My Costume

This year for Halloween I went as "shocked"...full story coming up tomorrow...

Halloween Eve

Happy Halloween Eve! Still stressed about a costume? Why not go as one of your Friends?

Candy!

In honor of the sweetest holiday of the year (pardon the pun!) this Friday I present my Top 5 Favorite (non-chocolate) Candy:

5) Swedish Fish
The smaller fish are somehow better than the bigger ones
4) Dots
Such a simple name and concept, yet so delicious
3) Haribo Gummy Bears
Kids and Grown ups love it so! There is definitely a difference in Gummy Bear brands and Haribo is the best.
2) Laffy Taffy
Why didn’t the Skeleton go to the dance? Because he had no body to go with.
1) Sour Patch Kids
A weird concept considering they are in the shape of children, but this candy is by far the best. I’m not ashamed to say I can easily enjoy an entire bag by myself.

Face to Face with an Idol

As I posted yesterday, I’m an accidental fan of The Pioneer Woman and definitely never thought I would have become a fan of any cookbook last year. But she won me over with her hilarious writing and inviting how-to recipes. So when it was announced that she would be making an appearance at a bookstore in Charlotte I had to go.

My dear sister and mother had tried to get my cookbook signed in Dallas in December only to show up and realize the line was 3+ hours. They love me, but even they have limits. However they were able to get the PW’s daughters to sign the books before leaving so that was something and I of course appreciated the effort.

I went to the book signing in Charlotte with my friends Aimee and CC. I think they would attest that I was totally geek-ing out in preparation. I called the bookstore to find out what the process was and secured early tickets. Then I had pictures printed of the meals I had made from her cookbook (including a lasagna in the shape of Oklahoma, of course). Then I rehearsed what I was going to say to the PW in the 60 seconds that I would be face to face with this idol.

The problem was I had at least 5 minutes worth of things I wanted to say. Surely she would want to know that I went to school at Oklahoma, that my sister and mom had tried to meet her in Dallas but only to get meet her daughters, that I when my family ate the lasagna I made using her recipe we ended up cutting it in the shape of Oklahoma (fate of course), that I started reading her blog for the Black Heels to Tractor Wheels section only and really appreciated her inviting picture step-by-step approach to recipe sharing.

When it was finally our turn to approach her throne (the book table), I froze. I think I said something about being a fan and muttered that I loved Black Heels but I honestly can’t remember what I said. When she opened my cookbook she noticed I already had her daughters’ signatures so I explained how my mom and sister tried to meet her in Dallas and she told me she was glad I got the job finished. Then we all took a picture and exited stage left.
No more than a few sentences were exchanged between us but it was still a great experience. I’m thinking about emailing her my Oklahoma lasagna picture – surely she would appreciate that, right?

Conquering the Kitchen

As I mentioned a long time ago on the blog, I started reading The Pioneer Woman website solely for the “Black Heels to Tractor Wheels” section. These blog posts tell the story of how Ree (The PW) met, dated and eventually married her husband (The Marlboro Man). I’m not one for over-the-top sappy love stories but the story of The PW and Marlboro Man was truly entertaining and fun to read.

After I had read the entire saga of Black Heels to Tractor Wheels (over several days) I started browsing around her site at other categories. She is most known for her recipes but I stayed away from this section for as long as possible since it was the least useful or interesting to me -- the microwave is the most important kitchen appliance in my life, after all.

When I finally gave in and started looking through some recipes I was surprised to find myself much less intimidated than I usually am when I read words like mix, blend, and oven. Along with written instructions the PW takes a picture of each recipe step so that you can tell if your meal is looking right before it’s too late to do anything about it and you’re stuck with bread dough all over in the inside of your oven (for example of course).

I received the Pioneer Woman Cookbook for Christmas last year and promptly made a New Year’s Resolution to cook “more”. I left it at a nebulous amount of cooking, but knew that if I turned the oven on twice in 2010 it would be once more than I did in 2009.

I’m happy to report that thanks to the PW cookbook I have in fact cooked more this year than last and each time with successful results. I highly recommend 'The Pioneer Woman Cooks' cookbook (or at least the 4 recipes I have made from it) to anyone with a healthy fear of real cooking. If I can do it, I promise you can do it!

I had the privilege of meeting the PW for 5 minutes at a book signing in May…more to come on that tomorrow!

No More Mixed Tapes

Earlier this week Sony announced that they will retire the cassette Walkman player. So as I begin my 30th year, the Walkman ends it's 30th with 'retirement.'


Another short post here as I try to keep up my 30 for 30 commitment!

FashionABLE Update!

The FashionABLE project that I blogged about a few days ago is now up and running. Just in time for Christmas you can pick up super cute and trendy scarves for all your friends! Click here for the website which also includes stories from some of the women who have been impacted by this ministry.

I'm Blessed

Montreat, NC

The only bad thing about an excellent weekend is that it makes the Sunday night blues even bluer.

3-Day Awesomeness

Since I wrote about music yesterday instead of a normal music Saturday, today I want to give a shout out to my friend Lori Ellen who is currently walking 60 miles over the course of three days. Yes that’s right – WALKING SIXTY MILES!! Amazing!

Lori Ellen is participating in the 3-day walk for the Cure in Atlanta and I’ve been totally amazed at her dedication in training! She also has to sleep in a tent on Friday and Saturday nights – which is impressive alone, but couple with that the fact that she’s walking 20 miles a day? Incredible! If you think about it today I’m sure she would love your prayers for no blisters and a strong finish tomorrow! Congrats Lori Ellen!

Friday Five

I’ve got a fun weekend in the mountains ahead of me and can’t wait to get it started. Today’s Friday Five was originally going to be my favorite Fall music however when I started making my list I noticed a common theme appearing so I switched to a different theme. I now present my Top 5 Favorite Bearded Male Singers/Bands. I love random blog posts. :)

5) Fleet Foxes

4) Iron and Wine

3) Bon Iver

2) Band of Horses

1) Ray LaMontagne (of course)

Tommorowland

This 30 for 30 challenge has been especially challenging during this very hectic week! Therefore today's post is simply a link to another blog for Mad Men fans. I loved the finale and thought this article was a great summary. Already can't wait for the next season!

Blue Like Jazz

My favorite Donald Miller book is Blue Like Jazz. It's no surprise then that my second favorite is A Million Miles in a Thousand Years - his book about discoveries while writing the script for the Blue Like Jazz movie.

There's a campaign going on to save the movie since 'they' (the people who make movies happen) were unable to secure funding. It's been a pretty incredible story of how the project got started and how quickly the initial goal was met. If you want to read all about it check out Donald Miller's blog here. If you want to donate to the cause you can do that here. I just hope if it gets made that the movie will be as good as the book.

Just in Time for Halloween

Your very own Chuck Norris pumpkin...

Find more celebrity pumpkin stencils here. You're welcome!

Ice Hotel

I didn't see Amazing Race last night but heard at the office water cooler that the Ice Hotel in Sweden was featured. I was not aware that a hotel made of ice existed and furthermore do not understand why people would pay money to sleep in a hotel that is constantly set at negative 5 degrees Celsius. I think enjoying pictures of the hotel is just as exciting.

One

It feels like things are as they should be...

Band of Horses

Saturday Music Post - In honor of the OU vs. Iowa State game, today's music honors the beloved horses that pull the Sooner Schooner. Boomer Sooner!

Band: Band of Horses (get it!? band of horses, horses Boomer and Sooner...I know you love it.)
Album: Infinite Arms
Favorite Song/Video: Compliments

Friday Five

If you read this blog you know I like TV. For today’s “Friday Five” I present my Top 5 Current (still on-air and in season) Favorite TV shows.

5) The Office
I admit the past few seasons have been lacking but I’m hoping it turns around soon.
4) Project Runway
Mondo is the clear favorite in my opinion
3) Glee
Sue Sylvester is still the best part of the show
2) Mad Men
Season finale on Sunday! Can.Not.Wait
1) Modern Family
I guarantee you’ll laugh at something Phil Dunphy says

Signature b

Belk revealed a new logo at their flagship SouthPark store yesterday.


My immediate thought? They totally ripped off Bloomingdale’s.


That is the exact same signature “b” people! I can’t believe there hasn’t been a more vocal public outcry on the issue. Could it be that I’m the only one who cares about such things? If Belk introduces the “big blue bag” next there will be no denying it.

Apparently There's Another Sport in the Fall

Let’s go Rangers! (Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap)
Okay I give -- I’m not really a baseball fan. Sure, I went to several Texas Rangers games growing up but the highlights for me were eating ice cream out of a mini helmet and betting on the red dot to win the dot race on the jumbotron in the 6th inning. The other memory I have is cheering for Ruben Sierra because his first name was coincidentally also the name of one of my many Cabbage Patch Kids.

However thanks to facebook, I’m now aware that the Rangers have advanced to the American League Championship Series (ALCS) for the first time in franchise history! This means I’m jumping on the Rangers bandwagon and hoping we can make it all the way to the World Series for the first time ever. It’s all very exciting, but mostly it just makes me want some ice cream in a mini helmet cup.

26.2

Two years ago to the date I ran my first and only marathon – the Chicago Marathon. The training was grueling to say the least but the actual race was an unforgettable experience. If you’ve ever thought about running a marathon know that if I can do you – you can definitely do it! After the marathon I knew I wanted to remember everything so I wrote a very long journal entry about it. Below are excerpts about the race details.

October 12, 2008
CC, Amy, Emily, and I left our hotel around 5:45 AM and took a cab to the starting area. We got to the World Vision tent around 6:10 and waited nervously for others to get there. We met a few other people also running to support World Vision. The overall feeling in the tent was a combination of apprehension and excitement. The World Vision staff took a group picture around 7:15 and then sent everyone to the starting corral in their pacing groups.

Once we were in the start area the excitement increased, again we met some new people running with World Vision. Over the loudspeaker they announced 5 minutes till the start and played the national anthem. Then they announced when the race actually started since we were so far back we couldn’t tell the gun had gone off. Everyone started cheering. We didn’t start moving for another 5 minutes or so and then we started slowly walking with the mass of people. As we could see the start line in the distance I was overcome with emotion. I had to hold back tears as I crossed the start line around 8:20 and through the first 3 miles. There were so many people running and so many spectators cheering.

Since we had our names on the front of our jerseys we heard our names about every 2 minutes. It was incredible, the feeling of excitement and accomplishment just to be there. There were lots of signs, several of them clever and funny. As we continued through the race it was hard to slow down to our normal pace because there were so many people cheering the entire course.

It was also great to have my family there cheering me on. I am so blessed to have a family that supports me whatever I decide to do. I love that they were able to experience this with me and that they care for me so well. My mom made signs that said “Go Cameo Court girls!” I also loved watching other people see their family and friends – their supporters would get so excited to see them and the runners would instantly smile as well.

As the heat intensified the last 7-8 miles were really tough for me. The sun felt like it was beating down and I just wanted to get to the finish but at the same time in a weird way, I didn’t want the experience to end. I made the several turns through the last mile and finally saw the finish line. I couldn’t believe I made it, especially without an injury! I heard my dad yell my name from the stands and waved to my family as I picked up the pace to run without ceasing toward the finish line. What an incredible experience. What a joy and relief to finish. As soon as I was done I made it through the crowds and back to the World Vision tent to be greeted by my family!

I loved the experience, I am so thankful to God that He allowed me to have it, that He kept me injury free, and that He revealed more of Himself to me through this experience.

PYOT

PYOT (pronounced pee-ought) is an acronym for Put Yourself Out There. This term was created in the summer of 2006 through a discussion at the Original Pancake House (OPH) with my dear friends Katie and Meghan. We made a decision that we wanted to spice things up that summer. While eating lots of curry would have definitely made for a spicier summer in the literal sense, we instead decided to spice things up by taking risks and “put ourselves out there.” Once the acronym became a word we analyzed what a PYOT would entail. Really it boils down to anything that is outside of the box for you; examples include but are not limited to: ordering a different dish at a restaurant, wearing super trendy clothes, asking someone out on a date, being flirty, moving to a new city, trying to meet a celebrity when they are in your city downtown, etc. Hopefully you get the idea.

Right after PYOT was established Katie, Meghan and I of course had to live by example and PYOT by ordering something different than we normally do at the Pancake House. There is a picture on the wall in the OPH of the Dutch Baby and I'd always been intrigued by the shape of this dish. So on that day…the day of the creation of PYOT… I finally ordered the Dutch Baby. If you plan to order the Dutch Baby in the future let me warn you that the poster sized picture in the Original Pancake House is the real size, not enlarged at all. I definitely underestimated the size of the Dutch Baby based on the picture. What came to our table was a ginormous bowl-shaped dough pancake. Here is a picture (not of my Dutch Baby, this is a picture from the Internet of someone else’s D.B.):

It wasn’t my favorite breakfast dish, I could only eat ¼ of it, and I don’t think I’ll order it again, but I’m glad I can now say I’ve tried it, which is really the reward of the PYOT; the satisfaction from courageously stepping out and trying something new.

Happy PYOT-ing!

FashionABLE

My BFF Kelli recently went to Ethiopia with a group called the Mocha Club. She is part of a team involved in setting up a new project called FashionABLE. This is a microfinance project that will empower women through job training. These fashionable scarves that the women make will be sold through the Mocha Club website. I’m not sure when the official launch is but be sure to check back to this website as Christmas gets closer – great present idea!

*Photo from of Mocha Club website

Mumford & Sons

Since Saturday’s are meant to be spent outside and not behind a computer, during my 30 for 30 project Saturday’s will be short posts highlighting some of my current favorite music.

Today's band: Mumford & Sons
Album: Sigh No More
My favorite songs – The Cave and Winter Winds

Friday Five

TGIF! This Friday I present my Top 5 Favorite things about Fall:

5) Dark nail polish colors

4) The return of the scarf

3) Pumpkin spice lattes

2) Leaves changing color
1) College football - and of course beating ut...Boomer Sooner!

Miss Nelson for Halloween?

When I first saw this Snickers commercial I wasn't quite sure how to feel about it...


I rotated between thinking it was creepy/funny/random. Then I saw a comment on Pop Candy (where else!?) about it. Someone noted that the mask is very similar to the “Miss Nelson” mask from the children’s book Miss Nelson is Back.

In this 1986 classic, when Miss Nelson the teacher leaves her class to a substitute the kids pretend to be her (3 kids balancing on each other to create the fake Miss Nelson – complete with homemade mask resembling Miss Nelson)
I don’t know if that theory is true or not but I’m going to choose to believe it is because it makes the commercial way less creepy. And of course I love that advertisers would reference such a classic book (I mean there's a Texas flag on the front, how could it not be classic?)

Office Space

Have I mentioned that I work at Dunder Mifflin? This is what happens when a manager leaves his car at the office while he’s on vacation. Definitely an appropriate use of post-it notes, right?

StoryCorps

A few weeks ago I watched this animated short (below) thanks to a link on my favorite blog, Pop Candy. If you haven’t seen it I recommend watching -- but be warned, you might want to have a Kleenex nearby!

Danny & Annie from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

This inspired me to learn more about the StoryCorps Project. A description of StoryCorps from their own website: “StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit whose mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives. To gather the stories, StoryCorps provides a facility, recording equipment and a facilitator; then waits for people to invite loved ones, friends, grandparents to sit down for a 40-minute session. A copy of the tape is filed in the Library of Congress, and parts have aired on NPR.”

In 2007 the founder complied several of these stories into a book called Listening is an Act of Love. I read this book in approximately 7 days – it’s a fast read since its several very short stories grouped together by theme. I can honestly say I thought every story in the book was interesting in some way. There are a few that have stuck with me so much so that I still find myself occasionally thinking about these people I don’t even know.

The essence of what drew me into StoryCorps was the idea of hearing people’s stories. The founder of StoryCorps stated, “I realized how many people among us feel completely invisible, believe their lives don't matter, and fear they'll someday be forgotten.”

This statement makes me sad but it's also convicting. When Jesus was on earth He spent time loving people through talking to them. When I think about the people in my life - from family and friends to acquaintances and neighbors; I'm ashamed to say there are many stories I don't know. I’m usually too consumed with the thought of time or worried I might offend someone by asking something too personal.

There’s another animated short (embedded below) on the subject of the decrease of the human voice in society – which I think might be a byproduct of our ‘busy’ lives; preventing us from actually speaking to one another.

The Human Voice from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

In my 30th year I want to worry less about the ‘what if’ and instead be bolder about asking people questions and truly listening to their story. If you’re interested, more animated shorts can be found here.

30 for 30

If you’re still reading this blog it’s likely because you are either related to me or you have ample time between the hours of 8 and 5 to surf the web. My blogging came to a two month halt after Rrroberto won Ali’s heart for many reasons:

1) I was hiding under a rock to avoid the insanity that was The Bachelor Pad

2) I was cheering on Tim Gunn’s choice words for Gretchen

3) I was busy making my pros and cons list to ABC’s choice for the “new” bachelor

4) I was contemplating what would happen if Lucky Strike left Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce

5) I was grieving over the breakup of Ed & Jillian

Okay so maybe only 4 of those 5 are truthful…everyone knew Ed and Jillian would never make it. There were red flags all over his short shorts.

I never intended this little blog of breeziness to be a dedicated Bachelor franchise blog, it just kind of happened. And I can’t really take credit for it because ‘crazy’ is easy material to write about. But since the “new” bachelor doesn’t start until January I thought I’d take the rest of the year and get back to the breeziness that is this random blog.

What inspired this? Well in 30 days I will be 30 (insert gasp here). Someone asked me yesterday if there was anything I wanted to do before I turn the big 3-0. As I thought about it I became really thankful for this past decade because I’ve been incredibly blessed. I graduated college, moved across the country, traveled to incredible places, and accomplished many goals within the past 10 years.

With only 30 days left I thought it would be fun to try to accomplish a few more small goals. One that comes to mind is to write a complete “piece”. Writing has always been an interest of mine but like many projects in life it’s one of those things that I start but never really finish. I have lots of half written essays and short stories that I’ve just lost interest in. So one goal is to write something (I’m not defining what it will be) and complete it by November 3rd. These will be small goals as I only have 30 days to complete them, but consider that goal #1.

In an effort to keep up with the writing I’ve decided my second goal will be to write 30 blog posts in 30 days. I like this goal because I’m a big theme person so I’m stealing the ESPN documentary series title and calling it my own personal 30 for 30. (if you’re not a theme person I can hear your eyes rolling). I recognize the cheese-factor may be high but I think that’s allowed because I’m still a 20-something. I’m sure I’ll be more sophisticated in the next decade, right!?

I have no idea what these 30 posts will be about. They may be a sentence or they may be a novel. (scratch that-- they will definitely not be novel length). They may be serious or seriously ridiculous. I’m making no promises that they’ll be interesting as time will be limited and my goal is to just write and not over-analyze content.

So...30 for 30: day one…check!