Christmas baking

Well, I have begun my Christmas baking. hahaha I say that and it sounds like every year I do all this Christmas baking, but don't let me fool you. This is the first time I've really done anything like this. It's definitely my first time to make brittle (Walnut Brittle) which was so easy and SO GOOD!! I also made these oh so yummy and festive looking chocolate cupcakes that I will be making for my family to enjoy on Christmas day (probably with some ice cream). But I had so much fun making these two treats that I cannot wait to make more yummy things to share during the holiday season. :) And that is what I mean when I say "I have begun my Christmas baking." Hopefully, it will become a tradition for me. :) Oooo, my own little tradition, I love it.

Girls Night Out and a beautiful Sunrise

Kristin, Beks, Jamie and I went out a few weekends ago for a night on the town. We went to the Dragonfish (in the Paragon Hotel) for dinner and then to the...the...well, hmmm, I can't remember where we went after that but it was a fun place. :) It was a fun evening and I had a blast! Jenny, me, and Kristin

Beks having a blast and two different kinds of sake (one is pear infused and one is rasberry infused)...interesting flavors.

not a great picture on my part, but here is Beks attempting to eat her eel with only her chopsticks...she did quite well.

Jamie, me, and Jenny...real smiles.

Also, changing directions...yesterday was an absolutely beautiful sunrise that I just had to snap some pictures to share with you all (sorry if they aren't that great).

Which Princess Bride Character are You?
this quiz was made by

Hi friends!

Hey everyone. I don't have anything to say really but it has been awhile since I posted last so I thought I would say hello and let you know that things are going quite well.

Here is a story for you...

Today at work, Ruthie needed half&half for her coffee but there was none in the fridge in the mail room. She, being the random sweety that I just cherish, turned to me and said she would time me to see how long it took me to run to the kitchen and and back and grab a new half&half carton. I, being the crazy runner who jumps at a challenge, took off a-runnin'. I made it back in 1 minute and 14 seconds (she might have to correct me, I was huffing and puffing when she told me the time so I didn't quite catch it all). It was fun. :) I love random things like that. Next time it will have to be a race with someone. :)


Let's see...oh, I think everyone should do one good thing for environment. Doesn't have to be huge but if we all did just one thing to help it really would make a difference. I heard that statement from a very dear friend of mine who said her one thing is to buy laundry and dish detergent in that is more concentrated but comes in smaller containers. Mine is to not use the plastic bags at grocery stores. I have a plethora of cloth sacks and bags that I have collected from Fred's and Trader Joes, to name a few, and from a website called Reusable Bags (check it out, they sell A LOT of stuff and they make for great gifts). If I don't have those on hand I try to remember (notice I said "try to remember") to ask the person helping me to put my stuff in a paper bag. Once I had them re-bag it for me. But it was great because I got to explain to the young checker what my deal was and he totally got it (well, at least pretended for my benefit). There are some crazy, expensive and time consuming ideas out there but all you need to do it find something that you know you can actually accomplish on some sort of regular basis, you could make a difference. :) Call me a tree-hugger, I don't care. Here are a few different places you can check out to get some simple, easy ideas:
Making a difference
Green Living tips

And here are a couple websites that you might find interesting:
National Geographic
Green Living

Lastly, here are a few pictures from way back in September when Roxanna and Sophia came to town:
Sophia eating her soybeans, but really wanting the chocolate

Sophia just realized her mommy is gone and she has to spend the evening with us (my dad, my friend Holli, and me)

Sophia playing on the rocking stool (I admit, I love it too)

Holli and Sophia reading a book (if you look closely, you can see Sophia multitasking by talking on her cell at the same time)

And Sophia and I playing around on the trampoline

So, this entry is long and all over the place...sorry.

:) Tabs out

Alumni who?

So I just got the little alum magazine from my university last night. I took a moment to look through it and found the Milestone's section to be the most interesting and saddest part. Interesting because it lists people having baby's, getting married, moving up in their company's (even starting new company's) and all the super fun stuff. It even had pictures and it was fun to see and read about people I know. It was kind of sad though (in a selfish way, of course) because it made me realize I was not getting married, not having babies, not moving up in any company, not really doing much of anything. But then again not sad cause I'm pretty content with where I am at these days. Life is good. God is good. There are things I wouldn't mind seeing change, but there always are. All in all, it was fun to "catch up" with people that I otherwise wouldn't know anything about. Someday I'll have my own little blurb in there, don't you worry. :)

Yesterday when I came into work I was shushed by a couple of 1st graders on their way to music class. Cutest thing. I love working in the school building (but I love that I am not a part of the school).

I have to give a little shout out to my friend Beks who was showed what it is to be a true friend when she swept all the cobwebs away from my door the other night. She also swept up the hugest, nastiest dead spider that I had killed a few nights before that. I'll give you the overall recap on that scary incident: 4:30 am Wednesday morning, there was a battle on my door step between me and a freakin' huge spider who had made a web across my staircase. Some instruments that were involved in this battle were my broom (who's new home is on the front step by the welcome mat), a bottle of wasp spray and my welcome mat (envision me throwing tossing the welcome mat on the wasp spray-covered spider and jumping up and down while whimpering like the little girl that I am). I'm sure it was quite the sight. ANYWAY, all that to say a HUGE THANK YOU! to Bekah, you are fabulous, thanks for being a better friend than me.


Today, October 30th, is National Candy Corn day...I love this day! Candy Corn is not the best candy around but it sure is tasty.

And lastly I just want to add that I LOVE the song Grace Kelly by MIKA. If you haven't heard it, go visit iTunes and buy it, you will just love it!! It's a super fun and catchy tune. :)

Have a great day everyone!! Love you all!

One last parting comment and then I really will be done.
I got a card in the mail from a friend recently that had Winnie the Pooh and Piglet walking hand in hand on the front and said "Friendship,' said Pooh, 'is a very comforting thing." Seriously, nobody can say it better than Pooh.

A Sunday stroll

Sunday morning I drove down to Salem and ran Dream of Roses, a 10k race just for women. There were probably just over 100 involved, from the race coordinators to the little kids who participated in the 2 mile walk. It was a beautiful, albeit cold, autumn morning, just great for a race. I like 10K's and was really happy I was running that instead of a half marathon when I rounded mile marker 5 and realized I only had 1.4 miles left instead of the usual 8.1. Check out my goofy pictures. :)

Here I am before the race...number-check, iPod-check, hat-check. I am ready to race.
Here I am after the race (looking like a freak show I might add). Sweat-check, goofy "I'm finished" grin-check, rose-check (They handed out roses as we crossed the finished line, how fun is that?)
The finish line, a wondrous sight for a runner.
My "awards": I got 4Th in the race and 1st in my age division (25-29).