Christmas Craft Crazy

This year I found the inner-crafter in me. It’s true—I’ve never been a big arts and crafts person, but this holiday season I started, and now I can’t stop!! I thought I would share a couple of the Christmas decorations I’ve made this year.

These Christmas trees are so cute and so easy to make! I purchased the paper trees at Michael’s, used a spray adhesive, and then went crazy with the glitter.

This simple plaque brings lots of JOY to my front entry way. I purchased the wooden plaque and letters at Hobby Lobby. After painting the edges, and glittering the letters, I used Mod Podge to cover the plaque with scrapbooking paper. Voila!

I wanted to add some holiday pillows to my décor this year so purchased these red pillow covers from Ikea. I created the designs, printed them on iron-on transfer paper, and then ironed them onto the pillows. I love how they turned out, and love the splash of Christmas color they add to the house.

Oh Christmas, how I love you so!

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Tis the season…the season to eat lots and lots of yummy food! Perhaps it’s the chill in the air or all this Christmas music I’ve been listening to, but lately all I’ve been craving is comfort food. And nothing says comfort food like homemade Mac and Cheese. Yum! I found this recipe on a blog I follow (The Small Things Blog) and it’s totally fabulous! It’s incredibly delicious and amazingly easy. And I mean super easy! So if you want some warm, gooey, yummy homemade Mac and Cheese I highly recommend this recipe. Enjoy!

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 lb (1 box) al dente elbow noodles

1 lb cheddar cheese

4 tablespoons butter

salt & pepper

1/2 cup milk

*cook your noodles to al dente as per the package instructions

**set oven to 375 degrees

Instructions:

1.    Pam/grease your baking dish. 

2.    Place cooked noodles in the bottom of the dish (enough to cover the bottom).

3.    Salt and pepper generously.

4.    Add two large handfuls of cheese.

5.    Start second layer. Repeat exactly what you did in the first layer until you fill your dish.

6.    Place 4-5 tablespoon slices of butter on top of the mac and cheese and pour 1/2 cup milk over the top.

7.    Bake for 35-45 minutes uncovered.

(Recipe and photo taken from The Small Things Blog)

O Christmas Tree

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how lovely are thy branches! I could literally stare at my Christmas tree all day. It makes me so happy! I’m just sad that the holiday season is flying by--I don’t want it to end. Can it be Christmas all year long? 

Unbroken

“December 7, 1941--a date which will live in infamy--the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan." Seventy years ago today started a course of events that certainly changed the world forever. I’ve always had an enormous amount of respect and gratitude for the armed forces—especially those who served during WWI and WWII—but I recently read a book that has made me appreciate those men and women more than I can say. The book is titled, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, by Laura Hillenbrand.

I was incredibly moved and inspired by this true story of a World War II POW, Louie Zamperini, and the men he served and survived with. His journey and experiences are breathtaking, heartbreaking, and inspirational. I literally couldn’t stop thinking about and talking about this book for several weeks after I finished it. I've been thinking about it a lot today, on this anniversary, and it is a story that will always stick with me and inspire me. It is such a powerful book and I think everyone should read it. I am so grateful for this country, our freedom, and for those who have suffered and given everything so that we can enjoy those freedoms and opportunities we have today. God bless those who sacrificed their lives seventy years ago today, and God bless those who volunteered to serve our country in the days, months, and years that followed. Promise me you will read this book—it’s a must!

Spread Christmas Cheer

My second favorite Christmas movie is Elf. I watch it every year and every year it makes me feel joyful and triumphant. It’s hilarious. I still laugh out load even though I’ve seen it a million times. Well, imagine my Christmas cheer when I found the following printable on Pinterest. I immediately printed this out, framed it, and added it to my Christmas décor. Ta-da!!

Just glancing at it makes me so happy! Here is the link to the printout for all you other Elf fanatics. And don't forget to stick to Buddy's recommended four main food groups this holiday season: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup. Cheers!

Christmas is Coming

If it takes me a while to answer my phone, it’s because I’m singing/dancing to the “All I Want for Christmas Is You” ringtone I just put on my phone today. Too early? Perhaps, but I don't care because according to me the holiday season is officially here! Let the games, glitter, and jingle bells begin! Yahoo!!

Scream for Ice Cream

72 days

I was not so happy when I heard that people were calling Kim Kardashian’s wedding the “American Royal Wedding.” Really? I’m sorry, but reality T.V. trash should never be compared to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Now that Kim’s so called “fairytale” has come to a sudden end, a mere 72 days after it started, I feel slightly vindicated. I’ve seen these lists floating around, so I just had to share. Here’s a list of five things that lasted longer than Kim Kardashian’s marriage:

I know…I probably shouldn’t judge her, but maybe next time she should spend more time getting to know her fiancé and less time on the television production.

A Shore Thing

It’s Halloween! And that means another chance to dress up and make a fool of myself (see last year). As I mentioned last year, Halloween is a big deal at my work and pretty much everyone dresses up. This year me and a few friends decided to take a page from pop culture and dress up like America’s worst role models…that’s right…the cast of the Jersey Shore!

Being the midget of the group, I was lucky enough to be the one and only Snooki!

Here I am with my bestie JWOWW…

And here we are with DJ Pauly D, fist pumping at the club…I mean our cubicle. 

I had a blast playing dress up for the day. I don’t think I’ll wear that much leopard print anytime soon, but I must admit that the spray tan, heavy make-up, and fake eyelashes are quite addicting. I’ll see you at the Shore!

Birthday Surprise

Last weekend was my Dad’s 60th birthday! We decided to surprise him with a little family get together. We arranged with my Mom to pull off the surprise. We decided to meet at the Tonto Natural Bridge just north of Payson, AZ. We arrived a few minutes before the birthday guest and then SURPRISE! It was so fun to surprise my Dad and be able to spend the day with Dad and Mom.

I had never been to the Tonto Natural Bridge before, and it was beautiful. We went hiking and took in the gorgeous surroundings. Apparently, it the “largest natural travertine bridge in the world.” It is 183 feet high over a 400-foot long tunnel that measures 150 feet at its widest point. It really is something else. I’ve driven past the turnoff to the park a thousand times and all this time I never even knew it was there. I was super fun! If you’ve never been and are in the area—I highly recommend it. After the hike we went to Payson for dinner and gave my Dad a memory book we’ve been working on for the past few months. (A special thanks to everyone who contributed!) Happy Birthday Dad! Here are a few pictures of the fun day!

A Bit of Glitter

I have a slight obsession with glitter. And when I say slight, I mean huge. I just can’t help it--I heart things with glitter on them. My motto is, “Everything is a little better with a bit of glitter.” I am especially obsessed with holiday decorations with glitter. If it’s for the holidays and it has glitter, I must have it—much to my husband’s chagrin. It’s become a bit of problem actually. I’m starting to notice that all my holiday decorations have glitter. My house is pretty much covered with glitter from October through December. But it makes me so happy! However, if glitter caused chronic migraine disease, I’d have a crazy amount of migraines. Oh wait. I do have chronic migraines. Hmmm…could too much glitter be the culprit? I don’t know—I’ll have to do some research on that. In the meantime, I’m going to pretend that glitter is the cure and I’m going self-medicate with glitter decorations.

Imagine my joy when our women’s group at church had a craft night that included making Halloween decorations with lots and lots of glitter. I have never been incredibly “crafty” individual, but I was able to muster up enough creative juices to make this lovely decoration. Glitter haters be damned--I am so proud of it and it makes me incredibly happy. May glitter never go out of style.

Red Carpet Red Velvet

If you love ice cream and if you love red velvet cake, then boy do I have a treat for you! Blue Bunny has teamed up with celebrity chef, Duff Goldman (from Ace of Cakes), to create the most magical ice cream concoction I have ever tasted. It’s called Red Carpet Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream. And yes—the ice cream is as fabulous as the name. It’s got yummy red velvet cake flavored ice cream mixed with cream cheese frosting flavored ice cream and red velvet cake pieces. A-MAZ-ING! It’s kind of like dying and going to heaven…on a red carpet! So if you scream for ice cream, you will be squealing with delight for this red velvet deliciousness. Try it!!

When Life Gives You Lemons

In honor of the last day of summer I thought I’d post the recipe for my favorite summer dessert—lemon bundt cake! I love all things lemon—lemon chicken, lemon pie, lemonade (delish!!!)—and I’m now officially obsessed with this super easy, super yummy lemon bundt cake. I say when life gives you lemons, make lemon cake!

Lemon Bundt Cake

Ingredients

·         1 pkg. Lemon Cake Mix

·         1 (3.4 oz.) instant lemon pudding and pie filling

·         4 large eggs

·         1 cup water

·         1/3 cup vegetable oil

·         One container of lemon frosting

Baking Instructions

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bundt pan and coat with sugar.

2.    Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water and oil in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour into pan.

3.    Bake at 350 for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Invert onto heat resistant serving plate. Cool completely.

4.    For glaze, place frosting in microwave and heat for 10 to 15 seconds. Stir until smooth and drizzle over cake.

9/11

2,977 flags. One for each victim of the 9/11 attacks. Each year on 9/11, Tempe Town Lake turns into a beautiful memorial--a place to remember and pay tribute. Each flag has a marker with a victim’s name, age, and a little bit about them. It was humbling to walk through them today and know that each one represents a spouse, parent, child, or friend. We will never forget what happened that day. God bless America. 

Death by Chocolate

Some of you may know this, and some of you may not, but I think it’s time for me to say (a.k.a. blog) it out loud…I have chronic migraines. To be officially diagnosed with chronic migraines, you have to have more than 14 migraines a month, and unfortunately I fall in that category. I’ve basically had a constant headache for over 18 months, with 3-5 migraines a week. Anyone who can do the math can see that 18 + 5 + constant + severe + pain = a not so fun time.

I’ve been seeking treatment for a little over a year now. I’ve seen numerous neurologists, and tried countless medications, supplements, etc., but to no avail. The most interesting thing so far has been all the remedies that people suggest. It seems that all of the sudden, everyone I know either has/had migraines or knows someone who has/had migraines. I have been told about enough remedies (medicinal and naturopathic) to write a book…and someday I just might--working title is 1001 Ways to Stop Feeling Like You’ve Been Kicked in the Head.

I’ve gotten to the point that I’ll try just about anything. I’ve become so desperate that I even gave up chocolate. Yes, I know—I must really be going crazy, but see I’ve read that sometimes chocolate can be a trigger to migraines. It was my husband’s idea, of course, because only a man would dare tell a woman to give up chocolate—women know this suggestion should never be uttered to another woman. But I thought, why not? I had to find out if chocolate was my migraine nemesis. The minute I gave it up, I was craving all things chocolate—chocolate cake, Snickers, chocolate ice cream, brownies, etc. I guess it’s the old adage, you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. I didn’t realize how much I LOVE chocolate. I desperately missed it. If only I could be one of those people that HATE chocolate…but well, then I guess that would just make me a guy.

A few days into my no-chocolate challenge I thought, wait a minute, do I really want to know the results of this experiment? Would I be willing to live a chocolate-less life? I wasn’t sure that I was. Perhaps it was my lack of faith, or my prayers that chocolate wouldn’t be a trigger, but after two weeks of no chocolate I luckily (and unluckily) still had my migraines. I never thought I’d be so relieved to have a migraine.    

So crisis was averted. I don’t have a give up chocolate, but I do have to keep searching for my migraine cure. I’m sure I’ll find it someday, and in the meantime with a sigh of relief I’ll say, TGINC…thank goodness it’s not chocolate.

Rising

Image from http://www.wtc.com/media/images/s/the-vision-world-trade-center

It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years. This weekend I started watching a documentary produced by Steven Spielberg titled, Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero. It’s a six-part series that began airing last week on The Discovery Channel. I’ve only had a chance to watch the first hour so far, but already I am amazed with this documentary. It’s absolutely incredible to see the massive undertaking of rebuilding the World Trade Center. The stories of the workers and architects, the symbolism in the design, and the beautiful memorial they are creating make for an inspiring and moving documentary. The remaining three episodes will air this Thursday, September 1^st on Discovery Channel, so be sure to tune in. Seriously—you have to watch this. Warning, you may want to keep a box of Kleenex next to you while you watch, but I’ll say one thing, it sure makes you proud to be an American. God bless America!

Baby It's Cold Inside

Imagine the following: A large office building sits in the middle of the desert. It’s summertime. The weather outside is a blistering 114 degrees. However, the temperature inside the building is literally freezing. Inside this building, a short blond woman sits at her desk. The woman is wearing dress pants, close-toed shoes, and a cardigan sweater. She also has a throw blanket over her lap and has turned on her space heater in an attempt to warm up her frozen fingers so she can type.

What’s wrong with this picture? Everything! I am freezing to death and I live in Phoenix! And yes, you heard right…I actually have a space heater at my desk during the summer. Did I mention that I live on the surface of the sun? Dear Company, why must you turn the office into a walk-in freezer?

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), there are no specific regulations for office temperature. However, it does mandate that the workplace must be free from hazard. Last time I checked, turning your employees into popsicles is hazardous. I also read a study that found a direct correlation between temperature and productivity. A study by Cornell University found that the optimum temperature for productivity is 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Well, I guess we all have a new excuse for decreased productivity. “Sure thing boss, as soon as that temperature gets to 77 I’ll get right back to work.”

Sweet Dreams

I am a dreamer. I mean literally—I always have vivid dreams. I also have several different recurring dreams. I had another “episode” of a particular recurring dream the other night, so I thought it was time for me to do some investigating. In this dream, I am back in high school as a cheerleader. It’s always one hour before game time and I don’t know which uniform to wear! Gasp! Okay, that might not sound like a big deal to most of you, but to a cheerleader, this is literally a nightmare! I mean, what outfit we wear is practically our biggest decision for the game. To show up and not match the squad would be humiliating. In my cheer squad we took turns deciding which uniform to wear for the game. Each uniform had a name like, “Bulldogs,” “Unity,” “Paws,” or something like that. In my dream I realize that I don’t know which uniform to wear, and I COMPLETELY panic. (Give me a P, give me an A, give me an N, give me an I, give me a C…what does it spell? PANIC!) I run around, frantically trying to find out which uniform to wear that night. Is it Unity? Is it Paws? I don’t know! I call my teammates and no one answers. What will I do? What if I wear the wrong uniform? Aaahhh!! And then I wake up.

So I decided to do some research, and here’s what I found. According to the “world wide web,” here are some possible interpretations/things my dream is telling me:

• “You like things to be in order, predictable, in alignment” (No surprise there—I mean, I color coordinate my closet for goodness sake)

• “You feel ‘uniform’-- the same, like a cookie cutter version of a human being” (You mean, I feel like a gingerbread woman?)

• The uniform is a “symbol of liking to put on a fake persona, a cloak to hide the inner truth of who one truly is” (That's weird, I always thought my true self was a cheerleader.)

• “The dream might be a metaphor to ‘cheer up’” (I know, I’ll do the perfect cheer!)

• “To dream that you are a cheerleader signifies your self-confidence and self-esteem. You need to be more active and more positive in some waking situation in your life.” (Should I do a few cheers at the office?)

• “It may point to a conflict, situation or matter in your waking life that remains unresolved or unsettled.” (Should I initiate a cheer squad reunion?)

Hmmm…not much help there. I don’t feel like a cookie cutter human, but perhaps I do need to be a bit more “cheery” in my life. I’ll give that a shot. If you have any other interpretations for me, I’d love to hear them. Oh, and if someone knows which uniform we’re wearing to the big game this weekend, please let me know ASAP!

Winner, Winner

Winner, winner! Monday night was the end of another season of the Bachelorette, which also means the end to our Bachelorette office pool. And you’re looking at the second time winner! That’s right folks—I am getting scary good at this. Last season I predicted Emily would be the winner, and this season I predicted JP.  Conundrum: Is this a sign I’ve seen too many seasons of the Bachelor/Bachelorette, or merely a sign I should go to Vegas and put money down next season? Well, either way, thanks to the Bachelorette for picking my pick. I guess they don’t call me Paige the Sage for nothing.

Slice of Heaven

My dad has always said that you can’t get in to heaven unless you know how to make a really good pie. Well the past few weeks I have been craving lemon meringue pie, which happens to be my dad’s favorite. I think it has something to do with the summertime heat—doesn’t a cool lemon meringue pie sound delish? So I got to thinking, I can already make a mean apple pie, but to increase my chances for heaven I decided that I had better learn to make a tasty lemon meringue pie.

I’ve heard meringues can be tricky, so I did my homework, searched for recipes, and even watched a how-to video online. I am happy to report that, to my great surprise, the pie was a success! It was fun to make and a treat to eat! I thought I’d go ahead and share the recipe here in case anyone wants to increase their chances for heaven…or if they just want a heavenly summer dessert. Enjoy!

Lemon Meringue Pie (adapted from Grandma's Lemon Meringue Pie)

Ingredients

Meringue

• 6 egg whites
• 1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon white sugar
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• Dash of vanilla

Lemon Filling

• 1 ½ cups white sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup and 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 ¼ cups milk
• 4 lemons, juiced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 egg yolks, beaten

1-1/2 (9 inch) pie crust, baked

Directions

1. To make meringue: In a large glass bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar, cream of tartar, and vanilla gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. To make lemon filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 ½ cups sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in milk, lemon juice. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
4. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.
6. Let pie cool to room temperature for one hour.
7. Refrigerate pie for four hours and it’s ready to serve.

From Hate to Love

There are very few things I love more in this world than movie theater popcorn and a fantastic movie. This weekend I enjoyed both as I went to see the final Harry Potter movie. You may not know this, but I am now a bona fide Harry Potter fan. It’s funny, I actually used to make fun of Harry Potter lovers. It’s true…as the books soared to popularity while I was in college, I hated all the hype. I’d get annoyed at everyone carrying around their Harry Potter books and I’d think, “There’s no way that a book about a boy wizard can be that good!”

Luckily, my friend Amy, from my book club, came to my rescue…and just in time! A few months ago we were talking and it came up that I had never read the Harry Potter series. She told me that I had to give them a try, so she lent me the first few books and made me promise to at least read the first one. She guaranteed me that if I read one, I’d be hooked. And she was so right! I immediately fell in love with the characters and wizarding world of Harry Potter. The writing and storytelling is phenomenal, and I couldn’t get through the books fast enough. I finished the books and caught up with all the movies just in time to watch the latest HP installment in the theater. The movie was AMAZING. I laughed, and cheered, and even got a little teary eyed. I didn’t wear a cape or bring a wand to the movie, but I am not ashamed to say that I heart Harry Potter.

So, if you’re like me and you’ve been resisting the Harry Potter phenomenon all these years, take it from me…get on the bandwagon! It’s too fantastic to miss. You still have time to watch the first seven movies and join in on the last hurrah! Coming from a former HP hater who is now a HP lover, I promise you won’t be disappointed. Thank you Amy for getting me hooked, and thank you Harry Potter.

I heart the Caribbean.

It’s been a crazy year, so Sean and I agreed that we were in need of a serious vacation this summer. Luckily, our friends, Kyle and Ashley, felt the same way, so we all set off for a seven day Caribbean cruise. We had an amazing time! It was so nice to be detached from phones, emails, work, and just spend an entire week relaxing. It was our first cruise and our first time in the Caribbean. The beaches were incredible. I now officially heart the Caribbean.

Our first stop was Costa Maya. Great food, gorgeous beaches, and a cool Caribbean breeze—what more could a girl ask for?



Our next port was the beautiful island of Roatan. This small island just off the coast of Honduras is covered in green! We couldn’t resist taking a zipline tour of the rain forest. It was so much fun! I am now slightly addicted to the zipline—especially hanging upside down. What a rush!

After the zipline we relaxed at the amazing West Bay Beach.

Our next port was Belize. This was definitely one of my favorite stops. We went snorkeling on the amazing barrier reef just off the coast, and then settled in for some relaxation on this incredible island with white sand beaches and turquoise water. I didn’t want to leave this picturesque setting. The whole day was, yes, you guessed it, “unbelizeable.”

Our final destination was Cozumel, Mexico. It was the perfect end to our amazing week. We spent the day relaxing on the beach and the boys went for a scuba dive. We also had the most amazing tacos I’ve ever tasted. I was this close to missing the boat so I could just stay on this beach forever.

Caribbean, how did you get to be so wonderful? You have certainly won my heart. Thanks for the best week ever! (To view more photos click here)