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Showing posts from August, 2010

Where I've Been Hiding the Last Few Days...

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My lovely to-do list!! (and list of random things to remember...and the sticker from the banana one of us ate the other day haha) I try really hard to by Type-A.  I made a list...that's Type-A right? But by the looks of this list, you can tell I'm waaaaay on the other side....I'm most definitely a Type-B personality haha. Tomorrow I have a semi-busy day (really just afternoon)...Class, the go to Wal-mart to get food for the Volleyball Tailgate...followed by the Volleyball Tailgate & game....then I have duty nights tomorrow night.  So I'm thinking I'm going to work on finishing some draft posts on my blog to give you all something more interesting to read than my to-do list! (At least it's on pretty paper right? haha)

An Award from Mandy's Yellow Corner!

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I love love love  this blog ! I know I've blogged about her cute creations before (I won a necklace of hers on one of her giveaways! Which, by the way, she has a giveaway going on right now, so head over there!) This week she passed three awards on to me! :) The day she passed them to me, she was tagged with 8 questions, which are perfect for answering 7 random facts....so....I'm going to answer those too (because coming up with random facts about yourself is mind-boggling! hahaha!...and I like the questions. :) ) 1. Would you rather live in a big home or a tiny cottage? Considering I live in a relatively tiny space now, I want to say "big home" but at the same time, I've always wanted a cute little place...so as long as I have a place for all my future kids to sleep, a kitchen, and an office with enough space for all my sewing/crafting stuff...I'll be happy. :) 2. Your favorite season and why? mmm....Fall.  Not too hot, not too cold.  I live in Alabama,

:)

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Mom in her new apron!! :) This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless! To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture . Note: To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime� 6.5 or higher is required.

Oreo Balls (my sister's specialty)

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My sister started making these oreo balls a few Christmas' ago to take to my Grandmother's house.  They are soooo good.  The other day, the other RA in my building made Cake Balls (delicious.) and some residents started talking about how great oreo balls would be one day.  I picked up the hint! We're having them at a floor mingler where we're playing " People Bingo ."  We're not using the same board that's in that link, but you get the drift! So...here's how to make oreo balls :) 1 package of oreos 1 8oz package cream cheese 1 package white almond bar Put the cream cheese in a bowl and let it start to soften while you make good use of your food processor for the next few minutes.  Put your oreos in your food processor and chop 'em up till they're tiny.  After I finished, I realized it probably would have been a good idea to crush them in a ziploc bag beforehand, but oh well!  Once they're all crumbs, add the oreos to your cream

Homemade Calzones!

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These were so good...and such a money saver!  I figured up the cost in my head while we were eating and it came out to about $6 for the whole thing.  We cut the calzone in half, and each half was about the size of a calzone from Johnny Brusco's, just a smidgen smaller.  So for roughly $3 each (with leftovers), we ate for what we would've had to pay $8 each (with leftovers still).  Of course, if you just make a pepperoni and cheese one, it would come out super cheap!! Our calzones had sauce, ground beef, chopped yellow peppers, pepperoni, spinach, mozzarella cheese, and sharp cheddar cheese. Soo yummy. :) And so easy to make! Next time you go grocery shopping, look over by the canned biscuits...top row...you'll see pizza crusts and Italian bread, and French bread too I think!  Get the thick crust pizza crust.  Spray your cookie sheet (or, if you do like me and always line your cookie sheet with aluminum foil, spray the aluminum foil...the middle of the calzone gets heavy

Lots of free samples!

I love free samples...They're such a nice way to try new stuff! (And a nice way to get something you like for free too!!)  :) Today we got Cheeto's Mighty Zingers  in the mail and some Atkins Snack bars .  Yesterday we got a free sample of Krill Oil (no longer available) and Pantene shampoo and conditioner . Today I signed up for IdeaPaint , which is like chalkboard paint, except it's dry erase board paint.  I figure I'll find some good use for it! :) And I've got some  Aveeno  shampoo and conditioner on the way...and some  Post-It Tabs ... some  Pledge furniture polish wipes ...and I signed up for these  Gummie Vitamins for Adults  a while back!  Yay for getting lots of mail and trying out some fun stuff! :) ((Oh wait, here's one for  Free Instant Taster's Choice Coffee  I got a while back...I LOVE it! :) )) Anywho, that's about all I can think of today! Right now I'm just relaxing (about to pour a cup of coffee) and going to read over some no

Coffee Cozy

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I started this coffee cozy (with hand appliquéd initial because I picked some finicky fabric to use....hahah)  a while back for a friend and I didn't finish it because somehow, it just wasn't going to be big enough.  Well I was thinking the other day....I really like the cozies that Laura at along for the ride  makes and sells on her etsy shop .  They were the inspiration for my passport covers  on my etsy page (I needed a good way of keeping my passport closed, so my boarding passes wouldn't fall out!)  I decided that since the cozy I was making my friend was just a smidgen too small for a coffee cup, I'd take out the last seam I'd sewn and attempt to make it as cute as Laura's! (Don't hate on the bad photography skills this morning...I took the pictures pretty soon after I woke up...and my contacts weren't in...and I don't photograph well with glasses...so I had to take them off and see what happened hahahahaha) PS I have most definitely gotte

Chicken with Herbes de Provence

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Look what we had for dinner last night..... Cell phone picture... :) It was soooo good! We just put a little olive oil on the chicken and then covered it with Herbes de Provence.  Adam said the seasoning reminded him of Italian seasoning, which makes sense because Italy is right there next to Provence.  When I toured le Palais de Papes in Avignon, I learned that for a little parts of the south of France were part of the Roman Empire (hence the Italian influence).  Of course, I don't remember the specific dates or anything, but I thought it was cool!! :)

Grow Hair Grow!

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I'm growing my hair back out again to donate!  I had already been planning on it, and when Beverly got sick again, I knew I wanted to for sure.  In the past, I've donated my hair to  Locks of Love   in honor of my cousin Jenna, a friend of mine Ellen, and in  honor of Beverly as well.  Since this time I'm specifically donating in honor of Beverly, I wanted to find an organization that focuses more on giving wigs to women with cancer.  I found out that   Pantene Beautiful Lengths  does!  They provide wigs to the American Cancer Society to give women who have lost hair due to cancer treatment. T o help me keep up with how long my hair is getting, I'm going to keep a measurement on the side of my blog!  I need at least an 8-inch ponytail to donate, so I'm going to keep up with the length of my hair past my chin (because that's probably how short I'll cut it when I do!)  I could probably go ahead and donate now, but it'd be cutting it close.  My shortest

France Flashback

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Megan and I went shopping today (in the rain...).  We haven't been shopping since before training and people moving in. My main goal was to get some free coffee from World Market.  They've always had a program where you buy a bag of coffee, you get a punch on your coffee card.  After six punches, you get a free 12 oz bag of coffee! Now they're getting rid of the paper card and combining the coffee rewards with the World Market Explorer program.  And....if you had at least 3 punches on your card, they'd go ahead and give you a free bag now for turning in your cards! ((So I did!))  While we were wandering around, I found this... Mine wasn't in this pretty jar though! World Market has all sorts of spices for 99cents a bag, and each bag is the perfect size to refill our spice jars, so I got one of those.  It smells sooooo wonderful and reminds me of the South of France!!! :) It's made up of marjoram, savory, thyme, rosemary, basil, fennel, sage, and lavender. I

An Apron for my Mom!! :)

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I've been working on this off and on all summer and I finally finished!! :) I didn't have a pattern or anything, I was pretty much making it up as I go! And I'm really happy with it! :) I lined the back (because Mom likes things lined! I'm bad about forgetting it's a possibility hahaha! Things always look so nice and finished when they're lined! :) ). Also, the pockets are actually "double-pockets" if that's a technical term.  And I appliquéd flowers onto the pockets, made out of paisley shapes. :)

Keep the Easley's in your Prayers

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Beverly passed away tonight around 9pm.  Bryan updated the CaringBridge page tonight and said that all 8 children were at home, and they were all singing Beulah Land at the time.  He said that her last words were "The angels are here to get me!" How wonderful is that? :)  Pray for the two oldest kids as they go to college in the next week.  One is returning, and one is going to be a first-year student.  Pray for the younger kids as they continue going to school at their church (their first year doing this, since Beverly has home schooled all her children).  Just keep praying for Bryan and the kids (and the rest of her family and friends) during this time! Thanks! http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/beverlyeasley

My Review of Specialties Nonstick Aluminum 18" x 10" Double Burner Griddle

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Originally submitted at CSN Stores The low sides of this two burner griddle gives you maximum access to the cooking surface of the pan. This makes them ideal for foods like pancakes, eggs or French toast as well as grilled sandwiches. The nonstick surface makes clean up a breeze. Features: Uni... Specialties Nonstick Aluminum 18" x 10" Double Burner Griddle Heats up Quickly By ib05au from Auburn, AL on 8/15/2010   4 out of 5 Pros: Retains Heat, Easy To Clean, Heats Quickly, Non-Stick, Durable Cons: Uneven Heating, Handle Gets Hot Best Uses: Simple Meals, Elaborate Meals, Gifts Describe Yourself: Casual Cook We got this to use when cooking pancakes so we could cook more than three at a time. I was able to cook 5 or 6 at a time, depending on the size of the pancakes. The handles do get a bit warm, even though they are covered. They are still cool enough to touch though. My stove is set up to where I had to put this on a small eye and a large eye,

Week Recap! :)

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Ok so sorry my only blog this week was a picture of a cup of coffee...but the first week with residents/week of training doesn't leave much time to do any creative cooking or sewing to blog about.  So let's see...what did I do this week? Sunday - Rested and relaxed in my apartment with Megan...watching Netflix and periodically checking on the girls who had moved in (although they were all pretty busy for the most part). -------------------------------------------------- Monday - Training. I got a new book to read too ( Three Cups of Tea) .  Every incoming student at Auburn (whether they are a Freshman or Transfer student) was assigned to read this book because some of their introductory classes are supposed to incorporate the book into lesson plans.  Since I have a pretty large group of incoming students this year, my boss gave me (and the rest of the staff members) a copy of the book to read. -------------------------------------------------- Tuesday - Training.  We lear

Wordless Wednesday - Coffee

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Halfway through a week of waking up early to go to training.  Grad school has spoiled me because I have the luxury of sleeping in most days if needed/wanted.  This cup was one of Paw-Paws and I love it love it love it :)  Yes, I'm the sentimental one in the family!!  I found some scrubs from Carraway yesterday that I think Adam got from a friend in high school who's mom worked there maybe?? I don't really know where they came from, but it made me smile a little when I saw them. :) So maybe this wasn't so wordless haha! :)  :) The plan for tomorrow after training is to do a little sewing with Megan while we finish watching Pushing Daisies...our new Netflix favorite haha. :)  If any good sewing results, I'll put up some pictures! :)

Blog Award! Sunshine Award!

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I saw this yesterday but we were busy busy busy getting ready for our girls to move in today. ((I'm so excited about this year!)) Emily over at  Emerging Em  gave me and award! Now I get to tell you seven things about me! 1. I love coffee.  I have an espresso machine in my apartment and my kitchen is currently decorated with a French Cafe theme. :) 2. I've taught two people to sew in the past year...and I'm pretty sure they can both sew better than me now! 3.  My lifelong desire is to be a stay-at-home mom. :) Until then, I'll keep schooling and working! :) 4.  I love Jesus (in case that wasn't obvious yet, we'll throw that one out there!! :) ) 5.  M&Ms are on my brain right now.  We made M&M inspired cupcakes and doortags for our residents...and our t-shirt is going to be M&M themed as well. :) ((I'll post pictures of the cupcakes later). 6.  I tend to wear jeans/tshirt everyday...or short/tshirt.  I try to be better and look nicer, but

Praying Expecting for Beverly

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Some of you may have seen the link in my side bar to my cousin's  CaringBridge Page .   Beverly's been on my mind all day.  Make that all week.  A few years ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and it has really spread the last month or so.  She had surgery to remove her gallbladder recently, but she still had jaundice afterwards (evidence that her liver isn't as it should be).  She's married to my dad's cousin and they have eight children who she's homeschooled in the past.  The two oldest are in college now, and the next three oldest are going to their church's private school this year.  Please keep praying for Beverly that she will not get sick during the day, and that she will be able to sleep well at night.  Her migraines are very painful most days.  Pray for her husband as he's taking care of her.  Pray for her children as they start at a new school for the first time.  I made a button, but I haven't formatted it yet.  (I've got a litt

I got mail!!! I got mail!!!

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I got my BEAUTIFUL necklace in the mail today from  Mandy  at  Mandy's Yellow Corner !!! :) I'll wear it soon and post pictures!!! :) I'm so so excited! Go check out her etsy store if you get a chance! She has adorable stuff like this......      PS Can I go ahead and say I wish I could crochet that well? I used to try, but never finished anything more than lots of chains and a nifty scraf haha! :)

Move-In Mania....Part One!

We have residents now! Today, we're having about 20 of our 100 residents move in while we finish all our prep work in the building (finishing checking rooms and such).  Needless to say, it's pretty busy around here today!  Megan and I are taking a lunch break while we work on paperwork.  But....tonight we have staff dinner, so we get to see a lot of folks we haven't seen since May! Anywho, here's a glimpse at what some of the dads/brothers/boyfriends/recruited guy friends are going through right now!

Hoo are you Tuesday

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1. What is your natural hair color? Brown with some Auburn-ish highlight. 2. Which do you prefer, sunrises or sunsets? mmmmm sunsets...They have soooo many colors! 3. What is the first thing you notice about people? Hmm...probably if they remind me of anyone else. So not necessarily just eyes ir nose or something but "Do they remind me of anyone else I know?" 4. Do you prefer talking or texting on your cell phone? Depends on the day and whatever else is going on. 5. What size of shoes do you wear? Huge. haha. about a 9 or 10 but I still haven't quite grown into them. Adam calls me Ronald McDonald....

T-Shirt Quilt...Back at it!

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The summer after my Freshman year of college I started a tshirt quilt with some of my elementary, middle, and high school tshirts.  Well, I kinda ignored it the last.....four-ish years?? Something like that.  I pulled it out of the closet and started working on it again!  I've added a few more shirts to it (still need to find one more, but I can do that a little later...maybe our Senior prom tshirt).  Also, I noticed that I've most definitely improved in my sewing skills (and patience) in the last few years.  There are several  things I would do different if I started over.  For starters, don't use a permanent marker to outline where the seams will be....use a marker to mark the edge including seam allowances...preferable in washable disappearing ink...not Sharpie. hahhah.  Anywho, one of my friends is starting up her own tshirt quilt and I'm going to finish mine.  I plan on making a college one later and Adam wants one made of some of his old Fire shirts too (when they