Kate and William Engaged!!!

I can't believe it, the day is finally here! Kate Middleton and Prince William are finally engaged!!!!!!! I really want to say how happy I am for them. Also, since I am somewhat of a wedding fanatic (if you couldn't tell from my previous posts) I would like to say that I'm really proud of them for waiting as long as they did. Considering all of the sad events surrounding William's parent's marriage, I think the royal family has learned a hard lesson. This wedding will be the first grounded marriage we have seen from them in a long time. 

Kate herself is a wonderful addition to the media. Though a lot of people are uninterested in her because she is a "commoner," I think thats exactly what makes her shine. She isn't worried about living up to anyone's expectations and so has lived her life like a normal, happy young woman. She is a great role model for young girls with her classy style and positive values. She is so easy to respect. (Something you don't see very often these days)

I can't wait for the wedding (I'm still trying to find a way to get there) and I can't wait for them to start their life together. 

Congratulations William and Kate, you really deserve all the happiness in the world!

Katy Perry- Firework

Just saw a tweet about this video and thought I would take a look. Its Katy Perry's new song, "Firework."

I've always liked Katy Perry, but had no idea she was willing to be so "real" with her songs. This is by far her greatest one yet. Truly enjoyed it and LOVED the video! Every time I hear the song I wish I could be watching the video as well! The video really amplifies the lyrics in a great way. Enjoy!

Magic Monday is Extraordinary

Warm Potato Salad? Check.

Well, Friendsgiving was a success and I can’t believe its already over! We spent so much time preparing, cleaning, learning about turkey roasting and coordinating who was going to bring what, and its already over! Now I’m sitting back, eating leftovers and getting ready to have ANOTHER Thanksgiving in a few days. I can’t believe it! I am so lucky. I had such a fantastic time with my wonderful friends and I know Thanksgiving with my family will be just as incredible.

Thanksgiving at my house isn’t what most would call “typical.” Like the many dishes on the table, there will be a mix of people from a myriad of backgrounds. Though we are now one big family, very few of us are actually related at all. Heres a breakdown of our crazy table:

Family Group #1: My mom passed away when I was 15 from breast cancer and in 2007 my dad remarried. My new stepmom, who is also a widower like my dad, has two children of her own. This makes a combined total of 5.

Family Group #2: Enter the in-laws. Both my dad and stepmom’s parents are deceased, but they are very close with their in-laws from their first marriages. So, though they no longer have children to visit, both sets of grandparents come to be with the rest of us anyway Add 4.

Family Group #3: The siblings. My mother’s brother and his family are always there, but they are only related to my grandparents and me. (Next is the hard one, stay with me.) My stepmom’s first husband’s sister’s husband also comes to Thanksgiving from time to time. She has also passed away and though he isn’t technically related to us, he is definitely family and so are his two boys. Add 6.

This makes a discombobulated table of 15 people. It is a table formed from the death of loved ones, but it is the happiest of tables because we understand that even loss can bring new blessings in disguise. Happy Thanksgiving to one and all. Now get your turkey on!

In love with Alexandre Desplat.

Just found this on youtube and had to blog about it! Alexandre Desplat, the newest composer to join the HP movie franchise, in a Behind the Scenes interview on the score he has composed and how it was recorded. The music sounds like its going to be absolutely phenomenal. Though the video only plays short snippets, I can already tell he has done a great job of building off of what was already there. Like the story and characters, the score has matured. The music seems to reflect the growth of this world we have come to know so well and the darkness it is so deeply devoted to fighting.  I am excited and terrified for the new HP movie at the same time. It will be the end of an era for my generation, but its been one of the most magnificent journeys!
Take a second to watch the interview with Alexandre Desplat and if you haven’t watched the newest trailor, click the link below! (pay attention to the muuuusic.)


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 Trailer

Councilman Joel Burns and "It Gets Better."

If you haven’t heard about Councilman Joel Burns and his amazing speech to the Fort Worth City Council you are missing out on a wonderful addition to history. I just found his video and I think its phenomenal. Councilman Burns was moved to speak after hearing about the attacks on Gay teens in the area and was hit especially hard when a teen committed suicide after receiving unsupportive reactions from representatives at a City Council meeting. He asked to use his personal time at the City Council Meeting to express his support for “It Gets Better” and wrote the speech during his lunch hour that day. The speech he ends up giving is one of the most heart wrenching and emotional ones I have ever heard. Councilman Burns expresses himself  so clearly and shows so much compassion for others. He even gives out his telephone number at the end of the speech.Please take a second to watch this video, I know you will consider it time well spent. The topics aren’t always pleasant, but I think you’ll find it hard not to smile at all the love this man possesses.

A Few of My Favorite Phrases...

Witches, magic and candy, Oh My!

Its official, Halloween is here! Though I won’t be home for Halloween this year, its fun to think of what all the little kids on my street will be dressed up as. Last year we had quite a variety of costumes. From kids still keeping the “Scream” mask alive, to Bob the Builder, we had it all. I remember as a kid preparing for Halloween weeks in advance. I would plan a costume for school, a costume for Trick or Treat and if need be, a costume for the “Halloween Dance” at school. Ah, those were the days. Hours and hours spent trying to find just the right type of glitter and the ugliest prom dress I could find…pure bliss. This year, I’m stepping it up a notch and going to OU for Halloween. I’m a little terrified, but horribly excited at the same time. My two best friends live in an apartment on Court Street, apparently the party stretches down Court (the roads are closed) for a few miles and people walk back and forth showing off their costumes and visiting with friends. It sounds so simple to be so chaotic and trouble causing…oh well, we will have to see! One thing Halloween always reminds me of…the child inside my heart is still there. Itching to go and find just the right glitter…But really, I’m going as a fairy…I’ve got to get to the store and pick up some glitter! HAPPY HALLOWEEN, GO WATCH HOCUS POCUS!!

Sunday Dinner: Ladies Fingers

Happy early Halloween everyone!! This weeks Sunday Dinner post is…dun dun dun…Ladies Fingers!

Brought to you by the ever creative Martha Stewart, this fun treat is sure to add some flair to any Halloween table…and maybe some hesitation from your guests…However, you can assure them that there were no real ladies harmed in the making of this dish!

Here is the link to Martha Stewart’s website, check out her other Halloween treats while you’re there!

Martha’s Lady Fingers

As a treat I’ve also included a few of her previous Halloween costumes, they’re pretty fun.

Sunday Dinner: Cookiessssss

Everyone go buy these cook books! Technically, they’re baking, but oh well. 1 Mix, 100 Muffins and 1 Dough, 100 Cookies use 1 basic recipe that is altered to create 100 different types of muffins or cookies. Sounds like a terrible idea, right? Wrong! These books can produce some of the most amazing desserts. I have them sitting here on my bed as I type this and I’m thinking of all the different recipes I’ve tried and how good they all are. Now, when I say tried, I mean eaten. Unfortunately, I have little interest in cooking myself, but I’m REALLY good at finding recipes for my friends who do! (My step-mom introduced me to these books) We’ve had the muffins the most and one of my favorites is the cornbread muffin. It has actual corn in it…truly great. Below is the link to Amazon, but I found my muffin book at T.J. Max. People don’t realize how great they are, so the books are usually discounted. (extra plus!) I was in a boutique the other day and found 1 Mix, 100 cookies. I’ve even seen them discounted at Walgreens…So if you happen to see one on the shelf, grab it! They’re totally worth every penny.  
1 Mix, 100 Muffins on Amazon  1 Dough, 100 Cookies on Amazon

Quizmaster Extraordinaire

AHHHHH I’m obsessed! Everyone go visit Sporcle.com. My friend Angie sent me the link to a quiz on the 6 wives of Henry VIII (I have a slightly ridiculous obsession with the Tudor family) and I became…an addict. I didn’t even see it coming. But there are so many quizes on so many different topics! I can quiz myself on the Harry Potter books, movies, history, literature, music and a million other topics! I admit, I’ve wasted a considerable amount of my life away, but  I think of it as exercise for my brain instead of pointless fun. The brain functions the same way that muscles do, so the more you challenge it the stronger it becomes. Thats what I’m telling myself anyway. With a time clock and questions to answer, it can be the perfect addiction for anyone!

Here is the link to my favorite Harry Potter Quiz. Can you name 200 HP characters in under 20 minutes? I couldn’t actually. GO TAKE THE QUIZ!

http://www.sporcle.com/games/GeoGod/allharrypotter

It Gets Better

I am SO inspired by the support going out to bullied gay teens right now. Gay Rights is a cause to which I am deeply dedicated since a large majority of my friends are gay. I can’t imagine my life without them and I can’t imagine their live’s without each other. The love they bring to the world is absolutely wonderful. Regardless of who is being bullied, it is wrong on every level and I am glad that this campaign has brought it to people’s attention. The more negative press it gets and the more we suppress it the harder it is for it to survive. People are bullied for a variety of reasons, but I love how this campaign is approaching it. The point of “It Gets Better” is obviously to speak out against gay bullying, but its doing something else in the process. Its focusing on why kids are being bullied, not the bullying itself. Its like a face to a name. When you take away the reason for the bullying and turn the tables on a bully, it makes it harder to continue the bullying. (though not impossible) I think this has happened more by accident than on purpose with a few things in today’s society. For example, The Civil Rights Movement wasn’t started as an “anti-bullying campaign,” it was started to give all races, creeds and colors equal rights. In the end, it helped to crack down on bullies because it made being from a different culture or race normal rather than different. Likewise, society has also made being a “nerd” cool instead of weird. Though like the Civil Rights Movement this probably has more to do with the evolution of society and (quite frankly) fashion than it does with an anti-bullying campaign. So, in the end, I thank “It Gets Better” for making a difference in the lives of gay teens and giving them strength when they feel that no one around them has support or love to share with them. However, I alsothank the campaign for giving bullying yet another face that we can relate to and working to eliminate it directly, but also indirectly. With so many people sharing so much love, how could it NOT get better?!

Please, please, please visit TheTrevorProject.org for more details!!

The Beauty of Art

Sunday Dinner: Rosemary Red Potatoes

I’ve been thinking of more ways to add structure to this silly blog of mine, so I’ve decided to have certain days signify certain types of posts. For example! I have a friend who loves cooking. Her dream is to own a pastry shop in Paris one day. Which means She is always looking for new recipes or fun experiments to try out. I’ve thought about posting the ones I like for her to read. Except, I didn’t want to have 5 recipe posts in a row or random posts here and there that she would have to sort through.

My solution to this problem then, is Sunday Dinner! Every Sunday, I will post new recipes and fun ideas I have heard about for all of those quirky cooks and aspiring pastry chefs, like my friend Karissa. They will be in honor of that family filled day that always includes a good meal at home or with friends. Perhaps, its even a day you have some free time to try one of these recipes!

Therefore, to inaugurate Sunday Dinner, I’ve picked one of the first things I learned to cook. (and one of the last, woops!):

Bella's Rosemary Red Potatoes

from Allrecipes.com

FYI: Last time I substituted italian seasoning, salt and pepper for the rosemary. It was DELICIOUS!

DIY Dry Erase Board

Make and Takes.com, a website devoted to “craft. food. fun.” recently posted this classy little dry erase board project. Maybe it was the DIY, adorable and affordable aspects of it that appealed to me…or maybe it was just the reminder of my step-mom’s amazing tortilla soup (pictured on the final product) that made this little project catch my eye! Either way, I love finding innovative ways to use the things sitting around my house. As a college student, that really means a lot. So, follow the steps below or visit the  site!

Supplies:

• Picture frame with glass front (This one is a 12×12 frame) 
• Piece of patterned scrapbook paper to fit in your frame 
• Optional: Vinyl cut letters for each day of the week (you could always just hand write them)
• Dry-erase marker

1. Put your patterned paper inside the frame. Replace the back. That’s pretty much it. 

2. If you wanted to stop here, you could hand-write your days of the week on the glass, or use it as a message board/to-do list. I love that these frames can stand or hang on the wall so you can do whatever works best in your space!

3. Use a paper towel or cloth to easily erase dry-erase marker off the glass.

4. If you want to get fancy and go a step further, you can add vinyl lettering for the days of the week. I cut these letters with my Silhouette machine, using Creating Keepsakes “Woodbine Swashes” font. (Try not to notice how crooked “Sunday” is. I didn’t notice until after the picture was taken. Luckily, it’s easy to fix!)

Now everyone in the family knows what’s for dinner each week!

If you’re not a fan of white frames, here it is spray painted black, as well. The best part about this project is that it is SO easy to change the paper if you decide to change your decor, or if you just get tired of it. So you’ll really use it for years to come!