

41. Take a photo everyday for a year. - Nope.

42. Keep a journal. - Yes, I'm very pleased with this.

43. Adopt a puppy. - My Dad is being very stubborn with not wanting more than 2 pets, lol.

44. Get braces. - No, thanks to the wonderful perks of a part-time student.

45.  Try a Starbucks coffee. - I haven't had their straight hot coffee, but I did try the coffee frappicino and it was okay. I couldn't decide if I liked it or not while consuming two thirds of it.

46. Own an apartment. - I really hate that this didn't happen :/

47. Dye my hair red. - Nada.

48. Own cowboy boots. - Almost happened, than didn't.

49. GoodReads Reading Challenge of 52 books. - As of today, I've read 81.



Even though I didn't get to do everything I wanted, I've gotten to do other things

1. Got my first job.

2. Taking college classes

3. Have my drivers permit.

4. Went shooting.

5. Made new friends.

6. Gave more this year than I felt like I've done previously.

7. Improved myself, my mind, my attitude towards other people.

8. Lost weight.

9. I'm learning how to manage myself. This has been a huge year for me in the way of coping mentally. I'm learning how to handle my negative mind and emotions and trying my best to take care of me both physically and mentally. Some days I feel like I'm drowning, and other days I feel like I'm on top of the world.

As hard as this year has been for me, it has been an important year, and that's what's important.

Top 10 Book Quotes of 2015

I'm pretty sure I said this a month ago but omg I can't believe it's December. 24 MORE DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS!!! I'm so excited! Did you get your shopping done? Mine for the most part is. I'm hoping I get books. x]

So I thought that this would be something fun to do, I didn't do this last year, so maybe as of this year it will become a thing. 

1. "I mean, it's like trying to decide between James Dean and Elvis. Seriously, who could make that choice?" - Andrea Portes, Anatomy of a Misfit

2. "'You're not the same as you were before,' he said. 'You were much more... muchier... you've lost your muchness.'" - Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

3. "Nothing had been okay, not for a long time. And every moment that I thought I was getting close, like the one I’d had earlier, seemed to remind the universe that I didn’t deserve that, not yet." - Sarah Dessen, Saint Anything

4. "But if I'm it, the last of my kind, the last page of human history, like hell I'm going to let the story end this way. I may be the last one, but I am the one still standing. I am the one turning to face the faceless hunter in the woods on an abandoned highway. I am the one not running but facing. Because if I am the last one, then I am humanity. And if this is humanity's last war, then I am the battlefield." - Rick Yancey, The 5th Wave

5. "Life's too short to pretend and play games like that. I want to spend my time hanging out with people who make me feel good about myself. People who make me happy." - Gena Showalter, Alice in Zombieland

6. "My ideas flow so rapidly that I have not time to express them- by which means my letters sometimes convey no ideas at all to my correspondents." - Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice 

7. "I had this wild thought that he was the only one in all this chaos who was just like me, and that was comforting and profound all at once." - Sarah Dessen, Dreamland

8. "I'm not sure this is a world I belong in anymore. I'm not sure that I want to wake up." - Gayle Forman,  If I Stay

9. "I wish for the thing that is best for me." - Stephanie Perkins, Anna and the French Kiss

10. "In the end that was the choice you made, and it doesn't matter how hard it was to make it. It matters that you did." - Cassandra Clare, City of Glass

A Funeral, a Wedding, and a Job.

This past month has been the most stressful, tiring, eventful, fast month that I can recall. Ever. Everything feels like a blur so I'm going to put this in the best possible order that I can recall.
See, if I posted everything on Instagram this would be a lot easier.

At the beginning of October when me and my Mom were out doing our food shopping we'd gotten a call in the middle of checking out at Wal*Mart from my Aunt with the news that my Pappy had a heart-attack and was on his way to the hospital. My Mom took me home while she went to the hospital and I put everything away and a friend took me to visit them.
That evening the most peaceful feeling had come over me. I didn't say anything to anyone about it. Considering the circumstances that had happened when he had the attack I knew what was going to happen but I didn't want to upset someone by saying it.
The following morning I couldn't keep it in anymore and while I was with my Mom in her room I told her that it didn't feel like he was here anymore, that there has been this very peaceful feeling lately like someone was watching over us. She agreed.
He didn't make it. He said in his will what he wanted, everyone tried, and God decided it was his time and we certainly don't blame my Pappy for running for the Gates of Heaven.

Two days after his funeral I was to make my brothers wedding cake. Over 60 chocolate/vanilla cupcakes and a dark chocolate layered cake. All pipped with buttercream.
*sigh*
I took the middle day of the two as a desperately needed break for my own sanity after all the running around. So Saturday morning I was up at 3am baking my butt off. I made 3 layers because the one had sunk in the middle, 3/4 of a gallon ice cream container filled with buttercream, and two big aluminum trays filled with cupcakes.
Still managed to dye my hair and take my time getting ready that morning with some time to spare before we had to leave. (praise God).

It was peacock/mascaraed/60's/something else themed. Of course in the mess of it all I forgot my camera at home :/

Me and Mom had our day out. A very needed day together. I got a caramel frappe from Starbucks. It was extremely coffe-y tasting. I wasn't crazy about it. It made my stomach hurt, too.

It's hard to adjust when it feels like your life has just been flipped upside down. The week prior to what had happened with my Pappy I went for an interview that a a job my friend works at, it went okay for my first interview but from it felt like she 'let me down easy'. The Wednesday after I got a call from the manager asking for an interview. "When can you start?" She'd asked. My mind had went blank. My mind had went from 'I'm-gonna-have-a-job' to 'I-won't-get-hired' to 'I-don't-want-a-job-anymore' than suddenly my first day was just a couple days later.
I think I went through every stage of joy, depression, scared, excited, overwhelmed, wanting less hours to now I can say, even with the mistakes I've made. I'm finally seeming to fit into a schedule where I'm starting to feel content. It's not too many days to handle, or too little days to where I feel like I'm not doing anything.

Plus, payday, holla!




That can be another post though.


 

It's a dragon! It's a seahorse with wings! It's a pheasant!  It was so cool, we saw a young buck, too not just a few seconds before hand.

One day at work it was all dreary and gloomy out, it was cold and dark, I wanted nothing more to stay in bed and this guy came through my line asking how I was and how the day was going. When I gave him his change and receipt he gave me this little white book and said "This is for you. Hang in there today, okay?" I was too stunned to say anything back, I'd just nodded and when I finally got the chance between ringing up customers I pulled it out of my pocket to find it was filled with a bunch of little verses.

It's these kind of moments that make life great.

Found this book at KMart. A friend of mine is obsessed with Lord of the Rings... [;

My #Whitegirl status seems to be at it's peak lately. When me and Mom go out we usually go get something at Starbucks. I'm working my way through the menu one tall frappe at a time. The Peppermint Mocha is soo good. It tastes like a coffee peppermint patti. The chocolate flakes were my favorite part.

Can we please take a moment to discuss the fact that this isn't Ken. My Ken did not look like this. He was very tan, swooshy plastic haired, and his arms were not bendable, okay?! They just weren't! It's like the Bratz dollz. It feels like a stab at my childhood because of them changing everything. #90skidsproblems.

Okay. Enough with the hashtags.




Also......... the Steelers won!!! :P

Ennagram Type 6w5... slash 4.

While surfing on Pinterest today at my personality type memes I came across a ladies board name that was titled with 'enneagram type 6' and it made me curious. Learning about my personality has become a thing I've really liked. It almost feels like a personality manual.
So, like usual, I turned to Google to figure out what this funny looking word-thing meant.

en·ne·a·gram

ˈenēəˌɡram/

noun

noun: enneagram; plural noun: enneagrams

1. a nine-sided figure used in a particular system of analysis to represent the spectrum of possible personality types.

I came across this website and took the 1 of 2 tests, this being the Classical version. It's a series of different questions asking if you are/aren't/partly what the questions ask, similar to the Meyer Brigg's test.


Type 6

The Loyalist
Conflicted between trust and distrust

People of this personality type essentially feel insecure, as though there is nothing quite steady enough to hold onto. At the core of the type Six personality is a kind of fear or anxiety. This anxiety has a very deep source and can manifest in a variety of different styles, making Sixes somewhat difficult to describe and to type. What all Sixes have in common however, is the fear rooted at the center of their personality, which manifests in worrying, and restless imaginings of everything that might go wrong. This tendency makes Sixes gifted at trouble shooting, but also robs the Six of much needed peace of mind and tends to deprive the personality of spontaneity. The essential anxiety at the core of the type Six fixation tends to permeate the personality with a sort of "defensive suspiciousness." Sixes don't trust easily; they are often ambivalent about others, until the person has absolutely proven herself, at which point they are likely to respond with steadfast loyalty. The loyalty of the Six is something of a two edged sword however, as Sixes are sometimes prone to stand by a friend, partner, job or cause even long after it is time to move on.
Sixes are generally looking for something or someone to believe in. This, combined with their general suspiciousness, gives rise to a complicated relationship to authority. The side of the Six which is looking for something to believe in, is often very susceptible to the temptation to turn authority over to an external source, whether it be in the form of an individual or a creed. But the Six's tendency towards distrust and suspicion works against any sort of faith in authority. Thus, two opposite pulls exist side by side in the personality of enneatype Six, and assume different proportions in different individuals, sometimes alternating within the same individual.
The truly confounding element when it comes to typing Sixes is that there are two fundamentally different strategies that Sixes adopt for dealing with fear. Some Sixes are basically phobic. Phobic Sixes are generally compliant, affiliative and cooperative. Other Sixes adopt the opposite strategy of dealing with fear, and become counterphobic, essentially taking a defiant stand against whatever they find threatening. This is the Six who takes on authority or who adopts a dare devil attitude towards physical danger. Counterphobic Sixes can be agressive and, rather than looking for authorities, can adopt a rebellious or anti-authoritarian demeanor. Counterphobic Sixes are often unaware of the fear that motivates their actions. In fact, Sixes in general, tend to be blind to the extent of their own anxiety. Because it is the constant back drop to all of their emotions, Sixes are frequently unaware of its existence, as they have nothing with which to contrast it.
Because Sixes so frequently fail to appreciate the extent of their own fear, they often mistype themselves. It is common for instance, for female Sixes to mistype as Twos, especially if they are identified with a helper role, but Sixes have a much more ambivalent attitude towards relationships than do Twos, who generally know exactly what they want. Sixes, failing to recognize their anxiety, can mistype as Nines, but Nines have the ability to relax and to trust in others, neither of which come easily to Sixes. Sixes can mistype as Fours, especially if they have artistic inclinations, but they lack the Four's self-absorption. They can mistype as Fives, especially if they are intellectual, as many Sixes are, but unlike Fives, Sixes tend to be practical. Finally, conterphobic Sixes can easily mistype as Eights, but they lack the Eight's self-certainty.



Wing 5

The Investigator
Thinkers who tend to withdraw and observe

Fives essentially fear that they don't have enough inner strength to face life, so they tend to withdraw, to retreat into the safety and security of the mind where they can mentally prepare for their emergence into the world. Fives feel comfortable and at home in the realm of thought. They are generally intelligent, well read and thoughtful and they frequently become experts in the areas that capture their interest.


Then I took the second test, a series of 52 questions asking things like if you're more modest compared to ambitious, timid or assertive, obtrusive or shy-so on and so forth.
The result to this was Type 4 with balanced wings.

The Individualist

Identity seekers, who feel unique and different
People of this personality type tend to build their identities around their perception of themselves as being somehow different or unique; they are thus self-consciously individualistic. Fours tend to see their difference from others as being both a gift and a curse - a gift, because it sets them apart from those they perceive as being somehow "common," and a curse, as it so often seems to separate them from the simpler forms of happiness that others so readily seem to enjoy. Thus, Fours can manage to feel superior to others while also secretly harboring some degree of longing and envy. A feeling of being a member of the "true aristocracy" alternates with deep feelings of shame, and fears of somehow being deeply flawed or defective.
Fours are emotionally complex and highly sensitive. They long to be understood and appreciated for their authentic selves, but easily feel misunderstood and unappreciated. They have a tendency to withdraw in the face of a world that seems harsh or crude, and are often somewhat moody or temperamental. They are emotionally centered and spend much of their lives immersed in their internal mental landscapes, where they feel free to cultivate and analyse their feelings. A desire to manifest this internal world often leads Fours to an interest in the arts, and some do become actual artists. Whether artistic or not, however, most Fours are aesthetically sensitive and concerned with self-expression and self-revelation, whether it be in the clothes they wear or in the overall nature of their often idiosyncratic lifestyles.
Fours are somewhat melancholic by disposition, and under stress tend to lapse into depression. They also tend to be self-absorbed, even under the best of circumstances, but when unbalanced, easily give way to a self-indulgence which they perceive as being fully justified as a way to compensate for the general lack of pleasure they experience in their lives. Rather than look for practical solutions to their difficulties, Fours are prone to fantasizing about a savior who will rescue them from their unhappiness.
Intellectual Fours tend to mistakenly type themselves as Fives, and a heavy wing can certainly exacerbate this tendency. Fours however, unlike Fives, tend to be self-revealing and comfortable with emotional expression.


My thoughts on it; I feel like I'm a perfect combination of the two. According to Meyer Brigg's I have 2 personality types because I don't have a strong preference between N/S so it would make sense, in a way, because I don't feel like I'm specifically one because there are parts that aren't included, but is included in the other.
Does that make sense?

If you take this test, please let me know what you got. It would be interesting to see what others get!

Nature's Path Organic Frosted Wildberry Acai Toaster Pastry | Review

 Me and my Mom took a trip to a Target store that wasn't the one we always go to, this one was more out of the way. This one was one of those 'Super Target' stores that has the freezers and refrigerated section for meat and yogurt and all that kinds of things. Among looking through the isles I came across these.
Nature's Path Organic Frosted Wildberry Acai Toaster Pastries. These(not this particular flavor) were my favorite pastry before going GF, now that I'm not strictly so, I thought it would be cool to give this flavor a try.

I actually prefer these over PopTarts almost any day. They taste so good. It doesn't taste like pie crust with filling, it tastes like healthy wheat flour, with real fruit. Their dense, and they seem bigger too than PopTarts. The frosted are really good. I like the sprinkles/sugar they use on top. x]
If you're a toaster pastry person, but want something healthier than PopTarts, I suggest these! On Nature's Path's website they have a selection of different variety flavors, both frosted and unfrosted.

Ingredients:
Wheat flour*, cane sugar*, invert cane syrup*, palm oil*, apples*, whole wheat flour*, raspberries*, strawberries*, vital wheat gluten*, blueberries*, corn starch*, flavors* (wildberry, strawberry, blueberry, vanilla and raspberry), leavening (baking soda, cream of tartar), dextrose*, rice starch*, tapioca starch*, sea salt, honey*, molasses*, colored with betalains, paprika extract (from plants), citric acid, açai powder*, algin, sodium citrate, monocalcium phosphate, whey protein concentrate* (milk).

These are USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified, and Non-GMO Verified.

Glutino Animal Crackers Review

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These are delicious!!

This has to be one of Glutino's best products ever. They remind me of a mix between the normal animal crackers and Nilla Waffers. They have a slight gritty-like texture to them and have what tastes like vanilla.

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They are a great simple cracker. I prefer to eat mine as is but they would be great crushed up as a topping of a banana and vanilla yogurt, or eaten with jelly/nut butters. You could probably make really good mini-animal s'mores with them too!

The only complaint I have is that the bag is so small. You practice some serious portion control with these things.

The Bear shapes are my personal favorites. What's yours??

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge | Movie Review

Rated R
Released 1985
Genre Horror

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Freddy Kruger. Everyone has probably heard of Freddy a time or two... or seven. I'm a horror movie newbie so I've heard of him, considering there's boys in the family, but I haven't ever watched anything involving the psycho Wolverine wanna-be.

Netflix unfortuantally doesn't have the first movie listed, but they do have the second.
This movie is about a teenage boy whose haunted by Freddy in his dreams and he posses him making him kill people in real life.
The graphics are quite, well, 1985. It's easy to tell that it's all makeup and fake, but yet, like Scream, there is something still very disturbing about all of it. Of course, it's not everyday you see someone ripping himself through another persons stomach as if it were a chrysalis. 
The acting is a bit too cheesy for me as well. There's is only certain shows I can get by the whole certain shot that is two seconds too long specifically for a dramatic effect.

Maybe if I'd seen the first movie before, it would've been better. But, please don't hate me, this isn't really my cup of tea.

Scream 1, 2, and 3 Movie Review

Rated R
Released: 1996, 1997, 2000
Genre: Horror, Mystery

It's October. Which means pumpkin everything, flannels, the soon to-be-ending of my Christmas shopping, and scary movies.

Netflix has a special section dedicated to 'Halloween Favorites'. Now, I'm one of those people who doesn't watch scary movies in fear of being afraid-unless it's in the morning. I'll watch a scary movie as long as there's sunlight outside.

Both yesterday and today (the 5th/6th) I've spent watching Scream.

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Sydney, a girl trying to deal with her mothers murder, is being stalked by a murderer. 

This would be the murderer. Which I haven't decided is disturbing, or weak. I cringe everytime I look at it, but if I would've seen this movie when it first came out, I probably would have told you it was the most terrifying thing in the world.

 

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Quickly, thanks to her friends that are obsessed with their horror movies, we learn the rules of how horror movies work.

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Which lets be honest, are so true.

 Along with the asking the person who called on the phone for the third time "Who is this?" It always ends badly...

 Also, can we please note that Matthew Lillard, aka Shaggy from Scooby-Doo plays in it. He plays quite the interesting character. [I like him better as Shaggy!]

I like the quirkyness of the movie though, like the rules, and when they say "This is when they always come back to life..." then after a five second shot of the dead killer he just suddenly jumps up screaming like nothing ever happened. Like, zoinks!

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 Scream 2 is about Sidney and Randy moving on with their life at a college until
a new murdering psychopath that takes over the mask two years after the last incident.Jada Pinkett Smith plays as Maureen, which I admit shamefully, for being a big Will Smith fan, I had no idea it was her, however she did look familiar. (Oops!)
This one I thought was a little better than the first. There's something about them that seem kind of cheesy, maybe it's the timing of the music and everything that it almost seems a little 'too over done.' I like trying to guess who the creep in the mask is though (Thanks, Criminal Minds!) 

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Plus, Derek is kinda cute... just saying.
 At first I thought Cotton was the crazy person, but in horror movies, it almost seems like it's the 'nice guy' who ends up being the psycho. Still not crazy about him though.

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Scream 3 was probably the best out of the bunch. Sidney and her friends visit the set of Stab 3 (A movie based off the past crazy psycho killers.) But it's not over yet! No no. There's another killer trying to ruin Sidney of her life. As Randy had said. When you're dealing with a possibly horror trilogy, the main character always has the chance to die. In a trilogy, anything can happen.
Patrick Dempsey plays the cop who also seems sketchy, but you don't want to believe it because, well, it's Patrick Dempsey.
Does anyone remember the movie Josie and the Pussycats? (Seriously one of my favorite movies growing up!! Here's a trailer incase you don't know what I'm talking about.) The girl who plays Alexandra Cabot, Missi Pyle, plays in it too. She talks the same.exact.way. as she did in Josie and the Pussycats! I thought it was just her character in the movie, but apparently not.
I liked how this one ended too because it wasn't all rainbows and butterflies, but it wasn't the complete opposite either. It was a happy medium. I don't know why I liked that part of this movie, but I did.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

The Flintstones - Movie Review

Rated: PG
Released: 1994
Fantasy, Family, Comedy

[source]




It's been years since I've watched this movie, I had no idea it came out in '94 I thought it was the early 2000's. When I was younger and when we'd go to the library I remember always getting this movie out to watch it, growing up with the cartoon version of The Flintstones, it was always cool to watch the 'real life' version.
In this movie Fred always had the dream of getting the top position at his job, when they all have to take the test, Fred wasn't really all that great, Barney, his best friend, felt bad for him and switched tests getting Fred his ultimate dream job, but it isn't as great as he thought it would be.

This is a cute movie, Pebbles and Bam-Bam are still my favorite characters, haha! I think the girls who play Pebbles reminded a lot of Mary-Kate and Ashley, they just looked a lot alike to me.
ALSO the guy who plays Barney, Rick Moranis, is the same guy who plays in the Honey, I Shrunk The Kids. I'm sure everyone knows who Rosie O'Donnell, but if not, she played the nanny in Harriet The Spy, another great movie!
Just tossing those out there [:

The trailer:

Operation Wedding: Supplies

Of course, when it's your first time making a wedding cake + cupcakes, you're almost always going to need something you wouldn't typically have on hand.
My brother got the baking supplies, there's actually more to come.

As of right now I've got.

2 - 2lb bags of Domino Powdered Sugar (I've heard a lot of controversy on the GV brand being gritty.)

1 oz. Watkins Vanilla.

5 lbs flour (probably pick up an extra bag with my own money to be safe.)

10lbs of sugar

12in decorating bags. (Not sure how well the brand is. Never heard of it.)

16oz of Hershey's Unsweetened 100% Cocoa Powder

There's a few other things needed but I can do an update later.

An 8in x 2in cake pan (Wilton is the bomb.com)

Wilton Extra Large 3ct Tip Set

Wilton 8in Cake Circles

I've been doing a lot of video watching on icing wedding cakes and everything. They say turn tables are like a lifesaver. I was very much envious of them. Mom had a 20% off coupon and I picked one up. It'll get put to use, hopefully. If not, then... well lets just hope it will.

Also needed a large coupler for the bigger tips. I was hoping the quick release one would be able to fit the large tips but it doesn't sound like it will...? Please PLEASE tell me otherwise.

Opperation Wedding Cake: The Vanilla Buttercream Icing For The Cupcakes | Recipe

When you make cupcakes with plans to do fancy pipping on it, you need a good buttercream recipe to go with it!
This recipe is just a simple vanilla buttercream which is also by Marg(CaymanDesigns) that is found on Food.com.


The only complaint with this recipe is that it's a little sweet, but you can add a little bit of fine salt to cut the sweetness.
As far as pipping goes, this recipe worked great. I made it on a day where it was a bit humid and decently hot and the icing held up just fine and didn't get hard or anything.

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Ingredients:
Yields: 3 1/2c

• ¹⁄₂ cup shortening
• ¹⁄₂ cup real butter
• 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons clear vanilla extract
• 1 dash salt (optional)
• 5 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 -3 tablespoons milk

Directions:

1. Cream butter and shortening then add vanilla.
2. Add sugar a cup at a time beating on medium speed.
3. Add milk 1 Tbls. at a time and beat on high until completely blended.
4. TIP: To cut the sweetness I usually sprinkle some salt in the vanilla (so it will dissolve) before proceeding with recipe as instructed.

Operation Wedding Cake: Vanilla Cupcakes, Attempt #2 | Recipe

Ah-ha!

Giada you're a genius.

This recipe was a winner. Everyone seemed to like them, except for one critic who believed there wasn't enough icing. Again, personal preference. He wanted a mountain, not a swirl.

Also tested the happy-happy part of doing two-tone icing. Very good, very good[:

This recipe is by Giada De Laurentiis. They smell SO good when they're baking. The whole kitchen smelled like sweet vanilla cupcakes and they have a pretty golden color to them, too. My iPod's camera certainly isn't doing justice.
It would probably go great with ice cream, just saying...

Ingredients:
Yields: 12 Cupcakes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup quinoa or almond flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Frosting of choice
Special equipment: one 12-cup muffin pan and 12 paper cupcake liners, such as Betty Crocker Standard Size Baking Cups

Directions:

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the sugar and butter until combined. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups (about 1/4 cup batter in each cup). Bake until puffed and the cake springs back when touched, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Using a small spatula, frost the tops of the cupcakes. Allow the frosting to set for 20 minutes before serving.

Operation Wedding: Vanilla Cupcakes, Attempt #1 | Recipe

Vanilla cupcakes, as you'd think, would be a very simple operation of finding a good recipe. But no. It's more complicated than that. There is probably millions of different recipes out there, it actually gets a little overwhelming trying to find one.

Food Network is usually my go-to source for recipes when it comes to making something fancy for someone. Love the site, love the shows on the channel. It's just a favorite.

I wish so badly to say this recipe was a winner, unfortunately it wasn't all that great.
The batter seemed great, they smelled good, but they were rather... dry when they came out. They were barley even golden brown, too. I know the temperature was right, and all the ingredients made it in correctly. Maybe I accidentally left them in a hair too long, or over-mixed a second too much.

They weren't horrible they just weren't the best.
However I thought I'd share, maybe someone will have better luck with it.
If you do make it, please let me know what your results were!!

                                          [source]






Ingredients:
Yields: 12 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line one 12-cup standard muffin tin or two 24-cup mini-muffin tins with cupcake liners.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.

In another medium bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually pour in the butter and then the vanilla.

While mixing slowly, add half the dry ingredients. Then add all the milk and follow with the rest of the dry ingredients. Take care not to overmix the batter. Divide the batter evenly in the prepared tin.

Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, rotating the tin about halfway through, 18 to 20 minutes (10 to 12 minutes for minis). Cool the cupcakes on a rack in the tin for 10 minutes, and then remove from the tin. Cool on the rack completely. Decorate as desired.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/go-to-vanilla-cupcakes.html?soc=socialsharingpinterest&oc=linkback

Cookie, Canning Hot Peppers, and Baseball Fleer Cards

This past week has felt so busy, something was going on every day. It's Sunday and I'm still not ready for a new week to begin.

On Monday I visited my grandparents with my Mom. While I cleaned, like every year, they made canned peppers. (A blog post will be up about this too!) I wish I would've taken a picture of all the peppers before hand, there was a big ole wicker basket full! They were on the vine a little too long so they are quite hot, much hotter than the should be, but it smells sooooo good.

Pappap also helped me with the bow. It's been so long since I've done archery or fired the gun. We used to practice shooting all the time when I was younger, I miss it so much. Now that hunting season is coming back I'm hoping to get my license this year to be able to go.
First things first... it might help if I could actually pull the bow.

So Tuesday morning, after my breakfast of corn flakes and banana slices while working on school work. Or at least attempting to. My focusing skills have seriously lacked lately...

This thing has been on my to-do list to help with the bow and tone up my 'archery muscles' as I call them. Those things seem to have gotten a bit rusty.

Went back to my Grandma's and while cleaning off her buffet stand I found these... what're these?
Kidding. This was the only was I could listen to music growing up that wasn't on a radio station.
Talk about a blast from the past.

 These things are also amazing. I've been liking them alot for times like this when I'm away from home but need a pick-me-up. I don't feel all heavy and gross after eating them, but yet they're filling.
My favorite so far I think is the blueberry crisp.

Cookie and Jack both decided to grace us with their presence. Cookie, being 15 years old, likes to stick around the house and sleep. She's slowly down so much, it hurts. She's been looking better though, she's not so thin anymore.

Jack on the other hand is a hundred percent an outside cat by his own choice. He's into everything, that's why he isn't wearing a collar. They go missing in a matter of a few days and it frustrates me. Because of woods being so close to the house, a harness is a bad idea. It's always nice to see him though when he shows up for food. Holy cow can that cat eat. He's like a lab.

These were here and there in the yard, thought they were too pretty not to get a picture of. Thankfully, no one seemed to be home, then again I wasn't looking too hard.

 

Does anyone remember these? 90's kids should know. That book had been taken on a camping trip like easily 10 years ago, my Grandma found it in her trailer. Don't think I ever read the whole thing, it looked so hard to read! No it's like a piece of cake.
Also, the fleer cards. Apparently those are from the 60's? It's of a bunch of different baseball teams. They're so cool!!

Here's a video of the fish in our pond. The water has cleared up a lot since. I love the sound of the fountain though and watching them eat. It's so nice having fish again.

This tastes so much better than it looks. It's a can of Gluten Free Cafe Veggie Noodle Soup with half a can of added kidney beans. It has rice noodles, corn, black beans, celery, green beans, carrots, peas, and tomatoes. Of course you could add more if you'd like. But this way is perfect. One whole can of this and half a can of kidney beans is about 2 1/2 servings for me. It should be more like 3 though. Oopsies!

This is the problem I have with studying. As soon as I'm set on sitting down and actually doing it. Two sentances in my brain suddenly remembers things that I should look up, or do. Or I get hungry, then I procrastinate but I'm so strict on having good grades. How does this even work?

Don't the clouds look like they're painted??

Me and Mom went out. I needed a large coupler for icing, and since we found a 20% off coupon I got a turn table too. Every icing video I've watched everyone has pretty much said that these things are a huge help when it comes to decorating and I'm so excited to use it!

Schar's sent me samples in the mail of their new Artisan Baker Gluten Free bread. It's AMAZING.

The bread is SOFT, LIGHT, and FLUFFY ... like normal bread!!!!
And it has a slight chewy to it. It would taste good with anything. There's no over-powering flavor to it so you don't have worry about it clashing with something else.

I personally like mine with almond butter, and one just with a bit of plain butter on it. Nice and simple[:

Once a week me and my mom treat ourselves to something like chick-fil-a, a smoothie at Sheetz, whatever. After out fiasco last week, and we didn't do anything Thursday, we went early Friday morning and decided on Starbucks again. I got a green tea frappe, a marshmallow dream bar, and a KIND Almond Coconut Cashew Chai bar. I was hoping the green tea and KIND bar would be a 'healthier' balance considering I still haven't ate the dream bar.
Every time we go I always get something different, I have a goal of wanting to try everything on the menu, fall drinks are still on the list!
Thoughts on the green tea frappe? MUCH better with the whipped cream mixed in, I think. I'm not a whipped cream person but I always get it on top, probably more for the looks, but never eat it. Ew. Gross. The little bit of sweetness helped it though. As for the Chai bar, it was really good. There's cinnamon in it, stupid me for not reading the ingredients, but it tasted kind of like pumpkin spice or something? It didn't even taste like there was cinnamon in it.

 Lastly, food shopping. I wasn't really in the mood for anything. It was one of those days where nothing sounded good at all. So I guess everything was more snacky. We went to a new place so I got unexpected things, too.

 The list:

Strawberry Nesquick (Was dying of thirst, no iced tea #firstworldprobelsm)

Mini Babybell Lights

1 Blueberry Muffin Larabar

1 Cherry Pie Larabar

1 Chocolate Chip Clif Bar

1 Oatmeal Raisin Clif Bar (I bet there's cinnamon in that too -.-)

Pumpkin Spice Mini Wheats (There's definitely cinnamon in that :/ )

 Chia Date Coconut Cereal Toppings

Pepperidge Farms Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Mini M&Ms

Werthers Caramel Popcorn

Nature's Path Maple Crunch GF Cereal

2 cans of Tyson Cooked Chicken Breast

1 Strawberry Dole Shakers Smoothie

1.84lbs Sunflower Seeds

Unsweetened Coconute Flakes

1 GF Honey Beef Stick

1 Fig Blueberry Bar

Again. A LOT more than I typically get.

I wanted lettuce but nothing looked good, most of it was all brown unless I bought a huge bag. My stomach cannot consume that much lettuce before it goes bad! Lol