More Finds

Well, I did manage to find a few more things I had to have yesterday. I have just about everything I need now to start my Christmas projects. I will wait until December to buy the baking products, but most of the craft items I have now. Here's what I found yesterday.

I found the exact storage containers I was looking for, Making Memories scrapbook embellishment storage jars. These jars are plastic, with metal lids. I wanted something plastic bc I plan to give them to some of the younger niece and nephews. The inspiration for my idea is here: Goodie Jar

I also picked up the Fiskars dandy doodles punch, a new heat embossing tool, and some more stamps. I went to the library and got some books on Christmas crafts and a few cookbooks to get some baking ideas. I can't wait to get started!

Has anyone else started planning for Christmas yet? Please share your ideas with me!

*S*

Busy, Busy Day

I got a lot of things done today that I had been putting off. Not all of it was fun, but all of it needed to be done.

1) Get new tires on my truck
2) Make a deposit at the bank
3) Go to Joann's
4) Get pictures developed
5) Stop by Michael's
6) Return books to library
7) Christmas planning

I think I was very productive today. I was certainly busy, and managed to get a lot done. Tomorrow's to do list includes:

1) Laundry
2) Lowe's
3) Organize craft stuff
4) Clean out car
5) Homework
6) More Christmas planning

Another day full of things that need to be done. My hope is that I can get all these things done tomorrow, and then have Monday to relax before I have to go back to work. Also, on-campus classes are cancelled Monday bc of Labor Day, so I only have to keep up with my online discussions.

I look forward to checking everything off of my list tomorrow and having a full day to relax. Wish me luck!

*S*

The New Face of the Republican Party

Today John McCain named Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate for the upcoming election. So who is Sarah Palin?

a The youngest person and first female to be elected governor of Alaska
a Began her political career in 1992, when she was elected to the city council of Wasilla, AK. She ran on a platform that would crack down on wastful spending and high taxes. Once elected, she followed through on campaign promises to cut her own salary.
a Served as Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Commission. Blew the whistle on fellow commissioners for legal violations and conflicts of interest. Later resigned due to a "lack of ethics" among fellow Republican leaders.
a Supports environmentally-friendly drilling in Alaska
a Staunchly pro-life. Gave birth to her fifth child in April 2008, despite genetic testing that indicated the baby had Down Syndrome.
a Staunchly against same-sex marriage. However, she signed into law legislation that allows benefits to same-sex domestic partners.
a Lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and Feminists for Life

I am looking forward to learning more about Sarah Palin in the days ahead. There has been little to excite the Republican party since John McCain became the forerunner and most other competition fell by the wayside. I don't lean entirely to the right, but it is good to see a shake-up every once in a while.

The next 67 days should be very interesting.

*S*

Craving something sweet? Bring your appetite and head over to my baking blog, Cupcake Toujours

Feel Good Song

She likes chocolate in the morning

She drinks her coffee late at night

You can sense that she is guarded

But that's alright

She'll fall asleep while your still talking

With unfinished books beside her bed

She'll cancel all of her appointments

And go shopping instead

CHORUS:

And in spite of what is right

Far beyond what she'd except

When the moon begs the question

Will you have the answer yet?

Can't you just adore her?

Can't you just adore her?

She loves to watch the sunset

But she is partial to the rain

With those tears and that umbrella

Her allure goes unexplained

You made dinner in your apartment

You both assume that she'll be late

She always has the best intentions

Her goodness is innate

CHORUS:

And in spite of what is right

Far beyond what she'd except

When the moon begs the question

Will you have the answer yet?

Can't you just adore her?
Can't you just adore her?

Why can't you just adore her?

I like chocolate in the morning

I drink my coffee late at night

~~Performed by Mandy Moore

"Can't You Just Adore Her"

(CD: Wild Hope)

I just love this song! It makes me happy for my "quirks" and what makes me, me. I was having a not-so-great self-esteem day today, and this song instantly made me feel better. If you haven't heard it, I suggest you check it out! I bought mine on iTunes.

*S*

Craving something sweet? Bring your appetite and head over to my baking blog, Cupcake Toujours

Blog Challenge 08.27.08

Today's blog challenge is "Tonight, before I go to bed, I'm going to..."

1) Work on homework
2) Plan some Christmas presents
3) Blog
4) Delete all the Olympics stuff off the Tivo and make sure it's set

I've already worked on some of my homework, and obviously I am blogging now. I'm pretty proud of myself, bc I wanted to commit to blogging on a regular basis. I have been doing a pretty good job since we got back from vacation! Granted, it's only been 10 days, but that's something!

I need to go check out my stash and start planning my Christmas presents. After that, I'll check the Tivo and head to bed. Only 2 more days left until the weekend!!!

*S*

Craving something sweet? Bring your appetite and head over to my baking blog, Cupcake Toujours

Just Around the Corner

Did you know that Christmas is in 120 days?

Hanukkah starts in 116 (December 21 this year).

I am so excited! I really love Fall, but the holidays are so festive!!

*S*

Craving something sweet? Bring your appetite and head over to my baking blog, Cupcake Toujours

OK, I'm Done. I Promise!

I should have gone home and cooked dinner.

I could have played Wii with my husband after dinner.

Iwould have stll had plenty of time afterward for homework.

Shoulda, coulda,woulda. I didn't. Instead, we went out to dinner and went shopping afterward.

In my defense, we bought a bunch of stuff to start making Christmas presents. I have been really anxious to start ever since I got a bunch of good ideas from the peas. We are actually a little bit ahead this year, and not playing "catch up" like usual. Therefore, I decided this would be a great year to make gifts for everyone.

I can't reveal too much bc some family reads my blog! However, I can show you some of the supplies I've purchased so far. As you can see, I'll be doing a lot of stamping!

Oh, I almost forgot the blog challenge today! The topic is "Why is creativity important?" For me, creativity is important so I can express myself. One of the reasons I have chosen to make gifts this year is that I feel they mean so much more than when they are bought. I can put my own personality into it, and put the recipient's personality into it, too. I haven't made gifts for my family since I was in grade school, so I'm excited to show my family how much I've advanced!

*S*

Craving something sweet? Bring your appetite and head over to my baking blog, Cupcake Toujours

In My Own Little Corner of the World

...just as in many others, children went back to school today. Once again, playgrounds were filled with the sounds of children's laughter, crossing guards dusted off their orange vests, and millions of multi-taskers had to hang up the cell phone in school zones.

I went back to school today, too! I am taking Business Statistics I (required) and World Cultures through Film (elective Social Anthropology course). I was considering taking another Government class, but once I received the syllabi for these two, I decided against it. I am going to have my hands full already!

I had hoped to be finished with my plan by next Spring, but at the pace I'm going, who knows when I'll be done!

So, who else headed back to school today? Any special first-day rituals? Feel free to share!

*S*

Craving something sweet? Bring your appetite and head over to my baking blog, Cupcake Toujours

The Shopping Bug Bites Again!

Well, Jay and I went shopping again today after he got home from work. And guess what - I got a new laptop!!! Jay thought that with school starting again tomorrow, I could really use an updated one. He's right, and here it is:

Of course, this one has a Vista operating system, and I've been using XP for the last 10+ years, so it's already driving me crazy! I will have fun learning all the ins and outs, I'm sure.

Also, I can't believe I forgot about one of my best finds yesterday! Stephanie and I stopped in to Kirkland's Home during our shopping outing yesterday, and Steph found the perfect painting for my new media room.

I love it; it will fit in perfectly with the theme and color of the new room (black and red). I'll be sure to post pics when it's hanging in its new home.

As I mentioned, I start school again tomorrow. I can't wait! Although I am taking a couple of challenging classes this semester, I look forward to it. I always feel like I am doing something useful when I am in school. Do you have any big plans to celebrate the new year? Please share!

*S*

Craving something sweet? Bring your appetite and head over to my baking blog Cupcake Toujours

Shopping Finds

My sister and I went shopping today, and did we ever luck out! I was on the hunt for some scrapping/cardmaking supplies, and I really hit the jackpot! Here's what I found:

Cutter Bee circle cutter, on clearance for $12.48(!), K & Company tag book, heidi swapp clear acrylic "thank you" stamp, corner rounder punch. The only thing I paid full price for was the corner rounder, which was $3.99

I needed to pick up just a few basics, and found these while I was at Wal-Mart. The tote is very roomy and has plenty of compartments inside and out. The markers are acid-free metallic markers, which I have never seen before. I thought I would give them a try. The stencil is a set of three; one of them is a large background stencil. I thought it would be nice to try with some glimmer mist. Obviously, the colored pencils are self-explanatory and a must-have item.

OK, so here we go with all of my Michael's finds (deep breath): cardstock in white, black, and neutrals. Four-pack of scissors, different sizes. Seven different spools of ribbon (dollar bin - YAY!) Bone folder and large acrylic block for stamping. Also one set of blending chalks and a tag-shaped mega punch.

Mike's finds continued: One pack each Pop Dots and Mini Pop Dots, plus a roll of regular adhesive dots (Dotto removable - I make mistakes!). One jet black Staz-On pad, set of 4 Tsukineko Brilliance pads, and 4 Versa Magic pads, plus Staz-On stamp cleaner. One bottle of white embossing powder, and one bottle of Martha Stewart turuoise glitter - this stuff is gorgeous! Eleven rubber stamps for various occasions, and 4 sets of clear acrylics from the dollar bins, along with a small acrylic block.

All told, I spent a lot of money, but it was worth it! I was able to use a few coupons, and most of the other items I got on clearance or on sale. I really needed to beef up my supply, as I feel I have been trapped doing the same old thing lately.

What good finds have you had lately? What projects have you accomplished? Come on over and share!

*S*

Craving something sweet? Bring your appetite and head over to my baking blog, Cupcake Toujours

Something Nobody Knows About Me

So the blog challenge this week at 2 Peas is "Something nobody knows about me is..."

I like to think I'm a pretty mysterious gal, so coming up with just one thing nobody knows was kind of difficult. Not only that, but I had to think of one thing that was not widely known that I am still comfortable revealing here.

So the big secret is... I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up. I went back to school a year ago, ten years after I first entered college. The first time around, I studied video production and, while I was good at it, I got burned out quickly. It's a very competitive industry, and it's hard for a woman to make a name for herself. (Believe me, this is not an excuse. I hate to pull the "gender" card. It's simply the truth.)

This time around, I am majoring in Financial Services, and upon completion, will be ready to sit for the Certified Financial Planner (R) exam, which is a very big deal in the finance world. Truth is, while I love the work that I do now, working as an investment consultant for a privately held financial firm, I am terrified that I might be right back here in another ten years.

I guess it's a good thing I'm usually up for change! I would love to have a successful career in this field; I can only hope the industry embraces me, too!

*S*

Craving something sweet? Bring your appetite and head over to my baking blog, Cupcake Toujours

Sister Time

So, once again I invited myself over to my sis' house to hang out tonight. I was feeling inspired to create something, and didn't feel like hanging out by myself.

So my sister had this great idea to take empty water bottles and repurpose them to create a bowling game for my niece. We used patterned paper and ribbon to wrap the bottles, then filled them partially with water. She can use a small ball to hit the "pins."

I'm so thrilled with how they turned out!

And since I'm in the mood to post pictures, here's one of my new haircut. I got it cut two weeks ago, right before we went on vacation.

Well, that's all for tonight. I'm exhausted and need to catch up on some sleep. I promise I will get around to posting more pics from our trip soon!

*S*

Craving something sweet? Bring your appetite and head over to my baking blog, Cupcake Toujours

Today Was a Sad Day

I found out this afternoon that my last living grandfather passed away. He actually passed away about 2 months ago, but he was living in Puerto Rico, and we don't have much contact with the family still living there.

I am so sad. My heart just hurts. Meeting my grandfather was on my "short list" of things to do. My mother and I were planning a trip to Puerto Rico for my 30th birthday next year. I was so looking forward to meeting him; now I'll never know this man that my mom describes as "so funny" and "a wonderful father."

I had originally planned to post pictures from the Grand Canyon. I just can't get past this news today. I felt it was important to pay homage to this man who changed my life (without him I wouldn't be here), yet whom I never had the privilege to meet.

I called my Mom back tonight to talk and cry some more. I also made myself a rum and coke that I drank in his honor. (Hey, we're Puerto Rican, it's what we do!) Will you have a drink with me, and toast his legacy?

San Diego Zoo

So here's a picture of me at the San Diego Zoo, complete with camera and giant souvenir cup! We looked like total tourists, but we had a great time. We took a bus tour, which covered about 75% of the zoo, then took the "Skyfari" air tram to see more of what we missed.

We loved getting to see all the animals, and we learned a lot about the Zoo's conservation efforts.

They are widely known for their efforts, and are very proud of their accomplishments.

We also got to see two of the baby pandas in the Panda Research Facility. They observe the pandas very closely, and monitor their behaviors and eating habits. The San Diego Zoo actually has the most successful panda breeding program outside of China! Here's a video of the youngest panda eating. Unfortunately, the zookeeper monitoring the pandas kept shooing us along, so please excuse the amateur video and the abrupt ending.

I do hope to post more photos soon. I just haven't had time to get that film developed since we got back. These are stills Jay shot using the video camera. I shot many more with my camera, but...well, we're still waiting on those. Enjoy!

*S*

Craving something sweet? Bring your appetite and head over to my baking blog, Cupcake Toujours

...And We're Back!

Well, we made it back fro our whirlwind adventure. We had a great time, and soon I'll have the photo evidence to prove it. I am one of the few people who still uses 35mm film, so I am waiting for my prints to be developed and the photos put on CD. Once that happens, I promise to post pics. So where did we go, and what did we do? I'm so glad you asked!

We left Monday afternoon, and headed to Albuquerque, NM. We got in very late, but ended up staying at a really nice casino hotel, the Route 66 Casino Hotel.

Tuesday morning, we headed out bright and early toward the Grand Canyon. We stopped along the way at the giant Meteor Crater, which is somewhere in the desert of Arizona. We finally made it to the Grand Canyon, just in time to watch a beautiful sunset over the gorge. We then continued on our route, settling in for the night at the Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

We spent much of the day Wednesday gambling in the PH casino, walking around Vegas and checking out the sights on The Strip. Wednesday afternoon, we headed out again, this time with our sights set on San Diego, CA.

The Casa Granada was our home-away-from-home while we were in San Diego. During our stay, we ate a ton of good food, and saw some cool sights. We went to the world-famous San Diego Zoo. We also found an awesome place that specializes only in breakfast, called Richard Walker's Pancake House. I live for breakfast, so this was a real treat for me. If you are ever in San Diego, you *must* go visit Richard. He was there to personally greet us at the door and make sure we were comfortable at our table.

I realize that all of this is useless without pictures, which is why I promise to get some posted as soon as I can. Stay tuned and let me know what you think!

*S*

Craving something sweet? Bring your appetite and head over to my baking blog, Cupcake Toujours

Introducing Cupcake Toujours!

I've been known to have a little bit of a sweet tooth. OK, honestly, I've been known to forgo an entire meal so I will have room for cake! But that's beside the point.

Because of my love of cake, and specifically it's miniature offspring, the cupcake, I have decided to create another blog. This blog will be dedicated solely to my love of a good morsel of moist delicious cake, topped with a mouth-watering mound of sweet, delicate frosting. Along the way, you'll find a few surprising ingredients, interesting cupcake facts (admit it, who doesn't love useless trivia?), and hopefully a recipe or two you can make your own.

I'll share some of the resources I use to create my recipes, but I can't give away all my secrets! You'll have to stay tuned to find out just what's next out of the oven. Enjoy!

*S*

Craving something sweet? Bring your appetite and head over to my baking blog, Cupcake Toujours

All My Bags Are Packed...

OK, that's a little bit of an exaggeration. If you know me, you know my bags won't be packed until 11:45 on Monday, since we're supposed to pick up our car at noon.

We're headed to California!! Jay and I are taking a road trip. We're heading out Monday at noon, then making a stop at the Grand Canyon. From there, we'll head to Vegas for a day, then on to San Diego, where we have booked a beautiful bed and breakfast. We'll be staying at the Casa Granada for three nights before we head back.

Our return trip will include a stop off in Tucson, where we will explore the old mission churches. We'll then stay in Carlsbad, NM for one night. Next morning, we'll get up and take the tour of the Caverns before we head back to Texas.

Whew! It's going to be a busy trip. We're both really excited to be going. It's been three years since we've had a real vacation together. We've definitely earned this one!! I can't wait to post pictures when we get back.

*S*

So Close I Can Taste It!

AT 4:17 Central Time on Sunday, August 3,2008, I submitted my final project for my computer programming class.

This is the first time I have taken a summer course. It is 5 weeks long, so for our fifth class session, we had our mid-term exam. For our tenth and final class, this Wednesday, we will take our final exam.

It is so much to cram into five weeks, but it is so worth it. Now I can focus on more of my major classes. This class was a prerequisite for the statistics classes I am required to take.

Final grades are due by Monday, so that should be a good way to start our vacation!

*S*